Amritsar: Canadian politician and the Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne at the launch of Datawind Netbook Droidsurfer in Amritsar, on Jan 31, 2016. (Photo: IANS)

Hyderabad, Feb 4 (IANS) Canada's Ontario province on Thursday signed a MoU with Telangana for economic cooperation.

The agreement was signed here in the presence of Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne, who is currently on a visit to India.

The two states will work together to advance mutually beneficial avenues of economic cooperation, said a statement from Telangana government.

Wynne said that the MoU would create opportunities to work in areas of information technology, agriculture and infrastructure.

Ontario also signed agreements valued over $11.5 million with various companies and institutions in technology and higher education.

These MoUs were signed at an event, where Wynne and the trade delegation accompanying her interacted with representatives of various companies.

At the signing up of MoU between the two states, Telangana's Information Technology Minister K.Taraka Rama Rao that the high potential of economic cooperation between the start-up state of Telangana and Ontario will be a win-win situation for both.

Wynne said: "The seven agreements signed today will benefit India and Ontario for years to come, and the new MoU between Ontario and Telangana will help strengthen commercial ties across key sectors, including urban infrastructure, information and communications technology, and education."

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Hyderabad signed a research partnership agreement with Ontario-based McMaster University, which will generate opportunities to create intellectual property through innovation and to commercialize research outcomes.

Astra Microwave Products Ltd and Vaughan, Ontario-based Unique Broadband Systems Ltd established a joint venture to provide broadcasting services, satellite uplinking and medical imaging products to India and other regional markets.

The Nuclear Fuel Complex based in Hyderabad and Ontario-based Kinectics signed a MoU for partnership in nuclear energy.

Ottawa-based Solantro and their Indian partner, Smarttrack will collaborate on the development of power electric solutions for renewable energy and micro inverters.

DataWind signed a MoU with the government of Telangana to open a manufacturing base in Hyderabad which is expected to be in production within few months.

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Ottawa, Feb 4 (IANS) A Canadian opposition lawmaker's comment in the House of Commons that he needed an "English to English translation" to understand Indian-origin Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has been taken as a racist slur and created a stir in the multi-racial country.

The heckle was raised in the House of Commons on Monday by opposition Conservative member Jason Kenney, himself a former defence minister, as Sajjan was answering a question about the new Liberal government's plan to deal with the Islamic State terror group.

Conservative Party's defence critic James Bezan and associate defence critic Pierre Paul-Hus both asked questions on the Liberals' election promise to withdraw Canada's fighter jets from the US-led mission in Iraq and Syria.

Bezan accused Sajjan of suggesting that Canada's allies were to blame for the spread of IS, referring to Sajjan's speech at an event organised by Canada 2020 on Friday.

"Why are the Liberals lecturing our allies on how to fight terrorism while at the same time befriending (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and Iran," asked Bezan.

"It's about consulting our allies and having a dialogue," replied Sajjan. "These lessons, as I stated, were learned while working with our coalition partners, and that's the plan that we'll be putting forward and making sure that we get this right so we don't make the mistakes of the previous 10 years."

Kenney said he needed an "English to English translation" to understand what Defence Minister Sajjan said.

After Question Hour, the government's House Leader Kevin Lamoureux rose in the house and called for Kenney to apologise for his "inappropriate comment".

"I'm wondering if the member would do the proper thing and apologise or at the very least explain his comments," Lamoureux said.

Kenney refused to apologise for his remark, saying Sajjan's answer was "totally incoherent". This prompted shouts of "shame" from the ruling Liberal party MPs.

Later, on Twitter, Liberal MP Raj Grewal called Kenney's remarks "unacceptable".

Kenney, ironically, also previously served as minister for multi-culturalism, and for citizenship and immigration.

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Toronto, Jan 27 (IANS)

During her trade mission to India starting from January 27, the premier of Ontario -- biggest and most powerful province of Canada and home to over half a million Indo-Canadian community -- will visit New Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

The provincial premier in Canada is equal to the state chief minister in India.

Greeting India and the Indo-Canadian community on Republic Day, Wynne said during her trade mission she is expected to sign major bilateral agreements in the areas of clean technology and infrastructure.

"During my trade mission, I will travel to New Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Mumbai where I will meet with government officials, business leaders and investors and promote Ontario's innovative infrastructure and clean tech sectors," Wynne said.

