Vol 17 - Issue 24
Saturday, July 14, 2018
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www.theasianstar.com Vol 17 - Issue 24
Saturday, July 14, 2018
International students ‘stealing their jobs’, Indo-Canadians say The Indian community in Brampton say that “international students are stealing their jobs by working overtimeâ€? while many international students feel that they are just seen as mere cash cows by the academic institutions and local community. Abhinav Patel from Brampton has written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blaming Indianstudents, specially students from Punjab, for taking their jobs. “These students work overtime stealing our jobs. Go to your home, we have been here for twenty years and still feeding our kids‌ All we want is strong regulations in place. Employers benefit as they pay less than the minimum wages to the students and students gets to work beyond 20 hours per weekâ€?, he wrote. This is the discussion that came out in a recent Town hall meeting that was held to address issues of growing violence in Brampton. It also came out that for all violent incidents its not the international students Continued on page 9
A tech guru captivated Canada, then he fled to China Sun Yian was living the Canadian dream. The Chinese immigrant found fortune harnessing Canadian talent to develop cutting-edge technology, everything from semiconductors to facial recognition, to take back to China. His company grew to more than 1,500 employees across China and North America, and was lauded by Canadian officials as a model for unlocking the Chinese market to create homegrown prosperity. Then Mr. Sun stopped paying his Canadian workers and fled to China. Left behind are lawsuits from angry investors and Canadian employees who are wondering whether their work could be used to help China’s growing domestic surveillance state. Canada has long benefited from close business ties to China, and lawmakers have courted the country as a new market for Canadian companies as well as a source of investment. Now, Mr. Sun’s story is fueling calls for heightened skepticism of Chinese money. “Canadian officials have to some degree been blinded by China’s incredible economic growth and waves of capital spreading worldwide,� said Michael Byers, a professor of global politics and international law at the University of British Columbia in Continued on page10
Ex head of BC’s illegal gambling enforcement blames RCMP & Liberals for inaction against money laundering The former head of B.C.’s Integrated Illegal Gambling Enforcement Team (IIGET) says the former provincial government didn’t crack down on money laundering in casinos because they didn’t want to disrupt the flow of money. Speaking publicly for the first time in almost a decade, Fred Pinnock says the B.C Liberals were well aware of what was going on in casinos. “Fault lies at the feet of the B.C. Liberals while they were in government and senior management of the RCMP in this province,� said Pinnock.“They all knew what was going on in those casinos and racetracks. Primarily casinos, in particular, the big ones. It was wild west in those large casinos where organized criminal activity was running amok. Pinnock ran IIGET from 2005 until 2008. He is coming Continued on page 7
Canadian Justice! $1,000 bail for rookie truck driver accused in death of 16, injuring 13 The driver of a semi-trailer in a crash involving the Humboldt Broncos hockey team bus has been released on bail following his first court appearance Tuesday in Melfort, Sask. Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, 29, is charged with 16 counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and 13 counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily injury. ‘We’re looking for accountability’: Father of Humboldt Bronco killed in crash hints at more civil action Driver of semi in Humboldt Broncos bus crash faces 29 charges. While on bail, Sidhu will not be able to operate a motor vehicle, will have to stay in communication with RCMP and will have to give up his passport. Bail was posted at $1,000.
Continued on page 7
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Recycled’ listings mean Canada’s housing market data may be misleading You’ve likely heard about the slowdown in the once-hot housing markets in Toronto and Vancouver, but what you may not know is that — unlike with many other aspects of the economy — virtually all the data about housing comes from the industry itself. The local monthly updates provided by real estate boards across the country, and the nationwide report from the Canadian Real Estate Association at mid-month, are behind just about any report you read in this country about home sales or prices. Now, in the face of a slowdown that’s hitting realtors right in the pocketbook, we have word that maybe some of the data these realtors are providing may not be all that reliable. A recent article in the Globe and Mail (behind a subscriber paywall) flags a disturbing trend: Realtors in the struggling detached home market in Vancouver are “recycling� listings — pulling homes that aren’t selling off the market, then bringing them back as supposedly “new� listings at a lower price: Continued on page 10
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OPINION
In November 2015 Trudeau should take a leave of absence when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau boasted about his gender- for a national paper, I would never have been parity cabinet “because it is 2015,” he should so forward,” he reportedly said. If this reported have known not to take scripts written apology was untrue, he should have issued a for on-stage performances too seriously. rebuttal or sued the newspaper for defamation They are usually pointless after the show is of character, but Trudeau did no such thing. And because it’s 2018, the question over, and his show is most definitely done. He may not realize it, but the that still needs to be answered by audience has left the amphitheatre. Trudeau is this: Had the woman not been Feminist men don’t boast about their reporting for a “national newspaper,” did feminism; they act it. Any man who crows Trudeau feel he had a right to grope her? He remains tongue-tied, unable to utter a about his commitment to women’s rights, gives away the contrived nature of his commitment. comprehensible answer in plain English as his On August 4, 2000 when Justin Trudeau script writers run out of words that are unable to was a 28-year-old man, he groped a young untangle the puppet all tied up in its own strings. ‘Achmed the Dead Terrorist’ could woman reporting for a local B.C. newspaper, the Creston Valley Advance. The woman have uttered a better explanation, but has since come forward to say it’s true. then Gerald Butts of the Prime Minister’s We can also reason it’s true because Office is no Jeff Dunham the ventriloquist. Recall how in January 2018 Trudeau booted Trudeau’s apology appeared in the newspaper’s editorial the next week with this privileged son Kent Hehr from cabinet on the accusation of a former prime minister issuing no denial. that the MP had sexually harassed a female “I’m sorry. If I had known you were reporting Alberta public servant. Trudeau’s words were:
Saturday, July 14, 2018 “As a government we take any allegations of misconduct extremely seriously, and we believe that it is important to support women who come forward with allegations and that is exactly what our government will do. Today, I accepted the Honourable Kent Hehr’s resignation from cabinet pending the outcome of the investigation.” This Saturday, fate put the two men accused of sexual harassment together when Trudeau showed up at Hehr’s Stampede breakfast in Calgary. When Hehr was asked to comment on the travails of Trudeau who had fired him, the former Liberal minister came to Trudeau’s defence: “The PM has addressed these matters. He’s moving forward. He’s got a job to do being prime minister and I think he’s doing an excellent job. … The prime minister is correct. I agree with him 100 per cent.” When asked by Rick Bell of the Calgary Sun if he feels bad about being put through the ringer while the PM gives himself a Get Out of The Doghouse Free card, Kent Hehr said: “Absolutely not.” Such is the nature of shallow politics pursued by the Liberal Party today that Trudeau’s sexual groping had to be defended by a man who Trudeau had fired on allegations of sexual harassment. It is now time for Trudeau to step down and take a leave of absence as Prime Minister of Canada and hand over the reins to a more mature politician such as Carolyn Bennett. Tarek Fatah
Tiny tremors push Vancouver Island away from BC mainland A series of small tremors over the last few weeks have pushed Vancouver Island away from the B.C. mainland, according to a federal scientist. John Cassidy, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, said the shift is known as an episodic tremor, and it happens every 14 or 15 months. “Over the past few weeks the southern half of Vancouver Island has actually moved about four or five millimetres to the west towards Japan.
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LOCAL
Saturday, July 14, 2018 From page 1 Crown and defence worked out the agreement to release before appearing in provincial court before Judge Inez Cardinal, who accepted it. Sidhu was charged after the collision in April. The bus, carrying players, the coach and other personnel, had been heading to a playoff game in Nipawin, Sask. Outside court, the father of Evan Thomas, one of the players who died, said it was important to be in the courtroom. “I think I caught his eye once,” said Scott Thomas. “In case this goes to a plea bargain, at least he can put my face to it.” He later said the moment made him feel an empty pit in his stomach. “Part of me thought I’d feel anger but it wasn’t. It was just an empty void,” he said. Humboldt crash ‘real impetus’ for trucking safety, driver test overhaul, Alberta minister says ‘I feel a strong pull to be there’: Humboldt Broncos father to attend court for man charged in bus crash He said he wanted to represent the families who couldn’t attend the hearing so they’d “at least have a presence in the building.” After talking to other parents, he said the court process is daunting. “You think you park the ‘why?’ questions for awhile but now they’re right there. It’s like ‘why? Why did you go through that stop sign? Why were they at that intersection? Why was my son standing?’” Scott Thomas, father of Humboldt Broncos player Evan Thomas, said it was important to attend the court appearance. Ultimately, he wasn’t surprised Singh was released on bail. “It was what we expected,” said Thomas. “The process is what it is.” Brian Pfefferle, criminal defence lawyer, says in most cases, it’s up to prosecutors to prove whether the defendant should remain in custody. That means the
and other safety devices. Last week, the RCMP said convictions for dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death can result in a sentence of up to 14 years in prison, while a conviction for injuring someone could land someone in prison for 10 years. Sidhu was arrested in Calgary on Friday and was remanded into custody. The crash occurred at a rural intersection 30 kilometres north of Tisdale. According to RCMP, the bus had the right of way, and the semi was in the intersection when the vehicles collided. There is a flashing stop sign for drivers on Highway 335 at Highway 35 between Nipawin and Tisdale. Sidhu had only been working for Calgarybased Adesh Deol Trucking Ltd. for a month. According to his LinkedIn profile, he made his way to Canada on a student visa in 2013 to study for a diploma in business administration at Calgary’s Bow Valley College. Sidhu will make his next court appearance in August.
$1,000 bail for rookie truck driver accused in death of 16, injuring 13
Ex head of BC’s illegal gambling enforcement blames RCMP & Liberals for inaction From page 1 forward after reading the Peter German report released last week detailing widespread money laundering in casinos. When asked directly about former solicitor general and current Liberal MLA Rich Coleman’s remark that the B.C. Liberals followed the RCMP’s lead and didn’t want to “compromise any investigations,” Pinnock said he wasn’t going to comment “on any statements attributed to any individuals.” “But I will say I know I was complained about by government for my strident views in terms of casinos and what was going on,” said Pinnock. “And I do know that a senior member in 2011 was muzzled by the RCMP as a result of a complaint from government one year before the contract was up for renewal and I think there’s a connection between those … events.” Coleman rejects the idea his government was “addicted” to the casino profits. He also rejects the notion that the government held any influence over B.C. RCMP decision-making because of the pending renewal of the provincial policing contract. The contract was ultimately renewed by the former government. In responding to Pinnock’s accusations on behalf of the former government, Coleman said he was comfortable with the way he acted while in charge of the gaming file. “The reality is what he is saying is inflammatory and it isn’t correct,” said Coleman. “The reality is that no one interfered with his ability to do his job from a political perspective.” The B.C. RCMP declined to comment stating they could not locate someone who could properly speak to those operational decisions. Coleman told CKNW’s Lynda Steele Show that it is a “load of garbage” to make that suggestion and he did everything in his capacity to stop illegal activity in casinos.
accused is usually released by the Crown. “This prevents unnecessary delays in court proceedings,” said Pfefferle. It’s also usual for Crown and defence lawyers to meet before court to avoid a bail hearing and come to an agreement. A judge can deny bail if he or she believes the accused won’t attend court, if public safety is at risk or if other the circumstances of the case warrant denying bail. Russell Herold, whose son Adam died in the crash, didn’t go to court but said he was glad Sidhu had to surrender his passport. “At least they put some conditions on it,” he said. “The bail seems low, but I guess if you go by the law — he doesn’t have a prior record and hasn’t tried to flee so I guess this is common.
“I’d prefer he be kept in jail, but we don’t have a choice in that.” Herold and his wife are suing Sidhu, the trucking company and the bus’s manufacturer. The statement of claim, filed at Regina’s Court of Queen’s Bench on Monday, alleges Sidhu did not have adequate training and failed to stop at the flashing stop sign at the rural intersection before colliding with the bus. The suit further alleges the roof of the Broncos bus was not designed to withstand the crash and that it should have been equipped with seatbelts. It asks for unspecified damages and a court order that all buses carrying sports teams in Saskatchewan be equipped with seatbelts
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Saturday, July 14, 2018
India no more a country with most number of poor people as Nigeria fares worse India is the world’s fastest-growing economy but it’s also one of the poorest countries in the world. With the population of over 1.3 billion, India is trying hard to take poor people out of the poverty line. The efforts seem to be paying, says the latest report by the Future Development blog of the World Bank’s Brookings Institute. Titled as ‘The start of a new poverty narrative’, the report says that India is moving down in global poverty ranking. From 125 million poor people in 2016, India had just 73 million people in the poorest of the poor index as of May 2018. Not only that, India is no more the country with most number of poorest people, says the report. Nigeria has overtaken India with the largest number of extremely poor people at 87
million in early 2018. India shot past China’s 6.8 per cent growth for the January-March quarter, enabling the country to retain its position as the fastest-growing major economy. As many as 44 Indians are being taken out of poverty every minute, which is highest in the world, TOI reported. The World Bank report indicates that if the pace of positive growth remains the same, India would be able to lift up to around 50
million more people out of poverty by 2022. While poverty in India continues to fall, Nigeria is seeing a continuous uptick, with six people being added every minute in the poor category. “In fact, by the end of 2018 in Africa as a whole, there will probably be about 3.2 million more people living in extreme poverty than there is today,” says the report. If the current trend continues, the entire African continent would account for nine-tenths of the
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world’s extremely poor from two-thirds today. Shockingly, 14 out of 18 African nations are seeing a rise in extreme poverty. The report also says that the Democratic Republic of the Congo could soon take over the number 2 spot as India continues to achieve high economic growth. However, the world is far behind in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to end poverty by 2030. “Between January 1, 2016 when implementation of internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) started - and July 2018, the world has seen about 83 million people escape extreme poverty. But if extreme poverty were to fall to zero by 2030, we should have already reduced the number by about 120 million, just assuming a linear trajectory. To get rid of this backlog of some 35 million people, we now have to rapidly step up the pace,” says the report. Notwithstanding the poor economic scenarios in some countries, especially Africa, reports suggest around 217,000 people are lifted away from the extreme poverty every day, and over 3 lakh people are gaining access to basic amenities like clean drinking water and electricity.
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Trudeau’s holierthan-thou tweet causes migrant crisis — now he needs to fix what he started U.S. President Donald Trump is an irrepressible and irresponsible tweeter, but so is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In January 2017, Trump imposed a “travel ban” on seven Muslim countries, but Trudeau then sent out a holier-than-thou tweet that is costing Canadians hundreds of millions of dollars and creating a permanent burden. On January 28, 2017 at 4.20 pm, Tr u d e au tweeted: “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians w i l l welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.“ To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada After the Prime Minister’s tweet, embassies were deluged with requests, according to emails obtained by the National Post. Then the flood began. In a world filled with people desperately trying to get into rich countries — and an industry of smugglers to find loopholes to get them in — this was an open invitation to flood into Canada. Before the tweet, border officials prevented 315 people a month from illegally crossing the border. Post-tweet in 2017, about 18,149 illegally crossed the border, then claimed asylum as refugees — even after entering illegally — and Continued on page 9
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Mounties arrest nine and seize drugs, cash and a gun Surrey Mounties arrested nine people and seized drugs, cash and a handgun in Whalley on July 4 as part of an investigation into drug trafficking and gang activity. A search warrant was executed in the 12800-block of 108 Avenue and police seized 12 doses of suspected cocaine, about 100 doses of suspected heroin, 290 doses of suspected crystal methamphetamine, about 980 doses of suspected cannabis, roughly
$3,400 in cash, a Colt .44 Special handgun, packaging and paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking and a stolen 1987 Yamaha sports motorcycle. Corporal Elenore Sturko said two of the nine arrested are “priority target offenders.” Charges have not been laid and the investigation continues. Police ask anyone with information to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.
International students ‘stealing their jobs’ who should be blamed. International Students on the other hand are afraid of the changing equations between them and Canadian Policy makers amid recent violent incidents where international students blamed at large. Parminder Sandhu from
Humber College shares the same feeling. One of the student from Sheridan College said that the locals are trying to paint them in different way. The moment the students talk about their rights, locals take offense.
