The Asian Star November 13 2021

www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 40

Saturday, November 13, 2021

30- 50-year-olds are dying of Covid in BC hospitals Physicians at Royal Jubilee have lost at least one unvaccinated patient in their 20s and multiple patients in their 30s. If vulnerable seniors in care homes were the face of the pandemic’s first wave, young unvaccinated people intubated in criticalcare wards are the hallmark of the fourth.

On any given day in B.C., the large majority of people in hospital intensive care units are unvaccinated. On Nov. 5, 59 of 64 COVID patients age 59 and younger in ICUs in the province were unvaccinated.

South Asian Covid-denier Makhan Parhar dies Mak Parhar, the New Westminster man who gained online notoriety for his belief the earth is flat and outspoken denial that COVID-19 exists, has died. New Westminster police confirmed they were called to help paramedics at a home in the Sapperton neighbourhood Thursday morning, but arrived to find Parkhar deceased. The cause of death has not been determined and will be investigated by the BC Coroners Service. In a recent livestreamed video, Parhar reported feeling ill with a variety

A three-member team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) reached Canada on Friday to probe the funding routes for pro-Khalistan groups trying to create unrest in India. During its fourday visit, the team, led by an Inspector General-rank officer, would discuss with the Canadian authorities the findings of its probe against such groups, including Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). The team is likely to press for execution of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty for faster sharing of information related to anti-India activities, said Continued on page 6 sources.

Next-gen supercharged COVID-19 vaccines may also target the common cold UK researchers investigating a cohort of healthcare workers with a strange preexisting resistance to SARS-CoV-2 infection have discovered a new antigen target for the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines.

The researchers speculate the next wave of vaccines using this antigen could potentially protect against all circulating coronaviruses, including those known to cause the common

cold. Vaccines work by presenting the body with a molecule designed to help the immune system learn how to identify certain pathogens. These molecules are known as antigens, or antibody generators, and the big antigen our first wave of COVID-19 vaccines targeted is the infamous coronavirus spike protein. A new combination of microscope techniques

Continued on page 7

Biden to host Canada, Mexico leaders at White House on November 18 President Biden will host the heads of government of Canada and Mexico at the White House next week, marking the first summit of North American leaders in five years.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel

US President Biden lights lamp at White House to celebrate Diwali US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden lit a lamp at the White House on Diwali. “May the light of Diwali remind us that from darkness there is knowledge, wisdom, and truth...To Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists celebrating in America and around the world — from the People’s House to yours, happy Diwali,” Biden tweeted. ‘‘It is our honor to be the first president and first lady to light a diya together in the White House to celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights that is observed by more than one billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists

of symptoms, including fatigue, chills and a cough, which he said was “not CONVID (sic) because CONVID (sic) doesn’t exist.” In a video posted Wednesday, Parhar said he was feeling somewhat better and had recently taken Ivermectin, an anti-parasite drug widely touted in the anti-vaccine community, but which Canadian and U.S. health officials have warned against using.

Continued on page 6

Continued on page 9

Indian police in Canada to investigate pro-Khalistan groups & their funding

Tel:604-591-5423

in the United States, India, and around the world. Like many cherished holidays during the pandemic, we know this year’s Diwali carries an even deeper meaning. To those who have lost loved ones, we hope this sacred time provides comfort and purpose in their memory. To those who celebrate here in America, we are grateful to you for making the traditions of Diwali part of America’s story. For generations, you have opened your homes and hearts during Diwali to exchange gifts and sweets. on page 6

López Obrador will convene with Biden on Nov. 18 to discuss the coronavirus pandemic, economic competitiveness and growth, climate change and migration. , the White House announced Wednesday.

Continued on page 8

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Saturday, November 13, 2021

BC ferry workers warn sudden vaccination mandate may cause staff shortages but company disagrees B.C. Ferries says most ferry staff are reporting they are already vaccinated The union representing B.C. Ferry workers says a recent vaccination mandate for federally-regulated industries gave too little warning and may cause staffing shortages, as crews scramble to meet requirements.

But B.C. Ferries disagrees.

A spokesperson says most ferry staff are reporting they are already vaccinated, so the shift to requiring shots should be “smooth” sailing.

The ferry corporation says that all employees and contractors who work on board vessels need to have their first dose of vaccine by Nov. 15 and their second dose by Jan. 24. The remainder of B.C. Ferries’ workers will be required to be fully vaccinated by Feb. 28, 2022 Failure to meet the deadlines will result in employees being put on leave without pay, it says.

On Nov. 9, hundreds of ferry workers attended a virtual town hall meeting hosted by the union.

The meeting included labour law experts who fielded questions from workers struggling with what the union called “significant challenges” meeting COVID-19 testing requirements on time. The union says the new rules are difficult, especially for crew who work in remote locations.

“The ferry system in B.C. has so

little staff resiliency, I hope they are right but we could see shortages,” said Eric McNeely, the provincial president of the B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union.

A B.C. Ferries sign showing cancelled service to Nanaimo is pictured at Horseshoe Bay terminal in Horseshoe Bay, B.C., on Jan. 3, 2020. (Ben Nelms/CBC) A COVID-19 vaccination policy was issued to employees on Nov. 5.

Staff must divulge by Nov. 10 whether or not they are vaccinated, to allow B.C. Ferries time to confirm numbers to Transport Canada by Monday, Nov. 15.

McNeely says the short-notice deadlines are “unreasonable” as staffing is too thin and could lead to worker shortages and ferry delays or waits, if a significant enough number of workers are unable to meet them. The union is also unhappy passengers are not require to show proof of vaccination as is already the case with anyone travelling by rail or air in Canada.

“My members aren’t scared of the co-worker they’ve been standing beside for 20 months of the pandemic. They are more concerned about the 60,000 people travelling through the ferry system that are under less scrutiny than I would be if I went to White Spot for dinner.”

A passenger walks the deck of a BC Ferry.

(Yvette Brend/CBC) In B.C., people who use the ferry system or other forms of transit like buses do not have to show their vaccine

Gas prices in BC skyrocketing

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Gas prices in Vancouver are up 7 cents a litre compared to several days ago — a staggering increase in comparison to the rest of the province.

In Vancouver, you could fill up for 157.9 cents a litre on November 5 but, according to Gas Wizard, that same litre of gas is expected to cost 164.9 cents by November 11.

On the flip side, gas prices in Victoria, B.C., have actually dropped from 162.9 cents a litre last week to 159.9 this week. If you’re looking for cheaper gas,

prices in Kamloops, B.C. are holding firm. The price is 152.9 cents a litre, compared to 151.9 on November 5.

Kelowna is the same price — 152.9 cents a litre — as one week ago, but prices did drop to 150.9 over the weekend.

Gas prices over the border in Alberta are even cheaper again, with prices at 143.9 cents a litre in Calgary and 141.9 cents a litre in Edmonton.

This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.

Gas Prices In BC Are Among The Highest In Canad.

CPL announces expansion franchise in Vancouver

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The Canadian Premier League is coming to Vancouver.

The league announced Wednesday that a ninth franchise will come on board for the 2023 season. It’s the first addition since Atletico Ottawa joined in 2020. “Not only is it great for soccer in Canada, I think it’s great for the Canadian Premier League,” said commissioner David Clanachan. “I think it’s great for all our fans and supporters. And for everything we’re trying to build. For me, every time we take a step forward, it’s not only a step forward it’s a step upward.” The expansion Vancouver franchise was awarded to SixFive Sports and Entertainment LP, which owns Pacific FC, the CPL team based out of Langford, B.C. SixFive’s general partners are former Canadian internationals Rob Friend and Josh Simpson, investment entrepreneur Dean Shillington and Starlight Investments, a privately held Toronto-based real estate investment and asset management company.

Shillington said the group has been talking to eight or nine municipalities through the Lower Mainland about stadium location.

“We’re close but we felt it was an appropriate time to put it to the community, to the fans.

We want to hear where everyone wants us,” Shillington said in an interview from England.

The plan is to build a stadium from scratch, with a capacity of around 8,000 to start but which can be increased as needed down the line.

Dean Shillington will the point man for the Vancouver franchise As for sharing the city with the MLS Whitecaps, Shillington says his group sees no issue with two teams in the Greater Vancouver area. Toronto has two pro soccer clubs with the MLS’ Toronto FC and York United FC, a CPL side that plays out of York University in the north of the city. Shillington says owning multiple teams is part of the SixFive plan.

“We’re merely custodians of a broader brand.

So our goal has been to invest in Canadian football everywhere we can and to keep investing in Canadian football. So we’re quite excited to use what we’ve learned through Pacific, add Vancouver to the mix and then hand the whole thing off to the supporters and community to take it from there.”

Clanachan says Shillington will be the point man for the Vancouver franchise while Friend and Simpson focus on Pacific.

“We’ve ringfenced it properly,” said Clanchan.

Shillington is president of the Knightsbridge Capital Group and owns Caffe Artigiano, which has branches in B.C. and Alberta.

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Saturday, November 13, 2021 BC reports 555 new Covid-19 cases & 11 deaths on Wednesday British Columbia reported 555 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, along with 11 additional deaths. The update lifted the province’s seven-day average for new cases to 520. The figure has been steadily edging upward since hitting a fourth-wave low of 477 on Friday.

Of the new cases, 197 were in the Fraser Health region, 50 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 114 were in the Interior Health region, 106 were in the Northern Health region and 88 were in the Island Health region. Officials reported 404 active cases in hospital, 117 of whom were in critical or intensive care. There were 4,321 active cases province-wide. Officials reported three new health-care facility outbreaks: one at Kalmoops’ Royal Inland Hospital and two in the Fraser Health region ad the George Derby Centre and Dufferin Care Centre.

