Premier Eby urges PM to provide foreign interference information to protect BC
British Columbia Premier David Eby is pressing for urgent access to information from Canada’s spy agency to help combat foreign interference at the provincial level, citing allegations involving transnational organized crime, cybersecurity and murder.
Eby said Monday he sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying B.C. does not have the information it needs to intercept and address foreign interference that may be occurring in the province.
“How are we supposed to take action to address these issues?” he said at a housing related news conference in North Vancouver on Monday.
He described a series of situations with alleged foreign links, including the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh leader who was shot last June in Surrey, B.C.
Trudeau said in the House of Commons in September there was credible intelligence that India’s government was involved, which it denies.
“We’ve seen the prime minister say that India was potentially directly involved in the murder of a British Columbian,” Eby said, calling the claim “a massive and significant allegation that was profoundly disturbing to British Columbians.”
Four Indian nationals have been charged with Nijjar’s murder.
Man released on bail arrested in Surrey murder
A brutal and reportedly random homicide in Surrey has focused more attention on what critics call B.C.’s “catch-and-release” justice system. Surrey resident Tori Dunn, 30, has been identified as the woman who was killed in her home on last Sunday in what her family said was a home invasion. The suspect, who was arrested but has not been charged, has a lengthy and violent criminal history and was on probation after being released from custody just days before the homicide.
“We can see in this case that the system failed because we had numerous interactions with this person in our justice system and not once but twice women were harmed,” Sturko said. “And in the second case, that person was murdered and it’s just simply unacceptable.”
The suspect was to appear in court on Tuesday on previous charges of aggravated assault in the alleged stabbing of a woman in May. He has consented to remain in custody until a court appearance later this month.
The years-long controversy over the transition to a civic police force in Surrey is seemingly over.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke seems to have given up in her bid to keep the RCMP as the police force of jurisdiction. In Monday night’s city council meeting, the mayor explained she has accepted the judicial review decision which ruled the province was right to force the transition to the Surrey Police Service. Continued on Page 9...
BC residents spend more than anyone else on rent
A sobering report from Royal LePage reveals the staggering amount of income Vancouver and BC residents are spending on rent. The report also reveals some trends and insights into the percentage of renters who want to purchase property rather than sign or renew their lease. Among renters in BC, 23% spend up to 30% of their net income on their monthly rent, and 42% of renters spend between 31% and 50% of their income on rent. (According to BC Housing, affordable is when 30% or less of your household’s gross income goes toward paying for housing costs).
“25% of renters spend more than 50% of their net income on rent, well above the national average of 16%,” the report states.
While it isn’t breaking news, Vancouver is Canada’s most expensive rental market. Due to steady demand and incredibly limited supply, the cost of renting has remained consistently high in recent years.
Continued on Page10...
UK’s richest family on trial for human trafficking
Four members of the UK’s richest family are on trial in Switzerland amid allegations they spent more money caring for their dog than their servants. The Hinduja family, worth an estimated £37bn ($47bn), is accused of exploitation and human trafficking. The family own a villa in Geneva’s wealthy neighbourhood of Cologny, and the charges against them all relate to their practice of importing servants from India to look after their children and household.
serious criminal offence in Switzerland. They deny the charges. This week in court, one of Geneva’s most famous prosecutors, Yves Bertossa, compared the almost $10,000 a year he claimed the family had spent on their dog, to the daily amount they were allegedly paying their servants.
It’s alleged that Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, together with their son Ajay and his wife Namrata, confiscated staff passports, paid them as little as $8 (£7) for 18-hour days, and allowed them little freedom to leave the house.
Although a financial settlement over exploitation was reached last week, the Hindujas remain on trial for trafficking, which is a
The Hinduja family’s lawyers did not specifically deny the allegations of low wages, but said they must be viewed in context - noting that the staff were also receiving accommodation and food. The charge of long hours was also disputed, with one defence lawyer arguing that watching a film with the Hinduja children could not really be classed as work.
Some former servants testified for the Hindujas, describing them as a friendly family who treated their servants with dignity.
The New West Progressives are once again taking issue with a city policy that allowed former mayor Jonathan Cote to collect a sixfigure separation allowance.
A New West Progressives news release states the city’s annual statement of financial information report shows that Cote received a $106,443 separation allowance payment from New West taxpayers after he left civic politics and took a job at Metro Vancouver.
Coun. Paul Minhas told the Record this morning he was not aware that the statement of financial information report was included on the June 24 council agenda, but felt the public needed to know about the “transition allowance” cote would be receiving.
“The people have the right to know,” he said. “And it was important for us to bring it to the forefront of what’s really happening.”
The New Westminster Progressives news release states Cote, who is Metro Vancouver’s deputy general manager, regional planning and housing development, had compensation of $209,407 from Metro Vancouver in 2023. The news release states those combined payments came to more than $315,000, almost $100,000 more than Premier David Eby is paid.
“Last year, we tried to reform this pricey transition allowance policy last year, but the Community First politicians at city hall voted it down,” Minhas said in the news release. “Our local taxpayers are dealing with inflation and a cumulative property tax increase of 14 per cent over the past two years, so this ‘golden parachute’ is hard for taxpayers to have to stomach when you realize that our former mayor got a massive transition allowance as he was headed to the high-paying job at Metro Vancouver.”
The top executive at Metro Vancouver didn’t show up for a critical finance committee meeting on Wednesday, amid questions about his salary and the growing controversy about the cost of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Chief Administrative Officer Jerry Dobrovolny was absent from the regional district’s Finance Committee meeting, despite having attended previous meetings. “I think it came as quite a surprise to the public in terms of the accumulative amounts of money,” North Vancouver City Mayor Linda Buchanan said. Dobrovolny earned a base salary in 2023 of
more than $451,000, plus $222,000 for retroactive pay and health and pension benefits, along with $37,000 in expenses. The total cost to taxpayers is more than $711,000. Delta Councilor Dylan Kruger asked staff about the salary, saying, “In my experience compensation increases typically would be in lieu of, not in addition to.”
And then there were questions about the North Shore wastewater treatment plant, which is $3 billion over budget and will be a huge burden for taxpayers. Mayor Buchanan said North Vancouver will be putting forward a formal complaint.
Alberta continues to attract migrants for the eleventh quarter in a row, once again clinching the title for the province with the highest population growth in the country.
The province has grown by nearly 50,000 people in the first three months of 2024, a number that amounts to slightly more than 20 per cent of the gains across the nation, according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada. The number of migrants has been rising since 2022, marking a reversal from a spell of migration away from the province between 2015 and 2021. Two-thirds of those who newly moved to Alberta are immigrants. The numbers come
after the province grew by 202,324 residents in 2023 — roughly twice the population of Red Deer — with a rate of growth of 4.4 per cent, the highest since 1981.
Driving the rise in population in the first quarter of this year were non-permanent international residents, which accounted for nearly 60 per cent of immigration into Alberta.
