The Asian Star January 09 2015 by The Asian Star Newspaper

www.theasianstar.com Vol 14

Issue 49 Saturday, Janaury 9, 2016

Tel: 604-591-5423

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www.theasianstar.com Issue 50 Saturday, January 9, 2016

Canada sets record for new vehicle sales in 2015

Tel: 604-591-5423

Canadian terrorist allowed day parole to attend graduate school

Home of Majestic flavors- Maitri Bhavan

Page

Police hoping to return South Asian wedding photos to rightful owners A box with a broken lock containing the photos was handed in to police in Surrey

urrey police have released a photo (right) taken to celebrate a South Asian wedding in the hopes of finding the couple featured. The image was just one inside a box handed into the Newton RCMP office in November of last year. The red velvet box had a lock that was broken.

The image is a composite of the couple, named as Jatinder and Kulvar, and also includes the image of what appears to be the photographer and his Punjab studio details, Balwant Studio, Sham 84. Police are asking for anyone who may know the couple, or their relatives, to call Cst. Robynn Watts at Surrey RCMP.

Indian school boy hits record 1,009 runs in school match

n Indian teenager scored more than 1,000 runs in a single innings to set a new world record in school cricket. Fifteen-year-old Pranav Dhanawade (pictured) broke the previous record of 628 set by Arthur Collins in 1899 last Monday. But he continued his innings in the HT Bhandari Cup inter-school tournament and reached 1,009 runs. Continued on page 7

‘Disturbing’ drug-resistant superbug gene detected in Canada

n alarming new superbug gene that makes bacteria resistant to a lastresort antibiotic has been detected in Canada, Torstar News Service has learned. The gene, called MCR-1, produces an enzyme that makes bacteria invincible to colistin, a highly-toxic antibiotic used only when all other drugs have failed. MCR-1 was first reported in November by scientists in China, who published a paper in The

Lancet that set off alarm bells across the globe. Analyzing bacterial samples in southeastern China, researchers found 260 samples of E. coli with the MCR-1 gene on meat, hospital patients and farm animals — the likely source of this new superbug, the paper suggests. But the news that really sent a shudder through the scientific community was that MCR-1 is located on a plasmid — a free-floating snippet Continued on page 7

aad Gaya, one of 11 Toronto men convicted for planning a series of al-Qaida-inspired terrorist attacks in Southern Ontario, has been granted day parole in order to attend graduate school. “You have clearly demonstrated your denunciation of radicalization and you presented Saad Gaya as being very genuine in this regard,” wrote the Parole Board of Canada in a New Year’s Eve decision releasing the 28-year-old Gaya into a Toronto halfway house. In 2010, Gaya was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in the “Toronto 18” terrorist plot, a foiled plan to commit mass murder in both Ottawa and Toronto. Before he was arrested in an RCMP sting in 2006, the 21-year-old Gaya was pegged by ringleaders to drive a bomb-laden truck to one of three sites in the Greater Toronto Area, one of which was the Continued on page 6

Lilly Singh ‘Superwoman’ makes Forbes 30 under 30 list

oronto YouTube sensation Lilly Singh, a.k.a Superwoman, has hit another career milestone, making it on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. The 27-year-old Canadian comedian was named in the Hollywood and Entertainment category. Singh’s Superwoman YouTube channel features her standup act, and has over 7.5 million subscribers. This isn’t the first time Singh has landed on a Forbes list. Last year, the comedian made it on the Forbes list of YouTube millionaires. Singh was eighth on the list, earning $2.5 million. She shared eighth place with prankster Roman Atwood and chef Rosanna Pansino. Last year, Singh took her act on the road with a North American tour, with a stop in Toronto in June at the Danforth Music Hall.

Lilly Singh

Vol 14

OPINION

4 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Supreme Court threatens to sue Liberal government over IT rules implemented by Conservatives

ewly released documents show the country’s highest court is ready to launch a legal battle with the federal government over new IT rules which the Supreme Court of Canada fears would threaten its independence. The Supreme Court is not alone in these concerns: the Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, Court Martial Appeal Court and Tax Court are all prepared to launch a constitutional challenge against having the government’s super-IT department involved in their digital affairs. The federal Liberals are now

left to decide how to handle an issue created by a decision of the previous Conservative government that came into effect during the federal election. They must maintain control of their data, not only because of concerns about confidentiality, but also because an independent judiciary cannot tolerate having its sensitive information controlled by a separate branch of government. That decision forced the courts to go through Shared Services Canada for all IT purchases, such as servers, routers and software, rather than letting them make the procurements on their

Editorial

Judges need their wings clipped After battling the Conservative government and rejecting almost all their political and policy initiatives, the Supreme Court is now threatening to sue the new Liberal government. As mentioned previously here, the judges in BC and Canada’s court system, specially the Supreme Court of Canada justices, consider themselves above the law and the real law makers of Canada. These unelected judges feel they are beholden to no one and can rip apart any laws that the Parliament proposes. The judges feel they are the real representatives of the people – even if they are not elected. The story on this page just details another example of the arrogance of judges. The judges plan to sue the Liberal government. And who will be hearing the law suit against the government? It will be a bias there? The judges need their wings clipped and the best way to do this is to bring in a system of electing judges or a citizen panel to review each judge’s work every five years.

own. The courts had that power until Sept. 1, when the new rules kicked in and made them a “mandatory client” of Shared Services Canada, which oversees purchases and digital services for 43 of the heaviest IT users in the federal government. The move approved by the Conservative cabinet in May 2015 was supposed to save money, since Shared Services Canada buys in bulk for the federal government, and improve digital security, because Shared Services Canada buys from safe suppliers. Briefing material provided to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shortly after he took office shows the courts were worried that having a government department involved in their IT services “and the perceived implications for control of their data” infringed on judicial independence. “They must maintain control of their data, not only because of concerns about confidentiality, but also because an independent judiciary cannot tolerate having its sensitive information controlled by a separate branch of government,” reads part of Trudeau’s briefing on urgent issues facing the new government. In an August letter to the government’s top bureaucrat, officials for the courts argued that they shouldn’t be subject to Shared Services Canada’s oversight and should be exempt like agents of Parliament, including the auditor general, privacy commissioner and information commissioner. If the government doesn’t backtrack on the cabinet decision, the country’s top judges “are prepared to take legal action,” Trudeau was warned. The advice Trudeau received in the secret briefing material has been blacked out from the documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. A spokeswoman for Public Services Minister Judy Foote, who oversees Shared Services Canada, has yet to respond to questions about what the Liberals plan to do with the courts’ complaint. Shared Services Canada, in an email, would only say that everything the agency does is “aligned with all legislative and legal requirements,” including “the need to maintain judicial independence.” The department

didn’t say how exactly that works.

Saturday, January 9, 2016 i 5

Local

6 i Saturday, January 9, 2016 From page 1

Canadian terrorist allowed day parole to attend graduate school Toronto Stock Exchange. If carried out, the co-ordinated attacks could have been, as described by one security expert, as being akin to “Canada’s 9/11.” “You admitted today that as a result of your growing extremist views that if an innocent person had died as a result of a bombing attack, that it was an acceptable outcome,” read parole documents. Like many home-grown terrorists, Gaya sprang from fairly normal beginnings. Born in Montreal to Pakistani-born parents, parole documents the family as “culturally Muslim, but not overly strict in their following of the religion.” “Letters written to the court described you as somewhat naïve and immature, having been sheltered at home, and you were even referred to as spoiled,” read the decision. Gaya became radicalized after fellow students accused Islam of encouraging suicide bombings, prompting him to read up on his religion to argue in its defence. Instead, shortly after joining McMaster University’s Muslim Student Association, he was recruited into a terrorist cell seeking to

murder civilians in order to pressure the Canadian government into pulling troops out of Afghanistan. According to psychologists with Corrections Canada, Gaya has a 20 per cent chance of committing an indictable offence within the next three years. His “reintegration potential” was assessed at “medium.” You have clearly demonstrated your denunciation of radicalization and you presented as being very genuine in this regard In a May, 2014 report, Gaya was deemed by a psychologist to be “at least in the moderate range for general and violent recidivism.” Nevertheless, Thursday’s parole decision said it was “evident” that Gaya had begun to abandon his extremist ideology. “You now understand that your extremist views and actions are contrary to the true meanMamta Foundation and Guru Nanak Mission Awareness Society of BC organized a ing of Islam,” it read. As a condition of his lunch for Surrey’s homeless on New Year’s Day. Free clothes were also given to the homerelease, is barred from using any device that less and needy. Photo by Chandra Bodalia. can access the Internet. He is also required to participate in religious counselling with a federally approved Imam in order to “deal with religious extremism.”

Cop worried terror suspect’s common-law wife would grow suspicious of operation

he commander of an undercover police sting says his team was wary about a terrorism suspect’s common-law partner becoming suspicious of a covert operation focusing on her husband. RCMP Sgt. Bill Kalkat told B.C. Supreme Court on Thursday that he was concerned about the possibility that Amanda Korody may not welcome undercover officers posing as new friends as readily as her partner, John Nuttall. “I found that in other previous operations the wives of targets are actually a lot more switched on than the actual targets themselves,” Kalkat said. Nuttall and Korody were found guilty by a jury last June of conspiracy to commit murder and possessing explosives for the benefit

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of a terrorist organization. But the conviction has been put on hold while lawyers for the couple argue that police manipulated the pair into planting what they believed were bombs on the grounds of the B.C. legislature on Canada Day 2013. Korody’s lawyer Mark Jette pressed Kalkat to explain the difference between a “major-crime undercover operation” and the sting involving his client. Kalkat said major-crime stings typically involve undercover officers wining and dining suspects who they believe already committed a crime. He said targets are taken on trips, exposed to and involved in explicitly illegal behaviour and not offered a chance to back out. In the case of Nuttall and Korody, Kalkat said they were given multiple chances to back out without repercussions.

LOCAL

Saturday, January 9, 2016 i 7

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Disturbingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; drug-resistant superbug gene detected in Canada From page 1

that bacteria can easily share, thus spreading the resistance to other organisms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clearly the biggest story to come out (in 2015),â&#x20AC;? said Lance Price, a professor of environmental health at George Washington University, who studies antibiotic resistance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There have been horrible things all year but this is the most disturbing.â&#x20AC;? So far, there have been no reports of deaths caused by MCR-1 and some people could be harbouring the superbug asymptomatically. But the nightmare scenario is that MCR-1 will spread to more virulent bacterial strains that also carry other resistance genes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; thus creating a â&#x20AC;&#x153;pan-resistantâ&#x20AC;? superbug capable of defeating every antibiotic in the medicine cabinet. Since the Lancet paper, at least a dozen other countries have also found the MCR-1 gene. Scientists, looking through databases of bacterial samples, detected the gene everywhere from Denmark and Algeria to Laos. Among them is Canada, where an investigation was triggered in December by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The Canadian findings have not yet been published but

a case report has been submitted to the Lancet, according to Dr. Michael Mulvey, chief of antimicrobial resistance with the PHACâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lab in Winnipeg. The superbug gene was found in three different samples of E. coli, all previously collected for special research projects: one from a 62-year-old patient in Ottawa and two from ground beef sold in Ontario. The Ottawa patient likely picked up the bug in Egypt, where she lived for several years, according to Dr. Baldwin Toye with the Ottawa hospital, who co-wrote a 2013 paper describing her case and four others. She was hospitalized three days after moving back to Canada and treated for an abdominal infection. Toye believes another pathogen was responsible for her illness, however, and the patient was simply harbouring the MCR-1 gene, which Mulvey discovered retrospectively during his recent investigation. Meanwhile, the ground beef samples were found nearly a year apart in different locations in Ontario, a butcher shop and a grocery chain, according to Mulvey. Both were collected in 2010 â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Indian school boy hits record 1,009 runs in school match He smashed 59 sixes and 127 fours in 395 minutes before his KC Gandhi School declared the innings at 1,465 against Arya Gurukul School on Tuesday. Mumbai school cricket is highly competitive and has produced cricketers like legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar and current Indian opener Rohit Sharma. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was not thinking of a record,â&#x20AC;? Dhanawade said. â&#x20AC;?it was not in my mind at all but as soon as I got close to the feat

it was clear to me that I could achieve it.â&#x20AC;? Dhanawade said his father, an auto-rickshaw driver, had pushed him to play and was partly responsible for his success. He said he was ready for international cricket, but intended to first play in the under-19 state team. Dhanawadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innings propelled him to the top of the trends on Twitter in India, where reactions to his innings have ranged from praise to shock and disbelief.

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LOCAL

8 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Legalizing pot in Canada will run afoul of global treaties, Trudeau warned

he Liberal government will have to do substantial work on the international stage before it can follow through on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s promise to legalize marijuana, new documents suggest. That work will have to include figuring out how Canada would comply with three international treaties to which the country is a party, all of which criminalize the possession and production of marijuana. Trudeau’s plan to legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana is already proving a complicated and controversial undertaking on the domestic front, in part because it requires working with the provinces. Internationally, says a briefing note prepared for the prime minister, Canada will also have to find a way to essentially tell the world how it plans to conform to its treaty obligations. The note to Trudeau was obtained by The Canadian Press through the Access to Information Act. Errol Mendes, a constitutional and international law expert at the University of Ottawa, says the gov-

ernment faces a long, hard slog in the global arena before it can legalize pot at home. Legalization, he said, is a growing movement among some countries, particularly in Latin America, but it faces stiff opposition in the United States — including within some quarters of the Obama administration. If the Republicans win the White House in November, the opposition will be even stronger in a country where some see legalizing pot “as the thin edge of the wedge,” said Mendes. “It will be an ongoing dialogue which has to be dealt with at the highest levels, and it’s not going to be an easy one, and it’s not going to be a quick one either. It’s going to take many years.” The Liberal policy means that Canada will have to amend its participation in three international conventions: — The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol; — The Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971; — The United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988.

Air Canada flight to India forced to return to Toronto due to on air disturbance

n Alberta man was charged Wednesday after a flight attendant was injured aboard an Air Canada flight en route to India, forcing the plane to return to Toronto on December 30th. The airline said the Boeing 787-8 was carrying 232 passengers when it took off from Toronto for Delhi on Tuesday evening. The plane had to turn around about two and a half hours into the flight due to an “incident involving a disruptive passenger,” a spokesman said. “A flight attendant sustained injuries requiring medical treatment,” said Peter Fitzpatrick. “Police met the aircraft after it landed about 2:20 a.m. on December 30th.” Peel Regional Police said a man had allegedly assaulted the flight attendant around 12:42 a.m. when the flight was over the Atlantic Ocean, just off the East Coast. They say the 47-year-old was “belliger-

ent” at the time, but was arrested without incident when the plane landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Jaskaran Sidhu was charged with assault causing bodily harm, endangering the safety of an aircraft and two counts of mischief.

He was set to appear in a Brampton, Ont., court on Wednesday. The aircraft’s diversion back to Toronto marked the second delay for passengers on the flight. Poor weather had prompted Air Canada to postpone the flight earlier on Tuesday, shortly after it made it to the runway. A rescheduled flight was scheduled to leave Toronto for Delhi at noon Wednesday.

China’s market turmoil to impact BC real estate

The stock market upheaval in China this week could convince Chinese investors to move their money into assets not linked to the renminbi currency, including B.C. real estate, in even greater volumes, according to a Canadian economist. But Scotiabank Economics vice-president Derek Holt also cautions that there is considerable uncertainty regarding how Beijing will proceed with devaluing its currency in a bid to make the renminbi more market-driven. Some options could have adverse effects on the local housing market. Chinese stock markets opened 2016 with four straight days of losses, several of which were so dramatic that a “circuit-breaker” was triggered when the main index dropped more than seven per cent. On Thursday, Beijing also further devalued the renminbi against the U.S. dollar by 0.51 per cent, which added to the extended sell-off, Holt said. “When you are a saver in China and you see that your government is trying to make exports more competitive and creating more balance in the economy, it’s natural for you to say, ‘Oh my God, I need to get my savings out and protect my family,’” he said. “And I think it’s that rushfor-the-exits, the large pickups in capital flows out of China, that’s indicative of what’s happening.” Holt noted that Chinese investors will likely look to the U.S. dollar as a main investment instrument, but he noted the Canadian dollar’s persistent weakness has also made real estate in Vancouver more attractive. “Canadian real estate ... because our own currency has depreciated so much ... that has put Canadian assets on sale from the vantage point of, say, Asian investors,” Holt said. “If we judge Vancouver and Toronto in that context, it’s not cheap for us here in Canada … but in the context of other Pacific-Rim cities like San Francisco or Singapore, and given our currency depreciation and what you can buy cashing in on foreign currencies, we look pretty cheap right now.”

