The Asian Star May 30 2015 by The Asian Star Newspaper

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Issue 18 Saturday, May 30, 2015

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Over 2000 die in Indian heat wave as roads melt

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he nationwide death toll on Friday rose to 2005 as the intense heat wave continued to sweep many parts of the country, with Palamau in Jharkhand recording the highest temperature of 47 °C and reports of roads melting around the country. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which bore the brunt of the scorching sun, together accounted for 1979 deaths. The two states saw the death of 205 people since yesterday — 156 in Andhra Pradesh and 49 in Telangana. In Odisha, the Special Relief Commissioner’s Office received reports of 108 deaths allegedly due to sun stroke but it confirmed only 17 deaths related to heat and said 70 other cases were under investi-

Sikh who used turban to help injured child gets surprise reward

Sikh man in New Zealand who removed his turban to aid a boy struck by a car received worldwide praise — and then an unexpected bonus. The Good Samaritan, Harman Singh, said he “wasn’t thinking about the turban” when he saw that a child was bleeding on the ground following an accident outside his home in Auckland on May 15. “I was thinking about the acA Sikh man places his turban cident and I under the head of an injured child just thought, ‘He needs something on his head because he’s bleeding.’ That’s my job — to help,” Singh, 22, said in an interview with the New Zealand Herald. Singh removed his turban and used it to stem the bleeding — especialContinued on page 7

gation. Gujarat has reported 7 deaths and Delhi two deaths due to heat. Heat wave conditions

also continued in many other states, including Delhi, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Palamau in Jharkhand was the hottest place, recording 47 °C. Bhawanipatna in Odisha saw the temperature of 45.5 °C, while Kota in Rajasthan saw the heat of 44.6 °C followed by 43.9 °C in capital Jaipur. Delhi recorded 42 °C, while Punjab and Haryana also saw temperature in the range of 40-44 °C at most places. Andhra Pradesh, the worst hit state, reported 1,490 deaths.

Girls walk along a road on a hot Friday in India

Two Indian origin kids tie as US spelling bee champions

he two co-champions of the US national spelling bee are sharing a trophy, marking the second year in a row the contest ended in a tie. Vanya Shivashankar, 13, is a five-time competitor of the bee, and her sister won in 2009. Gokul Venkatachalam, 14, nearly won last year. Paige Kimble, the bee’s executive director, was shocked to see another tie. She had predicted another half-century would pass before it happened. Ms Kimble said she was impressed by both winners, but was sure a word would trip one of them up at some point. That never happened during the contest, held at a convention centre outside of Washington, DC and aired by sports network ESPN. The two sailed through the 25 words

Vanya Shivashankar, 13 and Gokul Venkatachalam, 14

reserved for the final three spellers without stumbling. “Scherenschnitte”, the art of cutting paper into decorative designs, was Van-

Continued on page 6

Now Canadian citizenship can be revoked

he Federal government says it now has the power to revoke the citizenship of some Canadians convicted of terrorism, treason or espionage. A controversial new law, first introduced last June, went into effect on Friday.

The Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration says there are several serious crimes that could result in dual citizens losing their Canadian status. The ministry says it would revoke citizenship for Continued on page 6

2 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

suspected occultist beheaded a five-year-old boy in a ritual sacrifice in northeastern India before being lynched by angry villagers, police and relatives said on Friday. The father of the decapitated youngster said his son, Sanatan Bag, had

Indian boy, 5, beheaded in child sacrifice to Godess ‘Kali’ been enticed into the home of Nanu Mirdha who then butchered him as an offering to the Hindu goddess of power, Kali, in front of a makeshift temple. “Sanatan was lured with chocolates by the sorcerer Nanu Mirdha to a

temple where he sacrificed him by beheading him in front of the altar,” Sajan Bag told local television channels in the state of Assam. After Sanatan’s body was found in a pool of blood on Thursday night, villagers then

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turned on and killed Mirdha, according to the police chief for Assam’s Sonitpur district.“We are investigating if it was a pure case of occult practice or personal rivalry that led to the incident,” said Sajukta Parasar. While the overwhelming majority of Indians practice mainstream religions, there are occasional reports of human sacrifices in rural areas such as the remote and impoverished northeast of the country.

Christian beheads jihadist in Syria revenge killing

Syrian Christian fighter has beheaded an Islamic State group (IS) militant to avenge people “executed” by the jihadists in northeastern Syria, a monitor said on Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the incident took place on Thursday in Hasakeh province, where IS holds large areas of the countryside. According to the monitor, the Christian fighter, a member of the minority Assyrian community, found the jihadist in the local village of Tal Shamiram. “He took him prisoner and when he found out he was a member of IS, the Assyrian fighter beheaded him in revenge for abuses committed by the group in the region,” Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The Observatory is based in Britain but has covered the Syrian conflict since it broke out four years ago thanks to a network of sources inside the country. The Christian was fighting in the ranks of Kurdish forces who earlier this month drove IS out of more than a dozen Assyrian villages the jihadists had captured in Hasakeh. IS has carried out a wave of abuses in areas it controls in both Syria and Iraq, including public beheadings, mass executions, enslavement and rape.

Local

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 3

Surrey to cut down hundreds of Green Timbers trees to make way for LRT

he City of Surrey plans on removing hundreds of trees from Green Timbers Urban Forest to clear the way for a proposed light rail transit line that will run along Fraser Highway. A report that went to council this week outlines the city’s plan to widen Fraser Highway between King George Boulevard and 148 Street. The project will make room for two additional lanes of traffic, an LRT line, a bike path, a sidewalk and drainage ditches. “Right now there is no shoulder to walk on and cycle, there is no sidewalk in the area and we have no light rail,” said Surrey’s parks manager Owen Croy. “When this goes ahead, there will be environmental and health benefits from the actual transportation improvements and we will see no net impact on the actual forest.” In the 1980s, Surrey voters decided in a referendum to declare

Green Timbers a protected urban forest. However, the city made sure planners would eventually be allowed to widen Fraser Highway. “They left some very wide road allowances, so even though they may have some trees on them, they’re not part of the dedicated urban forest,” Croy said. Green Timbers was clear cut nearly a century ago and a replanting effort started in the 1930s. “Green Timbers is unique,” said Jim Foulkes with the Green Timbers Heritage Society. “I compare

it to Stanley Park in Vancouver, Central Park in New York and Central Park in Burnaby. You couldn’t convince any of these large cities to give up their parks, so why should we give up our park?” Foulkes said he isn’t opposed to an LRT line on Fraser Highway, but he doesn’t understand why the city needs to add an additional two lanes of traffic.

An overhead view of the area map

Street racing suspected in late-night South Surrey crash

late-night crash in South Surrey that sent four teens to hospital Tuesday

had “lots of potential for fatalities,” police say. And investigators suspect street racing is behind why a Honda Accord ended up wedged beneath the trailer of a semi truck. The crash occurred around 11:40 p.m. at the intersection of 176 Street and 16 Avenue. Surrey RCMP Cpl. Scotty Schumann said witnesses reported seeing two westbound vehicles that appeared to be racing just before the crash occurred. The Honda and what is believed to have been a Toyota Camry were travelling “in the same direction at a high rate of speed,” Schumann said. As the lights turned green for southbound traffic, a semi entered

the intersection, but stopped when the driver saw the two cars approaching. The first car narrowly missed the truck and continued westbound; the Honda slammed into it. The

jaws of life were needed to extract the occupants – the 16-year-old driver and her three 18-year-old passengers – who were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The truck driver was not injured. The crash

is under investigation by officers with Surrey RCMP’s Criminal Collision Investigation Team and the Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit.

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Advocate for private medical care elected

.C. doctors have elected one of the country’s strongest advocates for private health-care options to lead their professional organization. Dr. Brian Day (pictured) , who co-owns the Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver, was elected yesterday to take over as president of Doctors of B.C. — formerly known as the B.C. Medical Association — in 2016. The vote was hardly an overwhelming show of support for Day — only 20 per cent of the roughly 10,000 eligible doctors voted, and Day beat his closest opponent by just one vote. Day said he isn’t impressed by the poor turnout and said doctors need to get more involved in shaping the health-care system. “Doctors need to be involved in elections and need to be involved in designing the health-care system that we need for the future.” That future includes letting people pay to use private clinics if waits in the public system are too long, Day said. “In my specialty of orthopedics, we have over 150 unemployed young orthopedic surgeons who can’t get a job in Canada, and yet the biggest wait lists are for orthopedic surgery,” he said. “This is the kind of nonsense government monopoly has produced.

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4 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

EDITORIAL

Irfan Sabir is only South Asian in the new Alberta gov’t

nly one South Asian is in the new NDP government in Alberta He is Irfan Sabir, the Minister for Human Services. Thousands of Albertans

packed the Legislature Grounds for the swearing-in ceremony of Premier Rachel Notley and Alberta’s first NDP Cabinet last Sunday. This marked the first time in 44 years that a

party other than the Progressive Conservatives were sworn-in to office and the event felt more like an outdoor festival than a protocol-ruled govIrfan Sabir ernment ceremony. The hot weather, live music, free ice cream, food trucks and wading pools helped contribute to this atmosphere, but there was an unmistakable feeling of excitement and optimism in the sea of onlookers. This crowd was cheering for Alberta. Along with serving as Premier, Notley is also responsible for the Ministry of International and Intergovernmental Relations, a double role that her predecessors Ralph Klein and Jim Prentice also took responsibility for. The three other incumbent NDP MLAs, Brian Mason, Deron Bilous and David Eggen, were appointed to senior roles and first-term Edmonton MLAs Sarah Hoffman and Lori Sigurdson were also named to cabinet. The new 12-member cabinet has an equal number of women and men, and while half of its MLAs represent Edmonton constituencies, ministers from rural Alberta, Lethbridge and Calgary have been given important responsibilities. Former Calgary Alderman Joe Ceci is Finance Minister and Treasury Board President, Calgary-Buffalo MLA Kathleen Ganley is Justice Minister, Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips is Environment Minister, Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley MLA Marg McCuaig-Boyd is Energy Minister, Whitecourt-Ste. Anne MLA Oneil Carlier is Agriculture and Forestry Minister, and Calgary-McCall MLA Irfan Sabir is Minister of Human Services. The new cabinet held its first meetings in Calgary on May 27 and 28.. The Speech from the Throne will be read by recently appointed Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell on June 15.

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Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 5

LOCAL

6 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

Now Canadian citizenship can be revoked Continued from Page 1... anyone found guilty of terrorism, trea- the way in which the new law could be apson and high treason, and spying for a plied to certain high-profile cases. When foreign government. The rules would also they were first announced, the official opapply to dual citizens who take up arms position New Democrats extracted a promagainst Canada by fighting in a foreign army ise from the government that the new rules or joining an international terrorist organi- would not be used to target Egyptian-Canazation. The new law has met with strong dian journalist Mohamed Fahmy, who was public criticism, and two Ontario lawyers then a dual citizen. Fahmy was convicted have already launched a court case arguing of supporting a terrorist group in a wideit is unconstitutional.Immigration Minister ly-denounced trial held in Egypt and was Chris Alexander argued the new rules are originally sentenced to seven years. The Al meant to confront what he described as the Jazeera television producer later gave up his “ever-evolving threat of jihadi terrorism.” Egyptian citizenship in an unsuccessful bid “Our government knows that there is no to be deported back to Canada and is curhigher purpose for any government than to rently undergoing a new trial on terrorism ensure the safety and security of its citizens charges. and we have never been afraid to call jihadi In a letter to Prime Minister Stephen terrorism exactly what it is,” Alexander said Harper, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair argued Friday at an event in Toronto. He said the that Fahmy’s case highlighted the risks inchanges to the Citizenship Act will ensure herent in the new legislation. In October, that “those who wish to do us harm will Toronto-based lawyers Paul Slansky and not be able to exploit their Canadian citi- Rocco Galati launched a constitutional zenship to endanger Canadians or our free court challenge against the new law. Federal and democratic way of life.” Court Judge Donald Rennie has yet to rule Critics have expressed concerns about on the case.

The new Maharaja of Mysore is a 23 year old graduate from USA

A 23-year-old economics graduate from the University of Massachusetts has been crowned the new maharaja of Mysore, titular head of the 600-year-old Wadiyar dynasty in southern India. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar was anointed at an elaborate ceremony lasting nearly two hours. It was conducted by more than 40 priests across 15 temples spread across the Mysore Palace grounds. He succeeds his grand uncle Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. Srikantadatta Wadiyar, who died in December 2013, was childless and did not name an heir, but his widow Pramodadevi Wadiyar adopted Yaduveer Gopalraj Urs, a

relative, at a ceremony in February. After his coronation, the maharaja became known by his full title, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar. “It was quite a spectacle. This was enormous and certainly beyond expectations,” Michael Ludgrove, curator of the Royal House of Mysore, told BBC Hindi following Thursday’s ceremony. “All sections of society were here, including the representatives of the people,” he added. The crowning ceremony was attended by more than 1,000 guests from India and abroad, including former Indian prime minister HD Deve Gowda and Karnataka state Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah.

