News 

The Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2017 is scheduled to be held from 10-13 January 2017, and will be focusing on sectors such as energy, education, agriculture, information technology, finance, pharmaceuticals and textiles. These are sectors that have seen considerable bilateral collaborations between Canadian and Indian entities both in private and public sectors.

It may be recalled that the ICCC has been a partner organization at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2014, and Canadian Government has been a partner government for a couple of years in the past. In his remarks, Sanjay Makkar, President, ICCC, welcomed the delegation to Toronto, emphasizing that the ICCC has traditionally led a strong delegation to the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.

He said that in 2017, too, the Chamber would redouble its effort to recruit a delegation to both the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Bengaluru and the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Gandhinagar.

Consul General Dinesh Bhatia	ICCC President Sanjay Makkar
Arun Srivastava, Pavi Binning, Jagdish Bajaj	Resident Commissioner Bharat Lal

Speaking on the occasion, Dinesh Bhatia, the Consul General of India in Toronto, said that the Indian diaspora has played a pivotal role in creating awareness about the growth story of India. He welcomed the delegation from Gujarat and assured complete support to the delegation in its recruitment efforts on behalf of the Indian diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area.

Bharat Lal, the Resident Commissioner of Gujarat in New Delhi, in his remarks lauded the role of supporting the Summit over the years. Gujarat has been in the forefront of the Indian growth story. The state has witnessed impressive growth for over a decade, despite the global economic downturn. The state accounts for 19% of the country’s industrial output.

He said the seven Vibrant Gujarat summits held since 2003 have rekindled the pace of investments in the state. The central focus of the eight edition of the summit is sustainable economic and social development. The summit will bring together heads of states and government, ministers, leaders from the corporate world, senior policy makers, heads of global institutions and academia from acround the world to promote development and promote cooperation.

Several prominent members of the Indo-Canadian community were present at the reception to network with the visiting delegation, which included in addition to Bharat Lal, Deepak Bagla, MD and CEO Invest India; Rajiv Modi, Chairman and Managing Director Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Ajay Kumar Pandey, MD & Group CEO Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Company Ltd; Balrajsinh A Parmar, Managing director Suzlon Wind International Ltd; Hemant Desai, Advisor and Mentor, Reilance Industries Ltd; Jaimin Shah, Co-Founder & MD, Chairman-ICBC Gujarat; Amitabha Banerjee, President, Finance and Group CFO, Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Suvas Barot, Director, Creatibe Infocity Ltd; Chintan Thaker, Welspun India Ltd; Dipesj Shah, Head (IFSC & Strategy) Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Co Ltd; Vivek Sonny Abraham, Assistant Vice President, Invest India; Devendra Agarwal, GM, Gujarat State Petronet Ltd; Pramendra Singh, Assistant Manager, KPMG (India); Param Shah, Head-Gujarat State Council, FICCI; Sandip Samaddar, FICCI; among others.

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Sanjay Makkar briefed the Turkish CG about the various activities of the ICCC, especially its mandate of promoting global trade and creating global trading opportunities for Canadian small entrepreneurs. He informed the Turkish Consul General of the different initiatives the Chamber had taken in the Greater Toronto Area to promote cooperation between entrepreneurs of different ethnicities, and how it had been a part of the Greater Toronto Business Alliance, an informal alliance comprising trade chambers of China, Portugal, and Italy.

He also informed the CG of the initiative that ICCC had taken earlier this year in March when it joined hands with the Turkish and Japanese chambers to create awakening of the tremendous potential these markets have for Canada-based entrepreneurs of these ethnicities.

The Consul General of Turkey Erdeniz Sen briefed the delegation of the Turkish Consulate’s trade promotion activities. He expressed a keen desire in attracting Indo-Canadian entrepreneurs to trade with Turkey. He proposed B2B meetings as well as exploring opportunities of investment and trade. He assured the ICCC delegation that the Consulate’s trade office would facilitate trade.

 ICCC Special General Meeting

Two crucial resolutions passed

 New bylaws adopted

New auditors appointed

Toronto: Ninety-five percent of the members who participated in the voting approved of the adoption of the new bylaws of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), and slightly over 95 percent of them voted in favour of the appointment of Collins Barrow as the Auditors of the Chamber at the Special General Meeting (SGM) held Thursday 18 August 2016 at the ICCC headquarters in Toronto.

