The Asian Star July 9 2022

www.theasianstar.com Vol 22 - Issue 23

Metro Vancouver home sales dropped 35% in June The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says last month’s home sales dropped by about 35 per cent since last June and 16 per cent from May 2022 as houses remained on the market longer and interest rates rose.

The B.C. board says sales in the region totalled 2,444 last month, down from 3,762 in June 2021, and 2,918 homes in May 2022.

Last month’s sales were 23.3 per cent below the 10-year June sales average.

The board’s chair Daniel John says the drop in sales came because buyers have more properties to choose from, but rising interest rates and 39-year high inflation are causing them to be cautious and thus, listings Continued on page 12

Fire rips through Vancouver Church Dozens of people have been displaced after an intense, thirdalarm fire on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Wednesday night.

The flames spread quickly, destroying two buildings and triggering an hours-long fight for crews.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says it started around 9 p.m. in Street Church,

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Tel:604-591-5423

Half of Canadians were infected with Omicron in only 5 months Here’s your update with everything you need to know on the COVID-19 situation in B.C. and around the world for July 7, 2022. We’ll provide summaries of what’s going on right here so you can get the latest news at a glance. This page will be updated regularly every day this

week, with developments added as they happen, so be sure to check back often.

You can also get the latest COVID-19 news delivered to your inbox weeknights at 7 p.m. by subscribing to our newsletter here. Here are the latest B.C. figures Continued on page 6

Toronto directs contractors to reinstate Sikh security guards who lost work due to clean-shaven rule The City of Toronto is directing its contractors to reinstate any security guards who lost their jobs because

they were required to shave their beards in order to wear N95 masks at work. The directive comes after a complaint by the

World Sikh Organization (WSO) that security guard contractors for the city were not accommodating employees Continued on page 7

Boris Johnson steps down as UK PM following flood of resignations Boris Johnson has resigned as prime minister of the United Kingdom. The British leader was ousted from the post after more than 50 members of his Conservative government resigned this week.

The resignation comes only weeks after the Prime Minister survived a confidence vote by Tory MPs after winning the support of 211 MPs. Continued on page 7

Fiji’s national airline to fly direct to Vancouver National Airline, Fiji Airways, will commence direct flights between Nadi and Vancouver, Canada starting in November 2022.

The announcement was made this evening by the airline’s Chief Executive, Andre Viljoen. He says the first direct flight will be on November 23rd and will return on the 25th. Viljoen says this is an exciting moment for the airline and the country as a whole as it will boost tourism activities, Continued on page 21

Indian rupee hits record low, breaches 79-mark on dollar strength At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened lower at 78.86 against the greenback and finally settled at 79.03, down

18 paise over its previous close. The rupee depreciated 18 paise to close at a record low of 79.03 (provisional) against the US

dollar on Wednesday, weighed down by persistent foreign capital outflows, a strong dollar overseas and surge in crude oil prices.

Continued on page 7

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Saturday, July 9, 2022 Lower Mainland gas prices on their way down: analyst For months, drivers in the Lower Mainland have been paying the highest gas prices compared to anywhere else in North America, but that could soon change.

One industry insider has a preliminary prediction that the price at the pump could drop roughly 10 cents by the end of the week, which is the first significant drop we’ve seen in a while.

The other drop could come in the fall, should the country be plunged into yet another recession.

Paul Pasco, gas analyst with Kalibrate, says if the economy crumbles in a couple months, we may see a dip in prices. “Looking more at the macro picture, I feel like there’s the supply tightening we’re seeing on the basis crude markets that is sort of questionable whether we’re going to see the recession and pull-back, which will drive prices further backwards or are we going to see the supply constraints that are in the immediate nearfuture months, leading us to a point where prices continue to stay relatively stable.

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Patrick Brown disqualified from Conservative race Patrick Brown has been disqualified from the Conservative Party leadership race due to “serious allegations of wrongdoing” that “appear” to violate Canadian election law.

In a statement published late Tuesday, Conservative Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC) chair Ian Brodie said organizers became aware of the new undisclosed allegations “in recent weeks.”

No details of the allegations have been officially disclosed, but sources close to LEOC told National Post there were serious concerns about the Brown campaign’s donations

Cancelled flights strand BC woman in Toronto for 5 days Carla Leinweber tearfully calls it “the most humiliating, degrading and nightmarish airport/airline treatment” she’s had in her life. On June 14, Leinweber boarded her Air Canada flight from Kelowna, B.C., to Montreal. She was then supposed to fly to Deer Lake, N.L., but the airline recommended she go to Toronto Pearson Airport as she had a higher chance of making her connecting flight to Deer Lake. But that flight got cancelled — not just that night, but for the following two days as well. She and other passengers were stuck at Pearson airport while dealing with customer service. “I was basically in a lockdown/hostage position with Air Canada.

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Saturday, July 9, 2022

OPINION

By Balkan Devlen

It has been almost four months since Russia re-invaded Ukraine with the explicit aim of erasing Ukraine from the map as an independent country and Ukrainians as a people from our collective memory.

Russian dictator – and now war criminal – Vladimir Putin failed thanks to the bravery

Ukraine must be victorious, for all of our sakes and immense sacrifices of Ukrainians fighting for their hearth and home.

But all is not well, not yet. We – the global West – must ensure that Russia is soundly defeated, politically and militarily. Despite the ultimate price being paid in blood by the Ukrainians, this war is not only about

Ukraine. It is fundamentally about the future of the European, and by extension transatlantic, political and security order.

Canada had sacrificed much blood and treasure to uphold this rules-based order since the last major land war in Europe began 83 years ago by another dictator with delusions of grandeur. Canada and Canadians have benefited immensely from this order over the years, making the country secure and its people prosperous – and the defence of this order remains a core national interest for Canada. Thus, the stakes are high for Canada as well.

The imperative of Ukrainian victory also means we must be clear-eyed about the challenges that lay ahead. I want to highlight three key challenges we need to pay close attention to in the weeks and months ahead.

First is the military challenge. Putin’s blitzkrieg to Kyiv might have failed, but Russia currently occupies about onefifth of Ukrainian territory, razing cities, killing tens of thousands of civilians, and kidnapping and transporting hundreds of thousands to Russia. In this second phase of the war, where the focus is now on Donbas, the fighting is even more fierce and deadly.

Ukraine is also facing higher levels of attrition both in terms of equipment and troops, as Russia operates with shorter supply lines, better artillery and air support, and over a much-reduced front.

As such, Ukraine needs more weapons, especially heavy weapons, artillery, tanks, and air defence systems as well as more ammunition to stop and reverse the Russian offensive. Therefore, it is essential that the West not only maintain the current level of military and economic support to Ukraine but also dramatically scale them upwards. Ukraine can prevail, but it needs the tools to do so.

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Indian High Commission asks Canadian authorities to remove ‘provocative material’ The Indian High Commission in Ottawa has urged the Canadian authorities to take down all “provocative material” related to a controversial film after it received complaints from leaders of the Hindu Community in this country about the “disrespectful depiction” of Hindu Gods on the poster of the documentary showcased here.

Toronto-based filmmaker Leena Manimekalai shared the poster of her documentary ‘Kaali’ on Twitter on Saturday which shows the goddess smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag in her hand.

The poster led to a social media storm with

the hashtag ‘Arrest Leena Manimekalai’, and allegations that the filmmaker was hurting religious sentiments. A member of a group going by the name ‘Gau Mahasabha’ said he had filed a complaint with Delhi Police.

The statement issued by the High Commission of India in Ottawa on Monday said that it had received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about the “disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods” on the poster of the film showcased as part of the ‘Under the Tent’ project at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.

The twin brothers who planned Sanich bank shootout were looking for a finght

Precisely one week after a quiet Victoria street exploded into a shootout with heavily armed bank robbers, Saanich Police Chief Constable Dean Duthie told a Tuesday press conference it was sheer chance that the city’s tactical squad just happened to be nearby. “I don’t want to even think about what could have happened if they had not been there,” he said.

Duthie noted that of six officers wounded in the shootout, three remained in hospital, in intensive care.

Although the chief constable refused to release the names or even the specific injuries suffered by the officers, he said both were conscious and able to hold conversations.

“The injuries are significant but the recovery process has started,” said Duthie. “It is a shocking event that we’re still processing.”

