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Happy Mothers Day Vol 20 - Issue 14
Saturday, May 8, 2021
South Asian man killed in North Delta shooting identified as corrections officer The victim of a shooting Saturday in North Delta has been identified as Bikramdeep Randhawa, a corrections officer who worked at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre in Maple Ridge. He was gunned down in broad daylight, in what appears to have been a targeted shooting. Randhawa, 29, was a Surrey resident, and was not known to police. He was shot at approximately 5 p.m., near the Scottsdale Centre at 72nd Avenue and 120th Street. “On behalf of the BCGEU I offer my deepest condolences to Bikramdeep Randhawa’s family and friends. We are shocked and devastated at the loss of one of our own,” said union president Stephanie Smith. “While the loss of any member under any circumstances is a tragedy, the public and violent nature of Bikramdeep’s death make this loss immeasurably worse, especially for the members at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre who counted him as a colleague and a friend,” she added. “In the coming days and weeks the BCGEU will be focused on making sure our members are supported as they grieve with Bikramdeep’s loved ones and that our members’ mental, emotional, and physical safety are a priority going forward.” Insp. Guy Leeson, head of Continued on page 7
Canada will require using a vaccine passport for entry Canadian Health Minister Patty Hajdu says her government supports the idea of a “vaccine passport” and will come up with a form of vaccine certification to allow vaccinated Canadians to travel internationally. Nearly eight in 10 Canadians (78%) agree (including 56% who strongly agree) that all travelers entering Canada should be required to have a vaccine passport, according to a new Ipsos survey. Comparatively, a smaller majority of Americans (71%) agree that travelers should be required to show a vaccine passport before entering the United States. About three in four (72%) Canadians agree that vaccine passports would be effective
On Monday, a senior official from India’s federal government told journalists that there was no shortage of oxygen in Delhi or anywhere else in the country. As he spoke, several small hospitals only a few miles from where he stood in the capital - were sending out desperate messages about them running out of oxygen, putting patients’ lives at risk. The chief doctor of one of the hospitals - a specialist paediatric facility - told the BBC that “our hearts were in our mouths” because of the risk of children dying.
Who speaks for Surrey? makes up that community. Surrey Board of Trade chief executive Anita Huberman has made this ask for a special Surrey approach to the health ministry and Dr. Bonnie Henry’s office, especially given the increased Continued on page 6
PM Modi slammed for Covid-19 handling amid spiralling crisis India’s hospitals were packed with coronavirus patients, relatives of the sick scrambled to find supplies of oxygen, and nearly full crematoriums worked feverishly to deal with the dead.Yet, despite those clear signs of an overwhelming health
in making travel and large events safe, which is in line with the global average of 73%, and significantly more than in the United States, where 61% agree. “Canadians need to be able to have the right kind of certification for international travel because, as we know, Canadians will want to travel internationally, and they will want to make sure they have the right credentials to do that from a vaccination perspective,” Hajdu said during a recent interview with CBC Radio. Her remarks were in step with those of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who, during a news conference last week, Continued on page 7
How India descended into Covid-19 chaos
Business group calls for Surrey Covid-19 vaccine priority Everyone aged 18 and up in Surrey should get priority access to a COVID-19, says that city’s board of trade. The business group is making that formal request, given Surrey’s virus struggles and the younger demographic that
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crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed ahead with a densely packed campaign rally. “I have never seen such a huge crowd before!” he roared to his supporters in West Bengal state on April 17, before key local elections.
They got supplies just in time, after a local politician intervened. Delhi oxygen crisis deepens as more patients die. Anger rises as Covid rages in Modi’s constituency. And yet, the federal government has repeatedly insisted that there was no shortage. “We are only facing problems in its transportation,” Piyush Goyal, a senior official from India’s home ministry, said. He also advised hospitals to “ensure judicious use of oxygen as per the guidelines”.
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Willowbrook mall shooting victim a 28-year-old South Asian man known to police The shooting outside a busy mall in Langley, that sent shoppers running for cover Monday afternoon targeted a 28-year-old man who was known to police, Mounties said Tuesday. Cpl. Holly Largy sad, the victim remains in hospital in critical condition. She also confirmed police believe a pickup truck found burning in Aldergrove a short time later was linked to the shooting at Willowbrook Shopping Centre. “There’s just no predicting where this is going to happen,” Largy said, and added that investigators are still working on definitively linking the shooting to gang activity. The gunshots came just two days after another shooting outside a busy mall in Delta. A 29-year-old corrections
officer was killed. Police there still won’t rule out whether it may have been a case of mistaken identity. “I’d love to say that each one seems to be getting more and more brazen,” Largy said, regarding the shooting Monday just steps away from a toy store. “But they’re all just as brazen as the last one.”
Surrey and Fraser Valley home sales continued surge in April 2021: FVREB Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) is reporting that April 2021 marked the eighth consecutive month of record-breaking home sales in their jurisdiction, which includes Surrey, North Delta, White Rock, Langley, Mission, and Abbotsford. There were 3,016 units sold across all home types in April 2021, representing a 338% increase compared to the initial depressed pandemic conditions in April 2020, and a 9% decrease compared to March 2021. The last record high for sales for the month of April was 2,969 in 2016. However, the FVREB believes April could be a turning point in market conditions, as the market over the last few weeks has been responding to the demand with nearrecord levels of new inventory. The highest volume of new listings ever was recorded in
March 2021, and this pace continued into April, with 5,018 new listings — an increase of 254% compared to April 2020, and a decrease of 1% compared to the previous month. The total number of listings within FVREB reached 6,030 in April 2021, representing a 20% increase over March 2021 and the highest level in six months. “Buyers and sellers will note that we’re already seeing increases in home prices start to slow in response to the new supply,” said Baldev Gill, the CEO of the FVREB, in a statement.For the major sub-market of Surrey, there were 601 detached homes sold over the month, representing a 16% decrease over March 2021 and a 355% yearover-year increase. Benchmark detached prices increased by 4.4% to $1.337 million compared to the previous month.
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4 By Sylvain Charlebois Professor Dalhousie University
Prices will go up by as much as five per cent this year, or almost $700 more for groceries for the year for an average Canadian family. What was purely an academic supposition a few months ago is now actually happening. Along with higher interest rates, inflation is likely to become one of this year’s biggest
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Surprise! Food prices are on their way up business stories. And food prices won’t be immune. Many agricultural commodity prices have skyrocketed over last year. Corn is up 84 per cent, soybeans are up 72 per cent, sugar is up 59 per cent, wheat is up 19 per cent and coffee is up 13 per cent.
