CICSR Report JuneDRAFT2.qxp

Volume 1, Number 2
June 2005
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh (third from left) visits the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies and Research at UCFV.
From left: Manmohan Singh Heer (CICSR donor), Gurvinder Dhaliwal (media), the Chief Minister, UCFV president Skip Bassford, Jasbir Banwait,
Dr. Malwinder Dhami (CICSR donor and committee member), and Jarnail S. Akali.
Punjab Chief Minister visits CICSR, brings gift
t was a weekend of Canada-India greetings and support
at UCFV, as the Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain
Amarinder Singh, visited UCFV’s Abbotsford campus
and the site of the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies and
Research (CICSR).
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.
I
B.C. Minister of Forests Mike de Jong, on hand to
welcome the Chief Minister, said that the provincial
government is determined to increase business and trade
relations with Punjab and, for that reason, it fully supports
UCFV’s new Centre and the proposed new Chair.
UCFV president Skip Bassford was delighted to hear
about the 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.
The new Chair will bring researchers and business people
together to address some of the obstacles to broadening
trade relations between our two countries.”
Investment in Punjab urged
at BC business forum
Canadian entrepreneurs and businesses were encouraged to
invest in the expanding economy in India’s Punjab region at
a forum held Monday in Surrey. Keynote speaker Captain
Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab, told the 400
attendees at the “Bringing BC and India/Punjab Together
for Business” forum that his mission on this visit to Canada
was to let Canadians know about the many new and
developing economic opportunities in the Punjab, while
reminding them that their investment could also help
address poverty issues in the region.
Reviewing how difficult times took the focus of Punjab’s
government from the mid 1970s to mid ’90s, the Chief
Minister noted “it is only since 2002 that our government
has been able to look at economic development. We want to
exceed the Indian government’s target of 8% economic
growth — we are close but we require investment.”
Discussing the transformation from a largely agricultural
economy to a more industrialized one, Chief Minister Singh
noted that they now have political stability, law and order,
and are working hard to reduce corruption. He added that
his government has invested heavily in the past few years
in transportation, power projects, and communications.
“We have facilities available, we have the workforce,” he
emphasized. “We are working to help Punjab come back to
being the number-one state in India.”
Agri-businessman Parm Bains — also the chair of the
CICSR Campaign — outlined how 90% of the blueberry
industry is controlled by the Punjabi-Canadian community.
“There are opportunities to introduce blueberries and other
BC crops to India, and to export agri-business technology
and information,” said Bains.
BC Finance Minister Colin Hansen reviewed BC-India
Attendees included federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanj (foreground)
with UCFV Pres. Skip Bassford and the Punjab Chief Minister.
initiatives over the past few years and how BC is developing
“as the gateway to the Asia-Pacific for North America.”
The forum was a joint endeavour between UCFV, the
Canada-India Business Council, Asia Pacific Foundation,
Fraser Valley Indo-Canadian Business Association, IndoCanada Chamber of Commerce, the Indo-Canadian
Business Association of Surrey, and Mehfil magazine.
More than $170,000 pledged
Generous donations continue to bolster the campaign to support
the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies and Research and the
Regional Innovation Chair on Canada–India Business and
Economic Development.
At the May 23 business forum, a total of $173,000 was pledged by
more than a dozen donors (including the Jatana brothers, who
made the single largest campaign donation to date).
See next page for more details .
CICSR Report
Jatanas make single largest
contribution yet — $60,000 —
and challenge others to pledge
Generous donors are the key to success
The Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies and Research would like to
acknowledge the generosity of everyone who pledged support
during the Chief Minister’s visit, including:
Pritam and Andy Sidhu, $10,000, with
Chief Minister Singh and Pres. Bassford
Hardev Sidhu (and
family), $10,000
Chief Minister Singh honours Amarjeet and Karamajeet Jatana.
