The Asian Star May 1 2021 by The Asian Star Newspaper

www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 13

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Tel:604-591-5423

Hospitals ‘feeling the strain,’ as BC records 853 new Covid-19 cases, 1 more death B.C. health officials announced 853 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday and one more death due to the disease, noting hospitals in some parts of the province, particularly in the Lower Mainland, continue to shoulder a heavy burden.

The province initially reported 874 new cases but revised it in the afternoon. There are currently 503 people who are in hospital with the disease caused

by the novel coronavirus — a slight decrease from yesterday’s all-time high of 515 — but the 178 patients in intensive care is the highest it’s ever been. Continued on page 5

Surrey council gets into row over policing transition as frustration boils over Harsh words were exchanged at Monday night’s Surrey council meeting, leading three councillors to apologize after tempers boiled over during debate on Councillor Brenda Locke’s motion that called for Surrey’s

policing transition to go to a referendum. Last month, Locke lodged a complaint with the Minister of Municipal Affairs against Mayor Doug McCallum after he denied a

previous motion of hers that also called for a referendum on the transition to the Surrey Police Service from the Surrey RCMP. On Monday, McCallum denied Continued on page 7

Corporate America steps up efforts for Covid relief in India: US forum chief America’s corporate sector has stepped up its efforts to help India in its battle against the Covid pandemic and ensure that lives are saved, the head of an Indiacentric American business advocacy group has said. India is currently struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3 lakh daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days, and hospitals are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. “The other whole objective is, what we need to do to save and sustain life,” Mukesh Aghi, the president of the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum, said. “All I can say is all hands are on deck. US corporations have stepped up and you will see the speed and things coming to India very fast,” Aghi said.

Judge says South Asian man’s Covid-19 rule-breaking was like dealing fentanyl on the street Police took PML-N MNA Javed Latif into custody on Tuesday after a sessions court dismissed his bail in a case pertaining to allegedly defaming state institutions. Additional District and Sessions Judge Wajid Minhas heard the prearrest bail petition filed by the MNA.

A counsel for the petitioner argued before the court that a fake FIR had been registered against his client. He submitted that police had registered the case with malafide intentions. He submitted that Javed Latif made the statement during TV talk show in a Continued on page 3

India’s deadly Covid-19 surge follows crowded events India has set another global record in new COVID-19 cases and deaths, with another 379,257 people infected and 3,645 deaths, as the country gears up to open its vaccination

rollout to all adults on Saturday. Experts believe both figures are an undercount, but it is unclear by how much. India now has reported more than 18.3 million cases, behind only Continued on page 7

The arrival and rise of Sikhs in Fiji The arrival of Fijians of Indian descent into Fiji many decades ago are stories worth sharing. Most of these journeys are well-documented and scripted in the many books that have been published by their descendants who have contributed so much to the growth of Fiji. One certain group which make up these special historical moments are the Sikhs, originally of Punjab, India. Two weeks ago, the Sikhs celebrated the Baisakhi festival — a new year for all devotees of the Sikh community and a celebration of happiness. The Sikh Association of Fiji magazine noted that in the auspicious

occasion of Baisakhi – Sikh followers should take a moment to think of their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents who after leaving India in the 1930s continued to preach Sikhism in the Fiji Islands. A publication well-documented among the history books of the Sikhs at the Lautoka Gurudwara entailed the arrival of Sikhs into Fiji towards the end of the Indentured Labour system with hopes of securing better life and prosperity. One of those interesting historical documents was penned by Sardar Iqbal Singh Biln in the Continued on page 8

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Highly toxic drugs circulating in Surrey: Mounties warn Mounties are warning of highly toxic drugs circulating in Surrey, B.C., that may be responsible for six deaths in less than a week. Police said they responded to the deaths, believed to be caused by drug toxicity, between April 21 and April 27. While it’s unknown if the deaths are related to the use of illicit drugs from the same source, police say it’s suspected the drugs are

linked to opioids. Five of the six people died in private homes and it is believed they were using drugs alone. Surrey RCMP said they’ve attended 70 fatal overdoses this year, 20 of them in April alone. Police said safety precautions need to be taken by those using illicit drugs, including never using alone and ensuring there’s a naloxone kit nearby.

Judge says South Asian man’s Covid-19 rule-breaking was like dealing fentanyl on the street particular background. He submitted that it was a case of further inquiry whereas the police did not have powers to register the case. He argued that all sections except one were bailable and pleaded with court to confirm the bail of his client and assured that he would completely cooperate with the police in investigations. However, the prosecution opposed the bail plea, submitting that Javed Latif crossed limits in love of his leader. He submitted that CD of Javed Latif ’s statement had been sent for forensic analysis and the case fulfilled all legal requirements. He submitted that all charges were not bailable and everyone knew outcome of Javed Latif plea in the high court for quashing the FIR. He pleaded with the court to dismiss the petition so that investigations could be completed from the accused. The counsel for complainant also opposed bail plea of Javed Latif. Subsequently, the court reserved verdict on bail plea for some time but later dismissed it. Javed Latif along with his companions

left the courtroom, while the court had reserved its verdict on the bail plea. Township police had registered a case against Mian Javed Latif on March 20 for allegedly hurling insults at the state and its institutions in a talk show. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday strongly condemned the arrest of party leader Mian Javed Latif. In a statement, Shehbaz said Javed Latif was a party loyalist, and it saddened him a lot to learn about his arrest. “The arrests of PML-N leaders and workers show that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government is in a state of jittery,” he said, and added that countries were governed through patience, consultations and understanding. The PML-N president expressed the hope that the courts would do justice to Javed Latif in his case.

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More red ink from Ottawa won’t solve our economic woes

It’s one thing to pull out the credit card to pay for new shingles to patch a leaky roof in a storm. It’s another thing to pull out that credit card to buy a new big screen before the rain even stops. That’s what Ottawa is doing by pilling up new program spending on top of its $1-trillion debt tab. Even worse, the feds

are trying to pitch their debt-financed big screen as a good investment. After recordhigh government spending in 2020, many economists have warned about the dangers of more debt. “Canada cannot continue piling up public debt faster than GDP without risking a fiscal crisis,” said the University of

Calgary’s Jack Mintz. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland aren’t listening. Within a few short years, the Trudeau government will have nearly doubled Canada’s national debt, thanks to Budget 2021. The debt-to-GDP ratio will remain at about half of Canada’s entire economy for the next few years, significantly above pre-pandemic levels. And the only fiscal anchor the budget offers is a lame-duck commitment to unwind “COVID-related deficits and reducing the federal debt as a share of the economy over the medium-term.” William Watson, a professor of economics at McGill University, also has some sobering thoughts.“We need to understand that what we just went through was an emergency,” said Watson. “The federal government supporting millions of Canadians was not and should not become normal.” But making higher government spending the new normal is exactly what Budget 2021 does. By 2026, Freeland will have increased permanent federal government spending by $100 billion. Instead of reining in spending after a temporary emergency, the government is using the cover of COVID-19 to embark on a debt-fuelled spending binge.“The fiscal situation we find ourselves in is that the government simply cannot afford major new spending programs,” said Philip Cross, a former chief economic analyst for Statistics Canada. New and expensive federal programs took centre stage of the feds’ budget, with the government insisting it can somehow now afford to spend $30 billion on a national child-care scheme. To be clear, we couldn’t afford this pre-pandemic, and, with the government’s debt tab smashing through the $1-trillion ceiling, we certainly can’t afford it now. And while the new deficit-financed spending on child care may save parents some money today, Ottawa is essentially forcing parents to offload costs onto their children and grandchildren.

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Saturday, May 1, 2021 From page 1

BC records 853 new Covid-19 cases

Henry said with hospitals in the Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health regions being pushed the hardest right now, people in those regions need to be especially cautious. “I’m asking you to pay particular attention,” Henry said. “Our hospitals in these regions are feeling the strain more than ever.” She said hospitals in smaller communities also cannot handle any unexpected patient influxes and so staying local is important. Henry also said B.C. is expecting to begin receiving much greater supplies of vaccines in coming weeks which will speed up the agebased and worker-based vaccination programs.

“This is the good news and this is what we have to look forward to in the coming weeks,” Henry said. “Every adult in British Columbia will have access to vaccines by the middle of June at the rate that we expect to go, starting next week.” As of Thursday, 1,749,375 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered, 90,296 of which are second doses. There are currently 7,996 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C. and 11,628 people are under public health monitoring due to exposure to known cases. So far, B.C. has recorded 128,742 cases of COVID-19, including 1,577 people who have died.

