Carney suspends election campaign to deal with Trump's auto tariffs
U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff and annexation threats are top of Canadians’ minds this election, and on Day 4 of the campaign, the issue took centre stage after a 25 per cent tariff on cars and light vehicles not made in America was announced.
The party leaders were preparing for their respective evening rallies when Trump announced the tariff and were quick to respond, calling it “unjustified” and a “direct attack” on Canada’s auto industry.
The U.S. president’s latest move prompted Liberal Leader Mark Carney to cancel his Thursday campaign event in Quebec and instead, return to Ottawa for a meeting with his CanadaU.S. Relations council.
Rounding out his day on the trail, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh held a whistle stop at the London North Centre campaign office of candidate Dirka Proust. Continued on Page 6...
Sukh Dhaliwal is ready to fight for Canada
By UMENDRA SINGH: Surrey Newton MP for past 20 years Sukh Dhaliwal is ready to fight hard –to protect your jobs, Canadian economy and Canada’s sovereignty as an independent nation. Nimble on his feet, he looks fit as a heavyweight boxer ready to brawl. And frankly, after two decades, Sukh Dhaliwal has never looked as polished as a politician as he does in this campaign.
Whether speaking English, Hindi or Punjabi, he does not stumble while answering difficult questions and his delivery is polished and politically perfect.
Heading into his sixth election campaign, Dhaliwal
said this time is different than the previous five times.
“This time it is different. I have never seen people come to me before like they are doing now offering to help, pledging support and pledging to vote for me an the Liberals and asking for signs to be put on their lawns,” he said in an exclusive interview at his campaign headquarters in Newton, between 132nd Street and 128th Street in the heart of the Newton industrial area filled with rows of warehouses housing small business, industries and offices..
Analyst questions impact of ending BC carbon tax
There is hope that British Columbians will get some relief at the gas pump when the province follows through on its promise to drop the consumer carbon tax on April 1. The province is notifying fuel sellers and natural gas retailers about the move now, so they stop collecting the tax. B.C. Premier David Eby said earlier this month that the province would kill the consumer tax after Prime Minister Mark Carney made the same announcement about
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the federal tax. But there are some concerns about what things will look like on April 1.
Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, says the average price decrease at the pump for most of Canada will be about 19 cents a litre, however, that won’t last long. “It is really a pause and anyone who has any expectation of these things lasting is going to be sadly disappointed,” he said.
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Vancouver International Auto Show wraps up with recordbreaking attendance for second consecutive year
The 2025 Vancouver International Auto Show (VIAS) has officially come to a close, marking a significant milestone for the automotive industry and the city of Vancouver. For the second consecutive year, the event has set a new
attendance record, with 138,773 visitors (129,033 in 2024) experiencing the latest innovations in automotive technology, design, and performance. Additionally, the show saw a record-breaking single-day attendance on Saturday (42,761 visitors), further highlighting the growing excitement and interest in this premier automotive experience.
The five-day event, which took place at the Vancouver Convention Centre remains a standout family-friendly experience, with a strong emphasis on providing a safe and fun environment for attendees of all ages. Continued on Page 4...
Photo: HIDE MATSUI
The latest opinion poll gauging public support for each of the parties is showing Liberals and Conservatives in a neck-in-neck race for the most members of parliament elected in British Columbia, largely at the expense of NDP seats.
Research Co conducted the online survey March 23 and 24, finding 41 per cent of B.C. respondents would vote Liberal, while 39 per cent would vote Conservative; the margin of error is 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
“We have statistical ties between the conservatives and the Liberals in Ontario, in Atlantic Canada and in British Columbia, which is nothing short of historic,” said company president, Mario Canseco. “It’s weird because usually what you have, is the coalescing of voters towards one party happening on the later stages of the campaign.”
The New Democrats are downplaying their
eight per cent support, but Canseco reiterated the same observation many political scientists have already pointed out – that voters are most likely to choose between the two biggest parties when national interests are front and centre.
In the poll, Research Co found that Canada-US relations were the most important issue for a third of B.C. voters, and Canseco speculated that voter turnout could be higher than usual as a result.
“It would suggest that people who are usually cynical about politics and hate all politicians and believe they’re all corrupt are going to pay attention to the election and actually cast a ballot,” he said.
“We could have a voter turnout that is similar to what we had in the 1980s, which was 75 per cent.”
At dissolution, B.C. had a three-way split between the three biggest parties, but analysts believe the NDP could face significant losses on Vancouver Island and beyond.
Canada must “fundamentally reimagine our economy” in the face of escalating tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday, declaring the “old relationship” between Canada and the U.S. is “over.”
Carney promised to bring retaliatory measures, reduce internal trade barriers and pivot Canada’s economy away from reliance on the U.S., after Trump announced new auto tariffs that will begin next week.
“Over the coming weeks, months and years, we must fundamentally reimagine our economy,” Carney told reporters in Ottawa after meeting with the cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations.
“The old relationship we had with the United States, based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation, is over.”
Carney wouldn’t say exactly what retaliatory measures the federal government will take in response to Trump’s latest round of tariffs. He said more will be announced on April 2, when the new auto tariffs and further “reciprocal” tariffs on all
foreign trading partners are set to begin.
Carney confirmed he has not yet spoken to Trump since becoming prime minister earlier this month, but plans to do so in “the next day or two” after he said Trump reached out Wednesday evening to schedule a call.
“I appreciate the opportunity to discuss how we can protect our workers and build our economies,” Carney said. “I will make clear to the president that those interests are best served by cooperation and mutual respect, including of our sovereignty.” Carney pressed pause on his federal election campaign as the Liberal Party leader Thursday to chair the cabinet committee meeting weighing Canada’s response to the fresh round of tariffs coming from Trump administration.
Surrey candidates out of the gate for federal election
Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Gov.Gen. Mary Simon Sunday morning (March 23) in Ottawa to ask her to dissolve parliament, officially kicking off the 2025 federal election in Canada.
There are six federal ridings (electoral districts) in the Surrey/White Rock area including Surrey City Centre, Surrey Newton, Fleetwood-Port Kells, Cloverdale-Langley City, South SurreyWhite Rock and Langley Township-Fraser Heights. Also, the Delta riding includes a small pocket of Surrey homes near Scott Road, south from the corner of 64 Avenue and 126 Street, to Mud Bay. The nomination process for candidates closes Monday, April 7, and a complete list of confirmed candidates will be announced two days later, on Wednesday, April 9. Advanced voting is Friday, April 18, Saturday, April 19, Sunday, April 20 and Monday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The locations of the advance voting locations will be released on April 1 on elections. ca. As of Tuesday (March 25) no candidates have been officially confirmed in any of the Surrey ridings by Elections Canada, but many have already been nominated by their party. This list will be updated as candidates are declared.