"This is my first trade mission to India, and I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to taking in some of India's rich cultural history and growing Ontario's partnership with India," the Ontario premier said.

She credited the huge Indo-Canadian community with fostering Canada's strong relationship with India.

"Ontario boasts the largest Indo-Canadian population in all of Canada, and it's because of these strong ties -- the personal connections we have -- that in 1987 we were the first subnational government to open a trade office in India."

"In those 29 years, we have grown our partnerships with both the government and business, creating jobs and growth on both sides of the Pacific, and we have unlocked new opportunities."

Waynne said her trip to India will be "a turning point -- a chance to build on the foundation, and create an even stronger relationship between Ontario and India -- where our expertise and our goods can support India's growth."

"...I want to thank everyone here today (Tuesday) -- for being part of the dynamic Indo-Canadian community for establishing those irreplaceable person-to-person connections between India and Ontario, and for building a province where we find strength in our diversity."

She said even though Canada has become one of the most multicultural and diverse countries in the world, the country and the world have a lot to learn from India about diversity.

Waynne quoted Gandhi, "Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization."

She said: "We are building a province that reaches for this unity by embracing our diversity and finding strength in the many communities that make up one Ontario. And it's in this same vein of unity and fairness that we celebrate India's Republic Day today (Tuesday)."

Waynne said: "Sixty-six years ago today (January 26) the Constitution of India came into force -- signalling a new era for the entire country. It was a moment of great triumph and celebration for India, and our annual recognition serves as reminder to strive for Gandhi's message of unity through diversity and thriving together in harmony."

"I will carry this powerful message with me when I visit the Rajghat close to the anniversary of Gandhi's death."

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Vancouver, Jan 23 (IANS) Shooting at a school in Canada's Saskatchewan province has left five people dead and two others seriously injured, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

A suspect was in custody after the shooting erupted on Friday in the Saskatchewan community of La Loche, Xinhua news agency reported quoting Trudeau.

"Obviously, this is every parent's worst nightmare," Trudeau said, calling it "a terrible, tragic day".

Police said a lockdown was in place for much of the Friday afternoon and the public was urged to stay away from the school district.

La Loche Community School is for pre-kindergarten to Grade 12, and houses at least 900 students in two buildings, according to the school's Facebook page.

"We are in the preliminary stages of the investigation," police said in a news release, adding: "Further details will be provided as they become available."

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Montreal, Jan 7 (AFP) TransCanada will sue the US government for USD 15 billion for blocking its controversial project for an oil pipeline linking Canada with the Gulf of Mexico, the firm has said.

TransCanada Corp yesterday said the denial of a permit to complete the Keystone XL pipeline "was arbitrary and unjustified" under the North American Free Trade Agreement, and that the decision also exceeded the constitutional powers of US President Barack Obama.

The Obama administration decided in October to deny the Canadian company a permit to construct a key section of the pipeline across the US-Canada border, ruling it would harm the fight against climate change.

The decision, which came seven years after the company first submitted the project, marred US-Canada relations and angered many in the oil industry in both countries.

The pipeline would carry crude oil from the Alberta tar sands deposits all the way to the US Gulf Coast, and blocking the 1,900 kilometer Alberta-Nebraska section effectively undermined the entire project.

Environmentalists have assailed the project -- and the move to sue -- arguing that the Alberta deposits produce some of the "dirtiest" crudes in the world.

TransCanada said in its complaint that the permit denial discriminated against it -- noting that three other pipeline companies had been granted permits for similar operations carrying Alberta crude into the United States.

It said that the Obama administration had instead bowed to pressure from environmental activists "even though the administration had concluded on six occasions that the pipeline would not have a significant impact on climate change."

"The delay and the ultimate decision to deny the permit were politically driven, directly contrary to the findings of the administration's own studies, and not based on the merits of Keystone's application," the company said in a statement.

TransCanada said it will seek to recover USD 15 billion in costs and damages as a result of the permit denial, which it said breached US obligations under the NAFTA treaty to treat investors fairly and equally.

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Washington, Dec 29 (AFP) US President Barack Obama will welcome Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for talks on March 10, the White House has said, the Liberal leader's first official visit since taking office in November.

The US president and First Lady Michelle Obama will also host a state dinner for Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, on the same date, the White House statement said yesterday.