And nothing suggests prices will drop anytime soon. Once grains are affected, livestock sectors producing well-loved products like chicken, pork and beef will likely be impacted as well. China is buying everything. And with the world economy out of sync, Asia’s influence has grown significantly in recent months. China’s economy grew by more than 18 per cent last quarter, while the U.S. is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. This global economic unevenness will probably be felt for a while. Meanwhile, investors are looking for higher yields for their portfolios, which makes commodities more attractive if one doesn’t have the stomach for investing in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. Some may experience déjà vu. Analysts suggest we may be experiencing an agricultural commodity supercycle like we witnessed in 2008, but without oil being involved. Last time, a barrel of oil was worth more than US$140. The food-for-fuel debate was at its height.A commodity supercycle is a sustained spell of abnormally strong demand growth for commodities. That makes it more difficult for businesses to cope with. In some periods in 2007 and 2008, food inflation in Canada reached seven to eight per cent. Those are massive numbers, considering that the inflation rate since then has largely been a non-story. But supply chains have been under tremendous pressure since the start of the pandemic and economic pressures from Asia are making market conditions much tighter. Many food manufacturers have already signalled that processing costs have gone up. They’ve been warning the markets for weeks. What may happen to retail prices is always challenging to predict. Just last week, food retail giant Metro stated that it doesn’t expect food prices to increase by more than 2.5 per cent by the end of the year. But given the current macroeconomic environment, that’s highly unlikely.
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South Asian woman sentenced for $80K in fraudulent credit card purchases Ripy Jubbal and spouse used identities of 19 different victims, court hears. According to the court documents, among the items seized by police were stolen mail and property stolen from a robbery, a break-in and a vehicle. Documents, receipts and notebooks contained detailed lists of victims’ personal information and credit cards. Also found was a stolen driver’s licence that had been altered to include Jubbal’s face. According to the court documents, Jubbal has a prior criminal history that includes a 2004 fraud conviction in which she was ordered to pay back $17,000 to a victim. In 2008, she was convicted of fraud, possession of stolen property and breaching her bail conditions. Another fraud conviction followed in 2009 and again in 2011, when she was also convicted of credit-card and stolen-identity offences and served a 30-month sentence. Tiwana had no prior criminal record at the time of his sentencing. During sentencing, Justice Kenneth Ball made note of a 2008 incident in which Jubbal witnessed the gunshot murder of her boyfriend at their townhouse in Surrey. She fled the home by jumping out of a second-storey window. Previous news stories indicate that the man killed was Sunny Bains. Gangster Raminder “Manny” Bhander was later convicted of second-degree murder in the killing, and Jubbal testified at this trial. Ball said Jubbal has been a user of crystal meth since 2007 and was using the drug daily at the time of her most recent offences. Ball referenced a pre-sentence report in which a forensic psychologist who interviewed Jubbal said she was at a high risk to re-offend and described her as a person “skilled in deceit, and that she shows no genuine remorse for her fraudulent behaviour and the effect that repeated behaviour had on her victims.”
A South Asian woman from Abbotsford who along with her spouse, was responsible for 345 fraudulent credit card purchases totalling $80,000 has been sentenced to 30 months in prison. Ripy Jubbal, 47 (pictured), was recently sentenced in BC Supreme Court in New Westminster after previously pleading guilty to six counts related to the fraudulent use of credit cards and credit card data. She was given six and a half months’ credit for time served, leaving her with just under two years in custody. Jubbal and her spouse, Karmjit Tiwana, 48, initially each faced 22 charges, all in Abbotsford. Tiwana was sentenced in June 2020 to a conditional sentence of two years less a day. Court documents state that between September 2016 and January 2017 the pair used the identities of 19 different victims to open fraudulent accounts and credit card numbers. The credit cards were then used for various purchases, including women’s shoes and other goods, which Jubbal sold over Facebook; a trip to Fiji; and the lease of a BMW. In one instance, the pair fraudulently purchased a $6,700 trip through a travel agent. As a result, the travel agency was, consistent with the use of credit cards by such merchants, back-charged for the amount of the tickets.The employee who sold the tickets was then required by her employer to pay the back charge personally, borrowing the money at interest to do so. As part of her sentence, Jubbal has been ordered to pay back the $6,700. Jubbal and Tiwana were arrested in January 2017 at their residences on Rainbow Avenue in Abbotsford. Search warrants were executed at their residences and a storage locker.
Indian diaspora in Canada rallies to send Covid-19 aid back home As an Indian living thousands of kilometres away from home, Aswini Sivaraman says seeing the devastating COVID-19 situation in India is like “watching a rage of fire from a distance and just simply being unable to do anything.” “You just feel helpless and you feel guilty because … I personally feel so privileged and lucky and fortunate to be so far away from what’s happening there,” said Sivaraman, who hails from Chennai and lives in Toronto. India is grappling with its darkest chapter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with hospitals filled to capacity, medical oxygen supplies running short and morgues and crematoriums swamped as cases surpassed the 20 million mark Tuesday. As international aid pours into the country in response to the crisis, the Indian diaspora in
Canada is rallying behind the relief efforts. Story continues below advertisement Inspired by a friend who is mobilizing help on the ground, Sivaraman created a comprehensive resource document listing different ways the Indian diaspora and nonresident Indians can donate and volunteer. In addition to various fundraisers and organizations to give money to, the document also includes ways in which the Indian diaspora can stay involved online, such as through petitions and social media. “Keep tweeting to or commenting on social media posts of politicians in power in India urging them to do more, to do better,” the document states.
More than $2 million in fines for Covid-19 related offences in BC, but few tickets paid Enforcement officers have issued more than $2 million in fines for Covid-19-related violations in B.C., including one in Surrey last month when police found an international traveller at a private house party instead of their mandatory 14-day quarantine. The individual “was not quarantined as required after entering Canada,” said Surrey RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Vanessa Munn in an email. The traveller and the host were both ticketed and fined. Those fines are among the 228 complaints Surrey RCMP’s Covid-19 compliance and enforcement team responded to in April. Most were in private residences (128) with the rest in businesses and parks or violations of the federal Quarantine Act. But about 85 per cent of them remain unpaid. Among tickets issued in April were three $2,300 tickets under the provincial Emergency
Protection Act for “non-compliant events” and a $3,450 ticket under the Quarantine Act, Munn said. In Vancouver last month, police received 291 complaints for non-compliance under the two acts, most “from members of the public who are reporting large social gatherings, both indoors and outdoors,” Vancouver police spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison said in an email. Vancouver police have issued more than $113,000 in fines this year, although many calls are handled at the officer’s discretion with education and information, he said. But “chronic offenders” are ticketed and “we have executed multiple search warrants and made a number of arrests following investigations into people who have repeatedly violated public health orders,” Addison said.
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Province called on to prioritize vaccination for Surrey to curb Covid-19 transmission
206 - 55 Water Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1A1
Ongoing high COVID-19 numbers in Surrey are leading to calls to prioritize vaccination for everyone living in the city who wants one. The idea is being put forward by the Surrey Board of Trade, which said the current vaccination rollout just isn’t working. Board CEO Anita Huberman said she sent a letter to the provincial health officer and health minister asking them to prioritize vaccination for all Surrey residents aged 18 and up. “Surrey has been a hotspot through this pandemic, and we need creative solutions,” she said. “The whole age-based approach in Surrey is not working. The hotspot targeted vaccination approach is not working. We need a city-wide approach,
given the diversity of our community, given the high level of COVID-19 transmissions.” While 41.7 per cent of the population in Fraser Health has received at least one vaccine since May 2, and 2.3 per cent have recieved a second dose, it’s unclear what the coverage is like in Surrey specifically, where case numbers have been higher than in other parts of Metro Vancouver. B.C. Centre for Disease Control data showed 1,760 cases in Surrey from April 18 to 24, hundreds of cases higher than surrounding communities. There have been more than 26,000 cases in Surrey in total from January of last year to this March.
