Asian Star - February 25, 2017

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www.theasianstar.com AsianStar logo Saturday, April 25, 2015 6:42:48 PM

Vol 16 - Issue 04

Saturday, February 25, 2017

BC budget offers only MSP rate cut Canadians worried about influx of refugees Greg Janzen, the reeve of Emerson, Man., where dozens of would-be refugee claimants have recently crossed the porous Canada-U.S. border, says some area residents are beginning to express anxiety about the influx.

The small border town of 671 has been galvanized to help asylum seekers, and the issue has certainly put the community on the map, attracting media attention from across the globe.

Janzen said he’s done 95 television interviews over the last two weeks.

Before that he’d only done one, a dozen years ago.

Continued on Page 7...

Puneet Sandhar Canada is undoubtedly the land of opportunities. No matter where you start from or how hard your initial days might be, but with the sincere hard-work and courage, one definitely gets what he/she deserves irrespective of race, nationality or color.

Continued on Page 8...

BC’s government is staking its reelection on a nearly $1 billion cut in medical service premiums, a small business tax reduction and carefully targeted spending increases on education, health and child welfare in a 201718 budget that projects a fifth consecutive surplus.

Finance Minister Mike de Jong said Tuesday the government will move to eliminate unpopular medical service plan premiums, starting with a 50-percent cut next year that will see a family earning up to $120,000 annually saving up to $900 in 2018.

Last week, the government announced it was in the financial position to pay back

Canadian Muslim threatened with death in India

25% Canadians want Trump-style travel ban

In Canada, Tarek Fatah is not exactly known as a diplomat; the journalist’s provocative criticism of the Islamic world has even extended to promoting a conspiracy theory about the Quebec mosque shooting. But when he took his needling brand of commentary recently to India — where tensions between Hindus and Muslims simmer just below the surface — the reception was explosive.

Fatah’s talk show about Islamic issues on Zee News channel has quickly become a hit — garnering tens of millions of viewers per episode — and also triggered angry reaction from within the country’s huge Muslim minority.

Continued on Page 6...

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Saturday, February 25, 2017

Coroner investigates toddler’s death in hospital The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating the death of a three-year-old girl who died at Abbotsford Regional Hospital on Feb. 7.

The coroners service said Tuesday that Nimrat Kaur Gill, who lived in Abbotsford, had been taken to the hospital emergency ward by family members on Feb. 6 and had been discharged home the same day.

However, on Feb. 7 her condition worsened, and she was returned to the hospital where she died later that day.

It is suspected that the toddler died of pneumonia that went undetected during the back-to-back hospital visits.

Canadian arrested for helping 5 Indians cross illegally into USA Five Indian nationals have been arrested for trying to enter the United States illegally near Molson in Washington.

A Canadian who helped them to crossover was also arrested along with the Indians on February 8, the US Customs and Border Police (CBP) said in a statement.

The five Indians were ordered to appear before an immigration judge who will determine whether they may lawfully remain in the United States and the Canadian suspect will be prosecuted for alien smuggling and processed for deportation proceedings, it said.

“Once inside the United States, the group of five Indian nationals was picked up by the

Canadian citizen smuggler driving a rental vehicle. They were apprehended by Border Patrol agents,” the statement said.

“The driver and suspected smuggler had no known relationship with the five illegal Indians who he had picked up and who had entered the United States a day earlier under false pretences,” it added.

The success of our mission relies on the dedication and vigilance of our Border Patrol agents, Spokane Sector Chief Patrol Agent Henry Rolon said.

“This is another example of the excellent law enforcement work that our agents do in the field every day protecting our nation’s borders and communities,” he said.

According to a recent Pew report, the number of unauthorised Indian immigrants in America grew by about 130,000 from 2009 to 2014, to an estimated 500,000.

Indians are ranked fourth in illegal immigrants in the US after Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala.

$0 transfer fee to send money globally. Always with CIBC. Her family had previously said that they wonder if there might have been a different outcome if their daughter had received a more thorough examination during their first visit on Feb. 6.

“We want her back,” said mother Balraj Gill. “We miss her so much.”

On the evening of Feb. 5, Gill said her daughter began coughing and had trouble sleeping. When her husband returned home from work after midnight, the couple decided to take Nimrat to Abbotsford Hospital, just five minutes from their home.

Fraser Health spokeswoman Tasleem Juma said last week that the health authority was conducting a patient safety review of the care provided to the child and the cause of death.

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1 dead, 3 arrested in Abbotsford shooting One man is dead and three men are in custody after a shooting and a high-speed chase in Abbotsford, on Monday morning.

Abbotsford police say they received multiple 911 calls of a shooting In the 30500 block of Steelhead Court around 9:40 a.m.

PT Monday. There, police found a man in his mid-20s who appeared to be suffering from gunshot wounds, according to a news release. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. According to the statement, police saw a vehicle fleeing the area at high speed.

An officer gave chase as it sped toward Mission on Highway11.

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OPINION

4

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Tax cuts for the middle class is just another broken federal Liberal promise

By Charles Lammamand and Hugh MacIntyre - The Fraser Institute When a government breaks an election promise it usually attracts a fair bit of controversy. Witness the hubbub in the aftermath of the Trudeau Liberals abandoning electoral reform. With the federal budget coming soon, it is also worth recalling that the Liberals promised to run deficits of no more than $10 billion for a maximum of three years, but the government’s latest projections peg its annual deficits at almost $30 billion with no timeline for returning to a balanced budget.

While these broken promises have garnered some attention, yet another broken promise has managed to fly under the radar. The Liberals campaigned on the promise to cut taxes for Canada’s middle class. Yet since forming government, they have announced several tax hikes and more may be on the way.

The latest potential tax hike could be higher user fees for a range of federal services (including fish licenses, campsites,

and passports). That’s according to a CBC news report that suggests the federal government is eyeing an increase to these fees. If implemented, this would be the latest in the government’s onslaught of tax increases on Canadians.

Let’s take stock of the tax increases announced to date.

First there was the new top personal income tax rate on highly skilled and educated workers now 33 per cent, up from 29 per cent. This tax hike will discourage economic activity and make it more difficult for Canada to attract and retain knowledge based workers.

Of course, the government reduced the second lowest personal income tax rate from 22 per cent to 20.5 per cent, but that reduction is being completely wiped out by the higher payroll taxes working Canadians will have to pay for expansion of the Canada Pension Plan a combined two per cent hike on eligible earnings up to the current limit and an additional eight per cent above.

Keep in mind that Canadians with

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incomes below $45,000 will be particularly hard hit, as they will not receive any benefit from the income tax rate reduction but they will have to pay higher payroll taxes.

And let’s not forget about the widely used tax credits that the government is eliminating. This includes income splitting for couples with children, the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit, the Children’s Arts Tax Credit, the Education Tax Credit, and the Textbook Tax Credit (other tax credits may be on the chopping block, too, as the government wraps up its review of the tax code). While tax credits create distortions with little economic gain and require higher marginal rates, Canadians who use these credits will see their total tax bill rise from their elimination.

A more subtle tax hike came from the government scaling back the maximum amount Canadians can contribute each year to their Tax Free Savings Accounts (now $5,500, down from $10,000).

This reduction in contribution room is effectively a tax hike for those who are unable to shelter additional investments from taxation.

And then there’s Ottawa’s plan to impose carbon pricing on all the provinces, with the rate per tonne reaching $50. This tax will directly raise the cost of many consumer 100 goods including gasoline and natural 100 gas and indirectly for many others due 95 to95 higher production and transportation costs.

75 75All of this doesn’t even begin to account for the potential for higher taxes to service and repay the substantial run up in federal 25 debt 25 that has taken place already and that is planned for the future.

5 VICTOR BAINS 5 Taken together, it’s clear that the Trudeau 0 government is breaking yet another 0 campaign promise. So much for cutting taxes on middle class Canadians.

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LOCAL

Saturday, February 25, 2017

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Canadian Muslim threatened with death in India Continued from Page 1...

More viscerally, an infuriated critic put a bounty on the Canadian’s head, while one of his own guests suggested on air that he be decapitated.

Between being mobbed by fans in New Delhi and police warning him to keep a low profile, Fatah says he’s become a virtual shutin. “I can’t walk on the streets any more,” says the 67-year-old, who has been advised by police to stay home. “I have never experienced anything like this … It’s just shocked me.”

A native of Pakistan, Fatah emigrated to Canada in 1987, coming to prominence as a opinion-writer in the wake of 9/11, a moderate Muslim willing to criticize what he considered extremism within his own religion.

He has arguably evolved into a more inflammatory critic, appearing regularly on The Rebel — sometimes called Canada’s Breitbart News — applauding Donald Trump’s proposed travel ban on seven Muslim countries and supporting the debunked theory that a Muslim was involved in shooting six members of a Quebec-city mosque last month.

Fatah travelled to New Delhi a few months ago, chiefly to research a book about the Pakistani province of Baluchistan, and was invited to host a talk show by the private Zee News channel.

The Hindi-language program, called Fatah ka Fatwah or Fatah’s Fatwa, features panel discussions involving Muslims discussing Islamic issues, followed by the host’s impromptu answers to recorded questions, often hostile, asked by people in the street.

It has quickly become the most-watched show in its early-evening time slot on Saturday and Sunday, he says.

“It’s huge,” confirms Harbir Singh, a columnist with the New Delhi Times and

Fatah supporter. “You literally cannot meet someone in India who has not heard of Mr. Fatah. He walks in the street and literally gets swamped wherever and whenever he goes …

This show is really shaking things up.”

In a forthcoming column, Singh calls the program India’s “hot new thing,” leaving the liberal elite aghast, conservative Muslims inflamed and everyone else “simply electrified.”

He said the program is doing what is rarely done in the country: openly discussing some of the more controversial aspects of Muslim life, from a distinct family-law system that lets men divorce their wives simply by saying the word Talaq (divorce) three times, to temporary marriages and Sharia banking.

Public airing of such issues has generally been avoided in India for the sake of preserving peace between faiths, said the columnist, who is Sikh. Violence between the majority Hindus and the 172-million-strong Muslim population has erupted repeatedly since independence.

Yet Singh maintains the program’s audience includes many Muslims, and that it skewers not Islam itself, but the strict rules imposed by conservative, and powerful, clerics.

Others, however, see the discussions and Fatah’s comments as an attack on the religion and its followers, closely paralleling Hindunationalist narratives.

A Muslim lawyer filed a “public-interest litigation” case in New Delhi High Court demanding the show be taken off the air, arguing that Fatah’s Fatwa has undermined communal unity in the country. Earlier this week, the court asked the government and Zee News to provide official responses.

A Muslim-dominated political party similarly has urged the Indian election commission to ban the program.

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Saturday, February 25, 2017

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Canadians worried about influx of refugees Continued from Page 1...

But as the number of asylum seekers continues to surge, it’s beginning to put a strain on local resources and raise some security concerns over potential risks to the residents, he said.

But Janzen said there are worries that someone, possibly with a criminal background, might be able to sneak in among the asylum seekers and into their community.

“I’m scared, the bigger the numbers — if we don’t have enough officials, someone is going to slip through the crack because there’s so many people to process.”

Janzen said he’s concerned that someone with criminal intent could break into a home, or attempt to steal a car, which could lead to a clash with a member of the community.

“It’s about to blow. I think there’s going to be confrontations,” Janzen said. “There’s going to be an incident.”

The federal Manitoba Conservative caucus has also expressed its concerns about the spike in illegal border crossings, a phenomenon some attribute to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tough stance on illegal immigration and his controversial travel ban.

“Canada is a safe and welcoming country, but we must also take steps to protect our border and ensure the process for entering our country is consistent and fair for all seeking refuge in Canada,” the caucus said in a statement. Otherwise, the current situation, the caucus says, “rewards those that are entering Canada illegally and acts as a disincentive to proceed through the fair, legitimate application process.”

“We have a port of entry for a reason, because that’s where we expect people that want to enter into our county to come,” said federal MP Ted Falk, chair of the Manitoba Conservative caucus, whose riding includes Emerson. Under the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, a person must make their refugee claim in the first safe country they arrive in. As a result, however, those who first arrive in the U.S. but show up at the border seeking to come into Canada and make a refugee claim will likely be turned back.

(There are a few exceptions — for example, if the claimant has a family member in Canada.)

Falk acknowledged he hasn’t heard that any of those who have crossed the border recently may pose a threat. But he said there has been some anxiety among residents who have been woken up by those seeking asylum.

“Quite often [the asylum seekers] come in the middle of the night, they pound on the door, ring the doorbell, tap on the glass.

Some [residents] are quite anxious about that situation,” Falk said.

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PERSON OF THE WEEK

Saturday, February 25, 2017

“I will invest all my efforts in maintaining Surrey’s prosperity”-Puneet Sandhar

C

anada is undoubtedly the land of opportunities.

No matter where you start from or how hard your initial days might be, but with the sincere hard-work and courage, one definitely gets what he/she deserves irrespective of race, nationality or color.

Diversity is the strength of this beautiful place on earth and of course the value of a living being is well recognized here.

From past many years South Asian community has grown largely in the country. Talking specifically about the west coast, and focusing BC, everyone knows the contributions made by South Asians in every single field. One of the strengths behind the success is the values of humanity and helping the ones in need, or in short, the value of giving back to the community.

With same values inherited from back home and a high qualification in law, along with infinite dreams landed Puneet

with various organizations. It feels great to be a part of the bigger cause”, told Puneet.

At present Puneet Sandhar has been nominated as BC Liberal’s candidate from Surrey-Panorama.

“I never thought to get into this field! its was a sudden decision but I am happy for it”, said Puneet.

For all the support and encouragement, Puneet gives credit to her husband but her Mother-in-law became a driving force for her to get into the politics.

She loves Surrey and never keeps a stone upturned to contribute to the betterment of the area.

“We landed in Surrey as immigrants, our family is here and our kids are raised here. This place was our past, is our present and will be our future”, told her.

Puneet is a lawyer by profession, who works are like other Canadians to keep up with a good life. Also,

Sandhar in 2002. Coming to the land of opportunities, she was sure that with the kind of determination that she has, she will definitely bring something positive to this community.

“It was a phase that everyone goes through, I was upgrading my Law Degree and my husband was upgrading his MBA, then we placed our feet into the market, worked hard and achieved”, said Puneet.

One very inspiring thing about the start of this conversation was when she told us about her passion of giving back to the community.

“From the very beginning we would give back to our community in one way or the other. We would devout our time when we had restricted resources and volunteer a lot

she loves to spend her after work hours with kids and likes to cook for them. She is a true face of how capable South Asian women are

and also she advises women to be politically educated, so that they can become more responsible in regards to making choices.

She also passes a message to youth in order to encourage them to volunteer and get involved with community activities, as that is one good way out to create responsible citizens.

Puneet promises to deliver best of her efforts in becoming a messenger between Surrey and Victoria.

With her progressive ideas Puneet will prove to be a promising candidate and an asset for Surrey.

Elections are coming on May 9’ 2017, and practicing vote is our moral responsibility.

- Chhavi Disawar

LOCAL

Saturday, February 25, 2017

9

arge re tears through furniture arehouse Burnaby firefighters had a long battle with a fire at a used furniture store near Kingsway early Friday morning.

The large blaze broke out at the store on Imperial Street near MacPherson Avenue just before 2:00 a.m.

Gary Demsey was walking back from the SkyTrain when he saw the furniture store fully engulfed in flames. “I started running down the alley, I pulled out my cell phone and my cell phone was dead,� said Demsey, who phoned 911 from his

house. “I’ve never seen a fire like that ... I had an umbrella in my hand when I was walking back and the heat was so intense it was pushing my umbrella away from me.�

Assistant Fire Chief Laine Zimmermann said the fire started in a truck parked behind the building.

He said it spread to the building quickly and his crews weren’t able to extinguish it in time. “Being a furniture store there’s a lot of ‌ stuff for the fire to take hold of, and we weren’t able to extinguish it,â€? he said.

The battle lasted over two hours as crews poured water onto the fire from all directions.

Zimmermann called the building a “total loss.� No one was injured and there was no fire damage to the adjacent buildings.

Investigators will be looking into the exact cause of the fire later today.

A large number of students and their teachers from Youth with a Mission School from Vancouver visited India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas on Tuesday, February 21. Richmond’s Highway to Heaven is a very popular place for students and adults alike to visit and look first hand the at intercultural and religious harmony on this small stretch of # 5 Road this community.More than twenty places of worship of different religious denominations call #5 Road their home The visitors were very keen to learn about Sikhism and the Indo-Canadian community. As part of their visit the students and teachers enjoyed the delicious vegetarian langar (meal) . Here the visitors are with some members of the Gurdwara Management Committee. Balwant Sanghera (604-836-8976)

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Kansas man yells slurs at Indian engineers Witnesses said a man accused of opening fire in a crowded bar yelled at two Indian men to “get out of my country� before pulling the trigger in an attack that killed one of the men and wounded the other, as well as a third man who tried to help.

Hours later, the suspect reportedly told a bartender in another town that he needed a place to hide because he had just killed two Middle Eastern men.

In India, the father of one of the wounded men called the attack a hate crime, but authorities on Friday declined to discuss a

motive as they investigated the shooting, which stoked fears about the treatment of immigrants in the U.S. Adam Purinton, 51, was charged with murder and attempted murder in the Wednesday night shooting in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe.

A bartender at Austins Bar and Grill said Purinton used racial slurs before firing. He was taken into custody about five hours later after speaking with a bartender at an Applebee’s some 70 miles away in Clinton, Missouri.

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LOCAL

Saturday, February 25, 2017

25% Canadians want Trump-style travel ban Continued from Page 1...

“We tend to, when we are looking at numbers, look at the majority view. But the fact that one in four Canadians are of the mind that we should be looking to our own travel ban is significant and is part of a red flag that is starting to emerge in terms of refugee policy,” said Shachi Kurl, executive director of the Angus Reid Institute.

Overall, 47 per cent of Canadians surveyed said Canada is taking in the right number of refugees, while 11 per cent said 40,000 is too low and Canada should take in more. But 41 per cent say the 2017 target is too high and fewer refugees should be allowed to enter the country. Kurl said that “41 per cent is not the majority voice but it is a significant segment of the population that is actually saying our targets for 2017 are too high and that, I think, adds to a level of anxiety for those folks.

“Certainly in terms of that ‘too many, too few’ debate, a lot more people think it’s too many than too few,” she said.

The survey also asked Canadians about the federal government’s decision not to alter its own immigration policy to match that of U.S. President Donald Trump’s after he rolled out his travel ban.

Some 57 per cent of Canadians said the federal government made the right call in not following Trump’s lead, while 18 per cent said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government should have chosen to take in more refugees.

But 25 per cent said Canada should have adopted a similar policy to Trump’s executive order and issued a temporary ban on Syrian refugees. When it comes to whether the government did a good job of resettling refugees, 61 per cent said they either strongly (12 per cent) or moderately (49 per cent) agree that it had. But some 39 per cent of people

either moderately (22 per cent) or strongly (17 per cent) disagreed.

Kurl said those surveyed are also split over how well refugees are integrating into Canadian society, and how enthusiastically Canadians are welcoming new arrivals.

A slim majority of (54 per cent) say refugees do not make enough of an effort to fit into mainstream society, while 46 per cent say that they do try hard to fit in.

When the responses are broken down across age groups, it’s revealed that the younger the person, the more likely they are to say that refugees are working hard to fit into Canadian society. For example, 62 per cent of those in the 18-24 age range say refugees are making enough of an effort to fit in, but in the 25-34 age range that drops to 47 per cent.

There is a slight spike among 35-44 year olds where 54 per cent of those asked said refugees are working hard to fit in, but for those who are 45 and older, only one in four said the same thing. When it comes to welcoming refugees, 38 per cent said that people in their neighbourhood would not be welcoming to refugee families moving in.

Kurl said the numbers of people showing opposition or dissatisfaction with the refugee resettlement plan may be in a minority but “it’s far from a handful of people that can be easily dismissed,” she said.

“There are significant segments of folks who are expressing opposition and unease and anxiety to both the numbers, our target levels of 40,000, and then there is a smaller group, but not a fringe group, who are questioning whether we should be taking refugees at all.”

The Angus Reid Institute conducted the online survey between Feb. 6-9, 2017, using a random sample of 1,508 adult Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum.

Canada received 8,000 millionaire migrants in 2016 While Canada is known for being a beacon for migrants looking for a better life around the world, it’s also becoming a destination for the wealthy.

According to a new report from market research group New World Wealth, an estimated 8,000 millionaires moved to the country last year.

That number put it third overall, behind Australia and the U.S., who received 11,000 and 10,000 new arrivals with seven-figure bank accounts respectively.

Overall, Canada welcomed more than 320,000 migrants into the country from July 1, 2015 to the same date the following year.

And that will continue in 2017, as Canada is planning to grant permanent residency to a minimum of 300,000 people.

The report also found that millionaires globally are uprooting at an increasing pace, with 82,000 emmigrating last year, up from 64,000 in 2015.

Andrew Amoils, head of research at New World Wealth, told CNBC that millionaires are primarily drawn by the prospects of a better education for their kids and improved personal safety.

“They want the best schools for their children and to feel safe,” he said.

“Climate, health care and cleanliness all follow those top two.”

The report said that part of Australia’s appeal is its location near Asia, which makes it a good headquarters to do business in emerging markets, such as Hong Kong, South Korean, Singapore and Vietnam.

The authors also pointed to its robust health care system and relative immunity to “the turmoil in the Middle East and the related refugee crisis in Europe.”

The report said millionaires could also be

flocking to Australia because they see it an opportunity to grow their fortune. It indicated that over the past 10 years, total wealth in Australia has jumped by 85 per cent compared to 30 per cent in the U.S. and 28 per cent in the U.K. “As a result, the average Australian is now significantly wealthier than the average U.S.

or U.K. citizen, which was not the case 10 years ago,” said the authors. In 2012, Australia also created a new type of visa for wealthy foreigners who commit to investing millions in the economy. Canada launched a similar effort as a pilot project in 2014, but, as of last year, it had only lured seven applicants and led to no permanent resident visas.

Meanwhile, countries such as France, China and Brazil are seeing a mass exodus of millionaires to the tune of 12,000, 9,000 and 8,000 respectively.

Amoils told CNBC that millionaires are fleeing France because of elevated taxes on the wealthy and growing religious tensions.

“At least in China, the millionaires who are leaving are being replaced by an ever larger number of new millionaires,” he said.

“But you could argue that France is not creating as many, so it’s a cause for concern.”

The authors also cited these religious tensions as reasons for the millionaire flight to Australia, Canada and the U.K.

LOCAL

Saturday, February 25, 2017

11

BC budget offers cut to MSP premiums, but no reduction to PST or income tax The B.C. Liberal government rolled out its pre-election tax cuts Tuesday, with a promise to halve medical premiums eight months after voters go to the polls.

Finance Minister Mike de Jong tabled what he called “the people’s budget” in the legislature — a $50.2-billion, 2017-18 fiscal plan that offered spending hikes for child welfare, education and health care, and tax

relief for businesses, but left welfare rates frozen for an 11th year.

The budget’s centrepiece had been Premier Christy Clark’s promise to return surplus tax dollars to the wallets of British Columbians, which de Jong unveiled in the form of a 50-percent cut to Medical Services Plan premiums for an estimated two million households with

less than a $120,000 income. That could save a single adult $450 a year in premiums or $900 for a family. But voters will have to wait for the relief. The cuts wouldn’t come into effect until Jan. 1, 2018 — eight months after the May 9 election.

For the roughly 800,000 residents who earn more than $120,000, MSP rates remain unchanged. And for one million British Columbians whose MSP premiums are paid directly by their employers, the reduction is unlikely to be noticed at all.

“That is the mechanism by which we have chosen to return to British Columbians the benefits of our strong economy,” said de Jong. He also promised to eliminate the MSP premiums in some future year, if and when the economy allowed.

In choosing MSP cuts, de Jong rejected lowering B.C.’s seven-percent provincial sales tax, which would have provided immediate financial relief. He said a one-percentagepoint cut to the PST — which would have cost the treasury roughly $900 million; the same cost as the MSP plan — would only amount to $250 in annual savings for a middle-income family.

NDP leader John Horgan said taxpayers who’ve watched the MSP fees double in

recent years won’t be fooled by the cut. “The only reason Christy Clark is doing this … is because she wants to hold on to her job,” he said. “We’ll be putting our platform together and I’ll be very excited to lay it out before the public, because we’re going to make different choices.” Reaction by actual users of the health-care system outside St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver was mixed.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea. I think people who earn more than $120,000 should pay

more than those who don’t, considering how expensive it is to live in Vancouver,” said Eamon Dunne, 33. “There’s enough expenses involved in property taxes, the costs of living in general. There’s a lot of people who don’t even earn enough to live, that could use the help.” However, Dunne was blunt in noting he’s still “not a big fan of Christy Clark” and is still wary of her promises. “I don’t really believe too much about what I hear preelection,” he said.”

BC government focuses on broad tax breaks and new spending in its new budget Continued from Page 1...

“The instrument, mechanism we have chosen is MSP premiums,” said de Jong. “We are instituting a dramatic cut in premiums as part of a strategy to ultimately eliminate them.”