For instance, one in every six renters has been searching for a place to live in Alberta for more than six months, and more than half say they’re unable to find housing in their price range, according to a separate report by rentals. ca.
Federal Health Minister asks Senate to speed up new pharmacare loan
The federal health minister has asked the Senate to move as quickly as possible to pass the government’s pharmacare legislation so that Canadians can start accessing medications by next spring, he told reporters Wednesday.
A pharmacare bill drafted by the Liberals and the NDP made its way through the House of Commons in June, but still needs to be studied by the Senate.
The plan is to make birth control and diabetes medication available to anyone with a prescription and a health card as part of a universal, single-payer program. “My objective is to see every province, every territory by April 1 of next year see these drugs flowing. That’s my goal,” Holland said. “So I’m saying to the Senate: I appreciate their process, I understand that they need a rigorous process, but I’m asking them to
be as expeditious as possible.”
Holland cited affordability and the prevention of health emergencies as the reason for his haste. Pharmacare is also expected to be highlighted in both the Liberal and NDP campaigns for the next election, which is scheduled for fall 2025.
Holland can only begin formal negotiations with provinces and territories to administer the program when the bill receives royal assent, but said he’s not waiting to start talking to his counterparts about what those deals could look like. “Then, I want to see these drugs flow immediately,” Holland said.
Provinces like British Columbia and Prince Edward Island, which already cover many of the medications that would be offered, have expressed enthusiasm about Ottawa’s proposed program.
Canadians ready to splurge following Bank of Canada’s rate cut: Report
Canadians are ready to spend on things other than necessities this summer following the Bank of Canada’s first rate cut in four years.
From vacations, upgraded living spaces and special occasions, BMO’s Real Financial Progress Index shows that Canadians have big plans on how they will be spending their money in the next little while, as there are expectations for two more rate cuts this year and several more in 2025.
“Inflation is showing continued signs of calming, opening the door for further rate cuts by the Bank of Canada,” Sal Guatieri, a senior economist at BMO, said in a statement.
“Lower borrowing costs and slower-rising living costs should provide sufficient relief to
support moderate 2% growth in consumer spending this year and next.”
Of the 2,500 Canadians aged 18 years and older Ipsos surveyed, 20% planned to spend more on summer travel, 38% intend to spend about the same as they did in 2023, and only 15% of respondents said they would spend less than last year. Home renovations are another big goal for Canadians with 15% planning to spend more, while 24% will spend the same as last year. Those who stated they would spend less amount to 13%.
While those surveyed intend to spend more this summer, a whopping 85% believe they are making real financial progress.
Graduation
Congratulations to the class of 2024!
You worked hard, contributed to your school communities, and should be proud of what you’ve achieved.
Our very best wishes for a successful future!
A message from your teachers, members of the Surrey Teachers’ Association
The feds spent $223,000 on airplane meals for Trudeau’s Indo-Pacific trip
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s trip to the Indo-Pacific region last year racked up a hefty airplane catering bill, according to records.
Trudeau and his delegation and security detail travelled to the Indo-Pacific region in September 2023, making stops in Indonesia, Singapore, and the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India.
A previous memo from the Prime Minister’s Office stated the purpose of the trip would “reaffirm Canada’s commitment to strengthening economic co-operation and removing trade barriers to create good middle-class jobs and make life more affordable for people on both sides of the Pacific.”
According to a House of Commons sessional paper, the in-flight catering bill for the entire trip was $223,234. The documents show that many others, including various staff members, joined Trudeau during different parts of the trip.
of the onboard meals during the trip.
The offerings included beef brisket and mashed parsley creamy potatoes with truffle oil, pan-fried beef tenderloin with port wine sauce, and strawberry shortcake with pistachio brittle. The documents also showed a $900 request for pops, chips, and snacks on board and “cases of Flow water.” It also outlined meal “ideas” for the trip but did not specify who made that request or who it was sent to.
The cost of the flight catering was heavily criticized by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). In an email statement to Daily Hive, Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the CTF, noted that “dropping more than $200,000 doesn’t seem fiscally responsible.”
Terrazzano added that the spending comes at a time when “Canadians can’t afford their own grocery haul.”
What was on the menu?
An Access to Information and Privacy request (ATIP) made by the CTF showed details of some
“You shouldn’t need a focus group to recommend telling the prime minister to turn down the baked cheesecake with pistachio brittle when Canadians are lining up around the block at the food bank,” said Terrazzano. “Struggling Canadians have every right to be furious with the Trudeau government for spending six figures on airplane food.” This isn’t the first time federalgovernment-related travel spending has raised eyebrows. In 2021, the CTF noted that Governor General Mary Simon’s trip to Germany came with a $100,000 in-flight catering bill for her and her entourage. In December 2023, Trudeau also made headlines for taking a family trip to Jamaica.
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Capital gains tax undermines the backbone of the Canadian economy
The claim that the capital gains tax affects only 0.13 percent of Canadians is not true
Sylvain Charlebois: It’s hard to recall a time when capital gains taxes have drawn so much attention. Historically, changes to capital gains taxation have largely flown under the radar. However, the latest modifications are different.
Starting June 25, 2024, capital gains up to $250,000 will continue to be taxed at the standard 50 percent inclusion rate. Gains exceeding C$250,000, however, will be taxed at a new inclusion rate of 66.67 percent for individuals. Furthermore, the 2024 federal budget introduces two other notable changes: all capital gains generated through a corporation will be subject to the 66.67 percent inclusion rate, and the lifetime capital gains exemption for eligible property will increase from $1,016,836 to $1,250,000.
These changes raise significant concerns for family businesses, particularly in the agrifood sector, where most farms are family-run operations. The Grain Growers of Canada, representing over 65,000 family-owned farms, recently released a report contradicting Ottawa’s claim that only 0.13 percent of Canadians, or fewer than 60,000 people, will be affected. The report suggests a much broader impact.
According to Statistics Canada, Canada has nearly 190,000 farms, most of which are family businesses. The Grain Growers of Canada report indicates that the average farm will see a 30 percent tax increase due to the new twothirds capital gains inclusion rate.
Generational succession planning is a cornerstone in agri-food, particularly farming. Currently, less than 1.7 percent of Canadians are involved in farming, a percentage likely to decrease over time. Canada is losing between 700 to 1,000 farms annually. By making farming less financially attractive, the number of farms will continue to dwindle, leading to greater consolidation and fewer family-owned farms.
Canada lists Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a
Canada has listed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, after years of pressure from opposition legislators and some members of the Iranian diaspora.
Announcing the decision on Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc called it a “significant tool in fighting global terrorism”.
The move will mean that thousands of senior Iranian government officials, including top IRGC officials, will be barred from entering Canada. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, quoted by Iran’s Fars news agency, has condemned what he described as the “unwise and unconventional” step.