Doctor Grassroots Campaign Begins for an ‘All of Surrey’ Vaccine Call to BC Government Press release
Today, the Surrey Board of Trade and a grassroots movement, organized by Dr. Randeep S. Gill, Dr. James Handel, Dr. David Chong, Dr. Kaleena Patel, Dr. Sukh Dhiman and Dr. Bill West, was launched encouraging everyone in Surrey to sign a petition urging the BC Government to take action on immunization prioritization for Surrey and vaccination accessibility to everyone aged 12 and over. https://www.change.org/p/call-forimmediate-sweeping-community-widevaccinations-in-surrey-for-everyone18?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_28741582_ en-CA%3A4&recruiter=881231386&utm_ source=share_petition&utm_ medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_ petition&utm_term=share_petition “I am an Emergency Medicine Physician working and living in Surrey. In my role as a resident and physician, I’m pleading with the Provincial government to IMMEDIATELY implement the proven strategies of rapid sweeping community-wide vaccinations in Surrey for everyone 18 and older,” said Dr. Randeep Gill. “Young people are not only getting infected and transmitting the virus but they are also dying from it. I cannot put into words how difficult it is to put a young — otherwise healthy — person on a ventilator, struggling to breathe because they are infected by Covid. Then to pick up the phone, call their spouse only to hear their kids coughing in the background.” “Now that vaccine supplies are readily available, we need to make vaccinations
available for all immediately. The call to action is now — if you answer it, I am convinced this will be a life-saving strategy.” “As part of the Surrey Board of Trade’s SAY YES TO VACCINATION CAMPAIGN, immunization prioritization should not only take place within specific areas in Surrey, but should take place in all of Surrey. The community-specific approach causes unnecessary confusion and only hampers the vaccination process,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade. “We need the whole community to be immunized to ensure economic recovery and prevent business closures.” “We know that Surrey has seen the highest rates of transmission of COVID-19 cases. Creative solutions are needed to ensure that all Surrey residents who want a vaccine, are registered, and are vaccinated. We live in a very diverse city, with over 104 different spoken languages. Having our diverse population be educated on vaccination and on how to get a vaccination will help Surrey’s and BC’s economic recovery. Let’s get it done!” “The BC Government needs to help Surrey in our time of need.” CONTACT: Dr. Randeep Gill: randysgill23@gmail.com 604-767-3004 Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade: anita@ businessinsurrey.com 604-340-3899
Canada will require using a vaccine passport for entry said that vaccination certifications were a part of international travel before Covid-19 and are “naturally to be expected when it comes to this pandemic and the coronavirus.” As more people around the world become vaccinated and the summer travel season approaches, countries around the world are scrambling to get digital health certification programs in place. French President Emmanuel Macron recently told CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Americans who are vaccinated or able to show a negative Covid-19 test result may be able to travel to France as soon as this summer, thanks to the European Union’s plans for a digital green certificate. Like the United States, Canada has been in talks with other countries about finding consensus on universally acceptable solutions. “I am meeting on a regular basis with
my G7 counterparts and this is an ongoing conversation about how that might look and how we might be able to have some sort of standardized approach to this,” Hajdu said. Hajdu said Canada will likely be able to fast-forward its own vaccine passport program by adapting an existing app. “From our perspective we have a bit of a head start in terms of entry into Canada in that we have ArriveCAN, the app that allows for digital proof of testing, for example, now, and a variety of other documents that people have to submit to enter Canada,” Hajdu said. “We’ll be working with our international partners to make sure that whatever the world lands on, Canadians will have documents in the appropriate format.” The free ArriveCAN app was introduced in April 2020 to help travelers comply with border measures. Since late November 2020, air travelers flying into Canada have been required to submit their information electronically through ArriveCAN before boarding their flight. This includes travel and contact information, a quarantine plan and Covid-19 symptom selfassessment. Travelers must be ready to show their ArriveCAN receipt when entering Canada. So far, the Biden administration has resisted the idea of a “vaccine passport” for the United States — an arguably wise strategy given that the term is a trigger for many Americans on the other side of the political aisle.
Saturday, May 8, 2021
South Asian man killed in North Delta shooting identified as corrections officer From page 1 Investigative Services for Delta Police, said based on the behaviour of the suspects, the incident is considered to be targeted, but the motive for the shooting is not known. “We’re looking at all possible aspects as to why this crime was committed,” said Leeson. “We will examine every potential motive thoroughly. Whether it was a case of mistaken identity, a matter related to his personal life or if there is a possibility the shooting was related to the victim’s occupation.” “We’re asking anyone who knew Mr. Randhawa, or who could have information related to why he was targeted in this manner, to please contact police at 604-946-4411, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477,” said Leeson.
Business group calls for Surrey COVID-19 vaccine priority vaccine supply arriving this month. “The age-based approach does not work for Surrey, because of the number of high transmission cases that we’ve been experiencing,” says Huberman. “There needs to be a specific approach for this city.” “We need to get the economy going,” says Huberman. “And we just need some action by the provincial health officer and the B.C. government.” In a separate announcement, Fraser Health is expanding its priority program — allowing police, firefighters and registered childcare workers to book their jab — starting Wednesday, with the target of having everybody in those groups immunized within the next 10 days.
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Real estate agencies can collect their fee even if a buyer defaults on a sale, BC man learns Three years ago, a man who’d signed a contract to buy Mike Armstrong’s rustic cabins on B.C.’s Lake Errock suddenly dropped off the map. The closing date came and went, but the buyer stopped responding to any messages from his real estate agent. Defaulting on the agreement of purchase and sale meant the buyer forfeited a total of $70,000 in deposits to Armstrong. Armstrong says he and his wife hoped to relist the two properties with the same brokerage. Instead, they were served last spring with a lawsuit, demanding commission of $70,875 plus interest for the aborted sale. “It was just strange. You hire a Realtor to sell your property — it seems like that’s their purpose in life — and we couldn’t understand where it was coming from,” Armstrong told CBC News. He didn’t understand why he would be on the hook for
commission when the deal failed through no fault of his own. Money-laundering inquiry calls back ex-minister over inconsistencies during 1st round of testimony But after a long and frustrating search for answers through every organization and government body that deals with the real estate industry in B.C., Armstrong discovered the standard listing contract he’d signed says a real estate agent only needs a legally enforceable contract of sale to pursue commission. “Every single person now that’s listed on MLS and Realtor. ca … has the same form they’ve signed, so every one of them could be sued by their Realtor,” Armstrong said. The details of what happened in Armstrong’s case are laid out in a civil claim filed by Century 21 Seaside Realty in White Rock, as well as Armstrong’s response to that claim and a response from his real estate agent, Fabian Saul, to a thirdparty notice.
