www.theasianstar.com
Vol 17 - Issue 33
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Syrian refugee charged with first-degree murder The man arrived in Canada as a refugee from Syria just months before the 13-year-old was killed, say police. Investigators have not said how they identified him as a suspect. The man arrested and charged with the 2017 murder of Burnaby teen Marrisa Shen arrived in Canada as a refugee from Syria just months before she was killed, say police. Ibrahim Ali, 28, was arrested without incident Friday in Burnaby, where he lives, and later charged with first-degree murder, according to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team. Ali did not appear to know Shen, and Shen did not know Ali, said Supt. Donna Richardson, the officer in charge of IHIT. Police believed from the start that the murder had been random and Richardson said investigators still hold that belief. Shen was reported missing after she failed to return home by 11 p.m. on July 18, 2017. Police launched a search, using GPS to track her phone. The 13-year-old girl’s body was found in a wooded area in Burnaby’s Central Park early the next morning. Investigators became aware of Ali two weeks ago, Richardson said. By that time they had identified and eliminated more 2,000 “persons of interest.� Ali was not known to police and he does not have a criminal record. Richardson would not say how police identified him as a Continued on page 6
Birthplace doesn’t necessarily guarantee citizenship, Feds tell Supreme Court International law does not require Canada to give citizenship to babies born on its soil, the federal government is telling the Supreme Court — an argument that could inadvertently bolster a recent Conservative party resolution aimed at stemming so-called birth tourism. Canada is one of fewer than three dozen countries that follow the practice of citizenship based on birthplace and some — including Australia and Britain — have modified or ended automatic birthright in recent years, the government says in a case that will determine whether the Toronto-born sons of Russian spies are Canadian citizens. “Indeed, no European countries, for example, grant an unqualified automatic citizenship by birth and they have no obligation to do so,� the federal submission says. “Only 34 countries grant the automatic acquisition of citizenship Continued on page 6
Minali Mittal, centre, with her daughter Teesha, right, and son Rivansh.
According to Mittal, her 11-year-old daughter Teesha threw up due to a bad smell on the plane. Cabin crew said Teesha was unfit to travel and ordered the family to leave, stranding them at the airport. Mittal’s son Rivansh was just three at the time. “I’m a very proud Canadian, but I just felt like this was the most un-Canadian thing that I’ve ever s e e n ,� Continued on page 8
International students accused of “stealing� jobs and rental housing In a face-off between the students and Indian community in Brampton, at a recent town hall that saw representation by federal, provincial and municipal authorities to decipher the reasons behind the recent escalating tensions, it came out that the international students are not solely to blame. Many students claim they are seen as mere cash cows, both by the academic institutions and the local community.
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Punjab tribunal fines Air Canada $65,000 for ‘mental agony’ after family kicked off flight A consumer commission in India has ordered Air Canada and partnering airline, Jet Airways, to pay a Canadian family about $65,000 Cdn. The money is meant to compensate the family for the “mental agony and harassment� they suffered when Air Canada ordered them off a flight. In September 2017, Minali Mittal from Oakville, Ont., and her two young children boarded a Toronto-bound Air Canada flight after a stopover in New Delhi.
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Foreign students stealing jobs? The Indo-Canadian community is in turmoil over a recent surge in foreign students from India, whose presence is feeding community tensions amid mistreatment of young women, employer abuse, drug dealing and the “stealing� of South Asians’ jobs.
What perturbs the Indian-Canadian community in Brampton is that these international students, who work overtime, are stealing “their� jobs. Abhinav Patel from Brampton has even shot off a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blaming Indians and largely Punjabi students, who form a sizeable chunk in provinces like
Continued on page 7
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
South Asian man convicted in fatal fire should get 18 years: Crown A Richmond man who was convicted of killing his son and mother-in-law after setting the family home on fire should receive an 18year jail term, a prosecutor argued Thursday. In July, Surjit Singh Dosanjh, 40, was found guilty of the April 2015 manslaughter of his 13-year-old son, who can only be identified by the initial K due to a publication ban, and of his mother-in-law, who is identified as E.L. in a court ruling. In his sentencing submissions, Crown counsel Daniel Porte told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Voith that the lengthy jail term was necessary for denunciation and deterrence. Porte said there were numerous aggravating factors and called the crimes “horrible and senseless.” The wife of the accused, who can only be identified as L.L. due to the ban, said in a victim impact statement read out by
Porte that her life was not normal anymore. “Surjit, why would you destroy the only family you had and the one that we created together?” L.L. said that as a mother, she should not have had to bury K, her son. “The pain and suffering I have endured over the last 3 1/2 years has been unbearable. It has taken a toll on me that is unimaginable.” The grandfather of K provided a victim impact statement outlining the close and loving relationship he had with his grandson. “We had a small family to begin with. Now, in one fell swoop, half of our family is gone.” Several other relatives read out their victim impact statements in court. “How can I recount the terrible loss our family, (my sister’s) friends and society have suffered due to the premature death of a truly wonderful person,” a brother of E.L. told the judge.
Large amount of demonstrators gather as Burnaby murder suspect Ibrahim Ali appeared in court Several dozen people showed up in court Friday for the first appearance of the man accused in the murder of 13-year-old Marrisa Shen. The proceedings for Ibrahim Ali, who is charged with the first-degree murder of the Burnaby girl, were initially delayed to await the arrival of an Arabic interpreter. When the interpreter arrived, Danny Markovitz, the accused’s lawyer, told Provincial Court Judge Harbans Dhillon that he’d just received a small package of Crown disclosure and requested an adjournment. The judge adjourned the matter over until Oct. 12. The accused, wearing an orange T-shirt and prison pants and sporting a beard, stood quietly in the prisoner’s dock with his hands behind his back during the appearance, which lasted only a few minutes. The Vancouver courtroom was packed,
mostly with people showing support for the victim’s family. It wasn’t clear whether the victim’s family were among them. “We feel sorry for Marrisa Shen,” Wen Zhou, one of the supporters, said outside court before the court appearance. “We feel sorry for her family. Marrisa Shen deserved to live much longer than now. We hope the murderer will be punished.” A number of the supporters carried white flowers with them. Also present outside the court was a small number of members of the Syrian community who carried signs saying, ‘Justice for Marrisa Shen.’ Members of the Syrian community have expressed sympathies for the victim’s family and concern that news about the accused, who is a Syrian refugee, might unfairly tarnish them. Others who showed up at the courthouse were vocal in their opposition of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s promise to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees from the war-torn country into Canada. “This is a terrible tragedy to us,” said Laura Thompson. “It’s a failed Trudeau policy. This is not at all right for us.” Outside court, Markovitz said his heart “truly goes out” to the murder victim. “I received particulars today and I haven’t had a chance to review them in any depth. I will review them but at this stage I cannot offer any comments except to again say we all feel horrible for that child.” Asked by a reporter whether he had spoken to Ali’s family, he said he had and added that the accused’s family were “puzzled and You don’t have to compromise on they’re horrified by the allegations.” data anymore. With a Freedom Markovitz said that before Big Gig plan, everyone can get their the court appearance he had own 10GB for only $50*/mo. spoken to his client on the phone with the aid of an interpreter. “He’s polite, following instructions and appears to be depressed about the situation he is in.” Ali, who was arrested Sept. 7, has been in Canada for about 17 months, arriving in March 2017 with the joint sponsorship of a group of families on Bowen Island and the St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church. According to reports in the *With Digital Discount. Conditions apply. Bowen Island Undercurrent, Ali arrived with two brothers, one of whom had a spouse and three young children. They joined a fourth brother who came to Canada as a government-sponsored refugee four years ago. The family was united and now lives in Burnaby. The apartment where Ali lived is less than a 10-minute walk to Central Park, where the girl’s body was discovered, in a wooded area. She’d been reported missing after she failed to return home. Conditions Apply. Learn more at freedommobile.ca. Data allotments available for use only on the Freedom Mobile home network. Applicable taxes extra. All Freedom Mobile services are subject to our Terms of Service, Fair Usage Policy, Internet Traffic Management Policy and Privacy Policy located at freedommobile.ca. The Freedom Mobile name and logos and other words, titles, phrases, marks, Police launched a search logos, icons, graphics are trademarks of, or are used under license by, Freedom Mobile Inc. Digital Discount promotion is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Learn more at freedommobile. ca/digitaldiscount. To be eligible to receive the Digital Discount, you must (i) be subscribed to a Pay Before or Pay After line on an “Eligible Plan” (any of our current in-market plans), (ii) sign up for Auto using GPS to track her phone.
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Vancouver church and members of Bowen Island behind joint private sponsorship of accused killer Ibrahim Ali
Murder charge shocks communities who sponsored accused killer’s journey to Canada The Vancouver church which assisted with the private refugee sponsorship of man accused of killing 13-year-old Marrisa Shen will co-operate with police as their investigation continues. St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church lead minister Dan Chambers issued a brief statement in response to questions about Ibrahim Ali, a Syrian national who came to Canada with his family members in March 2017. Man charged with murder of Marrisa Shen, 13, had no criminal record and was new to Canada “We have nothing to say publicly as this is before the courts,” Chambers wrote. “The church will cooperate with the police, and we are keeping everyone involved in this in mind, hearts and prayers.” News of the first degree murder charge has shocked members of the tightknit faith community which partnered with Ibrahim Ali a group from Bowen Island to bring Ibrahim Ali and two brothers to the Lower Mainland 17 months ago. The allegation throws a tragic light on a story that had been one of hope, community and generosity familiar to people across Canada who opened up their hearts and wallets to help refugees fleeing civil war in Syria. St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church in Vancouver partnered with a group on Bowen Island to bring Ibrahim Ali to Canada in 2017 as a privately sponsored refugee. Ibrahim Ali was arrested on Friday night and made a court appearance by telephone from the Burnaby RCMP detachment the following day with the assistance of an Arabic translator. The CBC listened to an audio recording of the proceedings, which lasted roughly 14
minutes, beginning with a judicial official reading the charge to the 28-year-old. “Mr Ali, you’re before the court today to deal with Marrisa Shen the following charge: Ibrahim Ali, on or about the 18th day of July 2017, at or near Burnaby in the province of British Columbia, did commit the first degree murder of Marrisa Shen.” He was remanded into custody until Friday morning, when he will appear in Vancouver provincial court to consult with counsel. Ibrahim Ali came to Canada through the private refugee sponsorship program, which allows groups of individuals to support refugees on their arrival with an agreement to provide care, lodging, settlement assistance and support. Sponsorship groups agree to give material support for periods that range from 12 months to 36 months. According to an article in the Bowen Island Undercurrent, one of Ali’s brothers came to Canada as a government sponsored refugee four years before his siblings. Residents on Bowen, a 20-minute ferry ride west of Horseshoe Bay, banded together to adopt and reunite a family torn apart by war. A child whose family fled their home due to Syrian government shelling is comforted by his mother. Canadians have reached out in unprecedented numbers to help Syrian refugees resettle. They helped find housing, volunteered and raised money. They held bake sales, donated goods needed to set up house and a local trucking company lent its services for the move. They also partnered with St. Andrew’sWesley, which has a refugee task force as part of its commitment to justice and social action.
Accused killer Ibrahim Ali lived with his family in the shadow of the leafy Burnaby park where the body of young Marrisa Shen was found in July, 2017 — close enough that family members might have passed by the small memorial that reminded the public her killer was still at large. At the building, where the family rents two apartments, a man answered the door to Postmedia News on Wednesday. The man confirmed that he was a relative of Ibrahim Ali, the Syrian refugee charged in Shen’s murder, and said “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” before closing the door. Ibrahim Ali came to Canada in March of 2017 through a jointsponsorship between a group of Bowen Island families and the St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church. According to reports in the Bowen Island Undercurrent, Ali arrived with two brothers, one of whom had a spouse and three young children. They joined a fourth brother who came to Canada as a government sponsored refugee four years ago. The family was united and now live in Burnaby. A member of the Bowen Island sponsorship group that came together to raise thousands of dollars and donate clothing and furniture for the family declined to speak to Postmedia on Wednesday, citing instructions of a lawyer. In an interview with Postmedia, Bowen Island Mayor Murray Skeels called the situation “absolutely devastating.” “Our hearts go out to both the families, of the victim and of the accused,” said Skeels. Bowen Island resident and SFU professor of criminology Neil Boyd (who was not part of
the sponsorship group) said it’s important to remember that at this point, Ali is only alleged to have committed the crime, and that it would be wrong to jump to conclusions about the refugee sponsorship system that brought Ali to Canada. “It would be inappropriate to say this was a failure in the system. Some people who wanted to do good raised some money to see him reunited with his family.” Boyd said, “We can’t predict with unfailing accuracy who will or will not commit crime, all we can say about i m m i g r at i o n is that people who come to Canada as immigrants have lower crime rates than native-born Canadians.” The reverend of a downtown Vancouver church that was involved in the jointsponsorship of Ali said his congregation would co-operate fully with the ongoing police investigation. However, in an emailed statement, Rev. Dan Chambers, of St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church, declined to elaborate on the church’s involvement in the sponsorship of Ali. “We will co-operate with the police and hold everyone involved in our prayers,” Chambers wrote. “I appreciate your interest in the story, but because of the privacy of the families involved and the complexities of the matter before the courts, we’re not able to comment further at this time.” Ibrahim Ali was arrested Sept. 7. He is due to appear in court on Friday.
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OPINION
Chrystia Freeland , Foreign Affairs Minister
Saturday, September 15, 2018
No use crying over spilt NAFTA milk
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is entirely right when he says no NAFTA deal is better than a bad NAFTA deal. Here’s the question though: Is the deal we’re currently faced with all that bad? President Donald Trump’s position seems to be that they’ve cobbled together an agreement with Mexico and it’s up to Canada to get on board. Take it or leave it. The question becomes one of particulars then. Should we take it? As Sean Speer and Brian Lee Crowley write elsewhere in the Sun, “the broad brushstrokes of the US-Mexico agreement are largely positive for us.” What are the sticking points? What is everyone waiting for? The good news is Canada appears to have dropped his unreasonable “progressive” trade agenda – demands to enshrine labour, environmental, gender parity and Indigenous rights – which were non-starters for the Americans. Whatever one thinks of these issues, they have no place in trade deals. And they certainly shouldn’t
be placed in the line ahead of actual trade issues. The current sticking points though are reputedly the Chapter 19 dispute mechanism and the provisions on protecting Canadian culture. While we support Trudeau securing a dispute mechanism that is to our liking, the lack of this does not turn the deal into a bad deal. We’d rather have a less than ideal way to grieve unfair practices than whopping job-killing tariffs slapped on our auto sector, as Trump has threatened. As for the culture provisions, this has always become an increasingly odd issue to get caught up in given the emergence of online streaming services and other alternative ways of accessing culture. Companies like Netflix currently invest in Canadian content not because they’re mandated to, but because they believe some of it has merit and will be watched Finally, our supply management system is due for modernization anyway. Canada can afford to allow in a few percentage points more of imported dairy products, especially if it results in cheaper prices for consumers.
Ford’s notwithstanding clause gamble Michael Taube The Ontario government’s legislation to cut the number of Toronto city council seats from 47 to 25 was scuttled on Monday by a court ruling. While the general feeling had been that Premier Doug Ford would appeal this decision, he opted for a nuclear option that will be discussed for generations. The Progressive Conservative premier previously pointed out that Toronto already had “25 MPs, 25 MPPs and 25 school trustees.” It seemed illogical to have 47 city councillors in what he regarded as the “most dysfunctional political arena in the country.” So the government passed legislation to trim council on July 27. Those who oppose the current size of Toronto council were pleased with this plan. Larger governments don’t create efficiency and cost-effectiveness; they lead to more fiscal mismanagement and overall waste. Hence, a shift toward a more streamlined municipal government based on principles like fiscal prudence and economic conservatism seemed logical. City councillors and candidates, mostly of the leftleaning garden variety, erupted in opposition. Some wondered if this was nothing more than retribution by Ford, a former city councillor during his late brother Rob’s tumultuous tenure as Toronto mayor and a failed mayoral candidate in 2014. To those council hopefuls who had been campaigning since May, it was viewed as an enormous waste of time, money and resources. Hence, a legal challenge was brought to the Ontario Superior Court against Bill 5, or the Better Local Government Act. The challenge was backed by many city councillors and Toronto Mayor John Tory, but it was far from a confident venture. Timing aside, the premier and legislative assembly have the democratic right, through the City of Toronto Act, to adjust the parameters of a municipal election. Would a judge be willing to intervene in a matter more clearly suited for our elected officials to discuss, debate and decide? In the age of judicial activism, I’m afraid so. Justice Edward Belobaba’s ruling was controversial. He argued that the Ontario government “clearly crossed a line” in this “unprecedented” matter when the legislation was passed. Troy Media columnist and political commentator Michael Taube was a speechwriter for former prime minister Stephen Harper.
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Birthplace doesn’t necessarily guarantee citizenship, Feds tell Supreme Court
Syrian refugee charged with first-degree murder From page 1 of Burnaby teen suspect. Ali is a Syrian national and a permanent resident of Canada who came to the country 17 months ago, Richardson said. She did not know whether he was a privatelysponsored or government-assisted refugee, but believed he has family in Burnaby and was employed. A law enforcement source who was not authorized to speak publicly said IHIT has asked the Canada Border Services Agency for more information about Ali. That source confirmed Ali did not arrive at a port of entry in Canada to claim asylum. A spokeswoman for the Immigration and Refugee Board was unable to find records of any public proceedings in which Ali was involved. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for all of their ongoing support and concern for us in this past year. We are aware that so many people reached out to the police to provide information and we were so grateful for that,” the statement read. “We would like to thank the police for all their hard work and specifically IHIT for their perseverance.” Chris Friesen, director of the Immigrant Services Society of B.C., which helps Syrians settle here, said he did not recognize Ali’s name. He said there are about 3,500 Syrian refugees living in 69 different B.C. communities, and he knows of no others who have been in trouble with police. He called Shen’s murder a “horrific, unfortunate” case, but said it shouldn’t cast suspicion on all refugees. “When a tragedy like this happens, it can and does impact public opinion and it’s unfortunate that entire communities can be whitewashed by the horrific alleged behaviour of one individual. We have found the vast, vast majority have left all of that behind — the trauma, the war — and just want to live a peaceful and productive life in Canada, paying taxes and supporting
their kids in school,” Friesen said. He said the Vancouver ISS office has a Vancouver police officer who comes regularly to meet with the refugees and assure them that law officials are here to support them in Canada. “It has been shown that immigrants are statistically less likely to commit crimes than others, but as in everything else, there are always exceptions,” said Olga Stachova of MOSAIC, the Multilingual Orientation Services Association for Immigrant Communities. She is concerned that the focus on the suspect’s immigration status will “erode the goodwill and generosity” that Canadians have for refugees. “Ibrahim Ali is accused of a terrible crime, but if he is guilty, he is not representative of all refugees, nor of all Syrians,” she said. One year later and police still have no suspect in Marrisa Shen’s murder ‘The whole thing raises big issues of security’: At Burnaby’s Central Park, questions linger over slain teen A letter posted online by representatives of the Syrian community in Canada called the murder despicable. “At this moment of deep sadness, we earnestly join all Canadians in mourning and hope that this terrible incident won’t result in a backlash against refugees.” The federal Liberals said in 2015 that the government would give top priority to assisting Syrian families, women at risk and members of the LGBT community, and that single men would only be permitted entry if they were LGBT or accompanying their parents as part of a family unit. However, these categories did not apply to privately sponsored refugees, a process that could include single men. Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen’s office did not respond to a request for comment but in a statement, an official with the department said every refugee “undergoes a robust, multi-layered screening before being allowed to enter Canada.”
