Indo-Canadian Voice Main - Oct 29 2022

Jaspreet

ONTARIO’S

by the Government

and Criminal

(C.I.S.O), were involved in an 11-month-long investigation involving an intricate international drug traf�icking enterprise that resulted in the seizure of illegal narcotics with a street value of over $25 million, including:

182 kilograms of methamphetamine

166 kilograms of cocaine

38 kilograms of ketamine

In November 2021, SEB identi�ied persons of interest related to the illegal distribution of illicit drugs in the Greater Toronto Area. Subsequent investigation identi�ied a complex drug traf�icking enterprise that spanned international borders. Police investigation revealed that members of this group used commercial trucking businesses

A clash between two South Asian groups in Brampton on Diwali has caused much resentment among Canadians who are demanding proper and prompt action by government and police to prevent such events and take strict action against the culprits. Two of many videos circulating on social media can be viewed on our website voiceonline.com. South Asians are feeling terribly embarrassed because of such hooliganism that is giving all of them a bad name. Where are so-called leaders of the community? (Screengrabs)

Drugs seized by Peel Regional Police.

Khalilullah

Gakhal

27 per cent of 9-1-1 calls that required interpretation services last year were in Punjabi

Encourage non-English-speaking friends and family members not to be shy to try their English

LAST year, B.C. wel comed 67,141 immi grants, marking the second highest level of international immigration to BC on record, accord ing to the Government of British Columbia.

This might explain why EComm, B.C.’s 9-1-1 emer gency communications centre, received 3,418 calls requesting interpre tation services on 9-1-1 in 2021, nearly 105 per cent more requests than in 2020.

Of those calls, 27 per cent required interpretation services in Punjabi.

October is Global Diver sity Month and E-Comm says it wants to remind British Columbians that they do not need to speak English fluently to get help

in an emergency.

As British Columbia’s population grows increas ingly diverse, E-Comm is asking those with nonEnglish speaking friends

or family members to help educate them on how to call 9-1-1.

9-1-1 Safety Tips

* Teach your non-Eng lish-speaking friends and family members to learn the English word for the language they do speak (“e.g., learn to say “Pun jabi”) to help them access translation services faster

* Encourage them to learn the words “police”, “fire” and “ambulance” and the name of their city (e.g., “Vancouver”) and home address in English

* Encourage them not to

be shy to try their English. Even a little English can be very helpful—and often all our call takers need to locate you and send help in an emergency

* Explain the importance of calling 9-1-1 immedi ately in an emergency situation (rather than waiting for a friend or neighbour to call on their behalf)

* Making a phone call to New Delhi, India? Dial “011” first to avoid calling 9-1-1 by accident. If you do call 9-1-1 by accident, stay on the line so we can make sure you are safe

Commercial trucking company North King Logistics and Friend Furniture were allegedly involved as transfer hubs

CONTINUED FROM 1

of trafficking in controlled sub stances.

* Jaspreet Singh, 28-year-old man from Brampton has been charged with one count of traf ficking in a controlled substance, and one count of possession of property obtained by crime.

* Wray Ip, 27-year-old man from Richmond Hill has been charged with four counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

* Ravinder Boparai, 27-year-old man from Mississauga has been charged with one count of pos session of property obtained by crime, and one count of posses sion for the purpose of traffick

ing.

* Gurdeep Gakhal, 38-year-old man from Caledon has been charged with one count of traf ficking in a controlled substance.

Investigators have also identified two transfer hubs allegedly in volved in the distribution of illicit drugs:

* North King Logistics, a com mercial trucking company lo cated at 50 Steeles Avenue in Milton.

* Friend Furniture, a business located at 2835 Argentia Road in Mississauga “Guns, gangs and drugs are of the highest priority for our ser vice. With funding from the C.I.S.O. and collaborations with

the enforcement community, our investigators have made a significant impact to organized crime in our Region,” said Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Du raiappah on Wednesday.

“I would like to thank our inves tigators and partners for their in credible work on Project Zucari tas. Their efforts have prevented significant amounts of danger ous narcotics from reaching our community.”

“Our Specialized Enforcement Bureau, both civilian and uni form members, worked tire lessly to bring this investigation to a successful outcome,” said Inspector Todd Custance, Spe cialized Enforcement Bureau.

“The seizures of these drugs rep resent a significant financial im pact to organized crime, which in turn will limit their ability to finance future illicit activities.”

To disrupt and dismantle this group, SEB liaised with U.S. Homeland Security Investiga tions (H.S.I.) in Detroit and Chi cago, and Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) in Buffalo.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact SEB at 905-4532121 ext. 3515.

Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222TIPS (8477) or by visiting www. peelcrimestoppers.ca.

voiceonline.com

Photo:

THE Surrey Police Board in a statement at its meeting on October 26 said:

THE Board would like to thank all of you, all staff, and all Surrey Police Service members for your ongoing commitment and dedica tion during what continues to be a challeng ing period. We would also like to congratu late Mayor-elect [Brenda] Locke and the city councillors elected in the October 15 munici pal election.

In June of 2020, The Surrey Police Board was established as a local, non-partisan oversight body with a mandate to govern the establish ment of Surrey Police Service. We live and work in this community, we are raising our families here. The structure of municipal in dependent policing is very different than the structure of the RCMP which is governed from Ottawa with no civilian oversight.

To date SPS has nearly 300 sworn officers and over 50 civilian employees and has deployed over 150 police officers to work 24/7 on the frontlines in Surrey, with 35 more officers join ing them in November. We are now the sec ond largest municipal police department in British Columbia.

The mayor-elect has communicated her posi tion on the issue of a policing transition which does not align with the provincial mandate of this Board. The Board has been transpar

ent about our finances during our monthly meetings, and we will be providing mayor and council with a clear accounting of the transi tion to date, an overview of our progress and the benefits of an independent police service.

In addition, we plan to present to council in formation that underlines some of the com plexities of this project, including:

* The significant financial investments made to build the infrastructure of SPS, the majority of which are not compatible with RCMP tech nologies,

* Human resource issues including a binding collective agreement with the Surrey Police Union and the fact that SPS members left oth er municipal agencies and the RCMP because they want to work in Surrey for a municipal police service,

* Consideration of the human component:

Over 50 police officers and staff uprooted their families and came to Surrey from other prov inces to serve our families,

* Finally, we would like to brief council on the progress made to meet all provincial require ments to become Police of Jurisdiction.

We hope that between our discussions with the mayor-elect and council, and a final deci sion by the Provincial government, that there will be a timely resolution to this matter, to continue to move SPS forward. The Board be lieves firmly that SPS is the best public safety

decision for the future of Surrey as our vibrant city continues to grow.

We are grateful to our entire team for the pa tience and the perseverance you have shown while we work through this period of the transition of Council. As a Board we are also thankful to both the provincial and federal governments for their continued support dur ing this time. We understand this decision was carefully considered and the intention was not to switch back or re-evaluate the transition un der changing municipal leadership.

We know the municipal election period hasn’t been easy on our staff nor has it been easy for the public who have worked with us through our engagement plans and who continue to support the SPS.

To the community, thank you. Surrey Police Board is 100% committed to continuing in our mandate to build a modern, responsive, and progressive police service – our community deserves that.

THE VOICE adds:

It is important to note as The VOICE pointed out last week that Doug McCallum won the election in 2018 with 45,564 votes — 41.08% of the total votes — when he started the polic ing transition from the RCMP to Surrey Police Service.

It stands to reason that Brenda Locke with just 28.14% of the total votes and merely 33,311

votes (just 973 votes more than what McCal lum bagged) just cannot be taken seriously by the Province when she wants to reverse the ongoing policing transition.

The pro-RCMP forces that used every dirty trick to sabotage the Surrey Police Service — even the senior RCMP officers shamelessly kept delaying and sabotaging the transition — were the ones that insisted that McCallum could not replace the RCMP as he did not get 50 per cent of the votes.

These characters also indulged in blatant RACISM against South Asians — and South Asians cannot forget that. Keeping the RCMP in Surrey will lead to more and more distrust of police by South Asians in particular. They will not tolerate such racist, fascist behaviour.

Also, as we reported last week: “Solicitor Gen eral Mike Farnworth wants to see a clear plan from Locke as to how she intends to go about [reversing the police transition]. He made it clear that the plan would have to be made public because people want to know how it would be carried out.

“Others have pointed to the huge cost of compensating SPS officers if the transition is reversed – and now we are learning that tax payers will have to pay more than $66 million.

“Government sources told The VOICE this week that the Province has no appetite for re versing the police transitioning process at this stage.”

Surrey Police Service officers in action. Photo: SPS

RACIALIZED

denomination, double the figure from 2011 (1.4 million).

Muslims (6.7%) and Hindus (4.1%).

In 2021, South Asian (7.1%),

(4.7%) and Black (4.3%)

together represented 16.1% of Canada’s total population.

The portrait of racialized groups varies across regions. For example, the South Asian, Chinese and Black populations are the largest groups in Ontario; while the largest groups are Black and Arab people in Quebec; Chinese and South Asians in British Columbia; and South Asians and Filipinos in the Prairies.

According to the 2021 Census, most South Asians were born in South Asia, including India (44.3%), Pakistan (9.2%), Sri Lanka (5.4%) and Bangladesh (3%), while 28.7% were born in Canada and 2.1% in Africa.

Among South Asian immigrants, 21.4% immigrated to Canada recently (from 2016 to 2021) and 43.4% immigrated from 2001 to 2015. Lastly, 35.2% of South Asians were admitted in to Canada before the 2000s.

The diversity of the South Asian group can also be observed in the broad range of mother tongues reported in the 2021 Census, with English (36.4%), Punjabi (29.4%), Urdu (11.3%), Hindi (8.2%), Tamil (7.1%) and Gujarati (6.4%) the most commonly reported, alone or with other languages.

Finally, the top three religions reported by South Asians are Hinduism (29.9%), Sikhism (29.6%) and Islam (23.1%). [More details below.]

More than 450 ethnic or cultural origins were reported in the 2021 Census. The top origins reported by Canada’s population, alone or with other origins, were “Canadian” (5.7 million people), “English” (5.3 million), “Irish” (4.4 million), “Scottish” (4.4 million) and “French” (4.0 million).

In 2021, three other European origins were reported, alone or with other origins, by at least 1 million people, namely, “German” (3.0 million), “Italian” (1.5 million), and “Ukrainian” (1.3 million). And two other European origins were reported by close to 1 million people, namely, “Dutch” and “Polish”. In total, 52.5% of the population reported European origins.

“Chinese” (1.7 million people), “Indian (from India)” (1.3 million) and “Filipino” (0.9 million) were also among the ethnic or cul-

tural origins reported most often.

In the 2021 Census, approximately 2.2 million people reported Indigenous ancestry, alone or with other ancestries, representing 6.1% of the population of Canada.

Of these, approximately 1.4 million people reported at least one of 104 First Nations (North American Indian) ancestries, more than half a million (560,000) reported “Métis” ancestry, and 82,000 people reported “Inuit” ancestry.

The most common First Nations ancestries reported were “Cree” (250,000 people), “Mi’kmaq” (122,000), “Ojibway” (92,000) and “Algonquin” (56,000). In addition, about 632,000 people reported “First Nations (North American Indian)” ancestry without any additional clarification.

RELIGION

In 2021, over 19.3 million people reported a Christian religion, representing just over half of the Canadian population (53.3%). However, this proportion is down from 67.3% in 2011 and 77.1% in 2001.

