The Asian Star October 28 2017

Vol 16 - Issue 39

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Adopted father of slain Indian girl arrested The father of a missing three-year-old Texas girl, who told police he forced the child to stand outside alone as punishment for not drinking her milk, now says she choked on the beverage and that he dumped her body.

On Tuesday, police confirmed the body of a small child found on Sunday morning is in fact the body of Sherin Mathews. The girl was reported missing on Oct. 7.

Her father, Wesley Mathews, has been charged with felony injury to a child, a first-degree charge punishable 3 years old girl found dead by up to life in prison.

In a statement, the Richardson Police Department said the father voluntarily arrived at a police station with his lawyer where he asked to speak with detectives. Police said he then “provided an alternate statement of events from those which he had given previously, regarding the disappearance of Sherin.�

According to the arrest affidavit, the father changed his story, saying that he had been trying to get the child to drink her milk in the family’s garage, but she wouldn’t listen to him.

Continued on page 6

VPD officer Michael Bal one of top 40 under 40 law enforcement professionals in the World

A Vancouver Police constable has been an impressive list of accomplishments. chosen as one of the top 40 under 40 law He has worked as a School Liaison officer the last two years, and enforcement professionals in launched several initiatives the world. The International aimed at helping teens in Association of Chiefs of the community deal with Police (IACP) annual award their challenges and become recognizes candidates happier and healthier who exemplify leadership individuals. “Working and commitment to their with young people who profession. In his short eight demonstrate so much drive years with the Vancouver and energy motivates me to Police Department, Constable Michael Bal dedicate myself toward their Constable Michael Bal has Continued on page 7

Gurmant Grewal plans to run for BC Liberal leadership

Former Conservative MP said. Grewal told The Asian Gurmant Grewal is throwing his Star that his announcement hat into the Liberal leadership got delayed due to his father race. Grewal represented Surrey being ill in hospital. But his ridings in Ottawa from 1997 to father, on his death bed, urged 2005. He said that he feels at home Grewal to seek the leader ship with the BC Liberals. “The B C of BC Liberals. “I had a lot to Liberal Party is a free enterprise offer and I have the potential party. It’s a coalition of federal so I should go for it� Grewal Gurmant Grewal Liberals and federal Conservatives and I said. He himself feels that his experience believe in the Conservative values,� Grewal and background will help him in his Continued on page 6

How Sikhs rose to political prominence in Canada A Mighty Minority:

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ikhs have had a presence in Canada for nearly 110 years, but their involvement in the North American nation’s politics has been briefer: After 40 years of being denied the vote, they were enfranchised in 1947, about a month after India gained independence and that event was certainly a factor as Ottawa

Continued on page 8

Jagmeet Singh celebrating the victory after being elected the new leader of NDP

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Saturday, October 28, 2017

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Saturday, October 28, 2017

Quebec man accused of assaulting daughter for removing hijab A Quebec man has been charged with allegedly assaulting his teenage daughter over a year in what police are calling “honour-based” violence.

Gatineau police say the level of violence escalated once the man discovered the girl was removing her hijab when she was away from the family home.

She decided to file a police complaint, which culminated in an arrest Wednesday.

Police are keeping many of the details under wraps, but Sgt. Jean-Paul Lemay says the force hopes the girl’s courage will prompt other alleged victims of violence to come forward.

The teen has since been removed from the family and is in the care of youth protection.

The 35-year-old man appeared in court Thursday on charges of assault, assault with a weapon and uttering threats.

Fatal crash on Scott Road

An elderly woman was killed in eraly Friday morning crash on Scott Road and 77th Avenue in Surrey.

Meet Gurratan Singh, NDP leader Gurmeet Singh’s brother and regular reality check It might well be Jagmeet Singh’s secret do well on something,” Singh said. “If I give weapon: a seemingly bottomless well of a speech and people are like ‘That was OK, positive energy that draws fans and followers that was OK’, I’ll be like ‘Gurratan, tell me the like bees to a honeypot. Thing is, the new NDP truth.’ And he’ll be like ‘It was horrible, man. leader doesn’t always remember to tap it.

You did a really bad job.”‘ Staying focused “He’s always like, ‘Jagmeet, are you digging on his natural positive energy is some of the into that positivity?”‘ best political advice Singh said this week he’s ever received, during an interview, Singh added –advice Gurratan at his side, that the party he now at NDP headquarters leads would do well in Ottawa. “‘Make to follow as it seeks to sure you dig into that turn the page on the energy that makes you, disappointments of you.”‘ the Tom Mulcair era Gurratan Singh can in favour of a younger, speak truth to power, more energized future. an important resource There’s no question NDP leader Jagmeet Singh (left ) and his brother for someone who is Singh brings to the Gurratan Singh at the party offices in Ottawa, on gradually transitioning NDP an entirely new, Wednesday, October 25, 2017. out of Ontario and decidedly younger, provincial politics and into the hard-knock perspective, as well as that infectious energy, world of Parliament Hill, where the elder which is precisely what the party needs right Singh has his sights set on becoming Canada’s now, said NDP national director Robert Fox. next prime minister.

“He is a different personality, has a different In his first weeks on the job with the NDP, profile than Tom did and there are a lot of Singh has had his brother at his elbow — even people who are interested to come and work though he’s not on the NDP’s payroll — at with us … under Jagmeet’s leadership to elect everything from scrums on Parliament Hill to more New Democrats,” Fox said. the weekend Ottawa rally where he kicked off “There are a lot of seasoned veterans that a national get-to-know-me tour last week. are also excited about the prospects and that He knows Gurratan — a lawyer who shares has nothing to do with Tom. We’ve been in his older brother’s penchant for colourful a situation where … we had a leader who we turbans and custom-tailored suits — won’t knew would not be the leader up to the next hold back in assessments of how he’s doing. election.”

“He will not hesitate to call me out if I don’t

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OPINION

By Neil Mohindra Public policy consultant The Fraser Institute

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Saturday, October 28, 2017

More mortgage red tape could hurt homebuyers

mid widespread concern about housing affordability across Canada, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI), the country’s safety and soundness financial regulator, wants to raise the mortgage bar for many potential homebuyers by revising its guideline on residential mortgage underwriting.

The proposed revisions, which are intended to address risks associated with relatively high levels of household debt, include a “stress test” for uninsured mortgages (those with a minimum of 20 per cent down of a property’s value) to determine whether the borrower can meet payments if interest rates rise by two per cent. But is this additional test needed for OSFI to achieve its regulatory objectives?

As noted in a recent study published by the Fraser Institute, the origins of the current guideline are American. Weak underwriting

practices - how lenders or financial institutions assess the creditworthiness or risk of a potential customer - in the U.S. helped fuel the global financial crisis, as mortgage loans were bundled and sold to

investors including financial institutions around the world. How much did U.S. underwriting standards deteriorate? Some mortgage loans were known in the industry as NINJAs - no income, no job, no assets.

In response to the U.S. housing collapse, the Financial Stability Board (FSB), an international body dedicated to financial stability, introduced an international standard in 2012 meant to ensure that weak mortgage underwriting standards would never again play such a significant role in a financial crisis. In Canada, OSFI responded to the FSB standard by introducing the current guideline on residential mortgage underwriting despite clear evidence, based on arrears data (payments at least 90 days overdue), that Canadian standards had not weakened to levels anywhere close to the U.S. Now the OSFI wants to further stiffen the guidelines with a prescriptive “stress text” for those who put significant equity (again, 20 per cent or more) down when they purchase a home.

The consequences of this prescriptive test include reduced buying power for some borrowers. It could also drive some borrowers to more expensive unregulated sources of credit and a less-competitive regulated market. And some borrowers may be incented to choose mortgages with shorter or variable terms when available at lower interest rates to increase buying power despite higher vulnerability to interest rate fluctuations.

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Saturday, October 28, 2017

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Saturday, October 28, 2017

Adopted father of slain Indian girl arrested

Mathews eventually began to drink the milk and the father then began to physically assist the child, according to the affidavit.

However, the child began to choke and her breathing slowed. After no longer feeling a pulse the father said he believed the girl had died. According to the affidavit, he then admitted to removing her body from the home.

Since being reported missing on Oct. 7, Richardson police have been searching for the child, who disappeared after her father originally said he had ordered her to stand next to a tree behind a fence at their home at around 3 a.m.

Neighbours of missing Texas girl old vigil at

site where child’s body found Neighbours of missing Texas girl old vigil at site where child’s body found Neighbours of missing Texas girl old vigil at site where child’s body found Medical examiner to determine if child’s body belongs to girl left outside for not drinking milk Medical examiner to determine if child’s body belongs to girl left outside for not drinking milk Parents of missing 3-year-old Texas girl make court appearance for custody of older daughter Parents of missing 3-year-old Texas girl make court appearance for custody of older daughter Neighbours moved to tears over disappearance of 3-year-old Texas girl

Neighbours moved to tears over disappearance of 3-year-old Texas girl The 37-year-old adoptive father was previously arrested for suspected child endangerment for the treatment of his daughter and was later released on bond. He had also told police he went to check on her about 15 minutes after he ordered her outside, only to find her gone. The father originally said he had seen coyotes in the alley near where he told his daughter to stand, the affidavit said.

On Sunday, the body of a small child was found during the search for Mathews.

“Today, at approximately 11 a.m. during one of those search operations the body of a small child was discovered,” Sgt. Kevin Perlich said

during a press conference. “At this time…a positive identification has not yet been made.”

Perlich went on to add the authorities have no reason to believe the body is not that of Mathews.

“The indications are that it is most likely her, however, we have not had a positive ID. So until we have a positive identification we are not going to say it is Sherin,” Perlich said.

Perlich said the child’s body was discovered in a culvert under a roadway, an area NBC News reported to be about just over a kilometre away from the family’s home.

The child’s father remains in jail on a $1 million bond.

Gurmant Grewal plans to run for BC Liberal leadership to become the leader of the BC Liberal Party. He said his campaign will focus on the economy, trade and industry. “We are the only province of Canada on the Pacific coast. We can be the gateway and economic engine of Canada if we properly capitalize on trade opportunities.” Grewal, whose wife Nina also served as an MP, acknowledged that the leadership race is rather crowded. He joins another Surreyite, former Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts in the race.

“I think in this crowded leadership race vision and leadership qualities are important,” he said. “I have some very good ideas that will distinguish me from the other candidates.” Watts and Grewal join six others in the race for the Liberal job. They are: Sam Sullivan, Lucy Sager, Mike Lee, Gurmant Grewal Mike de Jong, Andrew Wilkinson and Todd Stone.

Grewal, was first elected as a Reform MP in 1997. In 2005, he was was embroiled in a controversy that gripped the Canadian political world when he released tape recordings suggesting that he was in negotiations to move to the minority Liberal government, along with his wife.

Grewal maintained that he was a “whistleblower”, simply trying to prove the Liberals were corrupt by offering him inducements to switch parties.

But Liberals alleged Grewal approached the government seeking patronage plums in exchange for his and his wife’s votes, but was never promised anything specific.

Grewal stepped down as an MP shortly before the 2006 election, saying he didn’t want the controversy to be a distraction during the campaign. The House of Commons ethics commissioner issued a report in 2006 that said secretly taping Liberals violated the spirit of the MPs’ Code of Conduct.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Michael Bal one of top 40 under 40 law enforcement professionals From page 1 goals and be the inspiration for them to reach for their best,” says Constable Bal. “Michael’s leadership and passion has been nothing less than inspirational,” says Inspector Howard Tran of the VPD Youth Services Section. “He is truly making a difference in his community and beyond.”

In early 2016, Constable Bal launched Project Jawani, along with Detective Constable Steve Kingra. The project has South Asian youths gather for an open discussion about the issues they are facing.

The social, academic, and professional goals of participants are developed through community speakers and mentors.

Constable Bal began Project Breakaway to bring together high school students of different ethnicities, religious beliefs, athletic abilities, and life challenges. The group plays floor hockey regularly with police officers, who provide mentorship and positive reinforcement.

Concerned about the mental health issues among youth, Constable Bal teamed up with mental health professionals to develop the Mental Wellness Peer-toPeer Support Group at David Thompson Secondary. Students who were having issues with their mental health, along with students who had an interest in creating awareness and removing the stigma of mental health, joined this inclusive and supportive group. Participants are given education and training before delivering interactive presentations to other students at both the elementary and high school levels. The program is so successful, it is now being expanded across the entire Vancouver School District.

In July 2016, Constable Bal was one of two Canadians selected by the US State Department to be an International Youth Ambassador mentor to 16 kids, aged 15 to 18, who are leaders in their communities across Canada. The group travelled to Ottawa, New York, and Washington over three weeks, gaining a deeper knowledge of civic government, community service, leadership, and social inclusion. Constable Bal continues to mentor the group as they implement projects in their own communities. Constable Bal started the Rick Schaaf Memorial Cup in honour of his high school School Liaison officer, who passed away after battling cancer.

Constable Schaaf was instrumental in Constable Bal’s desire to become a School Liaison officer himself.

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ikhs have had a presence in Canada for nearly 110 years, but their involvement in the North American nation’s politics has been briefer: After 40 years of being denied the vote, they were enfranchised in 1947, about a month after India gained independence and that

Saturday, October 28, 2017

How Sikhs rose to political prominence in Canada event was certainly a factor as Ottawa wanted to forge amicable relations with the Jawaharlal Nehru-led government in New Delhi. Seven decades after gaining that right, the community marked a historic high on October 1 this year

as 38-year-old Jagmeet Singh, member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament became the first visible minority, not to mention the first person of Indian origin and Sikh heritage, to take the reins of a major federal party, the New Democratic Party or NDP. At his victory event in a Toronto hotel ballroom, the nearly 500-strong crowd, almost half of whom were Sikhs, burst into raucous cheers as the young politician, known for his immaculate wardrobe, style and proudly wearing a turban, garnered over 50 per cent of the approximately 66000 votes cast in a multipolar contest.

What Aids The Rise Curiously enough, even though in the United States Dalip Singh Saund entered the House of Representatives from a California district in 1957, the level of political success Sikhs are enjoying in Canada with four members in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Cabinet and now Jagmeet Singh’s emergence, is unparalleled elsewhere in the world. A number of factors contribute to this phenomenon.

Among those is Canada’s much vaunted liberal tradition, and as Nelson Wiseman, professor of political science at University of Toronto puts it, a “fairly open” system. Shachi Kurl, executive director of the opinion research foundation, Angus Reid Institute, seconds that sentiment: “To this point, Canadians have very much taken the principle everyone is equal very much to heart.” In a late June survey, Angus Reid found that 96 per cent of Canadians would vote for woman for Prime Minister, and 85 per cent for a gay person; while the corresponding numbers of American preferences for their President are 90 and 63 per cent. Curiously though, the numbers for those supporting a person wearing a religious head covering, as in the case of Jagmeet Singh, are fairly similar – 56 per cent in Canada and 53 per cent in the US. Five days after Singh was elected NDP leader, the Institute found that “seven-in-ten Canadians are saying they themselves would consider voting for a national party leader who wears a turban and carries a kirpan.” Such tolerance, though, isn’t quite evident in the Francophone province of Quebec, where overt religious attire is frowned upon.