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citizenship through birthplace regardless of parents’ nationality or status. This practice is not consistent and uniform enough to ground a rule of customary international law.” The federal Liberals adopted a decidedly different tone recently after the Conservatives passed a policy resolution calling on the government to enact legislation to end birthright citizenship “unless one of the parents of the child born in Canada is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.” Conservative Leader Andrew says one of the goals is to end the practice of women coming to Canada simply to give birth to a child that will automatically attain Canadian citizenship. Refugee and human rights advocates have objected, saying there is no evidence of a birth tourism problem to solve and that the Conservative policy would open the door to stateless children being born in Canada. Mathieu Genest, a spokesman for Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, said following passage of the resolution that it’s a “shame to see the Conservatives going back down the path established by the Harper government, which seeks to strip away the citizenship of people who have only ever known Canada as a home.” Justin Trudeau’s principal secretary, Gerald Butts, called the Conservative policy “a deeply wrong and disturbing idea.” However, the federal submission to the Supreme Court strongly suggests the notion of automatic birthright is not carved in legal stone. It notes even those states that have chosen to grant
citizenship to children born on their soil are not prohibited from applying exceptions. “A review of citizenship entitlements in various countries reveals a multitude of variations and restrictions on automatic citizenship by birth.” Federal lawyers play down the concept of automatic citizenship in laying out the reasons the government believes Alexander and Timothy Vavilov — the offspring of Russian intelligence agents — should not be recognized as Canadian citizens, even though they were born in Ontario. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in December. “In short, nothing in international law requires Canada to bestow citizenship on the basis of birth, much less to give citizenship to children born to parents in the service of a foreign government,” the written federal submission says. Two years ago, the government took a rosier view of the concept in a formal response to a petition against birthright citizenship sponsored by Conservative MP Alice Wong. John McCallum, immigration minister at the time, pointed out that the United States and Mexico, as well as a number of other countries in the Americas, such as Brazil and Argentina, provide citizenship based on birthplace. “While there may be instances of expectant mothers who are foreign nationals who travel to Canada to give birth, requiring that a parent be a citizen or permanent resident in order for their child to acquire citizenship through birth in Canada would represent a significant change to how Canadian citizenship is acquired,” McCallum added.
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LOCAL
Saturday, September 15, 2018 From page 1
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International students accused of “stealing” jobs and rental housing
like Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. “These students work overtime, stealing our jobs. Go to your homes, we have been here for twenty years and still feeding our kids...All we want is strong regulations in place. Employers benefit as they pay less than minimum wages to the students and students gets to
work beyond 20 hours per week,” he says. For most international students coming from Punjab, life in Canada starts from a basement. At times, from a 350-400 square feet space shared by 3-4 room-mates in not-so-healthy living conditions. Almost 70 per cent students coming here can’t afford proper accommodation due to exorbitant rentals. Colleges and government authorities have failed to address these issues despite charging exorbitant tuition fees. Many feel this is just one aspect. For Gurpreet Kaur from Phagwara, her biggest surprise after enrolling for a course at college in Brampton was to find student unions at Humber, Sheridan and Seneca collges in Brampton, largely led by Punjabi youth, and operating the same way as in Punjab - luxury SUV cavalcades, similar slogans, loud music and horns, tensions with rival parties, mass bunks and gang wars. Parminder Sandhu from Humber college in Etobicoke is afraid of the changing equations between students and Canadian policymakers in the wake of the spike in violence by Punjabi students in Brampton. The violence left four critically injured, compelling Canadian Parliamentarians of Punjabi origin to issue strong statements against the students. However, not every student is a culprit. “Mostly 3-4 students share a small 300-sq ft place to save money, while earning for the next semester as fees has to be paid in advance, and at the same time attending classes and exams. Locals are trying to paint us in a different way. The moment we talk about our rights, they take offence. They want rental income without providing proper facilities. Since we pay in cash, we can’t even sue them,” says Parminder Sandhu, this one from Sheridan College. Like hundreds of other students, Gurminder Kaur from Seneca college nurtures had thought of settling permanently here. Coming from Moga in Punjab, she has been toiling to fund her studies. “I just took initial tuition fee of the first semester from my parents. They could not afford more than that. Farmers can’t get study loans so easily for their children. It’s been two years and I am managing all the expenses, from living costs to tuition fee. Life gets tiring as we shuffle between night shifts and classes,” she adds. It’s only hopes of a PR-Card that keeps her going. Permanent residency no longer easy In Alberta in western Canada, international graduates can apply to the program through the Alberta Opportunity Stream only if they have graduated from an approved Alberta post-secondary institution and are working on a post-graduation work permit. Applicants will need to show that they have at least six months work experience in Alberta in an occupation related to their field of study, meet the same minimum language and income requirements as other applicants. “In a nutshell, students from other provinces will not be welcome,” says Subhash Batra, with an experience of some 10 years in international education. In a face-off between the students
and Indian community in Brampton, at a recent town hall that saw representation by federal, provincial and municipal authorities to decipher the reasons behind the recent escalating tensions, it came out that the international students are not solely to blame. Many students claim they are seen as mere cash cows, both by the academic institutions and the local community. What perturbs the Indian-Canadian community in Brampton is that these international students, who work overtime, are stealing “their” jobs. Abhinav Patel from Brampton has even shot off a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blaming Indians and largely Punjabi students, who form a sizeable chunk in provinces like Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.
“These students work overtime, stealing our jobs. Go to your homes, we have been here for twenty years and still feeding our kids...All we want is strong regulations in place. Employers benefit as they pay less than minimum wages to the students and students gets to work beyond 20 hours per week,” he says. 3 - 4 room-mates living in 1 basement For most international students coming from Punjab, life in Canada starts from a basement. At times, from a 350-400 square feet space shared by 3-4 room-mates in not-so-healthy living conditions. Almost 70 per cent students coming here can’t afford proper accommodation due to exorbitant rentals. Colleges and government authorities have failed to address these issues despite charging exorbitant tuition fees.
Many feel this is just one aspect. For Gurpreet Kaur from Phagwara, her biggest surprise after enrolling for a course at college in Brampton was to find student unions at Humber, Sheridan and Seneca collges in Brampton, largely led by Punjabi youth, and operating the same way as in Punjab - luxury SUV cavalcades, similar slogans, loud music and horns, tensions with rival parties, mass bunks and gang wars. Changing equations Parminder Sandhu from Humber college in Etobicoke is afraid of the changing equations between students and Canadian policymakers in the wake of the spike in violence by Punjabi students in Brampton. The violence left four critically injured, compelling Canadian Parliamentarians of Punjabi origin to issue strong statements against the students.
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Indians took a few steps down on the life ladder under popular Prime Minister Narendra Modi. That’s according to a recent Gallup survey, which finds that finds that Indians’ ratings of their current lives nationwide are the worst in recent record. It averages 4.0 on a 0-to-10 scale in 2017 – down from 4.4 back in 2014. The findings of this survey are consistent with a previous Gallup survey, which finds a big decline in the percentage of Indians who rate their lives positively enough to rate it as “thriving” since Modi assumed office. Only 3% of Indians consider themselves thriving in 2017 compared to 14% in 2014. The findings of the two surveys provide a different picture from that which one gets when looking at other metrics of the Indian economy. In the most recent quarter, the Indian GDP grew at an
Indians walked down ‘The Ladder’ under Modi annual rate of 8.2%, the strongest growth rate since the first quarter of 2016. Meanwhile, India’s equity market is up close to 70% in the last 5 years, beating the emerging market index by a big margin. Ap p a r e n t l y, India’s robust economic growth and hot equity markets didn’t touch the masses of the Indian people. Living Wage Family in India remains almost flat in the 17300-17400
INR/Month range over his tenure. Meanwhile, wages paid to low-skilled labor decreased to 10300 IN The failure of the masses to catch up with the feverish growth of the Indian economy and financial markets should be bad news for Modi in the upcoming elections. But it isn’t. People still approve of Modi’s job. “Modi recently predicted he would be re-elected with an
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even bigger parliamentary majority for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in next year’s general elections,” comments Gallup’s STEVE CRABTREE. “As Indians’ life ratings slipped, their support for Modi rose rather than fell: 79% of Indians said they approved of the job he’s doing, the highest figure since he took office in 2014.”Is it because Modi has been doing a great job or because they think worse of his opponent? It’s hard to say. What isn’t hard to say is that Modi has maintained a stable political and macroeconomic environment, reformed the tax system, and fought corruption with demonetization. These policies have helped India’s economy outperform most emerging markets in per capita GDP growth, and improved the country’s business environment.
Punjab tribunal fines Air Canada $65,000 for ‘mental agony’ after family kicked off flight From page 1 said Mittal in an interview. Air Canada says it ‘acted in the best interests of an ill child and for the well-being of all other passengers.’ (Air Canada) The Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission — which functions like a court — was scathing in its ruling. The family was “forcibly de-boarded from the aircraft on flimsy grounds” and left at the airport with no offer of food, water or even access to a phone, said the commission in a written decision. It condemned Air Canada for its “deficiency in service” and “violation of human rights,” and blasted company staff Mittal dealt with for “rude” behaviour which “brought shame to the airline.” The commission ruled India-based Jet Airways was also liable, because the family booked the flight through the codeshare partner airline, and flew Jet Airways for the first leg of their trip from Chandigarh, India, to New Delhi. Air Canada said it plans to contest the decision. “Our version of events is different,” said spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick in an email. The family had to leave the plane because Teesha was sick, he added. Mittal’s troubles began when, after boarding the Air Canada flight, her daughter tried to use the washroom. The bathroom was locked and was emitting a foul smell that, according to Mittal, made Teesha nauseous, and she vomited near the door. Mittal says cabin crew became upset, and said the family had to leave. “They made us feel like criminals, the way they were talking to us.” She said four male ground crew arrived and, despite her pleas to stay, escorted the family off the plane. “I was really crying by that time, honestly, because it was very humiliating.” Minali Mittal, her husband, Ratnish, and their two children. The family was visiting family in India before Mittal and the children were forced from a flight on their way home. The family of three returned to New Dehli’s airport around midnight and Mittal claims Air Canada staff offered no food, hotel accommodation and — at first — no alternative flight. She says she begged staff for another flight home and, after 12 hours of waiting, finally got new tickets. But the flight left two days later, leaving the family stranded until their departure. Meanwhile, Air Canada had sent their luggage home to Oakville. “We were very traumatized,” said Mittal. “I didn’t know they could do this to us.” According to commission documents, Jet Airways argued it’s not responsible because the family’s problems occurred on an Air Canada flight.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
What happened to the hiring of more Surrey RCMP officers? A candidate running for mayor of Surrey in the upcoming municipal election says he wants to know what happened to outgoing mayor Linda Hepner’s promise to look at hiring more police officers. Back in June, Linda Hepner pledged to “very seriously” consider adding more RCMP officers to the force. Those comments came in the wake of Surrey RCMP Officer in Charge (OIC) Dwayne McDonald saying he needed a “significant” number of additional officers. However, since then both the July and September meetings of Surrey’s Public Safety Committee have been cancelled. Hepner chairs those meetings and, according to her office, she cancelled the meetings so as not to “tie the hands” of
the soon-to-be elected new council with any decisions. But it’s at those meetings that McDonald was to make his pitch for more officers. Surrey councillor and mayoral candidate Bruce Hayne said he feels like it was a stalling tactic. “Honestly, I think it’s political that he not be asked for those specific numbers in public before an election, quite frankly,” Hayne said. “That’s when our OIC was to present us with his request for more officers. We haven’t got that yet.”As of June, Surrey had 835 RCMP officers. With secondments to integrated teams, its total strength was 777. By comparison the Vancouver Police Department has over 1,400 members who cover a landbase of a quarter of the size of Surrey.
Balancing the budget and working for you By John Horgan, Premier of British Colombia As kids went back to school this week, the B.C. government received some report cards of our own. First quarter results showed that our government is balancing the budget while delivering on our commitments to make life better for you and your family. B.C. is seeing stable economic growth and an improved bottom line. We also continue to lead Canada in wage growth. For the first time, B.C. has had the lowest unemployment rate in Canada for 12 consecutive months. Higher wages, combined with gains in full-time jobs, mean our economy is working better, for more people. The last government left a fiscal mess behind that we’re working hard to clean up. From the housing crisis to ICBC to money laundering, to irresponsibly pushing costs onto future generations of BC Hydro ratepayers. They also cut services while recklessly choosing to rely on a speculative real estate market to boost their books, leaving people without affordable homes and businesses without workers. Our government is making different choices to make life better for everyone in B.C., not just the few at the top. That means building a strong, sustainable economy that creates good jobs and more opportunities for more people, in every part of the province.
The housing crisis is bad for the economy. It hurts people – families, students, seniors - and it has hurt businesses that can’t attract and retain workers. We’re working to rein in the housing crisis and the market is finally beginning to moderate. We’re also making the largest investment in affordable housing in B.C.’s history, by establishing partnerships and investing more than $7 billion over 10 years, which will include building 114,000 homes for people Talent and ingenuity are bubbling up in every corner of this province. But for too long, services declined while costs for families rose and people struggled to afford housing and childcare. Our government is helping by investing in people. That means affordable housing, good schools for our kids, quality health care you can count on, affordable childcare and better infrastructure and roads to keep the province moving. And we’re working to make sure more people have more opportunities to find good jobs, and build better lives in their communities. The problems facing B.C. didn’t appear overnight, and they won’t be fixed overnight. We’re going to keep working to fix problems, and support stable economic growth that works for people. I’m excited for the bright future ahead – with opportunities for people, and success stories that every British Columbian can be part of, and be proud of.
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LOCAL / NATIONAL Greens still oppose NDP promise of renter’s rebate
Green party, which holds after government approved a the balance of power in the maximum increase in rents legislature, won’t support the of 4.5 per cent for 2019. NDP’s proposed $400 rental “Anybody who has followed rebate program, saying the idea to the housing market knows give cash to renters may be good if you just give everyone politics but is lousy public policy. $400, all that happens is the Green Leader Andrew Weaver prices go up, and the market told reporters Wednesday he absorbs the $400, because continues to oppose the idea of the market now has $400 per providing renters $400 a year to person more that landlords Andrew J. Weaver offset the high cost of rent. The can get access to,” said Weaver. NDP promised the rebate in “That is not good public policy.” the 2017 provincial election, and are facing Weaver lumped the rental rebate in with govt’s public pressure to follow through this week moves to scrap Metro Vancouver bridge tolls
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Saturday, September 15, 2018 Canadians who smoke marijuana legally, or work or invest in the industry, will be barred from US Customs and Border Protection official Canadians will be barred from entering the United States for smoking marijuana legally, for working in Canada’s legal marijuana industry and for investing in legal Canadian marijuana companies, a senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection official says. Todd Owen, who spoke to the U.S. website Politico, said the U.S. does not plan to change its border policies to account for Canada’s marijuana legalization, which takes effect on Oct. 17. Canadian perspective: If you like smoking the occasional spliff, keep it under your hat when talking to U.S. border agents; they regard this as an illegal act, even though marijuana will soon be legal in Canada and is already in some U.S. states. Canadian perspective: If you like smoking the occasional spliff, keep it under your hat when talking to U.S. border agents; they regard this as an illegal act, even though marijuana will soon be legal in Canada and is already in some U.S. states. “We don’t recognize that as a legal business,” said Owen, executive assistant commissioner for the office of field operations. Owen’s comments corroborated anecdotal reports that have accumulated over the course of the year. Canadians with links to the nascent legal industry, including venture capitalist Sam Znaimer and the chief executive of a B.C. agricultural machinery company, have already been given lifetime entry bans. Owen said border officers will not begin asking every Canadian about their marijuana use. He said, however, that officers might ask if “other questions lead there,” or “if there is a smell coming from the car,” or if
a dog detects marijuana residue. Owen did not specify how much equity a Canadian has to hold in a cannabis company to be denied entry. Scott Bernstein, senior policy analyst at the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, said he is troubled by the lack of clarity. From pot to privacy: What we know and don’t know about crossing the CanadaU.S. border Americans are expected to flock to Canada when cannabis becomes legal — but here’s how the U.S. border stands in the way Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau joined 23 other Toronto-area Liberal MPs who urged Ontario MPPs to reject Premier Doug Ford’s use of the “notwithstanding” clause. Twenty-five Toronto MPs urge rejection of Ford’s plan to use the ‘notwithstanding’ clause Former premier Bill Davis, left, and Mayor John Tory laugh as Davis trades quips with the media during a postcouncil press conference on Dec. 2, 2014. Davis, a key player in the 1982 repatriation of the Constitution, has spoken out against Premier Doug Ford’s use of the “notwithstanding” clause. “The sole purpose of the notwithstanding clause was only for those exceptionally rare circumstances when a province wanted to bring in a specific benefit or program provision for a part of their population — people of a certain age, for example — that might have seemed discriminatory under the Charter,” he said. Amnesty International condemned the move by Premier Doug Ford, seen here in Queen’s Park on Wednesday.
LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, September 15, 2018 Quebec MP Maxime Bernier has announced the name of his new party: the People’s Party of Canada. Bernier unveiled his party’s principles in Ottawa on Friday, vowing to run a full slate of 338 candidates in the 2019 election. “For too long Canadian politics has been hijacked by interest groups, cartels, lobbies, international groups, corporate or union interests of politicians and bureaucrats in Ottawa who are disconnected from ordinary citizens,” he said. “We don’t believe that government intervention is a solution for everything. Government should not intervene to solve each and every problem on the road to a utopian and unrealistic vision of society. “
Maxime Bernier launches the People’s Party of Canada Why immigration could make or break Maxime Bernier’s new party Bernier, who now sits as an independent, said it will still take time to register the party with Elections Canada, but so far has raised $140,000. He added he is respecting Elections Canada’s rules, including maximum limits for donations, even though he can’t hand out tax receipts yet. Bernier on healthcare policy and the
Maxime Bernier’s party scores backing of former MP Gurmant Grewal & Pot Activist Marc Emery A dragon, a marijuana activist and a former Tory MP who backed maverick MP Maxime Bernier’s leadership campaign are now throwing their weight behind his fledgling new political party. Bernier, who spent much of the last year butting heads with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer over party policy on supply management, announced last month he was leaving the Conservatives to start his own party. While he has touted having several prominent people behind him, nobody has come forward publicly until now. Former Dragon’s Den personality and merchant banker Michael Wekerle, wellknown pot activist Marc Emery and former British Columbia Conservative MP Gurmant Grewal all tell The Canadian Press they are backing Bernier’s adventure.
