More and more countries need to do more to welcome immigrants:Canadian PM in Gujarat

Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar:

Canadian PM Justin P Trudeau today said that more and more countries should show much liberal and welcoming attitude towards the refugees coming in hope of a better life.

Trudeau during his address and interactive session in IIMA here today said “More countries need to do more to welcome immigrants not because that is the right thing to do, but because refugees who flee the persecution in their country for a better life in another, are extremely grateful to the country that welcomes them.”

He also talked about the immigration system in his country.

Talking about media the PM said, ”The media fulfils an important duty of telling the government what it’s doing wrong. An independent media is essential for a successful democracy.” He also said that India-Canada trade has the potential to grow.

To a query he also said that”Citizens are not fools. They can tell whether someone is genuine in their approach or just trying to live up to some lofty familial expectation.”

Earlier wearing traditional India attire, Trudeau, his wife Shophie and 3 children Xavier, Hadrien and Ella-Grace, who are on a week long visit to India, arrived today on a day long trip to Gujarat.

The visiting PM was accorded a red carpet welcome on his arrival at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport here. He was received by Cabinet minister of Gujarat Ganpat Vasava and Chief Secretary J N Singh.

Wearing a maroon red Kurta and cream coloured Chudidar 46 year old Trudeau looked more of a family man than a statesmen with his kids and wife also in Indian attire. He reached Sabarmati Ashram from the airport as the first destination. He along with wife and children paid tribute to Gandhiji and also tried hands at spinning wheel. In the visitors book of the Ashram he wrote, ‘A beautiful place of peace, humility and truth, that is as needed today as it ever was.’

From the Ashram he and his family went to Akshardham temple in capital Gandhinagar and spent around 40 minutes in its premises.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani also held a high level meeting with Trudeau in Ahmedabad. He extended a personal invite to the Canadian PM and urged him to be a part of the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Business Summit-2019 along with a high level delegation since Canada has been a partner country of Vibrant Gujarat for a long time.

The CM and the Canadian PM talked in length on various aspects of co-operation between Gujarat and Canada in the field of education, industry, start-up and
innovation and the ways to achieve something new in the same. Trudeau congratulated Rupani for being elected as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for the second consecutive term. Rupani also said that the liberal Canadian culture has proved to be of great advantage to the students from Gujarat studying in Canada since they are able to reap a lot of benefits. Chief Principal Secretary to the CM K.Kailashnathan, Chief Secretary Dr. J.N Singh and senior officials of the government were present in the meeting.

Trudeau will also visit Mumbai and Amritsar during his visit and hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on February 23.

On February 21, the Canadian prime minister will visit Golden Temple in Amritsar. The next day, he will visit New Delhi’s Jama Masjid, besides delivering a lecture at a gathering of Canadian and Indian business leaders.

The ties between India and Canada have been on an upswing. Around 14 lakh Canadians are of Indian origin and India is Canada’s second largest source of immigrants.

DeshGujarat