The Asian Star November 18 2017

Vol 16 - Issue 42

Indian youth declares self ‘king’ of ‘kingdom’ near Egypt; to rule online Suyash Dixit, a 24-year-old software engineer in Indore, has declared himself as the king of an unclaimed strip of 2,072 square kilometers of land between Egypt and Sudan. Self-claimed king of this ‘no man’s land’, Suyash has founded the idea of the first ‘virtual governance of a k i n g d o m’ and named it as ‘Kingdom of Dixit’, which will be ruled online from India. The piece of land of which he is claiming to be the king is not under the authority of any country. Suyash has claimed that he has also sent a mail to the United Nations, proclaiming the strip as a new country Continued on page 7

Feds will spend $327.6 million a year to fight guns & gangs in Metro Vancouver The federal government will spend $327.6 million over five years – and $100 million every year after that – to reduce gun violence and gang activity. Federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Joyce Murray, MP for Vancouver Quadra, made the funding announcement this morning in Surrey at the B.C. RCMP (E Division) headquarters building on Green Timbers Way. “Too many young people have been killed and too many communities have been marred by gun crime and gun violence,” Goodale said in a release. “It doesn’t have to be this way. By working together, we can Continued on page 6

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Six escape as fire destroys Surrey home A family of six in Surrey has lost their home after flames ripped through the two storey complex early Friday morning.

Fire crews responded to a 9-1-1 call in the 13100 block of Sunridge place around midnight.

“The residents were awoken by a loud bang,” said Surrey Fire Department A fire broke out in Battalion Chief early Friday morning Reo Jerome. “They found fire involved in a detached shed that was very close to the building and it quickly spread to the house.” It took firefighters more than an hour to control a blaze at home in Surrey Friday morning.

(Shane MacKichan)

the 14100 block of Sunridge Place in Surrey Jerome said the family was surprised at how quickly the flames moved. “[We] heard the homeowners say something that we hear quite often, which is ‘I can’t believe how fast the fire spread’,” he said.

The fire chief said the house is unstable is deemed a total loss.

South Asian realtor’s licence suspended - after accusations of ‘predatory’ rent-to-own scheme

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Realtor accused opt to rebuy their homes. of preying But the terms were highly on struggling disadvantageous, to the homeowners on the brink point of the ‘rent to buy’ of foreclosure has had his program being ‘predatory’ licence suspended by the in nature,” Robert Holmes Real Estate Council of B.C. of the council’s disciplinary Kevindeep Singh Bratch, committee wrote in the who uses the name Kevin reasons for suspension.

Bratch professionally, has The council made the been accused of misleading Kevin Bratch suspension order last vulnerable mortgage holders month against Bratch and with a rent-to-own scheme that carried his firm, Bratch Realty, under “urgent steep penalties and oppressive conditions. circumstances” and says it will remain “Mr. Bratch [allegedly] bought their homes in place while an investigation is at an under-value, on the basis that they underway. could continue renting their homes, and Continued on page 6

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Saturday, November 18, 2017

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Saturday, Novemver 18, 2017

BC real estate watchdog bans controversial practice of ‘dual agency,’ despite industry objections Against objections from the industry, BC’s real estate watchdog will prohibit the controversial practice of “dual agency” — where realtors represent both the seller and buyer on a transaction — in order to improve transparency and protect consumers.

The dual agency ban announced Wednesday comes as part of the first major new rules to be introduced by B.C.’s Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate since the provincial government ended self-regulation of the real estate industry last year and transferred rule-making powers from the Real Estate Council of B.C. to the office of the government-appointed Superintendent.

Last year’s regulatory changes, which included the appointment of a new Superintendent of Real Estate with expanded oversight powers, were made after media scrutiny and widespread public concern over the Real Estate Council’s oversight of misconduct in the province’s red-hot housing market. B.C. adopted changes to the Real Estate Services Act, which the government said were intended “to increase oversight of the real estate industry and enhance consumer protection.” Micheal Noseworthy, appointed last September as B.C.’s new Superintendent of Real Estate, said in a media release Wednesday: “These rules will significantly change the way that real estate services are provided in British Columbia… Ending dual agency removes the potential for conflict and serious problems.

We want to create transparency for both consumers and licensees to ensure everyone understands in whose interest licensees

must be working.” “Dual agency, the way it’s allowed to be practiced now, can lead to conflicts for consumers,” Noseworthy said in September. “It’s a situation, a practice that’s unfortunately open to abuse, and I think it’s better for consumers if we close it so there’s no opportunity for it to be abused.”

After OSRE released the proposed rule changes in September, the B.C. Real Estate Association, representing 22,000 licensees, publicly opposed ending dual agency, with association CEO Robert Laing telling Postmedia: “Our biggest concern is the consumer’s right to make a choice about who they work with is being taken away from them… The superintendent is trying to protect the consumers, but we think he is forgetting that in a free-enterprise market the consumer needs choice.” Along with the dual agency ban announced Wednesday, other new rules are coming into effect next year to enhance disclosure requirements for information that must be provided to clients about remuneration obtained by brokers and agents through commissions.

B.C. becomes the first Canadian province to prohibit dual agency. Ontario previously proposed the idea, the Toronto Star reported in June, after government officials noted consumers had raised concerns that financial incentives in double-ended deals could lead agents to engage in “unethical behaviour.”

Realtors can apply for an exception to the dual agency ban if a transaction occurs in a remote or under-served area of B.C. with limited access to licensed realtors.

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OPINION

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Western nations mark their ISIS fighters for death while Canada coddles & comforts them with ‘reintegration support’

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ven the interviewer seemed surprised at the answer Rory Stewart, the U.K. minister of international development, gave about how Britain should deal with citizens who chose to join Islamic State.

“I’m afraid we have to be serious about the fact these people are a serious danger to us, and unfortunately the only way of dealing with them will be, in almost every case, to kill them,” Stewart told BBC Radio’s John Pienaar last month.

Stewart, a former diplomat, continued: “These are people who are executing people … who have held women and children hostage, who are torturing and murdering, trying, by violence, to impose their will. Our response has to be, when somebody does that, I’m afraid, to deal with that.” Those words may sound chilling, but they reflect a country that’s suffered brutal jihadi attacks in recent years, and an understanding that jihadi returnees are a threat. Other countries have come to the same conclusion. Canadian jihadis in Iraq and Syria face a concerted effort to kill them by the Syrian,

Iraqi, U.S., Russian and (recently) Turkish governments, as well as numerous local and foreign-backed militias. But they have so far had little to fear from their own government, either at home or abroad. The British government, by contrast, has co-operated with the U.S. on drone strikes that killed two of Britain’s most notorious ISIS members: Mohammed Emwazi (aka Jihadi John) and Junaid Hussain. The Sunday Times reports that Britain’s Special Air Service, SAS, has been given a “kill list” of British jihadis, including notorious ISIS recruiter and convert Sally Jones, and a dozen others with British university degrees in technical fields such as electronics. Brett McGurk, former U.S. president Barack Obama’s special envoy for the fight against ISIS, who retains his post under Donald Trump, stated it explicitly on a recent visit to Syria. “Our mission is to make sure that any foreign fighter who is here, who joined ISIS from a foreign country and came into Syria, that they will die here in Syria.” “They’re not just talking about it,” said

Christian Leuprecht, an expert on terrorism and security at Royal Military College in Kingston.

“Australia is another country that’s taken the same approach, that they would prefer that those individuals who’ve been identified as foreign fighters not return home.” France, too, is working to eradicate its jihadis. A Wall Street Journal investigation published in May quoted French and Iraqi officials describing French special forces co-operating with Iraqi units to hunt down and kill French jihadis. Canada’s Public Safety Department did not respond to a question from CBC News asking if Canada was taking the same approach. Spokesman Dan Brien suggested the government’s focus is on changing minds. “Returning foreign terrorist travellers and their families, specifically women and children, require the appropriate disengagement and reintegration support,” he wrote in an email. At the end of 2015 the government said it was aware of about 180 “individuals with a nexus to Canada” who had travelled overseas to join such groups, and of another 60 who had returned to Canada. To date only two returnees, Pamir Hakimzadah and Rehab Dughmosh, have been charged with leaving Canada to participate in terrorism.

Four more men, some of whom may be dead, have been charged in absentia. To date, no Canadian has been successfully prosecuted for travelling to Syria or Iraq to join a terror group. According to the 2016 Public Report on the Terrorist Threat to Canada, Public Safety Canada is aware returning jihadis “may have skills, experience and relationships developed abroad that could be used to recruit or inspire individuals in Canada. They may also engage in terrorist financing, helping others to travel, or even planning attacks in Canada. The attacks directed by Daesh in Paris and Brussels provide examples. Most of the attackers were returnees linked to Daesh.” Leuprecht said an assassination policy would be problematic under Canadian law, and might not enjoy public support.

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Saturday, November 18, 2017

SIMPSON, THOMAS & ASSOCIATES

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LOCAL

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Vancouver police ticket driver with iPhone, tablet fastened to steering wheel This guy took distracted driving to a whole new level. The VPD’s traffic unit issued a ticket on Wednesday to a multi-tasking motorist caught with both an iPhone and an electronic tablet fastened to his steering wheel with string.

Vancouver police say the car was pulled over on Cambie Street near Broadway after an officer spotted the driver wearing headphones.

The Lexus driver presumably mounted the two devices because he needed both hands to operate his five-speed manual transmission.

Police issued the driver a $81 violation ticket for not being able to produce a driver’s licence, but did not issue a distracted driving ticket which carries a fine of $368 along with four driver penalty points. VPD spokesman Const. Jason Doucette said the ticketing officer decided that

South Asian realtor’s licence suspended From page 1

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educating the driver about the devices would be a more effective approach. “Just when I think I’ve seen everything, a photo like this is captured by one of our officers,” said Doucette.

“We are reminding drivers to leave their devices alone while behind the wheel.

he allegations against Bratch are laid out in Holmes’s reasons for the suspension order The investigation began after local media reported on an elderly couple who said they had entered into a rentto-own agreement with Bratch when the bank began foreclosing on their house. Bratch reportedly evicted them on Thanksgiving, saying they had breached the terms of the contract. According to the council, part of the problem with the scheme lay in a brochure setting out the terms of the agreement. “The language in the brochure was unclear in places, and misleading in others,” Holmes wrote. He says, the brochure told clients that they would have the option to buy back their

homes within three years, but the terms of the contract actually limited them to a year or less.

‘Unconscionable’ terms The deal didn’t just require the sellers to come up with the funds to re-buy their homes — they also had to adhere to the terms of a strict lease agreement. If they broke any of those terms, they would lose the option to buy back their homes. The terms were “unconscionable,” Holmes wrote.

In one case, Bratch alleges the former homeowners missed a monthly rent payment.

When they tried to repurchase the home months later, Bratch refused.

Meanwhile, the monthly rents were much higher than the mortgage payments that Bratch was making. One family was paying $4,300 each month — close to $2,000 more than what Bratch was paying to the bank.

The contract also prevented the sellers from registering their options to buy with the land title office, a condition the council described as “one aimed at enforcing secrecy.”

‘Vain hope’ for homeowners Bratch carried out the scheme at least twice, according to the council, but the suspension order suggests there may be at least seven more instances. The homeowners did not get independent legal advice before signing on, according to the council. “Mr. Bratch offered sellers a lifeline, bailing them out of their immediate financial predicament with foreclosure proceedings, but in return, engineering the purchase of their property … at less than market value, using the vain hope that they could regain ownership of their property at substantiallyhigher prices,” Holmes wrote.

He said it was necessary to suspend Bratch’s licence to protect the public, as the investigation into the Realtor’s activities could take more than a year

Feds will spend $327.6 million a year to fight guns & From page 1 make our communities safer through greater enforcement, collaboration and prevention. The federal government is making major new investments to tackle this scourge and will bring all levels of government and our partners together to confront this problem at the Summit on Criminal Guns and Gangs.” So far this year, there have been at least 45 shots-fired incidents in Surrey, most of them connected to the drug trade. The Government of Canada will also bring together experts, practitioners, front-line personnel, and decision makers for a Summit on Criminal Guns and Gangs in March 2018.

The national summit will focus on the challenges, solutions and best practices in the fight against gun crime and in combating the deadly effects of gangs and illegal guns in communities across Canada. The government says it hopes to hear from key stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, community and mental health organizations.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Indian youth declares self ‘king’ of ‘kingdom’ near Egypt; to rule online Continued from page 1 of Dixit’. The UN, however, has not replied to his proclamation yet. “I want to run a country on a community basis. I want to work for humanity in this Kingdom, not for any religion. I went to the location which was adventurous and equally dangerous. I have designed a flag for my kingdom as well. We will provide free shelter to the people living in nearby areas to bring population to our kingdom,” Suyash told ANI. Reportedly, the Indore boy has received more than 800 applications from people across the world to be the citizens of his kingdom and

has been receiving over a thousand friend requests on his social media website. Suyash has also declared his father Rakesh Dixit as the Prime Minister and the army chief of this lifeless place.

He has also appealed to all the nations, including India, to help provide basic facilities to this land.

“I am feeling very proud of my son.

He was always so innovative. This place is going to be crime-free and tax-free,” Suyash’s father said.

LOCAL

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LOCAL

Saturday, November 18, 2017

If Canada has so much oil, why is our gasoline so expensive?

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t the moment this story goes online, gasoline in Tsawwassen, B.C. is $1.45 a litre. Drive a mere two kilometres south into Point Roberts, WA, however, and gas can be had for the equivalent of CAD$1 per litre.

What gives? Canada has more oil than everyone except Venezuela and Saudi Arabia and we remain the single largest foreign supplier of U.S. oil. So why are we paying a nearly 50 per cent premium on a product that

by all rights should be flowing from our kitchen faucets? All your questions are answered below.

Special thanks to Jason Parent, a consultant with Kent Group Ltd. who was particularly patient with our questions on the downstream petroleum market. Our status as a major oil producer is surprisingly irrelevant to what we pay for oil products Think of oil like a big, juicy bluefin tuna. If a Nova Scotia fisherman pulls up a 400 kg tuna, he’s not going to sell it to the diner down the street if he knows he can sell it to Japan for $600,000. Similarly, the minute Alberta pumps out of a barrel of oil, it’s going to be sold to whoever’s willing to pay the highest price. As a result, even if your next door neighbour is the Hebron oil platform, if you want to buy oil you’ve got to be prepared to pony up roughly the same price that a New Yorker would pay. The technical term for this is that we Canadians are “price takers”; if we want oil, we have to pay the same as the “price makers” in the much larger U.S. market. If you don’t like this system, you can always do like Pierre Trudeau and impose an artificially low national price for oil. But a word of warning; it didn’t go so well last time.

Gas is a whole different product than crude oil In late 2014, crude oil was about $80 a barrel and the average Canadian gasoline price was about $1.20 a litre. Nowadays, gas prices are about the same, but crude oil is only $55 a barrel. That doesn’t seem right, does it? It does if you consider that in an average litre of Canadian gasoline right now, only 48 cents of the final cost is due to the cost of the crude oil used to make it. Refiners, gas station owners and the government all need to take their cut of a litre of gasoline, and the relative sizes of those cuts all contribute to the final price at the

pump. It’s like beer. It’s basically free to make a drink from grain, hops and yeast, but the picture gets much more complicated when you have to factor in distribution, taxes, bartender salaries and all those Hockey Night in Canada commercials. Right now, for instance, our recent blip of high gas prices is being driven almost exclusively by high refining costs.

Our taxes are way, way (way) higher The number one reason for high Canadian gas prices, by a long shot, is taxes. Road tax, carbon tax, federal excise tax, GST, HST and, in some cases, a municipal transit tax.

Metro Vancouver, for one, keeps its SkyTrains running with a 17 cent per litre municipal gasoline tax. According to the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation, the highest gas taxes in the United States are in Pennsylvania, where the total government take on a litre of gasoline is equivalent to $0.26 CDN. Compare that to Montreal where drivers are paying $0.32 per litre in federal excise tax, provincial fuel tax and local transit tax. And that’s before the 15 per cent sales tax.

Building more Canadian refineries generally won’t make things better Canada exports more refined products than it imports. In July, we took in 1.5 million cubic metres of gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products. Meanwhile, we exported 2.6 million cubic metres of the stuff. Geographic considerations aside, it’s technically true for Canada to gas up every Cessna, Honda and John Deere in this country using our own refineries. According to Parent, the market is so crowded that there’s no real “business case” for Canada to up its refinery game. Besides, even if a new refiner did open its doors (it’s about to happen in Alberta, in fact), that refiner is still going to be selling at whatever prices the Americans are willing to pay.

UTA has open house with MPs, provincial Ministers and MLAs

The UTA has several hundred members attend an informational session with a number of MPs, provincials Ministers and MLAs over the weekend, where the organizations key issues were outlined. In spite of several attempts over the past two years, this was the first time that the UTA has been able to gather such a group

of elected representatives together in one room.

The UTA’s ongoing issues with labour mobility, unlawful industry activities and unfair punitive requirements were presented, and all were given one month to report back on progress at another UTA gathering scheduled for December 10, 2017.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Shipbuilding companies, unions threaten hundreds of layoffs if Liberals don’t provide new work The Liberal government is under pressure to provide more work to two of the country’s main shipyards or employees at those companies may face layoffs. Davie Shipyards could lay off hundreds of workers in Levis, Que., if the government doesn’t okay the construction of a second supply ship for the Royal Canadian Navy, company and union officials warn.