Surrey City Centre
• Randeep Sarai for Liberal Party of Canada (incumbent)
• Rajvir Dhillon for Conservative Party of Canada
• Krishan Khurana for Green Party of Canada
• Beverly Tanchak for People's Party of Canada Surrey Newton
• Sukh Dhaliwal for Liberal Party of Canada (incumbent)
• Harjit Singh Gill for Conservative Party of Canada
• Ian Kennedy for People's Party of Canada Fleetwood-Port Kells
• Gurbux Saini for Liberal Party of Canada
• Sukh Pandher for Conservative Party of Canada
• Brian Conlan for People's Party of Canada
• Murali Krishnan for Green Party of Canada Cloverdale- Langley City
• Tamara Jansen for Conservative Party of Canada (incumbent)
• Vanessa Sharma for NDP
• Kyle Latchford for Liberal Party of Canada
• Daniel Davies for Green Party of Canada
• Jim McMurty for People's Party of Canada South Surrey-White Rock
• Kerry-Lynne Findlay for Conservative Party of Canada (incumbent)
• Ernie Klassen for Liberal Party of Canada
• Matthew Lennox for People's Party of Canada Langley Township-Fraser Heights
• Tako van Popta for Conservative Party of Canada (incumbent for Langley- Aldergrove)
• Nasima Nastoh for Liberal Party of Canada
• Holly Isaac for NDP
• Justin Cawker for People's Party of Canada
• Alex Joehl for Libertarian
• Debora Soutar for Green Party of Canada Delta
• Jill McKnight for Liberal Party of Canada
• Jessy Sahota for Conservative Party of Canada
• Natasa Sirotic for People's Party of Canada
Vancouverites most likely to vote Liberal in upcoming election: poll
If a federal election were to be held on Tuesday, Vancouverites would most likely vote for the Liberal Party.
The poll finds 48 per cent of decided voters are supporting the Liberals, while the Conservatives are just behind at 30 per cent.
The biggest issue for voters is how Ottawa will deal with the United States going forward. However, when it comes to younger adults and Conservative voters, they think the cost of living is a bigger priority.
The poll also finds that people in Vancouver believe Liberal Leader Mark Carney is the best leader to manage U.S.-Canada relations.
Meanwhile, it looks like the federal NDP is looking at an uphill battle, just a few days into the official start of the election campaign
In a poll by the Angus Reid Institute, 50 per cent of respondents who voted orange in 2021 say they’ll be flipping their vote to the Liberals next month. This means the NDP is polling nationally at just seven per cent currently.
That trend is clearly showing in Metro Vancouver, where voter intention for the Liberals has jumped from 27 per cent to 50 per cent in just the last three months.
While the race is largely focused on crossborder relations, political commentator David Moscrop believes that nothing the NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is saying is landing with voters.
“I don’t think the problem is just messaging. I think the problem is that people have tuned out the NDP. They’re not listening to the message from the party.
Ambassador warns Canada against using China as ‘bargaining chip’ with USA
China’s ambassador warned the Canadian government against using it as a “bargaining chip” in trade negotiations with the U.S., but said it’s ready to pursue a bilateral free trade agreement if Canada removes barriers to Chinese investment.
Wang Di, who became Beijing’s representative in Ottawa last year, said in an interview that China firmly respects Canada’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said the northern nation should be the 51st state.
“China is always willing to work together with the Canadian side, by following the principle of mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences,” Wang said through an interpreter on Tuesday. “But China also opposes
any country using China as a bargaining chip when it deals with other countries.”
Canada began exploratory discussions on a free trade agreement with China — its second-largest trading partner — in 2017, but they didn’t progress. Diplomatic relations between the two countries went cold in 2018 when Canadian authorities arrested Huawei Technologies Co. executive Meng Wanzhou on a US extradition warrant at Vancouver’s main airport. China imprisoned two Canadians in apparent retaliation, and though the dispute was resolved in 2021, relations remain strained. Canada’s tariffs prompted China to enact retaliatory measures against Canadian canola, pork and seafood this month, causing major economic impacts in western Canada.
Longtime BC MLA and cabinet minister Mike de Jong running as independent in Abbotsford
A longtime veteran of British Columbia provincial politics is entering the federal election race as an independent.
Mike de Jong announced Thursday that he would run in the new Abbotsford-South Langley riding.
De Jong served eight terms as an MLA under the BC Liberal/BC United banner, holding multiple cabinet portfolios including finance, attorney general, public safety and health. He had been seeking the nomination for the Conservative Party of Canada, but says the party rejected his candidacy in early March without any formal reason.
“There clearly was a disagreement. The local Conservative association unanimously recommended that I be approved as a candidate, and unanimously recommended that the young
man who is the candidate not be,” de Jong said.
“So why some backroom party hack in Ottawa decided to do the opposite is something only the Conservative party can answer, and so far they are refusing to.”
The Conservatives have nominated 25-yearold blueberry farmer Sukhman Gill in the riding.
“I have represented most of the people or many of the people in the area for over 30 years. They understand what I stand for — I am a fiscal conservative,” he said.
Along with Gill, de Jong will face NDP candidate Dharmasena Yakandawela and Green candidate Melissa Snazell. The Liberals have yet to nominate a candidate for the riding.
The new riding was created ahead of the 2025 election from the old Abbotsford riding and parts of Langley south of 48 Avenue.
India takes centre stage ahead of Canada’s federal elections on April 28
With federal elections in Canada scheduled for April 28, the intersection of domestic politics and Indian influence is once again at the forefront. Recent controversies surrounding Chandra Arya, an Indian-origin MP from Nepean, and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre highlight the complex dynamics of Canada’s relations with India, diaspora politics, and national security concerns.
Chandra Arya’s political trajectory has been notably turbulent in 2025.
After announcing his candidacy for the Liberal Party leadership following Justin Trudeau’s decision to step down, Arya faced rejection from the party’s election committee. Citing Section 4(c)iii of the Liberal Party’s national leadership rules, the committee deemed him “manifestly unfit for the
office of Leader of the Party.” Though specific reasons were not disclosed, speculations pointed towards his outspoken stance against Khalistani extremism, and his perceived connections with India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Arya’s subsequent removal from candidacy for reelection in Nepean further fuelled debates about the party’s internal policies and its handling of sensitive international affiliations.
Arya, who has represented the Nepean riding in Ottawa since 2015, suffered another setback earlier this month when his nomination to rerun from the riding was revoked. He shared this information on social media along with the letter he had received from the Liberal Party’s national campaign director, Andrew Bevan.
Five co-workers in the Greater Toronto Area win $60-million Lotto Max
A group of five co-workers from the Greater Toronto Area who purchased a lottery ticket to mark the Lunar New Year have won a $60 million jackpot. In a news release, the OLG announced that the group won the jackpot in a Jan. 21 Lotto Max draw. The ticket was purchased by Trang Pham, of Mississauga, on behalf of the group. Pham was inspired to purchase a ticket for the draw due to the Lunar New Year. In Asian culture, the time of year is associated with family, good
jackpot
had been sold in Etobicoke. Each co-worker will now receive a $12 million cheque. Pham is joined by Soung Tran of Mississauga, Phong Phan of Brampton, Thuc Le of Toronto and Zou Hsieh of Scarborough.
“I was in a parking lot when the text came in. I thought Trang was teasing us, so I called her,” Soung Tran said. “When she confirmed it wasn’t a joke, I started shaking and crying tears of joy.”
Vancouver International Auto Show Wraps Up with RecordBreaking Attendance for Second Consecutive Year
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The show ensured a welcoming atmosphere for all visitors while showcasing over 30 world-class automotive brands, featuring everything from cutting-edge electric vehicles to the most luxurious and high-performance cars on the market.
the ultra-rare SP3 Daytona.
The Vancouver International Auto Show continues to serve as a vital platform for showcasing the dynamic evolution of the automotive industry while attracting a diverse audience from across British Columbia and beyond. With its continued growth, the event is positioning itself as a key highlight on the North American automotive calendar.
“About a week before Lunar New Year, I was buying creamer for the office and thought I’d pick up a ticket for the group,” Pham said in the news release. Phan purchased the ticket from an Etobicoke Giant Tiger, on Kipling Avenue. She discovered that the group won the next day, when she saw the news that the winning ticket
Zou Hsieh and Thuc Le both said they were unable to eat or sleep for a couple of days after hearing the news that they were now multimillionaires.
