The Asian Star July 25 2020

www.theasianstar.com

Vol 19 - Issue 25

Canada ranked #1 country in the world for Quality of Life

Adding to Canada’s accolades of being named the second best country in the world, we can also now boast that our country has been named as the #1 country in the world in 2020 for Quality of Life, our fifth year in a row at the top.

Here are the 20 best countries for Quality of Life in 2020 t $BOBEB t %FONBSL t 4XFEFO t /PSXBZ t "VTUSBMJB t /FUIFSMBOET t 4XJU[FSMBOE t/FX ;FBMBOE t 'JOMBOE t (FSNBOZ t "VTUSJB t 6OJUFE ,JOHEP t -VYFNCPVSH t +BQBO t 6OJUFE 4UBUFT t 'SBODF t 1PSUVHBM t 4QBJO t $IJOB t 4JOHBQPSF Overall, Canada also ranked as the fifth best country in the world for women, third in business, and second in terms of citizenship SBOLJOHT ćF TUVEZ DPOEVDUFE CZ 64 /FXT & World Report in partnership with Y&R’s BAV and Wharton, broke down 80 countries’ overall rankings based “on 75 different metrics.� Each of those metrics was then placed into one of nine subcategories that included: A good job market, Affordability, Economic stability, Family friendly, Income FRVBMJUZ 1PMJUJDBMMZ TUBCMF 4BGFUZ 8FMM developed public health system, Welldeveloped public education system. $BOBEB CFBU PVU %FONBSL 4XFEFO /PSXBZ BOE "VTUSBMJB JO UIBU PSEFS

rounding out the global top five ranking.

Man to be deported to India after causing disruption on local flight " 4VSSFZ # $ NBO IBT CFFO CBOOFE GSPN air travel in Canada and will be deported to India following an incident last month that caused a WestJet flight to divert to Winnipeg. #BMWJS 4JOHI QMFBEFE HVJMUZ JO B 8JOOJQFH courtroom Thursday morning to mischief and smoking on the June 14 flight from 7BODPVWFS UP 5PSPOUP $PVSU BMTP IFBSE 4JOHI Continued on page 6

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Tel:604-591-5423

COVID-19 cases have tripled in BC but officials not panicking Cases of COVID-19 in B.C. are at a level they haven’t been at for months. They’ve tripled in the last two weeks, as a series of outbreaks at parties and restaurants and hospitals have seen the count go from around 10 a day to around 30. “We are at a turning point,â€? said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Monday. “The number of new cases over the last few days is concerning ‌ there are a few things we need to do to push that curve back down.â€? But despite the surge in numbers, there are a number of reasons why the

provincial government isn’t breaking the panic glass and grabbing the proverbial fire extinguisher. Part of the reason, of course, is that stern orders and social media shaming has never been part of Henry’s playbook — not when daily cases were around 60 a day, and not when they were around 10. However, there are a few other indicators why the curve could be flattened with a few corrections. It’s young people, and it’s Kelowna Continued on page 6

Justin Trudeau’s Billion-Dollar scandal is a story of power, branding & charity It’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s summer scandal. He and his finance minister are under investigation from an ethics watchdog.

Two Parliamentary committees have started investigating the affair and Trudeau will testify.

In the middle of it all is a $912 million contract, awarded without competition to the Canadianfounded WE Charity, a household name thanks to a powerful origin story that has morphed

into a huge youth-oriented movement with celebrities like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attached. It’s an organization with close ties to the prime minister himself. The scandal unfurled as it was revealed Trudeau’s own family received large speaking fees from the organization and while Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s daughter worked at the charity. “I made a mistake in not recusing myself,�

Trudeau said.

Indian can attract global supply chains away from China, says Mike Pompe India, which has earned the trust of many nations around the world, including that of the 6OJUFE 4UBUFT DBO BUUSBDU HMPCBM TVQQMZ DIBJOT away from China and reduce its reliance on $IJOFTF DPNQBOJFT 4FDSFUBSZ PG 4UBUF .JLF Pompeo said on Wednesday. In his virtual keynote address to the annual ‘India Ideas 4VNNJU PG UIF 64 *OEJB #VTJOFTT $PVODJM 64*#$ 1PNQFP TBJE JU XBT JNQPSUBOU UIBU

EFNPDSBDJFT MJLF UIF 64 BOE *OEJB XPSL together, especially as they see more clear than ever the true scope of the challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party. “We work closely together to make sure that the world intellectual property organisation election was won by someone who respects property rights.

Flipkart acquires Walmart India, to launch Flipkart Wholesale for B2B segment in August

Canadians mistakenly received $442.6M in double CERB payments

Flipkart on Thursday announced the acquisition of Walmart India for an undisclosed amount, and said it will launch ‘Flipkart Wholesale’ next month, as the homegrown F DPNNFSDF NBKPS MPPLT UP UBQ JOUP UIF 64% 650 billion B2B retail market in India. Walmart India runs 28 Best Price wholesale stores in the country.

Continued on page 8

THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING YOUR HOME ???

Continued on page 7

More than 221,000 Canadians have mistakenly received double Canada &NFSHFODZ 3FTQPOTF #FOFÄ•U $&3#

payments, according to documents tabled in the House of Commons this week. &NQMPZNFOU BOE 4PDJBM %FWFMPQNFOU $BOBEB &4%$ XIJDI KPJOUMZ BENJOJTUFST UIF CFOFÄ•U XJUI UIF $BOBEB 3FWFOVF "HFODZ $3" TBJE

Continued on page 10

RAJDEEP SINGHH SEKHON B.A. (Hons.), MA., LLB

778 320 5359 59 SRS Panorama Realty

Suite #103 - 12030, 80 Ave, Surrey, BC

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Saturday, July 25, 2020

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www.theasianstar.com

Vol 19 - Issue 25

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Tel:604-591-5423

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OPINION

Saturday, July 25, 2020 What’s the point of yet another apology for a historical wrong?

July 23, marks the date the Komagata Maru ship was forced to return to India after being held in Burrard Inlet for two months. The majority of the ship’s 376 passengers from India were denied entry in 1914 based on a racist regulation carefully designed to keep South Asians from migrating to Canada. After the passengers returned to India, the British police suspected that many of them were revolutionaries and went to arrest the charterer of the ship, Gurdit Singh. This resulted

in a riot, followed by police opening fire on the passengers, and many of the passengers were held in prison. The province of British Columbia was the first to apologize in 2008 and then the federal government in 2016. On June 10 of this year, the City of Vancouver joined the chorus of apologies for its involvement in the Komagata Maru incident. But what’s the point of another apology?

An apology for a historical wrong does a couple of things: It allows the government to virtue-

signal by acknowledging actions from the past without having to worry about redress. It allows them to say, “the government used to be racist,” but absolves them from self-reflecting on current issues of systemic racism in our present-day society. This is not to say governments shouldn’t acknowledge the experiences of the South Asian passengers on the Komagata Maru for the horrific conditions and treatment they faced, such as the lack of provisions like food and water. Rather, the focus should be on how these discriminatory policies created the conditions for other forms of unjust treatment, and how they continue to manifest in various ways in our current society.

