Indo-Canadian Voice Main - Jan 28 2023

Surrey Police Service deploys additional frontline officers

SURREY Police Service (SPS) announced on Monday that it has deployed 18 more experienced constables to work with Surrey RCMP of�icers in frontline policing, investigations, and dealing with gangs.

This brings the total number of SPS of�icers who have been deployed into policing operations in Surrey to 205.

This deployment was approved and supported by both police agencies as well as the Surrey Policing Transition Trilateral Committee to provide the appropriate resourcing levels to deliver policing services in Surrey.

As with previous deployment cohorts, these of�icers come from various police agencies and add valuable experience to frontline call response. Every deployed SPS of�icer completes a six-week training course to ensure all provincial policing standards are met and to familiarize them with SPS policies and practices.

Despite past experience and training with their former agencies, SPS ensures all of its of�icers receive updated training based on current industry best practices before they are deployed.

“I continue to be impressed by the experienced of�icers who have joined Surrey Police Service,” said SPS Chief Constable Norm Lipinski.

Province asks City of Surrey, RCMP and Surrey Police Service for additional information

MIKE Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, has released the following statement about the Surrey policing transition:

from the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General on the future of Surrey’s policing transition, phase one of the transition and the SPS-RCMP Human Resources Strategy and Plan remain in effect, said SPS.

“Their backgrounds and expertise coupled with their desire to deliver the best in policing makes them excellent additions to SPS and to the community they serve.

SPS currently has 333 police of�icers, including 39 recruit of�icers who are either training at the Justice Institute of British Columbia or in �ield training with frontline of�icers in Surrey. In total, SPS said it has 394 sworn and civilian employees, all of whom are dedicated to providing a community focused, progressive policing driven service for Surrey residents and business owners.

While all parties await a decision

“While municipalities are responsible for local policing and law enforcement, it’s my responsibility to ensure adequate and effective policing is maintained in Surrey, the region and throughout British Columbia, so that people are kept safe.

“Ministry staff have completed a comprehensive review of the submissions we received in

has 333 police o�icers, including 39 recruit

Chief Constable Norm Lipinski

Mike Farnworth

Vancouver’s Consulate General of India celebrated the 74th Republic Day of India on Thursday led by Consul General Manish (far right). A number of former Indian servicemen also participated. Photo submitted

Members of :

“This matter affects not only policing in Surrey, but across the province”

CONTINUED FROM 1

December from the City of Surrey, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Surrey Police Service regarding the Surrey police transition.

“It’s clear that considerable work has gone into developing these

plans and reports, and I appreciate their timely submission.

“The director of police services has determined that additional information is required to inform further consideration of the matter and has made a request to the parties for that information.

“The policing transition in Surrey is unprecedented and complex and requires a full and in-depth analysis.

I am grateful for the work all parties have undertaken to date. We will await their timely responses and look forward to continued collaboration.

“This matter affects not only policing in Surrey, but across the province. The stability of policing is fundamental to ensuring our provincial responsibilities are met. Public safety in the City of Surrey and throughout British Columbia continues to be our core driving principle.”

Surrey Councillors slam Newton BIA President for opposing new community centre

“It is unfortunate that Mr. Aguirre, who does not reside in Surrey, is advocating for delaying this important project for our community and young families”

Racism against South Asians?

SAFE Surrey Coalition (SSC) councillors Doug Elford and Mandeep Nagra on Wednesday slammed Newton BIA President Philip Aguirre for his recent statement opposing plans to build the new world class Newton Community Centre. The Newton community has historically been neglected and under-invested in by previous city councils. With the commitment of former mayor Doug McCallum and the Safe Surrey Coalition, plans are in place to build a state-of-the-art

community centre for the families of Newton.

“It is unfortunate that Mr. Aguirre,

who does not reside in Surrey, is advocating for delaying this important project for our community and young families. The new Newton Community Centre will be a vital resource for residents and should not be delayed by the personal opinions of those who do not reside in the area,” said Elford.

Nagra added: “The residents and families of Newton deserve the best and should not be denied access to world-class civic facilities.

Safe Surrey Coalition will reject any attempts to delay or impede the construction of the Newton Community Centre.”

The Safe Surrey Coalition Councillors are dedicated to ensuring that the residents of Newton have access to the resources and amenities they deserve and will continue

to advocate for the timely completion of the Newton Community Centre.

5 young males in their twenties shot in 2 different incidents in Abbotsford

ABBOTSFORD Police patrol officers on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. responded to a shooting in the 27800-block of Pullman Avenue.

Officers located a male victim in his twenties with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Abbotsford Police’s Major Crime Unit has taken over the investigation with the assistance of

patrol officers and the Forensic Identification Section. Investigators are in the preliminary stages of this investigation; however, the initial investigation suggests that this incident was not random.

On Saturday evening, four male victims in their twenties were shot in the 28700-block of King Road. They sustained non-life-threaten-

ing injuries. Police said that their initial investigation suggested that this incident was not random and was a targeted incident.

Investigators seek witnesses and dashcam footage from those who may have been travelling along Fraser Highway, between Station Road and Bradner Road, and along Lefeuvre Road between

Downes Road and Swensson Avenue, between 5:30 and 7 p.m. and ask them to contact the Abbotsford Police Department at 604859-5225.

Investigators also seek witnesses and dashcam footage from those who may have been travelling along King Road between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Department: newsdesk@voiceonline.com

Sablok & Sablok, Notaries Public has over 35 years combined experience in Notarial practice. We proudly provide prompt, efficient and accurate service to our clients from the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, northern British Columbia (B.C.) and even outside the Province of B.C. Whether you are buying or selling your first or 20th home, we are there to assist you. We utilize the latest technology for making your transaction complete as smoothly as possible.

We at Sablok & Sablok welcome you to call our office with any questions you may have about purchasing property, making a Last Will, Powers of Attorney, or any other Notary related services.

”

The news deadline for this issue of The VOICE was Friday morning. For more news and updates, please visit our website voiceonline.com

Doug Elford Mandeep Nagra

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke gets increasingly desperate

SURREY Mayor Brenda Locke’s claims of being transparent were exposed just last week as we reported in our story titled “Surrey taxpayers paying tens of thousands of dollars for lobbyist for RCMP; Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke’s double standards shock Surrey-ites.”

Bob Mackin of Glacier Media Group reported that Surrey City Hall has hired BC Liberal insider Mark Marissen, former husband of former BC premier Christy Clark, to lobby the NDP government to keep the RCMP in Surrey. Mackin revealed that “Marissen is also a longtime associate of Shannon Salter, Eby’s deputy minister, cabinet secretary and head of the public service.”

Locke and her staff at City Hall refused to provide any information to Mackin. Instead, the City’s freedom of information (FOI) office sent an email requesting a $10 payment. Mackin pointed out that Locke had promised to eliminate the $10 FOI fee imposed by then-mayor Doug McCallum and his Safe Surrey Coalition council majority. She had declared: “By eliminating the fee, residents will see we are serious about transparency and good government.”

So what happened to her transparency?

Locke thought that with her SECRET MISSION AGENT, keeping the RCMP in Surrey was a LOCK!

However, the government decided that more facts had to be unlocked!

Earlier, her scare tactic with exaggerated financial figures to

scare Surrey-ites about the police transitioning had been exposed left, right and centre.

NOW that Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth on Thursday asked for more information from the City of Surrey, the RCMP and the Surrey Police Service regarding the ongoing transition, Locke seems to have lost her balance completely and it shows very clearly that she is NOT FIT to be the mayor.

Locke and her RCMP masters are now IN A PANIC just because Farnworth has quite rightly asked for more information from all three parties involved to make sure of ALL the facts.

Farnworth said in a statement on Thursday: "The director of police services has determined that additional information

is required to inform further consideration of the matter and has made a request to the parties for that information.”

And the minister noted: “The policing transition in Surrey is unprecedented and complex and requires a full and in-depth analysis,” adding: “"This matter affects not only policing in Surrey, but across the province. The stability of policing is fundamental to ensuring our provincial responsibilities are met. Public safety in the City of Surrey and throughout British Columbia continues to be our core driving principle."

That IS the government’s job –due diligence, and not the scare tactics and false figures that Locke and her gang have been flinging around recklessly.

It is also SHAMEFUL that BC

Liberal MLAs from Surrey Trevor Halford and Elenore Sturko do not understand what “due diligence” means. They should stop playing dirty politics with this issue.

HOWEVER, Locke can’t face up to hard facts, and so, once again she fired off another of her press releases that has made her a joke in the media.

Locke said on Thursday: “The City is now considering its options as I do not believe the Province’s reason to delay its decision is justified. The inability to make a timely decision is unfair to SPS and RCMP officers and their families.”

Wow, so now Locke has SOME sympathy for the SPS officers and their families also! She never bothered about that earlier.

Locke added: “It also impacts the City’s ability to complete our budget for 2023. The longer two police agencies are operating with this uncertainty, the more taxpayer dollars are being unnecessarily spent. The instability needs to come to an end, and a timely response is critical.”

Again, the financial scare tactic!

Locke insisted: “The City and the RCMP completed comprehensive plans on the steps forward to maintain the RCMP. We have clearly and thoroughly provided all the necessary details to demonstrate our ability to maintain the Surrey RCMP and can do so in a more cost effective and timely way than continuing with SPS. The RCMP has served Surrey well for 70 years and crime has been trending downward over the past decade.”

And she added: “It is natural

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke (right) with her buddy, RCMP Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards: From laughter to panic!

The lady is sure showing her true colours now!

CONTINUED FROM 3

to want more information as we put our Plans into effect. It is a waste of time to continue to do that work prior to the Province’s decision. The Minister needs to confirm the City has already made the decision. Now we need to act to get more information and an Action Plan in place. The City is ready to act. The Province needs to do the right thing and confirm the City has the right to this decision.”

WOW!

The lady is sure showing her true colours now!

Pushy like a bully -- instead of confidently saying, “No problem. We will provide you all the additional facts and clarifications you want.”

What are the facts?

The Surrey Police Service was established after Doug McCallum of Safe Surrey Coalition won the 2018 municipal election

on that mandate with 40 per cent of the total votes cast — as compared to the 28 per cent of the total votes cast for Brenda Locke in 2022 on her pledge to keep the RCMP in Surrey.

What is more, Locke of Surrey Connect won by fewer than 1,000 votes! Locke bagged 33,111 votes as compared to McCallum’s 32,338 votes — a difference of only 973 votes.

When RCMP supporters kept insisting that McCallum couldn’t get rid of the RCMP because he didn’t get 50 per cent of the votes and that they wanted a referendum, Locke supported them wholeheartedly. Not once did she disagree with them and, in fact, even encouraged their fascist behaviour.

In fact, a referendum by pro-RCMP forces that was inspired and paid for by the RCMP’s National Police Federation could not even garner as many votes as McCallum won as mayor!

So what’s happened now, Locke?

Off-duty first responders and Good Samaritan save life of driver involved in crash

A serious collision occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. on January 19 in the 11900-block of Highway 10 in Delta. The collision was reported to EComm 911, resulting in the dispatch of the Delta Fire Department (DFD), the Delta Police Department (DPD), the Surrey Fire Department (SFD), and the British Columbia Emergency Health Services (EHS).

