The Asian Star February 6 2021

www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 1

South Asian community giant Charan Gill passes away at 84 Over 5 decades, Charan Gill sought to protect workers, seniors and women and led fight against racism in BC. Tributes are pouring in for Charan Gill, who is being remembered as a passionate community leader who championed social justice in B.C. by fighting racism and supporting causes including better standards for immigrant workers and women’s rights. Gill, a recipient of the Order of B.C., died at Langley Memorial Hospital on Tuesday morning after a fight with cancer, his family near his side. He was 84. His dedication to human rights over his lifetime is being lauded by politicians, activists, friends and family. Gill was outspoken with a big personality, yet down to earth. He often wore a fedora hat and colourful rings on his hands.

Satbir Cheema, CEO of the Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society, described him as a “straight shooter” and a crusader for many causes.

Gill established the society in 1987 using $80 in contributions from friends.

It now employs more than 150 people and has became a multi-million-dollar non-profit organization dedicated to helping others, Cheema said. “He will be missed. ... once in a lifetime you come across such people who do so much selflessly for the community,” he said.

Gill was born in Hong Kong and raised by his mother — who was widowed when Gill was two years old — and educated in India. After immigrating to Canada in 1967, he took different jobs including work at a mill and then continued his education to become a social worker.

His interest in social causes accelerated to activism to help immigrant workers, seniors and women facing domestic abuse.

Continued on page 10

Saturday, February 6, 2021

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BC political parties reap more millions from public subsidy Calling a snap election in October 2020 netted Premier John Horgan’s B.C. NDP more than $2 million in election expense reimbursements, while the B.C. Liberals collected more than $1.5 million and the B.C. Greens got back more than $300,000. Election expense reimbursements are on top of the per-vote subsidy paid to parties each year in a program brought in by Horgan’s minority government in 2017, to replace revenue from corporate and union donations.

Those were banned by the NDP changes, and

Horgan’s pre-election vow not to use public subsidies was reversed after the election, in a bill that ended up being supported by all parties. Financing reports released Monday

by Elections B.C. showed the governing NDP received $2.15 million in reimbursed expenses. The party received $5.45 million in political contributions, but with the taxpayer subsidy, the party was able to spend $7.6 million to win a majority government in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Continued on page 6

Two criminals from Vancouver’s homeless camp arrested for brutally murdering 78-year-old South Asian woman Vancouver police have arrested two men accused of posing as police officers and violently attacking an elderly woman in her home last weekend, who has since died of her injuries.

Police said Wednesday the two suspects were arrested on Tuesday, the same day 78-year-old Usha Singh died in hospital. Court records now show 41-year-old Pascal Bouthillette has been charged with murder while Sandy Parisian, 47, faces a manslaughter charge in connection to Singh’s death. Both charges were sworn against the men on Wednesday. “This was a

A South Asian woman murdered in her home in Vancouver, last week.

Continued on page 7

Surrey RCMP officer arrested in anticorruption probe A young Surrey Mountie has been arrested after an anticorruption probe, Postmedia has learned. RCMP E Division spokesperson Dawn Roberts confirmed the “probationary” member with less than two years’ experience “has been removed from operations and suspended.” She would not provide more details of the investigation except to say it was not being done by Surrey RCMP, but by another unit. “B.C. RCMP became aware of information and launched a criminal investigation,” Roberts said. “It remains active

and ongoing.” The name of the officer will not be released “as charges have not been laid.” Roberts said there is also an internal code of conduct investigation underway.

“While I can’t provide specifics with respect to the nature of the allegations, I can confirm that once we became aware, immediate actions were taken,” she said. “A divisional (headquarters) unit outside of the Surrey RCMP conducted the criminal investigation and the matter is now subject to a charge assessment.”

Continued on page 7

Canadian pharma company plans to import Covishield anti-Covid-19 doses from India A Canadian company, which was not identified, is looking at importing 50,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in the UK and manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India under the Covishield brand. While Canada is struggling to buy sufficient Covid-19 vaccine doses for its population, a private pharma company in the country is in discussions

with the Indian government to secure doses of the Covishield vaccine. Indian officials confirmed the talks, saying it was “a query, not a final deal”. The Canadian company, which was not identified, is looking at importing 50,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in the UK and manufactured by the PuneContinued on page 7

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Saturday, February 6, 2021

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Homicide police investigating 2 deadly shootings in Metro Vancouver Two deadly shootings discovered fewer than 12 hours apart, but in separate Metro Vancouver cities, are now under investigation as homicide police look for clues in both Burnaby, and Surrey, B.C.The first one happened in Burnaby where a man in his early 30s was found dead from one or more gunshot wounds Wednesday night near Byrne Creek Ravine Park, according to RCMP homicide investigators.

In a tweet Thursday, the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said the man was found dead inside his vehicle at around 8 p.m. PT Wednesday.

The tweet said the vehicle was parked in the 6500 block of Portland Street.

Police are not yet releasing the victim’s identity and there is no word on the motive or whether it was a targeted shooting.

Investigators are expected to release more details Thursday afternoon.

Nearly 12 hours after the discovery of the Burnaby homicide, RCMP began looking into another shooting death in the vicinity of Surrey’s Whalley and Guildford neighbourhoods.

According to a police statement, officers were called after someone reported hearing gunshots just before 7:30 a.m., in the 10800 block of 139A Street.The statement said a man and woman were found inside a home, both suffering from gunshot wounds.Police said the man was not critically wounded, but the woman was in “grave” condition when both were taken to hospital.She did not survive her injuries, according to RCMP. Police believe the shooting was targeted and there is no risk to the public. Investigators are not saying if the two shootings are related. Anyone with information is asked to call the IHIT Information Line at 1‐877‐551‐4448, or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp‐grc.gc.ca.

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OPINION

By Sylvain Charlebois Professor in Food Distribution and Policy Dalhousie University

If there’s one thing we’ve learned throughout this pandemic, it’s how the science related to the virus can be constantly politicized. And to change COVID-19’s origin story, that’s exactly what China is doing.

Many are talking about vaccine nationalism, with concerns that some nations are racing to access

Saturday, February 6, 2021 Chinese propaganda politicizing COVID-19’s origin story as many vaccines as possible. It’s disappointing, of course, but highly predictable. Vaccines are seen as the portal toward some sort of normalcy.

The World Health Organization has rightly registered its concerns about vaccine hoarding.

Meanwhile, the same world agency has sent a team to look at the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. The first visits were completed this week at a food market in the Chinese city of Wuhan,

where many believe the global pandemic started.

Even if the investigation likely won’t generate much evidence regarding the pandemic’s origin, at least not early on, food safety nationalism is and will continue to impact the entire fact-finding discourse.

While the entire world considers Wuhan to be ground-zero of the pandemic, China has adopted a very different narrative.

For months, the Chinese government has released reports of imported food and products contaminated with COVID-19. In August, China accused Brazil of exporting COVID19-contaminated products. A sample of frozen chicken wings imported from Brazil tested positive in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

The announcement was the latest in a series of reports of contaminated imported food products.

And then in the fall, the Chinese government urged companies to halt imports of frozen products from countries that have been hard hit by the pandemic, as fears continued to mount over the possibility of transmission through food packaging.

According to Chinese authorities, the first local asymptomatic infections in many weeks were detected when a few port workers from the city of Qingdao, responsible for unloading frozen seafood, tested positive for COVID-19.

China has continuously suggested the country was and is the victim of imported contaminated frozen foods, even though the science on the virus is now more developed than it was 11 months ago, as is its survival capacity.

Contamination through food supply chains is highly unlikely. There has not been one known case so far during the pandemic – outside of China, that is.

China is effectively playing the fear card.

Some call it propaganda.

Ever since China was hit by the tainted melaminein-milk scandal, consumers in the country have been suspicious about the safety of their domestic food. At the time, the country was hosting the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the government was hesitant to disclose anything, not wanting the distraction. The chosen tactic was concealment.

Now, during the pandemic, China has clearly chosen risk management nationalism when it comes to food safety. China is trying to portray itself as protecting its people against evil from outside its borders. The pandemic is being weaponized as a menace against the Chinese people.

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Saturday, February 6, 2021 BC immigration consultants’ licences suspended following criminal charges A Langley couple, immigration consultants who face dozens of immigration fraud-related charges have had their licences to practice suspended by their profession’s regulatory authority. The Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council’s (ICCRC) discipline committee ordered the suspension of Rupinder “Ron” Batth and Navdeep Batth’s licences last Thursday.= In September, the pair were charged with 69 counts under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, following an investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) into alleged fraud.

The charges include counselling or attempting to counsel misrepresentation or helping people misrepresent facts related to their immigration, knowingly misrepresenting or withholding facts that can induce error in administration, and communicating false information with regard to someone’s immigration.

B.C. couple face dozens of charges related to alleged immigration fraud.

