Three years ago the former CFB Chilliwack had local tour de force of dignitaries that included Environment Minister Chilliwack-Kent MLA Barry Penner, Chilliwack Mayor Clint Hames, and Abbotsford-Clayburn MLA John van Dongen looks over the proposed site for B.C.’s first educational partnership of its kind which includes the City of Chilliwack, UCFV, the UN-based
World Trade University, two Chinese universities and other business partners
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I had to look at my calendar this afternoon to check if Friday was the 13th of the month, and if it was December.
Premier Gordon Campbell has left town for China, the Summer Olympics, and internet censorship, therefore the ability for the Press to ask just how much money was put into the World Trade University in Chilliwack will have to wait for four weeks or maybe the new Finance Minister can answer an Olympic size question without saying NO COMMENT.
From the National Post:
B.C. school closes before it opens Brian Hutchinson,
Published: Friday, August 01, 2008
......In legislative debates and Throne Speeches, Gordon Campbell's Liberal government lauded "Dr." Chowdhury. It billed WTU as an "elite" institution that would attract a thousand students from around the world. The school had campuses in operation elsewhere, and was affiliated with the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, or so thought one senior minister at the Cabinet table, Chilliwack-Sumas MLA John Les, once WTU's greatest champion.
WTU was made a legal, tax- exempt entity via a private member's bill that was introduced and swiftly advanced by Liberal MLA Randy Hawes.
However it was in
Hansard that the BC Liberals majority set put up what looked like a legal store front appearance to WTU with Maple Ridge-Mission MLA making the motion:
"R. Hawes: I move that this bill be now read a second time.
This bill does establish the World Trade University with its world head office in Chilliwack, British Columbia. When the university concept was first launched, on the occasion of the third UN conference on less-developed countries, it was launched based on the fact that there's a tremendous need for capacity-building within the field of trade and trade-related areas around the world. There are ten proposed campuses around the world for the World Trade University, and as I said, Chilliwack, British Columbia, is going to be the world headquarters.
This did go to committee earlier for some discussion, and at the committee stage, questions were asked and answered such as: where in Canada, when the university first looked, did they look? The answer was that they actually looked in a number of provinces and had offers from a number of provinces but selected British Columbia because it is the gateway to Asia and to trade with the eastern world. The Asia-Pacific trade route…. The door is open in British Columbia to trade with Asia.
Chilliwack was selected. I'd like to congratulate the member for Chilliwack-Sumas(John Les), for his role which was very extensive in promoting not only his community but his entire riding. The mayor of Chilliwack, Clint Hames, was a very important part of attracting the world headquarters to Chilliwack. Both of them need to be congratulated for ensuring that this great innovation did establish in British Columbia.
There are, as I said, ten campuses proposed. They're now establishing a campus in China. There will be campuses in Africa, India, Malta, South America and a number of other places around the world."
