The Asian Star December 8 2018

www.theasianstar.com Vol 17 - Issue 49

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Raj Grewal addresses allegations of ethical breaches while recanting resignation as MP Liberal MP Raj Grewal has announced his intention to leave the party caucus, but will stay on as an MP for the time being amid questions surrounding his conduct and gambling addiction. In an 11-minute video posted to Facebook late Friday night, Grewal addressed multiple allegations against him raised in the House of Commons and in legions of media reports. “I know my silence this past week has raised questions and speculation – and for that, I truly apologize,� he begins. Grewal then launches into an exhaustive, detailed account of his version of the events since he was elected to his Brampton seat in 2015.

Continued on page 9

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India’s ties with Canada have come to a ‘standstill’ after Trudeau’s controversial visit There has been an absence of ministerial engagement in the 9 months since Canadian PM Justin Trudeau visited India. Toronto: India’s relationship with Canada has been marked by an absence of engagement at the ministerial level in terms of bilateral visits in the nine months since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s difficult and controversial visit to India. A senior Indian official described the state of affairs as “standstill�, while another predicted the situation might not change for yet another year since Lok Sabha elections are due in India next year and just months later, federal elections

will be held in Canada in October 2019. An Indian official added on condition of anonymity: “It will be up to the new government to bring the relationship back on track.� That the relationship has been somewhat derailed is evident from not just the absence of bilateral visits in the past nine months, but the cancellation of expected visits. Commerce minister Suresh Prabhu was expected in Canada in September, but the trip never came through. That was also the case with the visit of minister of Continued on page 7

RCMP should have alerted Prime Minister’s protective detail about Jaspal Atwal: review The RCMP should have alerted Justin Trudeau’s protective detail that Jaspal Atwal,a man with a serious criminal record and a history of violence, might turn up during the prime minister’s February trip to India, says a review of the turbulent visit. The newly released report from the nationalsecurity committee of parliamentarians says the RCMP “recognizes that it erred� in not passing along the information about Atwal, who had been convicted of attempted murder years earlier. The heavily censored report, tabled Monday in Parliament, says government agencies do not have a comprehensive system for vetting guest lists for foreign events involving the prime minister and have not conducted a “lessons learned� exercise to determine what they

RCMP to look into tale of two Liberal MPs, a suburban overpass, trip to India and multimillion dollar land deal The Toronto-area city of Brampton has asked the RCMP to look at a multimillion-dollar land deal after confidential information on the transaction was passed to local Liberal MPs Navdeep Bains and Raj Grewal, sources confirmed Friday.

City council referred the matter to the Mounties at a special meeting Tuesday, sources confirmed to the National Post.

The information received by Bains – the economic development minister – and Grewal, who recently Continued on page 7

could do better. Trudeau was embarrassed during the overseas trip when it was revealed that Atwal, a B.C. Sikh convicted of trying to assassinate an Indian minister in 1986, had been invited to two events with the prime minister.

Atwal was also charged, but not convicted, in connection with a 1985 attack on Ujjal Dosanjh, a staunch opponent of the Sikh separatist movement, who later became B.C. premier and then a federal Liberal cabinet minister. Atwal was photographed with Trudeau’s wife and at least one cabinet minister during a Feb. 20 event in Mumbai, and an invitation to a second event, in New Delhi, was rescinded after the news broke.

Continued on page 7

Hindu priest charged with sexual assault at Surrey temple A Hindu priest living in Delta has been charged with sexual assault dating back to January 2015 He was turned in to police by a Surrey temple he was working at in the summer of 2018. Rajpal Sharma who has been working

in Lower Mainland temples for more than 20 years, charged with sexual assault.

Rajpal Sharma was kicked out of the temple by leadership this summer after they Continued on page 9

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www.theasianstar.com Vol 17 - Issue 49

from Barriere, B.C., were airlifted to Vancouver after being poisoned in their home.

Dr. Bruce Campana, one of the physicians at Vancouver General Hospital who treated some of the patients, called it an “insane” week for treatments.

He said he’s aware of at least 17 previous cases of carbon monoxide poisoning in the past few weeks.

The City of Vancouver made carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in May, 2017. In the rest of the province, only new homes with a fuel-burning appliance or a storage garage are required to have a detector.

South Asian killer denied faint-hope hearing for early parole after 2000 gang slaying in Delta A judge has denied killer Robbie Soomel a chance at early parole, saying that a jury is not likely to vote unanimously in Soomel’s favour if he ordered a faint-hope hearing. B.C. Supreme Court Justice George Macintosh agreed with Soomel’s lawyer Brent Anderson that his client has made strides toward rehabilitation over the last six years in jail.

But Macintosh also said Soomel was involved in two brutal murders in 1997 and 2000 and had poor prison behaviour for the first 12 years of his life sentence.

Soomel was convicted of the firstdegree murder of friend-turned-drug

Fx:604-503-3854

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Surrey fire chief calls for mandatory carbon monoxide detectors Surrey’s fire chief is calling on the province to make carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in wake of the recent poisonings that sent 18 people to hospital.

“You’d think that it would be a pretty simple decision to say ‘maybe we should nudge this ahead,’” said Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis. “We’d probably see a big change in what we’re seeing in terms of those hospitalizations and poisonings and deaths.”

Thirteen people were hospitalized in Vancouver, Dec. 5, when they were exposed to carbon monoxide in an office on Wednesday.

A day later, two adults and three children

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trade rival Gurpreet Sohi, who was shot to death in a Delta basement suite in September 2000. And Soomel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for assisting with the contracted killing of Jason Herle in Abbotsford in 1997.

Soomel was just 18 at the time. At his murder trial, he was also identified as a suspect in the stillunsolved 1998 assassination of journalist Tara Singh Hayer, who had agreed to testify for the Crown in the Air India terrorism case. The faint-hope clause allows murderers who killed before December 2011 to apply for a chance at early parole after serving 15 years of their sentence.

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PM Modi at Priyanka’s wedding

Sophie Turner, Joe Jonas, Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Narendra Modi, Madhu Chopra

You know it’s one of the biggest and most talked about weddings of the year when you have an Indian superstar and American singer-actor tying the knot. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’s love story is one of its kinds and the happy couple tonight is hosting their first wedding reception in the capital which is expected to be attended by

top politicos, industrialists and designers.

Marking his prestigious presence and celebrating with the couple tonight is Prime Minister Narendra Modi who arrived at the Taj Palace, New Delhi. Happily posing with the newlyweds and congratulating them on the start of their new journey, PM Modi was caught sharing a laugh with Priyanka

Snow alert for Metro Vancouver this weekend Environment Canada has posted a special weather statement for Metro Vancouver, saying there is a chance it could snow Friday night.

The statement, posted Thursday, says the region may see rain possibly mixed with wet snow after midnight Friday, with “a slight risk” of freezing rain.

The federal weather agency says a ridge of high pressure has led to a stretch of cold but sunny conditions around the South

Coast this week. Locations that are sheltered from outflow winds and areas farther up the Fraser Valley could remain at or below zero, the agency says, resulting in pockets of freezing rain overnight Friday and Saturday morning.

Environment Canada encourages people to monitor weather forecasts and to report severe weather to bcstorm@canada.ca

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OPINION

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Canada needs to get own refugee house in order When it comes to Canada’s border woes, the last thing we need is to sign onto a United Nations deal that will only further complicate our current mess.

Yet that’s just what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is planning to do later this month in Morocco when he signs on to something called the UN Global Compact on Migration.

It’s an international agreement that will see countries cooperate to deal with the movement of migrants around the world.

We are, to put it mildly, skeptical of deals like this. The UN Human Rights Council seems to do more to shield human rights

abuses than it does solve problems. And all the Paris climate deal has given Canada so far is the unpopular carbon tax.

There are few reasons to believe this new deal on migration will make things better and many reasons to believe it will worsen our border woes.

One big worry is that Canada will be pressured into accepting a volume of refugees or economic migrants that is not based on what’s best for us but based on what the international community demands of us, that it will obscure the line between immigrants and migrants.

Policies that deliver responsible immigration and integration should be determined by sovereign states, not by international bodies.

“Canadians must be in control of their borders and have full sovereignty over their immigration system, and refuse to allow the government to continue to cede this control to authorities beyond our borders,” a Conservative motion calling on the government to reject the compact reads in part. (It was rejected by the Liberals Wednesday afternoon.)

It would be great if this compact resulted in a sharing of best practices that strengthened Canada’s immigration system, but currently, there is no real plan or funding to care for those who have already crossed our borders.

The United States has a mess on their southern border that’s tearing at their social fabric. Europe has no handle on their borders right now.

And while it’s true that Canada has until very recently had an immigration system that’s the envy of the world, we now have little control over the 20,000 people a year crossing illegally over our border.

Before Canada makes further commitments, we need to fix and fund our refugee system here.

www.theasianstar.com # 202 - 8388, 128 St., Surrey, BC V3W 4G2 Ph: 604-591-5423 Fax: 604-591-8615 E-mail: editor@theasianstar.com Editor: Umendra Singh Associate Editor: Chhavi Disawar Marketing and Sales: Ravinder S. Cheema........604-715-3847 Shamir Doshi....................604-649-7827 Harminder Kaur...............778-708-0481 Parminder Dhillon..........604-902-2858 Pre-Press: Iftikhar Ahmed Design: Avee J Waseer Contributing writers: Jag Dhatt, Akash Sablok, Kamila Singh, Jay Bains

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India’s ties with Canada have come to a ‘standstill’ after Trudeau’s controversial visit From page 1 parliamentary secretary for international development Kamal Khera is expected in India this week, but the sort of structured and continuous dialogue at the seniormost levels of government that marked 2016 and 2017 has been missing for the past few months. road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari. The then minister of state for external affairs MJ Akbar was due in Canada in November for a visit that included participation in the Halifax International Security Forum but it had to be cancelled after he resigned from the government in the wake of a spate of sexual harassment allegations. His replacement at the Halifax Forum, VK Singh, also minister of state for external affairs, skipped the event and expected engagements in Toronto, though he did travel to the US. More than one attempt to have a high-level bilateral meeting between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Canadian counterpart Chrystia Freeland have come to naught, according to Indian officials.

Meanwhile, HT has learnt that a proposed visit to India by Canada’s minister of environment, Catherine McKenna, is also off. There was no response from officials in New Delhi to a request for comments.

Minister for mines Narendra Singh Tomar did visit in March but that had been arranged prior to Trudeau’s trip.

Also, human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar travelled to Vancouver in July but that was to inaugurate and participate in the 17th World Sanskrit Conference. Officials don’t rule out bilateral meetings in the months ahead though nothing is planned at this time. Canada’s

RCMP to look into tale of two Liberal MPs, a suburban overpass, trip to India and multimillion dollar land deal From page 1

announced he would resign because of a gambling addiction and related debts, included the price the city had offered the Ontario government for the piece of land, about $3.3 million.

After talks between the municipality and province broke down, a local company called Goreway Heaven Inc. bought the property for a similar amount and later sold it to the city for $4.4 million, according to two sources.

Goreway Heaven appears to have Liberal ties, with at least one of its directors taking part in the prime minister’s ill-fated trip to India earlier this year. About half of the directors have made two or more donations each to the federal Liberal party.

RCMP should have alerted Prime Minister’s protective detail about Jaspal Atwal: review From page 1 The committee report says the Mounties had information on Feb. 13 about Atwal’s possible presence in India during Trudeau’s visit.

“That information caused RCMP personnel to search criminal databases, revealing information that should have triggered the notification of the Prime Minister’s Protective Detail and the briefing of senior officials: neither the Protective Detail nor officials were notified,” the report says.

During closed-door testimony, the RCMP acknowledged that mistake and a failure to follow up on direction to determine Atwal’s whereabouts, the report says.

It says a senior officer asked a special nationalsecurity unit in British Columbia to determine whether Atwal was in Canada, through a voicemail to an officer who was on leave.

Several days later, in an exchange whose

details are redacted for security reasons, the same unit received some sort of information on Atwal, but because it was the end of a shift, the team “decided that it would wait until the next day to validate the information.” Still, the RCMP told the committee that Atwal was not considered a physical threat to the prime minister, and that the protective detail would not have changed its security stance even if it had known of his presence at the Mumbai event. The committee report says this assertion “was questionable, at best,” adding the conclusion of security and intelligence officials that Atwal posed no danger “was based on a narrow interpretation of risk.” The report singles out a Feb. 12 RCMP assessment that the prime minister and his family might be perceived as attractive targets for terrorists during the visit.

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Saturday, December 8, 2018

The NDP are in freefall. With just ten months until the next election the question for many party members is whether or not they should jettison Jagmeet Singh now and bring back Thomas Mulcair, or recruit Alberta Premier Rachel Notley as the NDP federal leader before the party walks off a cliff.

Singh has proven to be the NDP’s worst nightmare. Chosen in October 2017 because he fit the diversity narrative so popular with socialists these days, the Sikh with the suit and colorful turbans was most comfortable when talking about diversity and social justice issues. His problems began shortly after he won the leadership when he tried to parse words in an interview with media regarding questions about the 1985 Air India terrorist attack, saying he “has no idea” who orchestrated

The NDP in big trouble Jagmeet Singh as leader the worst terrorist incident in Canadian history. This is akin to an American politician saying he had no idea who was responsible for 9/11.

Worse, it put Singh in the same category as the extremists within Canada’s Sikh community who persist in the glorification of Talwinder Singh Parmar, the murderer responsible for the bombing that killed 329 innocent people.

By using his pulpit as the federal NDP leader to act as an apologist for a mass

murderer in order to appease extremists in his community, Singh left many in the NDP questioning his judgement. Also being questioned was whether or not he had the substance or smarts to fill the role they had just bestowed upon him.

In the short time since, Singh has managed to turn the once serious NDP Parliamentary caucus into a comic soap opera He has alienated and offended most westerners on the energy file; made statements that caused

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Alberta NDP Premier Rachel Notley to publicly rebuke and scoff at him over his lack of knowledge on key pipeline issues; drawn the ire of Canada’s most influential labour leader, Unifor President Jerry Dias, who refers to Singh’s views on energy issues as those from a champagne socialist; has caused several NDP MPs to announce they will not run again in the next election; and likely worst of all, he has managed to simultaneously alienate the traditional NDP donor base while failing to attract new donors, leaving the party in a precarious state teetering on the brink of financial collapse.

The Soap Opera on the Hill When Ed Broadbent, Jack Layton and Thomas Mulcair were the NDP leaders in the House of Commons, the government of the day expected to be held to account by tough NDP critics who asked well-researched questions that were usually kicked off each day by their leader. Often these were the news stories of the week and Canadians knew where the NDP stood. Layton’s leadership in the House led the party to its historic Official Opposition status in the 2011 election. Mulcair, who replaced Layton after his untimely death, has been called one of the best Opposition Leaders in Canada’s history for his incisive, targeted and damaging attacks on the Harper government. Jagmeet Singh chose not to make getting elected to Parliament a priority. Instead, he got into the weeds with NDP Caucus members about personnel and personality matters that should have remained private. This evolved into Kardashian-esque public squabbles between Singh and his elected MPs, including a hearsay sexual harassment claim made by MP Christine Moore (Abitibi—Témiscamingue) against her colleague MP Erin Weir (Regina—Lewvan) that appeared to be politically motivated.

While Moore did not experience the alleged behavior personally, her complaint led to Singh assigning University of Ottawa Law professor Michelle Flaherty to “investigate” the matter. (Moore had also made sexual harassment complaints against Liberal MPs Massimo Pacetti and Scott Andrews in 2014.

Both were booted from the Liberal caucus after those complaints surfaced).

During the “investigation”, Weir was not told who his accusers were or what specifically he was being accused of and investigated for.

Flaherty’s conclusions determined that while there was no finding of unwanted touching, verbal remarks or gestures of a sexual nature, Weir had missed “social cues” and sometimes sat or stood too close to women, or spoke with them for too long.

When Singh was challenged about the veracity of this conclusion, his zinger to journalists in trying to justify its outcome was that “the presumption of innocence is “strictly” a legal construct in Canada” which left many gob smacked. Singh is (apparently) a lawyer. Weir responded to the findings publicly saying he believed there were too many inconsistencies to allow the investigation of his behaviour to stand without a second look. “On the one hand, we have Mr. Singh stating that the investigation’s findings of standing too close, talking too long and having an argument make me a threat to workplace security,” he said. “On the other hand, we have a large number of people raising serious concerns about the investigation’s lack of due process and expansive interpretation of harassment.”

Singh’s response to Weir’s rebuttal was to boot him out of the NDP caucus. Shortly after, 67 former New Democrat MPs and MLAs from Saskatchewan all signed a letter of support for Weir that was sent to all NDP members of Parliament. The letter accused Singh of denying Weir due process and unfairly maligning his character while flouting the party’s constitutional rules for dealing with

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Singer Mika Singh released from jail after alleged sexual misconduct Singer Mika Singh who was arrested in Dubai for allegedly harassing a Brazilian teenage model was released last night. He was taken to Abu Dhabi after his arrest. Navdeep Singh Suri, Indian Ambassador to UAE, said that the singer was released at 11.30pm on Thursday night.

