The Asian Star December 3 2022

Canada orders China to shut down police station in Ottawa

A Global Affairs Canada official says the department has called in China’s ambassador numerous times over allegations that secret police stations are targeting that country’s diaspora in Canada. A human-rights group has reported

that China operates secret overseas police stations in more than 50 locations around the globe to keep tabs on its citizens abroad.

The Spain-based group Safeguard Defenders said three such locations operate in Toronto, but the Chinese

embassy in Canada has described them as volunteer-run service stations to process things like driver’s licences.

Ambassador of China to Canada Cong Peiwu speaks as part of a panel

Continued on page 7

Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy ‘long overdue,’ shows ‘radical change’ on China: experts

Canada’s new Indo-Pacific strategy is a step in the right direction and it sends a strong message to Beijing, a former ambassador to China says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly

unveiled the new strategy on Sunday, when she told reporters that China is an “increasingly disruptive global power” in a region where multiple countries are showing major economic growth.

Icy cold, wind & chance of more snow in the forecast

A high pressure system over British Columbia is pushing arctic air and bitter cold to several parts of the province, along with the potential for snow and wind on Friday.

Environment Canada says an extreme cold warning is up for B.C.’s Peace River regions with forecasts of wind chill values to -40 C. Arctic outflow warnings have been posted for B.C.’s central and northern coasts, with the wind chill predicted at -20 C. Special weather statements are also up for most of Vancouver Island and the south coast, with icy conditions and wind chills near -10 C.

Continued on page 6

“The Indo-Pacific is the fastest growing economic region of the world. By 2030, it will be home to two-thirds of the global middle class and by 2040, it will account for more

Continued on page 7

India’s envoy calls on Canada to crack down on Canadian funding of Khalistan

Ottawa can help repair frosty relations with New Delhi by cracking down on diasporic funding of the Sikh independence movement that is seeking to create a sovereign homeland known as Khalistan, India’s new envoy to Canada says.

Sanjay Kumar Verma said that India has long been concerned that some segments of the Sikh community in Canada are offering support and money to secessionists who want to separate Punjab from India. Punjab is an Indian

A new assessment of damage caused by extreme weather in 2021 has found heat waves, wildfires and floods cost British Columbia up to $17 billion.

The estimate, released Wednesday in a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) report, found that the combined costs of disaster in 2021 likely ranges between $10.6 and $17.1 billion — far outstripping previous estimates.

That’s equivalent to between roughly three and five per cent of B.C.’s gross domestic product, said Marc Lee, author and a senior economist with CCPA working on climate justice.

“It’s a big number. But I don’t think anyone will be surprised,” Lee said.  Lee says he followed best practices in evaluating economic impacts due to extreme weather, counting both insured and uninsured losses, the cost of damage

Extreme weather events cost province between $10 and $17 billion

Federal prosecutors approve 41 charges against four alleged drug traffickers

British Columbia’s anti-gang unit says federal prosecutors have approved 41 criminal charges against four alleged drug traffickers following an investigation that spanned more than four years.

The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. says it worked with the RCMP’s federal Serious Organized Crime Unit on the file that targeted the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and its affiliates on Vancouver Island.

Police say the investigation disrupted a significant drug trafficking network and stopped the Hells Angels from

expanding on Vancouver Island.

According to police, beginning in June 2018, officers targeted the criminal networks of members of the Hells Angels in Nanaimo and their alleged support clubs, the Savages and Devils Army.

“This lengthy and complex investigation spanned over four years and included over 50 dedicated resources resulting in significant seizures of potentially deadly drugs and serious charges,’’ said Assistant Commissioner Manny Mann, chief officer for the special enforcement unit, in a statement.

Warrants

in gun, drug probe

The integrated police unit tasked with tackling gang crime in British Columbia announced dozens of charges against a trio of Vancouver Island Hells Angels and an associate on Thursday.

At a media briefing featuring ranking officers from the RCMP and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. (CFSEU), it was announced the men were facing 41 charges, many related to guns and drugs.

Standing behind an array of seized rifles and drugs, CFSEU Deputy Operations Officer Supt. Duncan Pound said the move would put a “significant dent”

in the men’s alleged criminal activities.

“This is going to impact all of the individuals we have named here and that are charged, and as you can see its a considerable amount of evidence here, and it ranges across from firearms, to illicit drugs, to proceeds of crime,” he said.

The investigation targeted the Hells Angels Nanaimo chapter, along with support outlaw motorcycle clubs Savages MC and Devils Army MC. The accused include full patch Nanaimo Hells Angels members William Paulson, 51, Kristopher Smith, 44 and Sean Kendall, 44, along with alleged associate William Thompson.

CRA clawing back $3.2B from 825,000 suspect COVID-19 aid applications

CRA is clawing back $3.2 billion in COVID-19 financial aid benefit overpayments, a staggering number that’s just the beginning of the agency’s monumental task of recouping billions in excessive or fraudulent payments through hastily designed emergency programs. In a wide-ranging interview with National Post Tuesday, two top Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) officials, Frank Vermaeten and Marc Lemieux, said the organization has sent out 825,000 debt notes (or “notices of redetermination”) to Canadians it suspects received ineligible or excess payments from any number of the COVID-19 programs for individuals as of Nov. 18. But that number will only grow as CRA investigators look over millions of applications for half a dozen COVID-19 programs until at least 2025. They also revealed the agency has already discovered about 25,000 cases of fraudulent payments tied to identity theft, “a scale we haven’t seen in the past.”

Vermaeten was the assistant commissioner heading CRA’s Assessment, Benefit and Service branch until recently, and Marc Lemieux is assistant commissioner for the agency’s Collections and Verification branch. In other words, the former oversaw the teams setting up the COVID-19 financial aid programs and the latter’s branch is now to tasked with verifying suspect claims and recovering all the overpayments.

The interview occurred as the last COVID-19 aid programs wrap up while final payments go out the door and the agency prepares to open applications to new Liberal dental and rental support payments using a similar system. It also happened one week before the auditor general is set to release her investigation into the government’s handling of a halfdozen pandemic programs. Vermaeten and Lemieux admit with hindsight that the agency made some mistakes early on in 2020 while designing and delivering programs like the $2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which was “attestation based” meaning it relied on the taxpayer’s good-faith claim and little proof.

Lemieux said a lot of claw backs stem from “confusion” of people struggling to understand eligibility criteria as the government progressively launched new programs or replaced some with newer, more limited ones. Vermaeten said there was “full recognition” that some would claim despite not being eligible. But they say agency teams did remarkable work, delivering in mere weeks enormous programs designed to quickly get money into people’s pockets that would normally have taken years to create. All that a time when Canadians and governments were just beginning to reckon with COVID-19.

issued for trio of B.C. Hells Angels, dozens of charges laid

Snowstorm hits Metro Vancouver & Fraser Valley

Metro Vancouver and parts of BC’s South Coast hit by snowstorm on Tuesday afternoon Most parts of Metro Vancouver, including Surrey, Delta, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, and North Vancouver affected by the snow.

out on Tuesday, according to the company, but many drivers found themselves trapped in the same congestion as commuters. Ell suggested more people should have stayed home or delayed their drive to help prevent the issues that dragged into the early morning hours on Wednesday.

“People knew the storm was coming,” he said. “But they all seemed to leave work at the same time, creating that congestion, creating that early rush hour and that just created the gridlock for us – we just couldn’t’ get through that traffic.”.

More than 30,000 people on B.C.’s South Coast were without power while a bridge connecting parts of Metro Vancouver was closed Tuesday night as snow continued to hit the region.

BC commuters warned of slick roads, black ice in plunging cold temperatures

The snow has stopped falling, but that’s not the end of the winter weather residents of B.C.’s South Coast will face this week.

Metro Vancouver & Fraser Valley are dealing with aftermath of snowstorm that dumped up to 20 cm of snow on the ground.

While Environment Canada has lifted the snowfall warning for Metro Vancouver, the weather warning remains in effect for the Fraser Valley.

Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Hope are set to receive more snow into the day.

Across the region, brace for delays and difficult driving conditions with snow, slush and icy patches on the ground.

Snow expected to taper off or switch to rain Wednesday morning; slippery roads, poor visibility possible

Weather Network meteorologist says Wednesday morning will be “an absolute mess”.

Alex Fraser Bridge re-opened after overnight closure, strands motorists.

The Bridge was closed after crashes and snarled vehicles in both directions for several hours, stranding some commuters overnight.

The northbound left and right lanes re-opened around 11 p.m., and DriveBC reported the southbound lanes reopened around 3 a.m. on Wednesday.

Many people reported being stuck in their vehicles on the bridge for hours.

Commuters were trapped in cars and buses for hours on Tuesday night as snowy conditions wreaked havoc on highways and bridges across B.C.’s Lower Mainland.

A series of crashes snarled traffic throughout the region, closing the Alex Fraser Bridge in both directions and causing major delays on the Lions Gate Bridge and around the George Massey Tunnel.

Semi trucks stalled and jackknifed on the Pattullo Bridge and the Queensborough Bridge as well, blocking lanes of traffic and contributing to a commuter nightmare that, for some, dragged on for upwards of eight hours.

Among them was Rajveer Kaur Bhatti, who decided to bus to work at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Richmond campus on Tuesday after seeing there was snow in the forecast. She spent seven hours stuck on bus on Tuesday evening, and didn’t even make it halfway home to Surrey. The driver eventually told passengers they could step outside and walk to the nearby Nanaskar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple still in Richmond for shelter.

“That was the option he provided us, and without any doubt we chose that,” Bhatti said,“ They provided us with hot drinks. They provided us with phone chargers so that we can connect our phones and inform our parents, inform our families.”

When she arrived, Bhatti said there were hundreds of other people already taking refuge from the cold , and some others sleeping in their vehicles in the parking lot.

Road conditions were so poor and the delays were so long, some drivers described their commute as the worst they have ever experienced in the region.

Forecasters had issued a series of warnings earlier intheday,anticipatingupto20centimetresofsnowfall in parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley for the first major winter weather event of the season.

The traffic chaos that ensued was the result of a number of cascading issues, according to Mainroad Lower Mainland Contractors, the company responsible for salting and plowing highways and bridges across the region.

“Cars are sitting there idling and it’s melting snow and then (it’s) refreezing,” general manager Darren Ell told CTV News. “Then more and more people start spinning out because they’re uncomfortable with driving or their vehicles aren’t prepared for the conditions, so it just creates bad on bad.”

There were upwards of 40 plowing vehicles

B.C. Hydro issued a notice advising residents on Hornby Island and Denman Island to prepare to be without power until Wednesday morning, as ferry cancellations means crews cannot get over to make repairs.

“We plan to have crews take the first available ferry in the morning,” B.C. Hydro says on its website.

Shovelled and salted walkways and winter tires will be a must, as the region braces for a blast of icy temperatures on the heels of the first significant snowfall of the season.

‘We cannot handle it:’ Drivers trapped, cars abandoned as snow falls on B.C.’s roads Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for the Lower

Mainland, most of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and the Sea-to-Sky region, warning of “falling temperatures and icy surfaces.”

Increasing outflow winds into Wednesday night will bring colder air into the region, along with windchill values ranging from -5 C to -10 C for most areas, and down to -15 C in the eastern Fraser Valley, it said.

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OPINION

By Randolph Mank

Canada finally releases its long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy

While the government deserves applause, there are some gaps in the plan.

Several years in the making, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy has finally been released. It’s a welcome fresh take on a time-worn tradition of trying to engage more substantially across the Pacific.