The reality fully set in when Jim Warren, the chair of the OLG’s board of directors, presented the $60 million cheque. Warren even used a giant red envelope, to echo the tradition of how gifts are given during the Lunar New Year.
Enthusiasts, industry professionals, and families alike were able to get up close and personal with the latest models and engage with exhibitors in a celebration of the future of mobility.
"We are thrilled with the success of this year's Vancouver International Auto Show," said Blair Qualey, President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC (NCDA), which owns and hosts the Auto Show. "Not only did we break another attendance record, but we also witnessed incredible interest in the shift towards sustainability and electrification in the automotive sector. This year’s event truly reflected the future of transportation, and we couldn’t be more excited to have shared that vision with the community."
A popular feature this year was the EV and PHEV Test Drive Experience presented by CleanBC Go Electric and RBC. A record 4,424 consumers had the opportunity to drive some of the newest and most highly sought after electric vehicles and plugin hybrid EV’s in the country with 49 vehicles from 16 top manufacturers and participate in an indoorto-outdoor test drive experience following a route around the Vancouver city centre.
Other highlights of the show included the unveiling of several Canadian and Western Canadian vehicle debuts including the SSC Tuatara Striker, the world’s fastest production car, reaching speeds of 455.3 km/h. The 2025 editions of the Mustang GTD, Corvette ZR1, Lincoln Navigator and Hyundai IONIQ 9 all turned heads, making their BC debuts at the show. Another hit for attendees was the stunning selection of five vehicles from Vancouver local Jordan Melville’s personal Ferrari collection to the show including
“We are proud to host an event that brings together so many passionate individuals, car enthusiasts, and professionals,” said Eric Nicholl, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Auto Show. “The turnout we saw this year is a testament to the growing interest and excitement surrounding the future of automotive technology.”
Looking ahead, the Vancouver International Auto Show is already planning for its 2026 edition which will return to the Vancouver Convention Centre West from March 25th to 29th, with hopes of continuing to break boundaries and set new standards for what the auto industry can offer.
Photos: HIDE MATSUI
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OPINION
Premier Eby seeks to suspend democracy in BC with Bill 7
Niels Veldhuis and Tegan Hill: On March 13, B.C. Premier David Eby proposed new legislation to give himself and his cabinet sweeping powers to unilaterally change almost any provincial law and regulation without legislative approval or review.
While the legislation — dubbed the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act — has yet to be enacted into law, the fact that the government proposed such unprecedented powers is deeply concerning and a genuine threat to our democracy.
Only five months ago, British Columbians went to the polls and delivered a sobering victory to Eby’s incumbent NDP government, which lost eight of its 55 seats and ended up with 47 of 93 seats, the narrowest “majority” possible. The popular vote was nearly dead even between the NDP (44.86 per cent) and the upstart Conservative party (43.28 per cent). Even Eby acknowledged the voters sent his government a message and promised to work together with other parties.
“After a close and hard-fought campaign, it’s now time to come together to deliver for people,” he said. “British Columbians have asked us to work together and make life better for them.”
Yet according to the Eby government, the Act will lead to the opposite and provide “temporary authority to cabinet … to modify the application or effect of B.C. laws and regulations.”
“Work together” in a democracy means embracing a deliberative and, at times, messy process. Thoughtful policymaking takes time. It’s a core feature of democracy. No leader has all the knowledge to act unilaterally to do what’s right. We need the legislature to weigh competing viewpoints through rigorous and transparent debate — that’s how our system works.
Yet according to the Eby government, the Act will lead to the opposite and provide “temporary authority to cabinet … to modify the application or effect of B.C. laws and regulations.”
In other words, if approved, it will allow Eby and his cabinet to override provincial laws, regulations, bylaws, rules, resolutions, practices, policies, standards, procedures and other measures without approval or review by the elected legislature.
That’s not how our system is supposed to work.
To put it more starkly, the Eby government is telling British Columbians that 23 cabinet ministers and four ministers of state can sufficiently decide almost any matter pertaining to the government without democratic approval or input from Opposition parties. It’s by all measures an extraordinary circumvention of the province’s democratic institutions.
Travac Tours hasn’t sold a single seat for any of its U.S. bus tours since Donald Trump announced the imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods.
New York City tours are one of the agency’s most popular American destinations, says Cindy Tobin, the manager of the Ottawa tour operator, but interest has flatlined since the U.S. president’s Feb. 1 executive order. This week, she cancelled two of the 12 buses Travac planned to send to New York this year, and she expects to cancel all the rest if the trend continues.
“No one’s calling to book, so we don’t foresee that any trips to the U.S. we’ve planned to date will go ahead,” she said.
U.S. tours that were already booked for March went ahead, Tobin said, but the company isn’t even planning any tours for the country anymore. Roughly 30 U.S. trips it had already planned are likely to be shelved.
“By the response from our clients, we’re thinking that there won’t be any U.S. tours in the
foreseeable future.”
Travac’s customers aren’t alone in avoiding travel down south. The number of travellers heading to the U.S. from Canada, by car, in February dropped by half a million compared to 2024, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Meanwhile, Canadian airlines WestJet and Air Canada have scrapped many flights to sunny U.S. destinations. However, Tobin said there’s no shortage of clients wanting to take a vacation — just not in the U.S. “We’ll just keep on adding even more European, more international, more Canadian tours,” she said. She estimated European tours already made up roughly 60 per cent of Travac’s business, with destinations including Portugal, Spain, Malta and the Canary Islands.
The agency is also doubling down on its COVID-era additions of rail trips to Halifax and to the Okanagan Valley in B.C. to meet higher domestic travel demand.
The “Buy Canadian” movement continues to gather momentum as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens additional tariffs aimed at devastating the Canadian economy.
And companies are taking more steps to make it easier for people trying to find those products, with experts warning of the risks of “maplewashing” at the same time.
“You see it on labels where it says ‘designed in Canada,’ but it’s manufactured in the United States,” said Peter Chapman, founder of SKUFood and a former Loblaw executive. “But I think consumers are at the point where they’re saying, ‘We’re looking for products that are produced in Canada.'”
Whether it’s changing labels to say that exact phrase or adding a maple leaf to their sticker, companies are finding new ways to not only ease the shopping process but bring new customers to their brand.
“They are kind of almost inserting themselves into the movement themselves rather than being outside the movement,” said Francois Neville, an associate professor of strategic management at McMaster University’s Degroote School of Business. “They are seen as pillars of the fabric of Canadian society by endearing themselves to the movement.”
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There he was backed by members of Unifor and the United Steel Workers, and he and his candidate for London West, Shinade Allder, who is also the president of Unifor Local 6005 addressed the day’s tariff developments headon. “We all heard the news announcement today about the tariffs, and many, many of the members that I represent at Unifor are auto workers... and they will be directly affected by Trump’s threat,” Allder said.
“These thousands of families are going to face
At the same time, navigating which labels are legitimately reflecting Canadian ownership or production can be tricky, and the different labels can mean different things beyond just “made in Canada” or “product of Canada,” which are terms regulated by federal criteria.
A “product of Canada” can be labeled as such when all or virtually all major ingredients, processing and labour used to make the food product are Canadian.
“Made in Canada,” on the other hand, is used when the “last substantial transformation of the product occurred in Canada, even if some ingredients are from other countries.”
