The Asian Star - May 25, 2024

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Court sides with BC over Police transition but Surrey may appeals

The B.C. Supreme Court has overturned the City of Surrey’s judicial review petition aimed at stopping Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth’s decision the RCMP must be replaced by the Surrey Police Service. The City of Surrey will continue to transition to the Surrey Police Service.

“People in Surrey want this to be over. I am hopeful that today’s ruling is the time to come together to complete the transition to the Surrey Police Service,”

Farnworth said. “The safety of people in Surrey and across British Columbia has always been my main priority. Every action I have taken has been rooted in ensuring safe and effective policing so that when people call 911, help is on the way.”

Man accused of trying to kill Sikh separatist leader, closer to being extradited to USA

The Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic has okayed the extradition of Nikhil Gupta to the US, over an alleged plot to assassinate an USbased Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Farnworth said he hopes the City of Surrey wants to meet the province “at the table” to continue this transition and there will not be any further disruptions.

Gupta is in jail in Prague since June last year following a detention done at the request of the US. A final decision on his extradition will be taken by Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek.

Continued on Page 10...

Surrey home to too many dangerous sex offenders, says mayor

The province says it is reviewing how B.C. Corrections and police notify the public when a dangerous sex offender is released from prison, amid concerns from Surrey’s mayor and Board of Trade that their city is home to too many dangerous sex offenders who have earned release from prison.

In a post on the City of Surrey website, Mayor Brenda Locke said she was writing both federal and provincial ministers responsible for public safety to demand a “comprehensive review of the laws pertaining to sentencing, release, and monitoring of dangerous sex offenders with a high risk of re-offending.”

Locke pointed to three alerts issued by the Surrey RCMP in the past six weeks about recently released sex offenders now living in Surrey, and called the situation “unconscionable.”

Continued on Page 10...

Gupta’s please against extradition was dismissed by the Czech court – based at Prague.

Continued on Page 14...

‘If you were in Pakistan, I would have kidnapped you’ says Toronto Cab driver to woman passenger

A video of scary conservation between a cab driver and a woman in Canada has gone viral. The cab driver--believed to be of Pakistan origin--told the woman passenger that if this were in Pakistan, he would have kidnapped her.

The exchange has sparked outrage and triggered a debate on social media.

The incident took place in Toronto. In the video, the driver is heard said, “If you were born in Pakistan...I’m from Pakistan,... you would have been kidnapped by now.”

“Toronto Uber driver tells passenger if they were in Pakistan he would k*dnap her,” read the caption of the post.

www.gabaautodetaling.com

West Vancouver standoff ends with charges in suspected intimate partner assault

A man has been arrested and charged in connection to the heavy police presence in West Vancouver’s British Properties on Wednesday.

West Vancouver police said it received multiple calls Tuesday night after residents saw an injured woman in distress.

Officers arrived at a home on King Georges Way shortly after and found the woman. It was quickly determined the woman was a victim of a serious assault. Investigators believe her intimate partner was responsible as both were staying at the home, which was being

used as a short-term rental.

The home was then “contained” by police as the woman’s partner was believed to be inside. Police said he was a parolee from Ontario, and had a history of violence and possession of guns. Police said the suspect was seen inside the home, brandishing a large knife. A stand-off then took place for hours as officers worked to negotiate a safe arrest. Just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, the suspect surrendered to police. According to B.C.’s court services online portal, Tyrell Evans has been charged in relation to the case.

Canada will reinstate citizenship rights to ‘lost Canadians’

The federal government plans to restore the rights of “lost Canadians” by allowing Canadians born abroad to pass down citizenship, even if their children were also born outside the country.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller tabled legislation Thursday, which would reverse the “secondgeneration cut-off rule” brought in by the Conservatives in 2009.

“There’s no doubt that Canadian citizenship is highly valued and recognized around the world,” said Miller. “Not everyone is entitled to it. But for those who are, it needs to be fair.”

Under the new legislation, Canadian parents must show they have spent at least three years in Canada before the birth or adoption of their child to be eligible. “I think it’s a reasonable limit to what is a substantial connection to Canada,” said Miller. “This is a reasonable

approach to something that was unreasonable.”

Last December, an Ontario court found the “secondgeneration cut-off rule” was unconstitutional and had a disproportionate impact on women. It gave the Trudeau government until June 19 to amend the law. The immigration minister was not able to say how many citizens will be added to Canada once the proposed changes come into effect, but said the 2009 law was “manifestly unfair”

Conservative immigration critic Tom Kmiec called Miller’s comments “disingenuous” and criticized the Trudeau government’s handling of immigration.

“Justin Trudeau has broken our immigration system and allowed fraud, chaos, and delays to run rampant,” said Kmiec in a statement.

London Drugs has confirmed that files stolen by hackers during a cyberattack in April have been leaked onto the dark web.

“London Drugs has been named by cybercriminals as a victim of exfiltration of files from its corporate head office, and we are aware that some of these exfiltrated files have now been released,” the company said in a Thursday statement.

“We want to reiterate that London Drugs is unwilling and unable to pay ransom to these cybercriminals.”

Cybercriminals infiltrated the company’s network on April 28 with a ransomware attack, forcing it to shutter its nearly 80 stores across western Canada for more than a week.

these criminal acts,” London Drugs said.

“As previously stated, we have no indication to date of any compromise of patient or customer databases; nor do our primary employee-specific databases appear compromised.”

The company said it is notifying employees whose personal information may be affected,

Earlier this week, infamous ransomware operation LockBit claimed responsibility for the attack, posting a $25 million ransom with the threat to release stolen data if it wasn’t paid within 48 hours.The attackers now appear to have made good on that threat.

“We acknowledge that some of these files may contain some employee information — this is deeply distressing and London Drugs is taking all available steps to mitigate any impacts from

Nearly one-quarter of the members of the United States Senate have sent an unusually critical letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressing dismay over Canada’s level of defence spending.

and offering them free credit monitoring services and identity theft protection.