“A significant number of British Columbians remain very troubled by the fact we have this charge, this MSP premium, that doesn’t exist elsewhere in the country,” de Jong said.

The premium brings about $2.5 billion in annual revenues. The cut, effective Jan. 1, 2018, reduces that amount by about $1 billion, de Jong said. “We’re tickled pink,” said Jordan Bateman of the B.C. taxpayers’ federation. “This is the only tax in B.C. that kept going up year after year, 40 per cent over six years.”

Economist Iglika Ivanova of the centre for policy alternatives said she’s concerned the government gave up almost $1 billion in revenues by cutting the premium. The government could have explored tax increases for corporations and high-income earners to recover the revenue, she said.

De Jong did not side step the importance the budget will play in the May 9 election. The Liberals have been in power since 2001.

“In a few short months, British Columbians will convene an electoral shareholders’ meeting to consider not just the merits of this budget, but the progress we have made as a province,” he said in his speech to the legislature.

The 2017-18 budget also cuts the small business income tax rate to two per cent from 2.5 per cent and eliminates the provincial sales tax on electricity for business by 201920.

The $50.2-billion budget forecasts a surplus of $295 million, down from the $1.5-billion surplus forecast for the current fiscal year ending March 31.

The budget includes spending increases in

areas where the government has weathered political controversy: education, housing and child welfare.

De Jong said the Children and Family Development Ministry will receive a budget boost of $287 million over three years to support children, youth and their families.

He said $120 million will go toward child welfare issues for indigenous children.

Grand Chief Ed John recently called for more supports for indigenous families in a report to the government. The suicide of a Metis teen who spent his last days alone in a hotel while in government care also prompted calls for child welfare reforms.

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Dhulka village sarpanch Varinder Singh said the hailstorm on Monday evening wreaked havoc on wheat crop, green fodder and vegetable crops like potatoes and peas in around 12 villages.

LOCAL He said most of the farmers who suf-

12

left their crops ruined. “We don’t even have fodder to feed our livestock now,” he rued. Another farmer Preetam Singh said there was hardly any revival hope for the crop destroyed in the hailstorm.

students have died. The rumour spread after messages regarding two students with their respective hos-

sued some instructions to students as part of some preventive measures, but not a single case has been reported so far.

800 schools to go green on Saturday, February 25, 2017 Sikh Environment Day Over 800 schools across the state will take a green pledge on Sikh Environment on March 14.

Budget 2017: Day How it will affect British Columbians Moreover, a large number of gurdwaras 1.

Despite the premier’s hype,and and Sikh congregations of North America and other rampant speculation, the government did countries have stopped using styrofoam plates to not cut the provincial sales tax, nor did it serve langar. They have switched to steel utensils. lower personal income tax rates for British “The Sikh Environment Day has played a posiColumbians. tive role in changing the mindset of our com2. towards Medical munity our Service planet. InPlan the premiums past five will be cut 50 per cent for 2 million years, many gurdwaras have stopped usingBritish styColumbians with household rofoam, while others have plantedincomes trees,” saidless than $120,000, as much EcoSikh president saving Dr Rajwant Singh, as who$900 has a year for family starting in January come froma Washington to participate in the2018, Sikh 3. It is B.C. consecutive balanced Environment Day’s fifth celebrations on March 14. budget, with almost $50.2 were billion He said many gurdwara managements look- in spending, a $295 millionforsurplus, $400 ing for solar and bio-solutions energy in the million in tax cuts for people and $2.1 US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Malaysia, Dubai, billion in new program spending.

Coal shortage

4.

New money for the child welfare system, in the form of $114 million next year to reduce wait lists for child protection programs, aboriginal reunification programs, youth mental health and 2,000 new child care spaces.

5. An increase to the K-12 education budget of $256 million next year, which includes money for an interim deal with the BC Teachers’ Federation but doesn’t set aside any total for a final deal.

6. Tax cuts for businesses, in the form of a two-year phase out of PST on electricity bills for businesses, and a reduction in the small business tax rate to 2 per cent.

The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited BC education budget boosted to cover court win, (PSPCL) has applied for new coal mines as per the new government policy and the bidding process rising enrolment is expected to be completed by next week. Once

allotted, the parents new minesand are teachers expected tosaid meetthey’re the Trustees, state’s to coalhear requirements for the next years. happy that education will30get $740 Sourcesover said the apartnext fromthree Punjab, Bhartiya Bijli million years, but they’re Company the (JV money of NTPC) bid concerned mayand fallRailways short inhave key areas. for the Pachhwara Central Coal Block.

The Union While Finance Minister Mike de Jong said if he Ministry of one Coal government has started theservice process that of allothad to pick is the ting cancelled coal blocks. The PSPCL submitmost important, it would be education, some ted its application online on February 5, 2015. wondered why school districts had to cut their Before it was unbundled, the Punjab State budgets in previous years. “Education opens Electricity Board (now PSPCL) owned the our minds. It expands our immediate world Pachhwara Central Coal Block. The PSPinto array ofRsideas CL the has endless now deposited 389 the croreworld with has the to offer, ” de Jong said.

“And, of course, it opens Union Ministry of Coal as penalty imposedthe door to aSupreme wealth Court. of opportunities lead by the The PSPCLthat wascan fined students future.

Rs 295 to fora bright each tonne of” coal used so far.

But Glen Hansman, Federation “Once allotted, the stateB.C. will Teachers not face coal shortpresident, called the budget “an admission age till the year 2050. The supply of coal is exthat when it comes tonew education funding, pected to resume from the mines within the the has had it wrong along. nextgovernment six months,” claimed a senior PSPCLall official.

Fifteen years ago, PSPCL they putChairman-cum-Mantax cuts before kids.

KD Chaudhri, Students, parents,said teachers staff aging Director, after and the support coal block is allotted, its mine developer-cum-operator (MDO) will have to be appointed.

were forced to pay the price.”

Parent Andrea Sinclair said the Liberals have been pressured for many months by parents, advocacy groups, teachers and even its own select standing budget committee to provide more funding for public education. “It’s clear they are only doing what they should’ve been doing all this time in order to shore up their voting constituents,” Sinclair said in an email.

B.C. School Trustees Association president Teresa Rezansoff said she is “pleased to see the government has recognized the need for significant further investments in public education.”

Both Hansman and Sinclair noted that rising operating costs for expenses like B.C. Hydro and Medical Services Premiums haven’t been covered, which has meant school boards have had to cut their budgets in the past number of years.

LOCAL

Saturday, February 25, 2017

13

Focus on BC borders as Donald Trump ramps up immigration crackdown The surge of asylum seekers walking across the Canadian border to escape Donald Trump’s tough talk on refugees and illegal immigrants is a phenomenon that hasn’t been seen in three decades, according to an American immigration lawyer.

Bellingham-based Greg Boos specializes in cross-border issues and he sees strong

parallels to what happened in the mid1980s, when much of Central America was embroiled in civil wars. U.S. involvement in those conflicts meant that refugees arriving in the U.S. faced deportation and possibly death in their home countries, and so the Canadian government at the time decided to welcome those who could make it to the border and pass a preliminary screening.

“Basically we have the exact same situation now, except for under the Safe Third Country Agreement, these people cannot present themselves at the (official) border crossings,” Boos said.

Under the 2004 agreement, refugees cannot claim asylum in Canada if they enter the country through land border crossings with the U.S. Immigration advocates argue that the agreement is directly responsible for the hundreds of migrants braving harsh winter weather in places like Emerson, Manitoba, to escape the anti-refugee rhetoric of the Trump administration.

“Safe Third Country is based on fiction,” Boos said.

“It’s based on the fiction that the United States is a safe country for refugees. The fiction has always been easy to poke holes in, but under Trump you have to be blind not to see that that fiction doesn’t work.”

B.C.’s borders haven’t seen as much activity as those in Manitoba and Quebec, but there still appears to be a significant increase in new arrivals. Vancouver’s Settlement Orientation Services has already surpassed its annual target for numbers of refugees served by 60 per cent and there’s still more than a month left in the financial year, according to manager Mona Hassannia.

“It’s crazy. The trend has been especially high since December,” she said. “We’ve definitely seen a lot of people crossing the border.”

BC man with PTSD got opioid, painkiller prescriptions from 10 doctors, 10 pharmacies over four-month period A B.C. man who abused painkillers obtained more than two dozen prescriptions for opioids and other addictive drugs from 10 doctors and found 10 pharmacies to fill them over a four-month period.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. discovered the 39-year-old man’s “doctor shopping” case while doing a routine review of prescribing patterns on the PharmaNet database, where all dispensed prescriptions are recorded. Files are opened and investigations conducted into doctors who are flagged for overprescribing certain classes of drugs, such as narcotics, a college spokeswoman said. The case in question is being communicated to all of B.C.’s 12,000 doctors so they know that the college “isn’t tilting at windmills” in its attempt to curb the overprescription of addictive medications.

Dr. Ailve McNestry, the college’s deputy registrar, said in a tough-talking interview that despite mandatory prescribing guidelines

meant to force doctors into safer prescribing of addictive drugs, “the problem isn’t fading away.” “Patients may use smoke and mirrors to manipulate doctors to get drugs. They do things like moving around a lot. They cross the border to and from Alberta,” she said.

“And doctors are using the excuse that they are too busy to check the PharmaNet records before writing prescriptions, which really upsets me. If some doctors find their job too much for them, they should probably take a look at the broader job market.”

It was an evening of Bhajan Kirtan to celebrate Savitaben Patel’s birthday at the Hindu Temple Burnaby on Feb. 18th Photo by: Chandra Bodalia

Port Mann’s mounting losses put pressure on BC policy of tolling new bridges The Port Mann Bridge is expected to lose another $90 million next year, failing to hit its original break-even projection and casting doubt on the viability of building another tolled bridge to replace the George Massey tunnel. New budget figures released this week estimate the Port Mann/Highway 1 expansion project will lose $262 million over the next three years. That includes $90 million in the coming 2017-18 fiscal year, beginning April 1, which was supposed to be when the toll bridge started turning a profit, according to the government’s estimates when it opened in 2012.

Instead, the new figures show the $3.3-billion Hwy. 1 bridge between Coquitlam and Surrey has lost $407 million in its first five years, with no sign of profitability in sight.

But Transportation Minister Todd Stone and bridge officials argue they are losing less money than their most recent estimates, and they’ve had encouraging growth in the number of drivers in the past year.

“We’re on plan with the Port Mann Bridge,” Stone said Thursday, referencing a revised 2014 plan in which he lowered ridership and revenue estimates for the crossing.

14

LOCAL

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Corruption investigation against bbotsford police of cers dropped B.C.’s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner has dropped a probe of over 100 corruption allegations against 14 Abbotsford police officers, citing court

decisions that blocked the office’s civilian investigators from seeing police evidence about informants.

The upshot of the civilian agency’s

discontinued investigation into stunning allegations — including that Abbotsford officers falsified search warrant information and pocketed payments meant for police sources — is B.C.’s legal system now has a gaping hole in oversight of police misconduct, experts said.

The office’s probe of 17 officers and 148 misconduct allegations was announced in 2015, and started with a criminal investigation in 2013.

Questions of the integrity of some Abbotsford police investigations probed in the case meant that Crown prosecutors stayed over 30 criminal cases involving drug and firearm offences, some of those involving gang members, Abbotsford Chief Bob Rich acknowledged in an interview Tuesday.

In a statement Tuesday, the police complaint commissioner said 122 allegations of misconduct against Abbotsford officers will be left open with no outcome. The courts decided that only police officers involved in criminal probes can see evidence from informants, in order to protect confidential identities, the deputy police complaint commissioner, Rollie Woods, said Tuesday in an interview.

“When you look at these serious allegations without an outcome, I think that would be concerning to members of the public,” Woods said. Woods said his office exhausted every legal avenue available to get key informant evidence in the probe. The Supreme Court of

Canada dismissed the office’s application to appeal two B.C. court decisions.

Woods said source identity in the evidence sought by his office was to be redacted

anyway, so it is hard to understand why civilian investigators were denied access to it all.

In the court battle over the evidence, counsel for the Abbotsford Police Department and B.C.’s Attorney General opposed the office’s efforts to review source information, Woods said.

“Our desire is to see the Police Act exercised. And I see a gap now, that we are not able to do our jobs the way the legislators expected us to do,” Woods said.

Simon Fraser University criminology professor Rob Gordon agreed.

About 9,000 complaints from BC patients, mostly about their care B.C. patients and their family members or other advocates filed 8,896 complaints last year about their treatment and handling by staff in hospitals and other health facilities, according to the latest report of the Patient Care Quality Review Boards.

The boards in six health authorities review unresolved complaints patients or their advocates have in these areas — care, access

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to care, health providers attitudes/conduct, their communication with patients and the environment in health-care settings — but by far the biggest proportion of concerns pertains to the quality of care.

Complaints ranged from minor (not getting care for a nosebleed in an emergency department or patients’ belongings being stolen) to deaths from misdiagnoses, surgical delays or mishaps. Among the most serious: • A critically ill patient in a Fraser Health hospital lost consciousness during a CT scan when his or her neck was hyperextended; the patient, whose underlying condition made it impossible to lie straight, died as a result of a stroke, heart attack or respiratory failure. CT technologists have basic life-support training, but resuscitation apparently didn’t occur during the medical emergency.

• A rural patient in the Interior Health region was misdiagnosed in an emergency department and not transferred in time to a bigger hospital. Reviewing the case, the board said health professionals should give more credence to observations made by family and friends of the patient since, in this case, their comments were suggestive of stroke symptoms.

• Also in the Interior Health region, a dementia patient died after a fall in a residential-care facility, another patient was sexually assaulted in a facility and in yet another residential facility case, a resident injured her knee after a fall. But in the latter case, a serious bacterial infection wasn’t diagnosed until the patient went to hospital. The infection was so serious by that time that it required daily hospital visits for intravenous antibiotics and even surgery for skin grafts. Family members who wanted to know more about the medical file were told by the health authority they should file a freedom of information request to get more details about a damning licensing department investigation.

LOCAL

Saturday, February 25, 2017

CBC goes from money-ma er to ICBC will be running an $833 million dollar deficit by the end of this year, according to budget documents.

The new numbers are a far cry from

the government’s earlier projection,the corporation would generate a $678 million surplus over three years.

Opposition leader John Horgan did not mince words in question period Wednesday when he called the corporation’s financial

situation a “$1.5 billion blunder.”

The provincially-run universal auto insurance provider has been a source of government revenue in previous years, but there has often been political conflict over rate increases and quality of services.

Richard McCandless, a former deputy minister and author of an ICBC historical review, said there are three things which soured the outlook for ICBC over the past few years. The first, he said, was a rapid increase in claims costs, both the total number and the average cost of each claim. Second, low interest rates have lowered ICBC’s investment income.

“The third thing — which is fairly unique here — is this government policy of suppressing the basic rate increase each year,” he explained.

“They’ve been doing that since 2010. That’s really hurt the revenues, so the revenues can’t balance their cost increases and they run a deficit.”

$40K raised to help family of student who died of fentanyl overdose A fundraising effort to unite a mother in India with her son who died of a fentanyl overdose in Vancouver has raised close to $40,000.

Jashanpreet Singh Sandhu, 21, died of a fentanyl overdose at St. Paul’s Hospital on Feb. 10.

Sandhu, a student, had been in Canada only a few days before he died, said Ravneet Panag, who launched the GoFundMe page last Thursday.

She said Sandhu’s father had died last year, leaving Sandhu’s mother on her own in India.

“Words can’t describe the agony and tears which have transpired from his loss,” wrote Panag. “As a community it’s our humble responsibility to unite this young son with his mother for one last time.”

The fundraiser’s goal was to raise $25,000 to send Sandhu’s body to the Punjab for a funeral.

It reached and surpassed that target in a day.

Panag, a distant relative of Sandhu, said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the public and asked people not to donate anymore as they have reached their goal.

“Our only motive was to help his mother back home because women in India have no social support … there is no social security for them — there’s nothing for them. It’s just their families.”

She said the money will also go to pay off loans Sandhu’s mother had incurred to send him to Canada.

15

million de cit

McCandless said the political strategy of keeping rates low and taking out dividends from the corporation has backfired, as ICBC is quickly running out of capital reserves.

He says there’s a massive structural deficit in the basic coverage rates, and he said it would take at least a 20 per cent rate increase to cover that structural deficit.

“The government has to get out of the business of price controls,” he said. “You’ve got to let the revenues go back up, but perhaps not immediately by 20 per cent as that would

be rate shock.” For now, the government has ordered ICBC to increase rates by 4.9 per cent next year.

Transportation Minister Todd Stone defended the way his government had managed the Crown corporation and pointed out an independent review of the public insurer. “This is why we directed the ICBC board to commission an independent third party review to look at all facets of ICBC to make sure they are employing every initiative to drive costs down.”

OBITUARY It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Sardar Ghamanda Singh Gill who passed away peacefully on February 16, 2017 at the age of 87. He was born in Village Saido, District Moga on November 01, 1929 and received his early education at GHG Khalsa School Gurusar Sadhar, then obtained his Masters Degree in Economics from Khalsa College Amritsar. He then married the late Gurnam Kaur Gill of village Sanewhal, District Ludhianna. He had a long and distinguished career as an Economics Professor at GHG Khalsa College Gurusar Sadhar from 1951 until his retirement in 1989. He also served as Principal at the same institution. He had the distinct privilege to provide education to three generations of many families. He was well respected by students and colleagues for his discipline, work ethic, and moral values. He had a unique ability to connect with people from all walks of life. He always practiced what he preached. A deep understanding of Gurbani and deeper relationship with God guided his day to day life. Alongside his academic career, he also obtained the rank of Major in the National Cadet Corps (NCC). He later moved to Surrey, British Columbia in 1992, where he continued his passion of education and served as a volunteer principal for the Punjabi School operated by the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple Surrey/Delta. He is survived by his children Khushpal Singh Gill (wife Narinder Gill), Daljeet Dhillon (husband Late Avtar Singh Dhillon), Jaskiran Virk (husband Inderjit Virk), Rupinder Singh Gill (wife Kulwant Gill); his grandsons Mickey Gill (wife Meena Gill), Kamaljot Dhillon (wife Soman Dhillon), Rickey Dhillon (wife Parveen Dhillon), Jasdeep Gill, Jasman Virk, Harneil Gill; great-granddaughter Mahi Pritam Kaur Gill, great-grandsons Sahajveer Singh Dhillon, Yuvraj Singh Dhillon and Ronak Ghamanda Singh Gill. He is predeceased by his parents Natha Singh and Sant Kaur Gill; wife Gurnam Kaur Gill and brothers Surjan Singh Gill and Dalbara Singh Gill.

The funeral ceremony will take place at: Riverside Funeral Home (7410 Hopcott Rd, Delta, BC V4G 1B6) at 10:00 AM on Saturday, February 25th, 2017.

Prayers will take place at 1:00 PM at Khalsa Diwan Society Surrey (York Centre: 103-7938 128 St, Surrey, BC V3W 4E8) For further info, contact: Gill family at 604-572-7468

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Saturday, February 25, 2017

For second time in a week, accused drug dealer freed over sheriff shortage in Victoria For the second time in six days, an accused drug dealer has walked free from a Victoria, B.C. courthouse because of a sheriff shortage in the province.

Public Safety Critic Mike Farnworth raised the issue in question period Thursday, the day after a drug trafficking charge and two weapons charges were stayed against Michael Dubensky.

“This is completely unacceptable. This was in the Supreme Court. The kind of cases that get there aren’t trivial cases,” the NDP critic said.

“Because of a lack of sheriffs which this government has known about for ages, that this individual walks free — and smiles when they walk free — is just outrageous.”

Dubsenky has been in and out of the legal system since 2003, according to court records.

After being confronted in question period, B.C. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton said

sickness was partly to blame for stretched resources in the capital city.

“Nobody likes to see [people set free],” she said. “There is a challenge in Victoria this week because of the very significant demand on resources with illness but we’re changing that.”

On Friday, a drug trafficking charge against accused dealer Richard D’Allesandro was stayed because there was no sheriff to escort the accused from a holding cell to the courtroom.

On Monday, Anton described D’Allesandro’s case as an “anomaly.”

She said the province is “doubling” the amount of sheriffs being trained, with nearly 100 trainees slated to graduate from the justice institute in the next two years.

But during question period, the NDP noted that the number of sheriffs has dropped by 20 per cent since 2012 — down from 500 to 400 provincewide.

Anton wouldn’t say if she plans to bring in sheriffs from neighbouring jurisdictions to address the immediate shortage in Victoria.

“I’m talking to chief sheriff and court services staff to make sure courtrooms are adequately staffed,” she said.

Sheriffs oversee the accused, handle prisoners and act as security. Without them, there is no security in the courtroom.

IHIT investigating homicide in Burnaby The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is on the scene of a homicide in Burnaby that occurred Thursday afternoon.

Police say they were called to a house in

7900 block of 18 Avenue, just south of Robert Burnaby Park around 1 p.m. for a woman needing medical attention.

When they arrived, police say they found a 45-year-old woman dead inside a residence.

A 47-year-old man has been taken into custody. Police say the incident was “not a random act.”

They are not releasing the name of the suspect, the victim or commenting on the nature of their relationships.

IHIT says it will provide more information later Thursday.

Funeral for Abbotsford girl, 3, whose death sparks hospital review More than 200 mourners attended a funeral Sunday for a three-year-old girl who died suddenly at an Abbotsford hospital.

Nimrat Gill was taken to Abbotsford Regional Hospital Feb. 6 with a fever. But her parents say they were told to take her home and give her Tylenol.

Nimrat’s condition deteriorated and she died the next morning after her parents brought her back to hospital.

The cause of death has not been determined but her family believes she was suffering from pneumonia.

“I think it’s very important to be here,” said Gary Tiwana, who knows the family. “What happened was very unfortunate.

“We are supporting them so that in the future something like that doesn’t happen to any other family.”

The Fraser Health Authority has launched a patient and safety review, which is customary when there is an unexpected death, the health authority said in a statement.

“This review will look at the care provided to the child, which will include a review of the cause of death,” the statement said.

There is no timeline for when the review will be completed.

The girl’s family says the day after Nimrat’s first hospital visit she began vomiting. Her family took her back to emergency.

Her mother, Balraj Gill, said she was made

to wait for treatment. By the time doctors offered help it was too late, Gill said and Nimrat died that morning.

“I’m telling him . . . her skin is changing colour too. I’m showing him why is this happening to her and she can’t even speak properly and his answer was her body is fighting with [the] fever.”

A family friend attending the funeral questioned whether the hospital has enough money and doctors.

“This is really sad,” said Daljit Sidhu. “It’s not just for us, for the community, it’s for the whole of Abbotsford. If you really look back at it, it’s terrible.”

The family plans to file an official complaint to demand answers over Nimrat’s death.

Judge sentences man convicted in North Van manslaughter to 14 years Peng Sun thought he was going to a party and even brought a gift for the man who invited him to the North Vancouver home.

But when the young man arrived at the house, he was escorted to a basement room that had been covered in plastic.

He was grabbed and tied up and held captive while his parents in China were subjected to ransom demands. The victim was put on the phone to his parents at one point,

telling his father, “Dad, someone has a gun to my head, they want money.”

During another call, the dad was told that if he did not deliver on the $2.5 million ransom demand, his son’s fingers would be cut off one at a time.

The dramatic tale was outlined Tuesday during the sentencing of Tian Yi Eddie Zhang, 24, who pleaded guilty to the September 2015 manslaughter of Sun, 22.

Zhang also pleaded guilty to the extortion of Sun’s parents. He was initially charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder.

Court heard that while Zhang, who had no prior record, was at the heart of the scheme, he did not expect the victim to be killed and did not participate in the actual slaying.

In imposing sentence a 14-year jail term on the accused, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Heather Holmes called the offences “horrendous and very sad” and noted that they were planned and motivated by greed.

“The confinement involved horrifying conditions for Mr. Sun, who must have been terrified,” said the judge.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

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LOCAL

Saturday, February 25, 2017

BC signs health care deal with federal government, also gets money for opioid crisis British Columbia’s Health Minister Terry Lake says the province’s decision to sign a bilateral health care deal with Ottawa is the best it can do given the federal government’s tough negotiating stance.

On Friday, B.C. signed a 10-year health care deal with over $1 billion dollars targeted to home care and mental-health initiatives.

In a separate announcement, the federal government also put forward $10 million to

help B.C. fight the opioid crisis.

Before the deal was signed B.C. was one of several of provinces including Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba holding out for a better deal on the level of annual funding.

“It became increasingly clear that this is what Ottawa was going to offer,” Lake said.

“My conversations with Ontario in particular reinforced the feeling that we were certainly getting from Ottawa that there was no more money to be offered and at some point, we had to move on.”

Lake, who described Ottawa as a “tough negotiator”, said the targeted money will help

British Columbia continue its efforts to make a more efficient healthcare system.

“We have made great efforts to move the system away from the acute care system so we can support people in home and community.

That will reduce our costs over time,” he said. “So with this targeted funding in home care, in mental health, in substance abuse supports, we can catch people before they tip over the edge.” While the B.C. Health Coalition coordinator Terrie Hendrickson was pleased more money was going to home care, mental health and the opioid crisis, she said the funding deal fell short billions of dollars.