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PERSONS OF THE WEEK Chhavi Disawar

Saturday, January 9, 2016 i 9

Home of Majestic flavors- Maitri Bhavan

t is well said that,” Anyone can cook”, but not all can create perfect food.” No matter how much anyone is adroit at cooking everything at home, there is still a search of authentic flavors which takes people to various food spots, and that makes those food spots the star places in the eyes of public. Similar is the story of a newly opened authentic South Indian Restaurant named Maitri Bhavan, located in Payal Business Center, Surrey. There are so many exclusive South Indian Restaurants in Surrey, so, what is it that is different at Maitri Bhavan? To answer this question, The Asian Star went to the Maitri Bhavan and interviewed their team. As we entered the place, the aroma of spices and authenticity welcomed and tempted our taste buds. Apart from that, the warm nature and ‘ready to cater to the needs’ service of the staff is a cherry on the cake for the guests. Tasting their Sambar (South Indian lentil soup), idli, egg dosa and kesar rava (sooji halwa) was a heaven like experience for the tastebuds. All in all, the service of the place justifies its name ‘Maitri’. “Maitri means friendship, and we kept this name as it rationalizes the nature of our service to our guests”, told Narasimha. Maitri Bhavan is the product of five like minded friends who have been together for decades and have worked in renowned chains of restaurants inclusive of Hayatt, Leela Palace, Taj Hotels, Hilton, Oberoi etc., and also in Canada for named franchisee chains including Red Robin, White Spot, A n W to name a few. The story of Narasimha and his friends is similar to many of those Internationals who come to Canada with a dream of touching stars. They came to Canada, studied Hotel management, gained experience, understood the market needs and established their own business. “When I was completing my Hotel Management degree, I was thinking to work

Vanakam to Maitri Bhavan

in five stars but my prospect changed after entering the reality. I met famous people from politics, Bollywood and some other renowned industries. Back in days I have provided butler services to people like Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt etc”, smiled Narasimha. Talking about food menu, Narsimha told,” South Indian food is all about Dosa, Idli, Sambar in Surrey. However, the real authen-

ticity of South Indian cuisine is – the blend of vegetables and meat cooked together in authentic spices. Even appetizers are full of variety.” Explaining further he said,” Chicken 65 is one of the famous appetizer that originated from Chennai’s Military Kitchen in 1965(the time of World War -2) also the dish was located at no. 65 in the menu list. The original name of the dish was hard to

nounce and remember, so people started calling it Chicken 65.” Chicken 65 is found at many South Indian places in the city but in the most modified way. However, Maitri Bhavan greets you with the original recipe of the same. Not only this, if you are health conscious, they cater the dish to your requirements. Apart from this, if you are a Biryani lover and want to pamper your taste-buds with genuine Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, Maitri Bhavan is your destination spot. The artist behind all these delicacies is their chef Krishna, who is from the Southern part of India and has over 35 years of experience in South Indian Cuisine. He has worked in 3-star hotels in Vishakhapatnam and holds 15 years of experience working in Canada. proThe cooking experience of Chef speaks in Maitri Bhavan’s food itself. It took two-years for Narasimha and his friends to research and derive the concept of Maitri Bhavan. Earlier they all had been working at different managerial positions in hotel industry in the Country. On asking people about their reviews about the restaurant, it was observed that people are in love with the food and services provided by the restaurant.”99% of our customers leave the place with wide smiles on their faces and that becomes our inspiration to provide them with the best of our services,” told Narasimha. So,if you are looking forward to get the authentic South Indian vibe and flavorsome food, then Maitri Bhavan is one stop destination. They also have private room arrangement for various parties in their restaurant. Also, if you are looking for catering service, Maitri Bhavan accommodates that. Apart from eating in, they provide delivery as well. At present they have 10% discount offer running on their take-out food items. For any further enquiries please contact Maitri Bhavan @ (778) 565-5337.

10 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Local

Fraser Institute sounds warning on government debt

he total net direct debt of Canada’s federal and provincial governments, which now stands at almost $1.3 trillion, is a growing problem that hurts economic growth and makes less money available for other spending, according to a research paper by the Fraser Institute. The Vancouver-based think-tank says the combined net debt of the federal and provincial governments has risen steadily from $834 billion in 2007/2008 — just before the recession — to $1.28 trillion by 2015-2016. That total debt figure works out to $35,827 for every person living in Canada — a 41 per cent increase from where it stood in 2007-2008. The Fraser Institute puts the net federal debt (total gross debt, including pension liabilities, minus financial assets) at $692 billion for the current fiscal year. Every province except Alberta also has net debt, although the institute notes that Alberta has been sliding towards a net debt position since the recession of 2008. While the growth in government debt has been considerable, the institute says the debt load will get larger still. “Debt is poised to continue growing for the foreseeable future as several governments continue to project budgetary deficits and finance capital projects,” the report says. The report’s authors ar-

gue that growing government debt is a problem because it hurts economic growth and increases the cost of paying all the interest on that debt. “Government spending on debt servicing costs results in less revenue available for important priorities such as tax relief and spending on public programs like health care, education and social services.” By way of comparison, the authors note that the $25.9 billion Ottawa will spend on debt servicing costs this fiscal year will exceed what it spends on defence ($23.9 billion) or employment insurance ($19.3 billion). The $60.8 billion that Ottawa and the provinces will spend on debt servicing costs this year approaches the $62.2 billion spent on public education for kindergarten through Grade 12. The report says a number of Canadian governments are using almost 10 cents or more of every dollar in revenue to service debt obligations. In Newfoundland and Labrador, interest payments eat up 12.7 per cent of total revenue, while in Quebec, it’s 10.3 per cent. The federal government, Ontario and Nova Scotia aren’t far behind at about nine per cent. “If interest rates rise, borrowing costs will rise accordingly and result in even more resources being directed to debt servicing costs,” the report says.

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LOCAL Three arrested, citizen reprimanded after gunfire, car chase through Surrey and Delta

hail of bullets, a call for help, a dangerous highspeed chase and an eventual crash resulted in the arrest of three men this week. On Monday at 7:50 p.m., a man approached a suspicious vehicle parked in his neighbourhood near 48 Avenue and 152 Street. The occupants fired a gun at the man’s pick-up truck, causing him to call police. The driver of the pick-up truck then decided to pursue the people in the suspicious Pontiac to Highway 99, then to Highway 17, and on to 80 Street and River Road, where the Pontiac crashed into a BC Hydro power pole. The three people inside were injured in the collision, but not seriously, and were taken to hospital and arrested. The three people in the car are known to police. It’s unclear whether the driver of the pick-up truck is known to authorities. Investigators are seeking additional information from any witnesses to the incident who have not yet spoken to police. Police also stress that deciding to engage in a vehicle pursuit of any kind is not recommended. “Despite repeated requests to stop pursuing the suspect vehicle, the citizen refused to comply with our commands,” said Surrey RCMP Sgt. Paul Hayes. “When you pursue a vehicle or suspect, not only are you putting your life and the general public’s lives at risk, you risk being charged yourself and could face criminal and civil consequences. We encourage citizens who notice suspicious people or vehicles to contact the police instead of confronting people themselves.” Meanwhile, the man who chased three suspected gunmen through Surrey and Delta said he knows he did the right thing, despite a threat he may face charges. The man, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation, said that he knew he had to ensure the men were arrested after they opened fire on his truck at least three times during the high-speed pursuit. “I have no regrets,” he said. “If I get charged, at least I am still alive.” On Tuesday, Surrey RCMP criticized the man’s decision to follow the suspects, whom he first saw acting suspiciously inside a car in his neighborhood just before 8 p.m. Sgt. Paul Hayes said “despite repeated requests to stop pursing the suspect vehicle, the citizen refused to comply with our commands.” But the man said the 911 operator at first asked him for the suspect vehicle’s licence plate number, which made him believe he needed to get closer to the car. “They asked me to get the plate. That’s telling me to go after them,” he said. He said he’s not a vigilante, though has previously tried to get sex trade workers to leave his neighbourhood near 152nd Street and 48th Avenue. When he saw the men in the car Monday, just sitting in the vehicle and not getting out, he drove his truck up to them and parked it nose to nose to confront them. “As I pulled up in front of it, there was a guy walking about 25 to 50 yards from the car and I believe he started opening fire on me because I probably scared them,” the man said. He said the guy walking jumped into the car and it took off. He didn’t know at the time that his back window had been blown out and that there were already bullet holes in his truck. The man dialed 911 as he chased the car up his road, north on 152nd. The suspects cut through a gas station and onto Highway 10. “I went around a couple of vehicles and went east on Highway 10 following them. Then the 911 operator asked

me for their plate so I said ‘OK, I’ll get as close to them as possible,’” the man said. “When I got close to them, they opened fire again. They kept firing at me. I stayed about 500 yards back.” The chase continued through Surrey towards White Rock, then onto Highway 99 northbound — where he was shot at again — before finally into Delta and onto River Road. What shocked the man was how many times he saw police cars who would follow for a bit but not pursue the suspect vehicle. That made him more determined to ensure they didn’t get away.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Metro homeowners face tax hit from rising property assessments

ncreases in property assessments pushed as many as 55,000 British Columbia homeowners over last year’s $1.1 million threshold for receiving the provincial homeowners grant on their property tax prompting a new call for the government to revise the program to cushion the impact of a hot real estate market. BC Assessment on Monday released 2016 assessments for some two million properties and hot markets in the Metro Vancouver pushed residential assessed values to some of their biggest increases in more than 30 years, said Jason Grant, area assessor for greater Vancouver. “You would have to go back to 1980 and (there were) probably only two or three times when the single-family market has moved by this much this quickly,” Grant said in an interview.

BC Assessment doesn’t announce average assessment increases in each community but does pick out examples deemed to be somewhat representative, which across Metro Vancouver showed increases of 12 to 28 per cent on detached homes. Property-information firm Landcor Data Corp crunched numbers from the assessment for The Sun, which showed big jumps in specific neighbourhoods in Vancouver, Burnaby, North Vancouver and Richmond that pushed averages over thresholds that would begin to eliminate the $570-per-qualifying-household grant, based on 2015 amounts. \\Figures provided by BC Assessment show that 17,600 additional residential properties were pushed over that $1.1 million level on their 2016 assessments. Some 37,900 more were pushed over the $1.25 million limit for eligibility altogether.

LOCAL

12 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Gangsters charged with attempted murder in Richmond shooting

wo well-known gangsters have been charged with attempted murder in the shooting of Matin Pouyan in Richmond’s Dover Park last August. Charges were approved against Thomas Duong, 20, and Sahand Askari, 31, after an investigation by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, with support from Vancouver police and Richmond RCMP. Duong was already in custody on an Alberta charge. Askari is believed to have fled Canada after the Aug. 21 shooting of Pouyan, who’s also entrenched in the gang world.The CFSEU announced the development in the case Monday at a news conference in Surrey. “Upon further investigation into this shooting it was uncovered that the victim went to Dover Park to meet with the alleged suspects,” Const. Jordan McLellan said. CFSEU Chief Supt. Kevin Hackett said the suspects “showed a complete disregard for public safety by discharging a

firearm in a populated residential area.” “The combination of a quick response by the Richmond RCMP and a thorough investigation led by the CFSEU-BC was integral in successfully getting charges approved against the two men involved in this shooting. We remain committed to doing everything possible in bringing charges against the most violent gang offenders in the province.” The Vancouver Sun has learned that police were nearby when Pouyan, Duong and Askari met in the park on the late summer evening. After he was shot, Pouyan made his way from Dover Park to a nearby gas station, leaving a trail of blood. He refused to cooperate with police. Duong was arrested a short time later on charges he had breached previous court-ordered conditions. He was sent to Alberta where he had been out on bail on other charges.

Akali Singh Sikh Society of Vancouver donated $5,013 to Surrey memorial Foundation on January 1. Pictured above are the directors of Akali Singh Society at the cheque giving ceremony. Photo by Chandra Bodalia.

Investigation finds Vancouver doctors paid for procedures not performed

small group of cardiologists at two Lower Mainland hospitals were compensated over the past six years for procedures they did not perform, according to an internal investigation. But those payments amounted to about $1-million, not the $4-million alleged by an anonymous complainant last year, and may have been offset by the doctors performing more complex, time-consuming procedures for which they were not adequately compensated, the investigation concluded. It is not clear whether either of the two health authorities involved suffered an overall financial loss as a result of the fees, the investigation found.The investigation was triggered by an anonymous letter in June, 2015, that alleged a small group of cardiologists at St. Paul’s and Vancouver General hospitals had

charged the two facilities almost $4-million for procedures they did not actually perform. Its report, dated Aug. 17, 2015, was obtained by The Globe and Mail through a freedom of information request. The anonymous complaint did not say over what time period those payments had been made. But it cited a 2012 report that flagged the issue of “unanticipated procedural fees” being paid for some procedures and recommended those fees be eliminated. The letter concerns a widely used procedure known as a transesophageal echocardiogram, or TEE, which involves inserting a probe into the esophagus to monitor a patient during heart surgery. TEEs used to be done primarily by echocardiographers. But over about the past decade, more cardiac anesthetists have been trained in the procedure According to the complaint, anesthetists now routine-

LOCAL

Toronto taxi scam - cabbies swiping bank cards from passengers The next time you pay by debit in a taxi, keep a close eye on your card. Toronto police warn that a group of cab drivers has been swiping riders’ bank cards as they pay — and then driving straight to ATM machines to empty bank accounts before victims even realize what’s happened. Dozens of cab riders have been victimized across the city in recent weeks and the crimes are continuing daily, the lead investigator in the case said Friday. The number of reports coming into police across the city “has escalated quite a bit” in recent days, Det. Chris Beattie said in an interview with CBC News. He said it appears that a “small group” of drivers is carrying out the fraud.

Beattie said it’s happening primarily to people catching taxis in the downtown core, mostly late at night. But, it is also happening at other hours and in other locations. “You flag down a cab, they have a point-of-sale machine that’s programmed to store the information from your card, they put your card in it, you punch in your PIN numbers, he’ll take the machine back, pull out your card and switch it with a fake card from the same bank.” Beattie warns passengers to look carefully at both the debit card and the receipt they get back. The receipts typically say “Toronto Cabs” or “GTA Taxi” at the top, rather than the legitimate name of the company. Another red flag is that the taxi driver sometimes says he doesn’t have change if you try to pay with cash, said Beattie.

Notary fraud case causing legal waves in B.C. courts

lawsuit that resulted from an $8-million notary fraud case is rippling through B.C.’s legal community over the question of whether it sets a precedent in trust relationships between parties in real estate transactions. In the case, Hsui-Wen Lin and Min Sheng Tang hired notary Agatha Chung in 2013 to handle a refinancing of the mortgage on their home. According to court documents, Lin and Tang sought financing from CIBC, which hired its own notary, Timothy Ko, to handle its half of the transaction. However, when Chung disappeared with the money forwarded to her to pay out the previous mortgage, along with more than $8 million from 41 other clients, it touched off a legal battle over who holds the loss, Lin and Tan as borrowers, or their lender, CIBC, and whose insurance should cover it. On Dec. 18, the B.C. Court of Appeal upheld the trial decision of B.C. Supreme Court Judge John Steeves that the loss belonged to CIBC. His ruling was that since Lin and Tan hadn’t received the benefit of mortgage money that had been forwarded to Chung, the bank still “owned” the funds and the mortgage was void, although the notary had completed all the other necessary steps in the transaction. Now, lawyers in real estate practice argue that the decision could have wider repercussions if they can’t rely on the undertakings that professionals make to one another to establish liability. “We have a system in place for dealing with undertakings to rely on (prop-

erty) title in either mortgaging real property or transferring real property,” said property lawyer Brent Clark. “And what the court’s done is sort of turn that upside down and said, ‘You can’t rely on that system anymore’,” said Clark, a partner in the commercial lending practice at the firm Miller Thomson. Clark wasn’t a party to this dispute, which is referred to in court documents as Lin v. CIBC, but as counsel who often represents lenders, he said that upon reading the decision he and many of his peers are rethinking how they should fund mortgages. “It’s uncertain what we’ll have to do to avoid this risk,” Clark said. The lawyer for Lin, however, argued the case was a matter of determining from whom the funds had been stolen, and it doesn’t represent a wider precedent. “It was a property question,” said Karen Carteri, a lawyer with the firm McMillan LLP in Vancouver. In an interview Tuesday, she said this case is an aberration to the usual relationship between parties in a transaction. “Normally, these promises and undertakings are central to transactions and can be trusted,” she said. “Here, the undertaking failed.” In the case, notaries Ko and Chung completed the required documents for the $520,000 new mortgage from CIBC and Ko forwarded funds to Chung’s notary practice trust account with an undertaking that she would pay out Lin’s previous mortgage with Scotiabank, putting the CIBC loan with first claim on the home’s property title. Chung, however, disappeared along with the money before the process was complete.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Gas prices dropping in Vancouver

as prices are dropping in $1.05. The lowest prices in the provVancouver, with many stations ince are found in Prince George, where selling for $1.16, but the prices drivers are paying $0.93. in the region still remain among the But most drivers in the province are highest in North still paying more than the America. But Metro rest of Canada, where prices For a brief time Vancouver average about $0.97. one station on SW gas price still The drop in gas prices Marine drive was comes as the price of crude highselling for $1.11, but oil has fallen by nearly 50 it appeared to have est in North per cent over the past year. raised its price later America But it is worth noting most in the morning. consumers are still paying According to the more for gas compared to the same GasBuddy website the prices have time last year. been dropping since the start of the Gas prices in B.C. tend to be higher new year. than the rest of the country, in part, Outside of Metro Vancouver in Abbecause of the province’s carbon tax. botsford where TransLink taxes are not applied, gas is selling for as low as

14 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

LOCAL

Immigration Minister says Liberals remain committed to doubling family reunification - but not right now

he Liberal government says it remains committed to doubling to 10,000 the number of applications it will process each year for family reunification of parents and grandparents. However, the government’s Citizenship and Immigration website says applications are now being accepted for 2016 — and cautions in bold text that the number of applications is capped at 5,000. Justin Trudeau promised during the election campaign that a Liberal government would double the cap as part of a package of immigration reforms. The annual limit on family reunification applications for aging parents and grandparents was brought in by the former Conservative government, which called the program an abuse of generosity. The Liberal government did not explain why the 5,000-application cap remains flagged on the website, but in an emailed statement, Immigration Minister John McCallum said he still plans to double the cap.

