The Asian Star June 19 2021 by The Asian Star Newspaper

www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 20

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Indian-origin journalist wins Pulitzer Prize for expose on China’s Muslim detention camps Megha Rajagopalan, an Indian-origin journalist, along with two contributors has won the Pulitzer Prize for innovative investigative reports that exposed a vast infrastructure of prisons and mass internment camps secretly built by China for detaining hundreds of thousands of Muslims in its restive Xinjiang region. Ms. Rajagopalan from BuzzFeed News is among two Indian-origin journalists who won the U.S.’ top journalism award on Friday. Tampa Bay Times’ Neil Bedi won for local reporting. Ms. Bedi Continued on page 6

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BC public health officials to manage Covid-19 differently in future The future of COVID-19 could look a lot like seasonal flus or other common illnesses like measles or pneumonia, British Columbia’s deputy provincial health officer says. Dr. Reka Gustafson said it’s hard to speculate on the longevity of COVID-19 but public

health officials are preparing for a shift to more typical communicable disease management based on the characteristics and behaviour of the virus. “We certainly wouldn’t be surprised if this virus turns into one of the circulating coronaviruses Continued on page 6

Tories to force House of Commons vote on motion to censure the defence minister Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole says his party will force the House of Commons to vote on a motion targeting Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. Sajjan has been under heavy criticism since former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne revealed that he first flagged an allegation of sexual misconduct involving thendefence chief Jonathan Vance to the minister

in March 2018. While Sajjan and the Liberal government say he followed all proper procedures, O’Toole says the minister has consistently failed victims of sexual misconduct in the military. O’Toole alleges Sajjan has also misled Canadians about his military service and the need to buy second-hand fighter jets from Australia, and oversaw the Continued on page 13

Elections BC approves application for referendum on Surrey policing transition Surrey residents will have their say on a binding referendum on Surrey’s controversial policing transition after Elections BC has approved an initiative petition application that has been launched by the widow of a Surrey murder victim.Darlene Bennett, whose husband Paul Bennett was shot dead in front of their home in Cloverdale in 2018 in what police believe was a case of mistaken identity, must collect the signatures of at least 10 per cent Continued on page 7

Canada should speed up vaccine rollout to stop Covid-19 Delta variant Canada is on the cusp of hitting its first national vaccination target, but chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the Delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 might mean the country has to up its vaccine game again. Federal modelling done in April and May suggested that if 75 per cent of eligible Canadians — those 12 years old and above — had at least one dose of a

Microsoft names Indian origin CEO Satya Nadella as chairman Microsoft Corp on Wednesday named Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella as its new chairman, in place of John Thompson. Nadella, who took over as CEO in 2014 from Steve Ballmer, has been instrumental in scaling up its business including billion-dollar acquisitions like LinkedIn, Nuance Communications and ZeniMax. The company said Thompson, who took over as chairman from the software giant’s co-founder Bill Gates in 2014, will serve as lead independent director. The top-level executive change comes just over a year after Gates stepped down

from the board, saying he would focus on philanthropic works of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world’s biggest charities. The company had last month said it conducted a probe into Gates’ involvement with an employee almost 20 years ago after it was told in 2019 that he had tried to start a romantic relationship with the person. Microsoft had declined to comment on whether its board had decided Gates should go. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of 56 cents per share payable Sept. 9.

COVID-19 vaccine, and 20 per cent had two, provinces could safely begin easing restrictions on public movement without overwhelming hospitals again. When 75 per cent of eligible people are fully vaccinated, the modelling suggested personal measures like physical distancing and wearing masks could also begin to loosen.

Saturday, June 19, 2021

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Saturday, June 19, 2021 ‘Near normal’ in schools Students in British Columbia are expected to return to “near normal” class in September, following more than a year of disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic. During a press conference Thursday morning, Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside announced that K-12 students will return to school without the need for cohorts or learning groups in September, while sports and other extracurricular programs are expected to return. While the majority of students spent this past school year in class, a number of measures were in place to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. B.C. was

one of the few provinces in Canada where inclass instruction was kept open throughout this past school year. Dr. Bonnie Henry noted there were “quite a lot of exposure events” through the school year, but transmission of the virus in schools was “rare.” She added that by September, all eligible British Columbians are expected to have been offered both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, so most of the measures in schools won’t be necessary. To date, more than 50 per cent of British Columbians between 12 and 17 have received their first dose of vaccine.

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OPINION

Saturday, June 19, 2021

High time Indian foreign policy jettisons ‘don’t annoy China’ notion & supports virus probe Of late, Covid-19 has been getting a geopolitical boost from the tailwinds of political and scientific narratives originating primarily from the US. In May, US President Joe Biden ordered an intelligence probe into the origins of the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2. The fact that it originated in China is undisputed. Scientific suspicions that the virus is an artificial

creation and probably leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology have now received a booster dose. Anthony Fauci, the Chief Medical Adviser to the US President, stated that he never played down the possibility of the lab leak in China for political reasons. In the last few weeks, a slew of scientific papers have reinforced the lab leak theory, with the G7 and the European Union

adding political traction to the call for concerted action to uncover the truth. International politics has now inserted itself into the investigative process and is gaining momentum within the spaces of scientific doubts regarding the origin of the virus. In the long run, the scientific quest for facts draped in political free play could eventually be the information missile that could do a lot of damage to China. In the case of Covid-19, science, geography and politics could create a potent brew in the information age. In global geopolitics, this could become deadly for China. For China’s detractors, it might provide informational fuel and create the psychological effect that can, at the global level, drive popular anger directed against the country. It is an anger that has the potential to sustain because of the colossal damage caused by Covid to lives and livelihood. The potency of the brew will depend on the narratives that are internalised at the popular level and the ability of political leadership to direct their application. Both scientific and political acumen can play a major role. Even without irrefutable proof, scientific doubts could ignite suspicions. In this information age, politicians could leverage emotions on a massive scale to channel the surge to foster cooperation among nations against China. Simultaneously, domestic socio-economic troubles can be blamed on the Chinese. This can make for a deadly cocktail as long as the United States leads the way. For now, it seems that Joe Biden is doing just that. China is concerned and will definitely retaliate. In fact, China’s pushback is already underway. Burying the lab leak theory China has thus far, managed to keep at bay the World Health Organization (WHO) investigators through delay and restrictions to access, interference in selection of the investigators and subversion of the WHO itself. Unfortunately, the US under Donald Trump, had given notice for the US withdrawal from WHO, giving China a free run of the institution. One of the Biden administration’s early moves was to reverse that decision. China now has to confront the intellectual horsepower of the Western scientific community.

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Saturday, June 19, 2021

A Vancouver city councillor has made it clear she is against the bureaucracy’s plans to roll out mandatory residential parking permits across the city. Vancouver city councillor Colleen Hardwick has gone as far as to call it as an example that “City Hall is treating Vancouverites as ATMs,” as a means of raising revenue instead of becoming more efficient and prioritizing its operations. “It’s becoming clear to me and residents across the city that this is a cash grab dressed up as a climate emergency response, all because the City of Vancouver refuses to get its financial house in order, something it could easily do by focusing first on core city services,” said Hardwick. “The truth is that these new taxes won’t keep a diesel truck off the road, electrify

a city vehicle or plant a tree, and they have nothing to do with saving the planet. This is simply one more revenue stream for a city government that has already overburdened its taxpayers and just keeps tapping us again and again.” Yesterday, city staff revealed their proposal of having street parking permits start at $45 annually for residents who need to park their vehicle on the street overnight from 10 pm to 7 am. Additional annual fees apply based on new car models of 2023 or newer — an “annual pollution charge.” Moderating polluting new vehicles such as most gas-powered sport sedans and more efficient small SUVs would pay $500

