ICCC Executive Team Meets MPs and MPPs

The Executive Committee members of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce’s (ICCC) board met with MPs and MPPs of the Peel Region to follow up on the meet and greet programs that the ICCC had organized to felicitate these people’s representatives in November 2021. The meetings will continue throughout December 2021.

Arvind Bhardwaj, Rakesh Joshi, & Ripudaman S Dhillon
with Hon. Sonia Sidhu

Arvind Bhardwaj, Ripudaman S Dhillon, & Rakesh Joshi
with Hon. Nina Tangri

Arvind Bhardwaj, Ripudaman S Dhillon with Hon. Sara Singh

Ripudaman S Dhillon with Hon. Kaleed Rasheed

Hon. Kevin Yarde during a virtual call with ICCC Executive Team

Rakesh Joshi & Ripudaman Singh Dhillon with
Hon. Sheref Sabawy 

Among the MPs that the Executive Team met and will meet include

• Hon. Sonia Sidhu (Brampton South)
• Hon. Iqra Khalid (Mississauga – Erin Mills)
• Hon. Shafqat Ali (Brampton – Centre)
• Hon. Maninder Sidhu (Brampton – East)
• Hon. Ruby Sahota (Brampton – North)

Among the MPPs, that the Executive Team met and will meet include

• Hon. Nina Tangri (Mississauga – Streetsville)
• Hon. Kevin Yarde (Brampton – North)
• Hon. Kaleed Rasheed (Mississauga East – Cooksville)
• Hon. Sheref Sabaway (Mississauga – Erin Mills)
• Hon. Rudy Cuzzetto (Mississauga – Lakeshore)
• Hon. Sara Singh (Brampton – Centre)

The topics of discussion with each of these people’s representatives were different and ranged from

• Expanding the network of ICCC’s outreach among different ethnic chambers such as Black Chamber of Commerce and the Egyptian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce
• Proactively working with MPs and MPPs to alleviate the challenges faced by international students studying in Canadian educational institutions
• Involving the ICCC in working with Canada and India in the Indo-Pacific initiative that both the countries have launched, and to work proactively to have a role for the ICCC in the ongoing CEPA negotiations
• Working with the MPs and MPPs to move ICCC headquarters to Brampton

Virtual Meeting with Mayor Bonnie Crombie

The ICCC Board members had a virtual meeting with Her Worship Bonnie Crombie, the Mayor of Mississauga Monday 13 December 2021. The purpose of the call was to introduce the newly elected board to the Mayor and to continue working in close cooperation with both the Mayor and the City. During the call, the Mayor lauded the ICCC for its continued role in advocating for Canadian small businesses.

Ripudaman Singh Dhillon, President, ICCC, assured the Mayor that under the new board, the ICCC would continue to maintain the same level of cooperation with Mississauga. Mr. Dhillon invited Mayor Crombie to the ICCC to deliver the State of the City address which used to be a part of the ICCC’s annual calendar until the pandemic prevented all in-person events.

Canada pledges billions to battle likely Omicron fallout

“By delivering significant fiscal policy support to the economy and avoiding the harmful austerity policies that followed 2008, our investments have supported a rapid and resilient recovery so far. In fact, we have recovered 106 per cent of the jobs lost at the peak of the pandemic. But we know there is more to do, and the future remains uncertain. As Omicron has reminded us, COVID-19 threatens us still. As 2021 draws to a close, finishing the fight against COVID-19 remains our most important national project.”

Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, released the Economic and Fiscal Update 2021 on 14 December 2021. The document provides Canadians with a transparent report of the nation’s finances and updates Canadians on the government’s plan to finish the fight against COVID-19, support Canadians and Canadian businesses, and ensure a strong recovery for everyone.

To protect Canada’s economic resilience in the face of possible resurgences of the virus, the government is moving forward on proposed measures including the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit and Local Lockdown Program, which would deliver needed support to local economies and their workers should restrictions be required. Furthermore, the government has laid out a plan to help prevent outbreaks at workplaces and schools, including improvements to indoor ventilation and air quality. It is also moving forward with 10 days of paid sick leave for workers in federally regulated workplaces.