Beyond Liberalism The extreme right, which remains outside Canada’s political mainstream, is also obviously averse to such developments. During a meet in Brampton in September, one woman, Jennifer Bush, accused Singh of promoting Sharia, in a video that went viral. Rise Canada, a group that is apparently ‘Defending the Rights of all True Canadians’, states that “other threats include fundamentalist Sikh influences.” At this time, the NDP is a distant third in polling for Federal power, and just how this dynamic will play out if Singh manages to gain steam closer to the 2019 elections, will be a test of the Canadian platform of plurality. “Here, in an electoral district, a party will allow you to recruit members and

you can go basically among your own ethnic, religious, national minority members who are known to you and through extended family networks you can make members. And bring them to a nomination meeting,” says Shinder Purewal, professor of political science at the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Dosanjh, who was a product of India’s secular democracy, doesn’t take kindly to the Sikh label, as he says, “It’s part of me, but it doesn’t define me.” But he believes among the principal reason for the community’s rapid rise in Canada is “the system of choosing candidates.” In Britain, a party presidium elects candidates, while in America, primaries matter. In Canada, it’s the party’s convention, of the sort Jagmeet Singh mastered. “The elites in parties don’t have too much control. In that sense, Canada provides a very democratic setup,” he says.

The Role Of Pioneers But other factors have also mattered in the community mobilising itself in Canadian politics. In shifting the paradigm, there was role of the pioneers, among them Moe Sihota. And Harbance ‘Herb’ Dhaliwal, who in 1997 became the first Sikh federal cabinet minister. Herb Dhaliwal says the “politicisation” of the community started in the late 1980s. Both he and Sihota showed the community it could “play a meaningful role”.

Dhaliwal says, “One of the ways to have their issues dealt with is if they play a very active role in politics.” Sikhs in Canadian Politics 1907: Legislation disenfranchises those not of Anglo-Saxon parentage, depriving Sikhs of voting rights. Harsher immigration rules introduced. 1947: Just about a month after India’s Independence, Indo-Canadians get the right to vote in Canada. 1967: Immigration policy relaxed, new wave of settlers begin arriving. 1986: Munmohan Sihota is the first Sikh elected to a legislature in Canada as he enters the British Columbia assembly. 1991: Sihota becomes the first Cabinet Minister in a Canadian Government, as he takes over Labour and Consumer Affairs portfolio in British Columbia. 1993: First Indo-Canadians elected to Canadian House of Commons. 1997: Herb Dhaliwal becomes first federal minister of Indian origin. 2000: Ujjal Dosanjh becomes the first person of Indian origin to become the Premier of a Canadian province, British Columbia. 2011: Tim Uppal, becomes the first turbaned Sikh to be part of the federal Cabinet, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper. 2015: A record four Cabinet Ministers are appointed by new PM Justin Trudeau, including Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan. 2015: Bardish Chagger becomes the first Sikh woman to join the federal Cabinet. 2016: Sabi Marwah is the first Sikh to be nominated to Canada’s upper chamber, the Senate.

2017: Jagmeet Singh becomes the first Sikh leader of a federal political party as he wins the race for leadership of the New Democratic Party.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh calls opioid epidemic national crisis on campaign-style Vancouver visit The response to Canada’s opioid overdose problem should be elevated as a national issue with a significant harm reduction approach, new NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said during his first visit to Vancouver as party head Friday.

“Thousands of people are dying in our country as a result of this crisis and it needs to be named a national crisis first,” said Singh, speaking after taking a tour of Chinatown.

Singh’s first official visit to the city after winning the federal NDP leadership Oct. 1 came a day after the City of Vancouver released the latest grim statistics on the overdose crisis — 275 suspected overdose deaths to the end of Oct. 9 — and a week after it was revealed that possible overdose deaths across B.C. surpassed all of 2016 at the end of August with 1,013.

Singh said he supports the decriminalization of personal possession of drugs, and favours the Portuguese model of harm reduction, which leans heavily on treating addiction as a health and social justice issue with most resources directed at treatment, mental health services, and rehabilitation rather than criminalizing addicts.

“They (Portugal) found a dramatic decrease in deaths and less addiction,” Singh said. “That should be the focus if we really want to address the opioid crisis, and really want to reduce the significant and terrible deaths,” he said.

Vancouver East NDP MP Jenny Kwan escorted her new leader on the Chinatown tour to visit historic buildings, and introduce him to the changing neighbourhood’s history as Singh

begins his campaign to build support ahead of the 2019 federal election.

Singh, an Ontario MPP, ran as something of an outsider in the NDP leadership (his competitors were all sitting MPs) and said that for now he is comfortable holding the job without attempting to take a seat in Parliament.

Singh, an Ontario MPP, ran as something of an outsider in the NDP leadership (his competitors were all sitting MPs) and said that for now he is comfortable holding the job without attempting to take a seat in Parliament.

Singh said Jack Layton, who died in 2011, was elected to head the party while he was still a Toronto city councillor and went on to become the NDP’s most successful leader by taking time to create a national following rather than immediately running in a byelection.

“I want to spend time connecting with Canadians, hearing their issues and proposing our values and our vision,” he said.

Singh’s first visit to B.C. did not include a meeting or phone conversation with B.C.’s provincial NDP Leader, Premier John Horgan.

He expects that will be set up in the coming weeks. Singh also downplayed the rift between Horgan and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley over their differing positions on the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline project, saying he has plenty in common with both Premiers.

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Saturday, October 28, 2017

South Vancouver residents protest housing units for homeless The first tussle in what is expected to be a wave of controversy over housing the homeless erupted Thursday as south Vancouver residents turned out to argue with Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson about a proposed site in their neighbourhood.

At the mayor’s formal announcement about plans to open 80 modular units

by January – the first of 600 planned for Vancouver – on an empty site owned by the development company Onni, Ann Mukai accused the mayor of not consulting with Marpole residents before choosing their neighbourhood.

Mike Burdick said the risk was that some homeless people can be violent.

And Mohsen Turki said that while “we’re supportive, we don’t want them on the street,� he was worried about what homeless people will bring into the neighbourhood and Laurier elementary school on the next block. “The main concern is when homeless come here, they bring drugs, alcohol,� he said.

The mayor tried to allay people’s concerns by saying tenants will be carefully selected and that the city and staff from the non-profit agency in the new housing will work with residents to identify and reduce problems.

He also emphasized that there isn’t a simple solution but that there’s “no other way� to solve the city’s serious problem with homelessness. “There’s no easy place in Vancouver to add temporary buildings,� Mr. Robertson said as he talked to a crowd that surrounded him with questions.

“We’ll work through it. We have to move urgently on this and we’ll work with residents to make sure there aren’t problems,� Mr. Robertson said.

The mayor will be repeating that message many times in coming months.

The city will need at least eight to 14 other sites to place the other 520 units of modular housing the province has promised as part of the effort to combat homelessness.

While no one would say where those sites are, likely locations are development lots that are currently vacant and where construction is unlikely to start for years because of the rezoning process needed.

That would make sites such as the Jericho Lands in West Point Grey and the former RCMP land in central Vancouver, between Oak and Cambie, prime candidates. They are both co-owned by the federal government and the city’s First Nations bands, at a time when Indigenous people are a huge part of the homeless population.

Other cities are scrambling to come up with sites for modular housing as well after NDP Premier John Horgan announced the province would provide money for 2,000 units throughout the province.

BC Housing operations vice-president Craig Crawford said there are already requests for more than 2,000 units from various cities in the Lower Mainland and elsewhere, but none of them is ready yet to make a public announcement.

Funeral announcement Forner MP Gurmant Grewal’s father, S. Bharpur Singh Grewal, passed away on Thursday at 10 p.m. at Surrey. His funeral will take place on Sunday, October 29 at 4pm at the Riverside Funeral Home and Crematorium, in Delta. Bhog will take place at 6pm at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib at 7020 120th Street, Surrey, BC.

Funeral announcement With great sadness and a heavy heart it is being announced that Mr. Baljit Singh Boparai has passed away at his home in Surrey at the age of 42. Mr. Baljit Singh Boparai belonged to Village Gadhani Kalan, District Ludhiana.He was the son of late Tara Singh Boparai. He is survived by his wife ,one son & one daughter . Mr. Baljit Singh Boparai’s funeral will be held on Sunday, Oct 29 at Five Rivers Funeral Home, 7410, Hopcott Road in Delta at 10AM following which antim ardas will be held at Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran (152st & 68th Ave) in !" #

Sarbjeet Singh Grewal 604-351-2482, Kulwinder Singh Dhillon 604-782-8131

The new NDP government is also putting fresh money into winter shelters, promising that Vancouver will get $2.8-million for 300 winter-shelter beds.

Last winter, the province provided $1.6-million and only provided money for shelters to open as of Dec. 1. This year, they will open Nov. 1.

That announcement comes a month

earlier than it has in past years, when the city and former Liberal housing minister Rich Coleman routinely tussled every fall.

There were 3,600 people counted as homeless in the once-every-three-years regional homeless count in March. About 2,100 were in Vancouver, with more than 500 of them living outside. Just over 600 were found in Surrey and 200 in Langley.

LOCAL

Saturday, October 28, 2017

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Kellogg’s apologizes for cereal box showing lone brown corn pop as janitor Novelist Saladin Ahmed was looking at the back of a Corn Pops cereal box when he noticed a small but jarring detail.

The colourful illustration on the box depicted a chaotic scene of little yellow corn pop characters frolicking through a shopping

we apologize.”

Ahmed responded: “genuinely appreciate the rapid response.”

In a statement to USA Today, the company said it respects all people. “We take feedback very seriously, and it was

some asked. One person suggested the character was simply wearing a hat. “It’s casting a shadow on his face, giving the appearance of a darker complexion,” the tweet read. “Sensitive much?” Some people debated whether Corn Pops have a gender.

If so, why are there seemingly no female characters on the box? Should customers also be upset that the illustration seems to encourage jumping in mall fountains, surfing down escalators and walking on massive stilts made of spoons?

“Why is it that the dark Pop is the only figure in the picture with a nose?” asked

another. “What’s wrong? Is being a janitor a bad thing? Or is it that the dark pop is the only one wearing clothes and with a job?”

At one point, Ahmed stayed away from his Twitter mentions, he said, to avoid the flood of comments. Ahmed, a science fiction and fantasy writer and poet, is currently writing Marvel Comic’s Black Bolt series. He is also the author of the 2012 fantasy novel Throne of the Crescent Moon. On Wednesday night, Ahmed tweeted: “today in tiny victories” and “I used the computer in my pocket to get a cereal company to make their boxes less racist.”

South Surrey shooting victim identified mall. But in the middle of the drawing, Ahmed spotted a lone non-yellow corn pop.

The character looked as if it had brown skin.

It also happened to be the only corn pop in all blue, and appeared to be waxing or scrubbing the mall’s floors.

On Wednesday morning, Ahmed tweeted to Kellogg’s: Why is “literally the only brown corn pop on the whole cereal box the janitor?” It’s “a tiny thing,” he added, “but when you see your kid staring at this over breakfast and realize millions of other kids are doing the same. . .”

Within five hours, Kellogg’s responded. The artwork has been updated and will be in stores soon, the company tweeted. “Kellogg is committed to diversity & inclusion,” the tweet read. “We did not intend to offend —

never our intention to offend anyone,” spokesman Kris Charles told USA Today.

“We apologize sincerely.”

The Corn Pops debacle drew outrage of all sorts on Twitter — some of it directed at the cereal company, and some directed at Mr Ahmed. Corn Pops, like seemingly everything else these days, began a political debate. “We are living in a time where people are accusing cereal of being racist,” one tweet read.“My son woke up in the middle of the night, and asked me ‘will the corn pops be okay?’” read another. “I didn’t have an answer.”

Ahmed’s tweets prompted all sorts of other Corn Pops-related questions and controversies. Do Corn Pops have a race?

RCMP wants help to resolve bizarre lottery ticket fraud

Richmond RCMP say the suspects may have committed similar frauds in the past.

Richmond RCMP are asking the public for help to identify three suspects connected to a lottery ticket fraud scheme, after an elderly man was allegedly coerced into withdrawing money from a bank.

Police say on September 26 near Richmond Centre a suspect offered to sell the victim a supposed winning lottery ticket, allegedly telling the man he couldn’t claim the winnings because he was an illegal immigrant.

Police say the suspect showed the victim a fake lottery ticket depicting winning numbers from a previous draw.

A second suspect then approached, offered help, and pretended not to know the first suspect. The two suspects then allegedly convinced the man to withdraw

more than $5,000 from a bank to buy the fake lottery ticket.

“We feel the suspects may have committed similar frauds in the past,” said Cpl. Marco Sallinen with the Richmond RCMP economic crimes unit.

Both male suspects are described as approximately 50 years old, the first with short white hair and poor English, the second with short black hair, who was fluent in English. The two suspects are believed to be associated with a woman shown in the photo.

Richmond RCMP ask anyone who may have been the victim of a crime committed by the suspects or who can provide information to contact them.

A 28-year-old Surrey man has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting in early Monday morning.

Integrated Homicide Investigation Team Cpl. Meghan Foster said Nicholas Khabra died in a targeted attack that also wounded his female companion.

“Mr. Khabra and the female victim are known to each other and were together at the time of the shooting,” Foster said in a news release. “The investigation to date leads police to believe that Mr. Khabra’s homicide was a targeted act.”

Surrey RCMP responded to a shots fired call in the 14300-block of Crescent Road about 2:10 a.m. Monday.

“When police arrived, a male victim was located suffering from gunshot wounds and was transported by the British Columbia Ambulance Service (BCAS) to hospital where he later died,” Foster said.

She said the wounded woman called police from her vehicle a short distance away to say that she had also been shot,

She was located on Highway 99 at exit 10 and was transported by ambulance to hospital for treatment, Foster said.

“The female victim is expected to survive her injuries and her name will not be released.”

An investigator checks the front entry way of a house on the 14300-block of Crescent Road in Surrey following an early morning shooting where one man was killed and a woman was left in serious condition.

She said IHIT is working with the Surrey RCMP, and the Forensic Identification Section to gather and review evidence.

“Shortly after the homicide occurred, a vehicle was recovered in Langley after it was deliberately set on fire. It remains early in the investigation and police cannot confirm if this vehicle had any involvement in the homicide of Mr. Khabra,” she said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact IHIT at 1-877-551-4448 or ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

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Convicted fentanyl dealer will not serve jail time, despite appeals court directive A Provincial Court judge has ignored a BC Court of Appeal directive and given a 21-yearold dial-a-dope fentanyl dealer a suspended sentence with three years’ probation instead of jail time. The Crown argued there were no special circumstances, and Ajay Joon of North Vancouver deserved two years less a day in prison. Judge Joanne Challenger’s decision to spare the rod undercut the toughnosed message of the appellate justices, who wanted much stiffer punishment to protect the public in face of the deadly opioid epidemic.

