Asian Star - January 14, 2017 by The Asian Star Newspaper

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Vol 15 - Issue 50 Saturday, April 25, 2015 6:42:48 PMSaturday, January 14, 2017

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Vol 15 - Issue 50

Killing of 2 South Asian men in Edmonton linked to Metro Vancouver drug trade

Two men found shot to death in a pick-up truck in south Edmonton Wednesday were involved in the drug trade in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, police say. Homicide unit investigates scene where two men found dead in truck Navdeep Sidhu, 24, and Harman Mangat, 22, both residents of B.C., were shot multiple times, an autopsy revealed Thursday. Police said the shooting was not random. The bodies of the men were found in a running, white Dodge Ram with B.C. plates on 39th Street SW, near Charlesworth Drive at about 1:30 p.m. by a member of the public.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Controversy over NDP nomination in Surrey Green Timbers By: Umendra Singh A controversy is brewing over plans to replace long time NDP MLA Sue Hammell in Surrey Green Timbers. South Asian supporters of NDP in Surrey have sent a message to party leader, John Horgan, to delay the nomination meeting slated for January 29 to allow a “fair and equitable process” in selection of a candidate to replace Hammell. The message was sent through former party leader, Adrian Dix. Those who met Dix on Thursday to send their message to Horgan included senior leaders from local gurdwaras and temples as well as community organizations. In their message to Horgan, they said they are upset because they feel every party supporter and member was not given fair opportunity to seek nomination. Currently, there is reportedly one person seeking nomination to replace

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file their nomination papers with the party by December 30, 2016. This notice was only sent to current members of the NDP Surrey Green Timbers and Rachna lives in Delta and is not believed to have been a current member of the Surrey Green Timbers NDP and should not have received this notice. Continued on Page 4...

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Housing prices to see ‘double-digit’ correction A new report from Royal LePage is calling for an 8.5 per cent depreciation of home prices in Greater Vancouver in 2017. Despite a 25.6 per cent year-over-year increase in aggregate home prices in the fourth quarter of 2016, the real estate firm expects prices to drop as a result of “eroded affordability” and “bruised consumer confidence.” Continued on Page 7...

Hammell, and that is Rachna Singh, an employee of CUPE and wife of local South Asian radio personality, Gurpreet Singh. BC NDP’s Surrey Green Timbers riding association sent out a notice to its members announcing January 29, 2017, as the nomination date with the deadline for prospective candidates to

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$60-million. On New Year’s Day, on their way to a family brunch, Annie Roy, a former Loto-Québec employee, and her husband, Gilles Leprohon, currently an independent contractor for LotoQuébec, stopped at a gas station dépanneur in L’Ange-Gardien to purchase lottery tickets using the group formula. The couple said it was a tradition to buy group formula lottery tickets before family gatherings, and they had no trouble selling their 20 shares, at $5 each. Continued on Page 6...

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Editorial

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Property taxes should be frozen for two years. By Umendra Singh The BC government’s announcement of increasing homeowner grant threshold from $1.2 million to $1.6 million is not even a drop in the proverbial bucket. It is ridiculous and an attempt to fool the public. Whether the threshold is increased from $1.2 million to $1.6 million or to $2.6 million or even more. It doesn’t matter. Each owner of a principal residence will still only get $570. Each resident’s new property tax bill may well increase by thousands of dollars, based upon recent assessments, but each eligible house owner will still get only $570 to help towards property tax bills that could range from $4,000 upwards. Average property tax bill for single family homes is estimated at $7,000. How much help is $570 to pay a property tax bill of even $5,000? Not much. BC government says the increase will ensure that most homeowners who received the grant in 2016 will qualify for it again in 2017. The government expects to spend $821 million on homeowner grants in 2017-

18, compared to $809 million in 201617, according to a release from the BC government.. According to the release, 91 per cent of B.C. homes will remain below the new threshold despite recent steep increases in values from B.C. Assessment. The province says 83 per cent of Metro Vancouver homes are below the threshold. That may be true. But the fact remains that $570 is not much help in paying property tax bills that average at $7,000. A far better option would have been for the government to freeze property tax at 2012 levels because that was when property prices and property tax prices were manageable. The provincial government and various municipal councils in Metro Vancouver have reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in fees and taxes from property sales in last few years. It would not hurt the councils too much if property taxes were frozen for a couple of years. But that option would be too progressive for the present crop of politicians.

Controversy over NDP nomination in Surrey Green Timbers Continued from Page 3... However, according to party sources, she filed her nomination papers with the party before the deadline of December 30. Hammell announced her intent to retire to on January 3 and the news was published on January 4. Hammell said in an interview yesterday that the party is following a process in selecting a candidate. She said she always encouraged women to seek political office. When asked if she had “tipped off “ Rachna about her plans to retire before the December 30 deadline for filing nominations, Hammell responded “I don’t recall.” When asked if Rachna, who lives in North Delta, was signing members in Surrey Green Timbers in October, November and December, she said “we are signing members all the time.” The Asian Star managed to get a hold of Rachna Singh just before press time. She confirmed she was seeking nomination for Surrey Green Timers, that she was living in North Delta and was not a member of Surrey Green Timers NDP. When asked when she filed her nomination papers and when she became aware that Sue Hammell was retiring., she said Sue Hammell started talking to her in mid December about her plans to retire. She said therefore she sent a letter of inquiry or intent to NDP before Christmas (December 25) to say she would be interested in seeking nomination if Sue Hammell indeed retired. Rachna said Hammell’s announcement came on January 4 and she submitted her nomination papers to the party on January 5. When reminded that her January 5 filing would have missed the strict deadline of December 30, Rachna said: “But I sent my letter of intent before Christmas.” She said she could not submit her nomination papers prior to Sue’s announcement on January 3 or 4 because Sue had not officially retired. Continued on page 8...

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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BC Hydro offers new winter payment plan Cold weather has pushed electricity consumption to near-record levels, prompting BC Hydro to offer customers a new payment option to spread the cost over six months. The winter payment plan averages BC Hydro bills for residential customers from Dec. 1 to March 31. It’s offered to customers who are not on the utility’s existing equal payment plan, which averages bills for the entire year. Customers can participate in the winter payment plan by calling 1-800-BCHYDRO (1-800-224-9376). Unusually cold weather in southern B.C. pushed power consumption to a record on Jan. 3, when demand peaked between 5 and 6 p.m. at 10,126 megawatts. That breaks a record

set on Nov. 29, 2006, and for Metro Vancouver it is the longest spell of sub-zero weather in about 30 years. Power bills are pushed up more by the latest BC Hydro rate increase, a four per cent hike that took effect last summer. The B.C. government-mandated rate plan calls for further increases of 3.5 per cent and three per cent in the next two years, after which authority over rates is to be returned to the B.C. Utilities Commission. NDP energy critic Adrian Dix said the string of rate increases that began in 2013 is one reason why BC Hydro lowered its demand forecast last year. A series of politically driven rate increases totalling 28 per cent has placed an extra hardship on people with the onset of cold weather, he said.

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Continued from Page 3... Annie’s brother, mother and father, three of her uncles and aunts, as well as adult children who were present at the lunch all got in on the group ticket. Two close family friends bought in, as they usually do, and one person bought a ticket for their child, who was not at the lunch. Around 6 a.m. on the morning after the Jan. 6th draw, the couple got a call from Annie’s mother. “I didn’t get to the phone on time. And then my husband’s phone rang and he saw it was my mother calling. It was 6 a.m. so we feared bad news. But she said, ‘Have you checked your ticket?’ I said ‘Of course not! It’s 6 a.m.’ But then we checked on the Loto-Québec app, and we saw that we’d won!” Leprohon, 58, said he plans to retire. He and his wife plan to travel, although they have not had time to decide where. He said other people in the extended family plan to buy

new vehicles, give some of the money to their children or just improve their quality of life in retirement. Loto-Québec spokesperson Patrice Lavoie said Loto-Québec employees, retailers and their employees all have the right to buy lottery tickets and have the same chance to win as anyone else. But he said there is a special verification process of any winners of $10,000 or more who have ties to Loto-Québec. The process to verify this group took three days, he said. Since some of the winners split their tickets with a spouse or another person, the prize will be divided 20 ways, but some of those $3-million shares will be split between two people. The winners are aged 21 to 71, and all are members of the Roy and Boivin families, except for the two close family friends. All the winners but one live in the Montérégie, except for one person who lives in Central Quebec.

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Saturday, January 14, 2017

Housing prices to see ‘double-digit’ correction

Continued from Page 3... “It is expected that Greater Vancouver will experience a near double-digit correction in the new year, as sanity returns to the marketplace, causing the region to give back much of the appreciation witnessed in the first half of 2016,” said Royal LePage general manager Randy Ryalls in a release. Royal LePage says that, despite new government policies such as the foreign buyer tax, the main factor affecting house prices in the region is a lack of affordable inventory. “Market characteristics have melded to create a perfect storm where prospective homeowners are unable to find adequate affordable property due to an extreme lack of supply, and have thus refrained from putting their own homes on the market,” the report reads. In other words, the report says, the region is slowly shifting from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market. Though the report identifies inventory as the main driver of the predicted depreciation, Royal LePage also expects foreign investment in Vancouver real estate to decrease as a result of both the foreign buyer tax and stricter currency conversion rules in China. The report notes that conditions are very different elsewhere in Canada. “The disparity in home price appreciation between Canadian regions has never been greater than that seen in 2016, with rates ranging from double-digit extremes in some cities to negative growth in others,” said Royal LePage president and CEO Phil Soper in a release. The report notes that prices are rising steadily in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as Quebec, Alberta and Atlantic Canada, and the report expects those trends to continue. The report says the differing markets make it hard for policymakers to address issues with sweeping regulation changes. In a release, Soper spoke critically about various governments’ attempts to address the situation through taxes and regulations rather than addressing the low supply. “Too many new taxes and regulations, by too many levels of government, introduced within such a short timeline and with perceivably little research and consultation, have caused confusion and triggered drops in consumer confidence,” Soper said.

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BC Liberal MP Hedy Fry says feds would speed up action on fentanyl if Ontario impacted A Liberal MP is speaking out about what she considers a frustratingly slow response by her own federal government to the crisis of fentanyl, the potent opioid linked to more than 500 overdose deaths last year in B.C. and Alberta alone. “I feel it’s something we need to be doing something about faster than we are doing it,” Hedy Fry, the longtime Liberal MP for Vancouver Centre, said in an interview. The number of Canadian deaths from fentanyl — often used to cut other drugs, such as heroin, cocaine or oxycodone — is highest in B.C. and Alberta, prompting Fry to suggest that a regional bias, albeit unintentional, might be at play. “I think that it is that the whole country isn’t suffering from the same problem — it’s B.C. and Alberta,” Fry said. “It’s now starting in Ontario, and I would suggest to you that once

it gets bad in Ontario, we will notice action being taken.” It’s not the first time the government has been accused of being out of touch with what’s going on elsewhere in the country, although the criticism doesn’t usually come from inside the federal Liberal caucus. Terry Lake, the B.C. health minister, made a similar point at an opioid summit in Ottawa last November, when politicians met with doctors, public health experts and others to explore solutions to the epidemic. “It took a while for them to understand

the magnitude of the situation, because the numbers here in B.C. are so much greater on a percapita basis than they are in Ontario,” Lake said in an interview Friday. It can be tough to get an entirely accurate picture of the problem, because different provinces use different methods to track deaths from overdoses. Still, it is clear that B.C. and Alberta have been the hardest hit, although preliminary data shows numbers are rising in Ontario, too. The Coroners Service of British Columbia reported 374 illicit drug overdose deaths

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linked to fentanyl between January and Oct. 31 last year. Alberta reported 193 fentanyl-related deaths between January and September of last year. Ontario, which has a population about three times the size of either of those provinces, reported 166 deaths linked to fentanyl in 2015, according to preliminary data for that year from the chief coroner’s office. Andrew MacKendrick, a spokesman for Health Minister Jane Philpott, said the federal government has been working hard to tackle the issue. “We have been working throughout the year to pull as many levers as possible to address this public health crisis, but certainly recognize that more needs to be done,” MacKendrick said. This isn’t a British Columbia crisis. This is a national crisis and we have not seen any federal response. “She certainly recognizes the impact this has on families and the communities regardless of where it happens in the country, so this is something the minister is deeply concerned about — disturbed about — and is committed and determined to work with the partners across the country to address it properly.” Both Fry and Lake said they welcome the proposed legislative changes found in Bill C-37, which includes measures to simplify criteria for setting up safeinjection sites and restricting the importation of pill presses and encapsulators. “That has all been helpful, but I still maintain that this is a national crisis,” said Lake.

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Continued from Page 4... When reminded that a “letter of intent or inquiry” is not actually filing of nomination papers, Rachna referred The Asian Star to the party headquarters for comments. Rachna confirmed she was signing up members in October, November and December in Green Timbers and other ridings but was not doing so with the intent of seeking nomination. She said she was signing members for NDP as she usually does. A message was left for BC NDP Director, Raj Sahota, but she did not return the call by press time. In the meantime, a lot of heavyweight South Asian NDP supporters are very upset and angry because they feel that the party or someone influential within the party gave Rachna an advantage. This controversy is also worrying other party candidates and MLAs in Surrey who feel that the groundswell of anger at what happened in Green Timers will lead to members and supporters abandoning them as well. “We are not against Rachna. No one is. But we also want there to be fair process to select a candidate,” one long time party member said.

LOCAL

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Chrystia Freeland takes over Foreign Affairs as Trudeau shuffles cabinet Chrystia Freeland has been named Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new top diplomat, replacing veteran politician StĂŠphane Dion as foreign affairs minister in Prime Minister Justin Trudeauâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first major cabinet shakeup. Dion, a former Liberal Party leader who served over 20 years in office, is considering an offer from Trudeau to take a diplomatic post after he was dropped from cabinet. Trudeau called Dion a longtime friend and colleague who has contributed greatly to public service and the country. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have offered him a very important, senior position ... something that is going to be key in the coming years as we move forward, and he is rightly taking a moment to consider what his future service will look like,â&#x20AC;? Trudeau said at a news conference following the swearing-in ceremony for new cabinet ministers. Sources had told Dion was offered the job of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambassador to the European Union and Germany. While the swearing-in ceremony was still underway at Rideau Hall, the official residence and workplace of the governor general, Dionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office issued a statement wishing Freeland â&#x20AC;&#x153;the best of luck.â&#x20AC;? But he left his own future unclear. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the last 21 years, I have devoted myself to my riding, to my fellow citizens, to Quebec, to all of Canada, to the role that we must play in the world, and to the Liberal Party of Canada,â&#x20AC;? he wrote. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, I shall deploy my efforts outside active politics. I have enjoyed political life, especially when I was able to make a difference to benefit my fellow citizens. I emerge full of

energy ... renewable! But politics is not the only way to serve oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s country. Fortunately!â&#x20AC;? Trudeau also announced that former

immigration minister John McCallum will be Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new ambassador to China after a â&#x20AC;&#x153;distinguished career in public service.â&#x20AC;? The cabinet refresh injects some youth and retains gender parity, and elevates Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Somalia-born MP to the inner circle. Ahmed Hussen, a lawyer and community activist in the Toronto riding of York South-Weston, was appointed minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship. MaryAnn Mihychuk was shuffled out of the position of minister of employment, workforce development and labour. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m of course disappointed,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always been a strong advocate as a feminist, as a person who fights for jobs. And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll continue to do that.â&#x20AC;? At age 29, Gould, a former trade and development worker who represents the riding of Burlington, Ont., becomes the youngest female cabinet minister in Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. She was promoted from her previous

role as parliamentary secretary to the minister of international development. Champagne, a first-term MP for the Quebec riding of Saint-Mauriceâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Champlain, is a former businessman and lawyer. He was considered a strong performer as parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Bill Morneau. McCallum, 65, served as defence minister under former prime minister Jean ChrĂŠtien and presided over the veteran affairs file in former prime minister Paul Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cabinet. He led Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to bring 39,500 Syrian refugees to Canada.

Today he said he was presented with the offer to represent Canada in Beijing a week ago, and that he was â&#x20AC;&#x153;enthusiasticâ&#x20AC;? to accept. Dion, 61, held the intergovernmental affairs and environment portfolios under ChrĂŠtien and Martin. He also served as Liberal Party leader for two years, a position he held until a failed attempt to lead a coalition government shortly after the party lost 18 seats in a 2008 federal election defeat. Under ChrĂŠtien, Dion was the architect of the Clarity Act, which set out the legal conditions for Quebec sovereignty. Monsef, the Ontario MP for PeterboroughKawartha, has taken criticism for her handling of the electoral reform file, and was forced to apologize last month for accusing MPs on the special committee studying the issue of shirking their duties.

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Possible violation of federal law as Trudeau admits he used Aga Khan’s private helicopter Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday he and his family used the private helicopter of the Aga Khan during his recent holiday, a possible violation of federal law. All ministers, including the prime minister, are forbidden under the federal Conflict of Interest Act from flying in private or chartered aircraft except under specific conditions. Trudeau and his family used the private helicopter of his close family friend, billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader the Aga Khan, to get from Nassau — the capital of the Bahamas — to the Aga

Khan’s privately-owned 349-acre Bell Island. That’s a 115-kilometre flight one-way over open ocean. “The travel back and forth from Nassau to (Bell) Island happens on the Aga Khan’s private helicopter which he offered us the use of,” Trudeau said at a press conference here. “It’s something we look forward to discussing with the Conflict of Interest Commissioner but we don’t see an issue on that.”

Liberal MP Seamus O’Regan, who, along with Liberal Party president Anna Gainey, joined Trudeau on the Aga Khan’s island, said earlier this week that he, too, used the Aga Khan’s helicopter and that the flight to the island took about 40 minutes. Federal law places no restriction on an everyday MP, like O’Regan, when it comes to using a private aircraft but it does prohibit ministers and certain other public office holders from doing so. A minister is required to get pre-approval from the conflict of interest commissioner before using any private aircraft. Trudeau did not do that. The act also allows for use of a private aircraft by a minister in exceptional circumstances, such as an emergency, or during the performance of a minister’s normal public duties. Trudeau has said repeatedly that his New Year’s holiday in the Bahamas was “a family vacation.” That was all the evidence NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair needed to pronounced Trudeau guilty. “At the beginning of a tour of Canada, which the Prime Minister is trying to use to shift the focus away from his government’s recent ethical breaches, he has admitted to breaking the law,” Mulcair said in a statement. He also said that he never advised the Conflict of Interest Commissioner — an independent parliamentary watchdog — that the Aga Khan was a close family friend. The Aga Khan has known Trudeau since he was a toddler and was an honorary pallbearer at the funderal of Pierre Trudeau.