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Two travellers slapped with hefty fines for presenting fake Covid-19 test results at Toronto airport, but few have paid Two people who recently touched down at Toronto Pearson International Airport are facing thousands of dollars worth of fines for allegedly presenting fake COVID-19 predeparture test results. In a news release issued Thursday morning, Transport Canada said the first passenger was fined $2,500 for presenting an “altered COVID-19 test” and then knowingly boarding a flight from the Dominican Republic to Toronto on Feb. 8. The second passenger, who flew from the United States to Toronto on April
3, was fined $6,500 for the same reason. However, the federal agency alleges that the passenger also made a false declaration to the airline about their health status. Under the Interim Order Respecting Certain Requirements for
Civil Aviation Due to COVID-19, air travellers must present a negative test result within 72 hours of boarding any flight headed to Canada. “The Government of Canada continues to strongly advise Canadians that this is not the time to travel,” the agency said. “Transport Canada
will continue to investigate incidents reported to the department and will not hesitate to take enforcement action where it is warranted.” This isn’t the first time Transport Canada has issued such fines to air passengers for alleged noncompliance. Earlier this year, two passengers travelling to Canada from Mexico were fined $10,000 and $7,000 a piece for presenting fake tests making a false declaration about their health status.
Canada may find it challenging to reach herd immunity from COVID-19, experts say Herd immunity may not be reached in Canada but a return to life similar to that before Covid-19 is possible through immunization, experts say. Such immunity is achieved when enough people are immune to a virus, either through vaccinations or natural infections or a combination of both. Prof. Paul Tupper of Simon Fraser University’s mathematics department said herd immunity is unlikely to happen with COVID-19 for a few reasons. The virus is being transmitted worldwide, which means it is reintroduced in different places across borders and immunity through vaccination and infection doesn’t last permanently. The vaccines don’t seem to be completely effective against some of the new variants, he said. People wearing protective equipment check in at the international departures at Pearson International Airport during the Covid-19 pandemic in Toronto on
Monday, December 14, 2020. India accounted for nearly half of global COVID-19 cases last week, reports record daily deaths. “So, I think what is more likely to happen is that we end up in a situation like we have with seasonal flu,” Tupper said. “We have to live with the flu, and I think something similar is going to happen with COVID.” The level of immunity among the population also changes with the variants, especially the more transmissible strains, he said. Sarah Otto, a University of British Columbia professor, said the disease’s reproductive rate is hard to pinpoint, which makes it difficult to establish a herd immunity target. Otto is an expert on the mathematical models of pandemic growth and control in the university’s zoology department. The reproductive rate is the number of additional people infected by a single person with COVID-19, which has also changed
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Saturday, May 8, 2021 BC political parties to collect $3.25M from taxpayers this year B.C.’s per-vote subsidy for political parties has paid out $14.6 million, with another $4.6 million to go before it needs legislation to continue after 2022. The subsidy was introduced by Premier John Horgan’s minority government after the 2017 election, at $2.50 per vote for qualifying parties. The B.C. NDP campaigned on its pledge to do away with corporate and union donations, and then reversed position and brought in the taxpayer subsidy with the support of the B.C. Green Party. Horgan denied there was any plan to do so in a 2017 election debate with former premier Christy Clark.
After the election, the defeated B.C. Liberal Party voted against the subsidy, but was the largest beneficiary after it passed, collecting nearly $1 million based on the largest number of votes received in 2017. The subsidy has declined to $1.75 per vote, with the latest payout in January reflecting the NDP majority government. The NDP received $1.57 million, the B.C. Liberals collected $1.11 million and the B.C. Green Party got $497,570. The 2020 snap election also saw two smaller parties get enough votes to qualify, gathering at least five per cent of the vote in constituencies where they ran candidates. The B.C. Conservative Party collected $62,828.50 and the Rural B.C. Party got $1,319.
12-year-old becomes youngest one to die of overdose in BC Adriana Londono is trying to come to terms with the fact that she will never get to see her 12-year-old daughter again. “She was too young to go,” said Londono. Her daughter Ally died of a suspected fentanyl overdose on April 14. “I was told that she was the youngest to die from an overdose from fentanyl since the COVID crisis began,” Londono said. The BC Coroners Service is still investigating the cause of death, and says the youngest person to die during B.C.’s overdose crisis was 13 years old. News of the unthinkably young victim has also reached B.C.’s top doctor. “It’s just a horrendous tragedy when young people die unnecessarily,” said Dr. Bonnie
Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer. “And during this period of time, we know how toxic the street drug supply is.” Ally was a Grade 6 student in the Greater Victoria School District. “We know kids experiment, but we want prevent, delay or reduce substance use,” said Harold Caldwell, associate superintendent for the Greater Victoria School District. The district says it has counselors in the school system that are trained in substance use and, if students choose, they can be referred to Island Health’s Discovery counselling program for additional help. “The reality is is that drugs are available for people to access,” said Guy Felicella, peer clinical advisor for the BC Centre for Substance Use. “It doesn’t matter how old you are.”
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Roadside travel checks started in BC on Thursday midnight The B.C. RCMP will set up COVID-19 travel checkpoints on four highways, starting Thursday. B.C. RCMP spokeswoman Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said the checkpoints would be on Highway 1, near Boston Bar, Hwy. 3 in the Manning Park area, Hwy. 5 north of the Great Bear Snow Shed and Hwy. 99 in the Lillooet area.
COVID-19: Province plans periodic road checks similar to counterattack program | Vancouver Sun Shoihet said there would be notification signage before each road check, with U-turn routes. “People travelling for essential reasons through those areas can expect traffic delays,” she said. Commercial vehicles won’t be checked.
BC’s Dr. Henry says province looking to provide vaccines British Columbia is considering running COVID-19 immunization clinics in public schools before the end of the school year now that Health Canada has approved the PfizerBioNTech vaccine for those aged 12 to 17 years old. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Wednesday the province is looking at plans to immunize young people with their first dose by the end of June, and school-
based clinics are a tried-and-tested option. Bidding wars calm down as sellers come back to Canada’s housing market “We have a lot of experience in public health at supporting immunization in schools,” she said during a news conference. “It’s a very efficient way of doing it.” But Henry said plans are still in the early stages and clinics in communities are also an option.
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Fight between anti-logging activists, forestry workers caught on video Video has emerged of a tense altercation between forestry workers and activists trying to prevent oldgrowth logging on Vancouver Island. The activists say a young Indigenous person was injured during the standoff with 10 workers in the Walbran Valley, near Port Renfrew, on Tuesday.
The region has been the site of ongoing blockades by the Rainforest Flying Squad, a group that is opposed to oldgrowth logging on Vancouver Island. The B.C. Supreme Court granted an injunction last month to remove the blockaders from the nearby Fairy Creek area.
