Philippine Canadian Inquirer #367

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APRIL 19, 2019

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VOL. 4 NO. 367

Notre-Dame de Paris on fire on April 15, 2019; view from across the river to the east. Story on page 20.

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PRRD eyes ‘immediate ceasefire’ with Reds but on certain conditions PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday said he is eyeing for an immediate ceasefire with the New People’s Army (NPA) but insisted on

certain conditions.

“Kayong mga NPA, kung gusto talaga ninyo nang usapang matino, immediate ceasefire. Walang magdala ng armas sa kampo ninyo o sa labas. Walang taxation

Fought to unite Alberta conservatives: Jason Kenney voted Alberta’s new premier

26 Fil-Can in Focus: Issabelle Frial and her discovery of true passion

❱❱ PAGE 12 PRRD eyes

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Philippine News

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APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

Japan turns over vans, communication equipment to DSWD

BY MA. TERESA MONTEMAYOR Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Japanese government on Tuesday turned over vans and communication equipment to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to “address the logistical limitation of the agency in delivering relief goods to disaster-affected population.”

“This is part of the negotiation between the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and government of Japan way back 2015. They have just delivered seven wing vans but the other six units will be coming on the second half of May. Apart from the vans, there are communication equipment and the UHF radio systems,” DSWD Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group Felicisimo Budiongan told reporters on the sidelines of the Japan Non-Project Grant Aid Turn Over ceremony in Pasay City.

On Mar. 26, 2015, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) strengthening friendly and cooperative relations between Philippines and Japan was signed.

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The MOA included the grant and its other beneficiaries which are the Philippine National Police, Department of Education and Department of Public Works and Highways.

Its coverage includes 13 wing vans, 20 UHF land-based emergency radios, a set of repeater UHF and a set of transceiver HF. “Napakalaking tulong po nito sa ating community lalo na sa ating response team. Naghahatid po tayo ng relief goods sa mga (This is a great help to the community especially to the response team.

We deliver relief goods to) IDPs (internally displaced persons) sa evacuation centers and this will help us a lot in terms of mobility and lift capability in the field offices on the ground,” Budiongan said.

He added the vans will also be used to deliver relief goods to farmers who have been affected by El Niño or prolonged dry spell in certain areas of the country.

Meanwhile, Atsushi Kuwabara, minister of the Japanese embassy in the Philippines, said their government understands the importance of having the correct equipment or tools in responding to victims of calamities in a timely

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Embassy of Japan in the Philippines Consul General and Minister Atsushi Kuwabara (right) hands over the symbolic key to Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista during the ceremonial turnover of Japan Non-Project Grant Aid, at the DSWDNational Resource Operation Center in Pasay City RICO H. BORJA / PNA

manner.

“In times of disaster, it is important to respond quickly, we know from our experience because Japan also is a disaster-prone country. So we hope these trucks and communication tools can help in providing quick response,” he said, noting Japan’s good ties with the Philippines.

“Last year, more than 500,000 Filipinos visited Japan and nearly 630,000 Japanese visit the Philippines. And we have projects to address like climate

changes and disaster risk management and we can help each other,” he added.

Budiongan, meanwhile, said the country has also received donations from other countries apart from Japan.

“Just recently, the Chinese government provided help for the victims of Jolo, Sulu bombings and the rest, there were also donations from the Hungarian government. In one or two months from now, there will also be donation from World Vision for victims of Marawi happening,” he said. ■

PRRD cites right to dissent as ‘essence of democracy’

BY EJ ROQUE Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday cited the importance of dissent as the essence of democracy. “‘Pag walang right to dissent, hindi ka maka-dissent (If there is no right to dissent, people cannot dissent), there is no democracy. That’s the only one there.

The right to dissent. Remove that and you do not have a democracy,” Duterte said in his speech at the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) campaign rally in Bacolod City.

Duterte called on government and state forces, especially the police, to never intimidate dissenters.

“Never intimidate (them) because the essence of democracy is the right to dissent,” he said.

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The President said he respects the people’s freedom to choose whoever candidates they want in elections.

“Hindi ako ‘yang magalit sa ano (I will not get mad). Free choice. ’Yan lang rin ang hingiin ko sa inyo, hayaan ninyo ang tao kung sinong gusto niya (That’s the only thing I ask. Let the people decide which candidates they like),” he said.

Duterte said he never entered police stations months before elections during his stint as Davao City mayor.

“Months before (the elections), hindi na ako pumapasok ng kampo (I do not enter police camps). Just to be fair,” he said.

Duterte earlier warned the 2019 midterm polls candidates, both from the administration and opposition parties, not to terrorize voters.

The President has also repeatedly ordered the police and the military to remain neutral during the conduct of the polls. ■

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Philippine News

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

Manila Water COO quits VANCOUVER TO MANILA s

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer THE CHIEF operating officer of Manila Water Company, Inc., Geodino Carpio, has left his post.

Dittie Galang, the firm’s communications planning and tactical development manager, confirmed this in an interview with Dobol B sa News TV on Tuesday, April 16.

“Nagpadala na po kami ng liham sa Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) na tinanggap na nga po ‘yung pagbibitiw ng aming chief operating officer na si Mr. Geodino Carpio po, effective po today (We already sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission that the resignation of our chief operating officer, Mr. Geodino Carpio, has been accepted and is effective today),” she said.

She, however, did not disclose the reason why the latter is stepping down.

“Ang natanggap lang po naming notice ay tinanggap na po ng aming Board of Directors ang kaniyang pagbibitiw. Pero siya po ay magtatrabaho pa hanggang sa katapusan ng buwan (What we have received was just a notice that our Board of Directors accepted his resignation.

But he will still work until the end of the month),” Galang said.

The company, she continued, has assigned Abelardo Basilio as an acting COO of the water concessionaire.

Basilio has been with the firm for 22 years and was the director of the technical services group, group director of East Zone business operations, and officerin-charge of corporate regulatory affairs office.

Before joining Manila Water in 1997, Basilio was a young cadet in Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems (MWSS) in 1984 where he gained experience in utility operations including hydraulic engineering, water treatment, distribution, and network management, according to the company’s website.

Carpio’s resignation came following the water crisis on certain areas in Metro Manila and Rizal province.

Due to this, President Rodrigo Duterte earlier threatened to fire officials of the MWSS and terminate concession contracts of Manila Water and Maynilad if they failed to properly address the water shortage.

Manila Water President Ferdinand dela Cruz had assured they were “taking seriously” Duterte’s “very loud and clear” instructions to them to fix the problem, and made sure that it won’t happen again. ■

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Sandiganbayan junks Purisma bid to quash evidence in perjury raps

BY JOSE CIELITO REGANIT Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has denied the motion of former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima to quash evidence presented against him in eight perjury cases.

The perjury cases against Purisima stemmed from his alleged failure to disclose various possessions in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) filed from 2006 to 2009, and from 2011 to 2014.

In a three-page resolution handed down last April 8, the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division stated that Purisima’s motion for leave to file demurrer to evidence and to admit attached demurrer to evidence was denied for lack of merit.

In the resolution penned by Associate Justice Lorifel Pahimna, the court noted that in Purisima’s motion, the former PNP chief “merely alleged that the prosecution’s documentary and testimonial pieces of evidence are insufficient to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”

It cited Section 23, Rule 119 of the Rules on Criminal Procedure which provides: “The motion for leave of court to file demurrer to evidence shall specifically state its grounds and shall be filed within a non-extendible period of five (5) days after the prosecution rests its case. The prosecution may oppose the motion within a non-extendible period of five (5) days from its receipt.”

“If leave of court is granted, the accused shall file the demurrer to evidence

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within a non-extendible period of ten (10) days from notice. The prosecution may oppose the demurrer to evidence within a similar period from its receipt,” it stated.

The Sandiganbayan said Purisima fell short of his compliance with the specificity requirement.

It further stressed that the court cannot be compelled to go beyond Purisima’s motion and examine in detail the discussion and the arguments of the accused in the demurrer to evidence since leave of court has not yet been granted for the resolution of the case.

“Technicality aside, the Motion must still be denied, as the testimonial and documentary evidence presented by the prosecution, unless successfully rebutted by the accused, appear to be prima facie sufficient to support a finding of guilt beyond reasonable doubt,” the resolution added.

As for the attached demurrer to evidence, the Sandiganbayan said the document “is merely noted” without further action from the Court, unless Purisima, within five days from receipt of the resolution, manifests in writing that he shall pursue his Demurrer to Evidence even without leave of Court.

Section 23, Rule 119 of the Rules on Criminal procedure states that: “When the demurrer to evidence is filed without leave of court, the accused waives the right to present evidence and submits the case for judgment on the basis of the evidence for the prosecution.” ■

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FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

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Philippine News

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

First 3 days of overseas absentee voting smooth-running

BY FERDINAND PATINIO Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said the three days since overseas voting for the May elections started have been smooth sailing with only minimal problems encountered.

“The first few days have been relatively smooth. No major problems encountered where the voting proceeded,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in an interview.

“Meron tayo mga lugar kung saan nagkaroon problems (where there have been problems) but these have been addressed and dealt with rather speedily in most cases. We’ve also had a problem in the Middle East, specifically kung saan nagkaroon ng problema (where there has been a problem) with voter verification,” he added.

He said the hard copy of voters lists to be used in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia were delayed in the Customs, so the Comelec sent downloadable files to the post to ensure availability of the list for voting

purposes.

Jimenez added that post personnel are in constant and direct communication with the Office for Overseas Voting which facilitates identification of individual voters.

The poll body official noted that they will submit a report on the issues encountered and how they resolved them.

“We will submit a fuller report on that later in the day and hopefully in the remaining 28 or 27 days of the election hindi na natin ma-experience ‘yun (we won’t experience it anymore),” he said.

“Just remember tatlong araw pa lang ang halalan natin (it’s been just three days). So this is exactly the time when we expect these issues to show up para ma-resolved.”

There are more than 1.8 million registered Filipinos overseas.

Overseas Filipinos will be voting for national positions only, senators (12) and one party-list representative.

The one-month overseas voting period started last Saturday, April 13 and will run until May 13. ■

PNP chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde.

JOEY O. RAZON / PNA

Accusers behind narco-video may face raps: PNP chief

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde, on Monday said the people behind the video circulating on social media linking President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s former aide and senatorial bet Christopher “Bong” Go and three members of the Duterte family are benefiting from the illegal drugs trade may face possible cybercrime charges.

Albayalde said those people behind the videos should bring out their evidence to court if they want to prove that former Davao City Vice Mayor and presidential son Paolo Duterte, Go, and Sara Duterte’s husband, Mans Carpio, are involved in drug transactions.

“These are all self-serving. You can accuse anyone anytime, any day, anywhere in social media. But I am sure if he is accusing someone, then let the evidence be brought to court if there is, we can help him file and if there’s none, he will be made liable for that,” Albayalde told reporters in ambush interview on Monday after a press briefing.

In the four sets of videos, a man, who identified himself as ‘Bikoy,’ tagged Paolo, President Duterte’s partner Honeylet Avancena, Carpio and Go as on the take of multi-million drug payola.

Albayalde said Bikoy and other persons behind the videos could be held liable for cyber libel.

“These are just accusations posted on the internet that could be the basis of a cybercrime charge. We have the anti-cybercrime law. You cannot just simply say some libelous [statements] to people,” the PNP chief said.

Albayalde said any person can make a

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video and upload it to social media, and make heavy accusations against anyone.

“Anybody can do anything or say anything in the social media but of course, we have to be responsible citizens especially for those who are throwing accusations,” he said.

“Number two is the timing. This is election period so the timing is indeed highly questionable,” said Albayalde who admitted to have seen only the first part of the video. “For all you know this might be part of propaganda this coming midterm elections.”

Albayalde said the PNP will conduct an investigation to unmask those behind the four viral videos and expects the PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group to lead the probe.

The PNP chief, meanwhile, was quick to clarify that he did not receive any instructions from the President regarding the video, but said that they will investigate the videos and find the people behind it.

“We will do the initiative to identify this person,” Albayalde told reporters.

The videos speculated that Pulong and Go have dragon tattoos behind their back which also has the serial number of the bank accounts they use in receiving drug money.

Go earlier accepted Bikoy’s dare to show his back to refute the latter’s allegation.

Earlier, Malacañang challenged the people behind the video circulating on social media linking senatorial candidate Go to illegal drugs to file charges against him if they could prove their allegations were true.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo tagged the release of the video as “black propaganda” to hurt Go’s chances of winning a seat in the Senate during the upcoming midterm elections. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

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PRRD signs 2019 budget; vetoes P95.3-B

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — After long delays in its passage, President Rodrigo R. Duterte has finally signed the 2019 national budget, Malacañang said on Monday.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed to reporters through a text message that the budget has indeed been signed by the chief executive.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo also confirmed this, describing the newly signed General Appropriations Act as a “reflection” of the Duterte administration’s priorities.

“The Palace wishes to announce that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has already signed Republic Act No. 11260, otherwise known as the General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2019,” Panelo said in a statement sent late Monday night.

“The 2019 GAA is the reflection of the Administration’s vision of genuine change for the

Philippines, where effective and efficient delivery of programs, projects and public services for our people will be its hallmark,” he added.

Medialdea said the President, however, vetoed PHP95.3 billion worth of appropriation since they are “not part of the President’s priority projects.”

“The President, among others, vetoed 95.3 billion pesos items of appropriations in the Details of DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) Programs/Projects, which are not within the programmed priorities,” Medialdea said.

Panelo echoed this, saying that they were vetoed for “falling outside the government’s programmed priorities.”

“True to his commitment and constitutional duty to be fealty to the constitutional directives, the President vetoed items of appropriation that are either considered by law and jurisprudence as rider provisions not being related to a particular appropriation or they seek to amend the Constitution and

RICHARD MADELO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

certain statutes,” Panelo said.

Panelo said that the President likewise “subjected certain provisions to conditional implementation in order to ensure conformity with existing laws, rules and regulations.”

Among the provisions he subjected to conditional imple-

mentation are the allowance and benefits of teachers and the creation of teaching positions, construction of evacuation centers, funding for foreign-assisted projects, revolving fund, and lump-sum appropriations for capital outlays, as well as financial assistance to local gov-

ernment units and funding requirements for foreign service, among others.

Earlier, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he will support a presidential veto of the entire national budget if the latter should find irregularities in the measure.

The delay in the passage of the 2019 budget stemmed from an impasse between the two houses of Congress after lastminute amendments made to the final version of the bill approved by the bicameral confererence committee.

Panelo earlier said Duterte has the right to veto certain realignments and would not sign anything “unconstitutional.”

On April 10, Panelo announced that the President will sign the 2019 budget. However, it was later rescheduled.

The government has been operating on a reenacted budget since January 1 after lawmakers failed to pass the bill last year due to claims and counterclaims of pork “insertions.” ■

Philippine president signs law splitting Palawan into 3 provinces

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

The province of Palawan del Sur, considered as the “mother province,” will be compromised of the municipalities of Aborlan, Narra, Quezon, Rizal, Española, Brooke’s Point, Bataraza, Balabac, and Kalayaan.

The creation of these new provinces will depend on the result of a plebiscite in affected areas which will be supervised by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the second Monday of May 2020.

of May 2022 during national and local polls.

Every province will have a provincial governor, vice govTHE COUNTRY’S Chief Execernor, Sangguniang Panlalautive has inked his signature on wigan secretary and members, a new law dividing Palawan into provincial treasurer assessor, three provinces. accountant, budget officer, Signed by President Rodrigo planning and development coDuterte on April 5 but was only ordinator, engineer, health offimade public on Saturday, April cer, administrator, legal officer, 13, Republic Act (RA) No. 11259 agriculturist, social welfare and splits Palawan into provinces development officer, veterinarian, and general services officer. of Palawan del Norte, Palawan Under the Oriental, and law, residents of Palawan del Sur. Puerto Princesa The province – a highly-urbanof Palawan del ized city – are Norte will be Republic Act (RA) No. 11259 splits Palawan into provinces of Palawan not qualified to composed of the del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and vote in the plebifollowing municPalawan del Sur. scite and for canipalities: Coron, didates for proCulion, Busuvincial elective anga, Linapacan, positions.

Taytay, and El Nido.

It added that Palawan Oriental, meanwhile, If the majority of the vot- incumbent representatives of will have Roxas, Araceli, Duma- ers approve this, the election the present Palawan province ran, Cuyo, Agutaya, Magsaysay, of new provincial officials will shall serve their respective disCayancillo, and San Vicente. happen on the second Monday tricts until the new representawww.canadianinquirer.net

Coron, Palawan.

tives are elected.

The law will take effect 15 days upon its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general and local circulation.

The Senate passed the measure, sponsored by Senator Sonny Angara, in November 2018 with 14 affirmative votes, one negative vote from Senator Risa Hontiveros, and zero abstention.

Hontiveros voted against the bill, stressing that a divided Palawan may “strengthen” China’s position in the West Philippine Sea. “Instead of having to face a single, strong provincial government which can mobilize the entire island in its own defense, China will now have the opportunity to infiltrate and influence smaller local government units,” she said. ■

Philippine News

8

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

LRT-2 extension to be completed by last quarter of 2020 Correspondent/Hosts Bea Kirstein T. Manalaysay Joanna Belle Deala Gianna Llanes Arianne Grace U. Lacanilao Violeta Arevelo Babes Newland Graphic Design Shanice Garcia Ginno Alcantara Arlnie Colleene Talain Singca Account Manager Kristopher Yong Director/Producer Boom Dayupay Photographers/Videographers Ginno Alcantara Maria Crizandra Baylon Sales Aireen De Asis Dennis Cruz Operations and Admin Victoria Yong Amelia Insigne Management Alan Yong Victoria Yong For photo submissions, please email editor@canadianinquirer.net For General Inquiries, please email info@canadianinquirer.net For Sales Inquiries, please email sales@canadianinquirer.net or contact 778-788-4998 Philippine Canadian Inquirer is located at 11951 Hammersmith Way, Suite 108 Richmond, B.C. V7A 5H9 Canada

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BY AEROL JOHN PATEÑA Philippine News Agency MANILA — The extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2), which will connect the eastern side of Metro Manila with the greater part of the National Capital Region, is set to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2020 with the laying of its tracks and installation of the electromechanical system (EMS), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Tuesday.

“With the construction of the two stations to be finalized by the fourth quarter of 2020, the travel time of three hours from Recto to Masinag will be reduced to 40 minutes,” DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said in his speech during the ceremonial track laying and installation of the EMS, which marks the final phase of the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project.

Under this project, two additional stations will be built — the Emerald Station near the boundary of Pasig City and Cainta, Rizal and Masinag Station in Antipolo City.

The new stations are expected to accommodate an additional 80,000 passengers boosting the LRT-2’s current daily ridership of 240,000 passengers.

A joint venture between Japan-based firm Marubeni Corporation and DM Consunji Inc. (DMCI) was awarded the PHP3.2 billion contract by the DOTr last February for the installation of track works and EMS, which forms Package 3 of the LRT East Extension Project.

Bagong pag-asa ang hatid sa taumbayan ng pagpasok ng LRT Line 2 East Extension Project sa final construction phase.

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Package 1, which involves the construction of a viaduct, was completed in March 2017 while Package 2, or the construction of Emerald and Masinag stations, is 78 percent finished as of March 2019.

In total, the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project is already 60 percent complete.

Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda said the extension project is a manifestation of the strong partnership between Philippines and Japan.

“I am impressed by the amazing progress of our joint projects with the DOTr under the solid leadership of Secretary Arthur Tugade. Today’s occasion reaffirms Japan’s commitment to the Philippines. It is an excellent example of what we can achieve when our countries

work together,” Haneda said.

Through the east rail extension, the LRT Line 2 — which is currently linked to the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) via Cubao Station and the LRT Line 1 via Recto Station — will connect Marikina, Antipolo City in Rizal and other eastern areas to the center of Manila through the Metro Manila Subway via Anonas Station, the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Station via Tutuban Station, and the Port of Manila North Harbor Terminal via the LRT Line 2 West Extension Project.

The LRT-2 East Extension Project will be funded through the General Appropriations Act for its civil works and Official Development Assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency for the track works and EMS. ■

Pinoys urged to elect leaders who can carry out genuine reform

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — As the mid-term elections draws closer, President Rodrigo R. Duterte appealed to voters to elect leaders who can carry out genuine reform in the country.

Duterte made this call amid political “attacks” against him and his personal political bets surfacing in the news during the campaign period.

He particularly appealed to Filipinos to choose leaders who would work hard for the nation’s future.