BC losing jobs everywhere except Vancouver, Victoria, says report British Columbia may be leading the country in employment but the good news doesn’t extend very far outside the province’s major cities, according to new research from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. “Our research shows that when you dig deeper... the picture is much less rosy,” said Iglika Ivanova, a researcher at the centre’s Vancouver office. “The overall B.C. numbers are masking overall regional disparities in our province that people need to know about.” Using Labour Force Statistics Data from BC Stats, Ivanova charted job growth in seven B.C. regions since 2008. She found only two — the Lower Mainland and Northeast — had a net gain in jobs over since then, and only the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island/Coastal regions had job growth in 2016. “Most regions in B.C. actually have fewer jobs today than they did in 2008 when the recession hit,” she said. The issue of job creation is likely to come up during the provincial election this year. In 2011, Christy Clark launched the B.C. Jobs Plan with the goal of being number one in the country for job creation by 2015. It may have been a year later than planned but in August 2016, Jobs Minister Shirley Bond pointed out B.C. was indeed leading the country in job creation. At the time, Bond credited the growth of clean tech, life sciences, digital media and advanced manufacturing as the reasons behind the growth. Ivanova said that analysis holds true when

looking at which regions are hurting and which are growing when it comes to job creation. Areas traditionally dependent on resources are on the decline while jobs in new industries tend to be concentrated in the Vancouver and Victoria regions, she explained. “An economic strategy based entirely on exporting resources is not sustainable,” said

Bond, adding the government is committed to creating jobs in all parts of the province. “We are working to diversify the economy and say yes to major projects and investments to support communities,” she said. “The creation of the rural advisory council demonstrates our commitment to working with rural and northern communities to ensure that job creation and economic benefits are felt all across British Columbia.” Communities in other parts of the province are taking their own steps to diversify their economies. In Fort Nelson, city council is looking for ways to kick-start its forest industry in the wake of oil and gas jobs disappearing, with a focus on sustainable development rather than raw-log exports.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

BC government raises homeowner grant threshold to $1.6M The government of B.C. has increased its homeowner grant threshold from $1.2 million to $1.6 million — a 33 per cent increase. The province says the increase will ensure that most homeowners who received the grant in 2016 will qualify for it again in 2017. The government expects to spend $821 million on homeowner grants in 2017-18, compared to $809 million in 2016-17, according to a release from the province. According to the release, 91 per cent of B.C. homes will remain below the new threshold despite recent steep increases in values from B.C. Assessment. The province says 83 per cent of Metro Vancouver homes are below the new threshold. David Eby, MLA for Vancouver Point Grey and housing critic for the B.C. NDP, says the move is another stop-gap measure from the government. “They’re reacting to patch things up two years too late, and it’s a giant mess,” Eby said. Eby said that, though the on-paper wealth

of many B.C. homeowners has skyrocketed in recent years along with home prices, so too have taxes and other associated costs. The result, he said, is a lot of financially-

strained families who have no way of accessing that value without selling and moving. “The idea that there are all these really rich homeowners that are somehow leeching off the system is a bit of a fiction,” Eby said. The homeowner grant reduces property taxes on the owner’s principal residence. The basic grant is worth up to $570, or up to $770 if the home is in a northern or rural area. Additional grants are available for seniors, people with disabilities, spouses of veterans and those who qualify as low income.

Surrey man charged after banks robbed Bank employees and customers alike are likely breathing easier now that a man has been arrested and charged for a pair of armed robberies in Surrey and Port Coquitlam. Richard Cody Graham, a 33-year-old

Surrey man, is accused of two robberies that happened on the same day on Dec. 16, 2016.

The Coquitlam RCMP Robbery Section was able to identify a suspect with the help of fellow RCMP investigators in Penticton and Kelowna who believe they recognized Graham. After the initial identification, Coquitlam RCMP Robbery Section worked with Surrey RCMP, Langley RCMP, Ridge Meadows RCMP, Air One, and the RCMP Emergency Response Team to gather evidence for charges. Graham was arrested in Surrey on Jan. 6 and shortly thereafter police used warrants to search two locations in Surrey. Graham was formally charged Jan. 9 with a single count of robbery with a firearm and an additional charge of robbery. No one was hurt in the robberies. Graham is currently in custody in Coquitlam and awaiting his next court date.

Dozens of people sickened after eating raw oysters An investigation is underway after more than 70 people have gotten sick since early December from eating raw or lightly cooked oysters, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. “Testing in several of the cases confirmed the presence of norovirus, and we suspect norovirus in the others,” said Dr. Eleni Galanis, an epidemiologist at the CDC. “We

don’t currently have a smoking gun.” Officials say cases have been reported to Island Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health and the First Nations Health Authority. Shellfish harvesting closures are being discussed with the Department of Fisheries

and Oceans, which is investigating along with Environment Canada, Health Canada and the B.C. health authorities. The centre has received reports of norovirus since Christmastime, but Galanis said the link between it and raw oyster consumption only became clear this week. Last year saw an unusually high number of oyster-related norovirus outbreaks, she said, and this particular outbreak is also quite large. Norovirus can cause constant vomiting and diarrhoea. She said it can be concentrated in oysters because they filter large amounts of ocean water. The CDC recommends that people abstain from eating raw or lightly cooked oysters, particularly as this outbreak is occurring. “Cooking at 90 degreees for 90 seconds will kill all microorganisms,” Galanis said. Anyone who feels ill after consuming any type of shellfish should call B.C. HealthLink at 811 and see a doctor if symptoms are serious. If you suspect that your illness is linked to eating raw or lightly cooked oysters, you should report it to your local health authority.

LOCAL

Saturday, January 14, 2017

‘Insolvent’ Richmond law firm files notice for creditors

WE VALUE YOUR PROPERTY AS MUCH AS YOU DO. If you’re among BC’s approximately 2 million property owners, you should receive your 2017 property assessment in the mail early in January. If you haven’t, call us toll-free at 1-866-valueBC. Access and compare property assessment information using our free e-valueBC service on bcassessment.ca. The 2017 assessments are based on market value as of July 1, 2016. If you have questions or want more information, contact us at 1-866-valueBC or online at bcassessment.ca. The deadline to file an appeal for your assessment is January 31, 2017.

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A Richmond law firm hit by a massive trust fund shortage has filed a notice saying it is insolvent and will make a proposal to creditors under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Richmond lawyer Hong Guo, whose firm completes about $700 million a year in real estate transactions, said in recent legal filings that about 100 clients were affected after $7.5 million was stolen from her firm’s trust account in early 2016. The account shortage left a number of Chinese investors unable to pay tax bills on Canadian real estate transactions, legal filings say. A number of these clients and B.C. real estate professionals have sued Guo and her law firm. In a recently filed affidavit, Guo said “the extent of the liability from filed or potential actions is unknown and growing.” Guo’s law firm is now partly controlled by a custodian from the B.C. Law Society. A Jan. 10 letter written by custodian Michael Rhodes, and obtained by Postmedia News, says that Guo Law Corporation’s notice to file a proposal under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act “may significantly affect the custodian’s role in respect to the trust account shortage in Guo Law Corporation’s CIBC trust account.” “It is our understanding that Guo has not filed a similar notice in her personal capacity,” Rhodes’ letter says. A Jan. 6 notice from the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada says that Guo Law

Corporation is an “insolvent person” and that “all proceedings against the aforenamed insolvent person are stayed as of (Jan. 6).” Guo Law Corporation is insolvent, but has not filed for bankruptcy. Information from Canadian legal experts says that notices such as the one filed by Guo’s firm allow troubled companies the chance to make a formal repayment proposal that could give creditors more than they would receive in a bankruptcy. The company is given a period of protection against legal actions from creditors, and the proposal is subject to approval by courts and creditors. If a proposal is rejected, the company automatically becomes bankrupt, experts say. Rhodes’ letter says he will be working with the Guo Law Corporation insolvency trustee “to determine what our respective roles will be and ways that we can co-operate … in an effort to see an orderly repayment of the funds which have been stolen.” The Society was asked if Guo’s firm can continue to operate under such conditions. “Guo Law Corporation’s business will be subject to the Law Society rules relating to insolvent lawyers,” spokesman David Jordan said. In an email, Guo said her law firm’s filing is different from bankruptcy and “helps me to stay all the claims so that I can focus on arranging payment to my clients and my business operation. I could have filed for bankruptcy, but I did not and will not.”

LOCAL

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Delta police use GPS darts to track fleeing vehicles Eight Delta police vehicles have been equipped with GPS dart technology that allows officers to attach a tracking projectile onto a suspect vehicle that fails to stop. According to spokeswoman Sharlene Brooks, more than 70 vehicles tried to evade police in the Vancouver suburb last year. “We really knew that we needed to have some additional tools in order to capture the offenders while mitigating risk to the general

public because we know through experience there’s inherent risk involved when you’re engaged in a pursuit,” said Brooks.

Brooks said the police department is the first in Canada to use the StarChase Pursuit Management Technology. The dart is placed inside a compartment on the grill of the police vehicle and can be activated from inside. Once launched, it attaches to the rear bumper or licence plate of an offending vehicle, and the officer is able to track it through a GPS system. The first deployment of the GPS dart occurred on Wednesday evening when an officer spotted a vehicle driving erratically and failing to stop. “He [the officer] activated the emergency equipment and launched the dart,” said Brooks. The driver eventually stopped and violation tickets were issued. Brooks said there are no plans to expand the use of the system until the force can see how well it works. The Delta Police Foundation paid the cost of $1,500 per vehicle, for a total of $12,000.

Sunken tugboat a consequence of letting foreign crews in Canadian waters, says union Over 200 maritime workers gathered in Vancouver, Victoria and Prince Rupert Thursday to protest what they view as “an attack on jobs” from the federal Liberal government.

They say proposed changes will cost jobs and degrade environmental standards along Canadian coastlines. Concerns revolve around the Canada-EU trade agreement (CETA) and changes to the Canada Transportation Act. “My fear is... our seafarers that we have currently that go along our shores will be replaced by foreign crews, underpaid foreign crews, that don’t have a stake in our coastline.” He pointed to the Nathan E. Stewart, a U.S. tug that sank off the coast of Bella Bella last year, as one of the consequences of giving too much leeway to foreign crews operating in Canadian waters. “Currently if one of our vessels runs aground or gets into troubled

waters... we’ll call ahead, we’ll let the coast guard know ‘hey, we’re in trouble, we need help,’ because it’s our coast line,” said Ashton. “If you look at what happened with the Nathan E. Stewart that didn’t happen. When they radioed the coast guard, they said ‘everything is fine’, they sat there and they sat there and they sat there.” At Ogden Point in Victoria, the protest was more focused on jobs, with workers speaking out against a cable repair vessel that works in Canadian waters but employs a foreign crew. “You can’t help but feel a little bit worried that we might be losing some of our jobs because they don’t want to pay as high a wage as they can get away with foreign workers,” said Victoria Cossette, a tugboat deckhand. Ashton said the CETA deal with the European Union could be “the death knell” for many Canadian jobs and standards. “Under the comprehensive economic trade agreement, that changes. It opens up the doorway for foreign companies, in this case European ship owners, to bring in vessels that are flagged out of Panama or are flagged out of Marshall Islands to operate domestic trade within our boundaries. So what happens is, the vessels are run at substandard conditions.”

Liberals explore creation of new housing benefit for low-income renters The federal government is looking at creating a new benefit to help low-income Canadians who struggle to pay the rent each month, but is being warned that the measure isn’t a solution to the country’s housing crunch. Multiple sources with knowledge of talks told the Canadian Press the government has quietly been exploring how to establish a new housing supplement program that would link benefits to individuals, rather than housing units — a departure from how such supplements have typically worked. Generally, housing benefits are provided to renters who need help paying the bills, but are usually tied to an apartment through rent-geared-to-income plans or rent supplements. Should a renter move to a new unit, the benefit or supplement doesn’t follow. That creates problems — for women and children fleeing domestic violence who need housing quickly, for instance, or homeless people on waiting lists who need help addressing issues like mental illness or addiction. One federal source said discussions have revolved around how such a supplement could be delivered, be it through existing provincial or municipal programs, or through the tax system. The National Housing Collaborative, an umbrella group of housing and homelessness organizations, recommended

the government use the tax system to remove the need for a lengthy application process. Although the Liberals appear receptive to the idea, the sources — speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized

to disclose details — say no decision has been made on whether to include the measure in the budget. A spokeswoman for Finance Minister Bill Morneau said she wouldn’t speculate on what will be in the budget this year. The Liberals first budget set aside $2.3 billion over two years to build new affordable housing units, as well as refurbish existing ones. The federal government is in the midst of finalizing a national housing strategy and the minister responsible says he expects it to be completed by early 2017, although an exact timeline hasn’t been set. A separate housing strategy for indigenous Canadians could take an additional year. A key goal of the strategy is to provide every Canadian with affordable housing that meets their requirements.

LOCAL

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Senior loses nearly $100K in online dating scam Police are warning online love-seekers to be careful after a Nanaimo, B.C., senior lost almost $100,000 in an online dating scam. Nanaimo RCMP say the woman met a man calling himself Jonathan Lucron in late 2016 on Match.com, an online dating site, while looking for companionship in the wake of her husband’s death.

Const. Gary O’Brien said the man claimed to be a civil engineer working in China and started telling the woman he needed money for various reasons. “She didn’t hesitate, because she thought she had found someone to share her last years with,” O’Brien said. “She sent thousands of dollars to various

accounts, wired them across the globe.” Eventually, Lucron told the woman he would be travelling to a nearby city to propose to her on New Year’s Eve. O’Brien said that when he never showed up, the woman realized she had been scammed and contacted police. O’Brien said scams like this are common and scammers frequently target older single women, who tend to be less experienced with computers and the internet. “If you do a simple Google search and you punch in ‘dating scam’, the civil engineer scam will come up hundreds of times,” O’Brien said. Police are protecting the identity of the woman, but O’Brien said she is between the age of 65 and 75. O’Brien said police have been unable to find Lucron, but even if they do, he said cases like this are almost impossible to prosecute, as the woman gave Lucron the money willingly. O’Brien advised online daters to be aware of the potential for scams, especially if someone you’ve never met in person starts asking for money. “In 99 per cent of the cases, it will be an absolute fraud, and you should delete and stop having any contact with that person,” he said.

BC Ferries’ newest vessel arrives in Richmond B.C.’s new hybrid ferry arrived at the B.C. Ferries facility in Richmond during the noon hour today, after a nearly two-month journey from Poland. Salish Orca is fuelled by natural gas and diesel.

“She will have to undergo an inspection and clear customs,” said spokeswoman Deborah Marshall. The ship also will be inspected by Health Canada before ownership is

transferred from Remontowa Shipbuilding in Gdansk, Poland, to BC Ferries. “There are some extra fuel tanks on board that need to be moved and the visor door was welded shut for the transatlantic journey,” Marshall said. The vessel left Poland in November, travelling more than 10,000 nautical miles on its 50-day journey through the Canary Islands and the Panama Canal on its way to B.C. “Overall, the voyage went well,” Marshall said. The vessel operated on both LNG and diesel during the trip, and three BC Ferries crew members were on board to familiarize themselves with the ferry. After the vessel is inspected, it will move to Tsawwassen for crew training. The ferry is scheduled to be in operation by early spring on the Powell River-Comox route, Marshall said.

BC gave more than $600,000 out of millions spent on royal tour of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge British Columbia spent $613,363 on the royal tour last fall of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their two young children. The governments of Canada and Yukon have yet to announce their final bills. But the RCMP said it spent $2 million and the federal government’s budget estimate is $855,600, bringing the likely overall cost of the visit to more than $3.4 million. While some taxpayers might cringe at the price tag, royal tours benefit Canadians in a number of ways, said royal historian Carolyn Harris. “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge raised the profile of Canadian charities and environmental initiatives over the course of their tour,” she said. “Royal tours of Canada receive global coverage and encourage travellers from around the world to visit.” Prince William and Kate drew frenzied crowds when they visited Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Bella Bella, Haida Gwaii and two communities in Yukon between Sept. 24 and Oct. 1. Tour stops included a charity for pregnant mothers struggling with substance abuse in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and the world-renowned Great Bear Rainforest in

northwest B.C. The province announced its portion of the expenses on Thursday. Costs included $41,798 for accommodation of the royals, their household and staff, plus $27,589 for transportation.

B.C. spent $196,129 on security, $28,815 on travel for provincial government officials and staff and $46,134 on media operations and services. A reception at Government House in Victoria on Sept. 26, when the royal couple met notable British Columbians including First Nations, philanthropists and veterans, cost the province $20,854.

Abbotsford police seek information in woman’s disappearance in Peru The Abbotsford police are helping the parents of 41-year-old Kimberlee Kasatkin obtain information following her disappearance in Peru. Kasatkin’s parents, Kathleen and Alexander Kasatkin, contacted the police department on Dec. 5 to advise them that their daughter had gone missing from her home in Lima and is now part of an

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investigation that includes Interpol. Their last contact with her was on Nov. 26. Police said Kasatkin splits her time between homes in Abbotsford and Peru that she shares with her two children and common-law husband. The family believes Kasatkin has many friends in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley who may have had recent contact with her or might know something that could help in the probe. The Abbotsford Police Department and Kasatkin’s family are asking that anyone with information call cops at 604-859-5225 or text APD at 222973 (abbypd). Kasatkin’s parents will leave for Lima in the coming days to try to get answers concerning their daughter’s disappearance.

Police probe suspicious deaths after two bodies found inside East Van home Investigators have ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as a cause of death after the discovery of two men’s bodies inside a South Vancouver home on Tuesday. The two deceased men were found in a home on Argyle Street near East 53 Avenue at 4 p.m. Tuesday. In a press release, the B.C. Coroners Service said there is no confirmed cause of death for the men, but “at this time, the B.C. Coroners Service can confirm that carbon monoxide did not play a role in the deaths.” The deaths are being investigated by the coroners service and the Vancouver Police Department. The victims have not been named.

LOCAL

Saturday, January 14, 2017

BC approves Trans Mountain pipeline expansion British Columbia granted environmental approval on Wednesday to the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline. The federal government gave its approval for Kinder Morgan Canada’s $6.8-billion expansion of the pipeline late last year after the National Energy Board recommended it go ahead if 157 conditions are met. Premier Christy Clark recently said five conditions the province placed on the project were close to being met. She said the government was still working with Ottawa on spill response and it was preparing to negotiate an economic benefits package with Kinder Morgan that reflects B.C.’s risks associated with the pipeline and increased tanker traffic. The expansion would triple the capacity of the existing pipeline, which runs from near Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., and increases

tanker traffic seven-fold. Environment Minister Mary Polak and Natural Gas Development Minister Rich Coleman acknowledge in a news release that the energy board has the primary responsibility for ensuring the project is developed, constructed and operated in a safe and secure manner. B.C.’s approval comes with 37 conditions on top of the energy board’s requirements, including the consultation of aboriginal groups, the development of a species-atrisk plan, and that a plan is established to mitigate and monitor the impact of the project on grizzly bears. The provincial government also wants research conducted on the behaviour and cleanup of heavy oils spilled in freshwater and marine aquatic environments to provide spill responders with improved information.

Notley applauds BC approval of Trans Mountain project, blasts Fonda for anti-oilsands comments British Columbia’s decision to grant environmental approval to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is “good news for Alberta,” a smiling Premier Rachel Notley said Wednesday. At a news conference, Notley told reporters she had been “hopeful” and “optimistic” B.C. would green-light the project and was proud of her government’s role helping to make it a reality. The Trans Mountain expansion, Kinder Morgan’s controversial plan to triple the capacity of the existing pipeline, has long been touted by Notley as an important project for the sputtering economy. It has been met with fierce opposition from a number of

environmental and First Nations groups. Just last month, conservation groups filed a new court challenge to the federal government’s approval of the oil pipeline. At Wednesday’s news conference, Notley said while she respects the views of those opposed to pipeline projects, she wanted to remind the people of B.C. that many of them benefit economically from Alberta’s oilpatch. She also said the project would spur federal investment into marine safety, a benefit to British Columbians. The Trudeau government approved the $6.8-billion project late last year after the National Energy Board recommended it go ahead as long as it met dozens of conditions.

