www.theasianstar.com Vol 17 - Issue 51
Saturday, January 19, 2019
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Mother & uncle of slain woman to be extradited to India within days
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Sukhwinder Singh Sidhu and he Department of Justice says Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu Supplied two British Columbia residents Sidhu and Badesha had 30 days accused of hiring assassins to kill following the December ruling to a young BC woman and her new husband file another leave to appeal to the in India will be extradited to that country Supreme Court of Canada but within days. Malkit Kaur Sidhu and Surjit that period expired earlier this Singh Badesha (pictured) are accused in Surjit Singh Badesha month, meaning Canada is in a India of conspiracy to commit murder for Jassi Sidhu Malkit Kaur Sidhu position to “fulfil the extradition their alleged involvement in the slaying of Sidhu’s daughter and request, � says the statement from Department of Justice Badesha’s niece, Jaswinder “Jassi� Kaur Sidhu. She was killed and her husband was severely beaten after Sidhu travelled to India to marry spokesman Ian McLeod. Lawyers for Badesha and Sidhu went to the man her family did not consider acceptable. The victim’s mother the B.C. Court of Appeal to argue their clients weren’t given the and uncle were earlier ordered extradited to face charges and were en chance to review the federal justice minister’s decision to extradite route to India in September 2017 when their trip was halted in Toronto them and that they were denied access to counsel. The court ruled when defence lawyers filed a last-minute application for a judicial unanimously that while the minister’s conduct did amount to an review. Last month, the BC Court of Appeal denied their requests for abuse of process, it did not warrant a stay of proceedings. “This is a stay of proceedings and a judicial review. An email from the Justice a close case but we conclude the balance favours denying the stay,� Department says Badesha and Sidhu will be transferred before Jan. 25. wrote Chief Justice Robert Bauman and Justice Sunni Stromberg-Stein on Continued on page 7
Canadian Muslim community facing horrors of polygamy Zaib’s life began to unravel with an unexpected phone call from her husband in early 2018. He told her he had married a second wife, an announcement that took the Toronto woman by surprise. “I went into shock mode. I was in a state of denial, saying no, no, this can’t be happening. I started getting the symptoms of anxiety, depression and crying spells,� Zaib said. Zaib (pictured), whose last name has agreed to withhold, said she got so sick her doctor recommended an extended leave of absence from work. Zaib and other Canadian Muslim women in a similar predicament believe this could be their own #MeToo moment, an opportunity Continued on page 7
Canadian Islam convert strangled in honour killing in Pakistan
A Canadian woman who converted to Islam was murdered in an honour killing in Pakistan, investigators say it was made to look like a suicide. According to a Pakistan media report, Safia Nasir, 40, was killed Continued on page 6
Safia Nasir’s casket surrounded by her family
Money laundering in BC estimated at $1B a year — but reports were not shared with province, AG says Documents that say money laundering in British Columbia now reaches into the billions of dollars are startling to the province’s attorney general, who says the figures have finally drawn the attention of the federal government. David Eby said he’s shocked and frustrated because the higher estimates appear to have been known by the federal government and the RCMP, but weren’t provided to the B.C. government He said he recently spoke to Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale about information gaps concerning cash being laundered in B.C. and he’ll David Eby be meeting next week with Minister of Organized Crime Reduction Bill Blair. “I’ve been startled initially by the lack of response nationally to what appeared to me to be a very profound issue in B.C. that was of national concern,’’ said Eby. Surveillance video shows bundles of $20 bills dumped at a B.C. casino in an example of apparent money laundering. Last June, former Mountie Peter German estimated money laundering in B.C. amounted to more than $100 million in his governmentContinued on page 6
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www.theasianstar.com Vol 17 - Issue 51
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Ontario casino regulator probing whether BC casino staff were connected to money-laundering suspects While the RCMP’s massive E-Pirate money-laundering investigation in B.C. has collapsed, Ontario’s gambling regulator is continuing to look into whether employees of Richmond’s River Rock Casino were connected to Chinese VIP gamblers and alleged loan sharks targeted in RCMP antigang investigations related to E-Pirate. As Global News has reported, Crown prosecutors stayed charges in November in E-Pirate, a case against an alleged Richmond underground bank estimated by international anti-money-laundering officials to be laundering over $1 billion per year, when prosecutors mistakenly exposed the identity of a police informant whose life was judged to be at risk if the case proceeded. However, related RCMP investigations into the alleged Chinese organized crime suspects at the centre of E-Pirate, continue. Exclusive: Documents allege complicity in money laundering in major investigation of River Rock Casino
And documents obtained by Global News through freedom of information show these suspects are of interest to Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) investigators, who opened the investigation in 2017 after Great Canadian Gaming was awarded a number of lucrative contracts in Ontario, including a major gaming expansion at Toronto’s Woodbine casino. AGCO investigators wanted to understand whether River Rock casino employees allowed suspect gamblers to launder money with casino chip purchases. The AGCO regulatory review “remains open,” spokesman Ray Kahnert said. The “initial scope” of the Ontario investigation into Great Canadian Gaming, according to a 2018 memo, focused on two factors: a “share sell-off ” of Great Canadian Gaming stock, and reports in the Vancouver Sun about a suspicious $200,000 cash transaction that allegedly involved a “banned patron,” a Chinese VIP gambler, and a River Rock “VIP salon” host.
RBC cuts five-year fixed mortgage rate, other banks expected to follow Royal Bank of Canada has become the first of the major banks to lower its posted interest rate for five-year fixed-term mortgages, a move that has been widely anticipated amid tumbling bond yields. The bank lowered its featured five-year mortgage rate on Wednesday to 3.74 per cent from 3.89 per cent. Other big banks did not immediately match the rate, but mortgage expert Robert McLister, founder of mortgage-rate comparison website Ratespy. com, said others will move soon. He said alternative lenders who compete with the big banks have already been lowering their rates for weeks, giving them a slight advantage in the market. Mr. McLister anticipates the major banks will settle their featured five-year fixed rates at about 3.64 per cent in coming days. He said some big banks have already lowered
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their internal “discretionary” rates on five-year fixed terms for preferred clients, but RBC is the first big bank to lower its publicly posted rate since August last year. The move comes as the yield on five-year Government of Canada bonds has fallen sharply since November. Banks base their fixed mortgage rates on government bond yields. Five-year bond yields have fallen from a recent high of 2.46 per cent on Nov. 8 to 1.93 per cent as of Wednesday, a decline of more than half a percentage point. While fixed mortgage rates are getting cheaper, variable-rate mortgages have been getting more expensive, narrowing the gap between them. Variable mortgage rates fluctuate with movements in the Bank of Canada’s overnight lending rate, which is linked to banks’ prime lending rates.
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BC homeowners required to apply if they want exemption from speculation tax All homeowners in B.C.’s largest urban centres will need to apply for exemptions from the province’s new speculation tax or receive a bill, whether or not they are speculators, the government announced Tuesday. The Ministry of Finance said letters outlining the first speculation tax fees and exemption processes will begin arriving at all homes in Greater Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna and Metro Vancouver (excluding Bowen Island and Lions Bay, but including Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack) starting this week. It will be up to all homeowners to apply for exemptions, with a deadline of March 31. Those who don’t apply, or who don’t qualify, will be sent tax bills due to be paid by July 2. The opt-out process will become an annual event for property owners under the new speculation tax rules. People who pay mistakenly can get a rebate within six
years, according to the ministry. Finance Minister Carole James was not available for an interview, but her ministry said the exemption process “will help identify speculators and empty homes, allowing the government to crack down on speculation and make housing more affordable.” The government’s decision to levy every property owner in major urban centres with a tax notice, and then force them to apply for exemptions, is a backward way to implement a misguided tax, said Liberal MLA Shirley Bond. “Just when you think a botched tax can’t get any worse, it does,” Bond said. “Now residents in communities like Nanaimo, Kelowna and Abbotsford, to name a few, have to register to be exempt from this tax or they will get a bill in the mail for a tax they shouldn’t be paying.
Canada Revenue Agency tells Edmonton man he’s dead, claws back GST and carbon tax rebates Dale Strohmaier’s official time of death was some time in 2015 — he’s not sure exactly when, or why. In fact, he wasn’t aware of his demise until Monday. That’s when Strohmaier ripped open an envelope addressed to “the estate of the late Dale Strohmaier” from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), on behalf of the Alberta government. The document, a notice from the Alberta climate leadership adjustment rebate, said dead people aren’t entitled to carbon tax rebates. The letter told Strohmaier’s estate to pay back $575 in carbon tax rebates he’d received since 2017. Another envelope arrived from the CRA on Tuesday. It was clawing back $1,448.60 in GST rebates
he’d received since his purported death in 2015. “Who phones the government and says, ‘Hi. I’m dead,’” the unquestionably alive Strohmaier said Wednesday morning while sitting at the kitchen table in his Castle Downs basement suite. His case also raises questions about a 2017 pledge by the Alberta government to stop clawing back carbon tax rebates from deceased people. Dale Strohmaier looks at letters he received from the Canadian Revenue Agency addressed to The Estate of the Late Dale Strohmaier. Strohmaier, 66, is hard of hearing and has trouble walking. A survivor of the tainted blood scandal of the 1980s, Strohmaier has hepatitis C after twice receiving contaminated blood.
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OPINION
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Tackling the housing crisis to make BC a better place to live, and make life more affordable for you By Minister and Deputy Premier, Carole James
Tackling the housing crisis to make B.C a better place to live, and make life more affordable for you By Minister and Deputy Premier Carole James Years of inaction on the B.C. housing crisis led to sky-high housing prices, drove people out of our province, hurt our communities, and hurt the businesses that create good jobs across the province. Our government is making different choices. We’re taking strong steps to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable housing for people in our province. We’ve made the largest investment in housing in B.C. history— more than $7 billion over 10 years. And we’re working to moderate the market while increasing supply, curbing speculative demand and tackling fraud in B.C.’s real estate market. The Speculation and Vacancy Tax (SVT) is a critical part of our work to restore housing affordability in B.C that the vast
majority of British Columbians support. It stops people from using BC’s housing market as a stock market, turns empty houses into homes for people, and raises revenue that will directly support affordable housing. Over 99% of British Columbians will be exempt, but just like the Homeowner Grant, you need to declare to claim your exemption. If you own property in one of the areas where the SVT applies, you will receive information in the mail before the end of February. Owners can start declaring for the SVT as soon as they receive their letter, and it’s easy to do-- either by phone or online. That will help ensure that people who don’t live or pay tax here pay their fair share. This is essential in ensuring that we can tackle the housing affordability crisis in our province. Cracking down on speculation in the real estate sector is a necessary step forward to tackling the housing affordability crisis, and
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making life better for people in B.C. It will take time and work to address the housing crisis, which is why we have taken bold steps to make it easier for people to find good homes they can afford. We have closed unfair loopholes that were making renting harder and more expensive. And as part of our 30-point housing plan, we are building 14,000 new affordable homes for low and middle-income individuals, seniors and families, which is our first step to building 114,000 homes for people over the next 10 years. To help renters, we are cutting the annual allowable rent increase by 2%, while increasing funding to the Residential Tenancy Branch. We also closed the fixed-term lease and the geographic loopholes, which gives renters more protection from unfair evictions and rent increases. For our province to succeed, the people who work here need to be able to afford to live here too. We’re going to keep working hard to tackle the housing crisis and make life more affordable for the people who live here. Because when it comes to choosing between British Columbians struggling to afford a home, and real estate speculators – our government will choose hardworking British Columbians each and every time.
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
Money laundering in BC estimated at $1B a year — but reports were not shared with province, AG says
commissioned Dirty Money report into activities at provincial casinos. Eby said that number now appears low, especially after the release of an international report that pegs
money laundering in B.C. at more than $1 billion annually, although a time period wasn’t mentioned in the report. A second report by the RCMP estimates $1 billion worth of property transactions in Vancouver were tied
to the proceeds of crime, the attorney general said. The government had estimated that it was a $200 million-a-year operation, but the federal Ministry of Finance has provided estimates that pegs the problem at $1 billion annually, Eby said. The provincial government only learned about the reports through media leaks or their public release and it wasn’t consulted about the reports, Eby said. “The question I ask myself is, “Why am I reading about this in an international report instead of receiving the information government to government?’’’ he said. “It’s those information gaps that organized crime thrives in and we need to do a better job between our governments.’’ A report issued last July by the Parisbased Financial Action Task Force, a body of G7 member countries fighting money laundering, terrorist financing and threats to the international financial system, highlighted B.C. money laundering activities.
Eby said the report includes details about a clandestine banking operation laundering money in B.C. that was not fully known by the provincial government. “It is estimated that they laundered more than $1 billion (Canadian) per year through an underground banking network, involving legal and illegal casinos, money value transfer services and asset procurement,’’ stated the report. “One portion of the money laundering network’s illegal activities was the use of drug money, illegal gambling money and money derived from extortion to supply cash to Chinese gamblers in Canada.’’ ‘High roller’ suspected of laundering $855M arrested in B.C., ordered deported The report stated the gamblers would call contacts who would make cash deliveries in casino parking lots and use the money to buy casino chips, cash them in and deposit the proceeds into a Canadian bank.
Canadian Islam convert strangled in honour killing in Pakistan over the past week. So far, it isn’t known what her pre-conversion name was or where she was from in Canada. She reportedly married a man from Pakistan and lived with him in the Samnabad area. What is known is that she converted a number of years ago and had a ninemonth-old child. Cops were called and told that Nasir had committed suicide by hanging. By the time police arrived, Nasir was already dead. Detectives quickly ascertained that her death was not a suicide as they had been told. Instead, it’s believed she was strangled with a noose and then strung up to make her death appear to be a suicide. Honour killings are an issue
that Pakistan has struggled with. Last May, cops determined that PakistaniItalian Sana Cheema, 26, did not die a natural death. Italian-Pakistani woman Sana Cheema was murdered in an honour killing last May. Her father, upper right, a brother and an uncle are charged with her murder. Instead, an autopsy revealed that she had been strangled to death — even though her family claimed Cheema had died of natural causes. Her own parents reportedly submitted forged documents to the Italian embassy coupled with bogus medical records detailing a chronic illness. Police arrested her brother, father and an uncle.
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Saturday, January 19, 2019 From page 1 speak out and demand an end to the practice of polygamy in Canada’s Muslim community. “All the other women are quiet, not saying anything. Maybe if I say a thing or two, that will bring attention to this issue because this is the law and men are breaking it right, left and centre and nobody’s saying anything to them,” said Zaib. She feels there should be accountability on the part of men. “A man should know he cannot do that to a woman — you use her and then decide you’re going to have another fresh woman and you just leave her on the side like that.” Zaib’s husband tried to reassure her that he had no intention of abandoning her or their three adult children. Zaib said he told her: “I am going to still provide for you, take care of you and the kids. You can continue living the way you’re living and it’s just going to be one extended family.” As the weeks went by, Zaib said she became increasingly convinced that her 26year marriage was over. She was 19 when her parents arranged her marriage to her husband, who is 20 years her senior. Looking back at her marriage, Zaib said she was happy. “Whatever was my destiny I got it.” Zaib and her husband were married in Saudi Arabia. (Submitted by Zaib (last
Mother & uncle of slain woman to be extradited to India within days From page 1 behalf of a three-judge panel in December. “The charges these applicants face are the most serious in our criminal justice system and the interests of India, and of our own community, in seeing them heard in court on their merits is very substantial.” The pair have enjoyed a very “long and full day in court,” the judges added, noting
their case has been considered by two justice ministers, the provincial appeal court and the Supreme Court of Canada. Sidhu and Badesha have long opposed their surrender to India, arguing they would face violence and torture in Indian prisons. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in September 2017 to set aside a previous B.C. Court of Appeal ruling that had stopped extradition proceedings.
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Canadian Muslim community facing horrors of polygamy name withheld)) Zaib (pictured) was born in Pakistan and her husband was born in India, but after their marriage in Saudi Arabia, they moved to Canada in the mid-1990s. Zaib, who speaks multiple languages, found work as a translator in Toronto. But as employment opportunities for her husband dried up in Canada, he went to the United States in search of work and was away from the family for weeks at a time. After she spent two months trying to figure out what to do with her life, Zaib’s husband returned to Toronto for a scheduled visit. Realizing that Zaib was unwilling to accept his decision, he suggested they seek the counsel of their local imam. Zaib said the imam listened to both of them, but then told her husband that
although Islamic law allowed polygamy, plural marriages are banned in Canada. Media reached out to Zaib’s husband, who is not being named to protect his wife’s identity, but did not receive a response. In 2011, the B.C. Supreme Court upheld the section of the Criminal Code that prohibits polygamy as constitutional and ruled that the harm against women and children from polygamy far outweighs concerns over protecting religious freedom. The Canadian Council of Imams, which represents the majority of imams in Canada, has declared that polygamous marriages, permitted according to the Qur’an, are nevertheless not valid because they are a violation of Canadian law.
The majority of Muslim jurists say a Muslim man is permitted to take up to four wives, but only if he can treat them all fairly and with justice. In some Middle Eastern countries, polygamy is regulated and the second, third or fourth wife, has legal rights. But that’s not the case in Canada, says Imam Hamid Slimi of the Sayeda Khadija Centre in Mississauga, Ont. “The way polygamy is practised today is unfair to women,” Slimi said. Imam Hamid Slimi of the Sayeda Khadija Centre in Mississauga, Ont., has preached openly against the practice of polygamy in Canada.In a recent sermon at his centre, Slimi told his congregation that polygamy “was permitted for a certain time and within a certain context in the past, hundreds of years ago, but here in Canada, it’s not allowed and 95 or 99 per cent of women don’t agree with this and I am talking about Muslim women.”