At the same time, the union representing workers at the Seaspan Shipyards in Vancouver is warning that some employees it represents are facing layoffs because of downtime in the federal government’s shipbuilding program.

Seaspan is building three offshore fisheries patrol vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. But there will be a lull between the end of construction on those ships and the start of work on a fourth federal government vessel, prompting the union to sound the alarm.

Tim Page, vice-president of government relations at Seaspan, said the company is trying to drum up new work from the federal government and other commercial sources to bridge the gap. “We do anticipate a production gap and while clearly not welcome, swings in a shipyard’s workforce is not unusual around the world,” Page said. “We’re doing everything we can to mitigate that gap through work that we’re competitively and aggressively competing for in both the commercial and the government environments.” Shipbuilder was ready to lay off 400 workers to pressure Liberals if they delayed navy projectBureaucrats tried to scuttle naval supply ship plan, worrying it would make government look bad Quebec’s government has taken a more aggressive approach, and is putting pressure on Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to

change the National Shipbuilding Strategy to include Davie. Sources close to Davie say the Quebec government and unions are also trying to mobilize Quebec Liberal MPs to pressure their government to change the shipbuilding strategy.

In 2011, when Irving on the east coast and Seaspan on the west coast were selected under the shipbuilding strategy to construct new federal government fleets, Davie was passed over in part because it was in financial trouble.

But the firm is now back on its feet and wants a share of the federal shipbuilding action.

Over a recent 18-month period Davie built a supply ship for the navy, which it is leasing to the federal government. Davie now wants to produce a second supply ship for the military and has also proposed providing a new icebreaker and a multi-purpose vessel. The Liberals have rejected Davie’s proposal, and Department of National Defence sources say there are currently no plans for the acquisition of a second interim supply ship. The federal government is going to invest almost $100 billion dollars over the next 20 to 30 years on renewing its fleet, said Davie chairman Alex Vicefield, and though Quebec represents 50 per cent of Canada’s shipbuilding capacity and 23 per cent of the country’s tax base he argues it is receiving less than one per cent of federal spending on shipbuilding.

Vicefield also called the current National Shipbuilding Strategy broken, and warned that federal ship fleets are rusting out and that the current strategy only covers a certain number and and certain types of ships.

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Saturday, November 18, 2017

BC NDP looks to federal government to help fund childcare plan B.C. Premier John Horgan says the NDP government’s $10-a-day childcare plan, a central plank from the party’s spring election campaign that could eventually cost as much as $1.5-billion a year, hinges on funding from the federal government. “If we’re going to deliver on our commitments to childcare – affordable, accessible childcare – we’re going to need a willing partner at the federal level, and we spent a good deal of our time talking about that,” Mr. Horgan told reporters Thursday after a 30-minute meeting with Prime Minster Justin Trudeau. Mr. Horgan acknowledged the issue of childcare was “critically important” to B.C. voters and said the topic was a focus of his meeting with the Prime Minister. The party’s election platform provided details of how an NDP government would fund early aspects of the daycare plan in the next three years – the cost was projected to be $400-million by 2019-20 – but did not say how it would pay for the entire thing. The party said it could take a decade for the program to be fully up and running, when it would cost about $1.5-billion. It

fended off criticism during the campaign that several of its promises, including the daycare program, would be too costly, but the NDP repeatedly insisted it could find the money to pay for them. The New Democrats argued the daycare program would eventually pay for itself, as parents were able to return to work and pay taxes. There was no mention of the daycare promise in a mid-year September budget, but the government has promised there would be more details in its first fullyear budget in February. Earlier this month, Mr. Horgan said he remain committed to the specific program, declaring at the NDP’s first convention since taking power: “It’s been 16 weeks and we have a four-year term and we are going to do everything we can to implement the program that we ran on.”

Mr. Trudeau did not provide any details about what, if any, support his government was prepared to offer B.C. as it puts together its childcare program. Earlier this year, the federal government pledged $7.5-billion for childcare over 11 years.

No Operation Red Nose this year in Surrey, Langley Operation Red Nose will run in 11 B.C. communities this year, but not in Langley and Surrey. The national non-profit organization says the local group that usually organizes the campaign in Surrey and Langley was unable to commit to the free sober ride service this year.

Spokesman David Latouche says it is not unusual to have groups drop out.

He says it is too late to find a replacement group for this year since the program starts next week, but they are confident they will

find volunteers to take it on the region next year. Larouche says anyone interested in participating in the 2018 campaign should visit operationrednose.com. Operation Red Nose kicked off its 2017 campaign last week.

In a release, the organization says more than 55,000 volunteers are getting ready to take part in Canada’s largest safe ride home service.

Now marking its 34th year, Operation Red Nose offers people a safe ride home during the holiday season in a bid to stop impaired driving.

S&P bond rating agency gives BC highest mark BCs finance minister is pointing to what Standard & Poor’s report said one of B.C.’s she called another confirmation of the greatest credit strengths is its diversified province’s healthy economy. Bond rating and healthy economy. “Large resource agency Standard & Poor’s has confirmed endowments, high-ranking livability and B.C.’s triple-A long-term credit rating. close proximity to Asian markets underpin Carole James said in a news release that its affluent tax base,” it said. The report the rating reflects the province’s superior said that when the total of all B.C.’s goods financial management and services is divided by its population, the practices, strong economy estimate per person is and robust liquidity. BC has been rated triple-A more than US$42,800, based on a three-year with Standard & Poor’s average. since May 2007, when the province was upgraded The findings also from a double-A plus forecast continued strong performance, rating. The release from the Finance Ministry said Attorney-General David Eby (left) looks on in part because the B.C. is the only province as Finance Minister Carole James delivers the bond rating agency budget in Victoria on Sept. 11, 2017 said the province has rated triple-A with all three international credit protected itself from rating agencies, which include Standard & the uncertainties of United States fiscal and Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch. James said the trade policies by expanding trade with other latest rating report verifies that B.C.’s path is partners, particularly in Asia.

“We believe that the province’s near-term a fiscally prudent one. “Our government will continue to take action to make life more economic prospects are healthier than those affordable, improve the services that British of most other Canadian provinces because Columbians count on, and ensure strong of B.C.’s relatively diversified economic base, economic growth that benefits the entire which provides revenue diversification and province,” James said in the release. The resiliency,” the report said.

Pedestrian killed in Burnaby crash Burnaby RCMP confirm a female pedestrian in her 70s is dead after being struck by a car near the intersection of Willingdon Avenue and Moscrop Street on Wednesday afternoon around 2:30 p.m.

PT. A male pedestrian, also in his 70s, is in hospital with serious but non-life threatening

injuries.

Police say two vehicles were involved in the incident and that both drivers are cooperating.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Burnaby RCMP.

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Saturday, November 18, 2017

PM Trudeau and Opposition leader Andrew Scheer campaign in South Surrey by election Signs that a byelection is around the corner were aplenty on the Semiahmoo Peninsula Wednesday, as leaders of two major political parties made appearances in White Rock and South Surrey. First, in the afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau toured White Rock’s Five Corners District with Liberal candidate Gordon Hogg; then, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer addressed supporters at an evening rally organized at the Pacific Inn and Convention Centre to launch the campaign of candidate Kerry-Lynne Findlay. The presence of both political leaders made an impression.

“Wow. Trudeau in town today and just had Andrew Scheer knocking at our door,” Pauline Wilcock posted on Peace Arch News’ Facebook page Wednesday afternoon, just

hours after Trudeau’s tour, and shortly before Scheer arrived at the rally. The prime minister arrived at Laura’s Coffee Corner around 2:15 p.m., shaking hands, giving high-fives and posing for selfies as he made his way to the coffee shop. About 15 minutes later, he walked through a crowd to Five Corners Café, greeting many people along the way. More than 1,000 people, young and old, turned out for Trudeau’s arrival – which Hogg described as “a great tribute to Laura (Cornale, of Laura’s Coffee Corner)” and drew “way more people than I anticipated” – with some waiting more than two hours to meet the prime minister.

A few people waiting were carrying placards, and many were poised with their cellphones at-the-ready for any photo-ops.

Several people used Trudeau’s arrival as a platform for activism, including White Rock residents Eve Weimer and Pat Kealy. They said that former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, Justin’s late father, made a commitment in 1972 that he would have the railway, which passes along White Rock’s waterfront, relocated.

The women were among the first residents to camp in front of Laura’s coffee shop, and had a chance to speak to the prime minister as he walked to Five Corners Café, located across the street from Laura’s original location, which was destroyed in the May 2016 Five Corners fire. Kealy and Weimer both asked Trudeau if he knew of his father’s note about relocating the waterfront railway. “Yes, I know,” Trudeau responded, according to the women. “Ma’am,

Transport Canada is looking into it.” Trudeau’s visit followed a morning engagement at the United Nations Peacekeeping Conference in Vancouver. Although he held a question-andanswer period at the UN event, a member of Trudeau’s entourage advised PAN he would not be taking questions from local media at the White Rock event. Between 250 and 300 people registered for the Scheer event at Pacific Inn, according to a member of the Conservatives’ on-site team. Attendees filled chairs of a ballroom that was decked out with blue balloons, campaign signs and banners.

A news release – that did not mention the byelection – issued Wednesday morning stated the appearance was to “deliver remarks at an event for volunteers and supporters.”

Federal govt’s moves to curb Canada’s opioid crisis are just a start Harm-reduction advocates are viewing a host of actions announced by Ottawa this week as an encouraging but modest step in combatting Canada’s overdose crisis.

Federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said on Wednesday that Ottawa would allow initiatives such as drug checking, pilot projects to provide safer alternatives to opioids and a streamlined permission process for provinces to open temporary overdoseprevention sites in emergency situations.

Ms. Petitpas Taylor’s office says the measures stem from discussions with provincial and territorial health ministers who

had expressed a need Taylor announced “a for more provincial streamlined pathway autonomy to offer to establish temporary harm-reduction overdos e-pre vent ion services centred on sites” if there is an urgent public health need. the needs of users.

Marilou Gagnon, an However, many of the initiatives announced associate professor in nursing at the University on Wednesday are already under way. In of Ottawa and a core Health Minister says there’s no easy response to concerns organizer of Overdose solution to opioid crisis over the lengthy Prevention Ottawa application process for opening supervised- (OPO), said the new process adds a layer of consumption sites, for example, Ms. Petitpas bureaucracy to what was born as an emergency

measure taken without seeking federal permission because the formal application process was taking too long.

“They were created for a system that was failing to begin with,” Dr. Gagnon said.

“Now suddenly there’s a protocol, we have to demonstrate a need, and they are being framed as temporary. The language to me is concerning.” Ottawa’s overdose-prevention site operated for just more than two months, until cold weather and a lack of municipal support forced it to close last week. One remains open in Toronto, as do 18 in B.C. The concept of “overdose-prevention sites” –

Public welcome at funeral for slain Abbotsford police officer The funeral for fallen Abbotsford police continue east for about a block before officer Const. John Davidson will be a arriving at the Abbotsford Centre. family gathering of sorts for the more than The funeral procession for Const.

6,000 first responders expected to attend. John Davidson will begin at 11:30 a.m.

“This is when all our family gets together to Sunday (Nov. 19) on McCallum Road pay tribute and say goodbye to our brother,” near McDougall Avenue.The procession said Abbotsford Police Sgt. Judy Bird. will head south along McCallum Road, Davidson was killed crossing Marshall Road and travelling during a shootout on Nov. 6. over Highway 1, before turning left “Family” is a word that continually onto King Road. It will continue east comes up in explanations of the for about a block before arriving at the regimental funeral planned for Abbotsford Centre. Where to park: Sunday afternoon in Abbotsford.

The University of the Fraser Valley is Davidson’s celebration of life providing free parking at the Abbotsford Centre will near the Abbotsford be proceeded by a procession Centre (33844 King Rd). of uniformed law enforcement More parking is available officers through the city. at Central Heights Church Thousands of first responders (1661 McCallum Rd). from across North America McCallum Road and are expected to attend, while several surrounding citizens are encouraged to streets will begin to be line the route in honour of closed to traffic at 10 a.m.

Constable a fallen hero. The funeral How to watch: John Davidson will be open to the public.

The celebration of life Here are four things to know about starts at 1 p.m. The public is welcome at Sunday’s memorial: the Abbotsford Centre, but first priority The procession route: The procession will be given to family and first responders. will begin at 11:30 a.m. Sunday (Nov. Overflow viewing will be available 19) on McCallum Road near McDougall at UFV’s Envision Athletic Centre Avenue. Abbotsford Police expect between (1395 McKenzie Rd) and Central 6,000 to 8,000 first responders to attend, Heights Church (1661 McCallum Rd). including police officers, firefighters, What to expect: Former Delta Police paramedics, sheriffs, correctional Chief Jim Cessford said the procession officers and military personnel. The first will be “very emotional.” During his responders will be shuttled to the staging career, he attended several funerals, area, where they will line up and march including two for officers that he worked about two kilometres to the Abbotsford with. He also went to the funeral for four Centre. The route will be decorated by fallen police officers in Mayerthorpe, a committee of APD officers’ spouses.

Alberta in 2005. “First responders really The procession will head south along pull together to show their support McCallum Road, crossing Marshall for one another,” he said. “We’re all in Road and travelling over Highway 1, this together.” The memorial is also an before turning left onto King Road. It will opportunity for citizens to show their

gratitude. “It’s overwhelming to see the crowds. People holding hands and weeping.

It’s a way to say we’ll never forget the

sacrifice he made.”

The funeral, a police honours service, will include a flag folding ceremony and pipe band.

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Saturday, November 18, 2017

North Delta church defaced with anti-Christian graffiti Delta Police are investigating after a local church was vandalized with anti-Christian graffiti. Maintenance chair Bryan Hodgins discovered the disturbing message scrawled on the side of Crossroads United Church (7655 120 St.) on the morning of Nov. 10. Hodgins immediately contacted police and took pictures of the graffiti that read “Kill All Christans (sic) — god is not real.” “It’s very disturbing, especially for a lot of our older parishioners who have to walk by this thing to get into the church,” Hodgins said. “In light of things like [the shooting in] Texas this last week, you hope it’s a harmless prank but who knows?” On Nov. 5 a 26-yearold Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire inside the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, killing 26 people and injuring 20 others.

“I think the concern here is just given what kind of events are happening in the world these days, particularly the actual shooting in Texas of people in a church, that kind of hate speech — it’s hate speech, there’s no other word for it — is particularly concerning,” said Rev. Cari Copeman-Haynes, lead minister at Crossroads United Church. “You think about all the good this congregation is doing in the community … it’s a pretty stark response to what we consider a positive presence for people who are struggling in our community.” The incident was the second time in a week that the church had been vandalized, with both incidents occurring on the exact same patch of the sanctuary’s curved wall. However, Copeman-Haynes said, the previous incident was a smaller, more generic

tagging. “Even though we were trying valiantly to get it off of the concrete wall, it provided enough of an invitation to whoever this person was to really expand both the square footage and take the message in a way more malevolent direction,” she said. Copeman-Haynes has been a minister at Crossroads for nine years, and six before that when the congregation was known as St. John’s-Strawberry Hill, and said she’s never seen vandalism of this nature that at the church. “I think there may have been more of the tagging kind of graffiti in that earlier era.

Since we’ve been Crossroads there’s been nothing like that at all until this moment,” she said.

“It’s indicative of the kind of polarization and intolerance and anxiety, for want of a better word, just generalized anxiety and blame that is kind of the public conversation.” Delta Police public affairs coordinator Sharlene Brooks said in an email that the vandalism at Crossroads appears to be an isolated incident, adding she couldn’t recall anything of a similar nature occurring in the recent past. Brooks said police have yet to identify any suspects but are monitoring to see if similar incidents occur elsewhere. The paint used is sticking rather tenaciously to the raw concrete wall and Hodgins said he’s having a hard time removing the graffiti. On top of that, tape and the like don’t stay on the wall long, making it impossible to temporarily cover up the offending message.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Surrey faces on call teacher shortage The Surrey school district is struggling to replace its pool of on-call teachers as many switched to full-time positions this year.

On Wednesday, Superintendent Jordan Tinney told the Surrey Board of Education the district’s “Fail to Fill” rate for TTOCs (Teachers Teaching on Call) is high, calling the issue a “significant challenge.” “Administration is working with human resources to address the issue to the extent possible, given the shortage of qualified teachers available,” Tinney noted.

Surrey’s large pool of TTOCs was drained as a result of the Nov. 10, 2016 Supreme Court ruling in favour of the British Columbia

Teachers’ Federation. It ruled to restore contract language and class-size and classcomposition deleted in 2002. In Surrey, this meant 300 new full-time teachers had to be hired, and many TTOCs moved into full-time positions.

See more: Surrey must create 168 new classrooms, hire 300 teachers by September District spokeman Doug Strachan said there have been “failures to fill” in Surrey this school year, which means an on-call teacher cannot be found when a teacher is off sick.

“The worst day was Nov. 2, the day before

the instructional day, and we had 45 failures to fill,” in classrooms, said Strachan. “To put that into context, we have more than 5,200 classrooms in the district.” That number could rise to 70 or more during flu season, added Strachan. Currently, the district has 700 to 750 on-call teachers and while there is no magic number to reach, Strachan said “the goal is to get enough so we never have a failure to fill.” Surrey still has ads out looking for more TTOCs, and human resources staff are even out at universities, interviewing and inviting graduates.