He was scheduled to be presented in court at 4pm on Friday, confirmed an embassy source. The singer, known for the hit song Subha hone na de, was arrested for allegedly harassing a Brazilian teenage model. He last appeared at Masala Awards ceremony held at Fort Island, Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on Tuesday. Singh was accused of sending

indecent pictures along with promising the model a role in a Bollywood movie. He was supposed to return to India on Thursday after performing at a private party in Dubai.

Singer Mika Singh is once again in trouble, yes you have read it right! The popular singer and musician has been arrested in Dubai over sexual misconduct allegations. As per reports, The singer has been arrested by Dubai police for sending inappropriate photos to a 17-yearold Brazilian girl. As per Republic TV, The complaint against him has been lodged in the Muraqqabaat police station by the girl itself.

According to the said channel, the arrest

Raj Grewal addresses allegations of ethical breaches while recanting resignation as MP From page 1 Liberal MP’s name came up in wider police probe into money laundering: CP source Grewal still in Liberal caucus a week after saying he’d resign over gambling addiction He explains he frequented the Hilton hotel in Gatineau, Que., which houses the Lac-Leamy Casino.

What started as recreational blackjack spiraled into a “significant problem,” he said, as he accumulated millions of dollars of gambling debt in high-stakes games over three years — which he hid from his friends and family.

Grewal said he would routinely borrow money from his loved ones to continue the pattern, and no money was obtained illegally.

“I want to make it clear, that every single personal loan made to me was by cheque.

Everybody has been paid back, and every loan and repayment is transparent and traceable,” he says in the video.

His problem gambling was hidden until Nov. 5, when he revealed his addiction to his family.

Shortly after on Nov. 19, Grewal said he notified Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office about his mental health issues.

PM Justin Trudeau says that Raj Grewal admitted to a gambling addiction in his

resignation letter last week, but says he was not made aware of an RCMP investigation. 0:53 Two days after, in a conversation with government whip Mark Holland, they concluded he would likely have to leave caucus. On Nov. 22, Grewal said he would resign his seat. “Based on these circumstances, we agreed that his decision to resign as Member of Parliament for Brampton East was the right one,” a statement at the time from Holland’s office said. But in the days that followed, no formal announcement of a vacant seat in Brampton East came.

“When we met he said he was resigning as a Member of Parliament. It was my understanding that that was going to be imminent and I suspect that that is something that he will be doing in the very short term,” Holland, the chief government whip, said.

The Friday video dispelled the notion that Grewal would resign as MP. Final decision will come before Parliament resumes in 2019 “I’ve decided that I will be leaving the Liberal caucus and taking a leave of absence to focus on my mental health and recovery,” Grewal stated. “I will be making a final decision about my political future before Parliament resumes in the new year.”

Hindu priest charged with sexual assault at Surrey temple From page 1 learned he apparently sexually assaulted a female worshiper at the temple. He was removed from his position and they brought the allegations to the police. Since then, he’s apparently been operating his own temple out of a garage in his Delta home.

Sharma has worked at two or more temples in Surrey, and one in Abbotsford, since the late 1990s.

Sharma is scheduled to make his first appearance in Surrey provincial court December 14 about an apparent assault that happened in Surrey in January 2015.

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Unemployment reaches 40-year low with 94,100 new jobs added in November A blast of new jobs last month knocked the country’s unemployment rate down to its lowest level since Statistics Canada started measuring comparable data more than 40 years ago. But despite eye-catching progress, Friday’s numbers also delivered disappointment. Canada added 94,100 net jobs for its largest monthly increase since March 2012 when there was a gain of 94,000 jobs, Statistics Canada said in its the labour force survey. The November surge was fuelled by other positives: 89,900 new full-time positions and 78,600 employee jobs in the private sector. The jobless rate fell to 5.6 per cent last month from October’s reading of 5.8 per cent, which had been the previous low mark since comparable data first became available in

1976. The old statistical approach — prior to 1976 — registered an unemployment rate reading of 5.4 per cent in 1974. The improvements, however, obscured a key piece of data: weakening wage growth.

Year-over-year average hourly wage growth for permanent employees continued its decline in November to 1.46 per cent — its lowest reading since July 2017.

“There’s no question that the headline job growth is gangbusters strong,” said Frances Donald, head of macroeconomic strategy at Manulife Asset Management “I would caution us against celebrating too quickly, however, because wage growth is decelerating sharply.” Wage growth has slowed since May

Reconsideration motion filed at Supreme Court for QNA Kirpan Appeal A motion for reconsideration has been filed with the Supreme Court of Canada with respect to the court’s decision to deny leave for appeal in the Singh, et al. v. Attorney General of Québec. The appellants, Balpreet Singh and Harminder Kaur argue in their motion that two unusual and interrelated circumstances have given rise to the “exceedingly rare circumstances” which warrant the court’s reconsideration. Specifically, the Supreme Court’s decision in Chagnon v. Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec and secondly, the election of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), which has championed discriminatory policies that will disproportionately affect religious minorities.

In January 2011, the appellants in the case, Harminder Kaur and Balpreet Singh were part of a WSO delegation that had been invited to make a presentation at the Quebec National Assembly on Bill 94 which would deny essential government services, public employment to individuals who wear facial coverings. The WSO’s team was excluded from the hearing before the Committee on Institutions because they were wearing the kirpan. The Sikh faith requires initiated men and women to wear the five Sikh articles of faith, including the kirpan, at all times.

In February 2018, the Quebec Court of Appeal rejected the WSO’s appeal on the grounds that the Quebec National Assembly may exclude individuals based on parliamentary privilege. The Superior Court decision below had upheld the authority of the QNA to “exclude kirpans from its precincts as an assertion of parliamentary privilege over the exclusion of strangers.’’

The Supreme Court of Canada denied leave

to the appellants on October 25, 2018 and as usual, did not provide reasons for its decision.

Rules 47 and 73 of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Canada provide for the reconsideration of an application for leave to appeal where there are “exceedingly rare circumstances”.

The appellants have submitted that the Supreme Court of Canada released a decision in Chagnon v. Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québecwhich develops a new framework for legislatures exercising parliamentary privilege when Charter rights are at stake. The framework developed in Chagnonreplaced the framework that was used to decide Singh v. A.G. Quebec. The motion for reconsideration argues that the interpretation from the Court of Appeal is inconsistent with the analytical framework for determining the scope of parliamentary privilege developed by the Court in Chagnon, and the result appears to permit legislative assemblies to exclude participants on the basis of religious or other protected grounds which could lead to widespread discrimination against religious minorities. The motion for reconsideration also notes that since the election of the CAQ in the October provincial election in Quebec, the CAQ has advanced disturbingly discriminatory policies and rhetoric that have stoked the flames of intolerance in Québec. In particular, the CAQ aims to implement a blanket prohibition on certain religious symbols such as the kippa or the hijab in public workplaces. Despite framing its policies in terms of “secularism”, the CAQ has disproportionately targeted minorities and vulnerable citizens while protecting historically-dominant beliefs.

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The arrest of Huawei China’s state media lashes out at Canada over arrest of Huawei executive U.S. authorities have not Technologies chief financial revealed the charges in the Chinese citizen Meng Wanzhou, the chief A separate editorial for the nationalist fficer Meng Wanzhou is being case, and Meng faces a bail compared to a “kidnapping” by China’s financial officer of Huawei,” Wei Xinyu, a tabloid characterized the arrest as a politically hearing later Friday in a Vancouver court. motivated effort to contain the state media as fury continues to grow in research fellow with the Ministry Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he knew rise of China’s tech companies. in advance of the pending arrest in Canada, Beijing with more demands for her release. of Commerce, wrote for the “Obviously Washington but that there was no political involvement The top executive with the Chinese telecom Global Times, a tabloid owned by is resorting to a despicable in the decision to detain the Huawei giant was arrested in Vancouver on Dec. 1 the Communist Party of China.

“The incident shows that the rogue’s approach as it executive. “The appropriate authorities took at the request of the United States, which is cannot stop Huawei’s 5G the decisions in this case,” Trudeau told seeking her extradition, on allegations that US and some other countries advance in the market,” the reporters on Thursday. “We were advised by Huawei violated U.S. sanctions against Iran. that follow the US didn’t abide by Times wrote. “The Chinese them with a few days’ notice that this was Meng’s arrest has infuriated China, and the bottom line of international government should seriously in the works, but of course, there was no its state-run media is lashing out at Canada. law at all,” Wei wrote. “From mull over the US tendency engagement or involvement at the political “Without any solid evidence, the now on, we should reduce or Canadian and U.S. governments trampled cancel important people’s visits to the to abuse legal procedures to suppress level in this decision because we respect the high-tech enterprises.” independence of our judicial processes.” on international law by basically ‘kidnapping’ US, Canada and some other countries China’s like the UK, Australia and New Zealand.”

Surrey, British Surrey cuts Columbia’s secondlargest city is still going to get a new police force and multi-billion-dollar SkyTrain expansion despite financial challenges that have forced delays in building 17 new capital projects, including new libraries and a community centre, the new mayor says. Mayor Doug McCallum said that he is sticking to his promises on transit and law enforcement even as Surrey grapples with financial challenges affecting an ice-rink complex and Indigenous gathering place.

“We need to live within our means,” Mr. McCallum told a news conference held at city hall, southeast of Vancouver. “We are building within our means. As our community grows,

For the third time this year, a Metro Vancouver gangster has been shot dead in Mexico. Jodh Singh Manj, 31, (pictured) was gunned down after leaving a gym in a commercial complex in the Mexico City neighbourhood of Santa Fe. He was getting into a vehicle in the building’s parking

then governed the city for nine years before going on to be elected as a Conservative MP. Mr. McCallum was defeated in a 2014 bid to get his old political job back, but won in 2018. In both provincial and federal elections, Surrey has been a competitive political battleground for parties coveting the city’s swing seats. Mr. McCallum has met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to press his agenda for scrapping a planned $1.65-billion LRT system and replacing it with an expansion of the subwaylike SkyTrain system that would link Surrey with nearby Langley. The mayor’s SkyTrain ambitions, a top-tier promise in this fall’s election, forced regional mayors to reconsider an agreed-on transit-expansion strategy.

funding to skating rinks & community centres, but will fund mayors pet projects we will be building facilities in it, but we will be building them with pay-as-you go financing.”

The measures, announced as debate begins on a budget, are aimed at cutting $135.6-million in costs for the fastest-growing municipality in the province.

Mr. McCallum, who marks a month as mayor Wednesday, made it clear he is committed to his big promises, noting a report on replacing the RCMP with a municipal force will be sent to the province by early 2019, and that city staff are working with TraansLink, the regional transit

authority, on plans to expand SkyTrain in Surrey for the first time in a quarter century.

Of the policing agenda, the mayor said, “It’s probably going a little quicker than I had expected.”

Both promises topped the platform of Mr. McCallum’s Safe Surrey Coalition party, which he led to winning seven of eight council seats in the October municipal election.

Mr. McCallum, 73, also won the mayoralty, returning to the job he previously held for nine years, ending in 2005 when he was defeated by Dianne Watts, who

Another BC gangster shot dead in Mexico lot with his wife when masked gunmen opened fire about 1:30 p.m. local time Wednesday.

His Colombian wife was not injured.

Manj, who grew up on Vancouver’s south slope, is a member of the United

Nations gang and had been spending long periods of time in Mexico for years.

Metro Vancouver gangster Jodh Singh Manj, 31, has been shot to death in Mexico.

Special to Postmedia News / PNG Police sources say he maintained links with Mexican cartels to broker bulk cocaine shipments to Canada that would then be sold by the gang.

He was also a suspect in the 2012 murder in Port Moody of Independent Soldier gangster Randy Naicker, although Manj was never charged. Two others linked to the UN earlier pleaded guilty to having roles in the Naicker murder conspiracy.

Police also say Manj’s violent demise in Mexico is likely an indication that B.C.’s bloody gang war between the UN and the Wolf Pack gang coalition has spilled over into that country.

The Wolf Pack was formed in 2010 by some Hells Angels, some Independent Soldiers members and some Red Scorpion gangsters.

On Aug. 24, Wolf Pack associate and former Metro Vancouver resident Nabil Alkhalil was shot to death in a luxury car dealership in a wealthy suburb of Mexico City. His brother Robby remains in pretrial custody in B.C. charged with the 2012 murder of high-profile gangster Sandip Duhre in Vancouver’s Wall Centre.

And a week earlier, on Aug. 17, West Vancouver’s Guiseppe Bugge, who police describe as a Hells Angels associate, was fatally shot in a posh shopping centre in Guadalajara.

Manj’s murder could have been in retaliation Continued on page 13

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12

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Body found in Surrey home, foul play suspected The body of an adult who appears to have been a victim of foul play was discovered early this morning in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood, according to RCMP. Police and ambulance personnel went to the home in the 7000 block of 144A Street at 1:30 a.m. PT on a medical call and found the victim inside.

The area surrounding the home was

cordoned off and the Integrated Homicide Investigations Team has been called in.

Anyone w i t h information can call the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-5514448 or email ihitinfo@ r c m p grc.gc.ca.

Anonymous tips can be left with Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477.

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Two BC men sought in connection with home invasion, bombs, drugs & weapons An ongoing police investigation involving the search of a downtown warehouse described as “a cover� business has Kamloops Mounties issuing numerous charges against two men who remain at large.

Police have charged 35-year-old Cameron Cole with two counts of possessing an improvised explosive device, two counts of possessing an improvised explosive device with intent to endanger life, three counts of possessing a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, storing a firearm contrary to regulations, possessing ammunition for the purpose of committing an offence, possessing a prohibited weapon and possession of a weapon while prohibited.

As of Thursday afternoon, Cole’s whereabouts were unknown to police, who have executed a search warrant at a commercial unit at 1-1485 Lorne St. as part of its ongoing investigation.

This investigation began last January, when police were called to a Badger Drive residence in Dallas for a reported home invasion where officers saw firearms in plain view, leading police to get a search warrant.

That search yielded numerous firearms, bomb-making materials and a quantity of currency and narcotics, but no charges were issued at the time.

Three days later, police searched a residence in Westsyde in hopes of discovering more evidence. Both the Dallas and Westsyde homes were used by Cole.

According to Mounties, it is possible Cole

has rented other residential or commercial locations and there may be illegal or even dangerous items stored at these places.

Mounties could be seen Thursday searching an industrial warehouse in downtown Kamloops. The business operates under the name Cole and Sons.

The owner of a neighbouring business who asked not to be named publicly said neighbours have been suspicious of Cole and Sons for a while. “I think it’s a cover for something and it just got busted,� he said. “They were never there. They only came in at night and there were cameras everywhere.

They don’t even have handles on their doors.�

Police say Cole used the alias “Jeff Parks� when renting the Badger Drive residence and has also used the alias “Jake.�

Patrick is wanted for possessing a prohibited weapon, possession of ammunition for the purposes of committing an offence and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.

Patrick is currently facing other weapons charges stemming from 2013 when police pulled him over while he was allegedly carrying a loaded shotgun.

Kamloops RCMP Staff Sgt. Simon Pillay said the Badger Drive incident is an example of why reporting suspicious activity in the community is important to public safety.

Landlords and anyone else who may have had dealings with Cole are asked to contact the Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000.

LOCAL

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Gas leak leads to warehouse evacuation in Burnaby A linen-cleaning facility in Burnaby was evacuated after a gas leak near the building late Wednesday night.

Fire officials on scene said the leak was caused by a ruptured gas line.

FortisBC said it had determined the leak was caused by a customerowned regulator near their meter. The regulators are meant to control gas pressure.

One worker at the K-Bro Linen Systems warehouse told CBC News they heard a loud explosion just before midnight, before being told to leave the area.

A rupture is seen in the gas terminal located in the parking lot of the warehouse.

Dozens of workers spent hours in

the cold waiting to be let back inside, where several of the washing and drying machines were still running.

There were no reports of any of the workers needing medical attention.

Fortis BC a n n o u n c e d Wednesday that the province may continue to experience a limited supply of natural gas during winter, due to a rupture of a natural gas pipeline in October.

Workers were let back inside the building after Fortis BC shut the gas off.

Another BC gangster shot dead in Mexico From page 11 for those of Alkhalil and Bugge, The U.S. attorney in Portland alleged both described as “targets of the UN,” Manj had conspired with several others Postmedia sources said Thursday. to smuggle ecstasy and pseudoephedrine One high-profile Hells Angel was posting from Canada into the U.S., then transport gleeful comments on his Instagram Wednesday methamphetamine north to the Pacific believed to be referencing Manj’s murder. Northwest and into B.C. from 2008 to 2010.

