New Wolverhampton -Canada-Friendship Group Launched.

Today on Canada Day 1st July a newly formed Wolverhampton–Canada-Friendship Group within Wolverhampton City Council was launched by Councillor Phil Bateman MBE.

He said “In 2006 I worked hard to encourage links between Wolverhampton and Canada then as the Mayor of Wolverhampton. During my Mayoral Year I received the Canadian High Commissioner Mel Cappe here in the City. The High Commissioner came and spoke on trade culture and commerce and the importance of the trade connection between Canada and the UK. Also during that year I received the Canadian Consul into the City where he met with the business community.

Today we are launching the Wolverhampton-Canada-Friendship Group to further enhance those already established links which we hope will benefit our City. Links which the High Commissioner thought were important in 2006 and are equally as important now, as this City sets about improving the prosperity of its citizens and looks to growing jobs and the local economy.

The Wolverhampton–Canada-Friendship-Group will be a body that will create links between Business, Tourism, Cultural, Sporting events, and Leisure connections here in the City and Canada. It is not aimed at being a ‘political group’ in the sense of being Party Political. Its prime aims will be to generate employment and investment and cultural links between Canada and within this great City of Wolverhampton.
A number of senior Councillors have already joined the Group, and the intention is to invite members of Wolverhampton Business Champions, and the Chamber of Commerce to join as well. This is an innovative addition to the work that the City Council does with regard to regeneration and employment initiatives. I see it as dove-tailing with work that the private sector here in the City is already involved with in their trade with Canada. Canada is a Country that is in itself one of the G8 member nations, and has been receiving business and individual migrants from Wolverhampton for centuries.
This new group is launched today on July 1st 2012 which is Canada Day!

The Canadian High Commission in London is aware of the Group and information is already being swapped.

Councillors already signed up for the Group and who will join me are-
Councillor Peter Bilson
Councillor Steve Simkins
Councillor Phil Page
Councillor Neville Patten
Councillor Jasbinder Dehar
Councillor T Singh
Councillor Arun Photay
Councillor Mike Hardacre