All five conditions met for BC’s approval of Kinder Morgan pipeline: Christy Clark The Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline project cleared one of its last hurdles Wednesday, picking up both environmental and political support from the B.C. government in exchange for a share of company profits shipping more oil from Alberta to Burnaby. Premier Christy Clark said the “unprecedented” revenue-sharing deal is worth up to $1 billion over 20 years for the provincial treasury, or between $20 million and $50 million annually, depending on Kinder Morgan’s economic performance. In return, Clark announced Kinder Morgan had satisfied the last of her five conditions for support — a so-called “fair share” of the $6.8-billion pipeline’s economic benefits. “The project has met the five conditions,” she told reporters at the legislature, indicating the other four had been met by the federal government. Clark said the money will be earmarked for a new B.C. Clean Communities program, to provide grants to local community groups for things like stream rehabilitation, beach cleanup, park purchases and recycling programs. B.C. also gave Kinder Morgan environmental approval for the pipeline — fewer than two months after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau green-lit the project federally. The Trans Mountain expansion would twin an existing oil pipeline from Edmonton to Burnaby, tripling Kinder Morgan’s oil capacity to 890,000 barrels a day and increasing oil-tanker traffic in the ocean off Metro Vancouver. The new pipeline expansion could begin shipping in 2019, though it’s likely to face continued opposition and court challenges from environmental groups, First Nations and

local politicians, who have said the pipeline represents a catastrophic environmental risk for an oil spill in coastal waters. B.C.’s environmental assessment also warned of the pipeline’s potential adverse impacts on vegetation, old-growth forests, wildlife, the ocean and orca whales. But Clark redirected questions on potential harm back to Ottawa, whose National Energy Board review took precedence over B.C.’s process. “This wasn’t a project that was ours to approve, it was the federal government’s approval,” said Clark. “The Trudeau

government and cabinet passed an approval of this project. Our job was to fight for the best interests of British Columbia.” Clark said her strategy was to be consistent for more than four years, in an attempt to get as much benefit as possible for B.C. on a project that was likely going to be approved by the federal government regardless. As a result, she said conditions on land-spill response and First Nations consultation were satisfied. B.C. will also get more than $600 million of $1.5 billion in federal funds for ocean improvement, as well as a previously announced, second, heavy-duty tugboat for the South Coast and hundreds of millions of dollars in improved marine safety, shiptracking, training and response upgrades. The pipeline represents thousands of jobs, more than $19 billion in potential economic impact and comes with a deal by Kinder Morgan to hire B.C. workers where possible.

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Saturday, January 14, 2017

3 companies fined more than $1.5M over Haida Gwaii logging A judge has handed down significant fines and bans for destructive logging on Haida Gwaii earlier this decade. Gwaii Wood Products Ltd., Howe Sound Forest Products Ltd., and I. Crosby Contracting Ltd. were taken to court by the federal government over allegations of environmentally destructive logging practices over a four month period in 2010. A provincial court judge in Massett

found the companies guilty of environmentally destructive logging practices in October 2015. On Monday, the three companies were handed hefty penalties: • Gwaii Wood, which was run by two members of the Haida Nation and

Smugglers of 492 Tamils claim they were acting for humanitarian reasons Lawyers for two of four men accused of helping smuggle 492 Tamil migrants into Canada aboard a cargo ship say their clients were acting for humanitarian reasons. Kunarobinson Christhurajah and Lesly Emmanuel, along with their two co-accused, have pleaded not guilty in connection with the arrival of the migrants aboard the MV Sun Sea off the B.C. coast in 2010.

On Thursday, Christhurajah’s lawyer, Casey Leggett, told a B.C. Supreme Court jury that the Crown had failed to prove that what his client was doing was not humanitarian. “What he was doing was humanitarian. He was mutually assisting his fellow Tamil asylum seekers and his wife,” Leggett said in his final submissions in a Vancouver court. The Crown’s theory was that the migrants were charged a fee, generally a $5,000 down payment, to be on the ship, with an additional $25,000 owing when they arrived in Canada. The prosecution says the accused assisted the migrants to come to Canada without the proper travel documents. But Leggett said there was no evidence that Christhurajah had profited or that he had received any money or compensation for his actions.

“If the Crown is going to ask you to conclude that he profited, the Crown is going to be asking you to guess.” Leggett noted the vessel was substandard and no doubt the prosecution will argue that it should not have been used to transport people across the Pacific Ocean and put people’s lives at risk. But he said his client and his wife were both on the boat and argued it would be “contrary to common sense” that someone who was intending to exploit another person by charging a fee and putting them on an unsafe vessel would themselves get on the vessel. The defence lawyer said that his client and his wife and the people on board the MV Sun Sea, all of them Tamils from Sri Lanka, were fleeing “terrible persecution” arising from a bloody civil war in their home country. Many Sri Lankan people had been kidnapped, tortured and arbitrarily detained during the war and the people on the boat feared being returned to Sri Lanka, so they did what they could to come to Canada, a safe country, said Leggett, who asked the jury to acquit his client. “They came to Canada, they asked for Canada’s protection and I think we can be proud to say we provided them with that protection.” Sandy Ross, a lawyer for Emmanuel, made a similar argument to the jury. He said that Emmanuel was “thrown into” becoming captain of the ship and helped the other Sri Lankan passengers aboard on their voyage to Canada.

owned the lot in question, was ordered to pay $120,000 immediately and up to an additional $400,000, dependent on whether they transfer a large enough area of the lot to a nongovernment conservancy organization. • Howe Sound Forest Products Ltd., which entered into a log sales agreement with Gwaii Wood, was ordered to pay $1.1 million and prohibited from carrying out any activity related to logging for five years (the company was dissolved in 2013). • I. Crosby Contracting, which was contracted to do the logging, was ordered to pay $580,000 and prohibited from carrying out any activity related to logging

for six months. Dr. Larry Reynolds, the senior prosecutor on the case, said the length of time between the verdict and sentencing was due to the complexity of the case — but he was happy with the outcome. “It sends a significant message, not only to the offenders but the forestry industry at large, that this kind of devastation ... with respect to prime fisheries habitat won’t be tolerated.” The land in question, DL 413, is approximately 62.5 hectares in size and 3.5 kilometres from Port Clements and includes Mallard Creek and several tributaries which flow into the creek. In his ruling, judge M.J. Brecknell said the extent of damage was “difficult to accurately and completely express in words, the extent of the devastation to the fish-bearing streams and wetlands,” calling it “cataclysmic.”

‘Oblivious’ driver hits the road with ‘porthole-sized’ clearing in windshield Mounties in Surrey, B.C., say they were baffled after a driver hit the road with only a “dinner-plate-sized” hole cleared in their snowy windshield this week. An officer spotted the car around 4:40 a.m. PT on Wednesday. “The driver seemed quite oblivious to the fact that his vision was greatly impaired,” said Cpl. Scotty Schumann. “In fact, the driver felt that the small, portholesized clearing on the windshield was sufficient to drive and that eventually the defroster would take care of the rest of the snow and melt it off.” The officer said it’s “completely unacceptable” for a driver to leave home without a clear line of sight. “Anyone who thinks that they’re going to be OK is fooling themselves — at a great risk to themselves and the other users of our roadways.” Schumann said anyone driving with their vision obscured can be hit with a

fine of up to $400. If the driver were to be involved in an accident and found to be at fault, they could face criminal charges.

Schumann couldn’t confirm if the driver of the car pulled over Wednesday was fined or not. Officers tweeted a photo of the vehicle on Friday to serve as a warning to other drivers. “If there are people that think this is actually acceptable, they need to know that it’s not,” Schumann said. “Although most people just [are] incredulous.”

Police takedown in Coquitlam after shooting RCMP said three suspects are in custody after a shooting and hostage situation in Mission Tuesday afternoon. Mission RCMP said they responded to a report of a drive-by shooting at a home on Dewdney Trunk Road at 1 p.m. Mounties said a person in the residence suffered a gunshot injury and a woman was being held against her will.

Police later took three suspects into custody after conducting a takedown of a suspect vehicle in Coquitlam near Oxford St. and David Ave. The woman who is believed to have been taken hostage was uninjured. The person who suffered a gunshot wound is in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

18 i Saturday, March 26, 2016

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LOCAL

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Surrey handed out 130 warnings for icy sidewalks The City of Surrey has handed out over 100 warnings so far this week to property owners who haven’t cleared their sidewalks of snow and ice. City officials told that between Jan. 3 and Jan. 7, 130 warnings were issued to residents who failed to meet the city’s bylaw around snow removal.

In Surrey, snow must be cleared from sidewalks adjacent to residential or business properties by 10 a.m. on the day following snowfall. Failure to do so comes with a $75 fine for businesses, and a $50 for residents. Out of the 130 warnings, 41 homeowners have complied so far while 17 did not and were issued violations. Crews were still making 72 remaining inspections on Saturday. Many residents around Metro Vancouver have complained in recent weeks about the

lack of snow removal by property owners and city crews. Sidewalks have been extremely slippery for many and unusable for some in wheelchairs and other mobility devices. In Maple Ridge, icy sidewalks forced a boy with disabilities to stay home from school for the first half of last week. “It just sucks, there’s nothing I can do,” Owen, the boy’s dad, said. “It just feels like we’ve been ignored.” In Vancouver, the number of tickets issued for snow on sidewalks will be released on Monday, according to City spokesperson Tobin Postma. But last week, Jerry Dobrovolny, general manager of engineering, said they were stepping up enforcement of the bylaw that states residential sidewalks have to be cleared by 10 am the morning after the snowfall, and re-deployed 50 staff to assist with the enforcement process. The City of Vancouver has received thousands of complaints of uncleared sidewalks and says it has responded to most of them. Dobrovolny says the complaints are followed up with a warning at first. If the residents don’t comply, they can be issued a ticket or taken to court.

Richmond RCMP find body in Jeep after targeted homicide Police are investigating the death of a man who was found with gunshot wounds in a sport utility vehicle on Tuesday night in Richmond. The RCMP say officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 7000 block of Ash Street shortly before 9:30 p.m. They identified the victim as 21-year-old Calvin Chi Hang Zhao of Vancouver.

Police say the man died at the scene. While it is early in the investigation, police say the shooting appears to be a targeted homicide. A suspect vehicle was seen leaving the scene of the shooting, and police say they are working to confirm the make and model although it was described as a white SUV.

North Shore councillor fed up with traffic congestion The Canadian Automobile Association named Vancouver as having some of the worst bottlenecks for traffic Wednesday, but one North Shore city councillor says her region is dealing with equally bad big-citystyle congestion, too. Lisa Muri, a councillor with the District of North Vancouver, told the trouble began five years ago. “We got to our summer season and the traffic didn’t lighten up as it had always lightened up in previous years,” she said. The Ministry of Transportation did a study of the Second Narrows Bridge and found there was a 14 per cent increase in counterflow traffic. The congestion is not just in the NorthSouth direction between Vancouver and the North Shore, but in the EastWest direction across the North Shore, she said. Muri said residents have had to change how they live. “I don’t leave my house to go to West Vancouver anymore after 1:30 p.m. in the afternoon,” she said. “Chances are I’m not going to get back to be able to pick up my kids at school.” Muri said a big reason for the increase is a development boom in the three major North Shore communities: the cities of West Vancouver and North Vancouver and her own district. “We’ve had an 850 per cent increase in

single family development permits for new houses for instance. The market is ripe,” she said. In addition, there’s been an increase in port activity and commercial business that’s driving traffic. One of Muri’s main solutions is to better coordinate development plans between the major municipalities so that individual development projects don’t exacerbate traffic

congestion. She said the Mountain Highway interchange is being improved to be more efficient and provide better flow — but also said it was five years away. As for public transit, the Metro Vancouver mayors’ transit plan includes more buses, an additional seabus and improvements to the Phibbs Exchange bus depot. “Our challenge is that we’re sort of strapped up on the side of mountain, on the edge of the ocean, with rivers and creeks running through us,” she said. “Our geography is not simple.”

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LOCAL

Saturday, January 14, 2017

First responders feeling ‘helplessness and hopelessness’ over overdose crisis A health and safety worker with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says he’s never seen stress and anxiety so rampant among first responders. Acting captain of occupational health and safety Steve Fraser says the ongoing overdose crisis has many firefighters dealing with emotional and mental fallout because of their job. “We have different degrees of how people are coping,” Fraser told On The Coast host Stephen Quinn. “Some people are coping better with it than others. But one thing I do know is everybody is affected by it. “It is responding to these calls, over and over again and dealing with a community and people in that community dealing with mental illness and doing our very best to help them and in many cases save their lives.” The overdose crisis is different, Fraser says, not only because of the unprecedented numbers, but because first responders feel the need to watch out for their own safety between unsafe conditions and potentially unsafe people involved in the calls. Fraser says the call volume is not going to decrease any time soon. That means first responders need to be vigilant about their mental health. He says at the fire department, educational work is being done so firefighters can build resiliency: “What can we do for ourselves for that sort of framework of support that we need in our lives? Not just at work but outside of work.” “I want to include paramedics and police

as well. It’s taken its toll on everyone. Not just them but our families as well. We take our work home with us.” Another thing being tried out is more rotations of firefighters staffing the fire hall on the Downtown Eastside. Fraser says normally a firefighter will spend two or three years stationed at a hall before

transferring but the goal for firefighters there is to keep them there no longer than a year. That hall is sometimes seeing 40 calls in a 14-hour shift, he says, and about 1,400 calls a month, “which is unbelieveable.” Another big issue, Fraser says, is “compassion fatigue” which comes from sometimes treating the same people time after time. “It’s that feeling of helplessness and hopelessness that what you do is not making a difference,” he said. “For all of us … why we do it is we do want to make a difference. So, when we see that fail time and time again it does start to take its toll.” One positive, for the Downtown Eastside at least, is more staff coming to that area, which Fraser says could make a difference.

US dairy groups urge Trump to target Canadian dairy policies U.S. dairy groups are calling on Donald Trump to set his sights on Canada’s “protectionist” dairy practices as he seeks to safeguard American jobs. The International Dairy Foods Association, National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council, along with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture say a planned national Canadian ingredients strategy will block U.S. exports

in violation of NAFTA and the World Trade Organization. Ontario milk pricing policies adopted last April are hurting U.S. exports of ultra-filtered milk used to make dairy products, costing thousands of American jobs especially in border states like Wisconsin and New York, said a letter sent Wednesday to the incoming president and his trade nominees. Continued on Page 20...

Call to release DTES fatal overdose victims’ names Former Vancouver East member of parliament Libby Davies is asking the B.C. Coroners Service and the Vancouver Police Department to see if anything can be done to more swiftly confirm the identities of Downtown Eastside residents killed by drug overdoses. The request comes in the form of a letter addressed to Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe and Chief Constable Adam Palmer. It was written in conjunction with a similar request from the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU). “It is heartbreaking to see the devastating impact of these deaths on families and local communities, especially those that are vulnerable and already suffering,” the letter addressed Jan. 10 reads. “In the Downtown Eastside in particular, where many of the overdose deaths have occurred, the local community is at a loss to know what has happened to individual people,” wrote Davies. “There is in many cases a lack of specific knowledge about who has died and therefore difficulty in processing what has happened and being able to support one another and the community as a whole.” Davies, who served as MP from 19972015 and was recently appointed to the Order of Canada, said in an interview that she stays closely connected to the Downtown Eastside and had heard that

people are really distressed by the opioid overdose crisis and the uncertainty that can follow someone’s sudden disappearance from the community. “I was asked if I would be willing to do something to draw attention to this,” she said. “This does not detract from the urgency of the crisis and the action that needs to be taken … but it’s one thing we can do to remember those who have died and to help people who are still living to cope with that and to deal with that and to process it.” As of Thursday, Davies hadn’t heard back from either recipient. Staff Sgt. Randy Fincham with the Vancouver Police Department wasn’t sure whether Palmer had had the chance to read the letter but noted there were privacy issues with publicly sharing the names of drug overdose victims. “We’re actually bound by privacy laws, provincial privacy laws, that would not allow us to share the names of individuals who have been involved in a medical incident, which is what an overdose would be,” said Fincham. “Certainly, I can appreciate that there are a number of people who are going to great lengths to have a positive impact on the fentanyl crisis that we’re seeing in Vancouver,” he said.

NATIONAL

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Canada-wide arrest warrant issued for Burnaby man accused of assaulting cop Coquitlam RCMP have issued a Canadawide arrest warrant for a 36-year-old Burnaby man who is alleged to have hit a police officer with his car while trying to flee from arrest. Marek James Anisimowicz is wanted for assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm and flight from police

after an incident on Dec. 30, 2016. RCMP said police were trying to arrest Anisimowicz at 4 p.m. at the corner of Mary Hill Road and McAllister Avenue in Port Coquitlam when he allegedly began struggling with the officers.

He managed to get into a car and drive away, hitting and injuring a Port Moody Police officer in the process, according to authorities. The officer’s injuries are not life threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery. Police have not been able to find Anisimowicz and there is a “strong possibility” that he has left B.C. They issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant on Jan. 11. The suspect is described as 5’11” tall, 221 pounds, with dirty blonde or brown hair and possibly wearing glasses. He has a neck tattoo with cursive writing on the right side of his neck and was last seen wearing all dark clothing, grey Air Jordan shoes and a black and white scarf with faces on it. Anyone who may have information locating Anisimowicz is asked to call the Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550.

Obhrai want to get immigration right! Conservative Party Leadership Candidate Deepak Obhrai released his vision for Canada’s immigration policy. “Immigration is a necessity to build a prosperous Canada, as has always been the case” stated Obhrai. “It is still possible to be pro-immigration AND to be conservative.” Obhrai continued, “We should not change what has been effective over the last 10 years in regards to what we are doing to attract new immigrants, or how we are selecting them, however we should be more careful with how we spend money on newcomers once they are here.” He added, “When I arrived forty years ago, I did not rely on the government to settle and integrate. Today, I am a proud product of Canada, and as such I question the need to spend $1 billion in settlement costs.” OBHRAI’S IMMIGRATION POLICY RE: General Immigration • Settlement costs for general immigrants will be cut (except for refugees), freeing up $1 Billion Dollars. • The selection process should be based on skills that Canada needs; • The robust security system already in place should continue; • Annual immigration targets should be of 275,000, made up of skilled and semi-skilled workers; • There will be a new category of low skilled workers, capped at 10,000, to be selected based on a lottery system; • Those holding student visas will be fasttracked to permanent residence. This will ensure a steady growth for our economy, • The reliance on temporary foreign workers (TFWs) should be reduced, and only labour shortages should be filled with TFWs; TFWs

cannot and should not increase our economy; • The family reunification category will be maintained; • We already have face to face interviews when issues are flagged. This has been the most effective and cost efficient way, as implemented by the previous Conservative government; RE: VISITORS • Immigration officers abroad are already screening visitors from countries that misuse our immigration system, through the granting of tourist visas. To add another unnecessary layer to this existing process will be a huge burden to tax payers. RE: REFUGEES • There needs to be a move away from government sponsorship to private-sponsored refugees. This will ensure a speedier settlement and integration process for newcomers; • Government-sponsored refugees who rely on settlement funds will be expected to reimburse any settlement costs used when they are in a favorable position. • The government should move away from the United Nations system of recognizing refugees and implement a Canadian-made protocol; this needs to change so as to avoid a repetition of the current plight of the Yazidis and accommodate such future instances of support; • Funding for refugee camps needs to be improved, as increasing our refugee intake does not address the global refugee issue; • All potential immigrants and refugees will be provided with a booklet that speaks of our human rights principles and our Charter of Freedoms when their visas are issued. At present a booklet highlighting this is only issued to permanent residents on track for citizenship.

