Canadian found with $12 million in meth wrapped in vinegar and coffee on flight from Vancouver
A Canadian woman was arrested at an airport in Australia after $12 million worth of meth was found in her luggage — despite elaborate effort to thwart detection: it was encased in plastic and wrapped in towels soaked in vinegar and layered with coffee beans, Australian officials said.
The discovery in a suitcase from Vancouver is more evidence of Canada being a significant source country for the flood of drugs targeting
to Australia
Australia, where street drugs command higher retail prices. The 24-year-old Canadian, who was not named by Australian authorities, arrived at Brisbane International Airport on a flight from Fiji after starting her journey in Vancouver, authorities said. When she arrived in Brisbane on July 28, she was sent for a baggage examination. Scans of a suitcase revealed anomalies inside.
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Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is returning to Bangladesh to lead interim government
Bangladesh’s Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is set to return to Dhaka on Thursday to be sworn in as his country’s interim leader, after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India Monday following widespread protests against her government.
Rioters burned down police stations and attacked homes and temples of minority Hindus in the protests. “The whole edifice has collapsed,” said Jyoti Rahman, an Australiabased economist who writes on Bangladeshi politics and economy, referring to Hasina’s government.
The Bangladesh military’s swift appointment of Yunus was a demand of students who led the protests that triggered the former prime minister’s resignation. “Any government other than the one we recommended would not be accepted,” Reuters quoted one of the student leaders, Nahid Islam, as writing on Facebook.
Continued on Page 10...
BC landslide river surge reaches Lower Mainland
Max Paulhus says he could hear wood breaking and a roaring sound before an approaching surge of water raced down the Fraser River after breaking free from a landslide upstream.
Paulhus lives in Lillooet, B.C., and is one of several Fraser River community residents and business operators who described watching the power of water and debris churning from the Chilcotin River landslide towards British Columbia’s Lower Mainland.
“You could hear an abnormal sound coming from the river,” said Paulhus, the Lillooet and District Rescue Society chief. “You could hear that noise. You could hear branches breaking. It was almost like a roar.”
Others downstream at Lytton and at the Hell’s Gate Airtram said they could also hear the river’s flow as the water and debris passed through Tuesday afternoon and evening.
A landslide last week in Farwell Canyon, south of Williams Lake, dammed the Chilcotin River and created a lake about 11 kilometres long behind the slide. Water started flowing over the top of the landslide on Monday, and as the dam eroded a torrent of water raced down the Chilcotin, a tributary of the Fraser River, ripping away river banks and carrying off at least one heritage cabin.Continued on Page 15...
RCMP seize weapons after viral video of Sikh men dancing with firearms at a wedding in Surrey
Surrey RCMP have seized firearms after a video circulated on social media showing Sikh men and women dancing with guns at a wedding, now confirmed to have been in South Surrey, B.C.
Continued on Page 7...
Mystery surrounds US woman found starving and chained to tree in India
Mystery surrounds an American woman who was found chained to a tree “screaming” in a forest in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.
Lalita Kayi, 50, was discovered a week ago in the dense forests of Sindhudurg district after her cries for help were heard by shepherds. They alerted the police who sawed off the chain and rescued her.
Ms Kayi, who appeared completely emaciated, was taken to hospital. Her physical health has since improved and, on Friday, she was moved to a psychiatric facility for further treatment, doctors treating her told the BBC.
In a written statement to the police, she has alleged that her husband “chained her and left her in the forest to die without food or water”. Police say they are looking for her husband in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on the basis of information she provided them.
Continued on Page 15...
Muhammad Yunus in middle
Police warn about two Abbotsford gangster out on bail
Abbotsford police issued a public warning Thursday about two B.C. gang members who were released on bail a day earlier.
two kilos of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, morphine and a large cache of guns and money.
Police began investigating a large-scale drug trafficking ring in late 2022 focused on Abbotsford residents Anmol Sandhu and Navpreet Dhaliwal. Both have been linked to the B.C. gang war and police say they “present a significant public safety risk.” Searches of several homes in Abbotsford and Surrey turned up almost six kilograms of fentanyl,
The pair were arrested on Feb. 21 and charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder and taken to jail. Drug trafficking and firearms charges were also laid.
“The Abbotsford Police Department recognizes the public safety risk these two men present and is issuing this … notification to keep the public informed,” Sgt. Paul Walker said in a statement Thursday.
Sandhu and Dhaliwal are on courtordered bail conditions that include electronic monitoring and house arrest, weapons prohibitions and several no-contact orders. They can’t communicate on social media or have a cellphone.
Police say the pair will be closely monitored by the APD gang crime unit. Anyone who sees either violating their conditions is asked to call police at 604-859-5225 or 911 in an emergency.
The Bank of Canada is now less concerned about home prices spiking as it lowers its benchmark interest rate, minutes from the governing council’s latest meeting show. Deliberations from the July 24 meeting, where the central bank delivered its second consecutive quarter-point rate cut, were published on Wednesday.
The Bank of Canada’s top monetary policymakers discussed risks to the inflation outlook and the broader Canadian economy, the minutes show, including the pace of immigration, wage pressures and the housing market.
Previous deliberations have shown the governing council was keeping a close eye on housing activity as it edged towards a lower policy rate, fearing sudden cuts to borrowing costs could drive home prices higher and risk progress made to date in taming inflation. But the latest release shows such worries have ebbed.
The governing council did acknowledge that declining mortgage rates or higher-thanexpected population growth could drive demand higher in the housing market, and that delays in building homes could limit the growth of supply.
Reaction in the housing market to the first two interest rate cuts of the cycle in June and July has been somewhat muted with a small uptick in sales reported in some markets. The deliberations show that resale activity has been “slower than expected” from the central bank’s point of view. Despite hopes for residential building investment to “increase substantially” next year, the governing council suggested in the minutes that “the imbalance between demand and supply was likely to persist for sometime,” particularly in urban rental markets where newcomers tend to settle. Market watchers have noted a shift in the Bank of Canada’s tone since the July 24 meeting, focused increasingly on fears that inflation could fall too far past two per cent. Those worries are prominent in the governing council’s deliberations as well.