“So you’ve taken one camp of TTOCs and now many of them are fulltime people,” Wilson said. “You can’t just replace them overnight.

We lost some and gained some but overall it’s a struggle as we continue to try to meet the demand.

“It’s not just Surrey,” he added.

“It’s all of the Lower Mainland and all of the province really that are struggling.” So, what happens when there are no on-call teachers available to cover a sick day? “A principal or a vice-principal would take that class, or they might, in some cases, take learning support teachers or teacher librarians,” Wilson explained. While each school has its own plan on how to fill those vacanies, the district has confirmed it can include such staff members as Wilson indicated.

“The classroom teacher, the enrolling position is paramount,” Wilson said.

“There’s a stress in the system.”

Delta police traffic stop leads to $5,000 drug seizure A routine traffic stop by the Delta police department resulted in a large drug seizure Wednesday morning.

A traffic enforcement officer stopped a vehicle around 10:25 a.m. on Nov. 15 to check for a valid driver’s license.

Delta police public affairs coordinator Sharlene Brooks said these stops are not uncommon, as there are some drivers who drive without a license or are

prohibited from driving.

During the stop, the officer found a large quantity of drugs, with a street value of over $5,000. The officer arrested the driver and seized the drugs.

The investigation is ongoing, and the driver faces potential charges of possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

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Vancouver office space sells for record-breaking $2K a square foot The recent sale price for office space in Vancouver has eclipsed the average price per square foot for Vancouver’s already overheated condominium market.

Earlier this month, Bosa Development’s 30-storey Waterfront Centre sold out in a week for over $2,000 per square foot.

The company declined an interview but, in a statement, said the building achieved that price point because it is unique.

“When you have a AAA office building at a prime location directly across from the transit hub for Metro Vancouver, waterfront views, world-class architecture and amenities — the project and demand for it are truly unique in the market,” wrote Richard Weir, executive vice president for Bosa Development.

An expert in commercial real estate said ‘AAA’ class buildings are the cream of the crop — typically the newest, largest buildings in any given market, with amenities and operational systems that help to generate the buildings’ classification.

“The closest comparable sale I’m aware of was the top floor of Terminal City Club’s

office tower ... at $1,328.00 per square foot in December of 2015,” said Aaron Ulinder, senior vice president with CBRE Limited.

He categorized the extraordinary sale price as “unexpected.”

An artist’s rendering of the building to be locatedat320GranvilleSt.Bosawouldn’tdisclose who the purchasers were but said one buyer bought an entire floor. (Bosa Development) The average price per square foot for commercial real estate in Vancouver is $830, according to Colliers Canada.

Statistics from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver for October show the average price per square foot for a condo in Vancouver is $1,023.

Ulinder said the other factor is that office space in downtown Vancouver is in high demand — with the overall vacancy rate for premium office space under three per cent.

“There are only a handful of opportunities in the entire downtown core that could accommodate a tenancy greater than 20,000 square feet,” he said.

Jinny Sims’ tours Trail, Nelson and Castlegar Minister of Citizen Services Jinny Sims’ tour to Trail, Nelson and Castlegar for publication. The tour ran from Nov 14 to 16 and the major focus of the visit was touring local Service BC locations to meet with frontline service providers.

The Minister also held key meetings with local stakeholders in each community to discuss the importance of high-speed

internet connectivity to the development and growth of rural communities.

Vancouver approves regulations around short-term rentals including Airbnb Vancouver has joined the ranks of large cities around the world that have moved to regulate Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms.

On Tuesday, council approved regulations to address the more than 6,000 short-term rentals in the city, finally legalizing an industry that has exploded in popularity over recent years despite operating in a grey zone.

“This is a straightforward regulatory approach,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “It is definitely balanced in terms of cities around the world and how they approach this.”

Robertson said short-term rentals affect the rental housing supply, particularly in cities like Vancouver where there is a rental housing crunch and a near-zero rental vacancy rate.

The new rules “will make sure that almost 80 per cent of those (short-term rentals) currently out there are actually legal rather than illegal, and that (with) the balance we see some return to long-term rentals,” he said. The city estimates about 1,000 units will return to the long-term market.

The decision came on the same day Airbnb announced it is setting a 120-day cap a year for hosts renting out a property in central

Paris. On Monday, Seattle city council voted to impose a tax of $8 per night for rooms or $14 per night for entire homes on short-term rental operators starting 2019. The issue of how to regulate short-term rentals in Vancouver drew more than 100 speakers to two days of public hearings in October. Critics of Airbnb say the home-sharing giant is exacerbating Vancouver’s tight rental housing market because it is more lucrative for landlords to cater to tourists rather than its residents. Supporters of Airbnb say the ability to rent out their homes on a part-time basis helps them make ends meet.

Under the new rules, which would take effect April 1, 2018, homeowners or renters can rent out part or all of their principal homes for less than 30 days at a time after getting a $49 annual licence and paying a $54 one-time activation fee.

Short-term rentals are prohibited for secondary homes, secondary suites and laneway homes — a point that drew fire from property owners unable to put their homes up for long-term rentals who said the regulations are depriving them of much-needed income.

“We think that is unnecessarily restrictive,” said Airbnb policy director Alex Dagg, citing Airbnb data that shows homeowners sharing a secondary suite only rent out the units on average for three months every year. “These are not, in our view, units that will be going back to the long-term market.”

There are about 550 secondary suites in Vancouver on their platform, says Airbnb. The majority of Airbnb hosts rent out their primary homes.

Under the new rules, operators are required to include the business licence on their listing or face a fine of up to $1,000.

To ensure compliance, the city will have a dedicated enforcement coordinator and an additional inspector to support complaintdriven inspections and audits.

Some NPA councillors who voted against the proposal expressed concern over the costs of enforcement. “We’re just creating more bureaucracy and more taxation … and we’re not solving the problem,” said Coun. George Affleck. “It’s just making it a harder place to live for everybody.” Council also passed an amendment by Coun. Tim Stevenson that will require staff to reassess the ban on secondary suites if the city’s rental vacancy rate hits four per cent. Dagg said Airbnb will meet with the city next week to discuss the implementation of the new regulations. She also said it is important other short-term rental platforms comply with the rules. Airbnb, which has an 82 per cent market share in Vancouver, is the only platform that participated in the public hearings. The city said it is also in conversation with Expedia, which operates VRBO and HomeAway and has a nine per cent market share, and will reach out again to other platforms.

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Saturday, November 18, 2017

Christy Clark, Teresa Wat met Hong Kong developers while locals complained of foreign investment In 2015, as home prices skyrocketed in Vancouver, then BC premier Christy Clark and then trade minister Teresa Wat held intimate meetings with Hong Kong developers and donors who had billions invested in Vancouver property. They wanted to know if Clark’s government would intervene in the market to reduce prices, according to documents .

The internal Ministry of Trade documents, released through a freedom-of-information request, for the first time reveal some of the courting strategies employed by Clark and Wat for trade meetings with real estate tycoons and corporations in China and Hong Kong. Fraser Valley board warns offshore clients seeking to misuse realtor bank accounts Nearly half of BC’s most expensive homes secretly owned, raising fears of money laundering MP’s law firm sued in case involving allegations of Chinese underground banks and missing millions Seattle housing market white hot with Chinese demand as Vancouver’s market freezes More Chinese cases target property in B.C., say lawyers The 477 pages of notes highlight a “master narrative” about the significant place of foreign investment in Vancouver real estate, which differs from the government’s public stance in 2015. The documents say that Wat first met in April of 2015 with one of Hong Kong’s richest billionaires, Edwin Leong. There was a followup meeting for Clark and Wat arranged with Leong and other investors on Nov. 7, 2015, on the 29th floor of Leong’s Hotel Indigo, in Hong Kong’s Wai Chan district.

Meeting notes for the “afternoon-tea with Hong Kong Investors” say: “This is an informal roundtable discussion with an intimate group of long-standing investors and donors in the Vancouver economy. Many of these investors have real estate holdings in Vancouver worth several billion dollars.” Leong is a property developer with a net worth estimated at US$3.9 billion, and over 1,000 properties and stores in Hong Kong and Macau, according to the South China Morning Post. Documents say other meeting attendees included Eddie Wang, former chairman of China Minsheng Bank; Andrew Yu, chairman of Yue Hwa Chinese Emporium; and Oscar Chow, executive director of Chevalier Group. According to the notes, Clark and Wat were prepared to answer a number of hot-button questions on economic policy and the B.C. government’s position on trade with China.

“Are you considering any policy changes in light of the recent property valuations and public concerns for affordable housing?” was one expected question.The response prepared for Clark and Wat was: “Government would need to proceed very carefully before considering measures that would force down the value of people’s assets and prevent sellers from obtaining a fair market price.” Back at home, meantime, public complaints about housing affordability in B.C. was so intense that Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson had released a letter urging Clark to take extraordinary tax measures to cool speculation in the market.

$15 minimum wage public consultation holds first meeting B.C. NDP promises $15 per hour minimum wage if elected in 2017 Petition for $15 per hour minimum wage delivered to B.C. Legislature The Fair Wages Commission kicked off the first of eight public consultations on the minimum wage Thursday. During the election campaign, the NDP promised to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021.

The public meetings are one of the first steps

toward meeting the promise, said economist and commission chair Marjorie Griffin Cohen.

“Our first task is really to ask people what they think should be happening,” said.

In September, the government raised the minimum wage by 50 cents to $11.35.

Over the next three weeks of public meetings, the commission will be looking at next steps — how and when the proposed $15 minimum wage should be implemented.

It will gather information from these consultations to put together an advisory report for the provincial government, Cohen said. So far, about a hundred people have signed up to speak at the public meetings.

“It’s all kinds of people from workers to employers to poverty groups and advocates, and we’re also having a large number of individuals appearing,” Cohen said. She said hearing from all sides is key at this point.

Advocates for workers say a higher minimum wage is needed now to make life more affordable for British Columbians but some in the business community argue that raising the wage too fast will hurt the economy and cost jobs. “We expect to hear from the employers

why the minimum wage is important to them and how arriving at it at a certain date would be important,” Cohen said. “And we’re expecting to hear the experiences of people who live on less than $15 an hour and how they manage do that.” The first report by the commission will be presented to the government by the end of the year and will focus on the general minimum wage. A second report will follow, looking at exceptions to the minimum wage such as piece-work wages for farmers and a lower minimum wage in the liquor service.

The commission also plans to analyse the discrepancy between the minimum wage and a living wage in B.C. and advise the government on how that might be reconciled, Cohen said.

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Funeral announcement It is with great sadness that the Pawa family announces the sudden passing of Jagdish Kaur Pawa on November 12th.

Predeceased by her husband, Amarjit Singh Pawa, she leaves behind her loving children, grandchildren and extended family. Funeral service will take place on Sunday November 19th at 12:30pm

at Riverside Funeral Home, 7410 Hopcott Road, Delta. Bhog ceremony will follow at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurudwara Jagdish Kaur Pawa at 7050 120th Street Surrey. She will be missed by all.

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Translink launches double decker bus pilot project Double decker buses will service long distance routes throughout Metro Vancouver Two new double decker buses will soon hit the road in Metro Vancouver in an effort to reduce overcrowding on busy routes.

Translink unveiled its first double decker bus on Thursday, which will be one of two that takes to the road next week as part of a new pilot project.

“These are bigger,” said Translink CEO Kevin Desmond, comparing them to current buses on the road.

The test run is in response to Translink’s surging ridership. Having increased by six per cent over the last year, many popular longdistance routes are particularly overcrowded.

“We can’t keep up with demand,” said Desmond, citing the 555 connecting Langley to Burnaby and the 301 connecting Surrey to Richmond, as two troubling examples. “[The 301] chronically has at least 11 standees, and on a bus that’s operating on a highway, 11 standees is a lot and that’s not the most comfortable ride.”

The buses will service routes towards Vancouver from Langley, Surrey, White Rock and Delta and have double the seats of current buses servicing those routes.

“These buses are part of our solution to crowding and to attract and retain ridership with a more comfortable and, in this case, more of a fun ride,” said Desmond.

The buses will service the following routes during the three month trial run: 301 – Newton Exchange to Brighouse Station.

311 – Scottsdale Exchange in Delta to

Bridgeport Station. 351/354 – White Rock/ South Surrey to Bridgeport Station. 555 – Carvolth Exchange in Langley to Lougheed Station. 601/620 – South Delta/Tsawwassen Ferry to Bridgeport Station. Plans are to add 30 more to the fleet by 2019 but don’t expect to see any popular urban routes, like the 99.

Those will continue to be serviced by long, articulated buses. “We have a lot of life left on those articulate coaches They really work better for the large numbers [of people moving] of on and off.”

B.C. business group hikes 2017 outlook for second time this year British Columbia’s economy continues to grow faster than expected this year, the province’s largest business organization says, with strong job growth, substantial increases in consumer spending, rising exports and booming tourism. It is the second time the Business Council of B.C. has revised upward its economic forecast for 2017 – it now projects 3.1 per cent growth for the year. That continued buoyancy was also recognized on Thursday by the bond

rating agency Standard & Poors, which confirmed the provincial government’s coveted triple-A credit rating.

“The ratings reflect the province’s strong and increasing economy, robust liquidity, and sound financial management practices,” the S&P rating outlook says.

It has also given B.C. a “stable” outlook, on the expectation that the new NDP government will maintain the financial prudence delivered in its first mini-budget

in September. Economist Jock Finlayson, co-author of the business council’s report, said in an interview the province is enjoying “a nice tailwind” from low interest rates and a weak Canadian dollar. The rosy fiscal and economic news was welcomed by Finance Minister Carole James. “Confirmation of our ‘AAA’ credit rating shows that British Columbia’s economic performance is strong and that we are on a fiscally sustainable path forward,” Ms. James said

Impaired driving changes could unfairly punish medical cannabis users, lawyers say Canada’s proposed overhaul of federal impaired driving rules could unfairly criminalize medical cannabis users,

according to an open letter to Ottawa signed by more than 50 criminal defence lawyers.

The letter, which warns that medical marijuana users could be unfairly punished under the proposed system, underscores the challenges to preventing high driving.

Experts are divided on just how much THC – the principal psychoactive compound of cannabis – would make someone impaired, and the government is still developing a reliable way to conduct a roadside test.

As the federal government and the provinces rush to meet the deadline for legalizing the drug by next summer, a key concern has been settling on what is known as a per se limit, which specifies how much of the drug has to be in a driver’s system to constitute a criminal offence. Ottawa has decided that people with at least two but less than five nanograms of THC a millilitre of blood detected within two hours of driving would be subject only to a fine, to a maximum of $1,000. Those with at least five nanograms would be treated more seriously. In the United States, both Colorado and Washington State have

adopted a single drug-impaired driving offence at five nanograms.

Critics say such a two-tiered system of offences, similar to how drunk drivers are treated in some provinces, does not work for cannabis because the drug affects each person differently and there is no agreedupon level of intoxication, as there is with blood-alcohol levels.

The letter sent Monday to the federal Department of Justice calls on Ottawa to do away with the two-nanogram threshold.

The statement argues that limit could unfairly penalize some 200,000 licensed medical users whose regular consumption can lead to them having that level of THC in their blood days after last using the drug.

“The government has asserted that the 5 ng/ml threshold for a hybrid offence ‘could be associated with some impairment,’ but has also conceded that the 2 ng/ml threshold is ‘not directly’ tied to impairment and rather reflects ‘a precautionary or crime prevention approach,’” says the letter circulated by Toronto-based articling student Harrison Jordan. “We cannot in good conscience support the implementation of an offence that carries with it a negligible nexus to criminality.”

‘Disturbing’ pro-Nazi posters found at UBC on Remembrance Day Photos of the posters obtained by the Ubyssey student newspaper show what appears to be images of Nazis with the words “the true heroes of WW2.”

The University of British Columbia in Vancouver in seen in this file photo from November 2015. Officials at UBC say pro-Nazi posters were discovered on War Memorial Gym on Saturday.

The University of British Columbia in Vancouver in seen in this file photo from November 2015. Officials at UBC say pro-Nazi posters were discovered on War Memorial Gym on Saturday.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

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Teacher charged with sexually assaulting students at Tiger Jeet Singh Public School Halton police say they have charged a teacher for allegedly sexually assaulting female students at a Milton school.

Hazem Kabbara, 37, of Oakville is facing two counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual interference for assaults that occurred

at Tiger Jeet Singh Public School.

Police say investigators from their Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit interviewed several female students before laying the charges. The Halton District School Board said in an emailed statement that Kabbara

was “assigned home” when they learned about the allegations and he would no longer be teaching at any of their schools until the allegations are resolved through the courts.

According to the Ontario College of Teachers, Kabbara received his Master of

Teaching at the University of Toronto this year. Those with information on the alleged assaults are asked to contact Halton police’s Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 8976 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.

‘Dishonest bank teller’ scam bilks Ontario woman out of $6K A Toronto-area woman is out nearly $6,000 after falling victim to a “dishonest teller” scam that convinced her to wire money overseas.

Jo-Anne Lake said she received a call from someone claiming to be from her TD Bank branch last month. She was led to believe a bank employee was pocketing funds from her account. “They said they were investigating a person in my bank branch, and they had

placed the money back in my account that was taken out, and they needed me to help them,” she said. Lake believes the scammers used personal information hacked from her computer to gain her trust on the phone. The caller asked that she withdraw $5,900 and wire the money to India, saying the dishonest employee would be identified when the funds were accessed. While transferring the money

at a Western Union branch, a person in line told her what she was doing sounded like a scam. But Lake sent the money before it started to sink in that something may be wrong She filed a police report and contacted TD Bank, hoping the money would be reimbursed.

