The Asian Star June 27 2020 by The Asian Star Newspaper

www.theasianstar.com

Vol 19 - Issue 22

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Caving in to China’s demand to release Meng would put more Canadians in danger: Trudeau Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says heeding a recent call from some prominent Canadians to politically intervene to end the extradition proceedings against Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou “will imperil thousands of Canadians travelling in China and around the world.” More than a dozen former federal cabinet ministers and diplomats signed a letter earlier this week urging Trudeau to have his justice minister order an end to the proceedings, which are moving along under the terms of the extradition treaty between Canada and the U.S. In that letter, the former officials said that Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor will likely remain in “indefinite confinement” until Meng is allowed to return to China and because of that, Canada should cave to demands from Beijing to politically intervene in her case. Trudeau said that would embolden China and other countries that might view Canadians are bargaining chips. “If countries around the world, including China, realize that by arbitrarily arresting random Canadians they can get what they want out of Canada politically, well, that makes an awful lot more Canadians who travel around the world vulnerable to that kind of pressure,” he said. “I respect these individuals, but they’re wrong in their approach.” The letter was signed by individuals including Allan Rock, former federal justice minister, and former foreign affairs ministers Lloyd Axworthy, Lawrence Cannon and André Oullet.

Continued on page 6

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BC to allow ‘careful’ travel within province as it eases more COVID-19 restrictions under Phase 3 British Columbia is further easing restrictions set in place to control COVID-19, meaning residents will be allowed to travel within the province as hotels, motels, resorts, spas, and RV parks look to reopen. Premier John Horgan announced Wednesday that B.C. will gradually be moving into Phase 3 of its restart plan, after the province managed to increase activity without seeing a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. Phase 3 of B.C.’s restart plan also means residents can travel within the province “safely and respectfully.” “I think this can be an exciting summer for all of us, but be mindful: this is not regular programming,” Horgan said Wednesday. Despite B.C.

entering Phase 3 of the restart plan, Horgan and Henry both advised residents to be cautious. Horgan said it is critical British Columbians continue with foundational health guidelines, which have helped with the province’s success in flattening its curve since March:

35th anniversary of Kanishka bombing marked with virtual vigil in Canada The 35th anniversary of the bombing by Khalistani terrorists of Air India flight 182 was marked by family members of the victims with a virtual vigil since gatherings at memorial sites in Canada are barred due to Covid-19related restrictions. The plane named Emperor Kanishka exploded mid-air on June 23, 1985, killing 329 passengers.

The terrorist incident is the worst in Canadian history. It was also the worst episode of aviationrelated terrorism till 9/11. Among those who commemorated the day was Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In a message, he said, “Thirty-five years ago today, an explosion on Air India Flight 182, bound for the United Kingdom from Canada, killed the 329 innocent

Pakistani Canadian key conspirator in Mumbai bombing arrested in LA, faces extradition to India A Chicago businessman, who spent more than 10 years in prison for supporting terrorist groups, has been arrested in Los Angeles to face charges in India for Mumbai 26/11 attack in 2008 that killed more than 160 people, US prosecutors said Friday. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian, was convicted of a crime related to the Mumbai 26/11 killings that are sometimes called India’s 9/11, though the US prosecutors had failed to prove a terrorism charge

that connected him directly to the threeday rampage during his 2011 trial. Rana, 59, was serving a 14-year sentence when he was granted early release from a Los Angeles federal prison last week because of poor health and a bout of COVID-19, prosecutors said. He was arrested two days later and remains in custody in LA because he faces extradition to India on murder conspiracy charges, prosecutors said.

Continued on page 9

people on board, including 280 Canadians. The attack was an act of unspeakable malice and remains the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history. It was a shock to our country, and a threat to our collective sense of security.” June 23 is recognised as the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism in Canada.

Increased contacts as BC eased restrictions have not caused resurgence in virus British Columbians have increased their contacts to about 65 per cent of normal without causing a surge in coronavirus cases or hospitalizations, according to a B.C. government analysis released Tuesday. That’s up from an estimated 30 per cent of normal contacts when full restrictive measures were in place that included closing schools and universities, limiting restaurants to take-out and shutting personal service businesses such as hair salons and barbers. COVID-19: Increased contacts as B.C. eased restrictions have not caused resurgence in virus However, the province’s analysis

of cases and computer modelling shows that B.C. is at the threshold of a rebound where one case could generate one or more additional cases. An important factor in why there has not been a resurgence is that the increased contacts appear to be safe ones that honour physicaldistancing recommendations, said B.C.’s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry. The balancing act that B.C. is now in — where it has managed to reopen society and the economy without a huge rebound in cases — must be maintained by British Columbians continuing to do use all the measures that have helped the province control the virus, likely into next year, said Henry.

