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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013 - $1

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CIA renditions ‘aided by 54 countries’

Dhaliwal annou nces candidacy for MLA seat from Surrey: Former MP Sukh Dhaliwal has announced that he will be running for Member of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia with Premier Christy Clark and the BC Liberal Party in the riding of Surrey Panorama on May 14, 2013. He received overwhelming support at his fundraising dinner in Surrey on February 2nd.

Photo: Flickr

DISEASES RIFE AMID SYRIA DRUG SHORTAGES Water-borne diseases are spreading in Syria, compounding the problems of hospitals that are perilously short of medicine and doctors after nearly two years of fighting, the World Health Organisation says. The country’s health ministry has run out of trauma treatments made in factories in rebel areas to help the increasing numbers of burn victims and wounded civilians in intensive care units,

it said on Tuesday. That is assuming patients can reach treatment in the first place. Many surgeons have fled, hospitals are closed and most ambulances are either damaged or are being used by both sides as a clandestine way to transport fighters, the WHO said. “The biggest concern for us is the breakdown of the water and sanitation system and the increasing numbers of water-borne diseases,” WHO representative Elisabeth Hoff told a news briefing about the deteriorating health situation on the ground on Tuesday. Hepatitis A, a viral liver disease that can cause explosive epidemics, has been reported in Aleppo and

Idlib - where there has been intense fighting - and some crowded shelters for the homeless in the capital, she said by telephone from Damascus. Aid groups have had to start using alternatives to purify water because the import of chlorine gas has been banned over fears it could be misused as a chemical weapon. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) began importing sodium hydrochloride, a liquid used for water purification, via Jordan on Sunday, spokeswoman Marixie Mercado told the same briefing.

Heavy fighting between the forces of President Bashar al-Assad and rebels trying to topple him could swell the ranks of the four million who already need urgent assistance in Syria and two million internally displaced in the past two years. “The catastrophic humanitarian crisis continues to deepen,” Jens Laerke, spokesman of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told the briefing. “We are operating mostly out of government-controlled areas, that doesn’t mean we don’t deliver in opposition-controlled areas. Frontlines are changing, it is fluid situation,” he said. Hoff said she could see black smoke from every corner of Damascus. “Rural Damascus, with four million people, is now heavily embroiled in the conflict,” she said. She said she had visited a burns hospital in the capital which receives patients from all over the country. “These explosions are taking place and hitting into highly populated areas. You see a number of children and women with serious burns,” she said. However, Hoff said the government could not access a factory in Aleppo that produces serum to help such trauma patients, because the road is controlled by the opposition. The health ministry has requested 150,000

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As many as 54 countries have been complicit in the CIA’s extraordinary rendition operations in which terrorism suspects were held in secret prisons overseas or turned over to foreign governments for interrogation, a human rights organisation has said in a report. The report, released on Tuesday, claims that foreign governments in Europe, Asia and Africa have been secretly involved in global kidnap, detention and torture of at least 136 people on behalf of the United States after September 11, 2001 attacks. “By engaging in torture and other abuses associated with secret detention and extraordinary rendition, the US government violated domestic and international law, thereby diminishing its moral standing and eroding support for its counterterrorism efforts worldwide as these abuses came to light,” the report said. The report by the Open Society Justice Initiative said its information was based on “credible public sources” and “reputable human rights organisations”. The CIA declined comment on the report. The governments accused of helping the CIA programmes included some staunch US allies such as Australia, Israel, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Finland and Ireland, and some not usually viewed as US-friendly such as Iran and Syria. The report said Tehran had transferred 15 individuals to Afghanistan, which transferred them to the US government. Amrit Singh, author of the report, described the involvement of foreign governments as “a continuum” which included the hosting of secret CIA prisons, providing intelligence and capture and detention of prisoners.

“Responsibility for these violations does not end with the United States. Secret detention and extraordinary rendition operations, designed to be conducted outside the United States under cover of secrecy, could not have been implemented without the active participation of foreign governments. These governments too must be held accountable.” While Barack Obama, US presi-

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

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p a k i s t a n

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Certain forces conspiring to delay elections: Nawaz

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that “certain forces” were conspiring to delay the general elections reported by Dawn .Nawaz Sharif was talking to media persons at the Jeddah airport after performing Umrah along with his family.

Nawaz said postponing the 2013 elections was against

the interests of the country and nation. He said his party would not allow such a delay, adding that elections would take place on time.

The PML-N chief’s statement on a “conspiracy” to delay the elections came in the wake of similar statements from Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Senator Raza Rabbani of the PPP. Nawaz said that overseas Pakistanis should be allowed to vote in the general elections, adding that it is necessary to pass legislation in this regard. The PMLN chief said the government was reluctant to legislate as it would enable overseas Pakistanis to vote.

He said the PML-N, if it got a majority in the next elections, will certainly give the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis.

Last week, Law Minister Farooq H Naek had told the Senate that while overseas Pakistanis had the right to vote, the absence of a suitable mechanism for the purpose would render this process meaningless, at least for the upcoming general elections.

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PTI representatives meet Tahirul Qadri, discuss alliance, ECP reformation

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The top leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) met Tehreek-e-Minhaujul Quran leader Dr Tahirul Qadri here on Wednesday and discussed the possibility of an electoral alliance and reconstitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Briefing the media following the meeting, PTI President Javed Hashmi said their stance was similar to that of Qadri’s. Hashmi added that an electoral alliance along with other issues were discussed during the meeting. “We are trying to unite all political parties which have the desire for change,” Hashmi said.

According to Hashmi, the PTI was not satisfied on the

issue of the caretaker government and Election Commission.

PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said if a neutral caretaker government was not formed, free and fair elections could not be held. Qureshi further said the PTI did not require the crutch of the establishment.

Meanwhile, addressing the press conference, Tahirul Qadri said there was agreement on several issues with PTI. Qadri also announced that he would submit a petition in the Supreme Court for the reconstitution of the Election Commission.

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

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

World powers back UN force in Mali

African and other world powers have thrown their support behind a proposal that would see the United Nations deploy a peacekeeping force to Mali, taking over responsibilities from a similar African force. Top of the agenda of Tuesday’s EU-hosted meeting of the Mali Support Group in Brussels was how to ensure lasting security by supporting democracy, economic development and human rights in one of the world’s poorest countries. The meeting welcomed the lightning advance of French troops in driving al-Qaeda-linked rebels out of towns in the vast arid north seized 10 months ago, and welcomed the Malian government’s bid to hold elections by July 31. The talks came as Laurent Fabius, French foreign minister, said Paris’ 4,000-strong forces may be out of the West African nation as early as next month. “I think that starting in March, if everything goes as planned, the number of our troops should diminish”, the Metronewspaper quoted Fabius as saying. Tuesday’s talks focused on giving delegates an update on the military situation and humanitarian affairs.

The delegates also discussed the political process following the conflict, and arrangements for holding elections by July 31 as planned. At the top of the agenda for the talks was how quickly an 8,000 strong African Union force, AFISMA, could be deployed, and whether its mandate should be transferred to the UN. Tieman Coulibaly, Ma-

lian foreign minister, said his country would support such a move, while Canfin said there was “a shared support by key players to move towards a peace mission”. Desire Kadre Ouedraogo, president of the commission of the West African bloc ECOWAS, said that both his organisation and the AU believed that UN peacekeepers should be deployed.

Diplomats say there is a clear need for a UN force to police the country, with the ramshackle Malian army incapable of reconquering remote corners of the nation, and the French unwilling to stay for the long haul. The European Union has also firmed up plans to set up a 450-strong military mission to train the Malian army. On the ground, in northern Mali, French soldiers are now in control of Kidal, formerly the last stronghold of the rebel Ansar alDine. The French push in the northeast involved fighter jets targeted rebel hideouts and fuel depots in the desert on Tuesday, near the Algerian border. The French defence ministry said 1,800 Chadian troops had entered Kidal to “secure” the Saharan outpost, after days of air strikes in the surrounding mountains where rebels were believed to be hiding in hillside caves. Also on Tuesday, eight al-Qaedalinked suspects were captured in Gao, and are expected to be transferred to Bamako where they will eventually stand trial. They include six Malians, a Nigerian and an Algerian man. After a three-week military campaign by French-led

forces drove the rebels from most of their strongholds, including the cities of Timbuktu and Gao, dozens of French warplanes on Sunday carried out major air strikes on rebel training and logistics centres in Mali’s mountainous northeast, near the Algerian border. The rebels who controlled northern Mali for 10 months have fled into the Adrar des Ifoghas massif in the Kidal region, a mountainous landscape honeycombed with caves. They are believed to be holding seven French hostages with them, kidnapped in Mali and Niger in 2011 and 2012.

Source: Al-Jazeera

US legal argument for drone strikes revealed The US government’s internal guidelines for targeted killings of al-Qaeda suspects allow for such strikes against US citizens abroad, as long as they are believed to be senior leaders of the group and still engaged in operations, a leaked justice department memo shows.

The 16-page document, released by the US-based NBC news television service on Tuesday, provides a legal rationale behind the US administration’s use of drone strikes against al-Qaeda suspects.

The memo says that it is lawful for the US to target al-Qaeda-linked US citizens if they pose an “imminent” threat of violent attack against other US citizens, and that delaying action against such people would create an unacceptably high risk. Such circumstances may necessitate expanding the concept of “imminent threat”, the memo says.

“The threat posed by al-Qaeda and its associated forces demands a broader concept of imminence in judging when a person continually planning terror attacks presents an imminent threat,” the document says. The memo said that authorities did not have to possess information regarding a specific imminent attack against the US. It does require that the capture of terrorism suspects be first deemed unfeasible, and that any such lethal operation by the US targeting a person comply with fundamental law-of-war principles. “A decision maker determining whether an al-Qaeda operational leader presents an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States must take into account that certain members of al-Qaeda [...] are continually plotting attacks against the United States” and that “al-Qaeda would engage in such attacks regularly to the extent it were able to do so”, the document says. The document also says that a decision maker must take into account that “the US government may not be aware of all al-Qaeda plots as they are developing and thus cannot be confident that none is about to occur; and that [...] the nation may have a limited window of opportunity within which to strike in a manner that both has a high likelihood of success and reduces the probability of American casualties”. With this understanding,

the document said, a high-level official could conclude, for example, that an individual poses an imminent threat of violent attack against the US where he is an operational leader of al-Qaeda or an associated force. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said the document is “profoundly disturbing”.

“According to the white paper, the government has the authority to carry out targeted killings of US citizens without presenting evidence to a judge before the fact or after, and indeed without even acknowledging to the courts or to the public that the authority has been exercised,” Jameel Jaffer, ACLU’s deputy legal director, wrote on the organisation’s website. “Without saying so explicitly, the government claims the authority to kill American terrorism suspects in secret.” He termed the limits set out in the memo to be “so vague and elastic that they will be easily manipulated”. The document says that the use of lethal force would not violate the Fourth Amendment of the US constitution when a targeted person is an operational leader of an enemy force and an informed, high-level government official has determined that he poses an imminent threat. The document said the courts have no role to play in the matter. “Under the circumstances described in this paper, there exists no appropriate judicial forum to evaluate these constitutional considerations. It is well established that ‘matters intimately related to foreign policy, and national security are rarely proper subjects for judicial intervention’,” the white paper said. Reporting from Washington DC, Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane said that the Obama administration had consistently failed to share the details of the legal frameworks under which such strikes are ordered. “It’s been a consistent and unanswered question from the Obama administration,” she said. “The memo that apparently gives them the legal justification [to carry out drone strikes in general] they won’t even share with Congress - this [leaked memo] is a softer, broader memo.”

Source: Al-Jazeera

Solomon Islands tsunami deaths confirmed Six bodies including a child’s have been found in the wreckage from a tsunami that smashed into villages in the Solomon Islands, flattening dozens of homes in the south Pacific island nation.

North Korea threatens to combat sanctions with measure ‘stronger’ than third nuclear test

North Korea threatened on Tuesday to go beyond its plans for a third atomic test, saying stronger measures would be necessary to combat sanctions imposed against it as a result of a rocket it launched last year. “The DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or North Korea) has drawn a final conclusion that it will have to take a measure stronger than a nuclear test to cope with the hostile forces’ nuclear-war moves that have become ever more undisguised,” said the North’s KCNA state news agency, according to a Reuters report.

South Korean and U.S. troops have already

begun naval drills in a show of force partly directed at North Korea amid signs that Pyongyang will soon follow through on a threat to conduct its third atomic test. The region has also seen a boost in diplomatic activity since last month, when North Korea announced it would conduct a nuclear test to protest UN Security Council sanctions toughened after a satellite launch in December that the U.S. and others say was a disguised test of banned missile technology. Pyongyang’s two previous nuclear tests, in 2006 and 2009, both occurred after it was slapped with increased sanctions for similar rocket launches. As it issued its most recent punishment, the Security Council ordered North Korea to refrain from a nuclear test or face “significant action.” North Korea’s state media said Sunday that at a high-level Workers’ Party meeting, leader Kim Jong Un issued “important” guidelines meant to bolster the army and protect national sovereignty.

North Korea didn’t elaborate, but Kim’s guidelines likely refer to a nuclear test and suggest that Pyongyang appears to have completed formal procedural steps and is preparing to conduct a nuclear test soon, according to South Korean analyst Hong Hyun-ik.

Source: National Post

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

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Regional sales tax in Metro Vancouver proposed for TransLink

A new regional sales tax adding up to 0.5 per cent to the cost of local goods is being

proposed by Metro Vancouver mayors as one of the new tools they want to help fund TransLink. At 0.5 per cent the tax – tacked on top of the seven per cent PST on transactions within Metro Vancouver – would raise an estimated $250 million per year from transactions within Metro Vancouver, according to a technical analysis that examined potential new sources. But mayors’ council chair Richard Walton said 0.5 per cent is the “absolute limit” of what he thinks might be proposed, adding just 0.1 or 0.2 per cent would generate “very sizable contributions” of $50 to $100 million. “We expect opposition to come from everywhere,” Walton said.

“We’re not expecting the government to say yes right away. We’re not naîve.” The proposals are spelled out in a Jan. 31 letter from the Mayors Council on Regional Transportation to Transportation Minister Mary Polak and sales tax isn’t the only idea being advanced. The mayors still want the province to enable an annual vehicle levy – an average of $38 per vehicle would generate $50 million – as a short-term option. And road pricing, which could include various forms of tolling or per-kilometre charges on motorists, would be pursued as the favoured long-term transit funding revenue source, embraced by all of the region’s mayors.

Other options include either a reallocation of future carbon tax revenue or the implementation of a new regional carbon tax for TransLink. Existing sources like the 17 cent a litre gas tax and TransLink’s property tax are already maxed out, Walton said. He said mayors like the idea of reducing the existing gas tax over time and as other sources come on stream. A regional sales tax would have one advantage over the others – it could be

Kenney suggests stripping citizenship in terrorism cases

introduced very quickly. “We’re moving back to the PST anyway,” Walton said. “So this is a logical time to look at it.” Tourists and other B.C. residents who live outside Metro Vancouver and come into town for entertainment don’t contribute as full a share to TransLink’s costs as local residents who pay property tax, he said. With a regional sales tax in place, he said, Abbotsford hockey fans who fuel up outside the region and drive in to catch a Canucks game would still pay towards TransLink through the tax on their tickets, he said. Walton said using sales tax to fund the transit and road system is defensible. “The more efficiently people, goods and services move, the more effectively the economy works,” he said. The mayors have not spelled out how much money should be raised in total to support TransLink’s expansion plans or which sources should be used in the end. Walton suggested if 0.5 per cent was added on sales tax that might allow the region to forego the vehicle levy and drop the gas tax by several cents a litre. All cities in the region agree the transit system must expand to meet the needs of the growing population, but exactly how fast and what projects go first are undecided. “If you wanted to go ahead and build the UBC line tomorrow and roll out ALRT through Surrey, you’re talking billions of dollars,” Walton said. “You’d have to include all of [the sources] at maximum.” Asked whether a regional sales tax might prompt shoppers in Langley to head east into Abbotsford to save money, Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender suggested the same incremental sales tax be added in other regions to fund transit there. “Abbotsford is facing challenges on their transit system, so is BC Transit,” Fassbender said. “We’re all dealing with increased demand and increased costs. “If it’s done properly and within the right context, this maybe becomes something that becomes provincial and helps overcome the funding challenges the other regions are facing as well.” He said he supports analyzing the implications of a regional sales tax and its effects on people, adding “we’re not leaping to any conclusions.”