Her claim was denied. “We have no reason to believe there was an error or oversight on our end. However, we’d be happy to discuss

the situation with the customer directly,” Barbara Timmins, a TD Bank spokesperson for corporate and public affairs, said.

Lake believes the scammers used personal information hacked from her computer to gain her trust on the phone. She’s angry about being duped, and hopes her bank will refund the lost money. “Here I am out over $5,000, and they say claim denied,

Horgan pushes Trudeau to help foot $750-million wildfire bill Premier John Horgan says he and Justin Trudeau are “besties,” but that didn’t stop him for applying some pressure on the prime minister Thursday to squeeze more

money out of Ottawa for British Columbia.

Horgan specifically wants the federal government to help cover some of the costs of last summer’s unprecedented wildfire season.

“It was a bit of a love-in, I have to say,” Horgan said of his earlier meeting with Trudeau as he spoke to lunch crowd of about 200 hosted by the Urban Development Institute.

“But after the cameras were off and the doors were closed, I spoke candidly to the prime minister and said, ‘You know, we can keep going like this, but you’re going to have to start showing up with a bit of cash.’ He chuckled a little bit and I said, ‘No, I’m serious. You have to start showing up with a bit of cash.’”

Last summer’s fires scorched more than 12,000 square kilometres of land and forced about 65,000 people from their homes. The fires destroyed 509 structures across the province, including 229 homes.

The price tag to date for both fire suppression and recovery is about $750 million, and the federal government needs to make good on the commitments it made during the summer to pitch in on costs, Horgan said.

“There are families in the Interior that have a very bleak winter ahead of them and an even bleaker spring. And that’s going to need more investment from the province, more investment from the provincial government.”

The Elephant Hill wildfire burns through the hillside near Clinton, B.C., on Aug. 8, 2017. This has been the most devastating year for wildfires in the province’s recorded history. (Master Cpl. Malcolm Byers/Wainwright Garrison Imaging) Horgan later told reporters he also raised B.C.’s concerns about Kinder Morgan’s proposed $7.4-billion Trans Mountain pipeline project, which would triple the capacity of a pre-existing line between Edmonton and the Vancouver area and increase tanker traffic in the Burrard Inlet seven-fold.

“I reiterated our position and the prime

NATIONAL

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Real estate is bigger in BC’s economy than oil is in Alberta’s Real estate, rental and leasing take up a share of B.C.’s economy that is so large, it eclipses oil and gas in Alberta.

It’s a phenomenon that has arrived at a time of skyrocketing home prices, and has eroded affordability in Vancouver to the worst level it’s ever been.

But should British Columbians be worried that real estate forms such a strong sector of the province’s economy?

Not necessarily, if you talk to University of Calgary associate professor of economics Trevor Tombe.

Coverage of Vancouver real estate on Globalnews.ca: Metro Vancouver real estate heats up again Metro Vancouver real estate heats up again Metro Vancouver real estate heats up again Experts discount real estate “bubble” in Vancouver Experts discount real estate “bubble” in Vancouver Metro Vancouver commercial real estate boom Metro Vancouver commercial real estate boom Real estate forecast for Metro Vancouver Real estate forecast for Metro Vancouver Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver break down latest numbers Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver break down latest numbers Economic numbers released by Statistics Canada earlier this year show that the real estate, rental and leasing sector made up an 18.36 per cent of B.C.’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year.

Compare that with Alberta, where mining, quarrying, oil and gas accounted for 16.98 per cent of the economy.

“I wouldn’t draw too much from that comparison alone and say that this shows there’s an overdependence in B.C. on real estate or an overdependence on oil and gas in Alberta,” Tombe told CKNW’s Jill

Bennett on Sunday.

“I think that’s a separate question, but real estate accounting for so much in B.C. does illustrate a growing trend that we’ve been seeing in that province.”

Statistics Canada has a very specific method to account for economic activity related to real estate. The numbers don’t necessarily reflect buying and selling so much as growth and property value.

To do this, the stats agency uses “imputed” value in order to put a number on the real estate sector, even if it’s not a market transaction like rent. “So when house prices rise, and rents rise, we inpute more value to to the housing services that we are enjoying,” Tombe said.

Tombe was asked whether people should be concerned that real estate, rental and leasing take up a nearly 20-percent share of the province’s economy, given revenues from the Property Transfer Tax (PTT) and other measures. While noting that oil and gas royalties have been larger for Alberta than real estate revenues have for B.C., Tombe said he’s not sure that people need to be too concerned about the overall state of B.C.’s economy, or its reliance on real estate.

However, he did say the B.C. government should be careful not to become too reliant on income from the real estate sector.

“I think some of the lessons we are learning here might be applicable to B.C. as well. Rather than trying to structurally change the economy itself, put in place policies that prepare for a situation when incomes fall. And in BC’s case, it would be income from property.”

19

Chinese real estate portal says investment in Vancouver is ‘flat as a pancake’ Real estate sales to Chinese buyers in Vancouver are in the midst of a “no growth” pattern, according to data gathered by China’s largest real estate portal, Juwai.com.

“Chinese buyer demand in Vancouver is flat as a pancake — neither up nor down,” said Byron Burley, vice president for Juwai. com in BC The most common searches on Juwai in addition to Vancouver were Toronto, Seattle, Montreal and Los Angeles. Inquiries from buyers in China for all international properties are up 8.7 per cent over last year.

Buyers compare prices elsewhere “When these uncommitted buyers compare Vancouver prices, plus the tax, to what they can get somewhere else, sometimes they decide it’s not worth it,” Burley said.

In August 2016, the province introduced a 15-per-cent tax on foreign homebuyers in Metro Vancouver in response to the region’s skyrocketing housing prices.

“The power of the Vancouver tax lies in the fact that about 50 per cent of our Chinese buyers begin property hunting without having made up their mind about which city they want to purchase in’” said Burley.

Foreign buyers overlooking Vancouver Last week, chief economist Matthew Gardner with Windermere Real Estate in Seattle said foreign buyers were overlooking Vancouver and heading to Seattle at a “frenetic” pace.

“A lot of people who were looking in

Vancouver are automatically looking further south now to Seattle,” said Gardner. “[There’s] no question there’s a knock-on effect given your tax situation relative to foreign buyers. … Frenetic is the best way to put it.”After years of dire warnings about an impending real estate bubble bursting, does the levelling off mean single-family home prices will cool down?

“I think that correction would take the form of a slower market for a number of years and very flat prices,” said Tsur Somerville, a professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. “It’s really hard to see the trigger for large price corrections in that market.”

Somerville said his bigger concern lies in the surging sale prices for condos and townhouses in what he described as a “split personality” market.

“Having condo prices rise almost 40 per cent in one year isn’t salvation — that creates lots of affordability problems,” he said.

“We were relying on condos and townhouses to be the source of affordability, and if those are going through the roof that’s taking the affordable option away.”

Juwai’s Burley said Vancouverites shouldn’t expect the levelling off of demand from China to have major consequences.

“It’s very important to remember, however, that Vancouver is more like a pancake than a deflating soufflé, he said. “Buyer demand has not collapsed, it’s merely flat.”

20

NATIONAL

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Federal government delays $2.14 billion in infrastructure spending The federal government failed to spend $2.14 billion that was earmarked last year to rebuild roads, bridges and other large-scale projects aimed at helping people in their day-to-day lives, newly released documents show.

The recent department report shows spending from Infrastructure Canada was about 40 per cent lower than the $5.3 billion that had been planned for the last fiscal year, which ended March 31, 2017.

The largest chunk of the spending shortfall was $1.48 billion that didn’t get spent on various large-scale projects, representing about 90 per

cent of what the government expected to spend on things like new transit and water systems, two key areas of focus on the Liberal agenda.

It’s not clear from the documents how long it’s expected to take for the money to actually flow to projects. The figures help to illustrate the magnitude of a problem that has plagued the Liberal government’s multibillion-dollar infrastructure program from the outset: they can’t seem to get the money out of the federal treasury fast enough. The government — which typically does carry about 25 per cent of its infrastructure from one project to the next

— says it’s simply managing the flow of cash to projects. Opposition critics, on the other hand, say the idle money is symptomatic of problems with the program.

Federal dollars flow only once cities and provinces submit receipts for reimbursement, often creating a delay between when work takes place and when the federal money is spent.

In some cases, the federal government won’t receive receipts until a project is completely done. In other cases, projects are delayed because of labour strife, bad weather or other factors beyond Ottawa’s control — a

factor last week’s departmental report warns readers about. The report also shows that the government moved $591.8 million into a fund for small communities, boosting its value to $1.5 billion. It says the federal government has given provinces and territories an ultimatum: identify projects for all the money left in the program — created by the previous Conservative government — by March 31, 2018, or watch it go to municipalities through what’s known as the federal gas tax fund, established in 2005 to provide a stable, predictable source of annual federal infrastructure dollars.

Liberals haven’t rebounded from summer dip in the polls: Forum research The popularity of the federal Liberals hasn’t rebounded since their dip this summer, while support for the Conservatives

has improved, according to a public opinion poll from Forum Research.

The poll, conducted Nov. 4-6, found 38

per cent of Canadians surveyed supported the Conservatives, while 36 per cent said they would vote Liberal. For the frontrunners that’s virtually unchanged from Forum’s results in mid-September when the Liberals were at 35 per cent and the Conservatives were at 39 per cent.

But those September numbers reflected a dip in popularity for the Liberal government, which was at 42 per cent in the polls in midAugust. The Conservatives have improved from 34 per cent support at that time.

Support for the NDP has remained steady, despite the fact the party elected Jagmeet Singh as its new leader on Oct. 1. The NDP was at 14 per cent in midAugust, 15 per cent in September, and 14 per cent in the latest poll last week.

The Green party, which had 4 per cent support in August and September, increased to 6 per cent in November.

Similarly, the Bloc Québécois was steady at 4 per cent, 5 per cent and 6 per cent respectively in those three months beginning in August.

The Crown has dropped a manslaughter

charge against Anthony James Kiss.

Crown drops manslaughter charge against driver who ran over man to save woman’s life Soleil Fleury’s family and friends are asking residents who want to help to “please keep spreading the posters,” which are posted in several areas across the GTA. Family of Soleil Fleury asks online users to stoppostingsuggestionsforwheretolookforher Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, say he spoke with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on human rights in Manila on Monday.

‘It is a personal and official insult’: Duterte lashes out at Trudeau over drug war criticism “The Liberals’ dip in popularity, first identified by Forum in September, has steadied in November, but (the fact) that it hasn’t rebounded suggests their down numbers might be more than just a blip,” said Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research.

“There are still two years before the next election, which is an eternity in politics, but clearly some of the negatively received policies introduced by the Liberals of late have begun to hinder their overall support.”

Saturday, Novemver 18, 2017

Canada’s richest one per cent saw income increases, StatsCan study finds The wealthiest Canadians saw their share of total income rise by nearly one per cent between 2014 and 2015, and the number of women among the rich “one percenters” continued to rise, according to Statistics Canada.

The top one per cent of Canadian tax filers held 11.2 per cent of the country’s total income in 2015, up from 10.3 per cent in 2014, StatsCan says.

This was the first increase in the share of total income going to Canada’s one percenters since 2006.

In 2015, the median total income of all income tax filers in Canada was $33,400. To be in the top one per cent, a tax filer must have earned a total annual income of at least $234,700. Just under 270,930 Canadian tax filers reached that level of income in 2015.

Women accounted for a record 23.2 per

cent of the wealthiest tax filers in 2015, up from 21.7 per cent in 2014. StatsCan says that was the largest yearly gain for female taxpayers since 1989.

The number of wealthiest tax filers increased in Ontario and British Columbia, and it declined in Alberta in 2015 -- “an indication of the early impact of the downturn in oil prices,” StatsCan says.

The top one per cent of tax filers paid, on average, $183,000 in income taxes to the federal, provincial and territorial governments in 2015.

Most of the income increases among Canada’s one percenters took place in cities such as Vancouver and Toronto.

The bottom 50 per cent of tax filers saw a 3.4 per cent increase in average total income.

France ran out of money last Tuesday — and within days, so will the rest of Europe At first glance, not a lot was going on last Tuesday. Priti Patel was desperately trying to hang onto her job, unsuccessfully as it turned out. Donald Trump was mouthing off on a trip to South Korea. Manchester City were rumoured to bidding for an incredibly expensive footballer, and somebody somewhere was inevitably moaning on about Brexit. It was all fairly run-of-the-mill stuff.

But for number-crunchers, something interesting happened. It was the day when France ran out of money. As of Nov. 7, all the money the government raises through its taxes – and this being France, there are literally dozens of them – had been spent. The rest of the year is financed completely on tick.

Next week, Poland will be out of cash, followed by Italy, which will be officially skint on Nov 26 And yet France is far from alone. All the main European countries, the UK included, are running out of tax revenue well before the year is over. That is worrying for three reasons. It is reminder that spending is still way too high. It tells us that governments have failed to curb deficits.

And it is a warning that next time there is a recession governments won’t have any room to respond with a fiscal boost. There are lots of dry ways of pointing out that governments are spending a lot more money than they raise in tax revenue. Economists and statisticians wheel out debt to GDP ratios and chancellors and finance ministers set targets for deficit reduction. Those, however, usually come in hard-to-follow percentages, or else the billions and billions involved pile up so quickly that most of us simply glaze over. But in France, the Institut Molinari has come up with a very neat way of illustrating the issue

in simple terms. It works out the moment in the calendar after which everything the government does has to be financed through borrowing. If you wanted to, you could call it the day the money runs out.

So how’s that going? France, perhaps not very surprisingly, turns out to be the country that is out of cash first. A government which last managed to balance the books in 1980 used up all its money with 55 days of the year still left. That was a day earlier than the year before, and four days earlier than back in 2014.

France is not only living beyond its means, but it is now doing so at an accelerating pace. And that was despite the fact that taxes and social security charges have gone up. Once those charges are combined, the state is raking in 53 per cent of GDP in revenues – its problem is that it then spends an even more massive 56 per cent of GDP over the same period. “‘It will hurt’: Global markets brace for new test as the age of easy money comes to an end” is locked ‘It will hurt’: Global markets brace for new test as the age of easy money comes to an end. But it was far from alone.

Spain ran out of money on Saturday. Over in Romania, the bank account was empty as of yesterday. Next week, Poland will be out of cash, followed by Italy, which will be officially skint on Nov 26. In the UK, our politicians will have officially spent all the income tax, corporation tax, VAT, fuel duty they take from us by Dec 7. Across Europe as a whole, central governments will be out of money on Dec 6. Only four EU countries manage to make it through Christmas and into the new year still in the black. They are Cyprus, Malta, Germany, and a surprisingly thrifty Sweden, which gets all the way to Jan 20.

Save-On-Foods expands online shopping offering in Interior BC and Okanagan Save-On-Foods is expanding its online shopping service to cities in B.C.’s Interior and Okanagan, giving customers their choice of the increasingly popular, conveniencebased store pickup (November 17) and home delivery (December 1) options.

Starting November 17, the stores in Kelowna and Vernon will offer the pickup service, where customers can order groceries online at saveonfoods.com or through the SaveOn-Foods app, and choose a time slot and location to pick them up at. Personal shoppers pick the order and even load the groceries into the customer’s car at designated online shopping pickup parking stalls. In Kamloops, four more Save-On-Foods stores will join

the Brocklehurst location in offering online shopping pickup on November 17. SaveOn-Foods Brocklehurst started offering the service on June 2, and now the city’s other locations in Valleyview, Sahali, Westsyde and Lansdowne will make it easier than ever for customers to pick up their pre-picked grocery orders at a store that’s convenient for them.

Starting December 1, the home delivery option will also be available to customers in Kelowna, Kamloops and Vernon. On December 1, customers in Prince George will have the option of the in-store pickup service.

Pickup is free, and the first home delivery is free as well. Delivery charges start at just $7.95

FINANCE

21

22

SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, Novemver 18, 2017

Smog-filled Indian, Pak cities could turn into dangerously unhealthy snow globes: NOAA Smog-filled cities in north India and Pakistan will continue to experience dangerous level of air quality+ over the next several months, a top American atmospheric organisation has said, warning that the cities could turn into dangerously unhealthy “snow globes”.

“This is just the start to the smog season in northern India and Pakistan+ , as the monsoon will last for much of the upcoming winter. That means there are plenty of more opportunities for cold, stagnant air to fill with pollution, turning cities into dangerously unhealthy snow globes,” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a statement on Wednesday.

NOAA released satellite pictures and explained the reasons behind such a polluting atmosphere in major

parts of north India and Pakistan.

Widespread smog caused by the combustion of fuels, and the burning of crops and fires made it dangerous to be outside in cities in northern India and Pakistan, it said.

For air to get this polluted, in addition to needing a good amount of human help from the combustion of fuels and burning of crops and garbage, there needs to be specific atmospheric conditions that let the air remain still enough for pollution accumulate, it said.

“This stagnation occurs when there is an inversion layer in the atmosphere,” NOAA said.

An inversion layer refers to instances where the air does not cool as one moves up in the atmosphere, it explained.

“Instead, warmer air sits on top of denser, colder air near the ground.

