www.theasianstar.com Vol 19 - Issue 41
Saturday, November 09, 2019
It’s Man Vs Wild in India’s Economy, and Wild Has the Upper Hand With a makeshift spear in hand to defend himself should a tiger attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently trekked through the Himalayan foothills of northern India with Bear Grylls to create awareness about environmental conservation and climate change. The Man Vs Wild appearance comes as Asia’s third-largest economy grapples with deluge and drought, adding to growth headwinds. It’s a battle that’s having real economic consequences: A recent Stanford study estimated the economy is 31% smaller than it would have been in the absence of global warming. Growth in farm sector output, which accounts for about 16% of India’s gross domestic product, has been cooling for the past few years as unseasonable rains and frequent droughts add to farmers’ distress. In 2019, sugar output may drop to the lowest in three years as delayed showers shriveled cane in parts of Maharashtra. Deficient rainfall in other areas also threatened oilseed crops. The need to offset the shortfall will add to India’s import costs – another challenge for a nation already running Continued on page 7
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Police seek suspect, ‘person of interest’ in armed robbery at Surrey mall Surrey RCMP hope the public can help identify a suspect as well as a person of interest in an armed robbery that happened in the City Centre area in late October. Police say on Oct. 27 at approximately 5:42 pm, a man entered a Chatr Mobile store inside Central City Shopping Centre, went behind the counter, stole cash from a cash box and threatened the store employee with a weapon. “The man fled from the mall on foot, using the west exit towards University Drive,” Surrey RCMP state in a release. Continued on page 7
Bawa says racism still in hockey, but pioneer helped break barriers The 53-year-old Bawa was part of the 2020 B.C. Sports Hall of Fame inductee class announced this week, saluted in the pioneer category for being the first player of South Asian descent to play in the NHL. It’s difficult to fathom all that he must have gone through, especially with Kane, 28, calling out the racism that still exists in hockey today. The San Jose Sharks’ leftwinger from Vancouver, who is black, raised the issue on his Instagram account in August stating, among other things, that it is “time to notice it, and give it the attention it deserves. The old way of thinking is done!”
Lest We Forget
Kane has done numerous interviews on the topic since then and Bawa understands his feelings. “I wouldn’t see anybody who looked like me on the ice. I’d look in the stands and
I wouldn’t see anybody who looked like me there either,” remembered Bawa, a right-winger from Duncan who made his NHL debut with the Washington Capitals on Nov. 6, 1989 and went on to play 60 more regularseason games in the league, including a stint with the Vancouver Canucks. When you’re in the middle of it, you don’t think about what you’re doing. You’re in the moment. You’re trying to survive, you’re trying to find ways to stay playing.
High lead levels found in drinking water of major Canadian cities Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have been unwittingly exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking water, with contamination in several cities consistently higher than they ever were in Flint, Michigan, according to an investigation that tested drinking water in hundreds of homes and reviewed thousands more previously undisclosed results. Residents in some homes in Montreal and Regina are among those drinking and cooking with tap water with lead levels that exceed Canada’s federal guidelines. The investigation found some schools and daycares had lead levels so high that researchers noted it could impact children’s health. Exacerbating the problem, many water providers aren’t testing at all.It wasn’t the Canadian government that exposed the scope of this public health concern.
Continued on page 7
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BC woman among 1,000 Polish children adopted by Indian maharaja during WWII A pot of fresh borscht simmers on the stove. The aroma fills Karolina Rybka’s two-bedroom apartment in Kelowna, B.C. The walls are adorned with frames full of colourful needlepoint the greatgrandmother did herself. Everywhere there’s something to see — arrangements of dried flowers, knickknacks and endless family photographs. It’s an atmosphere in stark contrast to decades-old memories that remain vivid in Rybka’s mind. She remembers the squalid orphanage where she landed after the Soviets deported her family to Siberia at the start of the Second World War. “They gave us only one slice of bread,” she said. “There were lots of children in a big room lying on the floor.” Life was bleak until an Indian maharaja came to the rescue. Rybka, of Kelowna, B.C., is one of an estimated 1,000 Polish children provided refuge by the Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, the ruler of Nawanagar, after their release from the Soviet orphanage in 1942. “He saved our lives,” said Rybka. In recent years Karolina Rybka, 88, has started to write her memories of Poland,
Russia and India during the Second World War in a journal. (Belle Puri/CBC )
Road to Russia Rybka was the thirdyoungest of seven children born to a
carpenter and his wife in Zulin, a small village in Poland. Continued on page 8
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OPINION By Gwyn Morgan, Contributor Troy Media
The Oct. 21 federal election results confirm that most Canadians have lost all fear of deficit spending, no matter how large. That’s a serious problem for the nation. During the 2015 federal election campaign, the Conservatives led by Stephen Harper proudly announced a no-deficit budget after years of working to rebalance spending and revenues following stimulus deficits necessitated by the 2008 global economic crisis. Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, behind in the polls when the writ was dropped, announced “modest” deficit spending totalling $25 billion in the first three years, returning to a balanced budget in the fourth. Although this was seen as a risky strategy at the time, the Liberals were rewarded with a decisive majority. That $25 billion ballooned to $70 billion. And Trudeau’s promise of a balanced budget has been replaced by a $93-billion deficit over the next four years. The NDP and Green election platforms presented this fall proposed even higher spending. Yet, despite campaigns featuring such a staggering accretion of our
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Canada is headed for a financial cliff national debt, pollsters found that deficit spending didn’t rank as a major election concern for most Canadians. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, striving to balance political reality against the dangers of driving the country ever deeper into debt, proposed a $25-billion deficit in the first year, moving to a balanced budget in five years. At the time of the 2015 election, Canadian economic growth was declining, so stimulus spending was a reasonable policy. Most economists believe that governments should constrain spending in good times to preserve financial capacity for stimulus spending during recessions. But instead of controlling spending during a robust economic period, the Liberals ran huge deficits in their first term and now plan to greatly increase deficit spending in the second. That leaves no financial room for a recession. Since the last recession was in 2009, the Liberal plan would require 15 years without a recession, a most unlikely prospect. What would motivate the Liberals to risk putting Canadians in such economic peril? The answer
is that government spending is needed to offset a dramatic loss of private-sector confidence. A November 2018 Fraser Institute report stated: “The federal government’s introduction of higher taxes, mounting debt and increased regulation has left Canada a much less attractive place to invest. Crucially, Canadians have increasingly looked to other countries to invest, with the amount Canadians invest abroad rising 74 per cent from 2013 to 2017. At the same time … investment from other countries into Canada dropped a staggering 55.1 per cent.” The World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business analysis shows Canada dropped from fourth place in 2006 to 22nd in 2019. And a majority of respondents to a Business Council of Canada survey listed “uncertainty and lack of predictability in regulatory processes” as negatives for investors. That was before the election. The prospect of a profligate Liberal minority government dependent on the even more financially destructive policy positions of the NDP is enough to send even more investors scurrying to the exits. That economic signals have remained strong while private-sector investment and job creation has been shrinking can only be explained by those billions of deficit dollars. Canada’s economy has become dependent on ever bigger government spending while its policies discourage private-sector investment. As Italians know all too well, the end comes when deficits can no longer be financed, pushing the country over a financial cliff. Canada has seen that cliff before in the disastrous legacy of Justin Trudeau’s father. During the 15 years Pierre Trudeau was prime minister, federal spending rose from 30 to 53 per cent of gross domestic product. Immense public spending overheated the economy, resulting in runaway inflation. By 1981, Canada’s prime lending rate reached an incredible 22 per cent. The inability to meet skyrocketing interest costs induced widespread corporate and personal bankruptcies. Escalating mortgage rates caused many Canadians to lose their homes. With government bonds yielding 19 per cent, accessing business risk capital was virtually impossible.
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Police seek suspect, ‘person of interest’ in armed robbery at Surrey mall Police describe the suspect as a Caucasian man with a medium build, short brown hair, who was wearing a black hat with a ‘Burton’ logo at the time. Meantime, police are also seeking a woman they describe as a “person of interest” in the incident but don’t say what her involvement is alleged to have been. “Investigation by the Surrey RCMP Robbery has included a review of surveillance video,” according to a release.
From page 1
“As a result, police are also seeking to identify a woman who is a person of interest in this robbery.” Anyone who can identify the person of interest or the suspect is asked to call the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or, to make an anonymous report, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or solvecrime.ca.
High lead levels found in drinking water of major Canadian cities ppb. In a country that touts its clean, natural turquoise lakes, sparkling springs and rushing rivers, there are no national mandates to test drinking water for lead. And even if agencies do take a sample, residents are rarely informed of contamination. “I’m surprised,” said Bruce Lanphear, a leading Canadian water safety researcher who studies the impacts of lead exposure on fetuses and young children. “These are quite high given the kind of attention that has been given to Flint, Michigan, as having such extreme problems. Even when I compare this to some of the other hotspots in the United States, like Newark, like Pittsburgh, the levels here are quite high.” Many Canadians who had allowed journalists to sample their water were troubled when they came back with potentially dangerous lead levels. Some private homeowners said they plan to stop drinking from the tap. “It’s a little bit disturbing to see that there’s that much,” said Andrew Keddie, a retired professor who assumed his water was clean after replacing pipes years ago at his home in Edmonton, a city of almost 1 million. What he couldn’t do is replace public service lines delivering water to his house. After learning his water lead levels tested at 28 ppb, Keddie said he was “concerned
enough that we won’t be drinking and using this water.” Sarah Rana, 18, was one of tens of thousands of students who weren’t alerted when her brick high school in Oakville, Ont., found lead levels above national guidelines in dozens of water samples, the highest at 140 ppb. She found out on her own, looking at reports posted online. “I was getting poisoned for four years and did not know about it,” she said. “As a student, I think I should be told.” Leona Peterson learned of the contamination in her water after journalists found excessively high lead levels in 21 of 25 homes tested in her small, northwest port town of Prince Rupert. Peterson, who lives in subsidized housing for Indigenous people, had water that registered at 15.6 ppb. “I was drinking from the tap, directly from the tap, without any knowledge that there was lead in the water,” said Peterson. Her son was as well. Her response: “Hurt, real hurt.” The town of Prince Rupert, where whales, grizzly bears and bald eagles are common sights, is among more than a dozen communities along the west coast where residents — many Indigenous — are living in homes with aging pipes, drinking corrosive rainwater that is likely to draw lead.
It’s Man Vs Wild in India’s Economy, and Wild Has the Upper Hand
trade and current account deficits. The hunt for rising incomes is driving India’s rural residents from the village to the city. Climate-induced uncertainty in agriculture accelerates the process. The share of agriculture in overall employment dropped to 42% in 2016 from 70% in 1981. That urbanization is increasing stress on water availability. A recent water crisis in the southern city of Chennai forced doctors to buy water for surgery. Desertification, land degradation and drought cost India about 2.5% of gross domestic product in 2014-15, according to India’s environment ministry. Modi’s re-election pitch this year included pledges to improve the environment. He’s created a separate ministry for water, pledged
to reduce pollution in cities and help the country embrace electric vehicles - part of a shift to cleaner energy in everything from power plants to cooking gas. Those changes can’t come soon enough. India racks up health-care costs and productivity losses from pollution of as much as 8.5% of GDP, according to the World Bank. Drawing on data from the University of Notre Dame, the Drivers and Disrupters Report ranks India as one of the most exposed countries in the world to climate change. “If we live in harmony with nature, nothing can go wrong,” Modi said when Grylls asked if he was ready to travel through the tiger habitat. As the temperature rises, that harmony will get even harder for his government to achieve.
8 From page 3
Saturday, November 9, 2019
‘He saved our lives’: B.C. woman among 1,000 Polish children adopted by Indian maharaja during WWII
When the Second World War began in September 1939, the country was invaded by the Germans and then by the Russians. Rybka’s family was torn apart. Her father and one sibling escaped apprehension when Soviet troops came to their door one day at 6 a.m. She, her mother and five siblings were taken away. “They say, ‘Get up. You’re going to Russia. Get ready,’” said Rybka. The soldiers told the family there was no need to take any belongings, everything was available in Russia. “There was nothing in Russia. We were all starving there,” said Rybka. With four and five families to a car with no beds or toilets, Rybka’s family endured a month-long train journey to Siberia. Her mother and one sibling died there.
kind-hearted maharaja Eventually, Rybka’s father unexpectedly came was able to make his way to to their rescue. The Siberia and find his children ruler of Nawanagar, a but the reunion was shortprincely state in British lived. India, volunteered to Maharaja Digvijaysinhji provide hundreds of Ranjitsinhji, the ruler of Polish children with a Nawanagar, a princely home. They travelled, state in British India, was again by train, to educated in England. In Persia and then 1,500 1941, the Soviets declared Maharaja Digvijaysinhji kilometres on army an amnesty allowing orphans Ranjitsinhji, the ruler of Nawanagar, a trucks to the Indian to leave Russia. Knowing princely state in British India state of Gujarat and a he couldn’t provide for them, village called Balachadi. The maharaja Rybka’s father deposited his three youngest children at an orphanage for Polish children greeted the children with the words: “You in Siberia. It was the last time they would are no longer orphans. From now on, you see their father. Shortly afterward, the are Nawanagarians and I am bapu, father of all Nawanagarians.”
Maharaja Digvijaysinhji of Nawanagar, seated in dark jacket, surrounded by Polish children, was also known as Jam Saheb, a nickname stemming from the words for king and owner. The maharaja built dormitories in which each child had his or her own bed and provided them with food, clothes and medical care. He also provided for the children’s education by bringing in Polish teachers. Rybka said most days she went to school until noon, had lunch, and then walked with other children to the ocean for a swim. “Big waves. We were just jumping. We were so happy,” said Rybka. Her memories include playing sports, excelling in basketball and performing Polish dances for the maharaja. The only memento Karolina Rybka has of her life in India is a small lidded pot she was awarded for winning a 60-metre race at the Balachadi camp for Polish children. Family remembers Polish children The maharaja had children of his own, as well as extended family who lived at his palace not far from where the Polish children were staying. Nephew Rajkumar Sukdevsinhji, 83, remembers spending a lot of time with the newcomers, particularly playing football and celebrating Christmas. His uncle, he says, was educated in England and “by nature was a wonderful person.” “His mindset was to help, to say here is a good cause, a worthy cause, something I should be doing,” said Sukdevsinhji by telephone from Mumbai. The Polish children, he says, were looked after with uniforms for school, teachers in class and beautiful residences — everything was provided. Digvijaysinhji never asked for anything in return for his grand gesture, but dreamed of the day a street could be named after him in a liberated Poland. That didn’t happen during his lifetime. It was only after Poland became fully independent in 1989 that a square in Warsaw was named after the maharaja. Subsequently, a small park in the city has been named the Square of the Good Maharaja, a monument in his honour has been erected and he was posthumously awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. She was 12 when the Second World War started ... 100 metres from her home In 1947, India gained independence from the British and non-Indians had to leave the country. Polish authorities moved Rybka, then in her mid-teens, and others to England — and encouraged them to participate in a pen-pal program. At 18, the family of Rybka’s Canadian pen pal sent for her, she says, believing she might make a good wife for their son. But he wasn’t there when she arrived in Prince Albert, Sask., and the next day she met another man. She married him a few months later. How a Dutch man brought 2 Island families together, 75 years after loved ones died during WWII After WWII, they came to Canada as tailors. Now their children will meet for the first time Now a widow, Rybka says she’d like to revisit Balachadi and see where she lived and grew up, but doesn’t see that happening at her age.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
25 busy bus routes disrupted across Metro Vancouver on day 8 of transit job action Bus service reductions or cancellations hit 25 of Metro Vancouver’s busiest bus routes Friday as job action by Unifor maintenance workers and drivers entered a second week. TransLink says a majority of the reductions affected “high-frequency routes,’’ including several servicing the University of British Columbia. “Coast Mountain Bus Company is making every effort to ensure reliable service, but the union’s job action will continue to have impacts on the system,’’ said TransLink in a statement. Here’s what you need to know for Friday: Bus service TransLink had nearly 250 service alerts in effect Friday morning, announcing a slew of delays and disruptions to bus service across the region. Several trips have been cancelled, which means buses will be picking up and dropping off passengers less frequently. Vancouver, Burnaby and Coquitlam appear to be most affected. The following routes have been affected: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 25, 32, 33, 41, 43, 84, 152, 156,
183, 188, 189, 403, 410, 430, 555, 601. Find your bus route and information on cancelled trips here. TransLink has not said whether the cancellations are linked to the job action by staff employed by Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC), which operates most of Metro Vancouver’s bus services on behalf of TransLink. Gavin McGarrigle, western regional director of Unifor, said the disruptions are due to maintenance workers’ refusal to work overtime, which has led to a lack of buses availabl Another 16 SeaBus sailings have been scrapped on Friday. The cancellations are also linked to the overtime ban. According to TransLink, dropped sailings include: The 6:17 a.m., 6:47 a.m., 4:10 p.m., 6:47 p.m., 7:17 p.m., 7:47 p.m., 8:17 p.m., and 8:47 p.m. sailings from Lonsdale Quay. The 6:31 a.m., 7:00 a.m., 4:25 p.m., 7:01 p.m., 7:31 p.m., 8:01 p.m., 8:31 p.m., 9:01 p.m. sailings from Waterfront Station.