Rupinder Batth faces 54 counts, while Navdeep Batth faces 15. The two served as directors for Can-Asia Immigration Consulting, which had its Surrey office raided by the CBSA in 2017. ICCRC began the process to suspend the Batth’s licences to work as immigration consultants in early October, just days after receiving information from CBSA about its investigation.

Despite the motion being labelled “urgent,” it took months for the discipline committee to order the interim suspensions.

The committee has ordered the suspensions to remain in place until the criminal proceedings have concluded, including sentencing, if applicable. After proceedings are complete, the suspensions will be assessed to determine whether they’ll be continued or cancelled.

Ultimately, the Batths could have their ICCRC memberships revoked, but any decision on that measure won’t be made until the ongoing legal process has run its course, according to the new order from ICCRC.

BC records 465 new cases of COVID-19 and 6 more deaths bc health officials announced 465 new cases of COVID-19 and six more deaths on Thursday as the province continues to show a slow bending of the epidemic’s curve. In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix put the number of hospitalized patients at 257 people, 76 of whom are in intensive care.

The number of people hospitalized is at its

lowest level since Nov. 21. A total of 1,240 people in B.C. have lost their lives due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began. There are currently 4,447 active cases of coronavirus in the province, with public health monitoring 6,943 people across B.C. As of Thursday, 62,078 people who tested positive have recovered.

B.C. has recorded one new health-care facility outbreak at Mountain View Manor in Ladner. The outbreak at Chartwell Malaspina Care Residence in Nanaimo is now over So far, 145,567 doses of COVID-19 vaccine

has been administered, with 8,097 of those being second doses.

Dix and Henry have urged B.C. sports fans to avoid Super Bowl watch parties in recent weeks. They reiterated that advice Thursday.

“As we make plans for the weekend ahead, let’s ensure we don’t make the Super Bowl a superspreading day, by making safe choices,” they wrote in their statement. “This is especially important given we are still learning about the full impact of the variants of concern now in our communities.”

Dix and Henry have regularly advised against increasing social contacts ahead of long weekends and events that in any other year would bring people together. On Thursday, Henry, Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside and British Columbia School Trustees Association President Stephanie Higginson announced new mask policies in B.C.’s middle and high schools that require students and staff to wear masks at all times while indoors — with some exceptions. Previously, students and staff were only required to wear masks in areas where interactions could not be controlled, such as in libraries, hallways and on school buses. More than 90 per cent of all public school students are back in class, according to the school trustees association.

Shooting in Surrey that left woman dead was not random, police say A woman is dead and a man has been injured in a shooting in Surrey, B.C., in what police say was not a random act.

Police were called Thursday morning to a home after reports of gunshots being heard. Audio Files: Which luxury brand’s

sound system is better — Lincoln or Cadillac?

Officers found a woman in grave condition and a man suffering non-life-threatening injuries inside the home.

Both were taken to hospital, but police say the woman died of her injuries.

Canada doesn’t know how many more Moderna doses will be delivered, or why there are delays Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the military commander leading vaccine logistics at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), said today Canada doesn’t know how many Moderna doses will arrive in the weeks ahead and the company hasn’t said why it has reduced shipments to our country. Speaking to reporters at a public health briefing, Fortin said

180,000 Moderna doses arrived this morning but the government has no “visibility” on how many more shots will be delivered this month and next.

Despite these unknowns, Fortin said Canada is still expecting 2 million Moderna doses to be delivered by the end of March to meet the prime minister’s promised vaccination targets.

Continued on page 10

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Saturday, February 6, 2021 From page 1

tragic and senseless crime that cost an innocent woman her life, and struck fear and anxiety in the community,” spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison said in a statement. “Vancouver is still a safe city, and thankfully incidents like this are rare. We hope these arrests begin to restore a sense of calm and safety.” The incident is now Vancouver’s second homicide of 2021. Singh was found gravely injured in her home near Queen Elizabeth Park on the city’s west side Sunday morning after a friend called police to conduct a wellness check. Investigators believe she had been left helpless inside for hours. Police have said Singh, who lives alone, let two men who she was led to believe were police officers inside her home where she was attacked. Investigators would not reveal more information about why Singh thought the men were officers, or any

Two criminals from Vancouver’s homeless camp arrested for brutally murdering 78-year-old South Asian woman other evidence that would help the public identify the suspects.

Addison would not give further information on the attack itself Wednesday and did not provide details on whether either suspect had connections to Singh, as the case is now before the courts. Police said Parisian — who was also wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for unrelated offences — was arrested Tuesday near Strathcona Park by a police canine unit and other officers.

Parisian suffered a “serious but non-lifethreatening” injury during the arrest and was treated in hospital before being taken to jail, police said. The Independent Investigations

Office, B.C.’s police watchdog, is investigating that incident.

Bouthillette was arrested Tuesday evening near Main Street and Terminal Avenue.

Police said multiple search warrants were executed Tuesday night in relation to the investigation, including in Strathcona Park, and evidence is still being gathered. Addison later told reporters it’s believed Parisian is a resident of the homeless encampment in the park and lived in a tent there.

He added several other residents of the park were “hostile” towards the officers executing the search warrant and created a “volatile” situation, prompting those officers to call for backup from across the city.

Both suspects have extensive criminal records and have been convicted on multiple offences over the past five years, court records show, including assault with a weapon and breaking and entering. Bouthillette alone has been found guilty of multiple counts of theft, drug possession and breach of probation in addition to other crimes. A court date has not yet been set for either Bouthillette or Parisian.

Investigators are still asking anyone with information about the attack that led to Singh’s death to contact Vancouver police or Crime Stoppers.

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based Serum Institute of India under the Covishield brand.

This is not part of the Canadian programme, even though it has ordered millions of doses from AstraZeneca.

Canada has among the highest per capita volumes of orders of Covid-19 vaccines, with deals in place with Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax, accounting for over 350 million doses in total.

However, its vaccination programme, which began in December after emergency authorisation was given to the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, has come to a standstill due to supply issues caused by the former delaying sending its jabs while it ramps up production at a plant in Belgium and also the European Commission placing export controls on vaccines made within the bloc.

While AstraZeneca is among the companies that has sought its vaccine’s clearance by Canadian public health authorities, there was no response to queries from Hindustan Times sent to the office of the minister of public services and procurement, Anita Anand, over

whether these will be sourced, even partly, from India.

Anand, however, told CBC News that shipments from the EU should be expected to resume very soon. While some batches have started arriving, she said “all systems are a go for these shipments”.

Canadian officials led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have spoken to EU officials,

including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, on the vaccine issue.

During a media interaction, Trudeau said, “The conversations I had with the president of the European Commission were enough to reassure me, and should be enough to reassure all Canadians, that the EU is extremely mindful that Canada’s contracts be respected, and that our supply of vaccines not be interfered with.”

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Saturday, February 6, 2021

Surrey RCMP officer arrested in anticorruption probe Postmedia has learned that the officer allegedly had troubling connections to a Lower Mainland gang currently involved in the conflict that has left several young men dead over the last few weeks.

The investigation into the officer has been going on for months, sources say.

The allegations come just two weeks after a Vancouver police officer was charged with theft, breach of trust and possession of a controlled substance.

Const. Neil Logan was also suspended and the VPD said he is no longer an active member of the force. He was also alleged to have a connection to a young Surrey drug trafficker.

Former solicitor general Kash Heed, a longtime police officer, said Saturday that any time corruption allegations are made against police, the reputation of the profession takes a hit. “It is extremely rare that this is occurring,” said Heed, adding that those applying to become police officers go through “a very, very extensive background investigation, including

a polygraph.”

“There are several databases that are searched regarding the individual and their family members.”

If criminal links existed, it’s surprising they weren’t discovered before the officer was hired, Heed said.“I’m sure when they go back and look at the extensive background that was done on this, there’ll be an area that was identified that may have led to this type of behaviour by this individual,” Heed said. “Young members that are serving in Surrey right now are very concerned that something like this could occur.”

Masks now mandatory inside middle and high schools in BC, as rules expand It is now mandatory for students in middle and secondary schools across B.C. to wear nonmedical masks in all indoor areas of the school, as the province expands its health and safety protocols.

Non-medical grade masks must be worn in all indoor areas, the province announced Thursday, including while students are in their learning cohorts. The B.C. Ministry of Education said masks can come off while students are at their workstation in the classroom, while a barrier — like a sheet of Plexiglas — is in place or while they’re eating and drinking. Staff at elementary schools are included in the new mandatory mask rule, but elementary students are not. For them, masks remain optional.

Previously, students and staff were only required to wear masks in areas where interactions could not be controlled, like in libraries, hallways and on school buses. The province also announced the creation of six regional rapid response teams — one in each health authority — to support independent schools across the province. The teams, created with $900,000 in funding, will conduct physical and virtual inspections to ensure health and safety guidelines are being followed consistently.