“The B.C. government is getting less than we actually need to just maintain our services — never mind improve our services in areas that we need to improve it in,” she said.

She was particularly critical of the yearly percentage increases agreed to in the deal. The provincial government will receive 4.4 per cent by year three of the agreement, instead of the original 5.2 per cent it sought.

“All of the information that we have shows that the health care system needs at least an annual increase of 5.2 per cent and that’s just to maintain the current system that we have now,” she said.

Terry Lake defended the numbers by saying it was “certainly better” than the three per cent base initially offered by the federal government.

hat to expect hen you re expecting your tax return You’ve been waiting nine months to say hello, baby! You even have the names picked out, but there’s still the nursery to prepare and all the other preparations involved in welcoming a new member of the family. So let the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) take the guesswork out of filing your income tax and benefit return and applying for benefits and credits once your little one arrives.

Apply for child benefits Skip the baby steps and jump right in when it comes to claiming the benefits and credits that you may be eligible for as a new parent.

When you register your newborn with your provincial vital statistics agency, you can give your consent for them to securely send the birth registration information to the CRA. This is available through the national Automated Benefits Application (ABA).

By consenting, you will be applying for the Canada child benefit (CCB), a monthly tax-free payment for eligible families with children under the age of 18, which includes related provincial and territorial program payments.

Your baby will also be registered for the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit and any related provincial and territorial programs.

The CRA uses information from your tax return to calculate how much your benefit and credit payments will be.

However, if you missed out on using the ABA, you can register for Canada child and family benefits using My Account or by completing and mailing Form RC66, Canada Child Benefits Application. For more

to le

information, go to cra.gc.ca/myaccount.

Not unlike the multi-tasking you do now that your baby is home sweet home, you can also apply for your baby’s social insurance number and order a birth certificate through the ABA. All these options are available when you register your baby’s birth with your provincial or territorial vital statistics agency.

To make managing your benefits easier, use the MyBenefits CRA mobile app. The app provides you with personalized benefit information such as: a list of your benefits, the next payment date, your next payment amount, and the status of your CCB application.

The app also shows information the CRA has on file, which affects your benefit eligibility, such as marital status, province of residence, and number of children in your care.

Can you claim the working income tax benefit?

Once your little one has celebrated his or her first birthday—in true cake smash fashion—finding work-life balance is a typical concern for parents re-entering the workforce.

Combine maintaining a household with separation anxiety from leaving your baby and countless workplace stressors, and it can be a taxing experience. The working income tax benefit provides tax relief to low-income individuals and families who are in the workforce.

Find out if you are eligible and how much you could get at cra.gc.ca/witb.

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Saturday, February 25, 2017

Montreal becomes ‘sanctuary city’ for refugees after unanimous vote The City of Montreal unanimously approved a motion on Monday declaring itself a “sanctuary city” for unauthorized immigrants.

The motion includes provisions to ensure undocumented people can obtain services without fear of deportation.

Mayor Denis Coderre said the move is more than symbolic and will help protect and assist the most vulnerable without compromising security. The designation comes as the province is dealing with an increase in the number of asylum seekers crossing the border illegally from the United States.

Solidarity Across Borders, a Montrealbased human rights organization, welcomed the idea but said the city needs to take steps beyond what it called “easy symbolism.”

The group said Montreal police routinely arrest undocumented migrants and hand

them over to the Canada Border Services Agency. It wants that practice stopped.

In a statement, the group also called on Montreal to bar border agents from all city premises.

Coderre, a former federal immigration minister, said the designation would lead to substantive changes.

“We have the expertise. We know the situation on the ground,” he said.

Among the provisions contained in the motion: • A commitment to offer access to city programs and services, particularly municipal housing, without fear of being detained or deported.

• A plan for undocumented people in “vulnerable situations” to receive assistance from Montreal police without being reported to immigration officials.

• A call on the Quebec government, which is responsible for the provincial immigration, to ensure access to health care, emergency services and lodging.

• A call on the federal government to regularize the status of undocumented migrants.

Coderre initially referred to Montreal as a “sanctuary city” while tweeting a response last month to U.S. President Donald Trump’s travel ban, which proposed limiting entry for visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Majority of Canadians support government decision not to increase 2017 refugee targets As the American travel ban on refugees, visitors and immigrants from seven Muslimmajority countries creates serious foreign policy differences between Canada and the U.S., border communities in Manitoba and Quebec are bearing witness to the fallout, watching asylum seekers trudging through the snow to cross the border.

Against this backdrop, the latest survey from the Angus Reid Institute finds public opinion in this country is onside with its government’s approach and response on domestic refugee policy, but is showing signs Ottawa may be testing the limits of how many migrants Canadians are willing to accept.

The majority of Canadians approve of how the Trudeau government has handled the refugee file. There is, however, a notable split in opinion regarding refugee targets for 2017. While a plurality of Canadians say the government has hit the mark with 40,000 total refugees expected to be entering the country this year, a significant segment say this number is too high.

Key Findings: • One-in-four (25%) Canadians say this

country should have responded to President Trump’s executive order by adopting the same policy – a temporary ban on Syrian refugees. Most (57%) say the government made the right decision in standing pat.

• Six-in-ten (60%) Canadians say the government has done a good job overall in handling the resettlement of Syrian refugees

since taking office in 2015 • Close to half of Canadians (47%) say the government is taking in the right number of refugees (Syrian and other nationalities) in 2017. A large group (41%), however, say that the total is too high, while one-in-ten (11%) say Canada should be granting access to more asylum seekers.

Ontario teacherE-mail: faces disciplinekhushpal@sovereignlaw.ca for telling students they ‘could die’ from vaccination E-mail: kam@sovereignlaw.ca A southern Ontario high school teacher allegedly tried to scare his students into not getting vaccinated for polio, diphtheria and other diseases, a discipline panel of the Ontario College of Teachers heard on Tuesday.

Timothy Sullivan, a science teacher at the Grand Erie District School Board, is accused of professional misconduct relating to a 2015 school vaccine clinic where, according to the allegations, he “told students they could die as a result of the vaccination.”

“His behaviour was confrontational and intimidating,” said Christine Wadsworth, a lawyer for the college, in her opening remarks at the discipline hearing.

The college alleges that on March 9, 2015,

Sullivan disrupted the clinic at the high school where he teaches. The name of school is under a publication ban in order to protect the identities of students. Angela Swick, a registered nurse with the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, told the hearing that Sullivan came into the school cafeteria where the clinic was taking place on three separate occasions.

“I remember feeling threatened,” she said.

Swick told the hearing that Sullivan requested the product monographs — inserts that contain detailed medical information — for each of the vaccines.

In her 20 years of experience administering vaccinations at schools, Swick said, a teacher had never before asked for this material.

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Saturday, February 25, 2017

Trudeau and Trump talk about border, softwood lumber and next summits Border co-operation and softwood lumber were discussed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Donald Trump during a phone call between the two leaders on Thursday, according to an account provided by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Trudeau and Trump “discussed a range of bilateral relations issues, including border cooperation, moving forward on the softwood lumber file, and the upcoming G7 and G20 summits,” the PMO said in a statement.

The prime minister and U.S. president “also looked forward to working together on the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders,” which was announced when Trudeau and Trump met at the White House last week.

According to a statement issued by the White House, “President Trump emphasized the importance of working closely with Canada on cross-border issues, including implementation of his administration’s actions to protect America from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals and others.”

Those plans kicked off in earnest at the end of January when Trump signed an executive order banning people from seven Muslimmajority countries — Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and Libya — from entering the U.S. The ban was halted by a U.S. court and an attempt by the Trump administration to have

the court’s decision overturned failed. The White House decided not to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court and instead Trump

promised he will introduce a new executive order on immigration soon.

Combined with a promised crackdown on illegal immigrants across the U.S., Trump’s immigration policies have set off a political firestorm both north and south of the CanadaU.S. border.

In recent weeks, there’s been an increase in asylum seekers in the U.S. illegally crossing into Manitoba and Quebec, travelling overland through sub-zero temperatures.

Under the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, in most cases refugee claimants are required to request refugee protection in the first safe country they arrive in — meaning border officials would send back to the U.S. any would-be refugee claimants arriving at an official border crossing.

oyal Ban s st- uarter pro t umps Royal Bank of Canada said Friday its firstquarter net income rose 24 per cent to $3.03 billion.

That’s compared to the $2.45 billion of net income that RBC reported during the first quarter of last year.

The Toronto-based bank said its net income was equal to $1.97 per diluted share for the quarter, up 39 cents from $1.58 per diluted share a year ago. Revenue for the three months ended Jan. 31 was $9.55 billion, up from $9.36 billion during the same period last year. After adjustments the lender had $1.87 per share of earnings, higher than the $1.77 per share that analysts had expected, according to Thomson Reuters.

nflation rate umps to The cost of living in Canada rose by 2.1 per cent in the year up to January, a sharp increase from the pace in December.

Statistics Canada reported Friday that the annual inflation rate rose to 2.1 per cent last month, from 1.5 per cent. Economists had been expecting the January figure to come in at around 1.6 per cent.

The data agency cited two major added

to

B

After stripping out the sale of the U.S. operations of Moneris, RBC said it earned $2.82 billion, up 15 per cent from $2.45 billion a year ago.

The bank also raised its dividend by four cents, or five per cent, to 87 cents per share, payable on May 24.

“RBC reported earnings of $3 billion for the first quarter reflecting strength across our businesses as we continued to invest in growth,” chief executive Dave McKay said in a statement.

“As the operating landscape evolves, we are focused on our strategy of building a digitally-enabled relationship bank to meet the changing expectations of our clients.”

on higher gasoline expenses for the increase: the cost of shelter and transportation.

The transportation index increased by 6.3 per cent, led by gas prices, which increased by more than 20 per cent in the previous year — the biggest jump since September 2011. ”The Bank of Canada doesn’t tighten policy because of what it costs you to fill your car,” Holt said.

tta a s de cit hits B through rst nine months of scal year The federal government ran a budgetary shortfall of $14 billion over the first nine months of the fiscal year, compared with a

$3.2-billion surplus over the same period a year earlier.

The Finance Department’s monthly fiscal monitor says federal program expenses between April and December rose $16.7 billion, or 8.8 per cent, compared with the

same stretch a year ago.

A closer look at the numbers shows that major government transfers to individuals, including seniors benefits, were up $5.7 billion, or 9.3 per cent, while directprogram spending rose $8.9 billion, or 11.3 per cent. Government revenues, such as those pulled in from income taxes, were down $1.9 billion or 0.9 per cent compared with 2015-16. The Trudeau government is projecting a $25.1-billion deficit for 2016-17 as part of its plan to run several double-digit shortfalls over the coming years in an effort to lift the economy through infrastructure investments and larger child benefits.

The Finance Department also says Ottawa posted a $1.3-billion deficit in December alone — compared to a $2.2-billion surplus in December 2015.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Expect to pay more tolls, higher property taxes to fund infrastructure, warns David Dodge A former governor of the Bank of Canada says Canadians, especially Ontarians, need to get used to paying more to fund critical infrastructure, and the Liberal government needs to do a better job of getting that message out there.

“If we want good infrastructure, we’re going to have to pay for it,” David Dodge said. “We’re going to have to pay for it either in tolls or we’re going to have to pay for it in water rates or we’re going to have to pay for it in additional property taxes — in some way or another,” he said.

“The government can’t go on investing in infrastructure, borrowing money to invest infrastructure, unless there’s a future revenue stream which is going to service that.”

Finance Minister Bill Morneau has previously hinted that measures like tolls are a possibility.

“People should expect, on an ongoing basis, that we’re going to find the most cost-effective way to build infrastructure in this country,” he told host Chris Hall on The House back in

November.

Toronto Mayor John Tory started to drive down that road when he requested tolls for two well-used highways in his city — the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway — but Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne shot down the request.

The mayor of Mississauga, just west of Toronto, applauded Wynne’s move because many of her constituents use the Gardiner to get to and from school and work. She’s argued that tolls miss the point and that cities need more autonomy over infrastructure.

“We want them to give us the money so we can decide based on our priorities,” Mayor Bonnie Crombie told Hall. “We have to go cap in hand and go to the premier or prime minister to ask for funding.”

A report published by the federal Department of Finance, and quietly posted online two days before Christmas, forecasts that without any policy changes, the federal government won’t amass a surplus until the year 2055.

As the department prepares to put out its 2018 budget, Dodge said he’s not too worried about the predicted decades of deficits.

“When you’re projecting that far out, you’re in Never-Never Land. It’s not something you can really project,” he said. “Let’s think much more about the next five years — and I think [Morneau] is going to run deficits for the next five years of relatively small amounts. He doesn’t have a lot of manoeuvring room.”

Trudeau calls 5 byelections, including ridings formerly held by Harper and Dion Byelections will be held on April 3 to fill five vacant federal ridings, but the contests are unlikely to change the partisan math in the House of Commons. Of the five byelections called by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, two are among the safest Conservative seats in the country and are likely to remain so: Calgary Heritage, former prime minister Stephen Harper’s old stomping ground, and Calgary Midnapore, formerly held by one-

time Harper minister Jason Kenney, who is now running for the leadership of Alberta’s Progressive Conservative party.

The other three — the Montreal riding of Saint-Laurent, the Toronto-area riding of Markham-Thornill and Ottawa-Vanier — are Liberal strongholds and likely to stay that way.

Saint-Laurent and Markham-Thornhill were left vacant last month after veteran Liberal ministers Stéphane Dion and John McCallum were named to plum diplomatic posts as part of a cabinet shuffle.

Ottawa-Vanier has been without an MP since last August when veteran Liberal Mauril Belanger died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

New Democrat MP Matthew Dube said the byelections are a chance for opposition parties

to remind Canadians of all the promises Trudeau has broken since his 2015 election victory, such as abandoning his vow to reform the country’s voting system.

And Conservative MP Gerard Deltell said the fact that Dion was evidently forced out of cabinet against his will — the former Liberal leader took several weeks to finally accept Trudeau’s offer to make him ambassador to Germany and the European Union — might provoke a backlash among voters in Saint-Laurent. “Maybe this is an opportunity for people to express themselves, that they are not very happy in the way Mr. Trudeau paid tribute to Mr. Dion,” Deltell said. “It’s not the way to end a so great political career.”

Indeed, back in 2002, the Liberals lost two ridings they’d held for decades — Windsor West and Gander-Grand Falls — after then-prime minister Jean Chretien cleared space for fresh faces in his cabinet by giving appointments to veteran Grits Herb Gray and George Baker. Windsor voters in particular were angry over what was widely perceived as Chretien’s disrespectful treatment of Gray, who had held the riding for almost 40 years.

But while byelections can be unpredictable, there are unlikely to be any surprises this time.

Notwithstanding some stumbles in the first 16 months of his mandate, including the so-called cash-for-access fundraising controversy, Trudeau and his government remain comfortably ahead in opinion polls. And the Liberals’ two main rivals, the Conservatives and NDP, are in the midst of leadership contests that will not be concluded before April 3.

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Saturday, February 25, 2017

Trump should reconsider its position on H-1B The Trump administration should reconsider its position on H-1B visas, a senior Congress leader has said, warning that any move to curb these visas could become an “emotional irritant” in the Indo-US ties.

According to reports, President Donald Trump is considering an executive order to clamp down on work visas and flow of skilled manpower, a move that may impact Indian IT companies.

“The US government should reconsider its position on H-1B (visas). There is certain amount of intellectual investment, which India has made in the development of tech industry on the US,” Congress party spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

Any such move “has the potential of becoming an emotional irritant in ties between India and the United States,” he warned.

Tewari was speaking to a group of reporters at a media round table at the Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank where he is a senior fellow at its South Asia Center.

Indian IT companies have to primarily depend on H-1B and L-1 visas to have Indian IT professionals on site in the US to get their

jobs done. A delegation of Indian software industry led by NASSCOM president R Chandrasekhar is scheduled to arrive in Washington later this week for a series of meetings with US lawmakers, think tanks and government officials to sensitise them on contribution of H-1B visa to the US economy and global competitiveness of American companies.

At the same time, Tewari said that if the Trump administration goes ahead with its plan on H-1B visas, Indian IT companies must be nimble enough to look at other options.

“Today we have the necessary infrastructure in India to scale up the operation,” he said adding that Indian tech industry is in a different world all together than it was 30 years ago, when it was absolutely essential to have onsite person.

“If US Government reconsiders its position on H-1B visas, it would be good for India US relationship. Otherwise it would be good for Indian companies,” Tewari said.

The US Citizens and Immigration Services (USCIS) is expected to start from April 3, accepting H-1B petitions for 2017-2018 fiscal year beginning October 1.

‘4.5 lakh Indians to be hit by US immigration policy’ A South-Asian rights group has opposed the Trump administration’s immigration plans, claiming that over 450,000 illegal Indian immigrants who are living in the US could be targeted by authorities.

The group said the “undocumented” Indian population is the fourth such largest in the US after Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala.

A day after the Department of Homeland Security issued two detailed memos to implement the executive orders issued by President Donald Trump on illegal immigrants, the South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) on Wednesday said that these memos further relegate South Asian and all immigrant communities to second-class citizenship, questioning America’s very place in the quintessential nation of immigrants.

“The scale of the President’s anti-

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immigrant policies is extreme, and the new administration appears hell-bent on targeting and demonising immigrant communities through orders that actively undermine safety and public trust in law enforcement,” said Suman Raghunathan, executive director of SAALT. “Short-circuiting due process is not a crackdown on crime, but a crackdown on rights and our very founding values as a nation, and these measures must be opposed by all communities of color,” Raghunathan said.

SAALT said Trump’s policies deeply affect the South Asian-American community, the most rapidly growing demographic group in the United States with a population of over 4.3 million.

“India is the country of origin with the greatest increase in unauthorised immigrants to the United States with a 914 percent increase since 1990,” it claimed.

Trump spares ‘dreamer’ immigrants Nearly 3 lakh Indian-Americans are likely to be impacted by the Trump administration’s plans that put the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants at risk of deportation Trump has laid the groundwork for potentially deporting millions of

undocumented immigrants by issuing new guidance that broadens the ways to enforce immigration laws “Department personnel have full authority to arrest or apprehend an alien whom an immigration officer has probable cause to believe is in violation of the immigration laws,” the Department of Homeland Security said A 25-year-old Bangladeshi-origin British Muslim teacher travelling on a school trip from Iceland to New York was allegedly denied entry to the US despite a valid visa.

Juhel Miah and a group of children and other teachers were about to take off from Reykjavik on February 16 on their way to the US when he was removed from the plane. Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council has written to the US Embassy here to express its dismay at the treatment of one of its employees

SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Pakistan rule of Balochistan is ‘an occupation’: Khan of Kalat

Afghan practice of child sex slavery

and the future government of Pakistan in Delhi. These talks led to certain preparatory steps towards a formal re-affirmation of the suzerainty of the Khan of Kalat over the Balochistan.

One such meeting was held on August 4, 1947, in Delhi. It was chaired by Mountbatten and attended by his legal adviser Lord Ismay. Kalat State was represented by Khan of Kalat Ahmed Yar Khan and Prime Minister Sultan Ahmed.

Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan represented Pakistan.

It resulted in the signing of a three-point agreement. Jinnah and Liaquat Ali signed for Pakistan and Ahmed for Kalat.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to visit India in April Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit India in the first half of April, her close aide said on Thursday after Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar called on the Bangladeshi leader here. “This will be a reciprocal visit of our Prime Minister which will take place in the first half of April,” Hasina’s Deputy Press Secretary M Nazrul Islam said.

Jaishankar, who arrived here on a two-day trip after wrapping up his China visit, called on Hasina at her office and the meeting lasted for nearly 30 minutes during which the Foreign Secretary briefed her on recent developments in India-Bangladesh relations and the region.

He also discussed preparatory aspects of Hasina’s proposed visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had invited her during his Dhaka visit in 2015.

Hasina was expected to travel to India in

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Afghanistan is set to criminalise the practice of “bacha bazi”, sexual exploitation of boys, with a slew of stringent punishments laid out for the first time in a revised penal code.

The move comes after an AFP report last year found the Taliban are exploiting the centuriesold practice, one of the most egregious violations of human rights in the country, to mount deadly insider attacks in the volatile south. Powerful warlords, commanders, politicians and other members of the elite often keep “bachas” as a symbol of authority and affluence. Bachas, sometimes dressed as women, are often sexually exploited. They can also be used as dancers at private parties.

Bacha bazi is not widely seen as homosexual behaviour- popularly demonised as a deviant sexual act, prohibited in Islam- and is largely accepted as a cultural practice.

“Women are for child-rearing, boys are for pleasure” is a common saying across many parts of Afghanistan.

The ancient custom, banned under the Taliban’s 1996-2001 rule, has seen a resurgence in recent years. It is said to be widespread across southern and eastern Afghanistan’s rural Pashtun heartland, and with ethnic Tajiks across the northern countryside.

December 2016 but her visit was postponed amid speculation that it was not a suitable time to discuss Teesta water sharing issue given the preoccupation of the Indian government post-demonetisation and the unease in relations between the Centre and West Bengal, a key stakeholder in the issue.

During the talks, Jaishankar raised the issue of SAARC and drew her attention to its current deadlock when the premier said “we should not let it die”. Hasina told Jaishankar that the two neighbours so far settled different outstanding issues like Land Boundary and enclave problems and “we could solve any problem through discussion if we have good intention”, the spokesman said.

Officials earlier said the long pending issue of the Teesta water sharing and the proposed Ganges Barrage were the major yet to be settled concerns of Dhaka.

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The present Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleman Khan Ahmedzai, whose ancestors once ruled much of Balochistan, is expected to tell a seminar in London on Thursday that Balochistan’s accession to Pakistan in 1948 was an “occupation of Balochistan”. He has informed organisers of the event that he will produce documents to substantiate his claim.

The seminar, entitled “Balochistan Re-visited”, will be held in a committee room of Britain’s House of Lords. It will reflect views of a spectrum of people from academics to Baloch nationalists.

Hyrbyair Marri, a Baloch nationalist and a former education minister in the Balochistan government, will emphasise “Britain did not honour its treaties” with Balochistan and that Pakistan “attacked” Balochistan.

Haider Baloch, a human rights activist, will deal with “human rights violations in Balochistan”. He believes it is now at “a critical juncture in the region’s history”.

Professor Sabir Badal Khan of Naples University is slated to speak on Britain’s arbitrary role in the merger of Balochistan with Pakistan. His opinion is that Britain took the Baloch part of the territory on lease from the government of Balochistan in Kalat and that they “were supposed to return it back to Balochistan before they left the region”.

In the months following the announcement on June 3, 1947, of India’s Partition Plan, the Kalat government made a series of moves, including holding talks with representatives of the Viceroy of India Lord Mountbatten

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INDIA

Saturday, February 25, 2017

BJP is Mumbai’s new Sena Elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have thrown up a hung House with allies-turned-foes Shiv Sena and the BJP running neck and neck even as other cities in Maharashtra continue to be under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s spell.

Of the 227 seats, the Shiv Sena bagged 84, BJP 82 and the Congress 31. Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena could barely register its presence with seven seats, while Sharad Pawar’s NCP eked out just nine seats.

After trailing behind the Shiv Sena through the day, a late afternoon surge saw the tide turn in favour of the BJP. “Some smaller parties are already extending support to the BJP,” aides of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Celebrations in the Sena camp went subdued as soon as it became evident that

the party would not be able to govern Mumbai without its allies. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray had broken alliance with the BJP ahead of the civic poll, besides putting the state government on notice.

Elsewhere in Maharashtra, the BJP continued its stellar performance. It is all set to take control of Nagpur, Pune, Nashik, Ulhasnagar, Akola, Nagpur and Amravati of the 10 corporations where elections were held. The Shiv Sena is set to retain Thane, while the NCP was giving a tough fight to the BJP in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

The results have caused tremors in the Congress after its tally in the BMC dipped to 31 seats from 52 in 2012. Sanjay Nirupam tendered his resignation as Mumbai Congress Committee chief and said the party would not support the Sena or the BJP.

Actress assault: Main accused held The prime accused in the abduction and assault of a popular Malayali actress,

‘Pulsar’ Suni and his accomplice VP Vijeesh, were taken into custody as they entered a

local court building to surrender today in Ernakulam, six days after the incident created a nationwide outrage.

“We have taken them into custody. We had deployed our men in the city. They managed to get them,” Ernakulam Range IGP Vijayan said.

Visuals aired by news channels showed the duo being forcefully taken into custody as they were about to enter the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court building to surrender around 1.10 pm today.

Advocates of the accused made a vain bid to prevent police from entering the building and taking them into custody.

irector of rm that promised Rs 251-phone detained for ‘fraud’ Mohit Goel, the Director of Noida-based company Ringing Bells that had announced world’s “cheapest” smartphone “Freedom251” at Rs 251, was today detained on allegations of fraud, police said. The detention came after owner of Ghaziabad-based Ayam Enterprises had filed an FIR yesterday alleging Ringing Bells “defrauded” it of Rs 16 lakh. Ghaziabad Deputy SP Manish Mishra said Goel had been detained for interrogation in the matter.

In the FIR, Ayam Enterprises claimed it was persuaded by Goel and others from Ringing Bells to take up the distributorship of the Freedom251 phones in November 2015.

