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what’s inside Features 10 Humble the Poet: The voice of youth and social activism 16 Changes to Canada’s Cabinet 20 The real story behind Edward Snowden by Rajinder Sahota 22 Sex selective abortions by Dr. Suresh Kurl 24 Canada’s shameful legacy of cultural genocide 30 Finding the Middle Ground as a Parent 32 Child labour: a serious global issue
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Indian living: a feast of Indian flavor Our guide to hotel ratings Piggy Chop’s new singing career Hrithik Roshan’s Injuries and Transformation 66 Trips for an adrenaline junkie 67 Bangkok: The Vegas of Thailand
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68 Worldwide call for a boycott of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics 70 Changes for women in Canada 71 Five luxury homes around the world 72 Must watch films for the fall 73 A handbag too expensive for billionaire mogul Oprah Winfrey? 74 World Cup : Will Canada ever make it? 76 Pets help children with autism interact 78 The world’s most powerful women under 50 80 Canada’s crime rate statistics are in 82 Desi Girl
46 Grooming advice for the modern South Asian gentleman 48 Guide to the beard 52 Makeup for Men
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RT Appeals E P X E tion
Editor’s Note!
igra
Imm
People always make their annual resolutions in January but being a student for life (at heart) I’m conditioned to make changes and resolutions in August/September, right before school is back in session. One of my September resolutions is to try to shop locally and care more about what is happening globally. My research into child labour shocked me and my eyes were opened to how many brands engage in child labour practices. What was even more eye opening is the realities that First Nations people faced during an attempt at cultural genocide, and how their experiences at residential schools continue to ripple through their communities today. I’ve aptly named this issue of Desi Today our Gentleman’s Issue. There’s a huge push to ensure women have enough content about beauty, health and fashion through magazines, but we often forget that the modern South Asian man enjoys taking care of himself. This issue we’ve discussed beard styles, essential grooming for every man, and for the slightly more avant-garde and secure man, some ‘made for men’ makeup. We also bring you a little bit of Bollywood, and look at how two of Bollywood’s hottest actors prepared for the fittest roles of their lives. For the fathers out there, we look at how their love and support in their daughters’ lives can help build a foundation of healthy self-esteem and a bright future. We also have some great tips on finding the middle ground as a parent. Now, what I’m particularly excited about is my interview with Kanwer Singh aka Humble the Poet. I’ve admired and followed his work for a few years after I met him at a performance in Vancouver. When I thought of a Gentleman’s Issue, I quickly thought of Kanwer for the cover. Well spoken, knowledgeable, stylish and artsy, Kanwer embodies a modern South Asian gentleman that knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. His new album drops later this year and his first book will be available for pre-order at about the same time this issue hits newsstands. I would like to send a special thank you to Kamal from Digitology who took time out of his busy bridal season to organize an amazing photo shoot with Kanwer. I truly appreciate it.
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DESI TODAY EXCLUSIVE
COVER
HUMBLE THE POET:
&
The voice of
youth social activism Photography by Digitology
“I want to create something that lives past me, and it’s no different than people wanting to have kids. You have kids because you want to work on a project and watch it bloom and blossom. My creative work is my kids; it’s my legacy.” – Humble the Poet 10
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DESI TODAY – Always a good question to start with, where are you living right now and what are you working on? KANWER SINGH – Right now I’m actually couch surfing I’ve been travelling and I realized it’s not feasible to travel and pay a mortgage so I’m “homeless” at the moment. My belongings are at my parents’ home but I’ve been living out of my suitcase travelling and pursuing my artistic endeavors fulltime since the beginning of 2011. I’m preparing for the launch of my book and album that will be available in December 2013.
I understand you have two older sisters. How has having two older sisters shaped you? Are your parents supportive of your music career? In terms of music, I grew up listening to whatever my sisters listened to - Vanilla Ice, New Kids on the Block, Boy George. My sisters paid attention to what I wore and would tell me what to change about my style. Having sisters has that influence on you. As an adult, it’s cool to see them as mothers. They’re both very different people and it’s cool to learn from them. My middle sister and I connect on books, and my other sister is into pop culture and celebrities. I promised her if I ever make it to the Grammys she’s my date. My family is very supportive. Obviously they want nothing more than for me to be secure and to have a stable job, so they do tell me that my teaching job is there and it would help me earn a stable salary. There aren’t many people whose footsteps I’m following in, and they can’t think of anyone else’s success or failure as a guide for what I’m doing. I really am paving my own way. The idea of me pursuing the arts isn’t something they’re thrilled about because they don’t know of anyone pursuing the arts successfully. That being said, they’re very supportive and encourage me to pursue my dreams.
A lot of people don’t know that you’re an elementary school teacher. What grade do you teach? Right now I’m a teacher on leave. When I was a full-time teacher I was teaching Grade 3. I’m still a teacher and I have the choice of going back next September. I started off with leaving my day job to pursue the arts, and now I’m getting overwhelmed with this work and the entertainment industry, that it would be a very welcome break to go back to the same peaceful classroom.
Did a lot of students recognize you as Humble the Poet? I was teaching for a few years before I got into spoken word and popularity grew, when it got intense is when I left, at the same time when my last album dropped. Everyone at my school already knew, the kids were used to it and they knew that ‘Mr. Singh goes downtown and reads poems and he’s on YouTube’. It’s interesting because aside from asking me if I knew Miley Cyrus, my students were used to what I was doing and seeing me on YouTube.
How has your success affected your personal life? I don’t have a personal life (laughs). The more successful you are, the more you’re able to put yourself out there. In terms of girls and relationships, considering the level of aspirations that I have, my number
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one priority is my work. Any type of interactions I have is with that understanding. When I started being Humble the Poet I was in a relationship and it ended, because of it. I’ve realized that was a huge part of my life that had to change for me to take part in this journey. I’ve always enjoyed the company of females and that’s never been an issue. I travel for half the year, so it wouldn’t be in anyone benefit to put up with that.
How did you get started with music and rapping? While working as an elementary school teacher and high school tutor, I was looking for a creative outlet so I joined what was back then called the Toronto Spoken Word Club and started going to competitions, participating, performing and winning. After doing that for a few months I decided to tackle different things, and while working with youth groups discussing issues that affected our community, realized the disconnect between the adults that wanted to help and the youth that needed help. There was a huge communication problem and as a full-time teacher, one of things I specialize in is to communicate with younger people, so I took it upon myself to reach out to these kids. Parents would hire me as a tutor to work with their kids, and very few actually had academic issues, they were just making poor decisions and that’s why they weren’t doing well in school. A lot of the time I would talk to them and try to give them realistic advice and not “ideal” advice. Kids were receptive and they didn’t disregard me as an after-school special so I took that and put it into poetry format and released a track called Voice for the Voiceless. That track discussed situations of violence in schools, and the cycle of violence that was happening in BC. People really connected to the music, and at this point I wasn’t even thinking about turning this into a music career, I wanted to raise awareness while enjoying a creative outlet and using it as an excuse to try to meet girls. After this I started recording more songs and meeting people like the engineer that I still use today. We started recording in his basement and he was learning how to make twist all the knobs and make sounds while I was learning how to record my voice on the mic. We’ve grown together. Same thing with the producer I use, we’ve all grown together and as the number of our videos increase, the quality of the music came out and got a lot better.
QUICK BIO It’s been a little over five years since Kanwer Singh, better known as Humble the Poet, debuted as an Emcee/Spoken Word Artist over YouTube with his 2008 single Voice of the Voiceless. His lyrical intensity and ability to discuss taboo social issues through his work turned the quintessential elementary school teacher into a hip-hop god, almost overnight. Since then, Humble the Poet has been trying to live up to the towering standard he has set for himself. With an increasing number of Sikhs engrossed with hip-hop, Singh who often felt like an outsider before expressing himself through his lyrics is now regarded as a trailblazer in the Toronto hip-hop scene. His live appearances deliver a performance of finessed talent, giving an edge to every word he utters. Make no mistake. Humble the Poet is no one-trick pony. We caught up with the tattoo-clad poet warrior who wears a black-wrap around turban, and had a chance to talk to him about his take on social issues, his family, his music, the launch of his new book and the extent to how being a Gursikh hiphop artist defines him.
You’re paving your own way. Does this ever scare you? I think everybody goes through that doubt, nobody is without fear. Those that move forward operate despite their fears, especially when we’re leaving our comfort zone. An anxiety can build especially when you see that the mortgage payment is due, the car payment is due. I really have to sit down and ask myself what’s important, what are we doing all these things for. I had to decide what would make me happy in life and I would be lying if I said there wasn’t fear or anxiety; if it was meant to be easy there would be a lot more people like me in the world. I’m hoping that the ideas in my head can be brought to life and connect with people at such a level in comparison with the people who have affected me. There are people who have done things on this planet and they’ve left a footprint with their AUG / SEP 2013
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COVER ideas which will affect the future, even when they’re not a part of it. I think I have the potential to leave that same dent with my writing, music and creative endeavors. I want to create something that lives past me, and it’s no different than people wanting to have kids. You have kids because you want to work on a project, raise it and watch it grow, bloom and blossom. And my creative work is my kids. The things I’ve been able to do and opportunities I’ve had, I don’t think many people have had these opportunities, nor had the success I’ve achieved at this point. I am my own competition; no one can be harder on me than I am on myself. It’s rare that I sit down and look at my accomplishments, the only time I really do this is when I’m working on an application and need to submit my history and resume.
I see that you’ve written a book. Can you tell us a little bit about it and what inspired you to write a book? I have a full-length book coming out in December which will be over 100 chapters in hard copy, avail-
able for pre-order mid-August. There is also going to be an album of the same name, which is UnLEARN. I’m a writer first and foremost. I write lyrics, harmonies and melodies more so than composing music. I think of ideas and there’s a bit of restriction when you’re trying to make everything rhyme, which has slowed down my creative output. I had an epiphany to write whatever is on mind and started blogging every day since the beginning of this year. I’ve been focusing on posting and working on themes and ideas that I want to discuss further and started to collect feedback on what people thought. Every chapter is no longer than 1-3 pages max, and the language is extremely simple. It’s not an academic rich book, it’s about things that people already know but we lose sight on the way in life but need to reconnect with. Me being a writer, this is one of the things I wanted to do, which is to be the voice for the people who aren’t in a position to voice things for themselves.
The same way a corporation will buy out another corporation, or a business will try to muscle out its competitor, is no different than one drug dealer trying to shoot another dealer. At the end of the day it’s about money and getting people young enough who are impressionable enough to fall in love with the romantic notion that the life of crime. I don’t see this as any different than a government using military indoctrination to psychologically prepare soldiers to want to fight wars. People are willing to kill for their country and gang activity is the same thing on a much smaller scope. When you get people young enough you can pretty much convince them to do anything.
When I think of Humble the Poet, the first thoughts that come to mind are musician, rapper – do you consider yourself a writer foremost?
Domestic violence is a topic that is so taboo to discuss and tackle, so it becomes extra prevalent which is not a socio-economic issue. In any culture for one gender to have power, the other has to be oppressed. For a man to feel strong, he needs to feel stronger over someone else, and women end up getting the short end of the stick. Our community is extremely proud and this stems from back home and a view on the role of women. Domestic violence happens here in Canada and it’s protected and hidden because people care about their name and reputation. It’s interesting because I had a conversation with my father after something happened on the street, and I knew what really happened and he knew the made up version that the parents were telling because they wanted to save face. When I told him what really happened he acknowledged that our community is one that even if they do know the truth, they don’t say anything. This becomes a normal element, this closed dialogue that exists and encouraged within the community is one of the reasons that domestic violence is prevalent because people don’t have a voice or an option. It’s common for the victim to get blamed and it’s not just violence, it’s sexual abuse, especially amongst younger girls. It’s heartbreaking that probably 75% of the girls that I’ve ever met have a story of some sort of abuse at the hands of a family member. This is prevalent within the Pakistani community, the Punjabi-Sikh community, the Hindu community – it’s prevalent because it’s not talked about and it’s taboo. When you put a taboo on sex and repress people, it’s like if you lock up your kids – you lock them up and they’re going to sneak out. When sex becomes taboo, the sexual problems increase. India has a reputation of being the rape capital of the world because they shut down anything sexual, and this wasn’t always the case. From the culture that invented the Kama Sutra, something happened where the view of sex changed, and it became negative and because of that, a myriad of problems are happening behind closed doors and they won’t be stopped, even if people know they’re happening.
Well I am a musician and a rapper but as my writing continued it really grew and started a life of its own. A whole new base of people started connecting with me so even with the rap and music, I still consider myself a writer. Right now I’m also writing a script so that’s more under the writer umbrella as well. I’ve also done creative ideas like our video treatments. I love bringing creative ideas to life and I do that through my videos and through my writing on another website brwnppl.com.
You write a lot about the continuum of social issues affecting the South Asian community. Looking specifically at gang violence, do you consider this a settlement issue or a growing pain as the community grows? In Toronto we don’t have a gang issue affecting the South Asian community to the scope that BC has. Realities and stories we hear about like guns at weddings and so many young people dying as a result of their involvement with gang activity, it hasn’t made its way over here. I don’t think this is a South Asian specific issue; there’s a pursuit to make money and gang activity is a quick way to do it. For South Asians, it’s like a street life appeal without the underprivileged component being the motivator. If you think of the inner cities and the Black communities that are stricken with poverty, that is their motivator to get involved with crime. It’s interesting to know that the Punjabi community lives in better conditions but get involved with drug trafficking. Some of it can be pride and some can be money – there are a lot of motivators and you can’t point a finger at one. If you look at the Somali community in Toronto, a lot of kids who were getting in trouble were sent out to Alberta in hopes that they would find jobs. Those that chose to live a life of crime were competing against established organized crime and starting losing their lives as a result of this involvement. A lot of communities, especially immigrant communities, try to get settled and speed up the process of wanting what everyone else has. We see this in the South Asian community, people like to show off, which is reflective in the houses we build, the receptions we throw - whether we can afford it or not.
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AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
So with gang violence you think the motivators within communities are all the same, with the exception of South Asians not being underprivileged for the most part. What about domestic violence?
Do you see a difference between the issues affecting South Asians in BC as opposed to Toronto, aside from the organized crime element? I know a lot of people who were involved with various different things, but I don’t think they were ever able to take it to a level where the stakes were that www.desitoday.ca
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COVER high. The crimes here are petty and there wasn’t a big amount of money to be made, and the superhard drugs weren’t being sold. The community in BC is a lot older and I look at BC and think, maybe that’s our future. The opportunities to grow and further yourself economically is there in BC, but so are the opportunities to get into unsavory situations.
Do you think solutions to social problems affecting the South Asian community are going to get solved in your generation? I’m not an idealist. In the 15,000 years of human history, was there ever a time where these social issues didn’t exist. Domestic violence, violence, death, drugs – although the numbers have decreased over time, our sensitivities to them have increased, and this is probably a by-product of living in the First World. A few people die in Boston and it stops the whole country; we’re not used to that here. But we hear that 100 kids died in Iraq and we don’t bat an eye. Social problems have always existed and to try to solve them would mean to take power away from a lot of people who won’t let go of that power. There’s good and bad, and that’s the same with Punjabi culture – there are things we want to hold on to and there are things we want to let go. We can find solutions to replace old issues, but with the solutions will come new problems with consequences.
Being a turbaned Sikh man, have you experienced positive or negative feedback? Do people hold you to a higher standard because you’re Gursikh? What has the reaction been?
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It really depends on who is doing the reacting. I’ve received a mixed review. Being a Singh, some people in the community have expectations of me based on what they perceive a Singh to be, and feel that I’m not representing them the way that they understand how I’m supposed to represent them. I think my appearance is a much bigger issue from within our community than outside of our community. Some people don’t even know what a Punjabi is and they look at me like my beard and tattoos represent that I’m part of a rock and roll or blues band. That’s their context, and it’s interesting because there’s a perception that the outsiders will look at you funny, but it’s from within the South Asian community that I get reactions. They see the turban and beard, and refer to the people that they know in their lives that are in a gurdwara preaching and live a certain type of life void of talking about girls and doing this or that. As an adult I realize, people don’t know more or less than I do, we’re all kind of just winging it. You can’t counter a lack of education and tell them what’s up and expect a light bulb to just go off. People see a turban and beard, and they expect you to act a certain way. Everybody in the public eye deals with that, and if you’re in the public forum you have to deal with people who are not excited to see you around and aren’t supportive. That negativity is present in such a small dose, compared to the overwhelming support I feel.