Among the most shocking developments so far was the revelation over the weekend that the whole thing had been orchestrated by a pair of 22-year-old twin brothers who could very well have been motivated by nothing more than a fetish for violence. They had no criminal records. But their social media abounded with photos of firearms and armed conflict. And witnesses reported that the brothers acted as if they relished a confrontation with law enforcement.

People going to USA for fourth COVID-19 shot, as BC has severly restricted vaccination “There are people who have gotten their third dose who are now seeing that they are past six months and they’re saying: ‘Well, I thought that I was supposed to be getting a booster now — why can’t I?’ ” With a third Omicron wave expected to peak in August, patients are seeking out ways to get a fourth COVID shot in other provinces and the U.S., says a family doctor.

Eric Cadesky, a family physician and former president of the Doctors of B.C., said he has patients who aren’t eligible for the fourth shot in B.C. and are trying to get one abroad. Other patients confused about when and how they will get their boosters are also looking outside the province.

“There are people who have gotten their third dose who are now seeing

that they are past six months and they’re saying: ‘Well, I thought that I was supposed to be getting a booster now — why can’t I?’ ” Cadesky said Monday.

He said some of his patients have arranged their summer travel around getting a fourth dose in another country.

“I think people in British Columbia can see their friends and relatives in other provinces and other countries who have already received a fourth dose and they’re wondering when their turn is going to be.”

Among people eligible for fourth shots in B.C. are those age 70 and older and those at high risk of serious illness, with health officials saying that needs to be the priority for now. But in Ontario, for example, a fourth shot is available to everyone age 60 and older.

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Canada’s Aga Khan museum apologises after row over Leena Manimekalai’s Kaali Canada’s Aga Khan Museum has issued a statement after the controversy over Leena Manimekalai’s Kaali after a poster of the film showing the goddess smoking sparked a big row online. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa had urged the Canadian authorities to take down all “provocative material” related to the film after it received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in this country about the “disrespectful depiction of Hindu gods” on the poster of the documentary showcased.

In a statement published on its website, the museum issued an apology for hurting Hindu sentiments. The statement

said that the Toronto Metropolitan University brought together works from students of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, with each student exploring their individual sense of belonging as part of Canadian multiculturalism for the project ‘Under the Tent.’

“Toronto Metropolitan University’s project presentation was hosted once at the Aga Khan Museum on July 2, 2022 in the context of the Museum’s mission to foster intercultural understanding and dialogue through the arts. Respect for diverse religious expressions and faith communities forms an integral part of that mission. The presentation is no longer being shown at the Museum,” the statement added.

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At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened lower at 78.86 against the greenback and finally settled at 79.03, down 18 paise over its previous close. During the session, the rupee touched an all-time low of 79.05 against the American currency. On Tuesday, the rupee plunged by 48 paise to close at the record low of 78.85 against the US dollar.

The domestic unit has lost 1.97 per cent so far this month and has eroded a staggering 6.39 per cent since the start of this year. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.13 per cent higher at 104.64.

The rupee depreciated following risk-averse sentiments and weaker regional currencies, Dilip Parmar, Research Analyst, HDFC Securities said, adding “high demand and tighter dollar liquidity following quarter-end

rebalancing weighed on a local unit(rupee)”.

The sentiment remains feeble for the rupee amid foreign fund outflows and fear of dollar shortages following quantitative tightening from the US Federal Reserve. “The shortterm outlook for spot USD/INR remains bullish and one can see a level of 79.10 in the coming days, while on the lower side support has been shifted to 78.38,” Parmar said.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures advanced 0.34 per cent to USD 118.38 per barrel.

On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share BSE Sensex ended 150.48 points or 0.28 per cent lower at 53,026.97, while the broader NSE Nifty fell 51.10 points or 0.32 per cent to 15,799.10.

Foreign institutional investors were net sellers in the capital market on Tuesday as they offloaded shares worth ₹1,244.44

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Saturday, July 9, 2022 From page 1

Fire tears through Vancouver church

Dozens of people have been displaced after an intense, third-alarm fire on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Wednesday night.

The flames spread quickly, destroying two buildings and triggering an hours-long fight for crews.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says it started around 9 p.m. in Street Church, a community church and outreach centre near East Hastings and Main streets.

“Upon arrival, we found a building fully involved in flames. We tried to make an offensive attack, but the heat and the smoke and the collapse was just too great for our crews to risk it so we had to go defensive,” said Asst. Chief Brian Bertuzzi of Vancouver

Fire and Rescue Services. The flames then spread to an art gallery next door.

Bertuzzi says no one was inside either building, but the neighbouring Maple Hotel, which is supportive housing, had to be evacuated.

Toronto directs contractors to reinstate Sikh security guards who lost work due to clean-shaven rule who have facial hair for religious reasons and cannot wear N95 masks. Security guards are required to wear N95 masks when they are working at city homeless shelters fighting COVID-19 outbreaks, according to a public health requirement.

“The City has directed these contractors to accommodate their employees who have requested religious exemptions and to reinstate any employee whose employment was terminated, immediately,” the city said in a news release on Monday.

“As part of its investigation, the city will be looking at its legal options, up to and including terminating the contracts of any contractors found to be in violation of city policy or human rights legislation.”

The city said it has contracts with many large security guard organizations and employees who have facial hair for religious reasons can be accommodated in other city settings, including shelters that are not in outbreak.

According to the city, it is working with security companies contracted to its shelter system to ensure these accommodations are provided and that no contract employee will be unable to work due to public health requirements.

Earlier on Monday, the WSO demanded that the city change what it called a “discriminatory” rule included in its contracts that require security guards in some settings to be clean-shaven.

The organization called on the city to compensate and order its contractors to reinstate about 100 bearded Sikh guards lost their jobs due to the requirement.

The WSO said the public health requirement has been in place at congregate settings since January and the security guards work for such contractors as GardaWorld, ASP Security and Star World.

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Man shot dead in Surrey on Monday was not connected to Hells Angels shooting earlier in day, police say The Integrated Homicide I nv e s t i g at i o n Team says a man shot to death on Monday afternoon in Surrey was not linked to a Hells Angels shooting earlier in the day.

Police say that at 5 p.m. on Monday, 28-year-old Mohamed Abdulrahman Mohamed was shot to death in the parking lot of the Days Inn Hotel near the 13300-block of King George Boulevard. A burned vehicle was found shortly after, close to the scene. No arrests have been made and police have not identified any suspects.

Earlier in the day, a longtime member of the Hells Angels — who was the first of the biker gang to be criminally convicted in B.C. was shot outside his Burnaby home. Ronaldo Lising, 59, is expected to survive his injuries after the targeted shooting in the 7000-block of Patterson Avenue on Monday morning.

“While still early in the investigation, homicide investigators are able to confirm that this (Surrey) shooting was targeted, but not connected to any other recent shootings,” IHIT said.

Police did confirm that Mohamed was known to police and was involved in the drug trade, but are unsure what gang he was affiliated with.

IHIT is seeking witnesses in the area of the Days Inn at 13373 King George Boulevard who may have information about this shooting. IHIT is also interested in dashcam in the areas around the Days Inn and the burned vehicle at 124 Street and 96 Avenue on July 4, 2022 around 5 p.m.

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Surrey moves closer to a new hospital and BC Cancer Centre The B.C. government has submitted proposals for a new hospital and BC Cancer Centre in Surrey.

The facility would be located at 5500 180 Street, next to Kwantlen Polytechnic University and construction is expected to start next summer.

“It’s coming to Surrey, it should have come to Surrey 10 years ago but it’s coming to Surrey now,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said Monday.

That means the facility should be ready for patients in 2027, the B.C. government said in a release.

“Today marks an important step forward in our planning for a new, state-of-the-art hospital and BC Cancer Centre that will provide care for hundreds of thousands of people living and working in the fastestgrowing community in B.C.,” Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO, Fraser Health said Monday. “As a fully digitally-equipped community hospital, this facility will usher in a new era for acute care in our region, enabling us to increase our regional capacity in areas such as emergency, surgical,

inpatient, ambulatory care, diagnostics and cancer care services, while better supporting patient-centred care, closer to home.”

Lee said there will be a special focus on general medicine and short-stay surgeries, the most-needed forms of care in Surrey, which has a rapidly growing population.

Click to play video: ‘Surrey investment in potentially life-saving surgical program’ 1:05 Surrey investment in potentially life-saving surgical program Surrey investment in potentially lifesaving surgical program – Oct 4, 2021 The new hospital will have 168 beds, a surgical/perioperative suite with five operating rooms, four procedure rooms, an emergency department with 55 treatment spaces, and virtual care options in all clinical service areas the government said.