When it comes to non-food items, the former definition applies when Canadian content makes up 98 per cent of the product, while “Made in Canada” items are subject to a 51 per cent threshold.
This month, the federal government took its own step to create a guide on how to buy, sell and support Canadian, including defining each type of label.
The federal government guide also offers more clarity around labelling food as “local” when it’s produced in the province or territory in which it’s sold, or sold across provincial borders within 50 kilometres of the originating region.
the reality of not being able to pay their bills or put groceries in their fridge all because of the reckless threats of Donald Trump. This election is about who is going to stand up and fight for working- and middle-class families, right?” she said.
Singh then reiterated his earlier remarks and added: “We’re up against a real, serious threat right now.
“We’re going to fight back and defend those jobs. We’re going to fight back,” Singh said, to cheers.
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“They will get a short-term break at the pumps… after the election and the new government is formed,” said McTeague.
“This drop in carbon taxes on April 1 is called April Fools’ Day, but I suspect this is going to lead to a lot of significant disappointment when Canadians find out in a month or two from now it’s going to be very costly.”
McTeague remains skeptical that consumers will save any money.
“Like it or not, business will pass that on or they won’t survive.”
Cut to climate action tax credit
Cutting the carbon tax also brings about the end of the climate action tax credit, which currently provides up to $1,008 a year to a family
of four. Alex Hemingway is an economist with B.C Policy Solutions.
He calls the removal of the tax a “sad day.” “Many families are being left worse off, they are going to have less cash in their pocket with the elimination of the rebate, offset in part by some lower prices at the pump.”
Anastasia French of Living Wage B.C. said the credit also supports individuals, while most other provincial programs are exclusively aimed at families.
“For single people without kids, that’s $500 a year, which is basically the equivalent to a grocery shop every couple of months.”
She adds with the U.S implementing tariffs on Canada, the rebate is needed now more than ever.
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“People understand the dangerous threat to us from our neighbors to the South. I Have never seen people come together like this to be more patriotic and offer their support.”
There are two reasons – one reason is Trump and his threats and second one is that people are concerned about the Canadian economy, and they want someone responsible and experienced to be managing the economy, he said.
Now, Canadians have a choice on who will manage Canada’s economy and fight Trump to protect Canada’s economy and sovereignty.
On one side is Mark Carney, educated at the prestigious Oxford University and at Harvard University, worked as a deputy Minister, deputy
Sukh Dhaliwal is ready to fight for Canada
is why the federal Liberal party has buoyed after Carney’s election as a leader, Carney has led federal Liberals from wallowing far below the Conservatives and NDP to now leading the Conservatives in polls.
He is someone who understands economic, understands business and understands how to protect and create jobs – whereas Poilievre has no such experience. And former Conservative PM Harper said that Carney guided Canada out of the economic downturn in 2008.
“This is why when I am on the ground people are coming forward to support me – Carney has made the change and people want Carney to lead this country,” he said.
Governor and then Governor at Bank of Canada and Governor at Bank of England and then appointed to a prestigious position by the United Nations, Dhaliwal said.
“And he did an amazing job. Former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper (who appointed Carney as the Governor of Bank of Canada) and the late Conservative Finance Minister Flaherty both said Carney did an amazing job managing Canada’s economy during the 2008 economic downturn. And the Conservative Prime Minister of United Kingdon also said that Carney did a fantastic job and was the best in the world as Governor of the Bank of England. You have Conservative leaders from two countries praising him for his work,” Dhaliwal said.
“And on the other hand, you have Pierrie Poilievre (Conservative Party leader) who has done nothing and has no achievements except being a professional politician and get elected to Parliament. He has no other achievement,”
“So, with these two choices, who would you choose to be the Prime Minister and leader of your country?” he asked.
Dhaliwal said overwhelmingly Canadians are saying their choice is Mark Carney and that
Similarly, people trust Carney to face off and push back Trump and his insidious attempts to threaten Canada’s sovereignty and tariffs. Carney showed the way by going to France ad United Kingdom first after becoming Prime Minister and then signing a trade agreement with Australia instead of United States.
Carney has eliminated the carbon tax, eliminated the GST on new homes valued at $1 million and eliminated the Capital Gains Tax increase that was proposed.‘: This is the action that Carney has taken within a few days of becoming Prime Minister,” he said.
“On the other hand, Poilievre is behaving just like Trump – no actions but a lot of negative sloganeering and threats. No concrete plans on how to protect Canada from Trump or how to help people facing affordability,” Dhaliwal said.
“Poilievre is a mini-Trump – or a Canadian Trump,”
“The choice is very clear – Mark Carney is the right person to be PM of this country,” he said.
He said that the Liberals had brought in many other great programs to benefit everyone – such as the $10 a day childcare; extended dental and drug coverage for those who don’t have insurance coverage and extended child tax benefit.
“People who could not afford dental care before now can get dental care and people who could not afford medicine before now can afford to get the medicines,” he said.
Talking about immigration, that Canada faced a labor shortage during and after the Covid crises and a lot of people were let into the country at that time for temporary periods. Students is an issue that ahs been brought about by the provinces.
Education is a provincial responsibility, and provinces accepted the students, and the federal
government just facilitated the visas upon admission as per the provincial rules.
But the provincial government failed as most of the students who came here settled either in Surrey or Brampton. “We can’t have that, - we wanted them to spread around.” he said.
“So, we as the federal government had to jump in after the provincial governments failed on this provincial responsibility,” he said.
The federal government has taken action by reducing the number of student visas by 35 percent; each province has been given a quota of how many foreign students can be studying in a province at any one time; and each student applying for a student visa will need a letter form the province verifying that that province will be accepting them as a foreign student – along with previous rules that required proof of funds/
income to support them while studying, etc.
“Hopefully, these steps will fix this problem” Dhaliwal said. He further added that reports of foreign student s on student visas applying for refugee status is unfortunate but under Canadian rules anyone is allowed to make a refugee claim.
Dhaliwal says that Prime Minister Carney has promised a balanced and fair approach to resolve the issues surrounding refugee claim backlog. He said that the Liberals had brought in many other great programs to benefit everyone – such as the $10 a day childcare; extended dental and drug coverage for those who don’t have insurance coverage and extended child tax benefit.
“People who could not afford dental care before now can get dental care and people who could not afford medicine before now can afford to get the medicines,” he said.
Canada blocks rebate payments to Tesla, bars it from future subsidies
The federal government is pausing payments that are to be made to EV-manufacturing giant Tesla under Ottawa’s subsidy program and has barred the company from future rebates in other programs until the threat of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada is withdrawn, Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland’s told Global News.
Freeland is currently running for re-election as the Liberal MP for University-Rosedale.
“As soon as I became Transport Minister, I asked the department to stop all payments for Tesla vehicles in order to fully examine each claim individually and determine whether all are eligible and valid. No payments will be made until we are confident that the claims are valid,” Freeland told Global News in an emailed statement.
According to the Toronto Star, Tesla filed 8,653 rebate claims over a 72-hour span in January shortly before the program was set to end.
Freeland added that the company, which is owned by key Trump aide and billionaire Elon
Musk, will not be eligible for the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program in the future. “I also directed my department to change the eligibility criteria for future iZEV programs to ensure that Tesla vehicles will not be eligible for incentive programs so long as the illegitimate and illegal U.S. tariffs are imposed against Canada,” Freeland said.
