The Asian Star April 2 2016

www.theasianstar.com Vol 15 Issue 9 Saturday, April 2, 2016

Tel: 604-591-5423

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LOCAL

2 i Saturday, April 2, 2016 From page 1

Contraband tobacco funds terrorism: report

Celebrate the festivities with our Vaisakhi special.

Happy Vaisakhi

stitute concludes in its latest report, which is set to be released on Thursday. Global News was able to obtain a copy in advance.

But depriving government coffers of money that could be used for health care, education or other social programs is just one of the negative consequences of this particular black market. Illegal tobacco also helps fund organized crime in Canada and terrorist organizations abroad, the report notes. “Canadian law enforcement seizures of contraband tobacco routinely include high-powered weapons, hard and designer drugs, stolen vehicles and other merchandise, and lots of cash,” it reads. “Globally, money from contraband tobacco and cigarettes is a major source of revenue for the likes of ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Hezbollah.”

Enforcement of the law is complicated by a number of factors like the still-scarce resources dedicated to fighting contraband tobacco, legislative gaps, and the lack of a comprehensive plan that would allow different jurisdictions to work together more effectively.

$4.5 million drug bust ‘one of largest in Surrey’s history’

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urrey RCMP announced a significant drug bust on Friday, revealing that earlier in March, a driver was found transporting an estimated $4.5 million in cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine.

30-year-old Abbotsford resident Pardip Hayer has been charged with four counts of trafficking in a substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act.

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Overcrowding challenges Surrey schools Metro Vancouver’s school districts are wrestling with enrolment issues. In neighbourhoods where new, dense, family-friendly developments are being built, schools are bursting, while in more mature, stable neighbourhoods, schools are emptying out. In Vancouver and Richmond, the population shift means as many as 25 schools could be closed, while in places like Surrey and Coquitlam, demand is unrelenting as young families move out to the suburbs and more affordable, smaller homes.

In certain Surrey neighbourhoods — where there has been significant new development — elementary schools are overflowing. One of those areas, South Newton, includes six elementary schools that feed into Sullivan Heights secondary school. Projections by the Surrey school district show by 2021, the group of schools in the neighbourhood near 64th Avenue between 136th and 152nd streets will be short 1,431 spaces.One of those elementary schools, Woodward Hill, has both French Immersion and English students.

www.theasianstar.com

Vol 15

Issue 9

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Mercedes-Benz S400 launched at Rs 1.31 crore

Tel: 604-591-5423

Chrysler Pacifica, priced from $45,740 to $54,740 CAN Auto section

Auto section

Company charged in India overpass collapse

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ndian construction com- 24 dead and dozens injured pany IVRCL faces charges of attempted murder, mischief and criminal conspiracy in connection with the collapse of an overpass in Kolkata, said Nurul Absar, who heads a police station in that city and filed the case.

At least 24 people died midday Thursday when a section of a bridge that was under construction crashed down onto the streets of Kolkata’s Girish Park area.

Police brought in 12 people from IVRCL for questioning Friday, Kolkata A sky view of collapsed overpass police official Debasish Boral said. It was not Rescue efforts continue after India bridge colla clear how many of them, if any, will be formally “It’s nothing but a God’s act,” K. Panduranarrested or charged and, if so, on what counts. ga Rao of the Hyderabad-based company While there was no immediate response to told reporters, according to CNN IBN. “So the charges from the company Friday, an far in 27 years, we have constructed several IVRCL executive has said the whole thing number of bridges ... it never happened.” was not his construction company’s fault.

Continued on page 10

South Asian man found dead in Delta was murdered: Police

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South Asian man who wassen Drive in South Delta. went missing in Surrey in Delta Police are now sayJanuary was found muring the death was a murder. dered at a home in South Delta Police also believe it was a in early March, say Delta Police. targeted killing and that the On Feb. 3, Surrey RCMP issued threat to the public is deemed a plea to the public to help find to be low. As this matter is Robinder Virk who had last been now deemed a homicide inseen a month earlier at 72 Avenue vestigation, no further details and 120 Street. Police and family are being released at this time.

Robinder Virk’s body were concerned because it was out Delta Police are asking anyone was found in South of character for the 32-year-old to with information about what Delta, a victim of be out of touch with family for that led to the homicide of Virk, murder long. On March 3, the Delta Pocall the Delta Police at 604lice Department said they found a 946-4411 or Crime Stoppers body at a home in the 2000-block of Tsaw- at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca.

Brussels is what happens when liberals don’t push immigrants to integrate

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n Tuesday, when Islamist suicide bombers blew themselves up in Brussels, killing 35 innocent people and injuring 240, the European Union’s foreign policy representative, the Italian Federica Mogherini, happened to be on an official visit to Amman, the Jordanian capital. Fighting back tears, she cut short a news

conference, saying: “It’s a very sad day for Europe, as Europe and its capital are suffering the same pain that the Middle East has known and knows every single day, be it in Syria, be it elsewhere.” She then mused about the role that Islam may have played in the Continued on page 6

Women celebrating festival of colors in Surrey on March 24th.

Photo: Chandra Bodalia

Contraband tobacco funds terrorism: report

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ontraband tobacco remains a major problem in Canadian markets, a new study from the Macdonald Laurier Institute has found, and governments and law enforcement agencies are not doing enough to crack down on it.

In Ontario alone, governments are seeing between $1.6 and $3 billion in lost tax revenue per year as a result of illegal trade in tobacco products, the institute Continued on page 2

4 i Saturday, April 2, 2016

By New Democrat housing spokesperson David Eby

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ousing affordability: it’s an issue on pretty much everyone’s mind in the Lower Mainland today.

It’s complex. Sometimes, that complexity makes it hard to talk about. But it’s important, and that’s why David Eby my fellow New Democrats and I are talking about it.

Some people think this is a conversation about money, but I think it’s about a lot more than that. It’s about the right of families to live and work in the region of this province they choose. It’s about new parents raising their kids in their home city, and about grandparents watching their grandkids grow up. It’s about attracting young, bright people to our cities, to help build the prosperous future we all want to see in our province.

OPINION

Housing affordability: It’s an issue on mind And it’s about more than just homeowners and people looking to buy. It’s about renters, too, whose rent, and the stability of their housing, are equally tied to the real estate market. By denying that this crisis even exists, Christy Clark and her government have turned their backs on the struggling families that live in the Lower Mainland. Less than a year ago, the housing minister was still calling the region’s out-of-control real estate prices “actually pretty reasonable.” And last summer, the premier suggested that those priced out of the Lower Mainland market should move to Fort St. John.

Liberal MLA Laurie Throness joined in, telling the legislature: “no one has a God-given right to live in a particular place.” When I called an emergency town hall meeting two weeks ago, nearly 800 people concerned about housing in the Lower Mainland showed up – nearly 800 people who wanted to talk about the impact that home prices are having on their families and communities.

It showed that people are tired of Christy

Clark’s failure on this issue, and that they want to see their government working to keep their communities livable. We believe that international money coming into our market to buy homes as investments must be regulated and taxed in order to defend the right of families who live and work in B.C. to reasonable and affordable housing. That’s why New Democrat Leader John Horgan introduced the Housing Affordability Fund and Speculator Fee Act and the Property Transfer Tax Fairness Act. Together, these bills do what Christy Clark has refused to do: take real steps towards addressing affordability. The Housing Affordability Fund and Speculator Fee Act creates a way for government to collect desperately needed information about speculators who treat housing purely as an investment and leave properties empty, rather than as homes for families to live in. The bill collects a two-per-cent tax on the assessed value of the property and the money collected would go directly into a Housing Affordability Fund. This fund would provide funding for affordability initiatives in the region where the tax was collected. The Property Transfer Tax Fairness Act would put an immediate stop to shadow flippers and international property investors exploiting loopholes in the law to avoid paying the Property Transfer Tax. We have also called on Christy Clark and her government to take action to crack down on money laundering in the real estate market.

A recent audit of Metro Vancouver realtors by the federal government’s anti-money laundering agent FINTRAC pointed to a failure to accurately report the origin of cash in real estate transactions, and noted a tripling of “significant deficiencies” during random audits.

If Christy Clark’s government had taken action at the beginning of this affordability crisis, maybe we would not need to have this conversation now. But today, people across our region are looking ahead at a future of debt and limited potential because the B.C. Liberals chose to deny this crisis existed rather than addressing it. Every day, those people are leaving our cities. That’s why we need to take action now.

www.theasianstar.com # 202 - 7028, 120th Street, Surrey, BC V3W 3M8 Ph: 604-591-5423 Fax: 604-591-8615 E-mail: editor@theasianstar.com Editor: Umendra Singh Associate Editor: Shruti Prakash Joshi Marketing and Sales: Ravinder S. Cheema..604-715-3847 Shamir Doshi..............604-649-7827 Harminder Kaur..........778-708-0481 Parminder Dhillon.......778-859-9234 Pre-Press: Iftikhar Ahmed Contributing writers: Akash Sablok, Kamila Singh, Jay Bains Photographer: Chandra Bodalia Publication Mail Agreement No 428336012 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept.

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Saturday, April 2, 2016

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6 i Saturday, April 2, 2016

Local

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Brussels is what happens when liberals don’t push immigrants to integrate

From page 1 ragedy, dismissing “the idea of a clash Western democracies, can and must be combetween Islam and the West.” “Islam,” bated by all those who wish to protect the she said, “holds a place in our Western democratic system in an increasingly dangersocieties. Islam belongs to Europe … I am ous world. In Brussels, it started in the 1960s not afraid to say that political Islam should be when the postwar economic boom created part of the picture.” Mogherini’s statement a shortage of workers. Like other Western offers an insight into the mentality that has European countries, notably Germany and helped produce the situation in Western Eu- France, Belgium had to import workers on a ropean societies, where fear is woven into the massive scale. That, however, wasn’t simple fabric of daily life. It is a world of illusions because of Belgium’s own peculiarities. Creand false identities. In Mogherini’s world, ated as a buffer state between Germany and the sufferings of Syrians, caused by a savage France in 1830, Belgium was not the natural regime, are on par with the sufferings of in- expression of a nation’s desire for statehood.

In fact, the kingdom is made of three habitants of European capital cities such as Madrid, London, Paris and now Brussels that national components: the French-speaking have come under attack from jihadists who Walloons, the Dutch-speaking Flemish and kill at random. In that world, political Islam, German speakers. From the start, the mainfar from being an adversary dedicated to your tenance of balance among the three has been destruction, becomes part of the family. The the central problem of Belgian politics.

Since most factories were located in the envoy fails to see the logical conclusion of her analysis: If Islam is no longer a religion but Walloons’ area, the owners were careful to a political ideology, why shouldn’t it be sub- import workers from French-speaking lands, jected to the same treatment, including criti- which, at the time, made French-controlled cism, as any other political ideology, and, if North Africa an attractive source of labor. it poses a present and clear danger, face out- The Walloons also had a low birth rate, right suppression? What happened in Brus- while the Flemish had large families. One sels was a co-production by adepts of two source of concern for French speakers was sick ideologies. The first one is Islamism in the capital, Brussels, with its 19 districts diits many versions, including Khomeinism in vided across linguistic lines. The Walloons Iran, Talibanism in Afghanistan, Salafism in feared that their depopulated districts would Arab countries, Boko Haram in Nigeria, and be repopulated by Dutch speakers. They ofISIS and its offshoots across the globe. It will fered rent-free or subsidized housing to imremain firmly in place until it implodes un- migrants from Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia der the weight of its savage contradictions, as who knew no Flemish but could plod along did the old Soviet Union, or is defeated in a in kitchen French. By the 1990s, most of the war, as was the case with Nazi Germany and factories had disappeared, but the immigrants imperialist Japan. The other co-producer, the remained. By then Islam was Belgium’s secmushy and politically correct “liberal” ideol- ond-largest religion, now accounting for over ogy that has seduced segments of opinion in 700,000 people or 6.2 percent of the population.