US dairy groups urge Trump to target Canadian dairy policies Continued from Page 19... The policy allows Canadian dairy processors to buy domestic milk at world market prices instead of higher prices controlled by the national supply management system. The U.S. dairy groups say that provides the processors with an incentive to cut milk imports. “The entire U.S. dairy industry is being hurt, as milk prices are being driven down

nationally by Canada’s trade actions,” they wrote. The groups say an ongoing effort to implement a national policy puts further pressure on American communities that export milk and other dairy products to Canada. The U.S. dairy sector says they are already restricted to the Canadian market by “exorbitant tariffs” and limited market access.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Trudeau hears questions and complaints at cross-country tour town halls Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kicked off a cross-country tour on Thursday to connect with Canadians as controversies

brew over so-called cash-for-access political fundraising and a vacation at the Bahamian island property of the Aga Khan. His campaign-style trip began in eastern Ontario, with stops at a restaurant in Manotick, an aquarium in Brockville and a highway rest stop in Mallorytown. At each stop, he shook hands, chatted and posed for photos. While in transit, he called a radio station in Kingston and requested a song by the Tragically Hip. At a forum attended by approximately 250 people in Kingston in the afternoon, there was no mention of the ethics controversies that have followed Trudeau’s government, but he was challenged on several fronts. In the space of an hour, Trudeau took questions about the welfare of Indigenous Canadians, military exports, subsidies for the fossil-fuel industry, real-estate regulation

and support for the manufacturing sector. Asked about electoral reform, Trudeau acknowledged he has taken the position that a ranked ballot is the best option for Canada, but, he added, “I have showed consistently that I’m open to a broad range of perspectives and views.” An Indigenous woman became emotional while asking the prime minister to protect Canadian waters from environmental harm. “Please, from the bottom of my heart, and my grandchildren, please keep our water clean,” she said. Another woman seemed to choke up as she criticized the Liberal government’s handling of benefits for veterans. “You promised the injured veterans you would restore the lifetime disability pension,” she said. “So when are you going to be restoring these lifelong disability pensions for our injured? And stop pursuing this in court as [you promised]?” she asked. “As you say, there are still more things to do and we are going to continue to work with veterans groups, continue to work with advocates, continue [to work with] MPs of all stripes,” Trudeau responded. “We’re going to continue to work on keeping not just an electoral promise we made to Canadians, but a promise and commitment that every government makes to the parents and the families of young men and women who sign up for our forces.”

How lenders are sidestepping Canada’s mortgage rules with ‘bundles’ of debt Canada’s subprime mortgage providers are increasingly teaming up with unregulated rivals to sidestep rules designed to clamp down on risky lending. The result of these partnerships are so-called “bundled” loans, which pair a primary mortgage with a second loan from unregulated groups called Mortgage Investment Corporations (MICs). The arrangements have proliferated, mortgage brokers told Reuters, as Canadian regulators have tightened lending standards to shield borrowers in case a decade-long housing boom goes bust. The practice has grown fast because it allows borrowers to make down payments of just 10 per cent, dodging federal rules that require either 20 or 35 per cent down on mortgages not backed by government insurance, according to industry experts. Packaging two loans together allows the regulated lender to skirt those rules. The rise of bundling reflects declining affordability after a long run-up in home prices, and it could present a danger of defaults if prices fall. Such high loan-to-value mortgages are common when housing markets are about to implode, said David Madani, an economist with Capital Economics who has long forecast a housing crash in Canada. “This is what happens at the late stage of a housing bubble – the quality of lending goes down,” he said. Bundled loans, however, do not violate any laws, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions said in a statement. Primary lenders are expected to take the extra debt from a second loan into

consideration when evaluating the borrower’s ability to afford the primary mortgage. In a statement, Canada’s Finance Ministry said it was monitoring co-lending activity, which it said represented a small portion of the mortgage market. It declined to comment on whether the practice had increased as an unintended consequence of tighter lending rules introduced last year. OSFI said that bundled mortgages have

existed for years and that it will revise its guidance as the market evolves. The government does not track bundling, and the practice is sometimes carried out in a discreet fashion, with lenders working directly with the MICs or referring mortgage brokers to them to work out a loan with a borrower. But Finance Ministry data shows that the share of unregulated lenders has shot to 12.5 per cent of Canada’s $1.6 trillion mortgage market in 2015, up from 6.6 per cent in 2007. “It’s becoming prevalent with everybody. This is how they sidestep the loan-to-value issue,” Guy Lew, a mortgage broker at CENTUM Metrocap Wealth Solutions said in an interview, adding that he arranged such loans for his clients.

NATIONAL

NRI

Saturday, January 14, 2017

NRI woman in UK has 4 kids after 17 miscarriages An Indian-origin woman in the UK who suffered 17 miscarriages and was told she may

never be able to have babies is now the proud mother of four daughters. At the age of just 18, Lytina Kaur, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, an aggressive cancer of the white blood cells, was given the heartbreaking news that she may never be able to have children. Lytina who is now 32 was told she may never be able to give birth after she relapsed and had a bone marrow transplant. “I was still quite young when I was told I couldn’t have children. I didn’t think about it too much at the time and thought I’d worry

about it when I crossed the bridge. However, when I got married at 23, it was heartbreaking,” she told ‘Nottingham Post’. After her wedding in 2007, Lytina, who is from the East Midlands region of England, decided to try and have a family of her own. But before becoming a mother-offour Lytina had several miscarriages, the first of which happened in 2010 after she conceived twins. Between 2010 and 2012, she suffered as many as nine miscarriages before undergoing one free cycle of IVF on the UK’s state-funded National Health Service (NHS) a year later, which was unsuccessful.Between 2013 and 2015, a hospital in India made six attempts to implant her embryo into a surrogate - but each ended in miscarriage and the couple gave up. However, she eventually became pregnant and gave birth to her first daughter Kiran in September 2015. The other three followed within months of that. In November 2015, twin babies Kajal and Kavita were born in India after the hospital had transferred the last four embryos to a surrogate as a goodwill gesture. And in June 2016, Lytina gave birth to Kiyara at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

NRI doctor in US to pay $250,000 in fraud case An Indian-origin dentist in the US is among five other physicians who have agreed to pay $250,000 for not rendering paedriatic dental services and making false claims in a government funded programme to help poor children. As part of the settlement agreement Akhil Reddy, Christopher Steven Villanueva, Trung Minh Tang, Mauricio Dardano, Gabriel Shahwan agreed to pay $250,000 each to resolve the governments' claims against them individually. They are owners or part owners of MB2 and the dental practices included in this settlement, and practice dentistry in Texas. Frank Villanueva, MB2's head of marketing, also will pay $100,000 to resolve his alleged personal liability, the US Justice Department said. "The settlement demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protect the Medicaid programme and the patients it serves from unscrupulous providers," said US Attorney Parker. "Providers who waste taxpayer dollars by

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billing for services that were not provided, or were otherwise improper, will be held accountable," Parker said.

As part of this settlement, MB2 have entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). This settlement resolves allegations that between January 2009, and December 2014, MB2 and affiliated dental practices submitted claims to the Texas Medicaid Fee for Service Program for single-surface fillings in children that were not provided.

Trump’s nominee for AG promises curbs on H1B visas US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the post of Attorney General has assured lawmakers of taking steps towards pushing legislative measures to curb misuse of H-1B and L1 work visas significantly used by Indian IT professionals and allegedly replace American workers. “It’s simply wrong to think that we’re in a totally open world and that any American with a job can be replaced if somebody in the world is willing to take a job for less pay,” Senator Jeff Sessions told members of Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing for the position of US Attorney General. “We have borders. We have a commitment to our citizens and you have

been a champion of that. I’ve been honoured to work with you on it,” Sessions said in response to a question from Senator Charles Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the past both Sessions and Grassley have worked together to bring legislations on H-1B visas that badly hit Indian IT companies. The Office of Special Counsel for immigration related unfair employment practices is an office within the Justice Department which would be headed by Sessions if he is confirmed by the US Senate. The Office enforces the anti-discrimination provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, January 14, 2017

How Afghanistan is trying to outflank Pakistan over Taliban

‘Mastermind’ of Bangladesh cafe siege killed: Police An Islamist extremist accused of being one of the masterminds of last year’s deadly siege at a Bangladeshi cafe was killed during a predawn raid on Friday in the capital Dhaka, police said. The bodies of Nurul Islam Marzan and another suspected extremist were found after officers raided a property in Dhaka’s Rayer Bazar neighbourhood, a spokesman for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police told. “We found two bodies. One of them was Marzan and another was a suspected extremist,” additional deputy commissioner Yusuf Ali told AFP, adding that it was not yet clear whether Marzan died in a gunfight or committed suicide. Ali said that Marzan, who was aged around 30, was “one of the masterminds” of the siege at the upmarket Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1 last year in which 18 foreign hostages were shot or hacked to death.

Woman blogger from Bangladesh faces threat to life, seeks international help A college student from Bangladesh, who is a secularist-feminist blogger has sought assistance from the international community after facing life threats at home. A few months ago, after the Gulshan cafe attack, she travelled to India in search of help. When she returned to Bangladesh, the situation had worsened. “I started writing on discrimination against women, children and minorities in Bangladesh since 2012. I am a strong believer in equality, free speech and the preservation of basic human rights. My Facebook ID was banned twice because of the campaign launched against people like me by fundamentalists. I was then using my real name but things started getting bad in 2013. With the number of threats increasing, I adopted the name Kiron Mala and then changed it to Arpita Roychowdhury. In 2014, I joined the Nobojug (New Age) Blog. Apart from threats of being abducted, raped and killed, I also suffered from harassment in public. Fundamentalists as well as members of the ruling party passed sexually explicit comments at me. Even my younger sister had to go through all this because of my writings,” Arpita says.

India offers Akash missile systems to Vietnam India is now actively discussing the possible sale of the indigenously developed Akash surface-to-air missile systems to Vietnam, even as the two countries steadily crank up their bilateral military ties with a watchful eye on a confrontational China in the Asia-Pacific region. With Beijing continuing to thwart New Delhi’s bid to join the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group and get Jaish-eMuhammed chief Masood Azhar+ designated a terrorist by the UN, while also stepping up its naval forays into the Indian Ocean Region, India is responding by fast-tracking military ties with countries in China’s own backyard. The expanding “strategic and military partnership” with

Japan and Vietnam, in particular, has emerged a major thrust area. Sources say the discussions under way with Vietnam on the Akash area defence missiles, which have an interception range of 25-km against hostile aircraft, helicopters and drones, come after India earlier offered BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Varunastra anti-submarine torpedoes to the country. India, of course, will also begin training Vietnamese fighter pilots on its Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets from this year, much like it has been tutoring sailors from that country on the intricate art of operating Kilo-class submarines for the last three years.

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The plan underscores desperation in Afghanistan for out-of-the-box solutions to tackle the 15-year insurgency, as peace bids repeatedly fail and US-backed forces suffer record casualties in stalemated fighting. If implemented, the strategy — aimed at undercutting Pakistan’s influence over the Taliban — could, for better or for worse, be a game changer in a strife-torn nation where

ceding territory to insurgents is seen as tantamount to partition. “I urge the Taliban to return to Afghanistan. We should make a safe zone for them and their families,” Kandahar police chief Abdul Raziq told a gathering of religious scholars and tribal elders last month. “We can no longer rely on foreign governments and embassies to end the war. The Taliban belong to this country, they are sons of this soil.” That Raziq, arguably the most powerful commander in southern Afghanistan and long one of the staunchest anti-Taliban figures, would suggest such an idea amplified the shockwaves it created. “The government shouldn’t be giving safe zones to terrorists,” warned former Helmand governor Sher Mohammed Akhundzada, while some observers dismissed the strategy as “illogical” as the Taliban already control vast swathes of Afghan territory.

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Saturday, January 14, 2017

Amazon didn’t mean to offend India with Tricolor mats E-commerce giant Amazon has written to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to express regret+ at hurting Indian sensibilities, a day after Swaraj threatened to deny visas to its officials if it didn’t take doormats depicting the Indian flag off its site. Yesterday, one Atul Bhobe tweeted a complaint to Swaraj about the doormats which were listed on the Amazon Canada website - and asked her to take action. Swaraj lost no time in shooting off a tweet to the Indian High Commission in Canada, in which she called the sale of the products unacceptable, and asked the High

Commission to take the matter up with Amazon “at the highest level.” She also issued a stern warning to Amazon. If this is not done forthwith, we will not grant Indian Visa to any Amazon official. We will also rescind the Visas issued earlier. It isn’t the first time Amazon has found itself in hot water for listing products offensive to Indians. Last year, the company enraged many on social media after it came to light that it was selling doormats with pictures of Indian gods and goddesses. That discovery even lead to the creation of the hashtag #BoycottAmazon.

Man gets Rs 500 notes with one-side blank in MP Days after a farmer in Madhya Pradesh received Rs 2,000 notes from a bank without the image of Mahatma Gandhi, an ATM at a village in Khargone district dispensed two “one-side blank” currency of the new Rs 500 denomination. Hemant Soni on Tuesday night used his card to withdraw Rs 1,500 from a public sector bank’s ATM at Segaon village, about 40 km from Khargone district headquarters. “Of the three Rs 500 notes, two were printed on one side while the other side was completely blank,” Soni said. He registered a complaint of the misprinted currency yesterday with the concerned bank officials, who subsequently replaced his notes with new ones. The bank officials, however, said the misprinted notes were received as such from the Reserve Bank of India.

“We have changed these ‘misprinted’ currency notes after the consumer’s complaint. We are now checking the currency notes before loading them into the ATMs,” the deputy manager of the bank’s Sabji Mandi

main branch told PTI. “This is a printing mistake,” he added.

EC raps Sakshi Maharaj for remark The Election Commission on Thursday issued an order censuring BJP MP from Unnao Sakshi Maharaj for his controversial remarks on population growth, linking it to a particular religious community. The EC warned the MP of stern action if he violated

the model code again, even as it noted that it had found the BJP leader’s reply unsatisfactory. “Any statement promoting enmity between different classes on the grounds of religion made during electioneering is violation of model code,” the EC said.

CISF jawan guns down four seniors after leave denied A CISF jawan today allegedly opened fire on his colleagues, killing four of his seniors, before being overpowered at Navinagar power generating company in Aurangabad district of Bihar. While Head Constables Amarnath Mishra and Bachcha Sharma of Bihar died on the spot, Assistant Sub-Inspector Gaurishankar Ram, a resident of Jharkhand, and Head Constable Arvind Kumar, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, succumbed to grievous injuries at Narayan Medical College and Hospital in adjoining Rohtas district. Though the exact reasons behind the incident are yet to be ascertained, domestic problems and heated exchange with his

colleagues seemed to have prompted the accused, Balveer Singh to commit the crime. Aurangabad Superintendent of Police Satya Prakash said: “Prima facie it appears that the CISF jawan was going through some personal problems. He was to deposit his service rifle after his shift ended. He seemed to have argument with his colleagues. In fit of rage, he opened fire on his colleagues, killing four of them”. Satya Prakash added he fired at least 32 rounds before being overpowered by other CISF personnel. Earlier reports suggested that the constable had an argument over leave issues following which he opened fire.

2nd Scorpene-class submarine Khanderi launched Khanderi, the second Scorpene-class submarine that has superior stealth and the ability to launch a crippling attack with torpedoes as well as tube-launched anti-ship missiles whilst underwater or on surface, was on Thursday launched at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) here. Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre presided over the function to initiate the launch of Khanderi (Yard 11876). The submarine was launched by the Union minister;s wife, Bina Bhamre. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba was also present on the occasion when the submarine was separated from the pontoon on which it was assembled. The state-of-the-art features of the submarine include superior stealth and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision guided weapon. The attack can be launched with torpedoes, as well as tube-launched anti-

ship missiles, whilst underwater or on surface. The stealth features will give it the invulnerability unmatched by many submarines. The submarine is designed to operate in all theatres, including the tropics. All

means and communications are provided to ensure interoperability with other components of a Naval task force. It can undertake multifarious types of missions typically undertaken by any modern submarine, that is, antisurface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine-laying, area surveillance, etc.

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Saturday, January 14, 2017

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INDIA

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Supreme Court orders Sahara CEO to pay Rs 600 crore by Feb 6 or go back to jail The Supreme Court today refused to extend the February 6 deadline for payment of Rs 600 crore by the Sahara group and made it clear its chief Subrata Roy would be back in jail for any default. A three-member Bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, however, allowed the group to transfer 35 million pounds (Rs 285 crore) lying in Sahara’s bank account in London to the Sahara-SEBI account here. This would help the group in mobilising Rs 600 crore. Sahara’s senior counsel Kapil Sibal pleaded that his client was finding it difficult to raise funds in the wake of demonetisation of high-value currency notes which had affected the economic activity, particularly the real estate business. But the Bench was not convinced. The Bench also reminded Roy that he had been on parole for nearly 10 months by paying specified amounts every two months despite

PMO seeks MHA report on BSF jawan’s food gripe

Even as Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) sought a report from the home ministry on the reported poor quality of food raised by BSF Constable Tej Bahadur Yadav, the force has said there was no shortage of food at the post Yadav served. The BSF gave its final report to home ministry in which it has said food was not in short supply nor has any jawan complained about such a problem. Official sources said MHA will submit a detailed factual report on the incident to PMO soon. With Yadav’s claims generating a lot of bad publicity, the government said it is taking all such incidents seriously and corrective steps are being taken to improve conditions of service personnel and food. BSF told the government that an IG rank officer visited the post a week back. While the rations at the post on the line of control is provided by the Army, it is cooked by BSF personnel tasked for these jobs. The BSF said ‘daal’ shown in Yadav’s video posted on Facebook was from tinned food ration and ‘parantha’ was cooked in the unit mess as per procedures followed at high-altitude locations. But officials said while BSF is taking a careful look at its arrangements, the Army is also looking into the food supply issue and will submit a report to government soon. A jawan is entitled to around Rs 2,800 per month as food allowance and he is given food under the stipulated amount. Yadav, wearing camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle, claimed in a video that while government procures essentials, higher-ups and officers “sell it off ” in an “illegal” manner in the market and that they have to suffer. He also posted other videos saying the quality of food served was not of good quality.

the fact that parole could be granted only for a few days. In response to a query, Sibal said the group had so far paid about Rs 11,000 crore, including Rs 1,300 crore during the parole period. Sibal pleaded that the Bench go into the claims of Sahara that the entire Rs 24,000 crore had been returned to people who had invested in the group companies’ debenture issues and documentary evidence to this effect had been given to SEBI. But the Bench said this aspect stood closed. The Bench asked SEBI about the steps to be taken in the event of the group’s failure to return the investors’ money. Senior counsel Arvind Datar said the stock market regulator had already filed a plea for attaching Sahara’s properties for the purpose of auction to recover the investments.

TCS chief Chandrasekaran named Tata Sons chairman Tata Sons on Thursday named TCS chief executive officer and managing director N Chandrasekaran as its new chairman over two months after the unceremonious sacking of Cyrus Mistry. He will take charge from February 21. Popularly known as ‘Chandra’, the 54-yearold was chosen to step into the shoes of interim chairman Ratan Tata, who took over on October 24 last year after the removal of Mistry. The decision to appoint Chandra, a Tata group veteran, was taken at a meeting of Tata Sons board here, sources said. The decision followed a five-member search committee comprising Ratan Tata, TVS Group head Venu Srinivasan, Amit Chandra of Bain Capital, former diplomat

Ronen Sen and Lord Kumar Bhattacharya zeroing in on Chandrasekaran. Chandrasekaran has been heading the Tata group’s ‘crown jewel’, software firm TCS, since 2009. He was appointed as a Director on the board of Tata Sons on October 25, 2016, a day after Mistry’s removal. The search panel was given four months to find the new head of the promoter company of the major operating firms of the $103 billion salt-tosoftware conglomerate, but the decision has been reached even before that. Chandrasekaran’s appointment as Tata Sons Chairman comes at a time when the company is fighting a legal battle at the National Company Law Tribunal with Mistry, who has challenged his ouster.