He said he will consult his cabinet colleagues on the change early in the new year. “We are committed to reuniting families and we intend to meet the commitment to double the intake of PGP sponsorship applications from 5,000 to 10,000 per year,” the statement said. The measure to double the application cap is also listed among the “key commitments for action in first 100 days” cited in the prime minister’s briefing books, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. ‘Forget #sunnyways’ Nonetheless, Conservatives jumped on Citizenship and Immigration’s web page notification Monday as evidence of “yet another unachievable Liberal campaign promise.” Calgary MP Michelle Rempel posted on Facebook: “Keeping a realistic goal of 5,000 applications a year was part of our Conservative government’s initiative to be prudent managers of government. It was totally irresponsible of Trudeau to promise more

No-fly list flags more Canadian toddlers as security risks

he parents of two Canadian-born boys — both younger than three — say their children have been flagged on the “no-fly list” as potential security risks since they were newborns. They said about their children’s experiences after seeing the story of a Markham, Ont., boy whose name triggered a security alert when checking in for a flight at Toronto’s Pearson airport. ‘It makes me mad.

verify that he is not the actual threat that is listed,” Khan said. He said it typically takes 15 to 20 minutes for the airline to receive the all-clear that the boy is not a security risk, even though the child is sometimes asleep in a car seat. The parents of Naseer Muhammad Ali say the Toronto boy has triggered a security I’m born in Canada, my alert on the no-fly list husband’s born in Canada, every time he has flown, my son’s born in Canada.’ beginning when he was – Khudija Vawda, mother Canada’s No-Fly kid Syed Adam just 10 weeks old. “It’s Ahmed (front) with his father of boy on no-fly list a bit humiliating,” Khan Sulemaan-Ahmed-Adam Zamir Khan of London, said. “Primarily we worry Ont. says his son Sebastian was first that this is only going to get worse flagged on the no-fly list when he was for him as he gets older.” Khudija six weeks old, and it has happened Vawda of Toronto said the security every time he flies with the boy, now delay first happened with her son, 21 months old. “We were told our son’s Naseer Muhammad Ali, when he name is on a governmental-watch list, was 10 weeks old. He’s now about and a phone call has to be placed to to turn three. “It makes me mad,” Vawda said. “I’m born in Canada, my husband’s born in Canada, my son’s born in Canada, and just because of the name he can be profiled like that, it just makes me angry.” Syed Adam Ahmed, 6, of Markham, Ont. was travelling with his father to see the Montreal Canadiens play the Boston Bruins in the NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day. His father tweeted a photo

By elections set for two vacant BC seats Byelections will be held Feb. 2 to fill two B.C. legislature seats left vacant after MLAs ran in the recent federal election. Former Vancouver-Mount Pleasant MLA Jenny Kwan resigned her provincial seat July 8 and was elected MP in the NDP stronghold of Vancouver East in the Oct. 19 election. Former B.C. Liberal MLA Doug Horne gave up his Coquitlam-Burke Mountain seat on Aug. 14 to run for the Conservatives, and lost the federal seat of Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam to Liberal Ron McKinnon. With the two vacancies, the B.C. Liberals hold 48 seats and the B.C. NDP 33, with two independents, Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington and Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA Andrew Weaver. B.C. NDP members have nominated Jodie Wickens, executive director of the Autism Support Network, to run in Coquitlam-Burke Mountain. Melanie Mark, who worked in the office of the Representative for Children and Youth, is running for the NDP in Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. The B.C. Liberals have nominated Joan Isaacs, an investment advisor, for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain and Gavin Dew, a communications consultant, for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. The B.C. Green Party has nominated Pete Fry, a web and communications specialist, for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant and Joe Keithley, a musician and former member of the band D.O.A., to run in Coquitlam-Burke Mountain.

LOCAL

Surrey records second-highest building year

urrey has shattered the billion-dollar mark in construction projects, recording the second-highest value in development in the city’s history. City figures provided at the request of The Leader show Surrey saw $1.46 billion in construction last year – second only to 2007, when there was $1.49 billion in development. The figures indicate that just over $1 billion worth of that construction came from residential building permits. It was relatively equally split between single-family dwellings, homes with secondary suites and townhomes, with the last quarter of the money spent going to condos and miscellaneous residential building permits. Much of the construction occurred in south Newton and South Surrey, according to Surrey’s General Manager of Planning and Development Jean LaMontagne. Commercial and industrial building projects both came in at about $187 million last year, followed by institutional ($57 million) and other ($17 million). Commercial construction figures were due to a few highly valued properties, such as the new Coast Capital Savings headquarters built near the King George SkyTrain Station. Industrial development was, and continues to be, strongest in Campbell Heights in South Surrey. Last year’s numbers boast the best performance in Surrey’s construction sector since the global economic meltdown of 2008. Since then, the city has been hovering around the billion-dollar mark in permit values for construction, with a few of those years being buoyed by federal infrastructure

grants. While the boom in construction is great news, city officials say it’s generally preferred to have a bigger percentage of commercial and industrial development than Surrey is getting. The reasoning is that those two sectors bring in about three times the property taxes to the city, while drawing on far fewer associated taxpayer-funded resources, such as recreation centres, libraries and roads. A staff report presented to council in 2001 – when housing stock represented 72 per cent of the total amount of property taxes generated – indicated Surrey was not meeting sustainable levels. “A ratio of 60 per cent residential and 40 per cent industrial and commercial is considered to be the minimum level necessary relative to the long-term health of the city,” the staff report said. Last year’s ratio alone was 69.3 per cent residential, 25.6 per cent commercial and industrial, 3.9 per cent institutional and 1.2 per cent other. Another important reason for a more

Saturday, January 9, 2016

TransLink asks for patience after Compass Card users complain of call centre delays and glitches

ransLink says it is doing everything it can to smooth the transition for customers to its new Compass Card system. On Jan. 1, 2016 transit users began loading their monthly passes onto the new cards as FareSaver tickets and paper monthly passes are being phased out of use, but the process has created a headache for many customers who posted their frustrations on social media. Along with the cards not recognizing uploads in a two-hour time period, TransLink call centres have also been clogged with phone calls from customers. In a release TransLink says in the past few days more than 50,000 customers have loaded a monthly pass onto their Compass Card. “And this number could dou-

ble over the next week,” it said. “We expect the high volumes to continue over the next few days, which we understand may be frustrating for our customers who are waiting to speak to one of our agents. We are working hard to process online orders as quickly as possible and improve call times.” I literally just paid for my compass card & when I tried tapping it said insufficient funds?¿? Wtf?? @TransLink @gallazanato0or TransLink says it is working with its contractor to resolve the delay customers have experienced waiting for their monthly pass to be loaded on their Compass Card.

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Woman in critical condition after being hit by minivan A woman is clinging to life in hospital after being hit by a vehicle in Guildford. At 7:30 a.m. Friday, the 25-year-old woman was crossing an intersection at 142A Street and 108 Avenue when she was hit by a Kia minivan. She was thrown a considerable distance and sustained serious head injuries. She was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle remained at scene and is cooperating with police. Impairment is not believed to be a factor, and there was no crosswalk at this intersection. The intersection was expected to remain closed while police investigated the accident. Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604599-0502 or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca.

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LOCAL

16 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Justice minister to review case of Quebec woman facing extradition to US

he federal government has announced it will reconsider the case of a Quebec woman in jail facing extradition to the U.S. The woman, a Canadian citizen referred to in court documents as M, had said she would not eat until Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould reviewed her case. “In making this decision, I want to assure all parties that I do not take our obligations lightly, and I will be guided by those obligations, and by the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in this case,” Wilson-Raybould said in a statement on Wednesday. Wilson-Raybould added that it was “a complex case” and she would be guided by the “thoughtful analysis” of Canada’s top court. A spokesman for Women Who Choose to Live, a justice group that has been supporting M, said they have spoken to her and she will start eating again. “She was absolutely thrilled. She was feeling quite buoyed by the support of people across

Canada and she started to eat today for the first time after 12 full days of not taking any solid food,” said Matthew Beherns. M is currently in a detention centre, but her lawyer, Marie-Helene Giroux, said she hopes M will be reunited with her three children in time for Christmas. Giroux said Wednesday she’s hopeful the minister will consider the “best interests of the children” in the case and prohibit her extradition. “Now we have to convince the minister to vacate the surrender order, so we still have some battles,” she said. On Dec. 11, the Supreme Court majority ruled that extraditing M was “not unreasonable,” but the three dissenting judges argued the best interests of the children had not been properly considered. Wilson-Raybould’s decision Wednesday now puts the Supreme Court’s ruling on hold. The woman is wanted in the state of Georgia and is accused of bringing her three children to Canada in 2010 despite the fact that their father had sole custody.

One of the many new years parties attended by South Asians on December 3 in Surrey and Vancouver to welcome the new year. Photo by Chandra Bodalia

Ottawa going ahead with Saudi arms export despite condemning executions

he Canadian government is proceeding with a controversial $15-billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia

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even as it publicly condemns Riyadh for a mass execution of 47 people, including a dissident Shia Muslim cleric. Foreign Affairs Minster Stéphane Dion released a statement this week decrying the capital punishment meted out Jan. 2 and calling on the Saudis to respect peaceful dissent and respect human rights. Sheik Nimr al-Nimr, the Shia cleric, was executed along with 46 others convicted on terrorism charges. But the biggest Saudi mass execution in decades – delivered by beheading and in a few cases firing squad – is not moving Ottawa to reconsider a massive deal to supply the Mideast country with armoured fighting vehicles. The transaction will support about 3,000 jobs in Canada for 14 years. “A private company is delivering the goods according to a signed contract with the government of Saudi Arabia. The government of Canada has no intention of cancelling that contract,” Adam Barratt, director of communications for Mr. Dion, said on Monday. Federal rules oblige Ottawa to examine whether arms shipments to countries with poor human-rights records, such as Saudi Arabia, would endanger the local population. This is no ordinary transaction between a Canadian company and a foreign customer. The former Conservative government used its diplomatic resources to lobby the Saudis hard for this contract.

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LOCAL

Imprisoned Saudi blogger’s health deteriorating, wife says

mprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, recent recipient of a prestigious European human rights award, has suffered fainting spells and deteriorating health because of a hunger strike, his wife said on Thursday. Ensaf Haidar, who was granted asylum in Canada with the couple’s three children, said by phone she hoped her husband would end a hunger strike he had initiated more than 20 days ago to protest against his transfer to a different prison in Saudi Arabia. A member of Amnesty International in Canada and a spokeswoman for the Canadian government both said by email they were not able

to confirm the hunger strike. “Canada remains very concerned by the situation of Mr. Badawi and we will continue to call for clemency to be granted in his case,” said government spokeswoman Rachna Mishra.

New law takes effect for crossovers

new law about crossovers came into effect across Ontario on Jan. 1, and breaking it could bring a fine of up to $500. At crossovers with lights and school crossing zones with guards, drivers must now wait until pedestrians have completely stepped off the road before they can continue on their way. The new rule is meant to make roads safer for schoolchildren, pedestrians and crossing guards. “Once the pedestrian is on the roadway that’s different because now traffic has to stop in both directions,” said Const. Clint Stibbe of the Toronto Police Service. Hitting the gas too soon could bring a fine between $150 and $500 — double when the offence happens at a school crosswalk. Some say the new law will be a challenge for police.

Toronto photographer accused of sexually assaulting teens faces new charges

olice l a i d n e w

c h a r g e s We d n e s d a y against Sinnarajah Sivasubramaniam, a photographer accused of sexually assaulting teenage clients at his Scarborough studio. (Toronto Police Service) Police have laid new charges against a photographer accused of sexually assaulting teenage clients after they say two new alleged victims came forward. Sinnarajah Sivasubramaniam, 56, of Toronto was charged in late November with three counts of sexual assault and three of sexual interference. Police say Sivasubramaniam owned Y2K Studios, also known as Siva’s Studio, a photography business that was operated out of a Scarborough plaza. He was arrested again on Wednesday and now faces two additional counts of each charge.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Everton Biddersingh found guilty in 1994 murder of daughter

father accused of starving or drowning his teenaged daughter two decades ago was convicted of first-degree murder on Thursday after weeks of graphic and disturbing testimony about the horrific abuse she suffered before she died. Jurors took about four hours to find an impassive Everton Biddersingh guilty, which carries a mandatory life sentence without parole for 25 years. “On behalf of the administration of justice, I thank you for your service,” Superior Court Justice Al O’Marra told them. O’Marra had sent them to deliberate after concluding a charge he had started a day earlier by outlining prosecution and defence positions. The Crown maintained Biddersingh, 60, drowned or starved Melonie Biddersingh, 17, after a period of prolonged abuse, or that she died while her father unlawfully confined her in the small Toronto apartment they shared with her stepmother, Elaine Biddersingh.

“They treated Melonie like a slave,” O’Marra told jurors in summing up the prosecution’s case. “She was imprisoned emotionally and physically.” The teen, whose charred remains were found stuffed in a suitcase in an isolated industrial area, had come to Canada from Jamaica for a better life. Instead, by the time of her death, she weighed a skeletal 50 pounds and had 21 broken bones in various stages of healing. A vegetable was found in her vagina. At no time was she allowed to leave the apartment, spending countless hours chained to furniture, stuffed in a tiny closet, or locked out on a balcony. Her father, according to one witness, would kick her and force the helpless victim into a toilet and then flush. O’Marra had told the seven women and five men on the panel they could find Biddersingh guilty of lesser offences such as second-degree murder, attempted murder or manslaughter if they couldn’t agree on a first-degree murder conviction.

18 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

When Kareena and Arjun get intense in ‘Ki and Ka’

Saturday - January 9, 2016

Kareen and Arjun in ‘Ki and Ka’

he first look of Kareena Kapoor-Arjun Kapoorstarrer Ki and Ka is out and going by it, the film seems to be all about intense romance and mushy stuff. The first look unfolds romantic page of the R Balki’s directorial by showing its lead pair - Kareena Kapoor Khan and Arjun Kapoor - striking a romantic pose against a train. The Gunday actor will be seen essaying the role of a house husband, while the Jab We Met actor, who is starring opposite the 30-year-old, will essay an ambitious career-oriented woman in the movie. In the image, the duo seems to be comfortable. Arjun also reacted to the image by saying that it was a pleasant surprise for him. He tweeted: “So I wake up to a surprise myself...Let Kia &amp; Kabir’s romance begin...#kiandka this summer we shall make you smile”.

TYLE Aditi Sharma shoots in river Ganga for two hours Aditi is currently playing the title role in TV show ‘Gangaa’, had to stand in the holy river Ganga

diti Sharma, who is c u r re nt ly playing the title role in TV show “Gangaa”, had to stand in the holy river Ganga in Varanasi for two hours for a shoot. Aditi had to bear the chill and stand in water for a long time. However, she tried to give her best shot. “It looks like I am being prepared for the days to come as ‘Gangaa’. But everything is an experience in itself, so I didn’t mind it.

Chhota Bheem meets Shah Rukh Khan, son AbRam

Priyanka Chopra wins People’s Choice Award

ollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son AbRam’s dream of meeting his favourite cartoon character Chhota Bheem came true when a life-sized soft toy of the fictional superhero greeted him at his residence. Shah Rukh Khan had earlier shared on Twitter that the two-year-old likes to watch “Chhota Bheem and Mowgli”. After getting to know about it, Rajiv Chilaka, CEO of Green Gold Animation, who is the creator of Chhota Bheem and has directed the forthcoming film “Chhota Bheem – Himalayan Adventure”, decided to send his star character to Mannat a few days ago.

“In 2014, when we met Kajol she really appreciated our content because it is clean and parents find it comfortable when their kids are watching ‘Chhota Bheem’. Shah Rukh also said his child loves ‘Chhota Bheem’. I felt really humbled that our hard work has paid off,” Chilaka said in a statement. “Animation is a very difficult market because we compete with international content directly. They have more muscle power so to keep afloat with anything Indian is a huge challenge,” he added.

Actress Priyanka Chopra has won the Favourite Actress in a New TV series award at the People’s Choice Awards 2016 for her leading role in American TV thriller series ‘Quantico’. The 33-yearold, who plays the role of an FBI agent named Alex Parish in the show, was compet-

ing against actresses like Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lea Michele and Marcia Gay Harden in the category. googletag.cmd. push(function() { googlet a g . d i s p l ay ( ‘d i v - g p t ad-1429260192255-0’); }); (Furious 7, Big Bang Theory win at People’s Choice Awards) Bollywood actors took to Twitter to express their happiness and congratulate the actress on her big success.

Star & Style

2 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Horoscope

Why is Malaika Arora Khan missing from her show ‘Power Couple’?

