The Asian Star - March 09, 2024

A Toronto Hospital was just ranked the third-best in the entire world

A Toronto hospital was just rated as one of the best in the world, ranking among the most prestigious medical institutions around.

UHN’s Toronto General Hospital (TGH) is now considered the third-best overall hospital and #1 publicly-funded hospital in the world according to Newsweek magazine’s 2024 global ranking released Wednesday, placing just behind well-known U.S. institutions the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic.

Continued on Page 10...

Discount-price condos were to be sold only to first-time buyers; 13 sued for buying when they didn’t qualify

One of the purchasers of a unit in a downtown building subsidized for first-time homebuyers already owned six single-family homes in the Victoria area worth more than $7 million, says a civil suit filed by B.C. Housing. It’s one of several lawsuits filed by B.C. Housing against 13 people who bought condos in Vivid at the Yates at 845 Johnson St.

The 20-storey tower was built as part of a pilot project for B.C.’s affordable home-ownership program to give middle-income residents an opportunity to buy homes at below-market rates, the lawsuits say. The province provided a lowinterest $52.9-million loan to Chard Developments to finance construction, which allowed the

developer to pass savings on to buyers.

Units were subsidized by B.C. Housing and sold to purchasers for an average of 12 per cent below market rates. The program required that buyers have a household income of under $150,000 per year, not own property anywhere in the world, and live in the unit as a primary residence for at least two years. When construction of the building finished in 2021, David Eby, then attorney general and minister responsible for housing, touted the project as an example of government working with the private sector to create affordable housing for people who might not otherwise be able to own a home.

Continued on Page 7...

Celebrating 26 Years of Leadership Excellence: Satbir S. Cheema 26 Highlights! A Spectacle You’ve Been Waiting For: Renowned Shen Yun Returns to Vancouver

Today marks a significant milestone as Satbir Cheema, our esteemed President and CEO, commemorates 26 years of dedicated service and visionary leadership at PICS.

Throughout his tenure, Satbir has exemplified commitment and loyalty to the organization, starting as a frontline staff and quickly working his way up as Supervisor, Manager, Director and finally as CEO when his mentor, coach, leader and role model, Mr. Charanpal Gill retired in 2017. Striving for excellence, he has always empowered and nurtured his team, first as Director of Employment Programs and Planning, and later on as the CEO, allowing everyone to think outside the box and be creative and innovative to take our organization to unprecedented heights, and evolving into a beacon of success and excellence in the industry.

Continued on Page 10...

Much to the delight of B.C. theatregoers, Shen Yun Performing Arts is returning to Vancouver in the spring as part of its 2024 world tour. Based in New York, Shen Yun has become a global phenomenon due to its authentic depiction of China’s traditional culture through music and dance. It has eight companies, each with its own orchestra, that tour simultaneously across four continents every year.

Formed in 2006 by Chinese artists living in the United States, Shen Yun’s mission is to revive the Middle Kingdom’s rich 5,000-year-old culture.

Continued on Page 15...

Crypto scams cost Surrey residents more than $12M in 2023: RCMP

Surrey residents lost more than $12 million to cryptocurrency-based fraud scams last year, and this year’s losses appear on track to surpass that.

Surrey RCMP say it has already received 50 reports of fraud in January and February this year, with a loss of $3.2 million and counting in 2024.

in a news release.

“Using spoofed websites and mobile applications with fake trades and profits, the victims are encouraged to invest money on the investing platform.”

Fraudsters could approach victims through various means, including on a dating app or social media platform. They could also target a friend’s social media account, impersonating them and luring victims who believe they’re communicating with a trusted person.

In 2023, police received 229 reports of cryptocurrency fraud, the majority of which are investment scams, resulting in a loss of about $12 million from various victims.

“In these scams, victims were introduced to cryptocurrency-related investments via social media, phone calls, online advertisements, and online dating platforms,” Surrey RCMP

When they try to withdraw their investment, they’re asked to shell out more money for taxes and other fees. Ultimately, they’ll be unable to withdraw their investment and realize they’ve been scammed.

Police said there’s also been a rise in crypto-related job scams, with 18 reports in Surrey to date. These scams involve fraudsters impersonating legitimate companies and asking the applicant to send funds in cryptocurrency to pay for supplies or for training. These fake jobs are often for reviewing products, websites, or crypto trading, said police.

Richmond RCMP issues public warning after bogus bank drafts used to buy vehicles

RCMP in Richmond, B.C., have issued a public warning after bogus bank drafts were used to fraudulently buy vehicles worth nearly half a million dollars. Police began investigating after a local car dealership reported a stolen vehicle. Investigators arrested a suspect on Feb. 21, and Mounties said they recovered three vehicles that had been obtained through fraud.

The detachment’s economic crime unit subsequently identified another five vehicles believed to have been fraudulently purchased between Jan. 21 and Feb. 26. The vehicles ranged in value between $33,000 and $87,000 and were worth more than $440,000 altogether.

