Indo-Canadian Voice Main - Oct 14 2022

“IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!”

That was the response from former Solicitor General Kash Heed when The VOICE asked him if the ongoing transition from the RCMP to the Surrey Police Service (SPS) could be reversed at this stage – as Surrey mayoral hopeful Brenda Locke has been claiming.

The SPS now has 352 employees, with 298 sworn police officers and 54 civilians and Surrey-ites, especially the important South Asian community has whole-heartedly welcomed them. In fact, it will be a highly volatile situation if any mayor tries to halt or reverse the ongoing policing transition.

Heed noted: “[The transition] is on its way and Surrey Police Service, whether you like it or you don’t like it, it is going to be an independent municipal police agency. They are well on their way and the Province is not going to pull it back. It will be an irresponsible move if they pulled it back regardless of the political environment that is out there right now.”

Heed added: “Police leaders across the Lower Mainland understand that and are preparing themselves with respect to Surrey having its own standalone independent municipal police agency.”

After high-profile gang and drug enforcement commands with the

Vancouver Police Department, Heed was West Vancouver’s Chief Constable for two years before being elected to the BC Legislature in 2009 as the MLA for VancouverFraserview. Immediately after, Heed was appointed to serve as BC’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

WHEN The VOICE asked him about the controversy about transition costs. Heed bluntly pointed out: “Yes, the transition is going to be costly at the outset; however, it is going to be transitioned. Matter of fact, if you try

to pull it back right now, you will be absolutely wasting excessive dollars, not realising that you have hired well over 200 people that you will have to deal with in some kind of severance pay when you try to pull it back.”

He added: “You got to look at the overall cost of what is taking place. You are better off moving forward, containing cost as much as you can. What has happened is the resistance from the RCMP, resistance from other policy-maker agencies that have cost the taxpayer in Surrey.

“This resistance will now subside and we will start to see a smoother,

more efficient process because everyone knows this is now going to be a standalone, independent municipal police agency.”

When The VOICE noted that the Solicitor General could always refuse any request for a reversal of the policing transition, Heed said: “The power for policing lies with the provincial government. If you look at the way the Constitutional Act is in Canada, the responsibility for the policing comes to the Province. The Province takes upon itself to delegate the authority to municipal government. But the Province is overall is in charge of policing within its jurisdiction.”

WHEN The VOICE pointed out that Locke was making the ridiculous suggestion that the SPS officers could just be absorbed into the RCMP or return to their previous police departments, Heed replied: “It will not happen. You’ve got to remember the RCMP is a federal police agency.

If in fact you wanted to be a member of the RCMP, there is a process you have to go through to be a member.

You’ve got a chief of police, you’ve got deputy chiefs of police, you have superintendents, you have inspectors, you have staff-sergeants, sergeants and constables. You are not going to absorb them within a federal police structure.”

And what about the other police departments?

Heed said: “They are not going to take them back, I can tell you right now. They are not going to take them back because many of them have retired. They were able to take retirement. They will not go back as they have retired from those police agencies, whether you have retired from the RCMP or you’ve retired from a different police agency, you won’t go back as a regular member. You’ve already retired from that agency.”

Heed then noted: “You’ve heard me say that it was a very costly venture, but you are going to waste more of the taxpayers’ dollar now if you try and pull this back. And I know that the Solicitor General and the rest of the cabinet in Victoria have no appetite to stop this and pull it back. … I can tell you it’s not going to happen!”

Kash

Petition to recall Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Monashee, fails

THE petition to recall Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Mona shee, has failed, Elections BC an nounced on Wednesday.

The petition was not submitted to Elections BC by October 11, the deadline established by the Recall and Initiative Act.

The petition was issued to propo nent Genevieve Ring on August 12.

A total of 28 voters registered as canvassers to collect signatures.

Sandhu in a statement to a local newspaper in her riding at the time said: “I will not be intimi dated by a small group of extreme

activists that do not represent the vast majority of people in Ver

non-Monashee. As a healthcare worker, I stand behind the deci sions we made as a government to help keep British Columbians and frontline workers healthy and safe during the pandemic. And I will continue working every day to stand up for what’s right and to make life better for the people I represent.”

Despite the petition’s failure the proponent must return their peti tion sheets to Elections BC. Sig nature counts will not be avail able once the petition is received, as Elections BC takes no steps to

count or verify signatures for late petitions.

The recall proponent and MLA must file financial disclosure re ports with the Chief Electoral Of ficer on or before 4:30 p.m., No vember 8.

Twenty-seven recall petitions have been issued since the Recall and Initiative Act came into force in 1995. None have met the require ments established by the Act.

For more information about the re call petition process, visit the Elec tions BC website at https://elec tions.bc.ca/recall-initiative/recall/.

India may reintroduce black list of Non-Resident Indians and others

THERE are reports emanating from New Delhi that the Modi Government is seriously think ing of reintroducing the notorious black list of Non-Resident Indians and others who it believes are supporting and/or encouraging those who are responsible for violence and illegal activities in the state of Punjab all in the name of Khalistan.

The then-Congress government had come up with the black list that caused a lot of conflict and

bitterness. The Modi Government did away with the list in an act of reconciliation. But now it feels it may have no choice but to bring it back, though it hasn’t made up its mind as yet.

The Indian Government points to the increasing number of arrests the state police and central para military forces have been making in Punjab of people indulging in illegal activities including assas sinations and the seizure of guns, ammunition, explosive devices,

drugs and cash. Almost every week there are reports of drones carrying such items being shot down or tracked down near the India-Pakistan border.

The so-called criminal elements are all allegedly receiving aid from Pakistan’s intelligence service and Non-Resident Indians in vari ous countries, including Canada.

The government feels that foreign countries are not doing enough to stop such Non-Resident Indians from financing terrorist and illegal

activities in Punjab.

The Indian Government also be lieves that because it did away with the black list, many NonResident Indians as well students from Punjab studying abroad feel they can indulge in activities that the government alleges are antiIndia, though others insist that they are a part of democracy and freedom of speech.

However, any move to bring back the black list is bound to be con troversial.

All three suspects identified in incident involving intimidation of RCMP officer at Strawberry Hill business complex

SURREY RCMP announced on Tuesday that all three suspects in relation to the September inci dent in the Strawberry Hill busi ness complex have now been identified.

On September 11, a Surrey RCMP officer was surrounded by a group of males in the parking lot of the Strawberry Hill business complex, after he served a viola tion ticket to one of the individu als.

All involved were South Asians.

On October 4, a 22-year-old man was arrested for intimidation of

the justice system participant and obstruction of a peace officer. He was released on an undertaking with a future court date and con ditions, which includes not going to the Strawberry Hill Complex. Police asked for public assistance with identifying two additional suspects who were allegedly in volved in the same incident and released their photos.

Last week on Friday (October 7), Surrey RCMP announced that a second suspect had been identi fied.

Now, the third suspect has also

been identified.

On September 13, Surrey RCMP told the media that they were aware of a video circulating on social media about the incident.

“The officer in the video was responding to a complaint re ceived from on-site security that a vehicle with an extremely loud and disruptive exhaust system had been unnecessarily driving around the parking lot and caus ing a disturbance for the preced ing three hours. One person was served a ticket, as well as a notice and order for a vehicle inspec

tion,” police said.

Cpl. Vanessa Munn said: “The be haviour of the group escalated as the officer re-entered his police vehicle and attempted to leave. Persons involved blocked the po lice vehicle, attempted to open the driver’s door and could be heard swearing and name calling while filming the incident.”

She added: “The behaviours ex hibited in this video by the group of males is unacceptable and impeding a police officer from their duties can result in criminal charges.”

Harwinder Sandhu

Whoever becomes the next mayor of Surrey may NOT be taken seriously by Surrey-ites or the Province, and here’s why …

request.

THE vote splitting that is expected in Surrey in the October 15 municipal election will most probably mean that whoever becomes the next mayor may not be taken seriously by either the vast majority of Surrey-ites or by the provincial government.

Whoever wins will most probably get ONLY 25 per cent of the total vote.

That means the winner will have NO credibility – and the Province can always snub that person on any issue. That would also mean that if that person wanted to pause or reverse the ongoing policing transition in Surrey, the Solicitor General could firmly turn down that

Let’s not forget that the LOUDEST argument the pro-RCMP folks made against getting rid of the Mounties was that the incumbent mayor –Doug McCallum – did not get 50 per cent of the total vote.

What is more, if any mayor does not have the support of at least FOUR Councillors, that person will not be able to get any meaningful work done in Council. That mayor will not be able to even authorize a referendum on anything!

A recent poll has little, if any, credibility. One reason that people view municipal polls with scepticism is that the turnout is very low – it was just over 30 per cent in Surrey last time. That means some or even many who express their views to pollsters may not even

bother to go out to vote. Getting supporters to get out and vote for them will be key in winning for any party or individual.

Another reason the poll lacks credibility is the way that a multicultural society in Surrey works. Not all white people think the same way – nor do all non-white people think the same way even if they come from the same ethnic or

sub-ethnic background. The poll states that “results were weighted according to age, gender, ethnicity and region.” How does one calculate the “ethnicity” part of it with so much diversity and division in the different groups?

So don’t believe any polls – WAIT for the FINAL results.

Remember how stunned and mortified the mainstream media –especially Global BC – and former mayor Dianne Watts looked on election day four years ago when their favourite mayoral candidate and his Surrey First team were virtually wiped out by Doug McCallum and his Safe Surrey Coalition?! Even the only Surrey First candidate who won had openly turned against her party’s policy on a certain development!

IRCC will accept up to 15,000 complete applications for sponsorship under Parents and Grandparents Program

LIBERAL MP Sonia Sidhu, on behalf of Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, alongside MP Shafqat

Ali on Tuesday announced that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will continue to reunite families by accepting up to 15,000 complete applications for sponsorship under the Parents and Grandparents Program this year.

This week, IRCC will begin sending invitations to apply to 23,100 interested potential sponsors—enough to make sure it receives its goal of 15,000 applications. Invitations will be sent over the course of two weeks.