Dip in Covid-19 with 572 newly announced cases in BC BC recorded another 572 cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, with no new deaths but hospitalized patients up to 481 and 161 in intensive care. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 118 new cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 362 in Fraser Health, 22 in Island Health, 57 in Interior Health and 13 in Northern Health. There are 6,877 active virus cases in the
province although 124,252 people who tested positive have recovered, Henry said. Currently, B.C. has seen a total of 132,925 cases and 1,594 deaths from COVID-19. “The more people who receive their vaccine, the faster we will get to the point where COVID-19 is no longer disrupting our daily lives,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix.
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LOCAL
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Coquitlam couple wins second major 6/49 lotto jackpot in less than a year Some people have all the luck — and those people are Liezl Panganiban and Edgar Ebreo. The Coquitlam couple is $675,000 richer today after winning the grand prize on the B.C. Lottery Corp.’s Set for Life game. It was their second major lottery win in less than a year. In September, the couple won $500,000 playing the Extra in the Lotto 6/49 draw. “We feel really blessed and very thankful to be winners,” Panganiban said. “It’s a special feeling,” Ebreo added. “I can’t quite describe it.”
Despite already having the half-million from their previous win, the couple continued to play the lottery. Ebreo purchased his Set for Life ticket at a 7-Eleven in Port Coquitlam and Panganiban scratched when they got home. “When I saw the three cash symbols, I couldn’t believe it, so I showed Edgar,” Panganiban said. “I started dancing,” Ebreo said. Edgar Ebreo and Liezl The couple, who used their Panganiban who won $500,000 in first jackpot win toward a September, just won another lotto down payment on a house, says prize of $675,000 they will use their latest prize to pay off the mortgage and then splurge on a future family trip to Hawaii.
‘This could be manslaughter’: Legal experts warn about hosting parties during Covid-19 The warning follows a B.C. provincial court judge’s scathing words to a Vancouver man who turned his downtown penthouse into a party palace amid Covid-19 restrictions earlier this year. Judge Ellen Gordon described Mohammad Movassaghi’s makeshift condo nightclub as “a crime, not a party,” during sentencing on April 28. The 42-year-old received one day in jail after credit for 10 days of time served pre-sentence, a $5,000 fine, and 18 months’ probation after he pleaded guilty on April 1 to failing to comply with a public health order, unlawfully purchasing grain alcohol and disobeying a court order. Movassaghi was arrested on Jan. 31 when Vancouver police served a warrant
on his Richards Street condo unit at 3 a.m. Officers found 78 maskless people inside the three-level, 1,800-square-foot suite, along with menus for “Granny’s Exotic Bar,” liquor, point-of-sale terminals and multiple cash tills. Police handed out more than $17,000 in fines and said the unit appeared to be operating as a nightclub and show lounge, complete with a stripper pole, spotlights, and a DJ booth. Gordon did not hold back in her rebuke of Movassaghi’s behaviour. “If someone who had been at your party was infected and died, as far as I’m concerned, you’re guilty of manslaughter. If someone who had been at your party was infected and passed it on to grandma, as far as I’m concerned, you’re guilty of manslaughter.”
LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Federal budget ‘overstates’ economic impact of stimulus spending, budget officer says Parliament’s spending watchdog says the federal Liberals’ budget overestimates how much of an impact its stimulus measures will have on Canada’s economy. The budget last month outlined what the government said was $101.4 billion in new spending over three years aimed at helping the country climb out of the economic hole caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But the budget officer’s report on Wednesday estimated that only $69 billion of that spending could be considered stimulus. Yves Giroux said that spending would boost economic growth by one per cent next year and create 74,000 jobs, compared with the budget’s estimates, respectively, of two per cent and 334,000 jobs. He went on to say that the higher deficits and debt in the coming years
could limit the ability of a government to introduce any new, permanent programs without spending cuts or tax increases. Giroux’s report landed hours before Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland was scheduled to kick off debate in the House of Commons on the government’s budget bill introduced last Friday. The minority Liberal government would fall without the support of at least one other major party to pass the budget bill, leading to a process that would likely trigger an election campaign. The Liberals have pegged their spending plans to a rebound in the labour market, which one year ago witnessed a historic drop when three millions jobs were lost over March and April 2020, while 2.5 million more had their hours plummet.
BC officials urge everyone, even those with 1st dose, to register for Covid-19 vaccine Health officials are urging every single British Columbian adult who has not received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine to register online. Confusion swirled initially about whether or not those who received their first shot before the registration portal opened April 6, or those who got AstraZeneca through the pharmacy or hotspot arm of the immunization rollout, needed to register still but provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry cleared it up on Tuesday (May 4). “Everybody in B.C. now who’s 18 years of age and older is eligible and should be registering on our Get Vaccinated website or by calling 1-833-838-2323,” Henry said. “I know some people have had some
concerns about whether if they when they receive their vaccines through a workplace program or through a pharmacy program for the AstraZeneca vaccine do they need to register. And yes, it is helpful to register.” Henry noted that people should register just once, but that if someone accidentally registers twice the system will recognize it. “Once you are registered, your dose will be reserved for you as soon as the program becomes available, and you’ll be notified when to book, this is the most efficient way that we can do this,” she said. Provincial data shows that 2.1 million people in B.C. have registered to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
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US supports waiving intellectual property rules for COVID-19 vaccines U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration on Wednesday joined calls for more sharing of the technology behind COVID-19 vaccines to help speed the end of the pandemic, a shift that puts the U.S. alongside many in the developing world who want rich countries to do more to get doses to the needy. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced the government’s position, amid World Trade Organization (WTO) talks about a possible temporarywaiverofitsprotections that would allow more manufacturers to produce the life-saving vaccines.
“The administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines,” Tai said. She cautioned that it would take time to reach the required global “consensus” to waive the protections under WTO rules, and U.S. officials said it would not have an immediate effect on the global supply of COVID-19 shots.
Canada sued for rejecting asylum seekers at US border, officials blame Pandemic The Canadian government is being sued by refugee rights attorneys who say their policy of rejecting asylum-seekers at the U.S. border and ports of entry is unlawful, forcing hundreds of people back into American custody to potentially face deportation. The Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers told Reuters Tuesday that they filed the lawsuit in federal court because the current asylum-seeker policy between the U.S. and Canada does not consider if these individuals have any alternative options. Instead, the group says, asylum-seekers are turned back to American authorities who have successfully deported at least one person who tried entering Canada. The vast U.S.-Canadian border has been closed for 14 months as a
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direct result of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. According to the Canadian lawsuit first obtained by Reuters on Tuesday, the current pandemic-era policy denies asylum-seekers their right to a hearing. The policy is reviewed for renewal monthly, and Canadian officials have defended it both as a necessary pandemic public health restriction and because the U.S. has given them assurances “most” asylumseekers will be returned to Canada later to pursue refugee status applications. Lawyers for one man seeking asylum in Canada said their client was brought to a U.S. immigration center in Batavia, New York, after being turned back by Canadian border officials. U.S. authorities then tried several times to deport him to Burundi.