“If you are a victim we ask that you contact your police of jurisdiction. We are also asking

anyone who may have information about these investigations to come forward.”

The Mounties are urging the public to contact the financial institution that issued any bank draft to check its authenticity before accepting it. They also recommend that sellers meet buyers at a legitimate financial institution to watch the bank draft being ordered, and ensure it has cleared and been confirmed before turning over any property.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said it received more than 62,000 reports of fraud in 2023, with victims losing more than half a billion dollars to scams. The suspect in the fraud case has since been released on a police undertaking.

More doctors, health-care workers hired at Surrey Memorial Hospital

Community members in Surrey will soon have better access to health care, according to the province. The B.C. Ministry of Health and Fraser Health announced they have hired hundreds of new health-care workers, which include doctors and nurses for Surrey Memorial Hospital. They also announced planning has been completed for a new renal hemodialysis building at the hospital. Hospital staff are also being temporarily moved as work begins for two new cardiac catheterization suites and a second interventional radiology

suite. “Since June 2023, Fraser Health and the Ministry of Health have collaborated with staff and medical staff to move quickly on solutions we committed to in our 30-point plan to meet the evolving care needs of Surrey’s growing population,” said Adrian Dix, minister of health. “Together, we have made substantial progress on these key actions that will strengthen our public health system in Surrey, and connect people with care closer to home for heart, kidney and other complex health conditions.”

“Spiritually

—Coral Drouyn, theatre critic

China Before Communism

Michael Spavor reaches multimillion-dollar settlement with Ottawa

The federal government has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with Michael Spavor to compensate him for the nearly three years he was incarcerated under harsh conditions in Chinese prisons.

The settlement came after Mr. Spavor threatened to sue Ottawa and fellow prisoner Michael Kovrig, alleging he was arrested by China because of information that he unwittingly shared with Mr. Kovrig. That information, he alleged, was later passed on,

unbeknownst to Mr. Spavor, to the Canadian government and its Five Eyes spy-service partners in the course of Mr. Kovrig’s duties as a diplomat with Global Affairs Canada’s Global Security Reporting Program.

A statement from Mr. Spavor’s lawyer, John K. Phillips, confirms a mediated settlement has been concluded but he offered no further details. “The only thing any party is able to say is that the matter has been resolved,” Mr. Phillips said.

Bank of Canada holds interest rate at 5% for fifth straight meeting

The Bank of Canada held its key overnight interest rate at five per cent Wednesday, with governor Tiff Macklem declaring it’s “still too early” to consider lowering the policy rate.

The hold was widely expected by economists, and Macklem said that while there had been no big surprises since the rate hold in January — economic growth remained weak and inflation has eased further as higher interest rates restrained demand — inflation is still close to three per cent and underlying inflationary pressures persists.

“The assessment of Governing Council is that we need to give higher rates more time to do their work,” Macklem said.

Many economists are forecasting that rates will start to come down by June, but the central bank governor gave few hints about when the cuts will begin, other than to say the bank’s goals of price stability and low stable inflation at a target rate of two per cent

remain.

“We’ve come a long way in our fight against high inflation. Monetary policy is working — inflation is coming down,” Macklem said. “But it’s too early to loosen the restrictive policy that has gotten us this far.”

During a news conference following the rate announcement, Macklem did allow that a strong spring housing market and further government spending announcements in upcoming budgets could delay a reversal.

“If everything else in our projection was the same and housing was stronger and government spending was stronger, growth would probably be stronger and there would probably be less downward pressure on inflation,” he said. “So that is something we would have to take into account when we consider our interest rate setting.”

The governor also indicated that rates are unlikely to come down with the same speed and trajectory as they went up.

Most Canadians think Canada is broken and are angry with Trudeau government: exclusive poll

Most Canadians believe “everything is broken in the country right now,” and more people agree with that statement than just one year ago, according to a new national survey.

Canadians across political lines were on the same page when it came to the perception that Canada is broken, with 70 per cent agreeing with the statement. Most Conservative voters (85 per cent) backed the idea. Notably, two-thirds of NDP voters (66 per cent) agreed, in addition to 58 per cent of Bloc Québécois voters and a fair number of Liberal ones.

2024 were angry over how the country is being managed, up nine percentage points from last year.

“Forty-three per cent of Liberal voters agreed the country feels broken these days. Obviously, that’s less than half of the percentage of Conservative voters, but that was slightly higher than I would have expected,” Andrew Enns, an executive vicepresident at Leger, told National Post.

“It probably taps into a bit of frustration amongst even those strong Liberal voters who are still feeling a little frustrated and disappointed things aren’t going better for the country and, I guess, maybe even politically for their party.”

The deepening sense of national brokenness is led by a growing sense that “everything is expensive,” shortcomings of the public healthcare system, and a sense that “my standard of living is declining.” Notably, topics such as tackling climate change and Canada’s standing on the international stage ranked at the bottom of respondents’ concerns.

