TRUMP HIT WITH 34 SERIOUS CRIMINAL CHARGES AFTER HISTORIC ARREST; DENIES THEM

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Appearing in the New York State Supreme Court on Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty -- a denial of the charges and a declaration to fight them.

The 34 criminal charges are each about falsifying business records for the payoffs made before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, both of whom asserted that they had affairs with him, and the doorman at his Trump Tower, who claimed to have known about an illegitimate child Trump fathered.

If he is convicted on all the 34 charges he could theoretically face 136 years in prison -- four years for each offence -- under the creative way Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg framed the charges breaking out separate transactions into individual charges.

Under New York's legal system, a grand jury -- a panel of citizens -investigated the case in secret hearings and voted on Thursday that there was a prima facie case against him, enabling Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg to file charges.

Trump is the leading candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, and in a poll aggregation, he is only two points behind US President Joe Biden.

The next hearing in the case is set for December when the campaigns get heated and the trial could impinge in the race for the presidency.

The US Constitution does not bar an undertrial -- or even a convict -- from running for the President.

Trump is under at least three other investigations, two by federal authorities on his role in the attack on the US Congress by his rioting supporters in January 2021 and his handling of top secret documents, and a local investigation in Georgia State whether he tried to manipulate the 2020 presidential election result.

In a rambling speech to his supporters Tuesday night after returning home to Florida, he restated his versions that the case and the investigations were political persecutions and an "insult to the country".

As he headed from his penthouse to the courthouse, he posted on his social media, "Seems so SURREAL -- WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can't believe this is happening in America."

The scene of his arrest was indeed surreal as it was carried out under the watchful eyes of the Secret Service that is mandated to guard former Presidents.

After being booked without being handcuffed or asked to pose for identification pictures but made to give his fingerprints, he was taken to the courtroom of Acting New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan.

He did not react to TV reporters in the hallway and sat somberly at the defendant's table flanked by his lawyers as he was formally charged. The judge admonished him against making incendiary statements. Trump had attacked the judge, saying that he hated Trump. Merchan released him without bail and Trump left for a local airport from where he flew on his private Boeing 757 to his Mar-a-Lago home. He arrived at the courthouse early afternoon in a black sports utility-type vehicle instead of a limousine in a motorcade with escort vehicles as news helicopters circled overhead.

In a park across from the courthouse supporters and opponents of Trump held opposing demonstrations, separated by barricades, exchanging insults but there was no violence.

A right-wing Republican member of the House of Representatives, Marjorie Taylor Greene had called for a protest there.

But she was shouted down by Trump opponents and fled. Bragg, whose election was helped by an organisation that received $500,000 from George Soros, the billionaire activist who meddles in the internal affairs of countries around the world, including India, made the falsification of business records into felonies or serious crimes while they are usually treated as misdemeanours or minor offences.

He has, on the other hand, downgraded half of the serious violent crimes in Manhattan into minor offences, according to statistics from his office. Explaining why he went for the more serious charges against Trump, Bragg said at a news conference, "Under New York state law, it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to defraud and intent to conceal another crime. That is exactly what this case is about: 34 false statements made to cover up other crimes."

A prosecutor on Bragg's staff said in court that Trump "falsified New York business records in order to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and other violations of election laws".

Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche said that "Bragg has turned what is actually a completely political issue into a political prosecution".

The hub of the cases against Trump is a series of payments that were made to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who in turn paid off Daniels with $130,000 to silence her.

The prosecution alleges that the Trump business records falsely classified the payments as lawyer's fees when in fact they were payoffs to Daniels. Cohen was prosecuted by federal officials for tax evasion and federal election law violations and was sentenced to three years in prison. He is the prime witness in the case against Trump.

Federal prosecutors as well as Bragg's predecessor Cyrus Vance decided not to prosecute Trump.

The doorman's case and that of Playboy model McDougal involve American Media Inc. (AMI), a magazine publisher, according to court documents filed by the prosecutors.

AMI made deals with the doorman and the model to stay silent and "falsely characterised" the payments on its books, the documents said. Calling it a "'catch and kill' scheme", Bragg said, "That is a scheme to buy and suppress negative information to help Mr. Trump's chance of winning the election."

5 INDIAN-AMERICANS AMONG 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN US FINANCE

Five Indian-Americans are in Barron's fourth annual list of the 100 Most Influential Women in US Finance for achieving positions of prominence in the financial-services industry and are helping to shape its future. The list includes Anu Aiyengar of JP Morgan, Rupal J. Bhansali of Ariel Investments, Meena

Lakdawala-Flynn of Goldman Sachs Group, Sonal Desai from Franklin Templeton and Savita Subramanian of BofA Securities.

Aiyengar is the global head of Mergers and Acquisitions at JP Morgan -- a role she assumed in January after serving as co-head of the division since 2020. She offers clients equal measures of expertise and steadiness when navigating challenging markets. According to Barron's, she "has long credited her love of number crunching, legal contracts, and building client relationships for bringing her to the mergers-and-acquisitions sphere". Bhansali, 55, chief investment officer and portfolio manager of Ariel Investments' global equity strategies, sees the current state of the market as a time when investors should reposition their portfolios, because what worked in the past is "unlikely to work in the next decade". She believes that managing money is what she was born to do, and is passionate about encouraging women to work in finance. Desai, 58, became the first woman chief investment officer in Franklin Templeton's history in 2018. She oversees $137 billion in assets. She joined the firm in 2009 after working for the International Monetary Fund, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, and Thames River Capital. Lakdawala-Flynn, Co-Head, Global Private Wealth Management, Goldman Sachs Group, wears several hats, including co-chairing the global inclusion and diversity committee. According to Barron's, her career in finance began soon after a sports injury. A zealous gymnast who at one point wanted to compete in the Olympics, Lakdawala-Flynn had to stay at George Washington University one summer to rehabilitate her knee. She did an internship at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, working on the institutional equity sales desk. Subramanian is head of US equity and quantitative strategy at Bank of America Securities. She is responsible for recommending US sector allocations for equities and determining forecasts for the S&P 500 and other major US indices, as well as developing and marketing the firm's quantitative equity strategy to institutional and individual clients. Barron's is a leading source of financial news, providing in-depth analysis and commentary on stocks, investments and how markets are moving across the world.

