The Asian Star May 18 2019 by The Asian Star Newspaper

www.theasianstar.com

Vol 19 - Issue 16

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Tories accuse Liberals of playing politics by stripping references to religious groups from terror report The federal Tories are accusing the Trudeau government of playing politics by stripping specific references to specific religious groups from its annual report on terrorism. Conservative publicsafety critic Pierre Paul-Hus suggested to the House of Commons nationalsecurity committee Monday that the Liberals bowed to “pressure tactics” simply to avoid offending anyone. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the government removed the terms “Sikh,” “Sunni” and “Shia” from the report when referring to extremism to avoid conveying the impression that an entire religion or community is a threat to national security. Continued on page 7

For Kamala Harris, memories of an Indian warrior mother guides her Speaking from the Senate floor for the first time, Kamala Harris expressed gratitude for a woman on whose shoulders she said she stood. In her autobiography, Harris interspersed the well-worn details of her resume with an extended ode to the one she calls “the reason for everything.” And taking the stage to announce her presidential candidacy , she framed it as a race grounded in the compassion and values of the person she credits for her fighting spirit. Though a decade has passed since Shyamala Gopalan died, she remains a force in her daughter’s life and her Continued on page 8

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Richmond Hospital leads the way as birth tourism continues to rise The number of pregnant foreigners coming to B.C. hospitals so their newborns can get automatic Canadian citizenship continues to rise. Births by non-residents of B.C. increased 24 per cent from the 2016-17 fiscal year to 2017-18, from 676 babies to 837 the following year, according to records obtained through freedom of information requests. About two per cent of all births in B.C.

hospitals are now by non-residents, just as the birthrate among B.C. residents is dropping. Richmond hospital continues to be at the forefront of the phenomenon, with the total number of babies born to nonresidents of B.C. at the hospital rising from 337 in the 2014-15 fiscal year to 474 by 2017-18. Four Continued on page 7

Boyfriend charged with second-degree murder of 2017 Bhavkiran Dhesi’s killing Bhavkiran Dhesi’s boyfriend was were a couple, but it was unclear a “person of interest” early in the whether they were together investigation into the 19-year-old’s at the time of Dhesi’s death. August 2017 murder. After almost Dhesi’s family last saw her two years of police work, Harjot Singh around 9 p.m. on Aug. 1, 2017, Deo, 21, was arrested on Friday at when she told them she was Vancouver International Airport and going out for a couple of hours. charged with second-degree murder. Just over three hours later, the Deo remains in custody and his next Bhavkiran Dhesi SUV she was driving was found court date is scheduled for May 27 in provincial on fire in the 18700-block of 24th Ave. court in Surrey. Police said that Deo and Dhesi in South Continued on page 6

BC legislature clerk retires after scandal probe finds misconduct by him The B.C. legislature’s top official has retired from his job Thursday after the release of a report by former chief justice Beverley McLachlin into misspent taxpayer money inside the capital building. Clerk Craig James retired immediately as part of a “non-financial settlement” with the legislature after McLachlin’s report found he violated four of five areas of his employment. However, sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz, who also stood accused of wrongdoing, did not violate the terms of his employment. He remains suspended with pay. “The special investigator found that Mr. James did engage

in misconduct with respect to four of the five allegations, specifically in relation to making expense claims where improper purchases (were) of a personal nature, by directing the creation of three benefits to his personal advantage outside established protocols, improperly removing legislative assembly property … and by improperly using legislative property,” said NDP government house leader Mike Farnworth. Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Craig James makes a statement to the media in Va n c o u v e r, Continued on page 7

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Trudeau Says New Mortgage Rules Cut Froth in Toronto, Vancouver

he Canadian government is monitoring whether tougher mortgage rules are having the desired effect but doesn’t favor allowing longer mortgage terms, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.Trudeau, speaking to an industry group Thursday, was asked about raising the maximum amortization of a mortgage to 30 years, from 25 years, for first-time buyers. The prime minister said he opted instead to introduce a program that sees the government take a stake in some home purchases, as well as increasing the funds a buyer can take from retirement savings.“We’re looking at things that are

not going to disrupt the market in unexpected ways,” Trudeau said at the Canadian Home Builders’ Association conference in Niagara Falls. “We’re listening to everyone about their concerns and we are going to keep watching that stress test and make sure that it is having the desired effect, but we are seeing fewer and fewer people

This is only the second time in 21 years that home prices failed to rise in April Canadian home prices were unchanged in April, failing to rise for the eighth consecutive month, data showed on Tuesday. The TeranetNational Bank Composite House Price Index, which measures changes for repeat sales of single-family homes, showed prices were flat last month from March. It was just the second time in 21 years of data that the index showed no increase in April, said Marc Pinsonneault, a senior economist at National Bank of Canada. The index also fell in April 2009, during the global financial crisis, Pinsonneault said. What the spring real estate market will tell Canadian banks about their whole year The Canadian dream of home ownership is slipping away: Tim Hudak. How much do

we owe against our homes? Not even the Bank of Canada knows for sure. Prices fell in six of the 11 metropolitan markets surveyed, led by a 2 per cent drop in Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba, the data showed. Canada’s once-hot housing market has softened since the start of last year, as tighter mortgage rules and five interest rate hikes from the Bank of Canada since July 2017 have curbed buyer spending power.Canadian home sales post first yearly rise since 2017 on gains in Toronto, Montreal. Toronto home sales jump higher in April, average price up from year ago. April another lethargic month for Metro Vancouver home sales: Real estate board

take on those overreaching debt-loads, particularly in the higher sectors of the market.”Canada’s housing market has been a preoccupation of policymakers for years -grappling with a surge in prices in Vancouver and Toronto, and fears that a bubble could develop. Officials have tightened mortgage eligibility rules

and imposed other measures to curb runaway growth. Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz said this week he’s confident the sector will return to growth. Trudeau said his government tried to take measures that would stabilize Vancouver and Toronto but not “have an overly negative impact elsewhere around the country.” The tougher stress test for mortgage eligibility was about “taking some of the froth out of those markets but also ensuring that people weren’t stretching themselves further than was wise, particularly given the the fact that we can see interest rates rising in the future.

Man charged in 2017 fatal shooting at Langley restaurant A man has been charged in the 2017 fatal shooting of a man outside a Langley restaurant. Homicide investigators announced Tuesday that David Tull had been charged with firstdegree murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Tyler Pastuck, 31, was found shot to death on June 9, 2017, at Browns Social House on 200th Street near the Langley Bypass. Kyle Gianis was found injured. Pastuck was convicted of manslaughter for a fatal beating outside his Campbell

River townhouse in February 2010 and had a record of several assault convictions. Gianis was convicted in 2008 of smuggling materials for making methamphetamine into Washington state and sentenced to 13 years. He was transferred to a Canadian jail in 2012 and paroled in 2013. Tull is charged with first-degree murder for Pastuck’s death and attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the injury of the second man. Tull remains in custody and will appear in B.C. provincial court May 14.

OPINION

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Why simplifying Canada’s tax system is so crucial By Fergus Hodgson Research Associate Frontier Centre for Public Policy Canada’s edge as a locale for foreign investment is slipping fast, but there is a way to turn the ship around without lowering tax rates. The nation can curb capital flight by lowering the cost of tax compliance. As recently as 2010-2015, Canada bettered the United States and almost doubled the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average for foreign direct investment as a percentage of gross domestic product. Since 2015, Canada has fallen below the United States and is on track to soon fall below the OECD average. Foreign direct investment outflows from Canada post-2014 have reached all-time highs. Canadians are losing confidence in their economy for investment. In policy terms, as put by Steven Globerman of the Fraser Institute, the outward flow indicates

“the relative investment environment in Canada deteriorated.” The ease of tax compliance is a major consideration for international investors. Businesses in Canada spend on average 131 hours preparing and paying taxes. According to the World Bank, there are far more compliance-friendly nations – such as Hong Kong (35 hours), Estonia (50 hours), Norway (79 hours) and even the United Kingdom (105 hours). Compliance cost involves more than just regular labour hours. Compliance almost always requires outside experts and/or specialized departments, including a small army of accountants and lawyers, to keep up with the paperwork and regulatory maze. The effort diverts resources away from innovation and raises purchase prices for consumers. The Business Council of Canada’s 2018 Total Tax Contribution report revealed not only Canada’s higher corporate income

taxes but that the “burden of tax compliance continues to rise.” The 87 large companies surveyed on average spent “$3.72 million and required 19 full-time employees to keep up with their Canadian tax obligations.” The council concluded: “The average effective U.S. federal-state corporate income tax rate has now fallen below the effective Canadian federal-provincial corporate income tax rate … [there is concern] Canada’s corporate tax system has lost its competitive edge.” The entire tax compliance operation, for personal and business taxes, cost Canadians $24.8 billion in 2011, the latest year for which a comprehensive estimate is available. Administering the tax system is no free lunch either; various levels of government incurred up to $6.6 billion that year, a bill that diverted taxpayer funds from productive uses. “By any measure, Canada’s tax system is a failure to Canadians and the businesses that employ them, deterring investment and the attraction of top talent,” Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey, B.C., Board of Trade, said in March, echoing similar sentiments across the nation. A 2018 report by Chartered Professionals Accountants Canada, Canada’s Tax System: What’s So Wrong and Why It Matters, found 61 per cent of their members believe the Canadian tax system hinders competitiveness: “Over the past six or so years, as Canada has maintained the status quo, other countries around the world have reduced corporate and personal tax rates while their (Canada’s) take from consumption (sales) taxes has increased.” Recent reforms have been “targeted” (read: complicated), as described by the federal Department of Finance. The government’s decision last year to cut the small-business tax rate to 9 per cent, for example, appeared to be a step in the right direction, but similar actions are needed for large businesses.

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Boyfriend charged with second-degree murder of 2017 Bhavkiran Dhesiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s killing Surrey. Emergency crews discovered her body inside. Over the past 21 months, police have released little information publicly in the case, other than requesting help to find the owners of two vehicles â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a dark grey Audi Q7 and a dark grey Dodge Ram â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they believed were connected to the murder. Supt. Donna Richardson, officer in charge of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said Deo was â&#x20AC;&#x153;known to investigatorsâ&#x20AC;? early in the investigation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes the easy thing in an investigation is figuring out who the suspect is, but then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a matter of that systematic, methodical investigation that can take some time,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do a very detailed job with our investigation.â&#x20AC;? Deo was not considered a flight risk and had arrived in Vancouver on a domestic flight before he was arrested at the airport. Richardson said Deo is known to police, but did not go into specifics. She said she did not believe police had any files related to disputes involving the couple. According to online court records, Deo has received tickets for a number of traffic violations, including failing to display a â&#x20AC;&#x153;new driverâ&#x20AC;? sign, running a red light, and violating a restriction on his licence. Dhesi, who was called Kiran by her family and friends, was a criminology student at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and had struggled with health issues related to Wegenerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease, which she was diagnosed with at age 15.

Surrey RCMP Police Chief Dwayne McDonald announces that a man has been charged with second-degree murder in the homicide of 19-year old Surrey student Kiran Dhesi, whose body was found inside a burned SUV along 24th Avenue near 188 Street in Surrey in August, 2017. Dhesi received a kidney transplant in February 2017, and spent about two months recovering. According to friends and family, she was looking forward to getting healthy, travelling and living â&#x20AC;&#x153;a normal life.â&#x20AC;? Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, the officer in charge of Surrey RCMP, offered his condolences to Dhesiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family, and thanked the community for its patience during the long investigation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bhavkiran was a strong young woman with a promising future ahead of her. At a young age, she had already persevered through challenges and adversity in her life. Her loss will continue to be felt by her family and friends, as well as the community,â&#x20AC;? McDonald said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope that there can be some small comfort in knowing that a suspect has been charged with her murder.â&#x20AC;? However, the investigation remains open. Richardson said police believe there are still people in the community who have â&#x20AC;&#x153;very intimate knowledgeâ&#x20AC;? about what happened to Dhesi, and they want them to come forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is still an opportunity to do the right thing,â&#x20AC;? she said.

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BC legislature clerk retires after scandal probe finds misconduct by him From page 1 “I wish to inform this house that Craig James has retired effective today and that a nonfinancial settlement has been reached by Mr. James and the legislative assembly.” James and Lenz were suspended with pay and marched out of the building by police and Plecas’s chief of staff on Nov. 20. Neither has been charged with any crime. Their employment status could only be changed by a motion and vote of MLAs in the house, because both jobs are officers of the legislative assembly. James wrote a letter announcing his retirement Thursday. “I have been in public service for more than four decad

Richmond Hospital leads the way as birth tourism continues to rise ago babies born to non-residents accounted for 15.4 per cent of all births at Richmond Hospital, compared to 22.1 per cent in the last fiscal year. By comparison, St. Paul’s Hospital and Mount Saint Joseph Hospital — both operated by Providence Health Care — had a combined 132 babies born to non-residents of B.C. in the 2017/18 fiscal year. While non-resident births account for about two per cent of all babies delivered in B.C., at Richmond Hospital, that proportion is 10 times higher. Indeed, as a New York Times article reported, the hospital is now perceived around the world as a coveted destination for so-called anchor babies, a term to describe children born here to non-residents to gain citizenship. Health minister Adrian Dix is concerned by the numbers. “The immigration issues are in federal jurisdiction. This is where concerns must be addressed, not by turning health professionals and skilled health care workers into immigration officers. That is not their role,” said Dix. Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie agreed with Dix that birth tourism is a federal issue but said there are significant local impacts as well. “As a city council, we haven’t discussed this but there are individuals who have concerns about the impacts on our already crowded hospital resources,” said Brodie, referring to the aging facilities and to situations when local women are diverted to other hospitals when Richmond Hospital is full. Brodie said he supports a change to federal laws because he doesn’t believe anchor babies should get automatic citizenship. “The practice of birth tourism should be curtailed,” he said. Richmond Hospital continues to be at the forefront of birth tourism, with 474 babies born to non-residents of B.C. at the hospital for the fiscal year of 2017/18. Photo: Francis Georgian Francis Georgian / PNG Birth tourism is not illegal and a report by the Institute for Research and Public Policy showed that the numbers are climbing year after year. In 2017, there were at least 3,628 births, mainly in B.C., Alberta, and Ontario, by mothers who live outside Canada. In 2016, Postmedia reported 295 of the 1,938 babies born at Richmond Hospital for the year ended March 31 were delivered, largely to foreign Chinese mothers. And dozens of birth houses were cropping up across the municipality, catering to women who need housing, meals, transportation and help with documents like birth certificates and passports.

Tories accuse Liberals of playing politics by stripping references to religious groups from terror report From page 1 He told the committee it was not a partisan issue but rather an effort to be accurate, precise and fair in conveying information about terrorist threats. “Canadians of all faiths and backgrounds have helped to build our country and continue to be integral members of our communities and neighbourhoods,” Goodale said. “It is neither accurate nor fair to equate any one community or an entire religion to extremist violence or terror. To do so is simply wrong and inaccurate.” Brampton, Ont., Liberal MP Ruby Sahota told the committee she had raised the wording issue with Goodale several times, saying people expressed concerns to her about the

religious references in the report. Paul-Hus accused the Liberals of altering accurate information in response to pressure. “Everyone understands that we’re speaking of extremists, it’s not everyone who’s involved,” the Quebec City MP said. “To what extent should politics enter into play just to avoid insulting anyone?” Following the December publication of the 2018 report, the government heard several strong objections — particularly from the Sikh and Muslim communities in Canada — that the language was not “sufficiently precise,” Goodale acknowledged. They saw the report as impugning entire religions instead of properly zeroing in on

the dangerous actions of a small number of people, even though such language had appeared in previous government and parliamentary publications, he said. “As I have said before, language matters. And just because something has often been phrased in a certain way does not mean that it should be phrased in that way now or in the future.” Goodale requested a review of the language in the report, prompting consultations with the Canadian Sikh and Muslim communities as well as the federal cross-cultural roundtable on security, national-security agencies and members of Parliament.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

From page 1

For Kamala Harris, memories of a warrior mother guide her campaign

House bid. Again and again in the campaign, those who gather around the California senator are hearing mention of the diminutive Indian immigrant the candidate calls her single greatest influence. “She’s always told the same story,” says friend Mimi Silbert. “Kamala had one important role model, and it was her mother.” Her mother gave her an early grounding in the civil rights movement and injected in her a duty not to complain but rather to act. And that no-nonsense demeanor on display in Senate hearings over special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and more? Onlookers can credit, or blame, Gopalan, a

crusader who raised her daughter in the same mold. Appearing in New York recently, Harris said there were two reasons she was running for president. The first, she said, was a sense of duty to restore truth in justice in the country at an inflection point in history. The second: a mother who responded to gripes with a challenge. “She’d say, ‘Well, what are you going to do about it?’” Harris told the crowd. “So I decided to run for president of the United States.”

