The Asian Star July 18 2020

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Vol 19 - Issue 25

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Study suggests 8 times more people in BC infected with virus than confirmed A new study suggests eight times as many people in Metro Vancouver have been infected by the novel coronavirus than the rate of reported cases. The joint study by researchers at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, University of B.C., LifeLabs and public health scientists is posted on the health research website medRxiv and a news conference on the findings is scheduled for Thursday morning.

The authors say the findings indicate successful suppression of community transmission in B.C., with an estimated overall infection rate of less than one per cent. The study looked at anonymous blood samples collected for reasons unrelated to COVID-19

by LifeLabs in March and May, before and after public health measures were introduced.

The first samples in March found two of 869 specimens were positive, for a prevalence of 0.28 per cent, while the May sample found a prevalence of 0.55 per cent. Health Minister Adrian Dix described the estimated infection rate as “very low” and says it shows the effectiveness of British Columbia’s public health measures and co-operation of the public. “It reinforces the fact that we’re on the right track,” Dix says. “Of course, this is as the study suggests a dual-edged question, a low level of transmission but also very few people with antibodies to deal with potential future spikes of COVID-19.” If the study’s prevalence Continued on page 6

David Sidoo, a Vancouver businessman and philanthropist who pleaded guilty in the U.S. college admissions scandal, was sentenced to three months in prison on Wednesday in a Boston courtroom.

Sidoo lowered his head into his hands and cried as U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton chided him for his actions. Sidoo told the judge he’s “deeply ashamed.” “I make no excuses. I broke the law. I pled guilty to a crime and now I must pay for my actions,” he said. The former UBC and CFL football player was found to have paid $200,000 US to have a professional test-writer use false credentials to impersonate his two sons to write their SATs. The same

person also flew to Vancouver to write a B.C. high school graduation exam for one of the sons. According to the prosecution, Sidoo also worked with the scheme’s mastermind, Rick Singer, to concoct a bogus story for one of his son’s college admission essays about the teen being held at gunpoint by a Los Angeles gang before being saved by a rival gang member named “Nugget.”

In March, Sidoo pleaded guilty in federal court to one charge of mail fraud conspiracy. The plea deal called for Sidoo to serve 90 days in prison and pay a $250,000 fine. He had originally pleaded not guilty to multiple charges.

Continued on page 6

Hundreds still try to cross Canada-US Border despite COVID-19 ban Officials have been turning away more than 100 people every day at the Canada-U.S. border.

Since the border closed March 21st, nearly 12,000 people have tried to enter Canada for non-essential purposes. “I don’t believe that there’s any reason that we would expect to be able to safely have visitors—people who are

here as tourists—in the coming weeks and months,” said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, Tuesday. Of those turned away, 10,329 were U.S. citizens, while 1,506 were citizens of other countries arriving from the U.S. About 35% of the total tried to cross in the last four weeks.

Canadians worried after COVID-19 numbers go up again Even though numbers of positive COVID-19 cases are declining, and several areas reporting no new cases, a new survey shows Canadians concerns about contracting the virus are increasing. Even though the situation is clearly improving in Canada, the survey suggests Canadian concern is perhaps due to vast news coverage in Canada of increasing cases in the U.S. The just released survey by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute shows that after Canadian

Feds & provinces agreed to $19B safe restart of economy The federal government will provide $19 billion to the provinces and territories to help fund a “safe restart” of the Canadian economy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today.The direct transfers will help those governments cover some of their budgetary costs over the next six to eight months as they reopen

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South Asian businessman David Sidoo sentenced to 3 months in prison in college admissions scandal

their economies and prepare for a possible second wave of COVID-19. “COVID-19 isn’t just a health crisis. It’s an economic crisis, too,” Trudeau said at a press conference on Parliament Hill. “When we talk about the recovery phase, it’s not just about making sure we can detect, control and prevent future outbreaks. It’s also about helping

concerns had been declining, they are now increasing, and up by 13 points. The largest increase is among the 55 and up age group. In counterpoint, one of the key recommendations now by health officials, wearing a mask, is only regularly followed by about 20 per cent of respondents A similar number (20%) who say they are not afraid of catching the virus seldom or never wear a mask in public.

Indian pharma industry capable

of producing Covid-19 vaccines people, businesses and entire for entire world: Bill Gates communities adjust to our new normal.” Trudeau said the money India’s pharmaceutical industry will be will focus on seven priority areas, able to produce Covid-19 vaccines not including enhanced COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for front line workers and businesses, funding for municipalities, a national sick leave plan and child care

THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING YOUR HOME ???

just for the country but also for the entire world, according to Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates. A lot of “very important things have been done” in India and its pharma industry is doing

Continued on page 5

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Vol 19 - Issue 25

Saturday, July 18, 2020

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OPINION

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Canadian health care may be linked to more COVID-19 deaths for ‘surprising’ reason: study Heart researchers say there’s a surprising reason Canada has seen higher COVID-19 deaths than many countries with fewer healthcare resources — more Canadians live longer with chronic disease, putting them at greater risk of dying from the virus. Research led by Heart & Stroke also found the pandemic has likely postponed thousands of cardiovascular

procedures. Lead author Cindy Yip said the findings underscore the devastating consequences of poor heart health, even if excellent medical care and technology is available. “Quality of care is good to have, but it’s not enough,” said Yip, principal investigator and director of data knowledge management at Heart & Stroke, formerly known as the Heart and Stroke Foundation. She said Canadians

are somewhat vulnerable to pandemics such as COVID-19 because so many have survived other health crises. “Because people are living longer with chronic disease like heart conditions and stroke we need to take actions, and we need them to take care of their health in order to avoid the poor outcome from COVID-19.” The study notes 11.7 per cent of Canadians suffer from cardiovascular disease, including strokes. That puts us in the top third among 63 countries studied _ worse than the 11.6 per cent found in the United States, 10 per cent in Russia, 7.6 per cent in South Korea, 4.3 per cent in India and 3.8 per cent in Pakistan.

When it came to reported death rates from COVID-19, Canada ranked higher than all but 14 of the 65 countries studied (two additional countries had sufficient data). That included places with poorer health-care resources such as Russia, India, Pakistan, and China. The study looked at COVID-19 cases reported between Jan. 21 and April 30, when Canada listed 54,457 confirmed cases and a case fatality rate of 6.1 per cent. Lower foreign death rates included 1 per cent in Russia, 5.5 per cent in China and 3.3 per cent in India. Yip acknowledged that countries vary in how they report deaths, but said researchers strove to use comparable numbers.

She said the analysis accounted for the wide range in access to health-care services among countries.

But a strong relationship between COVID-19 deaths and the prevalence of heart conditions and stroke was still there. For every 1 per cent increase in the number of people with heart problems, the COVID-19 death rate was 19 per cent higher.

Age was also a factor.

For every 1 per cent increase in the number of people aged 65 years and older, the COVID-19 death rate was 9 per cent higher. Nearly 9 per cent of the Canadian population is 65 or older.

The study also tried to number the heart-related medical procedures that have been postponed by the pandemic, but Yip said data here is limited, forcing researchers to extrapolate.

She noted data provided by 20 cardiac centres in Ontario indicate fewer heart procedures were performed between March 16 and May 3 and the same period last year: 42 per cent fewer bypass surgeries, 37 per cent fewer angioplasty procedures and 45 per cent fewer valve surgeries.

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Saturday, July 18, 2020

Indian pharma industry capable of producing COVID-19 vaccines for entire world, says Bill Gates

From page 1

work “to help make the coronavirus vaccine building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases”, said the Co-Chair and Trustee of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Speaking in a documentary -- COVID-19: India’s War Against The Virus -- to be premiered on Discovery Plus this (Thursday) evening, Gates said India also faces a huge challenge due to the health crisis because of its gigantic size and urban centres with a lot of population density.