The collision involved five vehicles, two of which were heavily damaged, and one that caught fire. Prior to the arrival of emergency responders, a Good Samaritan, an offduty RCMP officer, and an offduty Delta firefighter jumped into action to rescue the driver of the burning vehicle who was seriously injured from

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre sends best wishes on India’s Republic Day

PIERRE Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, released the following statement on Republic Day in India:

“When they officially gained their independence in 1947, the people of India came together with a vision of freedom and democracy for their country. Together, elected officials worked to craft the core constitutional documents and arrangements that would form the cornerstone of political life in India as they mapped out their future as a sovereign, democratic nation.

“On this day in 1950, these efforts came to joyful fruition, as the Constitution of India was brought into effect, entrenching the values of freedom and equality for all Indians and laying a firm foundation for the world’s largest democracy.

“Today, India continues to flourish and make invaluable contributions to the international community. The values enshrined in its Constitution remain central to India’s national identity as it works to champion justice and liberty on the world stage.

“Here in Canada, we celebrate the longstanding friendship between our two countries, rooted in our shared heritage, demo-

Pierre Poilievre

cratic values, and fruitful collaboration.

“As millions of people come together for a day of parades and festivities celebrating India’s democratic journey and the sacrifices of those who have fought to safeguard its freedom, I send my best wishes to all who are celebrating in India, here in Canada and around the world.

“Happy Republic Day!”

Lisa Helps appointed as Premier’s adviser on housing to support rollout of BC Builds

PREMIER David Eby has appointed Lisa Helps, Victoria’s former mayor, as the Premier’s housing solutions adviser.

find a good place to live in their communities.”

the crash. Their action prevented the driver from being harmed further. The driver’s injuries, while considered serious, are not life-threatening.

A second driver, trapped in another vehicle, was removed by attending fire crews. This driver received minor injuries

from the collision. Delta Police said they would like to acknowledge the actions of the three citizens in rescuing the driver from the burning vehicle. Their training in first response was helpful in likely saving a life and certainly saving the driver from more serious injury.

Helps will work with the Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing, stakeholders and partners, to help design and develop the BC Builds program, an initiative to build housing for middle-income families, individuals and seniors.

“The current reality is that many people in our province struggle to find housing, even if they earn a good

income,” said Eby on Thursday. “I’m very pleased that Lisa Helps has agreed to use her years of leadership to help us work on innovative solutions, like BC Builds, to make it easier for people to

Helps’ appointment as a special adviser on housing comes after Dr. Penny Ballem was named the Premier’s health systems specialist and Doug White was named the special counsel to the Premier on Indigenous reconciliation.

“Doug, Penny and Lisa have tremendous amounts of experience and they are all very motivated to help take concrete action on the issues important to British Columbians,” said Eby.

Photo: Twitter

Photo: Delta Police

David Eby

BY GIRA BHATT

ON Sunday, January 22, about 100 members of our community gathered at Surrey City Hall to celebrate the collaborative connections of seven agencies of Surrey who had come together to conclude BC Ministry of Public Safety Civil Forfeiture Award funded project “Strength-based Gang Prevention Programming for Youth and Families.”

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke along with City councillors Doug Elford, Mike Bose, Linda Annis, Rob Stutt and Pardeep Kooner, and MP Sukh Dhaliwal attended this event. The participating project partners were honored with a Certificate of Appreciation. The honorees were Dukh Nivaran Sahib Gurdwara, Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Sikh Academy, South Asian Community Coalition Against Youth Violence (SACCAYV), Pacific Community Resources Society (PCRS), MOSAIC, and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of BC (CFSEU-BC).

The project was a merging of community action and academic research on what makes for strong youth who would resist the lures and recruitment tactics of criminal gangs. The research needed to be integrated with existing youth programs at community locations. It was at this juncture that the community groups came on board with their overwhelming support. Together they all worked to make their existing youth program evidence-based and interactive. The uniqueness of this project was its focus on recognizing and building character strengths that research shows to be important such as gratitude, forgiveness, humility, being true to self, cultural identity. Program managers and youth facilitators of participating organizations completed training workshops. With the support of City of Surrey SAFE program and led by two academic researchers from KPU, a total of

four program managers and 15 youth facilitators attended training workshops learning to adapt the program guide to align with their agencies’ mandate. Over 150 youth and 170 parents, including 15 grandparents, completed strengthbased violence prevention interactive sessions, many of them attending all eight sessions.

The event began with a warm welcome and a brief summary of the project by KPU members Dr. Gira Bhatt and Dr. Roger Tweed. Locke addressed the attendees and then gave out Certificates of Appreciation to the representatives of the project partner agencies who supported the project activities. Narinder Singh Walia, President of Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib, and the Youth Darbar program manager, Bhupinder Singh, along with youth leader Ajeetpal Singh Gill were acknowledged for offering eight Sunday sessions based on the findings of academic research and Guru’s teachings. Baldeep Singh Nijjar, President of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, along with program manager, Bhupinder Kaur Biln, and youth facilitator Karambir Singh were honored on the stage.

Balwant Sanghera, past chair of the South Asian Community Coalition Against Youth Violence (SACCAYV) also accepted the honor. Also acknowledged were Sarjeet Purewal of the PCRS, Staff-Sgt. Lindsey Houghton of CFSEU-BC, Harpal Singh of Sikh Academy, and Olga Stachova, CEO of MOSAIC. After being honored with a Certificate of Appreciation, Inspector Baltej Dhillon (Ret.), who is the Program Manager for the Crimes, Guns, and Intelligence Group with the CFSEUBC, addressed the attendees, highlighting the importance of the “prevention” piece in the policing plans targeting criminal gangs. Ninu Kang, the current chair of SACCAYV, congratulated the youth who facilitated the strengths workshops. Two notable addresses were given by youth leaders Ajeetpal Singh Gill and Harveen Basra, who facilitated youth program sessions.Locke later interacted with individual members to hear community voices on how best the City may move forward with these amazingly collaborative groups to make our youth and community stronger.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Photos courtesy HDR Photography

74TH REPUBLIC DAY OF INDIA CELEBRATION IN VANCOUVER

India’s 74th Republic Day was celebrated at Vancouver’s Indian Consulate General.

Richmond will receive up to

gang-involved crime) and population density.

* The BSCF builds on the success of the Initiative To Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence. This includes the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund – a five-year $358.8

violence

million investment announced in 2018 –that brings together federal, provincial and territorial supports to tackle the increase in gun-related violence and gang activity in Canada.

WILSON Miao, MP for Richmond Centre, and Parm Bains, MP for Steveston–Richmond East, on behalf of Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, announced on Monday that the City of Richmond will receive up to $2.68 million from the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) to prevent gun crime and gang violence in the city.

This funding will help address the underlying conditions that give rise to crime. It will support community-led projects to prevent violence among young people who are involved in gangs, or at risk of joining them –helping them set themselves up for success in life.

In a statement, the government noted: “Our work begins at Canada’s borders, where we’ve added resources to fight smuggling and stop guns from coming into the country. The Government banned assault-style firearms like the AR-15 two years ago and will soon begin a buyback program to get these guns out of our communities. Last October, a national freeze on handguns was implemented through amendments to regulations under the Firearms Act. Finally, we recently introduced Bill C-21 – Canada’s most significant action on gun violence in a generation. This landmark legislation proposes significant provisions to combat organized crime and address the alarming role of guns in domestic violence.”

Miao said: “Creating a safe environment and community for Canadians to live and grow in should always be a top priority. With the Building Safer Communities Fund, Richmond will have new programs to create safe spaces and to empower youths for better success in life. These programs will foster community building and create a preventative measure for gun and gang violence. Together we can build a safer and better community for everyone.”

Parm Bains said: “This funding from the Building Safer Communities Fund will help support at-risk youth to make healthier choices and better set themselves up for success in life. I look forward to seeing the difference it will make for young people across Richmond.”

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said: “As safety is paramount to residents and businesses in Richmond, City Council has continued to work closely with the RCMP to make our community one of the safest in the region. Support such as the Building Safer Communities Fund plays an important role in preventing crime by allowing the City to expand and enhance important programs and initiatives. These include mentoring, skills-building, training, outreach, and educational opportunities for at-risk youth and young adults.”

Quick Facts:

* Public Safety Canada is finalizing agreements with municipalities and communities that have been identified through evidencebased criteria and meet the program requirements.

* The amount of BSCF support for a community is based on two major elements: crime

Essem Textiles is a modern boutique fabric store that carries a range of fashion fabrics,quilting cottons and notions. We are located on the historic downtown Cloverdale strip.We carry fabrics at a ordable prices such as cotton, knits,sequins,lace,satin,brocade, georgette,chi on,net, velvet, men's suiting & more - come and see for youself !We can't wait to help you get started on your next project.

severity (homicide by firearm, incidents of firearms offences, organized crime/street

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie (centre) and MPs Wilson Miao (2nd from right) and Parm, Bains (far right).

Photo submitted

Vancouver Police officers bear sprayed, threatened with gun by female robbery suspect

DESPITE being attacked with bear spray and threatened with a gun, two Vancouver Police officers were able to quickly subdue and arrest a violent robbery suspect in a busy downtown shopping area on Saturday afternoon.

“This was a violent and volatile situation created by a motivated suspect, but

resolved by the calm and courageous actions of our officers,” said Sgt. Steve Addison on Monday. “Facing extreme danger to themselves and the public, the officers fought through the effects of the bear mace and disarmed the suspect before anyone was seriously hurt.”

The two constables were

investigating an unrelated crime at a business near Granville and Georgia Street around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, when a store worker was suddenly attacked with bear spray by a shoplifter. When the suspect fled, the officers gave chase and confronted her on the sidewalk outside the store. That’s when the suspect

Human Rights Lawyer Needed

deployed another plume of bear spray, striking the officers and effecting passersby. The suspect then pulled out a gun.

“As additional police responded, the two lone officers were able to gain control of the suspect and take her into custody before she could escape or harm anyone else,” said Addison.

Chauntelle Gelink, 24, was taken to jail and has been charged with robbery, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, and assaulting peace officers. The assaulted officers completed their shift and are recovering.

Burnaby RCMP issue warning after online marketplace buyer scammed with counterfeit Rolex watch

BURNABY RCMP are urging members of the public to be cautious with online marketplace purchases after a Burnaby resident bought what he believed to be a luxury watch that was later discovered to be counterfeit.

In November 2022, a buyer connected with a seller on Craigslist to purchase what was advertised as a Rolex Wimbledon watch, which the seller said came with a receipt and certificate of authenticity. The buyer paid the seller $10,000 after meeting with him in Burnaby.

For more information please send an e-mail @

indo re ghters@gmail.com

Shortly after the sale, the buyer become suspicious of the purchase. After getting the watch appraised, the victim discovered the watch was counterfeit.

The receipt and certificate were also determined to be fake.

Burnaby RCMP are investigating the fraud, and are urging potential buyers of luxury goods to be cautious when making purchases through online marketplace websites.