Libra

Aries

Sept. 24 - Oct 22

March 21 - April 20 If only all we had to do was wish each other a Happy New Year, we could sit back and relax, safe in the knowledge, as we had now expressed the wish, that it was sure to come true. And if someone made the same wish for us, our own future wellbeing and contentment was also assured! The trouble, though, with ‘Happy New Years’, is that we can’t just wish them on one another. We have to actively help each other

Is the world going back to normal, now the festive season is over? Possibly not, at least as far as you are concerned. A sense of seasonal generosity, of largesse, warmth, trust and optimism will soon start to well up in your heart, if you aren’t already feeling this. This may or may not be directly linked to someone else’s attitude or change of behaviour. It doesn’t matter. As long as you share the positivity that you are starting to feel, others will be unable to do anything other than respond positively to you.

April 21 - May 20

Scorpio

Taurus

Romantic gestures don’t need to be grand and extravagant. Often, there is something suspicious about a person going too far over the top to make a point. We may create a much better impression if we show that we are sensitive to people’s more subtle fears and feelings. A few kind words here - or small, supportive actions there - can have more of an impact. Be aware, this week, that there is

Gemini

May 20 - June 21 The year has only just begun and already Mercury is turning retrograde. This week, it becomes apparently stationary. Despite the doom-laden protestation of my colleagues, this does not make it a bad time for talking, thinking or even breathing! it merely creates a chance for us to reflect on where we are and consider where we would like our lives to take us next. For you, it becomes an invitation to revisit an exchange in your emotional life that is unsatisfactorily unresolved. Here is where healing

Cancer

June 22 - July 23

We all want to be cosseted and comforted, yet life, too often, brings events that fray our nerves and test our patience. Even when we go out of our way to make each other feel better, we can inadvertently aggravate tension. Not that I’m suggesting such a regrettable development is due now. But should you happen to find yourself in an unexpectedly fraught exchange, reach back for the spirit of seasonal goodwill that was so prevalent just a few days ago. It can be reclaimed and applied with great advantage.

Leo

June 24 - August 23 We can’t make New Year resolutions on behalf of other people. A pity, really. Think how helpful we could be to our friends and loved ones, if only we could. We might improve the quality of our own lives, too. ‘This year, I’m going to ensure that so-and-so stops doing this silly thing.’ Or, ‘2016, I vow to make Person X less grouchy.’ Mind you, if it cuts both ways, they might make resolutions for us which we could object to! The cosmic challenge now, in your personal life, involves learning to love what can’t be changed!

Virgo

August 24 - Sept 24 Mercury’s retrograde phases may be unpopular but they happen for a reason and they do some good. By starting 2016 with a retrograde phase, it is as if your ruler is saying, ‘What has to happen now, has to happen. Learn to be glad of it.’ Many of the complaints that folk raise about Mercury changing direction are unfounded. It doesn’t cause the problems it is reputed to. You should look in a similar way, at developments in your personal and emotional life now. Don’t reject what you ought to be glad of.

Oct 23 - Nov 22 Here, at the University Of Life, the classes never stop. Nor are there terms, semesters or seasonal breaks. We go straight from one challenge to another. All is well, as long as we are willing to face the learning curve. All is frustrating when we start to resent the need to adjust to new information. The lessons are rarely on academic topics. They involve studying ourselves... and each other.

Malaika Arora Khan has strangely gone missing from the reality show ‘Power Couple’ that she was hosting with husband Arbaaz Khan The irony is hard to miss. Reality show ‘Power Couple’, which hit the tube last month with Arbaaz Khan with wife Malaika Arora Khan as hosts, has been putting crazilyin-love celebrity couples through various tasks to test their compatibility. However, since the last few episodes, Arbaaz

has been flying solo with Malaika curiously missing from the scene. A unit hand says, “Malaika comes off and on to the sets, but she has chosen to skip the last few days of shoot. We have not been informed about the reason.” An industry insider, however, claims that Malaika is playing truant on purpose. “The real reason behind her absence is that she and Arbaaz are going through some personal issues. In order to avoid a public squabble, she is staying away,” says the source.

Sagitarius Nov 23 - Dec 22

Once a year, Jupiter undergoes a retrograde phase. The phase commencing now comes later than usual. It is almost as if your ruler has been waiting for you to get through various issues and resolve potential problems before requiring you to stop, reflect and review. It often seems easier to do all that when we feel we have already solved most pressing problems. If that worries you because you feel you start 2016 with one outstanding emotional issue unresolved, fear not. Here’s where that clears itself up

Capricorn

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal watched Bejoy Nambiar’s forthcoming movie Wazir here with its cast including producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra, writer Abhijat Joshi and actors Farhan Akhtar and Aditi Rao Hydar

Dec 23 - Jan 20

Is all in your world quite as you wish it were? Do some issues make you uncomfortable? Might things be happier if your relationship with a particular individual were easier? Are you entering 2016 aware of the need to compromise, yet reluctant to give away too much ground? Well that’s how life on planet Earth is for us all! As you look at your personal and emotional circumstances now, you must concede they could be worse! What you don’t yet know, but will soon find out, is how much better they are

Aquarius

Jan 21 - Feb 19 Hurry up! 2016 is almost over, yet you still have so much left to accomplish. Oh, wait. Perhaps you’ve got more time than you think. That sense of pressure reflects an alignment between your ruler and Mars, rather than an actual deadline. Possibly too, the sense of urgency is exacerbated by the attitude of someone with whom communication is currently a little bit strained. If so, there is good news. Imminent resolution of conflict will soon help you relax about many a bothersome matter.

Pisces

Feb 20 - March 20 It would be so nice to begin 2016 with a sense of comfort and security. Whether or not this is merely emotional, or material too, would be almost irrelevant. When our hearts are happy, we can cope with a surprising amount of stress. A reassuring development is due to occur in your personal life soon. You are more loved, admired and respected, than you may realise. The more hope, positivity and enthusiasm you allow yourself to share now, the more will be automatically returned to you in the same spirit.

Kriti Sanon shames man watching pirated film on flight

ilwale star posted a series of angry tweets after a passenger sitting next to her on a flight brazenly started watching a pirated copy of one of her films. Actress Kriti Sanon was travelling to Delhi last week when the man seated beside her and her mother started using an iPhone projector to watch recent blockbuster “Dilwale”. The $15 million movie, which sees Sanon star alongside Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, had only been released in cinemas 10 days previously.

“Someone watchin pirated version of Dilwale in front of me on phone in the flight! Annoyed!! #SayNoToPiracy,” the 25-year-old posted on Twitter.

The tweet, which has been liked almost 3,000 times, was accompanied by a photo showing the passenger watching the movie. It also included an angry emoji face. Shortly afterwards she tweeted again.

Asha Parekh climbed 12 floors to lobby for Padma Bhushan’

itin Gadkari has said that veteran actress Asha Parekh had approached him seeking recommendation for Padma Bhushan and that many others have been “chasing” him as they want the highest civilian honours. He said giving away Padma awards has become a “headache” these days. The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award. “(We) receive so many letters for Padmashree and Padma Bhushan recommendations.

Bollywood personalities’ birthdays this week Mahendr Kapoor 09 January

Farhan Akhtar 09 January

Hrithik Roshan 10 January

Anu Agarwal 11 January

Imran Khan 13 January

Gurdas Mann 15 January

Neil Mukesh 15 January

Kabir Bedi 16 January

Star & Style

Saturday, January 9, 2016 i 3

Big money riding on Bollywood’s top guns and young stars in 2016

ollywood’s 2016 calendar seems exciting with a heady mix of biopics, thrillers, rom-coms, period dramas and actioners. The first week will unfold with a big-banner film, ‘Wazir’ starring Amitabh Bachchan and Farhan Akhtar. Unlike 2015, this year will have the three Khans — Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir — gracing the silver screen in never-seenbefore avatars. B-Town’s Gen-Y has some promising releases, too. And when one talks of mega projects, numbers come into play. Here’s a lowdown on how much moolah is riding on some of the Aleague actors: Katrina Kaif The bet: Rs 130–150 cr Lowdown: ‘Phantom’, her only release in 2015, received mixed response and barely touched the Rs 55-crore mark in the domestic market. 2016 promises to be big for her with two exciting films lined up for release — Abhishek Kapoor’s ‘Fitoor’ and ‘Jagga Jasoos’ with beau Ranbir Kapoor. Kangana Ranaut The bet: Rs 70 cr Lowdown: Last year, Kangana tasted success with ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’, but her other two films, ‘Katti Batti’ and ‘I Love New Year’ (with Sunny Deol which was shot several years ago but released last year, much to her displeasure) hardly found takers. We hear the actress has now decided to do one film per year. So, Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Rangoon’ with Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan might be her only release in 2016. Sushant Singh Rajput The bet: Rs 120– 150 cr Lowdown: After a not-so-great last year as ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!’ failed to impress the audience despite critical ac-

claim, Sushant is looking at 2016 with renewed hope. After all, he will be seen in the highly anticipated biopic on Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He also has Dinesh Vijan’s untitled next with Kriti Sanon. Shah Rukh Khan The bet: Rs 140–150 cr Lowdown: The superstar’s sole outing in 2015, ‘Dilwale’, broke into the Rs 100-crore club and is doing exceptionally well in the overseas market. This year, however, he will be aiming bigger with two much-anticipated releases — Maneesh Sharma’s ‘Fan’ and Rahul Dholakia’s ‘Raees’. Kareena Kapoor Khan The bet: Rs 90– 100 cr Lowdown: While Bebo basked in the success of ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ last year, she is set to have a bigger 2016 with two films slated to hit the marquee. One is Abhishek Chaubey’s ‘Udta Punjab’ and the other, R Balki’s ‘Ki and Ka’. Aamir Khan The bet: Rs 130 cr Lowdown: Mr Perfectionist prefers to do one film per year, but he was MIA in 2015 — except that he did a voiceover for Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ (for Pluto Mehra, a bullmastiff). This year end, he will be seen playing a wrestling coach in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Dangal’. Akshay Kumar The bet: Rs 200–230 cr Lowdown: He is the only star who does at least four films annually and rarely does he miss bull’s eye at the box office. In 2016, the actor has three Hindi

films including Raja Krishna Menon’s ‘Airlift’, Sajid-Farhad’s ‘Housefull 3’ and Neeraj Pandey’s ‘Rustom’. That apart, he will be seen in the Rajinikanth-starrer ‘Robot 2’. Ajay Devgn The bet: Rs 60–70 cr Lowdown: The actor had a decent 2015 with ‘Drishyam’ doing average business at the box office. This Diwali, the actor will grace the 70mm screens with his directorial venture, ‘Shivaay’. Newcomer Sayesha Saigal has been cast opposite him. Priyanka Chopra The bet: Rs 30–35 cr Lowdown: Although busy with the shoot of her American TV series ‘Quantico’, PeeCee was seen on the silver screen twice and her X’mas outing, ‘Bajirao Mastani’ continues to be a big draw. But this year, she has decided to go slow with only one release — Prakash Jha’s ‘Jai Gangaajal’ in which she will be seen as a firebrand cop. Anushka Sharma The bet: Rs 100–110 cr Lowdown: Last year, this actress turned producer with ‘NH10’ and went on to do two more films after that — ‘Bombay Velvet’, a BO disaster, and ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’, which had an ensemble cast and did quite well at ticket counters. In 2016, she seems to be taking it easy with just one film, Karan Johar’s next ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’. Salman Khan The bet: Rs 90–100 cr Lowdown: For the ‘Dabangg’ star, last year was super successful. While ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ grossed upwards of Rs 300 crore, ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ made around Rs 210 crore. He is now gearing up for his big release, ‘Sultan’ in which he plays a wrestler. Slated for an Eid release, the film will clash with SRK’s ‘Raees’. Hrithik Roshan The bet: Rs 110 cr Lowdown: In 2015, he went missing from

the big screen and shot for Ashutosh Gowariker’s dream project ‘Mohenjo Daro’, which will be his only release this year. Being a period drama, the budget is quite high. Hrithik has been paired opposite newbie Pooja Hegde. Alia Bhatt The bet: Rs 100–120 cr Lowdown: Her pairing with Shahid Kapoor in Shaandaar may not have worked last year, but this pretty face will be seen with him again in ‘Udta Punjab’ this year. Her other release will be ‘Kapoor & Sons’, from the stable of her mentor Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. Ranbir Kapoor The bet: Rs 150–200 cr Lowdown: He went missing from the scene in 2014 and last year didn’t exactly prove fruitful for him. 2015’s biggest dud, ‘Bombay Velvet’ belonged to this rising star. He did a cameo in ‘Roy’, which also bombed at the box office and Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Tamasha’ did just about average business (R61 crore). This year, he will be seen in diverse avatars — a detective in Anurag Basu’s ‘Jagga Jasoos’ and a romantic in Karan Johar’s ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’. Shahid Kapoor The bet: Rs 100–120 cr Lowdown: 2015 was memorable for Shahid from a personal point of view (he got married), but on professional front, it was quite forgettable with Vikas Bahl’s ‘Shaandaar’ biting the dust. This year, he has two big releases — Abhishek Chaubey’s ‘Udta Punjab’ and Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Rangoon’. Sonam Kapoor The bet: Rs 30 cr Lowdown: After a successful 2015 courtesy ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’, she is gearing up for ‘Neerja’, a biopic on braveheart Neerja Bhanot, who lost her life while rescuing passengers on board an ill-fated Pan Am flight which was hijacked.

Bollywood’s Sanjay Dutt to release soon

Sanjay Dutt is all set to walk out of jail on February 25 after the Maharashtra government remitted his sentence in the Mumbai serial blasts case, reports a leading daily. Speaking to the daily, a source said that the actor will be freed next month. The sources indicated that barring last-minute glitches, Sanjay would be released after completing the remaining 42-month period of his sentence. Dutt was acquitted of terror charges under the TADA, but found guilty of possessing illegal arms, acquired ostensibly to protect his family during the communal conflagration that engulfed Mumbai in December, 1992.

TV actress Ratan Rajput molested on sets of her new show? TV actress Ratan Rajput was allegedly molested by a unit hand on the set of her TV show, ‘Santoshi Maa’; she refused to shoot until production house took action The first week of 2016 has been controversial for telly town. After two cases of sexual abuse and cheating coming to the fore, we hear actress Ratan Rajput, who features in the recently launched socio-mythological TV series ‘Santoshi Maa’, was molested on the sets by a unit hand.

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4 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Here we take a look at some of celebrities after their break-ups

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atrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor the duo have been unfazed about break up. Katrina, who was shooting for a song sequence for her upcoming movie Fitoor in Film City on Tuesday, came back to the couple’s apartment in Bandra around 10:30 PM. Ranbir, who was sitting at the balcony and having beer since 9 PM, welcomed his ladylove with a warm kiss and the duo chatted together for half an hour. Awww! Katrina had even recently broken her annual ritual of going back to her family in London to celebrate Christmas in order to attend Shashi Kapoor’s Christmas luncheon. Looks like alls well in the Ran-Kat hood and we can finally put the nasty rumours to rest.

GARRY GREWAL

Saturday, January 9, 2016 i 5

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here is not a single state in the U.S. where a minimum wage employee working full-time can reasonably afford a one-bedroom apartment at the fair market rent. While 29 states, plus the District of Columbia, have taken steps to raise the minimum wageabove the federal rate of $7.25 per hour, affordable housing remains out of reach for the country’s low-income workers. A report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition reveals exactly how bad the problem has gotten over the past five years. At $7.25 per hour, a person would have to work 86 hours each week (more than double the standard full-time work week) in order to afford a one-bedroom apartment at the 2015 Fair Market Rent of $806. For the purposes of this report, “affordability” is defined according to the federal standard, which maintains that a housing unit is affordable if rent and utilities cost 30 percent or less of a household’s gross income. At full-time, a minimum wage worker would have to make at least $15.50 per hour to afford a one-bedroom apartment at the fair market rent. They

would have to make $19.35 per hour to afford a two-bedroom unit. This is a stunning statistic if you think about the fact that even the most ardent advocates for a national minimum wage increase have called for a $15 federal minimum wage. It’s even more stunning, however, when you consider that even the highest state-level minimum wage rates are significantly lower than what it takes to afford basic housing in the U.S. (In Washington, the state minimum wage is $9.47 per hour). The affordable housing crisis is a multifaceted ordeal. Demand for affordable housing is on the rise, but so is the cost of housing units in metro-

The US has an affordable housing crisis There is some incredible housing in the US, but it’s not affordable enough.

politan areas across the country. Yet wage growth is stagnant and low-income jobs are limited, according to data from the HUD, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau Labor Statistics, and the Depart4 i of Saturday, July 25, 2015 ment of Labor.

NYC affordable housingAPSome affordable housing projects are making way in cities like New York, but there is still much to be done. “Alongside the proposal to increase the minimum wage, it is

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necessary to expand the supply of housing affordable to minimum-wage and low-wage workers,” the National Low Income Housing Coalition reported. “If the need for housing is not addressed, minimum-wage and low-wage workers will continue to compete for an increasingly limited supply of homes.”