Commenting on the strength of India’s pharma industry, he said, “India has a lot of capacity there -- with the drug and vaccine companies that are huge suppliers to the entire world. You know, more vaccines are made in India than anywhere-- starting with Serum Institute, that’s the largest.” He further said, “But (there are) also Bio E, Bharat (Biotech), many others. They are doing work to help make the coronavirus vaccine, building on other great capacities that they have used for other

diseases.” Stating that India joined Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which is a group working on a global basis to build vaccines platforms, Gates said, “I am excited that the pharmaceutical industry there will be able to produce not just for India but also for the entire world. (This is) What we need to reduce the deaths and make sure we are immune, which is how we end the epidemic.”

Gates said Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is also a “partner with the government, particularly with the department of biotechnology, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the office of the principal scientific advisor provide advice and help about getting these tools going”.

Commenting on the deadly virus breaching India’s borders in the documentary which was shot extensively during the period of lockdown, he said, “India is still at the beginning of this, but there’s a lot of very important things have been done.

Fewer than 1% of British Columbians had coronavirus by the time restrictions eased in May: study A new joint study from the University of British Columbia, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, LifeLabs and public health scientists has found a low level of coronavirus infections through serology testing, adding to the evidence that British Columbians were able to successfully suppress community virus transmission throughout the early 2020 period.

The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, is the first in Canada to report estimates of coronavirus antibodies in the general population.

Using sero-prevalence research (looking for antibodies in the blood samples of a random group of people), it estimates fewer than one per cent of British Columbians were infected with coronavirus by the time

first wave restrictions were eased in May. It means around eight times more B.C. residents have been infected than the number of cases reported, the study authors estimate. Fewer than one in 100 people in the Lower Mainland became infected with COVID-19, suggesting an even lower infection rate for other parts of the province.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, Danuta Skowronski with the BCCDC said the infection rates detected were lower than she had anticipated.

“We have great confidence in our findings,” she said, adding the results do not reduce the potential for future infections in B.C.

BC warns COVID-19 ‘silently circulating’ in broader community, as health officials announce 21 new cases Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said they were “concerned” about the recent growth in COVID-19 case numbers, as they provided an update on B.C.’s caseload Wednesday. In a written statement, the health officials reported 21 new cases of COVID-19 but no new deaths related to the disease. It follows the announcement Monday of 62 new cases over the weekend and 13 new cases Tuesday.

Henry and Dix say community transmission is becoming a problem in the province and urged people to obey advice to keep the spread of the coronavirus in check. “We are concerned about the increase in new cases in recent days, as COVID-19 continues to silently circulate in our communities,” they said in their statement.

“While early on, many of our long-term care and assisted living facilities were impacted, most of the new cases are in the broader community.

“As we spend more time with others, we need to find our balance with COVID-19. We need to minimize the number of cases, manage new cases as they emerge and modify our activities accordingly.” With Wednesday’s case numbers included, the province has had a total of 3,149 novel coronavirus cases to date and 189 deaths have been connected to COVID-19, while 2,753 people have recovered. Two of Wednesday’s cases were epidemiologically linked cases, meaning they were never tested but are presumed to have the disease as they are showing symptoms and were in close contact with someone who tested positive for the disease. The province also put the number of known cases that are still active at 207.

Fourteen people are in hospital, including five in intensive care. The rest are recovering at home in self-isolation, the officials said.

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Saturday, July 18, 2020 From page 1

South Asian businessman David Sidoo sentenced to 3 months in prison in college admissions scandal

Sidoo was not available for comment, but a statement issued by his lawyers said he has dedicated his adult life to making positive contributions. b “His life should not be defined by its worst moments, and he is committed to a more productive future,� it reads. A defence submission dated July 10 contains a list of Sidoo’s charitable works and a description of how he has been affected by being found out. “Mr. Sidoo is a 61-year-old-man who made a tremendous mistake, out of misplaced love for his sons, that is inconsistent with his entire personal life story,� reads the document. The submission also includes letters of support from more than a dozen people, including Canadian and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, former B.C. attorney general Wally Oppal, TSN personality Farhan Lalji and former MP and cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal. Last month, Sidoo’s Order of B.C. was revoked. In March, his name

was removed from the field at Thunderbird Stadium on the University of British Columbia campus. Sidoo is the second B.C. parent to be found guilty in the scandal. Surrey resident Xiaoning Sui was ordered to pay a $250,000 fine after she admitted to paying $400,000 to secure her son’s admission to the University of California, Los Angeles, through bribery as a purported soccer recruit. Her plea agreement spared her from further jail time. Sui spent five months in jail in Spain, where she was arrested in September 2019. More than 50 people have been charged in the college cheating scheme involving wealthy parents and athletic coaches at elite universities across the United States.

Authorities say the parents worked with Singer to have someone cheat on their kids’ exams or get them admitted to selective schools with fake athletic credentials. Sidoo was CEO of the mining firm Advantage Lithium Corp. when he was arrested last year.

Study suggests 8 times more people in BC infected with virus than confirmed prevalence rate is applied to the whole provincial population, it could mean about 28,000 people have had the novel coronavirus, while 3,149 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed to date, however Dix noted the results are specific to the Vancouver area.

Health officials have repeatedly said that more people have been infected with the virus than have tested positive and Dix calls the estimated prevalence rate in B.C. “encouraging.� “Overall the level of infection in B.C. was low and that’s due to the actions of people in B.C. That said, there are more people who were infected with COVID-19 than tested positive and that’s something we’ve said clearly, especially in the period of March and April when we were focusing our testing program particularly on specific groups including health-care workers,� Dix says. The study is the first of its kind in Canada, he says. The study is also important because it involved people who did not self-select for

C OV I D - 1 9 testing, so they likely didn’t believe they had the virus, Dix says.

The study was aut h or i z e d by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and approved by the clinical research ethics board of the university. It has not yet been peer reviewed.

British Columbia recorded 21 new cases Wednesday and no new deaths. There are 207 active cases while 2,753 people who tested positive have recovered, the government said in a news release. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2020.

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Saturday, July 18, 2020

BC releases plan for unpaid rent repayment The B.C. government has released a framework for how — and when — rent that went unpaid during the pandemic can be gradually repaid to landlords.

In March, the province announced a freeze on evictions for unpaid rent, along with a monthly rebate for renters.

The eviction freeze is set to be lifted Sept. 1, meaning tenants will have to pay full rent for September.

Tenants will still owe their landlord rent that was missed over the past few months, but will have until next summer to pay it back in a gradual way.

According to the new plan unveiled Thursday, it will be up to the landlord to present their tenant with a repayment plan 30 days before the repayment is expected. The plan will need to include the total outstanding rent and the breakdown in monthly instalments. A statement from

the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing says some flexibility will be given for the tenant and landlord to distribute the outstanding rent across the months until July 2021.

B.C. bans majority of evictions during COVID-19 pandemic It’s expected the first repayment instalment will be due Oct. 1 for most renters who missed rent during the pandemic. The ministry also announced rent increases — which have been prohibited throughout the emergency — will remain banned until December.

According to the ministry, 85 per cent of tenants continued to pay full rent throughout the pandemic, with 12 per cent paying partial rent.

BC Premier Horgan has highest approval rating of any leader in past 8 years, poll suggests Support for Premier John Horgan is at the highest point reached by any political leader in B.C. in the eight years pollster Insights West has been conducting surveys. Horgan’s approval rating now sits at 68 per cent, which is 17 points higher than seven months ago.

B.C. Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson’s rating has dropped five points since November and is now at 30 per cent, according to the results of an online survey of 830 B.C. residents. Insights West president Steve Mossop says the results appear to be a strong endorsement of Horgan’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which nearly a third of British Columbians surveyed say is currently the No. 1 issue in the province.

Premier John Horgan says B.C. restart making gains as more people come out of their homes “One of the side-effects of the pandemic is that British Columbians, and in the same vein, most Canadians, are rallying behind their leaders over the past several months,” Mossop said.

“Approval ratings for government actions have been among the highest among hundreds of public initiatives we have covered in our polling over the years.” If an election were held today, 47 per cent of respondents say they would vote for the NDP. Only 29 per cent of respondents say they would cast a ballot for the B.C. Liberals, the lowest figure for the party since the 2017 election. Support for the Greens and Conservatives has also fallen since November.

