Philippines says envoy recalled over Canada trash row

[TimL]

The Philippines has recalled its ambassador to Canada, Manila's foreign minister said Thursday, in an escalation of a festering diplomatic row over tonnes of trash shipped to the Southeast Asian nation.

Ties have been deteriorating since a Canadian company sent around 100 shipping containers that included rotting rubbish wrongly labelled as recyclables to Philippine ports in 2013 and 2014.

Manila set a May 15 deadline for Canada to take the rotting trash back, after President Rodrigo Duterte berated Ottawa over the issue last month.

Canada has since said it is working to arrange for the containers' return, but has not said when exactly that might happen.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said letters recalling the ambassador and consuls to Canada have been sent and the diplomats would be in Manila "in a day or so".

"Canada missed the May 15 deadline. And we shall maintain a diminished diplomatic presence in Canada until its garbage is ship-bound there," Locsin wrote on Twitter.

Canada's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The garbage has strained ties between the two nations, which were already tested after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's questioned Duterte's deadly drug crackdown.

Duterte bristles at any international criticism of his signature policy, which has seen police kill thousands of alleged addicts and pushers since 2016.

Last year Duterte cancelled the Philippine military's $235 million contract to buy 16 military helicopters from a Canada-based manufacturer after Ottawa put the deal under review because of the president's human rights record.

During a speech in April, Duterte threatened to unilaterally ship the garbage back to Canada, saying "let's fight Canada. I will declare war against them."

Duterte frequently uses coarse language and hyperbole in speeches about opponents.

Following the comments, Canada offered to repatriate the waste and the Philippines said Ottawa would shoulder the expense of disposal.

Manila's Bureau of Customs said last week the Philippines was ready to send back the waste but Canada needed several more weeks to prepare documentation.

Some 69 shipping containers of trash remain after 34 others have already been disposed of in the Philippines, the finance ministry said.

 

https://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippines-says-envoy-recalled-over-canada-trash-row-032834547.html

[Dave Hounddriver]

3 hours ago, TimL said:

Last year Duterte cancelled the Philippine military's $235 million contract to buy 16 military helicopters from a Canada-based manufacturer after Ottawa put the deal under review because of the president's human rights record.

Maybe thats why my Canadian dollar only buys 39 pesos these days.  Hmm.  I wonder who was financing that deal or if the Philippines suddenly came up with a mountain of trash .  . er cash . . to buy 16 helicopters.

Edited May 16, 2019 by Dave Hounddriver

[scott h]

I am sure that the light are burning ALL night long at the Canadian state department (or its equivalent) wondering how to handle this slap to their national sovereignty and pride   

[JJReyes]

Trying to imagine how much land is needed for 100 containers stack 4 or 5 high, the space isn't much.  The heat generated under a tropical sun would probably sterilize the content.  Picking this fight is simply political to distract the public from other problem like Manila's traffic.  I thought there was a promise to resolve the traffic problem in a few weeks or few months, and that was a few years ago.

[scott h]

7 hours ago, JJReyes said:

I thought there was a promise to resolve the traffic problem

Believe it or not, things have been improving, albeit slowly. Infrastructure projects do not happen in weeks. A lot of the cures however cause more problems (temporarily) omelets and eggs comes to mind. An example for you is 7 years ago it would take us well over an hour to get from the airport area to Ayala Alabang, now we do it in about 15 minutes. With the new integrated provincial bus terminals you don't see a 4 lane road blocked by 3 lanes of busses unloading anymore.  

The major problem is still, as always just plain poor driving habits. Until laws are enforced, I don't see that improving anytime soon

[graham59]

The Phils government appear to have reached new heights of stupidity. 

Just shut-up, clean the stuff up, and keep getting the cash (and work and  citizenship for many ?) from Canada. 

[JDDavao II]

Has it ever been reported who the consignee was?

[Arizona Kid]

16 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Trying to imagine how much land is needed for 100 containers stack 4 or 5 high, the space isn't much.  The heat generated under a tropical sun would probably sterilize the content.  Picking this fight is simply political to distract the public from other problem like Manila's traffic.  I thought there was a promise to resolve the traffic problem in a few weeks or few months, and that was a few years ago.

Seriously? You can't tell when a politician is lying? It has something to do with their lips.

[Arizona Kid]

1 hour ago, JDDavao said:

Has it ever been reported who the consignee was?

Yes..it was the person who could care less!

[Arizona Kid]

2 hours ago, graham59 said:

The Phils government appear to have reached new heights of stupidity. 

Just shut-up, clean the stuff up, and keep getting the cash (and work and  citizenship for many ?) from Canada. 

New trade war. Canadian garbage V.S. Filipino care givers. I think Canada might take back their trash pretty soon.