The Asian Star November 23 2019

www.theasianstar.com Vol 19 - Issue 43

Saturday, November 23, 2019

BC introduces Fuel Price Transparency Act to try to prevent gas gouging The B.C. government has introduced legislation that would force oil and gas companies to turn over supply and pricing data.

If passed, Bill 42 will allow the province to regularly collect and make public financial information about the market. “It’s time to pull back the curtain to get some answers for British Columbians on how the price of gasoline is set,” announced Trade Minister Bruce Ralston on Monday. “It sends a message to the oil and gas companies: The days of setting your prices in secrecy are coming to an end,” he said while tabling the Fuel Transparency Act at the B.C. Legislature.

Continued on page 7

Tel:604-591-5423

Thousands of international students cited in government report for breaking rules Canada issued Anass El Kamel a student visa to study at the Université de Moncton, but the Moroccan man never attended a single class or even lived in New Brunswick. Instead, when he arrived in Canada in 2017, he settled in Montreal and got a job with a parking company, claiming that illness prevented him from starting school.

Immigration officials discovered him and ordered him to leave Canada a year later for not “actively” studying as his visa required.

Continued on page 7

PICS Golden Glam-Ma Pageant 2019, a resounding success PICS Golden Glam-Ma Pageant 2019, organized

by Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS), in support of PICS Diversity Village, a complex care home to be built in Cloverdale was a resounding success. PICS Society was able to raise over $200,000 with over 500 attendees at Taj Park Convention Center in Surrey. The fundraiser beauty pageant consisted of three rounds. The guests of honour was Consul General of India, Abhilasha Joshi. In picture (from left) MLA Jagrup Brar, MLA Jinny Sims, Balraj Mann, Zeenat Aman (Bollywood star of yester years), Mrs Balraj Man, Abhilasha Joshi, Mayor Doug McCallum, MLA Harry Bains and Satbir Singh Cheema.

Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia shares stories of racism & resilience If you didn’t know Nav Bhatia before the Toronto Raptors’ NBA championship this year, you probably know him now. Bhatia has attended every home game in the team’s quarter-century in existence.

And apart from his own season tickets, he purchases thousands of tickets for Sikhs and others, in his effort to spread his message of inclusivityand his love of basketball. The entrepreneur and philanthropist spoke at Carleton University last week to mark National Philanthropy Day.

Anita Anand highlights powerful ministers in Trudeau’s cabinet environmentalist Steven Guilbeault is the other.

Anand takes on the role of minister of public services and procurement at a time when the government is finalizing the multi-billion

Here is a closer look at the new faces around the cabinet table: Anita Anand Anand is new to Canada’s Parliament, having just won a seat in the Toronto-area riding of Oakville on Oct. 21. Anand is one of just two rookie MPs being elevated from candidate to cabinet. Quebec

Continued on page 7

New Canadians resent illegal immigration, data reveals New Canadians have no time for illegal immigration according to a new comprehensive study conducted by Ipsos-Reid for the federal government. The annual report, commissioned by the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and uncovered by the investigative news outlet Blacklock’s

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Reporter, showed the clear frustration newcomers have watching others break Canada’s immigration laws. “Newcomers to Canada resent illegal immigrants for jumping what they view as an immigration queue,” states the Blacklock’s report. “There was an underlying sense of unfairness.”

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www.theasianstar.com Vol 18 - Issue 43

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Vegan man claims Burger King cooked Impossible Whopper alongside meat A man is suing Burger King because the meatless Impossible Whopper is cooked on the same grill as meat products, the lawsuit alleges.

The class action lawsuit, filed on Monday in the Southern District of Florida, claims that although the burger chain advertises its vegan option as meat-free, it is contaminated by meat by-product because it’s cooked on the same grill as meat products.

The suit accuses Burger King of false advertising and benefiting monetarily from offering a vegan option that is not in fact vegan. Burger King declined to comment to several media outlets.

CNN’s sister network HLN has reached out to Burger King for a response to the allegations in the lawsuit but has not yet heard back. Burger King’s website describes the Impossible Whopper as “100% Whopper, 0% Beef.” “For guests looking for a meat-free option, a non-broiler method of preparation is available upon request,” the site notes.

Phillip Williams, the plaintiff in the case, is a vegan who does not eat or

drink anything that uses animal byproducts. He purchased an Impossible Whopper at a location in Atlanta in August after seeing advertisements and paid “premium price” for the meatless option, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that if he had known the burger would be cooked in such a manner, he would have not purchased it. The Burger King that Williams visited did not have signage at the drive-thru indicating that the plantbased burger would be cooked on the same grill as meat, the suit says.

Williams “suffered monetary damages in the amount that he paid to purchase” the Impossible Whopper, according to the suit. The lawsuit indicates that several other consumers have made similar complaints online about the chain’s practice surrounding the sale of the Impossible Whopper. The Impossible Whopper has been deemed a huge success for Burger King, fueling its best quarter in four years, according to Restaurant Bands (QSR).

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OPINION

By Josef Filipowicz and Steven Globerman The Fraser Institute

When homeowners receive their annual property tax bill from city hall, they’re likely unaware that the shop down the street pays a higher property tax rate – probably much higher.

Josef Filipowicz For example, according to a new Fraser Institute study, in the Calgary area, the average commercial property tax rate was 1.8 times the average residential rate in 2018, the most recent year of comparable data. But in the City of Calgary itself, commercial property tax rates were three times higher than residential rates.

These numbers raise some basic questions: How do local and provincial governments decide how much to tax different property classes including residential, commercial and industrial? What’s the rationale for the difference in rates?

First, lets consider the user-pay principle where property tax rates reflect the benefits received by the people paying the tax.

But because property taxes pay for local services such as roads, sewers, schools, parks and police, it’s difficult to argue that a bookstore’s level of consumption of local services justifies

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Municipalities need to rethink tax model the bookstore owner paying three or four times more in property taxes than a nearby home of similar size and market value. Some may argue that large industrial properties place greater strain on local services such as roads, but in some communities, owners of such properties pay 10 to 20 times higher rates than their residential counterparts. Maybe city hall has the answers. But unfortunately, local and provincial governments are typically not interested in explaining the wide discrepancy between residential and non-residential property tax rates. The research, however, underscores the political incentives of politicians to favour homeowners (who are also voters) over groups that are less likely or unable to vote (business owners and, to a lesser extent, tenants). This dynamic can have serious consequences.

Nevertheless, we know one thing for sure – a tax without clear guiding principles erodes political accountability and trust in government. And businesses in competitive industries have limited capacity to absorb increases to their property tax burden. One option is to charge consumers higher prices for the goods and

services they provide. That means homeowners will indirectly help pay business property taxes by paying more for what they buy from local businesses. The other option is for the businesses to go out of business, which means residents will lose the convenience of buying from local businesses. Of course, the growth of online shopping might help mitigate the consequences of local businesses closing, but those businesses also provide jobs to local residents. And they also stop paying property taxes when they shut down. Let’s turn back to Calgary, where the consequences of unduly burdening businesses for property tax revenue are unfolding.

Josef Filipowicz and Steven Globerman are analysts at the Fraser Institute.

Fighting racism

Dear editor, Recent incidents of racism / hate crime have caused a genuine concern in our communities.

Richmond is no exception. In this context, I had an opportunity to attend two events/activities which appear to be very timely in addressing such issues. On Monday, November 18, a number of community activists and concerned citizens(under the banner of Stopping Racism Alliance) led by Richmond City Councillor Chak Au met with RCMP officer-in-charge Superintendent Will Ng and some of his senior officers to discuss ways and means of addressing the issues of racism /hate crime in our community. Recently formed Stop Racism Alliance is a group of interested citizens willing to work to-gether in tackling this issue. It was a very productive meeting. Superintendent Ng offered his full support to the Stop Racism Alliance.

This is a very positive development. Then, on Wednesday, November 20, my Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) Nanak Niwas on Richmond’s Highway to Heaven, along with various other faith communities, was invited to participate in Peace and To-getherness Interfaith Event organized by Gilmore Park United Church at Blundell and #1 Road .It had invited representatives of a number of faith groups to share the beauty of their faiths with each other and invited guests and the congregation. It was an excellent way to enhance mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s faith.

Balwant Sanghera

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Saturday, November 23, 2019 Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia shares stories of racism & resilience Here’s part of his conversation with CBC News, in which he discussed his life as an immigrant to Canada, his experiences with racism, and his recent comments in support of ousted Hockey Night in Canada host Don Cherry. Some remarks have been edited for length and clarity.

I immigrated to this beautiful country in 1984, and just like any other immigrant, you know, it took me some time to acclimatize. I went through my struggles. And by 1995, I settled down.

I had a home. I had a nice job. I was a general manager and partner in car dealerships — but I was a boring guy. So when the Raptors came ... I bought two tickets and [went to the] first game in November 1995. And you know, I just fell in love with the game. It’s the most diverse crowd in the NBA. I’m a mechanical engineer by education, but nobody wanted to hire an engineer with a turban and a beard. So I did odd jobs, you know, cleaning jobs, janitorial jobs, landscaping jobs.

But finally I got a job as a car salesman. This is in ‘84. I came to the dealership to work. I got people calling me names: Paki, towelhead. They called me the names, [but] I didn’t worry about it.

I just decided on that day, as a new immigrant,

From page 1 Anita

that I’m going to work. I have to be better than good if I want to survive in this country and thrive in this country. And I sold 127 cars in three months. It was a record then. And it is a record now. And here I am. And that incident you are mentioning in 1987 or ‘88 ... there were 10 white people working [there], and as I was introduced as the general manager, nine of the 10 people quit on us. They said they don’t want to work with a guy with a turban and beard, and only one guy decided to stay. He’s still with me.So, you know, I hit some speed bumps, I would say, in my life.

But I’ve been able to cover those speed bumps and go pretty good. You own several car dealerships.

You’re the very picture of the Canadian immigrant experience. And 30 years later you’re targeted with a racial insult on Twitter. How did you handle that situation? Somebody had tweeted out from Milwaukee, “That’s the guy who has underwear on his head.” You know, actually, everybody came to [my] support. Even coach [Steve] Kerr from Golden State, [Dallas Mavericks owner] Mark Cuban and all the other players in the league really supported me.

India’s state-run banks report fraud of more than $13 billion in 6 months India’s state-run banks reported fraud worth 958 billion rupees ($13.3 billion) from April to end-September of this year, the country’s finance minister said on Tuesday, as the government struggles to help banks recoup losses.

State banks reported 5,743 cases of fraud in the period, most of which had taken place over the last several years, although 1,000 cases worth 25 billion rupees had just taken place, Nirmala Sitharaman told the upper house of parliament.

“Government has taken comprehensive measures to curb the incidence of fraud in banks,” the minister said.

Measures included the freezing of 338,000

bank accounts of inoperative companies in the last two financial years and the enactment of a law with a provision to confiscate the property of those found to have committed fraud and who have fled the country.

State Bank of India reported fraud of 254 billion rupees followed by Punjab National Bank of 108 billion rupees and Bank of Baroda of 83 billion rupees, she said.

Bankers have blamed lax regulations and said some bank officials were working in league with fraudsters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a tough bankruptcy and insolvency law in 2016, and fugitive economic offenders law aiming to help banks recover losses

Anand highlights powerful ministers in Trudeau’s cabinet

purchase of new fighter jets. Anand, a native of rural Nova Scotia, has an impressive academic resume with degrees from some of the world’s most prestigious universities, notably Oxford in the United Kingdom.

She worked as a University of Toronto law professor and the J.R. Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance at the university before running for the Liberals.

Anand is known as an expert in shareholder rights. The former provincial Liberal government in Ontario appointed Anand to its expert committee on financial planning policy alternatives, which recommended regulatory reforms of the financial planning profession — such as proficiency requirements for practitioners — to protect consumers.

International students cited in government report for breaking rules

A federal court decision against El Kamel stated, “The program (education) he was about to complete in Canada was not of great concern to him. He simply wanted to quickly

implement a program so that he could then apply for permanent residency in Canada. “ El Kamel is obviously not the only

BC introduces Fuel Price Transparency Act Companies will be required to share information on refined fuel imports and exports, fuel volumes at refineries and terminals, as well as wholesale and retail prices. The province says there will be “safeguards” — like audits

and inspections — to ensure the information provided is complete, accurate and reported regularly. In a statement, the Canadian Fuels Association would only say it looks forward to reviewing the proposed legislation.

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P

M Trudeau gave Canadians the first glimpse of their new government Wednesday, announcing a larger 36-person cabinet that keeps most key economic ministers from the last Parliament in place.

Nonetheless, there are some important changes to the ministries that have the most impact on the country’s innovation economy. The Logic breaks down who the key players are, and the files to which they’ll be paying the most attention in the coming weeks and months.

Who’s up, who’s down and who’s new in Trudeau’s expanded cabinet The minister: Navdeep Bains, Innovation, Science and Industry: Three major items from Bains’s first stint in the role will continue to consume his attention, according to a senior source familiar with the

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The cabinet ministers who matter most to the innovation economy

government’s agenda: telecom pricing and affordability; rural internet access; and the digital charter and changes to the country’s privacy rules. During the federal election campaign, the Liberals promised to lower cellphone bills by 25 per cent by working with carriers and encouraging competition via the Canadian

Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s regulatory powers. In January 2020, Bains will also receive a final report from a government-appointed panel reviewing Canada’s broadcasting and telecommunications laws; affordability is one of the factors the group is supposed to consider, according to its terms of reference.

Navdeep Bains, minister of innovation, science and industry. The government announced a new Universal Broadband Fund in the 2019 federal budget, promising $1.7 billion over 13 years to hit a target internet speed of 50/10 Mbps across the country by 2030.

Who’s who in Trudeau’s 2019 cabinet Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced the members of Cabinet following the swearing-in ceremony. This team will work to deliver real, positive change for all Canadians.

The members of the Cabinet are: Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence. Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.

Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government.

Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. Carolyn Bennett remains Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement. MarieClaude Bibeau remains Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth.

François-Philippe Champagne Minister of Foreign Affairs. Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board. Mona Fortier, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance. Marc Garneau remains Minister of Transport.

Karina Gould , Minister of International Development. Steven Guilbeault becomes Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Patty Hajdu becomes Minister of Health.

Ahmed Hussen becomes Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages Bernadette Jordan becomes Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. David Lametti remains Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

Dominic LeBlanc becomes President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada. Diane Lebouthillier remains Minister of National Revenue Lawrence MacAulay remains Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National DefenceCatherine McKenna. Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Marco E. L. Mendicino , Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller becomes Minister of Indigenous Services. Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development. Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance. Mary Ng , Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Natural Resources. Pablo Rodriguez, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors.

Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour. Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

RCMP looking for Guildford groping suspect Groping is alleged to have happened on Sept.

15, in the 10300-block of 152nd Street.

Surrey Mounties are trying to identify a man accused of groping staff at a Guildford area business back in September. This is alleged to have happened on Sept. 15, in the 10300-block of 152nd Street. Police say they received a report that a South Asian man believed to be between the ages of 50 and 60, with a long beard and wearing an orange turban, “groped and kissed” a woman there. Constable Richard Wright said the suspect then allegedly “made

inappropriate comments towards her before leaving the business.

“These incidents can have a profound impact on the victims and their loved ones,” he said.

“Police are asking for help to identify this suspect to further the investigation and to bring a measure of closure to the victim.”

Police ask anyone who can identify the suspect to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Pedestrian killed in Cloverdale train collision A man has died after being hit by a train in Cloverdale on Wednesday.

Surrey RCMP responded to a collision between a train and a pedestrian near the intersection of 53rd Avenue and 184th Street around 7:20 p.m., according to a release issued by police. Officers say the investigation into the incident is in the early stages.

The area, on the Surrey-Langley border,

has been cleared and is once again open to traffic. A Canadian Pacific Railway spokesperson told Black Press Media via email Nov. 21 “a train made contact with a person on the tracks.” CP Police Service is investigating jointly with RCMP’s Surrey detachment.

Police are asking any witnesses to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Province urges British Columbians to prepare for winter storms As winter weather rolls into the region, the province is warning residents to prepare for slick road conditions, freezing temperatures and power outages. According to ICBC, the number of fatal crashes due to driving too fast for the conditions goes up each year, increasing by 87 per cent in December, compared to October.

British Columbians should be prepared for winter storms, which can cause strong winds, falling trees, flooding, traffic disruptions and blizzards. “As you pull out your winter clothing or holiday decorations, think about whether your household is ready for severe winter weather,” said Jennifer Rice, parliamentary secretary for emergency preparedness, in a news release.

“Do you have a winterized road safety kit in your vehicle? Do you have flashlights and candles in case of a lengthy power outage? Preparing for these hazards now will mean smoother sailing

in the event of an emergency.” In December 2018, a windstorm blew through the province, knocking out power to 600,000 B.C. households.