Catholics are the largest Christian denomination in Canada, with 10.9 million people (29.9%) in 2021. The United Church (3.3%) and the Anglican Church (3.1%), two other Christian denominations, each had more than 1 million people in Canada. Orthodox Christians (1.7%), Baptists (1.2%), and Pentecostals and other Charismatics (1.1%) were the other Christian denominations most often reported.

In 2021, just under 2.8 million people, or 7.6% of the population, reported being Christian without further indication of a specific

With the exception of Orthodox Christians and people who simply reported being Christian, the proportion of affiliation in every Christian denomination decreased from 2011 to 2021.

Approximately 12.6 million people, or more than one-third of Canada’s population, reported having no religious affiliation. The proportion of this population has more than doubled in 20 years, going from 16.5% in 2001 to 34.6% in 2021.

While small, the proportion of Canada’s population who reported being Muslim, Hindu or Sikh has more than doubled in 20 years.

After Christianity, Islam was the second most commonly reported religion in Canada in 2021, with nearly 1.8 million, or 1 in 20, people. In 20 years, the share of the Muslim population in Canada has more than doubled—up from 2% in 2001 to 4.9% in 2021.

In 2021, close to 830,000 people, or 2.3% of the total population, reported an affiliation to Hinduism. Like Muslims, the proportion of the population with Hinduism as its religion has more than doubled in the last 20 years, and is up from 1% in 2001.

Moreover, the share of the population who reported Sikhism as its religion also more than doubled since 2001, from 0.9% to 2.1% in 2021. About 770,000 people reported Sikhism as their religion in the 2021 Census.

Approximately 335,000 people reported being Jewish in 2021. This number has changed little over the last 20 years.

In 2021, close to 360,000 people, or 1% of Canada’s population, reported Buddhism as their religion, the same percentage as in the 2001 Census.

Yukon and British Columbia stand out with regard to their population reporting no religious affiliation. Close to three in five (59.7%) of Yukon’s population and slightly over one-half (52.1%) of British Columbia’s population reported no religious affiliation in 2021, compared with 34.6% for Canada as a whole.

In Ontario, 16.3% of the population reported being affiliated with a non-Christian religion, the highest proportion in Canada. In particular, Ontario posted the highest percentage of

British Columbia ranked second among provinces and territories, with a large nonChristian population (13.7%). More specifically, it had the highest proportion of people affiliated with a Sikh religion (5.9%).

IMMIGRANTS: HIGHLIGHTS

* Asia, including the Middle East, remained the continent of birth for most recent immigrants (62%).

* Almost one in five recent immigrants (18.6%) was born in India, making it the leading country of birth for recent immigration to Canada.

* In contrast, the share of recent immigrants from Europe continued to decline, falling from 61.6% in 1971 to 10.1% in 2021.

* The vast majority (92.7%) of recent immigrants are able to conduct a conversation in either English or French.

* The share of second-generation Canadians (children of immigrants) younger than 15 years with at least one foreign-born parent rose from 26.7% in 2011 to 31.5% in 2021.

* Almost one in four people (23%) counted during the 2021 Census are or have been a landed immigrant or permanent resident in Canada. This was the highest proportion since Confederation, topping the previous record of 22.3% in 1921, and the largest proportion among G7 countries.

* Just over 1.3 million new immigrants settled permanently in Canada from 2016 to 2021, the highest number of recent immigrants recorded in a Canadian census.

* The share of recent immigrants settling in Atlantic Canada almost tripled in 15 years, rising from 1.2% in 2006 to 3.5% in 2021.

* Over half of recent immigrants living in Canada were admitted under the economic category. Of these 748,120 economic immigrants, just over one-third (34.5%) were selected through skilled worker programs and another one-third (33.6%) through the Provincial Nominee Program.

* The proportion of immigrants who first came to Canada temporarily on work or study permits or as asylum claimants before being admitted as permanent residents was especially high among recent immigrants who settled since 2016 (36.6%).

Amrik S. (Steve) Mattoo

THE Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said on Tuesday that it has identified

that is believed to be linked

brothers Chaten and Joban Dhind sa with a series of Lower Mainland shootings.

On March 19, 2021, Richmond RCMP officers re sponded to the 22000-block of Rathburn Drive to assist with a structure fire. Once the fire was extinguished, two deceased individuals were lo cated inside the residence. The deceased were identified as brothers, Chaten Dhindsa, 25, and Joban Dhindsa, 23, both of Richmond. The injuries sustained by the Dhindsa brothers were consistent with a homicide and IHIT as sumed conduct of the investigation and began work closely in partnership with the RCMP Inte grated Forensic Identification Section to process the scene.

IHIT investigators now say that information has now linked the homicides of the Dhindsa broth ers to a series of shootings throughout the Low er Mainland that lead up to the homicides.

On December 3, 2020, an incident in the 4500-block of No. 3 Road in Richmond in which three suspect vehicles — a black Volkswagen Jetta, a silver Audi and a black Range Rover — were identified following a shots-fired call in the area, is said to have been a precursor to the ho micide.

“These are complex investigations that go far beyond a single shooting,” said IHIT Sgt. Timo thy Pierotti. “I commend the investigative team and forensic experts that continue to work re lentlessly as information continues to come in.”

IHIT is asking that anyone with information re garding the homicides of Chaten and Joban Dhindsa or the shooting on December 3, 2020, in Richmond, or any events that lead to their deaths, to contact the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@ rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

IN March 2021, this newspaper in a report titled “Richmond homicide victims, brothers Chaten and Joban Dhindsa, were connected to gang conflict” wrote: “Both the brothers were known to police, but the one with a criminal record –and who had figured twice in the news for all the wrong reasons in 2015 and 2016 – was Chat en Dhindsa.

“The brothers were living in Surrey at the time, apparently with their parents, but later moved to Richmond.”

The VOICE added in that report:

As reported in The VOICE back then, in Febru ary 2016, Chaten Dhindsa and two other South Asians were charged in the ongoing drug war after the CFSEU-BC, the Surrey RCMP Drug Sec tion, and the Delta Police Department began an investigation into a dial-a-dope drug line in April 2015.

The VOICE reported: “In April 2015, the CFSEUBC, the Surrey RCMP Drug Section, and the Del ta PD began an investigation into a dial-a-dope drug line associated to individuals involved in the Surrey / Delta drug conflict. As a result of a three-month investigation, two search war rants were executed on residences in Surrey. A search of both residences resulted in the seizure of the following items: 21.46 grams of cocaine, 4.79 grams of heroin, 0.3 grams of crystal meth amphetamine, $7085.00 in Canadian currency and seven vehicles used in drug trafficking. “Crown Counsel has now approved 18 charges for the three men identified in the investigation.” One of them was Chaten Dhindsa, then 20, who was charged with 10 counts of trafficking and one count of possession for the purpose of traf ficking.

Dhindsa was charged with 10 counts of traffick ing and one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Also, Chaten Dhindsa and five other South Asians were arrested and charged in connection with a December 5 incident in 2015 in which a man who was well known to police was assault ed, threatened and held against his will near 86 Avenue and 130 Street in Surrey. Dhindsa was charged with forcible confinement, robbery, as sault with a weapon and assault causing bodily

harm. He ended up pleading guilty to assault causing bodily harm. In July 2018 he was sen tenced to 229 days in jail. He was charged with eight counts of “posses

sion for the purpose of trafficking” in a Langley case of April 2019 and was to be sentenced in Surrey Provincial Court on April 13, 2021, ac cording to the online court registry.

Photo of Range Rover, Volkswagen Jetta, and Audi.

Conference on BC-India Trade and Investment Opportunities

forms and ease of doing business. He also gave an overview of the broader economic relationship between India and Canada and talked about the synergies between the two countries that should be leveraged to propel this relationship for ward.

Grover also identified some key sectors that Canadian business can focus on to in vest in India and gave an overview of the Invest India and the services they offer.

THE Consulate General of India in Vancou ver partnered with the World Trade Center Vancouver (WTC) and the BC-India Busi ness Network to organize a Conference on BC-India Trade and Investment Opportuni ties on Wednesday at KPMG Vancouver. The conference was attended by the

Manjish Grover, Consul (Commerce), gave the keynote address in which he gave a de tailed overview of the Indian economy, its growth prospects, the current investment environment in India, including policy re

Other speakers included David van Hem men, Vice President, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade; Vivek Savkur, Founder and President Emeritus of BC-IBN; David Tsui, Director, Global Affairs Canada/Trade Commissioner’s Office; William Hoyle, Acting Executive Director International Trade and Investment, Government of BC; and Karan Meherchandani, DSV Logistics.

The event ended with a panel discussion with representatives of Canadian compa nies doing business in India. The panel was moderated by Sobhana Jaya Madha van, President of BC-IBN, and the panelists were Sharan Oberoi, CEO of OnActuate;

The conference provided a great opportu nity to showcase India’s growth story and investment opportunities.

The Acting High Commissioner of India, Manish, hosted a reception for “Puducherry Blue – An Exhibition of Paintings by South Asian Artists” on October 21 at Harbor Centre Concourse, Simon Fraser University, at West Hastings Street in Vancouver. Former Attorney General Wally Oppal, who is chair of SFU’s Indian advisory committee, Indian Consul Manjish Grover and Indian Vice Consul Sanjay Malhotra were among those who attended. The exhibition was open for viewing from October 18 through October 21 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The artists were from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Afghanistan. (For more photos, please visit our website voiceonline.com) Photos by SUKHWANT DHILLON / AM 600 Sher-E-Punjab Radio

istock

member companies of the World Trade Center Vancouver.

Venki Krishnababu, SVP Global Technol ogy Services, Lululemon; Neelam Toprani, CEO of Sewanti; and David Tsui.

Manjish Grover

Photos submitted

David Eby will be sworn in as Premier on November 18

DAVID

the

The November break of the fall legislative session will be extended leading up to the

ceremony.

will meet the

Austin also accepted the resignation of Hor gan as premier, effective on the date the next premier is sworn in. She also met with Eby and said she looked forward to admin istering his oath of office in the near future.

“The Lieutenant Governor extends her sin cere gratitude to Premier Horgan for his many years of service to the Province, and his leadership throughout the global pan demic and the many challenges that British Columbia has confronted in recent years.

assembly

during the week of November

AUSTIN met with Premier John Horgan on Wednesday and accepted his advice that Eby become the next premier of B.C., ac cording to a statement from the Lieutenant Governor’s Office.

The Lieutenant Governor also thanks him for his continued service as a member of the legislative assembly, and wishes him health and happiness in the years to come,” said the statement.

David Eby

Opposition parties slam Eby for suspending legislative session

THE BC Liberals on Thursday said that while violent crime continues to spiral out of control on our streets and people struggle to access health care in a timely manner, Premier-designate David Eby has decided that suspending the legislative session is more important than debating these serious issues and coming up with actionable solutions.

“David Eby said he was going to ‘hit the ground running’ but instead, he’s hitting the brakes on the valu able time we could spend working to solve the ma jor concerns of British Columbians,” said Opposition House Leader Todd Stone. “If he wanted to, David Eby could be in his seat in the legislative chamber today. How can people have any faith in his big prom ises to tackle crime, health care, housing and more when he’s not even willing to carry out the rest of the fall legislative ses sion?”

