Filipino President to Lead Business Delegation to Canada

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today announced that President Fidel Ramos of the Philippines will make an official visit to Canada, at the invitation of the Governor General, from November 27 to 30, immediately following the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Vancouver. President Ramos will lead a delegation of senior ministers and a business delegation including representatives from a variety of sectors including telecommunications, construction, food, transportation and financial institutions. They will visit Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Winnipeg.

"I am very pleased that the Filipino government and business community are seeking to further enhance commercial ties with Canada," said the Prime Minister. "This visit will build on business opportunities developed during the highly successful Team Canada mission to the Philippines in January of this year."

In Ottawa, Mr. Ramos will be greeted by Governor General Roméo Leblanc and will hold talks with Prime Minister Chrétien, Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and Minister for International Trade Sergio Marchi.

In Toronto, Mr. Ramos will meet with Defence Minister Art Eggleton, Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) Raymond Chan and Ontario Premier Mike Harris and attend a financial roundtable organized by the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Canadian Bankers Association.

In Montreal, President Ramos is scheduled to meet with Citizenship and Immigration Minister Lucienne Robillard, Minister of Human Resources Development Pierre Pettigrew, Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard and the mayors of Dorval and Montreal. He will also attend a luncheon given by the Montreal Council for International Relations in association with the ASEAN-Canada Business Council.

In Winnipeg Mr. Ramos will meet with Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. Rey Pagtakhan and Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon. Mr. Ramos will meet members of the Filipino community in all four cities.

PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555