The government of British Columbia is asking residents to stay safe and warm during wintry conditions, by following these tips: • Be ready for extreme cold: Environment Canada will issue arctic outflow warnings when extremely cold winds that can create wind-chill values of -20 C or colder are in the forecast for six or more hours. They’re asking residents to be cautious and to limit their outdoor exposure when these cold weather warnings are in effect—as there is an increased risk of frostbite and hypothermia.

Parents and pet owners should also be mindful of children and pets being outside in cold weather.

• Wear winter gear: Wear winter appropriate clothing to stay dry and warm during extreme weather conditions.

Liberals open to changing federal laws at heart of western anger: Carr The federal government’s new western outreach ambassador says there might be room to look at changing legislation at the heart of anger towards the Liberal government in Canada’s West. Manitoba MP Jim Carr is no longer in cabinet, but he has a new role helping the government as Justin Trudeau’s special representative for the Prairies. Carr is undergoing treatment for cancer after being diagnosed shortly after the Oct. 21 election.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is among

those demanding changes to bills C-69 and C-48, which overhauled the environmental assessment process for major projects like pipelines and legislated a permanent ban against oil tankers travelling along the northern British Columbia coast. Earlier this month, Vancouver-area MP Carla Qualtrough, a cabinet minister, said the government was open to almost anything to try and help ease anxieties in Canada’s oil patch - except for changing Bill C-69. But on Thursday, Carr said

LOCAL

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled a new cabinet partly designed to appeal to the Prairies provinces on Tuesday, but his government still faces a major regional divide among voters. During the latest episode of the Trend Line podcast, pollster Nik Nanos said the Liberals are polling some 40 percentage points behind the Conservatives in the West.

The numbers show Conservatives have 56.3 per cent support in the Prairies, compared to the Liberals at 16.9 per cent. “Right now Canada is still divided,” Nanos said. “The West still remains alienated. Quebecers are looking at the Bloc and what the Liberals have tried to do today is put a thick gob of red paint over all these cracks in the federation.”

In a move largely seen as a way to ease the divide in the West, Chrystia Freeland, who was born in Alberta but represents Toronto, was moved to minister of intergovernmental affairs and deputy prime minister, while Jonathan Wilkinson, who grew up in

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Trudeau’s new cabinet faces big divide in Prairies Saskatchewan but now represents North Vancouver, was handed the environment portfolio. “What it looks like the Liberals are trying to do is to just piece together a semblance of a national cabinet that includes people that can at least claim that they have a western voice -- that they’re not tone deaf,” Nanos said. “The fact of the matter is, when you’re looking at individuals like Freeland and Wilkinson, they can say that they’re from the Prairie provinces.” In Quebec, the Liberals hold a lead of just 4.2 percentage points over the Bloc Quebecois with 35.8 per cent support in the province. The promotions of Quebec MPs Francois-Philippe Champagne and JeanYves Duclos into prominent ministerial roles -- foreign affairs and president of the Treasury Board of Canada respectively -- are seen as an attempt to appease voters in Quebec.

“What we’re seeing here is, on the one hand, (Trudeau) trying to fill the gap in western Canada, at the same time trying to elevate Quebecers to more important positions in the cabinet as he tries to kind of reconcile alienation in western Canada with Quebecers,” Nanos said. The data is based on a dual frame (land + cell-lines) random telephone interviews using

live agents of 1,000 Canadians using a four week rolling average of 250 respondents each week, 18 years of age and over. The random sample of 1,000 respondents may be weighted by age and gender using the latest census information for Canada. The interviews are compiled into a four week rolling average of 1,000 interviews, where each week the oldest group of 250 interviews is dropped and a new group of 250 interviews is added.

A random telephone survey of 1,000 Canadians is accurate ±3.1 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.

Canada sheds 22,600 jobs in October: ADP Canada lost 22,600 jobs in October, driven by a decline in hiring in education and health care as well as the trade, transportation, utilities, natural resources and mining sectors, according to a report from payroll

services provider ADP released on Thursday.

The report, which is jointly developed with Moody’s Analytics, is derived from ADP’s payrolls data of about 40,000 companies.

3 people deported amid RCMP investigation into Surrey brawls caught on camera Surrey RCMP says three people have been deported amid investigations into at least two brawls captured on video in the Newton area.

Police said they’d been “actively engaged” in the issue, and were looking into 50 people involved in the large groups of youth, some of them allegedly international students, seen in the videos. According to police, the first video involved a fight in the parking lot of a strip mall in Strawberry Hills in August.

The second video showed an assault with a weapon and other mischief in a parking lot early in the morning hours of Nov. 11.

Mounties say their Community

Response Unit has been working on public safety concerns involving youth congregating, drinking and fighting in the Strawberry Hills area sinnce March. Police say their Diversity and Indigenous Peoples Unit was also working with local international student associations to provide education and prevention information. “While not all of these incidents involve international students, law enforcement officials want to remind individuals who are visiting Canada on a Visa that any engagement in criminal activity violates the condition of their Visa and they could be removed from Canada as a result,” said Surrey RCMP Cpl. Elenore Sturko in a media release.

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Saturday, November 23, 2019

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Homicide team at Surrey home ‘as part of already ongoing investigation’ Homicide investigators were spotted at a home in Surrey Tuesday night, within a block of a murder scene that left one man dead on Nov. 11.

A Black Press freelancer said the Investigated Homicide Investigation Team had police tape up around the home on the evening of Nov. 19, in the 12300-block of Old Yale Road.

IHIT says its officers were in the area “as part of an already ongoing investigation.”

The home is located within a block of the incident on Nov. 11 that left 30-year-old Andrew Baldwin dead, which IHIT is investigating.

Surrey RCMP first responded to the Nov. 11 scene in the 10700-block of 124th Street just before 5 p.m. after a report of a “call for assistance from a home.”

Police say Baldwin was found unresponsive at the scene with critical

injuries. He was pronounced dead at hospital.

The Integrated Police Dog Services was brought in to conduct a search for the suspect, who police say was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and dark pants with reflective material around the bottom of the pant leg. He was last seen northbound on 124th Street from the scene.

Three weeks earlier, on Oct. 22, Andrew Baldwin’s 27-year-old brother Keith Matthew Baldwin was shot in downtown Chilliwack. He died later in hospital.

There is so far no information to suggest the brothers’ killings were connected. Keith Baldwin’s murder was described as targeted, but the same has not yet been said about Andrew Baldwin’s.

Driver escaped un-hurt as car burst into flames on Nordel Way A spectacular fire lit up Tuesday’s night sky in North Delta on Nordel Way after a car burst into flames.

This was at about 7:30 p.m., just west of Scott Road.

A Now-Leader freelance photographer said the car was heading west when it “hit a dip” in the road, went out of control, crashed into a concrete median and within seconds caught fire. The driver reportedly escaped without injury.

Chris Leykauf, public affairs manager for the Delta Police, said police were on scene quickly.

“Essentially we received a number of 911 calls,” she said. “People were reporting a vehicle on fire. I think a car

may have skidded a bit along the median.”

Asked if speed was a factor, she replied the DPD is “not commenting on the factor because of the investigation being ongoing right now. I can’t confirm that right now.”

“The driver stated he was the lone occupant of the vehicle and claimed he was uninjured,” Leykauf said. “So that was very fortunate.”

“I don’t have anything else I can release at this time.”

No charge has been laid.

‘Vindictive’ South Asian sellers of blueberry farm destroyed crop with herbicide, judge rules When Malkiat and Satwant Baring were preparing to buy a 60-acre (24-hectare) farm in Langley in July 2017, “the blueberry bushes were laden with ripening fruit,” according to a decision released by BC Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Gomery.

The couple planned to immediately harvest the berries, but by the time they took ownership of the foreclosed farm, the produce was nearly all ruined — the fields destroyed by the herbicide Roundup.

The Barings took the previous owners of the $5.5-million farm, brothers Zora and Harminder Grewal, to court. And they won — they’ve been awarded nearly $3 million in the case.

In his ruling dated Nov. 15, Gomery describes a “vindictive” act carried out by the Grewal brothers in the days leading up to the completion of the sale. He called the spraying of the herbicide wilful and malicious.

The defendants denied spraying herbicide on the crop, and entered no evidence in the case.

But Gomery concluded that nobody else plausibly could have killed the plants.

“The only apparent motive was vindictive,” wrote Gomery. “They pointlessly destroyed an entire crop of blueberries and the damage done to the plants will be felt for more than a decade.”

‘A ruse to avoid suspicion’ “Who sprayed the herbicides on the blueberry field?” asks Gomery in his decision. “The timing and circumstances of the spraying point

in the direction of Zora and Harminder Grewal.”

Gomery said the Grewals were the only ones who had assured access to the farm and to the large quantities of water required to make the 15,000 litres of herbicide solution sprayed on the fields.

The judge awarded $2,796,400 in a price abatement for the farm, based on the loss of revenue for the damaged crops, the cost to rehabilitate the farm, and expected future losses until 2028.

They had access to the tractor and sprayer and had used the equipment in the days before the sale was completed to apply a pesticide, malathion, on the fields.

“I agree with the plaintiffs’ counsel that spraying malathion in the afternoon was a ruse to avoid suspicion,” wrote Gomery, saying it was likely that the brothers continued spraying the fields into the night, but began applying the blueberry-killing Roundup once the pesticide spraying was complete.

“The most troubling aspect of the evidence is the question of motive,” said Gomery.

“Why would the defendants do such a thing? This only takes one so far. Why would anyone do such a thing? — yet someone did.”

According to the ruling, Harminder Grewal had tried to talk Satwant Baring out of buying the house a week before the final sale, in what Gomery called a warning — if not a threat.

Grewal told Baring that there was a dispute among the Grewals, including a third brother, and that “it is bad to get involved in somebody else’s dispute.”

LOCAL

Saturday, November 23, 2019 Surrey drunk driver gets 32 months in prison for killing grandma, injuring girl A Surrey drunk driver who left the scene of a fatal crash to chase after his dog has been sentenced to 32 months in prison and is also prohibited from driving for four years.

Shavin Reynold Singh, 31, pleaded guilty on July 30 in Surrey provincial court to impaired driving causing death in the case of 80-year-old Dolat Jiwani, and impaired driving causing bodily harm for injuring her teen-aged granddaughter, who suffered broken bones and burns.

Singh smashed into their car with his SUV at 129 km/h in the middle of an intersection in

Newton. It happened on July 15, 2017 at 72nd Avenue and 132nd Street, where the posted speed limit is 50 km/h.

Judge Peter La Prairie sentenced Singh on Nov. 13. The Crown had called for a prison term of twoand-a-half to three years and also argued for a driving prohibition

Surrey ‘foam-free Vaisakhi’ initiative inspires ‘Sweet Takeaways’ business A group of business students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University are hoping they can get local restaurateurs to sign on to a sweet solution to takeout containers.

Dubbed “Sweet Takeaways,” a trio of KPU Entrepreneurial Leadership students have launched a business as part of their program.

Their idea was inspired by Surrey’s “foamfree Vaisakhi” project, launched in 2018 by two brothers with a vision to see vendors at the annual parade ditch their foam for environmentally friendly sugarcane products.

“We got thinking a little bit about packaging and those kind of things that are common to our daily lives and one of those ways that we can personally reduce our own waste is through disposable products,” said James Anderson, one of the three KPU students who launched Sweet Takeaways.

The KPU students partnered with Baljit and Sarbjit Singh Sabharwal, who have created the Balsar Community Foundation following their efforts at Vaisakhi.

Just like the Sabharwal’s did with Vaisakhi

vendors, the students have been seeking out businesses who will make the switch to “sugarcane bagasse” products that typically decompose within 60 days – a far cry from foam, which stays in landfills for hundreds of years. At Vaisakhi, it’s estimated such a switch could divert as many as three million foam items from ending up in the landfill annually, and the KPU students say they see the value of the move in the business world.

Anderson said the idea made sense because many cities are eyeing bans on foam and other single-use containers.

Metro Vancouver will see bus system shutdown next week if no deal reached for transit workers, union threatens Striking transit workers in Metro Vancouver will shut down the bus system in the region for three days next week by refusing to come to work if a deal is not reached during ongoing negotiations with Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC), their union announced Wednesday.

Unifor said its bus drivers and mechanics will not report to work next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as the next step in ongoing job action, which is into its 20th day without resolution.

“We expected them to come to the table, listen to the public, listen to the workers and get it done,” Unifor western regional director Gavin McGarrigle told reporters at a news conference Wednesday, backed by workers in red Unifor gear.

“We have made every effort to avoid this level, and although we know that this is a significant impact on passengers, the blame lies fully and squarely with TransLink.”

Metro Vancouver bus drivers want to get paid the same as drivers in Toronto. Should they?

Workers are not pulling “a stunt,” he said.

“This is real. These are men and women who are putting their own families on the line to fight for a better transit system in Metro Vancouver,” he said to dozens of Unifor employees gathered in the conference room, who whistled and cheered.

Unifor workers have been refusing overtime on a rotating basis since Nov. 1 after contract talks broke off.

Wages are the sticking point in the dispute with CMBC, which operates bus and SeaBus services for TransLink, the regional transit authority.

“If they come to the table with a reasonable offer, we’ll get this thing done ... the ball is in their court,” McGarrigle said.

The union has said CMBC remains unwilling to discuss wages, while the company insists

of three or four years, while Singh’s defence lawyer sought a sentence of two years less a day to two-anda-half years in prison.

La Prairie heard that Singh drank five “squeeze” watermelon vodka drinks before driving, downing his last one just 10 minutes before the crash. Witnesses reported

13

seeing the Dodge he was driving speeding, and swerving in and out of traffic. He was on his way to a pet store, to buy a dog leash. He left the scene after the crash, to chase after his dog when it ran away. Jiwani died on the spot.

Singh already had three immediate roadside driving prohibitions – a one day, a three day and a 90 day – and also had a history of failing to stay at the scene of a crash and driving without a licence, which he has never held. He was prohibited from driving, by court order, at the time of the fatal crash.

The court heard that upon his arrest, Singh told policehelearnedtodrivebywatchingvideogames.

Rainbow benches installed outside Delta rec centres The benches are among several initiatives adopted in July aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion .

Four new rainbow benches have been installed at Delta’s rec centres to help promote diversity and inclusion in the city.

On Tuesday (Nov. 19), the City of Delta posted a photo of the install at the North Delta Recreation Centre to its Facebook page, inviting everyone to “join in on our happy dance.”

Benches are also being placed outside Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre, Ladner Leisure Centre and Sungod Recreation Centre.

Council approved installing the benches in late July, along with several other recommendations from staff aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion, including acknowledging community inclusion events and celebrations, reviewing and updating Delta’s corporate policies and forms, and offering sensitivity and language training to city employees.

Staff recommended installing rainbow

benches over painting one or more rainbow crosswalks as it would save the city “significant costs.” It was estimated the four benches would cost the city approximately $12,000, as opposed to about $6,500 per 12 metres for a crosswalk.

Furthermore, the cost of the benches would be covered by the parks, recreation and culture department’s current maintenance budget.

“Rainbow benches have been proven to be less expensive than alternatives like crosswalks, meaning the city is able to do more with less sooner,” Coun. Dylan Kruger, who chairs the city’s community liveability advisor committee, said at council on July 29.

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LOCAL

Saturday, November 23, 2019

BC will not appeal court ruling that limited expert witnessses in ICBC cases The B.C. government will not appeal a key ruling involving ICBC, instead turning to legislative changes to push through new measures designed to cut down on court costs.

Last February, the province attempted to stem the financial bleeding at the public auto insurer, in part, by introducing caps on the number of expert witnesses testifying in injury lawsuits.

That was immediately challenged by the Trial Lawyers Association of B.C., and in October, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled the changes unconstitutional.

B.C. Attorney General David Eby had 30 days to appeal, and on Wednesday, he announced he would not over fears the matter would get entangled in the higher courts for years to come.

Instead, he said the province could fast track those ICBC reforms by going

another route: introducing amendments to the Evidence Act, which will happen in the spring.

The legislative changes will limit the number of expert reports, but also include a window of discretion that will allow judges to decide whether additional experts are needed in some cases.

“We hope to reduce costs for personal injury plaintiffs to help them keep more of their settlements instead of seeing that money go to pay for excessive and expensive adversarial reports,” Eby told reporters at the legislature. $400M hit to B.C.’s bottom line?

The government’s decision not to appeal will likely translate into a temporary but significant hit to B.C.’s bottom line.

The measures to cap expert reports was projected to save $400 million — savings that were already baked into the last provincial budget.

7 rescued as Vancouver condo complex cathes fire Vancouver fire crews now have the upper hand in an early morning apartment fire in South Vancouver.