Surrey city Councillor Brenda Locke presented a notice of motion to council on Monday asking city staff to do a cost/benefit analysis on what Surrey taxpayers actually get for the tax money they pony up to Metro Vancouver. “There has been a long-standing question and deep-seated concern that Surrey taxpayers are paying disproportionately in comparison to other Metro Vancouver cities,” she said before the council meeting. “We’re getting to pay for it, but we’re not getting the parks, we’re not getting all the housing development that they’re doing in Vancouver and big changes to our water, sewer.” Brenda Locke said her taxes went up 18.5 per cent this year. “It’s out of control,” she said. “It’s outrageous.” Locke noted the 2021 tax notices brought a significant increase in

taxes Surrey residents and businesses pay to to Metro Vancouver. She said there has been a “long-standing question and deep-seated concern that Surrey taxpayers are paying disproportionately” compared to other Metro-Vancouver cities. “As Surrey continues to grow and is slated to become the largest city in British Columbia, it is important that we now start planning accordingly to ensure that our residents are receiving our fair share of resources, programs, and services for taxes rendered. It’s all about equity and fairness,” Locke said. The city councillor noted that over recent years Metro Vancouver’s mandate has grown to embrace housing, cultural grants, regional parks, air-quality and climate change initiatives

Grad 2021

Congratulations to the class of 2021! Despite the many challenges in a year unlike any other, you kept going, and should be proud of what you’ve achieved.

Our very best wishes for a successful future! A message from your teachers, members of the Surrey Teachers’ Association

Photos: iStock.com//Prostock-Studio

Vancouver taxpayers “treated like ATMs” with new taxes on parking: city councillor

Surrey City councillor Brenda Locke seeks breakdown on what Surreyites get for taxes paid to Metro Vancouver

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Occasion remembers Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom Guru Arjan Dev was the first of the two Gurus martyred in the Sikh faith. He was the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. According to the Hindu calendar, Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom Day is observed on Jeth Sudi 4 and this year it is being observed today, 14 June. Born in 1563 in Goindval of Tarn Taran district, Guru Arjan Dev was martyred on 16 June, 1606. People belonging to the Sikh community observe this occasion as Chabeel Day in his remembrance. On this day, cold rose milk water (Chabeel), a non-alcoholic and sweet

drink, is served to people in order to provide relief to them from hot weather. In several parts of North India, Chabeel is also known as ‘Kachchi Lassi’. Guru Arjan Dev, known for compiling the first edition of the Guru Granth Sahib, was executed on Mughal emperor Jahangir’s orders. On this special occasion, langars are distributed in various Gurudwaras and religious events are also organised where people read Sri Guru Granth Sahib. This year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, no big events are being organised.

BC public health officials to manage Covid-19 differently in future From page 1 the population. That would be our best bet at this point,” she said in an interview. British Columbia entered the second stage of its reopening plan Tuesday after surpassing target rates for first-dose vaccinations amid a sharp decline in new cases. More restrictions are scheduled to be lifted on July 1 and the fourth and final stage of the reopening plan is slated to go into effect on Sept. 7, if that trajectory continues. For the public, life should return to pre-pandemic norms of interaction in September if all goes as planned, Gustafson said, adding that she believes the plan is “very cautious and sensible.” Behind the scenes, public health officials are anticipating a shift away from emergency pandemic management toward communicable disease control, she said. However, even as a more routine strategy replaces the allhands-on-deck approach, Gustafson said it will involve many of the same tools: testing,

surveillance, case and contact management, and immunization strategies. “Those are actually things that happen in the background for a number of communicable diseases in the population,” she said. Under communicable disease control, local officials monitor reportable diseases for trends and respond to what are typically isolated outbreaks. An example from Gustafson’s experience includes a significant outbreak of pneumonia in 2006 in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Public health teams brought the infections under control with detailed epidemiological investigations and vaccination clinics, she said. The difference between that outbreak and the pandemic was the vulnerability of the entire population to COVID-19 before vaccines were available and how little was known about the behaviour of the new coronavirus early on, which meant “the size of the outbreak had the potential, of course, to be enormous,” she said.

Indian-origin journalist wins Pulitzer Prize From page 1 with Kathleen McGrory has been awarded the prize for the series exposing a Sheriff ’s Office initiative that used computer modelling to identify people believed to be future crime suspects. About 1,000 people were monitored under the programme, including children. Mr. Bedi is an investigative reporter for the Tampa Bay Times. “What Kathleen and Neil unearthed in Pasco County has had a profound impact on the community,” said Mark Katches, Times executive editor. “This is what the best investigative journalism can do and why it is so essential.” Ms. Rajagopalan’s Xinjiang series won the Pulitzer Prize in the International Reporting category. In 2017, not long after China began to detain thousands of Muslims in Xinjiang, Rajagopalan was the first to visit an internment camp — at a time when China denied that such places

existed, BuzzFeed News said. “In response, the government tried to silence her, revoking her visa and ejecting her from the country,” BuzzFeed News wrote in its entry for the prize. “It would go on to cut off access to the entire region for most Westerners and stymie journalists. The release of basic facts about detainees slowed to a trickle.” Working from London, and refusing to be silenced, Rajagopalan partnered with two contributors, Alison Killing, a licensed architect who specialises in forensic analysis of architecture and satellite images of buildings, and Christo Buschek, a programmer who builds tools tailored for data journalists. “The blazing Xinjiang stories shine desperately needed light on one of the worst human rights abuses of our time,” said Mark Schoofs, editor-inchief of BuzzFeed News. Minutes after she won, Ms. Rajagopalan told BuzzFeed News she wasn’t even watching the ceremony live because she wasn’t expecting to win. She only found out when Schoofs called to congratulate her on the victory. “I’m in complete shock, I did not expect this,” Ms. Rajagopalan said over the phone from London. She said she was deeply grateful to the teams of people who worked with her on this including her collaborators, Killing and Buschek, her editor Alex Campbell, BuzzFeed News’ public relations team, and the organisations that funded their work, including the Pulitzer Center. Ms. Rajagopalan also acknowledged the courage of the sources who spoke to them despite the risk and threat of retaliation against them and their families. “I’m so grateful they stood up and were willing to talk to us,” she said. “It takes so much unbelievable courage to do that.”

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Elections BC approves application for referendum on Surrey policing transition From page 1 of registered voters in all of B.C.’s 87 electoral districts, and submit them by Nov. 15, to make it stick. “I am very excited, hopeful with Elections BC passing the citizens initiative for a binding referendum in Surrey on the policing issue,” Bennett said Thursday. “I hope this gives the residents of Surrey a voice. I hope they will be heard and I hope everyone is able to make an informed decision.” According to an Elections BC statement issued Thursday, the purpose of the draft bill “is to have the provincial government conduct a regional binding referendum in the City of Surrey on the question of whether the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) should be retained as the police service or whether a proposed Surrey Police Service should replace the RCMP.” “If held,” Elections BC explained, “the referendum would be comprised of a single question regarding whether to retain the RCMP as Surrey’s police service or create a new Surrey Police Service, as proposed. The referendum would be binding under Section 4 of the BC Referendum Act.” Surrey city Councillor Brenda Locke, who has unsuccessfully tried to get a referendum vote before council, is elated. Mayor Doug McCallum could not be immediately reached for comment. “It will be binding,” Locke said of Bennett’s referendum campaign. “Don’t get me wrong, it will be difficult, it will be hard. But I do think there is motivation outside of Surrey.” Meantime, Locke plans to pursue her referendum-related motions despite the mayor having found them to be out of order. “My lawyer’s opinion is just so clean and so clear how in the heck we ever got the opinion from our lawyer, at least the way the mayor described it, I don’t know. So I definitely will be bringing it up at the next (council) meeting.”