Connectivity projects boost IndiaBangladesh ties GHCF raised more than $80 million for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.

As part of the grant, Sewa International Team will identify and assist 600 persons in assessing their “individual/family needs resulting from a specific disaster event, help them develop a recovery plan, and screen for duplication of benefits and provide them access to resources for their unmet needs,” the statement said. ..You: News says--- “Sewa International has received the grant from Greater

Houston Community Foundation (GHCF)” There is misuse of word Sewa. There is money involved here. How is this...

Read MorePremAnand aka Ed Drw The grant money that Sewa received on Thursday will have to be spent over the next four months.

As per the grant guidelines, Sewa has to begin providing disaster case management services within 30 days or less of receiving funding

Nepal scraps $2.5 billion hydropower plant deal with Chinese company Nepal has scrapped a $2.5 billion deal with China Gezhouba Group Corporation to build the country’s biggest hydropower plant, citing lapses in the award process, the energy minister said.

“The cabinet has cancelled the irregular ... agreement with Gezhouba Group to build the Budhi Gandaki hydroelectric project,” energy minister Kamal Thapa, who is also the country’s deputy prime minister, said on Monday in a twitter post in Nepali after a cabinet meeting. He did not give further details.

Nepal’s rivers, cascading from the snowcapped Himalayas, have vast, untapped potential for hydropower generation, but lack of funds and technology have made Nepal lean on neighbour India to meet annual demand of 1,400 megawatts (MW).

In June, a Maoist-dominated coalition government awarded a contract to China Gezhouba Group Corporation to build a 1,200 MW plant on the Budhi Gandaki river, about 50 km (32 miles) west of Kathmandu, to address acute power shortages.

Critics say the $2.5 billion project was handed to the Chinese company without any competitive bidding, which is required by law, and a parliamentary panel asked the government that succeeded the Maoist-led coalition to scrap the deal.

Officials of the Chinese company were not immediately available for comment.

China and India jostle for influence with aid and investment in infrastructure projects in Nepal.

India dashes hopes of Saarc talks revival India on Thursday dashed any hopes of reviving the Saarc process, saying the regional grouping could only function in an atmosphere free from terrorism. Equally, the government reiterated that it would engage in security groups like the “quadrilateral” as long as it advanced Indian interests.

“India is open and willing to work with like minded countries on issues that advance our interests and promote our interests,” secretary (east) Preeti Saran told journalists.

Responding to questions about remarks

by Pakistan’s minister for environment who said the current state of atmospheric pollution could be addressed by both countries under the Saarc framework, the MEA spokesperson said Saarc meetings could only happen when “one country” decided to stop providing an enabling environment to terrorism. The MEA statement came on the back of Pakistani reports that Sri Lanka had supported Pakistan on reviving Saarc.

CBI arrests former Shimla SP On Sunday, PM Narendra Modi heads out to the Philippines for his first official

visit there and his fourth Asean-India and East Asia summits, where he is expected to hold talks with President Rodrigo Duterte, and perhaps US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump is on a trip through Asia and was reluctantly persuaded to stay on for the EAS. SAARC was a brain child of Nehru & Indira Gandhi used it to launch herself as international leader. It has lost relevance & NaMo is building a new axis, consisting of India, Bhutan, Burma, In... Read MoreGhoda Murshatpur Briefing journalists, Preeti Saran said besides attending the summit and bilateral meetings, “PM will attend the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Asean, and an Asean business and investment summit”. Officials of India, the US, Australia and Japan are expected to meet on the sidelines of the EAS to thrash out the details of the resurrected quadrilateral.

Fighting radicalisation of impressionable youth was a big concern, Saran said. India, she said, “had proposed an international conference to fight radicalisation. We are working out the date and details”.

Suicide bomber kills 14 at political meeting in Afghanistan A suicide bomber killed 14 people at a political gathering in the Afghan capital on Thursday in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid said another 18 people were wounded, and that the casualties included security forces and civilians. Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the attacker struck at the entrance to the wedding

hall where the event was being held.

The Islamic State group claimed the attack in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency. The Taliban denied involvement.

Parliament member Hafiz Mansoor, who attended the meeting but was not harmed, said around 700 supporters of the governor of the northern Balkh province were attending a conference to highlight his work.

Indian NGO in US receives major disaster relief grant GHCF raised more than $80 million for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.

As part of the grant, Sewa International Team will identify and assist 600 persons in assessing their “individual/family needs resulting from a specific disaster event, help them develop a recovery plan, and screen for duplication of benefits and provide them access to resources for their unmet needs,” the statement said. ..You: News says--- “Sewa International

has received the grant from Greater Houston Community Foundation (GHCF)” There is misuse of word Sewa. There is money involved here. How is this...

Read MorePremAnand aka Ed Drw The grant money that Sewa received on Thursday will have to be spent over the next four months.

As per the grant guidelines, Sewa has to begin providing disaster case management services within 30 days or less of receiving funding

PUNJAB

Saturday, Novemver 18, 2017

Akali, Congress workers show black flags to Kejriwal Akali Dal and Congress members on Wednesday showed black flags to the cavalcade of the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who came here to meet his Haryana counterpart, Manohar Lal Khattar, to discuss air pollution.

Protesters, outside the Chandigarh international airport, raised slogans against Kejriwal

Protesters, outside the Chandigarh international airport, raised slogans against Kejriwal demanding the resignation of the leader of the Opposition in the

Just 4 MPs turn up at all-party meet Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s initiative of bringing all party Members of Parliament (MPs) on one platform to discuss state-specific issues ahead of the Parliament’s winter session fizzled out with only four of the 20 parliamentarians turning up for the first meeting called here today.

Barring three Congress MPs — Chaudhary Santokh Singh, Sunil Jakhar and Gurjeet Aujla — the presence of suspended AAP MP from Patiala Dr Dharamvira Gandhi was the only saving grace for the Congress government.

Senior Congress MPs Partap Bajwa, Shamsher Singh Dullo and Ambika Soni gave the meeting a miss, indicating communication breakdown within the party’s top state leadership.

Coming to the rescue of the CM, while referring to the party MPs who have questioned Amarinder’s inability to face them at the meeting, PPCC chief and Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar said: “Both Partap Bajwa and Shamsher Dullo are former PPCC presidents.

They should understand that the forum

Punjab among worst-hit

by Dengue With around 13,000 cases, Punjab is one of the worst-affected states in the country when it comes to dengue outbreak.

When Punjab is placed in all-India dengue scenario, despite its small population and geographical area it is the fourth worstaffected state in the country. As per the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), till Sunday Kerala topped the chart with 19,445 cases, followed

by Tamil Nadu 19,116, Karnataka 15,303 and Punjab 12,614 cases. All the three states are several times bigger than Punjab when it comes to population and geographical area.

This year Punjab has the worst dengue outbreak as compared to the past years.

As per the state Health Department’s own data, apart from the confirmed cases, so far around 17,000 suspected cases of dengue have also been reported. Earlier it was in 2015, when the state faced the worst outbreak, when over 14,000 cases were reported.

Looking at the weather conditions, the dengue season is likely to continue till end of this month. At present, 250 to 300 fresh cases are being reported daily. According

Punjab Assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira.

“Kejriwal has always called Punjab’s youth as drug addicts. But when his own leader Sukhpal Khaira was summoned by a court in a drug case, he kept mum. Why he is not demanding the resignation of Khaira,” Akali leader Harmanpreet Singh Prince said.

“WearetodaydemandingthatKejriwalshould seek resignation from Khaira,” Prince said.

Protesters, carrying black flags and placards, were raising slogans against Kejriwal. Some of them were even carrying packets containing some white powder which was taken away by the police from their possession.

Accusing Kejriwal of adopting the double standard on the drug issue, a Congress activist said, “Kejriwal used to speak against drugs. And now his own leader Khaira has been summoned by the court in a drug case, he is not asking him to resign.”

23

Hight Court wants action against judge who convicted two men without trial Nearly three years after a Moga Additional District and Sessions Judge illegally sentenced two persons to life imprisonment in a murder case without putting them to trial, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has castigated the judicial officer for passing a “patently perverse” order before recommending disciplinary action.

“Alternatively, it may be considered whether his further retention in services is desirable,” Justice Rajan Gupta asserted, while referring the matter to the Chief Justice.

The order had left Chand Singh and another petitioner Desa Singh in a bizarre situation, practically bereft of legal remedy, as an appeal against conviction can only be filed by a convict put to trial. The only remedy available to the petitioners, under the circumstances, was to invoke the High Court’s extraordinary writ jurisdiction.

Dubbing the case facts as “peculiar”, Justice Gupta ordered treating the matter as a criminal revision petition for preventing the petitioners from remaining remediless.

Taking cognisance of apparent contradictions in affidavits by Dharamkot DSP Gurpreet Singh and public prosecutor Anshuman Syal on factual aspects of the matter, Justice Gupta also directed the state counsel to seek instructions from the Punjab Home Secretary before filing an affidavit within a month.

The Additional Sessions Judge, in his order dated January 19, 2015, had held the petitioners guilty in a murder and destruction of evidence case under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC. TheBenchwastoldthatthepetitioners’name did figure in the FIR registered at Dharamkot police station in Ranjit Singh’s murder case.

24

PUNJAB

Saturday, Novemver 18, 2017

President Kovind awards standards to 2 IAF units at Adampur President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday awarded standards to two units of Indian Air Force, viz 223 Squadron (Tridents) and 117 Helicopter unit (Himalyan Dragon) for having a history of excellence. In his address, the President recalled the glorious legacy of the Indian Armed forces in protecting the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country. He said

that every citizen had a sound sleep back home because they were aware that valiant soldiers were safeguarding the borders of the country. Kovind said he was fortunate to be in Punjab, which was the land of Sainiks (soldiers) and saints.

Earlier, the President took salute from an impressive march past. He awarded the standards to the officers of both the units.

Jakhar pays tributes to Nehru Recalling the role of country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in nation building, Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar said on Tuesday that Pandit Nehru laid the foundation of a progressive and dynamic India. Paying floral tributes to Pandit Nehru on his birth

anniversary, Jakhar said the former PM’s visionary and dynamic approach made India a front-runner in the world. “Nehru acted as a catalyst in carving out the modern day India.

Due to his planned approach, our country has scripted success in every field,” he added.

CM Amrinder Singh takes on MP over SYL allegation Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has lashed out at Akali MP Prem Singh Chandumajra for making “baseless and frivolous” allegations of an attempted secret pact with Haryana on the SYL issue, saying the matter was in the Supreme Court and there was no question of reaching any deal, secret or otherwise, with the Khattar government.

The SAD MP’s charges were sheer fabrication, with not an iota of truth in them, claimed the CM, warning Chandumajra against any attempt to whip up passions on the sensitive SYL issue with such

statements.

The government, said Amarinder, would not allow anyone to disrupt peace in the state over any issue, including SYL, which was currently in the Supreme Court, with the Centre facilitating talks to resolve the issue.

Amarinder expressed the confidence that the apex court and the Union Government would come to an amicable solution, keeping the interests of the waterscarce Punjab in mind.

21 years old Indian student shot dead at a grocery store in USA A 21-year-old Indian student has been Originally from Punjab, Jasser was a student shot dead allegedly by four armed robbers, of accounting and had gone to the US around three years ago on a student visa. including an Indian-origin man, at a grocery store in Police has arrested 22-yearold Athwal, an Indian-origin the US state of California, man, who is believed to be one according to a media report. of the four suspects who looted Dharampreet Singh Jasser the gas station and fired multiple was on duty at a grocery store shots one of which hit Jasser. next to a gas station in Fresno Police said a Fresno County city in California on Tuesday night when four armed robbers, Sheriff ’s deputy saw media coverage of the incident on including an Indian-origin and recognised man, barged in to loot the store, Dharampreet Singh Tuesday some similarities between the local daily Fresnobee reported.

Jasser reportedly hid behind the cash suspects from the incident and Athwal, counter but was shot by one of the four robbers the Madera County Sheriff ’s Office said.

Madera Sheriff ’s detectives were while they were leaving the service station after looting cash and goods, the report said. contacted and determined Athwal The incident was reported to the is the likely suspect in the shooting. police on Wednesday when a customer Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder who had stopped by to buy some goods, Singh on Thursday expressed shock at the discovered Jasser’s body on the floor. killing of a Nawanshahr youth in the US.

Indian origin man murdered in Manila Young Buta Singh of Mal Singh Wala village, Mansa, was waylaid and murdered on the outskirts of the Philippines capital city of Manila.

Grieving for 27-year-old Buta Singh, it was much the same at Mansa’s Mal Singh Wala village. Buta Singh’s family plans to approach the Centre to help bring back his wife and their

three-month-old son. Bachitar Singh, the deceased’s father, said: “I have three daughters. Buta Singh was my only son. I sold the family land and sent him to Manila seven years ago for a better future. He not only fended for himself but also sent money back home.”

Buta Singh

Punjab has highest number of heart diseases in India Punjab has reported the highest burden of ischemic heart diseases in India by emerging on top of the charts in a maiden study of inter-state health status. The state is also the second highest carrier of diabetes burden in India, after Kerala. The India State-level Disease Burden Initiative, a collaborative work of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) under the aegis of the Health Ministry, mapped disease burden trends and risk factors for all states.

It concluded that the rate of ischemic heart disease (IHD), leading cause of death in many countries, is at the highest for Punjab. IHD is caused due to reduced flow of oxygen and blood to the heart due to narrowed arteries and is also called the coronary artery disease (CAD). Risk factors, including unhealthy diet, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol and obesity, which contribute to ischemic heart disease, stroke and diabetes,

caused about 25 per cent of the total disease burden in India during 2016, up from about 10 per cent in 1990. The rate of disease burden (also called Disability Adjusted Life Years or DALY rate) from IHD is a 17.08 per cent for Punjab as against the national average of 8.66. DALY rate for a given disease reflects the number of life years lost by a person on account of premature mortality and disability from a certain condition.

Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, all developed states, have been found to have a high burden of non-communicable diseases with DALY rate from diabetes being the highest in Kerala (4 per cent) followed by Punjab (3.89). The corresponding disease burden for India is 2.23 per cent.

Drug use disorders have also been found to be among the highest in Punjab where DALY rate on this count is 0.74 per cent, higher than all states except Manipur and Mizoram, where this rate is 0.92 and 0.88 per cent.

INDIA

Saturday, Novemver 18, 2017

25

Why don’t you ask PM on Rafale, Amit Shah’s son: Rahul questions media Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter aircraft agreement and asked the media why it did not question him for allegedly changing the “entire deal” to benefit a businessman.

He also asked why no questions were posed to the Prime Minister on Amit Shah’s son Jay, whose company, the Congress has alleged, has witnessed a quantum jump in turnover since the Modi government came to power.

“I answer all your questions, whatever you ask me. Why don’t you question Prime Minister Modi on the Rafale deal, on Amit Shah’s son? Why don’t you question the Prime Minister who changed the entire Rafale deal to help a businessman?” he asked.

He was speaking to reporters after the meeting of the newly formed All-India Unorganised Workers Congress (AIUWC).

He expressed satisfaction over

Delhi air pollution: Ban on trucks, construction lifted; parking fee hike rolled back Despite Delhi’s air quality continuing to be “very poor”, the ban on the entry of trucks and on construction activities was lifted on Thursday by the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), which also rolled back the hike in parking fees.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The measures, part of the Graded Response Action Plan, were enforced on November 8 after pollution levels had spiked, hitting the emergency category, accompanied by thick smog.

EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal wrote to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana this morning, directing them that the measures be lifted with “immediate effect” as the prevailing air quality does not warrant such tough action.

However, measures enforced under the GRAP’s ‘severe’ category including the closure of the Badarpur thermal power plant, ban on brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers will remain, the EPCA said.

“We are watching the situation very carefully and we have been informed by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology that pollution may rise again because of increased moisture in the air in the coming days.

“However, if the conditions continue to improve and air quality stabilises, we will review the measures under the ‘severe’ category and inform you accordingly,” Bhure Lal wrote.

the formation of AIUWC and said he felt good interacting with them.

Earlier this week, the Congress accused the government of compromising national interest and security while promoting “crony capitalism” and causing a loss to the public exchequer.

The BJP rubbished the allegation, claiming it was intended to “divert attention” as the party bigwigs faced the prospect of being questioned in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scandal.

The Congress’ communications department head Randeep Surjewala alleged that the

government neglected the interests of public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Dassault Aviation, the French manufacturer of Rafale aircraft, refused to transfer technology to it and instead entered into an agreement with Reliance Defence.

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FIJI

Saturday, Novemver 18, 2017

Trump’s two-handed swig from Fiji Water bottle upstages his White House speech President Donald Trump’s fumbling search for a water bottle stole the show from an extended defence of his trip to Asia that he delivered from the White House the day after he returned.

Trump paused halfway through his remarks on Wednesday in the White House Diplomatic Room to look down and reach to one side of his lectern, look up, then search around on the other side before taking a slug from a bottle of Fiji water. Later in the 24-minute speech, he paused again to take another drink.

President Donald Trump looks for bottle water as he pauses while speaking about his trip to Asia.

U.S. President Donald Trump reaches for a bottle of water while delivering remarks.

Trump takes a drink of water. The performance echoed a moment during the Republican response that Senator Marco Rubio delivered to President Barack Obama’s 2013 State of the Union Address. The Florida senator stopped to reach for a glass of water — a moment Trump later mocked as the two vied for the GOP presidential nomination.