Who are Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps?
The IRGC is a major military, political and economic force in Iran, with close ties to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
It is estimated to have more than 190,000 active personnel with its own ground forces, navy and air force that oversee Iran’s strategic weapons. The IRGC exerts influence elsewhere in the Middle East by providing money, weapons, technology, training and advice to allied governments and armed groups through its shadowy overseas
Surrey
terrorist group B.C. family calls for changes to faith-based MAID policy
operations arm, the Quds (Jerusalem) Force, according to the government. The Quds Force was already listed as a terrorist group by Canada, but Wednesday’s announcement extends the designation to the entire IRGC.
Speaking to reporters, Mr LeBlanc said the action “sends a strong message that Canada will use all of the tools at its disposal to combat the terrorist entity of the IRGC”.
“The Iranian regime has consistently displayed disregard for human rights, both inside and outside of Iran as well as a willingness to destabilise the international rules-based order,” he said. After this designation, current and former senior Iranian government officials already in Canada may also now be investigated and removed. Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Melanie Joly, warned that Canadians in Iran could be at risk of arbitrary detention following the announcement.
“My message is clear: for those who are in Iran right now, it’s time to come back home,” she said. “And for those who are planning to go to Iran, don’t go.” In response, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani was quoted as describing Canada’s move as “an unwise and unconventional politicallymotivated step”.
RCMP warning youth after groping incident
Mounties in Surrey have issued a warning to youth, after a young person was groped on their way to school Wednesday morning. The Surrey RCMP says the assault happened around 8:30 a.m. near the intersection of 94A Avenue and King George Boulevard. The young person was walking along a path near a school, when two men in their twenties stepped out of the bushes and groped the victim. Police say the victim was able
to push them off and run away. At this time, police only have a description of one of the suspects, who was reportedly wearing a blue striped shirt and black shorts. He is described as being in his midtwenties, approximately six feet tall, with blonde hair and a goatee on the tip of his chin. If you were in that area and saw anything related to the incident, the Surrey RCMP wants you to call in and quote file 2024-87967.
The family of a B.C. woman who sought help from MAID to end her life but was ultimately denied say changes need to be made.
Medical Assistance in Dying, or MAID, has been legal in Canada since 2016. However, due to faith-based policies, MAID is not permitted in some hospitals and facilities in B.C.
This year, there have been 17 forced transfers of patients to receive MAID out of facilities run by Providence Health Care in Vancouver, as it is a Catholic health-care provider. There were an additional two transfers but they were to people’s homes and therefore, not forced.
Providence Health Care wouldn’t make someone available to speak on camera but confirmed the forced transfers included nine from St. Paul’s Hospital, four from Mount Saint Joseph, two from St. John Hospice and four
from May’s Place Hospice.
Sam O’Neill, 34, was a patient at St. Paul’s Hospital last year. She had terminal cancer but was denied MAID due to the hospital’s religious affiliation.
In immense pain, Sam had to be sedated while sitting on a commode, wrapped in a blanket inside St. Paul’s so she could be transferred to St. John Hospice, also operated by Providence Health Care, where MAID is allowed.
The difference is that Providence Health Care owns and operates St. Paul’s Hospital, whereas it only operates St. John Hospice. Along with a local palliative care doctor, Gaye and Jim are taking legal action against Providence Health Care and the B.C. government over what happened to their daughter.
Drug user groups ask court to quash B.C. drug ‘recriminalization’
When the federal government allowed British Columbia to walk back its experiment with drug decriminalization, the move wasn’t surprising to Brittany Maple, executive director of the Matsqui-Abbotsford Impact Society.
“It’s disheartening,” Maple said. “We are effectively criminalizing people for existing in public spaces when they have nowhere else safe to exist.”
Now, Maple’s society has teamed up with a coalition of drug user advocacy groups to take the federal government to court, claiming the decision to recriminalize public drug possession in B.C. puts users at increased risk of death.
The group of 13 non-profits, which includes the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and
the Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society, alleges in an application filed in Federal Court that the government recriminalized public drug possession in B.C. “with minimal justification or evidence.” In an interview Wednesday, Maple said the toxic drug crisis, coupled with the province’s housing crisis, leaves people who use drugs vulnerable to arrest or death.
Automotive expert says B.C.’s new cap on EV rebates means car buyers will pay more
Automotive industry experts say car buyers in B.C. will be pushed away fromelectric vehicles due to the province’s decision to change its rebate program. On Tuesday, the government lowered the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for vehicles qualifying for the CleanBC Go Electric rebate program to $50,000 from $55,000. That removes about 75 per cent of electric and hybrid models from the rebate program.
Blair Qualey, president and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC, said the decision will directly impact consumers, dealers and automakers.
“Everybody in the industry has been pretty shocked and astonished by this sudden change to the program,” he told Global News.
“It’s a dramatic change and a great concern to many.”
The rebate program provides up to $4,000 for qualifying zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) but now, with the lowering of the MSRP cap, those qualifying vehicles have become a lot more scarce. In another change to the program, SUVs, station wagons and vans have been moved from the larger vehicle category (with a higher MSRP threshold) to the car category with the new lowered MSRP of $50,000. So, they’ve looked at ways in which they can make some tweaks that will help reduce the outflow of cash, while still keeping some semblance of a program.”
Qualey said the association has been working alongside the existing program for about 13 years.
“There were periods where the money ran out, the cupboard was bare and there weren’t incentive monies for consumers at that time… we saw the sales of EVs fall off a cliff,” he said.
Aggravated
A 41-year-old man has been charged in a stabbing in Surrey, B.C., last month that left a woman in hospital.
Surrey RCMP were called to the 10200 block of City Parkway just after 7 a.m. on May 26, where they found the victim Police later released a photo of the suspect carrying a purple umbrella, and said there had been an “interaction” between him and the victim before the attack.
On Wednesday, police said Adam Mann had been charged with aggravated assault.
Mann remains in custody and is due in court on June 25.
in hospital
Canadian government announces ban on open net fish farming on BC’s coast
The Canadian government just announced that open net fish farming on BC’s coast will be officially banned in the coming years.
Open net-pen fish farms facilities consist of a system of large cages or nets in BC’s coastal waters that contain hundreds of thousands of fish being farmed for consumption.
On Wednesday, June 19th, Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard made the announcement, stating that this move is being made to aid the wild Pacific salmon population which is currently facing unprecedented threats and to move in a more sustainable direction.
Initially, the ban was to come into effect by the end of the year but has now been pushed back. The ban is to come into effect on June 30th, 2029, allowing a transition period for those involved in the industry.
Over the next few months, the government says they will be engaging with impacted Canadians to figure out how to best support them.
All current salmon aquaculture licences will be able to receive a five-year renewal up until July 1st, 2024, in order to facilitate the transition.
More to come after July 1st, when further details are made available.
