Miracle 589-Jan 27, 2023

Delta police explain Alex Fraser closure

How will the WHO’s decision on COVID emergency declaration affect Canada?

The World Health Organization Emergency Committee will decide on Jan. 27 if the COVID-19 pandemic is still a global emergency— and the decision could impact how governments, including Canada, proceed with tackling the virus.

The emergency declaration title, known as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, is the highest alert level for the United Nations agency and issuing the declaration helps accelerate research, funding and international public health measures to contain the disease..

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At a press conference Friday, federal public health officials told reporters that Canada will continue to monitor COVID-19 subvariants and urged people to get booster doses. As Omicron’s newest subvariant, the Kraken, spreads across

‘An opportunity to transform’: Details on B.C.’s longawaited payment plan for family physicians released

The B.C. government, in partnership with Doctors of B.C., has released details about its new payment model for family doctors, a plan that could reshape primary care across the province. Payment details of “The Longitudinal Family Physician Payment Model” were distributed to family doctors on Friday. The payment model in-

cludes compensating doctors for their time, patient interactions, and the complexity of patient needs.

Dr. Joshua Greggain, president of Doctors of B.C. and a family physician, said the plan will help alleviate the healthcare crisis. “We really feel like by lifting up family medicine, our primary care, and leaning into team-based care, the

expectation and the aspiration is that everything will get better in due time,” he said. “This is an opportunity to transform the health-care system by simply flicking a switch.” Under the previous fee-for-service model, doctors were not paid for the time they spent doing

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Hours after major outage hits Pakistan, govt says power restoration under way

Amassive power cut across Pakistan continued after night fell on Monday, affecting most of the country’s 220 million residents, including in the metropolises of Karachi and Lahore.

Energy Minister Khurram Dastgir

said on Monday night, more than 12 hours after the breakdown occurred, that officials had begun restoring electricity across the country. Power was beginning to return in parts Islamabad and Balochistan, said Dastgir.

The minister had earlier said that electricity across the country would be fully restored by 10pm after the breakdown — triggered by “frequency variation” in the national grid hit Pakistan.

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the country, officials said the pandemic is not over. On Friday, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam said the decision by the UN is an “important deliberation.”“Whatever the decision is made by the Director General of the WHO, I think we just need to keep going with what we’re doing now,” she said. Canada’s Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo cautioned people thinking the pandemic is over.

Source: ctvnews.ca

Br. Daud Ali, passes away on Jan 12, He was one of the founders of the Masjid Al-Salaam Burnaby See details at Pg 15

World-renowned Sheikh Mishary Bin Rashid Alafasya’s an Evening of Inspiration SOLD OUT EVENT at Bell Performing Arts Centre, Surrey on Jan 27th, Friday at 6pm See details at Pg 15

Quran Khawani & First death Anniversay of Qari and Khateeb Maulana Abdul Latif Naumani on Saturday 28th at Fiji Islamic Centre. See details at Page 23

Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr

The Prophet said, “A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands. And a Muhajir (emigrant) is the one who gives up (abandons) all what Allah has forbidden.”

Ask the Imam (Q&A) Actions on behalf of dead persons

Question 4247:

Assalamualaikum I’m

curretnly at Question 4247:

A few months ago, you published an answer claiming that it is permissible to recite the Qur’an on behalf of a dead person and that the reward for such a recitation is granted to the dead person. This opinion has been vehemently opposed by almost all renowned Salafi scholars. They consider such a recitation as an innovation and they support that by the fact that neither the Prophet nor his companions used to read the Qur’an on behalf of those who died in battle or a natural death. They also suggest that it is not possible to compare such a recitation with offering substitute pilgrimage on behalf of a dead person, which is certainly permissible. Moreover, Allah defines the purpose of the Qur’an as “an admonition to any one who is alive”. This means that the Qur’an is for those who are alive. Please comment. I am confused by your contradictory replies. You said sometime in the past that “no one may offer prayers or other religious duties which have been left undone by a deceased person.” You have also quoted the Hadith which states that the actions of every person come to an end when he dies except in one of three well-known ways. Now you are saying that it is possible to transfer the reward of a good action to a deceased person. Will you please explain these contradictions?

Supervised by Shaykh

Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid

Answer:

These are the view of only two of my readers who have written to me on this subject. Others have written, making the same objections. To all such readers I say that this is a question which relates to an aspect of Islamic worship. The answer, therefore, must be based on what the Prophet has taught us. We cannot argue a case supporting any viewpoint on purely logical basis. Our starting point may just be the Qur’an and the Hadith. Before starting to answer the objections of my readers, I wish to say that I hold on to my position on both points and I do not see any reason to change either. Nor do I see any contradiction between what I have said on different

occasions on this subject. The difficulty experienced by some people in reconciling these points can be easily overcome. Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, a highly renowned scholar, has spoken extensively on this question, devoting to it more than thirty pages in his invaluable book, Ar-Rooh, or The Spirit. My reply is based largely on what he says, since he discusses all points in detail and replies to all objections. I have often quoted the Hadith which may be rendered in translation as follows: “When a human being dies, all his actions come to an end, except in one of three ways: A continuing act of charity, a useful contribution to knowledge or a Godfearing, dutiful child who prays for him.”

This Hadith cannot be quoted in support of the argument that our actions cannot benefit those who are dead. It is important to know that when we attempt to understand the meaning of a Qur’anic statement or Hadith, our approach should be one of careful consideration of the statement in front of us.

It must be clear to us that every Qur’anic verse and every Hadith is meant to convey only the sense of the words used in it. We cannot, and must not, carry any such statement beyond its apparent meaning. It cannot be imagined or envisaged that Allah would mean something and express it in words which convey a different meaning. Nor is it possible that the Prophet, who has been endowed by Allah with the gift of the most precise expressions, should mean anything other than what he states. Anyone who would entertain such a thought actually suggests that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) could fail to convey precisely an idea which constitutes a part of his message. That is not acceptable from a Muslim. No one would remain a Muslim for a second if he attaches such an inadequacy to the Qur’an. Bearing that in mind, we have to understand every Qur’anic statement or Hadith as it is. The above mentioned Hadith

Prayer Schedule in Greater Vancouver

states that “When a human being dies, his actions come to an end, except in one of three ways, etc. “ What comes to an end, then, is the deceased person’s own actions. This does not mean that a dead person does not benefit by anything else. He simply cannot do more for himself. He is powerless and incapable of accomplishing anything. Scholars, however, are unanimous that those who are dead can benefit by what living people may do in one of two ways: What the deceased person himself initiated during his lifetime and the supplication of Muslims on his behalf, their prayers to Allah to forgive him and whatever charity or pilgrimage other Muslims may do on his behalf. Scholars have different views on whether physical worship such as fasting, prayer, reciting of the Qur’an, etc. may be done by a living person and rewarded to a dead relative at his request. Imam Ahmad and many scholars say that the reward of such actions can be credited to the dead person, while the Shafie and Maliki schools of thought take the other view, saying that it does not. As for things that the dead person himself had initiated in his lifetime, the above quoted Hadith is sufficient evidence to endorse that. Another Hadith related by Ibn Majah quotes the Prophet as saying: “What is credited to a believer of his action and good deed after his death is any useful knowledge he might have taught or spread, a God-fearing child he might have left behind, a copy of the Qur’an he might have left to an heir, a mosque he might have built, a house he might have dedicated for use by travelers, a stream or river he might have caused to run, a donation to charity (i.e. sadaqah) he might have set aside when he was enjoying good health. All that catches up with him after his death.” Another authentic Hadith related by Muslim quotes the Prophet as saying: “Any Muslim who initiates a good practice receives its reward and the reward of anyone who follows his example without reducing their reward by the smallest of fractions, and any Muslim who initiates a bad practice will bear its burden as well as the burden of everyone who follows his example without reducing their burdens in anyway.” In support of our statement that a dead person will benefit by the supplication and prayer of living Muslims, I refer to the praise Allah bestows on succeeding generations of believers for praying Him to forgive those believers who lived before them. Allah says in the Qur’an: “Those who come after them pray: our Lord, forgive us our sins, as well as those of our brethren who preceded us in faith.” (59;10). When a Muslim dies, it is a duty on the community of Muslims to offer a special prayer for him during which they pray Allah to forgive him and admit him into heaven. The Prophet says: “When you pray for a dead person, make your supplication sincere.” In his own supplication for a dead person, just before the latter’s funeral, the Prophet said: “My Lord, forgive him; bestow Your mercy on him; purge him of sin, assign to him a good abode and a wide entrance (to heaven); wash him with water, snow and hail and purge him of sin as a white dress is purged of impurity; replace his home, family and wife with better ones; admit him to heaven and protect him against torment in the grave and the suffering in hell.” There are numerous Hadiths which tell us that a number of his companions came to the Prophet individually to ask him whether they can give sadaqah or fast or do the pilgrimage on behalf of their de-