Officials say seven people were rescued from a fire in a threestorey apartment complex on Southwest Marine Drive near Heather Street.

Fire crews arrived at the scene at around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday and quickly upgraded it to a three-alarm blaze.

Five people were rescued from balconies on the building, according to fire officials.

Two more people inside the building were reportedly brought out safely by firefighters and taken to hospital. One of the residents, a man believed to be in his 40s, was found unconscious and later revived by fire crews, officials say.

Both residents are in stable condition.

$1.4M legal fee dispute sheds light on nasty family feud in lead up to blueberry crop destruction It was an extraordinary decision by a B.C. Supreme Court judge, handed down on Friday — two brothers who were forced to sell their foreclosed 60acre blueberry farm in Langley, B.C., were found to have maliciously destroyed the ripened, readyto-pick crop by spraying herbicide on the plants days before the sale completed.

The judge wrote in his decision that “the only apparent motive was vindictive.”

The couple who bought the farm

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was awarded about $2.8 million to reduce the $5.5 million paid for the property in 2017, along with $150,000 in punitive damages against the brothers.

Now, in a separate case, one of the brothers and his wife have been dealt a second blow by the court. They lost an appeal of a decision by B.C. Supreme Court Master Robert McDiarmid, in which he found them to be on the hook for $1.4 million in unpaid legal fees resulting from years of disputes between the three Grewal brothers.

That decision, which was also handed down on Friday and posted online this week, sheds light on the messy — and expensive — feud between the Grewals.

“The entrenched nature of the dispute, in combination with a pattern of switching loyalties between the brothers led Master McDiarmid to describe the litigation history as ‘reminiscent of the Thirty Years War,’” wrote Justice Karen Horsman in her decision.

‘Vindictive’ sellers of blueberry farm destroyed crop with herbicide, judge rules In the case against the new owners of the Langley blueberry farm, Zora Grewal, who cannot read or write in any language and can only speak basic English phrases, was not represented by a lawyer — but that wasn’t the case for a series of legal actions against

3 officers with VPD sex crimes unit under investigation for corruption, court hears Three Vancouver police officers who were involved in high-profile prostitution and human trafficking investigations alongside disgraced former detective James Fisher are currently under investigation for corruption, a B.C. court heard Wednesday.

The revelation came from Marilyn Sandford, a lawyer representing Tamim Albashir as he appeals his convictions for pimping-related crimes, during an appearance at the B.C. Court of Appeal.

Sandford said she’s struggling to get access to files concerning the investigation into Albashir’s operation, including any connections to wrongdoing by Fisher, formerly of the VPD’s Counter Exploitation Unit. “This very small unit within the VPD, most of whose members

are involved in our case in significant proportion, four out of nine have either been charged — Mr Fisher convicted — or are still being investigated with relation to what appears to be corruption,” Sandford told the court.

Crown pursues mandatory minimum sentences for 2 men convicted of pimping-related crimes She said she knows that three officers are currently the subject of a criminal investigation, “and I don’t know much more than that.”

Spokespeople for the Vancouver Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Allegations of widespread misconduct by detective Once a celebrated officer with the unit, Fisher was sentenced last year to 20 months in jail for sexual exploitation and breach of trust for kissing two female victims of sex crimes.

LOCAL

Saturday, November 23, 2019

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One injured in ‘targeted’ shooting RCMP say a man was injured in a “targeted” shooting Thursday night.

It happened around 9 p.m. on Nov. 21 near 146th Street and 83rd Avenue, not far from Enver Creek Secondary.

Police responded to the scene

after gunfire was reported.

Officers arrived to find a vehicle that had crashed into a fence and a man inside with an “apparent” gunshot wound.

He was taken to hospital but is expected to survive.

“This investigation is in its early stages however this is believed to be a targeted incident,” Surrey RCMP stated in a Friday morning release. “There is no indication of a continued risk to the public in relation to this incident.”

Anyone who has information regarding this incident or that has CCTV or dashcam footage is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or, to make an anonymous report, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or solvecrime.ca.

70-year-old Surrey garage destroyed in fire will be rebuilt An exact replica of B u l m a n’s Garage will be built to replace the historic Surrey building that was destroyed last month.

A timeline for the replacement project won’t be known until police wrap up their Everett Bulman built the garage in Surrey’s Port Kells neighbourhood in 1948 on investigation Harvie Road near 88th Avenue for 70 years and had recently been restored into the explosion Port Kells neighbourhood in 1948. It fell into and subsequent fire that occurred on Oct. disrepair after his death, but was later revitalized.

21, leaving the garage structurally unsound. It was 1948 when Everett Bulman built the garage A body was recovered from the on Harvie Road near 88 Avenue, just down the building and RCMP investigators are road from the fire hall where he was a volunteer treating the fire as suspicious.

Police member of the fire department. Bulman investigating deadly fire at Surrey gas station serviced cars and farm vehicles in the Port Kells Councillor Linda Annis, who chairs the area until the mid-1980s when he was forced to city’s Heritage Advisory Commission, says she step away from the business due to a health issue. was devastated when she first saw the damage. Everett’s son James, who worked for his father in “It was tragic because there the garage when he was growing up, went to go was a life that was lost,” she said. see the damage when he heard about the fire.

“As far as historical significance is “It was kind of disheartening to see concerned, that was a real tragedy as well.” the building gone,” he said. “It’s a good Everett Bulman built the garage in Surrey’s thing that they plan on rebuilding it.”

4 Chilliwack drug traffickers sentenced after multi-million dollar drug bust Four of the people involved in a multimillion dollar drug trafficking ring based out of B.C.’s Fraser Valley have been handed sentences ranging from nine years to 18 months.

More than $5 million in drugs and numerous weapons were seized in two raids on properties in Chilliwack in November 2014 and February 2015, according to B.C.’s anti-gang task force.

“Illegal drugs, more specifically fentanyl, is an extremely dangerous drug that is proving to have widespread consequences in our province,” Sgt. Brenda Winpenny, spokesperson for the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, said in a statement.

“This investigation is a testament to the dedication and tenacity of our investigators to hold those who deal in drugs and are involved in criminal activity, to account and brought to justice.”

Clayton Archie Eheler, a former associate of the Bacon brothers with a lengthy criminal history, was occupying one of the Chilliwack properties raided in 2014 where eight kilograms of powder cocaine and one kilogram of crack cocaine were seized.

He received the longest sentence of nine years in prison.

Mathew Jordan Thiessen was also occupying the same Chilliwack residence raided in 2014. He was given a six-year prison term.

Two of the other men involved in the trafficking ring, Kyle Harrower and Andrew Vithna Va, were sentenced to 18 months and three years, respectively.

Alleged Chilliwack drug traffickers facing 50 more charges

Police say the gang supplied drugs in Chilliwack, but operated mostly in cities and towns in central and northern B.C., from Williams Lake to Fort St. John.

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Saturday, November 23, 2019 Stephen Ferguson Associate Lawyer

Personal Injury Claims and the Role of an Expert Witness in Trial

Personal injury claims often have many aspects that require the opinion of an expert. Where there is an aspect of a claim that requires expert evidence, parties in the action will often retain experts to provide an opinion to assist the court with understanding a complex issue.

Expert witnesses certify that they are not advocates for any party, since their duty is to only assist the court. This means that they must give their independent and objective opinion regarding matters that fall within their expertise.

They cannot be biased towards any party.

In personal injury claims, expert witnesses are often relied upon to give evidence about the nature and extent of various types of injuries that are alleged, motor vehicle accident reconstruction and economic losses.

For instance, an orthopedic surgeon you saw after your accident for an Independent Medical Examination may be called upon at trial as an expert witness to provide impartial evidence regarding the diagnosis and prognosis of your orthopedic injuries.

It is very important that your personal injury lawyer retain the proper experts to properly advocate your claim in court. The court may not consider aspects of your claim, if they do not have expert opinion

550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Devji celebrated at Shanti Niketan Hall of Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Surrey

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Vedic Senior Parivar members celebrated 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Devji at Shanti Niketan Hall of Lakshmi Narayan Temple Surrey on November 18.

evidence to assist with their understanding of these complex parts of the claim.

Our legal team at Simpson, Thomas & Associates is experienced in representing individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents at every step of the legal process, including trial. We are here to help advocate on your behalf to ensure that you get the best compensation possible.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, please call us at (604) 689-8888 to schedule a complimentary consultation.

book about Guru Nanak Dev ji’s philosophy, mission and message released

t is a matter of great pride for the entire Sikh community and well-wishers of Guru Nanak Dev ji to celebrate his 550th Parkash Purb (Birth Anniversary) this year. The celebrations have been going on for almost the entire 2019. Nearly every Gurdwara around the globe has been celebrating this special milestone with dedication. Here in the Metro Vancouver area, every Gurdwara has done an excellent job in paying tribute to A book about Guru Nanak Dev ji’s philosophy, mission the founder of Sikhism. Like each and message was released at Akali Singh Sikh Society one of these Gurdwaras, Akali Gurdwara inVancouver. on Sunday, November 17.

Singh Sikh Society Gurdwara Gurdwara Secretary Piara Singh shared ,1890 Skeena Street, held a very impressive their thoughts about Guru Nanak’s seminar recently. On Sunday, November 17, philosophy, mission and universal message the management committee of this Society of brotherhood and equality with the released a book dedicated to Guru Nanak congregation. The book will be distributed Dev ji. The book is titled: 550 Years, Guru free of charge to the congregation and those Nanak Sahib: Jagat Guru :Founder of New interested in reading it. The Diwan Hall was World Order. This very impressive work is overflowing with devotees on this occasion. compilation of excellent articles by various

As part of this celebration, Sikh scholars dealing with the philosophy, the Gurdwara management honoured a mission and message of Guru Ji. number of contributors to the book and

This commemorative some other deserving individuals. A number volume has been edited by Dr. Gurnam of prominent members of the community Singh Sanghera. He has done an excellent also took the time to join the congregation job in ensuring very high quality of the on this special occasion. On behalf of India articles in it . The authors are renowned in Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak their own fields. It was a very ambitious Niwas, #5 Road, Richmond, President Balbir project. The Akali Singh Sikh Society and Singh Jawanda and Secretary Balwant Singh Dr. Sanghera , along with contributing Sanghera offered their congratulations and writers for the book must be commended best wishes to the Akali Singh Sikh Society for producing this unique book. It is a for this commendable initiative. very deserving tribute to Guru ji. Prior Balwant Singh Sanghera to releasing the book, Dr. Sanghera and Secretary, India Cultural centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas, Richmond

One of two people dead at Whalley house believed to be homicide victim, IHIT says Police say two people have been found dead in a house in Whalley, and one of them is believed to be a homicide victim.

Surrey RCMP say it’s not related to shooting near 146th and 83rd. The Investigative Homicide Team is investigating at the house near 140th Street and 102A Avenue this Friday morning.

Yellow police barricade tape surrounds the large house and in the driveway a canopy is covering a car. The Surrey RCMP says this is not related to a shooting they are investigating near 146th Street and 83rd Avenue, in which a man was injured.

“Although our investigation is in its early stages, at this time it appears as though one of the deceased was the victim of a homicide,” Mohr said. “We are working hard to gather evidence to identify the events surrounding this tragedy. We are not looking for any outstanding suspects, and can confirm that both persons knew each other.”

Saturday, November 23, 2019

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he moment that fans have eagerly been waiting for has arrived with the first teaser of Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan’s acting debut making its way to social media. Suhana, who is currently at film school in New York University, has made her on-screen appearance in a short film called ‘The Grey Part of Blue’. While details about the short are still under wraps, fans first learned of Suhana’s attachment to the project after a poster of the film dropped on Instagram by Theodore Gimeno, who is writing

Vidya Balan with different cuts With her very first film, “Parineeta,” Vidya Balan showed that there was space in the industry for a homely girl whose forte was acting and not glamour.

Fourteen years later, after playing roles as varied as a housewife, a ruthless femme fatale, a brothel-owner, sister to a murder victim, lady detective and an RJ, she has shown that she is a star with a difference.

Admittedly, she has floundered in many a case, notably in fairly recent

films like “Kahaani 2” and “Begum Jaan,” but the triumphs have outclassed these failures – people still remember her path-breaking turns in movies like “The Dirty Picture” and “Kahaani” among others. We begin our conversation on this note as we meet up on the eve of the release of “Mission Mangal,” in which she essays a scientist. Q: You have been the forerunner of the trend of substance-heavy films, especially the female-oriented ones. In the 2010-2011 phase, you acted in “Ishqiya” and “No One Killed Jessica” for starters.

A (Laughs): I just think that I was there at the right place at the right time, and it is kind of people to give me credit!

A change was underway, waiting to happen, Ekta Kapoor and Milan Luthria for “The Dirty Picture” and Sujoy Ghosh for “Kahaani”.

Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana’s debut film and directing it. The poster features Suhana’s name as one of the cast members, along with Robin Gonnella, who is seen with her in the film’s teaser. The clip, which was posted on September 29 on Gimeno’s Instagram account, is sans dialogue but features Suhana and Gonnella driving down empty country roads while deep in conversation. At one point the scene cuts to the two actors seated on a park bench, having an animated chat, with music

by Ols Davis adding to the somber mood.

In a post with the video, Gimeno mentions a release date for the short has yet to be set.

“Dear all, here I present for the first time some of the visuals for my upcoming short film ‘The Grey Part of Blue’. The film itself is basically complete but I am not yet sure of the date of release, so stay tuned for that. I want to thank all of you for the continued support this past year, it’s truly been surreal.

Until then, I hope you enjoy this little teaser!,” he posted. Suhana’s aspirations to graduate into Bollywood have not been hidden. The 19-year-old told Vogue India in 2018 that she was dead certain of her career choice. “I don’t think there was any one moment when I decided. Since I was young, I’d do all these accents and impressions. But my parents only realised I was serious about acting when they saw a performance of mine for the first time.

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Bollywood

Saturday, November 23, 2019

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Yash Raj Films to announce projects with BIGGEST stars of Bollywood as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations?

here are several banners and production houses who are surviving even after many decades but most of them are not making films actively anymore. In this regard, Yash Raj Films (YRF) is one of the rare exceptions. It was founded in 1970 by Yash Chopra and continues to make films even today, under the leadership of his son Aditya Chopra.

Since 2004, there has not been a single year when they haven’t come up with a film. Come 2020, it completes 50 years of being an active production house. And needless to say, it calls for a celebration and it’s something that the YRF team is already planning.

A source spills the beans, “YRF is one of the very few production houses, besides Rajshri etc, that has such a feat of making

films regularly since ages. Even Rajshri is not so regular while YRF is has at least a couple of releases annually. Many of them have been successful and acclaimed. YRF is also a known banner; a layman might not know about many production houses but everyone knows Yash Raj Films. Hence, it’s only fitting that their 50th anniversary is celebrated in a grand manner. The team has been planning about it since more than a year and will make the announcement at the right time.

Manish Malhotra remembers his father with emotional post M a n i s h Malhotra remembered his father with an emotional post after he passed away on Monday. The veteran fashion designer shared a photograph of his father on his Instagram handle and expressed his love. Several stars from the film industry conveyed their condolences to Manish Malhotra and respects to Malhotra Sr on the post.

Manish Malhotra’s father passed away in Mumbai on Monday. He was said to be in his 90s and died to illness. As soon as the news surfaced, Bollywood stars were spotted arriving at his residence and paying their respects and condolences. The last rites were held on the same day. Urmila Matondkar, Boney Kapoor were the stars who were present at the funeral. His close friend Karan Johar and Shabana Azmi were also spotted arriving to meet Manish Malhotra. Manish Malhotra’s nephew, Punit Malhotra, the director of films like I Hate Luv Storys, Gori Tere Pyaar Mein and Student of the Year 2, was among the people who took his mortal remains to the crematorium.

Anushka Sharma, Smriti Irani, Hina Khan, Chitrangda Singh, Sonali Bendre Behl, Neetu Kapoor, Diana Penty, Anushula Kapoor, Aparshakti Khurrana, Karan Tacker, Sophie Choudry, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Ayesha Shroff, Badshah, Guahar Khan, Aayush Sharma, Shamita Shetty, Bhavana Pandey were among those who reacted to Manish Malhotra’s post. Most of them posted the heart or folding hands emojis. They conveyed their deepest sympathies, prayers and condolences. Later in the day, several stars paid a visit to the designer at his residence in Bandra. Most of the actors who have been wearing his outfits for decades, like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan were seen. Jaya Bachchan was also snapped at the venue.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Anu Malik out of Indian Idol Sony Entertainment had maintained a stoic silence when it reinstated Anu Malik as one of the judges on Indian Idol 11 in September this year. Not surprisingly, the channel continued to keep mum as the music composer, who has been accused of sexual harassment by several women — including Sona Mohapatra, Shweta Pandit and Neha Bhasin — stepped down from his role yesterday A source reveals, “Anu Malik conveyed his decision to leave the show late afternoon. On Tuesday, he shot for the episodes, which will air this weekend. The channel is looking for a replacement.”