IRCC will send invitations

to apply to randomly selected potential sponsors from the pool of submissions from 2020 instead of

opening a new interest to sponsor form. This is the same approach taken for the 2021 intake. Anyone who submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020, but who did not receive an invitation to apply in January 2021 or September 2021, is encouraged to check the email account they provided when they submitted their interest. As with last year, those invited to apply as part of this process will use the new Permanent Residence Portal or the Representative Permanent Residence Portal, which allows applications to be submitted electronically. This is part of the IRCC’s commitment to modernize Canada’s immigration system, and speed up and simplify the

application process.

Recognizing that many potential sponsors may have experienced financial difficulties in recent years because of the pandemic, IRCC will once again use a lower income requirement for the sponsorship of parents and grandparents.

For the 2020 and 2021 tax years, the income requirement for sponsors will be the minimum necessary income, instead of the minimum necessary income plus 30%, and regular Employment Insurance benefits and temporary COVID-19 benefits (such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit) will be allowed to be

Sean

Man with gang affiliation shot in the hand in Surrey

SURREY RCMP are seeking in formation on a shooting that oc curred on Sunday and requesting anyone with dash camera footage from the area to contact police.

On October 9, at approximately 6:13 p.m., Surrey RCMP received a report that a man with a gunshot wound had attended a hospital in another jurisdiction.

The man was allegedly shot while in his vehicle waiting at a red light in the area of Scott Road and 110 Avenue in Surrey. The man sus tained an injury to his hand, alleg edly drove himself to a hospital, and has since been released.

Surrey RCMP’s General Investiga tion Unit has conduct of the inves tigation and initial indications are that it was a targeted incident. Al though the motive of the shooting remains under investigation, the victim is known to police and has gang affiliations.

a multiple-entry visa that is valid for 10 years.

Enhancements to the super visa, implemented in the summer of 2022, allow super visa holders to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time, with the option to extend their visit by up to two years at a time without leaving the country. These changes make it easier for Canadian citi zens and permanent residents to reunite with their parents and grandparents in Canada for

longer periods of time. Fraser said: “Family reunification is an essential part of Canada’s immigration system. Build ing on recently announced enhancements to the parents and grandparents super visa,

Honda Civic and travelling north bound on Scott Road. The suspect vehicle is described as a dark se dan.

“This shooting allegedly occurred on a busy roadway during the day and yet we did not receive any police reports,” said Surrey RCMP Media Relations Officer, Cpl. Van essa Munn. “Investigators are ask ing for anyone who was travelling along Scott Road near 110 Avenue on Sunday between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and has dash camera footage to contact police.”

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-2228477 or www.solvecrime.ca.

opening a Parents and Grandparents Program sponsorship intake and accepting up to 15,000 applications in 2022 demonstrates the govern ment’s commitment to reuniting families while strengthening Canada’s immigration system.”

Former B.C. Liberal MLA Dave Hayer (3rd from left) was awarded The Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal on October 11 for his Outstanding Service to Community. Tens of thousands of these medals will be awarded to Canadians across the country.

Photo submitted by Dave Hayer

At the time of the shooting the victim was driving a 2016 White

Photo: CrimeStoppers

Vote in the Surrey municipal election: Election day is October 15

able identification

- Acceptable identification provides evi dence of your identity and place of resi dence to the voting location. One item must contain the voter’s signature.

voters: two pieces of accept

time by viewing the voting locations

map for locations close to you and estimat ed wait times.

Find information about candidates running for office, voting locations and map, and ev erything else you need to know about the municipal election at surrey.ca/election.

City of Vancouver: Return your ballot to Election Office by October 15 at 8 p.m.

ALL voters who requested a vote-by-mail package must return their ballot no later than 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 15 to make their vote count, according to the City of Vancouver.

Voters can drop off their package at secure drop boxes across the city: Location / Address / Hours / Deadline

* City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue: Oct 15 at 8 p.m.

* Election Office, 305 West 8th Avenue: Oct

15 at 8 p.m.

* Kerrisdale Community Centre, 5851 West Boulevard: Oct 15 at 6 p.m.

* Killarney Community Centre, 6260 Killarney Street: Oct 15 at 5 p.m.

* Kitsilano War Memorial Community Cen tre, 2690 Larch Street: Oct 15 at 5 p.m.

* Roundhouse Community Arts and Recre ation Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews: Oct 15 at 4:45 p.m.

* Trout Lake Community Centre, 3360 Victo

Escort charged in drugging incidents that killed one man

SURREY RCMP announced on Thursday that multiple charges, including one of manslaughter, have been laid in relation to an ongoing investigation.

In September 2021, Surrey RCMP initiated an investigation after officers in the Community Response Unit linked multiple reports of men being drugged and having their belongings stolen while utilizing an escort service.

In one of the incidents, in Feb ruary 2021, a man died alleg edly after allegedly being ad ministered a substance during an encounter.

The Surrey RCMP Serious Crime Unit took conduct of the investigation, which was mul tijurisdictional and complex due to the nature of the allega tions. Investigators identified a suspect who is alleged to have committed multiple offences in Surrey, Burnaby, Langley and Vancouver.

On September 20, 2022, 30-year-old Jessica Nicole Re

nee Kane of Vancouver was ar rested. She has been charged with the following offences: * Manslaughter

* Seven counts of administer ing a stupefying or overpower ing drug or substance

* Six counts of theft over $5,000

* One count of theft

* Four counts of fraud

* Two counts of extortion Jessica Kane has been re manded into custody while she awaits her next court appear ance.

“Investigators believe there could be others in the com munity who may have informa tion but are reluctant to come forward to police,” said Sur rey RCMP Media Relations Of ficer, Cpl. Vanessa Munn. “We are encouraging anyone with information to come forward and make a police report with the Surrey RCMP Serious Crime Unit.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.

ria Drive: Oct 15 at 4:30 p.m.

Vote-by-mail reminders

Voters must ensure that they fill out the ballot and follow instructions on how to prepare it for sending back to the Election Office. In structions are available with each package, on video, and in multiple languages such as Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog, Punjabi, Vietnamese, Spanish, Ko rean, Farsi, French, and Japanese, which

are available at vancouver.ca/vote. The last day to pick up the vote by mail package from the Election Office (305 West 8th Avenue) is on Friday, October 14 at noon.

Election day is Saturday, October 15. Voters can choose from any of the 82 voting places open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Accessibility of each voting place is listed at vancouver.ca/vote.

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum (centre) flanked by (L-R) Mandeep Nagra, Debra Antifaev, John Gibeau, Laurie Guerra, Doug Elford, Raman Jassar and Stuart Drysdale. Will Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum and his Safe Surrey Coalition once again surprise everyone by another victory on October 15? Their support is said to be solid especially in the South Asian community, but even in other communities, people give them full credit for the Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension. The young people are particularly thrilled about the sports facilities that have been built and/or improved. There is also a solid section that supports the ongoing transition to the Surrey Police Service in spite of all the false propaganda financed by the RCMP union and the distorted news in a section of the mainstream media.

Photo by JAY SHARMA of Mahi Photo Studio

Narima

INDEPENDENT Surrey Council candidate Narima Dela Cruz is being endorsed by Sur rey Fleetwood-Port Kells MP Ken Hardie, Surrey Fleetwood MLA Jagrup Brar, former Surrey School Trustee Charlene Dobie, and former five-term MLA Sue Hammell who all speak of the respect and confidence the 52-year-old mother of two and long time community volunteer has earned from across all communities.

Hardie says the opportunity to have a strong, connected, passionate and willing-to-serve independent candidate is something Surrey residents should not pass up, and that “Nari ma Dela Cruz will bring the voice of respect

Suspect in arson investigation in Coquitlam arrested

COQUITLAM RCMP announced on Sunday that the 57-year-old arson suspect from Fri day, October 7 has been arrested.

Coquitlam RCMP front line officers attended a Port Co quitlam res idence after receiving a report that the suspect was at this location on October 8. The suspect was located and arrested without incident.

Coquitlam RCMP Victim Services were en gaged to support those impacted by this in cident.

“We would like to thank the public for their assistance in helping locate this suspect,” said Media Relations Officer, Cpl. Alexa Hodgins. “This was a disturbing and poten tially fatal incident that occurred in our com munity, and we are thankful to all who as sisted in ensuring the suspect was arrested.” Police asked for the public’s assistance in lo cating the suspect, Jin Ming Han, on October 7 after a fire was deliberately set to a fam ily residence near Durant Drive and Johnson Street in Coquitlam.

Coquitlam frontline officers attended the residence shortly after 6:30 a.m. on October 7 after receiving a 9-1-1 report from a con cerned neighbour. Once police arrived, they saw part of the residence on fire.

Coquitlam Fire Department quickly attended to extinguish the flames.

Two females inside the residence were able to escape the fire. One female was located with serious injuries, and both have been transported to local hospitals for medical care.

Police believe that the parties are known to each other.

Coquitlam RCMP said their investigators are working diligently to determine the com plete circumstances of this incident and the suspect’s alleged involvement before recommending charges to BC Prosecution Services.

Anyone who may have information is asked to contact the Coquitlam RCMP at 604-9451550, and quote file number 2022-26568.

and experience to the Surrey City Council.”

Brar says Dela Cruz has an outstanding re cord of community involvement in the City of Surrey and has been a fierce advocate for citizens at every level, and that “she is collaborative and inclusive in all that she does.”

Hammell believes that Dela Cruz will fight for the best interests of Surrey, and that she

has “proven to have the competence, the heart and energy to listen, represent and work hard.”

Dela Cruz also gets the support from former

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UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Dr. Faisal Khosa awarded Fellowship of the American College of Radiology

DR. Faisal Khosa, Associate Professor (Partner) at the Department of Radiology at UBC’s Faculty of Medicine, has been on a roll this year, bagging a raft of awards/ recognition.

This month he was elected to become a Fellow of the American College of Radiolo gists (ACR).