Wekerle says he’s impressed by Bernier because he’s “very true to his word.” “What he says is what he does is what he believes in. He’s a politician yet he doesn’t wade outside his core principles and for me, I thought that was very impressive,” said Wekerle. Wekerle said he believes Bernier has “Canadian interests at heart” and also called Bernier “very Canadian.” The pair met about five years ago at a social event and Wekerle said he has praise for Bernier for putting himself out there. “I think that really takes a lot of strength, a lot of valour,” he said, adding that he will donate to Bernier’s campaign and encourage others to support him. Michael Wekerle arrives on the red carpet at the 2015 Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto on March 1, 2015.
People’s Party of Canada 00:00 00:46 Quebec MP and former Conservative cabinet minister Maxime Bernier talks about healthcare at the launch of the People’s Party of Canada. 0:46 Last month, the rogue MP announced he was leaving the “intellectually and morally corrupt” Conservative Party to start his own movement. Smaller government, fewer immigrants
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Prior to his exit, Bernier caused waves for his tweets regarding Canada’s “extreme multiculturalism,” warning that “the cult of diversity will divide us into little tribes that have less and less in common, apart from their dependence on government in Ottawa.” Bernier said that as leader of the PPC, he wants to change Canada’s immigration ratios, including to take in fewer refugees. But when asked about potential supporters who want to limit immigration for xenophobic reasons, Bernier said “they have no place in our party.” As part of his announcement Friday, Bernier, a noted supply management opposer, announced some the PPC’s guiding principles, including:
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
China’s Sinopec joins group planning to build Alberta oil refinery
China’s Sinopec Corp. has joined a group planning to build an oil refinery in Alberta, the project’s consultant said, an enterprise that would strengthen demand and prices for the Canadian province’s heavily discounted crude. State-owned Sinopec, formally known as China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., along with an Alberta Indigenous group, China State Construction Engineering Corp. and Alberta management company Teedrum, plan to build a refinery that will process 167,000 barrels a day of crude into gasoline and other products, consulting firm Stantec Inc. said in a statement on Thursday. Sinopec and China Construction will provide the investment and expertise to build the refinery, Stantec said. Stantec
will seek permits and regulatory approval. The refinery would cost $8.5-billion, with a financing plan among the Chinese companies, Indigenous groups and other investors still to be worked out, said Teedrum president Ken Horn, who is leading the effort. Ownership of the refinery has also not yet been determined. The group hopes to receive regulatory approval and permits from the Alberta and Canadian governments within two years, he said in an interview. Most of the refined products will be
Severe gap between income and house prices in all Metro Vancouver markets: report How unaffordable is the Metro Vancouver housing market? A report from a real estate referral service has found the gap between housing costs and income is tens of thousands of dollars in most cities in the region. The report from Zoocasa looked at the minimum income required to a buy a house in a neighbourhood compared with residents’ median income. It found that there isn’t a single market across Metro Vancouver where a household earning the median income can afford houses for sale. Eleven of the 21 markets studied had income gaps of more than $100,000. In Port Moody, for example, which is the sixth least affordable market, the median income is around $93,000. That means those residents would be more than $118,000 short. In North Vancouver,
the income gap is more than $160,000. The least-affordable area for detached homes is Vancouver’s West Side, where in neighbourhoods such as Kitsilano or Point Grey residents would need an annual income of $450,000 to buy a house. The actual median income in that area is $65,000, for an income gap of $385,000. Following the West Side in the least affordable category are West Vancouver, Richmond, North Vancouver, Burnaby South, and Port Moody. Even in the most affordable region — Maple Ridge — a household that earns the median of $86,178 would still be $35,602 short to buy a detached house. Other most affordable markets are Pitt Meadows, North Delta, North Surrey, Ladner and Port Coquitlam, but all of those cities have income gaps above $40,000.
destined for export. “It helps create value for the bitumen,” Mr. Horn said, referring to the tarry, semi-solid form of Alberta’s heavy crude. “Right now, we ship most of that out of the province. We should do a lot more to maximize the value of that asset.” Most of Canada’s crude is produced in landlocked Alberta, where pipeline capacity has not expanded as rapidly as production. Resulting bottlenecks have hindered its transportation to U.S. refineries, steepening an already deep
price discount for the province’s crude, which grew to a multiyear high this week. Sinopec’s interest is also encouraging news for a Canadian sector that has seen foreign oil majors retreat over concerns about high oil production costs and the oil sands’ environmental toll. Alberta’s previous government declined to support the Indigenous-led refinery proposal in 2012, after deciding the project did not make economic sense. This time, the project is not soliciting government help, Mr. Horn said. A spokesman for Alberta Energy Minister Margaret McCuaig-Boyd did not immediately comment. Sinopec and Stantec could not be immediately reached.
Too late for SkyTrain in Surrey: TransLink CEO Several politicians running for Surrey government are now ready, willing and council in this fall’s election say they’d able and fully committed to providing scrub light rail transit in favour of SkyTrain. their share of the dollars,” Desmond said. That’s despite federal and provincial money Mayor Linda being in place for LRT, Hepner agrees. TransLink’s request for “It will be LRT.” qualifications, and 10 At the same time, years of staff time that Hepner says what has already been put in. happens down the Surrey LRT to be up Fraser Highway into and running by 2024, Langley is a discussion cost set at $1.65 billion “for another day.” TransLink’s CEO BC gov’t calls for Kevin Desmond says bids for Surrey LRT King George skytrain station in Surrey it wouldn’t be possible and Federal to change course this late in the game. government confirms investment for “The Mayors’ Council has set the policy, Surrey LRT and Broadway subway line. this is what the Mayors’ Council signed off on, the federal government and the provincial
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Fire at wood-recycling facility Fire at a wood waste recycling facility in Langley was still burning 36 hours after it ignited. The blaze started on Monday at Cloverdale Fuel Ltd.’s property, east of the Golden Ears Bridge on 102b Avenue in Langley. ‘None of it seemed real’: Lake Country man wakes to stranger lighting his house on fire Fire Department says it received calls of smoke in the area just before 10 p.m. PT. They arrived to find fire making its way through a pile of wood waste 60 metres high and 240 metres long. “We can’t extinguish it. It’s just too hot, too big. So, we’re just controlling it, letting it burn, but trying to control the rate that it burns,” said platoon captain Doug Simpson.
“I would imagine we’re at least another 24 to 36 hours here depending on how quickly the pile burns.” Fire crews douse debris in water as excavators move wood away from the fire. Simpson says the pile of wood debris is made up of lumber, logs, roots, stumps and pallets intended to be turned into hog fuel and bark mulch. He says the cause of the fire is unknown. Simpson says there is no risk to neighbouring buildings or the public, except for some possible irritation from the smoke.
Canada Post workers vote in favour of strike action if deal can’t be reached Canadian postal workers have voted in favour of strike action, with the union president saying members are overworked. Strike votes were held at locals across the country between Aug. 7 and Sept. 9, with 93.8 per cent of urban postal operations workers and 95.9 per cent of rural and suburban mail carriers voting to walk out if an agreement can’t be reached with Canada Post. That could happen as early as Sept. 26, shutting down mail delivery, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has warned. “It would mean that it would basically cease for the time that the bargaining units were
out,” Jim Gallant, CUPW’s regional grievance officer for Atlantic Canada, told CBC News on Wednesday afternoon. “A decision has to be made by the union at that point, but the membership has given the union permission to do what we need to do to come to an agreement with Canada Post on a contract, so that’s the last trump card that workers have.” Negotiations began in November 2017, with mediated talks starting in January. The collective agreement for the rural and suburban letter carriers, with about 8,000 members, expired Dec. 31, 2017,
Finance minister rejects BC municipalities’ request to opt out of speculation tax A resolution asking that municipalities be given the power to opt in or out of the speculation tax has passed with near unanimous approval at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Whistler. “This resolution proposes local government make the decision on their own whether or not to impose a vacancy tax,” said Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen who introduced the motion. “The choice should be made locally. They know the circumstances they live in.” The speculation tax was introduced in February’s provincial budget as a way
to curb speculation in the housing market. However, it has been criticized as being too broad in its application. A number of municipalities expressed concerned it would affect people who had owned seasonal or vacation properties for years. The NDP government later made a number of changes, saying the tax would no longer apply to properties in the Gulf Islands, Parksville, Qualicum Beach or rural Fraser Valley.
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Police ask Alberta residents to keep eye out for South Surrey murder suspect Investigators who asked last week for help locating South Surrey murder suspect Brandon Nathan Teixeira – wanted in connection with the October 2017 shooting of Nicholas Khabra – have now extended the appeal to residents of two Alberta cities. In an news release issued Friday morning, Cpl. Frank Jang – spokesperson for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team – said Teixeira is still believed to be “somewhere in the Lower Mainland.” However, “investigators learned that Mr. Teixeira has associates in Edmonton and Calgary and urge residents there to also be on the lookout for him.” Teixeira is described as Caucasian, fivefoot-10 and weighing 161 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes, a snake tattoo on the left side of his chest and a sleeve tattoo on his left arm. “IHIT continues to actively track down Brandon Teixeira as he poses a danger to the safety of the community,” Jang said in the release. “It is imperative that we find him and bring him before the court so that he can be held accountable for his first degree murder charge.” Jang confirmed last week that Teixeira was the subject of a manhunt in South Surrey’s Country Woods neighbourhood on Sept. 5. At that time, he said the 27-yearold is “believed to be extremely violent and poses a significant risk to public safety.”
“We were trying to make an arrest, but it was unsuccessful,” Jang told Peace Arch News the following afternoon, of police activity in the 2700-block of Country Woods Drive. IHIT announced on Sept. 6 a firstdegree murder charge against Teixeira that day, in connection with Khabra’s Oct. 23, 2017 death, in which Surrey RCMP responded to a report of shots fired in the 14300-block of Crescent Road at 2:10 a.m. They found Khabra suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to hospital where he later died. Soon after the initial report, police received a call from a woman who said she had also been shot. The second victim was found at Exit 10 of Highway 99, off King George Boulevard, and was taken to hospital, where she was treated for injuries and was expected to recover. At the time of the shooting, the woman – who has not been publicly identified – was said by police to be known to Khabra, and that they believed she was with him when the shooting occurred. IHIT said last year that the investigation had led them to believe that Khabra’s homicide was a “targeted act.” Anyone spotting Teixeira is advised to immediately call 911. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is aksed to call the IHIT tip line at 1-877-551-IHIT
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Library staffer wins $1.8-million PNE prize home The state-of-theart three-bedroom home designed by Freeport Industries features interior furnishings and appliances, the newest in home theatre and electronics, a dry sauna, and a luxury home elevator with premium stainless-steel sliding doors. An array of technology, including
Google Home voice activated speaker, WiFi video doorbell and outdoor cameras also comes with the property. Proceeds from the lottery support a variety of non-profit programs at the Pacific National Exhibition, including agriculture, community, educational incentives, arts and a large number of other local efforts.
Political directives have undermined BC Hydro’s finances, auditor general says Politicians should stop bossing around the independent regulator that oversees B.C. Hydro so the province can get a true sense of what electricity rates customers need to pay, says the auditor general. Auditor General Carol Bellringer on Wednesday outlined the concerns about Hydro that caused her to place a qualification on the B.C. government’s year-end financial report this week. The most significant issue is $5.5 billion in expenses Hydro has pushed into deferral accounts to be paid by ratepayers in future years. That’s a common practice among North American utilities to prevent unexpected rate hikes, said Bellringer, but to be acceptable under accounting rules it has to be accompanied by oversight from an independent regulator,
in this case the B.C. Utilities Commission. Instead of allowing unfettered oversight, the previous Liberal government used cabinet orders since 2012 to override the utilities commission and set Hydro’s rates directly, said Bellringer. “Government direction has largely predetermined B.C. Hydro’s allowable costs,” Bellringer told reporters Wednesday. “The overall effect has been to limit rate increases and increase the amount of B.C. Hydro’s deferral accounts.” The former Liberal government had promised voters affordable Hydro rates and used cabinet orders to keep them low rather than let the independent commission set what Hydro needed to charge.
Crown seeking conditional jail sentence for former cop caught in Creep Catcher’s sting Dario Devic had a major lapse in judgment when he arranged to meet a woman posing as a 15 year old in Sept. 2016, his lawyer Rishi Gill admitted in B.C. Provincial Court on Tuesday. “He is well aware that he has disgraced the uniform,” said Gill. But Gill argued during Devic’s sentencing hearing that the former Surrey RCMP officer never believed the woman — a then-30-year-old member of the vigilante group, Creep Catchers, named Danielle Van Vliet — was under 16.
Devic entered a guilty plea to the charge of breach of trust in August. Gill says a more serious charge of child luring will be stayed. The former police officer sat through the hearing quietly, wearing a grey suit, purple shirt, a tidy beard and glasses. Several people — family and friends — sat in the gallery to support him. Devic eventually stood to speak to the court and struggled through tears as he thanked his wife, inlaws and friends who have supported him.
Overnight Pattullo Bridge lane closures begin Sunday As part of TransLink’s annual Pattullo Bridge safety inspections, two lanes of the crossing will close each night from Sunday Sept. 16 through to Sept. 20. A replacement of the 80-year-old bridge is expected to be complete in 2023 but until then TransLink plans these yearly inspections “to ensure it remains safe.” See also: Pattullo Bridge turns 80 years
old today Nov. 15, 2017 During the upcoming closures, nightly traffic access will be open in only one direction. The lane closures will occur between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.. Northbound lanes (Surrey heading to New Westminster) will close on Sept. 16 and 17, and southbound lanes (New Westminster heading to Surrey) will close on Sept. 18, 19 and 20.
RCMP looking for missing family Surrey RCMP are asking for information about a missing family of four. According to a release, the Anderson family was reported missing to police by another family member on Sept. 11 at around 6:30 p.m. PT. They were last seen on Sept. 9, and were last heard from on Sept. 10 at approximately 9 p.m. PT by a family member.
Their vehicle was last seen on video surveillance leaving the parking garage of their residence in the 13700 block of 100 Avenue at 2 p.m. PT on Sept. 11. Investigators believe the family could possibly be driving to Alberta. RCMP have released the following descriptions of the family members:
Murder suspect in school stabbing found unfit for trial BC Review Board has found the man accused of fatally stabbing a teenage girl in an Abbotsford high school unfit to stand trial, according to his lawyer. Martin Peters said his client Gabriel Klein (pictured) has been remanded and is being held in custody at the Colony Farm Forensic Psychiatric Hospital. He said he does not know when the board will review again but that Klein needs to
was stabbed old girl was In April, justice found
be moved to another medication treatment and that will take some time. Klein was charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault in connection the stabbing at Abbotsford Secondary School in Nov. 2016. A 13-year-old girl to death and a 14-yearwounded in the incident. BC Supreme Court him unfit to stand trial.
BC Hydro misled the province about technology program, report says B.C. Hydro misled the province’s independent regulator about an expensive technology program, thereby avoiding
scrutiny on how it spent millions of dollars in public money, according to a report by the B.C. Utilities Commission. The Crown power corporation gave inaccurate testimony to regulators about the software it had chosen, called SAP, for an information technology project that has cost $197 million, said the report, released Friday. “The way the SAP decision was made prevented its appropriate scrutiny by B.C. Hydro’s board of directors and the BCUC,” the commission found. “B.C. Hydro’s CEO and CFO and its (audit and risk management board committee) members did not exhibit good business judgment when reviewing and approving the SAP decision without an expenditure approval or business case.” The report Friday was the result of a complaint made in 2016 by then-opposition NDP MLA Adrian Dix, who alleged Hydro lied to the regulatory commission to try to get approval for a risky IT project in 2008 that then went over budget and resulted in the firing of Hydro’s chief information officer. The commission spent two years investigating. Its report Friday outlined how Hydro split the IT project into smaller components to avoid scrutiny, failed to produce the proper planning document when asked, didn’t disclose cost increases of up to $38 million, gave incomplete testimony and did not quickly correct the record when it realized the mistakes. “Essentially all of the things I asserted were substantiated, and so I’m pleased,” Dix, who is now minister of health, said on Monday. “I
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Supreme Court affirms power of provincial real-estate superintendent
B.C. Supreme Court judge has affirmed the powers of the provincial real-estate superintendent to compel the industry regulator to reopen investigations into alleged agent misconduct, a ruling that underscores the new oversight of a sector that lost the ability to police itself two years ago. The decision, handed down at the end of last month, stated that the superintendent has
the power to force the Real Estate Council of British Columbia, which he oversees under provincial legislation, to hold a new disciplinary hearing even after the regulator’s complaints committee has reviewed a case and decided that it is unnecessary. Justice Elliott Myers wrote in his Aug. 31 decision that 2016 amendments to the provincial Real Estate Services Act, which were
Weed-killing chemical found in pasta, cereal and cookies sold in Canada: study From Cheerios to Oreos to chocolate glazed Timbits, a controversial weedkilling chemical has been found in several popular food products in Canada. In a study commissioned by advocacy group Environmental Defence Canada and independently conducted by Californiabased Anresco Laboratories, 18 common food items were tested for glyphosate, the active ingredient of a chemical herbicide sold under the name Roundup and found in many agricultural and gardening products. Although the issue remains hotly contested, several studies and court cases have linked the widely-used chemical to cancer. In the Environmental Defence Canada study, traces of glyphosate were found in multiple children’s foods and snacks sold in Canada, including Kraft Dinner Original macaroni and cheese, Ritz Original crackers, President’s Choice tortillas, two brands of hummus, breakfast cereals like General Mills’ Cheerios and Kellogg’s Froot Loops as well as Tim Hortons chocolate glazed Timbits and sesame seed bagels. (Scroll down for a full list of the
tested products and their glyphosate content) Of the 18 products tested, only four did not contain glyphosate. And while the levels detected were in parts per billion -- a minute amount that’s far below the levels deemed safe by Health Canada, which are set in parts per million -- the fact there are trace amounts of a weed killer in foods in the first place may surprise many Canadians Muhannad Malas, Toxics Program Manager at Environmental Defence, said the findings suggest that some consumers may be unknowingly ingesting trace amounts of the disputed herbicide multiple times a day. “When we have evidence that a chemical is linked to cancer, I think questions need to be raised about, you know, what is a safe a limit?” Malas told CTV News. “What we’re trying to do here is really inform Canadians and let Canadians know that these are the facts, that our foods contain glyphosate and that glyphosate is a harmful chemical.” In August, a California jury ruled that the herbicide was directly responsible for causing a man’s terminal cancer.
