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VOL. 4 NO. 366
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte leads the wreath-laying ceremony at Camp Teodulfo Bautista Memorial Shrine in Jolo, Sulu as part of the Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration. KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
ISIS will never gain foothold anywhere in PH: Duterte BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte said he is confident that the Islamic State (ISIS) “will never gain foothold” in the Philippines, thanks to the military’s efforts to counter violent extremism.
Duterte, in his Araw ng Kagitingan speech in Jolo, Sulu on Tuesday night, lauded the military’s accomplishments against the ISIS-inspired Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits. He said that the commemoration of the fall of Bataan is a fitting occasion to also honor the troops for their relentless efforts
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Duterte wealth is ‘properly declared’: Palace BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has “properly declared” his wealth, Malacañang asserted on Monday saying it saw no reason for the Chief Executive to further explain its origins. This, after the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) called on the President to answer queries on his wealth as it did not seem to add up to his “modest” salary as head of state. “What is prohibited is when you do not declare your assets. But he has declared them, so what’s the hullabaloo?” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a Palace briefing. Panelo pointed out that it was not a violation of the Constitution not to identify where the source of the wealth came from. “Ang violation iyong hindi mo dineclare (The violation is that you failed to declare it),” he explained. The Presidential Spokesper-
son also shut down the claim of PCIJ executive director Malou Mangahas that the Office of the President failed to respond to their request letters over the last five months. “Well, I responded to their letter. I referred the matter to the Office of the Executive Secretary, and the Office of the Special Assistant to the President,” Panelo said. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, for his part, noted how critics and detractors have always been nitpicking on the President’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN). “They have tried to make an issue out of even the minutest detail in hopes to pin the President for some wrongdoing but to their dismay their efforts had all failed,” said Medialdea in a separate statement. Duterte’s law firm
While the President’s SALN is open to the public, the two Palace officials emphasized that the Office of the President (OP) does not possess Duterte’s assets long before he assumed
Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and his children.
the presidency. “The SALNs covered by their request have been submitted years before PRRD became President and are not in the possession of OP,” Medialdea said Panelo also explained why the President’s law firm was
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not declared in his SALN, raising the possibility that the law firm could be currently nonexistent. “If that law firm was established during the time when he (Duterte) was a practicing lawyer, eh matagal na matagal na iyon. Baka non-existent na
iyon (that was a long time ago. It might be non-existent by now),” Panelo said. Medialdea, meanwhile, assured that the President remains committed to his cause to eradicate corruption and rid of the government of corrupt officials. “We have seen heads roll from lowly rank and file employees to heads of departments and agencies. He can look these people he fired in the eye kasi wala siyang bahid ng (he doesn’t have a tinge of ) corruption,” Medialdea said. In a speech in Iloilo City last Saturday (April 6), Duterte slammed the PCIJ report scrutinizing his family’s wealth and accused journalists of being paid hacks. Duterte said what his family earned outside their jobs as politicians was none of their business. The PCIJ, which has also reported on wealth of previous presidents, maintained that President Duterte and his family members should have granted their request for comments or interviews to get their side before the story ran. ■
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BY FERDINAND PATINIO Philippine News Agency MANILA — A week before the start of the overseas absentee voting (OAV), an election watchdog group on Friday urged Philippine posts and embassies to double time their efforts in encouraging Filipinos overseas to participate in the forthcoming polls. In a Facebook post, the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) said that Philippine officials should launch last minute information campaigns to properly educate Pilipinos abroad. “As overseas voting is about to start, we would like to request that our embassies all over the world work doubly hard to reach out and communicate to our overseas voters,” it added. The group believes that the information drive would help address possible reservations of Filipinos in participating in the May 2019 elections. “Such communication would greatly appease the fears and apprehensions
of our voters as to the integrity of the process. This way also, disinformation would be corrected right away,” it said. The group revealed that they received information that several Filipinos in Singapore are concerned that their votes will not be counted since they are not the ones that will insert their accomplished ballots into the vote counting machines. “Such concern was brought about by the lack of communication to them of the change in their mode of voting,” said LENTE. Data from the Comelec- Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) show that there is a total of 1,822,173 overseas absentee voters. There are various modes in casting their votes under the OAV, automated voting using the vote counting machines (VCMs), manual voting through posting and personal voting. Filipinos abroad are only selecting candidates for national positions, 12 senators and one party-list group. The OAV period will be from April 13 to May 13. ■
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Critics using anti-China card vs. Duterte admin: Palace BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Malacañang on Monday described a survey which showed that most Filipinos doubted China’s good intentions for Filipinos as “political propaganda”, stressing that critics were using the anti-China card against the Duterte administration. “The President’s ardent critics and detractors have become desperate in employing its anti-China card against the Duterte administration,” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a statement. The 4th Quarter 2018 Social Weather Survey (SWS) found that 44 percent of Filipinos disagree with the statement, “Most of what the Chinese government wants to happen in the Philippines is good for the Filipinos. On the other hand, the survey showed that 27 percent agree with the statement, and 29 percent are undecided about the matter. Panelo said critics were again sowing hatred against the policies of the Duterte administration with regard to its relations with China after “two unsuccessful attempts” — the China debt trap scare tactics and the International Criminal Court (ICC) case filed by two former Palace officials against Chinese President Xi Jinping. Panelo said contrary to the survey results, the 44 percent figure “is not actually a figure representing a majority.” “While we note that 27 percent of adult Filipino respondents believe that most of what the Chinese government wants to happen in the Philippines are good for the Filipinos, we also under-
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stand that there is a higher percentage, 29 percent, who remain undecided about the matter,” Panelo said. The Presidential Spokesperson, meanwhile, said he believed Filipinos would have a “change of heart” once ties between the Philippines and China start to show positive economic results. “We are seeing that there would be a change of hearts and minds from those undecided and even those who disagree — whom we believe are used to the United States as our long-standing ally – once our enhanced ties with China start to yield positive economic results,” Panelo said. Moreover, he said Filipinos should also be better informed about the need to expand our relations outside the country’s traditional allies, such as the United States and Japan. This way, Panelo said, Filipinos would have a “deeper understanding” of why the President has chosen to trust China’s sincerity. “With such mindset, they will realize that all these policies of the Administration are intended not for any foreign race or nationality but for the sole benefit of the Filipino people,” Panelo said. The Philippines and China signed over 20 agreements during Xi’s state visit to Manila on Nov. 20 to 21, 2018. Among these agreements is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on joint exploration in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Relations between the two countries have significantly improved after President Rodrigo R. Duterte decided to temporarily shelve an international arbitration court’s verdict nullifying China’s nine-dash line map, to give way to friendly bilateral talks and more economic ties. ■
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Philippine News
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APRIL 12, 2019
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BI dismisses Xian Gaza ‘evasion’ post as hoax, DOJ orders probe BY BENJAMIN PULTA Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) dismissed a recent social media post by cash-strapped businessman Xian Gaza on his supposed evasion of Philippine authorities, as a publicity hoax. “Booking numerous flights will not help evade police. Everything is recorded in our systems. With one click you’ll know which flight a person really took,” Bureau of Immigration spokesperson, Dana Sandoval, said in a statement Monday. “Since he had no derogatory record when he left, he was cleared for departure. It was quite uneventful and ordinary, really, No Hollywood-level storyline. Just regular immigration clearance. Stunts like this using the Bureau to gain fame and stay relevant is a security risk. He is making a mockery of our airport procedures for attention,” Sandoval added.
The BI spokesperson pointed out that once a person has a hit for an existing hold departure order or warrant of arrest, he/she will be immediately be barred from flying out. “This story is preposterous similar to other claims he made in the past. If you know regular airport procedures, his story sounds silly,” she noted. Justice spokesperson, Undersecretary Markk Perete, meanwhile, said they are verifying the post. “We are verifying his claims and have asked the BI to investigate,” Perete said in statament over the weekend. In a Facebook post, Gaza described how he was supposedly able to leave the country despite having “three pending arrest warrants” and after being sentenced to five years in prison on September 30 last year. Gaza himself is no newcomer to highprofile publicity stunts. Two years ago, he made headlines when he asked out actress Erich Gonzales for coffee using a billboard advertisement in Manila. ■
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Calls for Albayalde’s resignation has ‘no basis,’ says Panelo BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MALACAÑANG CAME to the defense of the country’ top cop, saying calls for his resignation following police operations in Negros Oriental that resulted in the death of 14 individuals has “no basis.” “There is absolutely no basis in fact and in law for the PNP (Philippine National Police) Chief, General Oscar Albayalde, to resign,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Saturday, April 6. “General Albayalde has even acted objectively by relieving administratively ranking officers from their posts just to pave the way for a thorough and impartial investigation free from any possible undue influence and to determine whether lapses were made during the conduct of these operations,” he added. It was on Tuesday when the PNP chief ordered the relief of four highest police officials in Negros Oriental namely: Negros Oriental provincial police director, Colonel Raul Tacaca, Canlaon City police chief, Colonel Patricio Degay, Manjuyod Municipal police chief, Lieutenant Kevin Roy Mamaraldo, and Sta. Catalina police chief, Captain Michael Rubia. Panelo has maintained that the police operations is a “legitimate” one, noting that authorities were “implementing search warrant duly issued by competent courts.” His statement came after the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday called for the resignation of Albayalde and asked the House Committee on Human Rights to conduct a probe into the March 30 “mass killings” of 14 farmers in Canlaon
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City, Manjuyod town, and Sta. Catalina town in Negros Oriental during separate police operations. The police had said these victims were believed to be members and supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA) who resisted arrest when the cops issued search warrants for alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives. “As the PNP explained, this is not a case of massacre given the fact that those who surrendered without forceful resistance were lawfully apprehended unharmed following the discovery of illegal items pursuant to the court-sanctioned search,” Panelo stressed. “In fact, a policeman was wounded which goes to show that there were indeed some who used violent resistance when authorities were conducting the search,” he continued. The Palace official said various “interest groups,” including Karapatan, are using the incident to “sow hate and spread fear towards duly constituted authorities.” Albayalde earlier hit back at the lawmakers calling for his resignation, saying they should be the one to step down and not him. “We should vehemently send our condemnation against these people supporting the perceived enemies of the state to gain power themselves, even sacrificing the innocent lives of young students to attain their own propaganda against our country and government,” he said. The top cop reiterated that there is an ongoing impartial investigation to determine whether or not there were “lapses” in the police operations. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) also said it has launched its own investigation into the incident. ■
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Ateneo’s Sanggunian slams Irene Marcos invite to campus, demands apology BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer THE STUDENT council of Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) slammed on Monday, April 8, the attendance of Irene Marcos, daughter of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, on the launch of the school’s Areté’s Amphitheater last Sunday. In its statement, the Sanggunian ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila (Sanggu) described the young Marcos’s presence at Ateneo’s “premier creative hub” as “nothing but ironic.” “It is the university’s central space for creative, adaptive, and independent thinking — val-
ues that the Marcoses systematically destroyed during the darkest era in Philippine history,” it said. The student body also said it was a “grave insult and vehement mockery” to all martial law survivors and martyrs to invite Marcos’s daughter in the same place that staged Dekada ’70 and Desaparecidos — the two plays that depict the abuses suffered by Filipino people under the administration of her father. “Arete’s invitation of a Marcos appears as a form of shameless compliance to the very movement that the Ateneo vehemently opposes, the erasure of Martial Law crimes from history and from the present
PRRD would rather not be politician forever BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte said he has no interest in prolonging his term of office beyond 2022 because he would rather not be a politician forever. Although Duterte has repeatedly voiced out his desire to step down by the end of his term, he made the assurance anew ahead of the upcoming mid-term elections. “I don’t know if I will be able to survive the three years remaining, but God willing, I assure you everybody here that I will step down at the end of my term,” Duterte said in a speech before motorcycle enthusiasts in Iloilo City. “I am not interested to prolong it a day. I do not have the — well, the choice of being a politician forever,” he added. Duterte reiterated that he was “tired” and that both military and police knew very well that he could offer to step down anytime because of being frustrated by unceasing corruption
within government. “I’m tired, really tired. As a matter of fact, there was a time when I offered to step down before the military and the police in a conference and the second time, I was so exasperated by the corruption,” Duterte said. Duterte said he himself never meddled with any government transaction because he allowed his Cabinet secretaries to manage their respective departments on their own. “I do not want transactions or contracts of government with any other entity. I… I do not place any initial and the papers do not come to my table,” Duterte said. “Hindi ako naka-pirma ng (I don’t sign any) transaction. All only about appointments. Could be MRT, LRT, reclamation, and everything, it begins and ends with the Cabinet member,” he added. Duterte has been mayor of Davao City for over 20 years and also served as congressman representing Davao City in the House of Representatives before being elected as President in 2016. ■
discourse during the campaign period of the 2019 Senatorial Elections,” Sanggu stressed. Due to this, the student council demanded the Areté administration to issue an apology and explanation for the incident. “We affirm that the role of Ateneo is not to condone the fabrication of lies, but to be a pillar of human rights in a society that celebrates the mockery of the truth,” it said. It continued, “The Marcoses simply wish that the Filipino people move on. To that we dare say, never — not while Filipino patriots walk the halls of our universities, not while our student activists continue to fight, not until justice has been
Classes in Arete Building, Ateneo de Manila University. SHANICE GARCIA / PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER
delivered. The Ateneo and her children will never forget. We will never forget.” In 2014, ADMU president Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin, SJ
made a public apology following criticisms of the attendance of former First Lady Imelda Marcos at an event for the school’s scholarship foundation. ■
Palace slams ICC prelim exam on NUPL case vs Duterte BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MALACAÑANG SLAMMED on Friday, April 5, the Hague-based International Criminal Court’s (ICC’s) preliminary examination of the complaints filed by the National Union of People’s Lawyer (NUPL) against President Rodrigo Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity, saying that it is “interfering” with the country’s sovereignty. “It becomes apparent that this institution is indeed bent on interfering with the sovereignty of our Republic even if it means disregarding the Rome Statute, the very instrument which created it,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said. Both Duterte and the Palace had said the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines as the country’s ratification of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the international tribunal, was not published on the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. Panelo, in his statement, said even everyone assumes that the Rome Statute became “enforceable” in the country, still, the ICC can “no longer” www.canadianinquirer.net
exercise its powers because the Philippines’ withdrawal from the international body became effective on March 17. Citing Article 127 of the Rome Statute, the spokesman clarified that the ICC can only continue a criminal investigation if it has started before the effective date of the withdrawal. “With the categorical wordings of Article 127, there is therefore no basis under the Rome Statute for the ICC to proceed with any of its activities relative to the President’s programs against illegal drugs,” he stressed. Panelo also mentioned the “principle of complementarity” which, he said, is enshrined in the Rome Statute. “According to the Rome Statute, the ICC can only act if there is inability or unwillingness of the State Party to investigate and prosecute its own offenders for the commission of crimes referred thereto,” he said. “In this connection, we urge any individual who has sufficient evidence to file a case before a Philippine court of competent jurisdiction and contend that the deaths resulting from the war against illicit drugs are State-sponsored. This is the only way we can determine if
there is indeed inability or unwillingness on the part of the Philippine Government to investigate and prosecute these alleged crimes,” he continued. The Palace official issued his remarks after the ICC, through a letter dated April 4, 2019, informed the NUPL that its complaint, which referred to as “communication,” is currently under preliminary examination. “As soon as a decision is taken on whether there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation, we will advise you promptly and we will provide reasons for the decision,” The letter, signed by the head of Information and Evidence Unit of the Office of the Prosecutor, Mark Dillon, read. The NUPL last August 2018 assisted families of victims of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs in filing a 50-page complaint before the ICC, calling for “an end to madness and for President Duterte, who has likened himself to one of the most evil men in history, to be brought before the ICC and be held accountable for crimes against humanity.” This is the second case following the first one filed by lawyer Jude Sabio in April 2017. ■
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Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea BY CHRISTOPHER BODEEN The Associated Press BEIJING — A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbours in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves: US concerned over Chines ships near Philippine islands
A senior U.S. official says the presence of large numbers of Chinese vessels near islands and islets occupied by the Philippines is “a concern.” The Philippine government protested the Chinese ship movements Thursday after its military monitored more than 200 Chinese vessels from January to March in a disputed area named Sandy Cay, which is near the Philippine-occupied island of Pag-asa. Asked about the situation while on a visit to Bangkok, Joseph Felter, deputy assistant secretary of defence for South and Southeast Asia, told reporters Friday that the U.S. is troubled “by any aggressive activity by any country in the South China Sea, in this case China. We see that as of concern.” “In this case, China’s activities are of concern. It seems to be somewhat aggressive and provocative and we feel that they’re unnecessary and unwarranted,” said Felter, who was in Thailand to attend a meeting of defence officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. The Philippines regards a chain of islands and islets, nine of which it oc-
cupies, in the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea as a municipality it calls Kalayaan under its western province of Palawan. That claim conflicts with the larger territorial claims of China, Vietnam, and three other governments in a long-simmering Asian dispute. Duterte talks of ‘suicide missions’ to defend territory
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he has few options other than to order troops to “prepare for suicide missions” if a Philippine-occupied island comes under threat from China. Duterte reminded China in a speech Thursday night of its closer ties with the Philippines under his leadership, but said if an island occupied by Filipinos in the disputed waters is threatened, “things would be different.” Duterte has adopted a non-confrontational approach in territorial spats with Beijing while seeking Chinese infrastructure funds, trade and investment. He has often lashed out at the security policies of the United States, a treaty ally, while praising China and Russia. The Philippine military has monitored Chinese vessels in a disputed area named Sandy Cay near the island Filipinos call Pag-asa. “I’m trying to tell China, Pag-asa is ours … so let us be friends but do not touch Pag-asa Island and the rest. Otherwise, things would be different,” Duterte said. “This is not a warning, this is just a word of advice to my friends, because China is our friend.” “I will not plead or beg, but I’m just telling you (to) lay off (of ) Pag-asa because I have soldiers there,” he said. “If you touch it, that’s another story. Then I will tell my
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soldiers ‘prepare for suicide missions.’” Philippines protests Chinese vessels near islands
The Philippine government has protested the presence of large numbers of Chinese vessels near islands and islets occupied by the Philippines as illegal and vowed to take “appropriate action.” The Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday issued the rare public rebuke of the Chinese presence after the Philippine military monitored more than 200 Chinese vessels from January to March in a disputed area named Sandy Cay near a Philippine-occupied island called Pag-asa by Filipinos. The statement said the presence of the Chinese vessels there was illegal. “Such actions are a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction as defined under international law.” The department said it has lodged diplomatic protests and raised concerns in meetings with Chinese officials, and that the presence of Chinese military, fishing or other vessels in the area would “continue to be the subject of appropriate action by the Philippines.” “We call on the Chinese government to adhere to this consensus reached at the highest levels, down to its agencies and its military,” the Philippine foreign affairs department said. ■ EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a weekly look at developments in the South China Sea, the location of several territorial conflicts in the region. Associated Press journalists Jim Gomez and Joeal Calupitan contributed to this report from Manila, Philippines.