While she was campaigning to be Liberal leader, Freeland had called for a 100 per cent tariff on Tesla vehicles, given Musk’s position in the Trump administration. The federal NDP have urged Ottawa to put a 100 per cent tariff on Tesla vehicles. Musk has praised Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in the past. In January, before Trump’s inauguration, Poilievre was asked what he thought of Musk’s endorsement.
“It would be nice if we could convince Mr. Musk to open some of his factories here in Canada and create some high-paying jobs for our people,” Poilievre said.
Union calls for change
after Vancouver nurse strangled by patient
It’s the latest prominent case of a B.C. healthcare worker facing violence on the job – a nurse strangled to the point of losing consciousness earlier this month.
It happened on March 13 at the Segal Health Centre, and it’s prompting the B.C. Nurses Union to call for change.
“The patient that assaulted her also assaulted another patient,” Adriane Gear, union president, told CTV News on Tuesday.
“Her colleagues ended up dragging her lifeless body behind the nursing station, which was a secured area where she regained consciousness.”
This is the latest in a series of assaults on nurses including one earlier this month where a nurse was allegedly punched at Langley Memorial Hospital.
“It wasn’t that long ago that a student nurse was actually stabbed,” Gear said, referencing an incident last year.
“Now, obviously not fatally, but nonetheless, a patient turned a knife on a student.”
While the province has added in-house security guards in recent years, Gear says the Segal building has only one guard patrolling it, and the guard is not permanently stationed there.
“We want to see more relational security officers,” Gear said.
“There also needs to be more improvements in the communication of the risk of violence. In this instance, there was a history.
The full history was not communicated.”
Beyond security, there’s a call for consequences for those who assault nurses and other health-care workers.
“If it happened on the street, what would happen? If you [assaulted someone] on a street, you would be charged,” B.C. Conservative health critic Dr. Anna Kindy told CTV News on Tuesday. “This is not happening.
Rather than charging people, we’re having a nurse take a course on how to prevent this from happening again, as though she’s at fault.”
Man accused of Kelowna bridge explosives threat faces 11 charges
The man accused of driving a van containing materials that posed a “significant risk to public safety” onto a bridge in B.C.’s Okanagan in January is now facing a litany of charges, the Kelowna RCMP announced Wednesday.
They include making or possessing explosives, arson, and mischief endangering life.
The Jan. 27 incident shut down the William R. Bennett Bridge for nearly 12 hours while the RCMP’s explosive disposal unit travelled to Kelowna from the Lower Mainland and rendered the vehicle safe for transport.
Early that morning, a “distraught” suspect—now identified by police as 61-year-old Roy Winter—
parked the white van with “Mr. Chill Ice Cream” written on the front on the bridge. He allegedly made threatening comments “concerning his wellbeing” to police before setting a fire inside the van.
A lengthy and since-deleted social media post from a man with the same name indicated the van contained “60 pounds of highly volatile material” he threatened to detonate.
The suspect was taken to hospital after the fire was extinguished. In an update, Mounties said he was arrested on Tuesday following his release, and appeared in court later that evening.
The full list of charges Winter faces is:
• Arson
• Making or possessing explosives
• Use of explosives to cause serious bodily harm
• Possession of incendiary material
• Mischief endangering life
• Mischief
• Nuisance endangering life
• Assault peace officer with a weapon
• Resist/obstruct peace officer
• Uttering threats
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
Police say Winter remains in custody and his next court appearance is on April. 3.
“It is imperative that we protect the ongoing judicial process, with that no further details will be released at this time,”
said Cpl. Mike Gauthier in a statement.
Ford calls for inflicting ‘as much pain as possible’ on U.S. after Trump tariff announcement
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he fully supports retaliatory tariffs and inflicting as much pain as possible on Americans after U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on automotive imports.
Ford says he spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney and asked him to convene a first ministers’ meeting “as soon as possible.”
“President Trump is calling [April 2nd] ‘Liberation Day’, I call it ‘Termination Day’ for American workers,” Ford said at a hastily called news conference at Queen’s Park late Wednesday. “I know President Trump likes telling people, ‘You’re fired,’ I didn’t think he meant auto workers in the U.S.”
Canadian population.” According to the executive order signed by Trump, cars built in Mexico and Canada would be tariffed at a lower rate based on what percentage of the car that is built in those countries. The tariff won’t be immediately applied to parts shipped under the USMCA deal but eventually it will, based on the value of the non-US components of the parts.
Vehicles and auto parts make up 30 per cent of Ontario exports.
Ford says he’s not re-imposing a surcharge on electricity Ontario sends to three states, but it remains on the table.
Rejection of
'star' candidates in BC raises questions about federal parties' internal vetting
The rejection of several potential star candidates has raised questions about the internal vetting and candidate selection processes of the federal Liberal and Conservative parties. On Tuesday, former B.C. premier Christy Clark announced she had been refused by the Liberals, joining her former finance minister Mike de Jong, a 30-year veteran of the B.C. legislature, and Anita Huberman, former CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, who had been turned away by the Conservatives in recent weeks.
“I can assure you of one thing: we’re going to make sure to inflict as much pain as possible on the American people without inflicting pain on the
The premier also called it an “awful coincidence” that Trump’s announcement was made as the controversy surrounding his Secretary of Defence heated up.
“I indicated a strong willingness to run. I wanted to take on the Conservatives and deliver a riding for our party that we don’t currently hold,” Clark said of her desire to be the Liberal candidate in South Surrey-White Rock, which is represented by Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
“The party has moved in a different direction. That’s politics.”
Clark’s candidacy had faced local opposition from party members who were concerned by her past affiliations with the Conservatives, a revelation that helped sink her potential bid to be leader of the Liberals in January. Brittney Kerr, a founding partner of Framepoint Public Affairs and former co-chair for the Liberal’s national campaign in 2019, said she believes the other problem for Clark was that candidate Ernie Klassen, a White Rock city councillor, had already been approved by the party.
She said that even with questions about Clark’s party loyalty and the fact the Liberals had already chosen a candidate, the final decision was likely to have been a hard one.
” Christy is a former premier, a blue liberal, a hell of a communicator and would have been a formidable opponent to the current Conservative MP,” said Kerr.
Trump announces 25% tariffs on vehicles imported to U.S., including from Canada
President Donald Trump has announced new import taxes of 25% on cars and car parts coming into the US. Trump said the latest tariffs would come into effect on 2 April, with charges on businesses importing vehicles starting the next day. Taxes on parts are set to start in May or later.
The president said the measure would lead to "tremendous growth" for the industry, promising it would spur jobs and investment in the US.
But analysts have said the move is likely to lead to the temporary shutdown of significant car production in the US, increase prices, and strain relations with allies. Trump's latest move threatens to upend global car trade and supply chains.
The US imported about eight million cars last year - accounting for about $240bn (£186bn) in trade and roughly half of overall sales
Mexico is the top supplier of cars to the US, followed by South Korea, Japan, Canada and Germany. Many US car companies have operations in Mexico and Canada as well, set up under the terms of the longstanding free trade agreement between them.
The new tariffs on car parts from Canada and Mexico are exempt while US customs and border patrol set up a system to assess the duties, the White House said. The neighbouring countries see goods worth billions cross borders each day.
Ahead of the announcement on Wednesday, shares in General Motors slid roughly 3%, while Stellantis - the owner of Jeep and Chrysler - fell 3.6%. In a post on X, Elon Musk said Tesla would be affected by the measures. "The tariff impact on Tesla is still significant," he said.