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PERSON OF THE WEEK

Saturday, April 2, 2016

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“Education provides us knowledge and knowledge is the ultimate power� Maghar S .Dhaliwal Chhavi Disawar

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hese are not just mere words, but the ground on which South Asian Business Association (SABA) works.

The South Asian Business Organisation is a structure formed on the shoulders of some visionary South Asians who want to bring about a positive change in the society. The organisation focuses on empowering people

him to be in Mortgage Brokerage.

On asking about the idea of SABA, Mr. Dhaliwal told us that he was actively involved with Indo-Canadian Business Association (ICBA) and even served the organization as a president in year 2000 but due to some conflicts going around with the selection procedure for next president, Mr. Dhaliwal along with 90% other members left the organization and started with South Asian Business Association. Till now, SABA has provided $70,000 for this fund to KPU. “The main source of our funding is based on our annual networking Golf Tournament�, told Mr. Dhaliwal.

The amount generated from this event is then donated to KPU. As per the scholarship nominations, SABA doesn’t play any role in that. “We don’t nominate students for this funding, it’s solely the decision of

M.S. Dhaliwal getting a plaque of appreciation from SABA. directors (from left) Kuldip Gill, Ken Dhillon, Mr Dhaliwal and Jatinder Sandar.

KPU’s Management�, told Mr. Dhaliwal.

The criterion to select the deserving candidate is based on his/her academic performance, financial status and the urge to study. “We believe in education. If one is educated then he/she can take better care of his/herself and also the surroundings�, told Mr. Dhaliwal.

This scholarship gets directed in three fields including business studies, nursing studies and very newly started Journalism studies.

This initiative taken by SABA has already changed lives of many deserving students and they plan on continuing the same at a larger scale with each year passing by. “This society has given us so much that I think it’s our responsibility to give it back and SABA is a platform to give our community the best, i.e. more educated youth�, smiled Mr. Dhaliwal.

For more details, contact: Mr. Maghar S. Dhaliwal Tel: 604-501-2115 This is a PROOF of your ad in the forthcoming edition Contract# Cell: 604-807-2808 M.S. Dhaliwal (middle) with SABA directors presenting a scholarshiop cheque to Kwantlen University representative. of the Indo-Canadian Business Pages ‘2014 ANY QUESTION, CALL: 604.502.6100 Email: bestwaymortgage@shaw.ca

who want to reach the epitomes in the field of their interest but because of the financial obstruction they abstain themselves from their dreams. SABA keeps on arranging one or the other informative sessions in order to spread awareness regarding various subjects. Not only this, they arrange various fundraising events to raise scholarships.

Recently SABA hosted a very informational Networking event, following which, The Asian Star got a chance to sit with

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one of its founder members- Mr. Maghar Singh Dhaliwal for a cup of tea. With his defined focus and simplistic approach, Mr. Dhaliwal is an ideal role model for anybody who has just landed in Canada with some dreams. His inspiring words, compassionate nature and progressive thinking doubled the positive oomph of the moment. His journey of settlement in Canada is a catalyst to motivate the society. “I worked with Punjab and Sindh bank in India from 1973 to 1992. After coming to Canada, I was placed as a Bank Manager at a small credit union within two weeks of time�, told Mr. Dhaliwal.

As his daughter pursued her further education at UBC, Mr. Dhaliwal shifted his residence to Surrey and he worked with Surrey Metro, presently known as The Coast Capital Bank. Rolling through the colors of his voyage, Mr. Dhaliwal started as a Mortgage broker in year 1996. Mr. Dhaliwal now owns his own Mortgage group under the name of Bestway Mortgage Corporation.

“In 1996, our community was not aware of the field. Nobody knew what Mortgage Brokerage was. I studied about the subject and realised the potential of this field.

Once I stepped into it and saw the returns, I never looked back�, smiled Mr. Dhaliwal.

Mr. Dhaliwal, with his depth knowledge of his field, was approached by many renowned financial institutions to join in but the man served the society as an independent broker. Now, it has been 20 years for

Vancouver street named after the late Jack Uppal

ancouver will name a street af- go to school. He was also the first Sikh to be ter a South Asian pioneer, the employed as a bus driver by B.C. Electric. late Jack Uppal, in the River Dis- He quit soon after in the face of passengers’ trict, just upstream from where his Gold- discrimination and lack of shifts, and held wood Industries mill operated. on to a thinly-veiled comIt is the first time that Vancouver, has pany letter that suggested named a street after a South Asian. they had wasted resources Uppal passed away two years ago, training him. It proved to The Vancouver city council is exbe an important point in his pected to rename Road 8 — a longlife, after which he sought ish north-south road in the new to help establish a stronger River District — Jack Uppal Street.

South Asian community.

The decision ends a long pattern of Vancouver Mayor Jack Uppal naming streets, lanes, buildings and Gregor Robertson said other civic assets predominantly after white it was fitting to name a street after Upmen.The renaming of the road comes after pal, especially in the East Fraser Lands, River District developers filed a develop- where he and his family had lived and ment permit application for part of the mas- “had a positive impact on Vancouver.� sive 130-acre redevelopment, which will “I think it’s a great idea given Jack’s exeventually house more than 15,000 people. traordinary contribution to VancouUppal, who was born in Punjab, India but ver, creating countless jobs and being a came to Canada in 1926 as a baby, achieved pioneer in the South Asia community.� many firsts. He was among the first Sikhs to

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8 i Saturday, April 2, 2016

LOCAL

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UN appointment of Canadian professor creates controversy

he appointment of a Canadian pro- “Mr. Lynk,” he concluded, “fails fessor to a delicate advisory position the minimal impartiality requireat the United Nations Human Rights ments” of a UNHRC rapporteur.

Council has set off a storm of controversy on three continents. Stanley Michael Lynk, In Canada, the Centre for Israel and a professor in the faculty of law at Western Jewish Affairs (CIJA) followed suit.

University in London, Ont., was named on “We strongly denounce the appointMarch 24 as “Special ment of Michael Rapporteur on the sitLynk to this uation of human rights role,” Shimon in the Palestinian terFogel, the cenritories occupied since tre’s CEO, wrote 1967” – a contentious in a statement. position if ever there “Mr. Lynk has a was one, especially as long record of the past holders of this involvement with office have generally Stanley Michael Lynk anti-Israel initiainterpreted their mantives and has redate as looking largely at alleged human- peatedly made public statements that rights violations by the occupying power: demonstrate hostility towards Israel.”

Israel. The Lynk appointment was met imBefore Mr. Lynk had a chance to demediately with a barrage, led by the criti- fend himself, Foreign Affairs Minister cism of the Geneva-based organization UN Stéphane Dion tweeted: “We call on @ Watch. Its executive director, Hillel Neuer, UNHRC to review this appointment & enoriginally Canadian, now Israeli, described sure Special Rapporteur has the track reProf. Lynk as “an ardent anti-Israeli activ- cord that can advance peace in the region.” ist for at least three decades [who] plays Joseph Pickerill, director of communicaa leadership role in groups that advocate tions in the Foreign Minister’s office, later against Israel, and participates in political explained: “What is absolutely critical is campaigns that use demonizing language that the mandate holder upholds the highagainst Israelis.” Among other things, Mr. est standards of probity, impartiality, equity Neuer alleged that Mr. Lynk “cited Nazi and good faith. These are the standards set war crimes in his call for ‘legal strategies’ to by the office and of these, the most critical prosecute Israelis,” that he supports a pro- trait is impartiality. On this score, we are test movement known as “Israel Apartheid concerned by some reports and past stateWeek” at Western, and that he “blamed the ments, which we reviewed independently.”

West for provoking the attacks” on 9/11.

Mr. Lynk issued a statement Satur-

Saturday, April 2, 2016

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New rapid transit lines not tied to next election: Sohi

nfrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi is defending the federal government’s choice of a two-track grant rollout for transit projects that could leave new rapid transit lines in Metro Vancouver waiting until after the next federal election. Critics have said the back-end loading of much infrastructure grant money into the 2020s may leave Surrey light rail and the Vancouver SkyTrain extension dependent on the Trudeau Liberals’ re-election for a final green light.

“This is not about waiting until the next mandate – that’s totally misinformation,” Sohi told Black Press. “My goal is to conclude our long-term plan within the next year. And assure our partners that when their projects are ready to go, we will be there to support them.” Sohi said Surrey LRT and the Broadway subway need more work before they reach the shovelready stage, when major funding could flow, but added that could be sooner than the next election. “We will work with them to advance their projects as quickly as they are ready to go.”

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PICS Diversity Village in Surrey will fill ‘critical’ need in seniors care

haran Gill’s eyes light up when he talks about PICS Diversity Village.

When he founded the Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society in 1987, it had just $80. Today, the planned $30-million five-storey 140-bed seniors’ care facility, to be located at 175th Street and 64th Avenue, is the largest project his organization has ever undertaken.

The facility will provide urgently needed long-term care for seniors from all walks of life, taking social, cultural and dietary needs into account.

“One of the innovative things we’re doing is we will have 14 villages. Clusters. Ten rooms in each. Chinese, Filipino, Caucasian, doesn’t matter…. We are going to try to accommodate Syrians, any new group coming in,” said Gill. “We are embracing everybody.”

PICS already operates two seniors facilities in Surrey – a 49-unit assisted

living complex and a 77-unit independent living site – which house people of 15 different ethnicities, largely South Asian. But the planned Diversity Village would provide a higher level of care.

Inderjeet Hundal, administrator of PICS’ existing care homes, said culturally sensitive longterm care is desperately needed. He said he’s seen several seniors pass away soon after leaving assisted living and suspects it’s due to isolation.

“They hardly survive three or four months,” remarked Hundal. “They’re not able to speak the language, they’re not able to get the food they have eaten all of their lives, and they’re isolated.”

PICS says Fraser Health hospitals currently house 150 South Asian seniors, and their facility would not only ease hospital overcrowding but would save taxpayers roughly $1,000 a day, per senior. “Here it’s not even $200 a day,” noted Hundal.

aman@ewfinancial.ca

Company charged in India overpass collapse

From page 1 That’s not to say, though, that bridges tor and Loksatta Party founder, wrote or other overpasses under construc- on Twitter. “How dare they use roads?” tion haven’t collapsed before in India. Friday’s charges, then, represent the A bridge fell on an express train in Bhagalpur first step toward levying official blame in 2006, killing 37 passengers. Three years -- and punishment -- on those inlater, 30 workers died after scaffolding on volved in building the bridge instead. a bridge being built in Kota crashed down. Search effort wrapping up And in eastern Kolkata, not far from The 2-kilometer Vivekananda OverThursday’s collapse, a fully construct- pass project had been in the works for ed overpass collapsed in March 2013. years. It was supposed to be finished five That sent a truck careening into a canal, years ago, only to be plagued by delays. though the people inside were rescued. About 100 meters (328 feet) of the overpass It’s not clear what role, if any, IVR- buried moving cars and pedestrians, quickly CL had in any of those incidents. setting off a frantic rescue operation. CivilRao’s comments drew fervent criti- ians and authorities took part, spraying water, cism on social media, with some call- carrying out debris and doing whatever else ing for engineers and executives be- they could to save those trapped in the rubble. hind the project to be punished. They were later replaced by an army of “Only the poor victims are to blame!” an hard-hatted rescue crews, who toiled unincredulous Jayaprakash Narayan, a doc- der bright lights and used heavy machin-

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Teen driver charged after returning from China

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teenage driver has been charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm after a violent highspeed crash a year ago. Vancouver police say Yue Hui Wang, who was 18 years old at the time, was travelling at 250 km/h in a parent’s Mercedes — five times the posted speed limit. The passenger in the car’s front seat was 17. “We’re very lucky that we didn’t pull two dead bodies out of this vehicle,� said Const. Brian Montague on Wednesday, “It’s nothing more than a fluke.� The 18-year-old driver of a black Mercedes is charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm after driving at speeds five times over the posted limit. The crash occurred April 12 last year at about 3 a.m. PT on S.W. Marine Drive. Police allege Wang crossed the centre line and smashed into a front yard near 57 Avenue, leaving the black Mercedes he was driving a mangled mess.