Kanwer’s Indiegogo campaign is now live until September 20th. You can check it out and make contributions at http://bit. ly/humblethepoet or visit humblethepoet. com www.desitoday.ca
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After two years of a majority government, Prime Minister Stephen Harper revived his Cabinet last month, making some major changes by bringing in new ministers – including younger MPs in their 30s and 40s, and bringing in more women. “I think this is a good mixture of some young and promising talent we have in our caucus and some experienced hands,” Harper said following the swearing in ceremony. With the newly shuffled Cabinet, eight new ministers moved from the back bench into ministerial positions – four of those being women which brought the number of women in Harper’s cabinet to 12. Shelly Glover was appointed Minister for Canadian Heritage, Kellie Leitch became Minister of Labour and Status of Women, Michelle Rempel is the new Minister for Western Diversification and Candice Bergen the Minister of State for Social Development. Peter Mackay and Rob Nicholson swapped positions, moving Nicholson into the Defense department. Mackay is now the minister of Justice and Attorney General. James Moore, MP for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, was promoted to Minister of Industry. He takes over for Christian Paradise who was demoted to Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie. Leona Aglukkaq became the Minister of Environment, leaving Peter Kent without a ministerial post. Many Canadians were not happy with Kent after Canada withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol. The Protocol reduces international greenhouse emissions. Rona Ambrose took over Aglukkaq’s old post as Health Minister. Vic Toews resigned from his position ahead of the shuffle as Minister for Public Safety as well as MP; he was replaced by Steve Blaney, former Veterans Affairs Minister. B.C. MP for Delta-Richmond East, Kerry-Lynne Findlay, was given a big promotion, she went from Associate Minister of National Defence to the Minister of National Revenue. There are now five cabinet posts occupied by B.C. MPs. Some of Harper’s ministers were not shuffled: John Baird remains the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jim Flaherty as the Finance Minister, Tony Clement stays as President of the Treasury Board and Joe Oliver as the Minister of Natural Resources. The aim was to have younger and more gender-balanced spokespersons for the Canadian government. Stephen Harper also announced his new Cabinet via Twitter, showcasing himself as a social media savvy leader like Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, who has made frequent use of his social media. 16
AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
Jason Kenney, 45 Appointed: 2008 Riding: Calgary Southeast, Alberta Now: The Minister of Employment and Social Development, formerly known as Human Resources and Skills Development Canada The new department will reflect the government’s focus on job creation and determination to improve how skills training is delivered. Two junior minister will report to Kenney: Candice Bergen, the minister of state for social development, and Alice Wong, the minister of state for seniors. As minister of labour, Kellie Leitch, will also work with Kenney as some of her new responsibilities will overlap with employment and social development. Former: Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jim Flaherty, 63 Riding: Whitby-Oshawa, Ontario Staying put as Finance Minister
Appointed: 2006
John Baird, 44 Riding: Ottawa West-Nepean, Ontario Staying put as Foreign Affairs Minister
Appointed: 2011
Peter MacKay, 47 Appointed: 2007 Riding: Central Nova, Nova Scotia Now: Minister of Justice and Attorney General MacKay was shuffled out of the Department of National Defence. Although the F-35 problem is now with Public Works to get sorted out, the thinking is the department could use a fresh start. Former: Minister of National Defence www.desitoday.ca
James Moore, 37 Appointed: 2008 Riding: Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam, BC Now: Minister of Industry Moore is seen by some as long overdue for promotion. He’s a very effective communicator but some wonder whether the minister, who harbours leadership ambitions, is as capable of implementing an agenda. Former: Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Shelly Glover, 46 Appointed: 2011 Riding: Saint Boniface, Manitoba Now: Minister of Heritage Former: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance Diane Finley, 55 Appointed: 2008 Riding: Haldimand-Norfolk, Ontario Now: Minister of Public Works Former: Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Diane Finley recently suffered the loss of her husband Sen. Doug Finley, the man credited with bringing the Conservatives to power. Although the communications around one of her key files, temporary foreign workers, was messed up, she stayed put in a cabinet position. She is generally considered to be a competent and good minister. Candice Bergen, 48 Appointed: 2011 Riding: Portage-Lisgar, Manitoba Now: Minister of State (Social Development) Former: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety Candice Bergen was an effective communicator promoting her bill to scrap the long-gun registry. Kellie Leitch, 42 Appointed: 2011 Riding: Simcoe-Grey, Ontario Now: Minister of Labour and Status of Women Former: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour Kellie Leitch is considered an extremely hard worker, very ambitious, good with stakeholders, and a huge asset. Leona Aglukkaq, 46
Appointed: 2008/11/12 Riding: Nunavut, Nunavut New: Minister of the Environment Former: Minister of Health, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Minister for the Arctic
Rona Ambrose, 44 Appointed: 2010 Riding: Edmonton-Spruce Grove, Alberta Now: Minister of Health Former: Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women Chris Alexander, 44 Appointed: 2011 Riding: Ajax-Pickering, Ontario Now: Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Former: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence Michelle Rempel, 33
Appointed: 2011
Riding: Calgary Centre-North, Alberta Now: Minister of State for Western Diversification Former: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment Considered a shameless self-promoter, Michelle Rempel is considered an effective communicator and hard worker.
Julian Fantino, 70 Appointed: 2012 Riding: Vaughan, Ontario Now: Minister of Veteran Affairs Former: Minister of International Cooperation Rob Nicholson, 61 Appointed: 2007 Riding: Niagara Falls, Ontario Now: Minister of Defence Former: Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Gail Shea, 54 Appointed: 2011 and 2013 Riding: Egmont, Prince Edward Island Now: Minister of Fisheries and Oceans www.desitoday.ca
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Greg Rickford, 46 Appointed: 2008 Riding: Kenora, Ontario Now: Minister of State for Science and Technology Former: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Lisa Raitt, 45 Riding: Halton, Ontario Now: Minister of Transport Former: Minister of Labour
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Kerry-Lynne Findlay, 58 Appointed: 2013 Riding: Delta-Richmond East, British Columbia Now: Minister of National Revenue Former: Associate Minister of National Defence Peter Van Loan, 50 Appointed: 2011 Riding: York-Simcoe, Ontario Staying put as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Tony Clement, 52 Appointed: 2011 Riding: Parry Sound-Muskoka, Ontario Staying put as President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario John Duncan, 64 Appointed: 2008 Riding: Vancouver Island North Now: Minister of State and Chief Government Whip Former: Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development In February 2013, John Duncan resigned from his cabinet position as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development after improperly advocating to a tax court on behalf of a constituent in June 2011. Christian Paradis, 39 Appointed: 2011 Riding: Mégantic-L’Érable, Quebec Now: Minister of International Development Former: Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture) Denis Lebal, 50
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Major media outlets throughout Canada and the USA are focusing their attention on Edward Snowden; not, as one would hope, because of the massive and illegal State surveillance program he has helped to expose, but because of his personal characteristics. This should not be surprising to anyone familiar with the history of whistleblowers. Approximately 40 years ago, whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg was labelled by the USA as the “most dangerous man in America”. Ellsberg was wanted for leaking the Pentagon Papers that disclosed some of the war crimes perpetrated by the USA in South-East Asia and some of the most egregious human rights violations since the end of the Second World War. Much like today’s attacks on Snowden, the State response was to break into Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office to steal private medical records in an effort to discredit Ellsberg. In retrospect, Daniel Ellsberg is lauded for his brave, determined and principled actions in the face of extraordinary pressure including threats of torture and death for treason. A similar story has unfolded for alleged War Logs and Diplomatic Cables leaker Bradley Manning. Wikileaks, with data allegedly received from Manning, disclosed innumerable atrocities, deceits, and commentary thereon, committed by Western (predominantly the USA but including Canada and European nations) personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout North Africa and the Middle East. The Manning and Wikileaks revelations were instrumental to the democratic revolutions seen throughout North Africa and the Middle East in recent years. Our response to these whistleblowers reveals the strength of our love for liberty, democracy and freedom. Those who focus on the personal characteristics of the whistleblowers and condemn them for violating State security interests (without a shred of evidence to support such a claim) accept being kept in the dark and entrust the running of society to our self-appointed betters. Those who believe in enlightenment principles of transparency, free speech, democracy and of government of, by and for the people, will question why they permit their State to hide behind veils of secrecy, always telling us that these issues are too complex and sensitive for our overly inquisitive minds. Snowden ought to be praised for his courage in the face of the World’s only super power, where calls for his extra-judicial torture and murder are being regularly made by State officials. Those who ally themselves with transparency advocates like Snowden, Manning, Wikileaks and Ellsberg need to raise their voices and demand transparency from those who purport to govern in their name. The recent revelations of the Canadian Government having conducted nefarious medical experiments with First-Nations’ children in the 1940s after having witnessed similar experimentation by German officials on Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals during World War Two, is further evidence of the problem with secrecy here in Canada. After revelations of the Residential Schools crimes, one is left to wonder what other barbarous and inhuman atrocities have been committed by our State and in our name against First Nations peoples (see for example, James Daschuk’s “Clearing The Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation and the Loss of Aboriginal Life”). The crimes of
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FEATURES
er neck and h s e h c t lu c n a An Indian wom ly as she describes how she giggles nervous of her newborn daughters strangled eight n have the power to give life to death. “Womey,” she says. and take it awa
n o w e i V s ’ n A Ma
e v i t c e l Sex Se
I am neither a pro-life-right-winger nor a pro-choice-left-winger. Actually I have no wings. Being wingless helps me stay grounded close to what is right and good although for your information both pro-choice and pro-life activists believe that forced abortions are not a choice. Actually I support abortions, especially when they are medically deemed necessary to save the life of a mother, or when a pregnancy is a result of a rape. However, abortions, when solely performed to abort female foetuses in favour of male foetuses, I consider immoral, unethical and criminal. In my lexicon, if a fetus was considered a person and its abortion was illegal, sex selective abortions would be considered a 1st degree murder, as it is performed with full knowledge of the gender of the fetus, and with clear motive to dispose it off permanently. 22
AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
There already is an imbalance between the male and female population. Every year, more male babies are born in the world than female. Given the international gender demography, sex selective abortions are contributing to an acute shortage of women in India, and are responsible for several social evils.
According to a UN report, “There’s a large-scale trafficking of girls from the North-East India. These girls are brought to Haryana for forced marriage and bonded labour.” Letting people abort female foetuses at will is legalised “gendercide.” I also view sex-selective abortions as a harbinger of what might have been for those, who don’t escape the brutality before birth – spousal abuse, gang rapes and honour killings. Sex selective abortions are not an Indian issue. They are a global issue. On April 22, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned forced abortions and forced sterilization in China. She, during a Congressional Hearing, before the House of Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that these practices are an egregious interference with women rights.” Of the 64,641 abortions performed on Canadian women in 2010, as reported by The Canadian Institute for Health (CIHI), how many of them would you consider to be gender-based after you factor in the increasing Asian and South Asian population, which prefer boys over girls? Every year in the month of August, sisters celebrate Rakshabandhan (a festival of sisters- brothers bonding) with great enthusiasm. Sisters tie a band of protection on the right hand wrist of their brothers, and seek their vow to protect them in need. www.desitoday.ca
Every year a generous exchange of sweets and cash between sisters and brothers occur, but every year we also read in papers about cases of domestic violence and murders, though lately I have not heard of any honour killings, and thank God for that. As of this year, I would like to add a new tradition and practice to make the bond between men and woman stronger and keep them committed to each other. I propose “Husbands tie Raksha bands on the wrist of their spouses as a vow against domestic violence.” And let Canada become the birthplace of this blissful tradition. But don’t be shocked if I told you that men are not the only perpetrators of this crime. Women contribute to it as well. Here is a segment from It’s a Girl, a documentary filmed in China and India by director Evan Grace Davi. An Indian woman clutches her neck and giggles nervously as she describes how she strangled eight of her newborn daughters to death. “Women have the power to give life and take it away,” she says. I would urge all parents, teachers, social reformer-activists, and women, who support same sex unions, to rise up and speak out against sex selective abortions and participate in educating the public on the gravity of the issue. I was thrilled to read the Governor of the Bank of England Mr. Mark Carney has been thinking to put women back on British pound notes. It will be a great honour for women. But I also believe that putting women on pound notes will be nothing more than window dressing until people like him in high places will not start digging deeper into the reasons why women are treated the way they are, and what can they do to eliminate those reasons. Political speeches on status of women will not improve men’s attitude towards women until we instantly remove those officers from their direct supervisory responsibilities, who are alleged to have sexually assaulted their staff. You cannot suck and blow at the same time. Adding a few more women to the Cabinet does not cut it. 92% Canadians are against sex selective abortions. Given the numbers of abortions in Canada, I also appeal to the Government of Canada to re-examine the existing abortion laws and amend them to restrict sex selective abortions, and extend the Rights and Freedoms to the unborn females -- to be born alive. By Dr Suresh Kurl Dr. Suresh Kurl is a South Asian Community Activist, a retired Registrar of the BC Benefits Appeal Board and an Ex-Member of the National Parole Board.
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Residential schools and experiments on aboriginals:
Canada’s shameful legacy of cultural genocide
24
AUG / SEP 2013
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Recent revelations by University of Guelph food historian Ian Mosby explore details about experiments conducted by federal scientists on malnourished and hungry aboriginals on reserves and in residential schools. Between 1942 and 1952, experiments were conducted on 1300 people, studying the effects of nutritional supplements. Subjects were provided or denied vitamins, minerals and foods instead of being properly fed. Dental services were also withdrawn because researchers were concerned that healthier teeth and gums could skew results. The “subjects” used in the experiments were already hungry and suffering nutritionally prior to being experimented on. One of those children was Assembly of First Nations national chief Shawn Atleo’s father, who attended a residential school in Port Alberni, B.C. It is difficult and painful to think of people being deliberately deprived of food in this land of plenty, and adding to that hurt is the knowledge that they were treated as heartlessly as if they had been lab rats instead of human beings. In fact, the experiments and the complete lack of ethics involved with carrying them out sound like something that would have come out of Nazi Germany. No one will ever be able to measure the lifelong damage done by these experiments, for when growing children are deprived of nutritious food, their development and learning outcomes are affected, and may suffer permanent effects. Add
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these horrible revelations about food deprivation to the stories of abuse, neglect and lack of medical care and sanitation that make up the legacy of residential schools. It all adds up to a profoundly shameful chapter of Canadian history.
History of residential schools “I want to get rid of the Indian problem. Our object is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed. They are a weird and waning race...ready to break out at any moment in savage dances; in wild and desperate orgies.” – Duncan Campbell Scott, Head of Indian Affairs In the 19th century, the Canadian government believed it was responsible for educating and caring for the country’s aboriginal people. Nearly 1,100 students attended 69 residential schools across the country. In 1931, at the peak of the residential school system, there were about 80 schools operating in Canada. From the earliest school to the last, which closed in 1996, there were a total of about 130 schools in every territory, province (except Newfoundland, PEI and New Brunswick). In total, approximately 150,000 aboriginal, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their communities and from the care of their families, and forced to attend the schools. Residential schools were established with the assumption that aboriginal culture was unable to adapt to a modern society. It was believed that native children could be successful if they assimilated into mainstream Canadian society by adopting Christianity and speaking English or French. Students were discouraged from speaking their first language or practising native traditions. If they were caught, they would experience severe punishment. Residential schools were federally run, under the Department of Indian Affairs. Attendance was mandatory, and the Canadian government truly believed that aboriginals’ best chance for success was to learn English and adopt Christianity and Canadian customs. Ideally, they would pass their adopted lifestyle on to their children, and native traditions would diminish, or be completely abolished in a few generations. Residential school students did not receive the same education as the general population in the public school system, and the schools were sorely underfunded. Teachings focused primarily on www.desitoday.ca
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FEATURES practical skills. Girls were primed for domestic service and taught to do laundry, sew, cook, and clean. Boys were taught carpentry and farming. Many students attended class part-time and worked for the school the rest of the time: girls did the housekeeping; boys, general maintenance and agriculture. This work, which was involuntary and unpaid, was presented as practical training for the students, but many of the residential schools could not run without it. With so little time spent in class, most students had only reached grade five by the time they were 18. At this point, students were sent away. Many were discouraged from pursuing further education. Canada may have had good intensions in helping aboriginals to make the transition from a traditional lifestyle that they had been living for thousands of years to a different way of life, but something went terribly wrong, something that is still felt today in many communities. The forced assimilation of aboriginal people into western society was not in fact “assimilation” but genocide. There was a concise and deliberate plan to “kill the Indian in the child,” according to survivors of the schools.