Rubio chimed in on Trump’s water break with a Twitter post minutes later drawing the parallel.

“Similar,but needs work on his form,” Rubio tweeted. “Has to be done in one single motion & eyes should never leave the camera. But not bad for his 1st time.” US President Trump drinks water from a bottle as he delivers remarks on November 15, 2017 in the Diplomatic Room at the White House.

Man in New Zealand court over Fiji resident’s death A 41-year-old man charged in relation to the death of former Fiji resident Arishma Singh appeared at the Manukau District Court in New Zealand. 24-year-old woman was found dead in her South Auckland home by her parents on Sunday morning. According to the New Zealand Herald, the man who is charged with murder was granted interim name suppression by Judge Gerard Winter. Further details of the case was suppressed

by Judge Winter. The report further stated that Ms

Singh lived there with her three-year-old daughter and parents. Her parents, Rakesh and Aradhana Singh, had been out visiting relatives and found her dead when they returned home. Police launched a homicide investigation soon after. Her daughter was not at the house when she was killed and was with her father, Singh’s ex-husband.

The accused has been further remanded in custody and will appear in the High Court at Auckland next month.

Solitary confinement for sex offenders Sex offenders will be held in isolation at Naboro Maximum Prison as part of the Fiji Corrections Service’s rehabilitation plan. FCS Commissioner Francis Kean said the first step for treatment required ownership of the crime and providing the right environment for self-realisation. This first step cannot happen in an open environment, he said. “The environment for self-realisation or selfreflection is in a semi-closed environment that is conducive for producing a positive outcome and taking ownership of crimes committed on the part of the offender,” he said. “Once an inmate takes

ownership of the crime he commits, readiness for change automatically comes in. “The change is not only for his behaviour, it is a life changing outcome.

Then he will also take ownership of his treatment and development.” Mr Kean said the geographical structure of Naboro was already therapeutic in nature and would assist in the gradual exposure for adjustments to the environment — which included eventual socialisation with other inmates and officers. He said once self-realisation occurred, the treatment is done, the shift would then focus on rehabilitation and upskilling.

9 to appear in court for 3 burglary cases Nine men will be produced in the Nausori Magistrates Court today for their involvement in three separate burglary cases recorded in the Eastern Division on Wednesday.

Police say the first case was reported at Bau Road, Nausori where three men entered the home of a 52-year-old woman in the early hours of Wednesday morning and stole jewelry and assorted items worth more than $2,000.

In the second incident, three men entered the

home of a 57-year-old man at Naloto Farm Road and stole a phone and cash worth more than $150.

A report was also received on Wednesday morning after three men entered the home of a 47-year-old man and stole shoes worth $700.

All the accused who are aged between 20 and late 40s have been charged with one count of burglary each and will be produced in the Nausori Magistrates Court today.

Rugby Club’s initiatives to keep youngesters away from crimes In a bid to keep youths away from criminal activities and identifying rugby talents, the Tacirua Rugby Club has taken up the initiative of organising fortnightly 7s tournaments for members of the Tacirua community outside Suva. Eight community teams had been playing at the Assemblies of God High School grounds in Kinoya, Nasinu. Coach Tevita Tikoisuva said

they had taken this approach as a way of helping out their youths. “When we keep them training for these tournaments it ensures one thing, they are busy and too occupied to be participating in any other unnecessary things that often lead to criminal activities,” Tikoisuva said. He said they also begun implementing their development pathway plans for their upcoming young talents.

Twelve year old Tailevu student Timoci Naulusala wins many hearts Twelve year old Tailevu student Timoci Naulusala was the toast of the COP23 in Bonn, Germany when his opening speech captivated world leaders at the opening of the high level segment of the annual conference.

The Naivicula native whose speech won at a nationwide competition, received standing ovation from world leaders he shared the stage with; UNFCC executive secretary Patricia Espinoza, German President Timoci Naulusala of Naivicula village in Wainibuka, Tailevu Frank-Walter Steinmeier and opened todays high level segment of COP23.

United Nations, Secretary“Lets not be more economic oriented, let’s be General Antonio Guterres and COP23 more environmental oriented,” he said.

President, PM Voreqe Bainimarama. Calling “Ladies and Gentlemen, speeches and talks on the ‘global village’ to open their eyes to the won’t solve the problem but walk the talk is impact of climate change, Timoci told world more effective.” Timoci and second place winner leaders that the blaming and waiting game was Shalvi Shakshi are in Bonn with their mother over. and father respectively, funded by UNICEF

Pastor amongst 10 people brought to Suva following drug operation in Kadavu A 30-year-old pastor is amongst 10 people brought to Suva following a one-week drug operation in Kadavu.

Police Chief Operations Officer, ACP Rusiate Tudravu says Operation Cavuraka moved to Kadavu last week where more than 10 farms were raided and more than 700 plants ranging up to 2 metres were uprooted. The 10 people arrested are aged from 20 to 53 years. A total of 13 people were arrested and 6 have since been charged with unlawful cultivation of illicit drugs, 3 with being found in possession of illicit drugs, 1 with criminal intimidation and resisting arrest

while 3 men were interviewed and released.

They will be produced in the Suva Magistrates Court today.

Police are also warning members of the public not to threaten the officers who are conducting the raids as they had an incident where a suspect threatened the raid team with a cane knife.

ACP Tudravu says if these people are man enough to associate themselves with these illegal activities then they should be man enough to face the consequences when caught and Police will not tolerate any threats against it’s officer.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, Novemver 18, 2017

Non-bailable-warratnts issued to Finance Minister

by National Accountabilty Bureau

NAB presents two witnesses in Sharif family’s corruption cases as trial begins Two prosecution witness statements were recorded against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and sonin-law Muhammad Safdar in an accountability court as a trial pertaining to three National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against them went underway on Wednesday. As the trial began, the NAB prosecution presented its first two witnesses in court Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Joint Registrar Sidra Mansoor and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Inland Revenue Department

representative, Jahangir Ahmad both of whom recorded their statements. Mansoor recorded her statement in the Avenfield flats reference, telling the court that she had appeared before the Investigation Officer in Lahore on August 18, and provided NAB documents containing the Sharif family’s financial records. “The records that NAB has presented in court hold my signatures and thumb impressions,” Mansoor told the court, adding that, among other things, the records also contained audit reports of the Sharif family’s various businesses.

Pakistan unveils 1,700-year-old sleeping Buddha, supporting diverse heritage

P

akistan uncovered the remains of a 1,700-yearold sleeping Buddha on November 15 in Northern Pakistan, this is a part of a drive to support tourism in the country.

A consideration of the diverse past and society of the South Asian country, the medieval Buddhist tract in Bhamala region.

Eighty-eight years on, excavations continued and a 14-metre-(48foot) - high Kanjur stone Buddha Remains of a 1,700-year-old sleeping Buddha uncovered in illustration was located. “Pakistan Northern Pakistan as part of a drive to support travel and tourism. can attract pilgrims from Buddhist nations” Imran Khan said as he the area of Buddhist society that acted root stressed on the need to secure and maintain the under the Chandra Gupt Maurya (Mauryan archaeological sites related to Buddha “ Imran period), more than 2,300 years ago.

“This is from the 3rd century AD, making said, Khan was present on Wednesday’s ceremony during his visit to the archaeological it the world’s oldest Buddha remains,” area at this National Heritage site near Abdul Samad, administrator of Bhamla’s Bhamala, Khanpur of Haripur district in anthropology and depositories division, the KPK (Khyber-Pakhtun Khwa) province. expressed Reuters. “We have discovered over Imran Khan also expressed: “It’s a question of 500 Buddha’s objects and this 48-foot-long preserving these heritage sites which are an sleeping Buddha remains,” he said. asset for our country.” The location was once

Save up to

National Accountability Bureau issued a Court in the Panama Papers Case verdict non-bailable arrest warrant related to ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family’s against finance minister Ishaq Dar for his prolonged concealed offshore assets and absence from court hearings companies.

The Finance Minister had in a corruption case. Dar, currently in London, has been failed to appear in the court for charged with amassing wealth previous hearings conducted by the National Accountability beyond his known sources of income. He was indicted by Bureau (NAB), the country’s the anti-corruption court in anti-graft agency. Hence, he a graft reference in September will face arrest upon his return Finance Minister on order of the Supreme to Pakistan from UK. Ishaq Dar

Smog killed more people than militancy this year LAHORE: The toxic smog that has covered parts of Lahore and west Punjab for weeks has exposed official torpor over rampant pollution that has killed thousands more people than have died in years of militancy.

In Lahore, where the situation was most critical, the level of PM2.5 — microscopic particles that lodge deep in the lungs — had dropped to 159 on Wednesday from more than 1,000 during the pollution spike, according to PakistanAirQuality, a citizen-

driven monitoring initiative. The latest smog situation has left Lahore and otehr parts of Punjab in a choking haze, but even in the past environmental experts and activists have been vocal about air pollution issue.

Now NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has pointed out that burning of crop stubbles may be a major reason for a smog blanket in Lahore, as the map shows several places in West Punjab that have thermal emissions.

Taliban faction makes a comeback A Taliban faction has made a comeback to Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan tribal region, imposing a ban on cultural and social activities and restricting the movement of women outside their homes without male members of their family, a local daily reported on Wednesday.

In recent days, according to Dawn, the Taliban imposed its strict version of Islam under the guise of peace committee in South Waziristan. Do you know Buddha

was a King in India and is an INDIAN BY BIRTH!!!Ram Sridhar The committee is headed by Salahuddin alias Ayubi, a successor of Mullah Muhammad Nazir, an influential Taliban leader who was killed in a US drone strike in January 2013.

“The so-called peace committee has issued tough guidelines through pamphlets in Wana town and warned local people to abide by these rules otherwise violators would face repercussions,” the report said,

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NRI

Saturday, Novemver 18, 2017

Indian-American announces run for US Congress The Hindu American leaders The US has granted incredible in the US have called for active opportunities, said Aruna political engagement of the Miller, member of the Maryland community in the country after State legislature. This provides the election of various members incredible responsibility to serve among them in the state and local the society towards peace, said elections recently. “Dozens (of Miller, who is running for US Hindu Americans) are contesting House of Representatives next elections and hundreds are year. Both were speaking at the following in their footsteps,” said first anniversary celebrations of Kumar Bharve, the first Indianthe American Hindu Coalition Kumar Bharve American elected to any state (AHC).

Maryland State legislature in the US, as he referred to the legislature in a citation recognised the first presence of four Hindus in the House of anniversary of American Hindu Coalition.

“Wherever we are, we must pursue political Representatives and the election of several people in states and local elections past week. power,” said Shekhar Tiwari, chair of the American Hindu Coalition.

Bikram yoga guru seeks bankruptcy in wake of harassment claims CHICAGO: Bikram Choudhury Yoga Inc, the studio that popularized doing yoga in sauna heat, has filed for US Chapter 11 bankruptcy, dogged by $16.7 million in legal judgments and numerous lawsuits and allegations of sexual misconduct.

Founder Bikram Choudhury, who built a worldwide following with classes of 26 yoga postures in rooms heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6°C), has been accused of sexual assault by his yoga practitioners, students, instructors and teacher trainees.

The Simi Valley, California-based company said in a bankruptcy court filing on Thursday in the Central District of California that its liabilities were worth up to $50 million. It listed assets of up to $1 million, suggesting that its largest creditors - women who are

owed money for court judgments awarded against Choudhury - will not be paid in full.

They include Miki Jaffa Bodden, former head of legal and international affairs at Choudhury’s yoga school who has an $8 million claim stemming from a wrongful dismissal case that included sexual harassment claims.

Bodden alleged that Choudhury repeatedly subjected her to vulgar sexual gestures and offensive comments about women and minority groups.

“Birkram Choudhury created a hypersexualized, offensive and degrading environment for women by, among other things, demanding that female staffers brush his hair and give him massages,” Bodden said in her 2013 lawsuit.

Hindu-American leaders call for political engagement The Hindu American leaders in the US have called for active political engagement of the community in the country after the election of various members among them in the state and local elections recently. “Dozens (of Hindu Americans) are contesting elections and hundreds are following in their footsteps,” said Kumar Bharve, the first Indian-American elected to any state legislature in the US, as he referred to the presence of four Hindus in the House of Representatives and the election of several people in states and local elections past week. The US has granted incredible opportunities, said Aruna Miller, member of the Maryland State legislature. This provides incredible responsibility to serve the society towards peace, said Miller, who is running for US House of Representatives next year.

Both were speaking at the first anniversary celebrations of the American Hindu Coalition (AHC). Maryland State legislature in a citation recognised the first anniversary of American Hindu Coalition. “Wherever we are, we must pursue political power,” said Shekhar Tiwari, chair of the American Hindu Coalition.

A political bipartisan organisation, AHC’s mission is to promote a shared commitment of American Hindus for a prosperous, safer and a stronger America, said Harsh Sethi, AHC president. Gurinder Singh Khalsa, from Indiana-based Sikhs Political Action Committee emphasised on the need to be engaged in politics. According to some estimates, America Hindus accounted for about 1 per cent of the total US population.

Indian-origin businesswoman named UK police body chair An Indian-origin alongside the newlybusinesswoman has been confirmed Chief Executive of the organisation, Mike appointed the new chair of the UK’s College of Policing Cunningham, will help professionalise policing. by the British government.

Kolkata-born Millie “Working with Millie Banerjee will oversee the over the last year I have been professional body for everyone impressed by the insight she in policing and make sure brings from her time leading officers and staff have the skills other public and commercial and knowledge they need. organisations, including the Millie Banerjee “We are dedicated to British Transport Police,” providing access to the best knowledge and said UK home secretary Amber Rudd. skills which sits behind the bravery, dedication Banerjee, honoured with a CBE by Queen and compassion shown by police on a daily Elizabeth II in 2002 for her work in supporting basis. We have ambitious plans ahead and I civil service reform, has had a long and varied intend on working with people across policing career in the private and public sectors in the UK. to continue building a professional body that She was the Chair of the British Transport supports all officers and staff,” Banerjee, 71, said. Police Authority for seven years and held The UK government said her appointment several non-executive appointments,

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FRUITICANA

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Sidharth Malhotra and Alia will reunite for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aashiqui 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Priyanka says it â&#x20AC;&#x153;doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t helpâ&#x20AC;? to take your mom along to the auditions to avoid creepy producers

B

y now you must have heard the news that Priyanka Chopraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother Madhu Chopra has opened up and revealed that the actress refused demands of a reputed director, walked out of the project and lost out on 10 films because of that.

Since the time Hollywood producer Harvery Weinstein has been outed as a sexual predator, news like these have been hot topic.

Priyankaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case, too, became a point of discussion and people are waiting to hear from the actress herself.

She was at spotted at the LAX airport today and a paparazzi threw a question at her. The paparazzi, too, had come across the articles that quoted Priyankaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother as how she tagged along with her to every audition and script reading session. They asked if Hollywood actresses

should do the same to steer clear of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;creepy producersâ&#x20AC;?. The actress replied with a smile and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t helpâ&#x20AC;?, as she walked away. We can only imagine what the actresses have to go through in this industry ruled by monsters.

Earlier, Priyankaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother Madhu, while talking to a leading daily had revealed how, once, the actress was asked to leave her mom out of the script reading session. Priyanka had said back then that if it was a script that canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be narrated in front of her mother, then she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to do the film. Madhu also added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Another time, a designer told her that the directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brief was to dress her in itsy-bitsy clothes. The director had said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What is the point of having a Miss World in front of the camera

Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra will work together for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aashiqui 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The speculations of Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt doing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aashiqui 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122; has

town have been discussing scripts and finalising things with the makers. After â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Student Of The Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Kapoor and Sonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, this will be their third outing together. Meanwhile, Alia is also busy shooting for Meghna Gulzarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next opposite Vicky Kaushal where she is set to play the wife of a Pakistani army officer. Once she wraps up Meghnaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s film, she will start working on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Gully Boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; co-starring Ranveer Singh. Sid, on the other hand, has films like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ittefaqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aiyaarayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lined up.

been going on for quite some time now. It was unclear if the duo could be teaming up or not for the upcoming project directed

by Mohit Suri. However, it has been reported that the alleged lovebirds of tinsel

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Bollywood

Saturday, November 18, 2017

HOROSCOPE

Madhuriâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dance class on television

Aries

Libra

March 21 - April 20

Sept. 24 - Oct 22

The week begins on a potentially passionate note with the likelihood of a romance or the rekindling of a relationship. If your partnership has fallen into a rut, the lovely Venus-Jupiter alignment can take it to a more

on the scene, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also necessary to be careful when signing contracts or closing deals, as things may not be quite as they seem. The weekend could be volatile, so wait until things are calmer before discussing a key issue.

Taurus

You might be in the mood to do some Thanksgiving shopping. But if you set out on Monday, your generosity will likely shine through and you could spend more than you intended. Still, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be remembered and complemented for having done so. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re preparing for next weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential to write everything down. Links between chatty Mercury, glorious Venus,

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 22

April 21 - May 20 Venus, your ruling planet, moves into ScorpiAs feisty Mars continues its journey through your wellness sector, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be eager

try not to have big expectations at the outset.

Work up to your goals slowly for best results.

In the main, relationships sparkle with promise whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for love or in a longterm bond. One awkward issue could come to a head over the weekend, which will need

your relationship sector hints at a fresh start.