While Malik’s reinstatement earlier this year had sparked a widespread outrage, the channel had paid little heed to it. His decision to call it quits is being attributed to several reasons, one of them being Mohapatra’s appeal to Union Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Smriti Z Irani. When Irani stated that the government has begun listing sexual offenders in a

Horoscope Aries

March 21 - April 20

digital database to help institutions do a data-check before hiring, Mohapatra tweeted to the minister, highlighting how Sony had continued to collaborate with Malik despite testimonies of multiple women accusing him of sexual harassment. The tweet caught the attention of National Commission of Women (NCW), which immediately shot a letter to the channel. Speaking to mid-day, Mohapatra says, “In deciding to reinstate a multiple accused sexual offender as a judge on TV, the message that was being put out was that the safety and dignity of women does not matter. It was telling other perverts in society that they too can get away with such behaviour.

19

Bollywood

The focus on your sector of shared assets and business increases when determined Mars moves into Scorpio on Monday. Its presence here energizes the area and encourages you to be proactive about any ongoing issues. This week brings a further shift as quicksilver Mercury turns direct in the same zone on Wednesday. You could see a gradual improvement in financial and business matters, especially if they’ve been subject to delays.

Taurus

April 21 - May 20 The intensity may be about to ramp up in your relationships as dynamic Mars enters this zone on Monday. Do you need to clear the air? You’ll be very tempted, but try not to come on too strong if you want to keep the relationship intact. If you don’t mind one way or the other, then tell it like it is. If you’ve been on the receiving end of mixed messages or misunderstandings, things can begin to change as talkative Mercury turns direct midweek. You’ll have an opportunity to finalize any deals or agreements

Gemini

May 20 - June 21 Vitality can increase this week as powerful Mars moves into your lifestyle and wellness zone on Monday. It will be here for around six weeks, so this is your chance to get organized, as well as initiate a new exercise routine or get a diet back on track. You could be quite competitive at work, especially if you run your own business. Try to pace yourself, Gemini, particularly as the week gathers pace. A restless streak could see you taking shortcuts that might backfire.

Cancer

June 22 - July 23

Get ready to enjoy life as proactive Mars moves into your leisure sector on Monday. This zone is also linked with creative activities, competitive sports, romance, and your confidence about expressing yourself.

Over the coming weeks, you have a chance to initiate activities that you might really enjoy.

And getting away from the everyday routine and focusing on those things you love to do most can also be very healing. Has a romance slowed to a snail’s pace? If so, with flirtatious Mercury in your romance sector

Leo

June 24 - August 23 With fiery Mars moving into your domestic sector this week, you’ll be ready to get your place in order. If you haven’t decluttered in some while, who knows what secrets you may find as you delve into dark corners and dusty cupboards? The upshot can be more space and a freeing up of emotional energy that brings more happiness and money your way.If life has been a tad trying over recent weeks, it could be due to quicksilver Mercury’s retrograde phase.

This planet turns direct on Wednesday.

Virgo

August 24 - Sept 24 Your thoughts and conversations could gain passionate intensity as potent Mars moves into your sector of talk and thought on Monday. If you should get into an argument or find yourself in conflict with someone this week, the likelihood of finding a compromise may be slim. Fiery Mars opposes maverick Uranus over the days ahead, so you might prefer to stand your ground rather than give an inch. Thoughtful Mercury, your guide planet, turns direct in your communication zone midweek, which could see a turnaround in your affairs.

Libra

Sept. 24 - Oct 22 As sizzling Mars enters your money zone on Monday, you may find that cash flows in and rolls out just as quickly. You might earn more, but chances are good that you’ll spend more, too. However, you’ll also have the incentive to sort out your affairs and get your finances in order. If you want to earn more cash, this is certainly the time to do so.

If you’ve experienced delays in receiving funds, things can begin to move forward this week as dealmaker Mercury turns direct. You may find that things begin to pick up and progress

Scorpio

Oct 23 - Nov 22 As focused Mars powers into your sign on Monday for a six-week stay, you’ll feel like you are well and truly back in the driver’s seat. Your desires may be stronger than usual, and you’ll be ready to do what it takes to fulfill them, even if it means pushing for what you want.

At the same time, if you’ve been frustrated by the slow pace of events over recent weeks, this could change as messenger Mercury turns direct on Wednesday. You’ll find that things begin to come together and progress is slowly being made. It’s time to dust off those plans.

Sagitarius Nov 23 - Dec 22

Your spiritual zone may be stirred up by the presence of potent Mars as it enters this sector for a six-week stay on Monday. Situations that have lain dormant may surface. These could seem fated, and they might encourage you to rethink your plans and strategy. Watch out for signs and coincidences, too, because these could point the way ahead, especially if you’re wondering what your next step should be. This is a good time to find closure on events and relationships. the sun’s move into your sign on Friday is a big event that brings vitality

Capricorn Dec 23 - Jan 20

Your social life perks up early on as dynamic Mars moves into this zone for a six-week stay. This could find you being very proactive about making new friends, connecting with the right people, and moving in new circles.

And with lively Mercury turning direct midweek after its retrograde phase, you’ll also find that misunderstandings and complications in key relationships begin to ease. Still, it would be wise to take a little extra care around

Aquarius

Jan 21 - Feb 19

Career goals and ambitions may be stirred up this week as feisty Mars powers into your sector of responsibility on Monday. As it moves into the sign of Scorpio, you could be very determined to accomplish something important to you. The presence of warrior Mars can encourage you to keep going until you succeed, in spite of any obstacles.

It’s also helpful that dealmaker Mercury turns direct midweek, making delays and unexpected snafus less likely. You can now move ahead with negotiating deals and agreements.

Pisces

Feb 20 - March 20 Are you ready to travel? As determined Mars moves into your travel zone on Monday, you might have a desire to explore new places and enjoy doing so. This lively influence could also encourage you to reach out for new opportunities that take you out of your comfort zone.

There will be less likelihood of delays, lost paperwork, and unexpected detours, too, as chatty Mercury pushes forward midweek. It can be a little unpredictable as it changes direction, though, so go easy for a few days around Wednesday.

20

Bollywood

Saturday, November 23, 2019 Kamya to tie the knot on Feb 10 It was in September this year that actress Kamya Panjabi spoke about finding love again in Delhi-based healthcare professional Shalabh Dang, in an exclusive chat with Bombay Times. She even expressed her desire to get married to him soon. And now, we can tell you that the actress is set to tie the knot with Shalabh on February 10, 2020, in Mumbai. The pre-wedding rituals — haldi, mehendi and sangeet — will take place on February 9, followed by a grand party on February 11. Another reception will be held in Delhi soon after. Coincidentally, it was in February this year that the two met and

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Shalabh popped the question a few months later. Kamya tells us, “Honestly, ekdum se (wedding) date aa gayi, which caught me off guard. I would have ideally liked it to happen a few months later, as I wanted to enjoy the feeling of going-to-be-married-soon for a little longer. However, our families, Shalabh and eventually I, too, decided that we didn’t want to wait for that long. Post our reception in Delhi, we will then leave for our honeymoon, jahaan main bikini pehenungi (laughs!). Shalabh and I are yet to zero in on a destination.”

21

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Jacqueline Fernandez is happy to tell amazing story “It’s an amazing story and I am happy to be part of the sequel of a film that catapulted my career,” says Jacqueline Fernandez on being part of “Kick 2.” Fernandez recently shared some information about her film says, “The film is taking time for the film to go on the floors. That’s because the director (Sajid

Nadiadwala) really wanted it to be perfect. It is good to be working again with the team.” Salman Khan stars in the film as in the 2014 movie that marked the debut of producer Sajid Nadiadwala as director. It made over Rs

200 crore at the box-office.

The actress is now venturing into the digital space with “Mrs. Serial Killer” and her film “Drive” starts streaming on Netflix from today. Fernandez featured in UK magazine Eastern Eye’s “World’s

attractiv Asian Women” list, ranking twelfth.

She was ranked third on The Times of India’s listing of the “Most Desirable Woman” in 2013 and 2014, after being ranked eighth, seventh and fourteenth, respectively, in the preceding three years. In 2013, Rediff.com placed her

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Saturday, November 23, 2019

John Horgan needs to act on transit strike

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With a million Metro Vancouver commuters facing a full-blown transit strike, BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson and MLA John Martin, the BC Liberal Labour Critic, are calling for the NDP to appoint a mediator to step in and resolve the crisis. “Hundreds of thousands of commuters in Metro Vancouver have been dragged into this transit strike heading into its third week while John Horgan and the NDP have irresponsibly sat idly by,” said Wilkinson.

“The Premier has the power to help end this strike by appointing a mediator to get both parties back to the table. Now that a systemwide shutdown is planned for next week why won’t John Horgan finally do something?”

Earlier today the union confirmed plans for a full system-wide shutdown from November 27 to 29 which will wreak havoc on commuters throughout Metro Vancouver.

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“Horgan and his Labour minister have sat on their hands for 20 days now. During the last transit strike, a mediator was appointed after just 11 days. Vancouver commuters deserve leadership and a swift response from their government,” added Martin. Since the last transit strike which took place under the NDP 18 years ago, the system has expanded with 58 additional bus routes, 520 additional busses, 1,400 additional bus operators, and an increase in annual ridership by 206 million. “An efficient and reliable transit system is essential to people’s livelihoods.

Their daily lives are being disrupted as a direct result of John Horgan’s inaction,” concluded Wilkinson. “It is time to appoint a mediator and bring everyone back to the negotiating table. Metro Vancouver residents deserve better.”

BC Liberals stand with construction workers and contractors snubbed by Horgan’s Community Benefits Agreement BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson and MLA John Martin, the BC Liberal Labour Critic, are standing with construction workers and organizations snubbed by John Horgan’s Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) scheme after over 100 workers showed up at the Legislature to protest.

“Community Benefits Agreements are nothing more than a taxpayer-funded payback to a small group of unions handpicked by John Horgan and the NDP,” said Wilkinson. “Contractors and union members from across the province have shown up here today seeking answers from John Horgan and the NDP as to why they are being prevented from working on public infrastructure projects and he owes them an answer.”

An analysis by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) shows that CBAs could add as much as $4.8 billion more to the cost of public infrastructure projects, which equates to nearly $4,000 for every family in the province.

“John Horgan’s CBA scheme has already cost British Columbians over $200 million in project overruns as construction costs on public projects continue to skyrocket,” added Martin. “The BC Liberals stand with the thousands of workers cut out of government projects as well as all British Columbians who are now seeing their tax dollars funnelled into the coffers of NDP union donors.”

The Illicillewaet and Kicking Horse Canyon highway expansions have seen cost overruns of 143 per cent and 33 per cent respectively, costing taxpayers $200 million more than when the projects were first announced by the BC Liberals.

The NDP have also estimated that under their CBA scheme, the Pattullo Bridge expansion will cost a minimum of $100 million additional taxpayer dollars.

“Under CBAs, 85 per cent of British Columbia’s construction workforce is excluded from working on public projects.

We believe that no British Columbian should be prevented from working in their own province just because their union doesn’t donate to the NDP,” concluded Wilkinson. “We are proud to stand with these workers today and demand that John Horgan start to look after everyone in this province, not just his friends and union insiders.”

23

Saturday, November 23, 2019 Press release

BC Liberal MLA Laurie Throness introduces bill to install seatbelts on school buses BC Liberal Childcare Critic Laurie Throness will introduce the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2019 today, which would require all new school buses in B.C. to be equipped with seatbelts.

“Hundreds of thousands of kids take the bus to school every day and though the likelihood of an accident is small, events like the Humboldt tragedy and the bus crash near Port Alberni remind us that accidents can and do happen,” says Throness. “I hope the NDP will swiftly call the bill to debate or bring their own to the floor so that we can ensure the safety of our children remains a top priority.”

The bill would implement regulations already passed by Transport Canada that provide standards for the installation of seatbelts in school buses for provinces, school boards or companies that wish to do so. If passed, the bill would require

Hrithik ’s amazing transformation Hrithik Roshan’s journey from reallife Bihari mathematician Anand Kumar in “Super 30” to crack espionage agent gone bad, Kabir, in “War,” told by the man himself. 2019 has been incredible for Roshan with two back-to-back successes. It was a difficult journey for the actor to ace the role of a Bihari for “Super 30” and then immediately get into the skin of Kabir for “War.”

Roshan took to his social media and shared a video giving us an insight into his journey of transformation with the caption, “The other side of K.A.B.I.R Behind the scenes.”

“It all began in September 2018,” he states in the video. “The transformation was the hardest thing I had to go through and the only person I had to blame was myself! That was the toss over after Super 30.” With the back injury as a hindrance, the superstar had a long way to go to achieve his goal and the tenure to reach there was extremely short.

“War” has become a record-breaker with its box-office collections and fans cannot stop gushing over his perfect body, his dance moves and, most importantly, his tremendous performance.

any new school bus purchased for operation in B.C. after September 2021 to be equipped with seatbelts.

It would not require the retrofit of existing buses, which would be very expensive for school boards.

Gary Lillico, a school bus driver who lives in Agassiz, B.C., has promoted the idea through a petition that calls on the province to take action. Gary spearheaded the petition a year ago that now bears 122,000 signatures.

“I have driven thousands of children to and from school,” comments Lillico. “Drivers like myself feel a strong personal responsibility for the safety of these children. I’m thankful to see MLA Throness work so closely with us to bring this bill forward.”

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Vol. 10 No. 43

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Saturday - November 23, 2019

Home sales in every BC region to recover in 2020 - a forecast. Total home transactions across province expected to rise 11 per cent versus 2019, with average sale prices also predicted to increase in every area.Although every region in B.C. is expected to see lower home sales in 2019 than in 2018, sales will more than recover in

Tel: 604-591-5423

Housing market forecast through 2020

2020, according to a September 5 forecast by the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA).Overall in 2019, residential transactions across the province are predicted to be five per cent lower, at about 75,000 units, than the 78,505 sales of 2018.

Every one of B.C.’s 12 boards is expected to

report a year-over-year decline in total sales across 2019, with drops ranging from one to 14 per cent. However, BCREA forecasted that every board will see considerable sales jumps in 2020, totalling a province-wide increase of nearly 11 per cent to 82,700 homes — which the association said would be just below the

E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com 10-year annual average. “B.C. markets are showing signs of recovery after nearly a year and a half of policy-induced declines,”

said Brendon Ogmundson, BCREA’s deputy chief economist. “We expect that recovery to continue into next year, with home sales normalizing around long-term averages.”

BCREA BC home sales forecast Sept 2019 Having seen the steepest annual sales declines in 2018, and a forecast drop of

housing market to see modest price growth in 2020 and 2021, predicts CMHC

The Metro Vancouver housing market will remain “balanced” over the next two years with home prices expected to increase in line with population growth, according to the latest housing market outlook report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Housing sales and prices have dipped recently as a result of multiple factors — including rising mortgage rates and new taxes — but the CMHC predicts that starting in 2020 and through 2021, there will be a modest increase both in prices and sales volume.

Attached homes, condos and apartments priced under $700,000 are expected to generate the strongest demand because “homes in this price range can be accessible to buyers making a purchase based on their income compared with properties requiring substantial equity for a down payment,” says the report. The report says housing starts are expected to remain high, especially multi-family homes, which currently account for 88 per cent of unit starts.

25

Saturday, November 23, 2019

R

Reasons why Canada’s apartment building owners are happy

ental apartment building market in Canada is trongest it’s ever been, especially from the perspective of apartment building owners.

Buildings are practically full across the country, rental rates are at or near 10-year highs in nearly every market, and average national rents have climbed 4.4 per cent annually over the last two years, according to a new report by commercial property brokerage house CBRE. This rapid rise of rental rates is earning more money for building owners. Total annualized returns for the Canadian multifamily sector were 9.8 per cent as of the first quarter of this year, just behind the industrial sector. Canada’s national average rental apartment vacancy rate ended 2018 at 2.4 per cent, below the 10-year average of 2.6, CBRE said in its national multifamily mid-year update.

Investors are lining up to get into the market in most cities. Multifamily investment volume reached record levels for four consecutive years, including an all-time high of $8.3 billion in 2018.

Apartments are traditionally viewed as stable and defensive assets to own, said CBRE Canada vicechairman Paul Morassutti. “(The asset class) never displays great amounts of volatility,” he told Postmedia last week. “Very rarely would you have declines in rental rates or net operating income. Typically, things would go up in a

slow and steady fashion and it was always a favoured asset class for all those reasons.”

