Grenada's Prime Minister Tillman Thomas is expected to meet with Canadian private sector officials during an upcoming weekend visit to Toronto. "As a party, and now as the government, we have always made it clear that we welcome foreign investment," said Thomas, who is also head of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). "We are committed to providing sound infrastructure and clear investment guidelines for both local and foreign entrepreneurs." The Thomas-led NDC came to power after winning 11 of 15 seats in general elections held on July 8. The meetings in Canada, to explore possible business investment in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, are included on the itinerary for the visit in which Thomas will be accompanied by Peter David, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism. It's their first visit to Canada since the NDC's election victory. Plans for a meeting involving David and Canadian Foreign Affairs officials were shelved with the recent announcement that Canada's parliament had been dissolved and general election will be held on October 14. It's standard protocol of Foreign Affairs Canada to discourage and advise against engaging in any meetings with foreign politicians during a Canadian election campaign. David had hoped to pursue discussions on Canada's current policy requiring Grenadians to obtain a visa to visit Canada. The requirement was slapped on Grenada in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks in the United States. Canada was concerned at the number of non-Grenadians who were able to buy Grenadian passports under the former New National Party government's economic citizenship program. The current Thomas administration has promised to strive for a lifting of the visa policy, starting with employing the services of the Ottawa-based office of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. Although a meeting with Foreign Affairs will not be taking place, David is expected to be briefed on the visa issue by OECS High Commissioner, Brendon Browne. "We know that the lifting of the visa requirement is something that Grenadians want and that is something that we will work on night and day," David said. The Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister will be in New York this week for meetings, and are the guests of honour at a black tie event organized by the New York Chapter of the NDC. They arrive in Toronto on Saturday, September 27, and will join celebrants at the first anniversary gala of the NDC's Toronto Support Group. Thomas will be the keynote speaker at the event. Among the special features of the gala will be a door prize of an airline ticket and the auctioning of the pen used by Thomas, at his official swearing in on July 9, to sign his name for the first time as Prime Minister of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister will attend a church service on Sunday, September 28, in downtown Toronto. After the service, a reception will be held for members of the congregation to meet with Thomas and David. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com