www.theasianstar.com Vol 19 - Issue 43
Saturday, November 28, 2020
Tel:604-591-5423
Fraser Health COVID-19 infections among highest per capita in Canada, double average
Opposition slams Trudeau government over COVID-19 vaccine delays As concern and criticism grows over the Trudeau government’s vaccination strategy, the prime minister continues to take heat from the opposition over the country’s vaccine timeline. Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner is slamming Justin Trudeau after he revealed that other countries, including the U.S., Germany, and the U.K., will start inoculating their people weeks before Canadians get their shots. “Did you even bother to negotiate the right for Canada to manufacture these vaccines at home? And when are Canadians going to get these vaccines,” an impassioned Rempel Garner said during question period in the House of Commons Wednesday.
The number of daily COVID-19 infections in B.C.’s most populous health authority far outstrip the national average, and per capita cases are in line with Canada’s hardest-hit provinces, according to an analysis by CTV News Vancouver. The Fraser Health region is seeing the same per capita infection numbers as Alberta and Nunavut, and isn’t far behind Manitoba, where the coronavirus is spreading so quickly there are now “code red” restrictions in Winnipeg and a test positivity rate of 14 per cent. The rolling seven-day average for the Fraser Health authority is 514 per day, which works out to 35 cases for every 100,000 people who live there.
South Asian family in Ontaroi stole $11 million of COVID-19 relief money application for applying and Four family members approving the benefit. “The who worked for the Ontario government in accuses them and others of illegally issuing and information technology defrauded the province banking cheques under the Support for Families Madan family exploited their positions of of at least $11 million destined as COVID-19 Program that aimed to defray the cost of children employment with Ontario and unique access relief money, a statement of claim alleges. The learning at home. Named as a defendant in the to the (program) and payment processing unproven civil claim on behalf of the province, Superior Court claim is Sanjay Madan, who had system,” the government says. “The plaintiff was which also seeks $2 million in punitive damages, a senior IT role and helped develop the computer uniquely vulnerable to Sanjay, particularly with
Hiring process for Surrey municipal police chief raises concerns Community leaders are raising concerns and seeking answers on the hiring of a chief to lead the new municipal police department in Surrey. Norm Lipinski, an officer with decades of experience in municipal policing in Edmonton, Alta., and Delta, B.C., was announced last week. Coun. Brenda Locke criticized the police board for only taking two weeks to decide in a process she said has been “secretive” and “non-transparent.” “From the get-go, there has been political interference,” Locke said. Mayor McCallum, who also chairs the police board, was elected in 2018 on platform that included getting rid of the RCMP in Surrey and moving to a municipal service.
Surrey councillor gets death threat Surrey RCMP is investigating a death threat sent by direct message on social media to city councillor Jack Hundial Monday. Hundial, a former Surrey Mountie, said he got the message about 6:30 a.m. The messenger had a social media profile containing their name and threatened to shoot both Hundial and Prime
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Minister Justin Trudeau. Hundial did not want to specify details of the message or identify the social media platform the person used because of the police investigation. But he said the message was disturbing enough that he contacted police after doing his Continued on page 10
CRA warns 213,000 Canadians that they might have to pay back CERB overpayments The Canada Revenue Agency says it’s warning about 213,000 Canadians who may have been paid twice through the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program that they
could be called upon to repay the money. But repayment isn’t required right away, says the agency. The CRA has suspended collection of debts for the duration of the pandemic emergency.