Here are other main drivers that Morassutti and his firm believe will continue to stoke demand for apartment buildings in Canada. Population growth: Canada’s population is expected to grow by nearly one per cent annually over the next four years, surpassing growth in all other G7 countries, the report said. Much of this momentum is being fuelled by immigration, which accounted for 80.5 per cent of the country’s population growth last year. The government has a plan to welcome one million new immigrants between 2019 and 2021. Much of that new population is settling in the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver regions, with Toronto and Vancouver experiencing the sharpest annual apartment rental price growth of 5.0 per cent

and 7.1 per cent, respectively, over the past four years.

Shortage of new supply Canada’s big cities are not building enough new rental apartments to keep up with demand, when compared to global peers, the report said.

The largest rental market in Canada is Montreal with just under 600,000 units. Toronto follows well

behind with 313,000 units, and Vancouver trails with just 109,000 units. Units on the secondary market, including privately rented condos, do close the gap, but it’s clear that renters across the country need more options, or else rents will continue to climb.

While we are seeing increased construction of rental units more recently, the overall number remains relatively low, Morassutti said.

Rising cost of home ownership An expanding proportion of Canada’s big-city dwellers can’t afford to buy a home. This factor, above all others, is probably having the greatest effect on stoking apartment rental prices, while spurring investors to buy buildings, Morassutti said. “In Toronto, if you want to buy a detached house or semi-detached house, you need to have a household income of close to $200,000,” he said. “The average household income in Toronto I believe is something like $100,000.” (According to the last Canadian census, the average household in the Greater Toronto Area earned $87,993 after tax.) That leaves residents with only a couple of choices. They can buy a condo, or they can rent.

“As affordability has become more of an issue, and it’s an issue that I don’t believe is going to go away in (Vancouver and Toronto), that will continue to underpin strong rental growth — especially when we really don’t have a lot of supply in purpose-built housing coming on stream,” Morassutti said.

Condos, the ‘future of our communities,’ now cost more per square foot than a detached home Condominiums may be the “future of our communities” but per square foot, they are hardly a bargain. According to a Royal LePage report released today, aside from Vancouver and Calgary, every major city’s condo price per square foot has increased. With the exception of Vancouver, the median price per square foot of a condo is now higher than that of a single family detached home nationwide. Canadian home prices are up — but by the smallest amount in

a decade. Seven reasons Canada’s housing market is stronger than it looks Vancouver’s housing market is dismal — but you still need six-figure income to get your foot in the door “While condo units are smaller, they are the present and future of our communities. With more development opportunities, they can meet both the growing need for housing and lifestyle expectations of homebuyers,” said Phil Soper, the president of Royal LePage in a

press release. The Greater Ottawa condo price per square foot appreciated the fastest among the cities that were measured, rising 17.9 per cent year-over-year to $395, while the Greater Vancouver price actually declined the most by 8.3 per cent to $764. “We are seeing significant interest in Ottawa’s south and west ends from residents working in the nearby military and technology hubs,” said Kent Browne, broker

Over 11% of Vancouver condos have a non-resident owner, says new CMHC report

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Over 11 percent of Vancouver condos have at least one non-resident as an owner, a number that jumps to more than 19 per cent when it comes to newer built condos.

The information is contained in a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation housing market insight report which also found that non-residents — defined as someone who

doesn’t have their principal residence in Canada — tend to own more expensive properties than residents, especially in Vancouver.

Some of the other findings: 7.2 per cent of all Vancouver properties have at least one non-resident owner.

Non-resident ownership is highest in

and owner of Royal LePage TEAM Realty. The city of Vancouver remains the most expensive condo market in the country, with homebuyers paying $1,044 per square foot for a condo and $1,279 per square foot for a single-family detached home. Greater Calgary offers the lowest condo price per square foot, with a fall of 6.7 per cent to $313.“For the fourth consecutive month, condo inventory in the region declined compared to last year.

26

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Saturday, November 23, 2019

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Child care provider required at a private home Location Surrey, BC - Salary $14.50 to $14.75 / Hour (To be negotiated) Permanent, Full time 40 Hours / Week Start date As soon as possible Job requirements Languages English Education College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma from a program of 1 year to 2 years Experience 1 year to less than 2 years Additional Skills Assume full responsibility for household in absence of parents, Perform light housekeeping and cleaning duties, Shop for food and household supplies, Travel with family on trips and assist with child supervision and housekeeping duties, Wash, iron and press clothing and household linens Children’s Ages School age (6 - 12 years), and 2 - 3 years Specific Skills Bathe,

dress and feed infants and children, Discipline children according to the methods requested by the parents, Prepare infants and children for rest periods, Keep records of daily activities and health information regarding children, Sterilize bottles, prepare formulas and change diapers for infants, Maintain a safe and healthy environment in the home, Take children to and from school and to appointments, Tend to emotional well-being of children, Instruct children in personal hygiene and social development, Organize, activities such as games and outings for children, Prepare and serve nutritious meals, Supervise and care for children, Help children with homework Work Setting Employer’s home How to apply By email: umendrasingh@hotmail.com By phone: 604-537-3551

Saturday, November 23, 2019

27

28

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Canada’s two biggest real estate markets are sizzling again Canada’s two biggest real estate markets are once again reporting brisk sales activity.

Toronto housing prices climbed the most in almost two years amid falling supply. The benchmark price rose 5.8 per cent from a year ago to $810,900, the Toronto Real Estate Board said in a report Tuesday. That’s the biggest jump since December 2017 and takes it to within about $4,300 of the record set in mid-2017, Bloomberg reported.

The Toronto data comes on the heels of numbers from Vancouver which show home

sales surged 45.4 per cent in October from a year earlier boosted by lower prices, according to The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.

The city saw 2,858 sales for the month, a 9.8 per cent above the 10-year sales average for October. While average home prices slipped 6.4 per cent from a year ago to $992,900, they remain at elevated levels.

Vancouver remains the second most expensive major housing market in the world after Hong Kong, according to a Demographia International Housing Affordability Study.

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1 in 5 homes bought by newcomers - survey One in every five homes in Canada is bought by newcomers to the country, according to a Royal LePage survey released on Wednesday.

The Royal LePage Newcomer 2019 Survey, which was commissioned by the real estate company, found that newcomers spend about three years in Canada before buying a home and that 75 per cent of newcomers arrive with savings or cash to help buy a home. About 1,500 people, all of whom arrived in Canada within the last 10 years, were interviewed by public opinion polling and market research company Leger for the survey and it was conducted online in August.Phil Soper, president and CEO of Royal LePage, said in an interview with CBC’s Radio-Canada that the survey found that newcomers represent about 21 per cent of all homebuyers in Canada. That

number suggests people new to the country are contributing “significantly” to real estate demand, he said.“We know that Canada is a country of immigrants and we know that newcomers to Canada are an important part of our economic growth. What surprises us in the data is just how important they are to Canada’s real estate market,” Soper said on Tuesday.If current international migration levels are maintained, Royal LePage estimates that newcomers are expected to buy 680,000 homes in Canada over the next five years.

The projected home sales was calculated using historic migration levels from Statistics Canada, the survey’s home ownership rate of newcomers and Canadian Real Estate Association and Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation unit sales data.

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Larry Mah 604.765.3589 armadascooters@gmail.com

14333 - 104th Ave., Surrey, BC

Saturday, November 23, 2019

DREAM carpet

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Long, cold, messy winter that’s ‘more frozen than thawed’ ahead for most of Canada It’s going to be a long, cold and messy winter across much of Canada, according to the seasonal forecast released Monday by the Weather Network.

November has already brought historically early snowfall in southern Ontario and power outages in the Prairies, setting what chief meteorologist Chris Scott said will be a trend throughout the winter.

“The upcoming winter across the country looks to be more frozen than thawed, and we’ve already seen an early entrance of winter weather this fall,” he said. “The signs that we’re seeing this year do suggest we’re in for a winter that’s more on than

off across the country — and that it’s going to be fairly long for many Canadians.”

But things are looking a little better in British Columbia, where Scott said temperatures will be slightly above normal and precipitation will be just below normal.

Favourable ski conditions in B.C. However, he said, there may still be a two-week period where winter shows up out of the blue on the Pacific coast. Conditions will also likely be favourable in British Columbia’s ski areas, despite the slightly higher temperatures.

In

Alberta, Scott said, there will above-normal precipitation in the south, with especially frigid temperatures throughout the province.

The trend of a deep freeze will continue through Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

That’s especially the case in the southern parts of the Prairies, where Scott said he expects cold air to anchor down for the season.

From southern Ontario to southern Quebec, Scott said, people can prepare for a winter that’s colder than usual and has be

much more precipitation than normal.

He expects it to be stormy throughout Quebec and Ontario, but said there will be a mix of precipitation. That means rain could often wash out snow after large dumps, and that there could be potential for icy conditions “Once we settle into winter, it does not look like an early spring,” Scott said.

He said winter in Ontario and Quebec will be a slog towards the end. In fact, all the provinces east of Manitoba will likely face a prolonged winter season, Scott said. Spring weather is only forecasted to arrive in late March or early April.

Heavy rainfall in MetroVancouver was result of an atmospheric river The deluge of rain that hit British Columbia’s coast early Sunday morning was the result of a phenomenon that residents can expect to see more of in the coming years.

A passing atmospheric river — also known as a Pineapple Express — led to flooding in Vancouver streets, as 51 millimetres of rain fell downtown in just 17 hours.

Atmospheric rivers carry moisture from the tropics and subtropics toward the poles and they are fundamental to the Earth’s water cycle. When the band of warm air collides with land, it releases tremendous rains that could last for a couple of days and trigger devastating landslides, floods and fatal avalanches.

Much of the rain fell from roughly 4 p.m. Saturday to 9 a.m. Sunday.

“The warm air (of atmospheric rivers) can hold more moisture, and that was taking aim right at the coast,” according to Environment Canada meteorologist Jonathan Bau. “So we did see significant

Cell phone tickets worse tax grab than speed limits, SenseBC says Chris Thompson’s first traffic safety video in 2013 led to increased speed limits on some B.C. highways, and he’s hoping his latest one prompts similar reforms to the wave of distracted driving tickets for cell phone use.

The latest controversy involves $368 traffic tickets being issued to B.C. drivers for having their phones sitting in a cupholder to charge while driving, or being held in hand at a stop light but not used. Thompson’s new video, produced for driver advocacy group SenseBC, is called Speed Kills Your Pocketbook 2: Lying with Statistics. It reveals how accident data have been selectively fed to news media to reinforce a need for a crackdown on cell phone use. That has produced a blitz of 40,000 cell phonerelated tickets in recent years, with only two deaths actually related to cell phone use, while over the same period, 100 deaths for other types of distraction, prompted fewer than 5,700 tickets. “So why the huge enforcement blitz for these two people?”

Thompson asks in the video. “It’s because it’s so, so easy, and drivers have money.”

Thompson and Sense BC’s Ian Tootill argue that no one has ever died from looking at a cell phone while stopped at a traffic light, and almost none have died in cell phone-related crashes of any kind.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Crown seeks Supreme Court of Canada hearing in Via Rail terror case The Crown is asking the Supreme Court of Canada to review an Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision to order a new trial for two men convicted of plotting to derail a Via Rail passenger train in the Greater Toronto Area.

In a written submission to the high court, federal lawyers say the Court of Appeal overturned the convictions on the basis of a “highly technical error” in the jury selection process that did not interfere with the fairtrial rights of either man.

Raed Jaser and Chiheb Esseghaier were found guilty in 2015 on terror-related charges arising from an al-Qaeda-inspired plot to derail a passenger train travelling between New York City and Toronto, operated by U.S. rail service Amtrak south of the border and Via Rail in Canada. Both were sentenced to life in prison.

In August, the Appeal Court ordered a fresh trial for the men on grounds the jury that convicted them was improperly chosen.

Following the decision, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada said it would proceed with a new trial, but noted it had 60 days to decide whether to seek permission to appeal from the Supreme Court.

In the submission, the federal lawyers note Jaser and Esseghaier were convicted of the most serious terrorism offences in Canadian law after nearly nine months of pretrial motions and a three-month jury trial.

“Overturning these convictions on the basis of a technical error that had no appreciable effect on the conduct of the trial is a triumph of form over substance,” the submission says.

“Where, as here, there is no actual demonstrable prejudice to the fairness of the trial, the verdict properly reached by the trier of fact after a long and arduous trial should not so easily be set aside.”

Jaser and Esseghaier will also have an opportunity to make submissions to the Supreme Court, which is likely to rule on whether to hear the matter some time next year.

Before the terror trial, the case’s high profile and the fact the two accused were Muslim and members of a visible minority meant that prospective jurors were asked about their ability to be impartial.

Historically during this process, two people were given the role of “triers” who listened to the answers for signs of bias. Lawyers for the Crown and defence then decided whether to allow the individual to sit on the jury.

The use of “rotating triers” entailed having each newly appointed juror replace one of the two triers for subsequent questioning.

Counsel for Jaser wanted the challenges to proceed with rotating triers, with the other prospective jury members excluded from the room. Esseghaier was unrepresented.

It’s so cold in some parts of Canada that records were broken this weekend The deep chill that has settled in across parts of Canada has already shattered some coldweather records – and we’re still more than a month away from the official start of winter.

According to summaries released by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) on Sunday, the community of Moose Creek, Ont., which is located about 71 kilometres east of Ottawa, recorded a temperature of -20.9 C on Sunday.

The dramatic drop in temperature broke the previous record for Nov. 17, which came in at -8.8 C in 2017. It’s worth noting that ECCC has only been keeping records for the community since 2003.

The Ontario village is not alone in breaking temperature records. The nation’s capital, as reported by CTV News Ottawa, has been breaking records all week. On Sunday, an overnight low of -13.9 C broke the 1980

record for Nov. 17. Similar records were broken on Saturday, Wednesday and Tuesday.

In fact, areas in and around the Ottawa Valley also made it onto Environment and Climate Change Canada’s list of new records on Sunday. This includes the communities of Bancroft, Kemptville, Pembroke and Trenton.

However, the chilly temperatures extend further south and out of the province.

Kingston, Peterborough and parts of Muskoka (known to many as Ontario’s cottage country) also broke records for Nov. 17.

Parts of New Brunswick saw cold weather records also broken Saturday. The areas of Grand Manan and Edmunston set new temperature records for Nov. 16.

While Environment and Climate Change Canada has yet to release its winter outlook, U.S.-based AccuWeather did so last month.

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UK newspaper reports of a ‘savage wedding brawal’ in BC A savage wedding brawl spirals out of control as guests batter each other, smash through tables and knock over the cake.

The brutal fracas appears to erupt in the middle of the venue in British Colombia, Canada - with a number of women outside the wedding location also involved in a violent scrap.

Guests are seen throwing punches and completely knocking over a table with wedding cake as the destructive fight escalates. One clip shows several screaming female wedding guests are seen viciously punching and wrestling each other before disturbingly, a man becomes violent towards one of the women. In the first video, several guests make a beeline towards a pair of men dressed in blue and burgundy suits. The group start throwing punches at the two men who dramatically crash into the table - causing it to suddenly collapse.

A dish topped with wedding cake smash and falls as the table is completely knocked over and destroyed. The group of men continue beating and hitting the pair who lie on the ground with the broken table. One of the male guests is seen attempting to drag

and pull the blue-suited man up so he can punch him further. Screams are heard as the fight continues between the male guests.

Wedding security staff and female attendees are seen trying to break up the brawl.

They briefly tear the scuffling guests apart.

However when the men get up to their feet, they resume striking and punching one another as the clip ends.

In a second clip of the carnage – filmed by a onlooker in a nearby car – women are seen fighting at the door of the opulent venue with some women behind the glass door inside and others outside. Hair-pulling and punches are being thrown between the female guests and the women can be seen grappling and wildly shouting with one another.

Guests continue to pile on top of each other as the fight escalates Several male guests try to break up the fighting women and the same security guard from the first video is seen in the background. A woman in a cream salwar kameez outfit starts a physical altercation with a burly man in a sweater and she fiercely slaps him across the face.

The burly man is infuriated by this and he becomes disturbingly violent towards the men. He throws her down to the floor and slaps the woman hard on her face twice.

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Surge in number of Canadians who can’t pay their debts has economists worried — and scratching their heads

A surge in the number of people who can’t play their debts is raising eyebrows in Canada.

Some 11,935 consumers filed for insolvency in September, according to the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy — a 19 per cent increase from a year earlier and the biggest annual gain since 2009. So far in 2019, there have been 102,023 consumer insolvencies, the second-most for the first nine months of a year in records dating back to 1987.