Nearly 4.2 million people, 90.5 per cent of those eligible, have had one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Of them, 4 million, or 86.4 per cent of those eligible, have had a second dose. People who were not fully vaccinated accounted for 63.1 per cent of cases over the last week and 70.8 per cent of hospitalizations over the past two weeks.

B.C. health officials say the province is due to receive a shipment of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine next week.

That vaccine is expected to be offered to health-care workers who have yet to be immunized, and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has suggested it may be a better option for people who are hesitant about the Pfizer and Moderna shots.As of Tuesday, 3,071 B.C. health-care workers remained on unpaid leave after opting not to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic, B.C. has reported 210,758 cases, while 2,234 people have died.

Another arrest warrant issued for N.S. man accused in murder of Prabhjot Singh Katri One of the men charged in the murder of Prabhjot Singh Katri is wanted on another province-wide arrest warrant for two separate incidents on July 1 and Oct. 17.

Marcus Michael Denny, 22, of Pictou Landing First Nation, is charged with accessory to murder after the fact in the killing of Singh Katri, a 23-year-old man killed outside an apartment building in Truro in the early morning hours of Sept. 5.

Two other men — 20-year-old Cameron James Prosper and 21-year-old Dylan Robert MacDonald — have also been charged in relation to the murder.

The Truro Police Service have already issued an arrest warrant for Denny. On Wednesday, the

Nova Scotia RCMP said they were also searching for him and were appealing to the public for assistance.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Chris Marshall said Denny is charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and failing to comply with a condition of a release order in relation to an incident on Oct. 17 — days before the Truro Police Service issued their own arrest warrant for him.

In that case, Denny is accused of spraying another man with a chemical irritant and participating in an attack against him along with a group of other people in Pictou Landing First Nation, said Marshall.

Denny has also been charged with impaired operation of a conveyance, impaired operation over 80 mg, resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer in relation to an incident on July 1 in Bible Hill.

While those charges are separate from Singh Katri’s murder, Marshall said the RCMP and the Truro Police Service are working together to find Denny.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of collaborative work that goes on between both our agency and any municipal agency — in this case Truro — in terms of trying to find persons, the production of warrants and basically bringing people who are wanted before the courts,” he said.

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17-year-old Langley teen killed in overnight high-speed crash A Langley, B.C., teen has been killed in an overnight, single-vehicle crash.

The incident happened just after midnight Wednesday on 248th Street, between 64th and 68th streets.

Police said the Hyundai Genesis was travelling at a high speed when it went off the road and hit a tree.

The driver, a 17-year-old boy, was the only occupant and died at the scene.

The Criminal Collision Investigation Team is now taking over the case to determine what happened.

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4

OPINION Fergus Hodgson

There’s a legal way to consume raw milk in Canada: buy it in the United States and bring it home. Of the 13 states bordering Canada, 12 have legal raw milk. More than 40 have it legal in some form, yet the U.S. has not had a death from raw milk in more than two decades.

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Canada’s raw-milk ban defies common-sense This odd juxtaposition pulls back the curtain on Canada’s sacred cows and illiberal prohibition. While the federal government has legalized cannabis nationwide – albeit with boneheaded regulations and a thriving black market – Canadians are still not free to buy a safe, nutritious food consumed widely around

the world. Not only does raw-milk prohibition favour rent-seeking agendas and the regulatory state, but lobbying groups are also misleading the public. To prop up the economic albatross against small, independent farms, Canadian law describes unpasteurized milk as a “health hazard.” B.C. Dairy, a trade association, also contends: “There is no evidence that raw milk has any health or nutritional benefits over pasteurized milk.” Both claims indicate ulterior motives and fall flat under cursory examination, especially with the U.S. counterexample staring Canada in the face. The first assumes Canadians are too dumb to assess the risks and make up their own minds. The alleged dangers of raw milk will be news to the countless communities and families worldwide, including my own in New Zealand, who have grown up on raw milk for generations. Meanwhile, all manner of sugar- and additive-laden junk food is available at one’s fingertips. It’s an order of magnitude safer than fish, shellfish and eggs, all of which are readily available raw.

The second, regarding nutritional benefits, is dishonest and easily refuted – as though not a single person nor a single study has ever demonstrated a benefit from raw milk. The Belfast Telegraph reports that “Scientists at the University of London gave children a couple of glasses of raw milk a week. They found that it seemed to cut their chances of developing hay fever by 10 per cent and eczema by 38 per cent,” among other benefits. Although not willing to recommend raw milk outright, WebMD reports a positive impact on one’s immune system, highlighted by Amish communities: “The hope is that we can isolate the protective factor in raw milk.” A tragedy of the scramble for political largess and power is its deleterious impact on public discourse and literacy. When interest groups have glaring incentives to tilt the debate, they predictably do so and tilt policy outcomes. What motivates the likes of the relevant regulators and industry lobbies?

These motives are leaking out little by little: their bureaucratic scope and privileged market status as incumbents and gatekeepers.

Fergus Hodgson is a research associate with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.

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LOCAL

Saturday, November 13, 2021 BC tourism industry calls for end of PCR test policy at Canada-US border Now that the United States has reopened its land border with Canada, leaders in British Columbia’s tourism industry are calling on the federal government to scrap the PCR test requirement for cross-border travel in time for the holiday season. Travellers five years of age and older, regardless of citizenship or vaccine status, must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter Canada.

Click to play video: ‘Expected flood of Canadians using land crossing into U.S. border towns failed to materialize’ Those in B.C.’s tourism sector say the requirement is keeping international visitors and business travellers away. “Moreso than others, B.C.’s hospitality sector is heavily dependent on international travel,” Mike Macleod of the B.C. Hotel Association said. “Many of our members are facing another winter season of staff cutbacks.”

Silent hand signal that helped rescue U.S. teen was originally created in Canada The Army already deployed 50,000 troops as well as artillery guns, main battle tanks, Akash air defense systems, quick-reaction surface-toair missile systems, Igla-S air defense systems, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, and infantry-combat and high-mobility vehicles.

Another Army official told Defense News that a plan is in place to provide weapons maintenance and support equipment to Indian forces along the border. But it’s the extremely cold climate that has the military concerned.

The Army will spend about $15,000 on each soldier from October to March, the service official added. Military logistics expert and retired Maj. Gen. Amrit Pal Singh said the Army is preparing winter supplies, including rations, engineering and medical provisions, weapons, ammunition and equipment, clothing, and climate-appropriate vehicles. Singh noted that a stockpile of 80 items for each soldier is required, including vast amounts of kerosene, diesel and

petrol, which provide heat for troops and fuel for vehicles. About half a million tons of supplies are needed during the entire winter for the borderbased force. Singh estimated that about 10 tons of supplies delivered by truck costs roughly $1,500, whereas a one-hour flight of a C-17 aircraft carrying 50 tons costs about $345,000.

Service officials said the Indian Army has spent about $100 million to establish several hundred camps with adequate electricity, water, heating and other facilities; some of those camps are based near the border across the eastern Ladakh region. Still, officials conceded they must do more to beef up infrastructure by building additional huts, bunkers and storage facilities for ammunition, weapons and vehicles. The state-owned Border Roads Organisation was tasked seven years ago with building more than 60 strategic border roads near the border with China. Thirty-five strategic roads are already fully operational, a Defence Ministry official confirmed.

Surrey RCMP field hundreds of calls about fireworks on Diwali Surrey RCMP fielded hundreds of calls for fireworks on Diwali, says Const. Sarbjit Sangha.

Prior to midnight on Thursday (Nov. 4), Sangha said there were about 450 calls for service, with the majority of those calls about fireworks. Then from midnight to 3 a.m. there were about 360 calls. Sangha added some people did call 911 instead of the non-emergency line.

She said people were calling the city’s bylaws department, but the lines were busy so people continued to call RCMP. “It was as expected,” Sangha noted. “We knew this was going to be a busy night. Compared to Halloween night, Sangha said there were about 360 calls between 4 p.m. and 4 a.m.

BC museum exhibit shines light on shared sacrifice of Punjabi, Canadian troops The curator of an exhibit at the Museum of Surrey is hoping to shine a light on the shared historical contribution and sacrifice of Punjabi and Canadian troops.

Steven Purewall is the curator of the Duty, Honour & Izzat exhibit and author of a book of the same name looking at that that history and its absence from Canada’s national story.

“There were thousands of people in Flanders’ fields during an iconic moment of Canadian history that have been left out traditionally in classrooms and museums,” he told Global News.

“It’s almost like selective amnesia, it’s not included in the story.”

Purewal points to the second battle of

Ypres in 1915, one of the Canadian military’s first defining moments, as an example.

Canadian troops were lauded for holding off a German advance, despite repeated gas attacks, in a moment that’s become iconic of Canada’s First World War story.

“We’re told that Canada came together as a nation on the battlefields of Europe,” Purewal said.

“What the Punjabi soldiers did during the First World War was it really enabled that story to unfold — without the participation of Punjabi soldiers, Ypres would have been lost.

The Canadian forces wouldn’t actually have been able to hold the line at Ypres because it was the Punjabis who came to reinforce them.”

5

BC to offer single-dose JJ vaccine to unvaccinated health-care workers first British Columbia’s unvaccinated health-care workers will be given the first opportunity to receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine against COVID-19 when it arrives in British Columbia next week, says the province’s top doctor.

The federal government will provide B.C. with a limited number of doses of the vaccine, which has been widely used in the United States, Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday.