The facility will have a large medical imaging department, including three CT scanners and two MRI machines, as well as pharmacy, laboratory and academic spaces.

There will be a dedicated area for spiritual care and family gatherings that support cultural diversity and spiritual practices.

Man charged in shooting that hospitalized two at Williams Lake dtampede Charges of attempted murder and discharging a firearm with intent to endanger life have been laid in the shooting at the Williams Lake Stampede.

Jordell Anthony Sellars is expected to appear in court on Monday, the BC Prosecution Service said in an email.

Two people were hospitalized after a brazen public shooting at the stampede grounds on

Sunday afternoon. One person was arrested.

“While police believe this to be a targeted shooting, one innocent bystander was injured,” said RCMP Staff Sgt. Darren Dodge in a Monday news release.

Anyone with information, including anyone in possession of dashcam or cell phone footage, is asked to contact the Williams Lake RCMP at 250-392-6211.

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COVID-19 cases in BC hospitals jump by nearly 100, admissions rise for 2nd week The number of COVID-19 cases in British Columbia hospitals leapt by nearly 100 this week, as hospital admissions climbed again after falling since mid-May. As of July 7 there were 369 cases in hospital, up 96 from last Thursday, and 36 cases in ICU, an increase of four, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

Under B.C.’s “census” reporting model, all positive cases are counted regardless of the reason the patient was admitted to hospital.

Earlier this week, UBC mathematical biologist and member of the independent B.C. COVID-19 Modelling Group Sarah Otto warned that the province was in the midst of a third wave of the Omicron variant, driven by the BA.5 subvariant.

The BCCDC also reported 765 cases for the week ending July 2 (up 145 over the previous week), though due to restrictions on PCR testing the true figure is likely significantly higher.

Surrey Fire Rescue truck stolen while firefighters attend non-emergency call A dramatic end to an unusual vehicle theft in Abbotsford, B.C., on Monday was all captured on video.

Abbotsford police officers surrounded a Surrey Fire Rescue truck that had been stolen late Monday morning while firefighters were attending a nonemergency call in the Guildford area.

The incident was captured on video by a member of the public.

Officers can be seen surrounding the vehicle and then someone gets out of the passenger side and runs.

Police can be heard firing but told Global News they were not shooting guns, but a less-lethal beanbag gun.

Click to play video: ‘RCMP investigate targeted vehicle arson in Surrey’ 0:36 RCMP investigate targeted vehicle arson in Surrey RCMP investigate targeted vehicle arson in Surrey – Mar 17, 2022 Officers were also able to disable the truck on Highway 1 at Clearbrook Road.

A suspect is in custody but no charges have been laid.

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Saturday, July 9, 2022

Canadian nurses win massive Lotto Max prize A group of nurses in BC has won a major Lotto Max jackpot.

Adriana Miklosikova originally thought her group of nursing colleagues won $256 from the June 14, 2022, Lotto Max draw, but it was really $256,051.80.

The 15 nurses, who have been playing the lotto together for about two years, say they are planning something special with the extra cash!

Miklosikova says she was at home, making some breakfast after finishing her workout when she realized they had won.

“I scanned the ticket and thought it was $256, but then noticed the comma. I scanned it a few more times on the BCLC Lotto! app and realized it was $256,000,” said Miklosikova.

“Winning is unbelievable! We’ll all be able to plan something special with the extra money.”

Steps to avoid misunderstandings when playing with a group If you are playing the lottery with friends, family, or coworkers, BCLC says it’s important to take some precautions to avoid any confusion.

Addition to captain: You need someone to coordinate collecting participants’ money, buying the group’s ticket(s), tracking group winnings and posting results.

Print name on ticket: The group captain should print their name on the front or back, along with the words “In Trust” to indicate the ticket belongs to a group.

Know who is playing: Keep clear records of who is participating in each draw and understanding what happens if a group member does not contribute to a draw helps avoid any confusion if your group wins.

BC in the midst of 3rd wave of Omicron variant with the peak coming in August, expert says B.C. is in the midst of a third wave of Omicron, which is expected to increase rapidly in the coming weeks says one COVID-19 modelling expert.

Dr. Sally Otto, an evolutionary biologist and professor at the University of British Columbia, said at the Evolution Conference in Ohio last week that the BA.5 variant is circulating in more communities once again and she is predicting the third wave will reach its peak sometime next month.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said B.C. is planning for the fall but did not release any further details Monday.

“We are planning for what we’re going to face in the fall but we don’t know what we’re going to face in the fall,” he said. “So, no option is ever excluded.”

“Right now, overall, we see the level of hospitalizations from COVID coming down but we also see other places in the world with real challenges. So what we’re going to continue to do in B.C. is follow the guidance of public health in these matters – follow the guidance of our provincial health office and our public health teams – follow that guidance and continue to take the steps necessary.”

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is recommending vaccine booster shots this fall in advance of a possible future wave of COVID-19 in Canada.

Dr. Brian Conway, medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre, said there has been some discussion about Canada following the trend of western Europe with an increase in cases and more

Canada ratifies NATO membership bids by Sweden, Finland as Russian assault continues

Nearly half the police department in Nelson under investigation: sources A

A The Nelson APolice Department is the focus of an investigation ordered by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, Global News has learned.

The investigation is believed to involve nearly half of the approximately 20 officers who work there.

The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner would not comment on details of the investigation, including whether any allegations relating to racism or involve the use of department computers. John Dooley, mayor of

the town in B.C.’s West Kootenay and chair of the police board, declined a request for an on-camera interview.

“The report is not complete … still under investigation … we can’t comment at this time,” he said in an email to Global News.

The department, one of the oldest municipal police departments in the province, did not respond to a request for comment.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth also declined to comment.

Canada has become the first country to ratify Sweden and Finland‘s request to join NATO, bringing the two countries closer to full membership.

The Prime Minister’s Office says Justin Trudeau met with Finland’s president, Sauli Niinist and Sweden’s prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, at the NATO Summit last week.

In a statement, Trudeau says Canada champions the alliance’s open door policy for any European country in a position to “advance the commitments and obligations of membership.”

The Finnish and Swedish ambassadors submitted official letters of application to NATO on May 18, and Canada’s federal cabinet issued orders-in-council on May 26

authorizing the foreign affairs minister to ratify accession protocols for both countries.

All 30 NATO allies signed off on the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland on Tuesday, sending the membership bids to the alliance countries for legislative approval.

Canada deliberately issued the ordersin-council on May 26 to speed through the ratification process and get it done within hours instead of the usual months.

Click to play video: ‘Finland, Sweden must keep promises to Turkey to ratify NATO deal, Erdogan says’ 5:56 Finland, Sweden must keep promises to Turkey to ratify NATO deal, Erdogan says Finland, Sweden must keep promises to Turkey to ratify NATO deal, Erdogan says

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Talks between BCGEU, BC govt break down, union says A potential strike is on the horizon after talks between the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) and the BC Public Service Agency have stalled, according to the BCGEU. “To say we are disappointed is an understatement: despite our best efforts to bridge the gap, government has refused to table a proposal that meets our members’ key demand of cost-of-living protection,” says Stephanie Smith, BCGEU president and chair of the Public Service Bargaining Committee, in a statement.

Key issues for the bargaining unit, which represents 33,000 unionized provincial

civil servants, are cost of living adjustments and wage protection from inflation.

According to the BCGEU, the province’s offer failed to meet the union’s demands and “amounts to a wage cut.” “Our members have told us since the beginning of this round of bargaining that they would not ratify a deal which did not address the increasing cost of living,” Smith explains. The BCGEU says it will plan “strategic, target job action” and finalize essential services, in the meantime.

The union says that a total of almost 400,000 public sector workers have agreements that will, or already have, expire this year.

Surrey man convicted of beheading roommate, desecrating body loses appeal of murder conviction A Surrey man found guilty of beheading his roommate and desecrating his body in 2008 has lost an appeal of his second-degree murder conviction.

Ernest Allan Hosack was sentenced in 2018 to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 15 years for the murder of Richard Falardeau, 54.

He appealed his conviction based on the admissibility of a statement he made to police and claimed Justice Terry Schultes erred by finding him not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder and by failing to stay the case on grounds of “unreasonable delay.”

