praised Surrey’s diversity and entrepreneurial spirit during a conversation about “Canada’s Trade Future” organized by Surrey-White Rock Board of Trade Thursday afternoon. Sidhu said that Surrey owes its progress to
diversity - “you see it everywhere” - and it was a powerful symbol of where Canada is heading.
As Canada’s Pacific gateway, BC plays a critical role in “our trade relationships in the Indo-Pacific region. “Almost a quarter of our two-way merchandize trade with our Indo-Pacific partners flows through British Columbia,” he said, emphasising the important role this province plays.
Six of Canada’s top 15 trading partners are in the Indo-Pacific region.
That is why Canada has an Indo-Pacific strategy to strengthen those ties in the region and as part of that strategy Sidhu will be leading a trade mission to the region shortly.
Continued on Page 6...
Alberta calls on Ottawa to label Bishnoi Gang a terrorist group
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis are urging the federal government to formally designate the Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist organization, citing the group’s ties to violence, extortion, drug trafficking and targeted killings in Canada and abroad. In a joint statement issued Monday, the officials described the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang as a transnational criminal network with global reach and violent intent. They said classifying the group as a terrorist entity would give law
Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers says it’s taking the “unusual step” of accepting tips from extortion victims amid ongoing threats and violence targeting South Asian businesses in Surrey, B.C., and elsewhere.
Executive director Linda Annis says they’ve received more than 70 extortion-related tips in the past 18 months or so, forwarding them all to police. Continued on Page 10...
India's solar water ATMs provide cheap, clean water to villages
enforcement better tools to dismantle it.
“We stand with B.C. Premier David Eby and other officials across Canada in calling for immediate federal action,” the statement said.
Continued on Page 10...
Canada and India to share terrorism intelligence despite 2023 murder plot, says report
Canada and India plan to share intelligence in an effort to combat the rising threat of international crime and extremism, according to a new report from Bloomberg, days before a meeting between the two countries’ leaders.
Canadian officials declined to comment on the report, which, if confirmed, would represent a dramatic shift in relations between the two countries which for nearly two years have been locked in a bitter diplomatic spat after Canada’s federal police agency concluded that India planned and ordered the murder a prominent Sikh activist on Canadian soil. Continued on Page 6...
In remote villages across India, a new wave of innovation is changing lives — solar-powered water ATMs are now providing clean and safe drinking water at incredibly low costs. Powered entirely by solar energy, these smart machines purify and dispense water for just a few cents, ensuring sustainability and accessibility even in off-grid areas.
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This low-cost, high-impact initiative is redefining access to basic human needs — all powered by the sun.
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Umendra Singh: Canada’s Minister of International
Maninder Sidhu
Maninder Sidhu
Two young men were sentenced to three years in jail Wednesday in Surrey Provincial Court for their part in a 2024 car crash that left a pedestrian dead after he was dragged for 1.3 kilometres.
Gaganpreet Singh and Jagdeep Singh, both 22, were both inside a Ford Mustang that struck and dragged the victim on Jan. 27, 2024, shortly before 2 a.m. The victim was found several blocks away, with severe injuries. (The family of the victim has asked for privacy and that their family member not be named.) The two, who were international students in January 2024, will also likely face deportation after their prison time is served.
Jetté said the 9-1-1 caller was still on the phone to police when he approached the Mustang after it struck the victim. "They could see victim under the car," Jetté said. "Gaganpreet drove away at an estimated 70 kilometres an hour ... he stopped the
car and reversed it in an attempt to dislodge (the victim)." After driving away "with the deceased attached to the underside of the vehicle," the pair used a flashlight to try to help them dislodge the victim, multiple times. Although the car belonged to Jagdeep, Gaganpreet was driving it when the victim was struck, the judge said.
"It is agreed that the victim, a 47-year-old, was alive before being struck by the Mustang," Jetté continued. Jetté noted both young men had pleaded guilty in January, and had no prior criminal history, but also pointed out there are aggravating circumstances.
"Both displayed indifference ... (the victim's) injuries were horrific. I see no point in detailing here," he said, noting the immense impact on the victim's family and greater Indigenous family, and how he leaves behind a wife and nine-year-old child.
A wildfire sparked north of Osoyoos, B.C., on Thursday.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, the Oliver and Osoyoos fire crews responded to a structure fire that appears to have spread.
Osoyoos RCMP said the fire is on Radio Tower Road and early indications are that the fire started in the grass while a homeowner was mowing their lawn. The fire then spread to a home on the property. RCMP confirmed it did not spread to a
second home but it did affect some vehicles. The fire is about 2.4 hectares at this time but is classified as out of control.
Residents in the area can see smoke from the fire but RCMP said there are no reports of any injuries.
RCMP is assisting with roadblocks in the area and ask that anyone requiring access to the neighbouring properties at the Osoyoos Cottages do so via NkMip Road.
A man has been charged with hijacking, one day after an incident that saw flights grounded at Vancouver's airport for a little under an hour.
Shaheer Cassim, who was born in 1986, has been charged with one count of hijacking, according to court records online. RCMP said that his next court appearance will be on July 22.
On Tuesday afternoon, police arrested a man after a small Cessna 172 plane landed at the airport around 1:45 p.m. PT on Tuesday.
They said that they had received reports around 1 p.m. that the plane had been hijacked from Vancouver Island before entering Vancouver International Airport (YVR) airspace. No one was injured. RCMP say the man they arrested was the sole occupant of the plane.
A YVR spokesperson told CBC News on Tuesday that flights were grounded for just under 40 minutes as a result of the alleged hijacking, and nine flights had to be diverted to other airports.
Few details were released by police on Tuesday. Richmond RCMP told CBC News on Wednesday that its federal counterparts had taken over the investigation. Under the Criminal Code, a charge of hijacking can be laid for a variety of reasons — which include confining people on board an
aircraft against their will, transporting them to an unscheduled location against their will, or causing an aircraft to deviate from its flight plan by using force or threats.
A spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada said that the hijacking also constitutes a terrorist offence and a terrorist activity under two sections of the Criminal Code.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, police said that Cassim allegedly threatened a flight instructor and hijacked the plane at Victoria International Airport.
"Investigators have determined the suspect acted with an ideological motive to disrupt airspace," said Sgt. Tammy Lobb, though she did not specify what the motive was.
British Columbia’s Health Ministry is limiting the sales of two more diabetes drugs to curb their off-label use for weight loss and preserve supply for people who are diabetic.
The limits on sales of Type 2 diabetes drugs tirzepatide and dulaglutide come after a 2023 regulation limited sales of semaglutide, which is sold under the band name Ozempic.
The rules mean B.C. pharmacists will not be able to sell the drugs to people who are not citizens or permanent residents of Canada and are not at the pharmacy in person. Health Minister Josie
Osborne says the drugs’ use for weight loss is driving shortages in several countries, including the United States. She says the province is working to ensure people living with diabetes have access to the medications they need, although non-residents and foreign citizens with a valid Canadian prescription can still buy them in person. Tirzepatide and dulaglutide are commonly sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Trulicity.
The ministry says the College of Pharmacists of B.C. is responsible for ensuring that college registrants comply with the regulation.
BC Premier David Eby shuffles cabinet - changing housing minister and solicitor general
B.C. Premier David Eby has shuffled his cabinet almost nine months after the election.
The new cabinet roles are:
Ravi Kahlon, minister of jobs and economic growth
Nina Krieger, minister of public safety and solicitor general
Jessie Sunner, minister of post-secondary education and future skills
Spencer Chandra-Herbert, minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation
Rick Glumac, minister of state for AI and new technologies.
In addition, Amna Shah, the parliamentary secretary for mental health and addictions, is moving to parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives, mental health and addictions.
Garry Begg, the minister of public safety and solicitor general, is moving to parliamentary secretary for Surrey infrastructure. George Chow, the minister of citizens’ services, is moving to parliamentary secretary for the Downtown Eastside and Chinatown.
Christine Boyle, minister of housing and municipal affairs
Diana Gibson, minister of citizens’ services
Anne Kang, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport
Paul Choi, the parliamentary secretary for Asia-Pacific trade, is moving to parliamentary secretary for trade.
“We need to be responsive to the changing needs of our province by growing our economy, seizing new opportunities, and making our essential services more resilient,” Eby said in a statement.
“We have the skills and determination both at the cabinet table and in caucus to stand up for British Columbians. I want to thank two of our veterans, Garry Begg and George Chow, for their hard work and exceptional service to British Columbians. I know they will bring the same enthusiasm to their new roles.”
The cabinet features 19 women, MLAs from Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, the North and the Interior and includes eight people of colour, one Jewish member and one Indigenous member.
After repeated claims by the mayor of Vancouver that details were impossible to share due to non-disclosure agreements, the host city agreement between FIFA and the city is now public, with taxpayers able to see the full list of demands from the international soccer association.
Independent journalist Bob Mackin fought the city for years to obtain and publish the contract, which lays out considerable details. Some are expected, while others are eyebrow-raising.
“It should not have taken an independent
journalist three years worth of legal battles and court challenges to get this contract from the City of Vancouver, especially when it’s substantively identical to those (agreements) that we’ve already seen from other host cities like Seattle, like Toronto,” said Carson Binda, B.C. director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
When CTV News observed that the agreement appeared to primarily benefit the association, he agreed that it is “an incredibly unfair contract that is heavily weighted in favor of FIFA and against the taxpayers who are being left to pay the bills.”
Conservative MLA Tony Luck slams $250M Metro Vancouver developer deal
BC Conservative MLA Tony Luck is calling out the provincial and federal governments for what he is describing as a reckless bailout of Metro Vancouver’s broken development model, one that’s now being backstopped with a quarter-billion dollars in taxpayer money.
This week, it was revealed that the province has quietly slashed development fees for dozens of in-progress Metro Vancouver projects after a dramatic fee hike implemented by Metro’s mayors, many of whom voted for the increase in 2023 despite repeated industry warnings. That $220 million shortfall will now be covered by federal dollars, meaning Canadians across the country will pay the price for Metro’s mismanagement.
“Let’s be clear, this isn’t about building housing,” said Luck, MLA for Fraser-Nicola and Official Opposition Critic for Municipal Affairs and Local Government. “It’s about rewarding the worstrun region in the country with a blank cheque. Communities like Merritt and Kamloops manage to grow without dumping their failures on the rest of Canada. Metro should be forced to do the same.”
The new arrangement applies to any development application submitted before March 22, 2024, with permits issued before March 2026, locking in developers under a lower cost regime while infrastructure demands continue to rise.
“Instead of reining in spending or prioritizing smart growth, Metro’s solution is to pass the bill to Ottawa and hope nobody notices, all while, in many cases, paying themselves egregiously large salaries,” said Luck. “This is exactly the kind of policy failure and fiscal mismanagement that erodes public trust. Hardworking taxpayers deserve better.” Luck is calling on the BC NDP to commit to equitable infrastructure funding across all regions and to table a full accounting of how the $250 million will be used. He also says local governments must be held to higher standards when setting fees.
“This government is picking winners, and rural British Columbians aren’t on the list,” Luck said. “Metro mayors jacked up development fees and now they’ve been bailed out. That’s not fiscal responsibility, it’s political favouritism.”
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Income inequality hit record high at start of 2025
The gap between the country's highest- and lowest-income households reached a record high in the first quarter of 2025, Statistics Canada said Wednesday.
The agency said the difference in the share of disposable income between households in the top 40 per cent of the income distribution and the bottom 40 per cent grew to 49 percentage points in the first three months of the year.
"It's not a surprise," said Katherine Scott, a senior researcher focused on gender equality and public policy at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Scott said the current economic uncertainty is "contributing to a lot of economic distress," in particular for young people seeking employment.