Philippine News
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
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PRRD hails heroism of PH, US soldiers on Araw ng Kagitingan BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte lauded the heroism of both Filipino and American soldiers who fought in Bataan in 1942 during the commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan on Tuesday. “Today, we remember the heroism of the brave Filipino and American soldiers who stood side by side in the mountains and jungles of Bataan in defense of our liberty and democracy,” Duterte said in his message. “We also remember the countless civilians who aided our forces so they could offer a valiant defense against the overwhelming force of the enemy,” he added. Duterte, meanwhile, reminded Filipinos to take inspiration from Filipino war veterans and uphold the country’s sovereignty. “As we hold this solemn observance, it is my hope that we will all be inspired to remain steadfast like our forefathers and their allies in upholding our sovereignty and in protecting the rights and freedoms that our people enjoy today,” Duterte said in his message. The President said that although the government would not be able to memorialize all war veterans, it will honor
what he described as their “epic struggle” and “unshakable fortitude.” “I join our veterans, allies and the rest of the Filipino people in commemorating Araw ng Kagitingan,” Duterte said. “May we all have a meaningful celebration,” he added. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, for his part, described the event as “the highest form of love of country” when Filipino and American troops offered their lives in the liberation of the Philippines during World War II. “Thousands perished from physical abuse, exhaustion, disease and starvation during this dark chapter of our history so that we, the future generations, may live to enjoy the blessings of peace and freedom,” Panelo said. Modern day heroes
Panelo, meanwhile, said heroism is not confined to valor in combat or physical courage, citing modern day Filipino heroes who went “above and beyond their call of duty.” “In this day and age, heroes can be the teachers whose devotion to their noble profession shape the future of the nation, the police officers who lose their lives in the war against illegal drugs, the government workers who work over-
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte sings the Philippine National Anthem during the Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration. KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
time and refuse to engage in bribery or corruption or the Filipino scientists who conduct the first scientific research in the Philippine Rise,” Panelo said. “Indeed, the modern-day Filipino hero of today can be anyone who serves as an inspiration by going above and beyond their call of duty and whose positive influence is worthy of emulation in making a difference in our society,” he added. Panelo enjoined Filipinos to make the occasion a motivation to unite for the betterment of the country and people and set aside differences as the nation continues to fight against drugs, crime,
Comelec to bets: Avoid holding rallies on narrow streets BY FERDINAND PATINIO Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday appealed to national and local candidates in the May 13 mid-term polls to avoid holding their campaign motorcades on narrow and congested streets of Metro Manila. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez urged those running in the forthcoming elections to be more considerate by not blocking small roads while campaigning. “We appeal to candidates not to bring their caravans in narrow streets. If they must, please consider not making any stops or else you’ll become a big blockade,” he said in an interview. “Keep in mind that Metro Manila streets are narrow and all you have is really one and a half lane while the other half is occupied by parked vehicles,” he said. Jimenez noted that appealing to the candidates and their supporters is the
least they can do since it is under the jurisdiction of the local government. “Utilization of city streets is actually a very technical field. And we are not competent on that aspect. That should be a local government function. Their own traffic bureau understand it better,” he said. The campaign period for national and local candidates in the May 13 polls is ongoing and will end on May 11. Meanwhile, the Comelec is holding a concert on Wednesday in Manila as part of its information drive in connection with the May elections. Jimenez said the admission for the live music concert, dubbed as “Swing Vote”, is free and will be held at the Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium starting at 5 p.m. “We will be talking about voter education and we will be providing a little bit of entertainment for those who are in the area,” he said. Those who will perform are Gang Badoy Capati, Bopek, ACGY, Bird, Marlo Mortel, and the Comelec band, Parokya ni Piston. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
corruption, poverty and terrorism. After 93 days of resistance, Filipino and American soldiers fighting war against well-armed Japanese soldiers in Bataan were forced to surrender to the superior force in April 9, 1942. The Japanese imprisoned some 60,000 Filipino and American troops and made them walk around 112 kilometers from Mariveles, Bataan to Capas, Tarlac under the sun, with no food and water for days in what is known as the “Death March.” By virtue of Executive Order 203, s. 1987, April 9 of every year is Araw ng Kagitingan. ■
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Philippine News
APRIL 12, 2019
FRIDAY
Trillanes on video linking Paolo Duterte to drugs: I really wish I was part of the making BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer OPPOSITION SENATOR Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV on Friday, April 5, denied that he took part in a video circulating online, linking Presidential son Paolo Duterte to illegal drugs. “First of all, let me congratulate the people behind the videos that linked the Duterte family to illegal drugs! The accusations of the witness were very serious, quite pointed and well-explained,” Trillanes said. “Having said that, I really wish I was part of the making of the videos so I could relish these moments but sadly I am not,” he continued. A six-minute video called “Ang Totoong Narco List – Episode 1” featured a certain “Bikoy” who claimed that he previously worked for a “big drug syndicate” that operates in Southern Luzon and Visayas region. An “internal document” or TARA records, which Bikoy possessed, was bared in the video, showing the monthly allocation for each principal of the alleged syndicates, their code names, and bank accounts. Meanwhile, at the bottom part of the paper
were signatures to “validate the list.” A narrator in the video said the first “principal” in the list, who has the “biggest monthly share,” uses two codenames: “POLODELTA-TSG01” and “ALPHA TIERRA-0029.” The narrator then identified the principal as the older son of President Rodrigo Duterte. The narrator also mentioned Waldo Carpio as the younger Duterte’s alleged “dummy” in the transactions. Carpio is the brother of his brother-in-law, Manases Carpio, and is currently an undersecretary at the Department of Agriculture. Renewing dares
The senator, who is one of the Duterte administration’s staunchest critics, challenged anew the Chief Executive to sign a bank secrecy waiver to prove that he has no undeclared wealth. Trillanes told the President that he should also face allegations against him and the first family like what the lawmaker did when he was accused by Duterte of having offshore bank accounts. “I confronted it squarely and didn’t stop until I was able to debunk your lies,” he said, adding, “And when you realized na
Sen. Sonny Trillanes.
napatunayan ko na hindi totoo ang mga paratang mo, umatras ka at inamin na inimbento mo lang ‘yun. Ano, ganun na lang ‘yun (that I was able to prove your allegations to be false, you withdrew and admitted that you made it up. What, is that it)? Until your next lie?” He also renewed his 2017 challenge to the younger Duterte, who is running for Davao City First District congressman, to show the supposed tattoo on his back which the senator earlier claimed is the proof of a triad membership. Trillanes had said the
ANTONIO “SONNY” TRILLANES IV / FACEBOOK
younger Duterte has a dragonlike tattoo on his back with “sacred digits” that can be decoded by the United States (U.S.) Drug Enforcement Agency. “Ikaw naman Polong, ipakita mo na lang ang likod mo, ang dami mo pang arte (As for you Polong, just show your back, stop this nonsense),” Trillanes said. The younger Duterte had denied that he is involved in the illegal drug trade, slamming a certain “J.S.” for tagging him in the video. “WOW ha kung makaimbento ka wagas. Galit ka kay Waldo kasi binabara niya lahat ng
smuggling mo ng bigas at asukal diba J.S. (Wow, you are so good at inventing. You are mad at Waldo because he is blocking your rice and sugar smuggling. Right, J.S.)?” the former vice mayor said. In another statement, the younger Duterte accused Trillanes of being behind the online video. He said if there is anything “admirable” about the lawmaker, that is his “relentless and talent to turn the absurd into something ridiculous, if not bizarrely entertaining.” “He may deny it, but the video supposedly showing my involvement in the illegal drug trade in the country has been clearly stamped with the indelible Trillanes signature of being a desperate mercenary, one who has done nothing good but attack the government,” he said. The Presidential son had filed libel cases against Trillanes. The younger Duterte said he will file another “string of cases” against the lawmaker for his “continued attempts” to damage his reputation. The President and the Palace had defended the former vice mayor, both dismissing the video as “propaganda.” ■
PRRD rejects public release of celebrity narco-list BY EJ ROQUE Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday rejected the idea of releasing publicly the list of celebrities allegedly involved in illegal drugs. “Hindi naman sila (They are not) seeking public office. But those who are seeking public
office and will someday, if they win, hold power,‘yan ang problema (that’s the problem). Kaya (That is why) I am morally, legally bound to tell the people ito ‘yung mga kandidato ninyo (of their candidates), o bahala kayo (and let them decide for themselves),” Duterte said in his speech at the 31st Annual Convention of the Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines in
Palawan. Duterte said he sees no reason to release the list of celebrities. “People have nothing to do with their lives except that they are committing a crime,” Duterte said in an interview with reporters at the event. The President said he will respect the decision of voters if they decide to elect politicians
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tagged in illegal drugs. “If they still vote for you, fine. This is a democracy. But the people ought to know and that is my solemn duty to inform the public sa right of information and to know who are the idiots there,” he said. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) earlier said its agency continues to validate information on al-
leged drug links of 31 showbiz personalities included on their “watch list”. The PDEA urged television networks to conduct surprise or mandatory drug testing on their actors and actresses to weed out drug users. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
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WW2 veteran Bataan markers, monuments recalls final battle reminder of valor, heroism of Bataan BY ERNIE ESCONDE Philippine News Agency
BY BEN CAL Philippine News Agency MANILA – “There was an atmosphere of chaos and pandemonium. It was hell!” This was the curt and melancholic description of retired Constabulary Col. Jose V. Agdamag Jr., a Filipino veteran who saw action in the final battle of Bataan on the eve of the surrender of Filipino and American forces in the Second World War 77 years ago. His book, “150 Days of Hell,” a must-read for the young generation, was written by Col. Agdamag in collaboration with his son, retired Navy Capt. Vicente M. Agdamag. The older Agdamag described in detail the bravery and heroic deeds of the more than 100,000 Filipino and American soldiers who defended Bataan against the onslaught of the Imperial Japanese Army, which invaded the Philippines on Dec. 8, 1941 triggering World War 2 in the Pacific. Before invading the Philippines, the Japanese conquered one after the other neighboring Asian countries in their blitzkrieg offensive, and thought the Philippines would fall in a month or less. But the brave Filipino and American defenders showed their bravery in combat and withstood the Japanese’s wave of attacks and held Bataan for over three months or 122 days before they surrendered due to exhaustion and extreme hunger.
“On 8 April 1942, Day 122 of the invasion, there was chaos in our position. I could see many Filipino and American soldiers in our immediate vicinity. The troops were disorganized and confused. As far as my platoon was concerned, we were still moving and operating as a team,” Agdamag wrote. But with the bombardment by the Japanese, his platoon retreated to Cabcaban and Mariveles areas in Bataan. Then the Japanese, particularly the 65the Brigade, 4th Division and Nagano Detachment, “were advancing towards Limay and Lamao area,” he said. At the pace they were retreating, Agadamag feared they would run out of withdrawal areas as the Japanese pressed their attacks. From a distance he could see Manila Bay. “As we retreated, artillery fires were raining over us,” he said, adding that at the same time, the Japanese Air unit dropped bombs on their positions. “Three months of malnutrition, malaria and intestinal infections, left the soldiers weak and disease-ridden totally incapable of the sustained physical effort necessary for a successful defense,” Agdamag narrated. The fall of Bataan was not the end of the war as Filipino and American soldiers who escaped continued the fight as guerrillas all over the country until liberation came following the landing of Gen. Douglas McArthur on Oct. 20, 1944. ■
Japanese tank column advancing in Bataan. US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FILE PHOTO
BALANGA CITY, BATAAN – All roads lead to this historic province, especially to the Mount Samat Shrine in Pilar town on Tuesday for the observance of the 77th Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor when Bataan “fell” on April 9, 1942. As visitors come, they cannot help but notice markers and monuments along the way lining the MacArthur Highway from the boundary of Pampanga and Bataan in Barangay Balsik, Hermosa to Mariveles town, and the Gov. J. Linao Road in Pilar to Bagac town. JUDGEFLORO / WIKIMEDIA, CC BY-SA 4.0 This province abounds with The Flaming Sword Shrine. historical markers and monuments that depict the sacrifices The Flaming Sword monu- in Tarlac. and bravery of Filipino soldiers ment in Pilar shows the readiAnother “0” KM Death March along with their American ness of Filipinos, particularly marker is located in Bagac town counterparts during World War the people of Bataan, to defend where another batch of surrenII especially in the few days democracy at all cost. dered Filipino and American before and after the defending Also in Pilar can be seen two soldiers began on April 11, 1942 troops surrendered to the Japa- KM Death March markers, the their long walk to Capas. nese invaders on April 9, 1942. KM 26 and KM 41. The markThe National Historical In Barangay Balsik, the first ers mean that captured soldiers Commission placed at 70,000 monument to be noticed is the had already hiked 26 kilome- the number of Filipino and Bataan and Democracy marker ters from Bagac and 41 kilome- American soldiers, members of that marked the sad news that ters from Mariveles. the United States Armed Forcthe peninsula had fallen in deThe Filipino–Japanese es in the Far East, who became fense of democracy. Friendship Tower in Bagac captives of the Japanese ImpeThis is at Kilometer 72 Death shows that even after intense rial Army and forced to join the March marker which shows fighting, two rivals can still be Death March after Bataan “fell” that captive soldiers who start- friends and forget the past. on April 9, 1942. ed walking from Mariveles have The infamous Death March Thousands died on the way traveled 72 kiloand while under meters. incarceration in There are the Capas garri138 KM Death son. There are 138 KM Death March March markers There are markers with 100 in Bataan, 31 in with 100 in Batastill many other Pampanga and seven in Tarlac. an, 31 in PamWWII markers panga and seven and monuments in Tarlac. in Bataan reThe First Line minding Filipiof Defense that nos of the counshows soldiers in fighting mood to Capas, Tarlac of about 70,000 try’s history. stands at the junction of Layac soldiers, mostly Filipinos and The Surrender Site Monuin Dinalupihan town some Americans, began in two ment is located at the back of The Filipino Soldier monu- points, one in Mariveles and the Balanga Elementary School ment and the Pagbangon mark- another in Bagac after the Unit- in Balanga City that was the forer in Orani town and another ed States Armed Forces in the mer garrison of the Japanese monument of WWII soldiers in Far East gave up Bataan some Imperial Army. Abucay town depict the gallant- 77 years ago in April 9. From a distance, on top of Mt. ry of Filipino soldiers despite The Zero Kilometer (KM) Samat in Pilar, the giant War all odds. Death March monument stands Memorial Cross can be seen. Two more than 100-year old in Mariveles at the “Pinag- Heavy fighting took place in trees, an acacia tree in Abu- simulan ng Death March” spot this mountain. A close look incay and a sampalok tree in Pi- where thousands of Filipino side will show the War Memorilar, were deaf-mute witnesses and American soldiers started al Shrine where annual Araw ng to the horrors of war and the on April 10, 1942 their 160-kilo- Kagitingan rites are held every dreaded Death March. meter grueling march to Capas April 9 of the year. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
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Philippine News
APRIL 12, 2019
ISIS will...
Cops, inmates wear masks after detainee died due to suspected meningococcemia
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against lawless elements that threaten the security of the nation. “I am especially pleased with our military’s recent accomplishments against the Abu Sayyaf Group. Your efforts have brought us even closer to our ultimate objective of totally crushing violent extremism at its roots,” Duterte said in his speech. “With this, I can confidently declare that ISIS will never gain foothold anywhere in the Philippines,” he added. The President admitted that ISIS is a cause for concern. He, however, assured that the military would continue to curb the movement of terrorists. “There is the ISIS that we have to worry here in — well in this part of Sulu, up and down Basilan. We’ll just have to fight and fight,” Duterte said, assuring the military of “utmost” protection. “But anyway, ang foremost — ang trabaho ko (my job) is to protect also my soldiers and you will have it,” he said. Duterte, as the military’s Commander-in-Chief, also renewed his commitment to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and prioritize their needs. “Let me assure you, the government continues to prioritize your welfare and that of your families,” he said. “During my time you will be
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration at Camp Teodulfo Bautista. KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
rewarded with a good pay and service, and everything that you would need after,” he added. ‘Why should I be scared of you?’
Duterte, meanwhile, taunted communist rebels, saying that he is not afraid of them even if the peace negotiations are over. “Ipinakita nila na ayaw nila at kung ganun lang, bastusan lang rin, eh ‘di— tapos na tayo magusap. Ngayon, gusto ninyo patayan na lang (They have shown me that they do not want to talk. In that case, we’re done talking Now, if you want, let’s just fight it out.) I am not ready to talk to any communist guy,” he said. “Sabi ko, karami kong sundalo, karami kong eroplano, karami kong matatapang na sundalo. Bakit ako matakot sa inyo (I said, I have many soldiers, many planes, many brave soldiers. Why would I be afraid
of you)?” he added. In 2017, the President formally terminated the peace talks with communist rebels due to continued attacks staged by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels against government troops and civilians. Last month, Malacañang also confirmed the termination of the appointments of government peace negotiators with communist rebels “in view of the termination of the peace negotiations.” Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea signed the termination letters “by order of the President” on March 18. The Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. ■
Gallantry of Filipino heroes lives on in fight vs. drugs, terrorism BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency MANILA — The gallantry of Filipino heroes of World War II lives on through those who wage the crusade against crime, drugs, terrorism and corruption, Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde said on Tuesday. “The undying gallantry of the Filipino heroes of Bataan and Corregidor lives on in the ranks of the police service, immortalized by modern day heroes who offered the supreme sacrifice for God, country and people; and those who continue
FRIDAY
to wage the national crusade against crime, drugs, terrorism and corruption,” Albayalde said in a statement. The country celebrates Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) Tuesday (April 9), in honor of Filipino and allied veterans who saw action against the Japanese during World War II. “We commemorate this momentous event to mark and remember the heroism of our Filipino war veterans coinciding with different meaningful activities in participation of all government agencies, including the PNP, representing the law enforcement sector,” Albayalde said.
Executive Order 203, series of 1987, declared April 9th of each year as National Day of Valor or Araw ng Kagitingan, while Presidential Proclamation 466, series of 1989 declared April 5-11 as Philippine Veterans Week. Philippine Veterans Week is commemorated with simultaneous flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies in PNP camps and war memorial shrines nationwide. Police units and offices have laid out security coverage, traffic management, and other related public safety services to secure venues and event areas of the Araw ng Kagitingan ceremonies. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer
served is that it may be streptococcus),” Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Eric Domingo was quoted as saying PRECAUTIONARY MEA- in the report. SURES were being implementIn January, there were also ed in a police facility in Biñan, reports that a patient in Gat Laguna after a female detainee Andres Bonifacio Memorial died due to suspected meningo- Medical Center (GABMMC) in coccemia. Tondo, Manila has a suspected In a report by Jun Veneracion meningococcal infection that on GMA’s 24 Oras on Monday, alarmed the public and led to April 8, police officers on duty the temporary closure of the were temporarily prohibited to hospital’s emergency room for go home or leave the precinct disinfection. and that no visiSymptoms of tors are allowed meningococto enter the facemia include cility for the fever, rashes, meantime. Both vomiting, and the cops and inNo one is headache. allowed to mates were also According to enter the jail seen wearing a public health premises for face masks. advisory issued the meantime “Wala muby GABMMC’s to make sure nang papasok infectious disthat no one kahit sino para ease (ID) spegets infected. ma-sure natin na cialist Yapendon walang mahaFresco, one canwaan (No one is not get easily allowed to enter infected by methe jail premises ningococcemia, for the meantime unlike measles to make sure that and chickenpox. no one gets infected),” Lieuten“Paano nakukuha ang meant Colonel Danilo Mendoza, ningococcemia? Droplet and chief of Biñan City Police, said contact transmission. Kapag during the interview. nasinghot ang hangin na may It was last Saturday when bacteria na nanggaling sa ilong media reported that a 23-year- ng isang carrier o may sakit, old female inmate was brought pwede mahawa ang nakasinghot to a hospital and later to the (How can meningococcemia Research Institute For Tropical be obtained? Through droplet Medical Medicine (RITM) after and contact transmission. If she exhibited symptoms simi- someone inhaled the air that lar to that of meningococcemia, has bacteria which came from according to doctors at the Bi- the nose of a carrier or a person ñan Community Hospital. who has the disease, then that It has yet to be confirmed person can be infected),” Freswhether the woman, who was co said in a statement shared arrested due to illegal gam- by GABMMC on its Facebook bling, indeed died due to me- page. ningococcemia or not, but a “Maaari ring mahawa kung Health official stressed that her ang likido tulad ng sipon at dugo death may not be because of the ng carrier o pasyente ay dumapo said disease. o madikit sa mata o bibig ng “We’ve had preliminary test ibang tao (A person can also be pero mukhang hindi naman infected if liquids like the mumeningococcemia, ang nakikita cus and blood of the carrier or natin ay mukhang streptococ- patient get into or make concus (but it seems like it is not tact with the eye or mouth of meningococcemia, what we ob- others),” the specialist added. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
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Solons laud easing of PH inflation BY JOSE CIELITO REGANIT Philippine News Agency MANILA — Two lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Friday welcomed the continuing downward trend of inflation rate in the country, which marked its fifth consecutive month of slowdown this March to 3.3 percent, the lowest since January 2018. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the inflation rate in March was slower than the 3.8 percent in February. The inflation rate in March 2018 was 4.3 percent. Leyte Rep. Henry Ong “congratulated” President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic team for the feat, as he noted that “the government has been working hard to rein in inflation since the middle of 2017” — when rice supply problems drove inflation rates to as high as 6.7 percent in October 2018. The chair of the House Com-
mittee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries challenged the economic team to aim for an inflation rate of 2.4 percent, the rate the country had back in July 2017. “The 2.4 percent we had in July 2017 is the proper benchmark, since that was just before rice supply problems reared its ugly head and sent prices soaring until late 2018,” Ong said. Relatively, the Leyte lawmaker said he is keenly awaiting the National Food Authority (NFA) Council’s implementing rules on the Rice Tariffication Law since the resulting quota-free importation of rice is touted by economic managers as crucial in further bringing inflation rate down. “Economic managers told Congress rice prices could fall by as much as PHP7 at retail and at least PHP10 billion was assured for the Rice Fund as safety net for farmers. I will hold them accountable for that pitch they used to make Congress approve the removal of
rice import quotas,” Ong said. With El Niño affecting the country, he also urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to ensure that the Rice Fund reach-
es its intended beneficiaries. According to the DA, at least PHP3.5 billion worth of crops have been devastated by drought as of the end of March
this year. “With the adverse impact of drought on harvests this summer, it would be prudent for the Agriculture Department to make sure the PHP 10 billion is ready in time for the next planting season. Not part of that Rice Fund are funds for drought relief, so the DA and other agencies should source those relief funds from elsewhere,” Ong said. Akbayan Partylist Rep. Tom Villarin shared Ong’s sentiments. “The lowering of inflation is a boon to consumers badly hit by high prices of goods,” he said. However, the lawmaker said that government must immediately act to mitigate the effects of El Niño and the open importation policy on rice farmers. “There’s always a downside to measures that bring down prices. A drop in domestic agricultural production is one of them, unless government mitigates its effect immediately,” Villarin said. ■
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Canada News Trudeau hears from Toronto black business leaders about helping city’s youth BY ROSS MAROWITS The Canadian Press
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer.