Gemini

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re certainly in your element with the start of the week perhaps coinciding with a party or seasonal get-together. With jovial Jupiter in your sign, a benevolent and warmhearted attitude can charm others and leave you with plenty of admirers. Be careful concerning mixed messages, however, as some things may not be as they seem. The new moon in your sign on Saturday can be excellent for beginning a new phase in your life, but something might

Sagitarius Nov 23 - Dec 22

May 20 - June 21 Both work and play are high on your agenda this week, with lively Mars encouraging you to showcase your best skills and dabble in favorite hobbies. There is also a lot of pleasure to be gained from daily activities, especially if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to expand your options. A lovely alignment between luscious Venus and

could present you with an opportunity thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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boundaries can help sidestep any control

Cancer

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll likely be in a very charitable and benevolent mood at the start of this week, and this could continue for some time.

Your focus may be on helping others who are less fortunate, particularly during the

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important, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible that someone will try to fool you. Try not to take things too personally over the weekend, especially if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see eye to eye with someone. It might be wiser to let things go for now.

Capricorn

June 22 - July 23

Dec 23 - Jan 20

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much be said for indulging in your favorite pastimes and doing what you love. The weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s start looks quite delightful, although youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to pay attention when signing contracts or handling anything legal.

Thursday could be fairly empowering as well, and you might have insights into other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s moods and feelings that you can use to your advantage. The new moon on Saturday can herald progress in a budding romance.

You could be getting into the spirit of the holiday season for real this week, as easygoing &

# # social sector. This is an opportunity to organize a get-together or enjoy attending parties and occasions. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re preparing for the week ahead, writing a to-do list can be a huge help. $

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easy to forget something important. It would be wise to avoid a falling out over the weekend if you can.

Leo

Aquarius

June 24 - August 23

Jan 21 - Feb 19

With Thanksgiving Day just around the corner, this week could be one of preparation, with some lovely aspects helping things along. Convivial Venus and sporty Jupiter suggest that you leave no stone unturned to get your place shipshape and make guests feel welcome. Keeping a to-do list on hand #

$

on the scene, it could be easy to forget key tasks. Communication could break down over the weekend unless you can handle

Virgo

Good fortune could strike early this week. An expansive blend of energies could see you grabbing an opportunity that leads to bigger and better things. But

check the facts before you get too involved. $

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are possible. The new moon in your career sector can also hint at a positive new start ' "

back?

Pisces

August 24 - Sept 24

Feb 20 - March 20

On Monday, a delightful blend of energies could see you getting along very well with others. This might lead to closing a deal, "

%

opportunity. It would help to keep your wits

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involved, misunderstandings are a possibility.

Money matters might need special care this weekend, especially regarding disagreements on how it should be spent.

Romance is a possibility if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re traveling.

Or you might have the chance to rekindle the

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way, getting away from it all can bring positive rewards and a chance to unwind after a busy time. Check the details if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going away, as an awkward link between speedy Mercury and

mistakes. Intense feelings between you and a friend might need working through if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re to see eye to eye.

Bollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dancing diva of yester years Madhuri Dixitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online dance tutorials will soon make it to the small screen.

Titled Dance With Madhuri, the show will now be part of a direct-to-home connection service providerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dance active platform.

The vision for Dance With Madhuri is to take the expression and passion of dance to everyone. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do believe that millions of people can now learn how to dance right in their living rooms. We have put in a lot of effort to create an amazing team of choreographers who help us bring this vision to life with their unique style and training routine. I am excited to launch this service,â&#x20AC;? Madhuri said in a statement.

Dance gurus such as Pandit Birju Maharaj, Saroj Khan, Terence Lewis, Remo Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Souza and other renowned choreographers from India will also be

Bareilly Ki Barfiâ&#x20AC;? comes to the small screen Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Bareilly Ki Barfi won the audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hearts with its simple story-telling and heartwarming narrative.

Now, Zee Cinema, home of blockbusters, brings the entertainer to its viewers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the laugh riot will have its world television premiere at Apm tomorrow. Bareilly Ki Barfi depicts the oscillating dynamics of love between Bitti (Kriti Sanon), Chirag (Ayushmann Khurrana) and Pritam Vidrohi (Rajkummar Rao).

The filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supporting cast includes actors Pankaj Tripathi, Seema Bhargava, Naila Grewal and Rohit Choudhary.

The ensemble cast too received accolades for their splendid performance.

Khurrana, who plays one of the leads, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was the first

one to come on-board for the film. Though Ashwiny treated the film in a real manner, the dialogues were quirky and funny, which appealed to me.â&#x20AC;?

Ahead of the movieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premiere on television, the director says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am grateful that Bareilly Ki Barfi is airing on Zee Cinema, a channel that has a huge fan-following for stories from the heartlands.â&#x20AC;?

The movieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s writer, Nitesh Tiwari echoes her sentiment as he says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one film that can be enjoyed in theatres as well as at home, with family or with friends. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m certain that it will receive as much love on TV as it has got at the box office.â&#x20AC;?

INOX Leisure has launched its newest branch, Metro INOX at Dhobi Talao, Mumbai.

BOLLYWOOD PERSONALITIESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; BIRTHDAYS

ZEENAT AMAAN NOVEMBER 19

JUHI CHAWLA NOVEMBER 13

TABU TABASSUM NOVEMBER 4

SHAH RUKH KHAN NOVEMBER 2

Saturday, November 18, 2017 Produced by: Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar Gauri Khan Directed by: Abhay Chopra, Renu Ravi Chopra, Hiroo Yash Johar Written byAbhay Chopra, Shreyas Jain Nikhil Mehrotra Starring Sonakshi Sinha, Sidharth Malhotra Akshaye Khanna Music by Tanishk Bagchi Plot Vikram (Sidharth Malhotra) is an acclaimed British writer and NRI. On the night of the launch of his second book in Mumbai, he returns to his hotel to find his wife, Catherine, dead and calls the police.

After the police arrives at his place, he evades them and speeds away in his car. While the cops are giving him a chase, his car overturns.

He manages to escape with minor injuries and attempts to take shelter in a nearby apartment.

Later that night, Maya (Sonakshi Sinha), a young homemaker who resides in the same apartment, spots a police car outside and rushes to it for help. The police enter her flat and find Vikram standing next to the body of her lawyer husband, Shekhar Sinha, who’s been murdered. The police retrieve a blood-stained candle holder which was the weapon used to kill Shekhar. They also find burnt photographs in the trash can. Dev (Akshaye Khanna), a police officer investigating the double murder case, interrogates both Vikram and Maya.

According to Vikram’s account, he fled from the police because he feared he’d be falsely accused of killing his wife. His wife did not attend the book launch because she was not feeling well, and used to take medicines for a heart ailment. In a nearby apartment, he found Maya at the door of her flat and asked her for help when she was dumping something in the trash can. Vikram entered her flat and found the glass of the center table shattered. Maya told him that she had accidentally dropped a vase on the table. He also noticed that the bedroom door was locked from outside using a key. Maya attempted to seduce Vikram but he did not give in. The doorbell then rang and a tall man entered who Maya introduced to Vikram as her husband. Vikram finds a photo frame in the room and realizes that the man was not her husband but her lover. He attempts to flee but her lover hits him on the head with a candle holder and Vikram momentarily loses consciousness. Vikram gets up later to find her husband’s body next to him and the police at the door accompanied by Maya.

Maya’s account, her doorbell rang and she answered the door to find Vikram. He was slightly injured and asked her for help. Maya let him in but then found out through the news on TV about Vikram having allegedly murdered his wife. Vikram whipped out a knife and overpowered her. Later, the doorbell rang and it was Maya’s lover with whom she was having an affair. Since Vikram was standing behind the door with a knife, Maya asked her lover to leave. Around midnight, her husband, Shekhar, returned home and struggled to free her from Vikram. In the struggle, the glass of the center table got shattered and Maya rushed outside to a police vehicle for help.

Nov

17

Panchlait *ing: Amitosh Nagpal Anuradha Mukherjee

Nov

13

Bollywood

Film review: Ittefaq

New Released Bollywood Films Nov

11

Nov

03

ITTEFAQ *ing: Barun Sobti , Shahana Goswami, Vishal

Nov

03

Qarib Qarib Single

The Window

GHOOMKETU

*ing: Irrfan Khan, Parvathy, Brijendra Kala

*ing: Amit Kumar Vashisth, Teena, Preeti

*ing: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadda

3

4

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Box Office clashes in 2018? SRK, Anushka, Salman, Aishwarya’s films to battle it out

B

ollywood churns out hundreds of films every year, all vying for the 52 Fridays available.

So, there are bound to be clashes at the box office. And the coming year is no different. Sidharth Malhotra’s Aiyaary will take on Anushka Sharma’s Pari on Feb 9, and actor Rani Mukerji’s Hichki and John Abraham’s Parmanu will release on Feb 23. March 2 will see a clash between Drive and Hate Story 4. “A good film will grow regardless of any Friday… or any other film releasing with it. And it’s really unfortunate that we are releasing Aiyaary with somebody else, but today, you can’t avoid it with so many films releasing at the same time.

However, as an actor, it is not something that plays on my head because it’s beyond my control,” says Sidharth.

As the year progresses into festive weekends, the stakes get higher. Ex-lovers Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Salman Khan’s films Fanney Khan and Race 3 respectively are set for an Eid release — becoming the latest announcement. “It’s official... #FanneyKhan confirmed for Eid 2018...” trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted on Friday.

But the baap of clashes in 2018 will be between Shah Rukh Khan’s untitled dwarf film with Aanand L Rai, Ranveer Singh’s Temper remake with Rohit Shetty and Sushant Singh Rajput and

debutante Sara Ali Khan’s Kedarnath on December 21. “Kedarnath needs a long holiday, and this will ensure that it gets a clean run till January. If it’s a good film, the audience will definitely come,” says producer Prernaa Arora, whose films Pari, Parmanu, and yet-untitled thriller with Irrfan and Deepika Padukone are also lined up for 2018.

“I have films lined up throughout the year, so I can’t come before, then again in January 2019 someone has already booked the January 26 slot, therefore I chose December 2018 because there’s clarity for what’s ahead... Even 2019’s dates are blocked,” adds Arora, admitting that blocking dates well in advance is the new trend. Filmmaker Milan Luthria, who produced the film Baadshaho that clashed with Ayushmann Khurrana’s Shubh Mangal Saavdhan this year, says, “It’s survival of the fittest. It’s all about making sure you get enough number of screens and the big boys sometimes tend to have more muscle. But distributors are clever — they know how to adjust screens.”

Asked if sometimes producers play dirty games, like forcing the multiplex chain owners to give them more screens in lieu of getting their next film, Luthria agrees, “That also happens, because at the end of the day, it’s a business, everybody will try to get the best for their products.”

The spotlight is on Hemant FASHION is a fickle mistress and is not known to spend much time on nostalgia. No surprises then, that news about pioneering designer Hemant Trevedi being honoured by his protégés and peers this Monday is being met with delight.

Trevedi, whose sumptuous gowns (today known as red carpet gowns) had adorned the likes of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra during their heady beauty pageant-winning days, is an industry veteran and one of the people on whose talent the country’s victorious run in international beauty pageants was predicated. He was the one who had set the ball gown ball rolling way back in the ’90s. Then, a near fatal road accident in 2000, which had resulted in him being in coma for months, had almost cut short a dazzling career.

Next week, Ramit Mittal, nephew of Sunil Bharti Mittal and Deepinder Batth, the men behind the Bandra Project, have invited many of Hemant’s muses and protégés including the aforementioned Bachchan and Dutta, with Malaika Arora, Dia Mirza and Anna Bredmeyer, and designers he had mentored like Ritu Beri, Anita Dongre and Neeta Lulla for an evening in his honour, to kick off their latest enterprise, The Runway Project.

“Situated at the Palladium, the new eatery, which doffs its hat to the fashion industry, like the earlier Bandra Project, aspires to take forward the hospitality chain’s signature hyperlocal agenda, this

Hemant Trevedi time with a couture-inspired flavour and fashion-centric experience that mirrors the ethos of not just its location but also the community it is created for,” says a spokesperson.

As for fashion being a fickle mistress, now that Mumbai has shown the way by honouring a fashion pioneer, when will Delhi afford the same honour to the late great Rohit Khosla, who had also set the fashion ball rolling all those years ago? Jus’ sayin’.

Ramit Mittal and Deepinder Batth, Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta

Now we’re happy “HE was incredibly funny, very excited about his recent American Vogue cover, and talked a great deal about how self-awareness is the key to being happy!” says Priyanka Khanna, editor at a leading international fashion glossy, about her close encounter with Pharrell Williams this week in Shanghai, on what was a whirlwind trip of 36 hours. Invited by a high-end Cognac brand to be part of a select group of a 100 people including actors like Jessie

Williams, Douglas Booth, Ashley Greene and influencers like Olivia Palermo to listen to Pharrell’s new song titled ‘100 Years,’ Khanna says, “The song was recorded on clay made from the soil from the Cognac region and will be stored in their cellars in a state-of-the-art safe. The only way this music will be heard in 2117, exactly a 100 years from now, is if we address the issues of global warming! It was an incredible experience.”

Happy? You bet!

Priyanka Khanna and Pharrell Williams

Visit our Website

www.theasianstar.com

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Katrina in Salman’s Tiger Zinda Hai, SRK’s ‘Aanand L Rai film or Aamir’s ‘Thugs of Hindostan’ – which film are you more excited to watch?

K

atrina Kaif is the only actress to have three back to back releases with Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan!

Katrina Kaif is one of the top stars in Bollywood. However, over the past few years, lady luck has been eluding her.

But after a dull run at the box office, we are sure Katrina is going to be back with a bang. With three back-to-back releases with the Khans of Bollywood – Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, we are sure she will reclaim her throne pretty soon. Her next three films include Salman Khan’s Tiger Zinda Hai, Shah Rukh Khan’s Aanand L Rai film and Aamir Khan’s Thugs of Hindostan, which are huge movies. But the fact that each of her next three projects are very different from each other in terms of content, genre and scale makes it even more interesting. So which film are you more excited to watch? Well before you

Bollywood. This fantasy, adventure film sees the duo play pirates and though she won’t be playing his love interest in this one, Katrina’s role is very pivotal. The film is being made on a larger-than-life scale and we can’t wait to see this action

packed movie.

Don’t know about ‘Swag’ but Katrina Kaif ’s ‘Swagat’ has everything to make you go Oo La La!) So which film are you more excited to see Katrina Kaif in? Cast your vote in the poll above! In the meantime, stay tuned to BollywoodLife as we get you all the dope about Katrina Kaif and her upcoming films right here.

Aanand L Rai’s untitled film In Shah Rukh Khan‘s film with Aanand L Rai, Katrina Kaif plays the leading lady along with Anushka Sharma. Though the film revolves around the vertically cast your vote, here’s a brief description of each movie to help you make your choice.

Tiger Zinda Hai Salman-Katrina-tiger-zinda-hai Katrina Kaif joins forces with Salman Khan once again after five years to start over from where they left off in Ek Tha Tiger (2012). The secret spies will go all out to save Indian nurses being held hostage in Iraq. Expect double the action and romance too. In fact, you will see Katrina do some never-seen-before stunts, while looking super hot in this one.

In Shah Rukh Khan‘s film with Aanand L Rai, Katrina Kaif plays the leading lady along with Anushka Sharma. Though the film revolves around the vertically challenged character of SRK, Katrina plays his romantic interest and we are sure this romantic comedy will be a huge hit with the crowd!

Thugs of Hindostan Aamir-Katrina-thugs-of-hindostan Katrina Kaif will reunite with Aamir Khan after Dhoom 3 (2013), for one of the biggest films ever made in

challenged character of SRK, Katrina plays his romantic interest and we are sure this romantic comedy will be a huge hit with the crowd! So which film are you more excited to see Katrina Kaif in?

Cast your vote in the poll above! In the meantime, stay tuned to BollywoodLife as we get you all the dope about Katrina Kaif and her upcoming films right here.

Bollywood

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Telus

Saturday, November 18, 2017

iMerciv Inc. named winner of $100,000 TELUS Pitch small business competition Wearable mobility tool for blind and partially-sighted selected

by CBC’s Dragon Arlene Dickinson and panel of experts from nearly 3,000 entries Toronto: At a live event at TELUS Harbour in Toronto last evening, TELUS announced the winner of the TELUS Pitch , a small business competition that awarded $100,000 to one entrepreneur to fuel their company’s growth. After shortlisting to three incredible finalists, iMerciv Inc. was ultimately announced as the grand prize winner. Dedicated to improving the confidence and independence of individuals living with vision loss, iMerciv Inc. works

to create smart wearable technologies that improve the overall quality of life of the blind and partially-sighted. Bin Liu, CEO and Co-Founder of iMerciv, pitched his business along with nearly 3,000 other entrepreneurs, many of whom delivered their pitch in a life-size travelling TELUS Pitch elevator at small business conferences across the country. Liu is an engineer by trade and was inspired to found the company following his father’s vision loss and diagnosis of inoperable glaucoma. iMerciv recently launched its first product, the BuzzClip, a wearable mobility tool that helps people with vision loss better avoid collisions. The device uses ultrasound to detect obstacles that may lie directly in one’s path. It then notifies the user of these obstacles through intuitive vibrations, allowing the user to safely navigate around any objects that they may encounter, particularly at head level. “Each of the finalists are exceptional entrepreneurs who have dedicated their lives to solving very important but vastly different problems,” said Arlene Dickinson, CEO of District VenturesCapital and Dragon on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. “iMerciv took home the grand prize because the team is working

V

idya Balan returns as a homemaker with a charm that entices one and all in Tumhari Sulu. The trailer got rave response what with the actress’ effervescence rubbing off on others. But is it worth your time and money this weekend? Here’s the review of the film which will tell you just that.