Nigerian refugee accused of $15M cyber-fraud case You might find a Nigerian prince in your email, but a London courtroom is about the last place you’d expect to find someone accused of such an online scam. Benard Okorhi, 39 (pictured), is fighting that label as hard as he’s trying to stop his extradition to the United States, where he’s wanted for what the U.S. Department of Justice alleges is his part in a complex US$15-million fraud. He sat quietly in the prisoner’s box, often shaking his head in disbelief at the allegations detailed by a federal Crown that he was part of a elaborate online scheme covering the gamut of the notorious cyber-scams targeting American businesses and lonely hearts. If you think the allegations sound like the infamous Nigerian prince emails that show up in your online junk folder, you’d be pretty close. Since February, he’s been in custody, just months after he arrived in London as a refugee from Nigeria. What Superior Court Justice Jonathon George must decide is whether there’s enough evidence to ship Okorhi to Memphis, Tenn., to join six others — some from Nigeria and Ghana, some from the U.S. — already in custody for a trial slated for next month. Three other men have been arrested in Ghana and are awaiting extradition. There are four others, including Okorhi’s brother, who remain at large. Federal Crown Adrienne Rice told George there’s “more than ample evidence” to send Okorhi south. “The person before the court is the individual the Americans are seeking,” she said. Central to evidence for extradition is a photograph that Rice said came from Okorhi’s passport, which was attached to an email sent from one account to another linked to Okorhi. George must be convinced that the photo is of Okorhi, the defence said, or else consider that maybe Okorhi’s identity was stolen as part of the deceit.
To demonstrate how easy it might have been to use Okorhi as a dupe, on a recess at the hearing, defence lawyers Gord Cudmore and Perrie Douglas were able to take the photo and make a fake Facebook profile for Okorhi within minutes. The case, dubbed Operation Keyboard Warrior by American authorities, targeted an alleged Africabased conspiracy dating back to 2012.
enhanced after The Globe and Mail revealed widespread problems in the industry, make it clear that the superintendent has this ability. The council had argued that it would be unfair to allow the superintendent to compel it to reopen any file “months or even years” after the regulator had investigated, dropped a complaint and notified all the parties involved.
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“Here, the council is not reconsidering its own decision, either of its own volition or at the request of a party. Rather, the council is being directed by the superintendent to issue a notice of hearing under a separate statutory provision from that which initially brought the matter before it,” the ruling stated.
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New Westminster city council candidate raises concerns about low voter turnout
Talhan, District Jalandhar Sangat visiting Gurdwara Nanak Niwas, #5 Rd Richmond. Akhand Path was held in honour of Baba Nihal Singh and Baba Harnam Singh.
Deportation halted because man’s tattoos could cause people to think he is a gang member A Toronto man ordered out of Canada for being a member of the notorious crime gang MS-13 has won a reprieve — with a judge accepting that his MS-13 gang tattoos could lead people to think he is a member of MS-13. The decision to grant René Pacheco another hearing to assess the danger of deporting him to his native El Salvador means the same tattoos that prompted his deportation order have now saved him from immediate deportation. Pacheco’s strange case started when he was arrested in 2016 for several criminal charges and, while he was in jail awaiting trial, Canada Border Services Agency officers interviewed him. Pacheco, 25, whose nickname is “Machete,” boasted of his ties to MS-13, an international gang also called Mara Salvatrucha that is widely condemned for liberal use of brutal violence. He showed officers a tattoo of the number 13 on the back of his hand. He also has a teardrop tattoo on his face, a symbol often taken as a sign of serious criminality, and tattoos on his knuckles and back. He told officers a colourful account of enduring a 13-second beating as an initiation rite and how the 10 to 20 members of his Toronto chapter, known as a clique, controlled territory in the Jane and Sheppard area of the city. His Facebook page featured MS-13 gang graffiti. His admissions were deemed believable and CBSA moved to deport him for being a member of a criminal organization. Although he came to Canada at the age of six, he did not become a Canadian citizen. Pacheco later denied gang ties and gave innocent explanations for his body ink,
including the number 13 being his “lucky number” and the teardrop commemorating his birth father’s murder in El Salvador. All he knew about MS-13, he said, he learned from YouTube and he complained he was high on drugs when talking to the CBSA. “I made bad decision getting these tattoos not knowing that it was going to relate to this,” Pacheco said at an immigration hearing in 2017. “I took as, like, a fashion nowadays. You know everybody has tattoos and I made that bad decision of getting these tattoos and not knowing what I was getting. “I’m not a member,” he said. “I made a mistake…. Innocent people are dying back in my country and here I am getting these tattoos thinking it’s a joke not realizing the consequences that it brings.” Tattooed MS-13 gang members at a maximum security prison in Zacatecoluca, El Salvador. Marvin Recinos/AFP/Getty Images/File One Federal Court of Canada judge upheld his deportation order in June as a reasonable outcome given the evidence. However, Pacheco then applied for a PreRemoval Risk Assessment, claiming he would be in danger if he was returned to El Salvador
New Westminster city council candidate Daniel Fontaine believes three factors have British Columbia heading to a record low voter turnout for the provincewide Oct. 20 municipal elections. He’s worried about an earlier election day, stricter rules on campaign donations, and the proportional representation referendum. Fontaine, a city council candidate with the New West Progressives and longtime municipal affairs watcher, doesn’t think enough is being done to inform voters about the upcoming election. “There are now less than 50 days left until Election Day, and we are simply not doing enough to increase awareness of the pending election,” Fontaine said. “I have been knocking on doors all summer, and I am struck by the number of citizens who have no idea it is an election year.” In the past, B.C.’s municipal elections have been held in November. This year, voters go to the polls at the end of October. Municipal candidates are also restricted
from raising money from unions and corporations, a change made as part of the provincial government’s move to ban the donations at the provincial level as well. The municipal elections also happen to share a campaign period with a provincial referendum on electoral reform. Fontaine says he has already run into many people while campaigning who are confused about the two separate campaigns. The council candidate is suggesting that the Union of BC Municipalities and the Metro Vancouver board step in to support information campaigns both regionally and across the province. “It is a lot more challenging to run. It is not as easy as it was perhaps in the past,” Fontaine said. “If you were to check on the Metro Vancouver website, you wouldn’t even know that there was an election next month.” Voter turnout in the city of Vancouver rose to 43.4 per cent in 2014 from 35 per cent in 2011.
BC’s biggest blueberry pie served up in Surrey Bakers whipped up a giant blueberry pie Saturday in Surrey as part of a festival celebrating local agriculture. Stephanie French said she made the pie with fresh Fraser Valley blueberries. The massive creation was actually made up of 1,700 smaller pies that were served to hungry guests at the Surrey Central Plaza. French said making the pie took several
days, as bakers rolled out the bottom and top crusts, filled them with berries and then baked them in batches in the oven. The giant pie was assembled Saturday morning for the event, which included live music, pony rides, balloon artists and face painting. More than one-third — 9,290 hectares — of Surrey is farmland, which produces a wide variety of crops.
Vancouver councillor warns of record low turnout in civic elections A Vancouver city councillor says there could be a record low voter turnout in next month’s B.C. civic elections, and he wants the province to do something about it. Coun. George Affleck says campaign finance restrictions, combined with the fact that the elections are taking place earlier in the year, could mean fewer voters will take part in the Oct. 20 civic elections. “Those two things, I think, are going to have a huge impact on turnout,” he said. “I think people don’t see the election coming, and you also see a lot less money spent by parties… so in general you won’t
see much marketing about an election coming, and I think people will be potentially not aware as they have [been] in the past.” According to a post on Affleck’s Facebook page, he has submitted a motion to urge Premier John Horgan “to look at ensuring people head to the polls and vote” and expects to see it on the agenda at the Sept. 18 council meeting. The councillor also says he and other civic politicians should talk to Horgan about the issue at this week’s Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Whistler. His motion asks council to request the province “immediately consider enhancing the existing communications budgets for Elections BC, various regional districts and UBCM to help raise public awareness of the imminent 2018 local government elections in British Columbia on an emergency basis.” New Westminster city council candidate Daniel Fontaine has also raised concerns about the lack of awareness around the election. “I have been knocking on doors all summer, and I am struck by the number of citizens who have no idea it is an election year,” Fontaine told Global News last week. Further muddying the waters is the fact that municipal elections happen to share a campaign period with a provincial referendum on electoral reform. Fontaine said he has already run into many people while campaigning who are confused about the two separate campaigns. Affleck, who is not seeking reelection, says the lack of awareness is not just a problem in Vancouver but in municipalities across the province.
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Man arrested for causing $100,000 fire in East Vancouver Officers arrested Jason Acoose, 46, just before noon Friday near Commercial Drive and East 12th Avenue Vancouver police have arrested a local man suspected of causing $100,000 in damage after setting fire to a hedge in an East Vancouver laneway. Officers tracked down Vancouver resident Jason Acoose, 46, just before noon Friday near Commercial Drive and East 12th Avenue, Sgt. Jason Robillard said in a news release. Crown counsel approved two charges of arson to property and Acoose remains in custody. Arson investigators credit the public with providing tips that helped
them track him down, Robillard said. Police released surveillance footage Friday of a man they now believe is Acoose lighting the fire in East Vancouver. The video shows the man walking into the east lane of Nanaimo and Copley streets on Aug. 21 around 3 p.m. He can be seen walking past a tall hedge in an alleyway before doubling back to a dry section. He bends over, reaches his hand into the hedge and then walks away. Before the arsonist has even left the frame of the video, the first licks of a fire can be seen coming from the hedge. Another camera shows the man walking away down the alley.
Calgary council to keep exploring 2026 Olympics bid after $5.23 billion cost projected Calgary City Council voted late Tuesday night to move forward with its 2026 Olympics bid process and hold a plebiscite in November, hours after the bid corporation projected the Games would cost $5.23 billion. The 12-3 vote to hold the plebiscite came after a lengthy council meeting and two closed-door sessions to discuss the bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The vote had been called the “final offramp” in the city council debate over whether Calgary should host the Games, with some councillors concerned voters wouldn’t have enough information to make a fully informed decision about an event
with a price tag in excess of $5 billion. Councillors Sean Chu, Joe Magliocca and Druh Farrell were the three who voted to halt the process. “We don’t even know how much the provincial government is going to put in, or even if they are going to do it at all,” said Chu. “We’ve been promised that and we’ve been promised many things and we don’t have any numbers.” Chu said it wasn’t an easy vote for him but said he doesn’t feel Calgary has enough information to proceed. NoCalgaryOlympics put out a statement saying the group is disappointed council didn’t vote to kill the bid process.
Convicted Edmonton fraudster is big lottery loser For 128 days, it was like Hassan Karim Choudhry kept winning the lottery. Between May 2013 and September 2013, the operator of two Mac’s convenience stores in Edmonton lined his own pockets by paying out non-existent lottery tickets to himself. In Edmonton provincial court on Tuesday, Choudhry pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000, admitting to essentially stealing $257,779 from Mac’s. He was sentenced to one year jail and ordered to make full restitution to the Mac’s. Crown prosecutor Jim Stewart explained to the court that Choudhry created false lottery win payouts so he could reduce the amount of money he had to deposit from his stores at the end of the day. He pocketed the difference for himself. “It wasn’t until there was a reconciliation between the Western Canada Lottery Corporation and Mac’s corporate, that it was discovered that Mr. Choudhry had been wildly over-reporting the amount of money that he was paying out of his till to lottery winners,” Stewart explained outside court. Mac’s fired Choudhry and reported the fraud to police, but it took economic crimes investigators nearly four years to charge him. Despite Tuesday’s guilty plea, Choudhry resisted the idea of paying back Mac’s. Through his lawyer, he told the court he was bankrupt and insisted Mac’s still owed him money. Anderson decided a restitution order was appropriate, which means Mac’s is now able to seize Choudhry’s assets to recover its losses.
BC Liberals accuse NDP MLA of misusing publicly funded office B.C. Liberals are accusing NDP MLA Bowinn Ma of allowing her office to be used by an outside environmental activist group for partisan activities connected to the upcoming municipal elections. But Ma says the group that booked the space, Force of Nature, filled out a form saying they would abide by the rules in place to ensure constituency offices are kept non-partisan. Google invites are titled ‘ELECTION TRAINING’ and are encouraging people to “get trained up and ready to run the most effective and exciting election campaign of all time!” The invite also mentions opportunities in the meeting to “learn about BC politics and get to know FoN teammates from all across the Lower Mainland.” According to the Force of Nature website, the group supports issues “from fighting industrial fossil fuel projects and raising thousands of dollars for First Nation’s legal challenges, to mobilizing tens of thousands of voters in the last three elections and promoting rooftop solar energy in Metro Vancouver municipalities.”
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Canada’s tradition of homeownership is at risk Something is happening in Canada these days that hasn’t happened in at least 45 years: The share of Canadians who own a home is shrinking. This isn’t just an abstract problem for academics to pore over. Homeownership has become the primary way that Canada’s middle class accumulates wealth. If fewer people have access to it, that could have consequences for the material well-being of the whole country down the road. According to an analysis of census data from Point2 Homes, 88 of Canada’s 100 largest cities saw their homeownership rate fall between the 2011 census and the 2016 census. As Statistics Canada reported earlier, the percentage of households that own their own home fell to 67.8 per cent in the 2016 census, from 69 per cent in 2011. And there’s every reason to believe that trend has
continued since. The new analysis found that — with the exception of Halifax — the largest declines in homeownership took place in the cities that have seen the largest house price growth — Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria. Only a few of Canada’s larger cities — Montreal and Saskatoon, notably — saw their homeownership rates rise in the most recent period. The analysis points to the oil price crash of 2015 as a cause of this shrinking ownership rate. “The collapse of oil prices and the country’s heavy reliance on exports to (China) pushed Canada into a recession. The ensuing economic deceleration affected wages, hence lowering people’s purchasing power,” Point2 Homes noted on its website. But that alone can’t fully explain what’s happening. After all, Canada saw much worse recessions in earlier decades, and homeownership continued to grow all the same. So what can explain it? One thing is the economic struggle facing millennials.
Thirty-year-olds in Canada today are less likely to own a home than their parents were at the same age, with 50.2 per cent owning a home, compared to 55 per cent for their parents. As youth push back homeownership, the ownership rate declines. Home affordability deteriorating rapidly If what’s happening is just a delay in homebuying, then over time we can expect ownership rates to stabilize and return to where they were. But there is something large standing in the way of that: Rapidly deteriorating home affordability. The latest numbers from National Bank of Canada’s affordability index, released this week, show how much more difficult it has become to buy a home in Canada in just the past year. In the 11 major cities surveyed for the index, the average monthly mortgage payment has jumped to nearly half (48.7 per cent) of the average income. That’s way above the longrun average of 39.6 per cent. While prices have largely stopped growing in the hottest markets (Toronto and Vancouver), mortgage rates have been going up, more than offsetting any price cuts. For Canada as a whole, housing affordability is at its worst levels since the early 1990s. Back then, the Bank of Canada pushed interest rates to astronomically high levels. That hurt the economy, but it dragged down house prices that had grown too high, bringing them back to affordable levels over time. Today’s rise in mortgage rates is much milder, and it’s no certainty that it will trigger a price correction that would bring prices down to historical affordability levels. Faced with these challenges, many younger people are simply giving up on ownership. A recent survey from real estate agency Re/Max found that nearly four in 10 Canadian members of Generation Z (18 to 24 years old) have no plans to buy a home. In a country where homeownership is so crucial to wealth accumulation, and where social status is often closely linked to your place of residence, it’s a bad sign when so many young people say they are planning on being permanent renters. The need for policies to support affordable housing is becoming painfully, glaringly obvious.
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Woman arrested for allegedly slapping US border officer Canadian woman is facing charges in US after allegedly slapping a border guard who refused to let her enter USA. According to the US Attorney’s Office in New York state, the woman tried to cross the border on September 2 after being dropped off at the Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge by a taxi. US justice officials say the woman was refused entry into their country because of issues from previous times she attempted to cross the border. The woman allegedly “became verbally combative and uncooperative” after being
denied entry, and claimed to be a US citizen despite having “no credible or verifiable information” to back up that claim. When ordered to return to Canada, the woman allegedly asked a border officer “What if I punch you in the face?” She allegedly said she wanted to be charged criminally and slapped the officer in the face. Tianna Natasha McPherson, a 40-yearold woman from Kitchener, Ont., has been charged with assaulting an officer. If convicted, she could receive a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Toronto BMW employee charged after allegedly poisoning co-worker’s water bottle with engine coolant Toronto police have arrested one man and are looking for another after an alleged poisoning at the downtown Toronto BMW dealership on Tuesday. Officers were called out to the Don Valley Parkway and Eastern Avenue car retailer on Thursday after accusations that an employee’s water bottle had been tainted with a noxious substance. “The allegations are that a man took a water bottle from a service area, took a sip, and quickly realized the contents of the bottle was not in fact water,” Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu told Global News Radio 640 Toronto. “He went to a pharmacy, got some medication, and then checked himself into a hospital,” she said. The man was released that day
with non-life-threatening injuries. According to police, internal security camera showed two males taking a bottle from a service area and before placing it back in the same service area. Investigators believe the container was tainted with engine coolant. Rahim Jaffer, 34, has been charged with one count of administering a noxious substance. Police said they are looking for a second individual who is believed to be an accomplice. “All three men involved in this incident are known to each other and all are employed with the same the dealership,” said Sidhu. Vehicle engine coolant typically comes in liquid form and contains ethylene glycol, which despite its sweet taste can cause brain, heart, lung and kidney damage if ingested.
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Kennedy Stewart still collecting MP pay while campaigning for mayor of Vancouver New Democrat Kennedy Stewart has continued to collect his MP’s salary while campaigning for mayor of Vancouver. Stewart says he will officially resign his House of Commons seat on Sept. 14 — the last day he can file his paperwork for the mayoral race — to ensure there is no overlap in being an official candidate and a member of Parliament. The campaign officially kicks off on Sept. 22. Stewart has represented the British Columbia riding of Burnaby South since 2011 and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh intends to run in his riding once the seat is vacant. Stewart’s resignation will come three months after he delivered a speech in Parliament, in which he bade farewell to his colleagues and told them of his
hopes to become Vancouver’s next mayor. Since then, Stewart says he has been trying to close cases and solve issues for constituents. He insists he’s been working as an MP but his Twitter handle reads “Candidate for Mayor of Vancouver” and his website links to his campaign site. Bremner campaign insists it doesn’t know who’s behind mystery ads Candidates’ release of housing platforms marks the real start of Vancouver’s election campaign NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to run in B.C. byelection A quick scroll through his timeline shows that Stewart has been tweeting primarily about campaign promises.