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Vol 19 - Issue 22 Harvinder Sandhu

Saturday, June 27, 2020

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The Community driven Wolfe Auto Group

riving into Langley you can’t miss Wolfe Auto Group’s three dealerships and its Commercial Leasing division all located closely to each other on the Langley Bypass. Their big signs beckon you to come check them out while their reputation of impeccable service, lack of high-pressure sales tactics from multilingual Patrick Curtis, Director of Sales & Marketing sales consultants has helped this company grow. The three dealerships mainland to buy their vehicle. I truly believe it’s are Wolfe Langley Mazda, Wolfe Langley because of the service we offer,” continues Patrick Mitsubishi, Wolfe Langley Subaru and Wolfe to state why they have such a great reputation All Make Leasing which deals in commercial and a thriving business, “Consumers buy cars leasing. “We are not a high-pressure dealer, from us for 3 reasons – selection, service and we don’t ask for deposits up front – all we ask pricing. That’s what we put forth all the time. is that, ‘if it’s the right car, right price, right If I don’t have the right selection, I’m not going payment, could we then earn you business’, to earn your business, I might have the right and we work to do that,” states Patrick Curtis, selection, but I don’t have service, I’m not going Director of Sales and Marketing. Their sales to earn your business. And if I have those two, consultants are multilingual, representing the but not the right pricing, I’m not going to earn diverse population of Metro Vancouver. While your business. That’s what makes us successful.” they are in Langley, their customers come from The Wolfe Auto Group was started by Gordon all over Metro Vancouver. “Consumers can buy Wolfe and Mike Hacquard. Mike and Gordon a car anywhere, they can buy any brand they have always been passionate about automobiles. want – even if it is the same brand we carry, Both grew up around the auto industry as they can buy it anywhere, they don’t have to Gordon’s family owned a dealership in Calgary come to Langley to buy their car – we have so and Mike’s family was always in the car industry many people come to us from all over the lower with Mike’s father a general sales manager. They

both went into the auto industry after finishing university, with Gordon eventually buying a Nissan franchise and Mike working with Nissan Canada. “Gordon at that time owned a Nissan franchise, and what happened is, Mike moved out to the west-coast as a Nissan rep and he was Gordon’s rep. Mike didn’t want to do the manufacturing end of the business anymore, instead he wanted to get into the retail end of it.”

As the story goes, one day Gordon was driving home and drove past the Nissan dealership in white Rock where Mike worked. He saw Mike taking license plates off a car. Gordon asked Mike why he was doing this himself? Mike answered that he didn’t have a ‘lot staff ’ so was doing it himself. He had appraised the trade car for a customer who went then to another Nissan dealer to purchase. Continued on page 8

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OPINION

By Gerry Bowler, Senior Fellow Frontier Centre for Public Policy

Saturday, June 27, 2020

We must stand up to China’s bully tactics

Historians make lousy prophets. We find it hard enough to predict the past, much less what’s going to happen in the future. Nonetheless, I’m going to attempt to predict some imminent geopolitical strategy. As the People’s Republic of China makes threats against Canada for detaining an executive of a Chinese corporation, as it warns the United States of “stern counter-

measures” and as it outrages its southeast Asian neighbours as a result of its claims to the South China Sea, it’s not hard to portray these moves as parts of a new Cold War. So what historical model can we use to assess China and its future actions? Will President Xi Jinping’s China, for example, resemble the Soviet Union leadership in the wake of the Second World War? There’s

the similarity of two superpowers facing off over a number of possible flash points – Berlin, Cuba and Vietnam in the previous era, and Taiwan, Hong Kong and intellectual property theft today. But the difference today is significant. The economy of the Soviet Union was its weakest point post-war, whereas China’s economic muscle gives it significant clout on the international stage. Soviet leaders weren’t able to make cowards out of world leaders by threatening to withhold supplies of vital rare earths or bribe whole continents with financial aid and technical expertise. China can – and does. Moreover, China, unlike the Soviet Union, need not occupy neighbouring countries to exercise sway over them. Should we look to Nazi Germany as the model? There are a number of interesting similarities between Adolf Hitler’s National Socialists and Xi’s People’s Republic. But, so far, China has shown no inclination to use its military might outside its border territories, unlike Hitler’s ambitions to rule conquered lands from the Atlantic to the Caucasus. In fact, the state that most nearly resembles China today is the Qing (or Manchu) dynasty that ruled China from 1644 to 1912. The key elements in this model are the notion of sinocentrism, a visceral dislike of foreigners, refusal to accept global diplomatic norms and a winner-takes-all approach to trade. Sinocentrism is the idea that China is the centre of the world, the only true empire. All other states must be regarded either as tributary nations acknowledging their inferiority to China and receiving trade privileges in return, or as barbarians. The Qing refused to accept other countries as in any way equal or worthy of having a permanent diplomatic presence in the capital. Sinocentrism can be seen today in the way China behaves on the world stage: · It aggressively hacks foreign governments, corporations and news agencies. · It has sanctioned intellectual property theft on a massive scale. · It suborns international organizations such as the World Health Organization and Interpol, as well as politicians in other countries’ parliaments. ·Chinese living abroad as students, scientists, businessmen or emigrants are used as agents of influence and espionage· China demands that its actions not be criticized and that its enemies, such as Taiwan or the Dalai Lama, be treated as enemies by the rest of the world.