INDIAN-ORIGIN STUDENT GETS ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY'S TEACHING AWARD

An Indian-origin student has received the 2022 Outstanding University Graduate Student Teaching Award for making outstanding contributions to teaching as part of his program and educational experience at Illinois State University.

Viraj Patel, a second-year doctoral student in the University's School of Communication, was recognised for his "exemplary skill and dedication".

Patel has always been heavily involved in public speaking and communication, which became his way of defining himself, according to a University statement."It's amazing to receive recognition for teaching a subject that means so much to me and especially to be chosen by people who have seen and awarded incredible teachers throughout the years is an honor," Patel said in a statement. According to his LinkedIn profile, the student's areas of teaching expertise include public speaking, rhetorical communication, and media theories. Patel said he has a love for public speaking and finds a sense of accomplishment when guiding students through the class.

"Public speaking is so overwhelming, so I really like seeing those 'a ha' moments in students when they realise they can do this and that it isn't as scary as they thought it would be," he said in a statement released by the University. He recently served as the Program Coordinator in the Office of Orientation Services at Illinois Wesleyan University, helping plan summer and fall semester orientation programs for 400-plus first year students.

The Outstanding University Graduate Student Teaching Award recognises graduate teaching assistants who demonstrate persistent, focused, and purposeful dedication to striving for excellence.

India’s GDP is expected to slide down to 6.3 per cent in 2023-24 as against its earlier estimate of 6.6 per cent, mainly due to consumption falling owing to higher borrowing costs, according to a World Bank report released on Tuesday. Since May last year, the Reserve Bank of India has been hiking interest rates to control inflation. In its “India Development Update”, the World Bank said that economic growth is likely to be impacted due to sluggish consumption growth, coupled with challenging external factors. “Rising borrowing costs and slower income growth will weigh on private consumption growth and government consumption is projected to grow at a slower pace due to the withdrawal of pandemic-related fiscal support measures,” it said. According to the report, India’s current account deficit is also likely to come down to 2.1 per cent in 2023-24, as against 3 per cent in 2022-23. On inflation, the World Bank report said that it is likely to ease to 5.2 per cent in the current fiscal as against 6.6 per cent in the previous fiscal.

WORLD BANK PROJECTS MASSIVE DECLINE IN PAKISTAN'S GDP GROWTH

Projecting a massive decline in Pakistans GDP growth to 0.4 per cent, the World Bank has warned that the non-completion of IMF programme, failure to secure financing from key bilateral partners and political instability may result in eruption of a major macroeconomic crisis.

While the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in a separate report, projects a significantly lower GDP growth rate of 0.6 per cent, ballooning inflation of up to 27.5 per cent and an ongoing foreign exchange crisis in Pakistan, The News reported.

The World Bank says: "The country's outlook is subject to major downside risks, which, if they materialise, could result in a macroeconomic crisis. The non-completion of the IMF programme and failure to secure expected rollovers, refinancing, and new financing from key bilateral partners presents major risks."

According to the World Bank report, approximately four million people fell below the poverty line as poverty increased by one percentage point in Pakistan during the last year.

The poverty measured at the lower middle-income poverty line is projected to increase to 37.2 per cent in FY23 against 36.2 per cent in FY22 pushing an additional 3.9 million people into poverty as compared to FY22, The News reported.

The World Bank's Country Director NajyBehhassine stated in reply to a question that securing of external financing needs was must for the revival of the IMF programme.

He said that Pakistan would have no choice but to seek the programme as it would help restore confidence.

He said that there was no trust deficit in the case of Pakistan as the disbursement of project loans remained historically high, The News reported. When asked about prospects of regional trade, the World Bank official said that Pakistan's exports potential in case of regional integration stood at $68 billion out of which trade with India could jack up exports up to $10 billion over the medium term while it could go up by $13 billion with China.

STUDY SUGGESTS PERIODIC BOOSTERS TO KEEP COVID-19 IN CHECK

Updated Covid booster shots will be important for shoring up population immunity as new variants emerge, suggests a study. However, the trick is to target a variant for the booster that is so different from the original strain of the virus that it triggers the maturation of new and diverse antibody-producing cells, said scientists from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The first Covid vaccines reduced the risk of severe illness and death by more than 90 per cent. But then the virus changed. The antibodies that had worked so well against the original strain proved less effective at recognising and neutralising emerging variants, leading to breakthrough infections. The obvious solution was to update the vaccines to target new variants, but the success of the first vaccines against the original strain made designing an effective variant booster shot tricky, said Ali Ellebedy, Associate Professor of pathology and immunology, of medicine, and of molecular microbiology at the varsity. In the study, published in the journal Nature, the team showed that it's possible to design a variant-specific booster that doesn't just strengthen the antibodies people already have but elicits new antibodies. "This means that periodically giving boosters targeting new variants would allow population-level protection to be maintained even as the virus evolves," Ellebedy said. "The whole point of making boosters against new variants is to teach the immune system to recognise features in the new variants that are different from the original strain. "But the new variants still share a lot of features with the original strain, and it's possible that the response to these shared features could dominate the response to new features. The boosters could end up just engaging immune memory cells that are already present rather than creating new memory cells, which is what we need for protection against new variants," he said. To gauge the effectiveness of boosters at eliciting new antibodies, the researchers looked at 39 people who had received the two-shot primary sequence of the Pfizer/ BioNTech or Moderna Covid-19 vaccines, followed by an experimental booster shot targeting the Beta and Delta variants.