Calgary mayor says it’s ‘dangerous’ for Doug Ford to
use ‘notwithstanding’ clause after judge’s ruling Mayor Naheed Nenshi says it’s “very reckless” for Ontario Premier Doug Ford to invoke the rarely used notwithstanding clause after a judge struck down the province’s move to cut the size of Toronto city council on Monday. Nenshi spoke out in July about Ford’s legislation to slash the number of Toronto wards from 47 to 25, calling it “a direct affront on democracy.” At the time, he criticized the move coming just months before a municipal election on Toronto, and said it was unfair to both voters and people hoping to run for a council seat. Mayor Naheed Nenshi reacted Monday to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s announcement
that he would use the notwithstanding clause in the wake of a judge’s ruling on his move to cut the number of wards in Toronto. Mayor Naheed Nenshi reacted Monday to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s announcement that he would use the notwithstanding clause in the wake of a judge’s ruling on his move to cut the number of wards in Toronto. Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba said Monday that Ontario’s Bill 5, the Better Local Government Act, infringed charter rights and deemed it unconstitutional. Ford announced at a news conference that he would use the notwithstanding clause to override the court decision for the first time in Ontario’s history.
Canada’s ultra-wealthy getting richer faster than the rest of us Canada ranks fifth in the world when it comes to the number of people living in a country with a net worth of at least $30 million US — beating out the likes of Switzerland and Hong Kong — according to a new wealth study. According to research firm Wealth X, Canada had around 10,840 residents worth $30 million or more including their investable assets in 2017. The New York-based firm compiles the study based on its database of wealthy individuals every year. The $30 million figure isn’t random — that’s what Wealth-X says it takes to be considered an ultra-high net worth individual. Only the United States, Japan, China and Germany had more people with at least that amount of money than Canada. France, Hong Kong, the U.K., Switzerland and Italy all ranked below Canada.
The top 10 countries with the highest population of people worth $30M US or more, according to research firm Wealth-X. “[Our] research found that while the average net worth of Canada’s wealthiest families rose by 37 per cent between 2012 and 2016, the net worth of middle-class families increased by 16 per cent,” said Tranjan. He said it didn’t surprise him that Canada had more high net worth residents than several European countries on the list. “One of our recent studies and research conducted by French economist Thomas Piketty and colleagues have demonstrated that inheritance tax is a key mechanism for wealth distribution,” Tranjan said. “Canada doesn’t have such a tax, whereas most European countries do.” Germany, the only European country to top Canada on the list, does have an inheritance tax.
Cooling of Canada’s real-estate market expected to continue: poll Canada’s real estate market is expected to slow further, with rising interest rates and more stringent mortgage rules set to cool home sales and price rises, a Reuters poll of property market analysts showed on Monday. Among once-hot markets, the outlook for Toronto home prices improved somewhat from the previous poll in June, while the prospects for Vancouver, which has some of the most expensive homes in the world, grew more precarious. The median forecast in a Reuters poll of 16 analysts taken Sept. 4-7 predicted national house prices will rise by a median 1.7 per cent this year, slower than the 1.9 per cent in a poll taken in June. That is below the expected rate of consumer price inflation this year and in 2019. For subscribers: Rules, rates and reality checks for first-time home buyers
per cent next year, in line with the June forecast, and another 2 per cent in 2020, down from the prior forecast of 2.5 per cent. “We are going to see very modest price growth across all markets,” said Robert Kavcic, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto. “We are seeing Toronto and Vancouver still adjusting to past policy measures and Bank of Canada rate hikes.” New rules implemented at the start of this year requiring so-called “stress tests” for borrowers have restrained home sales and prices, despite an otherwise solid economic performance. Regulators are trying to ensure a soft landing for a market that was propelled by years of low interest rates following the global financial crash and ignited fears that housing in Toronto and Vancouver is in an asset price bubble.
House prices are set to rise another 2.1
Supreme Court affirms power of provincial real-estate superintendent From page 15 Though the judge underscored the superintendent’s powers, the ruling said that the particular case in question could not be reopened because the realtor was not notified that his alleged misconduct was drawing new attention from the superintendent. The superintendent’s spokesperson said his office is adapting its procedures to now give realtors this notice to adhere to the judgment. A spokesperson for superintendent Micheal Noseworthy, a former real estate lawyer, issued a statement on Friday praising the court for providing clarity around his oversight role and giving the public more confidence that the council is investigating misconduct properly. “This decision will ensure that our office can
continue to review cases such as this to ensure effective oversight of the council’s investigation and discipline process,” the statement said. The council declined to comment, noting its lawyers were still reviewing the decision. The alleged misconduct at the heart of the very public legal spat involved a realtor in McBride, B.C., a village in the Kootenays on the boundary with Alberta. In his initial claim, the superintendent had stated that he was contacted by a couple last March who alleged the realtor messed up a deal on a piece of farmland but the council’s complaints committee decided against pursuing any disciplinary action against the agent.
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BC budget update shows province’s economy remains strong Finance Minister Carole James’s latest budget update set a cheery tone – the surplus has tripled in size, economic growth is leading the country, the job market is growing. A slowdown in real estate revenues was characterized as a positive sign for those who have been priced out of the housing market. After a year of NDP government, the province is not in financial ruin. “There are some very positive results,” Ms. James told reporters Friday. There are, however, some large risks to the fiscal plan. A summary of what can still go wrong is a routine part of budget reports. The latest update included what has actually happened in the first three months of the fiscal year, and then pointed to the risks that remain for the next nine months. Some of those risks are beyond the control of the provincial government – global economic uncertainty in general, and the outcome of trade talks on softwood lumber and
the North American free-trade agreement in particular. The province remains vulnerable to shifts in commodity prices for mining, natural gas and forestry, but 2018 so far has proven to be a strong year for the forest sector, and resource revenues are up overall. The ongoing struggle to rein in costs at the Crown-owned Insurance Corporation of B.C. is another potential threat, after a surprise $1.3-billion loss the previous year. And the devastating wildfires of the past two summers are forcing a rethink of how much the province needs to set aside for firefighting and compensation costs in future years. The single largest question mark, however, involves a problem that the NDP inherited from the previous Liberal government: billions of dollars in debt piled up by a commercial Crown corporation which has not been accounted for to the satisfaction of the auditor-general.
Minister Freeland says losing NAFTA would be a blow to US Before Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland travelled to Washington last Tuesday as part of ongoing NAFTA negotiations, she received a surprise in her constituency office. “Red and white flowers, and they were signed from a ‘devout Canadian,’” she told The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson. The sender attached a card, which urged Freeland and her team to stand strong in trade negotiations with the U.S. It’s one of the many gestures that’s convinced her that Canadians “want a good deal, not just any deal.” ‘Very significant’ concessions by Mexico have been ‘useful’ to current NAFTA talks: Freeland The U.S., Canada and Mexico have been participating in renegotiating the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for over 13 months now. In recent weeks, the U.S. and Mexico announced a preliminary agreement, which put the pressure on Canada to sign on. Freeland has been back and forth to Washington over the past two weeks and maintains that while a deal that’s beneficial for all three countries is “absolutely possible,” she adds that “it’s going to take flexibility on all sides.” U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to scrap NAFTA as recently as this past week and told a cheering crowd during a campaign rally that NAFTA had been replaced with a “beautiful” agreement called the “U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal.”
Early federal election rumours Liberal hawks, like those of a generation earlier, are heatedly debating a snap election call. Not entirely surprising, since have not seen a decade since the ’50s when a government has not been forced by events, or decided to seize a strategic advantage, and called an early election. The Liberal hawks’ arguments are getting stronger. Neither of their opponents is ready, and each will likely be stronger a year from now. The Federal Court and Donald Trump have both just stuck a finger in the Prime Minister’s eye. This is an opportunity to return the favour with a much harder
counterpunch, a strong new political mandate. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ponders a questions as he takes part in a discussion at an event in Ottawa on Friday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ponders a questions as he takes part in a discussion at an event in Ottawa on Friday. Tragically, the court has just heightened the prospect of a just-elected Premier Jason Kenney stumping Western Canada next summer on behalf of the federal Tories, blaring a searing message on Western alienation.
Jagmeet Singh has his work cut out for him: Mulcair As the federal NDP caucus holds its retreat in Surrey, B.C., to plot out a strategy for the fall parliamentary session, its former party leader says his successor Jagmeet Singh has a long road ahead if he wants to achieve electoral success. “No question that Mr. Singh has his work cut out for him,” Thomas Mulcair said in an interview with Don Martin, host of CTV’s Power Play, speaking to the current polling and fundraising numbers that have the New Democrats trailing the Liberals and Conservatives. As well, the early announcements from several senior NDP MPs that they will not seek re-election are a “concern,” Mulcair said, “because it’s that experience that would be lost.” Singh’s nearly year-long tenure as leader has been met with both internal and external mixed reactions over how he’s handled a few caucus issues, including his latest move to deny former NDP MP Erin Weir the chance to run again under the party’s banner. Though, when he walked in to the caucus room Tuesday he was met with applause by the NDP MPs in attendance, with
Singh saying the caucus is unified and he’s determined to get the NDP message out to Canadians. “It’s a really tough time for the party right now,” Mulcair said, noting that he expects Singh will work hard to make up ground. Mulcair once again restated a previous remark: that Singh needs to get a seat, noting that the byelection he is eyeing in Burnaby South, has yet to be called. The current NDP MP holding the B.C. seat, Kennedy Stewart, doesn’t plan to resign until later this week, according to the Canadian Press. Once he does, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will have up to 180 days to set a date for the byelection. That means he could strategically set it far enough into the future that it greatly narrows the potential window of time in which Singh could sit in the Commons before the federal election is called. Singh, without a seat in the Commons, is unable to question Trudeau during question period. But he does attend the weekly national caucus meetings in Ottawa when the House is sitting, and routinely addresses the media afterwards.
NATIONAL
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INDIA Why India MUST send an Indian into space?
PM Modi in his Independence Day space technology and application of this address to the nation in August, declared technology for the benefit of humankind. that India’s first manned space mission, When Dr Vikram Sarabhai started the Gaganyaan, would be launched by 2022, space programme, a manned mission marking India’s 75th Independence Day. was not on the agenda. But we perfected Will this be a reality? Are we prepared launch technology, satellite technology, etc. for Gaganyaan? “In the field of space We used space technology to solve many technology, we are on par with the problems affecting the common man like developed countries and to keep up with television channels or communication that, a human space mission is absolutely or information about weather, earth necessary,” former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair tells Rediff. com’s Shobha Warrier. On August 15, the prime minister spoke about sending a man to the space by 2022. Is it too ambitious? Is it achievable? It has been a dream of ISRO for a decade, and many of the critical technology development Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (middle) spent eight has already taken place. So, you can say, a small beginning has days on board the Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11 in April 1984. been made in the programme. The prime minister has given an observation for resource management ambitious goal of 2022 for an Indian etc. So, we can say we have fulfilled Dr astronaut to be flying, and this Sarabhai’s dream. The next logical step is to announcement comes as a big boost to the develop human space flight. You mean, it’s whole programme. It is really a challenging not because we were behind in technology task with such a tight schedule, but looking but because our priorities were different at ISRO’s track record, I am sure they will that we didn’t try to send a man to space be able to achieve this. The only thing is, earlier. Our priority was to use the money they may have to depend on some friendly effectively to achieve self-reliance in space countries to train our astronauts in the technology and also apply the technology initial phase. India is described as a top for the benefit of the common man. What can we achieve by sending a country in space research. How far behind man to space? Right now, we depend on are we from, say, Russia or America? I would say the only missing element in remote monitoring of most of the space experiments, whether it is observing the our space mission was man to space. India’s space research was started with planet Earth, galaxies or the stars. These the goal of achieving self-reliance in certainly have limitations.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Vijay Mallya says he met Jaitley before leaving India Liquor baron Vijay Mallya said that he met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before leaving India to settle matters, media reported. “I left because I had a scheduled meeting in Geneva...I met the finance minister before I left India. Repeated my offer to settle with the banks. That’s the truth,” Mallya said. This statement was made in response to a question whether Mallya received a tip-off by someone that made him leave the country. Vijay Mallya left India in 2016 when Arun Jaitley was the finance minister. Jaitley is also the current finance minister. The hearing for Mallya’s extradition is currently underway in London’s Westminster Court. When asked to reveal the details of the meeting with the finance minister, he said, “Why would I do that?” “I met the Finance Minister before I left, repeated my offer to settle with the banks”, says Vijay Mallya outside London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Responding to Mallya’s statement, Arun Jaitley said that Mallya is lying about meeting anyone. In a statement, Jaitley said that Mallya misused the privilege of being
a Rajya Sabha member and walked up to Jaitley and said, “I am making an offer of settlement” Jaitley said that he did not allow Mallya to continue with the conversation and said, “there was no point talking to me and he must make offers to his bankers.” “I
Vijay Mallya
Arun Jaitley
did not even receive the papers that he was holding in his hand. Besides this one sentence exchange where he misused his privilege as a RS Member to further his commercial interest as a bank debtor, there is no question of my having ever given him an appointment to meet me,” Arun Jaitley said.
Man suspected of killing dozens of truck drivers arrested Police arrested a 48-yearold man who they allege has confessed to killing 33 truck drivers and their helpers over the past decade, then selling the vehicles and the goods they were carrying. The man was arrested two weeks ago near the central town of Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh state, police officer Rahul Kumar Lodha said Wednesday. Police stumbled across the man’s name as they investigated a string of recent murders of truck drivers in Madhya Pradesh. While the man was apparently not connected to those killings, some of the men police arrested in that case said they had helped him to commit similar robberies. The man told police he would befriend drivers in roadside eateries and slip drugs into their food so they would fall asleep, Lodha said. He would then drive their trucks to isolated areas, strangle them and their helpers, and dump the bodies in
forests. He and his accomplices would sell the trucks and their goods, Lodha said. Indian drivers often travel with assistants who help clean their trucks, change tires and other chores. Dharmendra Choudhary, another police officer in Madhya Pradesh state, said the suspect was arrested in western Maharashtra state some years ago in connection with similar robberies, but was freed on bail and fled. Between robberies, he worked as a tailor in a small shop in Mandideep, a village on the outskirts of Bhopal.
Widows entitled to family pension even after remarriage: Central Administrative Tribunal The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has ruled that the widow of a deceased government servant is eligible for family pension even after remarriage. Administrative member Praveen Mahajan ordered restoration of the family pension to Delhi resident Renu Gupta (47), wife of late Pawan Kumar Gupta, an employee of the Defence Ministry at the time of his death, saying Gupta had requested for the transfer of family pension in the name of her son after her re-marriage. The tribunal asked the Ministry of Defence to transfer the pension claim to her from her son’s name within four months. “Without understanding the consequences, she requested for the transfer of family pension in the name of her son after her remarriage. However, the said family pension will become inadmissible after the son attains the age of 25 years,” the tribunal said. “It has been held by the government that even in the case of remarriage of a widow, family pension can be given,” it added. It rejected the contention of the ministry and said she was “legally entitled
to pension under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972” and there seems to be “no legal bar in re-transferring the pension in her name”. The Defence Ministry had appointed Gupta as a storekeeper in 1998 on compassionate ground after her husband’s death. She was also granted family pension. She remarried after which, at her own request, the pension was sanctioned afresh to their son in 2002. However, in 2013, she requested for restoration of her family pension, which was subsequently rejected, saying she cannot be granted pension since she had re-married. — PTI All readers are invited to post comments responsibly. Any messages with foul language or inciting hatred will be deleted. Comments with all capital letters will also be deleted. Readers are encouraged to flag the comments they feel are inappropriate. The views expressed in the Comments section are of the individuals writing the post. The Tribune does not endorse or support the views in these posts in any manner.
PUNJAB
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Punjab gov’t announces Rs 1-crore grant for Saragarhi Memorial Chief Minister Capt. Aminder Singh announced several projects, including an institute for competitive studies for Saragarhi club and centre for rehabilitation of drug addicts, besides a grant of Rs 1 crore for the beautification and development of the Saragarhi Memorial in this border town. Chief Minister on Wednesday paid tributes to martyrs of the Battle of Saragarhi to commemorate its 121st anniversary during a state-level function held here. Capt Amarinder, who has himself authored book on the famous battle, said the government would ensure speedy completion of the memorial project. Addressing the gathering, Capt Amarinder said soldiers of the Sikh regiment, led by Havildar Ishar Singh along
with Naik Lal Singh, Lance Naik Chanda Singh and their comrades, had showed exemplary courage and heroism against all odds while fighting the Afghans to their last breath. He said the Saragarhi Memorial Management Committee would oversee the beautification project. Responding to the demand by local MLA Parminder Singh Pinki for establishing a Saragarhi memorial institute for competitive exams in Ferozepur, the Chief Minister said the government would take necessary steps after examining the matter. In his welcome address, memorial committee chairman Major General JS Sandhu, GOC, Golden Arrow Division, thanked Capt Amarinder
Rs 40,000-crore CCL for paddy stuck in dispute Rs 40,000-crore cash credit limit (CCL) to purchase 200 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, expected to arrive in Punjab’s mandis within a fortnight, is stuck in a dispute between the Food and Supply and Finance Departments. While the Finance Department wants the state procurement agencies to bear the cost of paying for the gap between the CCL and the actual cost of procurement, the food department insists that it has limited resources, and the Finance Department should pay for it. The state’s CCL demand for Rs 40,000 crore to purchase paddy will be okayed after it clears the dues (gap between the CCL and the actual cost incurred in procuring paddy in 2017)
Nabha man flags FB posts with blasphemous content The police have booked unidentified persons for creating a fake Facebook account with a local resident’s photo and posting blasphemous pictures purportedly depicting Guru Gobind Singh. On the complaint of Manjit Singh, whose profile picture was used, the police registered a case on Tuesday evening under Sections 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 419 (cheating by personation) and 120-B (conspiracy) of the IPC and Sections 66 and 66-C of the Information Technology Act. Sources said the fake profile was created last week under the name of “Chabba Chamar”, apparently to create a communal wedge on the eve of the Parkash Purb of Guru Granth Sahib.