Trudeau’s holier-than-thou tweet causes migrant crisis from page 8 non-American were allowed to stay, seeking refugee get welfare, education, protection housing, healthcare at Canada’s and work permits. border must By May 2018, the have first filed number of refugee cases a refugee claim pending has jumped with the U.S. to 54,906 from 18,348 The loophole in December 2016. m i g r a n t That’s the population of smugglers are Grande Prairie, Alberta using is that or Granby, Quebec. the Agreement Toronto Mayor John only refers to Tory has called the situation a “crisis” and said he’s “frustrated” those making claims at a “port of entry” and by the lack of help from Ottawa to mitigate not to those who sneak in illegally. So, they a migrant flood that has cost taxpayers more slip in at insecure spots along the border. But than $64 million and counting. The crush of as Conservative immigration critic Michelle entries into Quebec is so great that at least Rempel has pointed out, the entire Canadian one Quebec politician — leader of the Parti border should simply be declared a “port of Quebecois, Jean-Francois Lisee — is calling entry.” End of problem. There is also a national for a border fence with the U.S. In January security angle to all this incompetence: Unlike 2017, PresidentTrump imposed a “travel Syrian and other refugees Canada has brought ban†on seven Muslim countries, but Prime in, these illegal migrants are not screened. A family, claiming to be from Colombia, Minister Justin Trudeau then sent out a holierthan-thou tweet that is costing Canadians gets set to cross the border into Canada hundreds of millions of dollars and creating a from the United States as asylum seekers on permanent burden. Press What’s also reckless Wednesday, April 18, 2018 near Champlain, is that Canada is not exercising its right to New York. The initial wave consisted of deport those who come in illegally from the mostly Haitians fearing deportation from U.S. After the September 11 attacks, Ottawa the U.S. after Trump announced the end of signed the Safe Third Country Agreement temporary amnesty for them. More recently, with the United States. This means that any border-crossers are Nigerian.
LOCAL
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From page 1
newly built house at 296 N. Gamma Ave. in Burnaby’s Capitol Hill was first listed on Oct. 13, 2016, at $2.599-million. The listing expired seven times and reappeared at a lower price until it sold this past January for $1,999,888. The listing agent boasted on his website that the house only took 89 days to sell at the asking price of $1,999,888. He made no mention on his website that the house had been listed and relisted several times, for more than a year, and had come down in price by $600,000. This practice distorts the data about the housing market. It makes it seem as if houses are selling quickly, when they’re not. And it makes it seem as if houses aren’t seeing price cuts, when they are. In other words, it’s obscuring the reality of Vancouver’s housing correction.
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Recycled’ listings mean Canada’s housing market data “Because they are recycling listings, the data consistently paint a prettier picture,” Mortgage Sandbox CEO David Stroud said. Equally problematic is the effect on homebuyers, who may have no idea how many times a home has been listed, and may easily be under the false impression that the home they are looking at is a fresh listing and will sell quickly. In other words, the data manipulation may well be pushing people to spend more on their homes than they otherwise would have. This couldn’t happen, for example, in the U.S., where real estate listings sites offer far more information about a house for sale than do listing sites in Canada. For instance, on a U.S. site, you can typically find a history of the
home’s previous listings on the market, and the asking and selling prices. If someone pulls a house off the market and relists at a lower price, buyers will know that. But in Canada, real estate boards keep a tight lid on the information provided in home listings. Previous asking prices and previous listings are nowhere to be found. And they are fighting tooth and nail to keep it that way. The Toronto Real Estate Board has been embroiled for years in a battle with the Competition Bureau to keep exactly this kind of information off home listings sites. Simply put, they’re trying to trick you into upping your bids. The industry defends these practices, arguing that publishing this kind of info would be a violation of home sellers’ privacy — a weak argument at best. Houses listed on U.S. site Zillow come with a history of previous listings and asking prices.
Canadian real estate boards have aggressively prevented listings sites from offering this sort of information. Vancouver realtor Aaron Best justified the lack of information in the Globe article like this: If a house sits on the market for long, “there tends to be a certain type of buyer who starts sniffing around, so they think maybe your client is desperate now or maybe there’s something wrong with the property.” In other words, you get offers from people trying to get a better deal on their home! How shocking! How outrageous! How DARE they? Let’s stop and put this in context. According to recent data from Royal Bank of Canada, home ownership costs in Canada are now the highest they have been in nearly three decades. To finance this, Canadians have run up a near-record level of household debt, around $1.70 of debt for every dollar of disposable income, one of the highest consumer debt levels in the developed world.
Half of British Columbians blame addiction and mental illness for crime: poll Half of British Columbians blame addiction and mental illness for an increase in crime in their communities, according to a new poll. The Research Co. survey asked respondents which factors deserve “a great deal” of the blame for crime in their community, and 51 per cent said addiction and mental health issues were the cause, while 40 per cent identified gangs and the illegal drug trade as the problem. Other factors to
blame were an inadequate court system (36 per cent) and a select lack of values and the improper education of youth (33 per cent.) Twenty-six per cent believe the main problem is poverty and inequality. The three lowest ranked factors are insufficient policing and lack of resources to combat crime (19 per cent), bad economy and unemployment (13 per cent) and immigrants and minorities (eight per cent.)
A tech guru captivated Canada, then he fled to China
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From page 1 Vancouver. “They’re certainly naïve to on getting answers before allowing China’s approach to acquiring high tech from deals to go through.” other countries, and they haven’t pushed hard
LOCAL
Saturday, July 14, 2018
TransLink riders told to check bank statements after card skimmers found on Compass machines Did you use your debit or credit card to pay for Canada Line transit fare on Sunday, July 8? Might want to check your bank statements. Transit Police say they’re investigating after two payment card skimmers were found in Compass vending machines, one at the Vancouver International Airport Station and the other at Vancouver City
Centre Station in downtown Vancouver. Authorities discovered the skimmers in the late afternoon and have established the one near the airport was installed before the start of service on Sunday. Investigators are still working on determining when the skimmer downtown was installed.
NDP MLA decries ‘fire sale’ of land The former Liberal government sold 5750 Panorama Drive in Surrey for $20,516,000 in 2014. (Photo: Tom Zytaruk) Throughout history, wars have been waged over land, and this past week’s verbal combat waged between the NDP and Liberal provincial parties over the Auditor General’s report concerning the former government’s real estate asset sales certainly embraced the spirit of that longstanding tradition. From 2013 to 2017, the former Liberal provincial government sold 21 public properties in Surrey for a total of $104,286,214. They included 19 vacant sites, Sunnyside Elementary School in South Surrey, and the former school board office. Jinny Sims, NDP minister of citizen’s services and MLA for Surrey-Panorama characterized these as “fire sales” by the Liberals to help “produce the illusion” its budget was balanced prior to the May 2017 general election, “or collecting money so they could hand out goodies before the election.” “They were so focused on generating revenue to meet budget shortfalls,” she said. “It seems really, really bizarre to me for a political party that talks about being such good financial managers, that they were such abject failures when it came to looking after the assets of British Columbians, which is our properties and our land. “In Surrey, when you look at it, the B.C. government was busy selling off, all over the province, they sold off 101 properties during that period at the very time they weren’t building schools and they weren’t building hospitals and other infrastructure.” Sims recalled that in the 1990s Mike Harcourt’s NDP government bought some property at 5750 Panorama Drive, near 152nd Street and Highway 10, as a potential site for a new hospital.
Jinny Sims, NDP minister of citizen’s services and MLA for Surrey-Panorama. “And then being in Surrey you’ll remember that Gordon Campbell had a press conference on that piece of property and said, ‘We will be building a hospital here.’ And then, he did it twice. He did it again. And now if you remember during the last election, I stood in the very same spot were Gordon Campbell had stood almost five, six, 10 years earlier and I said, ‘They have sold the land, where the hospital would have been built.’ Not only in Surrey they didn’t deliver on a hospital, but they shortchanged our children and grandchildren and the future because they sold the very land the hospital could be built on now.” Sims said the current NPD government has committed to a “concept plan” for a new hospital in Surrey “and part of that is looking for land at these astronomically high prices right now.” “You know, British Columbians end up paying for the folly of the Liberals being such poor economic managers of properties.” Sims noted the Liberals sold the Panorama property for $20,516,000 in March 2014. “You know how many townhouses and condos are going in there; drive by it sometime. They’re starting to develop part of it already and yet the assessed value in 2018 is $31.7 (million). That’s not market value, you know how far below market value the assessed value is, especially when it comes to commercial property.” B.C.’s auditor general has confirmed a 2014 sale of provincial Crown land for development in the Lower Mainland was for as little as two thirds of its appraised value, but concludes there was no collusion or bid rigging involved in the sale.
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Executive director of the BC Liberal party resigns The top official in B.C.’s Liberal party, a key adviser to leader Andrew Wilkinson, has resigned. Katy Merrifield, who had been executive director of the party since February, stepped down this week, citing personal reasons. “After serving the previous government, my leadership campaign, and the party in a series of challenging leadership roles over the past decade, Katy has made a personal decision to take a much-needed break and move on from her role as executive director,” Wilkinson said in a statement Wednesday. “While I’m sorry to lose her contributions, I know Katy will continue to use her tremendous talents to make British Columbia a better place. Katy is a valued member of the B.C. Liberal family and we wish her all the best.” Merrifield was Wilkinson’s campaign director in the February Liberal leadership race. She was credited with steering his campaign to a come-from-behind victory by
picking up key caucus endorsements, striking a deal with rival candidate MLA Mike de Jong and engineering a platform that was unapologetic in embracing the party’s values. BeforeWilkinson,Merrifieldservedasdirector of communications in Christy Clark’s office. The Liberals won’t select a new executive director immediately. Instead, Wilkinson’s deputy chief of staff, Jen Chalmers, will reduce her caucus role to part-time so she can pick up the party workload on an acting basis, Liberal party president Don Silversides said in an internal email to supporters. “As party president I have been asked to reconvene the personnel committee and to begin the work of finding a permanent replacement,” Silversides wrote. The Liberals have spent the last year in opposition, after being defeated on a confidence vote in the legislature by the NDP and Green parties in June 2017.
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Discrimination & poverty linked: BC NDP report Poverty and discrimination are closely linked, according to a report released Thursday that compiled the results of provincewide public consultations. The What We Heard About Poverty in B.C. report is the result of public input on B.C.’s first official poverty reduction strategy. Much of the report’s information came from feedback the government received from BC residents during community meetings held across the
province from Nov. 2017 to March 2018. The government says it intends to use the information gathered to create a provincewide poverty reduction plan. B.C.’s Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction says the province has one of the highest poverty rates in Canada, yet BC is the only province without a formal poverty reduction plan. The government says the official plan will be rolled out this fall. Public feedback came from various engagement sessions held by the province and via emails, letters and phone calls from concerned citizens. The BC Poverty Reduction Coalition also provided the government with
the results of surveys and focus groups designed to discover what British Columbians want to see from the plan. “I’m glad we’re in the process of finally developing a poverty reduction plan for B.C,” said Trish Garner, the coalition’s community organizer. “It’s exciting times, having not had a strategy for so long.” The report found that those who experience poverty do so for a wide variety of reasons, but there are a number of “common themes” surrounding poverty in the province. The government said the results of public consultations have made it clear that poverty and discrimination are linked. Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities are twice as likely to live in poverty as other people, it said. Refugees and immigrants also experience high rates of poverty, as do people of colour, single parents, women, queer, non-binary and transgender people. The report said people in these groups are also more likely to experience difficulties finding employment, housing and accessing the services they need. Garner said the NDP government has done a “good job” getting wheels moving on developing a plan but said there are immediate actions the province can take in the meantime. Raising income assistance and disability rates would be a good move, said Garner. The NDP raised those rates by $100 per month when it first took office, but Garner says they should be increased further. “That’s something we could do immediately. It’s something they heard at the consultations as a significant issue,” said Garner. “It’s something we could do right now as we do the bigger work of developing the plan.”
Semi trrailer flips on Knight Street bridge All southbound lanes were blocked by the truck. The southbound lanes of the Knight Street Bridge remain closed after a semi-truck flipped over at the north end of the bridge Thursday afternoon. Vancouver Police expect the lanes will open by 11 p.m. PT. The incident took place around 2 p.m with the flipped truck blocking all southbound lanes. Vancouver Police and Richmond RCMP are on scene investigating. Jonathan Gormick, with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, said one person was transported to hospital after being extricated by a heavy rescue team from the truck. A hazmat team was on scene responding to spilled fluids
and diesel. Investigators from the Vancouver police and Richmond RCMP are also on scene. One person was extricated from the truck by a heavy rescue team. The clean-up took a significant amount of
time because the truck had to be emptied, righted, and the area cleaned of debris. The condition of the person transported to hospital is not currently known. Delays are expected for hours because of the time it will take to clean up road and debris.
TransLink ridership set to break boarding records TransLink is on pace to break a record for annual transit boardings. According to TransLink, boardings have increased by 6.1 per cent so for this year over last. If the same pace continues, TransLink will break the yearly record of 407 million total transit boardings. Ridership has climbed across all transportation modes, including bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express. TransLink attributes the growth to the addition of new services in Part One of its transportation plan, as well as high gas prices and employment growth. Kevin Desmond, TransLink CEO,
expects that the biggest improvements in transit ridership are yet to come. “The Phase Two Investment Plan was approved by TransLink’s Board and the Mayors’ Council, which gives us the mandate to roll out the biggest package of transportation improvements in Metro Vancouver history. These latest numbers show the region needs this investment if we’re going to avoid major congestion,” he added. Phase Two of the plan includes construction of a light rail in Surrey, the Millennium Line Broadway Extension in Vancouver, new bus services, and addition of new buses and SkyTrain cars.
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Hot summer weather hitting southern BC could last for weeks Temperatures were rising at noon on Wednesday and are expected to climb higher this week as a warm stretch of sunny weather settles in. The high-pressure weather system building over southern B.C. could finally signal the start of a long, hot summer, according to media. Temperatures in Metro Vancouver are expected to hit the mid-20s on Thursday, and the pattern is expected to stick around for the next week and maybe longer. “In fact, it’s possible we will be mainly dry through to the end of July, and the long-range outlook remains hot and dry right through to the fall,” said Wagstaffe. “The dark side to our typical West Coast
summers is, of course, the fire and drought risk.” “And it should be mentioned that, although we are typically warm and dry in our summer months, climate change has already meant even warmer and even drier conditions than even 30 years ago.” With warm weather in the forecast, the Vancouver Police Department is warning it will be stepping up beach and marine patrols for alcohol infractions. (VPD) The Vancouver Police Department is already warning those who plan to get out on the water or to hit the beach that they will be stepping up patrols for alcohol and other violations.
Sinkhole closes part of Lougheed Hwy in Pitt Meadows The sinkhole appeared Wednesday night and the highway remains closed on Thursday afternoon. (BC Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure) The westbound fast lane of Lougheed Highway in Pitt Meadows, B.C., is shut down Thursday because of a sinkhole. The sinkhole appeared approximately 750 metres west of Allan Way on Wednesday evening and repair crews began working on it
Thursday morning. The left lane is closed between Harris Road and Old Dewney Trunk Road. HOV lane restrictions have been lifted and the two unaffected westbound lanes are open to generalpurpose traffic to ease congestion. Drivers are encouraged to use alternative routes if possible as delays are expected.
Supreme Court rules B.C. doesn’t have to disclose health records to cigarette maker British Columbia does not have to hand over the detailed health-care records of millions of people to tobacco company Philip Morris International, says Canada’s top court. Friday morning’s unanimous Supreme Court decision clears a hurdle in the province’s quest to sue cigarette companies for billions of dollars in health-care costs. Writing for the court, Justice Russell Brown found the health care databases Philip Morris wanted contained information about individuals whose privacy the province is obligated to protect. The ruling is the latest chapter in B.C.’s legal fight to force cigarette makers like Philip Morris International to compensate the province for the cost of
treating tobacco-related illnesses — a battle that started in the late 1990s. Philip Morris International argued it needed unfettered access to individuals’ health data to defend itself in court. The province’s lawyers argued that releasing individuals’ health information — even anonymously — could violate privacy laws. B.C. pointed to a provision in its Tobacco Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act that specifically covers privacy. Last year, the B.C. Court of Appeal upheld a lower court’s decision that agreed with the company, and ruled that to ensure a fair trial, the province needed to hand over the patient data.
NDP MLA Jinny Sims from Surrey - Panorama hosted a BBQ party at T.E. Scott Park in Surrey on Sunday July 8. Pictured above are supporters and participants of the event
Kinder Morgan subtracts capital gains tax to cut ‘net price’ for Trans Mountain Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd. says the actual price the federal government will pay for its Trans Mountain pipeline system and expansion project will be hundreds of millions of dollars less than the $4.5 billion it announced in May. In a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company says it estimates it will have to pay at least $325 million in capital gains taxes to the Canadian government when the deal is concluded. It says that reduces the “net price” to $4.175 billion. The filing is designed to advise Kinder Morgan Canada shareholders in advance of their vote on the transaction in August. Houston-
based parent company Kinder Morgan, Inc. owns about two-thirds of the shares. The document also recounts the negotiations that led to the deal, including an initial offer by the company to give the government a five per cent equity stake in return for financial guarantees and Ottawa’s counter suggestion it could buy 51 per cent of the pipeline assets. The filing notes that once they decided on a 100 per cent sale, Kinder Morgan offered to sell for $6.5 billion and the government came back with a counter offer of $3.85 billion. An attached report from adviser TD Securities concludes that the deal as negotiated is fair for shareholders.