BMO and CIBC are both calling for another 75 basis points of rate cuts in 2024, or a quarterpoint cut at every remaining meeting this year.
Monetary policymakers will get a fresh look at July jobs figures from Statistics Canada on Friday. The Bank of Canada’s next interest rate decision is set for September 4.
Residents in Vancouver’s West Side are still waiting to return to their homes the morning after a fire at a construction site on Tuesday evening spread onto neighbouring houses and toppled a crane.
Vancouver Emergency Support Services says it has registered 81 people who were evacuated from their homes due to the fires and subsequent crane collapse.
While some residents have since returned home, support services are currently housing at least 37 people in hotels as of Wednesday afternoon. “We know not everyone displaced may have registered with the ESS; many people
are staying with friends or family, and more people may reach out requiring support,” a City of Vancouver spokesperson said in a statement to CBC. Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS)
Chief Karen Fry said at a news conference Wednesday that it’s not clear yet what caused the fire to ignite around 6:30 p.m. PT — or what caused the construction crane to collapse into a house in the Dunbar neighbourhood.
“I was home with my little brother. He pointed through the kitchen window, and said, ‘Look, there’s a fire,’” Alice told CBC News on Wednesday. “We heard a lot of booms from the crane and wood falling down.”
One man shot, another assaulted in two separate incidents in Chilliwack
Chilliwack RCMP said one man is in hospital after he was shot Wednesday night.
The shooting was reported just after 10 p.m. on July 31. A man bleeding from his injuries was taken to hospital with serious but not lifethreatening injuries. Investigators believe the shooting was a targeted, isolated incident, said RCMP in a news release. Two suspects have
been identified and taken into custody. Hours later, just after midnight on Aug. 1, Mounties rushed to the area of Yale Road and Williams Street for a report on an assault in progress and found a man with serious injuries. He was taken to hospital.
A suspect was arrested at the scene and remains in custody.
New BC wildfire doubles in size overnight
A fire in the North Okanagan, the latest B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) designated wildfire of note, forced dozens to evacuate their homes Tuesday afternoon.
The Hullcar Mountain wildfire near Vernon has doubled within the last 24 hours, from 3.3 square kilometres Tuesday afternoon to 6.7 square kilometres Wednesday morning.
Tuesday evening, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) issued an evacuation order for 17 properties on the east side of Salmon River Road and the west side of Deep Creek Road. Local traffic is open in the evacuation order area of Salmon River Road. A detour is available through Yankee Flats.
An expanded evacuation also alert has been issued in the area, including 25 properties on the east side of Salmon River Road and on the west side of Deep Creek Road, according to the CSRD website. The CSRD says people in the area should prepare for a possible evacuation.
The fire Spallumcheen and the Splatsin First Nations have also issued evacuation orders and alerts in response to the fire.
The BCWS declared the Hullcar Mountain area a wildfire of note, meaning it is highly visible and a potential threat to public safety.
BC wildfire Information officer Taylor Shantz says 51 personnel were working on the fire on Wednesday.
She says the southeast corner of the blaze is the most active and has been the focus of helicopters and water-skimmer planes working to “knock
back fire lines.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, it was one of more than 340 wildfires in the province.
Officials say lightning, the largest cause of wildfires in B.C., is suspected.
The BCWS has also issued evacuation orders for two separate fires in the Penticton area — one for the Lower Blue Mountain wildfire Tuesday afternoon, where the fire is more than 0.4 square kilometres and a fire in the West Bench area that was human caused.
The Penticton Indian Band issued an evacuation order for the Lower Blue Mountain wildfire, affecting around 10 properties. The evacuation order was lifted Wednesday afternoon, according to Emergency Info B.C., and affected residents may return home, although they could have to leave again on short notice. As of Wednesday afternoon, the BCWS reported the wildfire is under control.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay’s emergency operations centre downgraded the order for 116 properties south of Duncan Dam Lookout Road and Argenta-Johnsons Landing Road. However, east of Dundan and Argenta Johnsons Landing roads remain under an evacuation order. The fire started July 18, and over 180 square kilometres have burned.
An evacuation order and alert are still in effect for the Dogtooth wildfire near Golden, where more than 50 square kilometres have burned since July 22. The BCWS says rain and thunderstorms are expected until Friday afternoon, and clear skies are forecast for the weekend. “Thunderstorms typically bring strong, gusty winds that allow fires to become a lot more aggressive and spread much more easily,” he wrote. “This can happen with little to no warning, making it all the more dangerous.”
This week, most lightning activity is expected to be concentrated in the southeast and along the Coast Mountains, Mahdavi said.
Vancouver School Board chair resigns from mayor’s ABC party over integrity commissioner issue
The ongoing issues involving the City of Vancouver integrity commissioner and city council, led by Mayor Ken Sim, have prompted Vancouver School Board (VSB) chair Victoria Jung to resign from Sim’s ABC party.
ABC swept to power in local elections in 2022 with every one of its candidates winning their seat on city council and the parks and school boards. Jung was the top vote-getter at the VSB and became the organization’s chair.
Now, two years later she’s remaining as the board chair, but leaving ABC.
“Recent events questioning the officer of the Vancouver Integrity Commissioner have given me pause to reflect on my core values,” wrote Jung in a post on Twitter/X on Aug. 7, 2024.
The mayor called a special single-issue meeting for August 6 before council goes on a month-long summer hiatus. The meeting was essentially to vote on a suspension of the Integrity Commissioner’s Office while a third party reviewed the office’s mandate.