“At 250 km/h, when investigators told me how fast he was going, I honestly didn’t think anyone could travel that fast on that stretch of highway.� The 17-year-old passenger was taken to hospital with serious head injuries, facial injuries and at least

one broken bone. Montague said the driver is a Chinese national who was in Vancouver last year to attend his citizenship ceremony, which he failed to make.

Wang left Canada after the incident, but when he returned he was arrested and has been ordered to surrender his passport.

Man pleads not guilty to murder of his mother and attempted murder of a child

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Vancouver man accused of murdering his mother had arguments with her over the taking of his medication in the days before the slaying, a judge was told Monday. On the opening day of his trial, Ka Chi David Siu pleaded not guilty to the April 2014 second-degree murder of Yin Nor Hsao, 63. He also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of a child who cannot be identified due to a publication ban. Cheuk Yai Siu, the father of the accused, told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Arne Silverman that his son was taking medications for some kind of psychiatric condition but got into arguments with Hsao over those medications. “David kept saying he was taking the medications. My wife kept saying that he wasn’t.�

The dad said that the arguments between mother and son weren’t melodramatic or emotional.

Four days before the slaying, his son had been brought home by police because he had become lost and two days later caused some flooding in their bathroom, he said.

Under cross-examination by the accused’s lawyer, the dad said that he was “always� worried about his son, who had previously been admitted to a psy-

chiatric hospital. He said that his son had never hit or threatened his mother.

In her summary of the case, Crown counsel Michaela Donnelly said that the mother suffered 373 stab wounds during the violent attack at the Kingsway apartment in April 2014. She died at the scene. The child suffered 16 stab wounds but survived.

Donnelly told the judge that the accused was living in the third-storey apartment with his mother and father at the time of the slaying.

In the early-morning hours, a neighbour heard a child crying on and off for about half an hour and then a male voice yelling, which prompted the neighbour to call 911.

When police arrived and got off the elevator, officers saw Siu standing in the hallway outside the apartment, Donnelly told the judge. “He had a small kitchen knife in his hand and a glazed look on his face.�

A child was lying by his feet and behind him, officers could see the body of a woman — Hsao — lying on her side in the doorway of the apartment, said Donnelly.

Police ordered Siu to put the knife down but he refused to do so, said the prosecutor. Police struck him with a baton but he contin-

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LOCAL

C’s health minCall to pay blood donors in BC ister doesn’t have a problem with a private of the poorest people in Ameriblood clinic opening here, but there is ca and that is not something that we a long list of others who certainly do. should be emanating here in Canada.”

The Krever Inquiry conducted afA group formed in the wake of the taintter the tainted blood scandal in the ed blood scandal is asking for the pro1980s recommended keeping our vincial government to change its mind. blood donation system not-for-profit.

Canadian Blood Resources is conBC’s health minister has no problem with sidering opening up in BC and would pay people to donate. Minister Terry a pay for donations blood clinic here, but Lake calls it a moral issue he doesn’t see. many other sure do, critics want to re“The vast majority of plasma products we mind you of the possible consequences get today come from paid donors in another NDP Health Critic Judy Darcy says these kinds country (the US). So if that’s the case today of ideas are dangerous to our healthcare system.

“Opening the door to pay for plasma clinwhy not consider Canadian donors? As long as we can assure the public that it’s safe.” ics is really just the beginning of slippery Kat Lanteigne, co-founder of Blood- slope. We don’t sell organs in this counwatch.org says in the US, those in deep try, we don’t pay people to donate tisfinancial need are most likely to do- sue, we shouldn’t be paying people to donate and they may lie about their health. nate blood,” she says. “The safety of our “Blood is being farmed off the backs blood supply is of paramount importance.”

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Burnaby residents raise concerns over sex assaults

articipants at a Burnaby RCMP forum about safety say they’re nervous and being extra vigilant after a rash of sex assaults that have caused some of them to form block watch groups. There have been five sex assaults, one in broad daylight, in just over five weeks since January, 2015 in Burnaby prompting the RCMP to form a task force More than 100 people attended a safety forum and host a public safety on a trail near SFU around 2:50 p.m. PT. seminar at Burnaby Mountain SecondHer sexual assault was interrupted ary School. More than 100 people atby a Good Samaritan who left pritended the seminar Wednesday night to or to the police arriving on scene. listen to RCMP Staff Sgt. Major John Buis “It’s important for me that our neighand others deliver personal safety tips. bourhood is safe for citizens, especialResidents were also told there is ly women,” said I-ju Lai at the semino update yet on the investiganar. “I want to be able to walk the trails tions surrounding the five attacks. and enjoy nature with my daughter.”

The latest incident was March 6, when poLai lives on Burnaby Mountain and lice say a woman who had just left the the says she walks to work, while her Lake City Way SkyTrain station was attacked daughter walks to school every day.

BCCLA challenges judges right to sentence

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he BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) is going to the nation’s highest court to talk about judges overruling sentences agreed upon by both the crown and defense. This dates back to a case in Vancouver in 2013. Anthony-Cook admitted to manslaughter after a fight outside of a drop in centre. The crown and defense both agreed on a sentence, but then the sentencing judge felt the term wasn’t long enough and added more time in jail.

The BCCLA’s Laura Track says it sets a dangerous precedent. “A pattern of failure to accept these kinds of joint submissions would slow the process in our criminal justice system immeasurably and it would undermine a system that depends on predictability of sentence.” Track hopes judges will only overrule these joint submissions in extreme cases. “Only when the joint submission would produce a clearly unreasonable or a demonstrably unfit sentence should the submission be rejected.”

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Murder victim’s family helps Surrey youth

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he family of Surrey homicide victim Jaylen Sandhu is still waiting for the Integrated Homicide Investigation team to arrest a suspect. Meantime, they are planning to hold a pub fundraiser in Fleetwood in May to raise money for a scholarship in the 17-year-old boy’s name.

“He was a great kid,” his dad Danny Sandhu said. “He had a big heart. Football was his first love.”

Jaylen was stabbed in the 16300-block of 88th Avenue in Fleetwood on Dec. 18, 2014. He got away from his attacker, sought help from a resident nearby and was taken to hospital where he died.

He had been set to graduate from Fleetwood Park Secondary School in the spring.

The Jaylen Sandhu Dreams Foundation provides an annual $1,000 scholarship to a student at the school and is holding its second annual fundraiser on May 22 at Edith

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Bible distribution in Abbotsford schools draws criticism

he Abbotsford school district is being criticized for allowing Gideon Bibles to be distributed in schools to consenting Grade 5 students. Teachers in Abbotsford schools hand students consent cards provided by Gideon’s International, a Christian organization. Those who return a signed card then receive a Gideon Bible.

In a press release issued Wedensday, the BC Humanist Association (BCHA) called for the practice to be stopped, saying it is unconstitutional and in violation of the BC School Act. If the activity isn’t stopped, the

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and Arthur’s Public House at 8410 160th Ave. for the scholarship, to “support families who are in need of financial support for youth programs such as sports and arts.” It will start at 5 p.m. and $20 paid in advance or at the door will get you a burger and a beer.

“We are looking for supporters who can contribute raffle prizes or donations to support the fundraiser,” Danny Sandhu said. “We welcome any contribution.” The Jaylen Sandhu Rest in Peace Facebook page pays tribute to “an amazing son, brother and friend.”

On it, one of his teachers remembered “his beautiful smile, playful humour, and lovely nature.” He is survived by his mom, dad, older sister and two older brothers.

A spokesperson for IHIT could not be reached for comment.

BCHA is asking the district to allow the distribution of an atheist-themed comic.

“The district cannot hide behind consent cards, as even those have the effect of singling out students on the basis of their beliefs,” said Ian Bushfield, executive director of the BCHA. The organization also says a local parent complained to the school district after her children received brochures in December from an Evangelical missionary group that runs children’s basketball camps.

TransLink needs to run HandyDART in-house, demand disabled advocates

ransLink should stop contracting out the HandyDART service, argue people living with disabilities. Customers who use the bus service, which is tailored for those with disabilities, are calling for the transit authority to run things in-house.

As it stands, a California-based company runs HandyDART on behalf of TransLink — a contract that is up at year’s end.

HandyDART co-founder and user Tim Louis is among those saying it’s time to bring service in-house. “You’re spending, right now, tens of millions of dollars a year on a private, for-profit American corporation,” says Louis.

“We would all agree without access to their books that they’re making a profit. It’s what a private corporation does.” Louis says given

that company is presumably making a profit, TransLink could take over through a wholly owned subsidiary and then use that profit to increase service levels. Patrick Maxcy uses a powerchair to get around these days because of severe arthritis. He says insufficient HandyDART service levels mean he’s often directed to use a cab, where he’s had a less-than-ideal experience. “Several times I’ve been left in the back of a taxi for many minutes while the taxi driver’s talking on his phone,” says Maxcy. “HandyDART drivers never do this kind of stuff.”

Maxcy says in-house ownership of HandyDART could mean more service from the buses, and, therefore, less use of taxis, whose drivers are not trained to work with the needs of those with disabilities.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

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Citizenship and Immigration Canada finds passport lost for 13 years

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two children. The situation put woman whose passport was her and her family in a precarilost in the depths of a federal ous position — emotionally and department for over a decade financially — leaving them to rely is finally on her way to becoming a on their community for support. permanent resident. “It has cost us so “There were times we would have much heartache,” said Janina Ibarra. money thrown in our mail slot,” Janina Ibarra “I haven’t seen my mother in 11 years she said. “At the end of the day it and I have not been able to go back.” really was the benevolence of our church and Ibarra came to Canada 17 years ago from Sri church friends. After the federal election Lanka, which was in the midst of a civil war last fall, Ibarra decided to ask her new MP at the time. She says she had hoped to stay Harjit Sajjan for help. She got the answer as a refugee. Before her refugee case was she was hoping within three weeks. Buried in settled, Ibarra met and married a Canadian a half-metre-tall file was a note that said the citizen, and he applied to sponsor her for passport had been archived by the governpermanent residency status. As part of ment at least five years ago, if not longer, and that process, 13 years ago Sri Lanka sent her where to find it. Ibarra’s sponsorship applicapassport to Citizenship and Immigration tion is on track for the first time since 1999.

Canada — but it went missing, leaving her She says she hopes to have her permanent with no official residency status in Canada. residency by late summer. In the meantime, Ibarra says for the past two years she has she’s looking for answers from the federal been under a deportation order she was told government for the years of her life she feels could be enforced at any time, which would were put on hold waiting for her paperwork mean leaving behind her husband and their to get processed.

LOCAL Jas Cheema honored Community activist Jas Cheema (middle) has been honored by the Surrey Library for her volunteer work with a study room being named Jas Cheema Family Room. The Jas Cheema Family Room is in the Surrey Centre Library at the Surrey City Hall in Whalley. Jas Cheema (middle) with her children Pavan (left) and Manisha in front of the room named after her.

