The Asian Star June 12 2021

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Vol 20 - Issue 19 Covid-19 infections in Canada at lowest level since September Some provinces hit hard by the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic have moved toward shedding more public health restrictions, but a national group of experts is calling for those governments to slow their plans down. Zero Covid Canada sent a letter Thursday to the premiers of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec “to express our deepest concerns regarding the reopening plans.” “As more and more evidence comes in, it appears that a single dose of the vaccine — including Pfizer — is only about 30 per cent effective against the Delta variant, Continued on page 8

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As we see the light at the end of the COVID Tunnel of Hell, many families hope to hit the roads to explore beautiful British Columbia this summer. Safe road trips will be essential after the strain many have been under during the

pandemic. But, because B.C. drivers are being burned by the highest gas taxes in Canada, they won’t be able to go as far or spend as much at our local sites. The 23rd annual Gas Tax Honesty Day report compiled by the Continued on page 6

Canada will dismantle far-right groups after Muslim family killed in terror attack – PM Trudeau Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday promised to redouble efforts to fight far-right groups two days after a hate-motivated attack that killed four members of a Muslim family in the city of London, Ontario. “This was a terrorist attack, motivated by hatred, in the heart of one of our communities,” Trudeau said in the House of

Commons after observing a moment of silence. The family, killed on Sunday when a pickup truck jumped the curb and ran them over, were targeted because of their religion, Canadian police said. The victims spanned three generations of a family and ranged in age from 15 to 74. A 9-year-old boy who survived remains hospitalized with non-lifeContinued on page 6

Bidisha Biswas

Confessions of a reluctant Hindu

The Indian American community has been recently roiled by three lawsuits, which have shed light on deep divisions within the Hindu diaspora. One involves debates over the links between Hindus in the United States and Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism, in India. Two other lawsuits involve caste discrimination and caste exploitation in U.S. workplaces. These issues,

Baba Ramdev says he will get Covid-19 vaccine despite earlier asking Indians to rely on his Yoga & Ayurveda for protection Yoga guru Ramdev on Thursday said that he will get his first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine soon, after earlier claiming that yoga and Ayurveda had protected him from the infection so far. In a video, tweeted by JanTv, Ramdev said that everyone should get two doses of the vaccine and also practice yoga and Ayurveda to build a protective shield against the infection. “This will help prevent deaths due to Covid-19,” Ramdev added. The yoga guru, who has landed in a controversy with experts of modern medicine because of his misleading remarks, said in the video that there was no doubt about allopathic treatments

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being better in case of emergencies and surgeries. “But other life-threatening diseases, incurable disorders can be cured through ancient practices listed in yoga... ayurveda, which is not a matter of argument,” Ramdev claimed, according to ANI. Ramdev said he was not against modern medicine but those who were exploiting people by charging exorbitant prices for them. “We want people to be Continued on page 4

combined with the authoritarian and exclusionary politics of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in India, have forced me to confront my own identity as a Hindu.

My family in India belongs to a Scheduled Caste. Scheduled Castes or Dalits, along with Scheduled Tribes or advisasis, are recognized under Indian law as communities that, due to Continued on page 7

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Saturday, June 12, 2021 Canada’s Covid-19 outlook continues to improve as cases, hospitalizations drop Canada’s top doctor shared some encouraging words on Wednesday, saying “all indicators of COVID-19 disease activity and severity continue to decline” this week in Canada. Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, Canada’s top doctor, Theresa Tam, said the seven-day average for COVID-19 cases has dropped below 1,800 cases daily for the first time since the fall of 2020.

An analysis of data compiled by Global News found the seven-day average as of Wednesday was 1,645 cases, the lowest number recorded since Oct. 1, 2020. Hospitalizations, too, have dropped. Tam told the conference that the latest

seven-day average of those seeking treatment in hospital for COVID-19 dropped more than 55 per cent since the peak, with under 2,000 patients daily. Less than 850 are being treated in intensive care units, which marks a 40-per cent drop since the peak, she said. The average number of daily deaths is also down almost 40 per cent to 32 fatalities reported daily. “I know we’re all eager to do more things we miss,” she said. “And as the provinces and territories accelerate second dose programs over the coming weeks, we are moving ever more quickly towards this.”

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OPINION

From page 1

Saturday, June 12, 2021 Ramdev will take Covid-19 vaccine after earlier telling Indians to

of unnecessary medicines and operations,” rely on his Yoga for protection the yoga guru added. The yoga guru, who has good do fctors are angels sent by god. If a been heavily criticised by the Indian Medical doctor does something wrong, it is their own Association for allegedly trying to discredit fault.” The yoga guru has made misleading

health workers amid the coronavirus crisis, described doctors as “a blessing for the earth”.

“We cannot be enemies with any organisation,” Ramdev said in the video. “All

claims about modern medicine on several occasions. On May 31, Ramdev had said that he did not feel the need to get vaccinated

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yet since he had been practicing yogaAyurveda for decades. In another video from May, Ramdev claimed that 1,000 doctors died even after getting two doses of the vaccine.

Before that, Ramdev had referred to allopathy as a “stupid science”. He even claimed that medicines such as remdesivir and favipiravir approved by the Drugs Controller General of India for coronavirus treatment had failed. “Lakhs of patients have died because of allopathic medicines rather than a shortage of oxygen,” he claimed. However, he issued an apology after Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan asked him to withdraw his comments. On May 27, the Indian Medical Association had filed a police complaint against Ramdev, seeking a first information report against him for spreading “false and baseless” information about the treatment of Covid-19 patients using approved methods and drugs.

The medical association demanded that an FIR be filed against Ramdev under the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

The Indian Medical Association on Wednesday urged the Indian Council of Medical Research to intervene to stop Ramdev’s “unprovoked demeaning and prejudicing utterances against modern medicine”, media reported.

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Saturday, June 12, 2021 Among the weapons seized was an SKS semi-automatic rifle and ammunition. About $15,000 cash and a high-end vehicle were also seized. Burnaby RCMP have seized suspected cocaine and fentanyl, and several weapons, after a months-long investigation into a drug organization linked to Lower Mainland gangs.

Among the weapons seized was an SKS semi-automatic rifle and ammunition, Cpl. Mike Kalanj said in a news release.

Kalanj said Burnaby RCMP’s drug section served a search warrant that led to the seizures, as well as the arrest of a Coquitlam resident.

About $15,000 cash and a high-end vehicle

Burnaby police seize weapons, drugs linked to local gangs were also seized, he said. Insp.

Matt Toews said the bust “serves to cut off the lethal supply of street drugs to users and will also significantly disrupt this organization.”

“These weapons are often used by gangs for violent incidents and murders such as the ones most recently plaguing the Lower Mainland.”

He said charges are expected against two people linked to the drug gang.

Two Surrey-area women among YWCA’s Distinction award winners for 2021 Two Surrey-area women are among 13 recipients of 2021 YWCA Women of Distinction Awards, presented by Scotiabank on Monday evening (June 7) during a virtual event.

Balbir Kaur Gurm (pictured) won Community Champion and Connecting the Community Award, and Julia Chung earned Entrepreneurship & Innovation honours.

The 38th annual awards saw more than 500 guests gather online for the organization’s second virtual awards event.

Gurm is the founder and chair of Network to Eliminate Violence in Relationships (NEVR), and a professor with the faculty of health at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

“Dr. Gurm started the grassroots, interdisciplinary group in 2011 and has grown to more than 200 members from more than 100 participating organizations, groups and individual members,” says an awards bio posted to ywcavan.org. “Dr. Gurm’s book, Making Sense of a Global Pandemic: Relationship Violence and Working Together Towards a Violence Free Society, was published in 2020 and includes multiple perspectives and resources to provide a comprehensive overview of relationship violence. It serves as an online platform and living resource. As a Nursing Professor, Dr. Gurm is a role model for nursing students. She introduces the concepts of violence being a community issue and facilitates nursing students to participate in community activities within their classes.” Chung is CEO and co-founder of two women-owned and women-led organizations, Spring Plans

and Admin Slayer. “ B o t h companies are structured to allow women to work flexibly and remotely, allowing them to learn, support their families and live outside of major cities, while still growing, developing and taking on impactful roles within the administrative professional and financial planning industries,” says a bio. “She co-founded two non-profit organizations, Advice Only Financial Planners’ Forum and Financial Planning Association of Canada, that support the professionalization and diversification of the financial planning industry. Julia is a board director with the Family Enterprise Xchange, which supports family businesses and the professional advisors who work with them. She has co-authored three ebooks, while being recognized in mainstream media as an expert in business and personal finance.”

