NEWS RELEASES
CANADA TO OPEN OFFICE IN PUNJAB'S CAPITAL
September 30, 1996 No. 176
CANADA TO OPEN OFFICE IN PUNJAB'S CAPITAL
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced that Canada will establish
a liaison office in Chandigarh, capital of India's Punjab State. Mr. Axworthy
plans to open the office personally when he visits India early in the new year.
This announcement was made during the visit to Canada of Inder Kumar Gujral,
Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India.
This office will support the commercial and immigration sections of the Canadian
High Commission in New Delhi. Approximately 12 000 applications for Canadian
visas originated in Punjab in 1995.
"A Canadian presence in Chandigarh will enable us to serve better the large number
of immigrants and visitors to Canada from that region," said Mr. Axworthy. "It
also reflects the important relationship that exists between Canada and India, and
the normalization of conditions in Punjab."
"Canada has an Indo-Canadian population of about 500 000 -- over 70 per cent of
whom come from the Punjab State," said Minister for International Trade Art
Eggleton. "This fact presents tremendous opportunity for increased trade and
investment between Canada and India, particularly as India liberalizes its
economic policies."
"This office will strengthen the people-to-people linkages between Canada and
India, and thereby enhance the relationship between our two countries," said
Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) Raymond Chan.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Catherine Lappe
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
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