London Drugs said it was still investigating what data was stolen, and that it would not comment on the nature of the documents or their contents.

It said once the review was complete it would notify affected individuals to provide them with specific details.

They pressed Trudeau to come to this summer’s NATO summit with a plan to fulfil Canada’s commitment to reach the alliance’s longstanding spending target.

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CRA

says

ineligible

COVID payments have reached $10 billion

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has identified a staggering $10 billion in pandemic relief cheques paid to ineligible applicants, marking the highest figure disclosed to date. Blacklock’s Reporter says despite ongoing recovery efforts, only a fraction of these funds has been reclaimed, with billions more expected to be lost through future audits. “As it relates to individual programs, the Agency has completed reviews and thus far had found $7.96 billion in payments had been ineligible as of December 31, 2023,” the CRA reported to the Senate national finance committee. The report further detailed, “Through initiatives like double dipping, recipient-driven adjustments, and adjustments between programs where a recipient was deemed ineligible for one program

but eligible for another, an additional $1.73 billion has been identified as owing.”

This brings the total to $9.69 billion in identified overpayments.

“Of these amounts, $1.93 billion has been recovered,” the CRA stated, adding that ongoing audits “will undoubtedly result in ineligible amounts being added to the outstanding debt related to COVID-19 benefits.”

To date, the CRA has conducted full audits on 544,000 Canadians who claimed benefits such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). “Our goal is to audit 857,000 people,” the agency noted.

These figures do not include benefits paid to ineligible businesses, which total another $510 million.

White Rock murder suspect appears in court

The man who is facing a murder charge for a fatal stabbing in White Rock, B.C., appeared briefly in court by video on Thursday.

Dimitri Nelson Hyacinth was seen in Surrey Provincial Court, where his council requested to put over a hearing for another three weeks. Hyacinth, 27, is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 26-year-old Kulwinder Singh Sohi. Sohi was sitting on a bench near White Rock Beach with a friend when he was killed.

Sohi’s brother told Global News his brother was stabbed in the back and the heart. Police said it appeared Sohi may have chased his attacker before he collapsed, and died at the

scene. Hyacinth will remain in custody and is due back in court on June 13.

The suspect is also facing an aggravated assault charge, which stems from a second stabbing that also happened at White Rock Beach just two days before Sohi’s death.

Jatinder Singh was sitting on a bench with his wife when he was approached from behind and stabbed in the neck. He survived the incident but sustained a horrific slash wound.

Singh had only been in Canada for a few months before the attack. The two stabbings rocked the White Rock community, as many residents and visitors stayed away in the aftermath before any arrests were made.

Former B.C. university guard sentenced 18 months for manslaughter

A former security guard for Trinity Western University (TWU) in Langley, B.C., has been sentenced to 18 months for manslaughter, after being convicted in the 2020 death of Howard Glen Hill.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Murray issued the sentence for Jack Cruthers Hutchison on May 17, three weeks after his conviction, which found a prolonged headlock he put Hill in contributed to the man’s death.

In the fall of 2020, the court said, Hill wandered through student residences at the university and rifled through some students’ rooms.

get a pulse, but Hill died in hospital two days later.

Justice Catherine Murray ruled April 26 that Hutchison’s use of a headlock to restrain Hill for up to 13 minutes wasn’t always reasonable or proportionate to the circumstances. In her sentencing judgment, Murray expressed how difficult it was to rule in the case, having to balance the loss of a life, details of Hill’s mental illness outlined in court proceedings and Hutchison’s testimony that he was fearful, just trying to do his job and did not intend to contribute to Hill’s death.

When he was confronted by Hutchison, a security guard on duty at the time, Hill hit Hutchison in the head, pulled his hair and spat on him. Hutchison put Hill in a headlock with his right arm around the back of Hill’s head, the court heard. When police arrived on campus Hill was unconscious. Paramedics were able to

“It is truly a tragedy all around. Two families have suffered immeasurably,” she wrote. Hutchison, who is First Nations and does not have a criminal record, will serve his 18-month sentence in the community, which includes remaining at his residence between midnight and 6 a.m. He is also prohibited from using drugs or alcohol and must perform 120 hours of community service.

Surrey man sentenced in assault of SkyTrain worker

A man who attacked a SkyTrain attendant at a New Westminster station nearly three years ago has been found guilty.

Howard Geddes Skelding was accused of attacking the SkyTrain worker on July 25, 2021, forcing his way into an employee crew room at Braid Station, punching the woman in the stomach and shoving her to the ground.

The attendant was able to fight him off and escape, while calling for help.

Geddes Skelding, of Surrey, was arrested as

in custody until his May 2 trial.

At the time, police said Geddes Skelding was well known to police.

He was found guilty of assault causing bodily harm and forcible confinement and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

“We commend the SkyTrain attendant for her strength and tenacity in fighting off her attacker in the midst of a horrific situation, and for the bravery she showed by facing him in court,” said Const. Amanda Steed of Transit

Chicken prices could go up with latest farm board move

The price of chicken in B.C. could climb higher due to a decision made by the province’s farm industry review board.

The board approved a proposal that will impact the farm-level price of poultry, which could lead to higher costs for consumers at the grocery store and when dining out.

The BC Chicken Marketing Board brought forward the proposal and said it’s a “new pricing formula” and not a price increase.

“The pricing formula is based on cost recovery for an efficient grower of BC chicken,” said Woody Siemens, the BC Chicken Marketing Board’s executive director.

“The chicken board sets the minimum farmgate price, the price a farmer receives for growing chicken.”

The board said it does not control retail prices, restaurant prices or prices set by processors.

“Under supply management, farmers receive a set price for the food they produce, which represents a fraction of the final price,” Siemens said.

Siemens said the largest cost for chicken farmers is the price of feed, which has increased substantially for farmers.

The price a farmer is paid for chicken closely tracks feed prices, according to the board. “It is important to note that the live price of chicken that a farmer receives in B.C. has decreased by 12 cents per kilogram compared to a year ago, which is a decrease of -5.65 per cent,” Siemens said.