Man charged with incitement of hatred, mischief over anti-Asian graffiti in Vancouver’s Chinatown B.C.-wide warrant issued for Yves Castonguay; charges related to defaced windows at Chinese Cultural Centre A 47-year-old man is wanted for arrest after he was charged with one count of public incitement of hatred and one count of mischief to property in relation to hateful graffiti at the Chinese Cultural Centre, Vancouver police say. A B.C.-wide warrant has been issued for the arrest of Yves Castonguay, according to a release from the Vancouver Police Department. The graffiti was discovered on April 2, 2020, after a suspect walked into the courtyard of the centre in the city’s Chinatown and wrote “disturbing, racist remarks toward the Asian community on four large glass windows,” police said. The centre, located on Columbia Street between Keefer and East Pender streets, was founded in 1973 to help preserve and promote Chinese cultural heritage. It offers classes and walking tours, and organizes exhibits. Hateful graffiti at the site is just one example of an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination since the start of the pandemic, police said. “It has been a tough year for the East Asian community,” said Const. Tania Visintin

the release. “We want to reassure the community that our investigators are working tirelessly to hold people responsible for these hate crimes.”After 12 anti-Asian hate crimes were reported to police in Vancouver in 2019, 98 were registered in 2020 — an increase of more than 700 per cent, Visintin said. ‘ S e r i o u s , specific charge’ VPD said Castonguay was charged on March 30 for one count of public incitement of hatred and one count of mischief to property, but failed to attend his court date. “The criminal charge for public incitement of hatred is a serious, specific charge that is rarely used. We are pleased that investigators were able to secure it,” said Visitin. Police are asking anyone who sees Castonguay or knows of his whereabouts to contact investigators. The VPD is also asking anyone victimized by a hate crime, or who witnesses one, to call 911.

Former Liberal gaming minister dismisses ‘ridiculous’ allegations B.C. prioritized revenue over money laundering A former B.C. cabinet minister responsible for gaming dismissed allegations Wednesday he prioritized casino revenue over efforts to investigate money laundering, saying he “never once” saw anyone deliberately turn a blind eye during his decade in the role. Rich Coleman, a six-term former Liberal member of the B.C. Legislature, said accusations he ignored warnings about “out-of-control” organized criminal activity in Lower Mainland casinos were nonsense. “That’s just ridiculous,” Coleman said during part of his four-hour testimony before the Cullen Commission. “There was never ever, that I saw, a point where somebody said, ‘Ignore a revenue stream that could be illegal for the benefit of government.’

It never happened.” Coleman is one of several current and former B.C. cabinet ministers to testify before the Cullen inquiry in recent days. The commission is meant to determine where and how money laundering has been happening in B.C., why it’s been allowed to continue and whether it can be prevented in the future. Coleman, now retired from politics, was one of the most high-profile witnesses. He held the gaming portfolio on and off from 2001 to 2013 — a time during which money laundering began to take off — and a number of previous witnesses have accused him of failing to respond. More than $100 million in suspected dirty cash was reportedly cleaned in B.C. over a decade and a half.

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Mourning BC family struggles to return body to India after sudden suspension of flights A B.C. family is struggling to return the body of a loved one to India after the federal govt’s suspension of flights to and from the country made an already heart-wrenching task nearly impossible. Amrinder Singh died suddenly at age 29 on April 5. His family still does not know the cause of his death. He had been in Canada for three months, working in a Langley, B.C., hotel, in the hopes of bringing his young family over from India to build a better life. Upon his death, his cousin Bimaljeet Kaur Kaler worked tirelessly to secure the permits necessary to return his body to India for his family. The flight on which his body was to be transported was set to fly in the early hours of April 25. But on April 22 the federal government banned passenger flights from India and Pakistan for 30 days amid rising COVID-19 case counts in India and concerns about mutations of the coronavirus. In India, people are begging for hospital beds and oxygen cylinders on social media “It was very hard to see him already as a dead body. I never imagined him like that. When I talked to my family [in India] they said that this is the last time we can see him, so please send the body to India however you can,” said Kaur Kaler. “We are facing a very, very hard time.” Kaur Kaler said at the time of the federal government’s announcement, her cousin’s body was already at the airport. She had to arrange for it to be transported back to the funeral home, and is now working to once again secure the necessary permits for the

206 - 55 Water Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1A1

body to be flown to India, perhaps on an indirect flight. Kaur Kaler said she understood the urgency of the situation given the rapidly deteriorating situation in India and the need to protect Canada from a worsening third wave of infections. But she said she wishes the government had given two or three days’ notice before the sudden suspension of flights. “All the permissions are not granted yet. We are still in the process. We still don’t know when he can go back to India. It’s already been almost a month,” she said. “They shouldn’t do this very suddenly, they should think of people on the ground level, what they would face. I don’t think there can be another big emergency as big as death.” COVID-19 cases at height of B.C.’s 3rd wave disproportionately affecting South Asian communities I live in Canada, my wife is in India. The pandemic and our broken immigration system are keeping us apart Kaur Kaler referred to Singh as her brother, though the two were first cousins. She described him as “a very generous person, a very cheerful person.” “He really wanted to give a very, very beautiful life to his family, his daughters, his wife.” India has now posted seven consecutive days of more than 300,000 new coronavirus infections and Wednesday’s death toll rose by 3,263. The official numbers are seen as an underestimation by health experts.

Saturday, May 1, 2021 India’s deadly Covid-19 surge follows crowded events the US, with the surge rooted in so-called “super-spreader” events that were allowed to happen in the months after India thought it had the pandemic under control. Fuelling the catastrophe was a series of crowded events, like mass rallies by politicians such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, religious holidays and pilgrimages on the Ganges river. As governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers, including Modi, touted victory over the virus, people relaxed their vigilance and stopped wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. Now India is enduring its darkest chapter yet, with mass funeral pyres, burials and a collapse of the healthcare system compounded

by shortages of oxygen, ventilators and hospital beds. Patients are suffocating, even dying, for lack of oxygen, with fires at overwhelmed crematoriums lighting up the night skies in several cities. BJP supporters wear masks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they gather for a rally addressed by Modi ahead of West Bengal state elections in Kolkata on March 7, 2021. Devotees took holy dips in the Ganges river during the Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela. Hindu devotees crowded the banks of holy Ganges river as they perform rituals to mark the Chaiti Chhath Puja festival at sunset in Patna, Bihar on April 18, 2021.

Surrey council gets into row over policing transition as frustration boils over

From page 1

her latest attempt, deeming it out of order. “The legal opinion is, I cannot read it out because it’s privileged and confidential, but I am going to rule her motion for a request for a provincially directed referendum regarding Surrey police services out of order based on that legal opinion that I got back.” Locke challenged the chair. “I will call for a vote,” McCallum replied. “Those that support the mayor, those that do not support the mayor.” The Safe Surrey Coalition majority then defeated the challenge on a five-to-four vote. Then on a point of privilege Locke tried to have the legal opinion challenged. “I’ve ruled it out of order,” McCallum replied. The fireworks began after Locke’s second motion, calling on Chief Constable Norm Lipinski of the Surrey Police Service to report at all council meetings “outlining the actions, plans and financials” of the Surrey Police Service. This too was defeated by the SSC, on a five-to-four vote. “Not supporting this, not supporting a referendum, to me is just saying to the public that their voices don’t matter and they will not be heard,” Locke said. Councillor Allison Patton said the “minority” on council is spending a majority of their time on the policing issue “when it is not under our purveyance. “I’m getting a lot of feedback that because of this focus there is some lacking in skill set and focus in terms of attention to other matters,” Patton said. “I really don’t understand this neverending focus on something that really isn’t any of our business and I’m highly concerned about the number of individuals that are not feeling well served by our council. We need to keep our focus on the things that matter that are not just the police because that is just one small segment.” Patton asked her fellow council members “to not forget their role as a councillor in these times.” “There’s more to it than putting your nose where it doesn’t belong,” she said, “in the sense that us as councillors are not meant to be overseeing the Surrey Police Service.” Councillor Jack Hundial replied that “if there’s an actual accusation of someone not doing their job I’d like to actually hear it laid out as opposed to the innuendos around it.” Patton’s comments, he said, are “a little almost offensive.”

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8 Sikh Association of Fiji magazine, a former vice president of the Tagitagi Gurudwara and grandson of the late Sardar Gulzara Singh Biln, one of the first Sikh settlers in Fiji. The document noted that Sardar Gulzara Singh Biln arrived in Fiji in 1928 as a 16-year-old among many other prominent Sikhs who were very conscious about their culture and religion. He was encouraged to travel to Fiji by his cousin, Sardar Tara Singh Biln who was the father of Bhai Mohan Singh Biln – the long serving Granthi at Tagitagi, Tavua and Lautoka Gurudwara (temple). Gulzara Singh left behind his parents and five brothers when he came to settle in Fiji.