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BC judge cites possible deportation as reason for lower drug sentence

BC Supreme Court judge has given a cocaine dealer a lower sentence so the non-citizen wouldn’t face automatic deportation to his native country.

Justice William Ehrcke noted in his ruling, released Tuesday, that Mark Abude “may be subject to a removal order from Canada as a consequence of his conviction.” Abude, now 29, came to B.C. from the Philippines at age 14 and is a permanent resident but not a citizen. He pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in North Vancouver for selling cocaine to an undercover officer eight times over several months in 2012. Ehrcke said that if Abude is ordered deported for the conviction, “an appeal of such order is only possible if the sentence is less than six months.”

So he sentenced Abude to six months less a day in jail. “That will be real jail, not a conditional sentence,” Ehrcke said.

“In my view, no shorter sentence would be adequate to express society’s denunciation of this crime and to deter you and others from committing similar drug offences. Indeed, were it not for your immigration status, I would have imposed a lengthier sentence.”

There have been several recent cases where convicted drug traffickers and gangsters have been ordered deported despite having come to Canada as young children.

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act states that a permanent resident or foreign national is inadmissible if they’ve been convicted of a crime with a maximum sentence of more than 10 years and if their sentence was six months of longer.

B.C. backs away from controversial homeless shelter site in Maple Ridge

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he B.C. government is abandoning plans for a homeless shelter at an old motel in Maple Ridge.

Housing Minister Rich Coleman says the province will instead provide about $15 million for a permanent facility in the Fraser Valley community, once an appropriate location is identified.

The ministry says a public consultation process will take place before any site is confirmed.

Many residents were enraged when the government announced plans to use a motel as a long-term low-barrier homeless shelter that would allow people to bring in their pets and belongings.

Residents were concerned it would be located beside a restaurant popular among seniors.

For now, the ministry says it is working with officials in the city to extend the closing of a 40-bed temporary shelter to the end of June so homeless people will continue to have a warm, safe place to sleep.

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Vancouver doctor co-leads national kidney disease project

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$59-million, five-year national research program into kidney disease announced Thursday will be led from B.C. and Alberta. Dr. Adeera Levin, head of nephrology at the University of B.C., joins with University of Calgary’s Dr. Braden Manns, a nephrologist and health economist, in overseeing studies that aim to reduce Canada’s reliance on kidney dialysis and transplants.

About 10 per cent of Canadians have some sort of kidney disease that costs the health care system more than $50 billion a year, according to a news release for the research program, the largest-ever of its kind in the country.

“Kidney disease in Canada has been categorically under-recognized because

we didn’t always have the screening tools that we have now,” says Levin. “And it’s been under-funded and under-studied because people always talk about heart disease, diabetes and cancer, which get the lion’s share of the funding.”

Since kidney disease is largely seen as a consequence of diabetes and high blood pressure — both of which are major causes — medical experts concentrated on dealing with those conditions first. But there are other contributors to kidney disease — including genetic and autoimmune conditions — that need more study. And in the vicious cycle of ill health, if kidneys can’t do their job of removing waste from the body and maintaining a proper fluid balance, heart problems, bone disease and nerve damage will result.

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UBC faculty passes vote of no confidence in board of governors over handling of president’s resignation

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he University of British Columbia’s faculty association has passed a resolution of non-confidence in the institution’s board of governors amid ongoing turmoil prompted by the abrupt resignation last summer of former president Arvind Gupta.

A week-long electronic ballot closed Tuesday with 800 faculty association members voting in favour and 494 members voting against. There were 3,357 eligible voters. Association member Kalina Christoff said while the motion has no legal impact on the board, it’s a symbolic gesture intended to send a message about the extent of the faculty’s dissatisfaction.

“Hopefully, knowing that they are operating without full agreement — and in fact with majority disagreement —

on their operations is something that will generate a greater motivation for change in the way the university is run,” said Christoff, a psychology professor.

Philip Steenkamp, vice-president of external relations at UBC, said in a statement that the vote reflects the faculty’s interest in the university’s governance and the diversity of opinion expected in a vibrant academic environment.

He said three elected members on the board and a number of elected representatives on the senates represent the faculty.

The faculty association’s primary purpose is bargaining terms of employment for its members, but it’s an important voice on campus, he said.

Metro bus riders warned of delays as construction ties up roads, bridges

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ransLink is warning Metro Vancouver bus passengers to prepare for additional delays and congestion this summer, with a massive boost in construction projects, including major repairs on the Burrard and Pattullo bridges, expected to produce traffic snarls on main routes and side streets as drivers attempt to avoid the chaos.

Construction permits are up 30 per cent over past years, which is expected to put a huge strain on rerouting and rescheduling buses to ensure they arrive at their destinations on time, Haydn Acheson, general manager of Coast Mountain Bus Co., a subsidiary of TransLink, told the transit board Wednesday.

Acheson maintains there are 15 longterm construction projects underway or slated to start, which will affect 75 of Coast Mountain’s 193 routes as traffic is funnelled onto neighbouring streets to avoid cranes and other equipment.

Construction on Pender Street, for example, has affected 12 routes, he said, while drivers are facing significant delays on the Burrard Street corridor.

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16 i Saturday, April 2, 2016

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Niki Sharma accepts apology after facing racial slur online

ormer Vancouver park board commissioner Niki Sharma has accepted an apology from a person who left a racist comment on her Facebook page and told her to stay out of politics.

“I’m glad that we’re able to make a connection that resulted in an apology rather than escalating hatred,” said Sharma, who is running for a seat on the board of directors at Vancity credit union.

On March 24, Loretta Stark posted on Sharma’s campaign page: “we don’t want packys [sic] in politics you people are taking [o]ver our country.”

The 67-year old said she “feels sick” about what she wrote and has been

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LOCAL subjected to online humiliation after the incident gained traction online.

“I apologize from the bottom of my heart,” she said after being contacted by CBC News.

“I’ve lost my personal life. I don’t want to leave my home. I’ve been publicly humiliated. I can’t sleep. I feel terrible.”

Stark said she’s been subjected to rude comments online, including being called ignorant and it has damaged her reputation.

A number of individuals have also dug up her old Facebook posts and made disparaging remarks.

Sharma responded to Stark’s message the next day with a letter, which received

hundreds of shares and reactions.

“Dear Loretta Stark,” wrote Sharma, whose parents are from India. “I can see by your Facebook page that you are afraid of people like me. I see your posts have violent brown faces with names you probably cannot pronounce.”

“We may never agree on very much, but we are both human beings. We are all vulnerable and seeking acceptance and security in this confusing, scary and ever-changing world.”

Stark said she hasn’t read Sharma’s letter yet — she’s stayed away from Facebook because she’s been intimidated by the whirlwind of negativity towards her.

Niki Sharma (standing left) at the Shakti Awards

Polish shipyard awarded contract to upgrade two B.C. ferries

C Ferries has awarded a $140-million contract to a Polish shipyard for upgrades to two of its Spirit-Class ferries.

Remontowa Ship Repair Yard of Gdansk will

carry out the mid-life upgrades for the Spirit of British Columbia and the Spirit of Vancouver Island, both built in the early 1990s.

BC Ferries says the work will be com-

pleted by 2019 and will include updated safety systems, a refreshed interior design and conversions of both vessels to dual fuel, so they can operate on LNG and diesel.

In selecting the Polish shipyard, BC Ferries says Seaspan’s Vancouver shipyard was among three short listed for the job, but withdrew before the bid was awarded.

Catholic priest gambled away $500,000 meant for refugees

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olice have launched an investigation into a Chaldean Catholic priest from London, Ont., after church officials reported more than $500,000 slated for refugee sponsorship was lost to gambling.

Father Amer Saka, a priest working at the St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church in London, is under investigation after telling his bishop, Emanuel Shaleta, that funds intended to help new Canadians had instead vanished in vice, Shaleta said.

“He called me on the phone and . . . said he lost all the money. I said, ‘How?’ He said, ‘Gambling,’” Shaleta told the Star on Saturday, referring to a conversation he said took place Feb. 23.

“We believe that Father Saka has a serious gambling problem and that these funds may have been used for that purpose,” he said. “Since there is an investigation going on, we cannot confirm what he’s saying.”

Shaleta, who sits at the head of Canada’s first and only Chaldean eparchy, or jurisdiction, said he suspended the priest immediately after learning of the missing money.

The bishop drove to London the next day to take Saka for several days of voluntary treatment at Southdown Institute, a nonprofit facility north of Toronto for priests battling problems ranging from addiction to depression to sexually abusive behaviour.

London police confirmed they received a complaint Feb. 24 of alleged financial misappropriation related to the local parish.

“An investigation is underway,” said spokesperson Const. Sandasha Bough on March 15.

The financial crimes probe was launched more than a week after the initial report, said police, who needed bank records before going further.

No charges have been laid. The allegations have not been proven in court.

The Star reached out to Saka through calls and letters to his church in London.

A St. Joseph church representative said it is treating the situation “very seriously” but that comment would be “inappropriate” given an ongoing internal investigation.

The Chaldean Catholic Church is based in Baghdad and represents Catholics from Iraq and neighbouring countries, but ultimately falls

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Canadian arrested under anti terrorism law

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he day after he was arrested

by RCMP anti-terrorism police, a 23-year-old appeared in court Saturday to face weapons charges and allegations he was preparing to leave Canada to engage in terrorism.

Kevin Omar Mohamed was arrested by members of the Toronto-based Integrated National Security Enforcement Team as part of an ongoing counter-terrorism investigation called Project SWAP, the RCMP said.

“He was arrested in Waterloo,” said RCMP Superintendent Lise Crouch, the Assistant Criminal Operations Officer in Ontario. “It’s a file that we’ve been working on for some time.”

Mohamed has been charged with possession of a dangerous weapon and carrying a concealed weapon — apparently a knife. Testifying in Brampton, Sgt. Adam MacIntosh told a provincial court judge the investigation was also probing five anti-terrorism offenses.

While the former University of Waterloo engineering student has not yet been charged with terrorism, Sgt. MacIntosh said police have reasonable grounds to believe Mohamed would leave Canada to participate in terrorism, advocate or promote terrorism and facilitate terrorist activity.

The RCMP is seeking a peace bond that would impose conditions on Mohamed’s conduct. Under Canada’s anti-terrorism law, police can ask the courts for peace bonds against those they suspect may be about to commit terrorism offences.

Calgary cancer faker jailed for 60 days

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Calgary woman who faked having cancer and collected about $15,000 in money and services from fundraising has been found guilty of fraud and will serve a 60-day jail sentence on weekends. Crown prosecutor Tom Buglas said Lana Rovang’s actions were a crime against the community. This type of crime “coarsens society ... it’s a crime against society,” he said.

Rovang’s lawyer had asked for probation.

The Crown was looking for a sentence of 90 days with a three-year probation term. The owners of the daycare Rovang worked at at the time said it is children that are most affected by Rovang’s actions. Jennifer StGermain and Marc St-Germain, daycare Lana Rovang owners Jennifer StGermain and her husband own the daycare Lana Rovang worked at when the fundraising took place. St-Germain says Rovang’s actions affected children the most. “The community that was affected is not a big corporation … it is families and children,” Jennifer St-Germain said. Calgary police charged Rovang with fraud in January 2014, alleging she obtained thousands of dollars by telling co-workers and friends that she had a heart condition and stage 4 breast cancer.

Rovang’s co-workers and employers held fundraisers for her and investigators estimated she obtained about $15,000 in total donations from people who believed she was genuinely ill.

Conditions can include staying off the Internet and surrendering passports. Peace bond cases must be approved by the Attorney General, who provided signed consent in this case. Mohammed was scheduled to return to court on Tuesday.