Overall, 59 per cent of Canadians polled in

Approval of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government was more skewed by voting intentions. Whereas about three quarters (78 per cent) of Canadians planning to vote Liberal said they were either somewhat or very happy with how Canada is being managed, the overwhelming majority (83 per cent) of Conservatives felt the federal government was not ruling the country effectively. While only a tenth of Liberal-leaning voters felt “very happy” with the Trudeau government, half of Conservatives were “very angry.”

Only one per cent of NDP voters were very happy, while 16 per cent were very angry. Slightly more Bloc Québécois voters were very happy (two per cent), but 20 per cent were very angry.

More broadly, voters sympathetic to the NDP fall somewhat closer to Conservatives with a majority (58 per cent) unhappy with the current administration’s handling of national affairs. Most Bloc Québécois voters (67 per cent) were “somewhat” or “very” angry.

David Haskell, a Laurier professor, sees the political differences stemming from competing cognitive biases. “Interestingly, these conservative or liberal-leaning people live in the same country, but it’s like they live in two different worlds,” he said in an email. “In terms of who’s getting it right, research suggests that the conservatives are likely closer to a view that aligns with reality.”

Barinder S. Sanghera

www.theasianstar.com

# 202 - 8388, 128 St., Surrey, BC V3W 4G2

Ph: 604-591-5423

Fax: 604-591-8615

E-mail: editor@theasianstar.com

Editor: Umendra Singh

Associate Editor: Chhavi Disawar

Marketing and Sales:

Ravi Cheema......................604-715-3847

Shamir Doshi....................604-649-7827

Harminder Kaur...............778-708-0481

Parminder Dhillon..........604-902-2858

Pre-Press: Iftikhar Ahmed

Contributing writers: Jag Dhatt, Akash Sablok, Kamila Singh, Jay Bains, Hardam S. Mann

Publication Mail Agreement No 428336012

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept.

New address:

# 202 - 8388, 128 St., Surrey, BC V3W 4G2

Why we still ‘spring forward and fall back’

Despite years of talk and public and political pushes to end it, B.C. and most North American jurisdictions move ahead one hour this Sunday, March 10, for the beginning of daylight time.At 2 a.m. that morning, clocks should be adjusted forward, meaning we all lose an hour of sleep and mornings will stay dark longer and evenings will stay bright longer until late fall. What happens in November, when we normally revert to standard time, remains anybody’s guess. However, it’s clear there’s broad support for stopping the back and forth in B.C. A 2019 poll conducted by the provincial government found that 93 per cent of nearly 225,000 respondents were in favour of staying on daylight time year-round.

That same year, then-B.C. premier John Horgan signed off on legislation that would end daylight time for good.

But that measure requires that the Cascadia states — California, Oregon and Washington — agree to do the same. Two of those states have passed laws to end the switches, but they need to be approved by the U.S. Congress, which is gearing up for the mass distraction that is the American presidential election.

Bills introduced in the U.S. Senate last year and legislation in more than half of the U.S. states have pushed the idea forward, but those have stalled — often because, as in B.C., ending the practice is contingent on neighbouring states doing the same.

‘Massive failure of judgment’: David Eby slams decision to allow subcontractor to monitor repeat B.C. sex offender

The person charged with monitoring repeat sex offender Taylor Dueck — who sat in his car for 2½ hours while Dueck allegedly victimized an 11-year-old girl at an equestrian centre — was a subcontractor arranged by Community Living B.C.

Premier David Eby acknowledged that “at every level, this was a massive failure of judgment.”

“For CLBC to take on responsibility for someone with a criminal record like this, for them to subcontract that responsibility to an obviously negligent and incompetent subcontractor, for that person who had one job to do — to make sure that this individual was not in contact with any children — to fail at that job, to decide that a horse barn was the right place to take this person, it is outrageous,” Eby said during question period Wednesday.

areas.

After learning about Dueck’s past, the owner asked the CLBC worker who signed him up for the program if they knew about his history. The worker said yes, but they couldn’t disclose that information in order to protect Dueck’s privacy.

Dueck was on probation following a 12-month provincial court sentence for sexually touching a 10-year-old child. That offence occurred less than two months after Dueck’s release following a 4½-year federal sentence for sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon.

According to federal parole documents that relate to earlier offences, Dueck was denied parole in 2018 and 2022 because he posed a “well above average risk for future sexual offending.”

“It is the absolute most unbelievable string of incompetent decision making that one can even imagine,” he added.

Eby was speaking in response to a question from B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon, who asked who thought it was a good idea for Dueck to receive free horseback riding lessons at an equestrian centre “that was easily identifiable as a venue for children?”

The owner of the equestrian centre where the alleged offence took place on Feb. 9 said she did not know about Dueck’s criminal history when someone from CLBC asked if Dueck could participate in adult riding lessons.

The owner did not want her name or the name of the equestrian centre published out of fear it could compromise the publication ban on the victim’s name.

She was told Dueck, 29, was developmentally delayed and would be under the supervision of a support worker from CLBC, a B.C. Crown corporation that works with adults with development disabilities. She was not told CLBC would be subcontracting the supervision to someone else.