If there is a serious exposure or in-school transmission, teams will conduct a review and make recommendations to prevent the situation from happening again. Henry said the teams will help public health find out what those schools need to manage an outbreak, as communication has proven difficult in the past.

Continued on page 10

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BC political parties reap more millions from public subsidy From page 1

From page 1

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The B.C. Liberals were reimbursed $1.55 million in election expenses, and collected $3.2 million in contributions from individuals, which are capped at $1,200 per person per year under the 2017 changes to the B.C. Election Act. Including transfers of public money, the B.C. Liberals spent $6.37 million in an election that saw them take 28 seats to the B.C. NDP’s 57-seat majority. The B.C. Green Party was reimbursed $300,774.59 for its election expenses, after raising $1.24 million in donations from individuals. The new financing system allowed them to spend $1.41 million on their 2020 election campaign, where the two incumbent MLAs, Cowichan Valley MLA Sonia Furstenau and Saanich and the Islands MLA Adam Olsen retained their seats. The per-vote subsidy began in 2018 at $2.50 per

vote won in the 2017 election, paid to parties that received at least five per cent of the vote in seats where they ran candidates, or two per cent of the vote overall. The 2017 legislation set out a five-year transition program for parties, with the per-vote payment declining to $2 for 2020 and $1.75 for this year and 2022. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation estimated the program will transfer $27 million to eligible parties over five years. On Jan. 1, 2021, each party received its latest instalment of the per-vote allowance, totalling about $787,000 for the NDP, $557,000 for the B.C. Liberals and $249,000 for the B.C. Greens. Two more parties qualified for payments based on the results of the October election, with the B.C. Conservative Party receiving $31,414.25 and the Rural B.C. Party getting $659.75.

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Saturday, February 6, 2021 Homicide police investigating 2 deadly shootings in Metro Vancouver Two deadly shootings discovered fewer than 12 hours apart are now under investigation by homicide police looking for clues in Burnaby and Surrey. The first killing took place in Burnaby where RCMP and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said they found 32-year-old Chris Kenworthy dead from one or more gunshot wounds. They say it happened Wednesday night around 8 p.m. near Byrne Creek Ravine Park. Sgt. Frank Jang of IHIT said this was a targeted shooting.

“He was found with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle... He was known to police,” Jang said.

He said the vehicle was parked around 6500 block of Portland Street. Nearly 12 hours after the discovery of the Burnaby homicide, RCMP began looking into another shooting death in the vicinity of Surrey’s Whalley and Guildford neighbourhoods. IHIT says police officers were called after someone reported hearing gunshots just before 7:30 a.m. in the 10800 block of 139A Street.

Jang said a man and woman were found inside a home, both suffering from gunshot wounds.

Police said the man was not critically wounded, but the woman was in “grave” condition when both were taken to hospital. The woman did not survive.

“She was a young woman. She was in her early 20’s. Our surviving victim is a man in his early 40’s,” Jang said.

Police believe the shooting was also targeted and there is no risk to the public.

Investigators are not saying if the two shootings are related and do not know if they are gang related. They are asking the public for help in both cases.

“We are appealing for any witnesses, anyone with dash cam video, any kind of surveillance video footage. If you are a business owner or a resident in that area, please come forward and help us solve this,” Jang said.

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Saturday, February 6, 2021 How many more Moderna doses will be delivered

Charan Gill passes away at 84 From page 1

From page 5

According to a planning document disseminated to the provinces this week, PHAC has already warned provinces to expect disruptions with the next scheduled Moderna delivery, which is set to arrive on Feb. 22.

The Massachusetts-based company, which delivers shots every three weeks, told Canadian officials last week that the shipments for the week of Feb. 1 would be reduced by 20-25 per cent, and now it appears this month’s second shipment is also likely to be lower than expected.

“Moderna reduced shipment quantities for the week of 1-7 Feb. (from 230,400 to 180,000 doses). The week of 22 Feb. will also be impacted, but Moderna cannot confirm allocations for that week yet,” the PHAC document sent to the province reads.

Fortin said he had no idea just how many doses will be on hand by the end of the month, but he knows it will be less than expected.

“I can’t really tell you what the quantity will be. We don’t expect to receive 249,000 at this time,” he said, referencing the figure the company had previously provided. “We’ll

soon be able to share that with provinces, in confidence. We just don’t know what those numbers are for certain.”

Fortin conceded that the dearth of information is “a real limitation in the short term,” saying he understood why provinces are frustrated that they’ve had to cancel appointments and push back second doses as a result of the severe delivery disruptions.

“I completely understand that it’s making it more difficult for provinces to prepare clinics,” he said. While Pfizer has offered some explanation for why its shipments have been dramatically lower than expected — plant upgrades at a facility in Belgium caused deliveries to drop by 80 per cent — Fortin said Moderna hasn’t said why it’s had to put off tens of thousands of doses to a later delivery date.

“They haven’t shared the specific challenges that they may experience in their yields or in their production,” Fortin said. “I think Moderna has indicated that they are, in good faith, trying their best to provide as many doses as possible.”

Blueberry farm didn’t report injured worker’s accident Gill co-founded the Canadian Farmworkers’ Union in 1978 and fought for better health and safety conditions for workers.

Minister of Labour Harry Bains says he was in awe of Gill, who in the 1970s was organizing protests and rallies as he led the fight against then-rampant racism directed at members of the South Asian community.

“There wasn’t a day when someone wouldn’t give us a finger or call us names,” said Bains, who worked at a sawmill during that time.

Bains said Gill inspired him to get involved in unions after watching him defend visible minorities and immigrant workers against bullies and bigots.

“I was awed by the activism that he portrayed. ... I came to admire the guy, and it was a time when it wasn’t easy to stand up against the likes of KKK, which was organizing in B.C. and creating havoc for many of the visible minorities.”

B.C. Premier John Horgan tweeted his condolences Tuesday, calling Gill a “lifelong champion for social justice and working people.” Former attorney general and B.C. Supreme Court justice Wally Oppal said Gill was a humanitarian who helped people in need when there wasn’t help available — for example, when he helped build housing for seniors in Surrey.

“They actually built a facility out in Surrey where people from the South Asian community could be treated with dignity,

where they’d have a place to stay, where they’d have a place to mingle and further their own cultural pursuits,” Oppal said.

Charan Gill (right) in 2013, when he joined other community leaders in calling for political parties to stop using official apologies for historical wrongs as partisan tactics. Oppal also admired Gill’s work as an advocate for the rights of women in the Lower Mainland’s South Asian community, including his help for victims of spousal abuse through the creation of a transition house for immigrant women fleeing violence at home. Gill also took a stand against issues such as cross-border ultrasounds, which were conducted to prevent the birth of female babies.

Satwinder Bains, director of the South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, B.C., had known Gill for 40 years.

She said he went against social norms in the South Asian community in the 1970s and 1980s by supporting women’s rights and eventually establishing programs to help immigrant women join the workforce.

“While women leaders were coming forward, it was really rare to find men standing shoulder to shoulder with us on some of the social ills,” Bains said.

She said Gill will be remembered as an outspoken advocate who helped thousands of people over his lifetime.

Gill is survived by his three children and their families.

Masks now mandatory inside middle and high schools in BC, as rules expand From page 7 “Particularly October, November, December, when we were having a lot of cases in communities ... It was a very challenging time for public health,” she said.

The new mask mandate brings schools more into line with provincial health and safety guidelines. Masks have been mandatory inside every public indoor space

in B.C. since November.

Parents and teachers have repeatedly called for more rules to help keep schools safer, including a mask mandate, since in-person classes resumed in September.

A survey commissioned by the B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) earlier this week suggested more than half of teachers felt unsafe in the classroom during the pandemic.

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Moderna expected to scale back COVID-19 vaccine shipment to Canada once again: document For the second time this month, Moderna’s shipment of COVID-19 vaccines is expected to be short doses when it arrives in Canada at the end of February, according to an allocation document obtained by CTV News.

The federal government previously indicated that Canada would receive only 180,000 of the previously promised 230,000 doses of the Modena vaccine this week and a Public Health Agency of Canada document now confirms that the company’s shipment on the week of Feb. 22 will also contain fewer doses than expected.

The allocation document noted that Moderna has not yet provided details on how many doses will be included in the next shipment. Of the 180,000 Moderna doses being delivered this week, Ontario will receive 63,400.

Figuresprovidedbythefederalgovernment previously suggested that Ontario would likely see another 80,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine on the week of Feb. 22.

Speaking at a news conference earlier

this week, Ret. Gen. Rick Hillier, chair of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine task force, said he learned of a possible issue with Moderna’s next shipment on Tuesday. â€œâ€Śmy heart went pitter-patter, quite frankly,â€? Hillier said at a news conference on Tuesday afternoon. “I don’t know if it is just a number that has disappeared, if it is a computer glitch or an IT glitch, or if there is something else behind it.â€?