Stone said Eby can’t hide from his record of failures forever, in the House or other wise. Stone noted housing affordability and public safety have never been worse under Eby’s watch, and after offering virtually no new ideas during his leadership campaign, people want to hear his concrete plans and actions now.

MEANWHILE, Adam Olsen, House Leader for the B.C. Green Caucus, asked: “What is taking so long to get the premier up and running?”

He added: “This is com pletely un acceptable, there is no reason why there should be a month long delay in transition.

He has been absent from the House and now he’s cutting a week of session, it is increasingly looking like Pre mier-designate David Eby does not want to be asked questions or be held account able.”

Olsen sadi in a statement: “It took Rishi Sunak three days to be sworn in and be come U.K. Prime Minister and stand to be held accountable in their House. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith won a leadership vote on October 6th and was sworn in on October 11.

“David Eby is not a new member, he has a seat in the Assembly, he has been a high ranking member of the Cabinet since 2017,

he is certainly familiar with how govern ment operates and there should not be this delay. He was at Government House just yesterday meeting with the Lieutenant Governor for yet another photo op, why not

swear him in then?

“On August 23 the Premier-designate told the press he was frustrated with the candi dacy of Anjali Appadurai because it meant delaying his Premiership by several months

Photo: Twitter

and because he saw some profound chal lenges that required a response.

“It is deeply disappointing that now he has the top job he is reluctant to take his seat, get to work, and be held accountable.”

Todd Stone

Adam Olsen

Vishal Walia homicide: DeAndre Baptiste, Balraj Basra and Iqbal Kang charged with first-degree murder

THE Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) announced on Friday that charges of first-degree murder have been laid against DeAndre Baptiste, Balraj Basra and Iqbal Kang in the Monday, October 17 homicide of Vishal Walia in Vancouver. They have remained in custody following

their arrests on October 17 itself.

On October 17 at 9:49 a.m., University RCMP received reports of a shooting at the Univer sity Golf Club, located in the 5100-block of University Boulevard on the University En dowment Lands. Officers located Walia suf fering from fatal gunshot wounds.

At 10:02 a.m., a vehicle fire was reported in the laneway located in the 4000-block of West 20 Avenue in Vancouver. A suspect vehicle was quickly identified by Vancou ver Police Department (VPD) members re sponding to the vehicle fire.

Shortly after 10:15 a.m., members from VPD, BC Highway Patrol and the Richmond RCMP, arrested Baptiste, Basra and Kang in relation to the homicide and vehicle arson. IHIT took conduct of the homicide inves tigation and immediately began working closely with VPD, University RCMP and the Richmond RCMP to identify evidence link ing the offences. The investigation was sup ported by the BC Highway Patrol, E-Division

Major Crimes Section, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, Langley RCMP and the RCMP Integrated Forensic Identifi cation Section.

“This timely outcome could not have hap pened without the unwavering support from our partners,” said IHIT Sgt. Timothy Pierotti. “Despite being a multi-jurisdiction al investigation, IHIT was able to efficiently advance the investigation throughout the week.”

(This story was reported on our website voiceonline.con last week on Friday evening – past our Friday morning news deadline for the print paper.)

NDP: Kevin Falcon opposes cap on rent increases

ON Monday, MLAs debated a motion to support the NDP government’s two per cent cap on rent increases in 2023. The cap will protect renters from massive rent hikes tied to inflation, but not a single BC Liberal MLA spoke in support of the measure, pointed out the NDP.

KULDIP KAUR PUAR

14.2.1940 -- 27.10.2022

It is with great sadness to announce the death of our beloved Mother and Grandmother Kuldip Kaur Puar, born February 14, 1940 of village Dohlron, India. Wife of late Rattan Singh Puar of village Karla. She passed away peacefully at Lions Gate hospital after a lengthy illness on October 27, 2022 She is survived by and will be lovingly remembered by daughters Susan (Kamal), Amrit (Sirish)and nine grandchildren. Brothers Pritam, Surinder & Rattan Ludu and their families. Predeceased by late son Surjit and parents Ranjit Singh and Mahan Kaur Ludu. Funeral service will be at Riverside Funeral Home, 7410 Hopcott Road, Delta, BC on Friday November 4, 2022 at 1pm, followed by prayers at Akali Singh Gurudwara at 3pm, 1890 Skeena Street, Vancouver, BC

Please contact for further information: Susan Kaur - 604.839.4588

BC Liberal MLAs including BC Liberal Hous ing Critic Mike Bernier mocked the mea sure, calling it “sloganeering.” Bernier has flipped three homes for profit in the last four years.

BC Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon has directly opposed capping rents at two per cent. He recently told a real estate panel: “On the rental side, what did government just do? They just capped inflationary increases. So now you’ve got landlords that are capped at two per cent while they’re facing six, seven, eight per cent inflationary costs.”

The NDP said that before 2017, the BC Lib erals allowed rent increases of two per cent plus inflation. The NDP government capped increases to inflation in 2018. Without the NDP’s changes in 2018 and this year, renters would be facing increases of 7.6 per cent. Last year, BC set an all-time record for rental housing starts. In five years of NDP govern ment there have been more rental housing starts than in the previous 15 years under

the BC Liberals.

MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert said: “Peo ple are having a tough time with the high cost of living and that’s why we are capping rent increases at two per cent for 2023. But Kevin Falcon is against that cap. If it was up to him, people would be facing rent increases of nearly eight per cent. Even Ontario’s Conservative government has capped rents at 2.5 per cent. Kevin Falcon is once again defending the profits of big investors and speculators instead of help ing renters.”

Spencer Chandra Herbert

Surrey Mayor

Surrey Coalition concedes election

decided to no longer pursue a judicial re count of Saturday’s vote for Mayor of Sur rey.

The SSC had announced on Monday eve ning that with less than a 1,000-vote differ ence in Saturday’s count in the municipal election for the Mayor’s post, its candidate incumbent Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum was “not conceding at this point in time.”

Earlier, on Saturday night McCallum had conceded the election.

Surrey Connect’s Brenda Locke bagged 33,111 of the votes as compared to McCal lum’s 32,338 votes — a difference of only 973 votes.

Her party also won four of the eight seats on Council.

Brampton Mayor suggests common place for Diwali fireworks as ban doesn’t work

BRAMPTON Mayor Patrick Brown tweeted on Thursday: “I have heard a lot of com plaints about fireworks from Brampton residents. Our by-law team can’t possibly keep up with the number of infractions that happen on Diwali night. … There seems to be a real interest in celebrating Diwali with fireworks. The same old approach of ban ning them isn’t working. Police and by law can’t keep up with the number infractions all happening at the same time.”

He then noted: “One suggested solution is to have a common place for fireworks like Canada Day at Chinguacousy Park. If we put on a great fireworks show it would remove the need to do so in backyards and drive ways. Thoughts?”

One reaction: “Personal fireworks should be banned—for all holidays. Community events with fireworks and all other appro priate celebratory trimmings should be the route forward, again for all holidays.”

Pedestrian injured in Delta collision

ON Monday, October 24 at approximate ly 6:45 p.m., Delta Police responded to a pedestrian-involved collision in the 11600-block of 96 Avenue. A 53-year-old man from Surrey received serious injuries and is in critical condition at the hospital. The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and is cooperating with the police. The cause of the collision is still under in vestigation.

Investigators are seeking additional wit nesses to this collision as well as dash camera video or other CCTV from the im mediate area. If you witnessed the colli sion, have a dash camera and were in the area, or if you have CCTV in the area, you are requested to contact the Delta Police Department at 604-946-4411 and quote file number 2022-24138.

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum

Patrick Brown

Photo: Twitter

Calgary youth arrested as Surrey RCMP seize two stolen vehicles with jerry cans full of gasoline

ON October 19 at 9:49 a.m., a concerned resident called police to report a suspicious vehicle in the 9800-block of 134 Street.

Surrey RCMP Auto Crime Target Team (ACTT) immediately attended the area and through extensive patrols, located the vehi cle almost an hour later in the 13100-block of 98A Avenue. The vehicle had stolen li cence plates.

ACTT and the Community Response Unit (CRU) set up surveillance on the vehicle,

which lead to the arrest of one youth, and the recovery of two stolen vehicles. Both re covered vehicles were found to have jerry cans full of gasoline inside.

A 17-year-old Calgary resident has been charged with possession of stolen property and remains in custody. The youth also had outstanding warrants for possession for the purposes of trafficking out of Calgary.

“We encourage members of our commu nity to report all suspicious activity to police

and this is an example of why,” said Surrey RCMP Media Relations Officer, Constable Sarbjit K. Sangha, on Thursday. She pointed out: “This report lead to the sei zure of two stolen vehicles, an arrest, and may have prevented another crime from occurring. Often stolen vehicles are utilized to commit serious criminal offences and then later set on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence of the crime.”

Sunpreet Monga, 39, charged with drug trafficking after Abbotsford school incident

ON October 19 at 1:58 p.m.,

Abbotsford Police Depart ment responded to Baker view Centre for Learning lo cated in the 32600-block of Marshall Road for a report of a suspicious man who had entered the school.

School administration im mediately confronted the man asking him to leave. As a result, the school was placed on lockdown as a safety precaution.

Abbotsford Police’s Youth Squad and patrol officers arrived at the school within two minutes of the call.

The man had fled the area but was located a short dis tance away allegedly with a

large quantity of illicit drugs. Although the investiga tion showed no trafficking was conducted on school grounds, 39-year-old Sun preet Monga of Abbots

ford was charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, police said. He remains in custody.

“This matter highlights the

VPD releases image of man who allegedly assaulted a taxi driver

VANCOUVER Police on Thursday released pho tos of a man who al legedly assaulted a taxi driver, leaving the cabbie with life-altering injuries. The assault occurred Au gust 14 after the driver picked up a man near the Commercial-Broad

way SkyTrain station.

The suspect assaulted the driver while inside the taxi and left him with serious injuries, then fled.

“Investigators have been unable to identify the suspect and are now turning to the public for

assistance,” said Consta ble Tania Visintin. “Any one who recognizes this suspect is asked to call our investigators.”

VPD’s Major Crime Sec tion can be contacted at 604-717-2541.

The suspect.

Photos: VPD

ongoing effective relation ship between the AbbyPD’s Youth Squad and the Ab botsford School District. The strength of our collabo ration led to the swift arrest

of this repeat offender and demonstrates our shared goal to keep our schools safe,” said Inspector Kevin Murray.

The Youth Squad continues

to investigate this incident. If you have any information that can assist, you are re quested to call the Abbots ford Police Department at 604-859-5225.

Harkirat Singh (Councillor), Navjit Kaur Brar (Councillor) and Gurpartap Singh Toor (Regional Councillor) won in Brampton, Ontario, in this week’s municipal election. Photo: Twitter

Constable Sarbjit Sangha

Drugs seized by police.

Photo: Abbotsford Police

WORKSAFEBC points out that while asbes tos-related diseases are preventable, as bestos exposure remains the leading cause of work-related deaths in B.C.

That’s why it is reminding homeowners of their responsibility to keep workers safe during demolition and renovation projects.

“Homeowners must get their homes tested for asbestos before renovation or demoli tion work begins,” says Suzana Prpic, Se nior Prevention Manager at WorkSafeBC. “While there are monetary costs associat ed with asbestos surveying and safe abate ment, the human cost of not doing this is far greater.”

Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause seri ous health problems including permanent lung damage, lung diseases, and terminal cancer. Most asbestos-related diseases have a 20–50-year latency period before they become fatal.

In the last decade, WorkSafeBC accepted over 1,100 claims for workers who were killed by occupational disease related to asbestos exposure.

Homeowner responsibilities

Prior to beginning a demolition or renova tion, homeowners must hire a qualified test ing company or asbestos surveyor to identify if asbestos containing materials (ACMs) will be disturbed during the work.

If ACMs are found, homeowners must then hire a qualified asbestos abatement contractor to remove and dispose of the materials.

“Asbestos is only harmful when materials con taining asbestos are disturbed,” says Prpic. “Of

ten however, ACMs are hiding in plain sight—in materials like flooring, tiles, shingles, and light fixtures. That is why it is critical homeowners hire the right experts who know where to look for it, and how to safely remove it.”

If a homeowner or renter is hiring worker(s) to work at their personal residence, they may also be required to register with WorkSafeBC, depending on the nature of work and the length of time a project will take.

Information on registration requirements can be found on worksafebc.com.

How common is asbestos in BC homes?

ACMs can be found in more than 3,000 pre1990s building materials, such as vinyl and li noleum flooring, stucco, insulation, shingles, gypsum board filling compound, incandescent light fixture backings, and deck under-sheet ing.

“There are over 700,000 homes in B.C. built before 1990, meaning that it’s highly likely that some parts of these homes will contain materi als made with asbestos,” says Prpic.

In Greater Vancouver, 32% of homes were built

Pedestrian-involved collision in Abbotsford

ON Thursday at 4:48 p.m., Abbotsford Police patrol officers, responded to a motor vehicle collision in volving a pedestrian in the

33000-block of South Fra ser Way. Emergency service workers located a 24-yearold female who had been struck by a vehicle.

The female was transported to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening in juries. The 39-year-old driv er remained on the scene

and is cooperating with the investigation. Police are in the early stages of this investigation, but say that speed and impairment are not factors in the collision.

“Investigators are looking to determine where the pedestrian was at the time of the collision,” said Con stable Art Stele, Abbotsford Police Media Relations Of ficer.

Investigators are seeking witnesses and dashcam footage from those who may have been driving on South Fraser Way between McCallum Road and Rob erts Avenue around the time of the collision. If you can assist, you are request ed to call the Abbotsford Police Department at 604859-5225.

before 1990.

Key Facts: Asbestos related disease

* Between 2002-2021, there were 1,112 ac cepted workplace deaths related to asbestos. Most workers diagnosed with asbestos-related disease were male (95%).

* Of the workers who died from asbestosrelated illness, 59% were of between ages of 71-85 at the time of death, often having been exposed decades before.

* Asbestos-related diseases are caused by the inhalation of asbestos. Some examples of asbestos-related diseases are mesothelioma, lung cancer, diffuse pleural thickening or fibro sis, asbestosis, benign pleural effusion, larynx or pharynx cancer, and gastro-intestinal can cer. These are recognized as occupational dis eases under Schedule B of the Workers Com pensation Act.

* Mesothelioma is the only cancer caused al most exclusively by asbestos. Malignant meso thelioma is a rare, aggressive form of cancer. Typically, patients survive approximately one year after diagnosis.

Chaitanya Nandha, 23, celebrated his birthday with parents Kishor and Lata and brother Aashutosh. Photo submitted

Regimental funeral services for Burnaby RCMP Constable Shaelyn Yang on November 2

THE BC RCMP announced on Wednesday that planning for Constable Shaelyn Yang’s funeral is now underway.

The funeral will take place at 11 a.m. on No vember 2 at the Richmond Olympic Oval, 6111 River Road, Richmond.

A statement from the family is expected in the days to come, however, the need to pro vide the family time and space is important as they go through the grieving process and prepare for the funeral, the RCMP said.

Yang was fatally stabbed on October 18 in Burnaby as she was attempting to save a homeless man’s life.

The RCMP are working with a number of in dividuals, groups and businesses that may be directly impacted, prior to providing rec ommendations and directions such as traf fic closures to the public. Therefore, further information, media direction and traffic re strictions will be provided closer to the date. Monitor the BC RCMP website for the most accurate information.

The RCMP said they are grateful for the sig nificant outpouring of public support and

320 protection services officers to support for health-care workers

THE Province announced on Monday that it is taking steps to build safer workplaces for health-care workers and patients by introducing a new security model across all health authorities, hiring more protec tion services employees and expanding funding to SWITCH BC, a new organiza tion focused on addressing workplace safety.

About 320 in-house protection services officers and 14 violence prevention leads will be hired and will help create a safer environment for staff and patients.

“These actions will help ensure all healthcare employees have safe and healthy workplaces, and that the patients who count on them are accessing care in a safe environment. Ensuring our healthcare facilities are free of violence will not only help us recruit and retain health-care workers, but it will also improve patient care and continuity,” said Adrian Dix, Min ister of Health.

“Establishing SWITCH BC furthered our commitment to create safe and welcom ing workplaces for our health-care em ployees, and this latest action empowers security personnel to support these ef forts.”

The Province is providing health authori ties with funding to establish a relational security model in 26 health-care settings and hire staff to support it. The new mod el ensures all security personnel have an acute awareness of patients and their sur roundings, as well as how to anticipate, de-escalate and ultimately prevent ag gression. It is based on trauma-informed practice, which integrates knowledge of how people are affected by trauma into procedures, practices and services to cre ate a safer environment for staff and pa tients.

All protection services personnel will receive training in workplace violence prevention, mental health and advanced customer service. They will also receive trauma-informed practice training to ac quire the necessary knowledge, skills and language to be able to apply a trauma-in formed lens to interactions with patients, families, clients and colleagues.

“As Minister of Labour, my top priority is the safety of workers, including those who are working tirelessly in our health-care sector,” said Harry Bains, Minister of La bour. “Integrating this new security model into our health-care facilities will help pro tect health-care workers from violence –be it physical, emotional or verbal – and allow them to complete their shifts safely.”

condolences. They encourage members of the public to send an electronic message to Yang’s family to: RCMP.Condolences-Con

reserved for family, invited guests, designat ed officials and uniformed members par ticipating in the funeral march. Alternative viewing options are being looked at and will be shared as soon as possible.

doleances.GRC@rcmp-grc.gc.ca Messages of condolence will be sent to Yang’s family and to Burnaby RCMP Detach ment.

Seating is limited at the venue and will be

Constable Shaelyn Yang

Photo: BC RCMP

B.C. will not support a bid to host 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

THE Province on Thursday announced that it will not support a bid to host the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games be cause it is “focused on expanding the ser vices British Columbians need, while build ing a more secure future.”

Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Cul ture and Sport, said in a statement: “For more than a year, the Province has engaged in evaluating a potential bid for B.C. to host the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

“I know that the prospect of hosting these Games is exciting to athletes and sports fans. However, the Province has the respon sibility to weigh the benefits with the costs and possible risks of the project. There are billions of dollars in direct costs, and poten tial guarantee and indemnity liability risks on this project that could jeopardize our government’s ability to address pressures facing British Columbians right now. Based on careful consideration, the Province is de clining to support a bid.

“Planning and hosting an event of this mag nitude requires significant attention and re sources. We have existing commitments to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2025

Invictus Games. These world-class events will bring the international spotlight to Brit ish Columbia, as well as economic benefits to support the province’s tourism-sector re covery for the next decade and beyond.

“Our government is focused on expand ing the services British Columbians need, while building a more secure future. While there are many competing priorities and challenges, we are putting people first by focusing on the cost of living, health care, housing, public safety and building a strong work force.

“Our government remains committed to the important work of putting reconciliation into action, and continuing to build strong relationships with Indigenous partners.

I commend the leadership of the Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, who have built excitement around this process, together with the Ca nadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee. I also want to rec ognize the support from the City of Vancou ver and the Resort Municipality of Whistler.

“Thank you to everyone involved in this pro cess for their work and commitment to this project.”

Sanjha Vehra Women’s Association: 18th Annual Breast Cancer Fundraiser

Virtual 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 As sociation” till end of November. The association will promote and advertise your business by displaying your name on its Facebook page during the whole of October and November. Cheques or cash can be dropped off @ Passionate Hair & Beauty Lounge Address: 10712837 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 tax-deductible receipts. Sanjha Vehra Women’s Association will highly appre ciate your generosity. All proceeds go to: Surrey Hospital Foundation. For more information call hot line: 604-506-6123 / E-mail: sanjhavehra@gmail.com.

South Asian Adults and Seniors Programs

* Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Ve dic Hindu Cultural Society of BC in vites South Asian adults and seniors to come and play Bean Bag Toss or Corn Hole Game on Sunday, October 30 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Shanti Niketan Hall of Lakshmi Narayan Temple, 8321 140 Street, Surrey. Some of the seniors can play cards. Tea and light snacks will be served. Please maintain social distanc ing to protect yourself and others.

* Yoga classes in person at Shanti Nik etan Hall conducted by yoga instructor Ashwini Bansal on every Monday and every Thursday 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 vaccinated for COVID-19. They should bring facemasks and a yoga mat

and maintain social distancing. Pure vegetarian lunch is served in the dining hall of the Temple to all seniors every Thursday after the yoga class. Contact Surendra Handa, Coordinator, at 604507-9945 email surendra_handa@ho tmail.com for registration and further information.

* The Vedic Seniors Parivar & APNI South Asian Community Response Net works Surrey is going to celebrate Diwali with a dinner and entertainment on Fri day, November 4 at Ultimate Banquet Hall at 200 – 8072 on 120 Street from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Musicians Tejaswita Mohan, Raj Toora and Swaran Dhaliwal will en tertain guests. The event is already over booked, but those who want to cancel for any reason are requested to do so before November 1 to get full refund and this will allow members already on the waiting list to attend.

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 Ma rine Drive, Burnaby. Program will com mence 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 Dor set Street, Burnaby. Program will com mence 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, Novem ber 6 at 10:30 a.m. at Laxmi Narayan Mandir, 8321 140 Street, Surrey. Program will commence promptly at 10.30 a.m. Priti Bhojan after Arti. For further infor mation contact Vasant Lakhani at (604) 987-1925.

Getting a

Surrey completes upgrades to Newton Athletic Park synthetic turf fields

THE City of Surrey said on Wednesday that it has fin ished the life-cycle replace ment of two synthetic turf sports fields at Newton Ath letic Park to sustain playabil ity and player safety.

There are five full-sized FIFA artificial turf fields at Newton Athletic Park. They include lines and markings for soccer, mini soccer, and lacrosse.

They have covered and wellsheltered player, official, and spectator seating and are ir rigated, making them more comfortable to play on dur

ing heat waves. The newest artificial field, installed in July, also includes tourna ment level LED field lighting.

The City of Surrey has over 200 outdoor athletic facilities including 17 synthetic turf fields that look and play like natural grass. They are open year-round and are available for rental by sports organiza tions and clubs.

Newton Athletic Park is a 22-hectare premiere sport and recreation destination with amenities including ar tificial turf and grass sports fields, cricket pitches, ten

nis, volleyball, and basket ball courts, playgrounds, a rubberized walking loop and a spray park.

It is one of more than 200 parks that have active amenities such as sports fields, sport courts, play grounds, community gar dens or picnic areas.

Surrey is also home to over 600 other parks that pro tect natural areas, open space, and biodiversity as part of the larger green infra structure network.