She said the vaccine has not yet been available in the province. “Our first priority will be offering it to B.C. workers who have been affected by the (public health officer) order and who want the vaccine as an option for them to continue to safely work in B.C.,” Henry said at a news conference. More than 3,000 B.C. health-care workers have not been immunized against COVID-19 and are in violation of the

government’s proof-of-vaccination policy, which took effect last month.

Under the order, unvaccinated health-care workers have been placed on three months unpaid leave and could face termination.

Henry said some unvaccinated health-care workers who were placed on leave have suggested they would take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. She said she also expects the vaccine to be made available to members of the public, depending on the amount of supply the province receives. Henry described the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as a viral-vector vaccine that offers protection against COVID-19 similar to that of two doses of the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the number of health-care workers placed on leave due to their unvaccinated status has been declining in recent days as more get the shots.

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Saturday, November 13, 2021 India police in Canada to investigate pro-Khalistan groups & their funding

Besides Canada, the probe agency is learnt to be equipped with details of funding routes from the UK, the US, Australia, France and Germany.

Earlier this year, when the farmers protesting the Central farm laws organised a march to Delhi on the Republic Day, the SFJ is learnt to have announced a $2.5 lakh (approx Rs 1.85 crore) reward for anyone

hoisting a Khalistani flag atop the Red Fort.

The SFJ’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannu had, in a purported video, tried to link the protests with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. In December last year, the government had included Pannu, KTF’s Paramjit Singh Pamma and Hardeep Singh Nijjar as “designated terrorists” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, following which the NIA registered an FIR against them.

US President Biden lights lamp at White House to celebrate Diwali From page 1 ,host feasts with family and friends, and organize cultural programs in our communities – with prayers and dances, vibrant and colorful art, and sparklers and fireworks – that bring us all together.

May the spirit of Diwali remind us that out of darkness there is light in knowledge, wisdom, and truth. From division, there is unity in common bonds of empathy and compassion.

From isolation, there is community in the connections we share as we look out for one

another and hope, dream, and believe in possibilities.

That spirit is what we reflected upon in the simple act of lighting a diya, a small candle that carries such profound meaning.

From the People’s House to yours, may the light shine within us all as a powerful source of healing, repair, and renewal – a light that shines on who we are and what we can be at our best as a people and a nation.

On behalf of our family, we wish you a happy Diwali.

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BC police officer fired after calling in sick over 20 times to coach hockey An officer from the West Vancouver Police Department was dismissed for repeatedly calling in sick and then going to coach hockey instead. The incident is one of two hockeyrelated complaints about B.C. police officers that were investigated by the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner and detailed in its 2021 annual report.

“It was reported that the (West Vancouver Police Department) member called in sick for two shifts in a row. The member was then seen coaching a hockey game during the second shift for which he had called in sick,” reads the report. The department initiated an internal investigation and discovered that the officer had called in sick 25 times over a period of four years (2015-2019) in order to go and coach hockey instead. Not only did he coach on days when he had called in sick, he denied it to his supervisor, says the OPCC. The officer was fired from his position for deceit and discreditable conduct.

Disciplinary officials from the West Vancouver department noted that his behaviour “would fall below the public’s expectations of a municipal police officer.” They also noted that employers should be able to expect that employees “not

flagrantly abuse their sick time.” The officer resigned from his position before he was fired.

But according to the OPCC, his employment records were amended to reflect the dismissal.

In a second hockey-related incident, the OPCC report says a Delta Police Department officer verbally abused a minor league hockey referee and then refused to leave the ice at a December 2019 game. “The (off-duty Delta police) member verbally abused the on-ice official and projected himself in an unprofessional manner to other spectators, coaches, and players,” reads the report. The report says he engaged in a “verbal altercation” with parents of other players, and refused to immediately obey the referee’s request that he leave the ice rink.

Many people witnessed the officer’s behaviour and somebody notified the department.

As a result, he was given a “verbal reprimand” for behaving in a way that “discredits the department.” Details of the disciplinary process, shared in the OPCC document, say that the officer accepted full responsibility and “made no excuses for his actions.” He also “authored unsolicited apology letters.”

Homes for sale at an all-time low in BC The supply of homes listed for sale across B.C. is at a historical low, said the British Columbia Real Estate Association.

There were 19,214 active listings in October across the province — a nearly 40 per cent drop from October 2020, and an all-time record low. Home inventories have also fallen for five consecutive months.

“The story across the province continues to be the record low number of listings,” said Brendon Ogmundson, chief economist of the BCREA, which represents about 23,000 realtors across the province. “Rising mortgage rates should start to temper sales activity next year, but even with a moderation in demand it will take quite some

time for the inventory of homes to return to a healthy level.”

Data from 10 real estate boards across the province paints a picture of rising prices, high demand, and low supply.

The number of homes for sale in October has dropped everywhere in B.C. compared to October 2020, except for Powell River which posted a four per cent gain.

The decrease in many regions are significant: Fraser Valley had 53 per cent less homes for sale this October compared to the same time last year; Kamloops saw a 49 per cent drop; Vancouver, 47 per cent; and Victoria, 55 per cent. In Greater Vancouver, where the average home price is highest, the sales to active listings ratio is nearly 42 per cent. Other regions have even tighter supply. Chilliwack’s sales to active listings ratio is at 84.5 per cent; Victoria’s,

7

Saturday, November 13, 2021 From page 1

Next-gen supercharged COVID-19 vaccines may also target the common cold

allows scientists to image cells inside and out in high definition and 3D. Looking to the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines, researchers are looking beyond the spike protein, investigating alternative SARS-CoV-2 antigens. This new research started by studying a cohort of healthcare workers in the UK who strangely seemed to repeatedly test negative to SARS-CoV-2 despite high levels of exposure to the virus. This cohort consistently tested negative to common antibody and PCR tests, however, the researchers did detect some blood markers suggestive of SARS-CoV-2 infection. An increase in immune T-cells specifically geared to target SARS-CoV-2 was detected, indicating the healthcare workers had potentially experienced a low-level infection but managed to somehow fight it off early.

“We know that some individuals remain uninfected despite having likely exposure to the virus,” explains Leo Swadling, lead author on the new study. “What we didn’t know is whether these individuals really did manage to completely avoid the virus or whether they naturally cleared the virus before it was detectable by routine tests. By intensively monitoring health care workers for signs of infection and immune responses, we identified a minority with this particular SARS-CoV-2 specific T cell response.” The T-cells detected in the study were trained to target non-structural proteins that play a role in the early stages of the virus’s life cycle. These proteins are part of the virus’s replication transcription complex, more commonly referred to as replication proteins. Most interestingly, these particular replication proteins are common to all coronaviruses. So the researchers hypothesize those individuals with strong T-cell responses targeting these proteins may have had recent exposure to a more innocuous common-

cold-causing coronavirus. “The regions of the virus that these T cells recognize are highly conserved amongst other members of the coronavirus family, such as those that cause common colds every year,” says Swadling.

“Previous common cold exposure may have given these individuals a head start against the virus, tipping the balance in favor of their immune system eliminating the virus before it could start to replicate.”

These findings build on a growing hypothesis suggesting a cross-reactive immune response between SARS-CoV-2 and common coronaviruses. A recent Stanford University study speculated prior exposure to coronaviruses that cause the common cold may explain why some people experience incredibly mild or even asymptomatic forms of COVID-19.

South Asian Covid-denier Makhan Parhar dies From page 1 Parhar has been one of the most outspoken voices in the anti-mask and anti-vaccine movement in British Columbia. He was in the midst of a trial on three charges of violating Canada’s Quarantine Act for refusing to selfisolate after returning to British Columbia from a flat earth conference in the U.S. in 2020. In March of 2020, the City of Delta revoked the business licence for Parhar’s hot yoga studio, after he encouraged people to attend and falsely claimed the heat would kill the coronavirus. He was also criticized for shooting a video inside a Metro Vancouver hospital at the height of the pandemic’s first wave to get the “truth” about the virus. In April, the B.C. Supreme Court threw out a lawsuit he filed against the province claiming trespass, malfeasance, extortion, terrorism, kidnapping and fraud by the government on the part of government officials.

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Saturday, November 13, 2021 From page 1 Fully vaccinated people who end up in critical care are almost exclusively elderly with existing health conditions. Of 19 fully vaccinated people in critical care on Friday, 15 were 60 and older.

It’s hard to convey in statistics, however, what ICU registered nurse Carrie Homuth, who manages the adult intensive care unit and high acuity unit for Royal Jubilee, and her co-workers see every day in those hospitals. “When you come down to us and walk through these halls, there is the real story of the pandemic that isn’t

captured in those numbers.”

On a recent day at the Royal Jubilee hospital Dr. Grant McIntyre said all of the ICU patients on the fifth-floor ward were unvaccinated.

“One of the telling things we’ve seen over the last few weeks is that a lot of people, before they are put on life support, pass on to us significant regret,” McIntyre said. “I’ve had people tell me they made a terrible mistake right before they

30- 50-year-olds are dying of Covid in BC hospitals are intubated. It’s a very sad thing to hear.”

Dr. Omar Ahmad, department head of emergency and critical-care medicine for Island Health, said many patients and families are not prepared for the unforgiving nature of the disease. “With COVID, you have healthy people who a month ago were totally fine and now they are on their deathbed.”

Physicians at Royal Jubilee have lost at least one unvaccinated patient in their 20s and multiple patients in their 30s.

“How do you reconcile that in your mind?”

Ahmad said. “It’s brutal, it’s heart-wrenching.

Families aren’t ready for it.”

Ahmad said he’s held the hands of newly admitted ICU COVID patients and tried to offer hope — “there is so much fear and so much anxiety.” But the reality is that there is not a lot of hope to give.