"The visit will be an opportunity for the United States and Canada to deepen their bilateral relationship, which is one of the closest and most extensive in the world," the White House said.

"The visit also is intended to advance cooperation on important bilateral and multilateral issues, such as energy and climate change, security, and the economy. "

The 44-year-old Trudeau led his Liberal party to a landslide election victory on October 19, dealing a crushing blow to Stephen Harper's Conservatives. He is the second-youngest prime minister in Canadian history.

He is also the son of the late Pierre Trudeau, considered the father of modern Canada, who served as prime minister from 1968 to 1979, and again from 1980 to 1984.

The younger Trudeau -- a onetime bartender and snowboarding instructor who was slammed during the election campaign by his opponents as too inexperienced to rule -- promised sweeping changes for Canada when he was sworn in last month.

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Toronto, Nov 24 (IANS)

Bhullar, 35, who was a sitting Calgary MLA, died when he was hit by a vehicle on Queen Elizabeth II Highway on Monday. He was on his way from Calgary to Edmonton.

According to reports, Bhullar and another vehicle stopped on the highway near Red Deer to help passengers of a vehicle that had skidded off the icy highway and rolled into the median.

Bhullar was standing outside his vehicle when another passing vehicle lost control and struck the median and hit him.

Bhullar was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Mourning his death, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said: "We have lost our colleague, Calgary-Greenway has lost a friend and effective voice in the legislature, and most of all, we have all lost a passionate advocate for Alberta."

"All Albertans should be proud of his significant contributions to public life," he said.

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said he was "utterly gutted" by the news.

In a statement, Nenshi said : "He was a powerful community advocate from a young age and first elected to the Alberta legislature at 28. He was brave and unrelenting in his role, particularly when it came to forcefully advocating for children in care -- the least powerful people in our society."

After his election as an MLA from Calgary at the age of 28 when he was still a law student, Bhullar was appointed parliamentary assistant in Advanced Education by his Premier Ed Stelmach.

In 2011, he was appointed Minister of Service Alberta.

Bhullar was re-elected in 2012, and in 2013 he was elevated as Minister of Human Services.

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Toronto, Nov 15 (IANS)

If thanks to her efforts Indian-Canadians in the neighbouring Mississauga just enjoyed their first-ever Diwali fireworks, the community may soon have dedicated places for cremation and disposal of the ashes.

"Now I am working with the authorities for getting dedicated cremation grounds for Hindus and Sikhs and the spots where they can scatter the ashes. Though the Indo-Canadian population is increasing rapidly, there is no community-specific cremation place and spots for disposing of the ashes," says Dikipa, who is Ontario's associate minister for long-term care with a budget of almost $4 billion.

Secunderabad-born Dipika is the first Andha woman to hold any ministerial position in North America. "Maybe perhaps I am the first Andhra woman to hold a ministerial position outside India," says the young minister who was appointed to the position last year after her Liberal Party was re-elected to the office.

Daughter of an armyman, Dipika came to Canada in 1991 after finishing her under-graduation. On completing her MBA from the famous Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, she served as a corporate executive with the country's two top banks - the Royal Bank of Canada and the Bank of Nova Scotia - before quitting to raise her daughter.

Dipika is also a former TV journalist who has worked with Toronto-based OMNI TV channel which serves Canada's south Asian communities. In fact, it was her interaction as a journalist with politicians which led her to joining the office of the then Premier Dalton McGuinty in 2007 and then enter politics.

"We Indians have a robust interest in politics. Look how many Indo-Canadians have been elected as MPs this time. The reason is that it is very difficult for middle-class people to break into politics in India. But when these same people come here as immigrants, they can enter politics easily," says Dipika, sitting in the office of her constituency of Mississauga East-Cooksville on the outskirts of Toronto.

In 2011, Dipika says, she decided to enter electoral politics and seek elections to serve the community. "It was not easy, particularly when you are a first-generation immigrant and a woman. But I grew up confident in my identity and I had that strong robust self-esteem," she says.

She won her first election to the Ontario provincial parliament (equal to the state assembly in India) and got re-elected in 2014.

Dipika says she is excited to visit India in February with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. "We will be going to Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Amritsar from February 1. Canada and our Ontario province have so much to offer to India for its smart-city concept, water management, and clean technology needs. When we met Prime Minister Modi here in Toronto in April, he asked our Premier:`When can you come?'.''