“If you are going to choose, choose leaders who are responsible and will be of great help,” Duterte said during the

PDP-Laban campaign rally in Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

Duterte, as PDP-Laban chairman, is endorsing the party’s five senatorial candidates — former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, former Presidential Political Adviser Francis Tolentino, PDP-Laban president and reelectionist senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, and former Philippine National Police and Bureau of Corrections chief Roland “Bato” dela Rosa.

He is also endorsing guest candidates namely reelectionist senators Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito and Cynthia Villar, former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan III, folk singer Freddie Aguilar, Taguig Rep.

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Pia Cayetano, and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos.

Duterte, meanwhile, warned public officials against engaging in corrupt or illegal practices.

The President has repeatedly warned that he would not think twice about firing government officials involved in even just a “whiff” of corruption.

He urged Filipinos to report their complaints against public officials through the government’s complaint hotline 8888.

“Report it to me. It’s not libel. It’s not libelous as long as you report to me officially,” Duterte said.

The Citizen’s Complaint Hotline 8888 is dedicated to receive complaints against fixers, corrupt public officials and poor government services. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

9

Calida cries foul over claims vs. Solgen efforts in Marcos cases

BY BENJAMIN PULTA Philippine News Agency

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

YANCY LIM / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

PH to keep cordial ties with China: Palace PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — The Philippines will maintain friendly diplomatic relations with China, as it upholds its claim over the islands in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Malacañang said.

During the pilot episode of “The Virtual Presser” on April 15, its guest, Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, Secretary Salvador Panelo, said the Duterte administration will keep friendly ties despite recent strong statements against China over the disputed group of islands in the WPS. “We’re still friendly, cordial while we are asserting our rights, we maintain our friendly relations with them,” Panelo said.

President Rodrigo Duterte last week told Beijing to “lay off” on Pag-asa (Thitu) island, asking not to touch them. At about the same time, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the government has filed a diplomatic protest against China over the group of islands.

Panelo added that Manila will still assert the Hague arbitration that ruled in favor of the Philippines.

“We have an arbitral ruling and it is an irreversible judgment and we are maintaining our sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea. And we do not perform any, that might endanger or risk the security of our fishermen who are fishing in the area, as well as affect future bilateral relations between the two countries,” Panelo added.

“We have made our position very clear,

we have made diplomatic protests vis-avis any action that we feel is not consistent with our sovereignty and our rights over the exclusive economic zones. And we shall wait with the response by the Chinese government,” he said.

Panelo also noted that the Balikatan exercise between the US and the Philippines had nothing to do with disputing China over the sea.

Moreover, he said that Duterte will attend the Belt and Road Forum in China next week.

“We hope that there will be discussions that will reach certain agreements and forge satisfactory solutions to the mutual problems that we have. And at the same time, we hope that the relations between the two countries are further strengthened, especially the part of trade relations between the two of us,” he said.

He expressed hope that by that meeting, relations between the two countries will be strengthened and hopefully by way of negotiations, a satisfactory solution that confronts both countries relative to the South China Sea problem will be forged.

The Virtual Presser is the first-ever online video platform of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, in partnership with RTVM. The program aims to relay accurate information directly to the international media and foreign audiences.

The PCOO Office of the Global Media Affairs has been tasked to connect Philippine government policymakers with the international media, and to promote priority policy messages through engagements with foreign audiences. ■

MANILA — Solicitor General Jose Calida on Tuesday took exception to disparaging comments attributed to the camp of Vice President Ma. Leonor Robredo, claiming the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) is taking the cudgels for the family of the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos in the settlement cases for martial law victims.

“Her statements demean and belittle the work the OSG and its lawyers have been doing for decades to recover illgotten wealth,” Calida said in a statement, as he assured that the OSG is committed to protecting the interest of the State.

He insisted that all ill-gotten wealth cases should be litigated before the Sandiganbayan and not before the US courts, adding that participating in the US case would also mean waiving its sov-

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ereign immunity.

The OSG and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have turned down the proposed settlement agreement in the New York court case, saying the terms were “grossly disadvantageous to the government” and “not in accord with existing Philippine laws and jurisprudence.”

Calida said the Republic would only get USD4 million from the settlement while the victims in the class action would get USD13.75 million and would grant immunity from prosecution to former Marcos’ aide Vilma Bautista.

“The government cannot grant immunity to Vilma Bautista. She is a principal defendant in a case currently pending before the Sandiganbayan. The authority of the PCGG (Presidential Commission on Good Government) to grant such immunity is limited only to a witness who can provide material and relevant information or testify against a defendant in an ill-gotten wealth case,” Calida said. ■

10

Philippine News

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

Filipinos plan more diggings PRRD approves where new human species found plan to bring

peace, security to conflict areas

BY JIM GOMEZ The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Archaeologists who discovered fossil bones and teeth of a previously unknown human species that thrived more than 50,000 years ago in the northern Philippines said Thursday they plan more diggings and called for better protection of the popular limestone cave complex where the remains were unearthed.

Filipino archaeologist Armand Salvador Mijares said the discovery of the remains in Callao Cave in Cagayan province made the Philippines an important research ground on human evolution. The new species is called Homo luzonensis after the main northern island of Luzon, where the remains were dug up starting in 2007.

Beaming with pride, Mijares displayed the six fragments of bones from the feet, hands and thigh and seven teeth of three individuals from that bygone era in a news conference at the state-run University of the Philippines. Tests showed two of the fossil fragments had minimum ages of 50,000 years and 67,000 years, according to a study published by the scientific journal Nature.

“This puts the Philippines, our scientific community in the spotlight,” Mijares said. “Before, we’re just peripheral in this debate of human evolution.”

Mijares, who led a small team of foreign and local archaeologists behind the rare discovery, said he plans to resume the diggings next year and hopes to find larger fossil bones, artifacts and possibly stone tools used by people in those times.

Aside from Callao Cave, human fossils have recently been found in another site in Bulacan prov-

BY EJ ROQUE Philippine News Agency

A rocky part inside the Callao Cave.

ince just north of the capital, Manila, Mijares said without elaborating.

Another veteran Filipino archaeologist, Eusebio Dizon, said the human remains from Callao were the oldest to be found in the Philippines, predating those discovered in Tabon Cave on the western island of Palawan by thousands of years.

While the archaeological find could attract more scientists, Dizon worried that it could also draw vandals and treasure hunters who could threaten the seven-chamber cave complex, which is a popular tourism destination. An open-air chapel with pews and an altar in the cave complex has become a popular venue for weddings and filmmakers.

“Penablanca has been a treasure hunting haven of many people,” Dizon said, referring to the Cagayan provincial town where the Callao caves are located. “Maybe it will reignite their kind of activity so that’s why it needs protection now more than ever.”

The main exodus of modern

JERICO CONCEPCION / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

man’s own species from Africa that all of today’s non-African people are descended from took place around 60,000 years ago.

Analysis of the bones from the Callao caves led the study authors to conclude they belonged to a previously unknown member of our “Homo” branch of the human family tree. One of the toe bones and the overall pattern of tooth shapes and sizes differ from what’s been seen before in the Homo family, the researchers said.

The fossil bones and teeth found about 3 metres (9.8 feet) below the ground in the cave show they belonged to smallbodied people. Bones of deer and related animals were found in the area, some with cut marks, suggesting they were butchered although there were no stone tools or sharp implements found in the immediate area where the human fossils were dug up, Mijares said.

Although the find contributes a new insight into modern man’s ancient beginnings, Dizon said it also raised new questions and deepened the mystery behind the evolution of man. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved a national plan, which integrates and harmonize the various efforts of the entire government and all sectors of society in delivering goods and services, as well as in providing for peace and security, especially in conflict-affected areas, Malacañang confirmed Tuesday.

In a briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte pushed for a whole-of-nation approach to attain peace during the meeting of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) held in Malacañang.

“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte today rallied all instrumentalities of government, the private sector and the entire Filipino nation to actively work together in a whole-of-the-nation movement to address violent conflicts, as well as build a culture of peace and development throughout the country,” he said.

Panelo, also Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, clarified that the initiative is centered more on bringing peace and development to conflict-affected areas than on defeating communist insurgency.

“The members of the Cabinet and other heads of agencies who were present at the meeting agreed that the Wholeof-Nation Movement is not directed at defeating the communist insurgency, rather to

demonstrate genuine good governance for the betterment of the lives of the people,” he said.

Panelo said the President will assign his Cabinet members to oversee the peace and development efforts in all regions of the country.

“The designated Cabinet officer for the region will be supported by a unified, an integrated Regional Development Council or RDC and Regional Peace and Order Council or RPOC,” he added.

Panelo said the fast-tracked implementation of the national Wi-fi and 911 projects in all barangays (villages) nationwide is also one of the initiatives to be pursued by the NTFELCAC. The NTFELCAC was created by virtue of Executive Order 70 issued on Dec. 4, 2018 “to provide an efficient mechanism and structure for the implementation of the Whole-ofNation Approach to aid in the realization of the collective aspirations for inclusive and sustainable peace.” ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

11

Pinoys still trust U.S. the most — SWS

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer THE UNITED States (U.S.) still holds the title of being the most trusted country by Filipinos in the first quarter of 2019, according to the latest survey of Social Weather Stations (SWS) released on Tuesday, April 16.

The survey, done from March 28 to 31 of this year, revealed that Pinoys still have the biggest trust in the U.S., giving it a net trust rating of “very good” +60 (70% much trust, 10% little trust), while Japan and Australia only got a “good” at +34 (54% much trust, 20% little trust) and +33 (51% much trust, 18% little trust) score, respectively. China, meanwhile, was the least trusted with only a “neutral” -6 (32% much trust, 39% little trust, correctly rounded) net trust rating.

The pollster noted that the U.S.’s latest net trust rating

score is similar to its “very good” +60 (71% much trust, 11% little trust) in December 2018.

Japan’s March 2019 net trust rating is also the same as its December 2018’s “good” +34 (53% much trust, 19% little trust).

The trust rating score of Australia, meanwhile, stayed “good” in the first quarter of 2019 but went up by two points from +31 (49% much trust, 19% little trust, correctly rounded) last December. Filipino’s trust also remained “neutral” for China, however, it increased by one point from the -7 (31% much trust, 39% little trust, correctly rounded) recorded in December 2018.

The SWS said compared to when it was last surveyed, the March 2019 net trust ratings “stayed within the same grade” for all of the four countries tested for public trust.

Net trust in the U.S., it reported, has been positive since the pollster first surveyed it in

GLENDALE LAPASTORA’S PICTURES (OFFICIAL) / FLICKR, CC BY-SA 2.0

December 1994, ranging from a “moderate” +18 in May 2005 to as high as “excellent” +82 in December 2013.

“It has been at +60 and above in six out of seven surveys since June 2017,” it added.

The SWS also said it found “neutral” net ratings in Japan

from December 1994 to December 1996, ranging from -2 to +9. In June 1997, the net trust in Japan rose to a “moderate” +17 and has since then been at “moderate” to “good” levels, achieving as high as “very good” +54 in December 2017.

When the net trust in Austra-

lia was first surveyed in April 1995, the pollster noted that it got a rating of “moderate” +11. It was in September 2008 when it rose to “good” +31 and has since then been at +30 and above, except for September 2009’s “moderate” +19.

China’s net trust, on the other hand, has been positive only in nine out of 49 surveys conducted by the SWS since August 1994.

The pollster said it went up as high as “moderate” +17 in June 2010 and went down to as low as a “bad” -46 in September 2015.

The SWS used face-to-face interviews of 1,440 respondents nationwide — 360 each from Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao — in its First Quarter 2019 Social Weather Survey. It has sampling error margins of plus or minus 2.6 percent for national percentages and plus or minus five percent for regional percentages. ■

Army confirms DNA match Ateneo president on extremist leader in Lanao apologizes over Irene

BY DIVINA SUSON Philippine News Agency MARAWI CITY – An official of the Philippine Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade (103IB) said the DNA samples it tested last month from a dead extremist militant fighter confirmed that it was from Owayda Benito Marohomsar, also known as Abu Dar — the leader of Dawla Islamiya Lanao Group.

Col. Romeo Brawner, 103IB commander, confirmed this Sunday (April 14), although on Friday, in a press briefing of Task Force Bangon Marawi at the city’s “ground zero,” he said only President Rodrigo Duterte would announce the confirmation.

However, the announcement from the president did not happen because the scheduled visit to the city was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Duterte was supposed to be in the city to campaign for administration candidates under the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDPLABAN) party.

Meanwhile, this confirmation came a month after Abu Dar was killed in a military pursuit operation at the boundaries of Tubaran and Pagayawan towns in Lanao del Sur. Dar took over the leadership after top leaders of Islamic Statesympathizers, the Maute group, were killed during and after the Marawi siege in 2017, including the death of Isnilon Hapilon.

Brawner said the confirmed death of Abu Dar would also mean the end of the Dawlah Islamiya Lanao group.

“This group is leader-centric.

If you remember, when the two leaders were neutralized in the last part of Marawi siege, President Duterte declared liberation of Marawi from the terrorist influence,” Brawner said in an earlier interview.

The two leaders were Abu Sayaff leader Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute who led the planning of the attack in Marawi City in May 2017.

Abu Dar was part of the planning and the attack, according to Brawner, but he slipped out from the battleground in the early part of the siege after he

got wounded.

According to the military’s intelligence report, Abu Dar tried to return to the battleground with other fighters as reinforcement but did not succeed as government troopers decisively regained control of the entire Marawi City.

After the five-month battle which ended in October 2017, Abu Dar started to recruit and train new fighters, targeting young ones and orphans of Marawi siege.

“He also recruited and trained those whose family members and relatives died during the siege… But they will not be able to continue now because Abu Dar is dead and their remnants, followers and supporters have already surrendered to the military and they are with us now,” Brawner added.

The military in Marawi and Lanao del Sur which neutralized Abu Dar is now awaiting the copy of the DNA result from the Philippine National Police Scene of the Crime Operation and are expecting Duterte to formally announce it to the public. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Marcos presence on campus; Arete head ‘voluntarily’ resigns

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer THE PRESIDENT of Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) issued a public apology for the presence of Irene Marcos-Araneta, daughter of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in the campus last April 7.

“The University recognizes that her presence, even in a personal capacity, has cast doubts regarding its solidarity with the victims of the Martial Law regime. We offer our deepest apologies for the hurt this has brought,” ADMU President Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin, SJ said in his memo dated April 10 but was only released by ADMU on its Facebook page on Friday, April 12.

The young Marcos attended

the opening of the university’s Outdoor Art Installation program in Arete — the ADMU’s creative hub that staged Dekada ‘70, a polemical discourse against the fascist-authoritarian regime of martial law; and Desaparecidos, a play that showcased the struggles and abuses endured by Filipinos during martial law and the trauma it left to them.

The Sanggunian ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila (Sanggu), the school’s student council, earlier demanded an apology for inviting the former president’s daughter at the event, saying that her presence in the school ground was a “grave insult and vehement mockery” to all martial law survivors and martyrs.

“Arete’s invitation of a Mar❱❱ PAGE 21 Ateneo president

12

Philippine News

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

Filipino wounded as rockets Duterte leads Wholehit Tripoli proper of-Nation Movement for peace, dev’t

BY JOYCE ANN L. ROCAMORA Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Philippine Embassy in Tripoli reported that a Filipino was injured after several residential areas in Tripoli were hit by a rocket barrage on Tuesday.

Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato on Wednesday said this was the first time Tripoli proper was targeted since the fighting began early April.

“We have one Filipino wounded in the forehead. He now wants to go home. We hope our kababayan in Tripoli would now realize the danger we have been warning them and would ask us to bring them home,” he reported on his official Twitter account.

According to latest reports, at least four have been killed while around 20 were wounded after the Southern district of Abu Salim in Tripoli was targeted with rocket fire as the Libyan National Army headed by Commander Khalifa Haftar pushes to seize the capital.

As of posting, 19 Filipinos have already availed the repatriation offer of the Philippine government, seven of whom are now en route to Manila.

On Tuesday, the Embassy visited the National Heart Center in Tajoura to see how the Filipino nurses there are doing.

“They are nearer the frontlines compared to our nurses in other hospitals in Tripoli but like the rest, they were telling

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato.

PNA

us they are used to the explosions that we could hear from where we were,” Cato said.

One of the Filipino nurses who refused to be repatriated reasoned that most of them are still waiting for the release of their salaries that were not remitted due to restrictions in withdrawals and remittances in the country.

“Kung bakit nandito kami, kasi hinihintay namin ‘yong matagal nang remittance namin (We are still here because we are waiting for the release of our salaries),” the Filipino nurse said in a video posted by Cato.

The envoy said this is the same problem faced by other Filipino hospital workers in the country.

“We promised to look into the problem so some of them,

especially those who have been working in Libya since the early 1980s and who are now in their 60s, could finally go home,” he added.

But should the fighting enter Tripoli, Cato said the Embassy remains ready with its contingency plans. On Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs deployed two augmentation teams to Tripoli and Tunis to beef up its operations.

The first team led by Executive Director Enrico Fos of the Office of Migrant Workers Affairs is stationed in Tunis to assist Filipinos that the Embassy will be evacuating from Tripoli.

Meanwhile, the second team led by Director Iric Arribas is based in Tripoli to assist the Filipinos should the situation require mass evacuation. ■

an immediate ceasefire and want it gradual, then nothing will happen),” he added.

The President also invited Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison to come home for the peace talks. Sison is in exile in The Netherlands since 1987, after peace talks with then-President Corazon Aquino’s government failed.

“Kaya ihinto mo muna lahat, umuwi ka dito, Sison. Ako ang bahala sa iyo. Hindi ako traydor na tao (Stop everything, go

home here in the country first, Sison. I’ll take care of your security. I’m not a traitor.) I give you my honor --- word of honor.

Mag-usap tayo (Let’s talk),” he said.

But Duterte insisted that there will be no coalition government with the communist group.

“Pero (But) nothing about coalition government. You can never have even an iota of sovereign powers of the Republic of the Philippines. I am not allowed to do that,” he said. ■

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday rallied all instrumentalities of the government, private sector, and entire Filipino nation to actively work together in a whole-of-nation movement to address violent conflicts, as well as build a culture of peace and development throughout the country.

Duterte, at the first meeting of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) held in Malacañang, approved a National Plan that would integrate and harmonize the various efforts of the whole of government and of all sectors of society in delivering goods and services, as well as in providing for peace and security, especially in conflict-affected communities.

Members of the Cabinet and other heads of agencies, who were present at the meeting, agreed that the Whole-of-Nation Movement is not directed primarily at defeating the communist insurgency, but also to demonstrate genuine good governance for the betterment of people’s lives.

To effectively manage the

Whole-of-Nation Movement, the President will assign specific Cabinet members to oversee the peace and development efforts in every region of the country. The designated Cabinet officer for the region will be supported by a unified and integrated Regional Development Council (RDC) and Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC).

Also to be pursued is the fasttracked implementation of the National Wifi and 911 projects in all barangays nationwide.

By effectively managing barriers and challenges to peace and development, the Wholeof-Nation Movement envisions to build resilient and robust communities that promote the welfare and well-being of the Filipino people.

The NTF-ELCAC was created by virtue of Executive Order 70 on December 4, 2018 “to provide an efficient mechanism and structure for the implementation of the Whole-ofNation approach to aid in the realization of the collective aspirations for inclusive and sustainable peace.”

It is chaired by President Duterte and constituted by the heads of 19 concerned departments and agencies of government, including two representatives from the private sector. ■

PRRD eyes... ❰❰ 1

(To the NPA, if you really want serious talks, let’s have immediate ceasefire. No bringing of arms inside or outside your camp. No taxation),” Duterte said in his speech at the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) campaign rally in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

“If you do not stop collecting taxes, if you do not stop waging a war, ayaw ninyo ng ceasefire kaagad, gusto ninyo dahan-dahan, ah wala (if you do not want

www.canadianinquirer.net

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over a meeting with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) at the Malacañan Palace on April 15, 2019.

KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Philippine News

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

13

PRRD vetoes survivorship benefits bill over ‘onerous’ provisions

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Malacañang on Monday confirmed President Rodrigo R. Duterte vetoed a measure meant to give survivorship benefits to the children of deceased retired members of constitutional bodies — Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections, and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this confirmation after Senate President Vicente Sotto III in an interview over DWIZ on Saturday (April 13) bared that the President has rejected the enrolled bill.

A copy of Duterte’s letters to Sotto and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo dated April 12 were sent to media.

“We confirm that President

Rodrigo Roa Duterte vetoed Senate Bill No. 1917/House Bill No. 7820,” Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo said the President, in his letter to Congressional leaders, took into consideration that the granting of benefits outside the current compensation framework may be too “burdensome” to the government.