This is one of the highest honours the ACR can bestow on a member in good stand ing. ACR Fellows demonstrate a history of service to the College, organized radiol ogy, teaching, and/or research. Only 15 per cent of current ACR members have been awarded this honour.

FACR is awarded to diagnostic radiolo gists, radiation oncologists, interventional oncologists, medical physicists, and nu clear medicine physicians at the convoca tion ceremony held during the ACR Annual Meeting.

The honour of Fellow of the American Col lege of Radiology is conferred on mem bers who have been approved and elected by the ACR Board of Chancellors.

Dr. Khosa has been awarded FACR 10 years after his American Board of Radiol

ogy certification in recognition of his ex traordinary accomplishments, credentials and services for the underrepresented and minorities.

EARLIER this year, Khosa was one of the recipients of the B.C. Achievement

Community Award. The awards were an nounced by Premier John Horgan and Anne Giardini, Chair of the BC Achieve ment Foundation. He was selected as this year’s Mitchell Award of Distinction recipi ent — “a mentor, educator and advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion, whose selfless leadership style empowers others to lead and excel.”

Then in June, he received the 2022 UBC Faculty of Medicine Distinguished Achieve

ment Award for “Advancement of Equity, Diversity and Inclusiveness.”

In August, Khosa bagged yet another rec ognition – that of Outstanding Academic Performance (OAP) by his department head for 2021.

After that, Khosa was selected as the re cipient for the 2022 Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Award by the Vancouver Community of Care Medical, Dental and Allied Staff.

We’re looking for families withtime for

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Officials of the Consulate General of India in Vancouver were among those who paid homage to India’s Father of the Nation by garlanding the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the memorial statue of Mahatma Gandhi located in the Peace Square at SFU’s Burnaby campus on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on October

Dr. Faisal Khosa

Burnaby Citizens Association calls for public apology from One Burnaby and its candidates

THE Burnaby Citizens Association on Friday called for a public apology from One Burn aby and its candidates for spreading “false and misleading information” on BCA School Board candidate Mikelle Sasakamoose.

The BCA said in a statement: “Earlier today the One Burnaby campaign released a tweet with false and misleading information. The tweet attacked BCA School Board candidate Mikelle Sasakamoose for campaigning on the National Day for Truth and Reconcilia tion.

“This false attack on a First Nations woman candidate is appalling and is outright lies. This type of political campaigning is rac ism and has no place in Burnaby. Despite being corrected on the information online, OneBurnaby has refused to take the tweet down.

“As candidates for the Burnaby Citizens As sociation we stand in solidarity with Mikelle and are calling on One Burnaby and their candidates to issue an immediate retraction and public apology.

“We are attaching Mikelle’s statement be low.”

It was signed by Reah Arora, Bill Brassington, Pietro Calendino, Peter Cech, Antara Deb, Sav Dhaliwal, Larry Hayes, Jen Mezei, Alison Gu, Maita Santiago, Kristin Schnider, Daniel Tetrault, James Wang and Gary Wong.

Statement from Mikelle Sasakamoose:

On only the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, OneBurnaby shows how very, very far away we are from ad vancing reconciliation in this country.

To attack the first Indigenous woman to ever run for any office in Burnaby about a day meant to commemorate the history

and inter-generational trauma as a result of vicious colonization against my people, is abhorrent.

I am disgusted at the outright racism dis played by OneBurnaby, it’s staff and it’s candidates by using this day as an oppor tunity to further traumatize me with their lies.

New chargers support the switch to EVs

PEOPLE making the transition to electric ve hicles (EVs) will have more access to elec tric charging with 44 new charging stations in communities and municipalities throughout B.C.

“As British Columbians are switching to elec tric vehicles at record speed, we continue to expand our network of electric charging stations and accelerate toward our CleanBC goal of completing B.C.’s electric highway by 2024 with our rebate programs,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, on Wednesday.

“With these new charging stations, British Columbians can travel to different commu nities throughout the province with ease and contribute to a low-carbon future.”

The charging stations are funded under the

seventh round of the CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program, which aims to in crease the number of public direct-current fast-charger (DCFC) stations throughout B.C. to support the growing number of EVs on the road. Thirty-nine of the new charging sta tions are DCFC stations, while five of them are Level 2 charging stations.

“We’re building a cleaner, better future for people with more fast-charging stations for electric vehicles in communities throughout the province,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strat egy.

“By making cleaner choices easier and more affordable, we’re making sure 90% of all new light-duty vehicles sold in B.C. are zero emis sion by 2030 and 100% by 2035 – a key com

mitment in our CleanBC Roadmap to 2030.” Fourteen communities throughout B.C. will benefit from the charging stations. The pro gram is funding two fast-charging stations each in Coquitlam, Nanaimo, Surrey, Ques nel, Mission, Port Alberni, Summerland, Kiti mat and Kelowna, and four fast-charging sta tions in Vancouver.

The program is also funding two fast-charg ing stations and four Level 2 charging sta tions in Whistler, as well as three fast-charg ing stations and one Level 2 charging station in Richmond. Terrace will receive four fastcharging stations while Victoria will receive eight fast-charging stations.

“We’re thrilled to receive provincial funding to help implement our electric vehicle and electric mobility strategy, which outlines a

This is the perfect example of why One Burnaby candidates will not be good leaders in our community. They have no shame in using 150 years of trauma, of vio lence, of genocide against an Indigenous woman – for votes.

And, not that it is Mike Hillman, Richard Liu, Richard T. Lee, Brea Huang Sami, Ma rio Miceli or Mona Grewal’s business how I choose to commemorate the history and trauma of my people and my family, but on the National Day for Truth and Reconcili ation, I was witnessing a traditional pipe ceremony at Westminster Pier Park, hon ouring the children who never returned home from residential schools, the survi vors, our families and our communities, with my two youngest daughters and one of their friends. We grabbed some donuts for a treat, we picked up some birthday party favors and snacks for my daughter’s upcoming birthday party, and then ended the day having dinner at Whitespot. I am here because my grandfather survived genocide. In the spirit of reconciliation, I encourage the OneBurnaby candidates and their team to educate themselves on the history of Indigenous peoples, includ ing the history of residential schools. As you said, #burnaby deserves to know.

plan to rapidly expand our network of EV chargers over the next five years,” said Lisa Helps, Mayor, Victoria. “Each charger we put in gives our residents, business owners and visitors more confidence in shifting to an electric vehicle. This will help the City of Vic toria and the Province to meet our ambitious climate goals.”

By switching to an electric vehicle, an aver age B.C. driver saves approximately $2,500 every year on fuel, along with lower mainte nance costs. Fast chargers allow EV drivers to drive approximately 100 to 300 kilometres from 30 minutes of charging. Having char gers located along travel routes and remote locations encourages people to travel longer distances in EVs, without having the fear that the EV will run out of charge.

New rules increase safety for young workers

“For a young person, working can be a re warding and valuable experience, important for personal growth and setting them on a path to their own success,” said Harry Bains, Minister of Labour, on Tuesday. “But it must be work that is both physically and mentally appropriate for their age, with the necessary training and supervision.”

To develop the new rules, ministry staff ex amined WorkSafeBC injury data and other jurisdictions’ labour laws relating to hazard ous employment. Based on that informa tion, a number of jobs within several indus tries were identified as hazardous for young workers, including areas within construc tion, forestry, food processing, oil/gas and power, asbestos removal and others.

Consultations on the draft rules were held with industry, labour, safety and skills training groups, and an online survey was available to the public. Overall, survey re spondents agreed that 18 years old was an

appropriate minimum age requirement for most types of hazardous work, with some exceptions. For construction work, and fish and some animal processing work, a mini mum age of 16 was deemed appropriate. There was also agreement that workplace safety and training must be prioritized at any worksite, and there needs to be rigorous en forcement of existing safety standards.

Jessica Kruger, owner of Vancouver’s The Stubborn Baker, understands the impor tance of protecting youth at work. At 15, she was beginning her second week as a house painter when she fainted and fell two sto reys off a ladder, suffering life-altering inju ries.

“Being so young, I felt like I had a lot to prove and never questioned the safety of any of the jobs I was required to do – there were no restrictions in place demanding I wear a harness and I didn’t know any better,” Kru ger said. “If these regulations had been in place in 2008, I probably wouldn’t require a wheelchair today, so I applaud the B.C. government for working to protect young people now and moving forward.”

To ensure youth can still access important apprenticeship and training opportuni ties, the age restrictions will not apply to industry training programs overseen by SkilledTradesBC. The regulations come into effect on January 1, 2023, so that employers have time to adjust the work performed by existing young employees. As well, current employees who are within six months of reaching the prescribed age will be exclud ed from the age requirements.

“Through stakeholder meetings and the online survey, we received thoughtful and practical feedback on what age restrictions should be in place,” Bains said. “We have listened to all those perspectives, and devel oped balanced, reasonable requirements that provide valuable employment opportu nities to youth without compromising their safety.”

Quick Facts

* In B.C. the average annual injury rate in 2021 was 2.2 per 100 workers, but some jobs have much higher injury rates. For example: - framers in the construction industry have an injury rate of 7.8 per 100 workers; - workers in abattoirs have an injury rate of 15.7; and - manual tree fallers/buckers have an injury rate of almost 20 per 100 workers.

* Between 2012 and 2021, WorkSafeBC data revealed more than $26.4 million was paid out in job-related disability claims for work ers who were 16 to 18 at the time of the in jury.

Man shot with crossbow

VANCOUVER Police say that a man was shot in the chest on Saturday with a cross bow and seriously injured in the Downtown Eastside.

His attacker fled, and police officers are at the scene gathering evidence. The victim was rushed to hospital.

“At this point, we believe the victim was tar geted. Our investigation is centred around the encampment at Carrall and Hastings,” said police.

Harry Bains

Photo: BC Government

British Columbians

PUBLIC health officials encourage all Brit ish Columbians six months and older to get an influenza vaccine to best protect them selves, their loved ones, their communities and the health-care system this fall and win ter.