The Court of Appeal for British Columbia dismissed his appeal.

“In my view, the judge made none of the alleged errors,” Justice Gail Dickson said in her reasons for judgment June 29, with Justices David Franklin Tysoe and Lauri Ann Fenlon concurring. “He interpreted the evidence reasonably and drew available

inferences that supported his admissibility ruling and his conclusion that Mr. Hosack was guilty of second-degree murder. Nor did the judge err by failing to find Mr. Hosack not criminally responsible given the inconclusive nature of the salient evidence or by failing to stay the proceedings for unreasonable delay.”

Richard Falardeau, 54, had invited Hosack to share an attic apartment he’d been renting at 14358 88th Ave. in 2008. After Falardeau went missing, his brother filed a report with the Surrey RCMP Missing Persons Unit.

Encountering clouds of flies in the August heat, police found Falardeau’s headless torso stuffed inside a suitcase in a closet. His thumbs, anus, scrotum and testes were found in plastic bags in the refrigerator freezer.

His skull, with some hair and part of the spine still attached, was found three months later, in marshy tall grass in a hollow off a pathway along the Hydro right-of-way, near 92nd Avenue and King George Boulevard.

Court martial planned for Canadian soldier who criticized vaccine mandate, led march to Ottawa The Canadian soldier who recently led a protest march to Ottawa is now facing a court martial for having spoken out against the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements while wearing his uniform.

Warrant Officer James Topp was recently notified that he will be allowed to have his case heard in a military court instead of by his chain of command, according to the army reservist’s civilian lawyer.

Phillip Millar says the decision represents a second about-face after the military initially offered his client a court martial when he was charged in February, only to rescind the offer and send his case to Topp’s unit commanders.

“It’s hard to know what they’re doing, because I don’t think they really know what they’re doing,” said Millar. “But now they’re saying it’s a court martial.”

The decision raises the stakes for Topp, according to military law experts, as courts martial are allowed to impose heavier sentences against Armed Forces members than if they are tried by their chain of command in what is known as a summary trial. Yet it also means he will be allowed to have legal representation at trial, which wouldn’t have necessarily been the case if he was tried by his commanding officer, while his trial will receive much more public attention.

“The stakes are obviously going to be increased in a public-relations context,” said retired lieutenant-colonel Rory

Fowler, who is now a lawyer specializing in military law in Kingston, Ont. The Department of National Defence did not respond to questions about whether Topp’s case was changed from a court martial to summary trial and back again.

Topp was charged in February with two counts of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline after the army reservist appeared in uniform in two online videos criticizing vaccine requirements for military personnel and other federal employees.

Canadian Armed Forces members are severely restricted in the comments they can make while in uniform, particularly when it comes to criticizing government policies, in large part to protect the military from any perception of politicization.

Topp, who is now in the process of being released from the military, later led a months-long march from Vancouver that ended in Ottawa last week and was supported by many of the same organizers as this year’s “Freedom Convoy.”

He has since become a symbol of sorts for Canadians opposed to vaccines, vaccine mandates and perceived government overreach. Some Conservative MPs have also hitched their wagon to him, including leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre.

While Millar questioned the military’s back and forth with his client, and said he planned to question the way Topp’s charges were handled, he nonetheless welcomed the latest decision to allow a court martial.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

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More than half of Canada’s AstraZeneca vaccine doses expired and to be tossed out Canada is about to toss more than half of its doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine because it couldn’t find any takers for it either at home or abroad.

It also has yet to explain how it plans to manage millions of doses of both Novavax and Medicago vaccines that it bought but is unlikely to use itself.

Canada signed a contract with AstraZeneca in 2020 to get 20 million doses of its vaccine, and 2.3 million Canadians received at least one dose of it, mostly between March and June 2021.

Following concerns in the spring of 2021 about rare but potentially fatal blood clots from AstraZeneca, and with more ample supplies of the mRNA vaccines from

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, Canada moved away from using AstraZeneca. In July 2021, it promised to donate the rest of its procured supply, about 17.7 million doses.

In an emailed statement, Health Canada said “Canada made every effort” to make good on that promise, but 13.6 million doses earmarked for that have expired and will have to be thrown out. “Due to limited demand for the vaccine and recipient country challenges with distribution and absorption, they were not accepted,” the statement said.

In June 2021, Canada also said it would also donate 4.1 million doses of AstraZeneca it paid to get from the COVAX vaccine sharing alliance, but wouldn’t need.

Farmers plant record amount of wheat, prompted by surging prices The historic surge in wheat prices is expected to spur Canadian farmers to sow more acres. Acres of spring wheat in Canada, one of the world’s top exporters, could rise two to three per cent in 2022 as soaring prices encourage growers to shift acres from oats, pulses and durum, said Neil Townsend, chief market analyst at FarmLink.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is hindering shipments from one of the world’s vital breadbaskets, leaving grain importers scouring for supplies elsewhere.

“The spring wheat market is on a tear,” said Stephen Vandervalk,

vice president of Alberta for the Western Canadian Wheat Growers.

“There’s no doubt that this price increase that’s happening now will affect seeding.”

The potential boost in wheat acreage comes amid lingering concerns about dry conditions in Canada. Drought zapped as much of 40 per cent of Western Canada’s grain output last year and swaths of Alberta and Saskatchewan remain under extreme drought conditions, according to the Canadian Drought Monitor.

Stockpiles are insufficient to support additional wheat exports from Canada until growers harvest a new crop.

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Saturday, July 9, 2022

SRK thanks fans for celebrating his 30 yrs in films Expressing his gratitude towards fans for celebrating his 30 years in Indian cinema, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said he worked round-theclock to mark the occasion.

The 56-year-old superstar took to Twitter a day after he interacted with his fans on social media and thanked them for their undying love.

“Thank u all for celebrating my 30 yrs with cakes & edits and all things

nice. For me the best way to celebrate is to work round the clock today to create more entertainment.

Love you all (sic),” Khan said in a tweet on Sunday night.

Delhi-born actor began his career with television shows ‘Fauji’ and ‘Circus’ and made his big screen debut with ‘Deewana’, opposite Divya Bharti and veteran actor Rishi Kapoor. The film, directed by Raj Kanwar, released on June 25 in 1992.

SUKHAN celebrates Uurdu Poetry, Ghazal & Qawwali on August 14nth Celebrating the 75th Independence Day of India & Pakistan , KVP Entertainers & KVP Heritage presents the acclaimed Pune based group SUKHAN celebrating the Urdu Shayari , Dastangoi , Nazms , Ghazals & Qawwalis at the Surrey City Hall on Sunday , August 14nth at 6 PM. Sukhan is a Mehfil of Urdu literature & Sufi music enriched with Hindustani Classical Music and the 3 hours long performance leaves a lasting impression on the audiences . Appreciated & applauded everywhere , Sukhan comprising of four singers & four musicians , had the honour to perform at the prestigious Jashn-E-Rekhta Urdu festival twice and after successful North America trip in 2019 , they’re back on popular demand this year again as Vancouver / Surrey hosts SUKHAN on the historic occasion . For more information , please visit the Facebook & Instagram pages of KVP Entertainers , KVP Heritage & KVP Concerts or call Kamal Sharma at 604-833-1977

Karnataka’s Sini Shetty Crowned Miss India World 2022 The official Instagram account of Miss India revealed the country’s new beauty queens to its 388K followers. The caption read, “Congratulations, Let’s pop the champagne!”

The post also said that the pageant winners have a powerful voice and that the platform can help them change the world. “We’ve seen the passion with which they’ve worked for these titles and must say that they deserve every bit of this,” the post concluded.

In another post, the handle shared the special moment when these beautiful women were crowned.

Dedicating a special post to Shetty, the organisers said that the Miss India World 2022 won hearts at the centre stage with her magnetism, charm, endurance and beauty.

They are confident she will make the country proud on the Miss World stage.

“World - here she comes,” the post read.

Born in Mumbai, the 21-year-old Shetty holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance.

Currently, she is pursuing a professional course Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). She is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer.

Shetty’s win has added another glory gem to Karnataka. Before her, Karnataka has given the country many beauties such as Lara Dutta, Sarah Jane Dias, Sandhya Chib, Nafisa Joseph, Rekha Hande, and Lymaraina D’ Souza.

On the other hand, Shekhawat represents Rajasthan, its rich culture, heritage

Raj Babbar gets 2-yr jail for assaulting polling officer in 1996 A court here awarded two-year imprisonment to Bollywood actor and Congress leader Raj Babbar in a case involving the assault of a polling officer.