ICU and ER physician Dr. Adam Thomas wears a Star Wars cap that covers his forehead and a surgical mask that comes up below his eyes, which look weary. “Thirty-, 40- and 50-year-olds shouldn’t be dying at this level,” said Thomas. “We deal with death every day in the ICU but not at this level.”

Thomas, who is 36, said he’s treating fathers his age with young children — putting them on a ventilator “knowing it’s unlikely they’re going to see their kids again.”

It is excruciating for families and it’s taking a toll on health-care workers. “It’s a lot,” he said.

Watching patients die knowing that it was preventable makes the losses harder, health-

care providers say.

And it’s getting worse. Since July 1, the mortality of ventilated COVID patients in B.C. has seen a “significant bump” to almost double, Thomas said, although it’s worse in some areas than others.

The spike in deaths coincides with Delta becoming the prevalent variant, Thomas said.

“Doing this job we usually have tricks that work, but not a lot works now.”

Some otherwise healthy patients have died within a week of being admitted.

Critical illness progresses differently in different people for a variety of reasons, be it genetic, personal or environmental, but one thing is clear: A patient’s fitness has no effect on how their immune system fights the Delta variant, said Thomas.

In some patients, doctors can’t stop the disease’s progression, he said. “It’s humbling.”

Critical-care nurse Graeme Inglis said it’s the nature of the ICU that some people die and some people live, but it’s been tough to see people work so hard — from housekeepers and porters up to directors — to no avail.

“We don’t always have successful outcomes here, but in the last couple of months especially, we’ve seen a lot of sad tales, families by bedsides,”

Inglis said. “I’ve seen young wives, I’ve seen young husbands, get left behind.”

Health-care workers have the added burden of having to conceal their emotions as families look to them to save their loved one — even when everything possible has been tried, said Inglis.

“Unfortunately, the patients living in this state, they don’t know how their decision [not to get vaccinated] has affected them — they can make that decision, and that’s great — but we see the families that are left behind and that’s a very tough thing to watch.”

A small number reject the COVID diagnosis, and some even threaten legal action if they are not given “treatments” that haven’t been proven.

The treatments that are used include steroids, immunotherapies and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, which is similar to the heart-lung bypass machine used in open-heart surgeries. At one point early on, even lung transplants were performed at the transplant centre at Vancouver General Hospital, but were stopped because of poor outcomes.“Every treatment that’s proven to be positive, we’re using,” said Ahmad, “but there’s no real magic bullet.

“People are hoping for miracles, but the miracle is the vaccine.”

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Saturday, November 13, 2021 Jagmeet Singh on relentless optimism and what’s next for the NDP

By Marie-Danielle Smith

I caught up with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Parliament Hill on the same day that his new caucus of 25 MPs gathered for their first post-election meeting.

Singh led the New Democrats to a modest increase in the popular vote in September’s election, but the party gained only one additional seat, falling well short of its hope of appealing to an electorate persuaded by progressive rhetoric but dissatisfied by successive Liberal governments. The lawyer, former Ontario NDP deputy leader and father-to-be spoke about election disappointments, policy priorities, courageous optimism and what he’ll tell his future child about running for politics.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

How do you feel things are going, now that you have two elections under your belt? I feel an immense sense of honour and gratitude that I get to do something I really believe in and love to do, and that I get to hear people’s stories. Things feel good, but it’s still a struggle and there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. It seemed like conditions were ripe in this election for NDP policies to shine. Why didn’t you gain more ground? In the scheme of things, people didn’t want this election; they were frustrated and basically said they were sending back the exact same Parliament. I think we’re the only party that grew our vote. Everybody else didn’t, so that shows there’s a good trend.

But it looks like a missed opportunity. What could you have done differently?

I’m disappointed. There were a lot of really good [potential] MPs who were so close to winning and would’ve been really good voices in Ottawa. I think that there are 10 or 12 seats where we were a couple of percentage points away. We have to close those gaps.

READ: Jody Wilson-Raybould on Ottawa’s power problem Have you been ironing out that strategy? As opposed to [using] the back of a napkin, I like data. I’m very data-driven. We’ve initiated a review with the goal to have a constructive assessment of what worked, what didn’t work and the action items that we need to take to correct some of the things that were just close. In Davenport, we were 76 votes away from winning.

In Vancouver Granville, 280ish votes. We’ve got all these seats that were just shy, just a bit, like with Ruth Ellen Brosseau in Berthier-Maskinongé.

These are all very achievable differences.

A criticism was that the 2021 platform was almost identical to the 2019 platform. People were asking: Why hasn’t the NDP innovated?

Everything in there is stuff that we still believe in, and we’re not going to abandon stuff we believe in. I think the criticism I heard was that we were too ambitious. We want to do too many things.

And I think there might be something there. That people want to believe us and are nervous about whether we have a plan to achieve these things.

Canada’s New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh in Ottawa October 6, 2021. Photograph by Blair Gable What are the major priorities you want to concentrate on? I want people to know that we’ve got a plan around pharmacare. It’s a really thorough plan. We’ve studied the New Zealand model. We’ve got clear evidence on how covering those medications will result in fewer cases of extreme illness. We’ve got evidence around outcomes and how it improves health and reduces cost. Even with telecoms, there’s actually a whole bunch of real things we can do. We can start with a price cap. It’s worked in the States; it’s worked in Australia. There’s one clear law that if we changed it overnight, it would open up the ability to have low-cost options, and [the problem] is that lowcost competitors can’t use companies’ existing infrastructure.

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Annamie Paul resigns as Green leader, quits the party Annamie Paul has formally resigned as leader of the Greens and also handed in her membership card, leaving the future of the party up in the air as it attempts to recover from internal strife and repudiation at the polls.

Paul sent in a resignation letter to the Green Party on Wednesday, which follows her announcement in September of her plans to step down.

The Green leader, the first Black and Jewish woman to lead a major political party in Canada, said a week after the election that leading the Greens had been the worst period of her life. They returned only two MPs in the Sept. 20 election and Paul failed to win her Toronto Centre riding.

The party’s puny showing at the polls followed a period of infighting and sniping at Paul. She faced slurs by Green Party members on Twitter and claimed the party executive did not do enough to protect or support her.

Earlier this year, Paul drew criticism from a number of Greens, including MPs, for not publicly condemning Israel in stronger terms following a fresh outbreak of fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. At least 230 Palestinians and 12 Israelis were killed in the 11-day war.

In a May 10 tweet, Paul called “for an immediate de-escalation in the violence and a return to dialogue as a means to seeking a peaceful resolution.”

This dispute played a role in Jenica Atwin’s crossing the floor to join the Liberals after first being elected as a Green MP in the 2019 election. She was re-elected as a Liberal last month in Fredericton.

Paul, a lawyer, became Green leader in October 2020, taking over from Elizabeth May. During the election the Greens were beset by funding issues, and have this year sacked several key staff.

About a fourth of unvaccinated B.C. health-care workers have now received a jab: Dix About a fourth of B.C.’s remaining unvaccinated health-care workers have now received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

During a news briefing Tuesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix said there were 3,071 unvaccinated workers in the health-care system, down from about 4,000 two weeks ago .

Following an Oct. 26 deadline, these workers have been placed on unpaid leave and were given until Nov. 15 to get their first dose or be fired.

Tuesday, the province said 500 more cases of COVID-19 and five more deaths had been reported on Monday.

Of the holdouts, 1,032 were casual workers, 989 were full-time employees, 819 were part-time workers, said Dix. Another 16 were not identified.

Overall, 97 per cent of B.C.’s approximately 126,000 public-sector health-care workers were fully immunized, while another one per cent are partly vaccinated. Rates, however, vary by region. Interior Health had the highest number of unvaxxed workers at five per cent, while Vancouver Coastal Health had one per cent.

Broken down by job status, allied health workers which include clinical pharmacists, medical laboratory technologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists had 420 unvaccinated workers, or two per cent.

Nurses and nurse practitioners, as well as personnel in emergency medicine, general medicine, and specialized surgical units, also had a two per cent unvaccinated rate, while unvaccinated workers in internal medicine made up slightly less than one per cent.

There was no wait to get across the border into the U.S. at the Peace Arch crossing at mid-day on Monday.

Expensive COVID tests kept Washington businesses quiet on first day of reopened land border Care aides and workers who work in the community as well as paramedics had a slightly higher unvaccinated rate, at three per cent, as do administrative and support staff.

BC to bring in new real estate laws, including cooling-off period for re sale properties British Columbia will introduce laws to protect consumers in the province’s hot real estate market, including cooling-off periods.

The government is looking into how to place restrictions on the real estate business following concerns that buyers may be committing to purchase a home without knowing everything they need to make fully informed decisions.

C o o l i n g off periods are limited amounts of time in which homebuyers can change their minds and cancel a purchase with no or diminished legal consequences.

Finance Minister Selina Robinson announced the new law on Thursday, saying the change will be similar to the cooling-off periods already in place for pre-construction condominium sales.

She said the B.C. Financial Services Authority has been asked to review other potential consumer protection measures.

This includes looking at the blindbidding system and waiving of conditions when making offers, the minister said in a news release on Thursday.

“People looking to buy a home need to know they are protected as they make one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. Especially in periods of heightened activity in the housing market, it’s crucial that we have effective measures in place so that people have the peace of mind that they’ve made the right choices,” Robinson said.

“With this step, we’re moving ahead to protect people and their interests in the real estate market by bringing in a cooling-off period for homebuyers and looking at additional measures to ensure effective safeguards are in place.”