FIJI

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Tractor to help farmers overcome labour shortage Kamal Prasad, the 2016 cassava farmer of the year, received a tractor worth $84,000 from the Agriculture Ministry yesterday as part of the farm mechanisation program to assist in labour work and increase farm productivity. Mr Prasad, 49, said he had been a farmer for the past 16 years and harvested cassava, watermelon, ginger and duruka (Fiji asparagus). “This tractor will greatly help in my farm work and the good thing is, I won’t be the only one benefiting from this machine,” he said. “There are about 10 other farmers nearby who will use the machine and about 50 other cassava farmers in the Tailevu North area will use it for land preparation. “I saved up for five years to pay one-third of

the cost, which was about $28,000 and today is such a great day for me as a farmer.” Mr Prasad said the machine also addressed a major problem faced by farmers in the area and those part of the Rama Krishna Mission Land group, which was the shortage of workers. “We are short of labourers. A few years ago we would be able to employ about 10-15 workers on our farm, but now we are lucky to even have four workers helping in our farms. “The free education, free bus fare and other programs that the Fijian Government has for us Fijians has really helped a lot of families so I think this was one reason why we lost labourers, they do not need the money.”

72-year-old grandfather charged with rape appears in court A 72-year-old grandfather of Ba charged with 18 counts of rape appeared in the Ba Magistrates Court. Chief of Intelligence and Investigations ACP Biu Matavou says the man allegedly raped his grand-daughter. The alleged incident happened between 2015 and 2016. He has been remanded in custody. The matter has been adjourned to the 20th of this month.

3 men facing charges of wrongful confinement Three men who are facing charges of wrongful confinement have been granted bail by the Magistrates Court. Melvin Kishor is also facing a count of grievous harm while Edwin Kishor and Shalvin Kishor are both charged with a count

each of assault causing actual bodily harm. The three had allegedly wrongfully confined and assaulted a 25 year old man last Saturday. The case will be called again in the Suva Magistrates Court on the 17th of next month.

Diplomat on trial for fraud Minister for Defence and Immigration Ratu Inoke Kubuabola has confirmed in the Suva Magistrates Court that he did send his daughter for education at St Joseph’s Nudgee College in Brisbane, Australia and he did recommend to Ratu Isoa Tikoca to do the same for his son. Kubuabola gave evidence in Tikoca’s trial as the second defense witness. Kubuabola told the court that a school in Brisbane was suggested. He said he briefed Tikoca on the education allowance assistance and that it was based on the PSC diplomats and consulate service regulations. Ratu Inoke Kubuabola was Fiji’s High Commissioner to PNG from 2003 to 2006. Tikoca replaced him as Fiji’s new High Commissioner to PNG in April, 2006. While being cross-examined by FICAC’s Senior Counsel Rashmi Aslam, Kubuabola

said he got the right approvals to send his daughter for education in Australia. He said the approval was given but he was informed that he had to pay the difference in fees between Port Moresby International School and St Joseph’s Nudgee College in Brisbane. Kubuabola said he did pay the difference and he did not have any liability after it was made. Tikoca is charged with failure to declare his liabilities contrary to section 24 of the Political Parties Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures Decree. It is alleged that Tikoca failed to declare the liability and the amount of the liability to the Registrar, the Permanent Secretary responsible for Elections that he had incurred to the Government of Fiji during his tenure as Fiji’s High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea.

Family of 9 left homeless after Navua fire An early morning fire destroyed a three bedroom house leaving a family of nine homeless today in Navua. The National Fire Authority has confirmed that at 1:11am today the Navua Fire Station received a call and upon arrival at 1.14am, the house was fully engulfed in flames. The family was at home when the fire occurred and they managed to get out of the house safely. Meanwhile, at 11:07 this morning the Navua Fire team was again alerted by Police about another house fire at Thomson Road where a three bedroom

corrugated iron and timber house was also destroyed. Upon arrival the fire team saw that the house was fully engulfed in flames.

NFA says investigations are underway to determine the cause of both fires.

Nurses face probe for singing inappropriate song Director nursing Selina Waqa says an internal investigation will be conducted over a video posted on social media showing nurses singing “Jingle bell, patients smell”. Ms Waqa said it was important to first seek for the validity of the information before making further comments. “This is a very serious issue as it involves nurses who committed such act while in their uniform and the allegations of the video being taken in a health facility is something that we really need to look at,” she said. “We’ve had other serious issues involving nurses which we have dealt with in the past and this is no different, but firstly we will need

to find those who were involved, the time and also the place where this incident took place.” The video which was posted online was later deleted. It showed a group of nurses, some wearing uniform singing “Jingle bell, patients smell, admits on the way, Oh what a fun it is to work every holiday”. Ms Waqa said the Ministry of Health and Medical Services would look into the case thoroughly. Questions sent to the Health and Medical Services Minister, Rosy Akbar on the issue remained unanswered when this edition went to press last night.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, January 14, 2017

PM Sharif hits out at India again on Burhan Wani, Kashmir Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif on Thursday once again glorified Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist jihadi Burhan Wani who was killed by the Indian security forces during an encounter. Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s moral, political and diplomatic support to the militant separatist movement in Kashmir. While emphatically claiming Pakistan’s territorial right over Kashmir, Sharif asked the world to put the squeeze on India to “free” the Muslim majority state. The remarks were made by Sharif during his address to the inaugural session of a two-

day international parliamentary seminar on Kashmir in Islamabad, organised by Pakistan institute of parliamentary services, ministry of foreign affairs, ministry of Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan in collaboration with the young parliamentarians forum of the National Assembly and government of Azad Jammu Kashmir (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir). Referring to Burhan Wani as a “vibrant and charismatic leader”, the PM said that his “martyrdom has become a rallying point for the freedom loving people of the territory (Kashmir).”

Pakistan strengthening border outposts near Jaisalmer Pakistan is building roads, bunkers, ammunition dumps, helipads and strengthening their outposts in Punjab province close to the international border with Jaisalmer and some parts of Ganganagar district. It is constructing a large number of bunkers in areas just 1-1.5 km away from the international border as part of modernising border outposts (BOPs). In each BOP, 24 bunkers are being constructed. Apart from this, work is going on for storing ammunition. This area is important as India had occupied a huge tract of land in Pakistan during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Pakistan is also making new roads and strengthening its communication network in the area. According to information from reliable defence sources, Pakistan has undertaken

Pakistan court stays Khizar Hayat’s execution A Pakistani court has stayed the execution of a mentally ill man who was due to be hanged on January 17, according to his lawyers. Khizar Hayat, a 55-yearold former police officer, was sentenced to death in 2003 for shooting a colleague. The execution was temporarily stayed until January 30 by the Lahore High Court, The Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) group, which is managing his case, said on Thursday. The judge, Shahid Hameed Dar, said it would be “unjust” to proceed on Hayat’s case without waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision regarding another mentally ill man, who was given a last-minute reprieve from execution by the High Court in October, the

group said in a statement. Last year, Pakistan’s Supreme Court stayed the execution of Imdad Ali, a convict diagnosed with schizophrenia. The United Nations has also previously called on Pakistan to protect mentally ill inmates, singling out Hayat as having “psychosocial disabilities”. “We are relieved to hear that Khizar has been granted a temporary reprieve,” said JPP spokesman Waseem Waheed. “However ... until the Supreme Court sets the standard for the way the law handles [mentally ill prisoners], we will continue to litter our death row with many Imdads and Khizars.” A court-mandated medical board in July confirmed that Hayat suffers from a mental illness.

construction work in a systematic manner near the international border. Its strategic aim is to prevent Indian army from entering the area. The construction work is going on near Kishangarh Bulj area, where the Indian army entered Pakistan, and in other places like Detka Toba, Kandera, Meepur Maithelo, Harangwala, Sakheeewalakhu, Dangautak, Bachol and Jameshwari opposite Kishangarh Bulj in Jaisalmer. Other than bunkers and ammunition dumps, the neighbour is also building helipads, pucca roads, permanent BOPs and other concrete structures. It is also making small channels to prevent Indian tanks from entering these areas. Sources said the strategic work could prove dangerous to Indian security. “We have full knowledge of this and are keeping vigil,” said an official BSF source.

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PUNJAB

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Navjot to have ‘larger’ role in Punjab politics Former BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu today met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the Capital. Sources said during the 30-minute meeting, the two discussed modalities on the former cricketer joining the Congress. “Sidhu did not join all these days as he considered the pre-Lohri period as inauspicious,” said a party activist. By inference, he may join on or post-Lohri. However, the Congress did not give any date. A Congress leader said Sidhu may join the party in Chandigarh. He claimed he would

have a “larger” role in Punjab politics and that Rahul would “carve out” that role. The indications came a day after Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh said it was up to the Congress high command to decide whether to make Sidhu Deputy CM, should the Congress win the Assembly poll. The Congress has withheld the Amritsar East seat in its third list. Sidhu’s wife Dr Navjot Kaur is a sitting MLA from here. The Congress is likely to field one of them from here.

15,000-kg booze seized and destroyed Hoshiarpur: The Excise Department has destroyed 15,000 kg of booze in the Mand area of Dasuya and Mukerian. AETC Hardeep Kaur Bhanwra said that precautions were being taken to prevent any

misuse of liquor in the elections. Various teams have been made to conduct raids in various areas. She said that 15,000 kg booze was seized from the Mand area. It was destroyed on the spot.

Rs 3-crore cash seized in Kurali The Income Tax Department and Kurali police have seized Rs 3 crore cash from officials of Hoshiarpur Central Cooperative Bank. They were taking the cash from Chandigarh to Hoshiarpur in the bank’s van when they were stopped at a checkpoint near Kurali. The Hoshiarpur Central Cooperative Bank Employees Union has condemned the move and said that the IT team and police

deliberately ignored the documents produced by the officials carrying the cash. President of the union Beant Singh and general secretary Dhani Ram said the cash was meant to be distributed by 66 branches of the bank and each branch was to provide Rs 4 lakh to farmers for seeds and fertilisers. They have demanded that the seized money be returned immediately.

Badal family grew richer by Rs 13 cr in five years Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s family is worth Rs 76.87 crore and among all the members, his deputy-son and SAD president Sukhbir Badal is the richest. Sukhbir, as per the nominations filed today, has declared his total net assets (after deducting liabilities) worth Rs 32.69 crore. His wife and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has shown her total assets worth Rs 29.68 crore. At Rs 14.5 crore, the Badal Senior owns the least among the trio. The combined assets of the Chief Minister, his son and daughterin-law and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal have shown an increase of Rs 13.1 crore over the past five years. During the 2012 Vidhan Sabha elections, Parkash Singh Badal had declared his total assets worth Rs 6.75 crore while Sukhbir’s net worth was Rs 45 crore. Harsimrat had declared her assets worth Rs 12.02 crore during the 2014 Lok Sabha poll (total previous worth is Rs 63.77). Surprisingly, the family does not own a car, though they have three tractors worth Rs 9.4 lakh. Two tractors are owned by Sukhbir (worth Rs 5.5 lakh) and one by Parkash Singh Badal (worth Rs 3.9 lakh). Harsimrat doesn’t even own a tractor. They have total bank balance of Rs 1.12 crore, which includes Rs 34.7 lakh with Parkash Singh Badal, Rs 65.27 lakh of Sukhbir and Rs 12.66 lakh of Harsimrat. The trio owns immovable property worth Rs 67.76 crore, including agricultural

land worth Rs 15.78 crore. This comprises Parkash Singh Badal’s land of Rs 8.53 crore, Harsimrat’s of Rs 5.59 crore and Sukhbir’s land of Rs 1.65 crore. The total movable assets are worth Rs 48.8 crore. Their worth Majithia’s assets: Rs 11 crore Total assets: Rs 11,89,66,30 Cash in hand: Rs 15,000 with his wife Ganieve Kaur: Rs 12,500 Fixed deposits: Rs 21,46,393 his wife’s: Rs 24,66,007 Investments in bonds, debentures: Rs 11,11,42,977 his wife’s: Rs 1,40,22,265 Wife’s insurance policy/postal savings: Rs 14,72,100 Jewellery & valuables: Rs 26,50,000 his wife’s: Rs 30,15,000 Sodhi owns Rs 7-lakh guns Watches: Rs 6 lakh Guns: Rs 7 Lakh Vehicles: Accord, Cruze Gold: 700 gm worth Rs 21 lakh Movable assets: Rs 35.57 lakh his wife Tina Sodhi’s Rs 22.67 lakh Fixed deposits: Rs 16 lakh Warring ‘poorer’ by Rs 2.2 cr Total assets: Rs 1.69 cr Movable assets: Rs 1.15 cr Immovable assets: Rs 1 cr Liability: Rs 45.92 lakh Cash in hand: Rs 60,000 Jewellery: Rs 2.6 lakh Vehicle: Innova Assets in 2012: Rs 3.9 cr

Saturday, January 14, 2017

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Saturday, January 14, 2017

Saturday, January 14, 2017 Saturday - January 14, 2017

Did Ajay just HIT BACK at Karan for making explosive statements against Kajol? This seems to be getting really ugly now. While it’s unfortunate that Karan Johar and Kajol have tragically ended their 25 years of friendship. What’s even

worse is the fact how a brutally honest Karan even decided to rant about this fallout through his book, An Unsuitable Boy – an excerpt of which reads, “Things were said, crazy accusations were made against me, that I had bribed someone

to sabotage her husband’s(Ajay Devgn) film. I can’t even say that I was hurt or pained by it. I just wanted to blank it out. When she reacted to the whole situation and put out a tweet saying, ‘Shocked!’ that’s when I knew it was completely over for me. I wouldn’t like to give a piece of myself to her at all because she’s killed every bit of emotion I had for her for twenty-five years. I don’t think she deserves me. I feel nothing for her any more.” I mean, we still can’t believe things have got so sour between the two. In fact, another excerpt from Karan’s book even has him lashing out at Ajay as it reads, “I don’t even want to speak about her husband because that’s inconsequential to my life now. He doesn’t matter to me, he never did. I still don’t want to say anything about her husband because I want to respect the history she and I shared.”

Diljit Dosanjh’s Marriage Runs Into Trouble, Neighbours Say It’s Almost Over For those who are surprised with this Udti Khabar, Diljit is a much married man- but hasn’t declared his shaadi to anybody except those who are very close to him. “As and when he’s asked in a couple of interviews about his marital status, he has successfully managed to veer away from the question,” says our source. But for how long? Anyway, that’s not the news. The news is that his marriage is rumoured to be on a shaky wicket now. We hope that this is a case of only smoke and no fire but our source continues and explains the reason of Diljit’s problem with his wife: “It’s a typical case of what happened in Himesh Reshammiya’s married life recently. The wife is very simple and Diljit has become a big shot especially after Udta Punjab. There was a certain amount of communication gap between the husband and wife then, and now it is only increasing.”

Deepika Padukone made Vin Diesel dance on Lungi Dance Deepika Padukone is leaving no stone unturned to promote her first Hollywood film in India. The actress is currently in the country along with her xXx: The Return of Xander Cage co-star Vin Diesel and they are both having a hell lotta fun promoting the film. This is gonna be one unforgettable experience for Vin, I tell you! Why so? Well, you’d be surprised to know that Vin danced to Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan’s famous chartbuster Lungi Dance from Chennai Express at the premiere of XXX and let me tell you, they NAILED it with their performance! The crowd couldn’t stop cheering for them.. yep, it was THAT good! Deepika wore a lungi and she even made Vin wear one. And let me tell you he looked just too cute wearing the lungi and the shades. After seeing him in that avatar, all we can say is, Vin, we think you are ready to feature in a Bollywood movie! After Deepika started performing, DJ Caruso and Vin enjoyed her performance to

the fullest. These pictures and videos are a proof of the same! Moreover, the filmmaker even went on to say that

they are DEFINITELY gonna have a dance number in the sequel of xXx: The Return of Xander Cage for which they are apparently gonna be start filming in May this year.

Salman Khan slams Bigg Boss 10 makers for disrespecting his request Salman Khan really loves Bigg Boss. He genuinely cares about the contestants inside the house, and all people close to the actor knows that. He is very attached to the show, like a kid to his favourite toy. But something that the show runners have done to Salman, has really upset him. And we totally side with Salman on this one. Accodring to a leading entertainment portal, Salman had sent homemade food for the contestants inside the house, and it never got delivered to them. Yep!

Bigg Boss 10 show runners didn’t send Salman Khan’s gift inside the house to the contestants. And Salman would have never come to know about this. But as luck may have it, he causally asked the contestants off-camera that if they liked the food sent to them. The confused look on the contestants’ face said it all. Salman slammed the makers for disrespecting him like this, and not sending his food inside the house. That is so disrespectful of the makers of Bigg Boss 10 and we totally understand the anger.

18 HITLIST

mid-day

have you heard? Bollywood

Welcome to India, Vin Diesel

Thursday, January 12, 2017 | www.mid-day.com | twitter.com/mid_day | epaper.mid-day.com

Saqib Saleem has joined the cast of the Akshay Kumar-starrer Gold, SECOND which Saturday, January 14, 2017 recreates India’s historic win in hockey at the 1948 Olympics. THOUGHTS Director Reema Kagti was initially keen on Farhan Akhtar playing the lead

Final touches

Hollywood star Vin Diesel lands in Mumbai today to promote his upcoming film, xXx: Return of Xander Cage, also starring Deepika Padukone. Apart from the band baaja welcome, Vin will be introduced to a few Indian delicacies, including butter chicken. The actor will be put up at a five-star hotel in Central Mumbai. His team of trainers will ensure he works out before heading to a press meet in the evening. It will be followed by an hour-long interaction with fans, and professional skateboarders and cyclists will perform stunts before him. DJ Nucleya has been roped in to make the meetand-greet session entertaining. Later this evening, a bevy of Bollywood stars are expected to attend the red carpet event of the film’s premiere and then join Vin and Dippy for an after-party.

Sonakshi Sinha is giving finishing touches to her next film, Noor. Yesterday, the actress shot for some patchwork of the Sunhil Sippy film. Word is that Sona is gung-ho about the project, which is slated to release in April. Sona has some catty company in the film. Her character has a pet cat called Jojo, who can put a star’s attitude to shame. Meow, er, we mean, wow!

KJo blasts troll Yesterday, a Twitter user questioned Karan Johar about his sexual orientation. “Are you gay? I’m ready to lay if you launch me.” KJo hit back saying, “First solve the mystery of your existence. The prize will be to launch a missile up your a***.” In his upcoming biography, The Unsuitable Boy, the filmmaker has stopped short of making an admission. He has said, “Everybody knows what my sexual orientation is. I don’t

Badshah’s li’l princess Badshah and wife Jasmine were blessed with a girl on January 10. The rapper’s buddy, Raftaar, announced the baby’s arrival on social media. He posted, “Beti hui hai. Congratulations. Chacha bann gaya, oyeee. Rabba meher karein.” Badshah features as a judge on the music reality show, Dil Hai Hindustani. Will the DJ Waley Babu crooner go on paternity leave now?

need to scream it out. If I need to spell it out, I won’t only because I live in a country where I could possibly be jailed for saying it.”

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

Style tips Richa Chadha has been bonding with co-stars Ali Fazal, Varun Sharma and Pulkit Samrat while shooting for the sequel of Fukrey (2013) in New Delhi. Being the only girl among the guys, Richa has taken it upon herself to style them. Being a Delhi girl, Richa is well-versed in desi cuts. The four are often seen discussing their looks, with Richa sharing her inputs. Hope the film’s stylist does not mind Richa pitching in with her style advice.

TELLY TATTLE

Baby on the way

1st desi SNL host

Karan Mehra’s wife Nisha Rawal has finally confirmed she is pregnant. There had been buzz about the stork visiting the couple, but Karan denied it all along. Nisha shared a snap of her baby bump on Instagram and wrote, “Here’s putting all speculations about my weight gain to rest. Yes, our first baby is on the way.” Now we know why Karan was keen to get out of the Bigg Boss house.