She insisted she was not “minimizing the very grave consequences flowing from the presence of fentanyl in our communities and the continuing tragic loss of life it is causing,” calling pushers “Merchants of Death.”

In March, a three-justice appeal division unanimously concluded in a decision known as R. v. Smith that first-time fentanyl dealers should be incarcerated for 18 months and

up to three years or more unless there were extraordinary circumstances.

Comparable heroin and cocaine offenders receive six months’ imprisonment as a similar deterrent. There was nothing rare or unique about Joon, who sold all three drugs — he came from a middle-class North Shore family but decided to put lives at risk to get rich quick.

He wasn’t an addict, in debt or dealing with an emotional or psychological affliction; nor was he a naive teenager caught selling a little reefer necessarily deserving of understanding and compassion. “There is no evidence on this point before me but we are now aware that brain development carries on well past adolescence and as a result, during the late teen years and into the early 20s, the ‘executive function’ being the ability to exercise sound and considered judgment, of young people is impaired,” Challenger said in the recent decision.

Vancouver police seek witness to baseball-bat beating Vancouver police want to speak with a motorcyclist who witnessed an assault in the Downtown Eastside on October 24.

The VPD say a motorcyclist pulled next to another motorist near Main and Keefer streets and pleaded with him to call 911 because he had just witnessed someone being beaten with a baseball bat. The motorcyclist then rode off without leaving his contact information. The incident happened at around 8am The VPD searched the area, but was unable to find a victim, witnesses or a crime scene. Hours later, an injured 25-year-old man showed up at hospital,

where he remains in critical condition. “At this stage of our investigation, we are not even sure if the man in the hospital is related to the incident the motorcyclist witnessed,” VPD Const.

Jason Doucette said in a news release. “Our detectives would like to speak with the man on the motorcycle to help determine what may have led to the 25-year-old’s injuries.”

Anyone with information should contact police at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Maple Ridge resumes injunction proceedings to clear homeless camp The City of Maple Ridge is proceeding with toward police, complaints from neighbours an injunction to remove the homeless camp and the continued growth of the camp. near St. Anne Avenue and 223 Street.

“The decision to proceed with the injunction The council voted unanimously to resume was not made lightly. Area residents, businesses seeking an injunction to clear the camp, which and city council have shown great patience but was set up on a vacant city lot this spring to this patience has been exhausted. It is time to protest the closure of the city’s only low barrier act,” said Read. shelter. The city says it adjourned its injunction While the city takes action to clear the camp, process against it is imploring the camp in B.C. Housing June to give to address B.C. Housing underlying and health-care issues, such resources time as poverty, to engineer housing, mental a voluntary health and decampment, addiction. but without According any significant to the city, legal progress since counsel will then, council now be reaching A homeless camp in Maple Ridge wants the camp out to local removed. residents and businesses to update victim “The safety of people in the camp, the fire impact statements for the injunction hearing. department, police, other first responders To encourage thoughtful and respectful and the surrounding neighbourhood has conversations, first and last names will appear deteriorated,” said Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada’s Read in a news release. online communities (except in children and “We have no choice but to seek an injunction youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms for the camp to come to an end.” will no longer be permitted.

Just this week, BC’s housing minister said the By submitting a comment, you accept that province and the city were close to a solution CBC has the right to reproduce and publish for the camp and were bringing in considerable that comment in whole or in part, in any resources, including modular housing. Maple manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC Ridge may get modular housing for homeless does not endorse the opinions expressed camp residents in comments. Comments on this story are The city’s concerns include fire risks for moderated according to our Submission camp residents and first responders, which Guidelines. Comments are welcome while they say have been ignored or not adhered to by open. We reserve the right to close comments camp leadership, increased reports of criminal at any time. activity, aggressive behaviour by occupants

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan (middle) was chief guest a Liberal fundraising dinner in Vancouver Thursday night. He is pictured here with Kal Rangi (right) and Bhupinder Lidder

West Vancouver district wants to demolish $3M home built without permit The District of West Vancouver wants two homeowners to demolish their $3-million home for allegedly failing to build it with the proper permits and mandatory home inspections. “I haven’t talked to one person that doesn’t know about this house,” Sandy Dey, a West Vancouver resident who lives near the million-dollar home, told media. Phillip Garrow and Raven The District of West Vancouver says the home was built at 733 20th Avenue was not approved by local officials and violates the bylaws.

Flello failed their first inspection in the to the district’s demolition order. If they do spring of 2014 because their house was simply dispute it (by somehow proving that their home too big. 733 20th Avenue west vancouver was built in accordance with a building permit, demolition The District of West Vancouver says for example), then the final decision will be the home Raven Flello and Philip Garrow built determined by B.C.’s Supreme Court. But if the at 733 20th Avenue was not approved by local couple doesn’t oblige with orders, the district is officials and violates bylaws. “They probably requesting permission to demolish the home felt they had gone too far to turn back now, so itself, billing the homeowners later or tacking they upped the ante and built the whole house,” it onto their taxes. As for whether there’s any Bob De Wit, CEO of the Greater Vancouver sympathy for the couple’s potential loss, Dey Homebuilders Association, told media. Now, says “not a stitch.” the district is asking the courts to force the “I think you have to set a precedent, because couple to destroy their house within 60 days. people are out there doing what they want “I think they gambled wrong,” De Wit said. because it is difficult to build,” she said. “It is “I suspect the city will probably tear it down.” not an easy job but you have to have rules.”

Garrow and Flello still haven’t filed a response

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Saturday, October 28, 2017 Census 2016

21.9% of Canadians are immigrants, the highest share in 85 years: StatsCan TheshareofimmigrantsinCanadahasreached its highest level in almost a century, according to 2016 census figures released Wednesday.

The Statistics Canada data also shows the Indigenous population is growing at more than four times the rate of the non-Indigenous population, reaching nearly 1.7 million in 2016.

These are some of the findings of the latest data set from the 2016 census, focusing on the population related to immigration, ethnocultural diversity, housing and Indigenous people.

The numbers come just days before the annual immigration levels are set to be tabled in the House of Commons by the Liberal government.

The levels were set at 300,000 per year in 2017.

The census figures show 21.9 per cent of Canadians report being or having been an immigrant or permanent resident, nearly

matching the high of 22.3 per cent in 1921 and up from 19.8 per cent in 2006. The number was slightly higher than 21.9 per cent in 1931 too.

The country welcomed 1.2 million new immigrants between 2011 and 2016, with 60.3 per cent of them being admitted as “economic” immigrants — nearly half of those through the skilled workers program.

Immigrants are heading to the Prairies in larger numbers, with increases in the share of new immigrants settling in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. While 39 per cent of new immigrants still head to Ontario, that is down from 55.9 per cent in 2001.

“This isn’t just about the economy, but because some provinces are taking advantage of the Provincial and Territorial Nominee Program and using this program to attract immigrants that fit their economic needs,” says René

Hit-and-run near LA Matheson Secondary school in Surrey

Emergency crews were at the scene of a reported hit-and-run near LA Matheson Secondary Thursday evening, at 9484 122nd Street. Shortly after 5 p.m., two males were reportedly involved in an altercation at the back of the school, near the baseball court, when they were apparently struck

by a vehicle. The driver reportedly fled the scene. A witness at the scene said the victims were rushed to hospital. The extent of their injuries is not yet known.

Police tape cordoned off the scene after the incident.

Houle, senior analyst with Statistics Canada.

Urban centres in the Prairies have also welcomed disproportionately large numbers of new immigrants. Nevertheless, 56 per cent

of them live in and around Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, while these centres are home to just over one-third of all Canadians.

Police warn public of high-risk sex offender residing in Vancouver area Vancouver police are alerting the public of the presence of a highrisk sex offender who is currently residing in a Vancouver halfway house. James Ernest Armbruster, who has been granted a one-chance statutory release, was convicted of rape and robbery, at knifepoint, of an Abbotsford vitamin-store clerk in 1998.

The crime occurred just five days after he was released from a medium-security prison after serving two-thirds of a sentence for numerous robberies and break-ins, and was ordered to stay at the minimum-security Sumas Correctional Centre.

Armbruster, who already had 65 convictions in 18 years, including the rape of his grandmother, was mistakenly given a 12hour day pass from Sumas, and committed the robbery and rape while free on that pass.

He is currently serving a 28-year, 11-month sentence. Armbruster has been eligible for statutory release since 2011 but his detention has been repeatedly confirmed by the Parole Board of Canada during annual reviews. The 55-year-old Armbruster is an Aboriginal male who stands 5-feet-9 and weighs 180 pounds. He has short brown hair and brown eyes.

He has been released on several conditions including orders not to consume, purchase, or possess alcohol, not to consume, purchase or possess drugs, and report all friendships, sexual relationships, and intimate relationships with women. Police are asking anyone who witnesses Armbruster in violation of any of his conditions to contact 9-1-1.

Youth anti-violence group warns of boys’ sex club possibly preying on girls at unnamed B.C. school A teen anti-violence group is concerned about the alleged resurgence of a so-called “club” of high school boys that preys on younger teen girls.

Anita Roberts of SafeTeen, a non-profit group that works to educate young people about violence prevention and personal safety, told John Daly on CKNW’s Back on the Beat that someone connected to an unnamed B.C. school recently informed her of the reappearance of something called the “Little Girl Slayer’s Club.”

“What it is is the older boys in the school, the 10, 11, 12th Grade boys are luring Grade 8 girls to parties, drugging them, and sexually assaulting them,” she said.

“Younger boys are betting over who’s going to win, because it’s a competition.”

The “club” originally popped up at a Surrey school back in 2010.

At the time, the district took action and SafeTeen was brought in to offer counselling and workshops.

The “club” appears to have re-emerged, Roberts said, though she declined to say which school contacted them for privacy reasons.

“This is such a purposeful, planned evil that they’re doing,” she said.

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Vancouver’s mobility pricing commission starts consultations A commission charged with exploring how people in Metro Vancouver could pay for transportation in the future has begun its work — but it will be some time until firm proposals for new taxes, tolls or other road pricing concepts are on the table. The Mobility Pricing Independent Commission held a news conference Wednesday to launch the start of its project, entitled “It’s Time” and released a poll showing a majority of people support studying how paying for transportation could change.

Does loss of Lower Mainland bridge toll revenue pave way for mobility pricing? Broken’

Metro Vancouver tolling system ripe for change, Gregor Robertson says “We already pay some forms of mobility pricing — such as gas taxes or transit fares — but those changes are not always applied in a fair and strategic way to help reduce congestion on our roads,” said Allan Seckel, the commission’s chair.

The commission will focus on “decongestion charging,” which means a variety of fees are on the table, including traditional road tolls, as well as distance or time-based charges, costs for driving in certain locations at certain times of the day.

Suite owners say they are being targeted by city Some Surrey homeowners who have been ordered to shut down their illegal secondary suites believe they are being targeted because they registered their suites with the city.

The homeowners live in the Clayton Heights neighbourhood, which has chronic issues with illegal secondary suites and a parking shortage, and they are skeptical of the city’s claim that it is simply responding to complaints because they have not been notified of complaints Side suites with separate entry is common in Surrey homes and can’t find any registered related to illegal suites, and more than 7,600 with the city. “Essentially, the city is misleading the public on why they’re parking complaints and violations. “We tried doing this,” said Clayton Heights resident Greg our initiatives, and we’re kind of at that point Garner. Surrey’s bylaws allow for one secondary right now where we’ve said we can’t deal with suite in conjunction with a single-family home the complaints. We need to do something, in each zone that has a single-family dwelling and this is why we had to move forward (with as a permitted use. Multiple suites are not removing illegal suites),” Rehal said. Garner, permitted. Last month the city sent letters to 175 who has a basement suite and a detached coach property owners in Clayton Heights who have house, filed a freedom of information request illegal suites, asking them to remove them by asking the city for a list of properties in Surrey Jan. 31, 2018, or face fines and legal action. The that have two or more registered suites.

He was told that there are 2,332 properties enforcement is now on hold while the city looks into other options. Jas Rehal, the city’s manager with two registered suites, 57 properties with of public safety operations, said enforcement three registered suites, and six properties with of the secondary suite bylaw is done on the four or more registered suites. The city charges basis of complaints. He said Clayton Heights a secondary suite servicing fee of $568.28 and has generated 400 complaints in recent years up to $144 for garbage, recycling and organics collection for each registered suite.

After 12-hour closer Queensborough Bridge re-opens An overnight transformer fire underneath the Queensborough Bridge in New Westminster forced the full closure of the bridge to all traffic for nearly 12 hours Wednesday and caused widespread power outages. The crossing reopened to northbound traffic at around 1:40 p.m., and a southbound lane was opened a little less than an hour later. Pedestrian access is available on the east side of the bridge.

New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Coté said crews expect power to the Queensborough neighbourhood to be restored by midnight Wednesday. He said there was no structural damage to the bridge.

TransLink said in a written statement that, although the bridge has been reopened, congestion in the area is expected to cause significant delays to bus service in the area for the rest of Wednesday’s afternoon commute.

“If you don’t need to use that bridge this afternoon, please try and avoid it, because it is still going to have some issues and it’s not yet working at full capacity,” Coté said.

It is currently unknown how the fire started, but it eventually extinguished itself.

A police officer tapes off the southbound

walkway on the Queensborough Bridge.

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Vancouver police seek missing sex offender Vancouver police are asking for help locating a high-risk sex offender who went missing Thursday night.

40-year-old Christopher Schafer, a federal offender from Yukon, has been missing since 7 p.m., when he failed to return to his residential correctional facility in Vancouver.

Police said he has had his

community release revoked several times in the past. For at least the second time this year, police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest. Schafer’s criminal history includes break-and-enter, sexual offences, uttering threats, robbery and assaulting a peace officer.

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Census: Immigration to BC down, homeownership stable, Aboriginal population growing The latest set of data from the 2016 Census has been released.

Topics covered by the Wednesday release include immigration and ethnocultural diversity, housing, and Aboriginal Peoples.

Here are a few quick highlights from the most recent Statistics Canada information.

Nearly record percentage of landed immigrants According to the 2016 Census data, 21.9 per cent of Canada’s population are landed immigrants or permanent residents.

That figure is nearly on par with the 1921 Census, when 22.3 per cent of the country’s population was recorded as immigrants. The 1921 percentage was the highest level since Confederation.

In total, 1.2 million new immigrants permanently settled in Canada between 2011 and 2016. These newly arrived immigrants

made up 3.5 per cent of Canada’s population in 2016.