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Global decline in child birth he world is ill-prepared for the global crash in children being born which is set to have a “jawdropping” impact on societies, say researchers.

Falling fertility rates mean nearly every country could have shrinking populations by the end of the century. And 23 nations including Spain and Japan - are expected to see their populations halve by 2100. Countries will also age dramatically, with as many people turning 80 as there are being born.

What is going on? The fertility rate the average number of children a woman gives birth to - is falling. If the number falls below approximately 2.1, then the size of the population starts to fall. In 1950, women were having an average of 4.7 children in their lifetime. Researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation showed the global fertility rate nearly halved to 2.4 in 2017 - and their study, published in the Lancet, projects it will fall

below 1.7 by 2100. As a result, the researchers expect the number of people on the planet to peak at 9.7 billion around 2064, before falling down to 8.8 billion by the end of the century.

“That’s a pretty big thing; most of the world is transitioning into natural population decline,” researcher Prof Christopher Murray said. “I think it’s incredibly hard to think this through and recognise how big a thing this is; it’s extraordinary, we’ll have to reorganise societies.”

Why are fertility rates falling?

It has nothing to do with sperm counts or the usual things that come to mind when discussing fertility. Instead it is being driven by more women in education and work, as well

as greater access to contraception, leading to women choosing to have fewer children.

In many ways, falling fertility rates are a success story. Which countries will be most affected?

Ja p a n’s population i s projected to fall from a peak of 128 million in 2017 to less than 53 million by the end of the century.

Italy is expected to see an equally dramatic population crash from 61 million to 28 million

over the same timeframe. They are two of 23 countries - which also include Spain, Portugal, Thailand and South Korea - expected to see their population more than halve.

“That is jaw-dropping,” Prof Christopher Murray told me. China, currently the most populous nation in the world, is expected to peak at 1.4 billion in four years’ time before nearly halving to 732 million by 2100. India will take its place.

However, this will be a truly global issue, with 183 out of 195 countries having a fertility rate below the replacement level.

Why is this a problem? You might think this is great for the environment. A smaller population would reduce carbon emissions as well as deforestation for farmland.

“That would be true except for the inverted age structure (more old people than young people) and all the uniformly negative consequences of an inverted age structure,” says Prof Murray.

The study projects: The number of underfives will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401 million in 2100. The number of over 80-yearolds will soar from 141 million in 2017 to 866 million in 2100. Prof Murray adds: “It will create enormous social change. It makes me worried because I have an eight-year-old daughter and I wonder what the world will be like.” Who pays tax in a massively aged world?

Who pays for healthcare for the elderly? Who looks after the elderly? Will people still be able to retire from work?

“We need a soft landing,” argues Prof Murray.

Are there any solutions?

Countries, including the UK, have used migration to boost their population and compensate for falling fertility rates. However, this stops being the answer once nearly every country’s population is shrinking. “We will go from the period where it’s a choice to open borders, or not, to frank competition for migrants, as there won’t be enough,” argues Prof Murray. Some countries have tried policies such as enhanced maternity and paternity leave, free childcare, financial incentives and extra employment rights, but there is no clear answer. Sweden has dragged its fertility rate up from 1.7 to 1.9, but other countries that have put significant effort into tackling the “baby bust” have struggled.

Singapore still has a fertility rate of around 1.3.

Prof Murray says: “I find people laugh it off; they can’t imagine it could be true, they think women will just decide to have more kids. “If you can’t [find a solution] then eventually the species disappears, but that’s a few centuries away.” How do countries fight falling birth rates? The researchers warn against undoing the progress on women’s education and access to contraception. Prof Stein Emil Vollset said: “Responding to population decline is likely to become an overriding policy concern in many nations, but must not compromise efforts to enhance women’s reproductive health or progress on women’s rights.”

What about Africa? The population of subSaharan Africa is expected to treble in size to more than three billion people by 2100.

And the study says Nigeria will become the world’s second biggest country, with a population of 791 million. Prof Murray says: “We will have many more people of African descent in many more countries as we go through this. “Global recognition of the challenges around racism are going to be all the more critical if there are large numbers of people of African descent in many countries.”

Why is 2.1 the fertility rate threshold?

You might think the number should be 2.0 - two parents have two children, so the population stays the same size. But even with the best healthcare, not all children survive to adulthood. Also, babies are ever so slightly more likely to be male. It means the replacement figure is 2.1 in developed countries.

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Russian hackers target Canada, USA and UK’s COVID-19 vaccine research: intelligence agency A Russian hacking group is targeting novel coronavirus vaccine research in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K., according to a joint statement from the three countries’ cybersecurity agencies.

The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) said in a statement Thursday that the group APT29 — also known as Cozy Bear and The Dukes — is behind the malicious activity and “almost certainly operates as part of Russian intelligence services.”

“These malicious cyber activities were very likely undertaken to steal information and intellectual property relating to the development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines and serve to hinder response efforts at a time when health-care experts and medical researchers need every available resource to help fight the pandemic,” the statement said. The CSE said the threat assessment is “supported” by the U.K.’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency.

U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his government stands with Canada and the U.S. “against the reckless actions of Russia’s intelligence services, who we have exposed today for committing cyber attacks against those working on a COVID-19 vaccine.” “It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working

to combat the coronavirus pandemic,” Raab said in a statement. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a joint statement that during a global pandemic it’s “more important to defend our own health care organizations, national interests, and that of our allies” from “malicious state actors” but did not mention Russsia by name.

“We must call out irresponsible state behavior that violates the rules-based international order and strive to live and work in a cyber environment that is open, stable, peaceful and secure,” the statement said. The CSE declined to say whether any hacking attempts targeting Canadian facilities were successful, noting the agency is “not able to comment on or confirm details about specific cybersecurity incidents.”

“In our recent Cyber Threat Bulletin: Impact of COVID-19 on Cyber Threat Activity, we provided a notable example that in mid-April 2020, a Canadian biopharmaceutical company was compromised by a foreign cyber threat actor, almost certainly attempting to steal its intellectual property,” a CSE spokesperson said in an email.

The U.K. National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) published an advisory Thursday that details activity by the Russian hacking group. Cozy Bear is one of two hacking groups believed to have accessed the Democratic National Committee’s internal systems and stole emails in the lead-up to the 2016 U.S. election.

BC health officials encourage wearing of masks, as 21 new cases of COVID-19 announced Health officials have confirmed 21 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C., but no new deaths from the disease. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the new cases announced Thursday include 18 test positives and three epidemiologically linked cases. To date, 3,170 people have had confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in B.C., including 192 active cases.

There are 15 people in hospital with the disease caused by the virus, including three in intensive care. There are now four cases related to an outbreak at the Krazy Cherry Fruit Co. in the Okanagan, and 27 cases that have been linked to community exposure events in Kelowna in late June and early July. On Thursday morning, more details were released about a serology study, the first of its kind in Canada, which suggests fewer than one per cent of British Columbians were infected with coronavirus by the time first wave restrictions were eased in May.Henry said the rates of infection are most likely much lower outside of the Lower Mainland, and numbers are far too low to allow for herd immunity protection.

Still, she said the results speak to the success of measures taken to curb the spread early in the pandemic. “This tells us that we still have very low levels of this virus,” Henry said. “We have done a good job at preventing community spread here in British Columbia.” During Thursday’s briefing, Henry also addressed the use of face masks on

public transit as well as other confined spaces where physical distancing isn’t possible.

“We should be wearing masks on public transit all the time. I do and I expect others to as well,” she said. She added that enforcement of any mandatory mask rules is tricky.

“We know it’s sometimes hard to tell when someone cannot wear a mask. It may be around physical disability — not being able to put one on or off — [and] there are very few medical reasons why people can’t wear masks,” she said.

But Henry stressed that masks are safe to wear for most people — they don’t deprive the wearer of oxygen or exacerbate asthma or other lung conditions.

‘A tragedy for all of us’ Henry also spoke to the latest numbers on overdose deaths in B.C. June marked the deadliest month ever in B.C.’s ongoing opioid crisis after 175 British Columbians died of an illicit drug overdose, the second recordbreaking month in a row.