ANDREW SCHEER / FACEBOOK
Scheer urges PM to follow through on libel threat over SNC, testify in court BY ROSS MAROWITS The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Andrew Scheer is challenging Justin Trudeau to follow through on a threat to sue him over his assertion that the prime minister politically interfered with the criminal prosecution of Montreal engineering giant SNC-Lavlin. The Conservative leader revealed Sunday that he received a letter on March 31 from Trudeau’s lawyer, Julian Porter, threatening a libel suit. “I stand by every single
criticism I have made of Mr. Trudeau’s conduct in regards to this scandal, including those Mr. Trudeau’s lawyer cites in his letter,” Scheer told a news conference. “If Mr. Trudeau intends to pursue this course of legal action, if he believes he has a case against me, I urge him to do so immediately. This is an urgent matter of public interest and it deserves to be heard in a legal setting where Liberals do not control the proceedings.” Scheer said he looks forward ❱❱ PAGE 38 Scheer urges
Trudeau applauded the efforts to break down barriers. He also noted a lot of thoughts were focused Saturday about the importance of teams, since the day marked the first anniversary of the Humboldt Broncos tragedy. Sixteen people were killed and 13 were injured after the Saskatchewan hockey team’s bus collided with a semi driven by a novice trucker who had blown the stop sign at a rural intersection. “We know that 16 people lost their lives and a community was devastated but it was also an opportunity to see how strong communities come together, how the town of Humboldt, as devastated as it was, was supported by 37 million Cana-
ideas in there and really good feedback on what more we can do,” he told reporters. “They just want to make sure TORONTO – Expanding opthat our investments in the portunities for Toronto’s youth tech sector, in AI, in the incubawas the focus of a meeting betion industry, some of the politween prominent black busicies we have as a government to ness leaders and Prime Minisreally push forward an innovater Justin Trudeau on Saturday. tion agenda includes everyone, “Most people expressed some including members of the black of their concerns, some of their community.” struggles and some of their Asked whether that message successes,” said Toronto Rapcan get through to voters headtors president Masai Ujiri, who ing into the fall election in light helped host the event as well as of the recent political turmoil a practice for youth with some prompted by the SNC-Lavalin members of the playoff-bound affair, Hussen said that’s the basketball team. Liberal party’s obligation. Ujiri said the discussions have “Canadians will have an opto continue to creportunity to deate more opporcide who’s best tunities for more placed to grow youth by examinour economy, ing the needs in Support is there through tragedies, create jobs, but but it’s also there for youth in different commualso deal with communities around and across the nities rather than existential iscountry. taking a generalsues like climate ized approach. change,” he said Joining in on before criticizthe practice was ing the ConserXavier Trudeau, the Liberal dians right across the country who vatives for their lack of climate leader’s 11-year-old son, who came together,” he said. plan and desire to return to poldid basketball drills inside the “Support is there through icies of tax breaks for the rich. Raptors’ practice facility. tragedies, but it’s also there for “We’ve seen with the cuts Ujiri told the 20 invited youth youth in communities around in Ontario. That’s a preview of they can succeed in life even if and across the country.” what’s going to happen federally they don’t become professional Immigration, Refugees and if Andrew Scheer becomes prime athletes. Citizenship Minister Ahmed minister. It’s a slash-and-burn “Somewhere, somehow one Hussen said the black leaders approach. They’ll try to balance day you’re going to remember this talked about public-private the budget on the backs of Caday and it’s going to inspire you, partnerships, entrepreneur- nadians and what we need now not because of maybe the people ship and access to money for in- is further investments to solidify that are here but maybe the mo- novation and startups. the growth that we’ve seen in the ment that you have,” he said. “We heard some really good last number of years.” ■
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Canada News
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
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Libs say lawsuit threat needed to stop Scheer’s ‘misinformation’ on SNC-Lavalin THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA – Liberals are defending Justin Trudeau’s threatened libel suit against Andrew Scheer, arguing that the Conservative leader’s editing or deleting online statements proves he knows he’s gone too far in criticizing the prime minister’s handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair. “The leader of the Opposition pretends that he will not back down and he tries to make a show out of it,” Government House leader Bardish Chagger told the House of Commons on Monday. “We know that is false because while he is saying that, he has already been editing online statements or erasing them entirely.” Scheer revealed Sunday that he’d received a letter from Trudeau’s lawyer, Julian Porter, serving notice of a possible libel suit over a statement issued on March 29, in which the Conservative leader accused Trudeau of leading a campaign to politically interfere with the criminal prosecution of Montreal engineering giant SNC-Lavalin and directing his former attorney general, Jody Wilson-Raybould, to break the law.
The notice is not an actual lawsuit, just a threat that one might come – a standard first step in a defamation claim. In the Commons on Monday, Scheer repeatedly taunted the Liberals to bring it on. “Canadians are looking forward to the prime minister finally appearing under oath and testifying in a setting that he, himself, cannot control,” Scheer said, repeatedly asking the government to set a date for legal proceedings to begin. Scheer denied having edited or deleted any posts on Twitter. “No, I have not deleted tweets because I stand by everything I said in those statements,” he said. But Chagger pointed to a tweet Scheer posted on March 31, the same day he received Porter’s letter. Originally, it referred to Trudeau telling “lies” about not knowing about a conversation the clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, had with Wilson-Raybould on Dec. 19. The tweet was later deleted and a new one posted, she said, to replace the word “lies” with “falsehoods.” Wilson-Raybould surreptitiously recorded that conversation with Wernick to bolster her contention that the
top public servant had issued “veiled threats” that her job as justice minister and attorney general was at risk if she didn’t agree to intervene to stop the prosecution of SNC-Lavalin on bribery charges related to contracts in Libya. Wernick’s lawyer said the clerk never relayed that conversation to Trudeau because everyone went on holiday the next day. When they returned in the new year, the lawyer said, they got consumed with planning a cabinet shuffle, in which Wilson-Raybould was moved to Veterans Affairs. Chagger pointed to another tweet Scheer posted on Feb. 11, in which he asserted there is “potentially criminality at play in the Prime Minister’s Office.” That tweet was deleted, she said. And she brought up a tweet Scheer deleted back in December after Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains served notice of a potential libel suit over the Conservative leader’s assertion that the minister was under RCMP investigation related to a land deal in Brampton. “It is important that Canadians always know that we will not stand idly by while the Conservatives intentionally mislead Canadians,” Chagger said,
Government House leader Bardish Chagger.
adding that the Conservatives and their leader “have a history of making untrue and defamatory statements just for political gains.” Scheer spokesman Brock Harrison said tweets such as the ones Chagger referred to “are deleted and reposted for a number of reasons, usually to correct typos or to better align the language between English and French.” “However, contrary to what Ms. Chagger implied in question period, Mr. Trudeau’s threatened lawsuit has nothing to do with these tweets or any other tweets,” Harrison said. In 2008, then Conservative
BARDISH CHAGGER / FACEBOOK
prime minister Stephen Harper launched a libel suit against the Liberal party over allegations that he had known about an alleged attempt by Conservatives to bribe independent MP Chuck Cadman in exchange for his support in a key confidence vote in 2005. The lawsuit made it difficult for then Liberal leader Stephane Dion to raise the issue during the 2008 election campaign. A few months after the election, which returned Harper’s Conservatives to power with a minority in Parliament, Harper settled the matter out of court with Dion’s successor, Michael Ignatieff. ■
Thousands march in Montreal to denounce Quebec government’s secularism bill BY UGO GIGUERE The Canadian Press MONTREAL — Thousands of Montrealers chanted for solidarity and loudly denounced Premier Francois Legault on Sunday as they took to the streets to oppose the Quebec government’s proposed secularism bill. The crowd chanted slogans such as “Quebec, it’s our home!” as they marched against the legislation that would ban the wearing of religious symbols on the job for public sector employees deemed to be in positions of authority, including teachers, judges and police officers.
The protesters included Aymen Derbali, who was seriously injured in the January 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting where six Muslim men were killed. Derbali, who attended with fellow survivor Said El-Amari, told the crowd that rather than working to reduce stigma and Islamophobia, the government is tabling discriminatory legislation that unfairly targets Muslim women. “Instead of weighing in on societal problems, (the Legault government) wants to adopt a law that oppresses the rights of women to wear their hijabs and to work,” said Derbali, who was partly paralyzed in the shooting and now uses a wheelchair. Taran Singh, a member of
Montreal’s Sikh community, said the government should focus on issues such as the school dropout rate and hospital emergency room wait times rather than pitting Quebecers against each other. “What the political parties in Quebec are doing is dividing us,” Singh said. “Anglophones against francophones, federalists against sovereigntists, laypersons against religious immigrants. “This mentality of us versus us doesn’t serve anyone.” Selsabil Hamiham, a 21-yearold student, said the proposed bill attacks her identity. “I don’t believe Francois Legault has the power to tell me www.canadianinquirer.net
how to dress, how to be,” she said. Wearing a hijab was her own choice, she added. “Since nobody forced me to wear it, nobody can make me take it off,” she said. Sunday’s event was the largest of a series of protests that have been held to denounce the legislation, known as Bill 21. The crowd included representatives from many of Montreal’s cultural groups, including the Muslim, Sikh, Jewish and Chinese communities. The event was organized by Adil Charkaoui, a controversial Islamic educator who was once accused by Ottawa of having terrorist ties. Charkaoui was arrested un-
der Canada’s security certificate system in 2003, but he was never charged. On Sunday, he called on Quebecers to reject the bill, which he said aims to tell Muslim women how to dress and where to work. The Quebec government argues the bill is reasonable and in line with the values of Quebecers, and last week Legault said it doesn’t violate religious freedom. People who would be excluded from public sector jobs because of the law can find other work, he said. Legault also noted that his government included a grandfather clause that would exempt current employees from the restrictions as long as they remain in the same job. ■
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Minister ‘not feeling great’ about social media co-operation as election nears BY JIM BRONSKILL The Canadian Press OTTAWA – The Canadian government isn’t getting enough co-operation from the world’s big social-media companies to head off foreign interference in Canada’s upcoming federal election, Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould warned Monday. Based on international cases of election meddling, “there is a lot left to be desired in terms of how seriously they’re taking these issues,” she said. “I’m not feeling great about where we are right now.” Federal officials have had several discussions with online platforms such as Facebook and Google on how they plan to protect Canadians during the national electoral process, Gould told a news conference. “We have not really seen that much progress with them. I think that the platforms feel that this is something that they should be doing on their own,” Gould said. Google Canada swiftly responded Monday by saying the company had met several times with the minister and her staff, Elections Canada, the commissioner of elections and the Privy Council Office to discuss its plans on transparency, cybersecurity and information. Facebook Canada said it had devoted significant time and energy to the issues, and pledged to introduce new tools for advertisers before the end of June to ensure authenticity and transparency are at the core of paid political advertising on the platform. Gould, however, suggested Canada might move to regulate social-media companies through a code of practice, leg-
islation or another such tool, will try to deface websites or saying they have been able to steal personal information that “avoid being held to account for could be used to send out incorthe activities that take place on rect information to Canadians, their platforms for too long.” causing some kind of disrupHer message came as a new tion to the election process, the report from the national cy- report said. berspy agency warned that CaThe aim of such activity nadian voters will very likely would be to “sow doubt among experience some kind of online voters,” making them question foreign meddling related to the the election’s legitimacy or disOctober ballot. couraging them from even takIn an assessment released ing part. Monday, Canada’s CommuniNefarious actors hijack Twitcations Security Establishment ter accounts or open new ones said that last year, half of all that tweet about popular subadvanced democracies holding jects like sports or entertainnational elections were target- ment to gain followers, the ed by cyberthreat activity. CSE noted. “However, these KARINA GOULD / FACEBOOK It’s a threefold increase since accounts then switch to politi- Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould. 2015, and the Ottawa-based cal messaging with Canadian CSE expects the upward trend themes following international Facebook later said an esti- tions.” But he added that the to continue this year. events involving Canada.” mated 10 million people in the CSE’s report was about creating While Canada can anticipate The report cited a 2016 epi- United States saw the ads. a system to ensure the governinterference in the coming sode in which false information In addition, the U.S. Justice ment sees the entire spectrum election, the CSE says, the ma- appeared online about a “failed Department has announced of threats. licious activity is unlikely to be Canadian raid” against Russian indictments against Russian The report said an increasing on the scale of Russian interfer- separatist positions in Ukraine, intelligence agents for alleg- number of foreign adversaries ence in the 2016 U.S. presiden- alleging that 11 Canadian mili- edly hacking Democratic party have the tools, the organizationtial election. tary personnel were killed. Peo- emails and computers during al capacity and a sufficient unThe report suggests Canada ple shared an English-language the 2016 campaign. derstanding of the Canadian poshould expect foreign adver- version of the item over 3,000 Foreign Affairs Minister litical landscape to try to fiddle saries to exploit cyberspace to times on Facebook. Chrystia Freeland warned last with the October ballot, should sway voters by focusing on poConsiderable evidence has week that malicious foreign they have the inclination. larizing social and political is- pointed to Russian interfer- players would target Canada’s “Even if a foreign adversary sues, promoting the popularity ence in the 2016 U.S. presiden- coming election, and Prime does develop strategic intent to of one party over another, or tial election. Minister Justin Trudeau point- interfere with Canada’s demotrying to shape ed a finger at cratic process, we consider forthe public stateMoscow as the eign cyberinterference of the ments and policy most likely med- scale of Russian activity against choices of a candler. the 2016 United States presiI think that the platforms feel that didate. The Russian dential election improbable at this is something that they should Malign actors Embassy in Can- this time,” the report said. be doing on their own. also use cyberada responded “However, we judge it very tools to target by tweeting that likely that Canadian voters will the websites, “Blaming Mos- encounter some form of foremail, socialcow for fake eign cyberinterference ahead media accounts, networks and In 2017, Facebook said hun- #meddling is pure disinforma- of, and during, the 2019 federal devices of political parties, can- dreds of dubious accounts, like- tion” and an attempt “to dis- election.” didates and their staff, the re- ly operated out of Russia, spent tract public attention from real A group of five senior public port adds. about $100,000 on some 3,000 issues.” servants will decide whether an The CSE’s assessment comes ads about contentious issues At the news conference, De- act of foreign interference warjust six months before Canadi- such as LGBT rights, race, im- fence Minister Harjit Sajjan rants ringing the public alarm ans head to the polls. migration and guns from June said “we know for a fact that bell about a serious threat to It is likely that adversaries 2015 to May 2017. Russia has interfered in elec- the election. ■
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Canada News
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
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UN warns peacekeeping in CRA wins appeal against Mali will be hurt if Canada B.C. couple who alleged ‘malicious’ tax evasion probe doesn’t extend mission BY JOAN BRYDEN The Canadian Press OTTAWA – Marking the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda, a Liberal MP has called his government out for not doing more on peacekeeping as the United Nations is warning it will be forced to curtail its efforts in Mali unless Canada extends its mission there by several months. While the Trudeau government insists it stands with the UN, Liberal backbencher Rob Oliphant told an all-party press conference that Canada is not pulling its weight. “Canada’s peacekeeping operations pale in comparison to those offered by many African countries,” said the Toronto MP, who recently visited Rwanda as co-chair of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association. “When you look at what Ethiopia contributes, what Kenya contributes, what Ghana contributes, what Rwanda contributes, Canada is not pulling its weight.” The Rwanda genocide unfolded over 100 days starting on April 6, 1994, with Hutu extremists slaughtering 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and their Hutu supporters. It was a horror that Canadian general Romeo Dallaire, then the commander of UN peacekeepers, was powerless to prevent despite his repeated warnings and pleas for help to UN headquarters in New York. Even as Oliphant and others on Monday were commemorating that genocide, the questions and concerns were emerging about Canada’s mission in Mali – and the Trudeau government’s commitment to the UN, which has been trying since 2013 to protect civilians and stabilize a government weakened by a rebellion and a subsequent military coup. Canada has eight helicopters and 250 military personnel in the West African country, where they are scheduled to provide emergency evacuations to injured peacekeepers and workers until July 31. But Romanian replacements aren’t due until mid-October – three months later. The UN can contract civilian helicopters and aircrews, which the report describes as the “white fleet,” but officials said it would be at “disproportionate expense to the UN” and provide less support than the Canadians do. “They explained that military helicopters and aircrews can fly at night and can operate in riskier and more dangerous
environments than their civilian counterparts because they are armed and use more sophisticated technology,” the report says. “The committee was told that, in an effort to limit risks to UN personnel, the UN would likely have to scale down operations during the capability gap between the Canadians’ departure from, and the Romanians’ arrival in, Mali,” it continues. “It was explained that, without an aeromedical capability, UN ground troops would have to significantly reduce the range of their patrols, as well as the services they provide in the communities.” The UN formally requested at the end of February, after months of quiet lobbying, that Canada extend its mission in Mali until mid-October to prevent a gap. But Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland indicated two weeks ago that would not happen. The government has offered little explanation for its decision, but the committee report suggests military officials are worried about the helicopters’ mechanical condition and want them ready for crises back home. Conservative defence critic James Bezan said in an interview that Canadian Forces members underscored the challenges that would come with an extension and the impact it would have on the troops and the helicopters. Liberal and Conservative committee members ended up recommending the government stick with its original timetable and instead work with the Romanians to speed up their arrival. But NDP defence critic Randall Garrison, who has been pushing for an extension, said the military was clear that it would be able to manage if the government did decide to keep its members in Mali past July – and not staying would put people’s lives at risk. “If we were talking about an extension of another year or two years, I think those may be valid concerns,” he said. “But nothing we heard in the field confirmed those kinds of concerns would be an obstacle to the short extension that the UN is asking for.” Both Bezan and Garrison said the fact the Liberals are willing to leave despite the United Nations’ very real concerns raises questions about the government’s self-professed commitment to peacekeeping and the UN. “They never bought into their own rhetoric,” Bezan said. ■
THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER — The British Columbia Court of Appeal has set aside a $1.7-million damage award to a Vancouver Island couple who a lower court had said were ruined through the “malicious” actions of the Canada Revenue Agency. Tony and Helen Samaroo were operating a restaurant, night club and motel in Nanaimo in 2008 when they were charged with 21 counts of tax evasion for allegedly skimming $1.7 million from their businesses. They were acquitted of all charges in provincial court in 2010 in what the judge hearing the case agreed amounted to the Crown using “voodoo accounting” to support its case, and the couple then sued for malicious prosecution. A B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled last year that the Samaroos were the victims of an “egregious” prosecution based on an unfounded theory and suspicion about the alleged tax evasion.