No bail for alleged carjacking jewelry store robber A judge refused to grant bail to a man accused of going on a spree of armed robberies and carjackings from in Langley, Surrey, and
Vancouver last year. Justin Michael Wareing has been in custody since last December, after he was arrested for a multi-day crime spree that took place from Dec. 20 to 22.
Surrey Greens say party wants younger leadership The Green Party of Canada will probably seek out a leader who’s a little greener now that Elizabeth May, 65, has stepped down. The MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands has served her constituents since 2011. She announced Sunday that after a 13-year run steering the party she’s stepped down as its leader but will lead its three-MP caucus in Ottawa in this minority parliament. Beverly Pixie Hobby, who ran for the Greens in South Surrey-White Rock in this past federal election, has an impressive CV, having practised environmental law since 1988. She also worked with Environment Canada to bring into effect the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), develop an International
Convention on Climate Change, and served as counsel to Environment Canada’s Pacific and Yukon Regional Office. Asked if she’s considering a run at the leadership, Hobby suggested the party’s membership will more likely be looking for a sapling than an oldergrowth tree. “Everybody was sort of suggesting Elizabeth was getting on in years, and the truth of the matter is I’m two years older than she is, so I don’t think they would want one ‘old lady’ replaced by an even older ‘old lady,’ even though I don’t feel like an old lady by any stretch of the imagination,” Hobby told the Now-Leader. “I think what they’re looking for is somebody younger that will be around for a few years.
Langley Township alleges deck that collapsed, injuring partygoers, was illegally built The Township of Langley, which faces lawsuits over a deck that collapsed during a party in April, injuring 18 people, has filed court documents claiming the deck was illegal and had not been inspected. On April 19, 2019, 19 ambulances and an air ambulance were dispatched to a 12,350 square-foot home in the 5800-block of 268 St. in Langley. Dozens of people were reportedly injured and 18 were taken to the hospital. Beginning in September, a series of lawsuits were filed in B.C. Supreme Court. They named as defendants the father of the bride who was celebrating with a pre-wedding
party at the time, the owners of the luxury home, the company that built the deck that had collapsed, and the Township of Langley. Those who were injured in the collapse say they suffered numerous injuries including broken bones, soft tissue injuries, chronic pain, posttraumatic stress disorder and brain injuries. Partygoers injured in deck collapse sue owners of luxury Langley home Now, the township has filed its response to the lawsuits, claiming the deck wasn’t in the original design for the property, wasn’t part of the house for which a building permit was granted.
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British Columbia Premier John Horgan has put union and management in the Metro Vancouver transit dispute on notice that he will not allow disruptions in service to go on much longer. Horgan’s warning at a gathering on Vancouver Island Thursday came one day after he said collective bargaining should run its course in the dispute, which has entered
Saturday, November 9, 2019 conditions. Coast Mountain Bus Company, which manages Metro Vancouver transit on behalf of TransLink, says the union has repeatedly rejected its request to return to bargaining. “I’ll remind you that the last time the Official Opposition was in government there was a four-month transit strike in Vancouver and I can assure you that won’t happen on my watch,” Horgan said while attending an event
Premier Horgan puts transit operators’ union, management on notice its second week with no sign of a resumption in talks. It also came as an overtime ban by Unifor maintenance workers affected or delayed portions of several dozen bus routes for the first time and forced cancellation of another 16 scheduled SeaBus runs between Vancouver and the North Shore. Bus route disruptions were to continue Friday as Unifor
lead negotiator Gavin McGarrigle confirmed segments of 64 Metro Vancouver bus routes would be affected, along with ongoing SeaBus cancellations. No contract talks have been held since last week when negotiations collapsed and roughly 5,000 mechanics, SeaBus operators and transit drivers began limited job action Nov. 1 to back demands for better wages, benefits and working
Alberta to study ‘compelling case’ of withdrawing from Canada Pension Plan, Jason Kenney says Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says there’s a “compelling case” to be made for his province to exit the half-century-old Canada Pension Plan — an idea sure to face increasing scrutiny over the coming months.With growing frustrations in his province about its place in the federation, Kenney has revealed that a deeper analysis is on the way to consider Alberta’s potential withdrawal from the national pension plan.
The move, if it goes forward, would pull Albertans’ multibillion-dollar share from the $400-billion pool of assets that are handled by the investment manager, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The proposed departure, Kenney said, will be examined by a panel his government intends to create as a way to assess “fairness” for Alberta within the federation. Leaving the Canada Pension Plan could be Alberta’s
next shot across Ottawa’s bow. As Ontario and Quebec see finances improve, Alberta’s is only getting worse and it’s adding to tensions Diane Francis: Alberta needs a new deal, fast, or separation is inevitable Talk of the CPP withdrawal follows a federal election result late last month that many say exemplified Prairie frustration toward the Liberal government in Ottawa. The federal Liberals were reduced to a minority mandate after failing to capture a single seat in Alberta or Saskatchewan. There’s also been momentum behind separatist sentiments in the two resource-dependent provinces, where their economies have struggled through a commodity downturn. Much of the anger has been directed at Ottawa and other parts of Canada — which are accused of preventing the landlocked Prairie provinces from getting their natural resources to the coast for export. Now, Kenney is ready to take a long look at ditching the CPP — which has been in place everywhere in Canada, except Quebec, since the mid-1960s. Quebec has been managing its own sister pension plan. “I can certainly
tell you that will be one of the issues studied by the panel that I will be appointing to consult with Albertans on fighting for a fair deal in Canada,” the Alberta premier said in a recent video clip, which was posted last week on Facebook. “I believe that a compelling case can be made for such a shift.” In his message, Kenney said he understands about $40-billion worth of Albertans’ premiums are managed by the CPPIB. He said the funds, if pulled from the CPPIB, would be transferred to the Alberta Investment Management Corporation, also known as AIMCo. The institutional investor, which includes the province’s public-sector pension plans, already manages about $100 billion in assets for Alberta taxpayers, he said. With Alberta home to Canada’s youngest population, he added it’s the biggest net contributor to the CPP. “Let me underscore, our government has not made any decision in this respect — but it is certainly one of the ideas that people will be presenting to our panel on fairness within the federation,” Kenney said.
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BC Ferries has plans to add four more hybrid-electric ships to its fleet. A contract has been awarded to Netherlands based Damen Shipyards Group to build four more battery hybrid-electric Island Class vessels scheduled to go into service in 2022. In the spring of 2017, BC Ferries gave the same company contracts to build two of the hybrid-electric vessels which have successfully completed sea trials and are expected to arrive in Victoria by January 2020. Damen Shipyards Group will also extend its agreement with Point Hope Shipyards in Victoria to provide technical and warranty support for the new vessels with their local staff. “Our Clean Futures Plan spells out our strategy to reduce GHG emissions by replacing our legacy carbon intensive fossil fuelled vessels with ships using clean energy,” said Captain
Saturday, November 9, 2019
BC Ferries budgets $200M to add four more hybrid-electric vessels to fleet Jamie Marshall, vice president of business development and innovation with BC Ferries, in a statement. “These next four Island Class ships are a major step in our plan to progressively lower emissions across the fleet and be a leader in the energy transition to a lower carbon future.” The Island Class vessel is a battery-powered ferry and when electric charging technology becomes advanced enough to make electricity available in the quantities needed, BC Ferries said it will operate the new ships as completely
Man who killed wife in Mission in 2002 seeks earlier parole eligibility A man convicted of stabbing his wife to death in a fit of rage in Mission in 2002 is seeking a reduction in his parole eligibility. Jamie Robert Kokotailo, 55, received an automatic life sentence for first-degree murder with no parole eligibility for 25 years. But Kokotailo is seeking a change to that under the faint-hope clause, which permits inmates who have served 15 years or more to apply for a reduction in their parole eligibility. That provision is no longer in effect for offences committed after Dec. 2, 2011. Kokotailo married Lori Sibley in 1999, and they lived together in a house in Mission along with two of Sibley’s daughters from a prior relationship. Court documents state that, in the months leading up to the murder, their
relationship soured, and Sibley said she was planning to leave Kokotailo for another man. Kokotailo planned to attempt a reconciliation with her, and he stocked the master bedroom with several knives, a baseball bat and a role of duct tape in the event she rebuffed him, the documents state. On Dec. 2, 2002, Sibley arrived home and was followed by Kokotailo as she went to the master bedroom. A struggle began, and Sibley’s two daughters entered the bedroom to see that Kokotailo had taped Sibley’s mouth and had his hands around her throat. The girls tried to intervene, but were overpowered by Kokotailo, who stabbed Sibley six to eight times with a hunting knife.
electric ferries using clean energy. In the meantime, the ships will use an on-board, low sulphur, diesel hybrid system. BC Ferries said the agreement with Damen Shipyards Group is a design-build, fixed-price contract giving BC Ferries guarantees when it comes to delivery dates, performance criteria, cost certainty and quality of construction. According to BC Ferries, the total budget for the project is about $200 million. The first two Island Class ships will be
seen on the Powell River-Texada Island route and the Port McNeill-Alert BaySointula Island route by mid-2020. The third and fourth vessels will service the Campbell River-Quadra Island route and the last two will serve the Nanaimo Harbour-Gabriola Island route by 2022. BC Ferries said replacing one larger ship with two smaller vessels will give customers more frequent service, increased passenger capacity per hour, reduced vehicle line-ups, improved safety and reduced congestion on local roads. The vessels will have the capacity to carry at least 47 vehicles and up to 300 to 450 passengers and crew depending on configuration. Some highlights of the vessels besides the electric power and battery-hybrid power are that the exhaust system reduces Nitrogen oxide emissions.
Vancouver man wins $10 million in Lotto Max draw A Vancouver man is $10 million richer after matching all seven numbers in this week’s Lotto Max draw. According to a news release from B.C. Lottery Corp., James Russell bought the ticket after taking his regular walk in the park with his dogs. “I was sitting down, it was hard to believe,” Russell said of the moment he realized his luck. “I wrote them down on a piece of paper, I double- and triple-checked the numbers but they didn’t change.” Russell said he would probably treat a few friends to dinner to celebrate, and that he was dreaming of a cycling trip through Ireland. “It was quite a shock at first. I’m not quite used to it,” Russell said. “But I
imagine I will get used to it at some point.” Russell is one of two British Columbians to win big in the last two weeks. The other winning ticket, purchased in the Stikine region from the Oct. 29 draw, is worth $20 million. West coasters are raking it in this year. British Columbians have claimed more than $189 million in Lotto Max prizes so far in 2019.
LOCAL
Saturday, November 9, 2019 Property crime in Delta down, assaults up in third quarter of 2019 Property crime in Delta continued to trend downward in the third quarter of 2019, but the number of persons offences like assault and robbery also increased. Q3 crime statistics released by the Delta Police Department show fewer residential and commercial break-andenters in July, August and September than there were during those same months in 2018. Residential break-and-enters dropped significantly to just 38 — down from 55 during the summer of 2018 and 47 in the
second quarter of 2019. Commercial breakand-enters were also down significantly, with only 25 in the third quarter of 2019 compared to 44 during the same period last year. Thefts from auto, despite some occasional spikes, also declined in the third quarter of 2019, with 168 incidents compared to 179 in Q3 of 2018. “We’ve been very encouraged by these trends,” DPD Chief Neil Dubord said in a press release. “Property crimes are a priority for the Delta police, but it’s really a partnership between police and the public to drive those numbers down.
Driverless Tesla along mall parking lot causes confusion Self-driving car likely activated by new app feature called Smart Summon, which triggers autonomous driving Video of a driverless Tesla moving at a brisk walking pace at a mall parking lot in Richmond, B.C. — sometimes in the wrong lane — raises questions about what is and isn’t legal when regulations don’t come close to capturing the advances or potential dangers of self-driving vehicles. According to a story originally published Monday by the Richmond News, the car was
likely activated with Tesla’s Smart Summon, which rolled out in Canada on Oct. 11. The mobile app feature allows a Tesla owner to trigger the vehicle to drive autonomously to their location within a 60-metre radius. Vancouver lawyer Paul Doroshenko said there are no laws against what he saw in the video and doesn’t know what charges would apply if the driverless car ran over someone.
After a feud, North Vancouver bans pigeons from councillor’s South Asian neighbour “Everybody has a hobby, right? Some have cats, some have dogs. I have pigeons.” Kulwant Dulay says he’s lived in the District of North Vancouver for 25 years and, for most of them, he’s kept homing pigeons on his property in a coop in the backyard, without ruffling any feathers. But that changed three years ago when he bought a new house in Lynn Valley. Within a few weeks, his next door neighbour began complaining about the birds. “In my other house in North Vancouver, everyone loved pigeons. They were flying around no problem. My second, third week I moved in, she started complaining,” he said. On Monday evening, North Vancouver District council formally approved a new bylaw that would make it illegal to own pigeons, repealing a 1971 law allowing them. The discussion was brief, but council discussed the motion in detail the week before. There, staff told them they could only find one person in the district who had pigeons and only one person who had recently filed a complaint. It was proposed the new law wouldn’t come into effect until May 2020 to allow a transition period.
The vote both weeks passed 4-2. Councillor Betty Forbes recused herself. “I have been involved in a situation like this,” she told council before one of the discussions. That wasn’t exactly accurate. Because, while it was never said in that meeting, Forbes was the next door neighbour who complained. On the day of the final vote, Kulwant Dulay went to North Vancouver District hall to plead his case. “I’ve spent lots of money fixing my backyard. I try and keep it as prim and proper as I can. I invest in it every year. And now I get to sit on the back deck and entertain and look at a pigeon coop.” In May 2017, the district held a public hearing for a proposed bylaw allowing backyard chicken coops. Betty Forbes, then just a member of the public, made her first appearance in front of council. “A new neighbour moved in,” said Forbes. The coop was “ramshackle” and “an eyesore.” And, she warned, it would harm the value of her property. “I know it sounds pretty cold,” she told council, “but there is an impact to having coops in backyards to properties next door to that. I’ve spoken with a couple of real estate agents, and they’ve told me it will definitely have an effect.”
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Nude swimming group making waves – again – at Surrey pool The Surrey Skinnydippers’ once-amonth Saturday night nude swim – for members only and open to children who are accompanied by their parents – is once again making waves in the community. “As a child advocate, I want to make you aware that these children may be victims of voyeurism at the least,” a person identifying as Rachel, at littlelam67@yahoo.com, wrote to the Now-Leader. “As a taxpayer, please be aware this is a grave concern for many taxpaying citizens that subsidize your facilities for PUBLIC use. Please reconsider.” The nude-only swims are held at Newton Wave Pool, at 13730 72 Ave., from 9:30 p.m. to
11 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month. Adults are $12 ($10 online) and children under 18, admitted only when accompanied by their parent or legal guardian, get in free. According to the club, membership is mandatory. Surrey resident Zachary Johnson told the Now-Leader he learned about the nude swims on Twitter. “I thought that’s weird. I clicked on the link and it showed there’s going to be kids there as well. I thought well this is pretty inappropriate,” he said. “I wouldn’t really have a problem with it if there weren’t underage people involved. If it was only for adults, then it wouldn’t really be an issue.”
Vancouver council votes unanimously to expropriate 2 Downtown East side hotels for $1 each What is a shuttered downtown fixer-upper worth these days? In a unanimous vote the council approved expropriating two Downtown Eastside buildings — the Balmoral and Regent hotels — for $1 each. The two buildings once housed around 280 low income residents but have sat empty since the city shut them down in 2017 and 2018 due to unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Mayor Kennedy Stewart said negotiations with the buildings’ owners — the Sahota family, who have been in bylaw and legal battles with the city for many years — proved unfruitful, requiring the expropriation vote. “Council has been working for a long time in good faith with the owners of those properties to try to get them upgraded, and that wasn’t happening,” said Stewart. Vancouver moves to seize 2 Downtown Eastside hotels it shut down for $1 apiece “Look, the Downtown Eastside is a community in crisis. And I think expropriating
these hotels will help aid that crisis.” Several councillors said they were moved by speeches from the public, many of whom had dramatic stories about the poor conditions of the hotels, along with allegations of neglect by the owners. “There’s a human responsibility we get to fulfil today. It is a moral and it is an ethical decision,” said councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung. “Nobody should have to live in those conditions. We need to provide some dignity.” “[Expropriation] is used quite frequently for lineal process. rapid transit projects, road alignments,” said Andrew Newman, the city’s associate director of real estate services. “But for the purposes of this expropriation, which is providing housing accommodation, we’re not aware of any incidences, certainly in Vancouver, where this has occurred.” But the lawyer representing the Sahota family argues it’s the City of Vancouver that has been failing to work in good faith to resolve the situation.