Harris’ parents met as doctoral students at the University of California, Berkeley at the dawn of the 1960s. Her father, a Jamaican named Donald Harris, came to study economics. Her mother studied nutrition and endocrinology. For two freethinking young people drawn to activism, they landed on campus from opposite sides of the world just as protests exploded around civil rights, the Vietnam War and voting rights. Their paths crossed in those movements, and they

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fell in love. At the heart of their activism was a small group of students who met every Sunday to discuss the books of black authors and grassroots activity around the world, from the anti-apartheid Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa to liberation movements in Latin America to the black separatist preaching of Malcolm X in the U.S. A member of the group, Aubrey Labrie, says the weekly gathering was one in which figures such as Mao Zedong and Fidel Castro were admired, and would later provide some inspiration to the founders of the Black Panther Party. Gopalan was the only one in the group who wasn’t black, but she immersed herself in the issues, Labrie says. She and Harris wowed him with their intellect. “I was in awe of the knowledge that they seemed to demonstrate,” said Labrie, who grew so close to the family that the senator calls him “Uncle Aubrey.” The couple married, and Gopalan Harris gave birth to Kamala and then Maya two years later. Even with young children, the duo continued their advocacy. In this undated photo provided by the Harris campaign, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, 25, holds her baby, Kamala. (Kamala Harris campaign via AP) As a little girl, Harris says she remembers an energetic sea of moving legs and the cacophony of chants as her parents made their way to marches. She writes of her parents being sprayed with police hoses, confronted by Hells Angels and once, with the future senator in a stroller, forced to run to safety when violence broke out. Sharon McGaffie, a family friend whose mother, Regina Shelton, was a caregiver for the girls, remembers Gopalan Harris speaking to her daughters as if they were adults and exposing them to worlds often walled off to children, whether a civil rights march.

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With more and more Indians going online and generating never-heard-before kind of data, hackers have turned their focus on a country with over 450 million smartphone users and more than 550 million Internet users. With more and more Indians going online and generating never-heard-before kind of data, hackers have turned their focus on a country with over 450 million smartphone users and more than 550 million internet users. The country has 366 million Internet subscribers in urban locations and 194 million in rural areas, says the latest report by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). According to Sophos Senior Security Advisor John Shier, organisations are struggling with phishing and other user-focused attacks in India. “Most people don’t believe that computerbased training (CBT) is effective and are looking for ways to improve their defenses against users being tricked into inviting malicious attackers into their network,” Shier said in a statement. A KPMG report in April revealed that nearly 86 per cent of the consumers in India are concerned about eavesdropping of their conversations or theft or misuse of their messages through their devices. “The proliferation of connected and IoT devices will have a cross-sector impact on areas around data security and privacy. In response to this, regulators will need to establish mandatory data security requirements,” said Atul Gupta, Leader-IT Advisory and Cyber Security Leader, KPMG in India.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Boy, 12, arrested after allegedly threatening another youth with a knife in Cloverdale A 12-year-old boy was arrested in Cloverdale early Thursday evening after the Surrey RCMP responded to a report of a youth allegedly threatening another youth with a knife. This was at a park in the 17200-block of 61A Avenue, Sergeant Chad Greig said. “Witnesses who observed the incident

followed and detained the suspect youth until police arrived, who then arrested the 12-year-old suspect,” Greig said. The boy was later released into his parents’ custody and the investigation is ongoing, he added. “No persons were physically injured in the occurrence.”

Surrey RCMP seize drugs, weapons and cash Surrey Mounties say they seized drugs, weapons and money in two separate criminal investigations this week. On Tuesday, May 14 Surrey RCMP drug section police searched a residence in the 13700-block of 100th Avenue in Whalley, as part of a nine-month investigation into alleged drug trafficking, and seized “suspected” cocaine, fentanyl, Xanax and Percocet, as well as $2,800 in cash, a starter pistol and a “conductive energy weapon.” Sergeant Chad Greig said a 30-year-old man was arrested but no charges have been

laid. A second arrest and seizure, also on Tuesday, occurred during a traffic stop in the 12700-block of 60th Avenue in Newton. “As a result of the stop, police located and seized suspected cocaine, approximately $1,200 in cash, and other evidence which is believed to be associated to drug trafficking,” Greig said. The 31-year-old driver, a man from Vancouver, was released on a promise to appear in court, with no charges laid. Greig said police believe both cases “are linked to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict.”

BC gov’t to study fixed-link rapid transit to North Shore The B.C. government has announced a feasibility study on creating a rapid transit link between the North Shore and Vancouver. The study, which will begin this summer, is being funded jointly by the province and the City of Vancouver along with the three municipalities on the North Shore — West Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver. The current options available to cross to the North Shore — the Lions Gate Bridge, the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge and SeaBus — have not changed in over 40 years. Meanwhile, the number of commuters has increased to the point where transportation has become the dominant issue in regional elections.

“Over the years, the high cost of housing has forced people to move further from the places they work, resulting in longer commutes and serious traffic issues,” said Bowinn Ma, the MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale and Parliamentary Secretary for TransLink. “This feasibility study is an extremely exciting addition to the many initiatives we have implemented so far and continue to work on to get the North Shore moving again.” The announcement from the government contains no frame of reference for the study, but says it will “consider the compatibility of a transit crossing with existing and future land use” and “could also consider increased use of the Burrard Inlet through an extended passenger ferry network.”

33 people died of overdose in Surrey in first three months of 2019 Thirty-three people died of illicit drug overdose in Surrey in the first three months of the year, according to new BC Coroners Service data released May 15. Province-wide, Surrey’s overdose death rate remains second only to Vancouver so far this year, which saw 72 overdose deaths in the first three months of 2019. In 2018, 1,514 people in B.C. died of drug overdose, including 389 from Vancouver and 212 in Surrey. Surrey’s overdose death toll

rose from 117 deaths in 2016, 180 deaths in 2017 and 212 in 2018. Across B.C., there were 268 fatal overdoses from illicit drugs in the first quarter of the year, and a concerning amount of those deaths involved carfentail – a drug more toxic than fentanyl. Carfentanil, a powerful opioid used by veterinarians for large animals like elephants, was found in toxicology reports on 64 British Columbians who died between January and March, the

LOCAL

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Saturday, May 18, 2019

Ads promote Canada’s benefits to would-be birth tourists: ‘Go to Canada to vacation and give birth to a child’ Ads urging women to come to Canada to give birth tout the value of providing their child with Canadian citizenship. “Go to Canada to vacation and give birth to a child,” says one online ad targeting Mainland Chinese mothers. “U.S. rejected your visa? No problem! In fact, Canada is better!” Ads tell women that going to Canada for automatic citizenship is a “gift” for their babies since their children will be able to get free education, cheap university tuition and student loans, according to translations provided by Liberal MLA Jas Johal and verified by Postmedia. Under Canadian law, a child born in this country is entitled to Canadian citizenship. The ads are being run by brokers offering “one-stop shopping” for women, with offers to put together packages including

transportation, housing, meals, contracts, pre- and postnatal medical appointments, shopping and checking in at hospitals. The ads generally do not mention the broker’s fees. Some of the ads tell women their offspring can sponsor their parents under family reunification plans once they are adults: “You want to retire in Canada, but you don’t meet the requirements?” asks one such online ad. “You can give birth to your child in Canada. When your child turns 18, your child can apply for the parents.” Ads tout monthly government subsidies, Canadians’ visa-free entry to 200 countries, unemployment benefits, and that “Canadian passports mean immigration to the U.S.,” Johal said. Others say birth tourism is ideal for people who “care about their children’s

education.” And in a reference to China’s long-standing policy that limits most couples to a single child, some of the ads suggest birth tourism is ideal for “people who would like to have several kids. Johal, the Richmond-Queensborough MLA, said birth tourism offends a large proportion of his constituents who want the practice banned. And Health Minister Adrian Dix is looking for Ottawa to take a stand on the issue.

Electric cars are 80% cheaper to fuel than gas vehicles: BC Hydro Switching from a top-selling gas-powered car to an electric vehicle could save thousands of dollars in commuting costs in B.C., according to BC Hydro. In its latest report released Friday, the utility said the average driver travels about 20 kilometres each day. With recent gas prices in the Lower Mainland and Victoria topping $1.70 per litre, it’s no surprise big savings are to be had in going electric, so long as you can afford the higher prices compared to gas-fueled options. BC Hydro said the Nissan Leaf can cost as low as $2 a week when travelling 140 kilometres. To take the theory on a test drive, BC Hydro used data from petroleum analysts at GasBuddy.com and compared how much it would cost to drive a Honda Civic, Toyota Rav4, Ford 150 and an electric Nissan Leaf on B.C.’s most common commutes. GAS PRICES 101: Where B.C. drivers’ pretty pennies are going at the pump

The calculations are based on gas prices across the province on Wednesday. Driving from Duncan to Victoria on a daily basis, or roughly 122 kilometres, costs as much as $5,516 to fuel a Ford F150 over the span of a year. That’s compared to $3,678 in a Toyota Rav4, $3,218 in a Honda Civic and $624 in a Nissan Leaf. Savings are shorter trips as well, such as a 15-kilometre drive in Kelowna, where a Nissan Leaf will use $77 worth of power, compared to $358 in a Honda Civic, $426 in a Toyota Rav4 and $613 in a Ford F150. The utility said that British Columbians are starting to notice the savings, as well as how gas-free cars reduce emissions, with 17,000 of them on the road. Up to 300,000 green-friendly cars are expected by 2030. Check out the different gas costs calculated for more than a dozen trips through B.C.: One person dead, others injured after multivehicle crash on Coquihalla Highway

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Khalsa Business Centre

128th Street, 84th Ave., Surrey, BC

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, May 18, 2019

BC gov’t applauded for launching inquiry into money laundering B.C. government’s decision Wednesday to launch a public inquiry into money laundering is being applauded by politicians and other advocates. Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, who has long called for a public investigation into criminal activity in the province’s casinos and real estate market, said he was happy the government made the right call. “I think this is a good day for British Columbians who’ve been disgusted by the revelations that we’ve learned over the last number of years about the extent of money laundering,” West said. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin F. Cullen has been appointed to head the inquiry. Cullen was appointed to the B.C. Supreme Court in 2001 and has had a long legal career in British Columbia. Cullen will examine regulatory authorities and barriers to effective law enforcement of money laundering activities. He will also have the ability to compel witnesses and order disclosure.

West said he was glad the province appears to have done a lot of work leading up to the decision, and that they have the co-operation of the federal government. “I hope this is the beginning of us getting our province back,” he said. “Think of all the people who have died from fentanyl. Think of all the people who haven’t been able to afford a home. “This is for all the people who do nothing more than work hard everyday and raise their families, pay their taxes, and want to ensure our province isn’t the world’s dirty money dumping ground.” The calls for a public inquiry from West and other critics have grown louder in the wake of the latest reports from Peter German and Maureen Maloney, which found money laundering has affected the province’s real estate and luxury car markets. The Maloney report alone revealed that $5 billion was funneled through B.C.’s real estate market last year, driving already skyhigh home prices up by at least five per cent.

Looking forward to money laundering probe - Rich Coleman Former public safety minister Rich Coleman says he looks forward to testifying at a public inquiry into money laundering, after being accused by the NDP government of taking early steps that led to the growth of criminal activity in B.C. “I’m quite happy with the inquiry,” Coleman told reporters at the B.C. legislature Wednesday. “We’ll finally get past some of this innuendo and accusation and get down to some facts.” Premier John Horgan announced earlier in the day that B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen has accepted the job of heading an inquiry into money laundering, estimated by the B.C. government’s outside investigators to

have reached more than $7 billion in 2018 alone. Coleman noted that as B.C.’s solicitor general starting in 2001, he brought in a new Gaming Control Act after two premiers, Mike Harcourt and Glen Clark, resigned over issues related to gambling. “I created the act so it was always arms length from the minister for statutory decisionmakers, so no minister could ever influence a decision that was made,” Coleman said. Coleman was minister in charge of the B.C. Lottery Corporation in 2009 when a dedicated illegalgamblingenforcementteamwasdisbanded. A new dedicated team was set up in 2016 as large casinos were operating in Metro Vancouver.

BC minister Jinny Sims denies allegations levelled by former employee Citizens’ Services Minister Jinny Sims used her ministerial credentials to write visa reference letters for 10 Pakistani citizens, three of whom ended up on a U.S. security watch list, according to allegations by a former constituency assistant. Sims admitted writing the letters, saying she used to do so all the time as a member of parliament. She said she withdrew her endorsements after Cloverdale-Langley City MP John Aldag’s office told her about the security concerns. “As an MP, I used to write these letters,” she told reporters. “As an MLA, all I’m saying I know the people who are sponsoring them, and in this case I knew some of the people who were coming. And as soon as the MP told me what some of the issues were, I let them know I no longer was interested in pursuing that.” She said the letters’ reference to her ministerial office, which added the clout of the B.C. government to the endorsements, “was done by error in the office.” Liberal MLA Mike de Jong told the legislature that a March 4 email from Sims’ former constituency assistant to the conflict-of-interest commissioner and officials in the premier’s office also contained allegations of “that the same minister was attempting to facilitate entry into Canada of foreign nationals who were on a security watch in exchange for money.” Sims denied any money was donated to her campaign by the individuals. “The question is, what steps did government take to investigate these serious allegations that they were aware of over two months ago?” de Jong asked. Jinny Sims, minister for citizens’ services

in the NDP government, said a letter accusing her of wrongdoing can be chalked up to “a disgruntled ex-employee.” The Liberals refused to dismiss it that easily. PNG Attorney General David Eby said the concerns should be forwarded to the independent information and privacy commissioner. That office confirmed Tuesday it is reviewing a letter of complaint. The email was written by a former staffer, Kate Gillie, who worked in Sims’ Surrey-Panorama constituency office from Jan. 8 to Feb. 22, when she was fired. It was made public on Tuesday by the Liberals. In the email, she alleged that on Feb. 6, Sims’s fundraising coordinator, Rabina Sattar, asked her check on the visa applications that Sims had vouched for. “They pertained to 10 Pakistani individuals that Jinny had written supporting their application for a Canadian visa in October & December. Rabina explained that the lead of the group was Noor Ahmed Ranjha. According to Rabina, this individual was her ‘brother’ and extremely important to Jinny as not only ‘are they going to give $10,000 to her campaign but they are coming to discuss a big investment with her.’” “I wrote a letter but no money was ever discussed,” Sims said. She later added to reporters: “Absolutely, I have taken no money.” Liberal MLA Jas Johal said the allegation “speaks to conduct unacceptable for a minister of the Crown. “One had to wonder if Ms. Sims can continue to serve as a minister,” he said. “Premier Horgan’s office was informed of these incredibly serious allegations two months ago by the whistleblower.

LOCAL

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy adds 106,500 jobs, most in a month since 1976 Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s labour market delivered a surprise Friday with its biggest one-month employment surge since 1976, when the government started collecting comparable data. The country added 106,500 net jobs in April, and the bulk of them were full time, Statistics Canada said in its latest labour force survey. The unexpected increase helped drop the unemployment rate to 5.7 per cent last month, from 5.8 per cent in March. The labour market has seen strong employment numbers since mid-2016 and has remained a bright spot for an economy that has struggled in other areas â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to the point it almost stalled over the winter. Employment grew 0.6 per cent with the April increase â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the highest proportional monthly expansion since 1994.

Numbers far outstrip estimates Economists had expected a gain of 10,000 jobs for the month and the unemployment rate to remain at 5.8 per cent, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon. A closer look at the April numbers reveals the overall gain was driven by the creation of 73,000 full-time jobs and 83,800 positions in the private sector. Compared with a year earlier, Canada added 426,400 jobs for a proportional increase of 2.3 per cent. The labour market has created an average of 36,000 jobs per month over the past year. Chalk this one up as a solid message that employers still have faith in the Canadian economy.

South Asian Business Association organizing Health & Wellness forum on Cardiac & Stroke care The South Asian Business Association (SABA) of BC Canada in partnership with Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation presenting a Health & Wellness forum in celebration of SABAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10th anniversary. The event is to create awareness about prevention, treatment, & rehabilitation regarding heart & stroke care with presentations from medical professionals & specialists. The event will start on Sunday, May 26, 2019 from 11am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3pm at Taj Park Convention Centre 8580 132 Street, Surrey BC. All are welcome. For more info call: Balwinder S. Chahal, Event Chair: 604-807-3084 MS Dhaliwal, Founding President SABA: 604-807-2808 Ken Dhillon, President SABA 604-377-9015 Victor Lall, Past President SABA 604-649-6331 Kuldip Gill, Vice Chair of the Event: 604-551-4441 Jatinder Sandhar, Vice President SABA: 604-308-9913

Surrey Fire Service sees â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dramaticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; decrease in overdose calls

Green Timbers Urban Forest advocates raise concerns about proposed Surrey-Langley SkyTrain route Advocates for the Green Timbers Urban Forest are voicing environmental impact concerns for the proposed SurreyLangley SkyTrain route through the forest.