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
A hamburger a week, but no more -- that’s about as much red meat people should eat to do what’s best for their health and the planet, according to a report seeking to overhaul the world’s diet. Eggs should be limited to fewer than about four a week, the report says. Dairy foods should be about a serving a day, or less. The report from a panel of nutrition, agriculture and environmental experts recommends a plant-based diet, based on previously published studies that have linked red meat to increased risk of health problems. It also comes amid recent studies of how eating habits affect the environment. Producing red meat takes up land and feed to raise cattle, which also emit the greenhouse gas methane.
‘Less beef, more beans’: Experts say world needs a new diet New diet may reduce pollution if adopted worldwide Mounting evidence suggests that weight maintenance is associated with avoiding lowquality carbs and sticking to a diet with a low glycemic load. John Ioannidis, chair of disease prevention at Stanford University, said he welcomed the growing attention to how diets affect the environment, but that the report’s recommendations do not reflect the level of scientific uncertainties around nutrition and health. “The evidence is not as strong as it seems to be,” Ioannidis said. The report was organized by EAT, a Stockholm-based nonprofit seeking to improve the food system, and
published Wednesday by the medical journal Lancet. The panel of experts who wrote it says a “Great Food Transformation” is urgently needed by 2050, and that the optimal diet they outline is flexible enough to accommodate food cultures around the world. Overall, the diet encourages whole grains, beans, fruits and most vegetables, and says to limit added sugars, refined grains such as white rice and starches like potatoes and cassava. It says red meat consumption on average needs to be slashed by half globally, though the necessary changes vary by region and reductions would need to be more dramatic in richer countries like the United States. Convincing people
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to limit meat, cheese and eggs won’t be easy, however, particularly in places where those foods are a notable part of culture. In Sao Paulo, Brazil, systems analyst Cleberson Bernardes said as he was leaving a barbecue restaurant that limiting himself to just one serving of red meat a week would be “ridiculous.” In Berlin, Germany, craftsman Erik Langguth said there are better ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and dismissed the suggestion that the world needs to cut back on meat. “If it hasn’t got meat, it’s not a proper meal,” said Langguth, who is from a region known for its bratwurst sausages. Before even factoring in the environmental implications, the report sought to sketch out what the healthiest diet for people would look like, said Walter Willett, one of its authors and a nutrition researcher at Harvard University. While eggs are no longer thought to increase risk of heart disease, Willett said the report recommends limiting them because studies indicate a breakfast of whole grains, nuts and fruit would be healthier. He said everybody doesn’t need to become a vegan, and that many are already limiting how much meat they eat. “Think of it like lobster -- something that I really like, but have a few times a year,” Willett said. Advice to limit red meat is not new, and is tied to its saturated fat content, which is also found in cheese, milk, nuts and packaged foods with coconut and palm kernel oils. The report notes most evidence on diet and health is from Europe and the United States. In Asian countries, a large analysis found eating poultry and red meat (mostly pork) was associated with improved lifespans. That might be in part because people might eat smaller amounts of meat in those countries, the report says.
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When 60-year-old Lalit Kumar (name changed) was rushed to the emergency ward of a New Delhi-based private hospital on 15 August 2018, he was in septic shock (an extreme reaction to infection where the immune system turns on itself). After a minor cardiac arrest inside the ICU, he was put on broad-spectrum antibiotics in order to ward off infection. But his body wasn’t responding. By day 4, fever had set in and his condition began to deteriorate. Chest X-rays soon revealed evolving lesions in both the lungs. By then, tissue cultures which had initially been sent for tests came back and doctors began to unravel what exactly was going on. Kumar’s body was loaded with two pathogens—one in his lungs and the other in his bloodstream (Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumonia, respectively). Both of them were multi-drug resistant bacteria. The bacterium in the blood even produced a special enzyme to beat back antibiotics. Doctors believed the patient might have acquired the pathogens during a previous hospital visit. They had to act quickly. So, they ramped up the fight with newer varieties of antibiotics, including mildly toxic drugs like Polymyxin—virtually, the last line of defence. “God forbid, if these drugs had failed, it would have become impossible to save the patient,” said Rajesh Pande, a critical care specialist. But it worked. Many other Indians, however, aren’t so lucky. India is one of the largest consumers of antibiotics in the world. And its misuse and overuse is rampant. As a result, ‘super bugs’ that are resistant to all known types of antibiotics are starting to thrive. For some, the last line of defence is a mirage. It doesn’t exist. Patients like Kumar, who are on prolonged dialysis and have endstage kidney or liver disease, are at maximum Continued on page 10
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Canadian Annual Inflation 2% in December The overall rate of inflation in Canada picked up surprisingly strongly in December, giving some welcome respite to a central bank that was criticized earlier this month for being too hawkish with its monetary policy. The consumer price index rose 2% last month from December 2017, Statistics Canada said on Friday. Prices fell by 0.1% from a month earlier. Both monthly and annual readings were stronger than forecast. Economists had expected annual inflation to rise by 1.7% and monthly inflation to fall by 0.4%. The Bank of Canada had said after its last policy-making meeting it still expects to have to raise interest rates this year to reach a ‘neutral’ policy level, that is, one that that neither stimulates nor depresses activity. Some analysts think that’s too much for an economy that’s already slowing under the effects of previous rate hikes and other
measures aimed largely at reining in the housing market. By contrast, U.S. Federal Reserve officials have indicated they will slow the pace of monetary tightening this year. Core inflation, which excludes gasoline, was up 1.7% from a year earlier and fell by 0.2% from the previous month. The Bank of Canada aims to keep inflation at 2%, the midpoint of a target range of 1% to 3% over the medium term.
Five people escape Surrey duplex blaze Fire heavily damaged a Surrey home in the 12900-block of 108th Avenue early Thursday evening. At about 6:30 p.m., firefighters were called to a two-unit duplex and were greeted by flames shooting from the unit on the right. The call was upgraded to a second-alarm fire, and as many as 20 firefighters converged on the scene to attack the interior of the home. Five people in total from both units and three large dogs escaped the blaze. Fire crews managed to contain the blaze
within an hour. Surrey crews work to knock down a fire in a duplex in Whalley on Thursday. Surrey crews work to knock down a fire in a duplex in Whalley on Thursday. One of the occupants had reportedly mentioned that a candle had been burning in a bedroom inside the unit where the fire had started. Battalion Chief Brian Carmichael says a fire investigator will be on the scene Friday to determine the actual cause of the fire.
Surrey lawyer fined $418K for tax evasion A Surrey lawyer has been sentenced to a 22-month conditional sentence, including eight months of house arrest, for tax evasion, says the Canadian Revenue Agency. The CRA said in a news release Friday (Jan. 11) that Baldev Singh Ghag was sentenced on Jan. 10. He was also fined $418,865.66 “after pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion under the Income Tax Act.” A CRA investigation, according to the release, “determined” that Ghag, a practicing lawyer in B.C., “failed to report $1,284,254.81 of taxable income for the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 tax years.” The release says that Ghag was a principal for two corporations, adding that “he provided real estate legal services through Baldev S. Ghag Law Corporation
and used Ferengi Trading Corporation to lend money for real estate transactions.” Ghag, the CRA said, “maintained and controlled” the books and records for both corporate entities, “but intermingled the banking between his corporate and person accounts.” “The intentional intermingling of deposits and withdrawals across accounts resulted in significant funds ending up in personal accounts he held or controlled that he failed to report as taxable income,” the CRA said. Tax evasion, the CRA says, is a crime, and “those who do not fully comply with tax laws place and unfair burden on law-abiding taxpayers and businesses and jeopardizes the integrity of Canada’s tax base.”
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China will retaliate if Ottawa bans Huawei Technologies from supplying gear for its next-generation 5G mobile networks over espionage concerns, the country’s envoy said on Thursday, as he called the arrest of a company executive a “backstabbing” betrayal of Canada’s relationship with China. At a news conference at China’s embassy in Ottawa, ambassador Lu Shaye also warned Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland against trying to rally international support at next week’s World Economic Forum in Davos,
Saturday, January 19, 2019
China threatens reprisals if Canada bans Huawei from its 5G networks Switzerland, for three Canadian detainees in China The United States is pressing its allies, including Canada, to ban the giant Chinese smartphone and telecommunications equipment maker from the infrastructure of future wireless networks – the Trudeau cabinet is awaiting the conclusion of a national security review before deciding. Germany says it is also considering whether to exclude Huawei from its 5G networks, a U-turn for Berlin, which had been skeptical of U.S. cybersecurity concerns
A former RCMP officer Former Mountie at centre of Surrey who was at the centre of a case had been plagued by years of delays and corruption case involving the Surrey Six adjournments. During an appearance in B.C. murder investigation pleaded guilty Friday Supreme Court in Vancouver, Brassington to several offences. The guilty pleas of Derek pleaded guilty to charges of breach of trust Brassington, one of four Mounties charged in of a public officer while managing a witness the case, bring to an end a key chapter in an only identified as Jane Doe in a criminal investigation that stretches back nearly eight investigation. That offence occurred between years. And it came as the trial of the four June 1 and Dec. 31, 2009, in Surrey and accused was finally about to begin after the elsewhere in B.C. and Canada. Brassington,
about the Chinese telecom. Mr. Lu warned Canadians would suffer consequences if this country also shut the door to the largest private company in China. “I hope Canadian officials and relevant authorities and bodies will make a wise decision on this issue. But if the Canadian government does ban Huawei from participating in the 5G networks … I believe there will be repercussions,” Mr. Lu said. He would not elaborate on what kind of repercussions Canada might expect, but
Beijing arrested two Canadians on national security grounds and imposed a death sentence on a third for drug smuggling in what appears to be retaliation for the Dec. 1 arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver. As the Western clampdown on Huawei grows, the University of Oxford announced on Thursday it has stopped accepting funding from the Shenzhen-based company amid scrutiny of its relationship with China’s government.
his hands, clutching Kleenex in one hand. At other times he leaned his bald head back against the protective glass in the dock. After Brassington entered his guilty pleas, the Crown and defence proceeded with sentencing submissions but a publication ban imposed in the case prevents the reporting of those submissions or any evidence heard at the hearing Friday. Brassington and the other three officers were initially charged in June 2011 but earlier, in January 2010, it was announced that Brassington had been assigned desk duties in December 2009 when allegations against him surfaced.
Six corruption case enters guilty pleas who was in the RCMP for 13 years, also pleaded guilty to attempting to obstruct justice by compromising the integrity of a witness or witnesses in relation to a criminal investigation. That offence also occurred in Surrey and elsewhere in B.C. and Canada during the same time frame. “Guilty, my Lord,” Brassington said to both counts in a loud and clear voice. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Arne Silverman was not expected to impose sentence Friday. Later, the accused, seated in the prisoner’s dock and wearing a dark suit and tie, at times appeared pensive as he sat with his head in From page 8
Hooked to the pill - India’s antibiotics overkill
risk from such ‘super bugs’ since they are frequently exposed to hospitals (a convenient congregating spot for pathogens. Infectioncausing pathogens have been pinging away at humanity’s defences ever since Penicillin was discovered in 1928. Prolonged exposure to any drug allows certain strains of bacteria to acquire resistance, through natural evolutionary processes. But with both humans
and the poultry/livestock industry overusing antibiotics, the window of effectiveness for new anti-bacterial drugs is getting shorter and shorter. While the problem is global, it is nowhere as stark as in India—where poor public health infrastructure, a high burden of disease, and cheap, unregulated sales of antibiotics has created ideal conditions for a rapid rise in resistant infections.
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
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A Canadian national and Canadian national among accused in terror attack that killed 21 at Nairobi hotel “The attackers were in constant five other people suspected of communications with several helping extremist gunmen stage restaurant. Another four gunmen died. brought to court separately, prosecutors said. phone numbers which are located a deadly attack in the Kenyan capital this week Prosecutors suspect the alleged accomplices, Social media video shows smoke in Somalia,” prosecutors said.Gichunge’s appeared in court on Friday as prosecutors including two taxi drivers and an agent for a rising from scene of Kenya hotel attack father, who is not believed to have been investigated them for suspected terror offences. mobile phone-based money service, of “aiding “The investigations into this matter are involved in the attack, was summoned for A judge ordered five of the suspects held for and abetting” the attackers who stormed the complex and transnational and would questioning about when he last saw his son 30 days while authorities look into the assault Nairobi complex on Tuesday afternoon and therefore require sufficient time and resources and other details, a senior police official said. on the dusitD2 hotel complex that was carried were killed by Wednesday morning, according to uncover the entire criminal syndicate,” said He spoke on condition of anonymity because out by al-Shabab, a group that is linked to al- to a court document. Prosecutors said they were Noordin Haji, director of public prosecutions. he was not authorized to speak to the media. Qaida and based in neighbouring Somalia. pursuing more suspects in and outside Kenya. He said he has appointed a team of prosecutors The official said a total of 11 people Canadian officials condemned the “horrific Suspects who appeared in court were to help ensure that the investigations were detained as part of the investigation. attack” in a statement, and confirmed they identified as Joel Nganga Wainaina, Oliver are Local news station in Kenya reports live as “meticulous and fast-tracked.” were providing consular services to the Kanyango Muthee, Gladys Kaari Justus, Police earlier identified a Kenyan military gunshots ring out in upscale complex in Nairobi family of a Canadian arrested in relation. Guleid Abdihakim and Osman Ibrahim. officer as the father of a suspect in the The attack was denounced on Friday Kenyan authorities say 21 people, including Abdihakim is a Canadian national, according assault. The son, Ali Salim Gichunge, as in Eastleigh, a Nairobi neighbourhood one police officer, were killed by the attackers, to prosecutors. Hussein Mohammed, another well as Violet Kemunto Omwoyo, were that is home to many ethnic Somalis one of whom blew himself up beside a suspect who was arrested in Mandera named as attackers in court documents. and has been targeted in massive police county along the border with Somalia, was operations against suspected extremist cells. Now Karen Wang wants 1 day after resigning, Karen back in, asking the Liberals to reconsider letting her stand again in next the values of the Liberal month’s Burnaby South byelection — despite Party of Canada. The Liberal handing in her resignation Wednesday. Party has accepted her But in a statement, the Liberal resignation as a candidate Party of Canada says it has refused and she will not represent Wang’s request to let her run again. the Liberal Party in the “As mentioned yesterday, recent online Burnaby South byelection.” Wang was forced to comments by Karen Wang are not aligned with
Wang says she still wants to run in Burnaby byelection step down in a storm of controversy over a Chinese language WeChat post, in which she wrote that as the only Chinese candidate, she could beat Jagmeet Singh, who she noted
Former New Democrat Former New Democrat MP Svend Robinson wants to return to politics MP Svend Robinson is riding and Robinson said no one has brought to my community, to my country and attempting a political comeback, nearly 15 up the theft that derailed his career in 2004. for the past decade, internationally.” years after his theft of an expensive diamond “How many times does one have to pay for Robinson, 66, pleaded guilty to theft ring brought an end to his decades-long career. a stupid mistake?” Robinson asked Tuesday. over $5,000 after stealing an engagement Standing outside his childhood home in “I am asking the people of Burnaby ring from an auction where it was valued Burnaby, B.C., Robinson said he expects North-Seymour and Canadians to judge at $64,500. The RCMP later obtained a to be acclaimed as the NDP candidate in me not on the basis of one serious mistake retail valuation that amounted to $21,500. the riding of Burnaby North-Seymour 15 years ago, for which I paid the price, He revealed he was suffering from bipolar at a nomination meeting on Saturday. but to judge me for my lifetime of service disorder at the time. A provincial court judge He has been knocking on doors in the handed him a conditional discharge, along with a year’s probation and community service. Since leaving politics, he has spent time in Switzerland working with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. On Tuesday, Robinson said he is returning to public life for two fundamental reasons: climate change and the affordable housing crisis. “I am running first and foremost to put climate change and global warming at the top of our political agenda, to demand that we mobilize the same way nationally that we mobilize to fight a war,” he said. “Only this time, it’s a war to save our planet, a war in which there are no casualties, no lives lost, but a war that’s going to save lives, a war for our children’s future.” He accused the Liberal government of failing to respond to the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which warned there are only 12 years left to prevent the catastrophic impacts of global warming on the planet.
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of “Indian descent.” Burnaby South Liberal candidate quits over her racial comments about NDP leader The statement also says Elections Canada no longer considers Wang a candidate following her written resignation. Wang has scheduled a press conference at the Metrotown branch of the Burnaby Public Library.
He also said the Liberals have shown “contempt” for Indigenous Peoples and the safety of British Columbia’s coastal waters. The Trans Mountain pipeline runs through Burnaby and Liberal MP Terry Beech, who represents Burnaby North-Seymour, has touted the government’s efforts to protect orcas from increased vessel traffic. Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his government’s approach to resource development after confrontations over a different pipeline in northern B.C. “We know we cannot do it without creating partnerships and engaging with Indigenous Peoples who are the traditional custodians of these lands, without thinking deeply about the environmental consequences and the long-term impacts of the choices we’re making,” he said. Robinson drew on his family’s experience to illustrate to the housing crisis in Metro Vancouver. The modest home his family rented when he was a boy is now worth $2.3 million, he said, and it’s an “outrage” his nephew, a journeyman electrician, and his wife, a family counsellor, cannot afford to live in the community where they grew up with their three kids. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is running for his first Parliament seat in a byelection in the neighbouring riding of Burnaby South and Robinson recently appeared with him at a campaign event.