The government said enabling legislation for cooling-off periods will be drafted for introduction in the spring legislative session.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

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Star & Style

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Kareena Kapoor celebrated Diwali with kids and family Kareena Kapoor celebrated Diwali with husband Saif Ali Khan and their sons Taimur and Jehangir Ali Khan, popularly known as Jeh. Taking to Instagram, Kareena shared a picture in which she carried Jeh in her arms while Saif held Taimur. Kareena Kapoor wore printed pink suit with matching jewellery and tied her hair in a bun. Jeh wore a white and blue outfit. Saif Ali Khan and Taimur Ali Khan twinned in grey and black ethnic wear.

In the photo, Kareena looked distracted as she smiled at Jeh who tried to tug at

Taimur’s kurta sleeve. Sharing the picture, Kareena captioned it, “The only one who can distract me from posing…Happy Diwali insta fam…love you all..#the men of my life.”

Kareena Kapoor is known for her assertive and moody nature, and outspoken views and

independence have been singled out for making major contributions to her career; they “add to her superstar aura”. In aninterview, she confessed to being an “introvert, yet extremely candid and blunt”, reasoning: “Total faith and complete belief in myself is my attitude towards life, films and virtually everything else. I am all about doing what I feel is right. It is not easy to pin me down as I can be a bundle of contradictions.”Journalist Subhash K Jha explained that while this approach has sometimes been at the cost of professional opportunities, it “makes her such a favourite among the generation that believes in self regard being the highest form of creativity.

She lives for the moment and crams all her intensity into it, not sparing a single thought for what is gone and what is waiting around the corner.”

Meanwhile, Anu Ahuja suggested that Kapoor’s demeanour is an act; she is “cold and unapproachable so that no one will act funny with her”. Kareena Kapoor is considered one of the most popular Bollywood celebrities in India. Her look and performances have established her as a style icon for young women.

Karan Johar honoured with ‘Padma Shri’ Karan Johar was honoured with the Padma Shri Award at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He was presented with the award by President Ram Nath Kovind. Karan Johar was seen wearing an all-black outfit as he walked up to the stage to receive his award. He met President Kovind with folded hands and posed with the award.

Taking to Twitter, Karan said, “Today felt surreal! I am honoured and humbled that the prestigious Padma Shri Award was bestowed on me. I feel extremely fortunate to receive it from the hands of our honourable President Shri Ram Nath Kovind. This is a momumental day for me, my mother, my kids and my company, and will forever be etched in my memory. Thank you so much for all your wishes and the abundance of love!” Television and film producer Ekta Kapoor was also honoured at the event.

Ekta dressed in a white traditional outfit for the event as she received the award.

In a statement to the press, Ekta Kapoor said, “It is an absolute honour to receive the Fourth Highest Civilian Award for my humble contribution in the field of performing arts.

It is a surreal moment and a matter of great pride. I want to dedicate this badge of honour

to my two pillars of strength - my mom and dad.

They believed in me with their whole heart and it is because of them, I am who I am!” Earlier in the day, Kangana Ranaut and Adnan Sami were also honoured with the awards. Kangana took to Instagram and shared a video after the ceremony to share a message with her fans.

“People often ask me what do I get by doing

all this? Why do I do all this? This is not your job. So this award is my answer to them. Padma Shri ke roop mein jo mujhe sammaan mila hai ye bahut logon ke mooh band karega (This Padma Shri will silence a lot of people),” she said, in an excerpt of her video. Adnan, on the other hand, spoke to ANI and expressed his gratitude. “Sometimes you don’t have words to express yourself. Thankful to Govt.

Thankful to people, nothing is possible without them. I dedicate this to my father-mother. It’s not only an honour but also a responsibility, which I’ll try to carry out well,” he said.

Getting government support, can develop Mathura as I wished Hema Malini

Actor-turned-politician Hema Malini on Wednesday said she expects to develop Brajbhumi as per her wishes now that she is getting the state government’s support.

“Now I expect to develop Brajbhumi as per my dream”, the Mathura MP said.

She said when she was elected from the district for the first time, she was sore as she was not getting support from the then government as she expected.

The BJP leader was elected a Member of Parliament from the district in 2014, when the state was ruled by the Samajwadi Party.

She said that with the cooperation she is getting from Uttar Pradesh government under Yogi Adityanath’s chief ministership her dream about development of Brajbhumi would translate into reality.

She said under the current dispensation farmers, laborers, and traders etc are happy as the chief minister is trying to provide relief to every section of society.

She also thanked union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for ‘Hunar Haat’.

She said the event could become a permanent fixture of ‘Braj Raj Utsav’ as she has submitted a request with the minister in this regard.

Star & Style

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Hema Malini Hema Malini and Dharmendra’s love story remains one of the most non-conventional in the Hindi film industry to date. The actor was already married to Prakash Kaur and had kids when the two fell in love and decided to tie the knot. Hema has spoken about how she has always given Dharmendra’s first marriage respect and space over the years.

Talking about how she was initially very clear that she will never marry Dharmendra despite being attracted to him, Hema had told Simi Garewal on her show Rendezvous, “I never bothered in the beginning, not at all. Anyone can say that he’s a very goodlooking man, doesn’t mean you have to marry that person. So, I continued working with him, but not at all with any intention that I’m going to marry this person. Somewhere I used to think, if at all I have to marry, I will marry somebody like him. Not him, definitely not. But it happened, so you can’t help it.”

Hema Malini revealed her love story and marriage with Dharmendra, Talking further in the appearance on the show in the year 1999, Hema said her family was not happy with her decision. “Naturally, no parents would like this kind of a marriage. But it was difficult to decide anything else for me. I was quite close to him, we were together for so long. And to suddenly think of somebody else

Sunny shares classic winter fashion styles

to marry, I don’t think it is right. So, I called him and I said, ‘You’ll have to marry me now’.

He said, ‘Yeah, I’ll marry you’. So that is how it happened.” round the time her memoirs came out, Hema had also said that her father had asked Dharmendra to stay away from her. “Usually, my mother or my aunt used to accompany me on shoots but during the shoot of one of the songs, my father accompanied me. He was worried that I and Dharam ji shouldn’t spend some time alone as he knew we were friends. I remember this when we used to travel in a car, my father used to immediately sit next to me. But even Dharam ji was no less. He used to sit at the next seat,” Malini shared. Asked if she would do anything differently of given a chance, she had added, “I don’t think I want to change anything. I didn’t get enough time to spend with Dharam ji since marriage. But that’s okay. Whatever time we have together is precious. And I make it a point not to crib. Yeh kyon nahin kiya, woh kyon nahin kiya (Why did you not do this or that)…

Why are you late?… I don’t squander my time with my loved ones complaining.”

Dharmendra had four children from his earlier marriage, sons Sunny and Bobby Deol, and daughters Vijeta and Ajeita. With Hema, he has daughters Esha and Ahana.

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Sunny Leone is real fashionista. She is gearing up for winter and has a “cute set” in her collection to combat the cold in style.

Sunny drove blues away with a set of snaps from one of her recent fashion photoshoots, where she decked up as a real cutie in a pink co-ord set. Sunny teamed a pink full-sleeved sweatshirt with a pair of pink trousers. For footwear, Sunny opted for a pair of classic black boots. We’re taking notes of her winter fashion. “Cute set,” wrote Sunny Leone as she posed for the cameras.

Sunny Leone’s auto biopic titled “Karenjit Kaur – The Untold Story of Sunny Leone”, an original web-series

by ZEE5, was released on the platform on 16 July 2018. The series narrates her journey from a middle-class girl in Canada to becoming India’s most googled celebrity. The series starts from her childhood as Gogu to her foray into the adult film industry to her exciting journey into Bollywood. The series will also be available in Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Marathi languages.

Kirron Kher joins Shilpa Shetty as judge in India’s Got Talent 9 Actress and politician Kirron Kher, who has been diagnosed with blood cancer, is all set to return as the judge of India’s Got Talent 9. She will be judging the show along with Shilpa Shetty and Badshah. In a recent media interaction, Kirron expressed her excitement and happiness about the show. Kirronm who has been associated with the show since its inceptionm said, “India’s Got Talent has always been close to my heart! This being my 9th year with this prestigious talent reality show, returning as a jury member is a wonderful experience. It feels like I am coming back home. Year on year, India’s Got Talent is

known to encourage and put the spotlight on varied and exceptional talent from across the country and every time, I am left in awe as the quality of talent just keeps getting better and better.” Talking about her co-judges, Kirron said, “It’s always been a moment of pride for me to be a part of a show that helps turn dreams into reality by giving a platform for everybody to showcase their rare talent. I am extremely elated to be judging the show with the beautiful and lovely Shilpa Shetty Kundra and our Punjabi munda, Badshah.

Above all, I am extremely happy to be a part of the show and cannot wait to take on this new journey of discovering what India has in store this year.”

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LOCAL / NATIONAL Suspended Richmond lawyer faces eight more cases of alleged misconduct

A Richmond real estate lawyer who has been suspended for one year for her mishandling of trust accounts from which $7.5 million disappeared in 2016, faces numerous other disciplinary allegations, according to the B.C. Law Society. In eight separate actions, six of those filed in 2020 and 2021, Hong Guo, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Richmond in 2018, faces allegations related to conflict of interest in the purchase of a sawmill, a real estate development project, and a purchase of shares in a company. She also faces allegations of misconduct for misappropriation or improperly handling client payments and mishandling trust funds.

The allegations include that Guo improperly handled money for a company for which she was removed as a signing authority and for violating a 2019 order against practicing law when she was temporarily suspended from doing so.