Babbar was convicted for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from performing his duty and three other offences.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 8,500 on him. The polling officer had lodged an FIR against Babbar during an election in May 1996.

The complaint was lodged at the Wazirganj police station here. At that time, Babbar was contesting from the Samajwadi Party.

Hollywood

‘The Godfather’ actor James Caan dies at 82 James Caan, who also had roles in “Misery,” “Thief ” and “Rollerball,” received an Oscar nomination for his tragic portrayal of a mafia family’s eldest son in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather.” James Caan, the US actor best known for playing Sonny Corleone in “The Godfather,” has died aged 82, his manager said Thursday.

Caan, who also had roles in “Misery,” “Thief ” and “Rollerball,” received an Oscar nomination for his tragic portrayal of a mafia family’s eldest son in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 classic “The Godfather.”

“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” Caan’s family said in a tweet posted to his account.

Caan’s manager confirmed the news.

“Jimmy was one of the greatest. Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved,” wrote Matt DelPiano.

“Our relationship was always friendship

before business. I will miss him dearly and am proud to have worked with him all these years.”

Caan started working as an actor in 1960s Hollywood, with small roles in films by acclaimed directors including Billy Wilder (“Irma La Douce”), Howard Hawks (“El Dorado”) and Coppola (“The Rain People.”

But his turn as hot-tempered Sonny Corleone, whose slaying in a hail of bullets at a toll booth became one of the defining scenes in “The Godfather,” established him as a major actor with an Academy nomination.

He briefly reprised the role in a small cameo for “The Godfather Part II.” Later standout roles included a violent athlete in Norman Jewison’s “Rollerball,” a jewel thief in Michael Mann’s “Thief ” (1981) and a kidnapped writer in Rob Reiner’s “Misery” (1990).

“So sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him,” tweeted Reiner.

Community news

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Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society of BC invites South Asian Adults and Senior members to join and play Bingo on the House on 10th July 2022 (Sunday) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shant Niketan hall. Please bring only 2 dollars with you for 2 games, don’t worry if you do not know how to play, members seating next to you will explain the game to you just for the sake of fun. Please use facemask and keep the social distance while seating for personal & other’s safety. Tea and light snacks will be served after the two games are over.

In Person Yoga classes will continue by

Mrs. Gunwant Kaur Chana expert Yoga Instructor on 11th July 2022 (Monday) & 14th July 2022 (Thursday) both days from 10.00 am to 11.15 am. Members already vaccinated at least Two doses against COVID - 19 should join for Bingo & yoga classes, please use Facemask for safety.

Project funded by Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for Hindi speaking seniors. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator , Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre, Lakshmi Narayan Temple, 8321 - 140th street Surrey V3W5K9, BC Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 for registration & for further information.

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Deepti Naval upset over film industry Deepti Naval is disappointed by the social media’s description of the film industry in the country.

Contrary to her experience in the industry which was “very different,” the actress remarked that the industry has “come under flak for various reasons.” At the book launch event of her memoir, A Country Called Childhood, the veteran actress was quoted by news agency PTI as saying, “I would definitely speak or write about some of (my) wonderful experiences in the film industry. These days the whole world is out there on the net giving a lot of

gaalis (abuses) to the film industry. It’s come under flak for various reasons, real, unreal, I can’t make out. This is not the industry I know.”

She said that she doesn’t relate to some of the tweets about the industry as she has met some “wonderful” people. “What all is going on in the tweets or remarks on the net, I don’t relate to that because I’ve met some wonderful people. There are all kinds of people everywhere, in every profession, or area of life. Right now, the industry is being singled out as the worst place in the world to be in,” she said.

Ranveer and Deepika dance together Deepika and Ranveer recently had a memorable time as they attended Shankar M a h a d e v a n’s concert in the United States. The couple has accompanied

by Deepika’s parents - Prakash and Ujjala Padukone, and her sister Anisha Padukone.

Several videos and pictures are doing rounds on the internet, that show the couple dancing to

the song Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe from the movie Dil Chahta Hai. In the viral videos and pictures, the family can be seen in ethnic outfits Deepika looks elegant in a green suit while Ranveer looks dashing in a yellow kurta set. In another video, Shankar Mahadevan, Deepika Padukone.

Star & Style Sonakshi Sinha goes blonde, Huma Qureshi calls them ‘scary’ Actor Sonakshi Sinha ditched her black hair in new pictures shared on her Instagram account. She seemed to be wearing a blonde wig in her post. Sharing her blonde look, she wrote, “Not a new look… but its a LOOK!” n the pictures, Sonakshi opted for an embroidered silver gown to match her new blonde look. She gave a shoutout to her styling team and said, “Special shoutout to my bomb hair-makeup-styling team for making sure our little experiments turn out TOP!” The pictures have now grabbed attention of her fans and friends.

Reacting to Sonakshi’s new locks, Huma

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Qureshi, who will be starring with her in Double XL, dropped laughing emojis. “Scary,” she added as well. “I’m sad it’s not Maldives,” commented actor Vijay Varma, referring to the celebrity-favourite d e s t i n at i o n where Sonakshi is often seen vacationing.

Meanwhile, a user wrote in the comments, “Your old look was better than new.” “Thаt’s а good one!” said another fan. “Your hairstyle is looking way better,” commented someone else.

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Saturday, July 9, 2022

Victoria named Canada’s best small city Victoria has been named Canada’s Best Small City in a ranking that breaks down cities, piece by piece, to evaluate them by the numbers.

The municipality beat out Kelowna, Kingston, and Niagara Falls for first place.

“Sounds right to me, absolutely,” mayor Lisa Helps laughs, and says she’s planning to rib Kelowna mayor Colin Basran with the news next time they meet. “It’s hard to disagree with that.”

Nanaimo and Saanich also placed in the rankings, coming in at number 20 and 23, respectively—the only other Vancouver Island municipalities to make the top 25. (Greater Victoria was not considered as a single city, but rather each municipality was considered on its own.)

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From page 1

continue its work and helps our team grow and expand our coverage The factors that put Victoria in the top spot fell under the “programming” and “product” categories—the city placed first in both categories.

The Product category ranks museums, universities, direct flights, convention centres, and attractions, and the report highlights Victoria’s three universities and its second-most educated

Metro Vancouver median home prices down 13.5% Median home prices in Metro Vancouver are down by 13.5 per cent since February, with some cities seeing much steeper drops than others, according to HouseSigma’s June analysis released Monday.

Delta tops the list, with the median price for all property types dropping to $1.165 million in June, a 28.3 per cent decrease from a 15-year high of $1.625 million earlier this year.

Surrey and Maple Ridge aren’t too far behind either. Median home prices in the two municipalities decreased by 23.4 and 23.2 per cent respectively. In Surrey, median prices fell from $1.1 million in February

to $843,000 in June. In Maple Ridge, it dropped from $1.25 million to $960,000.

“Median prices have been dropping consistently and considerably since the Bank of Canada started hiking interest rates earlier this year,” says Hao Li, a Vancouver-based broker with HouseSigma.

“We’re in a market where buyers are feeling emboldened. More and more buyers are holding the upper hand in real estate transactions, sensing that there’s an opportunity here to successfully negotiate with sellers for a lower purchase price.”

Despite the recent drops, median prices

Chinese recession forcing property developers to accept watermelons as payment As China’s housing market has been hit by a slowing economy and debt crisis, the property dealers have come up with what is called an “innovative” as well as “lucrative” offer for the Chinese farmers who could not afford to pay advances for their home.

In order to make a win-win situation for both property dealers as well as farmers, the former has started taking their agricultural produce as payments for homes. Some business tycoons have even started taking watermelons and garlic in exchange for their “dream home”.

According to a report by China News Weekly, the developers are taking watermelons, peaches and other agricultural produce as an advance payment as the Chinese government has banned builders from taking deposits before construction begins on a project.

Metro Vancouver home sales in June dropped 35% from 2021 amid higher interest rates

As per the state media, it is an attempt to lure buyers deterred by a property market slump. According to official data, home sales in China measured by floor area have slid for 11 consecutive months due to a range of reasons-- from COVID-19 to the debt crisis materialised by the low sales.

The data claims the property investment slumped more than 31% in May as compared to the same month last year.

