Premier Doug Ford says Ontario sending 2,000 more ventilators to India
The Canadian Bazaar
TORONTO: The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, along with 80-odd Indian community bodies, on Sunday launched its ‘Oxygen for India’ marathon fundraiser to collect $2 million in aid of India’s corona victims.
Almost $500,000 was raised during the very first session of the marathon fundraiser to be held every Sunday for four weeks.
Surprisingly, the biggest contribution of $50,000 came Canada’s native or indigenous Metis people.
“We (native Indians) have similarities with Indo-Canadians even though we are from different parts of the world. India will be there for us when we need, and we should be there for them now. We will donate $50,000 to the ICCC and do more if needed,” said Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand.
The initiative aims at garnering support not only from the 1.6 million Indo-Canadian community, but also businesses and cities across Canada, said ICCC president Vijay Thomas.
“The money will used to send oxygen concentrators, generators ventilators and find new pathways to send oxygen to India. We want to ensure that oxygen reaches help to reach tier 2 and 3 cities before they get hit by the virus,” Thomas said.
Top political leaders, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his trade minister Vic Fedelli, mayors, MPPs, business owners and medical professionals took part in the fundraiser.
The Ontario Premier announced that 2,000 additional ventilators are being sent to India, in addition to 3,000 already delivered.
“The whole planeload of Air Canada is filled from front to back and arriving (in India) by Tuesday will all sorts of supplies. The people of India have been there for us and we will be there for them,” the Premier said.
Markham city Frank Scarpitti, who has been to India many times and is well respected in the Indo-Canadian community, announced to donate $10,000 to the initiative by the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce.
The mayors of Brampton and Mississauga, the outlying cities which are home to the biggest concentration of the Indo-Canadian community in Canada, urged their residents to donate liberally to the initiative.