With their personal contribution of $60,000, brothers
Amarjeet S. Jatana and Karamjeet S. Jatana have made
the single largest donation to date toward the Centre for
Indo-Canadian Studies and Research at UCFV.
Karamjeet S. Jatana is an electrical engineer. Amarjeet S.
Jatana, a successful businessman, is president of Global
Fruits Inc. and president of the Fraser Valley IndoCanadian Business Association.
The Jatanas’ commitment to the campaign did not stop
with their generous contribution. Speaking at the business
forum on May 23, Amarjeet Jatana made an additional
personal pledge to solicit $40,000 for the Centre from his
wide network of contacts. He also committed the Fraser
Valley Indo-Canadian Business Association to raise
$100,000, and challenged the rest of the community to
match that contribution.
Your support is needed now
more than ever!
Satpal Nahal, of Calgary,
$15,000
Charanjit Bath,
$11,000
David: Will three
pictures be
Lahori Ram,
Jazz Seikham,
enough
here?
How
many donor
$10,000
$10,000
Indo-Canadian Business Assoc.
(Delta-Surrey), $10,000
Rana Vig, $10,000
Jernail Saran, $10,000
Tarlok Sablok,
$5,000
Jaspinder Ghuman,
$5,000
Tony Singh, $5,000
In April 2005, the BC provincial government announced
that UCFV is eligible for a $1.25 million grant to establish a Regional
Innovation Chair on Canada-India Business and Economic
Development. The Chair would be of huge economic and cultural
benefit to our community as well as communities across Canada
and in India. However...
To receive the $1.25 million grant, the Centre for
Indo-Canadian Studies and Research must raise matching funds
by February 2006.
For more information, please contact:
Parm Bains, Campaign Chair,
Phone: 604-854-4547, email: [email protected]
Dave Hayer, $2,000
CICSR Report
Centre celebrates South-Asian poets, new anthology
Poetry and literature enthusiasts gathered on May 19 to
celebrate Red Silk, a new anthology of South Asian women
poets.
Kuldip Gill and Sharanpal Ruprai were on hand to read
some of their poems from the anthology at University House
on the UCFV Abbotsford
campus. The event was
presented by Centre for
Indo-Canadian Studies and
Research and the UCFV
English department.
Raised in Mission, Kuldip
Gill earned a BA, MA, PhD,
and MFA from the
University of British
Columbia. She has taught
anthropology and done
research at the post-secondary level for many years,
Kuldip Gill, of Mission
and has also been developing her talents as a poet.
She has also just received an Honory Degree from UCFV
during the recent 2005 Convocation ceremonies.
Sharanpal Ruprai writes poetry that is "a collision of
cultures and the confusion that comes from the mix," (Rob
McLennan, Prairie Fire).
Red Silk is edited and introduced by Rishma Dunlop and
Priscila Uppal.
York University English professor Arun Mukherjee says
this about Red Silk:
“As rich and exuberant as its title, Red Silk, an anthology
of poems by women who identify as South Asian, is an
important contribution to the growing body of South Asian
Canadian literature.
“Ably edited by Rishma Dunlop and Priscila Uppal, with a
superb introduction, Red Silk launches some powerful South
Asian female, and feminist, voices on the Canadian literary
scene.
“These poets explore the complexity, diversity and heterogeneity of South Asian Canadian identity by examining
their relationships, as women, to the South Asian cultures
that they live in their bones, memory and daily lives. These
poems enact how an ordinary household object, a word, a
smell, a gesture, can all trigger a cascade of memories and
responses soaked in cultural significance, and mark one as
South Asian.
“Drawing on the deep well of South Asian cultural
memory and its semiotic treasure house, these poets
redefine and expand both Canadian culture and Canadian
literature."
Contacts for the
Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies
and Research Endowment
Parm Bains,
Campaign Chair
Phone: 604-854-4547
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 604-853-8055
David James,
Campaign Director,
Phone: 604-854-4566
Email: [email protected]
www.ucfv.ca/icrc/
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