“We paid Rs 30 lakh to Ringing Bells

through RTGS on different occasions. But it delivered us products worth Rs 13 lakh only.

Upon follow-up, we got products and money totalling Rs 14 lakh,” it claimed in the FIR. The owners of Ayam Enterprises claimed they were threatened with life if they asked for the rest Rs 16 lakh “again and again”.

Ringing Bells had begun the sale of Freedom 251 handsets via its website in February last year. It landed in a controversy after it was alleged that the project was a ponzi scheme. The firm had claimed around 30,000 customers had booked the phone despite some glitches, while seven crore people had registered for it.

Wanted Vijay Mallya appears at F1 event in UK Businessman Vijay Mallya, who is wanted in India for Rs 9,000 crore loan default, was on Wednesday seen at an event in UK promoting a new Formula One car launched by his team Sahara Force India.

A relaxed Mallya, looking dapper in a suit, was seen with his two drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon in a photograph uploaded by official Formula One website.

The new car of his F1 team was launched today at Silverstone.

Mallya has been on the radar of the Indian agencies for a long time now and the government has been in talks with the

UK government for his extradition over charges of multi-crore loan default.

Rare night ambush leaves 3 jawans dead in Shopian Three Army men were killed and five others, including two officers, wounded in a militant attack in south Kashmir’s Shopian district last night. A woman was also killed in the exchange of gunfire.

The attack prompted Army Chief General Bipin Rawat to rush to Srinagar to assess the situation. In less than two weeks, nine Army men, including an officer, have been killed and 15 injured. The high casualty level in the Army is being seen with concern by the security establishment.

In the latest attack, personnel of 44 Rashtriya Rifles were ambushed at Mulu Chitragam, 60 km from here, while they were returning after a search operation at Kungnoo village.

Incidents of militants laying a night ambush are rare. This incident clearly indicates that the militants are now adopting offensive strategies to counter anti-insurgency operations by the

Army and other security agencies.

Sources said the militants suddenly appeared from narrow alleys and targeted Army vehicles with automatic weapons. An Army vehicle came to a halt after a bullet hit its driver. The militants then fired volleys of bullets on the vehicle, injuring eight soldiers, including a Lt Colonel and a Major. Three soldiers, including one from south Kashmir, succumbed to their injuries at the Army’s 92 base hospital in Badamibagh, Srinagar.

The troops travelling in other vehicles fired at the militants, but they managed to escape taking advantage of darkness. “The condition of the injured Major is stated to be critical,” an official said.

A woman was also killed in the crossfire.

“She was hit by a stray bullet inside her house,” he said. Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack.

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INDIA

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Another Super Hercules damaged in Ladakh, India now has only four A C-130J ‘Super Hercules’ aircraft being flown by the commanding officer of the elite ‘Veiled Vipers’ squadron of IAF has been left badly-damaged after it crashed into a pole and other structures while taxing on the tarmac in the high-altitude Thoise airfield in Ladakh recently.

Sources say the IAF is now conducting a high-level court of inquiry (CoI) into the unusual mishap after relieving the pilot, Group Captain Jasveen Singh Chatrath, of his command of the 77 Squadron (Veiled Vipers) based at Hindon airbase on the outskirts of New Delhi.

The accident has currently left the IAF with only four of the six C-130J tactical airlifters, which are configured for `special operations’, inducted from the US from February 2011 onwards. The IAF had earlier lost a C-130J during “a tactical low-level training sortie” after it crashed near Gwalior in March 2014, killing the five personnel on board.

Group Captain Chatrath, along with his co-pilot and weapons systems operator, in

turn, was on a night sortie on the C-130J to the military airfield at Thoise, which is the staging area for the Siachen Glacier-Saltoro Ridge region, when the accident took place on December 13.

The IAF, which has kept the incident under wraps till now, refused to say anything on the matter. Sources, however, said the pilots apparently failed to keep the C-130J on the “centreline of the taxiway” after landing at the airfield at an altitude of over 10,000-feet.

“They mistook another line to be the centreline (which provides obstacle clearance) at the airfield which has restricted space for manoeuvre. One of the wings and propeller of the aircraft then hit the pole and some other objects with great impact. Whether the centreline and other lines were marked properly and all other factors are being examined by the CoI,” said a source.

Group Captain Chatrath himself has a good reputation in the IAF for his professional competence, and has held important postings during his career, including project management of the AN32 aircraft upgrade in Ukraine. “It’s a freak accident, which has no bearing on his professional competence,” said an officer.

In all, India has ordered 13 C-130Js from the US for over $2.1 billion.

While the first six planes were inducted at the Hindon airbase, the rest are earmarked for the second C-130J squadron to be based at Panagarh in West Bengal for the eastern front with China.

BJP makes massive gains in BMC polls, nishes short of Shiv Sena s tally The Shiv Sena on Thursday emerged as the largest party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections+ with 84 seats, but the BJP, which made massive gains, said it could take control of the civic body with the backing of independents.

Shiv Sena activists celebrated earlier in the day as it appeared it was set to take control of the BMC, but at the end it finished with just 84 of the 227 seats. The BJP came close with 82 seats. Any party or combine will need 114 corporators for a simple majority.

Across Maharashtra, however, the Bharatiya Janata Party made major gains in elections held for municipal bodies. The Shiv Sena victory came in Thane.

BJP Mumbai president Ashish Shelar said

the party had bagged 82 seats in Mumbai and had the support of four independents and that it was in a position to claim the crucial post of mayor.

"This is a historic victory for the BJP ... We are only three seats less than the Shiv Sena ...

The credit goes to the development agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis," he said.

An aggressive Shiv Sena had snapped ties with the BJP+ ahead of the municipal elections and its leader Uddhav Thackeray had expected the Sena to win at least 100 seats, if not an outright majority.

The BMC, which is also the country's largest municipal body, has an annual budget of Rs 37,000 crore in 2016-17.

Indian shot, shooter yells ‘get out of my country’ An Indian engineer was killed and two others were injured after an American man yelling “get out of my country” opened fire on them in a crowded bar in Kansas City in an apparent hate crime incident.

Srinivas Kuchibhotla (32), who was working at GPS-maker Garmin headquarters in Olathe, was killed while another Indian man and his colleague Alok Madasani was critically injured after a 51-year-old Navy veteran started shooting hurling racial slurs following an altercation on Wednesday night. A third person, an American man identified as Ian Grillot, who tried to intervene also received injuries in the firing in Austins

Bar and Grill in Olathe.

The shooter, Adam Purinton, reportedly got into an argument with the victims in the terms of racism, and shouted “get out of my country”, “terrorist” before shooting them.

The shooter reportedly provoked them into argument asking their presence and work in his country, and how they are better than him.

According to police, Purinton left the bar after the argument and then returned with a gun and shot the three men while patrons were watching the University of Kansas-TCU basketball game on television in the bar.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Pak Army launches nationwide military operation ‘Radd-ul-Fasaad’

Pakistan Army on Wednesday launched nationwide military operation ‘Raddul-Fasaad’ to eliminate terrorists and consolidate gains of counter-terrorism operations made so far, days after a suicide bomber killed 88 people at the Sufi shrine of

Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sindh.

‘Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad’ — which translates roughly to ‘elimination of discord’ - has been launched across the country, the army’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

According to the statement, the operation aims include the elimination of the residual and latent threat of terrorism, consolidating gains of operations made so far and ensuring

10 dead, 30 hurt in Lahore blast

At least 10 people were killed and 30 others injured today when a powerful bomb ripped through a market in a posh locality here, the latest in a series of terror attacks that have left Pakistan on edge.

The blast came a day after Pakistan Army launched a nationwide military operation ‘Radd-ul-Fasaad’ to eliminate terrorists and consolidate gains of its counter-terrorism operations.

Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique told reporters that eight people were killed and 30 others injured in the blast.

However, two dead bodies were later recovered from the debris of an underconstruction building where the explosive device was planted.

“The death toll of the DHA blast has risen to 10 after two more persons were recovered from the under-construction building,” Edhi Foundation Lahore spokesman Muhammad Younis said.

Among the injured, the condition of three was said to be critical. CEO of Pakistan’s Airlink firm Moazzam Paracha was among those killed in the blast.

“Mr Paracha was present at his underconstruction restaurant (and) suffered serious injuries and was rushed to the General Hospital where he died,” Younis said.

“Bombay Chowpati (that serves Indian cuisine) and Alfarno Cafe restaurants were apparently the target of (the) terrorists. The device was planted in an under-construction building near Bombay Chowpati,” a senior police officer said.

the security of Pakistan’s borders.

“The Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, Civil Armed Forces as well as other security and law enforcement agencies will continue to actively participate and support the efforts of the Pakistan Army to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country,” the statement said.

The operation will entail conduct of broad spectrum security and counter-terrorism operations by Rangers in Punjab, continuation of ongoing operations across the country and focus on more effective border security management.

It will also include a countrywide de-weponisation and explosive control as additional cardinals of the effort, the statement said, adding that the hallmark of the operation will be pursuance of the National Action Plan.

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Islamic court legalizes ‘test tube babies’ in Pakistan Pakistan’s top Shariat court has validated the option of using ‘test tube baby’ method for conceiving for the married couples having some medical complications.

If “the sperm has been obtained from the father and the egg from the mother and the same has been fertilised in the test tube through medical process and the embryo is then placed in the womb of the actual mother... the procedure would be legal and lawful,” the Federal Shariat Court declared on Tuesday.

“This process cannot be considered as illegal or against the Injunctions of Holy Quran and Sunnah,” the court said in its 22-page ruling, according to Dawn news.

The court said, “the reason is that the sperm and the egg belong to the actual father and mother. If the couple agrees to go through the prescribed medical procedure then in that case legally no question can be raised in respect of the birth of the child. The child in such a case by all means would be legal and legitimate.”

The court, however, made it clear that any

other condition for obtaining a test tube baby would be considered un-Islamic.

“In all other cases where a woman is arranged as a surrogate mother against the monetary consideration or some other reason,

the whole procedure as well as the resulting birth of the child would be illegal and against the injunctions of Holy Quran and Sunnah,” reads the written decision.

The court also directed the government to take action against those involved in antisharia practices in this regard.

28

FIJI

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Police kill man in custody THE mother of a teenager who died in police custody on Thursday is seeking justice.

Ashwini Nand claims her son, Vikarant, was taken into custody for breaching a Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) issued against him. “Police came looking for my son at 4pm on Tuesday and also came at 2am on Wednesday. I told them he wasn’t home as he was with his friends. Then they told me he had breached the DVRO,” she said.

“They took my son around 4am to the police station. Police told me they won’t do anything to him as they will have to produce him in court.” Ms Nand said her son was supposed to be produced in the Nasinu court but he did not show up.

“Police told me to come to the Valelevu court in the morning. I went to the court but he didn’t come in. I called the Nakasi Police Station and they told me he was still there.

“I went to the station, my son then told me that police had beaten him up. When I asked him which officers had beaten him up, he couldn’t relay that information to me,” she claimed.

“I asked the officers that it had been been

Teachers charged with beating students

more than 24 hours and why they hadn’t taken him to court. They said they had other investigations and the directive came from their police headquarters.” Ms Nand claimed her son told her that he could not swallow food properly because he was beaten up.

“When my husband wanted to see my son, he was refused. He was waiting for nearly one hour at the station on Thursday around 5.30pm.” She said when she took food for Vikarant, police officers told her to wait because they were carrying out a special investigation.

Ms Nand claimed that after waiting for about two hours, police officers told her that Vikrant had died in the police cell. Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho confirmed he was made aware of the incident and had ordered an investigation into the case.

“I have directed that an investigation be done and it would be improper for me to be making statements during the investigation because it will only add fuel again to the speculation that’s already out there,” he said.

“There would be speculations and allegations out there. We are going through a process and let’s wait for that process to end.”

No more sleeping in car as family gets house A Family of five sheltering in a car since December last year, now has a new home.

Ronald Chand, who lost his house as a result of a landslide during the heavy rain brought about by tropical depression 04F in December, is thankful to Local Government and Housing Minister Parveen Kumar.

The family was given the key to their new home at the Public Rental Board (PRB) flats in Nadera, Nasinu by Mr Kumar yesterday.

Mr Kumar said the distraught father visited his office on Thursday, informing him that he was still sleeping in his car fafter the landslide.

“He (Mr Chand) said that he is still sleeping in the car and it really saddened me because this thing happened in December,” he said.

Mr Kumar said after hearing Mr Chand’s plight, he called the PRB and asked them to accommodate the family with a flat.

“The flat is important so that he (Mr Chand) has a living in a better facility rather than in a car because he has got extended family as well.

“I am told he has three children.

Considering that, on humanitarian grounds, we have given him this flat to stay in until such time they find a permanent place.

“I am happy that we managed to assist him in giving a flat here,” he said.

This newspaper highlighted the plight of Mr Chand on its front page on December 16, 2016 — a day after his Tacirua East house was destroyed with all its belongings.

Man wins $30,000 lotto A 49-year-old man is $30,000 richer after spending just $1 to purchase a scratch card during a shopping trip last week.

Vimal Kumar bought the Fiji Tattslotto Secret Tanoa scratch card last Friday when he saw the winning numbers.

“I have been buying scratch cards for a while now, but I’ve only won $2 or $5. I never thought I would win such a big amount,” the Korovuto, Ba, resident said.

When asked about what he would do with his money, Mr Kumar said he would rebuild

his home, which was damaged during Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston.

“I had received $1500 assistance, but this wasn’t enough so I will now use this money to rebuild.

“I am so happy today and I feel very lucky.”

Mr Kumar supports his 46-year-old wife and has two sons aged 23 and 21.

He was presented with his cheque by Fiji Tattslotto resident executive director Graeme Brown at the RC Manubhai Lotto office in Ba yesterday.

SIX teachers have been charged in the past four weeks for using corporal punishment as a means of discipline in schools.

Education Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy revealed this during a talanoa session with villagers of Nauluvatu, Lomai and Nabukaluka in Naitasiri on Wednesday. The revelation came when Dr Reddy stressed to parents the importance of child discipline.

Police spokesperson Inspector Jokatama Qio said the charges would depend on the form of punishment meted out to the students.

Insp Qio said charges included common assault and assault causing grievous bodily harm. He said for common assault, the penalty was one-year imprisonment and if it was an assault causing grievous bodily harm case then the accused would face up to five years imprisonment.

Dr Reddy said teachers were also affected when such incidents occurred because parents lodged their complaints with police straight after they were alerted by their children.

The Labasa Cane Producers Association (LCPA) says it has never been frustrated

by Government’s slow response to farmer’s plight after Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Responding to statements by representatives from the Rarawai and Lautoka Cane Producers Associations, LCPA executive officer Ravnil Raj said farmers in Labasa were not badly affected by Severe TC Winston.

Mr Raj said the two associations’ frustrations had nothing to do with farmers in the North who had a successful crushing season last year.

“However, we are aware that fellow cane farmers in Lautoka and Rarawai have been affected greatly by Severe TC Winston and our prayers are with them and their families,” he said.

“Farmers in the North are indeed proud to have produced their quota of cane this year and it is part of their aim to increase their productivity.

National Farmer Union’s national president Surendra Lal said even though farmers in the North were not directly affected by Severe TC Winston, they still experienced difficulties.

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students. Meanwhile, Insp Qio said any form of violence against children would not be tolerated.

“For the Fiji police, if any form of assault in school is reported to us, we will conduct a thorough investigation,” he said.

LCPA says North farmers not frustrated

100

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However, he said, parents played a vital role in ensuring discipline and that it was important for parents to discipline their children well from home before they were sent to school.

He also highlighted that teachers took most of their teaching time trying to discipline

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Mr Lal said there were still some farmers in the North who were waiting for assistance to have their drains fixed to improve waterlogged farms.

“Even cane access roads that were affected

by the adverse weather conditions brought about by Severe TC Winston are still left to be fixed,” he said.

“Therefore to say that farmers in the North were not affected is not really true.”

Fiji Sugar Corporation board chairman Vishnu Mohan had earlier revealed that TC Winston left a total damage bill of $163.6m for the industry. Mr Mohan had said the total loss took into account damage caused to the mills, research facilities, houses and farm structures, transportation infrastructure and the more than 45 per cent or 19,000 hectares of crop damages in all the sectors of Rarawai, Penang and two sectors in Lautoka.

PUNJAB

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Pun abi Suba activists ght to get their dues In his heyday, Gurcharan Singh of Amritsar fought for the Punjabi Suba. He spent seven months in the Sangrur jail in 1961 for the sake of “Punjabiyat”.

Today, 71-year-old Gurcharan is a broken man. He blames official apathy for this. His contribution has long been forgotten, he feels.

He received a cheque for Rs 3,872 for his contribution to the Punjabi Suba Movement on December 5, 2016, from the office of the SDM (I), Amritsar. Two days later, he received a message that the cheque needed to be returned as it was issued under a wrong head.

“I told an officer of the department that I had already deposited the cheque. He then asked me to pay back the amount, assuring me of issuing a new cheque later. I did as asked, not realising that a new cheque would

not be issued,” he said.

On the 50th anniversary of the movement, the state government had, in November last year, commemorated those, who fought for the Punjabi Suba, and families of persons, who died during the movement, at a function here.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had honoured them with certificates.

Subsequently, an honorarium amount through cheques was given depending on the contribution of activists. The amount varied between Rs 3,800 and Rs 7,000.

As it turned out, cheques were never encashed. “It’s been nearly two months and I haven’t got a new cheque,” Gurcharan says.

And his is not lone case. There are 37 similar stories.

Bhupinder Singh, whose father Ram Singh spent four months in jail during the movement, says, “My father is no more. A cheque for Rs 3,872 was given to me. Believing officials, I retuned the cheque on the assurance that a new cheque will be issued. To date, I am waiting for the assurance to materialise.”

Deputy Commissioner Basant Garg assured them to intervene in the matter. “I will help them out when they approach me,” he said.

INLD stoking hatred among people: SAD Notwithstanding the old ties between the Badals and the Chautalas, the SAD on Thursday accused the INLD of stoking regional chauvinism and hatred among the people of Punjab and Haryana by undertaking a march to dig the SYL canal.

Akali MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said: “What the INLD has done is not in the interests of both states.” On his party’s association with the INLD in the past, Chandumajra said:

“The SAD will never compromise Punjab’s interests.” “The Supreme Court directive on the construction of the canal to carry water from Punjab’s rivers to Haryana is illogical, impractical and unacceptable,” he said.

The SAD reiterated its demand that the Centre should set up an independent statutory institution for a time-bound resolution of such disputes on the basis of the riparian principle and optimum usage of riverwaters.

Silent majority holds key to Punjab election victory The high-pitched campaign for the February 4 Assembly elections in Punjab came to an end this evening with the three main contenders — SAD-BJP, Congress and AAP — holding impressive roadshows to give a final push to their campaigns. As loudspeakers went silent at 5 pm, party cadres were seen going doorto-door to persuade the voters. AAP is fighting the Assembly elections in Punjab for the first time.

The campaigning, that was often shrill and at times nasty, was marred by the twin blasts at Maur Mandi in Bathinda on January 31 in which six persons were killed and several injured. But for the Bathinda incident, campaigning in the state was by and large peaceful.

In the first round, the electioneering revolved around the issues of drugs, unemployment, agrarian crisis and incidents of sacrilege. It was reduced to mere rabble-rousing in the last phase, with leaders making wild allegations against one another.

What stood out was the participation of the Punjab youth in a big way.

Polling for the 117 Assembly constituencies in Punjab on February 4 will decide the fate of 1,145 candidates in the fray.

There is a stiff triangular contest among the SAD-BJP, Congress and AAP candidates in a majority of constituencies. Other parties, such as the BSP, are in the election arena too.

On the last day of campaigning, AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi chose to focus on Malwa, including Lambi, where PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh is pitted against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Deputy

CM Sukhbir Singh Badal held a roadshow in Lambi. The AAP convener, Arvind Kejriwal, held one in Ludhiana. Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal spent the day in Jalalabad, her husband’s constituency.

AAP’s Bhagwant Mann and Congress’ Navjot Singh Sidhu drew huge crowds during campaigning. Among the key campaigners were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BSP chief Mayawati, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and a number of senior leaders from various parties.

The Prime Minister addressed two rallies in Jalandhar and Kotkapura where he sought votes on the “stability” plank, saying Pakistan was trying to disturb the state’s peace.

On the other hand, Rahul claimed Punjab, a front-ranking state, had fallen behind as the ruling Akalis had “plundered” it to serve their own interests. He promised tough laws to curb the drug menace.

New entrant AAP accused the SAD and the Congress of “hobnobbing” with each other and vowed to put the Badal family behind bars on the issue of drugs. All parties wooed the Dalits who constitute over 30 per cent of the electorate.

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PUNJAB

Saturday, February 25, 2017

35 govt departments owe Rs 720 crore to PSPCL The state government is the biggest defaulter when it comes to paying power dues to its own discom. According to the information provided by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) under the RTI Act, 35 government departments owed Rs

720 crore to it till December 31, 2016. What’s more, the outstanding amount against the state departments went up by Rs 132 crore in the last six months of the 2016 alone.

Punjab has around 82 lakh electricity consumers. Apart from the evading departments, 8.28 lakh individuals are also sitting on Rs 398 crore pending against their power bills. In addition, PSPCL also provides free power to the farm sector to the tune of more than Rs 5,000 crore every year.

The power corporation had revealed that Rs 588 crore was the outstanding amount towards 35 government departments till June 30, 2016.

Responding to Barnala resident Narinder Kumar Bitta’s RTI application on August 26, 2016, PSPCL declared that till June end, the public health department was the top defaulter with an outstanding amount of Rs 284 crore.

By the end of the year, the total amount due against these department went up to Rs 720 crore with 15,121 cases of default. After the polling got over, the discom launched a drive to recover the pending dues. Power supply to former chief minister Harcharan Singh Brar’s family house, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders Dyal Singh Kolianwali’s house and to Youth Akali Dal leader Kanwarjit Singh Rozy Barkandi’s house was cut. The sports stadium in Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s village also lost the connection for non-payment of power bill. Region-wise, the border zone of Punjab tops the chart of defaulters with an aggregate of Rs 167 crore.

The pending amount in south and west zones was Rs 155 and 145 crore towards various departments. The departments in north zone have to pay Rs 91 crore and the outstanding due in the central zone is Rs 29 crore.

While, the irrigation department owes Rs 85 crore to PSPCL, the water works at various places in the state owes Rs 68.9 crore and the local bodies department Rs 39 crore. The state-run hospitals and dispensaries too have to pay Rs 18.2 crore in electricity dues.

SYL march ends in symbolic dig The Indian National Lok Dal’s (INLD) attempt to dig the defunct Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal ended in the arrest of two party MPs, 18 MLAs and 73 workers as they tried to cross over into Punjab via the Shambhu barrier today.

The “Jal Yudh Sammelan”, planned for over a month, ended without any violence with half-a-dozen INLD workers performing symbolic digging at the Punjab-Haryana border (instead of the canal), after the Punjab Police effectively sealed all routes to the canal.

Following a Supreme Court directive to both states to maintain law and order, the security agencies in Haryana repeatedly announced on loudspeakers asking INLD workers not to breach the law and return.

Unwilling to relent, the INLD workers broke three cordons, manned by a handful of personnel, of the Haryana Police. They were, however, stopped in their tracks by the Punjab Police before they could cross the barricading.

To prevent any untoward incident, the Punjab Police told Haryana Leader of the Opposition Abhay Chautala, INLD chief Ashok Arora and other leaders to cooperate.

The police told the INLD rank and file that unless they vacated the area within 10 minutes, they would be arrested as failure to leave the area would amount to violation of Section 144 (prohibiting assembly of five or more at one place) of the Criminal

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All through it was apparent the Shiromani Akali Dal-led coalition government in Punjab had instructed the state police not to use force.

The Punjab Police personnel offered bottled drinking water to the protesters even as they minded them not to get close to the

sharp iron barricading.

The INLD first held a rally at the Sabzi Mandi in Ambala and then marched towards the Shambhu barrier, 2 km east of the rally site. On the way, the Haryana Police had set up three lines of defence. Each was easily breached by the protesters, though warnings were issued by the civil administration of Ambala.

The protesters stopped only when they reached Punjab’s first line of defence. Punjab Police asked the protesters to leave the area within 10 minutes or face arrest.

Chautala, while addressing supporters in front of the barricading, asked them to turn away after symbolic digging with spades.

He soon made a U-turn and requested the Punjab Police to let them march into the neighbouring territory peacefully. He asked his party workers to climb down from the barricading.

Former deputy jail superintendent arrested In a case of custodial death of an inmate, the police have arrested former deputy jail superintendent BS Bhullar here. He was posted as superintendent, Faridkot Jail.

On January 9, another former jail superintendent Amrik Singh and Dr Gurnam Singh, who were lately posted at the Kapurthala jail, were arrested.

The police have booked 32 officials posted at the local Central Jail and related departments for their role in the custodial death of Raju Chand, who died in 2013. His mother, Manjit Kaur, had filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, alleging that Raju died following torture in jail by the police.

12 Punjab Civil Services aspirants among 14 acquitted in PPSC cash-for-job scam The court of additional district and sessions judge on Thursday acquitted 14 persons, including 12 aspirants of Punjab Civil Services, in the 2002 cash-for-job scam involving the then chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu.