While the increases are coming from low

levels, the trend is a worrying development that suggests cracks are starting to appear in Canada’s household debt landscape, at least for the most extended individuals.

That would be all the more concerning, since it could foreshadow pressure on the country’s financial system.

And it’s a bit of a puzzle, given the economic backdrop has been positive, including an unemployment rate that’s dropped to historically low levels.

“Normally there’s a story you can tell, like there’s some underlying weakness that

shows up with a bit of a lag in personal bankruptcies and insolvencies,” said Stephen Gordon, an economics professor at Université Laval in Quebec City. “It’s just hard to see that now. It’s perplexing.”

Insolvencies are accelerating at a pace that’s been associated with periods of distress: the start of the 2008-09 financial crisis, immediately before the 199092 recession, and during the period of

Budget watchdog downgrades Canada’s economic outlook and warns of deeper federal deficits The deficit under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is likely to deepen in coming years due to a slump in economic growth, further weakening the Liberal’s fiscal position as it seeks to juggle an incoming minority government.

On Thursday, the Parliamentary Budget Office said it expects budget deficits to be an average of $1.6 billion higher over the next five years, owing to growing fears over international trade disputes and lacklustre Canadian exports that are

likely to shrink the Canadian economy.

The increase does not include promises Trudeau made during the campaign, which will further nudge spending upward.

Higher deficits would put additional fiscal strain on the Trudeau government as it seeks to secure the support of the NDP, who has called for higher spending on pharmacare and social housing, among other programs.

A lowered economic outlook comes amid increasing concerns that a trade war between China and the U.S. could spill over into the Canadian economy, snarling

exports and causing business investment to dry up. Lower public spending by the Alberta government was also cited by the PBO as a reason for the downgrade.

Trudeau government ran $14B deficit in 2018-19, exceeding $10B for third year in a row John Ivison: Trudeau believes Canadians no longer care about deficits – and he seems to be right Liberal platform projects deficits of over $20 billion per year for four years, adds $31.5 billion in debt

Trade deal with Canada becomes US impeachment football Canada’s most important new trade agreement has turned into a political football in Washington’s all-consuming impeachment clash.

Republicans and Democrats have both seized upon the not-yet-ratified CanadaU.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) on trade to try to win the argument over who’s properly conducting the nation’s business amid the impeachment fight.

Hanging in the balance of this partisan scrum: A new trade agreement that would govern more than threequarters of all Canada’s exports.

To Republicans, the continuing failure to ratify CUSMA is evidence their opponents are do-nothing, presidenttormenting partisans who deserve to lose their House majority in next year’s election.

“What’s going on is a disgrace,” President Donald Trump said Tuesday of the impeachment hearings.

“It’s an embarrassment to our nation.

And in the meantime we can’t get [CUSMA] approved because [House Speaker]

Nancy Pelosi is grossly incompetent.”

The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade is being pulled into the ongoing impeachment proceedings south of the border. 1:12 At the same time, Republicans are using the moment to push for the Democraticcontrolled House of Representatives to approve the deal, which Americans refer to as the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement​ , or USMCA. Approval in that chamber would pave the way for the agreement’s enactment in all three countries, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Democrats have been talking to the administration about adjustments to the pact that would satisfy their critical allies in the labour movement — but there’s no deal yet.

Administration officials blanketed the airwaves with their messaging Tuesday.

Trump, Vice-President Mike Pence and cabinet officials conducted 17 local radio and TV interviews to push the NAFTA 2.0 message to millions of American households.

Almost three quarters of detached Vancouver homes sold below assessed value in 2019 Provincewide real estate figures released this week by Landcor Data Corporation compared all residential sales for the first nine months of 2019 with the same period last year.

It breaks down sales numbers, sale prices, sales volumes and what percentage of sales were above or below the assessed value — a gold mine of information for any homeowner.

Here are five interesting things to know: 1.

Let’s start with Vancouver Most of the horror stories around money being lost in residential real estate are based on sales of high-end detached homes in the province’s most-populous city.

Using detached homes as a bellwether, Landcor data shows that the value of a detached home in the city fell 11.3 per cent for the first nine months of this year compared to last, with the median price now being $1.825 million.

There were 1,172 detached homes sold from the start of January to the end of September this year, compared to 1,448 for the same period in 2018. The value of those sales fell from $3.8 billion to $2.76 billion. Almost 73 per cent of detached

homes sold in Vancouver in the first nine months of 2019 went for below assessed value.

Condo owners in Vancouver experienced a 3.3 per cent rise in the median price on 30 per cent fewer sales.

Five examples of Metro Vancouver homeowners losing big in a falling market 2. LNG boom in Kitimat leads to huge jump in home values There’s an energy boom underway in northwest B.C., driven by a $40-billion LNG project in Kitimat. There are already 1,000 workers setting up the construction site at the mouth of Douglas Channel, with 7,500 workers expected from 2022 to 2024. That creates a big need for housing and its shows in the data.

In Kitimat, the price of a detached home jumped almost 50 per cent in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period in 2018. While the number of detached home sales actually fell from 99 to 91, the value of those sales soared from $28.1 million to $38.7 million.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Scheer criticizes Liberal cabinet lineup while Kenney, Ford congratulate the new team Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer scoffed at the composition of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new federal cabinet, saying the presence of many of the same faces will lead the government to repeat the errors of its first term. “The cabinet he unveiled today is a bigger and more bloated version of the same one that helped create an affordability crisis for Canadian families, attacked our energy sector and put thousands of Canadians out of work, and set the stage for a national unity crisis,” Scheer said in a statement. The Conservative leader said Trudeau had learned nothing from the election that saw his majority government reduced to a minority. The evidence for that, Scheer said, was Trudeau’s decision to elevate “a known anti-pipeline activist” to cabinet.

Scheer did not name the “activist” but it appears he was referring to Steven Guilbeault, one of seven new appointments to cabinet.

Guilbeault was director of the Quebec arm of Greenpeace for ten years and is a founding member of Équiterre, a Quebec environmental group.

Trudeau’s cabinet stood at 35 members, including himself, when Parliament was dissolved. That number now

sits at 37, including the prime minister. Two former ministers lost their seats — Ralph Goodale of Saskatchewan and Amarjeet Sohi of Alberta — and Jim Carr of Manitoba is remaining out of cabinet so he can focus in on his battle with cancer. Former science minister Kirsty Duncan, from Ontario, was shuffled out of cabinet and becomes deputy House leader, while Ginette Petitpas Taylor, from New Brunswick, is being moved from the health ministry to serve as the new deputy whip. Blanchet said Trudeau “lacked the necessary courage” to give Guilbeault a strategic role in environmental policy, opting instead to appoint him minister of heritage.

“I believe that Mr. Guilbeault was not offered the minister of the environment because Mr. Trudeau dare not face Alberta and did not want to raise any more animosity between Alberta and his government,” said Blanchet.

Appointments like Guilbeault’s, Scheer said, will “further stoke” regional divisions following an election campaign that saw the Liberals shut out of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

“Today, Trudeau wasted an opportunity to begin a new approach.

Trudeau’s cabinet picks seem designed to project stability Justin Trudeau’s Liberals were shut out in Alberta and Saskatchewan last month, but the provinces got a shout-out in the cabinet choices the prime minister announced today.

Lacking an MP from the region, Trudeau tried for the next best thing. He named two key ministers with ties to the two provinces, and positioned a former cabinet minister as his eyes and ears in the Prairies.

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Trudeau tapped Chrystia Freeland as his minister of intergovernmental affairs and deputy prime minister.Chrystia Freeland is sworn in as the new Deputy Prime Minister as well as the new Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, a key portfolio that will have to deal with some dissatisfied Premiers across the country. 0:43 The first of those roles is to work with the premiers — particularly prominent Trudeau antagonists Jason Kenney of Alberta and Scott Moe of Saskatchewan — to show that Trudeau not only understands the frustration of people in those provinces, but intends to respond.

Her second role is more symbolic: Freeland becomes the first deputy prime minister since Anne McLellan 15 years ago. (The parallels don’t end there. McLellan represented an Alberta riding, Freeland comes from the province and has family there. Both are women. Both enjoy unfettered access to their boss.)

Making Freeland deputy PM signals that while Trudeau remains first among equals as prime minister, she’s clearly second.

Her job is to use the diplomatic skills she honed in dealing with the Trump administration to find solutions to regional grievances, starting in the Prairies.

That doesn’t mean capitulating to (for example) Moe’s demand that the federal price on carbon be suspended, or agreeing to change the way equalization is calculated.

It does mean getting clear, measurable results, as McLellan did, for the oil and gas sector. It also means she takes on the task of addressing the most virulent outbreak of western alienation since the birth of the Reform Party in the early 1990s.

Canada reverses UN stance on Palestinians in break with US over settlements Canada voted for a UN resolution on Tuesday in support of Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

The vote marks a major departure for Canada, which has declined to support substantially the same resolution through 14 consecutive votes since Stephen Harper came to power in 2006.

Tuesday’s resolution was opposed by Israel, the United States and three Pacific island nations that depend heavily on U.S. aid and tend to vote with Washington at the UN: the Marshall Islands, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia.

Speaking on background, an official at Global Affairs Canada said the vote sends a message that Canada does not agree with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s assertion on Monday that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories are “not, per se, inconsistent with international law.”

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is claiming that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories are not ‘inconsistent’ with international law. (Yara Nardi/Reuters) The official added that Canada has in the recent past opposed motions that are consistent with its own policy positions — to send a

message that it considered the UN’s focus on Israel’s sins one-sided and inconsistent with the treatment of other nations. The official said that today’s vote reflected core Canadian principles on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which include embracing a two-state solution with viable borders for both peoples.

The vote represents a sudden shift in the direction of Canada’s policies on the Middle East, which began to drift toward a more pro-Israeli stance under former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin. That trend accelerated dramatically under the Conservative government of Stephen Harper.

There are 16 UN resolutions on the IsraeliPalestinian conflict that come up every year, dealing with issues such as sovereignty, refugees, East Jerusalem, human rights, settlements and holy places. All of them are passed by overwhelming majorities while being opposed by the United States and Israel, which are sometimes joined by a handful of other nations. Those other nations typically include an assortment of Pacific islands — none of which can boast the

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Saturday, November 23, 2019

India will lead world in combating poverty, climate change and terrorism, says Minister Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said India will lead the world in combating the challenges of poverty, terrorism and climate change in the 21st century.

Piyush Goyal was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day conference on ‘environmental law: challenges and solutions’ at a private university.

“India will lead the world in the 21st century when it comes to combating the challenges of poverty, terrorism and climate change. Against all these three, India is in the vanguard of the fight.... And I have no doubt in my mind that every single citizen of India will play a role in that,” he said. Mr Goyal, the minister for railways, commerce and industry, said there

was a dire need to maintain balance between environment and development process based on the needs of the society in mind. “One must have a very delicate balance between the environment and the very needs of society and progress, particularly poverty alleviation.

When we are at the cusp of development, it is important to balance our environmental concerns with the growing needs of the population of 130 crore people,” said Mr Goyal. The minister said it was in the Indian tradition and heritage to respect and revere the nature, and highlighted that even Kautilya’s Arthashastra has a mention of environment protection and Ashoka’s rock edicts too stress on the same issue.

Peugeot Motorcycles’s India-made electric scooter inducted in French presidential fleet India made electric scooter, e-Ludix, of French two wheeler manufacturer, Peugeot Motorcycles - a subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra - is the first electric two-wheeler to be included in French presidential fleet.

“Peugeot Motocycles (a @MahindraRise company) is part of the ‘energetic’ transformation of the French Presidential fleet! Our brand new Peugeot e-Ludix, is the 1st electric 2-wheeler to join the fleet. And they’re proudly the 1st electric 2-wheelers exported from India,” tweeted Anand Mahindra, chairman of Mahindra Group.

Mahindra is India’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer but is yet to launch an electric two-wheeler in the country, at a time when Indian government is urging automakers to launch electric vehicles to reign in on increasing pollution and crude import.

Mahindra and Mahindra acquired 51% of the Peugeot Motorcycles in 2015. The Mumbai based automaker is also expected to acquire 100% stake in the French company in the next two years.

B SE EST RV IC E

India, UK experts begin study on babies with brain injury in India Leading experts from the UK and Indian universities have launched the world’s largest study on babies with brain injuries in India this week to help prevent epilepsy. The Imperial College London will lead the Prevention of Epilepsy by reducing Neonatal Encephalopathy (PREVENT) study to try and reduce the number of epilepsy cases following perinatal brain injury.

According to experts, brain injury during labour or childbirth is one of the leading causes of epilepsy in babies in some areas of the world and a common cause is perinatal asphyxia – where oxygen is cut off to the foetal brain, damaging it. The researchers believe that perinatal brain injury could be reduced by introducing a “care bundle” to improve the intra-partum care in Indian public

hospitals, which includes intelligent foetal heart rate monitoring, an e-partogram, brain-oriented neonatal resuscitation, and birth companions.

“Birth asphyxia-related brain injury is the commonest cause of death and disability in babies worldwide. We believe that this could be substantially reduced with a ‘care bundle’ that combines many key evidence-based elements which have been shown to reduce perinatal brain injury,” said Dr Sudhin Thayyil of the Imperial College London, who is also the Chief Investigator for the project.

“Preventing birth-related injury in babies is complex and requires innovative and collaborative approaches, as in the PREVENT study,” he said.

Final decision on Maharashtra govt in a day or two: Sanjay Raut A new government in Maharashtra should be in place before December and a final decision on it would be taken in a day or two, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Thursday, amid parleys between his party and the CongressNCP combine. Raut said he would meet NCP president Sharad Pawar on Thursday.

To further discuss the modalities of government formation, another round of meeting among the three parties would be held in Mumbai, he said.

He also told reporters that there are no plans of any meeting between Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray this week. Raut, the editor of party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, has emerged as the key leader to hold discussions with the NCP-Congress combine.

“Yesterday’s (Wednesday) meeting was on Common Minimum Programme and leaders of the two parties (NCP and Congress) have said the deliberations were positive. In a day or two, the three parties will reach a consensus.

National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be implemented across the country - Amit Shah Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Rajya Sabha that National Register of Citizens (NRC) would be implemented across the country and in Assam would be prepared afresh along with the national registry.

Responding to a query during Question Hour, Shah clarified that NCR and the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill were two different instrumentalities.

The latter was meant to relax rules of citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis

and Christians — who had migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to escape religious persecution. The NRC in Assam, on the other hand, aimed to identify illegal immigrants who had entered the state and settled there after March 25, 1971. “No genuine persons will be left out of the NRC,” Shah stressed. He said the NRC exercise in Assam had been carried out at the behest of the Supreme Court. “Those whose names are missing may approach the Foreign Tribunals constituted at the district and tehsil headquarters.”

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To boost revenue collection in the backdrop Govt to sell stake in BPCL, 4 other PSUs

of sluggish economy, the government decided on selling its stake in blue chip public sector companies, including petroleum giant BPCL, shipping firm SCI and on-land cargo mover Concor. It also decided to cut shareholding in select public sector firms below 51 per cent, though it will continue to have management control.

Informing about the decisions of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the PM, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it had been decided to offload government’s entire 53.29 per cent stake along with transfer of management control of country’s second-largest state-owned refinery and marketing company Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL).

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This refinery would be handed over to a public sector oil company to allay concerns of the North East over the move. The CCEA approved the sale of 53.75 per cent out of government holding of 63.75 per cent stake in the Shipping Corporation of India and 30.9 per cent stake in the Container Corp of India. The government holds 54.80 per cent in Concor. Besides, the government would sell its entire holding in THDC India and North Eastern Electric Power Corp Ltd to state-owned power utility NTPC Ltd, the minister said. In tandem with the decision on strategic sale of five companies, the government decided to reduce its stake in select PSUs, such as Indian Oil Corp, to below 51 per cent while continuing to retain management control.

“The management control will continue to be retained with the government after considering equity held by other state-run

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3.5 magnitude quake11635 hits Palghar of Maharashtra - 130 district St., Surrey, BC Fax:

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Email: can-ambuildingsupply@sh “The magnitude of the earthquake was 3.5.

An earthquake of 3.5 magnitude was recorded in Palghar district of Maharashtra on Thursday morning, civic officials said.

The tremors were felt around 7.20 am at Dhundalwadi village in Dahanu taluka of Palghar, said Santosh Kadam, chief of the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).

There were no reports of damage to property or casualty,” he added. Dhundalwadi has been repeatedly experiencing tremors since November 2018.

Just two days back, the village had experienced a 2.9 magnitude earthquake.

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PUNJAB

Saturday, November 23, 2019 Mor stubble burning in Punjab this year than last Stubble burning had gone up in Punjab compared to last year, while in Haryana, it had reduced to some extent, Environment Secretary C K Mishra said on Monday.

