Trudeau invites Marcos to visit Canada in 2024

JAKARTA, Indonesia—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday invited President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to visit Canada next year for the celebration of the 75th diplomatic relations between the two states, the Presidential Communications Office said.

The PCO said the invitation was extended to Marcos during his bilateral meeting with Trudeau at the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Indonesia.

During the meeting, the state leaders talked about the Filipino-Canadian diaspora and what Trudeau tagged as “incredible ties” of the two countries.

“Next year we’re celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations and we will be celebrating, but the reality is the trade, economic ties between our two countries continue to grow. The opportunities and investment, the flow of people back and forth as well is strong and the Filipino-Canadian diaspora is incredibly important to all of us,” Trudeau said.

Marcos also expressed appreciation for Canada’s celebration of Filipino culture in their state.

“We cannot have discussions without mentioning the diaspora the Philippine diaspora to Canada and I noted during our Independence Day, all of these celebrations being held officially by local governments around Canada — a celebration of Philippine culture, a celebration of Philippine independence — well really is indicative of how well they assimilated themselves into their work places and into your society,” the Philippine president said.

Marcos also noted how Filipinos praised Canada for welcoming them into the country. 

“There are many families that have grown up in Canada. They have always been unanimous in the praise for the way Canadian society has been open and warm and hospitable to them,” said Marcos.

“We would like to return the favor and we would like very much to promote this increased relationship,” he added.

The Philippine leader also raised during the meeting that Canada is one of the most desired destinations for Filipino workers.

“There was an attitude in the very beginning where Filipinos or workers abroad only work abroad because they had no chance to or a move that was forced upon them but we have changed our attitude,” Marcos said.

“You must accept that this is the way the world works now. It is that people exchange labor forces across the region, across different regions. We, of course, have been a rather more peripatetic race than most. We find ourselves in some of the most unusual and unexpected places, but Canada has become very much a desired destination for our workers,” he added.

With this, Marcos said he is “very optimistic” about the Philippine-Canada ties as he “cannot see any obstacle to our continuing and deepening relations.”

The President added that Canada’s shift towards Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific is “significant” and it only shows which economies are evolving.

This is the third bilateral meeting between the two leaders since Marcos assumed office last year.—AOL, GMA Integrated News