Jan

Rambhajjan Zindabaad *ing: Om Puri

Jan

OK Jaanu

*ing: Aditya Roy Kapur, Shraddha Kapoor

Comedian Aziz Ansari will host Saturday Night Live on January 21, thereby making history as the show’s first host of South Asian descent. More than 90 per cent of SNL’s hosts have been white, and only two celebrities of Asian descent — Jackie Chan and Lucy Liu — have hosted the show earlier. The stand-up comic and television star won his first Emmy (in the outstanding writing for a comedy series category) after earning four noms for his Netflix series, Master of None.

New Released Bollywood Films Jan

Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai

Jan

Haraamkhor

*ing: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shweta Tripathi

Jan Raees

*ing: Shah Rukh Khan Mahira Khan

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Bollywood

Jio Filmfare Awards pre-party was a starry night graced by SRK, Alia Bhatt, Sonam Kapoor! It’s happening! The most awaited awards show, Jio Filmfare Awards are just around the

Dangal box office collection day 21:

Aamir Khan’s film rakes in Rs 359.87 crore in its third week

Aamir Khan’s Dangal reaches new heights as the film inches closer to Rs 359. 87 crore at the box office. The film did see a dip as it earned Rs 2.97 crore on Thursday making a grand total of Rs 359.87 crore. Trade Analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted, “#Dangal [Week 3] Fri 6.66 cr, Sat 10.80 cr, Sun 14.33 cr, Mon 4.35 cr, Tue 4.03 cr, Wed 3.21 cr, Thu 2.97 cr. Total: ₹ 359.87 cr. ATBB.” Dangal enters its fourth week but clearly has raked in a collection many may not be able to break in the near future. Released in the second last week of December, the film did have trouble breaking Sultan’s records but looks like its Aamir who had the last laugh. Because Dangal has crossed the lifetime collection of Salman Khan’s Eid blockbuster, in fact, by a huge margin. Although that is something you can expect from an Aamir Khan film, it still is surprising to see how the film continues to earn a good total. The film has easily exceeded expectations of trade gurus in the industry. Every body had estimated that Dangal will earn Rs 350 crore but that would be it. However, here the total numbers of third week prove that the film is very much in demand even now. One of the reasons why the film managed to rake in such good numbers in three weeks is because of lack of competition. No film released anytime closer to Dangal’s release. Therefore it enhanced the box office collections of the film. Although now Dangal will have to face competition in the form of OK Jaanu and xXx: Return of Xander Cage. While the Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor starrer released today, Deepika Padukone’s much talked ab out Hollywood debut will be out tomorrow. Already both the films will battle it out at the box office. So the chances of Dangal to score good money is going to be tough.

corner. It’s not just only a star-studded event recognizing the best of talent in Bollywood, but one that CELEBRATES the movies and the entire film industry! And this time, Jio is going to bring all the fans closer to the 62nd Filmfare awards with their association. Now that is one magnificent pair. With their collective reach, Jio Filmfare Awards is sure to tap into very Bollywood fan’s heart out there. The glitzy and glamourous Jio Filmfare Awards will be held on January 14, 2017. The nominations are out and Jio Filmfare

Awards awaits your votes for to choose your favourites. As a run-up to the magnificent night, Jio and Filmfare organised a pre-awards party recently, and it was a star-studded affair. Bollywood came out in style and Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Karan Johar, Sonakshi Sinha, Sonam Kapoor – were all there to celebrate cinema and have a fun-night together. And needleless to say, the actors stepped out on the red carpet in style and panache.

Jio Filmfare Awards pre-awards party was hosted by Neha Dhupia, who kept everyone entertained, and cocktails added the zing to the event. Neha interacted with the Jio Filmfare Awards nominees and their fun banter left everyone in splits. Following that, there was a glamorous fashion show by ace designer Manish Malhotra, who got the loudest round of applause. Amit Sharma, Sophie Choudhary, Jasleen Royale’s gleeful performances kept the entertainment quotient of the party high and going!

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Bollywood Horoscope Aries

Libra

March 21 - April 20

Sept. 24 - Oct 22

Your stars are moving on and the Sun adjusts its position before long, leaving you to stand on your own feet once again. You’re entering a tricky financial phase and have to make a number of awkward choices. It may be time to abandon a commitment which is burdensome, but don’t let anyone down,

Money matters can only increase in importance as the week passes, but don’t expect a quick and easy answer. You will come to realise that you have the chance to set your finances on a more prosperous course, but how, and when, are questions that are still unclear. Take more time to work out what you really want.

Taurus

Scorpio

April 21 - May 20

Oct 23 - Nov 22

Mercury is sending a challenge to Pluto, and the heavens are lining up for a frank, though friendly, confrontation. You will have to speak the truth even at the risk of upsetting someone – although be on hand afterwards with reassurance. It may be that only you can utter the words they need to hear.

It may be difficult for you to imagine that a close partner can possibly be right, so deep is your belief in your own infallibility. However, any astrologer, on seeing the current planetary picture, would advise you to compromise and bend to circumstances. What you want is not as important as what you need!

Gemini

Sagitarius

May 20 - June 21

Nov 23 - Dec 22

Something may happen behind the scenes to change your plans and ideas, perhaps an amazing event. Whatever takes place will almost certainly involve your work or routine chores are preoccupying you at the moment. Romantic hopes are reinforced by Venus’ passage through lively regions of your chart.

Your astrological personality is a complex and rich one. Many Sagittarians are now starting to resemble obstinate and emotional Scorpios. In fact, friends may realise that your behaviour, especially a tendency to secrecy in important matters, is departing ever further from what they have seen in the past.

Cancer

Capricorn

June 22 - July 23

Dec 23 - Jan 20

A difference of opinion between lively Mercury and passionate Pluto is bound to awaken ideas of social adventure; you’ll be on the look-out for new friends and anxious to put former associates in their place. Additional attention is required to all travel, holiday and adventurous plans over the coming weeks.

Leo

The week opens with the Moon supporting your sign, so family affairs will probably keep you on your toes. As the days go by, you will see that money lies at the root of all disagreements. If you can increase your earnings, you will solve many of your problems. A fun outing should be scheduled for later.

Aquarius

June 24 - August 23

Jan 21 - Feb 19

It’s a week of two halves. The Moon issues a challenge to your sign from Monday to Wednesday, so these will be the days to apply your cheery Leonine medicine to a partnership. Only you can do this, so why don’t you organise a break from routine and plan something special instead? You can put your feet up later.

Virgo

Recent developments in the sectors of your chart associated with children and romance seem bound to work out for the best in the long run, even if you have been rather disconcerted by statements or events. Sunday, when the Moon adjusts its position, should be a special day, so enjoy it to the full.

Pisces

August 24 - Sept 24

Feb 20 - March 20

Legal matters seem to have some role to play in your life over the next three weeks. Is it possible that you have embroiled yourself in a bureaucratic muddle? If you stick to your guns and do what you know to be right, you won’t go far wrong. Keep a professional plan under review for a little while longer.

This is a spectacular week for all of you pursuing inspirational ambitions, educational goals or working in the travel and communications industry. Show other people that you mean business – and get them on your side. Also, if romantic plans are afoot then please act soon: do not delay!

Here’s how Shahid Kapoor prepared for his role in Padmavati Shahid Kapoor is all set to impress us with yet another film and is currently working on Padmavati. He will be portraying the role of Raja Ratan Singh in the film opposite Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh. Shahid is making sure that he fits into the role perfectly and we know what a perfectionist he is when it comes to delivering incredible performances. The actor went under a complete transformation for his role in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film and trained under Samir Jaura. The actor went on a strict diet for around 40 days, apart from the workouts every 2 hours a day, which included just brown rice and steamed vegetables. If that made you cringe, he was also off sugar and salt completely for 15 days during which he filmed his closer shots. A source says,” Shahid has always put in effort in the various looks he has essayed on screen through the course of his career and his look in Padmavati is something audiences have never seen before. The star has been shooting in a 14-hour shift and yet makes the time to work out for 2 hours everyday. That and a strict diet of 50 gms slow release carbs and protein is part of the grueling regime to tone and define his physique. He event went without sugar and

salt for 15 days.” His trainer reveals the actor’s fitness regime for Padmavati,” The aim was to lose

some body fat and gain lean muscles. The training and diet plan intensified 40 days before he began shooting in November with him going off salt and sugar for 15 days when close-ups were taken. Now they start the portions of him in royal costumes and since he needs to look bigger, we’ve added more carbs.” Now that’s one tough fitness regime to go on!

Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Haraamkhor was shot in just 16 days! New released Hindi film “Haraamkhor“, was shot in 16 days. Shlok Sharma, the movie’s director, credits his actors and team members for the speedy and “spot on” job. The movie, which features Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Shweta Tripathi, is set in real locations.”It was indeed very challenging to finish an entire feature film’s shoot in 16 days. That’s why the team’s role was the most crucial. My lead actors Nawaz bhai and Shweta were spot on. So was the crew,” Sharma said in a statement. “Siddharth, my DOP (director of photography), and his team, along with the production team, were all absolutely in tandem. There was no way this would have been possible without the team I had behind

me,” he added. “Haraamkhor” is released on January 13, 2017, following a prolonged run-in with the Central Board of Film Certification. In a judgment last week, the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) reversed a ban on the film, citing it to be socially responsible. Shot in a small village in Gujarat, the film explores the romance between a 14-year-old school student and her teacher.Decorated with visuals set in a small village are the main characters of the film, the teacher, the student, a boy who has a crush on the same girl and his friend who helps him and the teacher’s wife. The trailer is funny in parts — even as the film sets out to spread a serious message.

Bollywood personalities’ birthdays

imran khan january 13

Neil nitin Mukesh january 15

sidharth malhotra january 16

minissha lamba january 18

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Eshwar Shakti

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Movie Review

‘Ok Jaanu’ Film: Ok Jaanu U/A; Romance drama Director: Shaad Ali Cast: Aditya Roy Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor Rating: 2 Watching a remake of this sort, one often wonders what could be the point behind making it at all. From the filmmaker’s perspective, the exercise seems fairly immaterial, isn’t it? Given that they are adding very little, if anything at all, to the original material anyway. It stops even being a tribute then — simply a copy-paste. The original being Mani Ratnam’s return of sorts, ‘O Kadhal Kanmani’, that released only a couple of years ago, also set in Mumbai, which I loved very much. Though many still crave for Ratnam from the ‘90s, when he was in top form — it is unfair, and altogether his fans’ problem. The way I recall seeing OK Kanmani, and it came across rather well in the film, was that

it was about two couples — a young one that questions the eternal bond of marriage and togetherness, choosing a life that comes with fewer strings attached, so they can both fly, and so what if in opposite directions at some point. They’d rather momentarily live-in. The other couple was really old, married, where the husband selflessly, singe-handedly nurses his wife who’s in an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s. This old couple signifies all that’s supposedly great about marriage as an institution — care, companionship, and eventually, unconditional love. Living-in perhaps does not allow for that level of security, I suppose (I wouldn’t know). This juxtaposition is interesting, though. Somehow, you sense much less of its impact in this Hindi version. Naseeruddin Shah plays that sombre old man in this film.

The boy (Aditya Roy Kapur) and the girl (Shraddha Kapoor) are his paying guests of sorts. While focused on their careers, for sure, these young ones clearly can’t look beyond each other. As with movies about commitmentphobes (a recurrent theme), they’re neither philanderers spoilt for choice, nor people whose past relationships

have scarred them forever. There is, in fact, nothing wrong with the way they already are. And that’s what makes this film rather breezy with light romance, and slight humour for the most part, and the lead actors, perfectly paired, to add a touch of both. This is what the teenagers eagerly packing in the FDFS (first-day, first show) in my theatre had been drawn towards anyway — speaking of the point of remaking a film! Besides that, mainstream audiences rarely watch movies that are not in their own language (unless dubbed, in the case of Hollywood).

And many of them could have been lured by the rather odd version of ‘Humma Humma’

because they were too young or perhaps not even born when the original appeared as the first proper ‘item song’, in Ratnam’s ‘Bombay’ (1995). Beyond these fine and obvious baits, the film itself seems so strictly okay. Going back to the title, and pardon the petty peeve (it’s mostly thanks to Whatsapp), the word is okay, or OK, even O.K. will do — not ‘Ok’ Jaanu. OK?

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Feature

Bollywood’s Sexy Heroines Who Went Topless! Inhibitions Be Damned! Hot, Hotter and Hottest! That’s exactly what will come to your mind when you’ll see our B-town actresses going topless for photo shoots, calendars and magazine covers!

Dhoni girl Disha Patani set the temperature soaring when she shed clothes and posed topless for Dabboo Ratnani’s 2017 calendar.

Wearing minimal make-up with smokey-eyes and blowdried hair, the Disha left little to imagination as she posed in almost nothing but boots. With the bold step, she joins the

list of actresses who went topless for photo shoots – Deepika Padukone, Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut and Bipasha Basu among others.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Review by Jag

2017 Honda Civic Hatchback Muskoka, ON: When the Honda Civic to the sedan. As with the CR-V, which was landed on Canadian soil in 1973, nobody launched later in the year, the Hatch also expected the little hatchback to become as has a more premium feel than you’d expect. steadfast as a name as it did. Here was a Honda has really upped its game in design, little car, built in Japan, that was going to choice of materials, and overall feel. What’s challenge the surge of the Toyota Corolla. really going to appeal to buyers of the Hatch Muscle cars were big of course, but compacts is the enormous amount of class-leading were beginning to make their presence in cargo space, which tops out at 728 litres, the North American market. Fast forward more than the Ford Focus, VW Golf, and forty-four years and the Civic is still here, Mazda3. According to Honda’s Steve Hui, as one of the best-selling cars in the world. “This new Civic Hatchback has enough And for 2017, Honda has brought back the space for two full suitcases AND a golf bag.” Civic Hatchback after 11 years in hiding. Another neat concept for the cargo area is We were invited to beautiful Muskoka, full an exceptional tonneau cover, that, rather of fall colours, to be one of the first media to than being retractable, now rolls from side drive the new Civic Hatch. to side – it works quite well. Honda has been busy making sure all The roads through Muskoka provided body styles of the Civic are available to the some great driving experiences, where we mass market. The sedan has been a great put the new Hatch through the paces. During seller and we were one of the the first day of the drive, we first to drive, and be impressed drove a CVT-equipped Civic by, the Civic Coupe in 2016. Hatch, which is probably The Hatch now completes going to be the volume seller the line-up, offering more because let’s face it, it’s the versatility to hatchback lovers. trend. The CVT (continuously However, this is going to cost variable transmission) is good, you a lot more than $4,000, but it’s still a CVT and doesn’t which was the original price provide as much enthusiasm in 1973. as a 6-speed or typically geared Honda has gone the transmission. For everyday same route as some other driving, no-one is going to Jag Dhatt manufacturers, by building complain much, but if you Jag Dhatt is an automotive, the Hatch on a global platform punch the accelerator, you’ll motorcycle and lifestyle shared by other models in the notice some hesitation. journalist. He is an AJAC line-up. Unless you’ve got a This brings me to the shift member and regular contributor writer to many canny eye, you may not notice of the automotive market print and online media much difference between the – most manufacturers are outlets. Hatch and sedan from the going with a CVT because B-pillars forward. The keen eye it’s more economical, has less will notice a blacked out grille, slightly more mechanical issues, and delivers better fuel aggressive vents, and a lower looking stance. economy. New drivers may only know a Both the sedan and Hatch are virtually the CVT transmission rather than an automatic same height and share the same wheelbase. geared transmission; thus, for these new But unlike the sedan, Honda engineers drivers, they may not know any better – a made sure the Hatch was much more pity in my opinion. aerodynamic, and based on looks alone, Getting back to the Civic Hatch, there is

they’ve succeeded. I was impressed by the look of the Coupe and the Hatch is just as, if not more, beautiful. Although our drive fleet was mostly LX trims, if you opt for the Sport or Sport Touring, you’ll get centre exhaust and it looks awesome. On the inside, the cabin is almost identical

a Sport mode that does improve the driving experience. I kept it in this mode for most of my drive. Ride quality of the Hatch is quite nice. Up front, the Civic is planted on MacPherson struts while an independent multilink setup is in the rear. As with other “new” Honda models, the rubber bushing

– Civic Line-up Complete

have been replaced with fluid, which makes a huge difference. While driving through the twisty back roads of Muskoka, the Civic proved to be a good ride. Granted, the ground was wet, overall traction and response was quite acceptable for this LX trim. The electric steering provides good

counterparts. This new engine puts out 174 HP and 167 lb-ft of torque in the LX and 180 HP and 177 lb-ft of torque in the Sport and Sport Touring. Looking for even more thrills? Then you’ll be happy to know that Honda has announced that a Civic Si and Type-R variations will be here in the not too

feedback and at higher speeds, feels right. Day two of the drive event gave me the chance get behind the wheel of a manual 6-speed, the transmission most of us gearheads would probably choose. Shifts were short and precise; this is probably one of the best manuals on which to learn to drive a standard. The clutch is also quite forgiving.

distant future. After two great days of driving, I had averaged 6.2 L/100 km of combined driving, impressive numbers considering we pushed the cars quite a bit. Honda claims class leading fuel economy and we nod our heads in agreement. The new Civic Hatchback LX’s that we drove did not feel entry level at all. Heated front seats, responsive touchscreen complete with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control, rearview camera and standard 16” wheels really make even the LX an attractive option. But with all these extras, be willing to pay just a bit more. The LX starts at $21, 390, with the Sport at $25, 190, and the Sport Touring at $30, 690 (with CVT and Honda Sensing). Yes, it’s a lot of money for a Hatchback, but according to Honda, you’re now getting a lot more car for the price. The Honda Civic Hatchback has been a crowd favourite since the day it was launched forty-four years ago. The newest iteration should be a favourite again as buyers will get a sporty premium car with the versatility of a hatch. For more information on the new Civic, visit www.honda.ca.

Both the CVT and 6-speed manuals are mated to the single power mill available (for now) – the new 1.5 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that also made its way into the new CR-V. It’s amazing how much smaller the engines are becoming, yet they churn out more HP and torque compared to their previous larger

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Foodie

Ne Kadhai (Kadai) Paneer Kadhi Paneer is a great main dish for any special occasion. Paneer and colorful bell peppers are sauteed in spicy tomato gravy. Ingredients: 1/2 pound paneer 1 medium red bell pepper (shimla mirch, capsicum) 1 medium green bell pepper (shimla mirch, capsicum) 3 tablespoons oil 3 medium tomatoes About 1/4 inch piece of ginger 1 green chili Pinch of asafetida (hing) 1 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera) 1 and 1/2 tablespoons

Mango falooda recipe

coriander powder (dhania) 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi) 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fenugreek leaves (methi) or dry fenugreek leaves (kastoori methi) 3/4 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste Method: Cut paneer and bell peppers into ½ inch cubes. Blend the tomatoes, ginger, and green chili to make a puree. Heat the oil in frying pan on medium heat and stir fry paneer for about 2 minutes – take them out before paneer starts changing color. Next stir-fry bell pepper until they are tender. Do not over cook the bell pepper. Take them out and drain on a paper towel. Using the same frying pan, Test the oil by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds.

After the cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, fenugreek leaves and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat. Tomato mixture will reduce to about half in volume. Add about 2 spoons of water, and the salt. Wait till gravy comes to boil add paneer and bell pepper and let it simmer for about five minutes on low medium heat. Now it is ready to serve.