ceased relatives, and he always said that they may do that and the dead person would benefit by it. Al-Bukhari relates that Saad ibn Ubadah, the chief of the Ansari tribe of Al-Khazraj, said to the Prophet: “Messenger of Allah, my mother died when I was away. Would she benefit if I give charitable donations (i.e. sadaqah) on her behalf? The Prophet answered in the affirmative. Saad said: “I would like you to be my witness that I am giving as sadaqah on her behalf my orchard at Al-Meraf.” Ibn Abbas reports that a woman traveled in a boat and pledged that should Allah save her life, she would fast for a month. She was saved but she did not fast before she died. Her daughter or her sister asked the Prophet about that and he ordered her to fast on behalf of the deceased woman. (Related by Abu-Dawood, An-Nassaie, Ahmad and others). Hadiths in support of offering the pilgrimage on behalf of a deceased person or one who is unanimously unable to undertake the journey are numerous. Moreover, it is unanimously agreed by scholars that if a person dies without settling an outstanding debt, leaving no money to settle it, anyone could pay it on his behalf. Whether the person paying it is a relative or not, the deceased is deemed to have repaid his debt. If the case is such and the deceased person may benefit by a financial payment, why should he not benefit by a gift made of the reward for a good action? It should be mentioned here that it is not possible to do the obligatory duties of fasting and prayer on behalf of a deceased person. This means that you cannot pray Dhuhr or Asr, or fast a few days of Ramadhan on his behalf. You may, however, fast if he took a pledge to fast but did not honor it, as in the Hadith quoted above. You may also do a voluntary act of worship and request Allah to credit its reward to the deceased person. That applies to reciting a passage of the Qur’an. It is important to have a clear intention when you begin such an action that you are gifting its reward to a dead person. My readers suggest that it is not known that the companions of the Prophet used to recite the Qur’an and gift the reward of their recitation to dead people. The reason is that they would view such an action as a private matter between themselves and their Lord. Why would anyone mention to other people that he recited a surah and gifted its reward to his mother or to his friend or relative? They were to gain the maximum reward for their actions in the privacy of their own home. Your motive for such publicity may not be free of self-esteem. That is bound to reduce your reward. I do not know of any Hadith or Qur’anic verse which suggests that a recitation of the Qur’an has a special status which suggests that a recitation, pilgrimage or charitable donations may not be so credited. I know of nothing to prevent that. Indeed, Allah’s generosity will ensure that the reward is credited to the person to whom it is gifted, while the reciter will be rewarded for his kindness. [This is different from the act of gathering people to recite Qur’an on behalf of the deceased. Such recitations are private matters.] The best thing that can be done on behalf of a dead person is sadaqah or charitable donation. The best of that is something which continues over a long period of time. A pilgrimage on his behalf will be highly rewarded. Prayer to Allah to forgive him and bestow His mercy on him is also sure to be answered.

(Source: Arab News)

(Source: islamqa.info/en

Gas prices are once again creeping up in Metro Vancouver, with the numbers now sitting above $1.80 per litre.

It’s yet another blow to the cost of living in the region and the situation is only expected to get worse. Prices started rising at the start of the month and have continued to climb incrementally ever since.

Drivers in Surrey were paying 185.9 cents per litre on Tuesday morning.

Analysts predict prices may stabilize in February, but come spring, they expect fuel costs will keep climbing due to an increase in carbon taxes and higher prices in the market itself. The high prices are due to tight supply and increased demand.

Experts say COVID-19 lockdowns in China, the war in Ukraine and its impact on U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve are all factors.

The Lower Mainland set an all time record last September at 241.9 cents per litre.

Earlier this month, Kalibrate, a retail analytics company that tracks fuel prices, predicted drivers could pay up to $2.65 a litre by summertime.

However, other experts believe they will only climb to about $2.50 come July.

“It requires all the stars to line up at the same time, including refinery shutdowns in the United States and Washington state, the closure of the Olympic pipeline, and of course disruptions along the existing Trans Mountain pipeline,” said Dan McTeague, an analyst for the the prediction website Gas Wizard. McTeague believes prices will continue to climb daily by a penny or so over

the next several months.

While the price may drop four or five cents a litre, he says it will then go right back up again. He predicts Metro Vancouver drivers will be paying up to $2.15 a litre by the first week of April.

The region is home to the highest prices in North America in part due to the carbon and TransLink taxes.

However, come July, it could be dethroned as Newfoundland imposes a new 16 to 17 cent per litre carbon tax. The national average is currently trending at about $1.48 per litre. Metro Vancouver is 30 to 40 cents above that. “Vancouver is a bit of an island in itself and requires fuel. Whether it’s oil for its small refinery in Burnaby, or gasoline from the strained Trans Mountain pipeline,” said McTeague. He says drivers should fill up at night in order to save money, since that’s when stations shed their eight cent retail margin. In addition, he says drivers can get an even better deal by filling their tanks on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Source: bc.ctvnews.c

Culture of fear? Minister

British Columbia’s Health Minister is responding to allegations of gag orders and muzzling of the province’s health-care workers after a public outcry and widespread discussion of the issue.

CTV News first reported on statements made on background and in public by health-care workers and their associations last week. Examples ranged from concerns about patient care, to staffing levels to workplace toxicity –and claims that those speaking up face consequences ranging from being labeled a troublemaker to formal disciplinary action.

Adrian Dix’s first comment was to point out there’s whistleblower protection in place in B.C.’s health authorities, with expanded protections through the Office of the Ombudsperson coming. He also acknowledged staff have a duty to report on safety issues and said he expects them to do so.

“It’s always an obligation to do that, that’s why those provisions are in place, to ensure the health-care workers can respond to those conditions,” he said, noting the well-documented staffing crisis is having an impact.

Dix’s office said he was unavailable to speak to these issues last week but addressed what’s often described as a “culture of fear” at length during a segment in studio on CTV Morning Live on Monday, as well as during a brief oneon-one interview afterward.

“I think when the health-care system’s working well, like any system, you’re listening to people,” Dix said.

“These are challenging times for our system

and you have to be able to have systems internally where you can listen to what people have to say – and I think we do that.”

Pointing out that he often can’t speak to specific cases due to patient confidentiality, Dix acknowledged that he hasn’t seen any privacy violations on the rare occasions where healthcare workers have spoken publicly. Generally, it’s professional associations that speak out on systemic issues, allowing individual workers to avoid repercussions.

Insisting that “we can always do better,” Dix emphasized that his government has already beefed up labour rights for many workers and avoided job action by health-care staff with tentative agreements with paramedics and updated contracts with family doctors. Negotiations for a new nurses’ contract are underway. “We’ve got to keep listening, keep working, that’s the way you make things better,” said Dix. “We’ve added, as you know, 38,000 net new health-care workers in the five years I’ve been Minister of Health.”

Source: bc.ctvnews.ca

VANCOUVER - The federal government has come to a $2.8-billion agreement to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by two British Columbia First Nations related to the collective harms caused by residential schools.

At a Saturday morning news conference in Vancouver, Crown-Indigenous Affairs Minister Marc Miller said the government signed the deal with plaintiffs representing 325 nations that opted into the Gottfriedson Band suit.

“While settlements that are being announced like these today do not erase or make up for the past ... what it can do is help address the collective harm caused by Canada’s past -- a deeply colonial one -- in the loss of language, the loss of culture and the loss of heritage,” said Miller. The lawsuit originally involved three classes of complainants, but in 2021 all parties agreed to concentrate initial settlement efforts on survivors and their descendants to ensure they’d receive compensation during their lifetimes.

Saturday’s announcement marked the settlement for the band class of plaintiffs, which Miller called “unfinished business” from the 2021 settlement.

Miller said the settlement will be guided by four pillars: the revival and protection of Indigenous language; the revival and protection of Indigenous culture; the protection and promotion of heritage and the wellness of Indigenous communities and their members.

It marks the first time Canada is compensating bands and communities as a collective for harms related to residential schools, he said. “Reconciliation isn’t free. This is a lot of money,” Miller said. “Is it enough? I think only time will tell, but we know there’s a heck of a lot more to do.”

Miller said the $2.8 billion for members of the

band class will be put in an independent, notfor-profit trust, adding more terms of the settlement will be released in the next month.

Former shishalh chief Garry Feschuk and former Tk’emlups te Secwepemc chief Shane Gottfriedson launched the suit more than a decade ago seeking justice for day scholars who were abused while attending the schools but who were ineligible for the 2006 settlement for fulltime students.

“Today we are representing 325 Indigenous nations across Canada and have developed a settlement plan to allow for the nations to work towards the four pillars,” said Gottfriedson.

“This settlement allows our Indigenous nations to control this process ... we will manage and distribute the funds, we will provide it to all 325 nations in a fair and objective manner.”

Individual nations will decide which of the four pillars to focus on and will develop 10-year implementation plans.

“This has never been done,” Peter Grant, class council for the nations, said at the news conference. “This is where the government is saying, ‘you take care and you’re in charge of how you wish to start to repair the damage.”’

Grant explained that, after the first decade, another 10-year plan will be developed with the intention of ensuring all funds are dispersed after 20 years.

Source: ctvnews.ca

A B.C. school district is warning parents, teachers and students about the “unauthorized disclosure of personal data” related to more than 19,000 people in the school community.

In a notice posted on its website Thursday, the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows School District says it is “investigating and mitigating” an incident in which the information was publicly released.

“Because of the high number of records (19,126), the district assumes the incident affects both students and staff,” the notice reads.