Dueck had been participating in riding lessons at the equestrian centre for months, despite the fact that the program primarily caters to children and youth. His probation conditions required him to be supervised when in the community and he was not allowed to be near children or wooded

No one from Community Living B.C. was available for an interview but it said in a statement it does not directly provide services to clients, but subcontracts to community-based services.

The service provider in question was Personal Lifestyle Support.

“Their contract is under review and this incident is under active investigation, but we can say that the service provider is not currently supervising anyone else on court ordered conditions,” CLBC said. “In circumstances where a service provider does not adequately ensure appropriate conditions are met, CLBC’s quality assurance division investigates the matter. This type of investigation could lead to consequences up to and including termination of one or all contracts with an agency.”

CLBC said “this horrific incident should never have happened.” Its expectations are that “service providers work closely with the probation officers to ensure that their staff are doing what they can to secure everyone’s safety.”

B.C. United MLA Renee Merrifield, the MLA for Kelowna-Mission who has been in close contact with the victim’s family, said the fact that a subcontractor was used shows the issue of Dueck being in the community “was taken very lightly.”

“It was not dealt with with the severity that the situation demanded. And, ultimately, whether it’s a (CLBC) employee, a subcontractor, it doesn’t matter.

Eby defends NDP against Robinson’s antisemitism allegations amid calls for his resignation

Premier David Eby has rejected calls for an independent investigation into antisemitism within the B.C. NDP caucus and the B.C. public service after allegations made by former cabinet minister Selina Robinson.

Robinson made the bombshell accusations Wednesday in a letter to her NDP colleagues, detailing statements and actions made by NDP MLAs she said were antisemitic and influenced her decision to leave the party and sit as an Independent.

Eby was asked several times if he believes there’s antisemitism within the B.C. NDP.

“Even though I disagree with Selina’s characterization of a number of my colleagues in this letter, who fight every day to fight racism and discrimination, I have to accept as a leader, that as a Jewish woman with these unique experiences in our caucus, she didn’t feel safe,” Eby told reporters in the legislature. “She didn’t feel safe with me to bring forward her concerns and she felt she had to resign. So I’ll examine that.” Robinson was forced to resign from cabinet on Feb. 5 after backlash

over controversial statements she made during an online forum in late January that Israel was founded on a “crappy piece of land with nothing on it.”

In the letter, Robinson told the NDP caucus “you broke my heart” by not standing with her after the public backlash to the comments and also for the limited support among caucus members to join her at a vigil after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas which killed 1,200 Israelis. Robinson outlined several examples where NDP MLAs made comments that were offensive to the Jewish community. She said those MLAs apologized and were allowed to carry on with their work, but she was forced to resign, which represents a double standard.

“Antisemitism is silencing an openly identified Jewish person who is speaking out about antisemitism. Your collective decision to silence me is antisemitism and you don’t even know it.”

She ended the letter with: “Silence is not leadership — it’s cowardice. And I cannot be silent.”

Discount-price condos were to be sold only to first-time buyers

Continued from Page 1...

But civil suits filed by B.C. Housing allege 13 of the building’s 135 units went to people who already owned property, sometimes multiple homes, or who rented out their units instead of living in them.

In the lawsuits, B.C. Housing calls the conduct of buyers who applied for and bought a subsidized condo, never lived in it, and refused to return the unit to B.C. Housing for the price paid “egregious and reprehensible.”

Those being sued include a retiree, a scientist, a server, an insurance broker and a real estate agent who earned tens of thousands of dollars in commission on units that are now part of B.C. Housing’s lawsuits. They paid between $300,840 and $479,320 for their units. One of the owners facing a lawsuit co-owns a $1.7-million home in Nanaimo that appears to be operated as a small hotel.

Another told B.C. Housing they use their unit when they visit Victoria for work “as staying in a hotel can be expensive,” the lawsuit says.

Another owner listed their unit in September 2022 for $122,640 more than they paid for it after B.C. Housing served them with

a lawsuit. The listing said “a quick close was needed,” court documents say. B.C. Housing is suing real estate agent Janet Yu, claiming she “realized significant personal profit” by acting as an agent for multiple purchasers in the building. Yu also bought a unit, the suit says, despite owning or co-owning properties worth more than $2.8 million.

Yu earned more than $52,000 in commissions on 12 units, including her own, the lawsuit says. It accuses her of giving clients incorrect advice regarding their obligations under the affordable homeownership program, saying nearly everyone she represented also failed to comply with eligibility requirements.

B.C. Housing is seeking the return of commissions Yu received and the return of her unit’s title in exchange for the price she paid, as well as all rental income earned from the condo and damages. In a response to the civil claim, Yu said she purchased the unit at fair market value and did not personally profit by acting as realtor. She said the unit has been her primary residence since she purchased it.

Surrey drug dealer jailed for six years for role in death of drug user over $5,000 debt

A Surrey drug dealer has been handed a six-year jail sentence for his role in the death of a drug user over a drug debt on Remembrance Day in 2019.