In one of many previous attempts, the AsiaPacific Foundation was created in 1985 in

Vancouver to foster dialogue. In another, a “Year of Asia-Pacific” was declared in 1997 while hosting APEC meetings. With those and numerous other initiatives mostly forgotten, the latest plan is a worthy recommitment to try again.

The primary reasons given are commercial. The region is Canada’s second-largest export market after the U.S., with $226 billion in

annual two-way merchandise trade, accounting for 11 per cent of Canada’s total merchandise exports last year. Trade in services has grown by 80 per cent since 2010. The region includes six of Canada’s top 13 trading partners: India, Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Two-way investment flows in the past two years have totalled $64.4 billion. Mirroring the U.S.’s Indo-Pacific Strategy announced last February, the Canadian version sets out five generic objectives: promoting peace, resilience and security; expanding trade, investment and supply chain resilience; investing in and connecting people; building a sustainable and green future, and acting as an active and engaged partner to the Indo-Pacific.

The list of new initiatives, released in a Backgrounder document, includes 27 projects costing $2.3 billion over five years. The biggest ticket items are $750 million to back a G7 initiative for infrastructure in the region, $493 million for the military, $133 million for two feminist assistance projects, and $100 million for new diplomatic positions.

Of course, even a good plan can be critiqued and there do appear to be some gaps.

First, there is no mention of the demographic time bomb facing the region, most notably in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore. Declining and rapidly aging populations will change trade and investment dynamics and shift governance priorities fundamentally over the coming years. China and Japan already face serious economic difficulties. How this is accounted for in our new strategy is unclear.

Second, viewing India as a pre-eminent partner belies decades of frustration in our bilateral relations. India is a large potential market, but it has been disagreeable on trade rules, especially in agriculture. As for common democratic values, India stays sharply focused on its interests. It notably abstained from the U.N. resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Third, characterizing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a unified entity with which to prioritize relations glosses over the fact that it is a loose association of very different countries.

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Tuesday night’s commute in the snow turned into a nightmare for many Metro Vancouver drivers, but in at least one instance it turned into a master class of service and community spirit.

Heavy snow, spinouts and blocked bridges and highways around the region left many people stuck in traffic overnight, in some cases shivering in their cars with the engine off.

That was the case on New Westminster’s Queensborough Bridge, where scores of vehicles were trapped on the bridge span and Highway 91A.

drivers say Tuesday’s snowy commute home was a nightmare

Among those stuck in the traffic jam were a group of volunteers with the Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar Sikh temple, which happens to be adjacent to the bridge on the Queensborough side. Around 6:30 p.m., after they’d already been stuck for a few hours, a group of them decided to make their way to the temple on foot to warm up and use the washroom, Amandeep Singh Garcha, spokesperson for the Khalsa Diwan Society of New Westminster told Global News. “One of the volunteers got an idea because we are hungry and

wanted tea … whatever is there we should take the stuff to the Queensborough bridge and we should start feeding people if they need it,” he said.

The group loaded up a large bucket with hot tea and packed up snacks and headed back out into the snow where they began providing relief to stranded motorosts.

Volunteers also offered to stay with people’s cars so they could head over to the temple and use the washroom or warm up. “So some of our volunteers just stood near their car. If the traffic moved they could just drive their car,” Garcha added, noting that traffic remained frozen and no one actually had to get behind the wheel.

As the evening dragged on and the volunteers realized traffic was not moving, they decided to fire up the temple’s kitchen — which is used daily to provide free meals to the community — to begin feeding people trapped in their cars.

“We decided we should prepare 200 meals, 300 meals right away so we could feed maximum people when they need it. We just thought we have to do that,” Garcha said.

Drivers say Tuesday’s snowy commute home was a nightmare

Many drivers around B.C.’s Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley described Tuesday’s commute home as a nightmare.

Drivers reported being stuck on roads and bridges for hours – with some people taking eight, nine or even 12 hours to get home.

Surrey resident Julie King works in New Westminster. She told Global News she left the office at 5 p.m. on Tuesday as snow was falling.

She first tried to take the Pattullo Bridge but traffic was almost at a standstill so she decided to take the Port Mann Bridge instead.

“Which ended up being a mistake because I got down Brunette and got stuck,” King said. “I felt claustrophobic because I couldn’t go anywhere, nothing to do, you were just trapped, essentially.”

At about 9 p.m. she made it back to 8th Avenue and McBride Boulevard to

attempt to cross the Pattullo Bridge again. She got some gas and food and then rejoined the line for the bridge.

“I turned on to McBride heading towards the bridge and then basically sat there for at least three hours before there was any more movement,” King said. “I was just in park. I got out of the car to stretch my legs, talked to a couple of other commuters around me, we were commiserating about our mutual disaster we were in and it was a nightmare.”

She said they finally started moving, going about five km/h max across the bridge.

“I got across the bridge and the King George Highway was just a nightmare. There were cars all along the right-hand side, just abandoned… There was a TransLink bus just abandoned on the side.”

Two Metro Vancouver councillors want to host a snow summit to make sure the chaos that many drivers in the region faced on Tuesday night doesn’t happen in the future.

Councillors Daniel Fontaine of New Westminster and Linda Annis of Surrey want to bring together all Lower Mainland municipalities, the B.C. government, transit operators and road maintenance contractors.

“The snow that hit us on Tuesday wasn’t a surprise,” Fontaine said. “But the impact

was a complete shutdown that closed roads and bridges and really brought much of the Lower Mainland to a complete halt.

“I think it’s important to know why, and to work on a regional plan that does better next time. This has to be a combined effort of the province and local municipalities across the Lower Mainland.”

Hundreds of drivers were stranded in their cars for hours on roadways and bridges after the snow started to fall Tuesday afternoon.

Despite warnings, Richmond politicians still attending pro-China events

Liberal MP Parm Bains (StevestonRichmond East) and Richmond Coun. Alexa Loo sat in the front row of the Canadian Alliance of Chinese Associations (CACA) event with People’s Republic of China Consul-General Yang Shu. Bains and Loo also spoke from a podium at the event, according to a report by Phoenix TV, an outlet associated with the government in Beijing.  “They’ve been contributing in a number of ways with charitable causes,” Bains said on the Phoenix TV report. “We’ve had several, not only natural disasters, but a pandemic we went through.”

People’s Republic of China ConsulGeneral Yang Shu (2nd from left) with

Steveston-Richmond East Liberal MP Parm Bains and Richmond Coun. Alexa Loo on Nov. 22 (Phoenix TV)

The event was the inauguration ceremony of the 9th executive team of CACA, a Richmond-based umbrella for more than 100 business and cultural groups whose website states that it is in active participant in Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (OCAO) activities.

OCAO is an arm of the CCP’s United Front program. A 2019 report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians warned that one of the United Front’s aims is to influence foreign politicians to adopt pro-China positions.

Two councillors want ‘summit’ to uncover why Metro Vancouver wasn’t ready for snow during winter

Sikh temple steps up with food, tea, shelter as drivers trapped overnight in snowstorm

Canada

struggles

with

curbing

foreign interference: ‘Often we cannot do anything’

“Often

That was the assessment given to a House of Commons committee earlier this month by Canada’s deputy commissioner of elections, referring to 23 files their office received about potential foreign interference in the country’s two most recent elections. The details of the complaints, lodged by members of the public, are not widely known. But they have not resulted in any consequences to date.

And while the RCMP confirmed this week that they are probing “broader foreign actor interference activities,” the force noted that the investigations are among the most sensitive files currently handled by the force. That’s likely not only due to the political sensitivities involved, but the sophistication of some of the actors believed to be exerting the influence. Some of these reported influence activities don’t break the letter of federal elections law, while others fall outside the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Canada Elections — such as the deliberate sowing of misinformation.

But deputy commissioner Marc Chénier’s comments suggest gaps in efforts to curb foreign influence in Canadian elections. Canadian security and intelligence agencies are increasingly sounding the alarm about the issue, and one country in particular: China.

“Beijing starts off by wanting to

suppress, to the extent it can, anything negative about itself,” Dick Fadden, Canada’s former spymaster and a national security advisor to two prime ministers.

“It doesn’t like negative press, it doesn’t like negative bills before Parliament or a legislature. It wants to be able to have people in place who will not do negative things, or who will fight negative things.”

Some of these reported influence activities don’t break the letter of federal elections law, while others fall outside the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Canada Elections — such as the deliberate sowing of misinformation.

But deputy commissioner Marc Chénier’s comments suggest gaps in efforts to curb foreign influence in Canadian elections. Canadian security and intelligence agencies are increasingly sounding the alarm about the issue, and one country in particular: China.

“Beijing starts off by wanting to suppress, to the extent it can, anything negative about itself,” Dick Fadden, Canada’s former spymaster and a national security advisor to two prime ministers.

“It doesn’t like negative press, it doesn’t like negative bills before Parliament or a legislature. It wants to be able to have people in place who will not do negative things, or who will fight negative things.” Some activities, like spreading misinformation on social media platforms, fall outside the commissioner’s

Extreme weather events cost province between

From page 1

governments and hits to individual finances as displaced or stranded workers were prevented from earning a living.

That included roughly 33,000 people evacuated due to wildfire and more than 17,000 evacuated or stranded due to flooding.

During the June 2021 heat dome, workers suffered both financial and physical distress. According to WorkSafeBC, 71 out of 115 worker injury claims were due to heat stress, and the report found high-end labour market losses during the heat wave came to almost $330 million. Construction, food services and drinking places, and manufacturing were estimated to be hit hardest.

Wildfires cost workers up to $562

million, with those in retail trade and accommodation and food services calculated to be the most affected.

And the atmospheric river-driven flooding event is thought to have cost workers — most in transportation and warehousing jobs — almost $1.5 billion, according to the report.

“All of those costs come out of workers pockets,” Lee said.

The report found uninsured losses due to wildfire may have climbed as high as $501 million, more than double the $215 million in insured losses incurred in 2021.

At the high end, flooding in November 2021 could have led to almost $5 billion in non-insured damages — over seven times more than the $675 million in insured losses.

From page 1

state where the Sikh religion is the majority.

Mr. Verma was accredited as India’s High Commissioner to Canada last week.

“We think that there are a lot of illegal channels which are being used by those Canadians of Indian origin who are trying to push for the dismemberment of India or secession from India – which is not only illegal under any international law, it is illegal under the UN charter,” he said.

Indian international students warned of hate crimes in Canada, but Sikh group says it’s political Asked if his government considers Canada one of the worst countries in terms of Khalistan supporters, the High Commissioner replied: “It is difficult for me to comment. I will leave it to your interpretation.”

However, Mr. Verma said New Delhi would like Ottawa to put a stop to illegal funding and interference in the internal affairs of India.

“It goes against the foundations of bilateral relations between two countries. So I would say the sooner such tendencies are arrested, the better it will be.”

He noted that India would never have supported Quebec separatism.

The High Commissioner has made the request after a separatist group, Sikhs for Justice, recently organized a referendum in Brampton and Mississauga, as part of a global Khalistan vote that asks the diaspora whether they support a homeland in Punjab.

The group is banned in India, which has strongly condemned the ballot and the Canadian government for allowing it to take place.

Canada is home to about 770,000 who reported Sikhism as their religion in the last census, comprising 2.1 per cent of the population. A small but influential number of these Sikhs support the idea of Khalistan.

Although Ottawa has said that it respects India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Mr. Verma said New Delhi would like to see Canada speak out more forcefully on the issue.