Abuse at residential schools “At 9, I was sent to residential school. A nun shaved my head and stripped me bare in front of all the other boys, followed by months of repeated beatings, whippings, sexual abuse and solitary confinement in a dark, locked closet. Why? Because I was bad and deserved it. That’s what they said.” – Stephen Kakfwi, former Premier of the North West Territories and residential school survivor. The purpose of the schools was to eliminate all aspects of Aboriginal culture, so students were forced to cut their hair short, dress in uniforms, and live strictly regimented days. Boys and girls were kept separate, and siblings were rarely allowed to interact. Students were forbidden to speak their language or to practice Aboriginal customs or traditions, and violators were severely punished. Students at residential schools rarely had opportunities to see examples of normal family life. They were in school 10 months a year, away from their parents. All correspondence from the children was written in English, which many parents couldn’t read. Abuse at the schools was widespread: emotional and psychological abuse was 26
AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESI View
constant, physical abuse was meted out as punishment, and sexual abuse was also common. Survivors recall being beaten and strapped; some students were shackled to their beds; some had needles shoved in their tongues for speaking their native languages. These abuses, along with overcrowding, poor sanitation, and severely inadequate food and health care, resulted in a shockingly high death toll. For three decades, Willie Blackwater suppressed the pain. At age 39, he released his torment when a compassionate RCMP officer named Al Franczak asked if he’d ever been sexually abused. What poured out was a horrific account of repeated rape and beatings 30 years earlier at the Port Alberni residential school on Vancouver Island. Blackwater’s coura-
geous revelations, along with those of 17 other former students, helped seal some of the very first related criminal convictions against Arthur Henry Plint, a sadistic dormitory supervisor. In addition to unhealthy conditions and corporal punishment, children were frequently assaulted, raped, or threatened by staff or other students. During the 2005 sentencing of Arthur Plint, a dorm supervisor at the Port Alberni Indian Residential School convicted of 16 counts of indecent assault, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Douglas Hogarth called Plint a “sexual terrorist.” Hogarth stated, “As far as the victims were concerned, the Indian residential school system was nothing more than institutionalized pedophilia.” The extent to which Department of Indian Affairs and church officials knew of these abuses has been debated. However, the Royal Commission of Aboriginal Peoples and Dr John Milloy, among others, concluded that church and state officials were fully aware of the abuses and tragedies at the schools. Some inspectors and officials at the time expressed alarm at the horrifying death rates, yet those who spoke out and called for reform were generally met with silence and lack of support. The Department of Indian Affairs would promise to improve the schools, but the deplorable conditions persisted. Some former students have fond memories of their time at residential schools, and certainly some of the priests
and nuns who ran the schools treated the students as best they could given the circumstances. But even these “good” experiences occurred within a system aimed at destroying Aboriginal cultures and assimilating Aboriginal students. When students returned to the reserve, they often found they didn’t belong. They www.desitoday.ca
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didn’t have the skills to help their parents, and became ashamed of their native heritage. The skills taught at the schools were generally substandard; many found it hard to function in an urban setting. The aims of assimilation meant devastation for those who were subjected to years of mistreatment.
Missing children Although there is no exact tally, hundreds of First Nations children disappeared after being taken from their homes to attend residential schools from 1870 to the mid1900s. An unknown number of aboriginal children died at residential schools without information of their deaths communicated to their families. In 1909 Dr. Peter Bryce, general medical superintendent for Indian Affairs reported to the Ministry that between 1894-1908 the mortality rate in western Canadian residential schools was between 35%-60%. That is between 52,500 - 90,000 children unaccounted for. Mass graves for deceased youth have already been discovered. The figures above do not include children who died at home, where they were frequently sent when critically ill. Bryce reported that anywhere from 47 percent to 75 percent of students discharged from residential schools died shortly after returning home.
Apologies and reparations Critics say the Church is guilty of atrocities and attempted genocide of Aboriginal people, but the Canadian government cannot shy away from responsibility. Ultimately, it was the Canadian government who set up and paid for this system whereby children were forcibly removed from their families and placed with a bunch of pedophiles and sadists. Of course the churches are to blame too and it seems most of them have been sincere in trying to make amends, though, amazingly, the Catholic Church alone has refused to issue a formal apology. The Canadian government’s formal apology, together with the previously-announced $2 billion compensation package and the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission, is the beginning of the end of this sad, shameful chapter in our country’s history. www.desitoday.ca
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FEATURES
Too tired to set limits with your children? Well, the short-term gain (not having to deal with tantrums) is likely setting you up for long-term pain!
Finding the
Middle Ground as a Parent
It’s understandable that sometimes parents just want some peace and quiet whenever they can get it, and therefore will let some of their children’s poor behaviours slide, or give in to whatever demands their children make of them in order to get some of that highly sought after quiet time. After all, we live in a hectic, fast-paced world, a world which leaves us precious little time to enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation, so it’s understandable that many parents will give in to their children’s whining in order to avoid a potential all-out tantrum. A problem with that approach – often called permissive parenting – is of course the message it sends to your children – that negative behaviour (whining, crying, yelling, swearing) will get them a desired outcome. Of course, the rest of the world doesn’t work that way, so once they come to developing peer relationships and go to school, they may have great difficulty in adjusting. Without the ability to selfregulate, these children will experience great frustrations – which they may take out on the one that lets them – their permissive parent. Another big problem is that while it may be easier to just stand idly by and let your child watch more cartoons, play more video games, stay up late, or eat more junk food now, it may be more difficult to stand by and watch when, as they become teenagers, they began to stay out very late partying or not going to school. While not impossible to set down household rules at that time, it’s not going to be easy – after all, if the teen has never had any rules to follow, will he or she suddenly start taking such newly instituted rules seriously? Another problem with permissive parenting is it’s really 30
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not what children want. Children want – and need – to be given limits. After all, that tells them that their caregiver actually cares about them. When a child doesn’t trust that parents will enforce rules that keep the child healthy and safe (“Ok, I guess you don’t have to wear your bike helmet if it makes you that unhappy”) the child disrespects the parent and becomes more challenging, looking for limits (and proof that he or she is actually loved.) When a child mistreats the parent, naturally the parent gets angry and resentful and is less nurturing to the child. So setting limits, as difficult as that may be with the child ready to start a tantrum, is exactly what is needed. Having said that, setting overly-rigid limits is a problem too. The opposite of permissive parenting is authoritarian parenting, and it too will lead to a poorlyadjusted child and teen. Sometimes the reasons for being an authoritarian parent is the same – the parent is too tired to actually have any sort of dialogue with their child, so imposes very strict rules that need to be followed, and there is no room for debate about these rules. While permissive parenting leads to difficulties in self-regulating for a child, so too does authoritarian parenting. Harsh limits trigger a resistance to taking responsibility for themselves. For a child, there is no internal tool more valuable than self-discipline, but it develops from the internalization of loving limits, not from an external control. Research actually shows that authoritarian parenting produces kids with lower self-esteem and higher rates of depression and anger, who behave worse than other kids. Children of authoritarian parents may even become bullies at school, because
they’ve learned that power and control is the way to get things done and to get things they want. A great irony to authoritarian parenting is that it leads to even more regular punitive parenting - because these kids tend to behave worse, they get punished more, so a vicious cycle is created! And just like permissive parents – who almost begin to fear their children’s demands, authoritarian parents are also not particularly happy parents. Parents who relate punitively to their kids have to cut off their natural empathy for their child, which makes the relationship less satisfying to them. Parenting also becomes much harder for these parents because their kids lose interest in pleasing them and become much more difficult to manage. So ultimately strict parenting makes for unhappy parents. So what’s the ideal parenting approach – a middle group between permissive and authoritarian parenting? Parenting with empathy. Research shows that children develop optimally when we set limits as necessary, but do so with empathy. Empathy makes your limit more palatable to your child, so he or she doesn’t resist it as much. That’s what allows these children to internalize it. Kids need appropriate limits, but it’s how you do it that counts. Setting limits with empathy means that you: • Start with a strong, supportive connection with your child so they know you’re on their side – that you care about both their emotional and physical safety and will always be there when they need you. • See it from their point of view and offer genuine empathy that they can feel, while setting the limit. The child needs to understand that the reason you are setting and enforcing a limit is that you care. • Resist the temptation to be punitive in any way. Setting the limit teaches the lesson. Anything more backfires. If the only reason to set a limit is to show that you are in charge, then it’s sending the wrong message. • See your child’s life from their point of view and only set the limits you really need to set, so that their life is more about connection and discovery than about limits and frustration. Of course there are times when it is appropriate to be permissive. Saying “no” too often undermines your relationship. This may mean occasionally easing the rules, and framing as an infrequent treat they get i.e. sometimes they can have a little more screen time than usual, or ice cream after dinner. Such “treats” should remain the exception, not the norm. Alternatively, some rules should always remain strict – such as rules intended to keep your child safe. Wearing a helmet while bicycling or sitting in the back seat until a child is the appropriate age and weight to sit up front are non-negotiable. Parenting is the toughest job in the world, but it is also the most rewarding. Being a parent who has empathy towards their child may not be as easy as giving in or maintaining rigid boundaries, but the short-term pains will definitely lead to long-term gains – a strong, loving bond you will share with your children forever. Gary Thandi, MSW RSW, is the Executive Director of Genesis Family Empowerment Society, a non-profit agency providing counselling and support services to families in Metro Vancouver. For more information on Genesis, please visit the website at www.genesisfamilyempowerment.com. www.desitoday.ca
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Child labour is one of the most devastating consequences of persistent poverty but 81 percent of British Columbians think it’s easy to turn a blind eye to child labour in developing countries.
Child Labour:
A Serious Global Issue Children should not have to work but according to the World Bank, an estimated 250 million children are working worldwide. Of these, 61 percent are in Asian, 32 percent in Africa and 7 percent in Latin America. Relatively few children work in developed countries. Child labour is a complex subject, and while often harmful, it isn’t always so, especially in countries and situations where the alternative is deeper poverty for children and their families. In a poll commissioned by World Vision a few weeks after the Bangladesh factory disaster, a survey found that 81 per cent of British Columbians think it’s easy to turn a blind eye to child labour in developing countries. A majority also misjudged the scale of child slavery worldwide. On average, British Columbians estimated that 7.9 million children are doing hazardous work. The correct answer, according to the International Labour Organization, is more than 115 million children are doing work that is damaging their bodies, minds 32
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and well-being. Many have dropped out of school; many are not able to escape their situation. “British Columbians haven’t yet grasped the shocking scale of child labour worldwide. Their estimate of how many children toil in dirty, dangerous and degrading jobs was 14 times lower than reality,” said Cheryl Hotchkiss, senior advocacy manager, World Vision Canada. “It’s easy to turn a blind eye to something that’s not in your face, but this research shows British Columbians want options to protect children in other countries from exploitation, just like children in Canada should be protected.” In its most harmful form, child labour impairs the physical and mental development of children. Most child workers are found in Asia, but the proportion of children working is highest in Africa, where on average, one child in three is engaged in some form of economic activity, mostly agriculture. An estimated 60% of child la-
bour occurs in agriculture, fishing, hunting and forestry. Child labourers have been found harvesting bananas in Ecuador, cotton in Egypt, oranges in Brazil, cocoa in the Ivory Coast, tea in Bangladesh, and fruits and vegetables in the US. About 14 million children are estimated to be directly involved in manufacturing goods, including carpets in India, Pakistan and Egypt, clothing sewn in Bangladesh, footwear made in India and the Philippines, soccer balls sewn in Pakistan, fireworks made in China and Peru, and surgical instruments made in Pakistan. Children as young as 6 years old break up rocks, wash, sieve and carry ore. Nine year olds work underground setting explosives and carrying loads while mining for gold in Colombia, diamonds in Cote d’Ivoire, coal in Mongolia, or charcoal in Brazil. In Ecuador, 70 percent of child workers work more than 20 hours. In rural Bangladesh, by the age of 13, non-school going children already work hours as long as or www.desitoday.ca
even longer than most adults. In Thailand, working boys and girls aged 11 to 15 years have average weekly hours of work of 50 hours, but for girls in services the average exceeds 65 hours. Many children work under exploitative conditions that have harmful effects on their physical condition and mental health. The working conditions of child garbage pickers in the Philippines clearly increase the risk of diseases and disability through exposure to lead and mercury, heavy lifting, and the presence of parasites. Children in agriculture are more likely to be adversely affected than adults by climatic exposure, heavy work, toxic chemicals, and accidents from sharpened tools and motorized equipment. Domestic service is primarily undertaken by girls and is one of the occupations that can cause serious psychological and social adjustment problems. Child workers typically live away from home and may routinely work long hours, often in almost total isolation from family and friends. In Colombia, domestic servants comprise the majority of all child workers laboring over 60 hours per week. The World Health Organization reports that psychological stress, premature aging, depression, and low self-esteem are common symptoms among young household helpers. At the extreme, traditional forms of child slavery such as bonded labor exist in South Asia and in East Africa. Instances of slavery have also been reported in Latin American/Caribbean countries. Slave labor is more common in agriculture, domestic help, the sex industry, carpet and textile industries, and quarrying and brick making. Perhaps the most disturbing form of child labour is through the commercial sexual exploitation of children. In some areas the sexual exploitation of children is clearly related to foreign child sex tourism, in others it is associated with the local demand. In most countries, girls represent 80 to 90% of the victims, although in some regions boys predominate. Research indicates that 30 to 35 percent of all prostitutes in the Mekong sub-region of Southeast Asia are between 12 and 17 years of age. Thailand’s Health System Research Institute reports that children in prostitution make up 40% of prostitutes in Thailand. In Sri Lanka, children often become the prey of sexual exploiters through friends and relatives; the prevalence of boys in prostitution here is strongly related to foreign tourism. The International Labour Organisation suggests poverty is the greatest cause behind child labour. For impoverished households, income from a child’s work is usually crucial for his or her own surwww.desitoday.ca
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FEATURES vival or for that of the household. Income from working children, even if small, may be between 25 to 40% of the household income. Lack of meaningful alternatives, such as affordable schools and quality education is another major factor driving children to harmful labour. Children work because they have nothing better to do. Many communities, particularly rural areas where between 60-70% of child labour is prevalent, do not possess adequate school facilities. Even when schools are sometimes available, they are too far away, difficult to reach, unaffordable or the quality of education is so poor that parents wonder if going to school is really worth it. In European history when child labour was common certain cultural beliefs rationalised child labour and encouraged it. Some viewed that work is good for character-building and skill development of children. In many cultures, particular where informal economy and small household businesses thrive, the cultural tradition is that children follow in their parents’ footsteps; child labour then is a means to learn and practice that trade from a very early age. Similarly, in many cultures the education of girls is less valued or girls are simply not expected to need formal schooling, and these girls pushed into child labour such as providing domestic services. Child labour is not only the result of culture or work ethics, but also of companies and subcontractors searching for a cheap and obedient labour force. Any situation that results in or perpetuates poverty also encourages child labour. The World Bank’s International Monetary Fund subjects deep-in-debt countries to a Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), which forces governments to increase exports, privatize schools and health care, and deregulate the industry. By attracting foreign manufacturers to come in and set-up local businesses, these countries must restructure their whole export economy. They promise these manufacturers cheap non-unionized labour, as well as lax work regulations. In effect, the World Bank’s requirements have particularly devastating repercussions on the children of poor families. Numerous industry sectors hire subcontractors for a large part of their production needs. Consequently, large companies save significantly on labour and
Solutions to end child labour are needed beyond conventional thinking. Vital to achieving progress against harmful child labour are effective efforts to reduce poverty and economic and social policies and programs aimed at poverty reduction. 34
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other general expenses. The local companies must deal with fierce competition when it comes to securing contracts, so they look for the cheapest possible labour force: children. Some of the very large and profitable companies in the world refuse to take responsibility for the subcontractors’ business practices. Poverty, performance leveling, technology, an expanding informal economy, and the International Monetary Fund’s reengineering requirements are the “new world economy” factors that have contributed to the increase in child labour. Concerns have often been raised over the buying public’s moral complicity in purchasing products assembled or otherwise manufactured in developing countries with child labour. However, others have raised concerns that boycotting products manufactured through child labour may force these children to turn to more dangerous or strenuous professions, such as prostitution or agriculture. For example, a UNICEF study found that after the Child Labour Deterrence Act was introduced in the US, an estimated 50,000 children were dismissed from their garment industry jobs in Bangladesh, leaving many to resort to jobs such as “stone-crushing, street hustling, and prostitution”, jobs that are more hazardous and exploitative than garment production. Solutions to end child labour are needed beyond conventional thinking. Vital to achieving progress against harmful child labour are effective efforts to reduce poverty and economic and social policies and programs aimed at poverty reduction. The elimination of child labour and the provision of full time formal education are inextricably linked. The focus of attention must be to actively integrate and retain all ‘out of school’ children into formal education systems. Children have the right to education at least until the age they are allowed to work which is 15. In addition efforts must be made to remove all barriers to local schools as well as ensuring the necessary financial and infrastructural support for the provision of quality education. All governments need to ensure that they do not permit, or allow child labour to exist within their state. Furthermore they have a duty to ensure that state agencies, corporate bodies as well as their suppliers and trading partners worldwide, are fully compliant with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international agreements protecting the rights of children. As part of their corporate social responsibility, all transnational and other business enterprises using child labour should create and implement a plan to remove children from their workforce, including their supply-chain, and enrol them in full time education. www.desitoday.ca
Brands that use child and slave labour Philip Morris - Philip Morris has actually admitted that 72 children work on the tobacco farms from which Philip Morris buys its plants. The youngest of these 72 is just 10 years old. Philip Morris makes Basic, Marlboro, Cambridge, Benson & Hedges, Commander, Chesterfield, English Ovals, Dave’s, L&M, Lark, Parliament, Merit, Saratoga, Players and Virginia Slims. Victoria’s Secret – Victoria’s Secret uses ‘fair trade cotton’ grown in Burkina Faso. The country readily admits to using child workers, and Victoria’s Secret readily admits to purchasing cotton from them. Toys ‘R’ Us – Urban Outfitters, Forever 21 and Aeropostale - Each of these say they have stringent contracts in place to ensure that the cotton they receive uses “legally qualified workers”. But they buy their cotton from Uzbekistan, where the government removes children from school and sends them to work. So yeah, they are “legally qualified”, but not by any humane standards. Hershey’s – Hershey’s line of chocolates, Bliss Chocolates, will only be made using cocoa certified by the Rainforest Alliance. The only reason for this ‘ethical’ move was to prevent the International Labor Rights Forum from airing an ad featuring Hershey’s use of child labor on a giant screen right outside of the Super Bowl. . Despite signing a protocol against child labor almost ten years ago, Hershey is the one participating company who has failed to eliminate their use of child labor. In West Africa, thousands of children still harvest cocoa for Hershey’s. Apple - Apple found 91 children worked at its suppliers in 2010 - a nine-fold increase from the previous year. The company also acknowledged that 137 workers had been poisoned by the chemical, n-hexane, at a supplier’s manufacturing facility and that less than a third of the facilities it audited were complying with Apple’s code on working hours. Walmart Canada - Walmart Canada’s in-house clothing brand Simply Basic and other products have been manufactured using child labor in Bangladesh, according to an investigation conducted by Radio-Canada in 2005. www.desitoday.ca
H&M - H&M, one of North America’s most popular fashion chains, is under pressure to sever its links with clothing suppliers that buy cotton from Uzbekistan, where large quantities are harvested using child labor. H&M uses football star David Beckham and singer Lana Del Rey to promote its brand. Puma - According to a new National Labor Committee report, an estimated 200 children, some 11 years old or even younger, are sewing clothing for
Puma at the Harvest Rich factory in Bangladesh. Samsung - Samsung Electronics has been accused by a labor rights group of mistreating workers in China and illegally using child labor. The New York based-China Labor Watch said its investigation into workplace conditions at eight factories in China showed some employees were working more than 100 hours per month of overtime and that children were knowingly employed.