Source: Surrey Leader

to have two or three different kinds of Immigration Minister Jason Kenney citizens?” he said after his own caucus said Wednesday the government should meeting. Rae pointed out that those “consider” expanding a Tory MP’s bill who commit other criminal acts are not to strip Canadian citizenship from those routinely deprived of their citizenship. who commit acts of terrorism. He was speaking after confirmation Tuesday that “What are the consequences of doing that? Is it constitutional? These are a Lebanese-Canadian dual national was things a minister of the Crown should be involved in the 2012 bombing of Israeli thinking of before he comes to a scrum tourists in Bulgaria. Conservative MP and announces some kind of, frankly, Devinder Shory’s private member’s bill, knee-jerk response,” Rae said. NDP MP C-425, had its first hour of debate in the Peter Julian said Kenney’s suggestion House of Commons on Jan. 29. As currently written, it seeks to amend the Citi- was not the approach most Canadians would take. “We want to make sure that zenship Act in two ways: Speeding up Canadian citizenship for permanent resi- terrorism is stopped. But when we want to do that, it’s within the framework of dents who serve in the Canadian Forces. a democratic society where there’s a Triggering the renunciation of Canadian system of checks and balances,” Julian citizenship for those who engage in acts said. Julian’s colleague, Jinny Sims, said of war against the Canadian Forces. during debate on Shory’s bill last week Shory says his bill’s measures are in line that it was insufficiently clear that “due with those in other countries like Australia and the United States and that polls process before the law is necessary to determine whether someone has comsuggest there’s broad support for stripmitted an act of war, nor is it clear who ping citizenship in such cases. “Canawould make such a determination.” It dian citizenship is predicated on loyalty wasn’t immediately clear whether the to this country and I cannot think of a immigration minister’s suggestion, made more obvious act of renouncing one’s to reporters after the weekly Conservasense of loyalty than going and comtive caucus meeting, indicated his own mitting acts of terror,” he said. “Right personal opinion or whether he was now under the current Canadian law speaking for the Harper government. we have no power to revoke or to deem Other cabinet ministers have publicly renunciation of citizenship on the part endorsed and helped expedite private of a dual citizen terrorist of this nature, although every other western democracy member’s legislation from backbench I’ve studied does have a similar power to Tory MPs in recent months. When asked if the government support’s Shory’s bill revoke citizenship effectively from dual citizens who are terrorists,” the immigra- in its current form, Kenney said yes.

Source: CBC News tion minister said. “So I think we should study the international precedence and perhaps SYRIA : Continued from pg 1 look at expanding Mr. Shory’s private member’s units of serum from the WHO. “The factory has the bill.” Interim Liberal serum which is needed for operations, for trauma and Leader Bob Rae called for injured, but they cannot access it because three kilthe suggestion “kneeometres of the road between the factory and the city is jerk channel changing” totally controlled by the opposition,” Hoff said. Syrby the Conservatives. ian military planes carrying doses of vaccine against “This is something that measles and polio were shot at last week in Aleppo, has to be thought through she said. “So we are now trying to see how we can consistently. Do we want set up a convoy and negotiate also with the opposition to try to get this in, not only to the public hospitals but also to the non-governmental organisations,” she said. More than half of Syria’s public hospitals have been damaged and more than a third of them are out death, violence and protests broke out on the streets of Tuof service, Hoff said. Most of the surgeons in Homs nis. Earlier, crowds of mourners, chanting “the people want have left the embattled province. Some 78 percent of the fall of the regime”, crowded around an ambulance carrySyria’s ambulances are damaged, and more than half ing Belaid’s body. As the protests intensified, four Tunisian of them are not functional, according to the WHO. opposition groups, including the Popular Front, of which the But as both sides are misusing ambulances to transport Democratic Patriots is a component, announced they were fighters, the UN agency can no longer supply new pulling out of the national assembly and called for a general vehicles, Hoff said. strike. Belaid had been critical of Tunisia’s leadership, esSource: Al-Jazeera pecially the Islamist party Ennahda that dominates the government. He had accused authorities of not doing enough to CIA : Continued from pg 1 stop violence by ultraconservatives who have targeted maudent, after taking office in 2009 ordered the closing of soleums, art exhibits and other things seen as out of keepsecret CIA detention facilities, the executive order “did ing with their strict interpretation of Islam. Samir Dilou, a government spokesperson, called Belaid’s killing an “odious not repudiate extraordinary rendition,” the report said.

The New York-based rights group has called for the crime”. Moncef Marzouki, the Tunisian president, said he United States to end the controversial programme, close would fight those who opposed the political transition in all secret prisons and investigate human rights violations his country after the death of Belaid. Marzouki, who cut that resulted from the practice. The 256 page report, short a visit to France on Wednesday, told legislators at the “Globalising Torture”, comes ahead of the confirmaEuropean Parliament in Strasbourg to applause: “We will tion hearing of John Brennan as director of the Central continue to fight the enemies of the revolution.” Marzouki Intelligence Agency on Wednesday. In reference to a also cancelled a visit to Egypt scheduled for Thursday after December 2005 statement by Brennan that rendition was the killing, which brought thousands of protesters onto the “absolutely vital” to countering terrorism, Singh said he streets outside the Interior Ministry. Chanting for the fall “has some serious questions to answer”. Singh went on of the Ennahda-led government, demonstrators shouted to say she hopes the report will compel the Senate “to “Shame, shame Shokri died”, “Where is the government?”, ask what he meant by that statement”. Internationally, and “The government should fall”. Omar bin Ali, a member OSJI wants other governments to end their involvement of the Tunisian Trade Unions, was present at the demonin the practice and take steps to ensure that counterterrorism efforts do not violate human rights. stration site and said “the Islamists were responsible for Source: Al-Jazeera Belaid’s death”. Source: Al-Jazeera

Tunisia PM to form new government

Tunisia’s prime minister has said that he will dissolve the Islamist-led government and form a national unity administration, following the killing of prominent secular opposition leader Shokri Belaid in front of his home.

Hamadi Jebali announced during a speech to the nation on Wednesday that he will form a cabinet of technocrats to run the country until elections are held. He said the ministers would not run for office but elections would subsequently be held as soon as possible. An official source told Reuters news agency earlier on that Jebali’s decision was a personal one taken in the interests of the country. Belaid, leader of the left-leaning Democratic Patriots party, was killed on Wednesday as he was leaving his home. He was transported to a hospital in the suburbs of Tunis where he died of his wounds, his brother confirmed. Following news of Belaid’s

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e d i t o r i a l

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

CANADA’S IMAGE AT RISK!

The pandemic of “global economic recession” is a reality which is adversely affecting almost all nations. Similarly, Canada despite its natural resources, a sound socio-economic set up, and a good ‘political system’ also is vulnerable as the sitting government is not efficient enough to deal with it appropriately.

The fear is if the untreated economic “ailment” is allowed to continue, Canada could be facing a social “derailment” faster than thought previously. Furthermore, the rising Canadian dollar, slowing economic activity, a large number of retiring baby boomers, high cost of local manufacturing, sky-rocketing prices especially those of the real estate and inflationary prices of daily use items are only a few of the challenges. What if deflation too takes over!

God forbid - that will be too deadlier.

On top of all this, the poor grades, as recently evaluated by the CBC (Conference Board of Canada), indicate that the country has performed way below the general expectation. This means a poor performance automatically adds further fuel to the dangerous quagmire of the ongoing failures as a consequence. Hence, Canada has failed to maintain its traditional high score among its competitors.

Struggling to stay afloat between grade “A” to grade ”D” when compared with other developing countries is not a pleasant sign at all. Apparently, a “D” grade on the poverty rate for working age people, and a grade “C” on child poverty-income inequality & gender equity - does indicate a deep trouble ahead for wealthy Canada, yet there is a lot of room to play for improvement.

Naturally, the economic slowdown has a significant negative impact on the score cards. For example, Ireland fell from the top of the class in last year’s report to the bottom this year. Other countries suffered a significant loss as well including Finland which has a ‘nine spots drop’ in the assessment.

But on the contrary, Austria gained nine

spots, while Australia and France rose by “six places” each.

Clearly, six countries still rank above Canada.

Frustrating of course is the wealthy Canada’s “D” gradation regarding the workingage poverty and “C” gradation on child poverty & income inequality. Indeed, this has triggered a major disappointment among nervous Canadians.

Historically speaking, Canada used to be an amazing place to live for the majority of Canadians, but now it is only good for mostly those who work for the government, banks, the law field, and education and health industries.

Most probably, the Canadians face a major job loss due to extensive outsourcing of manufacturing industry to third world countries.

Consequently, the unemployment is on the rise so is the inflation: Yet, It’s believed, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. However, Canada does stand a fair chance, as there is a ray of hope because many immigrants with valuable expertise and higher education are interested to land in Canada. The trend is good for self generation of socio-economic betterment.

Good news is when it comes to “acceptance of diversity,” Canada still hangs on to the top position among the group of 17 (used by the CBC). Surely, it’s a good example for other countries to follow.

Nevertheless, the sad part is there exists a difficult condition of unproductive immigrants/refugees who are bilking the system through fake claims. And, thousands of unskilled immigrants/refugees (fake or genuine) tend to settle in major cities. This has overburdened the limited availability of subsidised public housing facilities, as there is no room left in our social housing projects for the Canadian born who are genuinely in need of such facility. Though, the Canadian residents are entitled to a number of economic and social benefits, they should sincerely focus on contributing economically at least. Maybe, it’s a so-

L E T T E R S

cial fabric that needs to be strong enough to promote social justice leading to sustainable economic results.

With regard to future employment growth, the CBC has made several recommendations to ensure an “employment friendly” environment: Keep older workers in the labour force by reducing early retirement incentives, ending age discrimination by eliminating legislative and structural barriers for those who choose to work beyond age 65 in case of the currently retiring baby boomers, adopting more flexible working conditions, and improving attitudes toward older workers.

Education funding should receive higher national priority ensuring that universities and colleges have the sufficient financial resources to go ahead with their respective programs. Focus should be on continuing education and training.

Get only good immigrants through improved immigrant selection criterion: That should include proper processing, reforming credentials recognition, and strengthening intergovernmental and “public and private sector” coordination within the minimum time frame.

Other problem is with current regime’s narrow minded approach and its naive right-wing ideology which keeps pushing Canada to bend backwards. Canada can’t afford to be a loser due to wasting precious time and resources. The government and the official opposition must work hand in hand to find a viable solution best suited to the nation.

Since the immigrants have proved to create import and export investment opportunities to and from other lands quite successfully, they should be applauded and the ones with extra ordinary talents are the precious assets for Canada. Unfortunately, the employers due to lack of “recognitionability” usually fail to take full advantage of such brilliant immigrants.

Furthermore, the employers and their public sector partners in government are actu-

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ing the summer, such as summer camps.

It is high time that the centuries-old academic calendar was scrapped, and a more realistic calendar be implemented instead.

The British left their imprints on many countries, which, after gaining independence, scrapped the School-Year-Startingin-September formula, and in many third world countries within the Commonwealth, the academic year begins in January. In Kenya, for example, the year begins on 2 January (if it is a week day) and the first term ends around end of March. With one month break in April, the next term begins in May and breaks again end of July. After the August break, the kids resume in September, through November. December is another break.

If we implemented a similar calendar here,

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

Pre-Industrial Revolution!

By: M Hajee, Surrey The current school year has its beginnings pre-Industrial Revolution, when families lived primarily on farms. The local churches operated schools, and they let off the kids during the summer so that they could help on the family farm. Along came the Industrial Revolution, and people began living in congested “cities” away from the farm.

Over the centuries, the lands nearby the cities became annexed to be part of the growing cities, pushing farms further and further away from the cities.

Now, centuries later, the farms are remote from the “concrete jungles”, yet the schools operate the same academic calendar as they did centuries ago! Nowadays, kids don’t have family farms to go to, so the parents devise ways of keeping the kids busy dur-

ally obligated to address the issues of immigration through improved policies and practices. But without an effective action plan, our economic performance is bound to fail as our global competitiveness falls below an acceptable level.

Thus, there is no doubt in my mind as facilitating opportunities for immigrants is imperative for an overall good of Canada.

Improving the processes to create new products and services, would essentially lead to the desired growth for any gainful business.

Since the foreign workers with high skills bring with them extensive experience, and most of them perform well as creators, innovators, so it’s important for the Canadians to sincerely welcome the new immigrants as well as recognise the existing ones as valuable assets.

Moreover, through the provincial nominee and guest worker programs, employers have a great opportunity to play a vital role in hiring immigrants as well as the potential immigrants.

It’s up to the employers to offer hand in settling workers and their families, and help them with the language skills needed to perform jobs. It’s a good idea to go ahead with implementing “integration programs” within the workplace enabling immigrants to fully adapt to fit into Canadian workplaces.

A combined team work consisting of the public and private sector can help revive the real image of Canada – which was originally famous for welcoming immigrants.

At the end of the day, Canada’s competitiveness will significantly go back up to the previous level or even higher.

the kids would be home during December, and they would be fed lots of cold and flu fighting foods, would not come in too much contact with others who would pass the bug around, and so when the child resumes school in January, he / she would be more immune than the kids of today.

By breaking up the school year in roughly equal segments, it is better for the child (who would only get restless and bored in the long summer break) the child would be more refreshed when he / she returns to school after each school break.

Conservatives ignore housing need!

By: John McCallum, MP Liberal Party Housing Critic While cities and provinces are working hard on the pressing lack of affordable housing for Ca-

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,

nadians, the Conservatives are quietly getting the federal government out of it.

An estimated 150,000 to 300,000 Canadians are homeless and thirteen percent don’t have access to affordable housing with enough bedrooms for their family. Some families of nine live in apartments for two because that’s all they can afford.

Our housing needs are not being met and the instability this causes in people’s lives has a tremendous economic cost—you can’t prepare your resume on a street corner. Nor is it cheap

Continued on pg 8 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.

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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.’

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Contents Editorial & Letr Int. News Local Politics Faith Artcles Home and Garden Life Style Health Sports Urdu

6 4,5 9 12 7, 8 17,19,20, 22 27 28 31 32-46

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

The Physics of The Day of Judgement The belief that mankind will rise from the grave, an integral part of the three Abrahamic faiths Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, is not just a myth or wishful thinking but is based on real scientific principles. Rising up from the grave and coming back alive can happen simply with the reversal of time.

“When we are dead and have become dust and bones, Shall then we indeed be raised again?”

(Quran 56:47) “Man thinks that, We shall not assemble his bones, Yes truly! We are able to restore his very fingers!” (Quran 75:3-4) With advancement in science and technology we tend to see the world from the critical eye of science. We see people dying but no one has returned from the dead to tell us about afterlife.

Is it possible to really know that there is life after death other than religious belief? There is a surprising answer which we can have as science has advanced to the point that it is possible to look at the very basis of reality as we know it, the fabric of space and time.

There are many questions that arise in our minds. What happens to us on dying? What is soul? Does it leave the body to enter the spiritual world, which is beyond human perception in some other dimension? Are the souls reincarnated entering some other body to be recycled again as in the beliefs of some eastern religions?

Is the soul captured and kept somewhere until the Day of Judgment to be reunited with the body that rises from the grave? How can a body that had decayed and disappeared into dust regain its original shape and form? We can believe what we wish; however the modern world is based on truthful pursuit of science. Truth cannot be decided on wishful thinking or majority vote; if that was the case then Columbus would have surely fallen of the earth in 1492.

We live in a world that demands proof and is not just content with belief. The belief or even the proof is only for the believer, as belief comes from within our hearts. The greatest of proofs will not satisfy the non-believer, while the slightest evidence can be a great source of comfort for the believer. In this context let us look at the story of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be on him) given in the Quran. (Quran 2:260.) Prophet Ibrahim wanted to know how God gives life to the dead.

He had the faith of a man who was willing to sacrifice his own son for the sake of God, yet he wanted reassurance; which then was given to him in the form of a great miracle. Ordinary people like us are also in need of reassurance in a world where science and technology have assumed greater importance than religion.

There is only one version of the Quran. It is the only religious book that even the critics of Islam admit was never altered since its revelation to Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) fourteen hundred years ago. Scientific advancements have provided better understanding of many verses of the Quran that had appeared obscure in the past. The Quran accurately describes a variety of scientific facts that were discovered in the last one hundred years. For the Muslims this is one of the many reasons that the Quran is truly a revealed book.