Statistics Canada said the measure has increased each year following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the first quarter of 2025, it said the increase came as the highest-income households gained from investments, while the lowest-income households saw wages decline.
Scott said many individuals at the higher end of the income scale didn't see their incomes decline during the pandemic, with many staying in their jobs.
"But more importantly, they were in a position to take advantage of the huge run-up of the investment markets that happened at that time and have continued to increase ever since," Scott said.
Those in the bottom 20 per cent of the income distribution saw the weakest growth in disposable income in the first quarter at 3.2 per cent compared with a year ago, as their average wages edged down 0.7 per cent.
The lowest-income households also saw the largest drop in net investment income as their earnings fell 35.3 per cent, while net transfers received, including increased government support measures, rose 31.2 per cent.
The average disposable income for those in the top 20 per cent of the income distribution increased at the fastest pace of any income group as they benefited from a 7.7 per cent increase compared with a year earlier.
The highest-income households saw a 4.7 per cent increase in average wages and a 7.4 per cent gain in investment income. The bottom 40 per cent of the wealth distribution accounted for 3.3 per cent of net worth, averaging $85,700 per household.
Continued from Page 1...
“The federal government must use every tool available to dismantle this network and keep Canadians safe.” Smith and Ellis said Alberta is determined to block gang influence at the provincial level and wants to make clear the Bishnoi Gang is not welcome.
“Formally designating the Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist entity will unlock critical powers,”
Continued from Page 1...Earlier this month, Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, was forced to defend his decision to invite the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, to the G7 summit in Alberta after Canada’s federal police said the shooting death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar was orchestrated by the “highest levels” of the Indian government.
Carney said there was a “legal process that is literally under way and quite advanced in Canada”, following questions over his decision to invite Modi. Four Indian nationals living in Canada have been charged with Nijjar’s murder.
Carney also cited India’s status as the “fifth largest economy in the world, the most populous country in the world and central to supply chains”. But the decision did not sit well with lawmakers from British Columbia. A member of Carney’s Liberal caucus, Sukh Dhaliwal, met with the prime minister earlier this the week to express concern over the invitation.
“We as Canadians take pride to be a champion on human rights. We are the country of law and justice,” Dhaliwal, who represents the electoral district where Nijjar was killed, told the Canadian Press. “When it comes to protecting fundamental rights and serving justice for the victim, it is nonnegotiable.” Dhaliwal said that the prime minister was “alarmed about the issue” and would be “very
they said, adding that it would help local law enforcement agencies disrupt operations and better protect residents. The statement also highlighted that South Asian communities in Alberta and across Canada have been disproportionately affected by the gang’s activities. “The time for action is now,” the officials said, calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to act swiftly.
Toronto woman arrested in expanding Immigration Fraud Case
Toronto police have made an arrest in an ongoing investigation into a fraudulent immigration scheme that allegedly spanned two years.
Authorities say Maria Corpuz, 43, operated in the Yonge and Eglinton area from May 2023 to May 2025, offering immigration services that promised Canadian citizenship and work permits.
Police allege Corpuz collected fees from multiple victims and provided them with officiallooking documents, which later turned out to be fraudulent.
strong in dealing” with the issue when speaking to his Indian counterpart. Ever since former prime minister Justin Trudeau accused India of orchestrating the high-profile assassination of Nijjar, Ottawa and New Delhi have been locked in a worsening feud over the issue.
India temporarily stopped issuing in visas in Canada and, soon after, Canada expelled six senior diplomats, including the high commissioner, Sanjay Verma. India retaliated by ordering the expulsion of six high-ranking Canadian diplomats, including the acting high commissioner.
“The Indian government made a horrific mistake in thinking that they could interfere as aggressively as they did in the safety and sovereignty of Canada,” Trudeau told a public inquiry into foreign interference, adding that Canada had not wanted to “blow up” its valuable relationship with India. But he said after Nijjar was killed, “we had clear and certainly now ever clearer indications that India had violated Canada’s sovereignty”.
According to Global News, the person, with suspected ties to both the Indian government and the Lawrence Bishnoi gang implicated in Nijjar’s death, knew Singh’s daily routines, travel plans and family. When the RCMP realized there was a credible thread to this life, they placed the federal party leader under police protection.
who may have been misled.
The arrest marks a significant development in the case, as investigators work to determine the full scope of the operation and identify any additional victims
Corpuz was taken into custody on July 8 and charged with several offenses, including three counts each of fraud under $5,000 and false pretense under $5,000, along with two counts of uttering forged documents. She appeared in court the next day at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre. As Toronto continues to attract newcomers seeking permanent residence and employment, the case serves as a stark reminder to verify the legitimacy of immigration service providers. Police are encouraging anyone with relevant information to come forward to assist with the investigation.
Canada is seen as a stable and trusted partner in a changing world – Minister Sidhu
Continued from Page 1...
“There is no doubt we are operating in a new global trade environment – landscapes are shifting, and alliances are evolving constantly,” he said.
But in a challenging and shifting geopolitical trade landscape, Canada is seen as a stable and trusted partner with abundant resources, a world-class labor force along with an invigorating economy.
Canada also offers critical metals, clean energy, high tech, AI, sustainable food production, advanced manufacturing and so much more, Sidhu said.
Its high morality governance is respected globally. Canada is turning its potential into results by creating great conditions for businesses to succeed, specially businesses operated by women, newcomers and small businesses.
“That is what our trade diversification strategy is all about,” he said.
The Minister said Canada already has 15 trade agreements with 51 countries giving access to 1.5 billion consumers.
And ore trade deals are being worked upon.
Talking about himself, Sidhu said he was born in Calgary, where his parents lived after immigrating from India.
At a young age, he moved with his parents to Greater Toronto Area and grew up there, attending University of Waterloo before starting his own business.