“The information that has been accessed, while concerning, was confined to easily attainable information with limited use,” it continues. “The sensitivity of this information is considered low. At this time, the school district has no evidence that critical information was disclosed.”

According to the notice, the school district learned about the incident on the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 17.

The information released included people’s first and last names, school/department, district email address and grade (for students).

“While this data is internally available to

students and staff in our active directory (email) phone book, in the wrong hands it can be used for targeted phishing attacks that attempt to trick the recipient into clicking on links or downloading attachments,” the district says.

It’s recommending that students who use their district email accounts be “extra vigilant” with emails that request personal information. For staff, the district says it anticipates an increase in phishing attacks. “This is an important reminder for staff and students to never share their SD42 credentials (i.e. user ID and password) with anyone,” the notice reads.

The district says it initiated “an immediate review of its systems and logs for suspicious activity” as soon as it learned of the unauthorized disclosure.

“No suspicious activity was found,” it says. “While it is possible this information was obtained because of a compromised student or staff email account, our investigation into how this data was accessed is ongoing.” The district advises anyone with privacy concerns to contact it by emailing privacy@ sd42.ca.

Source: bc.ctvnews.ca

B.C. school district says ‘personal data’ on 19,000 students and staff was released

addresses muzzling, whistleblower concerns of B.C. health-care workers

Why Metro Vancouver gas prices are rising again and when they could peak: experts

Ottawa announces $2.8 billion to settle remaining part of B.C. day scholar lawsuit

ISUSPECT many will agree about the benefits of a digital detox, ie a break from the constant stream of information on mobile devices. I enjoyed my break last week disconnected from devices, uncompelled to reply to every message, relishing the quiet that winter up north brings. But it was just that, a break, and my return to reality coincided with news of journalist Shahid Aslam’s detention by FIA.

Aslam is being accused of involvement in an article by Fact Focus that reported on former army chief Gen Bajwa’s assets. Ahmad Noorani, who wrote the article, denied Aslam’s involvement. But that did not matter to the FIA.

I was able to ascertain these details thanks to the reporting on legacy news outlets because social media was its usual cesspool of unreliability — lots of opinion parading as information. Facts don’t sell — or get shared — the way opinions do. An MIT study in 2018 showed that lies spread six times faster than fact.

Aslam was granted bail on Wednesday but his case is a reminder of how those actually in power have no respect for the law — eg the 2021 Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill which accords journalists the right to protect sources. The same powers don’t support journalism unless it sides with their

News Cont from Pg 1

Have faith in facts

interests. How can journalism ever support any institute that so flagrantly disregards people’s right to information?

Unfortunately, folks posing as journalists have done more to destroy the institute they pretend to serve. That’s why I’m recommending they, their handlers, and anyone interested in journalism read Maria Ressa’s How to Stand Up to a Dictator. The Nobel laureate’s book is part memoir and, as the Guardian noted, “part manifesto” on journalism’s role in exposing misuse of power. For Ressa, this means shining a light on the abuse of power by former president Rodrigo Duterte and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. It’s disconcerting to learn how Facebook undermined democracy in the Philippines and how Duterte used social media’s engagement algorithms to his advantage and society’s detriment.

This is what makes social media so dangerous, especially if you rely on it as your primary source of news. Social media platforms want you to keep scrolling on their sites because that’s what earns them the big bucks. They favour moneymaking over public safety, she writes. Facebook revenues were $120.18 billion, up by 40 per cent from the year before. What social media is doing is similar to rewarding children for lying. Facts are just

The grid should be fully functioning by 10pm, Dastgir told Reuters, adding: “We are trying our utmost to achieve restoration before that.” In a televised address, the minister said that there had been a widespread power breakdown in the country, adding that officials were working on restoring electricity. “Today at 7:34am, there was unusual voltage and frequency fluctuation in the North-South transmission corridor because of which the national grid’s system frequency was affected and a widespread breakdown was caused.”

He said that the country’s transmission system had not been affected but explained that electricity was required to get power

News Cont from Pg 1

not cool. Because facts don’t get the same amplification that opinions do, you see results like Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos come to power nearly 30 years after his father was ousted following a massive civilian resistance movement in 1986. While the Philippines is not the only country where people are voting for illiberal leaders, Rappler’s reporting shows how information shared on social media networks from 2014 paved the way for Marcos’ ascent. The same is true for Trump, Modi, Khan etc. The PTI social media juggernaut is unstoppable and doesn’t let facts get in the way of its indomitability. I mean, it has its own set of facts. Other parties are no different. Everyone is in their own silos. Journalists are the enemies unless they’re parroting the party (of your choice) line. This doesn’t sound like democracy.

In its report last year, Freedom House found “autocracy is making gains against democracy and encouraging more leaders to abandon the democratic path to security and prosperity”. This is just one consequence of a business model that profits from the spread of hatred over accurate information. Ressa’s book proves how social media platforms’ insidious manipulation wreaks havoc. There’s no legislation to tackle Silicon Valley’s designs

either. What then can be done? Could we take a leaf from China which created a different version of TikTok for its citizens with safeguards in place for children? “And exported the opioid version to the rest of the world,” Ressa said last month. Since bans are futile, what can regulation look like? Can it be as simple as Ressa proposes which is changing the design of how news/information is delivered?

Ressa’s rallying cry may not have created the impact she hoped for but on Wednesday, she and Rappler were acquitted of tax evasion. “Today, facts win, truth wins, justice wins,” she told the media. The victory is a reminder that journalists can become gatekeepers of information again, they can reclaim space from big tech. We need to remind people that there is accountability in journalism unlike in social media. I hope Shahid Aslam and other journalists can take some solace knowing their important work can wield results and it’s a battle worth fighting for. Our credibility depends on it.

Courtesy by: muna Khan

The writer is a co-producer and cohost of On/Off The Record, a podcast on the news media landscape in Pakistan.

What do you think?

Laysa Lil Insana illa ma’ sa’aa

That man can have nothing but what he strives for.

Hours after major outage hits Pakistan

plants and dams up and running.

Talking about the steps taken to address the outage, he said that there was a power plant in Uch which was currently operational. He said that power generated from the plant, which was providing electricity to several areas in Sindh, was also being diverted to Balochistan and parts of Punjab.

He further said that electricity from the Thar coal power project was partially being provided to K-Electric which was working on restoring operations.

He assured the nation that he was personally overseeing the matter at the National Power Control Centre (NPCC) and that the officials concerned were working hard

to restore power. He expressed the hope that power would be restored across the country by tonight. The minister said that the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) had been directed, on the orders of the prime minister, to get all power plants up and running even if they were dependent on expensive furnace oil. He further said a three-member team had been formed by the premier to probe the incident...

“In winter, the demand for electricity reduces nationwide, hence, as an economic measure, we temporarily close down our power generation systems at night.

Source: dawn.com

B.C.’s long-awaited payment plan for family physicians released

paperwork, reviewing lab results or updating patient charts. That will change come Feb. 1 when the new payment model is implemented. The payment model will see family physicians paid roughly $130 per hour for the time they spend working, whether they’re meeting with patients in person or virtually, reviewing test results, or managing their practice.

Physicians will also still bill the province for each patient interaction, receiving between $25 and $110 depending on the type of interaction. An annual “panel payment” for each patient a family doctor looks after will also be paid, with the payment for a patient of “average complexity” netting about

$34 per year. The payment will be higher or lower depending on each patient’s actual complexity. The province first announced the payment plan in October. Full-time doctors will receive about $385,000 per year under the new model, up from $250,000 currently, according to the province.

That increase is expected to make a significant difference, since doctors in B.C. must find and lease their own space, hire their own staff and source their own equipment.

In B.C., Greggain said, there are about 6,500 family physicians, roughly 3,500 of whom do the kind of “longitudinal care” – looking after the same patients for many years – the model is designed for. During

the pandemic, he said, many doctors were either retiring early or leaving to work in other provinces where the payment structure made financial sense. He’s hoping the plan will entice doctors to come back to B.C. and rejoin family medicine.

“Longitudinal family physicians really feel that there’s hope now where there wasn’t before,” he told CTV News.

Vancouver resident Kate Ferguson has been hoping the number of family doctors in B.C. will increase. She’s been off work for two months due to a back injury and has called nearly 200 clinics in search of help, some of them as far away as Fort St. John...

Source: bc.ctvnews.ca

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Authorities alerted after drone comes close to UN aircraft

Imran open to going to IMF toshore up economy if he returns to power:

Russia announced on Tuesday it would ban oRAWALPINDI: Islamabad airport’s management have asked the police to ban drone activities around the runway after one came dangerously close to an aircraft.

The directives were issued after a UN aircraft en route from Kabul came across a drone flying at about 3,400 feet and eight nautical miles from the runway on Jan 16. The airport manager, in his intimation to the police and district administration, said the UN aircraft B-190 with flight number UN-355H was approaching around 2:30pm when it observed a drone flying at approximately 3,400ft while the aircraft’s altitude was 3,700ft. According to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), the area where the drone was flying has been identified to be Bahria Town’s Phase VIII in Rawalpindi.

Islamabad International Airport Chief Operating Officer Syed Aftab Ali Shah Gilani has sought help from the Rawalpindi regional police officer (RPO) and commissioner after a second complaint of flight hazard was received within a month.