“While I support the importance of passing this enrolled bill to authorize additional benefits to the Commission on Audit, the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Office of the Ombudsman and admire the work of the men and women in these Constitutional Offices, I am apprehensive that the provisions granting the benefits beyond the current compensation framework for other government offices may prove to be too onerous to the govern-

ment,” Duterte said in the letter.

Duterte emphasized that the new benefits granted in addition to the benefits enjoyed by other government offices would “erode the national government’s thrust to standardize and rationalize the current compensation framework in the bureaucracy.”

Moreover, the President said benefits will also “create too much disparity and inequality in compensation among public servants.”

He said additional benefits proposed in the enrolled bill are not granted to any government official under the current government compensation framework.

“In view of these considerations, I am constrained to veto the above-mentioned bill,” Duterte said.

Senate Bill 1917 and House Bill 7820 seeks to amend the

KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Republic Act 10084 by extending the survivorship benefits to the dependent children of deceased retired members of constitutional bodies who is a solo parent and died without issues.

The current RA 10084 only provides benefits to the surviving legitimate spouses of the deceased retired officials of the COA, CSC, Comelec, and the Ombudsman. ■

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14

Canada News Fought to unite Alberta conservatives: Jason Kenney voted Alberta’s new premier

BY DEAN BENNETT The Canadian Press

Canadians divided on banning handguns, assault style firearms: consultation

BY JIM BRONSKILL The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Canadians have wildly diverging views on banning handguns and assaultstyle firearms, says a newly released summary of federal consultations.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Crime Reduction Minister Bill Blair to study the possibility of such a ban shortly after a shooting spree in Toronto last July.

The federal report released Thursday says opinions expressed during in-person discussions and through written submissions both opposed and supported outlawing handguns and assault-style firearms. In contrast, most people who responded to a questionnaire

were against a ban.

Many participants felt strongly that a ban would target law-abiding owners, rather than illicit firearms, and would not reduce gang violence, the report says. As a result, many called for beefing up police and border services, as well as tougher penalties for firearmstrafficking and gun-related crime.

“A wide range of approaches and ideas were discussed, which suggests that a multifaceted approach is needed to address this issue rather than implementing a ban in isolation,” the report says.

There was consensus on the need to address the underlying social conditions that can lead to gun violence, such as poverty, lack of education and employment opportunities, poor

mental-health supports and social isolation, the report adds.

Participants also supported better collection and sharing of data on gun crime, especially on sources of illicit firearms and the types of offences being committed.

In addition, many people active in the firearms community said they wanted to work with the federal government to come up with solutions.

New Zealand recently banned military-style semiautomatic weapons after 50 Muslims were brutally gunned down in Christchurch.

Blair said Thursday there are “opportunities to take measures that will make Canada safer,” though he declined to provide details or speculate on ❱❱ PAGE 17 Canadians divided

www.canadianinquirer.net

JASON KENNEY’S fight is over. Let the fight begin.

The 50-year-old United Conservative Party leader, known for saying he can’t help but march to the sound of rhetorical gunfire, soundly defeated Rachel Notley’s NDP with a majority in Tuesday’s Alberta election.

The former federal cabinet minister now takes his fight to Ottawa as Alberta’s 18th premier. He has promised to challenge the federal government on everything from the carbon tax to proposed energy regulations and equalization payments.

It’s a new to-do list for Kenney after checking off the final box on a plan he announced three years ago to unite Alberta’s warring right-of-centre Progressive Conservatives and Wildrose Party and take them to the summit.

“I had zero inkling to do it,” Kenney said in a pre-campaign interview.

“But as I got further into the spring and then summer of 2016, I just realized that somebody with the relevant profile, network and experience had to step forward with a plan.”

Kenney was born in Oakville, Ont., raised in Saskatchewan, and spent his adult years based in Alberta.

He said he was just 10 years old, sitting on a couch and minding his own business at a Saskatchewan school fundraiser, when politics first found him.

John Diefenbaker, well over a decade removed from being prime minister, came up to young Kenney, asked him his name, and struck up a conversation: Do you know the mythical story of Jason and the Argonauts? What’s your favourite subject at school? What are your future plans?

“That 10-minute conversation made an indelible impression on me,” remembered Kenney.

“That a former prime minister would spend 10 minutes talking to a 10-year-old boy was remarkable to me. I never forgot the kindness that he showed. And that maybe gave me sort of my initial interest in politics and public service.”

He has lived much in the public eye as he has fought for conservative principles and the concept of ordered liberty, first as an anti-tax crusader and later as a key lieutenant in former prime minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet in portfolios that included immigration, employment and defence.

He is not married and happily recounts a life committed to public service. A day’s politicking is followed by late-night ❱❱ PAGE 21 Fought to

Canada News

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

15

Canada joins new German-France ‘alliance’ that doesn’t include U.S.

BY MIKE BLANCHFIELD The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Canada has formally joined a German-French coalition aimed at saving the international world order from destruction by various world dictators and autocrats — and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The initiative is part of ongoing government efforts to shore up international co-operation at a time of waning American leadership and Trump’s outspoken disdain of institutions created after the Second World War, including the G7, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland offered Canada’s support for the Alliance for Multilateralism during a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Dinard, France earlier this month.

Japan also joined the new alliance during the meeting, and Freeland marked the moment on Twitter posting a photo of herself with Jean-Yves Le Drian, Heiko Mass and Taro Kono, her French, German and Japanese counterparts.

“Many of today’s greatest challenges are global and they can only be solved when we work together. That is why Canada stands united with its German, French, and Japanese friends,” Freeland said in the photo’s caption.

Freeland also avoided any

direct mention of the Trump administration, as has been her approach generally in her frequent critiques of the attacks on the world’s multilateral order and the need to defend against them.

Le Drian and Maas appeared to dance around the fact that the United States was not a member when they formally unveiled the new alliance in early April at the United Nations.

France’s envoy to Canada, however, connected the initiative to Trump in a recent interview.

“Mr. Trump doesn’t like to value multilateralism,” said Ambassador Kareen Rispal, referring to his withdrawal from the Paris climate change agreement, and his criticism of the UN and WTO. “It sends the wrong message to the world if we think that because Mr. Trump is not in favour of multilateralism, it doesn’t mean we — I mean countries like Canada, France, Germany and many others — are not still strong believers.”

During testimony last week before the Senate foreign affairs committee, Freeland said that Canada joined the alliance overs concerns in the G7 over the growing threats posed by authoritarian regimes and their disinformation campaigns aimed and discrediting democracy and its institutions.

She commended “G7 partners” Germany, France and Japan, but again made no men-

tion of the U.S. “We agree that the greatest challenges of our time like climate change, income inequality, managing the power of global technology platforms, maintaining rules-based global trade and mass migration, are truly international challenges,” Freeland said.

“We know in order to walk the walk in supporting the rules-based international order we need to show people how essential these institutions are in our daily lives.”

Freeland cited Canada’s participation in several other multilateral initiatives, including the Lima Group coalition on Venezuela, and ongoing support for international trade bodies and treaties.

On Monday, Canada imposed sanctions on another 43 people it says are implicated in the political and economic crisis in Venezuela.

The sanctions, now totalling 113, target high ranking officials in the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, including regional governors and those undermining democratic institutions, said Global Affairs Canada.

The new sanctions coincided with Freeland joining her counterparts in Santiago, Chile at their 12th Lima Group meeting. The Western Hemisphere Coalition does not include the U.S., but is nonetheless aligned with the Trump administration in calling for Maduro’s ouster.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland.

PAPARAZZZA / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Canada, its Lima Group allies, and the U.S. are among approximately 50 countries that say Maduro stole his country’s election last year and is no longer the legitimate leader of Venezuela.

They instead recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s interim president, and have called on the Venezuelan military to back him.

Canada has excluded the U.S. from another multilateral initiative, aimed at reforming the WTO. In October, Canada hosted 13 of the WTO’s more than 160 members in Ottawa for a meeting that is looking at ways to reform the world’s trade referee.

On Monday, Freeland’s office responded to the WTO’s most recent decision in its ongoing softwood lumber dispute with the U.S. Last week, the WTO

issued what was essentially a split decision that upheld a controversial U.S. practice known as “zeroing” to calculate antidumping duties on Canadian softwood.

“We welcome the recent WTO panel ruling that the United States did not follow the rules in calculating its antidumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber. The United States must bring its measures into conformity with its WTO obligations,” Freeland said in a separate statement.

“Canada will be appealing the WTO panel’s separate findings on the U.S. practice of zeroing and its use of the differential pricing methodology. The WTO has ruled more than 20 times that zeroing, a method of calculating and applying artificially high and unfair duty rates, is inconsistent with WTO rules.” ■

Liberals move ahead on Indigenous agenda after SNC affair, caucus ousters

BY KRISTY KIRKUP The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau’s Liberals say they are still hearing support from Indigenous people and leaders, despite concerns raised publicly about Trudeau’s expulsion of two exministers who had been central to work on reconciliation.

While the Liberals have repeatedly said that addressing

the relationship with Indigenous Peoples in Canada is a top priority, that commitment has been openly questioned by some Indigenous leaders, especially since the ejections of Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott from the Liberal caucus.

Terry Teegee, the British Columbia regional chief in the Assembly of First Nations, suggested the ejections showed a “deeply flawed and dishon-

est intent” behind Trudeau’s previously stated respect for Indigenous Peoples. WilsonRaybould was one of his predecessors.

“The balance that was being forged within our societies through the process of reconciliation is now threatened,” he said when Trudeau expelled the two. Teegee called the decision “wrathful.”

Wilson-Raybould, as justice minister until January, had www.canadianinquirer.net

been the highest-ranking Indigenous person ever in the Canadian government. Philpott had been seen as one of Trudeau’s most capable ministers; a shuffle that moved her from the high-profile health portfolio to become minister of Indigenous services was a symbol of how important clean water and good housing on reserves, for instance, were to the Liberal government.

Crown-Indigenous Relations

Minister Carolyn Bennett, who had worked closely with both, said that while the government is always mindful of triggering cynicism and concern about the relationship she tends, she is continuing to hear “very positive” feedback.

“Whether I’m on the East Coast or the West Coast or in Manitoba, over the last little while, I have to say that people ❱❱ PAGE 17 Liberals move

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Canada News

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

Civil rights and legal orgs urge Trudeau to drop asylum eligibility changes

BY TERESA WRIGHT The Canadian Press OTTAWA — A group of civilsociety and legal organizations is asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to withdraw changes to asylum laws included in a Liberal budget bill tabled this week, calling them harsh and unnecessary.

Amnesty International, the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, the Canadian and B.C. civil-liberties associations and the Canadian Council for Refugees have written a joint letter to Trudeau saying the proposed legal changes would strip crucial and hard-won human-rights protections from vulnerable refugees.

“These cases involve incredibly high stakes for the claimants, including questions of persecution and torture, of being able to live life freely in

accordance with one’s identity and culture with protection for fundamental human rights and even questions of life and death,” states the letter. “That is why Canada has long ensured that refugee claims are determined in a fair hearing before an independent tribunal.”

The changes would prevent asylum-seekers from making refugee claims in Canada if they have made similar claims in certain other countries, namely the United States — a move Border Security Minister Bill Blair says is aimed at preventing “asylum-shopping.”

Refugee advocates and lawyers have said these changes would have a devastating impact on people seeking asylum in Canada because it would remove their ability to plead their cases in full oral hearings before the Immigration and Refugee Board.

The letter to Trudeau echoes these concerns, calling Blair’s justification for the changes “simplistic and inaccurate” and “offensive.”

“We know from our collective experience that there are a wide range of legitimate reasons why refugee claimants may seek Canada’s protection after having filed a claim elsewhere. They must be given the opportunity to do so,” it says.

The groups are also upset that these measures were buried in a nearly 400-page omnibus budget bill, calling that an undemocratic move that prevents parliamentarians from being able to fully consider the effects and potential unforeseen consequences these measures could have on the refugee system.

They urge Trudeau to withdraw the proposed refugee eligibility changes, which they say would likely result in legal chal-

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

lenges.

Since 2017, over 41,000 asylum-seekers have arrived in Canada via the Canada-U.S. border at unofficial entry points.

JUSTIN TRUDEAU / FACEBOOK

Blair’s office says the proposed legal changes are meant to deter these “irregular” migrants and maintain the integrity of Canada’s asylum system. ■

Trudeau walks in Vaisakhi parade after government removes reference to Sikh extremism

BY ALEKSANDRA SAGAN The Canadian Press VANCOUVER — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted the strength and contributions of Canada’s Sikh community as he celebrated the religion’s holy day of Vaisakhi in Vancouver.

“As we celebrate Vaisakhi, let us also celebrate all the incredible contributions of this community,” he said in a speech after he walked in a parade Saturday organized by the Khalsa Diwan Society. The society formed in 1902 and built the

first Sikh Gurdwara in Canada several years later, according to its website.

Trudeau joined other politicians and community members in walking amongst floats and performers. On the sidelines, people handed out free food along the route, including snacks and full meals to passersby.

Sikhs have helped to build Canada for more than 120 years, Trudeau said, adding there are now Sikh entrepreneurs, politicians, artists and true leaders in every field.

He said the values celebrated

during the holy day, like equality and social justice, are values that make Canada stronger.

Before the parade, Trudeau visited one of the largest Sikh temples in the country, Vancouver’s Ross Street Gurdwara, where he delivered a speech with similar sentiments. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan also attended the festivities.

Attendees at the morning ceremony sat on the floor, many of them in colourful turbans, as speeches by several political leaders were broadcast on two massive screens.

His morning speech came

www.canadianinquirer.net

just hours after the federal government agreed to remove a reference to Sikh extremism from a report on terrorism.

The language was changed late Friday to remove any mention of religion, instead discussing the threat posed by “extremists who support violent means to establish an independent state within India.”

The 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada drew the ire of the Sikh community when it was released in December.

For the first time, the report listed Sikh extremism as one of

the top five extremist threats in Canada.

Although the objections were largely about the inclusion of Sikhs at all, because of the report’s lack of evidence to back it up, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said he would at least ask for a review of the language the report used.

He said entire religions should never be equated with terrorism.

There are roughly half a million Canadians who identify as Sikh, most of them in the Greater Toronto Area and suburban Vancouver. ■

Canada News

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

Liberals move...

Canadians divided...

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will quietly take me aside and “She’s got this government’s feet to say, ‘We need your govern- the fire and it is up to her, really, how ment re-elected,’” Bennett high she turns up the heat,” he said. said in an interview.

In 2015, the Liberal Party was keen “I would never presume that whomev- to recruit Indigenous candidates and er I’m speaking to is speaking on behalf affirm its commitment to solving longof more than one person,” she added. “I standing problems, including multiyear think that it’s important now for us to boil-water advisories on reserves. earn the respect and continue to make Indigenous voters were also far more progress.” engaged in the last election. The AssemIn the next election, only First Na- bly of First Nations identified 51 ridings, tions, Inuit and Metis will be able to including several in western Canada, make ultimate determinations about where First Nations voters could affect whether their experience with the gov- the outcome and invested a great deal of ernment has felt more like a partnership effort in outreach. than paternalism, Bennett added.

After that election, Elections Canada Last week, Trudeau made the decision reported the gap between turnout on to remove Wilson-Raybould and Phil- reserves and turnout among the general pott from the Liberal caucus. population had been the lowest since The two former it began calculating cabinet ministers turnout for Aborigihad been outsponal populations in ken about political 2004 (with the capressure to interWhy would we veat that it does not want to destroy vene in the criminal capture demographic something that prosecution of SNCinformation at the has been of Lavalin, a Quebec polls and cannot significant benefit engineering giant count Aboriginal votto the Metis facing bribery chargers directly, whether Nation? es over contracts in they vote on or off reLibya. Wilson-Rayserves). bould believes she Compared to the was shuffled out of 2011 election, Electhe Department of Justice because she tions Canada said turnout on reserves wouldn’t give Trudeau what he wanted increased by 14 percentage points on the file, overruling a prosecutor’s de- — from 47.4 per cent to 61.5 per cent cision not to pursue a plea-bargain-like — while turnout among the general “remediation agreement.” Both ulti- population increased by six percentage mately resigned from the cabinet. points to 66 per cent.

Trudeau has denied any wrongdoing For his part, Metis National Counbut has publicly acknowledged there cil President Clement Chartier said he was a breakdown of trust between Wil- will not allow a “distraction” like the son-Raybould and his office.

SNC-Lavalin controversy to “derail” the Wilson-Raybould was not available council’s efforts to work with the Liberal for an interview but Philpott said she government. does see the controversy as a “setback” “Why would we want to destroy somein the government’s relationship with thing that has been of significant benefit Indigenous Peoples. to the Metis Nation?” he said, suggestTrudeau’s cabinet worked hard on is- ing the response to the council from the sues including the recognition and affir- Trudeau government has been “tremenmation of rights for Indigenous Peoples, dous.”

Philpott said, and there was “tremenThe Metis National Council will reach dous enthusiasm” about Wilson-Ray- out to all the political parties before the bould’s being the first Indigenous jus- election on policy positions, he said, tice minister in Canadian history. adding Metis citizens can decide for Wilson-Raybould was moved out of themselves whom to support. the position into the veterans-affairs “Until there’s an election, we will conportfolio, prior to her subsequent cabi- tinue to support this prime minister and net resignation. this government,” he said.

“I think particularly the fact that she Wilson-Raybould’s tenure as the first was moved out of that role and then Indigenous justice minister in Canada subsequently resigned from cabinet, is will remain a “huge breakthrough,” Bena setback, without doubt,” Philpott said. nett said. She said her team is very sad As an independent MP, Wilson-Ray- there was an erosion of trust with her bould continues to have leverage over colleagues. her former party — and Trudeau in “We would prefer that (Philpott and particular — as members of Indigenous Wilson-Raybould) were still members communities watch her words and ac- of the team, still supporting the prime tions carefully, says University of Sas- minister, but unfortunately that didn’t katchewan professor Joseph Garcea, a happen,” she said, but she believes the political scientist who studies Canadian government’s Indigenous partners want politics. to move on. ■

timing.

Blair said he has been looking at the data, the experience in other jurisdictions, Canada’s regulatory environment and how firearms get into the wrong hands. “And as a result of that work, I believe that there are some things that we can do to create a safe environment, reduce gun violence in our communities and make it far more difficult for people who would commit crimes.”

Participants at a series of eight inperson roundtables in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and Moncton, N.B., last October “were divided in their views on a ban,” the summary says.

There was also a range of opinion among 36 written submissions. Opposition to a ban came from shooting clubs, retailers, academics, wildlife associations, a territorial government, an association representing rural municipalities and a group of LGBTQ firearms owners.

“You are reacting to a crime wave, no question, but not a firearms problem,” said one submission.

Support for a ban came from some health associations, victims’ organizations, women-focused groups, a provincial ministry and an organization that

17

deals with municipal affairs.

“As these firearms have no legitimate use in hunting, current owners may only legally use them for target shooting or collecting,” said one such submission.

“This is not a compelling enough reason to justify the risk they pose to public safety.”

However, about four in every five of the almost 135,000 responses to an online questionnaire objected to doing more to limit access to handguns or assault-style weapons.

A federal bill introduced in March last year, and currently before the Senate, has proposed expanding the scope of background checks on those who want to acquire guns, strengthening recordkeeping requirements for sales and requiring purchasers to present valid firearms licences.

But the government has long been eyeing additional measures.

The government thinking evolved further after a July 2018 shooting in Toronto that killed two people, injured 13, led to the gunman’s death and left a neighbourhood deeply shaken.

Two days later, Toronto city council passed a motion calling on the federal government to outlaw the sale of handguns in the city. ■

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18

World News

APRIL 19, 2019

Indonesians vote in vast democratic exercise THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ger in the ink after casting their votes as an anti-fraud measure.

The Election Commission estimates more than 17 million people are involved in ensuring the elections run smoothly, including volunteers, guards and registered witnesses for every polling station.

About 20,500 candidates are

Democratic outpost

After three decades of military rule ended in 1998, IndoneJAKARTA, INDONESIA – Insia has become the most robust donesia’s elections pit Joko democracy in Southeast Asia, Widodo, the first Indonesian a region where authoritarian president from outside the Jagovernments and stage-mankarta elite, against Prabowo aged elections are the norm.

Subianto, a former special forcBut despite being the world’s es general from the era of aumost populous Muslim nation, thoritarian rule the third-largest under military democracy and dictator Suharto. a member of the Some facts and Group of 20 mafigures about The 810,000 polling stations have jor economies, more than 1.6 million bottles of We d n e s d a y ’s Indonesia has halal-certified indelible ink ready. elections: a low profile on Voters will dip a finger in the ink the world stage. after casting their votes as an antiBy the numbers That is slowly fraud measure.

