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Hindu Society of Fort McMurray celebrated 69th Republic Day of India with gaiety and fervor last week. More than 300 attendees enjoyed the various performances’ as well as South Asian delicacies
Election Heat is On- Alberta Liberals Wooing Centrist Votes Hundreds of Indian students face jail, deportation in US college scam Edmonton (ATB): The United Conservative Party maintain nearly a 25% lead over the governing NDP, while Rachel Notley’s approval ratings have improved since November. Those are the findings from Mainstreet Research’s latest UltraPoll, a conglomeration of ten provincial polls. The poll surveyed 893 Albertans between January 15th and 16th 2019. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.28% and is accurate 19 times out of
20. “Both the governing NDP and the UCP have lost some support since our last Alberta poll in November,” said Quito Maggi, President and CEO of Mainstreet Research. Among decided and leaning voters, the UCP with Jason Kenney as leader have 52.3% (-2% from Mainstreet’s
November poll), while the governing NDP led by Rachel Notley have 27.8% (-1.3%). The Alberta Party led by Stephen Mandel have 7.7% (+2.2%), and the Alberta Liberal Party with David Khan at the helm have 6.1% (+0.9%). The Green Party of Alberta led by Cheryle Chagnon-Greyeyes has 3% (+0.3%), while Derek Fildebrandt’s Freedom Conservative Party has 2.4% (-0.1%). The poll also asked about the favourability ratings of five of the party leaders and found that
Notley has a -12.4% net favourability rating while Kenney has a +6.6% rating. But Maggi notes that these numbers are a big improvement for Notley since November and that this should give the NDP some hope in the next election. “In November we found a 35% gap between Notley and Kenney in terms of net favourability, but this month the gap between the two has narrowed to 19%”, said Maggi.
The amount of Albertans that have a positive impression of Notley (36.9%) is roughly the same as those who think positively about Kenney (39.7%) with the difference being within the margin of error. “The UCP is polling higher than Kenney’s favourability numbers again this month, while Notley is polling above the NDP this month,” concluded Maggi. “This shows that Notley is clearly an asset to the NDP, while the same can’t be said for Kenney and the UCP.”
New Delhi/ Washingtan (ATB)Hundreds of students from India face deportation or criminal charges after the arrest Wednesday of eight men of Indian origin who had enrolled them at a fake university run by undercover US agents. The arrests were followed by raids to snare racketeers who misuse the student visa to help
unqualified foreigners to stay and work in the US. The justice department’s Michigan branch announced the arrest of the eight men, whose names indicated they were either Indians or American citizens of Indian descent, from all over the country and charged them with visa fraud and harbouring aliens for profit, according to an
indictment unsealed Wednesday. The alleged recruiters arrested were identified as Barath Kakireddy, of Florida; Suresh Kandala, of Virginia; Phanideep Karnati, of Kentucky; Prem Rampeesa, of North Carolina; Santosh Sama, of California; Avinash Thakkallapally, of Pennsylvania; Aswanth Nune, of (Continued Page..5)
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Woman techie booked for kidnapping man who stalked her
The man, a carpenter, had allegedly been harassing the woman by sending messages and calling her on her mobile phone for the past several days after being warned not do so, they said.
Hyderabad- A 24-year-old woman software engineer was Thursday booked by police here on charge of kidnapping a man, who had allegedly been stalking her, police said. The man, a carpenter, had allegedly been harassing the woman by sending messages and calling her on her mobile phone for the past several days after being warned not do so, they said.
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The carpenter had seen the woman at her friend’s house where he used to do carpentry work and somehow got her number, and since then he has been allegedly harassing her, a police official attached to the Gopalpuram Police station said. The woman, decided to teach him a lesson herself without lodging a police complaint, and she along with her five friends, as
part of a plan, asked him to come near a college in Secunderabad to meet him and accordingly the man went there, police said. But he was initially allegedly beaten up by the woman and her friends and later taken on a bike to an isolated area in Malkajgiri area, they said. He was again allegedly thrashed, from where he somehow managed to escape and got himself admitted in a state-run hospital with injuries, police said. The doctors informed police, who recorded the carpenter’s statement and registered a case on charges of kidnap and attempt to murder against the woman techie and five of her friends, and during the course of investigation took them into custody.