It is an established principle that if you get the 'macro-picture' right you will be less troubled by 'details' - even when some of them look unsettling at first sight. It is a sign of civilisational confidence of India that it has for its G20 Presidency adopted the motto - 'VasudhaivaKutumbakam', which means 'the whole world is one family'.

Nothing can be more comprehensive and higher as the global mission for a world conference, than this thought embracing the entire humanity. A basic advantage here - from India's point of view - is that any 'small thinking' will show itself to all, producing if anything, a certain degree of embarrassment for the dissenter. It is in line with this approach that India favours reformed Multilateralism as a desirable idea to define international relations.

In one word this is multilateralism that produces a positive environment and no negative fall out at all. It goes to the credit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his foreign policy is marked by a consistent adherence to three seminal ideas that added up to this kind of multilateralism.

First is India's belief in a multi-polar world. This helps to diffuse the danger of the reappearance of the Cold War that was basically the product of a bipolar world order. Multiplicity of major powers makes it more likely that they would make a competitive contribution for improving the world economy and global peace - in their keenness to project a good image for themselves, internationally.

It is India's independent foreign policy that made Prime Minister Modi the first world leader to reach out to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and advise them upfront to stop the armed conflict in favour of negotiated peace.

Through the year long Ukraine-Russia confrontation, India has retained its image as a world counsel for peace because it maintained that 'this is not an era of war', abstained from anti-Russia resolutions in the UN and also did not endorse the supply of war equipment and arms to Ukraine by the US-led West in the proxy mode that had only prolonged the war-like situation.

India maintains that concerns of both Russia and Ukraine have to be addressed for working out a peace pact between the two neighbours. Significantly, India has in this period maintained the best of relations with the US, the UK and Europe and with a strategic finesse checked the drift of the world towards another Cold War between US on one hand and the Russia-China combine, on the other.

The second point about India's foreign policy that paved the way for a reformed multilateralism is that the latter is a natural by-product of India's favoured option of going in for bilateral relations which were mutually beneficial to both sides in terms of economic and security interests. This policy effortlessly pursued by the Modi regime had ensured that bilateral relations were not at the cost of any other country.

The Sino-Pak axis on the other hand follows an opposite philosophy as it is geared to executing plans 'against' India. The unholy alliance between a Marxist dictatorship and a fundamentalist regime is driven by hostility towards this country and is a perpetual threat not only to the security of South Asia but to that of the entire democratic order. For upholding the case of Pakistan in Afghanistan, China has in fact entered into a give-and-take arrangement with Pakistan on Taliban Emirate and even gone along with the Pak-sponsored faith- based terrorism that threatened global security. Western democracies led by the US must realise that the motivation of faith that Islamic extremists and radicals brought to bear on the new global terror, has created a perpetual danger for the entire world. This threat had to be countered jointly by all peace-loving countries through exchange of Intelligence and coordinated action. Extremism in the name of Islam can enforce an 'asymmetric' war because the motivation here was strong enough to produce 'suicide bombers' to take down the opponent. India with its transparent advocacy of 'all religions being given equal respect' provides a standing counter to the 'supremacist' outlook of a particular faith - in the process it is best placed to act as the anchor of world security against the new threat of radicalisation.

Even as the agenda of G20 is exclusively about economic growth and elimination of the crippling gulf between the North and South, security concerns plaguing the world have also to be addressed during India's Presidency of the event. It is a matter of great satisfaction that G20 outreach is designed to fulfil the task of shaping both the global economy as well as world security. To go about it in a mission mode carries the stamp of the Modi government - the latter in fact was living up to the 'sabjansukhayesabjanhitaye' philosophy.

Finally, 'multilateralism' is not 'alignment' - it is in fact a negation of the latter. An alignment is always 'against' somebody or some country. Reformed multilateralism does not create conflict and India goes for it with that mindset. India is an active participant in Quad because this forum stands for 'maintenance of rules based order in the Indo-Pacific' - it is not against any particular country but against unwarranted aggressiveness wherever it came from. It needs to be mentioned that India's bilateral relations with the US, Japan and Australia are on an upswing independently of the geopolitical objective of Quad.

If India also sees in it a preemptive arrangement to counter any hostile encroachment in the Indian Ocean, there is nothing wrong with it. Since China seeks to 'win a war without fighting a battle' through the strategy of salami slicing, India has every right to expose and put down that hidden agenda of the adversary and do whatever it takes to counter it.

India is working for the return of sanity in international relations and is set to improve upon the traditional thinking of somehow preserving national interests even when that meant not caring for the global commons. India has an opportunity of playing this profound role at the world stage and it is a matter of pride that Prime Minister Modi had the political will to rally the international opinion in favour of maintaining global peace so that the cause of economic advancement of the world as a whole, could be served.

In a way the slogan of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' at home is in complete sync with the G20 call of 'VasudhaivaKutumbakam'. If it can establish the feasibility of reconciliation between national growth and human advancement across the globe, G20 would be achieving an unprecedented mission where the world would truly be one- eliminating the menace of conflict and divisions forced in the name of religion, region and race. This would be happening for the first time in the post- Cold War era. Think20 is providing the much needed ideation to the G20 events to enable the latter to fulfil this mission. Bilateralism enlarging into multilateralism without causing harm to any national entity is perhaps a political philosophy whose time had come - it shows the determination at the national level, to do what was right. While every nation has to have military strength to safeguard its sovereignty, seeking prosperity and gains through arms export and economic destruction of a rival has its limitations - those having such a mindset should realise that. Some countries will always be richer than others but they all must work for a sustainable human existence in order to minimise conflict and violence that detracted from the idea of making the world a better place for everybody. The good news is that the approach of India steers clear of ideological contradictions that had marred international and national politics so far and shows a new light to the world on the strength of its civilisational moorings. Democracy ultimately is rule for the people and whether it is the regional setting that produced the Ukraine- Russia armed conflict or an alliance like Sino-Pak axis that was driven by malice against India, the vision set by the thought of universal good and human dignity would win the battle for the people. India has set this higher mission and there is every hope that at the end of India's G20 Presidency it will make a difference to the world. The world can do with injecting some 'philosophy' of life in 'realpolitik'.