However, Sim asked for the vote to be delayed
Conservatives call for probe into how Canada let in suspect with alleged ISIS ties
until Sept. 25, citing an email he, council, and senior staff received from Coun. Pete Fry the day before. The email referenced a complaint Fry had filed with the Integrity Commissionner’s Office; that office had not yet notified those named in the complaint, however, Sim indicated those potentially named were himself and multiple councillors.
Sim went on to say Fry’s actions broke confidentiality protocol.
“Given Coun. Fry’s actions that clearly violate the currently defined process, I have no choice but to recommend a recess for this meeting out of an abundance of caution,” said Sim.
After the meeting, Coun. Christine Boyle, who’s part of OneCity, said on Twitter/X the recess was “good news.”
“The Mayor’s speech about ‘political theatre’ was baloney,” she added. “The Integrity Commissioner’s work will continue for at least another 1.5 months.”
The three council members not part of ABC (Boyle, Fry and Adriane Carr) did not attend the meeting.
The Opposition Conservatives on Tuesday called for a parliamentary committee to probe how a man charged with terrorism offences entered Canada with alleged ISIS ties.
House leader Andrew Scheer made the call following a report from Global News last week based on unnamed sources that 62-year Ahmed Eldidi immigrated to Canada after having allegedly been involved in committing violence against an ISIS prisoner back in 2015, according to a video. The RCMP confirmed to
BC government gives Burnaby, Langley Township transit hub density ultimatum
The B.C. government has given at least two municipalities until Oct. 31 to implement provincial requirements around housing developments near transit hubs — otherwise the province will impose them.
But the mayors of those two cities accused the NDP of provincial “overreach” and interference in municipal jurisdiction. They also say the provincial government has hindered their ability to develop things such as recreation centres and public parks.
Under Bill 47, which passed last fall, Metro Vancouver municipalities were required to pass bylaws to allow eight-20 storey housing developments near SkyTrain stations and eight-12 storeys near bus exchanges.
As first reported by Global News, Infrastructure
Minister Rob Fleming wrote to Langley Township
Mayor Eric Woodward in late July, after township council missed the June 30 deadline to recognize the site of the future Willowbrook SkyTrain station as a transit-oriented development zone.
Similar to threats levelled against West Vancouver over that council’s refusal to allow between four and six units on a single-family lot, the minister said the province has the legal right to force the changes through if necessary.
the National Post on Tuesday that Ahmed Eldidi is a Canadian citizen while his son Mostafa Eldidi, who is also facing charges, is not.
“This is a colossal failure,” Scheer told reporters in Ottawa. “Canadians have a right to know what went wrong, how this individual gained entry into Canada and obtained Canadian citizenship.”
Scheer said he has not seen the video himself but has relied on media reports. Postmedia has also not viewed the video. Nonetheless, Scheer said the situation
In a statement, the Ministry of Transportation said the letters are designed to give municipalities that haven’t complied with the requirements additional time and that the ministry will continue to work with these communities to implement those changes.
Woodward says his council will consider Fleming’s letter in September or October, but believes the new mandatory minimum zoning will increase land values and compromise the ability of municipalities to create healthy, vibrant communities. At the same time, he said municipalities and the province need to be careful to keep housing in these areas affordable so that renters and marginalized communities are not pushed further away from the transit they rely on.
demands the government and relevant security agencies answer for how an individual with alleged ISIS ties was able to enter Canada.
“It’s totally within their purview to inform Canadians how people associated with ISIS, who participated in a gruesome and horrific torture video were allowed into Canada (and) whether there are other individuals who may have links to terrorist organizations that are currently at large in Canada,” he said.
“This is a shocking and disturbing event.”
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Stretchflation is the latest threat to your grocery bill
By Sylvain Charlebois: We are all familiar with “shrinkîation,” where the quantity of a product decreases while the price remains the same, and “shelîation,” where a product’s shelf life is compromised due to supply chain issues. These phenomena, which have been around for decades, contribute to the rising cost of groceries. However, a new trend called “stretchîation” appears to be emerging in our grocery stores.
Stretchîation, írst reported in Europe, involves increasing the quantity of a product while its price rises disproportionately, subtly deceiving consumers. An unveriíed example is Saputo’s sliced provolone at Costco. The package size increased from 620 grams to 750 grams, a 20 percent increase. However, the price of the 750 grams is over $15, representing more than a 25 percent increase, according to some reports. Recently, some bakery products have also experienced similar price and quantity adjustments.
For now, cases of stretchîation are rare in our grocery aisles, but we might see more in the future. The recent consumer revolt against shrinkîation is pushing manufacturers and distributors to oìer more product, but they also seem to be asking for more money in return. The primary motivation behind stretchîation is likely to defend the industry’s image, not just to cut costs and oìer less. Bulk buying was the trend for about 20 years, starting from the inîationary phase of the early 1980s. “Big was king,” as the saying goes. Since then, there have been two signiícant shrinkîation cycles: in 200809 and more recently, from 2022 to now. The recent cycle of shrinkîation probably ended earlier this year, but the industry’s response seems to be stretchîation.
One might wish to legislate against companies changing product quantities, but that could lead to further price increases. And there’s nothing illegal about it.
Nevertheless, these tactics are a nuisance for all of us. The most concerning aspect of these quantity changes is their eìect on our bills and how Statistics Canada measures their impact on food inîation. While the federal agency assures us that it monitors these strategies’ eìects on food inîation, it rarely provides clear examples of how it adjusts its methodology to account for them.
Besides the desire to legislate against these tactics, the lack of transparency on our grocery bills regarding taxes is probably the most pressing issue that needs to be addressed.
White Rock waterfront home sells for less than it did just three years ago
Real estate in BC has become less about shelter and, in some cases, more about investment potential, but one White Rock home has proven not to be the best investment for its former owner.
A home in White Rock recently sold for $1,660,000, lower than the most recent assessed value of $1,999,000. The land value alone is $1,708,000.
On the surface, it seems like the home at 15348 Victoria Avenue should’ve sold for its full potential value, as it’s in a highly coveted location, close to the water, with “endless ocean views.”