“I would certainly like the government of Canada, including at the leadership level, to talk about the illegality of such processes, the

illegality of such movements based out of the geography of Canada.” The Indian envoy also expressed concerns about Jagmeet Singh, who before becoming NDP Leader in 2017 had participated in events where Sikh extremists denounced India and called for an independent Khalistan. In a recent Punjabi interview with a Vancouver radio station, Mr. Singh said people “have the right to seek freedom” and self-determination when asked about the Sikh independence

movement. Asked about Mr. Singh’s past involvement in Khalistan events, Mr. Verma said: “I would say such things should be avoided by anyone, including a public figure.”

Canada-India relations have been frayed for some time. In 2020, India also accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of inciting “extremist activities” after he raised concerns about New Delhi’s response to farmers protesting a law they feared would leave them vulnerable to exploitation by corporations. Mr. Trudeau also said Canada would always support the right of farmers to be heard.

Mr. Verma said Mr. Trudeau should have picked up the phone and called Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he had concerns about a new law: “Should such things be done through the media? I have my doubts.” The Trudeau government has recently signalled its intentions to boost relations with the South Asian country, particularly in trade through the coming Indo-Pacific strategy. In a recent speech, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly stressed the importance of India, where annual economic output is expected to grow from US$2.5-trillion to US$5-trillion over the next decade. Mr. Verma said India is interested in buying Canadian critical minerals, liquefied natural gas, agricultural products and cooperating on technological innovations.

we cannot do anything.”

India’s envoy calls on Canada to crack down on Canadian funding of Khalistan separatist

$10 and $17 billion

Canada orders China to shut down police station in Ottawa

From page 1

Conference on Security and Defence in Ottawa, on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. The RCMP said in early November that it is investigating the issue, and officials told MPs in early October that they were aware of the claims.

On Tuesday, a senior foreign-affairs official said that in recent weeks, his department has called in Chinese ambassador Cong Peiwu multiple times over the issue.

Opposition parties say Ottawa should have been more forthcoming with that information.

“We’ve had several engagements. We’ve called the ambassador in on multiple occasions and we have conveyed our deep concern,” said Weldon Epp, the director general for North East Asia.

He offered that confirmation while speaking to MPs at the House committee on relations with China.

“The government of Canada has formally insisted that the Chinese government, including the ambassador and his embassy, take account for any activities within Canada that fall outside of the Vienna Convention … and ensure

that they cease and desist,” Epp said.

He was referring to United Nations rules that provide diplomatic immunity to mission officials, who in turn agree to not interfere in internal affairs.

That includes only offering administrative services at embassies and consulates, provided by people who are officially accredited to do that work.

Epp was responding to questions from MPs on what steps GAC had taken since his last appearance at the committee on Oct. 4, when he said he was aware of the claims of overseas police operations.

“The activity that’s being alleged would be entirely illegal and totally inappropriate, and it would be the subject of very serious representations and followup diplomatically,” he told MPs at the time.

From page 1

half of the global economy, Joly said.

“Every issue that matters to Canadians, our national security, our economic prosperity, democratic values, climate change or again human rights will be shaped by the relationship Canada has with Indo-Pacific countries.”

The strategy includes $2.3 billion in funding in the region over the next five years, all while strengthening security and intelligence networks, deploying additional military assets, investing in cybersecurity infrastructure and diversifying Canada’s trade opportunities in the region.

The plan is “a comprehensive one,” according to a former Canadian ambassador to China, and it sends a “tough” message to China, said Guy Saint-Jacques.

But he noted that a lot will remain to be seen in the “details on the implementation.”Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, said the strategy is a sign that “good things come to those who wait.”

“This is a good thing,” he said of the strategy, adding that it’s also “long overdue.”

One of the most important signals that the government is serious about the promises it laid out in the strategy is the amount of money Canada has earmarked to put the strategy in place, according to both Hyder and Saint-Jacques.

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Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy ‘long overdue,’ shows ‘radical change’ on China:

We are going on a trip soon” lottery winner ready to escape the cold

Jasbir Singha was stunned when he learned the ticket he bought with two other people in Calgary was a lottery winner.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he said while the trio claimed their prize earlier this month. “I told my

wife and kids first.”

Jasbir, Sukhmander, and Jagmohan Sangha matched all the winning numbers on the October 22 LOTTO 6/49 draw to take home the draw’s guaranteed $1 million prize.

The Sanghas have been playing together for decades and will share their windfall. They picked up their ticket from a Co-op in northwest Calgary on October 7. Jasbir discovered the group was a lottery winner on October 25 when he checked their ticket using a self-checker at a nearby store.

The Singha’s are the first Alberta winners to take home a million-dollar prize since Lotto 6/49, Canada’s longest-running national lottery game, debuted a new format in early September when the guaranteed prize was replaced with an elimination-style Gold Ball Jackpot draw. The winners all have their own plans for their windfall.

“We are going on a trip soon so we can use the money to upgrade it,” said Jasbir. Sukhmander, meanwhile, said he plans to use his to put towards bills and save for a rainy day and Jagmohan is considering an earlier retirement.

TransLink drops COVID-19 vaccine mandate for workers

Metro Vancouver’s regional transit and transportation agency has dropped its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for workers, effective Thursday.

The policy, which was implemented last year, had required all TransLink employees to have two doses of the vaccine by Nov. 29, 2021. TransLink confirmed the policy change Thursday by email.

“As federal and provincial restrictions continue to ease, we believe suspending our policy at this time is the right decision,” spokesperson Dan Mountain said.

“We will continue to closely monitor the guidance of the provincial health office as well as the impacts of COVID-19 with regular, ongoing reviews of policies and practices that are in place. If a need arises to reinstate a policy, we’ll explore that.” The transit authority

said the change follows similar moves by the federal and local municipal governments, BC Ferries, BC Hydro, ICBC and others.

TransLink’s board held its quarterly meeting on Thursday, but the change in vaccination policy was not raised during proceedings.

The agency said that the revised policy was not included in reports to the board because it didn’t need board approval to implement.

The end of the vaccine mandate comes as TransLink is in the midst of a major recruiting blitz.

The agency said earlier this fall that it is looking to hire about 300 skilled workers for SkyTrain operations and maintenance immediately, with about 500 needed by 2028 when the SurreyLangley SkyTrain line goes into service.

4th lottery win leaves Mississauga man stunned

This summer, Jeffrey Gurczenski couldn’t believe the results when he found out that he had won the lottery for the third time. Now, it appears that not only did he just win for the fourth time but he won an even bigger prize.

In August 2022, Gurczenski won the Poker Lotto jackpot worth $92,131.50. But on top of that, he won another $5,000 in the instant portion of his Poker Lotto, bringing his total winnings to $97,131.50.

But that wasn’t the first major win for Gurczenski, a 64-year-old retiree who has been a regular lottery player for the past 10 years. Previously, he also won $10,000

twice after playing Wheel of Fortune. And it seems like he managed to beat the craziest odds by winning the lottery for the fourth time.

Recently,

Gurczenski purchased a ticket for The Bigger Spin Instant game and when he uncovered a chance for a spin, he took the ticket to the store. “When it landed on $150,000 my heart was racing! I was so happy,” he said. “I called my friends when I went home – they were so happy for me.”

Gurczenski went to the OLG Prize Centre to pick up his winnings — his second time in just a few months. “It’s jaw-dropping,” he said.

The number of deaths due to toxic drugs continues to rise, the BC Coroners Service said Wednesday. A statement from the coroner said at least 179 lives were lost to toxic drugs in October — an average of 5.8 deaths per day, and eight more than in September. The total fatalities in the first 10 months of the year have reached 1,827. Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said that despite many efforts to reverse the deadly toll, an increasingly toxic and variable illicit drug supply means everyone, from casual users to those dealing with addiction, is at extreme risk.

BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau said the latest numbers from the coroner about illicit drug deaths indicate the province must immediately expand its safe supply program. A statement

from Furstenau said the provincial government is not doing enough to slow the number of deaths linked to toxic drugs, and that she wants B.C. Premier David Eby to clearly state a plan. Furstenau said if Eby “truly wants to save lives, he would introduce widely accessible safe supply.” Safe supply refers to the legal provision of a regulated supply of drugs. Guy Felicella, a B.C. opioid crisis advocate and a spokesperson for the BC Centre on Substance Use, said the latest number should be a wakeup call for safe supply and more safe consumption sites across the province.

“For me, it’s predictable but also preventable and we just haven’t done enough,” Felicella said.

B.C. Medical Services Commission seeking injunction against Telus Health, alleges extra billing

British Columbia’s Medical Services Commission has filed an injunction in B.C. Supreme Court against Telus Health alleging the company is breaking the Medicare Protection Act.

The action is being taken against the company’s LifePlus program.

Patients must pay to access LifePlus services currently advertised as providing access to support from a multidisciplinary care team and programs of prevention and early detection.

It is illegal under the Medical Protection Act to charge for primary care services.

Telus has continually stated publicly the LifePlus program fees are strictly for the preventative care modalities, which

are provided by a multidisciplinary team that is not publicly-funded.

The Ministry of Health advised the Medical Services Commission earlier this year to investigate this issue.

“It is very important to uphold the Medicare Protection Act, which is in place to preserve our publicly managed and fiscally sustainable health-care system for British Columbia,” Dix said.

“Access to necessary medical care should be based on need and not an individual’s ability to pay.”

The Medical Services Commission was tasked with looking into whether the Telus Health LifePlus program has created

BC reports 179 toxic drug deaths for October, advocates renew calls for safe supply

Canada’s e conomy grew more quickly than expected in the third quarter, but there are already signs it’s slowing down dramatically, raising questions around how much the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates next week.

Statistics Canada announced Tuesday that Canada’s gross domestic product grew at an annualized rate of 2.9 per cent in the quarter, almost twice as fast as economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected. Their consensus estimate was 1.5 per cent.

But preliminary October data released by Statistics Canada at the same time showed that the economy didn’t grow at all that month. That could give the Bank of Canada a reason to dial back its rate-raising campaign, argued Pedro Antunes, chief economist

at the Conference Board of Canada.

“I’d say there’s enough in the data here to suggest a wait-and-see attitude would be a reasonable policy approach,” said Antunes. “If I was governor, I think I’d push for a quarter of a point increase and then take a pause on the rate hikes.”

The mixed news also helped drive the loonie lower against the U.S. dollar. In late afternoon trading, the loonie was down more than half a cent to 73.60 cents (U.S.)

Jim Stanford, an economist with the Centre for Future Work, expects the Bank to raise its key overnight lending rate by 25 basis points (a quarter of a percentage point), next Wednesday, even though it will help push the Canadian economy into a “painful” recession.

Canada sees ‘steady increase’ in BQ variants as COVID hospitalizations, deaths decline

There has been a steady increase in immune-evasive Omicron variants across Canada, Health Canada’s latest COVID-19 epidemiology report shows.

Clinical sequencing found some variants like BQ.1, BQ.1.1 and BF.7 on the rise in recent weeks. BQ 1.1 increased by 2.5 percentage points, from 5.9 per cent in the week of Oct. 30 to 8.4 per cent in the week of Nov. 6.

However, according to the report, previously dominant BA.5.2 and BA.5.2.1 lineages seem to be declining.

BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 variants are one of the sub-lineages of the BA.5 Omicron variant, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The BQ variants both contain genetic mutations that make it harder for the immune system to recognize and neutralize the virus, which results in more people getting infected with COVID-19, Reuters reported.

For the week of Nov. 13 to Nov. 19, Canada had 15,085 COVID cases as compared to 15,682 cases for the week of Nov. 6 to Nov. 12, followed by a continued decline in virusrelated deaths and hospitalizations.