India’s economy surges by 7.5%

ndia’s economy grew 7.5% in the three months ending in March, higher than the previous quarter and above expectations. It means the country has outpaced China’s economic expansion for two quarters out of the last three. Forecasts were for growth of about 7.3% for the period compared with a year earlier. However, the country adopted a new way of calculating growth, which some experts say distorts the real picture. The country’s annual growth for the year 2014-15 was 7.3%. Despite the robust growth numbers, India’s government and its businesses are hoping the country’s central bank will move to cut lending rates again soon to give the economy a further boost. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has already cut its benchmark lending rates twice this year, but left its rates unchanged in April. The government revised down India’s growth for the period October to December 2014 to 6.6%, compared with the same pe-

riod the year before. Its previous figure was 7.5%. But it also now says growth between July and September was 8.4% rather than the 8.2% earlier stated. Economists have warned the data needs to be treated with caution since changes were made to theThe country’s new way of calculating GDP has baffled analysts since its release earlier this year. India said the new formula is closer to international standards. But analysts have said the new data do not correlate with other economic indicators, including industrial and factory production. Shah, India economist at Capital Economics said: “The economy is not as strong as the GDP numbers might suggest. “The numbers should not have any bearing on policies and both the central bank as well as the government should look at other activity indicators. “For example, auto sales have dropped sharply this year, while bank lending growth had slowed to rates not seen in over a decade.” Indian Prime Minis-

Transit cops guilty in assault of a sky train passenger Vancouver Transit Police officers Const. Bruce Shipley and Const. Alfred Wong have been found guilty of assault on SkyTrain passenger Jordan Dyck (pictured). The officers physically assaulted and pepper-sprayed Jordan Dyck at Granville SkyTrain station in February 2012. Judge Reg Harris told the court that video evidence presented did not show Dyck as aggressive or hostile, but that Shipley and Wong used “significant force” against him, despite Dyck not being a threat to of-

ficer safety. The judge also said that had charges originally suggested by Transit Police progressed, Dyck could have been wrongly convicted. Shipley and Wong were initially charged with assault, but following an investigation by the Vancouver Police Department, charges of public mischief, breach of trust, and fabrication of evidence, in addition to the original assault charges were added. Both Shipley and Wong were charged in August 2013 and have been on paid administrative duty since.

Lebanese man with Canadian passport charged with having materials for explosives in Cyprus

Lebanese man with a Canadian passport has been detained on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus after a large quantity of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, which can be turned into an explosive when mixed with other chemicals, was found in his home, reports say. The 26-year-old, who has not been named, appeared in court Thursday and remanded for eight days, according to the Cyprus Mail. The hearing was held behind closed doors for national security reasons. “This is a case which pertains to the security of the state and public disclosure could possibly adversely affect those interests,” a public prosecutor told the judge, Reuters reported. Two tonnes of ammonium nitrate —

stored in 67,000 packages in 420 boxes — was found in the suspect’s home in the southern town of Larnaca, along with 10,000 euros in cash, the Cyprus Mail reported. It is not known what the materials were to be used for. “No one can yet say whether this case is connected with a possible planned terrorist act or not,” Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou was quoted as saying. ‘No one can yet say whether this case is connected with a possible planned terrorist act or not’ The suspect, who denies owning the ammonium nitrate, arrived on the island a week ago using a Canadian passport, according to the newspaper. He was escorted to court by police and sat emotionless in a grey T-shirt and jeans in court, the newspaper said.

LOCAL

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 7

Sikh who used turban to help injured child gets surprise reward Continued from Page 1... cially significant because in Sikhism, a turban is an article of faith and usually removed only in the privacy of the wearerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home. A passerby who witnessed the scene snapped a photo of Singh cradling his turban under the boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head at the scene of the accident. The photo of the act of kindness went viral and led a local television news outlet to interview him at his home. The One News TV crew returned after a few days to prepare a second report about how Singh was handling his newfound fame â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but they also had something else in mind. After the first report aired, viewers noticed that the business studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, which he shared with

a roommate, was bare of furniture save for plastic chairs and a simple mattress on the floor. During the second interview inside his home, the reporter asked him if he wanted to furnish his house one day, to which he replied that he would. The crew then brought Singh outside, where a local business owner surprised him with a set of new furniture. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank you. Thanks a lot. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very happy,â&#x20AC;? a visibly moved Singh said in response, prompting the reporter to tears as well. In the video, Singh is shown inside his living room as couches and coffee tables are unloading around him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the biggest surprise of my life.â&#x20AC;?

Two Indian origin kids tie as US spelling bee champions

Continued from Page 1...

anyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final world. Following Vanya, Gokul nailed his final word, which determined whether he would be a co-champion or lose: â&#x20AC;&#x153;nunatakâ&#x20AC;?, a hill or mountain surrounded by ice. sharing the title. Before last year, a tie had not happened since 1962. The winners continue on with the 10-year-streak of Indian-Americans snagging the spelling bee champion title. Asked how she was feeling after the contest, Vanya said she was dedicating the win to her grandmother, who had passed away a few years ago. She hopes

to become a cardiac surgeon. Gokul hopes to attend Stanford University and become an entrepreneur or stockbroker. The two winners will receive more than $37,000 (ÂŁ24,000) in cash and prizes. Eleven million spellers entered local bees hoping to qualify for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contest. Only 285 make it to the national bee. The bee may have to get more challenging in coming years, Ms Kimble said. The event has become so popular and competitive that winners sail past the toughest words.

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8 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

The community rallies together to raise funds for PICS multicultural seniors’ long term care home

The head table – (from left) Minister of Employment and Social Development Pierre Poilievre, PICS CEO Charan Gill, BC Minister of Justice and Attorney General Suzanne Anton and Moe Sihota.

PICS staff member Jagtar Dhalwial (fifth from left) with prominent members of the South Asian community at the event.

urrey BC – Over $100,000 was raised at Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society’s gala event for their multicultural long term care home project. The event was emceed by Shachi Kurl, Sr. VP Angus Reid Institute and the key note speaker for the evening was Minister of Employment and Social Development, Pierre Poilievre. Over 700 guests including politicians, Suman Sargam Music School presenting a cheque of $6,000 to business leaders and community mem- CEO Mr. Charan Gill. bers from all walks of life were present at the event which included a stellar line up of entertainment. The event began with the singing of PICS theme song ‘Giving Back’, composed specially for the event by local songwriter and singer Lowry Olafson in collaboration with PICS staff. He was joined on the stage by seniors at PICS Assisted living facility, a few PICS staff members and CEO Charan Gill. This was followed by a speech by senior PICS seniors, staff and volunteers along with local singer and songwriter Lowry Olafson singing the PICS theme song for the project “Giving Back.” Saroj Sood and a cheque presentation by Suman Sharma of Suman Sargam dance school who donated proceeds from her Mother’s Day variety entertainment function to PICS long term care home. Mr. Gill in his speech thanked the entire community for standing firm with the society as it has now embarked upon yet another project of building the much needed multicultural seniors long term care home. Minister of National Defense and Minister of Multiculturalism Jason Kenney, in a recorded message praised PICS and the work it has been doing for new Canadians and seniors. He specially mentioned CEO Charan Gill and his decades of visionary leadership to the community and to Canada. Also, showcasing support for the project was BC Minister of Justice and Attorney General Suzanne Anton who was introduced by former cabinet minister and past president of BC NDP, Moe Sihota. Minister Anton acknowledged that there was a need for a multicultural seniors home where seniors battling multiple aging issues could live in a comfortable environment familiar to them. Minister Poilievre, on behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said the government fully supports PICS multicultural long term care home project. “On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, I congratulate PICS on the great work they are doing,” said Minister Poilievre. Magic show and fire dance arranged by Surya Studios, kept the audience engaged and entertained throughout the evening. There was also a picture booth by Pixstar and wine tasting booth set up by Desert Hills wine. Desert Hills wine also donated around 80 bottles of red wine for the event. The event organized at Aria Banquet Hall was decorated tastefully by Lux Affairs and looked resplendent in Mardi gras colours. Thanking all the donors, staff and volunteers Mr. Gill said, “I am humbled by the trust that the donors have shown us. I can assure them that this project when built will be something that they will be proud of for generations to come. I also want to thank all PICS staff and volunteers for tirelessly working towards making this event successful,” said Mr. Gill. PICS multicultural long term care home will be built in central Cloverdale, the land for which has already been acquired. You can continue to donate for the cause by calling 604-596-7722 or on PICS website www.pics.bc.ca. List of notable pledges/donations at the Gala fundraiser event for PICS Multicultural Long Term Care Project. 1.Bruce Kehler - $25,000 2.Bernie Simpson (Simpson, Thomas and Associates ) - $10,000 3.Mamta Foundation - $5000 4.Gurpal Virk - $5000 5.Krishna Syal - $5,000 6.Dr. S S Deol - $1,000 7.Param Boparai -$1,000 8.Schmunk and Associates - $1,000 9.Surjeet Kaur - $1,000

LOCAL

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 9

Christy Clark has turned her back on middle-class families, claims NDP

hroughout the spring session of the legisla- dollars on failed IT projects and faulty trans- for $43 million below its value. Meanwhile, line towers. Prime development real Clark refused to repeal a policy that claws ture, Premier Clark showed she is mission H1_FFH_Asian Star_A_JrPg:Layout 1 09/03/15 11:19 AM Page 1 estate in Coquitlam was sold in a fire sale back maternity benefits from families receivonly looking out for her wealthy and powerful friends, making life more expensive for young people, seniors and working families in B.C. “The premier’s budget made it clear who is important to her and who isn’t,” said John Horgan, leader of B.C.’s New Democrats. “She gave the wealthiest two per cent a big tax cut they didn’t even ask for, and ™ stuck everyone else paying more through MSP, ICBC, tolls, fare hikes, and hydro bills.” Clark kept her promise to cut taxes for the wealthy, said Horgan, but blew off her promise to find every British Columbian a family doctor by 2015, and blew off her promise to fund a settlement with school teachers. “Premier Clark is certainly a friend to the big multinational corporations who want to buy B.C.’s natural gas as cheaply as possible,” Horgan said. “But she’s no friend to the people of British Columbia, who actually own that gas. Bargain basement prices weren’t enough; she also rigged the system so she can negotiate in secret. That’s just wrong.” New Democrats exposed hundreds of millions in waste and mismanagement during the spring session. The premier’s pet project, the Auditor General for Local Government, squandered more than $5.2 million. B.C. Hydro wasted hundreds of millions of

ing disability payments, effectively pushing children into poverty. “The Liberals have forgotten who they work for,” Horgan said.

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NDP renew calls for health firings pubic inquiry LNG royalty agreement casts doubt on B.C. election promises: Critics Gas royalty scheme should ‘outrage British Columbians’: Green party Province to sound out motorcycle noise complaints in B.C. Premier Christy Clark was urged once again to launch a full public inquiry into the controversial firing of eight health employees, one who later took his own life, on Wednesday. In Victoria, NDP MLA Adrian Dix publicly released the full, unredacted version of lawyer Marcia McNeil’s investigation in the 2012 Oil and gas profits declined by 128% to start 2015, Statscan says Profits at Canadian companies fell six per cent in the first three months of 2015 to $75.4 billion, Statistics Canada said Thursday.

It’s the second consecutive quarterly decline, down from 9.1 per cent in the last three months of 2014. Twelve out of 22 industries the data agency monitors made less money. Profitability in the financial industry held up fairly well, only dropping by 0.2 per cent to $19.7 billion.

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10 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

LOCAL

Cultural fusion grips Vancouver, Surrey at City of Bhangra

his year’s City of Bhangra festival kicks off this weekend, featuring a host of unlikely collaborations and unique events for people throughout Vancouver and Surrey over the next 10 days. The term bhangra, a style of folk dance from the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan, has evolved through this festival to encompass a movement of bringing people together through music and celebration. Now in its 11th year, a major theme of this year’s festival is cultural collaboration and innovation. According to festival organizer Anita Lal, each event will showcase a new side of Punjabi music. “We want to give the artists a chance to experiment,” Lal said, “and to take bhangra and put it in places where it typically isn’t seen.” This year’s festival will include performances of unexpected combinations of art forms, such as Finnish band, Shava, which plays Finnish folk songs to bhangra beats. Hardeep Sahota, director of the Royal Bhangra Academy in Surrey, will be working in collaboration with Shot of Scotch, a highland dance group. “We are creating a piece with highland dancers and we’re going to come up with different music and beat matches, with moves in the form of their dance and our dance,” Sahota said. A Punjabi hip-hop artist will use the festival as a platform to screen his documentary about the deep-rooted connection between Punjabi folk music and hip-hop, with live accompaniment by a dhol drum master. For full festival schedule information visit www.vibc.org.