To sum up, India has come of age as a major power influencing geopolitical trends. It is an advocate of world peace but also a believer in a firm rebuttal of the attempts of a few to disturb it for their own vested interests or hegemonist traits. It looks upon multilateralism as a constructive pathway to economic well- being that would keep the international community from armed combat and destruction.

Competitive success in the economy may bring in advantages but these should not lead to a temptation for usurping other 'territories' or 'subjugating' people. Prime Minister Modi's pithy reminder that this is not an era of war, has made an impact on the world and certainly checked the trend of third parties covertly adding fuel to the fire in an ongoing conflict.

Peace brings in long-term gains while wars produce losses for all parties. A complication in the times we live in, has risen because of the advent of proxy wars that technology - particularly social media and cyber space - had aided. It enabled covert offensives to succeed in creating a sense of victory in combat because violence and destruction went undetected or remained unattributable in specific terms.

Multilateralism has therefore, not only to facilitate mutual economic advancement but also highlight the importance of exchange of Intelligence for countering terrorism and other forms of proxy war. It stands to reason that liaison at the level of National Security Advisors so successfully achieved by India, is becoming the bedrock of India's international relations and foreign policy strategies. This confirms the reality that global security presaged the world's economic development and that the two had to be pursued with equal vigour.

The writer is a former Director of Intelligence Bureau. The opinions expressed within this article are the personal ideas of the author. The facts and conclusions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Y Media and Midweek Newspaper, and Y Media does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

Mp Shafqat Ali Highlights Budget 2023 Investments To Make Life More Affordable And Strengthen Public Healthcare In Brampton And Across Canada

MP Shafqat Ali, met with the members of the Filipino community in Brampton Centre to highlight Budget 2023’s investments in healthcare, seniors, families, and immigration. Canada has made a remarkable recovery from the COVID recession. Canada’s economic growth was the strongest in the G7 over the last year, and today, 830,000 more Canadians are employed than before the pandemic, 361,600 here in Ontario. Inflation in Canada has fallen for eight months in a row, our unemployment rate is near its record low, and, supported by our Canada-wide system of affordable early learning and childcare, the labour force participation rate for women aged 25 to 54 reached at a record high of 85.7 per cent in February. Budget 2023 builds on this important progress. To make life more affordable, Budget 2023 delivers the new Grocery Rebate, offering targeted inflation relief for 11 million Canadians and families who need it most with up to an additional $467 for eligible couples with children; an additional $234 for single Canadians without children; and an additional $225 for seniors, on average. A tax-free payment of $500 to help low-income people who are struggling with the cost of rent. Budget 2023 announces that the government will work to implement a right to repair, with the aim of introducing a targeted framework for home appliances and electronics in 2024. Financial institutions will be able to start offering the Tax-Free First Home Savings Account to Canadians as of April 1, 2023. The government is also taking action to crack down on junk fees and predatory lending, lower credit card transaction fees for small businesses, and help Canadians keep more money in their pockets. To strengthen Canada’s universal public health care system, the budget delivers $198.3 billion, including $77.006 billion here in Ontario to reduce backlogs, expand access to family health services, and ensure provinces and territories can provide the high quality and timely health care Canadians expect and deserve. Budget 2023 also introduces a new Canadian Dental Care Plan, to help up to 9 million Canadians and ensure no Canadian has to choose between taking care of their health and paying the bills at the end of the month. Supporting about 3.5 million families annually through the tax-free Canada Child Benefit, with families this year receiving up to $6,997 per child under the age of six, and up to $5,903 per child aged six through 17. Reducing fees for regulated childcare by 50 percent on average, delivering regulated childcare that costs an average of just $10 a day by 2026—with six provinces and territories reducing child care fees to $10 a day or less by April 2, 2023—and strengthening the child care system in Quebec with more child care spaces. Enhancing the Canada Workers Benefit for our lowest-paid—and often most essential—workers, to provide up to $1,428 for a single worker without children, up to $2,461 to a family, and an additional $737 for workers with disabilities. $1.6 billion over six years and $315 million ongoing to welcome 500,000 new permanent residents each year by 2025, as well as an additional $50 million to address immigration application backlogs; $100 million since 2020 to increase the federal contribution to legal aid services. Increasing Old Age Security benefits for seniors aged 75 and older by ten percent as of July 2022, which is providing more than $800 in additional support to full pensioners; Strengthening the Canada Pension Plan, which will eventually raise the maximum retirement benefit by up to 50 percent. The federal government knows that the higher cost of living still means that students still need support to afford an education and pursue their dreams. Budget 2023 proposes to enhance student financial assistance for the school year starting August 1, 2023. This includes increasing Canada Student Grants by 40 percent—to provide up to $4,200 for full-time students; Raising the interest-free Canada Student Loan limit from $210 to $300 per week of study; and, Waiving the requirement for mature students, aged 22 years or older, to undergo credit screening in order to qualify for federal student grants and loans for the first time. This will allow postsecondary students to access up to $14,400 in enhanced Canada Student Financial Assistance for the upcoming school year. Students with disabilities and dependants will also receive an increase in Canada Student Grants. Quebec, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, which do not participate in the program, can receive federal funding to provide their own comparable support. With a responsible fiscal plan that will see Canada maintain the lowest deficit and the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, Budget 2023 will help to build a Canada that is more secure, more sustainable, and more affordable for people from coast to coast to coast. MP Ali also shared the recent announcement by Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, for the opening of a new application processing centre in Manila, Philippines. This initiative supports Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and helps boost immigration application processing within Canada’s centralized network, as well as abroad. The new centre is located within Canada’s Embassy in Manila and will be supported by 37 new employees. The added capacity is part of Canada’s ongoing efforts to accommodate the high volume of visa applications from around the world and will support ongoing efforts to also improve client service and help achieve Canada’s planned increases to immigration levels in the years to come. By expanding its presence overseas, Canada is making strategic investments, with the goal of bringing more people to Canada— whether to visit, study, work or immigrate permanently.