Would-be Toronto hitman jailed six years after failed hit on B.C. man
A Toronto man has been jailed for six years in B.C. after pleading guilty to conspiring to kill a Surrey man, according to a B.C. Supreme Court judgment. The ruling revealed details of how Metro residents who wanted Harkirat Jhutty dead in April 2023 took care of the Toronto man’s accommodation, provided stolen vehicles and showed him photos of the target and his car. They also provided Jhutty’s address and real-time updates on his location, according to the sentencing judgment for Nathan Rashawn Johnson-Audain released on Monday.
According to an statement of facts provided jointly by the prosecution and defence, Johnson-
Audain, then 20, used the alias Road on the encryted Signal communications app, where he was given instructions on where to park to carry out the murder and how to make his getaway.
His co-conspirators, using the aliases Nlits, WICK and stamprr, also encouraged the wouldbe assassin, imploring him to not to hesitate in shooting Jhutty and to not get distracted, Justice Martha Devlin wrote in her decision.
Man dies in horrific accident near Navola along the Coral Coast
A man has passed away following a horrific accident near Navola along the Coral Coast early this morning. Korolevu Police confirm the accident occurred at about 3.30am when the man was driving towards Navola Village. The car had tumbled down the cliff. The man was the only person in the vehicle.
Teacher assaulted in school car park by student
A Year 11 student at a Nausori high school is under investigation for allegedly assaulting a teacher.
The incident took place yesterday at a school run by a faith-based organisation.
Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said the student was allegedly frustrated with an incident that occurred during the day.She said alleged assault took place in the school car park. “Following the initial incident he was called up to the Principal’s office and counselled, however committed the offence at the car park as he was not happy,” Ms Naisoro said. “Matter was reported at the Nakasi Police Station and he was brought in with a parent for questioning.” Investigations continue.
North sugarcane farmers receive grants under the New Farmers & Lease Premium Grant Program
Sugarcane farmers in the Northern Division will receive assistance through the New Farmers and Lease Premium Grant Program, with 29 farmers in Labasa and 59 farmers in Seaqaqa set to be given grants.
While speaking at the handover in Seaqaqa, Minister for Sugar Industry, Charan Jeath Singh says the government has allocated $1 million for the 2024-2025 financial year to ensure that more farmers benefit from this opportunity.
He says they have already provided critical financial support to 361 farmers during the 2023-2024 financial year under this initiative to help them secure and access land for sugarcane farming.
The Minister says this initiative is not just about supporting new farmers but also about securing land tenure for existing farmers, allowing them to expand their operations and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the sugar industry.
Suneet Mehta, Indian High Commissioner to Fiji, concurrently accredited to Tuvalu
New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): Suneet Mehta, High Commissioner of India to Fiji, has been concurrently accredited as the High Commissioner of India to Tuvalu, with residence in Suva
He is expected to take up the assignment shortly, a Ministry of External Affairs release said. Mehta is an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 2007 batch.
Bilateral relations between India and Tuvalu have grown steadily since the reopening of the High Commission of India, Suva, in 1999.
The Forum for India-Pacific Island Countries was inaugurated in November 2014 at Suva. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also hosted the First Summit of the Forum in Suva during his historic visit to Fiji. The Forum saw participation of 14 Pacific Island Countries. Tuvalu delegation was led by the Governor-General Sir Italeli Iakoba.
Tuvalu became one of the Founding Members of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) - a joint initiative of the Governments of India and France to promote solar energy.
A life spent waiting - and searching rows of unclaimed
bodies
Saira Baloch was 15 when she stepped into a morgue for the first time.
All she heard in the dimly-lit room were sobs, whispered prayers and shuffling feet. The first body she saw was a man who appeared to have been tortured. His eyes were missing, his teeth had been pulled out and there were burn marks on his chest. "I couldn't look at the other bodies. I walked out," she recalled. But she was relieved. It wasn't her brother - a police officer who had been missing for nearly a year since he was arrested in 2018 in a counter-terrorism operation in Balochistan, one of Pakistan's most restive regions.
Inside the morgue, others continued their desperate search, scanning rows of unclaimed corpses. Saira would soon adopt this grim routine, revisiting one morgue after another. They were all the same: tube lights flickering, the air thick with the stench of decay and antiseptic.
On every visit, she hoped she would not find what she was looking for - seven years on, she still
hasn't. Activists say thousands of ethnic Baloch people have been disappeared by Pakistan's security forces in the last two decades - allegedly detained without due legal process, or abducted, tortured and killed in operations against a decadesold separatist insurgency.
The Pakistan government denies the allegations, insisting that many of the missing have joined separatist groups or fled the country.
Some return after years, traumatised and broken - but many never come back. Others are found in unmarked graves that have appeared across Balochistan, their bodies so disfigured they cannot be identified. And then there are the women across generations whose lives are being defined by waiting. Young and old, they take part in protests, their faces lined with grief, holding up fading photographs of men no longer in their lives.
Nepal rival protest: Kathmandu braces for pro-monarch, pro-republic protest tomorrow
Kathmandu [Nepal], March 27 (ANI): Kathmandu is bracing for rival protests on Friday, with pro-monarch and pro-republic groups set to demonstrate at two separate locations, expected to start after noon.
The Socialist Front, comprising opposition parties like CPN-Maoist Center and CPNUnified Socialist, will rally in favor of the republic at Bhrikutimandap, while a group led by Durga Prasai will push for the restoration of the monarchy at Tinkune, near the airport.
Both groups have obtained permission from the Kathmandu District Administration Office, and over 3,500 police personnel will be deployed to maintain order. The protests may cause traffic disruptions, as both groups plan to hold rallies in various areas. "The Socialist Front has been permitted to protest at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu while Prasai's group has been allowed to demonstrate at Tinkune (near the airport)," Chief District Officer Rishiram Tiwari confirmed to ANI over the phone.
"Our government has inherited the problem": EAM replies on Indian fishermen
New Delhi [India], March 27 (ANI):
Addressed the queries regarding the plight of Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka during the question hour in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishanker said that the current government inherited the situation due to events that can be traced back to 1974 and 1976.
Jaishankar detailed Sri Lanka's legal framework, stating, "Sri Lanka has two laws--the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act of 1996 and the Fisheries Regulation of Foreign Fishing Boats of 1979. Both these acts were amended in 2018
and 2023, providing for much stiffer sentences, bigger fines, and greater detention."
He explained that many of those serving sentences are boat owners, skippers, or repeat offenders, complicating resolution efforts.
He stated that the "root cause" of the ongoing issue related to the detention of Indian
The socialist front, revealing their locations for gathering, has announced major areas such as Babarmahal, Kupondole, Tripureshwore, Sorhakhutte, Maitidevi, Sundhara, and New Road as pocket areas to gather before proceeding to Bhrikuti Mandap.
Meanwhile, the Prasai faction is preparing rallies from the Sinamangal area of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur.
detained by Sri Lanka
fishermen in Sri Lanka began in 1974 when the international maritime boundary line was drawn, followed by an exchange of letters in 1976 with Sri Lanka delineating fishing jurisdiction.
"The house is aware that, in a way, our government has inherited the problem. This problem began in 1974 when the international maritime
boundary line was drawn, followed by an exchange of letters in 1976 delineating fishing jurisdiction. These decisions are the root cause of the situation," EAM said while replying to the question raised by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva. Jaishanakar further noted that the majority of the fishermen detained in Sri Lanka are from Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry due to geographical proximity.
"Because it is Sri Lanka, it is natural that the majority of the fishermen will be from Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry," he said, outlining the issue's regional context.