The news comes after Pfizer, maker of the other COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Canada, scaled back shipments of its COVID-19 vaccine late last month.

Canada received no new doses of the Pfizer vaccine during the week of Jan. 25 and the federal government told provinces to expect an 80 per cent reduction in doses for the weeks of Feb. 1 and Feb. 8.

Updated numbers from the federal government suggest Pfizer plans to ship more than 330,000 doses to Canada on the week of Feb. 15 and nearly 400,000 doses the following week.

Coquitlam man agrees to pay back investment money he used for gambling He emptied their wallets with empty promises, but now has to pay it all back.

Coquitlam’s Shayne William Sharma has promised to repay around $257,000 he took from 21 B.C. residents between March 2014 and 2015, ostensibly for an investment scheme that promised a 25 per cent return.

But Sharma instead used the money for gambling, a fraud under B.C.’s Securities Act, according to a news release from the British Columbia Securities Commission.

The Commission said it has a reached a settlement with Sharma, who agreed to repay the investors in full, as well as pay the Commission $25,000. He’s also been permanently banned from the capital markets.

Sharma had told the investors that he owned stock warrants — the right to buy shares at a certain price in the future — but needed money to exercise those warrants, the news release said. He told the investors that he would then sell the shares at a premium and would return their money to them, plus 25 per cent, in 45 days.

After gambling the proceeds away, Sharma tried to delay payments to investors and attempted to keep them from complaining to the Commission by presenting them with

a forged letter on Commission letterhead, purportedly signed by Commission staff.

Sharma, who began to repay investors before the Commission’s involvement, admitted to perpetrating the misconduct to the Commission and has paid back about $160,000 so far. Under the settlement, Sharma has also BHSFFE UP t 1SPWJEF $PNNJTTJPO TUBČ B MJTU of all investors, with contact information and amounts owed, whom he has not yet repaid. t 3FQBZ JOWFTUPST JO GVMM CZ +BOVBSZ XJUI a minimum of $9,650 to be paid in each sixmonth period from the date of the agreement. t 3FQPSU UP $PNNJTTJPO TUBČ NPOUIMZ ‰ PS BU any other time that Commission staff demand — about payments he has made to investors and to provide evidence of those payments. t ćF $PNNJTTJPO FYFDVUJWF EJSFDUPS ordered that if Sharma hasn’t fully repaid investors or otherwise defaults on his agreement, he will have to pay the Commission $96,500, representing the amount he received from the misconduct. The executive director also permanently prohibited him from trading in or purchasing any securities or derivatives, except through a registered dealer, among other restrictions.

11

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, February 6, 2021 Father of North Vancouver hit-and-run victim urges witnesses to come forward The father of an avid North Vancouver athlete who was critically injured in a hit-andrun last month is urging more witnesses to come forward and help solve the crime.

Grace Haines was out for a run around 10 p.m. on Jan. 25 when she was struck by a vehicle on Keith Road near St. Andrews Avenue.

Her father Chris Haines told Global News Wednesday he got a call from Lions Gate Hospital 45 minutes later that his daughter had been found unconscious in the road by a passerby, who Haines calls a “guardian angel” for responding after hearing the collision and calling 911. Haines says Grace has been in an induced coma until this week, when doctors were finally able to take her off sedation. She’s had surgery to remove a brain bleed and remains on a breathing tube in Lions Gate Hospital, which Haines hopes will also be removed this week. “I’ve been going back and forth between terrified, depressed and hopeful for the last week and a bit, and this definitely brought it up to hopeful again,

which is amazing,” Haines said. Haines says Grace is “an amazing young woman” who is an accomplished student and athlete. He says her ability to deadlift 245 pounds — “She was gunning for 250, she’ll hit 250 soon,” he adds — speaks to her determination, which makes him confident she’ll recover from her injuries.

“She wants to go study engineering, a field we need more young women in,” he said.

“This is only a speed bump on her way to that. “If anybody has the strength mentally and physically to fight this, it’s my daughter, Grace.” Haines says CT scans since Grace’s brain bleed surgery have shown no evidence of further bleeding. She’s able to open one eye and give a thumbs up in response to questions, he adds, but there are still concerns about what the long-term impacts of Grace’s head trauma will be. “The doctors and nurses and staff here, everyone is so amazing,” he said. “They don’t want us to be overly optimistic, but they’re also trying to lift our spirits and be positive.”

New COVID-19 outbreak declared at Burnaby Hospital Just days after declaring a COVID-19 outbreak at Burnaby Hospital over, health officials say there has been a new outbreak in another unit. Fraser Health said Wednesday that nine patients in a medicine unit have tested positive for the virus. The last outbreak was declared over Feb. 1.

The new outbreak is limited to a single medicine unit, which has been closed to new admissions, the health

authority said. The hospital has also implemented enhanced cleaning and contact tracing for all staff and patients who were potentially exposed, it said.

Unit patients and their families have been notified. The hospital and its emergency department remained open to patients, and other areas of the facility remained unaffected, Fraser Health said.

As of Wednesday, B.C. was battling COVID-19 outbreaks in nine different hospitals.

13

ICBC customers set to receive an average rebate of $190 for COVID-19 related savings B.C. drivers are set to cash in due to a drop in crashes on the province’s roads.

ICBC customers will receive a onetime rebate averaging $190 this spring, the government said Tuesday. Drivers will receive a cheque for each policy, which is expected to arrive in March.

The province has determined ICBC saved $600 million due to a major decrease in crashes and costs linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click to play video ‘B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announces COVID-19 related ICBC rebate for drivers’ B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announces COVID-19 related ICBC rebate for drivers

Drivers do not have to apply for the benefit. It will be based on policies from April to September 2020. If drivers cancelled insurance or changed a policy during that time, their rebate will be impacted by that.

“Rather than being in the red, ICBC is a favourable financial situation,” Premier John Horgan said Tuesday.

“Our work to make life more affordable for British Columbians includes fulfilling our commitment to take earnings at ICBC that are related to the pandemic and give that money back to people.”

Other than Saskatchewan, British Columbia is the only jurisdiction where drivers have not yet received a COVID-related rebate.

14

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Delta police paid PR firm $42K after allegations against chief’s wife The Delta Police Department has revealed that it spent $42,000 to hire a communications consulting firm, amid a scandal surrounding the police chief ’s wife.

The department hired the team as Chief Neil Dubord’s wife Lorraine faced an investigation for allegedly spraying Surrey resident Kiran Sidhu with a hose from the couple’s beachfront property last year. When Global News requested information on the contract through a Freedom of Information request, the department refused, citing privacy concerns. On Wednesday, Deputy Chief Harj Sidhu issued a statement saying the department didn’t have the authority to release the contract, but confirming the total paid out “in the interests of transparency.”

Sidhu characterized the hiring as nothing unusual, stating that the

department “regularly hires external subject matter experts in a variety of areas.”

The money came from the department’s existing budget, Sidhu said, and involved no request for additional money from the city.

“The contract with the firm was set up by former Deputy Chief Norm Lipinski, and he consulted directly with the firm,” Sidhu said. “The terms of the contract were to assist the DPD with communications regarding a complex and unusual set of circumstances.”

Lipinski has been hired as the chief for Surrey’s new municipal police department.

The department has faced criticism over its handling of the initial investigation of Lorraine Dubord, who was filmed yelling at Sidhu from her property on Centennial Beach on June 6, 2020.

Sidhu says she touched the Dubords’ fence after climbing the adjacent rocks to escape a rising tide.

Cruise ship visits to Canada now banned until February 2022 A ban on cruise ships with more than 100 people coming to Canada will remain in place until February 2022, a federal government release said Thursday.

The temporary measures for cruise ships were scheduled to end on Feb. 28.

Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra announced the interim order, and also extended an order prohibiting pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters except for those used by residents of the region.

“Cruise vessels in Canadian waters pose a risk to our health-care systems.

The government of Canada will continue to evaluate the situation and make changes as necessary to ensure the health and safety of all Canadians,” the release said.

The government said it is focusing efforts on “the most pressing issues, including the vaccine rollout and new COVID-19 variants.”

The release urged Canadians to avoid travel on cruise ships for now.

Essential passenger vessels, such as ferries and water taxis, should continue to follow local public health guidance and mitigation measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent future outbreaks, the release said.

Alghabra can rescind the ban if the pandemic situation improves enough to allow the resumption of cruising.

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said the extended ban was disappointing, but not a surprise.

“Protecting the health and safety of our citizens is the top priority, especially as we continue to roll out the vaccine.”

Mike Cochrane, the CEO of Port Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island, said he supports the ban extension to keep everyone safe.

However, another season without revenue will have “a big impact” not only for the port, but for P.E.I.’s entire tourism i n du s t r y, he said.