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Saturday, June 19, 2021 BC confirms 120 new cases of Covid-19, for total of 146,794 There are now 146,794 cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in B.C. after health officials announced 120 new cases Thursday (June 17). Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported that there have been 13 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 53 in the Fraser Health region, five in the Island Health region, 43 in the Interior Health region, five in the Northern Health Region and one is a person who resides outside of Canada. There has been one new COVID-19 related death of a person in their 80s, for a total of

1,739 deaths from the virus. There are 1,451 active cases of COVID-19 in the province; 143,579 people have now recovered from the virus. Of the active cases, 131 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 44 of whom are in intensive care. 4,231,871 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.C.; 768,008 of these are second doses. 76.5 per cent of adults and 74.8 per cent of eligible British Columbians over 12 years old have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in B.C.

Rule changes allow for delivery of non-medical marijuana in BC

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B.C.’s legal cannabis operators will be allowed to deliver directly to buyers starting July 15. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says the government wants to shrink the illegal market and allowing delivery to consumers is an advantage retailers have said they need. The government says only adults will be allowed to receive delivery orders, and those who appear to be under age 19 will have to present two pieces of identification. Recipients will also have to provide their name and signature to take delivery. In addition to the new delivery system, the government is removing security verification requirements for workers in the non-medical marijuana industry. The Public Safety Ministry says in a statement that it has completed security screening on more than

7,000 prospective workers since 2018 and hasn’t identified any significant risk of links to organized crime. Jaclynn Pehota, executive director of the Association of Canadian Cannabis Retailers, says the change means retailers can start hiring to meet customers’ needs when delivery becomes an option. “Adding convenient home delivery to the mix of knowledgeable staff and regulated product can only serve to make the legal cannabis sector the source of choice for more people,” she says in the statement. Only cannabis retail store licensees and their employees will be authorized to deliver cannabis. Delivery is limited to residential addresses in B.C. or to curbside pickup between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m.

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Saturday, June 19, 2021 First Nation in Yukon says fine levied against wealthy Vancouver couple ‘unfortunate’ The wealthy Vancouverite couple that flew into a remote Yukon community has pleaded guilty to the charges levied against them and were fined a total of $2,300. Janet Van Der Meer, a member of the White River First Nation (WRFN) where the couple stopped said she’s disappointed there won’t be more serious repercussions for the couple. “I’m not surprised the Yukon government continues to take the easy way out, and that’s unfortunate,” she said. Rodney and Ekatrina Baker have both pleaded guilty to failing to self-isolate and for failing to follow their signed declaration that they would self-isolate in Whitehorse for 14 days under the Yukon’s Civil Emergency Act (CEMA).

The Bakers made headlines in January after they were discovered to have travelled to Whitehorse from Vancouver in order to get early access to the Moderna vaccine. The pair chartered a flight from Whitehorse to Beaver Creek, a small community of around 90 people which is also home to WRFN. The couple lied about their identity and said they were motel workers in order to get the vaccine.

Rodney Baker was president and CEO of the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation(GCGC), an entertainment provider with several facilities including casinos, hotels and show theatres in Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

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10 How much is the Covid-19 pandemic costing B.C. taxpayers, and how much of the rapid growth in public spending and government staff is temporary? Opposition MLAs received some answers as the B.C. legislature session winds down this week, but much of the spending continues to come from unprecedented, borrowed contingency funds, and a large portion of it is likely to be built into future budgets as the pandemic recedes. Questioned about the current budget this week, Finance Minister Selina Robinson said the B.C. government’s payroll has increased by $6.5 billion in the past two years. More

Saturday, June 19, 2021 BC government budget balloons, beyond Covid-19 response than half of that, $3.8 billion, is related to increasing health ministry resources, and paying higher wages to health care staff. B.C. Liberal finance critic Mike Bernier said public service agency records show an increase of 104,000 government staff since Premier John Horgan’s NDP government came into office in 2017. In dollar terms, that’s an increase of $10 billion or 27 per cent over four years, he said, bringing the province’s total employee compensation bill to $37 billion. “What tax increases, what revenue sources does the government see in the short term to

pay for this large growth in the public sector?” Bernier asked Robinson June. 15. “Do they see that happening year over year, or are we going to be slowing down post-COVID?” With a deficit of $8.1 billion for the fiscal year that ended in March, Robinson’s current budget projects another $9.7 billion deficit this year, declining to $5.5 billion in 2022-23 and $4.3 billion in 2023-24. “We’re a government that’s committed to returning to balance,” Robinson said. “The path to balance will certainly be evident when we bring in budget 2022.” Robinson said part of the four-year payroll increase comes from wage increases negotiated under the B.C. Liberal government. She emphasized the province’s effort to reach its own mandated senior care home staff levels, and quickly move to eliminate care home employees working two or more part-time jobs in different locations. That transition

also included a pay increase to union rates. In debate on his budget, Health Minister Adrian Dix said B.C.’s health ministry has added 29,000 staff, including temporary positions such as 1,100 COVID-19 contact tracers. Dix has estimated that increasing pay and positions for senior care homes is expected to cost $10 million a month over the previous base. Other expenses include an increase in surgical capacity to overcome procedures delayed by COVID-19 restrictions, and development of primary care centres in communities across the province to address the shortage of family doctors and take pressure off hospital emergency departments. Dix noted that health ministry expenses rose by about three per cent per year from 2013 to 2017, rising to about five per cent per year between 2017 and 2020. That jumped to more than 15 per cent in 2020-21, mostly funded out of pandemic contingency funds, and the ministry has treasury board approval for another $992 million in contingency spending this year.

Former teacher Anoop Klair will be sentenced for sex crimes on September 10 A former elementary school teacher living in Vernon will be sentenced later this year for multiple sex crimes against minors. Anoop Klair was charged in 2019 with four counts of sexual interference, three counts sexual assault and one count of sexual assault with a weapon during four separate assaults. His trial wrapped up in Kelowna in March, and in May Justice Murray Blok found Klair guilty on all eight counts. The nature of Klair’s relationship with the four victims is protected under a publication ban to protect the victims’ identities. The victims were between the ages of nine and 13 at the time

of the assaults, while Klair was between the ages of 19 and 23. The assaults occurred between 1999 and 2003. Three of the assaults involved sexual touching of young boys, while the fourth involved the penetrative use of some type of object, possibly a toilet plunger, in a boy’s anus. Most of the assaults occurred in the Vernon area. All four of the victims, now adults, didn’t bring their allegations to police until October 2018. Klair resigned as a teacher on the same day the allegations were brought forward. Klair denied all of the allegations. He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 10 in B.C. Supreme Court.

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Saturday, June 19, 2021

Motion to recognize Quebec as a nation passes in House A Bloc Québécois motion to allow Quebec and other provinces “to amend their respective constitutions” under section 45 of the Constitution, and to recognize French as the “common language of the Quebec nation,” received all-party support in a vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday. Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh voted in favour of the motion. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who returned from Brussels on Tuesday evening and is in quarantine for 14 days, did not attend question period virtually to cast his vote. Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet introduced the motion on Tuesday in the House after attempting last month to get unanimous support for Quebec’s Bill 96, which seeks to amend the Constitution to recognize Quebec as a nation and French as its common language. Independent MP and former Justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould was the lone MP who voted against the Bloc motion last month. On Wednesday, she again voted against it. Last month, Quebec Premier François

Legault introduced Bill 96 — to protect French in the province — in the Quebec assembly, calling it “essential for the survival and development of our nation.” On Tuesday, Economic Development and Official Languages Minister Mélanie Joly introduced a new Official Languages Act, Bill C-32, to protect the right of people in Quebec to work and be served in French. It would apply to businesses in the province with 25 or more employees. When asked by reporters after Wednesday’s announcement whether the new bill was in direct response to Quebec’s language bill, Joly said her government has been working on it for months. “We said in the speech from the throne in September that we need to do more to protect French, while protecting all officiallanguage minorities, including anglophones in Quebec, and that we would be tabling a new Official Languages Act,” Joly said. The House is scheduled to rise on June 23 for its summer recess. If an election is held in the fall, the next government would need to introduce a new bill to modernize the Official Languages Act.