Immigrants to British Columbia have decreased While Vancouver is still among the top three cities where more than half of all immigrants choose to live, many more are settling in the Prairies and Atlantic provinces. In the last 15 years, the numbers of recent immigrants to the Prairies has more than doubled. As a result, the percentage of immigrants to British Columbia has fallen in the last 15 years, from 19.9 per cent in 2001 to 14.5 per cent in 2016. A total of 40.8 per cent of Vancouver’s population is represented by immigrants. Home ownership has been stable since 2006 In the period between 1991 and 2006, homeownership grew from 62.6 per cent to 68.4 per cent. Since 2006, however, the rate of homeownership has remained

stable, increasing only slightly to 69 per cent in 2011. In 2016, the homeownership rate fell to 67.8 per cent. The Census data notes that the growth prior to 2006 was largely due to baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1965, who were buying homes. Future rates of home ownership will be determined by how long baby boomers hang on to their property and whether younger generations find it feasible to own.

In B.C., home ownership rates have dropped in recent years. The 2016 data shows Vancouver’s home ownership rate as being 63.7 per cent, below the national average.

Younger generations show lower homeownership rate than baby boomers Millennials, those aged 20 to 34, are less likely to own a home than their baby boomer counterparts were at the same age. In 1981,

the homeownership rate among those aged 30 was 55.5 per cent. In 2016, that rate was 50.2 per cent among the same age group.

As well, 44.4 per cent of baby boomers in 1981 lived in single-detached homes, whereas only 35 per cent of millennials live in the same type of housing in 2016. Instead, millennials are more likely to be found living in apartments than their 1981 counterparts.

There are nearly 1.7 million Aboriginal people living in Canada, making up 4.9 per cent of the country’s total population. This figure is up from the 3.8 per cent in 2006 and 2.8 per cent in 1996. Census data shows the Aboriginal population – which includes First Nations, Métis and Inuit – grew by 42.5 per cent between 2006 and 2016, more than four times the growth rate of Canada’s nonAboriginal population.

Virtual kidnap incidents continue police warn Surrey, BC: The Lower Mainland District RCMP are reminding the public that virtual kidnapping incidents are continuing in light of three recent incidents. The RCMP issued a news release in July warning the public about an extortion scheme that tricks victims into believing their loved ones have been kidnapped. Numerous victims reported being contacted by suspects claiming to be

Chinese government officials. The victims were told they were implicated in crimes in China. The suspects then coerced the victims into a series of actions, warning if they didn’t cooperate, their families in China would be harmed. Simultaneously, families in China were contacted by the suspects who convinced them that their loved ones were being held against their will, which led to a demand for money. In

each case, the suspects falsely claimed to be Chinese government officials.

On August 30, 2017, the RCMP announced the creation of a joint task force to address and coordinate information about the ongoing extortion. The RCMP launched a significant outreach strategy aimed at educating those who could be potential victims and there were no further incidents reported up until mid- October when the RCMP received three more reports. Once again, the incidents appear to be targeting female Chinese nationals.

“The RCMP would like to remind the Chinese community that these automated calls are fraudulent”, says S/Sgt. Annie Linteau, Senior Media Relations Officer,

BC RCMP. “Anyone who receives similar calls should not comply with any demands and hang-up immediately.” The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China wants Chinese students in Vancouver to know that, should any Chinese citizens be involved in any legal cases in China, the relevant legal documents will be mailed to them directly from Chinese diplomatic missions. No phone call will be made to verify any personal information, especially the personal banking information, the consulate says.

We urge anyone who receives similar calls to immediately report the incident to your local police department or RCMP detachment.

Surrey mayor’s task force aims to change myth of ‘glamorous’ gang life The importance of reaching children early was a theme at the first Mayor’s Task Force on Gang Violence Prevention today (Oct. 26).

Former gangster Jordan Buna shared a story of elementary aged children “throwing around Monopoly money and whoever has the money money has the most respect, talking in that kind of talk, really attaching a lot to this concept of money and power.” \Buna now works for the province’s anti-

gang unit CFSEU (Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit) and part of his role is giving presentations to elementary school students.

He stressed the importance of sharing the “Shattering the Image” presentation to Grade 6 and 7 students. “This is when they’re forming their idea, their mindset surrounding what the gang lifestyle is,” Buna told the task force. “We see a tremendous impact,” he said of their presentations. “These kids are going to get their role models somewhere. I’d rather them to look up a guy like Mike Sanchez (who leads Surrey’s gang unit) than (gangster) Bindy Johal.” Hepner announced her task force in August after a spate of shootings with the goal of assessing and reviewing programs in Surrey to try to find where the gaps exist in a “preventative fashion.”

So far this year there have been 45 shotsfired incidents in Surrey, most of them connected to the drug trade.

Another member of the task force, President of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board Gopal Sahota, told the group that shootings have hit his neighbourhood.

“It came really close to home,” Sahota said. “I was outside watering a flower bed this summer and the shooting was right in front of my house. It’s a real issue. It’s not just reading about it in the media, I’ve felt it.”

Other members of the new task force include non-profits, such as Options Community Services Society and PICS (Progressive Intercultural Community Services). And of course, law enforcement was at the task force table. Surrey RCMP’s Officer in Charge Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald

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Liberals plan six-year, $760M spending spree for Canadian embassy security in fiscal update Canada’s foreign embassies and diplomatic outposts are getting new funds to bolster their security and some analysts say it is badly needed. The money was earmarked in Tuesday’s economic update.

The need for increased embassy security was highlighted in briefing material for the Trudeau government when it first assumed power in 2015. But high-profile terror attacks around the world since then have underlined the need for added security.

They include a 2016 blast in Kabul that killed more than a dozen private security guards from Nepal while they were on their way to work at the Canadian embassy.

The new spending amounts to $760 million over six years, with a peak in spending of $156 million in 2019-20.

Global Affairs said the money will be used to upgrade physical infrastructure and enhance protection measures, including security guards, metal detectors, surveillance equipment, intelligence systems, and IT and cyber capabilities.

“This new funding will enable Global Affairs Canada to proactively respond to evolving threats in a volatile global security environment,” spokesperson Brittany Venhola-Fletcher said in an email.

Bank of Canada keeps interest rate steady at 1% The Bank of Canada has decided to keep its benchmark interest rate steady at one per cent. The bank’s rate, officially known as the target for the overnight rate, has a large impact on the rates that retail banks offer consumers on savings accounts and loans.

The bank has already hiked its rate twice this year — once in July and again last month — after staying on the sidelines for the previous two years. Those moves came amid signs that Canada’s economy was heating up, but since then economic indicators have been more subdued, which helps to explain

the bank’s cautious tone. “The current stance of monetary policy is appropriate,” the bank said in announcing its decision. “While less monetary policy stimulus will likely be required over time, [the bank] will be cautious in making future adjustments to the policy rate.”

Aubrey Basdeo, the head of fixed income at BlackRock Canada, said that word — “cautious” — could be just the right strategy. “They’re trying to have a very measured approach in terms of removing stimulus,” he said. None of the economists polled by Bloomberg were expecting the bank to move its rate. But currency traders were caught a little by surprise — the Canadian dollar lost almost a full cent from where it was before the decision, changing hands at 78.15 cents US after the bank’s decision came out.

“The Bank of Canada shifted to a significantly more cautious tone on interest rates Wednesday, prompting a sharp descent by the Canadian dollar,” said Don Curren, strategist at Cambridge Global Payments, “and perhaps presaging more weakness in the currency as expectations about … monetary policy evolve.” Interest rates are about to go up — no, for real this time Along with its rate decision, the bank also released its Monetary Policy Report (MPR), which comes out four times a year and provides a deeper dive into

White Rock mulls night market, South Asian festival proposals City of White Rock has received applications for two new events for 2018 – a Friday night market at Five Corners and a summertime waterfront South Asian cultural festival.

But while councillors expressed interest in both at Monday evening’s meeting, they said they need more information on impacts to traffic and residents – particularly for the night market, which would include a beer garden and live music up to 10 p.m.

The two events – both recommended for approval in a city staff report – are the ‘Fridays @ 5’ outdoor night market, proposed by Louise Taylor of NVision Ideas Inc., founder of the Ladner Village Night Market, and a relocation to White Rock of the ‘Shades Of India’ festival, which had previously been presented in Surrey’s Holland Park by the Sanskriti Cultural Awareness Society of BC. “I don’t feel we have enough information to approve them tonight,” said Coun. Lynne Sinclair, who asked that city staff report on the background of the proponents, past successes and whether they are for-profit.

She also asked for consultation with TransLink on impacts on bus routes; and consultation and feedback from residents, the White Rock BIA and chamber of commerce, and investigation of whether the proposals could be combined with other events.

That followed a suggestion from Coun.

Helen Fathers that Shades Of India might combine with the Festival of Lights Diwali Integration Festival, which after three years is still attempting to maximize attendance.

Shades Of India, proposed as a three-day celebration at Memorial Park on Aug. 17-19, would include music, dance, food, family activities and a fireworks display, and would have an expected participation of 3,000-4,000 people per day, according to the city report.

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Saturday, October 28, 2017

1.9 million Canadian households live in condos, census data shows According to data from the 2016 census released Wednesday, 13.3 per cent of Canadian households live in a condominium — a ratio that has increased by 1.2 percentage points from the last census five years ago. Statistics C a n a d a says almost 1.9 million Canadian households were living in condominiums as of 2016. Among that group, just over two-thirds were owners, while 616,570 Canadians rented them. As is to be expected, there is wide variety across the country when it comes to the popularity of condos as a choice of places to live. In

Vancouver, for example, more than 30 per cent of the population lives in condos, the highest percentage in Canada by far. Condos are home to 21.8 per cent of Calgarians, followed by Abb otsfordM i s s i o n , Kelowna and Toronto, all of which have more than one out of every five households living in a condominium.

In other cities, meanwhile, condos barely rate as a living option. In Greater Sudbury, Ont., Saint John, Thunder Bay, Ont. St. John’s, Peterborough, Ont. and Belleville, Ont. less than one out of every 20 people live in a condo.

Foreign buyers’ effect on Vancouver’s housing prices is ‘modest’: study A new study from the University of British Columbia shows foreign buyers might not have as big of an impact on Vancouver’s housing market as people may think. Jack Favilukis, assistant professor with UBC’s Sauder School of Business, said the review found foreign buyers have only “slightly” increased the price of real estate.

The study, also written

by New York University, studied the effects of foreign ownership by building a fake city. The model was calibrated to look like Vancouver, so “within that model, we can ask how much is each household worse off or better off.

And then we can group that by renters or owners, young adults, and so on.” He said the study examined what would happen if international buyers came in and bid up housing prices. “So we found that the price effect is modest… so we

think that prices due to foreign buyers have increased by five to 10 per cent, and the same with rents. But the more interesting thing we found has to do with the consequences for local households.”

He said even though the research shows

prices have not been as affected as some may think, some residents will benefit from foreign investment more than others. “We found that the average household in Vancouver is made worse off by these international capital flows to the tune of about $200 per year.

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Liberals say there is ‘no plan’ to change law to protect pensioners in wake of Sears’ bankruptcy The Liberal government says it has “no plan” to change the law to protect Canadian pensioners when companies like Sears file for bankruptcy, but they are open to discussing the issue.

Uncertainty over the future of Sears pensions in the wake of the retail giant’s bankruptcy have led those advocating for improved protections for pensioners to pressure the government to change the law.

down’ on deficit spending amid improving economic outlook The New Democrats said they will table a private members bill this fall proposing amendments to both the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. The NDP said the changes will put pensioners before creditors when a company files for bankruptcy “When we’re talking about pensioners, we’re

“We need legislative change,” said Wanda Morris, vice-president of The Canadian Association for Retired Persons, CARP, a national non-profit advocacy group that campaigns for healthcare and financial security for retirees. “So, right now there is no plan to do that. Obviously, we’re open to discussions,” said Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains. “It’s not a matter of not wanting to. Right now, we’re engaging and we’re willing to work with anyone that wants to put forward proposals.”

Politicians, retirees push for new laws to protect pensioners Sears managers, execs will still pocket big cash bonuses even though retailer is closing Liberals ‘double

talking about people with decades worth of experience and of wages deferred. They don’t have other pensions to pull on. They are extremely vulnerable and we need to protect them,” added Morris, whose group was on Parliament Hill Wednesday to lobby MPs. Pensioner ‘super-priority’ As the law currently stands, pensioners hold no priority when it comes to dividing up assets during bankruptcy proceedings.

“If we let companies walk away from their pension obligations then people turn to public services and we as taxpayers are left on the hook, and that’s not fair,” said Morris.

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NATIONAL

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Federal Liberals ‘double down’ on deficit spending amid improving economic outlook

T

he federal Liberal government has surpassed its own deficit projections by billions of dollars thanks to a roaring economy, but it has earmarked much of those savings for increases to the Canada child benefit and a more generous tax credit for low-income earners. In his spring budget, Finance Minister Bill Morneau expected to post a deficit of $28.5 billion for the current fiscal year. Thanks to rising revenues from an economy that leads the G7, that shortfall is now expected to be $19.9 billion. Morneau’s fall economic statement pegs GDP growth at 3.1 per cent this year and 2.1 per cent next, with unemployment at rates not seen in more than a decade. Rather than allocate those newfound dollars to further reducing the deficit, the government is pressing ahead with nearly $8 billion in new program

spending over the next five years. “With a little more wind in our sails, we’re doubling down on a plan with proven results and reinvesting in the middle class,” Morneau said Tuesday.

“As the economy grows, we need to make sure the benefits are shared with the middle class, and those working hard to join it.” Morneau said that the Conservatives and NDP in the last election had campaigned on balancing the books “at all costs,” but he said the Liberal plan to spend more is bearing fruit, evidenced by growth numbers that are among the best in the industrialized world.

“Our strong fiscal position allows us to do what other countries would like to do, but can’t afford to do,” he said. The Canada child benefit, the $23-billion program that sends monthly cheques to most families with children, will be

indexed to inflation starting in July 2018, two years earlier than expected. The threshold for qualifying families will also rise with the cost of living. Indexing the tax-free benefit will cost an additional $5.6 billion between 2018-19 and 2022-23 as a result of the more generous payouts. Starting next year, annual payments for families with two children will go up by approximately $200 as a result of indexing.

In 2019, those same families can count on $500 more a year on average. The working income tax benefit, a refundable tax credit for the lowest income earners, will also get a boost.

While promising to provide more specifics in the 2018 budget, the government said it would spend an additional $500 million a year on the program starting in 2019. Working income tax benefit payments depend on family

makeup, and whether a person is married or has dependents. In 2017, the income threshold for families with children was $28,576 in most provinces. The Liberals will add $100 billion to the public debt over the next seven years, rather than over four years as projected in its first budget. The federal debt as a percentage of the economy will fall to about 30 per cent by the next election, nearing the pre-crash lows of 2008. Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative finance critic, said the Liberal government has abandoned all pretense of fiscal prudence.

“This prime minister promised a small $10-billion deficit. Remember that? Today we learned the deficit is double that. There is literally not a single year, into the distant future, when this government projects, ever, eliminating the deficit.”