Ontario was found to have the highest numbers with 5,730 cases, and Quebec came in second with a total of 5,324 cases.

Ontario saw a decline in cases compared to the last period, which saw 6,863 cases.

Ottawa ‘not looking for a fight’ over Alberta sovereignty bill, Trudeau says

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ottawa is “not looking for a fight” with Alberta over the provincial government’s proposed sovereignty bill, but added that he will not “take anything off the table.”

His comment comes the morning after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith tabled legislation that, if approved, will give the provincial cabinet wide-ranging powers that have already faced fierce opposition criticism — and that are already raising constitutional questions.

Speaking on his way into a caucus meeting in Ottawa on Wednesday, Trudeau said the proposed “exceptional powers” in the bill are “causing a lot of eyebrows to raise in Alberta.”

“We’re going to see how this plays

out,” Trudeau said, after being asked whether he intended to have the federal government step in and contest the bill.

“I’m not going to take anything off the table, but I’m also not looking for a fight.”

As the controversial legislation makes its way through the province’s legislature, Trudeau said the federal government will “focus on delivering for Albertans.”

“There’s going to be things that weagreewiththatgovernmenton,there’sgoing to things we disagree with them on,” he said.

“My focus is always going to be to be constructive in terms of delivering for people right across the country.”

Bank of Canada lost $522 million in third quarter

The Bank of Canada lost $522 million in the third quarter of this year, marking the first loss in its 87-year history.

In the central bank’s latest quarterly financial report, it says revenue from interest on its assets did not keep pace with interest charges on deposits at the bank, which have grown amid rapidly rising interest rates.

The Bank of Canada’s aggressive interest rate hikes this year have raised the cost of interest charges it pays on settlement balances deposited in the accounts of big banks.

That’s while the income the central bank receives from government bonds it holds remains fixed.

The Bank of Canada dramatically expanded its assets during the pandemic as part of its government bond purchasing

program. Also known as quantitative easing, the policy was part of the central bank’s efforts to stimulate the economy.

That expansion in assets is now costing the central bank, as it paid for the government bondswiththecreationofsettlementbalances.

Speaking before the House of Commons finance committee last week, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem addressed the expected losses. He said losses don’t affect the central bank’s ability to conduct monetary policy.

He noted the size and duration of the losses will depend on the path of interest rates and the evolution of the economy.

“Following a period of losses, the Bank of Canada will return to positive net earnings,” he said.

Economy grew faster than expected in third quarter but shows signs of a dramatic slow down

Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy boosts military spending, visa processing

The strategy unveiled in Vancouver earmarks $2.3 billion for Canada to form closer ties with countries that span Pakistan to Japan.

The Liberal government unveiled its long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy on Sunday, announcing more military spending and closer ties with countries such as India. The strategy earmarks $2.3 billion for Canada to form closer ties with countries that span Pakistan to Japan, including some funding that the Liberals have announced in recent weeks. “What you’re seeing today is a reorientation of our foreign policy (that) we haven’t seen in a long time,” Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly told reporters in Vancouver.

“It sends a clear message to the region that Canada is here, and they can trust that we’re here to stay.”

The new announcements include nearly a half-billion dollars to deploy a third naval frigate to the area and boost collaboration on cybersecurity and military training with like-minded countries.

Canada will also increase its visaprocessing capacity to improve a system plagued by delays that has experts fearing that talented youth in the region will move elsewhere. That includes visa offices in New Delhi and Chandigarh, India as well as Islamabad, Pakistan and Manila, Philippines.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $92.5 million to create roughly 60 new diplomatic jobs in the region, but the strategy lists no target, and Joly did not specify whether plans have changed around that figure.

But the strategy does call for an expansion of diplomatic staff in existing embassies, as well as new posts in places such as Hawaii and Fiji.

That’s on top of recently announced plans to expand on trade ties with southeast Asian countries as a counterweight to China’s influence, including by financing infrastructure projects in developing countries.

“To secure this economic future, we need to have strong trading relationships and partners around the world to protect our jobs and businesses here at home,” International Trade Minister Mary Ng said at the press conference.

Ottawa will also send 200 experts to advise countries that want to work with Canada on everything from governance to oceans management and the transition off of fossil fuels.

The funding announced Sunday and in recent weeks spans five years, with no benchmarks for the rollout year over year.

But Defence Minister Anita Anand said the military is hoping to add a third frigate to the region “by next year,” which would depart Halifax for the Indian Ocean.

That’s on top of existing work to uphold United Nations sanctions on North Korea by monitoring for goods being illegally transferred between ships, and sailing around the Taiwan Strait to demonstrate the view of allies that those waters do not belong to China.

Anand said working with countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore represents a shift that goes beyond

Jim Pattison donates $30 million toward Royal Columbian Hospital’s new tower

BC Billionaire Jim Pattison announced that he is giving $30 million to Royal Columbian Hospital to help the facility fund the second phase of its redevelopment, which includes building an acutecare tower that will be named the Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower.

Pattison is known for his philanthropy, which has often focused on health facilities. For example, in 2017 he donated $75 million to the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation to help it build a new hospital. That same year he gave $50 million to what was the Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan before it was renamed Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital. Royal Columbian is undergoing a $1.49 billion redevelopment to improve critical-care services in B.C.’s most populous health region, Fraser Health.

The hospital’s second-phase construction is set to be complete in 2025, with an acute-care tower being the project’s most distinctive feature.

When asked Pattison, why he is passionate about donating money to improve health-care services.

“Sooner or later, whether you’re rich or you’re poor, and no matter what your life is, or your job, a lot of people may sooner or later need a hospital,” he said.

“That’s why we selected, a long time ago, that one of the key areas that we want to support are hospitals.”

He said that he receives hundreds of requests for money every month and that the philanthropy flows through his Jim Pattison Foundation. There is no rough percentage of requests that he approves and funds, as all donations are made on a “case-by-case basis,” he said.

His foundation has a committee that reviews requests and the two most prominent people in determining whether to fund requests are his longtime assistant Maureen Chant, and his daughter Cindy Lambier, Pattison said.

The foundation, which he owns entirely, also has 10 directors that approve donation requests, Pattison said.

He said he was honoured to join thousands of other donors to Royal Columbian who have already stepped up to provide money to ensure that B.C.’s health-care system remains sustainable.

Royal Columbian Hospital CEO Jeff Norris thanked Pattison for what he called a “historical” donation.

“This gift, the largest in our region’s history, will ensure we can provide exceptional care

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A much-anticipated new medical school at Simon Fraser University has been delayed until 2026.

The BC NDP promised the new medical school during the 2020 election, with the plan to supplement doctors already being trained at the UBC medical school.

Premier David Eby announced on Monday the province is providing up to $4.9 million in startup funding for the new school and Dr. Roger Strasser has been retained by SFU as the interim dean.

“While we have made enormous progress to strengthen public healthcare over the last five years, we know that many British Columbians are struggling to find a family doctor and waiting too long for care on a waiting list or in an emergency room,” Eby said. “This investment in the first entirely-new medical school in Western Canada in 55 years will mean more family doctors graduating each year to provide care for people.”

The timeline on the new hospital has been altered various times since it was announced during the October 2020 election campaign.

Click to play video: ‘New book celebrates 70 years of B.C.’s medical school’ 3:58 New book celebrates 70 years of B.C.’s medical school

Originally a government press release quoted Health Minister Adrian Dix saying “the first graduating class could be 2023-24.” That has since been changed online to state “the first class would begin in 2023-24.”

The announcement on Monday provides further clarity on the timeline and will mean doctors will not be in the work force until closer to 2030.

There are currently nearly one million British Columbians without a family doctor.

SFU’s medical school will take a focused approach to primary care, based on a strong partnerships with the First Nations Health Authority, the Fraser Health Authority, other provincial health authorities and the practice community.

The province has been attempting to plug holes in a health care system clearly taking on water.

Launch of new B.C. medical school at SFU delayed to 2026

Preity Zinta’s expresses birthday wish for her mother

Preity Zinta’s Instagram timeline is proof that she is not only one successful actress but also a committed entrepreneur, wife, mother and daughter. She often gives us peek into her personal life on social media. Now, on the occasion of her mother Neelu Zinta’s birthday, Preity has shared a set of two images on Instagram. While in the first image, the motherdaughter duo are posing for the camera, in the second photo Preity is seen giving her mom a kiss. In the caption, she wrote, “Happy Birthday, mom. Wish you more laughter, more love, more happiness and Good health today, tomorrow and always. Love you to the moon and back. Thank you for being the best mom and nani ma in the galaxy,” with heart emojis.

Preity Zinta’s co-star in several films, Bobby Deol wished Neelu Zinta in the comments section. He wrote: “Happy happy birthday, aunty. Recently, on Children’s Day, Preity Zinta won hearts by posting an image with her twins, Jai and Gia. With their faces hidden carefully away from the camera, Preity

shared her thoughts on motherhood in the post. She wrote: “They may not always smell pure and sweet. A dirty diaper or a dampened sheet. But with a loving cuddle and a beautiful smile, the joys of parenthood and having children are all worthwhile. Happy Children’s day to all of you. Hope you always keep the child in you alive.” Before that, when her twins turned one, Preity Zinta dedicated special posts to both of them. She wrote about her daughter Gia, “I always knew I wanted you… I prayed for you, I wished for you and now you are here and it’s been a year. My heart is full and I will forever be grateful for your precious smiles, your warm hugs and your presence in my life, my little Gia.” For her son, Jai, Preity Zinta shared a separate post and said, “Of all the roles I have played in my life nothing comes close to that of being your mom. I’m sure we have known each other for many lives…. In this one, I cannot stop wondering how much love we will share with each other and how much my heart fills up looking at you, my little miracle. I love you more each day. Happy Birthday, meri jaan.”

Name change

Ganganagar (Rajisthan) India 335038 and presently residing at 12-15065 58 Avenue, Surrey BC Canada V3S 8Z5, do hereby change

Sonakshi’s love story

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal’s love story is nothing less than a fairytale. Here’s how Sonakshi-& Zaheer met, who proposed, wedding plans and more will make you believe in true love.

Sonakshi grabbed everyone’s attention with her relationship with Zaheer Iqbal. The rumoured lovebirds never spoke about their relationship in the public. Recently, Sonakshi was spotted at a wedding reception with Zaheer and fans went gaga over their appearance. The two were seen twinning in black ensembles and left fans confused about their relationship status.

Zaheer took to his Instagram handle and announced his relationship. He confessed his love for his ladylove Sonakshi and wrote, Happy Birthday Sonzzz. Thank You for not killing me. I Love You. Here’s to a

lot more food, flights, love, and laughter. P.s - This video sums up the entire time we’ve known each other. Zaheer Iqbal, who made his Bollywood debut with Notebook is a childhood friend of Salman Khan. Both Zaheer and Sonakshi met at a party that was thrown by Salman Khan. Within no time, the two fell in love with each other and now they are inseparable. Also Read - NBK108: Did Sonakshi Sinha lose out this BIG south film after demanding huge fee? Both, Sonakshi and Zaheer have been linked up with each other for several years now and their social media PDA left fans gushing. Reportedly, the two will be getting married this year, but there is no official confirmation about the same as of now. Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer give major love goals! Sonakshi and Zaheer’s look madly in love with each other and their goofy pictures will give you major couple goals!

Sunny Loenne expresses her thanks to Bollywood

It has been a 10-year-long journey in Bollywood for Sunny Leone, who feels grateful that Bollywood has accepted her with open arms and that career in cinema reiterates her faith in the fact that hard work always yields result.