“Not only was the watch a convincing fake, it also came with a receipt and certificate of authenticity, which appeared real

to the victim at the time of the purchase. These items were only discovered to be fake after they were brought to an appraiser,” noted Cpl. Mike Kalanj. “We want to remind everyone to be cautious when making these types of purchases through marketplace websites. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Buyers need to beware that scammers are always looking for targets.” Burnaby RCMP encourage others who may have also fallen victim to the same luxury watch scam to get their item appraised. If the item is determined to be counterfeit, they are asked to contact the Burnaby RCMP at 604-6469999. Quote file number 22-38103.

Seeking a Human Rights Lawyer to le complaint against a Lower Mainland Fire Department for systemic discrimination, racism and violence directed at Indo-Canadian Fire ghters for decades.

Mental health crisis closed Alex Fraser Bridge on Monday

Various distractions impacted the DPD’s priority to preserve life, including drivers “rubbernecking” to get a view, honking horns, yelling at the individual in crisis, and even encouraging them to take action.

SHORTLY after noon on Monday, January 23, the Delta Police Department (DPD) received a report of an individual who was outside the safety rail on the southbound side of the Alex Fraser Bridge.

DPD officers arrived on the scene and began actively negotiating with the distressed male from a safe distance — a strategy designed to de-escalate and reduce the anxiety of an individual already in a heightened emotional state. Southbound lanes on the bridge were closed for the safety of the distressed male and first responders for an extended period.

A variety of reasons are considered for closing lanes on the bridge. The bridge deck is a loud environment; the sound of engines, tires and road noise is complicated by heavy gusts of heavy wind and the sway of the bridge, elevating the danger to those involved. While the overall decision to close the bridge is complex, it is guided by the DPD’s priority to preserve life.

Various distractions impacted the DPD’s priority to preserve life, including drivers “rubbernecking” to get a view, honking horns, yelling at the individual in crisis, and even encouraging them to take action. Some impacted drivers walked up the bridge deck, made contact with officers, interfered with the negotiations, and even videoed or photographed the indi-

vidual in crisis.

During this closure, several commuters were gridlocked on the bridge leading to frustration and causing drivers to take chances and drive aggressively. Additional impacts included secondary collisions.

Just before 6 p.m., a frustrated motorist went

around several highway vehicles managing the road closure, striking a highway vehicle and a concrete barrier, causing several thousand dollars of damage to all vehicles involved. Some DPD officers were forced to disengage from the crisis to deal with this incident.

Shortly after 7 p.m., another driver ignored a flagger’s direction and drove around barricades, placing the flagging staff, highway workers, the individual in crisis, and first responders in danger. Upon further investigation, this driver was found to be impaired and issued a 90-day driving suspension along with a 30-day vehicle impound.

Shortly before 8 p.m., after standing on a small platform outside the bridge railing and hanging for nearly eight hours, negotiations with the impacted male concluded with him agreeing to climb back over the rail to safety and surrendering to the officers working to help him. The

individual was then provided with the medical attention he needed.

The DPD team worked with various partners to safely manage and resolve this situation, including RCMP officers, a high-angle rescue team from the Delta Fire Department, the Integrated Emergency Response Team, Mainroad highway contractors, BC Ambulance, and the Canadian Coast Guard.

Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord said: “I am proud of the work and commitment of all first responders, which led to the team saving the distressed individual’s life in a mental health crisis. We also recognize that the bridge closure caused frustrations, and our team will review this incident with our partners to determine how we can lessen the future impact on the public.”

As first responders, the DPD said it sees the impacts of mental health daily. It can grind lives to a halt, as was seen on Monday, but to stop the stigma surrounding mental health, everyone must do their part. While Bell Let’s Talk Day on Wednesday will bring further awareness to the stigma, mental health should be a 365-day priority, the DPD added.

If you or someone you love is suffering, please ask for help or offer it. Below is a list of resources with experts available 24/7, 365 for anyone in crisis.

Fraser Health Crisis Line 604-951-8855 or 1-877820-7444

Crisis Services Canada (www.talksuicide.ca)

1-833-456-4566

Crisis Centre BC (www.crisiscentre.bc.ca)

1-800-784-2433

Kids Help Phone (www.kidshelpphone.ca)

1-800-668-6868

310Mental Health Support (no area code required) 310-6789

Canadian Mental Health Association (www. cmha.ca)

Man stabbed in Granville Entertainment District

VANCOUVER Police are investigating a stabbing in the Granville Entertainment District, which left a 42-year-old man with lifethreatening injuries on Sunday night. Officers patrolling near Granville and Smithe streets were flagged down by the

victim around 9:40 p.m. on Sunday after he was attacked. The man had serious injuries and was rushed to hospital. He is expected to recover.

Police believe the victim and suspect were known to each other.

Amira Elghawaby is Canada’s first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia

PRIME Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday announced the appointment of Amira Elghawaby as Canada’s first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.

Elghawaby is an award-winning journalist and human rights advocate. A founding board member of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network and past board member at the Silk Road Institute, she has had an extensive career supporting initiatives to counter hate and promote inclusion. She currently leads strategic communications and campaigns at the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and is a member of the National Security Transparency Advisory Group. Trudeau said: “Diversity truly is one of Canada’s greatest strengths, but for many Muslims, Islamophobia is all too familiar. We need to change that. No one in our country should experience hatred because of their faith. The appointment of Ms. Elghawaby as Canada’s first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia is an important step in our fight against Islamophobia and hatred in all its forms. I look forward to working with her as we continue building a country where everyone feels safe and respected.”

As Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Elghawaby will serve as a champion, advisor, expert, and representative

to support and enhance the federal government’s efforts in the fight against Islamophobia, systemic racism, racial discrimination, and religious intolerance.

She will promote awareness of the diverse and intersectional identities of Muslims in Canada and provide advice to the government in the de-

velopment of inclusive policies, legislative proposals, programs, and regulations that reflect their realities. In so doing, she will also help advance respect for equity, inclusion, and diversity and shine a light on the important contributions of Muslims to our country’s national fabric.

The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement: “Islamophobia is a lived experience for Muslim communities across the country and requires ongoing action. The Government of Canada remains unwavering in its commitment to fight hatred, racism, and discrimination. Together, we can build a better future for everyone.”

Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, said: “In Canada, diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice. Our government has listened to the lived experiences of Muslim communities from across the country and is taking action in the fight against Islamophobia. As Canada’s first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby will use her vast knowledge and experience as a human rights advocate to help guide and reinforce Canada’s efforts in addressing anti-Muslim hatred, systemic racism, racial discrimination, and religious intolerance. This appointment is a significant step toward building a safer and more inclusive Canada for all.”

Quick Facts:

* As defined in Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, Islamophobia includes racism, stereotypes, prejudice, fear, or acts of hostility directed toward Muslims.

* In July 2021, the Government of Canada hosted a virtual National Summit on Islamophobia, which helped identify ways for the government to better work with Muslim communities to implement anti-racism initiatives that specifically address Islamophobia and hatefuelled violence. The appointment of a Special Representative was one of the recommendations put forward at the summit.

* The application process for the new position of Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia was launched in June 2022. Elghawaby was appointed following an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process conducted for this Governor in Council position.

* In 2021, January 29 was officially designated as the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, a day to remember the victims of this tragedy, denounce Islamophobia and all other forms of racism, hate, and religious discrimination, and advance action to combat them.

Surrey RCMP: Help identify a suspect in groping incident in Whalley

SURREY RCMP are seeking the public’s help to identify a suspect in a sexual assault that occurred in the Whalley area.

On Monday, January 23 at 10:53 a.m., Surrey RCMP responded to a report of a female who had been groped by an unknown suspect near King George Boulevard and 102 Avenue. Police conducted extensive CCTV canvass in the area and obtained an image of the suspect.

Police say that while the image is not of great quality, they are releasing it in hopes that someone may recognize him based on the clothing and bag.

The suspect is described as a black man, 5’7”, in his mid to late 20s, with a slim build. He was wearing black hoodie, black jeans with rips in the front and black shoes with reflective laces. He was also carrying a turquoise bag.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604599-0502.

Amira Elghawaby

Photo: Twitter

BY AMAN SINGH

MLA for Richmond-Queensborough

I know that many people are facing challenges navigating today’s housing market. For too long, the housing crisis was ignored, leaving a small number of people to profit while many others were left fighting to keep a roof over their head.

Since 2017, New Democrats have been working to turn the tide. We cracked down on speculation, which has added over 18,000 rental units in Metro Vancouver alone. We have also built a record number of new homes with more on the way, and have removed unfair restrictions that limited rentals in stratas.

More affordable housing for people

We are also working to protect existing rental buildings. Affordable rental and cooperative housing buildings are increasingly being bought up by large corporations, who often evict existing tenants. Too often, this is a tactic used to turn huge profits, sometimes taking rental units off the market entirely.

Last week we announced the $500 million Rental Protection Fund. The Fund will provide grants to non-profit housing organizations, allowing them to purchase affordable residential rental buildings that are up for sale, and preserve the rental units, allowing people to stay in their homes without massive rent increases. While we preserve existing homes, we’re

also working to speed up the construction of new homes and residential buildings. A new one-stop-shop approach to provincial permitting will mean building developers can get the permits they need in one place, without having to send multiple applications to different provincial government offices and agencies.

Removing these barriers will allow builders to make significantly faster progress on delivering the new housing that people need. The housing crisis is a complex challenge, and we’re tackling it from every angle. I want to see everyone in B.C. in a safe, affordable home that meets their needs, in their chosen community. And we’re going to keep working to make that a reality.

Attempted robbery and assault near New West SkyTrain Station

NEW Westminster Police were called to the 800-block of Carnarvon Street at approximately 5:50 p.m. on January 17 to assist a man in distress who was pouring milk on his face inside a grocery store. Officers learned that the man was the victim of an assault. Moments earlier he had been assaulted with bear spray in an attempted robbery. The suspect ap-

proached this man outside a restaurant and asked him for his jacket before spraying him in the face with bear spray.

The suspect is described as a tall Indigenous man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and a black jacket. The suspect was accompanied by someone described only as an Indigenous female. Both suspects are not known to the vic-

tim.

“The victim was provided aid by New Westminster Fire and Rescue,” said Sgt. Justine Thom. “Tips from the public have helped solve a number of violent assaults in past months here in New Westminster and we’re again asking the public to assist.”

New Westminster Police Department offi-

cers searched the area for anyone matching the suspect description; however, no one matching that description could be located.

If anyone has information about this incident or the suspects involved, they are requested to file a report with the New Westminster Police Department by calling 604-525-5411 and reference file 23-882.

Vancouver’s Sunset Seniors Centre celebrated India’s Republic Day.

Photo by SUKHWANT DHILLON / / AM 600 Sher-E-Punjab Radio

Furstenau appoints Dr. Sanjiv Gandhi as B.C. Green Party’s second deputy leader

B.C. Green leader Sonia Furstenau announced on Monday that she has appointed former B.C. Children’s Hospital pediatric cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr. Sanjiv Gandhi as the party’s second deputy leader.

Gandhi joins fellow deputy leader Dr. Lisa Gunderson on the party’s leadership team. Gunderson is a clinical psychologist and anti-racism/equity consultant, as well as the party’s candidate for Oak Bay-Gordon Head for the next provincial election.