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Reports said that a non-commissioned officer from the Canadian Forces Base at Valcartier near Quebec City targeted Sajjan in a racist comment on social media on November 5, just a day after Sajjan was sworn in as defence minister. The comment was later removed.

The Globe quoted an armed forces spokesperson as saying that bullies have no place in the army.

"Racist attitudes are not compatible with the military ethos and with effective military service. Any conduct that reflects such attitudes will not be tolerated.

"The institution is entirely committed to the principle of equality of all people and the dignity and worth of every human being", it said, and noted that "bullies have no place in the organisation".

The Toronto Star reported that the military's Chief Warrant Officer Kevin West sent an email to his troops on November 5, saying: "We have had an incident in which a high-ranking member of the military posted negative comments on a Facebook page about our minister.

"It's totally unacceptable. We already deal with conduct problems on a daily bases in our ranks and it's our duty, and that of our leaders, to put an end to it immediately. I was made aware of this incident and to say that I am mad is not the word."

As per military rules, the offending officer can be relieved from the armed forces, suspended, put on probationary period or sent for counselling.

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NDP leader John Horgan, who is also a legislator for the Juan de Fuca constituency in British Columbia, extended wishes to the Sikh community on Friday, Link newspaper reported on Saturday.

"As Sikhs across Canada and around the world celebrate the birth anniversary of the founder of their faith, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, we are proud to see British Columbia as home to one of the world's major religions, with a thriving, vibrant Sikh community," Horgan was quoted as saying.

"Guru Nanak challenged inequality and was ahead of his time in declaring all of humanity as being equal, a lesson we should still heed today," he added.

Meanwhile, another NDP legislator, Bruce Ralston, present at the celebrations, said: "The values of Sikhism, including compassion, justice and respect are also Canadian values."

As per the Sikh calendar, Guru Nanak Dev's birthday will be celebrated on November 25.

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While 42-year-old Indian Canadian Harjit Sajjan was appointed as a defence minister, 38-year-old Navdeep Bains got the portfolio of innovation, science and economic development.

Bains, who played a key role in Trudeau's election as the Liberal Party leader in 2013, has been awarded with a cabinet berth.

Bains, who became MP for the third time last month by winning from Mississauga-Brampton, previously served as parliamentary secretary to the prime minister in 2005 when he was MP from 2004 till 2011 when he lost.

Considered very suave, Bains has been a distinguished visiting professor at Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University in Toronto till now.

Indian-born first-time Sikh MP Harjit Sajjan is Canada's new defence minister.

A decorated police and army official, Sajjan has been the first Sikh to command a Canadian regiment -- called the Duke of Connaught's Own, which is a reserve regiment based in British Columbia province.

Sajjan has served in Afghanistan and Bosnia and been twice a special adviser on Afghanistan. He was given the Meritorious Service Medal in March 2013.

A father of two, 45-year-old Sajjan was with the Vancouver Police Department for 11 years and served as a detective for the gang crime unit.

However, Sajjan's nomination as the Liberal Party candidate from Vancouver South last year attracted controversy when many Sikh leaders resigned from the Liberal Party, alleging that the party leadership has been 'manipulated' by hardliner Sikhs of the World Sikh Organisation.

Sajjan's father Kundan Sajjan is a board member of the WSO which is alleged to have hardline sympathies.

But Sajjan told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation last year: "I am not a member of the WSO. I've had no negative vibes from anybody."

He was five when his father moved to Canada from Punjab. His wife Kuljit Kaur is a family doctor.

In the outgoing government, Tim Uppal was a turbaned Sikh but he enjoyed the rank of minister of state.

Herb Dhaliwal was the first Sikh to become a full cabinet minister in Canada in 1997, followed by Ujjal Dosanjh in 2004. Dhaliwal held the revenue portfolio while Dosanjh held the very important portfolio of health.

Trudeau, the 42-year-old son of charismatic former prime minister Pierre Trudeau who is credited with opening Canada to new immigrants in the 1970s, led the Liberal Party to win 184 seats in the 338-member House of Commons.

Trudeau is the second youngest prime minister of Canada.

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According to a report published in The Star newspaper on Monday, the prime minister has already chosen ministers for his cabinet and Bains, a Liberal member of parliament (MP) from Mississauga city, may get a ministry.