Sgt. Brenda Winpenny, of the anti-gang In 2009, Manj was intercepted by Combined Forces Special Enforcement U.S. agents talking on the phone to the Unit, said Manj’s death shows that those head of a drug trafficking organization caught in the violent gang lifestyle about selling him 15,000 ecstasy pills. can’t escape it by fleeing Canada.

According to U.S. court documents, “There have been multiple murders of the charges against Manj were dismissed in gang members, many of them high-profile, February 2017 because the “defendant has in Mexico over the years and recently,” not been apprehended, his whereabouts Winpenny said Thursday. “Gang members are unknown, and it would be difficult to who think they can hide out in foreign locate the witnesses and exhibits necessary countries are naive to think they will be able for successful prosecution of this case.” to escape the ramifications of their negative Manj had convictions in B.C. for uttering decisions and actions — whether that’s from threats and violating court-ordered conditions. the police or from those who want them dead.”

He was one of several gangsters stopped VPD Supt. Mike Porteous said police have by police in Vancouver’s Kensington Park been aware of Jodh Manj for more than a decade. in October 2010 after the funeral for slain He said he was “always in conflicts with gangster Gurmit Dhak — considered one of other gang figures, involved in violence across the major flashpoints in years of gun violence.

Greater Vancouver, the south slope, drugs, most Police believed Manj and the others of the gamut of any kind of gang related crime.” were meeting to plot a hit on a rival Richard Walker, a spokesman for Global Wolf Pack member for Dhak’s murder.

Affairs Canada, said the department “is aware Two of Manj’s associates carried guns of the death of a Canadian citizen in Mexico. and were later charged and convicted.

We offer our deepest condolences to the In September, a Vancouver provincial family and friends of the Canadian citizen.” Ccourt judge stayed a charge against “Consular services are being provided Manj’s older brother Aman in connection to the family. Canadian consular officials with an assault at a Vancouver nightclub are in contact with local authorities to on New Year’s Eve in 2015 due to the gather additional information,” he said. length of time the case took to get to trial.

Until last year, Manj was facing Aman Manj was also identified in a 2012 charges of conspiracy to import and trial as having been hunted by gang rivals distribute methamphetamine, ecstasy who were later caught with firearms in their and pseudoephedrine in Oregon, vehicles and arrested by Vancouver Police.

California, Washington and Canada.

13

Drunk boater found asleep as boat doing doughnuts off the coast of Vancouver island RCMP say a man has been arrested for driving a fishing boat drunk, after he was found asleep at the helm with the boat doing doughnuts off the north coast of Vancouver Island. A statement said the man was so intoxicated, he had to be hospitalized after his arrest.

The Marine Authority first called RCMP after someone saw the boat moving “in an erratic manner” off Port Hardy, B.C., at 9:50 a.m. PT on Nov. 29.

The vessel had sailed out of the bay by the time officers arrived. Looking through binoculars, RCMP could see the boat “just circling in the same spot” out in the open water.

OPP charge Kenora, Ont., boater with impaired driving of sinking vessel A statement said the Canadian Coast Guard ferried two RCMP officers out to the

boat to investigate. They saw a man sitting at the helm, but said he was “slumped over” and unresponsive, his ship still continually spinning to the right.

Staff Sgt. Wes Olsen, detachment commander in Port Hardy, said the officers honked their horn to no response. A Mountie and a Coast Guard officer then boarded the vessel.

Olsen said they found the captain “grossly impaired,” with an open bottle of liquor nearby.

The officer said a second, apparently drunk man was found sleeping in the hold.

The captain was arrested for impaired operation of a vessel and hospitalized. The investigation is ongoing.

Man wins second lottery while waiting to cash his winning ticket While early bird catches the worm, it can also catch $118,000.

Sam Hawley, of Portland, Oregon, was waiting at a lottery payment center in Wilsonville recently to cash in a previous winning lottery ticket of $1,750.

Hawley arrived at the payment center an hour early and decided to buy another ticket, the state’s Special Keno 8-Spot — while he waited, Oregon

Lottery officials said in a news release Thursday.

Hawley realized when he turned in his initial winning ticket that he had just bought a $118,759 winning ticket.

All eight of his numbers used to play the game matched — winning him $25,000. The 8-spot rolling jackpot then won him another $93,759.60.

Hawley said that he had” used the same numbers for years.”

14

LOCAL

Saturday, December 8, 2018

A man who was accused of Judge acquits accused Surrey drug dealer, finding arrest was ‘unlawful’ collected by the RCMP incidental to the arrest should be thrown out of court. trafficking in methamphetamine in her reasons for judgment posted Dec. 5.

The evidence at issue was $165 found arrested Sohi, who had been driving a grey and crack cocaine in Surrey has been “I therefore find that the arrest was acquitted after a B.C. Supreme Court not lawful,” the judge said, adding it Honda Civic, after watching him make in the front pocket of Sohi’s sweater and judge found that the Surrey RCMP didn’t contravened the accused’s Charter rights three stops over 45 minutes which they wallet in the back pocket of his jeans, as have reasonable grounds to arrest him. “to be free from arbitrary detention. It suspected involved drug transactions. well as five packages containing 1.53 grams The court also heard that subsequent to of methamphetamine, 13 wrapped rocks Robinder Singh Sohi had been charged follows that the search incidental to Mr. with two counts of possession for the Sohi’s arrest was also unauthorized and is Sohi’s arrest police found cash, controlled of crack cocaine weighing 2.89 grams, 19 purpose of trafficking in a controlled therefore a breach of Mr. Sohi’s right to be substances and other evidence the Crown packages of powder cocaine weighing 6.74 substance related to a noon-hour free from unreasonable search or seizure.” sought to admit into evidence on Sohi grams found on the driver’s seat floor, and and from inside and around the car. four wrapped rocks of crack cocaine weighing incident on March 3, 2016 in Whalley.

“In all the circumstances,” she said, Sohi’s lawyer challenged the lawfulness of .97 grams found on the ground next to the car.

“Simply put, I find that the totality of the “I enter an acquittal of Mr. Sohi.”

The court heard that before the arrest the arrest, saying both it and then the search evidence of what was observed does not give rise Marzari presided over the case in New to objectively reasonable or probable grounds Westminster, hearing that Surrey Mounties had contravened his client’s Charter Rights. an RCMP sergeant spotted the Civic The defence argued that all the evidence pulling into a driveway on 132nd Street. for arrest,” Justice Francesca Marzari noted

Abbotsford mayor calls for justice reform to combat gang war Abbotsford’s mayor wants to see sweeping changes to the criminal justice system to help police get the region’s gang war under control.

Henry Braun — who was speaking Wednesday evening at an anti-gang forum — says it’s frustrating to watch officers run into legal roadblocks and procedural delays as they build cases against violent criminals.

“What we lack is a mechanism that functions to keep the community safe from high-risk repeat offenders who often skirt the system,” he said.

“Without that balance, we find ourselves struggling to protect our communities.”

Braun — who also chairs the city’s police board — is calling for a regional task force on justice reform.

Braun’s biggest problem with the legal system is B.C.’s charge approval process, which requires police to recommend charges to the Crown’s office.

Under the current rules, the Crown will only approve charges if there is a substantial likelihood of conviction.

“That word substantial is a high bar,” Braun said. “I would like to see that word substantial changed to reasonable.”

Braun says police should be able to lay charges themselves to speed up the legal process when they’re dealing with known gangsters.

“I’m not talking about guys who are doing break and enters, although that’s not acceptable either,” Braun said. “I’m talking about guys with guns who are killing each other.”

He also wants to make it easier for police to obtain search warrants in cases that involves dangerous individuals.

Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun wants to overhaul B.C.’s charge approval system.

Braun says he has already raised his concerns with B.C. Justice Minister Mike Farnworth and federal Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Bill Blair.

“They didn’t agree with me either, but I think we need to continue these discussions as we move forward, because cities can’t change those laws.”

The community groups, Wake Up Surrey and Wake Up Abbotsford, which organized the forum, both say they will help Braun with his lobbying efforts.

Surrey launches program to stop gang violence in bars & restaurants Surrey is moving ahead with its Inadmissible Patrons Program in a bid to stop violence by gang members and associates at local bars and restaurants.

The program, launched Thursday by the Surrey RCMP, the city, the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, and Restaurants Canada, is based on similar ones already in place in Vancouver and New Westminster.

Surrey RCMP’s gang-enforcement team began developing an Inadmissible Patron Program after a report last year from the province’s Illegal Firearms Task Force recommended expanding bar-watch programs to communities where they’re warranted.

Last month’s report from the Mayors Task Force on Gang Violence Prevention recommended the city support the Surrey RCMP in developing and implementing

an Inadmissible Patron Program.

“It has been made abundantly clear to me that Surrey residents want positive action on gangs and gun crimes,” said Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum in a statement.

“The Inadmissible Patrons Program will not only identify gang members and individuals associated with violent crime, but the program will also allow for police to remove them immediately from the premises. As seen in other jurisdictions, this program will make it tough for criminals to do business in our city.”

The IPP will work to protect the safety of patrons, staff and the public by giving police the legal authority, through authorization agreements and the B.C. Trespass Act, to remove individuals deemed as “inadmissible patrons” from participating establishments.

Despite concerns, opioids remain legitimate pain medications, says Health Canada Health Canada says it is in the process of reviewing risk-management plans for high-dosage opioid treatments, which could potentially lead to the recall of some pills and patches.

The review was confirmed in the federal department’s response to a commentary by a doctor and a health lawyer, who called for Canada’s health minister to issue a recall for high-dosage formulations of drugs like fentanyl, oxycodone and morphine — when lower-dosage treatments of these drugs could be used instead.

Researchers push for ban on strongest drugs as opioid overdose crisis continues The peer-reviewed commentary by Dr. David Juurlink and Matthew Herder, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal this week, asked Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor to use a tool in the Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act that allows the minister to recall a drug she feels is unsafe.

In response to the commentary emailed to CBC, Health Canada spokesperson Maryse Durette confirmed a risk-management review is underway.

Durette added that Health Canada is already taking action on opioids, pointing to new warnings that pharmacists are required to include with opioid prescriptions, as well as new guidelines for pain-management prescriptions that Health Canada has supported.

Drug company knew Oxycontin was addictive and lied about it, says plaintiff in class action suit She said opioids are legitimate medications that help alleviate pain.

“It is important for patients to discuss their pain management strategy with their health-care provider to help ensure that the medication is appropriate for their treatment, and they understand

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 8, 2018 After years of dramatic increases in BCs property assessments, this year they will likely be more moderate, with some Vancouver homes going down in value.

That is according to BC Assessment, which said on Thursday that it is seeing signs of moderation, as the real estate market softens in some areas of the province.

The soon-to-be-released 2019 property assessments are based on what was happening in the real estate market as of July 1.

Assessor Tina Ireland said changes in property assessments depend on where you live.

For example, she said assessed values

BC’s property assessments more moderate in 2019 for detached single-family homes in many areas of Metro Vancouver may see a softening in value, while other markets and areas of the province will see modest increases over last year’s values.

B.C. Assessment says some Metro detached single-family homes were showing decreases in value of five to 10 per cent over last year, including in areas of

Auto insurance brokers charged ICBC $434 million in commissions last year In the face of the ongoing “dumpster fire” at ICBC, the public insurer was billed $434 million in commission by auto insurance brokers last year. An analysis by Global News found that the 902 brokers in the province billed 33 per cent more in 2017/2018 than in 2011. The public insurer lost $1.3 billion overall last year and is forecasting a loss of more than $800 million this current fiscal year. But ICBC CEO Nicolas Jimenez says brokers are an important part of the insurance process.

“Insurance is complicated, and what brokers do is they tend to provide expert advice on things that are more complicated,” he said.“You will hear people say, ‘Oh auto insurance, it’s easy. I renew without changes every year.’ We have hundreds of thousands of people changing their policies every single year. And it is not always simple. People want to make sure they have the protection they

need and you need to understand what the product is covering and what it’s not covering.”

There is a huge difference between how much insurance brokers get from basic insurance compared to optional insurance.

Optional insurance commissions total about $334 million per year, while basic insurance totals are closer to $100 million.

Every time you renew basic insurance the broker gets $13.72. For new insurance plans the broker gets $14.83 in commission.

Because there is competition with other insurance companies on optional insurance, ICBC pays brokers around 15 per cent on a renewal or new plan. In the case of a $800 optional insurance bill, brokers can earn $120.

“I think it is important for British Columbians to know that because we have a public insurer on basic insurance that ICBC actually gets a much better deal on brokers than a private insurance model would. So

Supreme Court of Canada to hear appeal of naturopath convicted of manslaughter The Supreme Court of Canada announced Thursday it will hear the appeal of a Montreal naturopath convicted of manslaughter in the death of an elderly patient.

Mitra Javanmardi was facing a possible prison sentence last May after the Quebec Court of Appeal overturned a 2015 acquittal and entered a guilty verdict in the death of Roger Matern. The appeal court also ordered that she face a new trial on a charge of criminal negligence causing death, for which she had been acquitted.

Matern, who was in his 80s, died after Javanmardi injected him with a contaminated substance. He visited Javanmardi’s clinic in June 2008 following heart surgery that reportedly did not improve his health.

According to court documents, Matern wanted quick results and insisted that Javanmardi inject him with nutrients despite her telling him the procedure was not done on a first visit.

During the injection he complained of being hot and then started shivering. His condition deteriorated rapidly while at the clinic and Javanmardi recommended he get a good night sleep.

Matern’s condition worsened at home, but he only went to hospital the following day, when it was too late.

Police who raided Javanmardi’s office following Matern’s death seized vials containing the substance with which she injected him. Analysis revealed one of the

vials contained 9.7 million bacteria when the norm for an injectable product is zero.

Vancouver, the North Shore, South Surrey, White Rock, South Delta and Richmond.

The rest of the province can expect increases of five to 15 per cent for singlefamily homes. This includes the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, Okanagan and the north.

In many parts of the central and northern Island, values increased closer to 20 per cent,

15

the agency said. In Kitimat, the agency added, the increases were even greater in response to activity within the resource sector.

BC Assessment says condos increased with typical values of 10 to 20 per cent across most of the province. Vancouver, the North Shore and Burnaby increases were slightly less than this range while the eastern Fraser Valley increases may be higher in some cases.

16

Saturday, December 8, 2018

The Alberta Alberta couple charged in child’s death want millions from gov’t for their couple accused of causing their “We have a trial date set for June ... we have to did the parents call 911. After days son’s death by refusing to take the sick boy find out if you’re going to have counsel or not.” of being ill, he stopped breathing to a doctor want their trial delayed until David said he wasn’t sure if he and his and was rushed to hospital, but died. the provincial government pays them wife would be hiring a lawyer should In May, the country’s highest court ruled $1 million and puts $3 million in trust their application be unsuccessful. the trial judge erred in instructing jurors on for defence fees at their upcoming trial. how to apply The Stephans David and Collet Stephan filed an were found guilty the law to their application in the Court of Queen’s Bench of failing to provide deliberations. earlier this week and appeared via closed- the necessaries But after circuit television in a Calgary courtroom of life to their the Supreme Thursday afternoon. The Stephans recently 19-month-old son Court victory, moved north and appeared via a video Ezekiel following the couple fired feed from the Grande Prairie courthouse. his death in 2012 their lawyers “The accused have liquidated their assets, from because they meningitis. are in debt to previous counsel from the last However, say they can’t the trial and do not have the money to obtain Supreme Court of afford further David and Collet Stephan were found guilty in a court in the needed assistance required to provide Canada overturned legal fees.

Lethbridge, Alta., in 2016 of failing to provide the necessaries of them with a fair trial” reads an affidavit filed that conviction and The Stephans life to 19-month-old Ezekiel (right). along with their application for a judicial stay. ordered a new trial, say they’ve spent The Stephans told the judge there had been a which is supposed to take place in June 2019. more than $1 million on their legal battle to date. “drastic change” in their position and that there They argue the original convictions were During the first trial, jurors heard the was “no way” they could go ahead with a trial. Stephans treated their son with natural overturned through no fault of their own “I have a question, Mr. and Mrs. Stephan,” remedies and homemade smoothies and say in the affidavit that the Alberta said Justice Beth Hughes. “Have you thought containing hot pepper, ginger root, government should reimburse them for all about what you might do if your application horseradish and onion. Evidence was costs incurred including for their appeals. is not successful? Have you got another plan?” presented that the couple refused to take The additional $3,000,000 sought by “We’ll just figure that out, touch the boy to a doctor even when he became the couple would go toward lawyers’ fees, and go, at that point,” said David. so stiff he couldn’t sit in his car seat. investigators and experts that the Stephans “No, we can’t do it that way,” Hughes replied.

Only when Ezekiel stopped breathing say need to be hired by the defence team.