“It’s just a n o t h e r difficult year in 2021 that we’ll have to ride through.”

Cochrane said all ports need to work together to restore confidence in cruising so that it can resume as soon as possible when conditions are safe.

He is optimistic that will happen in 2022.

In New Brunswick, cruise ships account for 10 to 15 per cent of Port Saint John revenue in a normal year, so going without the business for a second season is a “significant blow,” said Port Saint John CEO Jim Quinn.

But he called the port resilient and said he expects other sectors of its business will remain strong.

“Quite frankly, I worry more about the businesses in our community, and in the surrounding region that have cruise as a principal income-driver,” Quinn said.

Homicide investigators identify 22-year old killed in Langley shooting in January The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has released the identity of a 22-yearold man killed in an apparent targeted shooting last week.

Investigators have identified the man killed near a residential complex in Langley on January 26 as Arshdeep Singh. “We are releasing our victim’s identity in the hopes that it will help further our ongoing investigation,” Sgt. Frank Jang said in an emailed press release.

Speaking with Global News last week, witnesses said they heard gunshots just before midnight on Jan. 26 in the area of 207 Street and 53A Avenue.

At that time, Jang confirmed, a man had been shot and killed inside a car.

At least 12 bullet holes could be seen covering the blue Honda Civic. Another man, also in his early 20s, was shot but was taken to hospital and was expected to survive. “It is very

early in the investigation, but this has all the hallmarks of a targeted hit,” Jang said last week.

“Our victim was known to police and we believe that his murder may be linked to the drug trade.”

It wasn’t clear, Jang said, if the shooting was connected to the Lower Mainland gang conflict.

About 15 minutes after the shooting, Surrey RCMP were called to the scene of a burned-out car found in the area of 180 Street and 19A Avenue, near Redwood Park.

Officers were treating that incident as suspicious, given the timing, but didn’t definitively tie it to the shooting in Langley.

IHIT is asking anyone with information on the deadly shooting to contact their information line.

337 illegal crab traps pulled from Boundary Bay in 5 day operation A record 337 illegal commercial crab traps have been seized in Boundary Bay in a five day joint venture between the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard, potentially saving thousands of crabs from being sold on the black market.

The operation on Jan. 20, 21, 25 and Feb. 1 and 2, used, for the first time, the CCG hovercraft Moytel, which helped enforcement crews pull in more than double the 136 illegal traps netted in a three day operation last winter.

Fisheries officers are now investigating the seized gear to try to identify perpetrators and say charges may follow.

Boundary Bay straddles the Canada-U.S. border, but on the B.C. side, the commercial crab fishery closed in November.

Art Demsky, field supervisor with

Press release

DFO’s conservation and protection unit, said poachers set traps without the required identifiers or locator floats, and then use GPS coordinates to find them later.

Smaller vessels used a dragger to locate illegal traps and the large crane and winch on the CCG hovercraft Moytel (left) pulled them to the surface. (DFO) “Their intent is to hide these traps,” he said. “We’re pretty sure this catch gets laundered into the commercial marketplace.”

According to Demsky, higher prices driven by demand for crab at Christmas and Chinese New Year is motivation for illegal crabbers.

‘Ghost nets’: How lost and abandoned fishing gear is destroying marine wildlife He said they pose a major conservation concern by taking undersized crab or females that haven’t had a chance to reproduce.

BC Liberal Statement on Black History Month

Interim Leader of the Official Opposition Shirley Bond and BC Liberal Critic for Tourism, Arts & Culture, & Anti-Racism Initiatives Teresa Wat released the following joint statement today for Black History Month: “Today we mark the start of Black History Month here in British Columbia. It is a time to honour and recognize the accomplishments and contributions in our province of historical and contemporary people of African descent.

“Black Canadians have played important roles throughout the history of B.C. and have

helped significantly shape our province, all while many faced discrimination and racism.

“It’s vital that we continue to advocate and work together to ensure that all British Columbians, regardless of their ethnicity, have equal opportunities to succeed and thrive in our province.

“On behalf of the entire BC Liberal Caucus, we invite all British Columbians to take the time to participate in online and COVID-safe events for Black History Month, and take the time this month to learn more about black history both in Canada and in our province.”

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, February 6, 2021 Liberal, Conservative governments were made aware of allegations against Vance: sources Informal allegations and “spectres of concern” about potential inappropriate conduct by the country’s former top military commander were, at various times, placed before the Liberal government, as well as the former Conservative government, which selected Gen. Jonathan Vance, CBC News has learned.

At one point, a bitter dispute over what to do about one of those allegations led to the sudden resignation and retirement of the country’s former military ombudsman almost three years ago, say multiple defence sources, as well as political and government insiders.

The sources spoke to CBC News on the condition they not be named because of the sensitive nature of some of the discussion or because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matters.

Almost six years ago, as the former Conservative government weighed his

appointment as the chief of the defence staff, Vance was asked by former prime minister Stephen Harper’s chief of staff, Ray Novak, to address concerns that the top general had an inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate.

The concerns were, at the time, either answered or explained away. CBC News reachedouttoNovakbuthasnotreceivedareply.

Earlier this week, Global News published and broadcast a story alleging Vance had an inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate, one that included private meetings and allegedly sexually explicit texts.

Responding to the initial Global story, Vance acknowledged knowing the woman, said they dated in 2001 and that it was not inappropriate because they were in different chains of command and that the meetings, more recently when he was CDS, were strictly professional.

Demands for inquiry grow after man accused of attempted murder of Montreal police officer has charges stayed The abrupt stay of attempted murder and other charges against doctoral student Mamadi III Fara Camara Wednesday has prompted calls for an investigation by his lawyer, Quebec’s opposition parties, Montreal officials and advocacy groups.

Camara, 31, had been accused of disarming and injuring Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) officer Sanjay Vig during a routine traffic stop in Park Extension on Jan. 28.

Camara spent six nights in detention before his sudden release Wednesday

afternoon. He had claimed innocence from the moment of his arrest, his lawyers said.

Now, questions are emerging about the circumstances of Camara’s arrest, the length of his detention and the impact of the incident on his career and personal life.

In a statement issued late Thursday morning, the SPVM cited the “exceptional complexity” of the Jan. 28 event, and said evidence uncovered by investigators allowed them to conclude only yesterday that charges against Camara could not be supported.

15

T-shirt latest source of tension in China-Canada ties China says it has lodged a formal complaint with Canada over T-shirts ordered by one of the country’s Beijing Embassy staff that allegedly mocked China’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters Tuesday that China called on Canada to “thoroughly investigate the incident and give China a clear explanation”.

The incident arose after a T-shirt maker posted on the Chinese internet that a staff member from the Canadian Embassy had ordered T-shirts with a bat print.

That appeared to reference allegations that the virus developed in China from bats and then spread to humans in the city of Wuhan where infections were first reported in late 2019. Canadian media reports said the logo was a W in homage to the New York hip-hop group the Wu Tang clan and that Ottawa

had apologized for any misunderstanding.

China’s government is extremely sensitive to accusations it was the source of the pandemic and failed to respond quickly enough when cases were first reported in Wuhan. The T-shirts were reportedly ordered last summer and it wasn’t clear if any were still in circulation.

The controversy underscores the plunge in relations between the countries in the past two years over China’s demand that Canada release a top executive of communications giant Huawei who is wanted on fraud charges in the United States.

Meng Wanzhou, who is also the daughter of the company’s founder, denies the charges. China says her case is politically motivated as part of a US effort to stifle the nation’s global economic expansion.

Outbreak declared at Burnaby Hospital 2 days after previous outbreak ended Just two days after a COVID-19 outbreak was declared over at the hospital in Burnaby, B.C., another flareup has been reported at the facility.

Nine patients have tested positive at Burnaby Hospital’s medicine unit, which has been temporarily closed to admissions, the Fraser Health Authority said Wednesday.

The emergency department remains open and enhanced cleaning and contact tracing has begun.

The previous outbreak was declared over on Monday.

B.C. health officials report 414 new cases of COVID-19 and 16 more deaths, confirm variant at high school

The hospital has experienced three outbreaks since November. In one, which began after someone set part of the facility on fire on Nov. 15, five people died.

As of Wednesday, there are outbreaks in nine different hospitals across the province.

7832 120 132 ST St. #106 - 7565 SURREY BC Surrey, BC BUS: 604-572-3005 604.572.3005

14103 110 AVE., N.SURREY

26964 28 AVE., LANGLEY

Truly delightful huge basement entry app. 7200 sqft. home sits on rectangular 9965 sqft. lot. House features 11 bedrooms & 10 washrooms build by good reputation builders. Main floor has 5 bedrooms & 4 bath with huge family room,living room,kitchen,& spice kitchen.Ground level basement has 27'x15' media room with bar & washroom for upstairs use.House has 3 spacious ground level basement suites (3 bed.+3 bed & bachelor suite).Total rent of the suites is $3500/month.Very nice tenants.Easy access to Pattulo bridge, Port Mann bridge & shopping center.Motivated sellers.Easy to show.

