Asian Star - December 17, 2016

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www.theasianstar.com AsianStar logo Saturday, April 25, 2015 6:42:48 PM

Vol 15 - Issue 46

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Extreme cold puts strain on local services

Raja Dhillon Read on Page 8....

The sustained period of cold weather in Metro Vancouver is causing a strain even for those used to being outside.

And with the below-freezing overnight temperatures expected to last until Saturday or even Sunday evening, the chill will continue to make life difficult for many.

Vancouver firefighters, already stretched because of the overdose crisis in the Downtown Eastside, have been tending to more fire calls than usual this month.

In an average month, Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services (VFRS) receives 1,198 calls — but they’ve already faced more than 1,650

House prices drops for 2nd straight month in Vancouver Houses prices in Metro Vancouver dropped for a second straight month.

A new report released Wednesday indicates house prices in Vancouver retreated for a second straight month in November, with one market watcher saying they have further to fall. Prices in Toronto continued their ascent, rising for a tenth straight month, as they gained 1.1 per cent in

November, according to the report on the Teranet-National Bank housing price index.

The two-month drop in Vancouver that ended a run of 21 consecutive months of price increases has now pulled down prices in the city by a cumulative 1.9 per cent, the report says.

Continued on Page 9...

Pakistani-Canadian accused of inciting mosque attack An attack on a mosque in Chakwal, Pakistan, has led to calls for an investigation in Canada over allegations a Toronto-area man was part of a group that vowed “extreme measures” against the place of worship.

A mob of about 1,000 surrounded the mosque belonging to minority Ahmadiyya Muslims, according to Pakistani newspapers The Nation and Dawn, as well as social media posts, some showing video of the damage.

The incident Monday reportedly came after locals filed a petition with police claiming “infidels” were illegally occupying the building and unless action was taken “we will be forced to take extreme measures to liberate this mosque.”

Continued on Page 6...

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An Alberta restaurant worker from Pakistan has been ordered out of Canada after facial recognition software analyzed his driver’s license photo and declared he is really someone else entirely. While Farhan Mahmood says it is a bizarre case of two men with the same face, Canada Border Services Agency says its use of biometric technology caught a man who shouldn’t be in Canada.

It is among the first reported cases of CBSA proactively using facial recognition data to probe immigrant status although the technology has been a priority interest for the agency for years.

Continued on Page 6...

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Nine die from overdoses overnight in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Nine people died from overdoses in Vancouver overnight, says Vancouver’s police chief. Chief Adam Palmer made the announcement on Friday morning, and joined Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson in calling for the provincial government to shift its focus from harmreduction to addiction treatment in fighting the region’s opioid crisis.

The chief called for both detox help and longerterm treatment for those who claim they’re ready to get off drugs.

“Imagine you’re a person addicted to drugs” and homeless with a mental illness. People who want to get help are told to wait nine days, he said. The system is not easy to navigate for those who seek treatment, said Mark Tyndall of the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. “Tell me what number you call,” he asked rhetorically.

Robertson expressed concerns about the “horrific” impact that important harm-reduction work has on those providing it. He added that governments have not properly dealt with the root causes of drug addiction nor given enough attention to treatment, and we are now seeing the results of that. “It’s desperate times in Vancouver, and it’s hard to see any silver lining,” Robertson said.

“We’ve been treading water for many years with Canada’s only harm-reduction strategy of note.”

Mental health and the housing crisis have played a role in addiction and the current overdose epidemic, Robertson added.

On Tuesday, the City of Vancouver approved a 3.9-percent property tax increase that included 0.5 per cent earmarked specifically to fight the city’s drug crisis.

3 die in BC from extreme cold weather The service is warning the public to take extra care as Environment Canada has posted alerts for arctic outflow warnings for many parts of the province.

The service says two of the deaths occurred in the CaribooChilcotin area, the third happened in the upper Fraser Valley and all three are still being investigated.

Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says while hypothermia can kill anyone, the elderly and people with mobility challenges are at greatest risk so friends and neighbours should look out for them.

The service is also warning about the risks of fire or carbonmonoxide poisoning that can result as people use makeshift heaters to stay warm.

It says homes should never be heated by a stove or oven, flammable items should be kept at a distance from space heaters and generators should not be operated indoors.

3

More snow forecast this weekend for Metro Vancouver

Before snow from the first storm had a chance to fully melt away, another snow storm is expected to hit the B.C. South Coast.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for all of the South Coast, calling for

snow to arrive on Saturday and Sunday.

A Pacific front is expected to hit late Saturday with snow developing in the evening and to continue on Sunday. A second front will arrive Sunday afternoon

with snow continuing into the night.

The cold temperatures experienced in the region this past week will be pushed out and replaced with warmer temperatures up to 2 C as the snow gradually turns to rain on Sunday night.

Environment Canada said snowfall levels will be varied across the region, but a complete changeover to rain for most areas is expected by Monday afternoon. However, the Fraser Valley and Howe Sound from Squamish to Whistler may continue to see snow throughout the day. There could also be a risk of freezing rain in those areas, along with inland parts of Vancouver Island including Port Alberni.

The snow melt, mixed with rainfall, on Monday could cause localized flooding in some areas on Monday. Global BC meteorologist Kristi Gordon said Friday will remain cold and clear with a high of -2 C forecasted for Vancouver. If temperatures fall that low, Friday could be the coldest day reported at Vancouver International Airport since Jan. 18, 2012.

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2016-12-02 12:04 PM

4

OPINION

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Universal pharmacare will cut costs and save lives

By Colleen Flood, Troy Media Most Canadians would agree that those who need potentially life-saving medications should have ready access to them. Yet prescription drug coverage in Canada varies widely depending on where you live, your health status, income and age.

It’s time for a universal pharmacare program.

Canadians don’t like to hear this, but when it comes to pharmaceuticals, our health insurance system has plenty in common with the United States. In fact, the U.S. is marginally ahead of us where prescription medication is concerned.

Provinces usually cover medications for the very poor - but so does the U.S. system. Provinces also tend to cover seniors, although not as generously as in the U.S., since many provinces have or are in the process of de-insuring so-called “wealthy” seniors because of budget constraints. Limited provincial drug plans are riffled with deductibles and co-payments, meaning financial barriers still deter many from getting the drugs they need.

This U.S.-style approach to prescription medications leaves us with U.S.-style results (that’s not good). Many Canadians have no drug insurance and one in five Canadians now report that someone in their household is not taking their prescription medicine due to concerns about

costs.

The results are devastating for Canadian health.

For example, Ontario insures bunion removal and in vitro fertilization services, but not insulin for young and middle-aged diabetics. As a result, an estimated 830 diabetic patients die in Ontario every year from want of something as basic as insulin.

Here’s something else we have in common with the U.S.: despite not covering everyone, we still manage to spend more on drugs than most other countries. Consider England and New Zealand, where everyone is covered for a broad range of prescription drugs, there are minimal co-payments and, for poor or high users, many drugs are completely free. All this and they still spend much less on prescriptions than Canada or the U.S. Why? Universal drug plans mean national bodies negotiate fairer prices for prescription drugs. The results are dramatic. In 2009, the cholesterollowering drug simvastatin (20 mg) cost 2.4 cents in New Zealand compared to a whopping 62.5 cents in Ontario.

So while some critics claim that universal drug insurance is a nice idea but not affordable, it’s very clear that such insurance is actually the key to affordability.

So how can we make universal pharmacare

happen?

One strategy is to expand the Canada Health Act to include pharmaceuticals but let the provinces largely run the show. Participating provinces would agree to a fair process using an independent agency to identify essential medicines. The federal government could provide a limited budget of, say, $5 billion for this program, paid as transfers to the provinces over 10 years.

Provinces could also collect premiums as a percentage of income, like a pension plan, to help cover the costs. Or they could stream premiums from private insurance plans into a central purchasing pool. The list of essential medicines wouldn’t be set in stone. If drug prices are negotiated down, resources are freed up to add more drugs. And each province could negotiate its own prices with drug companies, but ideally most would agree to negotiate together to increase purchasing power. A more ambitious strategy would be to create a federally-administered pharmaceutical plan for essential medicines. This offers a new vision for health care in Canada by maximizing the buying power of a nation. Under this plan, pharmacies could bill the federal government directly when Canadians present prescriptions for essential drugs.

It’s not as expensive as it sounds.

About $5 billion would likely cover a core list of approximately 150 essential medicines, making them free for all. Money could be saved by eliminating tax-breaks offered to private insurance plans. Private insurers would still cover drugs not included in the basket of essential medicines or other health services. There would be no need to change the Canada Health Act. In the spirit of cooperative federalism, this option could be offered to provinces without any legal requirement to participate. And employers would have the benefit of a significant reduction in the costs of keeping their workforce healthy. With at least two viable models for universal pharmacare, it’s possible to be fiscally conservative without burdening Canadian patients in need of drugs.

Colleen M. Flood is director of the Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics, University of Ottawa, and an expert advisor with EvidenceNetwork.ca.

www.theasianstar.com # 202 - 7028, 120th Street, Surrey, BC V3W 3M8 Ph: 604-591-5423 Fax: 604-591-8615 E-mail: editor@theasianstar.com Editor: Umendra Singh Associate Editor: Shruti Prakash Joshi Marketing and Sales: Ravinder S. Cheema........604-715-3847 Shamir Doshi....................604-649-7827 Harminder Kaur...............778-708-0481 Parminder Dhillon..........778-859-9234 Layout: Avee J Waseer Pre-Press: Iftikhar Ahmed Contributing writers: Jag Dhatt, Akash Sablok, Kamila Singh, Jay Bains Photographer: Chandra Bodalia Publication Mail Agreement No 428336012 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept.

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

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LOCAL

Saturday, December 17, 2016

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Man with 2 faces facing deportation to Pakistan Continued from Page 1...

CBSA says Farhan Mahmood, 38, and Muhammad Irfan, 39, are the same person — in the flesh but not on paper.

Irfan came to Canada from Pakistan in 2003 and was refused a work permit that year and again in 2004. Immigration records show he left Canada on Sept. 23, 2003.

Although Irfan didn’t get a work permit, he did get an Alberta driver’s license on Feb. 26, 2003, a process that included having his photo taken.

Mahmood says he first came to Canada from Pakistan on Nov. 13, 2005, and obtained a work permit that year.

Even to an untrained eye the Irfan image and Mahmood images have striking similarities.

On April 11, 2007, Mahmood walked into the same Edmonton service office and had his photo taken for his driver’s license. Both photos were entered into the Alberta Motor Vehicle System called MOVES. Mahmood and Irfan both applied for a permit to work at the same restaurant owned

by Tariq Chaudhry, who sponsored both applications.

In 2014, Mahmood filed a lawsuit against Chaudhry alleging abusive labour practices.

The split between the two was acrimonious and shortly after the lawsuit was filed, Chaudhry reported to CBSA that Mahmood’s real name was Irfan.

Regardless of the motive behind Chaudhry’s tip, CBSA investigated Mahmood’s identity.

Irfan’s 2003 driver’s license photo was run through the Alberta MOVES database: the system flagged Mahmood’s 2007 driver’s license photo as a 100% match and his 2012 photo as an 82.5% match.

At the request of CBSA, Gord Bryant, supervisor of Alberta’s facial recognition unit, did a manual comparison as well. He concluded the photos are “the strongest possible match.” CBSA sought to have Mahmood kicked out of Canada on the grounds he misrepresented himself.

It wasn’t easy for the various checks and balances in the system to decide what to do with him.

Pakistani-Canadian accused of inciting mosque attack

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One of the names near the top of the petition was Haji Malik Rashid Ahmed, whom Ahmadiyyas say is a Canadian. A news website that reports on the Ahmadiyya community, Rabwah Times, said he had spoken about the issue at mosques in the Chakwal area. A video posted by the site appears to show him talking to police in the aftermath of the attack.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Canada, which represents Canadian Ahmadiyya Muslims, raised the issue at a meeting with Global Affairs Canada, said Asif Khan, the organization’s director of public relations.

Khan said he informed federal officials that a

Canadian was possibly involved and sent them the relevant documentation. He also asked whether Global Affairs would inform the RCMP, or if his organization should do it.

“We don’t want stuff like that here,” Khan said Tuesday. While violence against religious minorities is commonplace in Pakistan, he called the conduct “un-Canadian” and said he hoped whatever laws applied would be enforced.

In Pakistan, Ahmadiyyas are prohibited from “indirectly or directly posing as a Muslim,” publicly declaring or propagating their faith, building mosques or referring to them as such, and making public calls to prayer, according to Human Rights Watch.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Extreme cold puts strain on local services Continued from Page 1...

“It could be because this is one of the more prolonged cold stretches we’ve had in a few years ... it might mean people are using more space heaters,” said Jonathan Gormick, public information officer with VFRS. He’s warning the public not to overload their electrical systems by plugging in too many device on the same circuit, and to make sure any space heaters being used are CSA or ULCapproved.

The largest fire in the Metro Vancouver region on Tuesday was at a homeless camp in Chilliwack, near Yale Road and Alexander Avenue.

Officials say it started in or around a tent, and there was significant damage. However, nobody was injured, and shelter arrangements have been offered to those affected.

Close to 200 extra shelter spaces have been opened up in Vancouver alone, but Judy Graves, the retired City of Vancouver advocate for the homeless, says there will always be some people who choose to stay on the streets even on bitterly cold nights.

“People who remain on the streets, even when we have the extra shelters open, often have social anxiety disorders. They’re not able to handle the noise and the number of people in a shelter,” she said.

“This is the time, you know, where people are in your neighbourhood, to go out and make sure they have hot coffee, soup, that they can get a bit of respite. If you have extra blankets, even to go out and put an extra blanket over someone when they’re sleeping, is a real gift right now.”

For those who work outside though, they have no choice but to bundle up and bear it.

Michael Bullock is a carpenter. He doesn’t skimp when it comes to clothing during a cold snap. “I got a neck warmer, long sleeve, two T-shirts, a vest and a hoodie on top.”

He says last week he was wearing two extra jackets, and that layers are key when coping with the cold. Though it’s been sunny, the cold temperatures make it tough for Bullock and others who work outside to do their jobs.

Greg Armstrong leads bicycle tours around Vancouver. He says having a full stomach is essential for him.

“Eat well. Don`t go hungry,” he said. “You get even colder when you’re hungry.”

He also recommends wearing a thin base layer for anyone cycling through the cold snap.

For others, it’s all about perspective. Razvan Cojocariu is a doorman at the Shangri La hotel.

He says, “it’s not so bad because we’re exempt from rest of Canada. We only got to deal with this for a week or so, not like the rest of them who have to deal for about six months.”

LOCAL

7

PERSON OF THE WEEK

8

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Raja Dhillon

Right decision and hard work lead up to Success

S

ince the childhood, we are always taught to set aim and hit for the bull's eye for a better career.

No doubt the approach makes a person focused but what if someone doesn't have a clear idea for professional goals and still gives hundred percent of the efforts for every task he/she does? definitely success will kiss his/her feet.

Such is the case with Mr. Raja Dhillon, who is familiar to most of us in the Greater Vancouver area. With his magnetic personality and connecting smile, this young Real Estate agent captures every heart around him.

"If I am providing my services to someone, I prefer

hurdles along my way and there was a time when I left the field but it seems like this work is made for me, so I came back", added Mr. Dhillon.

For his success in the field, he credits his way of dealing with people who seek advice from him.

He started his real estate career with Coldwell Banker, where he was ranked no 1. realtor for last year and recently he has started with Royal Le Page.

"Confidence and honesty for the job is what I would say makes you stand out in

"I was not too sure if any other field was of my interest but whatever I did since my childhood, I would focus myself to that"

it to be a relationship based consultancy rather than a mere business of give and take", told him in an interview with The Asian Star.

Raja was always active in co curricular activities in India. Dancing, Singing and Acting were some of his passions and he always wanted to pursue acting as his career.

"I was not too sure if any other field was of my interest but whatever I did since my childhood, I would focus myself to that", said him.

After coming to Canada in 2002, like many other immigrants he started of with some odd jobs and after a while because of his natural talent of public speaking, he started working with Radio India.

"Working at the Radio station was the turning point. I got to meet a lot of people and it was there that I explored my interest in sales. I got into Taxi industry, cellphone selling and changed many jobs", smiled Mr. Dhillon.

Recalling his past experiences he told that his job as a Sales Person in Surrey

Honda was a confidence booster for him and within his first year he became the best Sales Person at the organization.

After getting ample of experience with sales, this passionate champ jumped into the Real estate market and have been doing it for almost six years now.

Every time he talked about Real Estate, his

happiness doubled, it seemed like he had been doing the business since the time he jumped into his professional life.

"There were variety of

the field", told him.

Apart from being a responsible Realtor, Raja is also a very loving father, who would not leave a moment to spend with his daughter and son.

His wife Gurpreet Dhillon is a CPA and has recently joined in as a realtor.

Raja Dhillon firmly believes in giving back to the community, and he keeps participating in community donation activities around the year.

He also contributed in Kids Play's event.

His dedication, attitude and focus itself is an inspiration for youngsters.

For details contact: 604.249.4444 www.rajadhillon.com

LOCAL

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Canada adopts lottery system for reuniting immigrants with parents and grandparents Canada is adopting a lottery system to replace the current first-come, first-served immigration process to reunite parents and grandparents.

The change, which will take effect in the new year, is designed to make the system fair for all applicants, according to a release from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. In past, the number of applications has far exceeded the number of available spots, creating a backlog in applications. “We’re listening to what past applicants

had to say and making the process fairer for people who want to sponsor their parents or grandparents,� Immigration Minister John McCallum said in a statement. “We’re ensuring everyone can access the application process by giving them the same chance to have their name chosen.�

Between Jan. 3 and Feb. 2, 2017, Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to sponsor their parents or grandparents will be required to complete an online form on the IRCC website within 30 days.

Once the information is properly

transmitted, the prospective sponsor will get a confirmation number. The release from IRCC says duplicate entries will be removed.

It warns that completing the form does not mean person has applied to sponsor under the program. Instead, at the end of the 30 days, IRCC will randomly pick 10,000 prospective sponsors and invite them to complete the full application for the Parent and Grandparent Program. They will have 90 days to submit a full application. IRCC will let everyone who completed an online form know whether or not they were chosen.

Prospective sponsors who weren’t selected can go through the same process in 2018.

Last week, McCallum announced the government would cut the waiting time for family reunification by half, promising to complete the process in one year from an average of two years. The government will admit 20,000 parents and grandparents to Canada under the program in 2017, the same number as this year. Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents can also apply for a super visa, which allows them to extend a visit for up to two years after the initial entry into Canada. A 10-year multiple-entry visa allows several visits of up to six months at a time.

Jade said the new lottery system will modernize the process, moving it from a paper-based system to an online application.

He said there are questions around how the random selection process will unfold, and whether a second round will be held if chosen prospective sponsors either don’t submit applications, or have their applications disqualified.

9

House prices drops for 2nd straight month in Vancouver Continued from Page 1...

National Bank economist Marc Pinsonneault said in a commentary that the drop in Vancouver was concentrated in dwellings other than condos. “This is consistent with the fact that the decline in house sales since their peak last February started in detached dwellings, and is so far deeper in that category. “Due to measures imposed by government (qualification for an insured mortgage, 15 per cent tax on foreigners’ acquisitions, etc.), house prices still have a downside in Vancouver,� Pinsonneault said. “We have yet to see a slowdown in response to the new ruling regarding the qualification for an insured mortgage,� the report say.

Among the 11 urban areas included in the report, only Hamilton saw a bigger price increase than Toronto, with a gain of 1.4 per cent from October.

November prices were down from the month before in Winnipeg and Edmonton, at 0.2 per cent, and in Ottawa-Gatineau, which had a drop of 0.8 per cent.

On the plus side, Montreal prices in November rose 0.9 per cent, Calgary increased 0.7 per cent, Quebec City and Victoria both rose up 0.4 per cent and Halifax was ahead by 0.6 per cent.

On a year-over-year basis, Vancouver was still the leader in the country, with a 12-month gain to November of 19.3 per cent. Toronto prices were up 18.5 per cent over the same time period.

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LOCAL

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Canada Summer Jobs 2017 now accepting applications from employers To get a greater number of Canadian youth working next summer during Canada’s 150th anniversary year, all notfor-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and small businesses with up to 50 employees can now apply for funding from the Government of Canada.

The Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program creates summer job opportunities and valuable work experience for full-time students aged 15 to 30 years old.

In Fleetwood Port Kells, the priorities focus on crime prevention, the environment, and activities to promote multiculturalism in our community, but all eligible applicants are encouraged to apply.

Employers are also invited to include applications that complement this year’s identified national priorities, which include: • employers involved in the welcome and settlement of immigrants (including Syrian refugees) in Canada; • employers that hire Indigenous people; • opportunities in Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Information, and Communications Technology (ICT); • employers involved in activities celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation; and • small businesses, in recognition of their contribution to the creation of new jobs.

The application period runs until January 20, 2017. Applicants approved for funding will be able to hire students as early as April 2017.

For further information and to apply, please visit Canada.ca/Canada-summerjobs or a Service Canada Centre.

Canada Summer Jobs is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy, which is its commitment to help young people, particularly those facing barriers to employment, get the information and gain the skills, work experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition to the labour market.

Windsor man given terrorism peace bond with 17 conditions for traveling to ISIL territory Ten days after flying out of Toronto’s Pearson airport on Nov. 3, 2013, Mohammed El Shaer was photographed outside an ISILcontrolled police station in a Syrian border town called Atmeh, raising his index finger in the jihadists’ salute.

Standing beside him was Ahmad Waseem, whom El Shaer had accompanied from their hometown, Windsor, Ont. Three years later, Waseem is dead, killed fighting with ISIL, and on Thursday a judge imposed a terrorism peace bond on El Shaer. Following a day-long hearing, Justice Lloyd Dean placed 17 restrictions on El Shaer, including that he not communicate with ISIL supporters. He must surrender his passport and wear a GPS electronic ankle bracelet for six months.

The Crown had wanted a one-year term with the GPS but the judge said El Shaer had

already been wearing one for the six months since his arrest and he now had the chance to show he could be trusted without one. “I’ll give you that opportunity Mr. El Shaer.”

He also cannot leave Windsor, go to any airport or possess weapons, objects with terrorist logos or devices that can access the Internet. An 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew was imposed.

The conditions are for one year, except the GPS. Police have been using terrorism peace bonds to prevent suspected extremists from leaving Canada to join ISIL and other terror groups. The court-approved orders are controversial because they can severely restrict the freedoms of those who have not been charged with any crimes.

“It’s important to realize that Mr. El Shaer has not been found guilty of any terrorism offence,” Justice Dean said.

Surrey Board of Trade supports recent provincial changes to MSP SURREY – The Surrey Board of Trade’s believes that BC is the only province that pays a regressive healthcare premium. The premium is shouldered by employers as part of a benefit package or paid outright by contractors and consultants. This simply is not fair to BC’s business community, SBOT says.

“We put forward a position early in 2016 requesting the provincial government to consider overhauling the MSP system, using

the new Provincial Tax Competitiveness Commission (PTCC),” said CEO Anita Huberman. “Yesterday’s announcement is supportable as it decreases the financial burden of MSP on those earning less. It is a very good step forward.”

Ideally, the Surrey Board of Trade would like the MSP to be replaced with a possible system of payroll tax and an income tax

surcharge, as is done in Ontario, that would be scaled based on income.

“We would prefer to see the elimination of one more line item on payrolls to help reduce the burden on the businesses that provide economic wealth to this province,” said Huberman.

She added, “Decreasing the rates for lower income families leaves that little bit more in their pockets to provide for themselves and their children.

And every little bit helps.”

Saturday, December 17, 2016

BC offers interest-free loans up to $37,500 to 1st-time homebuyers The B.C. government is offering to help firsttime homebuyers cover the cost of a mortgage down payment with an interest-free loan.