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From page 1

Caving in to Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demand to release Meng would put more Canadians in danger: Trudeau

Robert Fowler, former foreign policy advisor to former prime ministers Pierre Trudeau, John Turner and Brian Mulroney â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and himself a former hostage â&#x20AC;&#x201D; also signed it. Louise Arbour, the former Supreme Court justice, also signed on. Arbour is also the former president and CEO of the International Crisis Group, for which Kovrig was working in China at the time of his detention. It came on the heels of reporting about a legal opinion written by Toronto extradition lawyer Brian Greenspan that noted Canadian extradition law allows for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;discretionâ&#x20AC;? of the justice minister on whether to intervene to shut down a proceeding. There are three phases in a Canadian

extradition proceeding: authority to proceed, the judicial phase and the ministerial phase. The justice minister must issue an authority to proceed in order for a case to begin moving through a Canadian court: this was issued by the Department of Justice in May 2019, and can technically be withdrawn at any time throughout the proceeding, though that is extremely rare. The judicial phase, which determines whether there are sufficient grounds to extradite Meng to the U.S., is currently underway and could take several years. In the final ministerial phase, the justice minister must decide whether to sign off on a judicial decision to extradite and approve actually sending the individual to the country requesting their extradition.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

8 From page 1

Gordon then invited Mike to go to coffee at the Boston Pizza and literally on a napkin they planned out Wolfe Auto Group and became partners that night. That was how the Wolfe Auto Group came into existence. This was in 1989. Gordon sold the Nissan franchise and maintained the Mazda franchise and grew from there. They brought the Subaru franchise to Langley. They stayed with 2 stores for awhile, and in 2002 they added a franchise from Mitsubishi, in 2011 they bought the Volkswagen franchise in Abbotsford, keeping it till 2016 before selling it, and buying a Subaru franchise in Vancouver in 2015 and just selling that recently. Unfortunately, Gordon passed away in 2018 from Amyloidosis and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, ‘having fought valiantly against the disease with grace and dignity’. “We are still a family run dealership even with Gordon’s passing away, with Mike Hacquard as the principal, President of the auto group, and with partners of the Wolfe family.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

The Community driven Wolfe Auto Group We are a family dealer, we truly believe in the grassroots that made us successful, supporting people that have helped us, our employees, by being there for them. Supporting the community with different initiatives we do, supporting our own employee family, if you will. Our DNA has not changed,” stressed Patrick. The DNA Patrick talks about is of how Mike and Gordon operated their business. “Our whole DNA from Mike and Gord is to support

the people that support us, that’s our ‘key employees’. Majority of our senior management staff are all from within. Sales managers, parts managers, service managers, myself as sales and marketing director, our group general manager

e v e r y b o d y ’s come from within the organization,” emphasized Patrick. Their General Sales Manager at the Mazda location is Shane Nakai, promoted from within, and speaks Punjabi. Wolfe Auto Group also believes in supporting the community they are in. Among the charities they support is, the Surrey Food Bank – corporate donor for 2019, SPCA, Canadian Cancer Society for breast cancer research, Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Foundation, and the Urban Backpack Program, which is close to Mike’s heart. The urban backpack charity came about when Mike met Ron Kaplan, founder of Citypak, a non-profit that distributes durable, custom-made weather-resistant backpacks to the homeless all around the world. “While on holidays Mike met a gentleman whose name is Ron Kaplan, an agent at Paradigm Talent Agency whose clients include the likes of Van Morrison, the Steve Miller Band, Lyle Lovett and Joss Stone, some of the stars among the many large musical acts. What Ron noticed across North America was homelessness. This issue was not going away and it didn’t matter if you were in small town USA to big town Canada, it is an issue.” The backpack project may not sound exciting, but it’s essential in providing dignity and a way for homeless people to have some control over their lives. ‘Made of ballistic nylon, the backpacks bring security, mobility and dignity to homeless living, complete with a cinch and poncho for weather protection and loops that can attach to the owner’s arm or leg to prevent theft.’ As one of the issues the homeless person has is not being able to keep their id, or documents – this helps them. These backpacks provide that. The Wolfe Auto Group have given away 2500 backpacks in the last five years. On the retail value that backpack has a value of $150 each. “Mike really wanted to help people who are less fortunate than us, just supporting them. Mike doesn’t like to just write a cheque, so we go out into the community, volunteer at the food bank, at the Cloverdale homeless society, giving out backpacks to people from Abbotsford to all the way to Vancouver,” states Patrick, continuing, “When we give them out we actually go out to the places and hand them out, meet the people out in the streets – something we do is we use everybody’s name – they don’t get any respect or dignity – sometimes remembering your own name is important.” The Wolfe Auto Group won the Community Driver Award – presented by the New Car Dealers Association of BC – last two years in a row for their community work. They also have one of the highest customer satisfaction indexes in any of the manufactures, they outsell in Langley, and outsell a lot of the larger Metro dealers in the lower Mainland. Their Mazda store is the second largest volume dealer in BC, their Subaru dealer is the largest volume dealer in BC, and incredibly their Mitsubishi dealer for the plug-in electric car hybrid vehicle – PHEV – they are not only the number one dealer in BC, not only the number one PHEV dealer in Canada, last year they were the number one PHEV dealer for Mitsubishi in North America! “Our policy and process is that we try to be leaders in everything we do, whether it’s helping the community, helping our employees, and in sales and servicing vehicles – we strive to be number one all the time – we do that on a regular basis, ” concludes Patrick.