B.C. wholesale and retail chicken prices are already on average the highest in the country, according to Restaurants Canada. It said it purchases about 40 per cent of all B.C.-grown chicken. Restaurants Canada said consumers should be anticipating to pay more.

BC Ferries to buy 4 new electric vessels with $75M federal loan

Canada Infrastructure Bank is lending $75 million to British Columbia’s ferry service to help buy four zero-emission vessels and install electric charging infrastructure.

A statement from the federal Crown corporation says it has closed a deal with BC Ferry Services as the company expands the electrification of its fleet. It says terminal upgrades are to be completed by 2027 and the battery electric ferries will be used on smallvolume and shorter routes. The federal agency says it’s part of BC Ferry Services’ plan to replace its existing fleet with quieter and more environmentally friendly vessels.

greenhouse gas emissions by 9,000 tonnes each year, and existing diesel-hybrid vessels will be transferred to other routes to replace ferries that have reached the end of their operating life.

Six hybrid electric Island class ferries have come online over the last two years and the BC Ferries website says the vessels are fitted with technology that “bridges the gap” until shorecharging infrastructure becomes available.

Canada Infrastructure Bank says the loan will cover the higher upfront costs of the four ferries compared with diesel, including the necessary charging infrastructure. It says loan repayment will come from passenger fares and

Rising tide of antisemitism a terrifying reality in Canada

The resurgence of antisemitism and hate crimes has chilling similarities to the events leading up to the Holocaust

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“Peace for our time” was a declaration made by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in his Sept. 30, 1938, remarks following the AngloGerman Declaration made with Adolph Hitler that the two countries would never go to war against each other.

Later that day, he told crowds outside 10 Downing Street: “My good friends, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time.” The phrase “peace for our time” is still remembered for its deceitful uselessness; less than a year later, Hitler invaded Poland, provoking the Second World War.

We are now witnessing non-stop “peace for our time” declarations for ceasefires in Israeli’s life-anddeath attempt to destroy Hamas, a terrorist group by many more Palestinians than the world is willing to admit, hell-bent on doing to the Jews what Hitler failed to accomplish, namely wiping them off the face of the earth based on the hateful seventhcentury teachings of their religion.

One often repeated Islamic hadith – sayings attributed to the religion’s founder, the prophet Muhammad – are even contained in the 1988 Hamas Charter: “Judgement Day will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews. The Jews will hide behind the stones and the trees, and the stones and the trees will say, oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah, there is a Jew hiding behind me – come and kill him.” Last year, B’nai Brith Canada released its report of antisemitic incidents for 2022, showing a rising tide of antisemitism: “In 2012, the Jewish community sounded the alarm when that audit noted 1,345 antisemitic incidents, the highest ever since we first began auditing in 1982,” the audit reads. “Ten years later, the number is an alarming 105.9 percent higher than that reported in 2012, and the second-highest total since we started tracking 41 years ago.” The rate of such incidents has exploded since Oct. 7.

Vancouver Canucks’ Rick Tocchet wins Jack Adams

Award as NHL coach of the year

Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks is this season’s Jack Adams Award winner as NHL coach of the year.

The league announced Tocchet as the recipient, selected by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association, on Wednesday.

“This really is a team award, and I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of our staff and complete buy-in from the players,” Tocchet said in a statement. “I am truly honoured and humbled by this achievement and look forward to getting back to work this summer as we continue to work on improving our hockey team. Vancouver is a passionate hockey market and our fans were a huge part of our success this season.” Tocchet received 82 first-place votes of 114 ballots and earned 483 voting points to win the award.

Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators (145 points) and Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets (75 points) were the other finalists.

The 60-year-old Tocchet helped the Canucks finish first in the Pacific Division with a 5023-9 record in his first full season behind the team’s bench. Vancouver lost to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“Toc has created a true partnership between the players, coaches and staff,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said. “He has held people accountable and worked very hard in putting a process in place for everyone to follow. Our staples and structure will help guide this group for years to come.

“I am very impressed with the job he has done this season and I am excited to see what lies ahead for this team under Toc’s direction.” Tocchet, a first-time finalist, is the third Canucks coach to win the award after Pat Quinn in 1991-92 and Alain Vigneault in 2006-07.

Trudeau gets an earful on defence spending from nearly one-quarter of the U.S. Senate

Continued from Page 2...

The letter from 23 members of the U.S. Senate, from both parties, represents a dramatic and public escalation of pressure from Washington over a longstanding bilateral irritant. In the note sent Thursday, the senators described this moment as one of the most dangerous in NATO’s history, with tensions on multiple continents. They said allies must keep their commitments. That written critique comes just days after Defence Minister Bill Blair completed what he referred to as a productive trip to Washington to promote Canada’s new military strategy. “We are concerned and profoundly disappointed,” says the letter, referring to the spending levels in the strategy Blair came to promote.

Surrey Board of Trade calls for review of sex offender regulations and protocols

The Surrey Board of Trade says it is joining Mayor Brenda Locke in calling for a comprehensive review of laws and protocols around high-risk sex offenders. Board president Anita Huberman says in an open letter to B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth and Attorney General Niki Sharma that the board is concerned and frustrated about the recent release of a 29-year-old, who lives in Surrey and was convicted of sexually assaulting two women in 2017. The RCMP issued a public interest notice on Friday, saying Ezaz Razak “represents a serious and imminent risk to vulnerable women and intimate partners.” The letter says this is the third release into the community in about six weeks, and the current regulations around high-risk offenders has adverse effects on local businesses, including increasing security costs.

sex offenders, more robust supervision including electronic monitoring, thorough risk assessments before release and clear and timely communication about such high-risk offenders.

Locke issued a similar news release Friday, saying Razak’s release is “unconscionable” and calling on governments to determine “more appropriate measures in order to protect all communities from harm.” Huberman says in Tuesday’s news release that “safety and wellbeing of our residents and businesses are paramount.”

