Miracle Media Inc

BRINGING HARMONY TO ALL THE COMMUNITIES

BC Canada

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012 - $1

Bi-Weekly & Bilingual

www.miraclenews.com

France recognizes Syria opposition coalition

Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited India on a trade mission last week. Taj Mahal was the first stop on Harper’s extended six-day tour in India, the longest single stretch he’s had in any one country since becoming prime minister in 2006.

Israel PM ‘prepared to expand’ Gaza operation

Air strikes continue as Netanyahu says Israel sent a “clear message” to Hamas through the killing of its military chief.

Israel sent a “clear message” to Hamas through the killing of its top military commander and is ready to widen its operation in Gaza if necessary, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has warned.

Speaking hours after a major wave of air strikes pounded targets in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, killing Ahmad Jabari and at least eight other people, Netanyahu vowed that Israel would not tolerate any further rocket fire on its territory.

Arab countries condemned the killing, with the Arab League announcing it was to hold an emergency meeting on Saturday and Egypt recalling its ambassador to Israel.

In a televised address on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu said: “Today we sent a clear message to Hamas and other terrorist organisations, and if it becomes necessary we are

prepared to expand the operation.

“Hamas and the terror organisations have chosen to escalate their attacks on the citizens of Israel in recent days,” he said after consultations with his security cabinet.

“We will not tolerate a situation in which Israeli citizens are threatened by rocket fire.”

Al Jazeera’s Nadim Baba, reporting from Gaza, said: “In the last 30 seconds there was another big blast. [The strikes] have been going on all evening.

“It is not just air strikes, but also strikes from Israeli naval ships just off the coast of Gaza.”

Baba said the streets of Gaza City on Wednesday evening were “eerily quiet, except for the sound of ambulances”.

“The latest from medical sources is that at least seven people have been killed, including two children, and at least 60 people have been wounded, including 10 children.”

‘Gates of hell’ The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas headed by Jabari, issued a communique saying Israel had “opened the gates of hell on itself,” and Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said the strike was tantamount to a “declaration of war”.

“The occupation committed a dangerous crime and crossed all the red lines, which is considered a declaration of war,” he said in a statement.

“The occupation will pay dearly for this and we will make it regret the moment they thought about it.”

Hamas said it had fired at least 20 rockets into Israel in retaliation Continued on pg 4

France has become the first Western power to recognize the newly united Syrian opposition as the only representative of the Syrian people. “France recognizes the Syrian National Coalition as the only representative of the Syrian people and therefore as the future provisional government of a democratic Syria,” President Francois Hollande told a press conference in Paris on Tuesday. The question of arming the rebels would be looked at as soon as the rebel coalition formed a transitional government, Hollande said. “On the question of weapons deliveries, France did not support it as long as it wasn’t clear where these weapons went,” Hollande said. “With the coalition, as soon as it is a legitimate government of Syria, this question will be looked at by France, but also by all countries that recognize this government.” The announcement comes after opposition groups agreed on Sunday in Doha to unite against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The French move comes 24 hours after the coalition was recognized by the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council - Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman.

Arab League and European Union foreign ministers pledged after their meeting in Cairo on Tuesday to support the Syrian opposition and welcomed steps to unite the various groups under a new, united banner, in order to facilitate a solution to the 20-month conflict.

“The ministers welcomed the formation of the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces. They called on all opposition groups to adhere to the national coalition and on the national coalition to engage with all sections of Syrian society,” said a statement issued at the close of the meeting held in Cairo on Tuesday. Syria’s divided opposition had come under pressure from Western powers to join forces and offer a single interlocutor during negotiations, in order to provide a single contact for international critics of the regime’s efforts to stamp down the opposition since

Continued on pg 4

Local pg 5

Constable Adrian Oliver Surrey RCMP officer killed in crash

Abbotsford 2-2488 Clearbrook Rd. 604-854-6088 Vancouver 6550 Fraser St. 604-324-2277 Surrey: Unit # 303, 8128-128th St. Surrey (Payal business centre) 604-584-1411

See Anis Shah in our Surrey Office

Lowest prices on airfares, tours and packages

Visit: www.bainstravel.com www.indiatour.ca www.cruiseconcepts.net

2

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

3

p a k i s t a n

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

MQM, ANP demand emergency, military operation in Karachi

ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party (ANP) boycotted the Senate session on Tuesday protesting against the rising violence in Karachi. After a heated debate in upper house, the ANP demanded immediate military operation in Karachi while the MQM demanded imposition of emergency in the city. MQM’s senator Syed Mustafa Kamal said that the prime minister should take immediate action on the issue of Karachi. He demanded that the prime minister should impose emergency in the city. ANP’s senator Illyas Bilour said that peace in Karachi cannot be restored until an army operation was launched in the city. He demanded the prime minister to brief the parliamentarians on Karachi law and order situation. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz senator

Mushahid ullah Khan said that his party does not support any operation in Karachi because no operation could be successful in the presence of the current government. At least three people, including an excise police official, were killed on Tuesday in violent activities in the city, Dawn News reported. The killings took place in the area of Orangi town. Tension prevailed in the area after the incident.

Rangers arrested 23 suspected miscreants including alleged target killer Shamim ur Rehman while CID police arrested four alleged ‘terrorists’ belonging to banned outfit Laskari-Jhangvi (LeJ). Spokesman of Rangers said that heavy weaponry was also recovered from the arrested men. Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Tuesday said the government will not allow any rally in the province except Muharram-ul-Harram processions. He stated this while briefing media on the law and order situation in Karachi and the corrective measures taken by the government to ensure security to life and property of the people Sindh. Additional Inspector General of Police Iqbal Mehmood assisted the Minister during this briefing here at Sindh Secretariat.

Sharjeel Inam Memon appealed the public not to violate section 144, wherever it is declared, and avoid pillion riding to help the Government in maintaining law and order.“The government has imposed ban on pillion riding under section 144 sections. However, hundreds of people were arrested for the violation over also two days,” he regretted.He also appealed to the religious leaders to cooperate and in hands with the government in maintaining peace and security especially during the month of Muharr Pakistan Food Security for Poor People Bill‚ 2012”‚ The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill‚ 2012”‚The Protection and Welfare of Khawaja Saras Rights Bill‚ 2012”‚ “The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill‚ 2012”.

Free, Compulsory Education Bill passed National Assembly unanimously passed “The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill‚ 2012” (RFCE) moved by Yasmeen Rehman, reported by Daily News.

The bill provides for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years and ten percent quota in all the private educational institutions has been reserved for poor children besides penalty up to Rs50,000 or six months imprisonment provided in the bill. The bill has already been passed by the Senate.

Speaking on the occasion‚ Minister for Religious Affairs

Syed Khurshid Shah said that the free and compulsory education for children is the basic priority of the government. He expressed hope that after the passage of the bill, provinces will also follow suit and make legislation accordingly.

Six bills were also introduced in the National Assembly today. The bills are: “The Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill‚ 2012‚ “The Pakistan Psychological Regulatory Authority Bill‚ 2012”‚

We specialize in Pakistan, India, Middle East, Fiji, Europe

We do Hajj, Umrah packages, Cruises and Disney Land tours etc.

604-501-4700

Abdul Rauf galaxytravel@live.ca | www.galaxytravel.ca (President)

www.junaidiqbal.ca

NOTARY PUBLIC

Shoaib Rauf T: (604) 596 1861 C: (778) 855 1861

shoaib.surrey@gmail.com

#220 -13711 72 Ave.Surrey; BC V3W 2P2 (Opposite Newton Wave Pool)

UMER BUTT Real Estate Professional

Cell : 604-505-5452 umer_farooq_butt@hotmail.com Special Offers: * Get $1000 for free when you refer anyone * Get a Free return air ticket at buy/sell a property Limited time offers. Some conditions may apply, please call for details

7832 - 120 St. Surrey Off : 604-572-1211

NOTARY PUBLIC

Buy/Sell your house with the No. 1 realtor of the year 2011 for Omax Realty Ltd

SHAHNAZ RAHMITULA

Abdul Qayyum

CGA “Get the personal attention you deserve”

#201 -7288 137 Street, Surrey

604-591-7171

Omax Realty Ltd C: 778-688-4777 9287 120th St. Delta BC www.abdulqayyum.com

Get a Free return ticket when you Buy or Sell your house with me. some conditions may apply. limited time offer

Asim Uqaili Mortgage Consultant

Tel 604-803-5707 Fax 604-677-5872 TF 1877-366-3487 www.mortgagealliance.com/asimuqaili

1st-2nd Mortgage Purchase Refinance

Special Fares for Pakistan by Gulf Air Line BC Reg. # 2322

1-800-663-6696

4

i n t e r n a t i o n a l

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Israel and Gaza reach tacit truce

Israeli and Palestinian leaders have reached a tacit truce that could prevent a new war in the Gaza strip after five days of clashes.

The agreement, brokered by Egypt, was made on Monday night, with both sides warning that they would resume fighting if attacked again. Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister of Gaza’s Hamas government, praised the main armed factions in the occupied Palestinian territory for agreeing to the truce. “They showed a high sense of responsibility by saying they would respect calm should the Israeli occupation also abide by it,” he said during an unannounced visit to a hospital to see wounded Palestinians. Three Palestinian fighters and four civilians have been killed and 40 others wounded by Israeli fire since Saturday.

Eight Israeli civilians were injured by some

of the 115 rockets fired from Gaza and four soldiers were wounded by the anti-tank missile that hit their jeep and fuelled the fighting. Benny Begin, one of the Israeli officials who took part in talks initiated

by Binyamin Netanyahu, Israeli’s prime Minister, said the flare-up had subsided but the conflict was far from resolved. “This round of firing appears to have ended and things must be looked at soberly without illusions for both sides,” he said. Meanwhile, Netanyahu himself, issued a heavy warning to Hamas over the violence.

“Whoever thinks they can harm the routine lives of southern residents without paying a very heavy price is mistaken,” he said in a radio speech. “And I am responsible for us exacting this price at the most proper time”. An official involved in the Egyptian

mediation confirmed both sides were ready to stop.

“The message was clear and Israel too told Egypt they were not interested in escalation if rocket firing stopped. The situation now is calm for calm and I hope it does not deteriorate,” the official told Reuters.

Israel struck three targets in the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Tuesday, including what the army said was a weapons depot and two rocket launch sites. There were no casualties. Only one Palestinian rocket strike was reported in Israel by 0800 GMT on Tuesday. Defence Minister Ehud Barak told reporters Israel

was not prepared to forgive and forget following four days of violence. “The matter has definitely not ended and we will decide how and when to act at the time when there will be a need,” he said.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Falling revenues slowing deficit-reduction plan, Flaherty says Canada will take a year longer than predicted to balance the budget and will miss its annual deficit targets in each of the next four years due to a drop in income driven by lower commodity prices, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says. Delivering the government’s fall fiscal outlook Tuesday, Flaherty also cautioned that Canada must be wary of economic turbulence in Europe and the U.S. But overall Flaherty’s mid-term report card took a hopeful -- if somewhat guarded -- outlook. He added that Canada has particularly been affected by “volatile and falling world commodity prices” since the federal budget was released in late March. In other words, Flaherty explained, world prices have fallen for the commodities Canada produces, resulting in lower profits for producers and ultimately lower tax revenues for Ottawa. Because of these weaknesses, the government expects revenues to be $7.2 billion below budget expectations over the next five years. The fall update showed the deficit reaching $26 billion this fiscal year, an increase of $5 billion from the forecast included in the March budget forecast. Flaherty also touched on the threat from economic uncertain in Europe, and the looming fiscal cliff in the U.S. -- a situation that will be triggered in the U.S. by automatic tax increases and government support cuts set to automatically kick in on Dec. 31 if Republicans and Democrats can’t agree on an economic path forward. If that happens, many analysts predict the U.S. economy would immediately fall into recession, dragging its biggest trading partners -- including Canada -- with it. Flaherty said it is essential that Washington develops a “credible medium-term plan” to reduce the fiscal deficit over time. “But it also needs to ensure that there is a political agreement in the short term so that markets and investors can be confident that its economic recovery will not be interrupted,” he added. In October, Flaherty hinted that he was expecting lower revenues due to a drop in commodity prices, a major driver of the Canadian economy. TD Bank has calculated that revenues would be about $1.8 billion lower than projected this fiscal year, which ends March 31. Peggy Nash, of the NDP, responded to Flaherty’s fiscal update on Tuesday, saying the government isn’t doing enough to get the economy back on track. Pedro Atunes, director of national and provincial forecasts at the Conference Board of Canada, said Flaherty’s predictions are somewhat conservative. He said the Conference Board expects stronger growth, better commodity prices, and a quicker debt-reduction schedule than that set out by Flaherty. “Going forward we at the Conference Board do feel growth may be a little stronger than the concensus and we may get ourselves out of the deficit situation a little sooner than expected,” he told CTV News Channel. Flaherty also outlined a plan to keep government spending under tight control, saying direct program expenses were not expected to increase over the next four years, and overall program spending, as a percentage of GDP, would actually decline to pre-recession and pre-stimulus levels. However, he said transfer payments to the provinces would not change. According to other recent economic news, Canada is in a desirable position. Last week, a report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) predicted Canada will be one of the world’s leading nations over the next 50 years.

The OECD report said Canada will continue to lead the G7’s industrialized economies in average annual growth over the next half century. The country will also be near the top on a per-capita basis, with only Japan sneaking ahead.

The OECD, which represents most of the world’s biggest industrialized economies, predicts Canada’s real gross domestic product will average 2.2 per cent growth in the next half century -- largely due to predictions Canada’s labour force will continue to grow.

Source: CTV News

Gaza : Continued from pg 1 for Jabari’s killing.

Mark Regev, spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office, told Al Jazeera: “We are continuing to hit Hamas targets, and their missile sites, because we knew they would responding immediately...Ultimately we did not want this round of fighting, it was forced upon us.

“We will not allow Hamas to terrorise our civilian population. All the options are open.

“Our most important goal is to protect our people. Hamas has deliberately targeted civilians. They deliberately use Gaza civilians as human shields, too.”

Kenya hunts for suspects in police attack Police in Kenya say 42 officers are now known to have been killed in the deadliest attack on police in the country’s history.

Rohingya refugee boat sinks off Bangladesh Around 85 people are missing after another boat carrying Rohingya refugees towards Malaysia sank off Bangladesh, the second such tragedy in less than a fortnight, officials have said. Bangladesh Border Guard commander Lieutenant Colonel Zahid Hasan said the vessel was carrying around 110 passengers when it went down off early on Wednesday around 15km off the southern Cox’s Bazaar coastal district. “We have now rescued 25 survivors with the help of local fishermen and a search and rescue operation is underway,” Hasan told AFP. “The boat was heading to Malaysia illegally,” he added. Hasan confirmed that at least two of those who had been rescued were Rohingya and that they were all being kept in custody. Lieutenant Badruddoza, a commander in the coast guard who uses only one name, said that a search and rescue operation was being conducted in conjunction with the Bangladesh navy. The latest tragedy comes after a boat carrying some 135 passengers, mostly Muslim Rohingya refugees who had fled unrest in neighbouring Myanmar, sank in the Bay of Bengal on October 28. Only around half a dozen made it to safety. Hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya have fled Myanmar in past decades to escape persecution, often heading to neighbouring Bangladesh, and recent unrest has triggered another exodus. Since the unrest erupted, Bangladesh has been turning away boatloads of fleeing Rohingya. The policy has been criticised by the United Nations but Bangladesh said it was already burdened with an estimated 300,000 Rohingya. Myanmar’s 800,000 stateless Rohingya, described by the UN as among the world’s most persecuted minorities, are seen by the government and many people in Myanmar as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Syrian : Continued from pg 1 2011. The coalition brings together the Syrian National Council and other groups inside Syria. The Arab League has recognized the coalition as “the legitimate representative of the Syrian people’s aspirations.” Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi described it as “a glimmer of hope.” British Foreign Secretary William Hague called on the group “to demonstrate they are acting on behalf of all Syria’s communities. The more progress the coalition makes towards those goals, the greater practical support it will have from the United Kingdom.” Hague expressed frustration at the deadlock on Syria in the UN Security Council, saying that “our efforts ... to encourage the UNSC to take on its responsibilities have been

vetoed by Russia and China. In the absence of such progress, we will increase our support to Syrian opposition groups.” Moscow and Beijing, both allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, have vetoed three Western-and Arab-backed resolutions at the Security Council condemning the Syrian regime for violence.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said his country “is ready to join hands with the Arab League to help (the new alliance) to become a credible and inclusive alternative to al-Assad’s regime.” Westerwelle and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius both met the head of the coalition, Mouaz al-Khatib.

Source: Al-Jazeera

5

i n t e r n a t i o n a l

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Yellow fever kills 107 in Sudan’s Darfur area

A yellow fever outbreak in Sudan’s Darfur region has killed 107 people in the last six weeks, the World Health Organisation reported, warning that the disease could spread all over the country.