Those acquitted include Kamal Kumar, Jiwan Kumar, Captain Sukhwinder Singh, Deepakar Gakhar, Subash Gakhar, Randeep Singh, Harbans Lal Bansal, Upinder Sharma, Amarjit Singh Bharat Bhushan, Kuljeet Kaur, Rahul Gupta, T C Gupta and Tejinder Kaur.

They had been booked by the state vigilance bureau on September 5 in 2002 under Section 8, 12,13 (1)

(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 468, 471,120-B of the IPC. While pronouncing the verdict, judge Deepak Kumar Choudhary put on record that the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt and as such the accused were given the benefit of doubt and were acquitted of the charges.

The court also observed that two witnesses Prem Sagar and Randhir Singh, who had made statements before the court regarding payment of money for job, had not stood by their earlier version. They argued that the statements were made under duress and threat of the vigilance bureau.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

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FRUITICANA

Saturday, February 25, 2017

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Saturday, February 25, 2017 Saturday, February 25, 2017

Priyanka Chopra & Jake McLaughlin SMOOCH In A Public Place

Man caught ‘ogling’ at Disha Patani’s cleavage, photo goes viral

Priyanka Chopra and co-star Jake McLaughlin chemistry has been one of the most talked about aspects of American thriller series, Quantico.

And from time to time they take that chemistry a notch higher with steamy love sequences.

In Season 1, the two set the temperatures soaring by getting intimate with each other in the shower.

In Season 2, they titillated fans with a passionate and uninhibited love making sequence. And now, they are

Bollywood actress and Tiger Shroff ’s rumoured girlfriend Disha Patani looked stunning flaunting her curves in a revealing thigh-high slit black gown at the Filmfare Awards 2017 held last month in Mumbai.

Now, a picture of a man supposedly ‘ogling’ at Disha Patani’s cleavage at the awards show has gone viral online.

It has led to several cheap memes circulating on social media.

Disha Patani was slutshamed online for her outfit at the awards gala.

The actress took to Instagram to share a post silencing her haters. She wrote, “Have been reading so many news lately on molestation and rape! When people in our country are worshiping goddesses what a shame for not being respectful enough to know certain boundaries that make you a human and not an animal!

It’s easier to judge a woman on the basis of how much they cover up their skin, but it’s hard to accept your own cheap mentality where you can’t stop staring at

back with a fiery kiss that will blow your mind.

The lip lock takes place at a coffee house where Alex Parrish (Priyanka) meets Ryan Booth (Jake).

The two aren’t patching up for the moment as she is seen giving the ring back.

The two have decided to take some time apart.

However, it’s not over for Ralex. “I will always love you,” Alex tells Ryan before she walks away.

What will happen next?

And The Winners At The Oscars On Sunday Could Be… As the countdown to the 89th Oscar ceremony scheduled for February

26 (Sunday) begins, the guessing game about the ‘sureshot’ winners is intensifying – throughout the world.

Opinions of critics and assorted soothsayers is mixed but not radically so. In the year gone by, the Hollywood output and that of other nations which figure in the charmed roster of nominations, the themes and styles have largely ranged from the dark to the darker.

Of course, frequently the Oscar show is known to have sprung surprises –

pleasant and unpleasant. Allegations of ‘politically-correct’ and ‘totally biased’ winners have been endemic. Any which way, the Oscars remain the most prestigeous film awards of its ilk. And here’s my predictions for the winners, in 12 major categories, who might just sashay away with the shiny statuettes, come Sunday.

Best Picture: La La Land Best Director: Damien Chazelle Best Actor: Casey Affleck Best Actress: Emma Stone Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight). He’s the favourite, close on his heels there’s apna Dev Patel (Lion) Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis Best Original Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea Best Adapted Screenplay: Moonlight Best Cinematography: La La Land Best Editing: La La Land Best Song: City of Stars (La La Land) Best Animated Feature: Zootopia

Butt-Talk: Poonam Drops Her Pants Poonam captions the pic as, "Super excited with these shootings am doing for a secret project..;) " While actresses like Rhea Chakraborty and Nia Sharma are going topless, Poonam takes the notch higher by going bottomless. While in the picture she can be seen wearing just a vest on top, there is apparently nothing to be hiding her lower. But who knows – photos can be deceptive.

those inappropriate areas which you are asking her to cover! Wake up and start accepting that we are not going to be

anybody’s idea of an “Indian girl” don’t let your frustration destroy somebody’s life because you won’t be happy if it happens in your own family! Stop this hypocrisy and open your mind!”

She also added that she really felt the need to share the message. The actress thanked her family, friends and fans for standing with her and giving her strength.

23 HITLIST

2

mid-day

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Bollywood

TELLY TATTLE

Do I know you?

Veteran actor Govinda failed to recognise singer Neeti Mohan when he arrived on set of The Voice India as a celebrity guest.

Neeti, a coach on the music reality show, excitedly told the actor how he had inspired her, but Govinda wasn’t familiar with her work. “Since the team was running behind schedule, they didn’t get enough time [to brief] Govinda, and started shooting as soon as he arrived. When Neeti went to greet him, it got a little awkward because Govinda didn’t know who she was,” says a source.

Ultimately, Shaan, another coach on the show, introduced her to him. That must have hurt!

Friday, February 24, 2017 | www.mid-day.com | twitter.com/mid_day | epaper.mid-day.com

Pooja takes fake agent to cops

Alia steps into PeeCee’s shoes

Barely a month after casting director Mukesh Chhabra called out a fraudster for using his name and duping people in Madhya Pradesh, actressturned-director Pooja Bhatt took to Twitter to draw attention to a similar incident concerning her. “Horrified that a man called Prashant Malgewar — Solitude Lifestyle Inc is masquerading as my agent and taking funds from event companies on my behalf. This is a very dangerous trend. Strict action needs to be taken against [him] as this amounts to fraud. He is not my agent or representative. He is a fraudster who needs to be booked for claiming money,” Pooja wrote.

She signed off by saying she intends to file a complaint with the Delhi and Mumbai Police in this regard.

Shooting for her American series in Los Angeles, where she spends the major part of the year, is making it difficult for Priyanka Chopra to hold on to her multiple brand commitments on home turf. Given that her contract with a noted cosmetics company is on the verge of expiring, the brand, we hear, has decided against renewing the deal. Their products appeal to a young audience too, and consultants feel it would be wiser to rope in a fresher face.

Reportedly, Alia Bhatt has been signed on to fill PeeCee’s shoes, and will fly down to Singapore soon to shoot a commercial.

A sequel already R Madhavan offered fans a sneak-peek into his upcoming South thriller, Vikram Vedha, by sharing a series of snapshots of the film on social media. At first glance, it appears Maddy and co-star Vijay Sethupathi are prepared to deliver some action-packed sequences, given their rugged looks. While the film is yet to release, talk of a sequel is already doing the rounds.

Work first Sufi singer Richa Sharma turned up as celebrity judge on Indian Idol 9, but during the shoot, she received news of a family member’s death. Visibly shaken, she took a moment to compose herself, but did not leave the set. Applauding her, judge Sonu Nigam said she was a true artiste as co-judges Farah Khan and Anu Malik nodded in agreement.

Idle banter Kunal Kapoor and telly actress Kritika Kamra left us scratching our heads with their Twitter interaction recently, when Kunal demanded Kritika return his white shirt. “I keep asking her to give it back, but she refuses to give it up. I’ll make sure I get it back on the 20th,” posted the actor. Kritika, in turn, promised to return it on that particular date.

This friendly banter, we later realised, was part of promotions of their upcoming short film, White Shirt, which marks the directorial debut of writer Sumit Aroraa.

Feb

17

Irada

*ing: Arshad Warsi, Naseeruddin Shah

Feb

17

Runningshaadi *ing: Amit Sadh, Taapsee Pannu

Sidharth Malhotra reveals what it was like to work with Priyanka Chopra Although Priyanka Chopra and Sidharth Malhotra haven’t been romantically paired opposite each other in movies yet, we saw a glimpse of their chemistry in a latest jewellery ad.

And as expected, they look wow together!

Well, looks like Sid has already worked with a Hollywood star now! The twominute ad is out and everyone’s raving about their on-screen chemistry. Tell Sid that and he agrees and adds, “Priyanka is a fun actor to work with. We did hit it off really well in the first hour. It is commendable to see how she manages her time so seamlessly. She is fabulous at multi-tasking.”

Discussing their time on the set together, he shares, “We talked about everything from her upbringing in Bareilly to Punjabi culture.

We even spoke about her experience in the US. Our ad is out and the people are loving it. So it feels great.” Agreeing that the two actors should be seen together on the big screen as well, Sid says, “I hope that directors are reading this. Hopefully, we will get something good together soon. I think it will be very exciting to watch a fresh pair like us on the silver screen in a full-fledged film.”

New Released Bollywood Films Feb

17

The Ghazi Attack *ing: Rana Daggubati, Taapsee Pannu

Feb

24

Aagaya Hero *ing: Govinda Richa Sharma

Feb

24

Rangoon

*ing: Shahid Kapoor, Kangana, Saif AliKhan

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Bollywood

3

RATE CARD FALLS: Bollywood Beauties Suffer Further Setback Because Of Demonetisation still reeling from the impact.

An actress, requesting anonymity, told SpotboyE.com that the first effect was a significant drop in the number of assignments. A few months later, the scene has improved but here is the caveat.

The celebrities are booking jobs but their paycheques have been slashed by a good 40 percent. An actress who used to make Rs 20 lakh for an appearance, now only gets to take home Rs 12 lakh.

“How long will we sit at home, so we Bollywood is a tough place to survive. From TV stars to established Bollywood actresses and starlets on the lower end of the pecking order, all of them have to supplement their incomes with paycheques that come from performances and appearances, be it corporate events or weddings.

Everyone from TV’s sexiest star Nia Sharma to Bipasha Basu and Chitrangada Singh, most celebs are on the market to make paid appearances.

We had told you that PM Modi’s demonetisation move had put a huge dent in the incomes of these TV and Bollywod beauties. Three months after that fateful announcement, these Bollywood beauties are

Kalki Koechlin Kisses Goodbye To Neerja Terrorist

Last year, the news of Kalki Koechlin and Jim Sarbh (of Neerja fame) dating each other came as a surprise to many. The two, who are prominent faces in the theatre world, were linked soon after they did a play called The Living Room together. Kalki and Jim were going strong until rumours of the two having hit a rough patch began doing the rounds in October last year.

In October last year, reports suggested that all’s not well in paradise when Kalki and Jim gave each other the royal snub at the premiere of A Death in the Gunj at the Mumbai Film Festival. It was being said that while Jim was busy addressing the press at the do, Kalki posed for cameras, however, the couple refused to acknowledge each other.

Just as these speculations were sinking in came a picture that told another story. Kalki was part of the 16th Marrakech International Film Festival in Morocco in December last year where her 2011 film, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, was being screened. She walked the red carpet of the prestigious festival on the first day and later that night, she shared a lovely photo with Jim while they adorably gazed into each other’s eyes. She captioned it, “Arab Saturday night fever says the brother, I don’t mean you @jimsarbhforreal.”

Says a source, “Kalki and Jim had a tiff then and were determined to work on their relationship, but things didn’t work out and they actually decided to call it off last week.”

With this break-up, another couple has bit the dust in 2017.

are forced to take whatever price they are offering us,” said the actress.

The biggest shocker is that cash has indeed returned to the market and once again the performers are being paid in cash, once again cutting out the taxman.

Once the rates have fallen, they will never recover, said another model who too did not want to be named.

“It will take me two years to get back to the price that I commanded pre-demonetisation. And I am getting older and this industry values youth more than anything else,” said the performer.

Sad but true!

4

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Bollywood HOROSCOPE Aries

Libra

March 21 - April 20

Sept. 24 - Oct 22

You might find added popularity with those around you this week. Get out and experience the spice of life. You should spend your day trying to get things completed at work. Use your energy wisely.

Your lucky day this week will be Sunday.

Your mate may not be too sure about your intentions. Your need to get away could lead you into greater debt. You can gain valuable cultural knowledge through dealing with foreigners. You have a lot to offer.

Your lucky day this week will be Saturday.

Taurus

Scorpio

April 21 - May 20

Oct 23 - Nov 22

Romance will develop through work related activities. Look into any educational activities involving the whole family. Don’t let the erratic behavior of someone you live with interfere with your professional performance. This is a great day to mingle with people you would like to impress.

Your lucky day this week will be Saturday.

Over spending or unexpected bills could set you back. Take your time be fore making personal decisions. Discord may arise with someone you’re close to. Keep important information to yourself.

Your lucky day this week will be Monday.

Gemini

Sagitarius

May 20 - June 21

Nov 23 - Dec 22

Don’t let them blame you. Your diplomacy will be of utmost importance this week. Spend time by yourself to avoid any conflicts with family members. Don’t cause a scene, but when you get home let your partner know how you feel and why.

Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday.

Don’t bother complaining, do the work yourself. Don’t be too open or put your faith in unreliable coworkers. Don’t be too quick to judge partners or those you work with. You will find that friends or relatives may not understand your needs.

Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday.

Cancer

Capricorn

June 22 - July 23

Dec 23 - Jan 20

Don’t push your opinions on others this week or you may find yourself in the doghouse. Business conducted in your own office will proceed smoothly. You will communicate easily and should be able to develop new friendships. Make decisions about your professional objectives.

Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday.

Leo

Opportunities to make financial gains through investments look promising. You can ferret out secret information if you just listen to what others have to say. Keep your mind on your work and stay away from situations that could ruin your reputation.

Your creative ability will surface, giving you good ideas for ways of making money.

Lucky day this week will be Thursday.

Aquarius

June 24 - August 23

Jan 21 - Feb 19

You need time to rejuvenate. Focus on your domestic scene. Get together with friends or relatives. A series of misunderstandings may be at fault. Your lover may disappoint you in such a way that estrangement will follow.

Your lucky day this week will be Saturday.

Virgo

You may have taken on a little too much, but you will enjoy every minute of it. You may be emotional if you allow your lover to take advantage of your good nature. Avoid functions that will bring you in contact with those you find difficult to get along with.

You can stabilize your personal relationship if you’re willing to communicate honestly.

Your lucky day this week will be Sunday.

Pisces

August 24 - Sept 24

Feb 20 - March 20

Offer consolation, but don’t give them any direction. Don’t gamble unless you can afford to lose. You can make changes to your living quarters that should please family members.

You can expand your circle of friends if you get out and socialize.

Your lucky day this week will be Thursday.

Brunch, a long walk, or a quiet dinner will secure your position in the relationship.

Short trips will prove to be more fruitful than you imagined. Losses are evident.

Dealing with foreigners will be most enlightening.

Your lucky day this week will be Monday

War Escalates? No Kapil Sharma On Karan Johar’s Couch!

As always, we bring it to you hot from the oven. And the latest is that Kapil Sharma will not feature in Koffee With Karan.

A source close to Star World (broadcaster of Koffee With Karan) said, “I don’t think there is any war between Karan and Kapil.

But yes, we have decided to chuck the Kapil episode. Maybe it didn’t turn out to be exciting.”

We are sure that Kapil is not amused, and we cannot help connecting this to the recent rumours (which are growing louder by the minute) that the Kapil-Karan dosti has hit a rocky patch.

Was the episode dropped because Karan is supposedly angry with Kapil?

Buzz is, Kapil’s comments on the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil director during a recent awards function irked Karan no end.

While hosting the awards show, Kapil Sharma invited Shah Rukh Khan to cohost a segment with him. Karan, who was co-hosting with Kapil till then, was asked to leave the stage in an allegedly disrespectful manner. ‘You are my assistant and you may leave now’ Kapil told Karan. This statement is said to have not gone down well with Karan.

But aren’t award functions scripted?

The story went that Team Kapil was very keen to have Karan during the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil promotions on their platform, which were carried out by Aishwarya Rai, Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma. Karan could not make it to the shoot andTeam Kapil told him to extend a promise that he would grace their show once Ae Dil Hai Mushkil entered the 100 crore club. Team Karan called

up Team Kapil as soon as Ae Dil Hai Mushkil touched the 100 crore mark. And Kapil was informed during the same call that Karan would love to have him on his show Koffee

With Karan. Kapil immediately said yes, and shot for the episode in question.

The Kapil episode of Koffee With Karan which will NOT be telecast might have been very entertaining. In that, Karan had reportedly asked Kapil how come he took to Twitter so early in the morning? Didn’t he have a girlfriend with whom he could spend the time instead? Kapil was embarrassed and didn’t know what to say. He told Karan he is not comfortable answering such questions.

He also commented that he himself never asks such thing to his guests when they come on his show.

Whatever, it’s now NO Kapil Sharma on Koffee With Karan. That’s that!

Shweta Tiwari’s HOT daughter Palak Tiwari is ready to take telly land by storm Shweta Tiwari’s daughter, Palak Tiwari, is walking in the footsteps of her mommy and is turning into a gorgeous young woman. Palak has quite a following on her Instagram account and it is easy to understand why once you look at her stylish pictures. While not constantly under the media glare, Palak still has 54.2K followers on her Insta account. Her lustrous hair, almond-shaped eyes and pointed nose makes her a statuesque beauty. Just like her mother, Palak also seems to have great sense of fashion.

Just one look at her pictures and you will be impressed by her attitude and good looks. From her recent photoshoot pictures that she posted on her Instagram account we can make out that this beauty is all ready to face the camera. We wont be shocked if Palak soon makes her Bollywood debut.

BOLLYWOOD PERSONALITIES’ BIRTHDAYS

SHAHID KAPOOR FEBRUARY 25

URVASHI RAUTELA FEBRUARY 25

TIGER SHROFF MARCH 2

SHRADDHA KAPOOR MARCH 3

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Eshwar Shakti

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Saturday, February 25, 2017

Movie Review

Rangoon: Kangana, Shahid and Saif Ali’s earnest performances make Vishal Bhardwaj’s film worthy For so long now we’ve been entertained by the Rangoon stars – Kangana Ranaut, Shahid Kapoor through their war of words during interviews and events. In fact, Shahid in an interview even hinted that this Vishal Bhardwaj film would be his last movie with Kangana, but after watching the movie we hope that he was just kidding. Coz Kangana and Shahid together share a very organic and raw chemistry that is rare to find. And without wasting anymore time let’s dive into Rangoon and tell you what were our thoughts about VB’s latest venture‌ What’s it about Rangoon is a love story set in the 1940s. A time when India as a nation was at the peak of it’s freedom struggle. It was also when our countrymen were most divided with leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose proposing opposite ideologies to fight the British. A time when amidst all turmoil in the country the film industry was booming and yet struggling to stay alive. The film precisely delves into these three aspects and revolves around Julia (Kangana Ranaut), an actress who portrays bold characters on celluloid. She is unaffected by the ongoing freedom struggle and is happy dreaming about becoming Mrs Billimoria. Yes, Julia is head over heels in love with Russi Billimoria, an action hero who has now turned into a famous filmmaker. However, when the country is amidst a freedom struggle nobody is unaffected, not even the elites in the movie business. And hence Julia and subsequently Russi (Saif Ali Khan) end up finding themselves in different kinds of troubles thanks to Jamadar Nawab Malik (Shahid Kapoor). When it is a Vishal Bhardwaj film it has to be about love, passion, betrayal and

more and Rangoon has all shades of emotions.

What hot The three protagonists – Kangana, Shahid and Saif deliver their best performances even in a plot that sometimes curbs them. Julia is a brave heroine, she fearless and not shameful of admitting that she’s a bastard.

Even when a royalty tries to dig into Julia’s private life in a bid to embarrass her, she literally unleashes her nonchalance on the sneering ladies. There’s not one moment in the entire film that Kangana let’s her character Julia down. She is naive, sweet, vulnerable under her strong demeanour. She is a woman helplessly in love and not ashamed to admit it.

Shahid Kapoor aka Nawab Malik is a man on a mission and nothing can distract him, not even love. He gives in to his instincts of passion, but not even a damsel in distress, who he also loves, can take his eye off his real goal. Shahid plays an army captain/jamadar with ease and lends easily to his character.

He’s rugged, mysterious and at the same time very very affectionate, he is the real hero of the movie with almost zero grey shades. The only flaw our tragic hero has is, his love for a woman who is already in a relationship with another man, who unfortunately is on the enemies side.

Russi Billimoria is the character that you end up hating and sympathising with at the same time. Unlike Nawab he’s not the righteous one. He’s filled with flaws, and Saif Ali Khan deserves full marks for making Russi a character with many many shades.

He’s a shrewd businessman who can embrace the British for his personal gains. He controls Julia and will not let love take away the focus

from his movies. And yet, he’s the one who will leave his father’s well established business to be with a woman he loves. He’s mean, controlfreak, business-minded, jealous, insecure and

human. And even in a limited canvas Saif shows that’s he’s an actor to watch out for.

The characters in Rangoon are equally good, be it the British commander Harding, played

by Richard McCabe or then Julia’s makeup man Zulfi, played by Saharsh Shukla. Both these characters that seem harmless and funny in the beginning surprise you as the movie progresses. McCabe is super entertaining and

almost manages to steal the show from Ms Julia on many occasions.

Vishal Bhardwaj does deserve a mention for bringing three actors who are strikingly different under one project and getting them to deliver their best.

He also deserves applause for taking you to the era of freedom struggle. The Indian National Army version of Rabindranth Tagore will give you goosebumps.

The war scenes and detailing are impeccable.

What’s not There are three things that could have made Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon near perfect. Unlike his earlier films the director detoxes the film of any kind of layers. The presentation is simple and straight and it’s great, except that at points you almost feel the lack of any kind of surprise making it too predictable. Even that could have been passed off, but what doesn’t work is the pace, some unnecessary songs that kill the narrative and a little more of Russi aka Saif Ali Khan in the film.

What to do If you are a Vishal Bhardwaj fan, let us warn you that this might not be his best, but we bet you’ll see another kind of a storyteller here. And yes, he does deliver a movie that is embedded with fine performances from the cast and great visuals by cinematographer Pankaj Kumar and that makes the movie deserving of a watch despite its flaws.

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Saturday, February 25, 2017

Masala Pav

Masala Pav is a classic Mumbai street food.

Its amazing, how road side vendors have invented some of the tastiest dishes. If you are not familiar with the famous Mumbai street food, you are missing out. I’ve already shared quite a few chaat varieties and will be sharing many more in future.

Coming to today’s recipe, as the name Masala Pav indicates, these are soft Pav buns loaded with spicy masala. It is then toasted with some butter to make it extra delicious.

You are sure to keep licking your fingers. It makes a great evening snack, a tasty dinner or a weekend brunch.

Ingredients Pav Buns - 4 Onion - 1 (finely chopped) Tomatoes - 2 (finely chopped) Garlic Cloves - 2 Capsicum (Green Bell Pepper) - 1 Pav Bhaji Masala - 2-3 tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder - 1 tsp Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) - 4-5 stems (finely chopped) Lemon Juice - few drops Salt - to taste / Butter - 3 tbsp Method • Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a wide pan. Add the finely chopped onion and garlic.

• Once the onions become soft, add the chopped tomatoes. Cook till it is all mashed up.

• Add the capsicum pieces, salt, kashmiri chili powder and pav bhaji masala.

• Add 2-3 tbsp of water and cook for few minutes till a tasty masala is ready.

• Add few drops of lemon juice to adjust to your taste. Also mix in the coriander leaves and switch off.

• Slice the pav buns. Apply a generous amount of the masala on the inside of the sliced buns.

• Heat a skilled, and spread 1 tbsp of butter all around. Place the buns with the masala side facing the top.

• After one side is toasted, add a tiny dollop of butter on top of the masala on each bun. The juices from the masala would have seeped inside the soft buns.

• Gently flip the buns and toast the other side. This gives a nice roasted effect to the masala making it even more delicious.

• Switch off and serve immediately.

Foodie

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Birthday Special

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Tommy Singh in Udta Punjab to Aditya in Jab We Met: 5 roles best essayed by Shahid Kapoor

If you look at Shahid Kapoor’s career graph, his filmi journey hasn’t been very smooth.

He did make a successful Bollywood debut but what followed was a series of duds. While everyone thought that his career in Bollywood was short-lived, he outlived everyone’s expectations and look at how far he has come today. His exemplary performance in films like Kaminey, Haider and Jab We Met got him in the league of A-listers. Be it for Aditya in Jab We Met or Tommy Singh in Udta Punjab, people remember him for the characters he has played on screen. And that’s probably because each character that he plays makes you forget that it’s Shahid that you are seeing onscreen. Let’s take a look at five of his best

performances so far…

Kaminey Kaminey changed our perception towards Shahid forever. He was just too good in the movie and with a stellar performance like that, Sasha proved that he was here to stay.

Haider Haider was Shahid Kapoor’s second movie with Vishal Bhardwaj and a lot of us consider it to be his career-best performance so far. The storyline of Haider revolves around another tragic work of Shakespeare, Hamlet, and is set in the state of Kashmir, making the plot of the movie relevant in current times.

Jab We Met Jab We Met was a lifechanger for both Kareena and Shahid. Aditya and Geet are unforgettable characters that will be etched in our hearts forever.