The proposed SkyTrain route would go down Fraser Highway toward Langley and through the Green Timbers Urban Forest. For members of the Green Timbers Heritage Society and the Green Timbers Urban Forest Advisory Committee are most concerned about the possible widening of Fraser Highway. Liz Walker, a member of the committee, said itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the first time issues of road widening has come forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The widening of Fraser Highway reared its ugly head more than a decade ago. As an advisory committee, we worked very hard to try and convince the city then to keep the footprint to a minimum when they wanted to widen it,â&#x20AC;? said Walker.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now here we are again, looking at changes to the corridor again, which are going to impact the forest. The Green Timbers Urban Forest has been fragmented so severely and this is another cut to it to put SkyTrain in.â&#x20AC;? Don Schuetze, a member of the society, said the concerns about road widening were there when the previous city council was discussing LRT, but the concerns â&#x20AC;&#x153;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really change with SkyTrainâ&#x20AC;? since some of the route would be at-grade. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of people were pretty keen to get rid of the Surrey First people because they thought, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Doug McCallum wants to run a SkyTrain,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and they immediately think of the elevated SkyTrain,â&#x20AC;? Schuetze said. For Walker, the confusion between whether or not the SkyTrain would be elevated or atgrade, shows a need for more consultation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That just speaks to the need for more consultation and greater transparency about whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on here.â&#x20AC;? Asked what she thinks of the level of consultation so far, Walker said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Abysmal.â&#x20AC;? For TransLinkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part, a statement to the Now-Leader says it is planning to conduct a â&#x20AC;&#x153;comprehensiveâ&#x20AC;? Environmental Screening Review of the project.

Immediately after the implementation of the BC Emergency Health Services new Clinical Response Model, Surrey Fire Service chief Len Garis said he noticed a â&#x20AC;&#x153;dramaticâ&#x20AC;? decrease in the number of overdoses the department was being called to. In May of 2018, BCEHS implemented a new colour-coded Clinical Response Model (CRM), which is based on â&#x20AC;&#x153;existing, successful systemsâ&#x20AC;? around the world. Similar to a hospital emergency department, CRM determines a patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s condition in a colour-coded system, with a â&#x20AC;&#x153;key goalâ&#x20AC;? to â&#x20AC;&#x153;improve response times to the most life-threatening medical emergencies.â&#x20AC;?

The colour codes are: purple for immediately life-threatening; red for immediately life-threatening or time-critical; orange for urgent/potentially serious but not life-threatening; yellow for non-urgent (not serious or life-threatening); green for non-urgent (possibly suitable for treatment on scene); and blue for non-urgent, further clinical telephone triage and advice. BCEHS says firefighters arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t notified of every call â&#x20AC;&#x153;because if they are responding to a patient with a non-urgent condition, they could be tied up when we need them to respond to a life-threatening call.â&#x20AC;?

LOCAL

Saturday, May 18, 2019

80 fall ill in norovirus outbreak at Richmond hotel A Sheraton in Richmond and two associated restaurants have been shut down after 80 people became sick with norovirus over the weekend. According to Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), about 40 staff members and 40 guests have been affected by the illness. Cavu Kitchen Bar at the Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotel has also been closed in connection with the outbreak. Currently, no one is allowed to stay at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel on Westminster Highway until the facility has been thoroughly cleaned. “It’s quite significant to shut down an entire hotel and especially at that size,” said Claudia Kurzac, VCH’s manager for environmental health. “Given the numbers of people potentially exposed and that were ill, I think that was probably the best course of action to take.” A large conference of 500 people that began last Friday was being held

at the Sheraton Hotel, according to Kurzac. VCH received a call during its off hours the next day about a problem at the hotel. An inspector was sent out that afternoon. Scientist developing early detection method for norovirus in B.C. oysters Until the facility has been thoroughly cleaned, the hotel is now closed, along with two restaurants inside, a Starbucks and Harold’s Bistro, All rooms, public areas and food and beverage facilities must be sanitized before the hotel is safe to reopen. “Norovirus is a very hardy virus that can survive on surfaces … so you need a higher level of disinfectant,” said Kurzac. In an email, Steve Veinot, the hotel manager, said that they are not able to trace the source of the outbreak.

Pride event in Surrey stirs memories of homophobia

The annual summer pride festival in Surrey is a time for celebration, but Martin Rooney remembers when it was a time of fear. Rooney, the founder of the Surrey Pride Society, shared his experience at an event held Tuesday at Simon Fraser University in Surrey that marked the 50th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969, but Surrey did not hold its first pride event until 1999. Rooney was there and recalled an RCMP patrol car circling the parking lot at the community hall where people had gathered to celebrate. Rooney said the police were on high alert then because of the threat of violence to the gay community from Hells Angels and white supremacist groups. Surrey Pride Society founder Martin Rooney remembers when it was risky to engage in pride activities in the community. Surrey RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Elenore Sturko also spoke at the event. Sturko comes from a long line of

law enforcers — three of her uncles, three cousins and a late great uncle were all police officers. It was her great uncle, Robert David Van Norman, that Sturko reflected on. Van Norman was forced to resign from the RCMP in 1964, five years before homosexuality was decriminalized, because of his sexual orientation. Sturko has a lot in common with Van Norman. Not only did they both aspire to be police officers, Sturko is also gay. The difference for Sturko: her sexual orientation is no longer grounds for firing. $100 million for gay purge victims as PM apologizes for LGBTQ discrimination Sturko said it was a big moment for her family when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized in 2017 for what was called “the purge”, when people like Van Norman were fired for their sexual preferences. He would have accepted the apology, said Sturko. “He never said anything bad about the RCMP and remained proud until his death.”

Majority of those who died of overdoses in BC were not involved in criminal system: Stats Can The majority of British Columbians who died of a drug overdose had no criminalrelated interactions with police in the two years leading up to their deaths, according to a new study from Statistics Canada. The study, part of a pilot project that looks at people who fatally overdosed between 2011 and 2016 in Surrey, B.C., specifically, and across the province, generally, looked at the relationship between those who died of a drug overdose and their interactions with the criminal justice system. Co-author Benjamin Mazowita, who wrote the report with Shannon Brennan at the

Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, said their research is trying to address the lack of information related to the social and economic factors of people at risk of an overdose. “In order to address this data gap, Statistics Canada is undertaking this work with municipal and provincial partners in British Columbia to better understand the characteristics of individuals at the core of the crisis,” Mazowita said. Rate of illicit drug overdose deaths in B.C. down in 1st quarter of 2019 The main finding in the report was the majority of people — 66 per cent of people

IHIT releases video of suspects connected to Surrey shooting The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has released video in connection with a shooting death that shows two men police are asking that the public help them identify. Mankaran (Austin) Grewal, 18, was shot and killed in the area of 176 Street and Abbey Drive

“IHIT detectives continue to actively pursue those responsible for Austin Grewal’s murder,” said Cpl. Frank Jang of IHIT. “This new video is another important step in the case and could significantly advance the investigation with information

in Surrey, B.C., on the afternoon of April 26. Police believe the shooting was targeted and linked to the ongoing gang conflict in the Lower Mainland.

from members of the community.” Watch as the two men stroll down the street, hoodies covering their heads

Wanted man arrested after revealing location and saying ‘News flash morons, I’m in Edmonton’ Jessie Dean Kowalchuk has been transported back to Kamloops from Edmonton to face a judge for three charges of breach of probation stemming from three separate files in 2015. Last December, Kowalchuk saw his photo being circulated by Kamloops media outlet CFJC Today as part of a weekly Most Wanted segment, said Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jodi Shelkie. He then sent a direct message on Facebook to CFJC Today. “News flash morons: I’m in Edmonton and not coming back,” said Kowalchuk in part of his message, which was given to CBC by the RCMP. “The tone of his message was very derogatory stating that the RCMP had missed the ball, because he’d been living in Edmonton for three years,” said Shelkie. After the RCMP became aware of Kowalchuk’s Facebook post, it requested the B.C. Prosecution Service extend his three outstanding warrants to Alberta. On May 10, he was arrested by Edmonton police, remanded and then sent back to Kamloops, said Shelkie. Conditional discharge for Mountie who assaulted handcuffed homeless man “We’re just really pleased that he sent the message advising where he was living in Alberta and that we were able to extend the warrants to Alberta so that we could bring him back here to face charges,” she said. “You’ve got to face up to your actions at some pointandyouknowitdoesn’tmatterwhereyougo.

LOCAL

Saturday, May 18, 2019

No simple answers for high BC gas prices or impact of pipeline, NEB says Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no easy explanation for why B.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gas prices are so much higher than the rest of Canada, or what will happen to them if the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion goes ahead, according to the National Energy Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief economist. The NEB released a snapshot of the issue Wednesday, breaking down the elements that have driven up the price at the pumps in B.C. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a combination of numerous factors,â&#x20AC;? chief economist Jean-Denis

Charlebois told CBC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One factor is that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re approaching the summer driving season. This means demand is increasing.â&#x20AC;? Another is the fact that B.C. depends on the Cherry Point Refinery in Washington State for much of its gas, and the exchange rate has recently been less than favourable. Why do you pay so much for gas? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a hint: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just taxes According to the NEBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summary,

Kelowna man arrested for alleged online threats against mayor Kelowna RCMP arrested a 52-year-old man in connection with alleged online threats made against Mayor Colin Basran. The man faces potential criminal charges and was released on strict conditions Wednesday, according to Cpl. Jesse Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donaghey. Basran cancelled a Wednesday morning interview with CBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Daybreak South Tuesday night, after he found out someone had allegedly made a violent threat against him on Facebook in a thread discussing a controversial condo project he was coming on the show to discuss. The development in the Pandosy area of Kelowna has been a source of tension after the mayor employed a little-used provision in the community charter to bring the proposal back for a second vote after it failed to pass in April. On Monday, council

voted to allow the project to go ahead. Addressing media outside of city hall, Basran said the actions of the RCMP show how serious the issue is. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Criticism of our decisions and debating issues facing our community is nothing new and it often helps lead to better outcomes. But online comments made by one of our residents yesterday encouraging violence is where we draw the line,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By ignoring the comment and not saying anything, to me, would just be condoning this type of behavior. I have to stand up for my council colleagues and the elected representatives at all levels that this incident is not acceptable under any circumstance.â&#x20AC;? Abbott Park, a six-storey condo project that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t conform to the community plan because of its height and high density, is a sore spot in community.

the four major components that make up the price of gasoline include: The cost of crude oil: averages 51 cents per litre in Vancouver, or 10 per cent below the Canadian average. Refining costs: averages 52.1 cents per litre in Vancouver, or about double the national average. This includes all the expenses involved in bringing crude from a wellhead to a refinery,

and then completing the refining process. Marketing margin: averages 10.5 cents per litre, about 69 per cent higher than the rest of Canada. This includes all costs for getting the refined product to the consumer, including transportation, marketing and profit. Taxes: averages 53.9 cents per litre in Vancouver, or 21 per cent more than the national average.

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High school teacher suspended over mischief A Mission high school teacher, who pleaded guilty to mischief after he unlawfully entered a female teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home, has had his teaching certificate suspended by the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation. Michael Scott Alexander was charged in 2016 with one count of being unlawfully in a house and one count of mischief under $5,000. After this, the commissioner launched an investigation into the teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conduct. On April 25 and May 5, 2016, Alexander drove to the on-call female teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, which she lived in alone, and opened her front gate with a hidden spare key without her knowledge or consent, according to an agreed statement of facts. A neighbour noticed him entering the gate, and notified police. According to the discipline ruling, Alexander sent her a text message the day before May 5 asking her if she could work, but she advised him that she was already assigned to another class. On that day, he was supposed to be in a preparation block but left the school without telling anyone. The agreed statement of facts doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t include a motive or description of what Alexander was doing in her house. On Aug. 23, 2017, Alexander pleaded guilty to the offence of mischief, and received a conditional discharge with a two-year probation order, which barred contact with the woman whose house he entered. The charge of being unlawfully in a house was stayed. The school district also suspended

Alexander without pay until a probe was complete. He was fired in February 2018. According to the discipline, which Alexander agreed to have published.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Rate of illicit drug overdose deaths down in 1st quarter of 2019 Illicit drug deaths dropped 32 per cent in B.C. through the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to new statistics released by the B.C. Coroners S e r v i c e . The average number of deaths per month in January, February and March of this year fell to 89, down from 132 in 2018. The opioid fentanyl and its analogues continue to be a major concern, having been detected in approximately 85 per cent of the 227 illicit drug deaths recorded in the year’s first quarter. Other key findings show that carfentanil, a much more potent form of fentanyl, continues

to be a growing concern. It was found in 28.1 per cent of all fentanyl-detected deaths. New drug mix causing harder-to-revive overdoses, sparking panic in Vancouver Males continue to account for the majority of the illicit drug deaths — four out of five in the first quarter of 2019 — while two-thirds of those who died were aged 30-59. Nearly nine in every 10 illicit drug deaths occurred indoors, more than half in private residences. The B.C. Coroners Service said no deaths happened at safe consumption sites.

Unelected senators’ vote against B.C. tanker ban threatens ‘heart of democracy,’ says B.C. MP Leaders in northern B.C. are reeling after the Senate committee’s recommendation against a bill to ban oil tankers — and say they have been left questioning what the decision says about democracy in Canada. A 6-6 tie vote by the Senate’s transportation and communications committee on Wednesday night means Bill C-48, the tanker ban, is heading to chamber for further debate. Under Senate committee rules, a tie vote is the same as a vote against as it needs a clear majority of support to proceed. Senate committee recommends against proceeding with B.C. tanker ban bill “I was a bit shocked … to learn that the Senate, in the dead of night, had voted to essentially kill the bill,” said NDP MP Nathan Cullen, representative for Skeena—Bulkley Valley in northwest B.C. “It raises some other questions, beyond just the north coast and oil tankers, to actually the heart of our democracy.” MP Nathan Cullen is concerned that the unelected Senate is working

to defeat an oil tanker ban bill. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press) ‘You won’t be happy tomorrow’ Bill C-48 would prohibit tankers carrying more than 12,500 metric tonnes of oil from docking along a coastal area that stretches from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the Alaska border. The committee’s five Conservative senators voted against it, joined by Alberta independent Paula Simons. Five other independents and one selfidentified Liberal voted in favour. ‘Holds us hostage’: Kenney urges Senate committee to strike down oil tanker ban “Even if you don’t like this bill and you’re glad the Senate is trying to kill it — you may be happy today but you won’t be happy tomorrow when they kill a bill that you do like,” Cullen said. “It’s not even a right-wing or left-wing, or Conservative-Liberal-Democrat [issue].” Members of the Senate are appointed and not voted in.

Man charged with driving offence can have trial in French: Supreme Court Anyone charged with a provincial offence in British Columbia has a right to a trial in English or French — just like a criminal trial, the Supreme Court of Canada says. Éric Bessette (pictured), a francophone man living in B.C., was charged in 2014 under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving while prohibited. Before his trial began, he asked to have it conducted in French. His trial has been paused as his request wound its way through the courts. Under Canada’s Criminal Code, accused have the right to a trial in English or French. The provincial court rejected Bessette’s request, saying that in B.C., trials for provincial offences had to be conducted in English. On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada overturned that ruling clearing the way for Bessette to now have his trial in French. The court noted B.C.’s Offence Act — which sets out the rules on how trials for provincial offences should be conducted in B.C. — does not explicitly mention language rights. The court wrote that in case of gaps, the act says the Criminal Code would apply. “The plain intent of s. 133 of the Offence Act is to allow for incorporation of certain Criminal Code provisions in broad

and general terms,” the decision stated. The court said that if you used the language provisions stated in the Criminal Code to fill in the gap, trials for provincial offences should also be allowed in either language. The case could have an impact beyond British Columbia in provinces with similar gaps in their legislation, said Alexandra Heine, a Franco-Albertan and clerk at the Court of Queen’s Bench in Alberta who has followed the case closely. “It’s extremely important,” Heine said. “Because we are a country with two official languages, in my opinion, we should have the right to have any trial heard in French with a French judge, a French clerk, and a French prosecutor.” She says it will still take some time before the other provinces line up. “Just because B.C. can now do it [doesn’t mean] that Alberta can,” Heine said, adding it depends on what existing legislation exists. With this Supreme Court of Canada decision, however, she says the precedent is to favour trials in both official languages. “The Supreme Court has spoken, so we know now in those provinces where there is a gap in the legislation, you will be able to have your trial heard in French,” she said.

Wild pigs causing ‘ecological disaster’ as they spread rapidly across Canada, survey says For the first time, researchers have mapped the range of wild pigs across Canada and found the numbers of invasive swine are rising rapidly. Wild pigs are now Canada’s most prolific invasive mammal, according to what the University of Saskatchewan calls the first-ever published survey of their distribution in Canada — and they’re causing an “ecological disaster.” “They’ll root up the vegetation like a rototiller,” said researcher Ruth Aschim. “They’re rolling around in the water, defecating in it.”

“There is crop damage, disease transmission, even automobile crashes with these pigs.” The hunter and the scientist: 2 views on wild pigs in Saskatchewan The wild pigs are the legacy of a failed attempt to diversify meat production with wild boars. The porcine pests were imported from Europe in the 1980s and 1990s for livestock or “penned game” for hunters. Many boars escaped their pens and mated with pigs, said Aschim, and they’re now causing damage wherever they go. Researchers in a helicopter use a net gun to capture and put GPS collars on wild pigs. The wild pigs are rooting and wallowing from B.C. to Quebec. While most are in the Prairies, there are pockets in Ontario, Quebec, northeastern B.C., the B.C. Interior, and possibly even the Vancouver suburb of Langley. Only Atlantic Canada and the territories lack populations. They currently range over more than 750,000 square kilometres — an area larger than Chile — and between 2011 and 2017 their territory increased by an average of 88,000 square kilometres per year, researchers found. “The public is not overly aware of the wild pig problem, because they are elusive and nocturnal,” Aschim said. They grow as big as 115 kilograms (250 pounds), can eat almost anything, become sexually mature in four to eight months and have about six piglets in a litter. Researchers add they’re hardy in the winter as well, burrowing into “pigloos” in the snow.

