Ottawa: January 18, 2014. (PCP) The Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State for Multiculturalism, recently concluded a successful mission to Pakistan and India. While in Pakistan, Minister Uppal met with vaccinators, doctors and UNICEF staff to announce Canada's latest contribution in the fight to eradicate polio in Pakistan and around the world. Minister Uppal also visited the Badshahi mosque, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, and Joseph colony (a Christian community in Lahore); and met with federal and provincial Pakistani government ministers. Minister Uppal joined the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce’s (ICCC) week-long trade mission to India with stops in Amritsar, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Anandpur Sahib and Jalandhar. As part of the trade mission, Minister Uppal met with Canadian and Indian businesses, Indian Government Ministers and trade officials to promote greater trade between the two countries. While in India, he participated in two conferences - the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference in New Delhi and the Pravasi Punjabi Divas Sammelan conference in Anandpur Sahib and Jalandhar. Both conferences provided Minister Uppal the opportunity to participate in discussions about the Indian Diaspora in Canada and around the world. He also took the opportunity to meet with community leaders and elected officials from many different countries to discuss multiculturalism. For many years, India has been one of Canada’s top three source countries for immigrants. The Government of Canada expects this trend to continue in the years ahead and for the numbers of Indo-Canadians to continue growing within Canada.