Other award winners this year are Nadine Westerbarkey (Arts, Culture, Design), Joy MacPhail (Business & the Professions), Jo-ann Archibald – Q’um Q’um Xiiem (Education, Training, & Development), Melina Scholefield (Environmental Sustainability), Serena Kassam (Health & Wellness), Armin Amrolia (Non-profit), Sheryl Lightfoot (Reconciliation in Action), Noorjean Hassam (Reconciliation in Action – Indigenous Ally), Stephanie Simmons (Research, The Sciences & Technology), Eloise Moss (Young Woman of Distinction) and Clio (Outstanding Workplace).

Since 1984, YWCA Metro Vancouver has paid tribute to more than 330 award recipients and more than 1,950 nominees.

M e a n w h i l e , Surrey RCMP’s gang enforcement team seized suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine and weapons during a June 8 traffic stop in Cloverdale.

Officers stopped the vehicle near Fraser Highway and 176 Street about 6:50 p.m. for a motor vehicle infraction, Const. Sarbjit Sangha said in a news release.

“As they interacted with the driver, officers saw evidence of weapons possession, and the

driver was arrested,” she said. “Further investigation led to the seizure of a holster, two starter pistols, a large canister of bear mace, multiple knives, and $1,200 in cash.”

The drugs were found in two plastic bags.

The 47-year-old driver was issued violation tickets and released as the investigation continues, Sangha said.

When the RCMP makes seizures during traffic stops, it is not uncommon to find drugs and weapons at the same time, she said. “This really speaks to the danger of the lifestyle drug traffickers place themselves in. Not only do they fear detection by police, but they constantly have to look over their shoulder.”

6 From page 1 with non-life-threatening injuries. London, Ontario, a city of about 400,000 people located halfway between Detroit and Toronto, it has a large Muslim community and at least three mosques.

Rows of freshly cut flowers were placed on the grass at the entrance of the London Muslim Mosque, a place of worship at the heart of that communitywhich the victims had attended.”The London Muslim Mosque, it’s the second-oldest mosque in Canada. ... This London (Muslim) community here has helped build this city,”

Saturday, June 12, 2021 Canada will dismantle far-right groups after Muslim family killed in terror attack – PM Trudeau said Omar Khamissa, community engagement officer of the National Council of Canadian Muslims nonprofit group.” This is their home.

And for the first time those that wear the scarf, who have beard, feel it’s not,” Khamissa said.

During the morning, a steady stream of adults and children left bouquets of flowers, stuffed animals and small signs expressing outrage at the street cornerwhere the family was killed while taking a summer evening stroll.”We’ll continue to fight hate online and offline ... (including) taking more action to dismantle

far-right hate groups, like we did with the Proud Boys by adding them to Canada’s terror listing,” said Trudeau, due to attend a vigil outside the mosque later on Tuesday.The mosque bolstered security measures after a gunman killed 51 people in 2019 at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, according to Aarij Anwer, its imam and Islamic education coordinator.”We’ve been ramping up our security since that time, and now even more,” Anwer said in a telephone interview. “Islamophobia is bubbling under the surface and it rears its ugly head from time

to time with devastating consequences.”The attack was the worst against Canadian Muslims since a man gunned down six members of a Quebec City mosque in 2017. London Mayor Ed Holder called it the worst mass murder in his city’s history.”Muslims wonder, how many more lives will it take, how many families will be mowed - mowed - down in the streets, how many more families will be killed before we do something?” opposition New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh, the first person from an ethnic minority to lead a major Canadian political party, said in the House of Commons after Trudeau spoke.

BC drivers burned by highest gas taxes in Canada From page 1 the Canadian Taxpayers Federation shows that drivers in Vancouver are paying 54 cents per litre of gasoline in taxes. On top of that, a second carbon tax adds an average of 14 cents more per litre of gasoline and an extra 15 cents per litre of diesel. The second carbon tax is a hidden fee tucked into provincial fuel regulations that makes gasoline and diesel much more expensive.

Combined, all of these gasoline taxes cost drivers in the lower mainland about 68 cents per litre.

That means it costs about $50 extra in taxes to fill up a minivan in Metro Vancouver, not including the cost of the fuel.

That’s the highest gasoline tax rate in North America.

Drivers in neighbouring Washington State, by comparison, pay about 22 cents per litre.

That means that while our American neighbours pay about $16 in taxes to gas up the minivan to see Mount Rainier, families in B.C. will be paying about $50 extra in taxes to take the family up past Quesnel to visit Barkerville.

That $50 could cover the family’s admission fees for the historic site.

When it comes to getting burned by unfair fuel taxes, it’s the carbon taxes that hurt the most.

The first carbon tax is raking nearly $2 billion per year into government coffers.

The two carbon taxes combined cost an average of 24 cents per litre for gasoline and about 27 cents per litre of diesel.

That means it costs about $18 extra in

carbon taxes to fill up a minivan and about $35 to fill up a diesel pick-up truck that lots of folks use to pull their summertime campers around.

To make matters worse: the carbon taxes are not reducing emissions.

According to federal government data

posted onto the U.N. website, emissions have gone up 11 per cent in B.C. over the last four years.

When they first hatched the carbon tax back in 2008, politicians told us it would stop at $30 per tonne, be revenue neutral and reduce emissions.

Today, none of that is true. The carbon tax is now $45 per tonne, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promising to crank it up to $170. It’s no longer called revenue neutral because the government keeps most of the revenues, and emissions are going up.

This rip-off has real consequences.

Money spent on unfair gas taxes means there’s less money for our road-tripping families to get into Fort Steele near Cranbrook or to buy peaches in Keremeos.

B.C. was founded by brave people from all walks of life who travelled the province and used its natural resources to trade and prosper. Swindlers and con-men were quickly tossed out of towns like Barkerville.

Now politicians have cornered the market on cheating people out of their money using taxes both hidden and glaring. It means more people will have trouble affording to explore their own province.

Hiring a mule team might be cheaper. Or camels. Yes, those were once used on B.C. highways.

Premier John Horgan should keep his promise to make life more affordable for everyday people, and cutting these gas taxes would be a step on the journey towards keeping his word.

Kris Sims is the B.C. Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Confessions of a reluctant Hindu From page 1 to their ascribed low status in the Hindu caste hierarchy, have long suffered oppression, marginalization and exclusion. After the independence of India in 1947, the Indian government extended a host of affirmative action policies in education, employment and housing to these groups. My family benefited from these policies and I had the privilege of growing up in a comfortable, middle-class home in urban India.

I should say that my life story is not typical — Dalits continue to experience widespread discrimination. My own lived experience with caste oppression is, however, limited.

Yet, I remember the all-too-frequent snide remarks from my upper-caste friends and neighbors — about how quotas in education and employment reward “meritless” SCs and STs; how government offices are inefficient because of “lazy quota people”; how airlines should not hire Dalit women as flight attendants because they “don’t know how to look pretty.”

And I remember how important it was to my family that we hide our caste. Caste divisions in India are deeply intertwined with family customs and rituals. While my friends would comfortably talk about how their caste intersects with their food habits, music choices and even their personalities, we were told to never bring up our caste in “mixed” company. “If you tell your friends who we are,” our elders would say, “they won’t look at you the same way.”

As an adult, I shied away from calling myself a Hindu, acutely conscious of the patriarchy and exclusion embedded in many Hindu rituals. The brutal authoritarianism of the BJP government, carried out in the name of Hindus, made me recoil even further.

The BJP’s own position toward caste is interesting. The BJP is a part of a group of organizations, led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, that are committed to reshaping India into a Hindu majoritarian state.

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Saturday, June 12, 2021 Vancouver keeps falling down the rankings of The World’s Most Livable Cities Despite its good looks, Vancouver continues to drop down the list in terms of the world’s best cities to live in. The Economist’s Global Liveability Index report for 2021 was released on June 9, and revealed that several Canadian cities took a hit post pandemic lockdowns. Vancouver fell to the 16th spot, which is a stark contrast to where our rankings used to sit. The Liveability Index ranks 140 cities across the world based on data from Feb. 22, 2020 to March 2021. It’s been put together by a division of The Economist Group, the sister company to The Economist magazine. The index takes into account more than 30 qualitative and quantitative factors spanning five broad categories: stability (25%), health care (20%), culture and environment (25%), education (10%), and infrastructure (20%). How Much Did Vancouver’s Rankings Fall?The rankings just keep getting worse for this west coast city. Sitting at #16, Vancouver

rankings are down from #6 in 2018-19, and #3 in 2015-2017. However, it isn’t the only Canadian city that fell. Toronto, Calgary and Montreal all took hits as well. These cities were also previously near the top of the list. At #16, Vancouver is actually the highest Canadian city on the list.

The report says, “the downward movement in rankings for the European and Canadian cities can be attributed to the heightened stress on healthcare resources during the second wave of the pandemic.” What About The Cities That Did Well? Some of the top 10 cities were in New Zealand or Australia, where tight border controls have allowed residents to live relatively normal lives throughout the pandemic.

