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Wednesday January 27 2016
The
Leader
ICBC TAKES AIM AT SCAM ARTISTS
▲ Finalists for Sport BC awards 14
▲ Funeral for a fallen firefighter 3
▼ AUTO INSURER RELEASES ITS TOP 2015 ‘HALL OF SHAME’ FRAUD CLAIMS
Syrian refugees AbdelHamied Habiese, 13, and his brother Sadeel Habiese, 20 months, are among a group of newcomers being temporarily housed at a hotel in Surrey.
JEFF NAGEL
EVAN SEAL
ICBC is vowing to do more to bust auto insurance fraudsters whose scams add an estimated $100 a year to the premiums all other drivers pay. The public auto insurer released its top “Hall of Shame” fraud claims for 2015 where B.C. residents tried to scam the system last year. They include: Dish Dodger – A man claimed his crash injuries were so severe he couldn’t help his wife wash the dishes, but investigators later got footage of him lifting a box of heavy floor tiles at his work site. He was fined $1,500 for fraud.
‘IT’S BEAUTIFUL’ HERE, SURREY’S SYRIAN REFUGEES SAY
▶ SUPPORT POURS IN FOR NEWLY ARRIVED FAMILIES
KEVIN DIAKIW continued on page 4
▶ “We’re going to devote more resources than we ever have to rooting out fraud.” TODD STONE
foor
Future Hood Ornament
Hugo Bugov
Recently landed in Surrey from the chaos and bloodshed they left behind in Syria, a dozen refugees gathered in a North Surrey hotel last week to describe their experience in Canada. They were at a press gathering as local grocer Fruiticana donated bags of groceries to the families. Fruiticana founder Tony Singh committed to
provide enough groceries to feed 500 families for seven to nine days. Ola Katabi has been here just two weeks and says she loves Canada. “It’s natural,” the 15-year-old said as she beamed. “It’s beautiful.” It’s a far cry from where she just left. “In Syria, it’s difficult,” Katabi said. It’s an understatement coming from a girl fleeing a country gripped in a complex civil
war, where thousands of innocent people are bombed indiscriminately. The world, including Canada, has started to pay attention since atrocities have come to light. As part of a federal Liberal campaign promise in last fall’s election, 25,000 refugees are heading to Canada in the coming months. continued on page 4
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