Canadians Are Coming!

WOLVERHAMPTON WELCOMES CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER ON VISIT TO STRENGTHEN TRADING LINKS WITH CITY AND BLACK COUNTRY

Photo opportunity: 10.00am, Friday January 18, 2013, the Canadian High Commissioner Gordon Campbell is officially welcomed to the city at the Mayor’s Parlour of the Civic Centre by the Mayor, Cllr Mrs Christine Mills, the All Party Canada Group Organiser, Cllr Phil Bateman and city council Chief Executive, Simon Warren.

Business, leisure and cultural links between Wolverhampton and Canada will be strengthened with the visit to the city on January 18 of the Canadian High Commissioner Gordon Campbell.
Mr Campbell’s visit is a fulfilment of a key aim of the council’s All Party Canada Group which formed last year.
During a busy programme, Mr Campbell will be officially greeted by the Mayor, Cllr Mrs Christine Mills, the chair of the All Party Canada Group Organiser Cllr Phil Bateman and the council’s chief executive Simon Warren. He will attend a meeting on economic development with the council’s Cabinet member for Regeneration and Enterprise, Cllr Peter Bilson and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, Geoff Layer. He will make a speech in the council chamber to an audience of councillors, the Chamber of Commerce, the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and local business representatives.
Following a business lunch, he will visit the University.
Canadian-born Cllr Phil Bateman said: “We are delighted that Mr Campbell has accepted the group’s invitation for him to visit the city. This visit is a significant milestone in the city’s growing links with Canada and has the potential to yield very many mutual benefits, particularly in increased trade with the city and the Black Country.”
High Commissioner Gordon Campbell said, "I'm delighted to be in Wolverhampton to promote Canada's ties with businesses here and to call attention to the opportunities that exist for Canada-UK partnerships. We have a strong commercial relationship
which has the potential to spur new growth, jobs and improved economic prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic."
ENDS Journalists are invited to report Mr Campbell’s speech in the Council Chamber of the Civic Centre, Wolverhampton at 11.30am. Note to editors: Mr Gordon Campbell assumed his responsibilities as Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on September 15, 2011. Born in Vancouver, Mr. Campbell attended Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire (English and Urban Studies, 1970;) and Simon Fraser University, Vancouver (MBA, 1978). He worked with Canadian University Service Overseas in Nigeria in the early seventies. He returned to Canada and worked as an Executive Assistant to Vancouver Mayor Art Phillips from 1972 to 1976. In 1976, Mr. Campbell became involved in real estate development and in 1981 founded and operated his own company. In 1984, he was elected as a Councillor for the City of Vancouver. In 1986, he was elected Mayor and remained in office for three successive terms. In 1993, he became Leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party. From 1994 to 1996, he was Member of the Legislative Assembly for Vancouver-Quinchena. From 1996 to 2001, he was Member of the Legislative Assembly for Vancouver-Point Grey. In 2001, Mr. Campbell became Premier of the Province of British Columbia, until he retired from politics in 2011. The Fraser Institute ranked him the best fiscal manager among Canadian premiers in 2010. Mr. Campbell is married to Nancy Campbell, and they have two children.
Wolverhampton All Party Canada Group.
Councillor Phil Bateman MBE Wednesfield North in the All Party Canada Group Organiser. He was born in Montreal, Quebec Canada;
Formed in July 2012, the group comprises: Councillors Arun Photay, Mrs Wendy Thompson, Mike Hardacre, Rita Potter, Keith Inston, Peter Bilson, Neville Patten, Jas Dehar and Tersiam Singh.
For more information or to arrange an interview or photograph, please contact Gurdip Thandi, Principal Communications Officer, on 01902 551256 or email gurdip.thandi@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
 Issued by Wolverhampton City Council’s News and Information Team.
 For more information, please call 01902 554076, 555497 or 551956.
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