What’s it about : There’s a scene in Tumhari Sulu where Vidya Balan wears a red cape and mimics being a super woman during a fun song sequence. Sulu makes a valid point in this

to create life-changing technologies, and they have a defined plan for how they’ll use the $100,000 to expand their business and offerings. I can’t wait to watch their progress and growth.” The iMerciv team will be using the $100,000 prize to ramp up their sales and marketing efforts by hiring a sales team to generate new leads and expand their presence in the 11 countries where the company currently has a customer base. By allocating the prize money towards growth, iMerciv hopes to generate additional revenue in order to more easily build new products. The company will also use the prize money to supplement the research and development costs associated with a second product they are currently in the process of creating that will help further improve the lives of those living with partial vision loss or blindness. “Being selected as the winner of the TELUS Pitch contest out of thousands of talented, dedicated small business owners from across the country is incredible.

We’re grateful for this opportunity and so thankful to TELUS for hosting a contest to support Canadian startups and the judges for believing in our team and product,” said Liu. “Building technical solutions to complex problems can be extremely difficult with a limited budget, and this $100,000 is going to allow us to grow and help so many more people.” This year’s other semifinalists included Flashfood and JamStack , who each received a $10,000 prize. TELUS also awarded one “Most Promising Startup” prize to Emma Harris, CEO of Healthy Pets , a telehealth company that connects local veterinarians with pet parents through video so pet owners can access affordable pet healthcare on demand from the comfort of their homes. This prize consisted of $5,000 of Samsung technology and $5,000 of mentoring and marketing services from startup marketing firm Eighty-Eight .

TELUS also presented a “Community Impact” award to Jennifer Turliuk, CEO of

Maker Kidswhich runs children’s programs, camps and parties teaching coding, robotics and Minecraft. This award consisted of $ 10,000 – plus an additional $10,000 for the winner to donate to a charity of its choice.

data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video. TELUS is also Canada’s largest healthcare IT provider, and TELUS International delivers business process solutions around the globe. In

“TELUS is proud to recognize these Canadian entrepreneurs as true innovators who are not only reshaping traditional industries, but also giving back to their communities in a meaningful way,” said Suzanne Trusdale, vice-president, Small Business Solutions, TELUS. “Entrepreneurs are the heart of Canada’s economy, and as a company whose culture is built on a philosophy of “we give where we live” we are encouraged to see smaller companies doing the same and we are excited to support their success.” About TELUS TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is Canada’s fastest-growing national telecommunications company, with $13.1 billion of annual revenue and 12.9 million subscriber connections, including 8.8million wireless subscribers, 1.7 million high-speed Internet subscribers, 1.3 million residential network access lines and 1.1 million TELUS TV customers. TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless,

support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retireeshave contributed over $482 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 7.7 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Created in 2005 by President and CEO Darren Entwistle, TELUS’ 13 Canadian community boards and 5 International boards have led the Company’s support of grassroots charities and have contributed more than $60 million in support of 5,595 local charitable projects, enriching the lives of more than 2 million children and youth, annually. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition. For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

Vidya Balan’s Tumhari Sulu goofy moment that every housewife who is juggling between her work and family is no less than a superhero.

Clocking at 140 odd minutes Tumhari Sulu is perhaps the best written tribute to every woman who under the pretext of being labelled a housemaker often leaves behind her dreams and aspiration. Sulochana (Vidya) is a middle class woman with a loving husband (Manav Kaul) and child.

She might not have the luxury of a 3 BHK or a flat in a plush locality, but Sulu’s happiness is found in the humourous banter with her husband or in the prizes she wins in the ‘Limbu-Chamcha’ race or the local ‘best mummy contest’. Sulu is an eternal optimist with her ‘Mai kar sakti hai’ attitude. She one day decides to become a radio jockey at a local station

that holds audition for aspiring RJs. Neha Dhupia plays the suave radio station owner who sees a spark in Sulu’s quirky audition, offering her a late night show titled Tumhari Sulu where she chats with callers who want to engage in flirty conversations.

Despite a supportive husband, Sulu soon finds herself at the cross roads after an incident involving her son turns her world upside down. Caught between following her dream and being the perfect wife and mother, Sulu realised that perhaps her ‘Mai kar sakti hai’ mantra was just an illusion.

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Saturday, November 18, 2017

CIBC launches Remi, a digital assistant that helps clients track FX rates and easily send money overseas through Messenger CIBC (TSX: CM) (NYSE: CM) announced today the introduction of Remi, its first digital assistant designed to help clients send no-fee Global Money Transfers (GMT). Remi offers clients and people using Facebook Messenger the ability to check foreign exchange rates, keep track of exchange rate fluctuations with recurring alerts, and get answers to product questions. Remi is capable of alerting clients to an exchange rate they set themselves, with an automatic option for sending a money transfer at that time. This means Remi will notify clients using Messenger, on mobile or online, when the exchange rate has reached the selected status, and immediately

offer to send a global remittance, elevating the client experience by making international money transfers faster and more accessible.

“We are excited about the way Remi is making it easier to manage sending money abroad,” says Vineet Malhotra, MD and Head of Alternate Solutions Group & Retail Solutions Group, CIBC. “You’ll always know exactly how much money you’re sending and the exchange rate you’ll receive, all without upfront fees. By enhancing existing technologies and building new digital solutions, we continue to deliver modern convenient banking for our

Close shave for Big B in Kolkata, govt sends notice to car agency Actor Amitabh Bachchan had a close shave when the rear wheel of a car taking him to the Kolkata airport rolled off, prompting the West Bengal government to send a notice to the travel agency which had provided him with the vehicle, a senior official here said.

Bachchan had come to the city at the invitation of the state government for the inaugural programme of the 23rd Kolkata International Film Festival, which opened on November 10.

The superstar was on his way back to the airport on November 11 when the incident occurred.

He was accompanied by a senior state minister, the official told PTI yesterday.

“The wheel on the left rear-end of the car carrying Bachchan got detached from the vehicle on Dufferin Road when he was going to the airport to catch a flight for Mumbai on Saturday morning,” he said.

The car had been provided by a travel agency.

The government has sought an explanation from the agency, the official said, adding that it had been paid a “huge amount” for transporting the actor.

The official said an initial probe has revealed that the vehicle’s certificate of fitness had expired but the car was still in use.

A source in the secretariat said “proper action” may be taken against the transport agency if it is found to be at fault.

clients, how and when they want.” CIBC Global Money Transfer launched in October 2015 allowing CIBC clients to send money to over 50 countries around the world with no fees. Recently added to the roster are Mexico, South Korea, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates and Singapore. CIBC Capital Markets developed Remi in collaboration with CIBC Live Labs, the bank’s technology incubator. Remi will be available in French and English at first, with new languages to be released in the coming months.

About CIBC CIBC is a leading

Canadian-based global financial institution with 11 million personal banking, business, public sector and institutional clients. Across Personal and Small Business Banking, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management, and Capital Markets businesses, CIBC offers a full range of advice, solutions and services through its leading digital banking network, and locations across Canada, in the United States and around the world. Ongoing news releases and more information about CIBC can be found at www. cibc.com/ca/media-centre or by following on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/cibc), Twitter @CIBC, Facebook (www.facebook. com/CIBC) and Instagram @CIBCNow.

Yogi govt urges Centre to delay release of ‘Padmavati’ Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has written a letter to the I&B ministry asking it to take the public outcry over the “twisted historical content” of film ‘Padmavati’ into consideration before granting it a censor certificate.

In view of the impending Uttar Pradesh urban body election’s counting on December 1 and the festival of Barawafat (Prophet Mohammad’s birthday) on December 2, the letter requests to delay the release of the film from the scheduled December 1, pleading that it would be crucial to maintain peace.

In the letter to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar has claimed to have taken cognizance of intelligence inputs to point out

that ever since the film’s trailer was released on October 9, various “social, cultural and other organisations had been forcefully protesting”.

The letter points out that these organisations have continually held marches, demonstrations, presented memorandums and burnt effigies to protest against Rani Padmavati’s character being portrayed wrongly and demanding the removal of such scenes from the film.

According to the letter, even the cinema hall and multiplex owners have requested the government to ensure the removal of such scenes in view of the aggressive protests and threats of the protesting organisations to indulge in violence by attacking the cinema halls and setting them ablaze.

8

Deepika’s ex in Kangana’s film

Remember Nihaar Pandya?

Deepika Padukone’s rumoured boyfriend during her struggling days over a decade ago? He is finally Bollywood-bound. He features in the Kangana Ranautstarrer Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi as Bajirao II. When Dippy shifted to Mumbai from hometown Bengaluru, the two were said to be in a live-in relationship. Deepika bagged Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Om Shanti Om (2007) while Nihar got left behind.

There was talk that buddy Himesh Reshammiya would launch him after he featured in the I Love You Sayonee music video. Later, Nihar was rumoured to be in a relationship with Gauahar Khan.

He would often be spotted in the company of Salman Khan and did a cameo in his film Marigold (2007). Better late than never for Nihar.

Wheelchair dancing Rajkummar Rao refuses to give up. He will shoot for Farah Khan’s Lip Sing Battle today, despite the injury he sustained on the set last week, which brought the shoot to a halt mid-way. The actor will do his act on a wheelchair. Farah, who is in Alibaug for Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday bash, is slated to back in Mumbai by noon and head straight to the set.

Kriti Sanon will battle it out with Rajkummar.

Hrithik Roshan is the special guest.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Helping hand Mohenjo Daro (2016) actor Pooja Hegde is sponsoring the treatment of two cancerstricken children at the Tata Memorial Hospital. The actor has been associated with an NGO working for kids suffering from cancer for a while. She will not only foot their bills, but also visit them in hospital regularly.

There’s also buzz that she will be inking her second Bollywood outing next week.

TELLY TATTLE

Back in town

Steering clear

The waiting game Huma Qureshi has wrapped up the shoot of the Rajinikanth-starrer Kaala. She hosted a wrap-up party in Mumbai, which was attended by director Pa Ranjith. The Thalaiva was missing as he is busy with his next release, Shankar’s 2.0. Huma got emotional at the bash and was overheard telling the team she would miss trying to talk in Tamil with the unit. There is talk that the Tamil crime drama will be pushed back. Rajinikanth is keen that there is a time gap between the release of 2.0 and Kaala.

Shankar’s film was slated to release on Republic Day 2018.

Special effects has pushed it further ahead and a new date has yet to be ascertained.

Kaala will have to wait till then.

Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi actor Shakti Arora is back in Mumbai after a long stint in Indonesia. He spent the past couple of months working on shows in Jakarta.

Indian TV folk are a big draw there with locals watching dubbed version of Indian soaps. Shakti has done a new photo shoot and will be seen soon in an upcoming serial.

SHOT IN THE DARK

The game of one-upmanship

Due to visa issues, Iulia Vantur winged her way back home to Romania. Looks like Salman Khan’s rumoured girlfriend is no coming back to Mumbai soon. Sh has taken off with her parents fo a vacay to England. It is said that she may not be present in Mumbai for the release of Sallu’s Tiger Zinda Hai next month.

Quiet birthday Esha Deol shares her birthday with King Khan. It will be a low-key affair for the new mummy, who turns 36 today.

Perhaps a double celebration at home with baby Radhya, who was born on October 20?

The makers of this successful franchise recently announced another installment. It came as a surprise as there was no talk about it since its third outing a while back. This sudden decision has something to do with the film’s lead actor desiring to be one-up on his rival, who has just delivered a huge hit with his franchise of the same genre. Tch, tch, but then such is life dearies, especially in Bollywood.

SPOTTED

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who turned 44 yesterday, visited the Siddhivinayak

Saturday, November 18, 2017

9

10

Classifieds / Jobs

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Community news $!)*+ ) */0/! 1 2! 3 ) 2 Dedicated to 150th anniversary of Canada: Presented by: Multifaith Action Society & Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Theme: The Contribution of Faith to Cultivating Peace in Canada, November 25,

2017 2.00pm Baitur Rahman Mosue 9570 River Road,Delta. Free Event: All Are Welcome For more information contact: Acharya Dwivedi: 604 507 3099, ahmadiyya.bc.outreach@gmail.com or www.multifaithaction.org

Community / News

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12

Saturday, November 18, 2017

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Vol. 8 No. 39 42 - Saturday - November 18, 2017

BC to introduce new real estate rules in 2018

B

C government has announced new rules it says will cut down on shady real estate deals in the province. Superintendent of Real Estate Michael Noseworthy says the changes are set to take effect March 15.

They include better informing buyers about how much compensation realtors are entitled to, as well as restricting “dual agency,” where when one agent acts on behalf of both buyer and seller on the same deal.

The changes stem from recommendations made last year by an independent advisory panel created by the former B.C. Liberal government.

The changes are the result of effort to curb practices like “shadow flipping,” which first came to light in 2016.

Shadow flipping is the practice of selling a property several times by reassigning the sales contracts before their closing date. The price of the home goes up each time.

Changes limited in scope, agent says Keith Roy, a real estate agent with REMAX Select, says the rules will likely increase consumer protection by raising awareness of the issues, but questioned whether they will actually be better protected from a legal standpoint.

“All we’re doing in this case is limiting consumer choice of which professional they hire,” Roy said.

“It’s important because it’s highlighting the issue, but it’s not solving the problem that the government’s saying it is.”

Roy also said the new rules won’t affect anyone’s ability to flip houses on a speculative basis.

“These rules do nothing to change the impact of international money in the market [and they do] nothing to change the impact of people flipping houses [or] consumer protections around pricing,” he said.

“All this does is limit the ability of a realtor to represent two people inside of the same transaction.”

Tel: 604-591-5423

E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com

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14

Real Estate

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Few clues to feds’ housing strategy after Horgan meets Trudeau, then developers in Vancouver There is a growing feeling high housing costs in and around Vancouver and Toronto may have national implications, and need attention beyond what local and provincial governments can do.

Ahead of an expected national housing strategy from Ottawa, a private meeting in Vancouver between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan on Thursday may have offered some hints at what the feds are willing to commit.

It could be dollars for projects or support to stem speculation that is both a symptom and cause of out-of-control price gains, especially in Metro Vancouver’s pre-sale condo market.

The province, however, was not forthcoming with specific details as Premier Horgan and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Selina Robinson later addressed a sold-out luncheon hosted by the Urban Development Institute,

which represents developers. “The Prime Minister is committing to the housing sector for the first time in a long time,” Horgan said, adding he asked Trudeau “for cash” to support

issues in B.C., but also cited a range of areas from child care to forest fires.

There were more questions than answers as to how Ottawa might get involved with addressing the housing crisis in Metro Vancouver, but scrutiny is likely to persist. On Wednesday, a report released by Ottawa-based research foundation Macdonald-Laurier Institute about a federal strategy for affordable housing suggested a shift in thinking about

Real Estate

Saturday, November 18, 2017

15

Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s housing market seen headed for deceleration over next 5 years

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mid tighter housing rules and rising interest rates, the Canadian real estate market is facing several years of â&#x20AC;&#x153;retrenchmentâ&#x20AC;? and slow price gains, a new report from Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Analytics suggests.

However, the moderation wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be even across the country, says the author of the report. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Exact turning points are difficult to predict, but the combination of restricted mortgage lending, taxes on foreign purchases in the largest metro areas, and the expectation of higher mortgage rates means that house prices are likely to experience a slowdown in the next few years, especially if speculative home purchases in Toronto and Vancouver

are reduced or shut down,â&#x20AC;? Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director Andres Carbacho-Burgos said in the study.

He said that while Greater Vancouver and Toronto will avoid any significant house price downturn, it is likely that Quebec, the Prairies, and the Atlantic provinces will have at least minor house price corrections.

Nationally, the price for a single-family house will undergo a â&#x20AC;&#x153;dramatic decelerationâ&#x20AC;? when compared to the 14.5 per cent annualized growth rate seen in the second quarter, he said. That growth rate is projected to slow to 1.3 per cent between the second quarter of this year and the same quarter in 2022 Hamilton, Oshawa, Toronto buck the

trend Ontario metropolitan areas will buck the trend, thanks to imbalances in several regions, with the price of single-family homes in Toronto expected to grow by average annualized rate of 7.7 per cent. Areas around Toronto are also expected to show prices gains over the same five-year period, with Oshawa to follow close behind Toronto at 7.5 per cent, while Hamilton is forecast to see 5.8 per cent annualized growth. Vancouver, which along with the Greater Toronto Area has been responsible for much of the froth in the housing market, is forecast to see roughly level house prices over the next half decade.

Among other metro areas, Montreal house

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prices are forecast to decline by an annualized rate of 0.6 per cent over five years, while Calgary is expected to see an average annual decline of 1.1 per cent. At the bottom end are expected to be Thunder Bay, projected to see a rate of decline of 5.4 per cent, and St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, which is forecast to see a rate of decline of 6.1 per cent. Carbacho-Burgos cited falling median income combined with slow-tonegative population growth and household formation for the expected drops in those two cities. Last week, the Bank of Canada boosted a key interest rate for the second time this year, leading Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big banks to bump up their prime rates.

16

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