Saturday, June 27, 2020 From page 1

Mumbai bombing key conspirator arrested in LA, faces extradition to India

Rana was convicted in Chicago of providing support for the Pakistani terror group, Lashkare-Taiba, which planned the India attack, and for supporting a never-carried-out plot to attack a Danish newspaper that printed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in 2005. The cartoons angered many Muslims because pictures of the prophet are prohibited in Islam. Jurors cleared Rana of a more serious charge of providing support to the 10 men who carried out the attacks in Mumbai that killed 166, injured nearly 240 and caused $1.5 billion in damage. Assistant US Attorney John J Lulejian told the court that the Indian government, as per the bilateral Extradition Treaty signed in 1997, has requested the arrest and detention of Rana with a view towards his extradition. Lulejian said India has informed the United States that Rana is being prosecuted for a number of offences, including the conspiracy to commit murder, in violation of

Sections 120B and 302, and murder in violation of Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Rana has also been charged with conspiracy to commit forgery for the purpose of cheating and conspiracy to use as genuine a forged document or electronic record. He made an initial court appearance on June 11. On Friday, US District Judge Jacqueline Chooljian in the US District Court, Central District of California, scheduled his bond hearing for June 30. His attorney has been asked to submit his plea by June 22 and the federal government’s response is due by June 26. Lulejian said that the offences for which Rana’s arrest warrant was issued are covered by Article 2 of the India-US Extradition Treaty. An arrest warrant was issued against Rana in India by Poonam A Bamba, District and Sessions Judge, Special Court of India’s premier investigation agency National Investigation Agency (NIA), on August 28, 2018.

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PERSONAL INFORMATION The Special Committee to Review the Personal Information Protection Act wants to hear how you think the Act is working. The deadline for written submissions is August 14, 2020.

More details at: leg.bc.ca/cmt/pipa Toll-free in BC 1.877.428.8337

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Saturday, June 27, 2020

BC moves to allow three years of budget deficits The BC govt has moved to give itself room for up to three years of budget deficits, with $5 billion in extra spending already committed for the current year to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finance Minister Carole James introduced legislation June 24 that authorizes deficit spending that is a certainty for the current fiscal year and likely to extend further, with relief payments, rent supplements and deferred sales and other tax payments throwing the province’s budget deep into the red. The legislation makes official a $1,000 onetime, tax-free payment to those who have lost work due to COVID-19 restrictions and qualified for employment insurance. It also extends eligibility to those who filed federal employment insurance claims between March 1 and March 15. Almost 600,000 B.C. residents have been approved for the B.C.

payment since applications opened in May. There is no change to the existing provision that running a deficit in any B.C. government ministry results in a pay cut of 10 per cent for the minister involved. That means James and the rest of cabinet will see a reduction in their salaries, which are currently $166,536.29 per year. Basic compensation for MLAs is currently $111,024.19, with a 50 per cent premium for serving in cabinet or as Speaker. Premier John Horgan gets a 90 per cent premium on basic pay, bringing his current salary to $210,945.96. The new legislation, called the Economic Stabilization Act, formalizes moves the government has made since the pandemic began, including postponing commercial property tax payments until Oct. 1. Filing and paying employer health tax, provincial sales tax, hotel tax, carbon tax, motor fuel tax and tobacco tax has also been deferred to Sept. 30.