“This arrest speaks to our ability to tackle a threat that is multifaceted and constantly evolving,” Superintendent Crouch said in a statement issued by the RCMP. “While there was no indication of any plans for a domestic attack, we must remain committed to preventing individuals from traveling abroad to gain training and expertise that could be used in the planning and implementation of future attacks on Canadian soil.”

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Ontario driver gets 10 years for crash that killed 3 kids and their grandfather

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“Happy, positive people iller drunk driver have been robbed of their Marco Muzzo, 29, reasons for being,” Judge was sentenced TuesMichelle Fuerst said day to ten years in prison of the children’s grievfor the crash last September ing parents. She emphathat killed three siblings, sized that every drunk Daniel Neville-Lake, 9, his driver is a potential killer. brother Harrison (Harry), By going over the de5, and their sister Milagros fence request for eight (Milly) 2, and their grandyears, and siding closely father, Gary Neville, 65. with the Crown’s reThe sentence represents one quest of 10 to 12 years, it Marco Muzzo of the harshest sentences in also reflects the intense recent legal memory for impaired driving public outrage at the image of a callous, causing death, and is aimed largely at pre- privileged young man stumbling drunk venting other people from doing the same. out of a private jet onto Ontario’s roads.

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Federal government credit card used for spas, restaurants

Health Canada worker fraudulently charged almost $20,000 worth of personal items to government credit cards, including visits to a spa, meals at restaurants, clothing and cash advances.

An internal report on the fraud also says the worker twice collected charitable donations from trusting co-workers, but kept all the money.

Auditors concluded the worker should not have been given the credit cards in the first place, partly because there was evidence of personal financial stress.

Even after being explicitly warned against personal use, the employee continued to rack up charges in 60 separate transactions, suggesting lax management controls and follow-up.

In the end, Health Canada had to pay the

outstanding balances of $11,210 on the cards and dock the worker’s pay in instalments, though there was no payback of the stolen donations whose value was not determined. The person was later fired.

A report on the case, obtained by CBC News under the Access to Information Act, provides a rare glimpse into the details of credit-card fraud by public servants, which happened at least 76 times across government in 2014-2015.

The Health Canada worker, whose identity has been deleted from the released report, obtained an American Express travel card in early 2014, even though the job required no travel. Managers were persuaded by the argument that the employee might have to book accommodations for co-workers.

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Former Liberal minister among seven killed in plane crash on way to father’s funeral

diately release their names. Photos ormer cabinet minister from the scene showed the MitsubiJean Lapierre has died in a shi plane lying in several pieces in a plane crash that also killed snow-covered field. The turboprop his wife and three of his siblings and is believed to have belonged to on the way to his father’s funeral a private company. The plane had in eastern Quebec. The TVA nettaken off from the St-Hubert regionwork, for which Lapierre worked al airport south of Montreal earlier as a political commentator, said in the morning. Former Canadian all seven people on board Lapitransport minister Jean Lapierre erre’s twin-engined chartered speaking in the House of Comaircraft were killed on Tuesday Jean Lapierre mons in Ottawa. Former Canadian when it crashed in bad weather as it was coming in to land on the Magdalen Is- transport minister Jean Lapierre speaking lands in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Mourners in the House of Commons in Ottawa. “The in Toronto recall Rob Ford as the everyman crash took place in a field on approach to the mayor: ‘People loved him’ Lapierre, 59, had airport,” said Quebec provincial police serbeen travelling to the Îles-de-la-Madeleine for geant Daniel Thibodeau, who described the the funeral of his 83-year-old father, TVA said. weather conditions as “not ideal” for flying.

Also killed were Lapierre’s wife as well as two Canada’s transportation safety board said of his brothers and a sister, it added. Provin- it was investigating the crash, but that due cial police confirmed all six passengers and to the bad weather, its team of experts the pilot had been killed but did not imme- would not reach the site until Wednesday.

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Retired Canadian general sends blunt message to Liberal gov’t

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he former commander of the country’s special forces says no matter how many “sunny ways” there are in Canada, the reality of the world outside is that people continue to kill people and that is something the nation needs to understand. The blunt talk by retired lieutenantgeneral Mike Day comes as the Trudeau government mulls options for its muchanticipated defence policy review, which will set the future course for the military.

Day referred to “sunny ways,” the unofficial catchphrase of the Liberal campaign, at the end of cautionary speech to a Mackenzie Institute conference on future conflicts.

He said those clashes will be messy, illdefined and driven by climate change and world demographic shifts. They will not be clear, or easy, and will likely require “decades of engagement.”

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nhanced security at the B.C. legislature is capturing weapons on a daily basis, say officials, and proving its worth as capital buildings in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere deal with the rising threat of shootings.

New x-ray machines and metal detectors at the entrance to the legislature have been in place since January, after a security review that was prompted by shootings on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Security officials are continually reviewing their use, and evaluating new threat levels prompted by other events, such as Monday’s shooting at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, where a man pulled a weapon at a security checkpoint.

“Since we’ve started with the scanner, every day we’re encountering knives,” said sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz, who is in charge of legislature security. “The size of the knives depends on the blade length.

They are not prohibited weapons, but weapons we’d be concerned about, and we’d take them off people and return them back.”

POLITICS

Photo of PM Trudeau doing yoga makes the internet freak out — again

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e can hold his own in a boxing ring, slay the bhangra, give Magic Mike a run for his money … and do advanced yoga?

Canada’s “dreamy” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is making the world swoon once again this week, simply by appearing in a photo from his own past — though, for most people, there’s nothing simple about his feat. The pho- Like father, like son Trudeau retweeted this to above, taken in 2013 by freelance photo of himself in April 2013. photographer Gregory Kolz, shows the responsible. “Canada’s Prime MInister prime minister in the yoga pose Mayurasana. #justintrudeaupracticing #mayurasaAlso called the “peacock pose,” it inna. Didn’t we say...#canadalovesyoga,” volves placing your entire weight on the he wrote on the social network late last week, including the photo from 2013.

Now, nearly 5,000 shares later, every international news outlet from CNN to the Guardian has written about Trudeau the yogi, inspiring a new flood of Twitter posts about how hot the Canadian prime minister is.

It’s not every day that the internet sees a world leader demonstrating such incredible core and upper-body strength (outside of Russia.)

Pierre Elliott Trudeau displays the ‘peacock’ yoga While Trudeau has shown on several ocpose on shores of Nahannie river NWT 1970. casions that he knows a thing or two about wrists and hands while keeping your yoga, it’s unclear whether he learned this parbody straight and parallel to the floor. ticular move in class, from his wife, Sophie It requires a great deal of balance and (a certified yoga instructor), or from his father. physical strength to pull off this pose, and Former Canadian prime minister Pierre it “must only be attempted by advanced Trudeau, who himself was an avid practitioyoga students,” according to the Internaner of yoga, was photographed doing the peational Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres. cock pose on the shores of the Nahanni River, It appears that a Facebook post by ToN.W.T. in 1970, one year before Justin was born. ronto yoga teacher David Gellineau is

Elizabeth May spent nearly $230,000 to regain her seat in parliament

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lizabeth May spent more than any other federal party leader to secure her seat in last October’s election. Financial reports filed with Elections Canada show the Green leader spent almost $230,000 to win her British Columbia riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands. May’s riding association raised roughly $220,000 to pay for May’s campaign; she was the only Green candidate to win a seat in the Oct. 19 vote. Justin Trudeau, who led his Liberals to victory, spent just over $183,000 to hang onto his Montreal riding of Papineau. His

riding association contributed $175,000 to Trudeau’s campaign while the Liberal party kicked in almost $33,000. Stephen Harper, whose Conservative government was defeated, spent just over $117,000 to easily win his Calgary Heritage riding. NDP Leader Tom Mulcair spent the least: less than $105,000 to hold his Montreal riding of Outremont. The totals for each leader include expenses that were subject to campaign spending limits plus other reportable expenses which fell outside the cap.

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NDP’s Mulcair calls Trump a ‘fascist,’ urges Trudeau to denounce him

DP Leader Tom Mulcair condemned Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump as a “fascist” and criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for not denouncing the billionaire business mogul. “Donald Trump is a fascist. Let’s not kid ourselves, let’s not beat around the bush,” Mulcair said in a question-and-answer session after a speech to party staff last Tuesday.

A video clip of Mulcair’s toughly worded remarks surfaced Thursday, just over a week before he faces a leadership vote at his party’s convention in Edmonton.

“I will not hesitate to point out the fact that Mr. Trudeau just shrugs his shoulders when he’s

asked about Donald Trump and says, ‘Oh the relationship between Canada and the United States goes beyond any two individuals.’ I’m sorry, if a fascist becomes president of the United States, I want to be on record as having opposed it long before that election,” Mulcair says in the clip.

Mulcair pointed to Trump’s policy proposal to ban non-U.S. Muslims from entering the country and build a wall along the Mexican border as proof of what he called fascist tendencies.

Trudeau has been asked to assess Trump’s meteoric rise — and enduring popularity despite his off-colour and offensive remarks — but has repeatedly demurred.

Business / Finance

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Home internet is essential, but too pricey, CRTC survey suggests

anadians rely on home internet more than any other telecommunications service, but most are dissatisfied with the price, suggests a new survey commissioned by Canada’s telecommunications regulator.

The survey was conducted between Jan. 14 and Feb. 29 by polling firm EKOS for the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission as part of its ongoing review of basic telecommunications services. It included 29,000 Canadians who voluntarily answered an “open” survey online and a separate more “representative” group of 1,600 Canadians conducted by polling firm EKOS that included more retirees and people over 54, along with more families with children under 11.

Only one to two per cent of respondents had no home internet. In comparison, 38 per cent of respondents in the open survey and 20 per cent of those in the representative survey had no home phone; and 10 per cent of “open” survey respondents and seven per cent of “representative” survey respondents had no mobile phone.

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Massey Tunnel replacement project brings out critics and protests

he provincial government continued to promote the Massey Tunnel replacement project Tuesday, releasing a public consultation report claiming “general support” for the planned toll bridge. But Richmond city councillor Harold Steves A propossed bridge crossing to replace current Massey Tunnel says they still need to come clean on how a deci- Massey bridge protesters Demprotest outside, sion to build a $3.5-billion dol- onstrators while Transportation Minister lar bridge was chosen over the less expensive option of upgrading the Todd Stone addresses the Richexisting George Massey Tunnel. mond Chamber of Commerce.

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Selected Canadian Starbucks begin serving booze on Tuesday

tarbucks, the coffeehouse giant known for its Frappuccinos, lattes and scones, is now adding booze to the menu. This coming Tuesday, three Starbucks locations in Toronto will start serving beer and wine. The drinking won’t start until later in the day. Dubbed Starbucks Evenings, customers at the selected cafés can begin ordering everything from Prosecco and Chardonnay to Canadian craft beer, starting at 2 p.m. To accompany your glass of spirits, Starbucks will also offer a variety of fancy hors d’oeuvres. Selections include bacon-wrapped dates and truffle mac and cheese. Starbucks alcohol macaroni and cheeseStarbucks Evenings menu item, truffle mac and cheese (Starbucks) The Seattle-based chain hopes to eventually expand Starbucks Evenings to other locations across Canada.

“It’s the beginning of something,” said Jessica Mills, director of brand and digital with Starbucks Canada.