The B.C. Home Owner Mortgage and Equity Partnership program will provide a maximum of $37,500 — or up to five per cent of the purchase price — with a 25year loan that is interest-free and payment-free for the first five years.

“I think most people who have bought their first home can look back and remember how hard it was to make that down payment,” said Premier Christy Clark.

“We must make sure it is easier for first-time

home buyers to find their way into a really tough housing market right here.”

“Our B.C. government wants to be your partner, if you want to buy your first home.”

The intention of the program is to assist people who can afford the mortgage payments on a new home but are challenged to make the down payment.

The province will start accepting applications for the program on Jan. 16, 2017.

Homebuyers will pay no monthly interest or principal payments over the first five years as long as the home remains their principal residence.

BC housing incentives widely panned by experts It’s not every day economists agree on something but on Thursday, there seemed to be a clear consensus among Vancouver economic and housing experts that the B.C. government had made a wrong turn.

Thursday morning, Premier Christy Clark announced her government would use income from growing property transfer taxes to effectively get into the mortgage loan business. Their plan is supposed to make it easier for first-time home buyers to enter B.C.’s hot housing market by using government funds to match down payments up to $37,500, or five per cent of the purchase price, for a maximum property value of $750,000. Clark says it’s an interest-free, 25-year loan with no payments due for the first five years.

An estimated 42,000 households are expected to take advantage of the perk.

The timing of the announcement, just months ahead of a provincial election, also comes several months after the Metro Vancouver housing market began to cool.

Sales have dipped since July while prices across most markets are dropping. Many residents have celebrated the industry’s stagnation after a sizzling three years, where prices grew by as much as 70 per cent,

shutting many prospective buyers out of the market altogether.

Many also applauded the 15 per cent foreign buyer’s tax introduced in July that effectively cut demand in the detached home market across Metro Vancouver.

Even Clark admitted the slow down was a good thing.

“The market was incredibly overheated,” Clark said back in September. “I would argue it was distorted, the prices were going up way too fast, and if we have helped slow that down, that’s good.” But now, experts say the B.C. Liberals’ new plan to aid first-time home buyers will do the opposite of what Clark was previously so proud of.

Global News spoke with four local economic and housing experts who all agreed Clark’s big announcement was a blunder.

Here’s their take on what went wrong: “[It’s a] terrible policy. There is of course some benefit to first-time buyers. But a lot of the benefit goes instead to sellers, since the cheap debt available makes people willing to pay more for homes. The share of the benefit going to sellers (and developers) is greatest in markets like Vancouver where too much demand chases not enough supply.

Ethics watchdog to question Justin Trudeau on ‘concerns’ about fundraising events Canada’s ethics watchdog wants to question Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about his attendance at so-called “cash-for-access” fundraising events, but she will not launch a formal investigation at this time.

In a letter responding to requests for an inquiry from the Conservatives and the NDP, Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson said there is no evidence to date that demonstrates Trudeau or Bill Blair, parliamentary secretary to the minister of Justice, violated the Conflict of Interest Act. “While the information provided in support of the allegations is not sufficient to cause me to initiate an examination under the act at this time, your letter and media articles leave me with concerns in relation to Mr. Trudeau’s interactions with individuals involved with the canola export agreement, Wealth One Bank, and Anbang Insurance Group,” Dawson wrote to interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose.

“Consequently, I will follow up with Mr.

Trudeau regarding his involvement with the fundraising events and with the three above-noted matters. I will inform you of the outcome in due course.”

Dawson was referring to events cited by the opposition parties and reported by the Globe and Mail and other media that took place in Vancouver and Toronto.

Those reports raised questions about various interactions between Trudeau and attendees, including Toronto businessman Thomas Liu, who has financial interest in canola exports to China, Shengling Xian, founder of Wealth One Bank of Canada, and Miaofei Pan, who told the Globe he spoke with Trudeau about foreign investment issues that could affect the Anbang Insurance Group.

Dawson also responded to a concern raised related to a fundraising event attended by Blair, who is the government’s point man on legalization of marijuana. That event was also attended by people involved with the Cannabis Friendly Business Association.

LOCAL

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LOCAL

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Pitt Meadows councillor charged with 1992 sexual assault Pitt Meadows Coun. David Murray is charged with sexual offences against a person under 14 in a case dating back to 1992. The alleged sexual assault, which took place nearly 25 years ago, involved a young person whose identity is protected by a publication ban.

Charges of sexual assault and sexual touching were originally laid in November of 2016.

Court documents say the alleged incidents took place between January and December of 1992.

Murray appeared in court today to set a date for his next appearance which will be Jan. 12. Murray was first elected in 2011, the same year he ran as a

federal NDP candidate in Abbotsford.

He is currently a Port Coquitlam parks department employee.

The father of two has served on various sports teams, including the Pitt Meadows Soccer Club, the Ridge Meadows Minor Baseball Association, and as a high school basketball coach for more than 30 years, according to his biography on the city’s website.

Calls to the mayor and the City of Pitt Meadows have not yet been returned.

It is unclear if Murray is stepping down from his position until the matter is dealt with in court.

Medical policy to blame for opioid crisis, says former Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan According to former Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan, the city’s fentanyl crisis should be solved by changing medical policy not increasing taxes.

On Dec. 13, the City of Vancouver approved a new budget which includes a 0.5 per cent property tax hike to fight the overdose crisis. The city says it will use the tax to pay for addition firefighters, police officers and shelter space.

“This is a very complex problem,” Sullivan said. “The city is doing something laudable, but clearly it’s not just the money. It’s not a problem that was caused by a lack of money.

This was caused by a change in medical policy.”

The former mayor and current MLA for

Vancouver-False Creek claims the fentanyl crisis is due to those with opioid addictions being unable to get prescription drugs from doctors because of prescribing guidelines strengthened by the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons earlier this year.

“The doctors are in a really tough position because they now have to stop,” he said.

“Turning off and stopping the prescription of opioids is forcing people into fentanyl.”

Sullivan’s claims echo concerns raised by Maria Hudspith, executive director of Pain B.C. who said this past summer that her organization is hearing from concerned pain sufferers who no longer have access to drugs they need and are turning to the streets to acquire them.

Filipino workers reach settlement with Tim Hortons Filipino workers who were employed at a Tim Hortons in Fernie, B.C., have settled their human rights complaint for an undisclosed amount.

In 2013, several temporary foreign workers at the restaurant alleged the couple who ran the franchise mistreated them. It was alleged one of the owners took the workers’ overtime money and threatened to have them sent home if they complained.

Tim Hortons conducted an investigation and, afterwards, took away two franchises from the couple — one in Fernie and one in Southwest Alberta.

Now, the workers have settled a complaint before the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.

Former employee Richard Pepito said he can’t comment directly on the confidential settlement — but he’s happy with it.

“I think justice has been served and we raised our voice — all the Filipinos and for the benefit of Filipino workers — to make

sure it doesn’t happen again and maybe set an example,” he said.

“Even though we are foreign workers we still have rights and we deserve to be treated fairly.”

Pepito has since has moved his family to Saskatchewan where he works at a prison and now has permanent resident status.

The couple who owned the Tim Hortons, Pierre and Kristin Pelletier, did not comment on the settlement.

High-risk offender released from custody in Vancouver

Transit police are alerting the public that a high-risk offender is being released from custody today.

46 year-old Donald Kocurek is a high-risk violent offender with a large possibility of reoffending.

Kocurek, originally from Sudbury, Ont., has a litany of criminal convictions in B.C. and Ontario ranging from possession of a firearm against release conditions, to

sexual assault, to theft of a vehicle, ending in police opening fire on Kocurek. Kocurek is described as caucasian, 5’10” tall, 201 pounds, with grey hair and blue eyes. He is not permitted under the terms of his release to possess knives, except for eating, or any substance that could potentially injure any person.

Police ask that if Kocurek is seen violating these terms that the public call 911 immediately.

LOCAL

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Dozens displaced after fire tears through homeless camp in Chilliwack As many as 30 people were forced to find a new place to sleep Wednesday night after a large fire broke out at a homeless camp in Chilliwack.

Firefighters were called to Yale Road near Alexander Avenue around 6 p.m. PT. The camp is set up under an overpass in the area.

Assistant Fire Chief Michael Bourdon said fire crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and no one was injured.

Investigators returned to the scene Thursday to determine exactly what caused the fire, but Bourdon confirmed it appears the fire started in or near a tent on site.

Bill Raddatz is the executive director of Ruth and Naomi’s Place in Chilliwack and works closely with the city’s homeless population. He went down to the site when he got word of the fire. “[The fire] was quite big. Knowing the size of camp and the number of tents that remain,

I would say there were five tents for sure that got burned down to the ground,” said Raddatz.

“It’s pretty well all their worldly possessions and they’re all carried in bags or knapsacks or shopping carts. They were just burned to the ground.”

Raddatz said he’s heard the fire may have been caused by a propane tank and heater igniting inside a tent.

Temperatures dipped into the double digits below freezing in Chilliwack last night and it’s likely some were just trying to stay warm.

People living at the camp were taken to a nearby McDonalds where they were given warm coffee and the chance to go to one of the city’s shelters for the night. Raddatz said there are three shelters in Chilliwack: The Salvation Army, The Cyrus Centre and his operation. Between the three he said there are 100 spaces available for people looking for a place to sleep.

All three shelters have a policy not to turn people away, but still, Raddatz said some prefer to stay in a camp.

Raddatz said in the past year there has been a spike in the number of homeless people in the city.

“We used to have on a night maybe 15 or 16 people in an emergency. This year we’re well up over 100,” said Raddataz.

Vancouver man who molested his partner’s daughter gets tougher sentence from appeal court The B.C. Court of Appeal has imposed a tougher sentence on a pedophile, handing a 30-month jail term to the Vancouver man who molested the young daughter of his partner hundreds of times more than 20 years ago.

In December 2014, Joseph Vincent Vautour, 50, pleaded guilty in Vancouver Provincial Court to one count of sexual touching of the girl, who is only identified by the initials E.S. due to a publication ban.

The offences occurred from January 1989 to June 1993.

The victim testified that she was about five years old when the sexual abuse commenced, with Vautour touching her over her clothing at bedtime while he read to her, escalating to touching her under her clothing at bedtime and rubbing her private parts.

On later occasions, the abuse escalated

further to more serious sexual touching of the victim. When E.S. was seven or eight, she disclosed the abuse to her mother, who was plagued by drug and alcohol issues, and when the mom confronted Vautour, he became angry and punched her in the face, breaking her nose.

Although police were eventually called, E.S. could not or would not provide a statement.

When the daughter of Vautour and his current wife was nearing the age when E.S. was molested, E.S. contacted police. Vautour was arrested in July 2013 after an undercover operation.

The Vancouver Provincial Court judge, who is not identified in an Appeal Court ruling released Monday, imposed on Vautour a conditional sentence of two years less a day.

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American refugee claims in Canada increased last month The number of Americans seeking refugee status in Canada has experienced a significant bump this year, increasing more than five times in November 2016 from the same period a year earlier.

Few people seek to flee the world’s largest economy, and one of its oldest democracies, on humanitarian grounds: A mere 170 Americans claimed asylum at Canada’s land borders through the first 11 months of this year.

Yet that was more than twice the total from 2015 — and it was led by a noticeable fivefold increase in the month of November, with 28 people claiming refugee status last month compared with merely five in November 2015.

Was any of this driven by politics — and Donald Trump’s Nov. 8 election?

“Refugee claims are protected under the Privacy Act,” said Nicholas Dorion, a spokesman for the Canada Border Services Agency, which supplied the figures to The Canadian Press. “Therefore the CBSA will not discuss specifics of asylum cases.”

On the whole, Americans represented less than three per cent of the 5,939 people who claimed refugee status upon arriving at Canada’s land borders, in the first 11 months of 2016. Yet the claims from 170 U.S. citizens was more than twice the 73 who did over the same period in 2015.

Such bumps are often driven by political changes, said Bellissmo: “Saw some of this

when Bush assumed office (in 2000).”

In an interview, University of Ottawa professor and lawyer Jamie Liew said she concurs.“I don’t think it’s surprising at all,” she said. “The rhetoric coming from the (U.S. political) discussion... was filled with a lot of concerning language, including hate; exclusion; deportation... I could see why people would be concerned for their own safety, their own lives, and evaluate whether they could live (there).”

Liew has been involved in a handful of American refugee claims over the years. Such cases can involve victims of domestic violence, or soldiers escaping wars like in Iraq and Afghanistan. She recalled one case related to death threats against a same-sex couple. “It really doesn’t matter what country a refugee comes from. That is not the central issue in determining if someone is a refugee,” Liew said.

“A country could be democratic. A country could be espousing ... human rights. What really matters is how people are being treated on the ground, and protected by the state that they’re in.”

That said, Americans don’t have much success when claiming refugee status in Canada: “Obviously if you’re coming from a war-torn state that is obviously an easier case to be made. But that does not make it impossible for someone from the United States to make a claim for refugee protection.”

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LOCAL

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Police pilot project will test drug-detection systems by asking drivers for their saliva Drivers in some Canadian jurisdictions may soon find themselves asked by police to volunteer for a saliva test, part of a pilot project aimed at detecting drug-impaired drivers. The federal government, the RCMP and a number of police departments across the country will conduct the experiment to see how well certain roadside testing devices work to detect drugs.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says his department and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators will collaborate with police forces on the project, which will look at how two different devices work under varying weather conditions.

The “oral fluid” screening systems test saliva for the presence of drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine and opioids.

The announcement comes a day after a federal task force delivered a series of recommendations about legalizing cannabis and raised questions about detecting drivers impaired by marijuana. Police forces in Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and Gatineau, Que., will take part in the project, along with

MSP hikes will hit over 500,000 BC families in the new year, says NDP leader

the Ontario Provincial Police and RCMP detachments in North Battleford, Sask., and Yellowknife.

Police officers will be trained in the use of two types of screening devices and will use them in operational settings, but only with drivers and passengers who volunteer to anonymously provide a sample.

The results will not be used in any court or administrative proceeding, the department said.

“The testing results will help establish possible future operating procedures,” the department said in its announcement. “In parallel, Canadian standards for oral fluid devices will still need to be established before a government procurement process for the device can be launched.”

The cannabis task force recommended more study to determine the links between traffic crashes and levels of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and a national education strategy about the effects of cannabis consumption.

Abbotsford police chief sends letter to parents about violent gang conflict Abbotsford’s police chief has sent a letter asking for help from the parents of young men who officers believe are involved in a violent gang conflict.

The Abbotsford Police Department says it has dedicated as array of resources to the Townline Hill conflict, which it says has been a top public safety priority since 2014.

The department says Chief Bob Rich’s letter is an “earnest attempt to change the direction of the conflict and the lives of those involved.”

In the letter sent in English and Punjabi,

Rich says two gangs are fighting over who gets to sell illegal drugs in the city and so far five people, including an 18-year-old, have been murdered.

He tells parents their son’s life is in “critical danger,” and if their child stays involved in gangs he is at serious risk of being killed and his actions are causing other people’s deaths.

Rich says he is sorry that parents are in this situation and police are not blaming them, but want to talk to them about what they can do about it.

Over 500,000 B.C. families will be hit with MSP increase in the new year, says NDP leader John Horgan.

Starting Jan. 1, couples with an annual household income over $45,000 will see their annual health premiums rise by an additional $168 per year — or an extra $14 per month — as MSP changes implemented by the B.C. Liberals take effect.

Horgan charges the provincial government has been disingenuous about changes to MSP premiums announced earlier this year, “In the budget, it’s announced that 530,000 couples will be paying more... so that the Liberals can claim to be making life better for some British Columbians,” said Horgan on Wednesday.

According to the provincial government, the new rates were introduced to reduce costs on low-income families.

Starting in 2017, single parents with two children will save at least $900 annually, according to the statement from the Ministry of Finance.

Single parents with an income below $40,000 could save as much as $1,248 under the new

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rates, the ministry said.

But many others will be hit with fee hikes to pay for the changes, says Horgan, including senior couples who earn over $51,000.

Sandra Carmichael, 74, says she was shocked and angry when she found out that she and her 88-year-old husband would be paying extra for health care in the new year.

“Everything is going up — this has gone up, my ICBC is going up, my hydro is going up,” she said. “I would like to be able to retire and know I will be okay.”

According to Carmichael — who works as a receptionist at the Royal Canadian Legion — the couple’s income just barely puts them in the highest MSP bracket, and they don’t qualify for a discount.

Horgan says the NDP will be running on a platform to get rid of MSP because its “unfair,” but he would not provide specific details on the plan.

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LOCAL

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Vancouver Park Board’s first Green Party chair vows cooperation The Vancouver Park Board’s first Green Party chair is vowing cooperation following his unexpected election win earlier this week.

Michael Wiebe was elected chair at the meeting on Monday after the NPA’s Erin

Shum decided to support him for the position.

The NPA also lost its majority on the board when Shum decided to sit as an independent and was elected vice chair of the board.

The rest of the board is made up of three NPA members, another Green, and one member of Vision Vancouver.

“We’re all going to work together and we’ve got a lot of expertise around the table,” he

Highlights from the federal marijuana task force report

said. “The two past chairs have done a really good job setting it up for me.”

One of the most contentious issues on the board’s agenda will be whether cetaceans should be kept in captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium.

Opponents renewed calls to ban cetaceans in captivity after the recent deaths of two belugas at the aquarium.

Outgoing chair Sarah KirbyYung advocated for a plebiscite on the issue to coincide with the 2018 municipal election.

“I had grown up with the aquarium and I had been there for some of the births,” he said.

“For me, it’s been an interesting dynamic to see what’s happened at the aquarium.”

He said Green colleague Stuart Mackinnon, who is opposed to keeping cetaceans in captivity, has worked hard to advance the issue but said he hadn’t seen enough materials to fully understand the issue.

Wiebe said the board will look at what their role is in relation to the Vancouver Aquarium and move forward from there.

Pot task force recommends legal cannabis sales be limited to users 18 and over A task force appointed by the Canadian government to study the legalization of marijuana determined Tuesday that sales should be restricted to those 18 and older, with a personal possession limit of 30 grams.

The Canadian Medical Association had recommended setting the age at 21, with strict limits on quantity and potency until 25. But the task force said higher age limits would simply drive young consumers into the hands of the black market, something the government hopes to actively discourage with its push to legalize

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pot. Provinces and territories should, however, be provided with the flexibility to set their own age restrictions on purchasing the drug, the report said. The nine U.S. jurisdictions that have legalized marijuana sales have matched the age limit to the drinking age of 21.

“Now is the time to move away from a system that has, for decades, been focused on the prohibition of cannabis into a regulated legal market,” said Anne McLellan, a former Liberal cabinet minister and chair of the task force.

“I think we’re all aware of the challenges and

The task force Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government appointed to study how marijuana could be legalized and regulated in Canada released its report Tuesday, offering over 80 recommendations.

Here are some highlights from the report: Sales and marketing Set the minimum age of purchase as 18, respecting the rights of provinces and territories to harmonize with sales of alcohol.

Avoid selling alcohol and cannabis at the same location where possible: dedicated storefronts and direct mail are preferable.

Limit the density and location of storefronts, including their proximity to schools and parks.

Regulate retail sales at the provincial and territorial level.

Restrict the promotion and advertising of cannabis products, similar to restrictions now in place for tobacco.

Require plain packaging with company name, strain name, price, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) amounts and health warnings.

Prohibit any product deemed “appealing to children,” including products that look like candy.

Taxation Establish pricing and taxation following an economic analysis.

Tax higher potency THC products at a higher rate to discourage purchase.

Use revenue from cannabis regulation for drug prevention, education and treatment.​

Public consumption and possession Extend restrictions on public smoking of tobacco products and vaping to cannabis.

Allow and regulate dedicated places to consume cannabis products (lounges, for example.)

societal problems that the existing system has created,” she said, pointing to the flourishing illicit market for the drug.

The government has promised to table legislation in spring 2017, but it could take much more time for the bill to be studied and eventually passed into law.

The task force said Tuesday that timing for

legalization is the government’s prerogative.

“Timelines from this point on are up to the government of Canada.”

The report recommends Ottawa impose many of the same restrictions that currently apply to alcohol and tobacco sales to cannabis — namely limits on advertising — to discourage use by young people.

Limit public possession to 30 grams of dried, non-medical cannabis or its equivalent, with a corresponding sales limit.

Production and distribution Implement a system of licensed producers to grow cannabis in Canada.

Allow personal cultivation of up to four plants per residence, with a height limit of 100 cm.

Maintain medical marijuana access separately, with the same tax system as nonmedical use.

Move swiftly to create capacity for producing and selling cannabis.

Public education and safety Begin public education strategy immediately.

Determine how to establish limits to prevent an increase in cannabis-impaired driving.

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LOCAL

Saturday, December 17, 2016

‘Aggressive’ inferno rages through Langley, condo building A large fire raged through a condo building in Langley, last Sunday and has displaced dozens of people right before Christmas and sent one resident and two firefighters to hospital.

“The first crews who entered the suite that was on fire had noticed the ceiling had come

down in the kitchen area of the suite and the fire was already well established in the attic space of the building,” said fire chief Rory Thompson.

He said one resident was rescued from the fourth floor of the building and taken to hospital for smoke inhalation, as were two firefighters.

The complex has approximately 60 units.

Buildings on either side of it have also been evacuated, but Thompson said he expects those residents to return by Sunday night.

Thompson said he couldn’t say yet how the fire started, but it appears to have begun on a fourth-floor balcony and made its way

into the attic. While sprinklers are required in the suites and hallways of most apartment buildings, they are not required on balconies or attics. According to Thomson, the fire is one of the largest in Langley in at least two years. “It certainly is a challenge for both the fire department and the emergency management section of the city to look after all the residents who have been displaced,” he said.

By 4 p.m. last Sunday, crews were winding down, but expected to be on scene for at least a few more hours.

A reception centre has been set up at the Douglas Recreation Centre for residents to get information and assistance.

Smoke began pouring from the four-storey building around 10:15 a.m. PT. Witness Crysta Serne was driving by when she saw billowing black smoke. “An entire apartment complex was engulfed in flames,” she said.

“It looked aggressive. The fire was coming up through the ceiling. It almost appeared if it was in the middle of the apartment complex.”

“The smoke and the flames were at least 20 to 30 feet higher than the actual building,” said a tearful Serne. “It was an unfortunate, impressive sight. It breaks my heart because it is so close to Christmas and it was probably something that was so innocently set, started the whole thing to affect so many families and

Vancouver approves tax hike to help first responders in wake of opioid crisis Vancouver has approved a small tax hike intended to help address the opioid overdose crisis.

Councillors passed a budget Tuesday that includes a 0.5-percent increase in property taxes to support front line service providers, including firefighters who have been seeing multiple overdoses per day.

The B.C. Coroners Service recorded more than 620 fatal drug overdoses across the province between January and October,

about 60 per cent of them linked to the deadly opioid fentanyl.

The city says in a new release that firefighters responded to 745 calls about drug overdoses in November, and crews had to use the overdose-reversing drug naloxone 35 times.

Coun. Kerry Jang, who is a psychiatrist specializing in mentalhealth issues, told council last month the opioid crisis is the worst he has seen in his life.

300 people stand United to say “No” to racism By- Edward Liu About 300 people turned up at the “Stand Up for Racial Harmony” rally in Richmond on last Sunday to speak out against the distribution of anti-Chinese flyers in the community over the past months. The flyers directed readers to anti-immigration websites.

Organizer Edward Liu said instead of just sending out the important message that racism will not be tolerated, the rally also helped people to visually experience the diversity in the community. “We are not surrounded by racist people who try to generate hate between cultures, or extremists who try to divide the community by provoking fear and anger. We are surrounded by people who want to join hand to make our community safe by promoting racial harmony. We are surrounded by neighbors who enjoys each other’s presence, regardless of what they look like and where they come from. We are surrounded by people who love this community.”