6 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Former Hells Angel told he can’t sell real estate until sentence expires

man who was once considered one of the most powerful Hells Angels in Quebec has been told he cannot deal in real estate while he continues to serve a lengthy sentence for conspiring to murder rival gang members. Normand Robitaille’s ascension within the Hells Angels while the biker gang was at war with rival gangs like the Rock Machine and the Dark Circle, between 1994 and 2002, revealed he was a very active participant in the conflict that claimed more than 160 lives. Beginning in 1995, he went from being a member of the Rockers (an underling gang that did the dirty work for the Nomads chapter) to becoming a full-patch (or full fledged) member of the Hells Angels in 1998. He was arrested, along with most of the Nomads chapter and the Rockers, in 2001, in a police crackdown on gang violence. The investigation, dubbed Operation Springtime 2001, revealed the Nomads chapter generated $111 million in revenue from drug trafficking between March 30, 1999, to Dec. 19, 2000 — a relatively brief period during which the police were able to secretly monitor the gang’s accounting practices. In 2003, when Robitaille plead-

ed guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, drug trafficking and gangsterism, he was left with a 15-year prison term to serve. But the sentence was increased to 17 years, in 2005, after a Quebec Superior Court judge ruled that Robitaille had used a company he owned to launder the millions he was making as a Hells Angel by purchasing several buildings in and around Montreal. More than $500,000 worth of cash and investments was ordered to be seized from Robitaille as part of the same case. While serving his sentence, Robitaille told Correctional Service Canada that he quit the biker gang and, in 2009, the Sûreté du Québec confirmed it appeared he had

severed ties with the Hells Angels. In 2013, he obtained permission for unescorted leaves that allowed him to attend courses at a Montreal business school. The Parole-

Board of Canada allowed Robitaille to take the courses because he appeared to be highly motivated and was assessed as having strong potential for becoming part of law-abiding society. When he reached his statutory release date (the two-thirds mark of his sentence), on Jan. 22, 2015, Robitaille already had a job lined up and planned to keep taking university-level courses. The parole board ordered that Robitaille reside at a halfway house while doing this. According to the most recent parole board decision made concerning Robitaille’s release, he has collaborated with his parole officer but has become so busy in his business activities “they have taken on a proportion that has become impossible to monitor.” A written summary

of the decision notes Robitaille is currently working for a company (whose name was redacted from the summary) where his primary functions are to develop new business opportunities. The summary states that while Robitaille has been transparent problems arose when he worked on a project to develop software connected to the auctioning of cars. This was interrupted because a background check of the people involved “revealed that one of (Robitaille’s) associates was a subject of interest to the police.” Other verifications found a bank account and a credit card that Robitaille had failed to report to his parole officers and that he had contacted the son of a member of the Hells Angels through the Internet – both were considered potential violations of the conditions

attached to his release in January 2015. Robitaille responded to the parole board, in writing, to all of the questions raised by the verifications and argued, successfully, that the person he contacted

Saturday, January 9, 2016 i 7

Some famous food places in Mumbai

Tomato, Basil, Pasta This is a simple recipe, flavorful dish served at room temperature. This dish will refrigerate well and is just as good the next day for lunch as a cold pasta salad

Ingredients :

riginal recipe makes 6 servingsChange Servings, 2 cupsdiced tomatoes, 1 smallonion, finely chopped, 6 tablespoonsolive oil 2 clovescrushed garlic, 6 leavesfresh basil, torn, 10 ouncesfusilli pasta, 3 tablespoonsgrated Parmesan cheese, or to taste, 1 1/2 cupscrumbled feta cheese, salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1.Stir tomatoes, onion, olive oil, garlic, and basil together in a bowl. 2.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook fusilli in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, 12 minutes. Drain. 3.Toss warm pasta with feta cheese and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Stir tomato mixture into pasta and season with salt and pepper.

Spinach and Feta Pasta Ingredients :

Recipe

riginal recipe makes 4 servings, 1 (8 ounce) packagepenne pasta, 2 tablespoonsolive oil, 1/2 cupchopped onion, 1 clovegarlic, minced, 3 cupschopped tomatoes, 1 cupsliced fresh mushrooms, 2 cupsspinach leaves, packed, salt and pepper to taste, 1 pinchred pepper flakes, 8 ouncesfeta cheese, crumbled

Method:

1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in

boiling water until al dente; drain. 2.Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic, and cook until golden brown. Mix in tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook 2 minutes more, until tomatoes are heated through and spinach is wilted. Reduce heat to medium, stir in pasta and feta cheese, and

8 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

AUTO

General Motors invests $500 million in Lyft Inc, signalling new era of partnership between auto makers, Silicon Valley

eneral Motors Co. is investing US$500 million in ride-sharing company Lyft Inc. to create a network of on-demand, self-driving cars — another signal that traditional auto makers aren’t prepared to sit idly by while Silicon Valley eats their lunch. The move comes at a time of major flux in the auto industry, with ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft threatening personal vehicle sales while auto makers and tech companies scramble to be the first to bring a viable self-driving car to market. GM’s top rival, Ford Motor Co., is reportedly in talks to build a fleet of self-driving cars for Google and could announce a deal as early as this week. It’s a far cry from the financial crisis, when years of complacency and stagnation landed two of the Detroit Three in bankruptcy protection. “This is a good step for the auto makers,” Jessica Caldwell, director of industry analysis at automotive website Edmunds.com, said in an interview. “They have a lot at stake here. They’re massive businesses and it’s better to change with the times and still play a hand in things, even if your role is somewhat different than it has been historically.” It may seem counter-intuitive for auto makers to invest in ride sharing, an innovation that could dent individual vehicle ownership as it becomes more widespread. But companies like GM are simply reading the writing on the wall, said Ed Kim, vice-president of industry analysis at research firm AutoPacific. “They are being proactive and making sure that they are

players in this, rather than trying to fight the future,” Kim said in an interview. “By getting involved early, that gives General Motors a leg up over their competitors.”

And it’s logical for tech companies like Lyft and Google to work with auto makers rather than trying to go it alone, said Caldwell. “I think the thing about Uber and Lyft and these other companies is they don’t necessarily want to get into the business of producing cars,” she said. “I think partnering with a car company makes a lot of sense — each one focuses on what they do best.” Under the deal announced Monday, GM will get a seat on Lyft’s board and will immediately become a preferred provider of short-term vehicles to Lyft drivers through rental hubs in various U.S. cities. Lyft is not currently available in Canada. At present, most discussions of the future of the auto industry “cast (traditional) auto makers as disadvantaged at best and disrupted at worst,” according to Citi analyst Itay Michaeli. “To be sure, this narrative isn’t entirely off base — we just think it gets applied way too broadly painting every automaker the same,” he wrote in a recent analysis. Michaeli argued that GM is likely to emerge as one of the “select partners” in the driverless era due

Saturday, January 9, 2016

U.S. Justice Department sues Volkswagen for emissions rigging

he U.S. Department of Justice is suing German automaker Volkswagen for falsifying the emissions on 600,000 diesel vehicles in the U.S. A civil complaint filed in Detroit Monday does not include criminal charges but would involve additional monetary penalties for Volkswagen, which admitted in September that it had installed software on 11 million vehicles worldwide designed to beat emissions tests. The company is negotiating a massive mandatory recall withthe EPA and potentially faces more than $18 billion in fines

for violations of the federal Clean Air Act. The company could also still face separate criminal charges, while a raft of private class-action lawsuits filed by angry VW owners are pending. “Car manufacturers that fail to properly certify their cars and that defeat emission control systems breach the public trust, endanger public health and disadvantage competitors,” assistant attorney general John C. Cruden with the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said.

Canada sets record for new vehicle sales in 2015

prominent auto industry analyst says preliminary figures show Canada saw another record year in 2015 for the number of new vehicles sold to consumers. Dennis DesRosiers said 1.898 million new vehicles were sold in Canada in 2015, which he said marked the third consecutive year the country saw a new record set. “All the stars lined up last year,” DesRosiers told CBC News in an interview on Tuesday, when describing the contributing factors to sales in Canada in 2015. DesRosiers said gas prices and interest rates were low, consumers had many new products to choose from and there were a record number of old vehicles on the road that were in need of replacement. Figures from DesRosiers show that Fiat

Chrysler Canada claimed the top sales spot with 293,061 vehicles sold last year, up 1.1 per cent from 2014. Ford Canada, whose annual sales slipped 4.6 per cent to 278,437, came in second, while thirdplace General Motors Canada saw its sales climb 5.4 per cent to 263,335. Sales of light trucks, which include SUVs, minivans and pickup trucks, rose 8.8 per cent over 2014. Sales of cars slipped 6.3 per cent. Statistics Canada is not slated to release its own figures for December 2015 until February. Its figures for November will come out later this month. DesRosiers said the statistics agency’s total for 2015 will be higher than his own, as he is not counting the sales of some high-end, exotic vehicles, as Statistics Canada does.

NATIONAL

20 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Law and information groups challenge retroactive Conservative law

retroactive Conservative law buried in last spring’s omnibus budget bill fundamentally undermines the rule of law and government access-to-information systems across Canada, according to court submissions in a paused constitutional challenge.Twelve of Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial information commissioners, as well as the Criminal Lawyers’ Association, are seeking intervener status in the case, which challenges the former government’s unprecedented rewrite of an old law to get the RCMP and any other government official off the hook for illegally destroying long gun registry records.The case, brought by federal information commissioner Suzanne Legault on behalf of individual Bill Clennett, is one of the messier legal challenges the new Liberal govern-

ment will have to mop up in 2016.The retrospective Conservative changes, backdated all the way to October 2011, served to short-circuit an active investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police into the government-backed actions of the RCMP. Repealing the changes, which became law last June, would presumably put the Mounties back under investigation.”Should this legislation withstand this challenge, it would

have far-reaching implications for criminal law principles,” the Criminal Lawyers’ Association says in its submission to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, calling the retroactive legal rewrite ground-breaking.”State actors obtained the benefit of a retrospective immunization that ordinary citizens have never obtained.” The new Liberal government asked for, and received, a three-month delay in the start of the trial last month as it mulls over its options.It’s

been a long legal road.The federal information commissioner had begun an investigation into a complaint about access to firearms registry records before the government passed the Ending the Longgun Registry Act in April 2012. The government subsequently assured Legault that it would preserve the records until her investigation was complete, but then pushed the Mounties to quickly destroy the data,

Rookie Liberal MP Seamus O’Regan checks into program to adopt ‘alcohol free lifestyle’ ewly elected Liberal MP and for-

mer broadcast journalist Seamus O’Regan says he has entered a wellness program to adopt “an alcohol free lifestyle.” O’Regan, who hosted CTV’s Canada AM for nearly a decade,

announced from his Twitter account on Sunday that he had checked into the program over the holiday break. “I’ve decided after consultation with family that I can be most effective as a Member of Parliament by adopting an alcohol free lifestyle,” O’Regan tweeted. “To that end, over the

holiday break, I have entered a wellness program.” O’Regan added that he will return to his duties as a MP for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl before Parliament resumes later this month. He also noted that he’d have “more to say” on the matter in the future, but asked for privacy until then.

Polls indicate that Canadians are not quite as hapy as Media suggests

n a recent poll conducted across Canada suggests that the Canadian media is unabashedly biased when portraying the true feelings of Canadians and not reporting the truth. The poll was conducted in order to find out the true feelings of Canadians in regard to their newly elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Of the questions asked, it was discovered that a whopping 58% of Canadians were very unhappy and frustrated with the PM’s first couple months on the job but surprisingly the same amount of people polled were just as unhappy with the media’s coverage of important stories saying they felt news reports were biased and more aimed at manipulating the public than reporting the true story. Of the questions asked, 67% felt that Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party’s rush to bring in refugees without proper screening was more of a political ploy aimed not at helping true refugees but more as a way of securing their political future. Most Canadians and countries watching our progress from a distance are unaware that the first wave of refugees recently brought to Canada were from when the Conservative Government was still in power. These

“refugees” were actually Syrians sponsored from families already in Canada and the Trudeau’s Liberal Party as well as Kathleen Wynne’s’ government simply used this arrival as a photo opportunity to enhance their image as a caring government and as a means of securing future votes. When asked if they felt that Trudeau was putting Canadians in danger because of his rush to bring in unscreened refugees, an overwhelming majority responded yes. Especially in light of the fact that Canada has already received direct terror threats from ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdad, i who has called on all Muslims living within Canada to attack Canadians, Christians and Jewish people “wherever they may be and by using whatever means possible”, including randomly stabbing unsuspecting citizens and running them over with your car if you must. “If that isn’t a direct threat, I don’t know what is”, said Mark Armstrong, a 55 year old teacher from Mississauga Ontario. “I am seriously afraid for my future for the first time ever”.

POLITICS

Single-event sports betting bill to return after NDP MP wins parliamentary ‘lottery’

t any given time, no more than 30 private members’ bills or motions are allowed on the House agenda, with the order determined by lottery. For those whose names are drawn first, winning the legislative lottery can be a chance to bring a campaign pledge to the floor of the House of Commons. That’s exactly what Windsor West NDP MP Brian Masse plans to do. His name was picked seventh in the most recent draw to determine what’s officially called the order of precedence for

private member’s business. He told CBC’s Windsor Morning host Tony Doucette on Monday that he intends to re-introduce a bill designed to legalize single-event sports. “I’ve promised to try to restore the single sports betting bill,” he said. Original bill died in Senate Retired NDP MP Joe Comartin first introduced Bill C-290 back in 2011. It passed the House with all-party approval and arrived in the Senate in March 2012, and ended up one stage short of Royal Assent by June 2013.

B.C. Conservative leader resigns

he head of British Columbia Conservatives says he’s resigning as leader due to family and business responsibilities. Dan Brooks was elected leader on April 12, 2014, taking over from John Cummins after the party’s disappointing finish in the 2013 provincial election.

Brooks says it has been an honour to serve, but the leadership is a volunteer position and he has a business and a family to support. His business, a tourism resort in north-central B.C., means Brooks is an absentee leader for much of the summer, and he says members want somebody who is more active.

From refugee to cabinet minister, Maryam Monsef tasked with electoral reform

s the Liberals work to fulfill an ambitious pledge to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees in just a few months, there’s one member of the Trudeau cabinet who knows more about the experience than most. Maryam Monsef, the woman who is tasked with creating a fairer way to elect a federal government in Canada, arrived in this country from Afghanistan at the age of 11 with her widowed mother and two sisters. Nineteen years after landing in Montreal as a refugee, she is the Minister of

Democratic Institutions and the fourth-youngest member of cabinet in Canadian history. “You’re born into a culture, nurtured into those memories. And part of me will always be shaped by my roots. The perspective I bring to tables here, or the House of Commons, or the cabinet, is always going to be shaped by that first third of my life and of my heritage,” Ms. Monsef said during an interview in a boardroom on the nearly empty floor of an Ottawa office building that will eventually house her staff.

Liberals drop legal appeal of unconstitutional Conservative refugee measure

he Liberal government says it won’t fight to preserve Conservative government rule changes that made it impossible for some rejected refugee claimants to pursue appeals. A Federal Court ruled in July that it was unconstitutional for the Conservatives to strip the right of appeal for refugee applicants from a list of countries the government deemed to be “safe.” The former Harper government began a legal appeal of that judgment, but lost power in the October election that vaulted Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to power. The lingering legal battle was just one of many left over from the Conservative era, when the courts repeatedly found Conservative laws to be in breach of the charter. Diane Laursen, a spokeswomen for Immigration Minister John McCallum, says the government has withdrawn the legal appeal in the refugee case, which was brought by the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers

Court program for drug addicts helping mostly white males, report finds

Saturday, January 9, 2016 i 21

federal court program to divert drug addicts away from prison and into treatment is still not reaching the people it was supposed to help: aboriginals, women and youth. A new evaluation says the program is largely helping white males over the age of 30, the same skewed population a previous assessment warned about six years ago. Drug treatment courts “continue to experience difficulties … attracting women, aboriginal people, other visible minorities and youth into the program, and retaining them once they have entered it,” says a recently released report.

on behalf of rejected refugees from Croatia, Hungary and Romania.

The bill died when the 42nd general election was called. The process now has to start over. “We look forward to the bill being in-

troduced by Brian,” Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce president Matt Marchand said. “We fully anticipate the bill will pass and we expect the Senate will carry out the will of the House.”

