Carney to cap off ASEAN summit with focus on trade deals, ahead of Francophonie

MANILA – Prime Minister Mark Carney is wrapping up a brief visit to the Philippines and heading to Cambodia, as the government pushes for more trade access in the region.

Carney is at the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, where Canada concluded negotiations for a trade deal with the Philippines and continues talks for a deal with the wide bloc of 11 countries.

Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu told reporters travelling with Carney that the wider deal gives access to smaller countries, while Canada also has deeper agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines.

“You can get more into the weeds. You can upgrade later on, when you’re dealing with (one deal that is) bilateral, as opposed to an agreement with 11 partners,” he said in Manila on Sunday, which was late Saturday in Canada. 

“It’s the fastest growing region in the world, 700 million consumers, an economy valued at $6 trillion.”

Sidhu also expressed confidence for Canadian pork producers, as the Philippines moves toward restricting pork imports from a wide array of countries, including Canada.

“They’ve got a global safeguards investigation … for 60 days. Canada is not the culprit, and you’ll find out once the investigation is done,” he said.

Carney is set to meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit.

He will then leave for Cambodia for a summit of the Francophonie, including a side event on technology trade in Phnom Penh.

While there, Carney will meet with Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon who is pushing for more autonomy in Quebec’s international relations, though Sidhu says Ottawa is working constructively with the province.

“Quebec has many of their own trade officers in our embassies around the world, and we’ll continue working collaboratively,” Sidhu said, noting that Quebec’s aerospace sector has recently achieved large sales in Asia.

“What Canada presents is certainty to the world” he said.

Later this week, Carney will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in China, months after Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to have a limited number of Chinese electrical vehicles sold in Canada.

Sidhu also said Chinese automaker Chery is among those seeking Transport Canada certification to sell lower-cost vehicles into Canada. He said some Chinese manufacturers will likely clear that process by the end of the year.

He said he is also hopeful Chinese companies will create automotive jobs for Canadians.

“There is an interest from Chinese manufacturers to utilize our workforce in Canada, but before you invest billions of dollars you need to understand the market,” he said. 

“Every time I sit down with them I look at what they’re doing in Europe and I ask them how they can replicate that in Canada with Canadian supply chains, with Canadian workers.”

The minister said Canada is still navigating trade issues with China, despite some recent progress on extending access to beef, canola meal, crab and peas.

“We’re still continuing to engage on pork, on pet food and others. We’re not relenting,” he said.

Sidhu also said Canada is working with Beijing to have more opportunities for Canadian small and medium businesses to sell consumer goods to China on online platforms like Alibaba.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2026.