“We cannot allow the current system to continue jeopardizing the security of our community. Immediate action is needed to protect all communities in British Columbia,” she says in the release.

Huberman says the board is calling for a re-evaluation of guidelines for dangerous

“The current situation is untenable. Immediate steps must be taken to restore public confidence and safeguard our neighbourhoods.”

Cyberattacks on health authority, province, London Drugs not related: BC premier’s office

personal information of others has been impacted,” the FNHA said in a statement on its website, adding it does not believe the incident has affected any clinical information systems it uses.

A state or state-sponsored cybersecurity attack on the government of B.C.’s network is not related to recent ransomware attacks on the First Nations Health Authority and London Drugs networks, according to the premier’s office. The province’s network was hacked on April 10, and again on April 29 and May 6. The government blamed a state or state-sponsored actor, and determined it was not a ransomware attack and no sensitive data was compromised.

“The cybersecurity incident the B.C. government is addressing is not related to the one faced by London Drugs, nor is it related to the one faced by FNHA,” according to a statement from the premier’s office on Wednesday.

The First Nations Health Authority is the latest high-profile victim of a cybersecurity ransomware attack in the province. It says it discovered the breach on May 13 and “immediately deployed countermeasures to block the unauthorized entity’s access and prevent any further unauthorized activity.”

“While the investigation is still at an early stage, FNHA has uncovered evidence that certain employee information and limited

data was

on the dark web Wednesday. It appears to show Canada Life GroupNet plan billing data, procurement contracts as well as business contracts, FNHA budgets, cheques, information on dental services to remote First Nations communities, as well as records and correspondence from the Northern Health Authority.

Leaked

released on INC Ransom

BC is using ‘unexplained wealth orders’ to pierce the secrets of suspected money launderers

On Oct. 25, 2017, a Columbian man, Aristobulo Barrios Miranda, sent instructions by fax to Roger Knox, a U.K. citizen, to have a company named Hilton Capital wire $1.15 million Canadian to a Royal Bank account on Bay Street in Toronto.

Hilton is a company in the Marshall Islands, a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, 4,300 kilometres northeast of Australia, known as an offshore banking haven.

The money was to be sent in trust to a West Vancouver law firm, Biancardi Law Corp., for the purchase of a house on Salt Spring Island.

The money was wired in four instalments between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 and was “purported” to be a loan to Geordie Lee, also known as Skye Lee.

A day later, Alicia Valerie Lee, Geordie’s then-recently separated spouse who later went back to her maiden name, Davenport, paid $1 million in cash to buy the Salt Spring Island home at 435 Stewart Rd.

The money trail is outlined in documents filed in a B.C. Supreme Court case where the province alleges the wire transfers through the shell company come from a $225-million international pump-and-dump stock fraud. In pump-and-dump schemes, the secret owners of stocks hype them to raise the price

and then sell out to unsuspecting investors. Knox, a key player in the $225-million fraud, pled guilty in 2020 to charges he helped others hide their ownership of stocks in the scheme and funnelled money back to them.

B.C.’s Civil Forfeiture Office has filed a court action to have the Salt Spring Island home, now worth $1.8 million, forfeited as proceeds of crime, including violating securities laws in the U.S. and B.C., money laundering and tax evasion.

But this case has a new twist.

In a first in Canada, B.C. is using recent changes to the B.C. Civil Forfeiture Act to file an unexplained wealth order to force Davenport, who is listed as a homemaker on property records, and her former spouse Lee to explain where the money came from to buy the house.

Vancity lists properties as credit union branch closures outpace banks

Vancity Credit Union has listed several prime locations in a bid to sreamline its operations.

These include two sites in Vancouver at 3395 West Broadway and 3305 Kingsway, and one in Victoria at 3075 Douglas Street.

branch presence in these neighbourhoods is important to us”

Vancity says it is focused on leaseback opportunities, or relocating to new sites within the same neighbourhoods.

The three listings are with Colliers, which positions them as redevelopment opportunities with strong holding income via a sale-leaseback opportunity with Vancity.

“While these properties are being sold, we have no plans to close the branches,” Vancity told Western Investor via e-mail. “These branches are located in strong market areas for Vancity and maintaining a physical

“Transitioning to a branch-lease model enables us to better adapt to evolving member needs, neighborhood dynamics, and community changes,” it noted.

Despite having no plans to close the branches, Vancity has listed the properties at a time when branch closures by credit unions have outpaced those of bank branch closures.

Online banking has pushed scores of retail bank branches offline over the past decade, though branch numbers stayed largely steady during the pandemic.

Canadian Bankers’ Association data indicates that B.C. reported 803 bank branches under nine banners in October 2022, virtually unchanged from the 805 branches operating in October 2019.

BC rental housing plan includes 670 below-market rental units in Metro Vancouver

On Oct. 25, 2017, a Columbian man, Aristobulo Barrios Miranda, sent instructions by fax to Roger Knox, a U.K. citizen, to have a company named Hilton Capital wire $1.15 million Canadian to a Royal Bank account on Bay Street in Toronto. Hilton is a company in the Marshall Islands, a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, 4,300 kilometres northeast of Australia, known as an offshore banking haven.

The money was to be sent in trust to a West Vancouver law firm, Biancardi Law Corp., for the purchase of a house on Salt Spring Island.

The money was wired in four instalments between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 and was “purported” to be a loan to Geordie Lee, also known as Skye Lee. A day later, Alicia Valerie Lee, Geordie’s

then-recently separated spouse who later went back to her maiden name, Davenport, paid $1 million in cash to buy the Salt Spring Island home at 435 Stewart Rd.

The money trail is outlined in documents filed in a B.C. Supreme Court case where the province alleges the wire transfers through the shell company come from a $225-million international pump-and-dump stock fraud. In pump-and-dump schemes, the secret owners of stocks hype them to raise the price and then sell out to unsuspecting investors.

Knox, a key player in the $225-million fraud, pled guilty in 2020 to charges he helped others hide their ownership of stocks in the scheme and funnelled money back to them.