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
Naturopaths still making ‘unacceptable’ number of dubious claims face minimum $500 fines B.C.’s naturopathic college is promising immediate action against practitioners who make false claims and spread anti-vaccination disinformation after finding an “unacceptable� number of violations of its policies. The regulator says it’s giving every naturopath in the province until Monday to make sure all public materials comply with college advertising policy and other bylaws. After that, everyone who is found to be in violation will be referred immediately to the college’s inquiry committee for investigation and discipline. “At minimum, it is expected that the inquiry committee will seek fines of $500 per infraction in addition to other sanctions,� the College of Naturopathic Physicians of B.C. says in a notice posted on its website. Naturopaths who continue to break the rules are putting self-regulation of their profession at risk, according to the college.
Naturopath college outlaws therapy that promises ‘complete elimination’ of autism The enforcement drive follows CBC reporting last year on three naturopaths who have offered a homeopathic treatment for autistic children called CEASE therapy — “complete elimination of autism spectrum expression.� In response, the college banned the treatment in May, saying the name alone implied “inaccurate� and “unverifiable� claims. College registrar Howard Greenstein also asked all B.C. naturopaths to immediately review their websites and social media for violations of advertising policies and rules for discussing immunization. ‘College staff continue to find advertising infractions’ Since then, the college says many naturopaths have complied and brought
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Surrey public event to explore transition from RCMP to city police force The Surrey Board of Trade is continuing its “Hot Topic Dialogue Series� on Tuesday Jan. 29 with a look at Surrey’s transition from the RCMP to its own city police force. “The Surrey Board of Trade 0ffers this forum to dialogue on this topic and contribute ideas to the business organization’s advocacy agenda,� said Anita Huberman, its CEO. “We want to seek the input of our panelists and those from the audience on what would be better outcomes for public safety in Surrey.� At council’s inaugural meeting on Nov. 5, 2018 it served notice to the provincial and federal governments that Surrey is ending its contract with the RCMP – which has policed these parts since May 1, 1951 – to set up its own force. Dr. Terry Waterhouse, who has served as Surrey’s general manager of public safety, was appointed by Mayor Doug McCallum to oversee the process. A couple of days after the election, Huberman told the Now-Leader, “We want the RCMP to stay in Surrey. There’s no evidence a municipal force will reduce the gang activity.� Points up for discussion at this breakfasttime public event at the Civic Hotel, at 13475 Central Ave. near City Hall, are the costs and benefits of a city police force compared to keeping the RCMP, transparency of the transition process, the provincial government approval process, and training and “infrastructure� for a city police force.
Among the panelists listed are retired RCMP Assistant Commissioner and Surrey top cop Fraser McRae, as well as Kash Heed, a former solicitor general and public safety minister of B.C. Heed was also chief constable of the West Vancouver Police Department. Also
on the panel will be Bob Rolls, former deputy chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department and Mike Larsen, chairman of Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s criminology department. While admission is free seats are limited and registration is required, through www.businessinsurrey.com or by calling the board at 604-581-7130. Registration and breakfast will be at 7:30 a.m. and the program will run from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The venue sponsor is Civic Hotel Autograph Collections and media sponsors are the Surrey Now-Leader, Fleetwood BIA and Newton BIA.
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BC health official questions value of handing out free naloxone nasal spray A pharmaceutical company was handing out free samples of their naloxone nasal spray at a Surrey, B.C., SkyTrain station on Wednesday — but health officials are skeptical about the approach. Naloxone reverses the effects of opioids and can help prevent overdose deaths. Since 2012, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control has handed out thousands of injectable naloxone kits as part of a province-wide overdose prevention program. “We come from different perspectives,” said Dr. Jane Buxton, harm reduction lead for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. “We have a pharmaceutical company whose main motive, presumably, is profit. But when we look at a public health program, we want to save lives — that’s our main intent.” Overdose crisis continues in B.C. with 120 deaths last month, coroner says Some have blamed pharmaceutical companies for playing a role in the opioid crisis by downplaying the addiction risks of the drugs. The province announced a lawsuit against 40 drug companies last August, accusing the wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers of being responsible,
in part, for B.C.’s ongoing opioid crisis. Injecting naloxone provides ‘a very effective, reliable dosage that is absorbed and it works in a quick way,’ Dr. Jane Buxton said. Aaron Sihota, a community pharmacist who was providing information on the naloxone nasal spray, along with Adapt Pharma which makes it, says it can help save lives and is much simpler to use than the injectable kits. “Sometimes, it’s difficult for those who are not health-care professionals to go through the motions of breaking open a glass vial, withdrawing a dose and then injecting it in the right place,” Sihota said. B.C. sues opioid makers for ‘negligence and corruption’ about addiction risks
Vancouver City Council votes to declare ‘climate emergency’ Vancouver City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to declare a climate emergency. The motion was introduced by OneCity Coun. Christine Boyle. Now that the motion has passed, city staff will come up with new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and set new climate change targets. Boyle says her motion passing unanimously proves how important it is to be a greener city. “[It] speaks to the urgency that people recognize the climate crisis and that people need to be stepping up.” A rally was held earlier Wednesday outside of City Hall with high school students demanding for climate change solutions.
“I was really inspired to see the students there, and to know that they are acting similarly to students around the globe to get older elected leaders in office to listen to them,” Boyle said. Vancouver City Council on Wednesday voted to approve a motion to make transit free for any rider under the age of 18, as well as a motion to declare a climate emergency in the city.
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Former US president Barack Obama to speak in Vancouver in early March Former president of United States, but any remaining tickets will be made Barack Obama is coming to Vancouver. available to the general public on Feb. 1. The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade says “It is an honour for our organization in a statement that Obama will speak March to host one of the most respected world 5 during a late afternoon event at Vancouver leaders in recent history, in light of Convention Centre West. his lifelong dedication to It’s billed as a conversation principled diplomacy and with the first African American creating a more equal society,” to be elected to the presidency. Black said in the release. IainBlack,boardoftradepresident Board chair Lori Mathison and CEO, says the organization said B.C. business leaders is delighted with the appearance. have repeatedly placed Obama, who was elected Obama’s name at the top of 44th U.S. president in 2008 and surveys on desired speakers. served two terms, is scheduled Mathison called Obama to make an appearance in Barak Obama “quite possibly the most Calgary earlier in the day. coveted speaker in the world.” Tickets to the Vancouver appearance Tickets to Obama’s Calgary speech will be offered to board members first, at the Saddledome are already on sale.
Man found guilty of first-degree murder in 1978 death of BC girl Family members of a 12-year-old British Columbia girl murdered in 1978 cried, hugged and thanked jurors who found a man guilty of first-degree murder Thursday. Garry Handlen, 71, told undercover police during a sting in Minden, Ont., that he abducted Monica Jack while she was riding her bike, sexually assaulted and strangled her, but his defence team said the confession was coerced. As sheriffs led him out of B.C. Supreme Court, Handlen turned to face a woman who yelled: “And that goes for … trying to kill me!” The woman, whose name is under a
publication ban following a trial in 1979 where Handlen was convicted of sexually assaulting her, wept too as she supported Jack’s family. Jack’s mother, Madeline Lanaro, said she would not immediately comment on the verdict. The family will return to court for a sentencing hearing on Jan. 28 and provide victim impact statements. Jurors began deliberating Handlen’s fate on Tuesday after an 11-week trial that heard tearful testimony from Lanaro, who last saw her daughter riding her new bike on May 6, 1978.
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Nine out of 10 Vancouverites are within minutes of frequent transit: study Vancouver ranks high among major North American cities when it comes to its residents being close to frequent transit services, according to a new study. The report, released on Wednesday by the U.S.-based Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, looked at proximity to transit, access to opportunity and city characteristics to evaluate 28 cities in North America — 20 in the U.S., four in Mexico and four in Canada (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa). “Looking at the numbers for Vancouver, especially within the context of the other Canadian cities and all the cities we looked at, Vancouver performs very well,” said Joe Chestnut, the primary researcher and author of the report. The report found that in Vancouver, 52 per cent of people walk, bike or use public transit to get to work. When it comes to transit access, 90 per cent of people living in Vancouver can access a frequent transit stop — defined as
a stop that is serviced an average of five times per hour between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. — by bike or walking in 10 minutes or less. “Frequent transit is a lot easier for people to use,” said Chestnut. “If you can go and know a bus will show up in five or 10 minutes all the time, it’s much easier to make the choice to use transit — you can depend on that kind of transportation.” Only New York City ranks higher in proximity to frequent transit, with 93 per cent of the population a 10-minute walk or bike ride away. Toronto is third (85 per cent), Montreal is eighth (75 per cent), and Ottawa is 12th (48 per cent). Almost 20 per cent of people in Vancouver can access rapid transit in a 10-minute walk or bike ride. Rapid transit was defined as light rail, subway or express buses. New York once again tops this category, with 48 per cent of people near rapid transit. Vancouver comes in fifth (19 per cent), followed by Montreal in sixth (18 per cent).
Person of ‘national security concern’ was accidentally granted Canadian permanent residency A person of “national security concern” was granted permanent residency “due to a series of failures” by the Canadian border agency and immigration department. In light of the incident, both departments have had to introduce changes in what the public safety minister’s office is calling a “completely unacceptable” mistake. The changes were outlined in a briefing note sent by Canada Border Services Agency president John Ossowski to Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale in early 2018 regarding the 2017 error. A heavily redacted copy of the document was recently obtained by CBC News through access to information laws. The briefing note, titled “Subject of national security concern granted permanent residency” says the subject —
their name, age and gender are redacted for privacy reasons — was granted permanent resident status “due to a series of failures on the part of both Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada and the CBSA.” That means the person is entitled to most social benefits — including health care — can live, work and study anywhere in Canada, and is protected by Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but isn’t considered a Canadian citizen. Most of the details about why this person is considered a security concern and how they were granted permanent residency were redacted because, among other reasons, officials believe releasing information could hurt “the conduct of international affairs, the defence of Canada or any state allied or associated with Canada.”
Beware of Counterfeit Canadian Bills The RCMP were alerted to counterfeit Canadian currency in circulation. RCMP are advising the public and businesses to be cautious when accepting any denominations of cash and to familiarize themselves with Canadian currency security features by reading the Bank of Canada website. The Bank of Canada includes security measures on each new series of banknotes it creates. In general, for most newerseries banknotes, it recommends checking
for difficult-to-counterfeit features such as a hologram in the otherwise transparent window of the bill, raised ink in places including the phrase “Bank of Canada,” and a transparent outline around the maple leaf on the face side of the bill. The new vertical $10 bills have raised ink on the portrait, large number 10 and the word “Canada,” as well as a picture of an eagle feather which changes colour from gold to green based on the angle it is being viewed at.
Cyber thieves make off with hundreds of thousands of dollars in attack targeting Coast Capital Savings Coast Capital Savings says 140 members had money stolen from their accounts during a targeted cyber fraud attack in November and December of last year. The credit union doesn’t know exactly how much is missing but said the loss to each victim was “typically in the magnitude of between $3,000 and $6,000,” meaning thieves got away with many hundreds of thousands of dollars. Coast Capital’s vice president of public affairs and communications says an investigation has revealed that criminals gained valid online account and password numbers using two different methods. Dividing lines between credit unions, banks blurring but key differences remain The first was a “phishing attack” where fake emails and texts were sent to members
asking for security information. The second is described as a “brute force” attack where the fraudsters used a computer program to “guess” account passwords. “What we know is that these attacks were not a breach or a hack in the sense of unauthorized access of Coast Capital systems,” said Dave Cunningham. Out $10K Personal trainer Carrie Light had $10,000 disappear from her business account on Nov. 23 in two fraudulent e-transfers. She says the credit union hasn’t been able to tell her how thieves got access to her money, nor if she will be reimbursed. A screen capture of one of the text phishing scams to hit members of Coast Capital Savings Credit Union.
Force used by ‘calm and rational’ Mounties justified after high-speed chase, B.C. judge rules A man who led police on a cocaine-fuelled car chase through Campbell River was not the victim of excessive force by the Mounties
who arrested him, a B.C. judge has ruled. Though Shane Willie Bob Roberts was bitten by a police dog and his nose was broken during the arrest on July 30, 2016, his Charter rights were not infringed, provincial court Judge Barbara Flewelling wrote in a recent decision. “The use of force by the officers involved in the arrest of Mr. Roberts was justified,” the judge said. She wrote that she watched and listened to recordings of the encounter many times, and the officers involved appeared to be “calm and rational” throughout. Crown set to consider charges against Vancouver police in Myles Gray’s death “This is not a case in which officers applied gratuitous force to someone after arrest and who was already under control, compliant or cooperative. As soon as Mr. Roberts was handcuffed, the officers immediately reduced the level of intervention required up to that point,” Flewelling said. ‘My head just went squirrely’ On the day of the chase, then-41-yearold Roberts had snorted five or six lines of cocaine, puffed a bit of pot and consumed about a dozen beers, he later told police. An RCMP constable pulled him over after he noticed that the licence plate on Roberts’ car had been inactive for four months. The officer testified that when he looked inside the car, he could smell beer and saw two open cans of Budweiser in the centre console between Roberts and his passenger.
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had fare evasion fines. Some said they had paid off their fines; others replied by saying “I have like 4,” “Over $500” and “800.” Not being able to get a driver’s licence was identified as the main impact of their fare evasion debt. “I couldn’t get my licence,” one youth said in the survey. “I owed so much from years ago and even being on the platform without my ticket validated when I had a book of tickets to use but the officer wouldn’t let me validate it when I was in a rush.”
‘TransLink debt’ from fare evasion tickets affects teens’ future
TransLink should immediately stop ticketing youths for fare evasion so they no longer accumulate the kind of debt that can affect their credit history for years, according to the #AllOnBoard campaign for free transit for youths. What’s happening, said Viveca Ellis, coordinator for the campaign, is that young people end up with what’s known as “TransLink debt” that they can’t repay. That debt can follow them around for years and prevent them from getting a driver’s licence. “We’re asking TransLink to immediately end the harm of ticketing,” she said. “It’s the bad credit that really sets people up for lifelong poverty.” Transit, she said, should be as funded in the same way as education and health care. “If we had an equitable fare structure, including free transit for children and youth and a sliding scale for adults, we would have accessibility built in for the lifespan of all community members. We would not have people in the position of having to steal a bus ride because they can’t afford it.” Ellis said the #AllOnBoard campaign has
discovered thousands of low income youths with TransLink debt. Once the debt goes to a collection agency, a person may be prohibited from getting a driver’s licence and/or renewing their vehicle insurance. Last year, TransLink said it wrote an
estimated 16,000 fare evasion tickets at $173 each. Of that number, less than four per cent, or about 640, were written to minors. If a fare evasion ticket is unpaid after one year, it can increase by $100. A stroller is pushed through one of the fare gates at Cambie and Broadway Skytrain station. A stroller is pushed through one of the fare gates at Cambie and Broadway Skytrain station.
Pot-laced gummies left on vehicle windshields in Vancouver A B.C. politician is calling for improved enforcement after cannabis-laced candies were left on the windshields of vehicles in Vancouver. Jas Johal, the MLA for RichmondQueensborough, told CTV Vancouver that packages containing 10 milligrams of ‘microdosed candy’ were placed on the windows of vehicles parked outside of the Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo over the weekend. He said it’s difficult to tell the difference between the pot-laced gummies and regular candies. “I can’t tell the difference, how do you expect a child to?” Johal asked. The candy packages displayed the brand Earth’s Edibles logo along with a link to the company’s website. Despite the packaging, the owner of Earth’s Edibles said they didn’t distribute the candy samples. The company’s website does sell edible candies, along with other cannabis food items, but the packaging for those products is different than the ones left on the vehicles. Regardless of who’s responsible, Johal said this incident shouldn’t have happened in the first place. “The onus is on the provincial government to make sure the information is out that there’s enough scare in these companies not to do this,” he said. In a statement sent to CTV Vancouver, organizers for Vancouver’s cannabis expo also condemned the incident. “This underscores the need for increased cannabis education, especially with the expected legalization of cannabis edibles later this year,” Nick Pateras, VP for
Strategy for Lift & Co., wrote. Under federal law, it’s illegal to make or sell cannabis edibles, although the legalization of pot-infused edibles is expected to happen later this year. Johal said he’s concerned about children getting their hands on cannabis-laced candies, whether they’re legal or illegal.