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There’s a ‘good chance’ NDP Leader Singh will run in my riding, says departing BC MP Kennedy Stewart Stewart says he expects a ‘packed community hall’ at an event Singh will host in Burnaby South tomorrow. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is in Kennedy Stewart’s Burnaby South, B.C., riding today and tomorrow. Mr. Stewart is set to give up his seat before the Vancouver mayoral campaign begins in September. He said in May that he would run for mayor. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade Outgoing NDP MP Kennedy Stewart says there’s a “good chance” that NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will run in his riding, Burnaby South, B.C., if a byelection is called there soon. Mr. Singh was in Burnaby on July 12 as part of his summer tour, meeting with health-care professionals on pharmacare. Mr. Stewart, who announced in May he would be stepping down as an MP to run for Vancouver mayor, said in a phone interview July 12 that Mr. Singh would also be in town on July 13, and that he would be introducing the leader to his constituents. The NDP website lists a “JagMeet and Greet” free public event at the Bonsor Recreation Complex in Mr. Stewart’s riding at 7:30 p.m. local time on July 13, billing it as “an exciting opportunity to hear from the NDP leader, learn more about his personal and political journey, and ask questions.” “It’s going to be a packed community hall and I think there’s a good chance he’s going to run here if there is a byelection,” said Mr. Stewart. He added that he’s had phone calls with his electoral district association executive members about Mr. Singh, and they are “excited about having him come [to the riding].” “I know there are a lot of folks who are going to be pressuring him to put his name [forward] especially if the opportunity arises,” he said. James Smith, press secretary to Mr. Singh, when asked July 12 if Mr. Singh would be running in the riding, noted that Mr. Singh told reporters in Burnaby: “I haven’t made any decisions but am always open to advice and counsel.” Mr. Singh, who was elected as the party leader
in October, does not hold a seat in the House of Commons and for months has been under fire for not spending more time in Ottawa. ‘I think there’s a good chance he’s going to run here if there is a byelection,’ says Burnaby South, B.C., NDP MP Kennedy Stewart, pictured, of his leader, Jagmeet Singh. The Hill Times photograph by Shruti Shekar “Parliament is very important as an institution and it’s important for a political leader to get in there as soon as possible so that Canadians can get to know him,” said Mr. Mulcair, who was ousted as his party’s leader in 2016 and is set to soon vacate his seat and begin teaching at the Université de Montréal. Mr. Stewart was first elected in 2011 to represent the riding of Burnaby-Douglas, part of which was melded into a new riding, Burnaby South, which he ran to represent in the 2015 election. He said July 12 that he was in the process of formalizing his resignation letter to step down as an MP before the mayoral campaign period begins. It starts Sept. 22 and local elections in B.C. will be held on Oct. 20. For now, he’s trying to close case files in his constituency office. “It’s quite a process just disentangling yourself after seven years of serving. I have about 1,000 cases that I’m closing out with my staff that’s taking a little longer than I anticipated,” he said, adding that even if he loses the race he would still be giving up his seat. “I’m not going to lose,” said Mr. Stewart, laughing. He’s running as an independent to replace Mayor Gregor Robertson, who is not seeking re-election. A byelection must be called within six months of Mr. Stewart’s seat becoming vacant, but the prime minister is allowed to set the date, and there’s no limit on how far in the future the date may be set. “It’s up to the prime minister,” Mr. Stewart said, adding that if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) wanted to he could leave the seat empty till the next general election in October 2019.
PoCo city employees fired for stealing copper The City of Port Coquitlam says it has fired seven employees involved in a “highly coordinated” copper theft scheme that lasted over a decade and cost taxpayers more than $75,000. Chief administrative officer John Leeburn says the plan involved the deliberate, covert theft and sale of copper pipes, the majority of which were new pipes destined for installation underground. He alleges employees pocketed about $75,000 overall from a scrap metal dealer, with individual employees receiving cash amounts ranging from less than $100 to $10,000. But he adds the amount is a conservative estimate and the Metro Vancouver city originally paid much more for the pipes. Leeburn says the city has been investigating the scheme involving several employees with the Public Works Department since late February. He says the investigation is almost done and once it’s fully complete, the information will be turned over to the RCMP. The workers have been employed with the city ranging from one year to 21 years, he says. About 500 people work for the city and those who have been there for decades know each other well, says Leeburn, adding he knows some who have been fired. “There’s shock, there’s anger, there’s compassion, there’s dismay, there’s confusion
about how this could happen,” he says. “How could good people make such terrible decisions and repeatedly make those terrible decisions? I don’t have an answer for that.” 2nd major theft uncovered in 2 years As for how the scheme could go on for 10 years without the city’s knowledge, Leeburn says it was very “tightly held, not talked about.” The dismissals come after another former Port Coquitlam employee was charged with theft last year. Dean McIntosh, a former facility maintenance co-ordinator, pleaded guilty to stealing about $175,000 from the city over a three-year period. The city says in a statement that it implemented a number of measures after M c I n t o s h was charged, including a whistle-blower policy in November. The policy aims to create a safe environment for staff to come forward with reports of internal misconduct. Leeburn stresses that the employees’ alleged actions don’t reflect the character of the vast majority of city workers. “We have terrific people in this organization who provide terrific service to the community, and I really want to say to the people of Port Coquitlam: Have faith in us. “Please don’t let the actions of a small number who have made some bad decisions tarnish the great work that’s being done.”
Canada Post mail carrier caught on cemra stealing tomatoes Canada Post says it has spoken to a Montreal mail carrier who can be seen on video on four separate days pilfering tomatoes from a hanging basket outside a home. Spokesman Jon Hamilton says the
corporation has apologized to the customer and that the employee’s behaviour was not appropriate. A media broadcast footage from a security camera showing the mail carrier munching away on the fruit on four separate days — June 29 and July 3, 5 and 9. Resident Paula Habib said that she initially thought squirrels were responsible for the larceny. She said she would forgive the mailman if he replaced the plant or dropped off some tomato sauce. Hamilton says Canada Post has spoken to the employee but will not be offering further comment. Habib, meanwhile, called the postman’s behaviour “rude.” “He never came to the door and said, ‘Look, I took one of your tomatoes and it was really good,’ or made a joke about it,” she said. “He was just doing it and couldn’t care less.” The network said the mail carrier was even spotted helping himself to a neighbour’s strawberries.
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Saturday, July 14, 2018 Some Canadians craving a doughnut or double-double but strapped for time can now have Tim Hortons food brought to them as the national chain started testing a delivery service this week. It’s one of several concepts the coffee-and-doughnut chain, working to overcome an onslaught of negative publicity, is trying out in an effort to remain relevant to Canadian consumers. The chain launched food delivery with Skip The Dishes, a food delivery app, through 148 restaurants in three cities — Vancouver, Ottawa and Edmonton — on Monday.
Tim Hortons tests food delivery in 3 cities Tim Hortons plummets Canadian brand rankings Tim Hortons, franchisees argue over $700M reno plan “I think we came in with a mindset that we have to listen to our guests and adapt to their changing needs,” said Alex Macedo, president of Tim Hortons. Macedo, who started in the role less than a year ago, said a slew of new hires, including Duncan Fulton, the chief corporate officer of Tim Hortons parent company in
2 Delta men jailed after bust of ‘massive’ Burnaby fentanyl lab Delta police say two men have been sentenced after the bust of a “massive” fentanyl lab that turned a Burnaby kitchen into a major part of the Lower Mainland drug trade. In a statement released Tuesday, police said 36-year-old Scott Pipping of Surrey has received a 15-year sentence and 28-year-old Adam Summers of Delta a five-year sentence for 17 charges including drug trafficking and gun crimes. They were sentenced June 29 after pleading guilty, police said. Police released this photo which showed a filthy kitchen covered in materials for packaging and processing drugs. (Delta Police) Pipping and Summers were charged in March of 2016 after police raided a Burnaby apartment which they say housed what was then the largest fentanyl conversion lab ever discovered in Canada. “These are significant sentences and they reflect the scope and impact of this lab,” Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord said in a statement.
“This was a massive lab and a key part of the drug trade at the time in Metro Vancouver.” Filthy fentanyl lab bust in Burnaby yields more arrests The two men were arrested in connection with an eight-month, multi-location drug investigation dubbed “Project Starboard” which also led to search warrants executed in Richmond and Surrey. The Burnaby bust netted large quantities of heroin, cocaine, oxycodone pills and fentanyl along with nine guns and $1.5 million in cash. Police say the fentanyl was being treated in order to disguise it as heroin. Photos of the scene showed a filthy kitchen cluttered with drugs, chemicals, scales, blenders and mixing instructions written on post-it notes. “They would have recipes in their cupboards in yellow sticky memos, just like you would with baked bread or muffins,” Dubord said at the time.
RCMP search for suspect after officer struck in hit and run A Burnaby RCMP officer is recovering after her arm was broken during a hit and run last Wednesday. Cpl. Mike Kalanj of the Burnaby RCMP has a description of the person suspected of hitting an officer with his car July 4. Now, officers are releasing surveillance footage of the suspect and suspect vehicle as they ask the public for help. Burnaby RCMP release surveillance video of hit-and-run suspect An officer was struck on July 4 while attempting to stop a driver that was allegedly using an electronic device. 0:49 The officer was hit by the driver she was trying to pull over at a routine traffic stop. Cpl. Mike Kalanj says the incident began the morning of July 4 at Willingdon and Parker Street when an officer on foot tried to pull over a driver after she observed him allegedly using an electronic device while behind the wheel. “The driver failed to stop, hitting the officer and continued south on Willingdon Avenue. The officer suffered a broken arm and was released from hospital later that day,” Kalanj said. The suspect is described as a South Asian male, heavy build with a shaved head. He is five feet nine inches tall and was wearing a white T-shirt and grey sweatpants.
Police say he also has a tattoo on his left arm and was driving a grey Dodge Nitro SUV.
Restaurant Brands International, is the reason for the brand’s productivity lately. We’re a breakfast brand and a coffee shop that also sells lunch and dinner. The company hopes to expand the delivery test beyond those select cities in the coming months, said Fulton, who admits he lives his life on apps like Skip
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the Dishes, Uber Eats and DoorDash — as do many Tim Hortons customers. Delivery, he said, is something the eatery obviously needs to be doing. It’s not the only company to feel that way. Cineplex announced late last month it started offering concession-stand snack delivery via UberEatstomovie-watchersin60communities in Ontario, Alberta, B.C. and Quebec.
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TransLink reveals sizable salaries in 2017 financial report TransLink finally made its financial report from last year public — and what some people are earning at the transportation authority may surprise you. CEO Kevin Desmond made $407,000 last year. When other compensation and his pension are rolled in, Desmond’s total remuneration for 2017 was $459,000. That’s a jump from 2016, when Desmond’s total remuneration was $317,000; his base salary was $272,000. TransLink launches downtown bus hub for late-night commuters, Barwatch says it’s a good start Next on the list is President of BC Rapid Transit Company Vivienne King, with a salary last year of $316,000 and total remuneration totaling $356,000. In 2016, her base salary was $255,000. Transit Police Chief Doug LePard’s salary was $209,000 in 2017; his total remuneration with pension was $234,000. LePard’s salary in 2016 was $140,000. Desmond, King and LePard were hired by TransLink in 2016 and did not work for the company for the full year. BC Director of the Canadian Taxpayers
Federation Kris Sims says some of those names are making more than Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “We all pay their salaries, if we are in and around Vancouver, and in some cases they are making more than the Prime Minister who is in charge of a G7 country,” she said. “I think that does not pass the smell test for most people.” TransLink CFO Cathy McLay made $304,000 and the head of Coast Mountain Bus Company Hadyn Acheson earned $289,000. As well, just over 40 Transit Police officers made $100,000 or more. Sims calls the numbers “overwhelming.” “I think the average working person would be shocked to know the head of a regional transit commission makes more than the Prime Minister of Canada.” “It’s astounding how much these people make, unelected, even though they are paid through taxpayers and ratepayers…. these people who are paid from the same public purse in most cases never have to answer for it or face a voter.” The TransLink Board approves all salaries of senior staff.
Delta police officer investigated for issuing tickets for violations that didn’t occur A Delta police officer has been recommended for disciplinary action after a member of the public complained he was issuing tickets unrelated to violations committed, says the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner. However, Const. Byron Ritchie, the subject of the complaint, has been granted a review. The complaint against Ritchie was from a member of the public whose wife was issued a ticket on July 15, 2016. She was stopped by Ritchie after she had been observed talking on her cell phone while driving. Instead of issuing a distracted driving ticket, Ritchie issued the driver a violation ticket for “failure to wear a seat belt” and “failure to produce vehicle insurance.” The driver said she had been wearing a seatbelt and produced insurance as requested. According to the investigation, Ritchie told the driver she was “getting a break” as the combined
fees of the tickets he issued her were less than a distracted driving ticket. The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner ordered an investigation on the basis that Ritchie’s conduct constituted deceit as he was knowingly issuing motor vehicle violation tickets in relation to offences he knew had not been committed. At the disciplinary proceeding, investigators found 11 different instances where Ritchie knowingly issued tickets for an offence that did not occur. Ritchie denied the 11 allegations were deceitful. Disciplinary action recommended The discipline authority made several recommendations: That Ritchie’s rank be reduced for 12 months from First Class Constable to Second Class Constable. That he be suspended without pay for two days for each of the 11 offences, totalling 22 days without pay. And that he work under close supervision for a year and participate in a return to work plan to the satisfaction of his supervisors.
BC man bilked out of thousands of dollars in financial scam A Sechelt man wants to warn others after he fell for a scam that cost him tens of thousands of dollars. Michael Morgan got caught up in a new variation of a familiar scam.He was recruited through LinkedIn recently to act as the financial agent in Canada for a Chinese trade and engineering company. Through a string of legitimate-sounding intermediaries, he ended up collecting and depositing a
number of cheques into his account. They were cleared by Royal Bank of Canada and then Morgan transferred the funds to his alleged employer. Later, it turned out those cheques were phony, leaving Morgan out of pocket more than $22,000. “What I was waiting for was cheque number one to clear,” said Morgan. “If that’s good, it gave everybody a sense of trust and that’s what they’re building.” When the second cheque arrived, for $22,000, it was also cleared by the Royal Bank, but only after Morgan had forwarded the funds back to headquarters did the cheque bounce. Royal Bank told Global News that because it was the customer who initiated the transaction, it cannot be held liable. In a statement it said: “Clients must always ensure any potential employers and funds are legitimate and take extra precautions to ensure they are comfortable with the transaction and
Videos show girls handfeeding bears at Vancouver-area home A bear conservationist says she is shocked by Instagram videos showing two
Vancouver-area girls hand-feeding black bears through an open patio door. In one of the videos, the two unidentified girls giggle when a bear cub swats at one of them after she gave it a cracker. How the City of Coquitlam manages its bears — and its people Ice-cream-eating bear at Alberta drivethru raises concerns among wildlife experts Another video shows a girl feeding a cub a cracker through the sliding door. In a third, a man, who appears to be their father, feeds an adult-sized bear a full package of crackers through the same door. A fourth shows a sow and cub in the family’s backyard. The videos appear to be posted by one of the girls on her Instagram account. In another video, a girl feeds a bear cub a cracker through the sliding door. It’s the sort of behaviour that Christine Miller of the North Shore Black Bear Society finds horrifying. “I was really shocked when I saw that,” said Miller. The bears may have to be shot if they continue to be hand fed, Miller said. Feeding black bears gets them used to humans, and once they associate people and houses with food they can become dangerous, she said. Belcarra’s White Pine Beach remains closed due to problem bear Miller said while bear cubs may seem adorable, when they grow up into a 150-kilogram adult, even a playful swat is dangerous. “Most people would be very uncomfortable with a bear approaching them. It could end up in human injury,” she said. Neither the family nor the province’s Conservation Officer Service returned calls for comment.
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Saturday, July 14, 2018
2 Canadian bus companies say they want to fill void left by Greyhound Some Canadian bus companies say they’re willing and able to fill parts of the void left by Greyhound when the carrier announced this week that it would soon halt most of its operations in Western Canada. A Charlottetown-based bus company that stepped in six years ago when the Maritimes lost a major regional bus service says it would be interested in expanding its reach to new markets.Goodbye Greyhound? The thread stitching together Canada’s North wears thin Maritime Bus, led by president Mike Cassidy, came into existence six years ago after the demise of Acadian Lines left many parts of Atlantic Canada without a regional bus service.