Saturday, May 1, 2021 From page 1

The arrival and rise of Sikhs in Fiji

After landing at Suva Point many months after leaving the Punjab shores, Sardar Gulzara Singh Biln and many other Sikhs settled in Malele, Tavua as cultivators. At his home in Malele, he and other Sikhs started a Gurdwara which was later moved to Tagitagi, a central area to accommodate more and more Sikhs who started arriving and settled in the Ba and surrounding Tavua farming communities. The late Mr Singh Biln married in 1936 and raised a family of eight at Malele where he had first settled and called home. In his lifetime, he always had the time to serve the community where he was the

founding member and president of the then Balata Indian School, now Balata Primary School, and spent many years of his life as a committee member and president of Tagitagi Gurudwara. He died in 1986 in Tavua and his sons, daughters and most of his grandchildren and their families moved abroad in search of better life and now settle in Canada and the USA. His youngest son Sardar Harjindar Singh Biln, who was the president of the Lautoka Gurudwara in 1986-1987, now lives in Toronto, Canada. The Lautoka Gurudwara was

established in 1933 by Sikhs living in Lautoka, Nadi and Sigatoka. It was, however, completely desecrated by arsonist in 1987 and a new building was constructed in 1990 which currently house the Gurudwara in the Sugar City. Despite calling Fiji their homeland, most Sikhs in Fiji have not diverted from their true religious calling and beliefs. They believe that as Sikhs, they must always set example to the life of others, therefore a Sikh should become a better farmer, a better businessman and a better public servant. He is also not to shun material gain or the comforts of life.

India sets new global daily record in Covid-19 cases India set another global record in new virus cases Thursday, as millions of people in one state cast votes despite rising infections, and the country geared up to open its vaccination rollout to all adults amid snags.With 379,257 new infections, India now has reported more than 18.3 million cases, second only to the United States. The Health Ministry also reported 3,645 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 204,832. India has set a daily global record for seven of the past eight days, with a seven-day moving average of nearly 350,000 infections. Daily deaths have nearly tripled in the past three weeks, reflecting the intensity of the latest surge. And the country’s already teetering health system is under immense strain, prompting multiple allies to send help. A country of nearly

1.4 billion people, India had thought the worst was over when cases ebbed in September. But mass public gatherings such as political rallies and religious events that were allowed to continue, and relaxed attitudes on the risks fed by leaders touting victory over the virus led to what now has become a major humanitarian crisis, health experts say. New variants of the coronavirus have also partly led the surge. Amid the crisis in India, voting for the eighth and final phase of the West Bengal state elections began Thursday, even as the devastating surge of infections continues to barrel across the country with a ferocious speed, filling crematoriums and graveyards. More than 8 million people are eligible to vote in at least 11,860 polling stations across the state. The Election Commission has said social distancing measures would be in place.

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Tempers flare at Surrey vaccine pop-up clinic, as people wait for hours only to be turned away People who waited in line for hours at a pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Surrey, B.C., on Wednesday were angry and frustrated to learn they would not receive a shot. Staff from Fraser Health were surrounded by a confused crowd when they emerged from the Newton Athletic Park clinic at about 1:30 p.m. to announce that anyone who hadn’t received a ticket would not get the vaccine. Many of those waiting complained that they’d taken the day off work, and had no previous indication they were wasting their time. Jay Grewal told CBC News he’d been waiting for nearly four hours at that point, and said a security guard had told him he was 562nd in line for 800 shots. “What’s the point of that? You should tell us, ‘This many people are going to get it.’ You can hand out tickets in the morning,” he said.

“Where did all the vaccine go?” People who say they waited in line for hours outside a pop-up vaccine clinic at Newton Athletic Park vented their frustration Wednesday afternoon after learning they would not get a COVID-19 shot. 1:28 Fraser Health was making doses of Pfizer vaccine available to people over the age of 18 who live in the area, which is considered a high-transmission neighbourhood. Health authority staff on site declined to speak on the record, but maintained that people in line were told there were no guarantees of getting a shot. They told the crowd that the only way to guarantee a dose is to book an appointment. But many of the people who were turned away complained of a lack of communication. “It’s really unorganized. At least have megaphones or something,” Rhiya Heir said.

Saturday, May 1, 2021

How Montreal, not long ago the epicentre of the pandemic in Canada, avoided a disastrous 3rd wave Late last year, Dr. Sarah-Amélie Mercure and her team at Montreal’s public health department watched with worry as more transmissible variants of the coronavirus were identified in other parts of the world. She knew it was only a matter of time before they arrived in the city, which had already struggled through two brutal, deadly waves of COVID-19. Quebec’s first case of the B117 variant, first identified in the United Kingdom, was confirmed in the Eastern Townships on Dec. 29. Given its ability to spread more easily, Mercure knew they would have to act more quickly than in the past to avoid another surge. “We changed basically everything in how we do things,” said Mercure, the department’s associate medical chief of infectious disease prevention and control. In an in-depth interview, Mercure detailed those changes and the lessons learned from the struggles of last fall and spring. Several of Quebec’s regions saw a spike in cases earlier this month, putting pressure on hospitals and leading to tighter restrictions, but the province’s largest city has so far escaped the worst of the third wave. Projections released Thursday by the province’s public health institute, the INSPQ, suggest that if the existing measures are maintained and followed, there will be a continued low stable case count in Montreal through May, which will then gradually taper off. Hospitalizations will also go down as the vaccination campaign expands, the INSPQ said. Mercure points to improvements in key areas: more rigorous contact tracing (a welldocumented problem earlier in the pandemic), faster lab results to confirm variant cases, shutting down schools and workplaces more quickly when a variant is detected, and targeted vaccinations in hotspots.

“We were very, very proactive,” she said. Mercure cautioned, though, that a spike in cases could still happen even though the third wave appears to be on the wane. All it takes, she said, would be “one or two superspreading events.” Dr. Olivier Drouin, a pediatrician at Montreal’s Sainte-Justine Hospital and a public health researcher, said he’s hopeful the city — and the province as a whole — has learned from past mistakes. “I think from crises we learn things that we should do and not do,” he said. “I think both the city being the epicentre of the first and second wave, and the province having been the worst off early in the pandemic, have adjusted their approach.” Drouin said other provinces, including neighbouring Ontario, didn’t appear to heed the same lessons — opening up just as the threat became clear. “It was a bit shocking for me to learn what was allowed in Ontario up to February,” he said. “We haven’t seen that in Quebec for months.’’ In public health parlance, Mercure said, there are three ways to approach the pandemic: on one end of the spectrum is “mitigation” (flattening the COVID-19 curve to protect the health system, as Quebec tried to do early on) and on the other, “elimination,” as in the case of New Zealand. Somewhere in between is “suppression,” which Mercure described as targeted, swift attacks on outbreaks, with a particular focus on variant cases. “What you want to do is prevent as many cases as you can, because what you want is preventing deaths and hospital admissions, but just not for the sake of saving your health-care system,” she said. “It’s really because you want to drive this epidemic as low as possible.”

Calls increase for premier to enforce physical checkpoints between BC & Alberta A petition calling on B.C.’s Premier to strengthen inter-provincial border controls has gained thousands of signatures. Advocate Melody Ma says putting up signs along the Alberta border discouraging non-essential travel is “simply not enough” to keep the COVID-19 virus out of our province. “Implement enforced checkpoints at interprovincial borders — whether that is by land, air or sea so that unnecessary travel into and out of B.C. is stopped,” Ma says. “Enforce the 14-day mandatory self-isolation quarantine for people travelling into B.C. — very similar to

how you would ask people to self-quarantine for international travel. So that is what we need in B.C. in terms of interprovincial border controls.” She says we should treat travel within Canada the same as international travel during this third wave. So far, over 5,500 people have signed the petition. “People are angry. People want stronger travel restrictions … And people are seeing that people are dying every day. Babies are dying, parents are dying, grandparents are dying. How many more people need to die before we actually take substantial action.”

B.C. expects vaccine supply to double starting next week British Columbia’s inconsistent COVID-19 vaccination rollout is set to get a big shot in the arm. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the province is expecting the supply of Pfizer vaccine to double starting next week and remain at record levels through the month of May. The province received 138,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine this week. The shipment is expected to go up to 276,000 doses next week, with the same amount expected each Monday through May. In total, the province is expecting 1.1 million doses of Pfizer in May. The province is also expecting an additional shipment of the Moderna vaccine in the middle of May. “What that means is over the next week, once we get to Monday, we will be inviting people to book rapidly,” Dix said. “What we are trying to do is get as many people registered.”