Balwant Sanghera, one of the speakers at the rally, reminded the crowd that Canada became the first country in the world to adopt multiculturalism as a national policy back in 1971, and Richmond has been a multicultural community for many decades.

He stated that Richmond is one of the most multicultural communities in Canada and that we are very proud to have excellent intercultural harmony in the community.

Mr. Sanghera told the attendees that Richmond Multicultural Community Services (RMCS) condemns these acts of racism and stand solidly with the ChineseCanadian community.

He stated that Canadian MOSAIC is like a flower garden home to more than 200 communities from coast to coast to coast.

“Diversity is this country’s greatest strength.

We should all be proud as Canadians and condemn and push back any attempts to create divisions amongst us.”

Lisa Descary was one of the people who received a racist flyer delivered to her house, which motivated her to help organize this rally. “When I received one of these racist anti-immigrant flyers in my mailbox a couple of weeks ago, I knew we had to organize a response to show the racists that our community won’t stand for this. We won’t let racism divide us.”

Descary also mentioned in her speech that scapegoating immigrants will just give racists the platform to spread hateful sentiments. “It is important that people hear the message that we won’t let immigrants and the rest of the Chinese community be scapegoated for things like rising house prices,” she said. “One of the things that people don’t seem to realize is that not everyone in the Chinese immigrant community is a millionaire!

Chinese people themselves are being hit by the same affordability crisis. They, too are having trouble finding homes in Richmond that they can afford, but the racist narrative that paints every Chinese homebuyer as a rich one obscures this reality. Chinese or not, all of us are facing the same problem.”

Annie Ohana, a Surrey Secondary School teacher, echoed these sentiments. “When I read those Nasty words. I read hatred, I read prejudice, I read fear, I read words that represented oppression.

Those who sent the [racist] flyers made one thing loud and clear... we are that powerful, we are that strong, they want to silence us because we are that loud. Our shared histories say so, we will not be divided. We are United.”

In the end of the rally, Liu encouraged people to step outside of their comfort zone and make friends with their neighbours.

“There are many things that we can do to keep our community safe from racism.

But the key is to step outside of your comfort zone. In the next 2 weeks, may I ask you to think of one thing, to reach out to your neighbor. It doesn’t need to be something spectacular. No act of kindness is ever too small. The key is to step outside of your comfort zone.”

The rally also distributed door sign saying “Richmond is a racism free zone”.

People were encouraged to put the sign on their doors to help neighbors feel safe and supported.

The rally also prepared a petition to urge the Richmond RCMP to make their best efforts to investigate the racist flyers incidents and prevent future similar incidents from happening; and appeal to the different levels government to take all steps to promote multiculturalism and strengthen racial harmony in our community.

Ottawa delays decision on overseas military deployment An announcement on the deployment of Canadian soldiers on an overseas peace mission has been postponed until after the holidays as Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says the government wants to take the time to “get this right.” Sajjan said the decision — originally expected before Christmas — is taking time because of the complexity in organizing a mission that involves more than just the Defence Department but foreign affairs and development, too.

“This is a whole-of-government effort in terms of where we’re going to be doing peace operations,” he told reporters on Parliament Hill Tuesday.

“A lot of work has been done. But you know, there’s still work that needs to be done in terms of making sure that we co-ordinate and synchronize our efforts within as a government, and also within international partners as well,” Sajjan said. The Liberal government is weighing options for the deployment of up to 600 soldiers and 150 police officers.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

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DREAM CARPET

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LOCAL

Saturday, December 17, 2016

PICS assisted living facility tops in overall tenant satisfaction

PICS Assisted Living facility in Surrey has scored an overall satisfaction rate of 89.6 percent, the highest rate of satisfaction among all 32 facilities surveyed by Fraser Health recently.

Fraser Health conducts a Tenant Satisfaction Survey every two years in order to understand the needs of the tenants better at Assisted Living facilities across Metro Vancouver. “Based on results of these satisfaction surveys we are able to plan ahead. It’s important for us to know our tenants’ experience in Assisted Living and how gaps if any could be improved,” said Donna Clark, Assisted Living Manager, Fraser Health.

The survey was sent confidentially to the tenants of all 32 facilities asking them to rate the facilities on 10 domains - activities, choice, care & services, staff relations, staff responsiveness, communications, meals &dining, laundry, building environment and resident environment.

The tenants had four choices to mark – Yes Always, Yes Sometimes, No Hardly Ever and No

Never.

According to Yes Always responses, on an average PICS Assisted Living has scored higher than all other facilities in all 10 domains.

“We are very pleased with the results of this survey. It clearly shows that providing services in a culturally sensitive manner and in accordance with the needs of our clients contribute greatly to their overall wellbeing,” said Charan Gill, CEO PICS. “Caring for seniors in the way they need to be cared for has been the mandate of PICS Assisted Living. Working with our residents over the last 10 years has given us invaluable insight into their needs and we try our best to fill these needs,” said Inderjeet Hundal, Administrator PICS Assisted Living.

On an average, PICS scored 81.2 percent as opposed to 56.5 per cent for others in the domain of activities; 87.9 as opposed to 74 per in care & services; 86.2 as opposed to 58.4 in meals & dining.

Calgary anti-carbon tax rally draws 800, including CPC leadership hopefuls Ken Murdoch has lived in Calgary for 68 years. He is not happy about the Alberta carbon tax that goes into effect in just a few short weeks.

“At my age, it is not going to matter a lot, but it certainly will for my children and grandchildren,” Murdoch told.

He was among approximately 800 people who filled a hotel ballroom in Calgary to protest the tax in a rally organized by conservative media and opinion outlet Rebel Media.

“Brad Wall said at the premier’s meetings, he says, if this is a neutral tax … then why are we doing it? For Alberta to become a socialist province is beyond comprehension for me,” said Murdoch.

“We need Brad Wall instead of Rachel Notley. Rachel Notley was a mistake,” he continued.

“Everybody knows it, that’s why so many people are here.

It was a protest vote. Rachel Notley does not know how to run a business, period. We need business people there. I think in the next election, and I know they doesn’t like this, but you are going to see a lot more Trump-type politics in Canada. We are going to have to or we are going to be totally broke.”

Josiah Shannon, 17, is a first-year plumber looking for employment.

“We don’t believe in the carbon tax,” Shannon explained.

“In a recession we should have less taxes so we can increase jobs. We just don’t need it

at the moment.”

Chris Alexander says he was ‘mortified’ by chants of ‘lock her up’ aimed at Alberta premier Shannon’s buddy, Keagan Jones, is on the same page, also sporting a Trump-style Make America Great Again baseball cap.

“I think the main reason I am against carbon tax, is because I think it is pretty pointless,” said Jones. “I don’t really see how it is going to help the environment.

Researchers do say that there is no way whatsoever that it actually is going to cut down on carbon [emissions], people still need to have heat for their homes. The idea of change. We want to get in another conservative government, sort of what the Americans did.”

It’s exactly the sentiment that three

Conservative Party of Canada leadership hopefuls hoped to zero-in on for support.

Ontario MP Kellie Leitch took some of her time at the podium to chastise the media.

“Telling you that you have done something wrong because you are law-abiding citizens, just honest, hardworking people. That is not leadership, that is elitism.”

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Author cleared of slander for saying Muslim school’s teachings go against Quebec values The criticism Djemila Benhabib leveled against a private Muslim school during a 2012 radio interview was harsh. The school was providing small children indoctrination worthy of a military camp in Afghanistan, she said. It was grooming “fundamental activists.”

It offered as a model a society “where men are probably going to commit honour crimes against their sisters.”

But in what her lawyer called an important victory for free speech, a judge cleared Benhabib of slander Tuesday, ruling her comments were neither erroneous nor made in bad faith.

“Certainly, these remarks are severe and could have been hurtful,” Superior Court Justice Carole Hallée wrote. “However they have a place in a democratic society like ours.”

Benhabib, an author and outspoken critic of Islamic fundamentalism, had begun looking into the Muslim School of Montreal after seeing a brochure in which the female students all wore hijabs. She learned on the school’s web

site that children were memorizing Qur’anic passages that spoke of beautiful virgins awaiting male believers in the afterlife, while non-believers endured the fires of hell.

She told radio host Benoît Dutrizac of 98.5FM that the school was instituting a “sexual apartheid” and that it was “very far from the values of our society.”

The school sued for defamation, seeking $95,000 in damages from Benhabib. It claimed the interview had led students to fear for their safety, necessitating additional security measures and provoking a drop in enrollment.

At the trial last September, Benhabib insisted her criticism was justified. “The school’s societal model is not the Quebec societal model. It is not Quebec values,” she said. Ahmed Khebir, president of the school’s board of directors, said her interview, linking its curriculum to military camps, sparked fears within the school that it would be targeted by anti-Muslim fanatics.

CSIS breaches promise to report on past media surveillance Canada’s spy agency has backtracked on its promise to reveal to a Senate committee how many Canadian journalists it spied on in the past, citing operational security.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) said while it “appreciates the importance of the question” to Canadians and the Senate committee on national security and defence, “we regret that we cannot confirm whether journalists have been the subject of any CSIS investigation.”

Conservative Sen. Claude Carignan, who had pressed two top CSIS assistant directors on the issue last month, called it a “bizarre response” and a “serious” breach of an undertaking to a parliamentary committee. He suggested it implies that surveillance of journalists is either still ongoing or has been recently

suspended.

“How can it harm operations if you don’t have any operations ongoing?” he said in an interview, likening the CSIS reply to “figure skating.”

Carignan, who has tabled a private member’s bill to protect journalists’ sources, wondered if there had been surveillance operations of media that are currently suspended, especially after the controversial practice surfaced in Quebec where provincial and Montreal city police were revealed to have spied on several top investigative reporters and columnists, apparently in search of police leaks.

The CSIS statement to the committee this week said CSIS recognizes it “has a duty to fulfil its mandate in a manner that upholds Canadian law and values.

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US Federal Reserve raises rates The U.S. Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter point on Wednesday and signaled a faster pace of increases in 2017 as the Trump administration takes over with promises to boost growth through tax cuts, spending and deregulation.

The rate increase, regarded as a virtual certainty by financial markets in the wake of a string of generally strong economic reports, raised the target federal funds rate 25 basis points to between 0.50 percent and 0.75 percent.

Bond yields and the dollar rose after the rate decision while stocks were mixed with financials and tech the only two sectors to show gains. “In view of realized and expected labor market conditions and inflation, the committee decided to raise the target range,” the central bank’s policy-setting committee said in its unanimous statement after a twoday meeting.

“Job gains have been solid in recent months and the unemployment rate has declined,” the Fed said, noting that market-based measures of inflation compensation had moved up “considerably.”

More significant was a fresh batch of Fed policy maker forecasts that indicated the current once-a-year pace of rate increases will accelerate next year. Markets and the Fed appeared to be close on pricing with Fed futures

markets pricing in at least two and possibly three hikes, up from one to two prior to the meeting. With President-elect Donald Trump planning a simultaneous round of tax cuts and increased spending on infrastructure, central bank policymakers shifted their outlook to one of slightly faster growth, lower unemployment and inflation just under the Fed’s 2 percent target.

The Fed’s median outlook for rates rose to three quarter-point increases in 2017 from two as of September. That would be followed by another three increases in both 2018 and 2019 before the rate levels off at a long-run “normal” 3.0 percent.

That normal level is slightly higher from three months ago, a sign that the Fed feels the economy is still gaining traction.

“They didn’t mention the fiscal stimulus but typically their aggressiveness does indicate that there’s a little more confidence that they can get away with three hikes next year,” said Aaron Kohli, interest rate strategist at BMO Capital Markets.

The Fed continued to describe that pace as “gradual,” keeping policy still slightly loose and supporting some further improvement in the job market. It sees unemployment falling to 4.5 percent next year and remaining at that level, which is considered to be close to full employment.

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National

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Jagmeet Singh remains coy about NDP leadership plans Though he insists he hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll run for the leadership of the federal NDP, Jagmeet Singh, deputy leader of the party’s Ontario wing, has launched a cross-country “charm offensive” — including a stop in Ottawa last week to schmooze with Parliament Hill MPs and staff.

There are still no official candidates in the race to replace Tom Mulcair, but Singh’s name has been on insiders’ lips since well before the race formally opened in July — and despite his lack of commitment to date, he’s been making inroads at a number of party events.

“I’m actively exploring and hearing what people have to say, and doing some serious consideration,” Singh told the Post Monday evening.

But he’s also been active on the party circuit in a way that Ontario MPPs typically are not. For example, Singh was a keynote speaker at the NDP’s Alberta convention, where he impressed many in the room, and also made a recent trip to B.C. for an appearance at the Broadbent Institute’s Progress Summit.

“I’m still hearing folks out,” he said, adding

he’s honoured and it’s “flattering” to hear people from different parts of the country are supportive of a leadership run.

Singh is described as a young, energetic politician able to build the party’s membership. In and around Toronto, where the NDP suffered major losses in last year’s election, Singh is “tremendously popular,” as one insider put it.

At the federal NDP’s caucus Christmas party last Wednesday in Ottawa, where he mingled with MPs and staffers, Singh said he “made a lot of good connections, a lot of good friends that night.”

Indeed, one party staffer who attended described Singh’s appearance as a “charm offensive” that helped reinforce the sense he would bring a “young, hip dynamic” to Ottawa.

“Let’s just say there were a lot of selfies and lots of people wanting to be around him on the dance floor,” the staffer said.

Singh said he thinks the race will be exciting, and there’s a “vibrant universe” of potential support for the NDP — especially after recent Liberal missteps.

Canada Revenue Agency’s landlord stashed money in offshore tax havens The federal government agency tasked with cracking down on offshore tax avoidance rents its offices from a corporate group that has moved hundreds of millions of dollars into tax havens. Three Canada Revenue Agency offices — in Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal — were sold in 2007 in a controversial sale and leaseback arrangement to Larco Investments Inc., a company privately held by Vancouver’s reclusive Lalji family.

Larco was desribed as a “100 per cent Canadian company” when the sales were announced, but records found in the Panama Papers leak and at the Nevada State Gaming Control Board show the three Lalji brothers, who are worth an estimated $3 billion, routed profits from their business interests through the British Virgin Islands (B.V.I.) before parking them in private foundations in Liechtenstein.

In a legal operation to reduce their tax bill, the brothers moved somewhere between $300 million and $500 million offshore before 2003.

It is not possible to determine if the Lalji’s Canadian profits — some come from rent paid by the taxpayer — still flow offshore, although the most recent public filings indicate that their U.K. profits still route to the B.V.I. “It raises questions about where those government payments go. We don’t know. It is deliberately opaque,” said Michelle Travis, a researcher with Unite Here Canada, a union that represents hospitality workers, some of whom are employed by the Lalji family’s companies.

“We think it’s fair game for the government to require Larco to explain how they are using tax havens and why that should be allowed to continue,” said Travis who spent months researching the Lalji family’s assets and first uncovered their offshore links.

Heather McCutcheon, a representative of Larco Investments, declined to comment for this report.

The CRA referred questions to the Public Services and Procurement Canada, which arranges all federal government leases.

“We are committed to doing business with suppliers who respect the law and act with integrity, while obtaining the best possible value for Canadians,” wrote spokesperson

Nicolas Boucher in an email, without referring specifically to the Lalji case. The agency exercises “oversight to protect the integrity of its contracts and real property agreements,” Boucher wrote.

After receiving a $444-million boost to its enforcement budget earlier this year, the CRA has targeted offshore tax evasion and avoidance.

Records show that money flowing from Canada to offshore tax havens has skyrocketed in the last few years, more than quadrupling since 2014.

The amount of tax revenue lost to offshore tax havens is pegged at $6 billion to $7.8 billon every year.

In addition to government buildings, Larco Investments Inc. has vast real-estate holdings in Canada, including Vancouver’s Park Royal mall.

Because it is not publicly traded, Larco doesn’t disclose its ownership structure or shareholders. According to 2016 intercorporate ownership records compiled by Statistics Canada, it is part of of 35 Canadian corporations owned by the Lalji Family Trust.

The Lalji Family Trust also doesn’t publicly disclose information. But when the Laljis decided to purchase JW Marriot and Rampart Casino in Las Vegas in 2003, they were obliged to reveal their business structures in order to obtain a gaming licence.

At a hearing held in Carson City, Nev., on December 3, 2003, Thad Alston, who according to his LinkedIn profile was Larco’s executive director from 1995 to 2010, revealed that the Laljis had moved much of their wealth offshore to insulate it from Canadian taxes.

“This structure was created really with legal, tax and estate-planning considerations for the Lalji family,” Alston said.

Because Canadian law requires trusts to pay tax on their assets every 21 years, Alston said the Laljis decided to move their money offshore before their 2005 deadline in order to pay a lower rate of tax.

“The idea was to take offshore — to actually cause a disposition of those assets before 2005, and pay the tax in Canada that was payable on those assets and move it offshore — with the idea that you’d end up with a sum of funds offshore in a tax-free jurisdiction,” he said.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Canada Child Benefit indexation will cost extra $5.8 Billion by 2026, PBO says The parliamentary budget watchdog says the government’s cornerstone child benefit will end up costing billions more after the next election if its value increases with the cost of living.

The Canada Child Benefit isn’t indexed to

inflation for now, and the Liberals haven’t agreed to do that until 2020 — after the next scheduled federal election in 2019.

The parliamentary budget officer previously forecasted that the cost to the government would fall over time to the same level of spending as seen under the previous Conservative system of benefits and tax credits which the Liberals replaced with the new, income-tested benefit.

The PBO says in a report today that keeping up with inflation would cost federal

coffers an extra $301 million in 2020, rising to an extra $5.8 billion in 2026.

The total extra cost over that time frame?

Almost $22.3 billion, if the government in 2020 follows through on the Liberal plan.

The new benefit, a central plank in last year’s Liberal election platform, kicked in on July 1. The government says the transfer provides the average family with an extra $2,300 a year per child, with a maximum of $6,400 per child under six going to families with net incomes of less than $30,000.

The value of the benefit drops as incomes grow, phasing out entirely around $189,000, according to the government’s online benefits calculator.

This year, almost 3.6 million families are eligible for benefits, but the number is forecasted to decline to about 3.4 million by 2021 and will continue to drop as some families see their income levels rise.

The program is expected to cost the government $22.4 billion next year — its first full year.

In five years, that number falls to $21.5 billion, as lower-income families move into higher income brackets and see the value of their benefits decline.

Costco to open first business centre in Canada — a move that could ‘devastate’ wholesale distributors Costco’s move to open a business centre in Canada, to be christened with an official ground breaking ceremony in Toronto Wednesday, could disrupt the business of traditional office and restaurant supply distributors, experts say.

With an assortment that includes bulk grocery items, office furniture and supplies, professional cooking equipment and cleaning products, Costco Business Centre will also likely draw in its fair share of corner store operators and curious consumers.

With 80 per cent of the business centre’s merchandise consisting of items not sold in its warehouses, there is also little concern of overlap between the company’s two

businesses.

The first location in Canada, open to all regular Costco members and part of a rapidly expanding business offshoot for Costco in the U.S., will open in Toronto in March. Costco’s business centres open at 7 a.m., three hours before warehouse stores open in Canada, and close at 6 p.m. through the week and 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The move makes a direct play for small restaurant, business and convenience store owners who buy from Costco because they are too small to do business directly with a company such as Unilever, and for office supply companies whose business models are based on higher margins.

Canadians now owe $1.67 for every $1 disposable income as debt load hits fresh record Canadian household debt as a share of income hit another record in the third quarter as the pace of borrowing outstripped wage gains, Statistics Canada showed on Wednesday.

The ratio of debt to disposable income rose to 166.9 per cent from an adjusted 166.4 per cent in the second quarter. That meant

Canadians owed $1.67 for every dollar of disposable income they had.

The Bank of Canada has flagged the high

level of debt as a potential vulnerability for the financial system and is expected to update its view in a report on Thursday.

Years of low interest rates since the financial crisis, as well as rising home prices, have encouraged Canadians to take on more and more debt.

Household credit market debt, which includes consumer credit, mortgages and non-mortgage loans, rose 1.3 per cent to $2.005 billion from $1.98 billion in the second quarter. Mortgages made up the bulk of the total, standing at $1.31 billion, while consumer credit was $590 billion.

Disposable income increased by just 1 per cent.

Economists expect tighter mortgage rules announced by the government in October to help rein in excessive borrowing.

There have also been signs that families are saving at least part of the child benefit cheques that the government began mailing in July.

NATIONAL

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Chinese diplomat says immigrants facing backlash in real estate blame game The top Chinese diplomat in Vancouver says condemnation of Chinese investment in B.C. real estate is fuelling a backlash against immigrants from China.

Liu Fei has not avoided controversy, unlike Chinese consuls general before her.

And on Tuesday, she waded into the debate with a plan to counter the negative publicity.

Liu says her office will launch a series of campaigns and media events next year to promote Chinese and Chinese-Canadian contributions to B.C.

She hopes the campaign will defuse tension that has built over the past few years.

Liu said she believes even those with the strongest animosities can be convinced.

“We have to tell people about the realities of the Canada-China relationship,” Liu said. “Our interactions in economics, trade, education and culture benefit many people on both sides, and I believe those people who object will change their views if they see that.”

Racists flyers were delivered in two incidents in Richmond last month, including one portraying a Caucasian family looking at a Chinese-owned mansion with the caption: “Immigration has turned into the plunder

of Canada.” Some Richmond residents held counter-rallies.

Globally, Beijing has been increasingly vocal about the well-being of overseas Chinese communities, with embassies and consulates taking more visible roles among local Chinese-speaking people regardless of their citizenship. An Economist report noted after an anti-Chinese protest in Kuala Lumpur last fall that China’s ambassador to Malaysia said the Beijing “will not sit by idly” if its citizens’ rights are violated. Yet the vast majority of ethnically Chinese people in Malaysia are Malaysian citizens whose ancestors arrived more than a century ago. Former Vancouver councillor Tung Chan, who has been active in the Chinese-Canadian community since 1974, said Chinese governments in the past century have always regarded overseas Chinese as their own.

So, while he has not seen a Chinese diplomatic mission this active in Vancouver before, Chan said it is not surprising.

“Every Chinese consulate office around the world has an officer with the title of consul of overseas Chinese affairs,” Chan said. “They basically consider anybody — regardless of legal status — as overseas Chinese. In their eyes, you do not cease to be a Chinese person by adopting another country’s nationality.”

The Vancouver consulate has been involved in Chinese-Canadian issues in recent years, including B.C.’s official apology in 2014 for its anti-Chinese history and the establishment of a memorial on Dec. 3 of early Chinese immigrants in Kamloops.

“It demonstrates their governance and representatives have become a lot more sophisticated over the years,” Chan said.

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Senator John Wallace to resign to fulfil 8-year pledge — but others won’t follow suit New Brunswick Senator John Wallace is leaving the Red Chamber years before his mandatory retirement date because he is sticking to the pledge he made former prime minister Stephen Harper to only serve an eight-year term. Others appointed at the same time, however, say they have no plans to step aside.

Harper appointed 18 senators in January 2009 when there were fears the Liberals and the NDP would form a coalition to bring down the Conservative minority government. At the time, Harper had only appointed two senators and the Liberals held a numerical majority in the chamber.

In a statement sent from the Prime Minister’s Office, Harper said all appointees were committed to helping implement the government’s Senate reform agenda and would serve a limited, eight-year term as part of the push to change the upper chamber.

Independent Saskatchewan Senator Pamela Wallin, who was appointed alongside Wallace, said Tuesday there was “never a formal request regarding limiting length of service,” at the time of her appointment.

But she said she is a “firm believer” in the concept of term limits.

Wallin also said she has not yet served for eight years, as she was suspended from the chamber for roughly two years as a result of the Senate expenses scandal. The RCMP announced in May it wouldn’t press criminal

charges against Wallin for irregularities in her expenses.