At the time, Acadian said the economics had changed and it couldn’t continue to offer unprofitable routes. Maritime stepped in and now covers more than three million kilometres between 40 locations in the region. Cassidy says he’d be interested in doing the same thing — on a limited basis — in Western Canada, now that Greyhound has announced it wants to halt service across the region. “I feel like stakeholders should come together over the next 60 days [and] come up with an operational plan where we have a transportation network,” Cassidy said. “It would be a group of carriers and stakeholders … collaborating to put the proper business model in place to make sure we have a
sustainable daily line run system across our country.” There are numerous hurdles standing in the way, not the least of which would be securing the right licences to operate routes from various levels of government — likely either provincial or federal, depending on the route.Known as motor carrier rights, those are the permits that allow Greyhound to operate those routes at the moment, and governments would presumably be more than happy to offer them to anyone who can supply a safe, comparable service that doesn’t require subsidies from the taxpayers. But Cassidy’s experiences in 2012 could serve as an excellent framework for what could happen now — because, as he puts it:
“Greyhound is right. Ridership is down.” Greyhound Canada wants to stop serving northern B.C., including ‘Highway of Tears’ That was the case in Atlantic Canada six years ago, but Maritime Bus has made it work because it did things a little differently. For starters, the carrier is more diversified beyond being just a fixed-route passenger carrier, with some package delivery on the side. Maritime has its fingers in many other aspects of the bus industry, including chartering, tour groups, cruise ships, tours over multiple days, and municipal service routes and school buses — all on top of daily regional runs. “We operate in all divisions,” Cassidy said. “Diversification leads to synergy, which I believe leads to a leaner and meaner type of organization [that reacts] to market conditions very quickly.” He also says the operating licence it was granted is a little less onerous than the one his predecessor had, allowing for more flexibility to expand and contract. While the company is obligated to run at least one bus 364 days of the year (save Christmas day) they don’t necessarily run more than once a day. Greyhound is leaving northern British Columbia: Here’s what you need to know He gives the example of the service his company offers to Antigonish, N.S., home of Saint Francis Xavier University. During the school year, there are run three or four routes a day to Antigonish, while students are there.
BC not optimistic about private replacements for Greyhound in remote areas There’s already been some interest from companies thinking about replacing Greyhound buses on B.C. highways, but the Passenger Transportation Board isn’t holding out much hope for remote rural routes.The PTB, which licenses inter-city buses, announced this week that it will fast-track applications for long-distance services after Greyhound revealed plans to cancel all but one route in this province. Board chair Catharine Read said she expects most, if not all, of the applications will focus on the more populated areas of southern B.C. “Greyhound has already pulled out of a lot of the northern parts of the province, and we didn’t get interest in people wanting to provide service up there,” Read said. “I think down south … it’s a different story because you’ve got greater population densities, and there’s less distance between communities.” The fast-track process means the PTB will aim to make a decision on any application within 60 days, Read said. Normally, the board posts all applications online and invites public input, with a goal of making a decision within 60 to 90 days of publication. In this case, however, the board has determined there’s an urgent public need, which means the applications don’t need to be posted online and the PTB doesn’t have to consider alternatives, according to Read. “We have had expressions of interest, so we’re hopeful that those keep coming in and that they’ll result in applications,” she said. She pointed out that when Greyhound scrapped two routes on Vancouver Island earlier this year, Tofino Bus stepped in to pick up the slack. In northern B.C., on the other hand, the province has funded a one-year pilot project for a bus service connecting cities with round trips twice a week.
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Saturday, July 14, 2018
Review of BC municipal auditor general could lead to office’s closure by NDP B.C.’s municipal auditor general could be shut down after a review being conducted by the provincial government. Premier John Horgan said he’s exploring whether the B.C. auditor general, Carol Bellringer, could take over the responsibilities of the auditor general for local government, which was created by the previous Liberal government in 2013. “I’ve spoken with the auditor general, Ms. Bellringer, about the capacity of the existing office to address the issues raised at the local government level and she’s going to get back to me on her views of that matter,” said Horgan. The B.C. municipal affairs minister, Selina Robinson, will also be conducting a review of the local auditor general’s office, which is required by law after its first five years. “I want to find out now is this useful? Is it a good use of dollars?” Robinson said in an interview. “Is this valuable? That’s what this review is going to determine. Are they just exercises for the sake of exercises, or exercises that have value?” Horgan promised while in opposition to dismantle the local auditor’s office, after a tumultuous early launch of the office and complaints from municipalities that they did not need a watchdog to oversee their spending. Horgan reiterated last week that it was his preference to turn over the duties to the provincial auditor, but he’s also willing to consider the evidence presented in the review.
The local auditor’s office had a troubled start after being created in 2013 by then Liberal premier Christy Clark. The idea was to look for wasteful spending practices within municipalities, but the office itself was quickly beset by inefficiency, low morale and leaked human resources reports under its first auditor general, Basia Ruta. Ruta was fired in 2015 after spending $5.2 million over two years, producing only three reports, and becoming locked in a legal dispute with the audit council overseeing her office. She sued government and settled out of court for $141,995. “The whole thing is just a frigging disaster,” Robinson, then the NDP municipal critic, said at the time. The government hired Gordon Ruth, an executive vice-president with the Chartered Professional Accountants of B.C., to take over. In an interview, Ruth said his organization has exceeded its performance targets in 2016 and 2017. He said he’s reversed morale issues inside the office to place it in the 95th percentile of a government work survey, scored high marks in feedback from audited municipalities, and recorded two consecutive years of local governments accepting 100 per cent of the audit recommendations in their reports. “At the end of the day, government will do whatever it decides to do,” said Ruth. “Our job is to assist local governments to provide good value for their tax dollars, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.
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Doug Ford’s government lays out agenda in Ontario throne speech Ontario’s provincial government promised to audit government spending, end cap-and-trade and scrap the current sex-education curriculum in the throne speech delivered Thursday by Ontario’s Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell. The speech, written by the premier’s office, emphasized that change is coming for Ontario. It echoed many of Premier Doug Ford’s campaign statements, vowing to sell beer and wine in convenience stores and provide long-term funding for the health-care system. Titled “A Government for the People,” the speech pledged to protect jobs, lower electricity bills and cut taxes. Dubbed ‘the $6-million man,’ Hydro One’s CEO is out
Ontario will revert to 1998 sex-ed curriculum this fall The government says it will do a Commission of Inquiry into the government’s financial practices to identify ways to “restore accountability and trust in Ontario’s public finances.” It will include a line-by-line audit of all government spending to “identify and eliminate duplication and waste.” “The era of accounting tricks and sleight of hand must end,” the speech said. Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell delivered the Speech from the Throne, in which the new Progressive Conservative government vowed to bring in sweeping changes.
RCMP working to stop Hells Angels’ return to Nova Scotia Seventeen years after the Hells Angels Halifax chapter folded, the Angels are trying to make a comeback in Nova Scotia, according to RCMP. Sims has been a member of the RCMP for 23 years. He says the Mounties are working to curb the growth of outlaw motorcycle gangs like the notorious Hells Angels. “Right now, we have two major outlaw motorcycle gangs, the Bacchus and the Hells Angels. Between 2001 and 2013, the Bacchus were primarily the only outlaw motorcycle gang in the province but in 2013, the Hells Angels decided to come back,” said Sims. “The Bacchus have one chapter. They have a clubhouse here in the Halifax Regional Municipality and they have one support chapter. They have the ability to create more chapters but as of right now, they haven’t done that in a while.” The Hells Angels used to have a prominent presence in Nova Scotia, with a Halifax chapter being formed in 1984. In 2001, police raided the gang’s clubhouse on Dutch Village Road and arrested 20 people, ultimately leading to the chapter folding. Although there is currently no official Hells Angels chapter in Nova Scotia, Sims says the Angels have been back in the area for several years. “The Hells Angels, when they returned in 2013, they set up a number of support chapters. The most notable of those would be the Gate Keepers and these support chapters were all throughout the whole province, right from Yarmouth to Cape Breton,” said Sims. “These have changed over the years and they’re still attempting to create a full-fledged Hells Angels chapter but up until now, they haven’t found the right stability and the right people to be able to make that happen.” The Hells Angels support chapters are not the only outlaw motorcycle gangs to have a presence in the province. In fact, RCMP say they are concerned about
the emergence of another club in Cape Breton. “The Black Pistons are aligned with the Outlaws, which is a motorcycle gang in Ontario and Quebec. Although the Bacchus and the Hells Angels haven’t shown any type of violent tendencies or animosities towards one another, we do know that the Outlaws and the Hells Angels have had a violent past,” said Sims. Historically, Sims says outlaw motorcycle gangs have been involved in prostitution, drugs and weapons. He says while there isn’t an increase in outlaw bikers, police are seeing bikers change affiliations. “What people in a community will see is they’ll see a biker gang. They’ll see loud HarleyDavidsons. They’ll see people in vests, they’ll see patches on their back. They won’t be the traditional Hells Angels patches but these clubs will be supporting the Hells Angels,” said Sims. “If inside their clubhouse, they’re selling gear that has support 81, that would be in full support of the Hells Angels.” Sims says having an outlaw biker gang move into your community isn’t a good thing. “Sometimes, they may portray themselves as having a charity organization or they may portray themselves trying to get good PR that way but in reality, all of that money that’s raised through charitable organizations or through support gear, or through their barbecues is all going to fund either the clubhouse itself, may be going to fund lawyers for members that are in jail or maybe going to fund sending people on biker runs across the country,” said Sims. “When you see loud, aggressive motorbikes, when you see vests with violent patches on them, when you see them travel in packs, that is all to serve a purpose and the purpose really is to intimidate both the public and their enemies so you won’t mess with them.”
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Saturday, July 14, 2018
Federal govt formally recognize NunatuKavut as indigenous community in southern Labrador The NunatuKavut community in southern Labrador is entering into historic talks with the Canadian govt, as Ottawa moves to formally recognize an Indigenous group that speaks for those with Inuit ancestry. But the announcement Thursday was panned by the neighbouring Innu Nation, whose leaders expressed concern that the negotiations would set back the Innu’s own negotiations with Canada. Todd Russell, president of the NunatuKavut Community Council, and Carolyn Bennett, the federal minister responsible for Crown-Indigenous relations, announced the start of formal discussions around Indigenous rights and self-determination. An emotional Russell addressed community members and politicians
in central Labrador, saying the recognition of NunatuKavut rights is the most significant announcement from the Crown since the British-Inuit Treaty was signed in 1765. “Our land and rights have not been respected for many years, but today is a new beginning,” he said. “It means that we will give expression to the way we want to govern in our own land, something we have been fighting for for many, many years.” The NunatuKavut Community Council represents about 6,000 people in southern Labrador. It has been trying to negotiate a land claim with Ottawa for decades. The ongoing discussions will address questions of governance and NunatuKavut’s land and resource interests in Labrador.
Ship that carried hundreds of migrants to Canada now a floating toxic stew The MV Sun Sea carried nearly 500 Tamil migrants to Canada eight years ago, but now the rusting cargo ship sits forlornly on BC coast — an unwanted vessel of toxins including asbestos, PCBs and mould, documents reveal. The federal government, which has been stuck with the rickety ship for years, is looking for an “environmentally sound” and cost-effective way of getting rid of it. The Public Services and Procurement Department recently issued a request for feedback from industry on how to dismantle and dispose of the 38-yearold steel ship with an infamous past. Organizers of the MV Sun Sea’s 2010 voyage from strife-torn Sri Lanka promised passage in return for $20,000 to $30,000 per person. 4-year sentence for man found guilty of smuggling Tamil migrants to Canada Supreme Court jury finds man guilty of smuggling Tamil migrants to Canada 5 years after MV Sun Sea, situation worse for refugees to Canada: lawyer Federal authorities intercepted the vessel, which has been moored at a Public Services facility in Delta, B.C., since 2012. No owner of the ship could be identified,
and no one wanted to buy it. The vessel, under control of the Canada Border Services Agency, has cost the government approximately $970,000 in storage and maintenance costs. The border agency and other federal partners “are working diligently” to figure out how to dispose of the ship, says a March 2018 briefing note obtained through the Access to Information Act. The request for industry feedback is the first step toward unloading the 52-metre floating lemon. The solicitation documents say the government hopes to ask for bids from disposal companies in August and award a contract the following month, with a project completion date of March. “The government of Canada has made the determination that the MV Sun Sea must be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner, in a Canadian facility, in accordance with Canadian law,” says an initial outline of the work prepared by the border agency. Federal officials had no immediate comment on the status of the plans.
Canadians should ‘buy smaller’ homes in response to interest hike, Bank of Canada head says As the Bank of Canada raised key interest rates to 1.5 per cent (up from 1.25 per cent) Wednesday morning, mortgage rates are already rising as well. RBC has raised its prime lending rate by 0.25 per cent as well. Along with the new mortgage lending rules implemented in 2018, that makes home ownership just a little more out of reach for some Canadians. RBC has raised its prime lending rate by 0.25 per cent as well. Along with the new mortgage lending rules implemented in 2018, that makes home ownership just a little more out of reach for some Canadians. House prices have fallen slightly in recent months thanks to new foreign buyer rules in certain provinces. In May, the average home price according to the Canadian Real Estate Association was $496,084, down 6.4 per cent from May 2017. In Toronto and Vancouver, the price jumps to $772,000 and $1.1 million respectively. A separate Royal LePage report breaks down the price by type of home: the national median price in the second quarter of a two-storey home rose 0.8 per cent year-
over-year to $720,504, while the median price of a bungalow climbed 1.8 per cent to $512,979. The price of condominiums rose 8.1 per cent year-over-year to $435,421. “That seems like an odd thing (to say),” Dr. Penny Gurstein, director of the School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia, told Global News. While the “buy smaller” method could work in smaller markets, it doesn’t work in urban environments where the market is already unaffordable, experts explained. According to a Royal Lepage study, in Vancouver the average home priced at around $400,000 only has 1.5 bedrooms, compared to the national average of 2.7 bedrooms. “[Poloz’s statement] doesn’t seem to be very sensitive to the particular situation that millennials and those younger are in right now given that you know most of them in large cities are not able to even buy or even think about buying places.” Mei Lan Fang, a research associate at Simon Fraser University and social scientist with MTEK, called the statement “brash and rather insulting.”
Manitoba premier wants booze to flow across provincial borders Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister is asking his colleagues to eliminate restrictions on cross-border booze runs. In advance of next week’s premiers meeting in New Brunswick, Pallister has written a letter to other provincial leaders outlining his priorities. In the letter obtained by The Canadian Press, Pallister says the provinces should remove their limits on interprovincial transportation of alcohol for personal use. He says the idea has broad public support, and would show progress in the effort to reduce interprovincial barriers on other items. In April, the Supreme Court upheld a New Brunswick law that fined a man $240 for bringing home a trunk
load of beer and liquor from Quebec. The high court said provinces have the power to enact laws that restrict commerce if there is another overriding purpose, which in New Brunswick’s case was the desire to control the supply of alcohol within the province. Pallister’s letter says the premiers should adopt a recommendation to reduce alcohol restrictions from an advisory body called the Regulatory Reconciliation and Co-operation table, set up under the Canada Free Trade Agreement. “In particular, the recommendation regarding a personal use exemption will address long-standing concerns regarding the transportation of alcoholic beverages across domestic borders by significantly increasing personal-use limits,” Pallister wrote.
Saturday, July 14, 2018
US, Australia undermining Canada’s trading relationship with China, ambassador suggests China is keen to launch formal free trade talks with Canada, but its envoy to Ottawa suggests that Canada’s own allies could be souring the relationship. China’s ambassador to Canada said the United States and Australia of smearing China’s reputation. “I think there are some voices from Western countries, including the U.S. and Australia, that [have] regarded China as a threat,” said Ambassador Lu Shaye. “I hope that the Sino-Canadian relationship can forge ahead, without much interference from different sources ... external noises, or other external interventions.”Lu criticized the “media atmosphere” in the U.S. and Australia and said the governments in both countries have some “unfriendly policies toward China.” The United States recently imposed billions of dollars in tariffs on Chinese goods, meant to stop what it says are unfair trading practices. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to crack down on the theft of intellectual property by the Chinese government — an accusation Lu denies. “It’s sheer nonsense,” Lu said in English to emphasize his point.
He accused the Trump administration of trying to slow the development of China’s high tech industries through the use of “dirty tricks.” He also accused the U.S. of launching the “largest trade war in economic history.” “The U.S. has come up with so many excuses, like stealing their technology, or China’s infringement on their technology. All these excuses were made in order to hinder the development of China’s high tech industry. “Chinese economic development, as well as technical development, are made not by stealing or robbing others’ technology. They are made by industrial work and intelligent creation.” Western security agencies, including the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS), have issued warnings in the past about the sorts of threats China poses. “China has been stealing intellectual property. It’s pretty much known this is a fact. They’ve been caught in the act ... to deny it is kind of, frankly, a lie,” said Stephanie Carvin, an assistant professor of international relations at Carleton University in Ottawa.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh won’t have a free pass if he runs in a byelection If NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wants a seat in Parliament before next year’s federal election, he’ll have to fight for it. The Conservatives say they will run a candidate against Singh if he decides to throw his hat into the ring in a future byelection, marking a break of sorts with parliamentary convention. The Liberals are noncommittal. “We’ll be running a candidate,” said Cory Hann, director of communications for the Conservatives, in an email. The Liberals “would welcome the opportunity to present a candidate in any riding which becomes vacant,” said Marjolaine Provost, manager of media relations with the party, in response to a question about the Liberals’ intentions should Singh seek a seat before the general election. But the spokesperson subsequently added that “the Liberal Party has made no formal decisions on nominations or
candidates” as the byelections haven’t been called yet. In the past, a party leader without a seat in the House of Commons generally has been given a free pass by the other parties when running in a byelection in a riding previously held by that leader’s party. But Singh will not be offered that courtesy by all parties if he decides to run in one of the byelections likely to be held before the end of the year. The Greens, however, say they will not put up a candidate against him if he runs. Singh may be thinking hard about whether he is still comfortable working outside the House. The party has been struggling lately with fundraising and in the polls. The NDP has suffered a series of disappointing byelection results. Without a leader in Ottawa every week, caucus unity is perhaps more fragile than it otherwise would be.