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Green Party Leader Paul doubles down, rejects push for her ouster Under attack by her own party’s executives, Green Party Leader Annamie Paul is doubling down in defiance of calls for her to step down or take steps to avoid facing an all-party vote on her leadership. “This is a small group of councillors who will be departing within weeks as their terms end,” she told reporters Thursday morning. “Of course there are some members who don’t want me to be the leader, but so many do.” Asked how she plans to move forward, Paul said she plans to keep focused on policy. She convened the press conference to call on the federal government to decriminalize all illicit drugs by Canada Day. Paul’s remarks Thursday

came on the heels of her slamming the members of the Green Party governing body who have been pushing for a vote of no-confidence in her leadership the night before, when she accused a “small number” of senior Greens of racism and sexism in their efforts to oust her. In what Paul has described as “inflammatory” internal party documents obtained by CTV News detailing allegations against her, members accuse the leader of “acting with an autocratic attitude of hostility, superiority and rejection,” and alleging she has “has displayed anger in long, repetitive, aggressive monologues and has failed to recognize the value of any ideas except her own.”

Surrey mayor unceremoniously cuts off 22 speakers during public hearing Speakers plead with the Mayor not to be disconnected, but mayor reminds them to stay on topic. A video showing 22 speakers being disconnected during Monday night’s council public hearing in Surrey is making the rounds on social media.

The five-minute video, edited and posted to YouTube by Sebastian Sajda, shows Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum telling the city clerk to hang up on the speakers, 12 of whom called for his resignation. Some speakers seemed to be reading from the same script.

Canada’s highest suspension bridge opened in Golden, BC BC residents keen on adventuring locally now that the ban on recreational travel has lifted can check out Canada’s highest suspension bridge right here in the province. Golden Skybridge opened earlier this month in Golden, BC, and offers visitors a view 426 feet above a canyon. By comparison, North Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge is 230 feet above the Capilano River. According to the attraction, those crossing the bridge will get a view of the Rockies and

the Purcell mountains. A 200-foot waterfall is below. The park also has forested trails, a canyon swing and a zipline. Tickets to cross the bridge are $34 for adults and $17 for kids. The canyon swing experience is $123 while the zipline is $83. BC entered Step 2 of its restart plan this week, permitting non-essential travel throughout the province. Health officials say those planning on visiting smaller communities – like Golden – should check for any local guidance before travelling.

Millionaire casino executive & wife plead guilty to crashing Yukon Covid-19 clinic — fined less than cost of chartered flight The multimillionaire casino executive and his actress wife who sparked worldwide outrage after flying into a remote Yukon town to crash a COVID vaccine clinic meant for locals pled guilty Wednesday to breaking the territory’s Civil Emergency Measures Act. They will pay $2,300 in fines and surcharges — less than half what sources say they paid for the private flight. Rod and Ekaterina Baker, who also made a $10,000 donation to the COVAX vaccine program, appeared via video link before Justice Michael Cozens, Chief Judge of Yukon Territorial Court. “There are several aggravating factors. There was clearly pre-planning involved,” prosecutor Kelly McGill said of the Bakers’ trip to Beaver Creek, Yukon. The Bakers each faced two charges: Failure to self-isolate and failure to follow a

declaration. Each charge carried a maximum penalty of $500 plus six months in prison. After the penalty was approved by Cozens, furious residents of Beaver Creek blasted the size of the fine, which some described as “pocket change” for the Bakers, who according to estimates from aviation industry sources would have paid around $5,000 to charter the Piper PA31 Navajo plane they used for a round-trip between Whitehorse and Beaver Creek. (The flight they took from Vancouver to Whitehorse typically runs between $450 and $800 round trip for an economy fare, including taxes). Janet Vander Meer, who read a community impact statement in court, said in an interview that the punishment was woefully inadequate. “It’s a slap in the face,” said Vander Meer, adding that it was especially insulting for the 40 or so town residents who are also members of the White River First Nation.

Real Action, Not Rhetoric Needed To Solve Ambulance Shortage

Press release

By Renee Merrifield BC Liberal Health Critic and MLA for Kelowna-Mission

B.C. paramedics and dispatchers are the pride of our province — frontline workers who dedicate their lives to keeping British Columbians safe and healthy. However, while we grapple with two of the worst health crises in our history, we are seeing a lack of government support pushing our ambulance service to the brink. Over the past four years, our ambulance service has had to cope with growing challenges without the resources needed to keep up. Despite plenty of political rhetoric from the NDP government, their continued mismanagement of the service has left members feeling betrayed, as paramedics are stripped of their guaranteed callout wages and the ability to job-share, among other issues. Imagine being a single parent and having your job-share taken from you without notice, something that you rely on for child care and for work-life balance. While government messaging hails dozens of new paramedic positions throughout the province, unfortunately these investments are not all the NDP makes them out to be. The full-time labour force remains understaffed and overworked, while casual employees are left to chaotically fill the gaps. Daily, dozens of ambulances sit idle because BC Ambulance can’t find staff. According to Tony Clifford, the provincial president of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C., on an average shift 20 to 25 per cent of ambulances are not staffed. We have a problem. The NDP’s failed

leadership has taken its toll on the paramedics responding to the overdose crisis. Every year the opioid crisis is tragically getting worse and the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed an already strained BC Ambulance Service beyond the breaking point. Although we couldn’t predict the pandemic, the Premier had years to improve supports for paramedics struggling from overdose-related pressures but our government failed to act. The result? Paramedic burnout, increased stress, dismal retention, and added suffering. Ultimately, it’s the citizens of British Columbia who are left waiting longer for lifesaving care. In their time of need, our emergency health services can’t be where they are needed most. When asked about this directly in Question Period in the B.C. Legislature this week, the NDP downplayed the problem. The Health Minister even seemed to characterize the growing issue as a blip caused by an unusually high number of calls. And while government has said it is aware of some of the challenges facing paramedics, it has offered little in the way of concrete solutions. The same is true at our dispatch centres. BC Ambulance Dispatchers have equally struggled during these dual health crises. The pressure they face in understaffed dispatch centres, responsible for sending help out across massive provincial geographies, has led to the same challenges our paramedics face. As the situation worsens across the province, it becomes clear that John Horgan and the NDP have failed the BC Ambulance Service, its employees and by extension, British Columbians.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, June 19, 2021 QAnons are harassing people at the whim of a woman they say is Canada’s queen A woman who claims she is the secret ruler of Canada has, thanks to QAnon influencers, thousands of followers, some of which are extremely active offline and harassing Canadians. The woman whom thousands of Canadians believe is their secret ruler isn’t afraid to tell her followers she’s calling for the executions of health care workers and politicians behind the vaccination rollout. “At the firing squad, the military firing squad, you will receive not one, but two bullets on your forehead for each child that you have harmed as a result of injecting this experimental vaccine,” said Romana Didulo to those involved in vaccination efforts in a recent video on Telegram. “So when you go home tonight, think about how many bullets.” Didulo, a B.C.-based woman in her 50s, has recently built up a following of thousands of people who listen to her claims of having been put in control of the Great

White North by the same forces that QAnon believers think are fighting the deep state in America. QAnon, for the uninitiated, is a wide-ranging, wildly unfactual conspiracy centred upon Donald Trump’s secret fight against an international cabal of elitist pedophiles. Didulo was recently thrust into her position by several well-known QAnon figures who helped anoint her as a leader and in turns sent a swarm of followers her way. But despite her following being only weeks old, Didulo has rallied her Canadian followers to real-life action. They’re in the midst of filing hundreds of “cease and desist” notices demanding businesses, governments, and police forces stop all activities related to combating the pandemic. They have organized themselves into localized groups to email their demands out en masse, send them via registered letter, or simply make their way to stores or police stations in order to physically hand them out.