Amitabh Bachchan feels he’s in the “wrong” job, Courtesy Amazon, Google & Apple Amitabh Bachchan takes social media my storm every time he posts a witty tweet. The megastar, who recently made headlines for his fun banter with Shah Rukh Khan over their recent film Badla,

others’ hourly revenue has made Big B feel that he’s in the wrong profession. The tweet read, “Amazon: $28.3 million per hour, Apple: $27.5 million per hour, Google: $17.2

co-starring Taapsee Pannu, has once again done the same, but this time it’s about his job. A tweet about world’s largest companies like Google, Amazon Apple, Facebook, Netflix among

million per hour, Microsoft: $14.5 million per hour, Intel: $7.6 million per hour, Facebook: $7.1 million per hour, Netflix: $2.1 million per hour.”Re-Tweeting to which, he wrote really...? We are in the wrong job ..!!!” Talking about Amitabh Bachchan-SRK’s

banter on Twitter over Badla, the megastar had revealed that he is not very pleased with the film not getting enough appreciation from its producer, distributor, line-producers or anyone from the industry. Replying to a fan’s tweet who posted the box office figures of the film, Big B had expressed his disappointment. He then wrote, “about time someone started talking about this silent success .. !! because neither the Producer, nor the distributor, nor the on line Producer, or any else in the Industry, in general .. has even spent a nano second to compliment the success of this film #Badla .. thk u” Within a few minutes, it was SRK, the producer of film who said, “Sir hum toh wait kar rahein hain ki aap party kab de rahein hain hum sabko! We r waiting outside Jalsa every nite!” Big B had then made a strong come back with his wittier reply to SRK’s tweet.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

‘De De Pyar De’ Mix of humor & emotions

604-566-3111 7233 - Fraser St., Vancouver, BC

“De De Pyar De” Produced by: Luv Ranjan, Ankur Garg, Bhushan Kumar, Krishen Kumar - Directed by: Akiv Ali Written by: Luv Ranjan, Tarun Jain & Surbhi Bhatnagar - Music: Amaal Mallik, Rochak Kohli, Tanishk Bagchi, Vipin Patwa, Manj Musik, Atul Sharma & Garry Sandhu Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh, Alok Nath, Madhu Malti Kapoor, Kumud Mishra, Inayat, Bhavin Bhanushali & Rajveer Singh Sp. App.: Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, & Jaaved Jafferi The primary credit for this delightful confection goes to Akiv Ali, the seasoned editor of (mainly) serious films, who turns director – and scores very high indeed! Here is a film with a heart, with guts, and without no-brainer humor. Sharp, incisive about an interfering and hypocritical society (including teenagers), it makes a case out for letting human beings be, while showing them rise above themselves, even as if they possess their faults, kinks and foibles. It is difficult indeed to slot such a movie: among Ajay Devgn’s movies, the closest we can come to is “Pyaar to Hona Hi Tha” (1998), in which a rom-com of a rather fresh flavor (within the usual ‘wrong partner’ formula) and family elements merge into a smooth and emotionally fulfilling whole. In that sense, this film scores a shade higher, even

if it lacks the brilliant music score of that film – an omnipresent malaise since many years now. But as a film, it packs a rare wallop with its mix of humor and emotional depth. The second hero of this film is the script, including its superb dialogues. The three writers need major accolades for not bringing in the old-fashioned end of a romantic

triangle between husband, wife and other woman (“Woh 7 Din,” “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” et al) which existed even earlier, by taking a bold stand of being progressive: a Luv Ranjan forte as seen in his earlier directorials. The film even makes light of tying a ‘raakhi’ on the wrong man, pitches its own case for living-in (for youngsters in love) and delves, albeit transiently, into the issues pertaining to an older partner’s age if children are born. In this same premise, it also makes light of sleeping together in today’s times. Ashish (Ajay Devgn), who works “in Finance” in London, encounters bartender and qualified engineer Aisha (Rakul Preet Singh) and they soon become friends.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Chaiyya Chaiyyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; The video was filmed on top of train (the Nilgiri Mountain Railway) in Tamil Nadu, southern India, while Shahrukh Khan dances with Malaika Arora and others. The film was directed by Mani Ratnam and recorded by Santosh Sivan. Choreography was completed in four and half days by Farah Khan. No major back projections or postproduction special effects were used in the music video. Malaika Arora, one of the performers, recalls: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Would you believe it? Well, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chaiya Chaiyaâ&#x20AC;? song was shot exactly as you see it on the screen: No camera tricks, no back projection, no postproduction special effects!â&#x20AC;?[6] She also said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;...One of the unit members tripped and hurt himself. Other than that, things were safe.â&#x20AC;? The song was featured in the opening of the second act of the musical Bombay

Dreams, in which the train sequence from Dil Se.. is recreated on stage. Remixes of the song were used in the opening and closing credits of the 2006 film Inside Man. The opening

HOROSCOPE Aries March 21 - April 20 Fiery Mars moves into Cancer and your domestic sector for a six-week stay, which could

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credits, set over shots of the robbery crew driving into Manhattan, feature an abridged version of the original with additional trumpet accompaniment, and the closing credits feature a hip-hop-inflected remix.

as sweet Venus, your personal planet, moves %

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Bollywood beauties at the French Riviera The 72nd Cannes Film Festival will get a taste of Bollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s girl power this year. Priyanka Chopra Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut have already reached the French Riviera, and more actresses will join the gala in the days to come. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Huma Qureshi, Mallika Sherawat and Diana Penty will also be seen at the Cannes gala, where popular Indian TV actress Hina Khan has already walked the red carpet. Known for her roles in shows like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Haiâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kasautii Zindagii Kay,â&#x20AC;? Hina wore a glittery grey gown with a moderate trail and a plunging neckline, leaving social media users gaga over her look. She will also be a speaker at the India Pavilion of the global film jamboree and will launch the first look of her film â&#x20AC;&#x153;Linesâ&#x20AC;? here. After landing in the city on May 16, Deepika Padukone posted an Instagram video, sharing her excitement and her schedule. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have just landed. We have to settle in because we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have much time. As soon as we get into hotel, we have to start with hair and make-up and literally a five-minute

fitting. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go,â&#x20AC;? she said in the video in which she is seen dressed up in a white shirt teamed with jeans and a chic denim jacket. Ahead of her Cannes trip, Padukone had asked her fans to help her choose an outfit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you think I should wear red on the red carpet? Yes or No,â&#x20AC;? she had posted on her Instagram Story. Priyanka Chopra Jonas will be making her debut at the Cannes festival. The actress was on flashback mode as she shared old photographs of Princess Diana, Grace Kelly and Sophia Laurenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cannes appearances on her social media. Excited about the debut, Chopra shared a video of a Chopard watch, writing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for Cannes,â&#x20AC;? making the reason behind her visit to the French Riviera apparent. Ranaut, who is here for a brand association, promises to deliver drama through her attire. One of her looks will include a sari by Falguni and Shane Peacock. To get into shape for her Cannes look, Ranaut even lost 5 kgs in 10 days as the shoot of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pangaâ&#x20AC;? had required her to gain some weight on her thighs. As for fashion icon Sonam, who has been a regular at the Cannes Film Festival, she will have elements of simplicity and elegance in her look at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s red carpet.

Bollywood

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Saturday, May 18, 2019

What happens when Kajol catches Ajay staring at other women? Ajay Devgn confesses that it’s natural for him to be attracted towards other women, revealing how Kajol reacts when she catches him staring at them. In an interview, Ajay shared a hidden truth of his personality, saying

To a question Kajol said: “Contrary to what you may believe about marriage, it’s not all rosy in the start, initially you make extra efforts to please each other, feeling your way around, so it’s difficult to take the

that he ‘must have felt’ attraction towards other women, but his wife Kajol would pass it off with a comment: “It’s just normal to feel.” He added “You can’t turn around and say I never felt (that way).” The couple, who have two children Nysa and Yug, recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary and appeared as featured cover stars for an Indian magazine.

relationship to the next level.” In his upcoming film ‘De De Pyaar De’, Ajay plays a middle-aged man who is dating a girl half his age, making his ex-wife ( played by his friend and actor Tabu) jealous. Ajay said that he has ‘never had that kind of a relationship as shown in the film, which is scheduled for release on Friday.

Bollywood

Saturday, May 18, 2019 Press release

Deepika’s ‘Chhapaak’ shoot

eepika Padukone started shooting for her upcoming film, Chhapaak, in which she plays an acid-attack survivor. We hear that post the shoot, at the end of the day, the actress makes sure that she unwinds by watching one episode of the TV series, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, a comedy-drama. Says a source, “Deepika’s role is very demanding and getting into the skin of the character takes a toll when you live the fierce journey of the survivor. So, to relax and divert her mind, she watches the series. It has now become a routine for her.” Padukone was born on 5 January 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark to Konkanispeaking parents. Her father, Prakash Padukone, a former badminton player, and her mother, Ujjala, is travel agent. Her younger sister, Anisha, a golfer.Her paternal grandfather, Ramesh, was a secretary of the Mysore Badminton Association. The family relocated to Bangalore, India when Padukone was a year old.[6] She was educated at Bangalore’s Sophia High School and completed her pre-university education at Mount Carmel College. She subsequently enrolled at the Indira Gandhi National Open University for a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology but later quit it due to scheduling conflicts with her modelling career. Padukone has admitted to being socially awkward as a child and did not have many friends. The focus of her

life was badminton, which she played competitively from a young age. Describing her daily routine in a 2012 interview, Padukone said, “I would wake up at five in the morning, go for physical training, go to school, again go for playing badminton, finish my homework, and go to sleep.” P a d u k o n e continued to pursue a career in badminton throughout her school years and played the sport in national level championships. She also played baseball in a few state level tournaments. While concentrating on her education and sporting career, Padukone also worked as a child model, first appearing in a couple of advertising campaigns at the age of eight. In the tenth grade, she changed focus and decided to become a fashion model. She later explained, “I realised that I was playing the game only because it ran in the family. So, I asked my father if I could give up the game and he wasn’t upset at all.” In 2004, she began a full-time career as a model under the tutelage of Prasad Bidapa. Early in her career, Padukone gained recognition with a television commercial for the soap Liril and modelled for various other brands and products.

Join Us as We Walk for A Drug and Gang Free Surrey PICS Society is organizing a Walk for A Drug and Gang Free Surrey from the Surrey City Hall to Holland Park tomorrow, May 18, 2019 from 9 am to 12 pm. PICS is leading this community initiative by following its vision to build a healthy and just society. The objective is to create awareness about the rise of gang violence and drug abuse in Surrey and the importance of providing programs, services and support systems to tackle this problem. Please note: Hon. Mike Farnworth - Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Local MLAs, MPs, and Councillors will be attending. Event Date & Time: Saturday – May 18, 2019, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Route: Surrey City Hall - Central Avenue – University Drive – Holland Park Duration of Walk: 30 Minutes Media Contact: Dorothy Poudel Fund Developer and Communications Officer Progressive Intercultural Services Society 604-596-7722 Ext:115 Dorothy.poudel@pics.bc.ca

Prit Shah’s debut track released Punjabi-based singer Prit Shah made an entry to the Punjabi music industry with the worldwide release of his debut track ‘Don’t Mess’ on May 10, 2019. The song was launched by music label Zee Music and Wall Street Studios on the TV Channels and Social media platforms with a much-created pre-hype a week before the date. The energetic video of the track with exotic locations of Dubai is done by young and dynamic Punjabi Music Video Director Tarunjyot Singh (Singh Media Work). Song’s catchy lyrics are done by Lally Sandhu, a new name in the industry, and the fabulous music is done by popular music director Jassi X. Speaking at the release of the track, Prit Shah said, “The song is really close to my heart! It’s our first ever track and it feels great to see how people are falling in love with it. The song is made with our heart and soul, and the whole team has brought life to the beautiful lyrics.” Also stated the Video Director, Tarunjyot Singh, “It’s one of my biggest projects so far, and

I feel great to be able to work on this beautiful project. The beautiful lyrics, music, and voice had to be given justice and my team has tried best to bring out a good looking Video. My heartiest thanks to the fans and followers who are loving the song and the video.” Tarunjyot Singh is a photographer turned Video Director who has done few big and medium projects in the recent past including Ammy Virk’s track ‘Hanju’, Sukshinder Shinda’s ‘Ma Da Karja’, which got great popularity too. Tarunjyot’s upcoming projects include many more Punjabi Videos and also being Assistant Direction to a big-scale Punjabi film with leading names. About title: Don’t Mess Artist: Prit Shah Music: Jassi X - Lyrics: Lally Sandhu Video Director: Tarunjyot Singh Label: Zee Music and Wall Street Studios For further information, please contact: manitsingh.ca@gmail.com

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Families seeing a brighter future thanks to Childcare BC By Katrina Chen

Community news

MP Dan Albas tables legislation to protect vulnerable people and property in emergency situations

Minister of State for Child Care

It’s a story that I’ve heard repeatedly: a parent, usually a mother, had to give up her career because it made more sense to stay home than to pay skyhigh child care fees. As we celebrate Child Care Month this May, I’m proud to say that, thanks to our historic investments in child care, this type of story is starting to change. I met a mom named Jamie who has been able to return to the workforce because our new Affordable Child Care Benefit has lowered her child care costs by more than $800 a month, so now she’s only paying the equivalent of $10 a day. She is thrilled to see that “government is investing in my child’s future and I am so happy that I can work for my family.” The Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative has helped parents like Mark and Liana save $400 a month on their fees. “With two young children, our child care costs were a significant part of our monthly budget,” Mark said. “This program has made a huge difference to our lives and has meant we can move into a home that better meets my family’s needs. Without it, this would never have been possible.” These stories are not unique. Many families have told us that the Affordable Child Care Benefit for low-income families and the non-income tested Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative are helping them to put more towards healthy groceries, enrol their kids in after-school activities like art and soccer, or set some money aside for an emergency. Some parents have described the savings as “life-changing” and have called to check with Ministry staff to make sure the calculations were correct! It is for these parents – and countless others across the province – that we are making these investments. Earlier this month, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released a report on

living wages in B.C. The writers of this report stated that “the cost of living for families with children is lower in 2019 thanks to the provincial government’s new child care policies.” In fact, the living wage needed by families in Metro Vancouver dropped to $19.50 an hour as a direct result of the child care savings for parents. Without these affordability programs, parents would need to make $22.47an hour to make ends meet. This impact is being felt across the province, with the report highlighting more than 10 other communities from Vancouver Island to the Interior, that saw the living wage drop due to the steps we have taken to make child care more affordable. These investments in families are also investments in our communities. A 2017 Conference Board of Canada report found that for every $1 spent on expanding Early Childhood Education enrolment of children under the age of five would yield close to $6 in economic benefits. Hearing these stories of change and knowing there are still families that are struggling reminds me exactly why we are pushing for the biggest social policy change in B.C.’s history. These changes will benefit families, the workforce and the economy. We made a commitment to lower parent fees, create new spaces, and support early childhood educators in B.C. We know that there’s more to do to reach that goal, and we’re committed to continuing to make life more affordable for families.

2019 Surrey International Trade Award winners The Surrey Board of Trade hosted the 11th Surrey International Trade Awards Reception, with the Hon. Minister James Gordon Carr, International Trade Diversification Minister, as the keynote speaker. The event, which focused on the strength and innovation as the foundation for building a successful international business, drew close to 200 attendees from Surrey and the Lower Mainland to celebrate Surrey’s import and export companies. This year’s award was presented to Northwest Mettech Corporation, a privatelyowned company incorporated in 1990. They manufacture advanced plasma thermal spray coating equipment, and provide expert coating service, support and development to customers to a variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, energy, printing, pulp & paper, mining, and metal processing. Mettech’s industrial clients are in global markets including China, Korea, India and the United Kingdom. “The Surrey Board of Trade is always amazed by the hidden jewels that we discover each and every year when we discover the international business successes that are in Surrey,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade. The Surrey International Trade Award Reception each year provides recognition for

the success of import and export achievement, raises awareness of the vital contribution international trade makes to B.C.’s economy and provides a catalyst for companies to reach even higher levels of excellence. The Surrey Board of Trade International Trade Team accepted applications and were evaluated on the criteria of: Innovation in their marketing strategy Trade growth Sustainable competitive advantage Silver Sponsor: Port of Vancouver Bronze Sponsor: Trans Mountain Corporation Media sponsors: 107.7 Pulse FM, and The Surrey Now-Leader For more information regarding this event, please contact Anita Huberman at anita@businessinsurrey.ca or 604.634.0342

MP Dan Albas, Member of Parliament for Central Okanagan— Similkameen—Nicola, introduced private members’ legislation which will further protect Canadians in their times of need. “As we have seen in New Brunswick, Quebec, and the Ottawa region over the last number of weeks, Canadians stand with our neighbours in times of crisis. This sense of community is part of what makes our country the best place in the world to live,” said MP Albas. “However, some people use disasters as an opportunity to abuse that trust and prey on the vulnerable through theft and looting.” If passed, Bill C-447, Act to Amend the Criminal Code (aggravating circumstance – evacuation order or emergency), would allow judges to take into

account natural disasters, emergencies and evacuation orders when sentencing criminals by adding them to the list of aggravating factors. “During a flood or forest fire, Canadians need to be focused on their family’s health and safety, not worried about their home being looted or vandalized while they are away,” said MP Albas. “Far too many people don’t listen to evacuation orders because they are concerned about their property. Hopefully, all parties can support this common-sense change so that we can give that crucial peace of mind to Canadians in their time of need.” MP Albas continued, “I would also like to thank Jeremy Roberts, MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean, for his work and collaboration on this important legislation.”

