By: Bhupinder S. Liddar
Ottawa: Where there is no progress in establishing a Canadian consulate in Punjab the matter is being actively. ‘Sis the case of disappearance of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, absconding to two Canadian MPs of Indian origin, Who were part of Team Canada visit to India the first week of January and who recently returned to Ottawa after extending their stay with visits to Punjab.
Liberal MP Herb Dhaliwal was one of the members of Team Canada.
Dhaliwal stated that has taken up the matter of establishing a Canadian consulate in the Punjab with the newly appointed Minister of foreign Affairs Lloyd Ax worthy. “It is a priority for me to see a Canadian consulate 4 Punjab as a majority of those who Visit the Canadian High Commission ‘in ‘New Delhi come from the Punjab, ”Dhaliwal observed
According Dhaliwal of to Dhaliwal the issue human rights abuses was raised by the Prime Minister Chretien with his Indian counterpart Narasimha Rao and “I was present at the meeting when the Prime, Minister raised the issue with Punjab Chief Minister Harcharan ‘Singh Brar.” Dhaliwal stayed that Brar assured the meeting that the issue of human rights was “very important” for him. Dhaliwal added, “I believe he is sincere, but will be judged by his actions.” Dhaliwal also met with the disappeared human rights worker Khalra’s wife and daughter. Dhaliwal indicated that he is very distressed and concerned about the fate of Khalra and sought assurance from the Punjab authorities to make known his where abouts. It is understood that the prime minister also met with Mrs. Khalra and her daughter at his hotel in New Delhi.
On the economic front, the liberalization brought about by Indian
Finance Minister Manmohan Singh has paved the right impetus to attract foreign investment to India. But the system need radical upgrading and needs to be revised to bring it into the 1990s from the 1880s, according to Dhaliwal. Otherwise, there is danger of western companies getting frustrated with doing business in \. There needs to be a serious effort to reduce rampant corruption and bribery and review labor such as the one which prohibits any ‘one from being laid off. According to Dhaliwal, “India needs to revamp its antique legal system in order to take it into the 21 century and for it to benefit from economic globalization.” He adds that there needs to be a greater will to improve the economic conditions of the poor and reduce. The wide up between the rich and the poor.
Great opportunities exist for expanding trade between Canada and India in a number of sectors including power ‘generation, transportation, infrastructure development, industrial and environmental industries,” observes, Dhaliwal. Canadian companies could be instrumental in tackling the massive pollution problems faced by heavily cities such as Mumbai and New Delhi.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 21, 1996