“This ongoing crisis reminds us we need to put as much time, effort, kindness, for caring for people who use drugs as we have responding to the pandemic,” Henry said. “This is a tragedy for all of us.” She said the toxicity of street drugs has skyrocketed during the pandemic, and she urged all British Columbians to reach out to friends and family who use drugs to make sure they’re OK.

LOCAL

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Ethics commissioner launches WE Charity investigation into Finance Minister Bill Morneau After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the federal Ethics Commissioner will also investigate Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s involvement in the government’s outsourcing of a $900-million student volunteer grant to WE Charity, where one of his daughters currently works. “Following requests from several parliamentarians, Ethics Commissioner (Mario) Dion will examine the Hon. Bill Morneau under the Conflict of Interest Act (regarding) possible contraventions … and has so informed him. A report will be released when the examination is complete,” the commissioner’s office confirmed on social media. He was responding to formal complaints filed by the NDP, the Conservatives as well as transparency advocate group Democracy Watch.

Last week, Morneau’s office confirmed that he had not recused himself from his cabinet’s discussion and decision to outsource the Canada Student Service Grant to WE Charity, despite the fact that two of his daughters have ties to WE. One of his daughters currently works for the Toronto-based organization, while another has spoken at three WE events. “When it came to the administration of the Canada Student Service Grant, our focus from day one was delivering help to students as swiftly and efficiently as possible. Given the fact that my daughter works for the WE organization in an unrelated branch, I should have recused myself in order to avoid any perception of conflict. I will fully cooperate with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, and moving forward will fully recuse myself from discussions related to the WE organization,” Morneau said in a statement.

According to the ethics commissioner office’s statement, Dion will probe if he was in conflict of interest while participating in that decision, and if he had a duty to recuse himself. “Once again, the Ethics Commissioner has opened an investigation into a Trudeau Liberal Minister.

Bill Morneau is now under investigation for his

involvement in Justin Trudeau’s $900 million scandal. It’s also clear that a criminal investigation is warranted. Conservatives will continue to hold the Prime Minister and his government accountable for this scandal. We will not rest until Canadians have answers,” Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett commented on Thursday. NPD ethics critic Charlie Angus says he is astounded as to how Morneau and Trudeau may have thought their ties to the WE organization would not come to light. “The question every Canadian has to ask themselves is how did the Trudeau government think they could get away with acting so irresponsibly, with a billion dollars in the middle of a pandemic?

And why were there no checks and balances to stop Mr. Morneau and Mr. Trudeau from seriously damaging themselves? Their family connections to WE were well known, wasn’t it considered a problem?,” Angus pondered in an interview. “To me, this is looking more and more like Mr. Trudeau was being indulged in a vanity project and the normal checks and balances that should have been there were shoved aside, and now Mr. Morneau and Mr. Trudeau are in deep trouble,” he continued. This ethics investigation is in addition to one already launched last week

by Dion on Justin Trudeau, who also admitted he had not recused himself despite his family’s very close ties to the WE organization. The prime minister has hosted multiple “WE Day” rallies in the last decade, his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, is a “WE ambassador” and both his mother, Margaret Trudeau, and his brother, Alexandre Trudeau, have been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in total speaking fees by WE since 2016. But the $900-million WE Charity deal isn’t the only one raising experts’ and critics’ eyebrows. Wednesday, National Post revealed that the federal government had contributed at least $1 million to the WE organization for it to host a WE Day event on Parliament Hill

B.C. reports second straight record-setting month for overdose deaths For the second month in a row, the B.C. government has released record-setting statistics on drug-related overdose deaths.

In June, the province had a total of 175 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths over the course of last month. That supplants May 2020 (171) to become the highest monthly total of drug-related overdose deaths in British Columbia’s history.

Chief Coroner with BC’s Coroners Service, Lisa Lapointe, says the ongoing health emergency continues to leave residents with “grief and frustration” as the declared crisis moves through its fifth year.

“We know the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people who use drugs, as it has all British Columbians. Access to key harm reduction services has been a challenge and our social networks are smaller,” said Lapointe on Thursday.

With June’s mark of 175 suspected overdose deaths, the Province of BC said that number equates to 5.8 deaths per day. When adding in the rest of 2020 so far, the number averages out to four deaths per day as a result of illicit drug overdoses.

Victoria, along with Vancouver and Surrey, are the cities that continue to experience the highest reported statistics across the province.

Prior to last month, the previous record mark for drug-related overdose deaths in one month was set back in December 2016 with 161.

June’s numbers also become the fourth consecutive month that total deaths tallied over the 100 mark.

Lapointe advised anyone using opioids to be aware of the current pandemic landscape and consider taking additional safety measures to minimize risk.

“For those using substances opioids or otherwise please make sure you use only in the presence of someone who will call for immediate

help if you need it, use at an overdose prevention or supervised consumption site, and have your drugs checked before using, if you can. The drug supply in our province is highly toxic and the risk of using alone is too high. Buddying up could save your life,” said Lapointe.

According to toxicology results examined by the BC Coroners Service, the data suggests that there has been a greater number of cases with extreme fentanyl concentrations in April, May and June compared with previous months.

Reports point to 124 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths with fentanyl detected in June 2020, although this number is subject to change as more post-mortem results are received. That works out to be 70 per cent of the total drug overdose deaths in June. BC Coroners Service adds that when looking at 2020 to date, more than 72 per cent (526 of 728 deaths) of all illicit drug toxicity deaths have fentanyl detected.

In the Island Health region so far in 2020, suspected deaths that had traces of fentanyl detected have reached 97 cases.

“Today’s report clearly shows us that the tragedy of overdose deaths from the toxic street drug supply in B.C. continues to escalate. While much effort has been made to reduce harm, remove stigma and provide the care that people living with addiction need, the impacts of the pandemic have made the situation dire for too many,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer.According to toxicology results examined by the BC Coroners Service, the data suggests that there has been a greater number of cases with extreme fentanyl concentrations in April, May and June compared with previous months.

Reports point to 124 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths with fentanyl detected in June 2020, although this number is subject to change as more post-mortem results are received. That works out to be 70 per cent of the total drug overdose deaths in June.

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Khalsa Business Centre

128th Street, 84th Ave., Surrey, BC

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BC govt brings in changes to workers’ compensation system Workers’ compensation benefits in B.C. would be based on a higher maximum salary amount under legislation introduced Tuesday by the provincial government.

Amendments to the Workers Compensation Act would increase the maximum insurable earnings to $100,000 from $87,100.

B.C. government brings in changes to workers’ compensation system The government says it is aiming for at least 90 per cent of workers to have 100 per cent of their

earnings covered if they are can’t work because of an injury suffered on the job.

The bill would also allow the safety agency to obtain search and seizure warrants when it investigates workplace safety infractions, if authorized by a court.

As well, it would allow victim impact statements to be heard in court in serious workplace prosecutions.

Labour Minister Harry Bains said the changes will help injured workers and their families, while also giving WorkSafeBC more tools to investigate workplace incidents.

Surrey City Council gives nod to office tower at southeast corner Surrey council has given third-reading approval to a 25-storey office tower for the southeast corner of Central City mall, at 10045 King George Boulevard.

A “virtual” public hearing was held Monday, July 13.

Council then gave its approval with no debate.

Guildford resident Richard Landale, the first speaker to address council, noted a traffic impact study indicates 473 vehicles will impact the area at a “peak-hour” period while a report has 982 commercial parking stalls.

“Obviously there is more critical information staff is withholding from council that is relevant to any decisions made by council this evening,” he charged.

He also noted 89 trees will be removed in exchange for a $12,000 contribution by the applicant to the city’s Green City Fund.

“I do not understand why this 25-storey office building is not required, under the capital amenity contribution program, is not required to pay its fair share, especially in regards to policing and fire department services,” Landale said,

Body found after ‘suspicious’ fire near Surrey / Langley border

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Surrey RCMP are investigating after a body was found in a wooded area along the Surrey/Langley border.

