Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien will visit the Golden Temple and meet with Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Gurcharan Singh Tohra on October 25.

Chretien, who will be in India on October 24 and 25, is expected to fly from New Delhi to Amritsar in an Air Sahara jet. He will arrive at the Raja Sansi International Airport by 0830 and head for the shrine, where Tohra will receive him.

The SGPC will bestow a Siropa (a robe of honour) on Chretien in recognition of his contribution to the welfare of around 1.2 million Punjabis in Canada.

Tohra will request Chretien to talk to the British Columbia University to install a 'Sikh Chair' there. The objective behind this is to promote research at undergraduate and graduate levels in the areas of Punjabi literature and Sikhism.

After spending some time in the temple complex, Chretien will fly to Chandigarh, where Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and other Punjab officials will receive him.

In Chandigarh he will upgrade to consulate general the business office set up by Canada in 1977.

Keeping in mind the growing demand from the Punjabi community, the government has permitted Canada and the United Kingdom to open consulates in Chandigarh.