But in a decision released Tuesday on behalf of the three-judge panel, Justice David Harris says the trial judge was wrong to base his analysis on the idea that tax evasion can’t be proven without also proving exactly how it was done. As a result, Harris says the judge dismissed some relevant evidence as “mere hypothesis,” instead of recognizing there was a reasonable and probable cause to launch a case. Because the analysis was faulty, Harris says it’s unnecessary to look at whether the trial judge erred in his conclusion that the Crown was motivated by malice or the investigator for the Canada Revenue Agency acted for an “improper purpose.” “When the correct legal test is applied properly to the elements of the offence, with a correct onus of proof in a claim of malicious prosecution, and viewing the issue objectively, the Samaroos cannot succeed in showing that there was an absence of reasonable and probable cause to initiate and continue the prosecution,” the decision says. ■
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With files from Mike Blanchfield www.canadianinquirer.net
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APRIL 12, 2019
FRIDAY
PANGARAP: SO, OUR JOURNEY BEGINS
Anu-ano ang mga dapat mong iwasan? BY BOLET AREVALO
SABI-SABI: An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. Hindi dahil libre lang ang mangarap ay lalargahan mo naman to the point of frustration. Iwasan mong mangarap nang wala ka namang determinasyon o kakayahang abutin. Kasi ang pangarap hindi dapat matapos sa pangarap lang. Dapat ang pangarap binibigyan ng puwang para matupad. Act on it, ika nga. Iwasan mong mangarap ng hindi mo naman linya o hindi mo gustong gawin. Hindi dahil malaki ang kita ng pagna-nars, sige gusto mo na lang magnurse. Hindi ka magiging masaya. Hindi mo ito matatagalan. Iwasan mo ang illegal recruiters or illegal immigration con-
sultants. Iwasan mong mabulag o mabingi sa mga incredible na pangako dahil sa kagustuhan mong makalipad o makaalis. Makinig ka sa iyong pakiramdam. Sa isang proseso, kapag may nararamdaman kang mali, makinig ka rito. Iwasan mong pangunahan ang magiging buhay mo sa abroad. Ayoko run kasi malamig; ayoko run kasi malungkot, ayoko run kasi walang balut at bagoong; ayoko run kasi walang Pasko. Ako, kapag nalulungkot o nadi-discourage, ang iniisip ko, kung nakaya ng iba, kaya ko rin. Kapag malungkot ka, sabi ko nga, kasalanan mo na. Iwasan mong magbaliktanaw sa dati mong buhay – maging masaya o malungkot, mariwasa o salat, madilim o makulay. Hindi makatutulong sa’yo ang patuloy na mabuhay sa nakaraan. Kung gusto mong alalahanin ang nakaraan, piliin mo lang ‘yung makapagpapasaya sa iyo at makapagdudulot ng ngiti sa iyong mga labi.
Pandit Mahadeva
gustong maging permanent resident, ang permanent resident or immigrant, gustong mag-citizen. ‘Pag nag-citizen na ako, uwi na ako. Ayun, ‘yung mga nagsabi nun, andun pa rin sa abroad. Basta, go with the flow muna, ika nga. It is your best, least stressful, bet. Ang Totoo: Minsan masarap din mabuhay sa kasabihang – just go with the flow. Magpaagos ka sa daloy ng buhay. Ang kaya mo, gawin mo. Pero ang hindi mo kayang unawain, hayaan mong panahon ang magturo sa iyo ng magandang aral at takbo. ■ Abangan sa susunod na isyu: Tanong No. 10 – Handa Ka Na Ba?
DAISUKE FUJI / FLICKR, CC BY 2.0
Iwasan mo ang mangutang o mag-iwan ng utang. And I mean, financial burdens, literally. Ang hirap kasi na magtrabaho sa abroad na ang lahat ng kinikita mo ay napupunta sa pagbabayad ng utang or pagpapadala ng suporta. Kung hindi maiiwasan ‘yan, keep everything at a manageable level.
Keep it short-term. Meaning, ‘yung matatanaw mo kailan matatapos ang bayaran. Two years lang ang kontrata mo or stay mo sa abroad, tapos 3 years to pay ang loan. Malabo ‘yan. Iwasan mo ang magsalita nang patapos. Two years lang ako, 2 kontrata lang ako, balik na ako. Ang temporary worker
Bolet is a marketing communications practitioner and dabbles in writing as a personal passion. She is author-publisher of the book: The Most Practical Immigrating and Job Hunting Survival Guide, proven simple steps to success without the fears and the doubts. book is available in Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, the Reading Room and other online bookshops worldwide.
More Indonesians join cases against Boeing after CEO apology BY NINIEK KARMINI The Associated Press
403 909 6993 W h i tef ield D r N E , Ca lg a r y
JAKARTA, INDONESIA — More families of victims of the Lion Air crash in Indonesia are suing Boeing Co. after its chief executive apologized and said a software update for the MAX 8 jet would prevent further disasters. Family members and lawyers said Monday that CEO Dennis Muilenburg’s comment last week related to an automated flight system was an admission that helps their cases. The anti-stall system is suspected as a cause of the Lion Air crash in October and an Ethiopian Airlines crash in March that also involved a MAX 8 jet. The two crashes killed a total of 346 people. www.canadianinquirer.net
Preliminary reports into both crashes found that faulty sensor readings erroneously triggered the anti-stall system that pushed the plane’s nose down. Pilots of each plane struggled in vain to regain control. Families of 11 Lion Air victims said at a news conference organized by Jakarta law firm Kailimang & Ponto that they are joining dozens of other Indonesian families in filing lawsuits against Boeing. “Boeing’s CEO explicitly apologized to 346 passenger families,” said Merdian Agustin, whose husband died in the crash. “We hope this is good momentum to have compensation rights.” Agustin, the mother of three children, said that she and dozens of other families have not received 1.2 billion rupiah
($85,000) compensation they are entitled to in Indonesia because they refused to sign a “release and discharge” document that extinguishes their right to sue Lion Air, Boeing or their subsidiaries. “We refused to sign such a document containing statements that are treating our loved ones like lost baggage,” Agustin said. “It’s ridiculous and hurts us.” Boeing acknowledged that the sensor malfunctioned and Muilenburg said last week that a new software update would prevent future incidents. “It’s our responsibility to eliminate this risk,” Muilenburg said in a video statement. “We own it, and we know how to do it.” Lawyer Michael Indrajana ❱❱ PAGE 35 More Indonesians
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Shake up at Homeland Security speeds beyond Nielsen’s exit BY COLLEEN LONG AND JILL COLVIN The Associated Press
EVAN EL-AMIN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Trump avoids ‘you’re hired’ with acting appointments BY EMILY SCHMALL The Associated Press WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump looks to reshape the executive branch, he’s avoiding the words “you’re hired.” Trump’s choice of Kevin McAleenan as acting replacement for Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen spotlights the president’s increasing reliance on a onceobscure federal statute that governs how to fill vacant federal posts. It also raises fresh questions about his reliance on temporary appointments for key security roles. The realitystar president, who once made staff churn into prime-time television, has overseen massive turnover in just two years in office. But he’s shown little concern for creating uncertainty about the leadership of some of the country’s most important agencies. Disordered departures have become the rule in the Trump administration, with aides and even Cabinet officials pushed out at a record pace, often with no clear replacement plan in place. And when he does have a plan, Trump has made a habit of taking the creative route, go-
ing around in-place deputies to select other officials he believes are more loyal or amenable to his agenda. Officials with “acting” titles abound in key roles, from the secretary of defence to the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and even the White House chief of staff. And when Linda McMahon’s resignation as Small Business Administrator takes effect later this week, that agency will be led by yet another acting official. Trump has announced his intention to nominate Jovita Carranza, the current treasurer of the United States, for the role. The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 gives a president wide berth to fill openings across the executive branch and he’s used it without restraint to re-jigger the succession plans of the Departments of Justice and Veterans Affairs. But in selecting McAleenan, Trump will have to go even further. The agency’s undersecretary of management, Claire Grady, is technically next in line for the job. She will need to resign — or more likely be fired — in order for McAleenan to assume the acting position under the act. Allowing individuals to fill ❱❱ PAGE 31 Trump avoids
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and White House allies pressing for a harder line on immigration sped up their campaign Monday to clean house at the Department of Homeland Security with a mission far wider than just the departure of Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. The dismantling of the government’s immigration leadership is being orchestrated by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, the impetus behind some of the administration’s most controversial policies, according to three people familiar with the matter. Beyond changing names and faces, Trump is considering separating migrant families at the border again, resuming the practice that drew so much fury and outrage last year, the same people said. The head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, L. Francis Cissna, and Homeland Security General Counsel John M. Mitnick are expected to be pushed out of their positions, the officials said. Nielsen submitted her resignation Sunday after meeting with Trump at the White House, and three days earlier the administration withdrew the nomination of Ron Vitiello to lead Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Other longtime civil servants in agency posts are also on the chopping block, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Leading senators from both parties deplored it all. “The purge of senior leadership at the Department of Homeland Security is unprecedented and a threat to our national security,” declared Democrat Dianne Feinstein. “President Trump is trying to remake DHS into his own personal anti-immigration agency.” Republican Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, criticized Congress for a crisis at the border but also said, “I am concerned with a growing leadership void within the department tasked with addressing www.canadianinquirer.net
some of the most significant problems facing the nation.” Adding to the turmoil at Homeland Security, the director of the Secret Service is being forced out of his job, but that departure is said to be unrelated to the immigration upheaval. For all the churn, the Trump shake-up won’t get around the immigration laws and court challenges that are thwarting him at every turn as he tries to contend with the increasing numbers of migrants at the border and his looming 2020 re-election campaign. Nielsen has dutifully carried out the administration’s orders, but often had to explain to Trump the legal limits of what he wanted to do. And he didn’t like it. She did months of diplomatic work with Central America and Mexico, and brokered an arrangement where asylum seekers were to wait in Mexico for their asylum cases to play out, an effort meant in part to discourage false claims. She moved to abandon long-standing regulations that dictate how long children are allowed to be held in immigration detention, and was working to find space to detain all families who cross the border . She limited what public benefits migrants can receive, and put regulations in place to circumvent immigration law and deny asylum to anyone caught crossing the border illegally. And she took ownership over the most divisive of all the decisions, the separation of families at the border. Nearly everything has been challenged or watered down by the courts. Just Monday, a judge blocked the administration from forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico, giving lawyers a few days before putting the block into effect. “DHS is really between a rock and hard place,” said Doris Meissner, the former commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and fellow at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. There are some options not yet exhausted by Trump, including giving judges more deference in asylum cases and allocating more resources to diminish backlogs, she said. But the White House has shown little interest-
ed in those ideas because they conflict with its assessment that those seeking refuge are trying to cheat the system. Nielsen finally had enough, and resigned Sunday in part because she hadn’t been informed about the sudden decision to withdraw Vitiello’s nomination, according to people familiar with her decision. She was also pushing back at an effort to house an “immigration” or “border czar” within Homeland Security, they said. She wanted the person to be based at the White House and help co-ordinate immigration policy between the Justice Department, Health and Human Services and DHS, which all have a piece of the complex puzzle. But the people said Miller was pushing to house the czar at DHS, in part over frustration with the rising number of migrants. There were more than 100,000 expected in March, border officials said, the highest tally in 12 years. Trump announced Sunday that U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan would take over for Nielsen at Homeland Security on an acting basis. McAleenan had impressed Trump’s inner circle, specifically Jared Kushner, with his extensive border knowledge. Trump spokesman Hogan Gidley expressed hope that McAleenan’s experience would lead to “massive changes” at the border. But McAleenan is not an ideologue or politician. He refers to migrants as “vulnerable families” who need more humanitarian treatment, not as beefy dudes with tattoos trying to game the system, as Trump suggests. He’s pushed for asylum changes to make screenings faster and cases decided more rapidly. McAleenan was criticized by Democrats who said he should have told them about the death of a child in U.S. custody in December, but he largely has escaped the ire over family separations even though it was his agency that separated the children. Gil Kerlikowske, who led Customs and Border Protection from 2014 to 2017, said il❱❱ PAGE 36 Shake up
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FRIDAY
Theresa May woos UK opponents and EU leaders over Brexit BY JILL LAWLESS AND RAF CASERT The Associated Press LONDON — Prime Minister Theresa May wooed domestic political opponents and European leaders Monday as she sought to break Britain’s Brexit impasse and secure a delay to the country’s departure from the European Union. May’s Conservative government and the main opposition Labour Party were clinging to hope of finding a compromise Brexit deal, two days before EU leaders decide whether to grant an extension to the U.K.’s departure from the bloc. If they refuse, Britain faces a sudden and chaotic departure on Friday, the Brexit deadline previously set by the EU. May has asked for a new delay until June 30, to give Britain’s divided politicians time to agree, approve and implement a withdrawal agreement. The bloc’s leaders are due to meet Wednesday in Brussels to consider the request. An extension requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU national leaders, some of whom are fed up with Brexit uncertainty and reluctant to prolong it further. French President Emmanuel Macron has been particularly resistant to the idea of further delaying Brexit, saying the EU can’t be held “hostage” to Britain’s political crisis. May’s office said the prime minister spoke to multiple European leaders by phone Monday and will dash Tuesday to Berlin and Paris for face-to-face talks with German Chancellor
Angela Merkel and Macron. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt urged European leaders to be co-operative, saying May “is totally and utterly determined to deliver Brexit.” “They want Brexit to be resolved as quickly as possible,” Hunt said of the other 27 EU leaders. “So do we.” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he was “open to extending the deadline.” “There will be different views, but I am confident that we will reach agreement,” he said after meeting chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Dublin. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, however, said May would have to convince EU leaders that Britain would continue “sincere co-operation” with the bloc if granted a delay. Some proBrexit British politicians have suggested the U.K. could try to disrupt EU policymaking if it remains a member much longer. Almost three years after Britons voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU, the country remains divided and the political process deadlocked. May and the EU agreed late last year on divorce terms, but the agreement has been rejected by Parliament three times. In desperation, May last week sought talks with the left-ofcentre Labour Party. Labour favours a softer Brexit than the government has proposed and seeks a close economic relationship with the bloc through a customs union — a trading area that sets common tariffs on imports while allowing free trade in goods moving between member states. So far, the cross-party talks have failed to yield a break-
through, but Labour politicians and government ministers were due to continue negotiations Tuesday. “The government doesn’t seem to be moving off its original red lines,” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said. “We are looking for movement.” The EU would welcome a move by Britain to keep close post-Brexit economic ties. Barnier said Monday that the bloc was willing to be “much more ambitious in our future relationship” and would agree to a customs union arrangement. The alternative of a no-deal Brexit threatens huge disruptions to trade and travel, with tariffs and customs checks causing gridlock at British ports and possible shortages of goods in the U.K. It would also be tough for Ireland, the only EU member state to share a land border with the U.K. Any customs checks or other obstacles along the currently invisible frontier would hammer the Irish economy, and could undermine Northern Ireland’s peace process. Barnier said the EU would remain “fully behind Ireland.” “If the U.K. were to leave the EU without a deal, we would not discuss anything with the U.K. until there is an agreement for Ireland and Northern Ireland,” he said. It was unclear whether the cross-party talks in London would succeed. May’s reach for compromise left her caught between angry Conservatives who accused her of throwing away Brexit, and Labour opponents mistrustful of her sudden change of heart. Suggestions she might back a
"This afternoon, I travelled from Berlin to Paris, where I met President Emmanuel Macron for talks on Brexit ahead of European Council." THERESA MAY / FACEBOOK
customs union infuriated proBrexit Conservatives, who say Britain must cut ties to the EU in order to forge an independent economic policy. Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a leading Brexiteer, said a customs union would “enslave” the U.K. He tweeted that it “cannot, must not and will not happen.” But others say May has little choice but to change her longheld Brexit positions, after lawmakers rejected her deal and also repeatedly ruled out leaving the bloc without an agreement. Late Monday, Parliament passed a fast-tracked law that compels the government to seek a delay to Brexit rather than leave without a deal. May has already committed to doing that, but many lawmakers don’t trust the government and passed the bill as an insurance policy. While the government still intends for Britain to leave the EU in the next few months, it
is also making plans to participate in European Parliament elections taking place across the bloc May 22-26. The government announced Monday it had taken the legal step required to start preparations and set a May 23 date for the poll. It said the measure “does not make these elections inevitable as leaving the EU before the date of election automatically removes our obligation to take part.” Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said both Conservatives and Labour should compromise to make Brexit happen. “There’s some urgency to it, but I do think it’s important for everyone to take their responsibilities seriously, whatever party they come from, and try and get to a point where we leave the EU, as people have said they wish to do, and to do it on the best possible terms,” he told the BBC. “I think that’s achievable.” ■
Facebook tweaks tools for remembering dead friends BY BARBARA ORTUTAY The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook says it will use artificial intelligence to help find profiles of people who have died so their friends and family members won’t get, for instance, painful reminders about their birth-
days. The social network said Tuesday that it is also adding a “tributes” section to accounts that have been memorialized, that is, designated as belonging to someone who has died. Friends and family members will be able to write posts and share photos in this section to remember their loved one.
Facebook is also tightening its rules around who can memorialize an account. Until now, anyone could do this by sending the company proof that someone had died, such an obituary. Now, it will have to be a friend or family member. The company made the changes in response to users’ experiences with seeing their www.canadianinquirer.net
loved ones’ profiles pop up on Facebook after they had died. Sometimes, the company said people might not be ready to memorialize a person’s profile immediately after their death — it can feel like a big step they are not ready to take. Facebook says it will use AI to prevent that profile from showing up in places it might cause distress,
such as in birthday reminders. Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, whose husband died unexpectedly in 2015, is one of those users. She said seeing tributes to her late husband on Facebook have helped her cope with her grief. “I want his memory to stay alive,” she said. “Remember specific and wonderful things.” ■
World News
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
21
Global warming is shrinking glaciers faster than thought BY SETH BORENSTEIN The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Earth’s glaciers are melting much faster than scientists thought. A new study shows they are losing 369 billion tons of snow and ice each year, more than half of that in North America. The most comprehensive measurement of glaciers worldwide found that thousands of inland masses of snow compressed into ice are shrinking 18 per cent faster than an international panel of scientists calculated in 2013. The world’s glaciers are shrinking five times faster now than they were in the 1960s. Their melt is accelerating due to global warming, and adding more water to already rising seas, the study found. “Over 30 years suddenly almost all regions started losing mass at the same time,” said lead author Michael Zemp, director of the World Glacier Monitoring Service at the Uni-
versity of Zurich. “That’s clearly climate change if you look at the global picture.” The glaciers shrinking fastest are in central Europe, the Caucasus region, western Canada, the U.S. Lower 48 states, New Zealand and near the tropics. Glaciers in these places on average are losing more than 1 per cent of their mass each year, according to a study in Monday’s journal Nature . “In these regions, at the current glacier loss rate, the glaciers will not survive the century,” Zemp said. Zemp’s team used ground and satellite measurements to look at 19,000 glaciers, far more than previous studies. They determined that southwestern Asia is the only region of 19 where glaciers are not shrinking, which Zemp said is due to local climate conditions. Since 1961, the world has lost 10.6 trillion tons of ice and snow (9.6 trillion metric tons), the study found. That’s enough to cover the lower 48 U.S. states in about 4 feet of ice.
Scientists have known for a long time that global warming caused by human activities like burning coal, gasoline and diesel for electricity and transportation is making Earth lose its ice. They have been especially concerned with the large ice sheets covering Greenland and Antarctica. This study, “is telling us there’s much more to the story,” said Mark Serreze, director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado, who wasn’t part of the study. “The influence of glaciers on sea level is bigger than we thought.” A number of factors are making sea levels rise. The biggest cause is that oceans are getting warmer, which makes water expand. The new figures show glacier melt is a bigger contributor than thought, responsible for about 25% to 30% of the yearly rise in oceans, Zemp said. Rising seas threaten coastal cities around the world and put more people at risk of flooding during storms.
