CANADIAN
PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION CALLED ON PM
A Canadian Parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker Mr.
Daniel Philip Hays is visiting India. The delegation called on
the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his official residence
here today. Welcoming the delegation, the Prime Minister said:
" We are
receiving a Canadian Parliamentary delegation in India after quite
a few years. I am happy that exchanges between our elected representatives
have resumed.
India and Canada
have much in common. We are parliamentary democracies. We are
plural societies, committed to the rule of law. We are committed
to a multilateral approach in international affairs.
We, therefore, have
a consonance of approach, which can be translated into closer
bilateral relations. I am happy that we are putting behind us
the brief distortion in our bilateral dialogue after May 1998.
You have interacted
with the Presiding Officers of our two Houses of Parliament. You
have also had discussions with our Election Commission. I hope
these interactions have given you the sense that, like Canada,
India is an open, transparent, democratic society.
The difference
is that we are a developing country. Hence, the scope for economic
cooperation between us is tremendous. We invite foreign investment,
modern technologies and new management techniques. This opens
up a number of possibilities for India-Canada cooperation.
Canadians of
Indian origin have been a valuable resource for our bilateral
understanding. They are represented in your delegation. They can
be the catalysts for stronger economic and trade relations, for
exchanges in science and technology, and for closer people-to-people
interaction.
I look forward
to hearing from you about your impressions from this visit and
your thoughts on the bilateral relationship.
Thank You."
Other members
of the delegation were Mr. John Lynch-Stanton, Leader of the Opposition
in the Senate, Ms Mobina S.B. Jaer, Senator, Mr. Deepak Obhrai,
MP and Mr. Peter Sutherland, high commissioner of Canada in India.
Shri G.C. Malhotra, Secretary General of Lok Sabha was also present.