North Vancouver RCMP investigating multiple acts of vandalism at Princess Park

North Vancouver RCMP are warning park goers of Princess Park, located in the District North Vancouver, of repeated vandalisms.

In the month of April, District of North Vancouver Park Rangers have noted several signs and posts have been stolen and that the holes have been back filled. The Rangers have also noted that in previous instances, the signs were completely removed and thrown to the side and fencing has been knocked down repeatedly. The signs warn park users to stay on trail and that dogs must be leashed.

Park Rangers have had to replace and reinstall these signs, costing money that could be better spent to upkeep the park.

It is really disappointing to see such senseless acts of theft and vandalism in Princess Park, said Steffanie Warriner, Director of Parks for the District of North Vancouver. New signage and fencing were installed to protect the hard work

of over 60 community volunteers and District staff who planted 1,000 native plants last year to help improve forest health in this area. Not only is it costly to continue to replace these signs and fencing, but these acts of vandalism disrespect the time and care that has been invested into restoring this sensitive area and put the good work of the community and staff in jeopardy. These acts of vandalism are criminal and the persons responsible could be charged with mischief, said Constable Mansoor Sahak, Media Relations Officer for the North Vancouver RCMP. “We’re asking anyone who has witnessed suspicious activity or has information related to these incidents to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the North Vancouver RCMP at 604-985-1311 or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-TIPS or www. solvecrime.ca.

RCMP searching for wanted man in Surrey

Surrey RCMP is searching for a man charged with breaking and entering, who failed to comply with his release conditions.

Riley Lafontaine, 27, is wanted on charges in jurisdictions policed by Surrey RCMP, Delta Police and B.C. Transit Police. His charges include multiple counts of breach of release order, breaking and entering, and failure to comply with his probation order.

Police describe Lafontaine as a Caucasian

man, 5’11, 150 lbs., with a slender build, short brown hair and blue eyes. He has very distinct tattoos, which include a wolf tattoo on the front of his neck, and tear drop tattoos under both eyes. He also has multiple other tattoos on his arms and hands.

Anyone who sees Lafontaine is asked not to approach him and to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www. solvecrime.ca.

IHIT called in after two men found dead in Surrey

Two men have been found dead in a Surrey home, said RCMP

Surrey RCMP said officers were called to check on the occupants of a home in the 6100-block 151 Street in Newton just after 9:20 p.m. on Wednesday.

Police found the residence “insecure” and two deceased men inside.

Mounties did not disclose the circumstances of the men’s deaths, but said it was an “isolated incident” and does not pose a risk to the public.

The men knew each other, said police. Neither had criminal records.

home

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, which has taken over the cases, said it is canvassing the neighbourhood for witnesses and CCTV.

“We are in stages of determining exactly what transpired at this Surrey residence, but can assure the community that this is an isolated incident and we are not seeking additional suspects at this time,” said StaffSgt. David Lee of IHIT in a statement.

Anyone with information about the deaths or has dash-cam or CCTV video in the area are asked to contact the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-4448 (IHIT).

Fort Nelson wildfire evacuees could return next week

The mayor of the regional municipality that includes Fort Nelson, B.C., which was evacuated due to a threatening wildfire, says local officials are pushing for a Monday or Tuesday deadline to start allowing about 4,700 residents home after nearly two weeks.

Rob Fraser says the “imminent risk” posed by the Parker Lake fire has been reduced, and officials are focused on rolling out a phased approach to residents’ return.

He said in a video posted late Wednesday that some doctors had returned to the community along with grocery staff who were restocking shelves.

Fraser says water, hydro and hydroelectric services were operational, and crews with FortisBC were in town examining the natural gas company’s infrastructure. The mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality says officials were planning to reach out to the operators of “phase three” businesses

this weekend. Fraser says he was “extremely happy” to start thinking about an end date to the evacuation that began on May 10 as strong winds pushed the Parker Lake blaze to within about two kilometres of Fort Nelson.

At a press conference Thursday, B.C. Premier David Eby said he’s hopeful residents will be returning soon, and the province is working with local government to support those who have lost homes or other buildings in the fires.

Argentinian soccer superstar Lionel Messi will not play in a match against the Vancouver Whitecaps at BC Place Saturday.

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed Thursday that Inter Miami CF players Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets will not play in the weekend’s game.

“We understand they will not make this trip. Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent, and it was important for us to communicate to our fans as soon as possible,“ said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC CEO. The Whitecaps FC said it was expecting a recordbreaking 54,000 spectators to attend the sold out match.

As consolation, the Whitecaps are offering all in-stadium food and beverage for the match at 50 per cent off. It added that youth 18-years-old and under will be provided one free kids meal combo.

Sportsnet 650’s Dan Riccio says he suspects that Messi is taking every precaution to not injure or exhaust himself before playing in the 2024 Copa América tournament for Argentina later this month.

“I would imagine it’s all of the above: rest, injury, this is a long flight … Inter Miami [FC], their quest for the MLS Cup, it can be put on hold until October,” said Riccio.

He added that a lot of the MLS matches over the summer don’t hold as much meaning to visiting teams.

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A British Columbia judge has ordered four Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar to have no contact with several people in the community in the men’s latest court appearance.

Three of the four suspects — Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh — appeared in person for the first time in B.C. Provincial Court in Surrey, with the fourth suspect appearing by video link.

Those appearing in person wore red prison sweatsuits as they entered the courtroom, while Amandeep Singh remains in custody in Ontario where he was facing unrelated weapons offencesbefore being arrested on May 10 for Nijjar’s killing. Judge Mark Jetté spoke to the men through an interpreter as he placed them under the no−contact order, before adjourning until the suspects’ next appearance on June 25.

killing last year that threw Canada’s relations with India into disarray.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said

credible intelligence linked Nijjar’s death to Indian government involvement, but India has denied being involved in the case.