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Saturday, May 8, 2021 A tribute to CRRID founder Rashpal Malhotra who passed away in Punjab last week - We will alwsys remember his service to the
CRRID founder Rashpal Malhotra passed away after battling Covid-19 for over a week
Rashpal Malhotra (second from right) with Consul General of India, and Sudesh Kalia (left)
Rashpal Malhotra (left) with MP Gurmant Grewal (right) and Sudesh Kalia (middle)
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ounder of the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) and noted scholar Rashpal Malhotra, 84, who was undergoing treatment for Covid-19, died at a private hospital in Punjab’s Mohali on Tuesday, the chief minister’s office said in a statement. Malhotra passed away after battling Covid-19 for over a week, it said.
Rashpal Malhotra (right) with Mr. T.N.Kaul Prime minster advisor (middle) and Sudesh Kalia (left)
Swami Rama, his guru
He is survived by his wife, son and daughter. Malhotra was admitted to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali and breathed his last early this morning, hospital sources said. He was the executive chairman of CRRID and a member of the Board of Governors of Pushpa Gujral Science City and several other such prestigious institutions. He was also a senate member of Punjabi University,
Rashpal Malhotra receiving Sudesh Kalia at Delhi airport
Patiala, and Panjab University, Chandigarh. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh condoled Malhotra’s demise, as did former union minister Jairam Ramesh. In his condolence message, the chief minister described Malhotra as a distinguished academician, able administrator, and a fine human being who played a pivotal role in bringing socioeconomic development to the northern region.
The outstanding services rendered by Malhotra in the rural and industrial development of Punjab would be ever remembered by one and all, Singh said. According to the CRRID website, veteran diplomat PN Haskar and former prime minister Manmohan Singh also served as chairmen of the governing body of the research institute in the past.
Rashpal Malhotra, a noted scholar with humble beginnings Rashpal Malhotra (84), Founder Director of the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), was born in Kasur, Pakistan in 1936, Malhotra’s family shifted to Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh after the Partition. He sold groundnuts at the Jalandhar railway station and whitewashed houses in Delhi. Later, he joined Panjab University, Chandigarh, as a clerk and did his Masters in public administration. Remembering Malhotra, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra said: “Rashpal, whom I had known for over six decades, was an
intrepid soldier. He made valuable contribution to furthering the national cause and almost single-handedly established CRRID.” Malhotra served at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (Shimla) between 1965 and 1970. After working with a cycle factory (RMI) at Rajpura, he joined Mahindra & Mahindra as its general manager. However, research continued to be his first priority and he began his dream journey of setting up the CRRID in 1978. He started his work from a garage in Sector 21, Chandigarh. The institute shifted to its current campus in 1983. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh
described Malhotra as a distinguished academic, able administrator and a fine human being who played a pivotal role in bringing socio-economic development to the northern region. He served as the Executive Chairman of CRRID and a member of the Board of Governors of Pushpa Gujral Science City. He was also a member of the Senate of Punjabi University, Patiala, and Panjab University, Chandigarh. Known for his organisational skills, Malhotra worked in close quarters with Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh.
He, in fact, got Dr Manmohan Singh as the Chairman of the governing body of the research institute. Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said: “Rashpal Malhotra, a lowprofile troubleshooter for Indira Gandhi and a confidant of Pranab Mukherjee, Dr Manmohan Singh and PN Haksar, was a wonderful man.” Among his last important academic works was a seven volume publication on “Cooperative Development, Peace and Security” in collaboration with former CRRID Director Dr Sucha Singh Gill between 2011 and 2015.
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Advertorial
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Canadians invited to participate in TELUS Days of Giving as new survey finds we feel more compelled than ever to give back TELUS’ 16th annual Days of Giving theme is #FriendlyFuture Days and is expected to attract 50,000 participants Use the hashtag #FriendlyFuture from May 1-31 to showcase how you give back for a chance to win a $10,000 donation to your favourite charity
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eginning May 1, TELUS is inviting all Canadians to participate in TELUS Days of Giving with the goal to mobilize almost 50,000 volunteers around the globe to do good in their local communities. As part of the $85 million it will once again give charities this year, TELUS is donating more than $100K to various charities during #FriendlyFuture Days and helping inspire Canadians to give back safely and virtually. Whether it’s cleaning up a neighbourhood park, providing career advice to youth, dropping off groceries to a neighbour in need, or supporting local charities, TELUS wants to make it easy for Canadians to give back through safe and virtual giving activities. TELUS is also encouraging Canadians to share their stories of giving back using the hashtag #FriendlyFuture on social media in May, for a chance to win one of 10 $10,000 donations to a charity of their choice. “Our passionate TELUS team across the globe is guided by our longstanding belief that doing well in business and doing good in our communities are mutually inclusive,” says Darren Entwistle, President and CEO, TELUS. “As the global health emergency continues to impact people around the world, we want to make it easier for Canadians
to participate with us to give back. Indeed, building on the 1.6 million days of volunteerism we have contributed in our local communities over the past two decades, this year, our Friendly Future Days will once again amplify virtual and safe acts of giving. At a time when our support and care is needed most, we invite everyone to join us in giving back as, together, we strive to make the future friendly for all.” TELUS is a world leader in volunteerism and giving back to charitable and community organizations. In 2020, TELUS contributed over $85 million, 5% of its pre-tax profit, along with 1.3 million volunteer hours, to charities across Canada, more than any other company. However, as the world navigates a global pandemic, a recent Angus Reid survey found that almost all charitable activities in Canada have significantly declined this past year, as Canadians found it more difficult to participate in volunteerism and givingrelated activities. Nevertheless, 60% of Canadians feel more compelled than ever to give back. Key survey findings t PG $BOBEJBOT XIP give back through volunteering have found it more challenging to do so during the pandemic,
citing safety as a key barrier. t%VF UP CBSSJFST JODMVEJOH TBGFUZ and financial strain, there has been a 25% drop in Canadians’ giving efforts compared to before the pandemic began. t PG $BOBEJBOT BSF NPSF JOUFSFTUFE UIBO ever in giving back to their communities as a way to demonstrate empathy towards those in need. t"MNPTU BMM $BOBEJBOT believe that giving back is important. t PG $BOBEJBOT GFFM UIBU HJWJOH CBDL IFMQT them feel connected to their local community. t1SJPS UP UIF QBOEFNJD PG $BOBEJBOT gave back through financial donations versus 39% who have donated in 2021 so far. t PG $BOBEJBOT WPMVOUFFSFE UIFJS UJNF in some capacity prior to the pandemic, versus 30% in 2020, and 25% in 2021 so far. “We know Canadians have a huge desire to support their communities. Our survey told us that despite declining rates of giving, Canadians have felt more compelled to give back and support their communities during the pandemic than ever before,” Mr. Entwistle added. “During TELUS’ #FriendlyFuture Days, we invite all Canadians to give and volunteer - whether it be through making
a donation, giving time or lending their skills. Exemplifying our global leadership in social capitalism, our dedicated team will continue to give with our hearts and our hands to make a positive difference in the communities where we live, work and serve. Imagine the impact we can make when we give, together.” Last year, TELUS contributed 5% of its pretax profits to charitable organizations - a total of $85 million to build healthier communities, along with more than $150 million in support of COVID-19 related initiatives. Since 2000, the TELUS team has contributed $1.4 billion in value, time, and financial support to charities and grassroots community organizations in Canada and in global communities where it operates, including 1.6 million days of volunteerism. Each year, TELUS supports more than 4,000 charities and community organizations worldwide. For more info, visit the website to view the official terms, conditions and eligibility requirements. To learn more about TELUS social impact, visit telus.com/friendlyfuture.