PICS announces the launch of a new website for their NHSP funded project, the Surrey Intercultural Seniors Social Inclusion Partnership (SISSIP) Network. The Surrey Intercultural Seniors Social Inclusion Partnership (SISSIP) Network Project announced the launch of their new website. The website, www.seniorssocialinclusion.ca offers progress and updates on the five-year funded project, including initiatives that will be undertaken by the Network of six Organizations to make Surrey an intercultural and socially engaged community for seniors 55+. The website layout and design are inspired from a previously successful NHSP funded project, the Hamilton Seniors Isolation Impact Plan. It features an accessibility menu, designed specifically for seniors’ use which includes: larger text size, contrasting colors, text spacing and reading text aloud amongst other features Other features include an interactive map which provides easy navigation between Surrey’s six neighbourhoods and directs users to

neighbourhood specific projects. An interactive calendar feature also highlights upcoming events and activities and takes users to an information page where they can easily register for activities. The website has been designed with feedback from seniors making it is easy to follow and navigate. To leave feedback or inputs to further improve accessibility, contact the team under the ‘Contact us’ section. More about the SISSIP Network Project: The project is a Collective Impact initiative funded by Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors program, to address barriers to social inclusion and engagement for seniors 55+ and make Surrey a more interculturally inclusive and engaged community. The project will receive 4 million in funding and will be implemented from September 2019 to August 2024.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

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Saturday, June 27, 2020

Senior Liberal staffer calls for the RCMP to be abolished

A senior Liberal staffer who serves as the communications advisor for Trudeau Minister Navdeep Bains has called for the RCMP to be abolished on social media. Mollie Anderson also said that the RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki

should be fired for failing to say that the institution is systemically racist. “Brenda Lucki should be dismissed immediately, and the RCMP should be

abolished,” wrote Anderson in an Instagram comment. Anderson was reacting to the commissioner’s comments regarding systemic racism in the RCMP. Lucki originally dodged a question regarding this subject, saying Canada is a “society where inequalities persist” and the RCMP “can do better.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later contradicted Lucki, arguing that it did in fact

exist. Having said this, Anderson contradicted official Liberal policy by calling for the abolishment of the RCMP. As well as this, Trudeau has defended Lucki’s position—saying that many Canadians are “struggling” with the idea. As a result of this, Anderson is opposing Liberal government policy despite being a top party staffer. ItisunclearwhetherAnderson’spositiononthis issue reflects that of the Minister Navdeep Bains.

BC govt introducing measures to control skyrocketing condo insurance costs BC won’t cap skyrocketing insurance increases for strata condo corporations, but NDP ministers say they are introducing new measures intended to reduce risk and hidden costs they say should bring the price down eventually. The government introduced legislation on Tuesday that would immediately ban the practice of insurance brokers paying referral fees to strata

property managers who complete an insurance deal with them. It also says it will bring in new legislation in the fall to require agents to publicly disclose how much of payments the strata companies make for insurance is commissions. Tuesday’s legislation will provide “more confidence that a manager has not been swayed by a referral fee,” Finance Minister Carole James said.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

What COVID-19 Teaches us about Those Living with a Brain Injury

Adam Ueland, Lawyer Simpson, Thomas & Associates

At first blush, COVID-19 and brain injury seem to have little in common. The reality is that some aspects of life during the coronavirus pandemic mirror what it is like to live with the lasting effects of a brain injury. Here is what COVID-19 teaches us about those living with a brain injury. Finding a “New Normal” Coping with a “new normal” is something both COVID-19 and brain injury have in common. The coronavirus pandemic has forced all of us to adapt, adjusting many aspects of what we can and cannot do and how we live our daily lives. A traumatic brain injury produces the same result. In the blink of an eye, “regular life” may be forever altered by a car accident. A person who sustains a traumatic brain injury is forced to cope with immediate symptoms and long-term physical, emotional, and cognitive challenges. Full recovery from a brain injury is not guaranteed, particularly for those who sustain moderate or severe traumatic brain injuries, but through the process of rehabilitation, skills and abilities can be regained and strategies for coping with the “new normal” are learned. Isolation Links COVID-19 and Brain Injury Social distancing restrictions made necessary by COVID-19 are giving us a taste of what it can be like to live with a brain injury. The short- and long-term effects of a brain injury

can be very physically and emotionally isolating. In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, a brain injury can cause headaches, sensory issues (e.g., sensitivity to light and sounds), and extreme fatigue that force a person to recuperate in seclusion, cut off from the outside world. For some, the lasting cognitive, physical, and psychological effects of a brain injury will prevent full reintegration in aspects of daily life. Extreme exhaustion, sensory overload, and pain can cause a brain injured person to disconnect from family, friends, and co-workers. Serious brain injuries can cause difficulties with mobility, communication, and emotional self-regulation that can be further isolating. A person living with a brain injury may also feel self-conscious or uncertain about their post-accident skills and abilities, causing them to further withdraw. Resources for Those Living With a Brain Injury There are some fantastic organizations in BC that provide excellent information and support for those who are living with a brain injury. Please refer to the Resources sections of the Fraser Valley Brain Injury Association and BC Brain Injury Association’s https://www.brainstreams. ca/ websites for more information. If you or a loved one has sustained a brain injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident, our personal injury lawyers are an excellent resource for not just legal advice, but also for guidance through the course of treatment and rehabilitation and assistance in navigating the ICBC claims process. Call us today at (604) 689 8888 to request a free phone or video consultation with one of our highly experienced major accident lawyers in Surrey/ Delta, Vancouver, Burnaby, and Abbotsford.