Attendees at the latest hearing for the men were searched before entering the courthouse, while a protest by supporters of Nijjar and the Sikh separatist movement he championed was taking place outside. The four Indian nationals are all accused of murder and conspiracy over the

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In a statement, Surrey Police Service Chief Const. Norm Lipinski said the department is pleased with the decision.

“While the City of Surrey’s judicial review petition did not directly involve SPS, it obviously impacted our 427 employees and their families – today’s ruling brings them significant reassurance,” he said.

“It is past time for us to start working together to expedite the policing transition for the benefit of the RCMP and SPS employees, the residents of Surrey, and public safety in

Nijjar was a key organizer for overseas voting on an independent Sikh state in India, and was gunned down in the parking lot of the Surrey temple where he was president in June 2023. Sheriffs at the hearing placed peoples’ phones in plastic zipper bags and kept them outside the courtroom in plastic bins, with the judge warning observers that recording audio and taking pictures was prohibited.

this great city.” The transition, which began in 2018 under former mayor Doug McCallum, ran into speedbumps after current Mayor Brenda Locke was elected on a pledge to stop it and keep the RCMP.

The province ultimately ordered Surrey to complete the transition and replaced the Surrey Police Board with a special administrator to push the work through.

In November, the administrator appointed to replace the police board projected Surrey Police Service officers would outnumber their RCMP counterparts by the end of 2024.

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On May 17, Surrey RCMP posted a “public interest notification” about sex offender Ezaz Razak, saying he “represents a serious and imminent risk to vulnerable women and intimate partners.” Razak served time in a federal prison for sexually assaulting two women in 2017 and has completed his sentence.

In April, Surrey RCMP issued two notifications, naming Michael Popek and Leonard Ramstead as dangerous sex offenders now living in Surrey. Both men received statutory release from prison and

are subject to release conditions, monitoring and long term supervision orders.

On Tuesday, the Surrey Board of Trade released a letter echoing Locke’s. In it, president and CEO Anita Huberman expressed “profound concern and frustration regarding the recent release of yet another dangerous sex offender into our community.” Canada’s Privacy Act allows for the personal information of an offender to be publicized by a government institution if it is deemed “the public interest in disclosure clearly outweighs any invasion of privacy that could result from the disclosure.”

Not the right time to increase MPs pay when many Fijians are struggling – Dialogue Fiji

Dialogue Fiji has today expressed its concern and disappointment over the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Special Committee on Emoluments, which propose substantial increases in the salaries, allowances, and benefits for the President, Speaker of Parliament, Government Ministers, and Members of Parliament. Executive Director of Dialogue Fiji, Nilesh Lal says the recommendations from the Special Committee come at a time when many Fijians are struggling to make ends meet, and implementing such increases would not only put significant pressure on the public coffers but also send the wrong message to the populace, who are enduring economic hardships.

He says at a time when the nation is grappling with economic challenges and the public is subjected to austerity measures and fiscal consolidation policies, it is utterly insensitive and inappropriate to propose such significant hikes in the compensation of MPs and statutory position holders.

Lal says these recommendations are out of

touch with the economic realities faced by the majority of Fijians and their sentiments.

Dialogue Fiji says according to the recommendations endorsed by the committee, Members of Parliament would get a whopping 138 percent increase in salary, Assistant Ministers would get a 67 percent increase, the Speaker of Parliament would get a 47 percent increase, the Leader of Opposition would get a 108 percent increase, Ministers would receive up to 35 percent increase, the Prime Minister would get a 22 percent increase, while the President would get a 42 percent increase in salary based on the rates compared to in the Parliamentary Remunerations Act.

Lal says the proposal also appears to include an increase in the overseas travel per diem for the President and Prime Minister, although the formula and explanations provided are somewhat confusing. Dialogue Fiji says the committee is also proposing that the state now provide official residences for the Speaker of Parliament and the Leader of the Opposition.

Fiji remains a safe and accessible destination – Gavoka

Fiji remains a safe and accessible destination for all to enjoy. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism Bill Gavoka has given this reassurance after a recent report by New Zealand’s 1News report this week of a TV New Zealand investigation series on Fiji’s fight against illicit drugs.

Gavoka says it must be pointed out that there have been zero recorded instances of this issue

impacting tourists, and with tourist numbers pointing to another record year of arrivals, Fiji remains safe and accessible.

The Deputy Prime Minister says the Coalition Government is aware of drug reports and has already been working with the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure that the Fiji Police Force and relevant agencies have the resources to combat the problem.

641 drug-related offences recorded from January to April, 36 were for heroin, cocaine and meth

641 drug-related offences have been recorded during the first four months of this year where 36 were for heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine while 505 were associated with marijuana.

While releasing the statistics for the first four months of this year, Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew is calling for more collaboration to address the growing number of young people involved.

He says during the four-month reporting period, 14 of those charged were juveniles, 397 aged between 18 to 35 years, a concerning figure, noting that these are considered to be our future leaders. The Acting Commissioner reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to

the war on drugs. He further says they do not shy away from the fact that perception-wise, their efforts are being compromised by the involvement of police officers, and he wants to reaffirm their commitment to changing that negative perception for the sake of gaining the trust and support of the communities.

Chew says it is not too late as some are labelling current efforts made in curbing the illicit trade.

He adds that there is strength in numbers, hence their request for community and stakeholder support as together they can achieve a great deal in protecting our children and our beloved Fiji from the devastating impacts of illicit drugs.

Nurses buying syringes and needles for patients at government hospital

Serious concerns continue to be raised by Fiji Nursing Association President, Doctor Adi Alisi Vudiniabola on nurses having to buy needles and syringes for patients as the patients are expected to buy this when they go to the public hospital.

This has been confirmed by nurses at CWM Hospital that they buy these supplies when some patients and their families do not have money to buy the syringes and needles for emergency procedures.

Vudiniabola is asking why people have to buy these things at the Government hospital as this should be supplied by the government.

She also raises concerns that nurses have to share one administering tray for about 3 or more patients, and this is unacceptable.