“It is with gratitude that I announce today that I have appointed Dr. Sanjiv Gandhi as

a second deputy leader”, Furstneau said.

“Dedication is one word to describe Dr. Gandhi – dedication to his profession, dedication to his integrity, and ultimately dedication to the health and wellbeing of the youngest members of our society, children.

“MLA Adam Olsen, Dr. Lisa Gunderson, Dr. Gandhi and I make up our party’s Leadership Team. We will work hard to hold the government to account, to nurture relationships with professional and community groups, and build our base of supporters in anticipation of the next election.”

“At the end of my heart surgery career, I

want to continue to make a difference,” Dr. Gandhi said. “Not with a scalpel but armed with three decades of knowledge about healthcare and people. The BC Greens promote values important to me – integrity, hard work, humility, and caring for fellow humans.

“As BC Greens Deputy Leader, I am determined to bring the same passion to this position that I have brought daily to the clinic, the ICU, and the operating room. I’ll fight for the people of B.C. with the same energy I gave to sick kids and their families.”

Dr.

Sanjiv Gandhi

Major breakthrough for Broadway Subway Project

THE first of two tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) that began excavating for the Broadway Subway Project last fall broke through to the future Mount Pleasant Station on the evening of Monday, January 23.

Named Elsie, after notable B.C.-born aircraft designer Elizabeth (Elsie) MacGill, the custom-built 150-metre-long machine bored a six-metre-wide hole in the station’s east wall. (To view the videos, please visit our website voiceonline.com)

The Broadway Subway Project will extend the Millennium Line 5.7 kilometres from VCC-Clark Station to West Broadway and Arbutus Street, providing people with fast, convenient SkyTrain service along the Broadway corridor. The corridor is home to B.C.’s second-largest jobs centre, worldclass health-care services, an emerging innovation and research hub, and growing residential communities.

The project will result in faster travel, better access and fewer cars on the road in this heavily used corridor. Once in service, the trip from VCC-Clark to Arbutus Station will take 11 minutes, saving the average transit

commuter almost 30 minutes a day and relieving congestion along Broadway. Progress continues to be made on the project. The second TBM, named Phyllis after well-known B.C. naturalist and mountain climber Phyllis Munday, began excavating on Nov. 29, 2022. Phyllis is expected to ar-

rive at Mount Pleasant Station this spring. Each machine will take approximately one year to journey from Great Northern WayEmily Carr Station to Cypress Street near the future Arbutus Station.

On other parts of the project, the 21 columns for the guideway between VCC-Clark

Station and the future Great Northern WayEmily Carr Station are nearing completion. Installation of girders for the track will begin this spring. Excavation and construction of the station foundations continue at the Broadway-City Hall, Oak-VGH, South Granville and Arbutus station sites in preparation for TBM arrivals. The line is scheduled to open in 2026.

The Broadway Subway Project will also support new transit-oriented developments, which create efficient, livable communities and maximize the opportunities provided by the investment government is making in public transit.

It is estimated the Broadway Subway Project will create more than 13,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction, supporting economic development within the region and beyond.

Learn More: Broadway Subway Project: https://www. broadwaysubway.ca

Job opportunities for the Broadway Subway Project: https://www.bcib.ca

Vancouver house under renovation burns down; no injuries reported

VANCOUVER firefighters were called to reports of a house fire at 743 Keefer Street on Wednesday at 4:29 a.m. Crews were met with heavy smoke and flames from a fully involved house under renovation.

Fire crews quickly set up defensive operations to prevent further spread to adjacent

nearby homes as well as conducting interior fire attack and search in those structures. The fire was upgraded to a 3rd alarm where 44 firefighters and 12 apparatus were on scene. Due to neighbours calling 911 to get crews on scene quickly, working smoke alarms and fast actions from adjacent residents evacuat-

ing, no injuries have been reported. Unfortunately, 10 people were displaced from the fire exposure to the two neighbouring properties.

Firefighters were also able to assist rescuing a cat from one of the homes.

“This is a good reminder about having a home escape plans,” said Captain Matthew

Trudeau, Public Information Officer, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services. “When these residents realized that a fire was occurring against their home, they gathered their family and escaped unharmed.”

The fire cause remains under investigation at this time.

Surrey families benefit from child care on school grounds

INVESTMENTS through ChildCareBC’s New Spaces Fund are helping create more than 290 new child care spaces for school-aged children, and enabling more families in Surrey to access licensed child care spaces on school grounds, with more to come.

“I am happy hundreds of Surrey children will have child care on school grounds, making life easier for busy parents and giving them the peace of mind of knowing their kids are in one place for the day, with one dropoff and pickup location,” said Grace Lore, Minister of State for Child Care. “By working with school districts, we’re building a future where affordable, quality, inclusive child care is a core service families can rely on through ChildCareBC.”

The new child care spaces for school-aged children are located at nine elementary schools throughout Surrey. Some spaces are still available. The Surrey School District received approximately $186,000 through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund to help create the child care on school grounds.

“Schools are the heart of their communities and investments like child care on school grounds help to support families,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “We have made historic invest-

ments in Surrey and are committed to continuing to work with the district to create schools that serve the unique needs of their communities.”

Since 2018, the Province has provided funding to create 2,842 new licensed child care spaces in Surrey. In 2022-23, a new ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund provincial funding stream was introduced to support the creation of new, licensed, school-aged care on school grounds.

These funds are available for school districts, First Nations schools, First Nations independent schools and not-for-profit independent schools to ensure child care spaces are built where they are needed most. Parents with children at licensed facilities for school-aged children will save as much as $145 a month on their child care fees from the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative in September 2023 when the fee reductions expand.

Together, the Province and the Government of Canada are investing nearly $300 million to fund the creation of new licensed child care spaces in high-need areas throughout the province. Applications for the New Spaces Fund are being taken and applicants can continue to apply to this open intake

NE WTON DENTURE CLINIC INC.

based on budget availability. Since 2018, the Province has invested $2.7 billion in the 10year ChildCareBC plan to build affordable, inclusive and quality child care with more than 30,500 new child care spaces funded for creation.

Jinny Sims, MLA for Surrey-Panorama, said: “For too long, investments in child care just weren’t a priority. We are making different choices. These new spaces at nine different Surrey schools are an excellent example of our child care investments in action – helping to create quality school-aged child care spaces for Surrey families that are accessible and in convenient locations.”

Laurie Larsen, Chair, Surrey Board of Education, said: “Access to high-quality, affordable child care is critical to many families across our district. These investments will support families with child care needs, build community connectivity, and enhance the overall health and well-being of our community. On behalf of our board, I’d like to thank the Province and our child care operators for supporting our district in providing this important service for families in our district.”

Surrey schools with new child care spaces on school grounds:

There are 294 new licensed school-aged child care spaces operated by YMCA BC located at nine Surrey elementary schools (School District 36) and spaces are still available.

* Cindrich Elementary school, 24 school-age spaces

* Coyote Creek Elementary school, 48 school-age spaces

* Frost Road Elementary school, 48 schoolage spaces

* Holly Elementary school, 24 school-age spaces

* M.B. Sanford Elementary school, 24 schoolage spaces

* Panorama Park Elementary school, 54 school-age spaces

* Sullivan Elementary school, 24 school-age spaces

* Surrey Centre Elementary school, 24 school-age spaces

* William F. Davidson Elementary school, 24 school-age spaces

For more about ChildCareBC, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/

Special Sunday Service

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, BC Premier David Eby, BC Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim celebrate the Lunar New Year at the annual parade in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown.

Photo: Twitter

Eby silent as youth access drugs from government-sanctioned vending machines: BC Liberals

THE BC Liberals said on Wednesday that increasing concern from experts that medical-grade opioids from governmentsanctioned narcotic vending machines are being diverted by some users to youth on the street market, is raising serious questions about the B.C. government’s ability to deal with the unintended consequences of these machines – and so far David Eby’s NDP have been silent on the issue.

“Harm reduction is an important pillar of preventing drug-related deaths as we work to address the overdose crisis, but it’s critical that David Eby’s NDP government ensures publicly supplied addictive drugs do not lead to unintended conse-

Elenore Sturko

quences and inadvertently cause harm and right now that’s not happening,” said BC Liberal Mental Health, Addictions and Recovery Critic Elenore Sturko.

“It’s incredibly troubling to learn from people working on the frontlines of this crisis that drugs accessed through governmentsanctioned vending machines are being diverted for sale to youth instead on the street – this is every parent’s worst nightmare.”

The MySafe hydromorphone tablet vending machines are meant to provide people with addiction access to a safer drug alternative. However, experts in the recovery field are raising new concerns that youth are now getting their hands on the prod-

Over $125,000 in expenses mysteriously disappear off Falcon campaign disclosure: NDP

AFTER massively overspending the expense limit for the BC Liberal leadership race, Falcon’s campaign filed an amended report that removed $125,000 in expenses without explanation, the NDP said on Tuesday. It pointed out that in his original leadership campaign financial disclosure, Falcon reported $1,078,220 in

expenses – exceeding the BC Liberal Party’s $600,000 spending limit by $478,220.

But in a subsequent amended report, Falcon’s campaign expenses went down by $125,783. The expenses disappeared from a generic line item labeled “other contestant expenses.”

Falcon’s leadership campaign in-

curred a significant amount of debt.

As of the most recent amended disclosure, the campaign hadn’t yet paid off its $100,000 in loans from RBC.

NDP MLA Dan Coulter said: “People expect their elected officials to operate within the rules and to be transparent. Kevin Falcon needs to

uct coming out of the machines.

“There needs to be oversight so that whenever any addictive drugs that are being publicly funded and supplied, there are also adequate safety measures in place to make sure they’re going to the right people,” said Sturko.

“Just days before B.C. is set to decriminalize the possession of small quantities of drugs, it’s imperative measures the government has in place to ensure the safer supply of addictive drugs has no gaps for these still harmful substances to fall into the wrong hands, especially when it comes to youth. Premier David Eby needs to address this problem immediately.”

explain how he overspent his own party’s contribution limits and how $125,000 worth of expenses have gone missing from his public disclosures. This is very concerning and British Columbians deserve an answer from Kevin Falcon.”

Kevin Falcon

MORE STORIES ON PAGES 22 & 23

EVENTS

South Asian Adults and Seniors Programs

* Yoga classes in person for members only at Shanti Niketan Hall at Lakshmi Narayan Temple, 8321 140 Street in Surrey, conducted by yoga instructor Ashwini Bansal on every Monday and every Thursday from 10 to 11:15 a.m. on both days. This is only for participants who have been double vaccinated for COVID-19. They should bring facemasks and a yoga mat and maintain social distancing. Pure vegetarian lunch is served in the dining hall of the Temple to all seniors ev-

ery Thursday after the yoga class.

* Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society of BC invites South Asian adults and senior members to play Bingo on the House on Sunday, January 29 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Shanti Niketan Hall. Bring only $2 for two games. Members will explain the game to you. Tea and light snacks will be served. Please maintain social distancing to protect one another. Contact Surendra Handa, Coordinator, at 604-507-9945 or email: surendra_handa@ hotmail.com, for further information.