Nearly 193 changing, with million Indothe country renesians are elicently becoming a non-permagible to vote in nent member the archipelago stretching across thousands of standing for the presidency, the of the U.N. Security Council, islands and three time zones.

Senate and legislatures at the announcing a bid to host the The 810,000 polling stations national, provincial and district 2032 Olympics and analysts forecasting its economy to be have more than 1.6 million bot- levels. tles of halal-certified indelible Staging the election will cost among the world’s five largest ink ready. Voters will dip a fin- about $1.9 billion. by 2030.

Mexico releases spy agency’s files on current president

BY MARK STEVENSON The Associated Press MEXICO CITY — Mexico released a trove of files from the country’s old domestic intelligence agency Tuesday, and they showed the agency was once so paranoid it even spied on members of the former governing party.

The top exhibit was the file compiled by domestic agents on current President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who belonged to the Institutional Revolutionary Party in the 1970s and ‘80s.

The 63-page archive consists of old intelligence documents drawn up between 1979 and the early 1980’s by spies from the now-extinct Federal Security Department.

A few reports, including some signed by the agency”s head at the time, claimed Lopez Obrador was a local leader of the

Mexican Communist Party.

One report from 1983 even claimed Lopez Obrador was trying to weaken the then-ruling party, known as the PRI, because of his communist leanings.

“Because of his communist affiliation, he planned to weaken the PRI in the next elections” for local officials in his home state of Tabasco, according to the intelligence document.

Questioned about similar reports in March, Lopez Obrador said: “I was not a member of the Communist Party, but I did support social activists.”

“I have always said that not everything in those files about opposition figures is true,” he said.

But Lopez Obrador was far from an opposition figure in the early 1980s. He served in various government posts in the southern state of Tabasco. The intelligence agency apparently sent spies to political meetings to report on what was said

there.

In one document, the intelligence agency approvingly reported Lopez Obrador and others held a meeting in 1980 to praise the foreign policy of then-President Jose Lopez Portillo.

In 1983, Lopez Obrador, working in another government agency, urged farmers who were threatening to block access roads to government oil wells to “be patient,” because promised aid programs were coming.

A decade later, Lopez Obrador himself would be leading angry demonstrations to block the oil wells. He had left the PRI in 1988.

He won the presidency last July on his third try. Upon taking office Dec. 1, he dissolved the National Center for Investigation and Security, which had replaced the Federal Security Department, and ordered the opening up of old intelligence archives. www.canadianinquirer.net

FRIDAY

Redacted Mueller report expected to be released on Thursday

BY MICHAEL BALSAMO The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The president isn’t waiting. As Washington counts down the final hours until publication of the redacted special counsel report — now expected Thursday — Donald Trump stepped up his attacks in an effort to undermine potential disclosures on Russia, his 2016 campaign and the aftermath.

He unleashed a series of tweets Monday focusing on the previously released summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s conclusions — including a crucial one on obstruction of justice that Trump again misrepresented — produced by Attorney General William Barr.

“Mueller, and the A.G. based on Mueller findings (and great intelligence), have already ruled No Collusion, No Obstruction,” Trump tweeted.

“These were crimes committed

by Crooked Hillary, the DNC, Dirty Cops and others! INVESTIGATE THE INVESTIGATORS!” Press secretary Sarah Sanders repeatedly tried to make the same case on TV talk shows on Sunday. But the political battle is far from finished over the special counsel’s investigation of Russian efforts to help Trump in 2016 and whether there was co-operation with his campaign.

Democrats are calling for Mueller himself to testify before Congress and have expressed concern that Barr will order unnecessary censoring of the report to protect the president. The House Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, is poised to try to compel Barr to turn over an unredacted copy as well as the report’s underlying investigative files.

The Justice Department announced Monday that it expects to release the redacted version Thursday morning, sending the findings of the nearly two-year probe to Congress and making them available to the public.

Mueller officially conclud-

ed his investigation late last month and submitted the confidential report to Barr. Two days later, the attorney general sent Congress a four-page letter that detailed Mueller’s “principal conclusions.”

In his letter, Barr said the special counsel did not find a criminal conspiracy between Russia and Trump associates during the campaign. However, contrary to Trump’s false claim, Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. Instead, Mueller presented evidence on both sides of that question. Barr said he did not believe the evidence was sufficient to prove that Trump had obstructed justice, but he noted that Mueller’s team did not exonerate the president.

Portions of the report being released by the Justice Department will be redacted to protect grand jury material, sensitive intelligence, matters that could affect ongoing investigations and damage to the privacy rights of third parties, the attorney general has said.

The scores of outstanding questions about the investigation have not stopped the president and his allies from declaring victory.

They have painted House Democrats’ investigations as partisan overreach and have targeted news outlets and individual reporters they say have promoted the collusion story.

The president himself seethed at a political rally that the whole thing was an attempt “to tear up the fabric of our great democracy.”

He has told confidants in recent days that he was certain the full report would back up his claims of vindication but was also convinced the media would manipulate the findings in an effort to damage him, according to two Republicans close to the White House not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations. In the waiting game’s final days, the White House continued to try to shape the narrative. ❱❱ PAGE 20 Redacted Mueller

World News

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

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South Korean president calls for 4th summit with Kim Jong Un

BY KIM TONG-HYUNG The Associated Press SEOUL, KOREA, Republic Of — South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday he’s ready for a fourth summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to help salvage faltering nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang.

Moon’s comments came after Kim issued his harshest criticism yet over South Korea’s diplomatic role last week, accusing Seoul of acting like an “overstepping mediator” and demanding that it diverge from Washington to support the North’s position more strongly.

Moon met Kim three times last year and also brokered nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang following tensions created by North’s nuclear and missile tests and the exchange of war threats be-

tween Kim and President Donald Trump.

“Whenever North Korea is ready, we hope that the South and North could sit down together and hold concrete and practical discussions on ways to achieve progress that goes beyond what was accomplished in the two summits between North Korea and the United States,” Moon said in a meeting with senior aides.

Moon met President Donald Trump last week in Washington where they agreed on the importance of nuclear talks with North Korea but did not announce specific plans on how to get the stalemated negotiations back on track.

Moon met Kim three times last year and also helped set up the first meeting between Kim and Trump last June when they agreed to a vague statement about a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing how and when it would occur.

Trump and Kim met again in Vietnam in February, but the meeting collapsed over what the Americans saw as excessive North Korean demands for sanctions relief in exchange for limited disarmament steps.

The breakdown of the Trump-Kim meeting in Hanoi raised doubts about Moon’s claim that Kim could be persuaded to deal away his nukes for economic and security benefits and also about Seoul’s role as a diplomatic catalyst, which became less crucial once Washington and Pyongyang established direct talks.

The North had been urging the South to break away from Washington and proceed with inter-Korean economic projects that are currently held back by U.S.-led sanctions against the North. Moon’s call for partial sanctions relief to create space for the inter-Korean projects and induce nuclear disarmament steps from the

Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in shaking hands.

North has caused disagreements with Washington, which sees economic pressure as its main leverage with Pyongyang.

In a speech delivered to North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament on Friday, Kim said he is open to a third summit with Trump but set an end-of-

CHEONGWADAE / BLUE HOUSE

year deadline for Washington to offer mutually acceptable terms for an agreement.

Kim blamed the collapse of his second summit with Trump on what he described as Washington’s unilateral demands. ❱❱ PAGE 25 South Korean

After years of crisis, Venezuelans wonder what is ‘normal’

BY CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA The Associated Press CARACAS, VENEZUELA — A normal country?

At first glance, the graffiti reading “Un pais normal?” seems ambiguous in Venezuela’s frayed capital, where the government brandishes slogans like clenched fists and the opposition lobs insults at President Nicolas Maduro. Actually, the message on a Caracas wall is a tart comment in a place where talk of what is normal, or should be normal, has become common and touches nerves.

Normalcy elsewhere in the world doesn’t fit Venezuela, where extremes are the norm.

Two men say they are president. The worst nationwide blackouts last month played havoc with millions of people.

Hyperinflation has slashed many monthly salaries to the equivalent of a few dollars. Onetenth of the population — over 3 million and growing — has fled, causing Latin America’s biggest

migration crisis.

Don’t think of Venezuela’s chaos as the new normal, warns opposition leader Juan Guaido.

“There can’t be normality when we Venezuelans can’t even communicate with our family members and some have to look for water in the Guaire (river) to slake the thirst of their children,” Guaido tweeted during electricity outages in March.

Guaido’s supporters worry that anger over the country’s escalating problems will fade and therefore extend the rule of Maduro, whose re-election last year was denounced as illegitimate by Guaido as well as the United States and about 50 other nations.

“It’s not normal,” read a cardboard poster at an opposition rally in Caracas this month.

It listed miserable conditions now synonymous with Venezuela: a lack of water and light, commuter trains that resemble saunas (when they work), hospitals without enough medication, and self-exile as a way to survive.

Maduro, meanwhile, tries to project reassurance, saying the water supply is “normalizing” and announcing an electricity rationing plan as the grid stabilizes, for now, in Caracas and other politically key areas. But he also stokes an idea of crisis with references to a “permanent battle” against the United States and other perceived enemies allegedly bent on unraveling Venezuela’s “Bolivarian Revolution” and its socialist system.

Maduro’s government has described migration from Venezuela as “normal” and denied there is a humanitarian crisis, despite considerable evidence that there is. In tacit recognition that it can’t cope on its own, the government has agreed to allow the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to begin delivering medical aid this month.

While a Peruvian foreign minister once described Maduro as “not a normal person,” the Venezuelan leader can dish it out as well. Last week, he said U.S. Vice-President Mike www.canadianinquirer.net

Pence’s behaviour was “abnormal” because he so frequently — obsessively, in Maduro’s view — criticizes the Venezuelan government.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is also talking up normality. On Sunday, he met with Venezuelan migrants in the Colombian border city of Cucuta and said Venezuela lacked medicine and other basic items “which under normal circumstances, in any normal country, would be readily available.”

As Maduro and Guaido spar over what normal means and who is to blame for Venezuela’s shocking decline, a lot of Venezuelans are too preoccupied to gauge their own diminishing expectations.

Some residents of the poor Caracas neighbourhood of La Vega say the flow of tap water to their homes hasn’t been reliable for more than a year, long before Venezuela’s recent shortages. This week, several dozen blocked a road and banged pots in anger over the current system of receiving water from cisterns.

“Piped water — we want to get water the way we did before,” said protester Jhony Peraza.

“Because what do we do with water for one day, two days?

And then? Afterward, we don’t have more water and then we have the same problem again.”

The Venezuelan catastrophe has unspooled for years, fueled by corruption, incompetence and oil dependency. The reality is wrenching for a nation whose idea of normal in now-distant good times encompassed flowing oil revenues, booming construction and generous government handouts.

A column in El Impulso, a Venezuelan media outlet, reflected on a country seemingly going off the rails.

“Everything is out of place.

Everything and nothing is the same thing in the country.

Salaries and basic needs aren’t aligned. The normal country that we once knew is lost, mutilated, abducted,” it said.

“We’ve become,” the commentary concluded, “an abnormal country.” ■

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World News

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

Around world, ‘our hearts ache’ at Notre Dame Cathedral fire

BY MICHAEL BALSAMO The Associated Press THE WORLD reacted with shock and prayers to the massive fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, united in grief and in solidarity with the people of France.

As the flames tore through the 12th-century cathedral, Spain’s prime minister offered France the help of his country in the recovery.

The fire is a “catastrophe for France, for Spain and for Europe,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted Monday, adding that the flames are destroying “850 years of history, architecture, painting and sculpture.”

French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters near the scene that he will seek international help, including from the “greatest talents” in the world, to rebuild Notre Dame.

President Donald Trump, speaking at an appearance in Minnesota, spoke of the “terrible, terrible fire” that devastated “one of the great treasures of the world.”

“It’s a part of our growing up, it’s a part of our culture, it’s a part of our lives,” Trump said of the landmark.

The Notre Dame Cathedral, situated on an island in the Seine River in the heart of Paris, is one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations, drawing some 13 million people each year. The fire’s emotional impact was widely felt. People from all over described in Facebook posts how they cried when they heard about the fire.

Former President Barack Obama posted an old photo of himself, his wife Michelle and their two daughters lighting candles in the cathedral.

“Notre Dame is one of the world’s great treasures, and we’re thinking of the people of France in your time of grief,” Obama said on Twitter. Michelle Obama, who was in Paris on Monday on a book tour, said “my heart aches with the people of France.”

“The majesty of Notre Dame – the history, artistry, and spirituality – took our breath away, lifting us to a higher understanding of who we are and who we can be,” she tweeted. She predicted the cathedral would rise again.

Japan’s government early Tuesday expressed sympathy and said it would consider sending support to the French government. “Its damage is a loss to the world and our hearts ache,” said Yoshihide Suga, the

chief cabinet secretary.

The Vatican said Pope Francis “has seen with shock and sadness the news of the terrible fire.”

As the flames spread, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, prayed at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan for intercession.

“God preserve this splendid house of prayer, and protect those battling the blaze,” Dolan said in a statement.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said many works of art and holy objects inside the church had been saved, but the art world was distressed about what might have been lost.

Barbara Drake Boehm, senior curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s medieval

Cloisters branch in New York, was desolate about damage to the cathedral, which she called “one of the great monuments to the best of civilization.”

“Civilization is just so fragile,” Boehm told a reporter in a trembling voice. “This great hulking monument of stone has been there since 1163. It’s come through so many trials.”

Jeff Ament, bass player for Pearl Jam, remembered spending hours at the cathedral in his first visit, in 1991, with record executive Michael Goldstone.

“Thinking about Paris,” Ament tweeted, with photos of the cathedral.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted that he’s “horrified,” calling the ca-

thedral “a unique example of world heritage.”

In Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church’s secretary for inter-Christian relations Hieromonk Stefan called the fire “a tragedy for the entire Christian world and for all who appreciate the cultural significance of this temple,” the state news agency RIA-Novosti reported: On Twitter, Trump suggested using planes to drop water on the flames. France’s Civil Security agency said that wasn’t feasible.

“All means are being used, except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral,” the agency tweeted. ■

or politically damaging information. Barr’s letter, for instance, hinted that there would be at least one unknown action by the president that Mueller examined as a possible act of obstruction. A number of White House aides have privately said they are eager for all Russia stories, good or bad, to fade from the headlines. And there is fear among some presidential confidants that the rush to spike the football in celebration could backfire if bombshell new information emerges.

Trump and his allies also continue to attack the origins of the Russia investigation, portraying it as an effort by Democrats and career officials in the Justice Department to bring him down.

“The Mueller Report, which

was written by 18 Angry Democrats who also happen to be Trump Haters (and Clinton Supporters), should have focused on the people who SPIED on my 2016 Campaign, and others who fabricated the whole Russia Hoaxe. That is, never forget, the crime.” Trump tweeted Monday.

His long-asserted accusation — though not supported by evidence — that his campaign was spied upon was given new life last week when Barr, testifying before Congress, said he thinks “spying did occur” in 2016.

Barr may have been referring to a surveillance warrant the FBI obtained in the fall of 2016 to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

The warrant was obtained after Page had left the campaign and was renewed several times. Critics of the Russia investigation have seized on the fact that the warrant application cited Democratic-funded opposition research, done by a former British spy, into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

Barr later softened his tone to “I am not saying improper surveillance occurred.”

The attorney general’s comments have frustrated Democrats, already anxious for the release of the full, uncensored report and concerned that Barr may withhold pertinent information. The report could provide new information that could prompt further investigations or even consideration of impeachment proceedings,

a tricky political calculation since Mueller did not conclude there was collusion or obstruction.

The Russia probe began on July 31, 2016, when the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation into Russia’s efforts to influence the presidential campaign and whether anyone on the Trump campaign was involved. That probe was prompted by former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos’ contacts with Russian intermediaries, including a Maltese professor who told the young aide that the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton in the form of emails. ■

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

SHANICE A GARCIA / PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER

Redacted Mueller... ❰❰ 18

“There was no obstruction, which I don’t how you can interpret that any other way than total exoneration,” press secretary Sanders said on “Fox News Sunday.”

While the president unleashed his personal grievances, his team seized on any exculpatory information in Barr’s letter, hoping to define the conversation in advance, according to White House officials and outside advisers who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss private deliberations.

The victory lap was deliberately premature, they said.

But Trump’s inner circle knows there will likely be further releases of embarrassing

www.canadianinquirer.net

Lemire reported from New York.

Associated Press writer Chad Day contributed to this report.

21

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

Ateneo president...

Fought to...

❰❰ 11

❰❰ 14

cos appears as a form the incident, Villarin also said of shameless com- Yael Buencamino, the executive pliance to the very director of Arete who personmovement that the Ateneo ve- ally invited the young Marcos hemently opposes, the erasure to the event, has “voluntarily” of Martial Law crimes from offered to step down from her history and from the present post. discourse during the campaign “I have accepted her resignaperiod of the 2019 Senatorial tion as Executive Director, even Elections,” Sangas I acknowledge gu said. with gratitude Villarin, howher exemplary ever, explained performance that this inciin shepherding dent did not We offer Arete during this our deepest mean that the nascent stage apologies university has of its developfor the hurt “turned a blind ment,” he said. this has eye” on what had “Ms. Buenbrought. happened during camino’s experMarcos’s martial tise is in the field law regime. of art and its in“If anything, terface with eduthey have cation, and we strengthened the University’s look forward to her continuing unfailing commitment to help contribution to this field here seek justice for the victims of at the Ateneo de Manila,” he the regime, to counter histori- continued. cal revisionism and to educate This was not the first time the Ateneo community regard- Villarin made a public apoling the regime’s pernicious ef- ogy. He issued one in 2014 after fects on Philippine society,” he the attendance of former First said.

Lady Imelda Marcos at the 40th anniversary of the Ateneo Arete head resigns Scholarship Foundation (ASF) After receiving criticisms for drew flak. ■

reading from a stack of philosophy books at the bedside. He is partial to Aristotle and Edmund Burke.

He is schooled in the ground game of politics and had legendary campaign war chests as a Calgary MP. Some credit him with moving Harper’s government into majority territory by reaching out to ethnic newcomers, breaking the shibboleth that they vote Liberal, so much so he gained the nickname “minister for curry in a hurry.”

He is a Catholic and has spoken out against gay marriage and abortion in the past, but promises not to act on those issues if he becomes premier.

Critics say he can’t be trusted. They note he has promised, as premier, to roll back some protections for students in gaystraight alliances in schools.

He won the leadership of the Progressive Conservatives, then the new United Conservatives and finally the provincial election, illuminating his drive, populist instincts, and nose for the political jugular.

In a province where the unemployment rate is above seven per cent in Edmonton and Calgary,

United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney.

he campaigned against Notley on “jobs, jobs, jobs,” tapping into latent discontent over the federal government’s failure to get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project underway.

To win the UCP leadership, he drove back and forth across Alberta in a blue pickup truck to meet and greet thousands of supporters and fence-sitters.

Then, in less than two years, he got 87 constituency associations and candidates running.

It was also about doing whatever it takes. When Kenney ran for the PC leadership, he was fined by the party for setting up a hospitality booth beside a voting station.

Last month, campaign docu-

JASON KENNEY / FACEBOOK

ments and emails revealed that his UCP leadership team worked in lockstep with another candidate to have him attack Kenney’s chief rival while Kenney stayed above the fray.

Mounties are investigating the UCP leadership race for possible fraud.

Kenney has said his next step is to get back on the campaign trail, this time to get the federal Liberals defeated in the fall.

“It is in the vital economic interests of Alberta that the Trudeau government be replaced this October,” he said earlier this week.

For Kenney, one campaign is over. Let another campaign begin. ■

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22

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS

Issabelle Frial and her discovery of true passion

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer IT IS not easy for some working millennials nowadays to land a job that they have ever dreamed of having.

Some, perhaps, find it hard to wake themselves up as early as 5 a.m., deal with the daily struggle of going to the office, and do a job they are not happy with for at least eight hours. This kind of situation often pushes them to job-hop, as they look for a company that they think will satisfy them or maybe their hunger for career growth.

While many are still in search for something that will make them feel excited to be at work, destiny has favored this 25-year-old event planner and marketer who has already found the reason to get herself out of the bed every morning.

But before she reveals her secret to being happy at work, why don’t we all get to know her first?