The federal government continues to support Canadians and Canadian businesses in sectors particularly hard hit by the pandemic to foster an inclusive economic recovery. A new $60-million fund will deliver support for workers in the live performance sector. Targeted support programs will continue to provide wage and rent subsidies to tourism and hospitality businesses, as well as organizations that are facing deep and enduring losses. To help address labour shortages and help businesses grow, the government is taking action to reduce immigration processing backlogs.

While economic reopenings have created jobs and rejuvenated the economy, they have also brought new global challenges, including inflation. Factors like global supply chain disruptions and climate change impacts are driving up the prices of energy, groceries, and other everyday goods. Yesterday, the Government of Canada renewed the Bank of Canada’s two-per-cent inflation target to help ensure that the current inflation rate does not become entrenched. The government is committed to making life more affordable for the middle class and those working hard to join it, including through significant investments in early learning and child care that will save young families thousands of dollars a year.

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FDI in India in 2020-21

Highest ever annual inflow of US$ 81.97 billion
despite COVID disruptions

Hon. Som Prakash, Minister of State, Commerce

Investment Promotion activities are carried out by Government to attract more investments in the country. As a part of steps being taken to improve private interest and investment, ‘Make in India' initiative was launched on September 25, 2014, to facilitate investment, foster innovation, building best in class infrastructure, and making India a hub for manufacturing, design, and innovation. Investment outreach is being done through Ministries, State Governments and Indian Missions abroad for enhancing international cooperation for promoting Domestic and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country.

In addition to ongoing schemes of various Departments and Ministries, Government has taken various other steps to boost domestic and foreign investments in India. These include reduction in Corporate Tax Rates, easing liquidity problems of NBFCs and Banks, improving Ease of Doing Business, FDI Policy reforms, Reduction in Compliance Burden, policy measures to boost domestic manufacturing through Public Procurement Orders, Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP), Schemes for Production Linked Incentives (PLI) of various Ministries. To facilitate investments, measures such as India Industrial Land Bank (IILB), Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS), soft launch of the National Single Window System (NSWS), National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP), etc., have also been put in place.

India registered its highest ever annual FDI inflow of US$ 81.97 billion (provisional figures) in the financial year 2020-21 despite the COVID related disruptions. In the last seven financial years (2014-21), India has received FDI inflow worth US$ 440.27 billion which is nearly 58 percent of the FDI reported in the last 21 years (US$ 763.83 billion). These trends in India’s FDI are an endorsement of the country’s status as a preferred investment destination amongst global investors.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Hon. Som Parkash, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 15 December 2021.

TAKE OFF

ICCC's Startup Initiative

9:30 am Sunday 19 December 2021

The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) in collaboration with BRTSIF is organizing a virtual meeting between Indian startups and Canadian investors and service providers.

This virtual event will be of 90 min duration. 15-20 minutes for initial formalities and then 70 minutes for 7 startups to make their presentations.

The startups need help in these areas:

• Banking and supply of capital
• Mentorship
• Immigration (business visas)
• Help to set up business
• General business help

If you are interested in participating in this program, please write to Sanjay Kulkarni at iccc@iccconline.org

BRTSIF is a foundation set up by Bombay Stock Exchange Institute Ltd. and BIL Ryerson Futures Pvt. Ltd. to promote startups and support the government of India’s vision for entrepreneurship development and innovation culture.

Recovery Activation Program

Small businesses that are new to the Recovery Activation Program (RAP) can still complete their Digital Needs Assessment (DNA) on www.rap.bot.com for free by enrolling in our upcoming segments for the RAP Digital Certificate Program.

After completing at least one program stream, candidates can submit their applications for grant funding by answering three questions and providing eligibility information. If applicants have previously completed a RAP stream, they can proceed directly to the application process and submit their details. The answers submitted by the prospective grantees will be evaluated by a panel of experts from TRBOT. The application window will close on January 10, 2022.

To learn more about the Lenovo Digital Transformation Grant, please visit please visit https://bot.hostedincanadasurveys.ca/815866?lang=en

ICCC's Partner in Success

Range Enterprise comes on board as
ICCC's Affinity Partner

Range Enterprise, one of Canada’s fastest growing corporate gifting companies, has become ICCC’s Affinity Partner. Check out here the range of corporate gift it offers, and avail 10 percent discount on rack rates.

Kolkata's Durga Puja on UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Complete list

Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce

924 The East Mall Toronto ON M9B 6K1

T: (416) 224-0090

E: iccc@iccconline.org

W: www.iccconline.org