Over 100 delegates from Canada, including a senior minister and the mayor of Brampton city, popularly known as ‘Mini India’, will participate at the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held in Kochi next week.

“This is the first time Canada’s Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney and mayors of two Canadian cities: Brampton and Markham will attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas,” D.P. Jain, Vice-President of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, said.

“Susan Fennell, Mayor of Brampton, and Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham, have joined the Indian delegation and will display the emerging business opportunities in Canada,” Jain said.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held from January 7-9.

Kenney will also be participating in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2013 in Gandhinagar.

The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) is an organising partner at the summit, where Canada is a partner country.

The 2013 trade mission is the largest-ever organised by the ICCC and comprises over 100 members including several prominent dignitaries.

“Our purpose is to forge linkages between the small businesses in Canada and India, and we have lined up over 30 interactive sessions, B2B meetings, seminars, and workshops during the next two weeks,” Naval Bajaj, President of ICCC and the leader of the delegation, said in a statement.

He said the mission comprised small businesses and several other prominent individuals, entrepreneurs, professionals and community leaders. In addition to this being the largest delegation to India, there are several other distinguishing features to India Mission 2013.

The mission will be visiting Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar, Delhi and Amritsar.

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