When questioned, the Ministry of Health says the practice of asking patients to buy medical supplies such as needles have been a practice that have been implemented in the past, which the Ministry is hoping to address and stop. It was also highlighted by Vudiniabola that nurses and security guards had to carry women in labour down the stairs as the lift was not working at CWM Hospital.

Doctors treat hundreds of victims of heatstroke in Pakistan after heatwave hits the country

Doctors treated hundreds of victims of heatstroke at hospitals across Pakistan on Thursday after an intense heatwave sent temperatures above normal levels due to climate change, officials said.

Temperatures soared as high as 49 degrees Celsius the previous day in Mohenjodaro.

The city, known for its archaeological sites, is in southern Sindh province, which was badly hit by climate-induced monsoon rains and devastating floods in 2022. The heatwave is forecast to continue for at least a week.

Authorities have urged people to stay indoors, hydrate and avoid unnecessary travel. But labourers say they don’t have a choice because they need to work to feed their families. “Pakistan is the fifth most vulnerable country to the impact of climate change. We have witnessed above normal rains, floods,”

Rubina Khursheed Alam, the prime minister’s coordinator on climate, said at a news conference in the capital, Islamabad.

Doctors say they treated hundreds of patients in the eastern city of Lahore, while scores of people were brought to hospitals in Hyderabad, Larkana and Jacobabad districts in the southern Sindh province.

“The situation has been getting worse since yesterday, when people affected by heat started coming to hospitals in the Punjab province,” said Ghulam Farid, a senior health official.

Pakistan has set up emergency response centres at hospitals to treat patients affected by the heat.

The state-run ambulance service is now carrying bottled water and ice to provide emergency treatment to victims of the heat, health officials said.

Imran Khan hints at launching street agitation; instructs party supporters to wait for his call

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) founding chairman and jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday hinted at launching a street agitation to protest what he called “political persecution” of his party workers and instructed his party’s leadership and supporters to wait for his call.

In a message to his party workers, the 71-year-old former cricketerturned-politician claimed that during the “past two darkest years in Pakistan’s history, PTI’s political persecution was carried on with complete impunity”.

“My message for my nation: we must now be ready to practically struggle against this fascist

mafia. I instruct all of you— my central party leadership, central, provincial and local party organisation, members, workers, supporters and the common man to wait for my street agitation call,” Khan said in his message posted on X. In his message on Wednesday, Khan said he has repeatedly emphasised that economic stability cannot be achieved without having political stability, and the last two years have shown how the economic conditions of the common man have worsened when a performing government was “ousted by the military establishment and their puppets were installed”.

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Shah Rukh Khan discharged from Ahmedabad hospital after receiving treatment for heat stroke

Actor Shah Rukh Khan, who was admitted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad after suffering from a heat stroke, was discharged from the facility on Thursday evening, a police official said.

“Khan has been discharged from the hospital this evening. He left for the airport from the hospital,” said Ahmedabad (Rural) Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat.

The actor was admitted to the multi-specialty KD Hospital here on Wednesday. The private hospital has not yet issued any statement on Khan’s health condition. The actor was in Ahmedabad on Tuesday to attend an Indian Premier League (IPL) match of his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team at the Narendra

Modi Stadium. Several parts of Gujarat have been reeling under a severe heatwave for the last couple of days.

As per a report by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ahmedabad city was under “heatwave” on Tuesday and Wednesday when it recorded a maximum temperature of 45.2 and 45.9 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said he won’t resign because it will set a precedent and give the BJP-led Central government a free hand to target opposition chief ministers, including Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin. And this, he said, is dangerous for democracy.

In an interview to PTI Videos on Wednesday, Kejriwal, who will have to go back to Tihar Jail after his interim bail ends on June 1, said he will approach the court to allow him to fulfil his duties as chief minister of Delhi from prison.

The AAP national convener was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in connection with a money-laundering case related to his government’s liquor excise policy. The BJP has been demanding his resignation since he has been arrested by the

Arvind Kejriwal refuses to resign as CM of New Delhi 8

Eight people were killed and more than 60 injured following an explosion at a chemical factory in Maharashtra’s Thane district on Thursday afternoon, officials said.

As a boiler exploded at Amudan Chemicals located in Phase 2 of Dombivli MIDC area around 1.40 pm, the impact of the explosion and the resultant blaze affected adjacent factories and houses, they said. The affected chemical factory produced food colours and used peroxides that are highly reactive and unstable chemicals that can cause violent explosions

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Gupta has been charged by the US government with trying to hire a hitman to assassinate Pannun.

The court dismissed Gupta’s plea challenge rulings of the Municipal Court in Prague dated November 23, 2023, and the High Court in Prague dated January 8, 2024. Both had okayed the admissibility of the US extradition request.

Gupta had contested the decision of the lower courts, alleging political motives. The constitutional court held that the lower courts meticulously reviewed all extradition documents submitted by the US government, along with additional information provided by the US in response to Gupta’s objections.

Four months ago, in January, the constitutional court, had made an interim decision to suspend the lower courts’ rulings.

Kejriwal and his party have accused the BJP government of framing him, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and other leaders in “fake cases”.

“I worked in the slums of Delhi after resigning from the post of income tax commissioner. Nobody had asked for my resignation when I stepped down within 49 days (in 2013) after becoming the chief minister of Delhi. In a way, I kicked the chair of the chief minister while nobody gives up even a peon’s job,” he said. “I did not resign as chief minister deliberately this time as it is part of my struggle.”

Kejriwal said the Aam Aadmi Party got 67 assembly seats (in 2015) and 62 seats (in 2020), and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hatched a conspiracy to arrest him because he saw AAP cannot be defeated in elections in Delhi.

under certain conditions, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said. The blast was so loud that it was heard a kilometre away, an eyewitness said. Glass windows of adjoining buildings cracked while many houses in the vicinity were damaged, officials said.

In November 2023, US prosecutors charged Gupta with a plot to kill at least four Sikh separatists in America, including Pannun.