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Issue 220 (4) Asian Star
1 February, 2019
Gagan Singh
I was born and raised in New Delhi. My father served in a Public sector Undertaking within the Insecticides/Chemical sector with the Government of India. My mother served with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – an umbrella body as a Director within the Environment Management Division. Your early education Industrial and Production Engineer from Visveraiah Technological University, Belgaum, Karnataka, India When & why did you come to Canada? I had my first stint in Canada in 2004-2006. We immigrated as a family in June 2015 under the Federal Skilled Worker category. The purpose of coming to Canada was to change orbits within our professional sphere and also to afford our family a peaceful and prosperous life. Your career advancement and present occupation I am a Certified Environmental Professional (EP) under the Canadian Environmental Certification Approvals Board (CECAB) and besides working towards a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, have applied for the Licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng) with APEGA. Your regret in life I have no regrets in my life till date. Pick any one of your the best achievements I have achieved whatever I set out to do. I am sure, the community will connect with our new venture - Colors of Alberta. We are positive that this venture will provide a
platform to amplify the voice of minorities in our communities. Were you ever discriminated? I felt discriminated by the Government of Alberta’s Indigenous Relations Department very recently when I have appeared for 2 interviews ranging from a Program Coordinator to a Manager’s role. The panel’s feedback stated that during the interview I used too many technical terms. My contention is: since when is using too many technical terms a reason for denying someone a job? The panel conducting interviews was biased, discriminatory and technically unqualified to interview engineers for these roles. To top it all, it’s an opaque process which might take years to elicit written statements from the panel on your potential candidature. What you miss in Canada? I miss transparency, accountability and subject knowledge in the executive to start with. Are you happy in Canada? Not at all but we will ensure we all come together to make this a better place to live and call home. Not everything in life is served on a platter, sometimes not even served for that matter. We will keep doing our best for the broader community nevertheless. Once, we are done, I have a strong conviction that my son would say that he is happy to be in Canada. Any comments on Canada’s weather Weather is god given, what we make of the weather is what matters.
Any comments on Canada’s culture Canada is a model village for the world. We have to continue the good work of our immigrant forefathers. We have to work towards a cohesive, harmonious and welcoming atmosphere in this great nation. We should also ensure inclusive participation of all in the economic scheme of things. No one should be left out. We all belong here. There is enough for everyone’s need and never enough for everyone’s greed. What brought you success in Canada? My mantra is pretty simple- I welcome everyone with open arms till they decide otherwise. My openness to people, cultures and ideas is what will make every venture of mine successful. Acceptance and warmth is the key to any and all human interactions. Are you willing to help new comers? The newly launched NPO (Not for profit organisation) – Colors of Alberta is a very carefully thought out idea. It promotes and advocates greater economic participation of all communities especially the ethnic and racialized communities. Where absolute inclusion is meaningful participation. No one is left out. We all deserve our place in this robust economy of Alberta which has tremendous potential for all talents and positive ideas regardless of its source whether it’s from a foreign or a home grown graduate. We will continue to build a case for recognizing foreign talent and giving them their fair share in the economy directly proportional to their credentials. Your message for Canadians of Asian
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origin I am a strong believer in result oriented teams, influencers and leaders. When people are not able to see the way forward, they should ask or trust a leader to show them the path to solutions. It becomes imperative on the community’s part, to listen to the leader and follow the path to new pastures. The results are bound to come if the intent is honest. It’s the duty of the broader community to rally behind and support such individuals whenever the cause is aimed at broader benefits. It helps the community to get a voice that is audible in the power centres everywhere.
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Hundreds of Indian students face jail, deportation in US college scam (Continued..Page 1) Georgia; and Naveen Prathipati, of Texas, A number of students enrolled in this fake institution, University of Farmington in Michigan state, were also taken into custody by agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in an early morning
swoop all over the country. The number of students apprehended could be around 200, according to sources and witness accounts, of the total of an estimated 600 enrolled. But, those in the know warned, all 600 could be on the deportation list and some of them could be looking at a jail term as well. There was no response from ICE to requests
CHANGE OF NAME I, Joshinder Singh, son of Parminder Singh, holder of Indian Passport No.N8883203, issued at Jalandhar, on 20/04/2016, permanent resident of 90L Model Town, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, INDIA 146001 and presently residing at 2043-43 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA T6L 6L7,do hereby change my name from Joshinder Singh to Joshinder Singh Goraya with immediate effect.