Many verses in the Quran describe the future of the universe and The Day of Judgment. The event being depicted is not some local or earthly event caused by atomic war or natural disaster.

The verses appear to describe some great final catastrophe that will affect the whole universe.

There is mention of the final earthquake, the darkening of the stars and the sun, the opening of gates in the sky and “a time” in which mankind will see what they had done before so that they will become witnesses against their own selves.

Quran appears to be describing reversal of time and gravity.

“We warn you of doom at hand. A day when a man will look on that his own hand has sent before, And the non-believers will cry: “Wish that we were dust.”” (Qur’an 78:40) “The earth with the mountains shall be lifted and crushed with one crash.” (Qur’an 69:14) The contraction of the universe with reversal of time and gravity will commence the beginning of the end which may last for thousands and possibly millions of years. We will be removed from the regressing effects of reversed time as we come back alive at the point in time which we had died. A beautiful natural mechanism similar to black holes will create openings or gates in the sky and we will be taken across many dimen-

sions to beyond this universe by the angels of the Grand decent. Everyone will be removed no one will be left behind.

“A day when the heaven with the clouds will be rent asunder, And the angels will be sent down, a grand descent.” (Quran:25:25) “...And We gather them together, as to leave not

tells us that there are many other earths where God’s commandments are coming slowly (or one after another) which is expected as these earths mature at different times. In the following verses of the Quran other heavens and earths are mentioned. The word seven is used to denote a very large number more like infinite.

“God it is who has created seven heavens, and similar number of the earths. The commandments come down among them slowly.....”

(Quran 65:12) THE BEGINNING OF THE UNIVERSE: THE BIG BANG “Have not “those who disbelieve” known that heavens and earth were of one piece, We parted them and, We made every living thing of water, will they not then believe?” (Qur’an 21:30) The universe came into existence billions of years ago. This event is called the “The big bang. It is clearly mentioned in the Quran 1400 years ago that the discovery of “The Big Bang” and that of “The aquatic origin of life” will be made by the non-Muslims, (“those who disbelieve”). In the beginning all the matter and space (heavens) was at one point (one piece). Then everything was separated in what the physicists describe as “The big bang.” The evidence that the universe began in the “The big bang” is so overwhelming that it is now considered a fact and not just a theory.

THE RECEDING GALAXIES: THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE The galaxies other than our “milky way” are moving away from us at tremendous speeds.

This is ascertained by analyzing the light given off by the galaxies by an instrument called the spectroscope. The more distant a galaxy is the greater is its speed of recession. This motion of the galaxies is due to the expansion of the universe. The universe began about fifteen to twenty billion years ago with a tremendous explosion called “The big bang” and has been expanding ever since. The universe is not just a sphere of galaxies rushing away from each other into unending emptiness of space. It can be compared to a balloon with many dots on it, each representing a galaxy. However, the surface of this balloon, which is two dimensional, represents all three dimensions of our space, and is expanding into a higher dimension, that is beyond our imagination. The expansion of the universe is clearly mentioned in the following verses of the Quran: “The heavens, We have built with power, And We are expanding it.” (Qur’an 51:47) THE ACCELERATING EXPANSION “THE PHYSICS OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT” is based on the concept that the expansion of the universe (space) is the cause of the “phenomenon of time.” If this is true then as the expansion of the universe slows it will paradoxically appear to be expanding faster as we try to measure the expansion rate of the distant space with our local earthly time which is slowing down. This anomaly of faster expansion was discovered by two groups of astronomers in 1998.

Another group of scientists from the University of the Basque Country in Bilbao, and Spain’s University of Salamanca be-

Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri: A man heard another man reciting: Surat-ul-Ikhlas (The Unity) ‘Say: He is Allah, the One (112) and he was repeating it. The next morning he came to Allah’s Apostle and mentioned the whole story to him as if he regarded the recitation of that Sura as insufficient On that, Allah’s Apostle said, “By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! That (Sura No. 112) equals one-third of the Qur’an.” lieve that slowing of our time is causing us to mistakenly interpret these measurements as accelerated expansion of the universe.

It should be noted that we cannot measure or notice slowing of time locally, however if our time is slowing then if we look into the distant space where light is coming to us from billions of years ago we will see evidence for a faster time in the past. This is what astronomers are observing when they talk of accelerating expansion of space. A faster expansion in distant past means slowing of our time and slowing of expansion of space locally.

The slowing of expansion will eventually cause time to stop and then time will reverse when the universe starts contracting. The Quran clearly supports this scenario in the following verses in which contraction of the universe is compared to the rolling up of a scroll and also suggests that the process of creation will be repeated. “’The day’ when, We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolls up a written scroll. As We began the first creation We shall repeat it.” (Qur’an 21:104) REVERSAL OF GRAVITY AND TRANSFORMATION OF EARTH “When earth is shaken with her final earthquake.” (Qur’an 99:1) Time and gravity are closely linked. Unlike electricity and magnetism gravity is only an attractive force. There is no repulsive gravity in the expanding universe in which we live now. Some physicists feel that in the contracting universe time can reverse if gravity also reverses. Quran appears to be describing both the reversal of time and gravity. The reversal of gravity will cause it to become a repulsive force; this will cause the earth to literally explode. The mountains will fall apart and red-hot lava will be thrown out lighting up the sky like molten copper.

“The earth with the mountains shall be lifted and crushed with one crash.” (Qur’an 69:14) “When the sky will be like molten copper and the hills will be like flakes of wool.” (Qur’an:70:8-9) EARTH: “EMPTY” FROM INSIDE WITH THE SKY IN ITS CENTER The reversal of gravity will cause the earth to

one of them behind.” (Qur’an18:47) IS RESURRECTION A PHYSICAL PROCESS? “It is God, Who sends the winds and they raise a cloud, Then leads it to a dead land and revives the earth after its death. Such is the Resurrection.” (Qur’an 35:9) Above the resurrection of the dead is compared to physical processes which are based on laws of nature like the growth of plants after rain; this suggests that revival after death is also based on some physical laws. We know that the energy from the sun heats up the oceans and water vapor rises to produce the clouds. Temperature differences cause the winds to blow across the continents carrying clouds to distant lands. Dormant seeds sprout into new plants with life giving rain fall even in the harshest of places. Sometimes in the future as our knowledge of the universe, increases the reality of “The Day of Judgment” may become widely accepted as the truth. Verses in the Quran suggest that the knowledge of the Day of Judgment is within the grasp of human understanding and mankind will become aware of this knowledge.

“We shall show them our signs on the horizons and within themselves, Until it will become apparent to them, that it is the truth ...” (Qur’an 41:53) THE TRULY TREMENDOUS UNIVERSE “The creation of the heavens and the earth is definitely a greater thing than creation of mankind, however, most of mankind knows not.” (Qur’an 40:57) The extent and majesty of the universe is truly tremendous and it gives us a glimpse of the tremendous power of Allah (SWT). The circumference of our planet earth is about forty thousand kilometers, which is a distance that light, can travel seven times in one second. As the distances become larger the numbers however become mind boggling. The universe is so vast that the distances between stars and galaxies have to be measured in “light years,” which is the distance traveled by light in a year at the speed of three Continued on pg 28 hundred thousand kilometers per second.

Our solar system consists of the earth and eight other planets that are orbiting around a star that we call the sun. The distance between earth and sun is eight minutes at the speed of light. The disFrom Feb 8-22, 2013 (Rabi ul Awal 27-R.Ut II-12, 1434H) tance to the furthest planet Pluto is five Isha R.ul A Feb25 Day Fajar Sunr Zawal Dhuhr Asar Maghrib hours and twenty eight minutes at the 6:53 Fri 6:03 speed of light, compared to this, the near08 27 7:33 12:27 12:32 3:30 5:23 est star from the earth other than our sun, 6:55 Sat 6:01 09 5:25 28 7:31 12:27 12:32 3:31 is four light years away.

6:57 12:32 3:32 Sun 5:59 10 12:27 5:27 29 7:29 Our galaxy of Milky Way includes the 6:59 11 Mon 5:57 5:29 R.ut.II 01 7:27 12:27 12:32 3:34 sun its orbiting planets along with two 7:00 hundred billion other stars. At the edge 5:30 12 Tue 5:56 02 7:26 12:27 12:32 3:35 of Milky Way galaxy our sun is just a 7:02 5:32 13 Wed 5:54 03 7:24 12:27 12:32 3:36 tiny speck among billions of other stars.

7:04 5:34 14 Thu 5:52 04 7:22 12:27 12:32 3:37 The Milky Way, like most other galaxies 7:05 12:31 Fri 12:26 3:38 5:35 15 05 7:21 5:51 is so large that traveling at the speed of 7:06 light; it would take one hundred and fifty 12:31 Sat 3:39 5:36 16 06 7:20 12:26 5:50 thousand years to go from one side of it 7:08 5:38 17 Sun 5:48 07 7:18 12:26 12:31 3:40 to the other. The galaxies on the average 7:10 12:31 Mon 12:26 3:40 5:40 18 08 7:16 5:46 are separated from each other by about 7:12 5:42 19 Tue 5:44 09 7:14 12:26 12:31 3:41 ten million light years. There are over 500 hundred billion galaxies in the truly 7:13 5:43 20 Wed 5:43 10 7:13 12:26 12:31 3:42 gigantic universe.

7:15 5:45 21 Thu 5:41 11 7:11 12:26 12:31 3:44 Are we the only intelligent life form in 7:17 Fri 5:39 5:47 22 12 7:09 12:26 12:31 3:45 this vast universe? Astronomers believe that there are innumerable habitable For such Prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times: Quran ,n 4:103 Source: BCMA planets like earth in the universe. Quran

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

The Meadows of the Righteous

Riyad as-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous)

by Imam Nawawi 27. Chapter: On respecting the sacred things of the Muslims, clarification of their rights and having compassion and mercy for them Allah Almighty says, “If someone honours Allah’s sacred things, that is better for him his Lord’s sight,” (22:30) and the Almighty says, “As for those who honour Allah’s sacred rites, that comes from taqwa in their hearts.” (22:32) The Almighty says, “And take the believers under your wing,” (15:88) and the Almighty says, “If someone kills another person - unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth - it is as if he had murdered all mankind.

And if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind.” (5:32) 222. Abu Musa reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A believer in respect of another believer is like a building whose parts support one another.” and he intertwined his fingers.

[Agreed upon] 223. He also reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone passing through any of our mosques or markets carrying arrows should hold or grasp them by their heads so that no Muslim will be injured by them.”

[Agreed upon] 224. An-Nu’man ibn Bashir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The metaphor of the believers in their mutual love, mercy and affection is that of the body. When one limb of it complains, the rest of the body collapses with sleeplessness and fever.” [Agreed upon] 225. Abu Hurayra said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, kissed alHasan ibn ‘Ali while al-Aqra’ ibn Habis was with him. Al-Aqra’ said, ‘I have ten children and have never kissed any of them.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, looked at him and said, ‘Anyone

who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.” [Agreed upon] 226. ‘A’isha said, “Some of the Bedouins came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Do you really kiss your children?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘But, by Allah, we do not!’

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘There is nothing I can do if Allah has removed mercy from your hearts!’” [Agreed upon] 227. Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “If someone does not show mercy to people, Allah will not show mercy to him.” [Agreed upon] 228. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When any of you lead other people in prayer, you should make it short, for among you are there are weak, sick and old people. When you pray by yourself, you can make it as long as you wish.” [Agreed upon] One version has, “And those who have a need to attend to.”

229. ‘A’isha said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to sometimes stop doing an action, in spite of it being something he loved to do, out of the fear that other people might do it and it would become obligatory for them.” [Agreed upon] 230. ‘A’isha said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade continuous fasting as a mercy to people. They said, ‘But you fast continously.’ He said, ‘My state is not like yours. My Lord feeds me and gives me to drink.’” [Agreed upon] It means, “He gave me the strength of one who eats and drinks.”

231. Abu Qatada al-Harith ibn Rib’i reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I stand in prayer and would like to make it long but I hear the crying of a child and shorten my prayer not wanting to make things difficult for its mother.” [alBukhari] 232. Jundub ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who prays the Subh prayer is in Allah’s keeping. Make sure

L E T T E R S

Letters : Continued from pg 6 for taxpayers: the costs of medical care, shelters and day programs for the homeless are more expensive than providing them a place to live.

Yet instead of putting resources in to fix the problem, the federal government is actually pulling back support. Over the next ten years, federally-funded mortgages are coming due for housing co-operatives that provide affordable housing. Tied to those mortgages are operating agreements that provide vital funding for the co-ops and there are no plans to renew these subsidies. Without them, over 200,000 of the most vulnerable Canadians could lose their homes.

The Conservatives are quietly booking $1.6 billion in annual “savings” from this cut to affordable housing and have no plans to reinvest the money.

And that’s not the end of it: the federal Investment in Affordable Housing Program expires in 2014, but the Conservatives have still not begun negotiation for its renewal. It could get rolled into a general infrastructure fund, moving this money out of housing.

Why is this happening? Because the Conservatives believe housing is a provincial responsibility and want to get out of it—they even said so in the 2006 Budget.

That’s just wrong. The Liberal Party believes that the opportunity to succeed begins with a roof over your head. By investing in affordable housing, the federal government could help put some of the most at-risk Canadians back on their feet, living healthy lives and contributing to the economy.

It’s time the federal government to do more for affordable housing, not less.

&

Staying Focused on Jobs and Economic Growth By: Wai Young, MP for Vancouver South The security of jobs and economic growth remains at the forefront of the minds of many Canadians. A few months ago, Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, presented our Conservative Government’s Economic and Fiscal Update.

The update showed that despite worldwide economic troubles, our Government is committed to returning Canada to balanced budgets in the medium term. We’ll also continue to help create jobs and economic growth for hard-working Canadian families through our Economic Action Plan. To date, that plan has helped create over 922,000 net new jobs since the summer of 2009. In December, we passed the Jobs and Growth Act 2012, which implements key measures from our Economic Action Plan to help grow Canada’s economy, fuel job creation and secure Canada’s long-term prosperity.

Included in the Act was the extension, by one year, of the job-creating Hiring Credit for Small Business – the benefit that helped nearly 534,000 employers hire more workers last year.

The Act also improved Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSPs), and implemented some tax rules for Pooled Registered Pension Plans (PRPPs) which will help many Canadians who don’t have access to a workplace pension to save for retirement.

In addition to remaining focused on the economy, our Government has also delivered for Canadians in other areas. In November 2012, we passed the Safe Food for Canadians Act which gives the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Allah does not ask you for anything that is in His keeping. When He asks someone for something that is in His keeping, He will get hold of him and then throw him head first into the Fire of Jahannam.” [Muslim] 233. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He should not wrong him nor surrender him to his enemy. Allah will take care of the needs of anyone who takes care of the needs of his brother. On the Day of Rising Allah will dispel the anxiety of anyone who dispels the anxiety of another Muslim. On the Day of Rising Allah will veil anyone who veils another Muslim.” [Agreed upon] 234. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He should not alarm him nor lie to him, nor disappoint him. The honour, property and blood of every Muslim is unlawful to another Muslim. Great care should be taken on this point for it is enough evil for a man merely to scorn his Muslim brother.” [at-Tirmidhi] 235. He reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not envy one another, do not bid against on another, bidding in order to raise the price, do not hate one another, do not turn your backs on one another, and none of you should sell against the sale of anyone else. Be slaves of Allah, brothers. A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim: he should not wrong him nor scorn him nor disappoint him. Godfearing is here,” and he pointed to his breast three times. “It is enough evil for man to scorn his Muslim brother. The blood, property and honour of a Muslim is unlawful to another Muslim.” [Muslim] 236. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you can truly be said to believe until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself.” [Agreed upon] 237. He also reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Help your brother, wronging or

wronged.” A man said, “Messenger of Allah, I can help him if he is wronged but tell me how I can help him if he is wronging?” He said, “You can restrain him - or prevent him - from injustice. That is helping him.” [al-Bukhari] 238. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The rights one Muslim has over another Muslim are five: returning the greeting, visiting the sick, joining funeral processions, accepting invitations and blessing those who sneeze.” [Agreed upon] In the variant of Muslim, “The Muslim has six rights. When you meet him, you should greet him. When he invites you, you should accept his invitation. When he asks you for counsel, you should counsel him. When he sneezes and praises Allah, you should bless him. When he is ill, you should visit him.

When he dies, you should follow him.”