WISHING INDIA A HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY

Celebrating the world’s largest and most diverse democracy, and wishing all citizens of India peace and progress in the years to come.

As the first outsourced visa services partner of the Ministry of External Affairs (India) in 2007, the company currently manages passport and visa services for India in 12 countries and has handled nearly 20 million applications.

VFS Global is proud to be one of the earliest “Made in India” companies to become a global leader, and remains committed to supporting and contributing to the Government of India's vision and initiatives.

India displayed its military might and rich culture at the annual Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26. This year the chief guest was Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi who was accompanied by Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Story on Page 20

New Delhi (IANS): The Republic Day parade began from Kartavya Path in New Delhi after a 21gun salute was performed. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and this year’s chief guest, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi were among the dignitaries present at the venue.

During the grand parade, the major attraction was the Indian forces marching contingents and their military equipment. Notably, this year the marching contingents of the Navy and the Air Force were led by women officers.

The Indian Army troop of 61 Cavalry was led by Captain Raizada Shaurya Bali. The 61 Cavalry is the only serving active regiment in the world to have a combination of all ‘State Horse Units’. Main Battle Tank Arjun, Nag Missile System (NAMIS), BMP-2 Infantry Combat Vehicle of SARATH, Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicle, K-9 VajraTracked Self-Propelled Howitzer Gun, BrahMos Missile, 10 Meter Short Mobile Network Center and Aakash (new generation equipment) in Span Bridge, Mobile Microwave Node and Mechanized Column were the main attractions. A total of six contingents of the army including the Mechanized Infantry Regiment, Punjab Regiment, Maratha Light Infantry Regiment, Dogra Regiment, Bihar Regiment and Gurkha Brigade marched during the parade.

Another highlight of the parade this year was the tableau of ex-servicemen titled ‘Towards India’s Amrit Kaal with Sankalp’ – A Veteran’s ‘Commitment’. The presence of soldiers provided a glimpse into the contribution of veterans over the last 75 years and their initiatives in shaping India’s future during the ‘Amrit Kaal’.

The Navy contingent was led by Lieutenant Com-

mander Disha Amrit. The marching contingent includes three women and six Agniveers for the first time. This was followed by the Navy tableau, which has been designed on the theme ‘Indian Navy – Combat Ready, Credible, Cohesive and Future Proof’.

It showcased the Indian Navy’s multi-dimensional capabilities, Nari Shakti and indigenously designed and built assets under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign.

The major part of the tableau was showcasing the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Navy. A model of the new indigenous Nilgiri class ship was also on display along with a Dhruv helicopter deployed by Marine Commandos. Models of indigenous Kalvari class submarines were displayed on the sides. The rear part of the tableau was displaying models of autonomous unmanned systems being developed indigenously under the IDEX-SPRINT Challenge.

The Indian Air Force contingent led by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy consisted of 144 airmen and four officers. The tableau of the Air Force, designed on the theme ‘The Power of the Indian Air Force Beyond Borders’, displayed a revolving globe.

It highlighted the progress of the IAF, enabling it to provide humanitarian assistance across borders, as well as conduct exercises with friendly countries.

Light Combat Aircraft Tejas MK-II, Light Combat Helicopter ‘Prachanda’, Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft Netra and C-295 Transport Aircraft were also displayed here. The tableau also displayed a team of Garudas in combat gear with laser designation equipment and specialist weapons.

India, Pakistan came

New York (IANS): India and Pakistan came “too close” to a nuclear conflagration during the 2019 confrontation with both sides believing the other was preparing to deploy nuclear weapons, according to former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

He recounted in his book, “Never Give an Inch”, his frantic night-time diplomatic efforts to get the neighbours to stand down after getting a call from his “Indian counterpart”, warning him that he believed Pakistan was readying nuclear weapons for a strike and India was considering its own escalation.

The External Affairs Minister during the crisis set off by the terrorist attack that killed 46 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in February 2019 was the late Sushma Swaraj. But Pompeo referred to his “counterpart” with the male pronoun in a subsequent paragraph creating ambiguity as to who he spoke with. “I do not think the world properly knows just how close the India-Pakistan rivalry came to spilling over in a nuclear conflagration,” he wrote.

But, he added, “the truth is, I don’t know precisely the answer either. I just know it was too close”.

He was woken up at night while he was on a visit to Hanoi with a call from Sushma Swaraj who told him that “he believed the Pakistanis had begun to prepare their nuclear weapons for a strike”.

“India, he informed me, was contemplating its own escalation. I asked him to do nothing and give us a minute to sort things out,” Pompeo wrote.

Working with John Bolton, who was then the US National Security Adviser, from their Hanoi hotel room he “reached the actual leader of Pakistan. General (Qamer Javed) Bajwa”, he wrote.

“I told him what the Indians had told me. He said it wasn’t true. As one might expect, he believed the Indians were preparing their own nuclear weapons for deployment.

“It took us a few hours, and remarkably good work by our teams on the ground in New Delhi and Islamabad, to convince each side that neither was to convince each side or the other was not preparing for nuclear war,” Pompeo added. Taking credit for the de-escalation, he wrote: “No other nation could have done that, but we did that night to avoid a horrible outcome.”

He acknowledged the work of Kenneth Juster, who was the then US envoy in New Delhi, call-

ing him “an incredibly capable ambassador” who “loves India and its people”.

Pompeo, who was the director of the Central Intelligence Agency before becoming the Secretary of State, recounted in the book his four years in former President Donald Trump’s cabinet.

The book, subtitled, “Fighting for the America I Love”, lays out how he aggressively implemented Trump’s ‘America First’ vision. Writing about his efforts to deepen ties with New Delhi, Pompeo wrote that he “made India the fulcrum of my diplomacy to contract Chinese aggression”.

“I chose to devote serious quantities of time and effort to make India the next great American ally,” he added.

MEANWHILE, Pompeo’s comments in his book that Sushma Swaraj was not an important player in the Indian foreign policy team, and describing her as “goofball” and “heartland political hack” have drawn flak from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Reacting to Pompeo’s comments made in his book ‘Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love’, Jaishankar said, “I have seen a passage in Secretary Pompeo’s book referring to Sushma Swaraj ji. I always held her in great esteem and had an exceptionally close and warm relationship with her. I deplore the disrespectful colloquialism used for her.”

Pompeo said in his book that “on the Indian side, my original counterpart was not an important player on the Indian foreign policy team. Instead, I worked much more closely with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, a close and trusted confidant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi”. Instead, Pompeo is all praise for Jaishankar in the book.

Mike Pompeo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the National War Memorial and paying tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath.

India among fastest-growing economies because of government’s timely interventions: President Murmu

New Delhi (IANS): In her first Republic Dayeve speech, President Droupadi Murmu said on Wednesday that India has been among the fastest-growing major economies because of the timely and proactive interventions of the government.

Stating that India has became the fifth largest economy in the world, the President said, “This has been achieved against a global backdrop of economic uncertainty. With the help of able leadership and effective struggle, we soon came out of the recession, and resumed our journey of development.”

“India has been among the fastest-growing major economies because of the timely and proactive interventions of the government. The ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, in particular, has evoked great response among the people at large,” Murmu said.

New Delhi (IANS): Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday unveiled the Covid-19 vaccine, iNNCOVACC in the presence of Union Minister of State (IC) for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh. iNNCOVACC is the world’s first intranasal Covid-19 vaccine to receive approval for the primary 2-dose schedule, and as a heterologous booster dose. It is developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) in collaboration with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a PSU under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.

Expressing his elation at the event, Mandaviya said that over 65 per cent of vaccines supplied in the world are from India. Congratulating the BBIL team and the Department of Biotech for bringing about the world’s first nasal vaccine, he stated that “being the world’s first intra-nasal Covid-19 vaccine, this marks a glorious tribute to the call for Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

The Union Health Minister added that India’s vaccine manufacturing and innovation capability is appreciated all over the

President Droupadi Murmu

The President also talked about the challenges faced during the early years of Inde-

pendence.

“In the early years of Independence, we faced countless challenges and adversities. Very high levels of poverty and illiteracy were just two of the many ill-effects of the long foreign rule. Yet, the spirit of India was undeterred. With hope and confidence, we began an experiment unique in the history of humankind.”

Murmu said that those who shaped modern Indian mind also welcomed progressive ideas from abroad, following the vedic advice

“Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah (Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions).

The President said, “From the day the Constitution came into effect to the present day, it has been an amazing journey that has inspired many other nations. Every citizen has reason to be proud of the India Story.”

Talking about challenges that need to be addressed urgently, the President said, “In my view, global warming and climate change are challenges that need to be addressed urgently. Global temperatures are rising and extreme forms of climate change are visible.”

The President also praised the role of farmers, labourers, scientists and engineers, saying, “I appreciate the roles of farmers, labourers, scientists and engineers whose collective strength enables our country to move forward in the spirit of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan’.”

world as it has made a mark in producing quality and affordable medicines.

Congratulating BBIL for innovating another vaccine in collaboration with BIRAC, Jitendra Singh said that “India has taken a lead in developing vaccines and medicines for diseases common in the developing world.”

He also stated that ZyCoV-D, the world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA based vaccine for Covid-19 to be administered in humans including children and adults 12 years and above, was also developed in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology in the Ministry of Science & Technology under ‘Mission Covid Suraksha’ through BIRAC.

iNCOVACC is a cost effective Covid-19 vaccine which does not require syringes, needles, alcohol wipes, bandage, etc, saving costs related to procurement, distribution, storage, and biomedical waste disposal, that is routinely required for injectable vaccines.

It utilises a vector-based platform, which can be easily updated with emerging variants leading to large scale production,

within a few months. These rapid response timelines combined with the ability of cost effective and easy intranasal delivery, makes it an ideal vaccine to address future infectious diseases.

vance orders. Initial manufacturing capacity of several million doses per annum has been established, this can be scaled up to a billion doses as required. iNCOVACC is priced at Rs 325 per dose for large volume procurement by State Governments and Government of India.

Kulbir Mahi

604.321.6559

6647-Fraser St., (@ 50th Ave.,) Vancouver

•Wedding Photography & Videography

•Portraits

•Graduations

•Business Portraits on CD

•Instant Passport Photo

•Photo Restoration

•Digital Albums

Jay Sharma

604.584.7700

www.mahiphotostudio.com

Creativity&Experience withAwardWinning Photography Rheem Tank 40,000 BTU 6 Year Warranty We Install Same Day We Remove Your Old Tank AT NO CHARGE India’s first intranasal Covid vaccine iNNCOVACC launched

DR. BIBEK DEBROY Chairman

Amrit Kaal of the Indian Economy

“The present India is a proud India, a resilient India, an aspiring India”

Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister Government of India

RECENTLY, India celebrated 75 years of Independence. The idea of Amritkaal extends that forward to the next 25 years, to 2047, when India will celebrate 100 years of Independence. The India of 2023 is different from the India of 1947 and the India of 2047 will be different from the India of 2023 in ways few can anticipate and project today. If one casts one’s mind back, how many would have guessed changes wrought in India in the last 25 years? The world is uncertain and the long-run even more so. While the future is always uncertain, the current state of the world has been permeated with an additional dose of uncertainty – Covid, geo-political tensions, collapse of the multilateral system and regionalism, retreat of advanced countries from globalization and the dreaded expression of “recession” in some of those countries.