Business expert questions cost of B.C.’s new climate plan The provincial government unveiled its plan to reduce emissions this week and, while many of the elements are being praised, some British Columbians are concerned about what the changes will mean for businesses.

The plan outlines a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent below 2007 levels by 2030, with measures such as boosting energy-efficient technology like zero-emission vehicles and home retrofitting.

“This new plan has some of the strongest climate policies we’ve seen in North America on transportation and on buildings,” said Tzeporah Berman, a prominent B.C. environmentalist.

“But there are some challenges ahead …

One of the big hard questions in the gap is industry.” The plan, called Clean B.C., requires all new buildings to be net-zero energy by 2032, and all new cars sold to be

zero-emission by 2040.

This graph illustrates the predicted reductions in greenhouses gases in B.C. under the Clean B.C. plan. The yellow line indicates the status quo while the bands of colour represent greenhouse gas declines by sector.

Dan Baxter, the director of policy development, government and stakeholder relations with the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, agrees there a good parts of the plan but questioned their price tag for industry.

“It’s a good road map,” he told Stephen Quinn, the host of CBC’s The Early Edition.

“But we need to really see the cost.” Critics question B.C.’s LNG pursuit in wake of climate plan announcement The B.C. Chamber of Commerce recently conducted an “economic pulse check” survey and found that the cost of doing business is increasing, Baxter said.

The couple has proposed that money would be administered by a court-appointed trustee.

The affidavit also accuses Alberta Justice and Alberta Health Services employees of withholding, falsifying and tampering with evidence at the first trial.

The couple has already been denied a government-funded lawyer because they don’t qualify based on their income and/or assets.

In addition to their request for funds, the Stephans have also launched a complaint against prosecutors and witnesses who were called at the first trial. The couple alleged the RCMP turned over 719 pages of “privileged files” to the Crown.

The affidavit calls the Crown and its witnesses “suspects who committed crimes during the trial.”

Although the RCMP has also been accused of “illicit actions” against the Stephans, it is that police force the couple asked to investigate their allegations against officers, prosecutors and witnesses.

Prosecutor Britta Kristensen was in court on Thursday for the Crown and lawyer Chris Ghesquiere appeared on behalf the attorney general.

The couple’s re-trial is supposed to take place on June 3, 2019.

defence

South Korean family fights to return to Alberta town they now call home A family living in Olds, Alta., is set to travel back to South Korea Friday after receiving an order to leave Canada over what they claim is a misunderstanding regarding work permits.

Jimmy Jeong moved to Canada at the start of 2017 through the temporary foreign worker program. His wife Chloe Seol, as well as their two kids, joined him this past summer.

However, the family was ordered to leave the country after they were given an exclusion order from the Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) in November. It happened as Jeong attempted to secure a work permit for Seol at a border crossing in southern Alberta.

“This officer was doing her job of course, she was asking me questions about my work permit and my work status and my job duties,” Jeong said in an interview Thursday.

“The problem happened when she decided to talk to my employer to verify my statements.”

Jeong said his employer is not fluent in English and gave incorrect information to the border officer, who then decided he was not eligible to hold the work permit that he had.

“The reason… Canada Border Services has given is that [Jeong and Seol] want to be immigrants, permanent residents to Canada, and they didn’t have a permanent resident visa when they were at the port of entry,” Rekha McNutt, the family’s immigration lawyer, explained in an interview.

“But really all they were there to ask for was a work permit for the wife.”

A statement from the CBSA said “the decision to remove someone from Canada is not taken lightly,” and “everyone ordered removed from Canada

Police in Costa Rica arrested in brazen extortion plot targeting Canadian tourists Police officers in Costa Rica have been arrested for shaking down Canadians in an extortion scheme targeting unwary tourists.

Two Canadian visitors — a married couple — were traveling near Belén, in the northwest region of the country, on Nov. 14 when they were stopped at a police checkpoint. They were about 30 kilometres from the area’s resorts and beaches and 250 kilometres from the capital, San José.

Two police officers with the Fuerza Pública, a civilian police agency responsible for the majority of street policing in the country, asked the Canadians to show them their passports, according to the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), a specialized national police agency, similar to the FBI in the United States.

The Canadians said they were not carrying their passports with them and the officers told them that not producing their identification to police

fruit panjeeri’, South Indian dessert ‘Mysore Paak’ apart from roasted cashew squash, green tea and other baked delights for their forthcoming celebrity marriage.

While the couple has selected Jalandharbased oldest and biggest sweet shop—Lovely Sweets— and its sister concern Lovely Imagination for their hand-picked invitation

Kapil Sharma’s wedding : Bollywood stars & politicians also invited

Comedian Kapil Sharma and his fiancée Ginni Chatrath are sharing ‘real’ flavours of Punjab and South India with all Bollywood

stars, top politicians and bureaucrats by sending them special bar-coded invitation boxes containing an assortment of ‘dry

sweet box, ceremonial thali and platters, trousseau packaging and other wedding gifts, they have booked Phagwara-based Cabana Spa and Resorts for two days on December 12 and 13.

The ‘Pooja Thali’ for a religious ceremony slated to be held at Kapil’s Amritsar-based home on December 10 has also been ordered from Lovely Sweets.

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Saturday, December 8, 2018

19

Saturday, December 8, 2018

HOROSCOPE

Madhu Chopra on Priyanka ’s wedding:

‘‘She looked like a princess’’ Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas got married at Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan on December 1 and 2. Madhu Chopra revealed that she was at a loss of words when she saw her daughter dressed as a bride.

Priyanka looks gorgeous on the cover of Vogue magazine What went into the making of Priyanka Chopra’s wedding lehenga; Sabyasachi gives us a glimpse

she “broke into tears� when she saw her daughter dressed as a bride.

Madhu Chopra said, “It was an emotional moment for everyone. I broke into tears when I saw Priyanka dressed as a bride. I had waited for this day all my life.� It was Madhu’s wish to have an Indian wedding for Priyanka and the same was followed. “We followed all the rituals to the T. There were

Aries March 21 - April 20 Despite an adventurous theme and a strong desire for new experiences and opportunities, a more spiritual and dreamy tendency could prevail. The issue of beliefs might be on the

an idea or project. Should you have faith that it will go as expected, or should you get help from a mentor with prior experience? A more practical focus suggests that you make a start that involves both options.

Taurus April 21 - May 20 While you might be embracing more intense issues with a view toward making key changes, your social life sparkles, too. You might need to balance your inner and outer lives if you’re going to be productive this week. However,

event that seems particularly alluring takes you away from more pressing issues.

Libra Sept. 24 - Oct 22 Getting your priorities in order could be

be demanding and perhaps even needy at times. You may have to strengthen your boundaries if you are to get everything done as intended. Still, your compassionate side

" lending a helping hand even if you do have

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 22 Creative and romantic opportunities are plentiful this week, but they will require money. Think very carefully about the cost of a creative project or new relationship.

While this can seem materialistic, the cosmos is urging you to trust your instincts. You have an inborn ability to know when something isn’t as it should be, and the coming days are a chance to use it.Thursday’s new moon in your money zone can lead you to take the initiative regarding key projects.

Sagitarius Gemini May 20 - June 21

madhu chopra on priyanka chopra’s wedding Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas got married in Jodhpur on December 1 and 2. (Photo: Instagram/ priyankachopra) Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas got married in a lavish ceremony at Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace on December 1 and 2. The couple first tied the knot in a Christian ceremony that was followed by a Hindu wedding. In a conversation with DNA, Priyanka’s mother Madhu Chopra revealed that

no shortcuts. I wanted an Indian shaadi for her and Priyanka knew that. She fulfilled my wish. It’s lovely to see the amount of love people have for her and Nick,� she revealed.

Madhu felt that Priyanka “looked like a princess� at the Christian wedding. “I was at a loss of words. When I saw Priyanka, I couldn’t control my emotions. The white gown was so beautiful. My baby looked like a princess,� she said.

Madhuri Dixit There were reports earlier that Madhuri Dixit might contest elections of the Lok Sabha seat from Pune for BJP, but her spokesperson has denied all such claims.

Have you seen these photos of Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Sara Ali Khan?

A report claimed that Madhuri Dixit’s name has been shortlisted for the Pune Lok Sabha seat.

There were reports that actor Madhuri Dixit Nene might contest the Lok Sabha elections from Pune for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but her representative has denied all such claims, saying that they are false.

A report claimed that Madhuri’s name has

been shortlisted for the Pune Lok Sabha seat.

But Madhuri’s spokesperson denied the reports. “This news is false and speculative,� the spokesperson said.

Madhuri, who entered the industry in 1984 with Abodh, has remained a pivotal part of the Indian entertainment industry and has enthralled fans through meaty roles in films like Tezaab, Ram Lakhan, Dil, Beta, Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Anjaam, Mrityudand, Pukar, Dil To Pagal Hai and Devdas. She also starred in Gulaabi Gang.

She took a break after marriage and returned to Bollywood with Aaja Nachle in 2007.

There could be a lot going on regarding certain relationships, team projects, and your social life. Early in the week, you might be torn between leisure activities and attending to your goals and responsibilities. If you feel really stuck, taking a little time out to consider your priorities could help you be more productive.

Lively Mercury, your guardian planet, turns direct on Thursday, which could make it easier to navigate the coming weeks, especially

Cancer June 22 - July 23 Work beckons, but so do more enticing aspects of life, such as the chance to travel, explore subjects of interest, or lose yourself in new ideas or fascinating books.

your daily tasks completed and indulging a fascination with new interests.

Thursday’s new moon in your sector of work and lifestyle brings an opportunity to make a fresh start.

Nov 23 - Dec 22 While you might feel full of vim and vigor, the domestic scene and members of your family may require support over the week ahead. Someone could be feeling a little bit lonely and in need some attention, and if so, this is something to deal with gently, without compromising your own agenda. Thursday’s new moon in your sign is the best of the year for you and an opportunity to set your intentions for the coming twelve months.

Capricorn Dec 23 - Jan 20 You could feel like retiring from the world and keeping yourself to yourself, but you might be dragged into an issue that has nothing much to do with you. A detached perspective would be very helpful here, enabling you to understand the truth of the matter. Still, this could rumble on for some time, so patience may be necessary.

Despite this, Thursday’s new moon in a secluded sector of your chart could inspire you to adopt a practice that helps you stay calm in

Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19

Leo June 24 - August 23 You might want to explore new ideas and creative opportunities, but there could be a

sorting out a confusing or frustrating issue that seems hopelessly entangled. Take your time because this could take a little while to resolve. !"

"

some clarity is possible. Thursday brings a new moon in your sector of leisure, creativity, and romance, which can be an opportunity to take

You might be wondering if someone is taking advantage of you, particularly over the days ahead when the sun in your social

#

$ ! this instance, trust your gut and you won’t go far wrong.

Cosmic forces are encouraging you to take extra care when making purchases or dealing with paperwork or processes that involve a lot of money.

Pisces Virgo You might have things to do at home, but other people could have demands as well. If they really want something out of you, they could try all sorts of tricks to get your attention. To keep the peace,

!

someone’s motives, and if you sense that they’re not being quite truthful, postpone forging any agreements or making any commitments.

Feb 20 - March 20 Responsibilities and ambitions could be very much on your mind, yet you might feel complacent about them and have to push yourself to get anything done. And with the sun $ on Wednesday, you might experience tension in this regard. Sorting out your priorities and making a to-do list could certainly help.

20

Press release

Saturday, December 8, 2018

CleanBC: Creating opportunities for people and putting B.C. on the path to a cleaner, brighter future

By John Horgan, Premier British Columbia

Contact Brent or Wayne

604-377-5429 Email: fraservalleygolf@shaw.ca Video link: www.cotala.com/28804

The CleanBC climate action plan, launched by our government this week, will put B.C. on the path to a cleaner, better future, with more opportunity for people. Like so many of you, when my kids were young, we took them to watch the salmon spawning and out exploring in hopes of seeing orcas in the wild. We need to protect this beautiful province for our children and grandchildren, and for the people, communities, and industries that depend on B.C.’s abundant natural resources. We’re rising to the challenge of climate change and building a strong, sustainable, low-carbon economy that reduces climate pollution. This new economy will create jobs and economic opportunities for people, businesses, and communities in every part of B.C. And we’re working together with the B.C. Green caucus to get it done. Over time, CleanBC will make how we get around, how we work, and how we heat our homes more efficient. It will make cleaner options more convenient, available, and affordable. And it will support industries and investments in low-carbon products, services, and pollution-reducing technologies.

By 2032, every new building constructed in B.C. will be “netzero energy ready”. We’re also requiring new buildings to be more efficient, and ramping up funding for renovations and energy retrofits to our existing homes and offices. And we’re reducing residential and industrial organic waste and turning it into a clean resource. As part of CleanBC, every new light-duty car or truck sold in B.C. will be a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) by 2040. ZEVs will be more accessible and affordable for people throughout the province. We’ll help people save money on fuel with incentive programs, and make it easier to charge or fuel ZEVs. We’ll also be speeding up the switch to cleaner fuels at the gas pump, and helping industry to lower their emissions and reduce pollution.

We’re working collaboratively to seize new clean economy opportunities, and help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. First Nations governments, local governments and businesses are all partners on the path forward. And by moving to clean, renewable energy – like our abundant supply of B.C. electricity – we will power our growing economy and make life better and more affordable for British Columbians. And we will work in partnership with Indigenous Peoples on the path forward.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Bollywood

604-566-3111 7233 - Fraser St., Vancouver, BC

21

22

Saturday, December 8, 2018 Press release

NDP re-gifts BC Liberal climate change plan in time for Christmas BC Liberal Environment Critic Peter Milobar released the following statement in response to the NDP government’s climate change plan:“The NDP’s climate change plan continues to take British Columbia down a path first started by the BC Liberals. “On the surface it appears to be an update to our 2015 plan but with no specifics. The devil’s in the details and they won’t show us the details until next year’s budget. It makes you question why it took the NDP and Greens a year to come up with a plan that is so similar to the one we originally designed.

“Given that this plan continues to strive to meet our original dates and targets, the initiatives announced today are largely to be expected, and in the context of a climate change plan, would be considered the more straightforward elements. “The challenge for the government will be to address the missing 25 per cent of targeted emissions. For that, there is a profound lack of detail, and looks like yet another stalling tactic by the NDP. “Additionally, we are concerned that this plan confirms that there should never have been a delay on whether to proceed on Site

C. The NDP’s waffling and bumbling on that project cost British Columbians a billion dollars. This billion dollars would have more than covered the cost of electric vehicle transition or retrofits for public buildings.

“This plan also does not include any room for future LNG industry growth in B.C. – even phase two of LNG Canada is not accounted for. We will continue to raise concerns about the NDP’s refusal to table their tax incentive structure with LNG Canada that is being negotiated behind closed doors.

“We see yet again that Premier Horgan doesn’t want to tell British Columbians the costs of the backroom deals he is cutting to keep the confidence of Andrew Weaver and the Greens. This plan gives no indication as to the tax burden on everyday British Columbians, and what they can expect for housing cost increases due to building code changes. “The NDP has delayed action on ridesharing. They’ve delayed action on the Massey Tunnel replacement, and they’ve delayed movement on their poverty reduction plan – all projects critical to our environment and economy.

Press release

Statement from Andrew Wilkinson on National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women On December 6, 1989, 13 students and a school administrator were murdered at École Polytechnique in Montréal. They were targeted.

Killed because they were women learning to be engineers. Nearly thirty years later, we clearly still have a lot of work to do. Above all else, we must ensure that every school and every

workplace is unquestionably safe and respectful.

There should be no corner of our society where women feel unsafe. This is something we can do together, because the dreams of our daughters must be no less than the dreams of our sons.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

ACCES Employment and RBC announce a partnership to help new Canadians settle in faster For newcomers arriving in Canada, finding employment is amongst their top priorities with 64% ranking it in the top five*. When starting a new life in a new country, newcomers generally worry about where they’re going to live, adjusting to a new life and settling in to all of the nuances that come with immigrating.

Getting a head start is the key to success – to alleviate stress and start day one in control.

To help newcomers adjust to their new life, ACCES Employment and Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) today announced a partnership to assist newcomers find employment.

For the past several years, ACCES Employment and RBC have been working together to help new Canadians navigate the job search with support that includes advice before you arrive, résumé building tips and interview preparation.

Recognizing the need for advice before newcomers land in Canada, the partnership will now extend to include a series of online webinars directed at newly-arrived or soon-to-arrive newcomer jobseekers. The series - facilitated

by RBC recruiters and banking professionals will include job-search education and financial literacy topics to improve the journey to Canada.

“Helping newcomers to prepare for the Canadian job market while they are still overseas is critical to their success. Our prearrival programs and services ensure that newcomers are able to receive the support they need to integrate into the local labour market much more effectively,” says ACCES Employment President and CEO Allison Pond. “In addition, the online delivery model allows easy access to jobseekers across the world. As a result, we are able to provide an important continuum of services from the prearrival stage to when newcomers settle in the country. We are thankful for RBC’s continuing partnership and their support of this webinar event series. RBC’s support has helped thousands of jobseekers coming to Canada to learn about the Canadian job market and to find meaningful employment upon arrival.”

