We are living through a hinge moment for Canada’s economy and our place in the world.As the Prime Minister said recently in Davos, this is a rupture, not a transition. Longstanding assumptions about global trade, multilateralism, energy security, and economic partnerships no longer hold.The old order is not coming back, and nostalgia is not a strategy. So the question facing Canada is straightforward: how do we respond?My recent trip to India was part of our answer.Earlier this month, I represented Canada at India Energy Week in Goa and met with Indian ministers, industry leaders, and global energy partners in New Delhi to discuss trade opportunities that will play a key role in the reset and strengthening of CanadaIndia relations.

This was the first time a Canadian federal minister has attended India Energy Week — and that matters. It signals a clear shift in how Canada is engaging with one of the most consequential economies of this century.For Canadians — and especially for the many families in Markham–Thornhill with deep ties to India — this visit was critical. It reflects Canada’s commitment to diversification, to resilience, and to building long-term prosperity in a changing world.India is already the fastest-growing major economy on the planet. It is also the country with the fastest-growing energy demand, roughly equal to China and Southeast Asia combined.

By 2040, India’s energy consumption is expected to more than double. It is pretty clear: if Canada is serious about being an energy superpower, we have to be serious about India.Today, Canada and India’s two-way trade exceeds $23 billion annually and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in both countries. It is supported by the close people-topeople ties between our two nations. But we are nowhere near the ceiling of what is possible.

That is why under Prime Minister Carney, we have restarted negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, which is expected to more than double bilateral trade to $70 billion by 2030. Energy, critical minerals, clean technology, agriculture, and advanced manufacturing will all be central to that agreement, and growing Canada-India trade and investment.My objective during my trip to India was simple: turn Canada’s competitive advantages into future trading opportunities.In Goa, I met with Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, where we officially reinstated the Canada–India Ministerial Energy Dialogue.

This renewed dialogue creates a sustained government-to-governmentplatform focused on bringing clean and conventional Canadian energy – areas where Canada has world-class products to sell and India has enormous demand – to India.Restarting the Ministerial Dialogue may sound like government-speak. But this matters because India’s energy sector is largely state-directed. Clear policy alignment and an endorsement of Canada by Minister Puri sends a powerful signal to Indian buyers and investors that Canada is open for business and a priority market for them to look to as they scale up to meet national demand.On LNG alone, India aims to increase the share of natural gas in its energy mix to 15 percent by 2030, up from roughly six percent today.

Beginning this past June, Canada has started shipping LNG from our west coast, so we are well-positioned to help meet that demand with reliable, responsibly-produced LNG, supporting India’s energy security while lowering global emissions.Beyond oil and gas, while in New Delhi, I met with India’s Ministers of New and Renewable Energy, Heavy Industries, and Chemicals and Fertilizers. Our discussions covered clean power deployment, industrial decarbonization, fertilizer supply chains, critical minerals, electric vehicles, and advanced manufacturing. In each case, the message was clear: Canada has what India needs, and India offers a market that provides significant opportunities for Canadian companies.On critical minerals, we made tangible progress. India recently launched a $4-billion National Critical Minerals Mission to secure inputs like lithium, copper, and cobalt — minerals Canada produces to some of the highest environmental and labour standards in the world. We agreed to formalize cooperation between our two countries in the coming weeks, and I was pleased to invite India’s Minister of Mines to attend the PDAC mining conference in Toronto this March.Ultimately, this trip reflects Canada’s new, pragmatic approach to global engagement: building strength at home while diversifying abroad, so we are never dependent on any single market again.Canada is a stable democracy, a trusted supplier, and a dependable long-term partner in an increasingly volatile global economy. We have low-cost, low-carbon energy. We have responsibly sourced critical minerals. And with our Pacific gateway now fully open, we are well-positioned to serve growing Asian markets like India.Strengthening our relationship with India is not optional.

It is essential to Canada’s economic resilience, our energy leadership, and our future prosperity. This visit helped put the relationships, policy frameworks, and commercial pathways in place to deliver real results — for workers, for businesses, and for communities across Canada.In a world defined by uncertainty, Canada is choosing its own path, and building a strong, prosperous country for everyone.

In our rapidly changing world, we can’t control what others do, but we can control what we do here at home—and we are choosing to build Canada Strong.

Budget 2025 is about this choice. It is Canada’s new government’s plan to transform our economy into one that is strong, confident, and prosperous.

“Budget 2025 captures our government’s bold vision for our future: a strong, sovereign, and resilient Canada that works for Canadians for the next four years and the next four decades. We are making transformative investments to address affordability, housing, climate, defense, AI, and trade. We are making sure that Canadian businesses and industry thrive as we build Canada’s future as a global leader and energy superpower.” – Hon. Tim Hodgson, MP Markham-Thornhill.

Canada’s new fiscal plan is more than a strategic blueprint for the economy. Budget 2025 safeguards the vital programs that millions of Canadians rely on, including dental care, pharmacare and childcare, and helps the millions who receive the Canada Child Benefit, Workers Benefit, and Disability Benefit by ensuring funding for these and other critical programs continue. The budget also makes Canada’s National School Food Program permanent, benefitting up to 400,000 children every year, so no kid has to go to school hungry.