The actress began her career with “Jism 2” after a stint in “Bigg Boss” season 5. She then starred in the popular number “Laila” alongside Shah Rukh Khan in “Raees”. She was also seen in the web-series “Anamika” among many other projects.

Talking about her journey, the actress said: “When my husband Daniel Weber and I first started working, we borrowed money from the banks to start our first company and we turned that into a successful venture.

“When Bollywood happened to us, it was

the next chapter in my entertainment career. It’s been an amazing journey ever since. I am humbled. The amazing love and support that my fans have showered on me has helped me scale new heights. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without their appreciation.

Tabu plays police officer in ‘Drishyam’

No one but Tabu could’ve played cop in ‘Drishyam’ says Ajay Devgn. After garnering plaudits for playing a mother in Haider, versatile & beautiful Tabu talks and walks back on the silver screen with more power as a police officer in new film Drishyam

Strong female characters are recurring pattern in Tabu’s choice of films - be it Cheeni Kum or Chandni Bar. This time too, the actress will play the role of IG

Meera Deshmukh, who goes to any lengths to unmask the truth.

The role is touted as ‘the toughest role she has ever portrayed’, read a statement.

Drishyam, a thriller directed by Nishikant Kamat, also features Ajay Devgn. He plays a middle class family man named Vijay Salgaonkar.

A Panorama Studios and Viacom 18 Motion Pictures Production, presented by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Drishyam is being jointly produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak, Ajit Andhare and Abhishek Pathak.

I, Gurkirat Singh S/o Surender Pal Singh, holder of Indian Passport No. R5390408 issued at Vancouver BC on 23/08/2017, permanent resident of Village 19Z, Tehsil Sri

my name from Gurkirat Singh to Gurkirat Grewal with immediate effect.

S D Burman

Sachin Dev Burman was born on 1 October 1, 1906 . He is considered to be one of the best music directors Indai has produced.

Burman was born in Comilla, Bengal Presidency (in presentday east Bengal, (Bangladesh) to Rajkumari Nirmala Devi, the royal princess of Manipur and Mahamanyabar and Rajkumar Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman of Tripura, son of Maharaja Ishan Chandra Manikya Dev Burman, the Maharaja of Tripura. Sachin Dev was the youngest of the five sons of his parents, who had nine children in all. His mother died when he was just two years old. He started his film career with Bengali film in 1937. Later He began composing music for films, and became one of the most successful and influential music composers. S D Burman composed the soundtracks for over 100 film, including Bengali and Hindi films.

Apart from being a versatile composer, he also sang in the light semi-classical and folk style of Bengal folks. His son, R. D. Burman, also a celebrated music composer for films.

Burman’s compositions were sung by the leading singers of the era, including Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Geeta Dutt, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar, Asha Bhosle, Shamshad Begum, Mukesh and Talat Mahmood. S D Burman as playback singer, sang 14 Hindi and 13 Bengali songs. Burman started working as radio singer in Calcutta in late 20s, when his work as singer-composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music. Consequently, his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertoire of folk-tunes from present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. His first record was also released in 1932 (Hindustan Musical Product), with “Khamaj” (semi classical), “E Pathey Aaj Eso Priyo” on one side and the folk “Dakle Kokil Roj Bihane” on the reverse side, on 78 rpm for Hindustan Records.

In the following decade, he reached his peak as a singer, cutting as many as 131 songs in Bengali, and also sang for composers like Himangsu Dutta (8), RC Boral (1), Nazrul Islam (4), Sailesh Das Gupta (2) and Subal Das Gupta (1).[9] He also sang for Madhavlal Master (1) and his son R.D. Burman (1).

In 1934, he attended the All India Music Conference, at the invitation of Allahabad University, where he presented his Bengali Thumri, all to an illustrious audience, with the likes of Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit and the inimitable Abdul Karim Khan of

Kirana Gharana. Later in the year, he was invited to Bengal Music Conference, Kolkata, which was inaugurated by Rabindranath Tagore, here again he sang his Thumri, and was awarded a Gold Medal.

He composed many hit music for films in whic Rafi sung great songs one after another in Kala Pani (1958), , Insan Jaag Utha, Kagaz Ke Phool (1959), Bambai Ka Babu, Kala Bazar (1960), Meri Surat Teri Ankhen, Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Guide , Teen Deviyan (1965) Jewel Thief (1967). In 1963, he composed the soundtrack of Meri Surat Teri Aankhen (1963), in which Manna Dey sang the song “Poocho Na Kaise Maine”.

SDBurmanwithMuhammedRafi

Bandini (1963), Ziddi (1964), and Teen Devian (1965).

Gulzar, made his debut with song “Mora Gora Ang Lai Le”, though the other songs were written by Shailendra.

His music for film Aradhana (1969) got another landmark score in Bollywood music history.

He composed many award wining tunes for songs such as, in Prem Pujari (1969).

Tere Mere Sapne (1971), Ishq Par Zor Nahin (1970), Sharmeelee (1971), Abhimaan (1973), Prem Nagar (1974), Sagina (1974), Chupke Chupke (1975), Mili (1975) these are some of S D Burman’s classic music contributions. S D Burman was the only composer who provided chance to Kishore Kumar and Mohd Rafi in almost equal number of music in filmi songs. He regarded Kishore as his son. Kishore confessed that it was Sachin Da, who brought me into the music lige-light. Even after the rehearsal of “Badi Sooni Sooni hei” from film ‘Milli, when Sachin had a stroke, Kishore went up to the hospital and said “Dada, please don’t worry, your recording is after three days, you just see how well it goes.”

The song is considered one of the best song of Kishore Kumar.

Sachin Dev Burman went into a coma soon after rehearsing the song “Badi Sooni Sooni Hai” (sung by Kishore Kumar) for the film Mili.

After lingering into a coma for some days, Sachin Dev Burman died on October 31, 1975 in Mumbai.

Priyanka is dancing

On her 4th wedding anniversary, Priyanka Chopra treated her Insta family to a throwback picture from her wedding ceremonies. In the image, Priyanka and Nick Jonas can be seen dancing like no one is watching. The image seems to be from their post-wedding bash, as Priyanka is sporting red and white bangles and mehendi hands. She looks beautiful in a red gown with a plunging neckline, while Nick looks dashing in a grey suit set. Along

with the photo, she has written a sweet note wishing “babe,” Nick. She wrote, “Find yourself a guy that reminds you everyday that you’re loved. Happy anniversary babe.”

Soon after Priyanka Chopra shared the post, her industry friends flooded the comment section. Bipasha Basu wrote, “Yasss, Happy anniversary,” while Dia Mirza wrote, “Happy Anniversary,” followed by heart emoticons.

Sonam Kapoor’s new style

Sonam Kapoor has treated her Insta family to beautiful pictures, and we can’t take our eyes off.

In the images, the actress looks stunning in a yellow embroidered kurta set accessorised with statement earrings. She has styled her hair into a neat bun and has decorated it with gajara. The actress is sporting light makeup with tinted lips. In the caption, the actress simply wrote, “day 1 of #VSNEAKEDIT.” Soon after she shared the post, her parents Anil and Sunita Kapoor dropped adorable comments. Father Anil Kapoor wrote, “Classic,” while mother Sunita dropped heart emoticons.

Sonam Kapoor’s aunt Maheep Kapoor and friend Aditi Rao Hydari dropped love-

struck emoticons. Check out the post below:  Sonam Kapoor, who in August welcomed her first child, son Vayu with husband Anand Ahuja, has been giving major goals to all the new mothers. Recently, she added several events in Mumbai and Delhi and shared pictures of her looks. A few days ago, she shared many gorgeous pictures in a blue ensemble and captioned the post as “Blue Oh, so lonesome for you Tears fill my eyes ‘till I can’t see 3 o’clock in the mornin, here am I Sitting here so lonely, so lonesome I could cry.”

One of the greatest music directors of Indian cinema

Vancouver City to consider expediting new affordable housing buildings up to 12 storeys

Almost exactly 19 months ago, the previous makeup of Vancouver City Council rejected OneCity Vancouver councillor Christine Boyle’s motion to expedite the review process for new affordable housing buildings up to 12 storeys.

For Boyle’s first member motion following re-election, she is resubmitting this motion for reconsideration by the new makeup City Council, dominated by the ABC Vancouver party’s super majority.

Under her forthcoming motion, new affordable housing building proposals — such as social housing, below-market rental housing, and coop housing — up to 12 storeys would not need to seek rezoning and undergo a public hearing with City Council, and can instead go straight to the development permit application reviewed by City staff.

BC Housing pushing forward with King Edward supportive housing tower

Five rental and social housing towers up to 260-ft tall proposed for East Hastings Governments announce $49 million

for new Downtown Eastside social housing

Another social housing phase at Little Mountain moves forward

This would serve to reduce the timeline and uncertainty for each project and in effect reduce risk and borrowing costs, which are costs passed on to the low-income tenants. Affordable housing would be realized faster under such a scenario.

“Mayor Ken Sim committed to non-partisanship, cooperation and comity in his inaugural address. I would like to take him at his word. Here is an opportunity for him to live up to his commitments,” said Boyle in a statement.

“This motion does exactly what the community housing sector says they need to deliver the affordable homes Vancouverites deserve. It reduces red tape, it simplifies processes, it reduces costs — and it builds a city where working people, seniors and young families can afford to live. A better city — for all of us.”

Boyle notes her motion’s policy and intended goals have the broad support of non-profit housing operators and activists.

679 ft tall office and condo tower proposed near Surrey Central SkyTrain

Yet another tower exceeding the height of Metro Vancouver’s current tallest building — Living Shangri-La in downtown Vancouver — is proposed outside of the boundaries of the city of Vancouver.

A new rezoning and development permit application outlines a proposal to redevelop 10227 King George Boulevard within the core of Surrey City Centre into a 679-ft-tall (207 metre) mixeduse office and condominium tower with 67 storeys.

The site is 1.6 acres at the prominent northwest corner of the intersection of King George Boulevard and 102nd Avenue, currently occupied by a 1977-built strip mall with businesses such as RBC and Bubble 88. This property is about a four-minute walk from SkyTrain’s Surrey Central Station and the bus exchange. There would be a seven-storey base podium, containing retail/restaurant uses on the ground level and six storeys of office space within the podium’s remaining levels. A total

of 209,000 sq ft of commercial space would be found within the podium, which sets aside about 28% of the building’s total floor area for job-supporting office, retail, and restaurant uses that add to the City Centre’s vibrancy.

“The proposed commercial and office uses are a reflection of the City’s objective to concentrate office space within the Central Business District and are appropriate for a mixed-use development in the City Centre, providing opportunities for employment, entertainment and service uses,” states City staff.

“The tower is envisioned to establish an anchor to the Central Business District Area and is expected to be one of the most significant buildings in terms of massing and height… The intent for this area is to maximize the amount of commercial office floor area that will contribute to a successful Central Business District.”

Toronto home drops asking price by $1.6 million

If your jump shot requires a bit more work before you’re ready to take on the NBA, and you’ve got about $7 million to spare, look no further than 31 Sandringham Drive.

The mansion in Toronto’s Bedford Park neighbourhood has its very own full-sized basketball court. The backyard court comes complete with adjustable nets, and a raised fence on one side prevents any game-time mishaps.

The home itself was completely renovated in 2021 by luxury builder Jtf Homes, and, per the listing, there is “nothing left to do” except move in.

Located on the “most coveted block” on Sandringham Drive, a stately, and heated, circular driveway leads up to the red-bricked abode.