One last gasp for the Canadian residential market as rule changes cloud 2018 outlook Veteran mortgage broker Vince Gaetano figures the residential housing market this Christmas might be the busiest holiday season ever as people make one last push to squeeze into the housing market before tighter mortgage restrictions come into effect. But it could also be the last gasp for the resale market. Changes coming from the federal banking regulator on Jan. 1, 2018, take dead aim at a section of the market that until now has been mostly exempt from government regulation: low-ratio buyers, or people with down payments of 20 per cent or more. Starting next

year, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions will require those prospective homebuyers to qualify based on either the Bank of Canada posted rate for the five-year fixed rate product or two percentage points above their contracted mortgage rate, whichever is higher. “We are going to see people trying to get the maximum available,” said Gaetano, a principal at monstermortgage.ca, which is one of the largest independent mortgage brokers still in the market. “If my wife has anything to do with it, I will be taking off Christmas, but I have this feeling we are going to be busy.”

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Customers complaint higher prices during Sears liquidation sales Liquidation sales are now underway at Sears Canada stores across the country as the troubled retailer prepares to go out of business.

But some Canadians say they are discovering price hikes, rather than discounts, on certain items. Elizabeth MacMillan posted a picture on Facebook of a price tag that she claimed shows a Sears Canada price tag with a sticker displaying a new, higher price. “Be very careful and check your prices before buying. I looked at four different items I nearly bought a few weeks ago before the liquidation and all of them had their prices changed and were now higher,” she wrote on her post. “Almost every item I looked had the original price tag cut or taken off and then a sticker added.”

Asked to comment on those consumer reports, Sears Canada said the intent of the sale is to lower prices and move inventory as quickly as possible. Any cases of prices going up would be an “odd exception.”

“If there are some cases of regular pricing that may have gone up, then would be odd exceptions, a system error, and not reflecting the spirit of what we are trying to do,” Sears Canada spokesperson Vincent Power said.

“We’ll try to make any situation right by our customers if such an issue comes up.”

It wouldn’t be the first time consumers found higher prices at a liquidation sale. Sears Canada received court approval to begin completing liquidation of all its stores on Oct. 13, marking the end of an era for the 65-yearold chain. Stores began their liquidation sales on Oct. 19. A joint-venture group – which includes Hilco Global, Gordon Brothers Canada, Tiger Capital Group and Great American Group – is running the sales at 74 remaining department stores and eight Sears at Home stores, a step towards Sears Canada closing its doors for good.

BC government moves to protect renters by closing fixed-term ‘loophole’ Tenant advocates welcomed the B.C. government’s move Thursday to close a longderided “major loophole” abused by some landlords, but said there’s more work needed to strengthen protections for the province’s renters. The B.C. government announced Thursday it was introducing legislation to close the loophole, meaning “renters will now be protected against massive rent hikes at the end of a lease.” Representatives of both tenants and landlords announced their support Thursday for the move to restrict landlords’ ability to use “vacate clauses” in fixed-term tenancies, a practice they say has been used to circumvent rent control.

B.C. Housing Minister Selina Robinson said the issue has been a “black cloud hanging over (renter’s) heads for far too long.”

“With these changes, renters will no longer have to live in fear of what the next rent hike will look like,” Robinson said.

For month-to-month tenancies, landlords are limited in how much they can raise the rent, based on a formula of inflation plus two per cent. Next year’s maximum allowable rent increase is four per cent.

But in recent years, advocates say, some B.C. landlords have increasingly been using fixedterm tenancy agreements with vacate clauses, which means at the end of the agreement, the landlord can set the rent at any rate they want.

The tenant’s only option, in such cases, has been to sign the new agreement or move out.

Representatives of the NDP government, tenants, and landlords all agreed the practice is against the spirit of the Residential Tenancy Act. If the legislation is passed, the amendments will restrict landlords’ ability to use vacate clauses in fixed-term tenancy agreements. The new rules will apply to both new and existing tenancy agreements.

LandlordBC, the organization representing B.C.’s rental housing industry, supports restricting the vacate clause, because of its potential to be abused, outside of its intended use, by some landlords to circumvent rent control measures, Landlord CEO David Hutniak said Thursday.

Liam McClure, a tenant advocate with the Vancouver Tenants Union, said Thursday’s announcement was “definitely a step in the right direction, but we’re hoping to see further movement on this file.”

BC Liberals fail to save secretive international tax rebate program B.C.’s Opposition Liberals tried but failed Thursday to save a contentious international tax rebate program that had attracted criticism for its secretive nature but advocates said helped encourage foreign investment.

Liberal finance critic Shirley Bond attempted to amend the NDP government’s budget bill to prevent the cancellation of the International Financial Activity Program program until at least 2018 so it could be studied to determine if its benefits justified it to continue.

“We’re getting rid of a program that actually has the potential to continue to attract international investors and companies,” Bond argued in the legislature. “We’re getting rid of it, despite the fact that there are very likely and highly unlikely revenue implications for the province.”

The international tax program provided roughly $20 million annually in refunds to corporate income tax paid by as many as 67 companies, accounting for $163 million between 2008 and 2016.

It was created in 1988 to attract international companies to the province at a time when the corporate tax rate was 51 per cent. Now, with a corporate tax rate of 26 per cent, and more than 90 per cent of the beneficial companies involved in securities trading, foreign exchange and factoring (the transferring of monies owed by one company to another), the NDP government has argued the supports aren’t necessary and the program is not generating the promised jobs.

The program’s secretive nature has also attracted criticism, with The New York Times newspaper in a May 2017 article noting that “the incentives operate under a cloak of secrecy that is unusual for similar efforts in Canada and the United States” and the public is unable to get a list of the companies that receive the tax breaks. The program briefly became an election issue.

Finance Minister Carole James said the five largest recipients of the tax refunds are companies that were already located in B.C. before the program was expanded in 2004.

FINANCE

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SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Myanmar should take back refugees: Sushma Swaraj on Rohingya crisis Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj reiterated impact on all the communities in the state.

India’s concerns over violence in Myanmar and In the evening, Swaraj called on PM Sheikh said normalcy would only be restored with the Hasina and discussed the Rohingya crisis. She return of the displaced people to Rakhine state. was quoted by Bangladeshi media as having Recalling India’s efforts to help Bangladesh told Hasina that Myanmar must take its people back.

“Myanmar deal with the situation must take back resulting from the arrival of refugees their nationals, they are a big burden from Myanmar, for Bangladesh,” Swaraj said India was deeply concerned at Swaraj reportedly the spate of violence. said in the meeting.

“How long will “We have urged Bangladesh bear that the situation be handled with it? There should be a permanent restraint, keeping solution,” Hasina’s in mind the welfare Rohingya refugees of the population,” Swaraj said in a press press secretary quoted Swaraj as saying, statement in Dhaka after the fourth round of according to Bangladeshi media.

In her press statement, Swaraj said India the joint consultative commission meeting.

In India’s view, Swaraj said without was committed to providing financial and naming the Rohingya, the only long-term technical aid for projects in Rakhine. “We solution to the situation in Rakhine was have also supported implementation of the rapid socio-economic and infrastructure recommendations in the Kofi Annan-led development that would have a positive Special Advisory Commission report,” she said.

Thousands turn out to see lavish funeral of Thailand’s late king Thousands of people turned out in Bangkok to watch the funeral procession of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Thursday, with buildings draped in yellow marigolds and mourners lining the streets on the eve of his cremation.

Mourners dressed in black slept overnight on thin plastic mats on pavements near the Grand Palace in the Thai capital in order to secure a good view of the procession, which was expected to begin at 7 am (1200 GMT).

The king’s cremation will feature ancient rites and a series of processions winding from the Grand Palace in Bangkok’s historic quarter to the 50-metre (165-feet) high Royal Crematorium that has been erected in a square near the palace.

His body will be pulled from the Grand Palace to the cremation site on a golden chariot.

A sum of $90 million has been set aside for the funeral, the likes of which has never been seen in Thailand, officials in preparations have said.

King Bhumibol, also known as King Rama IX, died last October aged 88 after ruling for seven decades. He played a pivotal role in maintaining stability during years of political upheaval and rapid development.

Piyamat Potsopho, 38, said she had been waiting for the king’s funeral

procession since Wednesday night.

“I was very fortunate to have been born under the reign of King Rama IX,” she said.

Another Bangkok resident, Suchinda Samparp, 67, said: “It’s so hard to describe the dedication I’ve seen, how people have come out to help each other and how the late king has inspired this.”

Analysts say the king’s death has left a large vacuum in the Thai psyche.

Thailand has observed a year of mourning for King Bhumibol and radio and television stations have played songs dedicated to the monarch almost non-stop since his death.

The songs urge Thais to follow in “father’s footsteps”.

King Bhumibol is often referred to as “father” by Thais and is credited with reviving the popularity of the monarchy in Thailand.

Days of heavy rain failed to deter mourners, many of whom pitched tents in order to gain the best access to the funeral.

Many businesses around the Southeast Asian nation were shut, while Bangkok’s old quarter was draped in floral garlands made of marigolds early. Some government buildings placed potted yellow marigolds around portraits of the late king.

China seeks more security for it’s top envoy to Pakistan China has asked Pakistan to step up security of its newly-appointed ambassador in Islamabad in the wake of threats to his life from a terrorist organisation, according to media reports.

The Chinese Embassy made the request in a letter written to the interior ministry on October 19, saying a member of the banned terrorist group East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) has sneaked into Pakistan to assassinate its ambassador.

The letter, circulated in the local media, was written by the focal person for the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Ping Ying Fi who asked the interior ministry to “enhance the protection” of the ambassador and other Chinese working in the country.

This, the letter says, will not only help foil the nefarious designs of the terrorist but will also help in nabbing others involved in the plot.

China has appointed Yao Jing, who has served as Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan, as its new envoy to Pakistan.

Yao replaced Sun Weidong, who served as China’s Ambassador to Pakistan for three years and recently returned to his country.

In the letter, Ping shared details of the terrorist’s passport and demanded his immediate arrest and handover to the Chinese embassy.ItidentifiedtheterroristasAbdulWali.

The ETIM largely operates from China’s restive Muslim-majority Xinjiang region, bordering Pakistan.

CPECmustceasecompletelyandBalochistan should be freed from paki occupation.

India must provide moral and financial support to our Baloch brothers for their armed struggle against illega...

Read MoreFree Balochistan The security of Chinese officials+ in Pakistan is a major issue and the Army has been tasked to provide security to the Chinese working on various projects, including the CPEC. The CPEC, which traverse through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, will connect Xinjiang with Pakistan’s seaport Gwadar through a network of rail, road.

Safe havens for terror groups in Pakistan won’t be tolerated: Tillerson In a message to Pakistan, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday that terror safe havens will not be tolerated and that too many terrorist organisations were finding such havens in the neighbouring country.

On his first visit to India, and shortly after a dialogue with his counterpart Sushma Swaraj, Tillerson qualified his remark by saying that the US wanted to work in a positive way with Islamabad as terrorism also threatened Pakistan’s own security and stability.

Despite warning Pakistan against hosting “agents of chaos’’ and terrorists, the US position on Pakistan has remained open to conflicting interpretations with President Donald Trump tweeting earlier this month that he was starting to develop a “much better” relationship with Pakistan and also thanking Islamabad for cooperation on many fronts.

Stating that the US will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with India in the fight against terrorism, Tillerson added it was in Pakistan’s interest to contain and eliminate

the activities of terrorist organisations.

“Quite frankly my view, and I expressed it before Pakistan leaders, is we also are concerned about the stability and security of Pakistan’s government as well,” he said in a joint press interaction with Swaraj.

“This could lead to a threat to Pakistan’s own stability. It is not in anyone’s interests that the government of Pakistan be destabilised,’’ added Tillerson, who later called on PM Narendra Modi.

Tillerson’s visit saw the 2 countries underscoring the strength of their strategic partnership as “natural allies’’ who shared the responsibility to ensure peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.

While Tillerson urged India to increase its economic assistance to Afghanistan, Swaraj said both India and US believed that effective action by Pakistan against all terrorist groups without distinction was critical to the success of the new South Asia and Afghanistan strategy of President Trump. “Those who support terror should be held accountable,’’ she said.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Sidhu attacks Majithia, says he must pay for ‘misdeeds’ Senior Congress leaders, including Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, today launched a crusade against SAD general secretary and MLA Bikram Singh Majithia on his home turf.

The assembly of Congress leaders is being seen as an attempt to mount pressure on Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who has often been accused of going “soft” against Akalis, particularly Majithia in the multi-crore drugs case.

Though the CM has constituted a special task force (STF) to take on the drug menace, it could hardly come out with any concrete action plan. Capt Amarinder has also declared that his government “will not indulge in vendetta politics”.

Congress workers termed today’s assembly as a thanksgiving gesture of the leaders for the party’s splendid win in the Gurdaspur bypoll, but sources said it appeared irrelevant to hold such an assembly in the Majitha constituency.

With the exception of Ajnala MLA Harpartap Singh Ajnala or Gurdaspur MLA

Will act against online rogues: Navjot Sidhu Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday said he would act against miscreants operating fake accounts in his name on social media. He said he would take the legal recourse. “I will soon lodge an FIR so as to make sure such rogues are brought to book,” he said, adding his Twitter account was @sherryontopp. tns

Judge gets bail in Rs 99-cr fraud An Additional District and Sessions Judge in Punjab has come under the scanner for granting bail to an accused in Rs 99-crore bank fraud case. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has referred the matter to “the administrative judge” concerned. The judicial officer, at the time of granting bail, was posted at Ferozepur.

The district courts function under the administrative control of the high court.

For each district court, the high court appoints its judge as the administrative head.

The order by Justice Fateh Deep Singh came on a bunch of three regular bail applications filed by Vijay Patil and other petitioners. The registered on the complaint of HDFC Bank’s The Bench was told that the bank’s assistant manager Swaran Singh, in connivance with his co-accused, entered into a criminal conspiracy.

Misusing his official position in the bank, he allegedly made bogus cash entry of Rs 99 crore in a company’s account with its Mumbai branch. Other accused then filled in a form for the amount’s transfer, but an alert was sounded following the bank’s internal vigilance.

Dismissing the bail pleas, Justice Fateh Deep Singh asserted: “It was none other than accused Parveen Patade who was instrumental in filling the cheque to facilitate the fraud. His bail application was allowed by the court below despite seriousness of the allegations and that of his co-accused was declined which certainly impinges judicial conscience of the court.”

Barinderjit Singh Pahra, none of the Amritsar MLAs, including OP Soni, Suni Dutti, Inderbir Bolaria and Raj Kumar Verka, was present.

Justifying Majitha as an appropriate venue for the occasion, Sidhu said: “Majitha was made infamous as the den of all evils by the previous regime. There could be no other place better than this to challenge Majithia.”

On the absence of several local MLAs, Sidhu said earlier a meeting was held by 10-12 MLAs here recently and all were invited by Lalli Majithia and Randhawa.