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LOCAL
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Vancouver mayor calls massive First Nation development a ‘gift to the city’ Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says he supports a local First Nation’s plan to build a large-scale housing project in the centre of the city that is raising concerns about the pressures it will place on city infrastructure and services. The Squamish Nation is planning to construct 11 housing towers with 6,000 housing units on 11 acres of property it owns at the south end of the Burrard Street Bridge. The Senakw development will be on federal reserve land, meaning the nation does not need permission
from the city to forge ahead. With about 10,000 residents expected to occupy those towers, it has some people asking if the neighbourhood is ready for the influx. “I’m thinking of it as a golden opportunity, both in terms of reconciliation and in providing much needed rental housing for the city,” said Stewart Thursday on CBC’s The Early Edition, adding that while there are no requirements for the nation to adhere to city policies, it is communicating in good faith with the city to make the project as successful
Vancouver city approves fireworks ban Vancouver city council voted to ban the sale and use of consumer fireworks by 2021. Councillors voted 7-3 in favour of the motion at a meeting Tuesday afternoon, and staff have been directed to come up with a plan for implementation. Currently, retail sales of fireworks are allowed between Oct. 25 and Oct. 31 in the city. Green Party Coun. Pete Fry, who proposed the ban, said that fireworks, in the future, will be enjoyed in a more controlled manner at public events that have proper permits.
“If we have sort of sanctioned community events where proper permits are applied for, there’s a specific date, time and location, people can anticipate it.” Fry told council before the vote that he suffers from PTSD and he later described groups that are adversely affected by noise and light from fireworks. Green party city councillor Pete Fry tabled a motion to outlaw the retail sale of consumer fireworks in Vancouver.
Ottawa seeks high court appeal of B.C. solitary confinement decision The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association says it’s preparing for a possible high court legal battle with the federal government over solitary confinement for inmates in Canada. The civil liberties association and the John Howard Society say they have served notice to be included in a potential Supreme Court of Canada appeal of a recent B.C. court ruling ordering an end to indefinite, prolonged solitary confinement. Civil liberties staff counsel Jessica Magonet says the Attorney General of Canada has applied to the Supreme Court of Canada to appeal last June’s B.C. Court of Appeal
ruling that laws permitting indefinite solitary confinement are unconstitutional. She says if the Supreme Court of Canada decides to hear the appeal, the rights groups have launched a cross-appeal process in an effort to ensure the rights of prisoners are protected. Magonet says Parliament passed legislation to replace Canada’s solitary confinement regime last June, but prolonged confinement periods remain under certain circumstances. She says the civil liberties association is seeking to have a hard number placed on the number of days an inmate can spend in solitary confinement and recognition of equality rights for Indigenous, mentally ill or disabled inmates.
Drug testing case pits transit safety against right to smoke pot after hours
Metro Vancouver’s transit authority has been ordered to stop random drug screening of a SkyTrain attendant who tested positive for cannabis during a routine medical examination. An arbitrator issued the interim ruling pending a final decision on a battle between the Canadian Union of Public Employees and TransLink. The case pits commuter safety against the privacy of employees when it comes to off-work enjoyment of a drug that’s legal for recreational consumption. David Solomon was forced to undergo twice-monthly urine tests last year and take counselling despite medical assessments that determined he didn’t have marijuana use disorder. TransLink ‘s employee policy doesn’t forbid employees from using marijuana away from work. But the company argued that a “conservative approach” was needed when it came to public safety. “This case raises sensitive and complex
issues related to the tension between employee privacy and public safety,” arbitrator Arne Peltz wrote in a 52-page decision. The legalization of recreational marijuana in 2018 left many Canadian employers and employees wondering about their rights and responsibilities in terms of workplace policies. Airlines such as Air Canada and WestJet prohibited cannabis consumption on and off duty for employees in “safety-critical” positions such as pilots and flight attendants. And the RCMP and several other police forced across the country have adopted policies barring officers from using marijuana within 28 days of working. As a general rule, employers cannot force employees to submit to mandatory drug tests. In 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada said that “the fact a workplace is found to be dangerous does not automatically give the employer the right to impose random testing unilaterally.”
RCMP investigate 2 ‘suspicious’ deaths at rural property on Shuswap Lake
Chase RCMP is investigating after two people were found dead inside a home in Anglemont, B.C., on Tuesday. In a statement, RCMP say they received a report at approximately 3:40 p.m. PT of two bodies found inside a home on Fraser Road. Few details have been released but police believe the deaths are suspicious and are
moving additional resources into the rural community, which is located on Shuswap Lake. The investigation is being handled by the RCMP Southeast District Major Crime Unit. RCMP Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey said in a statement that the primary goal of the investigation at this time is to identify the bodies.
Family of man shot dead by RCMP hopes for coroner’s inquest Siblings dispute police version of events in August 2019 death of Kyaw Naing Din in Maple Ridge. The family of a man shot dead by Mounties in a suburban B.C. city last summer are calling for a coroner’s inquest. Fifty-four-year-old Kyaw Naing Din, also known as Kyaw Naing Maung, died in an encounter with RCMP in the Fraser Valley community of Maple Ridge on Aug. 11. Police have said Din had a knife, and that they
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usedastungunonhimbeforeanofficershothim. The circumstances leading up to the shooting are a matter of dispute, according to family lawyer Jason Gratl. “The competing version of events that led to Mr. Din’s death raise troubling credibility issues that are impossible to reconcile without a coroner’s inquest,” Gratl said in a news release. Din’s siblings have now asked B.C.’s Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe to consider conducting an inquest to determine what happened, Gratl says. Family alleges Din was shot 3 times ‘within seconds’ According to the family, Din had schizophrenia, spoke little English and had previous, uneventful encounters with police. He came to Canada from Myanmar as an adult with his brother and two sisters. On the day Din died, sister Yin Yin Hla Ma called 911 for help taking him to hospital after he failed to recognize her and was threatening to hit her. The family news release alleges that two Mounties entered Din’s bedroom against Ma’s advice, even after other officers had determined the issue was medical, not criminal. The siblings allege the officers Tasered Din, then shot him three times “all within seconds,” according to the release. They say he was shot twice in the head. The siblings say they’ve been told by the RCMP that an officer opened fire on Din after he threw a dumbbell at them.
LOCAL
Saturday, November 9, 2019
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New Westminster approves ‘seven bold steps’ to fight climate crisis
New Westminster year financial city council has this plan, including week unanimously reallocation of voted on a “seven bold funds where steps” plan to address necessar y, the climate emergency. making carbon The steps, outlined in pricing part of the a report to council, are city’s decisionpart of the city’s 2020 making process, Strategic Plan. They range and exploring from making the city the possibility more pedestrian and bike of a green levy friendly to requiring all A velomobile made its way through the streets on electrical of New Westminster. this is a file photo. new homes and buildings utility bills to to be zero emission by 2030. fund climate The city’s plan comes as more than 11,000 emergency initiatives. scientists in 153 countries published a report Here are New Westminster’s seven steps: Tuesday in the journal Bioscience formally Carbon Free Corporation – the city stating the planet is facing a climate emergency, will reduce its carbon footprint, and strive as reported in The Washington Post. to achieve net zero carbon emissions by New Westminster’s plan includes 2030 to address the climate emergency, prioritizing climate emergency initiatives over which includes achieving greenhouse other non-climate related priorities in the five- gas reductions required to keep global
temperature increases below 1.5 C. Car-light Community – accelerate the Master Transportation Plan targets for mode split: 60 per cent of all trips within the city will be by sustainable modes of transportation (walk, transit, bike, multi-occupant shared) by 2030. Carbon Free Homes and Buildings – Community carbon emissions for all homes and buildings will be reduced significantly.
By 2030, all new and replacement heating and hot water systems will be zero emissions. Pollution Free Vehicles – By 2030, 50 per cent of kilometres driven by New Westminster registered vehicle owners will be by zero emissions vehicles. Carbon Free Energy – The city will invest in a smart electrical grid in order to accommodate the required rapid conversion to building and vehicle electrification.
AUTOBODY & PAINT
New urgent & primary care centre opens on North Shore new urgent and primary care centre has opened in North Vancouver as part of the province’s strategy to deliver faster and better health care to people in the province. Vancouver Coastal Health says in a statement the North Vancouver Urgent and Primary Care Centre will provide services for people who need to see a health care provider within 24 hours, but don’t need to visit an emergency room. It will also help connect patients with regular primary care providers. The centre will be open seven days a
week all year and staffed by general practitioners, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and social workers. It will serve North Shore residents, including those living in North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Bowen Island. A dozen such facilities have been announced throughout the province under the government’s primary care strategy and this is the third such centre for Vancouver Coastal Health.
Arrest made after hit-and-run crash kills 2 people in Kamloops Mounties in Kamloops have arrested the are checking with neighbours owner of a pickup truck involved in a hit-and- to see if any of them caught the run accident in their city early Sunday morning. incident on a surveillance camera. Two people died when a car and a pickup truck collided shortly before 1:40 a.m. on 1st Avenue near Battle Street in Kamloops.
When RCMP officers arrived at the scene, they found two occupants of the car already deceased. The other two occupants were taken to hospital, one with lifethreatening injuries and the other with non-life threatening injuries. Meanwhile, the driver of the pickup truck had already left the area, police said in a press release. In a subsequent release, police said the truck’s “registered owner” had been located and arrested, but they did not say whether he was behind the wheel at the time of the crash. Indeed, police said the arrested man’s involvement with the collision is still under investigation. Cpl. Jodi Shelkie, media relations officer for Kamloops RCMP, told CTV News Vancouver the driver fled on foot. Shelkie said 1st Avenue is a street with both commercial businesses and private residences, and police
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
Gurdwara Nanak Niwas celebrating Guru Nanak Dev ji’s 550th Parkash Purb India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas, 8600 #5 Road, Richmond will be celebrating Guru Nanak Dev ji’s 550th Parkash Purb (Birth Anniversary) on Tuesday , November 12 at 5 PM. A number of prominent people including BC Premier
T
his is a historic year especially for Sikhs around the globe. The 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Sahib is being celebrated all over the world with a great deal of enthusiasm. Guru Nanak Dev ji has been rightly described as an explorer, a visionary, a revolutionary, a superb poet and a fearless advocate for equality and human rights. He emphasized that sovereignty belongs to God alone. He (God) is the ultimate source of authority. He (Guru Nanak) gave not only the Sikhs but also the entire humanity a new world order. Guru Nanak Dev was truly a great mystic, poet, philosopher, singer and saint. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is rightly called the Yug Pursh, a personality of the Millennium. His universal message and the travels to the far flung areas of the world are unique. A number of Sikh and non-Sikh scholars have written extensively about Guru Ji. Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s philosophy transcends all ages and times. A prominent Sikh scholar, Dr. Daya Singh states that even though Guru Nanak was born in pre-modern era, yet he was far ahead of his times in presenting religious and spiritual solutions to our present day
John Horgan, a number of MLAs , Canada’s Minister of National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan will be joining the congregation on this special occasion. Amongst other activities, our VIPs along with Chairman Asa Singh Johal will be releasing a special edition of a book on Guru ji’s
philosophy , mission and message for humanity. Also a special commemorative Pin wearing Guru ji’s likeness as well as two special charts will be released. Premier Horgan, Minister Sajjan and other special guests will be pleased to meet with members of the congregation . You are cordially
Guru Nanak ‘s Parkash Purb post-modern problems. Every word and sentence of Guru Ji in the Gurbani has a very succinct message. Dr. Daya Singh goes on further to describe Guru Ji’s grasp of mysticism. While describing the mystic world Guru Nanak Dev ji pointed out that “in this realm one sees but without eyes, one listens but without ears, one walks but without feet, one works but without hands, one speaks but without tongue, thus attaining life in death. O Nanak, one meets God after realization of the Divine law.” T h e opening up of the Kartarpur corridor between India and Pakistan on this special occasion is a great gesture on the part of both India and
Pakistan. Also, the proposed Baba Nanak University at Nankana Sahib in Pakistan is a commendable gesture by Pakistan. Here in Canada in general, and Metro Vancouver in particular, nearly every Gurdwara will be celebrating Guru ji’s Parkash Purb with a great deal of enthusiasm. For example, at India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas on Richmond’s Highway to Heaven (aka as #5 road) we will be celebrating Guru Nanak Dev ji’s Parkash Purb on Tuesday, November 12 beginning at 5:30 PM. As part of this celebration, a number of dignitaries will be in attendance.
invited to join us on this special occasion. For further information please feel free to contact : Balbir Singh Jawanda: 604-649-5366 Balwant Singh Sanghera : 604-836-8976
On this special occasion, a book about Guru Nanak ji’s philosophy, mission and message containing articles by a number of prominent scholars will be released by Chairman Asa Singh Johal and the dignitaries. In addition to that, a Commemorative Pin devoted to Guru Ji will also be released. As a tribute to Guru Nanak Sahib, the Gurdwara has prepared an impressive chart containing the details about the ten Gurus of Sikhism. Also, beautiful charts containing Guru Nanak ji’s message to humanity, in Punjabi and English, will be displayed on the Gurdwara premises for the congregation. The public is cordially invited to attend on Tuesday, November 12 beginning at 5:30 PM, enjoy melodius keertan, a delicious vegetarian Langar (dinner) and fireworks in the huge field behind the Gurdwara thereafter. For further information your readers should feel free to contact Balbir Singh Jawanda at 604-649-5366 or me (Balwant Singh Sanghera) at 604-836-8976) Balwant Singh Sanghera Secretary, India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas 8600 #5 Road, Richmond, BC
$24K bronze sculpture stolen from outside Vancouver gallery A thief has made off with a 160-kilogram, $24,000 bronze statue that was on display outside the doorway of a Granville Street art gallery. Security video captured a white man wheeling a dolly to the front steps of Petley Jones Gallery at 5:23 a.m. Monday. In the footage, the man disappears from
view for a few minutes, then reappears dragging the heavy, metre-tall piece of art down the stairs before loading it on a dolly and rolling it away south on Granville Street toward 7th Avenue. A second camera catches him going along 7th Avenue. A third camera at the back of the gallery then shows him turning north down the lane before disappearing. The entire crime took less than three minutes.
Surrey RCMP seize cannabis edibles and cannabis vape products during traffic stop Even though cannabis edibles are legal, police are reminding the public there are limits. “Cannabis and edibles are now legal in Canada, but there are limits to the amount a person can lawfully possess,” said Inspector Mike Hall, the RCMP’s proactive enforcement officer. “Anyone trafficking cannabis products unlawfully may be charged under the Cannabis Act.” His comments come after an 18-year-old man was arrested and released after being stopped by police in Cloverdale Oct. 30. The teenager had more than 30 grams of cannabis edibles and cannabis vape products on him at the time, which is over the legallyallowed limit. The Surrey Gang Enforcement Team stopped the youth at the intersection of Fraser Highway and 64th Avenue. Police say no charges have been laid yet. “We want parents to see the photos of the cannabis edibles, to be aware that they can look similar to regular gummy candy which may appeal to youth, and also creates a potential for inadvertent exposure to cannabis,” added Hall.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Bigg Boss 13 enters its sixth week. The drama, chaos, fun and fights continue to a great extent in the Bigg Boss 13 house. A lot of shoulders have been rubbed this week and Siddharth’s nomination for eliminations is crucial. As Bigg Boss 13 enters the decisive phase where contestants and audience are not yet out from the first finale, the sixth week elimination of Bigg Boss 13 this week will be a very important one. The house has six new wild card contestants and with them there are lot of changes as Paras and Sidharth
Vidya Balan with different cuts With her very first film, “Parineeta,” Vidya Balan showed that there was space in the industry for a homely girl whose forte was acting and not glamour. Fourteen years later, after playing roles as varied as a housewife, a ruthless femme fatale, a brothel-owner, sister to a murder victim, lady detective and an RJ, she has shown that she is a star with a difference. Admittedly, she has floundered in many a case, notably in fairly recent
films like “Kahaani 2” and “Begum Jaan,” but the triumphs have outclassed these failures – people still remember her path-breaking turns in movies like “The Dirty Picture” and “Kahaani” among others. We begin our conversation on this note as we meet up on the eve of the release of “Mission Mangal,” in which she essays a scientist. Q: You have been the forerunner of the trend of substance-heavy films, especially the female-oriented ones. In the 2010-2011 phase, you acted in “Ishqiya” and “No One Killed Jessica” for starters. A (Laughs): I just think that I was there at the right place at the right time, and it is kind of people to give me credit! A change was underway, waiting to happen, Ekta Kapoor and Milan Luthria for “The Dirty Picture” and Sujoy Ghosh for “Kahaani”.
‘Bigg Boss’ - The things turn intersting group should start recruiting from the the new members to keep the group strong.The sudden meltdown of Shehnaz Gill due to Himanshi Khurana entry has made Sidharth Shukla group weaker. The weekend ka vaar episodes promise a lot of action and suspense as the host Salman Khan digs into the happenings of the week. Though eviction nominations have been announced, it is becoming quite obvious that Tehseen, Paras, Mahira or Arhaan will be evicted this week.