These are external shocks that have been thrust on India, as they have on many emerging market economies, and underline collapse of institutions that provide global public goods, Bretton Woods Institutions included. In passing, global governance has yet to accept rise of economies like India. Lord Keynes is often quoted, usually out of context. A cliched quote is, “In the long run we are all dead.” If one reads the complete text (The Tract on Monetary Reform, 1923), one will find the intention wasn’t quite what out-of-context quotes convey.

There is much that is uncertain, in the present and in the long-run of the future. But there is much that is also certain. Within that band of certainty, it is impossible to dispute India’s inexorable economic rise. At one point, much was made of the Goldman Sachs report, on dreaming with BRICS and path to 2050, authored in 2003.

(1) In that report, the average real rate of GDP growth for India was around 5.5%, the

explosion in aggregate GDP and per capita GDP by 2050 explained by the nature of the exponential function.

(2) That report didn’t have a figure for 2047, but did have one for 2045. In 2045, India’s aggregate GDP was projected to be 18.8 trillion US dollars and per capita GDP of just over 12,000 US dollars.

(3) None of the reasons behind optimistic projections have been nullified by the present uncertainty – increase in savings/investment rates as a result of demographic transition and income growth, growth drivers in more efficient land, labour and capital markets and productivity enhancement.

To use an economist’s expression, India is still within the production possibility frontier, not on it. To state it differently, aggregate growth for India is a summation of growth in States and States are within their respective frontiers, providing plenty of endogenous slack for growth. Had the external world been more benign, India might have grown at 9%. Typically, one tends to extrapolate the gloominess of the present to the future. It is by no means obvious that the external world will continue to be difficult for the next 25 years. But even if that were to be

Y

the case, India might not grow at 9%. What real growth rate seems reasonable?

The answer depends on the person making the projection and the assumptions. A nominal figure depends on assumptions made about inflation, which is why projections are often in real terms, in today’s dollars. A dollar figure also depends on assumptions made about the dollar/rupee exchange rate, which is why projections often assume the current exchange rate. (Goldman Sachs assumed rupee appreciation vis-à-vis the dollar.) A PPP (purchasing power parity) exercise is naturally different. With inflation and exchange rate changes out of the way, what trajectory of real growth sounds reasonable? The pessimistic forecaster will point to state of the external world and domestic inefficiencies and opt for 5.5%. The optimistic forecaster will point to empowerment through ease of living and provision of basic necessities, ease of doing business, supply-side reforms, and Union government’s capital expenditure and opt for 7.5%. That’s the rough range, with the recognition that as one grows, growth rates slow. As one moves up the development ladder, it becomes more difficult to grow as fast, with the caveat that different States are at different levels of development and there is plenty of slack.

To return to the certainty of the long-run, one can plug in one’s own assumptions about real growth, say something like 6.5%, between the two extremes of 5.5% and 7.5%. In 2047, India’s per capita income will then be something like 10,000 US dollars. The total size of the economy will approach 20 trillion US dollars. These numbers are roughly in the same range as the Goldman Sachs one. In Goldman Sachs, the role of exchange rate appreciation was relatively more. In such projections, the role of real growth is relatively more.

If reforms drive the Indian growth trajectory to higher than 6.5%, and that Citius, Altius and Fortius [faster, higher, stronger] possibility cannot be ruled out, the correspond-

ing numbers will be higher. Even with the relatively conservative numbers, this means India will be the third largest economy in the world, after United States and China and this will naturally be reflected in India’s global clout. If one does a PPP ranking, India will be the second largest, after China. The annual rate of population growth has slowed and is now less than 1%. Nevertheless, in 2047, India will be the most populous country in the world, with a population of something like 1.6 billion.

Expressions like “developed country” are rarely used these days. The term no longer has a specific definition. The World Bank uses terms like middle-income. Today, India is classified as a lower middle-income economy. In 2047, India will move to the upper middle-income category. Once one approaches a per capita income of 13,000 US dollars, the status becomes high-income. That’s when India can be said to be “developed”. In 2047, India will fall short, but the face of poverty, as we know it, will be completely transformed.

Measurement of poverty is based on the notion of a poverty line and using a multi-dimensional poverty index, UNDP has recently documented the sharp drop in number of poor people in India. As economies develop, the notion of a poverty line is of course moved up, beyond a subsistence level of consumption. However, officially, the poverty line used is still the Tendulkar poverty line. Unfortunately, consumption expenditure data, used to measure poverty, do not exist beyond 2011-12. Therefore, different people have used different assumptions to measure poverty today. If one uses PLFS (periodic labour force survey) data and the Tendulkar poverty line, the poverty ratio (percentage of population below the poverty line) is around 17% now. By 2047, this ratio will decline to around 5%.

SDG (sustainable development goal) reports, among others, have documented pockets of deprivation in selected geographical regions, targeted by the government through

Dr. Bibek Debroy

the aspirational districts programme. India is heterogeneous and despite provision of basic necessities (physical and social infrastructure, financial inclusion, access to markets, technology, digital access) and the overall message of empowerment, there will be pockets of poverty, even in 2047. But the nature of that poverty will be very different. India will achieve universal literacy, or be pretty close to it. UNDP uses HDI (human development index), an aggregate measure, to gauge human development, moving beyond poverty ratios. Today, India

is in the medium human development category, judged by HDI. In 2047, India will move to the high human development category. There are five transitions going on and these will be even more marked in 2047. First, there is a rural to urban shift and urbanization is correlated with development. By 2047, almost 60% of India’s population will be urbanized. Delhi and Kolkata with populations of around 35 million, Mumbai with more than 40 million. The mind boggles and the government’s programmes are meant to ensure that urbanization is managed better.

Second, there will be grater formalization of the economy. Yet again, formalization is correlated with growth and development. Individuals will have formal job contracts. MSMEs will graduate to become legally registered. Indian companies will become larger and more efficient, integrated into global supply chains.

Third, the percentage of the population that earns a living from agriculture will decline. Agriculture’s share in GDP will decline to something like 5% and the percentage of population that earns a living from agricul-

ture will not be more than 20%.

Fourth, within agriculture, there will be a shift away towards commercialization and diversification and larger farms.

Fifth, there will be greater citizen participation in governance with the “sabka prayas” theme.

For years, there was a colonial chip on the shoulder. But the present India is a proud India, a resilient India, an aspiring India. Amritkaal is about that and the country is making great strides on economic front with greater confidence and entrepreneurship.

B.C. launches anti-racism action plan for K-12 students

EMPOWERING students and educators to identify and take action against racism and discrimination in British Columbia schools is the aim of a new provincial K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan launched on Monday, the Province says.

district as it works to address racial inequality in its schools.

“As a school district, we are committed to learning, growth and continuous improvement,” said Laurie Larsen, Chair, Surrey Board of Education.

“Our district has clear policies on creating safe and caring environments for our staff and students. But we also recognize that there is more work needed. Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing a five-year plan that outlines how our district will begin to strategically address racial

equity to ensure that every student in our district receives a high-quality, culturally sustaining and socially just education.”

This action plan was developed through discussions over three years with students, rightsholders and Indigenous partners, education partners, educators and staff, as well as community organizations. Future anti-racism work by the Ministry of Education and Child Care will continue to incorporate feedback from the education sector and those with lived experiences of

racism.

All school districts and independent schools are required to have codes of conduct and policies to address racism and discrimination. In addition, students and families now have access to more anti-racism resources on the Erase website.

The K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan is part of government’s commitment to dismantle systemic racism and build a better, more inclusive province for everyone.

“We know that Indigenous, Black and people of colour may face inequity within the education system,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “This action plan is a critical step forward for students, educators, staff and families as we all work to create school communities that feel welcoming and supportive for people of all backgrounds.”

The action plan will create change in B.C. schools by raising awareness and creating resources to improve the school experience for racialized students, staff and families so that everyone feels a strong sense of belonging. To facilitate this work, the Ministry of Education and Child Care will provide new training opportunities for all school staff to help them better understand their role in fostering anti-racist school environments. The action plan will also empower students and staff to identify biases and address acts of racism or discrimination with new incident-response guidelines.

“For generations, Indigenous, Black and people of colour have worked to fit into a system that wasn’t necessarily built for them,” said Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives. “The K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan will help students and educators alike learn how to build more inclusive and equitable learning environments, so more students have equal opportunities to succeed. This action plan is an important part of our work to decolonize our institutions and build a better B.C. for everyone.”

The action plan will support school districts in their commitment to anti-racism initiatives in their school communities. Partnerships and sharing resources are key elements for school districts to learn from and support each other. In Kamloops-Thompson School District (SD73), for example, more than 100 students of diverse backgrounds are working with district staff to share their experiences and ideas to help develop a district-wide anti-racism plan.

“As a board of education, we are immensely honoured and grateful to learn from the lived perspectives of students who experience racism,” said Heather Grieve, Board Chair, Kamloops-Thompson School District. “It is only through their words that we can develop truly authentic action plans for inclusive, safe communities in our district.”

Surrey School District (SD36) is another school district working on anti-racism initiatives. In spring 2021, SD36 held listening circles across the district for school communities to gather and share their experiences with racism. This helped to identify gaps between the district’s values to be inclusive and the lived school experiences of the community will help guide the

Rachna Singh

Mercedes-Benz to launch global branded high-power charging network

Las Vegas/stuttgart: At CES 2023 in Las Vegas, Mercedes-Benz announced that the rollout of its high-power charging network will start this year in North America. The collaboration partners here include MN8 Energy, one of the largest solar energy and battery storage owners and operators in the US, and ChargePoint, a leading EV charging network technology company. By 2027, a network totalling more than 400 hubs across North America with more than 2,500 high-power chargers is planned to offer a premium, sustainable and reliable charging experience.

“Mercedes-Benz already offers what we believe to be the finest EVs in the market. But to accelerate the electric transformation, we need to ensure that the charging experience keeps pace as well” Said Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. For those traveling long distances, Mercedes-Benz Electric Intelligence navigation

makes life easy by automatically optimising route planning, incorporating the best charging points and reserving spaces in advance. The system knows the capacity utilisation at the respective locations and ensures customers can gain immediate access to the reserved charging point at the

Honda Accord and Civic Win Car and Driver Awards.

required time. This means no waiting for Mercedes-Benz customers. The seamless experience will be further enhanced by the easy and convenient “Plug & Charge” function1. The charging station communicates directly with the vehicle via the charging cable. Manual authentication via card, app

25 consecutive years. The 11th-generation Civic repeats as 10 in the Best for simple and sporty design, class-leading safety and fun-to-drive personality – and arrival of the all-new Type R.

In a show of design and engineering excellence, Honda has earned two coveted Car and Driver’s 10Best Cars awards. The magazine’s editors honoured the all-new 2023 Accord and the Civic lineup that includes the all-new 2023 Civic Type R, the most powerful car Honda has ever sold in Canada.