31 Sandringham DriveA stunning black and white marble floor sweeps through the main foyer.

Beneath an ornate ceiling, the spacious living room is divided into two separate sitting areas by a large stone fireplace.

The space is currently painted a pale pink, and walks out to the manicured back garden.

A second fireplace can be found in the family room, situated between a series of built-in bookshelves.

Hardwood floors run the length of the space, which is combined with the kitchen.

The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, a subway tile backsplash, and a large centre island.

The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, a subway tile

backsplash, and a large centre island.

Laurel green cabinets sit beneath black marble counters and brass fixtures.

There’s a breakfast area, which walks out to the garden through a set of double doors, as well as a formal dining room.

There are five bedrooms and seven bathrooms throughout the home.

The primary retreat has double mirrored closets, a walk-in closet, and a five-piece ensuite.

The finished basement contains a rec room with heated hardwood floors, a home gym, and a possible sixth bedroom. There’s also an arts-and-crafts room that could function as a home office.

The home’s outdoor space is just as stunning as its interior.

TorontoSprawling manicured gardens are shaded by mature trees, while the patio, which is ideal for entertaining, sits beneath an airy awning.

A stone path leads to the aforementioned basketball court.

Making hoop dreams come true comes at a cost, though - 31 Sandringham Drive is currently listed at $6,995,000.

31 Sandringham Drive TorontoHowever,

Surrey,

Even as the housing market cools, development continues. It’s hard to go from one area of the city to another without coming across a crane rising in the skyline.

Much of the development is answering the need for more rental housing.

“We’ve seen condo development pull back a little back in terms of starts,” he said. “Part of that is the way the market has gone. Prices are more tentative, and so some developers might be looking to time the market in terms of when they start construction. You also have rising interest rates which encourages a more cautious approach.”

The shift is also attributable to changing demographics. The last few years have seen a higher demand for rental units than previous ones “due to the reopening of borders and increased migration and high homeownership costs.” In the Lower Mainland, so far this year, the most starts have occurred in Coquitlam in the Burquitlam area and near Lougheed Centre, said Eric Bond, economist and senior specialist with Canada Mortgage

and East Van among development hotspots in Metro Vancouver

and Housing Corporation.

Most, if not all, of the development, is redevelopment, not “greenfield” (unused) land.

“We’ve seen a lot of conversion from land that, if you look at Brentwood or Metrotown, what was purely commercial is now commercial with residential on top. Especially near transit, we’ll continue to see that.”

In terms of this year’s starts, there have been 2,690 in the City of Vancouver itself, followed by Coquitlam with 2,496. Surrey and Burnaby are two other busy areas, with 1,630 starts and 1,312, respectively. In Surrey, 245 of the starts have occurred in Surrey City Centre, a high number for such a small area.

“There’s further development in Surrey City Centre,” Bond said. “As SkyTrain plans take shape out there, we’ll see continued

transit-oriented development along the new stations that are being planned.”

Surrey developer Allure Ventures completed Grand on King George, a 341unit building, last year. The 46-storey building is the second tallest in Surrey. In 2023, it expects to finish Emerald Gardens, a threetower development. At 957 units over one million square feet, it is one of the largest single-phase developments in Surrey, according to Mohamed Mansour, VP of sales at Allure. Another tower, Sky Living, will be situated near the site, at King George Boulevard and Fraser Highway, of a future UBC expansion project. “We focus on the Central Surrey area,” Mansour said. “We believe in that central core, the universities, the technology district, the hospitals. We found it to be a great opportunity.”

Mansour points to the SFU campus already there, as well as expansion plans that include a new medical school. Kwantlen Polytechnic University has announced expansion plans. A 16-kilometre-long extension of the Expo Line to Langley is expected to begin transporting people into Langley Centre in 2028.

“The area is becoming a hub,” Mansour said. Langley, too, is seeing some development, said Bond. Combined, Langley City and the District of Langley have seen 1,351 starts this year, with fewer row homes going up than in 2021.

“The area had a couple of interesting happenings this year,” Bond said. “Their first highrise project started in the region. There’s continued ground-oriented development, but developers are focusing on existing inventories and choosing denser projects with the economics of land costs.”

In the City of Vancouver, areas of concentrated development include Railtown, the site of new industrial/office projects following zoning changes to the area, and the splashy Oakridge mega-project.

RE/MAX expects average Canadian house prices to decrease in 2023

The average price of a house is forecasted to drop by nearly 12 per cent in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) next year.

According to Re/Max Canada’s housing market outlook for 2023, the GTA’s currently balanced market is expected to continue next year. As per the report, house prices rose 11 per

cent from $1,086,155 last year to $1,203,916. But for 2023, average residential sale prices are expected to drop 11.8 per cent to about $1,061,854, which is a roughly $142,000 price difference. As prices

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

start to decrease, Re/Max says there will be three main trends that will carry on into the new year.

“Continued interest rate increases and associated price adjustments,

rising unemployment due to an economic slowdown, and new opportunities to engage in the market for buyers and sellers because of improved affordability,” Re/Max Realtron Realty broker, Cameron Forbes, said This could be good for prospective homebuyers, as Forbes says there will be fewer competitors to deal with, reduced prices and more options to choose from on the market.

Langley

A moderate voter turnout of 60.23 per cent was recorded in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections covering 89 seats across 19 districts of SaurashtraKutch and southern regions of the state on Thursday with the polling ending on — by and large — a peaceful note, officials said.

Gujarat election records 60% turnout in phase-1

The electoral fate of 788 candidates who were in the fray in the first phase was locked in electronic voting machines (EVMs). While the final voting figure was awaited, the average turnout

iInternational basket case?

Pakistani economists lament that Bangladesh overtook Pakistan in just a couple of decades. Pakistan’s remittance earnings are greater than its stagnating export earnings, and both combined can’t pay for its imports. The Pakistani economy is in a precarious state and some are calling for Pakistan to suspend payment on its ever-increasing foreign debt, the largest portion held by China at 30 per cent.

An increase in Pakistani tax revenue is good news, but it remains to be seen if Pakistan can improve its tax to GDP ratio, which sits among the world’s lowest at 9.5 per cent. Pakistan’s budget deficit is 7.9 per cent of GDP and continues

to remain dangerously high despite continual government promises to the IMF that it will put its fiscal house in order.

Successive Pakistani finance ministers have long promised to raise, even double, Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio but have proven unsuccessful after facing determined opposition. Entire sectors of the Pakistani economy — agriculture, retail and real-estate development — are essentially untaxed. For example, OECD countries collect about 2 per cent of GDP in property taxes versus 0.6 per cent in emerging market economies but Pakistan’s figure is a mere 0.1 per cent.

By some estimates, 50 per cent of Pakistan’s work force is in the untaxed economy, accounting for about 35 per cent of GDP.

stood provisionally at 60.23 per cent, the Election Commission (EC) said. The voter turnout of 66.75 per cent was recorded in the first phase of the 2017

INDIA

Assembly poll. Barring a few untoward incidents and reports of technical glitches in EVMs at some places, the voting process, which commenced at 8 am, was largely peaceful, Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi said.

Can Pakistan avoid becoming an

Billionaire Adani’s firm wins bid to develop vast Mumbai slum

The real estate unit of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s Adani Enterprises has won the right to redevelop India’s largest slum, Mumbai’s Dharavi neighborhood, with a 50 billion rupee ($612 million) bid, a state official said on Tuesday.

Believed to be the largest slum in Asia, Dharavi is a crowded area that houses thousands of poor families in cramped quarters in the center of India’s financial capital. Many residents have no access to running water or clean toilets.

The redevelopment was first mooted in the 1980s as a way to develop valuable land while providing proper housing to those living there.

Adani’s winning bid of 50 billion rupees was more than double that of real estate group DLF, which bid 20 billion rupees ($244.87 million), said SVR Srinivas, CEO of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, a government enterprise in the western state of Maharashtra.

“It will be a township - a city within a city, with mixed land use, both commercial and residential,” Srinivas told Reuters, describing the redevelopment, which will cover 625 acres (253 hectares) as “the world’s largest urban renewal scheme.”

It is the latest mega-project taken

on by ports-to-energy conglomerate Adani Enterprises, which already supplies electricity in Mumbai through listed unit Adani Transmission Ltd.

Another group project, a $900 million port redevelopment in Kerala state, has been stalled for months by protesters. There have been no major protests to date against the Dharavi redevelopment.

Adani Enterprises last week said it would raise 200 billion Indian rupees ($2.45 billion) in India’s largest follow-on public offering of new shares as it aggressively expands into sectors such as cement and healthcare, amid some concerns about its elevated debt levels.

The redevelopment of Dharavi will be the fourth project Adani Realty has taken on in Mumbai and the 24th across four cities, according to its website.

Earlier this year, chairman Gautam Adani had said that the Adani Group would invest more than $100 billion over the next decade, most of it as part of a bid to transition to renewable energy.

A spokesperson for the Adani group did not respond to a request for comment on the Dharavi bid.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) expects India’s economy to grow 5.7% in 2022 and 4.7% in 2023. India’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 8.7% in FY22.

In its annual Trade and Development Report 2022 released on Monday, it said that world economy is expected to grow 2.6% in 2022 which is 0.9 percentage points below the rate projected in last year’s report.

PM Modi made a veiled dig at his predecessor Manmohan Singh on Monday, saying the country’s economy climbed only one spot to tenth place despite a “renowned economist” serving as PM in the Congress-led government for ten years until 2014. Modi, who refers to himself as a humble “chaiwala”, said that the Indian economy has risen to fifth place in the world in the eight years since he took office as prime minister in 2014. Addressing a rally in poll-bound Gujarat, he compared his performance to former Prime

Minister Manmohan Singh’s ten-year tenure.  “Before I assumed the office of the prime minister in 2014, the Congress had been in power for 10 years. When Congress first came to power in 2004, a renowned economist (Manmohan Singh) was our PM and the Indian economy ranked 11th in the world. In the subsequent years, though whatever they did, the Indian economy became the tenth largest. So, it took ten years for India to become number 10 from number 11,” PM Modi said.

“You gave reins to a ‘chaiwala’ (tea seller) in 2014. I never claimed I am an economist. But, I have confidence in the strength of the citizens. In the last eight years, India became the fifth largest economy from the tenth spot (before 2014),” he told a rally in Rajkot.

“So just compare. Ten years to become number 10 from the 11th rank (during Congress’ rule), and eight years to reach the fifth spot from the 10th position (under the BJP government),” Modi said.

India tries a bureaucracy-free enterprise zone

To lure investors turned off by India’s substantial bureaucracy, the country has created a city where none of the usual rules apply. Taxes are suspended; so are limits on currency trading. There’s plenty of air conditioning, and in an otherwise dry state, the liquor flows freely. Will it be enough to compete with Singapore and Dubai?  China’s lending billions of dollars to fund big, expensive projects in Asia, Africa

and, notably, Latin America — right next door to the US. Today The Big Take podcast looks at what China’s trying to accomplish and why the US has been slow to respond or match its advances in the Americas. Plus, from Buenos Aires, what happens when China comes calling with bags of cash.

Economy climbed up only one position under ‘economist PM’, but became 5th largest under ‘chaiwala’: PM Modi

India asked by sanctions-hit Russia for 500 products for key sectors

Moscow has sent India a list of more than including parts for cars, aircraft and trains, four sources familiar with the matter said, as sanctions squeeze Russia’s ability to keep vital industries running.

The list, a version of which has been seen by Reuters in New Delhi, is provisional and it is unclear how many of the items will eventually be exported and in what quantity, but an Indian government source said the request was unusual in its scope.