Udta Punjab Tommy Singh aka Shahid Kapoor was the best part of the film. He played the role so well that you would forget that you were seeing Sasha on screen. He was so real and raw as Tommy Singh in Udta Punjab.

Rangoon Rangoon, SK’s third collaboration with Bhardwaj has opened to mixed reviews but people can’t stop praising Shahid’s performance in the movie. The filmmaker has brought out the best in Shahid all this while and Rangoon is no exception to that.

Born on February 25, 1981, Shahid turns 36 today. He is one of the most sought-after actors in Bollywood.

Having worked with ace filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali and Vishal Bhardwaj, Shahid is now working on his next project with Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Titled Padmavati, the film also stars Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh in lead roles.

Akshay is on a roll, says Hrithik after watching Jolly LLB 2

Akshay Kumar is certainly on a roll and we all agree with Hrithik Roshan on the same. The actors who met up at the movie screening of Jolly LLB 2, seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The film, directed by Shubhash Kapoor is a sequel to the famous 2013 courtroom drama which starred Arshad Warsi. The second part is slated to release on February 10 and stars Akshay, Huma Qureshi, Saurabh Shukla and Annu Kapoor in pivotal roles. A screening was held by Kumar where close friends attended the same. We just shared pics of Twinkle Khanna, Sussanne Khan and Hrithik Roshan leaving from the screening.

They all looked really happy as they left the theatre which clearly means the effect of Jolly was in fact, good! On the same, Roshan tweeted, “This man is on a roll! Thoroughly enjoyed this jolly. Congrats to the team that pulled this off in 33 days! Fantastic!” This has left us excited for the film!

24 HITLIST

Saturday, February 25, 2017

mid-day

‘No one’s offering me another Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’ Kalki Koechlin on her absenteeism from mainstream Hindi films; says not enough scripts coming her way AFTER playing Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor’s BFF in Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (2013), Kalki Koechlin was hot property in the mainstream movie scene. It all started with Zoya Akhtar’s ensemble film, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011). But, her last out-and-out commercial release was in 2014 — Happy Ending — in which she starred alongside Saif Ali Khan.

While the actress says there’s no dearth of work, Bollywood has remained elusive lately. Speaking to us at the trailer launch of her upcoming film, Mantra, she says, “There are never enough scripts and stories for any actor. In my case, not enough scripts come to me. It’s not like 20,000 stories are offered and I am being snooty, trying to reject things because it doesn’t suit me.

I complain less because once in a while I am offered a mainstream Bollywood film, and it’s the right one. There’s a perception about me being choosy, but I actually say yes to most scripts that come my way.”

However, she refuses to be pigeonholed. “I want to do a commercial role, but no one’s offering me another Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. Films are business-oriented and casting matters. Who brings more money to the pocket is what matters. My audience is more urban; the youth and the Internet watch me more. But when we look at the masses, I am not really known in smaller towns.”

It’s unfortunate, feels the fiery actress, who is hailed for her strong opinions, memorable roles and solid acting chops,that she has to put a word out there.

Quelling all perception about being an indie star or wanting to play only leading parts, she clarifies, “I have never been insecure and would play any role that interests me. I have never thrown a tantrum to be a leading lady or turned down directors for offering me a small part. I should have a fleshy role and that’s all. I don’t have any specifications.”

24 HITLIST

mid-day

South Indian food cook wanted

604-312-9297

SUHAAG wedding showfilm?

PM ‘bhakti’ blocks Kejriwal successfully launches in BC

Documentary on AAP rise rejected by CBFC; sources say disparaging reference to Modi, Sheila Dikshit could be the reason behind decision NATIONAL Award-winning filmmaker Anand Gandhi’s upcoming production, An Insignificant Man, is a political thriller that looks at the rise of anti-corruption protests across India in 2011, leading to the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). It focuses specifically on Delhi chief minister and AAP’s national convener, Arvind Kejriwal.

However, the Examining Committee (EC) of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has rejected the film over derogatory remarks against PM Narendra Modi and former Delhi CM, Sheila Dikshit, deeming it inappropriate for certification.

A source says, “The EC was divided over the issuance

Arvind Kejriwal; (right) Anand Gandhi of certificate for the film. Hence, the film has been referred to the Revising Committee of the CBFC.” The documentary has been in the making for four years, and shot primarily between

2012 and 2013. When mid-day called the film’s director, Khusboo Ranka, she said she wasn’t aware of the development. “What we do know is that the film has been referred to the Revising Committee. We are yet to approach the CBFC to find out the reason [for rejection].”

Responding to the charge of derogatory remarks against Dikshit and Modi, she said, “It’s a documentary, so it contains real footage of events.”

CBFC chairman Pahlaj Nihalani told mid-day, “If the EC hasn’t cleared the film, the producers are free to move the Revising Committee or the tribunal.”

Lipstick Under My Burkha director Alankrita lashes out at the censors for denying certification to her women-oriented film

‘There’s a perception about me being choosy, but I actually say yes to most scripts that come Kalki Koechlin on her absenteeism my way’ from mainstream Hindi films; says Kalki Koechlin not enough scripts coming her way

Required South Indian food cook immediately

CENSORS AT IT AGAIN

‘Shows petty thought process of CBFC’

‘No one’s offering me another Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’

AFTER playing Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor’s BFF in Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (2013), Kalki Koechlin was hot property in the mainstream movie scene. It all started with Zoya Akhtar’s ensemble film, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011). But, her last out-and-out commercial release was in 2014 — Happy Ending — in which she starred alongPlease contact: side Saif Ali Khan.

While the actress says there’s no dearth of work, Bollywood has remained elusive lately. Speaking to us at the trailer launch of her upcoming film, Mantra, she says, “There are never enough scripts and stories for any actor. In my case, not enough

9

Spotlight

Friday, February 24, 2017 | www.mid-day.com | twitter.com/mid_day | epaper.mid-day.com

Surrey, B.C. - This past weekend, the to be the longest running Indian Bridal well established brand from the East Boutique in B.C. The SUHAAG team gave Coast, SUHAAG, successfully launched its them a Certificate of Appreciation on stage. wedding show in BC. The event took place Frontier owner Sushil Batra’s daughter on Sunday, February 19th at the Sheraton Pooja accepted the honour on his behalf.

Guildford hotel in Surrey. It was a soft With SUHAAG celebrating 20 years in the A still from Lipstick My Burkha; (right) Alankrita Shrivastava; a grab letter wedding industry (below) this year as of theCBFC’s largest, launch celebration to Under introduce SUHAAG to theSONIL SouthDEDHIA Asian community on the longest running55-year-old South Asianwidow, wedding show who redisit was important forItthe West sonil.dedhia@mid-day.com Coast. The high-end event featured in North America, covers her sexuality. will travel to the Miami Film Festi20+ vendors from all the major categories team to also acknowledge other pioneers in and International insults withinTHIS thedecision wedding industry plus an the community val from coast to coast. Women’s Film Festival at Creteil, Paris, the intelligence of the For more information and updates exclusive fashion show

by Frontier Bridal next. “It is ironic that the audience,” retorts on the next SUHAAG wedding show inall Boutique. film is being celebrated Alankrita Shrivasover visit the world except on home tava, director of Lip- has been in Vancouver, please Frontier Bridal Boutique www.suhaag.com It shows how petty the stick Under business for 44 years My and is considered and sign up for turf. the newsletter.

thought process of people Burkha, which has Friday, February 24, 2017 | www.mid-day.com | twitter.com/mid_day | epaper.mid-day.com running the CBFC is. Their job been rejected by the is to certify a film, not stop its Central Board of Film release,” she argues.

Certification (CBFC) The examining panel of for public viewing.

CBFC, which watched the film The multiple reasons, in January, apparently inwhich hardly makes cluded two female members, sense, read, “The story is lady oriended, Glasgow Film Festival, says, who weren’t too sure of passtheir fantasy above “In a country that reeks of pa- ing the film and insisted on life. There are contan- triarchy, shouldn’t we be en- going with the majority.

The film was then screened ious sexual scenes, couraging more stories of and abusive words, audio by women? The CBFC will hap- before the revising committee Monday, with Board chief pornography and a bit pily pass so-called item num- on NATIONAL Award-winning 2012 and 2013.

When mid-day part director, of it, but sensitive touch about bers because they are for Pahlaj filmmaker Anand Gandhi’s called Nihalani the film’s rejected again.

“I will one production, particular section upcoming An In- entertainment purpose; they was Khusboo Ranka, she said she the of Film of society, film don’t think those songs objec- approach significant Man, ishence a political wasn’t aware the Certificadeveloption Appellate Tribunal [final tify women.” refused (sic).” thriller that looks at the rise ment. “What we do know is for has certification] The film, starring Konkana authority Alankrita, who is of anti-corruption protests that the film been refight till the end for my in Scotland acrosscurrently India in 2011, leading Sen Sharma and Ratna Pathak and ferred to the Revising Comfilm because the Shah, revolves around four where Lipstick… is to the formation of the Aam mittee. We are decision yet to block itsthe release as10 films com- women — a burqa-clad col- to Aadmiamong Party (AAP).

It focuses approach CBFCistoanfind women’s rights,” peting in internaspecifically on the Delhi chief lege-goer, a young beautician, sault out theon reason [for rejection].” tional category at the a mother of three and a adds Alankrita. minister and AAP’s national Responding to the convener, Arvind Kejriwal. charge of derogaHowever, the Examining tory remarks Committee (EC) of the Cenagainst Dikshit tral Board of Film Certificaand Modi, she tion (CBFC) has rejected the said, “It’s a film over derogatory remarks Arvind Kejriwal; (right) documentary, against PM Narendra Modi Anand Gandhi so it contains and former Delhi CM, Sheila real footage of Dikshit, deeming it inap- of certificate for the events.”

CBFC propriate for certification. film. Hence, the film has chairman Pahlaj NihaA source says, “The EC was been referred to the Revising lani told mid-day, “If the EC divided over the issuance Committee of the CBFC.” hasn’t cleared the film, the The documentary has been producers are free to move in the making for four years, the Revising Committee or and shot primarily between the tribunal.”

CENSORS AT IT AGAIN

PM ‘bhakti’ blocks Kejriwal film?

Documentary on AAP rise rejected by CBFC; sources say disparaging reference to Modi, Sheila Dikshit could be the reason behind decision

‘Shows petty thought process of CBFC’

10

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Classifieds JOBS

f ce Manager Required We need a office manager to hire and give training to workers and staff. Must have 3 years of experience in management. Punjabi and hindi speaking is required.

Salary will be based on experience.

Please call : 604-722-5000 ------------ Feb 18-2017 Nanny Required We need a nanny or a student to take care of our old mother immediately at our Richmond home.

Salary will be based on experience. Resident will

JOBS be provided If required.

Please call : 604-270-3875 ------------ Dec 31-2016 Vacancy for Diesel Mechanic A trucking company, Planet Pride Logistics, located at 11411 Shell Road, Richmond BC V7A3W7 has immediate vacancies for Diesel Mechanic Job Title: Diesel Mechanic Number of positions:1 Term of employment: Full time, Permanent Position with 40 hours per week Job location: 11411 Shell Road, Richmond BC V7A 3W7 Hours of work: 40 hours

JOBS per week Shifts: Weekdays, Weekends, Evenings Salary: $30 per hour for 40 hours per week, overtime after 40 hours at the rate of 1.5 times Bene ts Two weeks of paid vacation Requirement: Completion of High school with minimum of 2 years of experience as Diesel mechanic Duties: • Determine truck condition by conducting inspections and diagnose tests to detect faults and malfunctioning.

• Keep truck available for use by completing preventive maintenance schedules such as

JOBS changing oil, checking batteries, lubricating machinery, installing components and part upgrades.

• Diagnose faults by using computerized and other testing equipment to determine the extent of repair • Correct equipment deficiencies by removing, repairing, adjusting, overhauling, assembling, disassembling, and replacing major assemblies, subassemblies, component parts or system, such as power and drive train, electrical, air conditioning, fuel, emission, brake, steering, hydraulics; making adjustments and alignments including

MATRIMONIAL bearing loads, gear tooth contact, valve mechanism, governors, oil systems, control linkages, clutches and traction units.

• Verifies vehicle performance by conducting test drives; adjusting controls and systems.

How to Apply: Please send your resume at planetpride.logistics@ gmail.com or fax at 778297-4402 Only those who meet our basic expectations will be contacted for an interview. We thank you for your interest in our company!

------------- Dec 24-2016

LOOKING FOR CLASS 1 TRUCK DRIVER Bus Driver required urgently Gobind Sarvar School, located at 8820 – 168 Street, Surrey, B.C. is looking for a school bus driver living in Abbotsford area.

If you are licensed to drive a school bus, please email your resume and driver’s abstract to: info@gobindsarvar.ca or call Jaspreet at 604-930-2122 for further details.

Name Change I, Jasneet Kaur resident of # 2019 West 46th Ave, Vancouver BC V6M 2K8 have changed my name from Jasneet Kaur to Jasneet Kaur Marwaha.

A trucking company, Planet Pride Logistics, located at 11411 Shell Road, Richmond BC V7A3W7 has immediate vacancies for 5 Long Haul Truck Drivers.

Term of employment: Full time, Permanent Position Shifts: Weekdays, Weekends, Evenings Salary: $23.50 per hour for 50 hours per week, overtime after 60 hours of the rate of 1.5 times with Vacation pay of 4%.

Requirement: Class 1 driving license with Air brake endorsement

Duties: Drive and operate company’s long haul trucks within all over Canada, receive and relay information to central dispatcher, maintain log book, bill of landing. Do pre-trip, en-route, posttrip inspection for any mechanical or body defect, reports incidents to the manager immediately and accurately.

Please send your resume at planetpride.logistics@ gmail.com or fax at 778-297-4402 Gill to Furmaan Kaur Gill

Saturday, February 25, 2017 South Asian Seniors - Bingo On The House January 15th 2017 ( Sunday ) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm.

Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members and non members also to come and play Bingo for the sake of fun during and make some new friends, on January 15th 2017( Sunday ) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall 8321 - 140th street Surrey B.C. Please bring only two dollars with you to play 2 games, do not worry if you do not know how to play, members will explain you the game just for the sake of fun. Tea & light snacks will be served after the game is over. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator at 604 - 507 - 9945 for further details. Project funded by Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for Hindi speaking Seniors.

-----------------------------------------Free Self Employment Program offered by PICS Are you unemployed or working less than 20 hours per week? Are you thinking of launching your own business?

Join PICS for an information session on PICS’ Self Employment Program at one of PICS Offices: Suite 205, 12725 80th Ave, Surrey – Every 2nd Wednesday of the month OR 8153 Main St (near Marine Dr), Vancouver – Every 3rd Wednesday of

the month All info sessions are from 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM This program offers • Business Start-Up Training • Business Plan Writing • Business Advisor Support • Networking Events • Support During Business Launch Period Seating is limited. To attend a session, please pre-register at Katarina.Low@ pics.bc.ca or 604-596-7722 Ext 150 -----------------------------------------Dear Devotees and Well Wishers of Sri Ganesh Temple, Please be advised that due to prevailing weather conditions, the temple administration has decided to alter the start time of Thiruvempavai to 7 am instead of 5 am, every day.

The Abishekam for tomorrow has also been moved to 6 am instead of 4:30 am.

On behalf of Sri Ganesh Temple Society of BC, Shankar Velupillai, Secretary -----------------------------------------South Asian Seniors are planning to visit Australia & New Zealand through 13 days cruise and 2 days extra tour of Sydney (Australia) total 16 days including travel time. The cruise itinerary starts from Sydney (Australia) on November 17th 2017, one day visit at each of these ports, Melbourne (Australia), Burnie (Tasmania- Australia), Wellington (New Zealand), Napier (New Zealand),

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Every port the ship Norwegian Jewel will stop, all seniors will go for city tour by bus. All arrangements will be made for your air travel from Vancouver to Sydney (Australia) and return from Sydney to Vancouver, Cruise bookings, all port city excursions, city visits of Sydney (Australia), hotel stay in Sydney, food ( Pure Vegetarian or Non Vegetarian as per your choice) during Sydney City visits, also local bus pick up from Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple Surrey to Vancouver airport & back to Temple on return from Vancouver airport. The total tour will be of 16/ 17 days including travel time from 14th November 2017 to 2nd December 2017. The travel insurance with Medical Coverage, Cancellation, Interruption and Baggage loss is a must, which you can arrange yourself or get the one we arrange for the whole group Insurance at a reasonable price to cover Basic Medical Coverage, Cancellation, Interruption, & Baggage Loss etc. The maximum cost for the whole trip to cover everything including return air tickets will be approximately $ 4,500.00 US Dollars per person. All staterooms are Double occupancy, so you should select your partner to share the stateroom with you on the ship. If you are interested to join South Asian group of Seniors, you should be in good health to walk independently, can afford the Luxury in life for 16/ 17 days, then only call. The

11

entire amount $ 4,500.00 US Dollars or Equal ant Canadian Dollars as per present Bank rates will be spent on you only and will be taken from you in 4 installments with intervals. You will have to pay me $ 750.00 US Dollars per person for Cruise deposit to confirm your stateroom, and if you don’t have your travel insurance as mentioned above then you have to pay me $ 205.00 US Dollars per person for group travel Insurance in addition to cruise deposit.

Please remember the Travel insurance once purchased can not be cancelled or transferred to somebody else. The final payment for the cruise is due by 20th June 2017 and you will be able to pay through your credit card directly to Cruise Web. For the other payments for Air Travel, Port City Excursions and hotel stay & food expenses etc. you will be informed time to time. The prices I have negotiated for the cruise are the rock bottom prices which can not be held for long and we are getting two amenities free, Gratuity for 13 days Cruise is Free and Cocktail Drinks are free for 13 days of Cruise for Ocean view cabins and above.

Inside cabins will have only one Amenity Free of your choice. I have only room for two more couples or 4 friends to share two cabins on the ship, So don’t miss the chance of enjoying the Luxury in life for 16/ 17 days to visit Australia & New Zealand and call Surendra Handa Organizer/ Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945.

19 HITLIST

12

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Thursday, February 23, 2017 | www.mid-day.com | twitter.com/mid_day | epaper.mid-day.com

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Hitlist

Make it special

In the eye of London

Karan Singh Grover turns a year older today and wife Bipasha Basu is pulling out all the stops to make the day special for him.

Their PDA on social media has already kicked off. They will be celebrating Karan’s big day in Goa with friends, including Deanne Pandey, Rocky Star, Arti Singh, Ayaaz Khan. A pre-birthday bash has already taken place. The celebrations are likely to spill over into the weekend.

After attending the premiere of her film, Viceroy’s House, at the Berlin film festival, Huma Qureshi winged her way to London for the UK premiere of the Gurinder Chadha-directed Brit-Indian historical drama. Huma also attended the London Fashion Week, seated on front row at Teatum-Jones’ show, following an invitation from the designer duo.

TELLY TATTLE

SPECIAL EFFECTS

The trailer of Salman Khan-starrer Tubelight will be launched in early May. Saturday, 25, 2017 Since it is set February against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian war (1962), a lot of VFX is involved. Chinese actress Zhu Zhu is Sallu’s co-star in the Eid release

Festive fervour Shabana Azmi’s film, Signature Move, will premiere at the nineday SXSW (South by Southwest) Film Festival starting March 10 in Austin, Texas. Helmed by Jennifer Reeder, the film’s a hilarious take on modern families and complexities of love in various forms.

Azmi plays mother to a lesbian girl, played by Pakistani comedian Fawzia Mirza, who is also the film’s co-writer.

What’s in a film’s name?

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Sonam Kapoor are yet to begin shooting for Veerey Di Wedding, but there is a Veerey Ki Wedding in the making. Jimmy Shergill and newcomer Diljott (right) have kicked off the first schedule of Rajat Bakshi’s film in Manali. Wonder what Bebo and co. have to say

about the almost same title.

The rom-com marks Punjabi actress Diljott’s debut in Bollywood.

Style tips Ridhi Dogra, who is seen as the vitriolic Nisha in Woh Apna Sa, turns anchor with wedding travel show, Yaari Dostii Shaadi. It involves indulging in retail therapy with brides- and grooms-to-be. Ridhi, a shopaholic, is realising her love for hosting as well as shopping. “I decide their look and styling and I am quite enjoying that.”

Reliving childhood Visit our Website

Aashka Goradia and her American fiancé, weapons instructor and range safety officer Brent Goble, will tie the knot this December.

But before that, it looks like they want to travel the world. The couple is currently in Disney World, Orlando. Clearly, they are reliving their childhood at the vacation hotspot. The Minnie ears that Aashka’s sporting are oh-so-cute.

www.theasianstar.com

It’s The Rock vs Vin Diesel in the new international trailer of Fast & Furious 8 Since Fast Five there always has been an underlying conflict between Dwayne Johnson‘s character, Hobbs, and Vin Diesel‘s character, Dom. Though later the two joined forces, a tension could still be felt. And now with Fast & Furious 8, titled Fate Of The Furious, it’s going to be full on Hobbs vs Dom which is Dwayne Johnson vs Vin Diesel aka The Rock vs Grizzly Bear. The new international trailer of the film has hit the web and it mainly focuses on the betrayal of Dom, the reason behind it, Letty’s trust on Dom and Hobbs’ justified anger with

Dom. The trailer also reveals that Charlize Theron definitely has something on Dom which she uses to make him go against the family. You know it just got real when Hobbs says to Dom, “I am taking you down Torretto” and Dom retaliates with, “You wanna play like that?” Even though I didn’t really like the first trailer of the film, I am still excited about it.

Also don’t forget there is a huge-ass submarine in the trailer. Now that Dom and Letty are on their honeymoon and Brian and Mia have retired from the game—and the rest of the crew

has been exonerated—the globetrotting team has found a semblance of a normal life. But when a mysterious woman (Charlize Theron) seduces Dom into the world of crime he can’t seem to escape and a betrayal of those closest to him, they will face trials that will test them as never before. From the shores of Cuba and the streets of New York City to the icy plains of the arctic Barents Sea, the elite force will crisscross the globe to stop an anarchist from unleashing chaos on the world’s stage…and to bring home the man who made them a family.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

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Saturday, 2, 2016 Saturday, April April 2, 2016 i 5i 5

Vol. 6 No. 31 Saturday - April 2, 2016 - Tel: - Tel: 604-591-5423 E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com 604-591-5423 - -E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com Tel: 604-591-5423 E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com Vol. 6 No. 31 - Saturday - April 2, 2016 - Tel: 604-591-5423 - E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com

No. 31 - -February Saturday Vol. 8 No.Vol. 04 -6 Saturday 25, 2017- April 2, 2016

Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building boom

Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building boom housing Will a move to save Vancouver’s Trump Tower a ‘beacon’ of controversy in Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building boom next two years due to competition. it Suisse is optimistic his building tower tower is optimistic his building will will he $240-million $240-million Credit CreditSuisse/ Suisse/ Mr.Mr. Shokri others expectnext two years due to competition. it Suisse he Shokri andand others say say theythey expect The landlords who will likely suffer The landlords who will likely suffer next two years due to competition. start to fill as the completion date gets closer. start to fill as the completion date gets closer. it Suisse tower is optimistic his building will SwissReal tower theheart heart many of the new towers to start signing SwissReal tower ininthe of of many of the new towers to start signing tenant past compromise its future? he $240-million Credit Suisse/ Mr. Shokri and others say tenant they expect Vancouver as grand opening nears a result of the current boom are ownas aasresult of the current boom are ownThe landlords who will likely suffer Franz Gehriger, the CEO of SwissReal Franz Gehriger, the CEO of SwissReal start to fill as the completion date gets closer. downtown as they getget closer to completion.

ThatThat downtown Vancouver Vancouver will will bebe leases leases as they closer to completion.

T T

SwissReal tower in the heart of

many of the new towers to start signing tenant

ers of Shokri said.

Asare ownersolder ofasolder buildings, Mr. Shokri As abuildings, result of Mr. the current boomsaid.

GroupGroup who bought the the original historic who bought theCEO original historic Franz Gehriger, of SwissReal completed ininless a ayear, but sosofar,far, will is is partly in Vancouver, completed lessthan than year, but partly because companies intoVancouver, downtown Vancouver be because leases ascompanies they get closer completion.

ThatIn When developer Joo Kim Tiah announced aers city where “bulldozer-bait” homes can multiculturalism and progressive politics,well, features” on the exterior. new developments in the suburbs, well, new developments in the suburbs, stock-exchange building in 2002 before partof older buildings, Mr. Shokri said.

As stock-exchange building in 2002 before partGroup who bought the original historic only one tenant has upupthan totomove in.in.butwhich want to be in energy-efficient only one tenant hassigned signed move which to because benew, in new, energy-efficient completed in skyscraper less a project year, so far,do do iswant partly companies Vancouver, in 2013 that his spiralling fetch close to $3 million, Vancouver’s chief Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric hasingiven “I didn’t see there was room forit,other factors which have already experienced higher nering with Credit Suisse to develop said which have already experienced higher well, new developments in the suburbs, The tenant has committed forfor a a10th buildings, tend to operate on short timelines. nering with Credit Suisseinto2002 develop said stock-exchange building beforeit,parttenantonly hasone committed 10th of move buildings, to operate onthe timelines. tenant has signed upof to in. do want toin be inshort new, energy-efficient in The Vancouver would bear Donald Trump’s planner is faced with a choice that the tower which antend uneasy place city’s skyline.vacancy to begroup considered.