Some CERB payments are getting cut & people are getting less than they expected Canadians are still getting help from the government during the pandemic. However, some people have noticed their CERB payments were a little less than they expected this month. While this may be a surprise, it isn’t actually a mistake.

CBC News reports that some people who received larger upfront payments are no longer eligible for the entire $2,000-per-month benefit in June. Those who may have initially received two payments upfront, because they applied

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Saturday, June 27, 2020

Canadians have racked up $13M in Coronavirus fines, racial profiling evident: report Canadians were handed roughly $13 million in fines related to COVID-19 offences in what a new report from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association called “an ugly ticketing pandemic” with rampant racial profiling by enforcement officers. In the report released Wednesday

Grand opening of Friend’s Dhaba in Surrey

entitled “Stay off the Grass: COVID-19 and Law Enforcement in Canada,” the civil rights watchdog found that 10,000 tickets were issued between April 1 and June 15, with the vast majority being handed out in just three provinces: Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia.

Jagran TV Avi Verma: Bringing a hint of India directly to your homes! Jagran TV, a brainchild of Dr. Avi Verma, who has been a resident of Chicago for over 3 decades, has been a source of positivity as well as spirituality for many Indians in Chicago. It is helping the community practice their faith along with being a source of entertainment. The channel, which was successfully running for over a decade, had a small break when Avi’s health took a toll in 2016. But, with the community’s interest and support, he is back in action. With their first Chowki (a musical session) live via Facebook on May 31, 2020, the channel is up and running. The support is humongous this time and his page got over 7000 organic likes within just a week. Guess, that’s the power of positivity that his efforts bring to people. The page plans to present live musical sessions by famous devotees and artists from the US as well as India every Saturday and Sunday at 8.30PM IST and 10.00am CST (US) and the slots for the same have been booked until September already. About Avi – Avi is an ardent devotee and a spiritual person who believes in giving back to the community. He is the first person in the Midwest to invite many Indian bhajan singers to the Chicagoland.. His efforts are lauded by many big names in the industry like Narender Chanchal and Lakhbir Singh Lakha as well as the priests and committees of many major shrines in India like Jwala Ji, Chintapurni Ji, etc. to name a few. You can get in touch with him at (773) 866-1222 and follow the Jagran Tv page to stay connected to his efforts. FB pages: Jagran Tv Chicago - Youtube: Jagran Tv Chicago- Website: www.jagrantv.us

Grand opening of Friend’s Dhaba sweets & restaurant took place on June 24 in Surrey. Friend’s Dhaba sweets & restaurant present great taste of Punjab and Western style food catered by famous chefs Balram Bali and Pawan Kumar. Bali welcomes all newcomers and assures all customer service & satisfaction. Friend’s Dhaba is located at 84th Ave near 128 St.

Senators call for Magnitsky Act sanctions on Chinese officials to punish ‘tyrannical behaviour’ More than a dozen senators — including several appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — are calling on the federal government to impose sanctions on Chinese officials for “gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.” In a June 23 letter addressed to Trudeau jointly

written by Conservative Sens. Thanh Hai Ngo and Leo Housakos and co-signed by 11 others, the parliamentarians say Canada should take a stand against China. Citing China’s detention of Uighur Muslims, its crackdown on democratic rights in Hong Kong, its decades-long repression of Tibet and its imprisonment of Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, the senators describe the regime in Beijing as the “biggest threat to mankind and a danger to international security.” The senators say the best way for Canada to respond to China’s “tyrannical behaviour” is to levy sanctions on top Communist Party officials using the Sergei Magnitsky Law. The law allows the government to impose financial and other restrictions on foreign nationals responsible for, or complicit in, violating internationally recognized human rights.

BC Liberal members nominate Roxanne Helme, prepare to win back Oak Bay-Gordon Head Press release With an election potentially just weeks away, BC Liberal members in Oak BayGordon Head have elected community leader and lawyer Roxanne Helme, to be their next candidate in what’s expected to be a tight three-way race following the retirement of Andrew Weaver. Despite a shift to mail-in voting due to COVID-19, over 60% of party members in Oak Bay-Gordon Head sent in their ballots to select among two candidates to represent them as the BC Liberals continue the party’s renewal in anticipation of an election that could happen at any time. “Roxanne has deep roots and a track record of leadership in Oak Bay-Gordon Head, and I’m delighted to welcome her to our BC Liberal team as we prepare for the upcoming election,” said Wilkinson. “With strong candidates like Roxanne joining our renewed team, the people of Oak Bay-Gordon Head have a clear choice for economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and opportunity for all of BC.” “I can’t wait to get to work earning the support of the residents of Oak BayGordon Head,” said Helme. “Andrew Wilkinson and the BC Liberals are the only team that will deliver an economic recovery that benefits all British Columbians, and I’m excited to be a part of it.” Roxanne Helme is the fourth new candidate to be nominated by the BC Liberals for the upcoming election. The party continues to open nominations throughout BC as more candidates put their names forward to represent their constituents.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Trudeau govt loses its AAA credit rating Fitch Ratings Inc., an American credit rating agency, recently stripped Canada of its AAA rating and downgraded it to AA+, according to Bloomberg. The demotion is a result of how the federal government has handled their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has raised the country’s national debt to 115.1 percent of its GDP for 2020, in 2019, that number was 88.3 percent.