Proud Filipino-CanadianAmerican

Meet Issabelle Frial, a fiery, energetic, charismatic, ambitious, and natural entertainer just as how a lot of people would describe her. She is the fruit of the love between an engineer and a flight attendant who were both born and raised in the Philippines. The engineer left his motherland and flew to Canada at the age of 21. He was already working as an engineer at that time when he got assigned in Kuwait, the place where fate brought him and the flight attendant — who is now his wife — together.

Eventually, the couple’s love blossomed, resulting in the birth of the young Issabelle in October 1993. She took her father’s citizenship, a Canadian, although her mother gave birth to her in Kuwait.

Issabelle grew up being one of the members of the ‘No Permanent Address’ club. Two years after she was born, her family moved back to Toronto, Ontario, where her dad’s family was living and stayed there until she was eight years old. Her

SUPPLIED

Issabelle Frial.

dad then got a job opportunity with Cathay Pacific Airways so they transferred to Anchorage, Alaska where she spent the rest of her elementary and high school days.

In 2011, they returned to Canada after her dad got relocated to Vancouver. Her family finally decided to settle down there but not for the teenage girl who, at that time, was about to become a college frosh. Her coast-to-coast journey continued as she started her university life in Victoria, British Columbia at the University of Victoria. She remained there until she finished her studies in 2016.

When she was two years old, the young girl, apparently, was unmindful of her surroundings when she went to Canada for the first time. But moving back there for the second time around as a teenager, Issabelle had noticed how prepossessing the Great White North is and how warm-hearted the citizens are.

“I think Canada is one of the greatest countries to live in.

Whenever I travel outside the country, I’m always so proud to say that I’m from Canada. I love living here. Vancouver in particular; the city is breathtaking everywhere you go, the people are kind, and the food scene is out of this world.”

Growing up crossing one

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state to another, Issabelle was lucky enough, not being able to experience the struggles of a first-generation immigrant.

Although she managed to save herself from encountering those, she, however, was not able to get away from the struggles that a second-generation immigrant goes through.

“Growing up, I thought that I had to confine myself to only one nationality and at the time that was the country I mostly knew and was familiar with – American,” said Issabelle. “But the more I traveled and the more I figured out who I was, I realized that I could identify with more than one nationality.

Now, I’m proud to say that I’m a Filipino-Canadian-American.”

Being an immigrant with Asian blood also made it somehow difficult for her to blend in a non-Asian country. Issabelle, who has Filipino heritage, shared that she got discriminated by other kids for having “squintier” eyes than others and for bringing certain Pinoy food to school for her lunch.

“Every once in a while, I’ll get a snide comment from someone when I’m walking down the street or if I’m out for the night.”

Unfortunately for these bullies, no matter how much effort they try to exert to pull her down, they just could not win over this strong and positivewww.canadianinquirer.net

minded Filipina.

“There’s always going to be negative people out there who want to bring other people down and I don’t want to give them the satisfaction that I let their negative attitude or actions affect me.”

Discovering her place

After graduating, Issabelle went on with her less gloomridden life as she packed her things up again, leaving everything behind in Victoria to reunite with her family in Vancouver. Earning a university degree is a huge accomplishment for every student out there because everybody knows school life is not a piece of cake.

You are proud to see how far you have come when you look back to those tough times, but as you turn your head, you notice that you still have a long road ahead of you — that is when you realize that your race does not end the moment you throw your graduation cap in the air; in fact, the trigger of the starting pistol was just pulled.

While some fresh graduates want to immediately savor the life outside the confinement of structured schooling, others, including Issabelle, are already in their quest inside the real world.

Sitting in front of her computer, Issabelle scrolled through a job posting site and found that Yelp, a local-search service, is hiring for the Vancouver Community Manager position. She then applied for it and went through the interview process, and as luck would have it, she got the job.

For everyone’s knowledge, growing up, being a marketer

was far from the list that Issabelle wanted to do when she grew up, the truth is she had actually dreamed of becoming a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon. She never really saw herself in the marketing industry until she took various courses during her days as a Psychology student and realized that being a medical practitioner is not the right path for her.

“The idea of working in marketing came to me when I took a class in Consumer Psychology.

After taking that class, I picked up a couple [of ] jobs working as an event coordinating intern and digital and social media intern where I was able to learn more about the industry.”

But not only did she gain further understanding of the diverse world of marketing, Issabelle also slowly discovered her true passion that led her to her current job position.

As an extrovert through and through (scoring as a 99% extrovert on her Myers-Briggs test), Issabelle said she gets her motivation and energy from being around people that is why being employed in the role she applied for was the ‘perfect job’ for her.

“In the marketing/events industry, you’re constantly surrounded with different human beings and personalities. You’re faced with an assortment of new challenges and every single day is so different. I thrive from it.”

As the Vancouver Community Manager, she enjoys growing the local community in Vancouver; as well as hosting several media events, engaging ❱❱ PAGE 33 Issabelle Frial

23

Entertainment Matteo Guidecelli is now an Army reservist

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer FROM BEING the focus of the lights and cameras for years, Filipino-Italian actor, model, and singer Matteo Guidicelli has stepped out of these for a bit to serve well his mother country as he now becomes part of the Philippine Army.

The 29-year-old brave soul took his oath on Monday, April 15, as reservist of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at the Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM) headquarters in Tanza, Cavite.

Sharing photos of the ceremony, Matteo wrote in his caption, “I officially joined the

I officially joined the Philippine ARMY today because I love my country. I would like to thank the people that have been very supportive. Exciting times ahead. @MATTEOG / INSTAGRAM

Philippine ARMY today because I love my country. I would like to thank the people that have been very supportive. Ex-

citing times ahead.” “‘The rank is emplaced near their heart because it means only those who have the heart

to serve will be fit to wear the uniform It is beyond the uniform, it is all about willingness to serve the country and being prepared for any eventuality,’“ Matteo went on quoting the commander of ARESCOM, Major General Bernie Langub.

ARESCOM, in a statement, said Matteo will soon be taking training to prepare him in the event of natural disasters and national emergencies.

Matteo’s supportive family, ARESCOM added, were also present during the oath-taking ceremony.

Prior to confirming this latest development about him, the Filipino-Italian actor earlier dropped a hint to his 1.7-million Instagram followers as

he posted photos of him at the First Scout Ranger Regiment in Camp Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan.

“Always respect to our flag and to the people that protect us,” he said in a caption along with hashtags #rangers and #rangersleadtheway, tagging the Philippine Army’s account.

It can be recalled that Matteo also joined the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) in March with celebrities Erwan Heussaff and Nico Bolzico. The three took their oath during an induction ceremony in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Matteo was last seen on national television, playing the role of Lakam in the 2018 drama fantasy Bagani. ■

Darren Criss brings environmental John Lloyd Cruz surprises advocacy to PH, calls on PH mayors fan for her 90th birthday to implement waste programs

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer FILIPINO-AMERICAN actor Darren Criss known for his roles in Glee and The Assassination of Gianni Versace did not only pack his things in his luggage for vacation, but he also brought with him his environmental advocacy as he flew to the country that is close to his heart.

Instead of filling his feed with ‘Instagram-worthy’ photos of his trip in the Philippines, the award-winning actor chose to post only one photo of him and his wife while on vacation in Palawan and then allotted a space for his advocacy as he shared to his 2.5-million followers another photo of him taking part in segregating trash.

“So let’s talk about waste management,” he said, “I know, it’s not a very sexy topic – but that’s exactly why it’s such a massive issue in so many parts of the world.”

Darren’s caption revealed that the reason why he came in the country, along with his friends from Global Citizen, is that he wanted to understand Metro Manila’s waste and sustainability challenges.

Global Citizen is a movement of “engaged citizens who are using their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030.” In an online petition posted on its website, the group noted that there are eight million tons of plastic that go to the ocean every year, and if this won’t be addressed, then there will be “more plastic than fish” in the sea by 2050.

“I met a lot of inspiring people who have made incredible strides towards creating a cleaner, greener future, but the obstacles they face are still overwhelming,” the 32-yearold Broadway star wrote.

He called on elected heads of every city in the Philippines to implement zero waste programs in their respective communities and specifically men-

tioned Malabon City Mayor Antolin “Lenlen” Oreta III, whom Darren just met last week, for committing to the cause already.

“Now we need more Mayors to do the same. Join me and take action,” he said.

His fans and followers applauded him for his advocacy, including singer Mark Bautista and Broadway icon Lea Salonga.

“Amazing!!!!” Mark wrote, while Lea told Darren, “Good job! I do wonder why more MM (Metro Manila) cities aren’t implementing a zero waste program. Enjoy the rest of your stay!”

Darren, a son of a Cebuana, was spotted earlier April at the Grand Hyatt Manila with designer Francis Libiran, among others. The designer shared a photo of him with Darren on his social media account, along with a caption, “What an awesome way to open the month of April!! Welcome home, Darren.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

THIRTY-FIVE -YEAR- OLD Kapamilya actor John Lloyd Cruz, who has been rarely seen since taking a hiatus from show business two years ago, decides to make a fan’s 90th birthday extra special by making an appearance in her celebration in Grand Convention Center, Cebu last Friday, April 5.

A video has circulated of John Lloyd sitting next to Vicenta Araneta, the celebrant, whose granddaughter Shing Pacana only asked for a video greeting from the actor. She shares to PEP.ph, “We just requested for a video greeting from John Lloyd. Then minutes after my grandma’s thank you message to her guests, John Lloyd surprised her. He arrived and went straight and sat down with our lola.” Shing adds in Filipino, “[My grandma] was very happy. She was the happiest that night. She is a big fan of John Lloyd ever since,” laughing, “Her DVDs are complete of

all John Lloyd’s movies!” Shing also elaborates that she is the cousin of Kim Araneta-Adarna, the sister-in-law of John Lloyd’s partner, Ellen Adarna.

Ellen is based in Cebu when her brother convinced the One More Chance star to pay the 90th birthday celebrant a visit.

The next day, another one of Vicenta’s grandchildren, Zeus Alemania, shared more videos of the two interacting and described more about the special event. In his words, “To be celebrating 9 decades is indeed an amazing milestone. Last night, we celebrated the 90th birthday of our beloved grandmother Lola Vicenta Araneta.

It was very special for all of us because we were complete as a family,” adding, “But what made it more special was the fact that she was greeted in person with no less than her all-time favorite John Lloyd Cruz.” He exclaims, “ Nothing compares to the happiness we saw on her face, she was so kilig! Happy birthday Lola!

Continue to look fab at 90! We thank God for you.” ■

24

Entertainment

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

No Rome becomes the first Janella Salvador Filipino to perform at Coachella discusses post-

breakup depression

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer FILIPINOS ARE continuing to make their mark in the international entertainment industry as London-based artist No Rome becomes the first from the Philippines to perform at Coachella.

No Rome, whose real name is Rome Gomez, was center stage at the iconic music festival last Friday, April 12, after English rock band The 1975’s lead singer Matty Healy asked him to give a performance during their set.

No Rome then came out singing “Narcissist,” which is a single from his EP RIP Indo Hisashi.

It was co-produced by Matt and the band’s drummer George Daniel. A preview of the performance was posted on The 1975’s Twitter page captioned, “Love this song! The 1975 brought out No Rome for ‘Narcissist.’

In a recent interview with Beats 1, Matty even said that No Rome is his muse, explaining, “Rome kind of became a bit of a muse of mine once I was working on his stuff and then his ideas were on parallel with everything that me and George were doing. I just wanted that energy in the studio you know

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer

No Rome performing Narcissist with The 1975.

and he’s been with us before.

We’ve been making the record for six months together so he’s just been there working away.”

He adds, “It’s so exciting to just be working with him and have so many ideas and ideas and ideas. It’s just great to be around. I just fell in love with it completely.”

The Filipino artist will continue touring with the British Album of the Year-awarded band until the end of the year.

@NO_ROME / TWITTER

They are set to perform in the Philippines this upcoming September 11.

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is an annual music and arts festival held in Indio, California, known for attracting a-list celebrities on its guest list and the most popular modern artists on its lineup. Besides The 1975, Childish Gambino, Ariana Grande, and Billie Eilish are some of the headliners this year. ■

TWENTY- ONE-YEAR- OLD Kapamilya actress and singer Janella Salvador has finally revealed how she overcame her depression from her most recent relationship during an interview with television host Boy Abunda on his show “Tonight with Boy Abunda” last Friday, April 12 on his segment ‘Legit or Lie.’ During the show, Tito Boy asked Janella if it was ‘Legit or a Lie’ that she has gotten over her last relationship, which she happily brought out the ‘Legit’ card. Though the name of her partner was not really mentioned, her last relationship that was revealed to the public was with actor Elmo Magalona.

She explains, “I went through really bad times. I got depressed, I didn’t want to get out of the house anymore. When I went through that, it was like I wanted to be in this little hole and never get out. I was stuck there with all these bad memories in my head… What happened to me was really amaz-

ing. God spoke to me, and ever since that day happened, I have a different outlook now on life.”

The Cebuana specifies that she found three of her friends sending her an inspiring text message the same morning, one of them being fellow actress Erich Gonzales, revealing, “She sent me a long message telling me that ‘there is something better in store for you. God wants to tell you that.’ It was so long and so beautiful.”

After her failed relationship with Elmo, whom she once elaborated on physically abusing her on drunken nights, Janella said she learned “what [she] can tolerate, what [she] can’t tolerate, and how to love someone, but at the same time still love yourself,” concluding, “Not forget about yourself because at one point, I didn’t realize it while I was there, but I gave too much of myself away that I forgot that I had my own person.”

Last October 2018, Janella admitted that she had started seeking professional therapy as a victim of physical abuse. In March, she shares that she has forgiven Elmo for any previous altercations. ■

Erik Matti reveals Nadine Lustre to be his choice for ‘Darna’ replacement

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer AFTER KAPAMILYA actress Liza Soberano’s shocking announcement last April 4 on backing out on portraying the role of the new adaptation of Pinay superheroine Darna, the former director of the film, Erik Matti, shares his opinion on his top pick for her replacement.

In an interview with the Philippine Star, Direk Erik, who resigned as the director of the film last October 2018 due to “creative differences,” shares, “I really feel that Liza would have been a fresh and exciting Darna. After Liza, I only see Na-

dine Lustre so far as someone who can be Darna. Very sultry.

She has a lot of female sensuality and at the same time still looks tough and very Filipina.”

He adds, “The key to casting Darna has always been someone who can look plain and ordinary in her Narda alter ego but can be tough, spunk and can be very sexy as well when she transforms to Darna. Nadine can look all of that,” concluding, “She’s young and embodies a lot of potential to create a modern take for this classic superhero character.”

Immediately after Liza’s departure from the iconic role, netizens were quick to suggest Nadine to fulfill the duties instead. As a response, she told

supporters, “I super appreciate that. For them to see me as a person who is strong and very empowered – Darna is a strong woman and they see that in me, it’s good.” The Ulan star continues, “I want to thank everyone for the support of course but Darna kasi, I am sure, it will be given to someone who is deserving for the role and someone who can really give justice.”

As for her opinions on Liza’s finger injury, causing the resignation, Nadine reveals to ABSCBN News, “We talked about it before, actually during the Christmas special. She showed to me what happened to her finger. It’s her decision. Of course, everyone respects it.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

@SUPERJANELLA / INSTAGRAM

Entertainment

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

25

Game of Thrones: Managing a merger as the zombies close in

BY PAUL WISEMAN, JOSH BOAK, AND CHRISTOPHER RUGABER The Associated Press WASHINGTON — It was never going to be easy to pull together a motley band of warrior eunuchs, Wildling anarchists, nomadic horse lords, fire-belching dragons and, most of all, north country folk who don’t much like or trust outsiders.

Not even when they face near certain death at the hands of an army of ice zombies.

But the “Game of Thrones” hero Jon Snow shouldn’t abandon hope. Forging cross-cultural mergers is difficult — but can pay off for those with the perseverance to see them through.

In the Associated Press’ weekly “Wealth of Westeros “ series, we’ll be following the HBO fantasy show’s latest plot twists and analyzing the economic and business forces driving the story. This week, as Snow tries to rally the realm against the Night King and his White Walkers, we look at real-life efforts to bring different cultures together in common cause.

In Episode 1 of the series’ eighth and final season, Snow is getting pushback, even from his (ostensible) sisters, as he tries to rally the North under the command of an exotic outsider: Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains, etc. And Snow has learned the hard way how risky it can be for Northmen to accept change. In fact, back in the fifth season, it got him killed (and eventually resurrected — but that’s another story).

In the actual business world, combining different cultures can be tricky. Desperation mergers, like the one Snow is trying to pull off, can be especially difficult. Struggling retailers Sears and Kmart came together in 2005 but the resulting company found itself in bankruptcy proceedings late last year. And facing competition from highways and airplanes, the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. and New York Central Railroad Co. merged in 1968 —

and found themselves seeking bankruptcy protection two years later.

In a report last fall, the Harvard Business Review argued that Amazon’s much-ballyhooed takeover of Whole Foods has run into trouble because the two companies’ cultures don’t mesh.

Amazon is highly structured, disciplined and known for top-down decision-making. Whole Foods traditionally took a looser approach, built around self-managing teams. The problems in combining those cultures, the authors wrote, “were completely predictable.”

The culture clash can get more complicated when mergers cross borders.

Many companies don’t even try. A 2012 study in the Journal of Financial Economics found that “the volume of crossborder mergers is lower when countries are more culturally distant.”

And yet, the authors note, “Crossborder mergers occur because they create value.” Indeed, returns from crossborder mergers, they found, are 44% per cent higher than returns from domestic mergers.

Overall, University of Chicago economist Steve Kaplan rejects the widely held view that most mergers fail. When looking at the shareholder value created for both buyers and sellers for the past 30 years, “the overall value of both acquirer and acquired increases, which indicates that the market believes the announced deals will create value,” he wrote in 2016 for the “Chicago Booth Review,” a publication by the university’s business school.

Even if Sansa dislikes Daenerys, she’s still better off with dragons as part of an allied army. Likewise, Daenerys lacks the logistical know-how to feed her eunuch troops and dragons during a Westeros winter.

Yet mergers can also be fundamentally painful for those without golden parachutes, stock holdings — or, in the case of “Game of Thrones,” the right bloodline.

Consider Hoover, the famed vacuum cleaner company once based in North Canton, Ohio. It employed roughly 3,000

South Korean... ❰❰ 19

He said the North’s economy would preserve through heavy U.S.-led sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons program and that he “wouldn’t “obsess over summitry with the United States out of thirst for sanctions relief.”

On South Korea, Kim said Seoul “should not act as an ‘overstepping mediator’ or a ‘facilitator’ and should rather get its mind straight as a member of the (Korean) nation and boldly speak up

for the interest of the nation.”

Moon did not directly address Kim’s criticism, but said he has “high regard” for what he saw as Kim’s strong commitment to diplomacy.

“He also expressed his willingness for the resumption of dialogue between North Korea and the United States and a third summit between North Korea and the United States,” Moon said about Kim. “I have high regard for Chairman Kim’s unwavering commitment.” ■

Game of Thrones hero Jon Snow, played by Kit Harrington.

people around northeast Ohio in 2000, a figure that began to fall in 2004 after being acquired by Maytag. But then Whirlpool purchased Maytag a few years later, selling Hoover to Hong Kong-based Techtronic Industries. Those Hoover jobs around North Canton were ultimately cut or sent to other parts of the country.

In a sense, the shareholders saw it was in their best interest not to be loyal to the community that nurtured the vacuum company. And this is part of the challenge for Jon Snow in this ad-hoc merger as the Stark sisters wonder where his

@GAMEOFTHRONES / INSTAGRAM

loyalties ultimately lie.

At least Jon Snow has a role model as he tries to bring together Wildlings, the Unsullied, the Dothraki and the bickering houses of the North: Mance Rayder managed to unify the lands beyond the Wall against the White Walker menace, convincing such unsociable folk as giants and man-eating Thenns to join his Wildling army.

True, Rayder wound up being burned alive for refusing to accept someone else’s leadership. But grisly death is one of the risks you take when you play the Game of Thrones. Tread carefully, Jon. ■

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26

Lifestyle Diana? Alice? Elizabeth? Britons bet on new royal baby name

BY SYLVIA HUI The Associated Press LONDON — Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, may be keeping plans about their impending baby under wraps, but that hasn’t stopped everyone in Britain from trying to guess the gender and the name of their first child.

If Britain’s bookmakers are to be believed, it’s definitely a girl — and Diana may well be one of her many names.

The William Hill agency closed the betting on the baby’s gender a few days ago after an “avalanche” of bets poured in from people convinced the royal couple is having a girl.

“The secret’s out, as far as we’re concerned,” firm spokesman Rupert Adams said. “It could be because someone somewhere has seen the scan, or someone has heard something.”