Tories to force House of Commons vote on motion to censure the defence minister From page 1 failed prosecution of retired vice-admiral Mark Norman. O’Toole says that is why his party will use its last opposition day before Parliament rises for the summer to force members of

Parliament to express its disappointment with the minister. The Conservative motion is symbolic, and O’Toole says it will ultimately be up to voters in Sajjan’s Vancouver riding to decide whether he should continue to serve in Parliament.

The Lotto Max Jackpot just got even bigger Since there was no Lotto Max winner selected for the June 15 draw, the next one will offer yet another record-breaking jackpot of prizes for Canadians to win. For the draw on June 18, a total of $140 million is up for grabs. The prizes that are available are the $70 million grand prize jackpot and 70 Maxmillions which are each worth $1 million. Just like the last three draws, this one has broken a record and is the biggest lottery jackpot ever offered in Canada. Lotto Max has been making history recently with prizes that just won’t stop rising. In the past couple of weeks, the jackpot

has reached $117 million, $120 million and $128 million in consecutive draws. If you want to try your chances at winning with this massive pool of cash, tickets will be sold until 10:30 p.m. ET on June 18. Your chance of winning the jackpot with one play is about 1 in 33 million. Plenty of winning Maxmillions tic kets were also sold The Lotto Max jackpot keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t winning money. In fact, 34 Maxmillions were won in the June 15 draw, going to people all across the country.

Foreigners flood Canada’s stock market amid value rotation Foreign investors are piling back into Canada’s $3.2 trillion stock market after a pandemic-driven exodus. The nation’s equities are on pace to record the highest foreign inflows since 2017, adding $22.7 billion as of the end of April, according to Bloomberg calculations based on Statistics Canada data. Overseas investors were net sellers in the past two years, partly because of a lack of large-cap technology stocks, the early winners of the Covid-19 pandemic. The S&P/TSX Composite Index has rallied nearly 16% this year, outpacing the S&P 500 Index’s 12% rise, thanks to its large weighting in cyclical and value stocks. Financial firms, materials stocks and oil and gas companies -- all beneficiaries of

accelerating economic growth -- make up 56% of the Canadian benchmark. The TSX is traditionally a destination for investors looking for a higher risk-reward ratio, with energy and mining stocks making up about a quarter of the index. Rising commodity prices, a strong earnings outlook and an accelerating vaccine rollout have boosted investor confidence. The economy expanded at a 5.6% annualized rate in the first quarter, despite the headwind of coronavirus containment measures. A rising Canadian dollar has also helped encourage capital flows from foreign investors. The loonie is the top-performing currency against the U.S. dollar among its G10 peers this year, rising more than 3%, partly because of higher prices for oil, lumber and other commodities the nation produces.

LOCAL

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Canadian home sales, prices drop from the month before amid buyer fatigue Canadian home sales and the average price fell in May compared with the previous month, as frustrated would-be buyers took a break and some of the pandemic urgency to secure a home began to fade, the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) said on Tuesday. Canadian home sales fell 7.4 per cent in May from April, while the average selling price was down 1.1 per cent from the previous month, according to CREA data. It was the second consecutive month of declines after a blazing start to the year. “While housing markets across Canada remain very active, we now have two months of moderating activity in the books, and that goes for demand, supply and prices,” Cliff Stevenson, chair of CREA, said in a statement. “More and more, there is anecdotal evidence of offer fatigue and frustration among buyers, and the urgency to lock down a place to ride out Covid-19 would also be expected to fade at this point given where we are with the pandemic,” he added. Provinces across Canada have begun reopening from a third round of shutdowns and Covid-19 vaccinations are being rapidly deployed, buoying hopes of a return to normal in the second half of the year.

Two days after the B.C. moved into Step 2 of Covid-19 reopening, one expert is preaching a go-slow approach through the summer. “Throwing away your masks and running on the beach shouldn’t be the image you should be thinking about,” said Prof. Kelley Lee, a Canada research chair and professor of public health at SFU, during an online talk on Wednesday. She recommends vigilance until

Canada’s housing market surged in late 2020 and early 2021, with home prices escalating sharply amid investor activity and fear of missing out. Many smaller centres saw record price gains as urbanites fled to suburbs and beyond in search of more space. The national average selling price was $696,000 in May, down 1.1 per cent from April but up 38.4 per cent from a year earlier, the industry group said. Home prices fell in April and May of last year amid first-wave Covid-19 shutdowns. Actual sales, not seasonally adjusted, rose 103.6 per cent from a year earlier, while CREA’s Home Price Index was up 24.4 per cent on the year and up 1 per cent from April. Canadian housing starts, meanwhile, rose 3.2 per cent in May compared with April as multiple urban starts jumped, offsetting a drop in single-detached starts, separate data from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation showed. “Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal starts trended lower in May, as these markets continued to moderate from the historical highs recorded in the first quarter of the year,” said Bob Dugan, chief economist at CMHC, in a statement.

Vancouver lotto winner says he’ll spend newfound fortune on kids’ tuition A BC father hopes to help fund his children’s education after winning tens of thousands of dollars in the lottery. Frankis Christurasa “went crazy,” his daughter said, when he found about his scratch-card win. He and Pirashalini Firangs won $125,000 on a Super Money Multiplier Scratch and Win ticket the Vancouver father and daughter purchased. It was Firangs who found out first. “I scratched the ticket and saw there were three symbols so I checked it on my phone,” she said in a statement issued by the B.C. Lottery Corporation Tuesday. “In that moment my hands were shaking.” She waited until her dad got home to tell him the news of the ticket they’d bought from the Victoria Drive Town Pantry. His reaction was worth the wait, it appears. “My heart was racing… Oh my gosh, the feeling is too much!”

Caution urged to prevent another Covid-19 wave in BC the percentage of fully vaccinated British Columbians rises significantly. As of Wednesday, 20 per cent of adults in B.C. have had two doses. The number of British Columbians with two doses is “still too low,” she said, particularly for preventing the spread of the Delta variant, which caused the spike in cases in India and has delayed by

Frankis Christurasa, left, and his daughter, Pirashalini Firangs, are shown in an undated image provided by BCLC.

Christurassa said. The father told BCLC he plans to put part of his share towards funding his children’s post-secondary education. BCLC did not say what his daughter will do with her half of the winnings. The odds of winning the top prize of $125,000 on a Super Money Multiplier ticket are approximately one in 500,000, according to the lottery corporation.

four weeks the full reopening of the U.K. “We need to get that (second doses) much higher, so that if there is a spark, it doesn’t set off another outbreak,” she said. “If we all just kind of buckle down and defer that gratification” for three or four months, it would reduce the possibility of another surge. “I know that wipes out the summer holidays, but the fall is what I’m really worried about, when people go back inside, they go back to school.”

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, June 19, 2021 How effective are vaccines against Delta variant? Reports vary as immunized patient dies in Calgary hospital As confirmed cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 continue to rise in Alberta, there are conflicting statements regarding how effective the first dose of vaccine is at protecting against severe outcomes of infection. Alberta Health Services confirms a patient in their 80s, who had received two doses of MRNA vaccine before contracting the Delta variant, died in an outbreak at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary. A second unvaccinated patient, who was also over the age of 80, also died in the outbreak. The outbreak at the hospital in northwest Calgary now spans two units with confirmed cases in 21 patients and nine staff members. In response to those outbreaks, AHS says vaccines

were given to those in hospital at risk of exposure to the Delta variant — also known as B.1.617.2, that was first identified in India. Earlier this month, AHS officials told CTV news a first dose of an MRNA vaccine such as Pfizer or Moderna offers 33 per cent protection against the Delta variant with a single dose and coverage increased to 88 per cent with a second dose. Yet, on Monday, Premier Jason Kenney tweeted a report from the United Kingdom — where cases of the Delta variant are rising —indicating one dose of Pfizer vaccine is 94 per cent effective against the Delta variant and increases to 96 per cent after a second dose.