Truly delightful fully renovated 6 bedroom basement entry home sits on rectangular 7920 sf flat lot in most demanding area Aldergrove Langley.Main floor features 3 bed ,2 bath with new kitchen /island ,new flooring,new tiles , new woodwork,new fixtures,splash back,granite counters,new tiles,new cabinet, new windows,new zebra drapes,4 new washrooms & much more .Newly built 3 bedroom unauthorized basement suite with rear separate entry.Excellent renovated covered 333 sf Patio & deck.Landscape front & fully fenced back yard. Storage shed.Walking distance to both schools,shopping,community center with pools,water Park,ice arena,playing fields& to all major routes.

$1,779,000

$920,000

#125 32850 GEORGE FERGUSON WAY, ABBOTSFORD

14030 GROSVENOR RD., NORTH SURREY

Hot deal! First Time Buyers or Investors, great investment property with reliable tenants, centrally located in a great neighbourhood. 2 bedroom and 1 bath spacious ground level apartment. Well maintained complex, with many updates on the complex over the last couple of years including, roof, windows, balconies, boilers, security cameras, fob access systems and landscaping. There is shared laundry on every floor. Wheelchair access, elevators secure underground parking. Close to Bus stop, walking distance to shopping, restaurants, banks and

This well-maintained family home w/3-beds up, suite-potential down and a detached workshop/garage has everything you and your family needs, all located centrally. It's a 5 -10min drive to Guildford Town Centre & Hwy 1; only a 3min drive to Gateway Skytrain Station. The 2-level home has a brand-new furnace, dishwasher & washing machine +plenty of other extras including a mobile accessible alarm system and a cozy living room gas fireplace for winter nights. The back deck located off the dining room is perfect for summer barbecues! In addition to the carport and the driveway that fits up to 4-5 vehicles, the 10,200sf lot (60x170) has a massive 1100sf detached workshop that will

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5843 180 STREET, CLOVERDALE 6559 CLAYTONHILL PLACE, CLOVERDALE

$912,500

Solid family home on almost 10,000 square foot rectangular lot in Cloverdale with loads of potential. Large open lot offers plenty of space for a pool, playground & trampoline; or use the extra space to build your dream home. Great central location close to shopping, transit & schools. Same owners since 1987. Three bedrooms up, one down in partially finished basement (just needs a closet). Walkout basement with its own entrance offers potential for two bedroom suite. Large covered patio off the living area overlooks the private, sunny backyard. Transform it into a modern, functional family home

$1,695,238

Welcome to CLOVERDALE'S NEW MASTERPIECE with beautiful VIEWS which is built in the prestigious and quiet Claytonhill neighbourhood. With almost 6000 sq. ft. of spacious living, this family home features 9 BEDROOMS & 9 BATHROOMS and is situated on a 6875 sq. ft. lot. Open concept main floor with decks offering views of BC's mountains, A/C, HRV, security system & more! Beautiful tile floors and engineered wood is carefully placed throughout the home.

9ft ceilings showcased throughout the home with an exquisite chef's kitchen, wok kitchen and bedroom that can be used for all your different needs. This AMAZING home has left no expenses spared with EVERY bedroom on main and upper floor offering a WALK-IN CLOSET and EN-SUITE. 2 BASEMENTS each having 2 beds (2+2),

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Looking Up

18

Local

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Charan Gill, South Asian community leader & human rights pioneer passed away at 84

P

erhaps the greatest South Asian immigrant to Canada, Charan Gill, the founder of PICS, died last Tuesday (Feb 2) at Langley Memorial Hospital surrounded by family. Charanpal Singh Gill was born on June 17, 1936 in Hong Kong. His family returned to India in 1938 when he was two years of age.

Unfortunately, his father passed away in 1939 and his mother, Mrs. Harnam Kaur Gill, raised Charan and his five siblings by herself. Charan was extremely good in studies and obtained his Masters degree in Punjabi from Punjab University in 1959. Charan went on to earn a BSW and a MSW from University of British Columbia. In his twenties Charan returned to Hong Kong and started working at a bank. After living in Hong Kong for six years, and on the advice of his sister, he moved to Canada in 1967.

Upon arriving in Canada, Charan worked in a sawmill in Williams Lake, but broke his wrist in an accident. He served as a social worker for northern small communities based out of Prince Rupert. In 1969 he was able to sponsor his wife and children to join him in Canada.

In 1973 he moved his family to Surrey’s Fraser Valley where he resided and worked. In 1979, Charan was one of the founders of the Farm Workers Organizing Committee, which led to his co-founding the Canadian Farmworkers Union (CFU) in 1980, for which he served as Secretary and Treasurer. The CFU organized labour on farms in the early 1980’s which led to significant improvements in the wages and working conditions of British Columbia farmworkers.

After much dedicated effort by its founders and members, the CFU saw the institutionalization and normalization of regulations governing better pay, safety,

employment practices, and benefits for farm and ranch workers in BC and Canada. Prior to the changes in legislation starting in early 1980’s British Columbia’s laws did not acknowledge the hard work of immigrant and migrant labour that makes the agricultural bounty of this province possible.

At the same time as he was advocating for agricultural workers, Charan in 1980 also cofounded the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism (BCOFR) and served as its founding president. The BCOFR played a significant role in combating racism and stemming growth of the KKK in the 1980’s B.C., when people of colour were routinely targeted by racists and neo-Nazis.

The BCOFR organized a number of rallies and demonstrations throughout the 1980’s. Despite threats to his life and vandalism of his organization’s offices Charan continued to be the BCOFR’s president as long as the organization was active in 1980’s and 1990’s.

In 1987, after retiring from his position as a social worker with the province, he felt there was a need for an organization in Surrey that could serve the South Asian immigrant community.

He got together with eight of his friends to contribute $10 each and in 1987 incorporated the Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS). Charan served as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer from 1987 to 2017.

Under Charan’s leadership and the team he assembled, PICS became the first social services agency of its kind in British Columbia

serving the South Asian and new immigrant community. The organization has been at the forefront of social justice causes. Its mission and vision are to promote harmony and intercultural understanding in order to build a just society. It has developed many programs for visible minorities, supporting youth-at-risk, combating elder abuse, providing transition support for immigrant women and children facing violence.

PICS has become a premier community organisation with over 120 staff with a multimillion dollar budget. The organization operates a Seniors Housing Complex (2002), a Seniors Assisted Living Complex and Adult Day Center (2007), and the Harmony House (2012) which provides housing for women who are victims of domestic abuse.

Just before his retirement from PICS in June 2017, Charan secured 2.5 acres of land in Cloverdale and launched a second project for a modern facility for longterm care for seniors, the Diversity Village.

In addition to PICS Charan also has served on other organizations in agriculture, labor, and housing including Director CASA (Canadian Agricultural Safety Association) 2010 – Present; Director. FARSHA (Farm and Ranch Safety and Health Association), 1994 – Present; and Director, BC Non-Profit Housing Association, 2008 – Nov 2012.

For his lifetime of leadership and achievement in community service Charan is recipient of numerous awards and honors including: The Order of British Columbia, 1999; Honorary

Doctor of Laws, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 2013; Top 25 Immigrants in Canada Award, 2010; Recognized in the House of Commons, in 2011; Distinguished Service Award, BC Association for Social Workers, 2011; Operation Remembrance Award by the RCMP, 2006; United Way VanDusen Community Service Award, 2002; Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002; and named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.

Charan leaves behind him a legacy of activism in the service of working people. He has inspired many people to engage in the struggle for a better world, without religious, ethnic or gender oppression, a world where all can live in communal harmony. His example and inspiration will guide us for a long time.

Charan is survived by his three children and their spouses Jack Gill and Amrit, Paul Gill and Sarbjit, Rani Gill and Peter; his grandchildren Sean, Brandon, Alicia, Jovin, Arjun; great grandchild Robin, and his extended family in BC as well as in the UK, Hong Kong and India.

Gifts in memory of Charan are welcomed at: KEATCA - to support scholarship grants for education in healthcare, community services, social work: https://keatca.org/fundraising.php PICS, in support of Guru Nanak Diversity Village: https://pics.bc.ca/support-pics/ pics-diversity-village/ A family funeral (limited due to COVID) will be at Riverside Funeral Home in Delta.

A Celebration of Life for Charan Gill will be held at a later date to be communicated.

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Saturday, February 6, 2021

Honoring a Legend, Mr Charan Gill Lest we forget a Legend.

With a sense of utmost grief and sorrow, we announce the sudden passing away of Mr. Charan Pal Gill, Founder and Founding CEO of Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society, on February 2, 2021.