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 11

Aloha Mind Math Canada’s second annual competition

loha Mind Math Canada (Advanced Learning of Higher Arithmetic) held its second National Competition last Sunday in Surrey. About 130 children, between the ages of five and thirteen, participated in the math competition to solve as many of seventy questions as possible in five minutes using mind math or the abacus! Public was invited after the competition, with Chief Guest MP Jinny Sims in attendance. MP Sims gave a speech of encouragement to the children, highlighting the benefit of the mind math program and handed awards to this year’s champions. Provincial Minister of Education, Peter Fassbender, did not attend but sent his greetings to the Aloha Mind Math children and promised hand signed certificates to this years winners. Explaining the difference between Aloha and other math tutoring programs, children of

various ages and various levels were brought on stage to perform a live demonstration of the math skills attained through the program. Children as young as 5 years old, who had only been attending the Mind Math Program for as little as three months, performed math mentally and answered questions quicker than a calculator; showing some of the life-long benefits of the Aloha brain development program, where the child learns to be independent, organized and self-reliant. The program not only enhances a child’s math skills, it positively impacts the child in all areas, in all subjects, even in extra curricular sports activities. This is because the Aloha method allows complete brain development, exercising both the left and right sides of the brain. Aloha students therefore benefit from greater concentration, attention, creativity, listening, observational skills, memory, spatial orientation, self-confidence, and

MP Jinny Sims with some of the winners critical thinking; all of which are essential for successful academic performance. Created in 1993 by Mr Loh in Malaysia and today having a presence in over 33 countries across all 6 continents, Aloha today has over 4 million students who have completed the short, threeyear program. To find out more about the program please visit www.alohacanada.ca

Cancer cases projected to rise 40% in 15 years as population ages

ew cancer cases are expected to increase by about 40 per cent by 2030 as the population ages and grows, the Canadian Cancer Society says. The society released its annual cancer statistics on Wednesday to provide long-term predictions on the burden of the disease. An estimated 277,000 people a year will be diagnosed with cancer by 2030. “We are going to have a dramatic increase in the number of Canadians who are being diag-

nosed with cancer,” said Robert Nuttall, the cancer society’s assistant director for cancer control in Toronto. “This is really a reflec-

tion of our aging and growing population.” About 89 per cent of all new cases are diagnosed among Canadians over the age of 50

Top 25 under 25 honoured by Surrey Board of Trade

he Surrey Board of Trade has released the names of the winners of its 25 under 25 awards, an evening that celebrates bright youth The fifth-annual Top 25 Under 25 Reception celebrates the initiatives of Surrey’s youth 25 years and younger. The 25 winners were chosen based upon their business or community achievements, leadership ability and community involvement. They were recognized on May 28, from 5:30–8 p.m. at Eaglequest Golf Course, at 7778 152 St. The winners are: • Amanbir Atwal, 19, of Young Transforming Society • Angus Lin, 17, of Think Forward, Think Recycling • Calvin Tiu, 22, Frontiers Poeticss, KPU’s Rap Outreach Project • Deepak Sharma, 20, of Simon Fraser Student Society and #WESAYES FOR TRANSIT • Ekam Nagra, 21, of Ball Don’t Stop Basketball • Felicia Rafael, 23, of Beneath One Sky Commuter Support Society • Gloria Yu, 16, Junior Team Canada Ambassador / SDC Blue Ribbon Foundation / Fraser Heights Model UN Conference • Jaskirat Sahni, 17, Girls Empowered • Jeremy Pearce, 23, Transit Watch

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LOCAL

12 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

BC Liberals doing a bad job on housing: Poll

staggering 71 per cent of British Columbians think the provincial government is doing a “bad” job handling issues of housing, poverty and homelessness according to a new poll from Insights West. The online survey, conducted in partnership with Business in Vancouver, asked 801 voters to rate Premier Christy Clark and the BC Liberals on a variety of issues, including education, health care and public safety. The government scored the lowest in categories of housing and government accountability, both with mere 15 per cent approval ratings The highest ratings were in public safety and the economy with 34 per cent and 32 per cent approval, respectively. Despite dropping in most categories, the Liberals’ voting numbers are still competitive according to Mario Canseco, vice president of public affairs at Insights West. “It doesn’t necessarily suggest that change is

at hand,” said Canseco, “They haven’t had a fantastic six months. There has been a lot of controversy, but nothing really drastic in order to suggest that their numbers are going to drop dramatically.” In order to tip the scales in their favour for the next election, Canseco said the BC New Democratic Party need three elements to go their way. “There needs to be a very high sentiment for change, an extraordinary approval rating for the leader of the party that is seeking to topple the government, and also the voting numbers. What they need to do now is talk about being the agents of change,” said Canseco.

Alberta teen accused of trying to join ISIS denied bail

Beaumont, Alta. teenager accused of trying to join the Islamic State has been denied bail. The 17-year-old, who cannot be identified, was arrested in the community south of Edmonton by the RCMP’s integrated national security enforcement team in March. He was ordered to undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment last month. Evidence presented in the hearing and the judge’s reasons for denying bail are covered by a publication ban. The teen was charged with trying to leave the country to fight with the Islamic State, an organization that controls a vast tract of territory in Syria and northern Iraq. He faces two charges: that he tried to leave Canada to commit an act of terror, and that he tried to leave the country to join a terrorist group. The charges accuse the teen of trying to

leave the country to commit “murder in circumstances that constitute terrorist activity.” The charges were added to the Criminal Code in 2013, as part of the Combating Terrorism Act. Michel Juneau Katsuya, a former senior intelligence officer at CSIS, says courts are now denying bail to people facing terrorism charges because some suspects may be prepared to kill themselves while committing an act of terror. “Allowing someone to go on bail could simply allow them to maybe commit that action so remaining in custody is probably a necessity for security,” he said. Juneau Katsuya feels Canada is finally treating terrorism allegations more seriously, especially after the murders of Canadian soldiers at the National War Memorial in Ottawa and in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

Don’t have $1 million: Hundreds attend affordable housing rally in Vancouver

randon and Cheyenne Williams would love to raise five-monthold Sydney in the Commercial Drive neighbourhood where they live near family, but housing costs pushed them to buy in Maple Ridge. “I’m not looking forward to moving out of here,” Williams said Sunday at an affordable housing rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery – the first he’s ever felt compelled to attend now that he’s faced with leaving the city he loves. He wants to see some sort of tax to discourage investors from buying homes and leaving them empty when families would love to live there, Williams said. His sentiments were echoed by a few hundred people at the busy rally organized by Eveline Xia, creator of the viral

#DontHave1million Twitter campaign to raise awareness young people’s struggle to stay in a city where the average single-family home costs $1 million. As people waved signs asking “where have all the families gone,” Xia called on all three levels of government to help locals stay as prices increase at “a pace that defies reason.”

Vancouver’s push for rental units isn’t truly affordable: NPA councillor

Vancouver councillor isn’t buying the city’s use of the word “affordable” to describe a monthly rent of $1,242 for a 450-square-foot studio apartment in East Van. As the city prepares to tweak its policy that encourages developers to build market rental apartment units that rent at the above rate, Non-Partisan Association Coun. George Affleck is questioning whether the program is actually delivering affordable housing. “There’s no true affordable housing being created here. That’s what they say it is, and it’s not,” Affleck told reporters after a council meeting on Tuesday. At issue is the program where the city waives development cost levies – money that goes towards facilities like parks – to encourage developers to build rental apartments instead of condos, which are often more profitable. In return, the developers promise to keep rents below a certain rate for the first tenants and maintain the units as rentals for 60 years or the life of the building.

The program resulted in a rental unit boom in the city, with 3,783 units being approved since 2010, a significant jump from the past decade. That supply helps renters in a city where vacancy rates hover around 0.5 per cent. “Rental housing is really the way people can stay in the city,” the city’s director of housing policy Abigail Bond told council, noting renting is cheaper than owning. Unlike renting from condo owners, who can quite easily boot tenants, the city argues that purpose-built market rentals

create stability in the rental system. The housing department wants to slightly alter the program to include badly needed three-bedroom units, Bond said. Of the existing 55,850 rental units, only 530 are three bedrooms – with a vacancy rate of 0.9 per cent, only about five are empty. Affleck agrees that more three-bedroom units are needed.

LOCAL

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 13

Komagata Maru 100 years later: Indian government sponsors events

hen Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited B.C. in April, he took time alongside Prime Minister Stephen Harper to remember a black mark in Canadian history. In a tweet depicting the two national leaders with a commemorative gift, a messag read “In remembrance of the Komagata Maru incident.” On May 23, 1914 a Japanese steamship called the Komagata Maru carried 376 men from Punjab, India who hoped to start a new life in Vancouver. Instead, the vast majority of them were not allowed to set foot in Canada, and were sent back to India. Now, more than a hundred years since those events, the Indian government is sponsoring a week’s worth of events in Metro Vancouver to commemorate the incident. “It was a major landmark event in not only Indo-Canadian history, but in the history of the Indian freedom struggle,” Ravi Shankar Aisola, the Consul General of India in Vancouver, said.

“The incident opened the eyes of many of what colonial rule actually was and was doing to India ... it inspired the revolutionaries and freedom fighters in India” Aisola will accompany the joint secretary of India’s ministry of culture, Pramod Jain, at seven events. He says it’s a celebration of the impact the Indo-Canadian community has had on the province since 1914. Apology seekers still upset In 2008, at a Punjabi cultural event in Surrey, B.C., Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized for the events surrounding the incident. “The government of Canada secured passage of the unanimous motion in the House of Commons recognizing the Komagata Maru tragedy and apologizing to those who were directly affected,” he said in front of the thousands in attendance. Immediately following his speech, a number of members of the Punjabi community took to the stage to announce they would not accept the apology due to the fact that it was not

Consul General of India Ravi Shankar Aiosla (middle) with NDP MLAs Harry Bains, Raj Chouhan, and NDP MP Jinny Sims presenting certificates of recognition to South Asian pioneers during events to mark Komagata Maru’s arrival. Photo by Chandra Bodalia.

Liberal-appointed Senator Jaffer slams Bill C-51 - even though Trudeau and his Liberal caucus support it

iberal leader Justin Trudeau and his caucus may have supported the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act, Bill C-51 in the House of Commons, but B.C. Liberal-appointed Senator Mobina Jaffer (pictured) will not follow suit. Jaffer, along with other independent Liberal senators, plans to vote against the legislation citing concerns about rampant information sharing between 17 government agencies, a lack of oversight of that information sharing, the ability of judges to issue warrants for preventative arrest and detention, and an overly broad definition of terrorism that could entangle citizens engaged in civil disobedience.

“This bill will not keep us safe, but is just a rhetoric that will divide us,” she said in an interview. “I want us to work together to keep each other safe.” Jaffer would not comment on Trudeau’s decision to support the bill, reiterating that, as an independent senator, she is free to vote how she chooses. “For me, being a Liberal, it’s very important that we protect our rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and I will fight to protect those rights,” she said. Despite opposition from many Liberal-appointed senators, Jaffer expects Bill C-51 to pass by the end of June without any further amendments.

376 men from India voyaged on the Komagata Maru that sailed from India to Vancouver.

given on the floor of the House of Commons. “An apology made outside of parliament by any political spokesperson, whether they’re the Prime Minister or any other Member of Parliament, is a political statement,” Amandeep Singh told the CBC. Singh is part of the Professor Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation, the group that arranged the Prime Minister’s visit in 2008. “It’s not a statement

from the Canadian government or has the same legal effect. What we’ve been asking for is an official apology given in parliament.” In a conversation with CBC last year, the federal Conservative Minister of Multiculturalism, Tim Uppal, said that as a Sikh, he has accepted the Prime Minister’s apology and encourages others within the community to do so as well.

LOCAL

14 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

St. Paul’s Hospital relocation upsets West End seniors

Cache Creek flood damage called ‘ unbelievable’ by Premier Clark

ustice Minister ton announced

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An-

Monday that residents can apply for disaster financial assistance. The government will pay 80 per cent of damage exceeding $1,000 to a maximum $300,000 to accepted claimants, but it won’t cover damage to yards and landscaping. The financial disaster assistance aid is available to homeowners, tenants, small business owners, farmers, charities and local governments who were unable to obtain insurance. Residents who plan to file claims must do so with Emergency Management B.C. by Aug. 24. “Oh, that’s fantastic,” said Mayor John Ranta in an interview on Monday. “There was no guarantee that the disaster financial assistance would kick in.” There are about 40 properties whose owners can apply for help from the

S province, but it could take weeks for the compensation to come through. “Certainly the teams at Emergency Management B.C. will be moving to get them their resources as quickly as they can,” Anton said. Cleanup underway Flash flooding pushed open the kitchen door to 68-year-old Barb Elmer’s home and filled the ground floor of her home with water and silt. “It’s hell,” she said. “I can’t eat, I can’t sleep,” she said, ankle

Providence Health Care says the facilities at St. Paul’s current location are ‘old fashioned”

t. Paul’s Hospital’s relocation is upsetting many West End seniors, who say they need to be able to walk easily to healthcare services. There was standing room only at a community meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss the hospital’s planned move from its Burrard Street location to the False Creek Flats. Freeda Elliott, one of many seniors who uses St. Paul’s, says the idea of shutting down the West End location is “just rotten.” “It’s a crying shame,” she says. “Us West End seniors need care and attention, not having to force us to go miles away to a new hospital. I think the province is wasting their money building something totally new.” Shelley Coppieters, who has been

diagnosed with leukemia and kidney failure, says the new location would be hard for her to reach from the West End. “It’s such a huge population in the West End ... and how are you going to transport people there?” she says. “It’s convenience [to have it in the West End] but it sort of kinda should be.” Planning geriatric services in the West End

The West End Seniors Centre says 25 per cent of the neighbourhood’s population is 55-plus, and it’s consulting with Providence Health Care to plan for continued care in the West End. Providence Health Care says the facilities at St. Paul’s are quite “old fashioned” and hearken back to the 1970s. Only 25 per cent of its patient rooms are single occupancy whereas the ideal is 100 per cent. Still, Dr. Janet Kushner-Kow says it’s important to hear the concerns of the community. “I can see how people would be very anxious,” she said. “Having your dialysis unit just five minutes away and having your clinics and emergency room where you can have easy access is a very legitimate concern and something we have to address.” Darlene McKinnon, chief clinical planning officer at Providence Health Care, says it recognizes it needs to find a solution for its senior population, but the new location would better serve Vancouver’s burgeoning population. The new building is expected to open on the 18.5 acre site by 2022 at a cost of $1.2 billion, assuming the business case for the project can be made. “It’s about population health planning, not buildings,” she said. “It’s really looking at what are the care needs across the continuum in the community ... and what is the best solution. It’s not just about the hospital.”