Trudeau insists Canada spending enough on defence, as Trump declares victory at NATO Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference Thursday that Canada has reaffirmed its commitment to work toward contributing two per cent of its GDP to military spending and reverse any cuts. His comments came at the end of a two-day NATO summit in Brussels, where U.S. President Donald Trump instead said that he convinced the military alliance to dramatically hike spending. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada hasn’t committed to spending new money on defence, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments that he convinced NATO allies to dramatically hike spending. Instead, Trudeau said at the wrap of the summit in Brussels that Canada has reaffirmed its commitment to work toward contributing two per cent of its gross domestic product to military spending — the military alliance’s benchmark —and reverse any cuts. Trudeau said Canada has been “taking the right approach” on defence spending, pointing to the Liberals’ plans to
increase the defence budget by 70 per cent over the next decade to $32.7 billion. “The president has been consistent that he wants to see people spending more on defence in their countries and we are very pleased we are doing that,” Trudeau told reporters. “We’ll always step up, with cash yes but also with commitments and capacity. That’s what NATO is looking for.” Trump said Thursday he had convinced NATO allies to increase defence spending to meet the alliance’s benchmark and perhaps go higher. He spoke at the closing of the twoday summit, which was punctuated with insults, arguments and high drama behind closed doors. “It all came together in the end,” Trump said. He went into the meeting questioning the value of the 70-year-old institution, but came out extolling its solidarity and the willingness of leaders to co-operate, work together and bow to his wishes. Trump claimed he had done what other presidents had failed to do by pushing leaders to agree to higher spending.
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Congress disapproves of Tharoor’s ‘Hindu Pakistan’ remark, tells leaders to choose words carefully The Congress on Thursday disapproved of remarks by its MP Shashi Tharoor that if the BJP is voted to power, it will pave the way for creation of a “Hindu Pakistan”, and cautioned its leaders to choose words carefully while rejecting the saffron party’s “hatred”. Tharoor kicked up a huge row with his remarks yesterday that if voted to power again, the BJP will rewrite the Constitution and pave the way for creation of a “Hindu Pakistan”. Congress’ communication in-charge Randeep Surjewala, in a series of tweets, said, “India’s values and fundamentals are an unequivocal guarantee of our civilisational role & set us apart from the divisive idea of Pakistan.” “All Congress leaders must realise
this historic responsibility bestowed upon us while choosing words and phraseology to reject BJP’s hatred,” he said. Surjewala attacked the Modi Government, alleging that it thrives upon “an unprecedented atmosphere of division, bigotry, hatred, intolerance and polarisation” for the last four years. He asserted that the Congress represents India’s civilisational values of pluralism, diversity, compassion and harmony between faiths and ethnicities. Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said that irrespective of the government that comes to power, Indian democracy will never allow the country to become Pakistan.
West Bengal CM accuses BJP of targeting missionaries West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the BJP of targeting the Mother Teresa-founded Missionaries of Charity (MoC) and maligning it. Her accusation followed the arrests of a sister of the order and a woman staffer of ‘Nirmal Hriday’, a shelter home run by it, in Ranchi last week for allegedly selling a child born to a minor inmate to a couple from Uttar Pradesh. “Mother Teresa herself set up Missionaries of Charity. And now they are also not being spared. Malicious attempts to malign their name. The Sisters are being targeted. #BJP want to spare no one. Highly condemnable. Let MOC continue to do their work for the poorest of the poor (sic),” she tweeted.
Later when reporters asked her to comment about the allegations against Missionaries of Charity, Banerjee said, “If any individual committed some mistake you can take action, but you (BJP) cannot say Missionaries of Charity is bad.” Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has ordered a probe by the Jharkhand State Child Protection Commission into the incident. Police had yesterday rescued one more child, also allegedly sold by the Ranchi shelter home, from Jharkhand’s Simdega district taking the total number of rescued children to three. “Of the four children allegedly sold (by the shelter home), the third child was rescued today from Simdega.
India to open world’s largest cell phone factory Samsung Electronics Co. opened the world’s largest mobile phone factory in India, in a win for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship program to lure investors to manufacture in the South Asian nation. The factory was inaugurated by Modi and South Korean President Moon Jae-in during their visit to the facility in located at the outskirts of Delhi. This will double Samsung’s Noida unit capacity for mobile phones to 120 million units a year from 68 million units a year, it said in a statement, but declined to give further details. The phasewise expansion will be completed by 2020. Smartphone makers from Xiaomi Corp. to Oppo Mobiles are building factories in the world’s fastest growing market for the product bolstering Modi’s push to encourage
overseas investors to “Make in India.” Asia’s third-largest economy attracted record foreign direct investment in the past year totaling $62 billion, including reinvestment. “The opportunity is just massive,” said Faisal Kawoosa, who heads new initiatives at researcher CMR Pvt. “Such a large facility will help Samsung cater to the huge demand in a country of 1.3 billion people where there are only 425 million smartphone users. India’s smartphone market grew 14 percent with total shipments of 124 million units in 2017, the fastest pace of growth among the top 20 markets, according to International Data Corp. Demand for new phones is surging in India, helped in part by billionaire Mukesh Ambani offering $23 4G feature-phones.
India lodges protest with UK over SFJ ‘event’ India has issued a demarche to United Kingdom protesting a meeting convened on August 12 in London by separatist organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). SFJ that claims to be an international advocacy group has offered to sponsor youth and political activists from Punjab to travel to London for the August meeting. The meeting in Trafalgar Square is aimed at shaping up the ‘London Declaration On Referendum 2020’ campaign seeking a separate Khalistan. India has lodged its protest through diplomatic channels against the proposed “anti-India activity”. “We have taken it up with UK and have issued a demarche. We expect UK will not allow such
anti India activities to be carried out in UK,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. India’s official response comes a day after the British High Commission spokesperson in Delhi defended the right of people in UK ‘to gather together and to demonstrate their views, provided that they do so within the law.’ “However, we will not tolerate any groups who spread hate or deliberately raise community fears and tensions by bringing disorder and violence to our towns and cities and the police have comprehensive powers to deal with such activities,” the British High Commission spokesperson said.
Man arrested for raping his young daughter A 13-year-old girl was repeatedly raped by her 55-year-old father over a period of six months before the pregnant girl was finally rescued by the Gurdaspur Child Development and Protection Officer (CDPO) and brought to the Civil Hospital on Tuesday. The incident came to light after the girl developed some complications, following whichworriedneighbourscalleduptheCDPO. A case under Section 376 of the IPC
has been registered at the Sekhwan police station of the Batala police district. The medical examination of the girl will be conducted on Wednesday. The victim disclosed that her father worked in a cold store. Her mother had left home a few years ago. “Whenever I was alone my father use to rape me and threaten me with dire consequences if I talked about it with our neighbours,” she said.
WhatsApp fights fake news with Indian newspaper ads WhatsApp took out newspaper ads to combat fake news in India on Tuesday, after rumors sparked the lynching of five men. The full-page ads, which ran in English, Hindi and other languages in daily papers, include tips for spotting fake news messages on WhatsApp. Readers are advised to check if a message has been forwarded -- WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature to help people identify forwarded messages. Beyond that, the ad urges readers to double check facts, links and photos. There’s also a warning about viral messages.
“Do not pay attention to the number of times you receive the message,” it reads. “Just because a message is shared many times, does not make it true.” “This morning we are starting an education campaign in India on how to spot fake news and rumors. Our first step is placing newspaper advertisements across the country in English, Hindi, and several regional languages. We will build on these efforts going forward,” a spokesperson for WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, said a statement.
Bank manager arrested for fraud The bank manager of a nationalised bank was arrested after it came to light that during his tenure, the PAN card number of an account holder was used to open a new account, where Rs 7 lakh was deposited in old notes after the Centre had banned Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes in November, last year. He has been identified as Madhusudan Gandhi (41), a resident of Andhra Pradesh. “He is the manager of Karnataka Bank’s Palm Beach Road branch in Navi Mumbai. He was the manager of the bank’s Rajarhat branch when demonetisation was announced. During his tenure, an account
was fraudulently opened using the complainant’s PAN number and money was deposited there. The complainant came to know about this only after he received a mail from the income tax department,” said DC (DD) Santosh Pandey. On Wednesday, Bidhannagar Police had summoned Gandhi to cyber police station in Rajarhat for questioning in connection to the case. After being grilled, he was arrested and booked under sections 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged document as genuine), 419 (cheating by personation).
Saturday, July 14, 2018
DSP gave fake degree to get police post Punjab DGP Suresh Arora has recommended that ace Indian women’s cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur — facing demotion from the post of DSP to constable after her graduation degree from a Meerut university was found to be fake — be given three years to complete her graduation. A case for special exemption would be put before the Cabinet soon. The DGP has recommended that Harmanpreet may not be paid salary for three years, but would retain her DSP rank. A native of Moga, Harmanpreet was working
with the Railways before CM Capt Amarinder Singh offered her the post of DSP. She joined this March. Harmanpreet got political support with state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar suggesting to the government to retain her rank and status in spite of her fake degree. On Wednesday, Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira also seconded it. In a statement, he urged the CM not to demote Harmanpreet. “This will humiliate a girl who has done Punjab and India proud. It also amounts to trivialising her achievements”.
Gangster Baba gets a private room in PGI Chandigarh Chandigarh: While normal people struggle for getting a private room at the PGI Chadigarh, gangster Baba Diplreet Singh got one too easily. Dilpreet, who was caught by the police at ISBT 43 sector Chandigarh was shot at on the thigh. According to the norms, the waiting period for a private room is not less than two months. According to the PGI
officials,gangster Baba was shifted to a private room due to security reasons with security of more than six police officers on duty. He on Tuesday went through a surgery of
Legal relief for Pakistani Sikh officer ‘kicked’ out of his home The Lahore District Sessions Court on Wednesday issued a contempt notice to three police and PETPB officials for forcibly evicting Gulaab Singh Shaheen, Pakistan’s first Sikh Traffic Police Officer, from his house. Gulaab Singh, his wife Paramjit Kaur and sons Gurpreet Singh, Harcharanpreet and Jagtar Singh had to spend the night under a tree in front of their house. “The court has issued a contempt notice to SHO Iftikhar Ansari, PETPB Additional Secretary Tariq Wazir and Deputy Secretary Akram Zoya. The next date of hearing is July 13,” counsel Aseem Nawaz Gujjar told The Tribune over the phone. Meanwhile, there has been an outpour of sympathy for Gulab Singh and his family. “The incident reflects Pakistan’s antiminority stand,” said Jaiveer Shergill, who is on the AICC media panel. “First the attack on Sikhs in Afghanistan and now the humiliation of a Sikh officer in Pakistan. The incidents are disconcerting,” he said. The American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) requested the governments of Pakistan and Bangladesh to protect land belonging to Sikh shrines in their countries. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan too demanded justice for Gulaab Singh. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the Pakistan government must rehabilitate Gulaab Singh immediately.
his thigh and then he was securely shifted to a private room. It is said that he will be staying in the hospital for 10 days.
PUNJAB
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RBI blames farm loan waiver, GST for states’ slipping fiscal deficit targets Higher expenditure For FY19, states are on salaries and farm hoping for a 0.2 per cent revenue surplus as loan waivers, coupled with a revenue against a revenue deficit shortfall on GST of 0.4 per cent as per the revised estimates, implementation, led to a slippage of 0.35 which will lead to an per cent in states’ fiscal overall GFD of 2.6 per cent, against 3.1 per targets to 3.1 per cent in 2017-18, the RBI said cent in FY18, it said. on Thursday. At a countrywide The central reserve bank of India level, farm loan waivers This is the third consecutive year where alone contributed to the states have failed to a third of the overall meet their gross fiscal deficit (GFD) target, slippage worries, with a 0.05 per cent slippage the central bank said, adding this comes of the overall 0.13 per cent on revenue despite expectations of an improvement on expenditure, the RBI said in its study on state higher devolution from the Centre. finances based on state budgets.
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INDIA
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Railways in knots as workers tie ‘broken’ Mumbai tracks with cloth A video of Central Railway employees ‘tying’ a rag on a broken railway track between the Govandi and Mankhurd stations in Mumbai just before a crowded train passed over it has sent shockwaves among commuters apart from embarrassing the railway establishment. Shortly after the video went viral on social media on Tuesday, CR officials termed it fake. However, by Wednesday, the CR went on a damage control mode stating that the cloth tied to the broken rail track was only a marker to highlight the point of fracture. Officials then went on to say that heavy rains in Mumbai would have caused the paint, used normally to highlight the point of fracture on train tracks, to be washed away and hence the rag was tied as a marker. The incident, they said, happened at
around 6.32 pm when trains carry peak traffic. Railway officials also said that passenger safety was not compromised even after at least one train was seen passing on the broken track in the video clip. In a statement, the CR said the fish plate was intact and there was no danger of a train derailing. Later in the evening, train services between the two stations on CR’s Harbour Line were suspended for around 30 minutes till repairs were carried out, officials said. Passenger activists are demanding that the Commissioner of Railway Safety carry out an inquiry into the incident. With rains taking a break on Wednesday, Mumbai was back on its feet, though various agencies like National Disaster Response Force and Navy.
Bihar waters down liquor law For those people who are caught drinking liquor for the first time in Bihar, the punishment is now bailable, the Times of India reported on Thursday. According to the report, if the first-time offender pays bail of Rs 50,000, then s/he can be let off with a warning. However, if they fail to pay this amount, then the offender spends three months in jail, the report added. Kishore said the amendments would also reduce the quantum of punishment has been reduced for second and third-time offenders. Such punishments will be between 2 to 5 years, the report added. Principal Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat department, Arun Kumar Singh said that at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar, a nod has been given for the proposed amendments to be tabled in the monsoon session of the state legislature scheduled later this month. Once these amendments come into force, these will be applicable to new as well as pending cases. In other words, those arrested under the old, stringent law may also avail of the relief granted under the amendments, the Advocate General said. Earlier, both the owner and the occupant of a property or vehicle from where liquor was seized were liable to be punished. The amendments propose shifting the onus primarily on the occupant, he said. Ban on sale and consumption of liquor was introduced in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April, 2016.
Kejriwal warns school over confinement of KG students in basement Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has issued a stern warning to school authorities who allegedly confined 16 kindergarten children in basement over nonpayment of fee and said a probe would be ordered into the matter. He visited the school along with his deputy Manish Sisodia and Environment Minister Imran Hussain, also, the MLA from Ballimaran constituency under, which the school comes, on Thursday. Kejriwal said they interacted with the principal of Rabia Public School, Naheed Usmani, and warned her that this kind of treatment towards children would not be tolerated and the Delhi government and the police will take action. He said an inquiry would be ordered to
look into the matter. Kejriwal and Sisodia also interacted with students and teachers there. The chief minister on Wednesday sought a report from the education department about the alleged confinement of the students in the basement of the school for non-payment of fee. The matter came to light after some parents informed police that 16 children were confined in the basement of the school by their teachers between 7 am to 12 noon in central Delhi’s Hauz Qazi area. A case was registered against the school authorities, police said, adding that they were looking for the person responsible for the incident.
Indian doctor jailed for molesting women in Singapore An Indian doctor, on holiday with his family here, was jailed on Thursday for two weeks for molesting four women in a swimming pool at a popular tourist spot at Marina Bay Sands hotel complex. Jagdeep Singh Arora, 46, was charged with molesting two of them, while the two other charges were taken into consideration, according to media reports. Arora, on holiday with his wife and daughter, touched the buttocks of four women between 9 pm and 9.30 pm on June 28 in the pool, reported Channel News Asia. One of the victims was a 25-year-old female tourist from Lithuania. She was in the pool on the 57th floor of the hotel where he was staying at about 9 pm that day, taking photographs of the scenery. She noticed Arora who was with his wife, moving very closely behind her before touching her in the water. She then went to
look for her husband and informed security about the incident. At about 9.30 pm, a second victim, a 20-year-old Korean woman, was with a friend in the pool, also taking photos of the view from the rooftop pool. While she was in the water, Arora moved close to her and touched her stomach. Arora later retracted his hand and walked away, but returned a while later and touched her buttocks, as well as her friend’s. He also touched a fourth woman, according to the report. Before committing the offences, Arora had had a few drinks, the defence said in court. Arora is a doctor in India and has an 11-year-old daughter with his wife. The family had visited Singapore to celebrate his birthday, said the defence. “The accused admits that he has made a terrible mistake,” he said.