For more information go to surrey.ca/parks.

South Asian man reported missing from Surrey on August 28 located deceased

SURREY RCMP said on Thursday that

South Asian

up-to-date

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sadly been located deceased in Alber

Criminality is not a factor in his death.

Surrey RCMP: Missing 65-year-old South Asian male located safe

SURREY RCMP on

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We’re looking for families withroom for one more...

Synthetic turf at Newton Athletic Park.

Photo: City of Surrey

London: Sunak on Tuesday became the first South Asian prime minister of the UK and the youngest PM since Lord Liverpool came to office in 1812.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Warmest congratulations @RishiSunak! As you become UK PM, I look forward to working closely together on global issues, and implementing Roadmap 2030. Special Diwali wishes to the ‘living bridge’ of UK Indians, as we transform our historic ties into a modern partnership.”

And less than a week after she resigned as Home Secretary, contributing to the fall of the Liz Truss government, Indian-origin UK Minister Suella Braverman has been re-appointed to the same role in the Rishi Sunak government.

She is the first woman appointee in the new Sunak government, the BBC reported.

Responsible for overseeing UK borders, policing and counterterrorism as Home Secretary,

Braverman is the second Indianorigin leader to hold the role, after Priti Patel.

Sunak is the UK-born son of a pharmacist mother and a National Health Service (NHS) general practitioner father.

The Oxford University and Stanford MBA graduate cofounded a 1-billion-pound global investment firm and specialized in investing in small British businesses before his entry to the British Parliament in the 2015 general election.

Sunak’s wife is Indian, Akshata Murthy, a businesswoman who is also the daughter of N.R. Narayana Murthy, one of the founders of the Bengaluru-based Infosys.

The couple has two daughters.

Sunak was elected a member of parliament from the rural seat of Richmond in Yorkshire in 2015.

Prime Minister Theresa May appointed him parliamentary under-secretary of state for local government in January 2018.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson

appointed him chief secretary to the treasury in July 2019, and promoted him to cabinet as chancellor of the exchequer in February 2020. In July 2022, Sunak resigned from the government citing differences on policy with the prime minister, thereby hastening Johnson’s downfall.

THE extraordinary wealth of the wider family of Britain's super-rich Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his billionaire heiress wife Akshata Murthy has been laid bare, the media reported.

With an estimated net fortune of 730 million pounds that includes multiple properties in Britain and the US, a string of business interests and even a fleet of cars including a 'high-spec' Range Rover, a 'top-ofthe-range' Lexus and a BMW, the Oxbridge former Goldman Sachs banker and his Stanford-educated spouse are by far the wealthiest occupants of Downing Street in the history, the Daily Mail reported.

Indeed, Akshata Murthy is said

to be wealthier than even King Charles III due to her 430 million pounds stake in her billionaire tycoon father Narayana Murthy's IT empire.

She has also continued to hold stakes in businesses over the years including a joint venture with Amazon, Cloudtail, in India worth 900 million pounds a year, a project she and Rishi set up together, Catamaran Ventures UK, shares in the firm which runs Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria and burger chain Wendy's in India, and Etonian tailor New & Lingwood, which makes pupils' tailcoats costing 2,500 pounds each, Daily Mail reported.

Rishi's father-in-law, dubbed 'India's Bill Gates' due to his role pioneering the country's tech boom, was recently ranked the sixth richest person in India and the 654th in the world after his remarkable success in founding Bengaluru-based IT firm Infosys in the 1980s, now a 9.6 billion pounds multinational that employs more than 3,45,000 people.

Rishi Sunak meets King Charles on Tuesday.

Debate rages on who should be featured on Indian currency after Kejriwal suggests Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesh

Mumbai (IANS): A day after AAP Chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s demand to add images of Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesh on Indian currency notes (ICN), clamour grew on Thursday among various political parties to ‘topple’ or ‘overcrowd’ Mahatma Gandhi’s exalted pedestal on the country’s paper money.

Citing the state of India’s economy and the need to improve it, Kejriwal on Wednesday had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have im ages of the Hindu deities on Indian currency.

“Indonesia is a Muslim country. Above 85% of the population are Muslims and there are only less than 2% Hindus. But they have image of Ganeshji printed on their notes... We are not talking against anyone... This is about everyone’s and country’s prosperity,” he said.

Various leaders from different parties such as the BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), Republican Party of India (K) and others came up with differ ent heroes - ranging from Gods and Goddesses to historical icons and freedom fighters who could share space with Gandhiji on the ICN.

BJP legislators like Nitesh Rane and Ram Kadam demanded the pictures of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Veer Sa

varkar, among others, on the ICN. They even circulated photoshopped ICN of Rs 200 and Rs 500 denomi nations showing the three leaderswith Gandhiji conspicuously missing in their proposed designs!

Prominent Congress Dalit leader Nitin Raut demanded to add the im age of B.R. Ambedkar, which was seconded by Shiv Sena’s (UBT) exMumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar.

“Why not Ambedkar? It’s because of him that the country is enjoying the fruits of democracy today,” they pointed out.

Republican Party of India (K) Presi dent Sachin Kharat demanded to add the image of Gautam Buddha, senior Sena (UBT) leader Anil Par

ab pitched the name of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, while deputy leader Raghunath Kuchik suggested Lord Ram or even Subhas Chandra Bose and Sardar Vallabhb hai Patel.

“Ram Kadam (of BJP) has forgotten Lord Ram after whom he’s named. Why only restrict Lord Ram to the Ayodhya temple, he can also figure on the ICN,” Kuchik pointed out. Maharashtra Congress chief spokes person Atul Londhe, Nationalist Congress Party’s chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase, state Congress Gen eral Secretary Sachin Sawant, Shiv Sena spokesperson Kishore Tiwari and other BJP leaders had earlier

slammed Kejriwal for his ‘preposter ous’ demand.

Amid the cacophony, Pune-based businessman Prafful Sarda came up with a unique suggestion, which can silence the ICN controversy for eternity, especially since the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) high-level screening committee decided way back in 2010 that only Gandhiji will remain on ICN as “no other person ality could better represent the ethos of India than Mahatma Gandhi”.

“In view of this, the Centre can enact a suitable legislation not to disturb the ICN design with Gandhiji. How ever, the government can open up the Rs 5 and Rs 10 coins with minted pictures of all others, for commemo ration or regular usage, as per status and demand to satisfy everybody,” Sarda said.

In the past, India has minted coins with busts of Gandhiji, former PMs Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, Charminar, rainfed farm ing, tiger, lotus, Ashoka Chakra, IX Asian Games, Dandi March 75 years, Louis Braille, Satguru Ram Singh Ji’s Kuka Movement, Diamond Ju bilee of Commonwealth, National

Archives of India 125 years, Benares Hindu University centenary, etc.

In a 2019 RTI reply to Sarda by the Department of Economic Affairs’ Additional Secretary Manisha Sinha, the government said that a highlevel RBI panel (October 2010) had deliberated in detail on the need for inclusion of other eminent personal ities, Bharat Ratnas, Nobel laureates, freedom fighters or sports persons on the ICN design.

Finally, it decided to retain the por trait of Mahatma Gandhi on the obverse of banknotes and on the watermark. The government has ap proved the recommendation, as per the reply of November 11, 2019. The issue was first covered by IANS on Wednesday.

Trinamool Congress leader and excricketer Kirti Azad had raised the issue in the Parliament for including other prominent personalities on the ICN, but then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had cited the RBI panel’s re port in response.

A retired Non-Resident Indian from the US, Ketan Kakkad, added on a humorous note that in view of so many demands, the currency notes can be re-designed with a bench wherein all the persons, gods and goddesses can be seated - to please one and all - so that the country can concentrate on more serious issues.

NIA questions Punjabi singer Afsana Khan in gangster-terror nexus case

New Delhi (IANS): In a major devel opment, the NIA has reportedly ques tioned Punjabi singer Afsana Khan, an associate of late Punjabi Singer Siddhu Singh Moosewala, in the gangster-ter ror nexus case.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has found a link of the Punjabi pop industry in the case, and ques tioned Khan.

Recently, the NIA conducted a nation wide raid at the hideouts of several gangsters.

During the raid, the agency found cer tain links connected to the Punjabi pop industry following which some people were issued summons by the NIA.

According to sources, the NIA ques tioned Afsana Khan on Tuesday.

The sources claimed that during the raid they found evidence, and interro gation of Khan was a must.

The sources also said that Khan was called to Lodhi Colony, situated at NIA’s headquarters. She was grilled there for over five hours in connection with the gangster-terror nexus.

Khan was said to be very close to Moosewala and the Bhambia Gang. Moosewala used to call her sister. Moosewala had also confided in Khan about the death threats he had been receiving.

Lawrence Bishnoi gang allegedly killed Moosewala to avenge the death of Vicky Middukhera. But before com mitting the murder of Moosewala, a number of persons of the Punjabi pop industry were threatened and a few were also attacked.

The sources said that they were also trying to explore the tiff between the gangsters and the Punjabi pop indus try.

“Ms Khan also sang a song with Moosewala. She had been a con testant in reality show, Bigg Boss. By questioning her we want to know about the gangsters having connec

tions in the Punjabi pop industry,” the source said.

The Delhi Police Special Cell and the Punjab Police have arrested over a dozen gangsters in connection with the murder case of Moosewala. Dur ing the probe the agencies came to know about the sinister gangster-ter ror nexus. The Ministry of Home Af fairs took the matter seriously and has asked the NIA to do a thorough probe. The sources have claimed that in coming days some more people from the Punjabi pop industry can be sum moned to join the investigation by the NIA.

Tandoori Chicken Fish PakoraChicken Tikka

Samosa Naan & Stuffed Naan Masala Dosa

Surjit Bhandal

An Indonesian Rupiah note with an image of Lord Ganesh.

New Delhi: Veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge

formally took over as Congress president on Oc tober 26, 2022, after he was handed over the cer tificate of election to the top post at a function at the AICC headquarters here.

Kharge, the first non-Gandhi to head the party in 24 years, had defeated Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor in a direct contest for the presi dent’s post in the grand old party after the Gan dhis opted out of the race.

Speaking at the event after he was handed over the certificate of election to the top post at a function at the AICC headquarters, Kharge said it was an emotional moment for him and he would like to thank Congress people for making a worker’s son and an ordinary worker, presi dent of the party.

“I know it is a difficult time, efforts are being made to change democracy established by Con gress,” the 80-year-old leader said after taking over as party chief. “The Congress will break this system of lies and hatred that is prevailing in the country,” he said.

Kharge also hailed Rahul Gandhi for embarking on the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which, he said, is fill ing the country with a new energy. Kharge said the Udaipur Declaration’s proposals such as 50% party posts to be given to those below 50 years of age, filling up organisational vacancies, set ting up public insight department and election management department, establishing political

affairs committee in states, will be implemented.

“What kind of new India is this where youth are not getting jobs, farmers are being crushed un der jeeps, atrocities taking place against women are rising, people are reeling under price rise but government is sitting with eyes closed, govern ment is helping a few crony capitalist friends,” Kharge said.

“In this new India, hunger is rising, cost of edu cation is rising, pollution is rising. The govern ment is sleeping but ED, CBI are working for 24 hours for suppression. In this new India, Dalits, minorities and exploited people are being insult ed and opportunities taken away from them...