Pfizer has been described as the province’s “workhorse” of the vaccination clinics, making up a majority of the aged-based immunizations. The province is expecting to speed up the aged-based program. There has been been growing frustration that it’s been stalled for those in their late fifties. As of Thursday, B.C. is now booking appointments for those 58 years and older. The expectation is the increased supply will allow the province to move down one birth year each day next week. But you cannot book an appointment for the Pfizer/Moderna age-based program if you are not registered. “Once we get to next week, we are going to be going by age, day after day. It is going to go much more quickly now. I ask anyone who has the ear of anyone to remind them to get registered,” Dix said. “Anyone right now who is 58 and above can register right now and get booked right away.”

BC nears 500 fatal overdoses in 1st quarter of 2021; 158 deaths in March The number of people who lost their lives to illicit drug overdoses in 2021 hit 498 as of March, the BC Coroner’s Service reported Thursday (April 29). Data shows that 158 people died in March, tying the all-time record for that month, set in March 2018. It’s the most fatal overdoses ever recorded in the first three months of the year, with last month’s deaths marking a 41 per cent increase from March 2020. Deaths continue to largely take place in private residences and no fatalities were recorded at supervised consumption or drug overdose prevention sites. Only Vancouver

Coastal Health saw more deaths in other residences such as in hotels, motels, rooming houses, single room occupancy, shelters, social and supportive housing than private ones. So far this year, the highest number of overdose deaths have been in Fraser Health with 171 and Vancouver Coastal Health with 237, making up 62 per cent of all fatalities this year. The highest rates however were in Northern Health with 57 deaths per 100,000 and Vancouver Coastal Health with 38 per 100,000. The overall rate in B.C. is at 38 deaths per 100,000.

Saturday, May 1, 2021 BC examining implication of Supreme Court ruling upholding existence of Sinixt Nation BC Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Murray Rankin says the province is studying the implications of last week’s decision by Canada’s highest court that a First Nation in B.C. is not extinct, as the province had claimed. In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada said Friday the Sinixt Nation, whose reservation is in Washington state, has a constitutionally protected Indigenous right to hunt in its ancestral territory north of the border, refuting the federal government’s 65-year-old claim that the Indigenous community no longer exists. Rankin says lawyers with the Ministry of

the Attorney General are taking a “good hard look” to determine the court ruling’s impact on provincial policies on Indigenous rights. “It’s a strong decision,” Rankin said Tuesday to Chris Walker, the host of CBC’s Daybreak South. “But the court was very careful to say that it applied only to the facts of that [Indigenous hunting rights] case, and was very reluctant to speculate about what it means in other contexts.” The case began in 2010 when Sinixt leaders sent one of its members, Richard Desautel, to shoot and kill an elk in its traditional territory of the Arrow Lakes

Quebec woman dead from blood clot Francine Boyer has been identified as the 54-year-old Quebecer who died after a blood clot linked to receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The first fatality in Canada linked to the shot. (Photo via Canada Obituaries) Hers is first fatality in Canada linked to the shot. Alain Serres, Boyer’s husband, confirmed her identity in a press release Tuesday night after Quebec Public Health Director Dr. Horacio Arruda confirmed the death at a government update on the COVID-19 situation earlier in the day. Originally from Saint-Rémi, south of Montreal, themotheroftwoandgrandmother,diedonApril23. Her family is asking for privacy through their press release. Her husband posted to social media, “I love you and I will love you forever!”

Serres encouraged people who get the vaccine to stay alert for symptoms or unusual reactions and to contact Info-Santé (811) if in doubt. The release says that Serres and Boyer received their first dose of the vaccine on April 9 and that over the next few days, Boyer experienced “great fatigue along with headaches,” but her husband had no side effects. Boyer went to the nearest hospital and was transferred to the Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital before she died of cerebral thrombosis, according to the statement. At the Tuesday press conference, Arruda said that this was a sad but rare event. “We knew that it might happen. We have a risk of default one in every 100,000 doses today,” he said, adding that the benefits outweigh the risks.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, May 1, 2021

BC workers now eligible for three hours of paid leave to get Covid-19 immunizations Workers in British Columbia can receive up to three hours of paid leave in order to get a Covid-19 vaccination. A statement from the Ministry of Labour says amendments to the Employment Standards Act are now in effect, retroactive to April 19. The employer-paid leave covers full-time and part-time workers and the ministry says it ensures no employee will lose pay for taking time off to get vaccinated.

The three-hour leave is part of B.C.’s immunization plan and the statement says it helps make the vaccination process as easy as possible. The legislation improves on changes enacted April 1 that provide unpaid leave for pandemic-related vaccinations, which could include a worker accompanying a family member for a shot, or if the worker needs more time to get to an assigned vaccination facility.

Head-on collision in Burnaby sends three people to hospital: RCMP A head-on crash between a sedan and a pick-up truck on Wednesday afternoon around Imperial Street and Canada Way closed the major intersection for hours. RCMP Corporal Mike Kalanj says the driver of a sedan was immediately transported to the hospital in “…life-threatening condition.” The driver had two passengers who were also sent to hospital, but Kalanj adds they aren’t in life-threatening conditions at this time.

The driver of the pick-up truck wasn’t injured, according to Kalanj, and remained at the scene. RCMP says that driver is cooperating with police. It’s unclear what caused the crash and investigators say they’ll be scouring the area for evidence into the early morning hours of Thursday. “We don’t actually know. We’re speaking to as many witnesses as we can. We’re asking if anyone was in the area and has some dashcam [to] definitely give the RCMP a call in Burnaby,” adds Kalanj.

Delta pilot project allows drinking in three parks Delta is allowing drinking in three parks as part of a pilot project starting June 1 The parks include Diefenbaker Park in Tsawwassen, Memorial

Park in Ladner and North Delta Community Park People can drink in the parks from 11 a.m. until dusk Delta pilot project allows drinking in three parks

Employer incentives more effective than mandates, says expert Can your boss tell you a COVID-19 vaccine is mandatory to come into work? Legal minds say the law is not clear. While Canadian courts have looked at similar cases, one employment attorney tells CityNews there’s really nothing like what’s happening during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re dealing with circumstances where decision-makers have not weighed in on whether an employer can or cannot mandate, so to speak, vaccination,” said Tushar Anandasagar with Gowling WLG’s Employment, Labour and Equalities Group in Toronto. “We’re in a legal vacuum in a sense.” Canada has seen cases where a hospital has mandated its nurses to get a flu shot or wear a mask. But Anandasagar says the situations are far too different. Those cases didn’t look at mandatory vaccinations, per se, but looked at one specific policy requiring a mask or a vaccine. That case considered if nurses wearing masks might intimidate patients, but Anandasagar says the pandemic may have changed that. “Over the course of the last 14 months or so, that frame of reference has completely changed. The concept of an individual being intimidated by a mask is out of the window. We are now dealing with the opposite circumstances, where people are being intimidated by individuals not wearing masks.” Anandasagar says what we don’t know is if there will be any regulatory safeguards to keep “employers and their civil liabilities under control.” That would entail the creation of a program, which he says is still in its nascency, that could cover an employer

against possible liability in the event of an adverse reaction of an employee. “That would certainly help in respect towards mandating, or considering mandating,” he said. “Until we’ve crossed that bridge, I don’t think many employers will be willing to take that risk. And if they do, they would have to find others sources — potentially insurance or some other form of containment — for that liability.” In the U.S., some employers are offering cash bonuses to workers who get vaccinated. And a recent survey of American employers says 33 per cent of bosses plan to give paid time off for vaccinations. David Zweig at the University of Toronto says incentives are the way to go, as data shows workers respond better to a carrot, rather than a stick. “If you engage in rewarding people for engaging in the behaviour they want them to do, that behaviour will increase, and resistance will go down,” said Zweig. “If you tell people they have to get vaccinated, they’ll immediately build up resistance to doing so. But if you offer them incentives for getting vaccinated — you give them paid time off to go get vaccinated, you give them some kind of reward — you’re going to get a lot more compliance and a lot less resistance to doing that.” Now, this comes as vaccination starts to roll out at workplaces across Canada. But in those instances, Anandasagar emphasizes the clinics aren’t run by the employer, but local authorities. And they’re not mandating vaccination, just encouraging it.