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Insurance Agency Inc. Ingredients Milk - 1 1/2 cups Sugar - 5 tbsps Falooda seeds - 1 tbsp (sabja/ basil seeds) soak in 1/2 cup water for 20 mins Falooda sev - 1 cup Mango puree - 1 1/2 cups Mango ice cream - 4 scoops Chopped mango cubes - 1 cup Pistachios - 8, sliced Almonds - 6, sliced Cherries - 4, for garnish Method Bring the milk to a boil and simmer till it reduces to 1 cup. Turn off heat, add 2 tbsps sugar and mix well. Bring to room temperature and chill until use. Soak falooda seeds in water for 15 to 20 mins and allow to bloom. Set aside. Blend mango puree with 3 tbsps of sugar and refrigerate until use. Make falooda sev by following the link provided above. Place the prepared sev in cold water and refrigerate until use. Chill the serving falooda glasses in the fridge for at least half an hour. To assemble falooda: Take the chilled serving glass and add few mango cubes in the bottom of the glass followed by 2 tbsps of bloomed falooda seeds. Next layer with 2 heaped tbsps of falooda sev/noodles followed by 3 tbsps of mango puree. Slowly pour few tbsps of chilled milk. Next layer with few more mango cubes, followed by a generous tbsp of bloomed falooda seeds. Next layer with 2 tbsps of falooda noodles followed by 3 tbsps of mango puree and chilled milk. Finally, place a scoop of mango ice cream on top. Garnish with sliced nuts and a cherry. Serve immediately to avoid the ice cream from melting and over flowing.

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Saturday, January 14, 2017

Classifieds JOBS

JOBS Mechanic

Nanny Required We need a nanny or a student to take care of our old mother immediately at our Richmond home. Salary will be based on experience. Resident will be provided If required. Please call :604-2703875 ------------- Dec 31-2016 Vacancy for Diesel Mechanic A trucking company, Planet Pride Logistics, located at 11411 Shell Road, Richmond BC V7A3W7 has immediate vacancies for Diesel

Job Title: Diesel Mechanic Number of positions:1 Term of employment: Full time, Permanent Position with 40 hours per week Job location: 11411 Shell Road, Richmond BC V7A 3W7 Hours of work: 40 hours per week Shifts: Weekdays, Weekends, Evenings Salary: $30 per hour for 40 hours per week, overtime after 40 hours at the rate of 1.5 times Benefits: Two weeks of paid vacation Requirement: Completion of High

Bus Driver required urgently Gobind Sarvar School, located at 8820 – 168 Street, Surrey, B.C. is looking for a school bus driver living in Abbotsford area. If you are licensed to drive a school bus, please email your resume and driver’s abstract to: info@gobindsarvar.ca or call Jaspreet at 604-930-2122 for further details.

South Indian food cook wanted

Required South Indian food cook immediately Please contact:

604-312-9297

JOBS school with minimum of 2 years of experience as Diesel mechanic Duties: • Determine truck condition by conducting inspections and diagnose tests to detect faults and malfunctioning. • Keep truck available for use by completing preventive maintenance schedules such as changing oil, checking batteries, lubricating machinery, installing components and part upgrades. • Diagnose faults by using computerized and other testing equipment to determine the extent of repair • Correct equipment deficiencies by removing, repairing, adjusting, overhauling, assembling, disassembling, and replacing major assemblies, subassemblies, component parts or system, such as power and drive train, electrical, air conditioning, fuel, emission, brake, steering, hydraulics; making adjustments and alignments including bearing loads, gear tooth contact, valve mechanism, governors, oil systems, control linkages, clutches and traction units. • Verifies vehicle performance by conducting test drives; adjusting controls and systems.

JOBS How to Apply: Please send your resume at planetpride.logistics@ gmail.com or fax at 778297-4402 Only those who meet our basic expectations will be contacted for an interview. We thank you for your interest in our company! ------------- Dec 24-2016 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: 31792Harris 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 croprelated operations - Develop work schedules and establish procedures - Ensure farm safety and bio-security procedures are followed - Maintain quality control and production records.

MATRIMONIAL 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 Baker / Sweet Maker wanted Nirala Sweets and Restaurant in Surrey BC needs fully 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.com --------------- Oct- 22-2016

Saturday, January 14, 2017 South Asian Seniors - Bingo On The House January 15th 2017 ( Sunday ) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm. Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members and non members also to come and play Bingo for the sake of fun during and make some new friends, on January 15th 2017( Sunday ) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall 8321 - 140th street Surrey B.C. Please bring only two dollars with you to play 2 games, do not worry if you do not know how to play, members will explain you the game just for the sake of fun. Tea & light snacks will be served after the game is over. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator at 604 - 507 - 9945 for further details. Project funded by Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for Hindi speaking Seniors. -----------------------------------------Free Self Employment Program offered by PICS Are you unemployed or working less than 20 hours per week? Are you thinking of launching your own business? Join PICS for an information session on PICS’ Self Employment Program at one of PICS Offices: Suite 205, 12725 80th Ave, Surrey – Every 2nd Wednesday of the month OR 8153 Main St (near Marine Dr), Vancouver – Every 3rd Wednesday of

the month All info sessions are from 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM This program offers • Business Start-Up Training • Business Plan Writing • Business Advisor Support • Networking Events • Support During Business Launch Period Seating is limited. To attend a session, please pre-register at Katarina.Low@ pics.bc.ca or 604-596-7722 Ext 150 -----------------------------------------Dear Devotees and Well Wishers of Sri Ganesh Temple, Please be advised that due to prevailing weather conditions, the temple administration has decided to alter the start time of Thiruvempavai to 7 am instead of 5 am, every day. The Abishekam for tomorrow has also been moved to 6 am instead of 4:30 am. On behalf of Sri Ganesh Temple Society of BC, Shankar Velupillai, Secretary -----------------------------------------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 (Tasmania- Australia), Wellington (New Zealand), Napier (New Zealand),

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Community News Tauranga (New Zealand), Auckland (New Zealand), Bay of Islands (New Zealand) and back 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 $ 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.

18 HITLIST

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Wednesday, January 11, 2017 | www.mid-day.com | twitter.com/mid_day | epaper.mid-day.com

NEXT MOVE

Dil Dosti Etc (2007) and Issaq (2013) director Manish Tiwary has started a Saturday, January 14, 2017 public arts movement in Patna called Walk for Bihar. He is getting together artistes, who will treat the facade of landmark buildings as their canvas

Finally, it rolls

Aishwarya as Jayalalitaa? Simi Garewal has released some unseen footage from her chat show, Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, which featured the late J Jayalalithaa as a guest in 1999. In the clip, the actress-turned-politician is heard saying that she considers Aishwarya Rai Bachchan the most beautiful woman in the world. Moreover, she confesses that if at all a film was made on her life, she would want Ash to be cast as her. Incidentally, in Mani Ratnam’s 1997 Tamil film, Iruvar, Ash’s character was based on Jayalalithaa.

Let’s go politicking Jackie Shroff and Arjun Rampal will be the star campaigners in the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Music composer duo SajidWajid also recently joined the BJP.

Hollywood actress Meryl Streep’s attack on Donald Trump during her speech at the Golden Globe Awards has bowled Anushka Sharma over. The Sultan actress applauded the veteran and lessons that artistes need to learn from Streep about speaking their mind. But Anushka can only fawn over what Streep said. In Bollywood, stars always prefer being politically correct, after all.

Meanwhile...

Via Skype? Following a ban on Pak artistes in India, Mahira Khan is mulling giving interviews through Skype for her Bollywood debut, Raees. While she’d kept away from promotions of the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer on social media so far, she is now on an overdrive as the release date nears.

TELLY TATTLE

She’s a water baby Telly actress Sriti Jha (Pragya from Kumkum Bhagya) was recently in Thailand with rumoured beau, Kunal Karan Kapoor, and pals. Their holiday snaps have gone viral. Water baby Sriti looks smokin’ hot in the pictures, a far cry from her small screen image of a troubled woman.

Last evening, Anushka was spotted with beau Virat Kohli outside Omkar 1973, a swanky building in Worli where the latter owns a 5BHK house. Kohli booked the pad in October 2015. The couple had originally planned on living in, but as per a recent update, they would be given possession of the space only in 2018. Though talk of their impending wedding faded out after Virat tweeted, “We aren't getting engaged & if we were going to, we wouldn't hide it”, their latest spotting has sparked off fresh buzz. Is it still a while before they say ‘I do’?

Farhan Akhtar-starrer Lucknow Central finally went on floors. A picture posted on the official Twitter page of Nikkhil Advani’s production house was accompanied by the tweet, “Big day for us. Shooting for our next production, Lucknow Central directed by Ranjit Tiwari commences. Cheers! Mahurat shot.”

ONE SIZE FITS ALL Shilpa Shetty was among the winners of the Pride of Karnataka awards in Bengaluru. The actress, who hails from Mangalore, was honoured for her contribution in the field of fitness. PIC/PTI

Kat puts her foot down Buzz is Katrina Kaif has refused to promote Jagga Jasoos with ex-flame and co-star Ranbir Kapoor. Though RK is game, Kat has put her foot down. Although the duo split close to a year ago, it is obvious the actress is still hurting. Kat posted a still from the film on social media along with the caption, “I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain, seen sunny days that I thought would never end.” Okay, Kat, we got the hint.

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Saturday, April 2, 2016

i 5

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

No. 31 - - January Saturday Vol. 7 No.Vol. 50 -6 Saturday 14, 2017- April 2, 2016

Vancouver’s skyline rise amid an office-tower building boomdeveloper, Vancouver’s skyline totorise amid an office-tower building boom Condo king Bob Rennie sues Vancouver High-end home sales in Toronto set to Vancouver’s skyline to expect rise amid anyears office-tower building boom next two due to competition. it Suisse is optimistic his building tower tower is optimistic his building will 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 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 gets closer. multi-billion-dollar pension funds for unpaid fees start to fill as the completion date gets closer. it Suisse tower is optimistic his building will dominate 3rd year: Sotheby’s SwissReal tower thefor heart many of the new towers to start signing SwissReal tower ininthe heart of of many of the new towers to start signing tenant he $240-million Credit Suisse/ Mr. Shokri and others say tenant they expect a result oflandlords the current are ownas aasresult of the current boom are ownThe who boom will likely suffer

T T

Franz Gehriger, the of CEO ofgets SwissReal Franzstart Gehriger, CEO SwissReal to fill as the the completion date closer. downtown Vancouver will leases as they getget closer to completion. ThatThattenant downtown SwissReal Vancouver will be heart leases as many they closer to completion. inbe the of the new towers to start or more were of relatively flat last year,signing downers of Sotheby’s International Realtytower Canada says Condo king Bob Rennie has been and in the planning, branding and historic market older buildings, Mr. Shokri said. Asare the ers of older buildings, Mr. Shokri said. As as a result of the current boom ownGroup who bought the original historic Group who bought the original Franz Gehriger, the CEO of SwissReal completed ininless a ayear, but sosofar,far, will is is partly because in Vancouver, completed lesstothan than but partly because companies intoVancouver, downtown Vancouver be leases ascompanies they get closer completion. That Toronto is poised lead theyear, country in high- one per cent year-over-year to 4,515 units. well, target ofdevelopments many lawsuits, over four of the project, ” statespartthe claim. newers in but the suburbs, well, new developments in the suburbs, stock-exchange building in 2002 of older buildings, Mr.for Shokri said. As positioning stock-exchange building 2002 before partGroup who bought theinbefore original historic only one tenant has signed upupthan totomove in.in.butwhich do do want to be in new, energy-efficient only one tenant has signed move which want to be in new, energy-efficient completed in less a year, so far, is partly because companies in Vancouver, Sales of homes priced at over $4 millionwhich end home sales for the third consecutive year. decades, the power broker says he has never The lawsuit, filed at the end of December, have already experienced higher nering with Credit Suisse to develop it, said which have already experienced higher well, new developments in the suburbs, The has committed forfor a a10th buildings, to operate on short timelines. nering with Credit Suisseinto2002 develop said stock-exchange building beforeit,partThetenant tenantonly hasone committed 10th of move buildings, tend to operate on timelines. tenant signed upof to in. uptend which do want inshort new, energy-efficient The latest report from thehas realtor showed were 36 per centto be year-over-year invacancy taken action torecent anyone himself. saidgroup Rennie began marketing for this project rates inhave years,years, may have Until the main interested in leasing Vancouvacancy rates insuealready recent may have which experienced higher the 370,000 square feet – –leaving a state offorof a 10th AsAs well, he hesaid, prices in in the newnew the main group interested in leasing Vancounering with Credit Suisse to develop it, said the 370,000 square feet leaving a state well, said, prices the The tenant has committed of buildings, tend to operate on short timelines. sales of homes worth $1 million or more in Vancouver. Sotheby’s predicts that thetrouble now.as they compete with each other. ver office in 2013 and also started up similar these is thedrawing technology vacancy ratescompete in recent have verthespace trouble as they withyears, eachmay other. emptiness that is unusual for an office skybuildings will likely come 4 i Saturday, 25, 2015down in the main groupdays interested Vancouoffice space these daysin isleasing the the is370,000 feet –cent leaving of Saturday, As July well, said, prices in in the new emptiness unusual for77 an office skybuildings will likely come Vancouver market forhe $1-million-plus homes the Greater that Toronto Areasquare rose per last a state Rennie Marketing Systems is suing plans forcompanies “City of Lougheed, ” deciatechnology separate, 4 i July 25, 2015down In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Credsector. Those make their scraper in 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 that is aunusual for aninofficewill skybuildings come down scraper in this city. Even so, atotal hugeofshift year compared to 2015, with 19,692 remain stable inwill the likely first 2017.in the Vancouver-based Shape Properties Corp. 40-acre site in Burnaby co-owned by Shape 4 i Saturday, Julyquarter 25, 2015of business tenancy is expected as the region In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Cred- sector. Those companies make their deciscraperisinexpected this city. as Even a huge shift in properties sold. for more than $16 million in real estate and companies associated with Greystone business tenancy theso,region experiences something it has not seen beSales of the priciest homes — those marketing fees related to the sale of more Capital Management, a Regina-based firm business tenancy is expected as the region experiences something it has not seen before: an office-tower building boom much worth over $4 million — in the GTA rose than 1,300 condo units at developments that invests $32 billion on behalf of pension experiences something it has not seen before: an office-tower building boom much of which is speculative construction rath95 per cent year-over-year. near Brentwood Mall in Burnaby, according and endowment funds for Canadian fore: an office-tower building boom much of which is speculative construction rather than for specific committed tenants. Meanwhile, high-end home sales in to a notice of claim filed universities, unions which is committed speculative construction rather“This thanis kind forofofspecific tenants. uncharted territory for VanVancouver started off strong but slowed in in B.C. Supreme Court. and companies. er ofthan for specific committed couver, ” said Mehdi Shokri, aterritory principal with “This is kind uncharted for Van- tenants. the capital second markets half“This of the year as a number of In June 2016, Shape The Lougheed is kind of uncharted territory the team at Avison Young. couver,” said Mehdi Shokri, a principal with for Vangovernment policy changes took effect. and its partners, project plan also couver, said Mehdi Shokri, a principal with “But I don’t markets see a ”big disaster occurring. ” the capital team at Avison Young. Among those changes is a one-perincluding multicontains mixed-use The ICredit Suisse is onlyteam the at most markets Avison “But don’tthe seecapital a tower big disaster occurring. ” Young. cent tax vacant homes billion-dollar, Torontoretail and office space visible andon furthest along of aimplemented second wave occurring.” “But I don’t see a big disaster The Credit Suisse tower isand onlythetheB.C. most by the City of Vancouver based pension funds, and a plan for 23 highof new office towers planned fortower VancouThe Credit Suisse iswave only the most visible and furthest along of aon second government’s 15 per cent tax foreigners In Montreal, high-end home sales terminated Rennie’s rise residential towers. ver and somevisible key suburbs. A first cluster and planned furthest along of a second wave of new office towers for Vancoubuying homes in Metro Vancouver. increased 23 per cent year-over-year to 613 services on the massive The companies of towers – some twooffice million square feet –for Vancouof new towers planned verThose and downtown some key suburbs. first cluster changes amplified aA cooling in the properties, thanks to a stable provincial mixed-used, retail, agreed for Rennie was built in the past three years. ver andtwo some key suburbs. A first ofAnother towers –real some million – cluster Vancouver estate thatsquare startedfeet over economy and political landscape, according office and residential Marketing to receive a 11 officemarket developments are of towers – some two million square feetSotheby’s. – the according Sotheby’s. to project. They decided fee for each condo sold, wassummer, built downtown intothe three years. proposed within blocks ofpast Credit Subuilt downtown the past three years. Sales in was Vancouver’s $1 in million-plus Calgary’s $1-million-plus market also saw to market the project based on a confidential Another 11 officeat developments isse’s Exchange tower Howe and Westare Another 11centoffice developments are market were down 34blocks per percentage of the sale Pender streets, even while the office-va-Su- a boost last year. After declining 40 per cent in-house despite three proposed within ofyear-over-year Credit proposed within blocks of Credit Suin the second half of the year compared to the year-over-year in 2015 due to the oil price towers of condo units price, with half paid cancy in the tower region atcontinues to inch isse’s rate Exchange Howe and West isse’s Exchange tower at Howe and West same period in 2015. But on an annual basis, shock, sales of homes worth $1 million or nearly selling out and the defendants by Shape to Rennie when buyers signed a up as a result of the firstwhile wave the of building. Pender streets, even office-vaPender streets, even while the office-vasales of Vancouver homes worth $1 million more were up 19 per cent to 612 units in 2016. “having learned the Rennie Platform from firm, pre-sale contract and the remaining But commercial brokerscontinues say the city is cancy rate in the region to inch cancy rate in the regiontowers. continues to inch Rennie Marketing Systems,” states the claim. due when the condos were completed and not about to be populated by ghost up as a result of the first wave of building. up as a result of the first wave of building. “There’s not a lot to say,” said Rennie. the deals closed. Shape would also pay But commercial brokers say the city is But commercial brokers say the city is “I have never sued anyone in 42 years in a monthly advance. The claim said even not about tonot be about populated ghost towers. business, so it’s not a comfortable spot.” though Shape failed to sign the agreement to be by populated by ghost towers. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of trend for the six-month moving average was The allegations in the claim have not been for six months, Rennie allegedly staffed up housing starts across the country rose to down. The agency said the trend figure for tested or proven in court. a sales centre and nearly sold out two towers 207,041 units in December, up from 187,273 the month was 198,053 units compared to Shape president John Horton said: “My of 845 condo units at Brentwood between units in November, Canada Mortgage and 200,105 in November. view is that there is no merit to this claim. 2013 and 2015. Housing Corp. reported Tuesday. “December saw multi-unit construction We will vigorously defend (it) in due course.” Shape paid the monthly advances, but That’s an 11.8 per cent increase in the pace slow for the third consecutive month in Rennie started working in 2011 with Shape in April 2015, it requested a reduction in of housing starts in December, with starts of Canada, leading housing starts to trend and its partner companies that are associated fees “in light of the number of towers being urban multiple units rising by 13.9 per cent down,” said Bob Dugan, CMHC’s chief with the Healthcare of Ontario Pension planned for the two projects.” to 120,750 units last month. Starts of single- economist. Plan to market the “Amazing Brentwood” The claim said that Horton proposed for detached urban starts increased by 8.1 per “However, 2016 still counted more home project, a 28-acre site at Lougheed and Rennie to exclusively market other future cent, to 66,871 units. starts than 2015. Increased demand for Willingdon next to Brentwood shopping projects to be developed by Shape and single-detached homes more than centre, according to the claim. The vision Greystone. offset the decline we’re seeing was a “master planned community” with 13 Rennie made several proposals for fee in multi-unit construction – a high-rise residential towers. reductions, but did not hear back from decline that’s in response to efforts “Rennie Marketing Systems was Shape even though it “continued to work to manage current inventories,” instrumental in developing this concept intensively with Rennie,” said the claim. Dugan said in a release. CMHC said looking only at seasonally adjusted, one-month data can be misleading because they are largely driven by the multiunit segment of the market, which can swing significantly from month to month. “Housing starts can be quite volatile, but the healthy December CMHC said annual rate of urban starts number was sufficient to keep the trend increased in Ontario, Quebec and the measure around the [200,000] level that has Prairies, but decreased in British Columbia characterized 2016, roughly consistent with and in Atlantic Canada. our estimates of household formation,” TD While the adjusted annual rate figure senior economist Brian DePratto said in a for December was higher, CMHC said the commentary.