The allegations in most of the cases have not been heard by a law society tribunal (the body that adjudicates disciplinary matters) and have not been proven.

The law society had sought disbarment of Guo for the case in which she received a one-year suspension, but it is not known at this juncture what penalties, if any, she would face in the other cases.

BC Nurses regulator issues warning to registrants spreading misinformation The regulatory body that oversees nurses and midwives in B.C. has fired a warning shot towards nurses who are spreading misinformation about the pandemic.

In a statement this week, the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives said it is working with its partners and the provincial government to address the “numerous” recent reports of members “who participate, organize, or agitate against public health orders in place to deal with COVID-19.”

The college issued the statement on the

same day that Ezra Wellness was ordered out of its Kamloops location by its landlord. The clinic, which billed itself as an alternative to traditional healthcare that did not provide healthcare, was opened by Glenn Aalderink.

Aalderink was a Licensed Practical Nurse at Royal Inland Hospital until the healthcare worker vaccine mandate was enforced. He organized an anti-vax rally outside the hospital on Sept. 1 and regular protests in the city against health measures.

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Saturday, November 13, 2021 Canada, US border reopens It’s a day many Canadians have been waiting for: When the clock struck midnight on Monday, Canada, US land border reopened to fully vaccinated Canadian travellers following 19-month shutdown.

The United States has kept its shared land border with Canada closed to nonessential travel since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

But on Monday, the U.S. started welcoming back recreational travellers by land and passenger ferry — as long as those aged 18 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Younger travellers are exempt from the requirement.

Here’s everything you need to know about travelling to the U.S. — and returning home.

Random vaccination checks

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says its border crossings will be staffed at prepandemic levels starting on Monday, but it warns there could be longer-than-normal wait times.

“For travellers making the trip to the United States, we ask for patience with our officers,” said Matthew Davies, the executive director, admissibility and passenger programs, with CBP. “To help reduce wait times and long lines, we encourage travellers to have the correct documentation ready.”

Travellers entering by land won’t have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test, but they should be prepared to attest to their vaccination status and present their vaccination documentation upon request.

Woman who killed Victoria teen Reena Virk back on parole after suspension The woman who beat and drowned Victoria teenager Reena Virk is back on day parole again after struggling to conform within the correctional system.

The woman who beat and drowned Victoria teenager Reena Virk is back on day parole again after struggling to conform within the correctional system.

Kelly Ellard, now 39 years old and the mother of two children, has returned to day parole after the privilege was revoked in August for what a Parole Board of Canada decision says were indications of drug and alcohol use.

Ellard, who now goes by the name Kerry Sim, was 15 when she and a co-accused beat and drowned the 14-year-old girl in Victoria’s Gorge waterway and she was later convicted of second-degree murder.

Sim had been on day parole since 2017, spending up to five days a week

at her own Metro Vancouver home so she could care for her two boys.

A ruling from the parole board says she was “positive and compliant” when it approved continued parole in January, but it revoked permission after indications of substance use and reports of escalating violence involving the father of her children.

The latest parole review says Sim faced mounting stress maintaining her household and caring for the youngsters over the last year after her partner lost his job and financial and interpersonal pressures increased.

The board restored parole saying Sim has addressed concerns related to her suspension but it ordered her to undergo psychiatric treatment and have no contact with her partner without the knowledge of her case management team, in addition to conditions to stay away from alcohol and drugs.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, November 13, 2021 Initial talks held on New Democrat-Liberal co-operation but no deal reached: NDP MP NDP MP Charlie Angus says no deal has been made with the Liberals to prop up Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority government for two to three years.

Angus confirmed that “an initial conversation” had taken place between NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Trudeau, but it was no more than “an initial meeting.”

Two NDP sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing matters not public, stressed the talks were “informal.”

Trudeau has had conversations with the leaders of opposition parties since the Sept. 20 election, including Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, Singh and Elizabeth May, the leader of the Greens in Parliament. Before the Liberal caucus meeting Monday, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly was asked about whether her party was open to working with the NDP, either formally or informally. “We’re always open to work with all parties.

That’s what Canadians expect from us,” she said.

Former PM Harper says Canada’s climate-change policy unfairly singles out ‘certain parts of the country’ Stephen Harper is criticizing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s climatechange policy for unfairly singling out “certain parts of the country,” as the Liberal government proceeds with a hard cap on oil-and-gas emissions that are expected to particularly affect provinces such as Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Mr. Harper was speaking Tuesday at a virtual event held by the Canada West Foundation, an Alberta-based think tank.

The event was closed to media but The Globe and Mail obtained a recording of his remarks.

The former prime minister did not identify Mr. Trudeau by name but spoke about the need for “fair treatment” by the federal government and avoiding conflict with provinces. “I made it a habit not to go to war with provinces,” he said.

Mr. Harper said if he were in charge of mitigating climate change in Canada in 2021, he would not be taking measures to “shut down” an industry in a region that didn’t generate political returns for him.

The former Conservative Leader used a hypothetical analogy to make his point, speaking about the aerospace industry in Montreal, where the Conservatives performed relatively poorly during elections when he headed the party.

“If I were today handling the climatechange issue, I wouldn’t be saying to myself, ‘You know, I have had three national elections, three governments [and] never won a seat in Montreal,’ ” he told the Canada West Foundation (CWF) event. “ ‘And one of the biggest growth of global emissions is the aerospace industry,’ ” he continued.

15

Erin O’Toole gets derailed by more vaccination controversies within his own party Conservative party leader Erin O’Toole held a news conference on Monday to slam the possibility of a “radical” Liberal-NDP governing agreement, saying it would run up billions in irresponsible new spending and crater Canada’s energy sector.

But O’Toole then had to spend his time chastising Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu for putting out “confusing” information about COVID-19, and deflecting questions about how many MPs in his caucus remain unvaccinated.

It marked yet another day where the party’s internal disputes over how to handle vaccine mandates have thrown the Conservatives off their preferred message of attacking the Liberals. O’Toole, speaking on Parliament Hill, began by highlighting reports the Liberals are considering an agreement with the NDP to

keep their minority government in power for up to three years. O’Toole referred to it as a “radical Liberal-NDP coalition,” though it’s not clear yet what type of arrangement the parties might reach, if any.

“This coalition will create billions in new spending that will further drive up inflation even more,” O’Toole said. “And this coalition will mean that Jagmeet Singh will be able to push an even more radical agenda that will threaten the livelihoods of millions of Canadians…A Liberal-NDP coalition would shut down Canadian energy and resource sectors, eliminating thousands of jobs, dividing the country and making Canada a poorer and less relevant nation.”

He also argued the NDP would help Prime Minister Justin Trudeau escape consequences for any further scandals.

Tesla opens battery manufacturing equipment plant in Canada Tesla plans to open a factory to produce battery manufacturing equipment in the Canadian city of Markham, Ontario, Mayor Frank Scarpitti said, as the electric carmaker ramps up the production of cheaper, higher-range 4680 battery cells. Scarpitti did not provide many details.

In 2019, the U.S. electric carmaker acquired Canada-based Hibar, which manufactures pumps used in fast-speed battery assembly that Tesla is introducing for its new 4680 cells.

“I’m delighted to share that Tesla Canada is joining our already robust automotive and

technology ecosystem by locating a manufacturing facility in the City of Markham,” the mayor of the city near Toronto said on Twitter. “The facility will be the first branded Tesla Canada manufacturing facility in Canada and will produce state-of-theart manufacturing equipment to be used at the Gigafactories located around the world in the production of batteries.” Tesla did not immediately comment on the mayor’s tweet.

Last year, Tesla senior vice president Andrew Baglino said at the Battery Day event that its “vertical integration” with Hibar and others

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16

Saturday, November 13, 2021

INDIA

Saturday, November 13, 2021

17

Delhi witnesses slight spurt in Covid-19, logs 54 new cases India reported 11,466 new cases of Covid-19 and 460 deaths in 24 hours, a government bulletin stated on Wednesday.

The current recovery rate in the country is 98.25%, which is the highest since March 2020. India’s active caseload stands at 1,39,683, the lowest in 264 days, with a dip of 955 such cases. India’s tally of cases has been pushed to 3,43,88,579 and the death toll has risen to 4,61,849, it said. Stay with TOI for all updates.

Rahul raises questions around human rights conditions in UP Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday questioned the state of human rights in Uttar Pradesh after a 22-year-old died in police custody in Kasganj. Is there anything called human rights left in Uttar Pradesh? Gandhi asked in a tweet in Hindi.

A 22-year-old man called for questioning in a kidnapping case died at Kasganj police station Tuesday, with his family members alleging that he was killed by police personnel.

The police, however, claimed that Altaf had strangulated himself using a string of his jacket’s hood in the washroom of a lock-up.

Five policemen have been suspended for negligence in the wake of the incident, they said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the law and order situation in UP was very bad.

It is clear from incidents like the death of Altaf in Kasganj, Arun Valmiki in Agra, Rajesh Kori in Sultanpur in police custody that the protectors have become devourers.

UP tops the country in terms of police custodial death. The law and order situation is in complete disarray under the BJP rule. No one is safe here, she said in a tweet in Hindi.

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Saturday, November 13, 2021

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Saturday, November 13, 2021 Telus’s #StandWithOwners Winner Pawan Sohi of PS SOHI Inc. Harvinder Sandhu

Telus’s #StandWithOwners initiative is excited to introduce another local business owner who is the latest Multicultural Winner from Surrey.

Telus is big on giving back to the community and has committed $1M in funding to small local businesses that impact positively the communities they are in.

Their initiative, #StandWithOwners, selects winning recipients who receive $10,000.00 cash to use where needed in their business, including local advertising and mentorship to showcase their incredible stories in the community there are in.