While Adams acknowledged there’s always a chance the surge was based on nothing, he said average betting patterns over the years suggest there’s usually some truth in rumours.

So far, Diana is topping the bookmakers’ list as a frontrunning name — William Hill has put the odds at 4/1. Victoria, Alice, Grace and Elizabeth are close behind, while Albert, Arthur and James are popular guesses for a boy.

“A ridiculous number — 80% of bets taken — are for the name Diana,” Adams said. He said he personally doubts Harry would choose a name that so directly evokes his iconic mother’s

tragic death in 1997 but added: “There’s every chance of it being a middle name.”

Carolyn Harris, a royal historian who teaches at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies, agrees that Diana could be a middle name.

That’s what Harry’s brother, Prince William, and his wife Kate did for their daughter, Princess Charlotte (the 3-yearold’s full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana).

“The choice of Diana as a first name would place a lot of pressure on the royal baby, as the press would constantly compare her to her famous grandmother,” she said.

Harris believes Harry and Meghan may adopt a similar approach to the naming of other recently born royal children lower down the line of succession: Choosing a moniker that’s traditional, but one that doesn’t frequently appear within the royal family.

She also thinks a possible middle name could be Ruth — after one of Meghan’s greatgrandmothers, as well as Diana’s maternal grandmother, Lady Ruth Fermoy.

Some observers speculate that Meghan, who has long spoken out about women’s rights, could go for a name that evokes strong women in history — a theory Harris thinks has substance.

“A name associated with prominent female historical figures in Britain and/or the United States is certainly a possibility,” she said. Eleanor, for one, could honour both Eleanor

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.

Roosevelt and Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen of England in the 12th century.

Harry and Meghan haven’t announced the baby’s gender or the due date, which is widely believed to be sometime in late April.

The pair declared Thursday they are keeping the birth private and won’t be sharing news about the baby’s arrival until they’ve told family and friends.

That has led many to jump to the conclusion that they are planning a home birth at their new residence, Frogmore Cottage, close to Windsor Castle outside of London.

Home birth or not, the scenario will be quite different from the media circus that lasted for days outside the London hospital where their sister-inlaw Kate’s three children were born. That will significantly

www.canadianinquirer.net

dampen the name and gender betting frenzy, according to William Hill, which reported taking “hundreds of bets a minute” every time palace officials announced that Kate had gone into labour.

Whatever name they choose, the new baby will not automatically have the official title of prince or princess. Those titles were given to all three children of William, the eldest son of Prince Charles, heir to the British throne.

Instead, Harry and Meghan’s baby is expected to be styled the Earl of Dumbarton if a boy and Lady Mountbatten-Windsor if a girl. That said, the child’s great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, could change that if she wants the baby to be a prince or princess.

Harry’s first child will be seventh in line for the throne,

THE ROYAL FAMILY / WEBSITE

bumping down Harry’s uncle, Prince Andrew.

Some punters have been having a laugh with their royal baby bets. Ladbrokes reported that 2 pounds ($2.60) have been staked on the name Brexit — with odds of 500/1. The name Donald is at 250/1. Meghan, as any reader of British tabloids knows, is no fan of the current U.S. president.

One thing British betting agencies are not seeing: lots of money being placed on quirky, New Age or celebrity-driven, unique monikers.

“Harry is a traditional guy at heart, we think he would like a relatively traditional but not absolutely turgid royal name,” Adams said. “(Meghan) would like to convey herself as regal — we feel she would not go with a weird name like ‘Sunshine,’” he added. ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

27

Heavy periods? You might have Study finds diabetes an undiagnosed bleeding disorder drug may prevent,

BY PAULA JAMES Professor of Medicine Queen’s University Ontario, The Canadian Press ABOUT 30 per cent of all women report heavy menstrual periods at some point during their reproductive years. Up to 15 per cent of these have an underlying bleeding disorder and yet most have never been diagnosed, leaving thousands of women to suffer from a treatable problem.

As a hematologist and clinician scientist at Queen’s University who cares for patients with inherited bleeding disorders, it is a major source of frustration for me that women with bleeding disorders can wait up to 15 years to get appropriate testing and treatment.

I worry even more about what happens to those who never get diagnosed. These women are at risk of acute hemorrhages leading to blood transfusions and the need for hysterectomy.

Because April 17 is the 29th annual World Hemophilia Day — a day focused on outreach and education about hemophilia — I would like to share some evidence-based information about heavy periods, what it means to be a female “carrier” of hemophilia and how you can easily test yourself for a bleeding disorder.

Iron deficiency and abnormal periods

Bleeding disorders that affect women include von Willebrand disease and hemophilia — both are inherited and are caused by low levels of “clotting factors” (proteins needed for normal blood clotting).

In families with a bleeding disorder, it is common for women to not realize their periods are heavy because other affected women in the family have similar problems. To them, heavy periods seem normal.

There are also social stigmas against an open discussion about periods that can be difficult to overcome. And there is a lack of accurate information about normal versus abnormal periods.

Key features of heavy and

abnormal periods include having to change pads or tampons more than every hour, having iron deficiency anemia, frequently soaking through your sheets at night and bleeding that lasts longer than seven days.

Iron deficiency anemia is of particular concern because it leads to fatigue and shortness of breath as well as poor school and job performance.

Iron deficiency and heavy periods are too often ignored but can be signs of an underlying bleeding disorder. Both are easily treated once the diagnosis is made.

Women can also have hemophilia

Women who are carriers of hemophilia are very often considered to be “only carriers” — capable of passing on a mutant gene to their children. They may be told this by their doctor.

Their bleeding then often goes untreated because of this misconception.

My own research has shown, however, that around 30 to 40 per cent of hemophilia carriers experience abnormal bleeding including heavy periods, postpartum hemorrhage and joint bleeds. Some, but not all, have low clotting factor levels.

Effective treatments for heavy periods in women with bleeding disorders are widely available. These include the oral contraceptive pill and medications like tranexamic acid (that prevent clot breakdown) and desmopressin (that increases clotting factor levels).

Gynecologic options such as the levonorgestrel intrauterine device (IUD) and endometrial ablation also exist.

In rare cases, women with bleeding disorders require clotting factor infusions to control heavy periods. If iron deficient, iron supplementation is a key component of treatment as it improves quality of life. Dietary iron intake alone is not enough to correct iron deficiency, particularly once it has caused anemia.

Historically, much of the focus of research and education for hemophilia was on improving treatment for boys and men with the disease. The mainstay

is frequent intravenous infusions of the missing clotting factor. Significant advances have been made including the development of better treatments and the possibility of cure.

Are your bleeding symptoms normal?

Many organizations are now focused on increasing public knowledge about bleeding disorders. The recognition that women can also have hemophilia is increasing through the efforts of organizations like the World Federation of Hemophilia.

The role of novel therapies for women with hemophilia isn’t clear, and additional research is required to understand exactly why these women bleed. One recent study from my lab showed that the blood clotting system of hemophilia carriers doesn’t react to hemostatic stress (such as trauma) as well as it does in healthy controls. A rapid and sustained increase of blood clotting factors is required to halt bleeding following injury and this was significantly impaired in hemophilia carriers.

If you are wondering if you have a bleeding disorder, the Self-BAT (self administered bleeding assessment tool) is freely available and can tell you if your bleeding symptoms are normal or abnormal.

This tool analyzes information about your bleeding symptoms to generate a bleeding score. A high bleeding score is associated with an increased chance of having an underlying bleeding disorder and should be discussed with your doctor.

Significant advances have been made in understanding the problems faced by women with bleeding disorders. More research and education is needed so that all women are diagnosed and treated properly. ■ This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site.

www.canadianinquirer.net

slow kidney disease

BY MARILYNN MARCHIONE The Associated Press A DRUG that’s used to help control blood sugar in people with diabetes has now been shown to help prevent or slow kidney disease, which causes millions of deaths each year and requires hundreds of thousands of people to use dialysis to stay alive.

Doctors say it’s hard to overstate the importance of this study, and what it means for curbing this problem, which is growing because of the obesity epidemic.

The study tested Janssen Pharmaceuticals’ drug Invokana. Results were discussed Sunday at a medical meeting in Australia and published by the New England Journal of Medicine.

About 30 million Americans and more than 420 million people worldwide have diabetes , and most cases are Type 2,

the kind tied to obesity. It occurs when the body can’t make enough or properly use insulin, which turns food into energy.

This can damage the kidneys over time, causing disease and ultimately, failure. In the U.S., it’s responsible for nearly half a million people needing dialysis, and for thousands of kidney transplants each year.

Some blood pressure drugs lower this risk but they’re only partially effective. The new study tested Invokana, a daily pill sold now to help control blood sugar, to see if it also could help prevent kidney disease when added to standard treatments.

For the study, about 13,000 people with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease from around the world were to be given Invokana or dummy pills.

Independent monitors stopped the study early, after 4,400 people had been treated for about ❱❱ PAGE 31 Study finds

28

Lifestyle

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

Should I say ‘disabled person’ or ‘person with a disability’??

BY MARY ANN MCCOLL Professor Queen’s University Ontario, The Canadian Press RECENTLY, AN Alberta woman with an obvious physical disability was asked to leave a grocery store and not come back because she could not pack her own groceries quickly enough.

According to the report on CBC’s Go Public, the checkout clerk said she was slowing down the line as she struggled to bag her groceries, and the store said no staff were available to help her. Presumably, neither were other patrons.

This story is consistent with what many disabled people say they experience. The Human Rights Commission says that almost 60 per cent of all claims cite disability as the basis for discrimination. People with disabilities are routinely denied the rights we all know they are entitled to. A poll commissioned by the Rick Hansen Foundation, found that 90 per cent of Canadians agree that accessibility for people with physical disabilities is a right, not a privilege, but there is still a clear prejudice in how disabled people are treated.

Disability is a sensitive topic.

Fear of saying the wrong thing prevents people from saying anything at all, and makes us avoid having important conversations about disability. This avoidance in turn creates the kind of toxic environment that leads to situations such as the

one described above.

In our research at the Canadian Disability Policy Alliance, we worked with disability advocacy groups to assemble some guidelines to help readers gain confidence in their ability to participate in positive ways in the dialogue with people with disabilities. Here, we share those guidelines: Listen to how people talk about themselves

The Canadian government has advocated “people-first” language which emphasizes putting the person first and the disability second: for example, saying a person with a spinal cord injury, or a person with a history of depression. Many disabled people, however, say the disability is not inside of them: they are not a “person with a disability.” Rather they are a “disabled person” – someone who is disabled by a world that is not equipped to allow them to participate and flourish. But they are a person either way. Avoid objectifying people by referring to them as “the disabled.” Our advice is to listen to how people talk about their disability themselves, and take your cue from them.

Avoid euphemistic language

Language like “differentlyabled” or “diverse-ability” suggests there is something wrong with talking honestly and candidly about disability. It might even suggest to some people that there is something shameful about disability; or that we

can’t talk about it directly unless we make it cute or pretty or funny.

Avoid unnecessary emotional tone

Disability is a fact of life for almost one-quarter of Canadians. Having a disability doesn’t make someone a hero, a saint, a victim, a burden or a soldier. This type of hyperbole gets in the way of having authentic relationships with people with disabilities.

These words suggest one-dimensional characters.

Instead, think: complex, interesting people, just like everyone else.

Avoid ‘handicap’

The word handicap or handicapped is viewed as having a negative connotation – an implication that people with disabilities are disadvantaged in society. That social disadvantage is something we should fight against, rather than merely accept and enshrine in language.

Avoid calling a disabled person a ‘patient’

A patient is a passive individual who has turned over responsibility for important decisions to a health professional.

People with disabilities for the most part live independent lives in the community. They

are no more patients than anyone else getting on with their lives in the community.

Avoid calling non-disabled people ‘normal’

If non-disabled people are normal, then that means that disabled people are abnormal.

Yet disability is the norm for some people. It is alienating and marginalizing to classify someone as “abnormal.”

Refer to a person’s disability?

Is the disability a pertinent issue in the conversation you are having or the introduction you are making? We don’t specify a person’s gender, ethnicity, occupation or many other personal details when introducing them. Disability is a condition of life, like those others. It will be salient in some conversations and not in others.

Here are some ‘dos’

Do look people with disabilities in the eyes and address them courteously, as you would anyone else.

Do ask if you can help, and how you can help.

Do assume that people with disabilities have something to say, and be prepared to hear it.

Do talk about disability. It’s a fact of life for 22 per cent of Canadians.

The more we talk about it, the easier it gets to have the important conversations we need to have with disabled people, and to ensure that the rights we promise to all Canadians are extended to them. ■ This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site.

American biologist’s clean up drive snowballs in Davao City

BY CHRISTINE CUDIS Philippine News Agency MANILA — Frustrated with the inaction of some barangay (village) officials in his community, Davao City-based American biologist Darrell Blatchley did the cleaning himself instead. Days later, more people followed suit.

Blatchley, owner of D’ Bone Museum that is gaining attraction with its unique display and information for marine

and land animals, has already reached out to some officials in Barangay Bucana to address the problem of waste management.

“The barangay does not enforce the laws– from sidewalk vendors to no business permits and construction,” he said in an interview.

“I posted on social media [Wednesday] night– a canal across the museum showing the trash and yet no enforcement. And on my post, someone commented: ‘I challenge

you to clean it’. I said CHALLENGE ACCEPTED,” Blatchley added, referring to the congested drainage just below a karinderya (small eatery).

He claimed that waste materials from the eatery and other houses go directly to the gutter which is a violation of existing laws.

“The problem is lazy people.

From barangay captains who don’t enforce the laws and sit in their offices to the lazy people who see canals as the trash can. www.canadianinquirer.net

It’s a nation’s problem,” he said.

On Thursday, Blatchley and two of his staff pulled out heaps of trash and debris from their mini clean-up drive. The members of the Davao City Disaster Team also helped as well as various media outlets and the City Mayor’s Office.

On their second day, trucks and more men showed up to help decongest the gutters in the area. “[We filled] one dump truck and less than 20 meters of

kanal (drainage gutter) were cleaned,” he said.

Staff from the City Canal Division, helped with the cleanup with a truck in tow.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources also commended Blatchley’s initiative via Twitter.

“Cheers to this guy! Let’s hope this stirs shame in locals who carelessly throw their trash anywhere, and that he will inspire others to do their own clean-up too,” it said. ■

29

Sports Manny Pacquiao’s Tiger Woods makes Masters his eldest, Jimuel, 15th and most improbable major wins first amateur fight via KO

BY DOUG FERGUSON The Associated Press

BY GIANNA LLANES Philippine Canadian Inquirer Eighteen-year-old Jimuel Pacquiao, son of eight-division world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao, has followed up his earlier expressions in wanting to follow his father’s footsteps by winning his first amateur fight last Saturday, April 13 at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City; knocking out Miguel Egan in the Fight Against Depression event.

Jimuel had a slow start, but sprung to action in the second round, consistently using a one-two combo then eventually knocking out his opponent with only one minute and 11 seconds in the round. Immediately, Jimuel exclaimed “I won, Mom and Dad!” in joy when realizing he defeated Egan, who was eight years older than him. Unfortunately, his parents were not present at the venue as they were in their hometown of General Santos during the event, but his trainers Roger Haplas and Jill Lubaton were there to cheer him on.

After the fight, Jimuel told The Manila Times he felt “sluggish because [he] was really nervous in the first round,” but added, “In the second round, I felt that I really need to step it up, so that’s what I did.”

The teenager’s interest in entering professional boxing like his father initiated last February, after knocking out his schoolmate Carson Lucas in a match in Alabang also within two rounds. They are set to rematch in April.

Since then, he has been consistently telling interviewers that his biggest goal is to represent the Philippines someday in the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics. He shared, “I still have to work on a lot of things but I’m going to continue to train and see what I’ve got. My goal is still to prepare for the amateur.”

As a response, the boxerturned-politician Senator Manny said that he at first did not want his children to get into the very physical sport, but has since supported Jimuel’s dream and has even given him one-onone training. ■

Heaven Peralejo, Coach Jill Jr. P. Lubaton, and Jimuel Pacquiao ALDE LUBATON / FACEBOOK

AUGUSTA, GA. — Tiger Woods blazing to victory in his Sunday red at the Masters, a scene once so familiar, was never more stunning.

It was only two years ago at Augusta National that Woods needed a nerve block just to hobble upstairs to the Champions Dinner, unsure he would ever play another round of golf.

He had a fourth back surgery with hopes of simply playing with his two children, not chasing Jack Nicklaus in history.

And now it’s all pieced back DEBBY WONG / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM together — his life, his back, even golf.

A fallen hero, a crippled star, he last won the Masters — no vorce, an embarrassing mug Woods is a Masters champion one had ever gone that long shot from his DUI arrest when again. between green jackets. He had he took a bad mix of painkillers He won his fifth green jacket, gone nearly 11 years since his and the four back surgeries, the his 15th major, but never with last major, the 2008 U.S. Open most recent to fuse his lower this much raw emotion. The at Torrey Pines on a shattered spine most ferocious fist pump was left leg.

“I had serious doubts afwhen he walked off the 18th This was bigger. ter what transpired a couple green, scooped up 10-year-old Woods never missed a shot of years ago,” Woods said. “I son Charlie, and embraced that mattered over the final could barely walk. I couldn’t his mother and sit.

Couldn’t his 11-year-old lay down. I redaughter Sam. ally couldn’t do “For them to much of anysee what it’s like To have the opportunity to come thing. … To have back like this, it’s probably one of to have their the opportunity the biggest wins I’ve ever had for dad win a major to come back like sure because of it. championship, this, it’s probI hope that’s ably one of the something they biggest wins I’ve will never forever had for sure get,” Woods said. seven holes, taking the lead because of it.”

Who can ever forget this day? with a 5-iron to the fat of the President Donald Trump, “It’s hard to really feel bad green on the par-5 15th for a who has played with Woods about how I played because I two-putt birdie, delivering the at his Florida course, had two just witnessed history,” said knockout with an 8-iron that tweets of congratulations. FenXander Schauffele, one of three rode down the ridge by the cup way Park posted the news on players who finished second. and settled 2 feet away for bird- the scoreboard.

“It was really cool coming down ie on the par-3 16th.

A comeback for the ages? the stretch, all the historic He tapped in for bogey and a It rates among the best beholes, Tiger making the roars. I 2-under 70, and the celebration cause Woods has meant so feel like I got full Masters expe- was on. much to so many in a sport he rience.”

“WOOOOOOO!!!”

Woods ruled for so long. Whether he The comeback goes beyond screamed as he headed for the can dominate it again is still to the two-shot deficit he erased scoring room with chants of be determined. Woods needed before a delirious audience that “Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!” He had some help to win this Masters. watched memories turn into never hugged more people, ev- Six players had a share of the reality. eryone in his camp who stood ❱❱ PAGE 38 Tiger Woods It had been 14 years since by him through a public diwww.canadianinquirer.net

30

Business Car sales recover in March

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA – Sales of car manufacturers bounced back in March, recording a doubledigit growth year-on-year, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) reported on Monday.

CAMPI sales increased by 14 percent last month to 32,173 units from 28,216 units sold in March 2018.

“The double-digit growth during the month of March compared to the same month last year is a strong indication that the automotive industry is well on its way to recovery. We are optimistic that this trend will be sustained in the coming months,” CAMPI President Rommel Gutierrez said.

The 32.8-percent improvement in sales of commercial vehicle segment supported the overall sales in March, offsetting the 15.7 percent decrement in passenger cars’ sales.

Passenger car segment sold a total of 9,214 units in March, still lower than the 10,925 unit sales in the same month in 2018.

But month-on-month sales of this segment already improved by 8.77 percent from 8,471 units sold in February this year.

On the other hand, commercial vehicle sales accelerated to 22,959 units last month from 17,291 units a year ago.

Light commercial vehicles sold 18,793 units last month, up by 54.4 percent from 12,171 units in March 2018.

Asian Utility Vehicle (AUV) sales, however, declined by 29.4 percent, to 2,753 units this year from 3,899 units last year.

Among truck sub-segments, only trucks and buses category four recorded a decrease in sales, down by 36.4 percent, while the category three and light trucks were both up by 24 percent.

The double-digit growth in March has narrowed the sales decline for the first quarter of 2019.

Total CAMPI sales from January to March this year slipped by 0.8 percent to 85,388 units from 86,037 units in the same period last year.

Passenger cars sold a total of 26,172 units in Q1 2019, down by 9.5 percent from 28,907 units in Q1 2018.

Commercial vehicle sales went up by 3.7 percent to 59,216 units this year from 57,130 units in the same period of the previous year.