With more than 750,000 newcomers arriving in Canada every year (including permanent residents, temporary foreign workers and international students), ACCES and RBC understand the need to help newcomers settle into their new life in Canada quickly and that they play an important role in our economic workforce and beyond.

“Newcomers are an invaluable part of our diverse communities and we know settling in a new country can be challenging,” says John McNain, VP, Personal Lending & Newcomer Segment, RBC. “By assisting during the prearrival stage, we’re taking one thing off their to-

do list and helping newcomers arrive confidently as they get ready to settle into their new home.

Partnering with ACCES Employment allows us to bring our expertise together with the common goal of helping newcomers find meaningful employment through engaging two-way dialogue. Our role extends far beyond banking as we continue to work with partners such as ACCES Employment in making our communities a welcoming place where newcomers can thrive.”

The webinar series is already proving to add value for skilled job seekers, many of whom completed the webinars before arriving in Canada. For Oluwatosin Otakoya, a newly arrived IT professional from Nigeria, the webinars provided him the key information he needed for his job search in Canada.

“I found the ACCES and RBC webinars a great and informative resource – helpful advice before I even boarded the plane!

They are a must for any newcomer jobseeker, no matter what their industry or expertise, as they provide you with very helpful information for a successful job search in Canada,” says Oluwatosin Otakoya, newcomer from Nigeria.

For more information about the RBC Webinar Event Series, please visit www.accesemployment. ca/online-event-series/rbc-webinars.

About RBC Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purposedriven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 81,000+ employees who bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 16 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com. We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/communitysustainability.

About ACCES Employment ACCES Employment is a leader in connecting employers with qualified employees from diverse backgrounds. More than 32,000 job seekers are served annually locations across the Greater Toronto Area and virtually and pre-arrival through our online services. As a not-for-profit corporation, ACCES receives funding from all levels of government, corporate sponsors, various supporters and the United Way Toronto and York Region. For more information about services and programs at ACCES, please visit www.accesemployment.ca

Press release

23

Rural and northern MLAs left out in the cold on caribou recovery plan After repeated requests for a briefing on the province’s caribou recovery efforts, rural and northern MLAs find themselves completely frozen out of the process, along with the general public. The move follows the recent cancellation of a meeting between the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the Peace River Regional District that was supposed to have taken place today. Ministry officials backed out when regional district councilors asked to have the meeting made open to the public. “Without an open and transparent process, the province is creating a divide in the community because not everyone is at the table,” said Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier. “I understand that local first nations have been consulted, and that’s important, but by keeping most people in the dark, the ministry is creating a great deal of needless anxiety. The fact is the government has failed to do the bare minimum of consultation with local communities and

stakeholders who could be adversely affected by the complete closure of caribou habitat.” “As chair of rural caucus, I find it very disappointing that the government is failing to engage the public on a far ranging issue that could stem economic activity in forestry, tourism and even mining,” said Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA. “Local governments have been calling for greater involvement since the annual UBCM meeting last September, and similar to MLAs they have been left out in the cold. Everyone wants to protect caribou and their habitat, but we need discussions at the local level to come up with solutions that can work for everyone.”

“I have all sorts of constituents, from guide outfitters to people in the hospitality industry who are worried about how this plan will impact their future,” said Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok. “The preservation and survival of caribou populations is paramount, but the general public has a right to know what’s going on.

24

Vol. 9 No. 49

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Saturday - December 8, 2018

In BC’s rugged north as Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s $31 billion (US) liquefied natural gas project sparks an economic boom in the remote region. BC’s housing boom is set to shift to the BC’s North Coast, a sparsely populated region usually synonymous with untamed wilderness, black bears and glacial fjords — is set for a turnaround as Shell and its four partners ramp up activity on Canada’s largest infrastructure project ever, according to

Tel: 604-591-5423

E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com

Real estate boom shifting towards North Bryan Yu, deputy chief economist at Central 1 Credit Union. Residential home prices in the North Coast are set to surge faster than any other region in the province through 2020 as the project in Kitimat prepares to employ as many as 7,500 people at its peak, according to forecasts from Yu. In contrast, prices in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland area — once one of the hottest housing markets in North America — will fall, keeping the overall

provincial median price flat. More broadly, the real estate slowdown in Greater Vancouver — the province’s largest metropolitan area — will dampen British Columbia’s overall prospects.

The province’s annual economic growth will slow to a range of about 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent through 2020, down from 3.8 per cent in 2017, Central 1 said in a report Tuesday.

That reflects a shift in fortunes. Three years ago when Vancouver’s economy was roaring

along as housing prices surged, the resourcedependent north was suffering a downturn.

Lumber exports were falling, mining projects faced dismal commodity prices, and more than a dozen LNG projects were stalled amid a global gas glut. In addition to the LNG project announced last month, the North Coast region is also benefiting from firmer demand for wood products and a booming port in nearby Prince Rupert, according to Central 1.

Property assessment changes in 2019 After years of dramatic increases in B.C.’s property assessments, this year they will likely be more moderate, with some Vancouver homes going down in value.

That’s according to B.C. Assessment, which said Thursday that it is seeing signs of moderation as the real estate market softens in some areas of the province.

The soon-to-be-released 2019 property assessments are based on what was happening in the real estate market as of July 1.

Assessor Tina Ireland said changes in property assessments depend on where you live.

For example, she said assessed values for detached single-family homes in many areas of Metro Vancouver may soften, while other markets and areas of the province will see modest increases over last year’s values.

B.C. Assessment says some Metro detached single-family homes were showing decreases in value of five to 10 per cent over last year,

including in areas of Vancouver, the North Shore, South Surrey, White Rock, South Delta and Richmond.

The rest of the province can expect increases of five to 15 per cent for single-family homes.

This includes the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, Okanagan and the north.

In many parts of the central and northern Island, values increased closer to 20 per cent, the

agency said. In Kitimat, the agency added, the increases were even greater in response to activity within the resource sector.

B.C. Assessment says condos increased with typical values of 10 to 20 per cent across most of the province. Vancouver, the North Shore and Burnaby increases were slightly less than this range while the eastern Fraser Valley increases may be higher in some cases.

All B.C. homeowners should receive their annual property assessment notices in early January. B.C. Assessment will send out notification letters this month to property owners whose assessments are up more than the average change.

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25

Saturday, December 8, 2018 The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says home supply is rising and reaching levels not seen in roughly four years, even as the average price inches up year-over-year.

The board says the composite benchmark price for all homes was $1,062,100 in October -- up one per cent since October 2017, but down 3.3 per cent over the last three months.

Sales of all types of homes -- detached, townhomes and condos -- in October fell 34.9 per cent compared with the same month last year, dropping 26.8 per cent below the 10year October sales average.

Prices easing but Canada’s housing

Vancouver home sales drop below average last month market still ‘highly vulnerable’: CMHC Interest rates and anxiety on the rise in B.C. Meanwhile, nearly 4,900 new properties were listed for sale last month, up 7.4 per cent compared with October last year.

Nearly 13,000 homes are listed in Metro Vancouver or 42.1 per cent more than in October 2017. Board president Phil Moore says the additional supply gives home buyers more choice and home sellers more competition. Detached home sales fell 32.2 per cent in October compared with the same month last year, while the benchmark

Real estate market expected to mederate over next 2 years

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says the country’s real estate market is expected to moderate over the next two years as the growth in housing prices is expected to slow to more in line with economic fundamentals.In its 2018 housing market outlook released today, the national housing agency projects housing starts and sales are both expected to decline

price fell to $1,524,000 marking a 5.1 per cent drop year-overyear and 3.9 per cent fall over the last three months.

Sales of townhomes declined 37.5 per cent and condos fell 35.7 per cent year-over-year.

The benchmark price for townhomes rose 4.4 per cent from last year to $829,200, while condo prices jumped 5.8 per cent to $683,500.

Over the past three months, townhome

in 2019 and 2020.It predicts housing starts for single and multi-unit starts will fall to between 193,700 and 204,500 in 2019, while sales are anticipated to be between 478,400 and 497,400 units. Prices are anticipated to range between $501,400 and $521,600.

CMHC says it expects economic indicators

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prices fell 2.8 per cent and condo prices dropped 3.1.

The threemonth price drop “is providing a little relief for those looking to buy compared to the all-time highs we’ve experienced over the last year,” says Moore.

26

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Saturday, December 8, 2018

DREAM CARPET

29 17

30 18

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Kamloops woman sues BC Cannabis Stores claiming mislabelled pot messed up her study session Now that cannabis is fully legalized and regulated in Canada, people have someone to sue when something with a product goes wrong.

And so, with the Cannabis Act taking effect last October, it wasn’t going to be long before someone brought legal action against some organization in the young industry.

It appears the first such case in B.C. involves a bit of confusion between THC, the stuff that gets you high, and CBD, a non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant that researchers are learning has various health benefits.

According to a statement of claim, the provincial government’s B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch and B.C. Cannabis

Stores sold a Kamloops woman a cannabis product that was labelled as low in THC and high in CBD but which apparently contained the opposite of that description.

“The defendants failed to warn the plaintiff of the dangers of this product,” it reads. “it was mislabelled at the time of purchase.”

The plaintiff, Kimberly Webster, is a student at Thompson Rivers University. In the notice of claim, she says she ingested the product without intending to get high, and that it impaired her for a time during which she had intended to study for midterms. The mislabelled product therefore affected her grades, Webster claims.

Metro Vancouver board re-examines regional budget Members of Metro Vancouver’s board of directors have concerns about the regional district’s spending on major projects and how the costs will be passed on to taxpayers.

A special meeting was held Friday so that both new and experienced board members could review the budget, which was passed in late October, just after the municipal election, but before the new board met for the first time.

Pitt Meadows Mayor Bill Dingwall called the numbers “a bit alarming.”

“We need to really manage the incremental costs and the growth because there is taxpayer fatigue, especially around Metro Vancouver, with just even

the cost of living here,” Dingwall said.

Metro Vancouver residents will see a 5.5-per-cent increase in the taxes and fees they pay to the regional district for the services it provides, including drinking water, sewage treatment and solid waste disposal.

That’s a $28 bump for the average household, which is based on an assessed home value of $1.23 million.

Infrastructure expansion and upgrade projects are responsible for the increase.

The average cost for all Metro Vancouver services in 2019 is $534 per household, but that can vary based on assessed property value, location of the property and service use.

Security experts question Toronto developer’s ties with Beijing A wealthy Toronto developer with close ties to Beijing’s ruling Communist Party has become a donor to federal, provincial and municipal politicians – raising concerns among security experts about the influence he may be wielding in Canadian politics.

Ted Jiancheng Zhou, who has condominium projects in China and Canada, has risen to prominence within the Chinese-Canadian community in the Greater Toronto area only five years after his family’s arrival in Canada in 2013. He boasts of connections to high-level Communist Party officials in Fujian province, where he was born.

In November Mr. Zhou, who is a permanent resident, recently set up 10 nonprofit organizations aimed at helping the federal Conservatives win support within the Chinese-Canadian community before next year’s general election, according to media reports. The Liberals and New Democrats have asked federal Election Commissioner Yves Côté to investigate the relationship between the Conservative Party and Mr. Zhou’s organizations for possible breaches of election spending laws. Requests from MPs usually trigger an inquiry, former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley said.

CSIS warns business leaders of ‘state-sponsored espionage in Canada’ The head of Canada’s intelligence service warned business leaders that foreign states are using a variety of clandestine methods to steal their secrets, putting the economy at risk.

“Hostile actors” are engaging in everything from cyberattacks and extortion to buying companies to get access to their trade secrets, Canadian Security Intelligence Service director David Vigneault said.

While Vigneault said terrorism remained the “number one national security-related danger to public safety in this country,” he called espionage and foreign interference “the greatest threat to our prosperity and national interest.”

“We have to be mindful that hostile states will use any means to recruit people, project their influence and gain access to our proprietary information.

No matter how it’s done or who’s behind it, economic espionage represents a long-term threat to Canada’s economy and our prosperity,” Vigneault said.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Chinese-Canadian who held a Liberal fundraiser at his home wins $1 libel award against journalist A wealthy Vancouver businessman who once held a fundraiser at his home attended

by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has won a defamation suit against a Chineselanguage journalist – but the judge awarded Miaofei Pan just $1 in damages Tuesday, noting concerns about his credibility.

The dinner hosted by Mr. Pan, a developer, included Mr. Trudeau and about 80 other guests. The $1,500-per-ticket event, prompting later articles by journalist and blogger Bingchen Gao, who often writes under the pseudonym Hebian Huang.

Mr. Pan sued Mr. Gao for defamation after he posted 10 articles about him on the social-media platform Wechat between December, 2016, and February, 2017.

In his lawsuit, Mr. Pan argued the articles damaged his reputation and caused him “significant harm,” despair and depression. He was seeking between $360,000 and $450,000 in damages and a permanent injunction restraining Mr. Gao from publishing the defamatory material again or anything similar to it.

Justice Neena Sharma ruled that Mr. Gao must remove two articles containing defamatory statements, including allegations that Mr. Pan paid to obtain leadership positions in certain charitable organizations; that he was involved in a real estate project

that financially harmed several families; and that he and his wife owed a substantial amount in debt and taxes in China.

Justice Sharma said in the judgment that she wasn’t convinced Mr. Pan’s reputation had been damaged in the ChineseCanadian community because some of the charitable organizations wanted him to remain as an “honorary” president after those articles were published.

Mr. Gao said in an interview that the lawsuit was triggered by the first article he posted, on Dec. 12, 2016. In it, he alleged that Mr. Pan partly concealed his income and received the Canada Child Tax Benefit.

Justice Sharma noted that when she ordered Mr. Pan to submit his income tax returns, he changed his testimony. He initially said his reported annual income was more than the $30,000 ceiling for claiming the benefit, but later said that for some years he was eligible to collect the benefit but did not because he had enough in savings. He also failed to provide true, unredacted copies of his income tax returns for the years 2007 to 2010.

Justice Sharma noted his inconsistent evidence affected his credibility and the strength of his case.

Story continues below advertisement She wrote that, as a result of his unwillingness to provide proof of his income,

Vancouver real estate sales & prices down to more ‘historical’ levels, says board Both sales and prices for Metro Vancouver homes have dropped in what the head of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says is a return to historical demand levels.

Board president Phil Moore says homebuyers have been taking a wait-and-see approach for most of 2018 and the slower activity has prompted home prices to edge downward across all property types.

The board reports just over 1,600 residential homes were sold in the region in November, a 42.5-per-cent drop from the same month last year and a 34.7-percent decrease in the 10-year average.

Moore says home prices have dipped four to seven per cent over the past six months

depending on the property type, and the board will watch conditions in the first quarter of 2019 to see if buyer demand picks up ahead of the usually active spring market.

The benchmark price for detached homes is just over $1.5 million, while the average price of a condo is $667,800, a 2.3-per-cent price decrease from November 2017.

The Greater Vancouver Real Estate board includes properties from Whistler and the Sunshine Coast in the north to Richmond, South Delta and Maple Ridge in the south.

Real estate forecast anticipates 2019 sales to edge up after 2018’s fall Metro Vancouver September home sales plunge 40% vs. same

31 19

Hamilton man may be Canada’s highest ranking US mob member When Violi pleaded guilty to multiple drug charges and sentenced to eight years in prison, it came to light that he may be a mob underboss—second in command— with the Todaro organized crime family, based in Buffalo. If this is true, it would make Violi the highest-ranking Canadian ever in the American Mafia world.

In a conversation recorded by an informant (who was apparently a made man in the underworld), Violi told a tale of beating out 30 people to become an underboss in the Todaro crime family based out of Buffalo, New York. The Todaros are a well-known name in the American criminal underworld,

being an original member of the commission (the governing body of the Mafia) and operating in one form or another for over a century. According to the National Post, in a recorded conversation, Violi said that he made history with becoming underboss.

“This one guy … he goes, ‘Domenic, you know you made history.’ I said, ‘I made history?’

He goes, ‘Yeah, nobody ever in Canada got this position,’” Violi said in the recordings.

Domenic isn’t the only Violi to reach heights in the underworld. He was the son of Paolo Violi, an acting boss of the Bonnon family in Montreal and one of the brothers who fought (and lost) against the Rizzuto

BC Hydro managing its billions in capital assets well The Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia has released a report, Independent Audit of Capital Asset Management in BC Hydro.

“We found no significant deficiencies in BC Hydro’s asset management systems, activities and practices. As a result, we have no recommendations in this audit,” said Carol Bellringer, auditor general.

Asset management is the purposeful and long-term processes that aim to get the greatest efficiency, for the lowest cost, out of an asset over its lifetime. Good asset management is essential for BC Hydro to deliver on its mission to safely provide reliable, affordable, clean electricity throughout British Columbia.