The Asian Star is happy to introduce Pawanjeet Singh Sohi, CPA & CA, owner of PS SOHI Inc., an accounting firm located in Surrey. He is one of the 30 selected recipients of this initiative to receive the $10,000.00.

Pawan, as he’s known as, comes from a family with history working in finance. His grandfather was an auditor, his dad was in the banking industry, a sister in the financial field, naturally the expectation was that he too will go into the finance sector.

Pawan became an accountant.

While as a student doing the legacychartered accountant designation, Pawan saw that a lot of the independent accounting practices were being acquired by national firms. This made him think that there will be a depletion of small accounting firms to serve the small to medium sized businesses.

“Having worked with some of the bigger practices, I decided that was what I was going to do. I knew I could offer services that a client would normally get from a larger practice, and make it available for smaller to medium businesses.

When the opportunity came a few years after I got my CA designation, I opened my own practice.”

Pawan shared that even after becoming a practitioner at the large firm where he was working, he didn’t get to work with clients directly and he wanted that.

The rules of engagement during lockdowns and after, meant in-person meetings were over. So, he set out with his staff to find ways to assist his clients.

“We knew there were going to be some changes that we will be required to make.

What really helped us was that we were already a paperless environment to be begin with, so it was going to be easier for us to communicate information back to our clients. Some info was easy to provide, such as requests on notice of assessments. What was difficult was collecting information from clients, some of whom are still paper based.

There were a lot of educational moments, teaching clients how to use scanning

equipment, or use the technology they have already like smart phones which are very capable of scanning documents that they needed to send to us. The clients were able to communicate that way as well as with Zoom and other online meeting avenues.”

Pawan also tried to stay ahead of the curve, he shared that when anything gets introduced by the government, usually the first person a client will call is the accountant. Its the advisor most people are connected to and he knew his clients will be looking for help and answers.

Pawan sent out mass emails to all the clients informing them of the benefits being provided by the government along with the requirements needed to qualify for those benefits.

“It was a lot of work and is still on-going. After the initial benefits like CERB & CRB, we continue to assist clients on the more difficult ones like wage and rent subsidy because there are more complex situations around those. Its made it challenging for us because its work we didn’t previously provide.”

Pawan shared how they had to charge more for the extra work being done but has been informed by other accountants that he does not charge enough considering the service being provided. He is happy to have been able to help his clients for a small cost to them.

Pawan found out about Telus’s Stand With Owners initiative through an email that popped into his Inbox.

Thinking at first that it was spam, he then saw Telus logo and opened the email. He jumped at the chance to apply. #StandWithOwners prize money is going to be used to shore up his business’s IT sector, updating the technology, as well as marketing. “As an owner you wear many hats, I’m excited that Telus is taking over the marketing for me especially in Social Media. I saw my business ad on social media today, that was exciting. I’m happy to pass on the ‘marketing hat’ to Telus.”

Pawan shared how wonderful and helpful it has been for his practice to have Telus doing the marketing as it not only uses social media, but also local newspapers to reach potential business owners and individuals.

“Telus’s market reach is amazing.” #StandWithOwners is Telus’s way of championing small business owners with incredible stories of resilience and community impact. Successful recipient will receive $10,000.00, personalized local ad campaign to promote their business, and get one-on-one support and mentorship from Telus’s partners and industry experts.

To small business owners interested in this initiative, go to Telus.com/ standwithowners.

19

President confers honorary general rank on Nepal Army Chief Nepal Army chief General Prabhu Ram Sharma is on a four-day visit to India to explore ways to expand bilateral defence cooperation. In continuation of a tradition that started in 1950, Nepal Army Chief General Prabhu Ram Sharma was conferred with the honorary rank of ‘’General of the Indian Army’’ by President Ram Nath Kovind today.

General Sharma is on a fourday visit to India to explore ways to expand bilateral defence cooperation.

“President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Honorary Rank of General of the Indian Army on General Prabhu Ram Sharma, Chief of the Army Staff, Nepali Army at a special Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan today,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

Nepal conferred the honorary rank of ‘’General of Nepal Army’’ to Indian Army

Chief General MM Naravane during his visit to Kathmandu in November last year.

General Sharma also called on Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat today and discussed ways to strengthen the bilateral defence cooperation, officials said.

On Tuesday, General Naravane held extensive talks with his Nepalese counterpart focusing on various aspects of bilateral military cooperation.

Nepal is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the region, and leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old “Roti Beti” relationship.

Landlocked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services.

Nepal’s access to the sea is through India, and it imports a predominant proportion of its requirements from and through India.

India records 11,466 new Covid-19 cases, 13.2% higher than yesterday India recorded 11,466 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the active caseload to 1,39,683. Active coronavirus cases in India currently stand at 0.41%, the lowest since March 2021.

India records 11,466 new cases in the last 24 hours. Active cases account for less than 1% of total cases, currently at 0.41%; Lowest since March 2020. Active caseload stands at 1,39,683; lowest in 264 days. Daily positivity rate (0.90%)

less than 2% for last 37 days. Weekly Positivity Rate (1.20%) less than 2% for last 47 days. The recovery rate currently stands at 98.25%; Highest since March 2020 with 11,961 recoveries in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 3,37,87,047.

61.85 crore tests were conducted so far. 109.63 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive.

20

INDIA

Saturday, November 13, 2021

India readies troops for another harsh winter on border with China India is working overtime to better support its troops as they manage the border dispute with China, but rising operational costs remain a challenge.

The Indian Army “is gearing up for sizable troops, weaponry and support equipment deployment alongside the Line of Actual Control, or LAC, in the eastern Ladakh this winter to counter the presence of People’s Liberation Army troops,”

a

senior service official said.

The border between India and China is about 2,520 miles long and mostly involves mountainous terrain; that LAC is neither marked on the ground nor on mutually acceptable maps.

Indian troops are well equipped for the long haul along the LAC, even though costs are enormous, the official added.

Government reaches out to STs, Janjatiya Gaurav Divas on Nov 15 The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved November 15 as “Janjatiya Gaurav Divas” in memory of tribal freedom fighters. November 15 is the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda (1875-1900), the Santhal hero who spearheaded a movement in the Bengal Presidency (now

Jharkhand) in the late 19th century.

“Bhagwan Birsa Munda was a freedom fighter and social reformer.

It has been decided to declare November 15, the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Munda, as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said.

Devendra Fadnavis has links with Dawood aide, shielded fake note racket: Nawab Malik’s ‘hydrogen bomb’ Following up on his promise that he would drop a “hydrogen bomb” exposing Devendra Fadnavis’s alleged underworld ties, Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said that the former Chief Minister had links with Riyaz Bhati, an aide of don Dawood Ibrahim.

Addressing a press conference, Nawab Malik said, “Who is Riyaz Bhati? He was caught with a fake passport and is linked to Dawood. He was let off in two days. He was seen at functions with you and even at BJP events.”

“We don’t want to bring the Prime Minister into this. But, this Riyaz Bhati had access to the PM’s function and also clicked photos with him. Underworld dons from other countries called police officers appointed by Devendra Fadnavis in Thane and the matter was settled,”

Nawab Malik further said.

Nawab Malik also accused Devendra Fadnavis of criminalising politics.

“Nagpur’s notorious criminal Munna Yadav was appointed chairman of the Construction Workers’ Board

by Devendra Fadnavis during his government. One Haidar Azam, involved in illegal immigration of Bangladeshis, was appointed chairman of Maulana Azad Finance Corporation by Fadnavis,” Nawab Malik said.

The NCP leader also claimed that Devendra Fadnavis protected fake currency rackets in the state following demonetisation in 2016 with help from Sameer Wankhede, who was then with DRI.

Ajit Doval holds talks with counterparts from Iran, Russia National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Wednesday met Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and discussed plans for further cooperation in the sphere of security. They also touched upon a number of regional problems.

“Special attention was paid to cooperation

on various information security issues,” said a Russian read-out of the meeting. Earlier, in his opening remarks at the Delhi meet, Patrushev extended support to and underlined the need for the format to meet regularly. Doval also met Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani.

Delhi Declaration for joint fight against terror The Delhi Declaration of Regional National Security Advisers (NSAs) today called for collective cooperation against radicalisation, extremism, separatism and drug trafficking in the region.

Meeting for the first time in Delhi, NSAs of eight countries issued a joint declaration that also emphasised that Afghanistan’s territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing any terror acts.

Hosted by NSA Ajit Doval, the meeting was taking place a day ahead of the “Extended Troika” in Islamabad that would also be attended by Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and new US envoy for Afghanistan Tom West.

NSA Ajit Doval has called upon all regional countries to step up consultation and coordination on Afghanistan to enhance collective security.

Opening the “Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan”, Doval called for closer coordination among the regional countries since the events in Afghanistan would have important implications for its neighbours and the region.

Doval will be briefed about deliberations at the “Troika Plus” of the US, China, Pakistan and Russia in Islamabad along with Muttaqi when the US Afghan Envoy flies over to India later this week.

The Delhi dialogue especially discussed the security situation in Afghanistan and its regional and global ramifications. The NSAs paid special attention to the current political situation in that country and threats arising from terrorism, radicalisation and drug trafficking as well as the need for humanitarian assistance, stated an MEA release.

Four children killed in hospital fire A fire engulfed the infant care unit of a hospital in central India killing at least four newborn children and injuring others, the latest in a series of deadly blazes at health care centers across the country.