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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
Research has shown that fathers have a greater impact than mothers on their daughter’s ability to have academic and career success, deal with people in authority, try new things and accept challenges, express anger appropriately, have good mental health, have selfconfidence and self-reliance and to create a loving, trusting relationship with a man.
How Fathers Influence Daughters Fathers influences their daughter’s lives in many profound ways – from how they feel about themselves and their perceived power to shape their own future; to what they expect from the world and especially what to expect from the men they will encounter in their lives.
A father’s influence on a daughter’s self-image Dads teach their daughters how to regard themselves. It is through his eyes that daughters first see themselves. If he treats his daughter as being worthy, feminine and pretty, she is more likely to see herself that way. Likewise, if he treats her as being unworthy and unappealing, she is more likely to see herself that way, too. This type of treatment predisposes girls to suffer self-esteem problems later in life. It is through the father-daughter relationship that daughters first learn to both value and accept themselves, or to discount and reject themselves. A dad’s involvement in his daughter’s life is a crucial ingredient in the development of a young woman’s self-esteem. “How Dad approaches life will serve as 36
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www.desitoday.ca
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
“...they can help support their daughter’s self-image and curb any possibility of low self-esteem: Verbal encouragement, being consistently present in her life, being alert and sensitive to her feelings, taking time to listen to her thoughts and taking an active interest in her hobbies.”
an example for his daughter to build off of in her own life, even if she chooses a different view of the world,” says Michael Austin, associate professor of philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University and editor of Fatherhood - Philosophy for Everyone: The Dao of Daddy. Austin identifies positive elements of “common sense” parenting for dads so they can help support their daughter’s self-image and curb any possibility of low self-esteem: Verbal encouragement, being consistently present in her life, being alert and sensitive to her feelings, taking time to listen to her thoughts and taking an active interest in her hobbies. “It’s important to actually do these things, which can sometimes be quite challenging,” Austin adds. Direct involvement and encouragement by her father will help diminish a girl’s insecurity and increase her confidence in her own abilities.
Fathers and daughters: From infant to toddler We now live in a world where Dad is an equal partner in care giving. From day one, dads need to be hands-on, changing diapers, giving baths, putting Baby to 38
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sleep and calming her cries. That presence and effort is the beginning of a very important relationship.
Fathers and daughters: From tween to teen As a girl continues to grow and her teen years become fraught with complicated issues, dads should continue to work on building a trusting relationship, give affection and support her as she learns more about who she is and what kind of person she wants to become. A focus should be placed on cultivating a trusting relationship so daughters feel secure talking to their fathers about issues going on in their lives.
How dads influence their daughter’s relationship Most psychologists predict that future romantic relationships will be greatly impacted by the father’s treatment of his daughter. If her father is warm, considerate and caring, she will most likely expect men to be warm, caring and nurturing. In romantic relationships, she is more likely
to look for a partner that will treat her well. When there is appropriate physical touch between a father and his daughters, they learn to feel secure and relaxed. Daughters learn to be regarded as people and not as sex objects. If a father is harsh, rejecting or dismissive, daughters will be predisposed to being involved in abusive relationships. When dads show their daughters respect and treat them with dignity, they learn to expect to be shown respect. Additionally, the way the father treats his wife serves as an example of what is acceptable in marriage. Dads have a tendency to push the limits and push their children. When it is done with encouragement and patience, the children’s confidence grows and their limits are stretched. They are more willing to try new things and accept challenges. Without question, fathers are a powerful influence on both sons and daughters— an influence that reaches well beyond the roles of provider and protector. And as new studies emerge, it’s becoming clearer just how deeply the father-daughter relationship can affect a woman throughout her life in a variety of ways, including selfconfidence, body image, education, career, and romantic relationships. www.desitoday.ca
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Newton Crossing Dental #7126 King George Blvd, Next to Wings Restaurant
604.591.8999 Morning, Evening & Weekend Appointments Available 40
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Dedicated to providing access to Oral Health Care in Fraser Valley of British Columbia.
Dental Health Education Research OUR PURPOSE To provide affordable and accessible oral health care to financially challenged individuals. To support the advancement of the dental profession with continuing dental education for oral health care professionals. To facilitate and provide funding for oral health, dental education and clinical research.
Pacific Oral Health Society is very pleased to announce the opening of its NEW FACILITY IN SURREY. All dental services are offered and we accept all dental insurance and benefit plans. We are open evenings and weekends. Please call 604-536-2700 to arrange an initial appointment, and learn more about us at www. pohs.ca
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Jonesing for juice by Am Sahota From celebrities like Beyonce and Jennifer Aniston to health gurus like Dr. Oz and Oprah, it seems like everyone is slugging back their salads through a straw. It’s hard to argue against the benefits of eating (or drinking) your vegetables. Juicing can help you shed unwanted pounds faster, feel less fatigues and bloated, and fight countless diseases. There’s a growing industry ready to quench the collective thirst for weight loss and health in a glass. So is juicing the antidote to great health or just another fad diet?
your digestive system will thank you Juicing is a great way to get fruits and vegetables into your diet if you don’t typically like them. Juicing gives your digestive system time to relax and repair itself. The body looks at the same food in different forms in different ways. Eating an apple, for instance, engages the digestive system more to break down the skin and flesh of the fruit. When it is juiced, you are just dealing with liquid and the system doesn’t have to work as hard at processing. Fans of green juicing, or juicing raw vegetables, say that you can drink more vegetables than you can eat, and that juicing allows your body to more easily absorb the vitamins and antioxidants extracted from fresh produce.
skeptics say The detox and cleansing benefits attributed to juicing may be more psychological than physical. There’s also a lack of scientific evidence that proves that juicing your vegetables is significantly healthier than just eating them. “When juicing proponents say their juices ‘detox’ the body, I wonder what toxins they’re talking about,” says Dr. Donald Hensrud, a nutrition specialist at the Mayo Clinic. “What exactly are we meant to be cleaning?” If there are any benefits to juicing, Hensrud says there currently isn’t any supporting research, he believes they may be only temporary: “You may feel lighter if you reduce the calories you take in, and even mentally better too, but those are shortterm effects. I’m not aware of any longterm benefits.”
not all juices are created equal Whether you get your juice at a juice bar, 42
AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
health food store or through a delivery service, be wary of bottled and pasteurized juices and read the labels carefully - too much fruit or fruit concentrate can increase the sugar level, and heating and processing can lessen nutritional value.
skeptics say Buying a home juicer and doing it yourself can pay off in the long run, although the juicer you buy might also make a difference. Centrifugal juicers, which grind and strain produce at high speeds, are the most affordable machines, but also less efficient – some say the high speed generates heat, and decreases the amount of enzymes in the resulting juice.
moderation is key Despite what some raw food endorsers might say, it’s probably not best to live on juice alone. A juice fast, in which one consumes only juice and no solid food for a day or more, may have healthy benefits, but it’s not entirely necessary. Drinking green juice can still have healing effects when combined with a regular, healthy diet.
skeptics say For optimal results, juicers need to drink green juice on an empty stomach, and make sure it’s as fresh as possible. More extreme measures, like the lemonade-and maple syrup-only Master Cleanse, or juice fasting as a quick-and-easy weight loss method, are not recommended as they are not healthy or sustainable.
Fat Burner Juice 6 carrots Handful of kale or other green leafy vegetables 1 lemon Wash the ingredients thoroughly and cut into small pieces that can be fitted into your juicer. Put the leaves in first. Enjoy your juice right away.
Better Than Salad 1 cucumber 1 lemon 1 medium onion Handful of parsley ½ red pepper 3 small whole tomatoes Wash the ingredients thoroughly and cut into small pieces that can be fitted into your juicer. Put the parsley in first. Enjoy your juice right away.
Bye Bye Caffeine 6 carrots 2 cloves of garlic Handful of parsley Wash the ingredients thoroughly and cut into small pieces that can be fitted into your juicer. Wrap garlic in parsley before feeding into juicer to help absorb some of the garlic odor. Enjoy your juice right away. *Organic and local produce is always the best, but not essential
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ASTROLOGER & VASTU CONSULTANT Question Kundli & Lal Kitab Remedies Expert
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CHANGE YOUR PLANETS BY VASTU Remove Vastu Faults in Residence and Business Places to Eradicate all types of Negative Energies. • If You are building new house, you can get Vaastu Consultation and can also discuss new home plan. • We also Visit for Vaastu Consultation of Old Houses. • Get energised Samagri for New House Foundation
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
Hrithik Roshan Film where he had the best body: Krrish 4 How long it took him to achieve his results: 10 weeks Trainer: Kris Gethin Results: Went from a 36 1/2-inch waist to 30 inches. He lost 10 kilos, or about 22 pounds.
Hrithik’s Diet:
There were a lot of changes in the plan as he saw his body progress. It mainly consisted of about 100 grams of meat, there were some fibrous carbs, like broccoli, sprouts and spinach, a cup of rice or pasta, some really great flavoring. Hrithik’s protein came from: Protein power, steak, turkey, fish and egg whites. Carbs: brown rice, oatmeal, salads and pasta. 3L of water daily
Fitness:
Hrithik performed 20 minutes of cardio after breakfast and again after working out in the evening. He chose from among swimming, beach walking, running, Crossfit and various cardiovascular machines.
Workout:
Day 1: Chest, back and calves Dumbbell bench press, incline dumbbell flyes, underhand cable pulldowns, bent over barbell row, hyperextension, seated calf raise, standing calf raises Day 2: Legs Leg press, seated leg tucks, lying leg curls, leg extensions, hack squat Day 3: Rest Day 4: Shoulders, abs and calves Seated barbell military press, side lateral raise, upright barbell row, reverse flyes, weighted sit-ups, seated calf raises, standing calf raises Day 5: Arms Straight-arm dumbbell pullover, cable rope overhead triceps extension, cable lying triceps extension, straight-arm pull-down, concentration curls, dumbbell alternate biceps curl, standing biceps cable curl.
Supplements:
Hrithik’s pre- and post-workout shakes were prepared with Myofusion, mixed with walnuts or oats in a SmartShaker. He also whipped up protein shakes on shoots when he didn’t have time for a meal.
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Bollywood Superstars Get Ripped Lush celebrity lifestyles can leave Bollywood actors with a less than perfect body and serious desire to change. Aamir Khan and trainer Satya Chaurasia underwent a serious full-body overhaul in order to prepare for Aamir’s role in the film Ghajini, and Hrithik Roshan amped it up a notch for his role in Krrish 4. Here’s looking at both actors’ diet and routines:
Aamir Khan Film where he had the best body: Ghajini How long it took him to achieve his results: 9 months Trainer: Satyajit ‘Satya’ Chaurasia Results: Before the start of training: biceps 12 inches; chest 38 inches. After training: biceps 16 inches; 44-inch broad chest.
Aamir’s Diet:
Daily food intake consisted of six small meals every two hours. Aamir avoided milk products, but had buttermilk. He only ate food cooked in 3 tbs of olive oil or saffola, and ate plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. His rotis were made of three-grain wheat (bajra, jowar and atta). Snacks include biscuits, brown bread sandwiches, papaya (through the day) No carbs after 8 pm, but soups or juices are allowed. One or two pieces of tandoori chicken for dinner or four egg whites. Can alternate that with vegetable soup, and bhurji with salads or omlette (of egg whites only). 5L of water daily
Fitness:
Aamir’s intensive workouts consisted of three hours days, six days a week, without fail.
Workout:
Stomach: 4 days a week Crunches; hanging leg raises; side bends
Arms: 3 days a week Concentration curl; triceps pushdown; barbell curls; dumbbell triceps extension Chest: 2 days a week Plain bench/incline/decline; pullovers; cable cross Back: 3 days a week Chin up; dumbbell rowing; deadlift Shoulders: 2 days a week Military press; upright rowing; rear dumbbell; shrugs Legs: 3 days a week Squats; leg extension; leg curl Resistance tube: Daily
Supplements:
Food supplements like amino acids and protein shakes after exercises
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MEN’S GROOMING SPECIAL
STYLE, BEAUTY, CULTURE
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AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
To add thickness and shine
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PHYTO Phytovolume Actif Volumizer Spray with Keratin Amino Acids available at phyto.com
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SERVING YOU IN SURREY FOR OVER 25 YEARS
Pandit Shaashi Bhushan ASTROLOGY & PALM READING
BACK TO THE BASICS With hundreds of products and routines, it’s easy to forget about the basics. Taking care of the basics of good grooming should be compulsory for a modern gentleman. •
Keep your nails trimmed and clean.
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Trim hairs from your nose, ears, neck and eyebrows.
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Invest in a good-quality, non-disposable razor, shave brush and goodquality shaving cream.