[Nathuram] Godse is called a patriot and [Ma

Modi speaks to Sunak, calls

New Delhi (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to his new United Kingdom counterpart Rishi Sunak and con gratulated him on assuming charge, while seeking early conclusion of the India-UK foreign trade agreement (FTA).

Sunak responded to Modi’s tweet by thank ing him for his “kind words”.

“Glad to speak to @RishiSunak today. Congratulated him on assuming charge as UK PM. We will work together to further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We also agreed on the im portance of early conclusion of a compre hensive and balanced FTA,” Modi tweeted from his personal Twitter handle.

“Thank you Prime Minister @NarendraMo di for your kind words as I get started in my new role. The UK and India share so much. I’m excited about what our two

great democracies can achieve as we deepen our security, defence and eco nomic partnership in the months & years ahead,” Sunak tweeted in response to Modi’s tweet.

The FTA between India and UK has been hanging fire as talks between the two sides got delayed after Liz Truss abruptly resigned as Prime Minister after being in office for just 45 days.

Earlier, then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had set Diwali as deadline for finalising the FTA.

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly was scheduled to begin his visit to India on Friday and hold talks with his counterpart S. Jaishankar.

The two leaders were to discuss strength ening of diplomatic ties, Britain’s Foreign Office said on Thursday.

hatma] Gandhi is called a traitor, there are efforts to change Babasaheb’s Constitution and replace it with Sangh’s constitution,” Kharge said. To make this new India, they want a Congressmukt Bharat but the party will not allow this, the former Union Minister said.

Kharge was handed over the certificate of elec tion as the Congress president by the party’s central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry. Mistry said he hoped other parties will draw a lesson from the Congress and hold polls for party presidency by secret ballot.

The Congress faces many challenges but with unity and strength it will move forward to tackle them as it has done before, outgoing party chief Sonia Gandhi said.

Speaking at an event where Kharge formally took over as the Congress president, Gandhi said she was confident that the Congress will be inspired and strengthened by his leadership. She said it was her biggest satisfaction that the new Congress president is very experienced and has risen from being an ordinary worker to such heights through his hard work.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Shashi Tha roor, who lost out to Kharge in the party’s presi dential race, pledged his full support and coop eration to the new AICC chief in taking the party forward.

Tharoor, who attended the event, in a tweet said, “Gathered for a brief chat after Kharge ji sat in his

new office for a symbolic moment. Pledged him my full support & cooperation in taking Congress forward.” He also posted a picture of him sitting with Kharge and Gandhi after the ceremony at the party headquarters.

Earlier, Tharoor congratulated Kharge on his of ficial assumption of the duties of the Congress president, and wished him success.

Soon after Kharge took over, all members of the Working Committee, general secretaries and incharges tendered their resignations to enable the new chief to install his team. There has been a tradition of all office bearers of the Congress resigning soon after the election of the new president.

“All the CWC members, AICC general secretaries and in-charges have tendered their resignation to Congress president,” said AICC general secre tary Organisation K.C. Venugopal.

According to the Congress constitution, the election of Kharge will be ratified at the plenary session of the party which is likely to be held in March-April this year. The new CWC, the top decision-making body of the Congress, will be reconstituted by Kharge soon after the plenary session.

According to the party Constitution, 11 mem bers of the CWC will be nominated and 12 will be elected. The leader of the party in Parliament and the Congress president will also be the members of the working committee.

Mallikarjun Kharge

Surrey’s Tree Lighting Festival returns to Civic Plaza on Saturday, November 19

THE City of Surrey will host the 12th annual Surrey Tree Lighting Festival and Holiday Market at Surrey Civic Plaza on Saturday, November 19 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Surrey’s 60-foot Christmas tree lighting ceremony will occur at 6 p.m. and the tree will be lit at 6:30 p.m.

Residents and visitors are invited to take free photos with Santa, shop an expanded Holiday Market, experience free amusement rides, wander through the light tunnel, and enjoy live entertainment.

Presented by Concord Pacific, this year’s free event will feature

ON October 31, many children will dress up and knock on your door asking for treats. Although Halloween is a fun holiday for kids (and even the not so young!), some costumes and decorations can pose a hazard, including a fire threat, warns Health Canada. The following tips can help you reduce the risk:

Choose the right costume

Choose costumes and accessories that are less likely to catch on fire, such as those made of nylon or heavyweight polyester. Pick brightly coloured costumes that can be clearly seen by motorists. Add reflective

holiday choirs, a Nutcracker ballet recital, dance battles, a Celtic Christmas performance, Powwow dance lessons, an ugly Christmas sweater contest, photo opportunities, and festive giveaways.

Over 25 local vendors will be selling handmade and artisan products in the Holiday Market, where attendees can cross items off their Christmas shopping list. Enchanted Boulevard–located on University Drive–will feature the Candy Cane Dance Tent, a Ferris wheel, amusement rides and local, holiday-themed food trucks.

Over 20 local performers, choirs,

Health Canada: Stay safe while trick or treating

tape to the costume to increase visibility. Choose costumes that fit well and can be worn over warm clothing to protect your child against cold and wet weather. Make sure your costumes, decorations and accessories are not subject to a recall by consulting the Health Canada recall and safety alerts database.

Avoid danger when decorating Stay vigilant for fire hazards and prevent injuries: Candles, jack-o-lanterns, lighters and matches are all fire hazards. Instead, use flashlights or battery-operated candles.

holiday groups and children’s acts will offer free live performances throughout the day on the Snowflake Stage and North Pole Stage. Performers will include the VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir, Royal City Youth Ballet, Francis Baptiste, The Wild Moccasin Dancers, Westcoast Harmony Chorus, FKA Rayne, and Cookin’ with Brass. Surrey Tree Lighting Festival will meet health and safety guidelines as set out by the Provincial Health Officer, Worksafe BC, Fraser Health and appropriate industry associations. For more information visit www.surreytreelighting.ca.

Keep candles, matches, lighters and other fire hazards in a place that children cannot reach.

Check indoor and outdoor decorative lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. Do not overload extension cords.

Make sure the lights are certified by a recognized organization like the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or the Underwriters’ Laboratory of Canada (ULC).

Finally, remember to always examine treats and toys that are brought home before giving them to your children.

City of Delta announces new “aquatic instructor” position

THE City of Delta’s Parks, Recreation and Culture team on Wednesday announced the creation of a new “aquatic instructor” position to service the community’s growing need for swim activities.

The aquatic instructor position is predominantly an in-water role that will give successful candidates teaching and play-leading experience while they seek to complete the remainder of their lifeguarding awards, says the City. The City established this unique role in an effort to facilitate new entrants into the aquatics industry. The new aquatic instructor position will eliminate some early barriers into becoming a fully-fledged lifeguard, while also elevating those who have a passion for education and water safety. As communities across the country continue to be impact-

ed by a shortage of qualified aquatics staff, the City has created this innovative position to bridge the gap between new swim instructors and future lifeguards.

Individuals who are at least 16 years of age and have completed their Water Safety Instructor and/or the Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor certification are invited to apply for this new role.

Learn more about the Aquatic Instructor position and apply today at Delta.ca/Careers.

For more information on this news release, contact the Parks, Recreation and Culture department at 604-946-3293 or e-mail prc@delta.ca.

Photo: City of Delta

Photo: City of Surrey

Safety tips for a fun and safe Halloween: Surrey Fire Service

THE Surrey Fire Service is encouraging ev eryone to have a fun and safe Halloween by following some simple safety precautions. Fireworks: Fireworks are hazardous to those who are lighting them and to the sur rounding area based on the fallout of the burning materials. With the recent dry con ditions, this risk is higher than in previous years. In Surrey, fireworks are not allowed to be sold or discharged without a valid fire department permit and a Federal Fireworks Certificate.

Dangerous décor: Ensure that combustible Halloween decorations such as paper, corn

stalks and dried flowers are kept well away from sources of heat, including light bulbs, candles and heaters.

Power problems: Check indoor and out door decorative lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose con nections. Do not use damaged lights or overload extension cords.

Costume considerations: When selecting this year’s Halloween costume, pick brightly coloured costumes that can be clearly seen by motorists and do not choose costumes with long flowing skirts, capes or baggy sleeves as they can be hazardous around

ignition sources.

Light the night: Make sure everyone in the Halloween trick-or-treating party has a flashlight, glow stick or reflective tape. This will help make you more visible to motorists and others. When in doubt, stay in well-lit areas and only visit homes with their lights turned on.

Cross at the corner: Be careful when cross ing the street. Ensure to cross the street at intersections, crosswalks or street corners. Never cross between parked cars.

Photo: City of Surrey

Free gang prevention workshops in Surrey for parents this fall

THE City of Surrey’s popular Empower Surrey Parent Workshops will return from October to December.

The free, two-hour, in-person workshops provide parents and caregivers with tips and tools to help recognize and respond to warn ing signs for gang involvement, minimize the chance of gang recruitment, and provide strat egies for building protective factors.

According to the City’s Community Safety divi sion, gangs target youth as young as 10 years old from a variety of cultural and socio-eco nomic backgrounds for recruitment. Getting informed early and starting the conversations at a young age is key to strengthening fam ily, school, and community connections and building resiliency so kids avoid the tempta tion of joining a gang.

Workshop topics will include:

* How to recognize and address risk factors

* How to recognize youth slang that may indi cate potential for risk

* The difficulties Surrey youth face at school and in the community

* How to develop strong connections and build

Pre-book tickets for Bear Creek Park’s free light display

EXPERIENCE nature by night at Surrey’s 10th annual free light display running from Novem ber 4 to 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Bear Creek Park.

Bring your whole family to enjoy a stroll along a one-kilometre walking loop featuring magical light displays that enhance the natu ral landscape of the park. This free ticketed event will have entry times every 30 minutes with food trucks available on select nights. The event will be closed on November 11 for Remembrance Day.

New this year, visitors can sign up for a free 30-minute guided nocturnal nature walk focus

ing on how animals like racoons, owls, bats and bears survive at night. The guided walks will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. for the duration of Bear Creek Lights. To reserve a spot on a guided walk, visitors will need to pre-book a ticket. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Bear Creek Lights is one of the many programs and activities offered by Surrey Parks to encour age residents and visitors to connect with the outdoors and support a healthy, livable commu nity for all.

To book tickets call 604-501-5050 or visit surrey. ca/bearcreeklights.

protective factors with children and youth

* Where to get help if a young person is at risk of or actively involved in negative behaviours

Two workshops were held earlier this week.

The remaining workshops will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on: Wednesday, November 2: Ray Shepherd El ementary School

Tuesday, November 15: Newton Senior Centre (Presented in Punjabi) Wednesday, November 16: Georges Vanier El ementary School Tuesday, November 22: Grandview Heights Secondary School

Wednesday, November 23: Cloverdale Recre ation Centre

Thursday, December 1: Westerman Elemen tary School (Presented in Punjabi)

Wednesday, December 7: Clayton Heights Sec ondary School

Workshops are supported by subject matter experts from the City’s Community Safety di vision, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of BC (CFSEU-BC), Surrey School District, Options Community Services and Simon Fra ser University.

For more information and to register, visit em powersurrey.ca/parentworkshops

Photo: City of Surrey

Review By Veeno Dewan.