“The pandemic has caused huge volatility in our bi-annual Liveability index, which ranks 140 cities across five areas: stability, healthcare, education, culture and environment, and infrastructure,” the report states.

Covid-19 infections in Canada at lowest level since September From page 1

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which is ravaging India and the U.K. right now,” the letter read. “Each new variant has the potential to evade vaccination efforts, and we need to protect our efforts to date.”

The group also noted that the variant has already caused multiple outbreaks in Canada, including at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, as well as spikes of cases in the Peel Region outside Toronto and in Manitoba.

“In these circumstances, reopening too soon will waste much of the hard work we’ve put in to stop the spread and cause a fourth wave,” said the letter. “If we make the last bit of effort, the current downgrading wave could be the last.” In Alberta, public health restrictions brought in last month were eased Thursday as part of the second phase of the province’s

reopening plan, which allows up to 20 people at outdoor gatherings, weddings and funeral services, but still bans indoor gatherings.

It also allows indoor recreation, entertainment and other settings to open at a third of the venue’s fire code occupancy. Gyms and fitness studios can open for solo and drop-in activities, as well indoor fitness classes with proper distancing. Restaurants can have a maximum of six people per table, indoors or outdoors. Outdoor public gatherings such as concerts and festivals can have up to 150 people. To reach the second phase, 60 per cent of eligible Albertans had to have at least one shot for a two-week period. As of Wednesday, the province was at about 67 per cent.

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Saturday, June 12, 2021 Green party MP to cross floor to join Liberals after challenging leader over Israeli-Palestinian conflict Two sources say New Brunswick MP Jenica Atwin is set to join the Liberal caucus, leaving the Greens with just two lawmakers in the House of Commons.

The move comes amid internal rifts in the Green party and after Atwin openly challenged Leader Annamie Paul’s position on the IsraeliPalestinian conflict last month. Atwin’s aisle crossing marks a small win for a Liberal party looking to tout its environmental credentials and shore up the ranks of its minority government, but marks a much bigger blow for a Green caucus already struggling to stay afloat.

New cracks appeared in May when Atwin called Paul’s more traditional stance on the latest round of violence in Israeli-occupied

Palestine “totally inadequate” in a Twitter post.

Paul has said her team is seeking internal “reconciliation,” but two Green party sources say they have seen few efforts to patch up fresh wounds.

The Greens’ stance on environmental and social policy often aligns more closely with New Democrat positions, but NDP prospects in Atwin’s riding of Fredericton appear vanishingly small after that party won less than six per cent of the vote in 2019.

The sources spoke to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss matters not yet made public.

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Saturday, June 12, 2021 Surrey RCMP seize fake guns and real drugs during traffic stop

Surrey Mounties say they seized seven imitation firearms, a sword and a large amount of “suspected” fentanyl during a traffic stop in Whalley.

Constable Sarbjit Sangha said police did a traffic stop June 4, near 94th Avenue and King George Boulevard, related to a Motor Vehicle Act investigation. The driver and passenger were arrested, she said, after the officers allegedly “observed items consistent with drug trafficking.”

Sangha said among items police seized were seven imitation guns, a pistol magazine with live

ammo, a sword, a knife, 157 grams of suspected fentanyl and $250 in cash. She said the 34-yearold Surrey man and 34-year-old Port Coquitlam woman were released at scene and a “report to BC Prosecution services is expected following further investigation. “Many people do not know that it is a crime to use, or possess imitation firearms during the commission of an offense,” Sangha noted. “In Canada, using imitation firearms to commit crimes is an indictable offence, meaning a person may be subject to jail time and financial penalties upon conviction.”

Man suspected of killing Canadian Muslim family was motivated by hate - police A man accused of killing four members of a Canadian Muslim family by running them over in his pickup truck, targeted them in an attack motivated by hate, police said on Monday.

Police in London, Ontario, citing witnesses, said that 20-year-old Nathaniel Veltman, jumped the curb in his vehicle on Sunday, struck five members of the family, ranging in age from 9 to 74, and then drove off at high speed.

Veltman, a resident of London who was arrested after the incident, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

He is due back in court on Thursday after being remanded to custody on Monday.

“There is evidence that this was a planned, premeditated act, motivated by hate,” Detective Superintendent Paul Waight of the London police department told reporters.

“We believe the victims were targeted

because of their Islamic faith,” Waight said.

Police in London - 200 km (120 miles) southwest of Toronto - were consulting the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and prosecutors about potentially filing terrorism charges, he said.

The suspect does not have a criminal record, and is not known to be a member of a hate group, police said. He was arrested in a mall parking lot without incident while wearing a body-armortype vest, police said. There is no evidence he had any accomplices. It was not immediately known if the suspect had hired a lawyer.

Police have not released the victims’ names, but the London Free Press said that among the dead were Syed Afzaal, 46, his wife, Madiha Salman, 44, and their 15-year-old daughter, Yumnah Afzaal. Syed Afzaal’s 74-year-old mother, whose name has not been confirmed, also died. Their 9-year-old son, Faez Afzaal, is in the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Speaker rules conduct of urinating MP constitutes prima facie case of contempt Speaker Anthony Rota has ruled that the conduct of a Liberal MP who urinated during virtual parliamentary proceedings constitutes a prima facie case of contempt of the House of Commons. In a ruling Monday, Rota said at first glance Quebec MP William Amos breached the privileges of his fellow MPs last month when he urinated while his computer camera was on — an incident that was broadcast on the internal parliamentary feed of proceedings and not seen publicly. As such, Rota said the matter is deserving of further examination by the procedure and House affairs committee.

He noted that Amos has apologized, saying he didn’t realize his camera was on, and that he has stepped aside from his role as a parliamentary secretary and promised to seek unspecified “assistance.” Immediately after Rota’s ruling, Vecchio moved that the matter be referred to the procedure and House affairs committee.

Her motion passed without a vote and none of Amos’s fellow Liberals raised any objections.

That was in stark contrast to the way Liberals rallied around Amos in April, when he was caught naked on the internal parliamentary video feed.

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Saturday, June 12, 2021

Home ownership a ‘distant dream’ for many Canadians as calls for action to cool frenzied market largely ignored, RBC says Royal Bank of Canada RY-T -0.61% decrease has revised its housing forecast higher, predicting home prices will rise 13 per cent this year and saying policy makers have done little to cool the frenzied real estate market. The bank now expects home resales to climb 16 per cent this year, to 636,700 units, and predicts the RPS House Price Index, which measures appraised values, will jump 13 per cent, to $697,400. The bank’s previous forecast had home resales increasing 6.5 per cent and prices rising 8 per cent.

“Canadian policymakers mostly ignored calls for forceful action,” RBC senior economist Robert Hogue said in a note on the updated forecast.

Qualifying for a mortgage became slightly tougher in June, and more homeowners listed their properties for sale, but Mr. Hogue said those two factors would not make a difference to buyers “who continue to try to outbid each other amid exceptionally low inventories and fast-rising prices.”

Toronto buyers behind uptick in house prices across Ontario, data suggest Fear of missing out fuels jump in

new condo sales in major Canadian cities In April, the federal government proposed a tax on vacant homes owned by non-residents – similar to one in Vancouver and one approved by Toronto’s city council – but it has not yet been implemented. The goal of such taxes is to increase the housing supply by encouraging homeowners to sell or rent their properties.

“While the light touch may be of comfort to some, in our view it only prolonged the much-needed rebalancing of Canada’s housing market,” Mr. Hogue said.

Many economists, including Mr. Hogue and at Bank of Montreal, have been calling on policy makers to calm the frenetic housing market. Since the start of the pandemic, low mortgage rates and demand for single-family homes have pushed prices up. Smaller cities and rural areas have seen some of the steepest increases, with prices rising as much as 50 per cent in one year.

The average price of a home in the Toronto region topped $1-million earlier this year, and places that were once considered affordable have become unattainable for more residents.

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Saturday, June 12, 2021

BC not ruling out vaccine incentives, premier says after Manitoba announces lottery Premier John Horgan doesn’t think incentives are necessary to get more British Columbians vaccinated against COVID-19 – but he’s not ruling them out, either.

Horgan was asked about the possibility of enticing fence-sitters on Wednesday, hours after Manitoba announced a lottery offering nearly $2 million in cash prizes and scholarships to those who roll up their sleeves and get their shots.

“I don’t want to jinx it, but I do believe that we can get to our objectives without incentives,” Horgan said. “But if it comes to that, we’re not going to rule that out, not at all.” Manitoba is holding two draws, each with seven $100,000 prizes, as well as 10 scholarships of $25,000 that will be awarded to people between the ages of 12 and 17.

Everyone in the province who has received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine before Aug. 2 will be entered into the first draw, and those who have received both doses by Sept. 6 will be entered into the second.