Members of the Filipino community displayed a great deal of excitement upon learning about the 2023 Budget and the investments made by our Federal Government to facilitate Canadians and newcomers. The guests enthusiastically provided their valuable feedback to MP Ali, who took the opportunity to explain the budget plan and progress in detail.

ONTARIO INCREASING MINIMUM WAGE TO $16.55 AN HOUR FROM OCTOBER 1

The Ontario government is increasing the minimum wage to $16.55 an hour on October 1, 2023. This 6.8 per cent pay raise for low-income workers builds on the government’s steady and predictable increases every year to help families offset the rising cost of living. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is putting workers in the driver’s seat of their careers, and their lives,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

“This latest increase is a fair and balanced approach that means more money in their pockets so they can support their families and continuing building a stronger Ontario for all of us.” A worker making the general minimum

NASA'S ARTEMIS 11 MISSION: JEREMY HANSEN BECOMES THE FIRST CANADIAN ASTRONAUT TO FLY TO THE MOON

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Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen, who is part of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Ontarioborn astronaut Jeremy Hansen, 47, will be the first Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut to fly around the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis II mission, announced François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada. "Being part of the Artemis II crew is both exciting and humbling. I'm excited to leverage my experience, training, and knowledge to take on this challenging mission on behalf of Canada. I'm humbled by the incredible contributions and hard work of so many Canadians that have made this opportunity a reality. I am proud and honoured to represent my country on this historic mission," Hansen said. The 47-year-old mission specialist will be one of four astronauts on the 10-day mission set to launch in November 2024, according to NASA and the Canadian Space Agency. They will work as a team to execute an ambitious set of demonstrations during the flight test. "The Artemis II crew represents thousands of people working tirelessly to bring us to the stars. This is their crew, this is our crew, this is humanity's crew," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a statement.

CANADA'S GDP INCREASED 0.3% IN FEB

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GDP rose 0.5 per cent in January, following a slight contraction in December 2022. Both goods-producing and services-producing industries were up in January, as 17 of 20 industrial sectors posted increases, the statistical agency said. According to a recent survey conducted by the Finance Ministry, with higher interest rates, as well as slower economic growth in the US and around the world, private sector economists expected the Canadian economy to enter a shallow recession in 2023. With a peak-to-trough decline of just 0.4 per cent, the contraction in real GDP is less severe than the 1.6 per cent decline considered in the 2022 Fall Economic Statement downside scenario. On an annual basis, real GDP growth is projected to decelerate from a strong 3.4 per cent in 2022 to 0.3 per cent in 2023, before rebounding to 1.5 per cent in 2024.

INDIAN FAMILY DROWNED TRYING TO ILLEGALLY CROSS INTO US FROM CANADA: OFFICIALS

CONTD. FROM PAGE 1 wage and working 40 hours per week will see an annual pay increase of nearly $2,200. There were 942,400 workers earning $16.55 per hour or below in 2022, the majority of whom are women. This minimum wage increase builds on the government’s work to make Ontario the best place to live, work and raise a family. Most recently, the government introduced the Working for Workers Act, 2023, which will, if passed, provide ground-breaking protections for millions of workers in Ontario.

The eight people, whose bodies were found in a marsh near the St Lawrence River in a Native Canadian rese rvation in Quebec, included persons “believed to be citizens of India” who “are believed to have been attempting illegal entry into the US from Canada”, Lee-Ann O’Brien, the deputy chief of the local police, said on Friday. Six of the bodies were discovered on Thursday during an air search, she said. The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS) later reported that two more bodies were found on Friday. One was of a woman believed to be an Indian citizen and the other was of an infant of Romanian descent with a Canadian passport, it said. The identities of those whose bodies were found were not revealed. O’Brien said at the videocast news conference that the AMPS was working with immigration and Homeland Security officials to confirm the identities of the dead and inform their relatives.

General Accounting & Bookkeeping

Good Friday Holiday Service Hours At Peel Region

Peel Region offices and non-emergency services will be closed for the Good Friday holiday on Friday, April 7, 2023.

The following non-emergency services are closed and will reopen on Monday, April 10, 2023:

* Access Peel Counters (by appointment only)

* Dental Services Contact Centre

* Family Health Call Centre

* Healthy Sexuality Clinic

* Peel Living Head Office

* Early Years and Child Care Services

* EarlyONcentres

The following non-emergency services are closed and will reopen on Tuesday, April 11, 2023:

* Ontario Works in Peel

* Housing Services, Client Services

* Needle Exchange Program and Harm Reduction - Mobile Van Vaccination clinics

Vaccination clinics continue to be open. To book your appointment, visit: COVID-19 vaccine.

Emergency shelter, food, or personal support

For urgent homelessness supports, including food, supplies, referrals, and shelter, call the Street Helpline 24/7 at 1-877-848-8481. For information on emergency shelter, visit the emergency shelter webpage or call 905450-1996.