LOCAL

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Some Surrey firefighters trained to give Covid-19 vaccines via mobile unit The Fraser Health Authority is getting some help from a local fire department in an effort to get more people who qualify to get a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Surrey Fire Service (SFS) will be helping with vaccination efforts through its mobile command post and training van for these portable clinics. Some crew members have also been trained to give people a shot, though it’s not clear how many. “The premise of the mobile clinics is to broaden the opportunities and make it easier for people to visit a clinic by bringing the vaccine to as many places

as possible,” Mayor Doug McCallum said. “Getting as many doses into as many arms as possible is vital if we are to beat this pandemic. I urge everyone to take the opportunity to visit a mobile clinic,” he added. For its part, the City’s fire chief says he is pleased his team is able to collaborate with Fraser Health so that they can continue their goals of protecting people. “SFS has had a long history of helping out beyond our traditional role of fighting fires and this is just another way for us to help protect the people of Surrey,” Chief Larry Thomas said.

High-risk sex offender to live in Vancouver Vancouver Police are warning the public that Jatin Patel, a high-risk sex offender, who they said “poses a significant risk” to adolescent females and sex workers will be living in the city. Patel, 46, is currently serving a seven-year Long Term Supervision Order for a conviction of sexual assault. Police describe Patel as South Asian, five foot two, and has a medium build. Patel has short, black hair and brown eyes. Patel must comply with UIF GPMMPXJOH DPOEJUJPOT t $BOOPU DPOTVNF QVSDIBTF PS QPTTFTT BMDPIPM t $BOOPU consume, purchase, or possess drugs other than QSFTDSJCFE NFEJDBUJPO t $BOOPU BTTPDJBUF XJUI any person believed to be involved in criminal

BDUJWJUZ PS TVCTUBODF NJTVTF t .VTU not be in the presence of any female under age 18 unless accompanied CZ BO BEVMU t .BOOPU CF JO OFBS or around any park, daycare, school, swimming pool, or recreational centre unless accompanied by an BEVMU t .VTU OPU PXO VTF PS possess any technological device that would allow access to internet; t .VTU OPU IBWF DPOUBDU XJUI PS CF in or near locations where sex workers BSF BOE t .VTU SFTJEF BU B $PNNVOJUZ Correctional Centre or a Community Residential Facility, or other residential facility. AnyonewhowitnessesJatinPatelinviolation of any of these conditions is asked to call 911

She said, he said — RCMP accuses Surrey of police-poaching British Columbia’s top Mountie accused the Surrey Police Service’s chief of poaching. In a March 11 letter, obtained via the freedom of information law, Commanding Officer Jennifer Strachan told Surrey Chief Norm Lipinski that she had received complaints from numerous RCMP personnel receiving calls at work from Surrey Police recruiters, asking if they would consider retiring from the RCMP and joining the new police force. “I want to share my concerns that these calls are coming into colleagues via their RCMP phone numbers and during work hours. A number have expressed their discomfort,” wrote Strachan, who runs the Surrey-headquartered B.C. division. “I fully support you and your team in accomplishing the enormous task of recruiting new employees, but would respectfully request that your human resources team adjust their approach to avoid further complaints.”

Strachan wanted Lipinski to be mindful that the transition is stressful for those directly impacted, particularly those that work at the Surrey RCMP detachment. “Ultimately, our two agencies will need to work together in the future, and I know that you are as committed to encouraging positive working relationships among all our employees, as I am.” When he finally replied March 23, Lipinski denied Strachan’s allegation and delivered a zinger in return. “I have discussed this issue with my deputy chiefs, and we are not aware of anyone at the Surrey Police Service making the phone calls in such a manner as you indicated. It would be helpful if you could provide specific details,” wrote Lipinksi, a former senior Mountie. “Also, I totally agree that cooperation between the two agencies is important.

Hospitalizations rise to new high, as BC records 841 new Covid-19 cases, 5 more deaths BC health officials announced 841 new cases of COVID-19 and five more deaths on Wednesday, as the number of patients in hospital with the disease set another record. In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said there are 8,009 active cases of the novel coronavirus in B.C. A total of 515 people are in hospital, with 171 in intensive care — both the highest totals B.C. has seen so far in the pandemic. The overall hospitalization numbers are up 6.6 per cent in the last week, while the number of patients in intensive care has risen by 4.3 per cent. In the face of those discouraging numbers, Henry and Dix urged British Columbians to stick with public health

advice to prevent transmission of the disease. “We know what we need to do, and it is the small, simple steps that make the biggest difference. Washing our hands, staying home when we are feeling unwell, wearing our masks and giving others space — whether at the grocery store, at the park or playground,” they said. The provincial death toll from the disease is 1,576 out of 127,889 confirmed cases to date. Public health is actively monitoring 11,657 people across the province who are in selfisolation because of Covid-19 exposure. Outbreaks at Sunset Manor in Chilliwack and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital are now over. Meanwhile,InteriorHealthhasdeclaredanoutbreak at Spring Valley Seniors Community in Kelowna. So far, 1,705,409 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 89,725 second doses.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Governments spend more than $250M to reduce homelessness One year ago, B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association CEO Jill Atkey suggested governments should consider buying underused hotels for low-income residents. Her pitch has come to fruition — and then some. “I think it’s safe to say that it’s a pretty historic investment acquisition,” said Atkey. A CBC News analysis shows all three levels of government have spent more than $250 million in the last year purchasing properties for homeless and low-income residents in Vancouver, adding more than 750 beds to the city’s stock of low-income and supportive housing. “It was a really good opportunity ... to look at those properties coming onto the market because tourism was certainly suffering, and make those investments to get people quickly housed,” said Atkey. The majority of the purchases were hotels,

but some were condemned SROs like the Balmoral and Regent, while others were properties already leased to governments for housing but not outright owned by them. Can B.C. cities prevent homeless camps in the future? Not easily, say observers “The answer to homelessness is housing,” said Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart, who also said that while the investments so far were “not enough,” he was optimistic more purchases would be possible due to additional federal government funds. “You’ll hear even more of this in the weeks and months ahead, and as long as I’m mayor of this city, it will be a primary focus.” The purchases happened over the course of the last year, but the majority were only finalized in the last month. Those purchases have been part of the strategy behind a

BC gov’t puts $9.5M toward removing more than 100 derelict boats Environment Minister George Heyman says the province is spending $9.5 million to address the “massive’’ problem of marine debris along the coast. Four projects will share the funding to clean up 1,200 kilometres of coastline and more than 100 derelict vessels. The cleanup projects are being done by the Small Ship Tour Operators Association, the Wilderness Tourism Association, Coastal Restoration Society, Ocean Legacy Foundation and the Songhees Development Corp., with each receiving between $1.5 million and $3.5 million. Heyman told a news conference

the project will reduce pollution while creating jobs, and support local communities and Indigenous nations. The Clean Coast, Clean Waters Initiative was created after the government heard through consultation with local governments and individuals in 2019 about concerns over abandoned vessels, mooring buoys, polystyrene foam, aquaculture debris and single-use plastics. One sunken boat pollutes ocean as much as 480,000 plastic straws, non-profit says Heyman says the program is part of both the Clean B.C. Plastics Action Plan and the $10-billion COVID-19 response and economic recovery plan.

Hundreds of travellers landing in Canada test positive for Covid-19 variants More than 2,000 people returning to Canada since the federal government brought in mandatory hotel quarantines have tested positive for COVID-19 and more than a quarter of them were infected with a variant of concern. Data supplied to The Canadian Press by the Public Health Agency of Canada show that between Feb. 22 and April 22, 557 international air travellers tested positive for a variant of concern. Most of them, 518 cases, are the B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the United Kingdom,

which is the dominant variant in Canada. Another 27 passengers tested positive for the B.1.351 variant first identified in South Africa, and 12 tested positive for the P.1 variant identified in Brazil. The viruses mutations become “variants of concern” when they are confirmed to spread more easily, cause more severe illness or be resistant to known treatments or vaccines. Data is not available to show if those passengers are believed to have infected anyone after arriving, but at some point, all of those variants arrived in Canada via travellers,

Over 4,000 Covid-19 vaccines doled out at Fraser Health pop-up clinics, which could pop up again Pop-up vaccine clinics in the Fraser Health region had thousands of people lining up for a shot at a shot on Tuesday — and the health authority’s top doctor says appointmentfree vaccine clinics aimed at residents of COVID-19 hot-spot communities could pop up again. Elizabeth Brodkin, chief medical health officer for Fraser Health, said the two clinics were announced last minute after health officials compared vaccine supply to the number of booked appointments at those locations that day, and determined they could open their doors to more people. She said, in total, “well over 4,000 doses” were administered at the Poirier Forum in Coquitlam and the Cloverdale Recreation

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Centre in Surrey. Fraser Health announced the drop-in clinics shortly after noon, saying the vaccines were meant for residents of hightransmission neighbourhoods in the region. Some people in the four-hour lineup that snaked outside the Coquitlam sports complex admitted they didn’t live in a neighbourhood identified as a COVID-19 hot spot. But no one who spoke with CBC News at the Poirier Forum on Tuesday said they were turned away for living in another community. “The people that we are trying to target are people who live in those high-risk neighbourhoods, but our primary focus is on removing any barriers in the way of anyone who is eligible getting vaccinated,” said Brodkin.