This is his third term as an MP from Brampton, Ontario. He was a parliamentary secretary for Global Affairs in last Parliament and was promoted to a full Minister by Prime Minister Mark Carney after winning the last election a couple of months ago. Sidhu praised the federal Liberal Party’s success in BC in the last election. He said that the historic number of 20 Liberal MPs from BC were providing a “strong voice” for BC in Ottawa.
Hundreds of $10K FortisBC heat pump rebates in jeopardy over contractor certification
FortisBC has rejected multiple applications for $10,000 heat pump rebates because of a temporary lapse in the necessary certification of a major Lower Mainland contractor. The CBC has learned the rebates of as many as 200 Moore and Russell customers have been jeopardized by a situation that has resulted in complaints and one small claims lawsuit from people who claim they were guaranteed they would qualify for money they were later denied.
"I'm not stoked about it, that's for sure. I'm definitely pissed off," said Jeff Thompson, a North Vancouver man who has spent the past four
months trying to figure out who to blame for the rejection of the rebate for his new heat pump. Thompson is one of thousands of British Columbians who have taken advantage of rebates offered by FortisBC and the province in recent years to encourage homeowners to replace their old heating and cooling systems with highperformance electric heat pumps.
The program has become so popular the province announced plans this week to expand the program this summer to include individual suites in multi-unit residential buildings.
Anand says Indo-Pacific strategy will have economic focus but maintain values
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says the economy is becoming the primary focus of Canada's relationships in the Indo-Pacific — a shift that appears linked to Canada's recent moves to overcome its security dispute with India.
Anand was in Japan and Malaysia this week for her first trip to the region since taking over as foreign minister in May. Her message coming out of that trip was that Canada's foreign policy is shifting — though not abandoning — the priorities set by the previous Liberal government of former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
"It is important for us to revisit our policy — not only in the Indo-Pacific but generally speaking — to ensure that we are focusing not only on the values that we have historically adhered to," Anand said Thursday in a teleconference from Malaysia.
"Foreign policy is an extension of domestic interest and particularly domestic economic interests. This is a time when the global economy
is under stress." The Trudeau government put language on environmental protection, labour standards and gender equality in its trade agreements.
Goldy Hyder, head of the Business Council of Canada, said that made Canada appear "a bit preachy" to other countries. He said Canada has to be respectful in the way it stands up for democratic values. A focus on the economy is quickly becoming a defining trait of the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney, a former central banker who is intent on building up Canada's domestic capacity and reshaping its trade and security plans to rely less on the United States.
Carney has been mostly focused on Europe so far; he has visited the continent three times since March. Anand's visit this week "sets the stage"
for Carney's planned visits this fall to the Association of South East Asian Nations leaders' summit in Malaysia and the APEC forum in South Korea, said Vina Nadjibulla, research vice-president for the Asia Pacific Foundation. Anand visited Tokyo to sign an information-sharing agreement that could lead to defence procurement deals, before heading to Malaysia for a meeting of the Association of South East Asian Nations, or ASEAN.
Her visit also comes as Canada tries to restore ties with India after two years of diplomatic chill following the 2023 shooting death of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver — a crime Ottawa linked to agents of the Indian government.
The RCMP said last year it had evidence of New Delhi playing a role in acts of homicide, coercion and
Growing support for political correctness in Canada, poll finds
Support for political correctness is growing on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, according to a new survey.
Vancouver-based Research Co. surveyed 1,001 Canadians and 1,001 Americans and found a majority favour political correctness, when defined as language and behaviour that seeks to avoid offending various groups.
According to the results, 59 per cent of Canadians and 53 per cent of Americans support political correctness in their countries.
“The trendline for political correctness is clear in Canada, jumping from 50 per cent in 2020, to 55 per cent in 2022, and to 59 per cent in 2025,” said Mario Canseco, president of Research Co.
“In the United States, we are back at the proportion first observed in 2020 (53 per cent), after a severe decline in 2022 (45 per cent).”
There’s more hostility toward political correctness in older Americans, according to the
findings, with 48 per cent of those 55 and older rejecting the concept. Only 30 per cent of their Canadian counterparts felt the same.
The poll was also broken down by political affiliations and voting habits.
Research Co. said 45 per cent of Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party in the 2025 federal election reject political correctness, along with 44 per cent of Independents and 43 per cent of Republicans in the U.S.
More than half of Canadians and Americans believe, according to the poll, that printing new books that remove words deemed offensive or redubbing movies is wrong.
The data also revealed that three-in-five residents in each of the two countries believe teachers, politicians and journalists should act in a politically correct manner, either “always” or “most of the time.”
“It can’t be hateful,” said Rawesome.
BC man sentenced for shooting at teen driver during ‘over-the-top road rage incident’
A man who opened fire on another driver during an “over-the-top road rage incident” has been sentenced to serve five-and-a half years in prison, according to a recent court decision.
Reza Rahiman was initially charged with attempted murder in the February 2023 shooting, which happened in the middle of the day on a busy roadway in Nanaimo.
He pleaded guilty to three firearms offences and was sentenced in B.C. Supreme Court earlier this week, where a seemingly exasperated judge
repeatedly condemned Rahiman’s actions as an incomprehensible over-reaction to the bad behaviour of a teenaged driver.
According to an agreed upon statement of facts, Rahiman was driving on the Nanaimo Parkway around 12:45 p.m. when he first encountered an 18-year-old referred to in the decision as J.L. who “kept braking sharply and then accelerating rapidly.”
Rahiman then fled the scene, calling 911 to report his licence plates had been stolen, which the judge noted was not true.
extortion targeting multiple Sikh-Canadians. Canada subsequently expelled six senior Indian diplomats; New Delhi expelled six Canadian diplomats in response.
India claims Canada is enabling a separatist movement that calls for a Sikh homeland — Khalistan — to be carved out of India, and calls that a violation of its sovereignty.
Carney began to thaw the relationship in June. He invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in Alberta and the two leaders agreed to reinstate their high commissioners. The two countries are also starting security talks.