Accused killer appears in court 3 other teens charged with manslaughter

ordic died on a trip to Whistler. He was walking with friends around Whistler village when he became separated in the early hours of May 17, after going into a 7-11 to buy chips. As he left the convenience store, police say he was swarmed by up to 10 teenagers, and stabbed multiple times. Three other teens are also charged with manslaughter in Gordic’s death, but they are under 17, so must remain unidentified. Two were released on bail last week.

LOCAL

Vancouver teachers lose free parking spots

f all goes according to plan, teachers will pay to park on school lots starting Oct. 1. They’ll pay $15 a month for random and $35 a month for reserved spots, plus tax. The Vancouver School Board approved a parking implementation plan last September to offset the costs of maintaining district parking lots. Staff had hoped to institute pay parking last December. The parking plan was discussed at a VSB committee meeting Wednesday night and former VSB chairperson Patti Bacchus said staff are to respond to questions, mainly from teachers, at a future planning and facilities meeting. The school board trimmed more than $9 million to balance its 2014-2015 budget and faced a budget shortfall of $8.52 for 2015-2016. The VSB spends approximately $400,000 each year to maintain its parking lots, according to a September 2014 staff report. As part of the 2014-2015 budget, the board approved pay parking with the hopes of seeing a net revenue of between $225,000 and $340,000. The lower amount was included in the board’s 2015-2016 base operating budget. The VSB is to

Fixing FIFA not an easy goal

ribery, match-fixing, fraud — for years now, FIFA has played defence against allegations of corruption. But on Wednesday, soccer’s governing body was dealt arguably its most damaging blow, when Swiss authorities arrested seven high-ranking executives as part of a larger criminal investigation. People who have followed the legal action against FIFA in recent years say that the very nature of the organization has allowed it to operate with impunity for so long. And there’s no simple game plan to change that. “The problem is [FIFA’s] lack of accountability and that everything is out of the public eye,” says Roger Pielke, a professor at the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado at Boulder. On Wednesday, Swiss police, by request from the U.S. Department of Justice, arrested seven FIFA officials at a Zurich hotel. The executives, who include FIFA vice-presidents Jeffrey Webb and Eugenio Figueredo, are among 14 indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice on charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. The U.S. investigation alleges that the corruption played out over 24 years. The head of the IRS criminal investigation division called it “the World Cup of fraud.” Hours later, Swiss federal prosecutors opened criminal proceedings related to the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, respectively. Allegations of bribery have swirled around both bids for years.

provide three stalls per elementary school and six per secondary school for visitors. A working group of board management and principals helped develop the parking plan. Teachers were unable to participate due to job action. Support staff unions were only

able to attend initial meetings. EasyPark, which administrates parking at the school board office, will administer, operate and enforce parking. Staff at the school board office at West Broadway and Granville pay $65 per month. The board approved increasing its room rental rates, expanding its fee-for-print services and increasing existing parking rates and allowing for more monthly parkers in its 2014-2015 budget for a

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 15

Failed Sri Lankan refugee claimant gets reprieve

Sri Lankan man who arrived in B.C. aboard the cargo ship MV Sun Sea in the summer of 2010 and claimed refugee protection for fear of political prosecution has been granted a judicial review of his case in his fight to remain in Canada. Federal Court of Canada Justice James O’Reilly granted the review to Packiyakumar Pathmanathan after a panel of the Immigration and Refugee Board previously dismissed the man’s claim, saying his life would not be at risk upon return to Sri Lanka. The board accepted that Pathmanathan might be questioned for potential links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) but said he had not shown any association to the now defunct guerilla organization. Pathmnathan’s claim was based on the concern he would be perceived by Sri Lankan authorities that he was associated with the group and become a victim of cruel and unusual punishment in Sri Lanka. In his May 15 ruling de-

livered in Vancouver, O’Reilly wrote that the board did not cite any documentary evidence dealing with the treatment of passengers on the MV Sun Sea or the MV Ocean Lady, another vessel that brought refugee claimants to Canada from Sri Lanka. “That evidence showed that both Sri Lankan and Canadian authorities have accused passengers of having an association with the LTTE,” he wrote. “It is clear, even on the evidence cited by the board that persons suspected of having ties to the LTTE, including failed refugee claimants, face a risk of torture or mistreatment on return.” The evidence suggests, contrary to the board’s finding, that Pathmanathan would likely be questioned upon his return about a possible link to the LTTE, said O’Reilly, adding that “had the board considered the relevant evidence and still found a basis for dismissing Mr. Pathmanathan’s claim, its conclusion would merit considerable deference.”

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16 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

Kalgidhar Society fundraiser

LOCAL

Critics doubt value of real estate speculation tax proposed by Vancouver Mayor

The 6th annual Kalgidhar Society fundraiser took place on Saturday May 23th at Surrey’s Grand Taj Banquet Hall. Akal Academy Surrey students entertained the guests at the fundraiser (pictured above). Dr. Pargat Singh Bhurji shared the program Akal Academy Surrey has been providing to local Sikh Youth for last 7 years. The Akal University Guru Kashi first phase (650,000 Sq. ft) has been completed and classes will start in July 2015.

speculation tax on homes bought and quickly flipped would do little if anything to restrain Metro Vancouver’s rising real estate prices, according to some observers. Tsur Somerville, director of UBC’s Centre for Urban Economics and Real Estate, said he sees little sign of the kind of short-term speculation that has sometimes been rampant in the region. He said most properties are being held for considerably longer than in 2006, when condo buyers lined up for hours to get pre-sale assignments that might then change hands two or three times before the building was finished. A speculation tax was proposed last week by Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and condo marketer Bob Rennie. “It’s a weapon aimed at a problem that doesn’t seem to be in evidence,” Somervillle said. He and others note a speculation tax on short-term flippers

would do nothing to slow the buying of Vancouver-area homes by foreigners as a long-term safe haven investment. “A foreign investor isn’t necessarily a speculator,” Somerville said. “If that’s what we’re concerned about, this is not the tool to get at them.” He disputes that foreign cash is driving the market, apart from in select neighbourhoods. But real estate consultant and developer Michael Geller said he has “no doubt” foreign money is driving prices up, particularly that of detached houses. “Something definitely is not working at the moment,” Geller said. But he predicts a speculation tax would be ineffective and governments should instead start by cracking down on investors who dodge capital gains tax by falsely claiming an investment home is their primary residence. Geller said other tax options include reforming either the home owner grant to give resident owners a larger credit against property taxes, or adjusting the Property Transfer Tax to charge more when expensive homes change hands. “Maybe it should be a more finely tuned graduated scale there so if you’re buying a $5-million house it’s a larger percentage than if you’re buying an $800,000 house.” Finance Minister Mike de Jong told reporters the province will consider various options to address home affordability, but stressed the government will proceed cautiously. He cautioned that a five per cent drop in Vancouver property values could mean a loss of equity for families of $60,000 to $80,000. “You’ve got to be careful about having the state intervene to regulate pricing or depress pricing,” de Jong said, adding a reduction “will have consequences for a lot of families.” Other countries’ use of taxes to try to restrain home prices have largely failed to do much other than generate more government revenue, he added. NDP housing critic David Eby called on the province to begin to measure foreign ownership of B.C. real estate, adding he believes it’s a major problem. “What we need is evidence about speculation, not speculation about speculation, which can quickly lead to prejudice,” Eby said. “My concern is absentee investors – short term or long term – who don’t contribute to the community and just drive up values for their own profit. That is the core issue.” Eby said other mechanisms that could be considered include rebating a portion of property tax through a B.C. income tax credit, or imposing special taxes on owners of more than one property. Surrey Coun. Judy Villeneuve, who sits on Metro Vancouver’s housing committee, said fostering more rental housing should be the priority, adding the federal government could easily restore tax credits to foster purpose-built rental buildings. Geller noted condos have not actually risen very quickly in value in the Lower Mainland compared to the “astounding” rise of detached houses. According to real estate board statistics as of April, detached house benchmark prices are up 97 per cent in Greater Vancouver over the past 10 years, compared to a 55 per cent increase for condos over the same period. Real estate prices and affordability challenges ease considerably away from Vancouver, where reports predict a detached house will be increasingly out of reach for typical workers. “The only place in North America that has fewer people living in single family houses than we do is New York City,” Somerville said, predicting that trend won’t change. “Young families are going to be living in condos and townhouses unless they want to be living in Langley.” The cheapest market within Metro Vancouver is actually Maple Ridge. The typical detached house there sold for $488,000 in April – less than one fifth of the $2.5 million benchmark price on the west side of Vancouver.

LOCAL

Richmond won’t pursue bylaw on English-only signs

he City of Richmond has decided to steer clear of the controversial debate on Chinese-only signs and won’t be pursing a bylaw requiring English-only signage. “There will be no language bylaw that’s going to be invoked,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie after a council meeting on Monday. Council instead want staff to looks

into the merits of a de-cluttering initiative that would limit the potential percentage of window space that can be used for Chinese-language signs or posters. “This is a band-aid solution,” says Richmond resident Kerry Starchuk. She says English is often neglected on advertising in the city. Since last fall, council has been looking into whether a bylaw requiring English-only signs would be enforceable but was advised it would not stand up to a court challenge. “It’s a very soft approach and for an issue that started in 1996 ... I think they could have done a little better than what they did,” she says. “I want to be able to read my mail and other people to read their mail. I

Pattullo Bridge to close every night for 18 months

otorists will be left with few options after TransLink announced Thursday it would be closing the Pattullo Bridge at night for 18 months to undertake $100 million in major repairs starting next summer. Not only will the bridge be closed at night, but traffic during the day will be restricted to one lane in each direction. Heavy trucks with more than three axles will be prohibited and the sidewalk will be closed to pedestrians and cyclists for the duration of the rehabilitation. TransLink acknowledges many drivers will be forced to take the tolled Port Mann Bridge, the Alex Fraser Bridge or find alternate routes. “Pattullo Bridge users should start planning ahead and thinking of alternatives, such as using other crossings, transit, carpooling, or traveling outside of peak periods,” the authority said in a statement. TransLink says the bridge averages between 60,000 and 80,000 trips a day or about 28 million trips a year. In January 2009, a two-week closure of the bridge due to a fire caused traffic backups on the Port Mann Bridge, the Alex Fraser Bridge and at the Massey Tunnel. TransLink says the 78-yearold bridge, one of the oldest in the region, needs comprehensive deck rehabilitation and seismic upgrades to maintain its safety.

don’t want an exclusive community, I want an inclusive community”. Another Richmond resident Randolf Richardson is also troubled by council’s decision. “On a private property, people have the right to express themselves how they wish, target the demographic of their choosing,” he says. Mayor Brodie admits more work needs to be done. “I believe it’s just the start. It’s not the finish,” he says. “We have resolved all the issue have to work hard on cultural harmony.”

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 17

Adam Palmer takes over as new chief constable of Vancouver Police

d a m Palmer was

sworn in as the new chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department on Monday. He will be replacing Jim Chu, who is retiring after eight years in the job. More than a 1,000 officers were present at the ceremony, along with various politicians and dignitaries. The new chief of po- Outgoing Chief Jim Chu (right), new Chief Adam Palmer (left) andlice says he wanted Mayor Gregor Robertson (middle) at the handing over ceremony. to be a police officer Photo: Chandra Bodalia since he was a little absolutely elated. Once-in-a-lifetime opportuboy. Palmer was named police officer of the year nity.” Palmer’s family said they were happy for in 1994, but it wasn’t until 2010 that he says he him. “We are just extremely proud of him, he’s thought about leading the VPD. “I was always worked so hard to get where he’s at,” said his trying to do the best job I could, but I certainly wife, Bonnie Palmer. didn’t think I’d be chief of police,” he said. “I feel

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Toronto condo market getting better for renters

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new report by condo research firm Urbanation suggests Toronto’s condo market has become more renter friendly due to a glut of supply and shifting demographics. Although the number of units rented in the first three months of 2015 grew by 11 per cent compared with a year ago, the report says new listings shot up by 21 per cent as a slew of newly completed condo units came on

the market. Meanwhile, average rents grew at a slower pace and even declined in some neighbourhoods — perhaps a surprising development in a city where the booming real estate market continues drive up already sky-high prices for homebuyers. Condo rents grew by 1.1 per cent annually to an average of $2.37 per square foot across the city, but declined in several submarkets, including the downtown core, where they slipped by 2.1 per cent. On average, renters in the Greater Toronto Area pay $1,790 a month

to rent a condo unit, according to Urbanation. The average size of a condo in the GTA is 756 square feet. Urbanation senior vicepresident Shaun Hildebrand says population growth among people in their 20s and 30s, who comprise the bulk of the city’s renters, has slowed. “The supply is coming at a time when some of the demographic forces are perhaps not as supportive as they were last year, and the slight reduction in interest rates may have caused some people to decide to buy instead of rent,” Hildebrand said.

Despite the fact that competition between landlords to fill condo units has gotten tighter, Hildebrand says he doesn’t expect a significant uptick in vacancies. Lower mortgage rates mean that investors who have purchased condo units in order to rent them out will have more flexibility to lower their rental rates, he said. The statistics come just as the rental apartment market is poised to spike, after stagnating for the past decade while developers focused on building condo towers.

