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www.theasianstar.com
#215 - 7110, 12
VOL 26 - ISSUE 2
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2026
Extortion-related shootings forcing Surrey business owners to rethink decisions
The impact of extortion-related shootings and threats is forcing some in Surrey to rethink their business decisions. Community leaders say people are living in fear and business owners and contractors have stopped expansion plans, advertising and even driving nice vehicles. Realtor Beerinder Sidhu told that violence is making some buyers think twice about moving to Surrey and some home builders have paused their projects. “I’ve seen dramatic change in the market due to uncertainty or extortion calls,” he said. “I have spoken with contractors who have expressed serious concerns. Some have reduced advertisements or public visibility out of fear of receiving extortion calls.” Continued on Page 10...
Canada’s Carney to push for pragmatic reset with India in trade and diplomacy
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s coming trip to India is expected to further efforts for a diplomatic reset and strengthen Canada’s trade links with the world’s fourth biggest economy. Carney arrives in New Delhi on Thursday, as part of a regional tour that also takes in Australia and Japan. Analysts see this as a clear signal of Ottawa and Delhi’s shared intent to prioritise economic ties. Canada has positioned its talks with India as a key step in diversifying trade and reducing reliance on the US market. The outreach follows a sharp downturn in relations in 2023, after then Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, a charge Delhi has denied. Continued on Page 6...
Surrey police release photo of recently deported extortion suspect Surrey police have released a photo of a man who has been removed from Canada as it makes a public appeal for information about his associates and what he was up to while in this country. The man is suspected of having been involved in the extortion. Lovebir Singh, a 22-year-old foreign national, arrived in Canada in the fall of 2023. He was identified by the Surrey Police Service early this year as a suspect in an extortion-related crime. Police contacted the Canada Border
Services Agency about Singh and, after an immigration investigation, he was deported. His photo was released because investigators determined “disclosure is necessary to assist with ongoing police investigations. “SPS hopes that the public release of this image of Lovebir Singh prompts additional witnesses, victims or associates to come forward with relevant information regarding (his) activities,” said Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton in a statement. Continued on Page 10...
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Best hospitals in Canada, Surrey not even in list
University Health Network’s Toronto General Hospital is now ranked #2 in the world in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026. It is the highest position ever achieved by a Canadian hospital. The recognition also marks the eighth consecutive year that UHN has been named the world’s top universally accessible hospital. Nine other Canadian hospitals also placed prominently in the global rankings. Mount Sinai Hospital ranked 27th worldwide, followed by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre at 30. North York General Hospital appeared at 67. In Montreal, Montreal General Hospital– McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) ranked 89, Jewish General Hospital placed 133, and Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal ranked 158. St. Michael’s Hospital–Unity Health Toronto came in at 116, and Toronto Western Hospital– University Health Network ranked 128. Continued on Page 6...
Ex-B.C. school trustee to fight $750,000 penalty for 'insidious' anti-SOGI campaign A former British Columbia school trustee will be going to court to challenge a $750,000 penalty imposed by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, which ruled that he poisoned the workplaces of LGBTQ+ staff members with a public campaign against classroom resources on sexual orientation and gender identity. Lawyer James Kitchen said in an interview Monday that his client, Barry Neufeld, will be seeking a judicial review in the B.C. Supreme Court after the tribunal last week ordered the payment to members of the Chilliwack Teachers Association who identify as LGBTQ+. Continued on Page 4...
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