Saturday, May 1, 2021

INDIA

Saturday, May 1, 2021

As Covid-19 sweeps India, experts say cases and deaths are going unreported India, home to the world’s worst ongoing coronavirusoutbreak,hasreportedmorethan17.6 million cases since the pandemic began last year. But the real number, experts fear, could be up to 30 times higher -meaning more than half a billion cases. Health workers and scientists in India have long warned that Covid-19 infections and related deaths are significantly underreported for several reasons, including poor infrastructure, human error, and low testing levels. Some things have changed since then -testing has greatly increased in the wake of the first wave, for instance. But still, the true extent of the second wave now ravaging India is likely much worse than official numbers suggest. “It’s widely known that both the case numbers and the mortality figures are undercounts, they

always have been,” said Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy in New Delhi. “Last year we estimated that only one in about 30 infections were being caught by testing, so the reported cases are a serious underestimate of true infections,” he said. “This time, the mortality figures are probably serious underestimates, and what we’re seeing on the ground is many more deaths, than what has been officially reported.” CNN has reached out to the country’s health ministry for comment about the claims of underreporting. As the first wave began to ebb in September last year, the government pointed to its low death rate as a sign of its success in handling the outbreak, and to support its decision to lift some restrictions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the low figures as boosting “the confidence of people,” and predicted that “the entire country will emerge victorious in the battle against Covid-19,” according to a press release in August. That battle is still ongoing. The country’s daily death toll is now projected to continue climbing until mid-May, according to prediction models from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations. The death toll could peak at more than 13,000 a day -- more than four times the current daily death toll, the predictions show. “I don’t think any family has been spared a Covid death,” said Laxminarayan. “There’s a missing person in every family that I can think of.” Not enough tests India’s testing capacity has increased dramatically since the first wave. Around this time last year, the country was testing fewer than half a million people per day -- now, “they are doing close to 2 million tests a day,” said Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist for the World Health Organization (WHO). But “that’s still not sufficient because the national average positivity rate is about 15% -- in some cities like Delhi it’s up to 30% or higher,” she said Monday. “That means there are lots of people out there who are infected and not being detected just because of the capacity of testing ... we will know only later how many was really the number of people infected.” There are a few reasons for the insufficient testing, according to Bhramar Mukherjee, professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Michigan. The most obvious is that asymptomatic patients -- also called “silent infections” -- may simply never know they were infected, and so never get tested. There are also different case reporting structures across different cities and states, and testing may be less accessible in rural areas. Poorer

residents might not be able to afford the time off work to get tested, or to travel to a test center. A healthcare worker collects swab samples at a Covid-19 testing center in Mumbai, India, on April 22. A healthcare worker collects swab samples at a Covid-19 testing center in Mumbai, India, on April 22. “All countries to some extent have faced this problem of accurately classifying Covidrelated deaths, but I think in India the problem is quite acute,” said Mukherjee. But serology surveys, which test for antibodies in the immune system to indicate if someone has been exposed to the virus, give scientists a better measure of how many people may be infected in reality.

Kejriwal didn’t spend money from relief fund on Covid-19 BJP alleges Arvind Kejriwal did not spend anything from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund on controlling COVID-19 in the national capital, the BJP on Tuesday alleged, citing an RTI reply. The party also alleged that the Delhi government mismanaged internal logistics leading to disturbed supply of oxygen. According to the RTI application filed by Vivek Pandey, the Delhi Chief Minister’s Relief Fund received more than ₹ 34.77 crore from March 2020 to January 2021, while in the same period the expenses were ₹ 17.27 crore. Details of the expenses were not mentioned in the reply. In response to a query on how much money was spent to control COVID-19 pandemic, the RTI reply states ‘’Nil’’. Citing the reply, the BJP’s national media incharge Anil Baluni attacked the Chief Minister,

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saying his government did nothing for the people of the national capital who were bearing the cost of AAP government’s lacklustre approach. “This RTI exposes Kejriwal and his insensitivity towards the people of the national capital. He only made false claims and didn’t spend a single penny from the chief minister’s relief fund to develop health infrastructure in the wake of the pandemic,” Mr Baluni alleged. He further said that the Narendra Modi government was working day and night, doing everything possible under the sun for the betterment of the people in Delhi and across the country. “The opposition is looking at the pandemic as a political opportunity for itself but the BJP government at the Centre is working day and night.

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Saturday, May 1, 2021 Statement from Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole on Port of Montreal Strike

Press Release

The Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and the Official Opposition, issued the following statement on the strike at the Port of Montreal: “Yesterday, the Port of Montreal went on strike. Despite seven months of notice, the Liberal government failed to facilitate a negotiated settlement during that time. “Just last year, a 19-day stoppage at the Port of Montreal is estimated to have cost $600 million dollars. Canada is already in a recession and facing one of the highest unemployment rates in the G7 –

workers and businesses cannot afford a work disruption at the Port of Montreal. “Because of Justin Trudeau’s failure to get a deal done, jobs and contracts are at risk, and millions of dollars will be lost. “Canada’s Conservatives believe that a general strike at an essential port should be avoided during a pandemic for the good of Canadians, port workers of all sectors, and businesses. “We will be supporting legislation to keep this essential port open, but it shouldn’t have to come to this. We are in this situation today because of Justin Trudeau’s failure.”

BC Liberals call for greater clarity, as confusion grows around vaccine rollout Press release BC Liberal Health Critic Renee Merrifield is calling on the Minister of Health to provide greater clarity around the vaccine rollout, including what sorts of measures “hot-spot” vaccine clinics have in place to ensure that vaccines go to community residents and who needs to register for second doses — and how. “A smooth and efficient vaccine rollout is absolutely essential to getting B.C. through this pandemic,” said Merrifield. “However, we are hearing from more and more constituents, and especially those in the “hot-spot” of Surrey, who are frustrated about last-minute, poorly-announced pop-up clinics and inconsistent eligibility requirements that are not being widely enforced. They are also struggling with conflicting instructions around registering for second doses. All this, while many essential workers still don’t know when they will be vaccinated. We need the Minister to stand up and provide real clarity and better communication for B.C. residents.” BC Liberal MLAs have heard increasing numbers of stories from constituents about

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people camping overnight for vaccines, unannounced clinics, people from outside of hot-spot areas getting vaccinated early, and many other examples that are contributing to growing confusion around how and when to receive a vaccine in B.C. Meanwhile, a statement released by the Ministry of Health about the need to register for second doses — when many people have been told they won’t need to — has only added to the confusion. “The government has repeatedly pointed to vaccines as the way to bring this pandemic to an end — they are a sign of hope for so many exhausted people. But the government continues to do British Columbians a disservice by failing to be clear on how they will be able to receive the vaccine,” said Merrifield. “People should not have to turn to anecdotal accounts on social media to get the most up-to-date information. This disorganized approach only adds to confusion, while also failing to consider language and accessibility requirements. It is high time the Minister steps in and communicates the clear and consistent information that people need, so they can be confident in this vaccine program.”

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Saturday, May 1, 2021

India draws pity, flak over Covid-19 chaos

istory has never seen India being so universally pitied upon as now, as our Covid-19 death toll has crossed 2 lakh. A national daily reported that this month alone, Covid has claimed over 35,000 lives so far, including more than 18,000 in one week (April 2127). This figure has surpassed the previous record of 33,230 deaths, reported in September 2020. It hurts our national pride when other countries pity us for the way our healthcare system crumbled from March this year onwards due to the shortage of vaccines and oxygen. That this has happened after our government proudly declared early in 2021 to have overcome the problem has surprised other countries. Their sympathy is on seeing the way people are dying all over India when indications had come even last year that India would face a second, if not a third wave, of this pandemic. TV visuals beamed all over the world showed hapless people crying in front of

hospitals which would not admit their relatives. Pictures at funeral ghats of forlorn families waiting anxiously in queues for hours because of multitude of deaths shook the world. Never before had we received such humiliating international publicity. From the far right The Australian (April 25) to the centrist The Economist (April 24), blame was squarely laid on the Central Government and personally on the PM for their “complacency and distraction” which allowed things to “spiral out of control”. Our High Commission’s protest rejoinder to The Australian on April 26 objecting to the words “arrogance, hyper-nationalism and bureaucratic incompetence” drew furious reactions from readers who reproduced photographs of crowded election campaigns addressed by the PM and other BJP leaders and the photographs of mass cremations, saying that “people are dying like animals not getting oxygen”.