The number of deaths from the outbreak is steadily rising, and Sudan is working on an emergency vaccination drive, WHO said on Tuesday. Officials reported last week that 67 people had died in the outbreak. There is no medicinal cure for yellow fever, which is spread by mosquitoes. Doctors treat the main symptoms - dehydration, fever, bleeding and vomiting - and wait for the viral infection to pass. As part of the emergency response programme, 2.4 million doses of the yellow fever vaccine are scheduled to arrive in the Sudanese capital next week, Dr. Anshu Banerjee of the WHO

office in Sudan told AP. More than 350 suspected cases of yellow fever have been reported in Darfur since late September, and more than 30 per cent of people showing symptoms have died, according to a WHO statement. Around 70 per cent are under the age of 29, according to a statement released on Monday by the Sudanese Health Ministry and the WHO. Banerjee warned that yellow fever cases are “definitely spreading” to new areas of the remote region of Darfur, where Sudan’s government has been battling rebel groups since 2003. More than 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, and health care services are not available to many residents as a result of the turmoil. He said that while no yellow fever cases had been found outside Darfur, the WHO is planning a risk assessment in the next two weeks on the assumption that all areas in Sudan may be at risk of infection. Banerjee said that Darfur’s heavy rainy season this year created additional breeding sites for the disease-carrying mosquitos. Sudan’s last outbreak of yellow fever killed 160 people in the South Kordofan region in 2005. The WHO estimates that more than 500 million people in 32 countries in Africa are at risk of yellow fever infection.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Fiscal crisis looms as U.S. Congress reconvenes

The U.S. Congress returned to session Tuesday for the first time since the election last week, confronting the huge and immediate task of stitching together a compromise on spending and taxes to avoid what’s been called the “fiscal cliff,” a series of actions starting Jan. 1 that threatens another recession and higher unemployment. Adding pressure on President Barack Obama and Congress to seek a deal, the Treasury Department reported Tuesday that the federal government started the 2013 budget year with a $120-billion US deficit. That indicated that the U.S. is on a path to its fifth straight $1 trillion-plus deficit. The question looming over the negotiations is how much ground both sides are willing to give after the nation’s voters endorsed the status quo of divided government — a Democratic president and Senate, and a Republican House of Representatives. Obama, emboldened after his firm re-election victory and Democratic gains in both chambers of Congress, kicked off a series of meetings in Washington this week with labour officials, business executives and congressional leaders to discuss the “fiscal cliff.” A news conference on Wednesday will give the president the chance to frame his outlook on the outgoing Congress, which has been criticized as the least productive transit or LRT, and that it is opening a year ahead in recent history. The president met with labour and progressive groups of what was originally envisioned. Probably the Tuesday to build support for what he has called a “balanced” plan to most controversial aspect of the bridge is its tolls. reduce the debt while protecting spending priorities. After the meeting, Falcon thinks those tolls will be accepted because labour leaders said Obama remains committed to preserving tax cuts for of the benefits. “For most people, saving an hour middle-class families and ensuring that the wealthiest Americans pay a day is worth something,” he said. But there are more in taxes. An Obama meeting on Wednesday with business execustill critics. Ben West of the Wilderness Committee tives, many of whom supported Republican rival Mitt Romney, aims at fought the project when it was announced and still enlisting their help in convincing Republicans to support higher taxes on believes it was the wrong decision. “There really is the wealthy. Obama has also invited the top four leaders of Congress to no example anywhere where building highways for the White House on Friday for talks, right before he departs on a trip to any prolonged period of time reduced congestion,” Asia. Also hanging over the political landscape is the largely unrelated said West. “It’s just a matter of whether it’s one year but distracting revelation of marital infidelity that drove former Gen. or five years where it’s at the same level of congesDavid Petraeus to resign as CIA director days after the elections. Now tion.” He would have preferred having the money the scandal has spread to the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. spent on giving people options to get out of their John Allen, who is under investigation for alleged “inappropriate commucars. There will be some options, thought. Transnications” with a woman who received threatening emails from Petraeus’ Link is planning to put buses across Port Mann former lover. That major distraction aside, Washington politicians have beginning Dec. 1 with an express service from just over seven weeks, including breaks for the Thanksgiving holiday Langley to Braid Station in New Westminster. The next week and the Christmas holidays, to find a way back from the brink buses will run every 10 minutes during the morning of the “fiscal cliff” — the year-end, economy-jarring expiration of tax and afternoon peak periods, with service every 30 cuts Americans have enjoyed for a decade, combined with automatic minutes for the rest of the operating hours. As for across-the-board reductions in spending for the military and domestic the Port Mann, crews are still completing widening programs. That outcome — barring legislative compromise by Jan. 1 — and improvements through the Cape Horn interis self-imposed punishment for last year’s failure by a bitterly divided change at the north end of the bridge, which is the Congress and White House to deal with the government’s spiraling debt reason only two lanes will be available until Dec. 1. and overhaul its unwieldy tax code. The Congressional Budget Office Westbound drivers are urged to drive with extra care estimates that the austerity program would reduce the deficit by nearly due to the changes. Drivers are also being asked to $700 billion by the end of 2013. But the non-partisan organization also register for the TReO decals, which will make pay- says millions of jobs could be lost, which could knock the U.S. economy ment of tolls more efficient. So far, about 225,000 back into a recession. Neither Republicans nor Democrats wanted to sign vehicles have registered for the decals but the goal, onto any deal in advance of the November election. Now the task falls to according to project spokesman Greg Johnson, is to what is known as a lame-duck session of Congress, the outgoing legislaget 300,000 registrations — which would be 80 to ture that sits after the election but before the newly elected membership is 85 per cent of the vehicles using the bridge regusworn in early next year. Obama and his primary antagonist, Speaker of larly. the House John Boehner, the most powerful Republican in Washington, Source: The Province have already begun laying out their positions. The president demands that taxes go up for American households earning more than $250,000 a year. He also says he is willing to see cuts in government spending, although he has not offered specifics. Republicans — the low-tax, smallgovernment tea party movement in particular — insist that tax rates not and was first posted to Surrey in 2009. be raised for any income level and instead call for even deeper cuts in This is the sixth time a BC police officer has died in spending, although the targets of those reductions are unknown. At issue the line of duty in the past decade. Condolences are is an annual U.S. budget deficit that now is routinely above $1 trillion and already coming in from fellow officers and those who a national debt that has risen to near $16.5 trillion. work closely with police.

Source: CBC News

Eight Port Mann bridge lanes to open Dec. 1, tolls begin Dec. 8

Heading into another big step to the full opening of the new Port Mann Bridge, the man who was the driving force behind the project has no regrets.

Kevin Falcon is currently the outgoing Surrey-Cloverdale MLA but he was the Minister of Transportation when the Gateway Project of a new Port Mann and Highway 1 expansion from Langley to Vancouver was unveiled. “It’s all good as far as I’m concerned,” said Falcon Tuesday of progress that will see westbound Highway 1 traffic shifted overnight Saturday onto the new Fraser River crossing. Traffic westbound will be restricted to two lanes until midnight Dec. 1 when eight lanes of the new bridge will open. Tolling will begin Dec. 8. The bridge won’t be completed to its full 10-lane capacity until the end of 2014. But the project, which carries a price tag of $3.3 billion, is critical in Falcon’s estimation. “It’s the most important commercialeconomic gateway in the province of B.C. and it’s also the most congested,” said Falcon. “Opening up that corridor is going to be hugely important to the economy,” he said. Falcon is proud of the fact the bridge, when complete, will have bicycle and bus lanes, along with the capacity to carry light rapid

Surrey RCMP officer killed in crash An RCMP officer was killed early Tuesday morning in Surrey, when his police cruiser collided with a tractor trailer.

Constable Adrian Oliver was on duty at the time of the crash at 148th and 64th Avenue. Paramedics found the 28-year-old officer pinned and unconscious in the shattered, grey, unmarked cruiser. They managed to pull him from the crumpled wreck and rushed him to hospital, but he couldn’t be saved.

Oliver was a second-generation Mountie. His father is a senior officer in Ottawa; his brother is also on the force. Oliver began training with the RCMP in 2008,

Of the officers who have died in the province, three were killed in motor vehicle accidents.

In 2004, Auxillary Constable Glen Evely from Vernon was killed when his cruiser was struck by a stolen truck that ran a red light. He left behind a wife and two young children.

2002 was a tragic year in our province. Constable

Jimmy Ng from Richmond was killed when his cruiser was broadsided by a hit and run speeder on No. 3 Road. Just a little over one month later, an officer from Squamish was killed after his cruiser was hit by a bus during a call. Source: news1130

6

e d i t o r i a l

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

WOULD PAKISTAN BENEFIT FROM OBAMA’S WIN

CNN on election night was projecting Republican presidential candidate Romney as winning with full confidence, yet Obama’s popularity didn’t let that happen.

Last Sunday, I was astounded with the following email message: “Dear Money Morning Reader, if you were a President Obama supporter, you’re probably celebrating his victory today. If you were in the Romney Camp, chances are your reaction is one of disappointment. But alarming new research has just recently come to light suggesting that regardless of whom you voted for - neither will be able to stop an unimaginable threat that may lead to the fall of the great American Empire.

This unavoidable crisis goes beyond our debt epidemic. Our energy uncertainty is just a drop in the bucket. Tensions with any individual country pale in comparison to what is about to erupt. And President Obama seems to have ignored the warnings of the Army, Navy, and Germany Military into this looming catastrophe.”

But, there are relevant arguments in favour of President Obama: That the president can’t be blamed for all financial and economic crises as he inherited this mess in his 1st term in office. Historically speaking, blame goes to the 2/3rds majority of the 435 members of congress that out-sourced the manufacturing off shore through voting for NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade); moreover, members also repealed the Glass-Steagal Act that deregulated the

banks.

Regardless of the “Money Morning Phobia,” Obama remains a clear winner who scored 332 delegates to the Electoral College - comfortably exceeding the 270 delegates required to get elected for second term.

Confronted with a large number of crises at home and abroad, next four years should be more than enough for the President to complete his unfinished jobs on many fronts including his pro peace speech in Cairo and his renewed approach towards the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, of course.

On Afghan issue Obama might have to re-shape the US policies acceptable to Pakistan.

Now with fresh presidential mandate, it’s more convenient for Obama to make the most needed adjustments in the withdrawal strategy.

But on the other hand, the upcoming Pakistan general elections would most likely provide a new mandate on the critical question of effectively dealing with militancy as well.

In case of victory of the right wing parties, including the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf), there would be a certain degree of re-adjustment of the tactics in the fight against militancy. Yet, this would necessitate the need of putting in place a few viable alternatives in order to amicably deal with the Pakistan-US sensitive relationship.

Currently, Pakistan is stepping forward to

L E T T E R S

Candidate needs financing for the campaign By: M Hajee, Surrey When a candidate decides to run for Presidency, he / she needs financing for the campaign. Very few people can afford to finance their own campaigns (perhaps the likes of Warren Buffet or Donald Trump may not need outside financing). Therefore they have to rely on their “sponsors” to bankroll their campaigns. These people are the elite of Corporate America, who control the Media, Oil, Armaments, Transport and other industries.

While a candidate is on the campaign trail, he can make all kinds of promises; once he is in, he has to bow down to those who made it all possible. Therefore, the candidate may have promised one thing before the elections, but once he is the Head Honcho, those who bankrolled his campaigns start calling him for “favours”. Therefore his tune changes substantially once he is in the Office.

While we all congratulate Obama for his historic victory, how he plays out his second term will be no different from other Presidents before him; i.e., he will be forced to abide by the will and requests of

Miracle Media Group Inc.©

Contact Info Mailing and Office Address 9160-136A Street Surrey BC. V3V 7Z8 Canada Fax: 604-582-7809

&

those “sponsors”. Those who refuse to bow down to the “sponsors” meet an inglorious end such as Clinton, Nixon, etc.

Once we understand this basic concept, it will be all too obvious that things will continue “as usual” and no new President will be able to make any significant changes to the way America behaves towards the rest of the World.

‘Victorious With War Of Words’!

By: Gulshan Aalani, Vancouver The most interesting democratic way American Presidential fight is won with the ‘war of words’ and not by killing: President Obama won again with the majority flying colors.

Congratulation President Obama: hopefully he will work hard on concentrating on economy and not on wars on Muslim countries murdering some innocents in cold blood.

The reason for his victory is obvious, as he is deviating from the ‘Bible’s Religious laws’ and Gov. Romney defeated for his rather strict Mormon religious laws.

Keeping in mind the divisive, anti-Christ era and anti-Islam era we are in, the Divine Religious Law has no place, we are done Founder : Nusrat Hussain Managing Editor: M. Naseer Pirzada Sub-Editors: Khadija, Misbah & Sabeeh Hon. Chief Editor & Urdu Editor Mohammad Rafiq Advertising : info@miraclenews.com Ph: 604-690-0400 Email: naseer@telus.net,

improve ties with India and Russia while maintaining its friendship with China.

Nevertheless, it’s in Pakistan’s best interest to improve ties with the United States and the European Union, because Pakistan enjoys a significant export market and receive foreign remittances from these countries as well.

Although more than 20 Muslim countries favoured Obama during the presidential election, yet Pakistan wasn’t very happy, as many innocent Pakistanis including children and women lost their lives because of collateral damage from drone attacks.

Obama would halt or alter the drone program - we don’t know as yet.

President of Pakistan has warmly congratulated President Barack Hussain Obama on his re-election as the President of the United States of America. Pak Foreign Ministry issued a statement: “President Zardari expressed the hope that the relationship between Pakistan and the US would continue to prosper during President Obama’s next term in office.”

Unfortunately, an atmosphere of trust deficit has been developing between the two countries due to the following reasons: the unlawful activities of Raymond Davis in Lahore, Osama and Abbottabad raid by the Navy Seal, and US air strikes killing 24 Pakistani border guards at a check post at Shalala.

After a long pause, Islamabad and Washington are coming closer again after some sort of negotiated arrangement.

When the news of President Obama’s victory reached Pakistan, many said, “We do not expect any substantial change in US foreign policy toward the country.”

Encouraging development: There is a rumour going around that the Democrat Sen. John Kerry could replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

If that happens, Pakistan would be able to work out better planning for smoother relationship.

“It is of course up to the US president to appoint the Secretary of State. However, if speculations about Kerry become true, then that would be a positive development – and a lot easier.”

It’s also predicted that Obama’s re-election could have given him a strengthened mandate to pursue the foreign policy line with vision he had since his first presidential campaign. A worry free Obama could lead to a better relationship between the two countries as a result.

It’s hoped that Mr Obama gets serious about his message he gave to the Muslim world in his Cairo address (The Christian Science Monitor).

It can be safely concluded and calculated that Pakistan would be benefiting from Obama’s victory.

Waan laysa lil insani illa ma’ sa’aa That man can have nothing but what he strives for.

O P I N I O N S with it as it doesn’t fit in with our way of democracy.

GOD Bless and save mankind from the mischief of anti-Christ anti-Islam ways.

The tragic death of 15 year old Coquitlam girl!

By: Balwant Sanghera RMCS, Richmond Amanda Todd has brought the issue of bullying into sharp focus. This tragedy has created a kind of awareness about the curse of bullying never seen before. Bullying happens at all levels in different forms.

However, cyber bullying has added a new dimension to it. Bullying amongst children is very common. It can have deadly consequences especially amongst adolescents.

Majority of adolescents lack the predictive judgement and reasoning skills. As such, they are very vulnerable to outside influences and pressures. As adults, parents and caregivers we need to do everything within our power to empower our children to deal with bullies and bullying in an effective manner. This is what Richmond Multicultural Community Services (RMCS) Richmond in 3D has been doing in Richmond schools.

Richmond in 3D (Diversity, Dialogue and

Drama)-The Legacy Project-is an initiative and an RMCS Program funded by the provincial government. It uses storytelling, drama and dialogue to inspire young people. Over the past two years, Richmond in 3D has touched over 1500 students in the Richmond school system. This group consisting of 23 young people ranging in age from 14 to 20 plus has been doing an excellent job in dealing with issues relating to racism, diversity and leadership. They encourage dialogue through playback theatre. Recently, this group of very enthusiastic young people embarked on a project designed to address the issue of bullying.

As part of this project, the documentary “A Journey to Action” was made to chronicle the participants’ work and personal experiences. This presentation was made possible with co-operation from Richmond schools and students. It is bound to inspire other young people into taking action and creating

Continued on pg 7

IMPORTANT NOTE: We do not publish anonymous letters or the letters of the people who do not disclose their identity to ‘The Miracle.’ A writer can use a pen name or request ‘The Miracle’ to withhold his / her identity. Please include your daytime telephone number for the confirmation of your letter. We regret the inconvenience.

Editorial Board : Mr.Shums Jillani, Mr Aslam Hayat, Mr. Azhar Syed, Mr. Shams Siddiqui, M.A.L. Naumani, Mr Tariq Mian Graphic Design: Design Teams Copyright ® 2001 Miracle Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved Printed in Canada

Attention: The opinions expressed herein contain positions and viewpoints that are not necessarily those of ‘The Miracle’. These are offered as a means for ‘The Miracle’ to stimulate dialogue and discussion in our continuing mission of ‘Bringing Harmony To All The Communities.’

Phone: 604-690-0400 -Email: miraclenews@telus.net, info@miraclenews.com ,Website: www.miraclenews.com

Contents Editorial & Letters Int. News Local Special Articles Faith Youth Health Sports Urdu

6 4,5 8,11,13 10,14,15 25 7 27 26 28 29-37

7

f

a

i

t

h

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Use of the Lunar Calendar

The Islamic Calendar is based on the Lunar Calendar consisting of 354-355 days annually and is 10-11 days shorter than the western Solar Calendar. The Lunar month is based on the time it takes the moon to complete a single orbit around the earth and it is just over 29? days. There are many advantages to the Lunar calendar. For example, the various dates in the Islamic

formative period. Ibn Hajar, in his Fath AlBari, records that the Caliph Umar (RA) is reported to have remarked: “The Hijrah has separated truth from falsehood, therefore, let it become the Epoch of the Era”. The Hijrah year reminds Muslims every year of the sacrifices made by the first Muslims and should prepare them to do the same.

The constant use of the Hijri Calendar for acts of worship and as a frame of reference to major historical events will help Muslims keep links with their roots and further enhance their knowledge of their religion and history.

Months of the Islamic Calendar

Calendar such as Ramadan and Hajj rotate every year and are not fixed like the Solar Year. People, therefore, will perform acts of worship in various climatic conditions and in different length of hours in submission to the will of Allah where human imagination plays no part. The new moon marks the beginning of each new lunar month and it is easy for people to see the new moon and know that a new month has begun.

This probably explains why most ancient civilizations such as the Babylonians, the Jews, the Greeks and the Egyptians in the Middle East , the Aztecs and the Incas of the West, and the Hindus and the Chinese of the East used this system. Interestingly, the English word ‘month’ is derived from the word ‘moon’.

