May 25, 2005
Contact: Dave Stephen
Phone 604-864-4611
Fax: 604-859-6653
Email: dave.stephen@ucfv.ca
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Chief Minister of Punjab visits UCFV, announces gift to CICSR
It was a weekend of Canada-India greetings and support at the University College of the Fraser Valley, as the Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, visited the Abbotsford campus and the site of UCFV’s Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies and Research (CICSR). The visit was part of the Chief Minister’s three-province tour of Canada to promote greater business ties between Canada and Punjab.
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Captain Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab
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The Chief Minister’s visit to UCFV underlined the importance of the proposed new BC Regional Innovation Chair in Canada-India Business and Economic Development, which will soon be part of the Centre. The Chief Minister took the opportunity to talk about the potential for greater business collaboration between British Columbia and Punjab. He also announced that his government would contribute up to $50,000 worth of books, cultural artifacts, and other resources to assist in the development of UCFV’s Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies and Research, for use by students and faculty in their research and studies of Punjab and India.
B.C. Minister of Forests Mike de Jong, on hand to welcome the Chief Minister, explained that the provincial government is determined to increase business and trade relations with Punjab and that, for that reason, it fully supports UCFV’s new Centre and the proposed new Chair.
UCFV President, Dr. Skip Bassford who had met the Chief Minister in the Punjab during BC Premier Gordon Campbell’s trade mission to India in November 2003, was delighted to hear about the continued support of the Chief Minister and his government for UCFV’s effort to promote economic and others forms of cooperation between BC and Punjab.
"This is a great opportunity for both of our countries," said Dr. Bassford. "We are so proud of our growing partnership with our Indo-Canadian community and with our friends in Punjab. We want to continue to work together with our business and academic partners both in our province and in Punjab. The new Chair will bring researchers and business people together to address some of the obstacles to broadening trade relations between our two countries."
The Chief Minister was accompanied by several other prominent politicians from Punjab on his Abbotsford visit, including, Mr. Surinder Singla, Finance Minister, Mr. Pratap Singh Bajwa, Cultural Affairs Minister, Mr. Avtar Henry, Minister of Food and Supplies, Mr. Jagmohan Singh Kang, Tourism Minister.
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