Peel Living Maintenance Requests

For Peel Living maintenance requests, contact the 24-hour request line at 905-790-7335.

TransHelp on Thursday, April 6. On April 7 (Good Friday):

All trips for Friday, April 7, and Saturday, April 8 must be booked by 7 p.m.

* TransHelp will operate from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.

* All subscription trips will be cancelled, with the exception of dialysis trips.

* The TransHelp office will be closed and unable to process applications, payments, or feedback.

Email transhelp@peelregion.ca or call 905-791-1015 with any questions.

Public Transit

Visit Brampton Transit and Mississauga Transit for holiday schedules.

Waste collection Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon

Waste collection will not be affected on Friday, April 7. Check your collection calendar to find your pickup day or sign up to receive free waste collection reminders. Waste Collection will occur on Monday, April 10 (Easter Monday) as scheduled.

All Community Recycling Centres (CRC's) will be closed Friday, April 7, Sunday, April 9, Monday, April 10. CRC's will be open Saturday, April 8 and will return to regular schedule on Tuesday, April 11.

Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA)

PAMA will be closed on Friday, April 7 but visit us on Monday, April 10 for a special family fun activity celebrating Spring!

TORONTO POLICE REQUESTING PUBLIC’S ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING FOUR SUSPECTS WANTED IN ROBBERY INVESTIGATION

The Toronto Police Service is requesting the public’s assistance identifying four suspects wanted in a Robbery investigation.

On Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 3:30 p.m., police responded to a Robbery call in the Danforth Avenue and Victoria Park Avenue area.

It is reported that:

* four suspects entered a grocery store

* the loss prevention officer noticed two of the suspects putting numerous items into a shopping cart

* the two suspect then walked past the cash register without paying for the items

* the loss prevention officer approached the two suspects

* one of the suspects indicated he had a firearm in his possession

* the loss prevention officer obtained two bags of groceries before the two suspects fled the store

* the third suspect then assaulted the loss prevention officer prior to fleeing with the fourth suspect

* all four suspect fled the area in an unknown direction

Suspect #1 is described as male, 30-35 years old, 6’0"-6’2", with a mark under his left eye. He was last seen wearing a red baseball hat, a black sweater with a gold “OVO” logo on the front, black sweatpants, and white headphones.

Suspect #2 is described as male, 27-28 years old, 5’9"-5’10”, 170 lbs., with short hair. He was last seen wearing a blue baseball hat, a navy blue jacket, track pants, white shoes, riding a black scooter.

Suspect #3 is described as male, 5’6"-5’10”, and 155 lbs. He was last seen wearing a blue baseball hat, a blue jacket, and riding an electric scooter with a light on the front.

Suspect #4 is described as female, 25-35 years old, 5’6", with long brown hair. She was last seen wearing a white/grey “Nike” jacket, black pants, and riding a black scooter. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5500, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.

Peel Police Looking To Identify Unknown Suspect In Sexual Assault Investigation In Mississauga

Investigators from the Peel Regional Police Special Victims Unit are looking to identify an unknown suspect in a sexual assault investigation.

On Tuesday, March 7, 2023, the victim, a 21-year-old woman, was walking along the Waterfront Trail located in the area of Lakeshore Road and Stavebank Road South in Mississauga. The suspect approached the victim and sexually assaulted her. The suspect is described as male, light-skinned, 5’7, large build, with a full beard, shaved head on the sides, and hair on the top. The suspect was wearing a red jacket, dark color pants, a blue fanny pack, and black & white running shoes.

The vehicle the suspect was believed to be operating was a Toyota Yaris, 2012-2014, 4-door, grey in color.

Anyone with information on this or any similar incident is asked to contact investigators at the Special Victims Unit at 905-453-2121, extension 3460. Anonymous information may also be submitted by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.

‘TARGETED INCIDENT’: PEEL POLICE INVESTIGATING BREAK-IN ATTEMPT AT ROY MCMURTRY YOUTH CENTRE IN BRAMPTON

Members from the 22 Division Criminal Investigative Bureau are investigating an early morning break-in attempt at the Roy McMurtry Youth Centre in Brampton.

On Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at approximately 2:10 a.m., police responded to the Youth Centre for several suspects attempting to access the youth facility. The suspects were unsuccessful and fled the area before police arrived. Investigators believe this was a targeted incident, and there was no risk to public safety.

This remains an ongoing investigation, and there are no further suspect descriptions. Anyone with information on this incident, including surveillance or dashcam footage, may contact 22 Division Criminal Investigative Bureau at 905-453-2121 extension 2233. Anonymous information may also be submitted by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting peelcrimestoppers.ca.

WITH ROOTS DATING BACK TO 1800S, APRIL IS SIKH HERITAGE MONTH IN CANADA

With roots dating back to the 1800s, April is Sikh Heritage Month — a time to celebrate and honour the rich history and culture of Canada’s Sikh community. “With 800,000 Sikhs calling Canada home, we have the largest Sikh diaspora, with roots of the first Sikh in Canada dating back to the 1800s,” said Punjab-origin Member of Parliament (MP) from Brampton West, Kamal Khera.

At 26, Khera was the youngest to have won in the elections in Canada in 2015. She represents Canada’s ruling Liberal party.

“As a Sikh, I am proud of the contributions and achievements of our community!” she tweeted.

In one of her visits to Punjab, she said: “My counterpart in India is always with heavy security, I move freely.”

CANADA’S WONDERLAND TO DELIVER A SWINGING SEASON WITHNEW 360-DEGREE THRILL RIDE, NEW FAMILY LAUNCH COASTER AND A FULL LINEUP OF WORLD-CLASS EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Canada’s Wonderland opens May 5 and today it released the full lineup of exciting events and entertainment in store for the 2023 season, including a new Brazilian food festival and the return of guest favourites: spectacular long weekend fireworks, Celebration Canada and KidZFest.