239. Abu ‘Umara al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, instructed us to do seven things and forbade us seven. He instructed us to visit the sick, to join funeral processions, to bless people who sneeze, to fulfil our oaths, to help the wronged, to accept invitations, and to return the greeting. He forbade us gold rings, drinking from silver vessels, red silk, fine silk, mixed silk and cotton, and wearing silk and istibraq silk, and brocade.” [Agreed upon] One variant has “declaring stray animals” among the first seven.

O P I N I O N S bring in the Multiculturalism Act in 1971. Canadians have never looked back since. Three metro areas - Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver - have become multicultural in the true sense of the word. Here in Richmond, we have the most culturally diverse community in Canada. It is a great model for others.

Our Highway to Heaven (aka #5 Road) is home to most of the major faiths of the world.

Nearly twenty places of worship located side by side along this unique stretch of road are a great model of intercultural/inter-religious co-operation and harmony. From time to time there are great examples of these faiths reaching out to each other and the community. This was very evident in an open house and dinner organized by the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre (8580 No.5 Road) on Saturday, January 26.

A Journey into Islam hosted by the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre was a very enjoyable event. More than 300 persons-men, women and children-from diverse cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds , took advantage of the opportunity to have a firsthand look at Islam ,mingle with each other and enjoy a delicious dinner. Sheikh Murtza started the evening with an enlightening talk about Islam. Following dinner, the participants had an opportunity to explore a large number of interactive exhibits dealing with different aspects of Islam. They were also treated to a tour of the facility. The role played by the youth in organizing this event was excellent.

The management of Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre must be commended for opening their place of worship to the community and welcome the atBy: Balwant Sanghera, Richmond tendees with open arms. Events like this go a Canada is well known all over the world as a long way in enhancing multiculturalism and its very compassionate, inclusive and peaceful positive impact on the community. country. It was the first country in the world to (CFIA) stronger tools to better protect families and enhance industry compliance. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other Government representatives visited India, the Philippines and Hong Kong to strengthen our countries’ trade relationships, working to open new markets for Canadian businesses.

Our Government is also continuing to improve Canada’s immigration system while meeting the needs of Canada’s economy. We announced that Canada will maintain record levels of immigration to support economic growth in 2013, including highly-skilled immigrants.

Finally, our Government has now implemented a number of measures from our Safe Streets and Communities Act, which became law in 2012. Conditional sentencing – or house arrest – is no longer a sentencing option for dangerous crimes such as breaking and entering, and theft of a motor vehicle. Tougher penalties are now in place for the production and possession of illegal drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

And violent and repeat young offenders are now held accountable for their actions.

Canadians can count on the Harper Government to remain focused on jobs and growth.

We will control our spending, while also taking action to invest in the needs of Canadians and their families. We will stand up against the NDP plan for a massive, $21 billion job-killing carbon tax, and continue to help create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians, and for our future.

A Journey to Islam!

9

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

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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

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

SERVING YOU AT OUR NEW LOCATION (Bombay Banquet Hall plaza)

Galaxy Travel is proud to announce that we have moved to our own new location at

UNIT 129-7475 135 St. Surrey

The new office has additional staff members, ample parking and a more efficient way to help our clients.

Galaxy Travel would like to thank all of its Customers who supported us in the past.

In regards to that we will continue to provide you with the best customer service at any given time.

We are an authorized Travel Agency of over 100 Airlines worldwide, including Emirates, Qatar, Gulf, Kuwait, Air Canada, West Jet, American Airlines, United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Egypt Air, Saudi Arabian Airlines and many more.

We have a 24-hour service to further help our clients in case of any emergencies.

We offer many packages such as Hajj and Ummrah packages along with Disney Land tours.

Abdul Rauf President

Documets required for Hajj Visa - A complteted and signed visa application - Valid Canadian passport (6 months from departure date) - For permanent residents PR Cards is required - 4 Recent Canadian passport size photographs - Vaccination against Meningitis - Females need males Mahram with proof of realtion - Females of 45 years and older can go without Mahram (with the Group leader) She must provide a notary letter from her Mahram - All original documents must be attached with 2 photocopies.

We are licensed for IATA and Consumer Protection (#45836)

We are qualified agents for Travel and Tourism We can beat any price We speak English-Urdu-Hindi and Punjabi Ticket sales for Pakistan The best fares around the world.

Special Offer: Dubai Visa Fee - $120 Ummrah Visa Fee - $200 Limited Time Offer Choose Galaxy Travel for all your Travel needs

Call us for Booking and Inquiries Phone: (604) 501-4700 Email: galaxytravel@live.ca Fax: (604) 501-4707 ~ Visit us: www.galaxytravel.ca

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

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?

Income Tax Season!!

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

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Recipients Of Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal Announced In Surrey

On Feb 1, Forty-six community leaders were awarded the Diamond Jubilee Medal at a ceremony in Surrey at the Grand Taj Banquet Hall. Medals were awarded by MP Jasbir Sandhu (Surrey North), and MLAs Harry Bains (SurreyNewton), Jagrup Brar (Surrey-Fleetwood), Sue Hammell (SurreyGreen Timbers) and Bruce Ralston (Surrey-Whalley).

Recipients of the honour represented a broad spectrum of community: the arts, business, the Surrey School District, the armed forces, RCMP, alternative healthcare, sports, volunteer and service organizations, and neighbourhood renewal organizations, to name a few.

The medal was created to mark the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne. Each Member of Parliament was given 30 medals, and each Member of the Legislative Assembly was given 4 medals, to present to constituents who have made significant contributions to their communities. Recipients were chosen by volunteer advisory panels assembled by the elected representatives.

Officially list of Diamond Jubilee Medal Recipients which Miracle received for their communities works base, few of them are going to be print as it is.

Jasbir Sandhu’s Recipients: Dr. Raghbir Singh Bains Raghbir is an encyclopaedist, museologist, environmentalist, volunteer and philanthropist. He is the author of the first “Encyclopedia of Sikhism” on multimedia technology, released by the Prime Minister in 1997.

Habib Bajwa Habib is a former employment officer and labour market consultant. He is currently an immigration consultant, and has helped many people with employment and citizenship matters over the past 30 years.

Balwinder Chahal Balwinder has been part of the Indo-Canadian Business Association for 13 years, and has also helped business entrepreneurs through SEEDS. He is a founder of the Old Age Benefits Forum, advocating for equality for newcomer seniors across Canada.

Satbir Singh Cheema Satbir works at Progressive Intercultural Community Services where he helped the Canadian Forces open an innovative diversity recruiting office at PICS in 2003. He is also on the board of a number of community organizations.

Balbir Singh Desi Balbir founded the non-profit Khalsa Wrestling Club in 1981 to help children of all ages stay away from negative influences.

After 30 years, KWC is now a top wrestling club in the nation, producing world team members and Olympians.

Naveed Waraich Naveed is a founder of the Pakistani Canadian Cultural Society, building community and promoting Pakistani socio-cultural values in Canada. He is a tireless advocate for his community, and organizes the celebration of the national days of Pakistan and Canada.

of the Knights of Columbus and Royal Canadian Legion for over 50 years. Ernie is a member of Flag Watch and works to keep the Canadian Flag flying at schools and other public facilities.

Sue Hammell’s Recipients: Brigette Kugler For years, Brigette has kept her neighbourhood clean and safe by tirelessly picking up trash and dangerous items on the street around David Brankin Elementary school.

She helps out the community by fixing appliances with her husband Helmet and just by being warm and welcoming person to her neighbours.

Narinder Nayer Narinder intervened during a serious stabbing incident when Ravinder Kaur Bhangu was being attacked by her estranged husband on July 28, 2011. Mr. Nayar was seriously injured when he courageously tried

to intervene to save Ravinder’s life.

Bruce Ralston’s Recipients: Rachid Arab Rachid is a Certified Quality Auditor, a Certified Quality Engineer and Industrial Relations Manager, and has been Planning Chair of the American Society for Quality.

His career in the Aerospace industry spans 23 years with one of British Columbia’s leading aerospace companies.

Penny Priddy Born in Toronto, Penny is the first woman in Canada elected to all four levels of government. For 22 years Penny served residents of Surrey as Chair of Surrey School Board, as a member of Surrey Council, and as a Member of Parliament for SurreyNorth.

Report by: Chelsea Sharman, Constituency Assistant for Jasbir Sandhu

Harry Bains’ Recipient: Pummy Kaur Pummy is a Surrey School District public educator and author. Pummy has strived to teach students independence, the importance of equality and to push students to their potential. She is a founder and past President of British Columbia Teachers for Peace and Global Education.

Lamber Sidhu Lamber is a long-time resident of Surrey and is a retired member of the Canadian Autoworkers Union.

Lamber’s efforts were instrumental in improving wages, benefits and working conditions for thousands of families in British Columbia.

Jagrup Brar’s Recipients: Ernie Fassler Ernie is a veteran and has been a member

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

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Symbol of Unity (SAW) Celebrated at Aza-e-Hussain Centre, Surrey

On Feb 11, a seminar on Prophet MohamMoham mad (SAW) “ Symbol of Unity” in series of the Jashan-e-Milad was celebrated at Aza-eHussain Centre in Surrey. Mr. Abbas Akbari recited the few verses of Quran and translated.

Mr. Waqar Hassan conducted this event very well. He invited presenters for Manqabats and Qaseedas included Mr. Hassan Jafferi, Mr. Naseer Pirzada, Mr. Zaheer Manki and others.

A special address of Dr. Zafar Bangesh (Toronto) through Skype was then streamed.

Dr. Bangesh welcomed all the listeners at this spiritual occasion. He delivered his views on many aspects of Prophet (pbuh) life and the current sectarian killing issues in Pakistan. He urged that we would spend our lives in light of noble teachings of our beloved Mohammad (pbuh).Today we need more unity in all sects of Islam and he condemned the brutal killings of humanity in Pakistan.

Dr. Nasir Zaidi was the next speaker, he recited few verses from Sura Al Imran and translated them.

His focus was on Tauheed (Wahdat), Taqwa, unite each other, Death being a Muslim, strongly hold the rope of Allah, and Akhlaq (soft behaviour with others). Dr. Zaidi also

discussed in details about the “Tazkia Nafs and Wama arslana alla Rehmat-ul-Lil Aalameen (“And we have sent you as mercy for all worlds”) .

Imam and Khateeb of Az Zahara Islamic Centre Richmond Sheikh Murtaza Bachoo was the next speaker. After recitation of Quranic verses and Haidths, he chosen the Unity and Terrorism topic for this “Symbol of Unity’ seminar.

He said nowadays still Terrorism concept is not clear and there are 212 definitions are floating around the world specially after 9-11 incident. He said that Terror means to scare someone, and ism means idea of protecting fear with someone.

The common features of terrorism are: 1. Use of Violence (unlawful) traditionally or conventionally.

2. Goals of Violence (to create fear in general public) get publicity to use minimum resources for maximum distractions. It is also used by weaker side and can be used by the stronger side too and has no limitations.

3. Motivated by political, ideological, religious and by nationalism to achieve goals.

He then described the Islamic perspective of

Terrorism.

In Muslims, this act is done either due to differences in ideology and sects.

Does Islam allows us to create fear in public?

Islam does not allow terrorism at any cost of any type at anywhere,.

Prophet Mohammad (saw) did not allow to create fear even in non Muslims. The best example is the Conquest of Makkah. He (pbuh) declared today is the Day of Mercy for everyone.

Sheikh Bachoo also emphasized, “Don’t provoke unlawful violence for unethical goals/means.”He concluded his speech saying that today the killers of humanity do not understand the message of Prophet Mohammad(SAW). He prayed “O Allah Unite hearts of Muslim Ummah and give strength to work together for the growth of Muslims and Islam.”

At the end chief speaker of the this seminar was Maulana A. Latif Naumani, Imam and khateeb of Fiji Islamic Centre. After recitation of Quranic Suras and narrated of few Haidths he said, that it is Allah blessing that we Islamic scholars are gathered under one roof for the celebration of beloved Mohammad (SAW) “Symbol of Unity” forum.

About the terrorism in Pakistan, he said that a terrorist has no religion , they are brutally killing all humanity not only just one sect.

Maulana Naumani briefed about different topics i.e, Azmat e Rasool, with reference of Sura “Alam Nashra”, and Surah Balad.

We should all act as per teachings of Allah and Prophet Mohammad (saw) and try to recite Darood many times a day and it will help get mercy . The Jashan ended with a delicious refreshment.

Milad un Nabi (SAW) Conference at Fleetwood Islamic Centre Jasne Eid-E-Milad-Un-Nabi (S.A.W) program took place on Feb 2 at Fleetwood Centre. The program started with the recitation of Quran. Naat Sharifs were recited by many local Naat Khawns. Mulana Naveed Chissthi(England), Abdul Salis Rasool, Mr. Riaz Kalsi, Mr. Shreef Ahmed along with young English and Urdu Naat Khawans presented Naats and nasheeds.

Mr. Mohammad Farook was the master of ceremony. He invited all the local speakers to one by one deliver lecture on Eid Milad un Nabi(saw). The first English speaker was Mr. Ilyaz Shareef Qadri. He defined how the Messenger of Allah (SWT) Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) name was derived. In Mohammad, Hamad praises Allah(swt), Mahmood means excessive amount of praise or praise again and again. All angels and creations praise Allah(swt) and Allah himself praises prophet Mohammad (saw) in Quran, “Wa ra fana laka Zikrak” (and we have raised high the esteem in which you are held”. The other name of Mohammad (saw) is Ahmed which means highest praises. Mr Qadri given refer-

ences of many Haidths of Ibn Abbass(ra).

Maulana Abdul Lateef Naumani delivered a stunning bayan in Urdu in which he focused on the birth of Prophet Mohammad(SAW) and love with Allah and his messenger Mohammad(pbuh). He said that all Muslims try to understand the respect of Mohammad(pbuh) and should be true followers by practicing. We always remember the Companions of Prophet(pbuh)’s life patterns and how they practised what was preached by the Prophet and scarified their lives for its sake.

A young boy Nasser Arishen of Fleetwood Islamic Centre delivered a beautiful speech on Seerat un Nabi(saw) in English. He said that Prophet Mohammad(saw) was the one who brought us from darkness to lightness.

He gave us the knowledge of Islam. Afterwards, the chief guest Imam Fode Drame of Az Zawiyah foundation was invited. He elaborated on the celebration of Eid-E-MiladUn-Nabi (S.A.W) and explained how we learn from basic teachings of life which is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (PBUH). He

recited the verses from Sura “Al Rehman”, and said that Allah’s 100 attributes were derived from “REHMAN “except one name Allah. Hence, the remaining names have links from Rehman (merciful).

Imam Drame recited the Sura Ad Duha Ayat 5.``Wala Sawfa Yu teeka Rabbuka fatardaa” and Sura Baqra Ayat 142, “An Qiblatihimul -latee kaanoo” and gave details of each aya.

He concluded his speech at “Baite Rizwan” (commitment) in the way of Mecca and Madina Munwara cities. Mr. Shabbir Patel secretary of Minhaj ul Quran shown the Moe e Mubarak (Prophet’s(pbuh) hair) to the general public. The program concluded with Darood-O-Salaam. A wonderful gathering was seen in centre. A delicious dinner prepared by the hard working team of centre was served .

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Community Café to address the issue of sexual violence

By: Sadia Sameeullah Sexual violence is one of the most under reported hideous crime all over the world. The stigma and shame associated with the disclosure and fear of rejection from immediate family creates many insurmountable barriers for women in accessing help and healing.

Based on the statistics reported by “The Justice Institute of BC” an alarming rate of sexual assault cases in Canada is very concerning.” One in 17 women in Canada is sexually abused in her life time, 70% of the rapists and perpetrators are known to the victim.62% of the women who are sexually assaulted are also physically injured and severely beaten, 9% are disfigured”.

The recent unfortunate gang rape in India has affected all of us and was catalyst to self evaluating our role as a responsible member of the society to create a safer community for all of us.

The Shakti Society and Battered Women Support Services collaborated to present an interactive and informative Community Café to address the issue of sexual violence.

The four panelists were Ms Helen Griffiths, Provincial Nurse Coordinator at BC Women’s sexual assault services, Dr.Nazia Niazi, Family physician, Mr.Harpreet Singh, renowned journalist and Sgt. Rabinovich from Vancouver Police Department Sex Crimes and Child abuse unit.

All the panelists spoke about sexual violence with the context of their respective professional expertise and experience. Their presentations focused on how sex crimes are dealt with in the existing system, role of law enforcement, how women are assisted in navigating the system and the vital role of media to shape our social response in dealing with violence against women in general and sexual vio-

lence in particular. It was greatly encouraging to see the audience deeply engaged in focusing on this issue with the intention and desire to stop sexual violence.