According to B.C. Supreme Court Justice Martha Devlin, Andrew Baldwin, 30, of Surrey incurred a $5,000 debt in the summer of 2019 for drugs supplied by Munroop Singh Hayer. Hayer, 30, was the leader of a low-level drug group. He began pressuring Baldwin to repay the debt over the fall of 2019.

In September and October of that year, Hayer harassed Baldwin’s mom by text

using foul and threatening language.

One of the text messages said: “if you really care for him and want everything to be good, do him a favor and just pay it for him.”

By November, the debt was still unpaid so Hayer ordered one of his underlings, Jordan Bottomley, to visit Baldwin at a friend’s home and threaten him.

On the evening of Nov. 11, Bottomley broke into the home, armed with a knife, and stabbed Baldwin 10 times, leading to his death.

DMJ Painting Ltd.

Celebrating 26 Years of Leadership Excellence: Satbir S. Cheema 26 Highlights!

Continued from Page 1...

Join us in congratulating Satbir on this remarkable journey of 26 years, and expressing our gratitude for his exceptional leadership. Here’s to many more years of success and collaboration ahead!

Early Years (1998 – 2007)

1. Persuaded the Canadian Forces to open a Recruiting Office within PICS Head Office. Made a presentation to the Defense Diversity Council in Ottawa providing a community perspective to their recruiting efforts, leading to Canadian Forces replicating the PICS model by opening similar recruiting offices within other community organizations.

2. Conceptualized and launched the widely popular Annual PICS Mega Job Fairs in Surrey that have grown into the largest job fairs in the Lower Mainland and are now also being organized in Vancouver.

3. Played an active role in arranging community

support for “Operation Remembrance,” an initiative by RCMP Officer Marc Searle (and Sergeant Huf Mullick of Canadian Forces) to arrange markers for unmarked graves of 36 veterans.

4. Set up a PICS Employers Advisory Committee to support the organization.

5. Assisted with the special recruitment drives undertaken by CRA, Public Service Commission, Canadian Forces, Correctional Service of Canada, Surrey City Hall, and many others in the local community.

6. Organized a special “Media and Community Appreciation Dinner” by arranging exclusive support from sponsors and at no cost to the organization.

7. Organized a special dinner by inviting 1000+ ‘Friends of PICS’ to honour Mr. Charanpal Gill (PICS Founder) and gave him the title of “The Living Legend” by arranging exclusive support from sponsors and at no cost to the organization.

8. Participated in the following consultations by

Stores sold individually with long-term fuel supply and well-known fuel and c-store brands.

Most stores sold with real estate!

the provincial government:

- Management & Consultation Committee, established by the Ministry of Economic Development to open an Information Centre for professional and skilled immigrants coming to British Columbia.

- Employment Access Strategies for Immigrants (EASI) Initiative – a Project set up by International Credential Unit of BC Government

- Advisory Committee for Engineers and Technologists Profiling Project – a Focus Group organized by BC Government through VCC Middle Years (2008 – 2016)

9. Spearheaded various community projects including – Volunteer Placement program, work experience placement program for school students, and summer internship for youth.

10. Organized two “Prom Night” dinners with the help of summer students to fundraise for PICS Society’s food bank initiative.

11. Named as the Event Chair for organizing the 25th Anniversary Celebrations of PICS Society in 2012.

12. Served on the following Advisory Committees and Boards:

- Served on BC RCMP CO’s Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee for three years.

- Served as member of City of Surrey’s Gang Violence Prevention Task Force.

- Served on the Board of Boys & Girls Club and Community Services in Delta/Richmond

- Served as a Board Member with ASPECT (Association of Service Providers for Employability and Career Training) for seven years.

- Served on the Surrey Board of Trade’s Police Awards Committee for a few years.

- Served as a member of Program Advisory Committee at Vancouver Community College.

- Served as a Board Member with Collaborate Delta for three years.

13.Awarded Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal

14. Attended the special ceremony in Ottawa to witness the official apology by the Prime Minister in the Parliament for the Komagata Maru incident.

15. Attended Special State Dinner for Prime Minister Narender Modi at the invitation of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

16. Developed and strengthened strategic partnerships with different organizations in the Social Services Sector – PCRS, SOURCES,

OPTIONS, DCRS, BGC and YWCA for various projects.

CEO Tenure (2017 – 2024)

17. Overseeing the development of the Guru Nanak Diversity Village ‘GNDV’ project in partnership with Fraser Health, BC Housing, and Ministry of Health. This visionary a 125-bed longterm care facility will provide culturally sensitive care for South-Asian seniors.

18. Recommended to the Board and membership of PICS to name the long-term care facility as “Guru Nanak Diversity Village”. Propositioned to and persuaded the Surrey City Counsel to rename 175A Street as ‘Guru Nanak Village Way’.

19. Organized a special Golden Grandma Pageant for grand mothers and invited Bollywood Superstar Zeenat Aman to be the chief judge at the event.