MSP alone will not benefit farmers, says agri-economist Expressing concern over agricultural distress and farmers’ woes, agricultural economist and former PM’s Economic Advisory Committee member V S Vyas on Thursday said a steep rise in Minimum Support Price (MSP) for kharif crop would not alone benefit farmers because there are many other issues like poor procurement procedure, lack of infrastructure to store foodgrains and insufficient marketing facilities. Rise in agriculture income could be an objective of the government concerned, but raising MSP is not a solution to end farmers’ woes as MSP would benefit a few states and 15-20 per cent farmers in the country, Vyas said delivering a chief guest address at 37th Foundation Day of NABARD here. The main question is now how to raise productivity
with existing infrastructure and inputs per acre by reducing cost on production per hectare, Vyas, who was one of the member setting up NABARD 36 years ago, said. Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) should be involved in agriculture sector and their sustainability is the key to push the development agenda of agriculture in India, specially for small and marginal farmers, the Pama Bhushan awardee said. “Due to fragmentation and disorganisation, it is not economically viable for small and marginal farmers to adopt latest technology and use of high yielding varieties of inputs such as seeds and fertilisers. They are also unable to realise the good value from their marketable surplus by individually selling their produce,” he said.
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SOUT ASIA
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Indian warship INS Trikand visits Sri Lanka India’s latest on matters of mutual .. frontline warship India’s latest frontline warship INS INS Trikand has reached Sri Lanka Trikand has reached in a goodwill Sri Lanka in a goodwill visit, authorities visit. Sri Lanka Navy ceremonially welcomed here said today. The Sri Lanka the state-of-the-art Navy ceremonially warship in accordance welcomed the statewith naval traditions. INS Trikand is of-the-art warship in accordance with a state-of-the-art India’s latest warship naval traditions warship of the Indian y e s t e r d a y . Navy equipped with a versatile range of Senior Indian officers, including Assistant Defence Adviser of the weapons and sensors capable of addressing threats Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka -- Lieutenant in all three dimensions - air, surface and sub-surface. Colonel Ravi Shekhar Mishra -- held discussions
Sri Lanka to hang drug criminals, replicate Philippines ‘sucess’ Sri Lanka announced Wednesday it would start hanging drug dealers, ending a near-half century moratorium on capital punishment as officials promised to “replicate the success” of the Philippines drug war. President Maithripala Sirisena had told the cabinet he “was ready to sign the death warrants” of repeat drug offenders, government spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne said Wednesday. “From now on, we will hang drug offenders without commuting their death sentences,” he said. Sri Lanka has commuted death sentences for serious crimes to life in prison since 1976 when the last execution took place. Senaratne said there were 19 drug offenders whose death sentences had been commuted to life. It was not clear if they would be hanged under the government’s policy shift. But authorities say a tougher approach is needed to combat what they say is an increase in drug-related crime.
Senaratne cited a case this week where a convicted drug dealer, whose death sentence was commuted to life, had arranged the import of 100 kilograms of heroin from behind bars. The government has drawn inspiration from the Philippines, where a no-holdsbarred war on drugs has been a centerpiece of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. “We were told that the Philippines has been successful in deploying the army and dealing with this problem. We will try to replicate their success,” Senaratne said of the decision to deploy the military to tackle drugs. The government has not spelled out how it will deploy troops, but in the past, they have been used to reinforce local police in riot control. Duterte ran on a law-and-order platform that included promises to rid the country of the drug trade. Authorities have acknowledged the deaths of more than 4,200 drug suspects who resisted arrest in drug operations.
Court extends former Bangladesh PM’s bail again A court in Bangladesh once again extends bail granted to imprisoned former prime minister Khaleda Zia in a corruption case after her lawyer sought an extension citing her illness. The bail of the 72-year-old three-time former premier and opposition leader in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case has been extended at least five times since March, Dhaka Tribune reported. But, Zia, also the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), will have to stay in jail as other cases are pending against her. She was not present in the court when the judgement was passed today, the report said. Judge Dr Akhteruzzaman of the Special Judge Court 5 extended Zia’s bail until July 17. The court had fixed July 10 for the hearing of the case against Zia and three others accused. She was also supposed to be produced before the court. However, her lawyer asked for an extension of the bail due to her illness, the report added. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last week accused her arch-rival Zia of “faking” her illness in jail to avoid appearances in court.
Zia is lodged in a 200-year-old prison Dhaka for the last four months. She was jailed for five years in February in connection with the embezzlement of 21 million taka (about USD 250,000) in foreign donations meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust, named after her late husband Ziaur Rahman, a military ruler-turned-politician. The Zia charitable graft case, filed in August 2011, accuses four persons including Zia of abusing power to raise funds for the trust from unknown sources. The three others are: Harris Chowdhury, political secretary of then prime minister Zia between 2001 and 2006; Ziaul Islam Munna, Assistant Private Secretary (APS) to Harris; and Monirul Islam Khan, APS of former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka. The Zia Charitable Trust graft case is one of dozens pending against Zia. The charges against her had already led to her boycotting polls in 2014, which triggered widespread protests at the time. The BNP had termed the elections as “farcical”. in
British MP deported from India A war of words ensued between MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) and Lord Alexander Carlile, (pictured) a British lawmaker and international counsel for former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia who is currently in jail for alleged corruption. Carlile was deported back from India Wednesday late evening soon after he landed in Delhi’s International Airport. He was informed that his E-Visa was revoked and within an hour the MEA spokesperson issued a statement claiming that Carlile’s intended purpose of visit was incompatible with reason mentioned in the visa. Carlile who was to hold a media interaction in a hotel in Delhi this afternoon about charges framed against Zia, instead addressed the press via Skype. Carlile alleged India was ‘supinely’ agreeing to the Bangladeshi Sheikh Hasina government’s ‘intolerable pressure’ and called it shameful. “My particular role is to examine the evidence
and judgements against her (Khaleda Zia), and to advise and comment as to whether they fall within international and Common Law Rule of Law norms, which are applicable in Bangladesh,” said Lord Carlile alleging that the ruling Awami League party had resorted to frivolous cases and torture to keep Zia family and opposition BNP out of the upcoming general elections in the country. Incidentally, the Narendra Modi government recently allowed former Maldivian President Nasheed living in exile in London to travel to India to seek support against the ruling Yameen government in the island nation. However, justifying its decision to deport Carlile back from the airport, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar elaborated, “We informed him in advance that his visa is not valid. So he came with a return boarding pass. He had two hours before he was to take the flight.
Zakir Naik will never get access to Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina aide Promising full cooperation in India’s quest to bring controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik back to the country, a close aide of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said today that Bangladesh will never allow its territory to be used by elements hostile to New Delhi. After delivering a talk in New Delhi on “Indo-Bangladesh: Historical and contemporary perspective”, Hossain Toufique Imam, political advisor to Hasina, answered a question from a reporter on Naik. He said Naik would never get access to Bangladesh and his country would cooperate with India on the matter. “We will fully cooperate with India. Our government is committed to its declared
policy of zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. The soil of Bangladesh will never be allowed to be used by elements who are hostile to our neighbours,” Imam said. Naik found himself in the eye of a storm after news reports surfaced that at least two of the terrorists behind the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka in July 2016 were “inspired by his preaching about Islam.” Rohan Imtiaz, one of the suspected attackers, is said to have posted a message on Facebook quoting Naik prior to the attack. Naik is being probed under terror and money laundering charges by the National Investigation Agency.
Malaysian man who married 11-year-old Thai girl fined $450 by sharia court
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A Malaysian man who married an 11-year-old Thai girl has been fined 1,800 Malaysian Ringgit (US$450) after pleading guilty in a sharia court. Che Abdul Karim Che Abdul Hamid, who already has two wives and six children, was charged with polygamy and conducting the marriage without the court’s permission. From the conservative state of Kelantan in northern Malaysia, the 41-year-old rubber dealer was charged under sections 19 and 124 of the state’s Islamic family law. Muslim cleric accused of performing forced marriage of child bride sacked Facing a fine and six months in prison, Judge Mohd Surbaineey Hussain on Monday
sentenced the man to MYR 900 for each charge, according to a report in Harian Metro. The marriage, solemnised this June at a border town mosque in Thailand’s largely Muslim south, sparked outrage in Malaysia, reinvigorating debate about the need for legal reform to stop child brides. While the 41-year-old was found guilty of polygamy and marrying without permission, he was not charged with underage marriage, as Malaysian lawyer Syahredzan Johan pointed out on Twitter. “This is why legislation is needed,” he wrote, “At the federallevelitshouldbeapenaloffencetomarryachild.” Muslim girls below the age of 16 can legally marry in Malaysia with permission from a religious court.
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FIJI
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Fijian Holdings Limited will soon own gov’t printery
Last year was a very successful year for Fijian Holdings Limited and they intend to produce bigger and better results this year. The group made a consolidated profit after tax of $31.07 million which is a 33 per cent growth compared to the previous year. According to FHL chief executive officer Nouzab Fareed, the group has drafted a strategic plan for the remaining months of the year. A brief outline of their plans to move forward are as follows: With the astonishing success of South Sea Cruises and
the group’s newly opened beach club, Malamala Beach Club Resort, Mr Fareed said the group is looking at more investment opportunities in the tourism sector. South Sea Cruises Ltd made a $.6million profit after tax last year while the Malamala Beach Club, worth $7.5million opened last month. The group is looking at investing in tourist accommodations that are in operation. Aside from the tourism sector, FHL is looking at investment opportunities in the energy sector.
Rabuka says that 55 years is too young to retire from civil service SODELPA Leader Sitiveni Rabuka says he now believes that 55 years is too young to be the civil service retirement age although his SVT government had reduced the retirement age to 55 years in the 1990s. Rabuka says the SVT government that he led had decided that they had to reduce the retirement age
because Fiji had a young population. Rabuka is now saying that SODELPA will increase the retirement age to 60 years if it comes into power. Meanwhile Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the hypocrisy by the opposition parties is a major concern.
USP staff union files strike mandate The University of the South Pacific Staff Union has filed a strike mandate with the Ministry of Employment Opportunities, Productivity and Industrial Relations. The strike mandate gives a party the ability to enact strike action. The association filed the strike mandate this week underlining three issues: salary increase, job evaluation and the removal of Maciu Raikoti, the assistant Accountant Payroll Officer. USP Staff Union general secretary Litiana Waqalevu said it had been years since they had been raising those concerns but claims nothing was being done about it. “Our members are the crucial arm of the university. They look after very important places like enrolments, exams, graduations, open days, etcetera. If we actually get the
strike notice, we will aim and target those times,” Mrs Waqalevu said. She said it had been 24 years since the last full evaluation took place, which was not logical because some evaluators did come to the university but could not complete the evaluation. “It is a very long time indeed. Last one (evaluation) was done in 1994, implemented in 1995.
Government approves 2018 daylight savings FIJI’S Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Jone Usamate has advised members of the public that the Government has approved the consecutive days from November 4, 201,8 until January 13, 2019, inclusive as the daylight saving period. Members of the public are advised to
move their clocks one hour ahead at 2am on Sunday November 4. The daylight saving period will end at 3am on Sunday January 13, 2019. The Government states that daylight saving is the time for general purposes throughout Fiji and members of the public are advised to make changes to their time accordingly.
Given that electricity plays a major role in our country, Mr Fareed said the group believes there is a big room for improvement in the energy sector. They are also looking at investing in renewable energy projects. The group had already expressed their interest in Fiji Electricity Authority’s privatization programme. Basic Industries Limited made a $7.8million profit after tax last year. According to Mr Fareed, the group is also looking at the development of properties and
houses. Basic Industries currently produces concrete and concrete blocks but will soon venture into the housing market. The company had previously constructed houses for those that were damaged during Tropical Cyclone Winston. He said the company will produce a list of prices for the different types of houses that customers want. According to Mr Fareed, the company will use precast concrete to build the houses. So instead of placing blocks of cement to build the house, the concrete will be casted in a reusable form then lifted into place.
FICAC requests Rabuka to return to Suva for another interview SODELPA Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka is being interviewed by FICAC again. Fijivillage has received confirmation that Rabuka had to cut his Macuata community visit short as SODELPA says FICAC requested Rabuka to return to
Suva for a further interview. We have contacted FICAC and asked whether Rabuka is being interviewed for another case. FICAC says they will not comment on this matter.
Cost of houses in Fiji outrageous: MP Radrodro The cost of houses in Fiji is outrageous, says Shadow Economy Minister Aseri Radrodro. In his response to the 2018/2019 Budget in Parliament on Monday, Mr Radrodro claimed the Government’s move to establish a Housing Ministry to look after the housing policies they had introduced would not address the housing crisis faced by the country. “This policy being introduced is a simple exercise of vote buying,” Mr Radrodro said. “People have tried to escape to places where they can afford homes. But, where 10 years ago a decent property cost less
than $100,000, in Nausori, today the same property will cost around $300,000. “All because the supply of affordable housing
is limited.” Mr Radrodro said a SODELPA government would offer a better alternative should they form the next government.
Fisheries ministry warns repeat offenders of kawakawa, donu ban The Ministry of Fisheries will seize the vessels, vehicles and fishing gears of people caught repeating the offence of fishing, selling or exporting kawakawa and donu. This was highlighted by the Director of Fisheries, Aisake Batibasaga. Mr Batibasaga added, however, that there had been a positive response from members of the public who were complying with the seasonal ban.“The ministry has been very pleased with the overall level of support from the communities and businesses of Fiji, both for the ban, and in terms of compliance,” he
said. “This is not something that the ministry can achieve alone, and the support from the communities of Fiji, along with the other local and central government agencies that we are working closely with, has been excellent.” He urged vendors and members of the public to comply with the ban till October 1 later this year. “Support the seasonal ban to ensure that we do all we can, to rebuild stocks of these important fish for the people and businesses of Fiji.”
PAKISTAN
Saturday, July 14, 2018
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Army denies meddling, to deploy 371,000 troops to guard next election due on July 25
Pak army said it will deploy about 371,000 troops to ensure a “fair and free” election on July 25, denying it was rigging the poll to tip the scales in favor of opposition leader Imran Khan. The run-up to the general election has been marred by accusations that the military is meddling in politics and muzzling the media to help usher
Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) into power. Imran Khan, an anti-corruption crusader and conservative on national security, has denied contacts with the military, which has ruled the nuclear-armed country for almost half its history. Military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told a news conference that a total of 371,388 troops would be deployed inside and
Corruption charges led former PM Sharif’s arrest as he arrives from London Lahore: Former disqualified PM Nawaz Sharif arrested minutes after he landed at Lahore airport. Supreme Court already awarded Nawaz Sharif 10-year jail and his daughter Maryam 7-year jail over corruption charges. Nawaz Sharif was arrested as his plane
landed in Lahore from Londo, were arrested within minutes of landing at Lahore airport. Sharifs are expected to be flown to Rawalpindi a twin city near capital Islamabad. A lart number of police were posted in Lahore to check any trouble or show of strength.
Former president Asif Zardari and sister placed on ECL Names of former president Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur have been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) on the Supreme Court’s (SC) orders. The Interior Ministry confirmed on Wednesday. The directives were issued
to the Interior Ministry by the apex court in connection with an ongoing suo motu case concerning an investigation into fake accounts and fictitious transactions worth billions conducted through several mainstream banks.
Officer accused of extrajudicial killings gets bail A police officer accused of scores of extrajudicial killings has been released on bail. Rao Anwar, a former Karachi police chief whose forces have been accused of killing of more than 400 people in police raids, was released on Wednesday.
Authorities say he was behind a “stagemanaged” shootout on Jan. 13 in which police killed a 27-year-old aspiring fashion model from a prominent Pashtun tribe. The killing was widely condemned by rights groups and sparked nationwide protests by Pashtuns,
outside polling stations, some three times more than during the last election in 2013. The election commission had asked the armed forces to help conduct the vote in a “free, fair and transparent manner”, and the army’s role was to assist, he said. “We need to give them support they have asked for,” Ghafoor said in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near Islamabad. The military’s role
in politics has again come into question since the Supreme Court ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2017 for failing to report a monthly income of 10,000 Emirati dirhams ($2,723) from a company owned by his son. He denied drawing the monthly salary and has denounced his ouster as politically motivated, often suggesting the military was to blame.