Replying to a question on the issue of stubble burning after addressing a press conference here following a high-level meeting over tackling air pollution, Mishra said there were several administrative issues that required serious attention. “Haryana has reduced stubble burning to some extent but the Punjab fires are more than last year. There are administrative issues which we seriously need to attend to,” he said.

Tractors and machines to control stubble burning were distributed among farmers and the government was trying to analyse its impact, he added. “The distribution of tractors and equipment to control stubble burning has happened.

It has happened less in Punjab.

In Haryana, the target has been achieved. We are also trying to analyse that now, since we have completed the cycle of distribution, what is the impact,” Mishra said, adding that despite the step, stubble burning was still taking place.

He also pointed out that action was taken against the organisations found violating

Sikhs protest against Kejriwal, selection board for ‘inconvenience’ Sikh activists on Monday protested outside the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) office here against the DSSSB chairman and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

They were against the board’s decision of preventing Sikh candidates from wearing ‘kirpan’

Rs 12-lakh relief for each family of 3 army men killed in avalanche Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday condoled the death of three Army men in an avalanche at Siachen Glacier in Ladakh two days ago.

He announced a financial assistance to the tune of Rs 12 lakh each for the next of kin, along with a government job for one eligible member of each family, according to an official spokesperson.

5 gangsters arrested, arms seized The Batala police have arrested five wanted gangsters and recovered 10 weapons and 186 cartridges from their possession.

SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman said after days of playing a wait-and-watch game, the police finally nabbed Ajju Masih, an aide of notorious gangster Gopi Ghanshampuria, on Wednesday from his hideout. In all, 15 FIRs have been lodged against Masih, including those pertaining to murder, snatching and under the NDPS Act. Navjot, alias Jota, had also been arrested. In all, 17 cases have been registered against him at various police stations of Punjab. Gurvinder Singh, alias Baba, has also been taken into custody.

“We also nabbed Lovely and Jugraj against whom cases of snatching have been registered,” Ghuman added.

No arrest yet in former sarpanch murder case Even 48 hours after former Akali sarpanch and vice-president of district SAD unit Dalbir Singh Dhilwan was gunned down and later hacked to death, the Batala police are yet to arrest any of the seven accused. Dhilwan was shot dead with a .12 bore rifle allegedly by his neighbour Balwinder Singh and his sons Mandeep Singh and Major Singh.

An FIR was registered under Section 302 IPC and various sections of the Arms Act at Kotil Surat Malhi police station against Balwinder, his sons and four unidentified persons. SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman had formed five teams to trace the accused, but there is no breakthrough in the case.

Meanwhile, SAD leaders claimed that the law and order machinery had collapsed in the state. Former minister Bikram Singh

and ‘kara’ in the examination.

The activists were led by DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa and general secretary Harmeet Singh Kalka.

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AAP MLA withdraws resignation Taking a U-turn, rebel AAP MLA from Ropar Amarjit Singh Sandoa, who had joined the Congress in May ahead of the parliamentary elections, today withdrew his resignation from the office of Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

Seen as an effort to save his membership of the state Legislative Assembly, Sandoa still faces the anti-defection law that can lead to disqualification in such cases.

Last month, Punjab Ekta Party leader Sukhpal Khaira, who is MLA from Bholath Assembly segment, and AAP MLA from Jaito Master Baldev Singh had withdrawn their resignation. The Jaito MLA has joined back AAP. With the Congress government in no mood to hold byelections to Ropar and Mansa Assembly segments, former AAP MLA from Mansa constituency Nazar Singh Manshahia could also withdraw his resignation in the coming days. Sandoa was not reachable for comments.

“Both have realised that they cannot contest on the Congress ticket from their respective constituencies during the leftover term of the Congress government so they have preferred to save their membership,” said a senior Congress leader. While Sandoa had joined the Congress on May 4, Manshahia had joined the party on April 29. Sandoa had been eyeing the Ropar seat, from where Congress leader Barinder Singh Dhillon had unsuccessfully contested and Manshia had been eying the Mansa seat, from where Raninder Singh, son of Capt Amarinder Singh, is reportedly keen to contest.

Last month, the Congress had gone ahead with byelections to four Assembly segments, Jalalabad (vacated after Sukhbir Badal got elected as MP from Ferozepur), Phagwara (vacated after Som Parkash got elected as MP from Hoshiarpur), Dhaka (vacated on acceptance of HS Phoolka’s resignation) and Mukerian (vacated in the wake of death of MLA Rajnish Babbi).

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INDIA

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Leonardo DiCaprio raises awareness on New Delhi’s hazardous air quality Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the finest and most loved actors across the globe.

From essaying the role of Jack in Titanic to Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Leo has won hearts with his charm and suave.

But over and above all, Leonardo has become an inspiration to millennials for his urging everyone to adopt environmental friendly methods.

From addressing climate change in his Oscar-winning speech to speaking about every pressing issue, Leonardo has been urging everyone to pay a little more attention to the environmental crisis. After raising concern over the water crisis in Chennai, Leonardo has now addressed the issue of the hazardous air quality in New Delhi. He went on to reshare a series of images on his social media handle

of citizens protesting outside India Gate. The post read as, “Over 1500 citizens gathered in at India Gate, in New Dehli, to demand

immediate action on the cities hazardous pollution levels.⁣ ⁣According to the World Health Organisation, air pollution in India is estimated to kill 1.5 million.

Hong Kong court orders extradition of Nabha jailbreak mastermind Following a strong follow-up by the Indian government, aided by Punjab Police, a Hong Kong court on Tuesday ordered the extradition of a resident wanted for his alleged involvement in a car theft and the Nabha jailbreak three years ago. The Centre managed to ensure “provisional arrest” of Nabha jailbreak mastermind Ramanjit Singh Romi in Hong Kong. He was wanted by Interpol for his alleged role in terrorist activities and targeted killings in Punjab. An intelligence wing team of Punjab Police led by AIG Gurmeet Chauhan and SP Harvinder Virk had been pursuing the case with the Centre and the Hong Kong court for the past three years. Magistrate Pang Leungting of the Eastern Court ruled in favour of the Indian government and ordered Romi’s extradition to India. Romi had contested the order committing him to custody by challenging the evidence against him and arguing that his prosecution was “merely a smokescreen for persecuting him as a young Sikh in support of a separatist movement”.

The 30-year-old had engaged a separate team of lawyers against his extradition on the grounds that he was allegedly tortured in India. The Indian government had demanded Singh’s surrender in two criminal cases in 2016 which, they said, was the equivalent of 28 serious offences in Hong Kong. Sources say Romi’s interrogation is also needed in the context of his alleged links with some of the campaigners of Referendum 2020.

Romi had fled India in 2016 after he managed to get bail in an Arms Act case by allegedly bribing the cops. Indian security agencies recently established a link between referendum campaigners, radicals in Germany, the UK and Canada, some gangsters operating in Punjab and the ISI by tracking online activities of the prime supporters of the separatist movement.

“We believe Romi fits in this bracket as he is closely linked to the ISI, some radical elements and gangsters,” said a top official.

According to the state police, Romi was in touch with UK national Jagtar Singh Johal, alias Jaggi, one of the key conspirators in targeted killings in Punjab.

Congress dominates Rajasthan urban bodies; wins 961 wards, BJP gets 737 The ruling Congress won over 961 wards, leaving the BJP trailing with 737 places in the elections to the urban local bodies held last week. The results declared Tuesday showed that the party dominated most of the 49 civic bodies which went to the polls on Saturday.

The Congress won nearly half of the 2,105 wards in the contest in the first local elections held in the state after the party came to power in Rajasthan last December. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the results were as expected.

“It is a matter of happiness that people have given a mandate considering the performance of the government,” he told reporters even before all the results were out. According to the state election department, the Bahujan

Samaj Party won 16 wards, the CPI(M) got three and the Nationalist Congress Party two.

Gehlot said the state government will not spare any effort while working for the people.

Forty-nine urban local bodies in 24 out of Rajasthan’s 33 districts went to the polls on Saturday. These included three municipal corporations, 18 nagar parishads and 28 nagar palikas. Altogether 71.53 per cent of the registered voters exercised their franchise.

There were 7,942 contestants, including 2,832 women. Elections to the posts of chairmen and deputy chairmen of the local bodies will be held next Tuesday and Wednesday. —

Global outreach of Jaipur Foot an extension of India’s humanitarian intervention: Envoy Washington, November 21 The global outreach of Jaipur Foot, a prosthetic limb, is an extension of India’s humanitarian intervention, the country’s top diplomat to the United States Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Wednesday. At an ‘India for Humanity’ event at the US Capitol Hill, organised by the Indian Embassy here as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, Shringla said, “The focus today is on the activities of Jaipur Foot in India and

in other countries as an extension of the humanitarian intervention of India.” At the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti or BMVSS, the parent body of Jaipur Foot, has been organising camps in countries across the world to provide artificial limbs to the physically challenged free of cost. “In India’s diplomatic narratives, we often speak of important political, strategic and economic initiatives. What is less known is India’s

Air quality in many parts of Delhi becomes severely bad Air quality in many parts of Delhi and the national capital region turned severe on Thursday due to calm winds and high humidity.

The overall air quality index in the national capital was 356 at 9.30 am on Thursday.

The AQI at Rohini (411), Anand Vihar (411) and Bawana (404) entered the severe

zone in the morning. According to the India Meteorological Department, very low wind speed and high humidity due to a shallow fog in the morning led to accumulation of pollutants. A senior IMD scientist said the air quality is expected to remain severe on Thursday and Friday.

Man gets life term for raping step-daughter An Uttar Pradesh court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping his 17-year-old step-daughter after her mother died. Baghpat Additional District and Sessions Judge Shailendra Pandey on Wednesday also slapped a fine of Rs 53,000 on Mahendra Kumar. Kumar was arrested

for raping his step-daughter in Baghpat in 2018 and he has been in jail since then, according to the prosecution.

The girl had been living with her stepfather after her mother died and he had been sexually harassing her since, according to a police complaint filed by the girl.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

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NRI

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn equally disliked by British Indian voters: Survey British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Opposition Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn are almost equally disliked as prime ministerial candidates among the Indian-origin electorate ahead of the December 12 General Election, according to a new survey of British Indian voter trends released on Wednesday.

The almost neck-and-neck race between the Conservative and Labour Party chiefs is reflective of wider electorate trends a day after the two leaders went head-to-head in the first

television debate of the election campaign and ended with Johnson clutching on to a narrow lead. “Fifty-three per cent of British Indians report holding an unfavourable opinion of Jeremy Corbyn, compared to only 28 per cent who say they have a favourable view of him.

Comparatively, Boris Johnson fares worse, with 61 per cent having an unfavourable opinion and 23 per cent saying they have a favourable view,” notes the India Inc. Optimus

‘Survey of British Indian Voters’.

The first-of-its-kind opinion poll conducted

by YouGov for UK-based media house India Inc. and US-based data analytics firm Optimus also finds the Labour Party losing its stronghold over its traditional British Indian vote base, declining 12 percentage points in comparison with the 2017 General Election. Labour’s woes are largely linked to a controversial motion on Kashmir passed at its

party conference which struck an anti-India note among diaspora groups, something the party has been struggling to overcome. In comparison, the Conservatives are down four points since 2017, with the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats showing the most statistical hike among Indian-origin voters of 10 percentage points – reflective of the centrality of Britain’s relationship with the European Union (EU) in this election campaign.

Ex-husband convicted of killing NRI woman in UK

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NRI pleads guilty to embezzling bank funds in USA An Indian-origin man has pleaded guilty to theft, embezzlement and misapplication of bank funds in connection with a fraud scheme to illegally make loans.

Raminder Singh Rekhi (41) of San Francisco was a long-time employee of an American bank. He admitted that in 2017, he used his position at the bank to convince its customer to purchase what he told her was a certificate of deposit (CD). Rekhi acknowledged that there was no certificate of deposit, and that instead, he diverted the customer’s money into other accounts under his control. Once the

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A 51-year-old man, who was on trial for killing his pregnant ex-wife by firing a crossbow at her, has been convicted of her murder by a court here on Friday. Ramanodge Unmathallegadoo, originally from Mauritius, planned the attack on his 35-year-old ex-wife Devi who was eight months pregnant in November last year, the Old Bailey court was told. Armed with two crossbows, Unmathallegadoo had hidden himself inside the shed at the end of the garden of the east London home where Devi lived with husband Imtiaz and five children as Sana Muhammad after converting to Islam. An arrow, which measured 18 inches, entered the victim in her hip and travelled up through her body. It missed the unborn baby, a boy delivered by emergency Cesarean section in hospital later. “The injuries suffered by Sana as a result of the arrow penetrating 14 inches into her body were catastrophic,” said Detective Sergeant Amjad Sharif, who led the murder investigation for Scotland Yard. “The force of the crossbow bolt caused damage to her intestines, stomach, liver and heart. It is clear the crossbow used to kill Sana, which was legally bought and owned by Unmathallegadoo, was intended to be used as a lethal weapon. He had in fact bought a number of crossbows in recent years and appeared to be building up his arsenal of weaponry in the months before Sana was killed,” he said.

money was under his control, Rekhi entered into a series of transactions in which he used the funds as capital to make loans to three separate individuals. By doing so, Rekhi misappropriated the deposits entrusted to the care of the bank.

In April this year, a federal grand jury indicted Rekhi, charging him with one count of theft, embezzlement or misapplication of bank funds. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wells Fargo’s internal investigation team.

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Indian American gets Packard Foundation Fellowship Ankur Jain, an Indian-American biologist and academician, is among 22 researchers to have been named as Packard Fellows, a prestigious fellowship under which the earlycareer scientists get USD 875,000 to pursue

their research work for the next five years. Jain is a Whitehead Institute Biomedical Research member and assistant professor of biology at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Newly elected Sri Lankan President to visit India soon

congratulations to Rajapaksa from PMModi and the invitation to visit India. “A warm meeting with Sri Lanka President @GotabayaR. Conveyed PM @narendramodi’s message of a partnership for shared peace, progress, prosperity & security. Confident that under his leadership, #IndiaSriLanka relations would reach greater

heights,” Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting.

Rajapaksa stormed to victory in Sri Lanka’s presidential elections, the results of which came on Sunday. Modi telephoned Rajapaksa on Sunday to congratulate him on his electoral win and invited him to visit India as his first official foreign tour. Rajapaksa is the younger brother of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He is credited with helping end the island nation’s long civil war against the LTTE) during his tenure as the defence secretary.

Former president Rajapaksa’s brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa elected Sri Lanka’s president. Gotabaya Rajapaksa will visit India on November 29 at invitation of Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister said.

He made the announcement after meeting Rajapaksa on his first day in office after being sworn in as the country’s new President on Monday. This is likely to be Rajapaksa’s first official visit abroad after assuming office.

Jaishankar, who arrived here on an

unannounced two-day visit, said President Rajapaksa has accepted Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to visit India on November 29. He became the first foreign dignitary to call on President Rajapaksa.

Sri Lankan officials said the minister carried a letter of personal

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today named his elder brother and former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new Prime Minister after incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe announced his resignation following the election debacle.

Mahinda, the main opposition leader, will be appointed as Prime Minister after incumbent Wickremesinghe steps down formally on Thursday, his spokesman Rohan Weliwita was

Newly elected Sri Lankan president appoints his elder brother as Prime Minister quoted as saying by Times Online.

The former president, who will function as the PM of the caretaker cabinet until the general election, is expected to be sworn in at 1 pm before assuming office at around 3 pm, it added.

Mahinda was appointed the PM on October 26, 2018 by the then President Maithripala Sirisena, who sacked Wickremesinghe in a controversial move that plunged the country

Maldives lawmakers impeach Chief Justice Maldives lawmakers on Monday dismissed Chief Justice Ahmed Abdulla Didi and SC judge Adam Mohamed Abdulla — a move the government said was part of an overhaul of the judiciary, but the oppo-

sition termed it an attack on courts’ independence. A watchdog had claimed some SC judges had violated the constitution and “usurped the powers of parliament”.

Aung San Suu Kyi to lead Myanmar defence against ICJ case: Govt Myanmar’s civilian leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will head up a delegation to the UN’s top court to argue against a case accusing the mainly Buddhist country of genocide against Rohingya Muslims, the government said Wednesday.

West African nation Gambia is due to open its case before the International Court

of Justice (ICJ) in December on behalf of the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The complaint accuses Myanmar of breaching the 1948 UN Genocide Convention through its brutal military campaign in 2017, which targeted the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state.

into an unprecedented constitutional crisis.