The Komagata Maru wasn’t the first ship to be turned away, and it wasn’t the last. Between 1908 and 1947, several ships were turned away based on the Canadian government’s “continuous journey” regulation. One of the first challenges to this regulation were six South Asian passengers who arrived in Canada from Fiji in 1908. The legislation was introduced in 1908 as a provision to the Immigration Act to stem the “influx” of South Asians arriving in Vancouver and remained on the books until 1947. The “continuous journey” regulation prohibited the landing of any immigrant that did not come to Canada via continuous journey directly from their country of origin. That affected South Asians because the length of the journey was too long from India to Canada, requiring ships to dock along the way for fuel. The Komagata Maru was forced to return to India where some of the passengers were killed in a clash with police. And the regulation worked. Between 1910 and 1920, fewer than 120 South Asians arrived in Canada. They worked in essential businesses, providing much-needed labour at lumber mills and in agriculture, but other forms of systemic racism, such as being disenfranchised and denied the right to vote, continued to be barriers. The few South Asians that came to Canada in the early 1900s worked as labourers with low wages, living in communal bunkhouses with poor conditions. Despite these apologies, the government seemingly ignores a similar phenomenon happening with temporary migrant workers today. In 2020, temporary migrant employees are tied to a specific employer with limited rights, low wages, and often work for long hours in unsafe environments, including a lack of protections from COVID-19 infection.

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Saturday, July 25, 2020

Vancouver mayor photographed breaking COVID-19 restaurant rule Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart was photographed last week sitting at a West End restaurant patio table with seven other people, violating a public health order that allows no more than six people to sit together at a restaurant table.

The photo, taken July 15, shows Stewart sitting with others around what appears to be two tables pushed together on a restaurant patio.

In a statement released by his office, Stewart said he and his wife were joined by two other couples from his immediate family for a meal outside. He said the group grew when more family members arrived.

“For a short time, another couple from our family joined us, but when we realized we were over the six person per party limit, we dispersed,” the statement said. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry outlined the rules for restaurants during a news conference Wednesday.

“That means small numbers of people, six at a table, with either physical distancing or barriers between tables,” she said.

“And no, you can’t put those tables together and no, you can’t have a whole bunch of tables and everybody hopping and mixing between them.”

There are growing concerns that people are not following rules aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19.

On Tuesday night, images appeared on social media of a crowd at Third Beach in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, showing little evidence of physical distancing or masks.

Drum circle at Vancouver beach attracted ‘wall of humanity,’ despite COVID-19 concerns As for the mayor’s get-together, it’s unclear how far apart people were seated in Stewart’s group but he referred to the others as family members.

“It’s easy to make a mistake, especially when you are busy catching up with the people you love but haven’t seen for some time,” he said.

“What’s important though is when you do catch yourself like I did with my family, add some space and keep staying safe.”

Elderly couple found dead after house fire in Surrey An elderly couple has been found dead inside a home in Whalley after it went up in flames early this morning.

Police say fire crews were called to the home at 10640 125B Street at 4:20 a.m. Surrey RCMP say emergency crews found the home “fully engulfed,” and located two bodies inside.

The cause of the fire is under investigation

and the BC Coroners Service is also conducting a concurrent fact-finding investigation to determine cause of death.

RCMP say due to the privacy of the deceased, the couple’s identities are not being released.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or, to make an anonymous report, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or solvecrime.ca.

BC aims to have younger students back in class full time this fall Younger students could be back in school full time this fall, according to B.C.’s education minister.

Rob Fleming told reporters Wednesday that the hope is to move on from the “hybrid mode” of online and in-person education that was happening in the province in June.

“I think we want to move forward and have more students involved in class on a full-time basis,” Fleming said.

“Certainly for elementary and middle schools, we would like to see schools open 100 per cent for all students. There is some discussion about alternate arrangements for secondary students.”

Children unlikely to pass COVID-19 to each other, says provincial health officer He added that schools will “look different” and will be operating in “a new normal situation” to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Fleming said he expects to give a full update on plans for the new school year next week during a briefing with Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

Almost all in-classroom learning was halted across the province on March 17 in response to the pandemic. Some students returned to school on a part-time, voluntary basis in June.

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Saturday, July 25, 2020

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COVID-19 cases have tripled in BC but officials not panicking From page 1

To start with, the surge of COVID-19 isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t equally distributed across British Columbia.

The number of daily positive tests in the Lower Mainland has slowly inched up in the last two weeks, from around 10 a day at the beginning of July to around 15. But after two months of rarely having a positive test â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and a period of time where there were no active cases at all â&#x20AC;&#x201D; areas outside the Lower Mainland have experienced an explosion in the number of COVID-19 cases, going from five to 86 over a two-week period. Much of that increase is due to the type of superspreader event B.C. had long avoided, where a group of asymptomatic people with COVID-19 went to a number of parties around Kelowna on and around Canada Day. Concerns raised about â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;festival vibeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Kelowna despite cluster of COVID-19

cases So there hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been a dramatic rise of cases in the Lower Mainland. And when you parse the data, there hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been a surge among old people. Or middle-aged people. Or children. No, the increase in cases is fuelled by positive cases among people between the ages of 20 and 29. After months where the average for that age group was between two and three cases a day, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been steadily rising through June, and has been around 13 a day for the past week. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why Henry spent much of her time on Monday talking directly to â&#x20AC;&#x153;young people,â&#x20AC;? as she put it, asking them to refrain from risky behaviour â&#x20AC;&#x201D; because while the surge is mostly confined to them so far, they can easily spread it to older people who can have worse health outcomes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be my voice on social media,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Use your influence to share a message with your friends. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let COVID-19 spoil your summer. We can play safe and stay safe.â&#x20AC;?

Man to be deported to India after causing disruption on local flight From page 1

refused to wear a mask as well when ordered to by the flight crew, but a charge for that offence was stayed.

Singh came to Canada 12 years ago, but recently became homeless, his lawyer told the court. Singhâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lawyer added Singh has diabetes and was dealing with low blood sugar levels before the flight and had been drinking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a combination

they said contributed to his unruly behaviour.

The Crown told court Singh canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be deported right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but will be required to live with a relative in Ontario before he can return to India.

Singh was also sentenced to five days in custody, but has already served that time, as he has been in custody since his arrest.

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Saturday, July 25, 2020 From page 1

Indian can attract global supply chains away from China, says Mike Pompe It seems pretty basic,” he said, he said amidst Washington’s growing frictions with Beijing on the issure of intellectual property rights. India, Pompeo said, has a chance to attract global supply chains away from China and reduce its reliance on Chinese companies in areas like telecommunications, medical supplies and others. “India is in this position because it has earned the trust of many nations around the world, including the United States,” he said.

At the same time, the top US diplomat also underlined the need for India to encourage an environment that is “more open” to increased trade and investment from America.

“But as I said last year to achieve these worthy goals, India will need to encourage an

environment that is more open to increased trade and investment. I know that’s possible because Indians and Americans share a spirit of hard work and entrepreneurship, and I’m confident our partnership is only getting stronger,” Pompeo said. He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the next G-7 Summit to be hosted by the US. “We’ve also invited Prime Minister Modi to the next G-7 (summit), where we’ll advance the economic prosperity network,” Pompeo said.

The G-7 is a group of countries and organisations that the US considers natural

partners because they share values like democracy and transparency and the rule of law. In his address, Pompeo commended India’s recent decision to ban 59 Chinese mobile apps, including TikTok, which, he said, presents serious security risks for the Indian people.

“We also had to work with India to advance the Blue Dot Network, an initiative to promote high quality, transparent infrastructure development,” he said, adding that “this effort is crucial to adopt because free markets are the best way to lift people out of poverty. India has seen that in its own recent past,” he noted.

That’s an especially vital truth to remember today because the private sector will be

indispensable and overcoming the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic that began in Wuhan, China, he said. The United States, he said, desires a new age of ambition in its relationship with India. “We don’t just interact on a bilateral basis. We see each other for what we are great democracies, global powers and really good friends. India is one of a few trusted like-minded countries whose leaders I call on a regular basis for counsel and collaboration on issues that span continents,” Pompeo said.