The company is already serving alcohol at more than 300 U.S. locations, plus one in the U.K. and one in Japan. The Japanese café apparently offers Frappuccinos spiked with blueberry wine. “Coffee is certainly a morning business,” said Mills. By serving nibbles and alcoholic drinks starting in the afternoon, Starbucks hopes to bring back patrons for another round. “It offers really a new occasion for our customers to come in, connect later in the day, have a sophisticated experience in a trusted environment,” she said. Starbucks to add beer and wine to Canadian menu Starbucks to expand alcohol sales to ‘thousands of stores’ But retail analyst, Kenneth Wong questions whether those yearning for booze will head to a coffeehouse. “There may be some people who try it out as a novelty,” said the Queen’s University marketing professor. But, he added, “I don’t see alcohol as making me say, oh yeah, I think I’m going to go to Starbucks instead of my local watering hole.”

Business / Finance

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KPU students get new trade training equipment

wantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is receiving $265,250 toward the purchase of new training equipment that will provide trades students with hands-on experience.

The new funding was announced by Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson as he visited KPU campus today. KPU intends to purchase light- and heavy-duty cutting mills and a Programmable Logic Controller Lab that shows students how to program and upload ladder logic code to ensure trades students have the tools

they need to succeed. The new equipment gives students the opportunity to have hands-on learning experience with equipment they will find at the workplace. The Ministry of Advanced Education is targeting funding and programs to sectors that have a high demand for skilled workers. The 2024 Labour Market Outlook report projects that over the next 10 years, there will be a need for 5,400 electricians and 3,400 millwrights in British

Oil shock will take another 2 years to work through, says Bank of Canada official

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senior Bank of Canada official says it will likely take more than two years for the country’s economy to fully adjust to the commodity price shock. Speaking to an Edmonton business audience, deputy governor Lynn Patterson warned that the impact of loss of income to thousands of resource sector workers has yet to work its way through the economy.

Canada’s job recovery will reflect growing divergence between resource and export sectors: Don Pittis

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“Not only do these jobs pay well, they also tend to call for longer work days and, therefore, a greater number of hours worked. For example, in 2014, average hourly earnings and average hours worked in the resource sector were, respectively, about 40 per cent and 25 per cent higher than the national average,” she said. She predicts a lowering of aggregate household incomes throughout Canada as a result. That will extend into 2017, slowing consumer spending and putting a drag on growth.

Canada due for debt crisis and recession, economist argues

n economist writing for Forbes magazine has tapped Canada as one of seven countries in the world that are due for a debt crisis and an ensuing recession in the next one to three years.

The trigger will be too much credit, with companies and individuals discouraged from borrowing because their debt is too high and banks then balk at lending, said Steve Keen, head of the school of economics, politics and history at Kingston University London.

Canada’s debt-to-income ratio sets new high at 165% Ottawa forecasts $29.4B deficit — more red ink to come A critic of conventional economics, he argues that economists failed to anticipate the global financial crisis of 2008 because they ignored the phenomenon of banks lending too much money. That’s the situation Canada is approaching now, along with China, Australia, Sweden, Hong Kong,

Korea and Norway, he writes in “The seven countries most vulnerable to a debt crisis.”

“Timing precisely when these countries will have their recessions is not possible, because it depends on when the private sector’s willingness to borrow from the banks — and the banking sector’s willingness to lend — stops,” he writes.

Government stimulus programs and programs to support first-time home buyers can postpone the pain, he argues, but credit cannot keep growing at such a rapid rate, unless GDP is growing more rapidly.

Soon to be ‘walking wounded’ “When it arrives, these countries — many of which appeared to avoid the worst of the crisis in 2008 — will join the world’s long list of walking wounded economies,” Keen says.

Using data from the Bank of International Settlements, which now publishes a quarterly series on both government and private debt.

CRA orders First Nations man to pay $190,000 in taxes

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n Ottawa man must pay more than $190,000 in back taxes despite an arrangement through an outsourcing company that he and thousands of other indigenous employees believed made them exempt from paying personal income tax on income earned off-reserve.

Miche Jette received a notice from the Canada Revenue Agency last week informing him he owes $191,471.97 in income tax for work in Ottawa that began more than a decade ago.

“It’s urgent. It eats at me. I can’t sleep. I’m miserable. I’m depressed. I cry a lot. I’m angry. I’m sad. And I want it dealt with,” he said.

Jette was hired through the outsourcing company Native Leasing Services to work at the now-defunct advocacy group Aboriginal Healing Foundation in 1999.

As part of the O.I. Group of Companies, the outsourcing company’s head office is based in Six Nations of the Grand

River, a First Nation near Brantford, Ont. Because status Indians are exempt from taxation on income earned on-reserve under Section 87 of the Indian Act, the company’s objective was to hire First Nations workers to give entice them to work for indigenous organizations offreserve without having to pay income tax.

It seemed like an ideal situation to Jette, who grew up in Ottawa and is a member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation in southern Ontario.

“If it’s all aboriginal, then it’s tax-free,” he said. “So was I down for it? Yeah.”

But after a series of court challenges in the early 2000s, CRA started targeting individuals like Jette, demanding taxes on income earned off-reserve, even working for aboriginal organizations.

He learned that his current wages at the Centretown Community Health Centre would be garnisheed until the debt is paid.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

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PUNJAB

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Kanhaiya under fire for remarks on 1984 anti-Sikh riots

tudent Union president Kanhaiya Kumar on Tuesday came under strong criticism for his remarks that 1984 anti-Sikh riot was a “mob-led massacre” while 2002 Gujarat riots were a “state-sponsored violence”.

Kanhaiya’s comments did not go down well even with those who have been his zealous supporters ever since he was arrested in a sedition case over an event against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

“Sorry Kanhaiya, you’re badly wrong here.

The 1984 Anti Sikh pogrom was just as much sponsored by state machinery,” CPI(ML) politburo member and former JNUSU president Kavita Krishnan wrote on Twitter.

Sharing a report by People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) on 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Krishnan further said, “I hope @kanhaiyajnusu and all others read Who Are The Guilty, the report that documents the meticulous planning”.

Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadava, who is also an alumni also tweeted, “Sorry to disagree again @kanhaiyajnusu Both 2002,1984 were state sanctioned Emergency was closest we came to fascism”.

Speaking at an event at JNU Kanhaiya had on Monday said that there is a difference between 2002 riots and 1984 Sikh massacre as the Gujarat violence was “carried out through state machinery while the other was caused due to mob frenzy.”

He had also compared the alleged onslaught on varsities with Gujarat riots alleging both of them were carried out “with support” from state machinery even as he stressed that there is a fundamental difference between “emergency” and “fascism”.

However, following the criticism, Kanhaiya said that he has been “misinterpreted”.

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UK Sikhs donate £125 m to charity every year

he Sikh langar feeding the UK’s homeless has caught the international media’s attention over the past two years. Now, a new report has revealed that British Sikhs donate £125 million (around Rs 935 crore) to charity every year.

According to British Sikh Report 2016 that was released in the UK recently, the community spends over 65 million hours each year on voluntary activities.

With the aim of compiling British Sikhs’ views on various aspects of life, this latest in the series of annual reports recorded the responses of over 1,400 respondents spread across the UK, making it the largest community sample to date. The survey was primarily carried out online; an effort was also made to supplement the sample with a paper questionnaire to reach those without internet access.

The survey found that it is common for a Sikh to be involved in community service.

It was found that 64 per cent of the community engages in some volunteering work.

About 40 per cent spare one hour to five hours per week for voluntary activities, including seva at a gurdwara, while more than two per cent spend over 25 hours on such activities.

“Sikhs spend about 200 hours per year on voluntary activities, on an average,” the study observed.

As many as 93 per cent of the Sikh respondents said they donated money to charity every month. Just 7 per cent said they were not involved in donation.

Over half of them said that they donated £1 (about Rs 95) to £20 (Rs 1,900 approximately) every month, and there were seven per cent who donated more than £100 (Rs 9,500) per month.

The report observed that Sikhs in Britain donated around £380 (around Rs 36,000) each per year to charity, on an average.

Earlier in news reports that had appeared in the British media, The Sikh Federation UK had estimated that around 5,000 meals were now served to non-Sikhs by Britain’s

Punjab SP among 13 probed by Pak JIT in Pathankot attack

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he Pakistan Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which is in India to probe the Pathankot air base attack, has admitted that the attackers were Pakistanis and that “there is a Pakistan link to the attack,” a National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer said here today.

He said the two agencies agreed on those responsible for planning and orchestrating the attack. Asked if the JIT had claimed that there was not enough evidence to link Maulana Masood Azhar, head of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), to the Pathankot attack, the officer said: “ It is incorrect to say so.” It is the first time that a Pakistan investigation team is in India to probe a terrorist attack. After the 26/11 carnage, only a Pakistan judicial commission had arrived in India to probe the attack. The NIA officer said as per the terms of reference based on reciprocity, 13 witnesses were examined again by the JIT regarding the Pathankot attack. Among them were Punjab SP Salwinder Singh, his jeweller friend Rajesh Verma and his cook Madan Gopal. The three were allegedly kidnapped by terrorists on the intervening night of December 31, 2015, and January 1 this year who later attacked the Pathankot air base. The NIA said the process of sharing evidence began yesterday. Today, the NIA handed over the Pak team some important documents. “The documents include the postmortem reports of the terrorists, their DNA reports, details of the arms and ammunition used by them (that had Pakistan markings) and details of the calls made to Pakistan before the attack,”

INDIA

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Construction company faces murder charges in collapse of Kolkata overpass

ndian construction company IVRCL faces charges of attempted murder, mischief and criminal conspiracy in connection with the collapse of an overpass in Kolkata, said Nurul Absar, who heads a police station in that city and filed the case. At least 24 people died midday Thursday when a section of a bridge that was under construction crashed down onto the streets of Kolkata’s Girish Park area. Police brought in 12 people from IVRCL for questioning Friday, Kolkata police official Debasish Boral said. It was not clear how many of them, if any, will be formally arrested or charged and, if so, on what counts. While there was no immediate

response to the charges from the company Friday, an IVRCL executive has said the whole thing was not his construction company’s fault. “It’s nothing but a God’s act,” K. Panduranga Rao of the Hyderabadbased company told reporters, according to CNN IBN. “So far in 27 years, we have constructed several number of bridges ... it never happened.” That’s not to say, though, that bridges or other overpasses under construction haven’t collapsed before in India. A bridge fell on an express train in Bhagalpur in 2006, killing 37 passengers. Three years later, 30 workers died after scaffolding on a bridge being built in Kota crashed down. And in eastern Kolkata, not far from Thursday’s collapse, a fully constructed overpass collapsed in March 2013.

Drop notion that ‘his’ terrorist is not ‘my’ terrorist: PM Modi

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three-nation visit, starting with Belgium.

He will visit Belgium,USA and Saudi Arabia.

s leaders from over 50 nations gathered in US to discuss nuclear terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a call to drop the notion that terrorism is someone else’s problem and that “his” terrorist is not “my” terrorist. “Terrorism is globally networked. But, we still act only nationally to counter this threat,” he said at a working dinner hosted

by President Barack Obama Thursday night to kick off the two-day Nuclear Security Summit. “Nuclear security must remain an abiding national priority,” Modi told the world leaders meeting in the

shadow of Brussels and Lahore terror attacks. “All States must completely abide by their international obligations.” “Without prevention and prosecution of acts of terrorism there is no deterrence against nuclear terrorism,” he warned lamenting that while “the reach and supply chains of terrorism are global, genuine cooperation between nation states is not.”Obama, who is hosting his fourth and last such summit to discuss how to prevent terrorists and other non state actors from gaining access to nuclear materials, was flanked Modi to the right and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the left.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

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4,000 wealthy Indians moved abroad in 2015

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ndia saw the fourth-biggest outflow of high net worth individuals globally in 2015 with 4,000 millionaires shifting overseas. According to a report by New World Wealth, some 4,000 wealthy Indians changed their domicile in 2015, while France saw the maximum outflow of millionaires with as many as 10,000 leaving. The report said France is being heavily impacted by rising religious tension, especially in urban areas. “We expect that millionaire migration away from France will accelerate as these tensions escalate,” it said. Now What that bloody

Sharukh, Amir and his dumb head wife Kiran will say on outflow from France and China ? Hope they won’t say Modi rules there too.Tawalkhor In terms of millionaire inflows, Australia topped the chart with 8,000 shifting base there, followed by the US (7,000) and Canada (5,000) in the second and third place respectively.