Market leaders in the Philippines for Q1 2018 were Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda, and Ford. ■

Canadian business sentiment drops from high levels: central bank survey

BY ANDY BLATCHFORD The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Canadian business sentiment has fallen from elevated levels as companies point to uncertainty around global trade, the housing sector and the energy industry, according to a new Bank of Canada survey.

The central bank’s measure for corporate confidence dropped from its near-record heights last year and down into negative territory for the first time since the third quarter of 2016.

“The business outlook survey indicator declined from a strongly positive level in the winter survey,” the Bank of Canada said Monday of its latest quarterly poll of around 100 senior managers.

The latest survey, based on interviews conducted between late February and early March, comes after Canadian economic growth saw an abrupt deceleration in the final three months of 2018 as oil prices tumbled.

The pace of sales growth has “moderated slightly” over the previous 12 months following a solid year, the bank said.

Looking ahead, executives were more upbeat, saying they expected the rate of sales to be “marginally faster” over the coming year. The rosier outlook was widespread among companies in the services sector, especially those in information technology and transportation.

“Firms’ expectations for sales remain positive but have softened as several businesses are less optimistic about demand,” the report said.

“The main headwinds are a more uncertain outlook in the Western Canadian energy sector, continued weakness in housing-related activity in some regions, and tangible impacts from global trade tenwww.canadianinquirer.net

sions.”

The survey also suggested previous concerns about labour shortages had eased, although firms still said it was more challenging to find workers than it was 12 months earlier.

Outside of the energy-dependent Prairies, the Bank of Canada survey said investment and hiring plans remained resilient — particularly in the services sector.

“Despite some softening in business sentiment, intentions to spend on machinery and equipment remain healthy in most regions and continue to point to an increase in investment over the next 12 months,” the central bank said.

Pedro Antunes, chief economist for the Conference Board of Canada, said he’s hopeful there will be a turnaround in the crucial area of investment, otherwise he says it’s unclear what will drive the economy in 2019 and 2020 “I do think that there’s a lot of concern still for businesses in Canada and we need to address some of these issues,” said An-

tunes, whose team conducts its own business confidence surveys.

He listed challenges in the oilpatch, including difficulties shipping products out of the region, as well as broader concerns about whether Canada is competitive enough to attract investment given the corporate tax cuts in the United States.

TD economists Brian DePratto and Ksenia Bushmeneva wrote in a research note Monday that while the drop in business sentiment would be sure to “draw eyeballs,” the details of the report were a bit more encouraging.

“Indicators of demand are still in positive territory, and the balance of opinion on capital spending remains solid,” they wrote.

Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz has said the economy needs a longer stimulative boost from low interest rates to help it overcome domestic and global challenges. He’s predicted the country’s recent economic weakness to only be temporary. ■

Business

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

31

Former Volkswagen CEO charged with fraud in Germany

BY DAVID MCHUGH The Associated Press FRANKFURT — German prosecutors charged former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn and four others with fraud in the emissions cheating scandal that has helped turn many Europeans against diesel engines and accelerated the push toward electric cars.

Prosecutors said Monday that Winterkorn knew about the scheme since at least May 2014 and failed to put a stop to it.

That contradicted his claim that he didn’t learn about it until shortly before U.S. investigators announced it in September 2015. Winterkorn resigned as CEO five days later.

VW has admitted installing software in its diesel cars that turned on pollution controls when vehicles were being tested and switched them off during everyday driving. That made it look as if the cars met tough U.S. limits on harmful pollutants known as nitrogen oxides.

In all, some 11 million cars worldwide were equipped with the illegal software.

Prosecutors said the defendants — all top Volkswagen

managers — were part of a deception that started in 2006.

The 71-year-old Winterkorn and the others, whose names were not released, face six months to 10 years in prison if convicted of aggravated fraud involving serious losses. Other charges include unfair competition and breach of trust.

Prosecutors said the defendants could also be forced to forfeit sales bonuses ranging from around 300,000 euros to 11 million euros ($340,000 to $12.45 million).

Winterkorn is already under indictment in the U.S. on charges of fraud and conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and could get up to 20 years in prison. But he cannot be extradited from Germany to the U.S. Winterkorn’s attorney, Felix Doerr, said that the defence could not comment on the German case because prosecutors had not provided adequate opportunity to review the case files. Doerr said prosecutors turned over seven DVDs with hundreds of file folders of material on April 5.

The case, consisting of a 692page indictment backed by 300 file volumes holding 75,000 pages, was filed in a local court in Braunschweig on Friday. The

court will decide if the case will proceed to trial.

Prosecutors said among other things that the defendants carried out a software update costing 23 million euros in 2014 to try to cover up the true reason for the elevated pollution during driving.

The prosecutors said they are still investigating 36 more suspects.

Volkswagen’s corporate involvement in the Braunschweig investigation ended last year with a 1 billion euro fine. Volkswagen noted that the indictment was against individuals and had no further comment.

The prosecutors’ move is only one of the legal proceedings unleashed by the scandal.

Volkswagen has paid more than 27 billion euros (currently $31 billion) in fines and civil settlements with authorities and car owners since getting caught.

The automaker apologized and pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the United States, where two executives were sentenced to prison and six others charged, although they could not be extradited.

And the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged the company and Winterkorn

Personal remittances hit $5.3-B in first 2 months of 2019 PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Personal remittances from overseas Filipinos (OFs) amounted to USD2.56 billion in February 2019, higher by 1.2 percent from USD2.53 billion in February 2018.

This brought the cumulative remittances for the first two months of the year to USD5.30 billion, representing a 2.3 percent year-on-year growth, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno announced on Monday.

Personal remittances from sea-based and land-based workers with work contracts of less than one year rose by 8.5

percent to USD0.57 billion in February 2019 from USD0.53 billion in February 2018.

This compensated for the 0.43 percent decline in the personal remittances from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more, to USD1.93 billion from USD1.94 billion.

Meanwhile, cash remittances from OFs coursed through banks posted a 1.5 percent growth to USD2.30 billion in February 2019 from USD2.27 billion last year.

For the first two months of 2019, cash remittances amounted to USD4.78 billion, an increase of 3.0 percent compared to the USD4.65 billion level in the same period last year.

This growth was supported by the increase in remittances from both land-based (USD3.73 billion) and sea-based (USD1.06 billion) workers, which rose by 1.0 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively.

By country source, the United States registered the highest share of overall remittances for the period at 35.5 percent. It was followed by Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Canada, Qatar, Hong Kong, and Germany.

The combined remittances from these countries accounted for 77.3 percent of total cash remittances for January to February 2019. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Martin Winterkorn.

on March 15 with defrauding investors through misleading statements about vehicle quality and environmental compliance.

Investors in Germany are also seeking damages.

The scandal unleashed widespread scrutiny of diesel emissions across the industry. It soon turned out that many models from other companies also emitted far more pollution on the road than on the test stand, because of regulatory loopholes exploited by carmakers such as turning exhaust controls off at certain temperatures to reduce engine wear.

Diesel sales, once half the European car market, have sagged.

That in turn has undermined carmakers’ plans to use diesels

LEV RADIN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

— which get better mileage — to help meet tougher European Union limits in 2021 on emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.

One result has been greater pressure to develop batterypowered cars to avoid heavy fines for breaching the new emissions limits. Volkswagen plans to spend 30 billion euros to develop electric vehicles by 2023.

The company was able to weather the scandal well enough to take the top spot as the world’s largest carmaker from Toyota. Last year, under CEO Herbert Diess, Volkswagen had record sales of 10.83 million vehicles, making an operating profit of 13.9 billion euros. ■

Study finds... ❰❰ 27

2.5 years on average, when it was clear the drug was helping.

Those on the drug had a 30% lower risk of one of these problems — kidney failure, need for dialysis, need for a kidney transplant, death from kidney- or heart-related causes, or other signs that kidneys were failing.

For every 1,000 people taking the drug for 2.5 years, there would be 47 fewer cases of one of these problems, researchers estimate.

Rates of serious side effects were similar in the drug and placebo groups including leg, foot or toe amputations, a concern raised by a previous study of Invokana. One side effect, when the body can’t produce enough insulin, was more frequent among those on Invoka-

na but rare overall.

Janssen, which is part of Johnson & Johnson, sponsored the study and many authors work or consult for the company. The drug costs about $500 a month in the U.S. Out-of-pocket costs for patients may be different, depending on insurance.

The importance of this large and well-done study “cannot be overstated,” Drs. Julie Ingelfinger and Clifford Rosen, editors at the medical journal, wrote in an accompanying article.

In recent years, several studies have found that Invokana and some similar drugs can lower heart risks. The new results, showing that Invokana also may stall or prevent kidney failure, expand the potential benefits of the drug. ■

32

Technology A user’s guide to self-driving cars

BY FRANCESCO BIONDI Assistant Professor University of Windsor The Canadian Press YOU MAY remember the cute Google self-driving car. In 2014, the tech giant announced their brand-new prototype of what the future of transportation might one day look like. If you wish you could drive one today, you are out of luck. The design was unfortunately scrapped in 2017. But don’t worry, what happened didn’t make a dent in the plan of introducing the world to self-driving cars, I mean autonomous cars, driverless cars, automated vehicles or… robot cars?

Today’s cars offer a vast selection of driving aids available. Relatively few models, however, come with advanced features like self- or assistedparking technology and systems capable of taking over steering and acceleration in different driving situations. A recent report shows that despite an optimistic surge in market penetration of these systems, the general public is still on the fence when it comes to fully relying on them.

Systems of classification

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) – a large engineering professional association and standards-developing organization – released their classification of automated driving systems in 2014 with the sole objective of making things clear across the board. That didn’t go well, and critics pointed out limitations in the taxonomy. One of the taxonomy’s

characteristics, however, is that it was designed for a technical audience. In turns out, then, that the general public was left with no other choices but to be led astray by whatever other information was made available to them.

In 2016, Mercedes-Benz released an ad for their new 2017 E-Class car. What the ad focused on instead was their futuristic self-driving F 015 concept car driving around with the front and back-row passengers facing each other and using futuristic Minority Report-like displays. The ad came under attack by road safety advocates because it overstated “the capability of automated-driving functions available” of the EClass. You may even spot the fine print: “Vehicle cannot drive itself, but has automated driving features.”

A similar controversy had Tesla at the centre of the debate in 2016, when it announced it would release self-driving capabilities over-the-air to their vehicles. Similar to what happened with Mercedes-Benz, the company was criticized for misleading advertising and “overstating the autonomy of its vehicles.”

You may be thinking: These are just names, ad campaigns do the same all the time , so what’s the harm? Earlier this year, the American Automobile Association – a major motor clubs’ federation and safety advocate in North America – released a timely report pointing out how the terminology used by manufacturers to describe their automated technology is in fact difficult for consumers to understand. While this ap-

pears to be just a problem of communication and branding, the issue can have in fact much deeper repercussions.

Labelling expectations

When I buy a dishwasher, what I want is a machine that automates the manual task of washing dishes. What I need to do is just push a button and the machine will do its thing with no additional command or intervention. Now, believe it or not, a similar logic applies to automated driving systems. If I am told – or shown or suggested or hinted – that the car might in fact drive itself, what do you expect I, as a human, will do?

Leaving aside related technical or ethical issues, from the perspective of someone who teaches and researches cognitive ergonomics and human factors, I can tell you that providing inaccurate, or even wrongful, information on how automation works has direct

www.canadianinquirer.net

safety consequences. These include using machines in unintended ways, reducing the level of monitoring or attention paid to their functions and fully ignoring possible warnings. Some of these safety consequences were touched upon in the official investigation report following the first fatality involving a car with an automated driving system.

Informing consumers

What, you may wonder, are today’s drivers left to do?

A few things: First, before you drive a car equipped with autonomous or self-driving features, you might want to find more about the actual capabilities and limitations. You can ask your dealership or do some good old online research. A valuable resource for consumers is MyCarDoesWhat.org. This website, with helpful videos and links to manufacturers’ websites and user guides, is valuable in pre-

senting the dos and don’ts of automated driving systems.

Finally, before using your car’s automated driving features in real traffic, you may want to familiarize yourself with how they work, how to engage them, etc. Do all of this while stationary, when parked in your driveway perhaps.

I know it may sound like a lot of work (and sometimes it may not even be sufficient), but as research and accident reconstruction already showed many times over, when you are at the wheel, the safest thing to do is to keep your mind and eyes on the road, instead of thinking about how a self-driving car might make your commute much simpler and much more enjoyable. ■ This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site.

Technology

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

33

Cyborg-type robots to aid Filipinos with limb disabilities

BY MA. TERESA MONTEMAYOR Philippine News Agency

Using the Event Horizon Telescope, scientists obtained an image of the black hole at the center of galaxy M87, outlined by emission from hot gas swirling around it under the influence of strong gravity near its event horizon.

EVENT HORIZON TELESCOPE COLLABORATION ET AL. VIA NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION/ WEBSITE

Black hole has no effect on anyone, weather: astronomer

BY MA. TERESA MONTEMAYOR Philippine News Agency MANILA — An astronomer of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Friday the black hole has no effect on human beings and the weather.

“It is too far from Earth. It does not affect the weather. No effect on human beings,” Mario Raymundo told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

This week, an apparent image of a black hole surfaced online.

Wikipedia defines a black hole as “a region of spacetime exhibiting such strong gravitational effects that nothing — not even particles and electromagnetic radiation such as light — can escape from inside it. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass can deform spacetime to form a black hole.”

Raymundo said a black hole appears based on the “life cycle” of the stars.

“As the stars age, they become lighter. But when there are massive stars — those that have a mass greater than 5, a black hole appears,” he said.

The astronomer said we would not be able to see a black hole, as this appears after billions of years.

“Also, a naked eye would not see it. It requires a special instrument to see a black hole image,” he added.

Raymundo also affirmed that if a person would go inside a black hole, the person would not be able to go back. “It would be like the person would keep on circling inside the black hole,” he said.

He, however, reiterated that it is too far from Earth that it would not affect anyone, not even the weather.

“If for instance it is near the Earth, the first thing it could absorb is the sun,” he said. ■

MANILA — Persons with limb disabilities due to severe damage in their nervous and muscular systems can now stand or walk again with the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL), the first cyborg-type robot which provides support and improves the bodily functions of the wearer.

“Severe accidents and diseases can cause lower limb disabilities, and in those cases, the brain cannot use ordinary neural pathways and cannot order the legs to move,” said Dr. Yoshiyuki Sankai, Cyberdyne chief executive officer and HAL inventor, on Wednesday in a press briefing in Manila.

Sankai said HAL is used in the medical field to teach the patients’ brains how to move their legs in accordance with their intention to carry out the movement.

He added such technology has long been used in Japan and he is looking forward to see

many Filipinos benefit from his invention.

“Anyway, we want to strengthen our relationship with the Philippines in the medical aspect and Philippines is the perfect venue for the spread of this technology all throughout Asia,” he said.

Life 1 Corporation chief executive officer Dr. Albert Zarate, who was also at the press briefing, said victims of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases could also benefit from HAL. “Cardiovascular diseases is top three leading cause of death in the country, and we’ve seen a lot of rehabilitation programs related to them, and this technology created by Cyberdyne has actually given for patients with these diseases, and it is with great honor that we’re bringing it to the country,” he said.

Life 1 Corporation is the local partner of the HAL and Cyberdyne technology.

Zarate added people who have been bedridden for a long time could also benefit from such technology as long as they are awake.

“This is per session per patient, the ideal time is between 60 to 90 minutes per session.

As a doctor, I’m happy with the improvement I see among the 17 patients who have received the treatment,” he said.

Citing that HAL and the Cyberdyne technology are not exclusive for the rich, Zarate said he plans to collaborate with the government to make them available in private and public hospitals nationwide.

“If we have government support, we can make this assistive technology more affordable and accessible to all Filipinos,” he said, adding that his company is not selling the machine.

Zarate said they offer the HALs to hospitals and individuals on a “rental basis.”

“It is very good because we don’t put too much strain on the hospital, on the patient.

Cyberdyne has designed it to affordable to all nations and peoples of the world and the first installations are already in our Zarate General Hospital in Las Piñas and we already have the showroom,” he said. ■

family which feeds her cravings for passion.

Although she is overjoyed with what she has achieved in her career so far, Issabelle agrees with a Filipino proverb that she still has ‘more rice to eat’ before attaining her ultimate life goal.

“I still have so much to learn and want to accomplish so much, so I think being able to appreciate the success that I’ve had, but knowing that there is still so much more potential and growth left is really motivating for me.”

“For right now, I’m very happy with my current role at Yelp and am excited for what I’ve got planned for the local community this year. If you’re living in Vancouver and love supporting local businesses, come check out one of my events! You can find more info at www.yelp. com/events/vancouver or add me as a friend on Yelp!”

You may not be at your dream career as fast as Issabelle was

able to but believe in yourself that one day you will land there too. There might be mornings that you get a scary thought of going to the office, thinking of ways on how can you survive another ‘boring’ day at work.

But what if you do not just think about getting through a long day of work and start searching for things that will help you thrive?

You may not be sure what you really want to do yet, but while you are still thinking about it, you get out of your bed and refresh yourself as you think of something that will turn your dull moments at work into exciting and challenging ones.

No one had a clue that Issabelle would find her true passion when she took that consumer psychology class in university — same goes with you; no one knows where you might land or what will come in your way if only you have the willingness and initiative to reignite the spark in your career. ■

Issabelle Frial... ❰❰ 22

with the online community, overseeing all social platforms, and writing weekly newsletters.

It makes her heart full and content, or as she says, “it gives me the warm and fuzzies”, every time she connects with local business owners and is able to share their success stories with the rest of the community.

Embracing changes in the fastpaced events and marketing universe also makes her happy because, for her, it means that she is constantly making growing and progress.

“I wouldn’t be happy if I did the same thing every single day, so I love that I’m in a career where every day is so different.”

As a young professional, Issabelle acknowledged that not everyone in her age these days is doing the job that they really love. Finding what she describes as her “career breakthrough” at 23, Issabelle feels nothing but gratefulness that she became part of the Yelp www.canadianinquirer.net

APRIL 19, 2019

34

CANADA

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This can be a full-time or part-time position and we are located in Vaughan, Hwy 7 and Weston Rd.

Contact: Walter at 416-991-1007 or send e-mail ampincwf@gmail.com

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.

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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.

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URGENT: NANNY in Pickering, Ontario To care for 2 young kids in private home. 40hrs/week Email your resume at

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A reputed fast growing Plumbing & Heating company is Hiring full time Licensed Plumbers and Registered Apprentice.

Personal Support Workers

Desired Qualification minimum 5 years for Plumber minimum 3 years for Apprentice G License with clean Driving record.

More hours Benefits plus pension $500 Signing Bonus

Spectrum Health Care is Hiring who want more!

Interested candidates are requested to send their Resume at

Learn more at www.spectrumhealthcare.com

km.ali@senergyheating.com

www.canadianinquirer.net

35

Travel Liz Weston: 5 travel rewards myths that could cost you

BY LIZ WESTON OF NERDWALLET The Associated Press

ed cards. Even the high-end cards with annual fees of $450 and up typically offer airport lounge access, credits to offset travel fees, and higher rewards rates that can more than pay for the card if you’re the right user.

value of rewards can vary. For example, one hotel chain could have lousy redemption options in a city, while another offers a much better deal.

Then there’s the issue of devaluation. Programs occasionally devalue their points and miles, meaning it takes more of them to earn the same reward. But they tend to do so at different times.

If your rewards aren’t concentrated in one frequent traveller program, you won’t risk having them all devalued at once.

TWENTY-FOUR YEARS ago, I knew so little about travel rewards that I took an aroundthe-world trip without signing Myth 2: Travel rewards are up for a single frequent travel- hard to redeem ler program. Those lost points Finding free or upgraded airand miles still haunt me. line flights can be a challenge, Fast forward to last summer, especially for people who don’t when our family stayed two plan well ahead. The best time to nights at a luxury hotel in Venice, book a rewards flight is typically Italy. Our room would have cost 9 to 12 months in advance, when an eye-popping (euro)1,500, or the airlines first make such seats Myth 4: Travel rewards cards about $1,700, per night. Thanks available. (It also pays to check require excellent credit to the points I’d accumulated us- back frequently, since carriers Travel rewards cards typically ing a travel rewards credit card, also may add more awards seats require good credit, which is genthis over-the-top stay was free. depending on how the flights are erally defined as a credit score of There’s definitely a learning filling up.)