“In several years, when I have completed at least eight years of service, I will assess the progress toward an independent Senate to which I am firmly committed,” she told.

“And at that time will consider how I can best serve my province and my country.”

Harper’s plans for Senate reform were ultimately derailed by the expenses scandal, as well as a Supreme Court reference, which said term limits of any sort would require a constitutional amendment.

Under the current rules, senators are forced into mandatory retirement when they turn 75.

“For me, eight years for any appointed position is lengthy enough. That was the mindset I had back in 2009 and I believe I have to follow through on it,” Wallace said in an interview. “All of a sudden I looked at the calendar ... it’s not more complicated than that.”

punjab

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Congress plays it safe, re-nominates 30 MLAs

Former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal will contest from Bathinda (Urban), the segment he wanted. Amarinder Singh had been pushing for Surinder Singla’s candidature for the seat.

Among the new faces are three Punjab Youth Congress leaders — Kulbir Zira (Zira); Khushbhaj Singh Jatana (Talwandi Sabo) and Goldy. Zira and Jatana are Youth Congress vice-presidents. Sukhwinder Singh Danny (Jandiala reserved), former state Youth Congress leader, replaces his father Sardul Singh as party nominee; Gurpreet Singh GP, formerly with the PPP (Bassi Pathana reserved) and Dr Amar Singh, former bureaucrat who replaces his brother GS Boparai (Raikot-SC).

Amar Singh, a Madhya Pradesh-cadre officer, was Principal Secretary when Digvijay Singh was CM. The Congress has fielded Kushaldeep Dhillon from Faridkot. The latter had been denied the ticket in 2012.

Dhillon’s cousin Deepender is seeking ticket from Dera Bassi. Ex-MP Vijayinder Singla has been fielded from Sangrur on Rahul Gandhi’s recommendation. Former Punjab CM Rajinder Bhattal will contest from Lehra despite apprehensions after Akali stalwart

7,000 police officers to be promoted, no pay hike

Parminder Dhindsa shifted from Sunam to Lehra this time. Former MLA Ramanjit Sikki has been fielded from Khadoor Sahib.

Sitting Congress MLAs who will defend their seats are Sunil Jakhar, CLP leader Charanjit Channi, Aruna Choudhry, Ashwani Sekhri, Raj Kumar Verka, OP Soni, Brahm Mohindra, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Harchand Kaur, Kewal Dhillon, Rana Gurjeet, Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Tript Rajinder Bajwa, Sukhjinder Randhawa and Hardyal Kambhoj.

New entrants: Angad Saini —Nawanshahr Gurpreet Singh GP — Bassi Pathana Kulbir Zira —Zira Kuldeep Singh Vaid — Gill Amar Singh —Raikot Khushbaj S Jatana —Talwani Sabo Dalvir S Goldy — Dhuri

Badungar wants All India Sikh Gurdwara Act SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar said he was all for enacting the All India Sikh Gurdwara Act and would strive hard to get it done. The SGPC chief said that the draft of the Act had been sent to the Union Home Minister long back. The ministry had raised certain objections after going through it.

The enactment of the AllIndia Sikh Gurdwara Act was an important demand in the Anandpur Sahib resolution.

Though the draft was submitted to the Union Home Ministry, it was perceived that the Shiromani Akali Dal was not interested in pursuing the matter.

For that reason, it remained buried for years.

Badungar gave a fresh thrust to it today.

He said the SGPC would set up a committee of 31 Sikh NRIs settled in various countries.

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Over 7,000 personnel from the Punjab Police and the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) will be promoted at a function to be held at the PAP headquarters here tomorrow morning.

About 5,000 of these cops will be given On Rank Promotion (ORP), wherein their pipping will be done, but a regular promotion will take place later. Senior police officials stated that though ORP was on since the days of terrorism, it had last been done about five years ago, just ahead of the end of the tenure of the previous SAD-BJP government.

ADGP, HR and Welfare, BK Uppal said, “These will be local ranks which are given to fill vacancies. There will be no corresponding salary hike.”

He elaborated, “The next rank is given due to a shortfall that arises because of retirement of staff and other reasons. All such promotions will be up to the rank of inspector. About 3,000 cops to be promoted are from the PAP. Around 1,200 cops who have just cleared the examination will also get pipped tomorrow.

Besides, there are those who could not clear the examination but have completed 16 years of service on one post without an adverse record.”

A DSP, whose subordinate is getting promoted, said, “The promotions, though temporary, will boost the cops’ morale.

The committee would be made an associate of the SGPC and would take up the issues related to NRI Sikhs at the appropriate level.

“We are preparing a list of people to include in the committee. One member will also be taken from Pakistan,” he added. “Sikhs face many religious issues abroad like the one related to turban in France. A need has been felt to form a committee to address such issues and take those up at the diplomatic level through the proper channel — the Government of India,” he said.

“Another 31-member committee will also be set up. Except the states represented by the SGPC, representatives of Sikhs from all other states where Sikhs are settled in the country will be made members of this committee to address the issues raised by them,” he said.

SINCE 1982

The Congress today released its first list of 61 candidates, which includes 30 sitting MLAs, seven fresh faces and a major surprise.

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Axis Bank suspends 24 staff and 50 accounts In the wake of disclosure of transgressions in its network, including a case in Noida which came to light today, private sector lender Axis Bank said it has so far suspended 50 accounts and 24 employees for suspicious activities.

Asserting that investigating agencies acted on tip-offs provided by the bank itself, it admitted that the adverse publicity was affecting its brand, but hoped this was temporary.

Axis’s retail banking head Rajiv Anand said so far the investigating agencies had visited eight branches, including five in New Delhi, and the number of employees suspended has gone up to 24 from 19 last week.

These suspensions exclude impact of the visit by Income Tax officials to its Noida branch this morning following a trail of Rs 600 crore deposit by a jeweller. The bank called it a “visit” by I-T officials who asked for details on 30 accounts.

“It is not that Axis Bank is under the scanner, but the person doing the transaction with us is,” he said, adding at no point it has been asked to shut any branch. It said the problem arises when account-holders do suspicious transactions or those involving shell companies. The bank has defined criteria for flagging such transactions with the Financial Investigation Unit, he said.

European middleman Haschke told Swiss authorities of Tyagi’s bribe share: CBI European middleman Guido Haschke’s statement to Swiss authorities discloses how and what “percentage of bribes” were paid to former IAF chief Shashindra Pal Tyagi and his cousin, Sanjeev Tyagi, which allegedly resulted in AgustaWestland bagging the 3,564 crore VVIP helicopter contract in 2010, CBI said.

CBI claimed that Haschke disclosed that Sanjeev told him about his brother (S P Tyagi) becoming IAF chief, therefore allegedly enabling AgustaWestland to lobby for the deal.

The former IAF chief has been accused of taking bribes in the purchase of 12 helicopters from AgustaWestland.

The CBI sought another seven days’ custody of the Tyagis and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan. The special CBI judge extended their custody till December 17.

Arguing before special CBI judge Arvind Kumar, who extended custody till December 17, The CBI counsel reiterated his earlier argument about Tyagi making huge investments in property. “The purchase of land is not reflected in his (Tyagi’s) income tax returns. The source of money is also not reflected,” the CBI lawyer argued.

Advocate Maneka Guruswamy, who appeared for S P Tyagi, contested the

argument, saying the CBI had “humiliated and tarnished” the reputation of Tyagi, 71, a “decorated war hero”. The lawyer pointed out the CBI had raided Tyagi’s house and taken possession of sale deeds and bank account statements. “The properties were acquired legally with hard-earned money,” asserted Guruswamy, adding, “Why do they need to arrest him, just to see the sale deed?”

The lawyer argued that in February 2005 a meeting comprising a delegation of 600 members, led by the then Italian president, had met government of India officials. Tyagi was also part of the meeting in his “official capacity”, it was argued.

Calling it a vague, vexatious prosecution of Tyagi, Guruswamy referred to the CBI FIR and said the only allegation it mentions about Tyagi is that he “also received some amount in cash”.

CBI, on the other hand, argued it had recently received letters rogatory from Mauritius and it was essential for the accused to confront each other in relation to evidence collected from India and abroad. It accused Tyagi of rigging operational requirements, including bringing down the operational flying ceiling from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres, to help AgustaWestland bag the 3,564-crore order for 12 helicopters.

Advani threatens to resign “I feel like resigning... Atalji (former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) would have been saddened had he been in the House,” remarked an anguished LK Advani, member of the BJP’s Margdarshak Mandal, after the Lok Sabha was adjourned today amid noisy scenes.

While the Opposition pressed for a debate on demonetisation, the treasury benches demanded a discussion on the AgustaWestland chopper deal.

Advani, who had last week expressed disgust over the Parliament logjam, said the House should function at least for a day and discuss demonetisation.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi thanked Advani for “fighting for democratic values” while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar claimed the BJP leader was actually upset with the Opposition leaders.

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu tried to play down the issue, maintaining the entire BJP was upset over repeated adjournments and disruptions in Parliament and that the senior leader was “only expressing collective anguish.” A senior BJP leader said, “Advaniji can say whatever he wants. It will not affect the party functioning or strategy. He is a seasoned parliamentarian. He knew that mediapersons were in the press gallery after the adjournment.”

Party leaders say Advani’s outburst could be indicative of “more ammo from within,” if the situation post-demonetisation did not get better by December 30. After Speaker Sumitra Mahajan announced that the House had been adjourned, Advani was seen communicating with Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar had left the House by then.

He was heard telling Rajnath to ask the Speaker to ensure that the House functioned tomorrow and a discussion on the note ban was held. “If the House is adjourned sine die tomorrow without any

discussion and on an acrimonious note, it will be bad advertisement for parliamentary democracy,” he said while urging Rajnath to approach the Congress MPs on his behalf.

Rajnath heard it all without reacting.

In the meantime, more members gathered around the two. One of them asked Advani about his health, to which the latter replied: “I am fine, but the health of the Lok Sabha is not fine.”

Another member asked him about former PM Vajpayee’s well-being. “Atalji would have been more saddened had he witnessed such disruptions. Not for a day has Parliament functioned. Mujhe to lagta hai resign kar jaunga ( I think I will resign),” he was heard saying.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned after fierce exchanges between the treasury and the Opposition benches on the AgustaWestland scam. Countering Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress, Ananth Kumar claimed while the PM was waging a war on black money, the Congress was trying to manage its black money. He accused Rahul Gandhi of running away from a debate on demonetisation. Kharge maintained it was not Rahul but the government which was running away from a debate.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said it was is for the first time in the history of India that the ruling party was not letting the House to function.

INDIA

Saturday, December 17, 2016

RBI Governor heckled in Kolkata Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel got a taste of the competitive politics of West Bengal when he was heckled at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI) by Congress supporters.

Patel was heckled and shown black flags by Congress workers at the airport over the government’s decision on demonetisation. The airport was thrown into massive chaos as uncontrolled Congress supporters heckled the RBI Governor, who visited the state for the first time after assuming office.

Television footage showed Patel--all alone and without any police or security personnel--trying to walk to the airport with protesters all around him. On his arrival at Kolkata yesterday--to attend a board meeting of RBI and to take stock of the eastern region in the wake of demonetization--Patel was greeted by a demonstration by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) members in front of the RBI office here.

Today also, ministers and MLAs of TMC held a demonstration near the RBI office. The Opposition CPM-led

Supreme Court orders liquor store along highways to be shut

Left Front too organised a protest.

The Congress tried to overshadow both TMC and CPM by organising the most audacious show of protest targeting Patel.

Earlier, Patel met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who told him about the problems resulting from demonetisation being faced by the state. “I told him to find a solution quickly. He was quiet,” Banerjee told reporters after the meeting.

Banerjee also gave a five-page memorandum to Patel on the difficulties being faced by various sectors in the state in the wake of demonetisation.

Patel, however, described as “good” the outcome of his meeting with Banerjee. “It was a good meeting,” Patel told journalists before he left the Secretariat.

The Supreme Court today banned the sale of liquor near highways and directed the states and the Centre to remove all liquor shops located 500 metres or less from national and state highways.

The existing licence holders could continue their business till March 31, 2017 or till the validity of their permits expiring before this, a Bench comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justices DY Chandrachud and LN Rao ruled.

The order was based on recommendations by several state governments, NGO Arrive Safe Society of Chandigarh, liquor merchants and others during the hearing on a batch of cross appeals, for and against the ban. Among the states involved in the case were Punjab, Haryana, J&K, Tamil Tadu and Puducherry.

“We don’t want people drinking and

driving on highways,” the apex court had remarked while hearing the petitions. The Bench had advised the states and the Centre to take into account both road safety and government revenue and make “balanced suggestions.”

It had also allowed representatives of public interest litigants in these cases to attend the meeting between the Centre and the states.

The states had pleaded for exempting state highways from the ban on vends.

Supporting the plea, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said vends could not be avoided on state highways which passed through main markets of towns and villages.

The Bench, however, said “if it is valid for national highways, it is valid for state highways also.”

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Focus now on printing of Rs 500 notes: Government The government on Thursday said that the new currency notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 denominations have been designed indigenously with new security features.

“It is the first time that the design of notes is done indigenously. Earlier Rs 500 notes were all designed outside.

Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes have been entirely designed in-house.

So they are much more secure.

Scope of counterfeiting is far far lower,” economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das told reporters today. Das said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was now focusing on printing of Rs 500 notes which would ease the liquidity situation over the next 2-3 weeks. “The situation has considerably improved. I expect in 2-3 weeks, the situation will ease out because of the focus on printing of Rs 500 notes,” he said.

Das said that initially the focus was to supply enough Rs 2,000 notes so as to replenish the demonetised notes as soon as possible.

“Initial focus was to supply Rs 2,000 notes to replenish the earlier Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Parallely, printing of Rs 500 notes had started. “More and more production lines have been diverted for Rs 500 notes as enough stock of Rs 2,000 notes is now there. Printing of Rs 500 notes significantly stepped up so that Rs 2,000 notes become more mobile,” he said.

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INDIA

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Drunks use bank cards and so should Government officials, says Chief Minister of AP Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu took a dig at his ministers and bureaucrats on Thursday for failing to switch over to cashless transactions even as he sarcastically hailed “tipplers” for quickly adapting the digital economy.

“Not even 25 per cent of you are making cashless transactions. How will the country reform if you are like this? It will not,” Naidu remarked after he asked ministers and bureaucrats who switched to digital economy

to raise their hands at a meeting here.

Not many hands went up in the meeting attended by ministers and over 200 bureaucrats at the secretariat this afternoon.

“That is the biggest challenge. Mind set.

Your mindset has to change,” he quipped.

“See how liquor shops are using point of sale (PoS) machines. A drunkard’s mind will not work if he doesn’t drink by evening. That (drinking) gives him the kick, so he has learnt to make cashless transactions. He learnt it because of the need,” the chief minister observed.

“You all, too, should switch to digital economy.” The chief minister, heading a 13-member central committee on digital transactions, said they had committed a mistake by transferring welfare pensions to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts.

“From next month, pensions will be delivered in cash in two instalments of Rs 500 each,” he said, in view of the troubles being faced by pensioners in getting money postdemonetisation.

Let people use old notes for necessities, says SC The Supreme Court questioned the Centre on Thursday on the way it had handled the aftermath of demonetisation and asked why there was unequal distribution of new currency notes among people.

Indirectly pointing towards recent raids in which people were caught with stash of new notes, a bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said that demonetisation had resulted in a “problem of extreme”, with a few people managing to get plenty of notes while

others struggled to get a single one.

The court was also of the view that scrapped currency notes should be allowed to be used by people to access basic necessities of life.

It said the old notes should be accepted in government hospital so that people could avail medical facilities.

“What is your apprehension if government hospitals are allowed to accept scrapped notes? Why should people suffer if you are not able to supply new notes to them?” the bench asked and reserved its order.

You will have no place to go but jail, Supreme Court warns BCCI chief Anurag Thakur Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Anurag Thakur and his top colleagues appeared to be heading towards the exit door as the Supreme Court on Thursday held him “prima facie” guilty of committing the twin offences of contempt of court and perjury to sabotage the court’s order to clean up the cricket board.

“Once we pronounce the order (in perjury proceedings), you will have no other place to go except jail,” a bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justices A M Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud said, maintaining that Thakur could not continue to hold the post of BCCI head as he had misled the court. The bench was referring to his conduct in seeking a letter from International Cricket Council (ICC) chief Shashank Manohar to get his support in a bid to “frustrate” the court’s order to appoint a nominee of the comptroller and auditor general (CAG) to the board to keep an eye on its financial transactions.

“How can a person who prima facie seems to have committed an offence of contempt of court and perjury continue to head the BCCI? We are prima facie satisfied that he deliberately obstructed implementation of our order, so why should he be allowed to continue?” the bench asked.

“Which court is going to grant relief if the apex court orders his prosecution? You apologise if you want to escape,” the bench told senior advocate Kapil Sibal who was appearing for BCCI and Thakur.

The bench did not spare other senior functionaries of BCCI, among the world’s richest sports bodies, either, holding them collectively responsible for trying to resist court-mandated reforms.

The court’s determination about Thakur being guilty of “contempt of court” and “perjury” as well as remarks indicting the entire BCCI brass for resisting implementation of reforms is likely to clear the way for the appointment of observers.

In fact, the Justice RM Lodha committee, which was asked by the SC to suggest reforms in cricket administration, renewed its pitch for the court to appoint observers for the BCCI and state associations - something which will render the present office-bearers powerless. Miffed by the board’s steadfast defiance to carry out reforms, the Lodha committee had recommended that former Union home secretary GK Pillai be appointed as “observer” but BCCI expressed reservations on his name. Sibal, appearing for BCCI, said, “I have strong objection over the name suggested by the committee. There is controversy associated with him but don’t ask me why I object.”

Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, suggested to the bench that a panel of observers be appointed in place of one person. He said in addition to Pillai, former comptroller and auditor general Vinod Rai and former cricketer Mohinder Amarnath could be asked to manage the board’s affairs.

NRI

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Indian-origin student charged with cyber-attacks in US A 26-year-old Indian-origin computer science student has been charged with initiating a number of cyber-attacks on a chat site in the US. Sean Krishanmakoto Sharma has been indicted for transmitting a programme, information, code, or command causing damage to a protected computer, United States attorney Brian J Stretch and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agent in charge John F Bennett said. The indictment accuses the graduate student of initiating a number of attacks on a local provider of online chat services.

According to the indictment, between November 6, 2014 and January 20, 2015, Sharma, used a “distributed denial of service (DDoS) tool to compromise the computers of a San Francisco-based company that provides online chat services to third party web sites.

Sharma was arrested December 9. He was released on a $100,000 bond, US Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California said in a statement.

58,000 Indians issued emigration clearance for jobs in Gulf in past 2 years Over 58,000 Indian workers have been given emigration clearance by the government in the last two years for employment in the Gulf countries.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh also said the government has received complaints from Indian workers in Saudi Arabia about ill treatment by their employers.

“The number of Indian migrant domestic workers who have been given emigration clearance for recruitment in Gulf countries since September 2014 till date is 58,163,” he said.

Singh said the Indian Missions in Bahrain and United Arab Emirates have received four complaints each of physical abuse and harassment of migrant domestic workers.

The minister said complaints received by the missions are taken up with the local authorities.

Indian in Saudi Arabia arrested on charges of blasphemy Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested Shankar Ponnam, an Indian agricultural engineer, for allegedly offending Islamic sentiments. Ponnam superimposed a picture of the Hindu god Shiva onto a picture of the Holy Kaaba to make it look like he was sitting atop it.

The Holy Kaaba is the most sacred place for over one billion Muslims across the globe and is the pivot around which the whole Muslim world rotates.

His arrest in Riyadh, announced by the Saudi Interior Ministry on November 20, caused serious concern for the lakhs of Indians employed in Saudi Arabia.

Col. Fawaz Al-Maiman, spokesman for Riyadh police, said the Criminal Investigation Department arrested the 40-something Indian expat on charges of blaspheming Islam’s holiest shrine on his Facebook account. The police also claimed that Ponnam admitted to the act.

27

Indian-origin man died in prank gone wrong A UK-based Indian-origin financial expert drowned after going overboard during a prank gone wrong while on a stag party river cruise he organised for his friend in Portugal, a court here has heard.

Nishanthan Gnanathas, who was the best man at his friend’s wedding, hit his head on a wire balustrade when he was pushed from a yacht into the River Tagus in Lisbon as part of a prank in July this year.

“I accept the cause of death as immersion in water. My final conclusion is that I am entirely satisfied that this was misadventure,” said Coroner Fiona Wilcox at an inquest hearing into his death at Westminster Coroner’s Court on Wednesday.

“I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that whatever happened was very quick and that Nish suffered some sort of physical shock and

suffered respiratory arrest and couldn’t breath because of the water. What happened must have been very sharp and very sudden. He was a young, fit man and had been able to jump off the pier in similar circumstances the day before,” she said. According to

‘The Sun’, the 31-year-old was part of a group of 13 friends during the party cruise in July to celebrate Youseff Ismail’s wedding the previous year.

“Nish was my best man. He

organised the trip to go to Portugal as a stag do. Nish ended up in the water and hit his head on the way in.

Everyone was like ‘oooh’. I jumped in, so did Andre, but we couldn’t find him. I think we were on our first beer,” Ismail told the court.

“We half expected him to be messing around to be honest with you,” he said.

Andre van Eck, the friend who pushed the victim into the water, told the court, “We had horseplay all the time. We had no intention for anyone to get hurt.” Explaining why Gnanathas was to be thrown overboard first, Van Eck said, “He was the best man. When we went to restaurants and the food was late, it was Nish’s fault.”

Gnanathas’ family had to wait for six days before his body was recovered from the water after a major sea and air search involving police boats and a helicopter.

28

FIJI

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Cruise ship brings in 2000 tourists from China More than 2000 tourists from China arrived on the Costa Atlantica cruise ship that berthed in Suva yesterday.

The Costa Atlantica left Tianjin, China, after the launch of China’s first 46-day cruise to the South Pacific. Zhao Yunxia, 31, is travelling with her husband and was happy to experience the friendly Fijian lifestyle.

“We just came back from visiting the villagers in Sawani and it felt so good to see the friendly nature of the Fijian people,” she said. “I also had an amazing exploration today and I discovered that Fijian women are very beautiful.”

Ms Zhao had resigned from her job in China so she could come on the cruise to the Pacific because her employers did not allow her to take 46 days leave.

She added she came on the cruise without hesitation because she felt it was an experience of a lifetime.

Costa Atlantica plans to take passengers across two continents, visiting 12 islands in nine countries.

Some of the most fascinating places on earth are included in the itinerary, including Saipan in Northern Mariana Islands, Suva, Papeete and BoraBora in Tahiti, Pago Pago in American Samoa and Rabaul in PNG.

Fijian national sentenced to 9 years and 6 months for human trafficking in NZ A Fijian national with New Zealand residency convicted of human trafficking in New Zealand has been sentenced to nine years and six months in prison.

46-year-old Faroz Ali was the mastermind behind a trafficking scam that lured 15 Fijian workers into New Zealand with false promises of high wages and working visas.

Ali is found guilty of 15 people trafficking charges and 15 charges for aiding and abetting a person to unlawfully enter New Zealand.

In the Auckland High Court yesterday, Justice Paul Heath called people trafficking an abhorrent crime as he sentenced Ali to nine years and six months in prison and ordered him to repay the victims $28,167.

During the course of the trial in August, the jury heard how Ali, who was based in Auckland, and his wife and her sister, who were based in Fiji, had worked together over 18 months to lure workers to New Zealand and charged them up to $4000 each for administration fees, work visas, flights, accommodation and food expenses.

The workers only received a one month visitor visa and their rent and food costs were deducted from the minimal wages they received.

Once they arrived into Auckland they were forced to work illegally for long hours, sleep on the floor of overcrowded basements and were significantly underpaid ‑ with some not being paid at all.