“Getting vaccinated is the best way to pro tect ourselves and our communities, and we’ve made it easier for British Columbi ans to do so,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, on Tuesday.

“We’re continuing to offer everyone free flu shots, and seniors can now get more pro tection with an enhanced vaccine. To make it even easier, many people will be able to get their influenza and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time.”

With the start of the respiratory illness sea son, the Province is preparing for the pos sibility of an influenza surge, following two years of low influenza rates due to publichealth restrictions that reduced travel and socialization. It is also expected that CO VID-19 cases will increase as more people gather indoors and travel.

As of October 11, influenza vaccines are widely available for free in participat ing pharmacies, health-authority clinics and some primary-care providers’ offices throughout the province. Influenza vac cines have been available for seniors and other people at higher risk of severe illness

or complications from influenza since Oc tober 3.

The Province is also making it more conve nient for people to get vaccinated against both influenza and COVID-19. New this year, people registered with the provincial Get Vaccinated system will automatically be sent an invitation to book their influenza im munization online, just like they can book their COVID-19 vaccines.

Although booking through the Get Vaccinat ed system is the most efficient way to ac cess an influenza vaccine, walk-ins contin ue to be available throughout the province. Alternatively, people can phone the provin

93-year-old man knocked to the ground in Chinatown

VANCOUVER Police are searching for witnesses after a 93-year-old man was knocked to the ground and suffered a bro ken hip in Chinatown on Tuesday night.

The victim – a neighbourhood resident for 30 years – was walking to a bakery near Main Street and East Pender when he was pushed over by a stranger around 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Several witnesses stopped to help the senior, who was taken to hospital.

“Our officers have been canvassing the neighbourhood since the assault, and we have now located video of the incident,”

said Sgt. Steve Addison, adding the suspect has not yet been identified. He said: “We’re still working to find people who witnessed the assault, as well as those who stopped to help.”

VPD has released security video of the as sault, which happened in an area with heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has dash-cam footage from the area is asked to call the Vancouver Police De partment’s Major Crime Section at 604-7172541.

cial call centre (toll-free) to book their influ enza vaccine: 1 833 838-2323.

“I strongly encourage everyone, especially seniors, young children and anyone with underlying health issues, to get their influ enza immunizations as soon as they receive their invitation through Get Vaccinated BC for the best protection,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer.

“Getting vaccinated against influenza is es pecially important this year as our immunity against the virus has waned following two years of low influenza rates.”

In addition to continuing to offer everyone six months and older an influenza vaccine for free, this year, the Province is offering all seniors 65 and older an enhanced influenza vaccine for free. Previously, free enhanced influenza vaccines were offered only to seniors living in long-term care homes, as sisted living settings and First Nations com munities.

Enhanced influenza vaccines offer seniors better protection against influenza than standard-dose vaccines. This is because they stimulate stronger immune responses, which compensate for the natural weaken ing of the immune system that occurs with age. A stronger immune response can lead to better protection against influenza.

“Seniors are particularly vulnerable to in fluenza illness, complications and hospital

ization,” said Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and LongTerm Care. “By offering all seniors a publicly funded enhanced influenza vaccine, we’re ensuring that our most susceptible citizens get the protection and peace of mind they need to carry on with the activities they en joy during respiratory illness season.”

Eligible people will also be able to safely get an influenza vaccine and a COVID-19 fall booster at the same time.

B.C. will distribute more than 1.8 million doses of influenza vaccines for the 202223 influenza season, including more than 660,000 doses of enhanced influenza vac cines for seniors.

“B.C.’s community pharmacists are proud to be supporting the Province’s immuniza tion program,” said Jamie Wigston, phar macist and President of the BC Pharmacy Association. “Pharmacists are an accessible health-care provider for British Columbians looking to be vaccinated and be protected this influenza season. Almost 1,300 com munity pharmacies across British Columbia are offering flu shots, and in the last two years, B.C.’s pharmacists have delivered more than one million flu vaccines each year. With both the COVID-19 vaccine and flu, we anticipate pharmacists will deliver three million vaccinations to British Colum bians this season.”

Dr. Bonnie Henry getting her flu shot at a pharmacy in Victoria on Tuesday. Photo: BC Government

Surrey RCMP’s North Community Response Unit seizes illicit drugs and loaded handgun

SURREY RCMP’s North Community Response Unit (NCRU) last month seized approximately 200 grams of illicit drugs and an illegal firearm through proactive policing.

On September 16 at approximately 8 p.m., officers from Surrey RCMP’s NCRU observed a vehicle driving erratically in the 9600-block of 160 Street. Police checks on the vehicle revealed that it was uninsured. Po lice followed the vehicle until they were able to safely stop and take the two occupants into custody. Through further investigation, po lice located and seized the follow ing items from the vehicle: * 42.77 grams of suspected meth

amphetamine; * 79.34 grams of suspected co caine;

* 34.45 grams of suspected fen tanyl; * $2,000 cash; and

* a loaded handgun.

Both suspects were released pend ing further investigation, which includes obtaining certificates of analysis on all drugs seized as well as a forensic examination of the firearm seized. The vehicle used in the commission of the offences was also seized.

“Surrey RCMP’s Community Re sponse Units utilize proactive polic ing strategies to address crime and nuisance activity with the goal of increasing neighborhood safety,” said Surrey RCMP Media Relations Officer, Cpl. Vanessa Munn, on Tuesday. “This seizure is an exam ple of the work our officers are do

ing daily to take drugs and guns off our streets through enforcement efforts.”

Vancouver Police seek witnesses to bizarre Ironworkers Memorial Bridge collision

VANCOUVER Police are seeking witnesses and dash-cam video following a bizarre inci dent on Friday afternoon on the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge.

Police believe a truck heading over the bridge to North Vancouver lost part of its load around 2 p.m., dropping a massive metal beam onto the bridge deck. The beam bounced off the concrete, then over the me dian and into oncoming traffic. It then im paled the windshield of a vehicle and nar

rowly missed a young mom and her child.

“This was a bizarre chain of events and it’s a miracle nobody was killed or seriously in jured,” said Sgt. Steve Addison. “We think the driver of the truck likely had no idea what happened, and continued on to the North Shore.”

The incident caused significant afternoon delays on the bridge.

VPD officers transported the mother and child home, and detectives from VPD’s Col

lision Investigation Unit are now attempting to identify the truck driver. Witnesses, or anyone with dash-cam video who was on the bridge between 1:50 and 2 p.m. on Fri day, is asked to call 604-717-3012.

Fatal collision in Central Abbotsford

ON Wednesday, October 11 at 8:17 a.m., Ab botsford Police patrol officers came across a serious three-vehicle collision at the in tersection of George Ferguson Way and Bourquin Crescent West. One of the drivers was found suffering from serious life-threatening injuries and was

transported to the hospital. However, he succumbed to his injuries. All other parties involved in the collision sustained non-lifethreatening injuries.

A 55-year-old driver of the offending vehicle remained on the scene. Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the collision.

Cpl. Vanessa Munn

Babe Bhangra Paunde Ne proves to be a super hit

BABE Bhangra Paunde Ne

is a story of Jaggi (Diljit Dosanjh) and his friends, who are struggling in their lives and dream of becom ing rich by adopting an old millionaire man which sur prisingly makes Jaggi fall in love with Preet (Sargun Mehta) at first sight.

Jaggi (Diljit Dosanjh) and his two friends are trying to find ways to get out of their basement living and pay off a debt taken to get rich. One of these ways brings them to an old age home to adopt an orphaned old man. Run under the medi cal supervision of Preet, Jaggi adopts Iqbal (Sohail Ahmed), after Preet appris es him of his failing health, in the hope that he will pass away soon, leaving Jaggi as the sole legal heir to his in surance. However, instead of deteriorating in health, Iqbal only gets better un der the care of Jaggi and his friends. This frustrates the trio and sends them scheming more ways to make money quickly.

The plot is funny to begin with, as scripted by Naresh Kathooria (film writer).

This film stands on Diljit’s shoulders as a refined com edy that will truly leave you entertained with its hilari ous, but not over-the-top kind of ragtag amusement. While in the first half the film did flirt with some cliched gags and circum stances, the second half is innovative, even for Punjabi films that master the art

of comedy. One of the dif ferential points in this film vis-à-vis other comedies is how the film has reinvent ed the use of a bunch of old men and women to usher in the climax.

While Gurpreet Bhangu remains the most notable name among them, others too deserve equal credit, not to forget Sohial Ahmed and his special brand of old Punjab humour.

The film is well directed by Amarjit Singh Saron and doesn’t slip into loose ends in editing or screen play. Sargun may not have a meaty role in the film, but

she adds gravitas to her role of the caring doctor, which comes through in all au thenticity.

The movie is being screened at:

* SilverCity Riverport Cin emas 14211 Entertainment Way, Richmond.

* Cineplex Cinemas Straw berry Hill 12161 72nd Ave, Surrey.

* Landmark Cinemas 12 Guildford Surrey 15051-101st Ave, Surrey.

* Cineplex Cinemas Lang ley 20090-91A Ave, Langley.

EVENTS

Vehra Women’s Association:

Annual Breast Cancer Fundraiser

Celebration. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Sanjha Vehra Women’s Association will be collecting donations by E-transfer at sanjhavehra@gmail.com or you can make cheques payable to “Sanjha Vehra Women’s Association” till end of November. The association will promote and advertise your business by displaying your name on its Facebook page during the whole of Oc tober and November. Cheques or cash can be dropped off @ Passionate Hair & Beauty Lounge Address: 107-12837 88th Avenue West, Surrey. Phone: 778-565-5123. Please open your hearts and donate and sponsor the way you all have been assisting in the past and like always you will be getting your taxdeductible receipts. Sanjha Vehra Women’s Association will highly appreciate your gen erosity. All proceeds go to: Surrey Hospital Foundation. For more information call hot line: 604-506-6123 / E-mail: sanjhavehra@ gmail.com.