“I came here on an invitation. It’s a joint forum of over 50 MLAs who want to convey people’s voice to Captain saab (CM), who is our undisputed leader and supreme. It is not an offence. Majithia must face action for his wrongdoings in the past 10 years. We ought to live up to people’s expectations,” he added.

PUNJAB

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Guv honours kin of cops killed during militancy Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore today Government High School, the Governor launched a Chandigarh Police’s campaign to honoured Gayatri. He also inaugurated a pay tributes to six UT police martyrs targeted library built in the memory of Jhajharia. during militancy by In Kotkapura, honouring Gayatri Badnore honoured the Devi, the widow of family of Lalu Ram, Jagjit Singh Jhajharia a Punjab Police ASI of Maujgarh village in who was killed in a Abohar sub-division. bomb blast in August 1991 at Chandigarh.

On July 17, 1988, Jhajharia died in At a function in Gandhi Memorial an encounter with Governor VP Singh Badnore felicitates martyr Jagjit High School where terrorists following Singh Jhajharia’s wife Gayatri Devi.

Ram was a student in a raid at a house in Chandigarh’s Sector 1960s, the Governor 45. Three terrorists were also killed in the paid tributes to him. Ram’s widow Raj encounter. He was posted as the SHO of Kumar, son, sister and brothers were present.

Sector 39 police station at that time. He Bandore opened Martyr Lalu Ram was awarded President’s Police Medal for Memorial Hall in the school and released Gallantry posthumously on May 10, 1989. a souvenir to commemorate the event.

At a function at Jhajharia’s alma mater

24

PUNJAB

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Ahead of civic polls, CM’s Rs 363-cr sops for Jalandhar Ahead of the civic polls in four cities, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today announced Rs 363.43 crore for implementation of various ongoing and new schemes in the city. At a press conference here, the CM announced various development schemes, including Rs 1,000-crore Asian Development Bank (ADB) project for using river water for drinking purposes. “This fund is only for Jalandhar. Amritsar, Patiala and Ludhiana will also get the scheme. We will use the water of both Beas and the Sutlej,” he said. The CM said: “The ADB has already conducted a feasibility study by spending Rs 3 crore. It will enable drawing water directly from the rivers instead of tubewells, which could not be used in many places because of brackish underground water.”

The Chief Minister also announced one-time

settlement of property/house tax and arrears of water and sewerage charges. He disclosed that work on the setting up of a directorate of fire services at the state level had also begun.

He talked about e-Governance in the delivery of urban civic services, with most services to be made available through mobile apps. Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was present on the occasion, said the eSewa service announced by the CM would be launched soon and transcripts of layout plans of residential properties would be made available online. On nearly 10 per cent hike in power tariff for the domestic and commercial consumers, the CM said: “Mainu vi is te ros hai (Even I am upset over it). It has been done by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission.”

RSS and BJP blame each other for Gurdaspur seat loss After a defeat in the Gurdaspur byelection, knives are out between state BJP president Vijay Sampla and RSS state unit incharge Dinesh Kumar.

Kumar is the state general secretary (organisation) of the party, who is appointed by the national leadership in consultation with the Rashtriya Jan Sangh.

His role is to ensure coordination between the BJP and the RSS. Party sources said Kumar had skipped the state BJP’s crucial meeting held in Chandigarh recently to review the bypoll performance. They said Sampla didn’t have any prior information regarding Kumar’s inability to attend the meeting. A former state president of the party, who was present in the meeting, said when Sampla was apprised of the absence, he expressed his displeasure, saying that he should have been informed in advance.

The sources said the hostility between two started from the day Sampla was appointed the state president. They said Kumar wanted another leader from Majha for the post.

Their hostility turned even bitter when Ashwini Sharma was appointed incharge of the Gurdaspur byelection and Sampla remained out of the crucial planning meetings that used to take place between BJP’s Punjab affairs incharge Prabhat Jha, Swaran Salaria, Dinesh Kumar and Ashwini Sharma in Pathankot every day.

The sources said Kumar had stayed away from the meeting, anticipating harsh criticism over the bypoll loss. They said besides blaming its ally Akali Dal’s image and the Congress government’s “pressure tactics”, the BJP leaders accepted “mismanagement” shown by the party leadership during the campaign.

When contacted, Kumar said he had intimated the organisation people regarding his inability to attend the meeting as he had been called by BJP president Amit Shah for an important meeting.

Sampla could not be contacted in spite of repeated attempts.

Centre revises ‘black list’ The Central gov’t in India has lifted the ban on more than 100 Sikhs, blacklisted after the outbreak of militancy in Punjab, and they can now travel to India, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said..

“The Sikh community had long been demanding revision of the black list. The process to further revise the list will continue,” he said at an event organised by the RSS-affiliated Rashtriya Sikh Sangat to mark the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.

The blacklisted NRI Sikhs are barred from travelling to India due to their alleged ties with Khalistan movement in the 80s and 90s.

The list was prepared by security agencies.

“The BJP-led NDA government has always been sensitive to the demands of Sikhs, including justice for the victims of 1984 riots in Delhi,” Rajnath said.

The minister said that after assuming the power, the Centre had formed an SIT

to investigate the matter. “Chargesheets have been filed in some cases, while some other cases are being investigated.”

Paying tributes to the Guru, Rajnath said: “Guru Gobind protected the country’s honour and culture. His ideals and legacy will continue to strengthen the country.”

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who was the chief guest, said Guru Gobind Singh’s contribution was a culmination of contribution by preceding Gurus in the context of political and social milieu during the invasion of Babar.

Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh, who the RSS claimed would preside over the function, skipped the programme.

Heads of Nirmal and Namdahari sects, and leaders of other sects and faiths participated in the event. Union Ministers Hardeep Puri, Piyush Goyal, Harshvardhan and Vijay Sampla, and BJP leader Subaramanium Swamy also attended the programme.

Rs 5,000-cr in bills pending as fiscal crisis deepens Perturbed over the precarious financial health of Punjab, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh took a review meeting of the Finance Department. With bills worth Rs 5,000 crore pending with the treasury and retirees still awaiting their dues, the government has almost come to a stand still. The results of the first five months of the fiscal were discussed, it was found that the fiscal deficit has touched Rs 3,455.24 crore, with the state’s revenue receipts being just Rs 17,529.25 crore and expenditure touching Rs 21,582.63 crore. If the government were to clear the pending bills, the revenue deficit would be much higher, the CM was informed.

Amarinder is learnt to have issued directions to the Finance Department

to come up with a concrete proposal for resource mobilisation without burdening the common man by November 4. With the grants-in-aid and contribution from the Centre just trickling in, Punjab is facing one of its worst financial crises ever.

The state has been availing its ways and me ans advances limit, and last month had to face the ire of its employees a s p ay m e nt of even salaries got delayed.

Till August 31, Punjab received just Rs 1,453.67 crore as grantsin-aid and contribution from the Centre, as against Rs 6,678 crore the state should get this fiscal. This is just 21 per cent of the aid, even though half the year is now over.

INDIA

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Australian mega-mine owned by Indian goes ahead Australia, the world’s largest exporter of coal and iron ore, is no stranger to big mining projects. Even so, the controversial Carmichael coal mine, which breaks ground this month, stands apart in terms of scale.

By the time it begins operations in 2020, the mine, located in remote central Queensland, will be the largest the country has ever seen, and one of the biggest in the world, stretching 45km in length. At peak capacity, the site could produce up to 60 million tons of coal annually, an output 6-12 times greater than most existing Australian mines.

Adani Mining, the Indian business giant behind the US$16.5 billion development, estimates that it will extract 2.3 billion tons of coal over the mine’s 60-year lifespan.

Most of the fuel will be exported to India, requiring the construction of a 189-km rail line to connect the mine to Abbot Point, Australia’s most northern coal port.

The state and federal governments have sold the project to the public as a huge economic windfall for a region beset by joblessness and economic stagnation.

In Townsville, the region’s largest urban center, unemployment last year rose above 13 percent, more than double the national average. India’s Adani aims for coalmining premier league “There will be jobs right across the state, this project will deliver those jobs,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in June, after Adani announced it had finalized its involvement in the project.

The Adani Group, an Indian conglomerate led by self-made billionaire Gautam Adani, claims the mine will create 10,000 jobs and generate US$17 billion in taxes and royalties for state coffers over its lifespan.

Queensland’s Department of State Development has estimated that construction alone will generate $259 million in direct and indirect economic benefits annually, with production pumping another $350 million into the state economy.

The project, however, has been plagued by controversy almost from the moment it received preliminary approval from the authorities in Queensland, the country’s third-most populous state, in 2014. Several court challenges, aimed at protecting vulnerable species and indigenous land rights, have unsuccessfully tried to derail the development.

There have also been nagging questions about the economic viability of the mine amid declining coal prices worldwide, despite the rosy predictions of politicians.

Industry consultancy Wood Mackenzie last year estimated that Australia’s coal exports, its second-biggest earner, would plunge from 210 million tons in 2016 to 135 million tons in 2035.

25

Arrest warrant against Hardik for skipping court hearing Digging up a 2015 case, the Visnagar court today issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel and another reservation agitation leader Lalji Patel, convener of the Sardar Patel Group (SPG).

Both Hardik and Lalji have refused to respond to the BJP’s moves to invite them to join the party and instead have declared publicly that they would work for the defeat of the ruling party for its refusal to accept the demands for reservation benefits for the “Patidars”.

26

INDIA

Congress keeps alliance options open in Gujarat Trashing opinion polls that shape up, the party are giving an edge to the BJP also questioned the timing of their in poll-bound Gujarat, the Congress today said saffron release, on the forces stood isolated in the eve of declaration of state elections. state and a larger political and social unity was emerging “Alliances and against the BJP. combinations Anand Sharma and Ashok Gehlot, Congress are yet to emerge “The BJP stands party general secretary in-charge of Gujarat comprehensively isolated and here we have in Gujarat. No one wants to go with them,” channels declaring victory for the BJP. This Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot is a clear attempt to influence voters,” Gujarat said today moments after the Election Congress president Bharat Sinh Solanki said.

Commission announced the poll schedule “We are in talks with the Vasava faction of the for the state. The Congress acknowledged JD-U. The Samajwadi Party has contacted us it was keeping all coalition options open in and the NCP has also connected. OBC leader Gujarat and would forge alliances. Attacking Alpesh Thaore is already part of us,” Solanki Gujarat opinion polls on grounds that these said. The BSP has now contacted the Congress discounted alliance equations that are yet to and is likely to fight all seats in the state.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Modi congratulates Xi, hopes to promote India-China ties Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping for securing a second term as the head of the ruling Communist Party, saying he looked forward to further promoting IndiaChina ties together.

“Congratulations to President Xi on getting re-elected as CPC General Secretary. Look forward to further promoting India- China ties together,” Modi said in his message on popular Chinese microblog Weibo which is akin to Twitter. Xi was formally handed a second term in power and his doctrine was written into the party constitution, elevating him on par with modern China’s founder

Chairman Mao Zedong and his successor Deng Xiaoping.

Modi’s message comes amid diplomatic efforts by the two sides to overcome the bitterness caused by the 73-day face-off between their troops in the Dokalam area of the Sikkim sector. The Chinese and the Indian troops were engaged in a standoff since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the construction of a road by the Chinese Army.

Last month, Modi and Xi met on the sidelines of the 9th BRICS Summit in Chinese port city Xiamen and held their first substantive bilateral meeting after the Dokalam standoff and agreed to move forward in their ties.

Surgeon suspended for issuing medical certificates to cops on flimsy grounds The Goa government has suspended a senior surgeon attached to its South District hospital for allegedly issuing medical certificates to policemen on flimsy grounds to avoid important and emergency duties.

Senior surgeon Dr Anil Rane has also been accused of giving medical certificates to foreign nationals for granting overstay or extension of stay in India. Goa health department’s under-secretary Maria Seomara De Souza on October 12 issued an order suspending Rane. The department has also handed over the matter to the directorate of vigilance for further investigation.

The India Reserve Battalion, a wing of Goa Police, had brought to the department’s notice that medical certificates of sickness were being issued on flimsy grounds by Rane to various police personnel attached to avoid important and emergency duties.

Swaraj seeks information from UP govt on Swiss couple attack report Swiss couple attacked in Fatehpur Sikri; 5 held

Swiss couple is being treated after they were attacked by five youth while visiting a tourist site.

A young Swiss tourist couple was attacked by five youths during their visit to Agra’s Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh, India, leaving them battered and bruised, police said on Thursday. All five have been arrrested, police said, adding prima facie three of the suspects appear to be minors. Following the intervention of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the brutal attack on a Swiss tourist couple on October 21, the Uttar Pradesh government has registered a case against four unidentified people. Taking cognisance of the media reports the union minister has sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh government. A couple from Lausanne, Switzerland, were harassed, chased and attacked with stones and sticks by a group of ruffians in Fatehpur Sikri leaving them with bruises and fractures. “My officers will reach them in the hospital,” said Swaraj’s tweet.

Later in the evening, police said three of the assailants have been nabbed, while efforts were on to track down the fourth person. Instead of helping the badly-injured couple crying for help passersby took photos and videos denting India’s, especially UP’s image as a safe tourist destination. The horrifying news has hit the headlines just when CM Yogi Adityanath is visiting Agra to promote the city and its monuments.

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FIJI

Saturday, October 28, 2017

We will work together and that work begins today - New Prime Ministrer of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern addressed the hundreds of supporters who turned out for her first speech to the public after being sworn in as Prime Minister of New Zealand.

In a standup with media after the speech on Parliament’s steps, breaking tradition of the usual post-Cabinet press

Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern

conference, she said she felt humbled and extraordinarily privileged at the turnout.

She said they will be a government for all New Zealanders.

Fiji Revenue and Customs Service reoports that majority of businesses don’t pay tases Shocking statistics have been released by the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service as a number of businesses, companies, trusts, estates, and partnerships have not been filing their tax returns to Revenue and Customs. Chief Executive Officer Visvanath Das says while 341,251 wage and salary earners in the country are paying their income taxes as required because their taxes are deducted at source by the employers, many companies and businesses are not doing the same. He says this is really unfair as the salary earners are paying their tax dues. Das has revealed that there are 43,196 active businesses in Fiji however only 22,303 of these businesses are filing tax returns. This means that only 52% of the businesses in the country are filing tax returns. There are 10,386 active companies in the country and only 5,648 or 54% of the companies are filing tax returns. For Trusts and Estates, there are 5,313 of them in the country however only 800 are filing returns. This is only 15% of the total active Trusts and Estates in Fiji.

The same goes for partnerships - where there are 4,009 active partnerships and only 600 are filing tax returns. This is 15% of the total active partnerships in Fiji. Das hopes all these taxpayers will comply as they would prefer voluntary compliance.

