Canada and the Philippines are discussing a military intelligence-sharing framework that would allow broader exchanges of classified information.
The collaboration, called the “General Security of Information Agreement,” supports Ottawa’s larger Indo-Pacific Strategy, in which Manila serves a critical role in maintaining regional stability.
“We’re in active negotiations on that now with the Department of Defense here,” Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman explained on the sidelines of a forum in Makati City. “Again, that is indicative of how advanced the relationship is.”
He added that the agreement would enable more flexible intelligence-centered partnerships.
“The absence of that doesn’t preclude us from engaging very comprehensively, very robustly, but with that extra layer, it just allows us to go deeper in terms of the exchange, and the frankness and the candor of information that we’re able to share,” he said.
600 Canadian Troops for Exercise
The agreement follows the signing of the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement in November 2025 for improved joint defense cooperation between the Canadian and Filipino militaries.
The coalition serves as a response to emerging threats in the disputed South China Sea, where Beijing continually displays hostility to Manila and other claimants of the overlapping territories in the region.
Part of that visiting forces deal is the upcoming deployment of over 600 Canadian troops to this year’s iteration of Exercise Balikatan, an annual, multinational war game jointly led by the Philippines and the US.
“This year, Canada will be the third largest participant at Balikatan. This is from three and a half years ago, when we didn’t even have a resident defense attaché,” Hartman said.
“As I’ve said repeatedly, we’re trying to put our money where our mouth is and demonstrate, not just in words but in deeds, our commitment to the Philippines and to our collective and shared interests,” he added.