Over 50 members of the Chamber were present at the SGM that was held to approve these two resolutions. Former President of the ICCC Ajit Khanna was the Returning Officer of the SGM, and he announced the results after the online voting closed at 7:00 pm. Eight members present had not voted online, and were provided the opportunity to vote on ballot paper.

Pathik Baxi, Corporate Secretary and Vice President of the ICCC, chaired the meeting, and answered questions of the members pertaining to the new bylaws. Ajit Khanna, who is also chair of the governance committee of the Chamber, lauded the efforts of the incumbent board in ensuring that the new bylaws were passed. He said that the previous two boards had also worked on this agenda, and the passage of the bylaws reflected the aspirations of both the members and stakeholders about the transformation required in the Chamber’s operations.

In his remarks, Sanjay Makkar emphasized that the incumbent board had taken into account opinions of as many members as possible to draft the new bylaws. He said the old set of bylaws had stood the test of time and had served the Chamber well for more than two decades. But the changing operational realities had necessitated a new set of bylaws. Makkar also said that the bylaws would also be a commencement of a process of transformation which would involve creating policy documents that would envisage formulations of procedural regulations for the conduct as office bearers of the institution.

He thanked the contributions of both Ajit Khanna and Imtiaz Seyid, the audit committee chair, who is instrumental in spearheading the audit of the Chamber’s finances for the last decade. Makkar said that the governance, audit and nomination committees have become mandatory and permanent, and would continue to do good work.

Pathik Baxi called for the meeting to be concluded after the agenda had been achieved.

Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce welcomed the passage of the landmark tax reform bill Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the Indian parliament earlier this week. The bill will replace a patchwork of central and state levies on goods and services and marks India’s most significant economic reform in decades.

In a statement issued in Toronto, Mr. Sanjay Makkar, President, Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) said, “GST will pave the way for a new national sales tax and the creation of a common market across the country for the first time.”

India’s GDP expanded 7.6 per cent in 2015-16, making it the fastest-growing major economy in the world. The GST Bill will also help in doing business in India much easier especially for the Small and Medium Businesses.

“This is a great gift for India on the eve of its 70th independence day. It is an important milestone in India’s progress towards global as well as internal economic integration. The full impact of the new policy will take many years, but it is a clear sign of the India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to continue working to make India economically strong,” Mr. Makkar added.

It may be recalled that in 2012, the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) was instrumental in facilitating a study tour of an all-party parliamentary committee comprising Indian parliamentarians to examine Ontario’s transition to GST. Ontario transitioned to a GST-based indirect tax system in 2010.

Delegation was in Canada to understand the feasibility of implementing tax reforms in India. The Indian parliamentary committee, called the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers, comprised all ministers in charge of Finance/Taxation of all State Governments and Union Territories with legislatures, Additional Secretary (Revenue), Government of India and Member Secretary.

The ICCC had organized a panel discussion for the benefit of the delegation on September 13, 2012. Sushil Kumar Modi, who was the deputy chief minister and finance minister of the Indian state of Bihar, led the delegation, and included Kiran Choudhry, Haryana’s then finance minister. The participants in the discussion included the taxation experts such as John Wilkinson, Bruce Wurts, David Peterson, and the then Minister Bal Gosal and Preeti Saran, Consul General of India in Toronto.

ICCC & CTCC office bearers at the joint networking event

Mr. Jagdish Bajaj, Vice President ICCC and Mr. Ravi Kanagasabey, Vice President CTCC introduced the evening to the audience and welcomed the members of both the chambers.

The event focused on promoting cooperation between the two chambers and opening up the new avenues for its members for mutual benefit through networking. The Canadian Tamils’ Chamber of Commerce was established as a voluntary non-profit, non-sectarian, non-sectional organization in 1991 to “develop and foster entrepreneurship”. For over 25 years, CTCC has built a strong community that consists of innovative, successful and passionate individuals who continue to lead the approximately 500,000 strong Canadian Tamil community to success.

The event offered an opportunity to some participants to introduce their companies and the products they provide, and how it can be helpful to others. The initiative was much appreciated by the participants.

CTCC President Mr. Ajith Sabaratanam, welcomed the audience and was enthusiastic about the new partnership forged between his organization and the ICCC. He said that CTCC is celebrating 25th year in Canada, and invited the ICCC members to join their celebrations in a mega event that is being planned to commemorate the organization’s silver jubilee.

He said more engagements among the members of both the organization will help each grow more, and rapidly. The CTCC has built a strong community that consists of innovative, successful and passionate individuals who continue to lead the approximately 500,000 strong Canadian Tamil community to success.