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CLASSIFIEDS

Saturday, January 9, 2016

C JOBS

“Mobile Zone Communication Inc., located at 123-9855 Austin Road, Burnaby, BC V3J1N4, has immediate 2 vacancies for Cell phone Technician for two different locations. One vacancy for 123-9855 Austin Road, Burnaby BC V3J 1N4 and one vacancy for Brentwood Town Centre 4567 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby, BC V5C 3Z6. Full time, permanent positions with 35-40 hours per week, $31/hour. Job Duties include: Perform Inspection,Testing, Diagnose and Troubleshoot smart phone and other mobile devices; Disassemble the device to install, remove, repair or replace defective parts; Perform high quality repairs and refurbishment of phones/cell phones/tablets; Ensure all repair meets quality standards; Monitor parts inventory and inform management of status; Accurately document repairs and parts information on repair tracking document; Maintaining and using tools and equipment properly; Interact with customer as needed, providing exceptional customer service. Employment Requirements: Completion of Secondary School with 2-3 years of experience or Completion of 3-4 years apprenticeship training program or Trade certification with several months of on-job training. If interested please send resume at mobilezonecommunicationinc@gmail.com”

JOBS

------------------------------Jun 02_16

35 to 40 hours per week. Job Duties includes Read & interpret drawings & sketches to determine specifications; Estimate height, width, length, & other proportions; Measure, cut, shape, & assemble materials using woodworking machines, power tools and hand tools; Build exterior doors, interior doors, custom doors with jams; Install hardware such as hinges, handles, catches using hand tools and power tools; Repair doors & replace panels of doors. Job requirement: High school with 2-3 years of experience. Trade certificate will be considered as an asset. If interested send resumes by email at westerndoormanufacturing@gmail.com ------------- September 5, 2015

Vacancy for In-home Caregiver Balwinder Singh Singhmaar, resident of 15095 92Ave, Surrey, BC V3R 5V8 has a vacancy for Inhome Child caregiver for infant child and 9 years old son. Full Time, $11 / hour, 40 hrs/week. Applicant must have high school with minimum of one year of related experience within last three years or six months of full time training in caregiving. Job Duties includes Supervise and care for children, prepare formulas and change diaper of infant, feeding, bathing, dressing, prepare children for rest period, escort child to school, prepare and serve nutritious meal and snacks, accompany to and from activities & appointments, light housekeeping, laundry, maintain safe environment at home, keep record of day-to-day activities, health and progress of children. Send resumes by email at balwinderssinghmaar@gmail.com -------------- Oct 31 2015

Western door manufacturing Ltd. located at #109-8250 124Street, Surrey BC V3W 3X9, has an immediate vacancy of Carpenter. We design and manufacture high end solid wood exterior doors, solid wood interior doors and custom doors. Full time permanent job position with wages of $25per hour.

Jun13_155 Long Haul Truck Drivers Reqd. Sal:$23.00/hr, 40hr/wk, +1yr exp. & Class A 0r 1 license reqd., FT/PT Duties: Operate, drive straight or articulated trucks to transport goods & materials on local routes or over long distances.Plan trip logistics & obtain required documentation to transport goods.Perform pre-trip & post-trip inspection of vehicle systems.Record cargo information, hours of service, distance travelled & fuel consumption. May perform emergency roadside repairs. Lang: English. Work at various location in Canada & USA. Contact: Balwinder from Metro Transport ltd.12772 82nd Ave, Surrey, V3W 3G1 E-mail your resume at metro_transport@ yahoo.ca. ------------------------------Jun13_15

1 Optical Frame Fitter Reqd. Sal: $22.00/hr, 40hr/wk, +1yrs exp. or certification reqd., FT/ PT Duties: Obtain specifications for eyeglasses or contact lenses from a prescription. Assist clients in selecting eyeglasses. Grinding & polishing of lenses. Cut & edge lenses & fit lenses into frames. May supervise or manage activities of other opticians. Lang: English. Location: 12841 96 Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3V 6V9 Contact: Imran from Eye See 2020 Optical

JOBS at opt_eyesee@yahoo.ca. ------------------------------Jun 06_15 Dosa Corner Restaurant Ltd in Vancouver Looking to hire an authentic south indian chef . This is a full time permanent position. $18.50/hr. 40hrs/week. Must have at least 3-5yrs experience in south indian cuisine & specialized knowledge in Dosas. Duties include Prepare & cook meals.kitchen management. Plan menus & quality. Orders food supplies. Mail your resume to selvamm164@gmail.com or apply by person at DosaCorner Vancouver. 110-8248 Fraser Street. Vancouver. B.C.. V5X 3X6 Ph: 604-324-3672. -----------------------------------Seamstress required Seamstress (Tailor) needed Foam & Décor is looking for Full Time or Part Time Seamstress ( tailor) for drapery in Surrey. Salary will be provided @ 12 per hour. Please call 604-594-1882 Mayuri Indian foods inc is looking to hire an Ethnic Food Cook in Surrey BC. F/T & Perm.$17/hr. Must have at least 2-3 yrs experience in South Indian cuisine & specialized knowledge in Indian spicing. Duties: Prepare & Cook meals; Supervise Kitchen helpers; Plan menus; Ensure quality & determine food proportions; Monitor & order food supplies; Set up & oversee buffets; Manage kitchen operation. Mail resume or apply by person Mayuri indian cuisine , Unit 102A,12677 80th Ave., Surrey BC V3W 3A6 Fax: 604-572-3281 ------------------------------------English Classes for Adults Register for classes September 2-8 For more information,Visit: www. victoryesl.com Call: 604.755.7976 E-mail: victoryesl1@gmail.com ---------------------------Cook Require Curry junction Restaurant in White Rock need cook immediately, This is a full time permanent position for a experi-

S Basement for Rent

One bed room basement suite is available for rent from 1st of January 2016. Rent $ 600 including utility & internet . Walking distance to Bell Centre, Elementary & High School and Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib. Call 778-628-4473 enced person, Depending on experience salary will be upto $21 per hr. with other benefits. Call:604-729-6741 or 604-385-1558 ---------------------------Transworld Security located at 2nd Floor, 5050, Kingsway, Burnaby BC V5H 4H2 is looking for a Static Guard, Static Guard Supervisor, Mobile Supervisor and Field Manager. These are permanent full-time positions. Static Guard pay rate is $13.00 per hour plus vacation pay. You would be required to patrol industrial and commercial premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of doors, windows and gates. Answer alarms and investigate disturbances. Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors and guests. Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency. Circulate among visitors, patrons and employees to preserve order and protect property. Static Guard Supervisor pay rate is $14.00 per hour plus vacation pay. You would be required to oversee and supervise Static Guards. You will need to ensure the duties of the Static Guards you supervise are being completed and the client’s needs are being met. Field Manager pay rate is $18.00 per hour plus vacation pay. You would be required to report to

To PLACE YOUR AD IN THE ASIAN STAR CLASSIFIEDS Section Please

Call: 604-591-5423

COMMUNITY PICS Entrepreneurship Program – New Session Begins January 27th, 2016 PICS is currently accepting applications for it’s PICS Entrepreneurship Program, a nine week training course which will teach you all the ropes of how to start a successful business. Classes include helping you develop a business plan and ways in which you can secure finance for your plan. The training is followed by sixteen weeks of mentorship and consultation as well. New session begins on January 27, 2016 in Vancouver. Participants will be recruited from the following groups: Youth (15 to 29 years), or Aboriginals, or Persons with Disabilities (self-identified disability that restricts regular employment). Potential participants may contact Deshpal Grewal at PICS at 604-596-7722 ext. 126 and register for the next information session scheduled for: •January 13, 2016 at 2:30 PM – PICS Head Office in Surrey (#205 – 12725 80th Ave, Surrey, BC) January 20, 2016 at 2:30 PM – PICS Vancouver Office (#200 – 8153 Main Street, Vancouver, BC) ------------------------------------------Local Church Announces Saturday Service to Accommodate Young Families David McLauren and Mosaic Community Church announced a new Saturday service today to accommodate the demanding schedules of the local community. Did you know that the Lower Mainland is one of the most diverse regions of the North America, with over 100 different spoken languages? Our communities are being joined by thousands of people from nearly every nation, culture, and ethnic group of the world. The Lower Mainland is increasingly becoming a multicultural mosaic; however, over 90% of churches in the area have church services only on Sunday morning. Mosaic Community Church is a new missional church in the Lower Mainland. This new Saturday service will benefit several people in the community who: * are newcomers to the community * are looking for networking opportunities * want to add some color to their church experience * can’t wait till Sunday * are looking for something to do on a Saturday night * prefer to sleep on Sundays Mosaic Community Church meets Saturday evenings at 6:30 PM in Surrey. Mosaic Community Church Surrey: 12150 - 90 Avenue, Surrey ------------------------------------------------------Emotional Health & Stress Management Workshop Christmas and holiday season is a time for family and friends’ gathering. For new immigrants, it is exciting to celebrate the festivals in Canada, but it may be stressful as they are away from their home country. This workshop will provide information about how to manage your mood with limited winter daylight hours, maintain good health and make friends so that we can move forward in 2016 ---------------------------------------------January 6, 10am–12pm New Westminster Public Library Main Branch, 716–6th Ave Angel 604 438 8214 ext 104 ---------------------------------------------Legal Information Workshops: WorkSafe Standards Learn about workplace safety and protecting yourself. Topics include certification and training; bullying and harassment; first aid; WHMIS;

personal protective equipment (PPE); road safety; mental health in the workplace; violence prevention. For adults: January 10, 1:30–3:30pm For youth: January 23, 1:30–3:30pm ---------------------------------------------MOSAIC Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway 604 438 8214 ext 211 Canadian Citizenship Preparation January 18 & 19, 5:30–8:30pm Tommy Douglas Burnaby Public Library, 7311 Kingsway Angel 604 438 8214 ext 104 ---------------------------------------------English Conversation Circle for Newcomers Tuesdays, 1–2:30pm, January 19–February 23 MOSAIC Vancouver Language Centre, 304–2730 Commercial Dr Paeony 604 254 9626 ext 288 ---------------------------------------------Public Service Announcement Registrations start now for MOSAIC Seniors Club Winter Term. MOSAIC Seniors Club provides free activities for immigrant seniors age 55 and above. We also provide workshops and individual support on topics relevant to seniors including. We run activities such as English Conversation Circles and Taichi class. Come make new friends, practice English, get information and have fun! Burnaby South: 5902 Kingsway 604 438 8214 ----------------------------------------------English Conversation Circle (Beginners): Starting January 18, Mondays, 9:30–11:30am English Conversation Circle (Upper Beginners): Starting January 18, Mondays, 9:30–11:30am Knitting Circle: Starting January 19, Tuesdays, 2–3:30pm ----------------------------------------------Burnaby North: 2055 Rosser Avenue || 604 292 3907 English Conversation Circle (Beginners): Starting January 20, Wednesdays, 9:30–11:30am Wai Dan Gong Exercise: Starting January 22, Fridays, 9–10am Taichi: Starting January 22, Fridays, 10:30am–12pm English Conversation Circle (Upper Beginners): Starting January 22, Fridays, 12:30–2:30pm ----------------------------------------------Vancouver: 1720 Grant St || 604 254 9626 ext 273 Priority for Permanent Residents. English Conversation Circle (Lower Beginners): Starting January 14, Thursdays, 10am– 12pm

Saturday, January 9, 2016 i 23

Better at home’s Humjoli event a grand success Surrey– Better at Home (Surrey-Whalley)’s group social initiative for isolated South Asian Women called Humjoli organized a New Year’s and Lohri celebration this week. The event organized at Taj Park Banquet Hall was attended by over 100 women and guests of honor were MP Sukh Dhaliwal and MLA Sue Hammell. The women strung together an interesting line-up of items including a skit, group song, a qawaali and much more. A delicious lunch was served and a number of gift baskets courtesy of 411 Seniors Centre Society were also given as door prizes. “Humjoli” meaning friend or buddy is a group social initiative of Better at Home Surrey-Whalley hosted by PICS for Isolated South Asian Senior Women. “The social initiative of the Better at Home Program is a great way for isolated and lonely women to make friends and socialize. The group started with a handful of women, but I am pleased that Humjoli now has more than 100 members who regularly meet and support each other,” said Charan Gill, CEO, PICS. “As our lives are getting busier, our senior population, especially women find themselves increasingly secluded. We therefore decided that an initiative such as Humjoli was a great way to bring these women together and I am extremely pleased with its success,’ said Sonia Chaudhary, Manager Better at Home Program, PICS. Chaudhary thanked the organizing commit-

English Conversation Circle (Beginners): Starting January 14, Thursdays, 12–2pm English Conversation Circle (Upper Beginners): Starting January 14, Thursdays, 2–4pm ‘Wai Dan Gong’ exercise: Starting January 22, Fridays, 11am–12pm ------------------------------------------------------Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members and non members also to come and play Bingo for the sake of fun and make some new friends, on November 22nd 2015( Sunday ) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall 8321 - 140th street Surrey B.C. Please bring only two dollars with you to play 2 games, do not worry if you do not know how to play, members will explain you the game just for the sake of fun. Tea & light snacks will be served after the game is over. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator at 604 - 507 - 9945 for further details. -----------------------------------LCA of BC Celebrates Jalaram Jayanti in Burnaby and Surrey 1. Keshyapbhai Ruparel & Family (Bharat Jewellers) cordially invites all to 216th Jalaram Jayanti celebrations with bhajans and kirtans on Saturday November 21, 2015 at VHP Temple, 3885 Albert Street, Burnaby. Priti Bhojan 5.30pm Bhajan\Satang program 7.00pm For Further Information Please Contact: Kaushikaben Pabari: 604 945 5640 VHP Temple: 604 299 5922

Pictured above are from right MP Sukh Dhaliwa and Charan Gill tee members of Humjoli , especially President Saroj Sood for taking the initiative in organizing the event. Better at Home, a program designed to help seniors living in their own homes by providing non-medical support services. The program is funded by government of BC, managed by United Way and delivered by local non-profit organizations, such as Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society, which delivers the program in Surrey-Whalley and South Vancouver. While some services might be offered for free, most Better at Home services are provided on a fee-for-service basis. Services are offered on a sliding scale based on income level and vary depending on the unique needs of local seniors. If you are a South Asian senior woman and would like to be a part of this group, please call 604-596-7722 and speak to Sonia Chaudhry for more information. For media interviews or for more information please call Shruti PrakashJoshi @ 604-596-7722 ext 115. -----------------------------------------------------------Hetsi and Keshvi Vithlani & FAMILY cordially invites all to 216th Jalaram Jayanti Celebrations with Bhajans and Kirtan on Sunday November 22, 2015 at 10.30 am at Laxminarayan Temple, 8321 140th Street, Surrey. Bhajan Program will be Presented by Highly Talented Local Group. Priti Bhojan After Arti. For Further Information Please Contact: Mansukhbhai Thanki (604) 518-1557. ----------------------------------------------------------Secret Asian Super Singer to Support S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Seniors Service S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Multi-Level Care Society Goodwill Ambassador Charity Night will be held at 6:00 pm , Monday, November 2, 2015 at the River Rock Show Theatre, Richmond. The event aims to raise $ 110,000 to support the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Seniors Care Home expansion and maintenance project. The festivities include a VIP reception, an exclusive dinner, entertainment and fundraising karaoke. The night will feature an acclaimed popular artist from Hong Kong as a secret guest performer. A group of artists from AM1320 will present a mini concert and a Beijing Opera from Sunshine Troupe Association will perform as well. The Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and other elected officials will join the event. The Goodwill Ambassador Council is a group of passionate volunteers of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Multi-Level Care Society. Established in 2006, the Council hosts fundraising events every 2 years to support the Society to improve the quality of life for the seniors. Incorporated in 1995, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Multi-Level Care Society was established to provide linguistically and culturally appropriate care for seniors in our community.

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Saturday, January 9, 2016

Jobless rate remains same despite 22,800 added jobs in December rate stayed level at 7.1 per cent. Ontario was the only province to post a jobs increase, according to Statistics Canada figures released Friday. Everywhere else, the figure was either flat or declined. The strong figure was much better than what analysts polled by Bloomberg were expecting — a contraction of Canada’s job market added 10,000 jobs. December’s fignearly 23,000 jobs in Decem- ure brings the total number of ber, but the unemployment new jobs in 2015 to 158,000. Canada’s job market added nearly 23,000 jobs in December, but the unemployment rate stayed level at 7.1 per cent. Ontario was the only province to post a jobs increase, according to Statistics Canada figures released Friday. Everywhere else, the figure was either flat or declined. The strong figure was much better than what analysts polled by Bloomberg were expecting — a contraction of 10,000 jobs. December’s figure brings the total number of new jobs in 2015 to 158,000.

Business / Finance Canadian who promoted multi-million dollar IRS fraud scheme gets 11 years in prison in US

n Ontario man who got swept up in a get-rich scheme that fleeced the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of millions of dollars was sentenced Monday to 11 years in prison. Kevin Cyster, 52, of Burlington, Ont., was part of a small group of Canadians that falsely claimed to the U.S. tax-collecting agency that nearly $10 million in federal income taxes had been withheld on their behalf by various Canadian financial institutions and paid over to the IRS. The IRS ended up paying out more than $3.5 million in refunds to the group before the fraud was detected. Prosecutors said Cyster had helped to promote the scheme and hosted meetings at his home for potential recruits. He and other members of the group opened bank accounts at various locations in New York State where the tax-refund cheques would be deposited. After a six-day trial, a federal jury in Rochester, N.Y., convicted Cyster in September on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit theft of government funds; making a false claim

against the U.S.; and transferring stolen money in foreign commerce. Brekke ‘knew the tax system’s vulnerabilities and exploited them’ Former California resident Ronald Brekke was the mastermind behind the scheme and helped create and file the false IRS forms, prosecutors said. According to a report in the Orange County Register in 2012, Brekke, then 55, grew his scheme through seminars and emails, charging each client $50 to $75. He convinced nearly 1,000 people in the U.S. and Canada to file $763 million in bogus tax-refund claims. Brekke “knew the tax system’s vulnerabilities and exploited them … and the result was people getting free money who never paid a dime into the U.S. Treasury,” prosecutors told the court, according to the newspaper. Brekke was sentenced that year to 12 years in prison. In addition to his prison term, Cyster was ordered to pay $3.5-million restitution to the IRS. One of Cyster’s co-conspirators, Renee Jarvis, 51, also of Ontario, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit theft of government funds. She is due for sentencing next week.