Origin and Significance of the Hijri Calendar The Islamic Calendar was started by the second Caliph Umar (RA) in 16 AH/ 637 CE [Al-Tabari: Tarikh Al- Rusul 5/22 & Ibn Sa‘d: Tabaqat Al- Kubra 3/281]. The event of the Hijrah, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE, was chosen to begin the Islamic Calendar because it was the first major sacrifice made by the whole Ummah for the preservation of Islam in its

There are twelve months in the Islamic Calendar as the Qur’an says: “Surely the number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve, in accordance with His decree from the day He created the heavens and the earth, out of which four are sacred” (9:36).

These twelve months are Muharram, Safar, Rabi‘ al-Awwal, Rabi‘ al-Thani, Jumada al-Ula, Jumada al-Ukhra, Rajab, Sha‘ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhul Qa‘dah and Dhul Hijjah. The four Sacred Months (alAshhur al-Hurum) are Rajab, Dhul Qa‘dah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram [Bukhari]. The sanctity of these months was also accepted in the Pre-Islamic era when fighting was forbidden.

Determining Islamic Dates Islamic dates are determined by the actual visibility of the moon as the Prophet (SAW) said: “Fast by seeing it (the moon) and end the fast by seeing it” [Bukhari & Muslim]. Muslim scholars have interpreted this Prophetic saying in two different ways.

Some scholars, such as Al- Shafi’i, have held the view that each location has its own sighting of the moon (Ikhtilaf al-Mutali‘) [Sayyid Sabiq: Fiqhus Sunnah 3/112]. But most scholars from the other Schools of Law have taken the words “fast by seeing it” (sumu li ru’yatihi) as a general command to all Muslims and not individual sectors of the community. Hence they regard the sighting of the moon in one region as valid for people of another region, provided the news of sighting the moon reaches them through authentic means [Ibn

L E T T E R S Letter : Continued from pg 6 initiatives to make their environment more welcoming and safe. This is a great educational tool for professionals dealing with children and adolescents.

“A Journey to Action” will be shown at the Richmond Olympic Oval on Wednesday, November 21 at 6:30 PM. Admission is free. However, as the seats are limited, interested individuals are requested to contact Stefanie at RMCS (stefanie@rmcs.bc.ca) phone: 604248-0433.

Multilingualism in Canada

&

Taymiyyah: Majmu‘ah Fatawa 5/111].

Muharram This is the first month of the Islamic Calendar and one of the four Sacred Months (alAshhur al- Hurum). It is recommended to fast during this month as there is a Hadith which says: “The best fast, after Ramadan, is in the month of Muharram” [Muslim].

This may be an indirect reference to ‘Ashura and not to Muharram in general because, according to Sayyidah Aisha R.A, the Prophet (SAW) fasted most in Sha‘ban after Ramadan [Bukhari & Muslim].

Significance of the Hijrah for Muslims Muharram heralds the beginning of the Islamic Calendar. The Hijrah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his Companions (Sahabah) from Makkah to Madinah was much more than a simple migration. It was a turning point in the history of Islam. It was a revolution and complete transformation of society. The Muhajirun (emigrants) of Makkah gave up their family, property and homeland for the sake of religion and the Ansar (helpers) of Madinah welcomed them with great hospitality. Thus a unique brotherhood (mu’akhah) was created between them, hitherto unknown in human history.

By highlighting the Hijrah, Muslims will re-affirm their need to be in a state where they can practice their religion and make the necessary sacrifices to achieve that aim, including emigration. Hijrah also has a deep spiritual significance where Muslims

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.172 Narrated by Aisha Ashura’ (i.e. the tenth of Muharram) was a day on which the tribe of Quraish used to fast in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance. The Prophet (saws) also used to fast on this day. So when he (saws) migrated to Medina, he fasted on it and ordered (the Muslims) to fast on it. When the fasting of Ramadan was enjoined, it became optional for the people to fast or not to fast on the day of Ashura.

commit themselves to leave the state of disbelief (kufr) and sin to enter that of Islam and piety. That is why the Prophet (SAW) said: “The best emigrant (Muhajir) is the one who leaves what Allah has forbidden” [Bukhari] Although the practical usage of the Islamic Calendar is increasingly diminishing, nevertheless the foundation of many acts of worship such as Zakah, Sawm and Hajj revolve around this calendar and it is one of the hallmarks (shi‘ar) of Islam that differentiates Muslims from other communities. Undoubtedly, there is a great need for Muslims to reaffirm their cultural heritage by using the Islamic Calendar on a regular basis and not just during Ramadan and Eid.

Welcome Back to all

Hajjaj and Congratulations Miracle Media would like to congratulate all the Hajj groups returning to their homes after recently performing Hajj in 1433H. These included groups led by Maulana Abdul Lateef Naumani, Qari Abdul Wahib, Falcon travel with Maulana Zafar, Comet Travel with Shehab El Babari and many others. Allah (swt) accept all their Hajj and Duaa.(Ameen) O P I N I O N S demographics of this nation have changed drastically, yet both of Canada’s official languages continue to do well.

These latest figures present a good snapshot of Canada’s cultural and linguistic diversity.

This country is now home to almost every language and community around the globe which should be a matter of great pride for every Canadian. Certainly, we should be

proud of our mother language. However, at the same time, it is important to recognize that despite such a linguistic diversity, English and French are the official languages of this country. As such, it is incumbent upon each one of us to make an Ernest effort in becoming fluent in at least one of the two official languages. This is the glue that binds us all to-gather as Canadians.

By: B. Sanghera, Richmond Recently announced findings of Statistics Canada indicate that Canada has now become not only a truly multicultural but also a multilingual one. Out of more than 200 different languages spoken all over Canada, 179 are spoken right here in our own backyard-Metro Vancouver.

Interestingly, 22 of these languages have less than 1,000 speakers. In this regard two of the ethnic minorities From November 16 - 30, 2012 (Muharrum 2 - 16, 1434H) stand out. These are the communities Isha Muhar JJuNov Day Fajar Sunr Zawal Dhuhr Asar Maghrib of South Asian and Chinese heritage.

6:03 Fri 5:54 2 16 7:24 11:57 12:02 2:43 4:33 Both of these communities number By: Gulshan Aalani, Vancouver 6:02 Sat 5:55 4:32 3 17 7:25 11:57 12:02 2:42 more than one million each and are It is sad to know that some evil mischief6:01 12:02 Sun 11:57 2:41 4:31 4 18 7:26 5:56 makers desecrated the War Memorial with also the largest linguistic groups in 6:00 4:30 5 19 Mon 5:58 7:28 11:58 12:03 2:40 the hateful message with the name of Allah. Canada other than English and French.

This doesn’t mean that Canada’s two 5:59 12:03 Tue 11:58 2:39 4:29 6 20 7:30 6:00 It is believed to be the hate crime and the offi cial languages-English and French5:58 12:03 Wed 11:58 2:38 4:28 7 21 7:31 6:01 work of Muslims. are under any threat.

5:57 I request: let us not jump to conclusion, be4:27 8 22 Thu 6:02 7:32 11:58 12:03 2:37 fore we can prove it. I very much doubt this According to the Census 2011 figures, 5:56 Fri 6:04 4:26 9 23 7:34 11:58 12:03 2:36 Canada’s population was 33,476,688 as hate crime is by any Muslim, but believe 5:55 12:04 Sat 2:35 4:25 10 24 7:36 11:59 6:06 of May, 2011. It indicated that 22 milstronglythat this is the work of non-Mus5:54 4:24 11 25 Sun 6:07 7:37 11:59 12:04 2:34 lion residents of Canada spoke English lims hateful of Islam and Muslims, trying 5:53 12:04 Mon 11:59 2:33 4:23 12 26 7:38 6:08 whereas 28.4 million had a working to create hatred and fight among us, and 5:52 4:22 13 27 Tue 6:10 7:40 11:59 12:04 2:32 knowledge of English. French, the othtrying to put Muslims in trouble. er offi cial language of Canada, is the 5:51 12:05 Wed 12:00 2:31 4:21 14 28 7:42 6:12 If at all it is the work of any Muslim, the language spoken by 7 million Canadi5:51 12:05 Thu 12:00 2:31 4:21 15 29 7:43 6:13 only thing I can say is ‘Shame’, and apoloans.

However, there are 10 million who gize to the Veterans, and pray to GOD to 5:50 Fri 6:14 4:20 16 30 7:44 12:00 12:05 2:31 have working knowledge of French. give them courage to ignore the ignorant These statistics indicate that though the For such Prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times: Quran ,n 4:103 Source: BCMA ones.

Desecrated the War Memorial

8

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

f a i t h

The Month of “Muharram”

By: Shaikh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid Allah’s sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and important month. It is the first month of the Hijri calendar and is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning: “Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein.” [al-Tawbah 9:36] Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumaada and Sha’baan.” (Reported by al-Bukhari, 2958).

Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (Muharram) month and to confirm its sanctity.

Allah’s words (interpretation of the meaning): “so wrong not yourselves therein.” mean do not wrong yourselves in these sacred months, because sin in these months is worse than in other months.

It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said that this phrase (so wrong not yourselves therein.) referred to all the months, then these four were singled out and made sacred, so that sin in these months is more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward.

Qutaadah said concerning this phrase (so wrong not yourselves therein.) that wrong-

doing during the sacred months is more serious and more sinful that wrongdoing at any other time. Wrongdoing at any time is a serious matter, but Allah gives more weight to whichever of His commands He will.

Allah has chosen certain ones of His creation. He has chosen from among the angels Messengers and from among mankind Messengers. He chose from among speech the remembrance of Him (dhikr). He chose from among the earth the mosques, from among the months Ramadhan and the sacred months, from among the days Friday and from among the nights Laylat al-Qadr, so venerate that which Allah has told us to venerate. People of understanding and wisdom venerate the things that Allah has told us to venerate. (Summarized from the Tafsir of Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy on him. Tafsir of Surat al-Tawbah, ayah 36).

The Virtue of observing more naafil fasts during Muharram Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadhan is fasting Allah’s month of Muharram.’” (reported by Muslim, 1982).

The phrase “Allah’s month”, connecting the name of the month to the name of Allah in a genitive grammatical structure, signifies the importance of the month. Al-Qaari said: “The apparent meaning is all of the month of Muharram.” But it was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never fasted any whole month apart from Ramadan, so this hadeeth

is probably meant to encourage increasing one’s fasting during Muharram, without meaning that one should fast for the entire month.

It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast more in Sha’baan. It is likely that the virtue of Muharram was not revealed to him until the end of his life, before he was able to fast during this month. (Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Sahih Muslim).

Allah chooses whatever times and places He wills Al-’Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Times and places may be given preferred status in two ways, either temporal or religious/spiritual.

With regard to the latter, this is because Allah bestows His generosity on His slaves at those times or in those places, by giving a greater reward for deeds done, such as giving a greater reward for fasting in Ramadhan than for fasting at all other times, and also on the day of ‘Aashooraa’, the virtue of which is due to Allah’s generosity and kindness towards His slaves on that day.”

(Qawaa’id al-Ahkaam, 1/38).

The virtues of fasting ‘Aashooraa’ Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of ‘Aashooraa’, and this month, meaning Ramadhan.” (Reported by al-Bukhari, 1867).

The meaning of his being keen was that he intended to fast on that day in the hope of

earning the reward for doing so.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “For fasting the day of ‘Aashooraa’, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.”

(Reported by Muslim, 1976). This is from the bounty of Allah towards us: for fasting one day He gives us expiation for the sins of a whole year. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty.

Which day is ‘Aashooraa’?

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “ ‘Aashooraa’ is the tenth day of Muharram. This is the opinion of Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyib and al-Hasan. It was what was reported by Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded us to fast ‘Aashooraa’, the tenth day of Muharram.’

(Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said, a sahih Hasan hadeeth). It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said: ‘The ninth,’ and reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast the ninth. (Reported by Muslim). ‘Ataa’ reported that he said, ‘Fast the ninth and the tenth, and do not be like the Jews.’ If this is understood, we can say on this basis that it is mustahabb (encouraged) to fast on the ninth and the tenth, for that reason. This is what Ahmad said, and it is the opinion of Ishaq.”

On this basis it may be said that there are varying degrees of fasting ‘Aashooraa’, the least of which is to fast only on the tenth and the best of which is to fast the ninth as well. The more one fasts in Muharram, the better it is.

9

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Ayyaz at Crystal @ York Banquet Hall

Real Estate Consultant (Realtor)

604-839-7863 ayyazrealtor@gmail.com

info@amexrealty.ca

14865 62A Ave., Surrey MLS # F1217668 $649,900

45-12778 66 Ave.,Surrey MLS # F1224851 $290,000

6474 131A Ave., Surrey MLS # F1224976 $499,900

“Beauty” Brand New 3 level house with Mountain view, 6 Bedroom 5 washroom, master has Jacuzzi, spice kitchen, granite counters, double garage, legal 2 bedroom legal basement suite, price incl HST “MUST SEE” TURN YOUR DREAM INTO AN ADDRESS

NEW LISTING End Unit town house,end unit, air conditioned well kept, kitchen island, stainless appliances, walking distance to transit, school, shopping.

NEW LISTING Great Location, 1757 Sq Ft.,2 level home on 6500 sq.ft. Lot in cul de sac 5 bedrooms 3 bathrooms, new roof, new paint and carpet.

Free Appraisal and Legal Fees

TERMS Our Rates*

1 Year 2.69%

3 Year 2.75%

5 Year 2.94%

5 yrs Variable 2.65% * Rates are subject to change without notice

Ayyaz

AMP

Senior Mortgage Consultant

* * * * *

Purchase Renewal Pre Approval 1st & 2nd Mortgages Self Employed

* * * *

New Immigrants Debts Consolidation Construction/Renovations Commercial Mortgage

Surrey Office: 115-13740 72A Avenue, Surrey BC V3W 1N5 Vancouver Office: 6241 Fraser Street, Vancouver BC V3W 3A2

604-839-7863 ~

ayyazshums@shaw.ca ~ www.a2zmortgage.ca

10

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

s p e c i a l

USCIRF Deeply Concerned by Emerging Religious Freedom Violations in Ethiopia

By: Hassen Yassien The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is deeply concerned about the increasing deterioration of religious freedoms for Muslims in Ethiopia. Since July 2011, the Ethiopian government has sought to force a change in the sect of Islam practiced nationwide and has punished clergy and laity who have resisted. Muslims throughout Ethiopia have been arrested during peaceful protests: On October 29, the Ethiopia government charged 29 protestors with terrorism and attempting to establish an Islamic state.

“These charges are only the latest and most concerning attempt by the Ethiopian government to crush opposition to its efforts to control the practice of religion by imposing on Ethiopian Muslims a specific interpretation of Islam,” said USCIRF Commissioner Azizah al-Hibri. “The individuals charged were among tens of thousands peacefully protesting the government’s violations of international standards and their constitutional right to religious freedom. The Ethiopian government should cease interfering in the internal affairs of its Muslim community and immediately and unconditionally release those wrongfully imprisoned.”

Since July 2011, the Ethiopian government has sought to impose the al-Ahbash Islamic sect on the country’s Muslim community, a community that traditionally has practiced the Sufi form of Islam. The government also has manipulated the election of the new leaders of the Ethiopia Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC). Previously viewed as an independent body, EIASC is now viewed as a government-controlled

institution. The arrests, terrorism charges and takeover of EIASC signify a troubling escalation in the government’s attempts to control Ethiopia’s Muslim community and provide further evidence of a decline in religious freedom in Ethiopia.

“The U.S. government should raise with the new leadership in Addis Ababa the importance of abiding by Ethiopia’s own constitution and international standards on freedom of religion of belief. USCIRF has found that repressing religious communities in the name of countering extremism leads to more extremism, greater instability, and possibly violence,” said USCIRF Chair Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett. “Given Ethiopia’s strategic importance in the Horn of Africa and that Muslims account for more than one-third of all Ethiopians, it is vital that the Ethiopian government end its religious freedom abuses and allow Muslims to practice peacefully their faith as they see fit. Otherwise, the government’s current policies and practices will lead to greater destabilization of an already volatile region.”

Background Ethiopian Muslims traditionally are Sufis.

Article 27 of the Ethiopian constitution guarantees religious freedom and “the independence of the state from religion.”

However, due to a concern about the rise of Wahhabism in Ethiopia, the government in July 2011 brought al-Ahbash imams from Lebanon to train Ethiopian imams and Islamic school educators on that sect’s beliefs to teach their students and worshippers. The government dismissed from their positions those who refused to be trained

Female Instructor also available

Bookkeeping | Accounting | Taxation | Advisory Services • Bookkeeping with Payroll • Personal and Corporate Tax returns • Financial Statements/Notice to Reader • Assurance Engagements • Trust account Audit • Consulting/Advisory

216-20226 Fraser Highway Langley Phone/Fax: 604-510-4833 Email: ahmad@malikcga.ca Website: malikcga.ca

in or teach al-Ahbash and closed mosques and schools. Beginning in December 2011, protests have been held almost every Friday outside of mosques after prayers.

While these demonstrations have taken en place nationwide, they are centered att the Awalia Mosque and Islamic school ol in Addis Ababa.

As the protests continued, an Arbitration Committee of 17 Islamic leaders was created this past spring to negotiate with the government about: 1) respecting the Ethiopian constitution’s guarantees of religious freedom; 2) ending government imposition osition of al-Ahbash on Ethiopian Muslims, while allowing al-Ahbash to operate equally with other religious communities; 3) re-opening and returning schools and mosques to their original imams and administrators; and 4) holding new elections for the EIASC, and having these elections take place in mosques, rather than in neighborhood government community centers, to ensure that the community’s selections would be honored.

By July, the negotiations had failed and the protests increased in both size and frequency. In response, the Ethiopian government started to crack down on and intimidate the demonstrators, surrounding them with armed guards and conducting house-to-house searches. Between July 13 and 21, the government arrested all 17 members of the Arbitration Committee and at least 70 protestors. (While the government has confirmed 70 people were arrested, demonstrators place the number in the hundreds). Human rights organizations reported that the police used excessive

force against individuals during the arrests and while in detention. While many were released after being held for a short time, nine of the Arbitration Committee members remain in jail.