As the world's most populous country, India is seen as a critical partner as Carney pushes to disentangle Canada from its heavy reliance on trade with the U.S. The two countries have engaged in onand-off negotiations on a trade deal since 2010, with frequent pauses — including Ottawa's suspension of talks after the Nijjar assassination.
Man accused of dangling child from Whistler balcony faces criminal charges
A man is facing criminal charges over an incident involving a child that shocked Whistler on Canada Day last year.
Sea-to-Sky RCMP says bystanders went to police after they allegedly saw a man holding a child over a balcony and heard things breaking and screaming inside the hotel room on the Whistler Village Stroll.
Police detained a couple under the Mental Health Act, and the child received medical care, RCMP said. Late last month, prosecutors charged Jason Frost, 45, with abandoning a child and failing to provide the necessaries of life, Mounties said.
“This was a highly visible event as Whistler
was in the midst of its Canada Day Celebrations. We recognize the impact the incident had on individuals who witnessed this unfold in our community that day,” Sea-to-Sky RCMP spokesperson Const. Antoine Graebling said in a media release. We are incredibly thankful for the multiple witnesses that alerted the RCMP which enabled our officers to act swiftly and professionally in managing this high-risk situation. Their cooperation and actions were key that day in saving a child’s life.”
Mounties said the incident highlights the importance of reporting any alleged abuse or neglect of a minor.
North Vancouver man charged with impersonating RCMP officer
North Vancouver police say a man has been charged with impersonating an RCMP officer.
The police department said they arrested the man earlier this year after he was reported driving a Ford F-150 with flashing lights like an emergency vehicle.
In a Thursday news release, North Vancouver RCMP said the driver had allegedly pulled over a white Tesla and identified himself as an RCMP officer.
An earlier news release in March said the driver was not wearing a police uniform, did not have any police equipment and did not provide police identification.
Now, Wayne Church of North Vancouver has been charged with personating a peace officer and using equipment likely to cause the public to believe he was a peace officer.
Police believe there could be additional victims
who were pulled over by the same man.
"We want to ensure the community feels empowered to question suspicious behaviour," Cpl. Mansoor Sahak said in a news release.
"If something doesn't feel right during a traffic stop, trust your instincts and take steps to verify the officer's identity. Your caution could help prevent further incidents and assist in ongoing investigations." RCMP recommend verifying police identification if you suspect you have been pulled over by a police impersonator. You can request to see an officer's badge with photo ID displaying their regimental number.
If you are still uncertain about the legitimacy of a stop, police recommend calling 911 immediately and expressing your concerns. "The dispatcher can verify if an officer is conducting a traffic stop in your area.… Genuine officers will understand and support your caution," reads the release.
Man charged after trying to sell loaded sawed-off shotgun in Surrey
After a man with a loaded shotgun was arrested in Surrey by Metro Vancouver Transit Police, the B.C. Prosecution Service has approved numerous firearm-related charges.
On Tuesday (July 8), just after 5 p.m., officers with the Transit Police Crime Suppression Team — working with officers from Surrey Police Service — were on patrol in the area between Gateway and Surrey Central SkyTrain stations in Surrey, a Transit Police release said, when officers became aware of a man who was in possession of a loaded 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun he was trying to sell.
The man was arrested a few blocks away from SkyTrain, Transit Police spokesperson Sgt. Dustin Szakacs told Peace Arch News.
"We aren't aware of him being on transit at any
point," Szakacs said.
Transit Police officers arrested Nicholas Gelaude, 37, of no fixed address.
He has since been charged with four firearms charges, including unauthorized possession of a firearm, and possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm.
He has been remanded and will remain in custody until his next court appearance, the release noted.
3 injured in Surrey, shooting believed to be road rage related: police
Police in Surrey, B.C., say they are investigating a shooting in the Newton neighbourhood that injured three people early Tuesday morning, and is believed to be related to a road rage incident.
The Surrey Police Service says four men were travelling eastbound on 84 Avenue near 140 Street around 1 a.m. when a white Tesla Model 3 with an Ontario licence plate pulled up next to their vehicle "and fired numerous shots at them."
The three suspects in the Tesla fled, and the four victims were eventually transported to hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries related to gunshot wounds, according to police.
Sgt. Tige Pollock told CBC that the victims said the shooting followed a road rage incident, though further details have not been verified.
Pollock said police recommend drivers avoid situations in which another driver is angry or
yelling. "If you feel you're in danger, call 911 and obviously don't follow any cars that have engaged with you in that sort of activity.... If you can, turn in the opposite direction of where the other vehicle is going [and] stop where it's safe."
Pollock noted it's unusual for road rage to escalate to a shooting.
"It's obviously not common, because obviously for this to transpire there had to be a firearm in the vehicle.... We certainly haven't seen a proliferation of this type of event."
But it's still a worry.
"Anytime someone's firing a firearm indiscriminately in the street is concerning for police, and it's obviously a public safety issue — even though it was 1 a.m. in the morning, you never know [if there are] people on sidewalks or other motorists."
Government intervention necessary for Canadian steel industry’s survival: Joly
Industry Minister Melanie Joly says government intervention will be necessary for the Canadian steel industry’s survival, as U.S. tariffs continue to threaten it.
“Survival, and I think eventually, much more than that, the fact that they can thrive,” Joly said in an interview on the Vassy Kapelos Show across the iHeart Radio network on Thursday.
In March, the U.S. placed a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum, doubling the tariff rate to 50 per cent in June.
Joly pointed to efforts to get Canadian shipyards to use domestic steel and for the government to leverage its procurement purchasing power to support the industry as examples of other potential measures the federal government is willing to pursue, beyond what has already been announced.
On Wednesday, the prime minister announced additional tariffs that target steel originating in China in an effort to protect the Canadian market.
In February, Canada laid out a series of countertariffs in response to the U.S. measures at the time, but has yet to respond to the doubling of steel and aluminum levies specifically.