Mr. Gill was a great human being imbued with extraordinary qualities of head and heart and it was his vision and able leadership that became a driving force behind PICS Society.

His tireless efforts made PICS develop into a major community organization in the Lower Mainland offering multiple programs and services to the community, including language and settlement services, employment programs, housing for seniors, second stage transition home for immigrant women, training, and programs for women and youth.

At a very young age, since the day he landed in Canada, Mr. Gill involved himself in community work and social activism. He was a founding member of the Canadian Farm Workers Union and also served as the President of the BC Organization to Fight Racism. Mr. Gill followed his heart and loved to work for seniors, immigrants, youth and the working poor. He was honoured with many prestigious awards including the Order of British Columbia, for the yeoman’s work he carried out in the field of human rights and social cause.

Mr. Gill, devoted his entire life to work for the betterment of the community and even time will never be able to blur the memories of this great man, whom we fondly used to call “The Living Legend”.

His firm belief in people’s democratic rights to live a happy, healthy and prosperous life endeared him to all sections of the society.

The staff, management and Board of PICS Society have decided to preserve and honour Mr. Gill’s legacy in the following manner: t /BNF POF PG UIF XJOHT JO the “Guru Nanak Diversity Village” facility (his dream project) after him, the citation could tentatively read: “This wing is dedicated to the everlasting loving memory of Dr. Charan Pal Gill, Founder and Founding CEO of PICS Society” t 1SPNJOFOUMZ EJTQMBZ B QMBRVF in the reception area of the PICS Head Office recognising Mr. Gill as the “Founder and Founding CEO of PICS Society” t *OTUJUVUF BXBSET UP DPNNFNPSBUF Dr. Charan Pal Gill – in different categories (this Award Ceremony could be a part of PICS Annual Fundraising Galas) t $SFBUF B WJSUVBM NFNPSJBM GPS Mr. Gill on the PICS website – celebrating his life and saluting his achievements.

We also urge the community to help turn into reality Mr. Gill’s dream project- Guru Nanak Diversity Village-by supporting PICS in realizing the target to fundraise

For more Updates, Visit our Website

www.theasianstar.com

the initial $5 million to launch it. This initiative, envisioned by Mr. Gill as a futuristic community need, will be another milestone in PICS’s endeavour to ensure that our seniors are able to receive Long-Term Complex Care in a culturally sensitive environment.

Please call PICS at 604-5967722 Ext.103 to learn about the naming opportunities within the “Guru Nanak Diversity Village” facility and the options to donate.

Many of us, at PICS, feel proud to have been mentored by him and also entrusted with the responsibility of

PICS, in consultation with Mr. Gill’s family, will celebrate his life as part of the next PICS Gala and we hope that by that time, we will leave the current pandemic situation behind to be able to hold this event to memorialize this doyen of social service in a befitting manner.

carrying forward his legacy and we all resolve to strive to take it further and make his dream project become a reality.

Shafiyah Khan, Communications Officer, Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society.

Unit #205, 12725 - 80th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3A6 Tel: 604.596.7722 Fax: 604.596.7721 www.pics.bc.ca

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INDIA

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Legal request issued to US against ‘Sikhs for Justice’: MEA India has issued a Mutual Legal Assistance Request to the US for investigation in the matter of ‘Referendum 2020’ by the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated at its weekly media briefing.

As per procedure, the request has been sent directly by the Indian authorities concerned to the US Department of Justice (DoJ), it added.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had filed a case against SFJ and connected it to the farmers stir even before the Red Fort violence by stating in the FIR that the “SFJ leadership has planned large-scale disruptive activities intended to damage government and private property, and also disrupt supplies and services essential to the life of the community in India”.

Last month the NIA had summoned at least 40 people to appear for questioning in connection with the case.

The only known individual from the socalled SFJ, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, was designated as a terrorist last year and his social media pages were banned in India. SFJ was outlawed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in July last year.

Pannun has since been sending phonerecorded messages, mainly from California, to officials, politicians and the civil society.

Congress and Akali Dal leaders from Punjab have called him a paper tiger and point out that the call for a referendum flopped so badly that it had to be “postponed”.

However, the MEA did not answer whether India had sought extradition of alleged Khalistani terrorists from Canada and the US where demonstration before Indian embassies and consulates have been aggressive and intimidatory.

Who got what in Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2021 This was probably the toughest budget yet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as his government navigates the twin challenges of steering the $2.7-trillion Indian economy out of an unprecedented recession while ensuring more resources to fight the century’s worst pandemic.

Although his personal popularity remains intact, angry farmers on the streets and soaring rates of joblessness had raised budget expectations in the nation that has been the second-worst hit by Covid-19. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had promised an unprecedented budget aimed at buoying the economy.

Here’s a short list of winners and losers from Monday’s budget announcements.

The Covid-19 pandemic prompted Sitharaman to boost healthcare spending by

137% this year, an improvement over the less than 2% of gross domestic product that India has traditionally spent on health annually.

The announcement extended shares of hospital operators including Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., Max Healthcare Institute Ltd. and Narayana Hrudayalaya Ltd. Other companies likely to benefit may include Dr Lal Pathlabs Ltd., Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. and Thyrocare Technologies Ltd. Real estate developers are set to benefit from plans for a new development finance institution to meet funding requirements for infrastructure projects. Godrej Properties Ltd., Oberoi Realty Ltd., and DLF Ltd. and Prestige Estates Projects Ltd. are among those likely to gain.

Govt negotiating with farmers - Ministry of External Affair For the second time in as many days, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) pushed back at international criticism that included a statement by the US State Department.

It defended the cutting off of Internet as a measure aimed at preventing a repeat of the violence at Red Fort on January 26 “which evoked a similar reaction in India as did the incidents at Capitol Hill”.

Asked at the weekly media briefing whether the Foreign Office taken up with the State Department its statement on the farmers’ agitation that came after the MEA had already stated the Government’s position, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “We have taken note of the comments of the US State Dept and what we would say it is

important to see them in context they are made and in their entirety.” While pointing out that both India and the US are vibrant democracies with shared values, Srivastava said the incidents of violence and vandalism at Red Fort on January 26 have evoked “similar sentiments and reactions” in India the incidents on Capitol Hill on January 6. They are being addressed “as per our respective local laws,” he observed. The temporary measures with regard to internet access in certain parts of the NCR region were therefore undertaken to prevent further violence, he added. Earlier in the day, the US State Department called for observing human rights and rules of fair play while supporting the general trajectory of the three farm laws.

Three takeaways from India’s ‘pandemic budget’ Covid-19 has ravaged the country, shrunk its GDP, sent unemployment soaring and added to the distress of a banking sector that was already in crisis.

But Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget aims to spend big to push growth.

Outlays in key areas such as healthcare and infrastructure have been ratcheted up to spur economic activity. Given that there is no increase in direct taxes, this exacerbates India’s delicate fiscal position.

India’s fiscal deficit - the gap between its revenue and expenditure - for the current financial year is set to rise to 9.5%, the highest since the country opened its markets to the world in 1991.

For 2021-22, the deficit is being targeted at 6.8%, significantly higher than the consensus estimate of 5.6%. Ms Sitharaman said the goal was to halve it in the next five years.

Health spending is up by 137% At just over $30bn (£21bn), India’s overall health budget has more than doubled. This is a massive boost for India’s health sector, which has long been under-funded, receiving just about 1.3% of GDP. More than $8.5bn has been earmarked to upgrade healthcare infrastructure at the primary, secondary and tertiary level over a period of six years.

The government has already committed

another $4.8bn to India’s Covid vaccination programme, the world’s largest drive, which will extend to more than 1.3 billion people.

Ms Sitharaman said the government would increase the funds if necessary, although it is still unclear if it plans to pay for vaccinating the entire population.

India is still in the first phase of the drive, which is restricted to frontline workers, and is expected to cost some $2bn.

A new Development Finance Institution (DFI), with a starting capital of $2.7bn, will be set up to help fund large-scale infrastructure projects. This is expected to kickstart spending and offer some relief to banks, which are reeling from a mountain of debt. National highway projects and infrastructure corridors have been cleared in poll-bound states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and West Bengal. And a scheme has been announced to set up textile parks across the country. Overall spending on infrastructure is up sharply by 35%.

“Barring four strategic areas, public sector undertakings in other sectors will be divested,” Ms Sitharaman said, announcing a $23bn disinvestment target for the year.

She added that the government plans to sell off a clutch of public sector companies, including the debt-laden national carrier, Air India, by the end of financial year 2021-22.

Oppn corners govt on handling farm protests, seeks repeal of laws; BJP defends

Opposition parties on Thursday launched a vociferous attack on the Centre over its handling of the farmers’ agitation, callings its dialogues with the protesters “monologues”, even as the ruling BJP defended the new laws asserting that its government is committed to the welfare of peasants and increase their incomes.