Conservatives Support Investigation into BC Money Laundering Conservative Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Member of Parliament for Central Okanagan - Similkameen - Nicola, released the following statement regarding the British Columbia government’s decision to launch a public inquiry into money laundering: “Canada’s Conservatives take money laundering and other white-collar crimes seriously. “According to reports released last week, more than $5 billion worth of real estate transactions in B.C. last

year were the result of money laundering. As a result, housing prices increased by 5%, directly impacting the affordability crisis British Columbians are already facing.“British Columbians deserve answers into the rampant money laundering that has taken place in the province. The status quo must not be allowed to continue. “That is why Canada’s Conservatives support the British Columbia government’s decision to launch a public inquiry into money laundering and we expect Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government to do the same.”

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Vol. 10 No. 16

Saturday - May 18, 2019

Tel: 604-591-5423

E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com

Dirty money driving up BC home prices as more than $40-billion laundered across Canada in 2018 More than $7-billion in dirty money was washed through British Columbia’s economy last year – driving up the cost of buying a home by at least 5 per cent, according to reports released on Thursday by the B.C. government. The distorting effects of illicit proceeds of criminal activities being laundered through real estate, gambling and luxury goods are felt throughout the Canadian economy, and the most serious failures in law, regulations and enforcement that have allowed this to happen will require federal changes to tackle, according to the reports from Peter German, a former RCMP deputy commissioner, and law professor Maureen Maloney, the chair of B.C.’s expert panel on money laundering in real estate. In fact, Prof. Maloney’s investigation found that Ontario, Alberta and the Prairies had

an even bigger problem. “Clearly this is a national issue,” B.C. AttorneyGeneral David Eby said. Mr. Eby described the scale of moneylaundering uncovered in the reports as shocking, and noted that, using only publicly accessible data, the two reviews still uncovered thousands of properties and transactions at high risk for money laundering or tax evasion. Finance Minister Carole James sail that British Columbians have

A North Shore realtor is Real estate company sued after alleged suing the company she worked romantic feelings for her that she rebuffed. for over allegations she was assaulted by a She says that following this rejection, Hall’s male colleague and eventually forced to attitude toward her changed and he began leave her job. Lisa Eileen Billett claims that behaving in a controlling and erratic manner. Colin Hall, who formed a partnership with Billet claims that on April 19, 2017, she and her at Sutton West Coast Realty, developed Hall attended an awards dinner put on by

paid a price, with home prices spiralling out of reach in major markets, especially in Metro Vancouver. “Money laundering in our housing market is not a victimless crime,” she said. Buying sprees, obscured ownership: Report reveals red flags of money laundering in B.C.’s property market German Report reveals extensive money-laundering in B.C.’s luxury car market Canada needs to stop being dirty money’s 24hour laundromat The

Maloney report said real estate accounted for, in a cautious estimate, $5-billion of the total amount of money believed to have been laundered through B.C. in 2018. The province estimates based on this that money laundering boosted the benchmark price of a typical home (including detached houses, condos and townhouses) in the Vancouver region by $50,000. However, the authors of the two reports said on Thursday that it may be higher, as the five per cent estimate was averaged out across the province. According to Prof. Maloney’s report, commissioned by the Finance Minister to examine the role of financial regulations, B.C. ranks fourth among Canada’s regions for the amount of dirty money being laundered, behind Alberta, Ontario and the Prairies. The total amount of money laundered in Canada last year, her task force estimates, exceeds $40-billion.

North Vancouver assault involving co-worker Sutton West Coast and that as he was driving her home, he demanded that Billett return a letter he had given her stating he was committed to the partnership and addressing some of his previous conduct. In the lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court, she says when she refused to

return the letter, Hall began to wrestle her purse away from her while driving his car in excess of the speed limit and then swerved off the bridge onto the Dollarton off-ramp in North Vancouver and pulled into an empty parking lot.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

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

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

Over 11 percent of Vancouver condos have at least one non-resident as an owner, a number that jumps to more than 19 per cent when it comes to newer built condos. The information is contained in a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation housing market insight report which also found that non-residents â&#x20AC;&#x201D; defined as someone who

doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have their principal residence in Canada â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tend to own more expensive properties than residents, especially in Vancouver. Some of the other findings: 7.2 per cent of all Vancouver properties have at least one non-resident owner. Non-resident ownership is highest in

Classifieds / Jobs Looking for work? Cleaning company wanted workers for clean up job in Coquitlam For more details please call 604-902-2858

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Matrimonial Punjabi Bansal family seeking a suitable mach for their 31 year old,” son, Height 5’.11, Handsome,Sober, soft spoken, vegetarian currently in Patiala Punjab India. He has done studies in BTech Computer Science and working in Judicial Department as IT Analyst in Patiala. Girl should be well educated and family oriented freferably Canadian citizen or Canadian Permanent resident. For more details please call 604-617-0615 or email Kushal.20776@gmail.com

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

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

Saturday, May 18, 2019

SPECIAL INVITATION The South h Asian A i B Business i Association A i in partnership with Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation presents:

Health & Wellness Forum in Celebration of SABAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10th Anniversary To create: awareness, prevention, treatment, & rehabilitation regarding heart & stroke care With presentations from medical professionals & specialists STEP and an opportunity to ask questions

Sunday, May 26, 2019 11am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3pm Taj Park Convention Centre 8580 132 Street, Surrey BC

To RSVP, contact: Balwinder S. Chahal, Event Chair: balwinderchahal@yahoo.com or 604-807-3084 Ken Dhillon, President SABA: kendhillon@hotmail.com or 604-377-9015 MS Dhaliwal, Founding President SABA: 604-807-2808 Victor Lall, Past President SABA: victorlall@shaw.ca or 604-649-6331 Kuldip Gill, Vice Chair of the Event: 604-551-4441 Jatinder Sandhar, Vice President SABA: 604-308-9913

Saturday, May 18, 2019

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Saturday, May 18, 2019

DREAM CARPET

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Police vehicles wrecked as drivers leads RCMP in ‘dangerous pursuit’ in Nanaimo Two RCMP vehicles were destroyed and a 28-year-old man taken into custody after police say they were led on a “dangerous pursuit” in Nanaimo. Police say officers responded to report of a female heard yelling for help from inside a van parked on the side of a road at about 11:40 a.m., but when police approached a man jumped into the driver’s seat and sped away. Const. Gary O’Brien says the wellbeing of the woman gave police sufficient grounds to pursue and try to stop the vehicle. Over the next 25 minutes, police say the driver sped through stop signs, traffic

control devices, and drove in the opposite direction at a high rate of speed on busy roads before police blocked in the vehicle. The driver, a man from Parksville, was taken into custody and is accused of flight from police, dangerous driving and possession of stolen property. The RCMP say the man’s 21-year-old female companion was released without charge. Police say the older model Dodge camper van that was involved in the chase was allegedly stolen from the Parksville area.

Canada ‘takes Sikh extremism seriously’ memo to Freelandsaid before India trip

ollifying India over its persistent concerns about “Sikh extremism” was top of mind for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his delegation during their visit to South Asia last year, declassified records show, even as the government now acknowledges the use of the term unfairly maligns an entire community. Canada finds itself in a difficult spot — accused of pandering to both sides, said Anil Varughese, a professor of public policy at Carleton University. On the one hand, it wants to show support for India and its concerns about territorial integrity. On the other hand, there’s an “electorally significant minority” of Sikhs back home whose interests it also can’t ignore. “Canada is trying to balance

these competing demands,” he said. Pressure was building to stabilize relations between Canada and India, according to a Feb. 13, 2018, briefing note prepared for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland days before her official visit. “The visit has the potential to reflect a genuine turning point in the Canada-India relationship,” said the document, which was obtained under access-to-information laws. “There is much we can offer each other, in commercial and security terms and in the fruits of collaboration in international fora. Although the road may not always be smooth, India is clearly an emerging power that will remain at the centre of Asian economic and geopolitical developments for decades to come.” To that end, “Sikh extremism” was highlighted as a chief talking point in a memo provided to Freeland in advance of her meeting with India’s national security adviser, Ajit Doval. It appeared to be a direct response to the drumbeat of criticism that had been levelled by Indian officials at Canada for not doing enough to address a perceived rise in extremism among Sikhs who seek an independent homeland. Under “Top Line Messages,” Freeland was encouraged to tell Doval that “Canada takes Sikh extremism seriously and respects India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” There were additional bullet points about how Canada was being responsive to “Sikh Terrorism,” but they were redacted. “Despite the fact that there have been no incidents of extremist violence associated with the Sikh community in Canada for decades and no actual evidence has ever been provided to substantiate these allegations, India has made ‘Sikh extremism’ a key issue in Canada-India relations,” Balpreet Singh, legal counsel for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, said in an email. “It is disappointing … that the Canadian government seems to have bought into this Indian rhetoric and gone down the path of appeasing the Indian government on this issue.” It is disappointing … that the Canadian government seems to have bought into this Indian rhetoric. Balpreet Singh, legal counsel for the World Sikh Organization of Canada Canada has since abandoned using the term Sikh extremism, acknowledging that it “unintentionally impugns an entire religion.” It was prompted to do so after coming under heavy criticism from several groups within Canada’s Sikh community for using the term in its most recent annual public report on the terrorism threat in the country. The report noted that while violent activities in support of an independent Sikh homeland (Khalistan) in India have fallen since the 1980s, when terrorists carried out the bombing of an Air India flight, support for the extreme ideologies of such groups remains, including through financing. The decision, however, to scrub the term from the report has led to accusations that Canada too easily succumbed to pressure from the Sikh community. The Hindustan Times reported last month that Indian officials were “aghast at the perceived capitulation to pressure.” Canada’s attempts to placate India over its security concerns didn’t stop with Freeland. A report released in December by a special committee of parliamentarians tasked with reviewing the trip to India found that Canada’s then-national security adviser, Daniel Jean, was also “deeply invested in addressing Indian security concerns about Canada and the Canadian government in order to ensure the success of the prime minister’s trip.”

Saturday, May 18, 2019 Norht Vancouver seeks legal action to demolish expropriated home of a woman accused of standing in way of a $198 million highway project The District of North Vancouver is going to the court in a bid to demolish the expropriated home of a woman accused of standing in the way of a $198 million highway project. According to documents filed in B.C. Supreme Court, the homeowner — Juanna Patricia Hanlon — says she needs more time

to pack up a lifetime’s worth of belongings. “Frankly, our client feels that she is being beaten up by a large powerful bully,” Hanlon’s lawyer wrote in a letter filed as part of correspondence with the district. “And, we remind you, our client is already in a fragile and distressed state of mind because her home is being taken away from her and all of her possessions and records are being placed in jeopardy.” An application for an injunction that

would force Hanlon to vacate the home immediately is set for Friday morning. BC gov’t to study fixed-link rapid transit to North Shore The district claims the one-storey, twobedroom house threatens the timely completion of the Lower Lynn Interchange Project, “which is intended to alleviate traffic congestion in the vicinity of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge.” “The house on the property must be demolished for the project to continue,” the application says. This photograph, filed in B.C. Supreme Court, indicates lanes of a new highway at the foot of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge. The red arrow indicates Juanna Hanlon’s expropriated home. According to an affidavit from Mike Farnyuk, senior project supervisor, the house currently sits on land intended for parts of the new sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and gas lines. “A new water line will run through the front yard,” Farnyuk wrote. Farnyuk claims that there is “potential risk of delay” if the house isn’t destroyed by next Monday and a “serious risk” if it’s not destroyed by May 27.

CBSA given new powers to seize chemicals used to make illegal opioids Canada’sborderofficialsnowhavenewpowers to seize chemicals used to make illegal opioids. On Wednesday, the federal government announced amendments to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to allow certain law enforcement agencies, including the Canada Border Services Agency, to stop what’s known as precursor chemicals from being brought into Canada and then used to make deadly fentanyl and amphetamines, such as methamphetamine and ecstasy. Previously, officers could only act once the illegal substances were actually made or if there was evidence that the raw chemicals were going to be used to make an illegal drug. More than 10,300 Canadians lost their lives to opioids in less than 3 years The National Today Fentanyl ‘loopholes’ target of

Chinese crackdown on drug’s exporters “The regulatory amendments that come into effect today will help protect the health and safety of Canadians by making it easier for our border service and police officers to tackle illegal trafficking and production of controlled substances involving novel chemicals,” said Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor in statement. “Controlling these chemicals will help to reduce the contamination of the illegal drug supply with highly toxic substances, ultimately helping to save lives.” The changes are effective immediately meaning officers can start seizing chemicals like benzylfentanyl and norfentanyl. The opioid crisis has killed more than 10,330 Canadians since January 2016, according to Health Canada.

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Justice Gascon attributes his disappearance to depression & anxiety Supreme Court Justice Clément Gascon says that his sudden disappearance last week, which triggered a police search, was the result of a long battle with depression and anxiety and a recent change in medication. “For over 20 years, I have been dealing with a sometimes insidious illness: depression and anxiety disorders,” Gascon said in a statement Tuesday. “This is an illness that can be treated and controlled, some days better than others. On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 8, affected both by the recent announcement of a difficult and heart-rending career decision, and by a change in medication, I conducted myself in an unprecedented and unaccustomed manner by going out without warning and remaining out of touch for several hours. “I can neither explain nor justify what I understand to have been a panic attack, and I wish to apologize most profusely to all those who suffered as a result. This health issue has been taken care of and treated with the necessary medical support. “I confirm that I am in good health, and am fully capable of performing my duties as a judge.” Last week, the Ottawa Police Service issued a bulletin asking the public for help in finding Gascon, after the 59-year-old judge went missing from the 300 block of Wellington Street in Ottawa shortly after 1 p.m. He was found unharmed later that evening. A day after being reported missing, SCC Justice Gascon ‘in good health,’ family says Supreme Court Justice Clément Gascon has been safely found, police say Gascon, who was appointed to Canada’s top

court in 2014, recently announced his plans to retire from his position on Sept. 15 for personal and family reasons. For an additional six months after his official retirement, he’ll be allowed to participate in decisions on cases he heard while sitting on the Supreme Court. Justice Minister and Attorney General David Lametti praised Gascon for his bravery in speaking out about his health issues and wished him well going forward. “It takes courage for anyone to speak out about their struggles with mental illness, let alone when that person is a Supreme Court justice. Judge Gascon has demonstrated courage and strength throughout his career and in his willingness to share his story with Canadians. I wish him and his family all the best,” Lametti said. Chief Justice Richard Wagner told reporters in Ottawa he has complete faith in Gascon and praised him for his courage in coming forward. “I am extremely proud of my colleague,” Wagner said during a media event at the Supreme Court Tuesday evening. In a followup statement, Wagner said, “I look forward to seeing [Gascon] back on the bench this week.” Gascon offered his appreciation to those who have helped him through “this trying time” and said his thoughts are focused on his future. “Although I know that I cannot erase what happened, I wish to put it behind me and look ahead. I have learned important lessons from it and will continue to do so over time, and with the necessary patience and assistance on which I know I can count.”

