The United Church of Canada’s letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney expressing concerns regarding the recently signed Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) between Canada and the Philippine government.
The Right Honourable Mark Carney, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
December 3, 2025
Re: Concerns Regarding the Canada–Philippines Status of Visiting Forces Agreement and potential complicity in human rights abuses
Dear Prime Minister Carney,
On behalf of The United Church of Canada, I write to express our deep concern regarding the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) signed between Canada and the Republic of the Philippines on November 2, 2025. As a church with long-standing partnerships in the Philippines, and a long history of advocating for peace and human rights, we are compelled to raise serious concerns about the implications of this agreement.
The SOVFA, which expands military cooperation and enables Canadian and Philippine forces to participate in joint operations on each other’s territory, risks entangling Canada in a context marked by persistent, well-documented, state-based human rights violations. For many years, The United Church of Canada has engaged with the Canadian government to express grave concern over enforced disappearances, red-tagging, extrajudicial killings, and targeted attacks on journalists, Indigenous peoples, church leaders, and human-rights defenders in the Philippines. Our partners and colleagues on the ground continue to face threats, intimidation, and violence with impunity.
Entering into an agreement that deepens military ties with institutions implicated in these abuses exposes Canada to moral, legal, and diplomatic risk. The presence of Canadian boots on the ground in the Philippines may place Canada in a position of direct or indirect complicity in human rights violations. Deepening military cooperation with institutions linked to repression undermines Canada’s stated commitments to human rights.
We are also concerned about transparency and democratic process surrounding this agreement. It remains unclear whether Parliament and the Canadian public will be granted the opportunity to scrutinize the SOVFA. Canadians have the right to understand the content and consequences of international security arrangements undertaken in their name. Canada’s Policy on the Tabling of Treaties in Parliament requires new international agreements to be tabled prior to ratification.
Additionally, this agreement contributes to a growing web of foreign military pacts in the Indo-Pacific region that collectively escalate militarization and increase the risk of armed conflict. By mirroring U.S. strategic priorities, Canada risks compromising its independent voice on human rights and peace in Asia.
For these reasons, The United Church of Canada respectfully calls on the Government of Canada to:
–Disclose the full text of the SOVFA and ensure it is tabled and debated in Parliament before ratification.
–Conduct a transparent, public review of the agreement’s human-rights, corruption, and governance implications.
–Suspend or reject the SOVFA unless clear and enforceable mechanisms for oversight, accountability, and compliance with Canadian and international human-rights obligations can be guaranteed.
–Reaffirm Canada’s independent commitment to peace, democracy, and human rights by prioritizing engagement with Philippine peoples and civil society and communities rather than relying on military partnerships.
The United Church of Canada stands in solidarity with churches, communities, and human-rights defenders in the Philippines who bear the brunt of militarization, red-tagging, displacement, and violence. We reaffirm our commitment to peace, justice, and human dignity, and urge the Government of Canada to uphold these same principles in all international agreements.
Canada cannot credibly champion freedom, democracy, and human rights abroad while entering into military cooperation agreements with repressive institutions that have yet to demonstrate accountability for systemic abuses. The SOVFA will not make Canadians or Filipinos safer; rather, it risks deepening militarization and undermining Canada’s longstanding commitments to human rights and peace.
We respectfully request your government’s leadership in ensuring that Canada’s foreign policy aligns with our country’s deepest values and international obligations.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Japhet Ndhlovu
Executive Minister, Church in Mission Unit
The United Church of Canada