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One Drop Your Life! HEALTHY BLOOD - HEALTHY BODY - HEALTHY MIND BLOOD IS OUR ARMY: One live drop of our blood tells us that How Strong or weak our army is! The Countless names attached to illness have same root cause -- too much tissue acid waste & parasites in the body. Some names are: Acne, Tiredness, Dizziness, Poor Digestion, Heartburn, Gas, Arthritis, Migraine, Constipation, Diarrhea, Allergies, Skin Problems, Joint/Muscular Pain, Hyperactivity, Lack of Sex Drive, Pre-Menstrual Cramping, Anxiety & Depression, Loss of Memory, Asthma & so on... LIVE BLOOD ANALYSIS: After diagnosing all the weakness and problems of your body by analysing live Blood Drop under a powerful Microscope we make a special plan for everyone. In which we suggest beneficial Food, supplements and some cleansing procedures according to Your Blood. Everything is done in a natural and safe way.
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Relax at Man Up Grooming Services in Vancouver with a full foot and hand maintenance treatment.
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Freshen up your goatee or chinstrap, or enjoy a hot towel straight razor shave at Male Essentials on Nelson Street in Vancouver.
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Get a relaxing massage and facial at Casbah Day Spa in South Surrey
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of Your Blood Can Change
A bit of fragrance goes a long way, just make sure it isn’t over-applied.
It doesn’t have to be every month and it doesn’t have to be a weekend getaway at the spa, but there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a little luxury. There’s nothing emasculating about improving your complexion, or having a relaxing massage.
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47
STYLE, BEAUTY, CULTURE
MEN’S GROOMING SPECIAL
To beard, or not to beard? That is the question. Whether you’re inspired by Brad Pitt’s bush-beard or Ranbir Kapoor’s shadow – all the essential beard advice you’ll ever need is covered below.
The Shadow Lying at the far end of the stubble spectrum, this five o’clock shadow is a beard best worn by the likes of Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor and Ryan Gosling. This carefree look can easily transition into a manicured scruff, and later on, a short beard. This is the choice for the gent who wants a look that’s simple to maintain.
The Balbo The Balbo is a goatee and soul patch sharing the same vicinity to the lone moustache. It owes its name to the Fascist Italian leader Italo Balbo, who wore the unique style as early as the 1920s. Actor Robert Downey Jr has worn this style for years, but don’t worry, you don’t have to a superhero to rock this style.
The Groomed Gruff While heavier than The Shadow - and best exemplified by the likes of Saif Ali Khan, Emraan Hashmi and Jon Hamm - this beard still sits fairly flush to the face and requires at least a weekly groom so it doesn’t stray and cross into the next style. Everyone from investment bankers to boho artists rocks this beard these days. It’s one part gruff and one part groomed, which is precisely why it has such wide appeal.
A South Asian Gentleman’s Guide to
THE BEARD
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MEN’S GROOMING SPECIAL
STYLE, BEAUTY, CULTURE
The Jake This is facial hair worn by Bollywood and Hollywood hotties alike. Like its namesake, Jake Gyllenhaal, and on Chris Pine and Imran Khan, it’s an expansive beast with a hint of fluff, maintaining consistent thickness and stretching to below the Adam’s apple.
The James Harden When it comes to chin-do’s that dangle, be careful. The only reason Brad Pitt gets away with straggly tufts that make him look a bush man is that he’s got the world’s best cheekbones. Most men will end up looking like they’re flossing a year-round playoff beard like Joaquin Phoenix. No maintenance is required on this one, but it’s likely to cause a drop in social invites.
Square Face Goatees, moustaches, neatly trimmed scruff, neat beard with hard lines, designed to maintain and enhance the square jaw Oblong/Rectangular Face Neatly shaped moustache to shorten the face, and a neatly trimmed beard to shorten and square the face Diamond Face Full beard to square off the face and hide a prominent chin
Like Desi Today Magazine on Facebook and share your personal grooming tips to win one of three prizes of a haircut with straight razor shave service at Male Essentials in Vancouver.
CARING FOR YOUR BEARD
Facial Hair for Your Face Some men can look great with a goatee and shaved head, while others can try the look with less than amazing results. By altering your facial hair you can seriously emphasize or hide the features on your face. You can make the most of your dashing looks with a little help from your barber or this guide. Oval Face Goatee, neat moustache, light beard/scruff
Round Face Neat moustache, goatee and trimmed beard designed to slim and make the face seem more oval. Avoid bushy sideburns. Triangular Face Full beard either trimmed or scruff, designed to take attention away from the pointed chin 50
AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
Taking care of facial hair is different than taking care of the hair on your head. It’s important to keep your beard and moustache clean and conditioned. Wash your facial hair as often as possible, preferably every time you take a bath. Wash it with shampoo and then use conditioner. If your beard is longer you should comb it out to keep it smooth and free of tangles. Always use a pre-shave oil before shaving. It softens the beard and prepares your skin for a close and comfortable shave - it moisturises the skin and protects your skin from razor burn or irritation.
After the shave it is good to use an aftershave lotion or cologne. The cologne disinfects the skin but it can also irritate it that’s why it is better to use aftershave lotion or aftershave gel. They disinfect and moisturise the skin but usually don’t contain alcohol. Keeping your beard clean is essential, but you also need to groom it. Knowing how to shape/groom your beard is an essential male skill. You don’t want to look like a bum. A trimmer with an adjustable trimming is a key to your success. When you can adjust the trimming you can do better because you will be able to trim the whole beard and then do detailed trimming. www.desitoday.ca
MEN’S GROOMING SPECIAL
STYLE, BEAUTY, CULTURE
When you think of make up, you don’t traditionally think about men priming and prettying themselves in front of a mirror. But you’d be surprised at the number of men that have more than just shaving cream, deodorant and toothpaste in their toiletry kit. More men than ever are beginning to use products like brow gel, oil-absorbing face powder, lip plumper and concealer, to name a few. Here are some made-for-men products to help you put your best face forward.
MAKE-UP FOR MEN:
putting your
best face forward
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AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
LIPS Kenmen Voliptuous Repair Serum
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Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm Enriched with superior skin conditioners and antioxidants, this emollient balm soothes and relieves dry, chapped, irritated lips.
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EYES Kenmen Lash-Brow Conditioner
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This lash and brow conditioning formula thickens, conditions and defines upper and lower lashes, and can be used to re-define sparse areas in eye brows and beards.
4VOO Indelible Eyes This eyeliner for men comes in an automatic pencil form with its own smudging sponge.
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FACE Menaji HDPV AntiShine Powder
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This anti-shine powder is undetectable under the harshest conditions, and attains a neutral and even skin with a light touch.
The Men Pen
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The Men Pen is a men’s concealer product designed to conceal specific areas. With 16 shades, there’s a color match for every skin tone.
Kenmen Blo-job Bronzing Powder
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Body and face powder bronzers & highlighters in a pump brush, render a natural healthy tan without excessive sun exposure or the use of self-tanning chemical preparations.
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53
LOCAL ISSUES
CITY OF SURREY:
Parks vs. Parking Lots The City of Surrey should be applauded for facilitating a public consultation in this matter. It’s important for residents to voice their opinions when neighborhood decisions like this are being reviewed.
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AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
With over 6000 acres of parkland and green space, Surrey is popularly known as the City of Parks. The city is growing at a rapid pace with approximately 1,000 new residents moving in every month. By 2020, Surrey is expected to become the most populated city in Metro Vancouver. More people will undoubtedly result in more development, which in turn, requires more housing, more student placements in schools and more people frequenting all the amenities throughout Surrey, including the parks. Preserving parkland has always been a priority in Surrey which has resulted in a constant battle amongst city council, residents and developers. A recent debate has sparked passionate arguments between a portion of the community that would like to expand the parking lot in order to accommodate the massive amounts of people attending festivities at the Surrey Mandir and Sur-
rey Brookside Gurdwara and the residents who want to preserve Surrey’s parks. The current parking is inadequate for spillover when either temple hosts a large event, forcing attendees to park illegally or clog up nearby neighborhoods. “We are here to bring up a solution about what we need for our community,” said Vinay Sharma, general secretary of the Vedic Hindu Cultural Society. “We need more resources, we need more recreation centers, we need more schools, we need more parks - the same way we need more parking.” The committees that run both temples are offering to foot the construction bill of $400,000, which is the cost required to turn a portion of Bear Creek Park into a parking lot that will be shared by visitors to the churches and to the park. This issue was addressed in a recent city council meeting and the Councilors and Mayor voted against the parking lot www.desitoday.ca
project. Some of the potential alternatives include: 1) Build a parking lot across the street (pedestrian walkway will have to be built) 2) Turn the parking lot on 140th into primary parking lot for the mandir/gurdwara (and encourage Bear Creek park visitors to park in the other parking lots – off of 88th and King George) 3) Offer shuttle service from the other parking lots around Bear Creek Park. Another decision would have to be whether it’s necessary to have this service available on a regular basis or just during special occasions. 4) For big wedding parties and community events, guests can be encouraged to park in a school parking lot nearby and then a shuttle bus can be arranged to transport the entire group to the mandir or gurdwara. 5) Some residents are suggesting using the land available under the BC Hydro lines close by. However, other residents feel that part of the park is utilized by people walking their dogs and it is home to wildlife. The City Manager responded by suggesting the possibility of building an underground parkade in this area. 6) The nearby community church can offer their parking lot to the other temples. Currently, the parking lot is gated with limited access, however if all of them work together, this could be a good temporary solution until a permanent solution is agreed upon. The City of Surrey should be applauded for facilitating a public consultation in this matter. It’s important for residents to voice their opinions when neighborhood decisions like this are being reviewed. The reality of the matter is that the parking issue will become more and more prominent in Surrey as the city continues to grow. A happy balance is required in order to accommodate the community as a whole. Preserving parkland is indeed a priority and should always remain a priority. However making the community into a more livable space is also an important aspect that needs to be considered along the way. By Rina Gill Rina Gill is an entrepreneur and community volunteer. She is passionate about local issues and has been involved with Surrey municipal politics over the past 6 years. www.desitoday.ca
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CAREER & BUSINESS
The Cost of Education: British Columbia’s most expens ive universities
Compared to our neighbours down south who are paying over $40,000 a year for a university degree, the average yearly tuition for an undergraduate degree in Canada is $5,581 according to Statistics Canada. We’ve compiled a list of the 10 most expensive universities in BC, and what they are charging per year in tuition, required fees and residency.
Tuition and Fees : $22,260 On-campus housing : $4150 Just 45 minutes from Vancouver, residents of Langley enjoy cost of housing prices up to 57% less than B.C.’s most populous city. And chances are, if you’re forking over nearly $23,000 for tuition each year, you’re going to need every one of those percentage points. Students at Trinity Western do get some bang for their buck: They enjoy lectures from some of North America’s best scholars and the school is road trip-ready, located right off the Trans-Canada Highway. But that tuition fee, when you add textbooks and room and board (around $8,000), could easily jump to a startling $30,000 per year.
Tuition and Fees : $7475 Off-campus housing : $6000 Royal Roads, described by the school as “located on a magnificent 227-hectare oceanfront setting
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AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
20 minutes from downtown Victoria,” is no doubt exquisite. But Victoria is also one of the more pricey cities for living costs — and that’s without factoring in the second-highest tuition fee in British Columbia. Lodging is also tricky here, as Royal Roads only has dorm capacity for far less than half of its student population. What’s the big deal, you ask? Victoria, of all the Census Metropolitan Areas in Canada, has among the lowest rental vacancy rates at 1.5 per cent.
Tuition and Fees : $5013 On-campus housing : $5100 Located on the scenic west coast of British Columbia, SFU has pioneered an open, inclusive approach to higher education that fuels an enduring interplay between learning, discovery and community outreach. SFU is also the first non-US member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)—the world’s largest college sports association. Among the university’s most famous athletes are the late Terry Fox, whose foundation has raised millions for cancer research; Olympic wrestlers Daniel Igali and Carol Huynh; and National Basketball Association coach Jay Triano.
Tuition and Fees : $4959 On-campus housing : $8123 The University of Victoria (UVic), one of Canada’s leading universities, is a rich and supportive learning community. Widely recognized for excellence in research and creativity, inspired teaching and civic engagement, UVic provides innovative programs and real-life learning experiences in a diverse and welcoming West Coast environment. UVic is consistently ranked one of Canada’s top research universities by Research InfoSource and is ranked in the Times Higher Education global list of top universities, and as #11 in the world and #1 in Canada among universities under 50 years of age.
Tuition and Fees : $4722 On-campus housing : $6100 The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is one of Canada’s best small universities, located in the spectacular landscape of Northern BC. UNBC provides undergraduate and gradu-
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ate learning opportunities that explore cultures, health, economies, and the environment. Offerings include a full range of programs in the arts and sciences, professional degrees, medicine, and engineering. As one of BC’s research-intensive universities, UNBC also involves students in research and discovery.
Chilliwack, and Mission, with a regional centre in Hope, and a growing presence in Chandigarh, India. In fall 2007, UFV began the relocation of its Chilliwack campus to an 80-acre site in that city’s Canada Education Park. The first facility to open was a two-acre, state-of-the-art Trades and Technology Centre. A new 150,000-square-foot building opened in May 2012. Home to health sciences and many other programs and courses, it also features an Aboriginal Gathering Place.
Tuition and Fees : $4700 On-campus housing : $4800 Established in 1908, The University of British Columbia (UBC) is one of North America’s largest public research and teaching institutions. Surrounded by the beauty of the Canadian West, UBC embraces bold new ways of thinking that attract exceptional students and faculty. All first, second and third-year undergraduate students on UBC’s Vancouver campus are assigned an Enrolment Services Professional who provides personalized support. UBC also uses broad-based admissions, making UBC the largest Canadian university to include non-academic criteria in its application process.
Tuition and Fees : $3936 On-campus housing : $5900 Known as a centre of excellence for teaching, learning, and applied research, Vancouver Island University (VIU) is producing quality graduates that are in demand by employers across the country and around the world. VIU values a diverse range of training and education and offers programs from basic literacy to vocational programs, trades, undergraduate and graduate degrees. VIU encourages all students to explore their potential, discover more about their world and excel in both life and learning. Based on a long history of vocational and college training, VIU has evolved into a thriving university that plays an important role in the educational, cultural and economic life of the region. The main campus is located in Nanaimo on the east coast of Vancouver Island and there are regional campuses in Duncan and Powell River, as well as a campus centre in Parksville/ Qualicum.
Tuition and Fees : $3780 Off-campus housing : $6000 Kwantlen Polytechnic University is one of British Columbia’s newest and most innovative undergraduate universities. As a teaching-focused polytechnic university, Kwantlen is committed to providing an exceptional learning environment featuring small classes, engaged faculty and hands-on learning opportunities for all of its students. A teaching-led, student-centred polytechnic university, Kwantlen features small classes, flexible career-focused programs, and exceptional faculty. Kwantlen programs blend academic theory with hands-on practical learning to ensure its students are ready to start new careers, or further their education, right after graduation. Kwantlen also offers a full range of student services to provide the support its students need to succeed.
Tuition and Fees : $3755 On-campus housing : $5100
Annual undergraduate tuition fees for full time Canadian students HIGHEST Dentistry...................................... ......................................$16,910 $16,910 Medicine ..................................... .....................................$11,891 $11,891 Pharmacy.................................... ....................................$10,297 $10,297 Law ............................................... ...............................................$9,949 $9,949 Engineering ................................ ................................$6,552 $6,552 LOWEST Education.................................... Education ....................................$4,006 .................................... $4,006 Visual/Performing Arts & Com. Tech. ................................. .................................$4,793 $4,793 Social and Behavioural Sciences ...................................... ......................................$4,862 $4,862 Nursing ........................................ ........................................$4.909 $4.909 Humanities ................................. .................................$4,942 $4,942 Thompson Rivers University (TRU) offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, diplomas and certificates on the main campus in Kamloops, certificate and diploma programs from its regional campus in Williams Lake and smaller communities, offers distance programs through Open Learning, and has a strong presence internationally through TRU World. In September 2011, TRU launched Canada’s first new law school in 30 years. Upon completion of the program, graduates will earn a TRU Juris Doctor (JD) degree that recognizes the curriculum collaboration with the University of Calgary.
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Tuition and Fees : $3864 On-campus housing : $5276 The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) is the major adult educational resource for the communities of the Fraser Valley in south-western British Columbia. Founded in 1974 as Fraser Valley College, it became the University College of the Fraser Valley in 1991, and gained university status in 2008. UFV has campuses in Abbotsford,
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CAREER & BUSINESS
HOW TO STAY
productive motivated self-employed AND
WHEN YOU’RE
by Pardeep Sahota The Professionals
A lot of people wouldn’t be able to do anything productive without a boss or someone breathing down their neck. Without the threat of authority they wouldn’t get out of bed at a reasonable hour, wouldn’t be productive and would basically do nothing but watch television or engage in whatever their favorite distraction is.
need to accomplish, schedule time in your calendar to complete the tasks. Break down your month, week and day of work. If you’re a manual time tracker, this will help you at the end of the month when you’re doing bookkeeping/invoicing.