April 144tth w April was National M Moment of Laughter day day! y! y! We W dressed up funny and cracked people up with our jokes all day. y y.

Staying connected with us here at Imperial Place.

Modi led Hindutva pandemic in India Indians struggle to find place and time to bury their dead due to the devastating effects of the second wave of Covid-19 in India. The crematoriums in the capital cities are overflowing with dead bodies. People are dying without oxygen and basic medical support. The cities like Delhi and Mumbai are struggling to cope with the rising number of infections and Covid-19 led deaths. The deaths and destitutions are products of a defunct BJP government led by Mr Narendra Modi. The door-to-door Polio vaccination led to the complete elimination of wild polioviruses (WPVs) and India has become a Polio free country in 2014. In the same way, India has resources and institutional infrastructure today to mobilise itself to face the Coronavirus pandemic. But the lack political will of the Modi government led to such a disastrous situation.

The misguided priorities, unscientific, ignorance and arrogance of Hindutva politics have contributed to the havoc created by the Coronavirus pandemic. The Indian government is grossly mismanaged today by the medieval Hindutva leadership due to the lack of humanitarian visions. Health and wellbeing of people are not the priority of Modi government. The Hindutva politics has provided patronage to different religious and political mass gatherings that fuelled the spread of Coronavirus in India. These deaths are caused by political and administrative failures of the government led the Hindutva fundamentalists and their poster boy Mr Narendra Modi. The lack of medical infrastructure, hospitals beds, medicines, doctors and nurses contributed immensely for the growing number of Covid related deaths.

I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all you Mother s out there an early, fabulous and well deserved Mother s Day. Being a Mother myself, of 4 grown daughters, I know the unconditional love a mother gives and how much you are always their to support your family and children. You are all very precious. Happy Mother s Day to you all. Warmest Wishes, Nicola R.

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INDIA

Saturday, May 1, 2021

India was there for us and we will be there for them President Biden India was there for the American people in their hour of need and the United States will be there for the country as it meets its worst-ever public health crisis, President Joe Biden said here after his phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders spoke on Monday even as the Biden administration swung into

action to provide assistance to India in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The urgent help announced by the White House ranged from oxygen supplies, raw materials for COVID-19 vaccines, critical life-saving drugs to PPEs.

GDP to grow at 11% this fiscal: Asian Development Bank The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday said the Indian economy is projected to grow at 11 per cent in the current financial year on the back of the strong vaccination programme, but cautioned that the second Covid wave is worrying. “India’s economy is expected to grow 11 per cent in fiscal year (FY) 2021, which ends on March 31, 2022, amid a strong vaccine drive. However, the recent surge in Covid-19 cases may put this recovery at risk,” said the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2021.

Continued economic recovery boosted by increased public investment, vaccine rollout and a surge in domestic demand will trigger this strong rebound, the ADB said. The predictions are based on assumption that there is extensive vaccine deployment across the country and the second wave of Covid is contained. According to ADB’s flagship publication Asian Development Outlook, “The second wave of Covid-19 cases is worrying, especially if vaccine rollout faulters or fails to contain it.”

Law giving Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor more powers The Centre has notified a new law cleared during the recent Budget session of Parliament that gives primacy to the Delhi LieutenantGovernor over the elected govt in the city. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021, comes into force from April 27, according to a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The amended law signifies the “government” in Delhi means the “Lieutenant Governor”. It mentions that the L-G’s opinion “shall

be obtained” on all such matters as may be specified by the L-G before taking any executive action on decisions of the council of ministers of the Delhi Government. Govt will now have to seek L-G’s opinion before any executive decision Prohibits govt from any probe in relation to administrative decisions Comes at a time when Centre, Delhi Govt are fighting over Covid mess

Australia suspends direct passenger flights from India until May 15 Australia on Tuesday suspended all direct passenger flights from India for the next three weeks due to the unprecedented spike in Covid cases, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. The pause on arrivals would be reassessed before May 15, Morrison said. The decision was taken during a meeting of Cabinet’s national security committee to consider the move to temporarily restrict flights from India along with what equipment and assistance could be sent. The flight suspension is expected to affect direct flights to Sydney and two repatriation

flights scheduled to arrive in Darwin, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. There are about 9,000 Australians in India who are registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as wanting to return home, the report said. India is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3 lakh daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days, and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. On Monday, the country recorded 3,52,991 cases on Monday, the highest so far.

Help India in hour of crisis, says British MP Dhesi British Member of Parliament, Tan Dhesi, an India-origin Labour MP in Britain, urged his govt to help India as Covid-19 situation worsened. “Many are extremely anxious about loved ones in India, terrified after seeing the apocalyptic scenes of people dying on the streets for want of oxygen, a collapsing health system, and crematoriums and cemeteries overwhelmed with thousands

of people dying everyday,” he said in the House of Commons. In an Urgent Question on this matter, the MP for Slough highlighted to Foreign Office Minister Nigel Adams the need for the UK to take the lead and help the Indian people in their hour of need, considering India is registering the highest ever Covid cases globally.

Russia fast forwards Covid-19 vaccine delivery Russia has joined the US in sending massive amount of aid and fast-forwarding the dispatch of Sputnik vaccines even as a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday resolved to add more ballast to bilateral ties by agreeing to establish a two plus two dialogue between their foreign and defence ministers. In fact, vaccines and other medical assistance from Moscow could start arriving from tonight, said sources. “Our cooperation on Sputnik-V vaccine will assist humanity in battling the pandemic,” noted PM Modi after the telephonic conversation. Russian Emergencies Ministry will deliver over 22 tonnes of necessary equipment including 20 oxygen production units, 75 lung ventilators, 150 medical monitors and 200,000 packs of medicine. New Delhi is still mulling its response to two proposals from Pakistan — for opening an oxygen corridor from Lahore and ambulance

by from the Eidhi Foundation, said sources here. US President Joe Biden has already spoken at length with PM Modi and promised immediate dispatch of a whole series of help, including Remdesivir and other drugs. The Chinese government, however, is taking time to consider the list submitted by the Indian government. But Chinese medical suppliers are working overtime with at least 25,000 orders for oxygen concentrators placed in recent days. Cargo planes are under plan for medical supplies and the Chinese customs will facilitate relevant process, said Chinese ambassador to India Sun Weidong. Aid being received by the Centre is being routed through the Indian Red Cross Association for distribution to states while some NGOs are receiving help directly, said the sources. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Canadian counterpart Karina Gould after Ottawa offered $10 million to Indian Red Cross Society for buying oxygen cylinders and ambulances.

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Punjab 98% of oxygen generated by industry in Punjab diverted to hospitals Amid Covid crisis, almost 98 per cent of the oxygen generated by the industry in the state for industrial purposes is being diverted to hospitals. The state has 15 air separation units (ASUs) with a generation capacity of around 60-65 tonnes per day. The remaining capacity is being utilised by pharmaceutical units. According to industry associations, the daily requirement of oxygen by the industry and hospitals during pre-Covid days was

300-350 tonnes per day. “Since the capacity of local ASUs was limited to 60-65 tonnes per day, a bulk of the demand was met from outside the state such as Baddi, Panipat, Dehradun and Roorkee, so we were more dependent on other states for oxygen,” said RS Sachdeva, managing director, Hi Tech Industries. Currently, the use of oxygen for non-medical purposes is not permitted.

Record highest numbers of Covid-19 fatalities in Punjab Punjab recorded the biggest daily jump of 142 fatalities due to Covid-19 that pushed the death toll to 8,772 while 6,472 fresh cases took the cumulative tally to 3,58,186, according to a medical bulletin. The number of active cases in the state increased to 53,426 from 51,936 on Tuesday, the bulletin stated. Of the latest fatalities, 22 were reported from Gurdaspur, 18 from Amritsar, 17

from Sangrur, 15 from Ludhiana, 12 from Mohali and 10 from Patiala, it said. Ludhiana saw the highest number of fresh cases at 952, followed by 867 in Mohali, 614 in Jalandhar, 597 in Patiala and 501 in Amritsar, among other districts. As many as 5,272 coronavirus patients were discharged after they recovered from the infection, taking the number of cured persons to 2,95,988, the bulletin said.