Housing starts will moderate this year and next, CMHC says

anada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says in its latest outlook that the pace of housing starts will slow slightly this year and next. The federal agency says the full impact of lower oil prices and continued low interest rates on the economy and the housing market remains uncertain. The second-

quarter forecast calls for between 166,540 and 188,580 housing starts this year and between 162,840 and 190,930 in 2016. That compared with a first-quarter outlook for housing starts to range between 154,000 and 201,000 units in 2015 and from 148,000 to 203,000 units the following year. Sales though the Multiple List-

ing Service are expected to range between 437,100 and 494,500 units in 2015, while the average MLS price is forecast to be between $402,139 and $439,589. In 2016, MLS sales are expected to be between 424,500 to 491,300 units at an average price between $398,191 and $457,200.

real estate / finance

2 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

CMHC Lower Mainland Spring Housing Market Outlook

ccording to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC’s) Vancouver and Abbotsford-Mission Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) Spring Housing Market Outlook report, a stable pace of new home construction is expected for 2015 and 2016, with housing starts forecast at 18,700 and 19,200 units, respectively. “Population growth will be the main driver of housing demand in the Lower Mainland, with more than 16,000 new households expected to be added to the region each year,” noted Robyn Adamache, CMHC’s Principal, Market Analysis for Vancouver. “Job growth and low mortgage interest rates will also support demand for housing through 2016.” The brisk pace of MLS(R) (1) sales set in the first quarter of 2015 is expected to

stabilize in the remainder of the year. Nevertheless, sales are projected to surpass the long-term average annual level to reach 38,000 transactions this year and 36,000 in 2016. Similar to last year, MLS(R) average prices are forecast to increase by nearly five per cent in 2015. More modest price growth is expected in 2016. Abbotsford-Mission CMA new construction is projected to move higher to 560 home starts in 2015, compared to 499 units in 2014, and to step down to 510 starts in 2016. Total MLS(R) sales in the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board area for all types of homes are forecast to rise modestly in 2015, before moving lower in 2016. Higher demand for ground-oriented housing, which usually has a higher price tag, in addition to a flat supply of new listings will create a slight upward push on prices.

Vancouver condo king Bob Rennie floats speculation tax to politicians

ours after Rennie floated the idea at an annual address to developers on Friday, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson endorsed the idea of such a tax. “I’m really happy he picked up the baton. It is our political leaders that should be doing this,” Rennie said in an interview Sunday, adding he hadn’t previously discussed the idea with the city. Rennie, who donates to Vision Vancouver, is also the chair of fundraising for the B.C. Liberals. He confirmed he sent his speech to Premier Christy Clark’s office. While Clark has previously rejected the idea of a foreign ownership tax, she has not yet weighed in on a

speculation tax. Rennie’s suggested tax would hit people quickly flipping homes to help first time buyers with a down payment. It’s a tax that could be scalable across the province, he said. (He thinks empty homes should be dealt with jurisdiction by jurisdictions.) He entered the debate because he doesn’t like the racist undertones, especially towards Chinese people, in the conversation surrounding a tax on foreign investors. Research from five of his more controversial developments found that foreigners made up just 3.3 per cent of buyers, he said. And he doesn’t care if people think he’s advocating that the government leave foreign buyers alone just to sell more condos.

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riginal recipe makes 6 servingsChange Servings, 2 cupsdiced tomatoes, 1 smallonion, finely chopped, 6 tablespoonsolive oil 2 clovescrushed garlic, 6 leavesfresh basil, torn, 10 ouncesfusilli pasta, 3 tablespoonsgrated Parmesan cheese, or to taste, 1 1/2 cupscrumbled feta cheese, salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1.Stir tomatoes, onion, olive oil, garlic, and basil together in a bowl. 2.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook fusilli in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, 12 minutes. Drain. 3.Toss warm pasta with feta cheese and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Stir tomato mixture into pasta and season with salt and pepper.

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 5

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NATIONAL

20 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

Peter MacKay, justice minister, to leave federal politics

eter MacKay’s remarkable career in federal politics will end this fall. MacKay will announce today that he will stay on as justice minister and MP for Nova Scotia’s Central Nova riding until the election but will not seek re-election. MacKay was to make the announcement at 4 p.m., at an event with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Stellarton, N.S. MacKay’s decision to remain in cabinet until October saves Harper from yet another cabinet shuffle to fill a departing minister’s gap, but carves a hole in the Conservative re-election game plan. Viewed as the unofficial leader of the more centrist, former Progressive Conservative wing of Harper’s caucus, his pedigree as the son of a Brian Mulroney confidante and stature as Harper’s senior player in Atlantic Canada gave him influence few others have had with the prime minister and within the party. “We’ll miss him,” Revenue Minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay

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said on her way into question period Friday. Tory Bob Dechert called him a “modern founder” of the Conservative Party. Caucus colleague Paul Calandra said he thought MacKay had made the right decision for his family. At a speech in Toronto, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair wished him well. “Turns out Peter MacKay is also ready for change,” he said. “A lot of people seem to be leaving Stephen Harper’s ship these days.” Life after politics for a politician with his experience and contacts often includes interesting private-sector offers or leadership in high-profile national or international public institutions. As far back as 2009, MacKay was touted as a possible contender for secretary general of the NATO military alliance. But earlier this spring, MacKay dismissed suggestions that he could follow former cabinet colleague John Baird off the political battlefield and into a lucrative and perhaps more family-friendly second career.

Don’t have sympathy for couple who plotted terror acts while on welfare: Crown

embers of a British Columbia jury have been asked to curb their sympathies when deciding the fate of a husband and wife accused of plotting to blow up the provincial legislature. Crown lawyer Peter Eccles said a life of hardship for John Nuttall and Amanda Korody — as recovering heroin addicts living on welfare — doesn’t make them any less guilty of plotting a terrorist act. The couple was arrested on July 1, 2013, and charged with planning to detonate homemade pressure-cooker explosives amid Canada Day crowds gathered at the B.C. legislature. ‘Neither of them are stupid ... Neither of them are incapable of thought.’- Crown lawyer Peter Eccles “When you feel sympathy for the accused remember who and what they were and what they intended to do,” Eccles told the jury during his closing submissions on Thursday. “They had a difficult life, yes,” he added. “But they wanted to murder innocent people for a political reason. And they were committed to it.” The jury was shown more than 100 hours of video and audio surveillance of the pair collected as part of an elaborate RCMP sting operation. Don’t dismiss them as inept, says Crown Eccles warned the jury not to consider the couple as inept, despite what he described as the sometimes comic nature of the couple’s antics. “Neither of them are stupid. Neither of them are illiterate. Neither of them are incapable of thought. Neither of them are incapable of thinking things out from start to finish,” he said. Eccles said that Korody, the seemingly timid and submissive Muslim wife, was anything but meek in private and described her as leading from the rear. “She’s the one who thinks, ‘Well, if we can’t get ball bearings [for the bombs]

let’s add marbles for shrapnel,”’ he said. “That’s a bit chilling. “Mr. Nuttall is talkative, absent-minded, sometimes a bit scatter-brained, a terrible shopper and a terrorist,” Eccles added. “Terrible shoppers can kill too.” Nuttall and Korody have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit murder and of possessing and planting explosives, all of which the Crown alleges they did on behalf of a terrorist organization made up of themselves. Video footage played earlier in court revealed Nuttall telling Korody they were “al-Qaeda Canada” — a sleeper cell that had been woken behind enemy lines to wage war on behalf of the Muslim world. “This is not Allah’s doing. It’s their doing,” Eccles told the jury, describing how the pair had “twisted and perverted” Islam to suit their own goals. The Crown concluded its final submissions with a 45-minute compilation of what it considered the best video and audio evidence shown throughout the four-month trial. The jury watched silently as Nuttall and Korody appeared to hatch the alleged bomb plot, build the devices and eventually plant them on the legislature grounds. The highlight reel closed with video of an actual pressure-cooker explosion rip through a surrounding ring of plywood boards in a staged detonation filmed by police.

NATIONAL

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 21

AG says about 30 senators in spending trouble & 10 nie’s decisions will be made public. uditor general Michael FerguAnd Binnie said the new process may be referred to RCMP son says there are about 30 senwill be independent, fair and impartial.

ators who will be found to have dubious expense claims, including close to 10 who may be referred to the RCMP. Ferguson confirmed the numbers Tuesday in a television interview . Senate sources with knowledge of Ferguson’s upcoming report on Senate spending have said that up to 10 senators may be referred to the RCMP for criminal review. Ferguson says that number is “close” but “not exact.” Auditors are challenging the remaining 20 senators on spending worth thousands — as high as $20,000 in at least one case — over travel claims that didn’t involve Senate business, as well as questionable office contracts and housing claims. Those who dispute the auditors’ findings will be able to turn to former Supreme Court of Canada justice Ian Binnie, whom the Senate unveiled Tuesday as the special arbitrator who will referee any disputes arising among senators over dubious expense claims flagged by Ferguson. It’s the latest attempt by the Senate

“Every single case that the “Every citizen has the right to auditor general identifies due process,” he said. “The Sento get ahead of what is widewhere there are disagreements ate arbitration process ensures this.” ly expected to be a critical rewill have the arbitration proport on past spending practices. The arbitration process wasn’t available in cess at their disposal, includ- the fall of 2013 when the Senate suspended Ferguson’s report is expecting those that ed to be delivered to the SenMike Duffy, Patrick Brazeau will be, I asate some time next week. and Pamela Wallin without sume, referred Senators in the most trouble pay over their questioned exto the RCMP with auditors are expected to avail penses. All three complained Having some or any oththemselves of the arbitration prothey were being treated unAuditor General sort of external authority,” cess, hoping to avoid a hefty reMichael Ferguson er fairly and asked — in vain — Housakos told payment order, or having their file oversight is imfor a chance to plead their case news conference. sent to the RCMP for review. The remain- a before a panel of their peers. portant.” Senators who don’t repay ing senators have already started repaying Ferguson said he didn’t Ferguson expense claims challenged by Ferguson’s the upper chamber will have know the particulars of the said. teams, ensuring they won’t go to arbitration. their salaries clawed back arbitration process but, in Binnie will be called to intervene in cas- until the Senate recoups general, applauded the idea. es where senators who are ordered to pay all the money owed to it. “We have talked about the Retired senators caught in Ferguson’s re- need for there to be some outside indepenback disallowed expense claims opt to challenge either the findings of the report port will have to sign an agreement that Bin- dent way of looking at this type of spending or the amount they are required to repay. nie’s decisions are binding, Housakos said. so it’s not just … senators’ spending that’s Senate Speaker Leo Housakos said current If they fail to repay any money owed, the being evaluated by senators,” Ferguson said. and retired senators in trouble with Ferguson Senate intends to take those retirees to court. “Having some sort of external oversight Housakos said all of Bin- is important.” will have the chance for a hearing with Binnie.

NDP leader Tom Mulcair speaks at CUPE convention

he leader of the opposition spoke to members of one of Ontario’s largest unions this morning at a convention in Toronto. NDP leader Tom Mulcair addressed more than 1,100 members from the Ontario division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Mulcair commented on

Peter MacKay’s decision to leave federal politics and the latest GDP numbers. The federal NDPs have been hit with a wave of controversy this week over their now-closed satellite offices in Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto. The board of internal economy has

Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau at a press conference in Vancouver last week with Liberal candidates, Sukh Dhaliwal (second from right) and Harjit S. Sajjan (second from left). Photo by Chandra Bodalia.

confirmed dozens of NDP MPs may soon find their expense claims being rejected by House administration as a result of their failure to repay $2.7 million that went to fund

the offices. Mulcair says the NDP’s rise in the polls is driving the controversy. “It’s just our Liberal and Conservative adversaries using their majority to try to frustrate the party that’s coming up in the polls, and doing well compared to the two old-line parties,” he said

CLASSIFIEDS

22 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

C JOBS Dosa Corner Restaurant Ltd in Vancouver Looking to hire an authentic south indian chef . This is a full time permanent position. $18.50/hr. 40hrs/week. Must have at least 3-5yrs experience in south indian cuisine & specialized knowledge in Dosas. Duties include Prepare & cook meals.kitchen management. Plan menus & quality. Orders food supplies. Mail your resume to selvamm164@gmail.com or apply by person at DosaCorner Vancouver. 110-8248 Fraser Street. Vancouver. B.C.. V5X 3X6 Ph: 604-324-3672. -----------------------------------Seamstress required Seamstress (Tailor) needed Foam & Décor is looking for Full Time or Part Time Seamstress ( tailor) for drapery in Surrey. Salary will be provided @ 12 per hour. Please call 604-594-1882 Mayuri Indian foods inc is looking to hire an Ethnic Food Cook in Surrey BC. F/T & Perm.$17/hr. Must have at least 2-3 yrs experience in South Indian cuisine & specialized knowledge in Indian spicing. Duties: Prepare & Cook meals; Supervise Kitchen helpers; Plan menus; Ensure quality & determine food proportions; Monitor & order food supplies; Set up & oversee buffets; Manage kitchen operation.