"Memo to Liberal MPs: If you are still waiting for Justin Trudeau to call and offer you a cabinet post, you can stop the wait," the report read, adding "Trudeau has already selected his new cabinet and made his telephone calls to the lucky incoming ministers several days ago".

Since his win in the general elections on October 19, Bains has been representing Mississauga-Malton constituency. Earlier, he served as an MP from 2004 to 2011.

He is a certified management accountant, holds an MBA degree and teaches at the Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario.

Bains played an important role in Trudeau's leadership bid in 2013 and also served on the Liberals' national election readiness committee.

He also served as a parliamentary secretary to the prime minister for a few months and served as opposition critic for public works, treasury board, international trade, natural resources and small business and tourism.

Trudeau will be formally sworn-in as prime minister on November 4 and will unveil his full cabinet on the same day.

The selection criteria of the MPs were: the size of the cabinet, gender equality, ethnic diversity, regional distribution and a balance of new and veteran MPs, but leaning to young and new versus old and experienced, the report said.

The new cabinet is expected to have 28 members and will be evenly split, with 14 women and 14 men, including Trudeau.

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Ottawa, Oct 23 (IANS) Justin Trudeau, the newly elected Canadian prime minister, is seen dancing 'bhangra' to the beats of a Bollywood song in a recently uploaded video on YouTube.

A video uploaded on Tuesday shows the Liberal party leader, donning a desi white kurta-pyjama, dancing to the catchy beats of Hadippa - the breakout theme song from the 2009 Bollywood film "Dil Bole Hadippa!", the Huffington Post Canada reported.

According to a party spokesperson, the footage was captured during an event organised by the India-Canada Association of Montreal in 2009.

For some, the footage reminds viewers of Trudeau's father Pierre Elliott Trudeau and his signature prime ministerial pirouette.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau served a total of four terms in the country's top office. Justin is his eldest son.

More recently, Harper's wife Laureen showed off her own bhangra dance moves at a Conservative campaign event in Brampton, Ontario last week.

The old bhangra video and Trudeau's youthfulness are attracting renewed interest in Canada after voters elected a majority Liberal government on Monday, unseating former prime minister Stephen Harper's Conservative party from nearly a decade in power.

The Indian-Canadians more than doubled their representation in the Canadian parliament from eight to 19, as Canadians voted out the Conservative Party in a landslide of 184 seats in the 338-member House to the Liberal Party.

For a record, among the winners are five Sikh women and five turban-sporting Sikhs.

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Toronto, Oct 20 (IANS) The Indian-Canadians more than doubled their representation in the Canadian parliament from eight to 19, as Canadians voted out the Conservative Party in a landslide of 184 seats in the 338-member House to the Liberal Party on Monday.

For a record, among the winners are five Sikh women and five turbaned Sikhs.

While longest-serving MP Deepak Obhrai won for the seventh time from Calgary Forest Lawn, outgoing ministers of state Bal Gosal, Tim Uppal and four-time MP Nina Grewal were prominent Indian-Canadians who lost the elections.

While Minister of state Bal Gosal lost to fellow Indian-Canadian Ramesh Sangha of the Liberal Party in Brampton Centre, and minister of state Tim Uppal was beaten in Fleetwood-Port Kells in Alberta.

But the biggest surprise was created by Darshan Kang of the Liberal Party by winning the Calgary Skyview seat for his party in 50 years by beating fellow Indian-Canadians Devinder Shory of the Conservative Party and Sahajvir Singh Randhawa of the NDP.

Most Indian-Canadian victories came in Canada's biggest province of Ontario as many seats in Brampton and Mississauga cities went to the Indian-Canadian candidates.

In Brampton East, Raj Grewal of the Liberal beat Harbaljit Kahlon of the NDP and Naval Bajaj of the Conservative Party. Naval is the former president of the India-Canada Chamber of Commerce.

In Brampton West, Kamal Khera of the Liberal Party beat Ninder Thind of the Conservative Party.

In Brampton North, Ruby Sahota of the Liberal Party beat outgoing MP Parm Gill of the Conservative Party and white Sikh Martin Singh of the NDP.

In Brampton South, Sonia Sidhu of the Liberal party beat Amarjeet Sangha of the NDP.

In the newly demarcated constituency of Mississauga-Malton in the Toronto area, former MP Navdeep Bains got elected once again by beating Jagdish Grewal (an independent after he was kicked out by the Conservative Party over his write-up on homosexuality).