Is the home Vancousafe? Will it fall rates inhave recent years,years, maycould haveshape the main interested in leasing vacancy rates in already recent may have which experienced higher the 370,000 square feet – –leaving a state offorof a 10th AsAs well, he hesaid, prices in in the newnew the main group interested in leasing Vancounering with Credit Suisse to develop it, said the 370,000 square feet leaving a state well, said, prices the The tenant has committed of buildings, tend to operate on short timelines. name, the main controversy was whether the the city for to come.

After Trump’s call in 2015 for a “completetrouble downspace in anthese earthquake?

Wetechnology are actually now asvacancy theydecades compete each other. ver office days is the ratescompete in with recent years, may have trouble as they with each other. emptiness that is unusual for an office sky- buildings will likely come i Saturday, July 25, 2015down in the main group interested inismay leasing Vancouvertheoffice space days thenot technology the feetoffice –the leaving of Saturday, As well, said, prices in the emptiness is370,000 unusual for with an sky- a 4state buildings will likely come in glitzy luxurythat hotel was atsquare odds city’s Are up tothe 12,000 pre-1940 homes shutdown’’ of Muslims entering the U.S., a new putting people in these homes that 4 i Julyhe 25, 2015down In Vancouver, co-developer of the Cred-— an sector.

Those companies make their deci-be safe,” scraper in this city. Even so, a huge shift in trouble as they compete with each other. sector.

In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Credver office space these days is the technology Those companies make their deciemptiness that is unusual for aninoffice sky- urging buildings will likely come downthein the scraper in as this so, a huge shift reputation a city. homeEven of casual yoga-pantsimmense swath of the city’s housing supply — she told. petition Holborn Group to dump 4 i Saturday, July 25, 2015 business tenancy is expected as the region In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Cred- sector. Those companies make their deciscraperisinexpected this city. as Even a huge shift in name attracted 56,000 signatures. worth preserving at the expense of a younger wearing Trump While many homeowners have seen businesstypes. tenancy theso,region experiences something it has not seen beA lot has changed since then. generation of people who feel they’ll never be Mayor Gregor Robertson joined the chorus property values soar in recent years, Jackson business tenancy is expected as the region experiences something it has not seen before: an office-tower building boom much Vancouver’s Trump International able to afford them? of residents in a passionate letter to Tiah in says it’s unfair to make hard-working families experiences something it has not seen before: an office-tower building boom much of which is speculative construction rathHotel and Tower has transformed into a “We’ve sort of poked a hornet’s nest, ” Gil December 2015. who’ve struggled to get into in this market pay fore: an office-tower building boom much of which is speculative construction rather than for specific committed tenants. potent symbol of Trump’s candidacy and Kelley said in front of a nicely restored home “Trump’s name and brand have no more such a high price for a proposal that’s overly which is committed speculative construction rather“This thanis kind forofofspecific tenants. uncharted territory for Vanpresidency, observers say.

Protests over U.S. a few blocks from city hall. place on Vancouver’s skyline than his broad. er ofthan for specific committed couver, ” said Mehdi Shokri, aterritory principal with “This is kind uncharted for Van- tenants.

Four months into his new job, the former ignorant ideas have in the The city already has a heritage registry that “This is kind of uncharted territory the capital markets team at Avison Young. couver,” said Mehdi Shokri, a principal with for Vancity planner of San Francisco and Portland, modern world, ’ ’ Robertson includes some 2,200 homes with some form couver, said Mehdi Shokri, a principal with “But I don’t markets see a ”big disaster occurring. ” the capital team at Avison Young.

Ore., acknowledged he’s been wrote.

The ICredit Suisse is onlyteam the at most Avison “But don’tthe seecapital a tower bigmarkets disaster occurring. ” Young.

Also in December buffeted by complaints about visible and furthest along of aasecond wave occurring.”

“But I don’t see big disaster The Credit Suisse tower is only the most 2015, British Columbia Vancouver’s character home of new office towers planned fortower VancouThe Credit only the most visible and furthest alongSuisse of a secondiswave Premier Christy Clark review. Many homeowners, ver and somevisible key suburbs.

A first cluster and planned furthest along of a second wave of new office towers for Vancousaid it was up to the city developers, pro-density groups of towers – some twooffice million square feet –for Vancouof new towers planned ver built and downtown some key in suburbs.

Athree first cluster and the developer to and even key heritage advocates was the past years. ver andtwo some key suburbs.

A first cluster ofAnother towers – 11 some square feet decide whether to drop are all pushing back hard office million developments are – of towers – some two million square feet – the brand, but she agreed against the “preservationist” was built downtown in theofpast three years. proposed within blocks Credit Suwas built downtown in the past three years. the name doesn’t represent plan now under discussion.

Another 11 tower officeat developments isse’s Exchange Howe and Westare Another 11 office developments are The proposal would Vancouver, adding she Pender streets, evenblocks while the office-va-Suproposed within of Credit proposed within blocks of Credit Sudiscourage owners from didn’t think Trump would cancy in the tower region atcontinues to inch isse’s rate Exchange Howe and West isse’s Exchange tower at Howe and West demolishing pre-1940s houses be “good business’’ in up as a result of the firstwhile wave the of building.

Pender streets, even office-vaPenderbrokers streets, say eventhewhile the that the city deems to have Canada for much longer.

But commercial city is office-vacancy rate in the region continues to inch cancy rate in the regiontowers. continues to inch character value. not about to be populated by ghost up as a result of the first wave of building. up asend a result of its the first wave of building. policy inevitably up on Any new home built on the site would have of historical significance.

But commercial brokersand saybrokers the city is doorstep and But provincial to be significantly smaller, a move that would The designation makes them harder to tear commercial say the city is not about tonot be have populated by ghost towers. city politicians said limit development options. down. But in exchange, owners can receive about to be the populated by ghost towers.

Trump name doesn’t represent In return for keeping the old home and some compensation for maintaining them, Vancouver. fixing it up, the city would grant some extra such as relaxed bylaws to allow additions.

“It’s more than a beacon of space for renovations and a larger secondary The “character” designation would capture racism,’’ said Coun. Kerry Jang, unit or laneway home on the same lot. many more properties, regardless of their who has urged the developer Many argue the plan will not only freeze structural integrity or the owner’s ability to to drop the Trump brand. “It’s creativity in some of the city’s nicest, priciest renovate them. a beacon of intolerance. It’s a neighbourhoods, it will also become far more Perhaps the most intense resistance beacon of sexism and bullying. difficult for the city to build up so-called has come from pro-density groups that That’s just not Vancouver.’’ gentle density, such as townhouses, duplexes argue building less on expensive land is The $360-million hotel and and family-focused housing that is now counterintuitive when more housing stock is condominium development, missing and desperately needed. badly needed. with a unique twisting design “The younger generation is feeling squeezed “There’s a whole lot of land in this town, by late architect Arthur out,” Kelley said. but most of it is zoned for low-density family Erickson, had a soft launch last month.

“So opening up new options for affordability homes,” said Brendan Dawe of Abundant Tiah was unavailable for an interview, but Protests are being planned on social media told the Post that removing the Trump name and different living option choices for them Housing Vancouver, a group of housing to greet Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and would have led to “enormous financial and is really critical — even as people here who activists who’ve been coming to council Eric Trump, at the grand opening Feb. 28. legal ramifications.’’ Talk Shop Media, which are older are trying to hang on to what they meetings to push back against the dominance Tiah, the president and CEO of Holborn handles media relations for the opening of the already know.” of single-family homes in Vancouver zoning Group, is the son of one of Malaysia’s wealthiest tower, did not return requests for comment.

Roughly 1,000 homes are torn down every rules. businessmen. The Trump Organization does Lindsay Meredith, a marketing professor year in Vancouver. At least two-thirds of them “It’s not that we’re against character at all. not own the tower, but licensed its name for at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School were built before 1940.

We just want to be able to live in those homes,” branding and marketing, while the Trump of Business, said the hotel is aimed at highHence the urgency from the preservation said Rachael Selinger, who joined a packed Hotel Collection operates the 147-room income business people, who tend to be well- lobby for the city to move fast to protect kitchen table discussion on the character hotel. educated and more likely to be offended by what’s still standing. There are already review in an east Vancouver condo.

The building’s more than 200 Trump’s comments and policies. similar character guidelines in effect in one The group wants to see more duplexes condominium units sold out last year, “It doesn’t take much to kick that kind of neighbourhood, Grandview-Woodlands, but and townhouses in single-family home the National Post reported. Tiah told the clientele into the arms of yet another high- resident Siobhan Jackson says they’ve taken a neighbourhoods, but fears protecting so many newspaper in November that the media had end luxury establishment,’’ he said. toll on property values. “The real data on the older homes will make that all but impossible. a “vendetta’’ against the U.S. president and Hundreds marched past the tower in a house next door is that it reduced the value by Kelley, the planner at the centre of the rejected suggestions that the Trump brand raucous protest after Trump’s election in 15 per cent,” said Jackson, whose neighbour’s supercharged debate, hinted he’s being swayed had taken a hit.

November as well as during last month’s house was re-listed and sold for less money by those who argue saving older homes won’t But in Vancouver, known for its Women’s March. after the city determined it has “character help a new generation.

Saturda

14

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Real Estate

Top 5 cheapest homes sold in Vancouver in 2016, compared to 2006 From hitting a historic peak for sales and prices in March to falling below the 10-year sales average by December, Vancouver real estate was hot and cold in 2016.

The city ended the year with the benchmark price for detached homes at $1,483,500, but there were some homes that sold for almost half that.

Several of the homes sold for under their asking price, with the biggest discount being given to 1796 Island Avenue, whose buyer nabbed the property for 50 per cent off the listing price.

Virtually all the properties were marketed for lot value and most featured homes that appeared to have been abandoned or severely neglected.

It’s a different picture than 10 years ago

when the top five cheapest homes all sold for under $330,000. Today, you’d be hard pressed to find a condo in Vancouver for that price.

Look at 2016’s cheapest homes compared to the ones that went for the least in 2006.

1. 4248 Slocan Street, Renfrew-Collingwood 2. 526 East Cordova Street, Downtown Eastside 3. 1796 Island Avenue, Victoria-Fraserview 4. 605 East Cordova Street, Downtown Eastside 5. 1746 SE Marine Drive, Victoria-Fraserview Now onto 2006, with the top five cheapest homes sold that year. While a lot has changed in Vancouver real estate in the last 10 years, the least expensive homes in 2006 were also all on the east side of the city and were either outdated or considerably rundown.

Despite the large number of tear-downs in recent years, all these homes are still standing and some have been beautifully updated.

2006 1. 4447 James Street, Riley Park 2. 428 Salsbury Drive 3. 436 Salsbury Drive 4. 2089 Stainsbury Avenue, KensingtonCedar Cottage 5. 431 Heatley Avenue

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‘I feel bullied,’ says condo owner taken to court T allowed in bylaws over backyard garden items not Vol. 6 No. 31

-

Saturday - April 2, 2016

- Tel: 604-591-5423 -

E-mail: ads@the

Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building

An Ontario woman says a dispute with her condo board and property management company over minor garden infractions has left her emotionally devastated and contemplating moving out.

Jayne Pilot of Brampton was sitting by the pool at her condo complex with friends last July when she was handed an envelope containing a court summons.

“I was shocked,” says Pilot. “I didn’t understand what they were taking me to court for.”

The summons was from her own condo corporation, and outlined various bylaw infractions Pilot had committed, such as having seven patio chairs when only six are allowed, having two flower pots that exceeded dimensions outlined in the 1988 condo rules, and having solar lights in her garden.

“I thought, ‘This is totally ridiculous. This is not reasonable,’” says Pilot. “I feel bullied.”

“Why would you take somebody to court over flower pots, solar lights, and one chair too many?”

She thinks the answer to that question is because, two years ago, Pilot led a successful fight against a proposed condo fee increase of 22 per cent, arguing that a mass re-roofing project was not necessary.

“I was able to get everybody together and they [condo board] saw that I could do that,” says Pilot. “And I don’t think they liked it.”

Instead of following Ontario’s Condo Act, which requires mediation as a first step, Pilot was taken to civil court. The judge said the condo rules must be “reasonable” and pointed out that the case should have been dealt with in mediation.

The condo corporation then took Pilot to mediation, where both sides reached a settlement, the terms of which cannot be disclosed.

Members of Pilot’s condo board did not return emails or calls requesting a comment.

Maple Ridge Community Management, which manages the condo complex, also declined to be interviewed, citing “ongoing litigation.” It would not clarify the nature of that litigation.

Disputes like the one between Pilot and her condo board are growing almost as quickly as the number of condo units, according to William Stratas, managing director at Eagle Audit Advantage, a Toronto-based company that investigates grievances from both condo owners and board directors.

“Our files are bulging,” says Stratas, whose office gets calls daily from condo residents who feel mistreated by their condo boards and property management companies.

“In some condos, the message that comes from the board is, ‘Pay your fees and shut up,’” he says.

“The residents in those buildings really feel like they’re in a prison camp,” says Stratas, who has lived in a condo himself for 27 years, and formed his company after joining a condo board to help straighten out a financial mess.

“There should be a basic desire for everybody to find a way to make it work,”

he $240-million Credit Suisse/ SwissReal tower in the heart of downtown Vancouver will be completed in less than a year, but so far, only one tenant has signed up to move in.

The tenant has committed for a 10th of the 370,000 square feet – leaving a state of emptiness that is unusual for an office skyscraper in this city. Even so, a huge shift in business tenancy is expected as the region experiences something it has not seen before: an office-tower building boom much of which is speculative construction rather than for specific committed tenants.

“This is kind of uncharted territory for Vancouver,” said Mehdi Shokri, a principal with the capital markets team at Avison Young.

“But I don’t see a big disaster occurring.”

The Credit Suisse tower is only the most visible and furthest along of a second wave of new office towers planned for Vancouver and some key suburbs. A first cluster of towers – some two million square feet – was built downtown in the past three years.

Another 11 office developments are proposed within blocks of Credit Suisse’s Exchange tower at Howe and West Pender streets, even while the office-vacancy rate in the region continues to inch up as a result of the first wave of building.

But commercial brokers say the city is not about to be populated by ghost towers.

Mr. Shokri and others say they expect many of the new towers to start signing tenant leases as they get closer to completion. That is partly because companies in Vancouver, which do want to be in new, energy-efficient buildings, tend to operate on short timelines.

As well, he said, prices in the new buildings will likely come 4 i Saturday, July 25, 2015down in the

next two years due to competition.

The landlords who will likely suffer as a result of the current boom are owners of older buildings, Mr. Shokri said. As well, new developments in the suburbs, which have already experienced higher vacancy rates in recent years, may have trouble as they compete with each other.

In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Cred-

he says. “It’s their shared community. And I think what we see [in Pilot’s case] is a breakdown of that shared spirit.”

The online Condo Information Centre, run by Ontario condo advocate Anne-Marie Ambert, has received over 5,000 letters since its creation five years ago.

Ambert tracks the nature of complaints, and says one-third of condo owners write that they have been intimidated, bullied, discriminated against or threatened by boards/managers when they make justifiable complaints.

In 2000, condos accounted for 18 per cent of all housing starts, but that number has now almost doubled to 33 per cent.

According to the most recent numbers from Statistics Canada, there were 1.6 million condos in Canada in 2011, accounting for 34 per cent of all housing.

Across the country, provinces are grappling with battles between condo residents and their boards.

Ontario is about to introduce changes to its Condominium Act, which hasn’t been updated since 2001, long before the province’s condo boom.

The centrepiece of the new legislation is the creation of a dispute resolution tribunal — a lower cost option to court — to deal with the rising number of disagreements between boards and owners.

Stratas says the changes will protect condo owners from the precarious position Jayne Pilot was put in, when her board took her to court. If it wasn’t for a “sensible judge” insisting on the rules being followed, he says, she might have faced steep legal costs.

Many condo advocates say B.C. is at the forefront of handling condo issues, after creating Canada’s first online tribunal, the Civil Resolution Tribunal, six months ago.

Complainants can find free online template letters to send to condo boards or neighbours to try to resolve a dispute, without filing a claim.

If they do file a claim, a mediator is assigned to work with both parties to reach a settlement, at a maximum cost of about $300.

If no agreement can be reached, the mediator can make a ruling, which is enforceable as a court order.

Tony Gioventu, executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association of BC, says his office receives hundreds of calls a day about struggles between condo boards and owners.

“Targeting individuals ... who oppose what the [condo board] is doing, is probably the most common tactic that people in residential communities use,” says Gioventu.

“If they have any kind of opposition whatsoever ... you’ll find that the condo board will isolate that individual, demonize that individual, make up all kinds of stories around alleged bylaw violations.”

“It creates a level playing field,” says Gioventu. “And to have a condo dispute resolution opportunity that is part of a justice system is unique in the world.”

it Suisse tow start to fill a Franz G Group wh stock-excha nering with the main gr ver office sp sector. Tho

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Saturday, April 2, 2016

i 5

Saturday, February 25, 2017 -

Saturday - April 2, 2016

- Tel: 604-591-5423 -

Real Estate

15

The ‘trapped wealth’ of Toronto’s unrelenting housing boom

E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com

couver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building boom

edit Suisse/ he heart of er will be , but so far, to move in. or a 10th of ng a state of n office skyhuge shift in s the region not seen beboom much uction rathted tenants. tory for Vanrincipal with vison Young. r occurring.” nly the most second wave for Vancoufirst cluster square feet – three years. pments are Credit Sue and West he office-vanues to inch of building. y the city is host towers.

Mr. Shokri and others say they expect many of the new towers to start signing tenant leases as they get closer to completion. That is partly because companies in Vancouver, which do want to be in new, energy-efficient buildings, tend to operate on short timelines.

As well, he said, prices in the new buildings will likely come 4 i Saturday, July 25, 2015down in the

next two years due to competition.

The landlords who will likely suffer as a result of the current boom are owners of older buildings, Mr. Shokri said. As well, new developments in the suburbs, which have already experienced higher vacancy rates in recent years, may have trouble as they compete with each other.

In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Cred-

it Suisse tower is optimistic his building will start to fill as the completion date gets closer.

Franz Gehriger, the CEO of SwissReal Group who bought the original historic stock-exchange building in 2002 before partnering with Credit Suisse to develop it, said the main group interested in leasing Vancouver office space these days is the technology sector. Those companies make their deci-

Toronto’s housing boom is unrelenting.

Prices in Canada’s largest city surged more than 20 per cent over the past year, the fastest pace in three decades, data released last week show. Some of the city’s neighbouring towns are posting even bigger gains.

It’s become a matter of considerable alarm. Stability is one concern: if the market tumbles, so will Canada’s economy. Pricier real estate also drives away less-affluent, younger people and boosts the cost of doing business, eroding competitiveness.

“I don’t think anybody is cheering,” said Doug Porter, the Toronto-based chief economist of Bank of Montreal, who used the dreaded “bubble” word last week to describe the market. “I don’t see who benefits other than real estate agents. It’s trapped wealth.”

So, what’s driving the boom? The housing industry — builders and brokers — claim lack of supply is the main culprit. Others, Porter included, see demand as the problem.

Lately, evidence is mounting that speculation is behind the jump.

Builders say they are being held back by everything from regulations to prohibitive taxes and land restrictions. Ontario’s greenbelt region around Toronto is one example.

This is no doubt true for one segment of the market: single-detached homes. Just over one-quarter of the 176,000 homes built in Toronto over the past five years were single-detached. That’s well down from the 1990s, when they accounted for almost half of all construction.

Supply constraints don’t explain the price gains for condominiums, which have seen a flood of new completions. The average sale

price of a condo is up 15 per cent year-overyear. That’s after builders completed more than 54,000 apartment units over the past two years, easily a record supply for Toronto.

Canada’s recent census results, released this month, also provide some evidence against the shortage argument. Occupied private dwellings have risen by 7.2 per cent in Toronto over the past five years, faster than population growth.

The census, however, doesn’t say what type of homes are being built. Plus, there is also the recent puzzle of disappearing listings.

New listings in Toronto fell 17 per cent in January from a month earlier, the biggest one-month decline since 2002. Sales as a share of new listings rose above 90 per cent, smashing the record.

Is this a sign of a bubble? Are sellers holding off putting their homes on the market to see where prices settle? Has supply become so tight that potential sellers are pulling out of the market altogether since they have nowhere to move to?

“The market is thinning out basically, you know what that means,” said David Madani, an economist at Capital Economics in Toronto, said in a telephone interview.

So, if home sellers are not driving demand, is it first-time home buyers?

It’s tough to argue yes. The federal government has been tightening mortgage rules for a decade, and took some significant steps in October. But the moves — which particularly hit first-time buyers — have done little to curtail the recent run-up.

Economist says it’s 1980s all over again in the Toronto market. Remember how that ended?

“If it’s not sellers, if it’s not first-time buyers, then who is buying?” said Robert Hogue, an economist at Royal Bank of Canada. “We can’t say for sure, but by deduction it’s got to be probably investors are buying quite a bit.”

If speculators are the cause of Toronto’s stratospheric home-price gains, it makes it difficult for the federal government to

change 5 years fixed rate to 3.29% (30 days quick close, Hi ratio only

intervene, since its primary tool is mortgage insurance rules that don’t apply as much to investors.

One possibility may be to clamp down on the country’s unregulated private mortgage industry — so-called shadow banking.

There may also be other avenues, such as curbing foreign investment. But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government hasn’t shown much interest in such a move, partly

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because it would affect the national market, not just Toronto.

In fact, the only place where government steps to rein in prices seems to have worked has been in British Columbia, which introduced a 15 per cent tax on foreign buyers in August. Vancouver home prices are down 3.7 per cent over the past

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005 3 Year Fixed

2.69%

less than 20% down)

5 years fixed @ 2.64% 2 years fixed @ 2.24% 3 years fixed @ 2.49%

ought

Fixed Rate

5 years @ 2.59% 2 years @ 2.04%

Variable Rate 5 Year @ 2.00% (Prime-0.70)

• First, 2nd & 3rd Mortgages • Borrow against Partial share • Refinance up to 95% value, Consolidate Debts & keep existing low rate 1st mortgage.

• Construction Mortgage in 1st or 2nd position • Renewals • Private Mortgages

six months. Still, that’s a paltry retreat in a market that long ago ceased to be affordable for most Canadians.

The British Columbia experience shows that while stability of the market may be an achievable goal, affordability is a more daunting challenge.

“If policy success is measured by affordability, not sure we’re quite there yet,” Hogue said.

Saturda

16

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Garry Grewal

Vol. 6 No. 31

T

DIAMOND AWARD

Sutton Group - West Coast Realty

CLUB MEMBERAWARDS WINNERCOMMERCIAL OF FVREB’sMEDALLION TOP ACHIEVEMENT - Highest Dollar Volume Award - Commercial Top Sales Award

PLATINUM AWARD

COMMERCIAL MEDALLION CLUB MEMBER

FOR SALE

- Highest Dollar Volume Award

FOR LEASE

- Commercial Top Sales Award

FOR SALE

14.827 CRES A HOME OR ALE FS 1 BED AND 2 BED CONDO

Spectacular! Estate home on 14.827 Acres of high yield blueberry farm. Luxury NEW regal unfolds with the stunning front foyer, dual staircases, and elevated catwalk.

LIS The TIN& walk great room is situated next to a gourmet chef kitchen w/ separate wok kitchen G Beautiful 800 sq.ft 1 bedroom apartment in media a highly desirable and room, beautifully in pantry. A room, yoga/ area exercise 8 bedrooms & multiple entertaining round outand thisdoor spectacular out upon south views of Mt. Baker or the maintained complex! Great floor rooms plan with patio off livinghome. roomGaze overlooking north views of the North Shore Mountains from outdoor patios situated both upstairs stunning courtyard, ponds and waterfall.

LargeThis openiskitchen with great Radiant in and down. true luxury at itsstorage. best! The farm features healthy mature blueberry Duke, and Reca fee. ensuring crops throughout the season. Fully floor h/w heating and gas fireplacevarieties are included in Elliott, the maintenance In-suitesteady laundry, automated irrigation. Too much to list! Book a showing today! Asking $4,999,900

FOR LEASE PREMIUM OFFICE ACE SP HOTEL WITH 32 ROOMS FOR SALE FOR ALE S Picturesque location in the heart of beautiful British

A

MILLION

- Tel: 604-591-5423 -

2011, 2012 2006-2007 2011, 2012

E-mail: ads@the

PREC PREC

next two years due to competition.

The landlords who will likely suffer as a result of the current boom are owners of older buildings, Mr. Shokri said. As well, new developments in the suburbs, which have already experienced higher vacancy rates in recent years, may have trouble as they compete with each other.