“The outflows from India and China are not particularly concerning as these countries are still producing far more new millionaires than they are losing,” the report said.

24 i Saturday, April 2, 2016

INDIA

At dinner hosted by Obama, PM Modi urges the world to unite against terrorism

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rime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made a strong plea for the world to unite against terrorism and said “without prevention and prosecution of acts of terrorism there is no deterrence against nuclear terrorism.” “Drop the notion that terrorism is someone else’s problem and that “his” terrorist is not “my” terrorist,” PM Modi said at the working dinner hosted by US President Obama at the Nuclear Security Summit. PM’s big message at #NSS2016 : Drop the notion that terrorism is someone else’s problem and that “his” terrorist is not “my” terrorist “Terrorism is globally networked. But, we still act only nationally to counter this threat,” PM Modi said. Urging greater cooperation between nations, PM Modi

said, “Terror has evolved. Terrorists are using 21st century technology. But our responses are rooted in the past.” “The reach and supply chains of terrorism are global; but genuine cooperation between nation states is not,” he said. “Nuclear security must remain an abiding national priority.

All States must completely abide by their international obligations,” the PM said.

The Prime Minister highlighted three contemporary features of terrorism that needed world’s immediate attention.

“First, today’s terrorism uses extreme violence as theatre,” the PM said. “Second, we are no longer looking for a man in a cave, but we are hunting for a terrorist in a city with a computer or a smart phone,” he said.

China defends blocking India’s UN bid to ban JeM chief Azhar

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hina on Friday defended its decision to once again block India’s bid at the UN to ban Jaish-eMohammad chief and mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack Masood Azhar, saying that it acts on such issues based on facts and rules in an “objective and just manner”. Asked about China’s reported last minute move putting a technical hold on India’s submission, which Indian officials say was armed with strong evidence of the JeM’s terror activities and its role in the Pathankot

attack, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said here that China “supports UN playing a central and coordinating role in international cooperation against “We always deal with the listing issue (banning militant groups and their leaders) under the UN Security Council Committee established under resolution 1267 based on facts and relevant rules of procedures in an objective and just manner,” he said.

Beggar wins Rs 65 lakh lottery

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ady luck smiled on a 35-year-old physically-challenged beggar who had come to Kerala seeking “better pastures” from Andhra Pradesh with the man winning a prize money of Rs 65 lakh of a state-run lottery. In a rags to riches story, Ponnaiyya, a migrant alm-seeker who was living in suburb Vellarada, won the jackpot of Rs 65 lakh in the state-run Akshaya lottery. A regular punter of lotteries, he also won a series of consolation prizes to the tune of Rs 90,000 in the lots, drawn on Wednesday.

Unfazed SC to study triple talaq’s (divorce) legality

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ndeterred by strong opposition from influential Islamic bodies to judicial scrutiny of Muslim personal law practices, the Supreme Court on Monday decided to examine the legality of triple talaq by entertaining a Muslim woman’s petition that this mode of divorce be declared unconstitutional as it allowed Muslim men to treat women like “chattel”. “Muslim women have been given talaq over Skype, Facebook and even text messages. There is no protection against such arbitrary divorce.

They have their hands tied while the guillotine of divorce dangles perpetually ready to drop at the whims of their husbands who enjoy undisputed power,” Shayara Bano’s petition said. Uttarakhand-based Shayara Bano, who was divorced through triple talaq after 13 years of marriage, said in her plea that “such discrimination and inequality expressed in the form of unilateral triple talaq is abominable.”

Her petition was taken up on Monday along with the suo motu proceedings initiated by the apex court to examine the need to protect Muslim women.

Shayara’s counsel Amit Singh Chadha informed a bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and

Justice U U Lalit that last year, a high-level committee appointed by the UPA government had submitted a report to the ministry of women and child development on the subject ‘Women and the law: An assessment of family laws with focus on laws relating to marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance and succession’. The committee recommended a ban on various practices that are purportedly Islamic but require reform, including talaqe-bidat (unilateral triple talaq) and polygamy, he said. The bench asked additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta to file the Centre’s response to Shayara’s petition along with a copy of the report within six weeks. It also asked National Commission for Women’s counsel Aparna Bhat to file response. Interestingly, the court also sought Shayara’s ex-husband’s response.

The court’s decision indicates its inclination to examine the legality of triple talaq in the face of strong opposition from All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Jamiat-e-Ulema.

Both had said Muslim personal law was Quran-based and not enacted by the legislature and hence was beyond the ambit of judicial scrutiny.

28

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NY prosecutor a hero in Turkey as notorious businessman arrested

New York federal prosecutor Preet Bhararahas become a big name in Turkey after the arrest of a prominent businessman who was once entangled in a corruption scandal there. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s Twitter following soared from several thousand to over a quarter-million after he tweeted Tuesday that Reza Zarrab would “soon face American justice” after being arrested on charges of conspiring to evade U.S. economic sanctions against Iran. Bharara has since fielded a

slew of messages in Turkish or from people writing in English about the case. Oklahoma City Thunder centre Enes Kanter, who’s Turkish, tweeted a photo of himself in a jersey with Bharara’s name on it and said he was proud of the prosecutor’s work. Another Twitter user wrote to offer the prosecutor shish kebab, Turkish carpets or other Turkish items. “Well, I do love shish kebab but I don’t think I can accept gifts just for doing my job,” Bharara replied Tuesday in a message that was retweeted over 38,000 times. The IranianTurkish Zarrab, 33, is a well-known figure in

Ingredients amid threat Cameron to chair emergency meeting • 250g boneless chicken of 40,000 job losses in British steel industry • 2tbsp rapeseed oil

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avid Cameron is under mounting pressure to intervene in the crisis threatening the future of the steel industry amid warnings that 40,000 jobs could be lost if Tata pulls the plug on its British operations. Amid signs of disarray in Whitehall, Downing Street rejected demands for the recall of Parliament, but Cameron will now chair an emergency meeting of ministers to discuss ways of keeping the embattled business afloat.

Sajid Javid, the Business Secretary, cut

chicken (no butter) Masala Your favourite butter chicken but without the butter and added calories!

short • a 1visit to Australia following critimedium red onion cism of• his absence from the country when 3 large tomatoes so many jobs hang • ½British cup cashew nuts in the balance.

He has already been attacked for failing • 100g tomato puree to join• politicians and union leaders 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves who flew to• India tolow lobby 100ml fat Tata’s creammain board as it discussed fate of its British operations.

• 1tspthe garam masala • 1tsp red chilli powder The conglomerate opted to paste pull the plug • 1tbsp gingergarlic on its • Tata Steel plants in Britain, 2tbsp thick low fat yoghurt which are losing nearly £1m a day, as soon as pos• salt to taste sible. It employs 15,000, including 4,000 at

Anti-Hindu signs at US Dairy Queen run by a Muslim

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Procedure: owner of a the onions and tomatoes. Heat 1 tbsp Marinate the chicken with the ginger garlic paste and the yoghurt for 20 min. soak the cashew inPakistani-American warm water for 15 minutes.chop Dairy Queen Franchise in Kemah, Texas, while popular US fast food franchise hassame pan, add 1tbsp oil and the chopped oil to a pan. sear the chicken pieces in the hot oil for 1 minute on each side to a golden colour. remove the chicken pieces. in the claiming that Hindus are the “racists”. There put cook up anti-Hindu signs alltill over onions. saute till a translucent pink. Add the tomatoes, red chili powder, garam masala powder and on medium flame the tomatoes are tender (approx. are multiple signboards, large4-5 and small, on his restaurant, prompting minutes). remove from flame and run in a blender with the soaked cashews to make a smooth paste. return to thecalls pan for andtaking add the tomato puree. Bring a boil andonadd display throughout thetorestaurant, the front down the posters that many deem offensive. the chicken pieces. simmer for 4-5 minutes till the chicken is cooked. Add the low fat cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Broil the fenugreek leaves a pan. crush the that spedoor, and at theon“drive-thru” window Mohammad Dar, a 65-year-old Pakistanifenugreek leaves over the curry and remove from fire. serve hot. cifically target Hinduism, a report said. He said American who is a US citizen, said he was not his message was not speculation but “fact” and prejudiced for installing the signboards at his

FIJI

Don’t ask for traditional forgiveness: Police

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olice is calling on members of the public to refrain from engaging in the traditional process of asking for forgiveness when it comes to matters such as sexual assault or rape.

The warning comes after a 39-year-old man of Vunibuabua settlement in Pacific Harbour was charged with two counts of rape, one count of murder and another of abduction of a 14-year-old girl.

Police chief intelligence and investigating officer ACP Luke Navela said the incident could have been avoided.

“We also plead to members of the public that it is their duty to report sexual offence cases to police to allow for our investigations to proceed,” ACP Navela said.

“The man had been committing the offence for a number of years and people living around the nearby settlements never reported the matter as the suspect’s mother had been engaged in the traditional process of seeking forgiveness or through the religious means of apologising.

The old woman has passed away and the 39-year-old man continued with this immoral act of rape.”

EU commits to support sugar and agriculture

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uropean Union has committed more than $47million to assist the sugar and agriculture sectors over the next four years, and to boost Fiji’s post-Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston recovery efforts. EU ambassador to the Pacific Andrew Jacobs also said additional financial aid was expected for the agriculture and sugar ministries, to assist the vulnerable and most affected.

“Given the extent of damage in the sugar sector and in agriculture in general and

given its long-standing involvement particularly in the field of sugar, the European Union is currently working with both ministries in the context of the post-cyclone clusters’ meeting managed by the National Disaster Management Office,” Mr Jacobs said. “We intend to make special financial support available. This will come on top of the €20m euro ($F47.07m) we have earmarked for sugar and agriculture for the next four years.

Miracle save National Fire Authority personnel help a driver from his car after he survived an accident in Suva on Friday. The cargo container fell off a truck and on to the car at the Rodwell Rd-Edinburgh roundabout.

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13-year jail terms for 3 civil servants

hree civil servants were yesterday jailed for 13 years each with a non-parole period of 12 years by the High Court in Suva after being found guilty of money laundering charges. Josefa Saqanavere, who was the acting accountant for the Landowners Affairs Unit at the iTaukei Land Trust Board, Tuimoala Raogo, who worked as a police officer for five years, and Savenaca Batibawa, who was a distribution clerk at the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, were sentenced by Justice Salesi Temo. The trio stole funds totalling

$638,902.26 from TLTB on various occasions. Saqanavere was charged with five counts of money laundering while Raogo and Batibawa were charged with two and three counts of similar offences respectively. The court was told that between 2009 and 2012, Saqanavere and Raogo with the assistance of Batibawa tampered with the TLTB Landsoft computer system and created numerous fraudulent TLTB cheques which were of iTaukei landowners’ lease money.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

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Fiji Times challenges government’s exclusive advertising decision

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he Fiji Times has issued a legal challenge against the Government’s award of exclusive print advertising services to the Fiji Sun. In a statement, general manager and publisher Hank Arts said Fiji Times Ltd was challenging the Ministry of Communications permanent secretary’s decision to select the Fiji Sun as the approved print media (newspaper) organisation for publication of government notices and advertisements in 2016.