When it comes to vaccination rates, Manitoba isn’t far behind B.C. The prairie province has administered at least one dose to 69.7 per cent of eligible residents, compared to 72.4 per cent in British Columbia.

It’s unclear how many more people B.C. will be able to vaccinate before hitting a wall – there are COVID-19 deniers, antivaxxers and others who are vehemently

opposed to getting a shot – but Horgan said officials are “confident’ the province can reach as high as 85 or 90 per cent buy-in.

Already, the province has started shifting its focus to second doses. Of the 384,472 shots administered over the last week, 202,353 have been first doses. That’s an average of 28,907 per day, down from an average of 54,033 first doses per day in the previous week.

Horgan said the province’s biggest hurdle is currently vaccine availability.

“We need more vaccine, and I’ve made that clear to the prime minister,” the premier said. “These vaccines are in high demand and we don’t produce them domestically, so we have a challenge there procuring supply.”

Manitoba has also announced a vaccine passport that will be given to fully vaccinated residents two weeks after their second dose, and exempt them from some self-isolation requirements.

The topic of vaccine passports has been raised numerous times in B.C. over recent months, and Horgan said Wednesday that local officials still “haven’t landed on that issue.”

“We’re not enthusiastic about it, quite frankly. This is health information at the end of the day,” he said.

Doctors call for Canada to adopt airborne transmission protocols for Covid-19 A group of doctors and health-care providers are calling on public health organizations in Canada to acknowledge airborne spread of COVID-19 and adjust restrictions accordingly.

The five doctors published a commentary in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) emphasizing that the spread of SARS-CoV-2 has an airborne component, something that’s been a topic of debate since before the novel coronavirus became a global threat.

“By making a clear, explicit definition of airborne transmission, then it becomes much easier to implement measures that the public understand and will uptake, because this is really about communicating to the public a public health concern,” Dr. Victor

Leung, co-author of the commentary, infectious disease physician and a medical microbiologist, told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview on Wednesday. Airborne transmission means that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is spread through aerosols that linger in the air from people who are talking, breathing, coughing or sneezing. The World Health Organization (WHO), says that the virus is primarily spread through respiratory droplets, which unlike aerosols, drop quickly to the ground and don’t remain in the air.

The medical professionals want public health agencies in Canada to adopt more restrictions in line with this type of transmission, such as better ventilation, the use of N95 and other fitted masks.

First responders warn BC’s reopening already resulting in long waits for help As British Columbians emerge from isolation and re-engage with friends and the outside world, 911 calls are already surging, and first responders are sounding the alarm as they warn people to be extra safe over the summer.

B.C.’s health minister recently revealed that June 2 saw the thirdhighest call volume for 911 in B.C. history, and CTV News Vancouver has learned that the first Saturday after the province lifted so-called “circuit breaker” restrictions saw exceptionally long waits for ambulance paramedics.

“We had some staff shortages on that day, but the call volume increased by 30 per cent in a short period of time,” said Neil Lilley, senior provincial executive director of patient care communications and planning for BC Emergency Health Services. “It was between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. and volumes we don’t even see at New Year’s Eve, so it was really that short period of time and such an influx of call volume

that really did put pressure on the system.”

The weekend was hot, sunny and the first time in months that public health restrictions were relaxed enough to

allow people to see friends and family.

E-Comm 911 says there was no surge in any particular type of call for help, there were simply more of the same kinds of calls that typically come in – a 50 per cent increase overall.

B.C.’s second housing crisis: It’s time to act on accessible housing Press release

B.C.’s second housing crisis: It’s time to act on accessible housing For many British Columbians, the struggle for equal access and independence has been long. Our communities continue to have too many barriers for people living with disabilities, who make up nearly 25 per cent of the province’s population. Thankfully, society’s views about disability are evolving. However, despite this societal shift and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms enshrining the protections of those with disabilities, many people continue to feel disenfranchised.

Take housing for example — there are few provincially-set guidelines to ensure an accessible housing supply is available. This is a crucial aspect of ensuring dignity and self-reliance for those living with a disability. The housing crisis as it has been labelled relating to affordability is a frequent topic of discussion and solving it has been a promise of this government. Yet as the provincial government fails to tackle one housing crisis, a lesser-known accessible housing crisis goes completely unnoticed by lawmakers.

The vast majority of housing is built with no thought to accessibility or even adaptability, leading to an ever-growing number of people unable to find a home that suits their needs.

I have attempted to address this barrier by introducing a private member’s bill, the Building Amendment Act, last July and two times before that. The legislation would require all new multi-unit housing to consider accessibility and require that a certain percentage of all new housing meets the criteria for accessibility.

However, the government has not been interested in bringing it forward for debate in

any of the three years I’ve introduced it. Now we have an Accessible BC Act, an enabling bill, but with no mention of a timeline or intent of this government to extend the law to housing.

My own beliefs have evolved in the 20 years I have spent as an advocate for increasing accessibility. While I used to believe that we could create meaningful progress for accessibility through education and positive reinforcement, I now know that it is not enough in itself.

If we want to accomplish the kind of meaningful progress that people with disabilities deserve, we need enforced legislation. Proposed legislation such as my private member’s bill, and the federal Accessible Canada Act, are important steps in ensuring that people facing disability are given the same dignity, opportunity, and participation as everyone else. The Accessible BC Act can also be an important driver — but political will and societal pressure will be necessary.

I hope that we will see positive change in B.C.’s future as society’s understanding of disability continues to deepen. The future is bright for accessibility, as there is a growing appreciation for diversity in the province and we are emerging from the pandemic with a great sense of the monumental effort it takes to care for one another. However, action is needed now.

Until government action is taken, the burden will remain on the shoulders of those already living with a disability to continue their advocacy. On the heels of National Accessibility Week, please consider how you can make an inclusive, accessible B.C. a reality.

MLA Stephanie Cadieux BC Liberal Critic for Gender Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, June 12, 2021 Bangladeshi student jailed for beating former girlfriend in Kamloops South Asian man of Bangladeshi orgin jailed for beating Kamloops girlfriend says he still wants to marry her. A Thompson Rivers University international student who admitted to beating up his ex-girlfriend on multiple occasions says he will leave Canada voluntarily once released from jail — but he still wants to marry his victim. Mohammed Yaseen Arafat, 21, pleaded guilty in Kamloops provincial court on Monday to two counts of domestic assault and four separate breach charges stemming from interaction he had with his ex while bound by no-contact orders. Arafat, who came to Canada from Bangladesh in 2019 to study math at TRU, became involved in a relationship with a city woman in December of that year. Court heard she was trying to break things off with him last summer when the first violent incident took place. On July 31, police were called to a motel on Columbia Street West for an abandoned 911 call. At the motel, Mounties were told Arafat had forced his way into a room and punched the woman in the head multiple times. Arafat was “removed” from the room by a friend of the woman, court heard. The woman gave police Arafat’s address and he was arrested before being released on a number of conditions.

On Jan. 20, Mounties responded to a motel in Aberdeen after a woman called 911 and

said, “Get off me” and “Get away from me” before hanging up. Police arrived at the motel and arrested Arafat, who was in the same room as the woman. He was later released on additional conditions. Arafat was arrested and released again on April 12, after the woman called police to say he was about to show up at her house. On May 3, police were called to a downtown Kamloops hotel after a guest told employees she thought she heard a woman scream “Don’t stab me.” Mounties tracked the screams to a room on the fourth floor and found Arafat and the woman inside. The woman told investigators Arafat had punched her in the head and threatened to hit her with a tea kettle. She said he also threatened to stab her with scissors. Arafat was again arrested and detained. He has been in jail since. Arafat said he plans to leave Canada after serving his sentence. His convictions will render him inadmissible to the country. But, court heard, Arafat still hopes to marry the victim. Defence lawyer Dan McNamee asked Kamloops provincial court Judge Stephen Harrison to word Arafat’s no-contact condition so that it could allow for the two to be in each other’s presence for the purpose of their potential wedding. “It’s an interesting request,” McNamee admitted.

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Man charged with attempted murder after Merritt police shootout A Fort St. John, B.C. man is facing a string of serious charges after a shootout with police in Merritt that led to the injuries of two people, including a child.

On Sunday, a Merritt RCMP officer tried to stop a truck that had failed to stop for police earlier and was believed to have been involved in a theft in Lytton.

Shots were exchanged between police and the occupants of the truck before it was finally stopped, RCMP said.

Forty-six-year-old Gerald Cooper of Fort St. John was taken to hospital in

custody and has been charged with five counts of attempted murder with a firearm and one count of flight from police.

He is due in court on Wednesday.