Many valuable and interesting themes emerged from the conversations held on each table after the panel. All the topics discussed in smaller groups were moderated by professionally trained facilitators and captured the multiple and complex dynamics of sexual violence. Participants shared their wisdom and vision about the impact of media on our mind set, role and responsibility of religious organizations in addressing sexual violence, role of culture in shaping our beliefs about gender equality, safety planning for women with mental health issues, why does the victim get blamed for being raped and where should education on preventing sexual violence begin.

More than 150 people attended the event from all walks of life with varying age groups and ethnicities. They appreciated the safe space they had to discuss their thoughts without any hesitation and fear of being judged, they freely spoke about the small and solid individual commitment they want to make a collective difference.

The organizers are very humbled and grateful to all the attendees and dignitaries including M.L.A Sue Hammell, M.L.A Harry Bains, M.P Jinni Sims. Councilor Barinder Rasode expressed her whole hearted support for the cause. Representatives from Brookside and Dukh Niwaran Gurdwaras,W.S.O,Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Fiji Business Association, BC Muslim Association and attended the forum. We are very encouraged and hopeful about engaging the community in such worthy and productive and meaningful

BC Cancer Agency PSA Education sessions in Cantonese and Mandarin

The BC Cancer Agency is offering free educational sessions for Chinese speaking patients who have completed cancer treatment and want information on how best to transition to life after cancer.

The program, called BE ACTIVE, starts March 1 at the BC Cancer Agency’s Vancouver Centre, located at 600 West 10th Ave. Sessions will run every Friday from 10 a.m. to noon until May 10. Topics include how to monitor health, how to manage post-treatment side effects, and

what to eat to regain strength.

BE ACTIVE is the only language and culturally specific supportive cancer program for Chinese cancer community in Canada Services will be offered in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.

For more information about the program, call 604-877-6000 ext. 672375 (Chinese) or ext. 672194 (English). BE ACTIVE is supported by the Provincial Health Services Authority, the BC Cancer Foundation and Tzu Chi Canada.

conversations regularly. Shakti society will compile a detailed report and identify action items emerging from this forum. The date for the follow up forum will be announced soon.

Mp Sims: Urgent Solution Needed For Forgotten Files In Buffalo

Thousands of immigrants are waiting for permanent resident status must deal with psychological and financial stress. Nearly nine months have passed since the Conservative government abruptly closed the immigration office in Buffalo and transferred nearly 10,000 permanent residence applications to Ottawa. The long delays caused by this rash decision have had serious consequences for applicants. The NDP is urging the Conservatives to put an end to this ordeal by quickly processing their files.

“These immigrants deserve clear and transparent information from the government on the status of their applications,” said NDP Immigration Critic, Jinny Sims. “Their applications must be made a priority and the

government must provide additional resources so these people can finally obtain their permanent resident status. The government must deal with this serious blunder.”

The applicants are also facing particularly significant delays because of the Conservative government’s cuts to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Some are now thinking about leaving the country and others have already left.

“The psychological and financial stress these people are dealing with is huge. They simply want answers from the government,” said Newton-North Delta MP Sims. “We need a comprehensive and fast solution.”

Boomers aging worse than past generation, report suggests By: Linda Carroll NBC News Like many baby boomers, 63-year-old Beth Thomas feels her age. Each passing year brings more aches and pains. Old injuries have started grumbling again. Fingers that were once supple are often stiff and sore.

Thomas does her best to stay active. She says she used to jog, but these days has to settle for long walks because of the toll running took on her knees and back.

Baby boomers may view aging as a thing that happens to someone else, but in reality, the more than 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 may be facing a creakier, sicker old age than their parents, according to a new report.

Despite advances in cancer treatment and life-saving, cholesterol-lowering statin medications to protect against cardiovascular disease, boomers are far less likely to say they are in excellent health compared to what people born between 1922 and 1943 reported when they were in the same age range, researchers from the West Virginia University School of Medicine reported Monday.

While that could possibly be put down to higher boomer expectations, the new report, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, finds that in a single generation the number who suffer from high cholesterol has more than doubled compared to the previous generation, as has the number who say they need the as-

sistance of a cane or walker to get around.

“The message here is that we may not be the healthiest generation,” says the report’s lead author Dr. Dana E. King, a professor in the department of family medicine at the West Virginia University School of Medicine.

“And I think this may be a wake-up call to the baby boomers to change their lifestyles for the better and try to delay the kind of diseases and disability that seem to be coming at a higher rate than it did in our parents’ generation.”

King and his colleagues pored through data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) which included information from 1988 through 1994 on the so-called “Silent Generation” – those born between the two world wars – and data from 2007 through 2010 on the Baby Boom Generation.

The researchers found that just 13 percent of boomers reported they were in excellent health, as compared to 32 percent of their counterparts in the previous generation.

Nearly 39 percent of boomers were obese as compared to 29 percent of their parents’ generation at the same age. More than half of boomers reported no regular physical activity, as compared to 17 percent of the previous generation.

The new report came as no surprise to doctors who treat patients from both generations.

Dr. Robert Cato blames most of the boomer ill health and disability on the obesity epidemic.

“Obesity makes you less functional,” says Cato, an associate professor of clinical medicine and chief of general internal medicine at the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, who was not involved in the study. “Obese patients get more arthritis. They don’t walk as well. They have more back pain – and they just don’t feel as well.”

There was some good news in King’s report, however. Despite the drop in activity and the rises in disability, obesity, cholesterol, and blood pressure, boomers are living longer and suffering fewer heart attacks.

The decrease in heart attacks Cato and others attribute to advances in medicine, such as widespread use of statins and the decrease in smoking.

“We’ve saved people’s lives and they’ve clearly had fewer heart attacks,” says Dr. Amy Crawford-Faucher, a family medicine physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “But everything else [obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, inactivity] is getting worse.”

Crawford-Faucher fears that younger people will fare just as badly as the boomers since inactivity and obesity plague them as well.

As for Thomas, she’s hoping to learn about her blood pressure and cholesterol levels at her first wellness exam in years and to get some help with the more wrenching of her pains.

“I accept the chronic ouchies,” she says. “But I’m looking for some relief from the pain. I don’t want to keep pumping Advil – that’s not good for your liver.”

2 or 3 Bedroom suite 132 Street and 62nd Avenue

2 bedroom with one bathroom ($950 per month) or 3 bedroom with two full bathrooms ($1250 per month) suite is available. Third bedroom is a HUGE master bedroom with a walk in closet and its own entrance. You can move in immediately. All utilities included. Individual heating controls. Rent is negotiable for the right family. Schools are within 5 minutes walking distance. Mosque is within walking distance as well. Bus stop is only few meters away.

Call or email Arsalan Butt for more details: 778-996-7855; ab@sfu.ca

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Community Health Fair in Masjid Al- Salaam Burnaby

On Jan 27, BC Muslim Association arranged a community health fair which was supported

by Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor General Direct Access Program Grant held in Masjid Al-Salaam in Burnaby. The BCMA organizers arranged this fair in the multipurpose hall. The function was well organized by the Management. The presentations and

number of stalls which were demonstrated by many health and care organizations were very informative. There were door prizes from different health and care organizations. The visitors learned about health programs and resources which are available in our community. Overall it was very informative event in which people discussed their health problems

A Seminar on Health and Wellness At Surrey North Rec. Centre On 27th Jan, a seminar was arranged by DXN Surrey, on “ Health and wellness-the DXN way”. Besides other speakers, Dr Asma Munir, an eminent doctor and professor of international fame, spoke on the benefits of a unique mushroom, “Ganoderma” and its use in our daily life. She emphasised the importance of health supplements vis a vis treatment of illnesses. She is a senior trainer of DXN and tours the world over in this context. She appreciated the efforts of Mr zahid Malik in setting up the DXN service centre in Surrey and providing support and guidance to DXN users in this area.

with different medical representatives of NUTRILITE, ONETOUCH, LIFESCAN, The British Columbia Association of Optometrists, Immunocal, Canadian Diabetes Association, Community Outreach, Battered Women’s Support Services (bwss), Fraserhealth, Mykangentools, Floyd & Hariotte Fox, Hong Ren Clinic of Registered Acupuncturist &

Cosmetologist, Dr Mee Lain Ling Dr. TCM, (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and many others stalls.

This community health fair was well organised by the efforts of Mr. Daud Ali, Mr. Daud Ismail, Mr. Bob Ibrahim, and Ms. Qamrul Mohd and they also served the delicious healthy foods.

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Kashmir Solidarity Day

observed with renewed pledge People across the country and in Azad Kashmir as well as in several locales around the globe observed Kashmir Solidarity Day on Feb 5 renewing the pledge for continued support to their brethren in Held Kashmir against the Indian atrocities.

February 5 had been declared as a public holiday whereby the government and the

of Kashmiris in Held Kashmir, one-minute silence was observed at 10:00 AM – bringing all rail and road traffic across the country to standstill.

The President and the Prime Minister in their separate messages on the occasion have expressed Pakistan’s commitment to finding a just and peaceful solution of Kashmir dispute.

entire nation reaffirmed support to stay with Kashmiris in the hour of trial and their fight against the Indian oppression.

The Day is being marked in Pakistan since 1990 to pay homage to the Kashmiri martyrs and highlight the plight of Kashmiris for their birth right to self-determination, promised to them by the international community under the resolutions of United Nations Security Council.

The day dawned with special prayers at mosques and houses across the country after Fajr prayers for the early liberation of Jammu and Kashmir from Indian subjugation.

Rallies were staged in almost all cities and towns of country and Azad Kashmir with demand for cessation of Indian hostilities in the Held Valley and an end to illegal occupation of the valley by India.

As a mark of respect to the valiant struggle

Different political parties, civil society and trade organizations staged rallies to express solidarity with Kashmiri brethren and to continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support.

While, radio and television channels presented special programmes, e-media and print newspapers brought out special supplements highlighting the cause of Kashmiris and the perspective of the Kashmir movement.

Stringent security measures had been adopted across the country for walks and functions and to thwart any untoward incident and act of sabotage.

Seminars, conferences and meetings were held in different parts of country and abroad to mark the Day wherein pledge was renewed for the right to self-determination for the Kashmiri people urging the world nations to play their role in giving Kashmiris their just

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Let Kashmiris self-determine their future: PM ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has said that Kashmir is not a land dispute between the two states; rather it is the issue concerning over 16 million Kashmiris living on both sides of Line of Control (LoC).

Addressing a function here on Tuesday in connection with Kashmir Solidarity Day‚ he said plebiscite was the right way to give the Kashmiris their right to self-determination.

He reiterated Islamabad’s commitment seeking solution to the problem in the light of the United Nations resolutions.

The prime minister said Kashmir was a human rights issue and urged the world community to play its role for its resolution. He said India demonstrated intransigence for resolution of the Kashmir issue and was ruling the occupied valley with brute force.

He said though India wanted to normalise relations with Pakistan and desired to have enhanced trade relations, but he made it loud and clear that the unresolved issue of Kashmir was dangerous for lasting peace in the region and the world.

Ashraf said Kashmiris were struggling for their right to self-determination and this struggle was intensifying day by day.

The prime minister said the objective to observe Kashmir Solidarity Day was to express solidarity with Kashmiris for their right to self-determination. He said support to Kashmir cause was top priority of PPP and it was one of the reasons for creating the party.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the PPP government inherited terrorism, but contained the genie of terrorism to great extent with the support of the masses and the armed forces of the country.

About the current water dispute with India, the prime minister said that under the Indus Water Treaty, India could not divert the water of rivers to other areas, adding whenever the neighbouring country violated the treaty international forums gave decisions in favour of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, people across the country and in Azad Jammu and Kashmir observed Kashmir Solidarity Day on Tuesday renewing the pledge to support the cause of Kashmir and its people who are met with violence and hostilities from formidable Indian troops all these years.

Rallies, processions and public gatherings were organised across Pakistan in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day. In Islamabad, AJK President Sardar Yaqoob, Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed and prominent Kashmiri leaders, including Syed Yousaf Naseem, Faiz Naqshbandi, Raja Farooq Haider, Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, Barrister Sultan Mehmood and others, participated in different ceremonies. A resolution was presented in the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) demanding effective UN role for Kashmir’s independence and against the killings of Kashmiris by Indian army in the occupied Valley.

A token sit-in was also staged outside the UNMOGIP office in Diplomatic Enclave but it was called off early due to a heavy downpour on Feb 5. Like every year, a human chain was formed at the Kohala Bridge.

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politics

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Premier Clark at Sukh Dhaliwal’s Fundrasing Dinner Sukh Dhaliwal has announced that he will be running for Member of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia with Premier Christy Clark and the BC Liberal Party in the riding of Surrey Panorama on May 14, 2013. On Feb 2nd an overwhelming support has been seen in Sukh Dhaliwal for Surrey Panorama Liberal candidate in Taj banquet hall Surrey. BC premier Christy Clark was the chief guest at this colorful fundraising in which 800 supporters showed their excitement for upcoming campaign.

Sukh said in his speech “I find it interesting how Adrian Dix is “considering” his upcoming policies on so many different policy areas, but continues to be vague about what he is going to actually do. British Colum-

bians are very nervous about what an NDP government is going cost the province. “If we want a strong future for our children, if we want a sustainable health care system for our parents, if we want a climate where small businesses can thrive, we need a strong economy. The more people find out about the NDP and their policies and how much they are going to cost BC taxpayers, the easier a decision it will be at the ballot box.

At this exited occasion the Premier Clark also addressed in support of her party strong candidate from Surrey Panorama Mr. Sukh Dhaliwal and wish his success in upcoming election.

Photographs source: http://www.flickr.com/ photos

Harry Bains Road for Positive Change fundraiser On January 26, Surrey Newton MLA Harry Bains welcomed hundreds of his supporters at his fundraiser held at the India Banquet Hall in Surrey. The theme was a Road for Positive Change.

Bains said: “It was a outstanding event and I was very humbled and honored by the support from the community.” Bains also said he was proud to see such a great cross section

India’s Republic Day celebrated by Indian Consulate

on January 26, The Consul General of India staff and guests celebrate the 63rd Republic Day of India event held at Empire Landmark Hotel in Vancouver and organized by the Indian Consulate General MLA Jagrup Brar Consul General of India, Ravi Shankar Aisola and MLA Raj Chouhan.

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of the community attending with businesses, unions, taxi drivers, construction companies, manufacturing companies, truck drivers and individuals who all contribute to the British Columbia.

Also in attendance was B.C. New Democrat leader Adrian Dix and fellow MLAs: Raj Chouhan, Bruce Ralston, Jagrup Brar and former New Democrat MP Penny Priddy.

21

economics

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Canada-U.S. price gap report calls for import tax cut

By Laura Payton, CBC News No definitive reason seen for Canada-U.S. price differences Senators who studied why Canadians pay more than Americans for many products are calling on the government to review the taxes

American books.

The report says there are 8,192 tariff categories in Canada and that each category has 18 tariff treatments.

The tariffs generated $3.6 billion in tax revenue in 2010-2011, representing 1.5 per cent

on imported goods.

Members of the national finance committee spent more than a year hearing from 53 experts, including consumer groups and manufacturers, as they studied why Canadian prices differ from American when the dollar is close to equal. The committee’s final report says it “cannot offer an ex The committee says factors influencing price include transportation costs, the relative size of the Canadian market — and tariffs, or taxes on imports.

The report recommends: • A “comprehensive review of Canadian tariffs … with the objective of reducing the price discrepancies for certain products between Canada and the United States.”

• Looking at increasing value of how much can be shipped in Canada tax- and duty-free.

• Continuing to integrate safety Canadian standards with those in the U.S. • Having Heritage Minister James Moore study the costs and benefits of reducing a 10 per cent mark-up that Canadian-exclusive distributors can add to U.S. list prices of

of the total government revenue collected that fiscal year. That same year, about 60 per cent of tariff revenue was collected on apparel and textile products, autos and auto parts, and footwear.

Flaherty wants tariffs cut Flaherty, speaking to reporters before the report was released, said the government “would like to eliminate tariffs going forward.”

“We’ve been looking at our tariff situation carefully, particularly with respect to consumer goods in Canada, to see what we could do. Tariffs are obviously sources of revenue as well and I have revenue concerns as finance minister,” Flaherty said after a speech in Ottawa Wednesday.