Elimination Nominations For Bigg Boss 13 Week 6 - Arhaan Khan - Shefali Jariwala Paras Chhabra - Mahira Sharma - Tehseen Poonawalla - Sidharth Shukla - Shehnaz Gill Siddharth Holds 59% Vote Share In Major Polling Reports, Tehseen & Mahira in Danger Zone – Day 3 of Audience Voting – November 7 As expected, Siddharth Shukla is leading in major polling reports on day 1 of audience voting. However, it was surprising to see many contestants including wildcard
entries getting nominated for eliminations this week. Though the contestants are fighting hard to get saved from evictions, the tasks are getting tougher and intense by the day. Siddharth Shukla and Shehnaaz lead the way. However, these are early trends which can swing either way. Mahira and Shefali Jariwala are not safe by a mile. Though, Tehseen and Arhaan are trailing the voting trends can change based on the performances in the upcoming week.
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Bollywood
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Amitabh Bachchan’s five decades in Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan’s journey of five decades to become the Bollywood “Shahenshah” was not always a smooth ride. Indeed, his life is nothing short of brilliant biopic material. Early rejections were followed by a phase when he made his mark as a promising actor, which was soon overshadowed by the kind of super-stardom Bollywood never saw before or after. When the superstar tried his hand at film entrepreneurship, he went bankrupt, only to bounce back and claim supremacy as a super brand and respectability as an icon. The first reaction of the industry all those years ago, however, was far from welcoming.
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His tall and lanky frame, and the baritone of his voice, were deemed unsuitable for Bollywood’s image of a perfect hero back then. These factors were pointed out as flaws, and reasons why he wouldn’t be able to make it big in the industry. Today, he is the face of Indian cinema all over the world, and for decades he has been drawing his USP from those very attributes that were considered drawbacks back then. “Saat Hindustani,” released on Nov. 7 1969, marks the start of his salad phase. The son of celebrated poet Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan started his journey as one of seven protagonists in the film, which didn’t exactly mark a blockbuster debut. The first time he was seriously noticed was when he essayed a supporting role in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Rajesh Khannastarrer “Anand” (1971). Despite the presence of Khanna, the reigning superstar of the times, Bachchan grabbed attention in the role of Dr. Bhaskar Banerjee. Despite getting noticed in “Anand,” Bachchan had to see a phase of brief struggle, despite a long list of releases such as a “Parwana,” “Reshma Aur Shera,” “Sanjog,” “Bombay To Goa,” “Ek Nazar,” “Bansi Birju,” “Raaste Kaa Patthar” and “Bandhe Haath.” If his career is to be divided in phases, those early films, which also included “Chupke Chupke” and “Abhimaan,” could be termed as the Hrishikesh Mukherjee era. By the time Bachchan was co-starring with Rajesh Khanna in Mukherjee’s 1973 release “Namak Haraam,” people had already started talking of the tall, dark and brooding actor as the man who would be Bollywood’s next king. It happened the same year, with Prakash Mehra’s “Zanjeer.” Rooted deep in angst and emotions attached to middle-class India, and delving into complex aspects of human lives, Bollywood’s “Angry Young Man” was born in Prakash Mehra’s 1973 hit, “Zanjeer.” The film, riding the powerful writing by Salim Khan and Javed Akthar, went on to usher the era of violence and intense drama in Bollywood cinema. As Bachchan began rewriting cinematic trends for the Hindi film industry, Rajesh Khanna’s romantic era became history. The Salim-Javed phase of Amitabh Bachchan’s career began. The Salim-Javed scripts that would go on to define Bachchan’s Angry Young Man image were “Deewar,” “Sholay,” “Trishul,” “Don,” “Kaala Patthar,” “Dostana,” Shaan,” and “Shakti.” These films mark the zenith of the actor’s super-stardom, cementing his permanent position in the industry. As he was busy making his mark, he was struck with the accident on the “Coolie” set, but that didn’t deter him to lose focus from his goal. The film went on to be a big hit when it released in 1983. By the time he won his first National Award for “Agneepath” (1990), Big B’s popularity was sky-high. The slowdown started sometime in the mid-nineties, after he launched his company, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL). Big B, as he was being hailed by
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Horoscope
Salman, Akshay top 10 highest paid actors Akshay Kumar has emerged as the seventh highest-paid actor in the world by earning USD 40.5 million in 2018, according to Forbes magazine. The Gold actor is closely followed by his contemporary Salman Khan in the ninth place, raking in USD 38.5 million. Kumar and Khan are the only two Bollywood actors to make it to the top 10 highest-paid actors list, compiled by the publication. Kumar, who came in 10th last year, upped his game by USD 3 million. Khan stayed at his ninth rank, but with an increase of USD
1.5 million this year. Shah Rukh Khan, who was at the eighth spot on the 2017 list, did not find a place in 2018. The list has been topped by Hollywood star George Clooney, who scored a careerhigh pre-tax paycheque of USD 239 million between June 1, 2017 and June 1, 2018. Clooney was followed by Dwayne Johnson, who banked USD 124 million pretax to rank. Avengers: Infinity War star Robert Downey Jr, earned USD 81 million to book the third place. His costar, Chris Hemsworth came in at number four with USD 64.5 million earnings.
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Aries
March 21 - April 20 You might be determined to blast through obstacles that have been blocking your path, and with dynamic Mars angling toward power-broker Pluto on Tuesday, you may succeed. And yet, with fiery Mars in Libra, you may also be open to a compromise if this is possible. You could rebel if you feel put upon by someone in authority, but the way in which you do so might not be as obvious as it could be.
Taurus
April 21 - May 20 With the sun and retrograde Mercury in your sector of relating, the week ahead brings possibilities to improve a relationship by resolving any ongoing issues. In fact, chatty Mercury in its rewind phase can coincide with constructive discussions that can help you unravel a key problem. Go easy on Tuesday, though, because an awkward blend of energies could bring frustration into the mix. What you want and what someone else wants may be very different. You could compromise, but do you really want to?
Gemini
May 20 - June 21 Don’t take anything for granted regarding deals, contracts, or other key opportunities with chatty Mercury, your ruling planet, retrograde. If you can wait until after November 20 to sign anything important, this might be the wiser move. If you can’t, then take things one step at a time, because so much could change before that date comes around. Tuesday could bring a conflict regarding a potential romance. You may feel a desire to get close to someone.
Cancer
June 22 - July 23
It’s possible that someone from the past could come back into your life, particularly with lively Mercury retrograde in your leisure zone. If this week is anything to go by, you could have some intense conversations. There is also the possibility that discussions could bring healing and an opportunity to understand each other better. Concerning family matters, you could clash with your partner or a family member early in the week when fiery Mars angles toward power-broker Pluto.
Leo
June 24 - August 23 With dynamic Mars powering through your communication sector, you can be very proactive around networking, getting your message out to the world, and meeting with those on your wavelength. Even so, the start of the week could unleash a conflict unless you can find a way around it. With warrior Mars forging an uncomfortable aspect with radical Pluto, it’s possible that someone could put the brakes on a plan of yours.
Virgo
August 24 - Sept 24 With talkative Mercury, your ruling planet, retrograde in your sector of communication for some time yet, it would be just as well to watch out for mistakes and prepare for delays. However, if you have an ongoing issue with someone, it’s also possible that it will be sorted out at this time. There could be conflict around finances on Tuesday as you decide whether to spend money on something you would really enjoy or hold off. With a little research, you might be able to get it at a better price anyway, so don’t stick with just one option.
Libra
Sept. 24 - Oct 22 As feisty Mars continues to power through your sign, it can lend you the courage to be more outspoken. If you have generally favored compromise, you could stand your ground early in the week. This might be just as well, because an edgy aspect between warrior Mars and powerhungry Pluto could initiate a conflict. You’ll need to be firm and set some boundaries, because doing so will send a clear message that you won’t be persuaded otherwise.
Scorpio
Oct 23 - Nov 22 There could be a clash with a friend, and it might be due to a difference in values. Don’t let this spoil a long-term relationship, though, because if you can agree to disagree, it should all blow over. With the sun linking to both sobering Saturn and hazy Neptune on Friday, you’ll have the opportunity to take an idea or dream and help it come true. The sun is in your spiritual zone, making this a time when a vision or powerful dream could influence your future in a positive way.
Sagitarius Nov 23 - Dec 22
You could be a tad restless at the start of the week, finding it difficult to knuckle down to your usual tasks. But if you have a chance to do something more exciting, the time can pass quickly. Arrange an opportunity to let off steam and give yourself something to look forward to. With an emphasis on your spiritual zone, you may be drawn to events with people who share your ideas and ideals. Wednesday could coincide with an event that is truly heartwarming and leaves you feeling positive and upbeat.
Capricorn Dec 23 - Jan 20
This could be a productive week for you if you can overcome an issue early on. An intense aspect involving warrior Mars in a prominent zone and manipulative Pluto in your sign could see you in a face-off with someone in authority. How you deal with this depends on the outcome you want. If you aren’t worried about the consequences, fine. However, if you need to stay on the right side of this person, a compromise might be better.
Aquarius
Jan 21 - Feb 19
The sun is in your sector of goals, making this is very much the time to shine. Lively Mercury continues to rewind in this zone, though, so be extra careful about committing to anything that involves a lot of time or money. Mercury turns direct on November 20, and conditions and situations could change prior to that date. If you have no other option but to go ahead, take each day as it comes and be prepared to be flexible. Tuesday could bring an interesting dilemma, because you might be eager to move out of your comfort zone yet a tad fearful of taking that first step.
Pisces
Feb 20 - March 20 The beginning of the week could spotlight a social conflict that has been bubbling away for some time. There could be a disagreement between you and a friend that comes to a head at this time. If you know what this is about, you can either use tact to diffuse it or, if you aren’t too bothered about staying on good terms, you might tell it like it is. The sun in Scorpio with lively Mercury in its retrograde phase could inspire you to take some time out to enjoy life and perhaps travel. You might be tempted to revisit a place that has special meaning for you,.
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Bollywood
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Press release
As population grows, B.C.’s economy down 10,000 jobs over last five months
BC Liberals are raising concerns as British Columbia has lost almost 10,000 jobs over the past five months, with no jobs plan in sight from John Horgan and his NDP government. “John Horgan needs to start focusing on building a stronger economy for all of B.C.,” said Jordan Sturdy, BC Liberal Critic for Jobs. “The NDP’s typical over-tax approach to governance is hurting B.C. families, especially those in rural B.C. who have been left to fend for themselves as the forestry crisis continues with no help in sight from
Mon-Fri 12:00 - 9:30 Sat-Sun 12:30 - 10:00 WEDNESDAY CLOSED
this NDP government.” Today’s concerns raised by the BC Liberals come after the Business Council of British Columbia recently downgraded its economic outlook for the province from a GDP growth of 2 per cent, down to 1.8 per cent in 2019. To make matters worse, the recent court ruling on limiting experts in ICBC injury cases will potentially reduce the NDP’s provincial budget surplus by 400 million in 2020 — further pushing B.C. towards deficit and putting the province’s credit rating at risk.
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
Priyanka on Kevin Jonas: ‘He’s The Brother Who Always Has My Back’ Priyanka Chopra Jonas wished brother-inlaw Kevin Jonas on his birthday saying he was the brother who always has her back. Priyanka took to Instagram Nov. 6, to wish Kevin, who turned 32 the day before. She shared a photograph from her wedding ceremony in which the actress can be seen
in her husband Nick Jonas’s arms and Kevin giving her support with his hand from behind. “To the brother who always has my back! Happy birthday @kevinjonas may this year be the best one yet! Love you loads,” she captioned the image.
On the acting front, Priyanka is currently in New Delhi shooting for “The White Tiger.” “The White Tiger,” adapted from Aravind Adiga’s prize-winning novel of the same name, will be helmed by Ramin
Bahrani. It follows the extraordinary journey of a self-made man from being a tea-shop worker in a village to a successful entrepreneur in a big city. Netflix is producing “The White Tiger” in association with Mukul Deora. It also stars Rajkummar Rao.
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
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last month in India. The Farmers of India admire Dr. Khem Singh Gill for two reasons - One for his expertise as an agricultural Scientist and stalwart and two for his humble and tireless sewa (Volunteering) for the cause of upliftment of rural education. It is truly difficult , rather impossible to reckon how many lives have been touched and enriched by Dr. Gill’s perseverance and his midas touch. A Sikh is supposed to be Saint & Soldier but Dr Gill possesses one more quality of being an outstanding agricultural Scientist. His commendable research on wheat is feeding millions across the globe. He was awarded the highest honor of India Padma Bhushan for his contributions to the Green Revolution. He was also the founding Vice-President of the Kalgidhar Society & Chairman of Akal Academies , one of the largest Sikh charities & rural education school chain. Akal Academy Surrey students opened the program with Kirtan, followed by Balkar Singh and Angrej Singh from Calgary. Then the program continued with Bhog of Sri Sehaj Path which was organized by the Gill family. Sikh Societies, Schools and organizations and sangat from across the lower mainland were in attendance. Dr. Pargat Singh Bhurji said Dr. Gill will always remain in our hearts for the contribution to the mankind.Tarlochan Singh Bhamdi said he was Jesus of farmers. , Dr. Harcharan Singh Dhaliwal Vice Chancellor Eternal University said Dr Gill will trod the road less travelled and carved a niche by proving his finesse with utmost humility. Sukhsagar president Harbhajan Singh Athwal said Dr Gill played a major role in augmenting Green Revolution in India. Other speakers included Rajbir Singh from Sikh Seva Foundation, Dupinder Kaur from One Voice , Dr. Guzar Singh Villing from PAU Family association , Lakhbir Singh from SUS helping hand Society of Canada. Newly elected MLA from Winnipeg & PAU alumni Dr. Diljeet Singh Brar remembered Dr Gill in his video message that how accessible he was even when he was Vice Chancellor of PAU. Dr. Gill’s elder son, Dr. Baljit Singh Gill was also in attendance along with Gill family and was honoured by the society. In closing, Avtar Singh Gill shared his valuable experiences and thanked the sangat on behalf of the family. A documentary on Dr. Gill’s remarkable life (Pioneer of Green Revolution ) by Reema Anand was shown at the end.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Press release
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John Horgan’s Labour Minister MIA amidst growing strike action Kamal Haasan Completes 60 Years In Films; Grand Gala Planned A three-day gala scheduled to take place from Nov. 7 to 9 in Chennai and in Kamal Haasan’s hometown Paramakudi to mark the veteran actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan’s completing 60 years in Indian cinema. As part of the celebrations, Kamal will unveil the statue of his mentor, writer and director Shri. K. Balachandar. S u p e r s t a r Rajinikanth is likely to join the event. The details about the gala have been released by Raaj Kamal Films International, the production and distribution company founded and headed by Kamal Haasan. The actor-filmmaker entered the film industry when he was just three. He acted as a child artiste in the 1960 Tamil film “Kalathur Kannamma,” for which he won the President’s Gold Medal. Since then he has featured in over 200 films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam languages. He is widely known to fans all over the world for his numerous stellar roles including “Nayakan,” “Mahanadi,” “Pushpak,” and “Sadma.” Kamal Haasan will also celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi by
Ihana to Play Rape Survivor In a Web Series
Ihana Dhillon will be seen playing role of a rape survivor in the upcoming web series “Kasak.” The series narrates the story of a girl who is violently attacked and raped because of which she slips into in a semi-comatose state for the rest of her life. “I am playing Sheetal, who is a nurse by profession. Her life took a tragic tragic turn after she was raped in the hospital, where she worked. She had spent the next four decades in a vegetative state after surviving a brutal sexual assault,” said Ihana. “It’s a story of woman who has been brutally raped and manhandled and justice was always awaited,” added the “Hate Story 4” star. Ihana has clarified that she doesn’t play Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug, but the story is “somewhat inspired by it but it is not at all a biopic of sorts.” “I was petrified to know of this and it troubled me to think what someone like her would have gone through and then I decided this is a story which needed to be told and hence I took the project,” she added, about why she signed up for the show, which can be seen on App.
MLA John Martin, the BC Liberal Labour Critic, is demanding action from John Horgan and the NDP as strike actions increase throughout the province and Labour Minister Harry Bains is nowhere to be found. “Under John Horgan’s watch we’re seeing strike action affect public schools, transportation and transit, universities, and
vital industries like forestry,” said Martin, MLA for Chilliwack. “These strikes are hurting B.C. families and have far-reaching impacts on our communities while the NDP Labour Minister sits on his hands and does nothing.” Groups currently taking labour action include: Coast Mountain Bus Company maintenance staff Coast Mountain Bus Company bus and
seabus operators Saanich School District 63 support staff UNBC Faculty Association Western Forest Products workers “With the holiday season approaching, financial pressures are building on British Columbians in communities hurt by the NDP’s unwillingness to help,” concluded Martin. “John Horgan needs to show leadership, do the right thing, and get British Columbians working again.”
NDP all talk and no action on housing affordability BC Liberal Housing Critic Todd Stone is calling on John Horgan and the NDP to increase housing supply in the Lower Mainland after recent reports show that despite NDP promises, housing prices in the Lower Mainland continue to remain unaffordable to most British Columbians.