Rotary Club of Surrey Newton & Pacific Oral Health Society: Free oral cancer screening

Rotary Club of Surrey Newton along with Pa cific Oral Health Society is organizing the 5th Annual free oral cancer screening on Sunday, October 23, 2022, at Unit 300-15850 24 Ave nue, Surrey.

Why attend this free oral cancer screening: Oral cancer is more common in South Asian men and women than in the general popula tion due to habits such as chewing betel quid and smokeless tobacco, smoking and alco hol use. Early detection and treatment of oral cancer saves lives.

For registration, contact Dental Clinic at 604536-2700, Sarb Walia (President of Rotary Club of Surrey Newton) at 604-839-0850 or Sukhbir Kaur at 778-552-0793.

South Asian Adults and Seniors Programs

* Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society of BC invites South Asian adults and seniors to come and play Bingo on the House on Sunday, October

16 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Shanti Niketan Hall of Lakshmi Narayan Temple, 8321 140 Street, Surrey. Bring only two dollars with you for two games. Members will explain the game to you. Please use facemasks and maintain social distancing for every one’s safety. Tea and light snacks will be served.

* Yoga classes in person at Shanti Niketan Hall conducted by yoga instructor Ashwini Bansal on every Monday and every Thurs day from 10 to 11:15 a.m. on both days. Yoga expert Mahendra Kumar Juneja will also help participants. This is only for participants who have been double vac cinated 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 every Thursday after the yoga class. Contact Surendra Handa, Coordina tor, at 604-507-9945 email surendra_han da@hotmail.com for registration and fur ther information.

Lohana Cultural Association of BC

* Lohana Cultural Association of BC cor dially invites all to Jalaram Jayanti with bhajans and kirtans on Saturday, October 29 at 4 p.m. at Hindu Temple, 5420 Marine Drive, Burnaby. Program will commence promptly at 4 p.m. Priti Bhojan after Arti.

For further information contact Vasant Lakhani at (604) 987-1925.

* Lohana Cultural Association of BC cor dially invites all to Jalaram Jayanti with bhajans and kirtans on Saturday, Novem ber 5 at 6 p.m. at Shiv Mandir, 5600 Dorset Street, Burnaby. Program will commence promptly at 6 p.m. Priti Bhojan after Arti.

For further information contact Vasant Lakhani at (604) 987-1925.

* Lohana Cultural Association of BC cor dially invites all to Jalaram Jayanti with bhajans and kirtans on Sunday, November 6 at 10:30 a.m. at Laxmi Narayan Mandir, 8321 140 Street, Surrey. Program will com mence promptly at 10.30 a.m. Priti Bhojan after Arti. For further information contact Vasant Lakhani at (604) 987-1925.

LOOKING FOR

FOR

PRIVATE

BC Liberals: David Eby has his long-awaited report — so where is he?

BC Liberals on Wednesday noted that NDP Leadership hopeful David Eby finally has his long-awaited and personally-commissioned re port on the problem of repeat offenders in his hands and asked, “So why hasn’t he said a word about it?”

“It’s been nearly two weeks since Doug LePard and Amanda Butler’s full investigative review was released by the NDP — quietly, on a Sat urday — and three weeks since their executive summary and recommendations were initially distributed. Yet the guy who commissioned the report, David Eby, hasn’t said a peep. What gives?” said Mike Morris, Opposition Critic for Public Safety and Solicitor General and former RCMP officer, on Wednesday.

“Perhaps it’s because the report only confirmed what British Columbians already knew — that crime levels have spiralled out of control under the former Attorney General’s catch-and-release justice system and nothing is being done to help make people and communities feel safe.”

The BC Liberals pointed out that while Eby stayed silent over the Thanksgiving long week end, police officers in Vancouver alone dealt with nearly 1,500 calls including 36 assaults, 31 weapons calls, hundreds of property offences — and even a man shot in the chest with a cross bow.

“Police officers and other first responders are overwhelmed and burned out. How long can David Eby expect them to continue function ing this way?” asked Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko, also a former RCMP officer.

TransLink enhances transit alerts for customers

CUSTOMERS can now receive email or text message notifications about closures to eleva tors, escalators, or station entrances on Trans Link’s system in real time.

The upgrades also include an improved inter face for mobile and desktop users, with a new feature that enables customers to select what time they’d like to receive alerts throughout the day to match their commute schedules, Trans Link announced on Thursday.

These are additional features to the existing notification system, which sends customers live alerts for changes to bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, West Coast Express, and HandyDART services.

“These upgrades will help our customers bet ter plan their journey each day,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn. “Having access to up-to-date information about station accessibility is critical for many of our customers, especially those with limited mobility, and it is important in ensuring they have a positive experience on transit.”

Customers can sign up for transit alerts on the Transit Alerts Page and customize them to get live alert notifications for their specific transit routes.

To use this feature, customers should:

1. Create a new Transit Alerts account at trans link.ca/signup, or login to an existing account on the Transit Alerts page

2. Determine if they’d like alerts sent via email, text message, or both 3. Set up customized alerts for frequently used transit routes, modes, or stations

4. Select what times in the day they’d like to re ceive alert notifications

If a station was selected, turn on notifications for elevators, escalators, or walkways

“These upgraded alerts will provide crucial in formation for TransLink riders who are older, have limited mobility, use a wheelchair or any other mobility device,” said Access Transit Us ers’ Advisory Committee Chair Sherry Baker. “Getting live notifications can help riders who rely on elevators and escalators better plan their transit trips, giving them back valuable time into their days.”

TransLink said that this upgrade is part of its Cus tomer Experience Action Plan, which focuses on elevating transit experiences and increasing customer access to live information.

Customers needing information about station alternatives or customer assistance are encour aged to call TransLink Customer Information at 604.953.3333.

“Whether it’s the victims of crime, the hardworking front-line workers attending to them, or the citizens feeling more fearful on our streets by the day, people need reassurance that change is coming. It’s time for David Eby to accept some

accountability for the explosion of violent crime and social chaos that we are seeing throughout B.C. as a result of his catch-and-release justice system.”

Mike Morris

Nee

Interpol rejects India’s ‘Red Corner Notice’ request for Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

New Delhi: The Interpol has sent back India’s request seeking a Red Notice against the US-based founder of pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, with a set of queries, according to reports in the Indian media.

Interpol stated that Indian authorities failed to provide sufficient information to support their case.

Sources said the Interpol also flagged that UAPA, under which the red corner was asked for, has been criticized for being “misused” to target minority groups and rights activists without “respecting” their right to due process and a fair trial.

The Indian Express said that its sources, however, said Interpol acknowledged that Pannun is a “high-profile Sikh separatist” and that SFJ is a group that calls

for an independent Khalistan. Yet, they said, it concluded that Pannun’s activities have a “clear political dimension”, which cannot be the subject of a Red Corner Notice according to Interpol’s Constitution.

The Indian Express reported that it has learnt that the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files conveyed its decision to India in August after

ruling on an application filed by Pannun on India’s request and after evaluating the response from Indian authorities.

Asking girls to take off hijab invasion of privacy, attack on dignity: Supreme Court Justice Dhulia

New Delhi (IANS): Supreme Court

Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, in the split verdict on the Karnataka hijab ban, on Thursday said by asking girls to take off their hijab before they enter school gates is an invasion of privacy, attack on dignity, and denial of secular education.

He said this is the time when children should learn not to be alarmed by our diversity but to rejoice and celebrate this, and also this is the time when they must realise that diversity is our strength.

Justice Dhulia said: "By asking the girls to take off their hijab before they enter the school gates, is first an invasion of their privacy, then it is an attack on their dignity, and then ultimately it is a denial to them of secular education. These are clearly violative of Article 19(1) (a), Article 21 and Article 25(1) of the Constitution".

The judgment was delivered by a bench comprising Justices Hemant Gupta and Dhulia. While Justice

Gupta dismissed the appeals challenging the Karnataka High Court judgment, Justice Dhulia set aside the high court judgment and quashed the Karnataka government order dated Feb. 5. The petitioners had moved the apex court, challenging the Karnataka High Court verdict refusing to lift the ban on hijab in educational institutions of the state. Justice Dhulia said there shall be no restriction on the wearing of hijab anywhere in schools and colleges in Karnataka. He added that the unfortunate fallout of the

hijab restriction would be that they would have denied education to a girl child.

"A girl child for whom it is still not easy to reach her school gate. This case here, therefore, has also to be seen in the perspective of the challenges already faced by a girl child in reaching her school.

The question this court would put before itself is also whether we are making the life of a girl child any better by denying her education merely because she wears a hijab!" he said.

He added that the constitutional

scheme, wearing a hijab should be simply a matter of choice and it may or may not be a matter of essential religious practice, but it still is, a matter of conscience, belief, and expression.

Justice Dhulia said if a girl wants to wear hijab, even inside her class room, she cannot be stopped, if it is worn as a matter of her choice, as it may be the only way her conservative family will permit her to go to school, and in those cases, her hijab is her ticket to education.

In a 73-page judgment, he said, "fraternity, which is our constitutional value, would therefore require us to be tolerant, and as some of the counsel would argue to be, reasonably accommodating, towards the belief and religious practices of others. We should remember the appeal made by Justice O. Chinnappa Reddy in Bijoe Emmanuel -- our tradition teaches tolerance; our philosophy preaches tolerance; our Constitution practices tolerance; let us not dilute it."

India maintained post-pandemic growth momentum, says Sitharaman

New Delhi (IANS): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that India has maintained accelerated growth momentum, after the contraction in 2020, by balancing the immediate needs of the economy with long-term structural reforms.

She said this on Wednesday while speaking in the first session of the 4th G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Washington DC on the sidelines of the ongoing IMF-WB annual meetings 2022.

She spoke on the global economy, focussing on India’s economic development and policy responses, the Finance Ministry tweeted.

