Canadian Industry Minister Tony Clement has reiterated his country's commitment to signing a free trade agreement with India by 2013.
Speaking at a roundtable organized by the Canada India Foundation (CIF) on Tuesday before the May 2 parliamentary election, Clement said if his Conservative Party's government is returned it would reintroduce its "India engagement initiatives" presented at the last budget.
Apart from the CIF, representatives from the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, the IIT Alumni Association, TiE, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Asia Pacific Foundation, the University of Waterloo and experts on Canada-India relations also joined the minister at the roundtable.
During his interaction with top Ind-Canadian bodies, the Canadian industry minister made special mention of the proposed India-focused $12 million chair under the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) programme. The chair was mooted in the last Canadian budget.
To be called Canada-India Excellence Research Chair, its objective will be to bring the best minds from India to Canada to conduct groundbreaking research.
The India-specific chair is one of the 20 mooted under the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) programme to "attract international researchers of the highest calibre who can positively contribute to Canada's global competitiveness and future prosperity.''
The idea of the India chair was mooted during Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit to India in November 2009, and it got a further impetus during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit here last June.
Any Canadian university chosen to host the Canada-India Excellence Research Chair will get a $12 million grant over five years.
The Canadian minister lauded the role of the Canada India Foundation in fostering better ties between the two countries. He said his government will work closely with the CIF in giving shape to the India chair.
Ramesh Chotai, chair of the CIF, said the foundation members will meet with leaders of other political parties also before next month's elections to discuss their respective strategies to engage India.