“The NDP wants to claim victory over the state of the market, but they are dead wrong,” said Stone. “Housing prices in the Lower Mainland are still 10 per cent higher than they were three years ago, and rather than taking measures to actually improve the situation—such as increasing housing supply where it is desperately needed—John Horgan
and his government are busy celebrating non-existent achievements.” New reports from the Royal Bank of Canada and the BC Real Estate Association suggest that the housing market is heating up again and housing prices will begin to increase next year—even after the NDP has made efforts to ensure this would not happen.
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Vol. 10 No. 41
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Saturday - November 9, 2019
Home sales in every BC region to recover in 2020 - a forecast. Total home transactions across province expected to rise 11 per cent versus 2019, with average sale prices also predicted to increase in every area.Although every region in B.C. is expected to see lower home sales in
Tel: 604-591-5423
Housing market forecast through 2020
2019 than in 2018, sales will more than recover in 2020, according to a September 5 forecast by the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA).Overall in 2019, residential transactions across the province are predicted to be five per cent lower, at
about 75,000 units, than the 78,505 sales of 2018. Every one of B.C.’s 12 boards is expected to report a year-over-year decline in total sales across 2019, with drops ranging from one to 14 per cent. However, BCREA forecasted that every board will see considerable sales jumps
E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com in 2020, totalling a province-wide increase of nearly 11 per cent to 82,700 homes — which the association said would be just below
the 10-year annual average. “B.C. markets are showing signs of recovery after nearly a year and a half of policy-induced declines,” said Brendon Ogmundson, BCREA’s deputy chief economist. “We expect that recovery to continue into next year, with home sales normalizing around long-term averages.”
housing market to see modest price growth in 2020 and 2021, predicts CMHC
The Metro Vancouver housing market will remain “balanced” over the next two years with home prices expected to increase in line with population growth, according to the latest housing market outlook report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Housing sales and prices have dipped recently as a result of multiple factors — including rising mortgage rates and new taxes — but the CMHC predicts that starting in 2020 and through 2021, there will be a modest increase both in prices and sales volume. Attached homes, condos and apartments priced under $700,000 are expected to generate the strongest demand because “homes in this price range can be accessible to buyers making a purchase based on their income compared with properties requiring substantial equity for a down payment,” says the report. The report says housing starts are expected to remain high, especially multi-family homes, which currently account for 88 per cent of unit starts.
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
R
Reasons why Canada’s apartment building owners are happy
ental apartment building market in Canada is trongest it’s ever been, especially from the perspective of apartment building owners. Buildings are practically full across the country, rental rates are at or near 10-year highs in nearly every market, and average national rents have climbed 4.4 per cent annually over the last two years, according to a new report by commercial property brokerage house CBRE. This rapid rise of rental rates is earning more money for building owners. Total annualized returns for the Canadian multifamily sector were 9.8 per cent as of the first quarter of this year, just behind the industrial sector. Canada’s national average rental apartment vacancy rate ended 2018 at 2.4 per cent, below the 10-year average of 2.6, CBRE said in its national multifamily mid-year update. Investors are lining up to get into the market in most cities. Multifamily investment volume reached record levels for four consecutive years, including an all-time high of $8.3 billion in 2018. Apartments are traditionally viewed as stable and defensive assets to own, said CBRE Canada vicechairman Paul Morassutti. “(The asset class) never displays great amounts of volatility,” he told Postmedia last week. “Very rarely would you have declines in rental rates or net operating income. Typically, things would go up in a
slow and steady fashion and it was always a favoured asset class for all those reasons.” Here are other main drivers that Morassutti and his firm believe will continue to stoke demand for apartment buildings in Canada. Population growth: Canada’s population is expected to grow by nearly one per cent annually over the next four years, surpassing growth in all other G7 countries, the report said. Much of this momentum is being fuelled by immigration, which accounted for 80.5 per cent of the country’s population growth last year. The government has a plan to welcome one million new immigrants between 2019 and 2021. Much of that new population is settling in the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver regions, with Toronto and Vancouver experiencing the sharpest annual apartment rental price growth of 5.0 per cent
and 7.1 per cent, respectively, over the past four years. Shortage of new supply Canada’s big cities are not building enough new rental apartments to keep up with demand, when compared to global peers, the report said. The largest rental market in Canada is Montreal with just under 600,000 units. Toronto follows well
behind with 313,000 units, and Vancouver trails with just 109,000 units. Units on the secondary market, including privately rented condos, do close the gap, but it’s clear that renters across the country need more options, or else rents will continue to climb. While we are seeing increased construction of rental units more recently, the overall number remains relatively low, Morassutti said. Rising cost of home ownership An expanding proportion of Canada’s big-city dwellers can’t afford to buy a home. This factor, above all others, is probably having the greatest effect on stoking apartment rental prices, while spurring investors to buy buildings, Morassutti said. “In Toronto, if you want to buy a detached house or semi-detached house, you need to have a household income of close to $200,000,” he said. “The average household income in Toronto I believe is something like $100,000.” (According to the last Canadian census, the average household in the Greater Toronto Area earned $87,993 after tax.) That leaves residents with only a couple of choices. They can buy a condo, or they can rent. “As affordability has become more of an issue, and it’s an issue that I don’t believe is going to go away in (Vancouver and Toronto), that will continue to underpin strong rental growth — especially when we really don’t have a lot of supply in purpose-built housing coming on stream,” Morassutti said.
Condos, the ‘future of our communities,’ now cost more per square foot than a detached home Condominiums may be the “future of our communities” but per square foot, they are hardly a bargain. According to a Royal LePage report released today, aside from Vancouver and Calgary, every major city’s condo price per square foot has increased. With the exception of Vancouver, the median price per square foot of a condo is now higher than that of a single family detached home nationwide. Canadian home prices are up — but by the smallest amount in
a decade. Seven reasons Canada’s housing market is stronger than it looks Vancouver’s housing market is dismal — but you still need six-figure income to get your foot in the door “While condo units are smaller, they are the present and future of our communities. With more development opportunities, they can meet both the growing need for housing and lifestyle expectations of homebuyers,” said Phil Soper, the president of Royal LePage in a
press release. The Greater Ottawa condo price per square foot appreciated the fastest among the cities that were measured, rising 17.9 per cent year-over-year to $395, while the Greater Vancouver price actually declined the most by 8.3 per cent to $764. “We are seeing significant interest in Ottawa’s south and west ends from residents working in the nearby military and technology hubs,” said Kent Browne, broker
Over 11% of Vancouver condos have a non-resident owner, says new CMHC report
#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005
Over 11 percent of Vancouver condos have at least one non-resident as an owner, a number that jumps to more than 19 per cent when it comes to newer built condos. The information is contained in a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation housing market insight report which also found that non-residents — defined as someone who
doesn’t have their principal residence in Canada — tend to own more expensive properties than residents, especially in Vancouver. Some of the other findings: 7.2 per cent of all Vancouver properties have at least one non-resident owner. Non-resident ownership is highest in
and owner of Royal LePage TEAM Realty. The city of Vancouver remains the most expensive condo market in the country, with homebuyers paying $1,044 per square foot for a condo and $1,279 per square foot for a single-family detached home. Greater Calgary offers the lowest condo price per square foot, with a fall of 6.7 per cent to $313.“For the fourth consecutive month, condo inventory in the region declined compared to last year.
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
Vancouver breaks 65-year-old dry weather record When it comes to having dry weather in Vancouver, 14 is the lucky number. With no rain falling Thursday and none expected Friday, 14 will be how many consecutive rain-free days Vancouver has enjoyed since Oct. 25. But change is on the way. “The dry streak is pretty much guaranteed to be over by Saturday, with widespread rain forecast for the whole region,”. Vancouver has ‘coldest October 10 in 123 years’ as temperatures tumble across B.C. This stretch breaks a seasonal record set in 1954, when there was a dry spell between the months of October and November for 12 days. To put that record in perspective, 1954 was the year the B.C. Lions were founded and Oprah Winfrey was born. Cyclists ride their bikes along the seawall during sunset in Vancouver on Wednesday. (Ben Nelms/CBC) “Friday is looking largely dry as well. However, showers are expected late at night,
perhaps around 11 p.m., making it too close to call as to whether the streak will get up to 14 days,” Soderholm predicted.
As for the rest of the long weekend, Sunday is looking less wet than Saturday, with only a few showers possible in the morning.
Surrey invites residents to ‘help shape future of Fleetwood’ amid SkyTrain planning As TransLink seeks input on the planned SkyTrain extension in Surrey, the city is inviting the public to “help shape the future of Fleetwood” as it develops a new land use plan for the area. “We are starting on a multi-year process to create a community plan for Fleetwood to guide where people, paths, parks, roads and buildings will go. And, to plan for the extension of SkyTrain along Fraser Highway,” reads a post at surrey.ca. “Join us at this preliminary open house as we welcome the community to share their vision for the future of Fleetwood.”The city’s website notes that as SkyTrain extends along Fraser Highway this plan will “help us plan for growth.” The open house is set to run from 3 to 8 p.m. at Surrey Sport and Leisure Complex
(16555 Fraser Hwy.) on Nov. 13.There is also an online survey residents can complete at surrey.ca. Although the city had begun a land use planning process for Fleetwood in 2014, with open houses in 2014 and 2016, staff was redirected to “immediately start working on a Fraser Highway SkyTrain extension” when the new council was sworn in on Nov. 5, 2018.
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
Canada’s two biggest real estate markets are sizzling again Canada’s two biggest real estate markets are once again reporting brisk sales activity. Toronto housing prices climbed the most in almost two years amid falling supply. The benchmark price rose 5.8 per cent from a year ago to $810,900, the Toronto Real Estate Board said in a report Tuesday. That’s the biggest jump since December 2017 and takes it to within about $4,300 of the record set in mid-2017, Bloomberg reported. The Toronto data comes on the heels of numbers from Vancouver which show home sales surged 45.4 per cent in October from a year earlier
boosted by lower prices, according to The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. The city saw 2,858 sales for the month, a 9.8 per cent above the 10-year sales average for October. While average home prices slipped 6.4 per cent from a year ago to $992,900, they remain at elevated levels. Vancouver remains the second most expensive major housing market in the world after Hong Kong, according to a Demographia International Housing Affordability Study.
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1 in 5 homes bought by newcomers - survey One in every five homes in Canada is bought by newcomers to the country, according to a Royal LePage survey released on Wednesday. The Royal LePage Newcomer 2019 Survey, which was commissioned by the real estate company, found that newcomers spend about three years in Canada before buying a home and that 75 per cent of newcomers arrive with savings or cash to help buy a home. About 1,500 people, all of whom arrived in Canada within the last 10 years, were interviewed by public opinion polling and market research company Leger for the survey and it was conducted online in August.Phil Soper, president and CEO of Royal LePage, said in an interview with CBC’s Radio-Canada that the survey found that newcomers represent about 21 per cent of all homebuyers in Canada. That
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number suggests people new to the country are contributing “significantly” to real estate demand, he said.“We know that Canada is a country of immigrants and we know that newcomers to Canada are an important part of our economic growth. What surprises us in the data is just how important they are to Canada’s real estate market,” Soper said on Tuesday.If current international migration levels are maintained, Royal LePage estimates that newcomers are expected to buy 680,000 homes in Canada over the next five years. The projected home sales was calculated using historic migration levels from Statistics Canada, the survey’s home ownership rate of newcomers and Canadian Real Estate Association and Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation unit sales data.
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Earlier this summer, British Columbia observed the 11th anniversary of Canada’s first carbon tax. Since then, other Canadian provinces, as well as the federal government, have established their own pathways to put a price on carbon emissions. In spite of criticism uttered by some Canadian premiers in the lead-up to the federal election, the carbon tax was not a prominent feature of debate during the campaign. The Conservative Party of Canada spent more time focusing on issues of ethics and character than on carbon emissions. The Liberal Party of Canada played down the environment aspirations of rival centre-left politicians by touting the merits of its own carbon levy. In a year that brought added emphasis to climate change around the world, Canada’s two main federal parties gravitated to
Saturday, November 9, 2019
BC residents divided on province’s carbon tax as levy turns 11 their usual sound bites when it came to environmental policy: “job-killing” from the Tories and “sensible” from the Grits. More than a decade later, the question remains. How was British Columbia, under a centre-right party, so successful at implementing the first carbon tax in North America? To fully understand the process, we need to go back to 2007. The environment was the most important issue
facing Canada, clearly surpassing health care and the economy. At that time, few could have predicted the collapse of the housing market in the United States. Former U.S. vicepresident Al Gorewas still touring the world with his slide show, warning against the dangers of global warming. Gore’s film, An Inconvenient Truth, had just won two Academy Awards, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changewas about
to
receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Canadians, with an economy that was booming and a minority Conservative government in Ottawa that was finding its stride, turned their concerns towards the planet. In May 2007, B.C. premier Gordon Campbell and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a “memorandum of understanding on climate change.” With this backdrop, British Columbians appeared ready for a different kind of political action. Campbell’s official announcement of the carbon tax included two crucial vows: the tax would be revenue neutral and every British Columbian would receive a $100 rebate to make their surroundings more energy efficient. British Columbians reacted positively to the proposal by Campbell. A promised reduction on income taxes helped residents understand the way in which the carbon tax would work. They also got a cheque in the mail – brilliantly christened the “Climate Action Dividend” – which included some suggestions on how to reduce their carbon footprint. The opposition BC New Democratic Party(NDP) had a hard time figuring out its next steps. Party leader Carole James ultimately launched an “axe the tax” campaign with a promise to “punish the big polluters” and a threat to eliminate the carbon tax if the party formed the government after the 2009 election.
Girl grabbed at mall in Edmonton, 2 suspects’ photos released
Police are looking for two men who allegedly grabbed a 10-year-old girl in Kingsway Mall last week. Investigators say two men reportedly engaged in a conversation with the girl, and one of them grabbed her by the arm. The two men left the mall without the girl, who wasn’t injured. The men were not known to the girl. The first man is described as black, with a medium build and a “high top fade” haircut. He was wearing green camouflage zip hoodie with an orange line on the front, and blue pants. The second man is described as black, with a thin build. He was wearing an orange baseball cap, blue jeans and shoes with white soles and a black puffer zip jacket with no hood. Anyone with information about the men is asked to call 780423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
New Brunswick mayor beckons Quebec students who feel betrayed by immigration reforms The mayor of Edmundston, N.B., took to Twitter Tuesday to extend a hand to international students who may feel betrayed by Quebec’s fast-track immigration program reform. “I’d like to remind international students in Quebec who find themselves at an impasse that they can always look east, to New Brunswick and even Edmunston, for jobs,” Cyrille Simard wrote. “There is a place here for you.” Wednesday, the Quebec government backtracked on its decision to restrict access to the popular Quebec experience program (PEQ), saying international students and foreign workers already in the province may apply under the old rules. “We may not have properly evaluated the more human aspect [of the reform],” admitted Quebec Premier François Legault. However, the government says it stands by its decision to reform the program as it is the only way to “respond to the needs of each labour market in every region.”
Interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Pierre Arcand, says he’s not surprised by the Maritime mayor’s message to students “You’re going to get that from New Brunswick and you’re going to get that from other provinces in Canada,” he said. “I think in the end, it’s very bad. This government is anti-economic and anti-immigration.” Under the new rules, only seven doctoral, 24 master’s, 54 bachelor’s and 59 college-degree programs will be admitted to the PEQ. The list of professions allowed will change every year, the government states. “All the diplomas in social sciences, arts, culture have been evacuated from the program,” argued Quebec Solidaire MNA Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. “That’s an ideological choice that’s a business-like way to see immigration. It’s a very narrow-minded way to see immigration to Quebec society.”
Cell phone restrictions in effect for Ontario classrooms Ontario students are now allowed little to no use of their mobile devices in the classroom. The ban from the provincial government on cell phones inside classrooms or during instructional time came into effect on Monday. “When in class, students should be focused on their studies and not on social media,” said Ontario education minister Stephen Lecce. “The restrictions are another step forward in providing a focused and academicallyenriched learning environment for our students.” The province says that 97 per cent of parents, students, and teachers who took part in a 2018 education reform consultation said cell phones should be restricted in some way. “It takes all partners, parents, teachers, and students themselves, to embrace a
new culture of learning,” said Lecce. “We’re going to continue to embrace technology in the classroom, but if it’s not for academic achievement, scholastic purposes, or instruction based, it’s not going to be in the class.” Exceptions to the ban will be made if the devices are required for medical purposes, to support special needs, or if an educator says it’s necessary for the lesson. A spokesperson for the Waterloo Region District Catholic Board says that “no one size fits all.” “So the vast majority of students will have some sort of devise with them in class.” He says that conseuqnces for inappropriate use of cell phones, though, can range from admonishment to meetings with parents or administrators for repeated use.