Sitharaman called for enhanced policy cooperation and sharing of experiences to deal with downside risks and their spillovers.

the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday in Washington DC said that India deserves to be called a bright spot “on this otherwise dark horizon because it has been a fast-growing economy, even during these difficult times, but most importantly, this growth is underpinned by structural reforms.”

was replying to a question on her ex-

pectations from India just days before it takes over the presidency of G20.

She also praised India’s digitisation process. Earlier even Paolo Mauro, Deputy Director of the Fiscal Affairs Department at the IMF, had praised India’s direct benefit transfer scheme.

“From India, there is a lot to learn. There is a lot to learn from some other examples around the world. We have examples from pretty much every continent and every level of income. If I look at the case of India, it is actually quite impressive,” he told reporters.

Colombian illegal immigrants targeting Indians in US arrested

New York (IANS): Police in New York suburbs have announced the arrested of a gang of illegal immigrants from Colombia targeting Indian-origin people and striking fear in the community.

In Hicksville and New Hyde Park, the gang of four would pretend to be public utility workers and follow Indians to their homes to rob them, police in Nassau County adjoining New York City on Long Island said on Wednesday.

Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a news conference: “They would watch those coming out of the Patel store or the jewellery store or getting their nails done. They

follow them to their residence” and rob them.

Indian-origin people across the US have often been targets of robbers because they are believed to have lots of jewellery.

The four, who had been under surveillance, were caught in another suburb, New Hyde Park, where they had targeted a house after following a woman, police said.

When they tried to pry open a door, the glass broke and a woman inside screamed causing them to try to flee and they were caught by the police surveillance team, Ryder said.

He said that they had an AK-47 automatic rifle, which they had stashed across from the

house.

A neighbour, Anita Ramolia told WCBS TV that she saw the police action when she was out walking her dog.

“It’s scary. I mean, I’m home and it’s constantly on my mind,” she told the station.

Another neighbour, Tejal Patel, said: “It happened two blocks from my house, 5 o’clock in morning. It is really terrifying”, the station reported.

The station quoted police as saying that 20 to 30 per cent of cases in the area with a similar pattern were likely linked to the four. According to police, they had entered the US

through the border in Arizona, California, and Texas.

Nassau County’s top election official, a Republican, slammed the immigration policy of the federal government at the news conference. County Executive Bruce Blakeman said, “These individuals should never have been allowed to make their way into the United States. They were caught at the border and rather than be detained, they were let go.” Mohammed Kashif in Hicksville told WCBS TV, “The law has to be in place for these guys. It has to be a little more strict so they feel the pain.”

Issue of UK visas will be resolved soon: Goa Chief Minister

Panaji (IANS): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that the Union Home Ministry has given an assurance to resolve the issue of the United Kingdom visas as soon as possible.

“I have discussed UK visa issue with Home Minister Amit Shah. It will be sorted out soon. There were some foreign ministry related issues, hence it was getting delayed. But he has assured to resolve it as soon as possible. Various other issues related to the state were discussed,” Sawant told reporters here.

Sawant had met Shah in Delhi on Wednesday. Expressing concern about the low footfalls of foreign tourists due to COVID-19 and other issues, the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) had also urged Chief Minister Sawant to convince the central government to include the UK for issuance of e-visas.

Goa Forward Party president and MLA Vijai Sardesai had on Tuesday claimed that the coastal state will face a loss of Rs 5,000 million if tour-

ists from the United Kingdom don’t visit the state on account of hindrances in getting a visa.

“I want to appeal to Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to take up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lift the visa restrictions. We can come together and meet the PM over the issue,” Sardesai had said.

Sardesai had said that Goa is facing cancellation of seven to eight bookings per day in small and medium hotels, due to the new visa restriction by the Ministry of External Affairs, where British tourists have to seek a visa from nine centres in England.

“This (lifting of the restriction) is important because in Goa annually minimum 40,000 to 50,000 tourists arrive from the UK. As per statistics of pre pandemic period each tourist spends around Rs 98,000, which means around a Rs 500 crore [Rs 5,000 million] turnover takes place from this area,” Sardesai had said.

Tandoori

Nirmala Sitharaman

Lucknow (IANS): He had taken over the reins of the party in 2017 but it is now that he will have to take on the responsibility of the family too.

The passing away of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh, who was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh three times, has increased the burden manifold on the shoulders of former U.P. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Akhilesh Yadav now faces the challenge of keeping the party as well as the family together because the Yadav family and the Samajwadi Party have so far existed more or less as one entity. The party has been the family and the family is the party.

Till Mulayam Singh was alive, his word was command and no one in the party or the family dared to disobey him - even though Akhilesh was party chief.

Mulayam maintained a balance in family relationships and ensured political importance to every family member. It was Mulayam who built up the largest political dynasty in the country - one in which even women got representation.

While Mulayam remained undisputed leader of the clan, it is unlikely that Akhilesh will be accorded the same position - especially from the elders.

His uncle Shivpal has already branched out on his own after five years of strained rela-

tionship with Akhilesh while younger sisterin-law Aparna Bisht Yadav has joined the BJP.

Akhilesh now faces the uphill task of keeping the family together and ensuring that his elders, Shivpal included, do not turn hostile.

The manner in which Akhilesh’s half-brother Prateek Yadav was “alienated” during the cremation of Mulayam Singh Yadav on Tuesday, does not augur well for the future of the family.

A family member who spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday, “In

this hour of grief, the family has shown extreme restraint and dignity and now it is up to Akhilesh to give respect to elders and keep the flock together. Netaji (Mulayam) always wanted to keep the family together but failed to repair the relationship between Shivpal and Akhilesh and it was this that pained him the most.”

He said that no one in the family was challenging Akhilesh’s leadership or his claim to Mulayam’s political legacy. “But everyone wants the respect and importance they deserve,” he added.

His biggest test, according to family sources, will be the by-election in Mainpuri which will be necessitated by the demise of Mulayam Singh.

Akhilesh will need the active support of the family to retain the seat which has been considered a SP bastion.

There are already murmurings in political circles that the BJP may play a master stroke and convince Shivpal to contest and win his brother’s seat. If that happens, SP will lose its third bastion in a row after it lost Rampur and Azamgarh to BJP earlier this year.

Within the Samajwadi Party too, Akhilesh will have to work overtime to keep the flock together.

Till now, the disgruntled elements used to rush to Mulayam Singh with their grievances and Mulayam would pacify them and ensure that they returned with a smile.

Akhilesh will have to make himself more accessible to workers and receptive to suggestions-more so, if they come for the veterans in the party.

“Mulayam Singh was a strong adhesive who kept the family and the party together and Akhilesh will have to make a Herculean effort to walk in his father’s footsteps. The Lok Sabha elections are round the corner and his biggest test has just begun,” said a party veteran.

Chief Justice Lalit names Justice D.Y. Chandrachud as his successor

New Delhi (IANS): Chief Justice of India (CJI) U.U. Lalit, who will retire on November 8, on Tuesday named Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, the senior-most judge in the Supreme Court, as his successor.

After the Centre clears his name, justice Chandrachud would become the 50th CJI.

Chief Justice Lalit, in presence of all Supreme Court judges, handed over the letter of recommendation to Justice Chandrachud. He will retire on November 10, 2024.

Justice Chandrachud is son of former Supreme Court judge Y.V. Chandrachud who was the longest serving CJI for being in office for about seven years and four months between 1978 to 1985. During his tenure, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud overturned two judgments of his father - which were related to adultery and the right to privacy.

Justice Chandrachud obtained a PhD from Harvard Law School and is known as a

D.Y. Chandrachud

non-conformist judge. He has played a key role in introducing virtual hearings during the Covid time, which has now become

a permanent feature. He has been part of the landmark judgments on Ayodhya title dispute, decriminalisation of homosexuality, adultery, privacy, entry of women into Sabarimala, etc.

On September 29, a bench headed by Justice Chandrachud said that all women -- including the unmarried -- are entitled to safe and legal abortion, and also the meaning of rape must be understood as including marital rape, solely for the purposes of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act and any rules and regulations framed thereunder. Married women may also form part of the class of survivors of sexual assault or rape, added the bench.

Justice Chandrachud practised in Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court. He passed BA with honours in economics from St Stephen’s College, New Delhi and completed LLB from Campus Law Centre, Delhi

University. He also served as Additional Solicitor General of India from 1998 till 2000.

He was first appointed as judge of the Bombay High Court on March 29, 2000.

He has also served as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court since October 31, 2013, until his elevation as an apex court judge on May 13, 2016.

Justice Chandrachud has been a visiting Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law at the University of Mumbai and at Oklahoma University School of Law, US. In June 1998, he was designated as senior advocate by the Bombay High Court.

The Centre, as per Memorandum of Procedure, asks the outgoing CJI to name the successor, just before a month of retirement. Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, on October 7, sent a letter to the Chief Justice Lalit to make a recommendation for appointment of his successor.

Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav

Chandigarh (IANS): Days after interrogating Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the 2015 Kotkapura firing case following the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib, on Wednesday questioned the party’s patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, 94, for over three hours at his residence here.

The SIT, led by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) L.K. Yadav, earlier questioned former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini. Saini was removed from the top police post by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in 2015 following incidents of the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and the subsequent

Chandigarh (IANS): Punjab Police have arrested three more members of the dronebased arms and ammunition smuggling module and recovered a fresh cache of sophisticated arms and ammo from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

A total of five members of this module have been arrested so far.

Those arrested have been identified as Surinder Singh of village Barwala in Tarn Taran, and Harchand Singh and Gursahib Singh, both residents of Valtoha in Amritsar.

Police have recovered Rs 10 million in cash, 500 grams heroin, 17 pistols along with 400 cartridges, one MP-4 rifle along with 300 cartridges, two weighing machines and two currency counting machines from their possession.

Earlier on Wednesday, a police team from

Counter Intelligence Amritsar had arrested two members of this module, including a prisoner identified as Jaskaran Singh and his aide Rattanbir Singh, after recovering 10 foreign-made pistols from locations pinpointed by them, taking total recovery of pistols to 27.