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Saturday, May 8, 2021 Advertorial
Maple Diversity launches inclusivity-led program Diversity Beyond Ethnicity
Maple Diversity Communications Inc.’s newest marketing program, Diversity Beyond Ethnicity, has been envisioned with inclusion and acceptance at its core. With a mission to ‘build inclusivity beyond boundaries’, this program connects brands with diverse consumer groups like the LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, among others with meaningful advertising, marketing and research solutions. Market statistics reveal strong opportunities
for forward-thinking brands in this space. The vibrant Indigenous community is Canada’s youngest, fastest growing demography at 1.67 million, which can be connected to, through inclusive media touchpoints, digital engagements and sponsorships. Underserved consumers with disabilities, along with family and friends, are the 3rd largest market segment in North America eager to be embraced with accessible, meaningful outreach along the consumer journey. Brands see a 40% higher buyer’s intent, and 66% increase in willingness to recommend, with LGBTQ+ inclusive ads. Diversity Beyond Ethnicity helps brands connect with advertising strategies that are innovative, empathetic and supportive. These consumer segments are unique in some of their brand preferences, shopping behaviour and media consumption habits. Brands
need to understand, engage and communicate distinctively with each of these segments, building inclusiveness, trust and affinity. To help brands successfully identify with these consumer groups and achieve business objectives, Maple Diversity offers a range of services including Research & Insights, Strategy & Planning, Creative & Production, Digital & Social Media Marketing, and Influencer Marketing. “Canada’s fabric is getting more vibrant and diverse,” says Niraj Sinha, Chairman & CEO, Maple Diversity Communications. “Today a growing number of consumers want brands to celebrate their uniqueness and adequately represent them in marketing and advertising. With a decade of experience in the multicultural marketing space, Maple Diversity is excited to take diversity and inclusion even further, to embrace all diversity and build inclusivity beyond boundaries.” To learn more about Diversity Beyond Ethnicity - www.maplediversity.com/ diversity-beyond-ethnicity About Maple Diversity Communications Inc. Maple Diversity Communications is a full-service multicultural advertising agency. Since December 2010, the Company has helped various Canadian corporations from industries such as automotive, financial, retail, food, telecom, CPG, education, and others to reach growing multicultural consumers in Canada. Maple Diversity has been recognized as one of fastest-growing companies in Canada in 2017, 2018 and 2020 by Maclean’s and Canadian Business. Maple Diversity is also the first Canadian multicultural agency to extend its operations in the USA.
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INDIA
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) suspended due to Covid-19 spike Chennai Super Kings’ Suresh Raina has shared his feelings on the state of affairs as far as the Covid-19 is concerned especially as it led to cancellation of IPL. Raina said ‘this is not a joke anymore’ and despite this the country will overcome the situation together. “This isn’t a joke anymore! So many lives at stake & never felt so helpless in life. No matter how much we want to help, but we are literally running out of resources. Every single person of this country deserves a salute right for standing by each other to save lives!” he tweeted. Raina had left the CSK bubble last year when the IPL was shifted to UAE. But this year chose to play and accounted for 123 runs in seven
games. He was himself very vocal and came out in aid of people affected by Covid-19. Raina’s once colleague and his batting coach Michael Hussey has tested positive as well. Hussey was part of CSK setup and he became the latest person of the IPL ecosystem to get infected. CSK bowling coach L Balaji had earlier tested positive for the virus, along with a member of the travel staff. The CSK team is currently in Delhi.The IPL was on Monday suspended after multiple cases within the bubble.CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan had returned positive test on Sunday morning. However, he returned negative tests by evening, confirming that the earlier test was a false positive.
Indians scramble for help but Modi’s ministers busy thanking his ‘leadership’ for undelivered oxygen & ration Over two lakh people have died in the country due to Covid-19 since the pandemic hit India last year, according to official figures. Of these, nearly one fourth — over 48,000 — have died just in the last month as the second Covid wave engulfed the country. More than 3,000 patients passed away just Tuesday in a span of 24 hours. Very many of those who have died in the second wave are people who couldn’t find hospital beds or oxygen cylinders or
even the most basic medical aid on time. The second wave has seen a collapse of the health infrastructure across the country but especially in places like Delhi and Uttar Pradesh — with Covid patients scrambling for medical resources. But for ministers of the Narendra Modi government, it’s almost as if there is a parallel reality that exists — one where PM Modi is the “champion of the poor”, ensuring “uninterrupted supply of oxygen”, for which
61% Indians ‘angry, depressed’ about Covid -19 wave, 45% feel govt not on right track: Survey With the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc across the country, a new survey has found that 61 per cent Indians are “angry, upset, depressed or worried” about the virus. The survey by LocalCircles, a community social media platform, also noted that 45 per cent of the total respondents felt that the Government of India was not on the right track to tackle the second wave of the virus. Published Wednesday, the survey aimed to understand what Indians were feeling vis-a-vis the resurgent Covid wave and the government’s response to it.
In response to a question aimed to understand the collective pulse of Indians on the current situation, out of the 8,141 responses received, 23 per cent said they were “anxious or worried”, 20 per cent said they were “upset and angry”, 10 per cent said they were “extremely angry”, 8 per cent said they were “depressed, gloomy or sad” and only 7 per cent said they were “calm or peaceful”. Meanwhile, 28 per cent said that they were “optimistic and hopeful”.
Maharashtra govt on the edge over unabated Covid-19 spike in 20 districts Amid a gradual drop in Covid-19 caseload in 15 districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Thane, over the past couple of weeks, 20 districts are seeing a constant rise despite lockdown-like restrictions, leaving the government worried. Health minister Rajesh Tope said active cases have steadied at 62,000 and the number of deaths have also decreased by half in the past three weeks. The positivity rate has come down to 22 per cent from 27 per cent despite the number of tests carried out each day hasn’t decreased. Tope said on Tuesday that more patients are being discharged than the people admitted on a daily basis. “The 15 districts may have shown improvement, but the remaining 20 districts have rising numbers every day. There is a steep spike in districts [cutting across all revenue divisions] which the local authorities have taken very seriously for
considering enforcement of total lockdown,” he said. Authorities in Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli and Beed districts have declared an 8-10-day lockdown from Wednesday. Respective guardian ministers have been authorised to impose lockdowns. Over the past 15 days, Buldhana has recorded over 1,300 per cent increase in daily cases. Maharashtra got 9 lakh Covishield vaccines for the 45-plus age group, but they won’t suffice to cater to a huge waitlist.