1 February, 2019
Asian Tribune
Issue 220 (5)
for information about the number of Indian students arrested or detained and their fate. In one of the early morning raids, as described in secondhand account, government agents asked students to name their professors at the school to test whether they were complicit in the scam — of enrolling in a school knowing it had never held classes, because it wasn’t meant to. “Don’t worry, we know you can’t name them,” one agent is said to have told the student. University of Farmington was a fake institution started and run by undercover agents from the Department of Homeland Security since 2015, said one of the three related with indictments that were unsealed Wednesday. The enrolled students, the indictments alleged, were not victims of the
scam, but wilful collaborators. “Each of the foreign citizens who ‘enrolled’ and made ‘tuition’ payments to the University knew that they would not attend any actual classes, earn credits, or make academic progress toward an actual degree in a particular field of study- a “pay to stay’’ scheme. “Rather, their intent was to fraudulently maintain their student visa status and to obtain work authorization under the CPT (a course-related curricular training programme that allows off-campus work authorization for foreign students). “Each student knew that the University’s program was not approved by the United States Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), was illegal, and that discretion should be used when discussing the program with others.”
This was the second such operation staged by US authorities to catch and punish those suspected of misusing the student visa programme. In 2016, US authorities used a sting-operation on a university in New Jersey state for the same purpose, And they reported success with arrests of 11 Indians or those of Indian descent, along with 11 Chinese, or Americans of Chinese descent. The scam was the same, with ethnically diverse perpetrators. “We are all aware that international students can be a valuable asset to our country, but as this case shows, the well-intended international student visa program can also be exploited and abused,” said United States Attorney Matthew Schneider, who spearheads the prosecution of the case.
Hundreds of Indian students face jail, deportation in US college scam Washington- Nearly 600 students from India face deportation or criminal charges after the arrest Wednesday of eight men of Indian origin who had enrolled them at a fake university run by undercover US agents.(Getty Images/ iStockphoto) Hundreds of students from India face deportation or criminal charges after the arrest Wednesday of eight men of Indian origin who had enrolled them at a fake university run by undercover US agents. The arrests were followed by raids to snare racketeers who misuse the student visa to help unqualified foreigners to stay and work in the US. The justice department’s Michigan branch announced the arrest of the eight men, whose names indicated they were either Indians or American
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citizens of Indian descent, from all over the country and charged them with visa fraud and harbouring aliens for profit, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday. The alleged recruiters arrested were identified as Barath Kakireddy, of Florida; Suresh Kandala, of Virginia; Phanideep Karnati, of Kentucky; Prem Rampeesa, of North Carolina; Santosh Sama, of California; Avinash Thakkallapally, of Pennsylvania; Aswanth Nune, of Georgia; and Naveen Prathipati, of Texas, A number of students enrolled in this fake institution, University of Farmington in Michigan state, were also taken into custody by agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in
an early morning swoop all over the country. The number of students apprehended could be around 200, according to sources and witness accounts, of the total of an estimated 600 enrolled. But, those in the know warned, all 600 could be on the deportation list and some of them could be looking at a jail term as well. There was no response from ICE to requests for information about the number of Indian students arrested or detained and their fate. In one of the early morning raids, as described in secondhand account, government agents asked students to name their professors at the school to test whether they were complicit in the scam — of enrolling in a school knowing it had never held classes, because it wasn’t meant to.
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1 February, 2019
Asian Tribune
Issue 220 (6) Editorial
Rahul Gandhi’s income plan falls short The Congress has promised a minimum income guarantee (MIG) – direct cash transfers to the poor – if it comes to power after the 2019 elections. The political benefits from such an announcement will only be known after the results. However, one can say that the economics behind this a warped version of Keynesianism. Here are three reasons why this is so. Deterioration of terms of trade for agriculture, liquidity shock due to demonetisation and squeeze on the informal sector after the implementation of Goods and Services Tax have all contributed to squeeze on the incomes of India’s poorest people. All this justifies some sort of stimulus. But such policies should have an in-built mechanism to give them a counter-cyclical nature. The MGNREGS has it. When poor workers in villages have remunerative work elsewhere they won’t demand work under the MGNREGS. Hypothetically, this allows for a future reduction in the fiscal burden. MIG payouts won’t change with a slump or boom in the labour market at least in the medium term. MGNREGS, if implemented scientifically, has the potential to augment asset creation in India’s villages. This compensates for the scheme’s inflationary impact on wages. An MIG will increase the reservation wage for unskilled labour without any such positive externality. Poor workers after all will get some money whether or not