He says if this is not done, then these taxpayers will face up to 300% in penalties. Revenue and Customs has also revealed that only 3% of the total revenue collected by Revenue and Customs in the 2016/2017 financial year was from all the

supermarkets in Fiji. Das says the tax collected from the supermarkets was $43.65 million out of the total revenue collected by Revenue and Customs which amounted to $1.5 billion.

He says this cannot be the true and actual tax to be paid by the supermarkets as everyone in the country buys goods from the supermarkets and a 3% tax income is clearly understated. However, this is now being addressed with audits underway.

The first supermarket chain has been handed a tax bill of $53 million and they have made arrangements to pay their dues in installments.

Audits continue for three other supermarket chains. There are 794 supermarkets in the country and the VAT Monitoring System will be installed in all supermarkets from 1st January 2018. Audits are also underway in the construction industry.

Despite the construction boom after Cyclone Winston, only $114 million in taxes came from the construction industry which is 7% of the total amount of taxes received by Revenue and Customs.

There are 985 registered construction companies in the country. It has been revealed that a random check saw a company that secured a 1 million dollar contract for the Cyclone Winston rehabilitation work was declaring its income for the year as $250,000. The company under-declared it’s income by $750,000 to avoid taxes.

Das says the companies have to comply or face the consequences.

There are 527 millionaires in Fiji, however, this number could be much higher There are 527 millionaires in Fiji, however, this number could be much higher as some individuals are not fully declaring their total income. This has been confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service Visvanath Das. Das says the high wealth individuals are rated as those earning $1 million or more in a year.

Visvanath Das 334 of these people are business owners while 193 people are salary earners. evade taxes.

He says Revenue and Customs is also focusing on the high wealth individuals earning more than $1 million and not fully declaring their total income in a year.

Das is also calling on people to come forward and assist them with documentary evidence if they know of anyone who is under-declaring their income to

Consumer Council applauds the conviction of Singh’s Curry House The Consumer Council of Fiji has applauded the conviction of Singh’s Curry House in Suva for their unethical business practices. CEO Premila Kumar says the most common issues that the council has received are complaints about mismatches between displayed prices and prices shown on receipts. She says with only the receipt price as evidence, there is no other evidence with regards

to what the display price was. Kumar says after discussions take place between the consumers and the cashiers the shelf price appears to be changed once the Council conducts investigations. The CEO has urged people to take photos of the shelfprices as evidence and lodge complaints to help with the council’s investigations.

Free Bird Institute concerned with increase in number of its foreign students being robbed The Free Bird Institute in the western division is concerned with the increase in the number of its foreign students being robbed around Lautoka and Nadi.

Free Bird Institute Ltd Chief of Operations Mereseini Baleilevuka says about twenty students have been robbed so far and it is unfortunate that these innocent students are being targetted.

Baleilevuka says their students are in Fiji to

study English and become a part of the community and people should always welcome them with our Fijian hospitality.

A march was held last week in partnership with the Tourism Ministry and Police to raise awareness about the issue.

More than 15,000 students from 29 different countries have graduated from Free Bird Institute since it was established in 2015.

Two new programs for USP WITH the conclusion of the University of the South Pacific’s 85th Council meeting held in Nadi yesterday, two new programs have been instituted for the university. These include the Diploma of Hospitality Management: Events, Food & Beverage and Front Office (Level 5) and the Diploma of Culinary Arts and Management (Level 5) .

Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Rajesh Chandra also told the Council of the good progress on the increasing number of international accreditations and recognitions received by the University. “USP now has 24 programmes internationally accredited and eight recognised out of which five accreditations and four recognitions

were received since the last Council meeting in May in Majuro, Marshall Islands,” Professor Chandra said. He also highlighted that the University had exceeded its Strategic Plan (2013 - 2018) target for international accreditations and recognitions. A statement said the Council approved the Annual Plan for 2018, with total income of $204.5 million with a total expenditure of $196.7million, and an operating surplus of $7.8million. It also approved the proposal for one-off additional contributions of $3millionh from member countries to fund the increased activity and key priorities during 2018.

The next Council meeting will be held in Nauru towards the end of May 2018.

Leadership roles vacant The positions of 24 heads of clans and 134 heads of landowning units within six districts in Bua are vacant. According to presentations made by district representatives of Wainunu, Kubulau, Solevu, Navakasiga, Nadi and Vuya to the Bua Provincial Council, another two positions were vacant.

Altogether, 160 traditional titles in the six

districts were deemed as vacant without any new incumbents. Speaking during the Bua Provincial Council meeting on Wednesday, Wainunu district representative Jale Sigarara said this was of great concern. Mr Sigarara said these positions need to be filled to give people a sense of direction and leadership.

Police amend teenagers’ charge over sex video Police have issued a statement saying there is a correction to the charges laid on two students who are allegedly involved in a sexual assault case that went viral on social media. “The first accused, a 17-year-old has been charged with one count of abduction of a girl below the age of 18 years and one count of defilement between the age of 13 - 18 years of age,” said Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro.

“The second 17-year-old accused has been charged with only one count of trafficking of obscene publication.” A statement issued earlier this morning had said the first accused had been charged with one count of rape while the second accused, also a 17-yearold had been charged with one count of rape and one count of trafficking of obscene publication.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, October 28, 2017

National Aaccountability Bureau (NAB) issues arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif National Accountability Bureau on Thursday issued arrest warrants against ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in corruption charges related to Panama papers case. The court had indicted Sharif, his daughter Maryum Nawaz and son-in-law Safdar Awan on October 19 after National Accountability Bureau, the country’s anticorruption bureau, filed references related to properties in London.

The former PM was also indicted separately in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, the two other corruption references. All three accused, however, pleaded not guilty. Sharif ’s sons, Hassan and Hussain, were also named as coaccused in the charge sheet. While Sharif ’s counsel, Khawaja Haris, filed an application that his client should be exempted from the trial hearings owing to his wife’s illness.

Hafiz Saeed’s name not on list of terrorists handed over by US: Foreign Minister Asif banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz has carried out a number of kidnappings and Saeed’s name was not on a list of 75 terrorists attacks against US interests in Afghanistan. the US had handed over to Pakistan, Foreign The group is also blamed for several attacks Minister Khawaja Asif said. Saeed, who against Indian interests in Afghanistan, carries a $10 million bounty on his head for including the 2008 bombing of the Indian his role in terror activities, has been under mission in Kabul that killed 58 people. The US, Asif said, had made a habit of house arrest in Pakistan since January this year. Asif told senators during handing over lists of wanted people to Pakistan, which traded them for a session of the parliament’s upper favours - a matter that needed to be house that the US has “handed over debated. a list of 75 terrorists while we gave He said the US had been told them a list of around 100 terrorists.” that Pakistan no longer had The list was passed on during the visit influence over the Afghan Taliban of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Hafiz Saeed as it did in the past. “Neither are we to Pakistan on Tuesday. “The Haqqani network is on the top of the (US) supporting them (Afghan Taliban), nor do list but none of the terrorists are Pakistanis,” they need our help,” Asif said. “Somebody Asif told senators. Saeed, a Pakistani citizen, else is sponsoring them now,” he added, headed the JuD which was listed as a foreign without elaborating on it. Asif asserted that many of the key Taliban names were now terrorist organisation by the US in 2014.

The JuD is the front for the banned shadow governors in Afghanistan or no Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit which is longer alive. During his meeting with the responsible for numerous terror attacks in Pakistani leaders, Tillerson renewed the US India, including the Mumbai terror strike of demand for tough action against the Afghan 2008. The Afghan-based Haqqani network Taliban and the Haqqani network.

Eradicate terrorism within Pak soil: Tillerson tells PM Abbasi US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday bluntly told Pakistan’s top leadership that it must increase efforts to eradicate terrorists operating within the country. Tillerson arrived here on a whirlwind visit to reset bilateral ties strained after President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorist groups.

During his meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Tillerson discussed the bilateral US secretary of state Rex W. Tillerson (left) flew to Islamabad, where he cooperation and partnership, met Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (right). expanding economic ties to eradicate militants and terrorists operating between the US and Pakistan, and Pakistan’s within the country.”

To address those critical role in the region. Abbasi chaired an concerns, the Secretary outlined the United inter-agency meeting attended by Foreign States’ new South Asia Strategy and the vital Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister role that Pakistan can play in working with Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Defence Khurram the US and others to facilitate a peace process Dastigir Khan, Foreign Secretary Tehmina in Afghanistan that can bring stability and Janjua, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar security to the region, the embassy statement Javed Bajwa, ISI chief Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar said. “The Secretary noted that Pakistan and and other officials. The US embassy here said the United States share common interests in that the Secretary reiterated President Trump’s establishing a stable, peaceful Afghanistan”. message that “Pakistan must increase its efforts

US worried about Pak govt’s stability: Tillerson Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday the United States was concerned that extremist groups pose a threat to the “stability and security” of the Pakistan government. Tillerson, who arrived in New Delhi late Tuesday after a frosty reception in Islamabad, said the US was worried that too many extremist groups were finding safe havens inside Pakistan from which to launch attacks on other nations. “Quite frankly my view — and I expressed this to the leadership

of Pakistan — is we also are concerned about the stability and security of Pakistan’s government as well,” he told reporters in New Delhi. “This could lead to a threat to Pakistan’s own stability. It is not in anyone’s interests that the government of Pakistan be destabilised.” Tillerson’s visit to Pakistan came months after President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of harbouring “agents of chaos” who could attack US-led NATO forces in neighbouring Afghanistan.

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FRUITICANA

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Making a point

Domestic bliss Mallika Sherawat seems to have given up on her acting aspirations. She turned 41 on October 24 and cut a vegan cake in Paris with rumoured French beau Cyrille Auxenfans.

Bollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sex siren, who made a splash with her 17 liplocks in Khwahish (2003), is enjoying a quiet life in Paris. She has enrolled for French cooking classes and rustles up meals for Cyrille. This is when she is not travelling to exotic locations, sharing fitness tips for an hour-glass figure, writing about the benefits of going vegan or posting sultry snapshots on social media. Not much time left for acting then.

Ready to welcome Thalaiva Yesterday, Amy Jackson, Akshay Kumar, AR Rahman and Rajinikanth attended an event in Dubai, ahead of their film 2.0â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music launch at Burj Park today. Rahman will perform live at the

event. Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best known landmark, the super-tall Burj Khalifa, will be lit up with Thalaivaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image to make Shankarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sci-fi thrillerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s audio launch a mega event for Thalaivaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fans.

Bad is the new good Supriya Pathak will be seen in a negative role on the upcoming show Ikyawann, which is set in Ahmedabad. The actor played a grey role in Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ramleela (2013) which won her acclaim and awards. She is set to repeat her vitriolic act playing the matriarch.

Margarita With A Straw (2014) actor Sayani Gupta detests being politically correct. The actor has never shied away from giving her opinion, especially on womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issues. She was part of a short film, When Girls Say No, It Means No. Sayani is yet again making a point in a music video, Make It Happen, in the context of the #MeToo campaign, encouraged by Hollywood actor Alyssa Milano in the aftermath of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. She hopes to encourage people who are suffering in life and need a ray of hope to move on.

The next step With Kaalakaandi, her outing with Saif Ali Khan in limbo, Sobhita Dhulipala is focussing on her next Geetu

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Bollywood

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Fantastic four for Vicky

‘I’d walk to the door with a knife’

After missing from the big screen in 2017, actor upbeat about four releases next year MOHAR BASU mohar.basu@mid-day.com WITH a bleak 2017 behind him, Vicky Kaushal says he’s now looking forward to an inspiring year in cinema. “I have [Rajkumar Hirani’s] Sanjay Dutt biopic, Raazi and Love Per Square Foot in my kitty. Filmmakers are finding me promising and are allowing me to hone my craft,” Kaushal tells mid-day. In fact, the actor has also been signed on for Uri, a film based on the 2016 surgical strikes conducted by Pakistan on India.

Before that kicks-off, Kaushal has the release of Meghna Gulzar’s Raazi to look forward to. The film pairs him with Alia Bhatt for the first time. “Alia is talented. Having been in the industry for only a few years, she has played certain roles terrifically.”

Kaushal is currently devoted to a passion project, a play titled 36 Ghante, which will be held tomorrow. “The actors will learn of their co-actors, the script and director only 12 hours prior to the show.”

Scarred after a troll turned up at her doorstep to cause harm, Sunny bats for stricter action against cyber bullying SONIL DEDHIA sonil.dedhia@mid-day.com THE growth of social media has encouraged individuals who are reckless with expressing their opinion.

Celebrities, both in India and abroad, have spoken up about being bullied on networking platforms, with actor Sunny Leone now deciding to actively take on trolls.

Leone, who has been a victim of cyber stalking, has joined hands with the NGO, Akancha Against Harassment, to fight cyber harassment and online abuse. A particular event, she recalls, was one among those that spurred her decision. “Someone threatened me, telling me he’d come to my house to cause harm.

Daniel [Weber, husband] was not in the country, and I was frightened, because I was living alone. I would hear noises outside my house and walk towards the door with a knife in my hand,” Leone tells mid-day.

She recalls that a social media user,

with a sizable fan-following, had also spewed hatred on her, and arrived at her doorstep.

“He started banging on my door. That his Twitter followers had also bullied me, made me fear that a mob would turn up and break into my house.”

The incident left Leone distraught, and urged her to install cameras outside her home. “We changed our house later, but this incident still affects me.”

Cyber stalking and harassment is a pertinent issue that needs to be addressed. “Young girls and boys go through depression because they are bullied. Many even end up committing suicide. I don’t know if this will end, but, we can create awareness about it.

We need to help them,” she says, urging people to keep from experimenting with games like the deadly Blue Whale challenge.

‘Young girls and boys go through depression because they are bullied.

Many even end up committing suicide’

Irrfan gets into action mode

The acclaim received for his last film, Hindi Medium, has reiterated that there is a draw towards cinema that is driven by good stories, not superstars. The shift, Irrfan Ahead of shoot of Sapna Didi, actor to prep for few months for fight sequences says, is long overdue. “The audiexecute, I will allot certain dates three films a year, which gives me ence has demanded for variety.

MOHAR BASU mohar.basu@mid-day.com They want to see a [film like] ahead of shooting. It will depend ample time between each. I will Baahubali, as well as Golmaal. on the final draft, which is cur- use some of that to get in shape They have experienced what CASTING director Honey Trehan’s rently being scripted. I will devote for this film.”

The Vishal Bhardwaj proit is like to witness good condirectorial debut, Sapna Didi, will a few months to get myself physitent due to the growth of see Irrfan as an ally in an attempt cally prepared. Usually, I work on duction is based on investigavideo streaming platforms, to execute underworld don, Dative journalist-turned-author and expect world-class enwood Ibrahim. “My character has Hussain Zaidi’s book, Mafia tertainment from us. If shades of grey, but playing the part Queens Of Mumbai, co-auBollywood can’t live up to will be an enthralling experience,” thored by journalist Jane it, Hollywood and rethe actor tells mid-day.