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Canadian drug makers hit with $1.1B lawsuit for promoting opioids despite risks Canadian drug makers enriched themselves at the expense of vulnerable patients by illegally and deceptively promoting highly addictive opioids that have killed thousands in recent years, a proposed class action filed Wednesday asserts. The untested statement of claim filed in Ontario Superior Court seeks more than $1.1 billion in various damages from almost two dozen companies, including some of the biggest pharmaceutical names in the country such as Apotex, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson and Johnson, and the Jean Coutu Group. The suit, filed on behalf of patients who became addicted to prescribed opioids, also seeks a declaration that the companies were

negligent in how they researched, developed and marketed opioids starting in the 1990s. “The defendants knew that anyone who injected opioids would be at significant risk of becoming addicted,” the claim asserts. “As such, the defendants breached statutory and common law duties to the plaintiff and class who became addicted to opioids for which the defendants owe damages.” ‘There really is no safe opioid’: Study finds tramadol isn’t a less addictive painkiller The proposed representative plaintiff is Darryl Gebien, of Toronto, a former emergency room doctor prescribed the opioid Percocet for a ligament injury in his thumb. Gebien became addicted, the claim asserts.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Justin Trudeau warns of China’s growing threat as detained Canadians formally arrested The crisis in Canada-China relations deepened Thursday as Beijing ordered the formal arrest of two detained Canadians on still-unspecified national-security violations and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned China is a growing threat. Trudeau told reporters in Paris that China is defying international norms around the world and vowed to keep enlisting international allies to protest China’s actions, in spite of Beijing’s caution against making “irresponsible” remarks. “We continue to take the safety of the Canadians detained arbitrarily in China with the utmost priority,” Trudeau said. “One of the things we see increasingly around the world is that the Chinese government is not following the same kinds of rules and principles that the large majority of democracies follow in regards to rulesbased order, in regards to international

relations,” the prime minister said. In its latest move, the Chinese government confirmed Thursday that former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor have been formally arrested and transferred from a shadowy “residential surveillance” centre to separate state prisons on pending charges of “secretly gathering” or “illegally providing” state secrets for “foreign forces.” Kovrig and Spavor “are in the hands of powers far above the prosecutors who are officially assigned to their cases,” said Margaret K. Lewis, professor of law at Seton Hall University School of Law, who specializes in criminal justice in mainland China. “On the surface, the process is following the criminal procedure law. But there is no doubt that people much higher up are really calling the shots.”

Parliament unanimously agrees to apologize to Vice-Admiral Mark Norman House of Commons unanimously passes a motion to apologize to Vice-Admiral Mark Norman for what he had to endure while facing criminal breach-of-trust charges. Conservative MP Lisa Raitt got unanimous consent for the statement of regret shortly after question period today. Norman was second-incommand of the Canadian military when he was charged in 2018 in connection with the alleged leak of secrets to a Quebec shipyard. The case against him collapsed a week ago when prosecutors said they’d received new information from the defence that put Norman’s actions in a new light. The military is trying to find a place for him again, since his job as vicechief of the defence staff was filled while he was suspended from duty. With Raitt’s motion, the House of Commons recognized Norman’s years of loyal service to Canada. The motion goes on to “express regret for

the personal and professional hardships he endured as a result of his failed prosecution and apologize to him and his family for what they experienced during their legal conflict with the government.” MPs all agreed to slide the motion into the Commons’ regular business after question period and approved it on a quick voice vote. Support for the statement comes just days after Public Services and Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough told the West Block’s Mercedes Stephenson that the government would not be apologizing to Norman, saying it risked overstepping into the activities of independent police and judiciary.

The Bank of Canada is underestimating the housing slump, Capital Economics warns The Bank of Canada may be underestimating the extent of the cooling in the country’s housing market as well as its knock-on effects for the consumer-driven economy, according to research firm Capital Economics. Sales of pre-construction units in Toronto and Vancouver slowed in 2018, making it harder for developers to secure financing for their projects, said Stephen Brown, the firm’s senior economist for Canada. That in turn is likely to impact employment and consumption, which accounts for about 60 per cent of the country’s output. “The Bank of Canada is underestimating what’s to come in regards to residential investment,” Brown said in an interview Monday in Toronto. This is only the second time in 21 years that home prices have failed to rise in April Parklandrequirementfornewdevelopments driving up GTA housing costs, study finds How Vancouver became the world’s

‘laundromat for foreign organized crime’ Capital Economics estimates that the Bank of Canada will cut rates twice this year, dropping the benchmark rate to 1.25 per cent, from 1.75 per cent. That’s far from consensus, with implied policy rates in the swaps market signalling just one rate cut over the next two years, Bloomberg data show. The research firm expects that families will have to use a bigger portion of their income to bolster savings because home equity will be constrained by muted price gains. New home sales in Toronto declined at the start of the last year and remained flat since then, averaging 25,530 units per month, compared with a monthly average of 46,841 units in 2017, according to data from real estate consultant Altus Group. The housing starts adjustment is just beginning, with monthly averages since January 2018 at 39,301 units, compared with 39,703 average

Saturday, May 18, 2019

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh now opposes fracking in BC after losing seat to Green Party In an about-face coming a week after his party lost a Vancouver Island seat to the Green Party, federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he doesn’t support fracking and has concerns about a major liquefied natural gas project in British Columbia. Singh, who has previously voiced support for LNG Canada’s $40-billion natural gas export facility in northern B.C. and the Coastal GasLink pipeline that would feed it, told reporters in Ottawa on Monday that “the future of Canada does not include fracking.” His comments come just days after NDP candidate Svend Robinson tweeted that his party’s loss of last week’s byelection in Nanaimo—Ladysmith is a “wake up call,” and demanded a stronger stance from the federal leader “opposing fracking and all new oil and gas infrastructure.” Nanaimo by-election is wake up call to Federal NDP. Apology owed to @paulmanly for shameful

treatment in 2015. And we must as party take clear stand opposing fracking and all new oil and gas infrastructure incl LNG, and Site C,

champion. Asked about LNG Canada, Singh told reporters that any resource development project must be in line with Canada’s climatechange goals, respect Indigenous rights and create jobs. “At this point, there’s some concerns that I’ve raised, and (the project) has not satisfied all those criteria,” he said. Singh had previously signalled his changing stance on LNG. “I want to build a future in which we are not fracking and burning,” he said during an April 29 speech in the House of Commons.

PM Trudeau set to sign New Zealand PM’s pledge to tackle violent, extremist online content Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to sign an international pledge in Paris Wednesday aimed at getting governments and social media companies working together to curb the spread of violent and extremist content online. Trudeau is attending the Christchurch Call meeting in Paris. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who is co-chairing the meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, is expected to cite the massacre of 51 Muslim worshippers in two New Zealand mosques in March as she pushes for a sweeping agreement to combat terrorist content disseminated on social media. In a press release announcing the Paris visit last week, Trudeau voiced his fear that social media platforms increasingly are being weaponized “as tools to incite, publish and broadcast extremist violence and hatred.” He called for “a coordinated global response” to tackle the problem. And while the details of the non-binding pledge up for approval in Paris tomorrow are sketchy at this

point, the New York Times reports it will call on social media firms to examine software that directs users to violent content and ask them to share more data with government authorities to find and eliminate violent, extremist material. People comfort each other outside the Al-Noor mosque on March 22, a week after a pair of attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand killed 51 people and injured dozens more. The summit came together in the wake of gun attacks on two Christchurch mosques in March that left 51 dead. Video of the attacks was live-streamed for nearly 17 minutes on social media and was subsequently uploaded thousands of times, as social media companies struggled to remove it. The leaders of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Indonesia and Senegal, and the president of the European Commission, will also be in Paris, along with high-level officials from Facebook, Twitter, Google and Microsoft.

Illigal refugee claims in Canada drop nearly 50% from last year The number of illegal refugee claims crossing the border “irregularly” into Canada has slowed compared to early last year. Statistics published by the federal government show the RCMP apprehended 3,944 irregular migrants between official border crossings in the first third of this year. That’s a 48-per-cent decline compared to the more than 7,600 irregular border crossers intercepted between January and April 2018. Despite this, Darrell Bricker of the polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs says data shows Canadians are increasingly concerned over immigration levels in Canada, due in large part to the influx of irregular migrants. He and other experts who took part in an immigration summit in Ottawa last week are warning against rising populist sentiments that could harden Canadian attitudes against newcomers. Fen Hampson, executive director

of the World Refugee Council, says a key concern is that the public doesn’t differentiate between refugees and economic immigrants —

and that Canadians may not realize Canada’s refugee influx is nothing compared to the migrant crises facing other countries. Irregular migrant claims last month dropped to lowest levels since June 2017 Canada has removed only 6 of 900 asylum seekers facing U.S. deportation.

NATIONAL

INDIA - Elections 2019 Oxford Dictionary steps in as Rahul slams PM Modi with “New Word”

The Oxford Dictionary inserted itself into a political debate in India after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi claimed that the there was a new word in English language “Modilie”, targeting PM Modi for “constantly modifying the truth”. Tweeting a photoshopped screenshot of the dictionary’s website, Mr Gandhi said, “There’s a new word in the English Dictionary”. Replying to Mr Gandhi’s tweet, Oxford Dictionary said the image he shared was “fake” and “does not exist”. We can confirm that the image showing the entry ‘Modilie’ is fake and does not exist in any of our Oxford

Dictionaries. - Oxford Dictionaries (@ OxfordWords) May 16, 2019. Though Mr Gandhi did not name Oxford Dictionary, the screenshot shared by Mr Gandhi showed a website that resembled that of celebrated publication’s, complete with an ad for the Congress. “To constantly Modify the truth,” said one of the definitions inside the screenshot shared by Mr Gandhi, a play on words using the Prime Minister’s surname to indicate what the Congress has termed his habit of not speaking the truth on a number of issues.

Election Commission acting under pressure: Mayawati Rallying behind Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati leader of Bahujan Samaj Party accused PM Modi & BJP’s Amit Shah of targeting West Bengal CM as part of a conspiracy and said it reflected a “dangerous attitude”. A day after the Election Commission curtailed campaigning in West Bengal, Mayawati charged that the poll body acted under pressure of the Central Government. Addressing a press conference here, she said, “Everyday we are getting some kind of news from Bengal for which the BJP and RSS are responsible.” “As far as election-related violence is concerned there, it can be seen clearly that the BJP and the government led by PM Narendra Modi and his chela (follower) BJP president Amit Shah, under a planned conspiracy, have

been targeting the Mamata Banerjee Government,” Mayawati said. “During Lok Sabha elections, Mamata and her government are being targeted under a conspiracy to divert people’s attention from failures of the Modi government,” the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister charged. The manner in which the ‘guru’ and ‘chela’ are after the Mamata Banerjee Government is also indicative of a “dangerous attitude which is not only wrong but unjustified,” she said. “Such a conspiracy to defame Mamata and her government is unbecoming of a PM,” she said. Coming down hard on the poll body, she said, “It is unfortunate that the Election Commission acted under pressure of the Centre in curtailing electioneering in West Bengal while the PM could address two rallies today”.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

“Passion is higher, endeavour greater”: PM tweets Days before the last round of the mammoth 7-phase Lok Sabha elections that bring in a new government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a moment today to reflect on a memory from 2014 when he was inching closer to a historic win. On Twitter, PM Modi shared a picture that showed him surrounded by cameras and flashing a victory sign. “With the blessings of 130 crore Indians, we’ve worked to fulfil aspirations and build a strong, secure and developed India. Today the passion is higher and the endeavour greater. We will continue serving people and their realising dreams,” PM Modi wrote

along with his throwback photo. Today the passion is higher & endeavour greater. We will continue serving people & their realising dreams. pic.twitter. com/qLq08eAy4E - Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2019 In 2014, the PM Modi-led BJP had swept the election, becoming the first party to win a majority in over three decades. The party had achieved an absolute majority, securing 282 seats out of 543. The face of the BJP’s election campaign, PM Modi is contesting elections from Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, the constituency where he had defeated AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal with a massive margin of 3.37 lakh votes.

‘Modi as leader has failed India’: Former PM Manmohan Singh Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh spoke exclusively to The Tribune on a variety of issues, saying India will be immensely relieved as the Modi government is shown the exit door. The sordid saga of uninterrupted trauma, disruptive policies and malgovernance, which the current government so notoriously embodies, shall hopefully end. Five years of the Modi government have created a sense of deep despair. Massive unemployment, rampant rural distress, soaring losses of our small and medium businesses, snatching the rights of our deprived sections and colossal corruption without accountability, coupled with incessant attack on our institutions, have been the miseries inflicted by this government. Damaging our social fabric

and silencing the voices of dissent by pasting them with ludicrous agenda-driven labels has been the modus operandi of the BJP. This is being propagated as the ‘New India’. Grace and decorum have become things of the past. Nauseating noises, endless loud rhetoric and a crass narrative have unfortunately lowered the dignity of discourse. This is being primarily propagated right from the top echelons of power in this government. The office of the Prime Minister embodies gravitas and an onerous responsibility, making it an example for the others to emulate. Sadly, Modiji refuses to comprehend or understand the restraint and dignity the office enjoins. This is hurting India’s image as a vibrant democracy.

Security guard’s son tops board exam with 99.8% marks When his classmates enrolled for private coaching, Ayushman Tamrakar was pretty much focused on what teachers taught. However, he had the belief that he would pull off something spectacular and much to his expectations, he did manage to make the headlines for a fantastic achievement. Chowkidar’s son couldn’t afford the tuition fee, but that didn’t stop him from making his parents proud. The 16-yearold topped the Class X state board exams on Wednesday with a staggering 99.8% marks (499/500). The 16-year-old aspires to be an engineer “so that he may ask his father to stop working as watchman”. “It pains me to see my father struggling for me and my siblings. With a salary of only Rs 4,000, you can imagine how

hard it is for him,” said Ayushman. His father named Vimal Tamrakar, 51 years old who works as a watchman at a marriage hall. Ayushman’s burning attitude also inspired his twin sister Ayushi, who also appeared the Class X exams, scored a staggering 92%. Their mother identified as Barkha Tamrakar supported the family by working in Sarafa market. “She does manual labour there. She is also a hard worker and always supported me and my siblings,” said Ayushman. Upon learning that his family can’t afford to pay private school fees, he took the test for School of Excellence scheme and then managed to get a slot. “I am a student of the School of Excellence in Sagar. They have excellent teachers, who encouraged us,” said Ayushman.

Woman 82, begins Santhara, a voluntary fast until death Kanchan Devi Baid, an 82-year-old Jain woman, has decided to embrace death by opting for ‘’Santhara’’, a practice of voluntary fasting in which a person stops the intake of food and water. This practice is called “a festival of death” by the members of the Jain community. Ms Baid, willing to end her life, began fasting on May 11, her family told news agency ANI. Her granddaughter Nivedita Navlakkha said, “Santhara is part of our culture and is not new for us. I have heard that elders in our family have earlier observed this.” “Seeing this in front of our eyes is not easy, but we are happy as she will attain “moksha” (salvation),” she added. She explained that “Santhara” in Jainism is a means of destroying rebirth-influencing karma by withdrawing all physical and mental activities.

“When death is near, we embrace it by letting our soul leave our body. This is happening for generations and we have followed this practice as taught to us by our elders,” Ms Baid’s son Puspraj Sankhla said. “We want to live a life following beliefs and practices of Jainism. In our religion, we believe in “tapasya”. We only drink water during this period. The biggest “tapasya” for us is “Santhara”. When a person feels that no medicine is working to heal her/him from a disease and death is near, we give up food too and observe “Santhara”,” he added. Ms Baid’s brother Deepchand Sankhla said two of his elder siblings had also observed “Santhara”. People are gathering at their home and praying for the peace of her soul.

PUNJAB

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Rahul promises action against those involved in ‘sacrilege’ cases Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the SAD-BJP alliance at Bargari village of Faridkot district, which was the epicentre of the sacrilege incidents of October 2015. The chief minister announced that a memorial would be built at Bargari in memory of the youths who were killed in the police firing. He said a committee of Bargari villagers would soon be announced to decide on how to build the memorial. He blamed Akali Dal patron and former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for using the police to fire at innocent and peaceful protesters. Intensifying his attack on the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab, Gandhi promised strict action against those

involved in the 2015 desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib. Recalling his previous visit to the Punjab town, where the first incident of “sacrilege” took place and two people died in police firing at protesters, Gandhi said, “Your ‘dharm’ was disrespected.” Strict action will be taken against the perpetrators, he promised. “I give you a guarantee on this.” The row over the 2015 incidents continues in Punjab with the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government, blaming the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state for it. At another rally on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi’s sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi had also tried to corner BJP’s ally SAD over the issue.

A changed image shows Sikh Mayor as dictator Ravinder Singh Bhalla was born January 13, 1974, also known as Ravi Bhalla, an American civil rights lawyer, politician, and the first ever Sikh mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, USA has been allegedly racially targeted after his photoshopped image as an Arab dictator published on a local website. The New Jersey-based website, “Hudson Mile Square View”, ran an image of Hoboken Mayor Bhalla that resembled the lead character played by British actor Sacha Baron Cohen in the comedy film “The Dictator”. The photo was part of a story titled, “Ravi Bhalla goes to the mattresses... for his tax increase”. It accused Bhalla of “summoning all the powers” of his office to “reinstitute a tax increase” that was not approved by the city council. According to the website, Bhalla had proposed a 3 per cent tax increase, but the council slashed it to 1 per cent. The story said now “the pushback

Punjab NRIs indifferent to elections this time The interest of NRIs in Punjab elections is almost nil this time. They seem to have forsaken all parties. In the last elections, Punjabis living abroad were aggressively wooed by the SAD-BJP, Congress and even the Left. There was a time when overseas supporters of the SAD and Congress would arrive in Punjab one or two months prior to the elections and host parties with the objective to persuade their near and dear ones to vote for their party. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the NRIs had descended on Punjab in droves, mainly to canvass for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Canada-based supporters had even chartered a flight from Toronto to New Delhi.

Godman found dead at dera The head of a religious place was found murdered at Alisher village in the district on Tuesday. The police have registered a case. Lehra SHO Gurnam Singh said the deceased, Kalyan Das (55), had been staying at Peer Khana Dera on the Khadial road, Alisher village, from the last one year. When villagers went to the dera on Tuesday for morning prayers, they found Das murdered.

from the Mayor’s office to take back the tax reduction is underway”.