On Jan 8, the pilot of a Pakistan International Airlines’ flight from Dubai reported that a green laser light was pointed towards the aircraft as it positioned to land at runway

28L, six NM away from the airport.

The airport COO said drones not only pose a threat of collision with the aircraft but also cause security concerns if equipped with surveillance gadgets or improvised explosive devices. The Rawalpindi police chief has been requested to increase patrolling and combing operations to detect violators in the funnel areas, which extend beyond each end of the runway used by aircraft to land and take off. The COO has also suggested enforcing Section 144 on drone activities around the airport. The PCAA has also asked the Rawalpindi RPO to take action against such activities which could result in a tragic accident.

According to aviation experts, laser lights and drones were among the foremost flight safety hazards for civil aviation operations. In August 2021, security agencies were alerted and a search operation was launched after a drone-like device was sighted in Banigala and Bhara Kahu areas of Islamabad. The device was seen in the sky around the prime minister’s residence and other important buildings in the area. This was not the first time an unauthorised drone flight alerted the authorities. Source: dawn.com

Former prime minister Imran Khan believes that Pakistan cannot shun the idea of reaching out to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for an economic bailout any sooner and says his party, if returns to power, will “have no choice” except to stick to the lender’s support.In an interview with Bloomberg, the former premier minced no words while sharing his “radical plan” to shore up the ailing national economy with the IMF also having a part of it. “If we get into power, we won’t have much time,” Imran told the interviewer. When asked if his plan would involve sticking with the IMF, the PTI chief replied: “We have no choice now.”

The incumbent government — PTI’s opponents — has been making hectic efforts to convince the IMF to complete the review,

pending since Sept 2022 — which will be followed by the release of funds. However, the strings attached to the move have been a sticking point between the global lender and Pakistan.The conditions include the withdrawal of subsidies of electricity subsidies, rationalising of gas tariffs in line with prices in the international market, market-determined exchange rate and removal of the ban on the opening of LCs.

Canada says it will repatriate 23 of its citizens from Syria

Canada is set to repatriate 23 of its citizens currently detained in camps for ISIL (ISIS) family members in northeastern Syria, according to officials and lawyers representing the citizens. The repatriation, which represents the largest group of ISIL family members repatriated to Canada at one, was determined in two actions on Friday. First, the foreign ministry said it had decided to repatriate six Canadian women and 13 infants who had been living in the locked camps. Later, a federal court ruled that four men seeking repatriation as part of that group must also be sent back to Canada. “I’ve spoken to the parents and they’re really, really happy,” said lawyer Barbara Jackman, who is representing one of the men.

In his ruling on Friday, federal judge Henry Brown directed Ottawa to request repatriation of the men as soon as reasonably possible and provide them with passports or emergency travel documents.

The union representing Canada Revenue Agency workers is proposing a series of pay bumps worth more than 30 per cent of current wages to keep up with inflation — a move described by observers as both “unprecedented” and “crazy.”

The Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) is proposing the following wage increases, on top of a one-time nine per cent wage adjustment:

• 4.5 per cent effective Nov. 1, 2021.

• 8 per cent effective Nov. 1, 2022.

• 8 per cent effective Nov. 1, 2023.

When compounded over three years, the four proposed hikes would result in a “historic” wage increase for the largest workforce within the federal public service, at nearly 55,000 employees in 2022, said union president Marc Brière.

About 35,000 of those employees are represented by UTE.

Brière said the proposal aims to address an imbalance between CRA employees represented by UTE and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which has approximately 14,000 employees.

The two agencies used to function as one between 1999 and 2003 where employees were paid the same rate. Once they became independent of each other, it created a wage gap of nine per cent because CBSA uses the Excise Act. “They used to sit side-by-side in the early 2000s. They were the same group and occupation, the same classification, and then making the same amount of money,” Brière said. As of 2021, wages at the CRA have ranged between $41,658 and $121,923, compared to the CBSA which range from

$64,849 and $135,509.

The proposal comes at a time when Canada’s Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson is dealing with a historic amount of public complaints about the CRA over delays in people receiving benefits, tax returns and access to CRA accounts. However, it appears CRA employees’ wages may also lag behind other federal agencies deemed outside the government’s core public administration.

Direct comparisons are difficult to pinpoint due to differences in roles and salary designations. This chart does show what a midlevel CRA employee makes after three years, compared to administrative counterparts in the next three largest federal agencies. he discrepancy doesn’t add up with the work CRA employees have been asked to do, said Brière, especially in recent years because of the pandemic. “We have people that are specialized. The Income Tax Act is complex and they are doing great work. They have proven it during the pandemic, not only administering the income tax programs but even the emergency programs, which is not in our portfolio,” he said. Source: cbc.ca

It was not immediately clear when the 23 individuals would be repatriated, or if they would face any legal consequences for alleged associations with ISIL. Lawyers representing the citizens have argued that Ottawa is obligated to repatriate the group under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

According to Human Rights Watch, since ISIL’s territorial defeat in 2019, more than 42,400 foreign adults and children with alleged ties to the group have been held in camps in Syria

run mostly by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The rights group warned in a 2020 report on Canadians in the camps, “The innocent, such as the children who never chose to be born or live under ISIS, have no hope of leaving. Meanwhile, any detainees potentially implicated in ISIS crimes may never face justice.” At the time, Human Rights Watch said the Canadians in the camps included eight men, 13 women, and 26 children.

In 2020, Ottawa allowed the return of a fiveyear-old orphan girl from Syria after her uncle initiated legal action against the Canadian government. Last October, Canada brought back two women and two children from the camps. Among the men set to be repatriated following the most recent ruling is Jack Letts, a dual UK-Canadian citizen whose British citizenship was reportedly revoked in 2019. Australia, Germany, France, Spain, the US, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have all repatriated citizens from Syria.

Source: aljazeera.com

Canada’s passport application backlog has been ‘virtually eliminated’ minister says

TAfter months of delays and the federal government saying it moved “heaven and earth” to speed up passport processing, the minister responsible says the backlog in applications has been “virtually eliminated.”

Wait times for Canadians to receive their passports are back to pre-pandemic standards, Karina Gould announced Tuesday during a federal cabinet retreat in Hamilton, Ont. This comes, Gould said, as a result of increasing passport offices’ “processing capacity” and “streamlined operations.”

Passport delays stretched to several months and led to canceled plans and travel headaches over the summer. There were also extended wait times to submit applications at passport offices, leading to many being held up for hours — and in some cases, camping out for days outside offices — to submit their paperwork. The delays led to criticism and questioning of the federal government’s ability to deliver services to Canadians.

Gould said Tuesday that those who have submitted their passport applications after Oct. 3, 2022, have seen pre-pandemic processing times, while extra staff continues to

tackle the backlog from the summer and into September.

“Approximately 90 percent of the backlog of applications have been processed, and the backlog is virtually eliminated,” Gould said. For those who applied before Oct. 3, the wait time still varies to receive their passport, but clients can now have their application expedited without having to show proof of imminent travel. According to Employment and Social Development Canada, the high application volume in the early half of last year, plus pandemic health and safety measures, lead to the buildup of applications and the backlog. Source: cbc.ca

CRA workers want ‘unprecedented’ pay raise of more than 30% over 3 years

MP Sarai holds Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award Ceremony at Surrey library

MP Sarai held the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award Ceremony at Surrey Central Library. We marked the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne. In light of her long-standing service, a limited number of Platinum Jubilee pins were created. We opened the applications on November 14, 2022 and closed them on December 5, 2022. It was an exquisite ceremony in which exceptional members of the Surrey Centre community were recognized for their outstanding work in Surrey. There were approximately 60 guests, 31 of which were award recipients and rest being their family and friends. The awardees were recognized

for their excellence demonstrated in the categories of entrepreneurialism, sports, community leadership, law enforcement, and philanthropy.

Awardees names as follows:

• Samir Ali • Marc Bains • Iqbal Cheema

• Dr. Gulzar Cheema • Dr. Sandy Dhami

• Amar Dhesi • Karm Dhillon • Zora Heer

• Stephen Dooley • Tanweer Ebrahim

• Nafees Feroz • Upkar Gohalwar

• Surendra Handa • Mohinder Jaswal

• Safari Kabumbe • Baljinder Kaur

• Sameer Kaushal • Jag Khosa • Jaanveer Lalli

• Saverio Lattanzio • Elizabeth Model

• Shahnaz Rahman • Martin Rooney

• Tony Moore

• Anmol Sahota • Manreet Sandhu

• Prabhleen Sandhu • Jaspreet Sidhu

• Iris Solorzano • Colette Trudeau

• Neeraj Walia

MP Sarai opened with a warm welcome and sincere message, “There are many extraordinary individuals living in Surrey Centre and/ or have impacted the people of Surrey Centre, but we will be giving out these awards to those individuals who were nominated in that time period. He also shared that, “A beautiful part of this event is that the diversity, passion and unity within Surrey is present in the room as our awardees originate from

a variety of ethnic backgrounds who are youths all the way through to seniors, they all put their heart and soul into their work, and there is a tremendous amount of support here today to show for their outstanding service in our community.”