Sask. Premier Brad Wall asks Ottawa to send money back while oil prices low

askatchewan’s premier wants the federal government to consider returning a portion of the money it is taking from so-called “have” provinces while energy prices are low. Brad Wall says provincial taxpayers in Saskatchewan continue to send hundreds of millions of dollars Ottawa’s way through their taxes. The federal government sends money out to poorer provinces through its equalization program. Wall says because of a lag in calculating those payments, Saskatchewan is sending money when its resource economy is struggling. He says the same is true for other energy-dependent provinces, such as Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador. Money could be used for infrastructure, retraining “It might be time for the federal government, not through a direct bailout to any sort of sector, but to realize that Newfoundland and Labrador... Alberta and Saskatchewan perhaps

should be provided some of that [money] back,” Wall said. Wall says the money could be used for infrastructure projects or even retraining of workers. “Taxpayers are paying into this program even when the reason for them being a ‘have’ province is the resources for the most part, are suffering mightily under low prices,” Wall said. “So can we recognize that? In terms of a federal transfer back on infrastructure or training that might be a little bit more than what we would otherwise get?” Wall says to avoid trying to reach consensus on changes to the country’s equalization formula, this would be a special payment made outside of that program. Others agree. Jack Mintz, an economist at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, says Wall has a good point. “Something should be considered. In fact, at one time, there was always a stabilization program, so that if a province dropped a significant amount of revenue in Continued on next page

Business / Finance

Canadians anxious about low oil prices and weak dollar, pollster says

brief surge in post-election economic optimism has given way to increased anxiety among Canadians – a sentiment some economists believe could have a chilling effect on the economy. A Nanos Research poll commissioned by The Globe and Mail found 44 per cent of respondents expected the Canadian economy to be weaker this year compared with 2015, while only 19 per cent thought it would be stronger. Another 27 per cent said they expected things to remain about the same. “For the first quarter, we’ll probably see soft economic confidence and continued anxiety about the future strength of the Canadian economy,” pollster Nik Nanos said. That “can definitely have a chilling effect in the short term,” he said, adding that stubbornly low oil prices and a weak Canadian dollar “make [Canadians] nervous” and could lead some to delay making big-ticket purchases. Respondents were similarly concerned about their personal finances: Twice as many respondents (36 per cent) expected to be worse off this year, compared with 2015, as those who expected to be better off (18 per cent).The poll of 1,000 Canadian adults, conducted online between Dec. 18 and 21, is considered to be accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. “It’s pretty clear when we look at economic sentiment there’s a big black cloud looming over Canadians when they’re thinking about the economy,” Mr. Nanos said. A separate weekly Nanos poll shows Canadian consumer confidence has dropped steadily since

mid-November, while the firm’s “expectations index” that gauges the economic outlook by Canadians has fallen to 50 from 57.6 in six weeks. Economists are predicting a meagre year for consumer spending, as weak conditions in resource-heavy regions, notably Alberta, offset gains in British Columbia and Ontario. The Bank of Montreal is forecasting a 2-per-cent increase in consumer spending in 2016, which would be “one of the weakest performances outside of recessions in the past 40 years,” chief economist Douglas Porter said. “A weak dollar is good news for producers generally but clear-cut bad news for Canadian consumers. … On balance, it looks to be a mediocre year at best for consumer spending in 2016, with massive regional divergences.” In addition to the weak dollar and oil prices, a rise in Canadian unemployment to 7.1 per cent from 6.6 per cent a year ago has “skewered consumer confidence,” he said. Royal Bank of Canada economist Paul Ferley agreed that “fairly pervasive” negative consumer confidence “is something that could keep economic activity fairly modest.” But he cautioned that confidence is typically more tied to the state of labour markets, which “have been holding up better than expected” – with the economy adding 10,000 to 15,000 jobs a month. If job creation continues through 2016, “I think that will have the dominant impact and give consumers confidence.” Mr. Ferley added that lower oil prices have both cut household costs and helped to stimulate the U.S. economy, which should improve markets for Canadian goods,

StatsCan hiring for 35,000 census jobs

tatistics Canada is hiring 35,000 people across the country to conduct the 2016 census, the first in a decade that will feature a mandatory long-form questionnaire. About 3,400 of those temporary positions will be in the national capital region, the agency said Monday. The Liberal government re-instated the mandatory long-form census in early November, a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet were sworn in. The Conservative government had scrapped it five years ago, replacing it with the less reliable and more expensive National Household Survey amid much controversy. The next census will be held starting in May 2016, when StatsCan will send census letters and packages to all Canadian households. But early enumeration activities in remote areas of the territories and communities in northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and Labrador are starting next month. Statistics Canada said applications for those early enumeration activities, including guides, translators and

drivers, are already being processed. But overall, the agency is looking to hire 25,000 enumerators, 4,000 crew leaders and crew leader assistants, and 6,000 other positions across the country from mid-March to mid-July. Of the 3,400 jobs available in the National Capital Region, about 2,000 positions will be field staff who will collect questionnaires. Another 1,400 positions will be at the all-important census data operations centre, which is responsible for data processing as well as the census help line. Most of those jobs will be at 200 de la Technologie Boulevard in Gatineau. StatsCan says special bus routes will be arranged to and from the building. A few of the help line jobs will be at the Tunney’s Pasture government complex in Ottawa. “These jobs are ideal for students, recently retired persons, stay-at-home parents, and those wanting to supplement their income,” StatsCan’s website says. Statistics Canada is encouraging anyone interested in being a crew leader or an enumerator to submit applications. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be eligible to work in Canada.

From previous page

Sask. Premier Brad Wall asks Ottawa to send money back while oil prices low one year, the federal government could give stabilization revenues,” Mintz said . “And I think actually that would be the answer, for the federal government to consider bringing back the stabilization pro-

gram — at least something temporary while the equalization program catches up with the times.” Wall suggested the money could be used for infrastructure projects or worker retraining programs.

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Saturday, January 9, 2016

PUNJAB

Capt Amarinder blames Centre for the terror attack

unjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh today came down heavily on the Union Government for blaming the state police for their alleged poor response to the infiltration by terrorists in Pathankot. “The Punjab Police did a very good job. They gave intelligence input well in time. It was not their job to launch counter-terrorism operations. That was the job of

the Centre. Sending the National Security Guards to Pathankot was a tactical mistake for which someone at the Centre should own the responsibility,” Captain said today. He held a meeting with Congress general secretary in charge of Punjab Shakeel Ahmad ahead of the expected reconstitution of the state unit. Amarinder said loss of lives in Pathankot was the result of wrong deploy-

23 foreign trainee pilots were at air base when terror struck

esides protection of strategic assets and families of soldiers residing at the Pathankot Air Force station, the safety of 23 trainee fighter pilots from other countries was a major concern for the Indian security establishment when terrorists attacked the air base on the intervening night of January 1 and 2. Trainee fighter pilots belonging to Afghanistan, Nigeria, Sri Lanka

and Myanmar were present at the Pathankot air base on that day. This was revealed by Lt Gen KJ Singh, Army Commander, Western Command, today. The safety of those pilots was a top priority for the security establishments involved in neutralising the terrorists, he said. Listing the “successes” achieved during the operation, he said, “There has been no collateral damage... Around 3,000 families (11,000 people) live in that air force

P Salwinder Singh and his cluding its key installations. An two companions reportofficial said three groups worked edly met a prominent polin tandem to launch the attack itician of Gurdaspur district the — two comprised terrorist outnight they were ‘kidnapped’ by fits and the third consisted of terrorists, before the Pathankot air the three local handlers. Sources base attack, near Bamyal village. said it was being probed if these This came to the fore during inhandlers had any connection vestigation by the National Inveswith the Gurdaspur politician or tigation Agency and Punjab Potaxi driver Ikaagar Singh, who lice. Sources said the agencies had SP Salwinder Singh was found murdered. been tracking the movement of The officials are now interrogating Salthe politician prior to the Pathankot attack. winder Singh and his cook Mohan Gopal. Investigators have obtained vital leads The two had on day one given similar stateon the police-politician-smuggler nexus ments but contradictions emerged when they in the region. They say this nexus ought to were cross-questioned. Salwinder claimed in have come to light after the July 27, 2015, the FIR that they were tied up and gagged by Dinanagar attack. The investigators believe terrorists before being thrown into a ditch. that the terrorists were guided by three local He claimed he gained consciousness after handlers, with one of them well-acquainted more than two hours, untied himself and with the layout of the Pathankot air base, in- then helped his cook. However, his jeweller

Punjab bows, lifts gutkha manufacture ban The Punjab government today took a major step backward in its journey towards tobacco control by lifting the ban on manufacture of gutkha, pan masala and other processed, flavoured and scented food prod-

ucts containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients. Manufacture of chewable tobacco products will now be allowed and only their storage, sale and distribution will be prohibited within Punjab.

Police SP a suspect in the attack by Pakistani terrorists

friend had a different tale to tell. When told

Takht chief takes a back

The state’s diluted stand is revealed in its seat at SGPC function latest anti tobacco notification, issued by Punjab Food Safety Commissioner Hussan Wary of courting further controversy folLal. lowing the “gurmata” (religious decree) issued by the dismissed Panj Pyaras on January 2 calling for his boycott, the Akal Takht Jathedar on Wednesday kept a low profile at the bhog ceremony held in the memory of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh, who were hanged to death on January 6,1989, for the assassination of Indira Gandhi. Takht chief Giani Gurbachan Singh was not invited to address the congregation. Nor was he asked to honour the kin of the “martyrs”. This was done by the Golden Temple granthi, Bhai Maan Singh, who presented siropas (robe of honour) to Satwant Singh’s mother Pyar Kaur, his brother Gurnam Singh and another relative Atma Singh.

Sikh man killed in UK arson attack

60-year-old Indian-origin British Sikh man was killed after his house was set on fire by an attacker, who has been arrested, in east London on Christmas Day. Harbhajan Singh Rooprai was inside his home when 27-year-old Tyrone Jacobs allegedly set his home on fire, causing flames to be ripped through the terraced house in Forest Gate. Rooprai died of burns and inhalation of fumes after he was found on the ground floor of the property. Twenty-one firefighters and four engines tackled the blaze, which was brought under control after two-anda-half hours. Four persons had managed to escape from the house before firefighters arrived. Jacobs has been charged with murder and arson with intent to endanger life after the incident.

Govt to take over power corporation’s Rs 22,000-cr loan The state government has decided to take over the financial liabilities of Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) before the end of this fiscal. The government will be taking over the PSPCL’s short-term and long-term loans amounting to Rs22,000 crore, which it had availed from various banks and financial institutions. The loans are being taken over under the Centre’s recently launched UDAY (Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana). A meeting to work out the modalities was held here yesterday, and it was decided to take a final approval from the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC).

Saturday, January 9, 2016 i 27

28 i

Saturday, January 9, 2016

6 i Saturday - April 4, 2015

fOOD India’s response to Pathankot attack was ‘a debacle’

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval avoided using Army troops in an attempt to control the operation himself

t took Indian authorities four days from a booby trapped militant Four other to put down a deadly attack on the NSG personnel were injured in this blast that Pathankot air force base near the Pa- - in all probability - would not have fooled kistani border which killed seven Indian the army, familiar with such militant ploys of soldiers and wounded another 22. The in- activating a grenade and lying on it as a last ept handling of the security operation can offensive act. The NSG is also strapped for only be described as a debacle, say defence equipment - it has no competent night vision analysts. According to official accounts, the devices and other materiel necessary for an National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had ad- operation of the kind in Pathankot - military vance intelligence of the planned attack on 1 sources said. Throughout the four days the operation January. But military analysts said India’s relasted, the army was accorded a marginal sponse to the attack was amateurish - there role - although some 200 soldiers were were inadequate offensive measures and the eventually deployed when fighting stretched multiplicity of forces involved and a lack of beyond 48 hours and after senior ministers suitable equipment rendered the entire operincluding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ation a near fiasco. When the attack began, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Doval chose to airlift some 150 National Minister Manohar Parrikar - had announced Security Guard (NSG) personnel from their that the operation had been completed sucbase at Manesar, on Delhi’s outskirts, to fight Ingredients cessfully. The congratulatory messages folin an unfamiliar terrain. • 250g boneless chicken lowed the gunning down of four terrorists, The operational command for the mis• 2tbsp rapeseed oil but thereafter firing began afresh, and confusion was handed over to the NSG, the De• 1 medium red onion sion prevailed over how many gunmen were fence Service Corps (DSC) and the air force’s • 3 large tomatoes hiding in the tall grass surrounding the air Garud Special Forces. • ½ cup cashew nuts base, spread over some 1,200 hectares. The DSC comprises retired and unmoti• 100g tomato Sporadic gunfire, puree interspersed with grevated military personnel, whilst the Garuds • 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves nade explosions, could be heard from inside continue to struggle for operational relevance • 100ml low fat cream the base until late on Monday night, security amongst the plethora of India’s burgeoning • 1tsp garam masala sources said, but they seemed unsure of the Special Forces. • 1tsp red chilli powder ground situation prevailing inside. In what appeared to be an obvious desire • 1tbsp gingergarlic paste “Operations to eliminate the militants are to control the operation, Doval ignored the • 2tbsp thick low fat yoghurt in the final stages, ” deputy NSG commanpresence of some 50,000 army troops in the • salt to taste dant Major-General Dushyant Singh said on Pathankot region, possibly the highest such Monday afternoon. concentration in the country. On Tuesday, Defence Minister Parrikar Reports said he requested the army chief Procedure: told a press conference that “six militants for justintwo columns 50-60 troops - to pro-the onions Marinate the chicken with the ginger garlic paste and the yoghurt for 20 min. soak the cashew warm water-for 15 minutes.chop andneutralised” tomatoes. Heat tbsp that sahave been but 1added vide back-up to thepieces. operation. oil to a pan. sear the chicken pieces in the hot oil for 1 minute on each side to a golden colour. removesupport the chicken in the same pan, add 1tbsp oil and the chopped nitising the complex is likely to take a long The army, say security officials, is till experionions. saute till a translucent pink. Add the tomatoes, red chili powder, garam masala powder and cook on medium flame the tomatoes (approx. time. “Iare seetender some gaps in the4-5 operations, but I enced in battling Kashmiri minutes). remove from flame and run in a blender with the soaked cashews to make a smooth paste. return to theinsurgents. pan and add the tomato puree. Bring to a boil and don’t think we compromised on add security,” he The for for its part, was unacquainted the chicken pieces. simmer for 4-5 minutes till the chicken is cooked. Add the low fat cream andNSG, simmer 2 minutes. Broil the fenugreek leaves on a pan. crush the said. Analysts said the operational blunders with the terrain and took avoidable losses fenugreek leaves over the curry and remove from fire. serve hot. committed by Indian security forces during that included Lieutenant-Colonel Niranjan the November 2008 militant attack on MumKumar being killed in a grenade explosion bai, in which 166 people died, were mindless-

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Saturday, January 9, 2016

INDIA

Kashmir CM Mufti Sayeed passes away

ammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed died Thursday morning at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where he was admitted for the past 15 days. The Chief Minister breathed his last around 7.30 am, Education Minister and spokesman for Government Nayeem Akhter said here. Sayeed, 79, is survived by his wife, three daughters, including PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, and a son. The mortal remains of the Chief Minister would be flown to Srinagar where the body will be kept for people to have the last glimpse of their leader. He is likely be buried in his ancestral village in South Kashmir. Sayeed was admitted with complaints of fever and neck pain on December 24 after which the doctors at AIIMS diagnosed him to have sepsis, decreased blood counts and

pneumonia. He was in the Intensive Care Unit of AIIMS and during hospitalisation his platelets had dropped dangerously low. For the past few days, the Chief Minister was on a ventilator. Sayeed took over as chief minister of PDP-BJP coalition on March 1 last year. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh met the family of Sayeed in hospital. Former chief minister Omar Abdullah expressed his shock and sympathy at the demise of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) due to multiple organ failure here on Thursday. “Just heard the terrible terrible news of Mufti Sahib’s passing away. I’m shocked & deeply saddened. May he rest in peace,” tweeted Abdullah. “My heart felt sympathies to Mrs Syed, Mehbooba & the entire family in this most difficult of times. My & my family’s prayers are with them,” he added.

IIT sacks Magsaysay winner for being ‘anti-national, Naxal’

harging Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey with “anti-national” activities and for “being a Naxal”, the Indian Institute of Technology at Benaras Hindu University has abruptly ended his teaching contract. For the past two-and-a-half years, Pandey was a visiting professor at the IIT, taking mechanical and chemical engineering classes. A PhD in mechanical engineering from Berkeley University, Pandey’s contract was cut short after a meeting of the Board of Governors. Three members of the Board decided to remove Pandey on charges of being “anti-national” and for “indulging in Naxal activities”.

Pandey alleged the action was taken against him on the basis of a false complaint by a student, Avinash Pandey, to Vice-Chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi, accusing the award winner of being a Naxal and screening banned documentary film ‘India’s Daughter’. A local Varanasi newspaper ran a report on the basis of the complaint, which was cited by the Board of Governors as evidence. “The fact is that the banned documentary on Nirbhaya made by BBC was to be screened in my Development Studies class during a semester of the academic year 2014-15.