The park is also introducing two exciting new rides. Thrill seekers will marvel at Tundra Twister, a giant 360-degree spinning swing ride coming to Frontier Canada. The only one of its kind in the world, Tundra Twister will have guests spinning, twisting and twirling upside-down at heights of 47 metres (154 feet) and speeds of 75 km/h.

Families will enjoy Snoopy’s Racing Railway, a launch coaster coming to Planet Snoopy. Snoopy’s Racing Railway is the park’s 18th roller coaster and will accelerate from zero to 50 km/h in a matter of seconds before taking guests through the dips and turns of a wild railway adventure.

“We’re proud to offer such a diversity of experiences to our guests,” said Norm Pirtovshek, general manager. “Through four seasons we have more than 200 attractions at the park, rides for guests of all ages and world-class events and entertainment that can’t be missed.”

The 2023 event lineup includes:

* Fireworks (May 21, July 1, Aug. 6, Sept. 3) – Witness spectacular fireworks display of explosive light and colour high over the park skyline choreographed to a lively soundtrack. New this year, guests will be able to purchase VIP fireworks viewing and dining packages at Lazy Bear Lodge where they’ll have the best seats in the house for the big show. Limited availability.

* Splash Works Opening (May 27) – Spend the summer poolside in our 20-acre water park, featuring 17 slides, cliff jumping, water playgrounds, the Lazy River and more!

* Celebration Canada (July 1-9) – We’re throwing Canada a party and you’re invited! Join us for live music, street entertainment, cultural performances and interactive family games. Then indulge in authentic Canadian foods from across the country like beef sliders, poutine, Halifax donair and more.

* KidZfest (July 15-July 30) – This party is perfect for families and kids! Presented in partnership with Treehouse, enjoy special guest appearances from your favourite TV characters like Bluey! Get moving at our dance party, enjoy interactive games, activities, and live kids’ entertainment.

* Taste of Portugal (Aug. 12-13) – Returning for its second year, this festival celebrates the time- worn charm of Portugal, with lively street entertainment and traditional foods including succulent roast chicken and the sweet, rich and perfectly crisp Portuguese custard tarts.

* NEW! Taste of Brazil (Aug. 19-20) – New for 2023, this food festival is not to be missed! Treat your tastebuds to the lively and fresh Latin American flavours of Brazil, including grilled meats and chimichurri, bolinho de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), crispy pastel de carne (meat-filled pastries) and feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew). As you peruse the food stalls for your next dish or drink, enjoy the styles, colours and music of traditional Brazilian performers. We bet you won’t be able to help dancing and moving along to these samba beats!

* Taste of the Caribbean (Aug. 26-27) – Back for its second year, enjoy island flavours at this festival from jerk chicken to specialty seafood, rum cake and coconut sweets, plus fruity summer drinks while the sounds of steel drum music fill the air.

* Oktoberfest (Sept. 9-10, 16-17) – For two weekends, guests will be treated to German-themed food, drink specials and traditional festival bands in Medieval Faire. Enjoy classic sausage, schnitzel, Bavarian pretzels, and a tall stein of refreshing lager.

* Camp Spooky (weekends Sept. 23-Oct. 29) – This family-friendly Halloween event returns with trick-or-treating, mazes, costume parades, live shows with The PEANUTS gang, interactive games, rides and more!

In addition to these events, Canada’s Wonderland will also feature world-class live entertainment through the summer, including the return of the daring Ultimate Thrills Circus, the stunt dive show Fall Out, the Victoria Falls High Divers, Woofjocks and performances with Snoopy and the PEANUTS gang. We are also excited to announce the return of our inaugural cirque-style show, Cirque Ambiente, which first debuted 10 years ago.

All events and shows noted above are included with park admission.

Halloween Haunt returns this fall on select nights Sept. 22 to Oct. 29 with eight mazes, expanded immersive areas, hundreds of monsters and amazing live entertainment including the return of the Day of the Dead Festival. Guests can explore four new mazes including “Dark Ride” where guests must face the horrors waiting for them in an abandoned carnival attraction. Then the park transforms into a world of holiday magic for WinterFest, running select nights Nov. 17 to Dec. 31.

Guests can get unlimited access to all four seasons of fun with a Gold Pass, which is on sale now for seven easy payments of $17.85. For more information on events or hours of operation visit www.canadaswonderland.com

About Canada’s Wonderland Canada’s Wonderland, located in Vaughan, Ontario (just outside Toronto), is a 300-acre theme park with more than 200 attractions including 18 roller coasters, and is the home to Splash Works, a 20-acre water park. Canada’s Wonderland is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a publicly traded partnership and one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world. The Company owns and operates 13 properties, consisting of 11 amusement parks, four separately gated outdoor water parks, and resort accommodations totaling more than 2,300 rooms and more than 600 luxury RV sites. For more information, see www.cedarfair.com.

New Brampton Licensing Program To Hold Landlords Accountable

A motion to approve a new a two-year pilot program for a rental landlord registration/licensing program was passed unanimously at the March 29th Committee of Council. The motion was championed by Councillor Santos to protect the health and safety of residents, to protect human rights of persons, provide protection for consumers, mitigate risks within the rental sector and protect the residential amenity, character and stability of residential areas. The program also helps to proactively mitigate risks that may exist within a particular business sector and provide enforcement mechanism to respond to complaints relating to that sector.

"Landlords who rent out units are held to lower health and safety standards compared to businesses which have more stringent licensing requirements. We need to prioritize the health and safety of residents, especially in light of the increase in additional rental units, garden suites, and lodging homes in our communities" says Santos.