(Photo: Arlen Redekop, A TransLink official said earlier that the the cost of providing free access to riders up to age 18 “would be in the tens of millions a year.” But the official said TransLink couldn’t provide a more detailed answer until it studies the issue in more depth. In a survey in November and December last year, #AllOnBoard asked 24 youths if they
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Lohri Celebrations at No5 Road Gurdwara Lohri is a cultural celebration mainly celebrated in the Punjab and by Punjabis around the globe. Originally, it was celebrated on the winter solstice, being the shortest day and the longest night of the year. However, it gradually shifted towards early January to coincide with the beginning of the harvesting of sugarcane crop. The old tradition still continues in the Punjab. However, overseas, Punjabis have modified it greatly. For example in Canada, in view of the foeticides, and as a
symbol of equality between boys and girls, it is considered as a major celebration for the community. The individuals and organizations working for the noble task of equality must be commended for their efforts in this regard. Every child, whether it is a boy or a girl is a gift from God and his/her birth must be celebrated with equal enthusiasm. During this week there have been a lot of celebrations in this regard. Same was true for India Cultural Centre of Canada’s Gurdwara Nanak Niwas (#5 Road) in Richmond. Sunday, January 13 was the official day for Lohri. At Gurdwara Nanak Niwas, a number of volunteers, including a large number of dedicated women closely associated with the Gurdwara, started getting ready for Lohri a few days earlier. They ordered boxes of groundnuts
(Moongfali) and rarian. Once the supplies were at the Gurdwara they started preparing hundreds of bags to hand out to the members of the congregation on January 13. As the day arrived, these enthusiastic volunteers got busy preparing langar for the congregation. Sixteen families, who were blessed with newborn babies-boys and girls and one newly- wed couple joined in the celebration by making generous financial donations. It was great to see a very large number of people join in the celebration on January 13. It looked like a festival atmosphere all around the Gurdwara. Here is a list of the newborn children who were the stars of the celebration at the Gurdwara: Sian Johal, Maximillian Major Singh Rai,Maya Kaur Sahota,Meela Bella Kaur Aujla,Jack Singh Binning,Jorawar Manraj Singh Sandhu, Nahar Singh Bains, Neha Kaur Samra,Sania Kaur Grewal, Joga Singh Grewal,Nihal Singh Lali,Barial Mahal,Dackson Dhillon,Ramneek Kaur Kalkat,Jasleen Kaur Kandola, Bani Kaur Samra and Jora Singh Deo. The Liddar and Brar families celebrated the first wedding anniversary lohri of Harjeev Singh Liddar and Ravjot Kaur Brar. Our priests lead by head granthi Giani Tarlochan, enchanted the congregation with their melodious kirtan and recitation of the Gurbani. The stage was managed by Secretary Balwant Singh Sanghera. After the kirtan, the congregation savoured delicious vegetarian langar and then enjoyed the bonfire at the back of the Gurdwara premises. On behalf of the Gurdwara Management Committee, India Cultural Centre of Canada’s Gurdwara Nanak Niwas President Balbir Singh Jawanda and Sanghera congratulated the families of the newborns and thanked all of the volunteers, the ladies who did so much, member of the congregation and the participating families for making the Lohri celebration such a great success. Balwant Sanghera
Liberal candidate Karen Wang steps aside after pointing to Jagmeet Singh’s ‘Indian origin’ on WeChat Karen Wang is stepping aside as the Liberal candidate for Burnaby South. Karen Wang, a daycare operator, became the subject of controversy on Tuesday night after she posted a message on the social messaging app WeChat that urged voters to support her as the only candidate of Chinese origin and singled out NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who is also running in the riding byelection next month, as being “of Indian origin.” That message, first reported by the Toronto Star, was translated as reading, “If we can increase the voting rate, as the only Chinese candidate in this riding, if I can garner 16,000 votes I will easily win the byelection, control the election race and make history! My opponent in this byelection is the NDP candidate Singh of Indian descent!” In a statement Wednesday, Wang announced her decision to step aside and said she apologizes to Singh for the message. “I’ve been proud to call Burnaby South my home since I arrived in Canada as a newcomer twenty years ago. The diverse character of this community is a real source of strength, and diversity enriches all of us as Canadians,” she wrote in the statement. “In trying to speak about my own story and the importance of people of all different backgrounds getting involved in this important by-election, I made comments online that also referenced Jagmeet Singh’s cultural background. My choice of words wasn’t well-
considered and didn’t reflect my intent, and for that, I sincerely apologize to Mr. Singh. I have deep respect for him as the leader of his party and for his public service – and I would never want to diminish that in any way.” She then said she was stepping down out of concern her comments would become a “distraction” to the upcoming federal election. “After consideration with my supporters, I have decided to step aside as the Liberal candidate in the Burnaby South by-election,” she wrote. “I believe in the progress that Justin Trudeau and the Liberal team are making for British Columbians and all Canadians, and I do not wish for any of my comments to be a distraction in that work.” Braeden Caley, senior director of communications for the Liberal Party of Canada, said her comments did not fit the values of the party. “Recent online comments by Karen Wang are not aligned with the values of the Liberal Party of Canada. The Liberal Party has accepted her resignation as the Liberal candidate in the Burnaby South by-election,” he said in a statement. “Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada have always stood for the full and equal participation of all Canadians in our democracy, regardless of their background. The Liberal Party has a clear commitment to positive politics and support for Canadian diversity, and the same is always expected of our candidates.”
BC Hydro scammers bilked customers out of nearly $45,000 in 2018 Fraudsters posing as BC Hydro employees swindled nearly $45,000 out of the hands of customers in 2018, as intricate scams continue to gain momentum. BC Hydro announced Friday that fraudulent thefts were up 50 per cent last year compared to 2017. Reports of customers being contacted by scammers were also up, reaching a record 2,000 calls. “While these numbers are significant, they likely underrepresent the scale of the problem, as it is believed most attempted and successful scams are not reported,” the utility said in a news release. Fraudsters would contact people by phone, email or text and threaten to immediately
disconnect service if a payment is not received. Customers were then asked to buy pre-paid cash or credit cards, or deposit money into a bitcoin ATM. Scams were reported mostly in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Nanaimo, and Vernon. BC Hydro does not collect credit card or bank information over the phone, nor by email or text, and does not accept payment from prepaid cash, credit card or bitcoin. It only sends notices by email or using an auto-dialer to remind customers to make a payment, which cannot be done over the phone. Customers can check their account online or check the authenticity of a call by calling 1-800-
Police arrest man wanted on Canada-wide warrant A man wanted on a Canada-wide warrant has been arrested in Victoria. Rourke Desmanche (pictured) was spotted early Sunday morning in the 700-block of Pembroke Street by a Victoria Police K9 unit. He made a motion to run, according to police, but stopped after the officer indicated his police dog would be set loose. Desmanche then complied and was taken into custody where he is being held for court. Desmanche had been wanted for parole violations stemming from a homicide conviction. He was convicted in February 2013 of manslaughter for shaking his baby to death. At the time of the baby’s death, Desmanche was not even supposed to be near the home of the baby’s mother.
Kiara Advani wins ‘Best find of year award Actress Kiara Advani, who made her debut in Telugu cinema with “Bharat Ane Nenu” last year, won ‘Best Find of Year’ at the Zee Cine Awards Telugu for her performance. Overwhelmed by the “motivating” start to 2019, she says she is focused on working harder to entertain fans. The awards ceremony
was held here Jan. 6, and just a day later, Kiara posted a heartfelt note on social media. She wrote: “Thank you Zee Cine Awards Telugu for honoring me with Best Find of Year. A big thank you to all the south fans who voted
Rajkumar Hirani accused of sexual assault Film-maker Rajkumar Hirani has been accused of sexual assault by a woman who worked with him on his film Sanju. Hirani has categorically denied the allegations. His lawyer Anand Desai termed the allegations ‘false, mischievous, scandalous, motivated and defamatory’. In an article on HuffPost India, the woman, who calls herself ‘an assistant’, alleged that Hirani sexually abused her more than once between March and September 2018. She detailed her allegations in an e-mail dated November 3, 2018, to Hirani’s longtime collaborator
and Sanju Co-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The woman said that on April 9, 2018, the director first passed a sexually suggestive remark to her and later sexually assaulted her at his home office. ‘I remember forming these words on my lips -- “Sir, This is wrong. Because of this power structure. You being the absolute power and me being a mere assistant, a nobody -- I will never be able to express myself to you”,’ she wrote of the April 9 incident in the e-mail to Chopra, as quoted by HuffPost India.
for me. I am dedicating this one to you. No amount of words will be enough to you how grateful I am for all the love you will have showered me with, for your support and instant acceptance. You all make me want to work harder and be the best version of myself.” She said “Bharat Ane Nenu,” which also
featured south superstar Mahesh Babu, will always be her “memorable film.” The 26-year-old actress also thanked the filmmakers for believing in her. “Thanks Mahesh sir and Namrata for bringing me into this industry, my director Koratala Siva Garu for believing in me to play Vasumathi...
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
Bollywood stars, 10 years ago and NOW!
Bipasha Basu after 10 years fabulous fitness and improvsing looks.
In 10 years ‘the posture got better!!’ What do you think?...
Armaan Malik 10 years ago, and now has got a spark!
Katrian Kaif 10 years ago, and now!
604-566-3111
7233 - Fraser St., Vancouver, BC
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Deepika turns strict wife for Ranveer, bans him from doing THESE 3 things Ever since Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh got married, the couple has gone all out with their social media PDA. They heap praises on each other every chance they get and never shy away from sharing how important they are to each other. But most importantly, the newlyweds are enjoying their married life and making sure their fans, too, keep getting updated about all the revelations
that the marriage has brought for them. During one such revelation, Ranveer revealed that three things Deepika banned her husband to do. He shared that the things include: (1) Staying out of the house till too late. (2) Leave the house without eating. (3) If miss her calls. After Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Tamasha, is Deepika to reunite for next film with Ranbir Kapoor?
Khar Gym says, “We expected Hardik Pandya to set an example like Tendulkar, Bhupati & Paes�
W
e bet this fact will raise eyebrows, much like Hardik Pandya’s objectionable statements on Koffee With Karan 6. A while ago, we told you that it was the furore on our
social media that compelled authorities at Khar Gymkhana to revoke the cricketer’s Honorary membership. Joint Secretary of Khar Gymkhana,
Gaurav Kapadia told us, “There was a furore on our social media. A lot of ladies felt that if they would be working out at the gym they wouldn’t be comfortable with somebody having such thoughts around, ditto at other places. The voice grew stronger and we called for a meeting (attended by more than 20 people) wherein all members unanimously felt that Hardik’s membership should be revoked.� During the same conversation, Kapadia told us that Hardik was made a member in continuation with other similar members like Mahesh Bhupathi, Leander Paes and Sachin Tendulkar. “He was in their category and they continue to be members. We expected his code of conduct to be like the examples that have been set. He
Bigg Boss 12 fame Srishty Rode was scared after watching porn for the first time
I
n a candid conversation with FHM India magazine, Bigg Boss 12 contestant Srishty Rode revealed a lot of things. Right from her dream to date to what attracts her in a man she spoke a lot of things. But, one of her answers in which she shares her first experience of watching porn for the first time, had us in splits. Hence, we decided to share it with you. Srsihty Rode when asked, ‘What was your first experience with porn?’ replied, “I was scared for life as I watched one that was hardcore. That stayed with me for a while�. We want to remind you that when the same question was asked to the Kasautii Zindagii Kay actress Hina Khan, she had said, “Let’s just say, it was an eye-opener�. Recently, Srishty made headlines after her
stint in Bigg Boss 12 house as she broke up with fiance Manish Naggdev. Though Srishty is tightlipped on the matter, Manish got vocal as he said to Bombay Times, “Srishty and I are not together anymore. I don’t wish to give a reason because there is none in particular. All I can say is, minor disagreements and difference of opinion led to it. We were expecting different things from each other. Around three weeks ago, we realised that things were not working out as expected. So, we discussed the future of our relationship and decided that it was better to part ways. I have immense love and respect for Srishty and I will always cherish the time spent with her.�
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Bollywood HOROSCOPE Aries
March 21 - April 20 The focus on your sector of responsibility looks quite intense this week, and it could see start. If reaching a certain goal was one of your New Year’s resolutions, you might be in the frame of mind to make a start and build momentum. ! Jupiter in Sagittarius and your sector of far horizons.
Taurus
April 21 - May 20 " # $ % $ on to secure success. A line-up of planets in your sector of new experiences and far horizons indicates that fresh paths seem to be opening for you if you’re willing to work hard to reach your goals. & # into Sagittarius and a more intense sector on Monday, which could deepen the force of desire.
Gemini
May 20 - June 21 You’re currently undergoing a time of clearing out and restructuring, particularly $ ' # through a more intense sector. And with an % ( # $ # % your daily life. This isn’t something to dread but something to embrace. ) * % + to.
Cancer
June 22 - July 23
It may seem as though you’re being pressured by others into doing things that + / 0 line-up in your sector of relating hints that # 1 # $ # % % % things that are important to you. " you’d like to accomplish, but as one of the # # %
Libra
Sept. 24 - Oct 22 2 % # # # to be intense and take up a lot of time and / ) guide planet, gliding into Sagittarius, you might decide it isn’t worth beating around the bush and say exactly what you think. Other factors suggest that this isn’t the time % / 3% may get trampled on.
Scorpio
Oct 23 - Nov 22 As 2019 gets underway, there is a powerful focus on your sector of talk and thought that suggests a lot of mental work and plenty of #
( / 0 # # # full attention so that you potentially turn a mole
# / 3% # ! $ # and double-checked.
Sagitarius Nov 23 - Dec 22
Although the presence of ! 8 encourage you to set your sights high and be $ / There’s a major’s focus on your money zone, with sobering Saturn and potent Pluto here for quite some time yet. And along with chatty Mercury and the sun, things could get intense / " # % 1 # time. You could, but will you regret it later?
Capricorn Dec 23 - Jan 20
: % % continues this week, ensuring that you’re on 1 / But just as you’re at your most focused, # $ # / 2 # # 1 % encounters in spiritual way.
Aquarius
Jan 21 - Feb 19
Leo
June 24 - August 23 If your life seems to consist of nothing but # + / 2 $ ' Pluto in this zone for some time to come, the # % to restructure your lifestyle and routines. & # % # $ opportunities for you to showcase your skills.
It could seem as though you’re on a # serious focus on a secluded and spiritual sector of your chart. You may be looking at life from the inside out and realizing that it isn’t so much what you do but who you are that counts. This intense energy can encourage you to clean up your act and release unwanted emotional baggage.
Pisces Virgo 3% + $ # # / 2 4 % and self-expression, you might be ready to put / ) + $ % particularly around Friday when the sun merges with persistent Pluto.
Feb 20 - March 20 " % # # ( # $ ( / " # # $ # $ % $ # about supporting your community or local club and helping behind the scenes. Although commendable, don’t forget to take the time to unwind as well. ; ! # # % work or in a professional capacity. Upbeat Venus joins exuberant Jupiter in your career and goals sector on Monday.
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Bollywood ‘Was confident there will be a way out’ Ankita Lokhande talks about Manikarnika controversy
The Queen Of Jhansi is set for a release after a lot of controversy but actor Ankita Lokhande, who is making her Bollywood debut withe period drama, says she never lost faith. Ankita, who rose to fame with
her debut TV show Pavitra Rishta, is playing Jhalkari Bai, a warrior in Rani Laxmibai’s army. “I was confident that there will be a way out. I was sure that nothing can go wrong with my debut film. I did feel bad that it went through so many ups and downs. We have been working on this film for two years. It was
essential to think positive when such things were happening,” Ankita told PTI. The project changed directors midway and there were reports of money trouble as well. Film’s lead heroine Kangana Ranaut has ended up sharing the directorial credits with Krrish on the film. When asked about the perception that Kangana can be interfering, Ankita said, “Everybody has a different point of view. Kangana is an outspoken person, doesn’t pretend or act out and even I am like that. So we become bad for some people as we are upfront. “She never interfered. She is a sorted and secure person. After the director left she added few more scenes of mine in the film,” she added. Ankita said her movie debut happened later than she had planned because she never found the right script until producer Kamal Jain approached her with Manikarnika. “I had not planned that I will enter Bollywood now. I wanted to do films for a long time... But there was always a confusion in my head, a second thought about every script. So it took a long time for me to reach here,” Ankita said.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Popular Punjabi pairs to hit the big screen in 2019 On one hand, where 2019 will be witnessing a number of new on-screen pairs, on the other, there are some popular Punjabi jodies that are known to give hits, will also be making it the box office again. These pairs have already been lauded for their on-screen presence and chemistry; and thus, the audience can’t keep calm after listening to the news of them teaming up for 2019 releases. Neeru Bajwa & Diljit Dosanjh From ‘Jatt & Juliet’ to ‘Sardaar Ji’, every time when Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa have come together, their chemistry has been lauded by the fans. Thus, the two have again teamed up for a 2019 release - ‘Shadaa’. Though the duo featured in the song ‘Raat Di Gedi’ that came out in 2017, it was 2015 when the last time Neeru Bajwa and Diljit Dosanjh shared the screen space on the 70mm. So technically, it is after a break of four years that these two artists will be seen together. Talking about the movie, ‘Shadaa’ is reportedly a romantic comedy. Directed by Jagdeep Sidhu, the movie will hit the box office on 21st June. Ammy Virk and Sonam Bajwa If you have seen ‘Nikka Zaildar’ and its sequel, we are sure you too are a fan of the onscreen couple Ammy Virk and Sonam Bajwa. Both of these stars are known for their utter innocence and charm that leaves everyone spellbound. Even the industry people know the same and thus, have roped in the two for ‘Muklawa’. The movie is scheduled to release on May 24. It is a comedy drama directed by Simerjit Singh and bankrolled by Gunbir Singh Sidhu and Manmord Sidhu.