FEA working on restoring power to areas in central division The FEA is now working to restore power to areas in the central division where there were unplanned outages last night.

This includes the Walu bay area, Tailevu area - from Wainikula to

Matacaucau and Udua street in Naboro.

There is no time frame on when power would be restored.

Stay with us for updates as our news team is on standby to bring you the latest weather updates.

Fiji braces for Category 1 cyclone The Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) is anticipating TD04F to gradually intensify and become a category 1 cyclone by late Friday.

The system, which was upgraded to a tropical depression today, was located about 420km Northwest of Nadi or about 350km Northwest of Yasawa-i-Rara at 10am this morning.

Fiji Meteorological Service director Ravind Kumar said on the projected track, the system

was anticipated to move Southeast towards Fiji and gradually take a southerly turn to locate West of Yasawa-i-Rara on Saturday and West-South-West of Nadi on Sunday.

“Within the next 24 to 48 hours the major concern is continuing heavy rain, floods, strong and gusty winds associated with the system,” he said.

Members of the public have been urged to take necessary precautions.

More heavy rain for the weekend ALTHOUGH Tropical Depression (TD04F) is unlikely to become a cyclone or make landfall, the National Weather Forecasting Centre in Nadi warns of more rain. At a 4pm briefing today, the Fiji Meteorological Service director, Ravind Kumar said “under the current and expected conditions, TD04F is expected remain as a tropical depression.”

“The concerns at the present time are heavy rain, associated flooding, and strong & gusty winds,” he said.

So the following alerts are still in force: A strong wind warning remains in force for all land areas of Fiji; A heavy rain warning remains in force for the whole of Fiji; and A flood alert remains in force.

The flood alert is particularly for those in; Low lying areas and the downstream of Waimanu station; Low lying areas and areas adjacent to Nabukaluka station and areas downstream of Nabukaluka station.

Low lying areas flooded in Navua With the continued heavy rain since last night, most of the roads and Irish crossings in low lying areas outside Navua Town is already under water.

The Nabukavesi Road, which is before the new Navua Hospital, is closed to all traffic because of flooding. Flood waters have also started to enter some houses, threatening families to pack their belongings and move to

higher grounds. Heavy rain continues along the Queens Highway from Suva to Navua.

Evacuation centre: Residents along Rampur Road in Navua have started to move to the Rampur College, which is operating as an evacuation centre for the Navua area.

We have received reports that the road is under 3 feet of water.

Angry fishermen walk out of Forum Angry fishermen walked out of a fisheries forum in Labasa yesterday after they disagreed with the new fishing licence fees set by Government under the proposed Qoliqoli Bill.

The new fees, which is being proposed under the new Qoliqoli Bill, has been described as “exorbitant” by many.

The forum also heard of disagreements between the fishermen and government officials. While one expressed his views, another two or three would stand to support the views shared by their colleague as they disagreed with the new fees. The fishermen have not agreed with the $3000 fees for five

crew and one boat when most of them only have three crew members and a boat.

At the forum, senior fisheries officer Alifereti Tuinamata said their duty was to inform fishermen of the proposed Qoliqoli Bill and any proposed changes would be sent to their headquarters.

“We are here to inform you of the changes,” he said.

“We don’t make the changes and it’s the Government that mandates this licence and not us.”

A fisherman of Namara in Labasa, Mohammed Jabbar, said they were not happy with the new licence fee of $3000

PAKISTAN

Saturday, December 17, 2016

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Pakistan wary of NSG ‘exemption’ for India Pakistan is wary of powerful countries pressurising smaller nations to exempt India in the admission process to the NSG and feels that strategic stability in South Asia would be undermined if Pakistan’s application was not treated equally with that of India.

Pakistani official suspect that powerful countries could force the smaller partners to support India’s Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership bid despite a growing realisation for a criteria-based approach for joining the 48-member elite grouping.

“We are pretty confident that NSG countries would not go down the exemption way, but if they ultimately do so and give exemption to India,” director general of disarmament at the foreign office Kamran Akhtar said while speaking at a workshop on ‘Defence, Deterrence and Stability’ in South Asia. “...there would be serious repercussions not just for Pakistan, but also for other nonnuclear weapon states that may feel being unjustly denied their right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” he said.

At the same time, Pakistani officials feel encouraged by growing support in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) for establishing criteria for membership of nonNPT countries, Dawn reported.

“There are a lot of countries that now recognise the need for a criteria-based approach rather than granting exemptions, but pressures are still being exerted on smaller countries,” he said.

Pakistan and Russia hold first-ever consultation Pakistan and Russia held their first ever consultation in Islamabad on Wednesday , the ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement, adding that a wide range of regional issues and key areas of mutual interest including economic cooperation and connectivity were discussed. “The two sides exchanged views on important global and regional developments.

It was also decided that the next round of consultations will be convened in Moscow in 2017,” it added.

Director general (West Asia), ministry of foreign affairs, Ahmad Hassain Dayo, led the Pakistani side while Alexander V Sternik, third CIS department head at the Russian

ministry of foreign affairs, led the delegation from Moscow.

In September, Russian and Pakistani troops had held their first-ever joint military exercises in the special services group (SSG) training centre in Cherat in Khy ber Pakhtunkhwa province. The joint drill, named `Friendship 2016’, was seen as a step in the growing military-to-military cooperation between the two countries that remained rivals for decades during the Cold War. Pakistan’s decision to develop closer ties to Russia was taken after the 2011 killing of al-Qaida chief, Osama bin laden, in a secret military operation by US in Abbottabad.

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Bangladesh pays tributes to martyred 1971 intellectuals Bangladesh on Wednesday paid homage to the intellectuals martyred in the 1971 liberation war as President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led thousands in paying their respects in the capital.

Army bugles played the ‘Last Post’ as Hamid and Hasina stood in solemn silence in a state ceremony at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial here.

Pakistani troops and their Bengali-speaking Razakar collaborators and other auxiliary forces massacred several members of the proindependence intelligentsia including physicians, professors, writers and teachers, throughout the nine-month war that is said to have killed over a million people.

Just two days ahead of the final victory over invading Pakistani forces on December 14, 1971,

Bangladesh Bank officials involved in heist

the infamous Gestapo-like Al-Badr and Al-Shams militias carried out a systematic campaign to murder well-regarded academics and professionals.

The then Bangladesh government and victorious freedom fighters, however, came to know about the brutal massacre only after the December 16, 1971 surrender by Pakistani troops when their top accomplices of the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing went into hiding and resurfaced years later.

The nation observed the day this year even as most of the top perpetrators have been hanged in the past three years on charges of crimes against humanity during the war.

A memorial erected in memory of the martyred intellectuals at Mirpur area in the capital was readied as President Hamid and Prime Minister Hasina offered tributes by placing wreaths there.

Some Bangladesh central bank officials deliberately exposed its computer systems and enabled hackers to steal $81 million from its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in February, a top police investigator in Dhaka told Reuters on Monday.

The comments by Mohammad Shah Alam, head of the Forensic Training Institute of the Bangladesh police’s criminal investigation department, are the first sign that investigators have got a firm lead in one of the world’s biggest cyber heists, which had

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prompted months of international finger-pointing. Arrests are soon likely, he said.

On Thursday, the head of a Bangladesh government panel that

investigated the heist said five bank officials were guilty of negligence but that they were only unwitting accomplices.

Alam told Reuters his investigations had discovered that some bank officials had knowingly created vulnerabilities in the bank’s connection to the SWIFT global messaging and payments system.

“Bangladesh Bank’s SWIFT network was made insecure by some bank employees in connivance with some foreign people,” he said. “They knew what they were doing.”

Respect state to state relations: Afghanistan to Russia Afghanistan has asked Russia to respect state to state relations after the Russian ambassador to Kabul stunned the Afghan parliament by saying Russia and Taliban had shared interests in fighting ISIS/ Daesh.

Addressing the upper house of the Afghan parliament on the weekend, envoy Alexander Mantytskiy was quoted as saying, “Zamir Kabulov (a high-ranking official in Russia’s foreign ministry) said our interests are the same as Taliban in fighting Daesh. ...”

Kabulov is believed to be the chief driver of Russia’s policies towards Afghanistan and Pakistan, and is believed to be responsible for Russia’s outreach to Pakistan.

During the recent Heart of Asia ministerial in Amritsar, Kabulov stood out for his criticism of both India and Afghanistan, who had taken Pakistan to task for its continued support to terror groups. A few weeks ago, Kabulov was quoted by journalists as saying, “The IS [Daesh] Afghan wing - poses a great threat to us.

That is dangerous for us because they are really global jihadists, that is the same as al-Qaida was at the beginning of its way in Afghanistan and they customized to Central Asia with all consequences for us.”

If this is indeed Russia’s new stance on the Taliban and Daesh, it will be problematic for India, Afghanistan and even the US. It will, however, be music for Pakistan.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Superstore

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FRUITICANA

Saturday, December 17, 2016

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Saturday - December 17, 2016

Daddy Yograj FLARES UP AGAIN, Blames Baba For Changing Hazel’s Name!

Has Mona Lisa’s boyfriend Vikrant dumped her?

Yograj Singh is on a bed of hot coal.

He is fretting at the negative press that he has been getting for not attending his son Yuvraj Singh’s wedding. And now

It seems like there is heartbreak in store for Mona Lisa. Everyone is aware that her close friendship with Manu Punjabi inside the house has created quite a stir in her personal life. Her boyfriend Vikrant Singh Rajpoot openly expressed his displeasure to various publications and now we hear that things have gone kaput. As per reports, Vikrant has called it quits with Mona. Shocking, isn’t it?

The friendship between Manveer Gurjar, Manu Punjabi and Mona Lisa is one of the highlights of the show. After making an emergency exit for the final rites of his mother, Manu made a re-entry inside the house.

He was accompanied by Priyanka Jagga

since yesterday, he is just fed up. A leading channel ran a news item yesterday that he is responsible for changing his bahu Hazel’s name to Gurbasant Kaur and Yuvraj has put his foot down.

We called up Yograj this morning, and he let loose a thing or a two at the Baba who governs the family. Yograj’s remarks

cannot be published yet again! For those who’ve come in late, Yograj had said quite a few uncomplimentary things about the same Baba when we had called him two days ago. The only thing about Yograj’s recent clarification that we can put in black and white is: “Ask the Baba whom these people (Mrs Shabnam Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Zoravar Singh) follow, as to who wants to change Hazel’s name.”

There were whispers that Babaji had told Yuvraj’s family that Papa Yograj should not attend Yuvraj’s marriage, and there were rumours also about Yograj not wanting to attend because he cannot stand this Babaji. Tell Yograj that and he flies into a rage, which contained a volley of uncharitable remarks in our call to him on Tuesday.

‘Demonetisation didn’t affect my life much’ Not just common people but demonetisation caused quite a storm even in the lives of celebrities.

Though there is one celebrity who wasn’t really affected by the Prime Minister’s move to ban the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes.

Superstar Aamir Khan says that demonetisation has not affected him in any way as he doesn’t have any black money and called for supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative. “I wont lie, I will be honest.

Demonetisation didn’t affect my life much. I believe it affected those people who have black money.

I don’t have any black money. I have been paying my taxes till date. So I don’t have any black money at all,” he said at an event here. I spend money through my credit card or cheque so it didn’t affect me much. I know many people had problems and I feel sad for them but I am also happy that our Prime Minister has taken an initiative, so we should support him,” he added.

whom we feel will stay inside for eternity.

After a brief spell in the secret room, they came inside the regular house.

And this is where the drama will start.

It seems Manu met Mona’s boyfriend outside the house. This happened after he finished the last rites of his mother in Jodhpur.

Sushant BEATS Salman Khan to become Google’s top trending celebrity for 2016 Not Salman Khan, neither Aamir Khan not Shah Rukh Khan but Sushant Singh Rajput has turned out to be the top actor on Google Trends 2016! Sushant stands first whereas Salman has bagged the fifth position. Now that’s a little too surprising, isn’t it? Sushant, who gave a blockbuster hit this year with MS Dhoni: The Untold Story has been in the news throughout the year. First it was for his breakup with Ankita Lokhande, then

for the stupendous performance he gave in MS Dhoni and now because of his alleged love affair with Kriti Sanon. Clearly, the actor knows how to be in the limelight!

Another reason why SSR is the top trending Bollywood actor is also because he is highly active on social media.

We all know that its the best way for fans to connect with their favourite stars. Sushant keeps posting stuff on his Twitter and Insta feed.

21 HITLIST

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mid-day Friday, December 16, 2016 | www.mid-day.com | twitter.com/mid_day | epaper.mid-day.com

have you heard?

Bollywood

PEECEE’S FAN BOY

American actor Conrad Ricamora, who features in How to Get Away with Saturday, 2016He watches Quantico even though he Murder, is a fanDecember of Priyanka17, Chopra. admits he is “embarrassingly uneducated” about Indian cinema

No Hungama for Disha

No time to mope

Last week, there was buzz about Disha Patani being approached for the sequel to Priyadarshan’s 2003 film, Hungama, opposite Ayushmann Khurrana. But, it turns out, the reports are not true. A source close to the actress tells us, “Disha admires Priyadarshan and would love to work with him, but she is definitely not doing Hungama 2 now.

She is going through a few scripts and will make an announcement as soon as she signs her next film.”

Disha will next be seen in Jackie Chan’s Kung Fu Yoga.

Manoj Bajpayee is not upset that he has been left out of the awards scene for his critically acclaimed film, Aligarh.

Far from sulking, he is taking off for a vacation to Singapore with wife Shabana and daughter Ava Nayla. Just what the doctor ordered.

On second thoughts Sunny Leone’s item song, Laila O Laila, in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees was slated to release next month. But the makers have advanced the date to next week. Since it is a peppy number, the makers feel they should unveil it before the festive and party season begins. Or is it because producers of Raees’ BO rival, Kaabil, have just released their item number, Saara Zamana, with Urvashi Rautela shaking her booty? Can’t wait to see Sunny’s latkas and jhatkas now.

THE THESPIAN GOES HOME Dilip Kumar, who was admitted to Lilavati Hospital last week after he complained of swelling in his right leg and fever, was discharged yesterday. The actor had celebrated his 94th on December 11 in the hospital with close family members. PIC/POONAM BATHIJA

TELLY TATTLE

Pedal for fitness

Wait for August

Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandezstarrer Reload will release on August 25 next year.

Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK have chosen the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi for a date with movie lovers. Divine intervention is always welcome. Ain’t it?

Be on top of celebrity gossip with www.mid-day.com

Dec

16

Wajah Tum Ho *ing: Sharman Joshi Sana Khan

Dec Dangal

23

*ing: Aamir Khan Sakshi Tanwar

In the same frame, again

Divyanka Tripathi was spotted cycling in the compound of her Goregaon home with husband Vivek Dahiya.

The telly actress, who celebrated her birthday on November 14, received a cycle as birthday gift from hubby dearest. He bought one for himself as well. It’s his way of ensuring that they stay fit.

Kher babysits Khiladi Kumar Buddies Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher are shooting for Toilet — Ek Prem Katha, their 20th film together.

The Khiladi took to Instagram and posted a picture with his co-star.

He wrote, “A man who has nurtured so many and taken it upon himself to babysit me throughout my career. Kher also shared a post on social media.

He wrote, “Celebrating my 20th film with one and only — Akshay Kumar. A joyous journey from Deedar in 1992 to Toilet —Ek Prem Katha now.” This friendship is for keeps.

Sonam Kapoor and Delhi-based businessman Anand Ahuja have been rumoured to be a couple for a while. Yet again, a snapshot of the two has gone viral. Designer Nikhil Mehra (of the Shantanu-Nikhil duo) posted a snapshot on social media in which Sonam and Anand are posing with the designer. Sonam recently walked the ramp at his fashion show. The actress towers over Anand in thigh-high boots.

Gossip mills are abuzz that Sonam and Anand are planning to make things official in 2017.

The new year seems full of promise.

New Released Bollywood Films Jan

06

Begum Jaan

*ing: Vidya Balan, Gauhar, Naseeruddin Shah

Jan

13

OK Jaanu

*ing: Aditya Roy Kapur, Shraddha Kapoor

Jan

13

Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Bollywood

Aditya DITCHES Ranbir’s housewarming party to spend time with Katrina Kaif Is there more to what meets the eyes?

So Ranbir Kapoor threw an intimate housewarming party at his new apartment last night. His favourites right from Karan

Johar to Gauri Khan too were seen making it to the do. However, Aditya Roy Kapur, who for all that we know is Ranbir’s bestie, ditched the party and instead decided to spend time with Ranbir’s ex Katrina Kaif.

Yes! We just got our hands on these pictures of Adi and Katrina heading to Adi’s Bandra apartment. Ahem! Interesting right?

Although time and again Adi and Katrina have rubbished their link up rumours by hiding behind the ‘just friends’ tag but if these latest pictures are anything to go by, then we’re really getting suspicious of this relationship now. I mean, there could be two possibilities – either Ranbir didn’t invite Aditya coz the latter is more closer to Katrina these days or Adi deliberately skipped the bash to spend time with Katrina.

Given that Katrina and Aditya were

After Dear Zindagi, Alia Bhatt signs yet another women-centric movie

After doing Dear Zindagi which is a woman-centric movie, Alia Bhatt is all set to star in yet another female-oriented movie.

Apparently, the actress has bagged the role in Meghna Gulzar’s next which is based on Harinder S. Sikka’s novel ‘Calling Sehmat’.

If reports are to be believed, Ms Bhatt will be seen playing the role of a spy in the early 1970s in the movie. She is yet to make an official statement about the same. However, if this is true, this will be yet another feather in her cap. She is only 23 and Alia has experimented with her characters onscreen like nobody else in Bollywood. When she debuted with Student Of The Year everyone thought she wouldn’t go too far with her Bollywood career. However, she proved everyone wrong with a brilliant performance in Highway and ever since then there is no stopping her.

hanging out together on the very same night when Ranbir decided to throw a housewarming party does pave way to a lot of speculations. What’s brewing between Aditya and Katrina? If not lovers, are they ganging up against Ranbir? Is Ranbir losing out on his besties to ex Katrina? You can draw your conclusions in the comments below and we bet one of this theory gotta be true.

In fact, if you closely take a look at Katrina

and Aditya’s pictures, they seemed to be in so much rush as if they didn’t want to get clicked together yet the papz played a spoiler by catching them red handed.

All said and done, now we want you guys to decode this ‘hot affair’ for us. What do you think is cooking up between Aditya and Katrina? Like they choose to believe, is this ‘close friendship’ or on the verge of becoming ‘more than just friends’?

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Bollywood Aries

Horoscope

March 21 - April 20

Libra Sept. 24 - Oct 22

You need to hang on to your principles, but much still revolves around money. You feel that you should not be in the business of making other people happy, but of securing your own interests. It is about time that you put yourself first, so don’t feel guilty.

You may celebrate Jupiter’s presence in intriguing parts of your chart by buying yourself a treat or two. Your pleasure may be slightly marred by a hint of provocation in the financial department. All the signs suggest that a cash crisis will pass with a partner’s support. That’s the week’s good news!

Taurus

Scorpio

April 21 - May 20

Oct 23 - Nov 22

You must be prepared for frank and open debate! You may wish that everything were sweetness and light, but it’s far better to face up to causes of disagreement. There’s little to be gained from papering over the cracks. In the long-term, life is running your way, so you can afford to relax.

Planet is piling upon planet, star upon star, and you may be experiencing a welcome rise in energy. However, there are too many choices. If you really can’t decide what you should be doing, it is perfectly acceptable to surrender to circumstances and let fate take its course.

Gemini

Sagitarius

May 20 - June 21

Nov 23 - Dec 22

You are famous for your good ideas but, also, in many people’s opinion, for the ease with which you change your mind. However, it’s now important to be consistent and realise that your plans must be capable of practical implementation.

Your fantasy life appears to be extremely powerful at present. There’s nothing wrong with this, just as long as you don’t imagine that what you believe to be true really is true. As the days pass, fact and fiction begin to follow completely separate paths.

Cancer

Capricorn

June 22 - July 23

Dec 23 - Jan 20

Passions are mounting. This obviously means that romantic dalliances could develop a momentum of their own. It also indicates that all your creative powers should be at a peak. Cancerian artists will be exploring new avenues or expertise.

The results could benefit your business life.

Leo

Your stars mean business, and friends and acquaintances are set to take life extremely seriously and an otherwise lighthearted situation can become extremely intense. What happens in the end is very much up to you, and your emotional wisdom and experience will be thoroughly tested.

Kaur B’s new song ‘Paranda’, Navraj Raja’s Video Recently launched Punjabi folk-mix track ‘Paranda’ sung by popular Punjabi singer Kaur B is catching eyes all over the social media platforms and TV channels. The foot-thumping track’s video shot in Vancouver, Canada by veteran Punjabi music video director Navraj Raja released on 9th December by Speed Records across the globe. Track’s music by the very popular JSL is mix of desi folk and urban beats along with fabulous rap by the name itself. The Punjabi folk song’s beauty is completely justified with the music and the colourfulness in the video with Kaur B walking through eye-catching locations of Vancouver showing off gorgeous Patiala suits, stunning earrings., and of course, the Paranda.

On the successful launch of the video, stated Navraj Raja, “We worked especially around the dresses for Kaur B that are marking the beauty of the video. The folk song talks about how stunning the girl is, and Kaur B has amazingly justified it. We had the perfect weather, chose the perfect locations to walk around, and the most gorgeous accessories for the artist. The whole team has worked days and nights on this project and we’re happy to see how audience is loving it.”

Also stated the singer of the track, Kaur B, “Navraj and I have been associated for a while, and I’m happy to have this video come out so well. The song is amazing, I loved the

Abhishek Bachchan is not just a victim to trolls but he also makes it a point to shut

Jan 21 - Feb 19

Power struggles are inevitable, most likely at home or within your family.

Never imagine that you are completely faultless, for, even inadvertently, you have contributed to current, awkward emotional situations. An older, or more experienced, partner, will come to your aid.

Virgo

Discussions and decisions which take place over the current period will be dominated by the Moon, and that means you’ll be making rational choices on the basis of your instincts and feelings. And that’s no easy feat! Your judgment may be good, but think before you speak!

Pisces

August 24 - Sept 24

Feb 20 - March 20

It’s difficult to focus on details at the moment and you should be setting off on a fact-finding expedition at work. You’ll do well in serious discussions and meetings, but don’t be thrown by people who are out to shock you. Family matters could benefit from some of your sensitive and intuitive skills.

It’s time to catch up with a few basic lifelessons. It looks very much as if you may have been taking other people for granted, or otherwise under-valuing their gifts and qualities. You would do well to reconsider your habits and preconceptions.

a pleasure to have people appreciating the works we do, and I promise to keep bringing many many more such good quality projects for my fans and followers.”

Song: Paranda, Artist: Kaur B Music: JSL, Video: Navraj Raja Label: Speed Records

Abhishek Bachchan shuts down trolls even before they begin in this throwback post

Aquarius

June 24 - August 23

dresses I wore, and the music has made it just perfect. My followers had been on a wait for me to do a folk, and here it is! Its always

down trolls like a boss. The actor recently posted a throwback picture of his photo shoot for his debut film, Refugee. While he got nostalgic posting the image, he also shut down trolls before they could even start. He

wrote about how difficult it was for him to do photo shoots where he supposed to stay still and revealed that it’s magazine shoots that give him sleepless nights more than shooting for films. He praised and admired the models who are so perfect and his words, proficient at what they do.

The actor captioned the image,” #throwbackthursday Photo shoot for my 1st film Refugee. Remember being petrified about this shoot. Have always hated photoshoots, being a motion picture actor have always found it very difficult to be still and literally freeze ( although one might argue that that’s pretty much all I do in my films…. Freeze!). Shooting a publicity/promotional still is always easier than shooting normal photographs as you get to be in character and pose like the character would. It’s the magazine shoots which give me sleepless nights. Have the up most admiration for actors and models who are so proficient in it. Must work on this and improve.”