3,152 sq ft of space.
The assessed value has only increased over the past few years, making the under-assessed sale that much more surprising.
While the home was built in 1978, it benefited from a major rebuild in 2013. The home features
According to Zealty, the home was last sold in 2021 for a final sale price of $1,830,000.
The new owner put the house back on the market in February of this year for $1,999,800. That listing was terminated, and the house was relisted in February for $1,900,000. The price was dropped to $1,849,890 before that listing was also terminated in May.
Finally, the home was relisted in May for $1,749,890, but that price dropped to $1,660,000, the final sold price.
A woman and child are dead after a multivehicle collision on Highway 1 in Chilliwack, B.C., on Tuesday afternoon, according to police.
B.C. Highway Patrol and Chilliwack RCMP responded to multiple 911 calls about the collision around 2:40 p.m. PT.
The crash involved six vehicles, police said.
The woman and child were travelling in the same vehicle. A second child in the vehicle was taken to hospital with serious injuries but is expected to survive, said Melissa Jongema with the B.C. Highway Patrol.
No other serious injuries were reported.
Jongema says the Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service (ICARS) is working with investigators to determine the
RCMP in Chilliwack, B.C., say a four-yearold girl has drowned in a pond at a leisure centre.
Police say they received a report of the drowning at the water park of the Chilliwack Landing Leisure Centre around 8 p.m. PT Monday night.
They say emergency responders, including officers, paramedics and firefighters, all responded to the call.
Police say the girl had been pulled out of the water by family members and bystanders had begun CPR when they arrived.
They say the child was brought to the hospital, where she died.
cause of the collision.
She said initial information suggests that an obstruction, reportedly a ladder, on the roadway led one or more vehicles to stop abruptly, causing a chain reaction of collisions. Impairment is not believed to be a factor, she said. Highway 1 was closed eastbound for approximately 12 hours, reopening just before 3 a.m. Wednesday, according to DriveBC.
leisure centre
“Everyone did everything they could to try and save this young girl,” said B.C. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Brett Urano in an interview.
“Our deepest, deepest condolences are with the family and friends and those who witnessed this event during this heartbreaking time ... we also extend our gratitude to all those who assisted this family and this young girl in attempting to save her life.”
Urano is urging parents to be be vigilant when kids are around water.
As of Tuesday, the Lifesaving Society of B.C. and Yukon says there have been 24 drowning deaths in the province and territory so far this year.
Two Coquitlam residents among group charged following Metro Vancouver drug-trafficking bust in 2023
Drugs seized by CFSEU-BC during the search warrants carried out in spring, 2023. Photo courtesy of the CFSEU-BC. A pair of Coquitlam residents have been charged after B.C.’s anti-gang unit executed a series of search warrants across the Lower Mainland last spring
The Crown announced 31 charges against eight suspects on July 29, 2024, resulting from a significant amount of drugs, weapons, and cash being seized from properties in Coquitlam, Richmond, Surrey, and Langley.
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Lytton First Nation Coun. John Haugen said he estimated the Fraser River rose about three metres Tuesday, before it returned to normal levels Wednesday.
“The water dropped about 10 feet at about 5:30 this morning,” he said, adding the high-water marks were still visible at the community’s river ferry dock.
The Fisheries Department said in a statement Tuesday that based on historical timing, it believes
The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of BC (CFSEU-BC) and Langley RCMP began a joint investigation into an alleged drug trafficking network back in December, 2022, after identifying suspects under investigation by both agencies.
Investigators determined the suspects were connected to gang activity and organized crime as the scope of the investigation expanded into multiple Lower Mainland jurisdictions, according to a CFSEU-BC news release.
the majority of adult chinook salmon returning to the Chilcotin River this season migrated past the slide site before last week’s landslide.
It also said the majority of adult sockeye salmon are expected to arrive at the confluence of the Chilcotin and Fraser rivers around the third week in August, and coho not until the early fall.
The Lower Mainland cities of Maple Ridge and New Westminster closed access to Fraser River public areas out of caution in case of swift moving water and debris.
BC landslide river surge reaches Lower Mainland
Girl, 4, drowns in pond at Chilliwack
BC United propose ‘world-class’ Wildfire Prevention and Response Institute
With the next provincial election approaching fast in October, the BC United have unveiled a plan for a “world-class” Wildfire Prevention and Response Institute. This is one of the first big campaign promises from the party which currently acts as Opposition to the BC NDP.
As wildfires in BC continue to escalate with every passing year, BC United is saying that the province is in need of a bolstered
wildfire policy and the institute they have just announced their intention to build.
They say the Wildfire Prevention and Response Institute would be based in Kamloops, would reduce the impacts of natural disasters and would reduce their economic and environmental impact. Additionally, the BC United say that they would invest more in fire suppression
RCMP
technology such as drones, artificial intelligence for early detection, night-vision for battling blazes around the clock and more water delivery systems.
Lastly, the BC United say they would pour funding into a better “full-time firefighting service” with more personnel and aircraft.
“We cannot continue with the same lack of wildfire preparedness and action from David Eby’s NDP government year after year and expect to see a different result,” said Mike Bernier, BC United Shadow Minister for Forests, Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, and MLA for Peace River South.
“British Columbia can and should be a leader on the world stage when it comes to implementing cutting-edge wildfire strategy, technology and training—creating a worldclass Wildfire Prevention and Response Institute in Kamloops will do just that.”
BC United says that they would build this institute with a $78 million initial investment.
Despite this lofty plan, according to current polls in the province, BC United Party is projected to lose most of their seats to the Conservative Party of British Columbia, including Bernier’s seat.
Additionally, polls predict that BC United Leader Kevin Falcon will lose his own seat to the Conservatives in the election.
The provincial election is to be held on October 19th.
seized weapons after viral video of Sikh men dancing with firearms at a wedding in
Continued from Page 1...