Binnu Dhillon and Kavita Kaushik Sometimes it’s not a romantic scene that speaks for chemistry, but the comfort and camaraderie between two actors. According to Kavita Kaushik, it certainly is the camaraderie between her and Binnu Dhillon that has helped the two garner so much love and appreciation from the fans. After starring together in two of Pollywood’s most hilarious movies ‘Vekh Baraatan Challiyan’ and ‘Vadhayiyaan Ji Vadhayiyaan’, Binnu Dhillon and Kavita Kaushik have again teamed up for ‘Naukar Vahuti Da’. Slated to release on 23rd August, the movie is a Smeep Kang directorial and comes from the genre of comedy dramas. So get ready to be tickled again. Tarsem Jassar and Simi Chahal On one hand, where a couple of on-screen jodies take their time to tighten their grip over the audience, on the other, there are some reel pairings that cast the spell in a single go. The duo of Tarsem Jassar and Simi Chahal falls in the second category. For the first time the two shared screen space in ‘Rabb Da Radio’, and now its sequel also features the very couple again in the lead. Scheduled to hit the big screen on March 29, ‘Rabb Da Radio 2’ is expected to fetch more applauds for Tarsem and Simi’s on-screen chemistry. Roshan Prince and Rubina Bajwa Just like Tarsem Jassar and Simi Chahal, Roshan Prince and Rubina Bajwa worked together only on one movie last year -‘Laavaan Phere’. However, the movie was such a success and the pairing was so much appreciated that the duo will be seen in not just one but two movies this year - ‘Laavaan Phere 2’ and ‘Nanka Mel’. The former is scheduled to release on 22nd February and the latter on 6th September
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
‘Kala Shah Kala’ teaser: Watch Binnu Dhillon in the never before seen avatar As promised the teaser of ‘Kala Shah Kala’ has been released. Marking the introduction of Binnu Dhillon, the teaser shows the actor is an avatar he hasn’t donned before. However, one thing that still remains constant is his
effortless comic expressions that is sure to tickle the funny bone of the audience. The teaser opens with a shot of a men’s saloon, wherein Binnu Dhillon’s face is covered with a towel, as he takes his
beauty steam. However, once the towel is taken away, the secret is unveiled. Wish to know what secret it is? Releasing on February 14, ‘Kala Shah Kala’ is an unusual love story set in the backdrop of the bygone era. The movie stars Binnu Dhillon, Sargun Mehta and Jordan Sandhu in the lead along with Karamjit Anmol, Harby S a n g h a , Nirmal Rishi, BN Sharma, Gurmeet Saajan, Anita Devgan and Shahnaz Gill in pivotal roles. Besides being the lead actor, Binnu Dhillon has also produced the movie with Harsimran Dhillon, GS Dhillon, Navaniat Singh, Achal Kaushal and Karan Soni. The film has been written and directed by Amarjit Singh.
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Bollywood
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Paresh Rawal talks about politics, the nation and his film Never mind if the name in the film has been changed to Govind Bhardwaj, Paresh Rawal plays the counterpart of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in “URI: The Surgical Strikes,” which has released all over. An ardent supporter of Narendra Modi and his vision for the country, Rawal minces no words in our interview, making it a remarkable political statement. On how Vivek Oberoi is doing a Modi biopic, so what happened to his: “We are doing our respective biopics in our ways. Modi is too large a persona to have only one
such look at his work. But my film will not take off before the elections.” On how January 2019 seems to have a surfeit of political films that seem, according to a section of the media, a deliberate preelection plan: “Look, in India, somewhere, or the other, elections are going on all the time! We cannot stop working because people may look at things that way, can we?” “I have seen him, met him and know a
lot about him through what people say, his lectures and clippings. He is an absolutely brilliant man and gutsy as well.” About “URI” the film, and what happened in 2016: “It was imperative for a ‘Naya Hindustan’ to hit back, and Modi-ji headed the meeting in which every detail was planned. Our Army had the strength to tackle 26/11 too, but for some reason, the then-government told them not to retaliate. This time, what made the difference was the political will.” On what he learned that was new after working on “URI”: “It was the amazing meticulousness of the whole operation! Modi-Ji and Doval were adamant that we lose not a single soldier.” About people who talk ill of the Uri Surgical Strikes even now: “This movie, like the surgical strike itself, is a stout and befitting reply to such people, it is like salt being applied on their ‘wounds’! They just want to show their importance, and even more basic, existence! This termite clan always sees evil and the worst of everything, and nothing can be done about them. Like when Modi-Ji went to Nawaz Sharif ’s house on his birthday, all of a sudden, trusting him and a country in which anything can happen, they said he had gone just to eat the cake! Why, aren’t cakes made in India? Did he not go there to build a relationship and extend a hand? What can be a bigger statement?” “They have been attacking us since 1947! Pakistan is not a country that will improve with a single kick! It is a romantic notion that Pakistan will ever improve!” “Look, Modi-Ji has spent 14 years as Gujarat’s Chief Minister. And there was not a single day when the media did not abuse him. Some people told me that they had learned some new abuses from the headlines! But he never stopped, nor did he issue any threats to such journalists. Modi-Ji also never stopped giving ads to publications that opposed or abused him, which could have killed the revenues of any newspaper. His way of looking at it was ‘Abuse me! If that gives you your rozi-roti (livelihood), I am happy I am contributing to it!’ There was not a single curfew or riot in that period.” “The saddest part is that it gives a handle to the wrong people. The Congress says, ‘Aage badho! Hum tumhare saath hain (We are with you)!’ It’s a circus! Did you know that the Award Waapsi stunt some years ago was a copy of something that happened in USA during the Vietnam war?” On his views on how stonepelters are sympathized with and the Army tarnished:
Saturday, January 19, 2019 Despite the Green Party voting in favour of the Speculation Tax, Leader Andrew Weaver is attempting to have his cake and eat it too by distancing himself from his party’s voting record in the midst of the Nanaimo by-election. “Now my job is to get the NDP to recognize it’s a stupid tax and get rid of it,” Weaver said in Nanaimo this week. “Mr. Weaver is admitting this tax is bad public policy and does not tax speculators,” said BC Liberal Finance Co-Critic Shirley Bond. “And yet when he had a chance to stop the tax and end this mess, the Green Party Leader caved.” Weaver’s biggest let-down BC Liberal Health Critic MLA Norm Letnick is applauding news of an increase in operating room time for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) treatments for Parkinson’s disease patients in British Columbia. “When we raised this issue in the House last year, the NDP government did not commit to pushing for a swift resolution to the backlog,” said Letnick. “Thanks to the
Weaver flip flops on Speculation Tax was a promise to give municipalities the option to exempt themselves from the Speculation Tax. During debate in the legislature, Weaver declared, “while I would have preferred for local governments to have the ability to opt out automatically, this is a compromise position that I feel I can support and my colleagues can support as well.” “Andrew Weaver is the leader of a recognized third party in the Legislature and as such, he and his party have to take responsibility for how they vote,” said Bond. “The fact of the matter is the Green Party voted in support of the Speculation Tax and now they
The federal government is currently working on the Accessible Canada Act. It’s poised to have a significant impact on access and inclusion in our country, but it will also highlight the need for similar and complementary provincial legislation.
have to explain to voters why.” Following the recent announcement that 1.6 million homeowners will now be required to go online and prove they are not real estate speculators, local mayors and municipal councilors are voicing their objections. “The Province is continuing to add unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy to this misguided Speculation Tax,” said Langford Mayor Stew Young. “Now it will affect 100 per cent of homeowners living in affected areas, homeowners will be presumed speculators
BC Liberals applaud progress for Parkinson’s patients advocacy work of Dr. Christopher Honey and BC Liberal MLAs Tom Shypitka and Greg Kyllo, British Columbians suffering from Parkinson’s disease will soon face significantly reduced wait times for DBS surgeries.” The additional operating room time for DBS cases will be available at the UBC Hospital and surgeries will
BC Liberal Caucus press release A new year is a time to look back at where you’ve been and look ahead to where you’re going. The new year provided just that for accessibility in British Columbia, with B.C.’s Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction starting 2019 with an international award from the Zero Project (www.zeroproject.org) for British Columbia’s ten-year accessibility action plan. In 2014, our former BC Liberal government launched the Accessibility 2024 strategy, with the goal of making British Columbia the country’s most progressive province for people with disabilities by 2024. We’d like to thank ministry staff for their continued work to implement this strategy, and acknowledge the current government for carrying out the remainder of this ten-year plan. Congratulations on this recognition. The ten-year program our government laid out in Accessibility 2024 implemented a number of key actions including an annualized earnings exemption, the Registered Disability Savings Plan Advisory Group, asset exemptions, and the Presidents Group, made up of business leaders to promote employment of people with disabilities and greater consumer access. Initiatives like these help provide financial relief and security for British Columbians with disabilities. Despite the progress we’ve made as a province, there is of course more work to do. The top three next steps the BC government must pursue are comprehensive disability legislation, regulations or legislation to improve housing access, and targeted supports to ensure people with disabilities can work.
Press release
With almost 15 per cent of the provincial population reporting a disability that limits their daily activities, this is an issue we cannot ignore. Finding accessible housing remains a significant barrier for British Columbians with disabilities. To help combat this problem, our caucus introduced the Building (New Housing Access) Amendment Act in the Legislature last spring, which would have required all new multi-unit housing to be built with accessibility considerations in mind. Whether we’re talking about a senior with increasingly impaired mobility or a young person looking to move for work, ensuring adequate accessible housing is crucial for an inclusive society. Unfortunately the NDP government never called this bill for debate, and no progress has been made on the issue. People with disabilities want to work but they are dramatically overrepresented among unemployed and underemployed British Columbians. Despite the fact that there are many talented, educated people with disabilities eager to contribute to our economy and communities, connecting those individuals to appropriate employment remains a challenge. It’s high time we try something different. Disability-related transportation limitations, the need for an interpreter or personal aide, adaptive equipment, and hiring biases all contribute to the underemployment of people with disabilities. It’s time to acknowledge these barriers, and level the playing field by implementing a program of supports to enable people with disabilities to get or stay in meaningful jobs. With an aging population, a growing tourism sector, and nearly one million expected job openings in B.C. by 2025, we simply can’t afford not to embrace these opportunities.
By Stephanie Cadieux and Michelle Stilwell
be performed by Dr. Christopher R. Honey. “While it is unfortunate that only Dr. Honey will be able to perform the surgeries, this is still progress for Parkinson’s patients seeking treatment in our province,” added Letnick. “It will ensure faster access to DBS surgeries
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until they declare themselves innocent, and homeowners will need to provide personal information that the Province has no business knowing. On top of all this, I can only imagine the millions of dollars it will cost to send out and process these letters to hardworking families, all while not actually adding to the supply of housing in British Columbia. It just doesn’t make sense.” “It appears that very little thought was given to implementing the Speculation Tax and the government is making up tax policy on the fly,” added West Kelowna councillor and former mayor Doug Findlater.
and begin to reduce the five year wait time for treatment.” According to Parkinson Society BC, current wait times in British Columbia are three years for initial consults followed by a two-year wait for surgeries. Comparatively, Alberta has a six-month total wait period and Saskatchewan has zero waits whatsoever.
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Vol. 9 No. 51
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Saturday - January 19, 2019
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BC’S housing market expected to remain slow The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver reported a nearly 43 per cent decrease in sales of condos, townhouse and detached homes in November, compared to the same month a year before. As housing market watchers say 2019 could be the year to buy a house or condo for less in BC, thanks to increased supply and regulatory measures that have combined to suppress home sales. BC housing market entering ‘mild recession,’ forecast says It says the benchmark price — the average price for a typical home — is $1.5 million for a detached house, $818,500 for a townhouse and $667,800 for a condo.
Calgary’s housing market continues to contend with more supply than demand and in 2018 saw the lowest sales numbers in over 20 years, according to a local real estate agent. Figures provided by Jim Sparrow with Royal LePage Solutions show the last time home sales dipped below the 16,144 units sold last year was in 1996 when the population was significantly lower and there were fewer dwellings.
Those prices are between four and seven per cent lower than they were six months ago, according to the board. “My guess is 2019 will not be a banner year for sales in Greater Vancouver and I expect further price declines,� said Tom Davidoff, an associate professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. “But I also have a lot of uncertainty
around that because a lot can happen in the market.� ‘Homebuyers have been taking a wait-and-see approach for most of 2018,’ said Phil Moore, president of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. ‘This has allowed the number of homes available for sale in the region to return to more typical historical levels.’ Some economists point to more stringent mortgage qualifying requirements and higher interest rates as some of the
Home sales hit lows not seen in over 20 years, in Calgary That year saw 15,689 units sold, a jump from 1995, when 11,257 were sold. According to a report form the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB), December sales in Calgary dropped 21 per cent from the same month in 2017 with only 794 units resold. There was a 14 per cent decline in yearly sales from 2017 and a nearly 20 per cent decline from long-term averages.
More than 4,900 units were listed for sale, 30 per cent higher than typical levels for the month, CREB said. Calgary home sales slide 14% compared with a year ago. Realtor Emma May said those holding out for a so-called spring market likely won’t see the results they’re hoping for. “I actually foresee that we’re going to get a lot more inventory coming onto the market here in the spring. But I’m not sure that we’ve got
driving forces behind the downward turn. Canadian home sales will fall to 9-year low next year, CREA forecasts Four regulatory taxes, meant to make housing more affordable, are also having an impact, he said. First of all the province increased its foreign buyers tax, which was introduced in 2016, from 15 per cent to 20 per cent. It also expanded the tax to include Nanaimo, Victoria, the Fraser Valley and the Central Okanagan. After its first year in place, an empty homes tax has created $38 million in total revenue for the City of Vancouver. The program is meant to return empty or underutilized properties to the rental market while revenue generated by the tax is required to be used for affordable housing projects.
the buyers to pick that up. So while inventory levels are high I think they’re going to just get higher here for a little for a period of time,� she said. CREB chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie said the job market and lending rates have both had an impact. “We just didn’t see the economic growth that was expected in the second half of 2018,� she said. “Demand hasn’t improved enough to absorb additional supply.�
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
Detached home values likely to drop in next property assessment
The real estate market in most parts of Metro Vancouver has softened over the last year and homeowners will see those changes reflected in their property assessments next spring. Outside Metro Vancouver, it’s a different picture. Home owners in the rest of the province can expect increases of five to 15 per cent for assessed values of single-family homes. And in parts of central and northern Vancouver Island, and Kitimat, home values are at least 20 per cent higher than last year. B.C. Assessment has released a preview of its figures for 2019, which will be sent to property owners in early January. Metro Vancouver home sales and prices down to more ‘historical’ levels, says real estate board
“It’s a real mix in property value changes, but the market can best be summed up as showing signs of stability across most areas of the province,” said property assessor Tina Ireland. “Changes in property assessments
really depend on where you live. For example, assessed values 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.” Of note this year, B.C. Assessment says it observed a five to 10 per cent drop in prices of single-family detached homes in Vancouver, the North Shore, South Surrey, White Rock, South Delta and Richmond. Other Metro Vancouver municipalities showed stable values or modest increases, according to the independent assessment authority. In general, the rest of the province could expect increases of five to 15 per cent for assessed values of single-family homes. The exceptions were in parts of central and northern Vancouver Island, and Kitimat, which were valued at least 20 per cent higher this year. Climbing property assessments trigger warning letters to 90,000 B.C. homeowners
Real estate industry poised for a tech disruption in 2019 Real estate agent Shawn Zigelstein remembers a time, just a few years ago, when a printer, scanner and fax machine were the most important tools of his trade. “I don’t even know the last time I sent a fax, to be honest with you,” laughs Zigelstein, a sales rep with a Royal LePage brokerage in Richmond Hill, Ont. “Oh the dilemmas we used to have were unbelievable. Now our clients can open their phone up, push a few buttons and the [offer] papers are signed.” Zigelstein says the adoption of technology
in real estate has grown exponentially over the past few years and it’s a trend he thinks will only grow as more options become available and realtors scramble to lure in the millennial market. The agents that are not adapting to this change are going to see their business drop considerably because they can’t adapt fast enough. “The agents that are not adapting to this change are going to see their business drop considerably because they can’t adapt fast enough,” he said.
Real estate market expected to mederate over next 2 years
From smartphone apps like Loom, which allows realtors to remotely share screens and presentation slides with clients, to digital signatures that can be verified with phones and tablets, technology is shaping a new way for realtors to do business. Historically, the real estate industry has been a “laggard” when it comes to embracing technology, says Frank Magliocco, a partner at PwC Canada who specializes in the housing market. “But I think what you’re going to see now is a fairly significant ramp up in embracing that technology once it becomes more mainstream,” he said. “It’ll be increasingly important to remain and be competitive in the marketplace. Once
#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005
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
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
you see these technologies prove out, you’ll see more and more adoption.”
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
Saturday, January 19, 2019 South Asian Seniors Carpet Bowling Game January 13th 2019 (Sunday) 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm. Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members & even nonmembers to come & enjoy the fun of Carpet Bowling Game, a great exercise free of cost and make some new friends, on January 13th 2019 (Sunday) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey B.C. Even if you have never played, Baldev Raj Kohli, who is well trained, will teach you how to play Carpet Bowling & have great fun. All are welcome, tea & snacks will be served after the game is over.Project funded by Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for Hindi speaking Seniors. Please call Surendra Handa Coordinator Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 for further details. South Asian Seniors - Antakshari Hindi Songs Competition Sunday, 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan. Vedic Seniors Parivar Center of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults, Senior members & nonmembers also to join us for Antakshari Songs Competition with Hindi songs on Sunday from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC. The participants will be divided in to two groups, could be male members against female members or combined both. The game is of ending words of the song sung by the last singer, to be continued by the song by the next singer of the opposite group, if one group fails to sing for the last word of the song then the opponent can sing the song and the group who failed to sing is eliminated, No song is repeated in the game by both groups. Tea & snacks will be served to all participants after the game is over. Project funded by Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for Hindi speaking seniors. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 for further information.