For the self-employed individual who works from home, it’s not always easy to stay focused on the tasks at hand. Here are some tactics to keep you off of Facebook, and tuned in to your tasks.
Establish realistic deadlines for the completion of a specific project, or for larger projects, for the various stages of the project. Make sure you log your deadlines to keep yourself accountable.
Make a schedule and stick to it.
Take a break.
Write out a list of tasks that you need to complete in the order of importance. If your invoicing can wait until the end of the month, but a report for a client can’t, itemize and rank your tasks in order of immediate to less immediate importance. Once you’ve mapped out everything you
When you’re working from home, your home becomes your office. It’s important to give your brain some rest. Eat lunch away from your computer. Maybe even head outside for a break and get some fresh air. If you’re finding it hard to focus, a little break might just be what you need. Try not to take your break in front of the
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Give yourself a deadline.
TV as it’s never a temporary distraction.
Log out of social media sites. Unless your work requires you to be plugged in to social media, log out of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn. Turn social media notifications on your phone on silent. Social media can be a major distraction and once you’ve been sucked in, you’ll lose hours of valuable time that could have been dedicated to completing work that you’re actually being paid for. If you’re not sending emails or need to use the internet, log out of your wifi to ensure you can’t idly log in to social media or surf random blogs.
Always know where you left off and where to start. If you’re juggling multiple projects throughout the day, keep detailed notes on where you’re leaving your work for www.desitoday.ca
the day and where you intend on picking up the next day. If you’re working one on project and switching to another, you’ll know exactly where you’ve left off and what you need to work on – this can save you hours each week.
Change your scenery. If you have a dedicated workstation or office in your home, and are getting tired of staring out of the same window or at the same computer screen, get up and change locations. If you’re working on a laptop, head out to a Starbucks or library. You can also try sprucing up your office, or moving furniture around to give yourself a new line of vision.
Let go of the guilt. No one can be productive 100% of the time and everyone has an off day. If you had a day where all you did was randomly look at Ikea furniture online, watch Master Chef, and fold laundry, don’t stress about it. You weren’t as productive as you wanted to be today, but tomorrow you can do better.
Remember why you’re self-employed. There will be days when your clients haven’t paid you on time, your wifi is falling off the radar, your phone is ringing non-stop and you can’t remember why you’re not working a regular 9-5 that gave you a steady cheque. Stop and remember when you’re self-employed. Whether it was the horrible commute, dressing in a monkey suit every day, or not be able to be as creative as you’d like – you’re selfemployed on your own terms. You are the master of your own destiny and are in total control. Take a moment, and a deep breath, and realize how good you really do have it.
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A feast of Indian flavor With the summer winding down, barbecue season is in full swing as people are enjoying the perks of outdoor cooking and patio entertaining for the remainder of the season. Adding Indian flavor into your meals has never been so easy, and delicious. With these gourmet recipes you’re bound to impress your guests.
Grilled Lamb
Marinade: puree 3 cups cilantro, 1½ cups mint, 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 3 cloves garlic, zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon toasted and ground cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper. Pour over a 3-pound butterflied, boneless leg of lamb set in a baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Let the meat sit at room temperature while the grill heats to high, about 30 minutes. Lightly oil the grates and reduce heat to medium (if using a kettle grill, build a medium fire). Wipe off the excess marinade and grill meat until medium-rare, about 7 minutes per side. Slice and sprinkle with chopped mint and cilantro.
Tomato-onion Salad
• 1/4 cup(s) white vinegar • 1 teaspoon(s) finely chopped green chili (such as serrano, thai, or jalapeño) • 3/4 teaspoon(s) salt • 1 cup(s) thinly sliced yellow onion • 4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into thin wedges Combine the vinegar, green chili, and salt in a medium bowl. Toss with the onion and set aside for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Add tomatoes and combine thoroughly. Set aside for 15 minutes before serving.
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Cashew Rice • • • • • • • • • •
2 cup(s) basmati rice 2 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt 1/2 cup(s) vegetable oil 1 teaspoon(s) brown (or yellow) mustard seeds 3/4 cup(s) chopped cashews 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 teaspoon(s) finely chopped green chili (such as Thai) 2 teaspoon(s) (3-pound) finely chopped fresh ginger 1 1/2 cup(s) plain whole-milk yogurt
Directions 1. Rinse the rice in a bowl with cold water. Drain and repeat until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain completely. Add the rice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 cups water to a 2-quart saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff with a fork. 2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cashews and cook until lightly browned, about 20 seconds. Add the onion, peppers, ginger, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Toss rice with the onion mixture and the yogurt.
Mango Lasee Puree 2 cups canned mango pulp, 3 cups plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 cups water in a blender. Serve in glasses over ice. Canned mango
can be purchased at ethnic food stores; if unavailable, substitute Bolthouse mango juice and omit the water.
Cardamom Shortbread Cookies • • • • • • •
2 cup(s) flour 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cardamom 1 teaspoon(s) baking powder 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt 1 cup(s) butter, softened 2/3 cup(s) confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup(s) finely ground blanched almonds • 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract • 2 teaspoon(s) rose water Combine the flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl using a mixer set on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in the almonds, vanilla, and rose water. Reduce mixer speed to low, gradually add the flour mixture, and continue to mix until dough forms. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and pat into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick and use a 2-inch round cutter to cut out cookies. Bake on parchmentlined pan until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
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FOOD, ART, ENT by Rina Gill, Jetsetter The end of summer is nearing and with fall around the corner, it’s the perfect time for a getaway. If you’re gearing up for a holiday, you’re probably researching hotels and have come across plenty with ratings like ‘Four-Star’ or ‘Five-Diamond’. If you’re like me, you’re looking for the right balance of price and quality, but without knowing someone who has resided at one of these hotels before, how can you figure out which hotels to book? What do these obscure ratings really mean? Desi Today has your back with our guide to hotel ratings.
What is a star rating? Hotels are rated on a scale from 1-5 stars, with one being poor and five being amazing. But who assigns these ratings? Everybody! Hotel ratings are like movie or restaurant ratings and are a matter of opinion based on commonly agreed upon values like: comfortable beds, safe parking and customer service. The travel industry uses a five-star system to rank properties. All major reviewing bodies use the five-star system, so one reviewer could rate a hotel a four, and another could rate the same hotel a five. A third could rate it a one, which is very unlikely because while travel writers see things differently, they are all looking at the same basic criteria. The advantage of the five-star system is that since most reviews are a star rating, it’s easier to compare and contrast various writers’ opinion of the same hotel. Many travel websites let travelers write their own 1-5 rankings of the hotels. Just keep in mind that these are much more likely to represent how much that person liked the hotel, rather than the level of luxury the hotels offers.
What is a trusted star rating? There are opinions that carry more weight than others. Some countries have a designated reviewer. Favorable reviews can make a big impact. For instance, in North America, when you talk about star ratings, Mobil’s hotel reviews are considered “the” star rating. However, be aware that a hotel that claims an unspecified four-star rating and a hotel that claims a Mobil four-star rating are two different things. For all you know, a random four-star rating came from a blogger or reviewer. That is why it’s important to find out who has rated the hotel favorably. In the UK, ratings from AA are very desirable. In Germany, it’s the hotel industry association, and so on. Finally, some European countries such as Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain have star ratings set by the government -- there are laws defining the rankings.
OUR GUIDE TO
HOTEL RATINGS The Diamond standard – AAA Diamonds (USA) In the U.S., the American Automobile Association (known to most as AAA) rates hotels and restaurants using a diamond system. An establishment applies to AAA to be reviewed for Diamond status, and if AAA agrees to take a look at the property, an inspector arrives unannounced and tours the property. If things meet the company’s criteria, the property becomes “AAA Approved” indicating the property meets the basic needs of AAA members. AAA does not approve poor quality hotels. However, people want various levels of luxury and service, so AAA also rates properties on a 1-5 diamond scale. Because of this, all Diamonds are good hotels. The diamond ratings aren’t intended to mean five diamonds is “better” than a four, just that it is more luxurious. A one-diamond hotel is an economy hotel, but it’s a good economy hotel. So if all you’re looking for is a clean place to stay with good service, you might enjoy a two-diamond hotel. Another advantage to AAA ratings is that the criteria to be a granted a Diamond are very specific. AAA inspectors follow a checklist that lays out very specific requirements. For example, room service at four- and five-diamond hotels must answer the phone within three rings. But to be five-diamond, room service must be 24 hours. Diamond hotels and restaurants are checked every year by AAA inspectors to ensure they still meet
the standard; a hotel can go up or down in diamond rating based on how the inspection goes. AAA’s lists of Diamond hotels includes how many years the hotel has been at its current Diamond level, so you know whether the hotel just got rated this year, or they’ve been consistently rated highly for years and years.
A word about star inflation
You’ve probably seen something about so-called six-star hotels. These ratings are usually given to the hotel by itself, and occasionally a reviewer may state that a hotel deserves a six-star rating. These are just claims to high quality, meant to make the hotel stand out -- again, all major reviewing bodies use five stars as their highest rating. Any stars over five are selfimposed. Obviously, in these situations, hotels are promising unsurpassed luxury and service, and they plan to deliver it, but these are essentially boasts or promises of quality, so don’t get confused and think there’s any mathematics behind the rankings. In part, because of this ratings confusion, there is now some interest in an international standard. The World Hotel Rating project seeks to standardize hotel ratings throughout the world, adding international criteria and standards. The range of hotel quality in the world is virtually limitless, which is a great thing, because whether you’re trying to travel as cheaply as possible or enjoy some luxury, there’s a hotel that meets your needs. Finding it isn’t always the easiest.
FOOD, ART, ENT
a k n a y Pri Chopra
llywood actressturned-singer Priyanka Chopra seems to have taken a page out of international singing sensation Jennifer Lopez’s book to boost her musical career. After the lackluster international debut of her single In My City feat. Will.i.am, Priyanka Chopra figured it was a good idea to bring in some different talent for her second single. Following suit of JLo, whose collaboration with Will.i.am also failed to set the charts on fire, Piggy Chops collaborated with Pitbull, who gave JLo her top three hits on the US charts in the last decate. Unfortunately the formula doesn’t quite seem to be working for the Indian actress turned singer. Though her Exotic is the number one song on the India iTunes list, it’s nowhere in sight on the US charts. As far as the video is concerned, it just doesn’t live up to the hype generated on the social media. Shot in Miami, it shows a bikini-clad Priyanka frolicking in the waves and singing the verses in English with a few lines of Hindi thrown in. What’s surprising is that everything about the video — right from the locales, shots, lyrics, dance steps — seems amateurish. “We have such incredible talent in India when it comes to music, voices that I hope get the opportunity that I have got to foray (into the international market)... (and it) will pave a way for lot more Indian artists to come up,” said Chopra at the launch of the video for Exotic.
r o f y a w e h t hopes to pave gers Indian sin
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FOOD, ART, ENT
Hrithik Roshan’s Injuries and Transformation Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan underwent a successful brain surgery last month to remove a blood clot that developed from head injuries while filming the Bollywood remake of the Tom Cruise film Knight and Day. After shooting stunts for Bang Bang in Phuket, Thailand, Roshan suffered a chronic subdural haematoma which is often caused by a head injury that results in bleeding in the membrane surrounding the brain. Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik’s father, was quoted as saying the surgery was a complete success and his 39-year-old actor son will need several weeks to recover. Shortly before his surgery, the actor posted on his Facebook page: “We all know that we create a life of joy using the power of our mind. I’ve had the privilege of creating wonders with this amazing gift given to us called the brain. Occasionally, one must look within and realize its value. It gives us the power to see, hear, touch, smell and taste, it allows us to conquer fear and create courage to do things we never imagined. Maybe it’s time for me to feel the
power literally. I am going to go through brain surgery on Sunday and want you to know that I am going in with absolute power to recover fast. My thanks to all of you for using the power of your mind to contribute to my life. Love you all.” For everyone that knows the actor, this injury is just a setback and won’t cause the buff Bollywood babe to slow down. Earlier this year, Hrithik released a health and fitness book that he would not only pass on to his kids, but also to the common man. Roshan, who rocked a hot bod in the film Krrish 3, worked hard on his distinct physique for the film. In addition to seeking out the help of trainer Kris Gethin, Hrithik also quit smoking his regular 3 packs a day. After 10 weeks training with Kris Gethin Hrithik went from a 36 1/2-inch waist to 30 inches. He lost 10 kilos, or about 22 pounds. Hrithik performed 20 minutes of cardio after breakfast and again after working out in the evening. He chose from among swimming, beach walking, running, Crossfit and various cardiovascular machines.
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AROUND TOWN With Pardeep Sahota
Acclaimed artist Jarnail Singh and writer Ajmer Rode at the opening reception of their artistic “Komagata Maru stories” exhibition in June at the Firehall Arts Centre.
The 2013 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant award winners strike a pose with their awards.
More than 180 people participated in a presentation by Caribbean Medical University (CMU) at Kwantlen Polytechnic University on Saturday. Dr. Sunny Handa, Dean of Clinical Medicine in the CMU School of Medicine, and Mr. Johnny Kang, CMU's Academic Advisor, spoke to students about their newly inaugurated local pre-med program. The first class of pre-med students will start in the fall of 2013 at CMU's state-of-the-art campuses in Abbotsford and Surrey.
Sunrise Kitchens held a wine and cheese event this past July to celebrate their contribution to the beautiful PNE Prize Home. The evening featured a memorable night packed with live music and networking.
Organizer Amy Ghuman-Sara and other attendees at the Trinjan Annual Festival of Mothers and Daughters
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AUG / SEP 2013 News With A DESi View
BC Liberals organized a special thank you for their volunteers this past July at the Grand Taj Hall in Surrey
Concord Pacific’s marquee event “Future of Surrey” at their new presentation center in Surrey was a great hit and was attended by more than 200 people.
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DESI The Hon. Beni Prasad Verma (Minister of Steel) and other official delegates from India visited Vancouver this past July at an event organized by the Canada India Foundation.
The Deepak Binning Foundation hosted their annual golf tournament fundraiser in July. The Foundation was founded in 2000 and has since donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to cancer research.
Dr. Harry Dhanju from Pacific Oral Health Society was awarded a Fellowship by the prestigious American College of Dentists. Less than 3% of dentists are awarded by the College.
With Pardeep Sahota
The Khalsa Diwan Punjabi School presented merit certificates to students who attended Punjabi school at the Ross Street Gurmukh Punjabi School
Celebrity Chef Vikram Vij, and TV star Sanjeev Kapoor visit Nanak Milk Foods in Surrey in July. Sanjeev Kapoor was in town presenting at the Indian Summer festival.
In July, Surrey hosted the Canada Cup Int'l Field Hockey tournament organized by the West Coast Kings club. The men's final was won by India Club who were awarded a $5100 prize. Minister of State (Sport) Bal Gosal was in attendance with MLA Peter Fassbender.
MLAs Richard Lee and Raj Chauhan along with Councillor Sav Dhaliwal attend the 31st Anniversary celebration of ShriGuru Ravidass Shabha in Vancouver.
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AROUND TOWN
The 10th Annual Fiji Festival was held this past July in Burnaby. Living a day the Fijian way, the festival featured delicious food, a fashion show, traditional and classical dance, and kids rides and soccer. AUG / SEP 2013
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65
FOOD, ART, ENT
n a r o f s p i Tr e i k n u j e n i l adrena to your e adventure m o s d d a to ing ing holidays w o ll Are you look fo e th f ok one o gain. next trip? Bo n vacation, a o d e r o b e b r and neve
by Rina Gill, Jetsetter
Nepal
New Zealand
Home to the Himalayas, Nepal has ten of the world’s highest mountains (which exceed the 26,000 feet mark), so the opportunities for trekking, climbing, and mountaineering are plentiful. Most treks can be arranged in the capital, Kathmandu, and in Namche Bazar, including treks to the legendary Mount Everest that range between 7 and 21 days. The city of Pokhara, in central Nepal, is a hot spot for trekking, spelunking, paragliding, white water rafting, and mountain biking.
Thinking about opening that emergency exit? See if you can make it happen over Lake Taupo, one of the last remaining active-volcano regions in New Zealand. Snow-capped volcanoes beckon flyers from all over the world. Tandem skydives here are made at around 15,000ft, with over one minute in freefall. Notably, it’s one of the cheapest adventure falls around.