The charges the government leveled on October 29 were the first issued against any of the arrested protestors, including the nine Arbitration Committee members who were not released with their colleagues in July. The individuals charged were first detained and held in Maikelwai federal police detention center, which frequently houses political prisoners and is known for abusing prisoners, including torturing them during interrogations. The individuals detained also were charged under the nation’s antiterror law which has been used to target dissent, rather than to stop terrorism.

Protestors now hold up yellow or white placards to signal that they are peaceful and to condemn the arrests and charges.

While the demonstrations largely have been peaceful, there have been a few violent incidents: On October 21, 2011 four Muslims were killed as they stormed a jail attempting to free protestors and in April 2012 five people were killed protesting the dismissal of an imam who refused to propagate al-Ahbash.

11

s p e c i a l

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

A day of Remembrance

Every year on November 11, Canadians pause in a silent moment of remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace. We honour those who fought for Canada in the First World War (1914-1918), the Second World War (1939-1945), and the Korean War (1950-1953), as well as those who have served since then. More than 1,500,000 Canadians have served our country in this way, and more than 100,000 have died. They gave their lives and their futures so that we may live in peace.

We must remember. If we do not, the sacrifice of those one hundred thousand Canadian lives will be meaningless. They died for us, for their homes and families and friends, for a collection of traditions they cherished and a future they believed in; they died for Canada. The meaning of their sacrifice rests with our collective national consciousness; our future is their monument.1 These wars touched the lives of Canadians of all ages, all races, all social classes.

Fathers, sons, daughters, sweethearts: they were killed in action, they were wounded, and thousands who returned were forced to live the rest of their lives with the physical and mental scars of war. The people who stayed in Canada also served - in factories, in voluntary service organizations, wherever they were needed.

Yet for many of us, war is a phenomenon seen through the lens of a television camera or a journalist's account of fighting in distant parts of the world. Our closest physical and emotional experience may be the discovery of wartime memorabilia in a family attic.

But even items such as photographs, uniform badges, medals, and diaries can seem vague and unconnected to the life of their owner. For those of us born during peacetime, all wars seem far removed from our daily lives.

We often take for granted our Canadian values and institutions, our freedom to participate in cultural and political events, and our right to live under a government of our choice. The Canadians who went off to war in distant lands went in the belief that the values and beliefs enjoyed by Canadians were being threatened. They truly believed that "Without freedom there can be no ensuring peace and without peace no enduring freedom."2 By remembering their service and their sacrifice, we recognize the tradition of freedom these men and women fought to preserve. They believed that their actions in the present would make a significant difference for the future, but it is up to us to ensure that their dream of peace is realized.

On Remembrance Day, we acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of those who served their country and acknowledge our responsibility to work for the peace they fought hard to achieve.

During times of war, individual acts of heroism occur frequently; only a few are ever recorded and receive official recognition.

By remembering all who have served, we recognize their willingly-endured hardships and fears, taken upon themselves so that we could live in peace.

Whom Do We Remember As the artillerymen swung three abreast down Main Street, traffic stopped and people watched from the sidewalks. Some stood in silence. A few wept. Some cheered a bit or called out to soldiers they knew - to an officer who had for years devoted his spare time to the militia battery, to a genial giant from the slums, to a farmboy from Taylor Village, to a man with a police record, to a teenager leaving the prettiest girl in town.3 When war has come, time and again Canadians have been quick to volunteer to serve their country. From farms, small towns and large cities across the country, men and

women signed up, motivated by reasons like patriotism, ideological belief, family tradition, the seeking of adventure, or just to escape unemployment. They join Canada's war effort prepared to defend, to care for the wounded, to prepare materials of war, and to provide economic and moral support.

War has always meant death, destruction, and absence from loved ones. But in the initial surge of patriotic fervour, these play a secondary role. For the men and women who rally to support their nation's cause, the threats of war seem far away and unreal.

For example, in the fall of 1914, as the First Contingent of Canadians left the shelter of the St. Lawrence for the open Atlantic, some of the realities came into focus. Nursing Sister Constance Bruce wrote: Those who came forward had not stopped to count the cost, for the excitement was thrilling, the lottery alluring, and the cause glorious; but now that the confusion was passed, and the fulfilment of vows alone remained to be faced, things took on a more sombre aspect ....4 How could they have known that four long years of death and destruction were ahead?

Again, in 1939 when the mobilization orders came for the Second World War, Canadians flocked to enlist. The new troops included Veterans of earlier wars, boys still in high school, and thousands of unemployed. The recruits came from many regions and from varied backgrounds. Eighteen-year-old Aubrey Cosens, a railway section hand at Porquis Junction, Ontario, was rejected by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), but did get into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Robert Gray joined the Navy as soon as he graduated from the University of British Columbia. John Foote, a 35-year-old Presbyterian minister, joined the chaplain corps. All were typical Canadians and all distinguished themselves by winning the Victoria Cross.

Even while immersed in the brutality of the war, some men take time to question the forces that bring the hostility between countries to such terrible ends, and to ask whether life can ever return to normal. Donald Pearce wrote these words from a front line dugout: When will it all end? The idiocy and the tension, the dying of young men, the destruction of homes, of cities, starvation, exhaustion, disease, children parentless and lost, cages full of shivering, starving prisoners, long lines of civilians plodding through mud, the endless pounding of the battle-line.

5 Those who experienced the blood and carnage of battle believed that their efforts had made the world a safer place. Yet only a few years after the end of the Second World War, Canadians were again called to uphold the cause of peace and freedom. From 1950 to 1955, Canadian men and women served under the United Nations flag in Korea. They included new recruits as well as Veterans from the previous war. Along with various army units, the navy and the air force provided vital support and endured months of hardship in the hope of maintaining world peace.

Since the end of the overt hostilities in Korea more than 50 years ago, Canadian soldiers have come to play a different, yet essential, role on the world stage. Our commitment and skills as peacekeepers has gained Canada respect and influence the world over.

For all of these conflicts fought in far-off lands, there is much to remember. Foremost are the people, the men and women who served wherever they were needed. They faced difficult situations bravely and brought honour to themselves, to their loved ones and to their country. They were ordinary Canadians who made extraordinary sacrifices.

Source: Veterans Affairs Canada

Premier’s statement on Remembrance Day “Each year on Remembrance Day, we say thank you to all those who gave their lives for our country, for our freedom.

“It is when we pay silent tribute to the names of those etched in stone in cities large and small so generations who follow remember the price of their duty.

“It is when we honour all those who served - in conflicts past and current - and have returned home to towns, villages and cities across British Columbia, their service complete. “As Canadians, we have never sought conflict but always rise to the occasion when asked to defend our ideals.

“We know and appreciate what a special place we call home, where differences are

settled with ballots and not bullets, where tolerance binds us together and fear does not tear us apart.

“On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we join together to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives and those who suffered the ravages of war on our behalf.

“Time may make the service of so many seem a distant memory, but that is their lasting gift, a peace that endures, a belief in democracy and a spirit that won’t die.

Let us never forget.”

New Democrat leader Adrian Dix in commemoration of Remembrance Day “We honour the courage and sacrifice of our veterans and the many Canadians who serve today in our armed forces and merchant marines.

“Their willingness to serve and to sacrifice is the ultimate guarantee of the fundamental rights and values we hold so dear and for that we all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude.

“Over the course of two world wars, the Korean War, peacekeeping missions and in Afghanistan, more than 100,000 Canadians from all manner of backgrounds have given their lives and countless others have been wounded, often severely.

“As we gather in our communities, our enduring commitment remains never to forget the

selflessness of those who have sacrificed on our behalf.

“But our gratitude must be shown in more than the observation of a day of remembrance, as important as that may be - we must also insist that veterans, armed service personnel and their families have access to the supports and services they so richly deserve.

“The most meaningful way we can show our gratitude is by ensuring none is left struggling after their contribution to our greater good.”

Newborn and Children Circumcision (Khatna) Dr. Kim-Sing is a practicing Pediatrician in Burnaby with over 20 years of experience.

The Circumcision is performed under local anesthetic and virtually complication free.

For appointment and inquiry Contact Dr. Malcolm Kim-Sing, MB, FRCP

604-433-5750 108-3825 Sunset Street, Burnaby, B.C V5G 1T4

12

p o l i t i c s

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

What does President Obama’s re-election mean for us?

By Yasser Latif Hamdani Pakistan is likely to remain a very important part of Obama’s foreign policy agenda in his next term Pakistan was the only country amongst 21 countries surveyed that preferred Governor Mitt Romney over President Barack Hussein Obama in the US election. It may well be a commentary on the resentment Pakistanis feel towards drone attacks but it is also indicative of a naiveté that our so-called intelligentsia and opinion makers have about the world that we live in. Unfortunately, many of the famous journalists, especially those known for their patronage of the water car, deliberately skew the public opinion in a way that makes it impossible for the ordinary Pakistani to form an informed opinion. It is therefore not surprising that most Pakistanis are oblivious of what is best for their own interests.

Anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of global politics could tell that out of the two candidates, President Obama remains the far better option for Pakistan.

For the first time in 65 years, it is plainly obvious that the Americans are engaging ordinary Pakistanis instead of meeting the suits and uniforms behind closed doors. Its various diplomatic missions are investing in education and capacity building of Pakistani businessmen, farmers, lawyers, writers and journalists. Today more than ever, American diplomats in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi want to engage with and listen to the various points of view that Pakistanis

hold. Under the Obama administration, the US understands that this country of 180 million people, primarily Muslims, with a democratically elected government about to complete its term against all odds and an increasingly independent judiciary, requires a strategic and not tactical engagement. This is a paradigmatic shift and we must recognise it. Had Romney been elected, much of this would be brought to a complete halt. At the very least, it would be months before a working relationship could be worked out.

In terms of the global situation, President Obama is our best bet in averting a regional crisis. In the coming months he will enter into direct talks with Iran over the nuclear crisis. His victory has already upset the Israeli rightwing and strengthened the Israeli centre-left considerably. This paves the way for an honourable and fair solution to the Middle East. Pakistan obviously has an interest in seeing that the Iran crisis does not blow up into open hostilities, with Pakistan being forced to choose sides. In 2014, the Americans will get out of Afghanistan, bringing to an end the war there. Mr Obama is also — if you look at his statements carefully — the most sympathetic US president on the issue of Kashmir. Obviously, the US’s major interests in India stop him from coming out in the open and saying it but he did say it four years ago that the solution to Afghanistan lay in resolving Kashmir. Mr Obama will back any IndiaPakistan reconciliation and a peaceful and just solution to all outstanding problems.

Not everything is hunky dory of course but on our part, we need to recognise that most of our anxiety arises out of our own terrible failings. If even today Pakistan decides to put its own house in order, we will find a

more sympathetic audience in Washington.

To do this Pakistan must tread the path of secular democracy — even with a Muslim majority — that it was originally intended to be, because every other experiment has failed. Indeed that is the key to Pakistan’s survival as an honourable, sovereign and self-respecting nation standing tall in the comity of nations.

There is, however, some cause for concern over the way the Obama administration has engaged the greater Islamic world in general and the Arab world in particular. The US should recognise that its Arab Spring policy has exploded badly. The US had rushed in to support what it saw as a great people’s movement without considering the darker forces the Arab Spring was bound to release. As a result of this naïve policy, we now see reactionary religious clerics and hard-boiled Salafis taking over the once moderate states of Egypt and Tunisia. The Arab Spring in Libya has already proved very costly for the Americans. In Syria, the US has again chosen to back the wrong horse. In all these places, the solution lay in pressurising the secular regimes to democratise themselves and complete the process of transition from authoritarian republicanism to a democratic polity. It required patience and understanding on the part of the Americans but they were found wanting.

The US as the lone superpower, though on decline in terms of influence, still has a role

to play in the Muslim world. It must support, unwaveringly, those forces and people who want to see their countries develop as egalitarian and pluralistic states respecting human rights, women’s rights and minorities’ rights. In Pakistan especially the US needs to back the democratic government and a peaceful constitutional transition that is coming in the next few months. Pakistan, much more than Egypt or Tunisia or even Turkey, with its large civil society and a diverse population is going to be a test case for the success of real democracy with all its attendant presumptions, such as a profound respect for fundamental rights, and not electoral democracy alone, in a Muslim majority society this century.

President Obama, this writer suspects, knows this and one hopes that in the coming four years we would see a more focused cooperation between the Obama administration and the democratic forces in Pakistan. This also means keeping up the pressure on those anti-democratic forces that wish to keep Pakistan mired in periodic authoritarian rule. Pakistan is likely to remain a very important part of Obama’s foreign policy agenda in his next term.

The writer is a lawyer based in Lahore and the author of the book Jinnah; Myth and Reality. He can be contacted via twitter @ therealylh and through his email address yasser.hamdani@gmail.com

HAMED YAYAH 604-716-6450 www.realestatehamed.com hamedyayah27@hotmail.com Omax Realty Ltd. 9287, 120 St., Delta, BC. V4C 6R8

#126 9465 PRINCE CHARLES BV, SURREY G

We repair all makes and models 4 less.

Complete auto repair 4 less!

N TI

S

LI

W NE NEW PRICE $279,900

#36 1170 LANSDOWNE DR, COQUITLAM

Special Offers

Immac, end unit 2-level fully renovated 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom with big private backyard. Awesome quality complex-PERFECT for the growing family. Large kitchen with extra eating area. This fine unit has it all... new paint, fixtures,flooring, Fully renovated bathroom... too long to list - you MUST see! Very functional and well laid out plan with large rooms, Walk to shopping, schools, transit, good for commuters... all round BEST buy in the area. Call today - as this will sell fast.

Transmission & Engine Replacement (From $300 & up)

$339,900 6738 150B ST, SURREY

Must see 3 Level home located in a quiet cul-de-Sac. This exceptional 6800 sqft lot. Featuring all of the best, including 7 bedrooms, den on main, 6 bathrooms, Games room, extra wok/spice kitchen, granite counters in the kitchen, All high end finishing, this home has it all, loads of crown mouldings, laminate flooring, pot lights and drop ceilings, High Ceilings in entry, living room areas. One look and you will fall in love, this home shows a 10'. Walk-out daylight basement with (2+1) bdrm suites. There are too many great features to list, so call and come see this beauty for yourself!

$719,000 7622 6TH ST, BURNABY EAST

BEST PRICES ON: • Clutch • New & used tires • Water pumps • Suspension • Special rates on • Cooling system timing belts Business Hours: • Starter • Alternator

One of the best ethnic stores in Town with lots of other options, dry good, from meat etc. Good family Business. Halal meat and grocery store with walking cooler and freezer, Multiple meat machines, and much more. Established business of 5 years.

Located in a great location. 7622 6th ST Burnaby Bc. Price includes inventory plus machinery, a very good family business do not let it go.

$69,000 13437 71A AVE, SURREY

Monday to Friday 9:30am-6:00pm Friday (Closed for Juma Prayer) Saturday 11 - 6 pm Sunday By Appointment only

Unit 113-12465-82nd Ave. Surrey, BC Contact Muhammad or Amir @ 604-572-7861

Like NEW fully renovated 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom with big private backyard! Awesome quality complex with rec center - PERFECT for the growing family. This fine unit has NEW everything... seriously, new paint, fixtures, granite new kitchen countertops, flooring, fully renovated bathrooms... too long a list - you MUST see! Very functional and well laid out plan with large rooms, stylish wood burning fireplace feature. Walk to shopping, schools, transit, good for commuters.... all around BEST buy in the area. Call today - as this will sell fast.

G

N TI

S

W

NE

LI

$850,000

5277 sqft. of light commercial land located in high traffic area.

The property has redevelopment potential for a more intensive commercial use. Currently building is being used as an appliances sales / repair facility. (Ray’s Appliances Service Centre) Owner would like to sell property with business which includes all inventory / goodwill. Approx. $200,000 worth of parts and appliances.

19/10

13

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

s p e c i a l

United Nations names Nov 10 as ‘Malala Day’

By R.C. Puri There is a heart-warming news that the United Nations has declared November 10 as ‘Malala Day’ in the honour of the Pakistani teenage rights activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban last month for campaigning for the girls’ education even at the face of the grave threat to her life, which ultimately proved true when she was fired a by the Taliban on her returning home from the school. At present, her medical treatment is going on in a Great Britain hospital and she has shown much improvement there.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Envoy for Global Education, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, has said November 10 has been declared Malala Day. November 10th was declared as Malala Day, a global event showing the world that people of all creeds; all sexes, all backgrounds and all countries stand behind Malala,” Brown said.

“We are Malala - This is Malala day. The world needs to walk in the footsteps of this girl of courage. Malala Yousafzai has

become a global icon of hope, an international symbol of courage, a school girl who has won the hearts of millions through her bravery”.

“Malala’s dream is a Pakistan where she, her friends and future generations of girls could attend school, walk freely into a classroom, learn and reach their full potential.”

The UN chief said citizens from across the globe are speaking out for Yousafzai and on behalf of the 61 million children who do not go to school.

“I am adding my voice to the messages from over one million people across the globe. Education is a fundamental human right. It is a pathway to development, tolerance and global citizenship,” Ban said in a brief video message posted on the UN website.

He called the international community to join the UN campaign to put education first “for Malala and girls and boys throughout the world”.

Events were organised in over 100 countries, from the UK and USA to Mexico, India, Australia and Sierra Leone, besides Pakistan, the native country of Malala, to mark the day.