“I’m confident that our relationship is only getting stronger. Let’s emerge from this current challenge more resilient and innovative than before. And let’s seize this moment to deepen cooperation between two of the world’s greatest democracies,” he added.

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The announcement comes a week after Flipkart had said it had raised USD 1.2 billion in funding from a Walmart-led investor group. In 2018, Walmart Inc had invested USD 16 billion for acquiring 77 per cent stake in the group.

Flipkart Wholesale is a new digital marketplace focusing on addressing the business-to-business (B2B) segment in India.

“This marketplace is going to effectively link sellers and manufacturers on one end and kiranas and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on the other end,” Flipkart Senior Vice President and Head – Flipkart Wholesale Adarsh Menon said.

The acquisition will help strengthen the capabilities to address the requirements of kirana and MSMEs, he said.

The move will further intensify competition with Flipkart’s rival Amazon that has a similar offering for the B2B segment.

“The B2B market for finished goods is estimated to be worth USD 650 billion. To

Saturday, July 25, 2020 Flipkart acquires Walmart India, to launch Flipkart Wholesale for B2B segment in August start with, we will be focusing on USD 140 billion of that USD 650 billion, which is largely the categories of fashion, grocery, general merchandise, large and small electronics,” Menon said. Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer, had entered India through a partnership with Bharti Enterprises for a cash-and-carry business that allows small businesses, kirana stores and hotels to buy in bulk. In 2013, the two companies went separate ways and Walmart continued to scale the cash-and-carry business in India on its own. Flipkart Wholesale will launch its operations in August, and will be headed by Menon. Sameer Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer at Walmart India, will remain with the company to ensure a smooth transition, after which he will move to another role within Walmart. Employees of Walmart India business will join the Flipkart Group and the home office teams will integrate over the next year, the

companies said in a statement. Walmart India was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walmart Inc, and is estimated to have about 3,500 employees.

The Best Price cash-and-carry business will continue to serve its over 1.5 million members via its omnichannel network of 28 stores in nine states and e-commerce operations. Walmart India has a new cash-and-carry store coming up in Tirupati in the next few months. “A thing we saw through COVID-19 (outbreak) was kiranas are shopping in more omnichannel ways than before. In our Best Price business, we had a 4X increase in e-commerce within our business, which is primarily brick and mortar. What that tells us is that kiranas are very open to shopping both online and offline,” Walmart India CEO Sameer Aggarwal said.

He added that kiranas will remain big, and organised B2B will account for a bigger part of retail.“…Within that, online will get

a disproportionate share of growth. The capabilities are complimentary. This move recognises the critical role that kiranas and MSMEs play towards India’s economic prosperity and growth,” he said.

These businesses will have one-stop access to an extensive selection of products with attractive schemes and incentives, supplemented with data-driven recommendations for stock selection, delivered through a fast and reliable network to drive greater efficiencies and better margins, Menon said. Kiranas and MSMEs will also benefit from access to easy credit options and opportunities for new income generation through various Flipkart initiatives, creating new ways to catalyse growth, he added.

At the same time, partners will benefit from broader reach across the country, micro-market insights to enable effective inventory planning and new product development, and costeffective distribution.

Canada wage subsidy changes would encourage companies to rehire Canadian businesses hit by the coronavirus pandemic might be able to rehire more workers now that the government has broadened an emergency federal wage subsidy, industry groups and economists say.

“We are far from out of the woods at this point and businesses are going to need that continuing assistance,” said Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. He said the chamber was “very encouraged.” Uptake of the program has been slow, with critics pointing to the requirement that businesses show a minimum 30% revenue decline to get a 75% payroll subsidy of up C$847 per week. Last week, Finance Minister Bill Morneau eased that requirement, and extended the aid until mid-December to make it more accessible and provide more certainty.

The subsidy is now proportional to revenue declines, with hardest-hit businesses getting top-up support.

Mary Conrod and her husband, owners of several small businesses in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia, are using the wage subsidy for their deep sea fishing outfit, A&M Sea Charter. But she said her store, Seaside Casual Wear, has so far been ineligible for the wage subsidy because of the 30% rule.

“We’ll survive with the wage subsidy. Without the subsidy we couldn’t afford the wages,” Conrod said, adding she would apply for the wage subsidy for the store, if possible.

The business has been hit not only by a lack of tourists but also by costs related to COVID-19, Conrod said, such as sanitation gear and hiring additional staff to enforce social distancing.

Roughly a quarter of the C$82.3 billion ($61.4 billion) earmarked for the scheme was paid out as of July 21, government data shows, despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s repeated plea to businesses to use the program.

The expanded wage subsidy program is now effectively “a broadly based economic stimulus program” that will help more companies to rehire, including in hard-hit sectors like travel, tourism and hospitality, said Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada.

Rebekah Young, a director with Scotiabank, said the reformed wage subsidy will particularly help businesses where demand is picking up and they would have needed to rehire staff anyway.

“Especially for sectors that are able to maintain this physical distancing, it’s almost like free money on the table,” she said.

For business owners like Conrod, the wage subsidy is helping keep them afloat. “I’ve had a store for 25 years,” she said. “I hate to lose it over COVID.” (Reporting by Kelsey Johnson and Moira Warburton Editing by David Gregorio)

Saturday, July 25, 2020

BC announces 30 new COVID-19 cases and 1 more death BC health officials announced 30 new COVID-19 cases and one new death on Thursday.

There are now a total of 304 active cases in the province and 190 people have died. The latest death was a person who lived in a long-term care home. The province is urging British Columbians to avoid gathering in large groups.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry described SARS-CoV-2 as a “stealth virus” with far-reaching impacts and serious consequences and warned being around large crowds puts everyone at risk.

“We need you to keep your groups small,” she said. On Wednesday, 34 new cases were announced in B.C. as the province implemented new rules for restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Under the new measures, all patrons in restaurants, bars and nightclubs will be required to be seated, alcohol self-service will not be available (that means no ordering from the bar), and dance floors will be closed.

Case counts have spiked in B.C. in recent days, with 102 new infections diagnosed between last

Friday and Monday. Henry said 70 cases have been linked to events and parties in Kelowna over the past several weeks.

B.C. puts new rules on restaurants, bars, nightclubs amid rising COVID-19 numbers Close to 1,000 British Columbians are currently in self-isolation. “The B.C. COVID-19 curve is trending in a direction we don’t want it to go — upwards,” Henry said. On Thursday, Premier John Horgan urged British Columbians to not backslide on progress made so far in flattening the curve.

Most locations of potential COVID-19 exposure in B.C. are now listed online He made it clear he’s concerned about recent case counts stemming from parties in Kelowna, and a large drum circle at a Vancouver beach earlier this week. “Come on. You’re better than that. We need bigger spaces and fewer faces,” he said. “The challenge ahead of us is enormous.

COVID-19 is still very much in our community and we have a collective responsibility to do what we can to defeat it.”

Most locations of potential COVID-19 exposure in BC are now listed online Most British Columbians can now check online to see if they might have been exposed to COVID-19 while out in public. The Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health, Interior Health and Island Health authorities now all have websites listing recent public exposure events.

Fraser Health’s new site was launched Thursday morning in response to a surge in new cases in recent weeks. Many of those cases have been linked to COVID-19 exposure at restaurants, bars and private parties in other parts of the province.

“We have recently seen an uptick of cases in our communities and I would like to remind people to remain vigilant in reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19. We must continue to practise physical distancing, wash our hands

frequently, and keep our social circles small,” Fraser Health interim chief medical health officer Dr. Elizabeth Brodkin said in a news release.