Joly said she hopes Wednesday’s announcement will “calm down the anxiety in the steel sector,” while helping to protect jobs in the industry.
In a statement Wednesday, the United Steelworkers union called the announcement, specifically the changes to tariff rate quotas, a “major win for workers.” But many industry stakeholders and experts are still concerned.
In an interview on The Vassy Kapelos Show on Wednesday, François Desmarais of the Canadian Steel Producers Association said diversifying the market, including domestically, is likely not enough to make up for the drop in exports to the U.S., because the latter is such a significant importer of Canadian steel, and the global market is oversaturated.
Surrey tackles another illegal build in North Surrey
Surrey council has ordered a Notice on Title be filed on yet another illegal construction site – this one in the North Surrey neighbourhood of Royal Heights.
The notices serve to alert potential buyers, lenders, and insurers about sites of illegal construction and the potential risks associated with the properties, pursuant to Section 57 of the Community Charter.
The City of Surrey launched its Illegal Construction Enforcement Team (ICET) on April 27, 2022.
The address of this latest case is 9730 Townline Diversion, a two-storey house owned by Jasvir Singh Sangha and Khushvinder Kaur Sangha since May 31, 2016.
According to a corporate report before council, from Surrey’s general manager of planning and development Ron Gill and building inspector Kyle May, numerous site visits by city staff confirmed the property contains "unpermitted construction" including an addition to the rear of the house –which includes two dwelling units – a rooftop deck, and two awnings.
City hall issued seven bylaw contravention notices, the report indicates.
"The owners have paid the sum of $2,000.00 in fines and have disputed three of the tickets, which are to be scheduled for adjudication," Gill and May reported. "The City also issued five site visit fees for a total of $1,140.00 related to the unpermitted works. The site visit fees have been paid in full."
The report adds that city staff at this time don't see a "realistic path" for the owners to get a building permit to keep the disputed structures, which were constructed "without a valid and subsisting building permit issued by the City under the building bylaw.
"The construction has progressed to a point where many essential elements are now obscured, preventing the necessary inspections by the City to confirm safety and compliance with the building bylaw and British Columbia Building Code. In addition, the unpermitted works contravene the zoning by-law as the number of secondary suites permitted for a single-family residence has been exceeded," Gill and May reported.
Meantime, on June 16 council at a special
hearing ordered two notices on title related to illegal construction sites in North Surrey at 7924-123 St. (owners Dalvir Kaur Dosanjh and Sulakhan Singh Dosanjh) and 12675-100 Ave. (owners Ghulam Mustafa and Aqsa Naz).
Also, on May 20 council directed city staff to file a notice on title on one property in North Surrey at 16460 93A Ave. (owners Tarsem Singh Phagura and Rajbinder Kaur Phagura), and another in South Surrey at 17669 40 Ave. (owners Manmeet Singh Dhesi, Avtar Singh Dhesi and Palwinder Singh Dhesi).
Before those, one in Whalley at 9040 Skye Place (owners Gurpreet Singh Heer and Navneet Kaur Heer) and another in Newton at 6718 140A St. (owners Manjit Kaur Thind and Rupinderjit Judge) were added to the list on March 31.
Concerning this latest case in Royal Heights, the owners' lawyer asked for an adjournment "for a week or two" because she's new to the case and needed time for review. "That would be appropriate for me," she told council. City assistant solicitor Guillermo Flores opposed this.
Mayor Brenda Locke noted the City of Surrey has "never adjourned one of these hearings before so I don't think that would be appropriate for the City to do. We will carry on please."
City solicitor Philip Huynh recommended that both sides be heard on why there should or shouldn't be an adjournment. "Just out of fairness for the parties."
The owner's lawyer told council her client has been making efforts to bring the build into compliance with the help of an engineer and a structural engineer, who didn't appear at the hearing, indicated there are no safety issues. Flores said the City's position is the construction has reached a point where a lot of the elements that would need to be inspected have "essentially been covered up."
Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers seeks extortion tips from victims
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Annis says it’s a break from normal practice for the organization to accept tips from crime victims, since those in immediate need of help are usually encouraged to call police directly instead. But she says they decided to relax the policy and accept information from targets of extortion, because their information may be valuable to police.
She says Crime Stoppers is urging people with information to come forward if they are scared for
their safety and don’t want to be identified in any way.
RCMP in Surrey said this month they had arrested two suspects in their investigation into extortion targeting the South Asian business community. Last month, B.C. Premier David Eby asked the federal government to declare the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, based in India, a terrorist organization. Police have linked the gang to some of the extortion threats.
Opposition MP Ketan Lal's motion to amend the allocation of funds for the establishment of Fiji’s embassy in Israel has been defeated in Parliament.
$1.13 million has been allocated for the establishment of the Israel Mission, however, Deputy Prime Minister, Professor Biman Prasad adds that this amount will be reimbursed. Ketan Lal raised concerns over the cost of setting up the embassy, saying it would be a significant expense for Fiji.
A point of order was raised by Professor Biman Prasad who clarified that the motion was
out of order. He says the decision to establish the embassy was made by the Cabinet and could not be amended through the Committee of Supply, as it only deals with increasing, decreasing or removing expenditure items.
Professor Prasad says the discussion is only about the allocation of funding.
Lal argued that the situation in the Middle East is unpredictable and establishing an embassy in Israel is risky and questioned what if another missile was launched at Israel. He says Fiji will have to evacuate its staff and citizens using Fiji Airways.
Speak the truth in Parliament, Sachida Nand tells his former Fiji First colleagues
Opposition Member of Parliament Sachida Nand today lectured his former Fiji First colleagues to speak with facts in Parliament.
He made the comments while speaking on the budget debate.
“It appears that some honorable members have developed a tendency to accelerate issues, a recent press release about increasing the price of river butter is a case in point,” he said.
“The member in question has leveled accusations against the government via the Commerce Commission, questioning why the price of butter is increased while the price paid to the local dairy farmers for raw milk has remained stable.”