Private ambulance operators charge heavily transporting Covid-19 patients Private ambulance operators have been charging exorbitantly to transport patients to hospitals or carrying bodies to the crematorium. While the 108 emergency service is for free, it is not readily available to patients owing to the rise in the number of patients. Anil Kumar, an 108 ambulance operator said there were around 22 such ambulances in the district and for the past 45 days, each ambulance was ferrying 6-8 patients every day. The private operators have been minting money out of

the miserable situation due to the pandemic. Ranging from Rs 1,500-Rs 3,000, the ambulance service operators are charging exorbitant rates in the town. Extra hundreds are added if the ambulances are carrying patients across the city borders. Unreasonable rates are also sought from people for carrying the bodies of Covid-19 patients to crematoriums. Gagandeep Singh, a driver of the Oxford Hospital emergency services, says, the rates have multiplied after the surge in the patients.

Pakistan Pakistan’s economics indicators tottering Earlier this month, while responding to phone calls from people of Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed, inter alia, that Pakistan’s major economic indicators moving in positive directions. What overshadowed his comments were, of course, the highly misogynist comments blaming women for getting raped. The reality of Pakistan and

Imran Khan’s report card so far are, however, quite different as a series of recently released reports indicate. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast growth rate of just 1.5% for Pakistan, coupled with a higher rate of inflation and rising unemployment, during the current fiscal year. These estimates are in line with those of the World Bank that has projected growth at 1.3%.

Army deployed to enforce Covid-19 norms Pakistan Army across the country to help civil institutions in implementing the standard operating procedures to prevent Covid-19, amid the surge of pandemic. Major General Babar Iftikhar said enhanced deployment was done in 16 major cities with “very high positivity rate”. These cities include Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda and Swabi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province), Rawalpindi,

Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur and Gujranwala (Punjab), Karachi and Hyderabad (Sindh), Quetta (Balochistan), Muzaffarabad (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) and Islamabad. Major General Iftikhar said army teams would be led by brigadiers at the administration division level and by lieutenant colonels at the district level. He said that 75% of oxygen production was dedicated to the healthcare

Paramilitary forces deployed to quell Islamist protests Paramilitary forces deployed overnight in province of Punjab as police struggled to clear violent sit-ins by Islamists protesting against the arrest of their leader. Two police officers were killed and 125 policemen were hurt in clashes with protesters in Lahore, Punjab’s capital, the city’s police chief said

during a visit to a hospital treating the injured. The protests were called by Tehrik-iLabaik Pakistan (TLP), a hardline Islamist group that has made the denunciation of blasphemy against Islam its rallying cry. Their leader Saad Rizvi was arrested in Lahore on Monday ahead of the demonstrations.

Member of Parliament arrested in treason case Lahore police arrested Javed Latif, a member of the Parliament on Tuesday after session court dismissed his bail in case pertaining to defaming the state institutions. Additional District and Sessions Judge Wajid Minhas heard the pre-arrest bail petition filed by the MNA (Member of National Assembly). A counsel for the petitioner argued before the court that a

fake FIR (First Information Report) had been registered against his client. He submitted that police had registered the case with malafide intentions. He submitted that Javed Latif made the statement during a TV talk show in a particular background. He submitted that it was a case of further inquiry whereas the police did not have powers to register the case.

FIJI Fiji’s military remain tight-lipped after COVID-19 outbreak stemming from infected soldiers continues to spread Senior Fijian military figures have stayed tight-lipped after a COVID-19 outbreak that stemmed from infected soldiers continued to spread in the country. Two more cases of the virus were confirmed by Fijian authorities overnight, as thousands

of people remain under strict lockdown. Questions are growing as to what happened in the country’s hotel quarantine system, after the top health official confirmed four soldiers had tested positive to COVID-19.

Fears of Covid ‘tsunami’ in Fiji after outbreak found to be Indian variant A Covid-19 outbreak that forced Fiji’s capital into lockdown after the island nation avoided transmission for a year was confirmed as the Indian variant Tuesday, with health officials saying they feared a “tsunami” of cases. The Pacific country had largely dodged community transmission before a cluster emerged this month centred on a quarantine facility in Nadi, the city that is home to Fiji’s international airport. The permanent secretary for health and medical services, James Fong, said six new cases had emerged in quarantine facilities on Tuesday and events in India showed the threat posed by the strain could not be underestimated. “We cannot let that nightmare happen in Fiji,” he said in a televised address. “We still have time to stop it happening but a single misstep will bring about the

same Covid tsunami that our friends in India, Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States are enduring.” Fiji has largely contained the virus through strict isolation measures and border controls, recording 109 cases and just two deaths in a population of 930,000. There are currently 42 active cases, 18 of them detected at the border and 24 locally transmitted. The cluster began when a soldier contracted the virus at a quarantine facility and transmitted it to his wife, who then exposed up to 500 people at a funeral. Fong said there was evidence that soldiers who had returned from overseas deployments had broken quarantine rules by mixing with each other when they should have been in isolation.

Indo-Pacific on mind, Australia to upgrade military bases Australia will invest $747 million in upgrading four key military training areas and ranges in the Northern Territory to defend the country’s interests and support greater engagement with the Indo-Pacific neighbours and allies, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday amid China’s increasing assertiveness in the region. Morrison announced the multi-million dollar investment, stating that the objective

was to pursue peace rather than sending any message to China. The multi-million investment will upgrade four key training areas and ranges in the Northern Territory to enable the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to conduct simulated training exercises and remain battle-ready. Essential upgrades will be made to four key military training areas and weapon ranges in the Northern Territory, including Robertson Barracks.

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Press Release

Surrey: To commemorate the 400th Prakash Purab of the 9th Sikh Guru, a series of seminars are being organized by The Harpreet Singh Show from May 1 to May 9, 2021. Thirty-three (33) speakers from around the globe will participate in the series of talks with a focus on how the teachings of Guru Teg Bahadur can be incorporated in our daily lives. The moderator of these talks will be Harpreet Singh, eminent journalist from Canada. While the speakers will share their wisdom on different topics, they will also answer one question about what the Sikhs are lacking today and what are the solutions to these issues. Speakers will discuss 8 major topics over the course of a week: 1) Women’s Emancipation, 2) Leading a Life of Celebration, 3) Positive Values to Embody, 4) A World in the Eyes of Guru Teg Bahadur, 5) Martyrdom for Upholding Personal

Global Conference on 400th Prakash Purab of Guru Teg Bahadur Freedoms, 6) Global Conflict and Social Justice, 7) The Purpose Effect of Life and 8) How the legacy of Guru Teg Bahadur is being distorted. The speakers are well known personalities in their own fields.On the Topic of Women’s Emancipation, Inni Kaur of Sikhri (USA), Dr Harshinder Kaur (India), Rajwinder Kaur of Sikh Saach (USA), Gurpreet Kaur of the Kaur Project (Canada) will share their views. On the topic of How to lead a life of celebration, Fullness, and Richness, Dr. Rajwant Singh of EcoSikh (USA), Harinder Singh (UK), Dr. Jagjit Singh (Canada), and Dimple Rayat (Canada) will speak. On the topic of Values that make us better human beings, Hari Nam Singh Khalsa (Canada), Minreet Kaur (UK), Gurpreet Kaur (USA), Dr. Jasbir Puri (Ireland), Dr. Kala Singh (Canada), Kal Dosanjh (Canada), and

Dr. Harshinder Kaur (India) will participate. The topic of A World in the Eyes of the 9th Sikh Master will have Lakhvir Singh (Kenya) KS Ahluwalia (India), Bhai Mohinder Singh of Nishkam Welfare Trust (UK) and Dr. Harbans Lal (USA) share their wisdom. On the topic of First Martyr for Upholding Personal Freedom and Human Rights, Abhinash Mahapatra (India), Youngest Sikh Researcher Simar Singh (India), Inspector Baltej Singh Dhillon (Canada), and Giani Jasbir Singh (Canada) will speak. On the topic of Peace Conflict and Social Justice, Gurcharanjit Singh Lamba (USA), Dr. Kirpal Singh (USA), Prof Avinash Singh (India), Gurpreet Singh Artist (India), and Jag Khosa (Canada) will share their views. On the topic of Purpose Effect of life, Dr

Inderjit Kaur of Pingalwara (India),Dr. Shimi Kang (Canada), Capt Yashpal Singh (India), and Ram Singh Chehlan (Canada) will speak. On the Topic of How the legacy of Guru Teg Bahadur is being distorted, Anurag Singh(India) and G S Lamba(USA) will share their views. Team Members include K S Ahluwalia and Simar Singh from India, Raja Dhaliwal of Wealth Builders University, Manjit Litt of Litco Investments and Manjit Gill of Cloverdale Fuels. The program can be viewed live at www. YouTube.com/HarpreetSinghShow and www.Facebook.com/HarpreetSinghShow at 9 am PST from May 1 to May 9, 2021. The program will also be telecast on Fateh TV, Chardikala Time TV and Gurmat TV.

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