A Delta woman has been left shaken after an object hit her car and shattered its rear window while driving along Highway 99 near the Massey Tunnel Wednesday morning.
Janna Lee tells she was driving northbound around 7:30 a.m. under the 17A overpass when she heard a loud bang.
“I heard something like crash, and I initially I thought it was a rock that had been thrown on the roof of my car. And I was kind of like, ‘what the hell?’,” said Lee.
She says she noticed the back window was smashed, but when she got out to inspect it, the object was nowhere to be found.
“I put my car into park, and I got out of my car, and I ran to the person behind in a bit of a panic and little bit of shock, and I just asked her if she had seen what had happened. And
As Langley continues to see construction and population growth, BC Hydro says it’s making a big investment in the area.
BC Hydro announced Wednesday that $725 million worth of capital construction will take place in Langley over the next 10 years to upgrade and expand the electricity grid and provide clean power for homes and businesses.
At a press event Wednesday morning, B.C. Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation Josie Osborne said these types of projects will create thousands of jobs. “This will provide thousands of high-quality jobs for skilled workers, supporting 10,500 to 12,500 jobs throughout the province on average over the next decade,” said Osborne.
The ministry says, “The plan reflects growing demand for electricity across sectors due to population growth and housing construction,
she was a little bit taken aback, and said, ‘No, what do you mean?’ And I said, ‘Well, look at my back windshield.’ And she said, ‘No, sorry, I didn’t see anything.’” Lee says she called her workplace to say she would be late arriving, and called a nearby colleague for comfort, but her calls to police didn’t go as well.
“I called the Delta emergency line — because I didn’t know whether I should be reporting it or not — and they said it wasn’t their jurisdiction, and that they would transfer me to [the BC Highway Patrol division] of the RCMP,” says Lee.
“So then I talked to the gentleman on the phone at the RCMP, and he says that it wasn’t something that they would make a report on, and that I was just to call ICBC and file a claim with them.”
increased industrial development, and people and businesses switching from fossil fuels to clean electricity, among other factors.”
Osborne said the investment will support tens of thousands of new homes and help attract new residents and clean industries to the province, by improving the sustainability of Langley’s infrastructure.
“These investments will support two new substations, the expansion of the McClellan substation,” said Osborne. “And upgrades to the electricity system that are needed to enable the Surrey Langley SkyTrain.”
The ministry says electricity demand in B.C. is expected to increase by 15 per cent or more between now and 2030.
BC Hydro says the Langley projects will add enough electricity to power up to 140,000 homes.
Public hearing called for VPD sergeant accused of sexual misconduct by officers and students
A sexual misconduct investigation into a veteran Vancouver police officer who also teaches criminology was spurred by anonymous comments on a social media post, the Office of the Police Complaint Commission in B.C. says.
The office announced Wednesday that it had called its first ever public hearing, into allegations of sexualized misconduct against Sgt. Keiron McConnell who has been an instructor at several post-secondary institutions while serving in the Vancouver Police Department.
McConnell, a Vancouver police officer for 33 years, is accused of misconduct toward seven women, including fellow officers and former students at Royal Roads and Kwantlen Polytechnic universities. A notice of hearing detailing the allegations says the probe was launched after a photo of McConnell was posted on social media in late December 2021.
The notice says “unknown persons” commented on the post that McConnell was a “sexual predator,” and the next month a female officer handed Facebook messages
from McConnell over to the VPD professional standards section.
The officer said the 2018 messages started out “as friendly but progressed to what she felt were inappropriate and sexual,” the notice says.
It says she didn’t report it at the time because of McConnell’s “rank and status” and she believed there would be consequences for her at the VPD.
The commissioner ordered an investigation in April 2022 and heard from three former students of McConnell’s at Royal Roads University. They alleged he sent inappropriate or sexual electronic messages to them while enrolled in his courses between 2015 and 2017.
Suspect arrested after series of indecent acts near Coquitlam school
A suspect has been arrested by Coquitlam RCMP after a series of indecent acts were recently committed near Maillard Middle School on Rochester Avenue.
Police say a youth, whose name cannot be released under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was identified and arrested on Saturday, June 15.
The indecent acts occurred during school hours between May 27 and June 4, but no students were approached.
Coquitlam RCMP media relations officer, Corp. Alexa Hodgins, said in a news release the
public’s help assisted their investigation.
“Coquitlam RCMP worked diligently together to identify, locate and arrest the individual responsible to ensure the on-going safety of the community.”
The suspect has been released on condition they not go to any locations where anyone under the age of 18 may be, including schools, daycares, playgrounds and recreation centres.
Anyone with more information can contact Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550 and quote file number 2-24-14236.
Surrey policing saga over, mayor accepts judicial review decision
Continued from Page 1...
“While I’m disappointed by the outcome of the judicial review, I accept the decision, and we are moving forward with what the city needs to do to ensure that our residents are prioritized with the provincial legislated police transition.”
After campaigning against the creation of the SPS, Locke shared Monday that she and council will continue to keep an eye on the transition, including the associated costs. “It is important to note that the findings from the judicial review did reveal some … concerning information that requires further and comprehensive review,”
Locke said. The apparent resolution is likely a relief to Brian Sauve with the National Police Federation, the organization that represents RCMP members, many of whom felt like they were living in purgatory as the saga played out.
“We have always said that this is a decision that should be about public safety. The residents of Surrey having their say in public safety never should be politicized,” Suave said Monday.
SPS media liaison Ian MacDonald shared that there are 225 SPS officers deployed over eight units as of Tuesday. The Surrey Police Service takes over as the police of jurisdiction in Surrey on Nov. 29, and MacDonald explained the police agency is working to hire more staff and attain more resources so it’s ready for that date.
“We certainly have plans and a lot of interest from officers from across the country in joining SPS,” he said. “Some of the obstacles that are front of mind for applicants have been removed, so we have seen an uptick in interest.”
“As we gain more police staff, the RCMP in Surrey demobilize and their resources can be sent to other detachments in other cities.”
MPs hit summer campaign circuit as election year looms
Members of Parliament poured out of the House of Commons into the stifling air of an Ottawa heat wave Wednesday, heading back to their constituencies for the summer barbecue and festival circuit many love most about their jobs.
The next time they take their seats will be Sept. 16, just before the one-year countdown until the next election campaign has to begin.
For the federal Conservatives, whose polling numbers since Pierre Poilievre took over as leader have climbed ever upward, that prospect brings great hope of a return to power after nearly a decade in opposition.
So much so that in the waning minutes of the House sitting Wednesday the Tory caucus was practically giddy.
“You’re 20 points behind,” they taunted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was drowned out at times by the Conservative jeers. “Call the election,” another MP shouted.
On the Liberal side, MPs cling to the hope that the combination of time and a slowly improving economic picture could help them turn the tide on their popularity with Canadians. None expressed they needed to make any drastic changes, including in leadership or policy, to bounce back.