20. Conceptualized and launched the annual “Drugs and Gangs Free Communities” walk and car rally.

21. Recognized through the “Safe Communities Award” from the Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General on November 5, 2021.

22. Received the Community Crusader Award from Darpan Extraordinary Achievement Awards in November 2021

23. Overseeing other ventures under PICS Society umbrella: SEWA Ventures Society, PICS Event Management Society, PICS Charitable Foundation, and Delta Food Bank Society.

24. Expanded the Transition Homes program by adding another second Stage Transition House, the Serenity House, to support immigrant women and children fleeing domestic violence.

25. PICS Society has experienced tremendous growth during this period:

- the staffing level has increased from about 110 to over 275+

- the operational budget has increased from about $7+ million to $23+ million.

- the number of projects offered by PICS has expanded from about 20 to 60+

- the geographical reach of PICS has expanded across British Columbia and to other provinces, - PICS has become the largest non-profit organization serving the South-Asian community across Canada.

26. Received the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award for Outstanding Service to the Community.

Continued from Page 1...

TGH is the only Canadian hospital to crack Newsweek’s top ten. While the institution has been included in this top ten for six consecutive years — landing 5th place in 2023 — third place is its highest ranking to date. “At UHN, we are honoured and appreciative to once again be recognized as an international leader in patient care, research and education,” says Dr. Kevin

Smith, UHN’s President & CEO. “It is particularly gratifying to see our universally accessible care model solidify its place among the world’s best hospitals.”

Newsweek tasked a panel of doctors, medical professionals and administrators to determine the best hospitals around the globe, who selected TGH ahead of major institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital in the U.S.

Majority of women living below poverty line is a challenge that demands urgent action – PM

As we celebrate International Women’s Day today, Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says the coalition government wants to reaffirm the commitment to advance the progress of women and girls in every facet of our development.

The Prime Minister says the stark reality is that majority of women are marginalised and living below the poverty line and this is a challenge that demands our urgent attention and action. Rabuka says their collective vision for a secure, peaceful, prosperous and stable Fiji can only be achieved when there is women and girls empowerment.

MOH

He says the government initiative will consider the unique needs, knowledge and potential of women and girls while the commitment still very solidly sits today in sustainable government goals five to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls and it is crucial within the policies. He further says when he led the Fiji delegation in 1995 for the fourth World Conference for Women in Beijing, China they had signed the Beijing Deceleration and Platform for actions as they also signed the Women Rights Treaty to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.

looks into reports that Ketamine being stolen from hospitals and sold to drug users

People are now demanding for urgent action as drugs like Ketamine are being found even up in the Navosa Highlands, and it is alleged that these drugs are being stolen from the public hospital and sold to hard drug users and dealers in the country.

Ketamine is a medication that doctors use as an anesthetic to induce loss of consciousness. These are also used as a daterape drug, where people have been using it to mix in drinks to take advantage of people in the nightclubs and some parties. Volatabu says she has reports from a user that she was getting her Ketamine supply from the public

hospital through a source. Volatabu says it is crucial that parents reach out when they see suspicious activities with their children at home as this will help curb the problems the young people are facing.

Ben Gollings out, Osea Kolinisau is new 7s coach

Interim Chair, Peter Mazey has confirmed this in a press conference.

Mazey says the FRU board had the final meeting this morning regarding the Fiji Airways Fiji Men’s and Fijiana Women’s National 7s teams.

Mazey told that they met until around 7pm last night.

He confirms that the board met the coaching staff of both the men’s and women’s 7s teams.

Ginger continues to be one of the successful export commodities for Fiji

Ginger continues to be one of the successful export commodities for Fiji and is currently in demand from the USA, Europe, Australia, NZ, and the Asian markets.

While speaking during the opening of the National Ginger Workshop Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Vatimi Rayalu stated that ginger export volume for 2022 was 1,219.3 tonnes, a 5.4 percent decrease compared to 2021 with an export value of $6.9 million – a positive growth of 8.9 percent as compared to 2021.

He says over the years, the ginger industry has provided employment, sustained

our farmers’ socio-economic livelihood, contributed significantly to our export earnings, and has been the main source of income for our local ginger suppliers and retailers.

Rayalu also says Fiji’s export earnings recorded a positive outlook at the national level as well as in the agriculture sector and sub-sectors whereby in 2022, the agriculture sector contributed $927.5 million, of the Total National Domestic Export Earnings.

He says the agricultural sector’s contribution was attributed to the production and sales of crops, livestock, fish and fish products, forest products, sugar and sugar products, water, alcohol, and other food products. Rayalu says the increase in export value of fresh, chilled crops and livestock was mainly contributed by the growth in the export of taro, ginger, eggs, and other vegetables, the meat of chicken, cassava, other fresh fruits, and other root crops in 2022 as compared to 2021.

2016 Olympic 7s Gold medal winning captain, Osea Kolinisau is the new Fiji Airways National Men’s 7s coach after the Fiji Rugby Union’s decision to sack coach, Ben Gollings after 19 tournament losses.

