21 March 2012 - The Philippine Embassy in Ottawa convened the 230th Meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Committee in Ottawa (ACO) last March 6 in Ottawa, with Ambassador Leslie B. Gatan leading Heads of resident ASEAN missions as ACO Chair from January to June 2012.
The Philippines' ACO chairmanship will see the important initiatives come to fruition such as the first-ever ACO luncheon with members of the Canadian parliament on March 14, the visit of the ASEAN Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan to Ottawa on May 14 to 18 as a commemorative event of the 35th Anniversary of ASEAN-Canada relations, and an anniversary reception at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) on May 16, among other activities.
ASEAN and Canada became dialogue partners in 1977.
For the visit of the ASEAN-Secretary General, preparations for a Track II Forum are underway with themed seminars designed to raise ASEAN's profile in Canada. An ASEAN Festival is also being planned as part of the anniversary program in order to strengthen people-to-people ties.
Canada is home to about a million immigrants from ASEAN member states.
An increasing exchange of high level visits to and from the ASEAN region has been taking place under the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper which has accorded priority status to ASEAN's 600-million-strong market.
In July 2010, Canada acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) to demonstrate its strong engagement in the region and its commitment to regional peace, security and cooperation. In October 2011, ASEAN and Canada adopted a Joint Declaration on Trade and Investment.
The recent appointment of Mr. Ron Hoffman as DFAIT Special Adviser on ASEAN heralds a further deepening of ASEAN-Canada relations in the years ahead.
"Through our chairmanship of the ACO, the Philippines advances the work of building a caring and sharing ASEAN community in Canada while enhancing ASEAN relations with an important dialogue partner," Ambassador Gatan stated.