“By doing so, we can reduce the number of possible exposures to COVID-19 and ensure we are protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities as well as ourselves and our loved ones.”

Here’s how health officials determine whether they should announce a COVID-19 outbreak As of Thursday morning, there were no notifications of potential exposure events on Fraser Health’s site. The new website for Vancouver Coastal Health lists several events, as does that of Interior Health, where more than 70 cases have now been connected to people with COVID-19 attending gatherings in the downtown

Seattle NHL expansion franchise reveals ‘Kraken’ as team name The NHL’s newest team finally has its name: the Seattle Kraken. The expansion franchise unveiled its nickname Thursday, ending 19 months of speculation about whether the team might lean traditional or go eccentric with the name for the league’s 32nd team. “The Kraken is a name born of the fans. It was suggested and championed by the fans,” Seattle CEO Tod Leiweke said. In opting for the sea creature of Scandinavian folklore, Seattle bypassed options like Sockeyes, Evergreens or Metropolitans, the last of which would have been a nod to Seattle’s hockey history. There was even a push from some fans for the team to try to acquire the Thunderbirds name from the local junior team. But Kraken was a clear favourite among fans, who rallied around the name soon after the expansion franchise was awarded in December

2018. The enthusiasm has grown since as the team built toward its debut for the 2021-22 season.

It’s edgy and sounds menacing. And it gave the franchise a clear brand going forward.

“I think that we felt like this is so authentic and noble, and we hit all the main things that we really wanted that we feel really strongly that this is the right choice,” Heidi Dettmer, Seattle’s vice-president of marketing, told The Associated Press. “I’ve totally fallen in love with this brand and I think our fans will.” Seattle also unveiled its primary colours, which will be a deep dark blue — almost black — and a lighter shade of blue as a complement. Seattle fan Max Rubin, despite his NY Islanders jersey, showed his support for the Kraken name when the team’s expansion was announced in 2018.

LOCAL

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

the payments add up to at least $442.6 million.

“Service Canada and the CRA are collaborating to ensure that these situations are reconciled and payments to eligible clients do not exceed the maximum allowable benefit of $12,000 over a 24week period,” ESDC said in a response to an order paper question from Liberal MP Adam Vaughan.

The two departments are collaborating to solve the double-payment problem to ensure people don’t receive more than the $12,0000 maximum over a 24-week period, ESDC said.

“Anyone who does not have an overpayment

Saturday, July 25, 2020 From page 1

Canadians mistakenly received $442.6M in double CERB payments

automatically reconciled through this process will be proactively contacted by letter with details on how to repay the amount owed.”

The federal government introduced the CERB at the onset of the pandemic to strengthen the employment insurance system, which falls under Service Canada’s responsibility.

Ottawa has processed 20.9 million CERB applications as of July 12. According to the government, at least $59.41 billion in CERB benefits have been paid to Canadians.

BC to spend extra $1 billion on COVID-19 aid, deficit to jump to $13.5 billion The B.C. government will spend an additional $1 billion for COVID-19 aid in order to match federal funds for public transit and municipal governments, driving the projected provincial deficit this year to $13.5 billion.

Finance Minister Carole James provided the additional spending plan to the legislature Wednesday, adding to a provincial spending package she revealed publicly just one week earlier.B.C. to spend extra $1 billion on COVID-19 aid, deficit to jump to $13.5 billion The money is on top of more than $5 billion set aside by B.C. to respond to the pandemic.

James last week unveiled a projected $12.5 billion deficit for the current fiscal year, after B.C. lost more than $6 billion in revenue due to the pandemic.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $19 billion in aid to provinces last week, of which B.C. is set to receive roughly $2.2 billion.Trudeau said the money is for health care, child care, the purchase of personal protective equipment and other needs. But the bulk of the money is earmarked toward operational deficits for public transit systems and municipal governments, which have had revenue sources collapse during the pandemic. The transit and municipal money can only be accessed with matching provincial funds.“From British Columbia’s perspective we want to maximize

those dollars for the people of our province for services for our province,” James told reporters Wednesday.“And so a portion of that was determined … to be shared dollars. There’s over $2 billion coming to British Columbia. We want to try and access that for transit and for municipalities. There isn’t a determination at this point about how much is coming or what the specific dollars will go for.”Premier John Horgan said last week he expects B.C. to need at least $600 million from Ottawa for transit aid alone, including to prop up B.C. Transit and TransLink.TransLink has estimated a revenue shortfall of between $544 million and $1.4 billion depending on the length and severity of the pandemic. The City of Vancouver in April projected a revenue shortfall of almost half a billion dollars.Even though the new provincial spending will increase B.C.’s deficit, James said it is a “critical piece” of recovery to help prop up transit systems and municipal governments.

“Let’s remember these are 50-cent-dollars,” James said of the cost sharing between Ottawa and B.C.“Certainly as a finance minister is someone who’s looking at being as responsible as you can with the taxpayer dollars to be able to get 50 cent dollars, to be able to do that cost sharing with the federal government and provide more support to the people of British Columbia.

The unemployment rate rose to arecord 13.7 per cent in May and has since dropped to 12.3 per cent in June.

Sixty-three per cent of all CERB applications have come from residents in Ontario and Quebec.

The taxable benefit provides $500 per week, for a maximum of 24 weeks, to selfemployed or employed Canadians who’ve either lost their jobs or have had their income reduced because of the pandemic.

ESDC said 460,000 Canadians have repaid the

CRA for CERB for payments as of July 16. The reasons behind repayment range from ineligible applicants or people no longer qualifying for the benefit because they’ve returned to work.

Joaquim Correia of College Barber Shop cuts a customer’s hair as the provincial phase 2 of reopening...

Carlos Osorio / Reuters Joaquim Correia of College Barber Shop cuts a customer’s hair as the provincial phase 2 of reopening from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions begins in Toronto and June 24, 2020.

Government’s $912M contract for student volunteer program was awarded to a WE shell company A $912 million contract to administer student volunteer grants was awarded by the federal government not to WE Charity, but an entity called WE Charity Foundation — a shell company set up by the directors of WE Charity two years ago to hold real estate assets.

“The contribution agreement for the Canada Student Service Grant is between the Government of Canada and the WE Charity Foundation (of Canada),” an official at the ministry of diversity, inclusion and youth confirmed in a statement to the National Post Wednesday evening.

Government’s $912M contract for student volunteer program was awarded to a WE shell company “The public service worked to find the best possible delivery of this program and worked with the WE Organization to develop the contribution agreement… obviously the program did not unfold as intended,” the statement said.

Canada Revenue Agency filings show that WE Charity Foundation was first registered as a charitable organization in January 2018 by Victor Li, the chief financial officer of both WE Charity and its for-profit arm ME to WE Social Enterprises. At the time, the Foundation’s stated purpose was to “hold real estate for the use and

benefit of WE Charity and other registered charities”.

Once it was registered, the Foundation had planned to transfer eight pieces of property to itself — seven of which belonged to WE Charity and one belonging to Imagine 1 Day Foundation, documents obtained from the CRA show.

The Foundation registered itself with a revenue of $150,000 and real estate assets it had intended to own worth $37.5 million. WE Charity executive directors Dalal Al-Waheidi and Scott Baker were also listed as directors of the Foundation at its incorporation. Months later, it was approved for tax-exempt status by the CRA. But the real estate assets were apparently never transferred to the Foundation. WE’s public relations team told the Post that the Foundation currently has “no assets, of any kind whatsoever, including real estate assets”.