Read more: Police pursuit, gunshots shatter quiet Sunday afternoon in Merritt, B.C. A child believed to be under the age of 12 was also in the truck and was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

B.C.’s Independent Investigations Office has been called in to review the case. Anyone with dashcam video of the incident is asked to contact Merritt RCMP.

BC expecting 11,000 temporary foreign workers this year as strawberry season gets underway Many hands make light work, particularly in a berry patch.

As strawberry season in BC begins, about 6,000 temporary foreign workers have arrived in the province so far this year, with about 5,000 additional workers expected as the summer goes on, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The number is similar to prepandemic 2019 and will help alleviate labour shortages in B.C.’s agriculture industry after only 7,000 workers arrived in 2020, largely due to the pandemic.

“The labour situation is definitely better this year,” said Alf Krause, owner of Krause Berry Farms in Langley. “Last year was difficult.”

Krause employs migrant workers as well crews of local berry pickers and high school and university students to help with his berry crops. Migrant workers must spend 14 days in hotel quarantine before they arrive at the farm. They are offered a vaccine when their quarantine ends. “It’s a great program,” said the farmer.

Krause is anticipating a good season.

Strawberries are among the first field crops in B.C. to ripen and, for many, herald the start of summer. After June, other berries take over, including raspberries and blueberries, as well as dozens of field vegetables and orchard crops, but different varieties of local strawberries can still be found from the end of July into the fall.

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LOCAL

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Canada-US border could reopen this summer, BC premier suggests The federal government could be announcing further action to ease some COVID-19 border restrictions, but officials in B.C. say the province still has some work to do before British Columbians pack their bags.

Premier John Horgan says he is having regular discussions with the federal government about easing border restrictions. And he says he is optimistic and believes B.C. is on the right track.

“I know the case counts are very favourable.

Hospitalizations are down, immunizations are up. These are all at the objectives that we laid out in our restart plan; we’ll have more to say next week about going to the next stage,” he says.

“But it’s important to know that not every jurisdiction across the country has the same view on this matter. Some want to open up tomorrow. Others don’t want to open up

until September. I think somewhere between those two poles is where we’ll land,” he adds.

He has hinted that the land border will likely reopen this summer, before September.

It has been reported that the federal government is set to make an announcement Friday on the easing of restrictions at CanadaU.S. crossings, though the federal health minister did not confirm anything on Thursday, when officials unveiled their plans to ease quarantine rules for fully vaccinated travellers into Canada by air. Travel is currently restricted — both within B.C. and internationally — for most nonessential travel. The next phase in the province’s reopening plan is set to reallow travel within the province, but it still remains unclear when people will be able to hop across the border, as many did regularly before the pandemic hit.

Medically assisted deaths rising as Canadians grow more comfortable with the idea Almost 7,600 Canadians received medical assistance to end their lives last year, continuing a trend of steady annual increases in cases since the procedure was legalized in 2016.

Health Canada official Abby Hoffman provided the lastest statistics Monday at a meeting of the newly launched joint parliamentary committee that is reviewing Canada’s assisted dying regime.

She says 7,595 Canadians received medically assisted deaths in 2020.

That’s up 17 per cent from 5.631 assisted deaths in 2019, a number which was itself a 26 per cent increase over the previous year.

Justice official Joanne Klineberg says the number of cases will likely increase again as a result of recently passed legislation that expands access to assisted dying to people who are not nearing the natural end of their lives.

But she says the experience in other

countries with relatively permissive assisted dying regimes, like the Benelux countries, suggests it will be a small uptick.

Overall, Hoffman says assisted deaths made up just 2.5 per cent of all deaths in the country last year, up from two per cent in 2019.

By comparison, she says assisted deaths make up 4.1 per cent of all deaths in the Benelux countries: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

She says cancer was the most commonly cited illness associated with requests for assisted dying in Canada last year, while the most commonly cited manifestations of suffering were the inability to engage in meaningful activities or perform activities of daily living.

The majority of applicants for assisted dying had received or had access to palliative care but felt their own suffering could not be relieved by that or other medical interventions, she says.

BCCDC study shows one shot of Pfizer or Moderna is two-thirds effective and protects well against variants The B.C. Centre for Disease Control has released figures showing a single dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine reduced the risk of catching COVID-19 by 66 per cent, and worked against the Alpha and Gamma variants. In an article released on Wednesday, the BCCDC reported mass singledoses in older adults were effective enough to lead to the decision to defer second doses when there are supply problems. The study was done during the second wave of COVID-19 in B.C. at the start of the year when the Alpha variant (initially found in the U.K.) and Gamma variant (initially found in

Brazil) appeared. The study said a single dose of mRNA vaccine reduced the risk of SARS-CoV-2 in adults under 70 by about two-thirds, with protection only minimally less than that against the Alpha and Gamma variants.

According to the provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, ten per cent of all people who have received vaccine in B.C. are fully vaccinated with two doses. There have been 3.75 million doses administered, to 74.5 per cent of all adults in B.C. Henry reported 148 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and three deaths.

Rate of more contagious Delta (India) Covid-19 variant increasing in BC with 500 cases so far As more and more British Columbians receive their COVID jabs, a variant could make the race between immunizations and the virus more heated. The delta variant, scientifically dubbed B.1.617, was first reported by the province on April 22. At the time, health officials said there were 42 cases in the province. On Monday (June 7), Dr. Réka Gustafson, deputy provincial health officer and lead of the vaccine rollout, said the province had recorded about 500 cases – a figure she called “relatively uncommon.” Exact variant counts fall behind actual case counts due to the time it takes to do full genome sequencing.

The Delta variant has caused trouble both in Canada and abroad. In India, where it appears to have originated, it contributed to a month of daily death counts in the 3,000 and 4,000 range.

In the United Kingdom, public health officials

have said it’s 40 per cent more contagious and in Ontario, it’s on track to become the dominant variant, beating out alpha variant (B.1.117). Speaking Monday, Gustafson was unable to provide information on where the delta variant is spreading in B.C. but said that it “has had an increase in the rates over the last several weeks and we will continue to monitor it.” However, an independent modelling group made up of scientists from three major B.C. universities is concerned. In a video released June 2, University of B.C. associate professor of mathematics Eric Cytrynbaum said there was evidence that the delta variant was more resistant to the Pfizer vaccine, dropping from about 50 per cent for the alpha (B.1.117) variant after dose one to 33 per cent for the delta one.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, June 12, 2021 BC suspends old-growth logging in Fairy Creek at request of Indigenous communities The B.C. government has suspended oldgrowth logging in the Fairy Creek watershed and in the nearby Central Walbran at the request of local Indigenous communities, seeking to quell a dispute that has led to months of civil disobedience and mass arrests by protesters who say they are protecting a rare ancient rainforest in a region where most valleys have been subject to clear-cuts. Premier John Horgan announced the decision Wednesday, calling it a transformational moment for the forest industry as the province allows Indigenous communities to shape land use decisions. But between the two deferral zones on southern Vancouver Island, old-growth logging will continue – as will protests.

“These deferrals still allow most of the oldgrowth logging already permitted in Fairy Creek, and old growth is still falling across the

province,” said Tzeporah Berman of Stand.earth, who was arrested in May at one of the blockades.

“The protests will continue in Fairy Creek and I expect we will see more Fairy Creeks across the province.” The two-year deferral is meant to give three First Nations time to develop their own resource plans related to old-growth forests. All three rely on forestry as an important source of revenue. “We have allowed the title holders to make decisions on their lands,” Mr. Horgan told reporters. “We are embarking on the journey to transform forestry.” The deferrals span roughly 2,000 hectares of land, as requested by the Huuay-aht, Ditidaht, and Pacheedaht First Nations.

Those three communities have been thrust into the centre of the old-growth logging dispute as protesters blockaded a series of logging roads in and around Fairy Creek since last August.

First Nation condemns ‘inadequate’ punishment of BC lawyer who took on ’60s scoop cases A First Nation in B.C.’s Cariboo region is condemning the B.C. Law Society’s handling of a Vancouver lawyer’s mishandling of residential school survivor cases.

Stephen Bronstein was suspended for one month and fined $4,000 after admitting to mishandling the cases of residential school survivors. He was also barred from acting as counsel for any ’60s Scoop claimants in the future.

The ’60s Scoop was a large-scale program that allowed child welfare organizations to remove Indigenous children from their families and place them in the foster care system and allow them to be adopted by white families.

The Tŝilhqot’in Nation on Wednesday condemned the law society for not adequately punishing Bronstein, noting that many of his clients were from the First Nation.

“The failure to appropriately condemn this misconduct, is yet another injustice and stain on the handling of the victims and survivors of

residential schools,” said Chief Joe Alphonse in a statement. “Bronstein failed to protect his clients and created a situation of further victimization and trauma for survivors.”

According to the law society, Bronstein did not investigate the background of a contractor he had hired before allowing him to work with, and have unsupervised access to, residential school survivor clients who were applying for compensation under the Independent Assessment Process, an out-of-court settlement process.