LOCAL / NATIONAL
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Don’t force military court to hear Omar Khadr appeal, US gov’t argues Forcing a military court to hear and decide an appeal from former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr is inappropriate, the American government says. In new legal filings, U.S. government lawyers argue the years-long delay in hearing the Canadian’s case is reasonable, and civilian court intervention unjustified. American troops captured the Toronto-born Omar Khadr, 33, (pictured)as a badly wounded 15-year-old boy in Afghanistan in 2002. He pleaded guilty in 2010 to five war crimes, including the murder of U.S. special forces soldier Christopher Speer, before a widely disparaged U.S. military commission in Guantanamo Bay. As part of the plea deal in which he gave up his right to appeal, the court sentenced him to eight more years rather than to the juryrecommended 40 years. “Khadr waited for years after the convening authority’s action to challenge his guilty plea and appellate waiver,” the government says. “He took no action until after he had pocketed the agreement’s benefits, received his 32-year sentence reduction and transfer to Canada, and was beyond the jurisdiction of U.S. courts.” Khadr, who later said the deal was
his only way out of the infamous American prison in Cuba, filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Military Commission Review in 2013 after arriving in Canada. He argues that the offences to which he pleaded guilty were not war crimes when he allegedly committed them. However, the military appellate court known as the CMCR put his case on hold while civilian courts decided another commission case, that of Ali Hamza alBahlul. A military commission had convicted alBahlul in 2008 for doing mediarelations work for terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, but a civilian court quashed most of his convictions in 2013. Khadr had asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in April to order the military reviewing court to hear his appeal. “The CMCR has obdurately failed to exercise its affirmative statutory obligation to review the validity of his conviction,” Khadr’s lawyer Sam Morison stated in the petition. “After nearly six years, the CMCR’s continued foot-dragging amounts to little more than a pocket veto of Khadr’s right to direct review, and this court’s appellate jurisdiction.”
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Scammers spoofing more than a dozen federal government departments to defraud Canadians
Scam artists are using phone numbers from more than a dozen federal government departments to defraud Canadians — making it look as if the calls are coming from legitimate government agencies and police departments — CBC News has learned. Some of the calls tell potential victims that their social insurance numbers have been compromised. Others are told that they owe the government money and are in legal trouble.
To deceive potential victims who examine the numbers on incoming calls, the scammers spoof their calls so that they display the phone numbers of the relevant federal government departments. In many cases, a scammer tells a victim they will be getting a call from a police officer — then spoofs the
call that comes in a few minutes later so that it appears to be coming from local police. “It’s hitting lots of Canadians,” said Jeff Thomson of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. His own organization has been hit by the scam, with fraudsters pretending
to
be calling from his office. “It’s inundating police departments and it’s inundating us with a number of calls. So it’s a huge impact. We’ve seen a huge spike in the reporting on this fraud.” Thomson said he received four scam calls on his own personal phone inside of one week. The scam is having an impact on the ability of government departments to serve the public because they are being bogged down with
Prime Minister Trudeau cites ‘positive momentum’ on USMCA deal as top US official visits
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited “positive momentum” in the US process to ratify a new continental trade deal, which has been in limbo for months amid concerns over labor standards.
The US - Mexico - Canada agreement (USMCA) was signed almost a year ago but the U.S. House of Representatives has yet to hold a formal vote on it. Democrats want better mechanisms to
enforce labor and environmental protections, and to ensure that the deal does not lead to higher drug prices. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week she would not rule out a vote on the deal slipping into next year, but hoped it could happen sooner. “It is a pleasure to see the positive momentum that seems to be happening on this renewal of this very important trade deal,” Trudeau said at the start of talks in Ottawa with House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, a Democrat. Mexico has already ratified the new deal,
but Canada is holding back on the grounds that it wants to move in tandem with the United States. Canadian F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r C h r y s t i a Freeland has also made it clear that Ottawa has no intention of reopening the deal. “We want to see this implemented ... and I can tell you with all certainty that Speaker Pelosi is committed to getting to a ‘yes’,” Neal told Trudeau. A Canadian government source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of
Canada trade deficit narrows to $978-million in September, but imports fall faster than exports tatistics Canada says the country’s merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $978 million in September compared with a revised deficit of $1.2 billion in August. Economists on average had expected a deficit of $700 million, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv. The deficit came as total imports fell 1.7 per cent to $50.8 billion in September.
Imports of metal and non-metallic mineral products fell 9.2 per cent in September due to a drop in gold imports. Meanwhile, total exports fell 1.3 per cent to $49.8 billion. Exports of metal and non-metallic mineral products fell 7.3 per cent, while exports of energy products dropped 2.6 per cent due to lower crude oil exports.
Refinery’s 8-week shutdown should have no ‘material impact’ on gas prices: Parkland The refinery that is the sole local supplier of motor fuel in B.C.’s Lower Mainland is being scheduled for an eight-week maintenance shutdown early next year, but owner Parkland Fuel Corp. says it is taking measures to keep prices at the pump in check. The 55,000-barrel-per-day Burnaby, B.C., refinery is putting fuel in storage to be drawn upon during the outage but that won’t be enough to last for the entire duration, said Dirk Lever, vice-president for refining, on a conference call Tuesday. But he said planning is underway to source further supply from other refineries to make up for the shortfall. “We have a fair amount of planning to do dealing with other refineries in order to source supply as we’re down,” Lever said. “More material to pump prices on the West Coast are unplanned outages, rather than planned outages. So, the fact this is a planned outage and has been orchestrated ahead of time, it should not have a material impact at the pump.’’ Are soaring gas prices affecting
British Columbians’ vehicle choices? Gasoline and diesel prices have been a hot topic in B.C. A public inquiry concluded in August that there’s an unexplained difference of 13 cents per litre between Metro Vancouver and Seattle that is costing drivers on the Canadian side of the border nearly $500 million a year. But it also found no evidence of collusion among the companies — including Parkland — that supply and market fuel. Public inquiry into gas prices in B.C. finds ‘unexplained difference’ of 13 cents per litre Premier John Horgan ordered the public inquiry last May as prices for regular gasoline reached a record-breaking $1.70 per litre in the Vancouver region. Parkland’s down time shouldn’t result in higher prices because there has been sufficient preparation time, said market watcher Michael Ervin, senior vice-president with consulting firm Kent Group, on Tuesday. He said prices are generally higher in the Vancouver area because of supply and demand.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Eleven senators form nonpartisan group to promote regional interests Eleven senators have broken away from their affiliated groups and caucuses to form a new group focused on promoting regional interests. In a press release Monday morning, the Canadian Senators Group (CSG) noted that part of the founding goal for the Senate was that it be able to represent the regional interests of members from across the country, saying that ensuring those voices are heard now will help the Red Chamber’s work remain relevant. Trudeau’s Senate reforms should be made permanent, senator says “Members of the CSG want to see this founding principle maintained and respected so that the will of the majority does not always trump regional interests,” the group said in its press release. “United in their approach to thorough research and comprehensive
review of legislation, close consultation with Canadians and rigorous, but at all times respectful, debate, CSG senators are free to take positions and vote on legislation independently of personal political affiliations and each other.” Senators Doug Black, Robert Black, Larry Campbell, Stephen Greene, Diane Griffin, Elaine McCoy, David Richards, Scott Tannas, Josée Verner, Pamela Wallin and Vern White are now members of the CSG. They noted in the release that they would welcome others who wish to join in the coming weeks. Of those joining the new group, five represent Alberta, B.C. or Saskatchewan, two represent Ontario and one represents Quebec. Three represent Atlantic provinces.
‘Andrew Scheer’s days are numbered’ — 42% want him gone, new poll finds The pressure is on Andrew Scheer as more than two-fifths of Canadians surveyed said the Conservative leader should step down, according to a new Angus Reid poll released Tuesday. Many described Scheer’s inability to capitalize on a rocky year for the Justin Trudeau Liberals as a failure by the Conservative leader. Despite the SNC-Lavalin affair and the blackface and brownface scandals, Trudeau still captured enough votes to form a minority government. Respondents to the poll showed a nearly even split on the Conservative leader’s fate: 41 per cent believe Scheer should remain, while
42 per cent think he should step down as party leader. The poll is considered accurate within +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. On Wednesday, Scheer will meet with his newly-formed caucus for the first time since the election, and will attempt to explain why an election win failed to materialize. The Angus Reid poll “reinforces the idea that Andrew Scheer’s days as Conservative leader are numbered and he’ll probably step down before the (leadership) convention,” said political science professor Nelson Wiseman.
MP defined-benefit pensions are one reason for opposition parties to prop up a Liberal minority The other federal parties can, at any time, depose the Liberal minority government through a non-confidence vote. But they won’t for at least two years. Why? In part, because of parliamentary pensions. Now that the Liberals are in a minority, the opposition parties control the committees, and Parliament itself, if they work collectively. They can put before the public the secrets that the Liberals worked so assiduously to hide. Some of the information that former attorney-general Jody Wilson-Raybould and others said they wished to share but were precluded from doing so, could potentially come out. The Liberals can no longer block committee hearings or prevent witnesses from testifying, although they can still invoke cabinet confidentiality and solicitor-client privilege. One might think that the other parties would rush to bring down the Liberal party. After all, they made political mileage over the government’s refusal to release Wilson-Raybould, former Treasury Board president Jane Philpott and others from cabinet confidentiality, despite how anxious witnesses were to tell their stories. But that was before the election. There are two
reasons that they won’t now. The first is that, if the Liberals are totally wiped out by the revelations, the Conservative party will likely get a majority and the NDP and Bloc Quebecois will lose the upper hand in Parliament, with Liberals dependent upon them to enact legislation. But one should never ignore the impact of a more mundane motivation: pensions. MPs initially elected in 2015 are not eligible to claim their Parliamentary pension unless they remain in office until at least 2021. This is a defined benefit pension plan, pursuant to the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act, which can be received regardless of interest rates or the market. Such plans used to be relatively common in large private sector employers but they are so expensive that they drove many companies into insolvency. That is why you scarcely find them today outside of the public sector. An analysis by Frederick Vettese, author of the book, Retirement Income for Life: Getting More without Saving More, predicts that defined benefit plans will be extinct in the private sector by 2026 while continuing to grow in the public sector.
Liberals’ proposed tax-free parental leave could help high earners more than middle class, economist says Raising children is expensive and challenging, particularly in the first year, and this would help, Trudeau said. “In those first few months with a new baby, when it’s a struggle to get enough sleep, let alone get to the top of your game at work, it can be an even bigger concern,” he said. “People should be focused on spending time with their baby, not worrying about how they’ll pay their bills.” The Liberals are promising to increase the Canada Child Benefit by 15 per cent for children under one, which Trudeau said would be an increase of up to $1,000 a year
for some families. The party also promised to remove federal taxes from employment insurance cheques for maternity and parental leave. They contrasted their plan with a similar one from the Conservatives, who pledged to make maternity and parental leave tax-free through a non-refundable 15-percent tax credit. The Liberal plan exempts benefits from tax at the source, Trudeau said. “You’ll get every dollar right when you need it since no taxes will be taken off the EI cheque when new parents receive it,” he said.
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
Soldier arrested for sharing secret defence info with Pakistani woman spy
In a honeytrap case, intelligence agencies and police arrested an army soldier posted on international border in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district for passing on confidential defence information via Facebook and WhatsApp to a woman agent of ISI across the border. Vichitra Behera who hailed from Odisha was under the lens of intelligence agencies for sharing secret official information, movement of army and exercise location in Pokhran with his woman friend, Additional Director General (Intelligence) of Police Umesh Mishra said in a statement. Behera was getting cash payment for providing such dossiers to the woman and got it transferred into his bank account, Mishra added. CID (Intelligence) was also
following the ADG-Intelligence instructions to investigate the case against the soldier. Another soldier, hailing from Madhya Pradesh, was detained yesterday and is being
interrogated. Both were honeytrapped by Pakistani women. In January this year, jawan Sombir, a honeytrap, was arrested at Jaislamer military station for sending confidential information across the border.
Court rejects Nirav Modi’s new bail plea A UK court rejects new bail application of fugitive Nirav Modi, a diamond merchant, who is fighting extradition to India on charges of nearly $2 billion PNB Bank fraud and money laundering case. Dressed in a blue sweater and freshly shaved, the 48-year-old was produced before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London to make another attempt at being let out on bail until his trial in
May next year. Judge Emma Arbuthnot rejected his bail application despite Nirav’s offer to double security from 2 million pounds to 4 million pounds. Nirav was looking distinctly healthier than his previous appearance before the same court earlier this year. He reportedly claimed anxiety and depression in his latest application.
B SE EST RV IC E
Asia trade pact doesn’t reflect India’s interests and that is why we decided not to join: says PM Modi India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that he could not compromise the interests of farmers and workers at home by joining a China-led regional trade pact after it failed to address Delhi’s concerns over market access. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok, Thailand, The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is backed by China and also brings in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Modi faced rising opposition to the deal from within his conservative Hindu base of small traders, as well as the main opposition party, who said it would potentially throw open India’s giant market to a flood of cheap Chinese
imports. “When I measure the RCEP Agreement with respect to the interests of all Indians, I do not get a positive answer,” Modi said in a speech at the RCEP summit, according to a government note. The 15 other countries said in a statement on Monday they had agreed terms on Monday for what could be the world’s biggest trade pact. India has been worried that the agreement, which requires the gradual elimination of tariffs, would open up the country’s domestic markets to a flood of cheap Chinese goods and agricultural produce from Australia and New Zealand that would harm local producers. Indian trade negotiators and business groups backing the deal said Indian industry would have joined global supply chains for high-end goods such as electronics and engineering.
Congress claims victory after India decides not to join RCEP With India deciding not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Congress on Monday claimed victory saying its forceful opposition has ensured that the BJP government backs out from bartering the interests of farmers, dairy producers, fishermen and small and medium businessmen. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it is a win for all those protecting national interests. “A forceful opposition by Congress and Rahul Gandhi ensures that BJP government backs down from bartering the interests of farmers, dairy producers, fishermen, small and medium businesses at the altar of political expediency. A victory for all fighting for protecting national interests (sic),” he said on Twitter. He said with “rampant unemployment, a sinking economy and deep agrarian crisis emanating from utter mismanagement of
economy by BJP Government”, signing RCEP would have been catastrophic. “The Modi Government was pushing to sign RCEP without addressing genuine concerns and national interests,” he said. “India’s farmers and MSME’s had genuine unaddressed concerns about -- Circumvention of Rules of Origin to dump Chinese goods; Absence of safeguards to prevent against import surges at the cost of domestic industry; No assurance on market access for service and IT industry,” he also said. India on Monday decided not to join the mega Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) deal as negotiations failed to address New Delhi’s concerns, government sources said. They said India’s stand at RCEP is a strong reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong leadership and India’s rising stature in the world.
CAN-AM LUMBER
Former Magistrate among 3 arrested for land fraud case A former SDM and two revenue officials were arrested by Delhi govt’s anti-corruption branch in a Rs 240 crore land fraud case. The trio had in 2018 had allegedly transferred a piece of government land, measuring around 35,000 sq yards, in West Delhi’s Tatarpur village to private parties, the branch’s officials said. Those arrested are former sub-divisional magistrate Ramesh Kumar, the then tehsildar Surender Kumar and a revenue official Manjeet Singh, a senior officer of
the anti-corruption branch (ACB) said. The SDM had taken voluntary retirement in July 2018, a month after the inquiry was initiated, he said. “The arrests were made after collecting sufficient evidence. Further investigation of this case is in progress to unearth the larger conspiracy with regard to misappropriation of government land,” the officer said . According to the ACB, portions of the land belonged to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the
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Congress leaders Karan Singh, Jairam Ramesh and Mallikarjun Kharge today slammed the government for removing them from the board of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and inducting those “opposed to the ideology of Pt Jawaharlal Nehru.” The Ministry of Culture reconstituted the NMML, removing the above three leaders and bringing in television anchor Rajat Sharma and lyricist Prasoon Joshi. Congress veteran Karan Singh expressed anguish at the move and said, “First they weeded out our sympathisers from the board and now they have weeded us out. It is ironical that the government has removed us from the NMML Board while adding people totally opposed to the ideology of India’s first Prime Minister Pt Nehru. “Earlier also we
expressed apprehensions over the destruction of NMML when they said they would convert the museum into a museum for all PMs and we were assured nothing would be done to the present building. But now we are not sure. Even this building can be destroyed.” Singh is a founding member of the NMML. Ramesh said the NMML has now become the Nagpur Memorial Museum and Library. Kharge reacted sharply to the move and said, “I am not concerned about my own removal because I was made a member when I was the leader of the single largest party in the 16th Lok Sabha. “But the removal of Karan Singh and Jairam Ramesh is most shocking. Dr Singh who is attached to the institution for 50 years and is deeply committed to history and
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Saturday, November 9, 2019 Only VIPs & relatives on the list of first jatha to go to Pakistan Only VIPs and their family members will be the first to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur corridor on November 9. The Punjab Government’s list of pilgrims for the inaugural jatha has been restricted to 400 by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The portal ‘Parkash Purb 550’, on which details were to be given, was closed as soon 400 names were uploaded, official sources said. As a result, the names of 20 pilgrims from each of the 22 districts forwarded by the respective DCs could not be uploaded. Initially, the government officials believed that the details of 550 persons had to be forwarded to the MHA.