Bollywood personalities’ birthdays

john abraham december 17

sohail khan december 20

govinda december 21

anil kapoor december 24

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Eshwar Shakti

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Movie Review

Wajah Tum Ho Exactly a year ago I, being a Karan Singh Grover fan, tricked my friends into watching Hate Story 3 with me. Needless to say, I have been banned from picking movies in my group. Director of Hate Story 3, Vishal Pandya’s latest offering is Wajah Tum Ho (taking it’s title from my favourite song) and he has certainly learnt from his past mistakes. Wajah Tum Ho stars Sana Khan, Sharman Joshi, Gurmeet Choudhary, Rajniesh Duggal in lead roles and is a decent suspense thriller. Is the movie worth your time? Find out…

A masked man murders a police officer, and broadcasts the entire ordeal LIVE across all channels of a media group (The police officer is made to swallow litres of petrol).

Rahul Oberoi (Rajniesh Duggal) CEO of the media group is brought in for questioning

by Inspector Kabir Deshmukh (Sharman Joshi). It is established by Rahul’s lawyer/ legal team head/object of desire Sia (Sana Khan), that live streaming was done through

Gurmeet Choudhary and Sana Khan’s performances fail to live up to the plot of the thriller

satellite hacking, and Rahul has nothing do with it. The police is represented by lawyer Ranveer Bajaj (Gurmeet Choudhary), who happens to be Sia’s boyfriend as well. Before they all can reach the real culprit, a second murder is broadcasted live. The hunt for the real killer, the backstory, reason behind the killings, and the character’s relationships make for the entire film.

The plot is interesting and fresh and is made even more thrilling with the background score.

People, literally, watch a block of ice melting live on Facebook, imagine what would happen if it’s a murder happening live in a twisted, torturous way.

Also, if you can digest the fact that Shah Rukh Khan orchestrates an entire chase sequence across countries in Fan, you should not be having much trouble with Wajah Tum Ho‘s diminished universe of logic, and expanded universe of possibilities.

Sharman Joshi is the only good one in the

film, and plays his part well. Thankfully no erotic scenes are attributed to him like Hate Story 3.

There are two twists in the film. I found the first twist so predictable that I saw it coming as soon as the starring credits rolled on screen.

But that was me, you might just find the BIG reveal pretty shocking.

And the second twist managed to surprise me. The climax is pretty engaging and near perfect. The movie goes up by three levels on the entertainment ladder during the final fight.

Live broadcast of a murder is an interesting plot, but not explored much. Wajah Tum Ho rather wastes time in dialoguebaazi, takes too much time to uncover the backstory, and has unnecessary songs. You never strongly feel root for any character in the film. Sana Khan wastes her opportunity. She gets more than twothree super strong scenes to deliver in Wajah Tum Ho, and she fails miserably in each one of those. She breaks down twice in the movie, and you feel absolutely nothing. Despite being tagged as the most intelligent character in the film, Sia (Sana) delivers the most stupid dialogues. Sana could have established herself as an actress, but probably would only be remembered by filmmakers when it will come to meaty

roles. It is tough to decide if Gurmeet is a good or bad actor in Wajah Tum Ho, much like it’s hard to designate him as a TV actor or a Bollywood actor.

Logic takes a nosedive at many points in the film. If you are part of the killing team (sorry spoiler), why would you have posters of your targets hanging in your room with cross marks on them? For investigating officer to randomly walk in and find them?

Or why would a police officer discuss intricate revelations about the case in front of both the defendant and the prosecutor? But again Bollywood and logic are just good as a team as Simi Garewal and a multi coloured robe.

The movie ruins not one, not two, but THREE classic songs with butchered remakes. I would pick Kanta Laga Remix as my life’s theme song over the three remixes in this film.

Wajah Tum Ho is far far better than Hate Story 2 and 3. Though it is most definitely not the edge of your seat suspense thriller, it is not outrageously bad either.

In India where we celebrate one time watch movies, Wajah Tum Ho can easily be your weekend indulgence. But if you are an ardent worshipper of logical plots, and near flawless films, stick to your sorts.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Foodie

7

Chicken Noodles Soup Ingredients Egg noodles – 300 gms (about 10 oz) Whole Chicken – 1 (about 1.5 kg or 3 lbs) Carrots – 3 (diced) Celery – 3 (diced) Dried Thyme – 1 tsp (Sometime I use 1 tsp of Italian Seasoning) Cilantro (or parsley) – handful (chopped) Salt – to taste Black Pepper Powder – to taste Olive Oil – 2 tsp For the stock For making the stock, use any vegetables

that you have on hand. These are the vegetables I used.

Carrot – 1 Celery – 1 Onion – 1 Spring Onions – 3 Garlic – 5 cloves Chicken Noodles Soup Method Preparation Wash the chicken thoroughly. Remove and discard the skin. Cut small cubes of the boneless meat and keep it separately for the soup. Use the bony pieces to make the chicken stock.

To make chicken stock Take a big pressure cooker or pot filled with three quarters of water. Add the bony pieces of chicken and the vegetables to it.

Bring it to a boil and reduce to medium heat. If you are using open pot, simmer it partially covered for about 1 hour. If using a pressure cooker, put the whistle and cook for about 15 whistles. We want all the essence from the bones to come out and flavor the stock.

Strain out the stock and discard the bones and vegetables. Reserve this stock to make the soup. Instead of making the stock at home, you can use store bough stock or bouillon and skip the above steps.

To make Chicken Noodles Soup Take a big soup pot and heat the olive oil.

Add the chicken cubes to it. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Next add all the diced vegetables and stir fry for another 2 minutes.

Add the dried thyme and chicken stock.

After it boils, reduce the flame and bring it to simmer.

While it is simmering, add the egg noodles, required salt and black pepper powder. Cook for about 5-10 minutes till the noodles are cooked through. Do not overcook the noodles. Check the packet for cooking

instructions.

By now the chicken and veggies will also be cooked.

Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding more stock or

water. Finally mix in chopped cilantro and switch off.

Steamy chicken noodles soup is ready. Serve this hearty comforting meal during winter.

17

8

mid-day

Wednesday, December 14, 2016 | www.mid-day.com | twitter.com/mid_day | epaper.mid-day.com

have you heard?

Bollywood

SOUTH REMAKE

R S Prasanna’s Tamil film Kalyana Samayal Saadham (2013) is being Saturday, December 17,Aanand 2016 L Rai, it stars Kartik Aaryan. remade in Hindi.

Produced by Prasanna, who has reworked the script for Bollywood, will also direct it

Aditya Chopra didn’t flee at seeing papz!

We agree that parenthood changes you.

The fiercely reticent filmmaker Aditya Chopra, who was once famously caught on camera fleeing from photographers, was

snapped with wife Rani Mukerji stepping out of a Bandra eatery on Monday night, looking calm. Adira, you managed what no one else could! PICS/YOGEN SHAH

Dubai launch The unit of Rakesh Roshan’s upcoming film, Kaabil, is taking off to Dubai today for the launch of the track, Saara Zamana Haseeno Ka Deewana. The item song, which features Urvashi Rautela, will be unveiled at an awards show. Hrithik Roshan also features in the song, but hasn’t flaunted his magic moves. Composer Rajesh Roshan recreated the hit track from the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Yaarana (1981). Hrithik had even lent his stylist, Karishma Archarya, to Urvashi. The song was choreographed by Ahmed Khan with Badshah rapping some bits of it.

Irrfan’s joke goes wrong

Two States for Sunny’s brother

Getting serious Irrfan Khan thought he was being funny, but his joke has landed him in a spot. During a recent event, he was asked about his upcoming film Hindi Medium, which stars Pakistani actress Saba Qamar. Given the ban on Pakistani artistes, he was questioned about her presence. Irrfan candidly remarked, “I think maybe

Saba Qamar has married someone here in India. She is an Indian now. I heard it somewhere.” It was meant to be a joke, but has now drawn unsolicited attention towards Saba, who is now receiving death threats with her fellow countrymen who are convinced that she has indeed married an Indian.

Ouch.

Raring to go

judging. Sonu has been travelling to various cities for the auditions. Until September, Sonu was confined to a wheelchair. In fact, snapshots of Pakistani singer Atif Aslam pushing his wheelchair in the US, where the duo performed a series of concerts, had gone viral. It bore the stamp of cross-border love!

For the last few months, Sonu Nigam was bedridden following a leg surgery.

The singer is now back on his feet and raring to go.

He has begun working out in the gym to get in shape, ahead of the new season of Indian Idol which he is

Zaheer Khan was yet again spotted with Chak De actress Sagarika Ghatge at a city event. The rumoured couple is throwing caution to the wind ever since they were first seen together at Hazel Keech and Yuvraj Singh’s wedding in Goa. It is said the two are serious about each other, with an engagement on the cards.

Zak was earlier linked to actress Isha Sharvani and VJ Ramona Arena.

Sunny Leone decked up in desi attire for her younger brother Sundeep Vohra’s wedding last week.

Sundeep, a chef based in California, got hitched to a south Indian girl, Karishma Naidu.

The festivities took place as per Sikh and Tamil traditions. It has been an eventful week for the actress as she also featured on BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women list.

Beginning anew Pulkit Samrat might become history for Yami Gautam since she is immersed in work.

She’s currently shooting for Ram Gopal Varma’s Sarkar 3. Yami has a serious look in the political drama and is keen to explore a new screen persona. She’s also part of Hrithik Roshan-starrer Kaabil, which releases next month. It is all work now for Yami as she and Pulkit are on a relationship break (read: it’s over).

Four years on Vidya Balan and Siddharth Roy Kapur celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary today.

The couple is not known to be party-hearty. But, we hear Vids, after being critically acclaimed for Kahaani 2, might be in the mood to celebrate.

For more Updates, Visit our Website

www.theasianstar.com Local News . World . Entertainment . Auto . Sports

Saturday, December 17, 2016

9

Special Feature

Shruti Haasan: Balancing between South and Bollywood is CRAZY feeling warm and reminiscent of a time in your own life when things were simpler and purer.

an audience member, is something that I have enjoyed. So, I really hope that people like that kind of quirkiness of the pairing.

A bit about your character…

She has this fun, boisterous kind of energy.

She also has this sensitive, girly side to her.

The mix of the two is something I really liked about this character.

Is it easy balancing between working in the South and Bollywood?

Yes, it is crazy, the packing and the travelling.

But it is something that I always wanted to do because I grew up in a multi-cultural home. I am really lucky that I got to do it.

Is your pairing with Rajkummar exciting for you?

I like to see unexpected pairings.

Just like people in the business think that A and D would gel together or this and this would go well together, even the audience kind of mentally prepares itself to see them like that. Breaking expectations, even as

kind of love and encouragement you get is unparallelled.

What other films are you working on?

In the South, I am working with Surya and Pawan Kalyan again, two of the most wonderful superstars and both of whom I started my career with. It was really wonderful to revisit that. So I am really excited.

The three biggest events that happened to you this year…

I have changed a lot as a person. It has been a year of self-awareness. I think I have been open to a lot of things that I have not been open to before. I think I have become tougher about the things I like and I don’t like, which is great and comes with turning 30. I think I am also doing a lot more music, which is exciting.

You are quite active on social media…

I like it because it connects me to a certain group in a certain way. It gives me a certain meter and a better sense of things as well.

And there is a lot of rubbish as well, any actor saying that there is no rubbish, is lying. There are absolute nut cases out there, which is also entertaining. But on a day-to-day basis, the

F

or someone who has completed nine-odd years in Bollywood and South, Shruti Haasan still has the zeal and excitement to approach all her roles with equal enthusiasm. However, she mentions to me that balancing between the two industries is CRAZY! The actress also reveals how she has a fascination for unlikely pairings. So much so, she’s excited about her own pairing with Rajkummar Rao in her new film Behen Hogi Teri.

Dressed in a pink Lucknowi salwar kameez, Shruti was just about to shoot for a mehendi scene when we meet in Lucknow.

Excerpts from our chat…

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I liked the freshness of it. The thing that struck me the most about the script was that the emotions were so simple and wonderful and they leave you

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Classifieds JOBS

JOBS

Crown Farms Ltd. located at Abbotsford BC is looking for 1 f/t permanent Farm Supervisor to join us as soon as possible .

Number of Positions: 1 Job type: full time, permanent Education :Requirement: Completion of high school or equivalent Experience :Requirement: 2 years related experience Language : English Work location: 31792- Harris Road Abbotsford BC , Canada.

Wage Rate: $ 15.00/ hour . 40 hrs. week . 4 % Vacation pay .

Job Duties: - Co-ordinate and supervise the work of general farm workers and harvesting labourers - Supervise and oversee growing and other crop-related operations - Develop work schedules and establish procedures - Ensure farm safety and bio-security procedures are followed - Maintain quality control and production records.

Work Conditions: Outside, Physically demanding . Job involves walking , standing and bending frequently.

Security : Criminal record check required .

Contact Person : Sukhwinder Sidhu Ph: 778-908-7091 Interested applicants please email resume at crownfarms@ outlook.com . Only shortlisted applicants will be called for interview . No walk in please .

--------------- Nov 19-2016

qualified Pakistani style Baker/Sweet maker (Mithai). Responsibilities will include Sweet making for retail and banquets, training of employees, labour & food cost control and supervision. Must have at least three years experience as a Pakistani Baker. Knowledge of Urdu an asset. ourly salary $15.50/hr. Contact Pasha 604 593 7323 or send resume at anwarpasha786@hotmail.

--------------- Oct- 22-2016

Baker / Sweet Maker wanted Nirala Sweets and Restaurant in Surrey BC needs fully

Cook for Pakistani cuisine wanted Nirala Sweets and Restaurant in Surrey BC needs experienced chef for Halal Northern Pakistani style dishes. Must be expert in making kababs and tandoori dishes. Must be able to handle halal meats. Responsibilities will include menu design and planning, cooking for individual customers and banquets, training of employees, labour & food cost control and supervision of kitchen staff. Must have at least 3 years experience as a Pakistani cook. Knowledge of Urdu and asset.

Hourly wage $17.00 per hour.

40 hours per week. Contact Pasha at 604 593 7323 or send resume at anwarpasha786@hotmail. com --------------- Oct- 22-2016 Required Driver 1) able to drive a truck 2)able to navigate his way around 3)have a clean driving record 4)and be able to merchandise

South Indian food cook wanted

Required South Indian food cook immediately Please contact:

604-312-9297

JOBS product 5)be able to speak multiple languages 6)minimum of 3 years Driving Experience Salesperson 1) minimum of 3 years of sales experience 2) knowledge of food industry 3)speaks multiple languages 4)being able to merchandise Call 604-594-9800 Fax:604-594-9852 Email: guruluckysnacks@ yahoo.com -------------- Oct 8 2016 “A-1 Doors & Mouldings Ltd., located at 12625 80th Avenue, Surrey, B.C., V3W 3A6, has immediate vacancies for Two Stock Helpers.

Job Title: Stock Helpers No. of Positions: 2 Job Location: 12625 80th Avenue, Surrey, B.C., V3W 3A6 Term of employment: Fulltime, permanent position, 30-40 hours per week.

Compensation: $16.50/hour.

Overtime at the rate of 24.75 after 40 hours per week Benefits: WCB Coverage with 4% vacation pay Job duties: • Receiving and unloading stock • Matching PO’s with packing slips and report discrepancies to supervisor • Organize stock in the showroom • Perform other warehouse task like packing, unpacking, counting, sorting, labelling order-picking and scanning.

• Check inventory levels and report to the supervisor • Rotate stock and ensure enough space for new shipment • Keep area safe, clean and organized Requirements: • Some Secondary School • Ability to carry-out physical work • Comfortable working in a fast paced, physically demanding environment.

Core Capabilities: • Organized • Ability to pay attention to

JOBS detail • Ability to work co-operatively in a team environment • Ability to learn quickly and work efficiently How to apply: To apply please submit your resume to resume@a1doors.ca We thank all those who apply however only those applicants shortlisted for interview will be contacted” -------------- Sept 17 2016 BLACK CAT SECURITY LTD., 7085141A Street, Surrey, Bc Requires One Full Time Permanent Office Manager. Duties: Oversee And Co-Ordinate Office Administrative Procedures; Establish Work Priorities, Delegate Work To Office Support Staff And Ensure Deadlines Are Met And Procedures Are Followed; Co-Ordinate And Plan For Office Services; Assist In Preparation Of Operating Budget And Maintain Inventory And Budgetary Controls; Assemble Data And Prepare Periodic And Special Reports, Manuals And Correspondence., Education: Completion Of High School.

Experience: 2-3 Years.

Wages 22.00/Hr. Knowledge Of English Required.

Hindi And Punjabi An Asset.

Emailblackcatsecurityltd@hotmail.com Or Fax @ 778 565 7165.

-------------- July 16 2016 One FlatFee Real Estate Inc. 10912888 80 Ave, Surrey, BC V3W 3A8 requires an indeterminate full-time Database Analyst.

Responsibilities: -Collect and document user requirements -Design, construct, modify, Integrate, implement and test data models and database management -Operate database management systems to analyze data and perform data mining analysis -Conduct research and provide advice to other professionals regarding data management -Operate database management systems to analyze data and perform data mining - Lead, coordinate or supervise

MATRIMONIAL other employees Requirements - Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science - 2 to 3 years of experience in a similar role Language: English Wages: $29/hr Please send your resume @ info@ oneflatfee.ca or Fax: 604-248-5253 -------------- July 09 2016 All Star Railing & Awning Ltd., #20 12318 84 Avenue, Surrey, BC requires a full-time permanent Welder Helper. Will be required to read and interpret work orders, operate metal cleaning equipment, assist welders, transport raw material and finished products manually or by using devices, clean work areas and equipment and perform other related duties to assist the welders. Should have high school education with some experience. Knowledge of English is required. Punjabi/Hindi will be an asset. Wage: $20/hr. Apply by mail, email: 4242kamal@gmail.com -------------- July 09 2016 Western Door Manufacturing Ltd located at #109-8250, 124th St, Surrey, BC V3W 3X9, has an immediate vacancy for Carpenter.

We design and manufacture high end solid wood exteriors doors, solid wood interior doors and custom doors. Job specification: Full time position with wages of $25/hour. 35 to 40 hours per week.

Job requirement: High School with 2-3 years of experience. Trade certificate will be considered as an asset.

Job duties includes read & interpret drawings & sketches to determine specifications; estimate height, width, length and other proportions; measure, cut, shape & assemble wood materials using woodworking machines, power tools and hand tools; Build exterior doors, interior doors, customs doors with jams; moulding, make transom arch shape; specially skilled in fancy wood design, traditional murals crafting on doors; Install hardware such as hinges, handles, catches; Repair doors and replace panels of doors.

If interested send resumes at westerndoors@outlook.com -------------- May 21 2016

Saturday, December 17, 2016

South Asian Seniors - Digestive System Organs, Disorders & Treatment, Dr. Saroj Kumar on 18th December 2016 (Sunday) - 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm.

Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults / Senior members and also non members to attend a Power presentation on Digestive System Organs, Disorders & Treatment

by Dr. Saroj Kumar a Family Physician at Viva Care Clinic Delta, on December 18th 2016 (Sunday) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC. All questions about Digestive Disorders will be answered by Dr. Saroj Kumar after the presentation. Project funded by Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for Hindi speaking seniors. Tea and light snacks will be served after the presentation is over.

Please be there to attend this important presentation and contact Surendra Handa Coordinator Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 for further details.

December 29 and will be offered for eight weeks each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoon. The youth will learn about social norms, expectations, potential hazards and dangers of stereotyping. Guest speakers from the RCMP, social workers, youth counselors and Canadian youth will provide more insight into the Canadian culture. An open forum with diverse dialogue will also be held. Register now, seats are limited!

What – Interactive workshops with Syrian youth Where - PICS Head Office, #205-1272580th Avenue, Surrey When – Dec.28 AM & 29 launch (11:00 AM); Then for 8 weeks each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoon Contact for registration and more info: Tamam Hasan 604 596-7722 ext.133 or Eva Touzard, 604-596-7722 ext 138 Register now!

------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------Free Interactive Workshops Syrian Youth at PICS

for

PICS is offering Syrian newcomer youth free informative get-togethers and workshops to provide them with an indepth insight into the Canadian culture.

The program called SyrianKidsGO is funded by Coast Capital Savings and will be offered at PICS Head Office. The program will launch on Wednesday December 28 @ 11:00 AM and Thursday

South Asian Seniors are planning to visit Australia & New Zealand through 13 days cruise and 2 days extra tour of Sydney (Australia) total 16 days including travel time. The cruise itinerary starts from Sydney (Australia) on November 17th 2017, one day visit at each of these ports, Melbourne (Australia), Burnie (TasmaniaAustralia), Wellington (New Zealand), Napier (New Zealand), Tauranga (New Zealand), Auckland (New Zealand), Bay of Islands (New Zealand) and back

FOR LEASE Two retail units 3000sqft #130/140 - 304785 Cardinal Ave Abbotsford

(604) 725-6734 / (604) 595-1445

Community News to Sydney (Australia). Every port the ship Norwegian Jewel will stop, all seniors will go for city tour by bus. All arrangements will be made for your air travel from Vancouver to Sydney (Australia) and return from Sydney to Vancouver, Cruise bookings, all port city excursions, city visits of Sydney (Australia), hotel stay in Sydney, food ( Pure Vegetarian or Non Vegetarian as per your choice) during Sydney City visits, also local bus pick up from Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple Surrey to Vancouver airport & back to Temple on return from Vancouver airport. The total tour will be of 16/ 17 days including travel time from 14th November 2017 to 2nd December 2017. The travel insurance with Medical Coverage, Cancellation, Interruption and Baggage loss is a must, which you can arrange yourself or get the one we arrange for the whole group Insurance at a reasonable price to cover Basic Medical Coverage, Cancellation, Interruption, & Baggage Loss etc. The maximum cost for the whole trip to cover everything including return air tickets will be approximately $ 4,500.00 US Dollars per person. All staterooms are Double occupancy, so you should select your partner to share the stateroom with you on the ship. If you are interested to join South Asian group of Seniors, you should be in good health to walk independently, can afford the Luxury in life for 16/ 17 days, then only call. The entire amount

11

$ 4,500.00 US Dollars or Equal ant Canadian Dollars as per present Bank rates will be spent on you only and will be taken from you in 4 installments with intervals. You will have to pay me $ 750.00 US Dollars per person for Cruise deposit to confirm your stateroom, and if you don’t have your travel insurance as mentioned above then you have to pay me $ 205.00 US Dollars per person for group travel Insurance in addition to cruise deposit.

Please remember the Travel insurance once purchased can not be cancelled or transferred to somebody else. The final payment for the cruise is due by 20th June 2017 and you will be able to pay through your credit card directly to Cruise Web. For the other payments for Air Travel, Port City Excursions and hotel stay & food expenses etc. you will be informed time to time. The prices I have negotiated for the cruise are the rock bottom prices which can not be held for long and we are getting two amenities free, Gratuity for 13 days Cruise is Free and Cocktail Drinks are free for 13 days of Cruise for Ocean view cabins and above.

Inside cabins will have only one Amenity Free of your choice. I have only room for two more couples or 4 friends to share two cabins on the ship, So don’t miss the chance of enjoying the Luxury in life for 16/ 17 days to visit Australia & New Zealand and call Surendra Handa Organizer/ Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945.

