Prime Minister Chretien to visit Harmandir Sahib!

[Akaali]

CLICK HERE - PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT HARMANDIR SAHIB!!

Chretien to celebrate 10th anniversary since election with Sikh pilgrims

ALEXANDER PANETTA

Canadian Press

Friday, October 24, 2003

NEW DELHI (CP) - Prime Minister Jean Chretien will cap a decade in power Saturday surrounded by thousands of Sikh pilgrims dipping into the sacred waters of a golden shrine.

Chretien will mark the 10th anniversary of his election as prime minister by visiting the holiest Sikh shrine on the holiest day for practitioners of the faith.

Arriving here for the Indian equivalent of Christmas, the prime minister will witness a spectacular sight on the final day of his one-week Asian swing.

A sea of humanity awaits him on the holy day of Diwali, when up to 100,000 pilgrims are expected to be wading in the sacred waters of Amritsar by the Golden Temple.

As many as one million faithful are expected to show up throughout the day, which is a celebration of the liberation of 17th century Guru Hargobind from Turkish captors.

The day might not carry any religious significance to a self-described Little Guy from Shawinigan but this Oct. 25 will carry some ironic overtones for Chretien.

Ten years ago, his Liberals bounced back from nine years in opposition exile to unseat the ruling Tories in a general election on Oct. 25, 1993. He officially became prime minister a week later.

That anniversary will no doubt be on his mind as he finds himself among the multitudes of Sikh pilgrims wading into water re

puted for its healing properties.

Chretien's spokesman said Saturday's anniversary is more important to him than the day he took office.

"It's very important for the prime minister because that's the day that the people of Canada elected him," said Chretien spokesman Jim Munson.

"I think for him it's a very significant anniversary. It's a decade of running the country."

The prime minister bristles whenever anyone raises the word "legacy." It's like pulling teeth trying to get him to discuss his accomplishments.

But in private, Chretien aides say their boss is proudest of three things: the improvement in federal finances, the reversal of the Quebec sovereigntist cause, and investments in innovation.

Munson said there are at least three more items of legislative business left before Chretien rides off into the sunset.

Chretien says he will retire in February but is widely expected to leave a little earlier.

His three major items are: a bill to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana; a bill that would set new guidelines for human reproductive technology; and a redrawing of the electoral map, Munson said.

The prime minister would like the House of Commons to continue sitting until those three bills are passed into law.

"We sincerely hope that we get all these three before we depart. And in terms of the proroguing of Parliament, it's my understanding that we still have business to do," Munson said.

"The plan is to continue to get these bills passed and into law."

But opponents inside and outside his own party would like him gone immediately.

Chretien is paying no attention to an opposition motion asking him to leave soon after the Liberal leadership convention that wraps up Nov. 15, Munson said.

The Bloc Quebecois motion carries no legislative weight but the Liberals are characterizing next week's vote as a test of confidence in the government.

An election would

be required if the motion passes, some Liberals argue.

"It's a mischievous motion which takes away from the serious legislative work we have to complete," Munson told reporters during Chretien's visit to the Indian capital.

"I expect it will be defeated."

Paul Martin has already signalled his intention to vote against the Bloc motion, so the majority of Liberal MPs supporting his leadership bid are expected to do the same.

Chretien did not speak with reporters Friday as he prepared to wrap up his weeklong visit to Asia.

Opposition MPs want Chretien gone as early as possible so they can begin immediately blasting heir-apparent Martin in the House of Commons.

Since the future prime minister is still technically just a backbench MP, parliamentary rules excuse him from answering questions in the Commons.

The prime minister was meeting with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the second-last day of his Asian swing. Canadian officials were pleased that Vajpayee agreed to meet Chretien on the equivalent of Christmas Eve at his official residence, which was decorated with candies strewn throughout the house.

They signed a deal aimed at increased co-operation between Canada and India in areas ranging from an additional Canadian diplomatic presence in India, to more co-ordinated efforts on counter-terrorism and more cultural exchanges.

"Canada and India are putting in place the necessary framework to accommodate our rapidly expanding relations," Chretien said in a statement.

The prime minister made a brief stop Friday at a memorial shrine to Indian independence hero Mahatma Gandhi.

As is the custom, Chretien removed his shoes before entering the enclosed courtyard, walked down a carpet carrying a wreath of flowers, laid it in front of a memorial flame and tossed pink rose petals onto the shrine.

The two-day stop in India was the last leg of a trip that included Afghanistan, an Asia-Pacific conference in Thailan

d, and China.

[japmans]

ahem.. CHRETIEN... not chrsiestien, khalsa veerji hahaa

[Akaali]

LOL, sall good

[S1ngh]

haha.. its weird name though.. u canadians vee naa jk

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Top Stories

Friday October 24, 5:09 PM

Sikh guards for Chretien's visit to Golden Temple

By Indo-Asian News Service

Chandigarh, Oct 24 (IANS) Sikh guards armed with spears and swords will be deployed at the Golden Temple in Amritsar for a visit by the Canadian prime minister Saturday as armed outsiders are not allowed into the historic shrine.

"All security arrangements have been finalised," said Daljit Singh Bedi, spokesman for the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), which manages Sikh shrines across the country.

"Since outsiders with firearms are not allowed inside the Golden Temple complex, our own guards will provide cover to the Canadian prime minister," Bedi told IANS.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who arrived in New Delhi Friday on a two-day visit, pays a daylong visit to Punjab, from where a large number of people have migrated to Canada.

Bedi said 200 SGPC security guards would be deployed at the four entrances of the Golden Temple and inside the shrine for Chretien's visit. The security arrangements were made in consultation with a team from the Canadian high commission in New Delhi.

The SGPC adopted the special security measures for the visit as around a million devotees are expected to throng the shrine Saturday because of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights that is also observed by Sikhs.

Chretien will be accorded the same treatment given to Indian Presi

dent A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during his visit to the holiest of Sikh shrines earlier this year, Bedi said.

Chretien and Liberal Party leaders of Indian origin like Herb Dhaliwal, Baljit Singh Chadha and Gurbux Singh Malhi will be honoured with swords and replicas of the Golden Temple at a function outside the temple.

The SGPC Friday held several meetings to ensure Saturday's function at the temple went off smoothly and there was no slogan shouting by radical groups.

Chretien's private jet, carrying a delegation of 47 members of Canada's ruling Liberal Party, government officials and reporters, will land at Rajasansi airport in Amritsar, 220 km from here, Saturday at 9.05 a.m.

The delegation will reach the Golden Temple at 9.30 am.

Chretien will be the first Canadian prime minister to visit the shrine... Read full news here

[S1ngh]

Is that a gurbax malhai in blue turban with kesri/orange band?

[japmans]

yes indeed it is

[GABROO KHALISTAN DAH]

THERES A GORRA SIKH THERE THA'S SOOO AWESOME

NE ONE ELSE SEE THE SARDAR JI IN THE ORANGE PUG?