Peru
Between the borders of Zimbabwe and Zambia lies Victoria Falls. Named after Queen Vic herself, this is also one of the most-jumped spots in the world, and during the ‘90s, bungee fever took this area of bellowing water by storm. Jumpers are encouraged to find their own spot on the 1.7km-wide precipice, plummeting 111m into the deep curtain of water. Go in November, when the Zambezi river rapids are running at their best.
A trip to the ancient city of Machu Picchu is Peru’s most representative attraction and can be an adventure in itself by following the Inca Trail, a five-day trek that will take you through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in South America. The Inca Trail departs from Cuzco. Another popular destination is Iquitos, an isolated town in the Amazonian jungle that is perfect to practice water sports, such as canoeing and sailing.
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Victoria Falls
Costa Rica If you’re game for swimming alongside sharks, then you already have Cocos Island in Costa Rica on your radar. Hundreds of scalloped hammerheads school above the scenic sea mounts of Cocos Island, and you will seed
massive manta rays, brightorange frogfish and white tip reef sharks hunting like packs of wolves for small fish hidden in the reef. The island, often described as “a jungle rising out of the ocean,” is one of Costa Rica’s many national parks and home to waterfalls and wildlife galore. Getting to this remote spot is tricky; it’s more than 300 miles off the west coast of Costa Rica and requires a 36-hour boat ride
Bahamas When vacationing, divers dip into the upper levels of Bahamas’ blue holes–flooded inland caves formed originally from limestone–to take a look around, they are unwittingly close to some of the world’s most dangerous diving. Farther below lies a kingdom of passageways that holds fossils and ancient formations. The very few who pass through the layer of toxic gas to reach these lower levels find pinhole passageways where a technical failure or wrong turn could spell doom and one errant fin could obliterate 10,000-yearold rock structures. But those who do venture into the watery veins of the Earth discover whole ballrooms full of tightly packed stalactites, prehistoric human remains, and fossils of now extinct crocodiles and tortoises. These caves are, quite literally, another world.
Siberia Even in a land known for extremes, Siberia’s Bashkaus River stands out. In a remote backwater near Mongolia, it tumbles 32 feet per mile for 130 miles. The gradient churns up a maelstrom of rarely run rapids, jagged rocks, and traps known as siphons, all sandwiched between stunning but inescapable gorge walls. Of the few who attempt it, those who succeed reach the fabled riverside memorial built for six expert kayakers who perished there in 1976. Inside lies the Book of Legends, inscribed with the names of those who’ve faced one of the world’s most difficult rivers– and lived to tell the tale.
Chile The Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race is much more of an expedition than a race. Often stretching more than 350 miles, it takes teams of four up to ten days to travel through some of the roughest and most remote corners of Patagonia. Here, there are no topographical maps, and racers use satellite images to navigate as they trek, climb, mountain bike, and kayak on a course that changes every year. The clock never stops and many teams net just a few hours of sleep. But along the way, they see places few humans have seen: skyrocketing peaks in the Torres del Paine, vast expanses of the Southern Continental Ice Field, and the raw, turbulent waters off notorious Cape Horn.
Switzerland Wingsuit fly off the Eiger. “Eiger” translates to “ogre” in German, which seems a fitting moniker for the 13,000-foot beast of limestone, gneiss, shale, and ice that towers over the resort town of Grindelwald in the Swiss Alps. Its unpredictable weather, loose rock, and steep slopes have claimed the lives of more than 60 climbers, and yet its iconic 5,905-foot north face still proves irresistible. Now a new set of adventurers, wingsuit fliers, are not only climbing it but launching off it. The extreme sport is unquestionably one of the most dangerous on Earth, but perhaps that’s the allure: It’s the closest humans can get to true unadulterated flight.
Vanuatu, South Pacific As a general rule, lava is best seen from a great distance. That is, of course, unless you’re a group of daredevils who, led by Kiwi adventurer Geoff Mackley, descended 640 feet into Vanuatu’s Marum Volcano to witness the explosive bowels of the Earth firsthand in 2010. The resulting video, in which a man in a heatproof suit came within 300 feet of a viciously boiling lake of lava, went viral. It’s pretty clear that live volcanoes are unpredictable and their craters offer all sorts of inhospitable challenges: toxic gas, extreme heat, tumbling rocks, and unwarranted explosions. Just because it’s insane doesn’t mean that it’s impossible.
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F O BA E ASD H NG T GLAN E KO I K: VTHA WE LOVE: The journey to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is something you won’t want to miss WE AVOID: Cab drivers that don’t turn on the meter. If your cab driver doesn’t turn the meter on, get out and find another one. TIPPING CULTURE: The more Westernized a location, the more tipping is expected. Use your judgment. Bangkok is the Vegas of Thailand. It offers more bang for the buck than other major cities and is the international capital of fine cuisine, medical tourism and spas. Just about every luxury brand has outlets in Bangkok.
THINGS TO DO IN BANGKOK Taking a ride on the elevated sky train in Bangkok feels like you’re on a catwalk surrounded by real-life beauties. Pamper your palate with the most exquisite food from around the world. Even the pizza is better in many Bangkok restaurants than back in Italy. Love buffets? You’ll get hooked on Bangkok’s extravagant food options. The Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo is one of the ground family things to do in Bangkok. The park offers exciting shows like an elephant theme show and a crocodile wrestling show. Bung Sam Lan Lake is a dream come true for those who are enthusiastic about sport fishing. The lake, located just outside Bangkok, is stocked with some of the largest fish on the planet. If you like exercise and want to experience the greener side of the city, take a bicycle tour of Bangkok and get an amazing perspective of the city. Toast the evening on a rooftop bar. Among the best in Bangkok are Lebua Sirocco at State Tower and Vertigo and Moon Bar at the Banyan Tree Hotel. Graze at the Khlong Lat Mayom floating market in Bangkok. This weekend floating market is an amazing place to wind down and enjoy a peaceful stroll while sampling delicious tidbits.
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ra o f l l ca e d i w World
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LIFE ETC
s c i p m y Ol r e t n i iW h c o S 2014 The law, signed by President Vladimir Putin in June, bans “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” and imposes fines on those holding gay pride rallies
A Change.org petition with 54,000 signatures is calling for the winter games to come back to Vancouver. Global outcry over Russia’s laws against “homosexual propaganda” has yet to follow with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) taking a firm stance against the discriminatory legislation as athletes prepare for the Sochi 2014 winter games. The law, signed by President Vladimir Putin in June, bans “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” and imposes fines on those holding gay pride rallies. Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko
Many bars in Norrth America stop pouring Russian vodka in protest of country’s anti-LGBTQ laws
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LGBTQ community strongly protested at Vancouver Pride Parade 2013
urged critics of Russia’s new anti-gay law to calm down, and that the rights of all athletes competing at next year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi will be respected. However, he also insists that athletes would “have to respect the laws of the country” during the Feb. 7-23 games in the Black Sea resort in southern Russia. The new law imposes fines for spreading information about gay choices to minors, totally bans any gay pride rallies or events and, in essence, makes it illegal to speak about being gay in public spaces. Western leaders and organizations have condemned the legislation as being hateful and likely to incite violence against Russia’s gay population. The outrage has been universal and high reaching. U.S. President Barack Obama said that he has “no patience” for countries, like Russia, that intimidate and harm individuals based on their sexual orientation.” There is a strong argument in favor of boycotting the Winter Olympics, as Russia’s horrific human rights record should have been considered long before awarding Russia the games. The Russian government’s recent escalation of discrimination less than a year prior to the Olympics says quite clearly that the Russian government does not care about international attitudes criticizing its treatment of gay athletes or any other segment of society. International Association of Athletics Federation said last month that Russia should reconsider its stance on gay rights, but that the IAAF won’t make an issue of
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the topic during the world track and field championships, which began in Moscow this August. IAAF deputy general secretary Nick Davies said that the greater exposure to a variety of lifestyles might serve as an impetus for Russia to reconsider their views but, but in the absence of this change, sports and politics should be kept separate. U.S. Olympian Nick Symmonds wrote in a Runner’s World column that despite his strong pro-equality stance, which includes having appeared in a NoH8 ad, he won’t raise the issue during the world championships. “The playing field is not a
place for politics,” Symmonds wrote. Last month, the IOC said it would ‘work to ensure that the Games can take place without discrimination against athletes, officials, spectators and the media’. It said: ‘To that end, the IOC has received assurances from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games.’ It has recently emerged gay athletes and tourists attending the Winter Olympics could face being arrested or deported under the country’s controversial legislation.
U.S. President Barack Obama said that he has “no patience” for countries, like Russia, that intimidate and harm individuals based on their sexual orientation.
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Changes for Women in Canada In July, the Honourable Dr. Kellie, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, announced Government of Canada support for a new project that will strengthen leadership opportunities for women in Toronto, and Ms. Susan Truppe, Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women, hosted a roundtable to discuss women in non-traditional occupations and the federal government’s commitment to increasing economic opportunities for women. “Our Government is focused on what matters to Canadians – creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity,” said Minister Leitch. “Women are key to Canada’s economic success, and we are committed to increasing leadership opportunities for Canadian women.” Working for Change is receiving $266,630 in funding from the Government of Canada for a 36-month project entitled “Roots/Routes to Women’s Leadership and Empowerment: Best Practices”. This project will promote leadership through economic empowerment for women in Toronto. Participants will receive leader-
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ship training and mentorship that will help strengthen their skills and confidence, and assist them in taking on leadership roles in their communities. The project will create a best-practices model that can be shared across the country. “The number one priority of our Government is jobs, growth and long-term prosperity, and women are critical to Canada’s economic success,” said Ms. Truppe. “That is why the federal government is creating greater economic opportunities for women in many sectors, including in non-traditional occupations.” Economic Action Plan 2013 announced a number of measures to better connect Canadians with job opportunities. These measures will contribute to increased representation of women in all occupations, including skilled trades and other non-traditional occupations, many of which are experiencing skills shortages. “Empowering more women to succeed in non-traditional careers makes sense for Canadian women and for Canada’s economy,” said Minister Leitch. “It will also help to break down barriers and inspire young women and girls to pursue a wide variety of career options.” Susan Truppe is hosting a series of roundtables, as well as meetings with representatives from various non-traditional sectors for women including, mining, engineering, and construction trades. “As one of Canada’s leading polytechnics, NAIT is pleased to host this Status of Women roundtable,” said Dr. Glenn Feltham, president and CEO of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. “This event helps to bring greater focus
on the career choices student have through NAIT’s hands-on, industry driven programs in science and technology, trades, health and business.” Women now represent nearly half the Canadian workforce, yet continue to be under-represented in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In 2009, women represented just 22.3% of Canadians with occupations in engineering, mathematics and natural sciences. In 2012, women represented only 4% of those working in construction trades, and 20% of those working in primary industries such as forestry, mining, oil and gas. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting projects that yield concrete results for women and girls in Canada while strengthening families, communities and the country. The government’s support through Status of Women Canada for community-based projects has nearly doubled since 2006-2007, from $10.8 million to close to $19 million, its highest level ever. Since 2007, more than $6 million had been approved through Status of Women Canada for projects that support women in nontraditional occupations.
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Antilia Mukesh Ambani, the fifth richest man in the world and head of the Mumbai based petrochemical giant Reliance Industries is estimated to be worth somewhere in the region of $43 billion. He is also the owner of a 27-story skyscraper in downtown Mumbai that cost him a small fortune of $2 billion. His wife, Nita Ambani, was staying in the Mandarin Oriental in New York and was so impressed with the interior Asian style decor that she wanted something similar for her home. What resulted from that is the world’s largest and most expensive home ever. Every story in their skyscraper home is built to a different specification. The vast variation of materials to be used in its build has tremendously added to its overall cost. A full-time staff of 600 maintains the residence, reportedly the most expensive home in the world. The building is named after the mythical Atlantic island of Antilia and is situated on an ocean-facing 4,532 square metres (48,780 sq ft) plot at Altamount Road where land prices are upward of US$10,000 per square metre.
FIVE LUXURY HOMES
AROUND THE WORLD
Updown Court
Villa Leopolda
Situated 25 miles from London, through a pair of large sophisticated iron gates, Updown Court is a palatial construction of immense scale and beauty. The property is best known for its price tag: more than 85 million British pounds, has 103 rooms, five swimming pools and 24-carat-gold leafing on the study’s mosaic floor. There’s a squash court, bowling alley, tennis court, 50-seat screening room, heated marble driveway and helipad. Eight limousines will fit in the underground garage. The mansion is situated on 58 acres of landscaped gardens and private woodland and in 2011 sold for a smooth $35 million after originally being listed for $75 million.
The magnificent $750 million Villa Leopolda in Villefranche-sur-Mer was built for King Leopold II of Belgium in 1902. The estate is so big that it requires 50 full time gardeners. The grounds cover 20 acres of garden and visitors
Versailles Mansion This 30 bedroom mansion boasts its own bowling alley, roller skating rink and Olympic sized swimming pool, making it the largest family home ever built in the US. Time share mogul David Siegel and his former beauty queen wife Jacqueline began building the huge estate in 2004. As well as 30 bedrooms the home, once completed, will have 23 bathrooms with spectacular views over Lake Butler, about 20 miles from Orlando. The hand-built windows for the house cost more than $2 million, and other luxuries include a ballroom and a children’s theatre. There is a garage with enough space for 20 cars, three swimming pools, a large boathouse, formal gardens, and a one-story gatehouse with an apartment. There is also a baseball field, two tennis courts, a 60-foot by 120-foot Grand Hall with a 30-foot stained glass dome, two grand staircases, a 37-foot by 30-foot kitchen, 10 satellite kitchens, a two-story wine cellar and a rock grotto with three separate spas behind an 80-foot waterfall. All 23 full bathrooms have full-sized Jacuzzis, 160 tripled paned windows and Brazilian mahogany French-style doors. The property was called Versailles as the entrance was modeled after the Palace of Versailles in France.
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can stroll amongst 1,200 olive, orange, lemon and cypress trees. Formerly owned by the world renowned Microsoft tycoon, Bill Gates, Villa La Leopolda is now reportedly home to the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
Ira Rennert Mansion Covering 63 acres of the New York Hamptons waterfront in Sagaponack, this mansion is considered another of the largest residential compounds in the US. The property was completed in 2003 after construction began in 1998 for self-made billionaire of the industrial sector, Ira Rennert. The mansion holds elegant and entertaining home touches such as a 164-seat cinema, two bowling alleys alongside tennis courts, games rooms and also offering an astounding 29 bedrooms and 39 bathrooms. The house has a dozen chimneys and a Mediterranean-style tile roof as well as a 91-foot long formal dining room, a basketball court, a bowling alley, two tennis courts, two squash courts, and a $150,000 hot tub. Its property taxes in 2007 were $397,559.00. Based on these taxes, the home is currently valued at $198 million.
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Films to watch this fall
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Insidious Chapter 2
Battle of the Year
The famed horror team of director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell reunite with the original cast of Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Barbara Hershey and Ty Simpkins in INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2, a terrifying sequel to the acclaimed horror film, which follows the haunted Lambert family as they seek to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.
Set in the international world of B-boying (the urban dance more commonly known as “breakdancing”) follows an American dance crew who, with the help of their tough coach (Josh Holloway), struggle to reach their dreams despite being misunderstood by society and even their own families. Their lives collide in France where their skills are put to the ultimate test: the “Battle of the Year” finals, with crews from 18 nations vying for the title of World Champion.
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
And While We Were Here
Set in contemporary New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager, Clary Fray (Lily Collins), discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of young half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother (Lena Headey), Clary must join forces with a group of Shadowhunters, who introduce her to a dangerous alternate New York called Downworld, filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly creatures.
Set against the backdrop of the Island of Ischia, off Italy’s Amalfi Coast, And While We Were Here follows a young American writer (Kate Bosworth) who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when she accompanies her husband (Iddo Goldberg) on a business trip. While escaping the mundane life of her strained marriage by adapting her grandmother’s World War II stories (narrated by Claire Bloom) into a memoir, she stumbles into a romantic affair with a younger man (Jamie Blackley) who complicates her life even further.
Don Jon
The Family
Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a strong, handsome, good old fashioned guy. His buddies call him Don Jon due to his ability to “pull” a different woman every weekend, but even the finest fling doesn’t compare to the bliss he finds alone in front of the computer watching pornography. Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson) is a bright, beautiful, good old fashioned girl. Raised on romantic Hollywood movies, she’s determined to find her Prince Charming and ride off into the sunset. Wrestling with good old fashioned expectations of the opposite sex, Jon and Barbara struggle against a media culture full of false fantasies to try and find true intimacy.