The law society also found that Bronstein failed to investigate or address complaints that his contractor was demanding that clients hand over a portion of the settlement money they received.

Bronstein also admitted to providing “inadequate service” to 17 clients by not document important communications properly, by not replying to some communications and failing to inform clients and advance their claims in a “timely” manner.

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MPs call on Nav Canada to give up $7M in bonuses paid out during pandemic Politicians are calling on executives and management at Nav Canada to pay back $7 million in bonuses they received last year during the pandemic, while the private non-profit was tapping into government aid and issuing layoff notices.

Opposition MPs told CBC News they want the company — which owns and operates Canada’s air traffic control system — to follow Air Canada’s lead. The airline announced yesterday its senior executives will give back their 2020 bonuses in response to “public disappointment.”

After outcry, Air Canada says its top executives giving back bonuses “It’s very frustrating,” said Conservative MP Michael Kram, who sits on the House of Commons’ transport committee.

“If the Air Canada executives can make the right steps in the right direction to pay back some of their bonuses, I don’t see why Nav Canada can’t pay back their bonuses as well.”

Public outrage flared last week after the Globe and Mail reported Air Canada gave corporate executives and managers $10 million in “COVID-19 Pandemic Mitigation bonuses” — along with other stock awards — while the company negotiated with the federal government for a multibillion-dollar pandemic aid package.

Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland increased the pressure on Air Canada Wednesday by calling the bonuses “inappropriate.”

Travel quarantine rules set to ease for fully vaxed Canadians, permanent residents Fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents who test negative for COVID-19 will likely soon be exempt from two weeks quarantine on return to Canada, the government announced Wednesday, as millions of doses of the Moderna vaccine were expected to arrive.

Starting early next month, the travellers who have received federally approved shots at least 14 days before entering the country will be able to skip staying in a government-approved quarantine hotel. They would still have to isolate until the test they take on arrival comes back negative but then can resume activities outside of isolation guided by local public health restrictions.

Currently, incoming air travellers must spend three days at a quarantine hotel at their expense,

then complete their two weeks of self-isolation at their destination. They have to take a second test on Day 8 after arrival, which will no longer be required of fully vaccinated people.

“We’ll be watching carefully here in Canada and around the world as cases change and as vaccination rates rise,” Health Minister Patty Hajdu said. “These metrics are very important factors.”

The new rules would also apply to certain Indigenous Canadians and foreigners already allowed into the country, the Health Ministry said.

Several Conservative MPs said the Liberal government had failed to end its “unscientific and unsafe” quarantine hotel program, which still remains in effect for many travellers.

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

Nicely maintained and updated, split entry home on large fully fenced, lot with lane access. Excellent location with walking distance to everything. Upstairs features traditional layout with good sized living room, great kitchen with new appliances, dining room with walkout to southern exposed sundeck with n/g hookup for barbeques and 3 good sized bedrooms. Downstairs features large recroom and flexroom areas with 2 more bedrooms, 3 piece bath and separate entry. Suite potential.

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NORTH DELTA! - Starter family home or holding property - 2 level 4 bedroom home has been was been well maintained - 3 bedroom up and 1 bedroom down. Fully finished basement with great suite potential - separate entry. Lots of parking for cars and RV - private yard with large covered deck - great patio area.

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Absolutely gorgeous family-home with TWO mortgage helper suites and plenty of room on the main floor with 4 large bedrooms, master bedroom with a walk-in closet and ensuite bathroom, multiple living areas with 2 fireplaces, and a spacious kitchen. Kitchen lets out to a large covered sun-deck to enjoy a cup of coffee in the summer or host a BBQ. Large backyard with a brand new fully-surrounded fence with plenty of room for children or pets. Entire property is beautifully landscaped with a large decorative palm tree and multiple fruit trees including fig, apple, pear and cherry trees.

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

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Saturday, June 12, 2021

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Saturday, June 12, 2021

Modi announces federal takeover of India’s Covid-19 vaccination program Facing growing criticism over India’s botched COVID-19 response, the PM has said all adults will be offered free jabs in a major policy reversal. The announcement comes as India cautiously lifts restrictions. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking in a televised national address on Monday, declared that the federal government would once again be taking control of the country’s coronavirus vaccination program and offering free vaccinations to all adults in the country.

“All those above 18 will get free vaccinations,” Modi said, announcing that the program will start on June 21, “Whether it is the poor, the lowermiddle class, the middle class, or the uppermiddle class — under the federal government program, everyone will get free vaccines.”

“We will increase the speed of procuring vaccines and also increase the pace of the vaccination program,” the prime minister said. Under the new policy, 75% of all vaccines made in India are to be purchased by the national government with private hospitals able to purchase the remaining 25%.

New policy could keep Indian hospitals from marking up vaccine prices The changes reverse a previous policy, launched in April, that tasked states and the private sector with vaccinating those between the ages of 18 and 44. Under that prior policy, the central government gave free shots to front-line workers and people over 45 — with states and private hospitals left to give jabs to those between 18 and 44.

In his remarks, Modi said private hospitals would not be allowed to charge patients more than 150 rupees ($2.06 / €1.70) over the cost of each dose. Under the previous policy, states competed against one another as well as

private institutions to acquire doses, making them both scarce and expensive — as well as leading to accusations that companies and hospitals were profiting off the situation.

“The center would have a lot more clout in dealing with the multinationals ... rather than individual states or smaller players directly negotiating with these companies,” as Sudarshan Ballal, chairman at Manipal Hospitals, told Reuters news agency.

Delta variant of COVID-19 can infect despite Covishield, Covaxin doses, claims preliminary AIIMS study A preliminary study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Delhi claimed that the presence of Covid-19 Delta variant (B1.617.2) is predominantly found even after getting a single dose or both doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

The study included 63 people who got breakthrough infections; of which 36 patients received two doses, while 27 had received one dose of vaccine.

“SARS-CoV-2 lineages could be assigned for a total of 36 (57.1 percent) samples, 19 (52.8 percent) in patients who completed both doses and 17 (47.2 percent) in patients who completed only a single dose. B.1.617.2 was found to be the predominant lineage with 23 samples (63.9 percent) out of which 12 were fully vaccinated and 11 in partially vaccinated groups. 4 (11.1 percent) and 1 (2.8 percent) samples were assigned the lineages B.1.617.1 and B.1.1.7 respectively.

The B.1.617.2 lineage was first described in India and associated with increased transmissibility as well as immune escape and has grown to become one of the predominant lineages in India,” the AIIMS study said.

Ten patients received Covishield while 53 received Covaxin, of which 41 were males and 22 were females.

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INDIA

Saturday, June 12, 2021

I

n January, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi buoyed the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) that had helped India secure victories in two major battles: on the cricket field against Australia and in the pandemic. This state of self-inflicted exuberance did not even fade amid clear warnings of epidemiologists and health experts that the second wave of Covid-19 was doorsteps away. Amid these serious warnings, instead of taking preventive measures, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, unequivocally, passed a resolution hailing the “visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi” in turning India into a “victorious nation in the fight against COVID” and Modi was heralded a “vaccine guru”. However, it didn’t take much time to

How Modi regime failed to stop the second wave of Covid-19 realize what unrelenting perils were on its way to set ablaze the world’s largest democracy.

Human Catastrophe and Public Health Emergency - In less than a month, the euphoria began to evaporate as such India’s Covid crisis has painfully surpassed the scale of devastations elsewhere during the pandemic. As the famous Time Magazine illustrates on its insightful report titled ‘India’s COVID-19 Crisis Is Spiraling Out of Control’ on April 28, 2021, “For six of the seven days beginning April 21, India set new global records for daily COVID-19 infections, repeatedly surpassing the 300,000 tallies previously set by the U.S. Its total confirmed cases – more than 18 million – are second only

to that of the U.S”. According to official estimates, more than 200,000 have already died, and on average, around 3000 people were dying in the peak of the second wave. However, the true daily death toll is a minimum of twice higher, argues Bhramar Mukherjee, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan. By modeling of data from the first wave, his study reveals that the caseload is likely at least ten times higher than the previous wave. If the runway infection was not checked, India could be recording more than 2,300 deaths every day by first week of June, according to another intriguing report by the Lancet Covid-19 Commission. Of now, the world’s largest democracy is in the

Thunderstorm & rainfall in Mumbai

This village is first in India to achieve 100% Covid-19 vaccination A remote hamlet in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir has become the first village in India to vaccinate all its adult population against the novel coronavirus.

“Weyan, a village in district Bandipora (J&K) has become the first village in the country, where the entire population above 18 years has been vaccinated,” the official Twitter account of PIB, Jammu and Kashmir said in a

destructive grips of a public health emergency.