JOBS Mail resume or apply by person Mayuri indian cuisine , Unit 102A,12677 80th Ave., Surrey BC V3W 3A6 Fax: 604-572-3281 -------------------------------English Classes for Adults Register for classes September 2-8 For more information,Visit: www. victoryesl.com Call: 604.755.7976 E-mail: victoryesl1@gmail.com Cook Require Curry junction Restaurant in White Rock need cook immediately, This is a full time permanent position for a experienced person, Depending on experience salary will be upto $21 per hr. with other benefits. Call:604-729-6741 or 604-385-1558 ---------------------------Transworld Security located at 2nd Floor, 5050, Kingsway, Burnaby BC V5H 4H2 is looking for a Static Guard, Static Guard Supervisor, Mobile Supervisor and Field Manager. These are permanent full-time positions. Static Guard pay rate is $13.00 per hour plus vacation pay. You would be required to patrol industrial and commercial premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of doors, windows and gates. Answer alarms and investigate disturbances. Monitor and

JOBS authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors and guests. Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency. Circulate among visitors, patrons and employees to preserve order and protect property. Static Guard Supervisor pay rate is $14.00 per hour plus vacation pay. You would be required to oversee and supervise Static Guards. You will need to ensure the duties of the Static Guards you supervise are being completed and the client’s needs are being met. Field Manager pay rate is $18.00 per hour plus vacation pay. You would be required to report to the Director of Operations and you are responsible for supporting, mentoring and supervising the security officers in the field. You will be required to manage the company’s field operations and resources after business hours. Mobile Supervisor pay rate is $18.00 per hour. You would be required to provide ongoing leadership, direction and training. You need to ensure all standing orders and scheduled daily activities are carried out for each shift. You will be required to discipline staff when necessary and ensure proper documentation is passed onto head office. You will have to investigate alarm responses and respond in a timely manner. You will need to communicate any concerns/issues with

JOBS

Site Supervisor/ Coordinator. The above opportunities suit candidates willing to travel all over the lower mainland and from Squamish to Hope. We also have opportunities in Edmonton, Alberta. Minimum qualification for these positions are completion of secondary school and BST Justice Training of BC. Past experience is preferred but we are willing to train candidates who show eagerness to learn. For more information please visit our website at www.transworldsecurity.ca. Please email you resume to hr@ transworldsecurity.ca. ------------------------------------Retail Sales Supervisor (6211); Saim’s Communication Inc.,Surrey, British Columbia, (6211); Salary: $17:50/Hourly; Positions Available: 2; Type: FullTime; Minimum Education: High School; ,Description : Assign sales workers to duties and prepare work schedules, Authorize payments by cheque and the return ofmerchandise , Sell merchandise to customers, Resolve problems that arise, such as customercomplaints and supply shortages, • Maintain specified inventory and ordermerchandise, Prepare reports regarding sales volumes, merchandising and personnel matters, Hire and train or arrange for the training of new

S Matrimonial Seeking a suitable match for Ravidasia Sikh Boy, 30 / 5’10”, Living in Canada, B.Tech. Please send your biodata and pics at aman.shine@gmail. com or contact +1 306 461 3131. sales staff, Ensure proper tagging, packing and displaying of products, Travel upto four different sites daily and/or weekly as required, Resolve disputes related to customers and employees, Get daily reports from employees and submit report to head office, Meeting with management and employees when required, Responsible to manage repair department for products. Language Requirement:English is a must. Speaking other languages

such as urdu or punjabi would be an asset.Apply by email: saimscomm@yahoo.ca ----------------------------Administrative Assistant (1241)Saim’s

To PLACE YOUR AD IN THE ASIAN STAR CLASSIFIEDS Section Please

Call: 604-591-5423

Hair Stylists Required 2 Hair Stylists reqd. Sal:$13.00/hr, 40hr/wk, +1yr exp. or certification reqd., FT/PT Duties: Suggest hair style compatible with client’s physical features. Determine style from client’s instructions. Cut, trim, taper, curl, wave, perm & style hair. Apply bleach, tints, dyes or rinses to color, frost or streak hair. Analyze hair & scalp condition to advise & provide basic or beauty care treatment. Clean & style wigs & hair pieces. Lang: English.

Location: #11- 8430 128th Street Surrey, BC V3W 4G3. Contact: Sandeep from Basra Hair & Beauty Salon at basra_ salon@yahoo.ca or fax at (604)365-8861

COMMUNITY Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian adults and senior members and non members to attend a workshop - Be Your Own Doctor - Control your Anxiety, Stress and Sleeplessness ( Insomnia ) by Expert Avtar Singh Woodwall, Diploma in Acupressure USA, MD Acupressure INDIA, Diploma Sujog Therapy ( Korean ) & Diploma Magnetic Therapy on May 31st 2015 from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC. There will be questions and answers session also, tea and light snacks will be served in the end. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator Tel. 604 - 507 9945 for further details. --------------------------------------------South Asian Seniors - Group Birthday of 32 Seniors born in March, April & May Celebrations on May 30th 2015 Saturday ] from 11..00 am to 2.30 pm. Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Senior members to celebrate group birthday of 32 Senior members born in March, April & May, to be held on May 30th 2015 ( Saturday ) from 11.00 am to 2.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey( B.C). Hon’ Jinny Sims MP for Newton- North Delta will be our guest of Honour. It will start with serving snacks, tea, pop, and there will be live entertainment, introducing local talented artist & singer Jogi Dhillon with his new release song NRI, hilarious jokes and Hindi songs sung by our talented members. Cake cutting ceremony will take place and slice of cake will be served to all the participants and specially prepared pure vegetarian lunch & dessert will be served. Registration required for non members. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator Tel. 604 507 -9945604 - 507 -9945 for registration.

-----------------------------------------------Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members as well as non members to attend the Presentation - Stigma of Mental Health Among Asian Men in Canada by Jatinder Dhanju and Nimesh Patel from Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre Vancouver, on May 24th 2015 ( Sunday ) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC. There will be questions and answers session after the presentation, and there will be registration also for the research program. Tea and light snacks will be served in the end. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 for further details. --------------------------------------------Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members and non members to come and play Bingo for the sake of fun and make some new friends, on May 17th 2015 from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall 8321 - 140th street Surrey

B.C. Please bring only two dollars with you to play 2 games, do not worry if you do not know how to play, members will explain you the game just for the sake of fun. Tea & light snacks will be served after the game is over. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator at 604 507 - 9945 for further details. -----------------------------------------------Free Community Workshops & Activities May 18–31 English & Multilingual ¹ May 25 & 26, 1–4pm MOSAIC Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway 604 254 9626 ext 120 Canadian Citizenship Preparation ¹ May 25 & 26, 5:30–8:30pm Tommy Douglas Burnaby Public Library, 7311 Kingsway 604 254 9626 ext 104 Internet Security Workshop May 27, 11am–1pm MOSAIC North Burnaby Learning Centre, 103–4181 Hastings St 604 254 9626 ext 114

May 28, 10am–12pm MOSAIC Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway 604 438 8214 ext 123 ----------------------------------------------Vancouver- Starting 1st May 2015, PICS Vancouver Settlement Services office will be offering services in Tagalog Language to serve the Filipino community in Vancouver. The volunteer based services will be provided twice a week and will apply to every client who wishes to make use of these services. The services offered will focus on a full range of support services including orientation, training, guidance, mentoring, volunteering and service bridging among others. For more information contact Sukhwinder Gosal (Vancouver Settlement office) at 778-371-8552. ------------------------------------------------VISHWA YOGASHRAM All are Welcome All Day Free Community Event

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 23 Sunday, April 19, 2015 9386 - 120 ST. Surrey BC Schedule 5 am to 7 am : Shubh Mangal Inauguration 7 am to 8 am : Yoga Asanas 10 am to 12 pm: Swadhyaya / Reflection on Yoga in modern life by Dr Preeti Misra 2 pm to 4 pm: Gyan Yoga & Meditation led by Swamiji Dr Satya Prakash based on Gita, Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Yogavashishtha and Yogoupanishad followed by Thoughts of Guest Speakers MP/MLA & Others 4 pm to 6 pm : Yoga Dance, Yoga Games, Yoga Vegetarian/Ayurvedic Health secrets 6 pm to 8 pm: Bhakti Yoga with Music 8 am to 9 am : Yogic Breakfast 12 pm to 2 pm: Yogic Lunch 8 pm to 9 pm: Yogic Dinner For Information Please Call : Paul Kaloti: 604-725-3134 Ravi Khosla: 604-301-0360

24 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

Business / Finance

TD Bank to offer Nordstrom credit card

D Bank is taking over retailer Nordstrom’s credit card portfolio in the U.S. and will become the exclusive issuer of Nordstrom credit cards. Nordstrom is the high-end U.S. retailer that is establishing itself in Canada with stores in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver. The first store has opened in Calgary. TD is buying Nordstrom’s existing U.S. Visa and private label consumer credit card portfolio, which currently totals approximately $2.2 billion US in receivables, it said in a news release Tuesday. TD Bank Group CEO Bharat Masrani says the purchase is part of strategy to grow its North American credit card business. In 2013, TD Bank took over the Aeroplan

travel rewards program. Nordstrom said it began looking for a partner to take over its credit card business a year ago.Barclays analyst John Aiken saw the move as positive for TD Bank. “TD is following a well-worn path in its acquisition of credit card portfolios and we have little doubt that the Nordstrom acquisition and strategic partnership will bear fruit over time,” he said in a note to clients. The deal will support TD’s earnings growth and profitability improvement in the U.S., he said. “Further, the acquisition of assets in the U.S. provides for more optimal deployment of its surplus liquidity.” No financial terms were released for the deal, which is expected to close in the second half of 2015.

Feds to explore voluntary CPP add-on

n a sudden about-face, Pension Plan to supplement their the Harper government current CPP retirement savings,” said Tuesday it’s thinksaid Oliver, who offered few deing about giving Canadians tails and did not speak to reportthe option of hiking their ers after question period. People contributions to the Canada need choices when it comes to Pension Plan — a measure their retirement savings, rather that would help them boost than being forced to make mantheir retirement savings. datory payments, Oliver said. The With an election date less government, he added, aims to then five months away, the build on other voluntary savings Joe Oliver move looked like a surprise options already available, such as effort by the Conservatives to wrestle some pooled, registered pension plans and tax-free ground away from their political foes. The savings accounts. The subject of retirement Tories have long opposed expanding the income is expected to be a weighty election government-managed pension plan — an issue this fall and the Tories’ opponents lined idea supported by the NDP — but Finance up to portray Tuesday’s change of heart as Minister Joe Oliver told the House of Comcrass political opportunism. “They’re trymons that they intend to consult experts ing to scoop up a few votes of those that are and stakeholders on the matter this sumconcerned about their pensions,” said NDP mer. The government’s goal: explore ways finance critic Nathan Cullen. “I don’t know that would allow Canadians to make volunif they’re actually going to do it. If they were tary add-on contributions to the CPP. “We going to do it, one would’ve imagined they are open to giving Canadians the option to would have done it already.” voluntarily contribute more to the Canada

Driverless truck corridor from Mexico to Manitoba proposed

rucks hauling cargo from Canada through the United States to Mexico and back navigate border crossings without the need for passports, visas or even a driver to steer them. It’s an idea that’s not too far-fetched, says a group that met in North Dakota last week. Marlo Anderson with the Central North American Trade Corridor Association says members are working to turn the idea into reality. The plan is for an autonomous vehicle corridor along Route 83, which runs north-south through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. The road then continues into Manitoba. A study into the feasibility of the project is being planned and Anderson says the group wants to travel to communities along the corridor to gain support. “One of the challenges we have here in North Dakota is that we have a lot of energy production going on right now, but not enough pipelines to carry the oil from North Dakota to its destination point,” he said. That means other commodities, such as grain, need to fight for space on trains. A separate corridor could relieve that pressure, he said. “We’re hopeful that, working with the Canadian

government, the Mexican government, the United States, we can create some kind of automated way ... (to) streamline that process of border crossings.” The technology, though experimental, already exists in driverless vehicles that use tools such as GPS to navigate roads, Anderson said. More efficient Unmanned vehicles are more efficient, he suggested. “They don’t need to worry about a driver having too many hours in a day or in a week. Those types of things go by the wayside because the vehicle doesn’t care.” Anderson said he understands why the idea is unnerving for some, but noted that unmanned vehicles have the potential to remove human error from driving. “What we have to do is to educate people.” One of the concerns Anderson hears most often is that a vehicle’s system could be hacked and taken over.

Business / Finance

Bank of Canada keeps interest rate at 0.75%

he Bank of Canada is keeping its benchmark len ing rate at 0.75 per cent — in line with the expectations of the vast majority of economists. “The outlook for the Canadian economy also remains largely in line with the April Monetary Policy Report,” the central bank, headed up by governor Stephen Poloz, said in a statement Wednesday explaining its rate decision. The bank says it is concerned by a U.S. economy that is showing signs of sluggishness, but remains confident that Canada’s economy will rebound some time this quarter, which would remove the need for fur-

ther stimulus moves such as cutting rates. Last week, Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz (pictured) called the weaker-than-expected U.S. economy “slightly puzzling,” but he expressed optimism it would start accelerating in the second half of 2015. The central bank says it’s standing pat because inflation has been in line with projections and consumption has held up relatively well — even amid the net negative effects of lower oil prices.

Shomi expands to anyone in Canada with internet connection, not just TV subscribers

homi will soon be available for all TV binge watchers across the country. The streaming video platform from Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications says it’s opening the service to all Internet users, regardless of which TV provider they use. The move comes after Shomi launched last November as an exclusive service offered to Rogers and Shaw cable TV and Internet customers. Starting this summer, Shomi will be made available to cable and non-cable customers alike for $8.99. The service can be streamed on tablet, mobile, on-

line, and to televisions via Xbox 360, Apple TV and Chromecast. Rogers and Shaw TV subscribers can access content through their set-top boxes. Shomi’s Canadian exclusives include the buzzy series Transparent, Mozart in the Jungle, and Catastrophe as well as past seasons of Modern Family, The Americans and Sons of Anarchy. Netflix has been the dominant subscription video service in Canada since it launched here five years ago. Last fall, Shomi entered the market alongside CraveTV, a similar service operated by Bell Media that’s available only to Bell customers and its various telecom partners.