Yadav said that during investigations Jaskaran Singh and Rattanbir Singh revealed that their associate Surinder had picked up

Punjab to promote horticulture in four districts

Chandigarh (IANS): The Punjab government will establish horticulture estates in four districts -- Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Faridkot and Ludhiana, equipped with latest technological information and machinery, Minister of Horticulture, Food Processing Fauja Singh Sarari said on Monday.

Addressing heads of districts at a meeting here, he instruct-

ed them to bring maximum area under horticulture crops by motivating the farmers to come out of the current wheat-paddy crop cycle. He also asked them to create awareness to save the groundwater which is going down day by day in Punjab. He said the best performing officers be honoured at the state level.

The minister said 40 lakh and 64 lakh litres of water per acre are consumed for the production of wheat and paddy crops grown in the state, respectively, while only 17 lakh litres of water per acre are required for the production of horticultural crops [1 lakh = 100,000].

In this way, 86 lakh litres of water per acre can be saved.

violence in the state in which the police force was accused of excesses that left two people dead.

The SIT on September 14 questioned Sukhbir Badal, who later told the media that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab is raking up the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan cases purely to divert people’s attention from its ‘scandals’.

He had said all police actions were part of a laid down procedure.

“The decisions are taken by the administration. I am repeatedly being asked questions about the firing incident even though it is

clear that this action was taken by the authorised officer,” he had said.

Asking the SIT to be fair and objective, Sukhbir Badal, who was questioned for the second time on September 14 for nearly five hours, had said, “I am ready to face questioning 100 times, but this issue should not be politicised.”

Asserting that the AAP government is also following in the footsteps of the previous Congress government, Sukhbir Badal had said, “I am being summoned repeatedly to divert attention from the scandals of this government, the latest one being the extortion scam of minister Fauja Singh Sarari.”

the consignment of arms and ammunition that was previously smuggled by them with the help of drones from Pakistan. Following inputs, the police managed to arrest Surinder on Friday and recovered 10 pistols along with six magazines and 100 live cartridges from his possession, he added. He said investigations revealed that Surinder, on the directions of Jaskaran Singh, used to pick consignments from Rattanbir to further deliver them to two brothers - Harchand and Gursahib. The police have also arrested them.

The DGP said that further investigations are

on to determine other consignments from Pakistan, which may have been retrieved by this module for further delivery to unidentified persons for commission of anti-national activities.

AIG Counter Intelligence Amritsar Amarjit Singh Bajwa said: “During investigations, accused Jaskaran confessed that he is in contact with a Pakistan-based smuggler identified as Asif, who used to deliver consignment of narcotics and arms and ammunition from Pakistan using drone and Rattanbir used to retrieve them on his directions.”

Parkash Singh Badal

New Delhi (IANS): In a significant religious-political development, the Delhi State Akali Dal led by Paramjit Singh Sarna on Sunday united with the Shiromani Akali Dal. Describing the development as “a turning point in Sikh and Punjab politics and a religio-political game changer”, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal appointed Sarna as president of the Delhi state unit of the party and asked him to lead the campaign to unite entire ‘panth’ under one Panthic flag.

He also asked Sarna to build units of the party in other states.

Sarna in his speech on the occasion lashed out against “the traitors and black sheep of the Sikh

SAD (Delhi) unites with SAD; Sarna new President of Delhi unit

quom”.

“Devious conspiracies are at work to engineer a civil war in the Sikh community. Unity alone will defeat these conspiracies,” he said, while thanking both Paramjit Singh Sarna and Harvinder Singh Sarna and their entire team and supporters for extending their unflinching support to this noble cause.

Badal said periods of crisis had always united the Khalsa Panth.

quom” and said “today’s development had cast a pall of gloom over these stooges and their masters”.

In his hard-hitting speech, Badal

also blasted the “traitors of the Panth who operated in Sikh garb to promote and implement the conspired the enemies of the Sikh

“Today, Khalsa Panth and its historic institutions are under attack from visible and hidden enemies who want to weaken the panth by breaking the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) by recognizing a separate gurudwara

committee for Haryana. Unity is the historic need of the hour to fight external attack and internal sabotage,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Paramjit Sarna said he had never left SAD and was still a soldier of the party.

“I have always worked for the welfare of the Panth and will continue to do so by way of the new responsibility bestowed on me today.”

He also said those who had betrayed SAD after contesting elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) on the party ticket should seek forgiveness from the Panth as well as Guru Sahab and return back to the party fold.

Amritsar to host G-20 summit event, Mann reviews arrangements

Chandigarh (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday reviewed the arrangements for an event of the G-20 summit slated to be held at holy city Amritsar in March 2023.

Chairing a meeting, he said this summit will take place in March and leading countries of the world will be participating.

He said the state is fortunate to have got the opportunity to host this mega event in which deliberations will be held on education.

Mann said elaborate arrangements have to be put in place for

making the global event a huge success.

The Chief Minister said for making this event a success the entire holy city will be divided into five major sectors. Senior officers of the state civil and police administration will be deployed in these sectors for effective management.

Mann said these officers will be responsible for the smooth conduct of the entire activity during the summit in the area under their jurisdiction.

The Chief Minister also constituted a Cabinet sub-committee

comprising Local Government Minister Inderbir Singh Nijjer, Public Works Department Harbhajan Singh, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, and Tourism Minister Anmol Gagan Mann.

He said the sub-committee will monitor the day-to-day arrangements of the event to ensure its flawless execution.

Mann also constituted a highpowered committee headed by Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua to facilitate the Cabinet subcommittee in smooth conduct of the event.

Akali Dal chief warns Punjab Chief Minister against negotiating on river water

Chandigarh (IANS): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday warned Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann against reducing Punjab’s river waters to a negotiable issue between Punjab and Haryana.

In a statement here, the SAD President said it was shocking that the Chief Minister had not made the Punjab government’s stand clear before holding a meeting with his Haryana counterpart on this issue. He said Punjab had an exclusive right over its river waters and Haryana being a non-

riparian state had no locus standi in the matter. “There is nothing to discuss here with Haryana.”

Badal’s assertions come in the wake of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar saying that he will be meeting his Punjab counterpart regarding the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal on October 14 in Chandigarh.

Asserting that no country could go against the internationally accepted principle of riparian rights, Badal said “if non-riparian Haryana is allowed to demand a share in

Punjab’s river waters, what can stop Tamil Nadu or Bengal or Kerala, all non-riparian states with respect to the Ravi, the Satluj and the Beas rivers from demanding the same. Similarly, if the same used stick is applied what stops Punjab from demanding waters from the Godavari or the Ganges.”

Badal also said the issue of the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal had been closed in 2016 when the Parkash Singh Badal government denotified the land which had been taken for establishment of the SYL and handed it back to its original owners free

of cost.

“Parts of the canal had been even been ploughed and the canal does not exist in its old state in Punjab,” he said.

Asking the Chief Minister to clear the air, Badal said there were deep misgivings in the minds of Punjabis that the AAP government was in the process of handing over their river waters to Haryana and Delhi.

He said during a recent visit to Haryana, Mann had even endorsed this proposal which was made by AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal in his presence.

Sukhbir Singh Badal and Paramjit Singh Sarna.

Bhagwant Mann reviewing arrangements.

Preview by Veeno Dewan

For 2022, the Toyota Venza is back as a neat looking gasoline – electric hybrid CUV. It’s built on the RAV4 hybrid platform and shares some of its dimensions but is longer and lower. It is an attractive looking CUV with a sleek Lexus –like design. I love the front grille and those cool stretched rear taillights. Compared to the earlier square Venza, this new one look superb. Racy, sporty and with a real upmarket heft and cohesion to the design. There are few if any changes for 2022.

The Engine power is via a 2.5L four-cylinder gasoline unit with a DOHC, Dual Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i), paired with a hybrid system, and an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT). The engine makes 176 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque, but when combined with the electric motor there is a respectable 219 hp. All Venza models are all-wheel drive, and the combined city/highway fuel economy is rated at 6.0 L/100 km. The lithium-ion battery pack is mounted under the rear seat, so there is still a lot of cargo space. Note the Venza’s battery recharges through regenerative braking, so you don’t have to plug

2022 Toyota Venza hybrid:

good with clear legible dials. The center infotainment screen is of a decent size and uses a split screen if configured. There are nice graphics and fast response time for the different apps. But if there is a weak point, it is the centre stack HVAC and infotainment controls that are composed of tap up and down touch screen icons that are awkward to operate when driving. Hopefully Toyota will replace the infotainment with a next generation touchscreen as featured in the latest Lexus models. The backseat is roomy enough and the Venza has an impressive 1,027 litres (36.3 cubic feet) of cargo space behind the rear seats which fold and split 60/40 offering even more space as needed.

it in every night. As a side note, the battery is warrantied for 10 years or 240,000 km, with other hybrid components covered for eight years or 160,000 km.

The Venza arrives in three trim levels, starting with the LE

at $38,490. XLE at $44,490, and the top level Limited as tested at $47,690. The LE model arrives pretty well equipped with standard features such as: power-adjustable steering column, power liftgate, wireless charging, heated seats, power driver’s seat, adaptive cruise control, emergency front braking, lane-departure alert, automatic high-beam headlamps, and blind-spot monitoring. Meanwhile, the XLE version includes, illuminated front scuff plates, rain sensing wipers, and the Bird’s Eye View safety system with rear camera washer. The XLE also adds such items as premium stereo, larger centre screen, hands-free liftgate, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated seats, navigation, and front power seats. The Limited grade offers a head-up display, digital rear-view mirror, rainsensing wipers, LED fog lights, and

a panoramic sunroof with electrochromic glass with “frost control.”

A cool feature that turns the glass into a kind of frosted look

Venza’s impressive technology package offers the Toyota Connected Services for – a suite of smart technologies for driver safety awareness and communication. In addition, all models feature display audio systems with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Interior wise, the Venza cabin is handsomely designed with lots of soft-touch surfaces and nice trim. Hide the badge and you could think that you have stepped into a Lexus! The Limited model as tested with all the bells and whistles is that classy! All the materials, fit and finish is uniformly excellent. I love the rich brown leather look covering that extends down and around the center console.