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
Tom Mulcair calls Jagmeet Singh’s response to China spat question ‘Very Surprising’ As he gets closer to his electoral trial by fire, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh finds himself facing heavy flak from his byelection rivals, unfavourable media coverage, and even criticism from his own predecessor. On the day he officially opened his campaign office for the Burnaby South byelection, Singh appeared on CTV News’ “Question Period,” where he was invited to weigh in on the ongoing Canada-China spat. Host Evan Solomon asked Singh what he thought about a recent editorial from Lu Shaye, China’s ambassador in Ottawa, in which he accused Canada of exhibiting “Western egotism and white supremacy” in the case of two Canadians detained in the Asian country. Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were arrested shortly after Canada detained Meng
Wanzhou, a high-ranking executive at Chinese tech behemoth Huawei, at the request of the U.S. China’s ambassador to Canada made headlines when he put out an editorial in the last week accusing Canada of white supremacy when it comes to the handling of Meng Whanzhou’s case. “If you were the prime minister, what would you say to the Chinese right now?” Solomon asked. “Sorry, who accused who of white supremacy?” Singh responded. After Solomon got him up to speed, Singh said he didn’t know if there was “any evidence” of the white supremacy accusation, and then went on to talk about “concerns” that the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump was using the detention of the two Canadians as political leverage in trade negotiations.
Canadian sentenced to death in China previously warned by BC judge to change his ways Years before being sentenced to death by a Chinese court for drug smuggling, a BC Supreme Court judge warned Robert Lloyd Schellenberg to change his ways. Justice Neill Brown told Schellenberg in 2012 that he was lucky to be living in Canada and not caught up in Libya or Syria. The former Abbotsford man who has been sentenced to death in China for drug trafficking was warned once
Former Abbotsford resident Robert Lloyd Schellenberg (middle) facing trial in China
before by a BC Supreme Court judge. “Your country deserves much better from you…you are in one of the best places to live….You are not caught up in Libya or Syria” “You are in one of the best places in the whole world to live. You are not caught up in Libya or Syria.” Brown sentenced Schellenberg to two years jail time minus time served for drug possession for the purpose of trafficking. The judge told Schellenberg to “never underestimate the seriousness of his crime.” He went on to say he hoped it was the last time Schellenberg would appear in court. A Chinese court ruled Schellenberg was recruited to help smuggle more than 222 kilograms of methamphetamine from China to Australia. Canada formally requests clemency for Canadian sentenced to death in China He was originally detained in 2014 and sentenced two years later to 15 years in prison, but an appeals court ordered a re-trial following Canada’s detention of Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States. China criticizes Trudeau’s remarks on death sentence decision, says he should ‘respect rule of law’ Prime Minster Justin Trudeau has criticized the death sentence handed down by the Chinese court and said Canada would do all it can to intervene on Schellenberg’s behalf.
Jagmeet Singh under pressure after widely panned TV interview Critics of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh say his performance in a weekend TV interview is a sign he may not be prepared for the challenges of the election year ahead. His supporters shrugged it off as an inconsequential moment that only those within the “Ottawa bubble” actually care about. During an appearance on the political show CTV Question Period, Singh appeared to be unaware of a news story that made a lot of headlines last week. Singh was asked how he would respond, if elected prime minister, to the recent statement by China’s Canadian ambassador Lu Shaye, that Canada and its Western allies’ calls for the release of two Canadians detained in China is rooted in “white supremacy.” Chinese ambassador pens op-ed on Canadian detainees, slams ‘Western egotism and white supremacy’ “Sorry, who accused who of white supremacy?” Singh asked his interviewer. He later told the Toronto Star he didn’t hear the initial question. Host Evan Solomon repeated it in full and asked how Singh would have responded if he were prime minister. “I don’t know if there is any evidence of that suggestion,” Singh said, then quickly pivoted to talking about U.S. President Donald Trump. The performance spawned a social-media backlash from NDP supporters and foes alike. Karl Belanger, the NDP’s former national director, said Singh’s response to the China question is not a big problem on its own, but he believes these kinds of things can add up.
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
Saudi may have helped sexual assault accused who disappeared before trial Canadian authorities are searching for a Saudi citizen accused of sexual assault after he failed to show up for a court hearing in Sydney, Nova Scotia, media reported. Mohammed Zuraibi al-Zoabi (pictured), a student at Cape Breton University, faces charges of sexual assault, assault, forcible confinement, uttering threats, criminal harassment, dangerous driving and assault with a weapon (a vehicle) in separate trials related to two incidents that occurred in Sydney between 2016 and 2017. Local police told the Chronicle Herald that al-Zoabi’s passport was given as collateral when the 28-year-old student posted his $37,500 bail in cash, a hefty sum provided by the Saudi Arabian embassy. “It should be impossible (for him to leave the country or enter without a passport) unless Saudi Arabia furnished him with a Saudi travel document,” Lee Cohen, a Halifax-based immigration lawyer, told the Chronicle Herald. Asked by the paper whether he was still in Canada, al-Zoabi said “probably not … I can’t tell you that”, adding that he wouldn’t come back for
the trial because he feared they might be “unfair”. “I can’t respect that,” he said of the warrant and charges. “Everybody’s against me just because I’m a (racial expletive) and foreign student despite the fact that we boosted so much money to that island of Canada.” The Saudi Arabian embassy did not respond to a Chronicle Herald request for comment on al-Zoabi. Jessica Hines, the manager of Kevin’s Towing in Sydney, Cape Breton, described al-Zoabi as “rude, obnoxious and thought he was above women and the rules”. “First time I met him consisted of him coming into my office and snapping his fingers because I didn’t greet him quick enough as I was busy,” Hines said. “I immediately marked my dominance by telling him, ‘I don’t jump for men when they snap their fingers at me’, and made him sit and wait for near an hour.” Between March 2012 and April 2016, al-Zoabi racked up 34 infractions ranging from speeding, driving uninsured, driving without a valid license, unregistered and uninspected vehicles. Unpaid to this day, the fines amount to $68,967.
Woman who admitted to attack at Canadian Tire found guilty on terror charges A Toronto-area woman who admitted to attacking workers at a Canadian Tire store with a golf club and butcher knife in an effort to help ISIS has been found guilty of several terror charges. Her brother told police she wanted to join ISIS. They dropped the case. Then she attacked a Canadian Tire Jurors deliberated just over an hour on Thursday before delivering a decision in the case of Rehab Dughmosh, who was arrested in July 2017 after the attack at a location at a mall in east Toronto. Dughmosh initially faced a total of 21 charges, but in the end faced four, including two counts of assault with a weapon and one of carrying a weapon — all in the name of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. She was also charged with leaving Canada for the purpose of committing a criminal offence in connection with an attempted trip to Syria in April 2016. Dughmosh, who represented herself in court, did not enter a plea, but not guilty pleas were entered on her behalf. She did not present a defence and declined to make any closing statements to the jury. In his closing arguments Thursday, Crown prosecutor Jason Wakely said an
agreed statement of facts presented in court — the only evidence brought in the case — shows Dughmosh is guilty of all offences. “She could not have been any clearer that she was doing this for the benefit of ISIS,” he said. “She literally declared the words, ‘This is for ISIS,’ she draped herself in an ISIS banner, she wrapped an ISIS bandana around her head and she repeatedly said words to the effect that she did this for ISIS.” ‘The elements of the offences have been proven’ Superior Court Justice Maureen Forestell told the jury that when facts are admitted, no further evidence needs to be presented to prove them. While it is unusual for a trial to proceed on admitted facts alone, it is appropriate to do so, and jurors should not speculate as to why it played out this way, Forestell said. Dughmosh “has not disputed that the elements of the offences have been proven,” the judge said. The statement, read in court Wednesday, says that while Dughmosh initially denied she was travelling in an effort to join ISIS, she admitted after her arrest in 2017 that it had been the true purpose of the trip.
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Alleged Canadian ISIS member captured in Syria Another alleged Canadian ISIS member has been captured in northern Syria, according to local Kurdish forces, who posted a video of the man. In the 40-second video clip, the man identified himself as Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed (pictured) and said he was an Ethiopian-Canadian. Kurdish forces said he was arrested by the U.S.backed Syrian Democratic Forces in Deir al-Zour, the last ISIS stronghold in Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces arrest an ISIS member of Ethiopian origin who holds Canadian citizenship. “I am originally from Ethiopia, I came from Canada, entered from Idlib,” he said in the video. “And you went with the comrades at the checkpoint?” he was asked. “Sorry,” he replied. “You went in combat with our youths?” the interrogator asked. “Yes,” he said. Some more information on Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed,
Canadian captured by YPG: – Born in Saudi Arabia in 1983; came to Canada in 1988 According to Canadian terrorism researcher Prof. Amarnath Amarasingam, Mohammed studied at Toronto’s Seneca College before departing for Syria in 2013. With his capture, the number of Canadians known to be in the custody of Kurdish forces is now four men, three women and seven children. But an organization representing the families of Canadian captives, Families Against Violent Extremism, said it was aware of almost two dozen. “The families of 21 Canadian detainees have asked FAVE to help get them out of the northern Syrian camps. The majority of these Canadians are infants and children who are suffering from hunger and illness in frozen tents,” said group’s director, Prof. Alexandra Bain.
Nova Scotia cop charged with sexual assault & voyeurism A Nova Scotia RCMP member has been charged with sexual assault and voyeurism, stemming from alleged incidents at a house party. The province’s independent Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) conducted the investigation and laid the charges against Const. Yannick Frechette of the Meteghan detachment.
SiRT says they were contacted Dec. 17 by the RCMP Southwest Nova District regarding allegations of sexual assault and voyeurism against a female. The incidents allegedly took place at a party at the home of another RCMP member during the early morning hours of Dec. 16. Frechette will appear in Yarmouth Provincial Court on Feb. 19.
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Pipeline operator Kinder Morgan’s profit surges Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd (KML. TO) said on Wednesday its quarterly profit from continuing operations more than doubled as the company benefited from strong performance in its pipeline and terminal business. Pipeline segment earnings jumped 39 percent to C$13.5 million, led by the Canadian part of the Cochin pipeline, which transports light condensate from the United States to Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. Kinder Morgan sold the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline to the Canadian government in August for C$4.5 billion and on Wednesday reiterated that it was looking at all options, including a sale, following that transaction.
Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI.N), which holds about 70 percent majority voting interest in Kinder Morgan Canada, has hired investment bank TD Securities (TD.TO) to facilitate a potential sale of its Canadian business, Reuters reported in September. The Houston-based company on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter net income available to common stockholders of $483 million, compared with a loss of $1.05 billion a year earlier, due to the overhaul of the U.S. tax code. Kinder Morgan Canada reported net income from continuing operations of C$40.3 million ($30.4 million) for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, up from C$18 million a year earlier. (reut.rs/2sug0ii)
Ontario’s PC gov’t to eliminate free tuition for low-income students Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government is eliminating free tuition for students from low-income families while also cutting tuition fees. The Ontario Student Assistance Plan grants had become unsustainable and it was time to refocus it to provide help to students in the most financial need, said Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Merrliee Fullerton. “The previous government believed in handing out OSAP money to some of Ontario’s highest income earners with virtually no meaningful criteria for success,” she said. The previous Liberal government increased the number of grants and made it possible for low-income students to attend college or university free of cost. But the auditor general found last month that costs for that program jumped by 25 per cent and warned it
could grow to $2 billion annually by 2020-21. Under the Liberal plan, families earning up to $175,000 could qualify for some funding and that threshold is now reduced to $140,000. Low-income students could qualify for grants large enough to cover the full cost of tuition under the previous plan, but now a portion of the funding they receive will be a loan. Most of the grants will go to students whose families have an income of less than $50,000. At the same time, tuition fees are being cut, the government announced. The current tuition fee framework, which has capped increases for most programs at three per cent, expires at the end of this academic year. Under a new framework, tuition would decrease by 10 per cent for the 2019-2020
Young professionals flee from Vancouver over high cost of housing Iain Reeve and his wife moved from rental home to rental home in Vancouver but their final solution for secure housing was to move to Ottawa and buy two houses — one for them and another for his parents. He and his wife, Cassandra Sclauzero, are professionals in their mid-30s who wanted to start a family but they couldn’t afford to buy in the city. “We wanted to own a home to have stability, and peace of mind and flexibility,” Reeve said. “The rental market didn’t have stability. We both had settled into pretty good first jobs. But as much as we loved the city and had these connections it wasn’t worth it.” They were “kicked out” of a few places in three years through no fault of their own, he said, adding that it was because people were selling or flipping properties. Reeve grew up and went to university in Vancouver. “I also have parents who live in the Vancouver area who don’t own a home and
are working class and not a ton of money saved for retirement, and I’m an only child,” he said. “We just couldn’t even get our foot in the door in terms of stable housing.” We just couldn’t even get our foot in the door in terms of stable housing Reeve said he knows a number of people who are thinking of moving out of the city simply because of the housing market. “Life is challenging enough, it’s so hard when you have (housing) insecurity all the time.” Statistics show that Vancouver, and B.C. generally, is losing skilled workers to other parts of the country. CMHC spokesman Leonard Catling said one of the main reasons people between the ages of 21 and 25 come to Metro Vancouver is for university but they move out as they get older. A December news release from Statistics Canada shows that B.C.’s population crossed the five million mark for the first time because of international migration.
Home prices to drop as ‘huge’ wave of new homes arrives: Report The slowdown in Canada’s housing market will get worse before it gets any better, a new analysis predicts, because the country is about to be flooded with a “huge amount” of new homes. “Canada has been undergoing a construction boom,” Capital Economics senior economist Stephen Brown wrote in the report issued last week. “As has been typical of historic real estate cycles around the world, new supply will reach the market just as demand is falling.” Indeed, home sales in Toronto in 2018 were 15 per cent below their historical norm in 2018, while in Vancouver they ran 40 per cent below the long-run average. If the percentage of unsold new homes in Vancouver remains what it is, the number of unsold houses on the market will double in the metro area over the next two years as 40,000 new homes come on the market, Brown predicted. The situation isn’t quite so dire in Toronto — yet. Just one per cent of new homes in the area sits unsold, compared to 7 per cent in Vancouver. But Brown expects Toronto to follow in Vancouver’s footsteps this year. Developers will react by cutting back on new housing starts. But the lag
between start and completion means the problem will happen regardless of what developers do now, Brown suggested. Even if Vancouver stopped building new homes entirely, the oversupply in the next two years would be nearly as large as if construction continued. All of which could have a negative effect on the economy, starting with falling house prices. “That, in turn, is likely to feed through to weaker consumer spending. Even more significantly, an end of the construction boom will weigh heavily on investment,” Brown wrote. In a report last year, Bank of Montreal noted that Canada’s population growth has accelerated in the past few years, thanks to higher immigration levels, and is now growing at the fastest pace in decades.
Saturday, January 19, 2019 Canadian ex-pats in US win right to vote Almost three million Canadians living outside Canada as expats could have a significant impact on the upcoming federal election as a result of a recent decision made by Canada’s Supreme Court. The decision in the case of Frank v. Canada (Attorney General) ruled in favor of Canadian expats living in USA and elsewhere, reinstating their Canadian voting rights. In a 5-2 ruling, the Court found that the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects Canadian expats from being disenfranchised on the basis of their non-residency in Canada. The decision brings to an end a long legal battle to vindicate expats’ voting rights and overturns an Ontario Court of Appeal decision upholding electoral provisions—recently repealed by the Trudeau government—that generally denied the vote to expats after five years of non-residency.
‘Negotiations are done,’ says Canadian official, in face of US Democrats looking to reopen USMCA As United States Democrats question if they will approve the re-negotiated NAFTA, a Canadian official says the deal has been signed and negotiations are over. In the midst of a record-length partial shutdown of the American government over the funding of a U.S.-Mexico border wall, Democrats—including new House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi—have said that the new trilateral trade agreement, known by some as the United StatesMexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), has some good measures but doesn’t have “real enforcement” on labour and environment protections. Some have suggested that the
trade pact won’t pass either the House or Senate in its current form, including U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who has urged the U.S. to go back to the negotiating table with Canada and Mexico. But an official in Canada’s embassy in Washington has said the time for negotiations has ended. “In my mind, the negotiations are done,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Hill Times in an interview last week. “The deal is done and the deal is signed.” “In our view the deal has been negotiated. It has been signed, and now… all three governments have the responsibility to move it through their respective systems.”
Canadian refugee agency hires security guard for Saudi asylum seeker Amid threats to the safety of Saudi teenager Rahaf Mohammed, who was granted asylum in Canada, the Toronto agency that is helping her has hired a security guard to ensure “she is never alone” as she starts a normal life, its executive director said on Tuesday. Mohammed, 18, made international headlines after she barricaded herself in an airport hotel room in Thailand’s capital Bangkok to avoid being sent home to her family due to fears of being harmed or killed. The family denies any abuse. The teen has received multiple threats online that have made her fear for her safety, said Mario Calla, executive director of Costi, a refugee agency contracted by the Canadian government to
help her settle in Toronto. Costi has hired a security guard and plans to “make sure she is never alone,” Calla told reporters. “It’s hard to say how serious these threats are. We’re taking them seriously.” Rahaf Mohammed, who has renounced her family name al-Qunun, gave a public statement in Toronto on Tuesday that was read on her behalf in English by a settlement worker. “I understand that everyone here and around the world wishes me well and would like to continue to hear about how I am doing, but ... I would like to start living a normal private life, just like any other young woman living in Canada,” she said in the statement read by Saba Abbas.