According to a news release issued Wednesday afternoon, shortly before 11 a.m. today , Langley RCMP and the Langley Fire Department responded to a report of a brush fire in the area of 46A Avenue and 196A Street. The fire was extinguished, at which time the deceased person was located in the area, according to police.

The incident was determined to have occurred within Surrey boundaries, and

the investigation was handed over to the Surrey RCMP General Investigation Unit.

No cause of death has been established, and “as such the death is being investigated as suspicious” according to the RCMP. Investigators are currently in the evidencegathering phase, and said no further information would be provided at this time.

Anyone with information about the fire or death of the individual can call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca

Saturday, July 18, 2020 Province admits harm in multimillion-dollar settlement with more than 100 victims of BC social worker Ministry of Children and Family Development has reached a proposed multimillion dollar settlement agreement with more than 100 alleged victims of a Kelowna social worker accused of stealing from some of the province’s most vulnerable foster children.

According to documents filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Tuesday, the ministry has identified 102 possible victims including 85 Indigenous youth overseen by Robert Riley Saunders during his time in a guardianship role from April 2001 until he was fired in 2018.

In more than a dozen lawsuits filed in the lead-up to the agreement, former clients have accused Saunders of moving them from stable, loving homes into independent living situations and then using joint bank accounts to take money provided by the ministry for their care.

Many claim they were left homeless as a result,

subject to physical and sexual abuse and plunged into desperate lives of addiction and pain.

As part of the agreement which the parties will put before a judge July 28 the province admits the harm their former employee has done.

“This harm includes neglect, misappropriation of funds and failure to plan for the children’s welfare and, with respect to Indigenous children, failure to take steps to preserve their cultural identities,” the agreement reads. According to court documents, the Ministry of Children and Family Development first detected financial irregularities involving Saunders in 2017.

TheRCMPrecentlywrappedupaninvestigation into allegations of fraud and negligence.

The B.C. Prosecution Service has said tey are reviewing the RCMP findings.

After divorce settlement, biotech executive becomes Canada’s third-richest woman One of Asia’s costliest breakups has created Canada’s third-richest woman.

A few weeks ago, Yuan Liping received 24 per cent of publicly traded Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co. after divorcing Du Weimin, the company’s chairman. With shares of the Chinese vaccine maker surging more than 30 per cent over the past month, the stake was worth $4.7 billion (U.S.) as of Wednesday, propelling Yuan into the ranks of the world’s 500 richest people, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

China’s stock market has added $1.7 trillion in value in the past month, and drugmakers like Kangtai have been among investors’ favourites. The stock closed at a peak on Wednesday after more than doubling since December. The company’s market value now stands at $18.6 billion.

With a $9.5 billion fortune, Sherry Brydson is Canada’s richest woman, followed by Taylor Thomson, who’s worth $5.9 billion.

The majority of their wealth comes from Thomson Reuters Corp. stakes they inherited.

Yuan, 49 this year, holds a Canadian passport and resides in Shenzhen. She owns the Kangtai shares directly but signed an agreement delegating the voting rights to her ex-husband, according to a May 29 filing disclosing the division of assets.

She serves as the vice general manager of Beijing Minhai Biotechnology Co., a Kangtai subsidiary, and was a Kangtai director between May 2011 and August 2018, the filing shows.

Her ex-husband Du, who owns about 27 per cent of Kangtai, is worth $4.6 billion after excluding the value of the shares he pledged,

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US - Canada border crossings are increasing, Here’s what needs to happen to keep COVID-19 out As United States grapples with avalanche of new cases of Coronavirus, the border between the country and Canada remains closed to non-essential travel.

But even with the border shut, there has been a recent increase in land border crossings the last few weeks, according to data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

By the end of April, around 112,000 to 115,000 people crossed land borders into Canada, which was about a 90 per cent drop from the same period last year. But in the

last few weeks, that number has swelled, reaching about 172,000 in the first week of July, according to public data from the CBSA. The agency told Global News that this is due to crossings by U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who meet entry requirements, which include immediate family members of Canadians — a recent exception — returning citizens or permanent residents coming home after initial lockdown measures, those travelling for work and study, and essential workers.

For immediate release July 15, 2020 Surrey, BC- Khalsa Credit Union has reached an impressive landmark on its digital innovation journey with the launch of a new website on the Forge Digital Banking Platform in collaboration with Central 1. With an exceptional member experience in mind, Khalsa Credit Union has been working to enhance its online user experience throughout the first half of 2020. The seamless new website will feature intuitive navigation ensuring that current and prospective members are able to find relevant information quickly. The newly debuted website on Forge is the first of several exciting enhancements from Khalsa, which will continue to showcase an evolving, membercentric experience across all digital channels.

As noted by CEO Jessie Sidhu, "At Khalsa Credit Union we are continually looking for new ways to improve our member experience. Our redesigned website features a streamlined look and offers easy navigation to relevant information on our products and services through a fully responsive layout."

We will continue to add new features and improve the site to best fit our members’ needs. The online banking functionality and mobile application will remain the same for now; with exciting changes planned for the future!

“Congratulations to Khalsa Credit Union, who will continue to drive innovation through a refined digital banking experience on the Forge Digital Banking Platform,” says Mark Blucher, President and CEO of Central 1. “It’s exciting to see financial institutions thoughtfully evaluating the unique needs and expectations of their members and adapting quickly to meet and exceed them through a secure, enhanced digital user experience.”

About Khalsa Credit Union: KCU is a full-service credit union that has been responding to the financial needs of the Sikh community in British Columbia for over 30 years with branches based in Surrey, Abbotsford, Victoria, and Vancouver. KCU has assets of over $500 million dollars and members enjoy secure, mobile banking technology with access to over 4000 Ding free ATMs across Canada. In addition to providing members with a variety of convenient banking options, KCU has flexible products and services and provides sound financial advice. For more information about Khalsa Credit Union and its products please visit www.khalsacreditunion.ca,

TELUS launches first wave of its 5G network to bolster Canada’s economic productivity, improve virtual healthcare, and support digital education TELUS’ network, the fastest in the world, jumps to 5G with speeds up to 1.7 Gbps1 5G promises to create 250,000 Canadian jobs and contribute $40 billion to the country’s economy annually by 20262 Samsung announced as a 5G network infrastructure partner, along with Nokia and Ericsson TELUS announced that it is rolling out its first wave 5G network in Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and the Greater Toronto Area, and will continue to expand to an additional 26 markets across Canada throughout the remainder of the year. TELUS 5G will be available at no additional cost on TELUS Peace of Mind plans with endless data and no overage fees.

“Our team understands the critical importance of connectivity for all Canadians, particularly given the new reality imposed by the global health emergency.

As the first phase of our 5G rollout, we are pleased to offer citizens access to the next generation of wireless technology that will profoundly enhance the way we connect to information, resources and one another,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO, TELUS. “Building on our consistently world-leading technology, our 5G network will bridge digital divides and drive innovation across businesses, government, healthcare, education and social pursuits, whilst creating an estimated 250,000 jobs and contributing $40 billion annually to Canada’s economy. This critical development in our 5G ecosystem is a testament to our team’s skill, innovation and grit in building a world-leading 5G experience in Canada from coast to coast, and from urban to rural.”

TELUS also announced today it has selected Samsung as a network infrastructure partner, with the goal to provide transformational 5G mobile services for Canadians. Samsung Networks is a pioneer in the successful deployment of 5G end-toend solutions ranging from chipset, radio, and core network to cloud. The company has been supporting 5G commercial services in leading markets, including Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Canada and the U.S. TELUS previously announced it is also working with Ericsson and Nokia as partners in building its 5G network.

Businesses, consumers, and students with 5G network access will experience a network with peak speeds reaching up to a blistering 1.7 Gbps to support remote work, virtual health, and distance education,

while inspiring technological innovations that will drive the Canadian economy into the future. TELUS’ 5G network, built on the foundation of TELUS’ award-winning 4G LTE network, will support the latest 5G-ready devices, including the Samsung Galaxy 5G S20 series, LG V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen and Motorola Edge+ starting at $0 upfront with TELUS Easy Payment.