Political ‘turncoats’ boost Imran Khan’s prospects in general elections due to be held on July 25 Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar, the rolling mango plantations of a landowner and politician, Mianwali Qureshian, a village in southern Punjab. Such outsize recently switched to his third party in a decade. That is unlikely influence, enjoyed by dozens to prevent him retaining his seat of aristocratic families in rural parts of Punjab province thanks in parliament this month’s general elections on July 25, thanks to to centuries of rigid social, tribal loyalty to a family name that has or religious tradition, is key to Imran Khan ImranKhan’s strategy for winning held sway over politics in this part of central Pakistan for generations. July 25 general election. Entrenched local “We’ve lived here for eight centuries,” said powerbrokers, who include feudal lords, Bakhtyar, who will contest the seat under tribal chiefs, clan elders and spiritual leaders the banner of Imran Khan’s Justice party and are known in Pakistan as “electables”, movement, after abandoning the ousted hold about a quarter of Punjab’s 141 elected former disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz parliamentary seats. Punjab, long the Sharif Sharif. “If you live in an area for that long, family’s electoral base, in turn accounts you tend to develop social and political for more than half the 272 elected seats in capital,” he told Reuters in an interview at the National Assembly, making it the key his marble-floored mansion, nestled among election battleground.
Taliban defeated by quiet strength of Buddha in Pakistan The Buddha of Swat, carved on a cliff in the seventh century, was dynamited by Taliban in 2007. Now it has been restored, a symbol of tolerance in the traumatised north western Swat valley in northern Pakistan. The holy figure, depicted in a lotus position at the base of a granite cliff, was severely damaged by insurgents in an echo of Afghan Taliban’s complete destruction
of its more imposing counterparts at Bamiyan in 2001. For some, it was a wanton act of vandalism that struck at the heart of the area’s unique history and identity. It felt “like they killed my father”, says Parvesh Shaheen, a 79-year-old expert on Buddhism in Swat. “They attack ... my culture, my history.” The Buddha sits in Jahanabad, the
epicentre of Swat’s Buddhist heritage, a beautiful valley in the foothills of the Himalayas. There the Italian government has been helping to preserve hundreds of archaeological sites, working with local authorities who hope to turn it into a place of pilgrimage once more and pull in sorely needed tourist dollars.A decade ago, the militants
climbed the six-metre effigy to lay the explosives, but only part of them were triggered, demolishing the top of the Buddha’s face. Another, smaller fresco nearby was torn to pieces. For Shaheen, the statue is “a symbol of peace, symbol of love, symbol of brotherhood”. “We don’t hate anybody, any religion — what is this nonsense to hate somebody?” he says.
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NRI
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Scotland Yard senior NRI officer under investigation
Veteran NRI broadcaster Mahendra Kaul dies Eminent Indian-origin broadcaster and journalist Mahendra Kaul died here today, following a brief illness. He was 95. Kaul, who had been ill for some time, passed away peacefully at his home early this morning, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Rajni and daughter Kalyani Kaul, a prominent judge based in London. Born in Srinagar, Kaul began his career with Radio Kashmir and went on to make his mark as a broadcaster with the All India Radio.
Following a stint with Voice of America in Washington, he joined the immigrants programme unit of the BBC in London, producing two weekly TV programmes for South Asian viewers for nearly two decades. “It is very sad to hear of the passing of this great human being and friend. He was a pillar of the Indian community and the first Indian who raised the image and profile of India and Indians in the UK,” said leading NRI industrialist Lord Sawraj Paul.
2 NRI children killed in car crash in Australia Melbourne: Two children of Indian origin died due to car crash in Melbourne and their parents were seriously injured. According to The Age newspaper, the accident happened on Hopkins Road in Troganina, Melbourne on Sunday when a vehicle collided with a car while attempting to overtake another vehicle.
The children killed in the accident were from Kerala. After celebrating a birthday, he was returning home. 10 year old Ruana died on the spot and her brother Imanuel died in hospital last night. Parents of children were admitted to the hospital where the condition of mother Manju Verghese is serious.
on June 27 but they remain on full duties while enquiries continue, the force added. According to the BBC, the inquiry is focusing on whether Sandhu encouraged her colleagues to support her nomination for a Queen’s Police Medal (QPM), which is awarded twice a year by Queen Elizabeth II as part of her honours’ lists. The medals are given to serving police officers in the UK in recognition of distinguished service or outstanding courage in the line of duty. National Police Chief Council guidelines say that “any person can nominate any other person for an honour”. However, as with other honours, people are not expected to nominate themselves and are not meant to contribute to or know about the process. The internal Met investigation is examining an allegation that Sandhu may have contacted other officers with a summary of information to support her QPM nomination. The inquiry is at an early stage and no disciplinary action has been taken so far.
One of Britain’s senior-most Indian-origin female officers has been placed of restricted duties as Scotland Yard investigates allegations that she broke the rules on being nominated for a royal honour. Parm Sandhu, (pictured) currently serving as Temporary Chief Superintendent with the Metropolitan Police, has been served with a “gross misconduct” investigation notice and could potentially face a serious disciplinary charge. “The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) is investigating the conduct of three officers following an allegation that they breached guidelines relating to the UK honours nomination process, a Met Police statement said. “A temporary chief superintendent currently attached to human resources was served with a gross misconduct notice on Wednesday 27 June and has been placed on restricted duties, it said. The two other officers a detective superintendent and an inspector, both from frontline policing were also served with misconduct notices
NRI student killed in Kansas Legal eagle backs Trump’s Supreme Court choice Donald Trump chose Brett Kavanaugh, a judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, to replace Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh, 53, is a candidate straight out of Supreme Court central casting: He went to Yale and Yale Law (every current justice either attended that school or Harvard Law); he clerked for two federal appellate judges, including the well-known Alex Kozinski; worked in the solicitor general’s office in the George H.W. Bush administration; and then clerked for Kennedy on the Supreme Court.
Since 2006, he has sat on the DC Circuit, which also produced current justices John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It’s not for nothing that the Federalist Society’s Leonard Leo, who has been Trump’s most important adviser on court nominations, singled Kavanaugh out as one of the most promising contenders for Kennedy’s seat. His résumé is the one every ambitious college Republican hoping to be on the Supreme Court one day dreams of building.
The body of Sharath Koppu, (pictured) an Indian student who was killed during an attempted robbery in Kansas City in the US last week, arrived in Hyderabad on Wednesday night. The body arrived at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International airport and former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya was among those who paid tributes to him.
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According to authorities in Kansas, Mr Koppu, 25, hailing from Telangana, was fatally shot during a suspected incident of robbery at a restaurant where he worked. He died shortly after being taken to a hospital on Friday. Kansas City police announced a USD 10,000 reward for information leading to the suspect and released a brief video of the suspect inside the restaurant moments before the shooting.
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Saturday, July 14, 2018
Diljit Dosanjh plays hockey in ‘Soorma’ His innings in Mumbai have had no commercial success: “Udta Punjab” was critically acclaimed, “Phillauri” and “Welcome To New York” were disasters, and even his song in “Raabta,” another catastrophe, was far from something memorable. But Diljit Dosanjh stands out as a musician and superstar from Punjab, the only turbaned Sikh who has been a hero in Hindi films. He points out that he hopes the film gets to be seen by all and is not hankering after figures (as in crores of business). The turban is not just his USP but also something of importance to him, which is why he nixed an offer from a director who is his favorite that needed him to be
clean-shaven. “This is my identity with fans both in India and overseas, and even families love me for what I am,” he explains. “As for working with the filmmaker, there will be another time!” Releasing this week is “Soorma,” Shaad Ali’s new film that is a biopic on Haryana’s hockey ace Sandeep Singh, who was accidentally shot in the back by a misfired bullet and paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair when he was 20. He had already distinguished himself in the sport – he was in a train heading to join the Indian team for the World Cup in Germany. With sheer will-power and family support, Sandeep not only began to walk again but also resumed his sport and won medals. In fact, he is also a member today of the Haryana police force!
Rani Mukerji to be feted at Australian Film Festival for ‘Hichki’ Rani Mukerji will be honored at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), presented by the Victorian Government in Australia, for her contribution to cinema and for touching upon a social cause. The ‘Excellence in Cinema’ Award this year will be given to the actress, whose film “Hichki” focuses on overcoming a physical challenge with sheer determination and positivity. “The power of cinema to spread important social messages and enact positive changes is unmatched. As an actor, I have been blessed to have got the chance to be a part of such amazing films that have tried to make people sit up and think about society, the need
to preserve human lives and to value each individuals dreams and aspirations,” Rani Mukerji said in a statement. She said it is humbling to be honored by the provincial government of Victoria in Australia for a role that called for inclusion and equality of all individuals in our society. “I’m thankful that my body of work has contributed to making positive change. ‘Hichki’ is a very special film for me and this honor as part of the colorful Indian International Film Festival of Melbourne makes it even more memorable,” she added. Inclusion is the theme for IFFM this year, and “Hichki” - which delves on how a woman doesn’t let Tourette’s Syndrome come in the way of her dreams - is a good fit.
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Saturday, July 14, 2018
Dr Haathi of ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma’ aka Kavi Kumar Azad dead TV actor Kavi Kumar Azad, who was best known for his role of Dr Hansraj Haathi in the popular sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma, died on Monday afternoon after suffering a cardiac arrest. The actor’s last rites will take place in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon.On Monday, Azad was unwell and was taken to Mumbai’s Wokhardt Hospital after he complained of discomfort. However, doctors announced him dead on arrival. The show’s producer, Asit Kumarr Modi, confirmed the news of the actor’s death. “We are very sad to inform loss of our senior actor Kavi Kumar Azaad. He was playing the character of Dr Hathi in Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma. We lost him to a massive cardiac arrest today morning. He was an amazing actor and a very positive person. He truly Loved the show and always came for the shoot even if he was not feeling well. He called today morning that he is not well and will not be able to come for shoot. And later we got the news that he passed away. We are all too numb to say anything,” Asit Kumarr Modi said
in a statement. Taarak Mehta’s rep revealed that despite being unwell for the last few days, Kavi was still reporting for the shoot of the show. “He spoke to Asit on phone that he won’t be coming for the shoot today as he was unwell. He has been unwell for the last few days but still reporting for work.” Kavi played the role of Dr Haathi on Taarak Mehta for almost eight years, having replaced actor Nirmal Soni, who played the role for a year since the show’s inception, in 2009. Apart from working on the small screen, Azad had also featured in a few films including Aamir Khan’s Mela and Funtoosh. He was an integral part of Taarak Mehta that has made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for ‘airing the highest number of episodes’ on television, both original and repeat. On June 28 this year, the cast and crew celebrated not the end of 2500 episodes but towards the show’s 5000th episode.
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Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Surrey-Delta Celebrated Sant Teja Singh Ji Day The Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara paid tribute to a Saint Scholar, Principal/Sant Teja Singh (MA LLB Am Harvard). A one day was program organized to remember the first Ambassador of Sikhism to the Western Hemisphere. Sant Teja Singh Ji, established the Khalsa Diwan Society and had successfully proved to the Canadian government that all the Sikhs are highly capable people of constantly contributing to the economy, when Government was planning to send all Sikhs to Honduras. Teja Singh Ji had a vision for the future of Sikhs in Canada and had laid out the foundation for us to carry his legacy forward.
Soorma (transl. Warrior; Hindi pronunciation: is a 2018 Indian Hindi biographical sports drama film based on the life of hockey player Sandeep Singh, directed by Shaad Ali and produced by Sony Pictures Networks India and C.S. Films. The film stars Diljit Dosanjh and Tapsee Pannu in lead roles[2] and is scheduled to have its theatrical release on 13 July 2018. The official trailer of the film was released on 11 June 2018 Soorma tells the story of the international hockey player Sandeep Singh, played by Diljit Dosanjh, who was paralyzed and used a wheelchair for two years after an accidental gunshot injured him in 2006.[5] The film’s tagline is “The Greatest Comeback Story of the Hockey Legend Sandeep Singh”. Fighting against all odds, Sandeep got back on his feet and made a comeback to international hockey in 2008. India won the 2009 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup under his captaincy and went on to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. Diljit Dosanjh as Sandeep Singh Tapsee Pannu as Harpreet Angad Bedi as Bikramjeet Singh Siddharth Shukla as Harpreet’s Brother Kulbhushan Kharbanda Pitobash Vijay
The one day program was started with Ardas, followed by Kirtan, Katha, and Dhadi Varan. Speeches were highlighted by prominent speakers like Dr. Khem S Gill (former Vice Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University), and S.
Bhagwan Singh Johal (India). Dr. Gill and Mr. Johal were honored by the Executive committee and Sangat. The speakers spoke about Sant Teja Singh Ji’s legacy and contributions to the Sikh Community in Canada. The event was attended by many people from all over Lower Mainland. The event was enjoyed by a large congregation, with an opportunity to view a special exhibition on Sant Teja Singh Ji, hosted by the volunteers of Akal Academy. The exhibition shed light on the lasting contribution to the Sangat of the Lower Mainland during Sant Teja Singh Ji’s mission to the west in the early 1900’s and included some historic articles and images.
Film: ‘SOORMA’
Raaz Herry Tangiri Ammar Taalwala. November 2014, Chitrangda Singh purchased the rights to make a biopic on the life of former India Hockey captain Sandeep Singh.[7] [8] In July 2017, it was reported that Chitrangda Singh would be collaborating with Sony Pictures Networks to produce the film in which Diljit Dosanjh would be playing the lead role.[9] For the role of Sandeep Singh, the first preference of the producers was Ranveer Singh but the actor refused to do the film on being offered the role in the year 2016 citing lack of dates. [10] Initially, for the role of Harpreet, the
makers of the film had finalized Ileana D’Cruz but the actress opted out of the project as the filming dates were clashing with another film of hers that she was doing with Rajkumar Gupta.[11] In September 2017, it was reported that Taapsee Pannu had been signed to play the romantic lead
opposite Diljit Dosanjh in the film. The principal photography of the film began in Shahabad in November 2017. [14] The next schedule of the filming process took place in Chandigarh in December 2017.[15][16] For the final schedule of filming, which involved shooting the hockey matches, the production unit moved to Belgrade in Serbia where shooting continued for 10 days before coming to an end on 24 December 2017. [17][18][19] The Hockey sequences in the film were choreographed by Sandeep Singh and his brother Bikramjit Singh.] Soorma Soundtrack album by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy Released 3 July 2018 Recorded 2017-2018 Genre Feature film soundtrack Length 23:27 Language Hindi Punjabi Label Sony Music India. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy chronology Raazi (2018) Soorma. (2018)
What Akshay Kumar did? when couple forgot their wedding date In times when breakups and divorce have become a regular thing, Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna are writing their love story even after 16 years of their marriage. They, undoubtedly, are the power couple of the tinsel town. They might have contrasting character traits but when it comes to loving each other Akshay and Twinkle give some hard relationship goals to their fans. However, just like us, they too experience moments when one of them forgets another’s birthday or their wedding anniversary. But what is untypical about them is they don’t lose their calm and have perfect ways of making up for it. In a recent video shared by Khiladi Kumar
July
20
DHADAK
*ing: Ishaan Khatter, Jhanvi Kapoor
July
20
WHEN OBAMA LOVED OSAMA
*ing: Mousam Sharma, Swati Bakshi
on his social m e d i a accounts, Tw i n k l e finds it difficult to recall their wedding date and she asks him about it. Surprisingly, instead of getting angry about it, Akshay tries to comprehend what he did wrong to make his better half forget an important date
of their lives. To make his beloved ‘Tina’ remember the date forever, Akshay has a special present for her. Sharing the video, the Gold actor wrote, “You can’t put a price tag on love but some things just help you express it a little better :)” Though the video is a TVC, the love in their eyes and their chemistry is giving us the feels. Akshay
New Released Bollywood Films July
13
June
has time and again maintained that Twinkle is her biggest critic and his support system. Twinkle too calls Akshay her best friend and we can’t forget her comments on Koffee With Karan. She was just unstoppable. In another hilarious moment, Akshay read out the speech written by Twinkle at an award show where she proudly took the credit for him being the ‘Man of the Decade’ at the Vogue Beauty Awards. On the work front, Akshay is currently seen judging the comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. He will be next seen in PadMan also starring Sonam Kapoor and Gold which marks the Bollywood debut of Mouni Roy.
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SANJU
*ing: Sonam, Ranbir Kapoor
July
13
SOORMA
EKTA
*ing: Diljit Dosanjh, Taapsee Pannu
*ing: Navneet Dhillon, Robin Sohi
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Bollywood HOROSCOPE Aries March 21 - April 20
There could be plenty going on around you, yet you may be conscious of a need for change. This might be focused on your home situation, as well as your personal goals or career plans. With a solar eclipse in your domestic sector this week, you could sense certain tensions building. And with potent Pluto involved in the mix, powerful emotions could come to the fore as well.