The list of prominent Sikh leaders and other dignitaries from Congress include Dr Manmohan Singh, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and family members, Jyoraditya Scindia, RPN Singh, Asha Kumari, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Deepender Hooda, Jitin Prasad, besides MLAs and MPs from Punjab and their spouses. The Union Ministry of External Affairs has shared a list of 575 pilgrims, who will be visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib via corridor to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 9. The names of Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Puri are on the list of the Union Government.
‘Allow women ragis at Golden Temple’ Putting the SGPC in the dock, Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa brought out two resolutions, demanding for the first time that women be allowed to perform kirtan at Golden Temple and the rights of live telecast of gurbani from the shrine be made open to all channels. At present, the Badal family-owned PTC has the sole rights of live telecast of the kirtan. This resolution was unanimously passed by the House where even a few Akali
Sidhu’s role can’t be overlooked, admit Congress leaders Nearly four months after his unceremonious exit from the Cabinet and attempts to push him to political oblivion, Navjot Singh Sidhu found support and praise from some of his “old friends” in the party. Cooperatives Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and MLA Pargat Singh came out openly in support of Sidhu, while PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar was subdued while giving him credit for the opening of the corridor. Even as some senior Congress ministers and leaders raked up the issue of Sidhu’s stand of not participating in the special commemorative session of the Vidhan Sabha and seeking permission to go to Pakistan, the leaders spoke of his “contribution” in getting the project through. Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh has so far refused to give credit to Sidhu. In fact, the rift between the CM and Sidhu began after the latter went to Pakistan to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Pakistan PM Imran Khan, where Sidhu had claimed that Pakistan Army General Qamar Javed Bajwa had reportedly told him of the government proposal to construct the corridor. Sidhu was not present in the House today, and his name or his role over the matter was not mentioned during the session. Randhawa said that he gave credit to Sidhu for the construction of the corridor. “I, however, regret that Sidhu did not attend the session today. I would have loved to take him (Sidhu) along as part of the jatha to Kartarpur, and together we would have thanked Pak PM Imran Khan for fulfilling this long-pending demand of the Sikhs,” he said. MLA Pargat Singh, who is among the few MLAs believed to be close to Sidhu, said the corridor was possible only because Guru Nanak had so desired. “But Sidhu & Prime MinisterImran Khan have played an important role.
MLAs also failed to oppose the same. It will now be sent to the SGPC. Bajwa lamented that even after 550 years of Baba Nanak explaining the significance of place of women in society, they were not allowed to perform kirtan or sewa of Parkash Asthan of Guru Granth Sahib.
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Punjab, Haryana & UP under Supreme Court’s fire on stubble burning
The Supreme Court ordered Punjab, Haryana and U.P (Uttar Pradesh) to give Rs 100 per quintal for non-basmati produce as incentive within a week to farmers who have not burnt crop stubble. A Bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Deepak Gupta, which pulled up the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
for the failure of the three states in stopping stubble burning, ordered the three states to bear the operational cost of hiring of machines for handling the agricultural residue on behalf of marginal and small farmers with landholding of 2.5 acres and 5 acres, respectively.
Congress & Shiromani Akali Dal to attend each other’s events The state government and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday announced to attend the events organised by each other at Sultanpur Lodhi and Dera Baba Nanak. During the session, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh urged all political parties to celebrate
the mega event in a befitting manner. He also requested former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to commemorate this momentous occasion on a common platform, rising above petty political considerations.
Clip featuring three slain Khalistanis triggers row
Fanning the argument being made about the real motive of Pakistan going ahead with the construction of Kartarpur corridor, its government recently released a video to welcome the Sikh pilgrims, featuring three slain Khalistani leaders. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and intelligence officers have been expressing fears that the corridor would be used as a bait to woo the Sikhs to rage a war
against India. The video released by the Pakistan Government features separatist leaders Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale, Amrik Singh Khalsa and Maj Gen Shabeg Singh. The video also features former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Sidhu is seen in the opening frames of the video in which he is seated at a function. In other frames, Pakistan PM Imran Khan is seen addressing a gathering hailing the importance
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INDIA
Saturday, November 9, 2019
BJP, Sena resume govt formation talks The BJP and the Shiv Sena have restarted talks to form an alliance government, according to sources in both parties. Earlier today, six Shiv Sena ministers in the Devendra Fadnavis government attended a Cabinet meeting called by the CM ostensibly to discuss the damage to the kharif crop caused by unseasonal rains. Sources say several options to share power between the BJP and the Sena were discussed at the meeting. A final decision on power sharing would be taken by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, according to party sources. Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar of the BJP said
the two parties would remain together. “The Shiv Sena and the BJP are together. Good news can come any time,” Mungantiwar said. Earlier today, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut called on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar to discuss political situation in the state. After the meeting, Pawar, however, reiterated that the Shiv Sena and the BJP had the mandate to form the next government in the state. “Where is the question of a Shiv Sena-NCP government?” Pawar responded to a reporter’s query. “They are together for the past 25 years.
We will accept Supreme Court’s verdict, says Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind India’s prominent Muslim religious party Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (group of religious scholars of India) said it would accept the Supreme Court’s verdict in Ram Janmabhoomi - Babri Masjid land dispute case, and appealed to Muslims to respect the verdict. The president of Jamiat, Maulana Arshad Madani asserted that Muslims’ claim in the case is based on historical facts and evidence that the Babri Masjid was constructed without demolishing any temple or any other place of worship. At a press conference here, he urged all citizens to maintain peace irrespective of the nature of the verdict. The Ayodhya case is not merely a case of land dispute, but a test case of the supremacy of the law, he was quoted as saying by a statement issued by Jamiat. “Every
justice-loving person wants the case should be adjudicated on the basis of hard facts and evidence, not on the basis of faith and belief,” he said, adding that the Supreme Court has also stated that it is a title suit case only. “We reiterate our old stand that whatever the judgment Supreme Court will deliver on the basis of facts and evidence, we will accept it and we also appeal to Muslims and fellow citizens to respect the SC judgment,” he said. The apex court is expected to give its ruling in the emotive and politically-sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case before November 17 as Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who is heading the Constitution bench in the matter, demits office that day.
India & Russia agree to form groups to maintain defence equipments India and Russia agreed to form specific groups that will take care of after-sales servicing of Russian equipment being used by Indian armed forces. Also, the two countries directed respective teams for early conclusion of the India-Russia inter-governmental agreement on reciprocal logistics support. These were part of the 19th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) meeting, cochaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart General Sergey Shoigu in Moscow today. General Shoigu agreed to a request by India to constitute specific working groups for after-sales support of key defence platforms. Both sides agreed
to intensify efforts to finalise a cooperation programme for 10-year period beginning 2021. Rajnath highlighted the importance of the inter-governmental agreement on manufacturing of spares, components and aggregates in India through joint ventures that would reduce cost, timelines of supply and result in progressive indigenisation. This agreement is expected to provide a major boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative. At the India-Russia Defence Industry Conference held in Moscow on Tuesday, India had said it would share with Russia a list of spares and items of military use, which it required to be manufactured in India.
Arundhati Roy, RK Narayan, Salman Rushdie make it to 100 ‘Novels That Shaped Our World’ list Renowned Indian authors like R.K. Narayan, Arundhati Roy, Salman Rushdie & Vikram Seth are among 100 writers who have featured on a list of the most inspiring novels chosen by a panel of experts and revealed by the BBC. The list has been collated by a panel of writers, curators and critics to select the 100 English language ‘Novels That Shaped Our World.’ The panel — comprising the Times Literary Supplement editor Stig Abell, founder and director of the Bradford Literature Festival Syima Aslam, novelists Juno Dawson and Kit de Waal, journalist and presenter Mariella Frostrup and author and academic Alexander McCall Smith — spent months debating before choosing from an array of contemporary reads, literary classics, graphic novels and children’s books. The list, that ranges from classics to contemporary, is split into ten categories including identity, love, sex and romance, politics, power and protest, and class and society. Roy’s debut novel The God of Small
Things features in the identity category, Narayan Swami and Friends in the ‘Coming of Age’ section while Rushdie’s The Moor’s Last Sigh is placed in the rule breakers class. “R.K. Narayan’s novels are like a box of Indian sweets: highly coloured container conceals a range of delectable treats,” said author Smith about the writer’s books. Indian novelist and poet Seth’s A Suitable Boy also features on the list in the family and friendship category and V.S. Naipaul’s A House for Mr Biswas is placed named in the class and society section. Pakistani authors Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie’ have also made it onto the list for their novels The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Home Fire respectively. Afghan-American novelist Khaled Hosseini’s second novel A Thousand Splendid Suns is also named on the list that features writers from around the world. BBC Arts director Jonty Claypole said he wanted the list to be “provocative, spark debate and inspire curiosity.” The list kickstarts the BBC’s year-long celebration of literature.
Police register 42 new bank fraud cases The federal police said that they had registered 42 new cases of bank fraud amounting to about 72 billion rupees ($1.02 billion) after conducting searches in 187 places across the country. The primarily loan fraud cases were detected at 15 banks, including the country’s largest state-run lender - State Bank of India SBI. NS , according to a statement by the Central Bureau of Investigation. State Bank of India was not immediately available for comment outside business hours. The police said of the 42 cases, four involved a fraud amount of more than 10 billion rupees each. A number of fraud cases have come to light at both state-run and private banks in India over the past two years, where the banking industry has already been grappling with
nearly $150 billion in bad loans Last month, police alleged that Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank (PMC) had used more than 21,000 fictitious accounts https://in.reuters.com/article/us-indiabanking-pmc/indias-pmc-bank-createdover-21000-fake-accounts-to-hide-loanscomplaint-idINKBN1WG43V to hide loans it made to a single real estate firm. year, India’s second-biggest state-controlled lender, Punjab National Bank (NS:PNBK) was hit by a $2 billion https://in.reuters.com/article/ india-fraud-punjab-natl-bank-exclusive/ exclusive-lapses-at-many-levels-of-bank-ledto-indias-huge-pnb-fraud-internal-reportshows-idINKBN1JG009fraud after two jewellery groups used fake bank guarantees to raise billions of dollars in foreign credit.
PMC depositors protest at RBI office, demand full withdrawal Scam-hit PMC Bank’s depositors staged protest outside the RBI office here on Wednesday, demanding complete withdrawal of their money from the bank. Most of the 20odd depositors took to sloganeering against the RBI, alleging it was hand-in-glove with the perpetrators of fraud. The depositors, who gathered here were from Tilak Nagar in West Delhi where the bank has a branch, said most of their families have collective deposits in excess of Rs 51 lakh
in the bank. Earlier in September, the Reserve Bank of India had imposed restrictions on the withdrawal limit of the account-holders after it found alleged irregularities to the tune of Rs 4,355 crore by diverting money to infrastructure firm HDIL. On Tuesday, the apex bank enhanced the cash withdrawal to Rs 50,000 per account, which was the fourth such increase since the bank was placed under its direct control with an administrator on September 23.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
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SOUTH ASIA
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
SE Asia leaders snub US meeting after Trump skips ASEAN summit
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Washington did not send top officials to the weekend ASEAN summit, instead dispatching commerce secretary Wilbur Ross and national security advisor Robert O’Brien. Monday’s sparsely attended address from O’Brien stood in contrast to earlier ASEAN meetings, which had all been attended by most heads of state.
everal Southeast Asian leaders snubbed a meeting with US officials on Monday after President Donald Trump decided not to attend a regional summit in Bangkok. Just three leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) showed up to the session, along with a host of foreign ministers. Trump has been accused of turning his back on Asian allies for pulling out of a major trade pact, as fellow superpower China pursues its own deals and investment projects in the region.
“It’s not appropriate for ASEAN to send leaders when the US representation is not on parity,” one diplomat in Bangkok said. Another diplomat said: “It’s not a boycott, it’s just that other leaders have other meetings to attend to.” In lieu of Trump’s physical presence, O’Brien read a letter from the president inviting “the leaders of ASEAN to join me in the United States for a special summit” in the first three months
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of next year.In attendance were the prime minister of Thailand, which is hosting the summit, along with the leaders of Laos and Vietnam, next year’s ASEAN chair. At other events during the summit, members have rallied against protectionism amid fears of dragging global growth made worse by the US-China trade war. Trump, who attended the 2017 ASEAN meeting in Singapore -Vice President Mike Pence went to the one in Manila last year -- could not come this year because he was busy with campaign events back home, a senior White House official said.
Devotees perform rituals at Nepal’s Bagmati river during the Chhath Puja is known as Chhathi Maiya. The Chhath Puja is performed in order to thank Sun god for sustaining life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes.
Hindu devotees perform ritual at the Bagmati river to the setting sun during the Chhath festival. The festival, also known as Surya Pooja (worship of the sun), is observed in Nepal and eastern parts of India where homage is paid to the sun and water Gods. During the Chhath festival, devotees undergo a fast and offer water and milk to the Sun God at dawn and dusk. The Goddess who is worshipped
A devotee in a ritual to worship the sun god during the Chhath Puja in Bagmati river, Kathmandu, Nepal.
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Heated arguments erupted in Sri Lanka parliament when gov’t and the JVP MPs raised concerns that no action has been taken against the MPs who were involved in violent behaviour in parliament during Constitutional crisis last year. JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake said no action has been taken against those who threw chilli powder and broke microphones in parliament even after the committee appointed to look into the matter where some 54 MPs found responsible for the incident. Minister Ajith P. Perera said action can be taken against those responsible over the incident based on
criminal liability and privilege issue. MP Asu Marasinghe requested the Speaker to take action against those responsible based on recommendations of the committee. UPFA MP Gamini Lokuge said people would decide whether the behaviour of the MPs were correct or wrong at the November 16 presidential election. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said report of the committee headed by Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri had been referred to the Attorney General for necessary action and added that he would discuss with Mr. Kumarasiri and take appropriate action to expedite the legal procedure.
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SOUTH ASIA
Saturday, November 9, 2019
India does not join China-backed Asia-Pacific trade pact Asia-Pacific economies are moving closer to signing a regional China-backed trade pact, but one key country isn’t yet on board: India. Leaders of 16 nations gathered for a series of summits in Thailand said in a statement Monday that India had “significant outstanding issues.” Its decision whether to sign the agreement would depend on the resolution of those issues, the statement said, paving the way for the 15 others to sign next year. Those countries have worked out all their market-access issues and are moving on to the legal vetting stage, the leaders said. Many Indian businesses and farmers oppose the deal, called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, and worry that cheap Chinese imports would flood the Indian market. In a tweet on Monday, opposition politician Rahul Gandhi expressed concern that the proposed pact, designed to
lower trade barriers, would result in millions of job losses. Other than India, talks for the deal involve 10 Southeast Asian countries as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Their decision to move forward without full agreement from New Delhi after years of negotiations signals a push for greater economic integration at a time when the U.S. and China are locked in a disruptive trade war. “Against the backdrop of a fast-changing global environment, the completion of the RCEP negotiations will demonstrate our collective commitment to an open trade and investment environment across the region,” the statement said, adding that the agreement would boost growth and support the global multilateral trading system. President Trump has favored one-on-one talks over sprawling arrangements involving a large number of parties.
Kabul to probe Pakistan’s security complaints Pakistan closed its consular services in Kabul on Monday, citing unspecified security concerns and an Afghan official said the government would investigate the issue, though it was not officially informed of any concerns. Pakistan’s Embassy announced the closure in a statement, saying that the consular services would no longer be available until further information. On Sunday, Pakistan’s foreign affairs ministry summoned the Afghan chargé d’affaires to convey concerns about the safety of its diplomats in Kabul. “The Afghan chargé d’affaires was informed that the officers and
staff of the Embassy of Pakistan were being harassed over the past two days,” it said, adding that they were blocked while on the road and that embassy vehicles were hit by motorcycles while on their way to the diplomatic mission in Kabul. Gran Hewad, spokesman for the Afghan foreign ministry, told The Associated Press that authorities will investigate the issue. “We are in contact with the Pakistan Embassy here in Kabul to solve the issue,” he said. Afghanistan and Pakistan have an uneasy relationship, with Kabul blaming Islamabad for supporting the Taliban in the country’s protracted war, a charge Pakistan denies.
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Led by India, South Asia moving towards becoming center of global growth:
ed by India, South Asia is moving towards becoming center of global growth and could contribute about onethird of the world’s growth by 2040, according to a latest research by the International Monetary Fund. Notably, under the IMF’s geographical division of the world, South Asia does not include Afghanistan and Pakistan. For IMF, South Asia includes India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives. Under a substantial liberalisation scenario, supported by stepped-up efforts to improve infrastructure and successfully harness South Asia’s young and large workforce, the region could contribute about one-third of global growth by 2040, argues the IMF paper ‘Is South Asia Ready for take Off? A sustainable and inclusive growth agenda,’ to be released in New Delhi on Monday. “Looking at it both from the growth trajectory that we see and the development elsewhere in Asia, we see South Asia as moving towards being much more of center of global growth,” Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf, Deputy Director, Asia and Pacific Department, IMF said ahead of the release of the report. Previewing some key aspects of the IMF research, Gulde-Wolf noted that based on demographic trends, more than 150 million people in the region are expected to enter the labour market by 2030. “We have a region with a massive potential for demographic dividend. (This is), a region that has been seen over the recent past significant growth spurt,” she said.