He resigned in December as two crucial Supreme Court decisions made the former strongman’s efforts to cling to premiership untenable. The apex court later unanimously declared that the dissolution of Parliament

by Sirisena was “illegal”. Mahinda won power in 2005 and went on to become South Asia’s

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longest-serving leader. He became the country’s youngest ever parliamentarian in 1970 at the age of 24. The two brothers led a decisive campaign that helped end the island nation’s three decade long civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Earlier in the day, Wickremesinghe announced his resignation,

Bangladesh in onion emergency as shipments arrive with shortages Bangladesh is having emergency supplies of onions flown-in amid a national shortage which has seen prices rise to record levels, with the prime minister claiming she has even been forced to stop eating the vegetable. The cost of the staple cooking ingredient rocketed after neighbouring India imposed a ban on exports following drought and heavy monsoon rains which reduced the country’s own stock levels. People in Bangladesh have since struggled to afford the bulb, prompting the country’s largest opposition party to call for national protests over the high prices,

which they blame on the government. Such is the centrality of the vegetable to daily cooking habits in South Asia that shortages have been known to trigger political fallouts and widespread discontent within the region.

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FIJI

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Prof. Prasad labels government as a Zombie government half dead and wandering aimlessly around the political landscape The leader of the National Federation Party, Professor Biman Prasad has labeled the government as a ZOMBIE government – half-dead, halfalive, wandering aimlessly around the political landscape.

While responding to the President’s opening address in Parliament, Professor Prasad says the Prime Minister’s productivity or lack of it can be measured by the single yardstick - gallivanting around the globe – from visiting climate change projects in Australia, attending independence celebrations and dinner, hyping up Vuvale scheme, still trying to get world leaders to Talanoa over climate change and visiting a cigar factory in

Cuba when as Sugar Minister he should have cared to learn a thing or two about Cuba’s thriving sugar industry.

He also questioned where was the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum last week.

He says one could say, perhaps, that the Fijian Government is an intellectually barren space adding not only has the government run out of ideas – they have run out of money.

He adds despite strategising how to grow low-hanging fruits for 48 hours on Level 9 at Suvavou House last December, they have become a cash-strapped patchwork government.

Government should release how much it cost AG to travel to Europe to get Airbus A350 - Ro Filipe ODELPA MP, Ro Filipe Tuisawau says the government should release how much it cost the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum and his team to travel to Europe to get the Airbus A350 for Fiji Airways.

Ro Filipe claimed in parliament that the government spent close to $200,000 on this trip.

He also wants the government to release the cost of the trip by the Fiji delegation that travelled to Geneva for the UN Periodic Review of Human Rights. Ro Filipe claims that the Geneva trip costs $121,000.

When asked where he got these numbers, Ro Filipe says these were estimates of the travel costs put together by the Opposition Office and he does not have evidence of the real numbers.

While responding to the President’s speech in parliament, Ro Filipe says these large overseas tours are an expensive and irresponsible use of taxpayers’ funds. Sayed-

Khaiyum then interjected and said that the spending was not even close to the amount mentioned by Ro Filipe.While responding to the President’s speech in parliament, Ro

Filipe says these large overseas tours are an expensive and irresponsible use of taxpayers’ funds. Sayed-Khaiyum then interjected and said that the spending was not even close to the amount mentioned by Ro Filipe.

Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has labelled the Opposition as hypocrites Challenging the various comments and allegations raised over the week, SayedKhaiyum clarified a number of lies and misrepresentations from Opposition MPs. The Attorney General has questioned the integrity of the Opposition MPs who he says – are trying to trash the very Constitution which they took an oath to uphold when they were sworn into parliament. “If they are so critical of it, they should not be here – they should not participate here. They should not have participated in the election. They should not have sworn a false oath.”

Sayed-Khaiyum also rejected calls from Opposition Leader Sitiveni Rabuka for special programmes to assist the iTaukei community.

He talked about iTaukei being poor, of course, there are some who are poor – but at the same time there are Indo-Fijians and other groups who are also poor. We don’t go around saying only this group of people should be given assistance. We do it on a need basis.” The Economy Minister also told parliament that the biggest threat to Fiji’s economy is certain MPs who are spreading lies about economic confidence and the government’s financial state.

2 Fijian nationals arrested for possession of meth on board acommercial vessel Two Fijian nationals who arrived in Tauranga in New Zealand on a commercial vessel earlier this week, have been arrested for allegedly being in possession of at least 34 kilograms of methamphetamine on board.

The NZ Customs Service says the drugs are worth NZ$17 million.

The arrested men, both in their 30s have appeared in the Tauranga District Court.

They face charges for the importation and possession of a class A controlled drug, which carries a maximum penalty

of life imprisonment. The drug seizure has prevented up to NZ$42.1 million of potential social harm to New Zealand communities.

The vessel arrived in Tauranga from Fiji on Monday and a subsequent search of the vessel located the methamphetamine hidden in bags in various locations onboard the ship.

Approximately FJ$16,000 found onboard has also been seized by NZ Customs. NZ Customs Investigations Manager, Bruce Berry says this seizure is a reminder that Customs is active in seaports across the country.

Nawaikula maintains that calling the native Fijians iTaukei has reduced their worth to be second class ODELPA MP, Niko Nawaikula is maintaining that calling the native Fijians iTaukei has reduced their worth to be second class. Nawaikula says he made comments in parliament about the FijiFirst government stealing the identity of indigenous people by

using Fijian to equalise all races that are born in the country because previous laws stated that the indigenous people are to be called Fijians.

He says it is unfortunate and unnecessary that this was done as he claimed that this has caused confusion in the iTaukei community.

Health Ministry confirms an interim shortage of measles vaccine and additional stocks to arrive in the coming days The Health Ministry confirms there is an interim shortage of the measles vaccine and additional stocks will arrive in the coming days. It says the remaining measles vaccine stock will be prioritised to those who are at the greatest risk of catching and spreading measles and it is not available for the general public until additional stocks arrive in the coming days. The Health Ministry says current stocks are being reserved for high-risk target groups which include residents of Serua/Namosi, children from the ages of 6 months to 3 years and people travelling overseas.

People travelling overseas must show proof

travel such as their ticket and travel itinerary and not just a passport. It says the routine immunisation of children at 12 and 18 months of age will continue as per the national immunisation schedule.

There are now 9 confirmed cases of measles from the Serua/Namosi subdivision.

The 2 new cases are of a 15-year-old from Wainadoi and a 2-year-old who had been staying in Waibogi, Serua.

The Health Ministry says the 2-year-old had returned home to Koronivia and is currently admitted under isolation at the CWM Hospital in Suva after returning from the Nakasi Health Centre on Tuesday.

Former FRCS staff sentenced to 17 months of which 12 months has been suspended for two years A former tax investigator and auditor of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service has been sentenced to 17 months out of which 12 months had been suspended for two years by the Suva Magistrates Court today.

Jone Vula will spend five months in jail.

Vula when investigating business tax returns had accepted $500 from a businessman.

The incident occurred on the 6th of March, 2014. while sentencing, Magistrate Asanga

Bodaragama says the act of bribery should be viewed as damaging and serious with grave implications on the trust and confidence of public service of this country.

The Magistrate says the offence committed was not a mere technical breach of the law, but was committed after planning and preparation and that good character could not be relied upon to evade the criminal responsibility of his conduct.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, November 23, 2019

President Trump praises PM Khan for facilitating release of US hostages from Afghanistan

President Donald Trump thanks Prime Minister Imran Khan for efforts in facilitating the recent release of Western hostages from Afghanistan. In a telephone call on Thursday evening, PM Imran conveyed that the release of Kevin King and Timothy Weeks – in a prisoner exchange deal with the Afghan government – was a positive development and Pakistan was happy that they were safe and free.

“President Trump thanked the prime minister in facilitating this positive outcome,” a statement by the PM Office said, adding that both the

Former PM Sharif arrives in London for medical check up physician as he was taken to his Former PM Sharif arrived in London residence in the posh Park London in an air-ambulance to Lane area of the British capital. seek medical treatment for multiple “He will rest overnight at diseases. his residence and tomorrow His air ambulance flight from [Wednesday] he will consult with Lahore landed in the UK in the Harley Street specialists,” a PML-N evening after a stopover in Doha, UK spokesperson said. “He has Qatar. The air ambulance was been under a lot of stress and equipped with an intensive care unit strain, but we hope his platelet and an operation theatre. “Former levels should go up. We will wait Nawaz Sharif PM #NawazSharif on-board Qatar and see what the consultants say and Airways Air Ambulance A7-MED has landed then decide if he would need to be taken to a safely at Heathrow, London-UK,” his doctor hospital in Boston in the US,” the spokesperson tweeted. Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) said. The three-time prime minister has been Party (PML-N) aides were present to receive the diagnosed with an immune system disorder 69-year-old party chief, who was accompanied and doctors in Pakistan recommended that he by his brother Shehbaz Sharif and personal should go abroad for treatment as his condition

17 students face sedition case for anti-govt slogans The police in Pakistan registered a case against 17 students of Sindh University for raising slogans against Pakistan and defacing walls with anti-government messages during a protest held on the varsity premises.

Jamshoro police registered the case against the students on the complaint of Ghulam Qadir Panhwar, the security head of the campus.

The complainant said that on October 31 the hostel in-charge Qamar Lashari, Niaz Buledi,

and provost Shahab Ahmed Soomro had informed him that around 17 to 18 students of the Jeay Sindh group had raised anti-Pakistan and anti-government slogans and had been involved in wall chalking outside the hostel’s main gate, media reported.

According to police, some students raised “anti-Pakistan” slogans at the protest. “We have video record and other evidence against the students who were raising the slogans.”

Pakistan resumes postal service to India Pakistan has resumed postal mail service with India, nearly three months after it was suspended in the wake of India’s decision to end the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, the Pakistan media reported on Tuesday.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after New Delhi abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated it into Union Territories.

India’s August 5 decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded

diplomatic ties. Islamabad suspended all communication links with India as well as the trade ties. According to the Pakistani media, the postal mail service with India has resumed, but the parcel service will remain suspended.

However, there was no official announcement on the resumption of the limited postal service with India. Pakistan had not accepted any postal consignment from India after August 27 in a move seen as a retaliation of scrapping of special status for Jammu and Kashmir.

Techie in Pakistan custody hails from Visakhapatnam One of the two Indian nationals arrested in Pakistan’s Cholistan region for illegally entering the country hails from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and was reported missing two years ago. Prashant Vaindam, said to be a software engineer based in Hyderabad, and Darilal, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, allegedly entered Pakistan through Rajasthan without valid documents. Pakistani media reported on Monday that they were arrested on November 14 in a desert close to Bahawalpur district.

Police sources said Prashant wanted to go to Switzerland to meet his online girlfriend but

surfaced in Pakistan. Police were trying to find out how he landed in Pakistan.

A video message of Prashant to his parents went viral on Monday. Speaking in Telugu, the youth told his parents that he hoped to be released from jail within a month.

“Mummy and daddy, how are you? Now they brought me to court from police station after it was declared that there was no problem. They will now send me to jail from court and inform the Indian Embassy. I can then contact you,” said Prashant, who was seen taking permission from Pakistan police officials to speak in Telugu.

leaders discussed bilateral and regional issues. The American and Australian hostages were exchanged with three insurgent leaders, including a key militant figure, Anas Haqqani.

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The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the advancement of Afghan peace and reconciliation process for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. “Both the leaders agreed to continue to work together for the promotion of this shared objective,” the statement read.

Verdict on former president Musharraf treason case on November 28 A special Pakistani court on Tuesday reserved its judgement in the treason case against former dictator General Pervez Musharraf and said that the verdict would be announced on November 28, according to media reports. The previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)

government had filed the treason case against the 76-year-old ex-army chief in 2013 over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007. The court directed the counsel of Musharraf to submit final argument if any by November 26, according to media reports.

PM Khan govts’ days are numbered: warns opposition cleric Firebrand cleric-cum-politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman has fired a fresh salvo at Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying the “Gorbachev of Pakistan” was heading a government that had its days numbered. Speaking at a sit-in in Bannu city in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday, the hard-line cleric and leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) hit out at the Prime Minister for calling opposition leaders “thieves”, alleging that the “selected” government had offered National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to Khan’s sister.

NRI

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Houston police honour fallen Sikh policeman, change dress code policy

US Senate passes resolution honouring Sikh community The United States Senate has unanimously passed a resolution recognising the historical, cultural and religious significance of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, besides the Sikhs’ contributions to the US growth.

Introduced by Republican Senator Todd Young from Indiana and Democratic Senator Ben Cardin from Maryland, the firstof-its-kind resolution on Sikhism was passed by the US Senate on Thursday.

The resolution said Sikhs in the US and around the world lived as per the values and ideals of equality, service, and devotion to God, first preached by Guru Nanak.

The Senate resolution also mentioned four eminent Sikhs for their contribution to the US. The Sikhs figured in the resolution are Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian-American Congressman, elected to the office in 1957; Dr Narinder Kapany, the inventor of fibre optics;

Dinar Singh Bains, the largest peach grower in the United States; and Gurinder Singh Khalsa, the recipient of the prestigious Rosa Parks Trailblazer Award. The resolution also recognised the contribution of Sikh women--Grammywinning artist Snatam Kaur; New York Police Department police officer Gursoach Kaur; and University of California, B e r k e l e y professor Supreet Kaur.

Indianabased Khalsa welcomed the passage of the resolution.

“This is a historic moment for the global Sikh community. We Sikhs of America are grateful to the United States Senate and Senator Young for introducing the resolution,” he said.

India sent over 2.02 lakh students to United States in 2018-19 India sent more than 202,000 students to the US in 2018-19, the second largest after China which for the tenth consecutive year remained the largest source of foreign students in America, according to a report released on Monday. The ‘2019 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange’ said the number of foreign students in the US set an all-time high in the 2018/19 academic year, the fourth consecutive year with more than one million international students.

The number of Indians studying in the US has increased by just three per cent over the last year but has crossed the two lakh mark.

According to the US Open Doors Report on

International Educational Exchange, released on Monday, the total number of Indians pursuing their higher education in the United States has grown for the sixth consecutive year. Speaking at the United States India Educational Foundation (USIEF), the U.S. Embassy’s Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs Charisse Phillips said, “Student exchanges between our two countries help strengthen the foundation upon which our strategic partnership is built.

Indian students are looking for a great education and the United States offers the best return on this investment.”

In honour of fallen Indian-American Sikh police officer Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, the Houston Police Department has changed its dress code policy to allow the minority community members to represent their faith while on duty. On September 28, Dhaliwal, a 10-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff ’s office and its first Sikh deputy, was gunned down while conducting a mid-day traffic stop in northwest of Houston.

The 42-year-old trailblazing police officer made national headlines when he was allowed to grow a beard and wear a turban on the job. “@houstonpolice is now the largest law enforcement agency in TX to adopt a policy

allowing officers to wear articles of faith on duty,” City of Houston tweeted on Monday.

“Proud to announce HPD (Houston Police Department) will accommodate Sikh officers by letting them wear their articles of faith while on duty—one of the largest police departments in the country to do so. Deputy Dhaliwal taught us all a valuable lesson about inclusion. It was an honour to know him,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted. “Proud to stand with @SylvesterTurner and so many members of our community to announce our policy and get the word out to our greater community,” Chief of the Houston Police Department Art Acevedo tweeted.

Indian couple convicted of labour trafficking in Singapore A married Indian couple, who ran two entertainment clubs in Singapore’s upmarket clubbing precinct of Boat Quay, was found guilty on Friday of illegally harbouring three Bangladeshi women in the first conviction for labour trafficking here.

Indian nationals Priyanka Batthacharya Rajesh, 29, and Malkar Savlaram Anant, 49, were also charged with exploiting the women, with one woman having been forced to prostitution, according to a Channel News Asia report.

Businesswoman Indra Nooyi inducted into National Portrait Gallery Pepsico head Indra Nooyi was on Sunday inducted into the prestigious Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery along with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in recognition of their accomplishments, impacting America’s shared history, development and culture.“To be an immigrant, a South Asian immigrant of colour, a woman to be included in the Portrait Gallery... it really says that we are the country where people look for the people who make a positive impact and celebrate them. “It doesn’t matter what your background, colour, creed, ethnicity is. As long as you’ve made a positive impact to the country, we are going to celebrate you

-- actually memorialise -- which I thought was even more spectacular,” Nooyi told reporters during the portrait gallery induction ceremony.

“So, I feel very grateful to be making a home here in this country because this portrait gallery is an accolade which I’ve never dreamed of.

And it’s heartwarming to see this,” Nooyi said in response to a question.

Among others included in the portrait gallery were Frances Arnold, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Earth, Wind and Fire. The portrait of Nooyi, 64, has been drawn by artist Jon Friedman, who, she said, had done a “great job”. “The way John Friedman painted is...he wanted to bring the inner me out in the portrait.

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