Central bankers play down soaring cost of living How big of a raise did you get last year? In Canada or the U.S., if it wasn’t in the four to five per cent range you really did not get much of an increase at all. On Wednesday, after a year of repeating that he wasn’t going to discuss cutting back on monetary stimulus, the world’s most powerful central banker, Jerome Powell, finally changed his tune. The chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve said he and advisors are now “talking about talking about” cutting back on bond buying — a key part of stimulus during the pandemic, and the bank signalled interest rates hikes could come in 2023. But as prices in Canada soared by 3.6 percent, hot on the tail of U.S. inflation currently running at five per cent after that economy opened up sooner, it is by no means clear those efforts will give you back the money you’ve lost. Less car, less gas, less house

Even while prices continued to surge, both Powell and Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem, who addressed the Canadian Senate Wednesday evening, continue to insist that the inflation we are seeing now is a flash in the pan. Price increases, they say, will head back down toward two percent after the pandemic’s distortions have passed and the economy gets back on track. Speaking to the Senate committee on banking last night, Macklem reiterated his view that inflation is transitory, to a large extent caused by what the central bankers call “base-year effects” since prices now are being compared to prices last year, which fell just after the pandemic hit. “As these base-year effects fade [the central bank] expects the ongoing excess supply in the economy to pull inflation back down,” Macklem told the assemble senators.

Canada getting 1M extra Moderna COVID-19 vaccines from USA - minister Canada is set to receive an extra one million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from the United States on Thursday night, says Procurement Minister Anita Anand. In a series of tweets on Thursday morning, Anand announced the boost to vaccine supplies from Canada’s southern neighbour and thanked U.S. President Joe Biden as well as her American counterpart, Jeffrey Zients, and Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. Kristen Hillman for their work on the agreement. A White House official told Global News the shipment is part of the 80 million vaccines the U.S. pledged to share with the world by the end of June. A Canadian official confirmed the doses are a donation. That official said they did not have the specific expiration dates for

the vaccines on hand at the moment but that expiration is not imminent and that is not expected to be an issue in the rollout of those doses. Last week, Anand said Moderna had confirmed it would be shipping 7 million doses of its mRNA Covid-19 vaccine to Canada in June in an estimated two or three shipments. The shipments mark a massive infusion of shots from Moderna, which has at times appeared to struggle to provide clarity on delivery dates and timelines for its shipments to Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised Pfizer as the “workhorse” of Canada’s vaccine rollout last month. The pharmaceutical giant’s vaccine works the same way as the vaccine from Moderna, and both are deemed highly effective by Health Canada in preventing the spread and severe outcomes of Covid-19.

Ontario judge Mahmud Jamal nominate to Supreme Court of Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nominated the Honourable Mahmud Jamal (pictured) as the next member of the Supreme Court of Canada. “I know that Justice Jamal, with his exceptional legal and academic experience and dedication to serving others, will be a valuable asset to our country’s highest court,” Trudeau said in a media statement. The fully bilingual Justice Jamal was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2019 and appeared in 35 appeals before the Supreme Court of Canada on civil, constitutional, criminal and regulatory issues. The first person of colour to be nominated to Canada’s top court, he also taught

constitutional law at McGill University and administrative law at Osgoode Hall Law School. Jamal will replace Justice Rosalie Abella, currently the longestserving Supreme Court justice, who will retire from the court on July 1, her 75th birthday. Born in Kenya and raised in England, He completed his high school in Edmonton before pursuing a bachelor of arts at the University of Toronto and law studies at McGill and Yale University in the United States. He would fill the vacancy on the top court created by the retiring Rosalie Abella. Members of the House of Commons justice committee and Senate committee on legal affairs, along with a member of the federal Green party.

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Saturday, June 19, 2021

INDIA

Saturday, June 19, 2021

As states ease restrictions, doctors warn of ‘worse than second wave’ if Covid-19 norms not followed With shoppers crowding markets and restaurants amid the phased ‘unlocking’ of activities in Delhi, doctors on Tuesday cautioned that the National Capital could face a “worse than second wave situation” of Covid-19 if people lower their guards and do not adhere to the safety norms.

The remarks from many doctors at leading government or private facilities come after visuals of crowded markets surfaced on social media, and reports said that people are not following Covid-19 -appropriate behaviour such

as wearing masks or maintaining social distance. The concerns come on a day India reported a single-day rise of 62,224 new coronavirus infections, taking India’s total

tally of Covid-19 cases to 2,96,33,105, while the active cases were recorded below nine lakh after 70 days. The Covid-19 toll climbed to 3,79,573 with 2,542 fresh fatalities.

Latest hike in incentive might push EV sales but questions remain on charging infra The union authorities final week elevated incentives on electrical two- and three-wheelers to push gross sales of such autos. Based on some consultants this was a determined transfer by the federal government to utilise the funds earmarked for the FAME scheme, as a sale of electrical autos remained subdued over the past two years. Mint explains how this steep improve in subsidies would possibly assist push gross sales of electrical two- and three-wheelers and the challenges forward. What are the adjustments launched within the FAME coverage? Final week the union authorities introduced a 50% leap in incentives for electrical two-wheelers to ₹15000 per Kilowatt Hour from ₹10,000 KWH. Based on the brand new guidelines, the cap on incentive might be restricted to 40% of the entire costs in comparison with 20% earlier than. The Ministry of Heavy Industries additionally mandated Vitality Effectivity Companies Ltd (EESL) to acquire three lakh electrical three-wheelers for a number of makes use of by completely different authorities. The general public sector unit has additionally been given the duty to acquire electrical busses to be deployed in a number of cities throughout the nation. The union authorities plans to cut back the price of acquisition of electrical autos for various authorities authorities and different entities via mass procurement. Why did the federal government select to extend the incentives? The Fame scheme was introduced in 2019 with an outlay of ₹10000 crore and the federal government anticipated to incentivise buy of seven,090 electrical buses, 35,000 four-wheelers, 500,000 three-wheelers and 10 lakh two-wheelers. In actuality although, as a result of excessive localization norms and different guidelines, many of the merchandise within the phase didn’t qualify for the incentives. Those which certified didn’t get sufficient subsidies to shut the value hole with combustion engine autos. The covid-19 pandemic additional impacted demand in 2020 and the devastating second wave in April and Could may additionally take a toll on EVs gross sales in 2021. Gross sales of electrical autos within the home market decreased by 19.9% to simply 236802 models in FY21, based on information launched by the Society of Producers of Electrical Automobiles. Gross sales of electrical two-wheelers, which kind the majority of the gross sales – declined by 6% to 143837 models in comparison with 152000 models in FY 20.

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Saturday, June 19, 2021 Payal Doshi’s Rea and the Blood of the Nectar

Harvinder Sandhu

ea and the Blood of the Nectar is a debut fantasy book by a South Asian woman, Payal Doshi, with South Asian pre-teen characters and set in India. Not only that, the protagonist is a 12-year-old girl! Let me say that again. A 12-year-old South Asian girl is the heroine of a fantasy book. As a pre-teen myself, I, like many other South Asian children growing up in colonized nations read a lot of British writers when in middle grade. Books by Enid Blyton with her many genres were a staple in my home as they were in Payal Doshi’s home. All the books had smart children solving mysteries, catching bad guys and in general the characters in the books were leading wonderfully exciting lives in Britain. And they were all Caucasians. No ethnic minorities here. Here is the synopsis of Rea and the Blood of the Nectar: ‘It all begins on the night Rea turns twelve. After a big fight with her twin brother Rohan on their birthday, Rea’s life in the small village of Darjeeling, India, gets turned on its head. It’s four in the morning and Rohan is nowhere to be found.