After the awardees were honored, MP Sarai concluded with, “It is gratifying to see this caliber of talent and commitment in all of you to make Surrey the most desirable city in the world to live, learn, work and play. I am truly proud to represent and serve you as well as this community.”

ICCBC Project Kickoff Dinner Held at taste of lahore Surrey

Grand Opening of PINDI DHABA Restaurant at Surrey Central Skytrain Station

Grand Opening of 786 Pizza & Chicken Restaurant in Surrey

Delta police explain Alex Fraser closure

hope sharing the details of what happened will shed more light on mental health challenges and address stigma.

According to the Delta Police Department (DPD), officers received word just after noon that a man was experiencing a mental health crisis and was “outside the safety rail” of the bridge near the southbound lanes. When they arrived, police officers began negotiating with the man, to try to help him to safety.The southbound lanes of the crossing were shut down to give first responders and the man space, police explain. They note any decision to close the bridge is made based on “a variety of reasons.”

“While the overall decision to close the

bridge is complex, it is guided by the DPD’s priority to preserve life,” police write. Police say ‘various distractions’ ‘interfered with negotiations’

But the DPD says first responders’ efforts were complicated by ‘various distractions,’ including a few impatient drivers. In addition to “honking horns, yelling at the individual in crisis, and even encouraging them to take action,” police say some people walked up the bridge and “interfered with the negotiations,” snapping photos and video in some cases.Some people are also said to have driven “aggressively,” with police adding these actions led to several crashes, all while officers continued negotiating with

the man in crisis.

In one instance, police say a driver “went around several highway vehicles managing the road closure,” eventually hitting another car and a concrete barrier.“Some DPD officers were forced to disengage from the crisis to deal with this incident,” police say.

In another case, investigators claim a driver “ignored a flagger’s direction” and drove around barricades. Police say the driver was found to be impaired and was handed a driving suspension. The person experiencing the mental health crisis eventually agreed to climb back over the railing to safety after nearly eight hours. Police say he was “provided with the medical attention he

needed.” “We also recognize that the bridge closure caused frustrations, and our team will review this incident with our partners to determine how we can lessen the future impact on the public,” Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord said.

“As first responders, the DPD sees the impacts of mental health daily. It can grind lives to a halt, as we saw yesterday, but to stop the stigma surrounding mental health, everyone must do their part,” the department added in a statement. Resources are available to anyone in need or who knows someone in need of support who may be experiencing a crisis. Source : CityNews

Erdogan says turkish elections to be held on May 14

If no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote, a second round of voting would be held on May 28.

Erdogan, who has been in office since 2003 – first as prime minister, then as president since 2014 – faces his biggest test in his two decades at the reins of the regional military power, NATO member and major emerging market economy.

Ronaldo makes long-awaited Saudi Pro league debut for Al Nassr

Turkey’s president has announced May 14 as the date for the country’s next parliamentary and presidential elections.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who plans to seek re-election, made the announcement during a Saturday youth conference in the northwestern Bursa province. A video of the event was released Sunday.

“I thank God that we are destined to share our path with you, our valued youth, who will vote for the first time in the elections that will be held on May 14,” said Erdogan, who had hinted at the date last week. He said in Bursa that he would make the formal call on March 10, after which Turkey’s Supreme Election Council would prepare for the elections.

A six-party opposition alliance has yet to put forth a presidential candidate. A pro-Kurdish party that is the third-largest in parliament has so far been excluded from the alliance and said it might field its own candidate.

The opposition has blamed Turkey’s economic downturn and an erosion of civil rights and freedoms on the 68-year-old Erdogan, saying the revised government system amounts to “one-man rule”.

In 2018, Erdogan introduced a system of governance that abolished the office of the prime minister and concentrated most powers in the hands of the president. The office of the president was largely a ceremonial post before then. Under the new system, presidential and parliamentary elections are held on the same day. Source: aljazeera.com

Iran’s currency hits record low amid tensions with the West

tions is media hype and psychological operations in the society,” Farzin said on Saturday.

As the rial went into another freefall on Saturday, the central bank claimed that 300 million euros ($326m) of Iran’s money in Iraq had been received, despite US sanctions, and injected into the market.

Central bank to raise exchange limit

Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo has made a winning start to life in the Saudi Pro League as he led Al Nassr to a 1-0 victory over Ettifaq in his first match, despite failing to score.

During the match on Sunday, Talisca headed the winner in the 31st minute when Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem’s cross was too high for Ronaldo, who did not seem to mind as he wheeled around to celebrate with the Brazilian midfielder and the rest of his new teammates.

Al Nassr, which has played 14 games, moved a point ahead of defending champion Al Hilal, which has played a game more.

Al Nassr fans had to wait three weeks after the announcement of one of the most surprising transfers in football history to see their new hero in competitive action.

On Thursday, Ronaldo played for a combined XI from Al Nassr and Al Hilal in an exhibition game against a Paris Saint-Germain team featuring old foe Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, is the all-time Champions League top-scorer, collecting five titles along the way, and has

Tehran, Iran – Iran’s currency has reached an all-time record low amid increasing tensions with the West and the unrest gripping the country.

On Sunday, the United States dollar went past the 450,000-rial mark for the first time on the open market.

Former Central Bank of Iran governor, Ali Salehabadi, had been sacked after a previous rapid depreciation of the rial in late December that saw it slump to more than 440,000 against the greenback at the open market. His replacement, Mohammad Reza Farzin, had vowed to artificially keep the rate of the currency at 285,000 rials against the dollar for imports of essential goods in an effort to keep prices stable during a 40 percent inflation rate.

“Today the central bank faces no limitations in terms of currency and gold reserves, and the main reason behind the currency fluctua-

On Sunday, the central bank said it will soon raise the maximum amount of currency that can be sold to an individual annually from 2,000 euros ($2,176) to 5,000 euros ($5,439) in an apparent effort to show it has no shortage of currency.

The cap was introduced after the US unilaterally abandoned the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with world powers in 2018 and imposed harsh sanctions, triggering a new currency crisis in Iran.

To combat currency devaluation, Iran’s police force has periodically announced the arrest of dozens of currency speculators in recent months.

This week’s depreciation of the rial comes amid boiling tensions with the West, and as protests in Iran, that started in September last year – which Tehran accuses the West of orchestrating – have persisted.

Source: aljazeera.com

At least five killed in bomb, gun attack in Somalia’s Mogadishu

ministry said on Sunday.

Al-Shabab has stepped up attacks in a show of resilience since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government launched an offensive against the al-Qaeda-linked group in August.

“We were in the office and we were deafened by a blast. We ran out. Gunfire followed,” Farah Abdullahi, who works in the mayor’s office, told Reuters.

TAt least five civilians were killed when members of the al-Shabab armed group set off a bomb then stormed a government building in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, the ministry of information has said.

Attackers from the group charged into the block that houses the office of Mogadishu’s mayor around noon (09:00 GMT) and engaged in a firefight with security forces, the

Sixteen people were injured in the attack, Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of Aamin Ambulance Services, said.

The mayor’s office is located in the local government headquarters building in a wellguarded area of Mogadishu.

Al-Shabab said in a statement that its bombers struck “then foot fighters entered the building after killing the building guards”.

Source: aljazeera.com

won seven domestic championships with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.

Ronaldo also holds the record for international goals -118 with Portugal, with whom he won Euro 2016 – and career goals with 819. In Qatar last year, he became the first man to score at five World Cups.

His shock move to Al Nassr came after his second stint at Manchester United collapsed in acrimony after an explosive TV interview in which he criticised manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s owners. Ronaldo had been repeatedly benched and even temporarily suspended by the club.

He is also coming off a disappointing World Cup where he was benched in the knockout rounds and left the field in tears after Portugal lost in the quarterfinals to Morocco. Media reports have claimed the Portugal star could be earning up to $200m a year from the deal with the Saudi club, which would make him the highest-paid footballer in history.

Source: aljazeera.com

What is social inclusion?

The Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) / Conseil des Bibliothèques Urbaines du Canada (CBUC) defines social inclusion as the participatory, authentic, and accountable manner in which institutions uphold and reinforce the principles of access, equity and, as a result, social inclusion for all.

Social inclusion is the manner in which institutions understand and engage their communities, as well as how they explore, view, and challenge barriers, values, and behaviours. Social inclusion is also defined by how institutions develop, implement, and evaluate policies and procedures, how they provide equitable access to services, and finally, how they demonstrate the level of inclusion through tangible outcomes.

According to Fourie (2007), social inclusion refers to all efforts and policies to promote equality of opportunity to people from all circumstances and from all socially-excluded categories. The circumstances and the categories of people mostly linked to social exclusion are therefore the circumstances and categories to be addressed by efforts to enhance inclusion.

Finally, in Canada, social inclusion is understood as a multi-dimensional concept that facilitates inclusion from a variety of fronts that include:

• increase of employment;

• elimination of poverty;

• enablement of civic engagement;

• elimination of discrimination and racism;

• promotion of access to a variety of public resources and institutions.

Based on the concept of social inclusion, projects that engage in social inclusion work should therefore be informed by the perspectives and worldviews of those to be included.

WHY IS SOCIAL INCLUSION IMPORTANT TO CANADIANS?