Attacking the government, Opposition parties said trenches have been dug, barbed wires put up and spikes installed at the sites of farmers’ protests, whereas bridges should have been built to win over them. The BJP highlighted the farm welfare measures and tore into the shifting of goalposts by the Opposition.

US welcomes farm reforms, says peaceful protests hallmark of democracy As the government and the farmers’ talks are yet to make any headway after several rounds of talks, the US administration under President Joseph Biden on Thursday said that it “encouraged” differences between the parties to be resolved “through dialogue”.

However, it said that the United States “welcomed steps that would improve the efficiency of India’s markets and attract greater private sector investment.” This

is in reference to the three farmers’ laws.

On internet restrictions at the protest sites along the border, the US administration said that it recognises that “unhindered access to information, including the internet, is fundamental to the freedom of expression and a hallmark of a thriving democracy.”

The comments were first made by the US State Department, in response to questions, and was later reiterated by the US Embassy

Soldier killed as Pakistan violates ceasefire in J-K’s Rajouri A soldier was killed in unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan on Wednesday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district.

Defence sources said Pakistan resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation on the LoC by firing with small and shelling with mortars in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district.

“An Indian Army soldier, Sepoy Laxman got critically injured in Pakistan

ceasefire violation. The injured soldier later succumbed,” a source said.

Pakistan has been violating ceasefire on the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir with impunity during the recent years. This has brought miseries into the lives of thousands of people living in border villages.

Civilian lives, livestock, property and agricultural fields have to bear the brunt of Pakistan ceasefire violations on the LoC.

FIJI

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Punjab 3 SAD leaders arrested in Jalalabad violence case A day after registration of a criminal case in the Jalalabad poll violence case against 50-60 unidentified persons, three Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders have also been booked.

These leaders are SAD Fazilka unit president Ashok Aneja; Davinder Singh Babbal, former chairman, market committee, Jalalabad, and Jagsir Singh, alias Babbu Jaimalwala, former president, Truck Operators’ Union, Jalalabad, along with five to six unidentified persons.

The SAD leaders have been booked on the basis of a statement by Congress worker Ranjit Singh who alleged the leaders opened fire during the violence which took place in the tehsil complex at the time of filing of nomination papers for the MC poll on

Tuesday. Ranjit Singh was “injured” in the violence.

After the violence, an FIR was registered on the statement of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s OSD Satinderjit Singh Manta against 50-60 unidentified persons under Sections 307, 323, 148, 149 and 427 of the IPC and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act. Manta had alleged in the FIR that when they entered the complex, Jalalabad Congress MLA Raminder Singh Awla, his son Jatin Awla and 5060 persons were already present there. He alleged they assaulted them with stones and sticks. The official vehicle of Sukhbir was also damaged.

Manta alleged Jatin Awla had opened fire on them.

Former DGP & former Inspector General move court for anticipatory bail Five days before their appearance before a local court as an accused in a murder case, former DGP Punjab Sumedh Singh Saini and suspended IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal on Thursday moved their applications for anticipatory bail in the court of District and Sessions judge here.

While both of these accused police officers have been summoned by the court of Judicial Magistrate (First Class)

Faridkot for their presence before the court on February 9, the Session Court has fixed February 8 for the hearing on their anticipatory bail applications. Both Saini and Umranangal are accused in a criminal case registered under Section 302, 307, 34, 201, 218, 166A, 120B, 34, 194, 195, 109 of IPC and 25, 27 of Arms Act at Bajakhana police station of Faridkot. This case was registered on October 21, 2015, a week

7 more Covid deaths, 197 new cases in Punjab Seven more COVID-19 deaths took the toll to 5,635 in Punjab while 197 fresh coronavirus cases pushed the infection count to 1,74,057 in the state on Thursday, as per a bulletin.

There are 2,159 active COVID-19 cases in the state, as of now, it said.

Ludhiana reported 61 new cases, Jalandhar (27) and Mohali (15), among fresh cases

witnessed in the state, according to the bulletin.

It said a total of 160 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovery, taking the number of cured persons to 1,66,263 in the state.

Nine critical patients are on ventilator support while 72 are on oxygen support, the bulletin said.

A total of 45,38,121 samples have been collected for testing so far in the state, it said.

Pakistan Govt kickstarts Covid-19 vaccination drive countrywide Govt began countrywide vaccination programme for Covid-19 on Wednesday, with first jabs administered simultaneously in all four provinces, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the immunisation drive in capital Islamabad.

As per the schedule, frontline health workers are being vaccinated first, followed by the elderly citizens and then the rest.

The drive began after half a million

doses of vaccines were donated by China on Monday.

The nationwide campaign is being held in major cities of all provinces and Pakistan occupied-Kashmir.

At the vaccination launch, Planning Minister Asad Umar, who is also the chair of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), said the simultaneous inauguration reflected a united national effort. He praised the health workers for risking their lives to save the people.

PIA cabin crew asked to handover passports upon arrival in foreign lands Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has ordered its cabin crew to handover their passports to the station manager upon arrival on foreign soil, following two recent cases of staff of the ailing national carrier “slipping away” during international travels, according to a media report on Tuesday.

The directives, issued on Monday, aim to tighten security and mobility of airline staff amid the COVID-19 outbreak, officials said.

According to an official mail, accessed by the Dawn newspaper, the passports of the cabin crew would be collected by the station manager, after they clear immigration and customs upon arrival in foreign lands.

Iran carries out surgical strike inside Pakistan, frees two soldiers: report Iran has reportedly become the third nation to carry out a successful surgical strike operation deep inside Pakistan targetting the terror groups and freeing two soldiers who were taken hostage nearly three years ago. As per reports, the operation was carried out at night on February 2 without any prior knowledge to the Pakistan Military units deployed in the region, killing several army officials who

were allegedly safeguarding the terror groups.

Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have reportedly done an intelligence-based Special Ops Deep in Pakistan freeing two of its own soldiers. The operation was carried out inside the Pakistan controlled territory. Reportedly Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards has also hailed the mission as “successful” and said in a statement.

Supreme Court orders Daniel Pearl murder convict to move from prison Supreme Court ordered release from prison of a militant who had been convicted in the kidnapping and murder of United States’ journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002.

In a decision that is expected to draw criticism from the US, the court recommended that mastermind Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh be transferred to a government safe house as a stepping stone to his full release after spending

18 years on death row. “He should be moved to a comfortable residential environment, something like a rest house where he can live a normal life,” said Justice Omar Ata Bandyal. — Reuters Pakistan and India must resolve the long pending Kashmir issue in a dignified and peaceful manner, Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Tuesday.

21

Woman charged for operating a degree awarding institution A 42-year-old woman of Waimanu Road, Suva who allegedly operated a degree awarding institution without registration appeared before Suva Magistrate Waleen George this afternoon.

Draveen Mudaliar has been charged with one count of operating an unregistered university contrary to section 13 of the Higher Education Act 2008.

Mudaliar allegedly operated Integrated Information Services Limited between 14th December 2017 and 19th September 2019 despite having its registration revoked.

She will take her plea in the next court sitting.

She has been released on bail and the matter will be called on the 31st of next month.

University Chief Ahluwalia and his partner deported The government has stated that the Fijian Immigration Department has ordered two foreign nationals, Pal Aluwahlia and his partner, Sandra Jane Price, to leave Fiji with immediate effect following continuous breaches by both individuals of Section 13 of the Immigration Act. It says that under Section

13 of the Immigration Act 2003, no foreigner is permitted to conduct themselves in a manner prejudicial to the peace, defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, security, or good government of Fiji.

The government statement says Aluwahlia and Price were foreign citizens in Fiji on work permits.

USP unions ask govt why Ahluwalia has been deported The Association of the USP Staff and the USP Staff Union have today expressed their grave concern and disgust at the government’s decision to deport the regional University’s Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia and his wife.

In a statement after their meeting, the Presidents of the unions, Elizabeth Fong and Tarisi Vacala say given the seriousness of the decision, they demand the Fijian government to provide the justification

for what they term ‘a gestapo tactic’.

They say according to media reports, Professor Ahluwalia has been cited as a ‘public risk’ and the staff as taxpayers, voters and owners of the university demand an explanation on how Ahluwalia is a ‘public risk’.

They say they are alarmed by the way that the officials allegedly broke into the Vice Chancellor’s residence in the middle of the night and orchestrated the removal of Ahluwalia and his wife.

Police treat Sigatoka couple’s death as murder Police have classified the death of a couple in their 60’s in Korokoro Sigatoka as murder.

The Director Criminal Investigations Department is overseeing the investigations.

Investigators continue to gather information and statements to ascertain the

circumstances The bodies You can 919 if you could assist

surrounding the incident. were discovered on Tuesday. call Crime Stoppers on have any information that with the investigations.

22

Saturday, February 6, 2021

23

Saturday, February 6, 2021

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Saturday, February 6, 2021