In the UK where there were host of local events, the most poignant event in Lozells, Birmingham, only a few miles away from Malala’s hospital.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Britain’s Senior Minister of State at the Foreign Office and Minister for faith and communities, hailed Malala Yousufzai’s inspirational activism ahead of Malala Day. Baroness Warsi, said: “Through her inspirational activism Malala has bravely highlighted the need for education to be accessible to all children in Pakistan. Education is the single most important factor that can transform Pakistan’s

Za’s FotoXpress CAPTURE YOUR MEMORIES FOREVER

future.” Thousands of people from across the world have signed a global petition calling for her to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Onus is very hefty on the government of Pakistan to ensure the fear-free access to Malala Yousafzai and thousands other students of her gender, predominantly because of the reason that the country is very critically affected by the infection of inhouse terrorism and the Federal as well as the provincial governments of the country have not been able to counter this menace meritoriously, despite using their possible measures. Should the government of Pakistan seriously endeavor to translate into actuality its cherished dream of providing access of hundreds of thousands of the girls like Malala Yousafzai to the school and wide open the doors of the schools to them for the mental awakening of their minds through the light of the education, it has no option, save to treat the Taliban as the antagonists of Islam and the country and deal with them with the iron hands. The coast to coast government of Pakistan ought not to shy away to deploy the army even for the complete annihilation of the menace of the Taliban from its soil. Pakistan’s immediate threat is not from across the borders, but it is from within, where the suicide bombers sprinkle the human blood almost every day in one violent attack or the other. It is, therefore, imperative for the government of Pakistan to adopt forthwith the most effective and eloquent measures for smashing the heads of the most venomous snakes, crawling freely and with impunity in its courtyard.

There is cheering news, both at the internet and the media that strenuous effort is under way for the award of the Nobel Prize of Peace to this budding crusader of female

education and demonstrating extraordinary courage, even at the grave risk to her life and wellbeing. When United Nations has dedicated November 10 to this adolescent girl of par-excellent bravery, it is all the more significant that Malala Yousafzai must be bestowed with the Nobel Prize of Peace, as campaigned world-wide. It is worthwhile that every individual with a sane head on his shoulder, no matter to which country or religion he belongs to, must not shy away to sign the online petition that has been put on the internet.

Since bestowing the Noble Prize of Peace to Malala Yousafzai is a matter of great veneration and honor to the Islamic Nation of Pakistan itself, it is the national responsibility of Pakistani origin not only to sign the petition himself, but persuade the others also in his circle for following the suit.

It is heartening to note that over 30, 000 people across the globe have signed the petition so far. “‘Impossible’ is the word to be found in the dictionary of the fools.” said Napoleon Bonaparte. Let us honestly expect that the purport of the said quotation proves true and this little icon of bravery and female education Malala is sumptuously bestowed with the most prestigious Noble Prize of Peace. Should this prize is awarded to her, then of course Malala Yousafzai will be able to scribe new-fangled history of getting the said prize of the international fame at the tender age of 15 years, which is, for sure, no a diminutive achievement of her in any case. On the contrary, it is great honor to her motherland (Pakistan) as well, that one of her child was able to climb so high owing to her firm and undeterred determination. with inputs from the Tribune India.

All Occasions Photography

ZFX

( 877 992 6699 ( 604 762 7279

Event Planning Slide Show Presentation

: zasfotoxpress.com

25% OFF with this coupon

Party Decoration Personalize Invitation card

BULLAY SHAH ACADEMY OF CANADA Do you suffer from any of the following? depression , anxiety, fear/phobia, overweight problem Pir Afzal Ahmed Naqashbandi smoking/alcohol addiction, lack of confidence, relationship S.R. Pirzada Syed Wali Hussain Shah Astana-e-Alia Shahenshah-e-Weelayt

Hazrat Qiblah-Sheik-ul-Hadith Gujrat-Pakistan We invite brothers & sisters every last Saturday of the month for the Holy Darse Quran @ 6:00pm

Visit Us at:- Club House of Mandley Village Unit 33, 12110 75A Ave. Surrey.

Tel/Fax: 604-592-9416 , Cell: 604-760-0096

/sex problem, insomnia, peace of mind, nail biting & more

If the answer is YES, help is here … Call now Dr.Aftab Iqbal Ph.D(UK), RCCH, MCH(Canada)

Certified Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapist BC(Canada).

Board Director: (ARCH)Canada, Member: (IMDHA)USA

Office: #203, 2828 152nd St, South Surrey /White Rock Tel:604-502-9716 (C)778-712-9716 for appointment No medicine-No side effects. Confidentiality Guaranteed

14

i m m i g r a t i o n

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Kenney addresses regulators conference on need to help newcomers

November 8, The Government of Canada needs the cooperation of regulators to help trained newcomers find meaningful work in Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said.

“Our Government’s top priorities are job creation, economic growth and long-term prosperity,” said Minister Kenney, speaking to the Canadian Network of National Associations of Regulators Conference. “Attracting and retaining the best international talent to fill skills shortages in key occupations is critical to Canada’s economic success.

Our regulatory partners are vital to ensuring newcomers can start work-

ing in their fields faster.”

The Government of Canada has worked with provincial and territorial governments, and the regulatory community to improve foreign credential recognition. In 2010, service standards were established allowing internationally trained professionals in eight priority occupations to have their qualifications assessed within one year, anywhere in Canada. The Government of Canada is currently improving foreign qualification recognition for six more target occupations.

Earlier this year, Minister Kenney and the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources

and Skills Development Canada, launched a three-year pilot project that will develop and test innovative projects to provide financial assistance, commonly known as microloans, to internationally trained professionals.

This past spring, Minister Kenney announced a proposed new requirement whereby applicants wanting to immigrate as Federal Skilled Workers will have their foreign education credentials assessed and verified by designated organizations before they arrive in Canada. This is an important step to address the problem of immigrants arriving and not being able to work in their field.

“Our improvements will help immigrants position themselves to succeed in our economy,” said Minister Kenney. “We will continue to work with regulators to improve the process for assessing and recognizing newcomers’ qualifications for licensure in their professions soon after they arrive in Canada. Working together, we can speed up the integration of newcomers into the Canadian labour market.”

Immigration Policy Should Build A Stronger Canada, Not Exploit The Vulnerable

NDP Immigration critic Jinny Sims (Newton – North Delta) is urging the Conservative government to invest in Canadian workers and reunite families instead of under-

mining the Canadian job market by exploiting Temporary Foreign Workers.

“There is no good reason for the Conservatives to be bringing in tens of thousands of temporary foreign workers when so many Canadians and newcomers are out of work,” said Sims. “Temporary workers from other countries drive wages down and are rarely permitted to

remain in Canada. Instead of investing here, they understandably send most of their earnings back to their home countries.”

Under the Conservatives Temporary Foreign Workers number have doubled while family reunification provisions have been systematically dismantled. Spouses, parents and grandparents are being forced to wait years to be reunited.

“Instead of treating the immigration system as a source of cheap labour, the Conservatives must implement an immigration plan that will strengthen our country and our economy,” said Sims. ““We need to see a real plan to reunite families with their loved ones. Families build communities and are the backbone of our country.”

An Immigration System That Works For Canada’s Economy Moving to a Fast, Flexible Just-in-Time Immigration System Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced that by the end of 2013, Canada’s immigration system will be transformed from one that was plagued by backlogs into one that is fast, flexible, and responsive to the labour market.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) announced today it will admit up to 55,300 persons in the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) category in 2013. Combined with previous actions taken to manage the backlog, this means by the end of 2013 we will be able to process new applications as they are received – a “just in time” system – and aim to process them in less than a year, instead of up to eight years under the old FSW program.

In addition, CIC expects to clear the FSW applications received to date by the end of 2014, three years earlier than originally expected.

This will allow for the introduction of an Expression of Interest (EOI) system to be put in place for FSW and possibly other economic immigration streams. CIC is mov-

ing to a just-in-time system that recruits people with the right skills to meet Canada’s labour market needs, fast tracks their applications, and gets them working in a period of months, instead of years.

“The Government’s number one priority remains the economy and job growth,” said Minister Kenney. “Immigration backlogs are detrimental to our ability to attract the world’s top talent. With the decisive actions we’ve taken to tackle the backlog, we will finally be able to select immigrants who better meet the needs of the Canadian labour market.

We will aim to process their applications in less than 12 months.”

The volume of FSW applications has been a longstanding dilemma, since the number of applications received inevitably exceeded the space available within the Immigration Levels Plan each year. As a result, wait times in the FSW program were as high as eight years.

Over the past few years, CIC has taken concrete measures to tackle this problem, including the follow-

ing: • Under the 2008 Action Plan for Faster Immigration, CIC began to limit FSW application intake to priority occupations.

• In 2010, the Department added caps to the number of new applications.

• In June 2012, the Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act eliminated most of the remaining FSW applications received before February 27, 2008.

• In July 2012, CIC issued a temporary pause on new FSW applications, excluding candidates with a qualifying job offer or those applying under the PhD stream.

Taken together, these efforts have dramatically reduced the total number of people waiting in the FSW backlog from a height of 640,000 people in 2008 to ap-

proximately 100,000 today, even with new applications received since the 2008 Action Plan.

“By tackling the backlog to make way for a faster, more flexible just-in-time immigration system, newcomers to Canada will be able to fully participate in the economy more quickly,” said Minister Kenney. “Immigration plays a vital role in our country’s long-term prosperity. By improving our economic immigration system, we can ensure that Canada is competitive on the world stage.”

In 2013, CIC plans to admit between 53,500 to 55,300 Federal Skilled Workers, including their spouses and dependants. CIC intends to lift the current pause on FSW applications in 2013, when the new selection criteria are expected to take effect. The final regulatory changes will be available in the Canada Gazette later this year.

15

special

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Kenney Stop over at Surrey Joins Mobile Business Masjid Al-Hidaya Coquitlam License program

On Nov 10, The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism stopped by Masjid Al-Hidaya in Port Coquitlam. He met with students at the Masjid’s weekend Islamic school, Muslim leaders, and other community members.

The event was also attended by Greg Moore, the Mayor of Port Coquitlam;

Richard Stewart, Mayor of Coquitlam and members of local churches and multifaith groups. Kenney’s visit was to show solidarity with the Muslim community after the Mosque was targetted with piles of bacon and ham thrown at it and scattered on the doorsteps in late September. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime by the RCMP.

Minister of State for Small Business Naomi Yamamoto was joined by nine Fraser Valley municipalities in Surrey today to announce that they have agreed to implement a one-year, inter-municipal, businesslicence pilot, making it easier for businesses to operate in those communities.

The Mobile Business Licence (MBL), also referred to as an Inter-Municipal Business Licence, reduces red tape by allowing mobile businesses to operate in more than one municipality by purchasing one licence, rather than by obtaining non-resident permits in each municipality in which they operate.

The nine Fraser Valley cities worked collaboratively with their Board of Trade and Chamber’s of Commerce to agree to adopt a common city bylaw allowing businesses to purchase an Inter-Municipal Business Licence for specified trades. The cities include: Surrey, Langley, Township of Lang-

ALLIED INSURANCE SERVICES INC.

Fast Efficient And Friendly Service For All Your Insurance Needs

Home • Tenants • Condominium • Business • Travel • Medical • Life • Accident • Sickness We’ve Got You Covered!

DELTA / SURREY Nordel Annex #105 – 12025 Nordel Way (x Scott Rd)

604-596-4588 FLEETWOOD Fleetwood Town Square #103-15988 Fraser Hwy., Surrey

604-572-3311 GUILDFORD Guildford Plaza #60-10330-152nd St., Surrey

604-582-8644 NEWTON Newton Town Centre #121-7135-138th St., Surrey

Open 7 days 9am to 9pm

604-572-9292 NEW WEST/BURNABY

WHALLEY

Burnaby Square #106 – 7885 6th Street, Burnaby

Plaza 102 10235 King George Hwy., Surrey

604-523-0900

604-582-8699

ley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, District of Hope.

Working with local governments to expand the MBL program is a key commitment in the BC Jobs Plan, and these communities implementing an inter-municipal licence reinforces that commitment. The B.C. government plays a supporting role in these agreements, offering assistance with co-ordination of local governments.

“By allowing businesses to obtain one license that can be used in multiple municipalities,” said Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts. “We are cutting red tape, simplifying processes and helping to foster a competitive environment for investment.”

The MBL was successfully piloted in 2007 by 17 communities in the OkanaganSimilkameen, and since then, Sicamous and the Central Okanagan Regional District have joined that group.

16

S k i l l & M o r t g a g e Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Demand of Skilled Trade Professionals in North America: Deciding which trade is right for you

By Imran Tipu, B.Sc. Civil Eng This article is a continuation of my last four articles in which I explained the demand of skilled trade professionals in North America. Today I will discuss the job of heavy construction equipment operator.

Occupation Description Heavy Equipment Operators (HEOs) drive and operate heavy machinery such as loaders, excavators, backhoes, dozers and graders. These machines are used for heavy construction, earth moving, road and bridge building, mining, and forestry. Heavy Equipment Operator is an apprentice able trade in B.C. An apprenticeship is a combination of in-class and on-the-job training that leads to certification as a Heavy Equipment Operator. There are no required certifications or licensing to work in this job, however some experience and education is expected. Many employers prefer workers with experience and a Heavy Equipment Operator Certificate of Qualifications with an endorsement for a specific piece of equipment, and a valid Class 3 or Class 5 Driver’s Licence. Some employers will train and sponsor apprentices on the job.

Working Conditions Heavy Equipment Operators are employed in construction, mining, road building, public works departments, and pipelines, cargo-handling and logging companies.

The standard work week is 40 hours but some jobs may involve rotating shifts and

overtime. Safety precautions and protective equipment such as safety boots, gloves, hard hats, glasses and hearing protection are required. Working environments may consist of noise, dust, dirt and inclement weather. You may sit for long periods on machinery. You might lift items weighing up to 20 kilograms.

Essential Skills Essential skills are the basic workplace abilities you need to succeed on the job.

The most important Essential Skills for Heavy Equipment Operators are: measurement and calculation, numerical estimation, problem solving, and working with others.

English Language Requirements Although there is no formal English language prerequisite to become a Heavy Equipment Operator, you need some reading and comprehension skills in English.

You will need to have a good grasp of industry terminology, and also be able to interact in English in general. Once you begin an apprenticeship or become employed, you must be able to communicate with your sponsor/employer, and co-workers. Your chances of success will be enhanced if your communication and comprehension skills are at a high school or equivalent level. In order to work in this industry, Many of the training programs for Heavy Equipment Operators have language level requirements and each vary in the types of tests they accept and the minimum scores required. For example, one may require TOEFL CBT scores, while others may rely on completion of the Test of Essential Workplace Skills (TOWES) in addition to personal interviews with instructors or a counselor. Alternatively, some training facilities offer a trade’s pre-entry exam in lieu of English language proficiency tests.

Mortgage Watch

By Kazim Jafary, Vancouver A mortgage consumer recently described the cost and work involved to switch lenders either at mid-term or at maturity as ‘mortgage friction’. It is indeed a creative comment which sums up a lot of considerations before the decision of switching a lender. The decision to switch mortgage to another lender is of course aimed at paying less interest and saving money. So the question is if there were savings to be had, how much ‘friction’ would be acceptable by a mortgage holder? The old adage, ‘you can’t get something for nothing’ might apply in this case.

There are countless stories of people willing to pay hundreds of dollars in cancellation fees to switch cellphone service providers, TV cable or home security providers yet when presented with an opportunity to save thousands of dollars; some mortgage holders seem reluctant to put in some effort in exploring their options.

When you add in the fact that most of the big banks routinely charge higher interest rates to existing clients than they do to new ones, mortgage holders would be better served by shopping around at the time of their mortgage renewal. No doubt, the easiest way to shop for the lowest possible rate is to use the services of a mortgage professional. Nev-

ertheless, around 73% of Canadians choose not to, even though, the ones who use a broker save a lot on their mortgages. Those who renew or renegotiate with a mortgage broker report an average rate decrease of 1.4% from the posted rates.

It is interesting to note that while 48% of first-time homebuyers use a mortgage broker only 27% of those refinancing and 21% of those renewing their mortgage use one. At renewal, 88% of mortgage holders remain loyal to their existing lender. So, with a discrepancy of up to 0.4% in interest rate at renewal, why are so many consumers staying loyal to their existing lenders?

In certain situations it might make sense to stay with your original lender, but not always. After all, the mortgage broker offers you the best mortgage product and interest rate at the time of purchase. But some lenders such as FirstLine have now left the market, while others, including your existing lender may have changed their pricing strategies. To know whether changing lenders is right for you it is vital to understand the process and the costs. The number one cost or ‘friction’ is the need to re-qualify.

Most lenders automatically send mortgage renewal offer to their existing good customers. If you need additional funds or plan on transferring or switching to another lender, the new lender will first have to re-qualify you based on your income, liabilities and credit score etc.

When you switch lenders, you or the new lender on your behalf will request a payout statement from the existing lender, in many cases if you choose to work with a mortgage

Apprenticeship The Heavy Equipment Operator apprenticeship is governed by the Industry Training Authority, with qualifications set by industry. The Transportation Career Development Association is the Industry Training Organization responsible for industry- led program and service development and delivery. An apprenticeship requires an employer and sponsor to provide supervised seat time and experience.

A Certificate of Qualification is issued with an Endorsement for specific equipment once the required seat time, and the examination are completed. Required seat time ranges from 200 to 600 hours. Seat time is actually the hands on experience. The following endorsements are available: Articulating Truck Operator, Backhoe Operator, Boom Tractor Operator, Bulldozer Operator Dangle Head Processor Dozer Operator, Excavator Operator, Grader Operator, Grapple Yarder Loader Operator, Log Loader, Track Skidder, Wheel Skidder, tower crane operator Certification Challenge If you are already an experienced Heavy Equipment Operator, you may challenge the Certificate of Qualification examination for Heavy Equipment Operator. To take the challenge exam you must provide proof of work experience on at least one type of machine and the hours worked on that machinery which is also called seat time which we mentioned in the upper section of apprenticeship.

Unions and Organized Labour In B.C., Heavy Equipment Operators are not required to join a union, but there are several labour organizations that do represent Heavy Equipment Operators.

What does a Heavy Equipment Operator do? broker, he can assist you with this process.

There may be a discharge fee and perhaps a penalty on your existing mortgage if you plan to switch mid-term. There are no penalties when a mortgage reaches maturity, however, if you transfer or refinance your mortgage prior to maturity there may be contractual penalties. The prevalent penalties are the Interest Rate Differential (IRD) for fixed rate mortgage and three months interest penalty for adjustable or variable rate mortgage.