Today’s immigrants face multiple barriers in Canadian society. Many are characterized as socially excluded because they face economic exclusion upon arrival to Canada. Adults struggle because of different language and

culture; youth face particular challenges “belonging” to their new communities and incorporating new and old ways.

According to a 2006 study that examines Statistics Canada’s Canadian Ethnic Diversity Survey (EDS), Canadian immigrants face many additional difficulties. They experience challenges having foreign credentials recognized, they lack Canadian job experience, and they are often subject to discrimination in labour markets. Other studies identify learning a new language, making friends, finding affordable housing – even coping with the Canadian weather – as common difficulties.

Without mechanisms in place to ensure newcomers are adequately included in their newly adopted society, these groups may be at greater risk of being at the margin of the democratic process, feeling isolated, or being socially excluded.

WHAT IS THE LIBRARY’S ROLE IN REMOVING BARRIERS TO SOCIAL

INCLUSION?

Libraries have a role to play in breaking down barriers for new immigrants. In addition to offering a safe play and safe learning environment, libraries can provide free information and services.

Access to government, health, and community resources, for example, count among the services libraries can provide immigrants. Libraries can also offer free access to computers, information on local communities, plus updates on job opportunities. Libraries are also well positioned to provide exposure to ways to overcome settlement and language difficulties, including the ability to provide exposure to conversational English and English-language instruction. In short, public libraries can help resolve social exclusion and promote social inclusion.

Social Inclusion and Access to Meaningful Information

As pointed out by Caidi and Allard (2005), access to necessary information is a fundamental component to achieving social inclusion for immigrants. Without it, immigrants cannot make informed choices and decisions.

JoB VaC anCY

Ridgemont Lending Group Ltd. is looking for an Investment manager-Financial Brokerage (one vacancy) in the Lower mainland

Full time, 40 hours/ week to start immediately

employment conditions: Day 10:00 am to 6:30 pm

Salary: $51.50 / hour

Languages: English

education: Minimum Bachelor’s degree

experience: 2 years to less than 3 years

Work setting: Urban area

personal suitability: Accurate, Client focus, Efficient interpersonal skills, Excellent oral communication, Excellent written communication, Flexibility, Initiative, Judgement, Organized, Team player, Values and ethics area of specialization:Residential real estate, Commercial real estate, Industrial real estate, Property management services

Screening questions: Are you currently legally able to work in Canada

Duties include, not limited to:

• Plan and control budget and expenditures,

• Establish and implement policies and procedures,

• Hire, train, direct and motivate staff,

• Assign, co-ordinate and review projects and programs,

• Plan and direct market research studies,

• Oversee the preparation of reports,

• Advise senior management,

• Manage contracts,

• Oversee the collection and analysis of data and information,

• Address customers’ complaints or concerns,

• Plan and direct advertising and marketing campaigns,

• Plan, direct and monitor activities of sales department,

• Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate daily operations

Supervision: 3-4 people

Work conditions and physical capabilities: Fast-paced environment, Work under pressure, Tight deadlines, Attention to detail, Large caseload, Large workload

Benefits: Free Parking Available

This has become known as “information poverty” (Chatman’s 1996), a theory that identifies groups that have difficulty obtaining information to solve everyday life problems. The theory suggests a class of “information poor” exists whose members lack access to information and who are characterized by their inability to obtain useful information from people they know, from outsiders, or even from mainstream sources of information such as the media (Chatman, 1985, 1987, 1996; Dervin, 1983; Savolainen, 1995; Sligo and Jameson, 2000). Immigrants are at risk of being information poor because they are unfamiliar with the Canadian information environment. Plus, they have small social networks from which to acquire information.

Social Inclusion, ICTs, and Information Literacy

Hendry (2000) estimated that in 2000, the sum of information available to the human race was doubling every 16 months. This means only those who are information literate and possess information and communication technology (ICT) skills have access to the plethora of information sources available. As the information revolution continues in the 21st century, it is irrefutably creating a new kind of inequality: the information rich vs. the information poor. The ways in which newcomers and immigrant communities locate and access content in forms that are understandable and usable to them is essential to their integration into society. The digital divide literature suggests that those who are significantly more at risk to be socially excluded include people living with challenges such as low incomes, family conflict, or problems in school. It also includes

those living in deprived neighbourhoods in both rural and urban areas (Cabinet Office, 2001, p. 11). Risk factors are compounded for new immigrants because they are often visible minorities, live in low-income neighbourhoods, have lower incomes, and may have children at higher risk of schooling problems. This poses a challenge for public libraries to increase their efforts in promoting social inclusion.

New iterations of the digital divide stress that access must be combined with an understanding of how to effectively make use of ICTs – in other words, information and ICT literacy.

The social inclusion framework fits well in this new understanding of digital divide perspective because it highlights the complexity of the marginalization process; i.e., the digital divide is connected to other systems of marginalization and exclusion.

Addressing social inclusion through technological initiatives has become a strategy of policy making within various organizations including libraries (Council of Administrators of Large Urban Public Libraries of Canada – Canadian Urban Libraries Council, 2004). But it is not limited to that. If we conceive of the digital divide simply in terms of haves and have-nots, social inclusion policies would only require us to increase access to ICTs among marginalized communities. In fact, it is not only that individuals do not have access to ICTs, it is that they do not possess the literacy (technological and otherwise) to use these technologies effectively. Warschauer (2002) refers to these skills as “meaningful social practices”.

Source: siatoolkit.com

300 -3665 Kingsway,Vancouver BC V5R 5W2 email:hr.ridgemont@gmail.com

Ridgemont Lending Group Ltd. is looking for a Business Development manager-damage insurance (one vacancy) in the Lower mainland. Full time, 40 hours/ week to start immediately employment conditions: Day 10:00 am to 6:30 pm

Salary: $51.50 / hour

Languages: English education: Minimum Bachelor’s degree experience: 2 years to less than 3 years

Work setting: Urban area personal suitability: Accurate, Client focus, Efficient interpersonal skills, Excellent oral communication, Excellent written communication, Flexibility, Initiative, Judgement, Organized, Team player, Values and ethics area of specialization:Residential real estate, Commercial real estate, Industrial real estate, Property management services

Screening questions: Are you currently legally able to work in Canada

Duties include, not limited to:

• Plan and control budget and expenditures,

• Establish and implement policies and procedures,

• Hire, train, direct and motivate staff,

• Assign, co-ordinate and review projects and programs,

• Plan and direct market research studies,

• Oversee the preparation of reports,

• Advise senior management,

• Manage contracts,

• Oversee the collection and analysis of data and information,

• Address customers’ complaints or concerns,

• Plan and direct advertising and marketing campaigns,

• Plan, direct and monitor activities of sales department,

• Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate daily operations

Supervision: 3-4 people

Work conditions and physical capabilities: Fast-paced environment, Work under pressure, Tight deadlines, Attention to detail, Large caseload, Large workload

Benefits: Free Parking Available

Location: 300-3665,Kingsway, Vancouver,BC,V5R 5W2 How

300 -3665 Kingsway,Vancouver BC V5R 5W2 email:hr.ridgemont@gmail.com

What does it mean to Declutter your Mind?

By:Asma Shums, Email: asmashums@ gmail.com

Clutter doesn’t have to be just physical items in your environment. A cluttered mind can include:

• Ruminating

• Focusing on the negative

• Worrying about things outside of your control

• Holding onto negative emotions and experiences, including resentment, past hurt, anger, and sadness

• Keeping a mental to-do list, including incomplete dreams and goals

• Having external distractions and constant sensory input

When your mind is cluttered, it wastes your time and mental energy. It also creates mental confusion, distraction, and disorganization that prevents you from creating clear priorities, making decisions, having focus, and being productive. When your mind is cluttered, you are not present, which causes you to lose connection to yourself, your environment, your relationships, and the moment you are in.

It’s time to let go of the mental habits that are keeping you from reaching your full potential. In order to build mental muscles and declutter your mind, you need to become intentional about where you place your attention and how you spend your time and energy. Only then can you unravel unhealthy thinking patterns that are keeping you stuck and your mind cluttered.

Here are 15 tips to help you clean and declutter your mind.

1. GET SOME

SLEEP

Sleep has numerous benefits, including helping with your mental state. If you are not getting enough sleep, the most common effect is sleepiness, of course, but also brain “fog”—the general inability to think straight or remember anything. According to researchers, sleep deprivation disrupts your brain cells’ ability to communicate with each other, leading to temporary mental lapses. If you want to start decluttering your mind and creating healthy habits, start by getting some restful sleep.

2. MEDITATE

You’ll never be able to declutter your mind if you don’t make the time to meditate on what is actually keeping you stuck. By committing to a practice of meditation, you’ll take your mind to a place where clarity is natural and effortless. When you meditate, you’ll help reduce confusion by getting clear on your priorities, and you’ll get better at focusing your attention and reducing distraction. Take some time to practice meditation and build it into your daily routine to help you declutter your mind.

3. TRANSFER THOUGHTS TO PAPER

One of the best ways to help you declutter your mind is to take all those thoughts and tasks floating around in your brain and write them down. Getting them on paper takes them out of your head because it allows you to let go of the responsibility you have to remember them, thus decluttering your mind in the process.