Taurus April 21 - May 20 Luscious Venus, your guide planet, moves into Virgo and your leisure sector on Monday, encouraging you to kick back and take time out to enjoy yourself. The coming weeks can be your chance to indulge in creative activities and enjoy some romantic outings. When it comes to the exchange of ideas, this week’s solar eclipse in your communication sector could inspire you to take a stand.
Gemini May 20 - June 21 While you might be making new connections and enjoying the conversations you’re having along the way, this week could have a more changeable side. This could be due to the solar eclipse in your money zone and its connection to powerful Pluto. backing, or you feel pressured in any way by banks or other institutions, this could encourage you to do something positive.
Cancer June 22 - July 23 Delightful Venus moves into your sector of talk and thought on Monday, so the coming days can help to smooth over any can also be a great asset for networking and marketing your goods and services with a smile. Even so, you could have a sense of anticipation. There is a solar eclipse in your sign on Thursday that will be building all week.
Libra
Mika Singh gets trolled for booking the entire business class on a flight; Shaan mocks him too
Sept. 24 - Oct 22 Delectable Venus, your ruling planet, moves into Virgo and your spiritual sector on Monday, which could inspire you to volunteer your time. You might feel moved to assist at charity events or help someone in need. You might also be eager to connect with people on your spiritual wavelength. pushes forward on Tuesday, and this could !
Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 22 Your sector of goals and career comes into focus on Monday as convivial Venus moves in. Her presence here could inspire you to take stock of available resources as you push forward with your plans. This can also be a very ! to smooth the way during negotiations. In addition, upbeat Jupiter, your guide planet, turns direct on Tuesday, which could encourage you to pay more attention to your dreams and any intuitive nudges.
Sagitarius Nov 23 - Dec 22
Bollywood and Punjabi singer, Mika Singh took to social media to share a video of himself, where he flaunted to fans that he has booked the entire 1stclass of Emirates while flying to Dubai. He had captioned the video as, “Good morning, I have just landed in Dubai.. booked the whole 1st class for fun As soon as the singer posted the video, netizen didn’t take much time to troll him for booking the entire business class and then showing off the fact. Some advised the singer that he should have rather given this money to poor, while some told him to stop showing off. A user said, “yeh koi acha kam nhi kiya jo isy dekha raha ho itna paisa zaya kiya
Your sector of goals and career comes into focus on Monday as convivial Venus moves in. Her presence here could inspire you to take stock of available resources as you push forward with your plans. This can also be a very ! to smooth the way during negotiations. In addition, upbeat Jupiter, your guide planet, turns direct on Tuesday, which could encourage you to pay more attention to your dreams and any intuitive nudges.
Capricorn Dec 23 - Jan 20 This month could be quite intense in more ways than one, particularly with chatty Mercury in a deeply emotional sector of your chart for some time to come. Its presence here could encourage you to be curious about the deeper workings of your subconscious and what this might mean for you. At the same time, beautiful Venus moves into Virgo and your sector of travel and exploration on Monday.
Aquarius
Jan 21 - Feb 19
Leo June 24 - August 23 You could be ready to indulge in a spending spree as sultry Venus moves into Virgo and your money zone on Monday. If it’s associated with getting healthier, you are certainly on the right track. In addition, positive Jupiter in your home zone turns direct on Tuesday, which means if you have any plans involving real estate
Virgo August 24 - Sept 24 With delectable Venus moving into your sign on Monday, your impulse may be to reach out to others, especially those you haven’t seen in a time. This might also be an opportunity to reinvent your image so that it better expresses your identity and personality and any related changes. In addition, jovial Jupiter in your communication sector turns direct on Tuesday, which can give great impetus to any deals or plans you have in the works.
" could have a lot to talk about, but this can be a good thing and may help clear the air if necessary. Lovely Venus moves into your sector of shares assets, business, and intimacy, so getting closer to your partner could rekindle ! # concerned, the presence of diplomatic Venus here can ease the way in negotiations.
Pisces Feb 20 - March 20 Your love life looks positively glowing this month as sultry Venus moves into Virgo and your relationship zone on Monday. Her presence here can add sweetness to your partnership and bring romance to new bonds. In addition, expansive Jupiter turns direct in your travel and exploration zone, making this a perfect time to book a vacation or plan a travel adventure.
Bollywood Stars’ Birthdays
SANJEEV KUMAR JULY 9
MADHU SAPRE JULY 14
PRIYANK CHOPRA JULY 18
agar itna paisa tha toh apna rab ko razi krtay kisi ghareeb ke madad ya donate krtay isy . jab tk ziada logo k dil ma apni jaga bana saktay tha pehla mera dil ma tmhara liya izat the per ab nhi hai is video k basd sa.� Another user wrote, “This totally proves how proudy he is of wat he has. Anyway saw him at delhi duty free at airport, so proudy he is dat he doesn’t allow people to get a picta wd him. Why do u people forget dat u r celebrity becoz of these common people??
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Amitabh Bachchan & Ambani watch FIFA soccer semi-final together Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan had the company of the Ambanis in the stands during the first semi-final of FIFA World Cup 2018 at St. Petersburg. Mukesh Ambani and wife Nita Ambani with younger son Anant Ambani also flew down to Russia to witness the football mania live. The official Instagram account of Indian Super League shared a photo of the Ambani couple Mukesh and Nita with the caption,
“Football Sports Development Limited Chairperson, Mrs. Nita Ambani and Mr. Mukesh Ambani watching the France v Belgium semi-final in Russia and hoping to see India in a future FIFA World Cup.� Later, several fan pages shared photos of the Ambanis and Bachchans enjoying the face-off between France and Belgium.
Shankar Ehsaan Loy & Farhan Akhtar first time to perform in Vancouver SALAAM-E-ISHQ, This SEPTEMBER 2nd, 2018 is going to be a musical treat for all Bollywood music lovers as the famed trio of SHANKAR EHSAAN LOY, also known as the AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY of Hindi film music, are coming to perform with well known Singer & Actor FARHAN AKHTAR for the first time at Vancouver’s iconic Queen Elizabeth Theatre for what promises to be an evening of foot tapping & heart pleasing music for all ages. During his 18 year film journey from 2001-2018 so far, Farhar Akhtar has produced, directed, acted & sang in many films and while Shankar Ehsaan Loy started their music journey together with Mukul Anand’s incomplete DUS, it was Farhan’s DIL CHAHTA HAI ( 2001 ) which brought them together and ever since, they’ve collaborated in films like DON, ROCK ON, ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA, BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG & DIL DHADAKNE DO etc. Shankar Mahadevan has won several individual awards as a singer and as composers with Ehsaan Noorani & Loy Mendonsa, the trio have won National , FilmFare, Star Screen, Zee, IIFA & many state awards for their compositions in films like BUNTY AUR BABLI, KAL HO NA HO , KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA,
TAARE ZAMEEN PAR, MY NAME IS KHAN, LUCK BY CHANCE, HOUSEFULL, PATIALA HOUSE, DON 2, 2 STATES , MIRZYA, ROCK ON 2 & RAAZI. Acclaimed as pioneering music directors for their innovative music style which compliments all genres, they’ll be performing for the first time with Farhan Akhtar in North America and already the buzz is high amongst all music lovers. Carrying on the tradition of bringing quality artists especially after the sold out May 13th concert of ATIF ASLAM & NEHA KAKKAR, KVP Entertainers promises yet another musical entertainer on the Labour Day Long Weekend as all roads will lead to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Sunday, September 2nd, 2018 at 7 PM. Tickets at $35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 100, 125 & VIP are available at www.vtixonline.com and www.kvpentertainers.com or visit Kamal’s Video Palace (8268-120th St., Surrey) and call KAMAL SHARMA at 604-833-1977 / 604-592-9777 for more information .
Wednesday.........................CLOSED
Sanjeev Kumar Sanjeev Kumar was born as Harihar Jethalal Jariwala on July 9, 1938 – and died on November 6, 1985. An actor par-excellenc. He won several awards including two National Film Awards for Best Actor for his performances in the movies Dastak (1971) and Koshish (1973). He acted in genres ranging from romantic dramas to thrillers. Kumar did not mind playing roles that were non-glamorous, such as characters well beyond his age. Movies such as Arjun Pandit, Sholay and Trishul, along with the remakes such as Khilona, Yehi Hai Zindagi, Naya Din Nai Raat, Devata, Itni Si Baat and Ram Tere Kitne Naam exemplify his talents. He also did suspense Qatl, Shikar, Uljhan and Trishna. Kumar also proved his ability to do as Manchali, Pati Patni aur Woh, Angoor, Biwi O Biwi and Hero. He is well remembered for his versatility and genuine portrayal of his Angoor was listed among the 25 best acting performances of Indian cinema by Forbes India on the occasion of celebrating 100 years of Indian Cinema. Kumar started his acting career as a stage actor, starting with
IPTA in Mumbai and later joining the Indian National Theatre. Even as a stage actor, he had a penchant for playing older roles; at age 22, he played an old man in an adaptation of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. In the following year, in the play Damru directed by AK Hangal, Kumar again played the role
of a 60-year-old with six children. small role in Hum Hindustani in 1960. His
(1965). In 1968, he acted alongside the famous actor of that time, Dilip Kumar, in Sangharsh. He starred in the 1966
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What Akshay Kumar did? when couple forgot their wedding date In times when breakups and divorce have become a regular thing, Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna are writing their love story even after 16 years of their marriage. They, undoubtedly, are the power couple of the tinsel town. They might have contrasting character traits but when it comes to loving each other Akshay and Twinkle give some hard relationship goals to their fans. However, just like us, they too experience moments when one of them forgets another’s birthday or their wedding anniversary. But what is untypical about them is they don’t lose their calm and have perfect ways of making up for it. In a recent video shared by Khiladi Kumar
on his social m e d i a accounts, Tw i n k l e finds it difficult to recall their wedding date and she asks him about it. Surprisingly, instead of getting angry about it, Akshay tries to comprehend what he did wrong to make his better half forget an important date
of their lives. To make his beloved ‘Tina’ remember the date forever, Akshay has a special present for her. Sharing the video, the Gold actor wrote, “You can’t put a price tag on love but some things just help you express it a little better :)” Though the video is a TVC, the love in their eyes and their chemistry is giving us the feels. Akshay
has time and again maintained that Twinkle is her biggest critic and his support system. Twinkle too calls Akshay her best friend and we can’t forget her comments on Koffee With Karan. She was just unstoppable. In another hilarious moment, Akshay read out the speech written by Twinkle at an award show where she proudly took the credit for him being the ‘Man of the Decade’ at the Vogue Beauty Awards. On the work front, Akshay is currently seen judging the comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. He will be next seen in PadMan also starring Sonam Kapoor and Gold which marks the Bollywood debut of Mouni Roy.
Saturday, July 14, 2018
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Vol. 9 No. 24
Saturday - July 14, 2018
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Canadians should ‘buy smaller’ homes in response to interest hike, Bank of Canada head says
A
s the Bank of Canada raised key interest rates to 1.5 per cent (up from 1.25 per cent) Wednesday morning, mortgage rates are already rising as well. RBC has raised its prime lending rate by 0.25 per cent as well. Along with the new mortgage lending rules implemented in 2018, that makes home ownership just a little more out of reach for some Canadians. But don’t worry, the governor of the Bank of Canada has a solution for you: choose a “smaller and less expensive home.� “As we said at the time, many of these issues go down to the individual level: people who don’t qualify for a mortgage on the house they wish today have multiple avenues of adjustment, one of them being to just go ahead and buy a smaller and less expensive home,� Stephen Poloz said, while announcing the rate hike. House prices have fallen slightly in recent months thanks to new foreign buyer rules in certain provinces. In May, the average home price according to the Canadian Real Estate Association was $496,084, down 6.4 per cent from
May 2017. In Toronto and Vancouver, the price jumps to $772,000 and $1.1 million respectively. A separate Royal LePage report breaks down the price by type of home: the national median price in the second quarter of a twostorey home rose 0.8 per cent year-over-year to $720,504, while the median price of a bungalow climbed 1.8 per cent to $512,979. The price of condominiums rose 8.1 per cent year-over-year to $435,421. “That seems like an odd thing (to
say),� Dr. Penny Gurstein, director of the School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia, told Global News. While the “buy smaller� method could work in smaller markets, it doesn’t work in urban environments where the market is already unaffordable, experts explained. According to a Royal Lepage study, in Vancouver the average home priced at around $400,000 only has 1.5 bedrooms, compared to the national average of 2.7 bedrooms. “[Poloz’s statement] doesn’t seem to be very
sensitive to the particular situation that millennials and those younger are in right now given that you know most of them in large cities are not able to even buy or even think about buying places.� From broom closet to detached home: What millennials can afford across Canada Mei Lan Fang, a research associate at Simon Fraser University and social scientist with MTEK, called the statement “brash and rather insulting.� “This statement doesn’t take into account the social implications, one being that we’re talking about a basic necessity and not a matter of purchasing a smaller 49-inch screen vs a 60-inch flat screen for your living room,� Fang said. She also said that it’s a different situation for families, where purchasing a smaller home could limit the amount of children per household. “For young Canadians who grew up here, there is little opportunity to ever own a home in Vancouver, unless it is inherited through family. For older people who don’t own their own homes, they are very much at risk of being homeless and for older people who do, many are forced to sell and downgrade because they are not able to afford the upkeep,� she said.
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Saturday, July 14, 2018
Condo rental rates shoot up another 11.2 per cent in Toronto areas
R
ents continues their rapid rise in Toronto-area condominium leases in the second quarter of 2018, according to new data from analysts at Urbanation Inc. Urbanation calculates that for an averagesized condo apartment (732 square feet), the monthly rent for new leases signed this spring hit $2,302, an increase of 11.2 per cent over similar leases signed in the same period in 2017. And there’s no signs of the trend slowing down: “The $231 average increase over the past year was the largest ever recorded by Urbanation, with rents having risen by $367 in two years,” the company said in a release. The rising prices are a reflection of vacancy rates hovering around the 1 per cent mark across the region. “Current rental supply has fallen to a critically low level. Demand has been pouring into the
m a r k e t ,” said Shaun Hildebrand, President of Urbanation. Condos are not the majority of To r o n t o’s r e n t a l market mix, but are a key component and appear to be a leading indicator in the region’s affordability challenges: Urbanation data for 2017 showed the GTA has more than 384,000 condo apartments, of which 32 per cent (125,801) were rented out. Given that the CMHC’s total rental apartment figure for
the GTA is 311,596, condos represent more than a third of the region’s rental stock. Urbanation data comes from leases tracked through the real estate industry’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which has become an increasingly important tool for renters hoping to find housing but does not capture all the leasing trends in the region. Even though rents are up in the MLS dataset, the number of leases signed fell to 7,754 slipping 8 per cent from the previous year, a trend that
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now extends through three quarters. The first quarter of 2018 saw the lowest number of MLS leases since 2015, just 5,302 agreements down 12 per cent from 2017. There are several potential causes for the slowdown, including a markedly slow rate of new construction condos being delivered to the market. Just 3,264 condo units were registered in the region in the second quarter, down 28 per cent from the previous year. Also, in the 12 months ending in the second quarter, the turnover rate for existing renters fell sharply (only 7.8 per cent of rented units were rerented through MLS) and there were signs that fewer of the new units delivered to the market were turned over to renters: the 25,955 lease transactions for condos is the lowest 12-month total in three years.
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Classifieds / Jobs
Saturday, July 14, 2018
NOW HIRING
NOW HIRING
CNC Machine Operators in Surrey email resume to jobs@machining.ca Please mention AS subject line when applying
Metro Standard Insulation Ltd is hiring experienced or inexperienced insulation installer, LMIA work permit available. Good pay, ride available. Please call: 778-927-1005 - 778-838-6447 E-mail: info@metrostandardinsulation.com
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Matrimonial *Looking for a groom!* Vancouver-based well-settled Arora Sikh family seeking a groom for their daughter. 28/ 5’4�, Canadian citizen, qualified CPA/CA working as senior accountant for a public accounting firm. Kindly respond with biodata and recent pictures. Email: northam27@yahoo.ca Phone: 6047297962
Community news South Asian Seniors Bingo On The House July 8th 2018 ( Sunday ) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm. Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members and non members also to come and play Bingo for the sake of entertainment and make some new friends, on July 8th 2018( Sunday ) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall 8321 - 140th street Surrey B.C. Please bring only two dollars with you to play 2 games, do not worry if you do not know how to play, members will explain you the game just for the sake of fun. Tea & light snacks will be served after the game is over. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator at 604 - 507 - 9945 for further details.
Project funded by Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for Hindi speaking Seniors. ---------------------------------------------PEOPLE FIRST SURREY is holding an open house These are good opportunities for people to come and talk to the PEOPLE FIRST TEAM in person and give feedback on the 16 point campaign platform. These include solutions for key issues in Surrey like Transportation, ! " ! # green spaces etc. The event is at Guildford library meeting room (15105 105 Ave, Surrey, BC V3R 7G8 ) on June 23rd from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm and is a free event. -------------------------------------------
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