KELOWNA: Wendy Cocchia, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, hosted a business showcase with the Consular Corps of British Columbia in Kelowna from April 30 to May 2.
As part of the visit to Kelowna, the lieutenant governor showcased a mix of local businesses and organizations to highlight innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and community-minded leadership in the region. More than 20 countries were represented as part of the consular corps’s delegation.
On the first day of the showcase, the lieutenant governor hosted a welcome reception at Eldorado Resort, attended by the Consular Corps of British Columbia; Tom Dyas, mayor of Kelowna; Derek Gratz, president of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce; and other representatives of local government, uniformed services, business and Syilx First Nation. The lieutenant governor also attended the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce president’s dinner, where she administered the oath of office to the incoming chamber president and council.
On the second day of the tour, the lieutenant governor and consular corps visited Jealous Fruits, where they viewed a state-of-the-art Canadian cherry-packing facility; toured hangars and training spaces at KF Aerospace, and learned about the history of aviation at the KF Centre for Excellence; attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open a new innovative facility at Vitalis; and met with Chief Robert Louie and representatives of Westbank First Nation council and Okanagan Nation Alliance over dinner at CedarCreek Winery.
On the final day of the tour, the lieutenant governor and her husband Sergio Cocchia, co-founders of the Pacific Autism Family Network, visited BikeWays, a non-profit bicycle shop run by Pathways Abilities Society. They met with Pathways clients with diverse abilities, whose employment at Bikeways is part of a program to teach new skills and promote greater independence in their lives.
The lieutenant governor and her husband stopped at Paynter’s Fruit Market, operated since 1919 by the Paynter family. The market is stocked with produce grown on site at the adjacent farm and other local products entirely sourced from B.C.’s farmers. They rejoined the consular corps at Northside Industries to visit its cutting-edge steel-fabrication facility, which harnesses the power of technology for efficient production, and wrapped up the showcase with a tour of Mission Hill Family Estate Winery.
“It was my great pleasure to welcome members of the Consular Corps of British Columbia to beautiful Kelowna, the vibrant heart of the Okanagan,” Cocchia said. “The stunning natural beauty of this region makes it easy to see why Kelowna draws visitors year-round and why so many have chosen this city to call home, bringing their entrepreneurial spirit with them. We were delighted to meet local business people with a passion for innovation, who put their own unique spin on facing the challenges of their industries and to learn the collaborative ways in which they work with partners around the globe. We all left this business showcase feeling incredibly inspired and thank all we met in Kelowna for their warm hospitality.”
Chief Louie of Westbank First Nation said: “It was an honour to welcome representatives from 23 countries to the traditional and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation. In this time of global economic uncertainty, the value of strengthening business and trade relationships – both locally and internationally – cannot be overstated. First Nation businesses and those across the Okanagan Valley are resilient, innovative and ready to collaborate. We look forward to expanding partnerships and trade opportunities with the countries represented in the lieutenant governor’s Okanagan Business Showcase tour. There has never been a better time to come together in the spirit of economic co-operation and mutual prosperity.”
Ricardo Arredondo, dean of the Consular Corps of British Columbia and Consulate General of the Argentine Republic, said: “It is pivotal for international representatives in British Columbia to understand the soil they walk on and the social fabric of their surroundings, including the role of the industries, arts and particularly works and stories related to the First Nations in B.C. and the rest of the country. This showcase reminds us of the strength that comes from the partnership – between business and government, and between Canada and global community represented here today.”
