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Issue 24 Saturday, July 11, 2015

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JUNE - 13 - 2015 | VOLUME 24 | NUMBER 23

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2 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

Local

Punjabi singer’s friend convicted of smuggling heroin through Vancouver airport From page 3 Court heard that Sihota, who came to Canada in 2001 after being sponsored by his wife who was a resident of B.C., in 2006 met K.S. Makhan (pictured), a famous Punjabi singer with a home in Delta. Sihota was told Makhan, whose real name he learned was Kuldeep Singh Takhar, was a promoter and residential land developer, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Wendy Baker said in her reasons for judgment released Friday. Sihota, who was an unlicensed electrician, was hired by Makhan to do some work on houses Makhan was building and began spending more time with him, the judge noted. “At some point, probably in 2008 I conclude, but possibly as late as 2009, Mr. Sihota became aware that Mr. Makhan was engaged in the importation of narcotics from India and the distribution of narcotics in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia,” said the judge. “He first heard rumours about Mr. Makhan’s illegal activities involving narcotics. He said there was also a report in India

news that Mr. Makhan was involved in drugs.” Sihota testified at trial that at the time he first heard the reports, he’d never actually seen Makhan dealing in drugs, but learned through direct involvement in some aspects of those activities that Makhan was involved in drug dealing at a “high level,” said the judge. Sihota learned that Makhan was having drugs brought into Canada from India by his relatives and by some men and women described by Sihota as elderly, she said. He told RCMP that many times Makhan had sent him to the airport to pick up passengers and their luggage, noted the judge. He testified that one time, Makhan passed him a box containing white powder and had him deliver the box to a Punjabi store and bakery. On other occasions, Makhan gave him a packet to keep at his home, noted the judge. “Sometimes the packet contained

large amounts of cash, as much as $40,000 or $50,000,” said the judge. “Mr. Makhan usually retrieved the packet from Mr. Sihota within a day or two.” Makhan gave Sihota money to buy a scale and used the scale to weigh white powder, said the judge. “Mr. Sihota told police officers that many times he was present at Mr. Makhan’s home and witnessed Mr. Makhan taking powder out of a suitcase. He was present many times when Mr. Makhan was weighing the powder with a scale, usually in an upstairs bathroom.” After an associate from Abbotsford was caught, Makhan gave the scale to Sihota to keep at his home and after that Makhan came to Sihota’s home several times to weigh the drugs, said the judge. Makhan paid him for his work but also gave him cash gifts of several hundred dollars at a time and at one point promised him he would open up a grocery business and, according to Sihota, actually incorporated a company for him, said the judge. Sihota believed that Makhan was bringing at least eight to 10 kilograms of heroin or cocaine into Canada per month and that his associates received a commission of $5,000 “per brick,” said the judge. The accused was also aware that Makhan’s younger brother who lived in India was involved in the sophisticated scheme, she said. When he was arrested by police and at trial, Sihota denied any knowledge of the narcotics in his suitcase and at first told po-

lice he had no idea who had put the drugs in the suitcase and did not suspect anyone. Five weeks after his arrest, he suggested that the narcotics had been placed in the suitcase by Makhan’s younger brother while Sihota was in India. But noting numerous inconsistencies in his evidence, the judge said she didn’t believe Sihota’s assertions. “The only reasonable inference to be drawn from the evidence that I do accept is that Mr. Sihota was an active participant in a scheme to bring narcotics from India to Canada and that he was aware at all times that he was bringing narcotics to Canada and that those narcotics were being distributed here.” In a case with strikingly similar evidence last year, a man named Chamkaur Singh Pandher was acquitted of smuggling four kilograms of heroin in a suitcase into Canada. Pandher was found not guilty by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Barry Davies after he claimed that he was set up by Manji Makhan, a brother of K.S. Makhan. In her ruling, Baker said she had carefully considered the Pandher ruling but that in her assessment while there were similarities, the relevant factors in Sihota’s case were quite different. She noted that in Pandher’s case, there was no evidence of any previous involvement with Makhan and his narcotic enterprise. Sentencing of Sihota will be done at a later date. Makhan has not been charged with any offences, according to a B.C. online justice website. An online report in March 2014 in the Hindustan Times, an Indian English-language newspaper, said that Makhan had been acquitted by a Punjabi court in an eight-year-old heroin smuggling case.