“I would urge the Honorable Member to take time to understand the subject properly and conduct thorough research before making such decisions in the house.”
Mr Nand said Fiji Dairy Limited Is a privately owned company and made a submission to Commerce Commission for a price increase.
“For the members information, Rewa butter consumed in Fiji is not made from locally sourced milk.”
“It is imported from New Zealand, processed and repacked locally, like any other imported commodity, when the international international purchase price rises like any other imported commodity. I’m sure he knows about importing.
No law on 2 jobs
There is no law or policy that restricts individuals from having multiple jobs to earn additional income, says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Professor Biman Prasad. He was responding to a question raised by Akanisi Veikoso during the Fiji Development Bank Post Budget Consultation in Nadi yesterday.
Ms Veikoso requested that the Government open up the market to allow people to earn more income with two jobs in order to propel them to the $30,000 tax threshold.
Prof Prasad said apart from civil servants, there was no law stopping people from working at more than one organisation.
hours in a supermarket, I don’t think there is any restriction for you to do that,” he said.
Prof Prasad said certain companies may have policies which prohibit their employees from working elsewhere.
“Nobody can stop you,so, if you are working in a hotel and you want to run a small business, there is no law which says you can’t do that plus a second job.
“If you work Monday to Friday in a hotel, Saturday you are not working there, you can go and work for somebody else and get an additional income.”
Prof Prasad said Fiji generally allow individuals to hold multiple jobs.
“So, if you want to work for eight hours in a hotel and you can go and work for another three
SACKED,
“So, if an employer tells you that you can’t hold two jobs, tell him or her that there is no policy to restrict them.”
now former FICAC boss pursues reported $2M out of court settlement
Lawyers acting for sacked Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption Commissioner Barbara Malimali have confirmed they are now pursuing an out of court settlement with Government. Lawyer Tanya Waqanika told the media, Justice David Ashton-Lewis and damaged the reputation of her client through the Commission of inquiry report.
“Her career of 27 years has been damaged,” said Ms Waqanika.
When asked about the amount of money they were seeking and whether a figure of $2 million was put forward.
“That’s a good money,” said Ms Waqanika.
She added they were going to see what was being offered to her client.
$20m investment – 16 New Zealand businesses registered in Fiji
NEW Zealand businesses committed to an investment pipeline of about $20million in Fiji last year, according to Investment Fiji. Investment Fiji chief executive officer (CEO) Kamal Chetty confirmed this in an interview with this newspaper, saying the investment commitment they registered was from 16 New Zealand companies.
“New Zealand is important market for us, both for trade and investment,” Mr Chetty said.
“Last year, we had about 16 businesses registered in Fiji in different sectors from New
Zealand, costing about $20 million.
“So that’s initial interest from them and obviously, as they develop, then we’ll get more details of what they would invest in.”
On investment confidence between Fiji and New Zealand, Mr Chetty said there are now a total of 40 potential investment leads from New Zealand interested expanding and investing into the Fijian market. “So currently we’re working on around 40 investment leads from New Zealand.
“And we will continue to build on those leads and get them started in Fiji.”
SOUTH ASIA
Over 60 dead in Pakistan as torrential rains trigger emergency; CM Maryam calls for cooperation
A state of emergency was declared in several districts of Punjab on Thursday after heavy monsoon rains triggered flash floods and claimed at least 63 lives across the province in the past 24 hours, Dawn reported, citing rescue officials and local authorities.
According to Dawn, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had earlier issued a warning of torrential rains with windthundershowers across the country, expected to last till July 17.
Wasa Director General Tayyab Farid told Dawn that "rivers have overflowed due to heavy rains in Rawalpindi, Chakwal and surrounding areas," leading to widespread flooding.
A spokesperson of the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed to Dawn that 63 people had died and 290 were injured in rain-related incidents across the province within 24 hours. "At least 15 were reported dead in Lahore, nine in Faisalabad, five in Sahiwal, three in Pakpattan, and nine in Okara," the official said.
Families of the deceased will receive compensation from the government, the PDMA spokesperson said. "A rain emergency has been imposed in different areas of Punjab due to unusual torrential rains and a flood situation," Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said in a post on X, as quoted by Dawn.
Pakistan's tourism neglect angers locals in PoJK and PoGB
Despite being blessed with breathtaking valleys, rivers, and mountains, the regions of Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Pakistan-Occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) continue to face decades of state apathy, particularly when it comes to tourism infrastructure and local development.
In one such incident in PoJK, a popular waterfall destination painstakingly developed by residents was demolished by Pakistani authorities, ignoring a standing court-issued stay order. The site had become a modest yet vital livelihood source for the surrounding community, which had spent years and lakhs of rupees to make the area accessible for tourists.
"We developed this site ourselves after the earthquake," said Lal Mansoor, a PoJK resident. "The area was completely inaccessible, blocked by fallen rocks. We spent our own money and
physical labour to turn it into a tourist spot. Yet, despite a court's stay, the site was bulldozed, and we were taken away by police without even collecting our belongings." Chairs, cots, and tents now lie abandoned amid the rubble as a symbol of broken trust and shattered local effort. The affected families have appealed to the Prime Minister of PoJK to intervene and deliver justice.
Taranjit Singh Sandhu joins USISPF as Advisor to the Board and Chairman of Geopolitical Institute
Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, veteran diplomat of nearly four decades and former Indian envoy to Washington, joins the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) as Advisor to the Board and will be the Chairman of the USISPF Geopolitical Institute, USISPF said in an official statement.
As per the statement, in this new avatar, Ambassador Sandhu will lend his diplomatic acumen to guide USISPF's strategic engagements on the India-Middle-East-Europe-Economic Corridor (IMEC), the Indo-Pacific Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), and the I2U2 (India, Israel, USA, and UAE) initiatives.
Ambassador Sandhu worked closely with USISPF during his four-year tenure in Washington, before calling time on his decorated 35-year
diplomatic career in February 2024.