Sex ratio up by 15 in a year Once labelled as the land of “female foeticide”, Punjab has seen a significant improvement in gender ratio in the past one decade — 907 girls for every 1,000 boys, up from 878 in 2009-10. Alarmed at the skewed figures in the 2001 Census (798 girls per 1,000 boys), the state government had launched special initiatives, which paid off. As per the 2001 Census, Fatehgarh Sahib had the worst gender ratio in the country of 766, which now stands at 908 live female births per 1,000 male births. District-wise, Barnala tops the chart with 938 girls, followed by Mohali at 933, Ludhiana 929, Patiala 922 and Kapurthala 921. At 870, Nawanshahr is at the bottom of the ladder. Among the worst-performing districts are Pathankot (877), Rupnagar (879), Gurdaspur (884) and Tarn Taran (887). As per a study by the Health Department, steps such as GIS mapping of registered ultrasound centres —1,589 in all.
with the banks. Punjab has to pay Rs 1,200 crore to a consortium of banks.
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Man borrows Rs 200 to buy lottery ticket, wins Rs 10.5 million A daily-wages worker from Sangrur district, Punjab, who earns Rs 250 every day, has become a crorepati overnight. Manoj Kumar works at a local brick kiln (bhatta majdur) near his village Punjab’s Sangrur district. On August 30, luck shined on him when he won Rs 1.5 crore in the state government’s Rakhi Bumper Lottery. Interestingly, Manoj bought the lottery ticket by borrowing Rs 200 from his neighbour. Now, Manoj and his wife Raj Kaur are being frequently visited by real estate agents and bankers with lucrative investment offers worth lakhs of rupees, reported the Times of India. Manoj has three daughters and his eldest one, who cleared her Class XII exam this year, had started looking for a job. Manoj recently told her to resume her studies and forget about working. The 40-year-old had been working long hours in the brick kiln to earn some extra money for his father, Hawa Singh, who was suffering from asthma. Unfortunately, he passed away recently. “Whatever little savings
I had, I spent on his treatment, but I could not save him,” Manoj told the newspaper. He regrets he didn’t win the lottery earlier which could’ve saved his father. “After my father died, I went back to the brick kiln. Even after putting in extra hours, I could never earn more than Rs 250 a day as a U was paid 50 paise per brick,” added Manoj. On August 30, the local postman showed up at Manoj’s residence and told him that he had won the bumper lottery. “I overheard the conversation my husband was having with the man from the post office. I thought they were just having a chat. But when the man came back with the newspaper and Manoj matched the ticket number, we were completely stunned,” said Raj Kaur. Manoj told the newspaper that he has already handed over the required documents to the state government and he will get the money in a couple of months. When asked about what he will do with the prize money, Manoj said that he plans to build a house for his family and also start a small business.
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INDIA
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Commanders agree on restructuring the Indian army The Army top-brass that met in Delhi over restructuring the force has agreed by consensus for a transformation of the Army, even as some issues on which there was no consensus will be discussed again. Another review on the matter is slated in three weeks from now – that is the first week of October. Sources said some issues relating to faster career progression of officers and the shape of future force structures have not yet been agreed upon. There was a consensus on the need to transform the Army into lean and mean 21st century battle-ready fighting unit, however, this is not the final decision. After the review in the first week of October, the matter would be discussed at the Army Commanders’ Conference in Octoberend, sources said. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had met Commanders of the seven commands of the Army. They have agreed
on restructuring the Army headquarters and merger of units doing overlapping work. However, before a final decision is taken, the directorates that are to be merged have been asked for detailed comments. As per the emerging consensus, the Army is looking to have operations, logistics and procurement under separate heads—each led by a Lieut General-rank official. At present, the overlap causes delay like the Quarter Master General (QMG) and the Master General Ordnance (MGO) have over lapping roles—both look at procuring new items. The Weapons and Equipment Directorate and the Perspective Planning Cell have over lapping duties. Sources said the merger could include merging Director General of Military Training (DGMT) with Shimla-based Army Training Command. This could also include moving office of the Director General Rashtriya Rifles
Court orders FIR against Salman Khan over ‘Loveratri’ A court here on Wednesday directed the police to lodge an FIR against actor Salman Khan and the cast and crew of upcoming Bollywood film “Loveratri” on the basis of a complaint that the title and contents of the movie had hurt the Hindu sentiments. Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate (East) Shailendra Rai directed the Mithanpura police station in the town to lodge an FIR, based on a complaint filed in the court by advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha. Ojha has taken exception to the title of the
film, alleging that it is meant to make fun of the holy festival of Navaratri. He has also claimed that he film’s scheduled release on October 5 is likely to hurt the Hindu sentiments. In his complaint, in which Khan, who is the producer of the film, its director and actors have been made parties, Ojha has claimed that he has watched the promos of the film and they contained a lot of vulgarity. The complaint was lodged before the court last week under IPC sections 295.
Rahul asks foreign minister to step down over Mallya affairs Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday demanded an immediate probe into the “extremely serious” allegations made by fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya and said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley should step down till the investigation is over. Mallya, facing charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 9,000 crore and fighting an extradition case, told reporters in London that he met the finance minister before leaving India and offered to settle with
the banks. “Given Vijay Mallya’s extremely serious allegations in London today, the PM should immediately order an independent probe into the matter. Arun Jaitley should step down as Finance Minister while this probe is underway,” Gandhi tweeted. Jaitley, however, rubbished Mallya’s statement, saying he never gave him an appointment since 2014 but the liquor baron misused his position as Rajya Sabha MP to accost him in Parliament.
Supreme Court extends house arrest of five activists The Supreme Court extended the house arrest of five activists arrested in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case for another five days. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra deferred to September 17 the hearing on the plea filed by five intellectuals, including historian Romila Thapar, after it was informed that senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the petitioners, was busy in another court. Earlier, Singhvi had appeared
before the Bench and said the matter could be taken up in the post lunch session as he had to appear in another case. In a pan-India crackdown on August 28, poet Varavara Rao was arrested in Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira in Mumbai, trade unionist and lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj in Faridabad and Chhattisgarh and civil liberties activist Gautam Navlakha in Delhi for suspected Maoist links.
360 terrorists killed in less than two years, ‘shelf life’ reduced: Director General Central Reserve Police Force Operations by security forces in the Kashmir valley has reduced the “shelf life” of terrorists and over 360 were killed in less than two years, CRPF Director General (DG) Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar has said. In an interview, he said as figures show an increase in the number of local youths joining terror groups in the valley, security forces are reaching out to young men through all possible ways to stop them from taking up arms. Bhatnagar said keeping in mind the security challenges, the CRPF has “increased the protection level” of its troops operating in Jammu and Kashmir by inducting full-body protectors, bullet proof vehicles and special armoured ‘interception vehicles’ to enable personnel to operate in life threatening situations. “The terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir… Some of them are from outside and there are also the misguided youth (locals) who join terror groups. It is quite a mix. The numbers go up
and down but if you were to look at the length, the time for which terrorists survive in J-K, then the signal is very clear that it (terrorist recruitment) is having no impact. “The shelf life of terrorists, the time frame to survive, is very short. So, even if the numbers (of joining terror ranks) may be large, they may be more, but the consequence is limited,” he said when asked if recruitment of local Kashmiri youths by terror groups is rising and a cause of concern. The chief of the country’s largest paramilitary force said the youth was being drawn into it (terror ranks) as “there was a little bit of glamourisation”, but they have to understand that it will not get them any result. “It is only a matter of time. We have made a lot of efforts (to wean them away) and have also asked them to surrender, and a lot of them have come back. They have to understand that taking up the gun serves no purpose,” he said.
Kerala Police ask bishop accused of raping nun to appear on September 19 Kerala police have asked Bishop Franco Mullakal of Jalandhar diocese, accused by a nun of raping her, to appear before the investigating team on September 19, Inspector General of police Vijay Sakhare said Wednesday. The decision to summon the clergyman was taken after a meeting chaired by Sakhare, IG (Ernakulam range), which was also attended by Kottayam District Superintendent of Police Harisankar and Vaikom Deputy Superintendent of Police K Subhash amid mounting pressure on police to initiate action against Mullakal. The nun had recently sought urgent
intervention of The Vatican for justice and demanded the bishop’s removal as the head of the Jalandhar diocese, questioning why the Church was “closing its eyes to the truth” when she mustered courage to make public her sufferings. In a scathing letter to The Vatican that was made available to the press on Tuesday, the nun accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of using “political and money power” to bury the case against him and demanded to know if the Church could give back what she lost. She had accused the clergyman of sexually assaulting her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
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SOUTH ASIA
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Sri Lanka to ban animal sacrifices at Hindu temples Animal sacrifices in Hindu temples in Sri Lanka could be banned after the Cabinet approved a proposal Wednesday to enact laws banning the “primitive” methods of worship, amid calls from the Hindu community to make the ritual a “punishable offence” in the Buddhist-majority country. The Cabinet headed by President Maithripala Sirisena approved the proposal submitted by Resettlement, Rehabilitation,
Northern Development and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister D M Swaminathan. Hindu Cultural Affairs Director Uma Maheswaran was quoted as saying by the government-owned newspaper ‘Daily News’ that the slaughter of animals such as goats and fowls in Hindu temples would be banned by this legislation. He said the Cabinet-approved draft legislation would be sent to the Legal
First 2+2 dialogue ‘Defining Moment’ for Indo-US relations: Defense Secretary Mattis The “highly successful” first 2+2 Dialogue between India and the United States was a “defining moment” and the defence co-operation between the two countries is on the right track, U.S. Defence Secretary James Mattis said today. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held the crucial talks with Mattis and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New Delhi on Sept. 6. Last week I did go to India for what could only be considered highly successful consultations between the world’s two largest democracies. There was no difficulties that we uncovered there in moving forward on a number of pragmatic steps to draw ourselves closer together in terms of security. James Mattis, Defence Secretary, U.S.
Also read: India Wants Trade Deal With The U.S., Says Trump “It was a very heartening trip, historic I’d even say, as you look at where we’ve been over so many years as we’ve grown closer and closer together,” Mattis said.
Pompeo’s five hours in Islamabad
604-566-3111 7233 - Fraser St., Vancouver, BC
He came, he talked briefly and he left. All in one afternoon. That sums up US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Islamabad on Sept 5. Since expectations were not high, both sides opted to be discreet about disclosing what they had discussed. No doubt they were courteous and conciliatory. That would have helped to create the atmosphere needed to “reset” relations between USA and Pakistan, the main purpose of this exercise in diplomacy. “The ice has been thawed,” remarked Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood
Qureshi. Secretary Pompeo reciprocated the positivity, saying he was hopeful that the foundation had been laid for “continued success.” It is too early to say what direction this resetting will take. Given the confrontational tone that marked ties between the two countries on the eve of Pompeo’s visit, there was widespread relief that the outcome was free of acrimony—especially on social media, in keeping with the U.S. president’s style of conducting foreign policy.
Tamils urge Sri Lanka to conduct UN monitored referendum Tamil northern provincial council adopted a resolution calling for a UN-monitored referendum in the north and east to “determine the aspirations of the Tamil people”. “The people can vote at the referendum to express their view on the Tamil political aspirations,” provincial council member MK Shivajilingam of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said. The resolution says that Sri Lanka had failed
to implement its commitments under the UN Human Rights Council resolutions “which called for investigations into credible allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity”. The five-point resolution urges the UNHRC to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court, to appoint a special UN rapporteur on Tamil people, impose military sanctions on Sri Lanka, impose a travel ban on Sri Lankan military personnel accused of war crimes
Asian leaders blame US, say open trade best growth option A top Chinese official and leaders of several Southeast Asian countries said Wednesday that moves by the U.S. to limit trade and protect American businesses pose a grave threat to the world economy. Uncertainty and destabilizing factors threaten to undermine growth, Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua said at a World Economic Forum meeting in Hanoi, convened as Washington
and Beijing have imposed penalty tariffs on tens of billions of dollars’ worth of each other’s products in an escalating trade conflict. Hu, like the others, did not mention President Donald Trump by name but said some countries’ “protectionist and unilateral measures are gravely undermining the rulesbased multilateral trading regime, posing a most serious hazard for the world’s economy.”
Sri Lanka president compaints about poor quality of cashews served during flight Sri Lanka’s national airline said on Wednesday that it has stopped serving cashews after the country’s president flew into a rage over nuts served to him on a flight to Colombo. “Returning from Kathmandu, I was served some cashews on board a SriLankan flight, but it was so bad even a dog wouldn’t eat it,” Maithripala Sirisena said on Monday.
“I want to know who authorised the purchase of these nuts,” the president told a meeting of farmers. An airline spokesman said it has responded by clearing its stock of cashews -- only served in business class -- and would change its Dubai-based supplier.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
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FIJI
Saturday, September 15, 2018
20,462 cases of violence in schools according to report Concerns continue to be raised regarding the trend of violence in schools and the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council has stated in its 2018 report that schools should set into action strong disciplinary measures which perpetrators of the act will face, if they fail to abide by the institution’s rules and regulations. According to the 2018 report, there were 20,462 cases of violence in schools. Last year, there were 4,604 cases of bullying in schools, 234 cases of cyber bullying, 3,449 cases of punching, 857 cases of beating, 1,574 cases of slapping, 4,190 cases of swearing and 5,554 cases of name calling.
9,529 of these school offences were committed against girls while 10,933 cases were committed against boys. There were 218 cases of sexual offences in primary schools. There were 70 cases of harassment, 12 cases of defilement, 8 cases of rape, 12 cases of attempted rape, 3 cases of sexting, 89 cases of poking and there were also 24 cases of teenage pregnancy in primary schools. For the secondary schools, there were 360 cases of sexual offences. There were 154 cases of harassment, 7 cases of defilement, 11 cases of rape, 5 cases of attempted rape, 5 cases of sexting, 81 cases of poking and 97 cases of teenage pregnancy.
Police warns parents about drug abuse serge in teenagers Teenagers may also be consuming methamphetamine and police want this cracked before it becomes an “ice” storm. Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho revealed how a mother sought police assistance last month for her 17-year-old daughter’s alleged drug abuse including methamphetamine use. Brig-Gen Qiliho said as a father, he was overwhelmed with different emotions and sought answers to try and comfort the distressed mother, knowing that it was a predicament that was new to the family not knowing what to do. “Life is a precious commodity that we are entrusted to protect and it is a responsibility that we should not take lightly,” he said. “I don’t want to read a headline that says ‘Fiji’s law enforcement loses control of meth industry’ because it can be controlled. “We need to nip
this problem in the bud before it gets bigger and I know it can be done.” While opening the United States Drug Enforcement Agency workshop on Clandestine Labs in Suva yesterday, Brig-Gen Qiliho told police officers and other participants at the workshop that Fijians were relying on them to keep them from becoming victims of this illicit and vicious drug trade. “By combining our resources and putting to use the knowledge the United States Drug Enforcement Administration officials will impart during this training, we can control and combat and send a strong message to those already involved or are thinking of being part of this illicit trade that we will get to them,” he said.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle to visit Fiji in October Just a few months after Kensington Palace announced that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be travelling to Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga and New Zealand as part of their first official tour, the Palace has revealed their travel details. According to the schedule, the tour will run from October 16th to 31st. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will kick off their trip in Australia and visit Sydney, Dubbo, Melbourne and Fraser Island. Next, they will come to Fiji and spend a few days in Suva and Nadi. They will arrive in Fiji on October 23rd and leave on October 25th. They then head to Nuku’alofa, Tonga. After a brief visit, they will make their way back to Sydney and end their trip in New Zealand. During their final days, they will
visit Wellington, Auckland and Rotorua. Eonline says according to Kensington Palace, Their Royal Highnesses were invited to tour the Commonwealth Realms of Australia and New Zealand by the countries’ respective governments and were asked to tour Fiji and Tonga at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama had invited Prince Harry and Princess Meghan to Fiji when he had visited London. PM and Prince Harry when the they had met in London earlier in the year Bainimarama had tweeted “Very excited to hear from @KensingtonRoyal that Prince Harry and Princess Meghan have accepted my invitation to see Fiji and spend time among our people.
Police officers involved in drug trade dismissed Some police officers have been removed from the Fiji Police Force for their involvement in the drug trade, says Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho. The police chief made the revelation while addressing police officers and other participants at the opening of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency workshop on Clandestine Labs in Suva yesterday. He urged participants to put their knowledge to good use because they were dealing with a lucrative industry that had the potential to corrupt an individual. “I say this because we have removed officers from our institution for helping keep the drug trade alive and those involved in business, rather than why we are in our respective
institutions which are to remove them from our streets,” Brig-Gen Qiliho said. “I am optimistic that we are all here for the same purpose and that is to ensure that no other parent or family member will have to reach out for help when their child or loved one is suffering from the effects of drug abuse. “To the participants, the people of Fiji are relying on us to keep them from becoming victims of this illicit and vicious drug trade.” Brig-Gen Qiliho thanked the United States Drug Enforcement Agency for facilitating the training that would further boost local participants.
Woman charged with fraud A woman charged with obtaining a financial advantage by deception today had her bail extended by the Suva Magistrates Court. Ilisapeci Tuinamena is alleged to have dishonestly obtained $4900 cash from a person but failed to return the money
as promised. The alleged incident occurred sometime in July 2014 in Suva. Chief Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili has adjourned the matter to October 3, to fix a hearing date.
Police raid finds methamphetamine A 26-year-old woman is in custody at the Nakasi Police Station after Police conducted a raid in a residential area in Nakasi earlier today and white substance believed to be methamphetamine was found by the Police Officers. The raid was conducted at Vaudamu Road this morning. This was based on information gathered
by the Southern Division Taskforce and they worked together with officers from Nakasi to execute the raid. Eyewitnesses say officers arrived in 3 trucks and 3 cars. We can confirm that some Police Officers were also chasing a person.
Fiji Cancer Society collects total of $297,000 through 2017 fundraising initiatives he Fiji Cancer Society collected a total of $297,000 through its’ three fundraising initiatives for 2017. Fiji Cancer Society CEO Belinda Chan says through Fiji’s Biggest Morning Tea, Pinktober and Movember campaigns they are able to sustain the services that it offers to those who are battling cancer and their families. She has revealed that it supports a total of 800 cancer patients. She adds the money collected by the Cancer Society is used for their existing
support services. She has also pointed out instances where the Cancer Society is also taking groceries for families that are in need and have not accessed services from Social Services. Chan says other initiatives that funds are directed towards include, the freight for prosthetic bras and breasts, procurement of chemotherapy medication and consumables as well as pallative home visitations and care packs.