“We’re going through some tough times, but that’s, I think that’s normal,” said Ontario Liberal MP Francis Drouin as he arrived for the final caucus meeting before the summer.
If you’re looking to buy a home, a new report from the Bank of Montreal (BMO) finds you can expect some relief in affordability — if you’re willing to wait until 2027.
BMO says falling interest rates, stable home prices, and rising incomes may all play a role in returning affordability to pre-pandemic levels. Right now, the report says, the high cost of home ownership is keeping sales in the “tank” and creating a “nation of renters.”
But with the right combination of the three factors, BMO says a better market is on the horizon.
The report predicted, “Mostly flat home prices for the rest of 2024 before picking up to a modest 3 per cent annualized pace through 2027, and sturdy per-capita income growth of just under 3 per cent per annum, just below
the two-decade norm.”
In this “well-behaved” scenario, BMO says affordability will gradually improve — but remained “strained” — by the end of 2027. Sal Guatieri, a senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, told Now You Know host Rob Snow progress will be slow, adding that recent federal changes in immigration policy and zoning opportunities will help.
“We basically need slower demand growth, little faster supply growth, and eventually we’ll get affordability moving in the right direction, but it still will take several years,” said Guatieri.
The report said given its predictions for rates, prices, and incomes, “a pathway back to housing affordability for long-suffering renters and young people, especially in B.C. and Ontario, is doable but will take time.”
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Upcoming changes to what can be taxed as capital gains is spurring a flurry of property sales, according to realtors and others in the housing market.
“We are closing five transactions ahead of June 25. The speed has been unprecedented,” said Mark Goodman, principal at Goodman Commercial Inc., which specializes in sales of multi-family apartments, commercial properties, development sites and land.
One of the five deals he closed is for a 43-suite, 10 storey concrete rental tower in the West End with panoramic ocean and mountain views that was listed at $22 million. Another is a Kits Point waterfront development site with beach access that was listed at $14.5 million.
Usually, there is a gap in time from when a property goes under contract to when a sale is completed so buyers can do their due diligence or get financing.
Instead, there has been a “turbo-charge” to getting these deals done, said Goodman, adding that buyers and sellers have both been benefiting. The new measures, which were announced in the 2024 federal budget, will mean changes for businesses and individuals when it comes to paying taxes on their capital gains. A capital gain is the difference between what is paid for an asset, be it an apartment building, condo unit or stocks, and its sale price. Currently, 50 per cent of capital gains are taxable. After June 25, the so-called capital gains tax inclusion rate for corporations and trusts will move from 50 per cent to 66.7 per cent, or from one-half to two-thirds, of capital gains that are taxable. For individuals who have gains that are over $250,000, the rate will move from 50 per cent to 66.7 per cent. For individuals with gains that are under $250,000, the rate will stay the same at 50 per cent.
There are now refined details for the massive redevelopment of the former Safeway site in the core of Surrey City Centre. This follows Wesgroup Properties’ previous release of preliminary project concepts in late 2022, with the project named Civic District.
The developer acquired the 5.1-acre property at 10355 King George Boulevard (10388 City Parkway) in March 2022 in a deal worth nearly $109 million, according to records. This came after the May 2021 closure of the grocery store location. A new application submitted to the City of Surrey
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Royal LePage says that there is a bit of improvement on that front.
“With a boost in rental supply in Vancouver, competition in this segment is improving, although affordability remains a challenge for tenants facing some of the highest rental prices in the country,” said Nina Knudsen, a property manager with Royal LePage Sussex in North Vancouver.
Despite the prices, Vancouver is still a highly sought-after and attractive city, and Royal LePage calls the demand to live here consistent.
this spring now shows the scale and diverse mixed uses planned for the site framed by City Parkway to the west, 104 Avenue to the north, King George Boulevard to the east, and Central Avenue to the south.
This is a prime transitoriented development site — situated immediately northeast of SkyTrain Surrey Central Station and the bus exchange. It is one of a growing number of high-density, mixed-use tower developments in the immediate vicinity of the transit hub. Currently, most of the site is used as a surface vehicle parking lot.
Looking to the future, 27% of renters say they plan on purchasing a property in the next two years, while 52% will not.
BC has introduced new legislation to help the rental market, like the recent Airbnb regulations that took effect on May 1. Knudsen believes provincial rental legislation “has caused some would-be landlords to step out of the market, a potential challenge for the creation of rental supply.”
Royal LePage’s report findings come from a Leger Opinion survey of over 1,500 Canadians aged 18 and over who rent their primary residence.
Nadi airport projects unveiled
Eighteen projects are in the pipeline as part of the Nadi International Airport Master Plan 2024-2033, Fiji Airport has revealed.
They include upgrading existing facilities and infrastructure and new developments such as new gates, domestic terminal, firefighting trucks, car park and new aerobridges to replace the existing passenger boarding tunnels.
Fiji Airports Ltd CEO Mesake Nawari said the master plan is designed to accommodate future growth in passenger and cargo traffic,
and aligned with the Government’s ambition to become the region’s leading aviation hub.
The master plan also includes the implementation of the fleet replacement plan with delivery of the first lot of electrical vehicles for Nadi airport in the second half of this year. Mr Nawari said the wholly-owned government commercial company has been diligently managing Fiji’s 15 airports — the Fiji Airports-owned Nadi International airport and 14 other domestic airports managed on behalf of the Government.
Teachers to proceed with
Fiji Teachers Union (FTU) general secretary Muniappa Goundar says they will proceed with their strike for a 30 per cent pay increase if the Government does not address their members’ demands for salary adjustments.
Mr Goundar expressed frustration with the lack of clear communication from the Ministry of Finance following a meeting last Friday to discuss the union’s submission for the 2024-2025 National Budget.
He shared his concern on the lack of transparency and communication from the ministry to agree with the issues brought up by the union and the Fijian Teachers Association (FTA).
“They called us for a meeting and there wasn’t anything forthcoming from them,” he said.
The government wants to look at how they can improve basic services such as health, water and rural roads in the 2024-2025 National Budget and measures to build as much confidence in the business sector as possible will continue as part of the budget and beyond.
This has been highlighted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad who says there will be a focus on providing funding to address some of these fundamental issues that our people, particularly in the rural and maritime areas have. Professor Prasad says there will be announcements made to improve
strike action
“For us, we wanted an agreement to be reached, a win-win situation whereby our members are given a pay rise as well.
“We also did our submission. They did not get back to us and the only time they got back to us was when we put up the 30 per cent strike. We could have gotten to an agreement, and everything would have been normal.
“For the peace of mind of our members and everybody.
“We went with a clear conscience to discuss and come to an amicable solution but that didn’t materialise.”
He said the union was expecting some sort of increase in the budget announcement on June 28.
rural water supplies, and how they can ensure that people get basic water into their homes and for their families.