After becoming aware of the video Thursday, Surrey RCMP South Community Response Unit launched an investigation and later in the day confirmed the address where the video had been filmed, police told True North in a statement.
After the address was confirmed, “a Criminal Code investigation was initiated, and contact was made with the property owner,” police said. At around 5:30 pm, SCRU seized “several firearms” from the property owner. An investigation to identify the individuals in the video is still underway, and “no charges have been forwarded yet,” according to police.
The video shows several men in turbans and women in traditional South Asian dresses dancing with guns next to a child at what appears to be a wedding. The man who filmed the video can be seen stretching out his arm, holding what appears to be a semiautomatic rifle with his finger on the trigger.
”We understand this incident was extremely
Surrey
alarming to the community at large,” Harm Dosange, Surrey RCMP’s community services officer said. “Public safety is our top priority, and our officers worked quickly to seize the firearms in question.”
A police representative said the SCRU will contact multiple partner agencies to expedite the investigation.
The video was initially posted to Facebook by Pattar Farm owner Harjit Singh Pattar before being picked up by Canadians concerned about potential gang and gun violence. A look at Pattar’s Facebook page still shows photos of a collection of firearms.
Another video posted to Pattar’s TikTok account, which has since been deleted, shows the farm owner posing with guns, shooting them in the air over a field, and a photo of a collection of over 25 guns. Surrey RCMP is asking anyone with information regarding the incident or the identity of the individuals in the video to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 and to “quote file 2024-112686” when they do.
Most Canadians want to shrink bloated public service: Poll
OTTAWA — With Canada’s bureaucracy seeing unprecedented growth since 2015, new polling suggests Canadians want to put the bloated public service on a crash diet.
Released Tuesday, new poll numbers from Leger suggest 47% of Canadians want to reduce the size of Canada’s bureaucracy, which has grown 42% since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came to power.
With undecided voters removed, the number of respondents who want to see a leaner public service grows to 56%.
“The poll shows taxpayers know they’re paying for too many federal paper pushers and want Ottawa to shrink the bureaucracy,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation — the government spending watchdog who also commissioned the poll.
“Canadians can’t afford to keep bankrolling a bloated federal bureaucracy.”
Canada’s federal public service ballooned
by more than 10,000 new positions last year, putting the population of public servants in this country at a record high of 367,772 employees. Trudeau’s time in office saw the public service grow by nearly 110,000 positions, or 42% — while Canada’s population only grew by around 14% across the same time period.
In the poll, 47% of respondents wanted to reduce the number of federal workers, while 29% wanted the federal government to maintain staffing levels as they are, and only 7% thought Canada should increase the number of public servants.
Canadian found with $12M meth stash wrapped in vinegar and coffee at Aussie airport on flight from Vancouver
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Several packages found inside were encased in heavy plastic wrap that had been further wrapped in towels that had been soaked in vinegar and layered with coffee beans, according to the Australian Border Force (ABF).
The odd packaging was likely designed to mask the scent of the illicit cargo from drugsniffing dogs trained to find banned narcotics.
A field test of the contents returned a presumptive positive result for
methamphetamine and weighed 14.4 kilograms, officials said.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) then charged the woman with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
In November, a Canadian man was sentenced in Australia to 18 and a half years in prison for trying to smuggle $15 million worth of meth, one of several Canadians arrested Down Under.
BC scam victim forces Scotiabank to reveal ID of con man so he can sue
A Vancouver senior who was scammed by someone posing as his son has filed a lawsuit against the con man after forcing Scotiabank to reveal his identity, although it took more than a year after he lost the money.
Kiet Ma, 70, a retired pastor, says the text message he received from the person purporting to be his son asked for $8,390.50 for an emergency, according to a lawsuit suing the alleged thief for return of the money.
The request in April 2023 came in on a number unknown to Ma, but the scammer explained it by saying his phone wasn’t working and told his “dad” he was using another phone to text him, the claim said.
Ma knew his son was buying a house. He and his wife had given him money to assist in
the purchase, so the request wasn’t unusual. He called the text number and it was not answered by a random stranger, so that confirmed in his mind the number was legit, it said.
Ma immediately withdrew the money from his bank branch and deposited it in the Scotiabank branch in the same neighbourhood, using the account number given to him in the text. He immediately sent a photo of the deposit receipt to his son’s WhatsApp number and it then became clear he had been swindled, the claim said.
Ma’s lawsuit cites previous cases stating financial institutions are liable for funds they make available to someone other than the person rightfully entitled to them, even if they knew nothing about the fraud.
Canadian man arrested for allegedly making violent threats to Trudeau online
The RCMP have arrested a Canadian man for allegedly uttering threats towards Prime Minister Justin Trudeau online.
According to a news release on Wednesday, the individual had allegedly posted a video online making violent threats towards the prime minister, the police and any security personnel who might attempt to interfere with his plans.
The RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) received this information and opened an investigation to identify and locate the person responsible and defuse the risk as quickly as possible. Authorities arrested 33-year-old Dawid Zalewski, of no fixed address, and charged him with two counts of Uttering Threats, under Sec. 264.1(1), of the Criminal Code.
“The RCMP GTA INSET and York Regional Police were able to swiftly locate and arrest this individual, resulting in the reduced risk to the prime minister, other police officers, and to the public,” said Supt. James Parr, Officer-inCharge, GTA/SW INSET, in a statement.
This isn’t the first time this year someone has been charged with allegedly threatening Trudeau.
Police said this step was the result of a brief investigation by the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team following a report that the 30-year-old had made threatening comments. In 2018, Orion Rutley of Alberta was charged with two counts of uttering threats, as he allegedly tweeted posts that targeted Trudeau and Rachel Notley, the premier of Alberta at the time.
Victim identified in fatal Langley shooting Illicit drug lab equipment, chemicals originated in BC, but wound
Homicide investigators say they’re identifying the man who died in a double shooting in Langley last week, with the hopes of advancing their case.