“In its initial application to the CRA, holding real estate was initially considered and proposed, but this never took place. WE Charity Foundation never held any funds for any purpose, and was created in part to manage legal liability. The CSSG program was one which had significant potential liability,” the statement from WE said.

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Khalsa Business Centre

128th Street, 84th Ave., Surrey, BC

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, July 25, 2020 Press release

ICBC expands road tests based on priority booking

ICBC is moving to the next phase of its road test resumption plan by prioritizing customers whose class 5 or 7 road tests were cancelled between March 17 and June 26.

On July 20, class 5 and 7 road testing resumed for customers whose road tests were originally scheduled between March 17 and March 30.

As ICBC expands road tests, customers will be contacted by ICBC and given the details of when and how they can book their own road test online. ICBC will contact customers in advance of their booking date.

The booking dates are as follows:

Currently, ICBC is exploring a number of measures to increase capacity and address the road test backlog including expanding hours and days of operation, hiring and training additional driver examiners, and repurposing other facilities to include road test services.

For more information on ICBC’s services during the pandemic, visit www.icbc.com/covid-19.

Party held on Vancouver beach despite social-distancing pleas from health officials Scores of people held a party on Third Beach in Vancouver on Tuesday night despite pleas from health officials to maintain social-distancing protocols as the number of COVID-19 cases spike in B.C. Several videos of Third Beach were posted on Twitter and Instagram showing people dancing and crowding together at the popular drum-circle spot. Most are not wearing masks.

COVID-19: Party held on Vancouver beach despite social-distancing pleas from health officials The Ministry of Health is aware of the incident

and has announced it will hold a special news conference today at 3 p.m., likely to address a spike in cases and a lack of social distancing.

It could mean that stricter measures are coming, after B.C.’s health officials hinted earlier this week they may be necessary if people don’t follow the guidelines.

Christine Ulmer, a spokeswoman for the Vancouver park board, said the drum circle held Tuesday at Third Beach was an unsanctioned and unpermitted event that is organized regularly by community members without consultation with the board.

Man injured in Vancouver shooting One man is in hospital after a shooting in Vancouver on Wednesday night. His injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Vancouver police Sgt. Aaron Roed said police were called to East 53rd Avenue and Sophia Street just before 9:45 p.m.

B.C. health minister updates strategy to catch up on 30,000 cancelled surgeries |…

As of Thursday morning, he was still in hospital, according to Roed.

There have been no arrests and Vancouver police continue to investigate.

Saturday, July 25, 2020 Noise from human activity that vibrates the Earth dropped by 50% after COVID-19 restrictions: study An international team of researchers used data from seismic stations in 117 countries to determine that restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 led to an unprecedented drop in noise.

The study published in the journal Science shows seismic noise, or vibrations generated by human activity, dropped by as much as 50 per cent in March and April, particularly in urban areas.

Mika McKinnon, one of the study’s authors, says they’ve dubbed this quiet period the “anthropause,” as traffic, planes, cruise ships, conventions, concerts and sports games slowed or stopped.

And while it was most pronounced in cities, McKinnon says the sound of silence could also be seen in data from an abandoned mine shaft in Germany that’s one of the quietest places on Earth.

‘Anthropause’ aids earthquake detection The adjunct professor in the department

of earth, ocean and atmospheric sciences at the University of British Columbia says a seismic station in Vancouver showed noise levels plummeted when the province closed schools, followed by bars, restaurants and other establishments.

As the pandemic wears on, McKinnon says data from the quiet period will help scientists detect more earthquakes and differentiate better between human-caused and natural seismic noises. Quieter seas off B.C. coast give scientists chance to study effects of noise on killer whales “We’re getting a much better understanding of what these human-generated wave shapes are, which is going to make it easier in the future to be able to filter them back out again.”

The latest data won’t help predict if and when earthquakes will hit, but it does offer scientists deeper insight into the planet’s seismology and volcanic activity, McKinnnon says.

Delta eyes September for Stage 4 recreation centre reopenings Skating, swimming, fitness training and other recreation activities in Delta are scheduled to resume in September, so long as COVID-19 cases remain low.

On Monday (July 20), Delta council endorsed a revised version of the city’s official reopening plan offers more details on planned Stage 4 reopenings.

The plan is a living document and as such is subject to change as new information becomes available.

“The key for us will be in being nimble.

We’re not sure exactly what school even looks like in September, so we’re going to have to change as we go forward, working with the school [district], working with feedback we’re receiving online, feedback we’re receiving from parents, and what people need,” city manager Sean McGill told council Monday evening.

“There is no playbook for what we’re going through, and it’s a learning [curve] for all of us, but I think staff have done a great job of adapting as quickly as possible and remaining nimble, and that will continue to be how we’re moving forward.”

For now, the city is planning to stagger the Stage 4 reopening Delta’s recreation centres, with decreased capacity and modified programs and services to meet public and staff safety requirements.

The plan calls for reopening the North Delta Recreation Centre in early to mid-September for preschool and recreation programs, including the facility’s weight room. The centre’s ice surfaces will be limited use by minor hockey and curling clubs. The outdoor pool at NDRC is scheduled to close for the season on Sept. 7.

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Conservatives call for Morneau’s resignation as finance minister says he repaid $41K in WE trip expenses Finance Minister Bill Morneau is facing calls to resign after telling MPs that he cut a cheque for over $41,000 to repay travel expenses incurred by the WE organization related to two 2017 trips his family took with the organization.

Morneau said he wrote the cheque today — prior to going before the House of Commons finance committee to answer questions about his government’s decision to task WE with administering a $912-million student volunteering program.

Morneau said that after conducting a review of his family’s finances in recent days, he found documentation confirming that he already had repaid $52,000 in expenses for hotels and flights related to the trips to Ecuador and Kenya to view the organization’s humanitarian work — but failed to locate receipts related to the WE programming he and his family

members participated in during the trips.

After reaching out to the WE organization to learn the total amount of expenses WE incurred, Morneau said, he had his assistant write a cheque for $41,366.

“I expected and always had intended to pay the full cost of these trips, and it was my responsibility to make sure that was done,” Morneau told MPs on the committee.

“Not doing so, even unknowingly, is not appropriate.

I want to apologize for this error on my part.”

Morneau also said his family has made two donations totalling $100,000 to the charitable organization — one in April 2018 and one in June of this year — to support the organization’s work with students in Canada and for COVID-19 relief in Kenya, respectively.

Health Canada recalls hand sanitizer due to ‘health risks’ Health Canada says that it will update this list if it becomes aware of other affected products, so you can easily identify ones they may have purchased and take appropriate action. Health Canada is advising Canadians that another hand sanitizer is being recalled from the market because it contains DA-2I ethanol that may pose a risk to health (DA-2I is

not authorized for hand sanitizer use). The advisory comes after the department issued a couple of recalls last month. On July 2, it added an additional hand sanitizer brand to the list of recalled product, and another on July 6. After that, one was issued July 16.

The recalled product is gel hand sanitizer that is distributed by JIS Specialty Products.

Dozen men fined after TikTok filming prompts report of man with firearm in Surrey park A dozen men were fined $200 each this week, after police responding to a report of a man with a firearm in Colebrook Park Tuesday discovered a pair of airsoft pistols in the Surrey greenspace.

According to a news release issued Wednesday afternoon, a “large emergency response” was deployed to the 14311 Colebrook Rd. park shortly before 7 p.m. July 21.

“Witnesses who called police reported seeing a man with a gun put another male in a head lock and bring him into the bushes,” the release states.

On arrival, police arrested a group of men aged 25 to 30 years old.