The Deputy Prime Minister says they have embarked on improving our health facilities where for example, the Nausori Health Centre which serves about 70,000 people and was falling apart, has now been repaired with assistance from the New Zealand government. He further says they will continue to focus on improving health and education services and they have been talking to their development partners such as Australia and New Zealand to improve these facilities for our students, particularly in the rural areas.
PM says drug problem threatens Fiji’s future
A NEW strategy, coupled with a narcotics bureau are among the solutions the Fiji Government has taken on board to tackle Fiji’s widespread drug scourge.
Speaking to youths in Suva during a mind lecture and healing concert yesterday, Mr Rabuka said Fiji’s drug problem threatened the health, wellbeing and future of the country.
He said the drug crisis extended beyond personal addiction to impact families, communities and ultimately, the entire nation.
“Young people addicted to drugs lose the opportunity to realise their potential, and their dreams and hopes can be shattered,” he said. Mr Rabuka said Cabinet had endorsed the National Counter Narcotics Strategy 2023-2028 two weeks ago. The key focus under this strategy, Mr Rabuka said, was to reduce demand for
narcotics, reduce supply, reduce harm, legislative reform and data collection.
“The strategy will be implemented through close collaboration between Government agencies, the private sector, civil society organisations including faith-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, media and academic institutions.”
In addition, he said Cabinet had approved the establishment of the Fiji Counter Narcotics Bureau, an independent institution under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration.
It would be tasked with law enforcement, investigations, prosecutions, intelligence gathering and conducting awareness.
“Cabinet also approved the development of a Fiji Counter Narcotics Bureau Bill to clearly establish the functions and powers of the bureau.
Following concerns raised by residents in Samabula about bad road conditions and roads still in good condition dug up, the Fiji Roads Authority says all road works have been scheduled and will proceed as planned.
On Tuesday morning, fijivillage News assessed the condition of Ono Street, Bureta Street, Nayau Street and the junction of Ono and Lakeba Street. These streets have multiple potholes where the
pothole at the junction of Nayau Street even has grass growing in it. Gravel can also be seen scattered on the roads. A trench was dug on Bureta Street and it has been filled with gravel for weeks. Some residents say Bureta Street was perfectly fine but it has been dug up for no apparent reason. They say the road was repaired last year. FRA has not responded to questions on when the roads will be repaired.
Fiji Council of Social Services Executive Director Vani Catanasiga has reminded the Government to get their act together and be mindful of the fact that $1 billion out of the $4 billion allocated in the current National Budget was to deal with debt repayments, and the VAT increase recommended was never intended to build the revenue base to increase the salaries of the Members of Parliament.
Catanasiga says people are raising concerns on social media about the increase in salary for the MPs while the Chairperson for the Emoluments Committee and Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Lynda Tabuya is saying
that there are no official complaints. She voiced her frustration on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan and emphasized that Tabuya’s Ministry is the Ministry that should be looking after the vulnerable and the needy.
Catanasiga says those in the coalition government are unfortunately not bringing the level of decorum that is required of people who represent the voters in Parliament. It has also been highlighted that section 9 of the Parliamentary Remunerations Act states that Parliament may, by resolution, appoint a committee that shall provide advice on the determination of remuneration.
Imran Khan’s political adviser abducted in Lahore
The political adviser to jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has reportedly been abducted by unknown men from Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, according to a media report on Thursday.
Ghulam Shabbir, who is the elder brother of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill, was abducted by unknown individuals two days ago while he was travelling to Islamabad, according to an FIR registered at the Kahna police station, the Express Tribune newspaper reported. The FIR, registered by his son Bilal, states that Shabbir had left his residence in Lahore’s Khayaban-e-Amin late at night and headed towards Islamabad. No further details were available.
Khan, the 71-year-old PTI party founder, has been in jail since August last year after being
convicted in some of the nearly 200 cases slapped on him since his ouster in April 2022.
In May 2022, the former cricketer-turnedpolitician launched a march toward Islamabad from Lahore to topple the coalition government of Shehbaz Sharif that assumed power after he was ousted as the premier following a vote of no confidence.
Did Babar Azam get luxury car, houses abroad in return for Pakistan’s bad show in T20 World Cup?
Pakistan cricket team has been in news for all the wrong reasons after their unceremonial exit from the T20 World Cup 2024.
First it was the bad performance, now the team captain Babar Azam has been accused of “matchfixing”.
A video posted on twitter by user Cric Mate has gone viral where a senior Pakistani journalist Mubashir Luqman on a podcast making allegations of match-fixing against Babar Azam following Pakistan’s early exit from the World Cup in the US. Luqman’s suspicions were particularly triggered after Pakistan’s unexpected defeat to the US and a narrow win against Ireland, leading to their group stage exit from the tournament.
He accused the Pakistan captain of accepting expensive gifts in exchange for intentionally losing matches and claims that Babar’s Audi
E-Tron, worth Rs 2 crore, which was reportedly a gift from his brother, was actually acquired through questionable bookies. Additionally, Luqman alleged that Babar received apartments in Australia and Dubai from these sources. Luqman also criticised former captain Shaheen Shah Afridi for his subpar performance during the World Cup.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said preparations for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have begun and the day is not far when the people of the Union territory will elect its own government and also get its statehood back.
In his first visit to the valley after becoming the prime minister for the third time, Modi laid foundation stone and inaugurated 84 developmental projects worth Rs 1,500 crore in Srinagar. Taking note of the recent terror incidents in Jammu region, he gave a stern warning to those who carried out the attacks saying they will be given a befitting reply.
He complimented the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the record turnout in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections and breaking the record of 35 years and said the day is not far when “you will elect your own representative through
A trans-border illegal arms and narcoterrorism hawala racket was busted and eight people were arrested, police said on Thursday.
Police recovered 4.1 kg heroin, two pistols, one of which was made in Pakistan, 45 live cartridges and Rs 2.07 lakh in cash from their possession, they said.
The operation to catch other groups with cross-border linkages and hawala involvement is still going on, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav in a statement.
Police said Ranjit Singh alias ‘Kaka’, the kingpin of the racket, Rajinder alias Raja, Abhishek alias Abhi, Vishal alias Shalu, Lovepreet alias Kalu, Gurbhej alias Bheja, Gurjant and Jaspal, all residents of Gharinda in Amritsar, have been arrested.
The development comes amid investigations by Amritsar Commissionerate Police into the backward and forward linkages of Rajinder alias
The Border Security Force (BSF) said on Thursday that in extensive search operations based on specific inputs, two China-made Pakistani drones were recovered in Punjab.
In the first incident, BSF troops recovered a drone from Rattankhurd village in Amritsar district. In the second incident, troops and Punjab Police recovered a drone from Dal village in Taran Taran district.
Both drones are Chinese-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic models.