The Canadian rich are getting richer, thanks to their houses

new survey out Monday, on the property wealth of high net worth individuals, should hit some Canadians right where they live. Bank of Montreal found among its high net worth clients that primary residences were worth almost $1.5 million on average. Those clients were defined as having more than $1 million in investible assets. On top of that, the survey found 36 per cent of those people own at least one second property worth on average $708,539. The bank says many of those people are tapping into equity in their primary residence to fund those additional property purchases. BMO didn’t calculate real estate wealth as a percentage of overall wealth, but the bank’s deputy chief economist Doug Porter says property isn’t just making the rich richer – all of us are becoming wealthier.“Real estate has just been one of the

fastest-growing assets,” said Porter, adding land and residential structures now account for about 39 per cent of total Canadian assets. “It’s above average [historically] but I don’t think it’s wildly out of balance.”That percentage has been stable over the last five years but the economist notes that at one point – at the peak of the technology boom in 2000 – it was as low as 31 per cent. Those percentages are likely even higher in some pockets of the country, such as British Columbia, where the average principal residence was $3.9 million for the high net worth crowd. Those people carry $236,100 in debt, according to the survey. Do Canadians own too much property? Most wealthy Canadians surveyed are free and clear of their mortgage and even among those with debt, the average amount they have outstanding is $176,000.On the second property front, 80 per cent of respondents who have one, say it is in Canada.

Fraudulent cheque scam targets Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care

raudulent cheques illegally issued in the name of Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care were discovered in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. The cheques were sent out through different company names, all purporting to be sponsored by the non-profit geriatric care organization. The scam required recipients to deposit the counterfeit cheques of a few thousand dollars each into their personal bank accounts and then send a scanned copy of the deposit slips back to the scam artists through email, in order to obtain the personal and financial information of the depositors. A spokesperson for Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care said that the Centre had been informed of the scam and had in the last few days received a few telephone enquiries re-

garding the suspicious cheques. After thorough investigation, the cheques were confirmed to be counterfeit and not issued by the Centre. This incident is believed to be a typical cheque fraud scam and has been reported to the police. The spokesman reminded the fraudulent cheques recipients, mostly South Asians in the three Canadian cities, not to respond to the deposit requests. Cashing counterfeit cheques may result in liability or criminal offence. Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care is one of the largest non-profit geriatric organizations in Canada. Yee Hong operates four long-term care facilities in the Greater Toronto Area. Every day, about 16,000 seniors and their family members use Yee Hong’s services and facilities.

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 25

26 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

INDIA

Didn’t misuse office, says Manmohan

ormer Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has rejected the allegations that he misused his office to extend benefits to his near and dear ones. Seeking to shed his soft stance, Singh said, “As far as I am concerned, I can submit in all humility that I never used the public office to enrich myself, my family or my friends… Still, the BJP keeps on harping on this theme of corruption (during the UPA regime) to divert people’s attention to non-issues.” Singh also targeted his successor Narendra Modi for “assaulting the very idea of secular and liberal India, dismantling the edifice of welfare state, threatening the institutions of democracy and rewriting the past to promote

Manmohan meets Modi at 7RCR: Manmohan Singh meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his 7 Race Course Road residence on Wednesday evening. “

a communal view of history”. The former PM was addressing a gathering here today after inaugurating a two-day convention of the National Students Union of India, the Congress’ student wing.

Central gov’t vs Delhi gov’t fight now in courts

he tussle for power between Delhi lieutenant general Najeeb Jung and the Arvind Kejriwal government will now play out in the courts. Both sides on Thursday knocked the doors of the courts. While the Kejriwal government challenged Centre’s notification giving lieutenant governor absolute powers in appointing bureaucrats in Delhi high court, the Centre moved Supreme Court against an earlier Delhi high court order calling its notification ‘suspect’. The two petitions will be heard on Friday. Throwing its weight behind Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung in his tussle with chief

minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Centre had unambiguously declared that the LG was not obliged to heed the AAP government on bureaucratic postings and transfers. The Centre issued a notification emphasizing that in matters concerning central services; that is, IAS, IPS, DANICS and DANIPS, the LG’s discretion is paramount, thus rebuffing Kejriwal’s contention that Jung could not act independently of the state government in matters concerning transfers and postings of central officers deputed to Delhi government. The Centre’s notification also made it clear that the jurisdiction of Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) police station of Delhi government was restricted only to employees and officers of the Delhi government and did not extend to “officers, employees and functionaries of the central government”,

After French Rafale fighter jets, India eyes German submarines

alks are on between India and Germany to either co-produce or have direct deal for the supply of six next-generation submarines. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar raised the matter during a meeting with his German counterpart Dr Ursula von der Leyen in New Delhi yesterday. India reportedly asked Germany what all it could offer if a direct deal was struck between the two countries on next-generation submarines. The move comes after India recently announced to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France. ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems of Germany, which owns the submarine arm HDW, is among the few international companies India is looking at for the “Project-75 India” tender that will have six submarines with the air independent propulsion (AIP) allowing for longer period of submergence underwater. The Indian Navy also wants greater stealth and land-attack capability. The Russians and the French DCNS also make such subs and so does Japan. New Delhi has expressed interest in all of them and is looking for the best deal. The US does not make such subs anymore.

thus eliminating the room for any possible action by the Kejriwal-backed department against anyone who is not part of the state government.

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 27

Hindus want Ganges river rafting banned

hardline Hindu nationalist group has demanded a ban on river rafting at a popular tourist destination in northern India, saying it leads to ‘objectionable activities’, reports say. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council or VHP) has asked the Uttarakhand state government to shut down rafting camps around the Ganges river. According to the VHP, “fun seekers” visit rafting camps to “mingle, drink and indulge in objectionable activities… where saints gather to meditate”.

The group has alleged that rafting “has led to many illegal activities” in the holy towns of Rishikesh and Haridwar. VHP leaders made these statements at their national meeting in Haridwar on Tuesday. Haridwar and Rishikesh are popular among both religious tourists and adventure sports lovers. Locally called the Ganga, the Ganges is revered by Hindus. It is India’s longest river and supports a third of the country’s 1.2 billion people living on its floodplains.

‘Draconian’ anti-insurgency law lifted

uthorities in an Indian state have withdrawn a controversial anti-insurgent law after 18 years. The north-eastern state of Tripura had imposed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in February 1997 following a rise in separatist insurgency and violence. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said there was no need for the law as the “problem has been contained”. The law gives the security

forces the powers of search and seizure. It also protects soldiers who may kill a civilian by mistake or in unavoidable circumstances during an operation. The law has been blamed for “fake killings” in Kashmir and the north-eastern state of Manipur and campaigners say it is often misused. Mr Sarkar said his government had reviewed the situation in the areas affected by rebel violence and discussed the issue with the state police and other security forces.

28 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

Real Canadian Superstore速 location is the convenient one-stop shopping solution for everyday needs and for special occasions. You'll find variety, value, and a wide range of South Asian specialities -- at great price! 350 SE Marine Drive, Vancouver T: (604) 322-3727

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6 i Saturday - April 4, 2015

Jindal slams Republican presidential opponent

Indian-American student sentenced to life for killing friend

25-year-old Indian-American engineering student has been sentenced to life in prison by a US court for fatally stabbing his friend after allegedly finding him cheating with his girlfriend. Rahul Gupta, a George Washington University graduate student, changed his narrative several times in court, but he did acknowledge that he killed his friend Mark Waugh, 24. On October 13, 2013, Gupta, his girlfriend and Waugh went to the Indian-American’s high-rise apartment in Silver Spring, a suburb of Washington, DC, where he caught Waugh cheating with his girlfriend. Waugh

died after being stabbed and slashed 11 times inside the apartment. According to the arrest report, Gupta told police: “My girl and my buddy were cheating, my girl was cheating with my buddy. I walked in on them cheating and I killed my buddy.” Gupta and Waugh knew each other from high school. Waugh was a first-year law student at the Georgetown University at the time his best friend killed him. Gupta, an engineering graduate student, was arrested in October 2013

Chatwal to contribute $1 million for Sikh project in India

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 29

oving closer to a formal announcement of his US presidential bid, Indian-American Bobby Jindal has slammed his fellow Republican and presidential aspirant Rand Paul for being “unsuited to be the commander in chief.” In an unusually harsh language, the 43-year-old Louisiana Governor slammed Senator Paul as being “unsuited to be the commander in chief ” after Paul in a TV interview said that “ISIS grew stronger because of the hawks” in the Republican party. “This is a perfect example of why Senator Paul is unsuited to be Commander-in-Chief,” said Jindal, who earlier this month formed an exploratory com-

mittee for his presidential bid. “We have men and women in the military who are in the field trying to fight ISIS right now, and Senator Paul is taking the weakest, most liberal Democrat position,” he said. Jindal, who is expected to join the GOP fray next month, said: “It’s one thing for Senator Paul to take an outlandish position as a Senator at Washington cocktail parties, but being Commander-in-Chief is an entirely different job.” “We should all be clear that evil and Radical Islam are at fault for the rise of ISIS, and people like President Obama and Hillary Clinton exacerbate it,” he said.

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the Sikh Centre for Inndian-American hotelier ternational Studies in the Sant Singh Chatwal will Rakab Ganj Gurdwara contribute USD 1 million Estate in New Delhi, will to an ambitious project coming showcase the history of up in India aimed at better acSikhs and the presence of quainting the Sikh youth and core values in Sikhism’s the international community sacred texts. This will about the origin and values of be done by presenting the Sikh faith. The ‘Mool ProjSant Singh Chatwal stories from the histoect’ is an initiative of the Delhi ry of Sikhism and other Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DS- relevant sacred texts using state GMC) under the leadership of its president of the art communication techManjit Singh GK and General Secretary Man- nologies. Describing the initiajinder Procedure: Singh Sirsa. The project would cost be- tive as “unique,” Chatwal said tween USD five tothe six chicken million and is expected to garlic Marinate with the ginger and the yoghurt that paste the young Sikhs livingfor in 20 min. soak the cashew in warm water for 15 minutes.chop the onions and tomatoes. Heat 1 tbsp be completed twosear years. willin the oil to a in pan. theChatwal, chickenwho pieces hot oil for 1 minute on each India as well as abroad some- side to a golden colour. remove the chicken pieces. in the same pan, add 1tbsp oil and the chopped OPENareHOUSE EVERY4-5 be providing leadtill support to the project, onions.the saute a translucent pink. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, garam masala powder and cook on medium flame till the tomatoes tender (approx. times lack better red understanding told PTI here yesterday thatfrom he will contribute minutes). remove flame and run in blender with the soaked add the tomato puree. Bring to a boil-and addPM of athe Holy Book Guru Granthcashews to make a smooth paste. return to the pan and TUESDAY & SUNDAY at 10:00 7:00 USD 1the million towards the simmer project, which will chicken pieces. for 4-5 minutes tilland thethe chicken cooked. Sahib projectiswill help Add the low fat cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Broil the fenugreek leaves on a pan. crush the includefenugreek an auditorium, exhibits, digital re-remove leavesart over the curry and from serveofhot. spread thefire. message Sikhism search library and a museum. to both Sikhs and non-Sikhs. The project’s infrastructure, to be housed in

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30 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

HC stays Haryana’s decision to reserve 20% seats for SC staff

he Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the Haryana Government’s latest notification reserving 20 per cent seats for scheduled caste employees in departmental promotions. The state BJP government had announced the decision on May 15, providing the quota benefit to Class III and IV staff with effect from April 1, 2013. As the issue came up for hearing, Justice Amit Rawal passed the orders while hearing a petition filed by Dinesh Kumar Sharma and other assistants in the Haryana Civil Secretariat for quashing the notification. The petitioners, all general category candidates, were appointed as clerks in May 1990 and March 1992, before being promoted to the post of assistants as per seniority. But, their chance of further being promoted as deputy superintendent has been marginalised due to the recent notification, they said. Their counsel, senior advocate Narender Hooda, contended that

the representation of scheduled caste employees in the cadre of assistants was more than 20 per cent. Further benefit of 20 per cent reservation would cause immense injustice to the general category candidates, he said. Hooda argued that the vexed issue of reservation in promotion with accelerated seniority had been attracting attention of High Courts and the Supreme Court since 1962. In M Nagraj case and several other judgments, the apex court ruled that the provision, as contained in Article 16(4) of the Constitution, enabled the government to provide reservation only at initial recruitment stage and not for subsequent promotions. He also argued that reservation in promotion was held to be in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution by the apex court on several occasions. After hearing the arguments, the court stayed the May 15 notification besides issuing a notice of motion to Haryana. The case will now come up for hearing on October 16.

Plea to make CM party to Mohali resort issue

n yet another twist to the controversy over Badals’ resort, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a notice of motion to the State of Punjab for impleading the Chief Minister as a party in the case. A notice of motion has also been issued to the Punjab Urban Development and Planning Authority. The controversy hovers around a chunk of land leading to a resort in Mohali, which is partly owned by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur. The land was acquired by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority. The matter was brought to the High Court’s notice by Dr Juveeza Chadha. In his petition, Dr Chadha had alleged that the land acquisition process was carried out in a hurried manner without following the requisite provisions of law. He had also told the court that the 100-feet-wide and 1.3-km-long road was being laid through Majra village. Metro Eco Green Resorts at Palanpur village was located

just about 2 km from where this road was to end, he had said. The land acquisition process started in 2014 and was completed earlier this year. The petitioner then challenged the acquisition of portion measuring 7 kanal, 15 marlas for the construction of the New Master Plan road by GMADA. During the hearing, petitioner’s lawyer Rajiv Atma Ram alleged that provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency and Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, had not been followed in letter and spirit. He alleged that the requisite 60 days’ time to file objections was not given. He also questioned how Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal presided over the meetings to clear such a project, to which the government counsel raised objections.