Thirty-six infants survived the fire, the chief minister of the state, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said in a tweet Tuesday afternoon. The fire was on the third floor of the hospital, Kamla Nehru Hospital,

in the central Indian city of Bhopal. Anxious parents waited outside as doctors, nurses and firefighters rushed in to help with the rescue effort.

Vishvas Kailash Sarang, the state’s minister of medical education, said that the children who were injured were receiving treatment and that an inquiry would be started into the cause of the fire. It was unclear how many infants were hurt in the blaze and how serious their injuries were.

21

Saturday, November 13, 2021 .

FIJI

Punjab SIT to probe collusion between govt officials & transport mafia: Warring

The Punjab Government will constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to probe an estimated loss of Rs 6,600 crore incurred by the Transport Department

in the past over 14 years due to the alleged collusion between government officials and the transport mafia.

The period includes 10 years of the SAD-

Rupinder Kaur Ruby joins Congress Party a day after quitting AAP A day after she resigned from the primary membership of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bathinda MLA Rupinder Kaur Ruby (pictured) joined the Congress in presence of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu and Punjab affairs incharge

Harish Chaudhary here this evening.

The timing of Ruby’s joining the Congress coincides with the newlyearned truce between CM Channi and the PCC president. Heating up the electoral scene ahead of the polls, the party’s top leadership is in talks for at least four more AAP MLAs

Wrestler, brother shot dead in Sonepat, mother seriously hurt Nisha Dahiya, a 21-year-old woman wrestler, and her 18-year-old brother Suraj were shot dead at Sushil Kumar Wrestling Academy in Sonepat’s Halalpur village in broad daylight on Wednesday. The siblings’ mother was critically injured. Their father is with the CRPF and is posted in Srinagar.

Sources said a coach at the academy and his relatives, believed to be behind the murders, fled. Enraged, villagers set the academy on fire later in the evening.

Pawan Kumar of Baland village in Rohtak had been running the academy named after Olympian Sushil Kumar in

Vax drive falters in Punjab, only 31% jabbed with both doses espite the Punjab Government’s best efforts, only 31 per cent of the eligible population in the state could be fully vaccinated so far.

The daily vaccination figures have dropped drastically over the past few weeks, for which the Health Department blames the ongoing festival season. Only 88 persons got vaccinated on Diwali and 2,843 the next day, it said. Till date, 64.17 lakh eligible beneficiaries of nearly 2.07 crore have received both doses, although around 80 per cent of the targeted population has got the

first dose. Dr Rajesh Bhasker, state nodal officer, said they got a poor response in the past few weeks. “The drive will pick up pace after the festival season. We will be training vaccinators to persuade and motivate the beneficiaries to come forward,” he said.

Department officials said with Covid graph seeing a downward trend, people had seemingly become complacent. On the gender gap of around 20 lakh, Bhasker said, “We are planning to go door-todoor to vaccinate women, who seem more

Pakistan Govt strikes deals with TTP & TLP Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government has moved to drop the extremist group Tehreek-i-Labbaik from its list of banned outfits.

Pakistan has decided to remove the extremist group Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) from the list of banned outfits, succumbing to the hardline Islamists to end the deadly antigovernment agitations and protests. At least 21 people, including 10 policemen have lost their lives in clashes between TLP workers.

Pakistan alos has reached a possible understanding with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after “direct, faceto-face” talks for almost two weeks according to some media reports.

The understanding includes the declaration of a nationwide truce and the release of some TTP activists.

Nobel prize winner Malala Yousafzai gets married Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prizewinning Pakistani activist, has gotten married, she announced on Instagram on Tuesday.

“Today marks a precious day in my life. Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life. We celebrated

a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families,” Yousafzai wrote in the caption.

“Please send us your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead,” she added.

When is world war three? In 60 days, if this former PPP Senator is to be believed Former PPP member and Senator Faisal Raza Abidi said he will “reveal” the person who’s currently ruling the world in a series of nine programmes.

It’s time to start building bunkers in the basement of our homes. Former senator and member of People’s Party Mr Faisal Raza Abidi declared, on live tv show that the World War 3 will start in the next 60 days.

“Pakistan mein agle 60 dinn ke andar almi jang ke shafsane khul chuke hain (the situation is such that a world war will begin in

Pakistan in the next 60 days),” Raza said passionately to a news anchor who wore a confused look. “On 28 September 2021, I decoded the code that Pakistan will be the epicenter of world war 3, this is where everything will begin,” he said, adding that within the next two months “everything will happen”.

Faisal Raza Abidi was speaking with the media on skyrocketing fuel prices could lead to a war-like situation in the world again.

Court grills PM Khan in 2014 Army Public School case Imran Khan on Wednesday faced a barrage of questions at a hearing of the 2014 terror attack on an Army-run school during which the Supreme Court Bench asked the Pakistan prime minister why he was negotiating with the culprits of the

massacre of nearly 150 people, mostly students.

A total of 147 people, 132 of them children, were killed when Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants stormed Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar in 2014.

Delta lotto winner fancies family visit to Fiji It has been a while since Delta resident Koshik Chand has gone back to Fiji, but after winning the $1 Million Guaranteed Prize in the Lotto 6/49 draw on July 10, 2021, he plans to pack his bags soon.

“I came to British Columbia in 2009 to develop my career,” explained Chand.

“I never thought that I would win, but I’ve always wanted to go on vacation

back to Fiji to see my family.”

Chand purchased his winning ticket at the Shoppers Drug Mart at Nordel Crossing in Surrey and was at a convenience store when he scanned his ticket and found out he won.

Further boost towards fight against pandemic The Ministry of Health is expected to roll out vaccination for children between the ages of 12 and 14 from Monday.

The first consignment of Pfizer vaccine and consumables were handed over to the Ministry yesterday by the New Zealand High Commission.

Aotearoa New Zealand is sharing Pfizer vaccines with Fiji to help protect children against COVID-19.

Health Minister, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete, says this marks another momentous

day in the fight against the virus.

“Vaccinating children 12 years and older will help keep them safe in schools, safely participate in sports and do other group activities but most importantly also protect children who have not yet been vaccinated and are below that age group. “ New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, Jonathan Curr says they will be providing sufficient doses of Pfizer vaccines to fully vaccinate and protect the younger population.

Police give final approval for any protest march Commissioner of Police, BrigadierGeneral Sitiveni Qiliho, has set the record straight that final approval for any march comes from them.

Qiliho was responding to questions on why a march by climate activists in Suva over the weekend was stopped by the police.

The march in Suva was coinciding with a march by world climate activists at COP26 in Glasgow.

The Commissioner says the organizer of the event has been made aware of their stance and the decision has been accepted.

He adds some people are putting a political twist to the issue when the rule is simple that a permit needs to be obtained from the police for any march.

“We are just enforcing the law, they get approval from FRA and the city council at the end the final approval comes from police and that was not solicited.”

About 100 people took part in the unauthorized march on Saturday.

The march is deem unauthorized as police did not receive a request despite approval given by the Fiji Roads Authority.

22

Saturday, November 13, 2021 Press release

Bandi Chorr Day & Diwali Celebrations at Gobind Sarvar School

Chartwell Imperial Place Retirement Residence the staff danced in celebration of Diwali for the residents in Surrey last week.

Willoughby 7 Bed 6 Bath Home!

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The essence of emancipation from tyranny is in the strong belief in freedom. The sixth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Hargobind Sahib, was made captive in the impenetrable Gwalior Fort at the orders of Mughal Emperor Jehangir. Approximately 700 – 800 kms away from Punjab, the fort stands tall and strong, only humbled by presence of Gurdwara Sahib Data Bandi Chhor Sahib.

When Guru Sahib was offered to be released from his internment, he thought of all the remaining Kings and princes who were imprisoned with him. He asked for their freedom as well. The Mughal authorities agreed with a condition that only those who can hold on to the Guru’s robe will be liberated. Guru’s Sikhs got a robe made with 52 strings, to which held the remaining kings and princes. Thus, Guru Hargobind Sahib liberated 52 prisoners and the day marks that very day of liberation - Bandi Chhorr Divas.

Gobind Sarvar School celebrated Bandi Chhorr Divas by organising a series of Assemblies in the morning.

A former RCMP officer, Baltej Singh Dhillon, through his video message spoke to all students and staff. He correlated his life experiences of becoming first Singh officer with Kes and turban with his ultimate faith in teachings of his Guru. He specifically mentioned how ethos of Miri and Piri, introduced to the Sikhs by the sixth Guru gave him

inner strength. The video message can be watched on school’s website.

Every day, the school students did Path and Kirtan. Coordinator of the school Ms. Amanjot Sangha shared her views on the meaning of Bandi Chhor Day. On November 4th, the school had an extended assembly, where all the school students joined in the recitation of the Mool Mantar, Chaupai Sahib, Kirtan presentation by Grade 6 students, Shabad Bandi Chhorr hai and Diwali ki raat Dive Baliyan.

The school continued its strong tradition of empowering the students with Sikh History. Ms. Jasmeet Kaur made an informative presentation on Mata Sahib Kaur ji. Ms. Rajvir Mattu, who manages the school assembly, continuing with the Sikh Spirit, announced Food and Blanket Drive followed by announcement on Gurbani Path by Gobind Sarvar Schools namely, of Brampton, Calgary and India.

Gobind Sarvar School made Sikh history come alive for our students.

Cpl Jas Johal from RCMP, also joined students in the celebrations.

The students painted Divas, decorated windows of the school, the best of all, made beautiful Rangolis! Gobind Sarvar School had Meaningful and True Bandi Chhorr and Diwali celebrations!

DR. RISHI SINGH Principal | 604 930 2122 GOBIND SARVAR SCHOOL 8820 168 St Surrey BC Canada V4N 6G7

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