they work. In an age where automation is already threatening the growth of labour intensive industries, this could actually go against the long-term income share of workers in the economy. Any credible MIG plan will have a significant fiscal cost. This is bound to put pressure on other expenditure heads. The United Progressive Alliance government did well in providing some relief to the poorest sections of the population. It also reaped political benefits from these policies. But the party ended once global financial crisis created strong headwinds for economic growth, and hence, revenue generation. India’s key challenge in fighting poverty is to ensure sustained income growth for majority of its workforce. This will require a significant hike in education and health expenditure along with a drastic improvement in delivery. This requires prolonged effort and resources without a promise of political benefits in the shortterm. That the Congress is promising paltry cash transfers instead of promising radical improvements in what are structural challenges shows that it is continuing with the long-established short-termism in Indian politics. Yash Sharma Editorial Team
Prof . Harjinder Walia, Ph.D (Journalism) Former Head of Journalism Punjabi Universty Patiala. (Punjab) India Patron
CULTURE CURRY
Canada: your future is beige whether you like it or not
Mary Thomas Associate Editor, Asian Tribune
Racism and discrimination touch everyaspect of our lives, from the unconscious biases that may influence how we relate to one another, to the overrepresentation of
r a c i a l i z e d communities and Indigenous Peoples in institutions such as prison, child welfare, etc. Acknowledging that racism and discrimination are a part of our lived reality is a critical first step to action. Foreign-born visible minorities earn, on average, 78 cents for every dollar earned by foreign-born nonracialized people. The earnings gap faced by minoritiesin public and private sectors has not lessened over time.In
2017, Indigenous People represented 4.9% of the Canadian population but accounted for 23.1% of the 2016-17 total federal offender population. 1,409 police-reported hate crimes were reported in 2016 – a 3% increase over the previous year due to more incidents targeting South Asians, West Asians, Jewish people, and people based on their sexual orientationor religion. In 2011, approximately 6.3
million people in Canada reported belonging to a visible minority group. As per Statistics Canada’s projections, over 3 in 10 females in Canada could belong to a visible minority group by 2031. In recent years, various levels of government have undertaken work to understand the prevalence of racism and discrimination in C a n a d i a n communities and develop strategies to counter them.
Yash Sharma, M.Sc (Hons), DMM Publisher & Editor in Chief 780-200-0246
Mary Thomas Associate Editor
Sat Paul Kaushal Associate Editor, Calgary 403 903 8500
Raghbir Bilaspuri Bureau Chief ( Punjabi)
Sunny Sharma Bureau Chief (English)
Atul Seth, CPA,CGA Financial & Management Consultant
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1. Community S u p p o r t , Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program Funding: annual $8.5 million investment through the Department of Canadian Heritage in projects and events that: build bridges to promote intercultural understanding; promote equal opportunity for individuals of all origins, and foster citizenship, civic engagement and a healthy democracy. 2. Budget 2018: in addition to the $2 million intended to support the antiracism engagement: $21 million was added to strengthen the Multiculturalism program’s resources for anti-racism and discrimination community support with a priority on Indigenous Peoples as well as women and girls. $19 million was allocated to enhance local community supports for Black Canadians. Canada’s future is beige and
depends on individuals: minorities and mainstream how we take up this cause and alter racism at every instance of exposure. For the sake of our future generations on whom we will leave more than the burden of climate change, let’s try not to leave any stone unturned towards making every workplace inclusive and supportive to all. This remains a utopian dream unless each of us takes a firm decision to nip every intolerance in the bud wherever we are. Strategic and solutionoriented design to monitor, document and celebrate inclusiveness in workplaces and denounce intolerance is the way forward for a Canada for all. Ignoring such slights will only allow the problem to fester and embolden the perpetrators. Let’s unite against this scourge that threatens to weaken the threads of the colourful mosaic that we love and cherish
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You tend to be inactive yet strained for a while, as you are indecisive and anxious about health, finances and earthy details this week. The answer to your problems lies in applying yourself intelligently to whatever needs to get done and soon it is out of your way. Give yourself a new fitness routine and healthy diet program to rejuvenate energy. Construction or redecorating of home and office spaces takes effort but gives you the comfort and monetary returns you have been looking forward to. A short vacation rejuvenates your energy and refreshes your mind. Avoid confrontations and invite discussions instead.
Over analysis can create confusion in situations. It’s best to keep things simple and straightforward to achieve success. You manage business and financial aspects competently and improve conditions in the work environment. You are restless yet tireless when involved in details and projects. There is great satisfaction and achievement in business projects that are headed in the right direction. You are well equipped to face competition. When you feel stressed or over worked, take a break to rejuvenate your energy, as this will bring back the creativity and drive needed to handle your professional projects.