If you’re the kind of person who constantly generates new ideas (great!), you may want to look into a way to store your ideas, rather than keeping them all in your head, which could quickly become unmanageable. To create some headspace, try finding an app or carrying around a small notebook so that

you can jot down your fresh ideas. The goal is to pick one place to store them and stick to it so you know where to find them.

4. JOURNAL

If simply listing your thoughts, feelings, etc., down doesn’t quite stop you from ruminating, you have other options. For example, if you are trying to problem-solve an issue and don’t have the mental space to do so, or you haven’t quite fully explored yourself and your personal beliefs and need space to do that—the next step is to journal. Journaling is an exploratory form of writing and is a great way for you to ponder important things so you can come to a solution. Journaling can also be therapeutic. It helps you organize your thoughts and understand your emotions, which is a healthy practice for your overall well-being.

5. SET AND COMPLETE PRIORITIES

You may have a long to-do list and feel overwhelmed on where to start, which keeps those items stuck in your mind, taking up valuable real estate. Once you data dump by writing down your tasks (see above), start to categorize them in order of importance. If you are finding that everything that you are writing down feels important, you can further identify items that are urgent— meaning if you don’t complete them today, it will have serious negative consequences on your life (i.e., a project with rigid deadlines, taking medication, paying a bill, etc.). Then, start assessing the value of all the other important items. What items are most in line with your life goals? Those should be your next priority, after your urgent items. Keep assigning value to your items until you have prioritized everything on your list. Prioritizing will help you get clear and organized. The last step is to start doing them and crossing them off your list for the ultimate relief!

6. REDUCE MULTITASKING

Humans are not multitaskers by nature. Multitasking may seem efficient on the surface, but studies have shown that multitasking actually reduces productivity and fills your mind with too much activity. Instead, go down your list of priorities and focus on one task at a time to avoid mental overload. To avoid getting lost in time, you can set a timer for how long you want to spend on any given task, to ensure you manage your time well.

7. PRACTICE BEING DECISIVE

Life is fundamentally a series of choices. Some decisions are simple; others are difficult and can stir an uproar of emotions, causing you to avoid the decision-making process completely. In fact, procrastinating is one of the greatest culprits of mind clutter because it causes your brain to become overwhelmed by all those pending decisions you have put off. It can be an honest mistake though—we are all constantly bombarded with so many options and “what ifs?” that it can quickly turn a decision into analysis paralysis.

8. CHALLENGE NEGATIVITY

Negativity can be debilitating and take up a lot of room in your mind. Feeling sad and disappointed is healthy, but toxic self-talk magnifies your misfortune, skewing your perceptions of reality.

The first thing to do is to become aware of how you talk to yourself. What are you saying in your mind about yourself? Be on the lookout for red flags, such as victimizing thoughts (“Poor me” type of thinking). If you notice that the thoughts in your head or the words on your paper after your journaling exercise are toxic self-talk, it’s time to change your mindset.

To change your mindset, you need to start challenging yourself. Is the thought accurate

or is it distorted? Each time you prove to yourself that the negative self-talk is incorrect, your mind will start to replace the negative thoughts with positive ones. And when that happens, your mind will shift from feeling heavy, cluttered, and chaotic (negativity) to lighter and free (positivity).

A part of challenging yourself is to start gaining more positive experiences. Practice gratitude and compassion by doing something to make your life or someone else’s life a little bit better. When you catch yourself thinking negatively, do something that helps you or someone else. That way, the next time you experience negative self-talk, you can acknowledge that your brain isn’t always right.

9. SCHEDULE TIME TO WORRY

We all worry; it’s natural to have fears. Where you can get into trouble is letting your worries consume your mind to the point where it interferes with your life. Rehashing the same things over and over in your mind— such as second-guessing your decisions and coming up with an endless list of hypothetical situations—won’t help you. To avoid spinning your mental wheels, schedule time—maybe 15 minutes a week or a day—to worry and ruminate. During that time, don’t hold back; let it all out. When you start to worry between your scheduled worry times, remind yourself that you set aside time and then let those worries go. By confining your worries to a scheduled time, you don’t allow them to take over your mind and life.

10. CONFIDE IN A LOVED ONE

If you’re feeling mentally overloaded, try sharing the burden with a loved one. Whether it be your spouse, a friend, a family member, a therapist, or a life coach, sharing what’s on your mind with someone can be helpful. Unloading your thoughts and feelings can help you gain perspective and clarity, break the cycle of ruminating, and lighten the burden of carrying everything in your head.

11. DECLUTTER YOUR ENVIRONMENT

If your environment—whether it be your home or office—is cluttered, the chaos constantly competes for your attention and

restricts your ability to mentally focus and process information. Whether you realize it or not, having clutter in your surroundings occupies a part of your mind and blocks your ability to think and act clearly. If you want to improve your mental state, you need to organize and clear out physical clutter.

12. ENJOY TIME IN NATURE

Studies have shown that being in nature is associated with mental health benefits, including decreasing anxiety and depression. In a lot of ways, nature restores, refreshes, and invigorates you and your mental energy. Next time your mind feels heavy, take a stroll outside to clear your head.

13. Limit Your Social Media Intake

Your brain is bombarded with sensory information all day, every day. Being on social media constantly adds brain clutter and can even affect your mental health by increasing depression and loneliness. Monitor your usage on social media platforms, and if you start to notice your mind getting cluttered by thoughts and feelings from triggering posts, it is time to take a break.

14. ExERCISE

We all know exercise is good for your overall well-being, including your body and your mind. In addition to decreasing anxiety and depression, regular exercise can help you concentrate and feel mentally sharp for tasks at hand.

15. TAKE A BREAK!

Last but not least, everyone needs some space to unwind. It doesn’t have to be a week-long vacation, although that is very helpful, but sometimes spending 15 minutes with your feet up or doing something that makes you happy is all you need to hit the reset button.

Let these tips help you to declutter your mind. Remember that the goal isn’t to “empty” your mind—removing every thought, feeling, idea, dream, etc., would be impossible. Instead, it is to help you simplify your life and build new mental habits that increase your productivity, clarity, awareness, organization, and well-being. Next time life throws you a curveball, you’ll have the space and tools to flex your mental muscles.

How to ask for favors without wearing out your network?

By: Coco Brown And Betsy Atkins

Reciprocity is an important concept in all aspects of life, but it’s one that is often undervalued, overlooked, or scorned in the context of business. However, many people, including us, have found a great degree of success in their careers by using reciprocity both for their own benefit and the benefit of others.

Helping and doing favors or good deeds is one of the basic teachings we learned as children: “Do to others what you would have them do to you.” Doing good deeds has also been proven to release endorphins, which means these acts of charity and kindness make you feel good. In fact, perpetually kind people have 23% less cortisol (the stress hormone) and age slower than the average population.

According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high.”

When you extend yourself to do acts of kindness, extra work, or invest your time to be helpful to others, it is only logical to expect and hope for reciprocation when the opportunity presents itself. While we are not suggesting that every relationship must be a quid pro quo, relationships, whether professional or personal, always work best when there is symmetry.

This is important to remember whether you are the giver or the receiver of helpful favors. People who are looking for help may be well served to think of the analogy of a bank. You can’t walk into a bank and ask for a withdrawal without having a bank account and first having made a deposit. This is true in all relationships if you truly want to master the art of reciprocity.

While reciprocity can help us achieve our goals and make us feel good when we help

others achieve their own, we never want to be the person who is perceived as being too needy, demanding, or stingy with reciprocation. We’ve all experienced that cringing reaction when that person calls you who is going to unload all their problems and troubles and never remembers to ask how you are and what’s going on in your life. We try to avoid picking up the phone for that person and more importantly, we never want to be that person.

So, here’s how to master the art of reciprocity and learn to ask for favors without wearing out your network’s generosity.

Do Your Research On What The Other Person Wants And Needs

If you are the favor seeker, spend as much time researching the person through the lens of what you can offer or how you can be helpful to them. Don’t be focused only on what the other person can do for you as if this were just a transaction, but rather go in with the mindset of reciprocity and building your relationship with them. When you ask for the favor, weave in your newfound knowledge of the other person into your ask so that they see that you’ve taken the time to consider their wants, needs, and interests.

Consciously And Affirmatively Think About How To Reciprocate

Everybody has something that they can offer, even if you are a 21-year-old just enter-

ing the workforce. You can mentor up and offer insights on new technology, Web3, video games you play, what resonates and drives engagement for Gen Z, or offer to help in some other way after you have studied the person you are asking the favor of.

Rethink Your Understanding Of Reciprocity

If you perceive yourself to have little to give in return, know that reciprocity can be as simple as circling back to the other person and letting them know the result of their efforts on your behalf such as the impact their support made, the success it helped create. This is a form of reciprocation, because it enhances the other person’s sense of value creation and allows them to share in your success.

