By Marinel E. Peroy
The Embassy of Canada will host its largest trade mission on December 4 to 6, 2024 in Manila, it was learned at a media briefing on Thursday.
The Team Canada Trade Mission (TCTM) will be led by Minister Mary Ng (of export promotion, international trade, and economic development). She will be joined by over 300 Canadian business leaders across 180 organizations representing 17 sectors and Matt Jones (Alberta’s minister of affordability and utilities).
About 100 companies in the Philippines are expected to join the business-matching sessions.
TCTM also aims to expand and diversify business portfolios, support strategic partnerships with Filipino companies, and provide a platform to follow responsible business conduct.
Guy Boileau, senior trade commissioner of the Canadian Embassy, said the Philippines’ growing economy, stable business environment, and dynamic workforce are the reasons why Canadian companies seek to establish their business hubs in the country.
Boileau said representation matters as inclusive trade is a key priority to Canada. He added that among the participating companies, 60% will come from small-medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Our delegation includes business leaders, business owners, our indigenous peoples, visible minorities, women and young entrepreneurs, as well as the LGBTQ business owner. This is very important for us when we talk about trade collaboration. This is for all Canadians, not just for the selected,” he said.
Meanwhile, the trade mission will prioritize key areas such as agriculture (food security), clean technology (energy efficiency), infrastructure (smart cities), and financial technology (AI and cybersecurity). The upcoming event may also help both nation’s economies by providing good paying jobs and enabling a diversity of goods and services.
“We cannot talk about growth in the Canadian economy without talking about international trade, and that includes the importance of trade diversification,” Boileau said.
