PRESS STATEMENT
July 4, 2026

Reference: Luthfi Mawarid, Chairperson
ICHRP Canada 
Email: info@ichrpcanada.org/ichrpcanada@gmail.com

Canada’s Partnership with the Philippines Must Reflect Canadian Values and Human Rights:

Expanded military, mining, and economic agreements must not come at the expense of human rights, democratic accountability, and lasting peace

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP Canada) strongly condemns the newly announced  Canada Philippines Strategic Partnership in the Philippines. We are profoundly disappointed that Prime Minister Mark Carney is pursuing a bilateral partnership with the Philippine Government that prioritizes Canada’s economic and strategic interests over human rights, democratic principles and good governance that Canadians expect their government to uphold. 

We raise serious concerns about the agreements signed on security, energy and natural resources, labour, tourism, and culture. We reiterate our firm opposition to the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) and expanded maritime security cooperation. In light of the deeply entrenched corruption and the lack of accountability in the Philippine government and the military establishment, we call again on the Government of Canada to suspend all support for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Strengthening ties without meaningful accountability risks emboldening impunity and undermining Canada’s long-standing commitment to human rights. Strengthening ties without meaningful accountability risks emboldening impunity and undermining Canada’s long-standing commitment to human rights.

As Canada expands this relationship, Canadians should ask:

Will these agreements strengthen human rights, democratic institutions, and public accountability, or will they strengthen institutions that continue to face credible allegations of serious human rights violations without meaningful safeguards?

Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy commits Canada to advancing democracy, peace, human rights, and a rules-based international order. These principles should guide every aspect of Canada’s engagement with the Philippines.

Yet the new Strategic Partnership places considerable emphasis on defence cooperation, trade, investment, and security, while offering no comparable commitments to human rights protections, independent oversight, or public accountability. This imbalance raises legitimate concerns about whether Canada’s actions fully reflect the values it promotes internationally.

International human rights organizations and United Nations experts continue to document enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, red-tagging, attacks on journalists, intimidation of trade unionists, harassment of Indigenous Peoples, and violence against environmental and community defenders in the Philippines.¹

Canada therefore has a responsibility to ensure that expanded military cooperation, development assistance, and commercial partnerships do not contribute directly or indirectly to further abuses or reinforce a climate of impunity.

This responsibility is especially important as Canadian mining and resource companies continue expanding operations in the Philippines, including projects involving Canadian company B2Gold. While investment can contribute to economic development, affected communities continue to report displacement, environmental harm, threats against Indigenous Peoples, and violations of their right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent.² Responsible investment requires meaningful consultation, environmental protection, and respect for internationally recognized human rights.

Labour cooperation should likewise advance workers’ rights, decent work, and sustainable livelihoods in the Philippines, not simply facilitate labour migration driven by economic hardship.

ICHRP Canada believes Canadians support international partnerships that promote shared prosperity while protecting human dignity. Canadian public funds, defence cooperation, and overseas investments should therefore be accompanied by clear human rights benchmarks, independent monitoring, transparency, anti-corruption safeguards, environmental protections, and meaningful participation by affected communities.

A strong Canada–Philippines relationship should be measured not only by increased trade, investment, or security cooperation, but by whether it contributes to peace with justice, strengthens democratic institutions, protects Indigenous rights, upholds international law, and improves the lives of ordinary people. ###

References:

1. Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); UN Human Rights Council communications on the Philippines.
2. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; Global Witness reports on land and environmental defenders.
3. Amnesty International (My Job is to Kill); Human Rights Watch reports on red-tagging and civic space; International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) reports on rule of law and civic space in the Philippines.
4. Global Witness; Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI Philippines reports and assessments); reports on mining impacts and environmental defenders in the Philippines.