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Saturday, April 2, 2016

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Saturday, 2, 2016 Saturday, April April 2, 2016 i 5i 5

Vol. 6 No. 31 Saturday - April 2, 2016 - Tel: - Tel: 604-591-5423 E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com 604-591-5423 - -E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com Tel: 604-591-5423 E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com Vol. 6 No. 31 - Saturday - April 2, 2016 - Tel: 604-591-5423 - E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com

Vol.- 6Saturday No. 31 - -December Saturday - April 2, 2016 Vol. 7 No. 46 17, 2016

Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building boom

Vancouver’s skyline to amid anReal office-tower building boom New forecast says record sales forrise 2016, Estate Council restricts licences of twowill Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building boom next two years due to competition. it Suisse is optimistic his building tower tower is optimistic his building will he $240-million $240-million Credit CreditSuisse/ Suisse/ Mr.Mr. Shokri others expectnext two years due to competition. it Suisse he Shokri andand others say say theythey expect The landlords who will likely suffer The landlords who will likely suffer next two years due to competition. start to fill as the completion date start to fill as the completion date gets closer. it Suisse tower is optimistic his building will but get tower ready for house toto start actually fast-growing Vancouver brokerages gets closer.

SwissReal tower the heart many of the new towers to start signing SwissReal ininthe heart of of many ofprices the new towers signing tenant he $240-million Credit Suisse/ Mr. Shokri and others say tenant they expect a result of the current boom are ownas aasresult of the current boom are ownThe landlords who will likely suffer Franz Gehriger, the CEO of SwissReal Franz Gehriger, the CEO of SwissReal start to fill as the completion date gets closer. downtown Vancouver will leases as they getget to completion. downtown SwissReal Vancouver will be heart leases as many they closer to completion.

Thattenant tower inbethe of ofcloser the new towers to startThat signing Two fast-growing Vancouver related licensees … 15 teams … andhistoric more ers of older Shokri said.

Asarearea ers ofasolder buildings, Mr. Shokri As abuildings, result of Mr. the current boomsaid. ownGroup who bought the original historic Group who bought the original drop next year Franz Gehriger, the CEO of SwissReal completed a ayear, sosofar,far, is is partly because in Vancouver, completedininless lessthan than year,but but partly because companies intoVancouver, downtown Vancouver will be leases ascompanies they get closer completion.well, That brokerages have had restrictions placed on than 12 licensees on any team. ” new developments in the suburbs, well, new developments in the suburbs, stock-exchange building in 2002 before part-

T T

ers of older buildings, Mr. Shokri said. As stock-exchange building before partGroup who bought thein 2002 original historic only has upupthan totomove in.in.butwhich want to be in energy-efficient onlyone onetenant tenant hassigned signed move to because benew, in new, energy-efficient completed in less a year, sowhich far,do do iswant partly companies in Vancouver, their licences byalready the Realexperienced Estate in Council.

UntilCredit now, Suisse the spotlight on aggressive which have already experienced higher nering with to develop it, said which have higher well, new developments the suburbs, Canada’s realtors are predicting the first CREA to see a 2.7 per cent decline in sales The has committed forfor a a10th buildings, to operate short timelines. nering with Credit Suisseinto2002 develop said stock-exchange building beforeit,partThetenant tenantonly hasone committed 10th of move buildings, tend to operate oninshort timelines. tenant has signed upof to in. tend which do wanton to be new, energy-efficient Therates council will notyears, sayyears, when it placed training practices, asinwell as shadow flipping vacancy inhave recent may may have the main group interested leasing Vancouvacancy rates in already recent have which experienced higher decline in real estate on aa state in but a one per cent increase prices. the square feet – –leaving As2017 he prices in in the new the main group interested in leasing Vancounering with Credit Suisse to develop it, said the370,000 370,000 square feetprices leaving anational stateofforofa 10th As well, hesaid, said, the new The tenant has committed ofwell, buildings, tend toprices operate onin short timelines. the restrictions, and details about possible and space takingthese of commissions, among other trouble asvacancy they compete each other. ver office days is the technology basis sincethat 2008isand layingforthe regulations werein further ratescompete in with recent years, may have trouble as they with each other. emptiness unusual anblame office for sky-the buildings will likely come i“Mortgage Saturday, 25, 2015down main group interested leasing Vancouvertheoffice space daysinison theNew technology the is370,000 square feet – leaving of Saturday, As July well, said, prices the in the new emptiness that unusual for an office sky- a 4state buildings will likely come in misconduct andco-developer consumer ofrisk have only things, has beenthese focused 4 i Julyhe 25, 2015down In Vancouver, the the Credsector.

Those companies make their deci- Coast drop oninthe federal government. tightened following CREA’s previous forecast. scraper this city. Even so, a huge shift in trouble as they compete with each other. sector.

In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Credver office space these days is the technology Those companies make their deciemptiness thatso, is unusual for aninoffice sky- buildings will likely come scraper in this city. Even a huge shift been publicly accessible since the regulator Realty, which has been under intense public 4 i Saturday, July 25, 2015down in the The Ottawa-based Canadian Realregion Estate In the near term, tightened regulations are business tenancy is expected as the In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Cred- sector. Those companies make their deciscraperisinexpected this city. as Even a huge shift in made changes to its website this month. scrutiny and official investigation. The new business tenancy theso,region experiences something it has not seen beAssociation, which represents about 100 expected to reduce the number of first-time “Conditions may be placed on a licence details reveal the council’s interest is beyond business tenancy is expected as the region experiences something it has not seen before: anacross office-tower building much boards the country, saysboom national sales buyers who qualify for mortgage financing, for a variety of reasons.

We recommend just one firm. experiences something it has not seen before: an office-tower building boom much of whichinis2016 speculative activity will riseconstruction 6.2 per cent rathfrom a particularly in pricier markets where there that anyone with questions about the “Restrictions are imposed in advance of fore: an office-tower building boom much of which is speculative construction rather forto specific committed tenants. yearthan earlier 536,700 and set a record in the is a severe shortage of lower-priced listings,” circumstances that led to conditions being a public hearing when the council thinks of which is speculative construction rather than for specific committed tenants.

“This is kind of uncharted territory for Vanprocess. the organization said in a release, to explain placed on a licence or the length of time the the public might be at risk, so they are a er ofthan for specific committed couver, ” said Mehdi Shokri, aterritory principal with “This is kind uncharted for Van- tenants. the revision of its forecast conditions have been in place, should ask the very serious thing and there is reason to be “Thisteam isShokri, kindatofAvison uncharted territory the capital markets Young. downward. couver, ” said Mehdi a principal with for Vanlicensee about those issues,” the council said concerned,” said David Eby, NDP housing couver, said Mehdi Shokri, a principal with “But I don’t markets see a ”big disaster occurring. ” Just three months ago, CREA the capital team at Avison Young. in an emailed statement. critic.

The ICredit Suisse is onlyteam the at most Avison was forecasting average prices to “But don’tthe seecapital a tower bigmarkets disaster occurring. ” Young.

The council has ordered that Metro Edge, “The entire industry has known about visible and furthest of aasecond I along don’t see big disaster reach $486,600 in 2017, which The Credit“But Suisse tower is only thewave mostoccurring.” which says it completed over 400 transactions these, ” said Lawrence Jin, president and of new office towers planned fortower Vancouwould have been a 0.2 per cent The Credit only the most visible and furthest alongSuisse of a secondiswave in 2015, appoint a managing broker approved owner of Metro Edge Realty, which has ver and somevisible key suburbs.

A first cluster decline from its previous forecast and planned furthest along of a second wave of new office towers for Vancouby the council who must sign-off on all listing offices in Vancouver, Richmond and Surrey. of towers – some twooffice million square feet –for Vancoufor 2016 prices to reach $487,800. of new towers planned ver built and downtown some key in suburbs.

Athree first cluster information ahead of it being posted. The “They are not new.” was the past years.

The 2016 updated forecast now ver andtwo some key suburbs.

A first cluster ofAnother towers – 11 some square feet managing broker Jin said that the office million developments are – calls for prices to reach $489,500. of towers – some two million square feet – must also submit conditions were was built downtown in theofpast three years. proposed within blocks Credit Su“Tightened mortgage was built downtown in the past three years. monthly reports placed after the Another 11 tower officeat developments isse’s Exchange Howe and Westare regulations and lending Another 11 office developments are with details about ones imposed on Pender streets, evenblocks while the office-va-Suproposed within of Credit guidelines are also expected to proposed within blocks of Credit Suall transactions New Coast Realty cancy in the tower region atcontinues to inch isse’s rate Exchange Howe and West increase capital costs for lenders, isse’s Exchange tower at Howe and West where the company in April because up as a result of the firstwhile wave the of building.

Pender streets, even office-varesulting in modest increases Pender streets, even while the office-varepresents both the the council was But brokers say city is cancy rate inwill thesee region continues to drop inch But commercial 2017 a 3.3 perthecent in mortgage interest rates in the New Year. cancy rate in the regiontowers. continues to inch buyer and seller concerned “many not about to be populated by ghost in theofaverage home is These regulatory headwinds were not a factor upsales as a and result the firstprice waveofofa building. up as a result of the first wave of building. and detail the use agents from New expected to fall by 2.8 per cent $475,900 But commercial brokers saytothe city is at the time of CREA’s previous forecast, and But commercial brokers say the city is of any unlicensed Coast were moving after reaching a record $489,500 in 2016.

The have resulted in downward revisions to the not about tonot be populated by ghost towers. assistants and to Metro Edge about to be populated by ghost towers. last time Canada saw a national home price forecast for sales and average price in 2017,” their exact duties. and (another decline was in 2008, although it was only 0.7 the real estate group said.

Authority for trust Va n c o u v e r- a r e a per cent drop.

Phil Soper, chief executive of Royal account signing, including for electronic firm) Nu Stream and they were afraid that “The government’s newly tightened LePage Real Estate Services, played down transfers, must be approved in writing and there would be the (same) conduct or the mortgage regulations have dampened a wide worries about house prices declining. “The ahead of time by the council. It must also same behaviour.” swath of housing markets, including places Canadian economy as a whole has been alert the council of any listing that offers any Wells Peng, an owner of Nu Stream, did not targeted directly by the government’s making progress. I would call it healthy. The form of “commission bonus.” not reply to a message left on his cellphone. latest regulatory measures,” said Cliff Canadian housing market, too, has been At Nu Stream, the council has imposed Metro Edge and Nu Stream are thought to Iverson, president of CREA. healthy — with the exception of Vancouver many of the same restrictions, plus ones have been set up around 2014, and staffed by Among the key changes brought in by and Toronto. Some may find my statement appeared aimed at containing the company’s agents who used to be affiliated for and/or the government in October was a stress test surprising, because they confuse high price expansion. Nu Stream may not “submit work for New Coast Realty. for any mortgage that is backed by Ottawa. appreciation with a healthy market. When any applications for the licensing of any In April, the council issued a list of seven Consumers must now qualify based on the incomes are rising at three per cent and house additional office locations or branches other license conditions on New Coast “to ensure posted five-year fixed rate, now 4.64 per prices at 20 per cent, that’s not healthy. That’s than the office currently under construction that the business complies with provincial cent, instead of the much lower rate on their unbalanced. What we are now seeing in our (in Burnaby).” Without consent by the laws for real estate brokerages” and also said contract. largest cities, with moderating demand and council, it may not “have more than 200 it was actively investigating the company.

Ratespy.com says consumers are currently slower or lower house prices, is the return able to borrow at as low as 2.18 per cent on to balance, and that’s a good thing,” he said, a five-year fixed rate mortgage. Qualifying adding regulatory changes are playing an based on the posted rate has shut out some important role in moderating home price consumers because it ultimately means they appreciation. must have the ability to pay a much higher “It will likely take more time to conclude monthly mortgage payment. with confidence that such is occurring British Columbia, where realtors have as opposed to a short-lived phenomenon complained about a 15 per cent additional reflecting buyers and sellers shifting the property transfer tax on foreign buyers in timing of transactions. That being said, we the metro Vancouver area, is expected to expect that it should become clearer by early drive much of the national decline in average 2017 that the long-anticipated (and elusive) price. Sales in the province are forecast to soft-landing scenario is unfolding,” he said, drop by 12.2 per cent next year and prices by predicting a national 1.6 per cent decline in 7.8 per cent, mostly because of a decline in prices in 2017 and a 11.5 per cent drop in single family homes. Ontario is forecast by sales.

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Real Estate

Real estate developers slammed B.C. over surprise foreign-buyer tax Hours after B.C. announced its tax on foreign buyers this past summer, prominent developers e-mailed Premier Christy Clark and her government saying the policy amounted to a betrayal of Metro Vancouver’s international citizens and could hurt a market already showing signs of cooling.

Correspondence obtained through a Globe and Mail Freedom of Information request

also shows the government received hundreds of e-mails from the public after the July 25 announcement. Many people praised the move and urged politicians to do more to limit foreign speculation across British Columbia, while others pleaded for Victoria to exempt existing deals that were caught up in the tax.

Neil Chrystal, president of leading real estate developer Polygon Homes, e-mailed the finance minister’s chief of staff criticizing the government for the decision.

“While I was at first appreciative of the consultation meeting we had last week I feel that our industry has been somewhat blindsided by the announcement of this new tax, given how extreme it is,” Mr. Chrystal wrote. “I actually find it hard to believe that something

so drastic wasn’t discussed further with our industry and that our meeting was a bit of a waste of time, given that the policy was likely already determined.”

The government has said most cabinet members were kept in the dark as a handful of bureaucrats in the Ministry of Finance worked feverishly to craft the rules of the tax. Bob Rennie, the B.C. Liberal Party’s chief fundraiser and the local real estate industry’s best-known marketer, said he had no advance knowledge of the tax, but that he anticipated the government would enact such a policy to quiet public outrage as home ownership became more unaffordable.

In his e-mail, Mr. Chrystal said it was outrageous that the new policy would not exempt deals begun before the tax was announced but were not scheduled to close until after it went into effect.

“The tax of 15 per cent is excessive and a sure fire way to halt sales to foreign buyers in a market that was already [showing] signs of fatigue,” he wrote, which recent government data have since confirmed.

In the seven weeks leading up to the start of the tax, foreign buyers accounted for 13.2 per cent of Metro Vancouver’s total sales, but these buyers made up just 3 per cent across that region in October, according to the B.C. government’s data based on land title registrations. Over that period, the average price of single-family detached homes began to drop in Metro Vancouver from the peak last January at $1.83-million.

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Vancouver housing prices jump up 40% but T being built new homes still aren’t Vol. 6 No. 31

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Saturday - April 2, 2016

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Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building

When something becomes more expensive, people will produce more of it.

According to that pillar of Econ 101, new homes should be springing up all over Vancouver. Which they aren’t.

The property market on Canada’s west coast is one of the world’s hottest, or most unhinged, depending on your perspective.

From local tech whizzkids to wealthy Chinese scouting for safe havens, and other investors just seeking returns on a quick flip, demand for Vancouver houses seems endless. Meanwhile, thanks to strict land-use rules and lobbying by existing homeowners, supply has stalled. “When you have a 40 percent increase in prices in a year, the skyline should be absolutely saturated with cranes,” said Thomas Davidoff, head of the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Urban Economics and Real Estate. “That’s not what you see in Vancouver.”

What you see instead is the shortest list of homes for sale in almost a decade, even as the price of a typical single-family home surged to $1.5 million, about 20 times what the median household earns in a year.

Vancouver isn’t the only place in the world, or even in Canada, where house prices have soared beyond the reach of residents: it’s happening in the global economy’s postertowns, like London and San Francisco, and in less-feted Auckland, Stockholm and Toronto too. A common thread that links such cities is curbs on the availability of land for building. Yet as the Vancouver boom turned into a crisis of affordability, and authorities moved to tackle the problem, housing supply wasn’t the direction they were looking.

In August, the province of British Columbia imposed a 15 percent tax on foreign buyers, and in October the federal government tightened rules on mortgage eligibility. Those steps had some success in cooling the market — but not in a good way, according to Cameron Muir, chief economist at the British Columbia Real Estate Association. That’s because measures aimed at capping demand also send a signal to developers and builders to slow down, he said.

“Addressing the supply side is not only beneficial for housing affordability in the long term, but it adds these great things called jobs in the economy, and growth,” Muir said. “Weakness in demand is not that helpful. If home prices don’t rise as rapidly because you can’t afford to buy a home, would you call that an increase in affordability?”

Toronto is also struggling with housing supply: The number of low-rise homes built last year in Canada’s financial hub was the lowest since 1995. The city is encircled by a green belt of almost 2 million acres that’s under permanent protection, and has experienced a price run-up similar to, though not as steep as, the one in Vancouver.

In fairness to those in charge of planning for Vancouver and Toronto, they must be doing something right. Both cities are consistently ranked among the most world’s most livable, even if such lists sometimes

he $240-million Credit Suisse/ SwissReal tower in the heart of downtown Vancouver will be completed in less than a year, but so far, only one tenant has signed up to move in.

The tenant has committed for a 10th of the 370,000 square feet – leaving a state of emptiness that is unusual for an office skyscraper in this city. Even so, a huge shift in business tenancy is expected as the region experiences something it has not seen before: an office-tower building boom much of which is speculative construction rather than for specific committed tenants.

“This is kind of uncharted territory for Vancouver,” said Mehdi Shokri, a principal with the capital markets team at Avison Young.

“But I don’t see a big disaster occurring.”

The Credit Suisse tower is only the most visible and furthest along of a second wave of new office towers planned for Vancouver and some key suburbs. A first cluster of towers – some two million square feet – was built downtown in the past three years.

Another 11 office developments are proposed within blocks of Credit Suisse’s Exchange tower at Howe and West Pender streets, even while the office-vacancy rate in the region continues to inch up as a result of the first wave of building.

But commercial brokers say the city is not about to be populated by ghost towers.

Mr. Shokri and others say they expect many of the new towers to start signing tenant leases as they get closer to completion. That is partly because companies in Vancouver, which do want to be in new, energy-efficient buildings, tend to operate on short timelines.

As well, he said, prices in the new buildings will likely come 4 i Saturday, July 25, 2015down in the

next two years due to competition.

The landlords who will likely suffer as a result of the current boom are owners of older buildings, Mr. Shokri said. As well, new developments in the suburbs, which have already experienced higher vacancy rates in recent years, may have trouble as they compete with each other.

In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Cred-

skate over the question of affordability.

Building curbs help to contain urban sprawl and promote greener development.

In Vancouver’s case, there are physical constraints too: it’s encircled by water and soaring mountains.

Still, an unchecked real-estate boom risks turning it from a working city into a

playground for tourists and the wealthy elite — a “lifestyle bubble,” as consultant Deloitte Monitor warned in a study for Vancouver’s port authority last year.

A shortage of land is an odd predicament for Canada, the world’s second-largest nation and one of the least densely populated. Of course, space is scarcer in the Toronto and Vancouver metropolitan areas, home to nearly a quarter of the 35 million population. Still, local rules exacerbate the problem.

Almost a quarter of Metro Vancouver’s land base is set aside for agricultural use.

When the Globe and Mail newspaper investigated such plots last month, it found many of them occupied by luxury mansions whose owners benefit from tax breaks meant for farmers. The Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, which oversees property assessments, said in an e-mail that it’s “carefully reviewing the report” and wants to “ensure that our policies support the goal of encouraging farming on agricultural land.”

In the areas that are available for housing, strict zoning applies. About 65 per cent of Vancouver is designated primarily for single-family homes, according to Anne McMullin, president of the Urban Development Institute. Anyone driving into the city probably won’t see much highrise until they get near the central business district.

“In every jurisdiction, the approvals are taking longer,” said Brian McCauley, president of Concert Properties Ltd., which builds in both Vancouver and Toronto.

“You’re bumping up against existing communities where there is a fear of change.

There is a political reality of nimbyism.”

Last year, the owner of a typical singlefamily house in Vancouver watched their net worth grow by more than $1,000 a day.

If it’s their primary residence, homeowners don’t get taxed on the gains.

It all adds up to a market that’s “essentially rigged,” said Wendell Cox, a senior fellow at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy who’s surveyed housing affordability around the world for more than a decade. “It’s structured so that house prices go up.”

it Suisse tow start to fill a Franz G Group wh stock-excha nering with the main gr ver office sp sector. Tho

31

Saturday, April 2, 2016

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

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Real Estate

15

Canada’s cooling housing market will soon start dragging the economy down, watchdog warns

Saturday - April 2, 2016

- Tel: 604-591-5423 -

E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com

couver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building boom

edit Suisse/ he heart of er will be , but so far, to move in. or a 10th of ng a state of n office skyhuge shift in s the region not seen beboom much uction rathted tenants. tory for Vanrincipal with vison Young. r occurring.” nly the most second wave for Vancoufirst cluster square feet – three years. pments are Credit Sue and West he office-vanues to inch of building. y the city is host towers.

Mr. Shokri and others say they expect many of the new towers to start signing tenant leases as they get closer to completion. That is partly because companies in Vancouver, which do want to be in new, energy-efficient buildings, tend to operate on short timelines.

As well, he said, prices in the new buildings will likely come 4 i Saturday, July 25, 2015down in the

next two years due to competition.

The landlords who will likely suffer as a result of the current boom are owners of older buildings, Mr. Shokri said. As well, new developments in the suburbs, which have already experienced higher vacancy rates in recent years, may have trouble as they compete with each other.

In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Cred-

it Suisse tower is optimistic his building will start to fill as the completion date gets closer.

Franz Gehriger, the CEO of SwissReal Group who bought the original historic stock-exchange building in 2002 before partnering with Credit Suisse to develop it, said the main group interested in leasing Vancouver office space these days is the technology sector. Those companies make their deci-

0 By: Asian Star ADVT.

SOLD at $4,95,00

17,160 Sq. ft (Prime Industrial Lot) $ 985,000 Canada’s housing sector will soon become a drag on growth as the number of new homes decline, according to the country’s budget watchdog.

The independent Parliamentary Budget Officer forecast in a report Tuesday that residential investment will subtract from economic growth from 2018 to 2020.

Policy makers have been introducing measures in recent months to slow growth in the country’s two hottest markets, Toronto and Vancouver, with the province of British Columbia imposing a tax on foreign buyers in the latter. Real-estate activity in the two cities is diverging as a result. Average prices around Toronto rose 23 per cent in November from a year earlier, while sales also soared. Sales in Vancouver, meanwhile, have declined steadily, falling 37 per cent last month compared to the prior year.

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

Housing has buoyed Canadian GDP growth in recent years. The budget office projected the sector would provide modest boosts to growth through 2017 before turning negative. In 2018, the watchdog expects residential investment to subtract 0.2 percentage points from GDP growth, followed by 0.4 percentage points in 2019 and 0.1 per cent in 2020.

The Bank of Canada has forecast housing to subtract 0.2 percentage points from growth in 2017, but add 0.1 percentage points in 2018.

During Canada’s housing boom, new supply outstripped new demand for a decade through 2011. However, from 2012 to 2015, demand exceeded supply, the budget officer forecast. New housing completion is set to peak in 2017 at 198,900 units before declining to an average of around 170,900 units from 2019 to 2021, according to the budget officer.

Saturda

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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Garry Grewal

Vol. 6 No. 31

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menu. Catering services provided regular clientele. Seating for 50. Complete turn key restaurant great business opportunity! Asking $129,000

COLLECTION / CREDIT COMPANY FOR SALE- ONE IN A MILLION OPPORTUNITY!

23 years Established Credit Company and Commercial collections, CUISINE PIZZA &for sale. RetailINDIAN Judgments, Tenancy Order Collection, loans and outstanding invoices.Take

BUSINESS FOR SALE

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PREMIUM OFFICE SPACE FOR SALE

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NEW COMMERCIAL KITCHEN AND RESTAURANT FOR SALE LISTING

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WellExcellent established .Babyvestment Ultrasound ultrasound (not diagnostic), Private clinic for pregnant moms. in Franchise, 3D/4D opportunity o etail twefront r stor units ey in al Plaza Full turn key operation this easy to run niche market businesse,is perfect with is sale. Gr$899,000 Currently ocery leased Stor tofor oindividuals this oror couples a Asking units f tw Medical/Health industry backgrounds. Beautifully set up office, low lease rate, excellent hours and easy to run with low overhead expenses. Professionals and New Immigrants with a healthcare background this is a perfect opportunity! Burnaby and Abbotsford locations available. Asking $125,000 each location

a

NEWNG I LIST

UNIT FOR SALE

In Mughal Garden plaza 2 units available, approx 4875 sqft.Already leased to long term tenants, to be sold together. Asking $1.25 million

plaza Banquet in Halls, APARTMENT

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PITA PIT FRANCHISE

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franchise surrounded by highrises, residences, new

NEW LEASING OPPORTUNITY

The Mann Corporate Centre is comprised of 23,000 square feet of 'A' Class office/retail space MORE 1000O 12,000 . T AIL S.F & RET ACEOFFICE over three floors. A brand new facility with a custom open floor plan for your preference. The FORflexibility ALEandSallows ASE & LE Mann Corporate centre has been AVAILABLE designed to provide maximum for many types of professional users who are seeking a high quality facility with great exposure.