This young and large workforce can be South Asia’s strength, if supported by a successful high-quality and job-rich growth strategy, leveraging all sectors of the economy in a balanced way. The IMF paper says. Although policy recommendations remain countryspecific, for many South Asian economies these should include: further progress in revenue mobilisation and fiscal consolidation; greater trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) liberalisation; and investment in people, the paper notes. What can India do to harness the potential demographic dividend and to avoid pitfalls of rapid growth that we have seen in other areas, she asked. The IMF is looking at sustainable growth, avoiding massive ecological problems that could be associated with this kind of imbalanced prose. That’s why IMF sees India needing a multipronged approach that leverages the advantages that the country already has, she said. “The country has already an excellent tertiary education system, built a on high value-added services. So, in no way, should any strategy devalue that aspect,” she said. But it needs to be complemented with areas like manufacturing sector, wherein India is below what would one expect from a country with that level of development, she said adding that the issue is how to involve private sector to increase the manufacturing base.
US needs more skilled immigrants from two countries The U.S. is still a land of opportunity for immigrants. That is the implication of a new research paper by economists Ran Abramitzky, Leah Platt Boustan, Elisa Jácome and Santiago Pérez. Using historical Census data to compare the incomes of immigrant fathers and their native-born sons, the economists found that the second generation has been just as ca-
pable of moving up the economic ladder in recent decades as they were a century ago. Looking at second-generation American men whose immigrant fathers were at the 25th percentile of income — in other words, fairly poor — they found that they tend to climb higher than their poor counterparts whose fathers were born in the U.S.
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FIJI
Saturday, November 9, 2019
8 executive and senior chefs to battle it out in the Culinary Masters Fiji 2019 Tournament Championship Eight executive and senior chefs from the country will be battling it out in the Culinary Masters Fiji 2019 Tournament Championship from today at Sheraton Denarau to be recognised as one of the best chefs in the country. Culinary Federation Fiji President, Chef Lance Seeto says this competition is a way to bring in senior, executive, and sous chefs and give them a fun competition and at the same time give them an opportunity to show their younger staff how they think and how they approach food. Seeto says there is a big gap in the
knowledge that is holding the industry back from producing exceptional food. He says this is because many local chefs do not get to leave the country to experience the different types of food from other countries. He adds that this need is being filled by expatriate chefs so that they could teach local chefs from their experiences. Eight chefs will be given 8 different ingredients and their aim will be to show these ingredients in the best light. The winning chef will win $2,000.
Ministry of Defence and USP developing app where people can report suspicious activities associated with hard drugs An app aimed at providing people a platform to report suspicious activities associated with hard drugs within their respective communities is being designed and developed by the Ministry of Defence and National Security in collaboration with the University of the South Pacific. It is anticipated that the Narcotics App will be completed by February 2020. Planned features for the app include reporting of intel to nearby Police stations and an awareness portal for periodic alerts, news, information on drugs and its effects. A counseling portal for those who are or having second thoughts about drug use as well as emergency or help contacts of all agencies will be made available on the app. The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence and National
Security, Manasa Lesuma says the use of the University’s resources coupled with Government intelligence and information will ensure the effective and efficient
Alleged drug smuggler Justin Ho has again applied for bail which will be heard by the Lautoka High Court later this month. Ho is charged with one count of unlawful exportation of illicit drugs and has applied for bail for the third time. A hearing has been set for the 27th of this month. Co-accused Fredrick Epeli appeared for pre-trial checklist documents. The 40-year-old is also charged with
one count of unlawful exportation of illicit drugs. It is alleged last December, Fredrick Epeli and Justin Ho without lawful authority facilitated in exporting more than two kilos of cocaine and illicit drugs to Sydney, Australia via Fiji Airways. It’s also alleged that on the same day, the two engaged in the transfer, transport, supply, use, manufacture, and sale of cocaine and illicit drugs.
There are no political prosecutions in Fiji - Pryde Director of Public Prosecutions Christopher Pryde says there are no political prosecutions in Fiji. In his opening statement on the Universal Periodic Review of Fiji’s National Reports at the United Nations Human Rights Council, Pryde says it should be noted that no one person or organisation is targeted, it is the crime that is targeted not the individual or organisation. He says whilst politicians or political
leaders or trade unionists may find themselves investigated or charged with a criminal offence from time to time, they can be assured they are charged on the evidence objectively applied to the law and not due to their status or position in society. Pryde also says although Fiji is becoming more tolerant of the rights of minorities, recent years have seen an increase in incidents of hate speech targeting vulnerable minority groups.
HFC Bank presents cheque of $15,000 to Fiji Cancer Society
design and development of the app. USP Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia say the University through the Faculty of Science, Technology, and Environment will work closely with the Ministry in facilitating the app.
Police working with relevant authorities in the investigation and prosecution of breaches of human rights by police Police Commissioner, Sitiveni Qiliho says they are working closely with the Fiji Human Rights and Anti Discrimination Commission, the Legal Aid Commission and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the management, reporting, investigation and prosecution of breaches of human rights by police officers. Qiliho highlighted this in his opening statement on the Universal Periodic Review of Fiji’s National Reports at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. He says they have incorporated the UN Convention in assigning a dedicated Human
Drug smuggler applies for bail again
Rights Cell, under the direction of the Internal Affairs to independently investigate and report on complaints against police officers on breach of human rights. He says further to this, they have also crafted policy on the use of pepper spray for immediate implementation in association with the Fiji Police Force Policy. Qiliho says training for this in all five policing divisions have been ongoing, and the same has been incorporated in their recruitment and training programs which is also extended to their regional counterparts.
HFC Bank has presented a cheque of $15,000 to Fiji Cancer Society. The amount is a culmination of the banks staff fundraising campaign held in the month of October which was matched cent to cent by the bank. HFC Bank CEO, Rakesh Ram says through their ‘Women in Leadership’ initiative, the bank provided their 6 women leaders with the opportunity to plan, coordinate and lead the bank’s Pinktober fundraising initiative. Mere Cavu (Manager Credit Approvals & Asset Quality), Shilpa Jogia (Senior Business Relationship Manager), Ateca Whippy (Manager Lending Support – Retail), Shimal Naidu (Customer Advocate), Georgina Naigulevu (Senior Manager Applications,
Projects & Innovation) and Ashwindar Singh (Manager Retail Assurance) were selected and they started the bank’s Pinktober fundraising campaign with an awareness talk from breast cancer survivor Vosita Tokalauvere together with Fiji Cancer Society personnel.
56 landowners and landowning groups to share $500,000 allocated for 2019 SEED Fund Grants through TLTB 56 iTaukei landowners and landowning groups will share from $500,000 that has been allocated for the 2019 SEED Fund Grants through the iTaukei Land Trust Board. While issuing the grants, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama told
the recipients there are critics out there who will lie and say these seed-funding grants are handouts or freebies adding when they say that, they think they are insulting the government.
PAKISTAN
Saturday, November 9, 2019 Pakistan & China agreed to set a new direction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for future cooperation in high economic impact areas by largely shifting away from infrastructure projects, except the $9 billion Mainline-1 projects. Islamabad reinforced its decision to fence the Pak-Iran border after the Pak-Afghan border aimed at securing the CPEC from external threats and
China and Pakistan to expand CPEC cooperation cons olidat ing internal security gains. Minister for Planning Khurso Bakhtiar announced to perform the groundbreaking
Former PM Sharif discharged from hospital Former PM Sharif was discharged Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that from hospital on Wednesday after the three-time prime minister will his daughter was formally released not be treated at Sharif Medical from custody. According to details, Complex and will be treated at Kot Lakhpat Jail officials issued the Sharif ’s residence where an ICU release orders that were later sent unit has been established under to Services Hospital for signatures. the supervision of his personal Sharif, who was actually discharged physician Dr Adnan Malik. At the on Tuesday, had refused to be moved time of his hospitalisation, Sharif to his residence in Raiwind at the was diagnosed with acute immune eleventh hour because Maryam had thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), Nawaz Sharif not been released from the prison a bleeding disorder in which the despite the submission of surety bonds and immune system destroys platelets. passport to the court. PML-N Spokesperson
Prime minster Khan ready to accept ‘valid’ demands: Report Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was ready to accept all “valid” demands of the ‘Azadi March’ protesters, led by firebrand cleric-cum-politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, except their call for his resignation. Khan reportedly made the remarks in a meeting with Defence Minister Pervez Khattak-led team tasked to negotiate with the opposition parties taking part in the massive march comprising thousands of protesters in Islamabad. “The government is ready to accept all valid demands except the demand for resignation,” The Express Tribune quoted Khan as saying. Last night, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government sent a second delegation to firebrand cleric-cum-politician Rehman’s residence to break the impasse in the wake of the Opposition’s bid to oust Khan. The right-
wing Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader is leading the massive protest, which entered the fifth day on Tuesday. Dubbed as ‘Azadi March’, the protesters
demand Khan’s resignation, accusing him of “rigging” the 2018 general elections. The Opposition parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People Party (PPP), have also thrown their weight behind the anti-government rally. The government, on the other hand, has demanded that the committee end the sit-in. —
Pakistan asked to clarify on passport Taking note of Prime Minister Khan’s tweet suggesting that passport would not be required for Kartarpur visit, the gov’t said it had asked the neighbouring country to clarify on the issue since the document was required according to the MoU signed in that regard. Sources said the agreement would have to be amended in case of any change in its terms. “Our security agencies will be careful. Pakistan’s larger aim is to encourage separatism,” said a source. “Pakistan is yet to respond to India’s request to allow visit of advance teams to see arrangements for dignitaries and convey the requirements, if any,” another source said. The corridor would connect Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Punjab with Kartarpur Sahib in
Pakistan, around 4 km from the International Border. Notwithstanding a chill in bilateral ties over Kashmir, Pakistan and India, after tough negotiations, signed a landmark agreement in October to put in operation the Kartarpur Corridor to allow pilgrims to visit Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. The two countries have decided that 5,000 pilgrims can visit the shrine every day and that additional pilgrims will be allowed on special occasions, subject to capacity expansion of facilities on the Pakistan side. India and Pakistan have also decided that the corridor will be operational seven days a week through the year and the pilgrims, except the elderly and kids, will have a choice to visit it as individuals or in groups.
ceremony of the $9 billion ML-I project, which had been facing a four-year delay. The decisions to expand the CPEC scope to copper, gold, oil, and gas sectors were taken during the 9th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting that was co-
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chaired by Planning Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) ViceChairman Ning Jizhe. “The JCC meeting was fruitful, discussions successful and the agreed framework is promising”, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing said, while addressing a joint press conference along with the planning minister.
Pakistan settles trade dispute with Russia Gov’t of Paksitan finally decided to sign a deal with Moscow to settle a 39-year old exporters’ claims case pending since the disintegration of the Soviet Union, paving the way for Russia to invest over $8 billion in Pakistan. The Pakistani government has authorised its ambassador to Russia to sign the deal. Under the agreement, the Pakistani government will return $93.5 million to Russia within 90 days of the signing and clear pending exporters’ claims to the tune of $23.8 million as per the settlement agreements reached on October 6, 2016 and December 27, 2017. The efforts to sign the deal with Russia were kicked off by the previous government of the PML-N government and the incumbent regime has decided to execute it. Moscow has
conveyed to Islamabad that it would invest $8 billion in Pakistan’s energy sector and the Pakistan Steel Mills. But according to Russian law, it cannot invest in countries with which it has disputes. The deal will enable Russia to invest in different sectors in Pakistan, officials told The Express Tribune. According to the commerce division, in the 1980s the then USSR and its companies used to buy textile and other material from Pakistani companies. To ensure the smooth functioning of the barter trade, former USSR opened two bank accounts in the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP). The funds in these accounts were deposited by the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) through the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Upon the disintegration of the
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4 Indian-Americans shine in US poll Four Indian-Americans, including a Muslim woman and a former White House technology policy adviser, have won state and local elections held in the United States on Tuesday. Indian-American Ghazala Hashmi, a former community college professor, created history by becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected to the Virginia State Senate, while Suhas Subramanyam, who served as the White House technology policy adviser to former president Barack Obama, has been elected to the Virginia State House of Representative. In her maiden attempt, Hashmi, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Republican State Senator Glen Sturtevant for the Virginia’s 10th Senate District, drawing national attention. “This victory is not mine alone. It belongs to all of you who believed that we needed to make progressive change here in Virginia, for all of you who felt that you haven’t had a voice and believed in me to be yours in the General Assembly,” she said after her historic victory.
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who was the first woman presidential candidate, congratulated Hashmi. Hashmi moved to the US from India as a young girl with her family 50 years ago. She earned a BA in English from Georgia Southern University and a PhD from Emory University. She and her husband, Azhar, moved to the Richmond area in 1991. Hashmi has spent the past 25 years as a leading educator in Virginia’s college and university system. She currently serves as the founding director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Reynolds Community College. Subramanyam, meanwhile, entered the Virginia State House of Representatives from the Indian-Americandominated district of Loudon and Prince William. “My promise to the people of Loudoun and Prince William: I will always listen to you, work tirelessly for you, and do everything I can to empower you.
NRI nurses may lose jobs due to new qualification requirement in UAE
Hundreds of Indian nurses working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are at a risk of losing their jobs due to a new qualification requirement. As per media reports, a new rule makes a bachelor’s degree in nursing the minimum educational qualification to work as a registered nurse in the UAE. The rule has already affected over 200 nurses holding diploma certificates, who have lost their jobs with several others having been demoted. According to reports, nurses with diploma certificates who continue to be retained were required to do a Post Basic BSc Nursing Programme from universities in the UAE accredited by the Ministry of Education (MoE) by 2020. However, several nurses, who have enrolled for the programmes in different
universities, are now faced with another problem - their requests for equivalency certificate for their diploma certificates are getting rejected. Nurses from Kerala are the only ones from India who have found some relief as the the MoE recognises the nursing council of the state and is thus issuing equivalency certificates for those who hold diploma certificates from the State. Kerala sends the highest number of nurses to the country. However, those who obtained their diplomas from outside Kerala are struggling and have said that they will approach India’s Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, who is scheduled to visit the UAE this week, seeking urgent intervention to resolve the issue.
NRI offers help in generating power from stubble in Punjab To address the problem of the stubble burning, an India born NRI businessman has proposed to set up 1,000 MW biomass energy generating plants in his home state Punjab. The US-based Chiranjeev Kathuria told IANS here on Friday that his company New Generation Power International has plans to invest in 4,000 MW in power projects in Punjab. Out of these projects, 3,000 MW would be generated by the solar power and the remaining by using the biomass made from the stubble of both paddy and wheat crops. According to him, the crop residue would be purchased from the farmers and this would help counter environment pollution, a serious problem in the northern India. The plan is to set up 200 plants, each having 5 MW capacity, which will use the
stubble as raw material. This will help in solving the stubble burning issue. Each plant will be located strategically near a major sub-station and will cater to 1015 villages, he said.State Revenue Minister Gurpreet Kangar said the power produced by the plants set up would be fed directly into the main grid. The Punjab State Power Corp Ltd will get the benefit of this additional power. This initiative will cost about Rs 25,000 crore and will be set up by Kathuria on build-operate-and-transfer (BOT) format, the Minister said. The power subsidy of the state government will be ultimately reduced to just Rs 500 crore in the long run.
Garcha is NRI dept coordinator Davinder Singh Garcha, an NRI from Dehliz Kalan village, near here, has been appointed as a coordinator by the Department of NRI Affairs. Garcha will be privileged to facilitate implementation of ‘Connect with your Roots’ scheme of the state government and ‘Know India Programme’ of the Centre. Having associated with the Overseas Congress of the state, philanthropist Garcha is presently settled in British Columbia, who has been working for the welfare of Punjabi NRIs settled in Canada and youths visiting the country for pursuing higher education there. Perusal of records revealed that the
government had initiated a scheme for promoting art, culture and language of Punjab among Punjabi Diaspora and youngsters. Similar scheme has been launched by the Centre under the banner ‘Know India Programme” and Garcha has been entrusted the job of facilitating both the schemes in Canada. Paying gratitude to the government for confidence posed in him, Garcha said he would keep close coordination with the NRI Department of Punjab and the Indian High Commission in his country, besides maintaining liaison among various associations working for welfare of Punjabis settled in Canada.
Robbers snatch purse from NRI Two unidentified motorcyclists snatched a purse containing two mobiles, Rs 70,000, one gold chain, two earrings and two passports from a US-based woman on Friday. The victim was going on a rickshaw along with her husband Tirlochan Singh, a resident of Kahna Dhesian village, near Sharma Hospital. The husband of the victim in his complaint told the police that
he, along with his wife, were going to market after withdrawing money from a SBI branch when the miscreants snatched the purse and managed to flee the spot. The police have registered a case under Sections 379-B and 34 of the IPC. OC
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