HAPPY DIWALI www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 38
Saturday, October 30, 2021
New cases slowly declining in BC as pandemic ‘stabilizes,’ modelling group finds Average number of daily cases still high but falling by around 2% each day, researchers say. An independent modelling group says it believes the pandemic is “largely stable” in B.C., with cases declining and expected to continue to do so in the coming weeks. In a report published Wednesday, Continued on page 6
Pope Francis to visit Canada for Indigenous reconciliation, Vatican says Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada as part of the reconciliation process, bowing to years of pressure from Indigenous groups and Catholics appalled by rampant abuse in the country’s residential schools. If the Pope apologizes when he visits, it would fulfill a Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendation from 2015. The TRC called on the Pope to apologize for the “Roman Catholic Church’s role in the spiritual, cultural, emotional, physical, Continued on page 15
BC is first jurisdiction in North America to offer COVID-19 booster shot to general population B.C. will be the first jurisdiction in North America to offer a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to the general population. On Tuesday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said that as of January a booster dose of either Pfizer or Moderna vaccine would be offered to British Columbians aged 12 and over who have already received their second dose. “Our vaccines are highly effective. However, we are starting to see a gradual decline
in protection over time,” Henry said. “As a result, we are taking the proactive step of expanding boosters to everyone in our province.” Until now, B.C. had followed other Canadian provinces and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in offering the third dose only to those in long-term care facilities, seniors and those in high-risk settings or who are immune-compromised.
Anita Anand replaces Harjit Sajjan as Canada’s Defence Minister Anita Anand said Tuesday she is “results-oriented” and pledged that in her new role as defence minister she will be “reviewing everything” on the military’s ongoing sexual misconduct crisis. That means
reading the past external reports on sexual misconduct and military justice, ordering the department for an analysis on recommendations already Continued on page 8
It’s time to formalize alliance with India In February, U.S. President Joe Biden declared, “diplomacy is back at the center of our foreign policy” and “we will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again.” Nine months into his presidency, the opposite has happened—and the United States’ adversaries are taking advantage of the situation. Consider our allies: We witnessed
Gas prices in BC are among the highest in Canada Just one year ago, the average gas price across the province was 117 cents a litre but since then, the price of gas has skyrocketed up to over 170 cents a
Tel:604-591-5423
litre for some areas. Langley, B.C. recorded the highest gas price in B.C. in the past 12 months at 175.9 cents a litre according to
ministers in the British Parliament publicly rebuke Biden in the aftermath of our disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. France recalled its ambassador in an extraordinary move. We’ve isolated our Eastern European allies by capitulating to Germany over the construction of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
BC NDP to use tax payers’ money to provide subsidy to political parties B.C. political parties will collect $3.25 million this year from a taxpayer subsidy based on votes received in the 2020 election, and the NDP government is moving to ensure that the payments will increase in future years. Attorney General David Eby presented legislation Wednesday to make the annual allowance permanent, extending it beyond the Continued on page 6
Continued on page 7
Vancouver-set Punjabi comedy movie breaks box-office record with Surrey talent Filmed and set in Vancouver, one Punjabi-language comedy movie is setting box-office records in India. The rom-com “Honsla Rakh” (which
means “be patient” in English) stars Diljit Dosanjh as a divorced father looking for love while raising his son on his own. Since its worldwide release in mid-
October, “Honsla Rakh” has been a hit. The movie “broke box office records as it became the highest opening Punjabi film ever,” according to a report on boxofficeindia. Continued on page 12