The senators took on the study after Flaherty wrote them about the issue of price discrepancies.

Senator Joseph Day, the committee’s chair, welcomed Flaherty’s comments at a press conference in Ottawa Wednesday afternoon with deputy chair Larry Smith and JoAnne Buth, one of the senators on the committee.

“If the minister wants all tariffs to be removed, that’ll be a lot easier than what we’ve recommended in the study, [a review] to be conducted to determine what industries might be impacted that still exist in Canada,” he said.

The senators noted hockey equipment as one area where it doesn’t make sense to have tariffs, including an 18 per cent mark-up on hockey pants imported from China. Americans face only a tariff of 2.9 per cent, Day said.

Consumers need to be informed “Maybe we were trying to protect a Canadian manufacturer years ago, but they’re all coming from outside now,” Day said.

The senators said they don’t believe any Canadian company still makes hockey pants.

Another issue the senators touched on is country pricing, a practice where some manufacturers charge Canadian retailers as much

as 50 per cent more than they charge American retailers.

Retailers say they’ve been told it’s because Canadians are used to paying more, the prices subsidize the cost of operations in Canada, and the prices are necessary to compensate distributors and wholesalers for the higher costs of operating in Canada.

Asked whether Canadian consumers are condemned to pay higher prices, Day says they need to be informed of the reasons so they can make better decisions and possibly force change.

“The government does not fix prices in Canada. We have the marketplace that determines the price. What we want to do is make sure that there aren’t any unnecessary government regulations that segment our economy here in Canada from the United States and from other areas unnecessarily,” Day said.

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home &garden

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Roofing & Renovation Solutions

By Imran Tipu ( RTM Roofing & Renovations) The current article is regarding the Cement and Concrete Driveway Costs for both New and Replacement Driveways and it also covers Concrete Driveway Repair Costs.

One of the most durable and long lasting driveways you can have installed to your home is a concrete drive way.

Not only does it look very nice and provide great curb appeal, a properly installed concrete driveway can last for 15-20 years or longer, with a minimum of yearly maintenance and repair costs.

In this Driveway article about concrete driveway costs, we will give you essential information about the potential concrete driveway cost for your home, so you’ll have a good idea of the total price of the project.

Cost Based on Approximate Length and Width The first thing to do when considering the total cost of concrete driveway installation is to start with the basics. Standard concrete driveways, and by that I mean driveways that don’t have optional features such as brick borders, stamping or acid staining, tinting or heat beneath them. Just for the concrete on a plain driveway, the cost will average $5-$8 per square foot.

Take some measurements of your driveway and create your own concrete driveway cost calculator. Be sure to include the garage floor if you’re having that replaced. For example, a driveway 14 feet wide and 50 feet long (14×50) contains 700 square feet.

Multiplied by the cost of concrete, you’re total concrete driveway cost will be $3,500$5,600.

If you are interested in knowing how much concrete you will use, here’s how to do that.

One yard of concrete will cover 81 square feet of ground 4 inches deep. It will require 1.5 yards of concrete to cover the same area to 6 inches deep. Depending on conditions in your area, your driveway contractor will suggest using at least 4 inches, and 6 inches is more common.

Knowing these figures can help you calculate potential costs for contractors who charge a set fee for the number of yards of concrete required. For the 700 square foot driveway, you would need 8.6 yards of concrete for a 4 inch driveway and just about 13 yards of concrete for a 6 inch driveway.

Cost of Features and Options If you’re looking for more than just a standard driveway and are comfortable with a higher cost for concrete driveway installation, you’ve got several options.

First, in cold climates, you might want to consider a heated concrete driveway. This is often accomplished with a boiler system and flexible tubing underneath the concrete that circulates heated water. The heat rises through the concrete and melts snow and ice. Electric systems can also be used, though they cost more to operate. Heated driveway systems boost concrete driveways

Mortgage Watch

By Kazim Jafary Mortgage Consultant Just like it is vital to seek the unbiased expert advice of a mortgage professional who can shop the market through a number of different lenders including banks and credit unions and he can best assess your personal financial needs, so too is it important to seek out the expert advice of other professionals like architects, structure engineers and realtors in matters pertaining to your home.

There are many moments and instances in your life when you think of yourself as the greatest know-it-all of all times and you want to take even the most sensitive decisions relying totally on your own judgement. However, there are certain decisions which have implications for a lifetime. I think in those situations where your decision is going to affect you and your loved ones for many years to come; it makes sense to seek a professional advice to make sure you made the right decision. For example, I have visited many homes built by owners without the advice of an experienced builder or an architect. In most of the cases such a construction turns out to be a telltale example of architectural and aesthetical flaws. You spend so much money on probably the biggest project of your life – building a home – and eventually you end up living with your touchable mistakes for the rest of your life.

It can’t be emphasized enough that it’s imperative to protect your long-term interest

by seeking professional advice in matters of home construction or renovation. Similarly, when you are buying or selling your home, it’s important to rely on an experienced and qualified professional advice of a realtor.

Let’s look at the benefits you can get while working with a real estate professional.

A realtor knows the market. They are local market experts. They can provide you insights and detailed information about a particular area or neighbourhood of your choice so there is no need to base your decisions on your own guesswork.

He has the training and experience, why not benefit from it. A real estate professional understands the process, opportunities and issues when it comes to buying and selling homes.

Based on his experience from multiple buying and selling deals, he has access to some reliable market insights which put him in a position to offer price guidance. So a seasoned real estate agent will guide clients to list their homes at the best selling price.

They offer professional networking because real estate agents network frequently with other professionals, many of whom provide services that you will need to buy or sell.

Due to legal liability, many agents will hesitate to recommend a certain individual or company over another; however, they can give you a list of references with whom they have worked and provide background information to help you make an informed and wise selection.

Proactive and extensive marketing and advertising are two integral functions of their business. He can market your property to other real estate agents and the public. Over 50 per cent of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer. Your agent acts as the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other

costs by $4-$8 per square foot.

For unique looks, you’ve got several options. You can choose a stone or brick perimeter for your driveway at an additional $2-$5 per linear foot involved. In other words, if your driveway is 50 feet long and you’re going to but stone or brick along each edge, that would come to 100 feet, or about 100 square feet. This would increase the cost of concrete driveway installation by $200-$500.

Tinting concrete is popular in some areas.

It can be tinted to match or contrast the home’s siding. In cold climates, using a darker pigment can cause snow to melt more quickly when the sun begins to warm the driveway. The concrete itself can be tinted or the tint can be added to the sealer.

In either case, expect to pay less than $1 per square foot extra for the tinting.

Stamping is another popular option for concrete driveways. It can be stamped that appears to be brick paver stone or many other designs. The stamping is done as the concrete hardens. Expect to pay $8-$12 for stamped concrete instead of standard concrete. In other words, it adds $3-$4 per square foot to the concrete driveway price.

Finally, acid staining for is growing in popularity. An acid product is applied to the surface and different techniques are used to create a variety of looks. Acid staining can make the concrete appears to be granite or other type of stone and can be very attractive. Acid staining ranges in cost from $2-$4 per square foot.

Summary of Concrete Driveway Prices - Standard/Plain concrete driveway: $5$8.50 per square foot.

- Heated concrete driveway: add $4-$8 per real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, etc.

Having done it repeatedly over the years, he knows when, where and how to advertise your property. When a property is marketed with the help of your real estate professional, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your agent will generally pre-screen and/or accompany qualified prospects through your property.

He helps you negotiate price and other things in your favor. The purchase agreement usually provides a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can do more than negotiate price; they can get you the best terms and conditions to protect you.

This can be advice about home inspection and survey etc., who to contact with regards to financing, information about home insurance and other important aspects of home buying and selling.

Real estate market is kind of a living

square foot.

- Brick or stone perimeter: $2-$5 per linear foot.

- Concrete tinting, pigmenting or dyeing: $0.50-$1 per square foot.

- Concrete stamping: $3-$4 per square foot.

- Acid staining: $2-$4 per square foot.

- Concrete sealer: $0.50-$0.85 per square foot.

Repair & Maintenance Costs for Concrete Drives Once your concrete driveway is installed, you’ll want to keep it well-maintained in order to get the most from your investment.

The first thing to do is to have it sealed within the first month or two after it is fully cured. Concrete sealer cost is not cheap, but it will vastly improve the durability of the driveway. Expect to pay $0.50-$0.85 per square foot.

The sealer will keep moisture out of tiny cracks in the driveway. Without sealer, moisture will penetrate the cracks and freeze in very cold weather. The freezing moisture will expand and cause the cracks to widen. As freeze/thaw/freeze cycles happen over the course of a winter, they can wreak havoc on a driveway. As you consider concrete driveways costs, factor in the cost of sealing it every 2-4 years.

When cracks need to be repaired, you can choose rubberized or synthetic crack filler formulated for concrete. If a section of concrete needs to be replaced, you can use the figures above to determine what would be the repair cost of concrete driveway.

Use a high-side figure, since tearing out a single section and replacing it can be more costly per square foot than doing the entire driveway.

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

phenomenon, it’s never stagnant, always evolving and undergoing changes. And sometimes these changes are crucial to your particular transaction. Mostly, an experienced realtor would understand the prevalent market conditions. He can disclose market conditions, which will govern your selling or buying process and will offer you a comparative market analysis so that you are sure you made the right decision.

He stays with you throughout the home buying or selling expedition; it might be a few days, a few weeks or may be months.

He is always there like a reliable companion and guides you through the closing process.

As discussed in the previous article, closing is the pinnacle of a real estate transaction which has numerous aspects to it. A good realtor would always answer your questions even after closing. It is quite common that many questions can pop up after closing and agents are there to help answer them.

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

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Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

25

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

26

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

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27

lifestyle

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

ISLAMIC ACADEMY OF CANADA INTRODUCES A COMPLETE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

Alhamdulillah, with the blessing of Allah SWT, Islamic Academy of Canada (IAC) has introduced after school program to meet the needs of students and parents.

IAC is centrally located in Surrey, and has been very successful in graduating HifzUl-Quran, offering Arabic and Islamic studies programs for children (boys and girls) ages 5 and over, teenager programs for both genders, and Insha Allah will be graduating 9 Alimahs from its five year program in May 2013.

Br. Sultan Badshah, Acting Chairperson of Iqra Islamic School, and currently serving on the Board of Education of IAC said the introduction of its new “complete program” will make life easier for parents and students. The program is structured to

address the overwhelming need for core Academic subject tutoring (English, Math and Science), offering Arabic and Islamic studies with a disciplined sports activity.

Insha Allah, having all three “crucial challenges” offered at one place will save time for parents, minimize monthly educational costs, and provide an Islamic learning and child development environment.

Students enrolled in this program will receive Academic tutoring for an hour, help with Arabic and Islamic studies for those going to Muslim Schools, and a two hour curriculum based Arabic and Islamic Studies program. A bi-weekly or monthly classes in Judo/Gymnastics will be an important part of this program as well.

This valentine’s day, Renew your vows of love Our Prophet (S) is too great, and his image and reputation even are too great, to be at all affected by the recent controversy over the cartoons. It is heartening to see that love for him (S) is alive and well, that there are some things Muslims just won’t stand for...because unfortunately lately we’ve put up with a lot of oppression and injustice, without doing anything about it.

So we should be glad that hopefully this has woken some of us up, re-awakened our feelings for the Prophet (S).

But true love is not something shown only on occasions like this. The reaction of some Muslims reminds one of a teenager who punches out some bully at school for insulting his mom, but who himself, on a daily basis, disobeys and disrespects his Mom. How many people who are upset today about the cartoons don’t actually even pray Fajr on time? How many who are angry about the cartoons continue to do things they know are against what the Prophet(S) wanted for them - \continue to entertain relationships with the opposite sex, talk about who’s hot and who’s not...act nothing like his followers, most of the time.

And yet, we claim to love him(S).

It’s almost Valentine’s Day so let me ask: would any wife appreciate being given a huge bouquet on Valentine’s Day and being ignored the rest of the year? Would any husband appreciate being given a box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day, and ignored the rest of the year? For that matter, would any mother appreciate being given a card and gift, even a diamond ring, on Mother’s Day, and forgotten the rest of the year?

In a marriage, you are expected to be true to the person you marry, in good time and bad times, when it’s easy...and when it’s hard - and not just on Valentine’s Day. After all, you’ve heard many times, the bride and groom being asked: “Do you take this person to be your wedded [husband/wife] to live together in marriage?

Do you promise to love, comfort, honor and keep [him/her] For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.

And forsaking all others,

be faithful only to him/her till death do you part?”

To which they answer: “I do.” (This is a Medieval European tradition - to utter these vows).

These vows are beautiful, if only people in the west actually kept to them. But we find, even in relationships between men and women, there is not much loyalty anymore...even though everyone is obsessed with the relationship between men and women, they still haven’t figured out that love is not in diamond rings and heart-shaped balloons.

Love is in the small things, the daily things, the everyday. True love is in every action, not just the great, but the tiny too, moment after moment, sacrifice after sacrifice. At first it is hard, then once love actually enters the heart, whatever was hard becomes easy And at that point, the Beloved permeates every corner of one’s life, every cell sings his name....

That is love.

Let us turn to an even more important relationship, the one you should have with the Beloved Prophet (S), the topic of all this controversy. Shouldn’t your relationship with the Prophet (S) be even more valuable to you than any other?

Well, the early Sahabas took vows to the Prophet (S) to declare their loyalty. The Pledge, the Oath, (Bay’a) that 12 early Muslims took declared their allegiance to the Prophet (S): We shall not associate anyone with Allah (The One God): whether in worship, His attributes, His power or His authority. We shall not indulge in adultery, fornication, and practice or propagate any other indecency. We shall not steal or rob anyone We shall not practice the custom of killing children.

We shall not falsely accuse or backbite anyone. We shall not disobey you in good deeds and just cause. We shall always follow you, be it hard or easy, to our liking or not, and we shall act according to your commands. We shall follow and obey your decisions even if it be against ourselves and in favor of others. We shall not participate in opposing the deserving persons of authority or positions.

We shall support the truth and justice and stand firm under all circumstances. In mat-

BASIC CHOICE OF ALL Shabnam Khan - Family Counsellor Reflecting on the small changes each of us can make in our lives, the one that stood out was the most basic of all. It’s the decision we make every single day when we wake up about how to approach the day.

Are we going to feel sorry for ourselves, or are we going to take responsibility for our own happiness?

Are we going to look for what’s wrong and find it? Or are we going to look for what’s right and find that instead? Will we see the problems or the opportunities? Will we be part of the problem or part of the solution?

Will we be judgmental about the life or accepting? All these questions, and so many more like them, can be bundled up into one package called attitude. Attitude can be summed up in one word - choice. Choosing to change our attitude may seem like a small change, but it can’t happen unless we recognize that it is all up to us. Do we realize that we have the choice to make our day joyful, adventurous and exciting. Or do we demand that life be a certain way, and if it doesn’t meet our expectations we whine and complain? We can complain

because it’s rainy, or we can be thankful that the grass will get water! We can grumble about our health or we can rejoice that we are alive! We can whine that we have to go to work, or we can be thankful that we have job! When we get right down to it, we either believe we are the choice maker or we don’t. When you see the rampant unhappiness and victimization in our culture, it’s clear that most people don’t see that we do have the choice. At the same time, when you take a step back and think about it, it’s pretty obvious. If we aren’t the choice maker, who is? If we don’t decide what kind of day we’re going to have, who does? That’s why this subtle shift in thinking is one of the more significant changes we will ever make.

Consciously choosing a better attitude will make a big difference. Think about the implications. You can choose to complain about your teenager, or you can be thankful that you have a teenager to love! Why choose the path of complaint over the path of gratitude? You can make an articulate argument for either side - being grateful or being overextended. One will lead you towards satisfaction, and the other towards guaranteed and sustained grief.

The most beautiful part of all is, it’s your choice! shabnam@skcounselling.ca

Family Day in Canada Family Day is observed in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan on the third Monday of February. In British Columbia, Fam-

ily Day falls on the second Monday of February. This holiday celebrates the importance of families and family life to people and their communities.

What do people do?

On Family Day, many people plan and take part in activities aimed at the whole family. These include visiting art exhibitions, watching movies, skating on outdoor ice rinks, playing board games and taking part in craft activities. Some communities plan special public events, and art galleries and museums may have reduced price or free entry.

As the weather is usually very cold in February, hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies are popular snacks. Other people use the long weekend as an opportunity for a short winter break or to travel to visit family members or friends. As Family Day falls on the same date as National Heritage Day (except in British Columbia), some people use the day to explore their personal heritage and family history.