The men then told officers the action was all part of filming for a TikTok video, and that they had two pistol-style airsoft guns in the bushes.

A search uncovered the pistols,

along with a baseball bat, a camera and a chair with rope, the release states.

The 12 were then released from police custody and each issued a ticket under the city’s Parks Regulation Bylaw which prohibits the carrying of an airgun within a park without the prior written permission of the general manager.

Cpl. Elenore Sturko said the men “put themselves and others at risk as a result of their poor decision making.”

“Police have a duty to respond to all weapons calls as legitimate public safety concerns,” Sturko said in the release.

“Airsoft pistols and other replica firearms are best left at home, or better yet, for the safety and wellbeing of our community, please don’t buy one.”

ZEE Entertainment launches acclaimed content brand ‘Zindagi’ on ZEE5 Addressing the strong global consumer demand, the content brand launches with a promise of ‘Zindagi Mil ke Jiyenge’ 1000+ hours of curated and created content to be hosted on ZEE5

K

eeping the consumers’ evolving entertainment needs at the fore, Media & Entertainment Powerhouse ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEE) today announced the launch of its much-loved content brand Zindagi, on its digital entertainment platform, ZEE5. Zindagi’s shows have been highly appreciated by audiences in India earlier for its realistic appeal, superlative character portrayals, captivating performances and its ability to satiate the evolving content preferences of the viewers. Catering to a strong level of global consumer demand, Zindagi is being launched with a promise to not only offer its rich original content library, but to also create fresh new shows which will be thought provoking, with a bold multicultural narrative. As a premium global content brand, Zindagi will narrate handpicked real stories that are differentiated, yet universal in its storytelling and appeal, resonating strongly with the consumers globally.

Speaking on the announcement, Mr. Amit Goenka, CEO, ZEE5 Global and International Broadcast Business, ZEE said, “ZEE’s strength has always been in its ability to narrate unique stories, to connect with billions of audiences worldwide, and to offer different genres of content. Zindagi has always been appreciated for its premium content offering and culturally rich stories from across the globe, which are far more attuned to the digital audience sensibilities.

Zindagi’s universal content has a very strong appeal, and we are excited to offer this rich & engaging content library to the users of ZEE5, in India and across the world. We also understand that the viewers’ needs are diverse and therefore we have a compelling content catalogue from Zindagi, which encapsulates a universality of emotions. We stay committed to offering an extraordinary entertainment experience to our consumers across multiple touchpoints, and we are sure that our viewers will once again embrace this widely acclaimed brand on our platform.”

With a promise of ‘Zindagi Mil ke Jiyenge’, the brand reinforces its commitment to live up to its legacy of bringing forth multi-cultural narratives that resonate with the audiences. The brand philosophy is a reflection of its belief that art knows no nation, boundary or religion. Zindagi will offer a myriad mix of shows that are truly global in nature, ranging from family dramas to romance including Shehr-E-Zaat, Aunn Zara, Badi Aapa, Mastana Mahi, Main Abdul Qadir Hun, Noorpur Ki Rani and many other such realistic stories which are customized as per the tastes and preferences of the global audiences.

This eclectic mix of curated shows, featuring 1000+ hours of meaningful content, will be available for our global audiences on ZEE5.

Link to Zindagi Content Reel – https://youtu.be/7_pXUrhhwwY About ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd.: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is a media & entertainment powerhouse offering entertainment content to diverse audiences.

With a presence in over 173 countries and a reach of more than 1.3 billion people around the globe, ZEEL is among the largest global content companies across genres, languages, and platforms. ZEEL is present across broadcasting, movies, music, digital, live entertainment and theatre businesses, both within India and overseas, with more than 260,000 hours of television content and houses the world’s largest Hindi film library with rights to more than 4,800 movie titles across various languages.

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Federal Court judge declares Canada-USA refugee pact unconstitutional A federal judge has struck down a key agreement on refugees between Canada and the United States, but gave Ottawa six months of breathing room to respond to the landmark decision.

In a keenly awaited ruling, Federal Court Justice Ann Marie McDonald said Wednesday that elements of the law underpinning the Safe Third Country Agreement violate the constitutional guarantee of life, liberty and security.

Under the agreement, which took effect in 2004, Canada and the U.S. recognize each other as safe places to seek protection. It means Canada can turn back potential refugees who arrive at land ports of entry along the Canada-U.S. border on the basis they must pursue their claims in the U.S., the

Sajjan defends his lackluster COVID-19 response Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan is defending his department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, following the release of government documents showing that he was briefed about the risk of the virus as early as Jan. 17.

It took 10 days following The Canadian Forces Intelligence Command briefing to Sajjan and 25 days after the Public Health Agency of Canada alerted federal departments and provincial health authorities of the threat of what was known then as a viral pneumonia for the Liberal government to formally convene an Incident Response Group.

“As the crisis developed, we monitored the progression of the outbreak in China. While we don’t comment on the specific intelligence reports, I do receive regular briefings to ensure the safety and security of Canadians,” said the minister during a series of questions from opposition in the House of Commons on Wednesday. Around the same time Sajjan was briefed, the World Health Organization (WHO) had learned of two cases of the virus outside of China, in Japan and Thailand. They advised countries that because of global travel, cases elsewhere were “likely” and there was evidence of human-to-human transmission.

On Jan. 21, the U.S. reported its first case,

and a few days after the WHO declared the novel coronavirus a global emergency as the infection rate climbed to more than 7,000 cases.

The information outlining Sajjan’s early knowledge of the virus was detailed in an order paper question from Conservative MP James Bezan.

“This new information is just another example of how this Liberal government was slow to act when it came to COVID-19,” said Bezan in a statement.

“While Minister Sajjan received military intelligence briefings warning about COVID-19 on January 17th, it took this government a further 10 days before the incident response group would meet to discuss COVID 19, and months before they would close the border. This delay and lack of leadership has put more Canadians at risk and has had real consequences the Canadian economy.”

Sajjan on Wednesday said his government made decisions throughout the pandemic based on “sound intelligence” but failed to answer more specific questions about whether the briefing note contained information about human-to-human transmission.

Lack of NDP recovery plan leaves tourism operators adrift Press release BC Liberals are calling for immediate tourism industry support as NDP inaction is pushing local tourism operators like Vancouver-based Landsea Tours & Adventures to the brink of collapse as they try to keep their doors open after the pandemic.

“The tourism sector is facing the loss of 130,000 family-supporting jobs this year alone and the NDP are sitting idly by instead of laying out a plan to support this industry,” said Michelle Stilwell, BC Liberal Co-Critic for Tourism, Arts and Culture. “These businesses rely nearly exclusively on seasonal tourism and missing the summer season this year means many small businesses will no longer be operational in 2021.”

Landsea Tours & Adventures typically hosts more than 120,000 visitors annually and employs over 130 people at this time of the year yet because of the pandemic, their workforce has been reduced to only two staff members. They have been forced to sell their office, shop, and yard space they operated from, and have also started selling vehicles to stay afloat.

“The bills are still coming in but there’s no money coming. I am baffled by the delay to act by this government,” said Kevin Pearce, president and owner of Landsea Tours & Adventures. “We had to close our doors on March 16 and have had zero revenue for the past 18 weeks. An economic recovery plan for tourism is desperately needed now.”

“For months, thousands of tourism operators in the province have struggled to operate without revenue and, without a recovery plan in place from this government, it’s no longer sustainable. The NDP continues to delay

on a recovery plan when the obvious solutions are right in front of their faces,” added Doug Clovechok, BC Liberal Co-Critic for Tourism, Arts and Culture. “The NDP needs to say when Landsea Tours and other tourism operators expect to see an economic recovery plan from this government.