We will counter China with ‘Made in Ludhiana’ - Rahul Congress president Rahul Gandhi onWednesday promised to revive the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in cities like Ludhiana. “Without ‘Made in Ludhiana’, Indian can never meet the challenge of ‘Made in China’,” he said. Rahul slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “ruining” the Indian economy. Demonetisation and GST (that he labelled as Gabbar Singh Tax) have weakened the economy, he said, while addressing a gathering at Mullanpur here. He alleged that demonetisation was a ploy to favour the rich and selected few. Stressing on Nyay scheme, he said it was not only for the poor as it would help jumpstart the businesses and improve the spending power of the lower strata. “Following demonetisation, the purchasing capacity has dwindled, factories were shut down and workers laid off. But once Nyay is implemented, the spending power of the people will improve, which in turn will give

a boost to the economy.” Rahul alleged that Modi had waived huge loans of Rs 5.55 lakh crore of 15 big business houses. The Congress manifesto clearly mentioned two big challenges in the country – unemployment and farmers’ miserable condition, he said, adding that employment could be generated only by empowering SMEs. Accompanied by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, party’s Punjab affairs incharge Asha Kumari and other party leaders, Rahul appealed to the people to make Congress candidate Ravneet Singh Bittu victorious with a big margin and said Bittu would be given a suitable responsibility in the next UPA government. A group of protesters, led by Sikh radical leader Jaswinder Singh Sahuke, gathered at a chowk near Rahul Gandhi’s rally venue. They waved black flags at his cavalcade.

INDIA

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Teacher who slapped student 168 times arrested A schoolteacher in Madhya Pradeshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jhabua district has been arrested and remanded to judicial custody by a court here for allegedly directing some students to slap their classmate 168 times for not completing her homework. Thandla tehsilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Judicial Magistrate First Class Jai Patidar on Monday turned down the bail plea of Manoj Verma, 35, additional district prosecution officer Ravi Prakash Rai said. Verma allegedly directed students to slap the girl, then studying in Class 6 at Jawahar Navodaya

School in Thandla town, in January last year, he said. According to the victimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father Shiv Pratap Singh, his daughter did not go to school from January 1 to 10, 2018 as she was unwell. On January 11, when the girl went to school without completing her homework, Verma told her classmates to slap her as a form of punishment following which 14 girls slapped her two times every day for six days. Singh lodged a complaint with the school management which constituted a committee to probe the incident.

Woman beaten to death over, husband arrested A woman was allegedly beaten to death by her husband and in-laws over dowry demand at Balheda village in neighbouring Shamli district, police said. Ruma was killed on Wednesday under Jhinjhana police station area, they said. A case had been registered and her husband Achin Kumar,

father-in-law Chuhad Singh and sister-inlaw Sonia were arrested, the police said. The body had been sent for post-mortem and further investigation is on, they said. Ruma was married to Achin three years ago and since was being harassed over dowry by her husband, they added.

Every team wary of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bowling in World Cup 2019: Bhuvneshwar Kumar The 2019 Cricket World Cup is the 12th For instance, Pakistan and England batsmen edition of Internationl Cricket World Cup have been relishing the conditions in England scheduled to start from May 30 to July 14 to be in an ongoing ODI series as scores of 350-plus hosted by England & Wales. India will play its have been posted with ease. Nonetheless, India were able to keep the English batsmen relatively first match on June 5 aginst South Africa. Chennai pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is quiet during a three-match ODI series in the Old Blighty in 2018. With the likes among the seven players Schedule: of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit in Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current World May 30 England v Bumrah and Mohammed Shami Cup squad who were part South Africa at The Oval, proving effective both with the of the previous edition of London (10:30 BST). May new ball and at the death, India are the tournament four years 31 Pakistan vs West banking on their bowling firepower ago. His ability to move Indies at Trent Bridge to get the job done at the World the ball around has made Nottinghamshire, England Cup, starting May 30 in the UK. him an integral part of the (10:30 BST). June1 New Moreover, Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wrist-spinners Indian ODI team for quite Zealand v Sri Lanka at Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra a few years now. The fact Afghanistan v Australia, Chahal have been picking wickets in that Bhuvi is an expert Bristol (d/n) (13:30 BST) 2 death bowler also helped South Africa v Bangladesh, the middle overs and have managed to put a break on the oppositionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s him become one of the The Oval (10:30 BST) 3 scoring rate consistently. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I agree This content is restricted England v Pakistan, Trent that pitches in England in the last to site members. If you Bridge (10:30 BST). few years have been flat, but teams are an existing user, please log in. New users may register below. India will be wary of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bowling unit since we can pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has talked up the be potent both at the start and at the death. It firepower in the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bowling unit, saying will all boil down to how we execute the plans the Indian bowlersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to be potent both at on the given day,â&#x20AC;? Bhuvneshwar Kumar told The the start and the death will augur well even in Times of India. He added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our performances flat pitches in the United Kingdom during the over the last few years speak for us. The Indian World Cup. Scores of 300-plus are being posted bowling attack has grown from strength to day in and day out in England and Wales as the strength. pitches have been assisting batsmen in England.

Bystanders gawk as man & his felame cousins beaten for eloping with a married woman Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh: A man in & his two cousin sisters, one of them a minor, were tied to a tree then beaten for several hours as he allegedly ran away with a married woman. His two cousin sisters were also sexually assaulted by the accused, including husband of the married woman, police said.The man, who was tied up and thrashed, had eloped with woman of of a local man Mukesh, police said. After the two eloped, Mukesh called up the man to â&#x20AC;&#x153;settle the issueâ&#x20AC;? at his house in Arjun Colony in Dhar district, about 200 km away from Bhopal, the state capital. Instead of talking to him, Mukesh tied him and his two sisters, who were with him, to a tree and thrashed all of them with sticks.

Several locals watched as the three people were beaten. Some of them even recorded the assault. In a video, that has gone viral on social media, the accused can be seen beating the man and his sisters as they shout in pain. One of the clips of the incident also shows a woman from the crowd shouting at one of the sisters and pulling her hair. Mukeshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family members were also involved in the assault, news agency said. Mukesh and five other have been arrested , â&#x20AC;&#x153;A minor was also beaten.

Pervert exposed to girl at cash machine posted online A woman says she went to withdraw money when a weirdo offered to pay money for her taxi before showing his privates. The moment woman who had been celebrating her birthday turns the tables on a flasher by filming him and then spreading the footage online. The incident was filmed at a State Bank of India vestibule in Mumbai, then she posted it on the Twitter. It has been viewed 540,000 times. The woman posted the clip with this message: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3am when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m typing this. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A man just flashed me his d**k in a f***ing ATM.â&#x20AC;? In a post, she said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was my birthday, and this is what happens Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always felt that my locality was safe, apparently not.â&#x20AC;? The victim claimed she had just entered the bank vestibule to withdraw money for a waiting taxi when the suspect offered to pay for it. The creep then allegedly â&#x20AC;&#x153;kept touchingâ&#x20AC;? the stunned woman. When she started filming the uncomfortable

situation on her phone, she said she turned to find the man with his erect penis in his hand and managed to capture it on camera. The victim then reported the incident to the police, who arrested a 38-yearold suspect who has been identified as Sandeep Kumbharkar. Police spokesperson Pushkraj Suryavanshi said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the woman approached the patrol van, assistant police inspector Bharat Jadhav and his team followed the perpetrator and arrested him.â&#x20AC;? Later that day, the victim visited a nearby police station to register a formal complaint. The suspect is currently facing two charges under the Indian Penal Code, according to reports. The man then turns round and appears to complete his money transaction. Woman continues film himing him as he pulls up his pantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flies.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, May 18, 2019

In happy Bhutan, the Prime Minister is a doctor on Saturdays It’s Saturday in Bhutan and Lotay Tshering has just completed urinary bladder repair surgery on a patient at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital. But Tshering is no ordinary doctor. During the week, he also happens to be prime minister in the Himalayan kingdom famous for measuring citizens’ Gross National Happiness.“For me it’s a de-stresser,”

said Tshering, who was elected prime minister of the nation of 750,000 people last year in only its third democratic election since the end of absolute monarchy in 2008. “Some people play golf, some do archery, and I like to operate. I am just spending my weekends here,” the 50-year-old said. No one at the hospital bats an eyelid as Tshering, wearing a faded lab coat and crocs, walks through the busy corridors. Nurses and hospital attendants continue with their jobs as normal. The capital Thimphu has no traffic lights, the sale of tobacco is banned, and television was only The capital Thimphu has no traffic lights, the sale of tobacco is banned, and television was only allowed in 1999 The Buddhist kingdom is in many ways a case apart, benchmarking itself on happiness instead of economic growth. One of the pillars of Gross National Happiness is conservation of the environment. Bhutan is

carbon negative and its constitution mandates that 60 per cent of the country remains forested. It is also big on ecotourism and charges a daily fee of US$250 per visitor in high season. The capital Thimphu has no traffic lights, the sale of tobacco is banned, and television was only allowed in 1999. Archery competitions, with liberal amounts of the local firewater, are a national craze. Phalluses painted on houses to ward off evil are also a common sight. But the “Land of the Thunder Dragon” also has its problems, among them corruption, rural poverty, youth unemployment and criminal gangs. Tshering, who trained in Bangladesh, Japan, Australia and the United States, began his political career in 2013, but his party failed to make headway in that year’s election. After losing, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck commanded him to lead a team of doctors and travel with the monarch’s entourage to far-flung villages to provide free medical treatment. Now as prime minister, he spends Saturdays treating patients referred to him and Thursday mornings offering medical advice to trainees and doctors. Sunday is family time. Back in the prime minister’s office, a lab coat hangs on the back of his chair. This, he said, serves as a reminder of his election pledge to focus on healthcare. Patients don’t have to pay directly for healthcare in Bhutan, but Tshering says that much more remains to be done despite important strides in medical treatment. While the country has seen major improvements in life expectancy, a reduction in infant mortality and the elimination of many infectious diseases, the number of lifestyle diseases - including alcoholism and diabetes - is on the rise.

Nepal climber scales Mount Everest for record 23rd time A Nepalese native Sherpa climber Kami Rita has scaled Mount Everest for a 23rd time, breaking his own record for the most successful ascents of the world’s highest peak. Rita, a native of Thame village located in the shadow of Mount Everest, reached the 8,850-metre (29,035-feet) summit with other climbers via the Southeast Ridge route on Wednesday morning, tourism department official Mira Acharya said from the base camp. His latest ascent took him two summits clear of two fellow Sherpas, who have successfully climbed the peak 21 times, hiking officials said. Acharya said Rita, who goes by his first name Kami, reached the top at 7:50am (02:05 GMT) and is now descending to lower camps. She said about 30 other climbers were on the way to the summit and were expected

to top the peak on Wednesday or Thursday, when the weather window is expected to remain open. Rita says he will try and climb the peak two more times. “I am still strong and want to climb Sagarmatha 25 times,” Kami had told Reuters news agency before leaving for the mountain in March referring to the Nepali name for Everest. Rita, 49, first scaled Everest in 1994 and has been making the trip nearly every year since, one of many Sherpa guides whose expertise and skills are vital to the safety and success of the hundreds of climbers who head to Nepal each year seeking to stand on top of the world. His father was among the first Sherpa guides employed to help climbers reach the summit, and Rita followed in his footsteps and then some.

Nationwide curfew in Sri Lanka as riots erupt after Bombings Sri Lanka imposed a nationwide curfew on Monday after anti-Muslim riots spread to at least three districts just north of the capital in a violent new backlash against the Easter suicide bombings. Official sources said the curfew was aimed at preventing a further escalation of violence, but police would not say why it had been extended across the country of 21 million people. Initially, the districts of Puttalam, Kurunegala and Gampaha, near Colombo, were told to stay indoors after Christian-led mobs attacked several Muslim-

owned businesses and mosques on Sunday and Monday. “The curfew in the three districts will be lifted at 6.00 am on Tuesday while in the rest of the country, a curfew will be imposed from 9.00 pm (1530 GMT) till 4.00 am (2130 GMT),” police said in a statement. Sri Lanka blocks social media after worst antiMuslim unrest since Easter bombings Sri Lanka on Monday temporarily blocked some social media networks and messaging apps, including Facebook and WhatsApp.

Kabul murder highlights Afghan women’s plight When gunmen killed journalist Mena Mangal on a busy Kabul street, observers first wondered if she had been murdered by the Taliban, the Islamist extremists who have long marginalised women. But police said they were looking at Mangal’s broaddaylight killing as the result of a family dispute, saying her former husband had “probably” played a role. The brazen attack last weekend sparked global outrage over the plight of Afghan women, who still suffer rampant levels of physical and mental abuse, sexual violence and discrimination. Authorities say Mangal’s death came amid the type of suffocating marital dispute that is common for many women in Afghanistan, a country where domestic abuse can seem like the norm and women are often seen as little more than household chattel. Her killing has garnered broad condemnation -- including from the

US and from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Many fret rights of Afghan women will be lost if the US cuts a peace deal with the Taliban, which last week attacked a USfunded aid group because it promoted “intermixing” of men and women Many fret rights of Afghan women will be lost if the US cuts a peace deal with the Taliban, which last week attacked a US-funded aid group because it promoted “inter-mixing” of men and women In Kabul, the attorney general’s office said Mangal had filed a complaint saying she was mistreated by her husband, whom she had felt pressured into marrying after a 10-year engagement. “She was not happy about her relationship from the very beginning,” Jamshid Rasuli, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office, told AFP.

Sri Lanka gets long-delayed IMF relief The International Monetary Fund released a long-delayed loan instalment to Sri Lanka, providing financial relief to a government still reeling from the Easter Sunday bombings that claimed 258 lives Colombo, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th May, 2019 ) :The International Monetary Fund Tuesday released a long-delayed loan instalment to Sri Lanka, providing financial relief to a government still reeling from the Easter Sunday bombings that claimed 258 lives. The Washington-based lender said it was releasing $164.1 million to Sri Lanka under a three-year $1.5 billion bailout that was suspended in October during a power struggle between the president and the prime minister.

With the status quo restored, the administration has been able to present a “well-targeted 2019 budget, rebuilding reserves, while maintaining a prudent monetary policy”, said IMF deputy managing director Mitsuhiro Furusawa. The power struggle was resolved after the Supreme Court ruled that President Maithripala Sirisena violated the constitution by sacking Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government The loan programme, begun in June 2016, would be extended by a further year, the IMF said. Sri Lanka estimates that it will lose about $1.5 million in revenue this year as a result of a sharp dip in tourist arrivals following the April 21 suicide bombings.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

What makes British Columbia - and Canada - a haven for money launderers

$5 billion laundered through B.C. real estate, inflating home prices: report The cost of buying a home in B.C. increased by as much as five per cent last year due to more than $5 billion in dirty money from organized crime laundered through the province’s real estate sector, according to a new expert panel report. Former deputy attorney general Maureen Maloney chaired the panel on money laundering, which released a report Thursday that concluded it “cautiously estimates that almost five per cent of the value of real estate transactions in the province result from money laundering investment.” In addition, she concluded: “The estimated impact of that would be to increase housing prices by about five per cent.” “Successfully reducing money laundering investment in B.C. real estate should have modest but observable impact on housing affordability,” read the Maloney report. She said actual figures are difficult to calculate — at one point dubbing them “estimating the inestimable” — but that the prevalence of dirty cash and organized crime trying to avoid taxes has distorted the economy. However, her report concluded $47 billion in money laundering occurred in Canada in 2018. Of that, $7.4 billion was in B.C., making it only the fourth-highest in the country behind Ontario, Alberta and the Prairies. Estimated amounts of money laundering in Canada by region using an economic model by an expert task force in B.C. chaired by Maureen Maloney released on May 9, 2019. BC government LISTEN: Host Rob Shaw with guests Vaughn Palmer and Richard Zussman examine the Green Party’s win in the

Nanaimo-Ladysmith byelection, money laundering in B.C.’s luxury-car sector, Premier John Horgan’s actions on gas prices, “photo radar 2.0” at intersections, and forestry issues. And of that, $5.3 billion was in real estate, altering the market upwards by an estimated five per cent. Maloney’s report concedes it could be higher or lower depending on the type of property, and although it was not broken down by geographic region it could likely heavily impact the Lower Mainland and Whistler. It is also more likely to affect single-family homes than condos in the Lower Mainland, according to the report. “It is also not clear how much demand would fall if significant inroads were made into reducing money laundering,” read Maloney’s report. “The housing affordability problem cannot be solved by reducing money laundering but reducing money laundering can certainly help,” Maloney wrote. Finance Minister Carole James and Attorney General David Eby both said Thursday they are moving quickly to address concerns highlighted in the reports. “The party is over,” said Eby. “It may be spring but winter is finally coming for those who rely on bulk cash transactions on for their business model.” Minister of Finance Carole James talks to media as chair of the expert panel Maureen Maloney looks on while Attorney General David Eby and Peter German share a word during the release of details found in a recent report done by an expert panel about billions in money laundering in the province during a press conference at Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

This week, British Columbians learned the price paid by ordinary people for money laundering by organized crime. Dirty money is not a problem contained to casinos and the luxury car trade. It involves billions of dollars tumbling through the real estate market, inflating prices at a time when residents are struggling with unaffordable housing. The B.C. NDP government has now released the final instalment of a series of reports on money laundering. The government’s experts have established that large-scale, transnational money laundering by organized crime is taking place throughout

the provincial economy − an estimated $5-billion just in the real estate sector last year. B.C. Attorney-General David Eby plans to meet with federal Organized Crime Reduction Minister Bill Blair to discuss next steps, and the B.C. cabinet will soon decide whether to call a public inquiry. But B.C.’s investigations also revealed that the province is not alone in its challenges. Ontario, Alberta and the Prairies face similar problems. “This issue feels like a nationallevel crisis,” Mr. Eby told reporters this week, a crisis that threatens confidence in the Canadian economy.

an even bigger problem. “Clearly this is a national issue,” B.C. Attorney-General David Eby said. Mr. Eby described the scale of money-laundering uncovered in the reports as shocking, and noted that, using only publicly accessible data, the two reviews still uncovered thousands of properties and transactions at high risk for money laundering or tax evasion. B.C. Finance Minister Carole James told reporters that British Columbians have paid a price, with home prices spiralling out of reach in major markets, especially in Metro Vancouver. “Money laundering in our housing market is not a victim-less crime,” she said. Buying sprees, obscured ownership: Report reveals red flags of money laundering in B.C.’s property market German Report reveals extensive money-laundering in B.C.’s luxury car market.