Fitch Ratings Inc. did give Canada a stable outlook however, calling Canada’s debt-toGDP stabilizing over the medium term. In March of 2019, Fitch published a report that warned Canada, that they may lose their AAA rating at both the federal and provincial levels as the debt levels were rising to a level that would be “incompatible” with the sought after rating. That warning came a full year prior to the pandemic taking hold of the economy.

Ottawa women charged after OPP seize 240 pounds of pot Two Ottawa women are scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in August after OPP seized 240 pounds of dried marijuana from a car on Highway 401. Ontario Provincial Police said in a news release Tuesday that members of the force’s Peterborough street crime unit enlisted the help of uniformed officers with the Northumberland detachment and stopped an eastbound vehicle in Hamilton Township.

Will Daniel Alfredsson finally get the call to the hallowed Hockey Hall of Fame? Two women from Ottawa, one aged 60 and the other 24, were arrested and face charges including of possession of cannabis for the purpose of distributing, possession for the purpose of selling and possession of more than 30 grams of dried cannabis in a public place. Both were released on an undertaking and are to appear in court on Aug. 26.

How do we recover? Move quickly and fix things, just like we’ve been doing Opinion: Canada’s telecoms engineered and built out a year’s worth of wireline voice network capacity in March alone Many Canadians have experienced sleepless nights in the weeks and months since coronavirus turned our world upside down. I know I have — but for different reasons. I’m a telecoms network engineer. As office towers, schools and community spaces emptied out and millions of Canadians sheltered at home, both our wireless and fixed networks were put to the test. Social-distancing rules abruptly ended in-person exchanges with almost everybody but the people under your own roof. The result? Unprecedented spikes in everything from the use of 1-800 numbers and conference bridges to video streaming and online activity. For me, my company’s team and the teams of our telecom peers, late nights that stretched into early mornings became the norm in a collective effort to ensure our networks kept working for Canadians. So far, our connections have held fast. Comparing notes with my peers around the world, often during midnight phone calls, confirms that our networks, already world-leading in download speeds, are even stronger and more reliable than before COVID-19 — in large part because of a shared desire among Canada’s telecoms to set aside competitive differences for the good of the country. In March, for instance, a sudden 50 per cent surge in cellphone and landline calls from workers sent home in the first weeks of the pandemic congested connections between carriers, resulting in increased busy signals and dropped calls. We and our peers worked to resolve the issue through a series of network upgrades that were anything but regular maintenance. Between us, we engineered and built out a year’s worth of wireline voice network capacity in March alone. We added almost 200,000 additional access links between our networks (known as “trunks”), giving us the ability to process two million additional calls per hour. Essentially, equipment upgrades that were scheduled for 2020 were sped up to allow for an entire year’s worth of work in just a couple weeks. In all fairness, we had a head start on our planning that proved critical. As we watched the pandemic take its toll on China and Europe, we understood what was coming and prepared accordingly. Our whole industry stepped up to modify our network to handle the migration of large amounts of internet traffic into residential neighbourhoods from downtown areas. Upgrades that would normally be negotiated between parties over several months took place in a matter of days, and our joint monitoring of the points where different companies’ infrastructure intersects allowed us to handle the various pressures coming at our respective networks.

By pooling our resources and focusing on the needs of Canadians, we’ve been able to provide support and continuity to businesses and residents, alike. A recent example is the work done to repair an Edmonton dental surgery office severely damaged after a fire. Telcos were among the first on scene to restore connection to fibre optics. When the doors do safely open again the surgery will be ready to get back to work, just like the millions of Canadians now working and learning from home. It’s not clear what other infrastructure could withstand such a flood in usage without buckling. In Ontario’s infamous 2003 blackout millions of people in the Toronto region were plunged into darkness and chaos for days after a combination of hot weather and heavy demand for electricity caused strained power grids to short out. By contrast, our networks stood up to the sudden demand without slowdown or buffering.

Ibrahim Gedeon is chief technology officer for TELUS.

