Manitoba Premier in Punjab to promote people-to-people contact

Thursday, 31/01/2013

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130131/punjab.htm#8

Chandigarh : Premier of Manitoba (Canada) Greg Selinger has chosen to explore people-to-people contacts and family connections in order to promote bilateral relations between his province and its major source of manpower: Punjab.

He called on top political leadership of Haryana and met leaders of trade and industry at the regional headquarters of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here last evening. This morning, Greg Selinger and other members of his entourage, have embarked upon a tour of various villages of Punjab to accomplish the goal.

“I want to see for myself the areas, social settings and environment of Punjab which is a major source of manpower for my state. Though the total size of my province is less than that of Chandigarh, we have over 25,000 Punjabis there. Punjabi is the eighth major language spoken in Manitoba,” he revealed in an informal chat with the Tribune.

It is relatively simpler to immigrate to Manitoba as all one needs is to have the ability to converse in English.

It is his first ever visit to India. Fascinated by the city’s Rock Garden, he finds Chandigarh to be a beautiful city.

Greg Selinger has in his entourage Mohinder Saran, the only Indo-Canadian of Punjab origin in the Manitoba assembly, and some prominent members of the ruling New Democratic Party, including Kulwinder Toor. “I am going to visit Kulwinder Toor’s village Sawaddi and Mohinder Saran’s village on the Moga-Kotkapura road.

In a Ludhiana village, Winnipeg University is setting up a library besides developing a centre to recruit students for its various courses.

“I shall also be going to Amritsar where I plan to pay obeisance at the Golden temple and Durgiana Mandir. In Amritsar, I also want to spend some time in Pingalwara to get a first-hand account of the unprecedented service rendered by late Bhagat Puran Singh,” he said.

Greg Selinger also wants to pay tributes at the historic Jallianwala Bagh and watch the retreat ceremony at the Wagah border.

Apart from exploring people- to-people contacts, Greg Selinger is also here with a specific agenda. “We are twice the size of Rajasthan but our total population is a little less than that of Chandigarh. We have room for more people and Punjab has a long historic connectivity with Manitoba that is strategically located in the center of Canada.

“We have a simple immigration procedure and have a great education system which is also economically viable. We provide total health care cover to our students the moment they land in Manitoba. We are liberal in granting work permit to our international students,” he says.

On a mission
Is here to see Punjab as it is a major source of manpower for Manitoba

Says in return for manpower, Manitoba can provide affordable quality education to denizens of Punjab.