These two forms of early payout penalties are the biggest hurdle while considering a switch. With the help of a sound mortgage advice it is quite easy to make a comparison whether it would be beneficial to pay the penalty and switch for savings or not.

Second factor which stops mortgage holders from exploring their options at renewal is the process involved which is more cumbersome than simply signing back a renewal letter from their exiting lender. If they think about switching, a penalty quote may have to be obtained, a payout statement has to be ordered, they might have to pay the discharge fee, payout penalty and an appraisal might also be required. Not every mortgage holder is aware of the fact that there are some instances where the new lender will be willing to bear the cost of legal fees and appraisal etc. So let’s assume that financially it makes sense to switch your mortgage, now let’s compare three scenarios for clarity.

Consider a mortgage with $250,000 loan amount, fixed rate, 5-year term, monthly payments and 25-year amortization. The following numbers are used for illustrative purpose only. Scenario-A, when interest rate is the lowest 3.19% the monthly payment would be $1,207.63 cost of interest over 5-year term $36,918.05 and outstanding

Heavy Equipment Operators use mobile machines and attachments to excavate, grade and landscape earth or move materials and equipment. Some operators work with several types of equipment while others may choose to specialize. The typical roles in this occupation include: • Bulldozer Operators: Operate crawlertractors equipped with large front blades to move obstacles and back rippers to tear up terrain. They clear and level dirt, sand, rock and gravel on construction and mining sites, and push other equipment.

• Back-hoe Operators or Excavators: Use rubber-tired or track equipment to dig holes, trenches and ditches. They load, scoop and dump heavy materials, vibrate and break rock, back-fill excavations, and level slopes.

• Front-end Loader or Power Shovel Operators: Operate rubber-tired or tracked equipment with movable arms and tilting buckets. They pick up heavy loads of earth, rock, sand, gravel, ore or snow, and dump material into piles, excavations or trucks.

• Grader Operators: Control the height and angle of grader blades to spread and level earth, sand, gravel, rock and snow. They carve ditches and slopes. They work as a team while making successive passes over working areas.

• Heavy Haul Truckers: Operate electric and diesel trucks on oil sands mining sites to transport ore. They fuel and lubricate the vehicle and do safety checks before using it.

•Motor Scraper or Buggy Operators: Operate the fastest shovel on wheels to scrape, load, dump and spread earth. They level work areas, haul soil for roads and right-ofways and haul ore at surface mining sites.

For more information about these article series and/or all our previous articles, please visit: www.rtmroofingandrenovations.com

mortgage balance at the end of loan term would be around $214,461. Scenario-B, when interest rate is slightly higher 3.38% the monthly payment would be $1,232.40 interest cost over the loan term would be $39,167.47 and the mortgage balance at the end of 5-year term would be around $215,224. Scenario-C, when interest rate is the highest 3.59% the monthly payment would be $1,260.09 interest cost over 5 years would be $41,658.85 and balance at maturity would be around $216,054.

It is evident from the calculations above that the mortgage holder will pay $2,249.42 more interest in Scenario-B and $4,740.80 more in Scenario-C when compared to the cost of interest in Scenario-A. Reviewing options with a broker does not negate an offer to renew with your existing lender. In the end the broker may advise you to stay with your existing lender. However, it’s worth finding out whether or not you can financially benefit by switching.

The way to combat the cost of ‘friction’ is with dollars and cents as well as relevant and meaningful mortgage advice. A reliable mortgage advice should include a review of the mortgage features including term, payment frequency, prepayment options and penalties etc. Cost, rate and calculations aside, the role of a good mortgage professional is to lessen the ‘friction’ by facilitating the process on your behalf. With a little effort, an educated mortgage professional navigates the market on your behalf, assessing options from multiple lenders. He advises you on product features including prepayment options and penalty calculations to match the right product for your unique financial circumstances.

Questions & Comments: kazim@kazimjafary.com

17

l o c al

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

As Economy Slows, China Looks For A New Model

by Frank Langfitt If you followed American media in recent years, you might have thought China was taking over the planet. Recent titles at the book store have included Becoming China’s Bitch and When China Rules the World. “They are the world’s superpower or soon will be,� Glenn Beck used to intone on Fox News. “They always thought America was just a blip.�

And when the city of Philadelphia postponed an Eagles football game a couple of years ago because of a blizzard forecast, then-Gov. Ed Rendell said America — unlike China — was becoming a nation of “wussies.� “If this was in China do you think the Chinese would have called off the game?�

Rendell asked. “People would have been marching down to the stadium, they would have walked and they would have been doing calculus on the way down.�

But China always looks more impressive from afar than it does close up.

The government in Beijing is targeting the economy to grow at 7.5 percent this year – well below the nearly 10.5 percent average growth of the previous decade. Ask Chinese economists about the future of the world’s second-largest economy and the tone these days is uncertain and anxious. “I’m not as optimistic as many people in the Western world think about China,� says Xu Dingbo, associate dean of the China Europe International Business School in Beijing.�If you want to be the world leader, I think China is far from ready,� adds Wang Jianmao, his fellow business school professor.

Andy Xie, a Shanghai-based economist, is even more downbeat. “The efficiency is going down,� he says. “Corruption is widespread. So I think this is the crossroads for China.�

The Equation Changes Why do these men sound so somber after so many years of spectacular growth here?

The reason is that the economic formula that brought China such success no longer works. Consider: Rising labor costs mean China isn’t a cheap place to make low-end products anymore. Many low-skill manufacturers are either moving to China’s interior or to countries like Vietnam to reduce costs.

The financial crises in the U.S. and Europe also mean there are far fewer consumers to buy China’s stuff anyway. “The growth model has to change,� says Nicholas Lardy, who is a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, D.C., and has studied China’s economy since the 1970s. “They’ve done very well emphasizing exports and investments, particularly property for the last 10 years, but that string has run out.�

Another big problem: China’s economic growth is out of whack and unsustainable.

About half of it is driven by investment, often in things like real estate and government

infrastructure. “The perceptions in the United States are based on the headlines, that China’s been growing at double-digit rates for 30 years,� says Lardy. “So we tend to portray China as a giant. It’s very difficult from a distance to see the kind of structural weaknesses that exist here.�

Signs Of Weakness Today, you can see those structural weaknesses in places like Tangshan, a city of more than 7 million in north China where the steel industry is struggling. A cook named Liu has seen the problems close up.

In August, steel mills on either side of his restaurant. Because steel prices have fallen, workers are working less, about 15 to 20 days a month,� says Liu as he fries up pork and onion pancakes on a sizzling skillet. “Compared with before, the number of customers has shrunk 50 percent.�

One of the companies went bankrupt after it expanded too quickly. Workers told China’s state-run press the boss owed banks more than $120 million. Local authorities sealed the mill’s front gate with a wall of bricks topped with shards of glass. In fact, by the end of last year, steel firms owed some $400 billion, according to the China Iron and Steel Association.

Economists say the problem is companies have overinvested in steel to feed an overpriced housing market and massive construction of government infrastructure.

A steel mill official named Wang said his plant closed for more than three months this summer. “I was worried when we would start back up again,� said Wang. “Due to the effects of the market, about 20 percent of small-sized mills temporarily stopped production.�

Wang didn’t want his full name published because the problems in Tangshan’s steel business are a sensitive topic. When I approached a coal depot to ask about demand from steel mills, an official there said it was a “state secret.� He wasn’t smiling. Wang Jianmao of the China Europe International Business School says some companies keep producing and producing as though China’s boom will never end. “Because of the huge success of the past three decades, I have to say, made some Chinese people very arrogant,� says Wang. “They take this fast growth just for granted.

They don’t believe China will have a crisis.

The problem is: If you don’t believe you will have a crisis, you will have a crisis.�

Shenzhen is a marvel of lavish spending and poor construction. The Spring Flower overpass is an $8 million-plus pedestrian walkway modeled on the Bird’s Nest stadium from the 2008 Beijing Olympics all the way down to the metal latticework. Less than two years after its completion, workers are drilling away, replacing the floor tiles because the bridge surface floods when it rains. “It feels a bit extravagant, a bit wasteful,� says an IT worker named Wu, who uses the bridge every day. “Money should be spent on where it’s needed, not just on an overpass.� Given the shoddy construction and high price tag, Wu assumes the culprit is “inspectors [who] probably didn’t do their work and builders who skimped on the job.�

As to the $8 million? “They may have spent at most $1 to $3 million here,� he says.

For Small Businesses, Loans Are Hard To Find China’s state-owned banks often fund these projects. But if you are a small or midsized private business — the kind that produces most of the jobs in China — getting a bank loan is very tough. Ask Katrina Tong. She exports electric chargers for a company in Shenzhen. “We think market demand for our products is out there and we have potential, but it’s really hard to get financial support,� says Tong, sitting at her desk in an office buried in one of Shenzhen’s factory districts. “It is so frustrating. Investment all goes to big companies.� In fact, the vast majority of small and midsized companies in Shenzhen can’t get bank loans. Instead, many turn to private lenders, who typically charge interest rates of 25 percent. China’s stateowned banks prefer state-owned companies, because they’re less risky and also because, in a state-driven, capitalist economy, they

PUBLIC NOTICE Muslim Business Council 5th Annual General Meeting to be held on Sunday December 2, 2012 at 2:00 pm at the Kabab Palace unit 105 8599 129th Street, Surrey, BC. Members, Professionals and Businesses are welcome to attend.

For more information please contact: Feroz Dean at 604-454-4242 \ Mohammed Yasin at 604-880-2143 Sunita Chand at 604-836-3030 \ Bob Ibrahim at 604-716-5697 Nomination is welcome from interested individuals who wish to run for Executive Position of the Muslim Business Council. Pease contact Siraz Khan Secretary of the Election Committee at 604-785-6012 or shirazk@telus.net

Large Companies, Low Returns But economist Xu says many state firms are woefully inefficient. “You see lots of nice buildings, highways, beautiful cities like Beijing and Shanghai,� says Xu, “but if you look at the real financial numbers of many Chinese companies, the picture is very bad.

It’s horrible.� Xu says the largest 102 stateowned companies had an average return based on assets of about 3.5 percent. “For nearly half of the assets in China, the rate of return is less than depositing money in a bank,� he says. “That means we are wasting lots of resources in China now.� Even as economists worry about the country’s future, its leaders strike a tone that is at once optimistic and defensive. “I do not agree with the argument that China’s growth has come to an end after 30 years of reform,� Wen Jiabao, China’s outgoing premier, told an audience in September at the World Economic Forum in the port city of Tianjin. Wen insists China can rebalance its economy away from heavy investment in real estate and infrastructure toward one that relies more on by China’s 1.3 billion consumers. “China is a country with enormous potential and a big domestic market and we the Chinese people have full confidence in our own development,� Wen said.

Fixing China’s economy will require taking on powerful interests, including the state banks and state-owned companies that enjoy monopolies and have thrived under the old economic model. Analysts say transforming the economy is easily the biggest challenge China’s leaders have faced in at least a decade and a half. But given the Communist Party’s track record, no one is counting it out.

/QPVJN[ #PVKYCT 4CNN[ 2GVKVKQP %CORCKIP

NO WARS! NO SANCTIONS!

HANDS OFF SYRIA! NO WAR ON

Crumbling Bridges The government has helped boost economic growth by spending a fortune on infrastructure. Much of it is needed, but sometimes money is poorly spent or siphoned off. Since 2011, eight bridges have collapsed around the country, according to China’s state-run media. Most analysts blame government corruption.

One bridge in the southern boomtown of

have been expected to help government businesses.

IRAN!

A A

<

8 j

8 j 8 j

8 j A A A A

8 j

< 8 j P

<

8 j

8 j

Saturday November 17 1 p m Va n c o u v e r P u b l i c L i b r a r y R o b s o n a t H o m e r S t . D o w n t o w n Va n c o u v e r

/QDKNK\CVKQP #ICKPUV 9CT 1EEWRCVKQP ` /#91

999 /#918#0%178'4 14)

18

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

19

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

BOOKMAN OR TAXMAN! DOES YOUR ACCOUNTANT SAVE TAXES FOR YOU OR JUST FILE YOUR TAX RETURNS?

 Does your accountant file your taxes including Corporation or Personal Tax Returns accurately and on a timely basis preventing unnecessary audits and penalties?  Does your accountant show you how to save your taxes?  Does your accountant help you understand the Canadian taxation system?

QUICKBOOKS OR SIMPLY ACCOUNTING SETUP AND TRAINING FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION OR 10% DISCOUNT WITH THIS COUPON *New Client Only. Expires December 31, 2012

CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNTANTS AT TWO LOCATIONS

Tel: 604-227-1120 Toll Free: 1-800-380-6TAX (6829) 235- 11590 Cambie Rd, Richmond - 110-11518 141A Street, Surrey www.aadcga.com | www.advancedtax.ca | www.aadconsulting.ca

20

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Family Pack

Quick Pick One lrg 2 toppings pizza 8 pcs of chicken

1 large specialty pizza 10 pcs ea chicken t in or get it delivered large mojo + Tax large salad .99 One 2 ltr pop

+ Tax

$22.99

$34

SPECIAL 2 Large pizza (Any Kind)

Monday Special

20 Chicken Wings

$34

+tax

any large pizza

.99

$10

.99 + Tax

Tuesday Special

10 pcs of Chicken

$12.99 +tax

Try Our new Butter Chicken Pizza!

7711-128th St. , Surrey

604-502-7773

Specializing in Indian Style Chinese & Szechuan Food Fine Dining, Taking out and Delivery

Lunch Special Over 20 items to choose from

Monday - Friday y 12:30 ppm - 2:30 ppm Except Holiday

$6.50 & up

FREE DELIVERY 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM with Min order $25.00 within 3km Radius Map Between 98 Ave to 92 Ave & 116 St to 128 St

New Management Jalil Khan

EXTRA DELIVERY CHARGE OUTSIDE OF 3 KM RADIUS MAY APPLY

Next to Sabzi Mandi

9436 - 120 Street, Surrey, BC www.asianspicesurrey.com

Business Hours: Monday - Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

12:30 am to 10:00 pm 12:30 am to 10:30 pm 12:30 Noon to 10:30 pm 12:30 Noon to 10:00 pm

604-582-8388

21

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Your Trusted Lawyers

Usman Ghani - ICBC - Medical malpractice - Personal Injury - Civil Litigation - Commercial Litigation

&

Massood Joomratty - Family and Spouse Sponsorships - Super Visa & Student Visa - Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) - Skilled Worker programs & Work Permit - Business & Investor Immigration - Temporary Resident Visa Applications - All Immigration Appeals - Citizenship - Conveyancing - Incorporation

Barristers & Solicitors

Free Initial Consultation

604-599-0001 Usman Ghani

Massood Joomratty

SURREY OFFICE: # 205 - 7134 King George Blvd. Surrey BC V3W 5A3

Help future immigrants come to Canada.

Thrive in a professional career with a purpose.

BECOME A REGULATED IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT *

Program available ONLINE. Apply NOW. Speak with our ADVISER today.

Contact Cairrie Williamson at 1(866) 759-6006 or email cwilliamson@ashtoncollege.com. *Program accredited by the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC)

Ashton College | Vancouver, Canada | www.AshtonCollege.com

22

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

11

:

00

7-Days

m

OPEN

a m - 1 1: 0 0

p

Free delivery

FRIED BROASTED CHICKEN

in Richmond

with minimum $20 order before taxes

Now Serve Beef Burgers!

We are specialized in making Pizza, Burgers, Chicken Wings, Fries & Fish & Chips

4119 No.5 Road, Richmond Ph. (604) 270-7777 www.redroosterchicken.ca Dr. Mee Lain LING, Dr. TCM Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine Helping you reclaim your vibrant health!

• RELIEVE pain & symptoms using natural methods • Treat the ROOT problem of your disease • Apply easy, practical TOOLS to improve your health

Acupuncture A t Cupping

Herbal Medicine Electro-massage

Moxibustion Dietary Therapy

#315-6051 Gilbert Road, Richmond 604.273.3218 ~ 604.561.6850

(Across from Richmond Hospital)

Lunch Special Mon-fri. 11am-4pm

Takeout Specials

- Chicken Shawarma (Donair ) and fountain drink for

- 12 skewers of grilled lamb cubes $29.99 - 12 skewers of grilled chicken sheesh

$4.99

- Two skewers of chicken sheesh tawook or beef kebabs and fries or rice,garlic and hummus dips,pita bread,and fountain drink for

$9.99

dr.meelainling@gmail.com

tawook or beef kebabs $24.99 - 10 pieces of fried chicken $12.99 - Whole grilled chicken or fried with garlic dip $17.99

*We do special orders of kebeh, lahmbaajeen, roasted lamb leg, half /full lamb on traditional rice orders, manakeesh on saj and Lebanese breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Come and join us, be part of our great Muslim and Arab group community

we welcome catering orders and you can enjoy our 55 Seats hall for all of your occasions for the price of your foods

23

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

24

art & culture

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

PCCA celebrates Iqbal Day in Surrey

On November 11, 2012, Pakistani Canadian Cultural Association (PCCA) directors organized a dinner at the Royal King Palace in the honor of Consul General of Pakistan and their team to celebrate birthday of Na-

tional Poet of Pakistan and religious visionary leader, Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal.

Chief guest was Honorable Dr. Shuja Alam, who participated with Consulate Batool Kazim and their staff and families. Along with PCCA board of directors, many distinguished guests, community promotors, sponsors of the Pakistani Canadian community were also invited. PCCA President, Naveed Waraich thanked the exceptional service of the Consulate office and endless support from the Pakistani community, especially, those who supported PCCA along

every step of the last 10 years of continuous success. Mr. Waraich also announced some revolutionary future programs of PCCA along with a new look up-coming PCCA website. Mr. Waraich also thanked all of his directors for volunteering their time and money for the Pakistani community. Full course gourmet food was prepared and served all night long by the professional chef and his staff of The Royal King Palace. Famous Sitarist, Muhammad Assani and Master Tabla Nawas, Cassius Khan made this night colorful and memorable with their skilful traditional music and ghazals.

