New Delhi: Premiers of the Canadian provinces of Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Ontario, Wade MacLauchlan and Kathleen Wynne called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. Both premiers are in India leading a week-long trade mission that is focused on building economic and education relationships with New Delhi.
“I shared with Prime Minister Modi that there are rich opportunities for partnership between India and Prince Edward Island, including a strong fit for many of our high quality Island products and services,” Premier MacLauchlan said. “The Prime Minister spoke of his commitments to skills, clean energy, and sustainable food and agriculture.”
The PEI delegation met with government and business leaders in New Delhi and visited Chandigarh, which is one of 100 Indian cities being made more sustainable under Prime Minister Modi’s Smart Cities Mission. Premier MacLauchlan met with senior Ministers and officials as well as leaders in business and education from Punjab and Haryana. ?
“We have taken important strides with these face-to-face meetings and look forward to pursuing these opportunities and relationships,” added the Premier.
Among other successes so far:
. the Premier and Economic Development and Tourism Minister, Heath MacDonald, met with leaders from software company Aark Infosoft – based in Ahmedebad – who announced they intend to open their first North American office in Prince Edward Island beginning this spring, and creating new skilled jobs;
. the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) signed MOUs with Chitkara University and the Punjab Agricultural University, to facilitate exchanges of faculty and students and collaboration on research and programming.
. the Province has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Canadian Nectar Products that will send apples grown in eastern Prince Edward Island to markets in India and Asia; and
Representatives from Aspin Kemp and Associates, Coles Associates, Portsmouth Atlantic, and the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) accompanied the Premier and Minister MacDonald to India. They are participating in meetings focused on cultivating relationships with India in renewable energy, sustainable development, food products, and post-secondary education.
This joint mission between the province of PEI and the province of Ontario is intended to confirm recent Indian business investments in PEI and generate new investment – as well as encouraging new applications to the Start-Up Visa program through LaunchPad PEI. It is part of ongoing efforts to promote PEI goods, services, and expertise in India and other emerging markets.
“I have no doubt that teaming up with Premier Wynne and her Ontario delegation will open doors for PEI products and companies,” the Premier said. “With Canada’s smallest and largest provinces working together, it shows once again that small can be big.”
Meetings will continue in Hyderabad and Mumbai through the rest of this week. Minister MacDonald also held meetings in Bengaluru. (ANI)