Pace of Canadian housing starts rises in December

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Fears of Canadian housing market correction prompt downgrade of CIBC, Genworth and Home Capital The risks of a correction in Canada’s housing market have risen, and home prices would need to fall by as much as 30 per cent or more to return to trend levels, Macquarie Capital warned in a new report.

Downgrading CIBC, Genworth MI Canada Inc. and Home Capital Group Inc. to underperform from neutral, analysts Jason Bilodeau and David Doyle recommended investors reduce their exposure to the Canadian financial services sector, specifically domestically-focused banks and lenders. They highlighted the record high level in household leverage, and the housing sector’s outsized contribution to the Canadian economy. “Many key metrics are at or above levels seen in the U.S. prior to its most recent housing crisis and are growing worse,” Macquarie told clients. In addition to “worrisome” metrics that have accelerated through previous peaks, the analysts pointed to the significant increase in restrictive regulations over the past 12 months, which suggests the patience of policy makers is waning. CIBC, residential mortgage insurance

provider Genworth and mortgage lender Home Capital were singled out as a result of their exposure to concerns surround domestic housing activity and consumer leverage, while Macquarie prefers banks with more non-Canadian exposure, such as TorontoDominion Bank. The analysts also prefer lifecos over banks. “We expect slower domestic personal loan growth to reflect a material moderation in domestic housing activity, including lower new home construction, lower sales activity, and moderating/declining pricing,” Macquarie said. The argument is often made that the Canadian housing market is more stable this time around, owing to much higher quality and a more disciplined mortgage market. The analysts disagree, noting that while underwriting standards are tighter, market imbalances today may be elevated when compared to cycles of the past. They also pointed out the nearly unprecedented pace of recent price gains, which combined with record-high household leverage, making housing more important to the economy than ever. Meanwhile, fiscal policy remains highly accommodative, and bank stocks are trading near peak multiples. “If a housing correction unfolds, we believe that there is likely to be material downside to the current operating outlook for domestic lenders,” the analysts said. “A true correction in Canadian housing activity would likely have material negative implications for economic activity and employment, mortgage industry loan growth and consumer credit performance.”

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Sales of Toronto home worth $1 million and more skyrocket 77%T in one year Vol. 6 No. 31

Saturday - April 2, 2016

- Tel: 604-591-5423 -

E-mail: ads@the

Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building

Sotheby’s International Realty Canada says Toronto is poised to lead the country in highend home sales for the third consecutive year. The latest report from the realtor showed sales of homes worth $1 million or more in the Greater Toronto Area rose 77 per cent last year compared to 2015, with a total of 19,692 properties sold. Sales of the priciest homes — those worth over $4 million — in the GTA rose 95 per cent year-over-year. Meanwhile, high-end home sales in Vancouver started off strong but slowed in the second half of the year as a number of government policy changes took effect. Among those changes is a one-per-cent tax on vacant homes implemented by the City of Vancouver and the B.C. government’s 15 per cent tax on foreigners buying homes in Metro Vancouver. Those changes amplified a cooling in the Vancouver real estate market that started over the summer, according to Sotheby’s. Sales in Vancouver’s $1 million-plus market were down 34 per cent year-over-year in the second half of the year compared to the same period in 2015. But on an annual basis, sales of Vancouver homes worth $1 million or more were relatively flat last year, down one per cent year-over-year to 4,515 units. Sales of homes priced at over $4 million were up 36 per cent year-over-year in Vancouver. Sotheby’s predicts that the Vancouver market for $1-million-plus homes will remain stable in the first quarter of 2017. In Montreal, high-end home sales increased 23 per cent year-over-year to 613 properties, thanks to a stable provincial economy and political landscape, according to Sotheby’s.

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-

Calgary’s $1-million-plus market also saw a boost last year. After declining 40 per cent year-over-year in 2015 due to the oil price shock, sales of homes worth $1 million or more were up 19 per cent to 612 units in 2016. But the realtor says it’s expecting a buyers’ market in Calgary in the first quarter of the year as the city’s economic challenges drag on. Brad Henderson, president and CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, said there are a confluence of factors responsible

for the red-hot growth in Toronto’s toptier real estate market. Among them are low interest rates, strong employment and consumer confidence and a limited supply of properties for sale, particularly in the singlefamily home segment. “With natural boundaries like the lake and the greenbelt, the Greater Toronto region has less developable land than other markets, and as a consequence there are less opportunities to add to the supply,” Henderson said. Sotheby’s says global turmoil — including Britain’s vote to exit the European Union and Donald Trump’s election win in the U.S. — injected uncertainty into global real estate markets last year. Canada, which is regarded as a safe haven, has a low dollar and a strong real estate market, making it a desirable destination for real estate investment and immigration, according to the report.

Canada rental costs infographic shows 1 place pricier than Vancouver Vancouver residents often complain of how tough it is to afford a place to live in their city. They can take some comfort that there’s one place that’s pricier than the West Coast: Yellowknife, N.W.T. That much is clear from an infographic produced last month by Rentseeker, an online portal offering rental listings across Canada, which analyzed markets across Canada to produce a snapshot of average rents in Fall, 2016. The graphic lists the monthly cost, as of Fall 2016, of renting units such as bachelor, onebedroom and two-bedroom apartments, as well as vacancy rates for each type of housing, in 55 communities. Vancouver is no slouch when it comes to the cost of renting: at an average rate of $1,450 per month for a two-bedroom unit, it’s more expensive than major cities like Toronto ($1,327) and Calgary ($1,258). But it doesn’t quite hold a candle to the capital of the Northwest Territories, where the cost of renting such a unit can run you an average of $1,636 per month. The average rental rate in Yellowknife

represents a decrease from 2015, when the cost to rent a two-bedroom apartment was $1,700 per month, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) fall Rental Market Survey, which analyzed renting costs in October 2016. Meanwhile, vacancy rates are growing in the city. For two-bedroom units alone, the vacancy rate grew from two per cent in 2015 to five per cent last year.

The overall vacancy rate grew from 1.9 per cent to 4.2 per cent in the same time frame. These trends have come as people have “migrated away from the city or moved into homeownership,” according to market analyst Timothy Gensey.

it Suisse tow start to fill a Franz G Group wh stock-excha nering with the main gr ver office sp sector. Tho

Saturday, April 2, 2016

i 5

Saturday, January 14, 2017 -

Saturday - April 2, 2016

Real Estate

Burrard Place tower will be Vancouver’s third tallest building

- 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.

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-

Work is underway on Vancouver’s latest multi-tower office and residential project on Burrard Street, which will add nearly 250,000 square feet of office space to the downtown market that has maintained a low vacancy rate, surprising experts amid a rush of new office projects over the past two years. Burrard Place is set to eventually become a four-tower complex set around Burrard, Hornby and Drake streets. It will include two mixed-use residential and office buildings; a 13-storey rental office building that will also include a multilevel Toyota dealership; and a fourth 25-storey rental apartment building at Hornby and Davie streets that is now in the rezoning phase. The $500-million complex is being codeveloped by Pattison Group and Reliance Properties Ltd, and will include a total of 250,000 square feet of strata and leasable office space, said Jon Stovell, the president of Reliance Properties. In all, the four towers would add about 1.1 million sq. ft. of residential and commercial space to the neighbourhood, Stovell said. “Most of what is going up right now — whether it’s Credit Suisse’s (Exchange tower) or the MNP Tower, or the new tower by Morguard at 601 Hastings — pretty much

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

all of them are dedicated office buildings,” he said. Stovell said Burrard Place will become a mixed-use complex with hundreds of workspaces, homes and various amenities enjoyed by the owners and tenants that could help to transform that section of downtown. “It’s a complex. It’s a whole block of the city as opposed to just a building on its own,” he said. “It’s integration that we’re seeing.” Ground broke on One Burrard Place in May 2016. The tower will climb to 54 storeys, making it the third tallest in the city after ShangriLa and Trump Tower. The footings for that building are now being excavated with a building completion date expected in 2020. The tower will include three storeys of strata office space, about 400 condos and rental apartments, 30,000 sq. ft. of amenities, and street-level retail. Stovell said the strata office component is already sold out, fetching about $1,300 per square foot across 45 units. Meanwhile, the 13-storey office tower is set to begin construction in April and will include about 200,000 sq. ft. of rental offices and a Toyota car dealership housed in five storeys below ground and three storeys above grade. That building is expected to complete in mid-2019.

0 By: Asian Star ADVT.

SOLD at $4,95,00

17,160 Sq. ft (Prime Industrial Lot) $ 985,000

Saturda

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Garry Grewal

Vol. 6 No. 31

DIAMOND AWARD

Sutton Group - West Coast Realty #106 7565 132 St., Surrey. BC.

COMMERCIAL MEDALLION CLUB MEMBER

WINNER OF FVREB’s - Highest Dollar Volume AwardTOP -ACHIEVEMENT Commercial TopAWARDS Sales Award COMMERCIAL MEDALLION CLUB MEMBER

- Highest Dollar Volume Award FOR SALE

FOR LEASE

- Commercial Top Sales Award

FOR SALE

FOR LEASE PREMIUM OFFICE ACE SP HOTEL WITH 32 ROOMS FOR SALE FOR ALE S Picturesque location in the heart of beautiful British

14.827 CRES A HOME OR ALE FS Spectacular! Estate home on 14.827 Acres of high yield blueberry farm. Luxury unfolds with the stunning front foyer, dual staircases, and elevated catwalk.NThe regal LIS EW& walk great room is situated next to a gourmet chef kitchen w/ separate wok kitchen TIN G pantry. Ainmedia room, yoga/ exercise 8 bedrooms & multiple entertaining Beautiful 800 sq.ft 1 bedroom in apartment a highly desirable area androom, beautifully rooms round out this spectacular home. Gaze out upon south views of Mt. Baker or the maintained complex! Great floornorth plan with and doorShore off living room overlooking viewspatio of the North Mountains from outdoor patios situated both upstairs and down. true luxury its best! The farm features healthy mature blueberry stunning courtyard, ponds and waterfall. LargeThis openis kitchen with at great storage. Radiant in varieties Duke, Elliott, and Reca ensuring steady crops throughout the season. Fully floor h/w heating and gas fireplace are included in the maintenance fee. In-suite automated irrigation. Too much to list! Book a laundry, showing today! Asking $4,999,900

1 BED AND 2 BED CONDO

8318 cottS oad R ering is medical off and Columbia; this treasure of a business consists ofopportunity 32 rooms other ofessionals pr an o t with the potential to expand up to 50 rooms. Its also includes purchase emium pr of�ice space ey, in Sur a 110 seat opub,Set fully licensed resaturant BC. beed t y alland complet ba Liquor f store 2016, this his and hers closet. PLUS 2 underground secured parking stalls with loads of visitor parking. with state lot size close to 45,000ifsqft. PNP or run yourart eelIdeal for BC the and ete concr st Storage locker on main floor for added convenience. Close to shopping, schools, restaurants building willachieve er your off entrepreneurial ae etaildreams! mixtur of and r own business and and easy access to Hwy 99, 91 and Hwy 10. Asking $250,000 A very rare opportunity to own a beautiful Parisian feel Salon/Café in of�ice o ofessionals pr lookingor f a Contact for morespace details. Askingt $2,599,000 Historic Abbotsford. Well established, with a loyal client following this home or ftheir business. Space Spacious 2 bedroom and 2 bath condo with over 1300 sq. ft.establishment of living space overlooking view ofdathe insideea. beautiful ers withoffa ybeautifulall brunch, Lunch long erm and t Afternoon T In addition, this beautiful cafémoulding offers so courtyard and pond! Well maintained property with laminate floors, crown andmuch neutralmore! paint. Reservations This open floor for is ed. PIZZA limitoday Callor et f mor BUSINESS FOR SALE details.

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own y The Green Moustache Family next level??run Look no further and join to with their latest franchise location on W. 4th in Vancouver. Already an established name with two locations in Whistler and one in Squamish this turn key operation will enable you to develop your passion into a profitable career. With excellent support from the founders, this BC based company is looking for individuals who believe in health and are community driven and are wanting to utilize that to let their Entrepreneurial juices flow! Contact for more details on the Green Moustache or FS Franchise and joiningDream the Green Moustache familyPizza on W.4th!ale Asking $99,000

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FOR SALE

FOR 4020SALE 272 T, /S LEASE LANGLEY OFFICE FOR LEASE IN PAYAL BUSINESS CENTRE

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PITA PIT FRANCHISE

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

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space both the beoffice and inmissed! or warehouse. e Contact mor f NEW LEASING OPPORTUNITY details. Large loading door at the back of the unit. 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 & Fully carpeted office space lots windows over three floors. A brand new facility with a custom open floor plan for your preference. The FORflexibility ALEandSallows ASE & allowing plenty of light, security alarm 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. and 2 bathrooms. Contact for more info.

count of approx 12,000/annum. Approx 2400 sq ft of ground floor space leased space w/5 year, 5yr, 5 yr lease + 1 st right refusal to tenant option to purchase the building. Open six days/week (6) doctor offices, High end Kroll software, and Oscar CRM software in use. Lease area of 2,400 sq.ft. Customized tenancy improvements. 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 o our be own t y Wide egetarian v me for v more details. menu eets. with xpanded Can sw tobe egetarian add e dishes non to v the provideariety training. Contact Asking $1,250,000 with ell this established w Pizza & menu. Catering services provided regular clientele. Seating for 50. Complete turn key restaurant

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office space in Surey, BC. Set to be completed by fall 2016, this state if the art steel and concrete building will offer a mixture of retail and office space to professionals looking for a long term home for their business. Space is limited. Call today for more details.

UNIT ORF SALE

NEW COMMERCIAL KITCHEN AND RESTAURANT FOR SALE LISTING

ATTENTION FOREIGN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS!!! 2 BABY ULTRASOUND FRANCHISES FOR SALE! UNITS OR ALE F S (15299 VE)

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plaza Banquet in Halls, APARTMENT

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 which

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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

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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

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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.

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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

$349,000

RES TAURANT OR F ALE S

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PIZZA RESTAURANT FOR SALE IN MAPLE RIDGE

uses. Asking

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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 businesses

OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE

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PREMIUM OFFICE SPACE FOR SALE

CAFÉ FOR SALE

long! $158,800

reception area, separate lunch andata fullside washroom. 1200 Sq ft Gross Fully �inished y roomside b orunits strotal af lease $20.00/sq t ft +gst. of ox. appr 5540 . vailable sqft A or f sale. o Close t Port ells K Industrial ea. ary Eas o access both t 8318 Scott Road is offeringaci�ic medical professionals to purchase premium Highway 1 and other hway Hig and an opportunity ossing. Ptruck cr

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

PLAZA

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

CUISINELocated in the heart of Surrey 17358 104A VE designed. A 5 offices, in Payal Business Centre, this office is professionally

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

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building

VERAS BURGER FRANCHISE

UNIT FOR LEASE

The perfect second floor office space for lease WithinTUNITY busy Triton Centre.OPPOR Busy and GREAT FRANCHISE growing area makes this an ideal location for your office. Contact listing realtor Great ranchise F opportunity ed! yjust Bus list LD for more details. 1985 Sq.ft. Coquitlam Center MallO or location oss Chop f N Franchise!

TOWING COMPANY FORINDIAN SALE LIGHTHOUSE Established and reputable towing company that serves clients throughout

OFFICE

J.J AINI S

MINI MAR T

SIGNAGE & PRINTING BUSINESS FOR SALE

LE ASE

new boug

SURREY VERAS BURGER FRANCHISE FOR SALE

BUSINESS FOR SALE

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

RET ACEOFFICE LE

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

Indian

Cuisine in y. unning Langle R successfull y or Teachers and f others with Educational backgrounds that Attention learning centers, Early Childhood Education related businesses, the veLast ears Your dream y�ixcellent with yedail sales. enjoy working with children! to own your business has arrived. Reputable and 23 years Established Credit Company for sale. Retail and Commercial collections, Close t Franchise Da has over Inn, esternworldwide! The This&unique Best W Two adjoining of�ices in a establishedo Bricksys 4Kidz 320 franchises business Westward Inn o also eyhound the close Gr across om fr SMH. ht Can or be Judgments, Tenancy Order Collection, loans and outstanding invoices.Take can be run from home or elsewhere. The exclusive Franchise territory for Maple Ridge, Pitt t Fantastic opportunity to run your own Pizza & Indian Cuisine station, taxi op st bus standthat enable and man Wellleased establishedogether Vera's busy Fraser t Burger orfFranchise otal located a onspace t Highway of in Meadows and Mission is for sale. Fantastic recession proofybusiness children business! Excellent by customers open 7 days$229,000 a advantage of this food, uniquerated niche4.5/5 business opportunity. Asking apartments near y. Legocellent bbricks. TeachEx location of S.T.E.M. & ey (science,ation. turn oper Thisk is Cloverdale. Well an week, very busy location take out with availability for seating if 1600 sqft ate. or turn key operation separ from 3-13+ learn and build with the fundamentals maintained. establishment full ready for you desired. Tons of tourists year round, central to major sites in Hope opportunity o not be Asking t offersmissed! $139,900 technology, engineering & mathematics). This unique business in School Workshops, to be your own boss! Contact listing realtor for more details. Price : $339,000 and integral area near grocery stores, city hall, local police station, After School Enrichment Classes, Week long Summer camps, Birthday Parties, pre School motels and and cinema. WellLighthouse established, great sales and a complete Well known established Franchise on King George & 80th in Surrey. Take out Hair alon S Realtor for Business for sale turn key operation that will not last long! Asking $199,000 Classes and Kidz Night out programs. Please contact listing more info on this establishment and Party Orders are also handled. The website for all franchise locations is www.lighthouse.menu and they are on Facebook 8077 opportunity. Asking $79,000 Located raser on , Hwy verdale F Cloea, ell ar w established business, y o eas t KING GEORGE BLVD. The perfect retail 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. unique corner unit in busy plaza move in ready. Approx Establishment there is not a liquor license at this location. Asking $549,000 maintain, higher monthl y evenue. Asking r $69,900

COLLECTION / CREDIT COMPANY FOR SALE- ONE IN A MILLION OPPORTUNITY!

great business opportunity! Asking $129,000

it Suisse tow start to fill a Franz G Group wh stock-excha nering with the main gr ver office sp sector. Tho

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

2010

ATTENTION TRUCKERS!

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E-mail: ads@the

MASTER AWARD

2011, 2012 2008-2009 2013-2014

Attention Truckers! Permitted use for Transportation Industry and more. IL zoned Be your own boss! Established Pizza business for sale. Excellent location in land available. Two side by side lots that are ACREAGE OR F ALE S andIN RE ASKATCHEWAN S South Surrey with tons of opportunity to expand grow.GINA Only $69,000.00! to be sold together. House is since Contact for more info on this opportunity. Asking Only $69,000 ATGRE INVES TMENT ORTUNITY! OPP f listing an r demolished. Commercial Land only. Please 4 es, acr el Hot velopment and de GREEN MOUSTACHE FRANCHISE FOR site SALE UNIT FOR LEASE AT 83 AVE & 130 ST contact for more vailablea in the egina, City of details. Asking R $649,000 Are you passionate about healthy lifestyle? Are you ready to take Corner unit in an excellent location. Ample each. not Saskatchewan. Prime location, your passion and belief in healthy organic foods and juices to the

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 skybuildings 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

06/01