Punjab Budget: No new taxes imposed, no funds allocated for monthly grant to women; focus on drug menace, health sector
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday presented a Rs 2.36 lakh crore Budget, which focuses on tackling drug menace in the state, and allocated a whopping Rs
5,598 crore for the health sector.
No fresh taxes were imposed in the Budget for financial year 2025-26. It was silent on giving monthly Rs 1,000 to women which was one of the poll promises of the AAP before coming to power. This marks the fourth Budget presented by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, and it prioritises the state’s ongoing efforts to fight drugs through the ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’ (war against drugs) campaign.
During his Budget speech in the Punjab Assembly, Cheema talked about AAP-led Punjab government's anti-drug campaign to check drug scourge.
UP man gets death for rape & murder of 5-yr old Ludhiana girl
The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Amar Jeet Singh has awarded the death penalty to Sonu Singh, 28, fromFatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, for the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl.
Delivering the verdict in 58 pages, based on the testimonies of 16 witnesses and supported by CCTV footage and DNA reports, the court held the accused guilty beyond any doubt. It also imposed a fine of ₹5,50,000 on him, of which ₹5 lakh will be paid as compensation to the victim’s family. “There can never be graver and more heinous crime than rape and murder of a fiveyear-old girl, who was unable to comprehend as to what was going to happen when she let herself to be taken by the convict on the pretext of playing. The deceased victim had no idea that a person would take her dignity and life
in return of a chocolate of Rs 10,” observed the court. “The diabolic nature of the convict shows his satanic nerves, who behaved in a predatory manner, and to satisfy his libidinous urge, he brutally raped the victim and then, to save himself, killed her by way of strangulation and dumped the body in a bed box and fled," remarked the judge. “Indeed, such criminals are danger to the society at large and are beyond reformation and rehabilitation. Therefore, this court is of the firm opinion that the present case falls within the purview of the 'rarest of rare cases' and calls for imposition of capital punishment upon the convict," said the court awarding the death penalty.
Punjab Assembly adopts censure motion against Bajwa over remarks on Seechewal
Amid noisy scenes and verbal clashes between the treasury and the opposition Congress benches, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Thursday adopted a censure motion against Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa for his comments on environmentalist and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal.
The motion was passed in the absence of Congress MLAs, who thrice staged a walkout over not being allowed to speak during the zero hour. The motion, however, elicited support from SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali and suspended Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar.
Amid accusations and counter-accusations, the House was adjourned twice even as Cabinet minister and AAP MLAs sought an apology from Bajwa, who refused to budge. Reiterating his comments on Seechewal made in the House yesterday, the CLP leader attacked the ruling party for promoting the MP's failed Seechewal model to clean village ponds and described the
environmentalist as a contractor, who had no scientific knowledge.
As the ruckus continued for nearly two hours, hardly any member could raise their issues during the zero hour. Countering the ruling party’s onslaught on him, Bajwa accused Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and the treasury benches of orchestrating a deliberate move to stifle his voice, as he sought a resolution to seek the Bharat Ratna for Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. Instead of allowing Congress MLAs to speak on the Budget, the issue of Seechewal was dragged in the House, he said. Rebutting Bajwa’s claim, the Speaker said as per the rule book, the resolution had to be brought 15 days in advance.
As the CLP leader stood to speak in the zero hour, AAP MLA Inderjeet Kaur said Bajwa had no right to come to the House after he disgraced a Padma Shri awardee and environmentalist. She added that Bajwa must apologise or he should be expelled from the house.
Punjab Govt. to take out padyatra to spread awareness on drug menace
Right in the midst of the Yudh Nasheyan Virudh campaign of the AAP government, Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has announced to undertake a six-day “padyatra” to create awareness against the drug menace.
The Governor will start the padyatra from near the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district, on April 3. It will culminate on the April 8 evening at the Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. Kataria will be walking through the villages of Gurdaspur and Amritsar during these six days, covering seven to eight kilometres daily.
CM Mann ends Punjab Budget discussion with 'witty' potshots at Congress
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today chose to give a political speech, rather than speak on the precarious fiscal health of the state or the steps taken by his government for fiscal consolidation, concluding the discussion on his government’s fourth Budget for 2025-26.
Mann briefly spoke of the irrigation channels that had been created by his government and the efforts to save groundwater. However, many Opposition leaders, including BJP's Ashwani Sharma, Congress' Aruna Chaudhary and SAD’s Manpreet Singh Ayali sought to know why women were not given the promised Rs 1,000 per month honorarium even after three years of the AAP rule. However, Mann chose the occasion to strongly defend his party’s Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, who was targetted by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa yesterday. He also defended the presence of his own party’s central leaders in Chandigarh, throwing a barb at the Congress, asking: “Where does your leader Bhupesh Baghel come from?” Bajwa had already left the House when the CM addressed the MLAs.
He also raked up the infighting in the Congress, saying “when Baghel came, he did not even know how great a sportsperson Pargat Singh is. I get intelligence reports and I know exactly what happened. Baghel told Pargat that he heard he played hockey, to which the LoP responded that he lost in two Olympic Games. Pargat, unwilling to take it lying down, had said at least I am not into smuggling, I was playing for the country”. Mann also said the Congress leaders, other than the LoP, were the “organic Congressi” and are peace loving. “Sometimes, when I look at these well-behaved people on the other side of the House, I want to invite them to come and join us,” he said. Discreetly hitting at the Opposition MLA
for alleged corruption while their parties were in power, he explained that though his government had kept Rs 5 crore for each of the 117 constituencies under Rangla Punjab Vikas Scheme, he hoped “… you people, pointing to the Opposition side, will not fall prey to your old habits of utilising the money on paper by showing construction of walls of cremation grounds. I will get the funds utilised on your asking, audited,” he said. “Raula paan wale tan chale gaye… Ghar ja ke supne dekh de ne ki Bhagwant CM nahin reha (those who create ruckus in the House, referring to Partap Bajwa, have left for their homes). We might not have swanky cars or clothes like him, but some of us are lawyers and doctors and can manage the affairs of the state better. He (Bajwa) asked for the qualification of Seechewal and insulted him, but he forgot that his model and environmental activism have been praised by those holding the highest office of President,” said the CM.
He added, "Punjab has already tested what the 'Doon wale' (in reference to Manpreet Badal), 'Sanawar wale' (in reference to Sukhbir Badal) and 'PPS wale' ( referring to Partap Bajwa) have done for the state."
Earlier, Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said during the past three years of the AAP rule, they had managed to increase the revenue receipts manifold, while the previous Akali BJP and the Congress government never did anything to increase the revenue. “They only increased the debt of the stars, which we are repaying and bearing the cost of interest on the debt. In five years of the Akali-BJP rule in 2012-17, the CAPEX was just Rs 14,641 crore, in next five years of the Congress, it was Rs 19,356 crore. In three years, we have built capital assets worth Rs 19,810 crore,” he said.
Sources in the Punjab Raj Bhawan told The Tribune that Governor Kataria had already informed the state government of his decision to undertake the yatra to showcase the seriousness of Government of India to “address the growing menace of drug/substance abuse”. He has asked almost all top political functionaries in the state government to join him in the padyatra on any given day of their choice.
He has exhorted the government functionaries to work together with him to overcome drug menace and make the state a 'Rangla Punjab'.
India-China relations: Modi's hope for a thaw amid uncertain geopolitics
In a recent interview, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke positively about India's relationship with long-time rival China. He said normalcy had returned to the disputed India-China border and called for stronger ties.