UT set to face shortage of officers

he crisis over a shortage of state civil service officers from Punjab and Haryana on deputation with the Chandigarh Administration is set to deepen with the Haryana Government asking for the immediate repatriation of its two HCS officers, Kamlesh Kumar, DPI (Schools), and Mandeep Kaur, Director (Social Welfare). Consequently, the work being handled by the two officers is being distributed among the existing UT-cadre officers, who are already handling multiple departments. Unconfirmed reports said the charge of DPI (Schools) could also be given on a temporary basis to another HCS officer, SK Setia, who has also sought repatriation to his parent state and may not be given any further extension in the UT. While Kamlesh Kumar was involved in the alleged case of passing casteist remarks against members of the Dalit Raksha Dal, Mandeep Kaur had complained against a UT-cadre officer for allegedly showing disrespect to her. Sources in Punjab and Haryana said following the decision taken by the UT Adviser to give more teeth to the UT-cadre officers in the distribution of portfolios and clipping of wings of Secretary-rank Punjab and Haryana-cadre IAS officers, besides those of state civil services officers.

Mohali cops to shed khaki for suits

ome July, men of the Mohali police will be coming over to your house for passport verification in a new look - that of ‘Men in Black’. From no on, policemen given the duty of passport verification will be ditching the goodold khaki uniform and will instead don a formal suit, with a white shirt and red tie. The move is in line with the law enforcement agency’s effort to spruce up the men in khaki’s image. Mohali senior superintendent of police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said a special team had been formed for the passport verification service, which also includes SMS verification. “With the new steps, the entire process will become transparent and the black blot of bribe and corruption will come to an end,” he said. Last month, Mohali police had introduced a technology-friendly passport verification service which also involves policemen seeking appointments with people through SMSes.

FIJI

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 31

Bill allows civil servants to join unions

ivil servants - excluding the military, police and corrections service - and workers in government statutory organisations will soon have the freedom to join trade unions and take part in strikes over working conditions. This development follows the tabling in Parliament of Bill number 10 last Friday. He said the Bill sought to make changes to the Employment Relations Promulgation of 2007. Under that law, these workers were listed under

the Essential Services and Industries Sector and were not allowed to join unions or take strike action. Sixteen major changes have been proposed in the Bill with the new document to be officially called the Employment Relations (Amendment) Bill of 2015. One of the major changes proposed in the Bill is to Part 19 of the ERP which

ollywood actor, singer, composer and music director Himesh Reshammiya arrives in Fiji tomorrow for two shows in Suva and Nadi later this week. Show organiser Anwar Shah said that the show will be one of its kind as all the artists will be international and Fijian audiences should expect a great evening of entertainment with the group from India. “For the first time we are bringing a full international show where all the artists, musicians, dancers are all from India. A total of 14 members are coming from India and all music and Bollywood movie lovers should get ready for a night full of entertainment.” “Himesh is an international icon and has performed in so many countries around the globe.

stipulates conditions for workers in the Essential Services and Industries.

Farmers to receive $15 per tonne of sugarcane

he Fijian Government has announced a 4th cane payment of $15 per tonne for sugar cane farmers. FSC will pay farmers a premium of nearly $8 per tonne on the 4th cane payment – taking it to $15 - instead of the $7.20 per tonne they would have received under the superseded Master Award. Last week, Parliament approved an extension of the $150 million Government Guarantee to the Fiji Sugar Corporation to enable the payment to be made. In announcing the $15 per tonne figure, the Acting Minister for Sugar and Minister for Finance, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said

sugarcane farmers were enjoying a sustained period of record payments. “We are able to do this only because of the tremendous performance of the Fiji Sugar Corporation under its present management and especially its Executive Chairman, Abdul Khan.

Good News!

Hacker’s degree Hacking is a serious problem in Fiji

man was able to graduate with a degree within his first year of tertiary education and became a teacher after hacking into a prominent university’s system. While the man became an assistant head teacher within his first year of teaching, he continued hacking as a business allowing a number of other students to graduate without completing the prescribed years of study. This as the Fiji Police Force Cybercrime Unit warns of an increase in cybercrimes, in particular hacking by locals. Unit head Inspector Epi Veimosoi said the man hacked into the university’s system from his home using a laptop. Insp Veimosoi described similar cases of hacking in the country. A former systems administrator accessed his former employer’s system through the email addresses of employees. He was able to transfer funds into his own account.

Gov’t not responsible for damaged aircraft

ov’t is not involved in investigations carried out by Air Terminal Services (ATS) and Fiji Airways on the tarmac incident that caused substantial damage to an Airbus A330 earlier this month. Minister for Aviation and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said it was a matter between Fiji Airways and ATS. “But obviously Government is a stakeholder in both those entities,” he said. “We understand that Fiji Airways is collating all of their evidence and we have been told that ATS has given all of their information and reports to the airline and they are working together to put everything together. “Obviously, there will be claims put forward by Fiji Airways to ATS.

Singer Himesh Reshammiya to hold shows in Fiji

Good News!

He is multi-talented artist and Fijian fans should not miss the chance of seeing him live in concert.” Apart from Reshammiya, the show will also have singers Akasa Singh and Aman Trikha. 41-year-old Reshammiya who hails from Gujarat is currently enjoying a colourful career in Bollywood after getting his break as a music director in Salman Khan’s movie Jab Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya in 1998. He has won several awards like Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer, Star Screen Award, IIFA Award for Best Male Playback, Zee Cine Award for singing the Title Track of Aas-

hiq Banaya Aapne, becoming the first ever singer, music director in Bollywood having won Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer on his debut song.

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32 i Saturday, May 30, 2015

EU asked to relax travel restrictions

akistan has asked the European Union (EU) to relax travel restrictions imposed on it due to the increasing polio cases in the country. The issue of restrictions came up for discussion during a meeting of a German parliamentary delegation with President Mamnoon Hussain. Hussain called for relaxing the restrictions and said that international community should be considerate and help Pakistan to work towards eradication of polio virus, Dawn reported. Hussain told German parliamentarians that Pakistan is committed to eradicating polio. The president said the main cause of the increase in the number of polio cases in recent years was terrorism because of which many tribal areas in the country were still inaccessible. Pakistan has asked the 28-member European Union to relax travel restrictions imposed on it, the report said.

Former Pakistan PM Gilani speaks to son abducted 2 years ago

akistan’s former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today said he had spoken to his son Ali Haider for the first time since he was kidnapped by a Taliban group in 2013 and is now being held in Afghanistan. “Today I received a telephone call from an unknown number. It was from my abducted son Haider. He told me that he was well and inquired about the other family members,” Gilani told reporters. “We spoke about eight minutes,” he said, expressing hope for safe recovery of his son. Ali Haider was kidnapped by gunmen in Multan, Gilani’s hometown, two days before the May 11, 2013 general election.

Pakistan ‘haven’ for Islamist terror groups

akistan is a “haven” for several Islamist terror groups and successive Pakistani governments are widely believed to have supported some outfits as proxies in the country’s conflicts with its neighbours including India, a US Congressional research report has said. The report, dated May 14, notes that Pakistan’s security services are seen by many independent analysts to be too willing to make distinctions between what they consider to be “good” and “bad” Islamist extremist groups, maintaining supportive relations with Afghan insurgents and anti-India militant groups operating from Pakistani territory. “Pakistan is a haven for numerous Islamist extremist and terrorist groups, and successive Pakistani governments are widely believed to have tolerated and even supported some of these as proxies in Islamabad’s historical tensions and conflicts with neighbours,” said the latest report by the independent Congressional Research Service (CRS) on Pakistan. The periodic CRS report on Pakistan is not an official report of the United States Congress, but prepared by noted experts on the issue to keep the lawmakers in-

formed about the current state of affairs in Pakistan, the bilateral relationship and ties with its neighbours. Noting the key steps taken by the Narendra Modi-led government in the last one year, including the decision to invite Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony and sending Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to Islamabad on a SAARC Yatra, the report states that “serious tension” remains between the two South Asian neighbours. “Serious tensions between Pakistan and India persist, and many observers see the Pakistani Army obstructing the efforts of Pakistani business interests to deepen commercial trade and other engagement with India, seeking resolution of territorial disputes as a prerequisite,” said the CRS report, authored by K Alan Kronstadt, specialist in South Asian Affairs. According to the report, Pakistan’s more recent and apparently energetic development of shortrange, nuclear-armed missiles —ostensibly in response to India’s purported “cold start” doctrine of rapid preemptive strikes with conventional forces — has raised fears about negative effects on crisis stability in the event of open warfare between Pakistan and India.

Three dead in attack targeting President’s son

hree people were killed and four others injured when a separatist group targeted a convoy carrying the President (picutred) Mamnoon’s son in the southwestern province of Baluchistan Police said. “An explosive laden motorbike parked at a roadside was blown up with a remote control device when [the] convoy of President Mamnoon Hussain’s son, Salman Mamnoon was passing by late Sunday night in Hub Industrial Zone near the

border with Karachi,” local police official Ghulam Mustafa Shah told AFP Monday. He said the president’s son was unharmed as his vehicle had already passed the spot where the device ex-

ploded hitting a rikshaw and the last vehicle of the convoy. “The rikshaw driver, a 12-year-old child in the rikshaw and a passerby died at the spot while four police personnel of the security squad received minor injuries,” he said.

Asia’s largest cross being built

cross is being erected here in Pakistan’s largest and most populous city by a devout Christian who calls it a “symbol of God”. Parvez Henry Gill, Christian businessman is building the largest cross in Gora Qabristan, one of the oldest Christian cemetery. Gill said he decided to build Asia’s largest cross “after God asked him to do

something for the Christian community” in the Muslim majority nation, Dawn reported. “Cross is a work of God,” one of the Muslim worker said. Of Karachi’s 21 million population, about one million is from the Christian community. Gill says the cross will “be a symbol of God, and everybody who sees this will be worry-free.”

Seven executed indeath-row convictions

even death row convicts were executed in jails across Pakistan’s Punjab and Balochistan province on Wednesday, a media report said. In Lahore central jail, two convicts were hanged. Abdul Khaliq had been convicted of murdering a woman, while convict Shahzad was also found guilty of committing a murder, reported. Two convicts were hanged in Gujrat district jail. Naseer was found guilty of killing a man in 2002. Faisal was sentenced to death for committing a murder in 1999. In Vehari district jail , two prisoners were executed. Abdul Sattar was found guilty of raping and killing a 13-yearold girl in 1997. Convict Sanaullah had also raped and killed a 11-year-old girl in 2001.

Owner of ‘fake degree factory’ arrested: officials

nvestigators arrested the head of a firm accused of running a global fake degree empire and conducted fresh raids at its Karachi headquarters where they discovered thousands of blank diplomas. Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh, the CEO of software house Axact, revealed the location of the blank degrees that were ready for printing as well as fake student ID cards during the course of his interrogation, magistrate Javed Malik told reporters. Another magistrate, Noor Mohammad Kalmati, on Wednesday remanded Shaikh into the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for seven days after he was formally charged, a court and FIA officials said. Shaikh and six other company directors have been charged under laws relating to fraud, cheating, money-laundering and illegal electronic money transfer, the officials said.

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nflators in the airbags can explode, injuring people inside the car and affecting the performance of the airbag in an accident. The makes and models were not available last week, and Transport Canada had no estimates of the numbers of vehicles that might be recalled. However, the manufacturers have begun to issue recalls for specific vehicles, making it possible to estimate the number of cars affected in Canada, though total numbers remain murky because Transport Canada does not keep track. In Canada, vehicle manufacturers are responsible for carrying out recall campaigns, not parts suppliers, nor Transport Canada. These models and numbers were posted by Canadian safety regulators, although the list may not be comprehensive: Honda Motor Co.: 704,770 vehicles: 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-

2007 Accord, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2001-2005 Acura 1.7EL, 2002-2003 Acura TL, 2003 Acura CL, 2003-2006 Pilot, 2003-2010 Element, 2006 Ridgeline. BMW AG: 30,838 vehicles. 2002-2003 3 Series, 2003-2004 X5. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.: 374,508 vehicles: 2005-2007 Charger, 2007-2008 Aspen, 2005-2007 Magnum, 2004-2011 Ram pickups, 2004-2008 Durango. Ram pickups from 2002-2003. Ford Motor Co.: 102,540 vehicles: 20052014 Mustang and GT models, 2004-2007 Ranger pickups. General Motors: 29,900 vehicles, including 2003 Pontiac Vibe, 2013-14 Chevrolet Cruz, 2015 GMC Canyon. Toyota: 107,339 vehicles: 2002-3 Sequoia, Tundra, Lexus SC-40; 2004-5 Rav, 2003-4 Corolla. Nissan: 145,050 vehicles: 2003 Infiniti

Chrysler latest target in newest class action suit

he latest in a series of proposed Canadian class-action suits over potentially deadly airbags was launched Thursday, this one over those installed in Chrysler vehicles. The lead plaintiff, Gary Coles, of Tecumseh, Ont., bought a Chrysler 300 in 2006. In March, he contacted Chrysler Canada to find out if the vehicle contained a Takata airbag requiring replacement and the company confirmed it did. “To the date of the filing of this claim, he has not received an official recall notice from the Chrysler defendants,” the statement asserts. Constantin said his law firm launched its first action last fall and has added further ones as the scope of the problem became evident and may start new actions or amend the existing suits as more information emerges. Previous suits targeted other large vehicle makers such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW and Ford. The

Saturday, May 30, 2015 i 33

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Honda, in a statement to CBC, said some of the cars listed in the recall Thursday had previously been subject to a notice of defect.

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36 i Saturday, May 30, 2015