Ambassador Gatan took the opportunity of the 20-minute audience to thank FM Baird for acceding to the bilateral meeting with Secretary Albert F. del Rosario at the margins of APEC in Honolulu next week; Canada's continuing development assistance towards good governance and the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the Philippines; the increasing number of Canadian visitors to the Philippines, Canadian hospitality to citizens of the Philippines which is currently Canada's top source of temporary workers; and the priority given to ASEAN under Canada's Global Commerce Strategy.
Responding to the Ambassador's message on the high performance rating enjoyed by President Benigno S. Aquino III, Foreign Minister Baird described the President's parents as "a very brave man and a very brave woman". He recalled that he was a young fellow following politics when the venerable Corazon Aquino emerged as the leader of a non-violent revolt against a dictatorship. He remembered the Philippines' peaceful people power revolution as a "remarkable and extraordinary" event in Philippine history,
The Foreign Minister conveyed his appreciation for Filipino workers in Canada and expressed the view that they should enjoy the same rights as Canadian workers.
FM Baird affirmed Canada's focus on Asia-Pacific as a priority market. Besides China, he saw economic figures rising for ASEAN. He was impressed by the Philippines' growth rate which he said doubled that of Canada's and that Canadian exports to the Philippines grew by 30% last year.
On this score, Ambassador Gatan stressed the potential of the Philippine market of about 100 million people and that the Philippines is the third largest English-speaking country. Further consultations are being planned to deepen commercial relations between the Philippines and Canada.
The Minister also welcomed the Ambassador's plan to call on the Premieres of the British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to explore further areas of cooperation.