“The promise of increased speeds, reliability, and capacity that 5G brings will change the way we live and work by fostering the development of Canadian innovation and technology while enabling growth across all verticals of our economy,” said Eros Spadotto, Executive Vice President, Technology Strategy and Business Transformation.

“Our 5G network, built on the backbone of our PureFibre fibre optic infrastructure, will bring Canadians in Canada the fastest, most robust communications technology in the world that will set the foundation of Smart Cities and industry 4.0, autonomous vehicles, next generation virtual healthcare, immersive education, agriculture technology and next level gaming.”

Since 2000, TELUS has invested nearly $200 billion in wireless and fibre optic network infrastructure, spectrum and operations to enhance the coverage, speed, and reliability of its networks to connect customers across Canada. TELUS has committed to investing an additional $40 billion over the next three years to support the roll out of its 5G network which will enhance innovation and help drive digital development across industries in a new age of connectedness.

In a recent independent speed test from UK-based OpenSignal, TELUS’ average 4G LTE download speeds were recorded at 75 mbps, which is significantly faster than South Korea’s average of 59 mbps on their 5G networks. TELUS has also been heralded for top network speeds, resiliency, and latency by additional third parties including Tutela, J.D. Power, Ookla, and PCMag. For more information, visit telus.com/5G

BC health officials pleased with likely extension of border closure Health officials in BC say they’re pleased the Canada-US border is expected to remain closed to non-essential travel until at least late August. However, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said BC residents should not be quick to judge anyone driving a vehicle with an American licence plate because some Canadians living south of the border may have returned to care for family. Henry said it’s not surprising anyone in that situation would be coming to B.C. given the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in the United States, but it’s important they quarantine themselves for 14 days to prevent any risk of transmitting the virus. “I’m happy it’s going till August and we’ll need to, of course, make sure that we watch carefully and monitor what’s going on,” Henry said Tuesday of the expected fourth extension of the border closure.

“We’ll need to look at people like students who contribute to our research programs and our universities,” she said of possible considerations involving those allowed across the border, provided anyone who becomes ill in B.C. is monitored.

However, she said there shouldn’t be any changes for tourists and short-term visitors.

Health Minister Adrian Dix echoed Henry’s sentiments, adding the situation is “very serious in the United States” as well as in other countries, meaning anyone coming to B.C. from those areas could put residents at risk.

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Bank of Canada holds rate steady, sees economy below pre-COVID-19 levels until 2022 Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic growth will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2022, the Bank of Canada said on Wednesday, in an outlook that was cautious on U.S. growth and assumed there would not be a global second wave of COVID-19.

The central bank also maintained its key overnight interest rate at 0.25%, its effective lower bound, and said it will hold rates there until economic slack is absorbed and its 2% inflation

target is sustainably achieved. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made it pretty clear that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to keep the pedal to the metal in terms of easy policy until the economy has recovered,â&#x20AC;? said Doug Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets.

The Bank said that its central scenario now

What is the Civil Rights Tribunal and What Does it Mean for My ICBC Claim?

Adam Ueland, Associate Lawyer Simpson, Thomas & Associates

As

you may be aware, the controversial â&#x20AC;&#x153;minor injury capâ&#x20AC;? which applies to BC motor vehicle accidents that occurred on or after April 1, 2019.

It purports to limit recovery on damages for pain and suffering to $5,627 if you suffered certain types of â&#x20AC;&#x153;minorâ&#x20AC;? injuries. The new BC motor vehicle accident law defines a minor injury as including injuries that range from bruising, cuts and sprains, all the way up to concussions, certain whiplash-associated disorders, TMJ disorder, and psychological conditions such as anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Who decides whether your injuries are minor, and what happens if you do not agree with that decision?

What is the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) and what does this mean for your ICBC claim? The outcome of the determination of the CRT can have a significant impact on the compensation you receive in your ICBC claim.

There was another major change made to BC motor vehicle accident law when the minor injury cap was imposed: as of April 1, 2019, the Civil Resolution Tribunal (â&#x20AC;&#x153;CRTâ&#x20AC;?) was given the responsibility of adjudicating many motor vehicle accident injury disputes in BC. That means that your ICBC claim may be determined not by the BC Supreme Court, but by the CRT, which now has the jurisdiction to decide: t 8IFUIFS ZPVS NPUPS WFIJDMF BDDJEFOU injuries are â&#x20AC;&#x153;minorâ&#x20AC;? or not; t :PVS FOUJUMFNFOU UP 1BSU "DDJEFOU #FOFÄ&#x2022;UT t -JBCJMJUZ GPS UIF BDDJEFOU XIP JT BU GBVMU GPS UIF BDDJEFOU BOE t %BNBHFT GPS claims up to the monetary limit of $50,000, whether your injuries are minor or not. The CRT is an online tribunal, so if your ICBC claim is being decided by the CRT, you will be required to fill out electronic forms to make your case. The CRT claims that it is set up with the expectation that parties (in other words, ICBC as a representative of the driver who caused the accident and you as the injured person) will negotiate directly once the online claim has been started.

What Does the CRT Mean for my ICBC Claim? The lawyers at Simpson, Thomas & Associates want accident victims to know that the CRT process is much more complex than the CRTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website would have people believe.

'PS FYBNQMF t *G ZPV XFSF JOKVSFE JO B NPUPS vehicle accident that occurred after April 1, 2019 and have an ICBC claim for certain type of injuries, ICBC will take the position that the minor injury cap applies such that your general damages are limited to $5,627. If you disagree, any disagreement must be resolved by the CRT. You have the burden of proving that your injury is not a minor injury. t #$ MBX OPX JODMVEFT UIF QSFTVNQUJPO UIBU a minor injury claim will fall within the CRTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monetary jurisdiction of $50,000. In fact, the CRT has jurisdiction over all motor vehicle accident claims within the $50,000 monetary limit, whether the claim involves minor injuries or not. This means that total damages will be limited to $50,000 unless the injured person is able to establish that there is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;substantial likelihoodâ&#x20AC;? that their damages will exceed the $50,000 limit (i.e., the cap of $5,627 for general damages, plus all other heads of damages

you may be entitled to, such as past wage loss, future loss of earnings, and future care costs). t *G JU JT FTUBCMJTIFE PS BHSFFE UIBU ZPVS JOKVSJFT are not minor or if you are able to establish that there is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;substantial likelihoodâ&#x20AC;? that your damages will exceed the CRTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $50,000 limit, you can commence a claim in Supreme Court of British Columbia, but there will be costs implications if the ultimate settlement or award is less than $50,000 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your recoverable costs could be limited to what is permitted if the proceeding had been brought in the CRT. Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help me with a CRT ICBC claim? A lawyer can review your case and advise you on whether your injuries are more properly classified as injuries that have caused â&#x20AC;&#x153;serious impairmentâ&#x20AC;? such that the minor injury cap on general damages should not apply to your ICBC claim. A lawyer can help you through the CRT process. Services may include: t /FHPUJBUJOH XJUI *$#$ PO ZPVS CFIBMG t 1SFQBSJOH EPDVNFOUT BOE NFEJDBM FWJEFODF to submit to the CRT to support your claim; t $IBMMFOHJOH EFUFSNJOBUJPOT PG fault or entitlement to damages; and t &OTVSJOH UIBU ZPV EP OPU NJTT JNQPSUBOU timelines (known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;limitation periodsâ&#x20AC;?) to bring a claim in the BC Supreme Court while your case is going through the CRT process.

Get Legal Advice Regardless of whether ICBC says you suffered more minor injuries, or you have sustained serious motor vehicle accident injuries that are obviously not minor in nature, you want to be sure that you receive full and fair compensation. It is highly recommended that you get legal advice from an experienced Vancouver ICBC claim lawyer as soon as possible after the accident. Contact Simpson, Thomas & Associates today to schedule your free initial consultation. Call us on 604-689-8888

sees Canadian oil production on a â&#x20AC;&#x153;considerably lower path than before the COVID-19 crisis,â&#x20AC;? due to weaker investment in the face of reduced demand and low oil prices.