The RCMP has said officers were called to the area of 202B Street between 72 and 68 avenues in the Willoughby neighbourhood after reports of gunfire around 12:40 a.m. Friday.
While officers were on scene, another report came in saying two men who had been shot were at the hospital.
One of the victims, 41year old Dillan Unger,
died of his injuries. The second man has since been released from the hospital, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) says,
“This appears to have been a targeted and isolated incident,” said Corp. Chase Smith of IHIT. “Our team is actively working to gather evidence and advance the investigation.”
IHIT is asking anyone with information or dashcam footage from the area of 202B Street between 72 and 68 avenues between 10 p.m. Aug. 1 and 3 a.m. Aug 2, to contact investigators at 1-877-551IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
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up seized in resort city
Police in Fiji are investigating the seizure of equipment that could be used to set up illicit drug labs that was shipped into the tiny nation from B.C.
Fijian investigators also found precursor chemicals from Canada with the equipment that was stashed in a warehouse in the resort city of Nadi. Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew called the seizure “significant,” given the methamphetamine crisis in the Pacific island nation. Most of the meth landing in Fiji has come from illicit transnational organized crime shipments en route to the lucrative markets of Australia and New Zealand.
The equipment from B.C. was found on July 12. Six people were arrested. Fiji Police Assistant Commissioner Mesake Waqa said this week that
in Fiji
“the investigation is continuing. Investigators are also looking at the financial history of the suspects and are also in the process of taking statements from pharmaceutical companies.”
Police Supt. Seru Neiko said at the time that the country of less than a million was “unable to police our borders, especially our maritime border. And the possibility of drug consignments being dropped off at sea and then picked up and transported further to another destination, that’s something that we cannot really manage just because of the resources that we have.”
He also said police and customs there had stopped a number of air freight shipments of methamphetamine — individual packages each weighing up to a kilogram — that began in early 2023 from the Lower Mainland.
Burnaby developer faces sex, sexual orientation discrimination complaint
A Burnaby developer has failed to convince the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal to dismiss a complaint from an employee who claims one of its construction superintendents called her a “dyke” and complained of “another f***ing woman on my jobsite” when she arrived.
Jane Louise Foster, a construction safety officer with Thind Properties Ltd., launched a complaint against the company, the construction superintendent John Rutckyj, and Thind’s vicepresident for construction Steve Eder, alleging they had discriminated against her based on sex and sexual orientation contrary to the Human Rights Code, according to a tribunal ruling last week. Thind applied to have the complaint dismissed, arguing it had already dealt with the matters raised by Foster and saying that it wouldn’t further the purposes of the code to allow the complaint against Rutckyj and Eder
because they were “acting in the scope of their duties,” the ruling said.
The company relocated Foster to a different job site so she wouldn’t have to work with Rutckyj or under his supervision, but Foster told the company that was “not a resolution,” according to the ruling.
The ruling said Thind hired a safety consultant to conduct an investigation and to develop a new respectful workplace policy and complaint resolution procedure for the company. Foy also rejected Thind’s argument that allowing the complaint against Rutckyj and Eder would not further the purposes of the code.
He said the Supreme Court of Canada has stated “the aspirational purposes of the code require that individual perpetrators of discrimination be held accountable for their actions.”
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is returning to Bangladesh to lead interim government
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The students “were very clear,” said Thomas Kean of the International Crisis Group. “They were not going to accept the army or an armybacked government.”
Those concerns are alive in Bangladesh, where the institution has led 29 interventions in a country that is five decades old, according to Chietigj Bajpaee, senior research fellow for South Asia at Chatham House in London. It was the army chief, Gen. Waker-Uz-Zaman, who announced the former prime minister had resigned on Monday. That resignation triggered “a seismic shift in politics in Bangladesh,” said Kean. Hasina, the world’s longest-serving female prime minister, had ruled Bangladesh for four
back-to-back terms stretching over 15 years. The last elections were in January, which she won after the opposition boycotted polls.
Many Bangladeshis were proud of how Hasina transformed the country, building roads and railways, and developing a large garment export industry. But her party could not resolve high youth unemployment.
That is partly why her downfall began with students protesting against quotas for government jobs allocated to descendants of veterans of the 1971 war for Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan. Many students believed the ruling party was handing out those jobs to cronies. “You basically have this perfect storm of sorts,” said Bajpaee.
Indian Guru warns Fiji on drugs abuse
Indian guru Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, who is also known as Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, has warned the drug problem in Fiji has to be controlled now or else the country will face a pandemic like no other in ten years.
He made the comment while speaking to The Fiji Times on Wednesday, the eve of his final public program in Nadi.
“Fiji also currently has a huge problem of nasha (drugs),” Guru Shastri said.
“I am urging all the citizens of Fiji who will read my comments through The Fiji Times that the Government should introduce harsher laws.
“I am also asking all residents of this country not to do nasha and ensure this country
maintains its respect and dignity.”
Guru Shastri said young people must come forward and fight this or else all the good plans for this country would be disrupted.
“The youth population will be devastated.
“This country will face a pandemic like no other in ten years.”
Guru Shastri said in the future, if he had time, he would come back to Fiji to specifically hold prayers and devotions “to rid this country of drugs”.
“I will give this country nasha mukti.
“My prediction is that if the drug situation is controlled, the future generations of this country will have a very bright future.”
Former PM investigated for making unauthorised calls from inside prison
Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is being investigated for allegedly making unauthorised calls at the Naisinu Correction Centre.
In a statement, the FCS confirmed a thorough investigation was being carried out on the authorised use of Bainimarama’s mobile phone which was only allowed by the High Court to keep track of his pacemaker app. “Bainimarama, who had been granted limited access to his phone for medical purposes, is now being investigated for making private calls, a clear violation of prison regulations,” the FCS statement said.