Highlights include: State of the art facility with modern finishes, Underground secured parking provided. Free on site surface parking, more than 3 parking stalls per 1000 Sq ft. 24/7 13737 96 ve,Central location entre A with City security with HD recording privilege. easy access to allCmajor routes.

FOB access and intercom.$465,000, Please contact listing realtor for details on remaining space,$335,000 square footage and pricing details. #705 #706

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Two adjoining of�ices in a across om fr SMH. ht Can or be Wellleased establishedogether Vera's busy Fraser t Burger orfFranchise otal located a onspace t Highway of in is Cloverdale. Well an 1600 sqft ate. or turn key operation separ maintained. establishment full ready for you

SURREY VERAS BURGER FRANCHISE FOR SALE

new boug

building

to be your own boss! Contact listing realtor for more details. Price : $339,000

J.J AINI S

PLAZA

VERAS BURGER FRANCHISE

8077 eas t KING GEORGE BLVD. The perfect retail

corner unit in busy plaza move in ready. Approx 1200 sq ft perfect for fast food, of�ice or retail Looking for the perfect franchise well look no more! Established and award space. Easy access to highway, close to all amenities on Busy King George Hwy. Great winning Vera's Burgers in busy Meadow Town Center with major anchors like Opportunity contact me today. Superstore, Cineplex Odeon, and many major Financial Institutions and major

AUTO

BOD Y SHOPOR FSALE retailers. Fully turn key operation with extra large patio, good lease, low franchise fees and beer licence. Current absentee owner this business is a great opportunity to be your owny!boss and take itboss to theynext level! Asking $229,900 shop our sale f own be toda N

Established auto y or bod LIS EW TIN Well established ell anduto equipped e w Car A Center which G offers complete car &epair. truck inspection, service The ect perf opportunity our to own run businessy with a well ecognized r and established ve . automoti center Contact realtor or ef mor Askingdetails. $139,000 Magnificent luxury estate situate don 8.5 acres with over 8100 sq. ft of living space. Home includes 6 bdrms, 8 washrooms, a separate guest house and fruit stand. 5 acres has blueberry plants as well.

OFFICE SPpossesses OR everyASE F possible LEwith high ceilings, crown molding, stainless This stunningACE home luxury steel appliances,Graniteof�ice counter tops, openvailable floor plan, large gym room, 8927 152 .,Approx.

St . 1100 or sqft space lease infgrand a patio, sundecks, built in vacuum, top of the line security system, separate wok kitchen and much more! This home is situated in thestr middleSurr of serene farmland yet only two minutes away from Guildford ea ar on eet gorgeous152nsd ey.in Aldergrove Town centre and with quick access to Hwy #1. The second house is rented as well as fruit VE to advantageTof&this stunning home! Call120 S stall.Rare opportunity today for a personal viewing.

4020 272 ST, LANGLEY

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ACREAGE FOR SALE IN REGINA - SASKATCHEWAN NEWNG I LIST

Downtown core. 2 bed, 2 bath to be missed! Contact for more details.

850 sq.ft home to use as a rental property. Asking $349,000

OFFICE SPACE FOR SALE Approx. 3100 SF of office space available for sale in the busiest plaza in Surrey. Close to Banquet Halls, retailshops & offices. Asking $749,000

BUSINESS FOR SALE

OFFICE FOR LEASE IN PAYAL BUSINESS CENTRE

Office for lease: Located in the heart of Surrey in Payal Business Centre , this office is professionally designed. 5 offices, reception area, separate lunch room and full washroom. 1200 Sq ft. $2000 per month + GST

Approx.

QUIZNOS FRANCHISE FOR SALE

Excellent opportunity to own your own franchise! Well established and recognized

Established Indian Sweets and Restaurant business located in high Quiznos Subs in Port Coquitlam will enable you to achieve your entrepreneurial traffic area of Scott Rd, Surrey. Wide variety vegetarian menu with dreams! Busy plaza with Earls, Safeway, Scotiabank, McDonalds, Bosley Pet Valu and much more! Residences and commercial businesses all around sweets. Can be expanded to add non vegetarian dishes to the menu. makes this an ideal location. Owners have run it for several years Catering services provided regular clientele. Seating for 50. Complete and are now ready to retire. Contact me for more details regarding turn key restaurant great business opportunity! Asking $129,000 this business opportunity. Asking $119,000

ITALIAN RESTAURANT FOR SALE

A treasure gem of Italian cuisine tucked away in Hope! Open for lunch and dinner this quaint restaurant serves traditional Italian classics in a fantastic atmosphere and ambiance. Perfect casual dining for locals as well as tourist traffic. Turn key operation ready for you to implement your dreams as a restaurant owner! Asking $219,000

INVESTOR OPPORTUNITY

Investment Opportunity in Hope. 7200 Sq. ft large Lot Fully renovated home close to the Downtown core. 2 bed, 2 bath 850 sq.ft home to use as a rental property. Asking $349,000

J.J SAINI PLAZA

Station, restaurant and Public Transit. This space has 2 offices inside and lunch room as well as washroom. Perfect for Accountants, Notary, Immigration Great opportunity to get into a Franchised and or other consulting or Lawyer. The space can also be Located in a busy commercial plaza in the ED easy to operate Candy business! This established DUCuses as well. 1260 Sq. ft. converted heart of Surrey. Lots of traf�ic and close to franchise is located in Ocean Park Shopping Centerfor various REretail

INVESTOR OPP ORTUNITYGREAT INVESTMENTNEW OPPORTUNITY!FRANCHISE 2590 sqft . etail R ande Of�ic Investment Opportunity in Hope.

CUISINE development Sq.4 acres, ft Hotel largeandLot Fully site available in the space for LIGHTHOUSE sale INDIAN Asking $649,000 7200 renovated close to the Prime location, not Cityhome of Regina, Saskatchewan.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to own your own busy Lighthouse Indian Cuisine Franchise! Prime location in Brickyard Station Plaza this fantastic business has Take out and dine in, beautiful décor, quality kitchen, Full Liquor license and full Indian Cuisine 95 Menu.

Ave Complete & 152turn St., sqft. of�ice for franchise. Contact me today for further key 940 operation enables you to bespace your ownis bossavailable with this established lease 2nd �loor including 3 small of�ices, meeting room info.on Asking $389,000 and reception. Also available 9400 sqft. space for lease.

LOTS OF EXPOSURE.

FOR 4020SALE 272 T, /S LEASE LANGLEY

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UNIT OR FASE LE ON T 72 & 132 Available for lease. Opp JR Furniture. Good mix of warehouse and of�ice space. Centrally DONAIR BUSINESS located in light industrial zoning.

Of�ice for eat vestment sale! In Gr FOR ALE S FOR ALE S #1 1016 Sq cellent xposure, Ft e 12,000 op S.F.ExRETAIL t �loor of�ice y space Khalsa within the REDown MORE 1000 TO & OFFICE SPACE U CE Amazing opportunity to be your boss!

D Perfect opportunity to be your own boss with this well established Pizza ,6960ey Surr 120 St Business Cent er x. comple ull ea F ar eddesignat or oom f classr space and addition Established Donair food outlet in prime busy AVAILABLE FOR SALE & LEASE Perfect ving li space & Indian Cuisine in Langley.

Running successfully for the Last five years with of�ice space. ake vantage T ad ons of ofxposure t om visual fr . 128th e af�ic High st tr area in Langley. Already steady clientele from thedaily sales. of Western 128 and 84.

CD zoning allows v over 1000Closecorner ft & 2 with excellent to Days sq Inn, The Best gr in opportunity . $325,000.00 the ous numer businesses ounding, surr tons complexof eat vestment bedroom den taxi stop bus2traf�ic Westward Inn also closewith to the Greyhound station, stand and lots of opportunity to expand the #2. 1920 sq ft of second vate �loor of�ices, droom,of�iceboar space. bath corned unit in business further. Low lease, and great area and many apartments near by. Excellent location & turn key operation. reception ea,ar chenette. kit cellent Ex xposure, e op t �loor of�ice y space wit Harleen dens.

Gar make this the perfect turn key operation to own Khalsa Business er Cent x. comple ake vantage T ad ons of of xposure t visual fr e om This is an opportunity not to be missed!

Asking $79,000 8077 KING GEORGE BLVD. Great unit available for lease facing King Asking location. centr busy $289,900 Surr your own business today! Asking $99,000 128thBlvd.. Greatst Highexposure. xcomple eat tr tovestment gr in . $550,000 George visualaf�ic and retail Close shopping, Gas opportunity

Listing realtor for more details. Asking $139,900

space theClose

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sold

restaurant servesthat traditional Italian classics in business offers Amazing opportunity rarely becomes available!

This unique a fantastic atmosphere and ambiance. Perfect Pizza, Pasta, and Chicken etc.

Additionally, the kitchen has a full casual dining for locals as well as tourist traf�ic. commercial/industrial kitchen infrastructure place which is perfect for catering Turn key operation ready for you toinimplement plaza. and food manufacturing.

This uniqueowner! concept allows for the combination of both. your dreams as a restaurant Asking $219,000 Well maintained, quality equipment this turn key operation is ready to go! Contact

S

ATTENTION FOREIGN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS!!!

2 BABY ULTRASOUND FRANCHISES FOR SALE! UNITS OR ALE F S (15299 VE)

17358

term home for their business. Space is RES limited.

Call today for more details. OR ITALIAN TAURANT F ALE S

units long

PIZZA RESTAURANT FOR SALE IN MAPLE RIDGE

$349,000

N LIS EW TIN

offer a mixture of retail and office space to professionals looking for a long

Approx.

3100 vailableSFor f ofofMaple sale Ridge on of�ice in ey.

Busy, established Pizza and Pasta restaurant in the heart retailshops & Asking of�ices. $749,000 Lougheed Hwy. Offers extensive menu plus School bookings, Catering for parties/meetings etc. Full website.

This business qualifiesSfor ALMI. TakeKHALS advantage UNIT OR ALE F T A BUSINESS of many hotels, businesses in the area as well as residences. Complete turn key Take vantage ad eat of vestment in this opportunity! gr ound Ideal etail/�loor Gr high eys in busy Surr Khalsa Business operation. Askingceilings $159,900 uses.

Asking

OPPOR

Fully �inished y sideataside b orunits strotal af t of8318 Scott ox.Road appr . medical vailable sqft A orprofessionals f sale.

Close is offering5540 and other an o Port ellsto purchase K Industrial ary inEas o access t opportunity premiumea.office space Surey, BC. Set to be both Highway hway Hig and ossing.

Ptruck completed by fall 2016,aci�ic this1 state if the art steel and concrete building will cr

UNIT ORF SALE

businesses

FRANCHISE TUNITY

OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE LD SO

Unique and established opportunity to make your entrepreneurial dream come true! This beautiful Café in the heart of White Rock is a small business owners dream! Tastefully decoratedInexcellent breakfast and lunch menu and rarely 2 den Mughal plaza Gar available, license oxas well! Outdoor appr .Already 4875 leased tons of to found…Liquor seating back and front ofsqft premises, together. Asking $1.25 million parking and many, many more high rises coming in the area currently make this a business owners dream come true. Turn key business ready and waiting for you!

ACE VAILABLE SPviewingA the business.

Confidentiality agreement willRETAIL have to be signed before ., Surrey. cellent 128 Ex locationSt Asking in Asking $149,9008321 F

BUSINESS

G Great ranchise F opportunity ed! yjust Bus list Located in the heart Business this office isfprofessionally designed.

Coquitlam Centerof Surrey in Payal Mall or Centre, location oss Chop N T 5 offices, Franchise! ont W lunch room last Asking long! $158,800 reception area, separate and full washroom.

1200 Sq ft Gross lease $20.00/sq ft +gst.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to own your own busy Lighthouse Indian Cuisine Franchise! Prime location in Brickyard Station Plaza the Lower Mainland. Ideal opportunity to run your own turn key business this fantastic business has Take out and dine in, beautiful décor, quality kitchen, Full market.

Liquor Contact license and full Indian Complete in a niche for more details.Cuisine AskingMenu. $279,900 turn key operation enables you to be your own boss with this established franchise. Contact me today for further info. Asking $389,000

ACE SP OR ALE

exclusive Franchise territory for Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and Mission is for sale.

Cuisine in business y. unning Langle R successfull y or Fantastic recession proof that enable children from 3-13+ learn and buildfwith the veLast with edail sales.& Lego bricks. Teach theears fundamentalsy�iofxcellent S.T.E.M. (science,ytechnology, engineering Close o This ys tunique business Da offers Inn, estern TheAfter School & Enrichment Best W mathematics). in School Workshops, Westward o Parties, pre also eyhound Gr out t Classes, Week long Summer camps,Inn Birthday Schoolthe Classes andclose Kidz Night station, taxi oplisting Realtorst stand and$79,000 man programs. Please contact forbus more info on thisyunique opportunity. Asking apartments near y. cellent b Ex location & ey ation. turn oper Thisk opportunity o not be Asking $139,900 UNITtFOR missed!

LEASE

MINI MAR T

TOWING COMPANY FORINDIAN SALE LIGHTHOUSE Established and reputable towing company that serves clients throughout

OFFICE

Indian

Hairspace alonforSlease Within Business for sale The perfect second floor office busy Triton Located on area , Hwy verdale F this Cloan ea,ideal ell ar location w forestablished business, y o Centre.

Busy andraser growing makes maintain, higher monthl y evenue. Asking r $69,900 your office. Contact listing realtor for more details. 1985 Sq.ft.

establishment and Party Orders are also handled. The website for all franchise locations is www.lighthouse.menu and they are on Facebook as well. This business has been established in 2009 and has been run by the same owner since this time. As it is a take out and delivery.

Establishment there is not a liquor license at this location. Asking $549,000

SIGNAGE & PRINTING BUSINESS FOR SALE

2010

ATTENTION TRUCKERS!

LEARNING CENTRE FOR SALE

BUSINESS OR F SALE

CONVENIENCE TORE S &

2010

Magni�icent luxury estate situate don 8.5 acres with over 8100 sq. ft of living space. Home includes 6 bdrms, 8 washrooms, a separate guest house and fruit stand. 5 acres has blueberry plants as well. This Well established Pita Pit stunning home possesses every luxury possible with high ceilings, crown molding, stainless steel Franchise in rapid growing appliances,Granite counter tops, open �loor plan, large gym room, grand patio, sundecks, built in vacuum, top of the line security system, separate wok kitchen and much more! gorgeous home is situated in the Brentwood area ofThis Burnaby! middle of serene farmland yet only two minutes away from Aldergrove Town centre and with quick access are oppor tunit y toto advantage of this stunning to Hwy #1. The second house is rented as well as fruitRstall.Rare opportunity home! Call today for a personal viewing. purchase a well established

BUSINESS OR F SALE

count of approx 12,000/annum. Approx 2400 sq ft of ground floor space leased space w/5 year, 5yr, 5 yr lease Attention learning centers, Early Childhood Education related businesses, Teachers and + 1 st right refusal to tenant option to purchase the building. Open six days/week (6) doctor offices, High end others with Educational backgrounds that enjoy working with children! Your dream to own Kroll software, and Oscar CRM software in use. Lease area of 2,400 sq.ft. Customized tenancy improvements.

Pizza or aleBricks 4Kidz FS Franchise has over 320 your business hasDream arrived. Reputable and established Established Sweets andCare Restaurant business high traf�ic Business is runIndian professionally by a Health Group Companyenormouslocated expansionin potential!

Owner willarea of Scott Rd, Surrey.

Perfect opportunity t or yelsewhere.boss worldwide!

This uniqueo businessour can be be run from own home The Wide egetarian v me for v more details. menu eets. with xpanded Can sw tobe egetarian add e dishes non franchises to v the provideariety training. Contact Asking $1,250,000 with ell this established w Pizza &

Don't miss this chance to run your own buy Convenience store/Mini mart! This well established business is well or-ganized, excellent set up, with all your essential sundries for sale as well as lottery AND opportunity run your own signage andlocation! printing business!

Thisarea established key operation offers all theGreat licensing totosell Pizza at this Busy nearturn parks, varieties ofresidences banners and signs, window small graphics &business! lettering LED Channel schools, it vehicle is thewraps, perfect Ample& 3Dofletters and awning opportunity to add yourEstablished ideas to already turn operation! canopies and window graphics. for an five years, low lease, builtkey up clientele make this a great business Don't miss this great small prospect! opportunity!

Contact me for more business details. Asking $99,000 Asking $149,000

it Suisse tow start to fill a Franz G Group wh stock-excha nering with the main gr ver office sp sector. Tho

FOR SALE

own y juices flow! Contact for more details on the Green Moustache Franchise and joining that to letrun their Entrepreneurial to be missed! or e Contact mor the Green Moustache family on W.4th! Asking $99,000 details.

opportunity our to business with services that include: aluminum welding and repair, custom and stock trailers, mobile welding service, crane fabrication, fabrication of residential gates, security bars and much more! Mon– Fri operation closed on weekends. Please contact me for more details on this hard to Assetby SaleDBA "Pharmasave"Asking well established franchise operating since June 2012. Increasing annual script come opportunity! $149,000

Fantastic opportunity to run your own Pizza & Indian Cuisine business!

Excellent by customers open 7 days$229,000 a advantage of this food, uniquerated niche4.5/5 business opportunity.

Asking week, very busy location take out with availability for seating if desired. Tons of tourists year round, central to major sites in Hope and integral area near grocery stores, city hall, local police station, motels and and cinema.

WellLighthouse established, great sales and a complete Well known established Franchise on King George & 80th in Surrey. Take out turn key operation that will not last long! Asking $199,000

next two years due to competition.

The landlords who will likely suffer as a result of the current boom are owners of older buildings, Mr. Shokri said. As well, new developments in the suburbs, which have already experienced higher vacancy rates in recent years, may have trouble as they compete with each other.

In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Cred-

developments, commercial businesses and more. This PAYAL BUSINESS location does school hot lunches and a large amount of ordering as well! Do not approach staff please CENTRE - 82 catering Ave St contact listing realtor& for more128 details. Asking $209,000

ealtor contact orappry

CUSTOM TEELS &ABRICATION F BUSINESSOR ALEFS

For sale Prime 1489 Sq ft office space for sale in busy retail/office complex in Surrey.

Ideal for a variety of office types. Visible from 152 and centrally located. Asking Established steel abrication and business. aluminum eat Gr f $350,000 custom

E-mail: ads@the

MASTER AWARD

2011, 2012 2008-2009 2013-2014

Attention Truckers! Permitted use for Transportation Industry and more. IL zoned GREEN MOUSTACHE FRANCHISE FOR SALE land available. Two side by side lots that are Are you passionate aboutOR healthyFlifestyle? your passion belief-in ACREAGE ALESAre you readyINto take GINA REandASKATCHEWAN S healthy organic foods and juices to the next level?? Look no further and join The Green to be sold together. House is since ATGRE INVES TMENT ORTUNITY! OPP latest franchise location on W. 4th in Vancouver. Already an f Moustache listing an Family with their r demolished. Commercial Land only. Please es,this turn acr el Hot velopment and de established name with two locations in Whistler and one in4Squamish key operation contact for more will enable you to develop your passion into a profitablesite career. With excellent asupportin from the founders, this BC vailable the egina, City of details. Asking R $649,000 each. not based company is looking for individuals who believe inSaskatchewan. health and are community driven and are wanting to utilize Prime location,

Showers, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Special occasions and even Private

plan includes a large living room with gas f/p whichceremonies. open up ton the spacious eating area. This Extra large kitchentreasure with lots of of a Wedding Wait...there's more! beautiful cabinets and counter space. Large laundry room, inoffers floor radiant heat,select extra shelving closets, 2 parking stallslinens, and storage business gorgeous apparel,infurnishings, jewelry, gifts, vintage treasures and home décor.

A beautiful, breathtaking turnkey locker. Great location with easy access to shopping, transit & Highway 91 & 99. Please call listing realtor for more info. operation this is a chance to own a niche business created and Asking $329,900 established with love and a business owners delight don't miss this

- Tel: 604-591-5423 -

PREC PREC

2006-2007 2004-2005 2011, 2012 2008-2009 2006-2007 2004-2005 2013-2014

Sutton Group - West Realty PH:604-572-3005 FAX:Coast 778-574-4174 #106 7565 132 St., Surrey. BC. PH:604-572-3005 FAX: 778-574-4174

Saturday - April 2, 2016

he $240-million Credit Suisse/ Mr. Shokri and others say they expect SwissReal tower in the heart of many of the new towers to start signing tenant downtown Vancouver will be leases as they get closer to completion. That completed in less than a year, but so far, is partly because companies in Vancouver, only one tenant has signed up to move in. which do want to be in new, energy-efficient The tenant has committed for a 10th of buildings, tend to operate on short timelines. the 370,000 square feet – leaving a state of As well, he said, prices in the new emptiness that is unusual for an office sky- buildings will likely come 4 i Saturday, July 25, 2015down in the scraper in this city. Even so, a huge shift in business tenancy is expected as the region experiences something it has not seen before: an office-tower building boom much of which is speculative construction rather than for specific committed tenants.

“This is kind of uncharted territory for Vancouver,” said Mehdi Shokri, a principal with the capital markets team at Avison Young.

“But I don’t see a big disaster occurring.”

The Credit Suisse tower is only the most visible and furthest along of a MASTER second wave PLATINUM of new office towers planned for VancouAWARD AWARD ver and some key suburbs. A first cluster of towers – some two million square feet – was built downtown in the past three years.

Another 11 office developments are proposed within blocks of Credit Suisse’s Exchange tower at Howe and West Pender streets, even while the office-vacancy rate in the region continues to inch up as a result of the first wave of building.

But commercial brokers say the city is not about to be populated by ghost towers.

DIAMOND AWARD

WINNER OF FVREB’s TOP ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

-

Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building

BEAUTIFUL TURN KEY A SPALON / OR FSALES

near major anchor Safeway. This rapidly growing franchise currently has 22 locations within BC and Alberta. With unique product Imported from the US and UK this franchise is completely turn –key and full training provided. This easy to run business is perfect for a couple and for those Established auto body shop for sale be your own boss today! wanting to try their hand at being an entrepreneur.

Asking Well$79,900 established and well equipped Auto Care Center which offers complete car &

public transportation, restaurants, of�ice and retail shops. Established recently the spa and salon offers modern décor up to date equipment/furnishings. Excellent turn key operation. Asking $60,000 RED

AUTO BODY SHOP FOR SALE

truck inspection, service and repair. The perfect opportunity to run your own business with a well recognized and established automotive center. Contact realtor for more details. Asking $109,000

UCED 29/07

Office for sale! Great Investment #1 1016 Sq Ft Excellent exposure, top floor office space within the busy Khalsa Business Center complex. Full area designated for classroom space and additional office space. Take advantage of tons of visual exposure from 128th st. High traffic complex great investment opportunity. $325,000 #2. 1920 sq ft of second floor office space. Includes 10 private offices, boardroom, reception area, kitchenette.

Excellent exposure, top floor office space within the busy Khalsa Business Center complex. Take advantage of tons of visual exposure from 128th st. High traffic complex great investment opportunity. $550,000

02/12