Earthquake hits Manipur state

n earthquake measuring 6.7 magnitude has hit north-east India, near its borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, killing at least nine people. The quake struck at 04:35 local time (23:05 GMT Sunday) about 29km (18 miles) north-west of Imphal, the capital of Manipur state, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Six of those killed were in Manipur while Bangladesh reported three deaths. The

earthquake was originally reported to have measured 6.8 magnitude. India’s Meteorological Department said it struck at a depth of 17km (about 10 miles). The tremor cracked walls and a newly-built six-storey building in Imphal collapsed, police said. Other buildings were also reported to have been damaged. As well as six people killed, more than were 30 injured in Manipur, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Act, and only then we talk, Pak told Even as India indicated that it did not favour “derailing the ongoing peace process” in the light of the Pathankot terror attack, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval have made it clear to their Pakistani counterparts that any further engagement would “entirely depend on what they deliver” on the vital inputs relating to the terrorists and their handlers based in Bahawalpur and Sialkot. Sources said Modi, in very “uncertain” terms, told Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that it would not suffice to say that the ter-

rorists are “non-state actors”; rather, India expects from him “credible action” to bring the culprits to the book. “All evidences, including phone intercepts, phone numbers of handlers in Pakistan, their names and locations have been shared. Now they have to take action. We expect them to take action in line with what they did in the case pertaining to the Peshawar terror attack of December 16, 2014,” sources said. On that fateful day, seven gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) launched an attack on Army Public School in the city, killing 132 school children.

Delhi has banned half the cars on its roads to combat dangerous pollution

117 Street and 80th Ave., (near Scott Road).

Just weeks after Beijing declared its first red alert status and initiated emergency restrictions to combat dangerous smog levels, another of the world’s most polluted capitals has implemented similar measures. Delhi, the capital territory of India, has embarked upon a two-week trial designed to halve the number of privately owned cars on public roads. Under the scheme, fourwheeled vehicles with registration plates

ending in odd numbers are prohibited from driving on even dates of the month, and vice versa. The prohibition began last Friday, but authorities were particularly concerned about what would happen this Monday, as millions of workers returned to work after the New Year weekend. “There were doubts about what would happen when all the offices opened,” said Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai, as reported by Atish Patel at BBC News. “We are glad that people are following the rules.”

FIJI

Rise in food, beverage prices as residents burdened with yet another tax

onsumers are burdened with yet another increase in prices for food and beverages in Service Turnover Tax (STT) registered restaurants, bistros and coffee shops, says the Consumer Council of Fiji. Council CEO Premila Kumar said in recent days, consumers had either been lodging their complaints or seeking clarification on the increase in the price of food and beverages by well-established businesses. “Complaints were lodged against Wish-

bone, ROC Cafe, and McDonald’s for increasing prices which are not in line with VAT reduction,” Mrs Kumar said. “Consumers are informed that from 1st January 2016, all restaurants, bistros and coffee shops which are registered with Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority (FRCA) for STT have started charging STT at the rate of 10 per cent. This is an increase in the rate by 5 per cent compared to last year.”

3 civil servants charged with raping a colleague A civil servant has been charged with one count of annoying a female, in relation to an alleged rape of a work colleague in Suva recently. Police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro confirmed the civil servant was the third suspect in the alleged rape incident.

Ms Naisoro said the man was expected to be produced in court later today. The other two, who were accused of the alleged rape of their 33-year-old workmate, were last week charged with two counts of rape each and were remanded in custody.

Father and his son arrested for obstructing police Police have warned members of the public that they will be taken to task if they obstruct and resist police arrest. The warning follows an incident involving a Labasa businessman and his son who were taken into police custody after they allegedly obstructed two police officers in Labasa and assaulted them in the process. Police spokesman Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri said the incident happened at Salusalu St in Labasa Town on Wednesday morning. Insp Sokomuri said the businessman and his son were taken to the Labasa Police station for questioning before they were detained under police custody. “We understand that they have been produced at the Labasa Magistrate court this

morning (yesterday),” he said. “The incident happened when two police personnel from the station were dispatched to the house of the accused to issue summons. “The businessman obstructed the policemen and assaulted them.” Sokomuri has warned members of the public to refrain from such actions, adding those involved will be taken to task. “Police personnel are the guardians of the law and they are just following the bidding of the court,” he said. “Therefore those obstructing these officers in the execution of their duties will be taken to task as they are resisting the orders of the court. We are calling on people to act responsibly and not to take matters into their hands.”

Unscrupulous traders do not reduce VAT tax on goods

he Consumer Council of Fiji is issuing a stern warning to all traders and service providers who have failed to adjust the price of the goods/services to reflect the new VAT rate of 9 per cent which came into effect last Friday, 1 January 2016. Council chief executive, Premila Kumar said traders/service providers must get their act together and make timely adjustment to the prices otherwise they should be ready to face the full brunt of the law. Government has introduced a penalty of $50,000 upon conviction to a fine of up to $100,000 or 5 years’ imprisonment for those who do not comply with the new VAT rate. Ms Kumar said a snap check by the Council in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa has found that some defiant traders/service providers are dillydallying in reducing the prices of the goods and services and they have noticed that some traders seem to be least bothered about making the change and are acting ignorant when questioned by the consumers.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

i 31

Sigatoka Town scene for Bollywood movie

igatoka is likely to be the focal shooting point of a Bollywood movie planned for later this year. Sigatoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Krishna Bhan said it was likely Sigatoka would be used for a Bollywood horror movie starring actor Arjun Rampal. He said the 54day movie shooting would focus on locations such as InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and

Spa, the Sigatoka Sand Dunes, Sigatoka Town, the old and new Sigatoka bridge and Votua Village. “This is a great opportunity for Sigatoka as it is an economy-booster and it will also create jobs,” Bhan said. “The movie industry is a multi-million dollar one and they will also hire local actors as extras in the movie.” He said more details about the project would be released soon.

Student raped twice after Facebook date

he Fiji Police Force is investigating a case where a 21-year-old tertiary student was raped twice by her Facebook date in Nakasi last Saturday. Police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro said a report was filed at the Nakasi Police Station on Sunday morning by the victim claiming she was raped twice by a 27-year-old unemployed man of Nakasi. She said the two had met on Facebook

on New Year’s Eve and exchanged contact information online and agreed to meet on Saturday. They then went to a secluded area where the victim is alleging she was raped twice by the suspect who is being questioned at the Nakasi Police Station. “As stated on numerous occasions people must be careful of how they use social media sites as there’s always a possibility that criminal elements may use these avenues

PAKISTAN

32 i Saturday, January 9, 2016

Pakistan media attack ‘baseless’ India allegations on terror attack

s Indian security forces battled militants inside the Pathankot air base, defence analysts and media commentators in Islamabad lashed out at India for “typically” and “prematurely” blaming Pakistan for the attack. This is despite the United Jihad Council (UJC) - a rebel alliance based in Pakistan-administered Kashmir - saying it carried out the attack, three days after it began. Even so, some Pakistani commentators have continued to blame Indian authorities and media for their accusations against Pakistani organisations and individuals. Analysts believe that the Pakistani media resorts to self-censorship and follows the official line on matters of national security - and recent rhetoric on the Pathankot attack can be seen in that context. In the four-day battle, Indian troops killed six militants who had stormed the base in Punjab near the Pakistan border. Seven Indian soldiers also died in the clashes. The attack dominated talk shows on at least eight TV channels over the weekend, before the UJC claim. Ghulam Mustafa, a retired

Military courts sentence nine to death

lieutenant-general, told Channel 24’s DNA (Debate, News, Analysis) programme that the attack was an “India-backed, India-engineered and India-sponsored incident”. He rejected allegations of Pakistan’s involvement, saying he was not happy with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ’s decision to invite his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to Lahore. Hopes for a thaw in relations were raised after Mr Modi paid an unexpected visit to Mr Sharif on his way back from Afghanistan in late December. Ajmad Shoaib, another retired lieutenant-general, said on ABB Tak TV’s “Tonight with Fareeha Idrees” programme that the Indian allegations were merely a continuation of an ongoing trend. He recalled that India had blamed Pakistan for a fire on a fishing boat on 31 December 2014 as well as for the Gurdaspur police station attack in July 2015. He said some groups in India did not want peaceful relations with Pakistan.

US ‘expects’ Pakistan to act against India attacers

he US said it “expects” Pakistan to act against perpetrators of a deadly attack on an Indian air force base. The state department’s John Kirby said Pakistan must target militant groups. The United Jihad Council - a coalition of militant groups fighting Indian rule in Kashmir - has claimed responsibility. The attack on the Pathankot base near the Pakistani border is seen as an attempt to derail recent peace moves by Pakistan and India. “The government of Pakistan has spoken very powerfully on this and it’s our expectation that they’ll treat this exactly the way they’ve said they would. We have been clear with the highest levels of the government of Pakistan that it must continue to target all militant groups,” Mr Kirby said. Five militants and seven Indian sol-

diers have so far been killed during four days of fighting. The army is still conducting clearing operations inside the 2,000 acre base.

ilitary courts have sentenced nine men to death for terrorism-related offences or attacks on minority Shiites, the army said Pakistan has hanged more than 300 people since lifting a moratorium on the death penalty in December 2014, many of them convicted in closed military courts which critics say fail to meet fair trial standards. “Today, (the) Chief of Army Staff confirmed death sentences (were) awarded to another nine hardcore terrorists, who were involved in committing heinous offences relating to terrorism,” an army statement said. They include Muhammad Ghauri, a Pakistani Taliban member linked to an attack on a garrison mosque in Rawalpindi which killed 38 people and injured 57 in December 2009. Also sentenced were Harkatul Jehad-e-Islam activist Abdul Qayyum, who was linked to a car bomb suicide attack on the Inter Services Intelligence headquarters in the central city of Multan which killed seven people and wounded 72 in December 2009. Two others were linked to attacks on soldiers, while five were said to be members of the Sunni sectarian outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan who had killed five Shiites in the eastern city of Lahore.

Pakistan condemns attack on Indian Air Force base

akistan has strongly condemned the terror attack at Indian Air Force base in Pathankot town of Punjab on Saturday. In a statement issued in Islamabad, Pakistan’s foreign office extended heartfelt condolences to the government and people of India and the bereaved families. It also wished the injured people speedy recovery, Radio Pakistan reported. Building on the goodwill created during the recent high level contacts between the two countries, Pakistan remains committed to partner with

India to completely eradicate the menace of terrorism afflicting South Asian region, the statement said. At least four terrorists were killed by commandos following the attack, police said. In New Delhi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said: “Any terrorist attack on us from Pakistan, and we will give it a befitting reply.” Terrorists from Pakistan had launched a terror attack on Dinanagar town in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district on July 27, 2015, leaving seven people dead, including a senior police official.

Prime Minister Sharif calls Modi to expresses grief over the Pathankot attack

rime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday assured his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi that his government was working on the leads and information provided by the Indian government and would thoroughly investigate the matter. A statement issued by the PM’s office here said that Sharif called PM Narendra Modi and conveyed his grief and sorrow to him over the loss of lives in the Pathankot attack. Sharif ’s office further said that the PM appreciated the maturity shown by the Indian government in its statements and promised Modi that his government would thoroughly investigate the matter. “There is a possibility of breakthrough in investigation,” Nawaz said. “Whenever a serious effort to bring peace between two countries was underway, terrorists try to derail the process,” Sharif told Modi, said the PM House statement. “Both the PMs agreed that a cordial and cooperative relationship between two countries would be the most appropriate response to the nefarious designs of the terrorists,” it said. Sources said Modi urged Sharif to take “firm and immediate action” against those behind an attack on an Indian Air Force base that left seven soldiers dead. According to FO sources, India has so far shared phone numbers of militants from which calls were made to Bahwalpur, the hometown of Maulana Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad. The numbers included phone number of SP Salwinder Singh that was snatched by the attackers. “The Indian authorities said the militants had made calls from Singh’s phone as well. Voice samples and other evidences that can help in investigation have so far not been shared,” sources said.

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‘NRI Diwas’ to kickstart amid high security in Agra

ecurity has been beefed up in the Taj city where Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will inaugurate the first ‘UP Prawasi Diwas’ aimed at attracting investment from the NRI community with its roots in the state. More than 50 ATS commandoes have been pressed into service to guard the chief minister and other VIP dignitaries, specially after the terror attack in Pathankot, police officials overseeing the security arrangements told IANS.

Over 1100 NRI’s have registered for the mega event and heads of various companies will also take part. Akhilesh will inaugurate the event where the business and investment potential of the state would be showcased through an exhibition, presentations by various officials and a speech by the chief minister. Awards would also be given to eminent NRI’s for their contributions in various fields. Famous Pakistani singer Rahat Ali Khan will also perform at the cultural programme in ITC Mughal.

Indian Bank hikes interest rates for NRI deposits

he interest rate for Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Banking) deposits in dollar terms has been fixed at 1.88 per cent, from the existing 1.70 per cent, for deposits of one year and above but less than two years. For deposits of two years and above but less than three years, the interest rate has been revised to 2.16 per cent from existing 2 per cent, the Chennai-based bank said in a

statement. Interest rate has been revised to 2.93 per cent for deposits of three years and above but less than four years from existing 2.76 per cent. For deposits of four years and above but less than five years, interest rates were hiked to 3.12 per cent from existing 2.95 per cent. Interest rates have been fixed at 3.25 per cent for deposits of up to five years from existing 3.09 per cent, it said.

NRI arrested in US on fraud charges

Saturday, January 9, 2016

i 33

New Jihadi John is a Hindu convert who sold bouncy castle toys

hortly after skipping then go on to champion our bail and slipping out name and curse their foreof Britain to travel fathers.” It was a glimpse of to Syria 15 months ago, Sidthe more poisonous views dhartha Dhar published an held by Dhar, a British-Indie-book comparing the Caan Muslim convert who now liphate declared by Isis to a goes by the nom de guerre “plush holiday resort”. Across of Abu Rumaysah and has 46 pages, the British jihadist found himself as a key suseulogised about attractions pect in the efforts to identifrom the quality of its coffee Siddhartha Dhar holds assault fy the masked gunman who to the diversity of its inhabi- rifle after his arrival in Syria. threatens Britain and taunts tants. The online brochure, published last May, David Cameron as an “imbecile” in an execution was dismissed as a risible, rose-tinted attempt at video released by Isis on Sunday afternoon. He propaganda to attract new recruits to the terror is believed to be born a Hindu in India, moved group. But what went less noticed was the final to England and then converted to Islam as an paragraph written by the father-of-four from adult. As intelligence officers on both sides of the east London who had become a familiar figure Atlantic deployed the latest techniques and voice in fringe Islamic circles prior to fleeing Britain recognition software in their efforts to unmask in 2014. The 32-year-old wrote: “When we de- the English-accented Isis talisman filmed apparscend on the streets of London, Paris and Wash- ently executing one of five alleged British spies, it ington the taste will be far bitterer, because not was widely suggested that the terror group’s new only will we spill your blood, but we will also figurehead is a former bouncy castle salesman demolish your statues, erase your history and, from Walthamstow well known to police and most painfully, convert your children who will the security services.

An Indian-origin British national, who was a former partner at consulting firm McKinsey & Co, has been arrested here on allegations of fraud amounting to nearly $890,000. Navdeep Arora, a former partner in the Chicago office of McKinsey & Company, was arrested on Sunday at JFK International Airport in New York. Arora, 51, of London, is charged with eight counts of wire fraud in an indictment filed in US District Court in Chicago. Arora made an initial appearance yesterday in District Court in New York and was ordered detained pending further proceedings, the Department of Justice said. The indictment, which was returned in August and unsealed yesterday, also charges Matthew Sorensen, a former internal consultant for State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, with five counts of wire fraud. Sorensen, 49, of Bloomington, Illinois, is scheduled to appear for arraignment on January 11 in Chicago. According to the federal charges, Arora oversaw various consulting services provided by McKinsey to State Farm.

Hindu woman fights to stop her kids being forcibly converted to Islam

n ethnic Indian Hindu woman, who has been fighting to quash the forcible conversion of her children to Islam by her ex-husband in 2009, has said she will appeal a court ruling that issues regarding Muslim conversion are exclusively the jurisdiction of the shariah court. “We will be appealing to the federal court,” said Kindergarten teacher M Indira Gandhi’s lawyer, M Kulasegaran. On December 30 last year a court of appeal panel decided that the issue whether a person was a Muslim or not was only to be decided by the shariah court. “It is purely a matter of religion,” the judges had said. The panel set aside a high court’s decision to quash the conversion. The children had been converted to Islam by Indira’s ex-husband Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, formerly known as K Patmanathan. On April 2009, Riduan had taken away Prasana Diksa, then 11 months old, and converted the child and two siblings — Tevi Darsiny, then 12, and Karan Dinish, then 11 — to Islam. The two older children remained with their mother. Later Riduan obtained a shariah court order that awarded him custody of the children. In a custody battle that ensued, the Ipoh high court granted Indira full custody of all three children and on March 11, 2010, Riduan was ordered to return Prasana to Indira.

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Saturday, January 9, 2016

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36 i Saturday, January 9, 2016