PAKISTAN
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Supreme Court rejects govt’s plea against Hafiz Saeed’s terror outfits
The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the federal government’s plea against a Lahore High Court (LHC) interim order allowing Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its affiliated Falahe-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) to continue their ‘welfare activities’. The apex court’s two-judge bench, comprising Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, took up the Interior Ministry’s plea against LHC order. JuD chief Hafiz Saeed had submitted a petition against government sanctions. While Saeed’s petition was still being heard, the LHC in April passed the interim order allowing the FIF to continue activities until the final judgment. Later, the government approached the apex court against the high court verdict. Additional Attorney General Tariq Mahmood Khokhar appeared on behalf of the Interior Ministry but the bench dismissed the application in a matter of seconds, saying the matter is still being heard
Pakistan & China reject foreign media refute that Khan’s govt trying to renegotiate on CPEC projets
by the LHC. Later, it also transpired that appeal against the interim order was also time barred. Lahore High Court allows Hafiz Saeed to continue ‘welfare activities’ Earlier, the Interior Ministry contended the interim order was creating a hindrance for Pakistan in complying with international and local legal obligations. Some believe that the LHC order will have implications for the country if it remains in the field. In February, the president promulgated an ordinance amending the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 with regard to the proscription of terrorist individuals and organisations to include entities listed by the UNSC, in a bid to declare Saeed’s JuD and FIF as proscribed groups. The ordinance appeared ahead of the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) meeting in Paris which later decided to put Pakistan from June this year on the grey list of countries not taking effective measures
Former PM Sharif released on parole to attend his wife’s funeral Former disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been temporarily released from jail to attend funeral prayers of his wife Kulsoom Nawaz, who passed away in London on Tuesday, and her body flown from London to Lahore for the burial. Sharif and his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law Safdar Awan were released on parole from prison in Rawalpindi, where they are serving 10 and seven-year jail terms respectively on notorious corruption
charges.They flwon to Lahore, where they will remain under house arrest on parole until their return to the prison in coming days. The wife of Nawaz Sharif, Kulsoom Nawaz died in London on Tuesday after suffering from a prolonged cancer illness. She was 68. Kulsoon Nawaz’s funeral prayers will be offered in London mosque also, the party said, after which her body will be transported to Lahore for funeral prayers & burial on Friday.
British high commissioner meets with General Bajwa British High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew has pledged to keep working for better relations between the two countries in a meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Islamabad. Matters of mutual interest including regional security situation were discussed, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday. The meeting came a day after the army chief assured the Chinese envoy
that the CPEC is Pakistan’s economic future and its security will not be compromised. CPEC is Pakistan’s economic future, says General Bajwa. The meeting between the Chinese envoy and the army chief came against the backdrop of a recent report by Financial Times which quoted the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Textile and Commerce Abdul Razzak Daud as saying that the newly formed federal government might revisit the CPEC projects.
Pakistan & China reject media reports that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s newly elected government wants to renegotiate the agreements reached under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with Beijing saying Islamabad’s commitment to President Xi Jinping’s pet project is “unwavering”. A foreign media article titled ‘Pakistan rethinks its role in Xi’s Belt and Road Prime Minister Imran Khan meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister in Islamabad plan’ by the UK-based Financial Times on Sunday quoted Prime Minister’s Adviser on Commerce, at because it’s not fair that Pakistan companies Textile, Industry and Production, and Investment should be disadvantaged.” Refuting the article, Abdul Razak Dawood as saying that Pakistan Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng “should put everything on hold for a year so we Shuang told a media briefing in Beijing Tuesday can get our act together.” In the article, which that during Wang’s visit, the Pakistani side created furore as it came hours after Chinese made it clear that the China-Pakistan Economic Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his visit to Corridor (CPEC) is a priority of Pakistan. “The Islamabad, Dawood was also reported to have said Pakistan-China relations are unbreakable and that the “Chinese companies received tax breaks, Pakistani government’s commitment to CPEC many breaks and have an undue advantage in is unwavering,” Geng said and referred to the Pakistan; this is one of the things we’re looking denials by the Pakistan government.
Military “quietly” stifles press with intimidation - group Military is using fear and intimidation to stifle the media and freedom of press even as overall violence against reporters has fallen, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says. The press freedom group said the military had established “lines of control” to pressure the media and journalists who pushed back or were overly critical were attacked, threatened or arrested. “The military has quietly, but effectively, set restrictions on reporting: from barring access to regions ... to encouraging selfcensorship through direct and indirect methods
of intimidation, including ... allegedly instigating violence against reporters,” the CPJ said in a report. The military routinely denies interference in politics or with the media. Its information wing could not be reached for comment by telephone nor did it respond to text messages seeking comment on the report. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told Reuters no media complaints about intimidation had been lodged with his ministry but if they were, they would be investigated. The CPJ spoke to various journalists and media organisations for its report.
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NRI
Saturday, September 15, 2018 NRI billionair hiring 12 staff to help daughter’s study in UK
604-596-9201 Welcoming fall with open arms!
An unnamed Indian billionaire’s daughter has been dubbed the “poshest” student in the UK after it was claimed that her family is hiring 12 staff members to help her during her studies at a Scottish university. The firstyear student at the University of St Andrew on the east coast of Scotland will have a house manager, three housekeepers, a gardener, a lady’s maid and a butler on hand to help her, along with three footmen, a private chef and chauffeur, ‘The Sun’ newspaper reported. They will be employed at the family’s new luxurious mansion, bought so that the daughter won’t have to stay in general student accommodation during the four years she
spends studying at the leading Scottish university. An advert was placed a few months ago looking for “an outgoing, cheerful” maid with an energetic personality to work within the household. According to the advert, the maid would be in charge of “waking principal up, liaising with other staff regarding routine and schedule (and) assisting with grooming”. The staff will also be responsible for wardrobe management and personal shopping, the job requirement posted by recruitment agency Silver Swan said. The butler will be in charge of the student’s staff, who will be expected to open doors for her whenever possible.
8 South Asian Muslim men on trial in UK child sex case Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England: around. ‘Asian lads demanding to meet you A young girl was ‘passed around’ and had then you meet a new group and it went on like sex with 100 men by the time she was 16, that. ‘I didn’t know at the time I was being jurors in a child sex abuse trial were told. passed around when I was 13 but I know The girl, who cannot be named now I’m older.’ However she for legal reasons, claims the abuse eventually ‘fell’ for the delivery she suffered between 1998 and driver when he made her feel 2001 began when she was just 13 special by visiting her ‘every day’ years old. Her account was given after he finished his shift in the in a video interview played at the early hours of the morning. She trial of eight Asian men accused of fell pregnant with his son at the the sexual abuse of five girls over a age of 14 and gave birth to him five-year period from 1998 to 2003. when she was 15. The victim Mohammed Imran Ali Akhtar, 36, claimed sexual activity with Ali arrives at Sheffield Crown Court, Akhtar continued throughout September 4 2018. Tanweer Ali her pregnancy. Tanweer Ali (left) and Mohammed Imran Ali Akhtar She told how after their son was born, (right) both stand accused of indecently she ‘tricked’ him into meeting him when he assaulting the girl between 1998 and 2001 visited her hoping for sex. She said: ‘I never The men were arrested and charged as part of saw him again after that.’ Operation Stovewood , an investigation into The victim told how her sister was also sexual abuse which was launched after the allegedly abused by Ali Akhtar and said the Rotherham grooming scandal. On Friday abuse they suffered made it feel as though (Sept 7), Sheffield Crown Court heard how their childhoods were ‘snatched away’. She her number would be passed around between said: ‘Before, we would just enjoy going the men - with others then ‘demanding’ to on holiday with our granddad but we had meet her. She said: ‘I can honestly say that advantage taken of us - we were children by the age of 16 I had slept with 100 Asian one minute and adults the next. ‘We were men - some I didn’t see again. ‘The ones who snatched away.’ Ali, also of Rotherham, and come and use you for one time are the ones Ali Akhtar are on trial with six other men, all who are hard to remember. ‘As soon as you accused of committing historic sex offences in get to know them your number gets passed Rotherham against five alleged victims.
India-born student to get ‘Young Scholar’ award in US Rajalakshmi Nandakumar, an India-born woman scholar in the US, has been chosen for a prestigious award for her work to help detect potentially life-threatening health issues using smartphones. Nandakumar, studying at the University of Washington, has created a technology that turns an ordinary smartphone into an active sonar system capable of detecting physiological activities, such as movement and respiration, without requiring physical contact with the device. She has been selected for the 2018 Marconi Society Paul Baran Young Scholar award. PTI
Tokyo: A Japanese humanoid mini-robot called Robohon will work as a tour guide in Kyoto through a new service offered by city taxis to cope with the growing number of foreigners visiting the country.The service, which will be available from September 22 to March 31, 2019, will allow travellers to buy a tour in which the robot will be their guide and acquaint them with local history among other things, said the robot’s creator Sharp in a statement on Tuesday.
Five Indian BPOs, indicted in massive call centre scam
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As many as 15 people, including seven Indians, and five Indian call centres have been indicted in a multimillion-dollar scam which defrauded over 2,000 US citizens, resulting in over $5.5 million in losses, the department of justice said on Friday. Representational Image Representational Image The scam involved call centre operators who called potential victims while impersonating officials from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or individuals offering payday loans, US Attorney Byung J Pak said. Later, they threatened victims with arrest, imprisonment, or fines for failing to pay taxes or penalties to the government, the justice department said in a statement. In connection with the scam, seven individuals were arrested on Thursday in the United States. Seven co-conspirators and five callcentres based in Ahmedabad were also
charged for their alleged involvement. The indictment alleges that the defendents were involved in a sophisticated scheme organised by co-conspirators in India, including a network of call centres in Ahmedabad. “IRS and payday loan phone schemes seek to profit by exploiting United States citizens, including the most vulnerable members of our community,” said the US Attorney. “This indictment and yesterday’s arrests demonstrate our commitment to identifying and prosecuting those who hide behind these types of phone scams,” Mr Pak said. “This indictment makes clear that the IRS impersonation scam has risen to a new level, with indictments against five call centres and seven co-conspirators in India who allegedly directed their employees to participate in the scam,” said J Russell George.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
SRK to feature in Indian marvel! Here’s big news for Marvel fans. to the core North American Marvel fan. Stephen Wacker, vice-president, Let them understand a different part of Creative Development, Marvel, the world too. I think that’s going to be an expressed his thoughts about creating exciting thing for Marvel. My hope is that Marvel characters with an Indian the fan in India feels just as much part of the origin. What’s even more exciting Marvel universe as some kid in New York.” is that Shah Rukh Khan will most likely be a part of it. Divulging details about Ma r v e l’s I n d i a n venture, Wacker said, “I think in the next few years, Marvel is going to Shah Rukh Khan try to create characters Wacker shared that Shah Rukh Khan with a real toehold in Indian culture. would definitely be a part of the Marvel We will try for authenticity that can film. He said, “If we make Indian content, go as far as finding Indian talent. we have to put in Shah Rukh Khan. He We want to find a way to create has to be in it. If we have stories set in characters that have a home in this different countries, the goal is always to world so we can bring Indian culture use actors from that part of the world.”
Sonam & Jacqueline share dating fundas? Sonam Kapoor married an onam Kapoor and Jacqueline Indian businessman Anand Ahuja. Fernandez says “it is important to stay The following month, she featured in true to one’s personality while dating”. Shashanka Ghosh’s Veere Di Wedding, The stars talked about dating when a female buddy film co-starring they appeared on talk show “Feet Up with Kareena Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and the Stars” presented by Voot Originals and hosted by celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania, read a statement. Jacqueline Fernandez also said that she would like Sonam Kapoor to be her Tinder swiping friend and Kapoor nominated Fernandez as somebody who should be on Tinder. While sharing dating tip, Sonam Kapoor said: “Be yourself, be comfortable in your skin. Sonam Kapoor and Jacqueline If you want to dress up, dress up for yourself, not for the other person.” Shikha Talsania. The Hindu’s Namrita As for Jacqueline Fernandez, she said people Joshi found the film formulaic and are better off not listening to her dating tips. clichéd, while Sweta Kaushal of But, if she were on Tinder, she would Hindustan Times thought the film swipe right on guys who had creative had “style but no soul” and was partly and effortless pictures, and that gym impressed with Kapoor’s performance. and portfolio shots were a no-no.
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Many moods of Kajol
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Bollywood
Great films on India being made by foreigners: Anupam Kher Anupam Kher wonders why great films on India are being made only by foreigners. In Toronto for the premiere of Australian director Anthony Maras’ debut feature film “Hotel Mumbai” based on the September 2008 terror attacks, Kher said: “This is fascinating that the film ‘Gandhi’ was also made by a foreigner. Now this (‘Hotel Mumbai’) film has also been made by a foreigner. Thank you, Anthony, for making this movie. This film is a tribute to everybody who has lost a dear one anywhere in the world.” Without naming the person, Kher said: “Somebody had made a film on it (Mumbai terror attacks), but it was atrocious. That person wanted to cash in on the tragedy.” But Anthony’s “Hotel Mumbai” “humanises’” the tragedy that Mumbai went through 10 years ago, the actor added. “The Taj Palace Hotel is not just another hotel. It is an icon and its owner — the Tatas — are a respectable name not just in India but also around the world,” he said. At the press conference, Kher revealed that “Hotel Mumbai” is the 501st film of his career. As he was congratulated by the cast, the veteran actor said even his mother asked him for the first time as to how he did so many films. “’Hotel Mumbai’ is my 501st film. My mother, who is 85, asked me ‘How did I do it?’” said Kher. The movie premiered at the on-going Toronto International Film Festival on September 7
Sept
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BAJRA vs BURGER
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Sept
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HOTEL MILAN
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Sept
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5 WEDDINGS
*ing: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri
Sept
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MITRON
*ing: Jackky Bhagnani, Kritika Kamra
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Bollywood
Akshay turns 51, best wishes for ‘Khiladi’
HOROSCOPE Aries
0DUFK $SULO Stirring Mars, your guide planet, moves into Aquarius and your friendship zone on Monday and remains here until November 15, which could see you out and about and ready to have some fun. Community projects that may have stalled can pick up now. This is also a good time to get events organized and enjoy a few upbeat parties. However, there are opportunities this week to take a step forward, especially regarding work and business.
Taurus
$SULO 0D\ If personal goals or ambitions seem to have been rather sporadic, things may be about to change. This week, zone, giving you the energy and focus to get things done. It will remain here until November 15, giving you plenty of time to kick-start career moves, business projects, and anything else that is important. There are also fresh opportunities to collaborate on an idea that might be tentative but could prove lucrative if handled in the right way.
Gemini
0D\ -XQH It might be time to sample a few adventures as the urge to jet away somewhere exotic grabs hold. This could be due to the movement of sassy Mars into your sector of travel and far horizons on Monday. The coming weeks, until November 15, bring opportunities for long journeys and happy vacations, as well as study or attending workshops.
Cancer
-XQH -XO\ begin to move in a more positive direction as lively Mars enters your zone of business and shared assets. Mars is beginning to get back into stride after its retro phase, and it will remain in this zone until November 15. Put your energy into sorting out debt issues and getting your money to work harder for you.
Leo
-XQH $XJXVW positive place as convivial Venus moves deeper into the sector. If you’re thinking about entertaining or having guests to stay, the presence of lovely Venus here can make it a joy both for you and your visitors. Relationships in general come more into focus as stirring Mars enters your sector of relating and stays until November 15.
Libra
6HSW 2FW Aspects of your life could lighten up as sassy Mars moves into your leisure zone ! dynamic sector, the coming weeks could see you accomplishing great things. Regarding your skills and creative talents, this is absolutely the time to showcase them and let others know what you can do. You could be equally enthusiastic about starting a new business or connecting with someone in a romantic way.
Scorpio
2FW 1RY With both delectable Venus and happy-go-lucky Jupiter in your sign, things could seem to be going very well for you. This week, there are many reasons why you might !! With upbeat Jupiter linking to powerful Pluto in your communication sector, discussions " " # !
Sagitarius 1RY 'HF
$ of this planet could give you the courage to set key plans in motion. After a delay, you might now be very eager to get moving. And since sobering Saturn turned direct in your sector " $ ! now looks more assured than ever.
From wooing the audience with his stunts in “Khiladi� to making the audience laugh with comedy films like “Hera Pheri� and “Housefull� and to leaving film buffs with a social message through “Toilet: Ek Prem Katha� and “Pad Man�, actor Akshay Kumar, who turned 51 on Sept. 9, has had a well-rounded career, which is on a roll. Having started his career in the 1990s, Akshay Kumar has featured in more than hundred films and has a huge fan following all over the world. In 2001, he got married to former actor Twinkle Khanna, the daughter of veteran actors Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia. Together, they have two children – son Aarav and daughter Nitara. The actor has experimented with all kinds of genres in his over two-decadelong career in Bollywood. Wishing the versatile actor on his special day, members of the film fraternity doled out heartfelt social media posts for him.
Madhuri Dixit: Happiest birthday wishes to you, Mr Khiladi Akshay Kumar! Have a great day and an amazing year ahead. Lots of love. Anil Kapoor: Happy Birthday Akshay Kumar. May you continue to win hearts on and off screen! Wishing you a lot more success this coming year! Lots of love, health and happiness always! Also, can’t wait for the “2 Point 0� teaser Abhishek Bachchan: Here’s wishing a very happy birthday to an all round great guy. Akshay Kumar, happy happy birthday Akki bhaiya Hrithik Roshan: Happy birthday Akshay Kumar. Wish you a year just as super as you. All my love! Shahid Kapoor: Happy happy birthday @ akshaykumar keep inspiring. We love you. Bhumi Pednekar: Here’s wishing the man who is a great inspiration,a humanitarian ,the kindest,nicest and happiest Akshay Kuamr sir a very Happy birthday. May this year be full of all things amazing,tons of success and love.
Capricorn 'HF -DQ
If you have friends in high places, they could be very useful to you over the week ahead. Interlinking aspects suggest that opportunities may be open to you to forge ahead with an idea or plan. This might require you to leave your comfort zone, however, and this is where others could be very useful. These people might give you assurances of help or be eager to share their expertise and act in the role of mentor.
Aquarius
-DQ )HE Things could take a more positive turn now as sassy Mars moves into your sign on Monday and remains here until November 15. The dynamic qualities of Mars here could encourage you to seize the moment and take advantage of opportunities that will help you % energy level increases, too, making it easier to focus and accomplish more.
Pisces Virgo You could be more eager to get back into your routines - and perhaps streamline them - so you can work smarter rather than harder. This could be due to determined Mars moving back into your lifestyle sector and reviving your enthusiasm. All kinds of routines could kick into place again, including work schedules and wellness. This might also be a time to experiment with new ways of
)HE 0DUFK Dynamic Mars hotfoots it into your spiritual sector on Monday and remains here until midNovember, which could stir up your psyche and dreams. Its presence in this zone can be helpful for getting to the heart of niggling issues that may have been holding you back for months or perhaps years. The help of a life coach, mentor, $ ! zero in on the root cause and begin to heal it.