A mafia boss and his family are relocated to a sleepy town in France under the witness protection program after snitching on the mob. Despite the best efforts of Agent Stansfield (Tommy Lee Jones) to keep them in line, Fred Manzoni (Robert DeNiro), his wife Maggie (Michelle Pfeiffer) and their children Belle (Dianna Agron) and Warren (John D’Leo) can’t help but revert to old habits and blow their cover by handling their problems the “family” way, enabling their former mafia cronies to track them down. Chaos ensues as old scores are settled in the unlikeliest of settings in this darkly funny film by Luc Besson (Taken, Transporter).
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A handbag
too expensive for billionaire mogul
OPRAH WINFREY?
Prisoners A desperate father turns vigilante and abducts the man he suspects is behind the disappearance of his eight year old daughter and her best friend, after cops fail to find the little girls and release the suspect. Starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Melissa Leo, Maria Bello and Viola Davis.
Romeo and Juliet Two young teens fall in love, but their respective families are violently feuding, keeping them apart, and leading the two to their tragic deaths. Staring Douglas Booth, Ed Westwick, Hailee Steinfeld, and Paul Wesley.
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints A story that follows an outlaw (Ben Affleck) who escapes from prison and sets out across the Texas hills to reunite with his wife (Rooney Mara) and the daughter he has never met.
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A luxury shop owner in Zurich has apologized to US talk show host Oprah Winfrey, after denying that racism was involved when Oprah was discouraged from buying a 35,000 Swiss franc crocodile handbag. Oprah, recently named the world’s most powerful celebrity by Forbes, was in Zurich for the wedding of singer Tina Turner when the incident occurred last month. The billionaire media mogul told Entertainment Tonight that a shop assistant in luxury shop Trois Pommes refused to show her a “Jennifer” purse, designed by Tom Ford and named for actress Jennifer Aniston. The owner put the incident down to a language barrier. “This is an absolute classic misunderstanding,” shop owner Trudie Goetz told Reuters. The sales assistant wanted to show Winfrey that the purse was also available in other materials, which may have given the TV host the impression the shop didn’t want to sell her the purse, Goetz said. The shop assistant, Goetz said, described the black crocodile-skin bag created for Jennifer Aniston and told Winfrey there were less expensive versions in ostrich leather and suede. Oprah, 59, who runs her own TV network, earned $77 million from June 2012 to June 2013, cementing the No. 1 spot on the Forbes list last month, the fifth time she has headed the annual ranking of 100 celebrities. The incident unleashed a volley of criticism in Switzerland, where revelations this week that asylum-seekers are not allowed free movement to public sports venues like municipal pools caused a stir. Switzerland has contradictory attitudes towards foreigners: on the one hand, it employs large numbers of foreign professionals in big industries like finance, which accounts for roughly 6 percent of gross domestic product. On the other, the influential Swiss People’s Party has long made opposition to immigration a key plank of its electoral appeal. Oprah was involved in another retail rebuff in Paris in 2005, when she was turned away from a Hermes boutique 15 minutes after closing time. The store said it was closed for a private public-relations event. AUG / SEP 2013
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LIFE ETC The Canadian Soccer Association has gone through some peaks and valleys. In May, the Quebec Soccer Federation (QSF), which is a part of the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), imposed a ban on players wearing turbans, sending shock waves throughout the nation. Every other provincial and territory soccer association in the country did not have a similar ban on turbans. The CSA did an amazing job handling the o -side situation by suspending the Quebec Soccer Federation. The QSF immediately over-turned their decision on turbans and allowed players with the religious headwear to play. As a member of the soccer community all my life, I was personally really proud of the way the Canadian Soccer Association handled the situation with the QSF. And now the valleys. Late last year Canada was knocked out of the qualification stage of world cup qualifying. All they needed was a win against Honduras or Panama to make it to the last group of qualifying for a chance to make the world cup in 2014. So what happened? Canada choked against Panama, losing 2-O in Panama City. Canada then went on to play in Honduras, facing not only a decent team, but a rabid and wild fan base. Canadian players look like they were scared for their lives as they walked on to the pitch. Honduras ended up crushing Canada 8-1. Soccer is a sport where scoring three goals is considered a high number in one game. Letting 8 goals against you is just an embarrassment. With that loss, Canada lost a chance at taking the next step in the qualification process and finally earning a berth to the
World Cup. Our national men’s side has not qualified for the last seven World Cup Finals. Many believed that the game against Honduras was a low-point for the Canadian Soccer Men’s National Team. Fast forward to last month. The CONCACAF Gold Cup is a tournament, held every two years, for countries in North and Central American. Canada was placed in a group ranked 20th with Mexico, Panama and the tiny nation of Martinique. Our national superstars started out the tournament by playing against Martinique; a country of 400,000 people. What should have been an easy win for Canada turned out to be one of the most embarrassing showings in Canadian soccer history. Canada lost 1-0 to Martinique. Of course, this did not make major news in Canadian sports media outlets because the National Hockey League draft and free agency period was all that was being talked about by our “sports” networks. I am sure Martinique has quality soccer players but there is no way that a country, with the population size less than Vancouver Island, should beat a country with over 30 million people. This staggering loss should never have happened. Canada would be at a crisis if a similar loss happened to our national men’s hockey team. Canada was up tough against Mexico in the second game at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The game was closer than I expected and Canada lost 2-0 to a far superior Mexican side. Canada failed to score a goal for the second game in a row. Up next was a do or die game against a very beatable Panama side. This time Canada was not shut of gaining a point in
WORLD CUP
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the standings, yet they were still shutout for the third game in a row by tying Panama 0-0. Soccer is not a high scoring sport, but how can a team go a whole tournament without scoring a single goal? Canada failed to make the second round of the Gold Cup, yet another embarrassing showing for Canada. The older I get, the more and more likely it seems to me that the Canadian men’s team will not make the World Cup Finals in my life time. However, if there is any chance of our national side ever making the finals, it starts with our youth! We need more top-notch world class youth soccer programs developed in Canada. With the lack of these programs, Canada has lost many young talented players to European youth club teams. Some of these players develop into great players and end up deciding to try and make the national side of the country their club team is, rather than coming home and playing for a lackluster Canadian team. I do feel having Major League Soccer in Canada now, more youth will be exposed to the game at a higher level locally. The Vancouver Whitecaps do have a youth residency program that models European youth clubs. We need more programs similar to the Whitecaps program for our youth that excel and develop into excellent players at home, rather than in Europe. The CSA has to find a way to get more funding so they can bring in worldrenowned coaches to help our youth programs and re-build the men’s soccer program. In the mean time, while we wait for the men’s team to turn it around, at least we have Christine Sinclair and our woman’s team!
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By Jessy Dhillon A regular columnist for the LINK newspaper and Desi Today magazine, Jessy is an avid sports fanatic and young community leader. Jessy’s passion for sports started at the young age of 6 when he started watching Wayne Gretzky play for the Los Angeles Kings. He is a long-time resident of Richmond with deep roots in the sports scene.
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Animals and Autism:
Pets Help Children With ASD Interact Some autistic people report feeling more strongly connected to animals than to other people, but a new study suggests that introducing companion animals to autistic children at the right time in life may help with human bonding. French researchers studied 40 children with autism and their families, examining whether the family had a pet, when the animal was acquired, and whether the presence or absence of a pet had any influence on the autistic child’s ability to bond. Most households with pets had either dogs or cats. It appeared that having a pet at all didn’t matter as much as when the pet was introduced to the home. Autistic children who grew up with a pet from birth appeared to be no different from those 76
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living in households without pets, but children who received a pet at age 4 or 5 showed major improvement in two social skills that are not only difficult for autistic people, but are also critical in sustaining human relationships: sharing with others and comforting people in distress. Autistic children who received a pet when they were around kindergarten age showed gains in both behaviors, though there was no improvement in other areas, and the changes were still measurable several years later: the average age of the children in the study was 10. From historic times, dogs were regarded positively and had a special role, such as emblem of a Sumerian goddess, and dog healers for the dogs living in temples. Later, dogs were valued for their help in
guarding properties, herding, hunting and for their ability to entertain their guardians by providing physical and psychological comfort. Today is it common for dogs to be considered as members of the family. Dogs have gained a prominent role in our lives, and are the most sought-after companion animal in Western cultures. While studies on human-animal research are expanding, researchers are identifying beneficial effects associated with the presence of companion dogs. In other research, researchers encouraged the interactions between children and dog by showing and modeling to the children how to play with the dog. The results from this study suggested that children displayed fewer autistic behaviours and more social behaviours during and www.desitoday.ca
after they interacted with the dog. After one month, without having a dog present, their behaviours were still improved. Children with ASD who interacted and spent more time with their dog had better language skills, over a prolonged period, regardless of symptom severity. The children also had strong bonds to their companion dogs, and the dogs showed attachment towards the children; there was a direct correlation between the attachment of children and dogs’ attachment - children who were more attached to the dogs had dogs who were more attached to them. The ability to share and to give comfort to those in need rely on the separate ability to recognize the desires and emotions of others and to empathize with them. A fundamental problem that characterizes autism is difficulty in understanding other people’s thoughts, feelings and intentions — known as “mind reading” or “theory of mind” — so improvement in these pro-social behaviors means that children are improving on one of the key aspects of the condition. Moreover, these changes were not correlated with IQ scores, meaning
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Research shows that interacting with animals may have major health benefits to people of all ages. Now, new studies are finding that animals help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) interact better. Autistic children show significant increased positive social behaviors when an animal is present.
that all autistic children, regardless of the severity of their symptoms, could potentially show the same benefits. The National Institute of Health has expressed an interest in funding studies that examine human-animal interaction, putting out a call for investigations that focus specifically on child health and development in 2010. The advocacy group Autism Speaks has awarded several grants to investigators studying equine therapy, or the use of horses to help improve children’s social behaviors and their motor skills, while other studies have looked at dogs. There is mounting evidence suggesting that pets can improve both mental and physical health for all people; research suggests that animal companions reduce stress, improve mood and may even prevent the development of some allergies if introduced in childhood. However, simply having a pet around isn’t enough to reap psychological benefits: you must love and connect with the animal, or else, not surprisingly, it won’t relieve your stress or lift your mood.
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Melinda Gates
Michelle Obama
Sheryl Sandberg
Beyonce Knowles
Susan Wojcicki
48 from the United States
49 from the United States
43 from the United States
31 from the Unites States
45 from the United States
Cochair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
First Lady, United States
COO, Facebook
Senior Vice President, Google
Education: Bachelor of Arts / Science, Princeton University; Doctor of Jurisprudence, Harvard University
Education: Bachelor of Arts / Science, Harvard University; Master of Business Administration, Harvard University
Actress, Entrepreneur, Musician
Overall ranking: 4
Overall ranking: 6
Education: Master of Business Admn., Duke University; Bachelor of Arts / Science, Duke University
Education: Nothing worth noting Overall ranking: 17
Education: M.Sc, Univ. of California, Santa Cruz; Bachelor of Arts / Science, Harvard Univ.; Master of Business Admn., University of California at LA Overall ranking: 30
Overall ranking: 3
THE WORLD’S
MOST POWERFUL WOMEN UNDER 50
Yingluck Shinawatra
Marissa Mayer
Angelina Jolie
Sofia Vergara
Laurene Powell Jobs
46 from Thailand
38 from the United States
38 from the United States
41 from Colombia
49 from the United States
Prime Minister, Thailand
CEO, Yahoo
Actress, Philanthropist
Actress, Entrepreneur
Education: Bachelor of Arts / Science, Chiang Mai University; Masters of Public Administration, Kentucky State University
Education: Bachelor of Arts / Science, Stanford University; Master of Science, Stanford University
Education: Nothing worth noting
Education: Nothing worth noting
Founder and Chair, Emerson Collective
Overall ranking: 37
Overall ranking: 38
Overall ranking: 31
Overall ranking: 32
Education: Master of Business Administration, Stanford Graduate School of Business; Bachelor of Arts / Science, University of Pennsylvania; Bachelor of Arts / Science, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School Overall ranking: 39
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Translation • Interpretation Citizenship • Driving License Each year Forbes releases their list of the world’s most powerful women. From a group of over 250 candidates from around the world, Forbes carefully selects 100 of the most influential women, using three metrics: money, media presence and impact. Using factors like company revenue, income, net worth; dollars spent fulfilling an organization’s mission along with news hits, TV and radio appearances, fans/followers over social media; and lastly extent of their reach across industries, cultures and countries, and the number of people they influence and affect, Forbes released their list of the world’s most powerful women earlier this year. Interestingly enough, no women from Canada made the Forbes’ list, and only three women from India graced it. Coming in at #9 is Sonia Gandhi, India’s President; #65 is Chanda Kochhar, CEO of ICICI Bank; and #85 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Founder and Chair of Biocon Ltd. So who are the youngest and freshest most powerful female faces in the world today?
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LIFE ETC The police-reported crime rate which measures the overall volume of crime that came to the attention of police, continued a long-term decline in 2012, falling 3% from 2011. Canadian police services reported almost 2 million criminal incidents (excluding traffic) in 2012, about 36,000 fewer than in 2011. After peaking in 1991, police-reported crime has followed a downward trend, and, in 2012, reached its lowest level since 1972.
Is eastern Canada safer than western Canada? Cities reporting the lowest rate of crime by census metropolitan area in 2012
The winner is....
Toronto reported a 7% decrease in its police-reported crime rate in 2012 and had the lowest crime rate for the sixth consecutive year. Québec had the second lowest rate, and it recorded the lowest CSI.
Changes from 2011: Violent crime down ....................3% Property crime down.................3% Child pornography down ...........3% Terrorism down .........................91% Extortion up ...............................11% Identity fraud up .......................5% Possession of cocaine up ..........5% Trafficking, production and distribution of cocaine up.........3%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Toronto................................................. 3.1 Quebec ................................................3.2 Sherbrooke ..........................................3.9 Saguenay, Ottawa, Guelph ..............4.1 Trois-Rivières and Hamilton.............4.2 St. Catharines - Niagara / Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo/Montreal, Barrie................4.5
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Victoria & Abbotsford/Mission ........6.1 Edmonton........................................... 6.8 Vancouver............................................7.0 Saskatoon ........................................... 8.5 Regina...................................................8.7 Kelowna .............................................. 8.9
Police-reported crime severity index by province or territory in 2012
The loser is ....
Reporting a 6% increase in its rate, Kelowna had the highest crime rate in 2012. There were 8,875 crimes committed for every 100,000 people in Kelowna on 2012. Violent offences against people like assaults and murders have gone down by 2.5 per cent but property crime rose by a skyrocketing 13.5 per cent.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Ontario ............................................58.40 Quebec ............................................70.71 Nunavut......................................... 325.57 New Brunswick.............................. 68.41 Nova Scotia .................................... 76.48 PEI .................................................... 72.62
1. Newfoundland & Labrador .........69.62 2. Northwest Territories ................ 340.98 3. Yukon .............................................156.69 1. 2. 3. 4.
Alberta .............................................85.59 Manitoba ........................................ 112.41 Saskatchewan ..............................139.00 British Columbia ............................ 93.35
CANADA’S CRIME RATE STATISTICS ARE IN
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My name is Zulaikha Khan, 20 years old, I was born in Pakistan, came to Canada when I was 7 and now I am currently living in Surrey BC. I have been modelling for almost 2 years now. Modelling is my passion, Its not something I do for money or fame. The thrill of walking down a ramp during a fashion show is explainable, its the best feeling in the world. For me its a way to express myself in different ways without having to say a single word. During a photo shoot, I get a chance to become someone else and tell a story through the pictures. Make up/Hair artists, photographers, locations, and outfits play a very important part in all this, without them the story would be incomplete. I participated in my first beauty pageant when i was 19 in the summer of 2012, it was called Miss South Asia BC 2012. I really wanted to achieve that title and I did because it was something I thought about day and night it was the only thing i focused on. But most importantly i believed in myself. After that I participated in Miss Pakistan World 2012 that same summer, and made it as a finalist and became 3rd Runner up. Truth is if you follow your dreams nothing can stop you, the only thing standing between you and your goals is you and your will power. Few words of advice to everyone "try something new everyday you never know what you might be great at and when you do find that thing never give up on it, its not always about winning at the first try. No one got to the top over night, it takes days, months and even years of hard work, determination and commitment to get there. Its not always about the destination sometimes its about the journey. You will learn your strengths and weaknesses along the way, meet great people and learn from your mistakes which will make you a stronger person".
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