The US alleges that Gupta had paid $100,000 (approximately Rs 80 lakh) in cash to a hitman to assassinate Pannun, who hold dual citizenship of the US and Canada. The hitman, Gupta contacted was an undercover agent of a US agency. The US says, Gupta was allegedly directed by an Indian government official who was not named or charged. Indian Union Home Ministry has designated Pannun — who heads Sikhs for Justice — as a terrorist for his association with the movement for Khalistan. In the past, the White House raised the alleged assassination plot with India at the senior levels. Indian officials distanced themselves from the plot, saying such actions were against the government policy.

Capt Amarinder Singh skips PM Modi’s rally on home turf; is unwell and resting at Delhi home

Punjab former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who joined the BJP two years back, did not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Patiala rally on Thursday owing to health issues.

“Capt Amarinder is resting at Delhi home, unwell since May 14, prior intimation of absence given to PMO, “ said his OSD Bhambri.

A close friend of Capt Amarinder Singh said that following some health issues he might give the event a miss. “He is recuperating fine and should be alright in a few days. Following

medical advice, he is not likely to attend the Patiala rally,” he said.

Insiders said the entire poll campaign was planned in such a manner that Amarinder would give a last-minute push to the campaign of his wife.

“However, his missing from today’s big rally is a setback”, said a senior leader.

Amarinder’s absence means Preneet Kaur and his daughter Jai Inder Kaur would have to manage the campaign on their own as they have been doing for the past month.

Farmers hold ‘black flag march’ at PM’s rally

Farmers of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha will hold black flag protest on the day of the PM’s rally in Jalandhar on May 24. The decision in this regard was taken in Jalandhar by farmers after a meeting at the local Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall today. Farmers’ groups said they will hold peaceful black flag protests and march towards the rally venue while chanting slogans of “Go back Modi”. Farmers said they will not disrupt the event or cause any kind of inconvenience to commuters.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav also visited the rally venue today to review security arrangements. Over 5,000 police personnel will be deputed in Jalandhar on the day of the rally, officials said. Teams of the Special Protection Group have also been deputed in Jalandhar to minutely organise stringent security measures at the event. IAF choppers were also deployed to hold mock drills at the rally site today. A steady stream of police officials and leaders visited the rally venue all day, reviewing arrangements.

While heavy deputations of the forces will

be witnessed in the district on May 24, senior police officials said forces will also be brought in from adjoining districts to ensure security at the event. Meanwhile, deputations across rural areas in Jalandhar will also be increased on May 24.

At the meeting held today, all key Doaba farmers’ unions of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha participated. Unions said they will take care not to pose trouble to commuters and the public during their protest. Farm leaders from BKU Rajewal, Kirti Kisan Union, BKU Lakhowal, Azad Kisan Sangarsh Committee, Pendu Mazdoor Union, Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Kul Hind Kisan Sabha, Bharti Kosan Union were present at the meeting.

While Jalandhar district’s (urban and rural) areas were recently declared no-drone zones days ago, according to senior police personnel, antisabotage and frisking teams will be deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the rally.

Meanwhile, tents for seating 50,000 people have begun to be erected at the rally venue in Jalandhar amidst arrangements for coolers and

‘Star-studded’

election campaign dazzles voters in Punjab’s Faridkot

The duo of Aam Aadmi Party’s Faridkot candidate and famous Punjabi actor Karamjit Singh Anmol and the former “Raj Gayak” of Punjab and BJP candidate Hans Raj Hans, is bringing some stardust to sweltering hot Faridkot, which is sizzling at 44°C.

While the former has the support of the bigwigs of Punjabi film industry, the latter is backed by strong cadres of his party. Anmol has been running a concerted campaign, elaborating the vision of his “close friend”, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to make Punjab ‘Rangla Punjab’, Hans explains how a “double BJP engine is what Punjab needs to get back on the growth trajectory”, amid a group of farmers from different unions, continuously harassing him by refusing to allow him to campaign.

From famous Punjabi actors — Binnu

Dhillon, Gippy Grewal, Mandy Takhar and Gurmeet Sajjan to BJP and RSS loyalists from neighbouring Haryana and Rajasthan — all have converged here to campaign for the two “stars”, in an effort to better their chances at the hustings.

No wonder that the presence of these stars has brought a sense of joie de vivre amongst the residents. At the main bazar in Kotkapura town, amid the shops that sell beautifully handcrafted khundas and offer “chai sutta” at a bar, 25-year-old Amrik Singh says with the two parties fielding “stars”, the election has brought in some novelty for residents. Such is the enchantment that these stars that have become the talking point, rather than the posters of Bhindranwale that line most poles on central verges and aprons of roads, reminding people of the 40th Blue Star anniversary.

All parties siding with Congress guilty of anti-Sikh riots: PM Modi

Ahead of the commencement of his Punjab Lok Sabha campaign from Patiala on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress, recalling the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the “injustice the community faced thereafter”.

Describing the Congress as an “extremely communal party”, the PM said everyone, “including my Muslim brothers, should recognise the extreme communal character of the Congress”. “Today, I want to ask several questions of the people of Delhi. My Sikh brothers and sisters were burnt alive with ablaze tires hung around their necks. Whose sin was it? Today, every party standing under the Congress umbrella is guilty of the anti-Sikh riots,” the Prime Minister said, addressing an election rally in Delhi’s Dwarka.

PM Modi said it was the BJP-led NDA government that was “securing justice for the anti-Sikh riot victims”.

“Modi is getting justice for the victims of the anti-Sikh riots. Modi constituted an SIT immediately after assuming power at the Centre and ensured punishment for the guilty Congress leaders who were roaming freely,” he said. The Prime Minister said for the opposition INDIA bloc, “nothing was more important than their vote bank”. “Now, time has come to recognise such extremely communal people. My Muslim brothers should also recognise this,” he said. He also accused the “Khan Market gang ecosystem of accusing him of doing Hindu-Muslim politics whenever he exposed extremely communal acts of opposition INDIA bloc with facts”.