The application seeks a declaration that the permanent secretary’s decision was unlawful. It also seeks orders requiring the permanent secretary to ask the Fiji Procurement Office to conduct a proper tender process for print advertising. * The permanent secretary did not follow proper process under the Government’s own Procurement Regulations when he purported to award an exclusive advertising contract to the Fiji Sun; * That it is the director of the Fiji Procurement Office who must conduct the tender process and the Government Tender Board, which must award this contract, not the permanent secretary; * That the permanent secretary acted unreasonably in failing to clarify whether or not his ministry also controls the advertising decisions of statutory bodies and governmentowned companies, most of whom do not advertise in The Fiji Times;

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Pakistan

Pakistan launches international offensive over arrest of Indian ‘spy’

Zakaria further said that akistan said it has informed Pakistan had earlier provided the European Union and the United Nations with evimajor world capitals about dences of Indian interference the arrest of an Indian “spy” from and terror activities in Pakistan.

Balochistan province and asked India has acknowledged YaIran to provide details of his “spy dav as a retired Indian Navy network”. Kulbhushan Yadav, the officer, but denied the allegaalleged chief operative of Research tion that he was in any way and Analysis Wing (RAW) was ar- Kulbhushan Yadav, AKA Hussain Mubarak Patel connected to the government. rested by Pakistani security agen“The said individual has no cies last week from Chaman near Quetta. link with government since his premature reSpeaking at his weekly news briefing, foreign tirement from Indian Navy,” said a statement office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said maissued by India’s ministry of external affairs, jor world capitals and EU have been informed while demanding counselor access to him. about the arrest of a serving Indian Navy ofMeanwhile, Zakaria confirmed that Inficer for planning “subversive activities” in dian high commission here has sought Pakistan, Radio Pakistan reported. The encounselor access to the arrested person. tire world has seen the admission statement “A request by India for consular acof the Indian agent, Zakaria said, referring to cess (to Yadav) is under considerthe so-called “confessional video” of Yadav reation,” he said in response to a question. leased earlier this week by the Pakistani army.

Dozens of Muslim children and mothers killed in Easter Sunday suicide attack targeting Christians

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ozens of children and mothers are among the victims of the Easter suicide bombing in a Lahore public park in which at least 72 people have been killed. A breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack in Gulshan Iqbal Park. Even though the group said it had deliberately targeted Christians “celebrating Easter”, it has started to emerge that most of those killed in Lahore were Muslims. Of the dead, 14 have been identified as Christians, according to Lahore Police Superintendent Mohammed Iqbal. Another 12 bodies have not yet been identified, he said. Pakistani authorities have launched a hunt for those behind the bombing - the deadliest on Pakistan soil since the Peshawar school massacre in December 2010 in which 134 children were slaughtered. Some reports have placed the number of children killed on

Sunday at 29. Many of those injured are in a serious condition, leading to fears the death toll could rise still further. Punjab’s chief minister, Shahbaz Sharif, has announced three days of mourning and pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice. The explosion took place near the main gate of the park, close to the swings and rides of the children’s play area. Mohammad Ali, a student who lives nearby, said he saw many children killed. “I saw body parts everywhere, especially those of young children,” he said. “It was quite haunting, as many of the children’s rides were still operating, while there were dead bodies lying all around them.”Parents were seen searching for their children among the debris in the aftermath of the blast. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of the Taliban, has been waging an insurgency in Pakistan in affiliation with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Pakistan is a ‘very, very vital problem’: Trump

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nuclear-armed Pakistan is a “very, very vital problem”, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has said and asserted that the country needs to “get a hold of ” its situation. “Pakistan is a very, very vital problem and really vital country for us because they have a thing called nuclear weapons. They have to get a hold of their situation,” Trump told CNN during a town hall in Wisconsin, where the Republican presidential primary is scheduled for April 5.

“When I see that and when I see it put in a park because it was mostly Christians, although many others were killed other than Christians, I think it’s just absolutely a horrible story,” he said referring to the terrorist attack in Lahore on Easter Sunday that claimed 74 lives and injured over 300 others.

“I’m talking about radical Islamic terrorism.

PM vows to eliminate Easter bombers as extremists torch cars in pro-Sharia protest

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rime Minister vowed to eliminate perpetrators of terror attacks such as the massive suicide bombing that targeted Christians gathered for Easter the previous day in the eastern city of Lahore, killing 70 people.

The attack underscored both the militants’ ability to stage largescale attacks despite a monthslong government offensive against them and the precarious position of Pakistan’s minority Christians. A breakaway Taliban faction, which publicly supports the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, in the capital of Islamabad, extremists protested for a second day outside Parliament and other key buildings in the city centre. The demonstrators set cars on fire, demanding that authorities impose Islamic law or Sharia. The army, which was deployed Sunday to contain the rioters, remained out on the streets.

SOUTH ASIA Millions of Muslims ‘fundamentally incompatible with the modern world’: Former British PM

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ony Blair has said that “many quent policies have worked better.” millions” of Muslims hold a However, Blair’s recent comments display viewpoint that is “fundamen- a hawkish approach, provoked by the rise of tally incompatible with the modern world.” ISIS and what he perceives as the threat of Rejecting arguments that Isis is simply Islamist terror attacks on European soil. He “tens of thousands of brainwashed cra- criticised those who believe that “we have zies,” he continued: “[ISIS] does not seek caused all of this through Western policy.” dialogue but dominance. It cannot thereHe warned that “increasingly frequent acts fore be contained. It has to be defeated.” of terrorism” could culminate in an attack To mitigate against such attacks, the “of such size and horror” that it would reex-PM argued for “active on-the-ground sult in “many more victims” than the recent military support” for Arab armies, stating attack on Brussels or 2015 attacks in Paris. that Isis “have to be crushed.”

He also called for the creation of a pan-national anti-terror force, saying: “We must build military capability able to confront and defeat the terrorists wherever they try to hold territory. This is a challenge for the West.”

His comments, made during a Sunday Times interview, come six months after he admitted that the Tony Blair (left) meeting with Muslim scholars existence of ISIS could be blamed on Western intervention in the This is despite the fact that the number of Arab world during the second Iraq war. European terror attacks and the number of Asked by a CNN interviewer in fatalities in terrorist incidents has decreased October 2015 whether he thought significantly over the last two decades. the invasion of Iraq was a “princiIn 2014, a senior Isis commander told ple cause” of the rise of ISIS, he said: the Guardian that the Camp Bucca deten“I think there are elements of truth in tion facility operated by the US-led coalithat... Of course you can’t say that those tion during the Iraq war was directly reof us who removed Saddam in 2003 bear sponsible for the rise of the theocratic state. no responsibility for the situation in 2015.

“It made it all, it built our ideology,” he “But... it’s not clear to me that even said. “We could never have all got together if our policy did not work, subse- like this in Baghdad, or anywhere else.”

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Saturday, April 2, 2016

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US praises India’s role in N-security

ven as leaders from more than 50 nations gather in Washington to address the growing challenge of nuclear terrorism and safety, the UStoday praised India’s role saying the country “has a long record of being a leader, of being responsible”.

The world leaders will over the next two days discuss the challenges posed by nonstate actors and terror outfits trying to acquire nuclear weapons, besides a host of other issues related to nuclear safety.

Russia has chosen to boycott the summit while Pakistan chose to pull out citing the Lahore blasts and has instead sent a low-level representation to the summit.

Initially, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was supposed to attend the event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Washington today to attend the fourth and last edition of the Nuclear Suppliers Summit (NSS), is likely to meet US President Barack

Obama on the sidelines of the summit.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Wednesday met US Secretary of State John Kerry. Both leaders discussed many global and regional issues.

Speaking before his meeting with Kerry, Doval said India “shared many concerns, particularly about terrorism, cyber space and we’ll be working together on that”.

“We hope that together we will be able to make it a better place to live and meet these challenges together, and in cooperation with other likeminded countries,” he said.

Kerry said, “India has a long record of being a leader, of being responsible and it is particularly important right now at a time when we see in the region some choices being made that may accelerate possible arms construction, which we have serious questions about.” The reference to Pakistan did not go unnoticed by anyone.

‘Veiled women are like negroes who support slavery’ - French minister

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rance’s women’s rights minister faced growing criticism on Thursday, including calls on social media to resign, after comparing women who wear the Muslim headscarf and veil to “negroes who supported slavery”. An online petition

that collected nearly 18,000 signatures within hours urged Prime Minister Manuel Valls to punish Laurence Rossignol, while a leading French Muslim group accused her of aiding the IS group. It was as if

she had “set out to help the recruiters of Daesh”, said Abdallah Zekri, president of the National Observatory against Islamophobia, using a pejorative Arabic term for IS. The minister had “stigmatised” thousands of women, he added, and “spat in the face of the (secular) laws of the Republic by trying to interfere with the way women dressed.”

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Shana Okra and Karela

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Crispy vegetarian cookies 800 g available in select stores 20012495

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Suraj beans or chick peas

Arz beans or chick peas

selected varieties 1.8 kg

selected varieties, 540 mL 20861981

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selected LIMIT varieties 4 5.49

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frozen 400 g

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Nanak Rasmalai dessert

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T&T® cashews salted & unsalted 800 g 20807973 20807760

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EXCLUDES ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, OPTICAL, PRESCRIPTIONS, OVER-THE-COUNTER PRODUCTS, MILK BEVERAGES, GIFT CARDS, PHONE CARDS, PHOTO LAB, PORTRAIT STUDIO, ENVIRONMENTAL FEES, BOTTLE DEPOSITS, GROCERY BAGS, BUS TICKETS, GAS BAR, LOTTERY OR PRODUCTS FROM THIRD PARTY BUSINESSES WITHIN OUR STORES.

Prices effective from Friday, April 1st to Thursday, April 7th, 2016 unless otherwise stated. Most stores open 7am-11pm, 7 days a week. Please see in-store or online for your particular store’s hours.

Quantities and/or selection of items may be limited and may not be available in all stores. No rainchecks. No substitutions on clearance items or where quantities are advertised as limited. Advertised pricing and product selection (flavour, colour, patterns, style) may vary by store location. We reserve the right to limit quantities to reasonable family requirements. We are not obligated to sell items based on errors or misprints in typography or photography. Coupons must be presented and redeemed at time of purchase. Applicable taxes, deposits, or environmental surcharges are extra. No sales to retail outlets. Some items may have “plus deposit and environmental charge” where applicable. ®/™ The trademarks, service marks and logos displayed in this flyer are trademarks of Loblaws Inc. and others. All rights reserved. © 2016 Loblaws Inc. *we match prices! Applies only to our major supermarket competitors’ flyer items. Major supermarket competitors are determined solely by us based on a number of factors which can vary by store location. We will match the competitor’s advertised price only during the effective date of the competitor’s flyer advertisement. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES (note that our major supermarket competitors may not). Due to the fact that product is ordered prior to the time of our Ad Match checks, quantities may be limited. We match identical items (defined as same brand, size, and attributes) and in the case of fresh produce, meat, seafood and bakery, we match a comparable item (as determined solely by us). We will not match competitors’ “multi-buys” (eg. 2 for $4), “spend x get x”, “Free”, “clearance”, discounts obtained through loyalty programs, or offers related to our third party operations (post office, gas bars, dry cleaners etc.). We reserve the right to cancel or change the terms of this program at any time. Look Every week, we check our major competitors’ flyers for the ad match message in store for items we’ve matched. and match the price on hundreds of items*.

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32 i Saturday, April 2, 2016