Borges, but Irrfan points out gional cinema will take Irrfan’s role will require him to that it will not be an adaptaover. The audience is dictatpull off a fair share of action setion. The film will pair him quences, yet the actor doesn’t seem with Deepika Padukone for ing their terms. You can’t sell perturbed. “Depending on the the second time, after Piku garbage behind the face of Deepika (2015). superstars.” amount of action that I will need to Padukone

‘My character has shades of grey, playing it will be an enthralling experience’

Oct

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ITTEFAQ *ing: Barun Sobti , Shahana Goswami, Vishal

Nov

03

GHOOMKETU *ing: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadda

Saturday, October 28, 2017 Story: The Movie Ribbon is an upcoming Indian drama film which is directed

by Rakhee Shandilya in her debut feature film. It stars the actress Kalki Koechlin and actor Sumeet Vyas in the lead roles. The film Ribbon is revolving around the complexities of the todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s couples and how the people have steadily evolved in times when the technology is overpowering the humans.

Cast: Kalki Koechlin is an Indian actress and also a writer of the French descent. Apart from acting in the films, she is also a regular presence in the theatre productions in the country. She is an acclaimed actress in the Indian film industry for her unique body of the work.

Sumeet Vyas Sumeet Vyas is an Indian actor and also a writer. He is wellknown for his role as Mikesh in the popular web series called Permanent Roommates. He has also acted in some of the Bollywood films in the supporting characters. He has worked in the movies like Guddu Ki Gun, Parched, and Aurangzeb.

Hitesh Malhan Hitesh Malhan is an actor. He is well known for the upcoming film called Ribbon in the year 2017.

Crew of the film Rakhee Sandilya is an Assistant Director and then turned to be a director. She is the Assistant Director of the documentary called Main Auror.Right in the year 2014. Her debut film is the upcoming movie called Ribbon in the year 2017.

Swathi Mondal & Prakash Mondal (The producers of the film) Swathi Mondal & Prakash Mondal is some Indian producers.

Both of them are associated with the upcoming Hindi movie called Ribbon in the year 2017.

Sagar Desai & Mikey McCleary (The music Directors of the film) Sagar Desai is a well-known Music Composer of the upcoming movie called Ribbon in the year 2017. Some of his notable films in which he scored the music are Bheja Fry in the year 2007, AnkhonDekhi in the year 2013, Mithya in the year 2008 and Bheja Fry 2 in the year 2011.

Mikey McCleary is a wellknown Music composer of the upcoming film called Ribbon in the year 2017. Some of his movies in which he scored the music are Kahaani in the year 2012, Margarita with a Straw in the year 2014, Nautanki Saala! in the year 2013 and Shaitan in the year 2011.

Trailer

Bollywood

Ribbon: Movie review, cast, crew, and story

3

4

Saturday, October 28, 2017

IT’s RICHA SHARMA this Saturday, October 28th at BELL CENTRE in Surrey !

A

fter winning almost all of the United States and Metro Toronto, the RICHA SHARMA juggernaut is finally making the long awaited stop at Surrey’s BELL Performing Art Centre on Saturday, October 28th and her fans are obviously delighted.

Billed as ‘An Evening of Soulful Music ‘, the ‘ Sufi Queen ‘ will regale the audiences with her popular bollywood numbers , geet , ghazal , qawwali , devotional & sufi compositions that have made

her the darling of masses & classes around the world. Accompanied by the young emerging voices of PARAS MAAN & PRITHVI GANDHARV and very dedicated band members , the concert promises to be an eye opening experience for music lovers and as per Richa , it’ll be remembered for a very long time. Tickets at $35,45,55,65,75 & 100 are available at Kamal’s Video Palace,Surrey at (604)592-9777 / (604) 833-1977or visit www.vtixonline. com & www.kvpentertainers.com for more information. Sufi Queen RICHA SHARMA Live in Vancouver !

5

Bollywood

Saturday, October 28, 2017

RARE OUTING Considering he prefers the quiet of Alibag to the madness of Mumbai, it’s refreshing to spot Akshaye Khanna in the city. Long time, no see

LOST IN THOUGHT? Attending an event with Mandira Bedi, it’s hard to tell if Rahul Bose is deep in thought or yearning for some shut-eye

Rani Mukerji Emraan Hashmi

g out to andez callin rn Fe e n li e u q ey offer her Is Jac hope that th e th in rs e k e say filmma bout time, w A s? le ro l a ti substan

SISTER ACT Every bit the protective elder sister, see how Deepika Padukone won’t let go of Anisha’s hand. Aww...

JUST IN

6

Bollywood

Saturday, October 28, 2017

BOLLYWOOD PERSONALITIESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; BIRTHDAYS

ASIN OCTOBER 26

ROHIN KAPOOR OCTOBER 28

DILIP TAHIL OCTOBER 30

VIKRAM GHOKALE OCTOBER 30

7

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Bigg Boss 11 Bigg Boss 11: Even Hina Khan and Arshi Khanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drama canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t save Salman Khanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show from having bad ratings!

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is a closer look at the TV ratings of the first three weeks of Bigg Boss 11 Salman Khan, Kriti Sanon, Tamannahh Bhatia come together for B-townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-Diwali bash and it is a splendid affair Salman Khan celebrates early Diwali with Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and other Bollywood celebs Bigg Boss 11: Hina Khan and Benafsha Soonawalla cut their birthday cake together on the first day in the house Bigg Boss 11: Hina Khan, Hiten Tejwani, Vikas Gupta, Shilpa Shinde to be a part of celebrity brigade on the show Bigg Boss 11 began with a bang on October 1 with 18 contestants â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hiten Tejwani, Hina Khan, Shilpa Shinde, Bandgi Kalra, Benafsha Soonawalla, Arshi Khan, Sapna Choudhary, Puneesh Sharma, Luv Tyagi, Sabyasachi Satpathy, Mehjabi Siddiqui, Akash Dadlani, Vikas Gupta, Luv Tyagi, Sshivani Durgah, Jyoti Kumari, Priyank Sharma and Zubair Khan.

Popular faces, controversies, nasty fights, mud slinging, personal attacks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the eleventh season has it all. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being hailed as the most controversial season of all times. But, the BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council of India) data for the first three weeks of October paints a completely different picture. You will be shocked to know that the

ratings for the show have only dipped since its premiere. It managed to grab the tenth rank in the urban markets just once in the three weeks it has aired. The show hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even once featured on the list of top 20 shows in the rural category.

Missed the last episode of Bigg Boss?

Here are all the highlights of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most controversial reality show Bigg Boss 11 which

BJST PO $PMPST t #JHH #PTT TUBSUT XJUI UIF romantic song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tip Tip Barsa Paaniâ&#x20AC;?. t 4IJMQB UFMMT )JOB UIBU "LBTI JT HPPE BU heart and he is just pretending to be a bad POF t "STIJ TBZT UIBU )JUFO IBT CPUI UIF â&#x20AC;&#x153;gharwaaliâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;baharwaaliâ&#x20AC;?. t "STIJ DPNQMBJOT UP )JOB BCPVU MJDF BOE Hiten scares Arshi with the lice.

t #JHH #PTT BTLT GPS UIF XPSTU QFSGPSNFS in the task. t 'JWF DPOUFTUBOUT WPUF GPS #FOBGTIB and eight for Pooja. t )PVTFNBUFT EJTDVTTFT BCPVU UIF UBTL and the worst performer. t #FOBGTIB BTLT 1PPKB JG TIF JT PLBZ t 1PPKB EPFTO U SFTQPOE UP IFS BOE HPFT to the washroom for crying. t #FOBGTIB HPFT UP %IJODIBL 1PPKB GPS apologizing to her but she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t listen to her. t %IJODIBL 1PPKB HFUT VQTFU XJUI everyone. t "LBTI USJFT UP DPPM IFS EPXO XJUI IFS rap. t 4IJMQB USJFT UP UBML UP 1PPKB CVU 1PPKB doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t listen to her. t #JHH #PTT BTLT )JOB UP HJWF UXP NPSF names who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t perform well in the IPVTF t "LBTI "STIJ BOE 1PPKB HFUT nominated for the jail. t 4BCZBTBDIJ BOE )JOB HFUT NBE XJUI Pooja for her rude behavior with Shilpa. t %IJODIBL 1PPKB TJOHT IFS TPOH JO UIF KBJM XJUI "LBTI t +ZPUJ DPQJFT %IJODIBL Pooja. t 4BQOB DBMMT )JOB UP UIF LJUDIFO BOE shows her the mess created by Bandgi in the kitchen. t #JHH #PTT HJWFT %IJODIBL 1PPKB a chance to win their luxury budget back by composing a good song with the help of Akash and Arshi. t #JHH #PTT HJWFT 4BQOB B UBTL i4BQOB ,J Adalatâ&#x20AC;? in which Hina has to fight for her position as a captain with the housemates. t )JOB TUBOET JO CBMVTUSBEF BOE IPVTFNBUFT ask Hina some questions.

8

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Žī Ğƌ ĞdžƉŝƌĞƐ EŽǀĞŵďĞƌ Ϭϰ

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Saturday, October 28, 2017

FARM and SPICE Sabse Fresh, Hamesha!

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10

Classifieds / Jobs

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Saturday, October 28, 2017

South Asian Seniors

Congestive Heart

Dr. Kapil Bhagirath Cardiologist on 29th October 2017 from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm.

Vedic Seniors Parivar Center of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults / Senior members and nonmembers also to attend a powerful Presentation on

Heart Failure and Heart Attack

by Dr. Kapil Bhagirath MD Cardiologist on 29th October 2017 (Sunday) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC. You will be able to ask Heart related questions after the presentation, Dr. Kapil Bhagirath will answer your questions in between 3.00 pm to 3.30 pm. Tea and light snacks will be served to all in the end. Please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss this opportunity to attend, the Heart Specialist is coming to listen to you all and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need an appointment. Project funded by Government of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Horizons for seniors Program for Hindi speaking seniors.

Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator at 604 - 507 - 9945 for further information.

Garden Light Festival at Bear Creek Park Bear Creek Park, 13750 88 Ave Date & Time: November 8 to November 9, 2017 5:00 PM 8:00 PM The City of Surrey and Telus PureFibre invite you to come on out for some free family entertainment!

The trails and the trees will be illuminated for two nights this year.

Grab a hot drink, make a lantern and prepare to be wowed as you wander through an ever changing display of colours!

Activities include face painting, photo booth, lantern crafts, illumination board and food trucks.

and dress for the weather rain or shine (extreme weather exceptions).

Community Tree Plantings Join us in your local parks as we grow Surreyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s urban forest Plant trees and shrubs to help create wildlife habitat, improve air quality and make Surrey a more beautiful place for all of us.

Bring your family, fridens everyone is welcome to volunteer No experience needed; tools, training and light refreshments provided. Dress for the weather and wear close-toed shoes.

Sat, October 28 11am - 1:30pm Hazelnut Meadows Community Parks RSVP by e-mailing environment@surrey.ca

Community / News

11

12

Saturday, October 28, 2017

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Vol. 8 No. 39 - Saturday - October 28, 2017

Tel: 604-591-5423

E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com

$021* 723 62/' 723 /,67(' 723 '2//$5 92/80( ,1 )95(%

Vancouver’s detached homes edge toward buyer’s market as condos favour sellers Condo and townhouse sales in Vancouver are firmly in a seller’s market, while the market for detached homes is edging toward a buyer’s market, new figures from The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver suggest.

In September, the sales-to-activelistings ratio was 14.6 per cent for detached homes, 42.3 per cent for townhomes and 60.4 per cent for apartments, according to the REBGV. “Downward pressure on home prices does occur when the ratio typically dips below around 12 per cent for a constant period,” said Jill Oudil, board president.

'PS JOTUBODF UIBU DPVME NFBO during a particular month there are three sales for 25 active listings.

“When there is a downward pressure on prices, it becomes more of a buyer’s market,” she said.

The opposite happens with upward pressure on prices and the creation of a seller’s market, when the ratio stays above 20 per cent for several months, the REBGV said.

“I think it’s just a bit of a changing market right now,” Oudil said, adding more house hunters are looking at condos and townhomes due to affordability issues, which reduces the number of people looking for detached homes.

The MLS Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Metro Vancouver was $1,037,300 in September, up 10.9 per cent compared with a year ago.

The demand for condos and townhouses helped push the number of sales in September 13.1 per cent above the 10-year historical average for the month. There were 2,821 homes sold in the region last month, according to the board — up 25.2 per cent from 2,253 in Sept. 2016.

Detached homes made up 30 per cent of last month’s sales.

Sales slipped 7.3 per cent from the 3,043 homes sold in August.

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14

Real Estate

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Real Estate

Saturday, October 28, 2017

BC announces legislation to close fixed-term rental loophole BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s provincial government has announced legislation to close what has been dubbed a major loophole affecting renters in the province.

Critics say the loophole allows landlords to bypass rent controls by having residents sign a fixed-term lease with move-out clauses. At the end of each term, tenants must either move out or sign a new lease at a reassessed market rental rate. In places like Vancouver where the rental market is especially tight, that new market rental rate can be hundreds of dollars higher, exceeding what would be allowable under the Residential Tenancy Act for the same tenant. BC Housing Minister Selina Robinson said the new legislation would protect the rights of renters who have

been left open to â&#x20AC;&#x153;unfair and unjustified rent increases.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;By closing this loophole, renters will know theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to stay in their homes without the threat of skyrocketing rents,â&#x20AC;? Robinson said.

I f passed, the legislat ion w o u l d restrict a l a n d l o r d â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to use a vacate clause in fixed-term tenancy agreements and limit r e n t increases between fixed-term tenancy agreements for the same tenant to the maximum annual allowable amount (currently two per cent plus inflation). The province says the new rules will apply to both new and existing tenancy agreements.

House price up 3% in past 12 months, CREA says Vancouver prices are bouncing back sharply, with the average selling price in the city up more than 17 per cent to $1,046,982. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Greater Vancouver area, in particular, is once again showing signs of heating conditions with sales up strongly and prices nearing record levels,â&#x20AC;? TD Bank economist Michael Dolega said of the CREA numbers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Still, we expect rising mortgage rates will take some steam out of this market given the affordability pressures, with slower price growth on the horizon.â&#x20AC;? One year on, Vancouver house prices are on fire again Realtors brace for the end of the housing

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15

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

market boo Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still a little behind on that path as average prices in the Greater Toronto Area are still digesting Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rules changes. The average selling price in the city has risen by just over four per cent to $785,099. Prices in the GTA seem to have peaked, in the short term, around May. Nationally, the average price of a Canadian home sold last month was $487,000. If Toronto and Vancouver are stripped out, that figure drops to just above $374,500. i'VSUIFS UJHIUFOJOH PG GFEFSBM SFHVMBUJPOT aimed at cooling housing markets in Toronto and Vancouver risks creating collateral damage in markets elsewhere

16

Garry Grewal

Saturday, October 28, 2017

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