“The FCS is committed to upholding the highest standards of security and order within its facilities,
and any breach of these regulations is taken very seriously.” FCS Commissioner Dr Jalesi Nakarawa said the safety and security of their facilities was of paramount importance.
“We are conducting a comprehensive investigation to understand how this breach occurred and to ensure that it does not happen again,” said Dr Nakarawa.
“Appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken against any individuals found to be negligent or complicit in this matter.”
Meanwhile, the FCS was also reviewing its current policies and procedures to strengthen controls over the medical treatment of inmates, including the use of mobile phones in such cases.
Amra’s $30M Mall to revitalize Nausori
Great news for people living in Nausori as construction of a $30 million Mall is currently underway that will boost development and create more employment opportunities. The mall is scheduled to open by mid-2026.
The mall will feature retail outlets, dining options, entertainment venues, health and wellness centres, ample parking, and public spaces.
Managing Director Mahendar Singh says
by continuously investing in new projects and developments, they aim to solidify their position as a leading local investor and contribute significantly to Fiji’s economic and social development.
He says the project’s strategic location in Nausori takes advantage of its proximity to major transportation hubs, a growing population, and strong economic potential, while also contributing to community development.
Indian president’s state visit to Fiji
The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, as part of her three-day state visit to Fiji, participated in various events including a wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial Grounds in Veiuto on Tuesday afternoon.
She also visited Mahatma Gandhi Memorial School to pay respect to the statue of the late Mahatma Gandhi.
In the evening, she attended a State reception hosted by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere at the State House. Yesterday, President Murmu visited the Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple in
Nadi. During her visit, she had bilateral meetings with Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sitiveni Rabuka and the President.
Constitution on the table for discussion
Opposition Whip of group 9-bloc Viliame Naupoto is expected to make an end-of-theweek statement in Parliament on the review of the 2013 Constitution. This, according to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka when questioned on Government’s plans towards the review of the 2013 Constitution.
Mr Rabuka acknowledged Australian National University’s (ANU) Professor Anthony Regan’s comments made during the Fiji National University’s (FNU) Vice-Chancellor’s Leadership Seminar in Nasinu last week.
Prof Regan had suggested that it was not an option to keep Fiji’s Constitution “as it is”.
“It was not a lecture it was just his opinion on what could happen,” Mr Rabuka said.
“So, we have picked some aspects of his address
that night.
“And we’ll see first at the end of the week statement what honourable Naupoto intends to speak on.
“And we will collect all those views as we move along to consolidate and find out from the legal advisor how best we can do this legally and the best way for us.”
Mr Rabuka said the Government would “go back to the people” to get their views on the review of the 2013 Constitution either by referendum or by encouraging people to make their submissions.
“We still have the session later in the year when we can come back and do some parliamentary work on it. “We table a resolution of Parliament to trigger the process towards that.”
Govt appeals to Punjab, 3 other states to implement RTE
The Centre on Wednesday appealed to the state governments to implement the provision of the Right to Education, which mandates 25 per cent of seats for the children from economically weaker sections in private unaided schools.
The state governments such as Punjab, Kerala, Telangana and West Bengal have not implemented RTE provisions mandating the private schools to reserve seats under the RTE Act, Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha during the Question Hour.
Replying to a question by Congress leader Pramod Tiwary on RTE, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said education comes under the concurrent list and it should be the
endeavour of both to provide school education till Class XII for all.
“Nowadays, there is almost 100 per cent enrollment in Class I, this is due to collective efforts of all states,” he said. Pradhan, however, added the number drops as the class progresses. This decline depends on the active steps taken by the respective state governments, he said.
The rebel Akalis are now looking forward to outcome of the meeting of the five high priests scheduled for August 30. They are likely to take a call on the clarifications submitted separately by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, while responding to the allegations levelled against them.
Headed by Gurpartap Singh Wadala, the rebel leaders paid obeisance at the Golden Temple today. “We have come to seek the Guru’s blessings. We hope that the five high priests will take the decision in the light of the Sikh principles and traditions so that the SAD, whose existence is in danger at present, could be revitalised with a consensus,” he said. Wadala who is the convener of the ‘Shiromani Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar’ said it was aimed at strengthening and uplifting the 104-year-old outfit which emerged out of history
of immense sacrifices. “We appeal to the Sikh masses, organisations, historians, intellectuals, kavisharis and dhadis to come together and advise us to establish a collective leadership to win back the lost faith and place the Panth on a common platform,” he said.
A section of the senior party leaders, now expelled, had revolted against the SAD chief, demanding him to step down following the party’s debacle on the political sphere due to controversial decisions taken in the past.
On July 1, the rebels had approached the Akal Takht with a written apology for being part of the SAD regime during 2007-2017, when several controversial moves were made.
Sparing a thought for the lukewarm response to the electoral rolls for the upcoming SGPC elections, they appeal to the eligible Sikhs to get them registered and participate in the process.
Indian spices targeted by health authorities worldwide
From Hong Kong to the US and the European Union (EU), health authorities have Indian spices in their crosshairs. Back in April, Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety reported the presence of a carcinogenic agent, ethylene oxide, in four spice blends from India. Three products from the brand Mahashian Di Hatti (MDH) and one from the brand Everest were immediately recalled.
In India, their small rectangular packets are iconic. They fill grocery aisles and kitchen shelves, where they are used daily and in large quantities. Everest holds 16% of the domestic market share, making it the country’s leading brand, followed by MDH, with 10%. Both manufacturers are also players in the export market.
The subcontinent, often described as the “land of spices,” is the world’s largest producer, consumer and exporter. India sells over 200 varieties of spices worldwide, to the tune of some $4 billion (€3.7 billion) a year. The domestic market alone accounts for $10 billion.
On India’s side, measures have been taken by the Spices Board of India, an agency affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce. In an advisory circular dated May 7, this organization responsible for regulating spice exports asked makers to stop using ethylene oxide as a fumigation agent and to opt for other sterilization methods. This colorless gas can be used to preserve foods, mainly by protecting against parasites. Spice exporters are now encouraged to test raw materials, packaging materials and the final product.
