OTTAWA — India's prime minister arrives in Ottawa this evening for a three-day visit.
Narendra Modi's visit will be the first to Canada by an Indian prime minister since Indira Gandhi stopped by in 1973 when Pierre Trudeau was prime minister.
Modi's three-day trip is being billed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office as a chance to broaden trade involving education, energy and science and technology.
The visit will give Canadians a chance to know Modi — who swept to power last May.
An Angus Reid Institute survey showed respondents Modi's picture and only about one in five of the 1,475 people polled last week could identify him as prime minister of India.
Modi will attend official meetings in Ottawa, give a speech in Toronto and visit Sikh and Hindu temples in Vancouver and Surrey, B.C.
The Angus Reid survey, which was conducted April 8-10, also asked its online panel questions about Canadian attitudes regarding India.
The poll said the majority of those surveyed — about 70 per cent — have a generally favourable view of India and see India's economic growth as an opportunity for Canada.
And it says 58 per cent of respondents were comfortable with Canada pursuing a free trade agreement with India.
But the poll indicated 60 per cent of Canadians are opposed to providing support to help India develop its nuclear energy industry.