Therefore, the report said that the property dealers are now seeking attention from the lower-middle class by offering “lucrative” as well as “feasible” offers to the farmers. One of the property dealers told the China News Weekly that he would accept truckloads of watermelons worth up to 1,00,000 yuan as a downpayment from local farmers, while the other developer from Wuxi said he has started taking peaches as payment.

listings are staying available for longer.

Story continues below advertisement The market saw 5,256 new listings last month, a roughly 10 per cent drop from 5,849 in June 2021 and a 17.6 per cent decrease from 6,377 in May 2022.

Meanwhile, the home price index composite benchmark price sat at more than $1.2 million last month, a 12.4 per cent increase over June 2021, a two per cent decrease compared to May 2022, and a 2.2 per cent decrease over the past three months.

“We’re seeing downward pressure on home prices as we enter summer in Metro Vancouver due to declining homebuyer activity, not increased supply,” John said, in a statement. “To meet Metro Vancouver’s long-term housing demands, we still need to significantly increase housing supply.”

Click to play video: ‘Good news and bad news for home buyers in interest rate increases’ 2:13 Good news and bad news for home buyers in interest rate increases Good news and bad news for home buyers in interest rate increases – Jun 3, 2022

How to purchase a home with no down payment When you’re first buying a home, after you close the deal on your loan, you have to make a down payment on your house. It’s normally a percentage lenders use on the total amount you borrow to figure out what you have to put down, according to Rocket Mortgage. They’re required so that folks don’t back out on paying their loan if they’ve already invested a large portion of money into their home. Even though down payments can help you pay for a small part of your home, they can be hard to save up for.

There are a couple of ways to get out of putting a down payment on a house to own a house quicker, by not spending years saving for it. Certain loans will help you by offering a low down payment or making it so that you have a zero down payment. The only thing you would have to cover are closing costs at the end of escrow, but sometimes there are programs to help with those expenses as well. Here are a few loans you can look into if you’re a first-time buyer or repeat home buyer who doesn’t want to put in a down payment or wants to lower the amount they need to pay down.

If you’re an active-duty service member, a veteran, spouse of a deceased veteran, or a National Guard member, you could qualify for a VA loan, as

stated by Rocket Mortgage. It’s under the Department of Veteran Affairs, which will help prevent you from needing to put a down payment on your home. You’ll only have to pay a VA funding fee one time that’s 2.3% of your loan. They have a flexible range in which your credit score should meet depending on the lender. They’re easy to

apply for, but you’ll need to meet at least one of their requirements.

If you’re the spouse of a deceased military member who died in the line of duty, you’ll be eligible. The amount of time you serve could qualify you for the loan: 90 consecutive days in wartime, 180 consecutive days in peacetime, or more than six years in the Reserves or National Guard.

If you were discharged from your service because of a disability, that could also qualify you for the loan.

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Business and consumer inflation expectations up: Bank of Canada surveys A pair of new reports from the Bank of Canada point to rising inflation expectations

by Canadian businesses and consumers.

In its business outlook survey released Monday, the central bank said businesses’ expectations for near-term inflation have increased, and firms expect inflation to be high for longer than they did in the previous survey.

“Many firms continue to report plans for raising wages to attract and retain workers,” the bank said in its report which suggested businesses expect wages and prices to grow at a faster pace.

“In addition, a growing number of businesses mentioned the rising cost of living as an important source of wage

A plan to build a 45-storey tower in Willoughby may be halted after a backlash by nearby residents.

Late last week, reports began to emerge that Vesta Properties had scrapped plans to build the residential tower, which was to have been located on the northeast corner of 82nd Avenue and 208th Street, in part of Vesta’s sprawling Latimer Heights development of townhouses, homes, and condos.

Vesta Properties indicated to the Langley Advance Times on Monday that it would issue a statement about the project’s fate, but then ceased communications.

A Vesta representative said the company has decided not to comment on the issue, and refused to directly confirm that the

growth. Nearly half of firms anticipate their wage increase will remain above prepandemic levels beyond the next 12 months.”

Economists at CIBC said the surveys of businesses and consumers suggest continued supply shortages, high inflationary pressures and a rise in households’ longer-term inflation expectations that will keep the Bank of Canada on track to raise interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point at its next meeting.

“Businesses suggested that higher prices and interest rates may potentially affect the viability of their investment plans, but that was not occurring yet,” CIBC’s Andrew Grantham and Karyne Charbonneau wrote in report.

Real Estate Falling mortgage rates have homebuyers so emboldened they’re asking sellers for cash After a string of steady increases, mortgage rates fell this week — a mixed blessing for the fragile U.S. economy.

The lower rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is a relief for home shoppers who have been watching rates climb, but it’s also a sign that a recession could very well be around the corner as the market slows.

Rates tend to mirror 10-year Treasury yields, which have fallen as investors seek safer, more stable assets in the face of higher inflation and slower economic growth.

“Rising prices are eating into consumers’ paychecks, leaving many Americans with less money for discretionary spending,” says George Ratiu, senior economist with Realtor.com.

“In addition, with inflation outpacing

Plans for 45-storey tower in Langley now uncertain tower project has been cancelled. The company directed all inquires to the Township of Langley.

According to the Township, there has been no formal withdrawal of the application for the tower, but Vesta has informed the Township that they are currently considering the feedback from their recent public information meeting before determining next steps.

The info meeting in late May on the project drew mixed reactions.

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Several residents, including those who live or have purchased nearby Vesta-built condos and townhouses were upset by the change to the plans and the sudden proximity of a tower.

They noted that when they had purchased their units, the site had been planned to contain a small cluster of six-storey condos, similar to those Vesta was building to the north.

Other visitors to the open house were simply curious, or had questions about the way the change was being handled.

At the open house, Vesta president

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

pay raises, most workers are seeing their income fall behind, further straining the finances of buyers who are also facing higher borrowing costs.”

The average 30-year mortgage rate fell to 5.70% this week, down from 5.81% a week ago, housing finance giant Freddie Mac reported on Thursday. A year ago at this time, the 30-year rate was averaging 2.98%.

“The rapid rise in mortgage rates has finally paused, largely due to the countervailing forces of high inflation and the increasing possibility of an economic recession,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

“This pause in rate activity should help the housing market rebalance from the breakneck growth of a seller’s market to a more normal pace of home price appreciation.”

Kent Sillars told the Advance Times that the change would be a relatively small addition to the total number of units Vesta is building across Latimer Heights – more than 2,100, mostly in mid-rise condos and townhomes – but allowed for more green space and amenities around the tower’s base. There had been plans for a restaurant, a pool, and walking paths.

If the project had moved forward, it would have required a rezoning vote and a public hearing before Township council.

Vesta recently broke ground on two smaller towers, 26 and 34 stories tall, that are being built at the northwest corner of the Latimer Heights project. Those towers were approved by the Township several

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Saturday, July 9, 2022

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Saturday, July 9, 2022 Press release: Celebrating Sant Teja Singh Day, Akal Academy Surrey and Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara came together on Sunday July 3rd. Sant Teja Singh Ji was a pioneer for the Sikhs and immigrants who call Canada home today. They stood against the government at times where the Sikhs and other minority groups were oppressed. The remarkable achievements of Sant Teja Singh paved the way for Sikhs and people of Indian descent to live and work in this country. Some of the accomplishments include establishing the first gurdwara in Canada, USA and in England, the establishment of the Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver, and creating the Guru Nanak Mining and Trust Company. These accomplishments allowed Sikhs to build a strong foothold in Canada and continue to work hard to achieve success in this country.

Sant Teja Singh was a towering spiritual leader of the Sikh community who had fought for the equal rights to

Sant Teja Singh Day celebrations

the immigrants, especially those who began coming to BC from India. Those who came to Canada, they had to endure blatant racism as they were neither allowed to bring in their families, nor they had a right to vote. The authorities who wanted to keep Canada as a “white man’s land” adopted several policies that were aimed at discouraging permanent settlement of Indian immigrants in BC. The government created a plan to relocate Indian immigrants to Honduras.

Sant Teja Singh who came to know about such plans, stood against the government and helped the immigrants establish themselves in British Columbia.

The program started with kirtan and katha as well as guest speakers including Dr. Gurvinder Singh Dhaliwal, MLA Rachna Singh, Dr. Bhurji, President Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and Avtar Singh Gill A proclamation declaring July 1, 2022 as “Sant Teja Singh Day” by Attorney

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General David Eby and the Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin was presented to the members of the Sikh community at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.