Social media feeds are flooded with videos of death funerals at crowded cemeteries, mourning relatives besides dead relatives, long queues of ambulances carrying gasping patients as well as long queues for treatment in corridors and lobbies of hospitals, where hospitals are running out of oxygen supplies, ventilators and beds.

There are panic-striken calls for assistance for beds, medicines, oxygen, essential drugs and tests. According to experts, India’s stride against ‘beating’ the epidemic – younger population, native immunity, a largely rural population – and declaring victory on the virus turned out to be cruelly premature as such official arrogance, ultra-nationalism, and bureaucratic incompetence have combined to create a crisis,”

tweet. Due to the difficult terrain of the area, the vaccinators had walked 18 km on foot to reach the village, as per the Governor’s office.

“There is no internet access in the village.

So it was not possible for the residents to get appointments for vaccination like the way people in urban areas do,” Bashir Ahmed Khan, Chief Medical Officer, Bandipora said while explaining the difficulty faced

Thunderstorm & rains lashed out Mumbai and its neighbouring areas, bringing respite from the sweltering heat, and the MeT department termed it as pre- monsoon showers Maharashtra is expected to witness thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, gusty winds, and heavy to very heavy rainfall starting from Tuesday till 12 June, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said today.

As per the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Mumbai, up to 30 mm rainfall was recorded in areas like Malvani, Borivali and Dahisar here till 11 am.

Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the arrival of the south-west monsoon in Maharashtra, when it had reached up to Harnai port in coastal Ratnagiri district.

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INDIA

Saturday, June 12, 2021

World Bank projects India’s economy to grow 8.3% in 2021 The World Bank on Tuesday projected India’s economy to grow at 8.3% in 2021 and 7.5% in 2022, even as its recovery is being hampered by an unprecedented second wave of the COVID-19, the largest outbreak in the world since the beginning of the deadly pandemic. The Washingtonbased global lender, in its latest issue of Global Economic Prospects released here, noted that in India, an enormous second COVID-19 wave is undermining the sharper-than-expected rebound in activity seen during the second half of Fiscal Year 2020/21, especially in services.

“India’s recovery is being hampered by the largest outbreak of any country since the beginning of the pandemic,” the World Bank said. In 2020, India’s economy is estimated to have contracted by 7.3% while in 2019, it registered a

growth rate of 4%, the World Bank said, adding that in 2023, India is expected to grow at 6.5%.

In its report, the Bank said that the global economy is set to expand by 5.6% in 2021 - its strongest post-recession pace in 80 years. “For India, GDP in fiscal year 2021/22 starting from April 2021 is expected to expand 8.3%,” it said.

Although the forecast has been revised up by 2.9 percentage points, it marks significant expected economic damage from an enormous second COVID-19 wave and localised mobility restrictions since March 2021, the report said.

Activity is expected to follow the same, yet less pronounced, collapse and recovery seen during the first wave, it said.

What the G7 corporate tax deal means for India Advanced economies making up the G7 grouping have reached a “historic” deal on taxing multinational companies. Finance ministers meeting in London agreed to counter tax avoidance through measures to make companies pay in the countries where they do business. They also agreed in principle to ratify a global minimum corporate tax rate to counter the possibility of countries undercutting each other to attract investments. The deal announced Saturday involving the US, the UK, Germany, France, Canada, Italy and Japan, is likely to be put before a G20 meeting in July.

What are the decisions taken?

The first decision that has been ratified is to force multinationals to pay taxes where they operate. The second decision in the agreement commits states to a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15% to avoid countries undercutting each other. The agreement will now be

discussed in detail at a meeting of G20 financial ministers and central bank governors in July.

“We commit to reaching an equitable solution on the allocation of taxing rights, with market countries awarded taxing rights on at least 20% of profit exceeding a 10% margin for the largest and most profitable multinational enterprises.

We will provide for appropriate coordination between the application of the new international tax rules and the removal of all Digital Services Taxes, and other relevant similar measures, on all companies. We also commit to a global minimum tax of at least 15% on a country-by-country basis. We agree on the importance of progressing agreement in parallel on both Pillars and look forward to reaching an agreement at the July meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors,” the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors communiqué said.

‘Forest Man of India’ strives to make Mexico greener Come September, India’s forest-man shall fly to Mexico on a special invitation.

Jadav Payeng’s journey from a remote corner in the world largest inhabited river island Majuli to Mexico shall be to make the North American county greener.

“It’s a project involving eight lakh hectare of land by the government of the country.

I need to involve one lakh student per day to initiate the massive plantation drive. I have signed an understanding for this. The country has provided me visa for 10 years.

I shall be in Mexico for three months every year. September, October and November are the ideal months in Mexico to plant tree. The world is my home and the young generation my strength. I need to change the world green for the young and the developed nations

are realizing this fast” says Jadav Payeng.

Molai Payeng as he is known back home has signed an agreement with a Mexican NGO, Fundación Azteca, on December 7 to collaborate on environmental works in the North American country.

Cesar Rivas, the Director of entrepreneurship and environmental action at Fundación Azteca will be the focal point to develop the collaboration between the institution and Jadav Payeng.

“As we have pointed out, it is an honour for us to have the opportunity of boosting capacity building in favour of conservation and restoration of ecosystems, through the experience and knowledge of Mr Payeng. Specifically, we are keen on inspiring present and future generations to take action for saving our planet.

India needs Pfizer vaccines, but company demand for legal protection is holding things up In late May, the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a bold promise: to vaccinate every one of India’s 950 million adults against COVID-19 by the end of the year. But that ambitious plan is being held up, in part, by a critical issue: whether the government will protect foreign vaccine suppliers from legal liability over vaccine complications.

V.K. Paul, member of government think tank NITI Aayog, suggested to reporters last Friday that such requests from foreign companies, specifically Pfizer, are delaying purchase agreements for vaccines that India desperately needs. “We are in negotiations with them. There is no decision at the moment,” Paul said. “In principal, they expect [indemnification] to be given. This has been the case all over the world.” Indemnifying vaccine makers from liability is an unusual

move that has become pro forma during the pandemic. Such legal protection incentivizes manufacturers to get vaccines to market as fast as possible and lowers the price they charge for doses while shielding corporations from having to pay damages for vaccine complications unless they result from willful negligence. It’s what manufacturers have asked for, and the U.S., the U.K., and European Union—eager to get lifesaving jabs into arms—have all granted the demand.

These governments and others have determined that the issue is a no-brainer, given the severity of the pandemic, so public health experts in India are puzzled as to why Narendra Modi’s administration has yet to come to the same conclusion.

Naushad Forbes, past president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, is confident India will eventually grant

Modi govt ‘using’ Petrol-Diesel price hike to boost its revenue Petrol prices crossed Rs 100 per litre in Mumbai on 1 June 2021. The prices of petrol and diesel have been hiked at least 20 times since elections to 4 states and 1 union territory concluded on 29 April.

On 9 June, the petrol price in Delhi stood at Rs 95.56 per litre, and in Mumbai at Rs 101.76. The price of diesel in the

national capital is Rs 86.47 per litre, and in Mumbai it’s Rs 93.85 per litre.

Around 1 crore jobs have been lost, and 97 percent of the population has gotten poorer as compared to 2020, as per CMIE data. High fuel prices can impact inflation in the coming months.

India administered 240 million Covid-19 vaccines till now India had administered over 240 million coronavirus vaccine doses by Wednesday, June 10, even as the Co-WIN portal was updated to allow corrections in vaccine certificates. Meanwhile the US said it will buy 500 million more doses of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine to share through the global COVAX alliance for donation to lower income countries and the African Union over the next year. By 7pm on Wednesday, the number of doses administered was 242,479,167. This includes 10,012,624 healthcare workers who have had their first dose and 6,911,311 who have got their second dose as well. As many

as 16,471,228 frontline workers have had their first dose while 8,751,277 have got their second dose too. In the 45-60-year age group, 73,323,267 people have got their first dose and another 11,622,718 have had their second dose as well. In the 60+ category, 61,638,580 people have been administered their first dose while 19,534,203 have had their second dose as well.

In the 18-45 year age group, 1,924,924 beneficiaries received their first dose of Covid vaccine and 86,450 got their second dose on Wednesday and cumulatively, 33,808,845 of this age group have had their first dose while 405,114 have got their second dose as well across the country.

BSF apprehends Chinese man along India-Bangladesh border A Chinese national was apprehended by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the India-Bangladesh international border in West Bengal on Thursday, officials said.

He was “intercepted” by a BSF party near the border in Malda district.

The man is being questioned by officials of the BSF, local police and intelligence agencies, and further details will be known once the session ends, they said.

Theofficialssaidalaptop,aChinesepassportand some other items have been recovered from him.