Public life In the provinces of Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia many people have a day off work and schools are generally closed on Family Day. Many businesses and organizations are closed, but post offices may be open. Public

transport services may run to their usual or reduced timetables.

In the province of Manitoba, the third Monday of February is a general holiday, known as Louis Riel Day. Many people have a day off work and school and many businesses, organizations and stores are closed. In some communities, stores are open after noon. Public transport services may run to Sunday or holiday timetables.

In rural areas, there may be no services.

In the other provinces and territories of Canada, Family Day is not observed, and neither the third nor the second Monday in February are holidays there. Businesses, organizations, schools and post offices are open as usual and public transport services run to their normal timetables.

Background Family Day was first held in Canada in the province of Alberta in 1990. It is supposed to reflect the values of family and home that were important to the pioneers who founded Alberta, and give workers the opportunity to spend more time with their families. Family Day was introduced in Saskatchewan in 2007 and in Ontario in 2008. British Columbia observes Family Day as a statutory holiday for the first time in 2013. One of the reasons for introducing Family Day was that there was a long period when there were no holidays from New Year’s Day until Good Friday.

Holidays to celebrate families are also held in other places around the globe. In the Australian Capital Territory, the first Tuesday of November is known as Family and Community Day. In South Africa, the day after Easter Sunday is Family Day. BC Family Day Events Hosted By Province The B.C. government is going all out to provide free community events for the province’s first-ever Family Day on Feb. 11, 2013. The Vancouver Art Gallery will be hosting a full day of activities starting at 11 a.m. for all ages, including face painting, a hockey shootout and local artists.

Juno-winning band Said The Whale will be headlining a concert at 6 p.m.

Source; http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/canada/family-day

28

health

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Why Do Millions Take Multivitamins?

Millions of Americans take multivitamins and other supplements, but convincing scientific evidence of any true health benefit is lacking, experts say. Now a new study explores why people continue to consume nutritional supplements.

“Most people were using supplements because they believe it will improve their health, but we really don’t know whether that’s true,” said study lead author Regan Bailey, a nutritional epidemiologist in the Office of Dietary Supplements at the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

“Moreover, the vast majority of supplements used in the U.S. are based on personal choice, not because they are recommended by health care professionals,” she added.

Nearly half of U.S. adults use dietary supplements, Bailey noted, and supplements are a $30-billion-a-year business.

“People have very strong beliefs about these products and I don’t know where they are getting their information,” Bailey said.

“It’s not from the doctors. The majority of scientific data available do not support the role of dietary supplements for improving health or preventing of disease.”

Another expert said supplements can be expensive.

“A multivitamin might cost $20 a month.

Why not spend that on more fresh produce?” said Marian Neuhouser, of the cancer prevention program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in Seattle. “If someone is eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains -- a wide variety of foods -they should be getting all the nutrition they need.”

The new report was published online Feb. 4 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

To examine why Americans take multivitamins, Bailey’s team collected data on nearly 12,000 adults who took part in the 2007 to 2010 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The researchers found that 45 percent of those taking a multivitamin did so because they believed it would improve their health, and 33 percent did so because they thought it would maintain their health.

Only 23 percent said their decision was based on advice from their doctor. When they recommend supplements, doctors are most likely to recommend calcium for bone health (24 percent) or to improve overall health (18 percent), or fish oil for heart health (12 percent) or to supplement diet (11 percent), Bailey said.

Lightning may be linked to migraines NEW YORK: Weather has long been considered one of many potential migraine triggers, but a new study links lightning, specifically, to the onset of the severe headaches that plague more than 28 million Americans.

Based on headache logs and weather data for Ohio and Missouri, researchers found that people were 28 percent more likely to experience a migraine on days when light-

ning struck within 25 miles of their home.

“We’re very surprised and very happy with the results in that this is the first study to link lightning to migraines,” said Dr. Vincent Martin, the study’s senior author from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio.

Migraines are severe headaches - sometimes accompanied by light sensitivity, visual hallucinations or nausea - that can disable a person for hours or even days at a time. The majority of migraine sufferers are women.

Martin told Reuters Health that a migraine may result from a person experiencing certain “triggers,” such as stress, lack of sleep and dehydration.

Previous research has also found links between the onset of migraines and high barometric pressure, high temperatures and high humidity.

Most of the past studies looking at weather and migraines, however, relied on an individual’s observations and did not always account for other, possibly unseen, local weather conditions, the researchers write in

the journal Cephalalgia.

For the new study, they used information collected from three sensors that track lightning near Cincinnati, Ohio, and five sensors near St. Louis, Missouri. Those sensors allowed the researchers to know where and when lightning struck and the intensity of each strike.

They also used the headache diaries from two previous studies of 90 migraine sufferers in those areas who were between 18 and 65 years old. In those diaries, the participants recorded their headaches for three to six months.

After comparing the weather data with the headache journals, the researchers found that a lightning strike within 25 miles of a person’s house was linked to a 31 percent increased risk of any kind of headache, and a 28 percent increased risk of the more severe migraine headache.

Martin said that could mean an extra one to three migraines per month for an individual, but he added that it depends on the person and the weather.

As for how lightning might affect migraine occurrences, Martin said it could be that the electromagnetic waves and ozone created by the lightning have something to do with it.

“The other theory is that when these thunderstorms roll in they can create more allergy spores in the environment,” he said, which could create a problem for some people.

But the researchers cannot say for certain that lightning causes migraines, even though they used a computer model to account for other meteorological changes that occur during a thunderstorm.

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Hayrunnisa Bolay of Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey, cautioned that the study had limitations, including its failure to account for the participants’ own individual risk factors.

“In brief, one can only conclude that weather conditions associated with lightning have the potential to induce headache in migraine patients,” she wrote. (Reuters)

It’s hard to tell whether vitamins actually improve health, because “adults who use dietary supplements tend to report more healthy lifestyles,” Bailey said. “They report better overall health, more exercise, moderate alcohol consumption and are more likely to [have never smoked] or be former smokers.”

A clear role exists for some dietary supplements -- such as folic acid to reduce the risk of birth defects. Calcium and vitamin D play an important role in bone health, Bailey said.

Duffy MacKay, a spokesman for the supplement industry, said taking a multivitamin and other supplements is part of a healthy lifestyle.

“People who take a multivitamin in combination with a healthy diet, exercising regularly and practicing stress management are people who live long and prosperous,” said MacKay, vice president for scientific and regulatory affairs at the Council for Responsible Nutrition.

Two recent studies highlight the ongoing debate on the value of multivitamins.

One, published in the Nov. 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that multivitamins will do nothing to help stave off heart disease, heart

attack or stroke.

Yet another study published in the Oct. 17 issue of the same journal found that men who take multivitamins every day for several years may lower their risk of cancer by a small amount.

Another expert weighed in on the discussion.

Although vitamin and mineral supplements may be of benefit in certain instances, they cannot take the place of eating a variety of healthy foods every day, said Samantha Heller, an exercise physiologist and clinical nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn.

“I wish that a portion of the $30 billion spent on dietary supplements was spent on healthy foods and gym memberships,” Heller said.

ISLAM : Continued from pg 7 throw out all the mass inside it to become completely empty. This will transform earth into a massive hollow structure with sky trans-located to its center.

“And when the earth is spread out. And hath cast out all that was in her, and is empty” (Qur’an 84:3-4), This change in the earth and the sky is again mentioned in the following verses. All these are certainly extraordinary happenings and are a reflection of the extraordinary event of the “The Day of Judgment.”

“On the day when the earth will be changed to other than this earth and the heavens also And they will come forth unto God, The One The Almighty.” (Qur’an 14: 48) THE SMOOTH OUTER SURFACE OF THE EARTH As the earth explodes and throws out all the liquid lava which is inside it now, its outer surface will become glassy smooth lava plain without any mountains, hills, valleys or any kind of unevenness.

“They will ask about the mountains, say: My Lord will break them into scattered dust. And leave it (earth) as an empty plane, so you see neither curve nor ruggedness.” (Qur’an 20:105-107) THE REVERSAL OF TIME AND RISING FROM THE GRAVES Time is one of the most elusive mysteries of the universe. Time passes slowly within moving objects; slowing progressively at speeds close to that of light and stops altogether at the speed of light. Time also slows near massive objects like earth, sun, neutron stars where expansion of space is slower, and almost stops inside the super massive stars “the black holes,” where the expansion of space would have almost stopped linking time to the expansion of the universe.

Time has a direction, it always moves towards the future. We see rain falling from the sky, objects breaking up, people getting older, and people dying. We do not see a glass becoming “unbroken” or anyone returning from the dead. That could happen only if time ran backwards. Some physicists like Michael Berry, Thomas Gold, and Steven Hawking have proposed that time may reverse when the universe begins to contract. Verses in the Quran suggest that one day the universe will start contracting and this will coincide with beginning of the Day of Judgment when all life will be recreated with the reversal of time.

“The day” when, We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolls up a written scroll. As We began the first creation We shall repeat it.” (Qur’an: 21:104) In the above verse, “The Day” means The Day of Judgment and the contraction of the universe, is compared to the closing of a scroll. This is when time and gravity will reverse. Earth would then transform into a hollow sphere with sky towards its center. Mankind will rise from the grave inside this transformed earth and come back alive.

Every event will be replayed again as everything has been recorded in time.

“This book pronounces against you with truth.

We have caused (all) you did to be recorded (In time).” (Qur’an 45:29) “And there is nothing hidden in the heavens, or the earth, But it is a clear record (in time).”

(Quran 27:75) As the history of earth runs backwards through time, nations will return one after another. All the good and evil deeds of the individuals as well as that of the nations will be completely exposed as time reversal occurs.

“And you will see each nation humbled, each nation called to its record. And it will be said to them: This day you are repaid for what you used to do.” (Qur’an 45:28) The playing back of time will cause people to anticipate and see what they had done previously.

They will have no control over their hands, feet, mouths, and eyes. All the wrong and right things that were done before by them will be repeated again. In this sense, tongues, hands, and feet, will become witnesses against them in front of the angels and God, and they will not be able to deny any of their wrong doings.

“On the day when their tongues and their hands and their feet. Testify against them as to what they used to do.” (Qur’an 24:24) “We warn you of doom at hand. A day when a man will look on that his own hand has sent before, and the non-believers will cry: “Wish that we were dust.” (Qur’an 78:40) “And, the messengers are brought into their time appointed.” (Qur’an 77:11) (The prophets will be returned into their time as time runs backwards) The opinions expressed herein contain positions and viewpoints that are not necessarily those of IslamiCity. These are offered as a means for IslamiCity to stimulate dialogue and discussion in our continuing mission of being an educational organization.

The IslamiCity site may occasionally contain copyrighted material the use of which may not always have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. IslamiCity is making such material available in its effort to advance understanding of humanitarian, education, democracy, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and such (and all) material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

29

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Special: Tourism Sandals Grande Riviera Resort, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

By: Diane C. Short, Bains Travel, Vancouver I recently spent the week of January 11- January 18, 2013 at the all-inclusive Sandals Grande Riviera location in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Though travelling from Vancouver, BC, Canada proved to be a bit of an ordeal (3 hour flight delay, then a 90 minute drive from the Montego Bay airport to our final destination), the travails of a long travelling day proved to be more than worth it. I have been to several Sandals resorts in the past, and both for me and my

companion, this one excelled in every area.

It’s a couples destination, and I strongly recommend it, both as a honeymoon trip and a romantic rekindling of one’s spirit.

High praise, but in this case truly deserved.

First, the beauty of Jamaica is boundless,

and even in January the weather is perfect: sunshine, temperatures in the high 20’s (Celsius) and the countless shades of ocean blue and green waters that roll gently onto the long sand beaches and wonderful pier of the Grande Riviera resort. This beach and golf villa is extensive - it’s a large property of astounding foliage with more than 14 restaurants, only two of which require reservations. It’s also extremely well kept up; I could easily live there for the rest of my life (don’t tell my boss that I may be moving permanently to the Grande Riviera as soon as I can afford it).

Secondly, the staff is amazing for their courtesy, their attention to detail, and their seemingly boundless willingness to go above and beyond to ensure their guests are happy. As a frequent traveller to the Caribbean and dozens of other countries, I have never met with better service than at Grande Riviera. Credit is due to the Hotel Manager, Mark Starkey, a recently transplanted Brit whose ubiquitous presence and lively spirit ensures faultless execution on all fronts. Special mention must also be made of Bryan Miller on the Reception Desk who welcomed us and even arranged for a surprise birthday cake to be delivered to our villa the next morning. (Yes, it was my birthday, something Bryan noticed upon checking our IDs upon arrival).

Then there was Erron at the Sundowner Bar, a singer so talented he should be

Toque Tuesday: Surrey MLAs help raise funds for awareness about homelessness in Surrey

Some of the Surrey MLAs participated in the Toque Tuesday Event at Surrey’s Chuck Bailey Recreation Center on February 5. The event was organized to raise funds as well awareness about homelessness in Surrey. Along with MLAs Harry Bains, Jagrup Brar, Sue Hammell Liberal MLAs Dave Hayer and Gordon Hogg also attended. There were several 20 min matches. The MLAS played against SSSC (Street Sweepers Social Club) and won!

Pakistan : Continued from pg 3 ters of Allah’s religion, we shall not be afraid for our name, disrepute, disgrace, or blame.

One of the Companions who got to be part of that pledge said: “I witnessed the night of Al-’Aqaba (pledge) with Allah’s Apostle when we pledged for Islam, and I would not exchange it for the Battle of Badr although the Battle of Badr is more popular amongst the people than it (i.e. Al-’Aqaba pledge).”

The Battle of Badr is certainly the most famous battle fought by the early Muslims, and was one the Muslims had a great victory in; even though they were far outnumbered, Allah sent Angels to help the Muslims...but here this Companion (R) is saying how dear the pledge was...and what a great honor it was to take it....

We too can take that pledge, in our hearts....

Isn’t it time?

As the winter weather “lion” makes way for a sunny spring “lamb” you’ll need to store your warmer wools in favor of cooler cottons. Here are some helpful tips for effectively storing your bulky winter wardrobe to make way for silky spring and summer attire: Clean garments before storing: Many stains that are invisible to the naked eye are just as harmful as those you can see.

If left untreated, these stains can ruin your clothing. These “leftovers” can also invite moths and other insects to picnic on your garments. Dependable Cleaners can help you ensure that all garments are properly prepared for hibernation.

recording! And Natalia, our Playmaker, who conducted an entertaining tour of the expansive premises. And the spa staff too! (my advice -definitely go for the couples massage in the Red Lane Caribbean spa).

Courtesy, elegance and genuine friendliness are hallmarks of the more than 850 staff members at Grande Riviera!

Highlights of our stay included the meals (loved Valentino’s Italian restaurant), the incredible free show at the outdoor Amphitheatre that starred Peter Lloyd delivering a great performance that featured a history of reggae music, and the Chocolate Buffet night.There are dozens of other activities to be had as well, including the ocean-going pedal cycles and trips in the glass bottom boats. While our villa neighbours next door were delighted with the diving instruction and snorkelling opportunities, my companion and I played several rounds of golf at the nearby 18-hole course. The green fees were included in the all-inclusive package

and no reservations were required - just hop on one of the frequent shuttles that take you directly to the course, which is only about ten minutes away. The course is scenic and open to all playing abilities.

Caddies and carts are required, but this turned out to be a bonus, since our caddy Alfred was marvellous, giving instruction, encouragement and advice. I even hit a great drive more than 200 yards straight down the fairway!

Best of all? - drinking that famous Blue

Mountain coffee while sunning at our private pool that came with the villa package we had ordered.

Would I go back again? - it’s Jamaica, mon.

Jamaica me crazy! Thank you Sandals, Grande Riviera, for the best vacation of my life!

CALL TO PAKISTAN - Best Rate in Town - Rechargeable - No hidden Fees - Same rate for Landline and Mobile - Crystal Clear Voice - Dail from your cell phone

30

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Biography Series: Malcolm

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Louise Norton Little, was a homemaker occupied with the family’s eight children. His father, Earl Little, was an outspoken Baptist minister and avid supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey.

Earl’s civil rights activism prompted death threats from the white supremacist organization Black Legion, forcing the family to relocate twice before Malcolm’s fourth birthday.

“When my mother was pregnant with me, she told me later, a party of hooded Klu Klux Klan riders galloped up to our home...