You may not be too familiar with The Toyota Mirai, its not a gaso line, hybrid or fully electric (EV) vehicle, but the latest version of Toyotas hydrogen fuel-cell pow ered four door sedan. It is what termed as a FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) powered by a hydrogen fuel cell energy storage system. How it works is basically – the fuel cell technology com bines hydrogen from a storage tank with oxygen drawn from the atmosphere to produce electric ity, that drives the electric motors that motivate the car. The only emission is clean water! Not only is that .impressive, but the Mirai is has a driving range at an incred ible 674 kilometres and only takes five minutes to fill a full tank of hy drogen! Power is rated at a modest 151 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is via a one-speed direct-drive system to the rear wheels, and there is still an elec tric battery component that aids the Mirai in all-out acceleration. Note that there are only a handful of hydrogen filling stations in B.C for now.

For 2022, the Mirai enters its second-generation based on the Lexus LS sedan platform with

rear-wheel-drive, while the previ ous generation was front-wheel drive. It is also roomier than its predecessor and also features an upgraded infotainment sys tem with a large 12.3-inch touch screen. Models range from the $50,000 XLE with features such as Premium Audio with Remote including: Embedded Navigation, 12.3” Touchscreen Display, An droid Auto™ and Apple CarPlay®

Compatibility, Heated Front Softex Seats,19” inch Aluminum Alloy Wheels, LED Headlamps, Bird’s Eye View Camera with Perimeter Scan, Intelligent Clearance So nar with Rear Cross Traffic Brake Toyota Safety Sense™ 2.5+ , QiCompatible Wireless Smartphone Charging and more.

The Mirai Limited as tested ($76,950) adds panoramic moon roof, multi-colour interior ambient lighting, all- round 8-way (front) power heated and ventilated seats, Perforated SofTex®-Trim for the seats, 20” inch Chrome Wheels, Three-Zone Automatic Climate Control Power Rear Trunk Door Advanced Park and more.

Interior wise, there is a suit ably futuristic design to echo the exterior, with curvy elements on the dash and door panels. Nice carbon- fibre look trim pieces, cool copper colored accents and capacitive-touch console switch es highlight the dash with its big touchscreen, and all-digital instru ments. There is plethora of soft

touch premium materials and expected luxury touches. You can fit four people inside in relative comfort, the front seats are roomy and supportive, but the rear does not have a middle seat. However, you do gain: cup holders, power outlets (both USB and 12V), cli mate control vents, seat heaters, and a big armrest console bin. The compartment for the trunk is reasonably roomy at 362 L. White trimmed seats and dash pad gave the Mirai a far more luxurious air than previous models.

Safety is very high, Toyota’s Safety Sense semi-autonomous features have also been upgraded to 2.5+ status, which means they now include emergency steering assist, Full-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, and Lane pedes trian detection, cyclist detection departure alert with steering as sist, sway warning system, auto matic high beams, dynamic radar cruise control, road sign assist, and more. Also, note that Toyota has made the Mirai’s hydrogen

fuel system as safe as possible, with crash-resistant composite hydrogen tanks, collision-sensing fuel cut-off valves, and multiple hydrogen sensors to detect any possible leaks or problems.

On the road, the Mirai drives very much like an EV with just some whooshing and whirring from the hydrogen system. Acceleration is instant due to the electric motor format and actually feels faster than the modest with a 0–100 km/h at about 9- seconds Toyota claims. The Mirai is a relatively heavy car and feels it, with a very solid, stable planted feel. It does have a good degree of agility in the corners where the weight en ables it to remain composed with a real big car-like smooth and re fined ride on all surfaces. Toyota claims a combined fuel consump tion rate for the Mirai of 0.93 kg of hydrogen per 100 km or com pared to gasoline cars - L/100KM at 3.1/3.3 (City /highway.), which is excellent.

The Mirai is a big, luxurious car with Lexus like road manners and refinement It’s not super fast but makes up for that in refinement and comfort. Powered by a boun tiful hydrogen, the Mirai needs no fossil fuel whatso ever! Producing only pure water.as a by -product!

A decision on buying the Mi rai however need to be carefully weighed up. Unless you are close to one of the hydrogen filling sta tions, it needs thinking about. But the hope is that as the hy drogen filling station infrastruc ture become more common the Mirai will be the contender for the greenest car on the planet. A wonderful fuel efficient, luxurious vision of the future right here and right now.

2022 Toyota Mirai Limited priced from $$76,75plus options and fees. Price as tested: $78,951. More info at www.toyota.ca

2022 Jaguar

Auto review by Veeno Dewan

For 2022, the esteemed Jaguar F-Type coupe and convertible drop the four- and six-cyl inder engines and are now powered by a 5.0L V8 Supercharged engine. The F-Type either in coupe or convertible form knocks it out of the park with its slinky lithe styling. It looks like a proper classic long nose- short deck sportscar, not some overwide, chunky fat fendered sports cars of today. The 2022 update also sees revised front and rear fas cias with cool LED light treatments. The car looks beautifully proportioned and sits on big 20-inch wheels. Another nice touch is the typical Jag grille and the cool stacked design quad exhausts.

Jaguar starts the 2022 F-Type lineup with an all-new P450 variant using a 444-hp ver sion of the V8, which comes in base and RDynamic configuration (As tested) and in a choice of coupe or with rear- or all-wheel drive. All F-Type variants use an eight-speed transmission. Our P450 does the 0- to 100 kilometres dash in a scant 4.5 seconds.

The more powerful P575 R version comes with a potent 575-hp engine in coupe or convertible models with standard AWD. P575 R models also gain Windsor leather seating, aluminum interior trim, and an active differential with torque vectoring control…and wait for it, 0-100 km/h comes in an eye-watering 3.7 seconds!

Standard features on the F-Type P450 models come equipped with 20-inch wheels, LED headlights, leather/suede up holstery, an audiophile quality Meridian ste reo, a switchable active exhaust, selectable drive modes, and an adaptive suspension. The price on our tester started at a base of $100,500. Options on our Santori black con vertible tester included: Two-zone Climate Control Garage Door Opener (HomeLink®) Meridian™ Surround Sound System, Black Exterior Pack and Heated Windscreen plus the interior luxury pack comprising of an extended leather upgrade, front illuminated sill plates, and premium lighting. This start ing price fin Canada for the F-T starts from a not unreasonable $87,200 to approximate ly $105,000 as stickered on our R Dynamic with the optional equipment at $7,500 for final total of $109,850 including delivery.

Interior wise, the Jaguar F-Type convert ible arrives with a sleek snug fitting elec tric powered folding top. The cockpit has a driver-focused design with a choice of wonderful Windsor leather or suede uphol stery. Nice touches include the embossed Jaguar Leaper motifs on the headrests and contrasting stitching on the seats, dash, and doors panels. The P450 comes with front power seats, with a decent amount of lumbar and lateral and bolstered support for heavy cornering. Inside, there is electri cally adjustable steering, and a new driver focused 12.3-inch instrument display with a choice of different modes. To the right is a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen. Despite the snug cabin there is decent head- and legroom, but the trunk in the convertible is small.

On the safety front, the F-Type gets rainsensing wipers, collision mitigation, tire pressure monitoring, lane keep assist, front and rear parking sensors, traffic sign recog nition, and a driver condition monitor.

On the road the P450 versions super charged V8 delivers a heady adrenalin producing 444 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque complete with an intoxicating snarl ing exhaust note. The supercharged engine feels so right for this car with its seemingly endless supply of mid and top end torque that’s available under your right foot. Jaguar says the new 2022 F-Type P450 R acceler ates to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 177 mph. With its all-wheel drive, power delivery, grip and acceleration is phenomenal. The eight- speed transmis sion shifts quickly and using the paddle shifters enables the driver to really fine tune their driving style and maximise the power

review: Simply Fabulous!

vectoring control. Few downsides in terms of performance, Some may find the ride a tad harsh even in the comfort setting and with the roof down it’s a loud car.

Fuel economy rated by Jaguar’s is 15.2/9.8 L/100 km city /highway /combined for the F-Type P450 R.

To sum up, the Jaguar’s sleek , classic beautiful looks mark it out from some of the over-pimped, but very capable compe tition, such as the Audi A5, BMW 8 Series, the Porsche 911, and the Mercedes-Benz CClass coupe. If I had the choice, the front runner would be the Jaguar F-Type, it some how seems classier, more distinctive, and quincentennial British. Highly desirable and a real pleasure to own and drive.

2022 Jaguar F-type P450 ConvertiblePriced from $ 100,500.

Price as tested with options and delivery: $109,850

More info at www.jaguar.ca

band. Selecting various customizable Dy namic drive modes sharpen the throttle re sponse, firms up to the steering, delays shift points, and ramps up performance. It also puts the exhaust in loud mode. Handling is

also sublime with adjustable damping for quicker more agile steering. Speaking of steering, its point and shoot with scalpel sharp responses and is aided by an active rear differential with brake-based torque

A whole new light is shone on the immigrant experi ence in Blind Ambition.

And what a clever title this Australian production is. Canadians wanting a feel good movie will find this enticing treat highly ap pealing. Courtesy of Route 504 PR this is one Film well worth seeking out at select Famous Players and Land mark Cinemas across B.C. For years the wine game has been fraught with charges of snobbery and the like. Not so anymore. Wine drinking has gone mai stream. In a perfectly called and smartly named movie Blind Ambition involves wine tasting. All roads lead to France - a far journey for four lads from Zimbabwea who somehow learn all about wine in their home in Cape Town South Africa. Against all odds the boys form a team and ultimate ly go to the world tasting championships in Bor deaux - call it the Olympics of wine tasting. No one

really gives these guys a chance to win the coveted prize and resultant brag ging rights. Here though the focus is on watching these young men prepare. for the contest - against somewhat staggering odds.

Sort of like a documentary Blind Ambition traces the hardships the men face in

their homeland and the lucky breaks they get in a new country. Heartfelt, in spirational and just a lot of fun to watch Blind Ambi tion has that yes you can attitude and it comes up a winner with ease.

For more reviews visit my website moviereviewsite.

Seeking a girl for Canadian citizen 35, 5’10 handsome Sikh boy. Post graduated and well settled in his career. Girl should be well educated, 5’3” plus , family-oriented. Caste no bar. Please contact: 7789680771

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

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

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

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

Suitable match for Manglik/Non-Manglik Permanent

Seeking

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

GROOM WANTED

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”, beautiful, well educated, permanent resident, lives in Surrey. Boy should be well educated and a Canadian Permanent Resident. For more information: please contact 778388-5008

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

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

Respectable well established Sidhu Family looking for a suitable match for their daughter born in 1981 in Vancouver, never married, university graduate, working as marketing manager with reputed international company. For further information contact: 604-3190662 18 Sept.

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

Seeking suitable match for a 31 years old, highly educated, working as a COO, Sikh girl. Caste no bar, currently residing in Delhi, India. Contact: 01191-9811129363 (India) or Family in Canada: 778-713-8399 (Baljit)

Wanted 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 @604-862-0726.

Khalsa Diwan Society Vancouver

Election Manifesto Goals

1. We honour the top most center of the Shabad Guru, Shri Akal Takhat and we will continue doing so.

2. The tradition of eating the Langar using chairs and tables started by the Gadri Babas shall continue.

3. Guru Amar Dass space will be re-zoned. A full -fledged high standard Elementary School will be established in the name of Guru Amar Dass ji. And also efforts will be made to open a nursing home and a care center for seniors.

4. Punjabi is being taught in five schools around Gurdwara Sahib. Punjabi classes are going to re-start in next few months. Punjabi is being taught for two days in a week at Gurdwara Sahib also.