690 and above on a 300-to-850 curve involved when it comes Hotel rewards are easier to scale. Some require scores of 720 to travel rewards, but delaying book since occupancy rates are and above. If your scores aren’t your education can be costly if generally lower. If you want quite there yet, look for a card you love to travthat offers cashel. For example, back rewards many people and use those for misunderstand travel. how much points If your scores aren’t quite there yet, look for a card that offers cash-back are worth, either Myth 5: Travel rewards aren’t rewards and use those for travel. over — or underworth the effort estimating how much free travel Travel rethey can get, acwards programs cording to a rearen’t always incent NerdWallet survey. even more flexibility, consider a tuitive, and some of us invest People also make the mistake of general travel rewards card that a fair amount of time trying to carrying balances on those cards allows you to redeem credits for squeeze the absolute maximum (the rewards won’t make up for travel purchases or to transfer value out of every point.

But you don’t have to be an exthe high cost of paying interest), your points to a variety of fretreme rewards hacker to benefit. and far too many people earn re- quent traveller programs.

It doesn’t take much effort to sign wards that they don’t redeem, up for hotel or airline frequent resulting in billions of dollars of Myth 3: It’s best to focus on one frequent traveler program traveller programs, or to use a potential value left untouched.

You may want to concentrate general travel rewards credit card Don’t let any of these myths prevent you from making the on earning rewards in a single for the spending you were going most of available travel re- frequent traveller program if you to do anyway. Sign up for the proneed a lot of points for a special grams’ email newsletters, which wards: trip. But that doesn’t mean you can alert you to special deals.

Myth 1: Travel rewards credit should ignore other programs.

Then make a point to start cards have high annual fees If you love to travel, it’s unlike- cashing in those rewards, and Some travel rewards cards ly you do so with only one airline you may see what all the fuss is have no annual fee. Many or hotel chain. Plus, spreading about. ■ charge somewhere in the neigh- your loyalty around means you bourhood of $95 a year. Usually can take advantage of specials This column was provided to The that fee can be offset by using and promotions that help you Associated Press by the personal the cards’ perks: free checked earn more points or make points finance website NerdWallet. Liz bags for airline-branded cards, more valuable to redeem. Travel Weston is a columnist at NerdWalfor example, or a free night’s programs also often have dy- let, a certified financial planner stay every year for hotel-brand- namic pricing, which means the and author of “Your Credit Score.” www.canadianinquirer.net

7 old Bataan churches seen to attract thousands of pilgrims anew

BY ERNIE ESCONDE Philippine News Agency BALANGA CITY, BATAAN — The seven oldest churches in this province have become yearly pilgrimage sites for busloads of visitors from various provinces in Luzon for their Visita Iglesia every Lenten Season.

These religious sites now collectively known as the 7 Pilgrim Churches can be found in seven out of 11 towns and a city in the peninsula.

Visita Iglesia is a Lenten tradition among the Catholic faithful where they visit seven churches to pray and reflect on the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The devotees’ first stop for their Visita Iglesia in Bataan is the 263-year-old St. Peter de Varona Church in the town of Hermosa, followed by the 309-year-old Virgen Milagrosa del Rosario Church in Orani and the 423-year-old St. Catherine of Siena Church in Samal.

The next stop of the pilgrimage is the Sto. Domingo Church in Abucay, which, at 431 years old is touted as the oldest in Bataan and one of the oldest in the country.

Meanwhile, the 305-yearold Saint Joseph Cathderal in

Saint Peter of Verona Church (Hermosa).

Balanga City comes next for the pilgrims, followed by the 218-year-old Virgen Milagrosa del Pilar Church in Pilar town.

The last pilgrimage site is the 352-year-old St. Michael de Arcanghel Church in Orion.

These old churches have undergone various renovations but they have one common material – sturdy bricks known as “batong silyar,” which are visible in their inner and outer walls. All the churches were built during the Spanish rule in the Philippines under the supervision of Dominican priests.

There are two major road networks in Bataan — the Roman Highway and the MacArthur Highway. The 7 Pilgrim Churches are all along the MacArthur Highway.

For this year, the first visitors of the 7 Pilgrim Churches were around 500 people from San Pablo City in Laguna who came on board 12 buses.

Fr. Emil Urriquia, San Pablo City parish priest, who led the huge group of pilgrims, said they have been doing their Visita Iglesia in Bataan for many years now.

“We return here in the spirit of pilgrimage. This is for the yearly Lenten activity of our parish,” he said. ■

BATAAN GOVERNMENT / WEBSITE

36

Travel

APRIL 19, 2019

FRIDAY

Beyond sands and waters: Pinoys’ love for beaches

BY PRIAM NEPOMUCENO Philippine News Agency MANILA — With the Philippines consisting of more than 7,100 islands, one can hardly find Filipinos who are not fascinated with beaches.

And with the peak of the summer already here, who could resist an escape to the cool blue waters of an island resort?

Filipinos go to the beach to relax, have fun and flaunt their “bodies,” according to independent film director Jojo Nadela. “(Some Filipinos go to the beach) just to show off their beach body while others use the opportunity as (a) ‘moving on’ experience, especially those just coming from failed relationships,” he said in Filipino.

For Walter Lopez, a drummer, Filipinos, especially the millennials, flock to the beach for a “picture perfect” adventure combined with a fabulous #OOTD (outfit of the day) that

can go trending on social media accounts, like Facebook and Instagram.

But for him, a visit to the beach is simply an opportunity to take a breath of fresh air.

“When I got older, I would go to the beach in order to relax myself and breathe fresh air,” Lopez said.

Meanwhile, for Ericka Louise Cirera, a graduating University of the East student, going to the beach is a surefire way to ease the heat by swimming and savoring the cool ocean breeze.

For Trisha Alcantara, an account executive, having an opportunity to go the beach means getting a tan and a chance to enjoy the waves.

For educator Redjie Rebugio, the Filipinos’ fascination for the beach stems from the fact that we are “children of the sea.”

“The Filipinos’ closeness to the beach is (due to the fact that we are a seafaring nation and explorers), hence our affinity

Guimaras.

(to) the sea,” he added.

Rebugio’s views were also shared by layout artist John Imperio, who said the Filipinos’ penchant for water comes from the fact that they like to sail and explore during the ancient times.

For Tiea Villanueva, an electronics engineer, going to the beach means breaking free from the horrendous traffic in Metro Manila and pressures

SHANICE A GARCIA / PHILIPPINE CANADIAN INQUIRER

from the workplace.

“Filipinos want to go the beach. It provides them with peace of mind and honest-togoodness relaxation and relief from toxicity you’ve always been dreaming of. Also, Pinoys seem to enjoy the road trip and preparations that entail a beach outing. And due to social media, a lot of beautiful and previously unknown beaches are being discovered and are now being

visited,” she said.

For freelance writer, Yashika Torib, going to the beach invokes a sense of relaxation.

“It (going to the beach) evokes a sense of peace and relaxation (from) the view — the sound, and the feel (of ocean waves crashing in the sand),” she added.

Torib added that a trip to the beach is also a time to bond with family and friends. ■

Eastern Samar eyes more tourists

BY SARWELL MENIANO AND LIZBETH ANN ABELLA Philippine News Agency TACLOBAN CITY — A local government official in Eastern Samar is eyeing to quadruple the province’s share of the regional tourist arrivals in the next three years.

With 22 towns and one city, Eastern Samar’s PHP841 million income from tourism is very small compared to what other provinces get from this industry, Giporlos, Eastern Samar Mayor Mark Biong said Wednesday.

“It’s high time to have a share equal to what we have in the province. Our islands are so pristine and clean. We have destinations comparable to popular sites in the Philippines,” Biong told reporters.

The three-term mayor, who is seeking a seat in the provincial board, vowed to push for tourism development in the province. He admitted, howwww.canadianinquirer.net

ever, that during his term as mayor of Giporlos town, he was not inclined about tourism promotion since there are more beautiful places in other towns of Eastern Samar.

Citing data from the Department of Tourism, the region had a share of 5.19 percent of all tourists that visited the region in 2017. The share went down to 4.49 percent in 2018, Biong said. The target is to raise the tourism arrival share of the province to 20 percent by 2022.

In 2017, Eastern Visayas welcomed 1.46 million visitors.

It estimated that 1.75 million tourists arrived in the region in 2018.

“We need better infrastructure, more aggressive promotion, and new investments to attain tourism gains. Likewise, we have to make sure that tourism activities are sustainable and locals really benefit from it,” Biong added.

Among the destinations in Eastern Samar province are Calicoan Island in Guiuan

town, Yolanda beach in Salcedo, Amandaraga Falls in Lawaan, Dangkalan Pacific Beach in Taft, nature parks in Hernani and Balangkayan towns, and the Balangiga Bells.

The most popular site is Calicoan Island, a destination known for surfing. It has white sand beaches with rocky bottoms. In the middle of the island are six lagoons ringed by forest, the largest being 30 hectares in size. At the cliffside margin of the island’s forests are dozens of caves.

Eastern Samar occupies the eastern portion of Samar Island, the country’s third largest island. Bordering the province to the north is the province of Northern Samar and to the west is Samar province. To the east lies the Philippine Sea, part of the vast Pacific Ocean, while to the south lies the Leyte Gulf.

The province has a poverty incidence of 46.9 percent, one of the highest in the country.

Its population is 467,160 as of 2015. ■

37

Food with peas, feta and mint

We made a deeply flavourful chicken tagine in about an hour

AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN

AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN

This rice dish gets delish a

BROWN RICE can be difficult to cook well: All too often, it is underseasoned and turns starchy and mushy. Plus, it takes a long time to cook, so stovetop recipes run the risk of scorching on the bottom.

While rice cookers can turn out perfect rice every time, most American home cooks don't own one, so we hoped to use our Dutch oven and a moderate oven to approximate the controlled, indirect heat of these specialty appliances.

The thick, heavy cast-iron pot and enveloping heat of the oven promoted even cooking and eliminated scorching. A bit of sauteed onion offered an aromatic flavour boost as the rice cooked, and incorporating chicken broth into the cooking liquid provided savory notes.

We decided to brighten up the brown rice's nutty flavour by adding frozen peas (we didn't need to cook them; simply adding them to the pot while the rice rested was enough to warm them through) along with some fresh mint, lemon zest, and feta.

Brown rice pilaf with peas, feta and mint

Servings: 4-6 Start to finish: 1 hour, 45 minutes

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • 1 onion, chopped fine • 1 cup chicken broth • 2 1/4 cups water • 1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest • 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup) Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 F. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.

Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and well browned, 12 to 14 minutes.

Stir in broth and water and bring to boil. Off heat, stir in rice and salt. Cover, transfer pot to oven, and bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 65 to 70 minutes.

Remove pot from oven and sprinkle peas over rice. Cover, laying clean dish towel underneath lid, and let sit for 5 minutes. Add mint and lemon zest and gently fluff with fork to combine. Sprinkle with feta and serve. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 249 calories; 52 calories from fat; 6 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 8 mg cholesterol; 509 mg sodium; 42 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 7 g protein.

WE LOVE the way the liberal warm spices, sweetness, and tart brininess of a tagine enliven workaday chicken, so we set to develop a chicken tagine with depth of flavour—in about an hour.

We followed our standard for braised chicken recipes: We browned the skin-on chicken pieces to give the braising liquid deep flavour, removed the chicken from the pot and sauteed the aromatics (onion, garlic, and lemon zest strips) along with a blend of spices (paprika, cumin, cayenne, ginger, coriander, and cinnamon), and added chicken broth for braising and honey for sweetness.

With the flavourful base built, we returned the chicken to the pot, starting the longercooking thighs and drumsticks before the breasts. Along with green olives, we finished and brightened the dish with a mixture of minced lemon zest strips and garlic, lemon juice, and fresh cilantro.

For best results, use four chicken thighs and two chicken breasts, each breast split in half; the dark meat contributes valuable flavour to the broth and should not be omitted. Make sure to trim any white pith from the zest, as it can impart bitter flavour. If the olives are particularly salty, give them a rinse.

Chicken tagine with olives and lemon

Servings: 4 Start to finish: 45 minutes

• 1 1/4 teaspoons paprika • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 3 (2-inch) strips lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice www.canadianinquirer.net

• 5 garlic cloves, minced • 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, trimmed • Salt and pepper • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 large onion, halved and sliced • 1/4 inch thick • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth • 1 tablespoon honey • 2 carrots, peeled and cut crosswise • into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, very large pieces cut into half-moons • 2 cups pitted Greek green olives, halved • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro Combine paprika, cumin, ginger, cayenne, coriander, and cinnamon in small bowl; set aside.

Mince 1 lemon zest strip and combine with 1 teaspoon garlic; mince together until reduced to fine paste and set aside.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and brown second side, about 4 minutes longer; transfer to large plate. When cool enough to handle, discard skin. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.

Add onion and remaining 2 lemon zest strips to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, un-

til onion slices have browned at edges but still retain their shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add 1 tablespoon water as needed if pot begins to scorch). Add remaining garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add reserved spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened and very fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey, scraping up any browned bits.

Add drumsticks and thighs, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add carrots to pot, then arrange breast pieces in single layer on top of carrots. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until breast pieces register 160 F and drumsticks/ thighs register 175 F, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer chicken to plate and tent with aluminum foil. Add olives to pot; increase heat to medium-high and simmer until liquid has thickened slightly and carrots are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Return chicken to pot and stir in cilantro, lemon juice, and reserved garlic mixture.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 877 calories; 536 calories from fat; 60 g fat (11 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 251 mg cholesterol; 2118 mg sodium; 24 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 58 g protein.

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FRIDAY

Fresh flour mills cater to consumers seeking whole, traceable baking ingredients

BY ALEKSANDRA SAGAN The Canadian Press VANCOUVER — In a small warehouse near the southern edge of Vancouver, a man scoops freshly milled flour into brown paper bags stamped “Flourist” that will soon ship out to customers hungry for fresh, additive-free baked goods.

Flourist and other fresh flour producers have seized on rising demand for whole, traceable baking ingredients, as well as a stronger connection between consumers and farmers.

Flourist’s cofounders wanted to make fresh flour — the type without any additives and that needs to be stored in a fridge — available to Canadians.

“Flour should be consumed fresh after milling and it just wasn’t something we had access to in grocery stores at all,” says cofounder Shira McDermott, lamenting the long list of ingredients that can be used in mass-produced flour to keep the product stable over time.

She recalls when her business partner first started gifting her chickpeas and other

products from her stepfather’s farm in 2012.

“I was just completely blown away by the difference in quality,” she said of their freshness compared to what she says are overly processed grocery store options. They soon started Grain, recently rebranded as Flourist, and sold lentils, wheat berries and other grains in stores and online.

The duo purchased a custombuilt stone mill from a familyowned company in Austria in 2014, but it wasn’t until the spring of 2017 that they managed to overcome regulatory hurdles and start fulfilling orders.

They now mill about a dozen varieties and ship to customers across North America, including dozens of restaurants, mostly in Vancouver.

In June, they’ll open an eponymous bakery in an effort to convert more consumers into carb lovers. The 260-squaremetre (2,800-square-foot) space will house the mill and sell baked goods, coffee as well as freshly milled flour.

All types of consumers seem hungry for their additive-free flour, as well as loaves baked

with it. Flourist’s buyers span “a wide stretch,” said McDermott, though its core demographic is probably mothers, foodies and hobby bakers.

“Sourdough bread baking is exploding,” she said, and the company plans to use the retail store, in part, to show people what a difference fresh flour makes to a loaf.

Recent health trends, like the shift toward gluten-free and anti-carbohydrate diets, pushed Canadians to eat less bread and turn to more premium varieties, according to a recent industry report from marketresearch firm IBISWorld.

There’s a market now — albeit a small one — for artisanal bread, said Dara Gallinger, cofounder and CEO of Brodflour.

The mill and bakery opened in early 2019 in Toronto’s Liberty Village neighbourhood, and sells a selection of flour based on what it’s milling that day.

“People are starting to be less afraid and I think people are starting to demand more from their bread,” she said, which has also grown into a curiosity about fresh flour.

That wasn’t always the case.

Garret Jones first attempted

to sell flour, freshly milled at home using his countertop contraption about the size of a tea kettle, at Vancouver farmers’ markets about five years ago. But passersby favoured the already baked loaves of bread that used the flour instead.

“There wasn’t a huge market for it,” said Jones, one half of the duo behind Vancouverbased Lakehouse Foods, a bread subscription service. “People weren’t too interested in it.”

Now, the general awareness around how food is made is growing, he said, and the demand for artisanal bread is likely to increase.

He’s hoping to open a bakery in Vancouver within the next year or so where customers can buy grains, much like they would coffee, and mill it themselves at countertop stations.

“It’s kind of reaching a tipping point where a lot of people are turning away from factory-produced bread and other baked goods for good reasons.”

These companies also provide an alternative buyer for farmers.

Will Robbins is one of three partners operating the family farm he grew up on about

an hour west of Saskatoon. He was looking to shorten the supply chain for his crops, and develop closer relationships with bakeries and flour mills. He learned about Flourist and now sells his French lentils and red spring wheat to the company.

He wanted to make the shift because he thinks it’s important people understand where their food comes from. A cartoon sketch of his face graces the Flourist boxes containing his products.

It’s also a financial benefit to him.

“The more as a farm we can get out of the commodity markets and into direct relationships with people the more we sort of protect ourselves from the swings of the commodity market pricing,” he said.

The farm currently sells about five to 10 per cent of its crops outside commodity markets, he said, but he hopes to grow these direct relationships to 25 or 40 per cent in the near future.

“I’m rooting for those companies to do well and they are for me too… It’s gratifying on a personal level.” ■

game of golf. This is just fantastic!!!”

Woods now is three short of the gold standard — 18 majors — set by Nicklaus.

“I think 18 is a whole lot closer than people think,” Brooks Koepka said.

Joe LaCava, the caddie who stayed with Woods even when he didn’t play for the better part of two years, said they have talked about the record.

“We’re on 14 and I said, ‘Let’s get to 15.’ You can’t be on 14 and thinking about 18,” LaCava said.

“But now we can start talking about 16. So we’re getting closer.”

It was the first time Woods won a major when trailing going into the final round. Francesco Molinari, the 54-hole leader, was still up two shots heading into the heart of Amen Corner.

And that’s when all hell broke loose.

Molinari’s tee shot on the par-3 12th never had a chance, hitting the bank and tumbling into Rae’s Creek for double bogey. Until then, Molinari had never trailed in a round that began early in threesomes to finish ahead of storms.

And then it seemed as though practically everyone had a chance, until Woods delivered the key shots at the big moment, just like the old days.

Schauffele failed to birdie the par-5 15th and scrambled for pars the rest of the way for a 68. Dustin Johnson made three straight birdies late in the round, but he got going too late and had to settle for a 68 and a return to No. 1 in the world.

Woods goes to No. 6, his first time inside the top 10 since the 2014 PGA Championship.

Koepka, one of four players from the final two groups who hit into the water on No. 12, ral-

lied with an eagle on the 13th, narrowly missed another eagle on the 15th and was the last player with a chance. His birdie putt on the 18th from just outside 10 feet missed, and he had to settle for a 70.

“You want to play against the best to ever play,” Koepka said.

“You want to go toe-to-toe with them. I can leave saying I gave it my all. He’s just good, man.”

Woods finished at 13-under 275 and became, at 43, the oldest Masters champion since Nicklaus won his sixth green jacket at 46 in 1986. That has stood as Augusta’s defining moment for years.

This one is sure to at least rival it.

“This is definitely, probably one of the greatest comebacks I think anybody’s ever seen,” Koepka said.

Koepka and Molinari had both faced Tigermania in the

majors and held their own, Molinari at Carnoustie to win the British Open, Koepka last summer at Bellerive to win the PGA Championship. Molinari went 49 straight holes without a bogey, a streak that ended on the seventh hole. It was the double bogeys that cost him, and the Italian was gracious as ever in defeat.

“I think I made a few new fans today with those double bogeys,” he said.

Rain fell briefly, but it stayed away long enough for Woods to be presented his green jacket on the practice green, just like old times.

He looked like a new man, making new memories.

“Now I’m able to play golf again, and do it at an elite level again, which is something I’m just very blessed to be able to have that opportunity again,” Woods said. ■

Tiger Woods... ❰❰ 29

lead at some point on the back nine, and there was a five-way tie at the top when the final group was still on the 15th fairway.

“You couldn’t have had more drama than we all had out there. And now I know why I’m balding,” Woods said. “This stuff is hard.”

It didn’t look that way when he was younger, healthier and the most popular sporting figure in the world.

Woods lost his impeccable image to a sex scandal, one of the swiftest and most shocking downfalls in sports. He lost his health to back problems. He went two years without even playing a major.

Now the comeback is truly complete. And the race is on.

“A big ‘well done’ from me to Tiger,” Nicklaus tweeted. “I am so happy for him and for the

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FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

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APRIL 19, 2019

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