PBO expects inflation to fall to 2% by end of year, deficit to grow amid weak economy

Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday said the grounds for his resignation last month were purely personal, and added that he was, however, told to stay and continue his work.

In an interaction with media here, Purohit also talked about various initiatives taken during his tenure so far as the Chandigarh Administrator.

Asked about the real reason behind his resignation, he said, “I have sent it (resignation), but they are not leaving (me) and telling me (to) stay and work.”

“They said ‘nahi karenge’ (won’t accept resignation),” he said.

He said the grounds he gave for his resignation were purely his family and

personal reasons and nothing else.

“My wife came here from Nagpur but went back after 10 days. My family, they are missing me there...I am also international vice president of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and I started the Nagpur centre in 1984,” he said. Purohit had last month submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, citing personal reasons.

“Due to my personal reasons and certain other commitments, I tender my resignation from the post of governor of Punjab and administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh. Please accept the same and oblige,” Purohit wrote in his resignation letter. Purohit was appointed Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator in August 2021.

Convict was using mobile to talk to Pakistani smugglers, Punjab tells high court

It may send alarm bells ringing, but the State of Punjab has informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that a convict lodged in Faridkot Central Jail was using mobile phone to communicate with Pakistani smugglers.

As the matter came up for resumed hearing, Justice Pankaj Jain’s Bench was also told that an Assistant Superintendent, Davinder Singh, working as barrack in charge at that time, was found to be negligent. Departmental action was currently underway. The State has already told the high court about the commonly

deployed ingenious methods used by prisoners for smuggling mobile phones and other prohibited items into the prisons, including hiding of handsets in body cavities. Justice Jain’s Bench was also told that the smuggling of handsets in personal belongings was another common techniques used by the prisoners while returning from court appearances, parole, police custody, and medical treatment. It was added that that the prisoners, with the assistance of acquaintances and family, during meetings, were smuggling mobile phones.

Ramesh Singh Arora becomes Pakistan’s first Sikh minister in Punjab

Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, an influential minority leader, has been sworn in as a provincial minister, making him the first Sikh to occupy a ministerial position in postPartition Punjab.

Belonging to the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) party, Arora has returned to the Lahore provincial assembly for the third term after winning the February 8 polls.

Arora, 49, was recently elected pardhan (president) of the Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and also as the ambassador to the Kartarpur Corridor. He was administered the oath along with

17 others on Wednesday.

Arora has been allotted the portfolio of minorities of Punjab province in the cabinet of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, incidentally, also the first woman to hold the post in the country.

According to sources, Arora has close connections with the military establishment.

“Singh’s brother is also looking after the affairs of the Karatarpur Corridor,” another member representing the Christian minority community of Punjab, Khalil Tahir Sindhu, told Press Trust of India on Thursday.

Born on October 11, 1974 at Nankana Sahib and hailing from Narowal district, Arora was also the first-ever Sikh member of the Punjab provincial assembly taking oath in 2013. He has done post-graduation in social enterprise and studied at the Government College, Lahore, Punjab University, Lahore, and Harvard Business School in the US.

He also served as a member of the National Commission for Minorities, chairman of the Standing Committee on Commerce & Investment and remained as Patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Sikh Council.

According to Arora’s profile on the official website of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, he is also a renowned human rights activist and a social worker, who played a prominent role in protecting the rights of Sikh community in Pakistan and is credited with the passage of ‘The Punjab Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Act, 2018.’

Due to his efforts, Pakistan has become the first country where the Sikh Marriages Registration Act is enforced, it said.

Mon-Fri - 12:00 - 9:30

Sat-Sun - 12:00 - 10:00

NOW ORDER ONLINE:

Nearly 50% Indian women prioritising own health, breaking norms

Nearly 50% Indian women are giving importance to their own preventive and diagnostic healthcare, which is a transformative shift in women’s health-seeking behaviour, said a new report on Thursday.

The report from Redcliffe Labs, a pan-India omnichannel diagnostics provider, ahead of International Women’s Day, reveals a significant increase in women proactively undergoing preventive health checkups and diagnostic tests in the last three years.

impressive 48% in 2023.

The findings are based on a study conducted under the company’s ‘Let Her Decide’ campaign with a sample size of one million.

From 40% in 2021, the percentage of women prioritising their own health first steadily increased to 45% in 2022 and an

The results showed that women across Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, and Hyderabad exhibit heightened health awareness and actively seek preventive care through timely health checkups. The women primarily focused on preventive health checkup packages, and the HbA1C test for diabetes monitoring, haemogram tests, rheumatoid factor (RA) quantitative test, and thyroid profile tests emerged as popular choices.

Delhi gym trainer stabbed to death at home hours before his wedding

A 29-year-old gym trainer was stabbed 15 times in his face and chest at his south Delhi home early on Thursday, hours before he was supposed to get married. Police are searching for the man’s father, the main suspect in the murder. Deceased Gaurav Singhal’s younger brother and a relative have been detained for questioning, they said, adding that all angles are being looked into.