Glaciers grow in winter and shrink in summer, but as the Earth has warmed, they are growing less and shrinking more. Zemp said warmer summer temperatures are the main reason glaciers are shrinking faster. While people think of glaciers as polar issues, shrinking mountain glaciers closer to the equator can cause serious problems for people who depend on them, said Twila Moon, a snow and ice data centre scientist who also wasn’t part of the study. She said people in the
Andes, for example, rely on the glaciers for drinking and irrigation water each summer. A separate study Monday in Environmental Research Letters confirmed faster melting and other changes in the Arctic. It found that in winter, the Arctic is warming 2.8 times faster than the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. Overall, the region is getting more humid, cloudier and wetter. “It’s on steroids, it’s hyperactive,” said lead author Jason Box, a scientist for the Danish Meteorological Institute. ■
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APRIL 12, 2019
FRIDAY
FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS
‘Find your center’: Kaye Peñaflor’s yogini experience BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer TRAPPED CARS in traffic honking, colleagues nagging, family feuds ensuing, a sea of people hustling, work and tasks unending – these are just a few of the things that reality offers that some have to go through everyday. In a world filled with noise, it is so easy to get carried by the ‘stress current.’ It is so easy to not just feel but get lost, and see yourself all over the place. One may find themselves seeking different ways to ignore all these to be able to cope from day to day. For some, it is easier to just ignore this world and plunge into your music; bring out your earphones, and ironically find that piece of quiet amidst that maxed out volume. But there are those people who chose to dig deeper in themselves for inner peace and embrace the ways of yoga. And for Kaye Peñaflor, a certified instructor, yoga is more than a practice and definitely more than an escape. Yoga has brought her many things and here is her story. Peace & Pace
To achieve peace, it can be said that setting and following your own pace is important. “In the end, we just want the calm. We no longer appreciate extravagance and grand. The noise of the world is sickening. Competition. Ranks. Status. In the end, we just crave for silence. Simplicity. Family. We just want to rest our hearts. It’s tiring pleasing the world.” This is how a viral post online spoke to many online users on a different level. And true enough, Kaye’s situation is very much the same. In early 2000s, her face was already a recognizable in television after being a segment host on flipTV – a lifestyle show for first generation Filipinos on OMNI TV and Sport Compact TV on Global TV. “In 2005, I decided to step away from the entertainment
industry because I did not like being objectified and it began to affect how I looked at myself.” As a personality seen on television, images are not only perceived but also imposed intentionally or unintentionally; which boxes the reality of the person. What Kaye went through is only one of the challenges of the people of the ‘industry.’ “I also knew that if I were to ever return to television, it would be of my own accord.” A year later, Kaye finally crosses paths with yoga. However, it was not really this yogini that stepped onto that yoga mat on her own interest. It was actually her friends who first set up a studio. She was just one of those friends who wish to support their business ventures. But the experience actually made her realize how yoga was going to be a favorite “me time.” “Yoga is more than the poses we see. The Eight Limbs of Yoga are a guide, or a path one may follow to connect to enlightenment.” According to Kaye, the principles of yoga helped her in various ways and not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. On the outside especially for beginners, yoga is simply like a practice that one turns to, to relieve stress, but she knows full well that there is definitely more into yoga. Kaye shared various principles, but made it clear that other than the poses, yoga has its own code of ethics, concept of self-discipline, internal awareness, meditation, and many more that she now lives by. Through Yoga, Kaye was able to reach a certain form of relationship and understanding with herself, created through yoga. “I am better equipped to experience life’s ups and downs with an equanimous mind. Through this practice, I understand what my body and what my mind needs to re-calibrate if I am feeling ‘off.’” Having this strong connection with herself, somehow Kaye still ‘goes back to the in-
dustry’ with her newfound core – as the host and producer of “Live Breathe Yoga.” “With ‘Live Breathe Yoga,’ I have creative control over how I am portrayed and the content being produced.” Now on its fourth season since its airing in 2015, her show is dedicated to inspiring the viewers practice and elevating the mind, body and soul. Her show features different segments that can touch the consciousness of its viewers, offer healthy variations for their palates, and of course the physical aspect. Roots & Fruits
Now that Kaye has ‘found her center’ all thanks to yoga, not only is she making a career out of something she is passionate about as the founder of kaye. yoga, a company committed to creating empowering programs for the community . But she is also using her knowledge to show to the whole of the world the Filipino in her. “One of my favorite ways that I have incorporated my heritage into my day to day is with a movement program that I created called Pineapple Flow (formerly known as Pineapple Flower Yoga).” It is normal for beginners to have stiff shoulders, back pains, and other forms of discomfort once they start practicing yoga, but Kaye found a way to ease this and even pinch in some Filipino-ness. “This program takes the skills and movements from Filipino folk dance to complement a dynamic yoga practice. My experience as a Principal Dancer with Folklorico Filipino Canada is what helped me find the correlation between the two.” The organization that Kaye mentioned is Canada’s second eldest folk dance troupe and apart from being a cultural ambassador, it allowed her to step her foot into different international stages of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, and Spain. “Additionally, I am a Principal Dancer with Hataw Performing Arts, a neo-Filipino folk dance company that burst onto the www.canadianinquirer.net
Kaye Peñaflor.
Toronto performing arts scene in 2015, who have made their mark on notable stages such as the Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Harbourfront Centre.” Of course, Kaye has also arrived at the Philippine lands before – also her home. “The first time I went to the Philippines was after winning a pageant when I was 18 years old. My dad joined me for this visit and I got the chance to meet all of my relatives that I had only known about through photos and phone calls.” Not only was this homecoming all about reunions, but this visit, according to Kaye is what gave her “independence of living” for four months – where she also entered the entertainment industry here. The yogini, however, had a confession to make. “It wasn’t until I started travelling after high school that I really started to appreciate living in Canada. Before a trip to the Philippines, I was told what to expect so I didn’t experience the culture shock people alerted me to.” She could not help but compare how the countries were. “When I returned home to Toronto, it became clear how fortunate we are to live in Canada and how we often take it for
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granted.” Twenty years after, Kaye comes back after being invited to share on health as an expression of art. Fringe Manila described her visit as the “seasoned FilipinoCanadian yoga practitioner” who “brought her dynamic Strength and Length Aerial Workshop to Fringe Manila” in 2018, where the participants were able to “explore their bodies and create a display of strength and beauty.” “During my six-week visit, I got to share my love for yoga, movement, and self-care with the arts community before exploring the islands with my Mom. I look forward to visiting again in the future.” Yoga is indeed a vital part of Kaye’s life, and to this, she shared an important message. “When you build a stronger, healthier relationship with yourself, you can encourage a ripple effect among your family, friends, and your community.” ■ Kaye and her co-host, Steph Ouellette will be at the Danyasa Eco Retreat Center in Costa Rica for a unique yoga retreat experience this December 2 to 7, where Aerial Yoga, SUP Yoga and Acro Yoga with Next Level OM will be explored. For more information, visit www.nextlevelom.com
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Entertainment New Marvel Celine Dion embarks on heroine Wave based world tour in September with numerous Canadian stops on Nadine Lustre BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer MORE THAN a month after Marvel revealed the name of their newest heroine, a Filipina named Wave, artists Mico Suayan and Rain Beredo unveil the comic book cover, revealing that the superhero’s physical features were based on Kapamilya actress Nadine Lustre. In a photo posted last Thursday, April 4 by book shop Comic Odyssey, Wave, is seen wearing black and neon green, carrying two swords, with the Philippine flag behind her. She has “morena” features like black hair and brown skin. On his personal social media, Mico shares “a little trivia” that the cartoon is based on the Ulan star. A limited edition of the cover will be available for preorder soon. Besides Marvel, the artist has previously produced comics for DC and Valiant as well. Wave will make her first appearance in “War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas #1 in May” which is reportedly set in the Asia Pacific with Chinese heroes Aero and Sword Master, Korean-Americans Silk and Amadeus Cho, and SHIELD
agent Jimmy Woo. Her alterego’s name is Pearl Pangan, being first introduced on social media by writer Greg Pak last February. Like actual Philippine hero Lapu-Lapu, Wave’s mission is to defend her land against those who want to conquer it and want to terrorize the Earth, like the villain in Thornamed Malekith. Looking forward, as numerous people are anticipating the possibility of Wave making the big screen as well, Filipino artist Leinil Yu who co-created the character believes Angel Locsin would be a good fit to portray the role along with Nadine and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. When it comes to local superheroes, the Philippine entertainment industry was shocked to hear that 21- year-old Liza Soberano will no longer reprise the role due to a finger injury. Being highly talked about to be a contender in fulfilling the iconic character, Nadine responds, “I’m really happy that they’re very supportive, but I know that the role is going to be given to someone who’s deserving and someone who can do it. I mean, it doesn’t have to be me. It just has to be someone who can give justice to the role.” ■
BY JIM BRONSKILL The Canadian Press TORONTO — Celine Dion is embarking on her first North American tour in more than a decade. The Quebecois superstar revealed plans to play more than 50 cities across Canada and the United States starting in Quebec City on Sept. 18 and 20. Dion will then head to Montreal for two shows on Sept. 26 and 27 before hitting Ottawa on Oct. 16 and Toronto on Dec. 9. The dates are part of a larger world tour that’ll coincide with the release of her new album “Courage” later this year. Dion made the announcement during a Facebook webcast from the Ace Hotel’s theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday. She performed some of her famous hits, including “My Heart Will Go On” and “I’m Alive,” and took questions from viewers on social media. The singer, who is to end her Las Vegas residency in June, suggested it was time for something new. “So many people came to see us, and now I think it’s time we go see them,” she told an audi-
CELINE DION / FACEBOOK
ence of her fans. Tickets for the first leg of the tour go on sale April 12. She is to return to Canada in 2020 with a second leg of dates next year in Vancouver (April 17), Edmonton (April 21), Saskatoon (April 25) and Winnipeg (April 27). Further shows outside North America weren’t part of the announcement. Dion told the audience she decided to name her album and tour “Courage” because it recognized the challenges life can hand people. In her case, she said it was the death of her
husband and longtime mentor Rene Angelil. “I went through a lot, and life had given me the tools … to find my inner strength, to find courage to keep going,” she said. “When I lost Renee, before he went to his other life, he wanted me back on stage. He wanted me to make sure I was still practicing my passion, and I wanted to prove to him that I’m fine, we’re fine, we’re going to be OK. I’ve got this.” “Courage” marks her first album of new material since her French-language effort “Encore un soir” in 2016. ■
Heart Evangelista to appear in int’l action film BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer
"A little trivia. I based my rendition of Wave to Nadine Lustre." MICO SUAYAN / FACEBOOK
ACTRESS HEART Evangelista is taking her acting skills to another level, revealing that she will appear in an upcoming international action film. Heart dropped this news in an interview with Cinema One www.canadianinquirer.net
as she finally shared the reason why she was in China earlier this year. “Medyo nagulat rin ako sa sarili ko (I was also surprised with myself ), but you know again, you only live once. Try new things from time to time,” she said. Although further details regarding her new project — like
the title and what is it all about — are still being kept under wraps, the actress did say that it would be released by the end of 2019. “Not sure kung dito (Philippines) siya ipapalabas (I’m not sure if it will be shown here in the Philippines),” she added. ❱❱ PAGE 38 Heart Evangelista
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Entertainment
APRIL 12, 2019
FRIDAY
Avengers help unveil $5M Liza Soberano is donation for seriously ill children no longer Darna BY ARMANDO FENEQUITO JR. The Associated Press ANAHEIM, CALIF. – Some of Marvel’s top Avengers have assembled to support a $5 million donation to benefit seriously ill children in hospitals around the globe. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd and Brie Larson helped unveil the donation of money and toys to benefit charities and children’s hospitals at Disney Resort in Anaheim, California, on Friday. After the announcement, several of the “Avengers: Endgame” stars visited kids from the local Boys & Girls Clubs to play at the LEGO store in downtown Disney, where toys with their characters’ likenesses were unveiled. Toys and products from the new Marvel superhero film will be sent to children’s hospitals throughout the country as well
BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer
The stars of Marvel Studios’ "Avengers: Endgame" assembled at Disney California Adventure today for Avengers #UniverseUnites! AVENGERS / FACEBOOK
as Give Kids the World, a nonprofit resort in central Florida. Disney donated $1 million to the Starlight Children’s Foundation, which brings entertainment and education to children facing life-threatening condi-
tions in several countries, including the United States and Great Britain. The LEGO group, Hasbro, Funko and Amazon collaborated to donate more than $4 million to children’s hospitals around the country. ■
Seph Ubalde opens up about battle with depression in final video before death BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer A VIDEO has been found of former TV5 news reporter Seph Ubalde days prior to his death, revealing his own battle with depression. Thirty-four-year-old Seph’s body was found lifeless in his hotel room at Shangri-La at The Fort last Monday, April 1; local authorities discovering the young reporter naked and submerged inside the bathtub. His last Instagram photo was posted days prior, with Seph seen enjoying a waterfall captioned “Freedom.” However, four days later, a video was scheduled to appear on his Facebook page “The Digital Nomad” at 11:11 am entitled “My Depression.” In the
33-minute video, Seph explains his battle with depression and anxiety, starting when he was in grade school after being beaten by his dad and bullied by his peers. In 2016, he admits he was diagnosed clinically depressed and had to endlessly meet with his psychiatrist for two months of sleepless nights. In the video, he explains, “Outside you can see that I am very-well composed and confident, but deep inside, when you’re all by yourself, when you’re all alone, that’s when the facade crumbles and that’s when you have to grapple with your monsters and demons. I am a master at pretending. Even the way I look doesn’t manifest what I am going through.” Seph tells his 9,000 social media followers, not to downplay depression as “an excuse,” also
discouraging injecting religion into the equation, admitting that his family pointed him to mass to solve his issues. He explains, “I encourage you to seek out help as I did. Treat it like any other illness that needs a doctor’s opinion or a doctor’s diagnosis. Do not self-medicate,” advocating for mental health awareness to further be improved in the country. He concludes, “For people who are depressed or undergoing any mental issue, fight. Fight even when it seems like everyday is a struggle and you are not winning anything. Fight not just for your family, not just for your friends. Fight for yourself. Just be kind to one another and be understanding of each other’s struggles.” In his last statement in the video, Seph bids farewell, saying, “See you on the other side.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
The 21-year-old is set for a third surgery in May. Teary-eyed, she explains the pressure of fulfilling the role to MONTHS AFTER Director its fullest potential, saying, “I Erik Matti announced his exit wanted to give my management from the upcoming Darna and my bosses the best Darna movie, Kapamilya actress Liza they can possibly have. It was Soberano follows her mentor really hard but I realized that and withdraws from the film maybe this is the best thing for as well, shocking fans with her me and also for them as well.” announcement last Thursday, Concluding, the star states, “I April 4. just want to say The actress, sorry to them who was cast as that I let them the lead in May down.” 2017 to take over In response to Angel Locsin It was really Liza’s announcehard but I and began filmment, both ABSrealized that ing in July 2018, CBN and Star maybe this reveals that a seCinema release is the best vere finger injua joint statement thing for ry was her cause headed by Corme and also of resignation. porate Commufor them as She tells the nications Kane well. press, “For the Errol Choa, saypast few weeks, ing that they we’ve decided “understand that maybe it’s Liza’s condibest if we don’t tion, respect her push through decision, and with [the film] because it might wish her well on her recovery.” just be a hindrance for me to be They also clarify, “Meanwhile, able to do the stunts properly,” the preparation for the ‘Darna’ adding, “I know that it’s just a movie continues as ABS-CBN finger, but it’s a hindrance for and Star Cinema remain fully me being unable to be confi- committed in telling the welldent in doing the scenes when I loved story of the Filipina suknow I have hesitation in doing perheroine and have started it because I have to take care of the selection process for the the finger,” referring to already new actress who will bring the undergoing two surgeries to iconic character to life on the improve the injury. big scene.” ■
If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.
@LIZASOBERANO / INSTAGRAM
Entertainment
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
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‘Queer Eye’ star France bridges divides on TV, in real life BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY – The Netflix show “Queer Eye “ caught on by doing something unusual: creating reality TV that touches on some of the country’s deepest divides with persistent optimism. Alongside sleek new haircuts and rehabbed wardrobes, the makeover program starring five gay men tackles the contrast between urban and rural, white and black, liberal and conservative. The show’s resident fashion expert, Tan France , switches between those worlds off-camera too. He’s an English immigrant who was raised Muslim and spends his off hours at home with his husband in decidedly red-state Utah. Living in Salt Lake City gives him a perspective that comes in handy for a show featuring a cross-section of America, he says. “When I go into the homes of these people, they’re my neighbours. I spend my days with them. I know who these people are, so it puts me in a very privileged position to say, ‘I get what you’re going through, and let me help you through it,”‘ he said in a recent interview at his renovated historic home on a quiet street. The house’s attic floor is given entirely to a walk-in closet and another closet for scented candles. It’s the kind of stylish wholesomeness the show channels effectively. A reboot of the 2003 series “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” the version that premiered last year takes the setup to new places. The makeover subjects, dubbed heroes on the show, have ranged from a President Trump-supporting NASCAR fan to two African-American sisters who own a barbecue joint. Between the home renovations and cooking lessons are plenty of poignant moments. France stars on the show along with food guru Antoni Porowski, hairstylist Jonathan Van Ness, culture expert Karamo Brown and home designer Bobby Berk. “It’s a very honest, earnest show,” France said. “I think many people worried that this wasn’t going to work. It was going to be a very emotional show, it was going to be a positive show, and up until that point those shows weren’t successful.” But “Queer Eye” quickly took off, has now released a third season and won best reality show at the GLAAD media awards. Rich Ferraro, a spokesman for the LGBTQ advocacy group, said the original show helped raise awareness by bringing five successful gay men into American living rooms across the country. The new version also includes some
subjects from the LGBTQ community, from a transgender man to a black lesbian disowned by her adoptive family. “I love how the ‘Queer Eye’ of today shows not only the evolution of the subject but of the people who live in the neighbourhoods and communities around the subject and how they come to terms with LGBTQ people,” Ferraro said. “I think ‘Queer Eye’ has become a moment of celebration during a pretty dark time for LGBTQ Americans.” Skylar Jay, a transgender man from Athens, Georgia, who uses his first and middle name publicly for safety reasons, said he’s gotten far more reaction than he expected after he appeared as a subject on the show. “Everyone watches this show!” he said. Most surprising has been the reaction of straight, cisgender men. While those kinds of encounters with strangers might have included name-calling or violence in the past, now many men want to shake his hand or say thanks for educating them about transgender issues. In one episode, Jay has a long conversation about transgender issues with France, who said he knew few transgender people and asked a number of questions. Jay said he still hears from people all over the world about that talk. “People who are trans, or have someone trans in their family or a trans friend, or who don’t even know anyone who’s trans at all but now they have at least somewhat of an understanding to be decent to trans people,” he said. “That is the most valuable gift they gave me.” France, meanwhile, has become a rare LGBTQ celebrity of south Asian descent. A native of the north of England whose family is Pakistani, he has lived in Salt Lake City on and off for more than a decade. It’s where he met his husband, Rob, an illustrator who grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wyoming. Though they don’t talk much about faith, France said their different upbringings nevertheless created a similar value system. France also loves the sweeping mountain vistas that surround the city, the burgeoning food scene and longtime friends. “If I lived in New York or L.A., I’m sure my life would have changed massively. That’s why I choose to live in Salt Lake,” he said. “I come home and escape from the extra life I have no desire to live.” He’d also like to correct some misperceptions: Salt Lake isn’t full of polygamists, and in fact the predominant faith renounced it more than a century ago. Though the church has sometimes been at odds with the larger LGBTQ community, France has many friends who belong to the faith and hasn’t faced dis-
Tan France.
KATHY HUTCHINS / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
crimination in Utah. He wasn’t in entertainment before, instead designing fashionable, modest clothing in Utah and building a partnership with a successful blogger who considered a reality TV show. That project didn’t pan out, but it got France noticed by casting directors and led to an offer to do “Queer Eye” – one that came days after he sold his businesses to start a family. Kids are on hold for now as he tours with the cast and prepares for the June release of his memoir, “Naturally Tan.” France, 35, says he knew his life was different the day that Jon Bon Jovi asked
for a selfie with him. He gets plenty of questions about his distinctive silver hair, which started going grey at age 17. “I will not dye it. I have no desire to dye it,” he said. Instead, he styles his naturally curly tresses into a tall blow-out. Like other members of the cast, he’s developed a matter-of-fact but kind manner over the years, one that helps keep the show from veering into mockery. “I don’t go in with judgment,” he said. “It’s never a case of, ‘We know what’s best and this isn’t the right life for you.’ We find what we think would be the best version of them and we create it.” ■
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Lifestyle Why it’s fun to annoy your sibling BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer I CAN’T be the only one who finds myself grinning while reading this title (though I’m the one who wrote it) and actually agrees to what it’s saying, right? Somehow, I get the idea that siblings were born to annoy each other. I remember my mom often telling me that back when I was still a baby (an age that I could not speak or even walk yet), my brother who was older by five years was caught in one of his KSP episodes a.k.a. kulangot sa pader (booger on the wall). Guess what my smart brother said? He just pointed fingers that I did the thing. I was still a baby then, but now that I think about it, that is annoyingly funny. I could not blame him though. As the youngest of two, I was often asked as a kid if I wanted a younger child to come after me. To my surprise in my growing years, they quoted me saying that I plan to poke the eye of my to-be-younger sibling if ever they existed. I guess siblings are just really made to get in each other’s nerves and under each other’s skins. After all, whether you are the eldest child, the middle, the youngest, or the other twin, nothing beats the satisfaction of seeing the face your sibling makes when their nose wrinkles, their eyebrows meet, or their lips tremble (out of annoyance or anger). In my case, I get a pretty big (my brother’s face is big) glare and a ‘friendly’ (or
loving) curse from his mouth, but nonetheless, the delight that this exudes is undeniable. But really, why is it fun to annoy your sibling? Just in time to celebrate National Siblings Day this April 10, Philippine Canadian Inquirer (PCI) presents some answers to the very question. Limitless limit
Unleashing the clown in you means not only tickling the ‘laugh boxes’ of people but also pushing the right buttons and avoiding the landmines. “It’s fun sometimes to annoy your siblings because you know him so much that you have an idea whether your jokes will be over the boundary or not,” says Jordan, 23, who claims to have a close relationship with his 28-year-old brother. Surely, being born from the same womb automatically forms the blood relationship, but true closeness is not always born from simply being siblings or physically being near for that matter. Splitting housework, watching movies, eating out, or simply bonding together is what draws these two’s good relationship. For Jordan, however, their closeness is also what gives him the license to make fun of his brother “a million times.” “You know which jokes to pull off just to make him annoyed, then laugh later or make him angry later,” he chips in, clearly enjoying the subject. The 23-year-old shares that one of his favorite jokes is ‘pressuring’ his brother when they are paying to the cashier and there is a lineup of people behind them. Counting 10, 9,
8, as his hands scramble in his pocket to get that wallet will definitely get that “Don’t” face of his brother while laughing. Funny or irritating, depending on which perspective we are speaking from, Jordan sees this teasing as something that breaks the tension between them. Louise, also 23, has the same sentiments. She says that the teasing and satisfaction are similar with that of friends, but “pinagkaiba lang kapag friends ’yung inaasar, ‘di mawawala for me ‘yung worry na baka I went too far. Kapag sa kapatid naman, wala ‘yung feeling na ‘yun (the difference is that when I tease my friends, for me, the feeling that I might have went too far does not disappear. But with my siblings, there is no such feeling.)” Sadistic sister
Which is better to sit back and relax… or sit back as you watch your sibling fail to give you a good comeback after you pull off a well-calculated and extremely annoyingly funny prank or joke? I’d, of course, say the latter, but looks like I’m not the only one; enter Anne, 22, who is the “household ate” of her younger brothers Anthony and Andrei. Being responsible as the eldest of the three is one of the aspects that makes up Anne’s life, and while this is a big duty for her in the family, this also grants her the perk of “having the upper hand on feeding” what she calls as the “older sibling ego.” Before the interview, she had doubts about being “qualified” to air out her answer, but read-
www.canadianinquirer.net
Bea and Jaca.
BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY / PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER
ing the topic of this article, she felt like the pieces just fit. Annoying her siblings is fun “because it’s fun to see them getting riled up and looking like they can’t say anything since I would tease them more.” Brand Anne a sadist, but wait ‘til you hear (or read) her “favorite” part, “They try to retaliate… but fail! Haha.” This may already be a feat for her (and other elder or eldest siblings around the world), but the real fun only starts when she starts to loop in her parents in their joke of the day. Good luck Anthony and Andrei! Louise, who is the ate of four relates as well. “It’s fun kasi nakakatawa makita ‘yung reaksyon nila kapag nabibwisit sila (because it is funny to see their reactions when they get annoyed)!” she shares. Words as swords
Competition is almost in every part of the world, and it exists in the household. But I am not talking about sibling rivalry though. “It’s fun [to annoy them] siguro kasi ginagawa din nila ‘yun,
ang saya lang kapag nakakaganti ka (because they also annoy you back, and it is really fun when you can take revenge),” says Tuten, the only guy and the youngest of four. While pagpasensyahan mo na si bunso (be kind to the youngest sibling) is perhaps a natural line from the heads of the family, Tuten may actually be the subject of the jokes and pranks of his older sisters, rather than the protected one. From eating his saved and hidden snacks, to rummaging through his phone, to influencing their parents to scold him all of a sudden, and to sharing to their barangay whatever fails or embarrassment he has done – Tuten has had a taste of the different tactics of his sisters just to annoy every bit of him. The most notable of all would probably be, “May time na natutulog ako, pinalo ako ng hanger without any reason, ganon lang talaga siya (One time, I was sleeping, then suddenly, she hits me with a hanger without any reason, she is just like that).” While Tuten says that he ❱❱ PAGE 36 Why it’s
Lifestyle
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
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For plenty of delicious fruit, be sure to prune fruit trees BY LEE REICH The Associated Press IF THERE’S one group of plants that cries out for regular and careful pruning, it’s fruit trees. Taste the sweetness of a perfectly ripe pear: That sweetness represents energy, and that energy comes from sunlight. With proper pruning, all the limbs of a fruit tree bask in sunshine. Pruning also helps these trees strike a balance between shoot growth and fruit production, so important in making sure they bear large, luscious fruits year after year. Those shoots are needed for energy-producing leaves and for places on which fruits hang. The young tree
The first years are important to a fruit tree’s future performance. These are the years to help your tree lay down a permanent framework of branches that can support loads of fruit and not shade each other. Centuries of fruit growing have spawned many different forms for trees, but three predominate: the central-leader, the open-centre, and the mod-
ified-central-leader. The central-leader tree is shaped much like a Christmas tree, with a single leader — the trunk — flanked by shorter and shorter side branches moving up the tree. The open-centre tree is vase-shaped, with three or four main limbs growing outward and upward. The modified-central-leader tree is a hybrid that starts as a central-leader then becomes open-centre. All these forms allow a tree to “harvest” enough sunlight. The ideal form for a particular tree depends not only on your whims, but also on the plant’s natural growth habit.
trunk with about 8 inches between branches. In the case of the open-centre tree, lop off the central stem just above the third branch. In the case of the centralleader and modified-centralleader trees, induce the main stem to keep making new branches by cutting off about a third of the previous season’s growth each year while the plant is dormant. The top bud grows to become an upright shoot, a continuation of the leader, and lower buds become side branches. Select new side branches that are well-spaced along the leader.
Get your tree in shape
The mature, bearing tree
Begin pruning any new tree by cutting back broken stems and dead or diseased wood to healthy tissue. If your new tree is but a single stem (called a “whip” by nurseries), shorten it by one-third to promote branching. If it is already branched (the “feathered tree” of nurseries), save well-placed stems and completely cut away all others. The ideal branching arrangement starts about 2 feet from the ground and continues in a spiral arrangement up the
Once a fruit tree is mature and beyond the training stage, then pruning it well means striking a balance between shoot growth and fruit production. How to achieve this balance depends on how — or really where — a particular tree bears its flowers and how big its fruits are. Especially with large fruits, such as apple and peach, individual fruits tend to be undersize and less sweet with too heavy a crop. Pruning also removes some potential fruits so
the plant can pump more energy into those that remain. Once a tree matures to start bearing fruit, each year prune some stems and remove others completely. Shorten stems where you want regrowth and increased branching. Completely remove stems where you do not want such regrowth, such as where stems are overcrowded. Complete removal is also the way to deal with those vigorous, upright shoots called watersprouts, which are not fruitful and tend to shade lower portions of the plant. The kind of tree you are pruning dictates the overall amount of pruning needed. The younger the stems on which fruits are borne, the more stems need to be shortened. At one extreme are peach and nectarine. They bear fruit only
on stems that grew the previous season, so need fairly severe annual pruning to stimulate an annual flush of vigorous, new shoots for the following year’s crop. Prune enough so that a bird could fly right through the branches. Apple and pear trees, at the other extreme, bear fruit on long-lived, very short, knobby branches, called spurs, so need little such annual stimulus. Eventually, though, even spurs need pruning for rejuvenation and elbow room. Most other fruit trees lie between the extremes of apples and peaches in bearing habit and severity of annual pruning needed. Again, completely remove some stems and shorten others to achieve a good balance of fruiting wood and stem growth. ■
If you’re not sleeping at work, you should be fired BY JAMIE GRUMAN Professor of Organizational Behaviour University of Guelph, The Canadian Press IN DAYS gone by, when our economy was dominated by agriculture and manufacturing, an employee’s value was gauged by their inputs. If they slacked off by not placing a bumper on a car fast enough they were unproductive, and if they slept on the job they were stealing time from their employers and could be fired. Today, however, we live in what is largely a knowledge economy in which an employee’s value is based on their outputs, not their inputs. This means their performance is often more about ultimate results and less about the hours clocked.
In the knowledge economy we want employees to be alert, not just active; engaged, not just present. We want them to be focused on producing the highest quality outputs possible. Sleeping on the job can make this happen. An epidemic of exhaustion
According to the National Safety Council in the United States, almost 70 per cent of employees are tired at work. This level of fatigue is estimated to cost US$410 billion annually in societal expenses. As I discuss in my latest book Boost: The science of recharging yourself in an age of unrelenting demands, healthy adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep a night, but many of us don’t get enough shut eye.
Thirty-five per cent of the population gets less than seven hours of sleep per night. Between 1985 and 2012 the percentage of adults in the U.S. who sleep less than six hours a night increased by over 30 per cent. And, compared to 60 years ago, today people get one and a half to two hours less sleep every night. The ensuing sleepiness results in potential dangers both on and off the job. For example, about one in 25 drivers report having fallen asleep at the wheel in the last 30 days! The problem is so bad that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers inadequate sleep to be a public health epidemic. Workplaces should provide nap spaces
Part of the explanation for www.canadianinquirer.net
this level of fatigue is that the boundary between work and home is blurring. Ninety-five per cent of Americans now own a cellphone and 77 per cent own a smartphone. As a result of the ubiquity of communication technologies, employees can now be contacted any time of the day or night, on or off the job. Research shows that 84 per cent of employees report having to be available after hours at least some of the time. This essentially puts employees “on call.” And guess what happens when people are on call? They don’t sleep as well. So not only do societal trends reveal an overall reduction in sleep duration, technological trends that blur the boundary between work and home are intensifying our inability to get
adequate sleep. This is tragic because work tires us out and sleep is one of the most important recovery mechanisms that exist. To combat the epidemic of sleepiness, we should allow the blurring of the line between work and home to go both ways. If employees are going to be required to be available after hours, they should also be allowed to sleep on the job. If employers are going to interfere with employees’ leisure time and their ability to recover from their daily job demands, organizations should then provide opportunities for the needed recovery to occur at work. Naps improve performance
There is a strong business ❱❱ PAGE 31 If you’re
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Lifestyle
APRIL 12, 2019
FRIDAY
Smoking pot vs. tobacco: What science says about lighting up BY JENNIFER PELTZ The Associated Press NEW YORK — As more states make it legal to smoke marijuana, some government officials, researchers and others worry what that might mean for one of the country’s biggest public health successes: curbing cigarette smoking. Though there are notable differences in health research findings on tobacco and marijuana, the juxtaposition strikes some as jarring after generations of Americans have gotten the message that smoking endangers their health. “We’re trying to stop people from smoking all kinds of things. Why do you want to legalize marijuana?” a New York City councilman, Republican Peter Koo, asked at a recent city hearing about the state’s potential legalization of so-called recreational pot use. Marijuana advocates say there’s no comparison between joints and tobacco cigarettes. A sweeping federal assessment of marijuana research found the lung-health risks of smoking weed appear “relatively small” and “far lower than those of smoking tobacco,” the top cause of preventable death in the U.S. Unlike for cigarettes, there’s evidence of certain health benefits from marijuana, such as easing chronic pain. And marijuana can be used without smoking it. Most states now have legal medical pot programs; 10 states and the District of Columbia have approved recreational use. “They’re different products, and they need to be treated differently,” says Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the pro-legalization Marijuana Policy Project. At the same time, studies have shown crossover between marijuana and tobacco use. And while smoking cannabis may be less dangerous than tobacco to lung health, pot doesn’t get an entirely clean slate. Some health officials and anti-smoking activists also worry about inserting legal marijuana into the growing world of vaping, given uncertainties about the smoking alternative’s longterm effects.
Here’s a look at the issues, science and perspectives: Smoking pot vs. tobacco
While cigarette smoking is the top risk factor for lung cancer, some of scientific evidence suggests there’s no link between marijuana smoking and lung cancer. That’s according to a 2017 federal report that rounded up nearly two decades of studies on marijuana, research that’s been limited by the federal government’s classification of marijuana as a controlled substance like heroin. While cigarette smoking is a major cause of heart disease, the report concluded it’s unclear whether marijuana use is associated with heart attacks or strokes. But there’s strong evidence linking long-term cannabis smoking to worse coughs and Washington medical professor has been pitched as a safer almore frequent bouts of chronic studying marijuana and tobac- ternative to smoking. bronchitis, according to the re- co use among teens. Experts have said vaping pot port from the National AcadThe National Academies is probably less harmful to the emies of Sciences, Engineering report found pot use likely in- lungs than smoking it, though and Medicine. creases the risk of dependence there’s little research on the The report also looked at on other substances, including health effects over time, and other effects, finding a mix of tobacco. they worry about its potency possible risks, upsides and unTo some public health offi- when vaped. knowns. For example, the re- cials, it makes sense to legalize The American Lung Associaport said marijuana can ease marijuana and put some guard- tion is concerned that vaping chemotherapy-related nausea rails around it. will ultimately prove damaging and adults’ chronic pain but “For tobacco, we know that to lung health and is alarmed also found evidence the drug it’s inherently dangerous and about a surge in underage eis linked to developing schizo- that there is no safe amount of cigarette use. And adding legal phrenia and getting in traffic tobacco to use,” says New York marijuana to the picture “only crashes. makes it a more In recent complicated isweeks, studsue,” says Erika ies have echoed Sward, an assisAnd while smoking cannabis may concerns about tant vice-presibe less dangerous than tobacco high-potency pot dent. to lung health, pot doesn’t get an and psychosis O t h e r s , entirely clean slate. though, think and documented policymakers a rise in marishould view vapjuana-related ing as a relatively emergency room visits after legalization in Colo- City Health Department drug safe way to use pot. “I would say the risks are gorado. policy analyst Rebecca Giglio. Tobacco and marijuana use Whereas with marijuana, “we ing to be less with that form of can also go together. Blunts — see this as an opportunity to ad- consumption,” says Rebecca marijuana in a cigar wrapper dress the harms of criminaliza- Haffajee, a University of Michithat includes tobacco leaves tion while also regulating can- gan health policy professor who co-wrote a 2017 piece calling — have gained popularity. And nabis.” studies have found more cigaBut health department opin- for recreational marijuana prorette smokers have used pot, ions vary, even within the same grams to allow only nonsmokand the other way around, com- state: New York’s Association of able forms of the drug. Meanwhile, some local govpared to nonsmokers. County Health Officials oppos“One substance reinforces es legalizing recreational weed. ernments have adjusted public smoking bans to cover both the use of the other, and vice vaping and pot. The Los Angeversa, which can escalate a path So what about vaping? Vaping — heating a solution les County Board of Supervito addiction,” says Dr. Sterling McPherson, a University of into a vapour and inhaling it — sors tweaked its prohibition www.canadianinquirer.net
just last month. Two views
As a former cigarette smoker, New Yorker Gary Smith is dismayed that his home state might OK smoking pot. He knows research hasn’t tied smoking marijuana to lung cancer, which killed three cigarette smokers in his family and struck him 20 years after he quit; he’s been treated. But he fears the respiratory risks of marijuana smoking aren’t fully known. “It’s crazy that the government, in order to raise (revenue from) taxes, they’re permitting people to suck this stuff into your lungs,” says Smith, 78, an accountant from Island Park. Hawaii physician and state Rep. Richard Creagan feels no less strongly about cigarettes. The ex-smoker and Democrat from Naalehu this year unsuccessfully proposed all but banning them by raising the legal age to 100. Meanwhile, he’d like Hawaii to legalize recreational marijuana, an idea that fizzled in the state Legislature this year. Creagan, 73, thinks pot benefits people’s well-being more than it risks their health, and he expects non-smoking alternatives will reduce the risks. Plus, he figures legal marijuana could replace cigarette tax revenue someday. “That coupling,” he says, “was sort of in my head.” ■
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Sports Like Mayweather, Pacquiao signs with MMA promotion RIZIN BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer WHILE RIVAL Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is enjoying the Philippine heat, world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao finds himself advocating for The Land of The Rising Sun signing with Japanese mixed martial arts promotion RIZIN. Rizin head Nobuyuki Sakakibara first announced that “he was in the Philippines” on Twitter, with photos of the Philippine Boxer signing a contract captioned, “RIZIN.15 will have this man involved in a way.
We will be ready to announce as I get back to Japan!” The event will happen on April 21 at the Yokohama Arena. Pacquiao isn’t the first renowned boxer to be involved in the Japanese mixed martial arts event, as his American rival Mayweather was also part of the exhibition match on New Year’s eve for Rizin 14, where he temporarily came out of retirement to score a knockout win during the first round against Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa. Sources say that Mayweather earned a total of $4.5 million for his two minutes inside the ring of that match. In response to the
height and weight difference between the two opponents, Pacquiao laughs, “Here is an early New Year’s resolution. To continue to only fight experienced opponents who are my size or bigger,” referring to Nasukawa’s 127 pounds and Mayweather’s 147 pounds. No specific details are out yet on Pacquiao’s leave from the Senate and return to boxing, but the current World Boxing Association (WBA) Welterweight World Champion did announce that he plans to fight this year, most likely in July, following his January 19 win against Adrien Broner in Las
PBA scribes pick Perkins ‘Player of the Week’
NOBU_SAKAKIBARA / TWITTER
Vegas. There are talks that his next opponents may be either Keith Thurman or Errol Spen-
BY VILLAMOR VISAYA, JR., Philippine News Agency
Jason Perkins.
Everyone invested a lot on this, the energy and time so finally getting this one is good,” Perkins said after the game. The reigning PBA Rookie of the Year finished the elimination round averaging 13.0 points, 7.91 rebounds and 1.18 assists per contest. And knowing their title bid is at stake, Perkins took it upon himself to lead at the front for Phoenix, which entered the
ce. He currently holds a 61-7-2 win-loss-draw record with 39 knockouts. ■
Ilagan City bags 3 golds in Singapore dancesport tilt
PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Phoenix sophomore forward Jason Perkins opened the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup with a noteworthy playoff effort on the way to capturing the Cignal-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week award. The left-handed big man out of La Salle showed his readiness for the playoffs after registering a new career-high 31 points on top of nine rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block to lead top-seed Phoenix to a one-sided 91-76 demolition of Alaska in their quarterfinal duel. The 6-foot-3-Perkins played bigger than his size, outplaying his taller Alaska defenders after going 11-of-15 from the floor in the opening round of the playoffs. He also went 8-of-9 from the foul line. The win pole-vaulted the Fuel Masters to the franchise’s first-ever semifinal stint. “We worked really hard for this. We get a lot of support from Phoenix (management).
RIZIN Head Nobuyuki Sakakibara and Manny Pacquiao.
PBA / WEBSITE
playoffs enjoying a twice-tobeat edge. Perkins beat Rain or Shine guards Ed Daquioag and Rey Nambatac, Barangay Ginebra big men Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter as well as San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo and Terrence Romeo for the weekly citation. Phoenix faces the winner of the TNT-San Miguel quarterfinal pairing in the semifinals. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
CITY OF ILAGAN, ISABELA – The City of Ilagan collected three gold medals at the 4th Brillante International Dancesport Championship held at the Orchard Hotel in Singapore over the weekend. City General Services Officer and designated sports coordinator Ricky Laggui said the city’s homegrown talents proved that they can excel in international competitions as the team also won five silvers and a bronze to finish fourth in the annual competition. “The continuing support, love and trust of the local officials to the children has been spurring motivation to bring more honors for the City of Ilagan in the regional, national and international competitions,” said Laggui, who accompanied the team in Singapore. The pair of Justin Aglugub
and Isa Jacinto bested their rivals in Standard Juvenile A while the pair of Ricky Nelson Laggui Jr. and Colline Pascua finished runner-up in the same event. Mickelson Deolazo and Abcey Taquiqui, on the other hand, bagged the gold in Latin Juvenile B event and later settled for first runner-up in Latin Juvenile A. In Junior Standard C and Pre-Amateur Standard C categories, Lance Mabitazan and Princess Dianne Valdez tabbed first runner-up while the pair of Nikko Gatdula and Rose Manabat took second runner-up. The DanceSport Academy (Melvin & Sharon) has organized the 4th Brillante International DanceSport Championship (Freedom to Dance), which featured top adjudicator-dancers from around the world and guest artists, Kirill Belorukov and Polina Teleshova from Russia. It started in 2006. ■
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Business PH inflation falls to 15-month low at 3.3% BY LESLIE GATPOLINTAN Philippine News Agency MANILA — The country’s inflation rate fell in March to its lowest level in 15 months as food prices eased, but the government is working to mitigate possible inflation risks from El Niño in the coming months. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Friday reported that inflation decelerated to 3.3 percent last month, extending a downtrend that began in November last year. Inflation rate was higher in February 2019 at 3.8 percent and in March 2018 at 4.3 percent. Last month’s figure brought the year-to-date inflation to 3.8 percent, well within the government’s 2 percent to 4 percent target range for the year. The PSA said annual rates decelerated in the indices of seven out of 11 commodities, including food and non-alcoholic beverages; alcoholic beverages and tobacco; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; health; communication; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services. Food inflation significantly slowed to 3.1 percent in March, as softer price adjustments in fish, rice, vegetables, and other food items were recorded.