In Mississauga Streetville, Gagan Sikand of the Liberal Party was also elected.

Raj Saini of the Liberal Party won from Kitchener Centre - not far from Toronto.

Bardish Chagger of the Liberal Party also won from Waterloo- again not far from Toronto.

Bob Saroya of the Conservative Party won in Markham-Unionville - another constituency in the Toronto area.

In Don Valle East, Yasmin Ratansi of the Liberal Party was elected.

Chandra Arya of the Liberal Party won from Napean in the Ottawa area.

In British Columbia, Harjit Sajjan of the Liberal Party beat Amarjeet Nijjar of the NDP in Vancouver South.

In Surrey Centre, Jasvir Sandhu of NDP beat Sucha Thind of the Conservative Party and Randeep Sarai of the Liberal Party.

In Surrey-Newton, Sukh Dhaliwal of the Liberal Party again won after a gap of four years by beating Jinny Sims of the NDP and Harpreet Singh of the Conservative Party.

In Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon, Jati Sidhu of the Liberal Party won.

Interestingly, Anju Dhillon of the Liberal Party became the first Indian-Canadian to win a seat - Dorsal-Lachine-LaSalle - in the French-speaking Quebec.

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Ottawa, Oct 20 (IANS) Canada voted in its first new leader in 10 years, as a general election handed Justin Trudeau's Liberal party an absolute majority -- and a stunning blow to incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The Liberals had collapsed to just 34 seats and third place in the 2011 election. But they were leading in almost 190 constituencies by early Tuesday morning, taking from both the New Democratic Party (NDP) and Harper's Conservatives party, the National Post reported.

By 1.00 a.m. the Liberals were leading in 184 districts, with the Conservatives at 102, the NDP 41, the Bloc Quebecois 10 and Greens one.

Trudeau, 46, son of late prime minister Pierre Trudeau, stressed the power of positive election campaigning and its potential to change how Canadians view public service.

“You can appeal to the better angels of our natures, and you can win while doing it,” he said.

“We beat fear with hope, we beat cynicism with hard work, we beat negative, divisive politics with a positive vision that brings Canadians together.”

After three terms as prime minister, Harper, 56, indicated to his party that he would be stepping down as leader of the Conservatives, though remaining as an MP.

Since Canada does not have term limits, Harper has held the position since 2006.

"We put everything on the table, we gave everything we had to give and we have no regrets," CNN quoted Harper as saying.

"The people of Canada have elected a Liberal government, which we accept without hesitation," he added.

Voting took place on Sunday.

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Toronto, Oct 18 (IANS) Forty Indo-Canadians are in the fray in Monday's election to the 338-member parliament on Monday.

There were eight Indo-Canadian MPs in the outgoing 308-member House of Commons. But this could go up this time as the three main parties - the Tories, Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party - have fielded 40 Indo-Canadians, including all the incumbents.

Among the incumbents is the longest-serving Indo-Canadian MP Deepak Obhrai, who is also parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs.

Also in the fray are the outgoing minister of state for sports Bal Gosal and the minister of state for multiculturalism Tim Uppal.

Interestingly, there is a direct fight between Indo-Canadian candidates in as many as 10 constituencies.

The direct fights are taking places in constituencies - or ridings as they are called - with huge Indo-Canadian population such as Brampton, Surrey, Calgary and Edmonton.

Apart from the 40 Indo-Canadians fielded by the three main parties, a couple of Indo-Canadians are in the fray as independents.

After the longest ever election campaign of 11 weeks in Canadian history, Monday's vote will elect 338 members to the House of Commons - up from 308 in 2011 as 30 more constituencies have been added this time.

Numbering about 1.2 million, Indo-Canadians make up more than three percent of Canada's population of about 35 million and have become a significant political force.

Canada elected its first Indian-origin MP in 1993 when turbaned Sikh Gurbax Malhi won from the Toronto-area.

Malhi's election opened the gates for other Indo-Canadians. In fact, current parliamentary secretary Obhrai, first elected in 1997, is seeking his seventh term in the Canadian parliament from Calgary.

Canada also has the distinction of appointing an Indian-origin person as a full-fledged cabinet minister anywhere in the Western world when Herb Dhaliwal became the federal revenue minister in 1997.

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