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FIJI

Saturday, May 18, 2019

USP staff call for independant investigation into mismanagement allegations More than 60 staff of the University of the South Pacific Laucala Campus gathered during their lunch break today to call for a thorough independent investigation into allegations of mismanagement of funds by some current and former staff. Associate Professor Morgan Tuimalealiifano says they are showing their support for USP Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia who helped uncover this mess. He says they are also concerned that Pro Chancellor Winston Thompson has apologised on behalf of the university to people allegedly involved in the mismanagement of funds. Tuimalealiifano says the University does not belong to the Pro Chancellor but the people of the region.

Th USP staff that gathered today also want the people allegedly involved to be suspended pending the investigation. They are concerned about what they call a serious breach of trust and call on the University Council to address the issue. On Monday, the USP Pro Chancellor Winston Thompson said they will be conducting an investigation on how some confidential documents containing allegations of mismanagement of funds by some current and former staff was leaked. He raised serious concern that the confidential document was leaked before any of the staff mentioned had seen the allegations and before any of them had a chance to refute them.

Rabuka asks why was COP23 contract given to Qorvis Leader of Opposition Sitiveni Rabuka raised the issue in parliament on why the Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum allowed the waiving of the tender process and Qorvis Communications was given the contract for communications services for COP 23 after a request by the COP 23 CEO John Connor. However Sayed-Khaiyum stressed that the COP 23 accounts have been audited by independent auditors and all the donors knew where the money was allocated and for which services.

Rabuka raised the issue after SayedKhaiyum tabled the COP 23 Presidency Trust Fund Amendment Bill. Sayed-Khaiyum says the bill was brought to parliament because the development partners are so impressed with the manner in which the government has handled the COP 23 trust fund that they have allowed Fiji to continue with the trust fund to continue projects specifically for climate action. He says some of the funding will go towards relocation purposes, mitigation purposes and fuel efficiency.

Kamlesh Arya found guilty by all three assessors of general dishonesty The three assessors in the case of former school manager Kamlesh Arya have unanimously found him guilty of his charge. High Court Judge Justice Riyaz Hamza will deliver his judgement on Friday at 2.30pm. He is charged with a count of general dishonesty causing a loss. Arya was charged by FICAC in 2017 with one count each of abuse of Office and general dishonesty causing a Loss. In the first charge, High Court Judge

Justice Riyaz Hamza acquitted Arya stating that prosecution had failed to provide any relevant or admissible evidence to establish the essential ingredient of the offence of abuse of Office. It is alleged that Arya while acting as the School Manager of Bhawani Dayal Memorial Primary School authorised the Free Education Grant worth $116,500 as loans. The alleged incidents took place between the 1st of January 2014 to the 31st of December, 2014.

Concerns raised after 3 suicides this week Serious concerns have been raised by Police after three people committed suicide this week. The first case involving a 41-year-old woman from Drauniivi Village resulted in the victim sustaining 50% burns and she later passed away at the Lautoka Hospital. In the second case, a man in his late 60s died after setting himself alight in Togomasi, Nadi. In the latest case also reported from the Western Division, a 27-year-old woman

died in Nagado Village in Nadi after setting herself alight after she was not happy with her partner drinking grog at his cousinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house on Sunday. The attempted suicide toll currently stands at 39 compared to 33 for the same period last year, while the suicide toll stands at 33 compared to 27. Please talk to people and share your problems rather than resorting to drastic means that have unfortunately resulted in the loss of life.

Investment Fiji receives 98 Foreign Investment Registration Certificates from August 2018-January 2019 98 Foreign Investment Registration Certification was received by Investment Fiji from August 2018 to January 2019. Investment Fiji Acting General Manager, Ritesh Gosai says in August and October they received the highest number of Foreign Investment, Registration Certification from the Services, Wholesale and Retail, Manufacturing and Tourism sectors in the country. He says a total of 29 registrations received for the services sector followed by 15 for manufacturing and 13 for Tourism sector. He adds the construction sector had 6 projects registered followed by Agriculture, Forestry and Real Estate with 5 registrations.

Gosai says the number of FIRC applications received is an indication of strong investor confidence in the Fijian economy. Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Economy, Makereta Konrote commended Investment Fijiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts in attracting the foreign direct investments in the country and has encouraged the agency to continue to work collaboratively with this investors. She added the Fijian Government is continuing to invest in human capital and modernizing infrastructure, thus ongoing private sector investment projects adds stimulus to economic activity.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, May 18, 2019

China withholds visas for 90 Pakistani brides over trafficking fears

Visas of over 90 Pakistani brides have been withheld over fears of sex trafficking and organ trade, China’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Pakistan Lijian Zhao said on Tuesday. Speaking exclusively to Urdu News, Zhao said the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad had received 142 applications from Chinese nationals, seeking visas for their Pakistani brides in 2018, whereas 140 similar applications have already been received in the first few months of the current year. “This sudden spike in number of transnational marriages alerted the officials and we approached our Pakistani counterparts in

this regard who have launched an investigation into the matter,” said the Chinese diplomat. Only 50 visas were granted with the remaining requests being withheld, he added. China, Pakistan in close contact over ‘fake marriage’ issue: FO The Chinese diplomat reacted strongly to local media reports that some Pakistani women were being forced into prostitution and subjected to heinous crime of organ harvesting. Zhao said the media reports twisted the facts as there were no evidences to corroborate the claims. Zhao denied the notion that all marriages were

Prime Minister Khan summons meeting to discuss $6 Billion bailout package Prime Minister Imran Khan summoned a high-level meeting to discuss the country’s $6 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which was finalized following months of negotiations between the two sides. Pakistan, currently battling to stave off an economic crisis, secured the bailout from the global lender on Sunday night. The funding, which still needs approval

from the IMF’s management, would be provided over three years. The government’s deal with the IMF drew heavy criticism from the opposition over an almost certain possibility of higher inflation and slowed economic growth, Geo News reported. A session of the National Assembly will be held later on Monday where the opposition parties are expected to slam the bailout agreement.

Militancy in Balochistan targets Chinese investment A vast Chinese-funded infrastructure project become a major trigger for separatist insurgents, galvanising their movement as they employ new tactics - including suicide attacks - in an escalation that could rattle Beijing, observers say. A deadly attack by gunmen who stormed the luxury Pearl Continental hotel in Gwadar, a port on Pakistan’s southern coast, was the latest high-profile assault linked to the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). CPEC - part of China’s massive Belt and Road initiative - seeks to link its western province Xinjiang with Gwadar, giving Beijing valuable access to the Arabian Sea and conferring new roads, ports, and airports on Pakistan. Pakistani authorities routinely tout Gwadar,

a former fishing village, as “the next Dubai”. The problem is that Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and poorest province through which much of CPEC runs, is a Pandora’s Box of sectarian and separatist insurgencies. Saturday’s attack was claimed by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Chinese and Pakistani investors visiting the hotel, isolated high on a ridge overlooking the port, were the target, a spokesman for the BLA said. “We warn China to stop her exploitative projects in Balochistan and do not support Pakistan in the genocide of Baloch people, otherwise, we would respond with more attacks,” the English-language message to media read.

Hafiz Saeed’s brother-in-law arrested Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader and Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s brother-in-law Hafiz Abdur Rehman Makki has been arrested for hate speech and criticising the Pakistan government, police said on Wednesday.Makki, head of JuD’s political and international affairs wing and in-charge of its charity Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), was arrested during a government crackdown against terrorist organisations. Police spokesperson Nabila Ghazanfar confirmed Makki’s arrest. She,

however, did not explain the charges under which he was arrested. Sources said Makki has been arrested for making a hate speech in Gujranwala city, some 80-km from Lahore. The sources also said his arrest should be seen in connection with the government’s steps to comply with the requirement of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The US Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the US, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings him to justice.

fake, saying the Chinese nationals, who applied for visas of their Pakistani spouses last year, have completed all the legal formalities before moving the application. The Chinese diplomat said there were a few complaints of Pakistani women being tortured by their husbands in China, which he added will be addressed accordingly. He asked the Pakistani authorities to review the on-arrival visa policy for Chinese

businessmen as some marriage bureaus in Pakistan were misusing it. 20 Pakistani girls return home from China: Pakistan embassy in Beijing Last week, at least 20 Pakistani girls, trapped in China after allegedly falling victim to fake marriages with Chinese men, were sent back to the country. The girls were sent back to Pakistan after receiving complaints, an Express News report quoted sources in the Pakistan embassy in Beijing as saying.

US imposes visa restrictions on three Pakistani officials US imposed visa sanctions on three Pakistani officials following a row between the two countries over deportation of dozens of Pakistanis for their visa overstay. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs about the visa curbs by the US. The officials who are facing

the visa restrictions are an additional secretary and a joint secretary of the interior ministry as well as the director general, passports, the Dawn newspaper reported. The sanctions on the officials have been put in place after a row between Pakistan and America over deportation of dozens of Pakistanis.

NRI

Saturday, May 18, 2019

‘Romance fraudster’ NRI jailed for over 6 years for conning women in UK Keyur Vyas, from east London, was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday, marking the conclusion of a fouryear-long investigation by Scotland Yard into his fraudulent activities. A 32-year-old Indian-origin man, dubbed as “romance fraudster” by UK police, has been jailed for six years and one month after he was found guilty of conning six women he met online and luring them to invest huge amounts in non-existent companies. Keyur Vyas, from east London, was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday, marking the conclusion of a four-year-long investigation by Scotland Yard into his fraudulent activities. The recruitment agent would befriend women online with the pretense of building a relationship with them by wining and dining them. The Metropolitan Police investigation found he had committed fraud against six different women, with his overall fraud estimated at over 800,000 pounds. “Vyas used a tried and tested technique to commit fraud. He used the trust he had gained to get them to invest in non-existent companies,” said Detective Constable Andy Chapman, from the Met Police’s Central Specialist Command. “He went as far as having fake contracts drawn up with outlandish conditions, but essentially he used the relationship to get their money. Vyas was selfish and cruel in his actions by emotionally involving the victims and conning them,” he said. The Met Police began an investigation

into Vyas’ activities in October 2014. They found that between 2014 and 2017, he was employed as a recruitment agent who would befriend women online under false pretenses. The court was told that he would romance them and trick them into believing he was an affluent man working in finance. He would use commonalities with the victims, such as religion and his wish to start a family, to build trust with them. Once he had gained their trust, Vyas would encourage them to invest in various business ventures for a large return. However, these ventures did not actually exist and he would use the money to gamble. Vyas would also put pressure and be abusive to the victims to continue to invest more money in order to get the promised returns. He also used fear tactics and warned his victims that if they went to the police, they would lose all their money. “Unfortunately, we see cases like this fairly often and my advice to anyone in an online relationship whatever the nature is never to send personal details or money to someone who you have never met in person,” said Detective Chapman. It was only when they did not receive their money back that the women began to report their concerns to the police. Vyas pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud by false representation in March this year, while the remaining two charges will lie on his file. The total loss for all the charges is approximately logged at 808,942 pounds.

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Trump to propose merit-based immigration system In a major policy speech on Thursday, US President Donald Trump is all set to announce a new proposal to overhaul the country’s immigration policy that would give preference to foreigners based on merit rather than the existing system that gives preference to family ties, a move that could end the agonising Green Card wait for hundreds and thousands of Indian professionals. Brainchild of Trump’s son-in-law, Jarred Kushner, the new plan primarily focuses on strengthening border security and revamping the system of Green Card or legal permanent residency so that people with merit, higher degrees and professional qualifications could get an easy access to the immigration system. As of now, about 66 per cent of the green cards are given to those with family ties and only 12 per cent are based on skills. The Trump Administration intends to change this. Trump is scheduled to roll out his plan at the Rose Garden of the White House on Thursday afternoon. However, the plan faces an uphill task mainly because of the bitterly divided Congress on partisan lines, especially on the issue of immigration reform. Even if Trump succeeds in convincing his Republican lawmakers on this, the opposition Democrats, led by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, are dead against any such legislative

success to the president. The Trump Administration is well aware of the issue. It is planning to make it an election issue in 2020 if the opposition Democrats are unwilling to be engaged on this, a senior administration official told reporters during an interaction on the eve of the rollout of the merit-based immigration policy. “It is going to be a very detailed piece of legislation and it can be what they want it to be. If they do not want to engage, then it will be part of the election. If they want to engage, then it could be part of a negotiation. That is going to be up to them,” said the official who requested anonymity. Both Trump and Kushner are believed to have briefed Republican lawmakers on the issue. In his speech, Trump is unlikely to propose changes in the existing number--1.1 million--of green cards issued each year. Instead, the new policy calls for issuing more than half of the green cards to those based on employment or skills. Such a move is likely to benefit hundreds and thousands of Indian professionals on H-1B visa whose current Green Card wait, on an average, is more than a decade. According to the details given by the senior administration official, the proposed system mirrors the point-based system of countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

NRI doctor gets 9 years jail for health care fraud in USA An Indian-origin doctor sentenced nine years in prison for committing health care fraud and illegally distributing prescription painkillers in US. Pawankumar Jain, 66, a former physician, was sentenced in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release for unlawfully dispensing controlled substances and health care fraud, US Attorney John Anderson said. Pawankumar Jain previously entered guilty pleas in February 2016 to one count of unlawfully dispensing a controlled substance and one count of health care fraud. In his plea agreement, Pawankumar Jain admitted that he previously was licensed to practice medicine in the State of New Mexico and was registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to prescribe controlled substances, including pain medication. He admitted that for several years he operated a high-volume “pain management” practice in Las Cruces, and frequently performed only “cursory” examinations of his patients before prescribing

narcotics to them without documenting any therapeutic benefit for those drugs in his records. He specifically admitted examining one patient in November 2009 and that he conducted only a superficial examination of the patient before writing him two prescriptions for methadone that were outside the usual course of medical practice and not for any legitimate medical purpose. Each prescription was for 270 tablets of 10 mg methadone. Mr Jain further admitted that he committed health care fraud because he knew these unlawful prescriptions would be submitted to federal health insurance Medicare for payment and that he intended for Medicare to pay for the prescriptions. Pawankumar Jain also acknowledged that the patient died two days after filling the second methadone prescription. According to evidence at the sentencing hearing, the patient died of respiratory depression due to the methadone Jain prescribed.

NRI woman convicted of killing 9-Year old stepdaughter An Indian-origin woman in the US has been convicted by a jury of killing her nineyear old stepdaughter in 2016 and faces up to life in prison at sentencing. Shamdai Arjun, 55, of Queens, New York was convicted Friday of second-degree murder by a jury that deliberated for less than one hour before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder, who indicated that he would sentence her on June 3. Arjun faces up to 25 years to life in prison. Arjun was convicted for the August 2016 strangulation death of her nine-year-old stepdaughter Ashdeep Kaur, who was left in her care. “This is a horrifying case of a defenseless nine-year-old child, who was to be cared for by her stepmother but was instead strangled to death by her. Her actions are

truly incomprehensible and deserve the maximum punishment allowed under the law,” Acting Queens District Attorney John Ryan said. According to trial testimony, on the evening of August 19, 2016, Arjun was observed by an eyewitness leaving her apartment in Queens along with her ex-husband Raymond Narayan, and her two grandchildren ages 3 and 5. When asked about the nine-year-old victim’s whereabouts, Arjun informed the eyewitness that the child was in the bathroom and was waiting for her father to pick her up. The eyewitness, who observed that the bathroom light had been on for several hours, called the victim’s father Sukhjinder Singh and was instructed to break through the bathroom door, at which time she found Kaur’s lifeless naked body in the bathtub.

Saturday, May 18, 2019