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Canada is going after two free trade deals in Asia in 2026. The first is a one-on-one deal with the Philippines. The second is a wider pact with ASEAN.

ASEAN is the 11-country bloc that covers most of Southeast Asia [Brrunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, with Papua New Guinea having an observer status] and a population of almost 700 million people.

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For Canada, the math is simple. ASEAN has nearly 700 million people. Its economy is over $5 trillion. It is on track to be the world's fourth-biggest by 2030. A done Canada-ASEAN deal would add over $1.5 billion to Canada's GDP.

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Critical Minerals Are In The Mix

The Philippines side has a second angle. The country is the world's second-biggest seller of raw nickel. Canada wants its capital chasing local mining and processing.

A separate critical minerals deal is also on the table. It would mirror a memo Manila signed with the US on supply lines for clean energy gear.

The Canada-ASEAN team closed two chapters last September. They cover rules and customs steps. The harder chapters are still open.

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