Investment, education and trade partnerships took centre stage on Tuesday as Canadian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago Michael Ryan Callan met with members of the South Trinidad community at a networking reception.
Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for San Fernando West, Dr Michael Dowlath, noted that there are already strong ties between the two nations.
“I am particularly interested in the stronger institutional partnerships. We already have those bonds existing historically, but especially for the young people of San Fernando and South Trinidad and, by extension, Trinidad and Tobago. Hundreds of our students who graduate from our secondary schools would have chosen Canada as their first choice for further education.”
He noted that each year, many students look to North America for tertiary education, viewing the region as a gateway to internationally recognised qualifications and expanded career opportunities.
“After our discussions, I am really looking forward to that career fair on October the 24th. I think it will be held at the C3 Mall, and so that is something that I want us to advertise and to ensure that we get all our young people to participate and so those educational links reflect the longstanding relationship between our two countries.”
Meanwhile, Canada’s High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Michael Ryan Callan, highlighted growing interest among Canadian investors in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean.
“Just returning from a Canadian Caribbean Investment Conference in Toronto, I was explaining to the Minister, that they had to turn registrants away from signing up to the conference, given the level of enthusiasm of Canadian businesses to invest into the region. And that took place just two weeks after I accompanied Minister Maharaj and Minister Swaratsingh back to Toronto as the head of a delegation of Trinbagonian businesses to Canada.”
Mr Callan noted that he intends to foster reciprocal engagement by connecting with investors interested in opportunities in T&T and the wider Caribbean.
“I would like to use that momentum to build a reflective Canadian trade delegation to come to Trinidad and Tobago in the future. And that should be headed by a federal minister and it should be accompanied by a large number of Canadian businesses, some of whom might be established and are looking to deepen the relationship. Others who are just curious about the Caribbean and are looking to do more. And some who are just speculating, investors who have heard positive things and want to invest in the direction that your economy is headed.”
The Canadian High Commission also launched the Southern Chapter of the Canada Club in San Fernando on Tuesday.