India is keen to boost trade in this way, said the source, as it tries to narrow a ballooning trade deficit with Russia. Some companies have expressed concern, however, about potentially falling foul of Western sanctions.

An industry source in Moscow, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade asked large companies to supply lists of raw materials and

equipment they needed. The source added that further discussion would be needed to agree specifications and volumes and that the outreach was not limited to India.

Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Indian foreign and commerce ministries and the prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Russia’s requests were made weeks ahead of Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s visit to Moscow starting Nov. 7, two of the Indian sources said. It was not immediately clear what was conveyed by New Delhi to Russia during the visit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has not joined Western countries in openly criticising Moscow for the war in Ukraine, and has sharply increased purchases of Russian oil that have cushioned it from some of the impact of sanctions.

Controversy after SBI branch changes weekly

In an unusual move, a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Mumbai’s Govandi has decided to have the weekly off on Fridays instead of Sundays, with effect from December 1. The public sector bank has displayed a notice regarding the change outside the branch which reads the SBI Govandi branch will remain shut on all Fridays, and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month.

It is believed that the decision to give weekly off on Fridays was taken to facilitate the local minority population living in and around Govandi in the northeastern suburb of the city. However, the bank authorities have not commented on the decision, though it has already created a controversy. From Sunday to Thursday, the business hours will be normal - from 10 am to 4 pm daily, the notice further said. The decision has elicited strong reactions on social media with objections to the Friday closure to cater to “the demands of the local demographics”.

off to Friday

Some people even accused the bank of trying to implement “sharia” rules.

“SBI Govandi Branch Closed on Fridays - ‘JUMMA DAY’ - in keeping with the Demands of the ‘Demographics’ of this Area ..!! SHARIA is Closer than we think it is,” a Twitter user Rajpal Dhular opined while sharing the notice put out by the bank. Another twitter user also asked whether the bank is “following sharia”? Netizens urged the bank to withdraw the decision immediately. “This decision should be cancelled immediately.

Due to the pressure of the minority community living around the Govandi branch of SBI, this branch of the bank will remain closed on Friday,” another user Alok said.

However, it is also pointed out that adjusting week-offs is not entirely new for banks in Mumbai. Some branches of certain other banks in the city and some other parts of the country also provide a Sunday half-day working --

India ranks 4th in renewable energy installed capacity after China

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said India is at fourth position globally after China, EU and the US in installed Renewable Energy capacity, and is taking steps to develop Small Modular Reactors (SMR) for a clean energy transition.

SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, which is about one-third of a conventional nuclear power reactor.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh while addressing a Workshop on SMR, organised by NITI Aayog and the Department of Atomic Energy, said, the participation of private sector, including startups, needs

India-Australia

to be explored for the development of this critical technology within India. He added that technology sharing and funds are the two crucial links for ensuring the commercial availability of SMR technology.

Dr Singh said the exploration of new clean energy options is in tune with the government’s roadmap for clean energy transition through bold climate commitments, which are reflected in updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In August 2022, India formally updated its NDCs to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). As per the updated NDC, India committed to

trade deal could chip away at China’s mineral monopolies

A new trade deal with Australia could help India pave the way to a reduced reliance on China for critical minerals while also providing the Oceanic country with an emerging market for its wine exports, which plummeted following Canberra’s trade dispute with Beijing.

Ratified by Canberra last week after being signed in April, the AustraliaIndia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ETCA) is poised to eliminate tariffs on more than 90 per cent of Australian goods exported to India by value, including seafood, barley and sheep meat. India would also substantially reduce its 150 per cent tariff on bottled Australian wine above US$5.

Meanwhile, 96.4 per cent of India’s exports to Australia would get zero-

duty access under the agreement that could potentially go into effect by the end of this year if India ratifies it soon.

“I think it’s probably the most comprehensive agreement that India has entered into, even though it is not by any means the most comprehensive one for Australia,” said Peter Varghese, a former secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia.

Canberra announced the trade-deal ratification with India at the same time as it confirmed a separate one with Britain – the first full trade agreement that the UK has negotiated from scratch after Brexit. The British parliament must now ratify that deal for it to take effect.

For India, the agreement with Australia solidifies its economic partnerships with

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has filed an additional affidavit in the Supreme Court, opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019 (CAA) on Tuesday, November 28, stating that the Act goes against the secular fabric of India. The CAA seeks to fast-track citizenship for persecuted minority groups in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. The six minority groups that have been identified by the Act for this purpose are Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, and Parsis. Citing that this excludes Muslims as well as religious minorities like the Tamils of Indian origin who have fled from Sri Lanka and are currently refugees in India, the DMK argues that the Act introduces a completely new ground for the determination of citizenship and goes against the secular ideals of our country.

The affidavit filed by RS Bharati, the organising secretary of the DMK, submits that the CAA is unconstitutional and must be declared null and void since it violates Articles 14 (right to equality) and 21 (right to protection of life and

personal liberty) of the Constitution.

Arguing for the rights of the Tamil refugees settled in India, the affidavit details the long history of tensions between Sinhalese and Tamil populations of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has two kinds of Tamil populations – Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils. The Indian Tamils were introduced to Ceylon (olden day Sri Lanka) between 1852 and the 1930s by the British as bonded labourers. Clause 9 of the Sri Lankan Constitution itself gives utmost importance to Buddhism over all other religions and empowers the state to protect and foster Buddhism. The basis of the inclusion of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh in the purview of the CAA is that their Constitutions provide for a specific state religion, leading to the prosecution of other religious minorities. DMK’s affidavit points out that the situation of Indian Tamils in Sri Lanka is akin to that of the persecuted minorities in these countries. “Not only have the Indian Tamils faced religious persecution because they were predominantly Hindu, they have always been prosecuted because of their minority status since the independence of

Exclusion of Tamils and Muslims discriminatory’: DMK opposes CAA in SC

China has warned American officials not to interfere in its relationship with India, the Pentagon has said in a report to the US Congress. Throughout its standoff with India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Chinese officials sought to downplay the severity of the crisis, emphasising Beijing’s intent to preserve border stability and prevent the standoff from harming other areas of its bilateral relationship with India, the Pentagon said in a report on Tuesday.

“The PRC (People’s Republic of China) seeks to prevent border tensions from causing India to partner more closely with the United States. PRC officials have warned US officials to not interfere with the PRC’s relationship with India,” the Pentagon said in its latest report on Chinese military build-up.

In a section on the China-India border, the Pentagon said throughout 2021, the PLA sustained the deployment of forces and continued infrastructure buildup along the LAC. Negotiation made minimal progress as both sides resist losing perceived advantages on the border, it said.

Beginning in May 2020, Chinese and

Indian forces faced off in clashes with rocks, batons, and clubs wrapped in barbed wire at multiple locations along the LAC. The resulting standoff triggered the buildup of forces on both sides of the border.

“Each country demanded the withdrawal of the other’s forces and a return to pre-standoff conditions, but neither China nor India agreed on those conditions,” it said. “The PRC blamed the standoff on Indian infrastructure construction, which it perceived as encroaching on PRC territory, while India accused China of launching aggressive incursions into India’s territory,” it added.

Since the 2020 clash, PLA has maintained a continuous force presence and continued infrastructure build-up along the LAC.

The 2020 Galwan Valley incident was the deadliest clash between the two nations in the past 46 years, the report said. On June 15, 2020, patrols violently clashed in Galwan Valley resulting in the death of approximately 20 Indian soldiers and four PLA soldiers, according to PRC officials, it said.

Sri Lankans can now hold Indian rupees worth $10,000 in cash

India has allowed Sri Lankan citizens to hold up to $10,000 (8.14 lakh Indian rupees) in Indian rupees in the physical form. They will also be able to convert the neighbour’s currency for those of other nations, thus enabling trade.

This could help Sri Lanka amid its unprecedented economic crisis since India, the world’s fifth-largest economy, is also one of its major trading partners.

In 202122, bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $6.81 billion, with Indian exports exceeding imports. However, exports nearly halved this year following the economic crisis.

While the Indian rupee cannot be used as legal tender by Sri Lankans under this move, it will give the island nation, facing an acute dollar shortage, some liquidity support for imports. With 22 million people, it has struggled to supply its citizens with food, medicines, fuel, and other essentials for many months.

On the other hand, India’s decision also coincides with its efforts to popularize its currency among Asian nations and to reduce its reliance on the US dollar.

It introduced the rupee trade mechanism in July, some months after western countries blocked Russian banks from the SWIFT financial messaging system which facilitates

cross-border payments. This new mechanism allowed the settlement of global trade in Indian rupees.

How will the arrangement with Sri Lanka be facilitate.

To enable Sri Lankans to hold Indian rupees, that nation’s banks must first have nostro accounts with Indian lenders, the Business Standard reported. Nostro accounts are those opened by a bank with a foreign bank and in that foreign country’s currency to facilitate bilateral trade and other financial transactions.

India in ‘good position’ to help end Russia-Ukraine war

India’s balancing act on the war in Ukraine is becoming more difficult, but New Delhi’s unique position – as a friend of both Russia and the West – could see it emerge as a key mediator, experts have told Al Jazeera.

When war began on February 24, New Delhi was quick to support Ukraine’s humanitarian needs. But India has abstained from condemning Moscow’s actions at the United Nations – a consistent position that the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi says is in line with India’s foreign and defence policies.

In a November interview with Times Now, an Indian media outlet, India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar argued that he is not trying to cater to the demands of “other people”.

“Sometimes, I have lived with things that you [the West] did. Now, live with it [India’s foreign policy],” he said. But as the war intensifies, global energy

and food shortages are prompting India to reevaluate its restrictive stance towards Russia.

On the sidelines of September’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin: “I know that today’s era is not an era of war, and I have spoken to you on the phone about this.”

INTERACTIVE-UN GA vote Russia pays reparations India was among the nations that abstained from a recent UN vote condemning Russia [Al Jazeera] The premier reiterated this sentiment weeks ago at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Bali.

“We have to find a way to return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy in Ukraine,” he said.

Vivek Mishra, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in New Delhi, told Al Jazeera that India’s stance is in a state of transition.

Actress Swera Bhasker joins Bharat Jodo Yatra ( joint India ) with Rahul Gandhi

The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi resumed from Ujjain on Thursday after day’s break and headed for Agar Malwa, the last district of Madhya Pradesh. Uttarakhand’s former chief minister Harish Rawat, Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh, exparliamentarian Prem Chand Guddu, All India Mahila Congress’s former president Shobha Oza and actor Swara Bhaskar were seen walking briskly with Gandhi.

The foot march, a mass contact programme of the Congress, started

from R D Gardi Medical College on the outskirts of Ujjain at around 6 am.

The yatra will stop for the morning break in Nazarpur village around 10 am. It will resume in the afternoon from Ghaatiya bus stand.

The foot march participants will stay overnight in Jhalara village, party sources said.

The yatra is scheduled to cover a distance of 380 km in the politically crucial Malwa-Nimar region of western Madhya Pradesh within 12 days.

Adani now in position to name directors to board of NDTV

Having taken control of RRPR Holdings, the NDTV promoter company holding 29.18% equity in the broadcaster, Adani Group through its subsidiary Vishvapradhan Commercial Pvt. Ltd (VCPL) could push to nominate its directors on the NDTV board. And though the open offer didn’t attract any investor interest for the second straight session on Wednesday, Adani Group has become the single largest shareholder of NDTV, taking it a step closer to wresting control of the company, founders of proxy advisory firms have said. Together with acquiring a 29.18% stake in NDTV by taking control of RRPR Holdings from the Roys, Adani Group has acquired 8.26% of the company’s equity, as on 30

November, through an open offer triggered after it bought VCPL in late August. This takes Adani Group shareholding through its wholly-owned subsidiary VCPL to 37.44%, making it NDTV’s single-largest shareholder, followed by Radhika and Prannoy Roy who hold a combined 32.26%. The open offer, which opened on 22 November and will run till 5 December, didn’t attract any fresh subscription from investors on November 29-30, data from the Bombay Stock Exchange shows.