They cannot wait any longer.”

country where they first arrived.

Canadian refugee advocates have vigorously fought the deal, arguing the U.S. is not always a safe country for people fleeing persecution.

The judge’s declaration of invalidity is suspended for six months, leaving the law in place until mid-January and giving the Trudeau

government time to respond to the court ruling.

Mary-Liz Power, a spokeswoman for Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, said the government was reviewing the ruling.

Several refugee claimants took the case to court along with the Canadian Council for Refugees, the Canadian Council of Churches and Amnesty International, who participated in the proceedings as public interest parties.

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Saturday, July 25, 2020

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Saturday, July 25, 2020

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NATIONAL

Saturday, July 25, 2020

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PM Trudeau shames Jagmeet Singh for criticizing controversial WE charity deal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the federal NDP leader of being cynical after he faced a barrage of questions in the House of Commons Tuesday over the government’s handling of a now-cancelled WE Charity deal.

The prime minister apologized again for failing to recuse himself from cabinet

discussions about the creation of a $912-million student grant program. The WE Charity, a Toronto-based international organization, was tapped to administer it.

“Apologizing means nothing if the prime minister keeps on breaking the rules to help his wealthy friends,” Jagmeet Singh

Gov. Gen. Julie Payette’s office denies allegations of workplace abuse The office of Gov. Gen. Julie Payette is denying allegations that she has created a toxic work environment for staff at Rideau Hall. “We deeply regret this reporting, which has no basis in the reality of working at the OSGG (Office of the Secretary to the Governor-General), and obscures the important work done by our

dedicated staff in honouring, representing, and showcasing Canadians,” Payette’s press secretary Ashlee Smith said in a statement Tuesday. CBC News, citing multiple anonymous sources, reported Tuesday that multiple staff members of the Rideau Hall staff have departed due to mistreatment during Payette’s mandate.

Two million Canadians could be cut off from CERB benefits if they don’t file taxes soon: CRA Two million Canadians could have their benefits interrupted if they don’t file their 2019 tax return quickly enough, according to the Canada Revenue Agency.

Many Canadians turned to government assistance when unemployment rates shot up during the COVID-19 pandemic, as physical distancing measures forced many employers to shutter their doors -- including some that will never reopen.

However, as first reported by Global News, Canadians will have to do the paperwork to ensure that the funds many are currently relying on will keep flowing. “The Canada Revenue Agency recognizes that in the current pandemic environment it is imperative for benefits to continue without disruption to Canadians,” said CRA spokesperson Dany Morin in a statement emailed to CTVNews.ca.

“We would like to remind Canadians to file as soon as possible to ensure their benefits continue in October. Not filing could result in negative impact to other provincial and municipal benefits that require an assessed tax return.”

Morin explained that as a contingency

US boaters slapped with hefty fines for violating Quarantine Act amid COVID-19 The operators of two U.S. boats have been slapped with fines for breaking the Quarantine Act amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The act requires people entering the country to quarantine for 14 days, and bans all non-essential entry into Canada, including Canadian waters.

The B.C. RCMP says one incident happened on July 10, and resulted in a $1,000 fine.

“It was clear the persons on this vessel had misstated their intention to travel to Alaska and had entered Canada for the purposes of tourism,” said the RCMP in a media release.

The other incident happened on July 17 and involved a whale watching vessel. The RCMP says the operator was fined for the same offence as the other boat, and was returned to U.S. waters with his passengers.

Mounties are warning U.S. boaters that breaking quarantine could come with hefty penalties, including the seizure of their vessels, criminal charges and future exclusion from Canadian waters or other border restrictions.

B.C. Premier John Horgan has previously raised concerns about Americans using the “Alaska loophole” to enter British Columbia.

Travellers destined for Alaska are allowed entry to Canada but must head directly to their destination However, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has strongly cautioned people not to judge people driving vehicles with U.S. licence plates.

Vehicles with U.S. licence plates may belong to residents of Canada, to people performing essential work or to people with Canadian family members.

plan amid the pandemic, the CRA is estimating the July 2020 to June 2021 entitlements for benefit recipients by using the information in their 2018 tax returns .

said. Trudeau has long-standing ties with the organization after making several appearances at WE-related events throughout his career in public office. He now faces questions, and another ethics investigation, over his role the awarding of the deal outside a traditional competitive contract process.

There were “so many existing” alternatives to deliver the money to students “faster,” Singh said. He did not provide specific examples.

The NDP leader asked Trudeau to admit the program “was never about helping students, and always about helping his wealthy friends.”

Trudeau responded with an attack of his own.

Man jailed for failing to self-isolate after COVID-19 diagnosis A man who tested positive for COVID-19 is in custody facing criminal charges after allegedly not self-isolating, says P.E.I.’s director of prosecutions.

John Diamond said Javan Mizero Nsangira, 22, was sent to the Rodd Brudenell River Resort last Wednesday to self-isolate for 14 days after his positive diagnosis. On Friday morning, Kings District RCMP responded to a call from resort staff indicating he was not abiding by public health measures.

RCMP Sgt. Chris Gunn said when police arrived at the resort, they found a man on the front lawn. Gunn said he was arrested and later charged with committing a common nuisance by endangering the life, safety or health of

the public, as well as with uttering threats.

An RCMP officer was required to selfisolate because he came in close contact with the man. Gunn said the officer was tested and his result has come back negative.

Nsangira appeared in provincial court on Monday via telephone. He did not enter a plea, and his next court appearance is scheduled for July 30.

Diamond said Nsangira was arrested on a domestic matter last Wednesday morning in Charlottetown and released on his own recognizance. Because he had tested positive for COVID-19, he was sent to Brudenell, which the province has been using as an isolation site

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Fiji

India emerging as land of opportunities, never been a better time to invest: PM Modi The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is not in a mood to deescalate the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as it has continued the deployment of around 40,000 troops in its front and depth areas for the Eastern Ladakh sector, according to sources.

The Chinese are also not honouring their commitment for disengagement at the friction points in Eastern Ladakh and not moving back as per the agreed terms during the multiple

rounds of talks at the government and Army level and intervention at the senior level like the one done by the National Security Advisor couple of weeks ago would be required for further progress, the sources said.

The Chinese are also showing reluctance in moving out of the Finger 5 area and retreat back to their permanent location in Sirijap as they want to create an observation post in the Finger area, sources said.

Fiji govt committed to blue economic recovery The Fijian Government has announced that it is dedicated to ‘blue’ economic recovery by launching the Savusavu “Blue Town Model”.

In his 2020/2021 National Budget Address, Economy Minister Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum says the Blue Town Model is a new pioneering blueprint for coastal towns across the country and around the world to follow.

Developed by Justin Hunter – Current Labasa and Savusavu Town Council Board Chair and owner of J. Hunter Pearls, the Blue Town Model promotes income generation based on preservation rather than resource extraction. Under the Model, Savusavu will

focus on seven result areas that place the ocean at the heart of economic development and that will ensure that the town preserves and improves the health of the marine environment.

These include renewable energy, recycling, marine conservation, sustainable livelihoods, eco-tourism and education.

The seven result areas, their implementation pathway and the end result of a Blue Town will be a development model for all coastal communities in the Pacific. $20,000 has been set aside in the 2020/2021 National Budget for the Savusavu Blue Town Initiative.

