The consul general of India in Toronto will deliver a presentation at Northern College next week.
Akhilesh Mishra will speak about Ontario-India trade and mining industry relations on Wednesday, May 27. The presentation is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and is open to the public.
Mishra will be in Timmins attending the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines’ Ontario—India Mining Exchange Forum, part of the 20th Big Event—Canadian Mining Expo, being held from May 26 to 28 at the McIntyre Auditorium. The forum will allow mining companies from Ontario and India to come together to share expertise and discuss possible collaboration.
“We are very honoured that Consul General Mishra has chosen to take some time from his Ontario-India Mining Exchange Forum schedule to address the Northern College community,” says Fred Gibbons, president of Northern College, in a news release. “New developments in trade relations between Canada and India have the potential to create fruitful new opportunities for local businesses and industry. We are excited to learn more about what this could mean for the future of northeastern Ontario.”
The Ontario-India Mining Exchange Forum, and Consul General Mishra’s visit to Northern Ontario, was first planned following a visit to Canada by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in mid-April. During the visit, Modi and Prime Minister Stephen Harper signed several new agreements aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries.
Northern College has been strengthening its own relations with India over the past few years, particularly in terms of international enrolment. During the 2014-2015 academic year, 24 new international students enrolled at the college, with the majority of those students coming from India. Much of that enrolment is driven by direct student recruitment efforts by a college staff member who resides in India full-time.