Brandishing their shotguns and rifles, they shouted for my father to come out.”

Regardless of the Little’s efforts to elude the Legion, in 1929 their Lansing, Michigan home was burned to the ground. Two years later, Earl’s body was found lying across the town’s trolley tracks. Police ruled both incidents as accidents, but the Little’s were certain that members of the Black Legion were responsible. Louise suffered emotional breakdown several years after the death of her husband and was committed to a mental institution. Her children were split up amongst various foster homes and orphanages.

Growing up Malcolm was a smart, focused student. He graduated from junior high at the top of his class. However, when a favorite teacher told Malcolm his dream of becoming a lawyer was “no realistic goal for a nigger,” Malcolm lost interest in school. He dropped out, spent some time in Boston, Massachusetts working various odd jobs, and then traveled to Harlem, New York where he committed petty crimes. By 1942 Malcolm was coordinating various narcotics, prostitution and gambling rings. “...Early in life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.”

Eventually Malcolm and his buddy, Malcolm “Shorty” Jarvis, moved back to Boston. In 1946 they were arrested and convicted on burglary charges, and Malcolm was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

(He was paroled after serving seven years.)

Recalling his days in school, he used the time to further his education. It was during this period of self-enlightenment that Malcolm’s brother Reginald would visit and discuss his recent conversion to the Muslim religion. Reginald belonged to the religious organization the Nation of Islam (NOI).

Intrigued, Malcolm began to study the teachings of NOI leader Elijah Muhammad. Muhammad taught that white society actively worked to keep African-Americans from empowering themselves and achieving political, economic and social success.

Among other goals, the NOI fought for a state of their own, separate from one inhabited by white people. By the time he was paroled in 1952, Malcolm was a devoted follower with the new surname “X.” (He considered “Little” a slave name and chose the “X” to signify his lost tribal name.)

A born leader Intelligent and articulate, Malcolm was appointed as a minister and national spokesman for the Nation of Islam. Elijah Muhammad also charged him with establishing new mosques in cities such as Detroit, Michigan and Harlem, New York.

Malcolm utilized newspaper columns, as well as radio and television to communicate the NOI’s message across the United States. His charisma, drive and conviction attracted an astounding number of new members. Malcolm was largely credited with increasing membership in the NOI from 500 in 1952 to 30,000 in 1963.

The crowds and controversy surrounding Malcolm made him a media magnet. He was featured in a week-long television special with Mike Wallace in 1959, called “The Hate That Hate Produced.” The program explored the fundamentals of the NOI, and tracked Malcolm’s emergence as one of its most important leaders. After the special, Malcolm was faced with the uncomfortable reality that his fame had eclipsed that of his mentor Elijah Muhammad.

Racial tensions ran increasingly high during the early 1960s. In addition to the media, Malcolm’s vivid personality had captured the government’s attention. As membership in the NOI continued to grow, FBI agents infiltrated the organization (one even acted as Malcolm’s bodyguard) and secretly placed bugs, wiretaps, cameras and other surveillance equipment to monitor the group’s activities.

A test of faith Malcolm’s faith was dealt a crushing blow at the height of the civil rights movement in 1963. He learned that his mentor and leader, Elijah Muhammad, was secretly having relations with as many as six women within the Nation of Islam organization. As if that were not enough, Malcolm found out that some of these relationships had resulted in children.

“I am not educated, nor am I an expert in any particular field... but I am sincere and my sincerity is my credential.”

Since joining the NOI, Malcolm had strictly adhered to the teachings of Muhammad - which included remaining celibate until his marriage to Betty Shabazz in 1958. Malcolm refused Muhammad’s request to help cover up the affairs and subsequent children. He was deeply hurt by the deception of Muhammad, whom he had considered a living prophet. Malcolm also felt guilty about the masses he had led to join the NOI, which he now felt was a fraudulent organization built on too many lies to ignore.

Shortly after his shocking discovery, Malcolm received criticism for a comment he made regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. “[Kennedy] never foresaw that the chickens would come home to roost so soon,” said Malcolm.

After the statement, Elijah Muhammad “silenced” Malcolm for 90 days. Malcolm, however, suspected he was silenced for another reason. In March 1964 Malcolm

X

terminated his relationship with the NOI. Unable to look past Muhammad’s deception, Malcolm decided to found his own religious organization, the Muslim Mosque, Inc. A new awakening That same year, Malcolm went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The trip proved life altering. For the first time, Malcolm shared his thoughts and beliefs with different cultures, and found the response to be overwhelmingly positive.

When he returned, Malcolm said he had met “blonde-haired, blued-eyed men I could call my brothers.” He returned to the United States with a new outlook on integration and a new hope for the future. This time when Malcolm spoke, instead of just preaching to African-Americans, he had a message for all races.

After Malcolm resigned his position in the Nation of Islam and renounced Elijah Muhammad, relations between the two had become increasingly volatile. FBI informants working undercover in the NOI warned officials that Malcolm had been marked for assassination. (One undercover officer had even been ordered to help plant a bomb in Malcolm’s car).

“Human rights are something you were born with. Human rights are your God-given rights. Human rights are the rights that are recognized by all nations of this earth.”

After repeated attempts on his life, Malcolm rarely traveled anywhere without bodyguards. On February 14, 1965 the home where Malcolm, Betty and their four

daughters lived in East Elmhurst, New York was firebombed. Luckily, the family escaped physical injury.

The legacy of “X” One week later, however, Malcolm’s enemies were successful in their ruthless attempt. At a speaking engagement in the Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965 three gunmen rushed Malcolm onstage. They shot him 15 times at close range. The 39-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at New York’s Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

“Power in defense of freedom is greater

than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression, because power, real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action.”

Fifteen hundred people attended Malcolm’s funeral in Harlem on February 27, 1965 at the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ (now Child’s Memorial Temple Church of God in Christ). After the ceremony, friends took the shovels away from the waiting gravediggers and buried Malcolm themselves.

“Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression, because power, real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action.”

Later that year, Betty gave birth to their twin daughters.

Malcolm’s assassins, Talmadge Hayer, Norman 3X Butler and Thomas 15X Johnson were convicted of first-degree murder

in March 1966. The three men were all members of the Nation of Islam.

The legacy of Malcolm X has moved through generations as the subject of numerous documentaries, books and movies. A tremendous resurgence of interest occurred in 1992 when director Spike Lee released the acclaim ed movie, Malcolm X. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Actor (Denzel Washington) and Best Costume Design.

Malcolm X is buried at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.

31

sports

Volume 12 Issue 329 Rabi ul Awaal 27, 1434 AH / February 8, 2013

Europol probes huge match-fixing ring

Organized crime gangs have fixed or tried to fix hundreds of soccer matches around the world in recent years, including World Cup qualifiers, European

Championship qualifiers and two UEFA Champions League games, Europol announced Monday. The European Union’s police agency said an 18-month review found 380 suspicious matches in Europe and another 300 questionable games outside the continent, mainly in Africa, Asia and South and Central America. It also found evidence that a Singapore-based crime syndicate was involved in some of the match-fixing.

Europol refused to name any suspected matches, players, officials or matchfixers, saying that would compromise ongoing national investigations, so it remained unclear how much of the information divulged Monday was new or had already been revealed in trials across the continent. Europol’s probe uncovered 8 million euros ($10.9

million) in betting profits and 2 million euros ($2.7 million) in bribes to players and officials and has already led to several prosecutions. Europol said 425 match officials, club officials, players and criminals from at least 15 countries were involved in fixing European soccer games dating back to 2008, and 50 people have already been arrested.

While the investigation’s “focus has been on other countries, not the United Kingdom,” Wainwright said, one of the two Champions League matches under suspicion took place in England “in the last three to four years.” Neither UEFA, which oversees European soccer and organizes the Champions League, nor the English Football Association were aware of the probe and seemed surprised by the breadth of Europol’s accusations. UEFA said it expected to get more information on the investigation shortly. Because of “ongoing judicial proceedings,” Wainwright refused to name which English Champions League match was being investigated, and the FA is also at a loss to know which one. A Europol spokesman said he was unable to comment when asked why neither the FA nor UEFA had been informed. Wainwright revealed the

scale of the corruption in Germany, where $21.7 million was wagered on matches in the country with payments of $2.7 million believed to have been paid to those involved.

He said a Singapore-based criminal network was involved in the match-fixing, spending up to 100,000 euros ($136,500) per match to bribe players and officials. Ralf Mutschke, director of security at FIFA, the world soccer body, said the report highlighted the need for soccer authorities and police to tackle corruption together. Mutschke said while FIFA can ban players, referees and club officials, it is powerless to sanction people not directly involved in the sport. Europol is not a police force but provides expertise and helps coordinate national police across the 27-nation European Union. It said 13 European countries were involved in this match-fixing investigation, pouring through

Ravens overcome power outage, survive rally to win Super Bowl Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis will ride into retirement as a Super Bowl champion. Lewis began his final night on the football field with a motivational speech to his teammates. He ended it looking upward into a shower of silver streamers and purple confetti after the Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 on Sunday to win the NFL title.

Steyn takes 11 in crushing victory Like day turns to night, Dale Steyn broke the back of Pakistan’s resistance with career-best match figures at the Wanderers as South Africa wrapped up a commanding 211-run victory and in the process AB de Villiers equalled the world record for dismissals by a wick-

etkeeper. Steyn, inevitably, produced another classy spell with the second new ball, and proceeded to bowl the rest of the morning, to end with 11 for 60 in the Test. Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq carried their fifth-wicket stand to 127 but after that there was not much more defiance from Pakistan’s lower order. Steyn bowled a 10.4-over spell, a herculean effort for a strike bowler, and his match figures placed him fifth on the list of cheapest 11-wicket hauls in Test cricket, the best since Sir Richard Hadlee in 1976. Behind the stumps, de Villiers also had a morning to remember as he equalled Jack Russell’s world record of dismissals in a Test match which had also come on this ground back in 1995. He also became the first wicketkeeper to take 10 catches and score a hundred in a Test. The dual role is starting to rest more easily on his shoulders, although his bowlers are helping by not keeping him in the field for too long. Resuming on 183 for 4, Misbah and Shafiq had five overs to face with the old ball which offered a few scoring opportuni-

ties but they always knew the threat that was looming around the corner. It took Steyn into just his second over before he found Shafiq’s edge as the batsman glanced the ball to second slip off an open face where Jacques Kallis took a low chance. As the best strike bowlers do, Steyn continued to pick up the big wickets and in his next over produced another lovely outswinger which grazed Misbah’s edge to end a stubborn innings from which team-mates should heed plenty of lessons. Steyn’s partner-incrime, Vernon Philander, then nipped in with his second when Sarfraz Ahmed dragged a ball into his stumps when trying to withdraw the bat. Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal resisted briefly before Morne Morkel produced a rearing short delivery which took Ajmal’s glove.

Morkel’s front foot was again very close to the front line and he was soon denied another scalp by over-stepping when Junaid Khan was bowled swinging to leg. Steyn’s long spell, a credit to his stamina and heart, brought his tenth wicket when Gul top-edged a leg-side slog, which also provided de Villiers with his record-equalling catch, although it needed the DRS to overturn the original decision. A new world record, though, just eluded him as the final wicket belonged solely to Steyn when he trapped Junaid lbw. It completed another clinical display from South Africa, after an opening day when they had been put under some pressure

by Pakistan’s bowlers. Again it was the home side’s own attack that has created daylight between them and the opposition. Pakistan bridged the gap a little second time around, but will be hoping for more placid conditions when they reach Newlands.

Source: Cricinfo

13,000 emails, paper trails, phone records and computer records. Wainwright said while many fixed soccer matches were already known from criminal trials in Europe, the Europol investigation lifted the lid on the widespread involvement of organized crime.

Wainwright said the soccer world needed a “concerted effort” to tackle the corruption. Meanwhile, the Danish FA on Monday banned a player for six months for placing bets on a 2011 cup match in which he played.

Kristoffer Wichmann, who plays for secondtier side FC Vestsjaelland, was deemed to have used middlemen to place bets on the match, although he is appealing against the ban. Previous investigations have found that a World Cup qualifier between Liechtenstein and Finland in September 2009 was fixed by a referee from Bosnia, who UEFA banned for life. Last year, UEFA expelled a Malta player implicated in fixing a European Championship qualifier between Norway and Malta in June 2007. Source: ESPN

Canuck Cory Schneider’s agent hopes Roberto Luongo trade comes sooner rather than later

Just like his client, the agent for goalie Cory Schneider is not about to criticize the Vancouver Canucks for the team’s handling of its goaltending situation. But Mike Liut, himself a former goalie, clearly hopes the uncertainty regarding a possible trade of Roberto Luongo does not hang over the team and Schneider all season. As much as Liut would like a quick resolution to the matter, he’s not entirely convinced that’s going to happen. “Is Roberto going to be there all year?” Liut said.

“It’s certainly looking like he’s going to be or both will be there until the (April 3) trade deadline. What happens after that, we’ll have to react to that. But my concern is in the obvious, we have a 48-game season and you’ve got two goalies of their stature. “Roberto is established, everybody knows what he can do, and you’ve got another one in Cory, who hopes to get an opportunity to play (as a No. 1) for the first time, and we’ve got this fractured season.” None of this comes as a complete surprise to Liut. Late last April, just days after the Canucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Kings and the organization had made it clear it planned to move forward with Schneider as its No. 1 goalie, Liut told The Vancouver Sun that he wouldn’t be surprised if both goalies started this season with the Canucks. “It was within the realm of possibility for a variety of reasons, one of which is trading a player of Roberto’s stature is never an easy trade because of the consideration of what you are expecting to come back,” Liut said Monday.

“He’s an elite player in the league. Then

there’s another layer with his contract and yet another layer with the new collective bargaining agreement … It’s just not an easy contract to trade. I think it’s doable, but it isn’t an easy trade. So am I surprised? I am too pragmatic to be surprised. I kind of subscribe to the best laid plans (go awry) adage, you know.”

What does concern Liut is the possibility that Luongo continues to get the lion’s share of the starts. Luongo was scheduled to make his fourth straight start Monday night against the Edmonton Oilers. Liut said as long as the Canucks are trying to trade Luongo, the team has to give him some games. He’s just a little surprised at how many he’s getting.

Schneider, who signed a three-year, $12-million deal with the Canucks early last summer, has made four starts this season. He had an opening-night disaster when he allowed five goals on 14 shots before getting yanked against Anaheim, but bounced back to win his next two starts, including a 5-0 shutout over the Ducks. He lost his last start 4-1 to the San Jose Sharks when he was the victim of some sloppy Vancouver defensive play. “There is a train wreck, which I like to call it, every year and you’re lucky if there is only one,” Liut said of Schneider’s opener. “You are going to have those games … It’s how you bounce back, that’s the story.” Schneider and Luongo have both been praised for how they have handled a rather awkward situation and Liut said his client is mentally tough enough to deal with it.

Source: Vancouver Sun

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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

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Tuesday Special

10 pcs of Chicken

$12.99 +tax

Try Our new Butter Chicken Pizza!

7711-128th St. , Surrey

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604-502-7773

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7-Days

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OPEN

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Free delivery

FRIED BROASTED CHICKEN

in Richmond

with minimum $20 order before taxes

Now Serve Beef Burgers!

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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

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

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Monday - Friday 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm p Holidays y Except

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NEW

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9436 - 120 Street, Surrey www.asianspicesurrey.com

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NEW

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ISLAMIC ACADEMY OF CANADA Unit 113 - 8299-129th Street, Surrey, BC V3W 0A6 604-543-2477 BN/Registration Number: 885350512RR0001 Charity Status: Registered ~ Effective Date of Status: 2006-01-01

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info@ islamicacademyofcanada.ca www.islamicacademyofcanada.ca

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Now you can see Barney’s Special Deals & Regular menu from our website at www.barneyspizza.ca

Pizza & Chicken The name you trust

10 PCS Chicken (Tandoori or Fried) $17.99 + HST Salad + Fries

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2 Large Pizza (Any Kind) $23 .99 + HST

Party Special

Chicken & Pizza Combo

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3 Large Pizza (Any Kind) $33.99 + HST

Only 9 L eft

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Finest Pakistani Cuisine in Vancouver

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Established since 2002

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We Carry Hand Slaughtered Taqwa Halal Products SPECIALS: Chicken Breast $4.99/lb Chicken Legs 18kg/ whole box $75.00

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Ph: 604-591-1089 Cell:604-724-7781

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Call for Party Reservations

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10% Off Take Out