The reliable information and swift action of BSF troops thwarted yet another attempt at drone intrusion in Punjab from across the
your vote”. “You deserve to be felicitated for it ... now time has come that people of Jammu and Kashmir elect its own government through your votes. For that, preparations are being made for holding Assembly elections,” he said.
Modi said the statehood of the Jammu and Kashmir will also be restored. He also praised the youths of Jammu and Kashmir for the high turnout in the Lok Sabha polls and said they have ensured victory of democracy. Modi said the wall of the Article 370, which was scrapped in August 2019, collapsed and fruits of Indian Constitution ensured in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Today the Indian Constitution has truly been implemented in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The prime minister said today the forces inimical to peace and development are making last ditch efforts to stop the progress of Jammu and Kashmir.
Raja (22), a local drug peddler from Gharinda in Amritsar. He was arrested and 500 grams of heroin, Rs 40,000 in cash and a pistol were seized from him, the statement said.
Raja was also wanted by Amritsar Rural Police in an attempt to murder case.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar Ranjit Singh Dhillon said during investigation, backward linkage was traced to kingpin Ranjit Singh alias ‘Kaka’.
After a follow-up of financial trail and technical investigations, police successfully arrested ‘Kaka’ and others and recovered smuggled heroin, firearms and live cartridges.
The CP said that the probe has revealed that ‘Kaka’, who was in direct contact with Pakistanbased entities, was running a heroin and illegal weapons racket in Punjab, as part of a hawala nexus.
BSF recovers two China-made drones in Punjab
border, said the BSF. The BSF, responsible for safeguarding the 553-km long varied, tough and challenging India-Pakistan border in Punjab, said that in 2023 it detected and shot down 107 drones and seized 442.395 kg of heroin.
Last year, the BSF troopers of the Punjab Frontier handed over 12 Pakistani nationals, who had inadvertently crossed the International Border, to Pakistan Rangers.
Braving innumerable challenges, including inclement weather conditions and the spate of smuggling, BSF men are guarding borders around the clock with unflinching dedication. Day is not far when people of J-K will elect its own local government, says PM Modi
Nikhil Gupta, accused of murder-for-hire plot against Sikh separatist, pleads not guilty in US court
Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accused of being involved in a murder-for-hire plot against a Sikh extremist on American soil, on Monday pleaded not guilty in the case at a federal court here. Gupta, 52, was extradited to the US from the Czech Republic on Friday.
He was arrested in the Czech Republic last year at the request of the US government on charges of being involved in a plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Pannun holds dual American and Canadian citizenship.
Gupta was produced before a federal court in New York on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty, according to his attorney, Jeffrey
Seven-term Lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab was on Thursday appointed pro tem speaker by President Druopadu Murmu.
As pro tem speaker, Mahtab will oversee the oath-taking of newly elected Lok Sabha MPs in the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha which commences from June 24. Mahtab, who is from Cuttack parliamentary seat, quit the Biju Janata Dal on the 2019 Lok Sabha poll eve to join the BJP and is the son of late Odisha CM Harekrushna Mahtab.
“The President is pleased to appoint Bhartruhari Mahtab, Member, Lok Sabha, as Speaker Pro tem, under Article 95(1) of the Constitution to perform the duties of the Speaker till the election of the Speaker,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju
said.
He said the President had also appointed Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sudip Bandyopadhyay, all members of Lok Sabha under Article 99 of the Constitution to assist the pro tem speaker in oath/affirmation to the newly elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha till the election of the Speaker.
K Suresh is the senior-most Lok Sabha member and is from the opposition Congress. TR Baalu is from the opposition DMK and Bandopadhyay from the opposition TMC.
Singh and Kulaste are from the BJP.
The election of the speaker will take place on June 26.
Chabrowe. The Czech Constitutional Court last month rejected a petition by Gupta against his extradition to the US to face the charges.
US federal prosecutors allege that Gupta had been working according to the directions of an unnamed Indian government official.
Illegally brewed liquor kills at least 34 with dozens hospitalized in southern India
At least 34 people have died and dozens hospitalized after drinking illegally brewed liquor in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, local media reported on Thursday.
The state’s chief minister M K Stalin said the 34 died after consuming liquor that was tainted with methanol, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.
The incident occurred in the state’s Kallakurichi district, where more than 100 people are being treated in various hospitals, top district official M S Prasanth said. He added that the number of those who are in critical condition keeps changing, suggesting that the death toll could rise.
Ambulances, doctors and specialists from nearby areas were deployed to the district.
Government officials earlier said several people who were vomiting and had stomach pain were admitted to hospitals Wednesday, triggering a police investigation.
Later that day, Stalin, the chief minister, said
in a post on social media platform X that those involved in the crime have been arrested, and action has also been taken against officials who failed to prevent it. “Such crimes that ruin the society will be suppressed with an iron fist,” he added.
Deaths from illegally brewed alcohol are common in India, where the poor cannot afford licensed brands from government-run shops. The illicit liquor, which is often spiked with chemicals such as pesticides to increase potency, has also become a hugely profitable industry as bootleggers pay no taxes and sell enormous quantities of their product to the poor at a cheap rate.
In 2022, more than 30 people died in eastern India’s Bihar state after allegedly drinking tainted liquor sold without authorization. Earlier that same year, at least 28 died from drinking altered liquor in Gujarat state. And in 2020, at least 120 people died after drinking tainted liquor in India’s northern Punjab state.
Delhi court grants bail to Arvind Kejriwal in moneylaundering case linked to ‘excise scam’
In a huge relief to embattled Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a court here on Thursday granted him bail in a money laundering case stemming from the alleged excise scam.
Special Judge Niyay Bindu also declined the Enforcement Directorate’s prayer to keep in abeyance the bail order for 48 hours to allow the central agency to avail legal remedies like moving a superior court in appeal.
The judge ordered Kejriwal’s release on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh but imposed certain conditions before granting him the relief, including that he will not try to hamper the investigation or influence the witnesses.
hand, the ED is also likely to challenge the bail order before a higher court in the coming days.
The judge also directed Kejriwal to appear before the court whenever required and to cooperate with the investigation.
The judge had reserved the order earlier during the day after hearing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which sought to link Kejriwal to the alleged proceeds of crime and co-accused, and the defence that claimed the prosecution has no evidence to nail the AAP leader.
Kejriwal’s lawyers are likely to submit the bail bond before the court on Friday, after which he would be released from Tihar jail. On the other
However, the grant of regular bail to the AAP national convener will give his Aam Aadmi Party and its allies a stick to beat the Modi government with as, according to Section 45 of the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), bail can be granted only if the judge is prima facie satisfied that the accused has not committed the offence and that he is unlikely to commit any offence while on bail. A detailed order, however, is awaited.
The ED had arrested Kejriwal on March 21, shortly after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from arrest on his petition challenging summonses issued to him.
On May 10, the Supreme Court had granted interim bail to Kejriwal till June 1 to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections, saying he will have to surrender and go back to jail on June 2.