Make It Easy For The Helper

If you are asking for someone to give up their time and guide you, make it as easy on them as possible. For example, give them a draft to work with when you request an introduction from them. Consider in advance that they need to know who you are, they need to feel you will be a positive reflection on them and that you will appropriately close the loop and share the results of the introduction. One of the reasons people resist doing a favor or using their social collateral is a lack of confidence you will follow through, or you

Mishari bin Rashid Alafasy

Mishari bin Rashed Alafasy is a Kuwaiti qāri (reciter of the Quran), imam, preacher, and nasheed artist. He studied in the Islamic University of Madinah’s College of Qur’an, specializing in the ten qira’at and tafsir. Alafasy has released nasheed albums. He usually sings in Arabic but he has also sung nasheeds in English, French and Japanese. Awards and recognition

On 25 October 2008, Alafasy was awarded the first Arab Creativity Oscar by the Arab Creativity Union in Egypt. The event was sponsored by the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa as a recognition of Alafasy’s role in promoting Islamic principles and teachings. Alafasy was also voted by readers to be the Best Qur’an Reciter in the 2012 About.com Readers’ Choice. Awards. Source: en.wikipedia.org

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon.

“We belong to Allah, and to Him is our return.”

The Miracle Media expresses its condolences to the family of Br. Daud Ali, who returned to Allah ton January 12, 2023 Br. Daud Br. Dawood was one of the founders of the Masjid AlSalaam & Education Center, past Chairperson of Burnaby Branch and long time Director.

May Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings and grant him jannah ameen

will make them look good (that they backed the right person). This is why you need to invest in also making sure you gain the other person’s confidence in you before you ask them to put their name on the line for you.

Assess The Reciprocity Of Your Relationships

When you are a generous person who is a giver, it is very easy and natural to continue to give and do things for others because it is in your nature. On the other hand, it is worth going back and reflecting on the people you engage with and asking how many of the relationships are symmetrical and balanced, where the other person is reciprocating favors you have done for them.

Most people have had the experience of extending themselves to help others over a period, even years, and then been very surprised when asking for a favor and the person does not reciprocate. By assessing the reciprocity of your relationships, you can stop investing so much of yourself in relationships that lack reciprocity, and free yourself up to invest more in successfully developing other relationships that are more balanced.

If you don’t invest in reciprocity and make a serious effort to master it, you will inevitably fatigue the people who you are asking for assistance. It helps to approach reciprocity by thinking about it as building a virtuous cycle that keeps renewing; the more help you give and the more the other person reciprocates, the more the other person wants to engage and work with you.

By being protective of your own time and how much you’re investing in others, while also being generous toward those who have helped you, you can master the art of reciprocity and use it to take your personal and professional growth to whole new levels.

Source: fastcompany.com

Zaheer Janjua assures seamless, hassle-free consular services to diaspora in Canada

High Commissioner for Pakistan to Canada Zaheer A. Janjua has assured seamless and hassle-free provision of consular services to the Pakistani diaspora in Canada. He said that most of the consular services, including issuance of passport, NICOP and visas, are now offered online. However, the doors of Pakistan High Commission and its Consulates are always open and members of the community can visit the Mission and its Consulates in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal any time to have their consular-related issues resolved on the spot. The High Commissioner was speaking to members of the Pakistani community gathered at the Pakistan High Commission in the Canadian capital as part of the Mission’s outreach efforts to seek input, sugges-

tions and recommendations from the community on a regular basis to further improve and streamline consular services.

Zaheer A. Janjua described the 10-million Pakistani diaspora spread across the globe as a vital asset for Pakistan and lauded their contribution to the economy and development of Pakistan. He said the overseas Pakistanis are our true ambassadors and their role in the promotion of Pakistan’s image abroad is laudable.

He also appreciated the Pakistani diaspora in Canada and the Canadian government and people for generously supporting relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the flood affected areas in Pakistan.

Imran asks party to expedite election campaign

dia reported.

ment after their resignations were accepted.

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday instructed his party leaders to expedite the election campaign against the government, local me-

Imran Khan will consult his doctors for medical advice and will enter the campaign trail to give tough time to the government, sources revealed. He had issued instructions to prepare for the election campaign The party is deciding on the future course of action after acceptance of resignations of PTI MNAs. Speaker National Assembly has accepted the resignation of 70 PTI lawmakers in an attempt to stop them from returning to parliament,

Sources revealed that PTI has prepared a counter strategy to respond to the govern-

In this regard, PTI Chairman Imran Khan has decided to expedite the election campaign against the government.

Imran Khan directed party officials to prepare the schedule of meetings, sources further added. The party will focus on the inflation, economic situation and the regime change conspiracy in the election campaign.

The PTI chief has also instructed the economic team to prepare proposals for exiting the economic crisis. He will soon give a roadmap to get the country out of the worst economic conditions affecting the country.

He has also instructed the social media team to raise the issue of the government’s failed economic policies and inflation, which will be the hallmark of the election campaign. After the acceptance of 70 resignations, Imran Khan gave the task to other leaders under the leadership of Asad Qaiser for the acceptance of remaining resignations. He also instructed to expedite the ‘Election Karo, Mulk Bachao’ campaign calling for early election. He has further instructed to expedite the door-to-door campaign so that the party message reaches every house.

Source: thenews.com.pk

Nawaz asks Maryam, Sanaullah to ‘lead’ PMl-N in Punjab ahead of polls

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz

(PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif

has asked the party’s Senior VicePresident and Chief Organiser

Maryam Nawaz and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to lead rallies and meetings ahead of the upcoming elections in Punjab.

A meeting between the three took place on Tuesday in London, during which the three-time prime minister instructed the two senior members of the party regarding their roles in the political endeavours of the party in the months leading up to the general elections in the province.

Nawaz assigned tasks related to Punjab’s politics to Sanaullah and also instructed the latter to mobilise party workers in the province for the upcoming elections. At the meeting, the party seniors

consulted on the appointments of the leadership in Punjab and on the inter-party elections.

The PML-N supremo, while handing the responsibility to Maryam and Sanaullah, said that people should be told the “truth” and that the “false narrative” of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan should be exposed.

The federal minister is set to return to the country on January 28 — the same day as Maryam. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that there had been changes in the plans for Maryam’s return. Taking to Twitter, she wrote: “There has been a change in the time of Pakistan Muslim League (N)’s senior vice president and chief organ-

izer Maryam Nawaz’s return home.

Maryam Nawaz sahiba will now reach Lahore at 3:50pm on Saturday, January 28.”

Maryam has been in London since October of last year to spend time with her father, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

During an interaction with journalists in London earlier, Sanaullah has also expressed hopes that the PML-N supremo will land in the country “soon” and will chair the party’s parliamentary board to finalise candidates for the elections. He also hinted at his possible resignation to help PML-N’s campaign efforts. “Few senior party leaders, including me, should resign to run election campaign along with Nawaz Sharif,” he suggested, as the general polls in Pakistan’s biggest provinces are expected to take

In a detailed statement issued after the meeting, Bostan said that the decision to cap the dollar rate had proved to be “negative”.

“Instead of falling, the dollar rate increased, resulting in the unavailability of the greenback in the market which also gave birth to the black market.”

He further lamented that citizens that wished to buy dollars for travelling or funding their education and health expenses were not able to do so and had to turn to the black market.

The exchange rate has been primarily hit hard by a steep decline in the central bank’s foreign exchange reserves, which have shrunk to $4.6 billion. Currency experts say the rupee has been falling “despite being managed” by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Amid a shortage of dollars, the gap between its rates in the interbank and open markets has significantly widened, drastically hurting the economy and diverting remittances from the legal banking channel to the grey market.

Some experts have hinted that the shortage of dollars could cause rationing of petrol and diesel in the next two to three months, ultimately hitting the trade and industry and even the agricultural sector, which needs diesel during the harvesting season.

On Tuesday, ECAP Chairman Malik Bostan chaired a meeting of the association that was also attended by General Secretary Zafar Paracha.

He said that the situation had created a “panic in the market”, leading the government to believe exchange companies were “deliberately blackmailing” them.

“Keeping these things in mind, we made a decision.” He further said that the association had a meeting with the central bank tomorrow at 9am.

“We have a meeting with the SBP deputy governor tomorrow morning as the governor is in Islamabad,” Bostan said. “We will take them into confidence over the decision

place within 90 days.

The elections are set to take place in the province within the next three months after the former chief minister, Parvez Elahi, dissolved the assembly on Khan’s directions. As a result of the dissolution, Moshin Naqvi has been appointed as the caretaker chief minister by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for 90 days, until the polls take place — as the then-government and opposition could not form a consensus on the appointment.

However, the PTI has rejected his appointment and vowed to challenge the appointment in the courts and lead rallies against Naqvi and the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led (PDM) government in the centre.

Source: thenews.com.pk

[…] the cap imposed in national interest has proven to be negative.”

He further said, “The dollar rate will begin decreasing once the black market stops operating. I would like to tell the nation that exchange companies aren’t able to get dollars from anywhere which is causing the shortage.”

“When people are able to purchase dollars easily, the rate of the greenback will automatically start to decrease,” the ECAP chairman said. “Remittances will also increase when the intermarket and the pre-market rate becomes the same.”

At the same time, Bostan also called on the nation to “boycott the dollar”.

“Pakistan is going through a crisis and needs each and every single dollar. They should boycott the dollar, apart from those using the greenback to undertake necessary travel or fund their education and health expenses.”

Source: dawn.com