India a key pillar of Trump’s foreign policy: Mike Pompeo Describing India as one of the few trusted like-minded countries, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that New Delhi is an important partner and a key pillar of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. In his virtual keynote address to the annual ‘India Ideas Summit’ of the US India Business Council (USIBC), Pompeo said he was happy to report that India is a “rising” US defense and security partner in the Indo-Pacific and globally. Mike Pompeo The United States, he said, “desires a new age of ambition” in its relationship with

India. Asserting that the US has never been more supportive of India’s security, he said New Delhi too, is an important partner and a key pillar of President Trump’s foreign policy. “We don’t just interact on a bilateral basis. We see each other for what we are great democracies, global powers and really good friends. India is one of the few trusted like-minded countries whose leaders I call on a regular basis for counsel and collaboration on issues that span continents,” Pompeo said. “I’m confident that our relationship is only getting stronger.

China not de-escalating, still has heavy troop presence on Ladakh front: Sources The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is not in a mood to de-escalate the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as it has continued the deployment of around 40,000 troops in its front and depth areas for the Eastern Ladakh sector, according to sources.

The Chinese are also not honouring their commitment for disengagement at the friction points in Eastern Ladakh and not moving back as per the agreed terms during the multiple

rounds of talks at the government and Army level and intervention at the senior level like the one done by the National Security Advisor couple of weeks ago would be required for further progress, the sources said.

The Chinese are also showing reluctance in moving out of the Finger 5 area and retreat back to their permanent location in Sirijap as they want to create an observation post in the Finger area, sources said.

Former SODELPA Vice President passes away The Social Democratic Liberal Party’s former Vice President Ro Dona Takaleiyale has passed away.

Burebasaga Paramount Chief Ro Teimumu Kepa says Ro Dona was pivotal in the Party in his role of helping SODELPA prepare for the 2014 General Election.

Kepa says the late Taukei Navolau was renowned for his easy nature and the ability to put everybody around him at

ease, even in the most tense of situations.

She adds Ro Dona was instrumental in various awareness and campaign programmes particularly in areas of the Vanua as he was well connected – which enabled the Party to visit different villages and communities.

SODELPA has extended their heartfelt condolences,inparticulartotheTakaleiyalefamily and the Vanua of Burebasaga for their great loss.

Woman found dead inside her shop Police investigation is underway to determine the cause of death for a woman found inside her Lami shop.

TheNationalFireAuthoritywasalertedtoasmall fire in Lami Town at about nine o’clock last night.

When they arrived at the scene, firefighters recovered the body of a woman who police say was unresponsive and rushed to CWM Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Neighbours who raised the alarm about the fire claim there was a man acting suspiciously minutes before plumes of

smoke were seen from the windows Owner of Lami V-Chen store, Harvey Chen says the incident has shocked residents. When I went out they told me there was smoke coming from next door so we tried to call the lady that’s next door but there was no response. So my wife came and told them to call the fire Brigade. I heard people saying she went in with an Indian guy and there was screaming upstairs but after a while, the Indian man came out and then he left.”

Similar accounts have been relayed by other residents in the area.

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Truly delightful & renovated 2698 sf. bsmt. entryPRICE home sits on huge rectangular LUC ASKING 8165 sf. flat lot. in most demanding Queen Mary Park area in Surrey.House features main floor 3 bedrooms ,living room, family room,kitchen,dining room with 2 full bath.Basement has spacious 1 bedroom suite with full bath.Renovated kitchen,new bathrooms,new flooring,new paint,new electric fireplace.Roof is approx. 2 years old.Double garage & huge fully fenced flat back yard.Walking distance to Senator Reid Elementary & LA Matheson Secondary schools .All meas. are approximate

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Truly delightful 2616 sf basement entry home sits on huge 10382 sf rectangular lot in most demanding Annieville area in N. Delta.Main floor features spacious living room,family room,kitchen,& 3 bedroom with 2 full bath.House has spacious 2 bedroom basement suite with separate rear entry.Close to all amenities & major routes .plse check virtual tour.Easy to show.Call now.

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Saturday, July 25, 2020 Over 6,000 cops withdrawn from non-core duties to boost COVID preparedness Acting on the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singhâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s directives, the Punjab Police have withdrawn 6,355 personnel from non-core duties to create COVID reserves and reinforce its field force at police stations and in the armed battalions.

While 202 COVID reserves have been created in police stations across districts, another 20 have been constituted in the armed battalions, to improve operational readiness for enforcement of various safety norms and protocols in place in the state.

The manpower mobilisation exercise was undertaken from July 17, and as of July 23, 3,669 personnel were part of the 202 COVID reserves

Covid-19 tally reaches 11,739 with record single-day spike of 441 cases Punjab recorded on Thursday 441 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike yet, taking the tally to 11,739, while the death toll climbed to 277 with eight more people succumbing to the disease, according to a medical bulletin by the state government.

Jalandhar and Patiala reported two fatalities each. One death each was reported from Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar and Mohali.

Among the fresh cases, 89 were reported from Ludhiana, followed by 63 from Jalandhar, 53 from Patiala, 42 from Bathinda, 30 from Mohali, 22 from Amritsar, 20 from Sangrur, 17 from Ferozepur and 13 each from Pathankot,

Guidelines for film shooting issued by Punjab govt The Punjab Government on Thursday approved detailed guidelines for shooting of films and music videos in the state, with restriction of 50 persons at the venue, along with strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols.

The development came after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh approved these guidelines on Wednesday and asked Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan to formulate clear directions in response to the request from a delegation of the entertainment industry, which approached the state government seeking permission to resume production activities.

Post approval by the CM, Special Chief Secretary (Home) Satish Chandra issued comprehensive guidelines granting permission to shoot films/music videos in the state, subject to certain conditions, according to a government release.

PUNJAB

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#Limited time lease offer is from Honda Canada Finance Inc. (HCFI), on approved credit. Lease example: New 2020 4D Civic Touring CVT (FC1F9LKN)/2020 Insight Hybrid Touring (ZE4F7LKN)/2020 CR-V Touring (RW2H9LKNS) for a 24-month period, for a total of 104 weekly payments of $122/$161/$177, leased at 0.99%/2.99%/1.99% APR. 20,000-kilometre annual allowance (12 cents/km excess charge). Total lease obligation is $12,681/$16,744/$18,386. Lease payments include freight and PDI of $1,655/$1,655/$1,815 and applicable fees, but do not include lien registration fee (up to $85 in certain regions) and lien registering agent fee (up to $6), which are due at time of delivery. No down-payment required. Taxes, insurance, license, and registration fees (all of which may vary by region) are extra. β "Honda Bonus" lease or finance cash of $750 on select in-stock 2020 Civic Sedan models is available on lease or finance transactions from HCFI on approved credit only, deducted from the negotiated selling price after taxes. Excludes Coupe, Hatchback, Si and type R models. *No payments for 90 days (payment deferral) offer is available on any new and unregistered Honda vehicle financed through Honda Financial Services (on approved credit), and delivered at a participating Honda dealer, between January 3, 2020 to February 29, 2020. Monthly payments are deferred for 90 days from the start of the finance contract, and the term of the contract will be extended accordingly. Applicable interest charges will not accrue during the first 60 days of the contract. After 60 days applicable interest will start to accrue, and no later than 90 days from the start of the contract the purchaser will begin to repay principal and applicable interest over the scheduled term of the contract. Offer ends February 29, 2020 and is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer order or trade may be necessary. Offer available only at participating Honda dealers in BC. Offers valid on select new in-stock 2020 vehicles. Models may not be equipped as shown and are for illustration purposes only. For additional feature information, limitations and restrictions, please visit www.honda.ca/disclaimers and refer to the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual. © 2019 Honda Canada Inc. Visit Honda.ca or your Honda dealer for details.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

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