Asylum seekers continue crossing into Canada despite Coronavirus border shutdown Asylum seekers continue to cross the CanadaU.S. border despite the widespread closure that remains in effect to all but non-essential travel. New statistics show 21 people were apprehended by the RCMP crossing into Canada from the U.S. in May, up from just six who were stopped in April. That was the first full month of the historic shutdown of the border between the two countries in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19. The

closure deal carved out exceptions for essential travel, but those who were hoping to come to Canada from the U.S. to claim refugee status were told they would be turned back to the U.S. It was not immediately clear how many of the people who crossed in May were turned away. In late April, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair had said by that point, fewer than 10 had been turned back.

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Record single-day spike of 16,922 Covid cases takes India’s tally to 4.73 lakh; toll reaches 14,894 India registered its worst single-day increase in COVID-19 cases on Thursday, recording close to 17,000 coronavirus infections, to push the overall tally to 4.73 lakh as the number of fatalities inched closer to 15,000, according to the Union Health Ministry data. The data updated at 8 am showed the daily COVID-19 cases increased by the

highest-ever number of 16,922 cases to reach 4,73,105, while the death toll climbed to 14,894 with 418 new fatalities. This was the sixth consecutive day when coronavirus cases increased by more than 14,000. On June 20, the country registered an increase of 14,516 cases. On June 21, the increase was of 15,413 cases; 14,821 cases on June 22; 14,933

Diesel crosses Rs 80-mark in Delhi after 19th consecutive price hike Petrol price, after a day’s hiatus, was hiked by 16 paise and the increase in less than three weeks now totals Rs 8.66 per litre. Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 79.92 per litre from Rs 79.76, while diesel rates were increased to Rs 80.02 a litre from Rs 79.88, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies. Diesel had for the first time become costlier than petrol in Delhi on Wednesday and

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has now crossed the Rs 80 per litre-mark. Rates differ from state to state depending on the incidence of value-added tax (VAT). However, diesel is costlier than petrol only in the national capital where the state government had raised local sales tax or VAT on the fuel sharply last month. It costs less than petrol in other cities.

The 19th daily increase in rates since oil companies on June 7 restarted revising prices in line with costs after ending an 82-day hiatus in rate revision, has taken diesel prices to fresh highs.

cases on June 23; and 15,968 cases on June 24. Consequently, India has added 92,573 cases since June 20, and over 2.82 lakh this month since June 1.

However, the recovery rate has improved to 57.43 per cent, according to the health ministry. The number of active cases stands at 1,86,514, while 2,71,696 people have recovered and one patient has migrated.

Fiji NGO groups say resources to meet the growing needs of people insufficient Civil society and NGO groups have today stated that they are deeply concerned about the growing humanitarian crisis in Fiji, in light of the Coronavirus pandemic and they have also called for a concerted effort to find urgent mid and long term solutions.

The Fiji CSO Alliance for COVID-19 Humanitarian Response is made up of 8 organisations working across different sectors in Fiji including Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises & Development (FRIEND), Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre,

PM opens new $1.7 million fire station in Nakasi Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says the heroism of Fijian firefighters was on full display in the recent months as Fiji grappled with COVID-19 and Tropical Cyclone Harold. While opening the new $1.7 million worth Nakasi Fire Station this morning, Bainimarama

says responding to either one alone would be difficult, being forced to navigate both at once would seem nearly impossible. Bainimarama further says the NFA stepped up and took action when the nation needed them most.

Saturday, June 27, 2020 Sangrur emerges hotspot as Punjab sees another COVID-19 spike Sangrur is emerging as a new Covid hotspot in the state. After 62 new cases were detected there late last evening, another 19 persons tested positive today. Besides, the district reported another Covid death, taking the total number of fatalities to nine. The 63-year-old

positive patient died last night, while he was being shifted to the civil hospital from Kanjhla village. Of the nine fatalities reported so far in the district, eight are from Malerkotla alone. Of the 19 new patients, 10 are from Malerkotla, six from Sangrur and three from Dhuri.

NIA court rejects British national Jaggiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bail plea The NIA court today rejected the bail application of British national Jagtar Singh Jaggi, alias Jaggi Johal, an accused in the attack on Hindu leader Amit Arora. The plea was rejected by Special Judge, NIA, Karunesh Kumar, in view of serious allegations against him.

Jaspal Singh Manjhpur and Ranjodh Singh Sarao, counsels for Jaggi, told the court that he was being implicated in false cases. They argued that Johal was abroad when Hindu leaders were attacked in Punjab. They said the challan filed by the NIA in the court did not provide any concrete evidence against Jaggi.

GMC Amritsar conducts plasma therapy on two patients In a first, Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar, today started a trial to treat Covid patients with the convalescent plasma therapy. Under the Indian Council of

Medical Research (ICMR) certified yet unproven treatment, the antibodyrich blood plasma of patients who have recovered from Covid is preserved for transfusion into moderately-ill patients.

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Saturday, June 27, 2020