Expectations of an increase in the rice supply following the enactment of the rice tariffication law led to lower retail prices of rice. National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) officer-in-charge, Adoracion Navarro, said the recent enactment of the Rice Tariffication Law, which liberalizes the importation of rice, now leads to the decline in the prices of rice in the domestic market. Nicholas Mapa, senior economist at ING Bank Manila, said the basket-heavy food index, the bane of inflation in 2018, has continued to help headline inflation stay within target with rice prices “now well-behaved” even before the Rice Tarrification Law kicks in. He said the national government has been pro-active in securing the all-important grain with the National Food Authority (NFA) boosting palay reserves by 6.045 percent. With food inflation held in check, Mapa noted overall price stability has been achieved despite the 33-percent year-todate (YTD) increase in global crude oil prices and the 23-percent YTD rise in diesel prices. Major contributors to last month’s inflation include food and non-alcoholic beverages which shared 40.6 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 23.4 percent; and restaurant and miscella-
neous goods and services, 14.5 percent. “With supply chains normalizing, the 2018 inflation pop has faded very quickly with inflation now firmly within target to help solidify expectations for within-target inflation for this year and next,” he added. Navarro further said that “despite the further easing of headline inflation in March 2019, the government will remain vigilant for risks, such as the El Niño phenomenon, higher rates of electricity and water, and the
volatility in global oil prices.” Navarro said a prolonged dry spell may affect the prices of food and utilities in the shortterm. To ensure there are enough interventions that mitigate the adverse effects of El Niño, the inter-agency El Niño Task Force (ENTF), led by NEDA, will be reactivated as recommended by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The ENTF will revisit the 2015 Roadmap for Addressing
the Impacts of El Niño (RAIN), which aims to cushion the impact of El Niño on food and energy security, health, and safety. It will be expanded to include water security among areas of concern. “We are hoping this (inflation downtrend) will continue,” PSA Assistant Secretary Josie Perez said in a press briefing. Perez said the possible inflationary effects of El Niño in the coming months will largely depend on the government’s program to control its impacts, particularly on the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, annual inflation in the National Capital Region decelerated further to 3.2 percent last March from 3.8 percent the previous month. A lower inflation in Areas Outside NCR (AONCR) at 3.4 percent was also registered during the month from 3.8 percent in February. All the regions in AONCR had slower annual growths in March 2019, except in the Cordillera region, which retained its previous month’s annual rate of 2.5 percent. The lowest inflation among the regions in AONCR during the month was recorded in Zamboanga Peninsula at 2 percent; while the highest annual rate remained in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) at 4.8 percent. ■
Fed puts forward proposals to modify bank regulations BY MARTIN CRUTSINGER The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve on Monday put forward two proposals to modify regulations put in place after the 2008 financial crisis that the banking industry complained were too restrictive. The proposed regulatory changes were approved on a 4-1 vote with Fed board member Lael Brainard opposing the
changes. She said they “would weaken important safeguards” put in place after the crisis. The measures will not go into effect until after a public comment period ends this summer and could be modified based on those comments. One proposal deals with liquidity, the amount of funds a bank must maintain that would be readily available in times of crisis. The other would loosen the frequency that some foreign and domestic banks would
be required to submit “living wills,” the documents that show how a failed bank would wind down operations. The proposed changes are being put forward to update regulations following congressional passage of a measure to loosen some of the requirements imposed by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act which had been passed in response to the financial crisis. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump had attacked the 2010 law, arguing www.canadianinquirer.net
that it was a disaster because it was depressing the number of loans banks could make and thus slowing economic growth. Randal Quarles, Trump’s choice for the job of Fed vice chairman for bank supervision, said that the proposals put out for public comment on Monday regarding foreign banks were in line with proposals the Fed put forward last fall dealing with domestic banks. “The proposals seek to increase the efficiency of the firms
without compromising the strong resiliency of the financial sector,” Quarles said Monday. But Brainard argued that the proposals would increase risks for the financial system and were not needed. “I see no change in the financial environment that would require us to weaken protections that are vital to a safe and sound financial system and ensure large banks — and not taxpayers — are on the hook” during a financial crisis, Brainard said. ■
Business
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
Trump avoids... ❰❰ 19
roles in an acting an acting capacity while his capacity allows the nomination to fill the role full White House to avoid time is pending before the SenSenate confirmation battles. ate. The Office of Management Trump has seen several high- and Budget is led by Russell profile nominations founder, Vought, while Mulvaney is at and others that have become the White House. distracting political fights. “White House jobs and ad“I like acting. It gives me ministration jobs are uber temmore flexibility. Do you un- porary because they’re very derstand that?” Trump said in difficult,” said Matt Schlapp, a January, facing questions about White House ally and chairman acting chief of staff Mick Mul- of the American Conservative vaney and acting Defence Sec- Union. That’s especially true for retary Patrick Shanahan. “I like those who work for a Republican acting. So we have a few that are and especially Trump, Schlapp acting. We have a great, great added, citing negative press and Cabinet.” heightened media scrutiny. But it also serves as a “run Additional “actings” fill posts around Conat the sub-Cabigress,” said the net level. Brookings InTrump last stitution’s Darweek suddenly rell West. “He’s The purge rescinded the of senior worried that he nomination of leadership at would not be acting Immigrathe Department tions and Cusable to get all of Homeland of these people toms EnforceSecurity is through the U.S. ment director unprecedented Senate, even Ron Vitiello to and a threat though Republilead the agency to our national cans still control p e r m a n e n t l y. security. the Senate.” And the Federal West added: Aviation Ad“It makes the ministration has administration been led by an look chaotic and acting adminisnot really in control of what it is trator, Daniel Elwell, since Jandoing, but Trump seems com- uary 2018. Trump didn’t nomifortable with that and he seems nate a permanent replacement willing to live with that reality.” until last month in the wake of White House officials ac- a pair of aviation disasters. knowledged that the roster of The Senate Judiciary Com“actings” was not ideal, saying mittee’s top Democrat, Sen. Trump’s haste to make per- Dianne Feinstein of California, sonnel changes, even without said at the Homeland Security establishing succession plans, Department alone at least 10 reflected his experience in the top positions are filled in an private sector. Some suggested acting capacity. it marked Trump’s wariness to “The purge of senior leadhire the wrong people. ership at the Department of But the president has strug- Homeland Security is unprecgled to attract top-tier talent edented and a threat to our nasince even before taking office, tional security,” she said. in part because he has mainOn Capitol Hill Trump’s use tained a loyalty test that has of acting officials has drawn kept away many qualified Re- scrutiny from within his own publicans who were critical of party as well, both over conhis candidacy during the presi- cerns that Trump was usurping dential campaign. their authority and that the inShanahan assumed the post stability could make the nation in December after Defence less safe. Secretary Jim Mattis resigned “I don’t know what his ratioover the president’s Syria with- nale is, but it’s bound to create drawal plans and Trump has more challenges,” said Texas not named a permanent re- Sen. John Cornyn, the number placement. Mulvaney has been two Republican in the chamber. acting in the role since January, “They’re not subject to Senafter the departure of chief of ate confirmation when they’re staff John Kelly. in acting, and I think we need At the Interior Department, some more certainty, more preDavid Bernhardt is serving in dictability would be good.” ■
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Crown Resorts talking about takeover offer from Vegas’ Wynn BY TREVOR MARSHALLSEA The Associated Press SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — Las Vegas casino giant Wynn Resorts is in talks to buy Australia’s largest casino operator, Crown Resorts. Crown, which owns casinos in Melbourne, Perth and London and will soon open another in Sydney, confirmed in a statement on Tuesday it was in confidential takeover discussions over a cash-and-scrip offer from Wynn. It said the offer had an implied value of $10.50 ($14.75 AUD) per share, to be paid 50% in cash and 50% in Wynn shares. The offer values Crown at around $7.83 billion ($10 billion AUD). Stressing there was “no certainty that these discussions will result in a transaction,” Crown said the proposal was subject to conditions including regulatory approvals. Crown’s value has fallen 20% since mid-2018, amid lowerthan-expected profits, attributed by company executives to a decrease in spending from wealthy Asian gamblers amid China’s declining economic growth rates and its ongoing trade tensions with the United States. But news of the talks sparked a 20.5% share price rise on the Australian Stock Exchange on Tuesday morning, to $10.07 ($14.14 AUD). In its statement, Crown said: “The proposal is subject to a
Crown Melbourne, large integrated resort that has Australia’s largest casino. CROWN RESORTS / WEBSITE
number of conditions including due diligence, Wynn obtaining all the necessary regulatory approvals and a recommendation by the Crown board. It is stated to be preliminary, confidential, non-binding and indicative. “The Crown board has not yet considered the most recent proposal from Wynn.” Wynn Resorts runs several casinos in the United States and Macau. Its founder, Steve Wynn, resigned as chairman and chief executive in February last year after claims of sexual misconduct, and has sold his stake in the company. Crown, too, has battled controversy in the past three years. In 2016, 19 of its staff members were arrested in China on charges of illegally promoting gambling. A court jailed 16 of the defendants, including three
Australian citizens, for nineto-10 months, with the remaining three released after around a month in detention. Soon afterward, Crown announced a momentous retreat from international expansion plans centred on Las Vegas and Macau, which led to a $263.51 million ($370 million AUD) deal to sell Wynn vacant land in Las Vegas on which Crown had planned to build a casino. And in March last year, Crown’s billionaire director James Packer resigned from the company’s board, citing mental health issues. Packer still owns 46.8% of the company. Crown said Goldman Sachs and UBS were acting as its financial advisers over the talks with Wynn, with law firm Ashurst acting as legal adviser. ■
I believe this trend represents the workplace of the future. The idea that employees should not be allowed to sleep on the job is an outdated taboo from a bygone era. It is a holdover from the days when an employee’s value depended solely on his or her manual inputs. In the modern economy, however, your value as an employee, manager or executive often rests on your ability to produce desirable outputs. Progressive organizations rec-
ognize that fatigued employees can’t perform at their best. In essence, a tired employee is stealing performance from their employer. In the modern economy, if you are tired and not sleeping on the job, you should be fired. ■
If you’re... ❰❰ 27
case for this. Naps as short as 10 to 30 minutes can increase alertness, reduce fatigue and improve performance. Not only that, but recent research suggest that napping may be as effective as drugs at reducing blood pressure, so organizations that implement napping policies may save on healthcare costs. Many companies, such as Ben & Jerry’s, Zappos and Nike, allow employees to nap at work. www.canadianinquirer.net
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site.
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Technology Facebook, Google face widening crackdown over online content BY DANICA KIRKA AND KELVIN CHAN The Associated Press LONDON — Tech giants like Facebook and Google came under increasing pressure in Europe on Monday when countries proposed stricter rules to force them to block extreme material such as terrorist propaganda and child porn. Britain called for a first-ofits-kind watchdog for social media that could fine executives and even ban companies. And a European Union parliamentary committee approved a bill giving internet companies an hour to remove terror-related material or face fines that could reach into the billions. “We are forcing these firms to clean up their act once and for all,” said British Home Secretary Sajid Javid, whose department collaborated on Britain’s proposal. Opponents warned the British and EU measures could stifle innovation and strengthen the dominance of technology giants because smaller companies won’t have the money to comply. That, in turn, could turn Google and Facebook into the web’s censors, they said. The push to make the big companies responsible for the torrent of material they carry has largely been driven by Europeans. But it picked up momentum after the March 15 mosque shootings in New Zealand that killed 50 people and were livestreamed for 17 minutes. Facebook said it removed
1.5 million videos of the attacks in the 24 hours afterward. The U.S., where government action is constrained by the First Amendment right to free speech and freedom of the press, has taken a more handsoff approach, though on Tuesday, a House committee will press Google and Facebook executives on whether they are doing enough to curb the spread of hate crimes and white nationalism. Australia last week made it a crime for social media platforms not to quickly remove “abhorrent violent material.” The offence would be punishable by three years in prison and a fine of 10.5 million Australian dollars ($7.5 million), or 10% of the platform’s annual revenue, whichever is larger. New Zealand’s Privacy Commissioner wants his country to so the same. The British plan would require social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter to protect people who use their sites from “harmful content.” The plan, which includes the creation of an independent regulator funded by a tax on internet companies, will be subject to public comment for three months before the government publishes draft legislation. “No one in the world has done this before, and it’s important that we get it right,” Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright told the BBC. Facebook’s head of public policy in Britain, Rebecca Stimson, said the goal of the new rules should be to protect soci-
ety while also supporting innovation and freedom of speech. “These are complex issues to get right, and we look forward to working with the government and Parliament to ensure new regulations are effective,” she said. Britain will consider imposing financial penalties similar to those under the EU’s online data privacy law, which permits fines of up to 4% of a company’s annual worldwide revenue, Wright said. In extreme cases, the government may also seek to fine individual company directors and prevent companies from operating in Britain. Under the EU legislation that cleared an initial hurdle in Brussels, any internet companies that fail to remove terrorist content within an hour of being notified by authorities would face similar 4% penalties. EU authorities came up with the idea last year after attacks highlighted the growing trend of online radicalization. The bill would apply to companies providing services to EU
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citizens, whether or not those businesses are based in the EU’s 28 member countries. It still needs further approval, including from the full European Parliament. It faces heavy opposition from digital rights organizations, tech industry groups and some lawmakers, who said the 60-minute deadline is impractical and would lead companies to go too far and remove even lawful material. “Instead, we call for a more pragmatic approach with removals happening ‘as soon as possible,’ to protect citizens’ rights and competitiveness,” said EDIMA, a European trade group for new media and internet companies. Opponents said the measure also places a bigger burden on smaller internet companies than on giants like Facebook and Google, which already have automated content filters. To help smaller web companies, the bill was modified to give them an extra 12 hours for their first offence, a measure oppo-
nents said didn’t go far enough. Mark Skilton, a professor at England’s Warwick Business School, urged regulators to pursue new methods such as artificial intelligence that could do a better job of tackling the problem. “Issuing large fines and hitting companies with bigger legal threats is taking a 20thcentury bullwhip approach to a problem that requires a nuanced solution,” he said. “It needs machine learning tools to manage the 21st-century problems of the internet.” Wright said Britain’s proposed social-media regulator would be expected to take freedom of speech into account while trying to prevent harm. “What we’re talking about here is user-generated content, what people put online, and companies that facilitate access to that kind of material,” he said. “So this is not about journalism. This is about an unregulated space that we need to control better to keep people safer.” ■
Technology
FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
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5G: More than just faster connection BY KRIS CRISMUNDO Philippine News Agency SHENZHEN, CHINA — Fifth generation or 5G mobile network has been a buzzword in the recent years. For an end-user standpoint, 5G will bring faster connection — faster speed to upload and download photos, videos, and other files, as well as reduced delay in sending online messages or making online phone and video calls. But with a stable Internet connection, 4G can also provide these fast services, and mobile users can live with this speed from 4G technology. So why is there a need for faster connection? Beyond mobile connection
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker, is now at the forefront of the 5G technology. In its headquarters in Shenzhen, Huawei exhibits the wide application of 5G — from smart cities, education, health care, banking and finance, energy, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, and government services among others. There is more than just a faster connection. 5G does not only concern with providing faster Internet connection to mobile users, but its application has impact on safety and security of communities, delivering efficient public services, access to education, and development of industries. According to Huawei, they started to invest in 5G research and development (R&D) a decade ago. Since 2009, the company poured in more than USD700 million for 5G R&D. “We invest in R&D because we believe that advanced technology is the only way that we can survive in this ferocious competitive market,” Huawei told the Philippine News Agency (PNA). It also partnered with 211 of the top 500 companies in the world to develop complete innovative solutions for industrial digitalization. Smart, safe, and secured cities
5G technologies play a crucial role in creating smart cities as it will effectively and efficiently roll out the Internet of Things
and finance, and government services. These will be more effective and efficient through the high-speed and low latency network provided by 5G. Leading the 5G technology
or IoT, a network of physical deIn Amsterdam, Huawei has Province received the surgery vices interconnected with each created a smart two-way radio, manipulated by a surgeon other so it can exchange data. which can send high-definition based in Beijing, which is 3,000 IoT can be best implemented images and live videos to the kilometer away from the south with 5G network with its high- command center. This innova- province of China. speed connection, massive tive solution can report urgent Given the quality of service capacity network, and low la- situations to the command provided by 5G, telemedicine tency. center in real-time and acceler- solutions can be rolled out efCCTVs, traffic surveillance ate emergency response with fectively in the future. This cameras, water level sensors, faster connection and reduced will allow patients and doctors street lights, parking lots, delay that can be provided by to have medical consultations through video conferences by and even garbage bins, can be 5G network. using tele-consultation devices turned into smart devices and and medical imaging devices. be connected to IoT. These 5G-enabled surgery Through the high-speed in- This can also enable mobile smart devices in a city can gather data and send information to ternet connection provided by first aid for emergency cases. 5G, remote surgery is now posa command center. Through 5G connection, sible and will be the future in Better access to education 5G can also improve inequalithese data are sent real-time, the field of medicine. Just last month, Huawei ties in education by providing while images are in high qualpowered two 5G-based surger- access to rural areas. ity. In the less developed areas in For instance, data from traf- ies in China. First is a hepatic operation, Sichuan Province, Huawei was fic surveillance cameras can determine traffic jams in the where the patient was in Shen- able to set up interactive video city. As the data is sent to the zhen People’s Hospital while classes. This was made possible with the strong command cenfrequency in 5G ter immediately, technology that authorities can can reach even to carry out neces5G, as one of the digital enabling far-flung areas. sary actions to technologies, will bring great social This has resolve traffic and economic benefits as well. helped teachjams quickly. ers spend their Data sharing time in preparwith the coming their lesmand center on sons rather than available parking slots in all parking spaces the surgeon was based in Ts- traveling far to get to a physical in the city will also help in inghua Chang Gung Hospital classroom. According to Huawei, virtual making driving more efficient, in Beijing. The patient and the as motorists can go directly surgeon were over 2,000-kilo- reality (VR) and augmented to parking spaces that can ac- meters away from each other. reality (AR) are possible techcommodate cars instead of go- The Beijing-based surgeon was nologies that will shape the ing around and finding parking able to give instructions, as 5G education sector in the future slots. This can be done by post- technology delivers high-defi- through 5G. Aside from these applicaing the available parking spaces nition images via live-streamtions, many technologies have in apps or electronic informa- ing with low latency. A deep brain simulation im- been developed and deployed to tion boards in the city. Huawei has done this intelligent park- plant was also done last March digitalize different sectors such ing system with Shenzhen Traf- through the help of 5G tech- as manufacturing, agriculture, nology. The patient in Hainan transportation, energy, banking fic Police. www.canadianinquirer.net
“Huawei 5G technology is 1.5 years ahead of the industry. Since year 2009, Huawei started the research on 5G. Huawei has invested more than USD700 million in research and innovation in 5G technology. Huawei have already got more than contracts and 40,000 sites,” the Chinese firm said. Huawei added that it also provided the most cost-efficient solutions for 5G technology. According to the firm, its carrier products and IT infrastructure that currently carry 4G network are compatible with and can host 5G chipset — the product needed to convert to 5G network. This means that telecommunication companies with Huawei carrier solutions do not need to shell out big investment for new infrastructure when adopting the 5G network. The Chinese firm said it will continue to prioritize investing in R&D for 5G as it plans to spend USD10 billion to USD20 billion annually on R&D in the next five years. It also builds a campus in Dongguan, Guangdong Province for its workforce in R&D, providing them European-inspired facilities and environment. Around 20,000 of Huawei’s R&D employees are working in Dongguan. The campus can accommodate up to 25,000 workers. 5G is on
“With the 5G more advanced technologies and increased spectrum efficiency, 5G will significantly reduce cost and significantly improve user experience. 5G, as one of the digital enabling technologies, will bring great social and economic benefits as well,” Huawei said. The telco equipment maker urged countries to deploy 5G network and harness the benefits of implementing faster connection. In 2018, Huawei breached the USD100-billion mark revenues for the first time, increasing by 19.5 percent driven by its consumer business division. ■
APRIL 12, 2019
34
CANADA
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HIRING FOR 8 TIM HORTON STORES IN VANCOUVER Food Service Supervisors, Bakers, and Food Counter Attendants Permanent/Full Time. 6 mos.to 2 yrs. experience Salary range $13.00 to $14.70 per hour + benefits Willing to work shifts; Spoken English knowledge Anyone who is authorized to work in Canada can apply. Send application w/complete work history and references to:
