On the heels of the announcement of the visit of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the Philippines on 8-9 November 2012, Ambassador Leslie B. Gatan took the occasion of a photo opportunity to engage the Canadian leader in a one-on-one substantive briefing on the state of Philippines-Canada relations.

At Parliament Hill on 31 October 2012, Prime Minister Harper and Ambassador Gatan exchanged views on the vast potential of bilateral economic, security and labor cooperation.

President Benigno S. Aquino III will receive his Canadian counterpart in a bilateral meeting largely expected to create the impetus for more robust economic partnerships on the back of solid people-to-people ties.

Joining the Prime Minister's delegation are the Honorable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, the Honorable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, and the Honorable Tobias Enverga, Jr., the first Filipino-Canadian appointed to the Senate of Canada.

"It has been 15 years since the last visit to the Philippines by a Canadian head of government.  Prime Minister Harper's forthcoming trip is a boon to the economic diplomacy campaign of Team Philippines Canada and affirms the growing importance of the Philippines and our region to Canada," Ambassador Gatan observed.