Continue reading the main story It noted that while its outlook assumes the pandemic will have largely run its course by mid-2022, much uncertainty remains in

the interim, with the timing and strength of the global recovery varying by region, and an ongoing risk of regional flare-ups. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Overall, the risks appear to be tilted to the downside, largely because of the potential for a second wave of the virus,â&#x20AC;? the central bank said.

The Canadian dollar <CAD=D4> held on to earlier gains after the rate decision, trading at about C$1.3570, or 73.69 U.S. cents.

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Saturday, July 18, 2020

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NATIONAL

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Why a closed border hasn’t kept international flights out of Canada News that 16 international flights carrying passengers who were later diagnosed with COVID-19 have landed in Canada since June 29 may have taken some Canadians by surprise.

After all, aren’t borders closed?

Hasn’t the near-universal response to the pandemic been for countries to encourage their citizens to come home and

discourage everyone else from visiting?

Why, then, are flights still arriving in Canada from international destinations including Addis Ababa, Cancun and Charlotte, N.C.? The answer: Discouraging something is not the same as stopping it.

Yes, Canada’s border has been closed

Canadian hospitality workers fearing long-term unemployment seek government action The union representing hospitality workers across the country says it fears staff laid off because of COVID-19 may not have a job when the pandemic is over.

The challenges facing workers are unprecedented, with more than 90 per cent of employees in hotels, airports, stadiums, universities and schools out of work since March, said Ian Robb, the Canadian director of Unite Here.

“That is why we’re putting forward three essentials that Canada’s hospitality workers need for a fair and safe recovery in our industry,” he told a news conference Thursday.

The union representing 300,000 workers says it wants to protect jobs, ensure it is safe for workers to return to their workplaces, and get income support for those who are laid off.

Too few employers are using the federal wage subsidy program to keep workers tied to their jobs, and all levels of government need to do more to avoid long-term unemployment in the sector, Robb said.

Analysts predict the $102-billion industry may not fully recover until the summer of 2022, leading to uncertainty for tens of thousands of workers and their families, he said.

“We’re calling on various levels of government to be creative and to work with us, Unite Here, Canada, to avert long-term unemployment,” Robb said. [ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]

June was the deadliest overdose month in BC’s history Press release The report released today by the B.C. Coroners Service revealed that June was the deadliest month for drug overdose deaths on record in British Columbia’s history.

“It’s an absolute tragedy to witness overdose deaths continue to rise in British Columbia month after month,” said Jane Thornthwaite, Critic for Mental Health and Addictions. “The NDP mental health and addictions strategy is clearly not working because there is no pathway to get people well in B.C., leaving those with addictions without support. We have been pushing the NDP to produce a plan for three years but sadly there continues to be no meaningful action taking place from this government to stop this endless death toll of human misery.”

The report shows that no region in B.C. is unaffected as the number of illicit drug overdose deaths in each of the six B.C. health authorities is either at or near its highest monthly total ever recorded.

The overdose deaths recorded in June amount to roughly 5.8 deaths per day.

“Now more than ever we need a comprehensive plan to fill the gaps in the system exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” added Thornthwaite.

“It’s time for government to take real action and start funding the services people desperately need to get them off drugs and into a seamless continuum of care of treatment and recovery.”

As the monthly overdose death toll continues to increase it is time for the NDP to invest in an effective mental health and addictions system.

The Canadian Emergency Response Benefit is at the centre of the debate as employers recall workers who are concerned about the effects of the pandemic.

Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said the benefit has “created a disincentive to return to work for some staff, especially in industries like hospitality.”

The Hotel Association of Canada said the industry is eager to get as many workers back on the job as possible, but most hotels are hanging on by a thread with occupancy levels hovering under 30 per cent as a national average.

to most non-Canadians since March 18, and to most Americans since March 21.

Yes, the orders enacting those closures are still in force – until at least Aug. 21 for Americans and at least July 31 for the rest of the world. And yes, the demand for international flights plummeted in the early

days of the pandemic and remains low now.

But flying a plane into Canada was never banned. When WestJet and Air Canada announced that they were suspending all their regular international flights, it wasn’t because the government forced them to. It was because they calculated that doing so

Passengers on 31 flights in Canada may have been exposed to COVID-19 in July Canadians who have recently traveled by plane, domestically or internationally, may want to check if they have been exposed to the novel coronavirus.

There have been 17 international flights and 14 domestic flights in July that have been flagged by the Canadian government for possible exposure to the virus.Passengers near the affected rows are considered close contact and may be at risk of exposure, the government said on its website. Public health officials recommend that affected individuals self-isolate for 14 days and monitor symptoms. Passengers are also

advised to contact their primary care provider if they’re concerned they may have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms.

The July flights include: Domestic flights July 9 Air Canada flight AC988, from Montreal to Ottawa - July 8 Air Canada flight AC311, from Montreal to Vancouver - July 7 Air Canada flight AC169, from Toronto to Edmonton - July 6 WestJet flight WJA296, from Calgary to Regina - July 5 Air Canada flight AC428, from Toronto to Montreal, Air Canada flight AC224, from Vancouver to Calgary

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India, EU decide to expand ties; set up high-level dialogue to address trade issues India and the 27-nation European Union on Wednesday decided to set up a high-level dialogue to enhance trade and investment and iron out lingering differences over the long-pending free trade agreement, while vowing to expand their overall ties in areas like defence, nuclear energy and health, during a virtual summit.

Reflecting growing congruence in ties, the two sides also unveiled a five-year roadmap

for further boosting their strategic partnership, announced institution of a separate maritime dialogue and released a declaration on moving towards a more circular economic model.

Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry Vikas

Study predicts Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population to peak to 1.6 billion in 2048 Scientists have predicted that Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population may peak to about 1.6 billion in 2048, and decline by 32 per cent to around 1.09 billion in 2100, when it is also expected to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most populous country.

The analysis, published in the journal The Lancet, used data from the Global Burden

of Disease Study 2017, and applied novel models to project future global, regional, and national population for 183 countries, including India, US, China, and Japan, and their mortality, fertility, and migration rates.

According to the researchers, including those from the University of Washington in the US,

Swarup said Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relations with China did come up in the talks and Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared New Delhiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s views on the ties as well as also on the current situation in the border areas.

Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continued support to terrorist

activities against India and other countries of the region too figured in the talks.

In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on greater cooperation between democratic nations to deal with the new problems that have cropped up globally in the economic field after COVID-19.

On trade ties, Swarup said the two sides have expressed their commitment

Armed forces get special powers for urgent purchases worth Rs 300 crore

The decision was taken at the DAC meeting chaired by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday.

An official statement said the decision was taken considering the security environment prevailing along the Northern Borders and the need to strengthen the Armed Forces.

The statement further stated that the decision will shrink the procurement timelines and ensure placement of orders within six months and commencement of deliveries within one year.

Earlier, this month the DAC had accorded approval for capital acquisitions of various platforms and equipment worth Rs 38,900 crore approximately. Focused on indigenous

design and development, these approvals included acquisitions amounting to Rs 31,130 crore from the Indian industry.

Also, addressing the long felt need of the Indian Air Force to increase its fighter squadrons, the DAC had also approved the proposal for procurement of 21 MIG-29 fighter aircraft and upgrade of existing 59 Mig-29 aircraft and procurement of 12 additional Su-30 MKI fighters.

While the MIG 29 procurement from Russia is estimated to cost Rs 7,418 crore, the Su-30 MKI will be procured from HAL at an estimated cost of Rs 10,730 crore.

Active Covid cases now 1/3rd of total tally, says Health Ministry India has 3,31,146 active COVID-19 cases, which is approximately a third of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total tally that rose to 9.68 lakh on Thursday, the Union Health ministry said and attributed the targeted measures for the steady decline in active caseload. The ministry also said that the recovery rate rose to 50 per cent mid-June and thereafter there has been a steady rise in the number of recoveries and a decline in the number of active cases. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of the total COVID-19 cases, 63.25 per cent have recovered so far. Simultaneously, there has been a steady dip in the number of active cases, from around 45 per cent in mid-June to

around 34.18 per cent as of now,â&#x20AC;? the ministry.