Good news for Rahaf is bad news for our refugee system Who would not wish Rahaf Mohammed well? The 18-year-old Saudi wants to escape the constraints of her family, her native country and her religion. She seems in that regard a very normal teen who wants what most Canadians would regard as a very normal life. Rahaf Mohammed, 18, addresses the media during a press conference in Toronto at the offices of COSTI, a refugee resettling agency, on Tuesday. Saudi asylum seeker Rahaf Mohammed, 18, addresses the media during a press conference in Toronto at the offices of COSTI, a refugee resettling agency, on Tuesday. But the Liberal government’s decision to grant her refugee status virtually sight unseen — in effect, letting her jump the queue — is unwise. It confirms what many critics of the refugee system have charged —
that it is unfair, driven by politics and open to manipulation. Would she have made it to Canada if she had been less adept at social media? Would Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland have personally welcomed the teen at Toronto’s Pearson Airport if Mohammed, who no longer uses her family name Alqunun, were not an international media celebrity? Would she be here at all if she were, say, an 18-year-old Rohingya woman without a social media following who was trying to escape ethnic cleansing in Burma? Saudi asylum seeker Rahaf Mohammed’s story is compelling. From a hotel room in Bangkok’s airport, where she barricaded herself earlier this month, she claimed her family had made her life hell.
Fires and rollovers plague Canadian Army’s $600 million fleet of new armoured vehicles The Canadian Army’s new armoured vehicles have been plagued by rollovers and fires, the latest in a series of problems to affect the $600-million fleet. Since April 2014, there have been 10 incidents when Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles have tipped on to their sides, six where they have rolled over completely, and four where they have caught fire. Pat Finn, the assistant deputy minister in charge of procurement at the Department of National Defence, told Postmedia there have been no serious injuries as a result of the
incidents. But the problems are not the first to hit the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles or TAPVs. Dont fret… little bit of CLP and OD Green CARC paint and she’ll be good. The TAPV program has “experienced a number of significant technical issues, particularly affecting vehicle mobility,” thendefence minister Rob Nicholson was told in August 2014. There have been problems with the suspension, steering and other items on the vehicle, according to a briefing document released under the Access to Information law.
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Rahul Gandhi to hold 12 rallies in Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address around a dozen rallies in Uttar Pradesh in a month starting the first week of February. The Congress chief is likely to address a rally in Lucknow after his Patna rally on February 3. The venues and dates for the other 11 rallies will be decided by the state leaders in the coming days. The party has decided to focus on 25 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul’s rally will also be planned focusing on regions where party has strong presence and greater winning chances. During the campaign, Congress would focus on the plight of farmers and unemployment and all party leaders would cite the example
of farmloan waivers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh to farmers. Former SP leader Shivpal Yadav, who has floated an independent party, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP), was in Delhi on Friday and was trying to meet Congress leaders for an alliance in the state. In the past too, Shivpal had met three senior Congress leaders from UP over alliance talks. Shivpal has been saying that no opposition alliance can take place without Congress in it. However, Congress is skeptical of Shivpal and feels he has been propped by the BJP to divide the opposition votes.
Supreme Court refuses to modify order on selection of police chiefs Supreme Court refused to modify its directions prescribing norms for selection of directors general of police (DGPs) and a minimum two-year fixed tenure for them, saying its 2006 verdict on police reforms and subsequent orders aimed to insulate police from “political” and “executive” interference. A Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, rejected the modification applications filed by Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Kerala and Bihar, which wanted the top court to relax the norms prescribed under the 2006 verdict on police reforms and its July 3, 2018, order on selection of DGPs. The states wanted to select their DGPs on the basis of their own laws, many of which,
including those of Punjab, are under challenge before the top court. The court’s refusal order came after Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Secretary Rakesh Kumar Gupta, who appeared in person, said following the top court’s order, a panel of eligible officers in the rank of DGP or the additional DGP had been drawn up by UPSC committees in 12 states. The UPSC panels consisted of representatives of the UPSC, the Centre and the state governments concerned. On the selection and tenure of DGPs, the top court had in 2006 said the police chief shall be selected by the state gov’t from three senior-most police officers who have been empanelled for promotion to that rank by the UPSC.
Finance minister Jaitley accuses oppositon parties of subverting democracy Terming opposition parties as ‘compulsive contrarians’, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday accused them of manufacturing falsehood and subverting democracy by weakening an elected government. Nations are built by those with positive mindsets and a national vigour, not by the ‘compulsive contrarians’, he said in a Facebook blog without naming the Congress or other opposition parties. Jaitley, according to sources, is in the US for a medical check-up. “The Compulsive Contrarians had no qualms about manufacturing falsehood. They could concoct arguments even if they went against the general interest of the country. They could masquerade corruption as crusade. They could
adopt double standards whenever it suited them,” he said in a Facebook post titled ‘The Compulsive Contrarian and his Manufactured Logic’. Citing the tirade mounted by political parties on a host of issues, including 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker sections and the Rafale defence deal, Jaitley said the ‘Compulsive Contrarians’ believed that this government could do no good and hence its every act must be opposed. “Nations are built by those with positive mindsets and a national vigour, not by the Compulsive Contrarians. Didn’t left-liberals find fault with the various actions that Gandhiji took during the freedom movement? Weakening a Sovereign Elected Government and strengthening the unelectable
Amit Shah hospitalized: BJP BJP president Amit Shah, who was admitted to AIIMS on Wednesday for swine flu treatment, is doing well and would be discharged in a day or two, the party said on Thursday. “National BJP president Amit Shah ji is doing well. He will be discharged in a day or two. Thanks everyone for your good wishes,” party’s media head and Rajya Sabha member
Anil Baluni said. Shah had informed people about his illness on Wednesday in a tweet. He was diagnosed with swine flu. A team of doctors are monitoring his condition under the supervision of AIIMS director Randeep Guleria, the hospital said.
Kumbh Mela, world’s largest gathering of Hindu devotees, begins in India The largest gathering of people anywhere in the world began in India on Tuesday, as thousands of pilgrims bathed in waters at the confluence of the country’s most sacred rivers – the Ganges, the Yamuna & the Sarasvati. Over the course of the 55 days of Kumbh Mela festival, organisers estimate that the number of bathers will surpass the record attendance
of 120 million was set in 2013. Such a gathering has been a major undertaking for both local and central governments, and – with a general election looming in a few months’ time – has received particular attention from the ruling Hindu nationalist BJP party of Narendra Modi. The festival sees Hindus renew themselves with a dip in the Sangam, the confluence – a site which rotates between four locations every three years. This year, the main gathering is taking place in Prayagraj, a city that was renamed recently from Allahabad by a state government keen to emphasise the country’s Hindu heritage over its period of Muslim rule under the Mughal emperors.
And the state’s religious affairs minister, Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, claimed that it was the first time “since independence” that all the holy men and pilgrims attending Kumbh Mela had been properly catered for. For though this year’s Kumbh is less religiously significant than the one which
occurs every twelfth year, the government has shelled out an estimated 43 billion rupees (£500m), hoping to impress and energise Hindu voters as well as draw visitors from around the world. Thousands of portable toilets lined roads that were constantly swept clean on Tuesday, drinking water flowed from newly installed taps and electric substations powered a massive tent city as the festival area spread to a sprawling 45km diameter. The spectacle began in earnest before dawn, with the first in a series of holy baths led by the iconic naga sadhus – holy men who made their way down to the river naked, their bodies covered in ash.
PUNJAB
Saturday, January 19, 2019 Punjab MLAs to get Rs 5-crore grant for loan waiver scheme A pre-Budget meeting chaired by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, called for the involvement of elected representatives in the implementation of next phases of the loan waiver scheme. The participants including Cabinet ministers and MLAs from Majha region at the occasion. CM is set to launch the scheme for small farmers at two state-level functions in Mehraj (Bathinda) and Ropar by the end of this month. Pointing out that as the debt waiver scheme, intended to politically benefit the party, was seeing their little involvement, the legislators suggested that they be allowed to distribute the cheques to beneficiaries in their respective constituencies before the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha comes into force. The Chief Minister announced an untied grant of Rs 5 crore each to MLAs under the “Sehri Parivartan Yojna” and the “Smart Village” scheme in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.
Man arrested from Ludhiana for links with ISIS National Investigation Agency carried out raids in Punjab related to an ISISinspired module case. The searches were carried out at seven places in UP and Punjab in connection with investigation of recently registered case of ISIS-inspired module. The places include Rampur, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Hapur, Amroha and Ludhiana. The NIA team detained a man from Ludhiana. Mohammad Ovesh Pasha is a ‘maulvi’ at a mosque at Meharbaan village on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road. The raid on the mosque was conducted in the wee hours of Thursday by a team of NIA along with Punjab Police. The man is suspected to be part of the ISIS module, busted in UP. He had come to Ludhiana seven months ago, and was earlier studied in a ‘madrasa’ in UP, where he got in touch with ISIS operatives.
Aam Aadmi Party pressurizes Khaira to resign from his seat as MLA On a day when the third MLA of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Baldev Singh, representing Jaito Assembly segment, resigned from the party’s primary membership, the top brass swung into action to save AAP from further “political erosion”. The party, after its core committee meeting, sent a letter to Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP, saying that Sukhpal Singh Khaira had resigned from the party. Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema handed over the letter to the Speaker. With this, the disqualification of Khaira as MLA from Bholath in the Vidhan Sabha becomes inevitable. Bhagwant Mann, AAP MP, who is also part of the core committee, told The Tribune that the decision to send the letter to the Speaker was taken in the meeting late this evening and endorsed by the Political Affairs Committee of AAP in Delhi and national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. Crushing the surging rebellion in the party became necessary as the third resignation of AAP MLA from the party will bring down their number in the House to 17. HS Phoolka, though not part of the rebel group led by Khaira, had resigned on January 3, citing differences in ideology with the party. Khaira, who has the support of six other MLAs, had resigned on January 6. He floated his own party last week and the rebel MLAs, Kanwar Sandhu (under suspension), Jagtar Singh Jagga, Nazar Singh Manshahia, Jagdev Singh Kamalu and Pirmal Singh,
Under the Urban and Rural Environment Improvement Programme to be undertaken in a phased manner, the government would be spending Rs 1,500 crore. Out of this, Rs 1,000 crore would be spent on improving rural infrastructure while Rs 500 crore would be used for urban infrastructure. Apart from the Cabinet ministers, MPs Partap Bajwa and GS Aujla also attended the meeting. Even as the open sale of deaddiction drug buprenorphine is being criticised, MLAs representing the border areas hailed the increase in its consumption, stating that it was taking away addicts from synthetic drugs. MLAs gave suggestions like strengthening of roads and bridges, early disbursement of waiver amount, scheme for landless labourers and use of MGNREGA for the improvement of rural infrastructure.
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Navjot Sidhu objects to creation of Water Authority Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu expresses his objection to govt’s move for constituting Water Authority for Punjab, in case the head of the post to be any retired officer. Attending the meeting of specially appointed committee on Monday, Sidhu said, “Commissions and advisory bodies should not become resettlement avenues for retired officers when we have a team of serving officers dealing with the particular subject.” He had earlier raised objections to the move of instituting the Water Authority body in the Vidhan Sabha also, following which a committee, comprising Cabinet inisters Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Sarkaria, Sidhu and Razia Sultan, was constituted. In the meeting, Sidhu did not take any specific name. However, reliable sources said, “The name of a Secretary in the Irrigation
Department, who will retire in September this year, was being moved for the post. The officer is a part of the undergoing official deliberations on the subject too.” Talking to The Tribune, Sidhu said, “I did not take any names at all. My only contention is that why should we oblige any retired officer? We have competent officers who specialise in their respective fields and they can handle the job. In case, need arises, the department can appoint a consultative firm specialising in the required area, instead of retired officers.” Sidhu said, “The reports that we were given in the meetings were about the dark water zones in the state and related information. We already know about them.
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India’s space agency is aiming to create world’s first rocket with two reusable stages Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), wants to take Elon Musk’s SpaceX idea which has gained accolades for its multiple successful launches of reusable rockets. The idea is a step further and create the first rocket that has two reusable stages. According to a report from Times of India, ISRO is going to conduct advanced tests of this technology in June and July. For the recovery of the first stage, ISRO is going to follow SpaceX‘s method and land it on a pad situated in the sea. To recover the second stage, the Indian space agency will test an advanced version of it Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) – that was first tested successfully in 2016 – later this year. ISRO engineers will use computer controls to maneuver the RLV to land it on an airstrip
and use it again later in another launch. He added that the second stage recovery has never been tried by any other space agency in the world, not even SpaceX. ISRO’s RLV that was tested first time in 2016. For the advanced test to be held later this year, ISRO will use a helicopter to get the winged body to a certain height and drop it from there. The mission crew will then use computer controls to try to land the RLV on an airstrip likely to be built on AndamanNicobar islands. SpaceX is right now the biggest force for commercial rocket launches with reportedly about 65 percent market share, awhile ISRO isn’t even considered to be among the top five players.
India moves up in global education ranking India has improved its showing in the prestigious university rankings of Times Higher Education Emerging Economies with 49 institutions, including 25 in the top 200, making it to the list. China remains the most represented nation in the 2019 listing, with 72 institutions in total. It claimed four of the table’s top five positions with Tsinghua University topping the chart, according to the London-based Times Higher Education (THE), a global organisation that produces data, analysis and expertise on higher education. Leading India again is the Indian Institute of Science (14th), followed by
the IIT-Bombay (27th). However, both of them slipped back a place this year, largely due to increased competition. This year’s table presents a mixed picture for India, with several new entrants and high risers, alongside several institutions that dropped back. India has increased its representation in the Times Higher Education Emerging Economies University Rankings with 49 universities on the list as compared to 42 in 2018, the organisation said. India has 25 universities in the top 200, a rise from 17 last year, it said.
Two judges appointed to the Suprem Court Amid controversy over ignoring senior judges for elevation, the President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday appointed Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Delhi High Court Judge Sanjiv Khanna as judges of the Supreme Court. The appointments of Justice Maheshwari and Justice Khanna as judges of the Supreme Court would take effect from the date they assume charge of their respective office, two separate releases announced. The two judges were likely to be administered oath of office by Friday, sources said. The latest appointments would take the
number of judges to 28 in the Supreme Court which has been functioning with only 26 judges against a sanctioned strength of 31 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. The notifications came a day after former Delhi High Court Judge Kailash Gambhir wrote to President Ramnath Kovind questioning supersession of several senior judges. On Wednesday, Bar Council of India took exception to the Collegium’s decision to ignore several senior judges, saying it was being viewed by the Bar and the common man as “unjust and improper”.
A tale of two cities: Amritsar’s Rise, Jalandhar’s Fall In the late 90s and early parts of this century, Jalandhar along with Ludhiana was ‘THE CITY’ of Punjab, India. The glitzy city of upstart NRIs, ambitious politicians, upbeat Bhangra rappers, haughty media barons, and affluent exporters —abuzz with activity and purpose. Dollar-rich NRIs competed to erect their ‘swanky houses in and around the city’. Boutiques, pizza outlets and hotels dotted its neon-lit roads. Hordes of ‘cocky, sweet-tongued, and street smart’ city-based travel agents fuelled and fulfilled the phoren (foreign) dreams of Punjabis. A prime minister from Jalandhar in Inder Kumar Gujral provided guidance and largesse to the city. Ambitious and crafty politicians like Chaudhary Jagjit and Avtar Henry dominated the city and the state. An assertive and proud Dalit movement was making its presence felt in Doaba, with Jalandhar being the epicentre of its activities. Jalandhar made hand tools, rubber, sports and leather goods that ruled the global market, swelled the coffers of its exporters, and along with its NRIs poured money into the city. MBD kunjis (guide books) were read all over India, and Lovely ‘sweets’ were savoured all over Punjab and beyond. Media giants like Ajit and Jagbani informed, inflamed and influenced Punjab’s public. Punjab
Kesari lorded over the Hindi heartland. The state-owned Doordarshan and Akashwani still enjoyed monopoly over eyeballs and eardrums. The likes of Malkit Singh, Jazzy Bains, Hans Raj Hans made Bhangra pop famous the world over. Pargat Singh and Harbhajan carried forward the legacy of sporting excellence. Bollywood romance and NRI-sagas like the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer DDLJ set in Jalandhar and Phagwara, and songs like “Chandigarh kare aashki, mundan jattan da jalandhron aake” epitomised the zeitgeist of the times. The newly-erected Science City, and Lovely university promised greater things ahead. Hindu-Sikh tensions marked the narrow galis and kutchas of the old city. Tourism and trade had slumped. Traffic jams clogged the arteries of the city of gurus . Amritsar was now more well-known for its smugglers and slimy politicians like Maninderjeet Singh Bitta than its succulent street food or exquisite shawls. Chor Bazaar, a haven of smuggled goods rivalled Katra Jaimal Singh and Guru Bazaar in popularity. The oncefamed Khalsa college had become a centre of hoodlums. The era of hope, compassion and defiance epitomised by the likes of Bhagat Puran Singh and Satyapal Dang was coming to an end. Amritsar showed all signs of a decayed and dying city.