The dash ergonomics are very

On the road, it goes without saying that Toyota know what they are doing when it comes to hybrids. The Venza’s gas and electric modes switch seamlessly with a separate electric motor driving the rear wheels under normal driving conditions. There are drive modes for normal, eco, and sport, and also a button to maximize electric driving. CTV transmissions have certainly improved from the past, and happy to report the Venza unit is responsive enough to keep in everyday driving situations. The Venza is actually an entertaining drive, with a decent ride, and well–mannered composed handling.

To sum up, there is lot of choice in this market, and some very good competitors, but the Venza excels in so many areasthanks to its Lexus-like design and ambience. The Venza is a wellequipped, comfortable machine that drives well, has lots of room and looks good. Highly recommended at the top of its class.

2022 Toyota Venza priced from: $38,490 – $47-690

More info at www.toyota.ca.

MATRIMONIAL &

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.

Suitable match for a Saraswat Brahmin boy in India, 30 years old, 5’8”, Birth time : 5:32 PM, D.O.B. 16.07.1991, diploma in Mechanical Engineering. Contact: +16049997125 (Canada), (+91) 9888291112 or (+91) 9780616051.

Canadian Citizen Bahia Jat Sikh boy, 6” ft, 90 born with good job, well settled family in Canada BC, seeks educated Canada BC based girl. Contact with photographs WhatsApp no: Harminder 778-892-1500

Jatt sikh parents seeking a girl for their Canadian born, 30 yr old, 6’ tall, clean shaven, non-drinking and non-smoking son. Well educated and working as assistant manager and living in Surrey. Girl should be Canadian citizenship or PR. Email kangfamily9096@gmail.com

Well settled Sharma family seeking suitable match for their (India born) Canadian citizen 28 yearsold son doing B.C. Govt. Job, handsome salary, living in Vancouver with parents own house. Girl should be Canadian Citizen/PR with family values. Preference to Sharma family but caste no bar.

Interested please call or text 778-892-4656 or email at sudesh2558@yahoo.com

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), +1-604-9997125. 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 18 Sept.

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

Hindu Punjabi Parents are looking a suitable match for their daughter, 29 years old, 5’6”,

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

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)

a decent man for a 42 years young Punjabi beautiful, looks like 34, well educated, 5”8, with a cute 12 year old child. Contact @604-8620726

Running Time: 2h 14min

By any means. This sums up part of the plot of Amsterdam.

You just know fall is the time when the real good/great works of art emerge on the sil ver screen. Forget all those summer block buster superhero movies or even that oh so appealing Cruise missile in the quality driven mesmerizing Maverick. Come down to earth and see a new drama from 20th Century Fox and Disney called Amsterdam. Thanks to flawless acting and an intriguing premise this must see film is showing now at countless courageous Cineplex Cinemas and Landmark Theatres around B.C.

Worth all the hype here’s a story steeped in history, tragedy - and dare I see murder. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can prove to be problematic - or fateful/fa tal. Flambouyant director David O. Russell (American Hustle) reveals the tumultuous lives of three life long friends who wind up at the Centre of a whirlwind mystery.

Good suspense stories keeps you guess ing. At the core of Amsterdam is a love story - a triangle of sorts - full of forbidden fruit. Set in New York in 1931 we have a doctor of sorts up to his neck in trouble that could be traced to his war years. Chameleon ac tor Christian Bale ( The Dark Knight) turns in a towering performance as Burt Berend sen - a well meaning good intentioned quack (?) of a doctor trying to help those in need. Little does Burt Berendsen know that a murder or two means he is the one in need. Also involved in this madcap adven ture is Harold Woodman, a fellow military vet turned lawyer. Together They embark on a monumental task to clear their names.

TUTORING

Oh, and there is a girl. It’s always a girl.

Screen siren Margot Robbie vamps her way silly as Valerie Voze, a not too giddy society girl who becomes “involved” with this pair of well meaning idealists. As a trio the group becomes embroiled in a secret war of sorts Led by a group who want to take over the world. Hey, sounds like a plot from a James Bond Movie. But wait, there’s more. There’s even a supporting role by 007’s last nemesis himself. Yes Bond is back with Remi Mallek doing a nice turn as some rich recluse with his hooks into some of his closest friends. Ah, the things some people will do for money. What’s a murder or two of someone innocent that gets in the way?

Wild and expertly acted this slick dark comedy is full of surprises and just a great caper flick especially if your into history, hoodlums and bumbling do-goodies.

For more reviews please visit my web site moviereviewssite.com.

I, Parwinder Singh, son of Beant Singh, resident of Village Pahra, Tehsil and District, Gurdaspur, Punjab, India, PIN: 143521 and presently residing at 30788 Sandpiper Dr., Abbotsford, BC, V2T 5R1, do hereby change my name from Parwinder Singh to Parwinder Singh Kahlon, with immediate effect.

I, Kulbir Kaur, wife of Parwinder Singh Kahlon, resident of Village Pahra, Tehsil and District, Gurdaspur, Punjab, India, PIN: 143521 and presently residing at 30788 Sandpiper Dr., Abbotsford, BC, V2T 5R1, do hereby change my name from Kulbir Kaur to Kulbir Kaur Kahlon, with immediate effect.

I, Parwinder Singh, son of Beant Singh, resident of Village Pahra, Tehsil and District, Gurdaspur, Punjab, India, PIN: 143521 and presently residing at 30788 Sandpiper Dr., Abbotsford, BC, V2T 5R1, do hereby change my daughter’s name from Pardip Kaur to Pardip Kaur Kahlon, with immediate effect.

I, Parwinder Singh, son of Beant Singh, resident of Village Pahra, Tehsil and District, Gurdaspur, Punjab, India, PIN: 143521 and presently residing at 30788 Sandpiper Dr., Abbotsford, BC, V2T 5R1, do hereby change my son’s name from Kuldip Singh to Kuldip Singh Kahlon, with immediate effect.

BC Market Activity Remains Subdued in September

Vancouver, BC: The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 4,977 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in September 2022, a decrease of 45.8 per cent from September 2021. The average MLS® residential price in BC was $927,119, a 1.7 per cent increase from $912,008 recorded in September 2021. Total sales dollar volume was $4.6 billion, a 44.9 per cent decline from the same time last year.

“Mortgage qualifying continues to be a significant hurdle for many potential buyers as interest rates rise,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “In addition, many trends that drove demand in smaller markets, such as remote work and the quest for affordable space, have faded in prominence. As a result, we see a stron-

ger pullback in markets outside of major metropolitan areas.”

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was down 24.2 per cent from the same period in 2021 to $68.5 billion. Residential unit sales were down 31.8 per cent to 67,547 units, while the average MLS® residential price was up 11.3 per cent to $1.01 million.

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THE iconic Marvin The Martian from Loo ney Tunes, frustrated by Bugs Bunny in his efforts to blow up Earth, would quickly walk away declaring, “You make me very, very angry.” He offered kids an entertaining les son in how to handle heated confrontations. A refresher course for adults would be a good prescription. How people manage an ger can make a big difference for personal health and much more.

Anger, itself, is not always a negative thing. Anger can be a natural and useful emotion al response to perceived wrongs. For exam ple, getting angry can be highly motivation al. Individuals can deploy anger to break a bad habit and groups can work together in the same way. The #MeToo movement rallied collective anger against injustice to achieve social change.

But poorly managed anger is decidedly not good for one’s health – and probably not good for the well-being of everyone else around.

Teaching children the tools for anger con trol is not only about hushing up their out bursts. Researchers have found that kids lacking the ability to cope with frustrations tend to have more problem relationships in their adult lives. They also have more physi cal and mental health issues.

Studies have also shown that people who are chronically angry suffer greater rates of high blood pressure, heart disease, head aches, skin disorders and digestive prob lems.

Dr. Chris Aiken of Wake Forest University School of Medicine is an expert on natural and lifestyle approaches to health promo tion. “In the two hours after an angry out burst, the chance of having a heart attack doubles,” he says.

Anger increases the likelihood of stroke. If you are unlucky enough to have aneurysms in the arteries of the brain, it’s best to “keep calm and carry on”. One study found six times higher risk of rupture following an an gry outburst.

Research has also shown that angry people get sick more frequently due to negative im pacts of stress on their immune systems. What can you do when you find yourself furious? First, take a clue from Marvin The Martian and leave the scene. Calming down needs to take precedence. Second, figure out what is causing the anger. Get to the root of the matter. It’s recommended that you talk with someone – a trusted friend or a trained professional – to validate your thinking. Third, develop an action plan that either fixes the issues or builds coping mechanisms.

Incorporating comedy into anger manage ment is a strategy deserving mention. The evidence shows it works. Another children’s program, Sesame Street, was shaped by psychologists intent on applying research to skits performed by puppeteers. Kermit the Frog had children laughing with his outra geous tirade on Cookie Monster for devour ing a happy face.

Kids shows are, by design, intended to be entertaining. But the fact that laughing, hap py children learn better than disengaged kids has got others thinking about how to use laughter with adults needing to learn about more serious issues.

Climate change scientists angry by the slow pace of action have adopted comedy as a tactic.

A group of comedians have come together to form the Climate Comedy Cohort. They acknowledge research linking anger with

Have a little laugh when angry

comedy to motivate change. “Comedy is uniquely persuasive and attention-getting when it comes to serious issues like the cli mate crisis,” they note.

Their work offers audiences levity – in itself a good thing. But their ultimate goal, they say, is “to leverage humor as a strategy to change the climate narrative from doom and gloom to ‘we’ve got this!’—and shift how people see their role in clean energy.”

Next time your anger flares up, it’s good to know you have options.

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

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

Hospital, McGill University and in Gynecol ogy at Harvard. Diana MacKay writes in collaboration with

her father under the pen name, Diana Gif ford-Jones. Diana is Special Advisor with The Aga Khan University. She worked for