Your government remains committed to supporting Canadians at every stage of life, and that’s why Budget 2025 supports programs like Canada Summer Jobs for young people looking to gain valuable skills and work experience, and the New Horizons for Seniors Program that improves quality of life for seniors.

The Budget tackles affordability head-on. We are providing a middle-class tax cut for nearly 22 million Canadians, to alleviate the pressure we are all facing. We eliminated the GST on new homes up to $1 million for first-time buyers and a partial rebate on homes up to $1.5 million, so the dream of home ownership is less out-of-reach. And we confirmed that the CRA can automatically file tax returns for low-income seniors and individuals, to ensure Canadians get the benefits they are owed without delay.

To make life better in communities like Markham-Thornhill across the country, we created the Build Communities Strong Fund, a $51 billion investment to improve and expand essential infrastructure like hospitals, water systems, roads, and transit, which will connect us better and keep our neighbourhoods cleaner and stronger.

We are getting back into the housing game, responding to the housing supply gap by doubling construction, restoring affordability, and reducing homelessness with the creation of Build Canada Homes. This agency will get homes built faster than they have for generations, create demand for Canadian materials like lumber, and modernize construction to ensure affordable homes are built in Markham-Thornhill and in every corner of Canada.

Underpinning our entire approach is our government’s new Buy Canadian Policy: Canada’s first comprehensive strategy that mandates the use of more Canadian steel, aluminum, lumber, and other domestic products and services, so we can finally be our own best customers. This means public dollars will be used to strengthen Canadian supply chains, support homegrown industry and innovation, and strengthen our economy.

In an era of growing global instability, Budget 2025 also makes critical investments in Canada’s security. Over $81 billion in defence and security funding will ensure the Canadian Armed Forces have the tools they need, while 1,000 new RCMP personnel and the new Financial Crimes Agency will protect Canadians across the country. Because Canada Strong means Canada must be safe.

This is a generational plan. We are leading the G7 to build a more sovereign and resilient country. We will control our own destiny and secure long-term economic stability for Canadian families and businesses, so we remain, proudly, the True North, Strong and Free.

Brampton, Ontario, December 9, 2025: BLS International, a global leader in tech-enabled services for governments and citizens, hosted a warm and vibrant Christmas Meet & Greet in its Brampton Centre, bringing together members of the local community for an evening of celebration and connection. The event was attended by over 30 attendees including politicians – Amarjot Sandhu (MPP, Brampton West), Bob Dosanjh (MP Candidate, Brampton East, Conservative Party of Canada) and members from Consulate General of India, among others.

The event created a meaningful platform for dialogue, relationship-building, and community engagement in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Some of the community members addressed queries related to BLS Operations.

Speaking on the occasion, Anirban Bose, Regional Head, BLS International Canada said, “Christmas is a time to reflect on the values of compassion, connection, and service. At BLS International, we remain deeply committed to strengthening our relationship with all the communities we serve, and this celebration is an expression of our gratitude and continued partnership.”

With 12 Visa Application Centres across Canada, BLS International continues to play a pivotal role in supporting consular, passport, visa and citizen services for thousands of applicants every year, in close coordination with the Consulate General of India.

About BLS International Services Limited:

BLS International Services Ltd. is a trusted global tech-enabled services partner for governments and citizens, having an impeccable reputation for setting benchmarks in the domain of visa, passports, consular, citizen, e-governance, attestation, biometric, e-visa, and retail services since 2005.

The company is recognized as “India’s Most Valuable Companies” by Business Today Magazine, “Best under a Billion’ Company” by Forbes Asia and ranked among “Fortune India’s Next 500 companies”. The company works with over 46 client governments, including Diplomatic Missions, Embassies, and consulates, and leverages technology and processes that ensure data security. The Company now has an extensive network of more than 50,000+ centers globally, with a robust strength of over 60,000+ employees and associates that provide consular, biometrics, and citizen services.

BLS International is certified with CMMI DEV ML5 V2.0 & SVC ML5 V2.0 for Process Improvements, ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems, ISO 27001:2013 for Information Security Management Systems, ISO 14001:2015 for Environmental Management Systems, and more.

BLS International is the only listed company in this domain with operations in over 70 countries.

For more information, please visit www.blsinternational.com.

About BLS International in Canada:

BLS International established its Canadian base in 2013 and currently operates 12 Visa Application Centres in cities Canada-wide as a partner to the High Commission and Consulate General of India. It is a leading provider for visa, passport, consular, and citizen services with a focus on security, compliance, and customer service excellence.

For any further queries, please contact – Dr. Pooja Arora, Corporate Communications Manager: pooja.arora@blsinternational.net

As per the early reports, the notorious Lawrence gang has taken the responsibility.  Gangsters Goldy Dhillon and Kuldeep Sidhu, who are associated with Lawrence Bishnoi’s operations, have claimed responsibility for the attack on social media. We have no enmity with the general public,” they wrote, via NDTV. Those who engage in illegal (illegible) work and do not pay people should also be prepared,” the gangsters warned.

In the warning note, they have threatened the people who have spoken against religion in Bollywood. They should “be prepared… bullets can come from anywhere”, the message reads.

This incident is the latest in a string of attacks on Kapil’s cafe, following shootings on July 10 and August 7, 2025, after which the restaurant was temporarily closed.