It hasn’t even been a day and Amma acts like Rohan’s gone forever. Her grandmother, too, is behaving strangely. Unwilling to give up on her brother, Rea and her friend Leela meet Mishti Daadi, a wrinkly old fortune-teller whose powers of divination set them off on a thrilling and secret quest. In the shade of night, they portal into an otherworldly realm and travel to Astranthia, a land full of magic and whimsy. There with the help of Xeranther, an Astranthian barrow boy, and Flula, a pari, Rea battles serpent-lilies and blood-sucking banshees, encounters a butterfly-faced woman and blue lizard-men, and learns that Rohan has been captured. Rea also discovers that she is a princess with magic. Only she has no idea how to use it. Struggling with the truth her Amma has kept hidden from her, Rea must solve clues

that lead to Rohan, find a way to rescue him and save Astranthia from a potentially deadly fate. But the clock is ticking. Can she rescue Rohan, save Astranthia, and live to see it all?’ The above synopsis says it all. This book is fast paced, it’s a thrilling and exciting adventure rife with evil creatures, a ruthless villain, and unforgettable f r i e n d s h i p s . The author also shared that readers who enjoyed Chronicles of Narnia would relate to the fantasy world she created in her book. “I grew up not seeing myself on the covers of books, and I wanted that, a brown girl on the cover of a book,” shares Payal, continuing, “I might be extremely biased, but the book

is a wonderful way for Indian kids to see themselves as the protagonists of a book as well as for kids from all parts of the world to get a glimpse into Indian culture while solving a fun, thrilling, and secret fantasy mystery.” Payal Doshi shares how when she first started to write the book, the characters had English names and it was set in a western country. Her creative writing teacher asked her why she did not set the book in India since she herself is Indian from India. “At first all I thought of was why didn’t my teacher tell me if my story idea is good and comment on my writing. Later I realised yes, why did I not give the characters Indian names and set the story in India,” states Payal, adding laughingly, “I think I was ‘whitewashed’ with all the white books I read growing up”! Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is the first of a trilogy with the writer promising more adventures and drama to come. Published by Mango and Marigold Press, Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is available at Red Balloon Bookshop, Chapters, Barnes and Noble and other independent bookstores.

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ION 60V 500W ELECTRIC

RETALIATOR 72V 500W

14333 - 104th Ave., Surrey, BC

Saturday, June 19, 2021

SECURITY PLUS FLEXIBILITY

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BRIGHT TERM RATE 3 year escalator Cashable annually

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604-549-5382

AVAILABLE BY PHONE

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INDIA

Saturday, June 19, 2021

India needs temporary income support plan, H2 rate hike likely says Nomura’s Sonal Varma India needs a twofold strategy to revive the economy, focusing on productive investments and a temporary income support scheme for the poor, Sonal Varma, chief economist, India and Asia (ex-Japan) at Nomura said. In an interview with Moneycontrol, Varma said she expected the April-June gross domestic product to contract by about 4 per cent compared with January-March quarter, and that inflationary pressures are expected to remain this year. She said Nomura had raised its inflation projections for FY22 by one percentage point and is looking at close to 6 percent on headline inflation and core CPI between 6-6.5 percent. The Monetary Policy Committee needs to shift focus from growth to inflation, and a reverse-repo rate hike is possible in the second half of this fiscal, she added. Nomura expects half of India’s population to be fully vaccinated by December 2021, but

to get there, the country needs to accelerate inoculation, which is important as it would drive monetary policy, fiscal policy and the economic outlook, she said. I think we essentially do need a two-pronged strategy. The reality is that India has the limited fiscal space, we need to spend on infrastructure, health education. So we need to focus on these investments. But at the same time, we have to also ensure that there is a mechanism in place to support households who have been affected during the lockdown, so a mechanism needs to be in place, but I would make it more temporary, rather than making it permanent. Cash transfer may be actually a better way to do this, where you’re distributing cash transfers to a pocket of population during periods of economic distress, but you’re not making it permanent, because then that opens a Pandora’s box, which in turn will have macro and political implications.

Indian man believed to have headed ‘world’s largest family’ dies

Federal Bank board approves Rs 916cr fund raise from IFC Private sector Federal Bank on Wednesday said its board has approved issuing equity shares to World Bank arm International Finance Corporation and associates for over Rs 916.25 crore. The decision was taken by the board of directors at its meeting held on June 16, 2021, the bank said. The board also decided to raise up to Rs 4,000 crore by issuing equity shares or other instruments through various modes and Rs 8,000 crore by issuance of debt securities in Indian or foreign currency. Equity shares up to 104,846,394 at a price of Rs 87.39 each aggregating to approximately Rs 916.25 crore are proposed to be allotted to IFC, IFC Financial Institutions Growth Fund, LP (FIG) and IFC Emerging Asia Fund, LP (EAF), Federal Bank said in a regulatory filing. Under this, the bank has proposed to issue 31,453,918

Families scramble as India’s health bodies change Covid-19 guidelines Late last month, the Indian government made far-reaching changes to the COVID-19 treatment protocol for hospitals, leading to much debate and confusion after drugs people knew almost by rote were dropped. For months, I had read and reread my family’s prescriptions, remembering what to administer to whom, goading the local pharmacies to send it fast. Like thousands of others, I had also read hundreds of social media pleas for these drugs. So why did the government drop them? As I Googled and searched, I also remembered that ivermectin, one of the drugs now dropped and under much scrutiny, was first prescribed

An Indian man from the northeastern state of Mizoram, who is believed to have headed the “world’s largest family”, has died, officials said. Ziona Chana, 76, who headed a Christian sect that allowed polygamy for men, has left behind 38 wives and 89 children. The sect, called Chana Pawl, was founded by his father in 1942. It has about 2,000 members, most of them living in Mizoram’s Baktawang village. On Sunday, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga announced Chana’s death on Twitter. “With heavy heart, #Mizoram bid farewell to Mr. Zion-a (76), believed to head the world’s largest family, with 38 wives and 89 children,” he said. Mizoram and Baktawng Tlangnuam have become major tourist attractions because of the family, the chief minister added.

According to officials, Chana, who also had 33 grandchildren, died on Sunday afternoon due to complications related to diabetes and high blood pressure, Indian media reports said. “He was taken to a private hospital in another district and as per the reports received, he passed away today (Sunday),” Kumar Abhishek, the deputy commissioner of Serchhip district, told Anadolu Agency. Lal Thanhawla, former chief minister of Mizoram and a senior politician from the Congress party, told Anadolu news agency Chana’s demise is a “very big loss to everyone”. The family is very disciplined and there are a lot of things to learn from them,” he said. Chana married his first wife in 1959 when he was 17, reports said, and claimed he once married ten wives in a single year. His last marriage came in 2004 to a 25-year-old.

shares to IFC; 36,696,238 shares each to FIG and EAF. “There are three investors who are being issued equity shares pursuant to preferential allotment,” Federal Bank said. Further, the bank said it will raise fund by way of issuance of equity capital up to an aggregate amount of Rs 4,000 crore or its equivalent amount in foreign currencies in one or more tranches through various modes including rights issue, private placement, qualified institutions placement, preferential issue or follow on public offer, GDR, ADR or foreign currency convertible bonds. Also, the board accorded its approval to raise up to Rs 8,000 crore by issuing debt instruments through various modes including additional tier 1 bonds, tier 2 bonds, long term bonds, masala bonds, green bonds, NCDs. These

to me by my dermatologist in July last year. “Just one pill, tonight,’’ said the doctor. I was told it is an anti-parasitic drug, used for deworming and scabies. But little did I know that two months on, I would be prescribed ivermectin as part of my COVID treatment. During a telephone consultation, the doctor prescribed five days of doxycycline (antibacterial drug) and one day of ivermectin. Later that day, when government health workers made a compulsory call to our doorstep, my husband, who was COVID-19 negative, and I were given a pack of hydroxychloroquine and told to take the pill for seven days.