Kwantlen cuts Varsity athletics

ust eight weeks prior to the next PACWEST (Pacific Western Athletic Conference) season, some student athletes at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) are stunned to learn it could be their last. For others, their collegiate athletic careers may already be over. On Wednesday, coaches in the KPU Eagles Athletic Department were summoned to a meeting where it was announced there would be “important changes in the direction for KPU’s varsity athletics program.” An hour later, a notice on the KPU Athletics website detailed the changes, which mean “winding down varsity athletics’ activities” and withdrawing from PACWEST over the next year. Within hours, most student-athletes learned of the announcement from their coaches, by word of mouth, or from the Internet. “I cried for a half-hour straight,” said Chantalle Bracken, who will play goal for her second season, the final one for the KPU Eagles starting in September. “The program has given us opportunities we never thought possible. It’s horrific they’re going to shut it down.”

“It’s such a shock, it came totally out of the blue,” added Jessica Anderegg, co-captain of the women’s soccer team, who will play her fourth year at KPU this fall, then likely sit out her fifth season of eligibility rather than transfer to another university. While soccer and golf will play their fall season in PACWEST, another season of basketball is only a “possibility” according to the KPU website. No mention was made on the future of the badminton team. The announcement blindsided most involved in varsity athletics at KPU. Less than three weeks ago, KPU Eagles Director of Athletics and Recreation David Kent announced Mandy Botham of Prince George had been appointed head coach of the women’s basketball team and the first of two summer tryout sessions was set for Thursday (July 16). On May 29, the men’s basketball team announced five new recruits had filled out their roster for the upcoming season. As of Wednesday, Kent had been dismissed from his position, Botham isn’t sure what she will be doing, and coaches have been told not to discuss the announcement with the media.

www.theasianstar.com Vol 14

All the news you need and more...

Issue 24 Saturday, July 11, 2015

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Bollywood section

Car dashboards that act like smartphones

Spinach and Feta Pasta

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Heat wave coming to an end as rain forecast

Check Inside for Details

per cent chance of rain on he hot, dry Sunday and Monday night. weather that Along with the precipihad a grip tation comes some cooler on B.C. has come to an weather, with temperaend, with cooler temture highs dipping from peratures and rain in the 24 degrees C today down forecast for most regions to 20 on the weekend. throughout the weekAccording to the Weathend and into next week. er Network’s 14-day trend, By Friday morning, it the rain is anticipated to was already noticeably last until Tuesday before cooler, even though rain the temperatures climb had still not come. But peoback up to the mid 20s ple were switching off fans again with sunshine foreand air conditioners. The A reddish-looking sun shrouded 40 percent chance of rain in wildfire smoke over Metro Van- cast for the rest of the week. In the meantime, Envion Friday morning did not couver last week. Most of Metro ronment Canada’s air qualactually materialize but Vancouver was shrouded in smoke ity advisories for most of the there were dark and rainydrifting in from wildfires. BC South Coast and Fort Photo: Chandra Bodalia looking clouds in the sky. St. John continued Friday As of Friday morning, Environment morning because of high concentrations of Canada says there’s a 30 per cent chance fine particulate matter due to wildfire smoke. of showers on Saturday, doubling to a 60

Continued on page 6

Hepner’s proposal to use gas tax to fund LRT not getting gov’t support

ayor Linda Hepner’s proposal that Surrey’s share of the gas taxes that flow to TransLink from Surrey be redirected to build her proposed $2.1-billion light rail network could hurt regional transit, says Transportation Minister Todd Stone. Therefore, he is not warming up to Mayor Hepner’s idea because it could undermine transit in the rest of the region because most of the gas tax money now funds TransLink operations.