These are striking comments, because tensions have been high since a nasty border clash in the northern Ladakh region in 2020 - the deadliest since a 1962 war.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning expressed appreciation for Modi's words and declared that "the two countries should be partners that contribute to each other's success".
Modi's pitch for closer partnership isn't actually as big of a leap as it may seem, given recent improvements in bilateral ties. But the relationship remains strained, and much will need to fall into place - bilaterally and more broadly geopolitically - for it to enjoy a true rapprochement.
India-China ties have many bright spots.
Bilateral trade is consistently robust; even after the Ladakh clash, China has been India's top trade partner. They co-operate multilaterally, from
Brics, the alliance of major developing countries, to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. They share interests in advancing non-Western economic models, countering Islamist terrorism and rejecting what they deem US moral crusading.
Even after the Ladakh clash sunk ties to their lowest level in decades, the two militaries continued to hold high-level dialogues, which resulted in a deal in October to resume border patrols. Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping at a Brics summit in Russia that month and they pledged further co-operation. In January, the two sides agreed to resume direct flights.
Still, the relationship remains troubled.
Layoffs 2025: American Aircraft Manufacturing Giant Boeing Terminates 180 Employees In India
American aircraft and defense manufacturing giant Boeing laid off some of its 7,000 employees in India.
In its ongoing global restructuring bid, the company’s engineering technology center in Bengaluru axed around 180 staff. Per the reports, Boeing has also recreated a few new positions in the wake of layoffs. The Boeing India Engineering
Technology Center
inaugurated by PM Modi in January 2024. It is the struggling company’s one of the largest investments outside
the US. The state-of-the-art campus was built at an investment of Rs 1,600 crore.
From bombers to ballistic missiles and banshee fighters , the century-old company has manufactured across the commercial, defense, and space sectors. Boeing has been active in India for 75 years now, employing some 7,000 regular employees and over 13,000 people in the supply chain. The company recently bragged about its talent pool and pipeline to tap into the best in India in the nation’s bid to become a $30 trillion economy by 2047. The aircraft manufacturer has provided its Boeings to not only the likes of Tatas and IndiGos but the Indian Navy as well.
In its recent report of “Commercial Market Outlook," Boeing made a forecast for the next two decades that over 129,000 new pilots, technicians, and cabin crew will be required in the aviation sector in South Asia. The report claimed that the global airline network is back at its 2019 levels even while adapting to new market trends.
Three J&K policemen, 3 Pak-origin militants killed in Kathua gunfight
Three Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel and three militants were killed while three security men were injured in an encounter in a thick forest near Jakhole village of Ghati Juthana in J&K’s Kathua district on Thursday.
The security forces, including the Army, launched a combing operation after being alerted by villagers about suspicious movement in the area, said officials.
Sources said the hiding terrorists, carrying sophisticated weapons and learnt to be highly trained and of Pakistani origin, fired indiscriminately at the security personnel, injuring five of them, including Sub-Divisional Police Officer Dheeraj Katoch. Katoch and three other police personnel were the first to reach the area and came under heavy fire from the militants. During the encounter, a head constable and two constables were killed, said sources.
No official statement was released by the police till the filing of this report. The injured included a jawan of Special Forces of the Army and two policemen.
Sources in the Military Intelligence said the militants were most likely the same group that was involved in an encounter at Sanyal village of Hiranagar in Kathau on Sunday. “The militants were probably trying to reach the higher reaches so as to escape to other areas. However, they were spotted by the locals, who alerted the security forces,” the sources said.
Even on Tuesday, a woman had spotted two suspects in Army fatigue in Ding Amb belt, after which the police were alerted.
The Ghati Juthana area is nearly 35 km from the International Border with Pakistan in Kathua from where the terrorists are believed to have infiltrated.
(BIETC) was
The Lok Sabha passed the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, on Thursday, with Home Minister Amit Shah saying that those who come to India for business, education and investment are welcome, but those who pose a threat to security will face stringent action.
Shah said the government would not allow anyone who wished to disrupt peace enter the country.
“This country is not a dharamshala where anyone can come and reside. If someone comes by following the law and with an intention of developing both India and their home country, they are most welcome. But if it is a security threat, it is the right of Parliament to make a law
to stop them,” he said in Parliament while replying to a debate on the Bill.
The Bill, which seeks to regulate immigration, entry and stay of foreigners in India, was passed by a voice vote. It repeals the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000. During the discussion, Shah explained the features of the Bill and said it held significance for strengthening national security, ensuring global standards of Indian universities and building foundations for research and development, which would ultimately fulfil the dream of a developed India by 2047.
The leaders of six Bar associations of different high courts on Thursday met Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna-led Supreme Court Collegium and demanded the withdrawal of the recommendation to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court.
Justice Varma has been in the eye of the storm following discovery of unaccounted cash at his residence during a fire incident on March 14. The
leaders of the Bar associations of the high courts of Allahabad, Gujarat, Kerala, Jabalpur, Karnataka and Lucknow (Bench of Allahabad HC), who met the CJI and other Collegium members, also questioned non-registration of an FIR in the incident. The other Collegium members are Justices BR Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S Oka and
A CBI court in Chandigarh will on Saturday pronounce its judgment in the 2008 alleged “cash at judge’s door” case against Justice Nirmal Yadav, then a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The case against Justice Yadav had originated when a bag containing Rs 15 lakh was delivered at the residence of Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, another sitting judge of the high court. The prosecution had maintained that
Vikram Nath.
Judicial work has already been withdrawn from Justice Varma. Now, the Bar leaders have sought the withdrawal of all administrative work from him. Justice Varma has denied the allegations saying no cash was ever placed in the storeroom either by him or any of his family members, and that there was an attempt to frame him. The lawyers of the Allahabad High Court are already on an indefinite strike from March 25 against the recommendation to transfer Justice Varma to his parent high court.
The CJI assured the Bar leaders that their demand against the transfer would be considered, Allahabad High Court Bar Association president Anil Tiwari told reporters after the meeting. However, sources said, the CJI did not promise anything.
Earlier, the Bar leaders submitted a memorandum to the CJI’s office, seeking an appointment with him. They appreciated the steps taken by the CJI to embrace transparency and to make public the probe report of Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and other materials on the top court’s website.
the bag was meant for Justice Yadav but due to the similarity in the names of the two judges, it mistakenly reached Justice Kaur’s residence. The Chandigarh Police had registered an FIR on August 16, 2008. Special CBI Judge Alka Malik today reserved the verdict after final arguments concluded on the additional evidence produced by the prosecution and the rebuttal by the defence counsels.
Hours after Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh attended Parliament’s Budget session “in-custody”, the Delhi High Court declined an urgent hearing on his plea seeking waiver of Rs 1.45 lakh daily travel expense required for Lok Sabha attendance. The court scheduled the hearing for Friday. The development came after Rashid’s counsel received an email from the Tihar Jail, stating he must pay Rs 1,45,736 per day for travel between prison and Parliament -totaling Rs 8,74,416 for the six-day session. Rashid filed an urgent application seeking modification of this order, stating he lacked funds and his family had only managed to arrange one day’s expenses through crowdfunding. His petition noted no
such costs were imposed during his previous Parliament visits for oath-taking or the July 2024 and February 2025 sessions.
The Chief Justice of the High Court declined urgent hearing and listed the plea for Friday. Meanwhile in Lok Sabha, Rashid humoured Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari during the Question Hour, remarking, “Everyone is a fan of your work and working style.” Gadkari provided updates on infrastructure projects worth