Councillor Santos brought forward a series of motions in the fall of 2022 to directly address ongoing resident concerns and complaints about the physical appearance of local neighbourhoods across the city with specific focus on the impact of increasing conversions of rental units. This complimented the initiative by Councillor Santos to address the health, safety and living conditions of international students in Brampton.

Staff reviewed existing registration and licensing programs for rental properties in Brampton and from other municipalities. A report (pg 41-88) related to pro-active bylaw enforcement of property standard violations was also referenced in the approved motion.

"As the city gets Provincial pressure to increase housing and affordable housing continues to be in high demand, the business of providing rental units cannot prioritize profit over the safety and health of tenants," says Santos. "We have also received a significant increase in complaints related to property standards and parking, particularly in two-unit dwellings and illegal lodging houses. Enforcement faces challenges in addressing these complaints, such as difficulty in contacting property owners."

City staff will report back in Fall 2023, with an implementation plan to start the pilot program in 2024, to include wards 1 and 5, which Santos represents.

The Registration/Licensing program would include but is not limited to:

* Required application and renewal fees, fines

* Escalating fines for rental units without a license or for those who fail to renew, and a demerit point system for landlords

* Annual and/or random inspections

* Checklist or protocol to help bylaw enforcement determine if a property may be operating as a business without a license.

"This pilot program will help us ensure that rental properties in our city are held to a high standard of safety and maintenance, and that landlords are held accountable for their properties," concluded Santos. "It is important to prioritize the safety and well-being of our residents, and this program is a step in the right direction towards achieving that goal."

Proud of vibrant Sikh community, Sonia Sidhu, MP from Brampton South, tweeted, “April 1 marks the beginning of Sikh Heritage Month in Canada and as Canadians, we are proud of our country’s strong and vibrant Sikh community.” “This month, let’s continue to learn about Sikh Heritage in Canada.”Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, said this year “we celebrate 10 years of Sikh Heritage Month in Ontario”. Among many of the events listed, he said he would also be hosting a special event to award Gurbax Singh Malhi the key to the Brampton city on April 18. As a mark of respect for Canada making it the second largest Sikh population in the world, the Mississauga Civic Centre clock tower was lighted with orange, part of the city’s Community Recognition Programme.

Learning the faith of the Sikhs, another MP Francesco Sorbara said, “During this month we recognise the contributions to our country by the more than 800,000 Canadians of Sikh heritage, learn about their faith and rich history.”

Randeep Sarai, Member of Parliament for Surrey Centre, said, “This month, I encourage you all to take this opportunity to learn more about the Sikh faith!”

India-origin Minister of National Defence, Anita Anand, said Sikh Heritage Month “is a time to recognise the many contributions of the Sikh community across Canada. Today, I joined members of the Oakville and Halton Sikh community at the flag raising at Oakville Town Hall”.

“This is an opportunity for Ontarians to come together to learn more about the Sikh faith and celebrate the many ways Sikh Ontarians help build a stronger and better Ontario,” said Ontario’s Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, Michael Ford. MP for Vancouver South, Harjit Sajjan, said, “Learn about how the Sikh values of equality and ‘seva’ (selfless service) are reflected in what we as Canadians strive toward.” Another Punjab-origin Aman Singh, MLA for RichmondQueensborough, added, “On behalf of our British Columbia New Democratic Party government, our caucus and colleagues at your opening gala for Sikh Heritage Month. I know there are many events planned throughout the month.”

According to Sikh Heritage British Columbia, its philosophy is providing a space where the Sikh community can connect with each other and with neighbouring communities to help each other prosper, learn and grow. Its promise is, “Create a space where Sikhs and non-Sikhs can come together to create connections and relationships for prosperity.”

YOUTH AND SENIORS RIDE OAKVILLE TRANSIT FOR FREE STARTING MAY 1, 2023

The Town of Oakville is looking for community input on the long-term vision for Oakville. The community is also being encouraged to share what actions they think can be taken during Town Council’s four-year term in office to ensure Oakville continues to be one of the best places to live. Starting the week of March 20, 2023, residents may receive a call from Deloitte Canada, on behalf of the town, to participate in a 1012 minute phone survey. The town is also inviting the community to participate in an online survey opening on March 20 through to April 10 and take part in a community open house taking place in each of Oakville’s seven wards in late March, early April.

The community feedback will be reflected in the Council Strategic Plan so that it continues to be forward thinking and sets the direction for the Oakville community. Engagement will also help identify areas of focus that will help shape the first draft of the 2023-2026 Business Plan. A draft Council Strategic Plan and 2023-2026 Business Plan will be ready in June with a final report for Council to review in July. To learn more, including updates on the dates, times and locations of community open houses, visit the Strategic Plan page on oakville.ca.

Ontario Providing More Supportive Housing For Vulnerable People

The Ontario government is investing an additional $202 million annually in homelessness prevention programs to help those experiencing or at risk of homelessness and to support community organizations delivering supportive housing.

“We know Ontario’s housing supply crisis impacts all Ontarians, no matter their background or budget,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “That’s why we’ve increased funding for our homelessness prevention programs by more than 40 per cent. These measures complement the bold and transformational change we are implementing to tackle the housing supply crisis and get more homes built faster across Ontario.”

This new funding, announced in the 2023 Budget, will be provided through the Homelessness Prevention Program and Indigenous Supportive Housing Program, and builds on the government’s investment of nearly $4.4 billion over the past three years to grow and enhance community and supportive housing. “During a time of economic challenges and change, our government is supporting those who have fallen on hard times and are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, homelessness,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “Ontario’s 2023 Budget: Building a Strong Ontario is the right plan to support those who need it the most today while laying a strong fiscal foundation for future generations.”