www.theasianstar.com Vol 22 - Issue 13
A standard house costs almost twice as much in Canada as in USA A standard home in Canada costs almost twice as much as a standard home in the United States. The average home price in Canada reached a record $816,720 in February— or $638,144 USD—more than nine times the average household income, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association (via Fortune). Home prices in the U.S. over the same period climbed 27 per cent, reaching a record average of US$375,300 ($480,168 CAD)—an increase of 15 per cent year-over-year, according to the National Association of Realtors. For comparison, the average cost for a home in Canada could fetch a two-bedroom in Odessa or Belleville, Ont., while the average price for home in the U.S. price can land two-bedroom homes in Spokane, Washington or Tampa, Florida.
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Dangerous heat wave endangers millions in India and Pakistan An unusually intense spring heat wave is bringing blistering heat to large portions of Pakistan and India, with the potential for monthly records for April to fall this week in some areas. Why it matters: Millions in this heavily populated region lack access to air conditioning, and could suffer from heat-related illnesses, which can be deadly. In addition, the heat will make outdoor work untenable for portions of the day, slowing construction projects and impacting the economy. The big picture: A large-scale weather pattern conducive to extreme heat is affecting the Indian subcontinent, with some of the hottest temperatures forecast for parts of both India and Pakistan. Already this month, high temperatures have hit 122-year-old records, and the
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is warning of even more stifling heat to close out April and continuing into June. Normally, heat waves in this region peak in May and June before the arrival of monsoon rains, with some of the hottest temperatures anywhere, outside of the Middle East, being Continued on page 7
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How a powerful dynasty bankrupted Sri Lanka in 30 months Ahead of the November 2019 election, Sri Lankan presidential challenger Gotabaya Rajapaksa proposed sweeping tax cuts so reckless the incumbent government thought it must be a campaign gimmick. The finance minister at the time, Mangala Samaraweera, called a briefing to assail the “dangerous” pledge to reduce the valueadded tax to 8% from 15% and scrap other levies. To him, it was simple math: Sri Lanka collected relatively less revenue than nearly any other country, and its Continued on page 7
A major change to how real estate purchases will work in British Columbia was quietly passed by the legislature this week, enabling new “cooling off ” periods for home buyers. But nobody — not even the government that wrote the law — is sure how it will actually work. When will it start? How many days will the cooling-off period be? Will you have to pay a financial penalty if you back out of a deal to buy a home? If so, how much? Will it apply in every community in the province or just Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria? There were no answers to those questions, and more, during two hours of debate by MLAs on the legislation this week. That’s mainly because the four-page bill that creates the new cooling-off periods has a gigantic blank space in the middle where the details should be. It’s effectively one large IOU note for
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Caste doesn’t just exist in India or in Hinduism – it is pervasive across many religions in South Asia and the diaspora The California State University system, America’s largest public higher education system, recently added caste, a birthbased social hierarchy system, to its antidiscrimination policy, allowing students, staff and faculty across its 23 campuses to report caste bias and discrimination. CSU’s move has drawn a sharp response from some in the Indian diaspora: About 80 faculty members of Indian heritage, as well
BC ombudsperson ‘deeply concerned’ by Surrey’s 6-month ban on ethics investigations B.C.’s ombudsperson said he’s disappointed in several recent bylaw amendments approved by Surrey’s city council Monday night, including one that put a six-month ban on ethics investigations ahead of the municipal election. Jay Chalke issued a letter to city council before the vote, expressing “concern” and urging council to reconsider. “Surrey demonstrated commendable leadership
BC passes “cooling off” period for home buyers
by being the first municipality in British Columbia to appoint an ethics commissioner,” Chalke wrote.“However, council’s recent decision to so broadly restrict complaints in an election year subverts (the Surrey Ethics Commissioner Office)’s purpose and has weakened the credibility of the overall effort.” But despite Chalke’s plea, council voted 5-2 to adopt the amendments, meaning no new ethics
as the Hindu American Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, have opposed the decision, claiming that it is potentially stigmatizing for persons of Hindu or Indian heritage and also that it tarnishes India’s image. They have also threatened a lawsuit against CSU if this decision is not revoked. The caste system is often Continued on page 7
Nearly one-third of the Canadian population has had COVID-19, antibody data shows After more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, a third of the Canadian population has likely been infected with the virus, according to research and experts. Seroprevalence analyses of blood samples across the country show that the rapid spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant has doubled the natural infection rate. By the end of February, infection-acquired seropositivity averaged 23.7 per cent nationally
— a two-fold jump from January’s rate — according to the latest report released earlier this month by the Canadian Blood Services and Canada’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force. The increase in infections was seen in all provinces, with Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia having the highest seroprevalence rates for the month of February. The report does not include Quebec.
MANMOHAN SEKHON M.Sc., M.Phill Life and Health insurance Advisor
604-358-0590 Unit 252 - 8138, 128 St, Surrey, BC V3W 1R1 www.manmohansekhon.com