The number of Covid-19 cases in India is inching towards the one million mark, with the country having reported 968,876 infections as of Thursday. In the last 24 hours, India has reported 32,696 fresh cases of the novel coronavirus.

At least 24,915 people have succumbed to the disease. India took nearly four months to cross 50,000 cases. However, it took less than three weeks to rise from there to a million cases.

There are only two countries with more Covid-19 cases than India. The United States has almost 3.5 million cases.

Historic FDA ruling should prompt Canadian governments to review tobacco regulation: RBH Governments across Canada should consider new risk-based approaches to regulate and tax innovative tobacco products differently than cigarettes to help the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4.5-million smokers quit entirely or switch to better alternatives to cigarettes, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. said today.

Risk-based regulation, when coupled with technological innovation and scientific substantiation, can be a formula for a public health breakthrough in both reducing the prevalence of smoking in society and converting those who would otherwise continue to smoke to scientifically substantiated better alternatives, RBH said.

RBH calls for action after a historic decision this week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the marketing of IQOS as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) in the United States. In doing so, the agency found that an IQOS exposure modification order is appropriate to promote the public health.

IQOS is available for sale in Canada, produced by RBHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parent company Philip Morris International Inc., as part of a portfolio of innovations intended to reduce both the exposure and potentially the harm from smoking cigarettes.

The FDA authorized the marketing of IQOS with the following information: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Available evidence to date: tÄ&#x2021;F *204 4ZTUFN IFBUT tobacco but does not burn it. tÄ&#x2021;JT TJHOJÄ&#x2022;DBOUMZ SFEVDFT UIF QSPEVDUJPO of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals. t4DJFOUJÄ&#x2022;D TUVEJFT IBWF TIPXO UIBU TXJUDIJOH completely from conventional cigarettes to the IQOS system reduces your bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exposure to harmful or potentially harmful chemicals.â&#x20AC;?

The FDA concluded that the available scientific evidence demonstrates that IQOS is expected to benefit the health of the population as a whole, taking into account both users of tobacco products and persons

who do not currently use tobacco products.

The FDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision provides an important example of how governments, industry and health stakeholders can incorporate a harmreduction mindset to regulate smoke-free alternatives to differentiate them from cigarettes in order to protect and promote the public health.

Quotes from Peter Luongo, managing director of RBH: t Ä&#x2021;JT IJTUPSJD SVMJOH illustrates how the combination of technological innovation, scientific substantiation, and a harm-reduction approach to public policy can be brought together in the regulation of smoke-free alternatives to differentiate them from cigarettes, while both protecting and QSPNPUJOH UIF QVCMJD IFBMUI JO $BOBEB t8F believe a risk-based approach can further accelerate the transition of existing adult smokers away from cigarettes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by quitting entirely or for those who would otherwise continue to smoke, by switching to scientifically substantiated alternatives to cigarettes. t4NPLF GSFF JOOPWBUJPOT BSF GVOEBNFOUBMMZ different products than combustible cigarettes and should be regulated differently, as the '%" SFDPHOJ[FE t 3FHVMBUJPO JO $BOBEB has not kept pace with innovation of smokefree technologies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and now is the time for governments across the country to act urgently with a risk-based approach to protect the almost five million existing adult smokers in $BOBEB t*U JT PVS IPQF UIBU UIJT JNQPSUBOU step in the U.S. leads to a serious conversation among decision makers across Canada about applying the same principles of harm reduction that have been used successfully with alcoholic beverages and cannabis in Canada. t)FBUFE UPCBDDP QSPEVDUT IBWF CFFO developed to provide adult smokers with an alternative to continuing to smoke cigarettes. In the three years since IQOS was first introduced in Canada, thousands of adult smokers have completely switched from smoking cigarettes to using heated tobacco products.

Saturday, July 18, 2020 CM Amarinder Singh tests COVID-19 negative Punjab CM Amarinder Singh tests COVID-19 negative, urges all ministers to get tested. As his cabinet colleague, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa tested COVID-19 positive, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh urged all ministers, as well as MLAs and department secretaries, to get themselves tested for the deadly disease. The Chief Minister was tested and found COVID-19 negative, said an official spokesperson. On Wednesday, two other ministers—Sukhjinder Randhawa and Aruna Chowdhary—also got themselves tested, while a few were tested on Tuesday.

Results of two congress MLAs is awaited.

288 fresh Covid-19 cases, 8 new deaths, total count 8,799 Punjab has reported 288 new cases of Covid-19 and eight deaths during the last 24 hours. A total of 8,799 people have tested positive for the virus so far, with 2,711 of these being active cases. The death toll has risen to 221. Of the 204 patients discharged today, Ludhiana saw a maximum of 123 cases being cured. Three deaths each were reported in Amritsar and Jalandhar while one each took place in Ludhiana and Pathankot, a medical bulletin said. Jalandhar, one of the worsthit districts, reported the maximum 92 cases on Wednesday. Ludhiana reported 61 cases, followed by 26 in Patiala; 22 in Amritsar; 21 in Ferozepur; 13 in Mohali; nine in SBS Nagar; seven in Pathankot;

Punjab Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa tests +ve Last week, Vipul Ujjwal, Director, Rural Development, had tested positive.

Following that Bajwa’s sample was taken, but his report had come negative. His test was repeated and its report came today.

Capt’s tweet: ‘‘Wishing my Cabinet colleague Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa a speedy recovery. He has tested positive for #Covid-19 on Tuesday. Looking forward to having you rejoin us soon’’ Director, Health Services, Dr Avneet Kaur said Bajwa’s sample was taken last week, which was found negative. “However, he developed flu-like symptoms. So we repeated the test today, which was found positive,” she said.

Apartfromthat,340freshcasesandninemore deaths due to Covid were reported in the state.

Three deaths were reported from Ludhiana, two each from SAS Nagar and Sangrur, one each from Fazilka, Amritsar and SAS

PUNJAB

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Saturday, July 18, 2020

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#Limited time lease offer is from Honda Canada Finance Inc. (HCFI), on approved credit. Lease example: New 2020 4D Civic Touring CVT (FC1F9LKN)/2020 Insight Hybrid Touring (ZE4F7LKN)/2020 CR-V Touring (RW2H9LKNS) for a 24-month period, for a total of 104 weekly payments of $122/$161/$177, leased at 0.99%/2.99%/1.99% APR. 20,000-kilometre annual allowance (12 cents/km excess charge). Total lease obligation is $12,681/$16,744/$18,386. Lease payments include freight and PDI of $1,655/$1,655/$1,815 and applicable fees, but do not include lien registration fee (up to $85 in certain regions) and lien registering agent fee (up to $6), which are due at time of delivery. No down-payment required. Taxes, insurance, license, and registration fees (all of which may vary by region) are extra. β "Honda Bonus" lease or finance cash of $750 on select in-stock 2020 Civic Sedan models is available on lease or finance transactions from HCFI on approved credit only, deducted from the negotiated selling price after taxes. Excludes Coupe, Hatchback, Si and type R models. *No payments for 90 days (payment deferral) offer is available on any new and unregistered Honda vehicle financed through Honda Financial Services (on approved credit), and delivered at a participating Honda dealer, between January 3, 2020 to February 29, 2020. Monthly payments are deferred for 90 days from the start of the finance contract, and the term of the contract will be extended accordingly. Applicable interest charges will not accrue during the first 60 days of the contract. After 60 days applicable interest will start to accrue, and no later than 90 days from the start of the contract the purchaser will begin to repay principal and applicable interest over the scheduled term of the contract. Offer ends February 29, 2020 and is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer order or trade may be necessary. Offer available only at participating Honda dealers in BC. Offers valid on select new in-stock 2020 vehicles. Models may not be equipped as shown and are for illustration purposes only. For additional feature information, limitations and restrictions, please visit www.honda.ca/disclaimers and refer to the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual. © 2019 Honda Canada Inc. Visit Honda.ca or your Honda dealer for details.

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