The proclamation describes Singh as “a humanitarian, scholar and tireless advocate for Sikhs in Canada who dedicated his life to challenging inequality, fighting for a just society and serving without discrimination in accordance with the tenets of Sikhism”.

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Saturday, July 9, 2022

India among top five countries of birth for naturalised US citizens The United States welcomed 661,500 new citizens as of June 15 in the fiscal year 2022, with India the second largest country of birth for naturalised American citizens in the first quarter after Mexico.

Throughout our nation’s history, the promise of both life and liberty, and the freedom to pursue happiness, is

what has drawn millions from across the globe to call America their home,” US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director M Jaddou said on Friday.

In Fiscal Year 2021, the USCIS welcomed 855,000 new US citizens.

Tejas aircraft emerges as Malaysia’s top choice for its new fighter jet programme India’s Tejas light combat aircraft has emerged as the top choice for Malaysia as the Southeast Asian nation looks at replacing its ageing fleet of fighter jets and the two sides are holding negotiations to firm up the procurement.

Malaysia has narrowed down on the Indian aircraft notwithstanding the stiff

competition from China’s JF-17 jet, South Korea’s FA-50 and Russia’s Mig-35 as well as Yak-130, Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, R Madhavan, told PTI in an interview.

As part of the package, India has offered to set up an MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facility in Malaysia

Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena appoints new chief in Lok Sabha The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena has nominated Rajan Vichare as the party’s chief whip in Lok Sabha in place of Bhavana Gawali, party leader and MP Sanjay Raut said on Wednesday, 6 July.

In a letter to Parliamentary Affairs

Minister Prahlad Joshi, Raut said, “It is to inform you that Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party has nominated Rajan Vichare, MP (LS) as the chief whip in Lok Sabha in place of Bhavana Gawali, MP (LS), with

Russia snagged $24 billion in just three months from its energy sales to India and China, report says Russia raked in $24 billion from selling energy to India and China in just three months following its invasion of Ukraine, according to Bloomberg.

China spent a staggering $18.9 billion on Russian oil, gas and coal in the three months

to the end of May, which is almost double the amount it bought last year, while India splashed out $5.1 billion in the same time period.

Overall, Russia earned an extra $13 billion in revenue from India and China’s energy shopping spree compared to the same time last year.

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Saturday, July 9, 2022

SUCCESSFUL 2021-2022 ACADEMIC SESSION AT GOBIND SARVAR SCHOOL! Gobind Sarvar School’s management and staff welcomed every student to the academic year 2021-2022! For those new to our school, it was great to have them as they found their time with us to be a stimulating and rewarding academic experience.

And for those who were the returning students, study, sports, and fun increased even further. The times we are living in raise many pressing questions and present new challenges to our understanding and realization of our ethical values.

We were able to steer successfully through these troubled waters in collaboration with our students and parents this year.

In addition to looking forward to the academic session of 20222023, it is

important to also look back and reflect on what we have just come through. The past year has revealed an overlapping set of urgent crises that no one discipline, much less a subfield, is fully equipped to deal with. This global pandemic

after all is not just a health crisis, but rather a crisis of racism, an economic crisis, a

democratic crisis, an inequality crisis, an education crisis, and so much more. COVID-19 has been accompanied by an escalation of economic discrimination that is manifest l o c a l l y, nationally and globally. It has brought rising food and housing insecurity, growing polarization and surging mistrust of public institutions and leaders, and a devastating and disproportionate toll on many marginalized communities. Alongside this, Canadians have also experienced the increasingly substantial impacts of global climate change. All of this is enough to cause a sort of paralysis of gloom.

Per Dr. Rishi Singh, the Principal of the school, “but paralysis is not in the DNA of Gobind Sarvar School”. Instead, we are even more motivated to understand and address the deep-seeded problems that the past

year-and-a-half has exposed. If one thing has brought me hope these past 18 months, it is to witness our teaching faculty and students rise to the meet these crises head on.

Our annual Ye a r b o o k provides just a glimpse of the energy and talents we have applied – through teaching and learning, public outreach and awarenessbuilding – to tackling t h e challenges that face us locally, nationally and as a global community.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all members of Gobind Sarvar School community, for your incredible e f f o r t , patience, and perseverance over the past academic year.

Our teachers worked extremely hard under difficult conditions to deliver educational p r o g r a m s in new and unprecedented ways while maintaining our commitment to teaching excellence and mentorship.Ouradministrativestaffhasdone a tremendous job keeping the department

functioning as a collective Above

unit! a l l, I

want to acknowledge our students. Their commitment to their education and learning while dealing with myriad challenges and hardships has been inspiring. Despite of our efforts to make

things work, there’s nothing like being and learning together, a fact this past yearand-a-half has made all too clear. I look forward to our offices, hallways and classrooms being once again full of your energy, passionate debate and, above all, lifelong associations, and friendship.

Dr. Rishi Singh Principal

20

INDIA

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Amid ire over ‘Kaali’ Poster, filmmaker shares controversial pic on Twitter Toronto-based film director Leena Manimekalai is facing separate FIRs in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for allegedly hurting religious sentiments over her film poster depicting Hindu deity Kaali in an unflattering manner. She said in

a statement while speaking to The Guardian, “It feels like the whole nation - that has now deteriorated from the largest democracy to the largest hate machine - wants to censor me,” said Manimekalai. “I do not feel safe anywhere at this moment”, she added.

People of Telangana paving way for double-engine govt: Modi at Hyderabad rally Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday the people of Telangana yearn for a ‘double-engine growth’ and said their will be fulfilled when the BJP comes to power in the state.

Addressing a massive public meeting titled ‘Vijay Sankalp Sabha’ at Parade Grounds in Hyderabad, Modi said, “In other states too, we have seen that the double-engine govt of the

BJP has led to increasing trust of people in it.

‘Double engine’ government or growth is a term used by Modi and other BJP leaders while referring to the progress seen in states ruled by the saffron camp with the aid of the NDA government at the Centre.

Modi, who attended the BJP’s national executive meeting in the city earlier in the day, said the people of Telangana are known for their hard work. “The state’s

‘Autorickshaw outpaced Mercedes’ Apparently referring to his humble past when he used to drive an autorickshaw to earn living, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday took a dig at Shiv

Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, saying an autorickshaw has outpaced Mercedes car. “Autorickshaw outpaced Mercedes (car)… because this is a government of the common man,” Shinde tweeted in Marathi.

India to supply fuel to Sri Lanka only after advance payment India is seeking payment in advance for supply of fuel to Sri Lanka after credit lines were exhausted, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The larger South Asian neighbor stopped supplying gasoline and diesel on credit after the island nation ran out of dollars to purchase fuels amid its worst economic crisis.

That’s holding up some fuel shipments pending cash payment by Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Petroleum Corp., according to two Indian government officials, who asked not to be identified citing rules.

Ceylon Petroleum’s cargo schedule tweeted by Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera showed at least four shipments of gasoline and diesel from state-run refiner Indian Oil Corp. are pending confirmation of advance payment. India has already extended over $3.5 billion of support to Sri Lanka in the last few months for food, medicines and fuel.

Sri Lanka, which has depleted its foreign exchange reserves, was hoping for a fresh approval from India of a $500 million credit line for fuel purchases.

Controversy over Aurangabad city name change Imtiaz Jaleel, the All India Majlis-eIttehadul Muslimeen’s (AIMIM’s) MP from Maharashtra’s Aurangabad, again slammed the decision of naming the district as Sambhajinagar and said when the decision of naming Aurangabad was taken hurriedly, it was not taken in Chhatrapati Sambhaji’s name. “It was taken thinking my chair is about to be snatched, maybe his name would

save us,” Jaleel said on Tuesday, as reported

by ANI. Jaleel pointed out that Aurangabad’s residents, irrespective of whichever religion they belonged to, felt connected to the original name. “No one wants the name to change. We will fight for it in any way possible. Will stage protests, go to court and raise our voice in Parliament,” he further said.

Lone govt Muslim MP Mukhtar Naqvi resigns Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi resigned Wednesday as Union minister, a day before his tenure ends in the Rajya Sabha.

Naqvi was the minister of minority affairs, as well as the Deputy Leader of the Upper House.

In June’s Rajya Sabha elections, several BJP leaders were sent to the Upper House from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Naqvi did not get a ticket for Rajya Sabha, amid speculation that he might be the BJP’s

vice-presidential candidate in the 6 August elections.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is learnt to have praised Naqvi in a Cabinet meeting, lauding his eight-year contribution to the country.