Two full-page ads across newspaper editions praise Yogi govt’s handling of pandemic On Thursday, the Times of India newspaper, instead of the news on page 1 and 2, had fullpage advertisements of the Uttar Pradesh government. Photos of Prime Minister Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were splashed on the top half of the front page, across all editions. The advertisements praised Adityanath-led UP government’s handling of the pandemic, calling it a ‘hit’. The ads also hailed the UP government’s efforts towards vaccination. Featured below the large photos of Yogi Adityanath and PM Modi were their quotes. The advertisement for the

state’s ‘Teeka Jeeth Ka’ campaign, also had information for the public about 5 steps to defeat COVID-19 along with the steps that people need to take to avoid contracting the Coronavirus. At the bottom of the front page, it was mentioned that the campaign in Uttar Pradesh was a joint initiative of the Times of India and the state government. These advertisements come at a time when, according to the official state bulletin on June 16, the state has 7221 active cases. Data from the Co-WIN dashboard shows that Uttar Pradesh has only fully vaccinated 1.67% of the total population and partially vaccinated 6.9%. The state’s vaccination

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Punjab Thousands await study permit after 10 Canadian colleges face admission scrutiny Jashanjeet Singh (name changed) took admission to a management course last year in Matrix College in Montreal, Quebec. As he planned to fly to Canada for the second semester after completing the first one online, his travel plans were grounded due to the provincial government there suspending 10 colleges. The list included Matrix College. With the suspension, the authorities also stopped issuing Quebec Acceptance

Certification (QAC), which is a document that international students require for their study permit. The QAC ban came into effect last year December “Later suspension was lifted and the processing of students’ permit was allowed. But despite that our applications for QAC have been pending…The Canadian government is demanding more and more documents from us including the details of funding proof, sponsors, future plans etc.,” said Jashanjeet.

FIJI 121 new Covid-19 cases in Fiji There have been 121 new Covid-19 cases confirmed in Fiji as health officials identify two new clusters. The total number since the outbreak started in April is now at 1373. Permanent Secretary Dr James Fong said a new cluster has been identified within the Rewa Emergency Operations Centre, possibly linked to the Vunimono cluster. Fiji Village online reports there

are two new cases for this cluster. A new cluster is also at the Town House Hotel in Suva where Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital and Incident Management Team (IMT) staff are being accommodated. Dr Fong said there are 19 cases within this cluster, likely linked to the CWM Hospital or IMT clusters. Eleven cases have been identified as primary contacts of earlier cases, and the respective response teams are determining the cluster link.

Audit report notes lack of planning for elderly needs ‘Harassed’, says man who exposed fake Covid tests A local insurance agent whose alert to the ICMR had blown the lid off an alleged scam involving the misuse of Aadhaar cards and mobile numbers to prepare fake Covid test reports of Kumbh pilgrims at Haridwar in April is feeling harassed as he has been receiving numerous calls related to the “expose”. The man (not wishing to be named) suspected something was fishy after he received an SMS from the ICMR

(Indian Council of Medical Research), conveying him about his Covid report even though he never underwent a test. The man alerted the ICMR, which raised the issue with the Uttarakhand health authorities. A preliminary inquiry indicated a large number of fake RT-PCR reports had been issued by allegedly misusing IDs of people who hadn’t even visited Haridwar.

Sikh personalities from Punjab join BJP Several Sikh personalities from Punjab, including those working for farmers’’ welfare, joined the BJP on Wednesday. Those who joined the party in presence of Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and its general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam included Jaswinder Singh Dhillon, former Guru Kashi university vice chancellor, Harinder Singh Kahlon, Jagmohan Singh Saini and Nirmal Singh Mohali, all advocates with

experience in different spheres of public work. Kahlon has been associated with the welfare of Sikh students while Saini and Mohali have worked for farmers’’ welfare, BJP spokesperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura said. Kuldeep Singh Kahlon and Col Jaibans Singh (retd) also joined the party. All those who joined the party are from the Sikh community, a section of whom is said to be unhappy with the BJP over the recent farm bills.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan calls for strict action against websites fanning hatred Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday called for strict action against the websites fanning hatred to create a divide in humanity, also urging the Muslim world to present their case at international forums and improve understanding of Islam. The interview was aired as in London, Ontario, the funeral prayer of four members of Pakistani family, killed in run over by a pickup truck on last Sunday evening, was held.

The Canadian police say the family was targeted because they were Muslim. The family moved to Canada from Pakistan in 2007. The prime minister said the use of term “Islamic radicals” shows as if there was something wrong with the religion which made them radical. Contrarily, terrorism has no religion as extremists were found in every society, he added.

Trump’s lookalike spotted selling Kulfi in hot summer days Sahiwal: In a video that has gone viral on social media, it is seen how a man is selling kulfi on the streets of Sahiwal, Punjab. What is so different about this video is that the man selling the kulfi (sweet, cold dessert) bears an uncanny resemblance to Donald Trump, former President of the United States. In the video, the man from Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan is seen singing in Qawali style “Khoya Kulfi” constantly to attract the street customers. The video was captured by a user and uploaded on Twitter. Netizens have reacted to the video by praising the man’s voice.

Vendor Salim Bagga selling cold kulfis on the streets of Sahiwal in hot summer days.

Provincial govt to block cell phone SIM’s who refuse to get Covid-19 vaccine Lahore: Punjab govt announced that it will be blocking the mobile service of citizens who refuse to get Covid-19 vaccine. Initially reported by local media and then later confirmed by the provincial health authority, those who Do Not get vaccinated will have their mobile SIMs “blocked”. “Mobile SIMs of people not getting vaccinated may be blocked, it was decided in Cabinet meeting under the chair of Minister for Health Dr. Yasmin Rashid at Punjab Secretariat,” the Punjab government said in a tweet. The govet added it is opening walk-

in vaccination to anyone over the age of 18 years. There are currently 677 vaccination centres operating in Punjab. Currently, over 10.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered across Pakistan, but according to the government of Pakistan, it is hoping to reach get that number up to 100 million by June 2022. The Pakistani government has also committed $1.1 billion to procure additional doses of the vaccine. As of June 14, there are nearly 942,200 confirmed cases across the country since the start of the pandemic, and just shy of 344,000 in Punjab.

There was a lack of planning by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport “to take into account the needs of the elderly” before commencement of construction at the Golden Age Home in Lautoka, the Office of the Auditor-General stated in the 2019 Audit Report on Infrastructure Sector tabled in Parliament recently. The report stated an audit review of the progress reports noted the Golden

Age Home relining project was complete. “However, upon site visit on 14/02/20, we noted works were still pending. “This clearly indicates that the project officer has misled the ministry by indicating that the project was completed. “The ministry indicated that the bathroom piping works were left exposed due to additional demand from the elderly to install a hot water system during the implementation of project works.

Six infants from Nadi test positive for Covid-19, but in stable condition in Lautoka hospital Six infants who tested positive to Covid-19 are in stable condition in Lautoka Hospital. Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong confirmed the news. The infants and their mothers were from a community in lockdown in Nadi. They were recently assisted with basic supplies by the Foundation of the Rural Integrated Enterprises and Development (FRIEND). A post on the FRIEND Fiji official social media page said they responded to a request for assistance

from the community in lockdown in Nadi. FRIEND Fiji then facilitated the request after a donor purchased baby essential packs. The packages were delivered to the mothers in need last Thursday. “We pray for the speedy recovery of infants and their mothers,” FRIEND Fiji said in a recent Facebook post. “Please keep them in your prayers.”

Saturday, June 19, 2021

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#Limited time lease offer is from Honda Canada Finance Inc. (HCFI), on approved credit. Lease example: New 2021 Pilot Black Edition (YF6H0MKN) for a 36-month period, for a total of 156 weekly payments of $181, leased at 0.99% APR. 20,000-kilometre annual allowance (12 cents/km excess charge). Total lease obligation is $28,189. Lease payments include freight and PDI of $1,870 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. Offer ends June 30, 2021 and is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Offer available only at participating Honda dealers in Western Canada. Offers valid on select new in-stock 2021 vehicles. Models may not be equipped as shown and are for illustration purposes only. Canadian Black Book. For more information, visit https://www.canadianblackbook.com/awards/. Visit Honda.ca or your Honda dealer for details.