Passenger train robbed by armed men near Delhi Passengers on board the Jammu-Delhi Duronto Express were robbed at knifepoint on Thursday by armed men, officials said. The matter came to light after a passenger filed a complaint through the railways’ complaints portal. In the complaint, Ashwani Kumar claimed that passengers of B3 and B7 coaches of the train 12266 were targeted by the armed men when it neared the Delhi Sarai Rohilla station. A Northern Railways official said the RPF had some lead in the matter and action would be taken against the culprits. “The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has initial leads in the matter. The culprits will be nabbed soon and stern action will be taken against
them,” a Northern Railway spokesperson said. “As train number 12266, which stops only at its source and destination stations, was approaching the Delhi station, stopped at around 3.30 am awaiting signal, seven to 10 miscreants entered coaches B3 and B7 of the train,” Kumar said. He claimed that the robbers, who were carrying sharp-edged knives, threatened the passengers to hand over their expensive items. “They looted purses, cash, carry bags, gold chains, mobiles and many more items from multiple passengers,” he said. He claimed that the incident took place within 10 to 15 minutes when the train stopped there.
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SOUTH ASIA
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Half the World’s poor live in just five countries: Report Today, 736 million people live in extreme poverty. Half of those people, some 368 million, live in just five countries. “Piecing Together the Poverty Puzzle,” a report on poverty in 2018 from the World Bank, has revealed that the five nations with the largest number of people living in extreme poverty are India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh. India, which homes 170 million poor people among its 1.3 billion population, accounts for almost one-quarter of global poverty. Also in the South Asia region is Bangladesh, which accommodates 3% of the world’s poor. Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia account for 12%, 7%, and 4%, respectively. All five nations record some of the highest population
densities within South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. When combined, South Asia and the sub-Saharan Africa region account for 85% of
the world’s poorest people. Today, 736 million people live in extreme poverty—and half of the world’s poor live in just 5 countries:
Modi’s decision to buy 36 Rafales shot the price of each jet up by 41% Big increase in Rafale’s price came because a deal bypassing mandated procedures and made in the face of official objections resulted in €1.3 billion ‘non-recurring’ cost attributed to the ‘Design and Development’ of 13 India Specific Enhancements being spread over 36 instead of 126 aircraft Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision, announced out of the blue in Paris on April 10, 2015, to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France instead of the 126 asked for by the Indian Air Force for seven squadrons pushed the price of each fully fitted, combat-ready aircraft up by 41.42%. It was the National Democratic Alliance government’s acceptance of the cost of €1.3 billion claimed for the ‘design and development’ of 13 India Specific
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Enhancements (ISE), and the distribution of this ‘non-recurring cost’ over 36 instead of 126 bare-bones aircraft, that was the major reason for the big increase in price. The NDA government has refused to disclose even to a privileged committee of Parliament full information on the pricing of a Rafale aircraft, contending that its agreement with France on the ‘Exchange and Reciprocal Protection of Classified or Protected Information’ stands in the way of such disclosure. The French government, however, has made it clear that this inter-governmental agreement is there only “to protect the classified information provided by the partner, which could, in particular, impact the security and operational capabilities of the defence equipment.”
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Australia to allow kava imports to bolster trade ties Australia will allow imports of the intoxicating drink kava, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday, as it seeks to forge closer ties with its Pacific neighbors amid growing Chinese interest in the region. Australia and China have been vying for influence in sparsely populated Pacific island countries that control vast swathes of resource-rich ocean. Vanuatu last year signed up to China’s Belt and Road initiative, just a few months after Australia promised to bolster its cybersecurity capability. To improve cultural ties, Morrison told reporters in the Vanuatu capital of Port Vila that Australia would remove restrictions on kava, a mildly intoxicating brew that is deeply embedded in the social fabric of Pacific islanders.
“I know it has been an issue for some time, we have agreed that we would be working to ... ease some of the limitations on importation of kava into Australia,” Morrison said. Imports will begin with a pilot program, he said. Kava - once the drink of chiefs and spiritual leader - is the Pacific’s favorite tipple and a major export for Vanuatu. Kava imports to Australia have been restricted since 2007 following concern that some indigenous communities were abusing the drink. But Australia’s rivalry with China appears to have swung the argument. “Kava is culturally very significant, tied into many ceremonies in the region. Easing the restrictions will be welcomed in the region,” said Jonathan Pryke of Sydney-based thinktank the Lowy Institute.
Nausori water supply cut-off for many days, residents complain Concerns are being raised as people living in areas in Nausori have not received piped water supply since last Saturday. Sharin Dutt who lives in Lakena Hill Number 1 says that they have not had water following the planned shutdown over the weekend. Dutt says they had stored water for the planned shutdown to last them till Monday. She says following that, she has been unable to collect enough water through water trucks. Dutt says that the trucks only come to cart water in their areas when they call the Water Authority several times. Another resident of Nausori who lives in Verata has shared similar sentiments. Nalini Lata says they had muddy water last night. Meanwhile the Water Authority of Fiji says that people living along Nausori Town to Bau Island and Kiuva Village will be experiencing disruptions in their water supply from today to Sunday. The Authority
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced assistance packages Australia would be providing to Fiji in the next few years with the major highlight being Fiji’s inclusion in the Pacific Labour Scheme. He met with Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama this afternoon and following the meeting made the announcements. Morrison says they are beginning work on Fiji’s entry into the Australian Pacific Labour Scheme and they look forward to that playing out in the course of the next year and beyond. Morrison has also announced that Australia will work with Fiji on a comprehensive border security assistance package. He says in the weeks ahead there will be high level delegations from Australia’s border agencies coming to Fiji to put together the
details and arrangements of the border security assistance package. The Australian Prime Minister has also announced that through the Pacific Partnership Maritime Security Program two patrol boards will also be given to Fiji. He has also announced the Australia University of the South Pacific Partnership which will be worth more than $84 million over the next 6 years. Morrison says this will ensure that teritiary education in Fiji will be able to meet future needs. He also says that the Australian government in partnership with Free TV in Australia will commit $17.1 million to provide 1,000 hours of new Australian TV content each year for three years for Pacific broadcasters. Morrison says this will include opportunities here in Fiji.
60-year old woman jailed in $40,000 visa scam A 60-year-old woman convicted of obtaining about $40,000 by deception has been jailed for 10 months and 14 days. Kamlesh Lata Arun obtained money by deception in 2016 from several people to make arrangements for their visas to travel to New Zealand. In her sentence, Suva Magistrate Deepika Prakash said a strong message must go out to members
of the community and people who think like Lata, that anyone who is deceitful and conniving and obtains financial advantage by deception will get no mercy from the court and get immediate custodial sentence. Magistrate Prakash said she refuses to suspend Lata’s sentence. It was heard in court that Lata had 33 previous convictions of a similar nature.
22-year-old Suva woman murdered
says that after the completion of the proposed works at the Waila Water Treatment Plant, they had conducted some more works on the plant. They say that areas such as Lakena Hill 1 and 2, Buiduna, Korociriciri, Nausori Town Area, Baulevu, Davuilevu, and Noco in Rewa will experience low water pressure during off peak hours which are from 12am to 4am. The Authority is requesting members of the public to store and use water wisely for their immediate needs.
Senior pastor in custody for raping teenager A 66-year-old Pastor of Bulileka, Dreketi is in Police custody for a allegedly raping of a 16-year-old student. The pastor is alleged to have committed the crime from November last year to early this year on four different occasions.
Australian announces several assistance packages for Fiji
Meanwhile, another man who allegedly raped two students, appeared at Taveuni Magistrate Court. It is said that the man raped two female students 12 & 15 years old. The man was arrested over the weekend.
Police are still trying to make a breakthrough in the case of the murder of 22-year-old Rayna Prasad who was found dead in a plantation along Muanikau Road last month. Chief of Intelligence and Investigations ACP Vakacegu Toduadua says a woman and a man were taken in for questioning at Totogo Police Station earlier this month, however they have been released. ACP Toduadua says the two remain suspects in the case and Police are continuing with their investigations. He confirms that the two suspects are not related to Rayna Prasad. Prasad was reported missing by her father on the 23rd of last month after she had failed to return home. She had left home on the 22nd of last month.
Crime scene where Rayna Prasad was murdered Her partially burnt body was discovered on Christmas Eve in Muanikau Road in Suva. Police confirm that Prasad was last seen alive at her home. They are seeking the assistance of the public if they have any information that could assist in Prasad’s murder investigation.
PAKISTAN
Saturday, January 19, 2019 Supreme Court urge religious leaders, civil society and government to take measures to control unconrolable growth of population, emphasizing only two children per family norm. A three-member bench led by out going Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar made the observations during a hearing in case related to population control in Pakistan, now the world’s fifth most populous country. In its order, Supreme Court urged religious leader, civil society & government to take steps to promote population control in the country. Suprem Court bench referred to
Supreme Court urges everyone to have only two kids per family the increasing population as a “ticking time-bomb”, according to media reports. “The increasing population is a burden on the country’s resources. It is about the future of the next generation. It would be unfortunate if the population is not controlled. Two children per family will help control population. There is a need for a campaign on the matter,” the top court was quoted
Former Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar
Supreme Court dismisses plea against suspension of former PM Sharifs’ sentence in Avenfield corruption case Supreme Court of Paksitan upheld High Court’s verdict against for PM Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and his son-in-law Safdar Awan in Avenfield corruption eference, media reported. A five member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar comprising Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Mazhar Alam heard the plea challenging the IHC verdict in the Avenfield case which suspended the sentences of the trio. During the hearing, Justice Ahmed remarked that, “It is not necessary that an appeal in the top court can
undermine a high court verdict,” adding that the bench will look into the merits of the case. He further asked the NAB prosecutor that on what basis does he expect the court to suspend the IHC verdict. “Part of the verdict that granted bail was not challenged,” added Justice Ahmed. “Mere high court remarks cant be used as a basis to suspend the awarded sentence.” Upon hearing this, the NAB prosecutor responded saying, “A bail can only be granted in certain circumstances and the high court did not shed light upon any such circumstance.”
Pakistan asks China to remove power project from CPEC: Report Pakistan has decided to shelve a power project under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) media reported. Background discussions with gov’t officials suggest that Islamabad has officially conveyed Beijing that it was no more interested in the 1,320-megawatt Rahim Yar Khan power project, as it can generate enough electricity to meet local needs for the next few years, media reported. Pakistan has requested China to remove
the project from the CPEC list. During 8th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting held last month, a Pakistani delegation led by Minister for Planning and Development Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar “proposed to remove the Rahim Yar Khan imported fuel power plant (1,320 mw) from the CPEC list, in order to provide structure optimisation space for the subsequent power market of Pakistan”, a government official said.
as saying by the report. “The entire nation needs to stand together to control the population,” the chief justice said. According to 2017 census, Pa k i s t an’s population was
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approximately 207,774,520, making it the world’s fifth most populous country after India, China, US and Indonesia. In July, Supreme Court also took suo motu notice on increase in population. The chief justice, on the occasion, remarked that there is dire need to formulate a uniform and effective policy to curb Pakistan’s population growth. On Monday, the court took on Health Secretary Captain (Rtd.) Zahid Saeed after he admitted that the department could not devise and implement effective measures to control population growth.
Soldier kill 2 ISIS members linked to abduction of US citizen Security forces in Pakistan raided a militant hideout in Faisalabad, Punjab before dawn on Tuesday, killing two ISIS memebers linked to abduction of US citizen Warren Weinstein, in a statement a senior counterterrorism official said. Weinstein, who was abducted from Lahore, was killed accidently in US drone strike in 2015 near Pak-Afghan border. In a statement, Punjab counterterrorism department official said that they have identified two militants as Adeel Hafeez and Usman Haroon. He said both were killed during an intense shootout in the raid in the eastern industrial city of Faisalabad in Punjab province. The official claimed that both militants also played a role in 2013’s abduction of former
PM Gilani’s son, Ali Haider Gilani, who was rescued in Afghanistan in 2016. Many former al-Qaida militants are thought to have joined the regional IS affiliate, which emerged a few years ago, around the time the group was at the height of its caliphate in Iraq and Syria. ISIS has since lost nearly all the territory it once controlled in two Mideastern countries. Pakistani officers had foiled other attacks the pair had plotted. The two were also behind the killing of two Pakistani intelligence officers in recent years and in some other high-profile crimes, he added. He provided no specific information about the role the two had in Weinstein’s case. The American worker’s accidental death was announced by Washington in 2015.
Security forces arrest Taliban leader ahead of US envoy’s visit Pakistan forces arrest a senior leader of Afghan Taliban from Peshawar city apparently in an attempt to pressurize militants to show some flexibility in their stance during the peace talks with US envoy due to reach Islamabad. The detained leader, Hafiz Mohibullah was minister for religious affairs
in Taliban rule in Afghanistan before 2001. The arrest came ahead of the visit of US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to Islamabad. Since Washington started negotiations with Afghan militants Zalmay Khalilzad has held a series of meetings with Taliban’s political office in Qatar & UAE (United Arab Emirates).
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Saturday, January 19, 2019
Indra Nooyi being considered to lead World Bank: Report
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India-born Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of global beverage giant PepsiCo, is being considered by the White House for the new World Bank President, according to a leading American daily. Nooyi, 63, stepped down as PepsiCo’s chief last August after leading the company for 12 years. She “has been courted as an administration ally by Ivanka Trump, the president’s eldest daughter who is playing a role in the selection of a nominee,” the The New York Times said. The report, which cited several people familiar with the process, said the decisionmaking process for the top post at the World Bank is “fluid and in its initial stages and early
front-runners and candidates often fall off the radar, or withdraw from consideration, before the President (Donald Trump) makes his ultimate pick.” It is unclear whether Nooyi would accept the nomination if chosen by the Trump administration. The first daughter, who has tweeted that she views Nooyi as a “mentor + inspiration”, has floated her name as a potential successor. World Bank’s current president Jim Yong Kim had earlier this month announced that he would step down from his post in February to join a private infrastructure investment firm. His unexpected departure came nearly three years before the end of his term.
Tulsi Gabbard running for US Presidential race
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Tulsi Gabbard, the Hawaii congresswoman who backed Bernie Sanders in 2016, and met with presidentelect Donald Trump and then with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017, is officially running for president herself. She revealed her 2020 plans during a taping of Van Jones’ CNN show, which airs Saturday evening, saying a formal announcement would be made in the coming weeks. “There is one main issue that is central to the rest, and that is the issue of war and
peace,” Gabbard said. “I look forward to being able to get into this and to talk about it in depth when we make our announcement.” Indeed, the issue of war has been central to Gabbard’s appeal on the left: a military veteran who deployed to Iraq, she has been a leading critic of “regime change,” particularly in Syria, arguing the U.S. government should instead work with dictators and their sponsors in the region in order to more effectively wage the war on terror.
Ajit Pai locks horns with Congress over location-tracking with US doctor: report A recent report on carrier tracking has sparked a growing feud between FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and the Congressional committee charged with overseeing him. Last Friday, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) sent a letter to Pai requesting an “emergency briefing,” following reports that the nation’s largest cellphone carriers were disclosing consumers’ real-time location data. But according to Pallone, Pai has refused to hold the briefing. “Today, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai refused to brief Energy and Commerce Committee staff on the real-time tracking of cell
phone location,” Pallone said. “In a phone conversation today, his staff asserted that these egregious actions are not a threat to the safety of human life or property that the FCC will address during the Trump shutdown.” In his initial letter, Pallone had set Monday as a deadline, but it’s unclear whether the FCC would be able to brief the committee on the issue in the future. The commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The concern over location tracking began last week, when Motherboard reported that T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T were selling users’ real-time location data to
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The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) predicts that future increases in the world’s urban population will be concentrated in just a few countries. India, China and Nigeria are together expected to account for 35% of the projected growth in the world’s urban population until 2050; of these three, the absolute growth in urban population is projected to be the highest in India. In terms of sheer numbers, the largest urban transformation of the 21st century is thus happening in India, and the Indian real estate and infrastructure industry is a key contributor to this growth. India’s real estate sector is expected to contribute 13% to the country’s GDP by 2025 and reach a market size of $1 trillion by 2030. However, the environmental footprint of the Indian real
estate industry is also mounting. Buildings in India account for 40% energy use, 30% raw material use, 20% water use and 20% land use; they also generate 30% of solid waste and 20% of water effluents. The sector is responsible for 24% of India’s annual CO2 emissions, contributing to global warming and poor air quality. It is therefore critical that India adopts a holistic and sustainable approach to real estate development. Is the world prepared to bear the brunt of unsustainable urban growth in India? India’s urbanization is globally relevant for several reasons 1. A global growth engine propelled by cities According to World Bank estimates, India will continue to be the fastest growing major economy in the world, with 7.5% GDP growth predicted in the next two years.
Pakistani-American Rabeea Collier becomes District Court judge in Texas Pakistani American Rabeea Collier has become judge of the 113th District Court in Harris Country in US state of Taxas. Rabeea Collier, a Democrat, has practiced law for 12 years. She is married to Robert Collier, an attorney. They have two sons and live in North Houston. She has served as a board member of the Harris County Democratic Lawyers’ Association
and Association of Women Attorneys. Rabeea has also served on the Women in the Profession Committee of the State Bar of Texas. She is a graduate of Kingwood High School in Houston, Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, Texas.
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