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Saturday, June 12, 2021

Punjab Active Covid-19 cases drop below 20,000 After a gap of almost 75 days, the number of active cases in Punjab dipped below the 20,000mark at 18,546 on Tuesday. The number is one-fourth as compared to the May 12 peak, when the active cases were around 80,000.

In January this year, the active cases had come down to around 2,000. With the beginning of the second wave in February, the cases started rising and the trend continued over the next three months.

After the peak last month, the state started witnessing a decline in the

number of daily as well as active cases.

On January 8, active cases stood at 3,007. The same came down to 2,112 in February. Soon the number rose exponentially and the state added around 18,000 active cases in a few days.

Between April 8 and May 8, the state’s active caseload increased by almost 50,000. As on May 8, the number of active cases was 71,948.

Even as the number has gone down below 20,000, experts caution people not to lower the guard and must comply with the Covid protocol.

Police officer sought financial aid from Punjab govt for his lungs transplant, died DSP Harjinder Singh, who had sought Rs 80 lakh from the Punjab government for lung transplant post Covid-19 died in SPS Apollo Hospital in Ludhiana on Wednesday.

His friend, Harry Sharma, said the Punjab government could not arrange funds and means for the lung transplant.

The DSP had posted a heart-rending video a few days back from the hospital saying the government should fund his treatment

instead of giving ex-gratia relief after his death.

“Fund my treatment and give me a chance to live, instead of giving compensation after my death,” Deputy Jail Superintendent Harjinder Singh had appealed from a hospital bed after having lost both lungs to the Covid-19 infection.

Meanwhile, CM, Amarinder Singh agreed in principle to help the officer.

FIJI Cases linked to Delta-Covid-19 strain explode in Fiji Young mother Vaseva Radinivanuakula was shocked when her entire village in Fiji was put under lockdown. Authorities said that a funeral held last Thursday in her tiny community of Mulomulo on the outskirts of Nadi may have become a super-spreader event.

They ordered each of the roughly 30 households to remain in the containment zone until everyone was tested.

For Ms Radinivanuakula, it was the latest blow in an escalating COVID-19

crisis that has already infected more than 600 Fijians in less than two months.

“I’m a mother of a two-month-old baby, who is with me right now, so I find it hard,” Ms Radinivanuakula said.

“It’s like all of a sudden. No one knows what the lockdown was for.”

It comes as Fiji braces for an influx of Covid-19 hospitalisations as an outbreak linked to the highly infectious Delta strain continues its rapid spread.

Parliament closed, quarantine facilities overrun as Delta strain rips through Fiji Fiji’s Parliament has been forced to close as COVID-19 cases surge in the Pacific island nation, overwhelming quarantine facilities and prompting calls for a nationwide lockdown. After a staffer was found to be a close contact of a positive case, speaker Epeli Nailatikau said the legislative buildings in the capital Suva were shut.

“As a precautionary measure and out of an abundance of caution, the parliamentary

precincts and offices will be closed with immediate effect,” he said in a statement.

Fiji went a full year without recording any community cases until April, when a second wave of infections hit.

New cases have reached daily records as the quick-spreading Delta strain — which is linked to India’s latest Covid-19 outbreak continues to infect Fijians. More than 800 cases have been reported during the latest outbreak, with half of those cases identified this month alone.

Central govt delayed cap on Covid-19 vaccine prices - Health Minister Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu today said the Centre’s order of capping Covid vaccine prices at private hospitals came very late.

He said the decision came when the private hospitals had already made huge profits even as BJP leaders kept levelling false allegations that the Punjab Government was making profit by supplying vaccines to private hospitals.

On the Centre’s decision to take all

vaccine purchases under its purview, he said the state/UT governments did not enjoy the unique position of the Government of India that allowed it to negotiate an appropriate price for the vaccines.

He said the Modi government should ensure free vaccine to all and abolish the 25 per cent quota allocated to private players. The Centre should also refund all payments made by the state governments

Pakistan Lowest Covid-19 cases since March As Pakistan sees lowest Covid-19 cases in the country since March, millions of students returned to schools as govt announce to re-open educational institutions partially with strict Covid-19 compliance and health guidelines. The educational activity has been resumed following the continuous decline in Covid-19 cases. The positivity rate in the country dropped to 3.1 per cent. Pakistan recorded 1,490 new infections and 58 fatalities over the past 24 hours. This is

the lowest daily count since March 8 when the country reported 1,353 infections. Most of the educational institutes in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces re-opened.

Pakistan govt allows walk-in facilities for all teachers and school staff above 18 years of age. Nearly 450,000 teaching staff have been vaccinated across the country since last week, according to official reports.

What Pak-China relations tell us about Belt & Road initiative A recent study of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Pakistan suggests Beijing has less control over its massive development projects as was first thought and often has to alter its plans to accommodate Pakistani officials.

Since it was launched six years ago, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become the centerpiece of the BRI, which aims to build infrastructure, expand trade links, and deepen ties across Eurasia and Africa.

Over the years, CPEC has morphed in size and scope, with Beijing already investing $25 billion and some estimates saying the bundle of energy and development projects could reach $62 billion once completed.

The far-reaching project has come to represent Beijing’s wider geopolitical ambitions, with CPEC forming the backbone of China’s

presence in Pakistan and symbolizing the “allweather friendship” between the two countries.

But a study by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace digs deeper into the internal machinery of how CPEC is unfolding on the ground, looking at negotiations between Beijing and Islamabad and how China has adapted its plans to suit the domestic situation within Pakistan.

“There is often an impression that the BRI happens with China parachuting its projects and plans into recipient countries that have very little say over how things happen on the ground,” Filippo Boni, one of the report’s authors and a lecturer at The Open University in Britain, told RFE/RL. “Whereas what we observed in Pakistan is that it’s much more complicated and the agenda and priorities of the recipient countries have huge sway over how things unfold.”

Death toll rises to 62 from train collision in Northern Sindh The death toll in train collision in Sindh province rose to 62 on Tuesday, according to media reports.

At least 62 people were killed and over 100 others injured in the twin accidents between Reti and Daharki railway stations where eight carriages of Millat Express derailed just before Sir Syed Express rammed into them near Dharki, a city located in the Ghotki district of upper Sindh on early Monday morning.

The rescue operation was completed and

the track has been cleared after retrieving 17 coaches that had been damaged by the crash and the engine of the train, Geo News quoted as saying Divisional Superintendent, Railway Sukkur Tariq Latif.

The train travelling from Karachi to the north of Sindh province derailed and landed on another rail track, officials said.

A second train packed with passengers then collided with it and overturned.

94 Covid-19 cases, govt unable to accommodate A new daily record of Covid-19 cases has been announced in Fiji as 94 new cases in 24 hours have been confirmed.

The Fiji government is now unable to isolate cases at its facilities, sending positive people home instead.

It has announced it was preparing to focus on caring for severely ill patients as opposed to its current strategy. It had hinted at this scenario early in this outbreak in the event the public health system was overburdened.

Permanent Secretary of Health, James Fong

Dr Fong himself a primary contact of a colleague in the government’s Covid-19 Incident Management Team (IMT) who tested positive said the majority of new cases was from transmission in closed indoor spaces.

Nine more members of the IMT have since tested positive too.

“Due to the high number of cases and constraints on quarantine capacity, new positive cases are being entered into home isolation, where feasible. Specific guidance has been provided for these individuals to ensure they do not have contact with other

22

INDIA

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Prime Minister Modi & Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath meeting tomorrow over UP dissent Yogi Adityanath’s meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders in Delhi is part of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s effort to reassert control as he faces unprecedented dissent and a worried central leadership.

The BJP brass is deeply worried about the leadership in Uttar Pradesh after receiving feedback from several sources, including MPs, MLAs and state ministers.

State leaders of the BJP’s ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS),

including Dattatreya Hosbale, have also given similar reports.

A three-day review in Lucknow by the BJP’s central leaders BL Santosh and Radha Mohan Singh has also turned up similar views.

All reports point at Yogi Adityanath’s inability to take everyone along, say sources.

The reports also indicate resentment among non-Thakurs (Yogi Adityanath belongs to the Thakur caste), particularly Brahmin leaders, who feel their standing has diminished on Yogi Adityanath’s watch.

BJP suggests name for Mumbai airport Amid a proposal to name the upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport after Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, the BJP on Thursday formed a human chain in Alibaug town in Maharashtra’s Raigad district to press for its demand to give late PWP leader DB Patil’s name to the project.

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), which is the nodal government agency for the project, had

earlier passed a resolution to name the project after Bal Thackeray. However, the BJP is against that proposal. On Thursday, the party formed the human chain to press for its demand to name the airport after DB Patil.

The local unit of the BJP formed the human chain from the Raigad district collectorate in Alibaug town, in which around 200 workers and leaders participated. Major airports in India have been named after famous personalities.

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