The incident occurred in the Devli Extension area of south Delhi, a senior police officer said.

“The motive behind the murder is yet to be ascertained. So far, we have come to know that there was some dispute between father and son. Everything will be clear after

the arrest of the main accused,” the officer said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Ankit Chauhan said police received a call about the incident around 12.30 am.

Following the attack, Singhal’s family rushed him to hospital, where he was declared dead, he said. “Singhal’s wedding ceremony was scheduled for Thursday... It was an arranged marriage,” the DCP added.

Police have shifted the body to the AIIMS mortuary for the post-mortem and legal proceedings have been initiated.

Singhal’s family, however, said they do not suspect any foul play by anybody belonging to the family.

Supreme Court quashes criminal charges against J-K man for his WhatsApp status describing abrogation of Article 370 as a ‘Black Day’

Holding that the right to dissent in a legitimate manner is an integral part of the right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under the Constitution, the Supreme Court on Thursday quashed a criminal case against a professor for his WhatsApp status describing abrogation of Article 370 as a ‘Black Day’ for Jammu and Kashmir.

Javed Ahmed Hajam – who hails from Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir and works as a professor at Sanjay Ghodawat College in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra -- had in a WhatsApp group of teachers and parents, posted -- “August 5 – Black Day Jammu & Kashmir.”,“14th August – Independence Day Pakistan”.

An FIR was lodged against him at PS Hatkanangle, Kolhapur district, under Section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code for promoting enmity between different groups

on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.

Terming it as an expression of his individual view and his reaction to the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, a Bench led by Justice AS Oka said, “It does not reflect any intention to do something which is prohibited under Section 153-A. At best, it is a protest, which is a part of his freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by Article 19(1)(a). Every citizen of India has a right to be critical of the action of abrogation of Article 370 and the change of status of Jammu and Kashmir.”

It said, “Now, the time has come to enlighten and educate our police machinery on the concept of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution and the extent of reasonable restraint on their free speech and expression.

CBI busts network involved in trafficking Indians to Russia-Ukraine war zone

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday busted a major human trafficking network that took Indian youths to the RussiaUkraine war zone in the garb of providing them jobs abroad, officials said.

They said the agency had found 35 instances in which youths were taken to Russia after being lured with false promises of high-paying jobs via social media channels and local contacts and agents.

Efforts are under way to identify the victims, the officials said.

In a statement here, a CBI spokesperson said the trafficked Indian nationals were trained in combat roles and deployed across front bases in the Russia-Ukraine war zone against their wishes, putting their lives in danger.

The federal agency has registered an FIR against some visa consultancy firms and agents. It was followed by searches in 13 locations across Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Ambala, Chandigarh, Madurai and Chennai.

A

Spectacle You’ve Been Waiting For: Renowned Shen Yun Returns to Vancouver

Continued from Page 1...

Shen Yun has been playing in Vancouver since then and has become one of the city’s most beloved and anticipated performances. This year, it will play seven shows at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from March 20–25.

Shen Yun features performances in classical Chinese dance, ethnic dances, and vocal soloists, all accompanied by a live orchestra that blends traditional Western and Chinese instruments. Unique animated backdrops extend

immersed in this wonderful experience. It was a very educational experience. It was a very cultural experience, but it [also] really touched me on different levels, mind, body and soul,” she said.

the stage, transporting audiences to another place and time.

Audience members often say they feel a sense of inspiration and hope after seeing Shen Yun, with some saying it’s a performance that truly matters.Its tour of Canada in 2023 drew many appreciative comments from attendees.

Flora Karas, an actress and business owner who saw the performance at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, said she also experienced it on a deep level.

“The show is so filled with light. It’s exactly what this city needed. We needed to hear the story. We needed to see the dancing. We needed to feel it in our bones. It’s absolutely the best thing that we could have had,” she said.

“It’s impeccable.”

Film composer Christopher Xiao also saw the performance in Vancouver and said Shen Yun is doing something noble by reviving traditional Chinese culture through the arts.

Michelle Doran, painter and poet who saw the show at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, said Shen Yun is “in touch with the past on a wave to the future.”

“I cried from joy,” she said. “I just find beauty touching when it comes from the heart. And it’s a transcendent beauty. There was newness and freshness but still something ancient, and that was a beautiful mix.”

Maria Marchyshyn, a political analyst who also attended the show in Toronto, said she became immersed in the performance.

“It was just done so, so professionally that I was simply immersed—I was completely

“I think it’s about time somebody out there makes an effort to try and revitalize and keep what’s going on in Chinese culture,” he said.

“And it’s really nice to watch them retell some of the classic stories that inspired me as a child [and] infused me with traditional Chinese values. I think it was an excellent show.”

Round-trip shuttle service is available for matinee shows from Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, Tsawwassen Mills, Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley, and White Rock.

For more information on the shuttle service and to buy tickets, please visit https://www.shenyun.com/vancouver