PCCA announced its 10 years

celebration and Quaid A Azam day on December 23rd 2012 at The Royal King Palace Surrey and request the community to participate as it will be unforgettable program by PCCA.

A Pakistani Film “Seedlings” (Lamha) shown in Vancouver and Surrey Theatres It’s time for Pakistan to be proud of its film-makers once again.

On Nov 2 and Nov 3rd this film shown in VIFF’s Vancity Theatre, and Granville 7 Cinemas Vancouver and on Nov 4th at Empire Theatres Guildford. First time a good turn over seen in these theatres to watch Pakistani Art movie in BC. Miracle reporter got a chance to watch this “Seedlings” movie and participated in Q & A session with young and tenanted film producer Ms. Meher Jaffri. She was very excited that Pakistani talent is finally being recognised and she said “The nominations in almost all the categories are fantastic news. I am floored that the talent that is bubbling up from every corner of Pakistan is getting its well deserved attention.”

Seedlings, a Pakistani film that was screened at the New York City International Film Festival (NYCIFF), left the audience spellbound by winning two major awards at the ceremony.

Starring Aamina Sheikh, Mohib Mirza and Gohar Rasheed, the production of Seedlings, also known as Lamha, was completed in Karachi in June 2012 and was directed by newcomer Mansoor Mujahid.

The film revolves around the lives of three individuals bound together by a devastating accident.

An intricately woven story of loss, forgiveness and redemption, the film explores the terrifying prospects of piecing together a broken life.

The film, produced by Bodhchitta Film Works, won the People’s Choice Award for Best Film and well-known actress Aaminah Sheikh won the award for Best Actress in a Lead Role.

It was nominated in seven categories, including Mansoor Mujahid for Best Director, Aaminah Sheikh for Best Actress, Mohib Mirza for Best Actor in a Lead Role, Gohar Rasheed for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Summer Nicks for Best Original Screenplay and the young and talented Usman Riaz for Best Original Score and also Best Film.

However, the People’s Choice Award was a surprise and Aaminah’s award is yet another feather in her cap after her celebrated work for Pakistan Television.

“I am absolutely ecstatic for winning these awards,” she said. Summer Nicks, the screenwriter and producer of Seedlings, told The Express Tribune, “Each person who worked on Seedlings and made it a reality, from the chai walla to the director, investors and our partners Ice Animations, we share this with them all.”

For 26 years, Nicks has been pursuing his

passion of producing films and it has taken him across continents but he is proud that it happened in Pakistan, his adopted home.

“All those years of hard work have culminated in my partner Meher Jaffri, Craig Peter Jones and I winning this award, this is for Pakistan. Let us keep showing the world what greatnesses we have to offer. Pakistan Zindabad!” an ecstatic Nicks belted.

On the other hand, Faraz Iqbal, the cinematographer of the film was equally excited about the film’s achievement and hoped it would be screened in theatres across Pakistan.

“I am totally spellbound and am running out of words. All I can say is that since it won the people’s choice award, it means that the public would enjoy it and I hope it is released in theatres all over the country,” Iqbal said.

For Jasir Abro, the sound engineer/designer of Lamha, the experience of working with a talented team was what drove him to help make it a success.

“It was a refreshingly professional shoot and a great experience to work with the talented cast and crew of Lamha. I am not surprised by the awards,” he said.

25

lifestyle

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

By: Rubab Abid (Toronto) Worldwide, the day of November 25th is recognized as the International Day for the End of Violence against Women. This internationally recognized campaign, drafted by the United Nations, aims to raise public awareness against the epidemic of violence and the prevention of abuse against women around the world.

It is a sad and shameful fact that even in this day and age, millions of women around the world still suffer from acts of physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse by the hands of their partners, male relatives, and family members. According to the United Nations Women’s Agency, nearly 70% of women experience some sort of violence in their lifetime. Violence against women takes many forms- from rape, murder, and domestic abuse, to female infanticide, human trafficking, and female mutilation. The United Nations reports the startling fact that for women between the ages of 15 and 44, acts of violence cause more deaths and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war combined!

While the epidemic of violence against women is certainly an international issue, the cases of violence against women within the South Asian community are especially unique and equally alarming. Along with commonly known forms of abuse, South Asian women also fall victim to culturallybased forms of violence such as honor killings, female infanticide, acid attacks, and dowry-related murders.

The issue of “honour killings” is a growing epidemic in South Asian countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh. Women suspected of adultery, pre-marital sex, or rape

are murdered by their husbands or family members in order to protect the dignity and honour of the family. According to official reports, nearly 10,000 Pakistani women were killed as a result of honour killings in 2005. In the province of Sindh alone, there were a total of 53 reported cases of female honour killings. Many times, these cases of violence are not reported by families or are misreported as incidences of suicide or accidents. While the Pakistani government claims that more and more cases of honour killings are being reported to the police, human rights organizations claim that the government’s lack of proper legal prosecution and biased Zina laws have put women in a disadvantaged position to fight such abuse.

Another alarming case of violence against South Asian women is the occurrence of dowry murders. The victims of such a crime are women who are murdered by their husbands or in-laws for failing to meet dowry payments. According to a recent UN report, 8,172 women in India were killed as a result of dowry disputes in 2008 - a 14% increase from 10 years ago. Many dowry deaths stem from women who have been either murdered or committed suicide as a result of the constant torture, fear and harassment they faced at the hands of their husbands or in-laws demanding proper dowry payments. While India did pass the Dowry Prohibition Law in 1961 which banned the request or payment of a dowry as a marriage condition, the prevalence of dowry-related violence seems to be growing through the past few years.

The matter of female infanticide is another issue of particular concern within South Asian countries. The premeditated

killing of female children, whether before or after their birth, is a growing crisis in both Pakistan and India. The practice is seen as a predominantly cultural phenomenon, but is also attributed to economic and financial concerns in more rural areas and villages.

Some parents view girls as an unwanted financial burdens, this coupled with overly-excessive dowry and wedding costs, lead many parents to kill their daughters at birth. According to the Pakistan’s Edhi Foundation, more than 1,200 female babies and infants were found dead in Pakistan in 2010. Furthermore, Relief Project India reports that over the past 20 years, an estimated 10 million girls have been killed in India either before or immediately after they were born.

While the issue of violence against women in South Asian countries certainly demands greater attention and concern, it is important to note that South Asian women living in Canada also experience serious and critical forms of abuse. A growing number of Canadian South Asian women have become the silent victims of physical, verbal, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse. Incidents of spousal abuse, inlaw abuse, female infanticide are all found among Canadian South Asian communities, along with increasing cases of honour killings among young South Asian women.

Recent victims of violence such as Surrey’s Maple Batalia, spousal abuse victims such as Navneet Kaur, Gurjeet Kaur Ghuman, and Mukhtiar Panghali, and honour killing

victims such as Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu all point to a growing need for awareness and prevention of violence against South Asian women living in Canada.

Hence, while November 25th and the International Day for the End of Violence against Women may have already passed, its aim and purpose must remain within us at all times. The aim of such a day is to raise awareness and prevent violence against women on a daily basis. The South Asian community must continually work to recognize the value and importance of this message. It is a starting point from which we can begin to have a frank and honest discussion regarding the issue of violence against women and offer assistance and support to victims of abuse. More importantly, it is an opportunity to make certain that the shameful acts of violence against women are forever removed from not only our society, but from all corners of the globe.

References Consulted: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story. html?id=8bcec08b-b0c0-493e-a02d-fed529ae6172 & others

Diwali as the Festival of Lights

Diwali is one of the biggest festival of Hindus, celebrated with great enthusiasm and happiness in India. The festival is celebrated for five continuous days, where the third days is celebrated as the main Diwali festival or ‘Festival of lights’. Different colorful varieties of fireworks are always associated with this festival. On this auspi-

cious day, people light up diyas and candles all around their house. The festival od Diwali is never complete without exchange of gifts.

People present diwali gifts to all near and dear ones.

The exact day of the festival is decided by the position of the moon. According to the Hindu calendar, Amavasya or ‘no moon day’ is considered as the perfect day to celebrate Diwali.

This dark night comes after every fortnight and in the month of Kartik, it marks this festival of lights and diyas. As per the English calendar, the festival generally comes in the month of November and December.

For all Hindu people, the festival holds an

imperative meaning.

The customs of celebrating Diwali, the festival of light vary from region to region.

Diwali is observed by Hindus, Sikhs & Jains, each community celebrating Diwali for different reasons.

Days before Diwali, people start decorating their homes, preparing sweets, light up their homes with colorful lights, buy new clothes & Jewelry. Diwali or Deepawali, is not only festival of lights, but also marks the beginning of the Hindu new year. It is one of the most important Indian national celebrations . The first day of Diwali is also a New Year of Business. All companies pay off debts and their cars are decorated with flowers and palm leaves to bless the vehicles to run well in the new year.

The customs of wearing new garments and

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALL READERS The Miracle Media Group has been serving the community for almost 12 years. The management has kept and maintained newspaper boxes at the entrances of the Mosques entrances for the facility of Miracle’s readers to avoid violation of any regulations by the mosques. It also keeps the newspapers to be scattered around the place by wind and other elements and inadvertently, creating a problem on Mosque premises.

We also avoid forcefully distributing the copies in your hands and leave it on your discretion to

pick up the copy at your convenience without disrespecting Islamic literature and pictures.

Therefore, we request all of you to continue using the newspaper boxes to obtain a copy of your favorite newspaper.

In spite of repeated requests, it is being observed that different newspapers are still using Miracle boxes without prior consent.

Such businesses are asked to respect business ethics and principles.

Miracle Management

exchanging gifts and greetings have come to be associated with Diwali, probably because of this New Year celebrations. Accordingly most of the traditions of a New Year celebration are all present. The occasion sees the spring-cleaning and whitewashing of houses; decorative designs or rangolis are painted on floors and walls to greet the new year.

Fresh flowers, exchanges of gifts, new clothes, meeting with friends and family, and feasting are part of the colorful festival.

Each region of India celebrates Diwali in its own way, but the lighting of many small earthenware oil lamps is common throughout the country, setting homes and gardens aglow with twinkling lights. The lighting of the lamps is also a way for people to show thanks for the good things in their lives.

26

health

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

What is 4000 Years Old and Still Relevant to Your Health Today?

By Dr. Mee Lain Ling If you heard of something that has been used for over 4000 years to help generations of people prevent ill health and regain vibrant wellbeing, would you be curious to know what that is?

If you knew that this “something” is in fact a holistic, systematic, comprehensive body of medical knowledge, would you want to know how this medical system works, and how it can help you now, today?

If you knew of natural methods to prevent, improve and even heal arthritis, diabetes, heartburn, menstrual cramps, depression, asthma, allergies, frozen shoulder – the list goes on – would you want to know what these everyday remedies and treatments are?

You may have heard of it. This 4000 yearold medical system is called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM may be an ancient form of medicine, but its approach to your health is totally natural and is as relevant to you today as it was to those who benefited from it thousands of years ago.

Person as Microcosm of Creation The philosophy of TCM is that the body, mind and spirit are one whole, and is interconnected with the energy of the sun, the moon, the heavens and the earth, and all of creation. The human being is seen as a microcosm of the entire creation where each person has his/her own internal sun, moon, and connection to the heavens and the earth.

In this microcosm of nature, the body is a flowing garden, diverse in landscape and colourful flora. Every garden needs a devoted gardener to weed, water, till, and plant healthy seeds. We can each be our own gardener. And so in the role as gardener, the goal is to manage the cultiva-

tion of our own body, mind and spirit as the natural terrain and life within our beautiful garden.

When there is a disconnect in this unique ecosystem of the human being, a pattern of disharmony presents itself with certain symptoms that may lead to dis-ease. The aim of TCM is not only to relieve the symptoms, but also to correctly identify this pattern of disharmony causing these symptoms. When this pattern is clearly understood, TCM then treats the root cause underlying the disharmony, thereby restoring the body, mind and spirit back to a state of balance.

The two main TCM approaches used to restore this balance are acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Your Internal Hydroelectric System Acupuncture uses very fine needles inserted at specific acu-points to tap into the body’s invisible energy pathways to restore balance. These energy pathways, or meridians, are like the hydroelectric wires alongside roads, and acu-points are like the hydroelectric poles.

Just like hydroelectric poles and wires, the meridians and acu-points are part of an energy system that transmits powerful, yet invisible energy. However, when the poles or wires are damaged from collisions, weather, and normal wear and tear, traffic becomes congested. If there is no electrical power, traffic lights cannot work to ensure the smooth flow of vehicles on the road.

The longer the damage is left without being repaired, the more traffic congestion builds up into outlying neighbourhoods, and the greater the potential for further dangerous consequences to occur, such as spontaneous fires.

Likewise, the meridians and acu-points also become damaged from parallel causes: physical injury; emotional, mental and spiritual traumas; unbalanced, improper diet; long-term held negative emotions; physical/mental overuse; and age. Just like traffic congestion, blockage in the body also

results when the meridians and acu-points are damaged because circulation of energy and blood is compromised.

Similarly, when this blockage in the meridians of the body occurs and is not immediately repaired by releasing it through acupuncture or other healing methods, the blockage can expand to other areas and cause further harm such as spontaneous internal “fires” like canker sores, rashes, bleeding gums, fiery emotions, etc. So if you experience pain or other symptoms of discomfort, there is likely blockage in your meridians somewhere.

Curing through the Kitchen First To restore balance in the body, acupuncture works from the outside-in whereas herbal medicine works from the inside-out through the intake of natural herbs and foods.

Herbs include common household foods and spices like ginger, cardamom, turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, black and white pepper, dates, peppermint, black sesame seed, fennel, and much more. In the right combinations at the right time, for certain conditions and seasons, just by adjusting your diet to include, eliminate, or modify amounts of certain foods and herbs, you can improve your health a lot. This is called Dietary Therapy and is recommended first before opting to take herbal prescriptions.

Herbs are mostly from the roots, seeds, fruits, leaves, stems and flowers of all types of plants, but also include select mineral, animal and insect sources. Although Chinese herbal medicine has traditionally used animal parts from now endangered species, none of these endangered animal herbs are permitted into Canada. Herbs prescribed by a licensed practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine are powder or pill extracts which are strictly regulated and approved with a health product number by Canada’s Ministry of Health.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been used for millennia to regain vibrant health. TCM also includes cupping, moxibustion, electro-massage and acupressure.

Dr. Mee Lain’s Health Tip of the Week Drink warm or hot water over cold or room temperature water.

This applies to men, women and children.

Coffee, green or black teas do not count!

Why? Internal human body temperature is around 36 degrees Celsius. Drinking 3 degree Celsius fluid is like putting your organs into a freezer. Cold blocks the meridians.

Also, the body cannot utilize drinks (or foods) that are below its regular body temperature. The process of making cold drinks warm enough for the body to use requires an enormous amount of energy, which could have been better spent on more important functions.

Make the informed choice – protect your health and drink warm or hot water regularly!

If you have comments or questions about this article, write to Dr. Mee Lain at dr.meelainling@gmail.com.

About the article’s author: Dr. Mee Lain Ling discovered Traditional Chinese Medicine while exploring her ancestral roots and teaching in China for four years. She is an educator and 8-time National Karate Champion with a seconddegree blackbelt. Her focus, discipline and passion to follow her inner guidance helped her earn a master’s degree in education at U.B.C. and a Dr. TCM license after another five years of TCM studies in B.C. and Taiwan.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

World Diabetes day is observed on November 14. This year’s slogan is “Let’s take control of diabetes. Now.” World Diabetes day was created in 1991 when the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization joined together to bring attention to the public for the threat of diabetes in their health. In 2007 the United Nations approved the resolution to celebrate November 14th as World Diabetes Day. World Diabetes Day will allow governments to outline proper support needed for diabetic patients and raise recognition to diabetes.

World Diabetes Day marks the celebration of Frederick Banting’s birthday. Frederick Banting and Charles Best created an idea of medicine to help diabetic patients. Which led to insulin, discovered in 1922. More than two million Canadians currently have type 1 and type 2 diabetes. As many as one third of these people are unaware they have this condition.It is estimated that over three million Canadians were diagnosed with diabetes by 2010.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 per cent of all diagnosed cases and is one of the fastest growing diseases in Canada, with over 60,000 new cases yearly.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is caused by too little of insulin, resistance to insulin or sometimes both. A person with diabetes has high blood sugar because:

-the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin -the muscle, fat, and liver cells don’t respond to the insulin properly -or both above Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas to control the blood sugar.

Type of Diabetes: There are three major types of diabetes: -Type 1 Diabetes: usually diagnosed in the childhood stages. Type 1 diabetes is when the body make too little of insulin or no insulin at all.

-Type 2 Diabetes: more common than type 1 diabetes and often times people don’t know they have it. Usually occurs in adults. Type 2 diabetes is where the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin to keep the blood glucose levels normal because the body won’t respond to insulin.

-Gestational Diabetes: usually occurs in pregnant women at any time and they develop high blood glucose. These women who have gestational diabetes during pregnancy have a higher risk for type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease later in life.

Controlling diabetes The onset of type 2 diabetes can be delayed by increasing physical activity, healthy eating and losing weight.

Controlling levels of glucose and levels of insulin, which help the body use glucose for energy, are both keys to managing type 2 diabetes.

Given the progressive nature of the disease, most people living with type 2 diabetes may require multiple medications with different mechanisms of action to achieve optimal glycemic control and to manage co-morbidities.

As beta-cell function declines, many drug therapies become less effective over time.

Results from the Diabetes in Canada Evaluation (D.I.C.E.) study demonstrated that almost 50 per cent of study participants with diagnosed type 2 diabetes did not achieve the Canadian Diabetes Association Guidelines target level of blood glucose (HbA1C less than or equal to 7 per cent).

The percentage of patients who did not have their blood glucose levels under control increased to more than 62 per cent among those who had type 2 diabetes for 15 years or more.

This failure to achieve adequate control occurs for a variety of reasons, including: the progressive nature of the disease, some issues of tolerability and durability with available medications, and lack of adherence to lifestyle modifications and therapy.

