July 1, 2026 - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrives in Vancouver, Canada on July 1, in time for the country’s celebration of Canada Day.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will be hosting Marcos until July 4 with bilateral meetings aimed at advancing the two countries’ economic and security partnership.
The last visit by a Philippine president was over a decade ago in 2015 with then President Benigno Aquino III, who was welcomed by then Governor General David Johnston in Ottawa. On the same trip, Aquino also met with the Filipino community in Vancouver.
Carney and Marcos are expected to hold discussions that will accelerate the negotiations of a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement and a Canada-ASEAN free trade agreement, both targeting conclusion this year during the Philippines’ chairmanship in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The two leaders will focus on strengthening ties across defence and maritime security, trade and investment, energy, critical minerals, and other priority sectors. Canada has been an ASEAN Dialogue Partner since 1977 and an ASEAN Strategic Partner since 2023 under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Marcos will also be meeting with members of the Filipino community in Vancouver in recognition of the contributions of overseas Filipinos to both Canada and the Philippines.
In a media release, Carney noted that the “relationship between Canada and the Philippines is strengthened by the deep ties between our citizens.”
He continued, “With the Filipino Canadian diaspora nearly one million strong, Canada and the Philippines are building up our partnership so it’s stronger and more expansive, and so it reflects the depth of our values.”
Earlier in June, the Philippines’ Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. visited Ottawa, becoming the first Philippine defence minister to visit Canada. Teodoro’s June 11 to 12 visit marked two significant milestones in the Canada-Philippines defence relationship - the signing of a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and of a Statement of Intent on Strengthening Defence Cooperation.
In 2025, bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and the Philippines was valued at $3.4 billion, with the Philippines being Canada’s sixth-largest export market in the ASEAN region.
Carney and Marcos previously met at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in October 2025.
This year’s official visit is Marcos first official trip to Canada and came to fruition upon invitation by Carney. Back in 2023, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also extended the invitation to the Philippine President in recognition of the two countries’ celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2024.
About the Author
Rachel Ramos-Reid started writing for magazines and newspapers when she was still a junior at the University of the Philippines’ Communication degree program majoring in Journalism. She continued to write in a public relations/corporate communications capacity in various private and government offices until moving out of the country in 1997 to work as Programme Officer for the arts and culture branch of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO-SPAFA) in Bangkok, Thailand. At the end of her term, Rachel found herself immigrating to Canada in the year 2000 and again searching for new beginnings.
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