A spokesperson for Adani group did not respond to a request for comment.

“I would say Adani Group’s stake increases their chances of nominating directors to the NDTV board,” said J.N. Gupta, former Sebi executive director and MD of proxy advisory firm SES.

China warned US officials not to interfere in its relationship with India

Punjab

Moga policeman & singer arrested for promoting gun culture

Punjab Police constable, who is also a singer, has been booked by the Moga police for allegedly glorifying gun culture in his latest single uploaded on YouTube, an official spokesperson Thursday said.

An FIR under section 188 of IPC was registered late on Wednesday at Baghapurana police station against Constable Kuljeet, a resident of Rajiana village in Moga, for allegedly glorifying weapons both through lyrics

and visuals in his song ‘Mahakaal’.

Sub-inspector Jatinder Singh, SHO Baghapurana, said that Kuljeet is posted with patrolling wing of Moga police. “He is an amateur singer who uploaded his latest song on November 30 on YouTube.

The FIR was registered hours after song was uploaded after it was noticed that lyrics and visuals promoted weapons. He is yet to be arrested,” said the SHO.

Court says jail before conviction is a sort of punishment

Making it clear that the conviction rate in the country was abysmally low, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that imprisonment before it was, especially then, a sort of punishment

Justice Bansal also made it clear that there was neither a mechanism to compensate a man found innocent later on, nor could acquittal return valuable time, energy,

status, future of the family, especially children, lost following the breadwinner’s incarceration.Justice Bansal was hearing a plea seeking the quashing of an order passed on September 9 by the Ludhiana Additional Sessions Judge, whereby bail bonds furnished by the petitioner were cancelled and non-bailable warrants of arrest issued after he failed to appear.

Protest against AAP MLA’s claim on cement lining canals

Contradicting the Faridkot AAP MLA’s claim that state government has agreed not to make cement concrete lining of Indira Gandhi and Sirhind Feeder canals, residents and many voluntary organisations of the town today organised a protest. The protesters alleged the AAP leaders were trying to mislead the residents with their shoddy claims to

weaken the agitation. The protesters have been sitting on dharna for a month.

Under a tripartite agreement between Punjab, Rajasthan and the Cenre for remodelling-cum-relining of these canals, signed on January 23, 2019, the concrete lining of both canals has been under way for the two years in three states.

Pakistan

Former director ISI Lt Gen. Faiz Hameed to retire

Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid, the former ISI chief and one of the top military officers of Pakistan, has opted to seek an early retirement, days after he was shortlisted as Army chief, according to media reports.

General Faiz Hamid was one of the senior-most generals shortlisted by the General Headquarters (GHQ) for the post of the Chief of Army Staff. The list was sent to PM for approval last week.

Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was among the most senior generals considered for post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) as well. The govt went with the principle of seniority

and appointed General Asim Munir as army chief and General Sahir Shamshad Mirza as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Lt Gen Faiz Hameed first rose to prominence when he was heading the counter-intelligence wing of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He was later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and subsequently returned to the ISI as its chief.

Then in opposition PML-N repeatedly accused him of influencing the courts to ensure convictions against its leadership.

He was at the center of controversy when former Prime Imran Khan wanted him to continue as Director Generla ISI but then Army Chief refused.

Australian Associated Press rules misinformation on NADRA in Fiji

The Australian Associated Press has characterized the information spread in Fiji regarding the presence of the National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) as false and unjustified.

This announcement has been acknowledged by the Fijian Elections Office.

The FEO states that on numerous occasions, politicians, and their political

party officials have falsely claimed that NADRA was present in Fiji conducting elections and that they were also involved in vote counting or results.

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem reiterates that this is incorrect and that the engagement with NADRA for the supply of the election management system ended in 2017.

Prime Minister should ask AG to resign – Shamima Ali

Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator Shamima Ali says the Prime Minister should ask the Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum to resign.

While speaking in the Hindustani language, the General Secretary of the FijiFirst Party

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said other political parties like the Fiji Labour Party has candidates who are Bhajaniyas (bhajan singers).

He then asked whether the Bhajaniyas have the capabilities to stand in the parliament and speak on complicated issues.

Unity Fiji, NFP, FLP & People’s Alliance concerned about national debt

Unity Fiji Leader, Savenaca Narube says if we do not improve the efficiency of the expenses by reducing wastage, we are going to hit a brick wall. He has highlighted this in the economic debate on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan while responding to a question on Government debt that was

expected to be at $9 billion in July this year and what the parties will do to reduce it if they get elected into Government.

Narube says the debt has been created by spending more than you earn and this Government has been a spending Government right from Day One.

Growers claim authority duped them

Some Naitasiri farmers claim they have been duped by the Agro Marketing Authority (AMA).

The Muaniweni growers claimed the AMA asked them to plant uro ni vonu dalo with the promise of purchasing their harvest, then later told them there was no market for their produce.

Speaking to this newspaper, Naresh Ram, a farmer, said he and others had planted in earnest after they reached an understanding with the AMA.

“They came and told us to plant uro ni vonu and they will buy it for $2 to $2.50 a kilogram,” the 46-year-old claimed.

The decision by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) comes even as Pakistan is facing regular attacks in its tribal areas and along the Durand Line - its border with Afghanistan - from the Afghan Taliban and insurgents linked to the Pakistan Taliban.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) declared an end to the ceasefire with the Pakistani government on Monday and issued nationwide attacks.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistan Taliban, announced this decision through a statement released to the local media on Monday.

This decision by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) comes even as Pakistan is facing regular attacks in its tribal areas and along the Durand Line – its border with Afghanistan – from the Afghan Taliban and insurgents linked to the Pakistan Taliban.

Khan’s politics of agitation failed’

Former Prime Minister and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan’s politics of agitation has failed, a journalist said on Saturday.

Shamsi made the comments while speaking in a TV show. She said, explained why Imran Khan announced abandoning the national and provincial legislative assemblies earlier the same

day. Shamsi said He had deliberately kept the pertinent announcement deliberately vague. Shamsi said while the party was still demanding the conduct of snap general elections, they were desisting from attacking the establishment since they knew well that they will have to ultimately deal with them.

‘Imran

TTP

declares end to truce, orders attacks across Pakistan

Dental care for kids and sick leave for workers finally a reality thanks

Starting Dec. 1, working families will be able to apply for the NDP’s dental care for kids under 12 and two weeks of paid sick leave

.On Thursday, parents and workers will finally be able to apply for support New Democrats delivered: dental care for kids and up to two weeks of paid sick leave.

Earlier this year, New Democrats used their power to help families and their budgets by giving families with children under 12 $650 per year per child to see a dentist. And after years of pushing the government to bring in two weeks of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers, workers will finally be able to access the support.

After months of the NDP pushing the

government to follow through, it’s clear that left to their own devices, the Liberals were never going to act. And at every opportunity, despite Canadians paying for Conservative MPs’ own dental care, the Conservatives tried to stop dental care for kids from happening.

“Families without benefits will finally be able to access dental care for their kids and workers will finally be able to stay home if they’re sick without worrying about how they will pay their bills. Despite the Liberals fighting these measures at every step and the Conservatives trying to stop this support being sent to families, New Democrats didn’t stop, and now families will be able

NDP delay long-overdue medical school while healthcare crisis worsens

to access this help and get a break,” said Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. “And this is just the first step, we’re going to keep fighting to make sure all Canadians can access comprehensive dental care as part of our health care system.”

The Liberals teamed up with the Conservatives and voted against dental care twice, but New Democrats persisted, and forced the Liberals to give uninsured families making under $90,000 per year dental care for their kids under 12. Families will be able to apply for this support on Thursday at canada.ca.

“Families are playing by the rules, doing

to NDP

everything right, but still can’t get ahead. Family budgets are stretched thin, and services they count on — like hospitals — are over-packed. We need to urgently get support to people to pay the bills and to support our crumbling health care system so families can get help when they need it,” added Singh. “It’s clear: without New Democrats, the Liberals were never going to put money back in your pockets. And despite talking about rising costs, the Conservatives are not interested in the fights that help you. New Democrats will always fight for you and your family, and we’re not done. We’ll keep fighting – to help your kids with dental care, to help your family budget, and to help you get ahead.”

on final day of the fall sitting

Press release

While B.C. continues to grapple with a worsening healthcare crisis, the NDP are once again delaying the second medical school they promised more than two years ago.

“The NDP promised to create a second medical school back in October 2020 and said we could expect graduates as soon as the 2023 school year. Today’s announcement that B.C. won’t see new doctors graduate from SFU until 2030 is devastating news for those expecting swift action from their government in the middle of a healthcare crisis,” said MLA Shirley Bond, BC Liberal Health Critic. “According to BC Family Doctors, 40 per cent of B.C.’s family physicians will retire in the next 10 years and it will be impossible to fill the gap. The NDP’s decade-long wait from announcement to new doctors is completely unacceptable and yet another broken promise.”

The NDP’s 2020 election platform promised they would be “launching B.C.’s second medical school to expand our health care workforce,” with Health Minister Adrian Dix saying “the first graduating class could be

2023-24.” Since then, the NDP have dragged their feet on the project, failing to provide any funding for it in two consecutive budgets.

“If the NDP had immediately started work on this SFU medical school as they promised, we could be seeing results as early as next fall, but they chose to delay that important work for political reasons,” added MLA Coralee Oakes, BC Liberal Advanced Education Critic. “Now, British Columbians have been left to deal with the consequences of the NDP’s failure to act. Our healthcare system is nearing a point of total collapse. It’s not enough for David Eby to make shiny announcements — that’s nothing new for the NDP. What we need is real action and improved outcomes, something we have five years of evidence to show the NDP are incapable of delivering.”

The BC Liberals continue to join patients, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers in pressing the NDP to take substantive action to solve the healthcare crisis including putting forward substantive policy suggestions in July and August of this year informed by healthcare professionals.

While the fall legislative session has ended, the David Eby era of stifling debate and eroding democracy to suit his own needs has begun.

“After cancelling four days of session last week to throw the new Premier a party, Eby and his NDP government have now shut down debate on significant pieces of legislation so they can ram them through with virtually no scrutiny,” says Opposition House Leader Todd Stone. “The people who elect us deserve to know that laws that impact them have been thoroughly debated and put through vigorous questioning — but Premier Eby and the NDP aren’t allowing that to happen.”

Among the bills being rushed through the House are Eby’s much-hyped housing bills, 43 and 44. The BC Liberals voted against second reading of these bills, in protest of the NDP

limiting debate to less than three hours per bill.

“While some NDP members try to mischaracterize our intentions, let’s be clear — we voted against David Eby and the NDP not allowing democracy to unfold as it should,” says Stone. “Bill 44 in particular, which impacts strata rental and age restrictions, will affect one million British Columbians who live in stratas — but the NDP won’t let us debate the potential unintended consequences which could include strata insurance rates continuing to skyrocket. It’s shameful.”

The other bills rammed through by the government without adequate debate were Bill 36, the Health Professions and Occupations Act, and Bill 37, the Energy Statutes Amendment Act, 2022.

Eby’s ego overrules democracy

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