In Vancouver, the co-developer of the Cred-

it Suisse tow start to fill a Franz G Group wh stock-excha nering with the main gr ver office sp sector. Tho

MASTER AWARD

2010

2010

2013-2014 FOR SALE

FOR 4020SALE 272 T, S/ LEASE LANGLEY OFFICE FOR LEASE IN PAYAL BUSINESS CENTRE

N LIS EW TIN G

Office for lease: Located in the heart of Surrey in Payal Business Centre , this office is professionally designed. 5 offices, reception area, separate lunch room and full washroom. 1200 Sq ft. $2000 per month + GST

8318 oadof R eringconsists is ofmedical off and Columbia;cott this Streasure a business 32 rooms other ofessionals pr opportunity o t with the potential to expand up toan50 rooms. Its also includes purchase emium pr of�ice space ey, in Sur a 110 seat pub, fully licensed resaturant and a Liquor store BC. o Set beed t y allcomplet b f 2016, this his and hers closet. PLUS 2 underground secured parking stalls with loads of visitor parking. with lot size close to 45,000ifsqft.

PNP or run yourart Storage locker on main floor for added convenience. Close to shopping, schools, restaurants state eelIdeal for BC the and ete concr st own business and and easy access to Hwy 99, 91 and Hwy 10. Asking $250,000 building willachieve er your offentrepreneurial ae etaildreams! mixtur of and r A very rare opportunity to own a beautiful Parisian feel Salon/Café in Contact for morespace details.

Askingt $2,599,000 of�ice o ofessionals pr lookingor f a Historic Abbotsford.

Wellspace established, with overlooking a loyal client this Spacious 2 bedroom and 2 bath condo with over 1300 sq. ft.establishment of living with a beautiful viewfollowing of the inside home or ftheir business. Space beautiful ers offy all brunch,da ea.

Lunch long erm and t Afternoon T courtyard and pond! Well maintained property with laminate floors, crown moulding and neutral paint.

This open floor In addition, this beautiful café offers so much more! Reservations for is ed. limit oday Callor et f &mor details.

LADIES APPAREL BOUTIQUE FOR SALE

ONE IN

2006-2007 2004-2005 2008-2009 2004-2005 2013-2014 2008-2009

#106 Group 7565 132 St.,Coast Surrey.

BC. Sutton - West Realty PH:604-572-3005 FAX: 778-574-4174 #106 7565 132 St., Surrey. BC. PH:604-572-3005 FAX: 778-574-4174

Saturday - April 2, 2016

he $240-million Credit Suisse/ Mr. Shokri and others say they expect SwissReal tower in the heart of many of the new towers to start signing tenant downtown Vancouver will be leases as they get closer to completion. That completed in less than a year, but so far, is partly because companies in Vancouver, only one tenant has signed up to move in. which do want to be in new, energy-efficient The tenant has committed for a 10th of buildings, tend to operate on short timelines. the 370,000 square feet – leaving a state of As well, he said, prices in the new emptiness that is unusual for an office sky- buildings will likely come 4 i Saturday, July 25, 2015down in the scraper in this city. Even so, a huge shift in business tenancy is expected as the region experiences something it has not seen before: an office-tower building boom much of which is speculative construction rather than for specific committed tenants.

“This is kind of uncharted territory for Vancouver,” said Mehdi Shokri, a principal with the capital markets team at Avison Young.

“But I don’t see a big disaster occurring.”

The Credit Suisse tower is only the most visible and furthest along of a MASTER second wave PLATINUM of new office towers planned for VancouAWARD AWARD ver and some key suburbs. A first cluster of towers – some two million square feet – was built downtown in the past three years.

Another 11 office developments are proposed within blocks of Credit Suisse’s Exchange tower at Howe and West Pender streets, even while the office-vacancy rate in the region continues to inch up as a result of the first wave of building.

But commercial brokers say the city is not about to be populated by ghost towers.

DIAMOND AWARD

WINNER OF FVREB’s TOP ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

-

Vancouver’s skyline to rise amid an office-tower building

BUSINESS OR ALE S F

ATTENTION TRUCKERS!

PITA PIT FRANCHISE

Magni�icent luxury estate situate don 8.5 acres with over 8100 sq. ft of living space. Home includes 6 bdrms, 8 washrooms, a separate guest house and fruit 5 acres Pita has blueberry plants as well. This Wellstand. established Pit stunning home possesses every luxury possible with high ceilings, crown molding, stainless steel Franchise in rapid growing appliances,Granite counter tops, open �loor plan, large gym room, grand patio, sundecks, built in vacuum, top of the line security system, separate wok kitchen and much more! gorgeous home is situated in the Brentwood area ofThis Burnaby! middle of serene farmland yet only two minutes away from Aldergrove Town centre and with quick access R are oppor tunit y to to Hwy #1. The second house is rented as well as fruit stall.Rare opportunity to advantage of this stunning purchase a well established home! Call today for a personal viewing.

Attention Truckers! Permitted use for Transportation Industry and more. IL zoned The perfect turn key operation for those with a flair for fashion and wanting to run their own business!

Located in the uptownOR DistrictFofALE New West busyGINA commercialRE area.Take advantage ACREAGE S in theIN ASKATCHEWAN - of 3 businesses S in land available. Two side by side lots that are one: 1. One year established Ladies Apparel & accessories Boutique 2. Complete professional alteration to be sold together. House is since franchise surrounded by highrises, residences, new established with love and a business owners delight don't miss this ATGRE INVES TMENT ORTUNITY! OPP in the same premises but segregated from the boutique. 3. Full website with two demolished. Commercial Land only. Please developments, commercial businesses and more. This opportunity!

Please oach do staff, not ealtor contact orappry f business listing an with full workshop r location does school hot lunches and a large amount of info required. es, and acr el Hot velopment and PRIME OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASEAsking $75,000 INDIAN RESTAURANT FOR SALE online stores, social media presence and first page SEO4for alterations five star reviews.

Owner selling duede contact for more details. Asking $649,000 catering ordering as well! Do not approach staff please site vailable a to the in next level withthe egina, of R this turn key business your ideas! City Prime office space on street level available for lease. Excellent location prime area Indian cuisine to health issues this is the perfect opportunity to take contact listing realtor for more details. Asking $209,000 each. not Saskatchewan.

Prime location, Price is excluding inventory. Please contact for more details on this unique business. Asking $109,900 Perfect for a variety of usessteel including daycare, and take Lowf lease high traffic Established custom abrication and dine in business. aluminum eatout.Gr opportunity our area to own run y to be missed! or e Contact mor f martial arts Church use. with welding business withorservices that Central include:location aluminum custom and stock trailers, NEW LEASING OPPORTUNITY Contractand forrepair, more details.

Asking $109,000 details.

GROCERY STORE FOR SALE IN DOWNTOWN AREA mobile welding service, crane fabrication, fabrication of residential gates, security bars and much The Mann Corporate Centre is comprised of 23,000 square feet of 'A' Class office/retail space great exposure to Scott Rd. Contact for more details. more! Mon– Fri operation closed on weekends. Please contact me for more details on this hard to MORE 1000 Oa custom open floor 12,000 . forTyour preference.

AIL S.F The & RET ACEOFFICE SP Ideal business opportunity well established Grocery and convenience store in busy downtown over three floors.

A brand new facility with plan come by opportunity! Asking $149,000 FOR flexibility ALEandSallowsASE & LE designed to provide maximum for area. Excellent sales and profit. Full service store including UPS, cigarettes, world wide money Mann Corporate centre has beenAVAILABLE PRIME OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE many types of professional users who are seeking a high quality facility with great exposure.

For sale Prime 1489 Sq ft office space for sale in busy retail/office complex in Surrey. transfers withDream Western union, slushies, Pizza or alehot dogs, FS fruits, vegetables, halal meats, atm, general Highlights include: State of the art facility with modern finishes, Underground secured Ideal for a variety office types.

Visible from business 152 and centrally Established IndianofSweets and Restaurant locatedlocated. in high Asking traf�ic area of Scott Rd, Surrey.

Perfect opportunity o andour own t excellent y lease bossterms surrounded by tons of parking provided. Free on site surface parking, more than 3 parking stalls per 1000 Sq ft. 24/7 groceries,vcleaning supplies more.be Low rent, Wide ariety egetarian v v menu eets. with xpanded Can sw tobe egetarian add e dishes non to the $350,000 with ell this and established w Pizza & turn key Indian 13737 96 ve, Central location entre A with City HD recording privilege. easy access to allCmajor routes. menu. Catering services provided regular clientele. Seating for 50. Complete turn key restaurant residential buildings commercial businesses.

Perfect opportunity grab this security with Cuisine in y. unning Langle R successfull y or f FOB access and intercom. Please contact listing realtor for details on remaining space, square footage and pricing details. great business opportunity! Asking $129,000 #705 $465,000, #706 $335,000 PHARMASAVE FRANCHISE money making business it is gone! Contact details. Asking $189,900 the veLast ears before y�ixcellent with yedailfor more sales.

Special occasions and even Private plan includes a large living room with gasShowers, f/p which Birthdays, open up ton Anniversaries, the spacious eating area. Extra large kitchen with lots of Wedding ceremonies. Wait...there's more! This beautiful treasure of a cabinets and counter space. Large laundrybusiness room, inoffers floor radiant heat,select extra shelving closets, 2 parking stallslinens, and storage gorgeous apparel,infurnishings, jewelry, gifts, locker. Great location with easy access tovintage shopping,treasures transit & Highway 91 & 99.

PleaseA call listing realtor for more info. and home décor. beautiful, breathtaking turnkey operation this is a chance to own a niche business created and Asking $329,900

PAYAL BUSINESS CENTRE - 82 Ave & 128 St

CUSTOM TEELS &ABRICATION F BUSINESSOR ALEFS BUSINESS OR F SALE

PIZZA

&

INDIAN

Asset Sale- DBA "Pharmasave" well established franchise operating since June 2012. Increasing annual script count of approx 12,000/annum. Approx 2400 sq ft of ground floor space leased space w/5 year, 5yr, 5 yr lease + 1 st right refusal to tenant option to purchase the building. Open six days/week (6) doctor offices, High end Fantastic opportunity to run your own Pizza & Indian Cuisine Kroll software, and Oscarfood, CRM software use. Lease area of 2,400 sq.ft.

Customized improvements. business!

Excellent rated in4.5/5 by customers open 7 daystenancy a Business is runbusy professionally by atake Healthout Carewith Groupavailability Company- enormous expansionifpotential! Owner will week, very location for seating desired.

Tons of tourists central to major sites in Hope provide training.

Contact me foryear moreround, details. Asking $899,000

BUSINESS OR F SALE

N LIS EW TIN G

CUISINE

and integral area near grocery stores, city hall, local police station, motels and cinema. Well established, great sales and a complete turn key operation that will not last long! Asking $199,000

UNITS OR F SALE &

BUSINESS PIZZA & CURRY RESTAURANT FOR SALE

Close o ys t Da Inn, estern The & Best W Westward Inn o also eyhound the closeGr t station, taxi op st bus y stand and man Establishednear & turny. keycellent restaurant Prime apartments bPizza &ExCurry location & ey for sale. ation. turn oper location Thisk and is opportunity o not be Asking t missed! $139,900 complete turn key operation. Full kitchen in place and complete take out and

COLLECTION / CREDIT COMPANY FOR SALE- ONE IN A MILLION OPPORTUNITY! delivery service.Reasonable parking for space. Onlinesale ordering, Hair lease alonand S ample Business 23 years Established Credit Company for sale. Retail and Commercial collections, Located on media , Hwy verdale F Cloea,all ell arin place w for established business, y your o full website, raser social presence you! Make maintain, higher monthl y evenue. Asking r $69,900 CONVENIENCE & MINI MAR T entrepreneurial Judgments, Tenancy Order Collection, loansTORE andSoutstanding invoices.Take dreams come true.

Contact for more details.

Asking $109,000 Don't miss this to run yourbusiness own buyopportunity.

ConvenienceAsking store/Mini advantage of chance this unique niche $229,000

mart! This well established business is well or-ganized, excellent set up, with all your essential sundries for sale as well as lottery AND the licensing to sell Pizza at this location! Busy area near parks, schools, residences it is the perfect small business! Ample of Well known and established Lighthouse Franchise on King George & 80th in Surrey. Take out opportunity to add your ideas to an already turn key operation! establishment andgreat Partysmall Orders are also handled.

The website for all franchise locations is www.lighthouse.menu and they are on Facebook Don't miss this business prospect!

Asking $149,000

BUSINESS FOR SALE

LIGHTHOUSE

INDIAN

CUISINE

as well. This business has been established in 2009 and has been run by the same owner since this time. As it is a take out and delivery.

Establishment there is not a liquor license at this location. Asking $549,000

SIGNAGE & PRINTING BUSINESS FOR SALE

8321

CAFÉ FOR SALE

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Asking in

businesses

uses.

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ATTENTION FOREIGN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS!!!

2 BABY ULTRASOUNDUNITS FRANCHISES FOR SALE! OR ALE F S

$349,000

(15299 VE)

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INVESTOR Of�ic NEWNG I LIST

Don't miss this rare opportunity to own your own busy Lighthouse Indian Cuisine Franchise! Prime location in Brickyard Station Plaza this fantastic business has Take out and dine in, beautiful décor, quality kitchen, Full Liquor license and full Indian Cuisine 95Menu.

AveComplete & 152 940 sqft. is available for franchise. Contact me today for further turnSt., key operation enablesof�ice you to bespace your own boss with this established lease 2nd �loor including 3 small of�ices, meeting room info. on Asking $389,000 and reception. Also available 9400 sqft. space for lease.

LOTS OF EXPOSURE.

UNIT FOR SALE

In Mughal Garden plaza 2 units available, approx 4875 sqft.Already leased to long term tenants, to be sold together. Asking $1.25 million

a

Contact for more info on this opportunity. Asking Only $69,000

17358

104A VE

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RES TAURANT OR F ALE S

SURREY VERAS BURGER FRANCHISE FOR SALE

building

to be your own boss! Contact listing realtor for more details. Price : $339,000

J.J AINI S

PLAZA

VERAS BURGER FRANCHISE

8077 eas t KING GEORGE BLVD. The perfect retail

corner unit in busy plaza move in ready. Approx 1200 sq ft perfect for fast food, of�ice or retail Looking close for the perfect franchise well look no more! Established and award space. Easy access to highway, to all winning Vera's in busy Meadow Town Center with major anchors like amenities on Busy King George Hwy.Burgers Great Opportunity contact me today. Superstore, Cineplex Odeon, and many major Financial Institutions and major

retailers. Fully turn key operation with extra large patio, good lease, low franchise fees and beer licence. Current absentee owner this business is a great opportunity to be your own boss and take it to the next level! Asking $229,900

AUTO

BOD Y SHOPOR FSALE

Established auto y or bod shop our sale f own y! be boss y toda L NE IST W Well established ell anduto equipped e w Car A Center which IN G offers complete car &epair. truck inspection, service The ect perf opportunity our to own run businessy with a well ecognized r and established ve . automoti center Contact realtor or ef mor Askingdetails. $139,000

AUTO /TRANSMISSION/CAR REPAIR IN LOWER MAINLAND

Over 37 year well established Auto repair / Transmission Repair / car repair in

NEW G IN LIST

OFFICE ACE SP Large OR shop, ASE F3 Bays, LEample storage space available. the Lower Mainland.

8927

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growing area makes this an ideal location for your office. Contact listing realtor NEWNG I LIST

Station, restaurant and Public Transit. This space has 2 offices inside and lunch room as well as washroom. Perfect for Accountants, Notary, Great opportunity to get into a Franchised and or other consulting or Lawyer. The space can also be Immigration Located in a busy commercial plaza in the NE ED easy to operate CandyL business!

This established IST W DUCuses as well. 1260 Sq. ft. converted INGPark Shopping heart of Surrey. Lots of traf�ic and close to franchise is located in Ocean Centerfor various REretail

NEW FRANCHISE

OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE

J.J SAINI PLAZA

BEAUTIFUL TURN KEY A SPALON / OR FSALES

Investment Opportunity in Hope.

7200 Sq. ft large Lot Fully near major anchor Safeway. This rapidly growing franchise currently has 22 locations within BC and Located in the heart in Payal Business Centre, this office is professionally designed. 5 offices, renovated home closeof Surrey to the Alberta. With unique product Imported from the US and UK this franchise is completely turn –key Downtown core.area, 2 separate bed, 2lunch bath reception room and full washroom. 1200 Sq ft Gross lease +gst. This easy to run and $20.00/sq full trainingftprovided. business is perfect for a couple and for those 850 sq.ft home to use as a rental Established auto body shop for sale be your own boss today! wanting to try their hand at being an entrepreneur.

Asking $79,900 property. Asking $349,000 Well established and well equipped Auto Care Center which offers complete car &

OFFICE SPACE FOR SALE QUIZNOS FRANCHISE FOR SALE

Excellent opportunity to own your own franchise! Well established and recognized

Established Indian Sweets and Restaurant business located in high Quiznos Subs in Port Coquitlam will enable you to achieve your entrepreneurial traffic area of Scott Rd, Surrey. Wide variety vegetarian menu with dreams! Busy plaza with Earls, Safeway, Scotiabank, McDonalds, Bosley Pet Valu and much more! Residences and commercial businesses all around sweets. Can be expanded to add non vegetarian dishes to the menu. makes this an ideal location. Owners have run it for several years Catering services provided regular clientele. Seating for 50. Complete and are now ready to retire. Contact me for more details regarding turn key restaurant great business opportunity! Asking $129,000 this business opportunity. Asking $119,000

and

sqft

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UNIT OR FASE LE ON T 72 & 132 Available for lease. Opp JR Furniture. Good mix of warehouse and of�ice space. Centrally can be run from home or elsewhere. The exclusive Franchise territory for Maple Ridge, Pitt plaza Banquet in Halls, Surr DONAIR BUSINESS located in light industrial zoning.

APARTMENT Meadows and Mission is for sale. Fantastic recession proof business that enable children Of�ice for eat vestment sale! In Gr from 3-13+ learn and build withALE Lego bricks.

FOR S Teach the fundamentals of S.T.E.M. (science, FOR ALE S #1 1016 Sq cellent xposure, Ft e 12,000 op S.F. ExRETAIL t �loor of�ice y space Khalsa within the MORE 1000 TO & OFFICE SPACE technology, engineering & mathematics).

This unique business offers in School Workshops, Amazing opportunity to be your own boss! ,6960ey Surr 120 St Cent er x. comple ull ea F ar eddesignat or oom f classr space and addition Established After Schoolving EnrichmentliClasses, Week long Summer camps, Birthday Parties, preDonair School food outlet in prime busy Business AVAILABLE FOR SALE & LEASE Perfect space with of�ice space. ake vantage T ad ons of ofxposure t om visual fr . 128th e af�ic High st tr area in Langley.

Already steady clientele from Classes and the Kidz Night1000 out programs.

Realtor for128 more info2 on this cornerPlease of listing ft and 84.

CD zoning allows v over sq contact gr in opportunity . $325,000.00 the ous numer businesses ounding, surr tons complexof eat vestment unique opportunity. Asking $79,000 bedroom with den 2traf�ic and lots of opportunity to expand the #2. 1920 sq ft of second vate �loor of�ices, droom,of�iceboar space. bath corned unit in business further. Low lease, and great area reception ea,ar chenette. kit cellent Ex xposure, e op t �loor of�ice y space wit Harleen dens.

Gar make this the perfect turn key operation to own Khalsa Business er Cent x. comple ake vantage T ad ons of of xposure t visual fr e om 8077 KING GEORGE BLVD. Great unit available for lease facing King Asking location. centr busy $289,900 Surr your own business today!

Asking $99,000 The perfect second floor office space for lease Within busy Triton Centre. Busy and 128th af�ic xcomple eat tr tovestment gr inGas opportunity . $550,000 George Blvd.. Greatstvisual and High retail exposure.

Close shopping,

forORTUNITY more details. 1985 Sq.ft.

OPP

Approx. 3100 SF of office space available for sale in the busiest plaza in Surrey. Close to Banquet Halls, retailshops & offices. Asking $749,000

BUSINESS FOR SALE

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CENTRE oom/of�ice showr r Center

2590 sqft . etail R ande CUISINE space for LIGHTHOUSE sale INDIAN Asking $649,000

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LEARNING CENTRE FOR SALE

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ITALIAN

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Unique and established opportunity to make your entrepreneurial dream come true! This beautiful Café in the heart of White OFFICE Rock is a small business owners ACE SP OR ALE F S dream!

Tastefully decorated 3100 excellent breakfast and lunch fmenu ofandsalerarely Approx. vailableSFor of�ice in ey. found…Liquor license as well! Outdoor seating back and front of premises, retailshops & Asking tons ofof�ices. $749,000 parking and many, many more high rises coming in the area currently make this a business owners dream come true.UNIT Turn keyORbusiness you! BUSINESS ALE Fready T and S waiting AA forKHALS Confidentiality agreement to be signed beforeopportunity! viewing the Take vantage ad will eat of have vestment in this gr business. ound Ideal etail/�loor Gr high $149,900 ceilings eys in busy Surr Khalsa Business Asking

OPPOR

Large loading door at the back of the unit. name with two locations in Whistler and one in Squamish this turn key operation will enable you to develop your passion into a profitable career. With excellent Fully carpeted office space lots windows support from the founders, this BC based company is looking for individuals who allowing plenty of light, security alarm believe in health and are community driven and are wanting to utilize that to let Entrepreneurial juices Contact cuisine for more details on the Green Moustache Atheir treasure gem offlow!

Italian tucked away and 2 bathrooms. Contact for NEmore W info. term in tenants, to be sold Franchise and joining the Green Moustache family on W.4th!

Asking $99,000 Hope! Open for lunch and dinner this quaint LISTING restaurant serves traditional Italian classics in a fantastic atmosphere and ambiance. Perfect casual dining for locals as well as tourist traf�ic.

Attention centers,ready Early Childhood related businesses, Teachers and others with Educational backgrounds that Turn keylearning operation for youEducation to implement plaza. enjoy dreams working with Your dream to own your business has arrived. Reputable and your as children! a restaurant owner!

Asking $219,000 established Bricks 4Kidz Franchise has over 320 franchises worldwide! This unique business

TOWING COMPANYOR FORFSALES UNIT ALE

Established and reputable towing company that serves clients throughout In den Mughal plaza Gar 2 theavailable, Lower Mainland. to run your ownsqft turn key business to oxIdeal opportunity appr .Already 4875 leased AskingAsking $279,900 $1.25 million in a niche market. Contacttogether. for more details.

FRANCHISE TUNITY

PIZZA BUSINESS FORDSALE SOL LD

GREEN MOUSTACHE FRANCHISE FOR UNIT AT 83tAVE & 130 ST Fully �inished y sideata sideSALE b orunits str otalFORaLEASE f Are you passionate healthy lifestyle? you ready to takesqft of ox.about appr 5540 . Arevailable A or f sale. o unit in anClose t Ample Corner excellent location. your passion and belief in healthy organic foods and juices to the Port K and joinIndustrial y Eas o access t and in the warehouse. next level??ells Look no further The Greenea.

Moustache ar Family space bothboth office with their latest franchise locationaci�ic on 1 W. 4th in Vancouver.

Already eady an established ossing.

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Don't miss this rare opportunity to own your own busy Lighthouse Indian Cuisine Franchise! Prime location in Brickyard Station Plaza this fantastic business has Take out and dine in, beautiful décor, quality Great opportunity to run your own signage and printing business! This established turn key operation offers all kitchen, Full Liquor license and full Indian Cuisine Menu. Complete varieties banners and signs, vehicle wraps, lettering LED Channel & 3D letters and awning turn keyof operation enables you window to be graphics your &own boss with this canopies and window graphics.

Establishedme for five years,for low lease, built upinfo. clientele make this a great business established franchise.

Contact today further Asking opportunity! Contact me for more details. Asking $99,000 $389,000

RETAIL

GREAT

Great ranchise F opportunity ed! yjust Bus list Coquitlam Cent er Mall or location oss Chop N Be your own boss!

Established Pizza business for sale. Excellent location fin South Surrey withont tons to expand andlong! grow.

Only $69,000.00!

Franchise!

W of opportunity last Asking $158,800

LE ASE

ITALIAN RESTAURANT FOR SALE

A treasure gem of Italian cuisine tucked away in Hope! Open for lunch and dinner this quaint restaurant serves traditional Italian classics in a fantastic atmosphere and ambiance. Perfect casual dining for locals as well as tourist traffic. Turn key operation ready for you to implement your dreams as a restaurant owner! Asking $219,000

INVESTOR OPPORTUNITY

Investment Opportunity in Hope. 7200 Sq. ft large Lot Fully renovated home close to the Downtown core. 2 bed, 2 bath 850 sq.ft home to use as a rental property. Asking $349,000

public transportation, restaurants, of�ice and retail shops. Established recently the spa and salon offers modern décor up to date equipment/furnishings. Excellent turn key operation. Asking R $60,000

AUTO BODY SHOP FOR SALE

truck inspection, service and repair. The perfect opportunity to run your own business with a well recognized and established automotive center. Contact realtor for more details. Asking $109,000

EDUCED29/07

Office for sale! Great Investment #1 1016 Sq Ft Excellent exposure, top floor office space within the busy Khalsa Business Center complex. Full area designated for classroom space and additional office space. Take advantage of tons of visual exposure from 128th st. High traffic complex great investment opportunity. $325,000 #2. 1920 sq ft of second floor office space. Includes 10 private offices, boardroom, reception area, kitchenette.

Excellent exposure, top floor office space within the busy Khalsa Business Center complex. Take advantage of tons of visual exposure from 128th st. High traffic complex great investment opportunity. $550,000

27/01