“You can feel the award-winning richness of the Accord before you even leave the parking lot,” said the editors at Car and Driver.

“It’s smooth, quiet, refined to the nth degree, and good-looking. With a spacious back seat and a cavernous trunk, it serves well as comfortable transportation for five adults.”

Honda is the winningest brand in Car and Driver 10 Best history. Sleek, powerful and electrified, all-new 2023 Accord honored for a record 37th time, including a streak of

“The reason the entire Civic lineup wins 10Best is because even the most sensible models—the base sedan and hatchback— are a joy to drive, with balanced chassis, refined road manners, and accurate steer-

or head unit will not be required2 but possible. Mercedes-Benz customers can use this function via the Mercedes me connect service Mercedes me Charge3. All other customers will have straightforward access to a wide array of payment functions. After a smooth, fast and relaxing charging experience, users will be able to continue effortlessly on their way.

Depending on region and location, the hubs will offer 4 to 12, and ultimately as many as 30, high-power chargers (HPC) with up to 350 kW of charging power. Intelligent charge-load management will allow each vehicle to charge at its maximum capacity keeping waiting times to an absolute minimum. The optimised station layout will ensure plenty of space around the vehicle as well as unhindered charging from either side. Where feasible, charging points will be covered for protection from the weather.

ing,” said the Car and Driver editors. “Both the Type R and the Si are offered only with a six-speed manual. These are “if you know, you know” cars. But the best thing about the Civic is that its affordability across a wide range of models means more drivers can join in on the fun.”

With 68 total awards, Honda is the winningest brand in Car and Driver 10Best history. At least one Honda has earned a spot on the annual list since the award’s inception in 1983. Accord is also the most awarded vehicle in Car and Driver 10Best history by a wide margin. It has made the prestigious list an incredible 37 times, including the last 25 years consecutively

“The Honda Civic and Accord are renowned as exceptional vehicles, to have them recognized on Car and Driver’s 10 Best list is something we’re very proud of,” says Steve Hui Assistant Vice President Honda Canada. “This honour confirms their quality and our commitment to producing some of the best passenger cars in the world.”

Windsor, ontArio: The Ram Truck brand introduced a visionary road map at CES 2023 in las Vegas Nevada with its Ram 1500 Revolution Battery-electric Vehicle (BEV). The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features all-wheel-drive capability and is powered by two electric drive module (EDMs), which are positioned toward the front and rear of the vehicle, maximizing interior space and enabling the cavernous frunk. Designed to accommodate larger capacity EDMs, the Ram 1500 BEV concept offers the potential for future high-performance applications. The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept can add up to 160 kilometres of range in approximately 10 minutes with 800-volt DC fast charging at up to 350 kW.

Innovative features include a powered charge-port door, situated on the driver’s side front quarter panel, a powered tail gate, flush-mounted door handles, powered side steps and a powered rear step with active diffuser round out the extensive list of powered features. The charge port features level 1 and level 2 AC charging on the top half and DC fast charging on the bottom half of the charger.

Known as a “one space environment,” the

Auburn Hills, MicH.: The 2023 Wagoneer, equipped with the all-new Hurricane Twin Turbo I-6 and rugged Advanced All Terrain Group, is the Four Wheeler 2023 SUV of the Year. During the competition’s 50-year tenure, the Jeep® brand’s awardwinning SUV lineup has secured the most awards overall, including last year’s award recipient, the 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 – the quickest, fastest and most powerful Wrangler yet.

Four Wheeler’s SUV of the Year competition, open to all-new or significantly revised SUVs for the upcoming model year, culminates in the annual award judged by the editors of the 4x4 enthusiast publication.

Four Wheeler’s weeklong testing regimen includes track testing, including 0-60 and quarter-mile acceleration times, and 60-0 braking distance; and on- and off-road

Ram 1500 Revolution

Battery-electric Vehicle (BEV) Concept

Some unique technology features on the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept vehicle include: Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistant that enhances in-vehicle and exterior interaction with users. A 3D Ram avatar acts as the vehicle’s face, responding to various voice commands from users. Additionally, voice control enables the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept to follow commands from the owner while they’re outside the vehicle, There us also Advanced Augmented Reality (AR) Heads-up Display (HUD) – This feature combines AR HUD and advanced camera and sensor technology to provide enhanced driving assistance Adjustable and removable lower display –can be used as a tablet, passenger display, truck bed workstation, vehicle control, or video game controller. The two 14.2-inch displays can be combined to provide a larger viewing area

Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept utilizes one continuous space front to back that enables several different interior configurations. The 1500 BEV Concept ushers in new features such as: third row jump seats - powered mid-gate features mounted jump

seats with a removable lower section for placement in the bed or outside the vehicle. The mid-gate with powered glass enables a pass-through (and into the frunk) that can fit objects up to 5.5 metres (18-ft.) long with the tailgate closed.

The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features four-wheel steering with up to 15 degrees of articulation and is designed to offer greater vehicle maneuverability while parking at low speed, on tight off-road trails, and increases the vehicle’s steering response at high speeds.

evaluation in the mountains and deserts of Southern California. Vehicles are subjected to a variety of off-road conditions, including sand, rocky trails, loose-surface trails, rutted backroads, loose dirt hill climbs, mud, snow, and ice. Night driving was also integrated into the competition to gauge the performance of each vehicle’s lighting equipment. According to Four Wheeler editors, the 2023 Wagoneer earned its place as this year’s SUV of the year.

Standard on Wagoneer Series II and Wagoneer Series III, the all -new Hurricane twin-turbo engine sets the benchmark for power and efficiency in the large SUV segment with 420 horsepower and 468 lb.-ft. of torque. Additionally, the engine achieves its V-8-rivaling performance while being up to 15% more efficient than larger engines.

The epitome of American artisanship, the 2023 Wagoneer is available in the following

models: Wagoneer, Series II, Carbide and Series III. Grand Wagoneer is available in

Grand Wagoneer, Series II, Obsidian, Series III and Series III Obsidian.

Nothing brings people closer than family. Or further apart. See a family put through the ringer in the deadly Death Knot which comes out on Jan. 17. Cornelia Sunny ensures audiences don’t have quite the sunny time in this brooding and somber tale of deceit and deception now available on Blu-ray and DVD as well as through some streaming services. If terror and horror is your thing then this Well Go USA title may be too your liking. And it’s not really that glory. Call it a bonus.

Instead of your typical blood and guts slay them and gut them variety of terror Death Knot is quite muted in comparison. Here the atmosphere is oh so weary as a couple and their friend set out to bury their mom.

Ah, but the dearly departed is no ordinary lady.

Feared by some, loathed by others the dead mom was regarded as some sort of witch by the local villagers who she resided with. So when the three urbanites

decide to pay their last respects they enter a hornets net of suspicion, uncertainty and hatred. Who knows how it will all end.

They say it’s not right to speak Ill of the dead but that’s exactly what the family encounter as they learn first hand of the black magic and evil spirits supposedly surrounding their loved

Phone:604-502-6100

Fax:604-501-6111 Email:voiceclassified@gmail.com

I, Rachna Dabas, wife of Amit Dabas, mother of Amaira who is a holder of Indian Passport No. V5293125, issued at Vancouver, on 02/03/2022, resident of A-5/4, Shivaji Apartment, Sector-14, Rohini, New Delhi-110085, and presently residing at 22-7848 170 Street, Surrey, BC, V4N 6M4, do hereby change the name of my daughter from Amaira to Amaira Dabas, with immediate effect.

one. So a chill is in the air as these three family members learn more about their mom, her strange home and a deadly spell that can prove fatal.

Made with English subtitles Death Knot is Indonesian and is your typical b-grade thriller that has some good acting but all in all pretty standard fare.

huxqusINAwpxykMipaUtrnMU

TIkkrndIAWsyvwvWswfykoloGr

ivchIjWswfykolilAwkypRwpq

kMipaUtrdIr`PqwrvDwauxw,burIAW qsvIrWvwlIAWPweIlWhtwauxw jWswryknYkSncYkkrnWAwid[

krdyhW, vDwauxw, nvW ieMnstwlkrnw AqyPYkszWskYnrnMUpihlI vwrIkMipaUtrnwljoVnw[

CRIME OF THE WEEK

the Shops at New West. The victim fled from the suspect to seek refuge inside a bus. The suspect is described as a Caucasian man, approximately 20 to 39 years of age, standing no more than 5’7” in height,

with short hair, a medium build, wearing white jacket with black accents, and a black backpack. The suspect may be in possession of a large suitcase, which is dark in colour.

Officers searched the area but were unable to locate anyone matching the suspect description. The New Westminster Police Department Forensic Identification Unit began processing the scenes for additional evidence.

“This appears to be an unprovoked attack. There are no appa rent connections between the victim and the assailant,” stated Sergeant Justine Thom. “Considering the time of day that this occurred, we believe there may be additional witnesses to this assault that have yet to speak to police, and we are encouraging those people to come forward.”

The suspect may have spent some time in and around the Shops at New West before the assault and robbery occurred. If anyone has information on this assault or those involved, they are asked to call the New Westminster Police Department Major Crime Unit Tip Line at 604-529-2430 or send an email to mcucrimetips@nwpolice.org.

Phone: 604-502-6100

Fax: 604-501-6111

Email: voiceclassified@gmail.com

MATRIMONIAL & PERSONALS

Box Replies to TheIndo-CanadianVoice #102 - 9360 - 120th St., Surrey,BCV3V 4B9

R: ATES

25-30 words .... $5/wk 3.002s Extraword........25¢each ........

Box Rental ........$10 Extra ........

AD:WN

Parents seeking a match for their Jatt Sikh boy, 35, 5’8”, Canadian born, well educated, Government employee. Girl should be family oriented, PR is not necessary, students can be considered. For more details, please contact 604-825-5033. *********

Seeking a beautiful girl for a Ramgarhia boy, Canadian Citizen, brought up in India, 36, 5’11”, commercial pilot, based in Vancouver, never married. Girl should be from a respected family, Canadian Citizen/PR from Surrey/Vancouver region, tall, educated, respectful to elders, and loving towards the family members.

For more information, contact 604-729-8123. *********

Sikh Family looking a suitable match for their handsom, 29 old years old son, 5;10”, well settled in a government job. Girl should be a Canadian PR or citizenship. Work permit will also be considered. Caste no bar. Please contact 604-562-4473. *********

Seeking a girl for Canadian citizen 35, 5’10 handsome Sikh boy. Post graduated and well settled in his career. Girl should be well educated, 5’3” plus , family-oriented. Caste no bar. Please contact:

7789680771 *********

Suitable match for NRI Kamboj Sikh boy PR,Veg,30 years, 5’11’’ B.Tech, PG diploma from Canada,doing Govt job in BC,Own house in Canada,Parents retired Govt. employee,rural and urban property,upper caste welcome.+1-778-386-2812

*********

Well settled Jat Sikh family looking for suitable match for their handsome 27 years old , 6’ Canadian born clean shaven son working as a software engineer. Girl should be Canadian born,well educated, beautiful and family oriented. For more info call 604 585 7777.