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Electronic Technicians Needed Experience in Low Voltage Electrical System installation and Servicing Computers with Networking Email resume to suda@alarmboss.com Call 416-432-1902
HIRING LUCKY SUPERMARKET 10628 King George Blvd, Surrey B.C is hiring all positions such as: store manager, grocery manager, produce manager, office administration, file maintenance clerk, head cashier, cook, BBQ chef, meat cutter, baker, bakery clerk, grocery clerk, frozen clerk, meat clerk, produce clerk, cashier, truck driver and kitchen helper. Please email resume to: hrsurrey@luckysupermarket.ca
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www.canadianinquirer.net
35
Travel Stargazing, sports, music at ‘Viva Europa’ 2019
28-story hotel planned for Salt Lake City convention centre
BY CHRISTINE CUDIS Philippine News Agency MANILA — The European Union (EU) delegation to the Philippines puts children in the spotlight this year as they included exciting activities like stargazing in their annual culture season, Viva Europa. In cooperation with the Manila Astronomical Society, the EU delegation will conduct a stargazing activity and a session on stars and constellations for interested youths and other sectors on the third week of May. This, as the EU delegation forms a partnership with Museo Pambata — along with the Embassies of Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, and the Philippine-Italian Association. “It will give disadvantaged children the opportunity to hear European stories and to participate in games and other fun cultural activities,” EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen said in a press briefing. The culture season “Goes Techno” as the overarching theme for the Europa Day on May 9 following the Copernicus Program Conference last March. The Copernicus Program is a cornerstone of EU efforts to monitor the Earth and its many ecosystems from integrated space and ground-based data. The European system uses satellites for monitoring the Earth and is able to provide high-resolution imagery on a daily basis,
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
generating precise information that can be utilized in multiple fields such as food security, deforestation, climate change, pollution, and natural disasters. The high-resolution data provided by Copernicus is also used by innovative businesses to develop satellite-enabled products and services. Along with Copernicus-related activities, Viva Europa 2019 will cover topics like children’s rights, environmental protection, and music. Additionally, the Schuman Cup will be held on May 4 in Ayala Alabang to help educate Filipino children from disadvantaged communities about football and how this is played in Europe. European diplomats will also test their skills in football as they will compete against Filipino professional players in friendly matches. The Schuman Cup is a one-day football festival that aims to foster stronger ties
between the European Union and the Philippines through sports and camaraderie. It reflects the peace and unity commemorated during the Schuman Cup, as well as promotes the fundamental values upheld by the EU — respect, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law. The signature events for this year is the “Euro-Pinoy Concert” which will be held at The Ruins in Poblacion, Makati on May 7 and “Musica FEUropa,” the annual nationwide choir competition at the Far Eastern University from May 25 to 26. For the Euro-Pinoy Concert, the performers will come from the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain and the Philippines. Czech composer Lukas Sommer, Spanish flamenco guitarist Alex Alcaraz, Filipino percussionist Jean Paul Zialcita, and Filipina-German DJ Marie Badkiss will join the show. ■
“The economic vision will be complemented by an elegant urban and architectural design SALT LAKE CITY — A 28-story that is compatible with the surglass skyscraper with rounded rounding buildings while sensiedges and a glass and textured tive to becoming a new urban aluminum exterior is planned marker and presence on the to hold a new convention cen- skyline,” John Portman and tre hotel in downtown Salt Lake Associates, one of the project’s City. developers, wrote in city docuPreliminary plans for the ments. $337 million project show City planners are reviewing the hotel will be built into the the developers’ application for southeast corner of the Salt the 335-foot (102-meter) tower. Lake Palace ConA site-design revention Center, view is required the Salt Lake on buildings Tribune reportplanned taller ed Sunday. Utah officials than 120 feet (37 were in talks T h e metres). with Dallas616,000-squareEconomicbased Omni f o o t development ofHotels & (57,000-squareficials have been Resorts, but meter) hotel will pushing to build a deal fell have about 725 a convention hothrough in guest rooms, and tel for more than 2015. its designs aims a decade, aimto complement ing for it to help the centre, acbring in more cording to the large convenplans under retions and events. view by city officials. Utah officials were in talks with The building is also planned Dallas-based Omni Hotels & to have a 25,852-square-foot Resorts, but a deal fell through (2,401-square-meter) ball- in 2015. room, several meeting rooms, a In the current deal, officials rooftop garden area, and a res- have promised up to $75 miltaurant and corner market. The lion in post-construction tax main entrance will be sand- rebates over 20 years to Portwiched between massive digital man and Ivins-based DDRM billboards, including a three- firms. story-tall screen on the side of The hotel is scheduled to the tower. open in spring 2022. ■
bility. “No amount of money can bring their loved ones back,” he said. “We want to fight for the orphans, so they have the opportunity to get a better future.” Boeing said last week that it will cut production of its troubled 737 Max airliner this
month, underscoring the growing financial risk it faces the longer that its bestselling plane remains grounded after the two crashes. The company said that starting in mid-April it will cut production of the plane to 42 from 52 per month so it can focus its attention on fixing the flight-
control software that has been implicated in the crashes. The move was not a complete surprise. Boeing had already suspended deliveries of the Max last month after regulators around the world grounded the jet. Boeing also announced it is creating a special board committee to review airplane de-
The European Union delegation to the Philippines launches Viva Europa 2019 in a press briefing in Makati City on Monday. Viva Europa is part of EU’s cultural diplomacy which aims at reinforcing mutual understanding and strengthening people-to-people links. CHRISTINE CUDIS / PNA
More Indonesians... ❰❰ 18
said that since the crash, families in Indonesia have faced a complicated and painful process against Boeing and Lion Air in their battle to get compensation. He said the Boeing CEO’s statement shows the airline is now acknowledging responsi-
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sign and development. The announcement to cut production comes after Boeing acknowledged that a second software issue has emerged that needs fixing on the Max — a discovery that explained why the aircraft maker had pushed back its ambitious schedule for getting the planes back in the air. ■
36
Travel
Shake up... ❰❰ 19
legal crossings can go up and down on a number of factors that are difficult to predict. He noted that stepped-up Mexican enforcement helped end a surge of Central American families coming to the U.S. in 2014. “I don’t envy anybody in that position because these are policies that are White House policies, not DHS,” said Kerlikowske, who promoted McAleenan to be his top deputy. “I couldn’t have been more disappointed” to see Vitiello’s nomination pulled, he said, describing Vitiello as “a 30year Border Patrol, deputy chief and you’re saying, ‘Well, you’re not really tough enough?’ I find that kind of amazing.” Trump has seemed to be grasping at anything to stem the tide of migrants. That includes reinstating family separations, a policy that previously prompted international outrage and could mean he would have to violate his own executive order and possibly run afoul of a federal judge overseeing reunifications. The government just said in court filings it would take up to two years to reunify all the
children already separated from their families. “The administration has been well beyond the bounds of the law for some time with respect to asylum and family separation. There’s no place for them to go that won’t continue to break the law,” said Lee Gelernt, the American Civil Liberties Union official who filed a lawsuit on behalf of a separated mother that led to the reunifications. Nielsen’s departure threw into sharp focus just how few full-time leaders are at the sprawling department of more than 240,000 people. There’s no confirmed secretary, no deputy secretary, no head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, no formal head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, no head of Customs and Border Protection once McAleenan moves over, and no head of the science and technology branch. In addition, the deputy undersecretary for management at the agency, Claire Grady, will have to be moved aside for Trump to install McAleenan as acting secretary. ■
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TIEZA, Bayad Center launch online travel tax payment BY JOYCE ANN L. ROCAMORA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Queuing for payment of travel taxes at the airport will be reduced soon as the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) partnered with CIS Bayad Center in launching a new Online Travel Tax Payment System (OTTPS). The payment scheme would allow passengers the option to pay their travel taxes over the counter or online instead of lining up at the airports and travel tax centers. “With the OTTPS, even in the comfort of your home you could pay your travel tax or visit any payment gateways or any partners of Bayad Center,” Joy Bulauitan, TIEZA assistant chief operating officer, said in an interview Wednesday. The official said the TIEZA and the Bayad Center, Inc. are currently working to further improve the online system. “This is just the first stage, right now we will cater to full payment of travel tax. Later on, we will also cater to other classification of travel tax payment like privilege-reduced travel tax,” she said. “We will continue to improve our system until our exemptions will be covered by the system,” she said, adding the upgrade is expected within 2019. Using the OTTPS, the travel
Hobart Gonzales, CIS Bayad Center chief financial officer; Francispito Quevedo, CID Bayad Center COO; Pocholo Paragas, TIEZA COO; and TIEZA Assistant COO Joy Bulauitan pose after the signing of partnership agreement on the implementation of the OTTPS. JOYCE ANN ROCAMORA / PNA
taxes, starting April 1, could be paid through Bayad Center Branches and Authorized Partners via https:// traveltax. tieza. gov. ph. Bulauitan said a PHP50 service fee would be charged by the Bayad Center. On Wednesday, TIEZA also launched its electronic Import Permit System (eIPS), which eases the submission process of investors and locators’ import permits even while their goods are in transit. “The iEPS is our way of encouraging prospective investors by shortening the pro-
cessing time for application of import permits and for investors to directly monitor the submission of the requirements in real time,” said Karen Mae Sarinas-Baydo, TIEZA Assistant COO for Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZ) Management Sector. Through the iEPS, TIEZA intends to align its automated workflows and procedures, such as having a positive list of import products based on the registered business activity of TIEZA TEZs and Registered Tourism Enterprises. ■
ger, depending on the person. Thinking of it this way, it could be that the laughter one can produce just by simply grinding the gears of your ‘wombmates’ can ease different negativities. But what am I saying? Maybe annoying your siblings is just fun because it simply is, period. In fact, if you type the legendary question “Why it’s fun to annoy your siblings” on Google, rather than getting answers, what you’d get are articles listing down the steps to actually do the thing. (This means you are not alone.) In the words of my 28-year-
old brother, Jaca, though, “It helps me fulfill my role as a brother if I annoy my sister, [it] gives her the attention that she needs.” I, of course, wholeheartedly disagree with the above statement, but I still have to tolerate his existence because he is still my brother no matter what happens. There may never be a concrete answer to the question. So we will probably just have to annoy each other until we’re both in our old ages, just to fulfill that role that we were born to do. At least he’ll get older faster. ■
Why it’s... ❰❰ 27
really got annoyed when that happened, he says that their encounters are still funny and that he still finds a way to get back to his sisters. In their household, despite the occasional strictness, their sibling war probably lightens the four corners of their home. Just for laughs
As cliché as it sounds, they do say that laughter is the best medicine, but perhaps this is not only health-related? In a way, laughter can cure loneliness, tension, and even anwww.canadianinquirer.net
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Food Creamy beans are the perfect foil to briny, chewy shrimp AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN NORTHERN ITALIANS combine their beloved white, or cannellini, beans with a seemingly infinite variety of ingredients. Shrimp and white beans may seem like an unusual combination, but it is utterly traditional. The dish consists of beans lightly cooked with shrimp, vegetables, and herbs until the flavours blend. The combination works to great effect; the sweetness of the mild, creamy beans is the perfect foil to the briny, chewy shrimp. Canned beans passed muster and are the heart of this dish, but the shrimp play the starring role. We looked for a cooking method that would boost the flavour of the shrimp and found that searing on the stovetop worked best. We seasoned the shrimp with sugar, salt, and pepper, then added them to a
smoking-hot skillet. Within a minute and a half, they were perfectly cooked, seared on the outside as if they’d been grilled and moist on the inside. We also briefly cooked red onion, red bell pepper, and garlic, which kept their flavours fresh and their texture appealingly crunchy. Tasters loved arugula in this dish as opposed to herbs like basil and rosemary. Its gentle peppery bite successfully married all of the other flavours. Although we prefer this dish warm, it may be eaten chilled as a salad or antipasto. The cooking time is for extra-large shrimp (about 21 to 25 per pound). If using smaller or larger shrimp, be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed. Shrimp with white beans
Servings: 4 Start to finish: 30 minutes
• 1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled
and deveined • Pinch sugar • Salt and pepper • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine • 1 small red onion, chopped fine • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes • 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed • 2 ounces (2 cups) baby arugula, chopped coarse • 2 tablespoons lemon juice Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with sugar, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add shrimp to skillet in single layer and cook, without stirring, until spotty brown and edges turn pink on first side, about 1 minute. Off heat, flip shrimp and let sit until opaque throughout, about 30 seconds. Transfer
shrimp to bowl and cover to keep warm. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add arugula and shrimp
along with any accumulated juices and gently toss until arugula is wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 421 calories; 177 calories from fat; 20 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 143 mg cholesterol; 860 mg sodium; 35 g carbohydrate; 10 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 26 g protein.
Bell peppers and onions help boost white fish’s taste AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN A BRIEF stovetop braise is the perfect way to cook delicate white fish like cod, since it keeps the fish moist and silky while creating a sauce at the same time. To give the mild fillets a boost of flavour, we paired them with a Spanish-style peperonata, a combination of cooked bell peppers and onions, to which we added tomatoes, wine, paprika, and fresh thyme for depth of flavour. We then simply nestled the cod right into the pepper mixture and covered the Dutch oven. The sauce infused the fish fillets as they braised and protected them from the heat so they stayed tender. Haddock
and paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, wine, and thyme and bring to simmer. Season cod with salt and pepper. Nestle cod, skinned side down, into pot and spoon some of sauce over fish. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until fish flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 140 F, about 10 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with basil and vinegar, and drizzle with extra oil before serving. ■
and hake are good substitutes for the cod. Braised cod peperonata
Servings: 4 Start to finish: 1 hour
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving • 1 onion, halved and sliced thin • 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin • Salt and pepper • 4 garlic cloves, minced • 2 teaspoons paprika • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained • 1/2 cup dry white wine • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried • 4 (6- to 8 ounce) skinless cod fillets, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• Sherry or balsamic vinegar Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmerwww.canadianinquirer.net
ing. Add onion, bell peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic
Nutrition information per serving: 346 calories; 81 calories from fat; 9 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 99 mg cholesterol; 507 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 43 g protein.
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Honey is the glue that keeps these granola bars together AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN GREAT GRANOLA bars put the flavour of the oats at the forefront while supporting players back them up with a mellow sweetness. We found that toasting the oats with a little oil and salt before mixing them with the other ingredients really deepened their flavour. Honey provided plenty of stickiness to hold the bars together. We kept the other flavours simple: a little brown sugar for extra sweetness, aromatic vanilla and cinnamon, and chopped nuts for additional crunch. After multiple attempts at baking the bars resulted in a crumbly mess, we realized the key to making granola bars that held their shape was to spread the mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet and then firmly press on it with a greased metal spatula. Do not substitute quick or instant oats in this recipe. Don’t use a baking sheet smaller than 18-by-13-inches or the bars will be too thick and won’t bake evenly. Be sure to let the granola bars cool for 15 minutes before cutting. If any of the bars should fall apart during cutting, just press them back together; as they cool they will firm up and stick together. Crunchy granola bars
Servings: 36 Start to finish: 1 hour, 30 minutes • 7 cups (21 ounces) old-fash-
ioned rolled oats • 1/2 cup vegetable oil • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 3/4 cup honey • 3/4 cup packed (5 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional) • 1 1/2 cups almonds, pecans, peanuts, or walnuts, chopped coarse Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 F. Toss oats, oil, and salt together in medium bowl. Spread mixture over rimmed baking sheet and toast, stirring often, until pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, line 18-by-13inch rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease foil. Cook honey and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in vanilla and
cinnamon, if using. Transfer toasted oat mixture to large bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 300 F. Add honey mixture and almonds to oat mixture and toss until well combined. Transfer mixture to prepared sheet and press firmly into even layer with greased metal spatula. Bake bars until golden, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let bars cool completely in sheet on wire rack for 15 minutes, then cut into 36 pieces. Let cool completely, then remove individual bars from sheet with spatula. Serve. (Bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.) ■ Nutrition information per serving: 161 calories; 64 calories from fat; 7 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 34 mg sodium; 22 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 3 g protein.
Heart Evangelista... ❰❰ 23
On January 7, Heart posted on Instagram a photo of her window view while she was onboard a plane on her way to China along with the caption, “As I looked out my window today, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Here I am about to embark on an adventure like no other and I couldn’t be more excited.”
This post made noise on social media as some netizens started to speculate that her trip had something to do with the much-awaited sequel of the hit movie “Crazy Rich Asians.” Heart, however, denied such rumors, tweeting, “For those of you asking, I am not in China to film for crazy rich. I am here for something else — can’t wait to
share.” It was in July 2018 when the Kapuso actress confirmed to GMA reporters that she auditioned for “Crazy Rich Asians.” She shared that Kevin Kwan, the author of the “Crazy Rich Asians” novel, told her she “almost” got included in the film, but Heart did not elaborate why she was not able to make the cut. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
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Scheer urges... ❰❰ 14
to Trudeau testifying “for hours” under oath in open court. That said, Scheer made it clear he believes Trudeau is bluffing. He called the threatened lawsuit “a bullying attempt” to prevent the official Opposition from doing its constitutional duty to hold the government to account and a continuation of Trudeau’s attempts to “silence those who stand up to Justin Trudeau and who seek the truth” — just as he tried to silence former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould, Scheer said. In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said Scheer and his party “have repeatedly made false and defamatory statements. We put him on notice that there are consequences for making completely false and libellous statements.” Wilson-Raybould maintains she was inappropriately pressured last fall by the Prime Minister’s Office to stop criminal proceedings against SNCLavalin on bribery charges related to contracts in Libya. She believes she was moved to Veterans Affairs in a mid-January cabinet shuffle as punishment for refusing to override the director of public prosecutions, who had decided not to negotiate a remediation agreement, a type of plea bargain, with the company. She resigned from cabinet a month later. Last week, Trudeau expelled both Wilson-Raybould and fellow former cabinet minister Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus. Philpott had resigned from cabinet in early March, citing a loss of confidence in the government’s handling of the SNC-Lavalin case. At issue in the threatened libel suit is a statement Scheer issued on March 29 in which he said documentation provided by Wilson-Raybould to the House of Commons justice committee — including a surreptitiously recorded phone conversation with the clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick — is “concrete evidence that proves Justin Trudeau led a campaign to politically interfere with SNC-Lavalin’s criminal prosecution.” Porter called the statement “highly defamatory.” “The prime minister supports wide-ranging and vigorous political debate on mat-
ters of public policy,” he said in his letter to Scheer. “However, your statement, in its entirety, is beyond the pale of fair debate and is libellous of my client personally and in the way of his occupation as prime minister.” Porter said it’s “entirely false” to say Trudeau interfered in the SNC prosecution, which has not been halted, or that he personally directed Wilson-Raybould to “break the law” and “fired” her when she refused. It’s also entirely false to suggest Trudeau was aware of Wilson-Raybould’s concern that he was politically interfering in the SNC case but lied to Canadians about it, Porter said. Scheer’s statement that the affair amounts to “corruption on top of corruption on top of corruption” was meant to suggest that Trudeau ”had engaged in dishonest and corrupt conduct that would contravene the Criminal Code,” a crime deserving of up to 14 years in prison, Porter said. That too was “entirely false.” Undeterred, Scheer repeated that phrase twice during his news conference Sunday. While Conservatives have embraced every other aspect of Wilson-Raybould’s testimony as the absolute truth, they have not accepted her conclusion that nothing illegal occurred. “That was her opinion on that,” said Scheer, noting that he’s asked the RCMP to investigate whether any laws were broken. He said he’s not heard anything from the RCMP other than an acknowledgment of his Feb. 28 request for an investigation. Scheer’s lawyer, Peter Downard, wrote back to Porter on Sunday, saying that Scheer “will not be intimidated.” If Trudeau is serious about suing, Downard said he must immediately take steps to preserve all relevant documents and to notify all members of his government, past and present, who’ve been involved in the SNC-Lavalin matter that they can expect to be called to testify. If Trudeau does not proceed with the threatened lawsuit, Downard said Scheer will conclude that Trudeau ”has properly acknowledged that Mr. Scheer’s statements were appropriate and grounded in evidence before the Canadian people.” ■
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FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2019
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