5. Brilliant students from eight schools were awarded scholarships. More students will be awarded scholarships starting next year.

6. Counselling will be provided on the issues being faced by the community like drugs, alcohol, and gang war. Appropriate efforts will be made.

7. Nagar Kirtan will be held on a large scale like every year and a boost will be given to Amrit Sanchar campaign based on the code approved by the Panth.

8. Every year an annual sports festival, including Kabaddi, Wrestling, Athletics, Soccer, Volley Ball and Hockey will be held by the Gurdwara in the memory of Bubbar Martyrs.

9. We try to end the differences among the Sikh congregation between Sahajdhari and Amritdhari Sikhs and we will continue doing so.

10. An electronic board will be installed on Marine Drive, Khalsa Diwan Road and information will be displayed on that there.

11. The Gurdwara makes the social services, like tax filing, preparation for citizenship test, application for passport and many more available through Resource Center and it will be continued.

12. Health services programs provided by the Gurdwara will be improved as per needs of the congregation.

13. To run the management of the Gurdwara in a better way, sub-committees will be formed.

Accomplishments

1. In 1997 Gurdwara debt was 37 lacs. Currently Gurdwara Sahib has a mortgage of only 9 lacs and 86 thousand after all the renovation and extension and a new float expenses. There are more than $ 6 lacs in the Gurdwara Sahib’s bank account. If we get the congregation’s co-operation in the same way, with the blessings of Waheguru, Gurdwara Sahib will be debt free within next few months.

2. A full renovation and construction was completed at the Gurdwar, in which air-conditioning, sprinkler system, elevator for seniors, new lights and new black top in parking lot, new neat, clean washrooms, new TV screens and 68 security cameras were installed. A 7500 square feet extension outside the Langar hall. A new roof was installed. A beautiful landscaping was also done.

3. A new float for Nagar Kirtan prepared with a cost of 1 lac 50 thousand dollars and an appropriate parking prepared to securely park it.

4. From the sale of Gurughar of Khalsa Diwan Society Port Alberni, an amount of 2 hundred thousand dollars were donated to Port Alberni hospital, where four rooms will be constructed in the name of Khalsa Diwan Society Port Alberni. And 25 thousad dollars were donated to Indo-Canadian Funeral home there.

5. An Inter-Faith seminar was held on the occasion of 550th birthday of Guru Nanak Dev ji. Kirtan Darbar, Dhadi Darbar, Kavi Darbar and Katha Darbar were held.

6. During the Covid pandemic hundreds of students were provided with food packages and needy people were given free food.

7. Special equipment was provided to the doctors, nurses working on frontline during Covid. All kinds of help were provided.

8. During the Covid, with the co-operation of other Societies 1 Lac Dollars (INR 58 Lacs) were collected and sent to Delhi Gurdwara to help the patients struggling with Covid and the money were spent appropriately.

9. 22 persons took Amrit on the occasion of birth of Khalsa in 2022.

10. With a lot of efforts it was managed to rename Ross Street as Khalsa Diwan Road between Marine Drive and 57 Avenue.

11. A machine has been ordered to make rotis.

12. With a lot of efforts a grant of 94 thousand dollars from the Federal Government and another grant of I lac 10 thousand dollars from the Provincial Government were secured.

13. Five refugees of Indian origin were from Afghanistan were brought here and help was provided as per their needs.

Khalsa Diwan Society Vancouver

Su K hpal Singh JhooTi treaSurer

Having a Master degree in History, S. Dhaliwal came to Canada in 1983. He served as Chaiman of steel workers union. He remained on front lines of Moderate Group in 1996-1997. He served as President from 2007 to 2011. He was honored with Queen Elizabeth Gold Medal by the City of Vancouver.

Kuldip Singh Thandi

aSSiStant General Secretary

S. Bhandal, having a Master degree in Economics, came to Canada in 1970. He received a degree as Sikh Missionary in Canada. He has been working in real estate and development field since 1992. He served on the board of directors of the College of Dental Surgeons of BC. He was honored with Queen Elizabeth Gold Medal by the Government of Canada.

whole Moderate Sikh slate and give him the opportunity to serve as President.

S. Jhooti has been living in Canada since 1973. Having a course in Architect and Design from BCIT, he worked in this field from 1979 to 2012 (32 years). He worked as a volunteer in renovation and extension of the Gurdwara for last 10 years. He has been serving as Vice-President for the last three years.

Joginder Singh Sunner

recordinG Secretary

S. Sunner holds a Master degree in Economics. He came to Canada in 1983. He has been serving on the Executive Board of steel workers union for the last 25 years. He served as General Secretary in the past.

SShe has been in close relationships with Khalsa Diwan Society for the last 35 years. She remains always ready for any kinds of services at the Gurughar. She has served on the Committee

S. Nijjar came to Canada in 1968. He worked in the mills and as a truck driver. He has been serving as Senior Assistant Treasurer for the last 3 years.

Mber

S. Gadey came to Canada in 1972. He started his own plumbing business. He has been serving since last six years. He did a lot of volunteer plumbing work during the renovation and construction of the Gurughar. He is a selfless servant of Gurughar.

Mohan Singh

Jagdip Singh Sanghera

i nder JiT Kaur u ppal

Mber

g urdial Singh g adey

Ka ShM ir Singh d haliwal

General Secretary

Jarnail Singh Bhandal

Bhupinder Singh ni JJar Senior aSSiStant treaSurer

g urdip Singh h ayer

aSSiStant Secretary

S. Hayer came to Canada in 1984. He passed his BA from Khalsa College. Working in the construction field since 1995. He has been volunteering in children’s ice hockey and soccer sports since the last 20 years. Currently he has been serving as Assistant Secretary.

h ar SiM ran Singh auJ la aSSiStant recordinG Secretary

S. Aujla holds a Mechanical Engineering degree. He came to Canada in 1994. He served on various gurdwara committees in India. He was Recording Secretary in 2017. He has been in close relationships with Khalsa Diwan Society since 28 years.

r aghvir Singh Kular MeMber

S. Kular came to England in 1963 and came to Canada in 1974. He worked as a Carpenter for 15 years. He has been serving tirelessly and selflessly for the last three terms.

Jarnail Singh MeMber

Jarnail Singh came to Canada in 1987. He has been running his own framing company since 1992. He is a member of Team Seva and also serving with the Langar services.

Kulvir Singh Sho K er MeMber

S. Shoker cam to Canada in 1999. He started his own painting business in 2004. He selflessly did a lot of volunteer work during the renovation of Gurughar. He is a member of Team Seva.

The right omega-3 reduces risk of heart disease

This column has been like a broken record repeating the same song for years. “If you keep going to hell, you will eventually get there.”

Despite clear evidence that fish oil signifi cantly lowers risk of coronary heart disease, why is this still a niche market, as compared to, say, ubiquitous potato chips? Some readers, though, are listening. In a previous column, we reported on the benefits of MaxSimil, a high-absorption form of omega-3 containing the two main nutrients in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Our bodies can’t make these nutrients so we must get them from our diet. But you must eat enough and have the oil absorbed to get the benefit. How often do you have mackerel, salmon, herring, or oysters for dinner? And how do you know if your gut is absorbing the oil?

We thought we were eating enough and get ting the benefits. To be sure, we measured

the amount of EPA and DHA in our blood using an OmegaQuant test kit. We were shocked that the results were not good. On the Omega-3 Index, measuring the rela tive percentage of omega-3 nutrients in our blood, we were both in a high-risk position, testing below the recommended 8% level. Despite a healthy diet with plenty of fish, we were completely unaware that our risk pro file for heart disease was elevated.

We started a routine of supplementing with Omega3X fish oil gelcaps containing Max Simil, and after less than 12 weeks, a sec ond blood test indicated we had significant ly reduced our risk, exceeding the 8% level. Now several readers have reported their own results.

Tanya B. from Port Colborne, Ontario, tested her levels on the Omega-3 Index as she has a history of cardiovascular health issues in her family. She was scared when she saw her results bordering on high risk. After 2 months of supplementing with Omega3X, she retested and achieved a low-risk score. Tyler P. from Red Deer, Alberta, reported daily use of a fish oil supplement. His score on the Omega-3 Index was above average, but not enough to be in the low-risk cate gory. He elevated his score to target levels after 2 months by getting the pre-digested MaxSimil form of fish oil found in Omega3X. Jessy D. from London, Ontario, is a com petitive athlete who takes this supplement regularly. She tested with exceptional re sults. High-performance athletes tend to have low scores on the Omega-3 Index, so this was evidence her routine is working. Stephen B. from Oakville, Ontario, was the only reader who, despite making a signifi cant improvement, did not achieve 8% after using Omega3X for two months. But he ad mitted inconsistent use. After more diligent effort and another test, he too scored in the low-risk range.

The message is this. People are totally un aware they can change their risk for heart disease by making small investments in good nutrition, especially omega-3 nutrients contained in fish oil. Eat more fish is what most dieticians say. But our oceans are not as bountiful as they once were. The price of eating fish several times a week is not cheap. And a safe and effective alternative is available on the shelves of natural health food stores.

Meanwhile, doctors are too frequently ad vising patients to take dangerous cholester ol-lowering drugs.

As Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.”

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 ten years in the Human Development sec tors at the World Bank, including health policy and economics, nutrition, and popu lation health.

REALTORS® Call for the Establishment of a Permanent National Housing Roundtable

Last week, delegates from BCREA and all eight of BC’s real estate boards met with members of Parliament (MPs) in Ottawa to discuss important issues on Canada’s hous ing challenges at the 2022 Political Action Committee (PAC) Days conference hosted by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Throughout the event, REALTORS® met with 15 MPs representing the Liberal, Con servative, NDP and Green parties in ridings across BC. Our conversations centered around advocating for two recommenda tions for lasting housing affordability solu tions.

Recommendation One: Establish a Permanent National Housing Roundtable

Our first recommendation is to establish a permanent national housing roundtable to bring together all stakeholders in the hous ing sphere and help address its challenges with an inclusive, holistic and innovative ap proach.

As part of this roundtable, CREA and REAL TORS® can bring their expertise and datainformed perspectives on priority issues and deliver solutions to housing challenges. This roundtable would provide more datadriven housing policies through the opportu nity to advise governments on principles and best practices that promote a fair housing market.

Recommendation Two: Leverage Infrastructure Funding

Our second recommendation is to create bi lateral infrastructure agreements with provin cial and territorial partners to encourage the creation of more housing supply.

This recommendation calls for a linkage be tween the creation of more housing supply and federal infrastructure funding. Specifical ly, infrastructure funding should be linked to goals such as increasing the density of hous ing, revising zoning laws, and speeding up planning and approval processes.

Existing investments in infrastructure are al ready tied to various streams, such as green infrastructure, public transit, community cul ture and recreation. We recommend the fed eral government to go a step further and add clauses to these agreements to incentivize the creation of affordable housing supply. Doing so will help address housing market needs. We are pleased that MPs from across the polit ical spectrum were receptive to these recom mendations from REALTORS®. Thank you to all the REALTORS® who participated in this important opportunity to discuss policies that promote a vibrant and sustainable real estate sector in Canada.

We are committed to maintaining the dia logue with MPs and elected officials from across BC. We encourage you to also con tinue advocating for these important policy solutions not just during PAC Days, but on an ongoing basis.

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