BC Hydro manages a total of about $25 billion in assets. About 80% of its assets are things like dams, generators, power lines and poles, substations and transformers

that are used to provide electrical service to the people of British Columbia. From April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018, BC Hydro invested almost $2.5 billion to renew, repair or replace the assets it manages.

The audit looked at whether BC Hydro has the information, practices, processes and systems needed to support good asset management. Specifically, it looked at BC Hydro’s generation, distribution and transmission assets. “BC Hydro has good asset management practices as a result of a decadelong plan and associated efforts to carry out the plan, not by accident,” said Bellringer.

More than 10 years ago, BC Hydro made asset management an organizational priority. Since then, it has worked to implement international guidelines and good practice standards.

The full report is available on the Office of the Auditor General website:

20 32

NATIONAL

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Nobody’s walked out, but there are few signs of progress at first ministers talks Prime Minister Trudeau’s fourth first ministers meeting wrapped up in Montreal Friday with little evidence of progress on key issues plaguing Canada’s economy.

Several days of public bickering between the premiers and Ottawa over the agenda — over who talks when, who listens and which priorities should dominate — overshadowed any signs of groundwork being laid for agreement.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford initially threatened to walk out of the meeting Thursday if his demands for changes to the agenda weren’t met. But the premiers stayed put; when asked how the meetings went, Ford described them as both “fabulous” and “fantastic.”

Officials and premiers said the group had a pleasant dinner with the prime minister in a Montreal restaurant Thursday night, making it unclear whether the tough public posturing

would carry over into the private meetings.

The prime minister met early Friday morning with national Indigenous leaders before the premiers joined First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders for a larger discussion of their economic development issues.

Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Canada’s ambassador to the United States, David MacNaughton, joined the group this morning for six hours of talks on economic and trade issues.

Cameras were invited into the room briefly to record opening remarks from Trudeau, who touted his government’s record on job creation and economic growth and its efforts to protect the environment.

Ontario police force begins naming, shaming accused impaired drivers An Ontario police force has started naming and shaming all people charged with impaired driving by posting their names online.

York Regional Police Chief Eric Jolliffe issued a statement Monday saying that the names will be released every Monday.

The police force’s first list shows 16 people charged between Nov. 30 and Dec. 3, along with their ages and hometowns. The list was shared on Twitter and Facebook. The people on it are charged but not convicted.

Jolliffe said the goal is “to further make impaired driving socially unacceptable and so that members of our community can assist with notifying police if these offenders choose to drive while under suspension.”

“Innocent lives are put at risk every day by this irresponsible and criminal behavior,” he added. “We are not giving up.”

Const. Andy Pattenden said the drivers involved “may be humiliated” but, he added, “they should be humiliated.”

“The choice that they made to drink alcohol or consume drugs and get behind the wheel is something that we all know is wrong,” Pattenden told CTV Toronto.

Pattenden highlighted the case of Marco Muzzo, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death after smashing into a minivan and killing three children from the NevilleLake family and their grandfather in 2015.

“We really believed that when there was that horrible tragedy in Vaughan where the Neville-Lake kids were killed, and their grandfather, that just from the publicity and the horror of that event alone, the numbers would go down,” Pattenden said.

A guilty of manslaughter A A Youth in Edmonton Mac’s killings to be released in 2 weeks A youth found guilty for his role in the deaths of two Edmonton Mac’s convenience store clerks will walk free in two weeks.

The 16-year-old, who was 13 at the time of the killings and cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, received his sentence Friday afternoon in an Edmonton courtroom.

Defence lawyer says teen charged with murder of Edmonton Mac’s sales clerk wasn’t in store when shot was fired 16-year-old pleads guilty to one of two killings at Edmonton Mac’s stores Trial hears police found Edmonton murder suspects parked at 3rd Mac’s store The sentence comes after the teen was found guilty of two counts of manslaughter in the 2015 killings of store clerks Ricky Cenabre, 41, and Karanpal Bhangu, 35.

Cenabre and Bhangu were killed in separate robberies and shootings at two different Mac’s locations in south Edmonton on Dec. 18, 2015. The fatal shootings were

brutal, with police calling them executions.

Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of three years. Both the Crown and defence in the case asked for the maximum threeyear sentence, which the judge accepted.

The boy has been in custody since his arrest nearly three years ago.

With credit for time served, he will be released on Dec. 14 and serve the final three days of his sentence in the community.

The 16-year-old was originally charged and tried for first-degree murder in Cenabre’s death but a judge found the youth not guilty of that charge.

In October, the teen pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Bhangu’s death, along with two counts of robbery with a restricted or prohibited weapon and two counts of being disguised in both deaths.

Two men were also accused in connection to the deaths. One of them, Laylin Delorme, was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder earlier this year.

BoC must decide whether economy is cruising, chugging or decelerating No one said the Bank of Canada’s shift to data dependency would be easy.

The professional watchers of Canada’s central bank, so confident in their near-term outlooks a month ago, turned tentative as November turned into December. A slew of recent events and releases, including the acute weakness of Canadian crude prices, have rattled the consensus that interest rates will be higher by January, if not as soon as Dec. 5.

A close reader of Citibank’s Dana Peterson research notes will see the earth shifting beneath her feet. On Nov. 23, she reviewed Canada’s latest inf Global economy strong enough for stimulus to be ‘steadily withdrawn’, says Bank of Canada’s Stephen Poloz Bank of Canada holds key interest rate at 1.75% as economic outlook dims Bank of Canada holds interest rate at 1.75%; keeps eye on oil slump, investment lation numbers and advised her clients to get ready for an interest-rate increase at the Bank of Canada’s first policy announcement of 2019, scheduled for Jan. 9. Peterson sounded much less certain a week later, when Statistics Canada reported that a drop in business investment had slowed economic growth in the third quarter. “We expect that hikes will continue, with the next in January, although

with potential risk that a hike is delayed,” she warned in a note published Nov. 30.

Alberta’s oil pain could put Bank of Canada’s January interest rate hike in jeopardy In era of trade uncertainty, the Bank of Canada’s Stephen Poloz was made for this moment in history Inflation rate ticks up, but Bank of Canada likely to keep interest rates steady come December When Poloz and his deputies on the Governing Council raised the benchmark rate a quarter point to 1.75 per cent in October, many analysts decided the Bank of Canada had turned “hawkish,” a term traders use to describe central banks that favour raising interest rates over lowering them. They based this determination on the central bank’s decision to stop modifying its plan to take borrowing costs higher as “gradual.” Carolyn Wilkins, the senior deputy governor, stated explicitly that “gradual” was erased because too many traders were beginning to assign the word a meaning it didn’t deserve. Regardless, a narrative took hold that the central bank was speeding up its walk back to a more normal policy setting.

“For a central bank that says it wants to eschew ‘forward guidance,’ the Bank of Canada sounded pretty sure of itself when in hiked rates in October,” Avery Shenfeld, chief economist at CIBC World Markets, said in a note on Dec. 3.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Tories, NDP want to find out what PMO knew about RCMP investigation into Raj Grewal Conservative and NDP MPs are hoping to call senior Liberal officials and Canada’s top bureaucrat in front of a committee of the House of Commons to find out what they know about an RCMP investigation into MP Raj Grewal. The Opposition MPs on the ethics committee of the House are calling for an emergency meeting in which the Clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, and two top advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office, Katie Telford and Gerald Butts, would provide further details on interactions with the RCMP in this case earlier this year.

The matter will be debated on Thursday, but it remains unknown whether the Liberal majority on the committee will support the opposition request.

“We’re anticipating a discussion and I would hope that at least some of the members will see this as a fair and reasonable request,” said Conservative MP Peter Kent.

Mr. Grewal has acknowledged having a gambling problem and incurring millions

of dollars in debt since his election as the Liberal MP for Brampton East in 2015. On Nov. 19, Mr. Grewal informed the PMO about the nature of his problems, and it was decided later that week that he would resign as an MP. Last Friday, Mr. Grewal said he was rethinking his resignation and would make a final decision

by January. For now, he is sitting as an independent. The opposition wants to find out what exactly happened when the RCMP reached out to the PMO earlier this year to discuss an issue involving Mr. Grewal.

According to the PMO, the questions were related to Mr. Grewal’s role in bringing Yusuf Yenilmez, chief executive of construction firm Zgemi Inc., to an event featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in India in February.

Mr. Yenilmez’s company paid Mr. Grewal employment income while he was an MP, and is a co-debtor on a vehicle loan.

Prime Minister’s Office responsible for inviting Jaspal Atwal to India: Report The Prime Minister’s Office was responsible for inviting Jaspal Atwal to two events featuring Justin Trudeau in India this year, while the RCMP failed to transmit information about the B.C. man’s criminal record throughout the police force and to other relevant agencies before the first event, a report has found.

With access to classified documents and high-ranking officials, the new National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) put together a scathing report into the planning of the highstakes visit last February that turned into a political crisis for the Liberal government.

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and Jaspal Atwal pictured in Mumbai on Feb. 20.

“The RCMP had information that Mr. Atwal had a serious criminal record and a history

of involvement in violent acts, issues which should have been identified as security risks to the Prime Minister and his delegation. The RCMP recognizes that it erred in not providing that information to the Prime Minister’s Protective Detail,” the report said. The heavily redacted report released on Monday said the PMO decided on Feb. 10 to issue 423 additional invitations to events with the Prime Minister in Mumbai on Feb. 20 and Delhi two days later.

Among the people invited was Mr. Atwal, a B.C. man convicted of trying to kill an Indian cabinet minister in 1986. The report said there was no systematic vetting of the guest list. Still, RCMP officials in Ottawa went over invitations and became aware on Feb. 13 of Mr. Atwal’s criminal record, but did not notify their team on the ground in India, the report said.

Canada to host anti-ISIL meeting An idyllic estate on the shore of Meech Lake outside Ottawa will be the scene Thursday when representatives from more than a dozen countries gather to discuss the war against the Islamic State group and the futures of Iraq and Syria. The meeting, co-hosted by Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and his American counterpart James Mattis, comes as Canada weighs its own role in the region, where the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant remains a threat despite its battlefield defeats.

A recent U.S. Defense Department report that said while ISIL has lost nearly all the territory it once controlled in Iraq, it has started to dig roots as an “effective” insurgent group — and that it could take “years, if not decades” before the Iraqi military can deal with it on its own. Canada earlier this year assumed command of a NATO training mission that includes 250 Canadian troops and whose aim is to train the Iraqi military so that it can ensure security and defend against threats such as ISIL.

Federal Conservatives cruise to convincing victory in eastern Ontario byelection The Conservatives easily hung onto a long-time Tory fiefdom Monday, scoring a convincing victory in a federal byelection held in eastern Ontario.

With 215 of 238 polls reporting in LeedsGrenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, Conservative candidate Michael Barrett, a municipal councillor, had racked up 58.3 per cent of the vote.

Liberal contender Mary Jean McFall was second with 35.2 per cent, while the NDP and Green contenders brought up the rear with 3.2 and three per cent, respectively.

The riding became vacant when Conservative MP Gord Brown died in May. He had been the MP since 2004.

The Conservatives have held the riding for all but 16 of the last 40 years.

The Liberals held the riding from 1988 to

2004, thanks in large part to conservative vote splitting between Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance.

Conservatives hang on to victory after byelection in safe eastern Ontario seat But since the reuniting of conservative forces in 2004, the Conservatives have been pretty much invincible in the riding.

Brown took more than 50 per cent of the votes in four elections, peaking at almost 61 per cent in 2011.

His fifth and last election, in 2015, was his closest, with Liberal McFall nipping at his heels. Brown captured 47.4 per cent of the vote to McFall’s 40.6 per cent.

On Monday, Barrett managed to increase the Conservatives’ share of the vote by 11 percentage points while McFall’s share dropped by five points.

NATIONAL

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BJP MP quits the party, says country needs ‘Constitution not temple’ Accusing the BJP of dividing society, Ministers, she added, were making statements disgruntled party MP from Bahraich, UP, against the spirit of the Constitution “It Sadhvi Savitri Bai Phule resigned from BJP. seems the BJP wants to run the country from Speaking to reporters in Bahraich, said Manusmriti and not from the Constitution,” upholding the Constitution Phule asserted, referring to and the rights it guarantees the ancient Hindu code. “I to the Scheduled Castes and am resigning on the death Scheduled Tribes is her duty for anniversary of B R Ambedkar which she is resigning. as Manuwadi mentality is being Sadhvi Savitri Bai announced promoted and the RSS, the to hold a massive rally at VHP and the BJP are hurting Ramabai Ambedkar maidan in the sentiments of Dalits and Lucknow on December 23. She Muslims by creating a 1992 promised to make an “explosive like situation. They are playing announcement” at the rally. divisive politics and vitiating Sadhvi Savitri Bai “I have resigned from the the communal atmosphere...,” party. But I will continue as a Lok Sabha she said. Phule also said she wanted to draw member till the end of my tenure,” she said. the country’s attention towards the issue of Sadhvi Savitri Bai also accused the BJP reservations in promotion. Reacting to her of dividing society and often the party over resignation, BJP spokesperson Harishchandra its Hindutva plank. The Dalit MP, who has Srivsatava said Phule was trying to hide long been critical of the party’s leadership her failures as she had failed to meet the and resigned from the party on the death expectations of the people of Bahraich. anniversary of B R Ambedkar, said she wants “From today onwards, I have nothing to do to get the Constitution implemented in letter with the BJP. My voice was being ignored and spirit. “Desh ke chowikdar ki pehredari in the party as I am a Dalit. There is a great mein, sansadhono ki chori karai ja rahi hai conspiracy against Dalits and their rights. (the country’s resources are being looted Reservation for Dalits and backwards is also under the watch of the country’s gateman),” being slowly taken away,” she said. Known she said in a derisive reference to Prime for her controversial statements, Phule has Minister Narendra Modi.

Slamming the been attacking the BJP and its governments BJP, she said people did not get Rs 15 lakh at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh for their as promised but money was being misused alleged indifference to the concerns of in the construction of statues and temples. Scheduled Castes. On Tuesday, Phule said “It (BJP) is spreading hatred by raking up Lord Hanuman was “a Dalit and a slave of Hindu-Muslim, India-Pakistan issues and ‘manuwadi’ people”, adding her voice to the doing nothing to bring back those who fled row which erupted over UP Chief Minister with our money,” the 37-year-old MP said. Yogi ’s statement that the deity was a Dalit.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

PM Modi attaks Congress on chopper scam during election rally After weeks of rallying ahead of the Assembly Elections campaigning will end soon for all parties who gear up for the final push in Telangana and Rajasthan.

BJP party chief Amit Shah began by addressing a press conference where he said the party held about 222 rallies ahead of the polls. Rahul Gandhi to address a press conference later.

PM Modi targeted Gandhi’s over the VVIP Chopper scam, National Herald Case among others accusing them of trying to hide files in chopper scam.

BJP’s Amit Shah also addresses rallies in Rajasthan, In Telangana, Chief minister KCR

will conclude campaigning with a big meeting in his constituency - Gajwel. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Chandrababu Naidu and the alliance partners are to address a massive meeting. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be back in Telangana where he will address a rally in Bhupalapalle constituency.

Rajasthan and Telanagana will vote on December 7 and the results will be declared on December 11. PM Modi took on the Congress over the extradition of Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper deal.

India to host G-20 Summit in 2022, says PM Modi PM Modi has announced that India will host the annual G-20 summit in 2022, coinciding with the country’s 75th anniversary of Independence. Modi made the announcement at the closing ceremony of the two-day G-20 Summit on Saturday. He thanked Italy for allowing India to play the host. Italy was to host the international forum in 2022. “In 2022, India completes 75 years since Independence. In that special year, India looks forward to welcoming the world to the G-20 Summit! Come to India, the world’s fastest-growing large economy! Know India’s rich history and diversity, and experience the

warm Indian hospitality,” Modi tweeted.

The G-20 is a grouping of the world’s 20 major economies. G-20 members comprise Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.

Collectively, the G-20 economies account for nearly 90 percent of the gross world product, 80 percent of world trade, two-thirds of the world population, and approximately half of the world’s land area.

West Bengal govt denies permission for Amit Shah’s ‘Rath Yatra’ West Bengal government denies permission for BJP president Amit Shah’s proposed ‘Rath Yatra’ from Cooch Behar on grounds that it might cause communal tension, the state’s Advocate-General informed the Calcutta High Court on Thursday. Kishore Dutta told the court that the Cooch Behar Superintendent of Police refused permission for the BJP president’s Rath Yatra from Friday. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah is scheduled to kickstart the party’s ‘Save Democracy Rally’, comprising three ‘rath yatras’, in the state. The state government submitted that it might cause communal tension in the district.