*********

Suitable match wanted for an Australian Khatri Sikh boy, 35 years, 6’2”, clean shaven, very handsome, health professional, handsome salary, down to earth, never married, looking for a simple, humble, family-oriented girl, caste no bar. Please contact at 778-919-7948 or kamaljit10@hotmail.ca

*********

Well settled Punjabi Aggarwal boy, 5’-10” 74 born, issueless divorcee, USA Citizen, Own logistics business in California looking for a Hindu girl. Please Contact at 925-200-6838 (whatsapp) Email: manish_22us@ yahoo.com

*********

Suitable match for Manglik/Non-Manglik Permanent Resident Brahmin Boy 30 years, 5’ 6”, fair complexion, electrical tradesperson, looking for well educated girl who values family and career. Please contact bhartikamboj@hotmail.com, 604-440-2756. Caste no bar.

GROOM WANTED

Tonk Kashatriya Hindu Family seeking a suitable match for their daughter, 44 years old, innocently

NRI match for Canadian Tonk Kshatriya PR girl, 1996/5’5”, beautiful, fair complexion , well educated, homely girl doing govt. job in a hospital.

Phone 778 840 3282

Seeking a beautiful girl for a Jatt Sikh boy, 30 years old, 6’2”, Canadian born and raised, well-settled, healthcare diploma holder, going in his own family business. Family is well settled in Canada. Girl should be Canadian PR or work permit holder. For more information, please contact604-916-2959.

divorced, 5’7”, well educated. Boy should be well educated and family oriented. Caste no bar. For more information, please call 604-760-3129 *********

Looking for educated working professional as suitable match for well educated Hindu female (‘81 Canadian born, never married) working with government. Caste no bar. Connect at m23vancouver@gmail.com

Hindu Punjabi Parents are looking a suitable match for their daughter, 29 years old, 5’6”, beautiful, well educated, permanent resident, lives in Surrey. Boy should be well educated and a Canadian Permanent Resident. For more information: please contact 778-388-5008 *********

Canadian citizen 34 , Hindu Arora beautiful girl 5”2 working in Bank Vancouver, Divorced (was a Short term marriage) seeking for a suitable match and boy should be in Canada.For more information please contact 7788953832. *********

Suitable match for a Saraswat Brahmin girl, 31 years old, 5’3”, Birthtime: 5:30 PM, diploma in computer Engg., BSCIT, MCA, MA in English. Contact: +91--9780616051 (India), +1-604-999-7125. We consider Divorce too. We need Canadian PR or Citizen boy. *********

Respectable well established Sidhu Family looking for a suitable match for their daughter born in 1981 in Vancouver, never married, university graduate, working as marketing manager with reputed international company. For further information contact: 604-319-0662 *********

Seeking SQM for Indian Born Ravidasia/Girl 31 years old, 5’6”, BPT from India with PR status. Boy should be educated with PR/Citizen status, same caste is preferable. Please send complete biodata and pictures at: doctordass@yahoo.com or doctor_daljit@yahoo.com *********

Seeking suitable match for a 31 years old, highly educated, working as a COO, Sikh girl. Caste no bar, currently residing in Delhi, India. Contact: 01191-98111-29363 (India) or Family in Canada: 778-713-8399 (Baljit)

Fraser Valley real estate market 2022: highs, lows, and a return to balance

SURREY, BC: In a year that saw prices peak early on, feeding off the momentum of record-breaking sales in 2021, the Fraser Valley real estate market came back down to earth by the close of 2022, due largely to interest rate increases designed to stave off inflation.

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) processed 716 sales on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in December 2022, down 14.7 per cent from the previous month and down by 60.4 per cent compared to the same month last year, making it the lowest December sales recorded in the last 10 years.

The Board received 803 new listings in December, a decrease of 52.8 per cent compared to November, and 37.2per cent fewer than December of last year. Total active listings for December stood at 3,923, down by 26.4 per cent compared to November, but nearly double (100.5%) compared to December 2021.

The year closed out with a total of 15,273 sales, just over half of 2021’s record-setting 27,692 and the ninth-lowest annual tally of the past decade. New listings were down 8.9 per cent at 32,442 compared to 2021.

With a sales-to-active listings ratio of 18 per cent, the overall market closed out the year in balance (the market is considered balanced when the sales-to-active listings ratio is between 12 per cent and 20 per cent.).

“As the market has adjusted to rate hikes, we’re starting to see a resumption of interest among the public,” said Sandra Benz, President of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. “For some time, buyers and sellers alike have delayed decisions in somewhat of a watch-and-wait mode. This has

dampened sales as well as supply since fewer new listings come onto the market. We expect activity to pick up in the coming months as this pent up supply and demand starts to emerge.”

Benz added that, under more stable market conditions, there will be strong opportunities for well-priced, wellpositioned properties across all categories.

Home prices peaked in March of this year, with the Benchmark price for a detached house hitting a record $1,776,700 before closing out the year at $1,377,200. The composite Benchmark price (all property types combined) finished the year under one million at $955,700.

“If the real estate market has shown us anything this year, it’s that we must be prepared to adjust and adapt to uncertainty,” said Board CEO Baldev Gill. “Market reaction to the many variables at play – be they interest rates, regulatory changes or supply chain issues, for example – is tough to predict at the best of times. It requires detailed analysis and intimate knowledge, often down to the street level, to fully evaluate. Only a professional REALTOR® can provide the kind of intelligence required to ensure a decision to buy or sell is made with clients’ best interests in mind.”

Across the Fraser Valley in December, the average number of days to sell a single-family detached home was 42 and a townhome 39 days. Apartments took, on average, 33 days to sell.

A year ago, properties were moving, on average, two to three times more quickly.

*Subjec ttocreditapproval.Conditionsandrestrictionsapply. CIBCreser vesthe right to amendorterminateany oralloftheproducts, servicesorassociatedoffers,includingpricingorinterest ratesatanytimeandwithoutadvance notice, unlessotherwise requiredbylaw,regulationoragreement.Physician &Surgeon/Dental/Optometryprac tisingprofessionalsmustberegisteredwiththeirrespectiveprovincialprac ticeregulator ybodies,subjecttoconditions andrestrictions. †ThisLimitedtimecashbackofferisvaliduntil April 30,2022basedonapplication date and available for mor tgageloans for rsttimehomebuyers,mor tgage loans fornewpurchase,ormortgageloans that are transferred to CIBCfromanother nancialinstitution.Mortgageloansmustbefundedwithin120daysofapplicationdate. Mortgageloanmusthave aprincipal amount of$100,000ormore, andbeeither aCIBCFixed-RateClosed Mortgageloanwith atermof4yearsormoreora 5-yearCIBCVariable Flex Mortgageloan.A personalCIBCchequingaccountfromwhichpre-authorizedmor tgagepaymentsare madeis required.Qualifyingclientswill receive$3,000 on amor tgage loanamountof$750,000ormore, $2,000ona mortgageloanof$500,000-749,999,$1,200ona mor tgageloanof$300,000-$499,999,or$1,000on amor tgageloanof$100,000-$299,999.Cashbackwillbedeposited inthepersonalCIBCchequing account6-8weeks afterfunding.Other conditionsandrestrictionsapply. Askusfordetails.CashbackofferendsApril30,2022. Offerissubjecttocreditapprovalandmaybechangedor withdrawnatany time, without notice. If youhaveaneligiblehigh ratio mor tgage, youmay alsoqualify foraspeciallowrate. Talk to us to ndouthow. TheCIBClogoisatrademarkofCIBC.C0031206/21

TRINJAN'S ANNUAL KURI MUNDEY DI LOHRI A ROARING SUCCESS

YOU may have preconceived ideas that magic mushrooms are the party drugs of days past. However, in Canada and other countries, regulations are starting to ease on these prohibited psychedelics. The impetus stems from clinical trials showing remarkable results in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and treatment-resistant depression. The question begs, when should you plan for a mind-altering trip?

“Magic mushrooms” grow naturally in many parts of the world. They contain psilocybin, which produces hallucinogenic effects when eaten.

A good many readers may have personal experience. According to data from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health in the US, an estimated 21 million Americans reported having tried psilocybin at least once. Despite remaining illegal for the most part in Canada, psilocybin is easy to find. Selling prepackage micro doses of magic mushroom powder (50 to 300 milligrams, far below the amount that would produce psychedelic effects) is becoming big business for online retailers in British Columbia. Some athletes in high stress sports are advocating for the use of micro dosing in the promotion of mental health. And Indigenous Peoples have long respected mushrooms for their medicinal properties. But the recent move by Alberta to allow psychedelic-assisted therapy means licensed providers can now treat patients with higher doses of psychedelic mushrooms for mental health disorders. A psychiatrist must oversee any treatment.

The great hope is that, even with a single dose of a psychedelic mushrooms, the brain can be redirected away from troubling memory and mood ruts. For terminally ill patients, experimental treatments are showing profound results in easing the prospect of death.

Dr. Sean O’Sullivan, a clinical psychiatrist and Adjunct Professor of Family Medicine at McMaster University, explains, “Psychedelics disassemble the default mode network and they allow a person to have new experiences in a carefully controlled clinical setting. When the default mode network is put back together, it’s not put back together in the same way as it was previously.”

He reports, for example, treatment of an advanced stage lung cancer patient with “one psilocybin mushroom session occasioning a mystical-type experience that she rated 4 months later as being the single-most personally meaningful experience of her life.”

In 1943, Winston Churchill gave the commencement address at Harvard University, noting with customary eloquence, “The empires of the future are the empires of the mind.” That was wartime talk about knowledge as power. But now at Harvard, it’s the modest but potent mushroom taking center stage.

Michael Pollan is a member of Harvard’s English Department and well known for challenging notions about psychoactive plants. “Fungi constitute the most poorly understood and underappreciated kingdom of life on Earth,” he says.

Thanks to documentaries like Dosed 2: The Trip of a Lifetime, which follows a terminally ill cancer patient’s legal use of magic mushrooms to treat anxiety, understanding among common citizens is changing.

Erika Dyck is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in the History of Health and Social Justice at the University of Saskatchewan. In a thoughtful commentary published by theconversation. com, she cautions against the race “to push psychedelics into the medical marketplace.”

Dyck says we should “take a sober approach to the psychedelic hype.”

The question remains. If a safe, natural, and low-cost mushroom can, in one well-guided experience, dramatically improve the well-being of someone suffering from conditions like PTSD and depression, why wouldn’t a caring society want to enable its use? We say, let’s put in place the right safeguards. And on this one, perhaps we would be well advised to turn to traditional healers for advice, not the medical establishment.

Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contactus@docgiff.com. Follow us on Instagram @ docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones

Dr. Ken Walker (Gifford-Jones) is a graduate of the University of Toronto and The Harvard Medical School. He trained in general surgery at the Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University and in Gynecology at Harvard.

Diana MacKay writes in collaboration with

her father under the pen name, Diana GiffordJones. Diana is Special Advisor with The Aga Khan University. She worked for ten years in

including health policy and

nutrition, and population health.

I passed Real Estate supplement exam in one week after taking coaching from Sure Shot Learning Centre. Their daily Mock Test and up to date notes helped me out to pass the exam in rst attempt.

the Human Development sectors at the World Bank,

economics,

R. BHATIA Realtor