Soon after the meeting, Naqvi met BJP chief J.P. Nadda at the party’s headquarters in Delhi.

With Naqvi’s resignation, the BJP now has no Muslim among

Shashi Tharoor’s support for Mahua Moitra is his personal choice The Congress on Wednesday sought to distance itself from party MP Shashi Tharoor, after the senior politician supported Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra, who stoked a major controversy with her remarks on Goddess Kali. Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak described Tharoor’s posi as his ‘personal opinion’.

“Shashi Tharoor ji expresses his personal

opinions assertively, and has done the same on this issue as well. The Congress party’s clear stand is that like Gandhiji said, religion is a matter of personal faith for a person. But we should also be careful that we don’t do do anything that hurts sentiments of a person from another religion. It is the duty of everyone to ensure that,” Nayak said.

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Saturday, July 9, 2022

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann remaries again The private ceremony will take place at his residence on Thursday.

According to reports, the 48-yearold will be marrying Dr Gurpreet Kaur, who is from Sangrur district.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is set to tie the knot for the second time in a private ceremony at his residence in Chandigarh Thursday. The 48-year-old chief minister is getting married to Dr Gurpreet Kaur.

Not much is known about Kaur except her being from Sangrur district in Punjab and reportedly from a common family. Sangrur is the seat from where Mann was first elected to the Parliament in 2014. He also won from the constituency in 2019. According to ABPlive, the bride is a close acquaintance of Mann’s family, and it was his mother

Who is Dr Gurpreet Kaur, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s bride?

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will tie the knot for the second time on Thursday as the 48-year-old Aam Aadmi Party leader will be marrying Dr Gurpreet Kaur in a private ceremony at his residence in Chandigarh. Sources told PTI that this marriage is an arranged one. The marriage will be solemnised as per Sikh rituals in the state’s capital.Mann separated from his first wife with whom he has two children in 2015. Mann’s 21-year-old daughter Seerat

and 17-year-old son Dilshan from his first marriage had flown in from the US when he took oath as Punjab chief minister in March.

State ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Harjot Bains and Aman Arora as well as the party’s senior leader Raghav Chadha congratulated Mann on Twitter. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also congratulated Mann as he is set to start a “new chapter in his life”.

Have spoken with Australian govt on reports of Sikh armies at pro-Khalistan event, says MEA Amid reports that an Australian Army Sikh delegation was spotted at a pro-Khalistan event in that country, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said it has taken up the matter with the Australian government.

According to media reports, the Australian Army Sikh delegation was spotted at the event in New South Wales.

Asked about the matter and other instances of support to Khalistani elements in various countries, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We came to know that there had been an instance in Australia. We have taken up the matter with the government of Australia.”

“Don’t have any more details,” he added.

Pakistan How an economic crisis sent prices rocketing Pakistan’s current economic struggles exemplify the little fires everywhere set alight across the global economy by a war during a pandemic. Like others in countries dependent on imported commodities — for example Ghana and Sri Lanka — Pakistanis are seeing food and fuel prices soar. Foreign exchange reserves – used to pay for imports such as food and fuel – have shrunk.

Pakistan is using up its foreign exchange

reserves more quickly than previously anticipated because prices of foreign goods are going up. If the situation doesn’t change, the country faces bankruptcy.

In April, a litre of petrol cost about 150 rupees (£0.60), but by July 1 the price had risen to nearly 250 rupees. And the price of cooking oil increased by 40% just between May and June. At present the country has only enough foreign currency to pay for five weeks

IMF to ban Pakistan from seeking more loans from China for CPEC: Report The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is reportedly planning to forbid Pakistan from seeking additional loans from China.

According to reports, the global financial body’s recommendations are now likely to be a deciding factor in Islamabad’s decision to ask China for Rs 7.9 billion for projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The IMF has criticised Pakistan’s loans from China and the arbitrarily high payments given to Chinese Independent Power Producers (IPP), suggesting Islamabad renegotiate its energy contracts with

Beijing, ANI reported, citing Financial Post.

According to the report, several Chinese IPPs operating in Pakistan are owed more than Rs 350 billion in power payments.

Meanwhile, IMF’s demand came after China denied changing the terms of the agreements for projects under the CPEC. Moreover, around 40% of Pakistan’s federal budget’s total spending, around Rs 3,950 billion has been devoted to debt service - an increase of 29.% from the last year. Pakistan’s economy is facing a daunting task as the budget for FY 2022–23 does not address the crucial structural issues

Pakistan takes surprise move to curb inflation Pakistan’s main policy rate has been hiked 125 basis points to 15%, the country’s acting central bank governor Murtaza Syed said on Thursday.

Syed’s announcement at a virtual press conference followed a meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee, days after inflation in Pakistan surged to a 13-year high in June. The key interest rates have increased 525 bps since the start of this year.

“This combined action continues the

monetary tightening underway since last September, which is aimed at ensuring a soft landing of the economy amid an exceptionally challenging and uncertain global environment,” the bank said in a statement that followed the news conference. The bank said the higher rate should help cool economic activity, prevent a de-anchoring of inflation expectations and provide support to the Rupee in the wake of multi-year high inflation and record imports.

FIJI Labasa kathak dancer gets big break in Bollywood More than 10 years ago Labasa native, Sharon Chandra, went to India to learn the traditional dance, kathak.

Today, she is not only a qualified classical dancer but a rising star, making a name for herself on Mumbai’s theatre scene.

Her latest play, ‘Dhappa’, where she acts opposite renowned Bollywood actor, Puneet Issar, showcases her as a talented stage star.

Sharon’s father, Chandar Yenkanna, and mother, Chandramma Kumaran, gave her their blessings to take up a Government of India scholarship to study kathak dance in 2011.

Little did they know their daughter would one day grace theatre scenes in India’s commercial and entertainment capital.

Labasa native Sharon Chandra (left), Mumbai kathak dancer and theatre actress in a scene from the musical play, Dhappa.

Picture: SUPPLIED People from all over India travel to Mumbai to try their luck in the cutthroat world of acting.

Many fail and face disappointment.

Sharon’s growing success, therefore, has been nothing short of amazing.

Bollywood star, Rajkummar Rao says he would love to come to Fiji Bollywood star, Rajkummar Rao who is known for movies such as Badhai Do, Stree, Ludo and the White Tiger says Fiji is a beautiful country and he would definitely love to come here some day.

While speaking to fijivillage with coactor, Sanya Malhotra, Rao says he has

never been to Fiji but is looking forward to a visit as there is a large Indian diaspora here.

Rao adds his latest film, Hit – the First Case is a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat and has a lot of twist and turns.

Air Fiji introduces direct flights to Vancouver From page 1

allow direct cargo transportation and also benefit over 80,000 Fijian diaspora who are now residing in Canada. The Chief Executive says a trade delegation will be in Canada on August 9th to promote the latest development. He has also announced the Fiji National Provident Fund and Unit Trust of Fiji as the latest shareholders of the

national airline. He says FNPF now owns 30.02 percent of shares while the Unit Trust of Fiji owns 1.58 shares of Fiji Airways. The government remains the largest shareholder of the company. Minister for Economy and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum congratulated Fiji Airways and assures continuous support by the government.

22

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Public sector bargaining takes backseat to NDP leadership race Press release

Opposition Finance Critic Peter Milobar fears that the NDP’s attempts to hastily conclude BCGEU contract talks before their leadership race could blow a hole in the provincial budget.

“It’s clear that the government’s publicized offer is an attempt to rush through negotiations with no regard for the taxpayer, and the NDP is only doing this because their leadership race is right around the corner,” said Milobar. “Instead of focusing on internal politics, the NDP needs to be focused on running this province.”

Milobar points out this is the first bargaining mandate in 20 years not to be published prior to negotiations, meaning that the public has had to rely on leaks from

both sides to understand what is being offered by government and what it could mean for workers and taxpayers. But with only a snapshot of the offer having been revealed so far, we’re left with no sense of the greater financial implications.

“Much like their Royal BC Museum business plan debacle, this NDP government is choosing to release only the bits of information that suit its needs, creating needless uncertainty for British Columbians,” says Milobar.

“The government should be upfront and honest about its closed-door negotiations, and give people the full picture. They deserve nothing less.”

BC Liberal Caucus

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