Dutta said the district has a history of communal issues and that there was information that some communal provocators and rowdy elements had become active there. The SP’s refusal letter also noted that several top BJP leaders would come to Cooch Behar, as also people from other states, stating that these may affect the communally

sensitive district. Stating that refusal of permission was an administrative decision in view of the ground situation, the AG said that details of apprehension cannot be spelt out in open court due to its sensitive nature and he can submit these to the court in a sealed cover, if directed. The BJP, which moved the court seeking direction to the state gover nment for giving permission for its three rallies, told the Bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty that it will hold peaceful yatras. Asked by the judge as to who will take responsibility if anything untoward happens, BJP counsel Anindya Mitra submitted that the party will hold a peaceful rally, but that it was the duty of the state government to maintain law and order. Mitra submitted that the Constitution guarantees the right to hold political programmes.

CBI vs CBI: SC reserves order on Alok Verma’s plea The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved judgment on a petition moved by CBI Director Alok Verma, challenging the Centre’s decision to divest him of all powers and sending him on leave.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi concluded the arguments on behalf of Verma, Centre, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and others who were party in the matter.

The court also heard the petition moved

by NGO Common Cause which had sought court-monitored SIT probe into allegations of corruption against various CBI officials, including Special Director Rakesh Asthana.

Verma and Asthana have made

allegations of corruption against each other.

Earlier, during the hearing, the CVC told the Supreme Court that extraordinary situations needed extraordinary remedies.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CVC, referred to apex court judgments and laws governing the CBI and said the Commission’s superintendence (over the CBI) encompassed “surprise, extraordinary situations”.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said Attorney General KK Venugopal told the court that circumstances culminating in the situation had started in July.

PUNJAB

Saturday, December 8, 2018 Magisterial probe clears Sidhus in Amritsar train tragedy In a reprieve for Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife, former Amritsar-East MLA Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, the magisterial probe has not held them guilty on any count for the October 20 Dasehra tragedy in which 59 persons were run over by a train.

Instead, the 300-page report by Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner B Purushartha has indicted officials of the Amritsar administration and Municipal Corporation, besides the Railways and the police, saying they did not do their duty properly, leading to the loss of so many lives. Sources said the Chief Minister would soon announce action taken on the report.

The Purushartha report has specially pointed out that the organisers of the event, including councillor’s Vijay Madan’s son Mithu

Truck driver arrested with poppy husk Kiratpur Sahib police arrested a truck driver and seized 10-kg poppy husk from his possession at Bunga Sahib near here on Tuesday. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused, Kirpal Singh of the Nurpur Bedi area.

The police said the poppy husk was seized during the search of a truck coming from the Nurpur Bedi side. In another incident, a resident of Saheri village near Morinda was arrested after 40 intoxicant injections were recovered from him. SHO Harikirat Singh said a police party was patrolling near the Rangi Palace on the Morinda-Kurali road when on suspicion they nabbed a person.

Rape case against pastor stayed by the court Pastor Baljinder Singh seeking the quashing of a case for rape and other offences, as Punjab & Haryana High Court ordered stay on further proceedings before the trial court.

As the petition filed against the Punjab government and other respondents

by Baljinder Singh through counsel Gursharan Kaur Mann came up for hearing, Justice Anita Chaudhry’s Bench was told that the prosecutrix was a married woman with two children. The fact was concealed by her in the FIR. Mann added the prosecutrix was 31-year-old and allegation of forced relationship was not there. Describing it as “consensual”, Mann said the prosecutrix had made similar complaints against other two persons, one in Jammu and the other in Chandigarh. Those FIRs were quashed and orders were placed on record. Mann stated that no video clip was recovered, and even the challan did not refer to recovery of any video, and the case was fixed for prosecution evidence. Taking a note of the submissions, the Bench fixed the case for further hearing in February next year. The police had registered a case at the Zirakpur police station on April 20 under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the IT Act. The alleged offences included rape (376), cheating (420), outraging modesty of woman (354), obscenity (294), causing hurt (323) and criminal intimidation (506) under the IPC and Section 67 (transmitting sexually explicit content) of the Information Technology Act.

Madan, who is a close aide of the Sidhu couple, did not take proper permission for the event and did not care for the management of the crowd.

Dr Sidhu was the chief guest at the Dasehra event when a train mowed down spectators who were standing on the railway tracks to see the burning of Ravana’s effigy. It was alleged that the organisers and the chief guest started the event late and were oblivious to the risk to spectators standing on rail tracks. It was alleged that Mithu Madan used the influence of the Sidhu couple to “tweak” the safety requirements for organisation of such events.

Earlier, an inquiry into the train mishap

by Chief Commissioner, Railway Security, K Pathak had held negligence of the people on the tracks as the main reason for the mishap.

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Punjab gov’t to pay Rs 25 per quintal to cane farmers The protest by Punjab cane farmers, which saw major highways in Doaba and Majha being blocked, was called off today after the Punjab Government struck a deal with private sugar mills, costing the state exchequer about Rs 230 crore.

However, it will still take another three or four days for crushing at the mills to begin as most are yet to obtain a licence to start operations.

The government, conceding to the demand of private sugar mills, owned by leaders from across the political spectrum, decided to pay a part of the State Advised Price (SAP) — Rs 25 per quintal — to the farmers. Vishwajit Khanna, Additional Chief Secretary (Development), said the decision had been taken as wholesale sugar prices had crashed to Rs 2,900 per quintal.

“The private mills said they were unable to buy cane at Rs 310 per quintal, use their own resources to produce sugar and then sell it at Rs 2,900 per quintal,” he said.

The mill owners had been adamant on being paid Rs 35 per quintal as subsidy, if the government wanted the mills to pay the SAP (Rs 295, Rs 300 and Rs 310 per quintal) to cane growers.

According to the deal, the private mills, which have a 70 per cent crushing capacity, will pay Rs 285 per quintal (early yielding), Rs 275 (mid-varieties) and Rs 270 (late varieties) to the farmers. They will thus bear Rs 10 per quintal differential between the SAP and Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP — Rs 275, Rs 265 and Rs 260 per quintal).

These private mills need to clear farmers’ dues amounting to Rs 192 crore since the last crushing season (2017-18). The government announced they would release a sum of Rs 67 crore in phases to those farmers supplying cane to their mills. The state government is committed to paying this amount as interest for a soft loan of Rs 200 crore taken by the mills in 2015-16 on the asking of the then SAD- BJP gov’t.

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Saturday, December 8, 2018

India’s heaviest satellite GSAT-11 Launched India’s heaviest satellite GSAT11, that would boost broadband services in the country, was successfully launched by an Arianespace rocket from the French Guiana in the early hours of Wednesday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said. Blasting off from the Ariane Launch Complex at Kourou, a French territory located along the northeastern coast of South America at 02:07 am (IST), the Ariane-5 vehicle injected GSAT-11 into the orbit in a flawless flight lasting about 33 minutes. “ISRO’s heaviest and most-advanced high throughput communication satellite GSAT-11 was successfully launched from the Spaceport in French Guiana during the early hours today,” the Indian space agency said.

After a 30-minute flight, GSAT-11 separated from the Ariane 5 upper stage in an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. The achieved orbit was very close to the intended one, it said. “.....the heaviest, largest and most powerful satellite ever built by India is successfully launched by Ariane-5 today,” ISRO Chairman K Sivan said soon after the launch, describing the GSAT-11 as the “richest space asset” for India. Weighing about 5,854 kg, the GSAT-11 is the “heaviest” satellite built by ISRO. It is a next generation “high throughput” communication satellite configured around ISRO’s I-6K Bus, and has a designed lifetime of more than 15 years.

UAE and India sign 35 billion rupees currency swap India and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday signed a currency swap agreement to boost investment and enable direct trade without using dollars or other international currencies.

The swap is for 2 billion dirhams or 35 billion Indian rupees ($496 million), depending on which central bank requests the amount, an Indian embassy statement said.

“The bilateral currency swap agreement between India and the UAE is expected to reduce the dependency on hard currencies like the U.S dollar,” the statement said, adding that the two central banks had agreed the deal.

While giving a push to the two local

currencies, the swap deal would also reduce the transmission costs arising from exchange rate risks, it added.

The agreement was signed after the 12th India-UAE joint commission meeting co-chaired by India’s External Affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj and the UAE’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.

Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at around $52 billion in 2017, according to figures from the Indian embassy in the UAE. In 2015, China’s central bank extended a currency swap agreement with the UAE Central bank worth $5.54 billion.

Moody’s investor service says outlook on Indian banks stable Moody’s Investors Service today said it has a stable outlook on the Indian banking system for the next 12-18 months as economic growth prospects remain healthy amid weak, but stabilising, asset quality.

The stable outlook is based on six parameters — operating environment, asset quality, capital, funding and liquidity, profitability and efficiency, and government support — all of which are stable, said Moody’s. The environment will stay stable, supported by robust economic growth, Moody’s said in a statement. The agency expects the real gross domestic product in India to grow 7.2 percent in the year ending March 2019 and 7.4 percent in the following year, driven by investment growth and strong consumption.

“Our outlook for the Indian banking system is stable, underpinned by healthy economic growth, and weak but stabilizing asset quality,” Moody’s Vice President and Senior Credit Officer Srikanth Vadlamani said.

However, liquidity constraints at non-bank

finance institutions — increasingly important providers of credit for the economy — will prove a drag on growth. Rising interest rates also represent a risk, Moody’s said.

On asset quality, Moody’s said it will remain stable but weak, as the clean-up of legacy problem loans nears completion and corporate health improves. In particular, the banks have recognised the bulk of legacy problem loans and will start making recoveries from large non-performing loans that have been resolved. “This will help shore up asset quality, although the degree of success in the resolution of large NPLs will determine the extent of asset quality improvements,” the rating agency said. As for capitalisation, public sector banks will continue to show weak capitalisation, and depend on government capital injections to meet minimum capital requirements.

“The funding and liquidity profiles of public sector banks, in particular, will remain resilient, despite their solvency challenges.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

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Saturday, December 8, 2018

US calls for support to PM Modi, others trying to keep peace in Afghanistan US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, in a message said it is time for everyone to support the efforts of UN, PM Modi and Afghanistan.

“We’re looking for every responsible nation to support peace in the subcontinent and across this war in Afghanistan that’s gone on now for 40 years,” he told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday as he welcomed Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for talks.

“It’s time for everyone to get on board, support the United Nations; support Prime Minister Modi’s, (Afghan) President (Ashraf) Ghani and all those who are trying to maintain peace and make for a better world here,” Jim Mattis said. “We are on that track.

It is diplomatically led as it should be, and we’ll do our best to protect the Afghan people,” he added.

Mattis was responding to a question from reporters about the letter written

by US President Donald Trump to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, seeking his support in the peace process in Afghanistan. In his letter Donald Trump has made it clear that Pakistan’s full support in this regard “is fundamental” to building an enduring USPakistan partnership.

Sri Lanka court stops Mahinda Rajapaksa from acting as Prime Minister A Sri Lankan court barred Mahinda Rajapaksa from acting as Prime Minister, in a major set back to President Maithripala Sirisena who had installed his former rival in place of Ranil Wickremesinghe in a controversial decision.

The Appeal Court issued notice and an interim order against Rajapaksa and his Government, preventing them from acting as Prime Minister, Cabinet and Deputy Ministers, Colombo Gazette reported. The order was issued in a Quo Warranto case filed by 122 MPs against Rajapaksa and his Government.

Lanka is witnessing a political crisis since October 26 when President Sirisena sacked

Wickeremesinghe and replaced him with Rajapaksa. Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered snap election. The Supreme Court overturned Sirisena’s decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls.

Both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claim to be the prime ministers. Wickremesinghe says his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament. The UNF has moved three no trust motions against Rajapaksa, who has refused to step down.

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Sri Lankan president says political crisis to end soon Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is considering dropping an attempt to dissolve parliament, sources close to the president said, possibly easing weeks of political deadlock.

The country has been in a crisis since President Sirisena replaced Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapaksa last month, and then issued an order dissolving parliament and called for a general election.

The sources said the president might now rescind the order, effectively pre-empting a court ruling that they expect to overturn his decision anyway.

Sri Lanka’s top court stayed the dissolution order pending a hearing on its constitutionality that starts on Tuesday, allowing parliament to resume meeting.

Rajapaksa, a former president, has lost two confidence votes in parliament but has refused to resign.

“There is a possibility of withdrawing the gazette,” said a source in regular discussion with Sirisena, referring to the official announcement by which the president dissolved parliament. “I have no doubt that the Supreme Court would say that dissolution was wrong.” A spokesman for Sirisena, Dharmasri Ekanayake, said he was unaware of any such plans. A second source in Sirisena’s party said the president was looking for a “dignified exit” by withdrawing the dissolution order as the court was unlikely to rule in his favour.

The Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision as early as Dec 7. Foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government.

The impasse has also pushed the island’s currency to record lows, caused turmoil on its stock and bond markets, and raised fears it may not be able to service debts to finance reconstruction following a 26-year civil war that ended in 2009.

SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, December 8, 2018

One Belt, One Road, One Big Mistake

Things that helped this regional CEO to Stay on India’s biggest real estate group’s top management role for a decade Shaishav Dharia is the Regional Chief Executive Officer for Lodha Group’s ambitious Palava City and New Cuffe Parade. He has spent more than a decade with the Lodha’s. In a chat with Entrepreneur India, Dharia revealed his secret to climbing up and staying on. The way Dharia looks at it are the three things which he learnt or he could have done better.

First is about work – I don’t think there is any substitute of hard work and about learning the business in detail. Very often especially when I see a lot of MBAs in particular, we tend to be too generous to those who may be in the industry. The difference between me and those like me is that I spend time on the ground.

I have learnt the technicalities of real estate; which is more about investing the time in rather than doing marketing and developing strategy and actually learning how to develop and construct. Second, I think there are no substitutes for, at least in companies in India, passion and ownership. We have enough reasons why something did not happen. There are enough reasons that are supposedly outside of our control. But when one shows passion and ownership and is determined to achieve one’s goals, I think that is very contagious.

Once you have ownership of a problem, you actually innovate far more to become an entrepreneur in fine ways to solve issues.

The headlines coming out of this year’s APEC conference in Papua New Guinea focused on the conflict between America and China that kept the forum from issuing a joint communiqué. Less noticed were two short memorandums released on the sidelines of the conference by the island nations of Vanuatu and Tonga. In return for renegotiating existing debt, both agreed to become the newest participants—following other Pacific nations like Papua New Guinea and Fiji—in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign-policy venture, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

As Xi’s trillion-dollar development strategy has snaked away from the Eurasian heartland and into the South Pacific, western Africa, and Latin America, concern has grown.

Many Americans fear that the Belt and Road Initiative is an extension of efforts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to undermine the security and economic architecture of the international order. China’s growing largesse, they worry, comes largely at the expense of international institutions and American influence. This angst lies behind another announcement made at last month’s APEC gathering: Australia, Japan, and the United States declared that they had formed their own trilateral investment initiative to help meet infrastructure needs in the IndoPacific. For some this is not enough: In its most

I think that’s the second part and is very important. Third is the hardest part, which is how you constantly keep developing the next step in mind, how you move to newer ideas and how to think of the next move you take.

You can’t stagnate, you can’t keep doing the same things because all comfort factors creep in. You got to keep taking up new areas of growth but for that you have to develop your team below you so that they can manage it.

Dharia believes start-ups and the folks who have decided to sail along with think they really learn about entrepreneurship in a phenomenal manner. They see tremendous success, many of them may not go and rather join the professional ranks of mass companies because they are used to a certain kind of a different way of working or different way of doing different things. One of the biggest drivers for Dharia to grow in the family-led Lodha Group was the ability to take risk. “I think it’s crucial to have the right professional mix because that helps in building a business. It is one thing to build a business and the other thing to build an institution,” says Dharia. Dharia feels India is on the verge of urbanisation of everything, doing more with less, higher utilisation. It starts to disrupt every physical model as well whether it is retail or offices, anything.

An estimated 8,00,000 to 2 million religious minorities are currently being detained in internment camps in China, the Trump Administration has told lawmakers, who have expressed serious concerns over the massive human rights violations there. At a Congressional hearing here, Scott Busby, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State at the Bureau of the Human Right

experts say, actually serve to turn the screws on critical media and political opponents.

“This vague notion of ‘fake news’, which has been used and abused by US President Donald Trump, is a boon for governments who want to muzzle overcurious independent voices,” Daniel Bastard, head of the Asia-Pacific desk at Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said.

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recent report to the United States Congress, the bipartisan U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission recommended that Congress create an additional fund “to provide additional bilateral assistance for countries that are a target of or vulnerable to Chinese economic or diplomatic pressure.”

This is the wrong response to the Belt and Road Initiative. Ignore the hype: For the Chinese, this initiative has been a strategic blunder. By buying into the flawed idea that barrels of money are all that is needed to solve complex geopolitical problems, China has committed a colossal error. Xi’s dictatorship makes it almost impossible for the country to admit this mistake or abandon his pet project.