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Saturday, May 8, 2021
FIJI
Punjab Critical Covid-19 patients from Delhi, Haryana, UP, Utrakhand & Bihar rush to Jalandhar hospitals With ample healthcare facilities lacking back home, a large number of Covid patients from various states, including Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and even Bihar, have been rushing to Jalandhar for treatment. As many as 307 patients in various hospitals in the district are from outside Punjab, a count that stood at 193 on Sunday, according to data received from the district administration.
Over the past three days, 114 more patients reached Jalandhar. This is despite the Punjab Government making a Covidnegative report or a vaccination certificate mandatory for entering the state. Of the total 1,052 Covid patients admitted to 62 private hospitals, 561 are from outside the district. Balwinder Singh from Panipat, who has brought his mother here, said, “No oxygen beds are available in Delhi-NCR or Haryana.
Covid-19 hits blood donation in Punjab Most of the blood banks in the Majha region have been facing acute blood shortage due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The health protocol says once a person gets vaccinated against Covid, he/she cannot donate blood for the next 28 days. Besides, a gap of 45-60 days has to
be maintained between the two doses. Now, the vaccination has started for people between 18 and 44 years. This age group is probable blood donors. Looking at the paucity of blood, the doctors and the blood bank authorities have appealed to the people to donate their blood before being vaccinated against Covid.
Record 182 fatalities, 8K cases in 24 hours in Punjab In yet another bad day in terms of caseload and casualties due to the second wave of Covid sweeping the state, 8,015 fresh cases and 182 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours in Punjab. Apart from that, 240 persons are critical. This is the highest-ever deaths and cases reported in a single day in the state. With the fresh cases, the number of active cases in the state has crossed 60,000. The total number of cases in the state has
crossed four-lakh mark. So far, 4.07 lakh cases and 9,825 deaths have been reported. In the district-wise break-up of deaths, Bathinda topped the list with 21 deaths followed by Patiala, Sangrur and Ludhiana with 19 deaths each, Amritsar 18, SAS Nagar 17, Fazilka 10, Jalandhar and Muktsar nine each, Hoshiarpur seven, Pathankot six, Kapurthala, Barnala, Faridkot and Gurdaspur four each, SBS Nagar and Mansa three each, Ferozpur and Fatehgarh Sahib two each, and Moga and Tarn Taran one each.
Pakistan Record reduction in Covid-19 cases Pakistan recorded the lowest spike in daily new Covid-19 cases infections in the country in nearly a month, according to official data. Pakistan reported 3,377 new cases on Tuesday, Last time when less than 4,000 new cases were reported in a day was on April 5, when 3,953 new cases were detected. In the last 24 hours, 161 new virus-related
deaths were reported, taking the COVID-19 death toll to 18,310. Pakistan has been trying to contain the virus by increasing vaccination efforts and enforcing safety regulations. Federal health advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr Faisal s said that about 70 % of the population would be vaccinated by the end of this year.
Govt to import 50,000 tonnes of rice from India thru railways The rice will be imported from India’s Kolkata and Chhattisgarh by the railways through Benapole, Darshana and Rohanpur borders, Shahida Akhter, additional secretary of the cabinet division, told a virtual media briefing after the meeting. The rice will be brought through the railways from India for the first time so that it can be imported in the shortest possible time, she said. Indian firm Saurabh Industries Ltd will supply the rice at $386 per tonne, she said, adding that
the estimated price will be Tk 32.73 per kg. The government has moved to procure rice from international markets as the stocks at the public warehouses have hit an unusual low. According to the food ministry, the government had 4.62 lakh tonnes of food grains in its stock on April 20, the lowest since 2008 when the stock fell to 2.8 lakh tonnes. The stock was 11.20 lakh tonnes on July 1, 2020, and 15.99 lakh tonnes on July 1, 2019.
Indifferent attitude towards overseas Pakistanis ‘unforgivable’ Prime Minister Imran Khan Prime Minister Imran Khan asked the country’s ambassadors serving abroad to forgo colonial-era attitudes and treat overseas Pakistanis with compassion, saying the current indifferent attitude towards expatriates was “unforgivable”. Speaking to Pakistani envoys posted in capitals around the world virtually, the premier read out specific complaints received from overseas Pakistanis, especially those in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates,
asking the embassies to put their affairs in order. Referring to the issues that have come to light at the Pakistani missions in Riyadh and Jeddah, Prime Minister Imran acknowledged that he had not paid the matter as much attention as he would have liked because he was occupied with “domestic issues”. He stressed that if Pakistan today had not gone bankrupt, it was because of the remittances sent home by overseas Pakistanis.
Fiji shuts down second largest Lautoka Hospital There
were four new cases Covid-19 on Wednesday. Two were at the border: soldiers returning from peacekeeping in the Golan Heights, and two local. Fong said one of the local victims was in intensive care. He said the 53-year-old man, on two occasions, refused a Covid-19 test while in the hospital for a surgical procedure. Both the Lautoka doctors who have contracted Covid-19 had had contact with the man. Fong said it is believed the man was a likely late-stage carrier of the virus. Hence, Fong believes the man may of
have transmitted the virus to the doctors, not the other way around. He said because they did not know where the man contracted it, his case appeared to be a red flag for widespread transmission, meaning more cases of the virus out there. Fong said to prevent the hospital from becoming ground zero for a wider outbreak, the disciplined forces have locked it down, making it a tightlycontained, full-time Covid-19 care facility. More than 400 patients, doctors, nurses, and other staff have been sequestered and will be effectively quarantined within the hospital.
About 100 patients in the Lautoka Hospital – Dr Fong Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong says there are about 100 or so patients at the Lautoka Hospital and they have enough staff to look after those patients. The Lautoka Hospital is now a tightly contained Covid-19 care facility, with more than 400 patients, doctors, nurses, and other staff effectively quarantined within the hospital until the Health Ministry
can determine who else may or may not have had contact with the 53-year old patient who had tested for Covid-19. Doctor Fong says the Covid-19 Ward at the Lautoka Hospital still remains active and the staff working in that ward will stay there. He adds the rest of the staff will do shift work to care for the rest of the patients.
Intensive Care Unit cases may be a red flag for widespread transmission – Dr Fong Lautoka Hospital is now a tightly contained Covid-19 care facility, with more than 400 patients, doctors, nurses, and other staff effectively quarantined within the hospital until the Health Ministry can determine who else may or may not have had contact with the 53-year patient who had tested for Covid-19. Doctor Fong says from a statistical standpoint, Intensive Care Unit cases, like
the one we now have at Lautoka Hospital, maybe a red flag for widespread transmission. He also says that it tells us that there are likely many more cases of the virus out there. Doctor Fong says they have dreaded a worst-case scenario such as this since the day of our first case in March of last year.
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Saturday, May 8, 2021
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