Bollywood Stars’ Birthdays
MAHIMA CHAUDHRY SEPTEMBER 13
AKSHAY KUMAR SEPTEMBER 9
ASHA BHOSLE SEPTEMBER 8
PREETI JHANGIANI AUGUST 18
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Live Connected My Way
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Saturday, September 15, 2018 The Joshi family celebrates 90th Birthday of their Papa, Grandpa, Great Grandpa, Vinod Joshi
“The Joshi Family celebrates 90th Birthday of their Papa, Grandpa, Great Grandpa, Vinod Joshi who is very well known in the Indian community, especially having recited bhajans at several Hindu Tempels in the Lower Mainland for all this years. For over forty years he was amongst the top car sales representative in Vancouver and received several Achievement Awards from Ford Motor Company of Canada. The family wishes to thank all friends and relatives who attended the celebrations at Burnaby Hindu temple on 8th September, 2018. “
Punjab Bhawan Surrey Canada celebrating Annual Punjabi Literary & Cultural Summeit in Surrey, BC on October 27th & 28th 2018. The main topic of discussion for this initiative would be “Adverse impact of harmful drugs” We have always worked towards the betterment & service of our community and would request you to join us in raising awareness towards this cause. As a responsible artist of our community, it would be great to have you as a part of the special Kavi Darbar which will be used to talk about this issue. If you are interested to participate, please provide us your name so we can include it in our list. For more information and registration, please call Kavinder Chand at 604-761-4504 or email at info@punjabbhawan.ca
Balwant Singh Sanghera appointed as member of the board of BCIT PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
ORDER OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL Order in Council No.
262
Annual Punjabi Literary & Cultural Summit of North America to be held in Surrey
, Approved and Ordered
June 4, 2018
Lieutenant Governor Executive Council Chambers, Victoria
On the recommendation of the undersigned, the Lieutenant Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, orders that, effective July 31, 2018, Balwant Singh Sanghera is appointed as a member of the board of the British Columbia Institute of Technology for a term ending July 31, 2019.
Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training
Presiding Member of the Executive Council
Balwant Singh Sanghera appointed as member of the board of the British Columbia Institute of Technology for a term ending July 31, 2019.
Grandma would have been happy to see me as Sardar in ‘Manmarziyaan’ When Bachchan’s first look was unveiled, his megastar father Amitabh Bachchan had shared the picture on
social media and expressed his pride. “Yes, dad shared the picture of my turbaned look and he said that he felt proud. My Dadima (grandmother) belongs to Sikh family, so there is an emotional attachment to the whole thing. Though the first time when I wore the turban to get my look done for the shooting, I was more focused on my performance. But later when I saw the footage, I felt special. “I think my Dadima would have been happy to see my as Sardar on-screen.” The actor became nostalgic as he spoke of his grandmother. “Dadima used to tell me and my sister some wonderful bedtime stories. She used to put us to sleep with those
stories. We had so many lovely memories with Dadima,” said the actor, whose elder sister Shweta has recently turned designer. The story of “Manmarziyaan” is set in Amritsar. He plays Robbie, a banker based in London who comes to his native place to get married to a girl who he later finds is in love with another man. So, did he get a chance to travel around the vibrant city of Amritsar? “No, not much during the shoot because we had a tight schedule to finish everything. So we did not get much time to explore Amritsar,” said the “Guru” famed actor. Abhishek Bachchan has shared screen space with both his parents – Jaya Bachchan and Big B – as well as his wife, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. According to him, his father is the best co-star anybody can have. “As an actor, he disarms you, makes you very comfortable in front of the camera. But I know he is my dad, so I can go back home and can discuss my character with him. My experience with him is a combination of father-son and co-workers,” said Abhishek, who has worked with Big B in films like “Paa,” “Sarkar” and “Bunty Aur Babli.” “I must mention that anybody who has worked with him would love to work with him again and again,” he added.
Grewal supports Maxime Bernier in the new political initiative If the Conservative party doesn’t change, Grassroots members will shun it. Surrey, BC - Former Conservative MP Gurmant Grewal announced his support for a new political initiative proposed by Maxime Bernier, who had won 12 out of 13 rounds of the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada last year. “It is hurting to see the Conservative Party of Canada splitting but rather than continue supporting a party by holding your nose, it is better to be courageous and do the right thing to stand up for what is right”, said Grewal. “A few controlfreak individuals, who have forgotten their roots, principles and values based on which the party was founded, have hijacked the Conservative Party. Despite doing a reasonably good job on some fronts, the Conservative government lost the last election. Rather than selfevaluation and learning from their mistakes, they have instead become arrogant, egoistic, elitist and has alienated the grassroots membership and volunteers”, said Grewal. “The big-stick Ottawa leadership has made the party topdown again. The ordinary paidmembers have been made insignificant and are considered only as cash cows for fundraising; their input in policy initiatives, voluntarism, involvement in local campaigns and nomination process of selecting candidates have been shunned. The morally corrupt leadership not only shut down hearing the voice of ordinary members and the riding associations but rather threaten, insult and bully with the party lawyers”, continued the former MP.” “The leadership is devoid of new ideas and vision, and are missing-in-action on the important issues confronting the nation; while they continue to
remain embroiled into petty party politics. As official opposition, the Conservative leadership has dropped the ball on holding the Liberals feet to the fire and have given them a free ride”, reiterated Grewal. “The principles and values that once defined our party are now getting extinct. Change is needed – either the leadership has to change the way the party is run or accept the consequences. They have to get out of the cocoon, and listen to the Canadians and change the way this party has been evolving. I hate to see the conservatives divide or polarize but sometimes the systemic problems cannot be corrected with a band-aid solution. If the leadership does not respect the grassroots members, why would the grassroots members respect its leadership?” “Maxime Bernier is speaking on behalf of a huge silent majority who is frustrated with the Conservative leadership and the way the party is governed. He has demonstrated courage by standing up for the members and Canadians. I hope his vision, experience and guidance will help lead the Canadians including the frustrated Conservatives, Liberals and NDPers in the right direction”, concluded Grewal. For further information contact : GurmantGrewal@gmail.com Gurmant Grewal has been 3-terms MP (1997-2006) from Surrey, BC. He has been Deputy Opposition House Leader, Co-Chair of the Joint Standing Committee of the House and Senate on Scrutiny of Regulations; Senior Critic for Foreign Affairs, Multiculturalism, Canadian International Development, Asia Pacific among others. He introduced scores of Bills and Motions and has been frequent participant in the HoC debates. Stephen Harper called him the “Ironman of Canadian Parliament
Saturday, September 15, 2018
7
Press release
BC India Business Network has important dialogue with Honourable Andrew Scheer
Last week the BC India Business Network (BCIBN) held a sold out lunch event with the Hon. Andrew Scheer, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition got feedback and suggestions from the South Asian business community before his upcoming trip to India. The dialogue featured Vivek Savkur, President and CEO of BCIBN and was Moderated by the Hon. Stockwell Day, PC who also serves on the BCIBN Board of Advisors. The focus of the event was how to improve the important trade and strategic relationship between Canada and India, with a specific
focus on British Columbia. It was a lively event with some great questions from the audience.
Message from Dough McCallum
Skytrain not LRT - Surrey police force - Smart development As Mayor one of my highest priorities will be public safety. I will immediately start the process for creating a new Surrey Police Department. My goal is to find the most innovative and effective programs from around the world and implement them. All of us on the Safe Surrey Coalition commit to actively seeking law and order programs that will make Surrey safer. To start, I will ask for the immediate implementation of two programs: 1.The Bar Watch program has successfully operated in Vancouver for more than ten years. This program has greatly reduced gang violence in restaurants and bars across the Lower Mainland. In Surrey, Tom Gill and Surrey First have been asleep at wheel and have not initiated this program. Why? On Day 1, I will order the police to immediately begin the Surrey Bar Watch Program. No more studies, no more consultations, no more asking permission from Ottawa. We will make it happen together, I will make it happen for you! 2. The use of big-data is making businesses
more competitive, data is connecting the world. Police data analytics are now widely used across the world to predict crime before it happens, data is used to find criminals faster and before they commit the crime. Large cities in the United States and Canada have been using Predictive Policing Analytics for years in their highest crime neighborhoods. Why have the RCMP not developed or purchased a Predictive Analytics platform for Surrey’s high crime neighborhoods? Why has Tom Gill and Surrey First treated our safety as a second-class priority? On Day 1, I will immediately direct our new police department to initiate the Predictive Policing Model to help make Surrey safer for all of us. There will be more public safety initiatives to come. What Surrey needs is solid steps in the right direction, not more studies that sit on the shelf. The Safe Surrey Coalition will put good ideas to work. Doug McCallum Media Contact - John Cameron 604-341-5725 Johncameron@shaw.ca
Humanitarian Dr Naurang Singh Mangat to visit Surrey Devoted humanitarian Dr Naurang with whole property in the name of the Trust. To Singh Mangat to Visit Surrey. date, nearly 200 homeless patients were admitted A living example of selfless service to the in the Ashram. After medical treatment, many humanity Dr Naurang Singh Mangat will be were rehabilitated. visiting Surrey from However, about 75-80 September 20 to 25 patients are living in the (noon). During his visit, Ashram permanently. he will be staying at Of these about 20-22 Canadian Singh Sabha are bedridden and Gurdwara, Surrey. unable to answer the For the last 13 years call of nature on their he has been looking own. Some have total after and trying to save memory loss. All lives of the destitute, patients living in the homeless, blind, Ashram are provided disabled, mentally food, clothes, medical challenged and poor treatment, nursing care sick people lying on and other necessities the roadsides and of life FREE OF COST. other places in Punjab. Dr Mangat who is Since 2005 for many a former Professor years, Dr. Mangat and Scientist of PAU, Dr Mangat picking up sick Subhash pedaled his bicycle on Ludhiana, University of from roadside the roads of slum areas Windsor, and Morrison of Ludhiana city and Scientific Inc. Calgary said that on completion saved the lives of numerous homeless sick lying of two remaining floors of the building, the on the roadsides. His untiring efforts to help the Ashram would be able to house hundreds of homeless and the sick have taken the shape of a such needy people in the future. For more well-known Punjab charity called “Guru Amar information, he can be reached at his cell phone Das Apahaj Ashram”. Its two-storey building 403-401-8787 or at nsmangat14@hotmail. is located near village Sarabha of Ludhiana com, or one can visit www.apahajashram.org. district. It is a registered and Charitable Trust
Many dignitaries and luminaries were in attendance including MP Mark Warawa,
Hon. Herb Dhaliwal, PC, Philanthropist Hari Varshney, Hon. Kerry¬-Lynne Findlay, PC, QC, BA, JD and many others. For more information about this topic call Vivek at 604728-0971 or email savkur. vivek@gmail.com About BCIBN BCIBN is a Vancouver based business network organization with the singular aim of helping BC businesses succeed overseas in India.
PICS organizes gala reception in support of Diversity Village PICS Diversity Village project is for a culturally sensitive long-term care home for seniors. Designed to meet the Social, Cultural and Dietary needs of members of the multicultural community, PICS Diversity Village will be a 140 bed facility fully equipped to care for the elderly who need personalized attention in a setting which is familiar to them. PICS has organized the Friends of PICS Gala in support of the Diversity Village Project. The event will have performances by talented local artists, delicious food, games, and door prizes. The event
will have the Honorable BC Premier John Horgan as the Keynote Speaker. PICS CEO Mr. Satbir Cheema extends his warmest invitation for the event, “Please help support the fundraising gala by showing your presence. We are delighted that Premier John Horgan has agreed to be our Keynote Speaker,” says Mr. Cheema. Friends of PICS Gala When: October 6, 2018 Time: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm Where: Mirage Banquet Hall 17767 64 Avenue – Surrey, BC For further information please call 604-596-7722 ext. 115 or email dorothy.poudel@pics.bc.ca
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Vol. 9 No. 33
Saturday - September 15, 2018
Tel: 604-591-5423
E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com
Housing prices drop for second month in a row?
H
ome buyers have been less active in recent months as the cost of home ownership is down in Metro Vancouver for the second straight month as demand for housing continues to slide across the region. According to August 2018 numbers released by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, prices across all residential housing categories — detached homes, townhouses and apartments — dropped 1.4 per cent compared to July 2018, to an average of $1,083,400. and we’re beginning to see prices edge down for all housing types as a result,� REBGV president Phil Moore said. “Buyers today have more listings to choose from and face less competition than we’ve seen in our market in recent years.� At 1,929, residential home sales in August 2018 were down 36.6 per cent versus the same period last year (3,043), and down 6.8 per cent compared to July 2018 (2,070). The number of homes for sale on the Multiple Listing Service across the region (11,824) was up 34.4 per cent over the same month last year, although down slightly from the previous month. In the single family detached home category, Burnaby East had the largest drop in average price, down 4.2 per cent to $1,269,200. Whistler was the only area to show an increase, rising 0.8 per cent to $1,783,200. In the townhouse category, Coquitlam registered the largest drop of 2.9 per cent to an average price of $690,500, while in Tsawwassen prices were up 4.5 per cent to $793,900. Intheapartmentcategory,Squamishshowedthelargestdrop,down4.2percenttoanaveragepriceof $513,400 while Coquitlam was the only area where prices went up, increasing 0.7 per cent to $552,500. Areas covered by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver include Whistler, the Sunshine Coast, Squamish, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and South
Delta.A real estate broker north of Toronto is suing a consumer for commission even though a $900,000 home sale arranged by his company fell through. �He really feels he’s owed it and I don’t know why,� Marlene Nemeth said in an interview. The brokerage claims, in a statement to the media, that it had a signed deal with the seller “which provides that our commission is payable upon acceptance of a satisfactory offer, even if the deal doesn’t close.� Hans Ohrstrom, broker of record at HomeLife Eagle Realty, Inc., sent a bill for $45,765.00 to Nemeth in February of this year. A month later, he sent her a revised bill for $30,510. When Nemeth refused to pay either invoice, on the advice of a lawyer, Ohrstrom’s company reduced its claim to $25,000 plus HST in order to be able to sue her in small claims court. Ohrstrom’s lawyer denies Nemeth was kept in the dark about the buyer’s financial difficulties, and told Global News “regardless of the buyer’s financial situation, to Ms. Nemeth’s knowledge the buyer was the owner of an existing property of significant value.� HomeLife Eagle Realty was also providing “customer service� to the buyer, Sayed Moussavi, according to documents filed in court. Nemeth said she can’t understand how a real estate broker can bill her tens of thousands of dollars when the sale didn’t close and she didn’t do anything to interfere with the deal. Ohrstrom’s website describes him as “No. 3 Top Producer of Home Life’s 5000+ agents!� On April 17, 2017, Nemeth signed a listing agreement with Ohrstrom’s brokerage to sell her Newmarket home. The agreement was in place until Sept. 30. In May 2017, she agreed to accept a $900,000 offer from Moussavi, the buyer. It is legal for a real estate brokerage to provide services to buyer and seller, although Ontario’s real estate regulator considers the arrangement potentially problematic. “At its core, there is an inherent conflict of interest when one person represents a buyer and a seller.
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Metro Vancouver’s home price-income gap is as high as $85K — that’s for a townhouse Metro Vancouver: it’s a region of nearly 2.5-million people, spread over a land mass of over 2,880 kilometres. It’s a place where politicians are set to go to the polls in just over a month’s time, at a time when “crisis� describes the state of living there. Candidates have hit the hustings with pitches aimed at improving “affordability,� with ideas such as building more homes and reducing red tape at city hall. But data shows just how far most of the region has to go before the housing in many communities can be called “affordable.� For families earning median incomes, the data provides the latest evidence of a region where the dream of owning a single-detached home has gone to die. And while there remain communities where median-earning families have a choice of apartment or townhouse, the
price of living in the latter can carry a cost that goes well beyond a monthly mortgage payment. These numbers were then twice run through an intelliMortgage calculator with a 20 per cent down payment, a 30-year amortization and a qualifying interest rate of 5.44 per cent. Then, they were compared against Census 2016 data showing median total incomes for economic families with children.
There isn’t one municipality in Metro Vancouver where a median family income can qualify for a mortgage on a single-detached home, according to these calculations. In East Vancouver, for example, the income needed to borrow money to buy a single-detached home is over $230,000. That’s more than double the median family income for the City of Vancouver — $111,636.
Vancouvers housing density plan wont address the missing middle? Overhauls to the City of Vancouver’s bylaws covering laneway homes are part of the municipality’s overall strategy to tackle housing affordability, and the changes were approved by Vancouver City Council meeting earlier today with only Green Party councillor Adrianne Carr opposed. Policy changes will
significantly cut down the process time for applications, with an outright process for lager two-storey laneway homes. The process is streamlined and no longer requires an extra conditional design review by staff, and this is expected to reduce permit issuing times by 65% – down to 12
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The lowest income needed to service a mortgage on a single-detached home is in Maple Ridge, where it’s $150,032. There’s only one community where median family incomes are high enough to support that — the District of North Vancouver, where the median family makes $156,971. Townhome prices didn’t provide much relief across most of Metro Vancouver, either. Of 30 areas covered in real-estate board data, median family homes could support townhouse mortgages in fewer than 10 of them. The gap to own a townhouse was highest in Vancouver West, where it was over $85,000. In Richmond, it was over $50,000. Even in Coquitlam, about 30 kilometres away from Vancouver’s city centre, the gap was nearly $15,000.
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Classifieds / Jobs NOW HIRING
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Saturday, September 15, 2018 BC housing minister defends affordability promises in wake of 4.5% rent increase approval The BC Rental Housing Task Force says it’s reviewing the formula used to determine allowable rent increases, after panic from tenants over the possibility of paying significantly more for housing next year. The province recently approved an allowable rent increase of 4.5 per cent for 2019, the largest increase since 2004. It would mean someone living in a one-bedroom apartment paying $1200 a month could, over the course of the year, pay almost $650 extra in rent. BC’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Selina Robinson talked to Stephen Quinn, host of CBC’s The Early Edition, about how her government plans to keep its promise to make life more affordable for British Columbians. W h e n we formed g ov e r n m e nt 14 months ago, we made a commitment to address affordability and we put forward a 30-point plan that we’ve been implementing over the last number of months. We know that this is hard for many in our communities so we’ve put together the Rental Housing Task Force to go out and identify what are some of the priority areas that we need to focus on next. We’ve asked that the issue of the annual rent increase and rent control is part of that review. Where is the renters rebate of $400 a year that Premier John Horgan promised in April of last year? We’ve always said that we are committed to bringing in the renters’ rebate and that hasn’t changed. Our plan is to bring the renters’ rebate in over the life of our government and, with that goal in mind, we’re going to continue to work on the details of the rebate itself. Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Vancouver Census Metropolitan area is $1,223, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Contact Brent or Wayne
604-377-5429 Email: fraservalleygolf@shaw.ca Video link: www.cotala.com/28804
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