The United States and its allies gain nothing from making China’s blunders their own.

In Xi’s speeches, the phrase most closely associated with the Belt and Road Initiative is “community of common destiny.” Xi’s use of this term is meant to link the BRI to the deeper purpose party leaders have articulated for the CCP over the last three decades. China’s leaders believe that not only is it their “historic mission” to bring about China’s “national rejuvenation” as the world’s most prestigious power, but that China has a unique role to play in the development of “political civilization” writ large.

About 2 million religious minorities detained in Chinese camps

Fake news a serious threat, say journalists at Asia-Pacific Summit In India last year, seven people were killed by a mob after a false story spread on WhatsApp that they were child-traffickers, while in Myanmar, doctored photos and bogus reports shared on Facebook have fuelled the persecution of Rohingya Muslims. A number of Asian leaders have tapped into the resulting public concern and launched campaigns that claim to target malign rumour-mongers but,

39

Democracy and Labor, alleged that Beijing was supporting similar repressive moves by other authoritarian regimes across the globe.

“The US government assesses that since April 2017, Chinese authorities have indefinitely detained at least 8,00,000, and possibly more than 2 million, Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs and members of other Muslim minorities in internment camps,” he said.

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FIJI

Saturday, December 8, 2018

All speed and red light cameras around the country will go live from Monday - LTA All speed and red light cameras around the country will go live from Monday.

The Chairman of the Land Transport Authority Vijay Maharaj has revealed this saying they had to do some regulatory changes which have come into effect and they also had to set up a proper office.

He says these changes were necessary as government had brought about some regulatory changes after people had

complained that they were not receiving the summons or notices within time to pay their fines.

Maharaj says people will be able to get notices for their fines within seven days and they will also be able to check their status online of any impending fine.

He says people will receive the fine notices though post and will also be informed by an SMS as a lot of people use mobile phones.

293 graduate from FNU’s College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism A total of 293 students from the College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism studies graduated today from the Fiji National University.

Vice Chancellor Professor Nigel Healey said 30 Masters and 21 Post Graduate diplomas were conferred.

“This is important because in today’s fastchanging labour market, employees need to constantly upskill and re-skill ton remain productive,” Professor Nigel Healey said.

He said three students have been given the outstanding students awards for different disciplines.

Hundreds gathered at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva to witness the occasion.

interventions in these villages.

He added that families have been educated on safe food preparation, food handling and proper hygiene practices.

The minister strongly urged the general public to postpone non-essential travel to the outbreak affected areas and take extra precaution during the holiday season.

Staff of Fiji Pine Limited receive bonus payout of $1.3 million The staff of Fiji Pine Limited have been given a bonus payout of $1.3 million.

Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum made the announcement at Drasa, Lautoka, and also commending the work of the Fiji Pine Board and their workers adding that their record breaking profits were exemplary, with each worker set to receive $3000 each.

Sayed-Khaiyum says that Fiji Pine was one of the few companies that has performed really well.

He also highlighted that the first time he visited Fiji Pine’s sawmill in May this year

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama met with the Prime Minister of the Lebanese Republic, Saad Al-Hariri, during his annual visit to Fijian troops in the Middle East.

In the meeting, the two Prime Ministers, who last met in 2016, discussed the nation’s progress to ne w ly-heig htened levels of peace and political stability, a development that has resulted in the UN declaring the peacekeeping campaign there a success.

Bainimarama says that Fiji was incredibly proud to have played a role in uplifting Lebanon to where it stands today, and thanked his counterpart for the hospitality that the Lebanese people have shared with Fijian Peacekeepers over the years.

He adds that Fiji stands ready to re-engage in Lebanon should duty call, and wished Saad Al-Hariri well in leading a responsible government that will bring Lebanon into a brighter future.

Saad Al-Hariri t h a n k e d Bainimarama for Fiji’s unwavering and outsized support of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon, which has been critical to politically stabilising the country and keeping it on a steady path to development. He further praised the character and goodwill of Fijian Peacekeepers, saying that they went above and beyond the call of duty to build strong relations with local communities in Lebanon.

Fiji Development Bank launches new loan package called the FDB Agriculture Family Loan Facility

Typhoid outbreak in Naitasiri A typhoid outbreak has been identified in the Naitasiri Subdivision.

This was confirmed by the Minister for Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete who said there are 31 confirmed cases of typhoid and 14 suspected cases.

He said the Naitasiri medical team continued to make daily visits, implementing public health awareness and public health

Bainimarama meets with Prime Minister of Lebanon in his visit to Fijian troops in the Middle East

he was blown away not realizing the level of technology at Fiji Pine’s facilities.

He also reiterated that every worker is important, as collectively they achieved record breaking profits adding that in May this year the Prime Minister announced the record breaking $7 million bonus payout to the landowners which was another remarkable achievement for Fiji Pine.

Sayed-Khaiyum says that the management and staff of Fiji Pine have learnt a lot and encouraged them to also start afresh to cope with new challenges as they come.

The Fiji Development Bank has launched a new loan package called the FDB Agriculture Family Loan Facility which is designed for experienced Fijian farming families.

Minister for Agriculture and Rural and Maritime Development Dr Mahendra Reddy officiated at the launch of the new loan package in Labasa.

Dr Reddy says the product is designed for experienced Fijian farming families, where the loan will be offered to a family where the husband, wife and eligible child will be involved in the loan and share the skills set and responsibilities.

Dr Reddy says the existing entrepreneurs who are not able to mobilise their own savings or do not have any assets to use as a collateral to obtain loans from the banking institutions may find it impossible to survive in a competitive industry.

He says the product is specifically designed

for families who have a viable farming business on communally owned land, estate or private owned land with consent given by the land owning unit.

The Minister says with assistance through the Ministry of Agriculture grants, many Fijian families are able to start their farming business at semi-subsistence level, but to expand farm development into semi-commercial level for farmers without lease remains a major constraint to accessing finance.

He says the new product is targeted at customers identified as subsistence, semi-commercial and commercial farmers with more than 10 years farming experience and established market.

The Minister says loans will be available for land development, farmhouse, and infrastructure such as farm inroads, water supply, renewable energy and irrigation to approved experienced farmers with no lease across Fiji.

Taxi driver allegedly transporting drugs through Police checkpoint in Wainadoi granted bail A 34-year-old taxi driver of Valelevu, Rahesh Chand who was allegedly found with methamphetamine, allegedly drove through a Police checkpoint in Wainadoi almost hitting two Police Officers and then tried to bribe a police officer with $4,000, is also under investigation for proceeds of crime as $8,000 cash was found in his possession during the time of his arrest. Chand appeared for the first case in the Navua Magistrates Court

earlier today and he has been bailed. His case will be recalled on the 21st of February, 2019.

Chand was arrested on Sunday night by a taskforce after information was received of his alleged involvement in drugs. Information was received that he was travelling towards Suva allegedly transporting drugs and the Police team had set up a road block in Wainadoi.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, December 8, 2018 Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Kashmir issue cannot be solved through war but can only be resolved through talks.

He spoke after his minister foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Imran Khan bowled a “googly” to ensure Indian

War not a solution to Kashmir issue: PM Khan government’s presence at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor event.

India’s foreign minister Sushma Swaraj ruled out of any bilateral dialogues with the neighbouring country unless terror from

‘Out of the box’ solutions to boost trade & economic ties with India: Finance Minister Speaking at the 11th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES) at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI, Finance Minister Asad Umar said that intra-regional trade was of vital importance to bring the people out of poverty and attain the goals of progress and prosperity.

Pakistan will continue to take Kartarpur border-like initiatives as an “out of the box” solution to increase trade and economic cooperation with India amid tension between the two neighbours. He asserted that the government will continue to take Kartarpur border-like initiatives in order to promote the message of peace and prosperity.

He said India’s reaction about the Pakistan’s goodwill gesture to open Kartarpur Corridor was unfortunate. On November 28, Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of the Kartarpur Corridor.

“We really need to think out of the box solutions for regional cooperation amid tensions and confrontations between the two states,” Umar said. “It is our inability that we failed to get people of the region out of poverty. It is a real opportunity for those political leaders, who believe in a peaceful and prosperous South Asia,” he said.

The minister also said that Pakistan was still pinning hopes to strengthen the SAARC cooperation in the future.

Pakistan expels 18 international aid agencies Aid group clampdown could hit 11 millon people

Pakistan’s expulsion of 18 international aid agencies will hurt 11 million aid recipients in a South Asian nation grappling with perilously low standards of education and health care, two Western diplomats.

Affected NGOs include World Vision, Pathfinder, Plan International, Trocaire and Saferworld, while another group, ActionAid, last week said it was closing offices and laying off staff after the government told it to halt operations and leave. US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the United States “regrets” Pakistan’s decision and noted that many of the 18 groups had worked in the country for years, employing thousands of

Pakistanis and working to improve the lives of ordinary people. Interior Ministry confirmed that it had rejected appeals of 18 NGOs that had been allowed to continue operations while their appeals were being reviewed, but declined to give further details. Aid groups and western diplomats have criticized a lack of transparency in the process of expulsion and the review of appeals by the aid agencies, saying they crimped humanitarian work. “It is as appalling as it is inexplicable that the government has decided to deprive 11 million of its own people of much-needed support with no apparent reason,” a Western diplomat told Reuters, asking not to be identified.

there stopped. Foreign minister Qureshi said that Imran Khan bowled a “googly” to ensure Indian government’s presence at the Kartarpur Corridor event. Speaking to media, Khan said

41

“unless there was a dialogue, various options on the resolution of Kashmir cannot be discussed. When asked about the formula to resolve the Kashmir issue, Khan said there were two or three solutions, which have been in discussions.”

Kartarpur border opening, a sincere effort, not a googly, says Prime Minister Imran Khan Prime Minister Imran Khan distance himself from foreign minister Qureshi’s remarks that opening Kartarpur border wasa “googly”, Imran Khan said it is a “sincere effort” to improve relations with India.

Foreign Minister Qureshi had said that Imran Khan, bowled a “googly” that ensured India’s presence at groundbreaking ceremony for the corridor in Pakistan. Asked to comment on the issue during a meeting with media reporters in Islamabad, Imran Khan said Pakistan is sincere about establishing better ties with India.

“Kartarpur border was not a googly or a double game but a straightforward decision,” Khan was

quoted as saying. “The opening ceremony was a peace initiative.

It was a sincere effort. So was the invitation extended to the Indian ministers. It was not a googly for sure,” he said.

Indian ministers were present at the groundbreaking ceremony in Kartarpur on November 28.

During an interaction with visiting Indian journalists the following day, Foreign Minister Qureshi said there was no googly hidden in Khan’s Kartarpur gesture. However, a day later, he said Khan had bowled a googly to ensure India sent two ministers to the event and engaged with Pakistan.

Pakistan still to implement action plan to avoid FATF blacklisting Ahead of a key meeting with Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Pakistan is yet to address a critical deficiency in its legal regime that could hamper its capacity to seize properties of terrorist groups and can land it on the anti-money laundering watchdog’s blacklist, according to a media report.

Currently placed on the Paris-based FATF’S ‘grey list’, Pakistan has been scrambling in recent months to avoid being added to a list of countries deemed non-compliant with anti-money laundering and terrorist financing regulations by the FATF, a measure that officials here fear could further hurt its economy. A team of experts from FATF’s International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) is scheduled to visit Pakistan in the

first week of January to assess the progress made by it on an action plan agreed in June to address global concerns.

The Express Tribune quoting sources in the ministry of finance said that the problem has arisen because of conflicting positions that Pakistan took before the FATF in earlier meetings about its legal regimes with regard to the freezing real estate assets of proscribed organisations.

The conflicting position suggests incompetence of the team that negotiated with the FATF, but the government is trying to address the issue before the upcoming ‘face-to-face’ meeting of ICRG, according to the paper.

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Saturday, December 8, 2018

22-year-old Sahana Srinivasan is the Science Communicator we’ve been waiting for

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A 22-year-old Indian-American Sahana Srinivasan, star of the Netflix science and math show Brainchild. Sahana Srinivasan embraces the responsibility of being a person that kids — especially those who don’t see themselves reflected in people on TV — can look up to. On Brainchild, she’s funny, effervescent, and sincere.

She’s unlike any science communicator we’ve seen before. “Our big goal for the show is to inspire people to go into that math and sciences — especially women,” Srinivasan, who was born in Houston and raised in Dallas, tells Inverse. “There are not enough women of color, and women in general, pursuing STEM careers because they don’t see themselves represented. It means

something to see a woman of color teaching you about science and math, and I hope I can be an inspiration.” Gender stereotypes aren’t the only stereotypes she hopes to dismantle. The University of Texas at Austin senior actually isn’t studying math or science — she’s pursuing a film degree and has spent most of her life acting and creating her own film projects — but that doesn’t mean they aren’t an important part of her world. “I’m Indian, and there’s the whole stereotype that Indian and Asian people only love to focus on math and sciences,” Srinivasan says. “But this show is representative of STEAM, which is a branch

Why Trump’s visa plans mean desperate housewives in India US President Donald Trump’s proposed crackdown on foreign work visas looks set to hit Indians particularly hard, with the administration seemingly intent on tightening the screws on the coveted H-1B visa programme.

Beginning in January, Washington will “revise” the visa scheme, which allows foreign workers to take jobs in the US. The move has already created jitters in Indian IT companies and employees. Over 75 per cent of the more than 400,000 H-1B holders are Indian nationals, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

H-1B, a non-immigrant visa for highly skilled employees, is the preferred route of India’s IT workforce – the world’s largest

outsourcing hub for the software industry – and is meant for those with specialised skill sets who are in demand for their theoretical and technical expertise. An H-1B visa is valid for three years and extendable for up to three more years. [Donald Trump: plans to crackdown on foreign work visas. Photo: AFP] Donald Trump: plans to crackdown on foreign work visas. Photo: AFP Shivendra Singh, the vice-president of Nasscom, an influential Indian IT association, said any changes to the H-1B visa programme would have serious repercussions for IndoUS relations. “IT exports, which are about US$126 billion, are crucial to the Indian economy,” he said.

NRI cardiologist pleads guilty to unlawfull prescring addictive drugs Dr Devendra Patel, 59, owned and operated the Northeastern Nevada Cardiology and was indicted by a grand jury in December, 2017.

US district judge Larry Hicks accepted the guilty plea. The investigation revealed Patel unlawfully prescribed opioids and other prescription narcotics to patients for financial gain. As part of his plea, Patel admitted that, between September 2015 and February 2016, he prescribed Oxycodone and Hydrocodone to patients without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of

professional practice. Prosecutors said these prescriptions were in direct violation of his duty as a long-term licensed medical doctor.

As a result of his actions, Patel’s license was suspended upon his arrest in December, 2017. Patel’s prescribing practices allowed him to see a high volume of patients and easily prescribe and sell the opioids, while not addressing any legitimate medical concerns of his patients. He is scheduled to be sentenced in March, 2019 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of one million dollars.

Pak-origin UK councillor sends topless woman’s photo during meeting

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A Pakistani-origin Sheffield City councillor Mohammad Maroof sent a topless woman’s photo to group of women during a meeting, prompting the opposition Labour party to suspend him for what he called an “honest mistake”, media reports said on Thursday.

Sheffield City councillor posted the image on a WhatsApp group named ‘Mums United’, BBC reported. As the group’s founder Sahira Irshad presented a petition on knife crime, he sent the picture to the group, it said.

Maroof, who said that he was “very embarrassed” and has apologised for what he described was an “honest mistake”, has been suspended by the Labour council pending an investigation, the report said.

He said he was trying to attach a video of Irshad speaking at the meeting and instead accidentally attached the unsolicited image, which he received earlier in the day, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

He claimed that he asked for it to be deleted “within seconds” of sending it.

“This is my private phone and I receive so many things that my WhatsApp has been set up to automatically save everything in my phone’s photo file. “Somebody sent me this

photo, it may have come in the morning, and it went into my phone’s file,” Maroof said.

He represents Nether Edge and Sharrow Ward which includes the districts of Brincliffe, Carter Knowle, Nether Edge, Sharrow Vale, and most of Banner Cross, and is one of the 28 electoral wards in the City of Sheffield, England. “I tried to send the group a video and by mistake I pressed the wrong photo. As soon as I realised, I asked for it to be deleted as I couldn’t delete it myself. It was only there for a second,” Maroof said in his defence.

He said that he has sent an apology to the group chat. “I sincerely apologise. I had no intention to do such a thing and to cause such disruption. I have a lot of respect for the group,” he said. A member of the group, on condition of anonymity, said it was “absolutely disgraceful”.

Council leader Julie Dore said it was “a very serious matter” and his suspension was immediate “until we have ascertained the details”.

Maroof, who was educated in Pakistan and the UK, said the WhatsApp group was set up to empower women, the report added.

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