As the heart Chakra opens you become receptive and find an abundance of love and friendship that you share with your partner and family. You build special relationships and make rare personal and professional connections with important people at this point. Promises are fulfilled in personal relationships and your faith restored. Exciting news and surprising views communicated to you can change your direction or career in the future. Collaboration in an important venture with two others leads to friendship and association over a period of time. This is the beginning of a progressive cycle with an increase of income.
Plans and ideas actualise as your work is accepted and appreciated. Success in a brilliant venture brings you professional stability. Change brings stability in material aspects and warmth in relationships. Trust your intuition rather than your analysis about situations. Stop in the midst of a hectic schedule to take three long breaths, release tension and continue with your busy day. Some of your personal goals and ambitions are about to be actualised. You are family oriented, as well as, individualistic when making plans for the future. A major change is on the cards as you look at new opportunities and relationships.
Plans of any kind actualise smoothly this week. Your social life is scintillating as you connect with wellknown personalities, fun loving people and indulge in art, music and entertainment. A shopping spree could ruin your budget and financial plans, so watch out. A pleasure trip or a brief vacation rejuvenates your energy and personal relationships. Being total and alive is bound to bring experience, growth and change in your life. You gain balance, perspective and clarity in relationships, as attitudes change. Share your wisdom and inner riches with your loved ones, as they look unto you for sound advice.
You come to terms with the mind and heart to gain peace and harmony this week! After some introspection, you call a truce in a conflict. Bad attitudes and destructive patterns can be a failing; rather a fresh and positive approach is needed. You only feel blocked and stuck while trying to analyse situations. Once you make up your mind you feel relieved, expansive and free. There may be something wonderful waiting for you. Avoid getting emotional in professional relationships or you can be taken advantage of. You can expect to gain from old connections and goodwill in business.
You tend to delude yourself about certain situations in your life as emotions cloud your vision and you are unable to see the truth. You reflect other people and their nature in a kind and imaginative manner but need to be true to yourself as well. An older woman is your ally and confidante. You tend to be secretive and emotionally sensitive. You are subtle and gracious on social occasions and supportive in joint projects. Love and romance enhance and rejuvenate a personal relationship. Trust your instinct and intuition as they lead you in the right direction in personal and professional matters.
You are lucky with finances, material and legal aspects. It’s best not to postpone important decisions so as you are released from demands, tensions and restrictions. Mental conflicts can be resolved through discussion and mediation. Loose ends are tied up and unfinished aspects resolved enabling you to make new beginnings! You stand up for values, justice and fair play in the work area. You have learned a great deal from experience and are not about to make the same mistakes you made in the past, be it in personal or professional situations.
Be tender, loving and caring to rejuvenate personal relationships this week. Watch your own moods and respect the other’s freedom and individuality. Listen to your loving heart and uncanny intuition! Remember who or what is most important in your life! You tend to be sensitive and go over the top by reacting in personal relationships and professional situations. Remain balanced and centered within to achieve a healthy state of mind, body and spirit. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. It’s time to heal old friendships and move into new relationships with love. You go through an elevating experience!
It’s best to watch and wait for things to change by themselves at work; rather than add more karma to difficult situations. You are at the brink of an important change and it would be wise to list your priorities before taking decisions. You can’t afford to be sentimental and try to relive the past, as it is already gone; a final goodbye is called for. Moody people around you can be difficult and demanding. Love and romance brighten your horizon and lead to celebration, party fun and a short vacation. What you cannot change is best viewed from a higher perspective.
You can be intense and serious in personal relationships while a light and playful attitude would be happier. You tend to be exceedingly sensitive and easily hurt in personal relationships. It’s best to forgive yourself and others for past mistakes. Trust yourself and life to take you sailing through personal changes. Pay attention to practicalities and details, which you have been neglecting for some time. You are much in demand during family reunions, social happenings and official engagements. It’s time to breakthrough restrictions, addictions and emotional patterns as you are ready for major changes.
You can charm many with your strong personality and soft approach this week! A dramatic happening can lead to a new business opportunity. With inner strength and hard work, you can transform a breakdown at work into a breakthrough. Don’t be afraid to restructure work patterns at this time. Don’t allow superficial friends to influence your decisions or waste your time. You achieve impossible tasks and challenges at work and breakthroughs in difficult family relationships. Restrictions are no longer able to contain you. Have the courage to be different and be true to yourself, your friends, values and priorities.
“ WHETHER YOU ARE AN IMMIGRANT, TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKER OR SOMEONE MIGRATING FROM OTHER PROVINCE HEREBELOW ARE USEFUL CONTACTS TO HELP YOU SETTLE IN ALBERTA SUCCESSFULLY”
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