In a survey conducted in 2007 with 200

Canadian physicians (160 GPs and 40 specialists) who treat people living with type 2 diabetes, one third of GPs and two-thirds of endocrinologists feel that there are not enough treatment options for their diabetes patients.

Impact of living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes It is estimated that 40 per cent of Canadians with living with diabetes will develop long term complications.

Canadian adults living with diabetes are twice as likely to die prematurely than nondiabetics.

For people living with type 2 diabetes, life expectancy may be shortened by five to10 years.

Every year, diabetes is a contributing factor

Continued on pg 28

27

y o u t h

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Growing Pain-Is too Deep

By Oksana Tashakova Enmeshed children — those whose lives are controlled by their parents — grow up to be confused adults. Are you bringing up kids who are too dependent on the nurturers? Then, you could be in trouble “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They came through you but not from you and though they are with you yet they belong not to you.” -Kahlil Gibran US-based therapist and author Dr Margaret Paul is an expert on enmeshed families and the long-term effects on children.

She describes six ways parents may get enmeshed with their children.

1: Over-identification: When parents don’t have a strong sense of identity themselves, they may over-identify with their child.

Their child’s performance in all avenues is a direct reflection of the parent’s selfesteem. The parent isn’t supportive of the child’s true interests and tries to control them in terms of what they engage in and do.

2: Playing the victim: Parents who do this don’t take responsibility for their own feelings. They pull out every stop to make their children try to cheer them up or calm them down. Children can’t really do this effectively when parents don’t take responsibility, and so may end up distancing themselves.

3: Health guilt: Parents may make children feel responsible for their health. If children do not do what a parent wants, the latter may use guilt about his/her physical health and well-being to control the child.

4: Conditional love: Some people need to

feel right and morally superior in order to feel okay about themselves. These parents will only love their children if they adhere to the parents’ ideas in politics and religion, values and interests.

5 : Financial extortion: Some parents use money and gifts to control their children and tie them more closely to them.

6 : Controlling feelings: Some parents create enmeshment by completely controlling their child’s feelings. They don’t allow their children to feel and learn to manage their own feelings of despondency, frustration, anger or disappointment.

The two most common types of enmeshment occur through parent-ification and spouse-ification. Parent-ification occurs when the parent makes the child take on the parenting role. They ask the child to consider issues they aren’t equipped to handle, take decisions that they shouldn’t, and care for the parent in ways that are damaging to the child. The child feels overwhelmed with duties, and also feels neglected.

Some children feel that this kind of dependency helps them stay closer to their parents, according to the website ‘Rainbow Gryphon.com’. Parentification can leave children feeling ashamed and frustrated because they (the parents) don’t have the knowledge and skills to act as adults. As their own needs are ignored, children can feel angry and neglected.

Spouse-ification occurs when a parent treats the child as a substitute companion and equal. The child is used as a sounding board for problems and issues that a spouse would normally deal with. The child sup-

How youth can get a head start on trades VICTORIA - Youth can get a head start on a career while still in high school with one of the trade apprenticeship paths for youth.

An apprenticeship is a combination of onthe-job training and classroom learning, providing the opportunity to start in the workforce and get a pay cheque while you learn a trade.

The Industry Training Authority (ITA) Youth Programs allows youth to start apprenticeship training and earn high school credits at the same time. This is a great way to save time and money and there is no need to quit high school to get a head start on a solid career that pays well.

In partnership with the Ministry of Education and secondary schools, ITA delivers two youth programs - Accelerated Credit Enrolment in Industry Training (ACE-IT), and Secondary School Apprenticeship (SSA). Participation in ITA’s youth programs has increased from 861 participants in 2004 to 4,200 as of September 2012.

Accelerated Credit Enrolment in Industry Training (ACE-IT) * High school students can attend a trades training class, usually at a college. * There are no tuitions fees and you receive course credits towards high school graduation. * Participants get the first year of post-secondary training free, and may be eligible for a $1,000 scholarship. * Sign up for both SSA and ACE-IT and after graduation you’re well on your way to achieving credit for the first year of your apprenticeship.

Secondary School Apprenticeship (SSA) * Start an apprenticeship in high school, and get dual credit towards an apprenticeship AND a high school diploma. * By registering as a Secondary School Apprentice, you will become eligible for a $1,000 scholarship, and get a head start on earning your trade certification.

Funding Secondary School Apprentices can qualify for a $1,000 scholarship if they: * Register in a school district SSA program prior to graduation * Graduate with a Grade 12 Dogwood Diploma or Adult Dogwood Diploma * Successfully complete SSA 11A, SSA 11B, SSA 12A and SSA 12B * Maintain a C+ average or better on Grade 12 numbered courses * Continue working or training full-time in the trade six months after high school graduation, or have 900 hours reported to ITA. Check out the list of more than 100 apprentice able B.C. trades at: http://itabc.ca/discover-apprenticeshipprograms/search-programs Talk to your high school counsellor about an apprenticeship, or contact the ITA: http://itabc.ca/youth-trades/programs Questions regarding Secondary School Apprenticeship scholarship can be directed to Anne Bowers at the Ministry of Education at 250 216-2834 or Anne.Bowers@gov. bc.ca

ports the parent in ways that are inappropriate for that age and role.

In other cases, a parent may treat a child like an absent or neglectful spouse, making him/her believe that he/she is “just as bad” as the other parent. The child’s identity and self-perception become clouded with the negative aspects of the other parent.

Prominent American counselor Susan Pease Gouda explains that a family system maintains a kind of equilibrium. When one parent is absent or disengaged, it’s almost natural for that role to become fulfilled by another. She also reminds us all that the goal of raising a child is to raise a capable, independent, strong and unique human being. Enmeshment creates unhealthy codependence.

Gouda lists some signs that a parent may be creating an enmeshed relationship with their child: They may put outings and events with children above time with other adults and friends and children may do the same.

They may talk to their children about their marriage or relationships instead of talking to other adults about these issues or a child freely asks about these issues.

They treat their child as a counselor or therapist.

They talk about how they couldn’t do without their children and their help.

Dr Paul notes some other signs: • Parents use a child’s behavior, good or bad, to define themselves.

• Parents make children their sole purpose in life.

• Happiness or suffering on the parent’s part is completely dependent upon their children.

• Parents are very invasive and need to know everything about what their children

are doing, thinking and feeling.

It’s up to parents to have purpose in their lives and to role model responsibility for themselves, and realise that their children are unique beings and that they will thrive in being discovered and supported for who they really are and not what an enmeshed relationship forces them to be.

I work with people on rectifying enmeshed relationships. It takes a lot of untangling to save a connection and give each person space. Everyone needs to learn to feel, express and take responsibility for their own emotions. They will need help to deal with the anxiety involved in doing things differently and in recognizing damaging patterns and interactions.

LIVE AND LET LIVE Some parents may want to live through their children; for example, they may want their children to avoid their own failures, and set the kids goals for achieving their own unrealized dreams; this is not a good way to bring up your child

28

sports

Volume 12 Issue 323 Muharrum 2, 1434 AH / November 16, 2012

Crosby continues to speak his mind on NHL lockout

Sidney Crosby is expanding his role as the best player in hockey to matters off the ice – speaking out against the NHL owners as the lockout drags on. “The desperation to play doesn’t really seem like it’s on their side,” the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar said Tuesday as a second day passed with no formal talks between the league and

the NHL Players’ Association after negotiations fell apart last weekend amid harsh words. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an e-mail message no talks are scheduled. For the second day in a row, Crosby criticized the owners for refusing to bend on their demands. While both sides admit they are not far apart on revenue sharing between rich and not-so-rich teams, the focus of the sharpest differences seems to have switched from the owners’ “make-whole provision,” which deals with paying players the full value of their existing contracts once their share of hockey-related revenue drops from 57 per cent to 50, to contractual rights like free agency, contract limits, salary arbitration and the length of entry-level contracts. This week marks a departure for

Crosby from his usual role as a superstar in the Wayne Gretzky mould, one who shies away from controversy. But Crosby was always visible at the front of union ranks during photo opportunities after the negotiations started in the summer. Now, though, he is proving to be well-informed on the issues and willing to speak his mind.

This is an important advantage for the players, as no one approaches Crosby’s exalted status with the general public. It also may not be a coincidence Crosby’s strongest comments of the lockout came on a day former player Mark Recchi told the Boston Globe the players should forget about fighting the owners and sign a new collective agreement now. Recchi, who was heavily criticized on social media for saying if the players do not settle now their offers from the NHL will not get better, argues that in the end the players always get their money.

“The longer they’re out, the revenues are

going to go down and down,” Recchi said.

“Corporate sponsors aren’t going to be lining up ... so there goes that money. The schedule isn’t going to be 82 games, I don’t think, at this point. That’s more money lost.

Crosby, though, says the players cannot agree to any demands by the owners that infringe on their contractual rights to negotiate the best possible deal for themselves.

At this point, aside from a 50-50 split of HRR, the biggest issue for the owners is to limit the long-term, front-loaded contracts that owners used to get around the salary cap. They want to do this in part by putting a five-year limit on contracts. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was said to have told NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr at last Friday’s rancorous negotiating session the owners are “past the point of give-and-take.” Crosby says with the owners it’s been all take and no give.

Source: Globe and Mail

Blue Jays in blockbuster trade with Marlins: Reports At Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game in July, Jose Bautista — the Blue Jays’ lone representative — lamented how his boss, GM Alex Anthopoulos, had not done enough to make the Jays competitive in the AL East. On Tuesday night, Bautista was singing a very different tune. “It’s a good day to be a Blue Jay,” he tweeted, as reports of a blockbuster trade between the Jays and the Miami Marlins rapidly circulated online. Though no official announcement had been made at press time, the Jays and Marlins reportedly swapped a total of 12 players in one of the biggest trades in MLB history. In the deal, which is expected to be formally announced Wednesday, Toronto acquires four-time allstar shortstop Jose Reyes, veteran starting pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buerhle, as well as John Buck and Emilio Bonifacio, in exchange for young right-hander Henderson Alvarez, shortstops Yunel Escobar and Adeiny Hechavarria, catcher Jeff Mathis and a trio of top-ranked prospects — Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino and Anthony DeSclafini. The trade dramatically alters the makeup of the Jays’ 2013 roster, instantly improves their starting rotation

and pushes their annual payroll over $100 million and into the upper echelons of the league. Miami will apparently pay the Jays $4 million as part of the deal. It also ties them to a number of long-term contracts, with both Reyes and Buerhle recently inking expensive deals. With the trade, Toronto takes on more than $163 million in guaranteed salary for just four players over the next five years. The monster deal will likely define Anthopoulos’s tenure as GM, with his future in the organization tied to its outcome. But on Tuesday night, as details of the trade spread wildly on Twitter, there was only excitement among Jays players and fans. After last season went so disastrously wrong — with an unprecedented spate of injuries, fumbling press conferences to address homophobic slurs and a manager who, as it turns out, was always hoping for a better chance elsewhere — news of Tuesday’s monster deal seemed to inject a depressed fanbase with new life. For Miami, the deal represents a controversial salary dump. A year after launching the rebranded franchise in a brand new stadium built with taxpayers’ money, the Marlins continued their fire

Real Pietersen test yet to come - Trott Jonathan Trott has admitted the real test of Kevin Pietersen’s reintegration into the England set-up is yet to come. While Pietersen’s return to the England squad has proceeded smoothly in the low-pressure atmosphere of games against modest opposition at the start of the tour of India, Trott feels the Test series will present a tougher challenge. Pietersen was dropped from the final Test of the series against South Africa and for the World T20 after it emerged that his relationship with some colleagues had broken down. After a period of regret and reconciliation, Pietersen has returned smoothly at the start of this tour. But all parties know the true test of the patched up relationships will come in the heat of battle. Certainly Trott, who was one of the players to meet Pietersen in Oxford during the period of dialogue that led to his reintegration to the squad, feels that there may be days during the series against India, with the team under pressure and the side England toiling under a hot sun, when the strength of the “reintegration” will be challenged. “Test cricket has got to start

sale of marquee players. In stark contrast to Bautista’s and Janssen’s giddy tweets, Giancarlo Stanton, the Marlins’ slugging outfielder and one of their few remaining stars, took to Twitter to express his frustration with the trade: “Alright, I’m pissed off!!! Plain & Simple.” The trade also instantly changes the Jays’ search for a new manager, which Anthopoulos has said is in its “final stages” and should be completed within the next two weeks. Toronto’s revamped lineup should make the club more attractive to candidates who may have only been interested in taking the reins of a bona fide competitor. In Reyes the Jays receive a potential all-star shortstop who has a career .291 average, can hit leadoff and will be among the league’s stolen-base leaders.

Johnson and Buerhle can be slotted into the Nos. 2 and 3 slots in the Jays rotation behind Brandon Morrow, while Buck gives Anthopoulos catching depth from which to deal for a left fielder. Johnson’s 2.30 ERA led the NL in 2010 and was 8-14 in 2012 with a 3.81 ERA. Departing Toronto are Escobar, the shortstop the last two seasons who courted controversy in September when he took the field with a homophobic

slur written in Spanish in his eyeblack stickers; his heir apparent, Hechavarria, the organization’s top infield prospect who impressed with his glove in 41 games but still has work to do at the plate; backup catcher Jeff Mathis; and a trio of prospects.

Among the prospects dealt, Marisnick and Nicolino have the highest upside. An athletic centre fielder, Marisnick was considered by some to be the organization’s top prospect behind Travis d’Arnaud; while Nicolino is considered among the Jays’ top three pitching prospects, though not as highly valued as Aaron Sanchez nor Noah Syndergaard. Both Marisnick and Nicolino are thought to be at least two years away from making their big-league debuts. Bautista’s call for arms to Anthopoulos in July mirrored those of the Jays’ fanbase, which has been begging Rogers, the club’s corporate owners, to loosen its purse strings. The cries grew louder after a season in which — despite mounting losses — attendance and TV ratings trended upward. Time will tell whether the trade is deemed a success, but after it is made official nobody will be able to accuse Anthopoulos or Rogers of penny-pinching any more. Source: The Star

saga, but admitted a few of his England colleagues may have been “sucked into” the drama of the episode. “I think a few players got sucked in,” Trott said. “But I play the game for cricket, not for any other sort of agenda. So anything that doesn’t involve me directly or the actual cricket I play I’m not interested in. “I’m a very firm believer in harmony in the dressing-room and people pulling their weight and going and doing things the right way. I’ve my

own ideas and Kevin and I have always got on fine. I think he’s a fantastic player and it’s great to have him back playing and committed to playing cricket for England again. It’s a big thing. “But as long as everything has been sorted out with regards to the reintegration - with the ECB, management and Kev - that’s the main thing so we don’t have these sort of mishaps in the future and it doesn’t rear its head again.”

Source: Cricinfo

Diabetes : Continued from pg 26

again,” Trott said. “And when the pressure is on and the chips are down, that’s when you need people to perform. That’s when if cracks are tested then they widen and it becomes more obvious with regards to performance and team dynamics. So when the pressure is on that’s when it happens and we’ve got to make sure we have all our ducks in a row and we’re ready for that. But I think we’re on the right track.”

Trott suggested his own relationship with Pietersen remained cordial throughout the

in the deaths of some 41,500 Canadians.

Approximately 80 per cent of people living with diabetes will die as a result of heart disease or stroke.

The financial burden for people living with diabetes is two to three times higher than it is for those without diabetes with direct costs for medications and supplies between $1,000 and $15,000 a year.

The Canadian Diabetes Association estimates that diabetes and its complications cost the Canadian healthcare system approximately $13.2 billion every year.

Provincial statistics Diabetes affects more than 800,000 people, or 8.73 per cent of Ontario’s population.

75,000 people in Nova Scotia live with diabetes with the greatest total prevalence rate found in males (11.89 per cent in males vs.

6.9 per cent in females).

Nova Scotia had over 5,300 new cases in 2001/02. Approximately 120,000 Albertans live with diabetes and each month an additional 1,000 people in Alberta are diagnosed with the disease.

More than 67,000 Manitobans are affected by diabetes and each day 16 Manitobans are diagnosed with this disease, compared to the national average of 11 new cases diagnosed daily.

In BC, there are more than 210,000 people living with diabetes, excluding the one in three people who have diabetes but do not know it.15 By 2010, without action, more than 325,000 British Columbians will be suffering from diabetes. 3

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

Business hrs: 7days a week 11:30 am to 10:00 pm

Contact: Faruk Qayum Bus: 604-278-6555 Cell: 778-708-6807 6652 No 3 Road Richmond Across from Richmond Center Mall

38

- Qeema - Chana Masala - Aloo Bhaji - Halwa Puri - Yogurt - Tea and much more

NEW NEW

Chicken Jalfrezi Unit 108 12414 82 Ave, Surrey Kabab Masala

For more information please call Ahmad Akbar at 604-594-7160 & 604-518-7887

39

Best Choice Travel Inc.

Established since 2002

We do the best trip for you!

Our Services Include: - Airline Tickets - Hajj & Umrah Package - Car Rentals - Cruise - Travel Insurance Saman Saghir (Manager) - Package Holidays Eng. Ali Raza (Owner) 104-12830 80th Ave, Surrey ~ 604-507-8549 bestchoicetravelinc@gmail.com

We carry hand slaughtered Taqwa halal products

SPECIALS Chicken Legs 18kg/ whole box $75.00 Chicken Breast 10lbs+$4.89/lb Chicken Breast 40lbs box $4.79/lb

Send Money to Pakistan, Best Rates in Town, Same day services.

Free Bank Transfer and Home Delivery Pickup from UBL & ABL at any Branch of Pakistan

Afghan Chopan is famous since a decade for its specialties: - Chopan Kabab - Seekh Kabab - Tikka Kabab - Chicken Tikka - Chapli Kabab - Chicken Karahi Enjoy Delicious and mouth watering Afghani - Freshly Baked Afghani Bread

Call for Party Reservations

food in our Unique Environment We will now have the se seating ating t capicity of 150-175 guests for Aqiqa, Wedding, Political, Birthday, Religious and Social gatherings and other conferences etc.

LAL ONLY HA 10% Off

Take Out