As one of New Delhi's finest diplomatic stalwarts, Ambassador Sandhu was a key architect in strengthening US-India relations through his four stints in the United States, three of them in Washington, DC. USISPF said that commenting on his new appointment, Ambassador Sandhu remarked, "I am delighted to join the US India Strategic Partnership Forum as Chairman of its Geopolitical Institute. I have had the opportunity to work on as well as follow the India-US story for over three decades. The relationship has evolved into a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, underpinned by shared values and interests, matured in character and nurtured by the vibrant people-to-people ties between the two countries.
AAP leaders behind 2015 desecration incidents, alleges SAD
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday claimed that AAP leaders were behind the 2015 sacrilege incidents in the state and only an independent probe could bring out the truth.
The incidents involving the alleged desecration of religious texts had taken place when the SAD-BJP combine was in power in Punjab.
Two persons protesting against the alleged incidents had died in a police firing that year. At that time, AAP was a new entrant in the state politics.
The allegation has come two days after Punjab’s AAP government introduced an anti-sacrilege Bill in the state Assembly, which was sent to a select over it.
Flaying ruling AAP, SAD vice-president Parambans Singh Romana told mediapersons that incidents of sacrilege had started occurring in Punjab only after the party’s foray into the politics. He cited how an AAP legislator – Naresh Yadav — “had been arrested and convicted for committing sacrilege of the Quran Shareef (in Malerkotla)”.
The SAD leader alleged that Punjab Ministers Harpal Cheema and Harjot Bains had then defended the legislator.
“Both ministers should not only be dismissed from the cabinet for supporting a sacrilege accused but a criminal action should also be initiated
The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday confirmed that approximately 1,563 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States since January 20, 2025, the day Donald Trump assumed office as US President for a second term.
"Since 20 January of this year, till yesterday, some 1563 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States so far. Most of these Indian nationals have come by commercial flight," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during the weekly media briefing. Responding to a query on the arrest of an Indian national in Washington on charges of possessing child pornography, Jaiswal said, "These are matters of law and order... We would endeavour to tell Indian nationals going abroad
that they should abide by local laws, guidelines and regulations."
Reinforcing the same message in another case, he referred to the reported arrest of an Indian tourist in the US for allegedly shoplifting. The MEA spokesperson reiterated the ministry's consistent advisory for Indian travellers. "...Our constant request to all our people who go abroad is that they should follow the law and order of that country, and create a good image of the country," he said.
Commenting on the ongoing discussions regarding an India-US trade deal, Jaiswal said, "This is a matter which is under discussion between the two sides. We will share when something is finalised."
Delhi says no meeting planned yet as China want troika with Russia
As US and its NATO allies mount pressure on Russia to end its conflict with Ukraine, as well as threaten India with secondary sanctions if it continues to buy oil from Moscow, China said it was ready to advance trilateral cooperation between Russia, India and China, also known as the “RIC format.”
Mindful, though, of its close ties with the US, especially on the eve of a trade deal it has been negotiating for some months with the Trump administration, government sources insisted on the condition of anonymity that “no meeting of the RIC format has been agreed to at this point of time and there are no discussions underway on its scheduling.”
On Thursday morning, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jiang had said that, “China stands
ready to maintain communication with Russia and India on advancing the trilateral coperation”.
In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while answering media questions on the revival of Russia-IndiaChina format, said, “The revival will be worked out among the countries in a mutually convenient manner.”
Jaiswal said the RIC was a consultative format where the three countries discussed global and regional issues of mutual interest. Jaiswal was asked his opinion on China and Russia showing keenness on reviving the format. Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was in China and had met his counterpart Wang Yi and raised issues needing resolution such as the border dispute and Beijing’s restrictive trade practices.
Supreme Court directs Centre to issue LOC against Russian wife, child
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Delhi Police to forthwith trace a child born to a Russian mother and an Indian father and asked the Centre to issue a lookout circular for her after the man alleged that he was unaware of the whereabouts of his estranged wife and the child since July 7.
A Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the authorities to seize her passport and inform all international airports and other ports within India, and the immigration authorities to ensure the Russian woman and the child did not leave India.
"The officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs, Union of India,
are also directed to communicate this order to all international airports and other ports within India, and the immigration authorities be intimated to ensure that neither the petitioner (woman) nor the minor child is permitted to leave the country," the Bench said.
A Russian citizen residing in India since 2019, the woman initially came to India on an X-1 Visa, which expired subsequently. However, during the pendency of the proceedings, the court had directed the extension of the visa from time to time. Engaged in a fierce custody battle for the child with his estranged Russian wife, the man accused her of not complying with the court's order with regard to custody of the minor.
‘Shameful’: Kangana Ranaut Gets Schooled As 80-Year-Old Man Sits At Her Feet During Grievance Redressal Meet 1563 Indian
Actress, filmmaker, and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has recently spoken about how she has not been enjoying politics as it is all about social work. Recently, she hosted a grievance redressal meet in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, to talk to people of her constituency and get to know that issues. A video of the same has now gone viral on X (formerly known as Twitter), where an 80-yearold man is seen sitting at her feet requesting her to solve his problems. However, it is her response to those pleas that has irked the netizens. Many have taken to the comment section of the post to slam her for her “arrogant and rude”. In the nowviral video, she is seen with her party workers as the old man sits at her feet, asking her to help him. In response, quoted by the Free Press Journal, she tells him,
“Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is our Chief Minister and this is the CM's work to do, so you need to tell this to him. I cannot do anything about this issue.”
Refusing to budge, he tells her that she should raise his issue in the Parliament and help him by taking his grievances to the right person. She assures him that she will help him connect with the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar.
Well, the fact that the old man continued to sit at Kangana’s feet while requesting her to help him, has not gone down well with the netizens. One said, “Politicians often forget they serve the people, not the other way around. This behavior shows a disconnect that voters remember.” Another said, “Why is an 80 year old man sitting at the feet of this andpadh? This is so shameful!”