ICCC President Sanjay Makkar	ICCC VP Jagdish Bajaj with CTCC VP  Ravi Kanagasabey
CTCC President Ajith Sabaratanam	Hon. Dipika Damerla
Ajith Sabaratanam, Ravi Gukathasan & Sanjay Makkar	Keynote Speaker Dr. Ravi Gukathasan

Mr. Sanjay Makkar, President ICCC, in his introductory remarks, complemented the CTCC for its achievements, and said the ICCC has a long-established tradition of forging links with organizations that represent specific cultures. “In a multicultural milieu that is Canada, it is important that entrepreneurs and professionals from different cultures meet to share experiences,” he said.

He suggested that future cooperation between the two chambers should revolve around new methods of networking. This would help in exploring new opportunities for members of both chambers for promoting their businesses. The ICCC aims to help its members succeed through meetings, networking and interacting with people. This event has been put together to generate synergy between the two organisations to benefit our members. 

Ravi R. Gukathasan was the keynote speaker for the evening. Gkuathasan serves as Chief Executive Officer at Digital Specialty Chemicals Limited. Mr. Gukathasan founded Digital Specialty Chemicals Ltd in 1987. He has seen DSC grow to become an ISO9001 & 14001 registered company with a modern manufacturing facility, more than 40 employees and annual sales in excess of $10 million. His primary duties are to plan the future growth, corporate and financial decision-making and overseeing the daily operations of the business. He is passionate about DSC’s success built from the fundamentals of environmental and social responsibility.

In his keynote address, Gukathasan said that he started his life in Canada in 1978 and faced a number of challenges in his life. He referred to the Ashoka Moment in one’s life when you need to change yourself and started helping others to get the benefit of your success.

Hon. Dipika Damerla, Provincial Minister Responsible for Seniors Affairs was also present at the event and appreciated the efforts of both the chamber for coming together. 

Participants at the event	Participants at the event

ICCC felicitates volunteers

Celebrating Volunteerism!

The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) has a special affinity for volunteers and volunteerism. This is because the Chamber benefits immensely from volunteerism. Right from the committee member who organizes the programs to the President of the Chamber and the board of directors, everyone who has helped built the chamber to what it has become during the last four decades has been, is, and will be a volunteer.

Recognizing volunteers’ contribution to the Chamber is a much anticipated and eagerly awaited annual event. This year was no exception. The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce celebrated volunteerism by honouring its volunteers and handing out certificates of appreciation. In an important precedent, the Chamber also singled out four volunteers who went above and beyond their responsibilities as committee members and contributed significantly to the Chamber’s multifarious activities.

These superstar volunteers are:

• Shibani Sahney, Women Entrepreneurs and Professional Committee (WEP)
• Annie Singh, Programs and Events (Annual Awards & Gala Night) Committee
• Sanjay Brahmbhatt, SME Committee
• Jatinder Singh, YP Committee

Thanks to the contributions of these volunteers, their committees were able to perform exceptionally. They made the Chamber look good. 

Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Makkar, President, ICCC, said, “The Chamber Volunteering offers incredible opportunities, priceless professional development which enhances business and careers. Volunteering provides a sense of fulfillment and a perfect platform for anyone wanting to expose their leadership potential. By working with others, sharing experiences and identifying best practices, one starts to identify key qualities and considers how to develop these qualities in themselves. Serving on one of the Chamber’s committees is a great way to learn about the organization and volunteering is something that anyone can do.”

Jagdish Bajaj, Vice President, Programs and Events, emceed the program, and emphasized that volunteerism is quintessential Canadian characteristic that has become an integral part of the Chamber’s functioning. He invited all the members of the board who were present at the program – Sanjay Makkar, Arun Srivastava, Ginni Sethi, Devika Penekelapati, Ajay Tandon, Kanwar Dhanjal, Abubakkar Noohujohn, Pappur Shankar, and himself – to come to the forefront to be acknowledged for their volunteerism for the Chamber.

The members also paid tributes to Vinayak Zore, a committee member of the Chamber, who passed away recently following a car accident. The gathering stood in silence in respect to the departed member of the Chamber, and remembered his tremendous contributions to the Chamber.

Enhance your retirement paycheque

Investors Group's Ketu Bhatt, Peter Piccioni  and Naresh Sharma along with ICCC board members

Kapil Dev stars in ICCC's 18th Charity Golf Classic