Kejriwal had surrendered before Tihar jail authorities on June 2 and has been there since then. The trial court had on June 5 denied him interim bail which he sought citing several ailments.
Dharmendra Pradhan admits UGC-NET exam paper leaked on darknet, announces high-level committee to look into NTA functioning
Amid demand by the opposition to re-conduct the medical entrance exam NEET, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said isolated incidents of malpractices should not affect lakhs of students who cleared the examination rightfully.
He announced a high-level panel to look into the functioning of the testing agency NTA.
Addressing a press conference here, Pradhan also appealed to the opposition parties not to politicise the issue and said strict action would be taken against those found guilty, including officials from the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The high-level committee to review and improve the functioning of NTA would be notified soon, the minister said.
About the cancellation of the UGC-NET examination for selection of junior research fellows, assistant professors and PhD scholars, Pradhan
said the exam paper was leaked on Darknet.
“Let us have faith in our systems and no irregularities or malpractices will be tolerated by the government,” he said.The NEET examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates appeared for it. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4, saying the evaluation of the answer sheets got completed earlier.
As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA’s history, with six from a centre in Haryana’s Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities.It has been alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 students sharing the top rank.
The NEET-UG examination is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
Punjab today registered the highest-ever power demand of 16,078 MW, which meant the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had to draw some excess power from the grid to manage the situation.
The tripping of a 660-MW unit at Talwandi Sabo led to the shortage of supply with the PSPCL. The supply to the agriculture sector was curtailed for some hours to manage the highest-ever power demand. The power scenario in Punjab is almost at a touchand-go situation as the high demand during afternoon hours meant that the Punjab power supply system was at an alarming level with the demand skyrocketing to 16,078 MW.
Officially, the PSPCL officials said no power cuts were imposed and that they curtailed power from agricultural feeders for some hours. “It was really a tight situation as demand reached 16,078 MW and anything could have happened,” said an official.
“Yesterday also, we had to restrict supply to these feeders to meet the highest demand from residential and other sectors. However, the agri-sector was compensated for it during the night,” said a senior PSPCL official.
“We did not impose power cuts, though some local snags could have resulted in power outages in certain pockets,” they said, when asked about complaints from consumers.
While the power demand is constantly rising, Punjab power scenario became
worrisome after a 660-MW unit of a private thermal plant at Talwandi Sabo tripped following a leakage in the boiler tube. It is expected to be rectified within two days.
“Due to the non-availability of the Talwandi Sabo unit, we managed to get Punjab’s transmission capacity enhanced to 9,900 MW from the existing 9,500 MW. So it became possible to feed over 15,500 MW to Punjab,” said a senior official privy to the developments.
On Wednesday, Punjab’s own generation was around 5,700 MW and around 10,300 MW was drawn from the northern grid, which is higher than the allowed capacity.
“However, that was done for a very short duration and after adjusting power supply to paddy fields, we managed to bring it under control,” said another PSPCL official.
On Tuesday, the power generated by the PSPCL in Punjab was 3,390 lakh units (LU), while it purchased 588 LU power through power exchange. Over the past five days, the power demand in Punjab has been hovering above 15,000 MW. All four units of the Ranjit Sagar Dam (RSD) project are running to bridge the gap between demand and supply.
The reservoir level at the RSD is 504.67 m, against the last year’s level of 511.97 m.
The coal stock at all thermal units in the state is sufficient, except at the Talwandi Sabo plant, which has only three days of coal stock.
Punjab’s drugs crackdown on ‘point of sale’; know how police are getting peddlers’ neck through meticulous
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced tough steps to break the “nexus” between low-rank police officials and smugglers.
He also said any police official found involved in drug trade would be dismissed from service, hinting at a “nexus” between lower rank police officials and drug peddlers. Keeping the focus on controlling drug supply at ‘Point of Sale’ as per the directions of the CM and DPG Gaurav Yadav, Punjab Police continued its crackdown against drugs on the fourth straight day and massive raids were conducted at the top 10 drug hotspots in each 28 police districts in the state.
The operation was conducted from 11 am to 3 pm across the state. He said that a list of the active drug hotspots, which was prepared by the Punjab Police after a meticulous data analysis was handed over to all the district police heads in the state.
He said that CPs/SSPs were told to personally supervise this massive operation and plan it meticulously by identifying 10 top drug hotspots-- the points of sale of drugs and psychotropic substances in their respective districts or certain areas that have become shelter/safe haven for drug peddlers.
Police teams under the supervision of an SP rank Officer were sent to cordon off such areas and conduct searches, he said, while adding that proper frisking of suspected persons and complete search of houses was done by the Police force with the help of sniffer dogs during the operation. The Special DGP said that over 250 Police teams, comprising over 2500 police personnel, have cordoned off as many as 280 drug hotspots. During the operation, the Police registered 31 first information reports (FIRs) after arresting 43 persons, he said.
Meanwhile, such operations at a mass-scale level not only help in infusing fear among antisocial elements but also boost public confidence and increase the presence of the cops in the field.
A key operative linked with a Canada-based Khalistani terrorist was on Thursday arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) during its multi-state searches.
Jaspreet Singh was held from Ferozepur district in Punjab, the NIA said in a statement.
The probe agency seized one .32 bore revolver, 69 cartridges of various bores, 100 gm heroin, 100 gm opium, Rs 2,20,500 in cash and various digital devices from Jaspreet, who was found to be associated with foreign-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa, it said.
“Cracking down on proscribed terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), the NIA on Thursday conducted multi-state searches and arrested a key operative linked with designated terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa,” the
statement said.
Premises connected with 10 suspects were searched on Thursday by the NIA teams across Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab, leading to the arrest of Jaspreet, it added.
NIA had registered a case on July 10 last year and investigations had revealed the involvement of Landa in terror conspiracies of the banned Khalistani terrorist organisation.
In addition to terror conspiracies, NIA found evidence of smuggling and supply of arms and ammunition across international borders and inter-state boundaries by these terrorists.
They were also found to be involved in transferring funds to their associates through various channels for carrying out terrorist acts, the statement said.
Punjab gives in-principle nod to implement 6th pay commission for employees of aided institutions
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday said his department had given an in-principle approval to implement the sixth pay commission for employees of aided institutions of the state.
In a statement, Cheema said this decision would benefit employees of aided schools and colleges under the departments of school education, technical education and industrial training, non-teaching staff of these institutes under the higher education department, and retirees of aided schools.
“The administrative departments concerned have been directed to issue notification for implementation of the sixth pay commission for the employees of aided institutions and retirees of the aided schools,” he added.
The administrative departments will examine the financial statements of the last three years of all the aided schools and colleges, so as to assess the deficit analysis and to send a detailed
proposal giving financial implications.
“After considering the administrative departments’ proposal, the finance department will give financial sanction to these institutions,” he said.