Can India become rich before its population grows old?
For the past two years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to transform India into a high-income, developed country by 2047. India is also on course to become the world’s third largest economy in six years, according to several projections. High-income economies have a per capita Gross National Income - total amount of money earned by a nation’s people and businesses - of $13,846 (£10,870) or more, according to the World Bank.
With a per capita income of around $2,400 (£1,885), India is among the lower middleincome countries. For some years now, many economists have been warning that India’s economy could be headed for a “middle income trap”.
This happens when a country stops being able to achieve rapid growth easily and compete with advanced economies. Economist Ardo Hannson defines it as a situation when countries “seem to get stuck in a trap where your costs are escalating and you lose competitiveness”.
A new World Bank report holds out similar
fears. At the current growth rate, India will need 75 years to reach a quarter of America’s per capita income, World Development Report 2024 says. It also says more than 100 countries –including India, China, Brazil and South Africa - face “serious obstacles” that could hinder their efforts to become high-income countries in the next few decades.Researchers looked at the numbers from 108 middle-income countries responsible for 40% of the world’s total economic output – and nearly two-thirds of global carbon emissions. They are home to three-quarters of the global population and nearly two-thirds of those in extreme poverty. They say these countries face greater challenges in escaping the middle-income trap. These include rapidly ageing populations, rising protectionism in advanced economies and the urgent need for an accelerated energy transition. “The battle for global economic prosperity will be largely won or lost in middle-income countries,” says Indermit Gill, chief economist of the World Bank and one of the study’s authors.
Sheikh Hasina Flees To India As Protestors Storm Bangladesh PM Residence And Loot Fish, Chicken, Sarees, PS4
Sheikh Hasina quit as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and fled the violent protest battered nation for refuge in India after political asylum in the UK was reportedly denied. The 76-year-old, who commenced her fifth term since 2009, was given a 45-minute ultimatum by the Bangladeshi army to step down amid demands by protestors for her resignation. Her departure did not bridle the civil unrest going on in the country since July, which has claimed over 350 lives. The Bangladesh army has taken control under chief general Waker-
Uz-Zaman, who announced that the military will form an interim government with support from the opposition. Waker-Uz-Zaman has also appealed to the protestors to support the army and stop violence, stating, “We cannot achieve anything through violence.” He also assured that Bangladeshi life and property would be protected and all their demands would be fulfilled. The Bangladeshi military had earlier taken over the government by imposing martial law during 1975–78, 1982–86, and 1990–91.
India Allows Visa-on-Arrival for 3 Countries
International Travel to India: In 2023, more than 9.2 million foreign tourists visited India, up 44% from 2022, according to the government’s latest Economic Survey for 2023-24. However, this figure has still not recovered to the pre-pandemic figure of over 10.9 million in 2019.
Last year, India earned INR 2.3 trillion ($27.5 billion) in foreign exchange through tourism. While this was 66% higher than 2022, according to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), international visitor spending last year was over 14% behind the 2019 levels.
Small Steps: In the Indian budget announced last month, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman said the focus would be on making India a global destination.
Perhaps to this end, last month, India made its e-tourist visa free for Malaysian nationals, allowing them to obtain a 30-day double entry e-tourist visa for free between July 1, 2024, till June 30 next year. India also issued a similar visa waiver for Thai passport holders till the end of 2024. However, these are small steps to boost international tourism, along with India’s participation in international trade shows. Even with a goal to make India a global destination, the government made no change in the global promotion budget, which had been earlier reduced by 97% in the interim budget announced in February.
RBI keeps benchmark interest rate unchanged at 6.5%
The RBI on Thursday kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged for the ninth time in a row at 6.5 per cent. Speaking on the occasion, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said inflation is broadly on a declining trajectory. He said the RBI had decided to continue with withdrawal of accommodative monetary policy stance. In Q3 substantial advantage of base effect may pull down overall inflation, Das said, adding that
food component of inflation remains stubborn. He said global economic outlook exhibits steady, though uneven expansion and new technologies like AI pose new set of challenges for global economy. Manufacturing activities continue to gain ground on back of increasing domestic demand, and services sector remains buoyant, Das said, adding that household consumption is supporting turnaround in demand.
Govt advises Indians in Middle East as Iran-Israel tensions escalate
The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv on Friday advised all Indian nationals in Israel to stay vigilant and adhere to the safety protocols as told by the local authorities following the escalating tension in the region. It comes after the back-toback assassination of two senior Hamas leaders and a top Hezbollah commander.
In a statement, the department said Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin also ordered additional ballistic missile defence-capable cruisers and destroyers to the European and Middle East
regions and is taking steps to send more landbased ballistic missile defence weapons there.
In addition, a US official said that two US Navy destroyers that are currently in the Middle East will be heading north up the Red Sea toward the Mediterranean Sea. At least one of those could linger in the Mediterranean if needed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss troop movements.
It’s unclear what new ships would move to the Middle East.
Mystery surrounds US woman found starving and chained
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But seven days after Ms Kayi was rescued, many questions remain unanswered.
Pandurang Gawkar, a cow herder who found her last Saturday, told BBC Marathi that he had taken his cattle to graze in the forest when he heard “a woman screaming loudly”.
“The sound was coming from the forest on the side of the mountain. When I went there, I saw that one of her legs was tied to a tree. She was screaming like an animal. I called other villagers and the local police.”
of her passport, which stated that she was an American citizen, and her Aadhaar card - a unique ID for Indians - with her home address in Tamil Nadu.
They said she also had a mobile phone, a tablet and 31,000 rupees ($370; £290) in her possession - which allowed them to rule out theft as a motive. Locals say that it was the woman’s good fortune that the shepherd picked a spot near her to graze his flock that day. The forest she was discovered in is vast and she otherwise could have gone for days