“Those dollars are obviously spoken for, they’re used to fund components of the system that are in operation today,” said Stone, under pressure to map out a new solution after voters rejected a 0.5 per cent sales tax increase in a referendum mandated by the province on any new TransLink tax. He said splitting off gas tax

Continued on page 7

Canadian set for Japanese pro sumo debut

anadian sumo wrestler Brodik Henderson, whose ring name is Homarenishiki, is hoping his prowess in the remote world of U.S. amateur sumo wrestling will translate into a professional career in the heartland of Japan’s ancient sport. Continued on page 6 After amateur success, Henderson set for Japanese

bollywood section

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Prominent singer’s friend convicted of smuggling heroin

Surrey associate of a prominent Punjabi singer has been convicted of attempting to smuggle two kilograms of heroin hidden in the false bottom of a suitcase through the Vancouver Airport. Hardev Sihota, 36, was selected for secondary screening by a border security officer after he arrived at the airport on a flight from India on April 22, 2010. An X-ray examination of his large black suitcase revealed an i r r e g u l a r i t y, the suspected presence of organic material in the base of the suitcase. The suitcase was found to have a false bottom in Singer Makhan which border officers found two plastic bags containing white powder. The powder was two kilograms worth of heroin, valued at between $180,000 and $200,000 depending on purity and, if sold by the gram, worth as much as $645,000. Sihota, a Surrey father of three, was charged with importing a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking. At his trial earlier this year in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver there was no dispute that the drugs were in his possession. The only issue was whether he had knowledge of the narcotics. Continued on page 2

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4 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

OPINION

By Jordan Bateman he people have spoken – and they don’t trust TransLink with more of their hard-earned money. Who can blame them? The No TransLink Tax campaign, led by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, highlighted

What Should Happen Next at TransLink

more than 80 specific examples of TransLink waste and mismanagement, and made a strong case for major change at TransLink. More than that, many referendum voters have had several

bad experiences with the system. TransLink itself canned its CEO, effectively admitting their organization was not well run. Now is the time to change all that, and rebuild the taxpayers’ confidence in their transportation authority. TransLink should start with a core review, drilling down into program spending with the intention to cut anything that doesn’t move a single person a single inch. No more poodles on poles, no more $40,000 TVs, no more leasing empty buildings, no more TransLink vanity projects. The core review would go deeper than any audit, recommending cheaper ways to deliver necessary service. This push for efficiency isn’t about cutting money from the transportations system; it’s about reinvesting it in things that actually matter to riders and taxpayers and restoring confidence in TransLink. Saving money should be a bridge to better service. The review should include a move to cut the six boards of directors to one, and collapse all the various subcompanies. TransLink doesn’t need multiple human resources, communications, administration or purchasing departments. The transit police force, which ran $2.2 million over budget last year, should be scrapped. Response times and public safety wouldn’t suffer if local police took over the big files, while cheaper transit security officers handled fare issues on the system. The mayors should be sent to prioritize their spending plan, with fresh estimates, not the four-year-old ones claimed by TransLink during the campaign. Mayors Linda Hepner and Gregor Robertson, so desirous of big projects, should find savings at both TransLink and in their own city halls to help fund the regional share, or find ways to ensure existing taxpayers aren’t on the hook for growth. TransLink projects like the Pattullo Bridge refurbishment should be independently reviewed by the Ministry of Transportation or another peer agency to ensure they are being done in a safe, cost-effective manner. Legislative changes are needed as well. The BC government should make it clear that the Continued on page 8

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Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 5

6 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

crackdown by the province has led to 29 Lower Mainland pharmacies closing or exiting the government-funded PharmaCare program after being red-flagged for various improprieties. The health ministry had notified 46 pharmacies in May that they’d be booted from PharmaCare if they failed to swiftly explain why they should be able to continue billing the publicly funded drug plan. Most of those pharmacies have since terminated their PharmaCare enrolment or been removed, including 12 in Vancouver, seven in Surrey, four in Burnaby, two each in Richmond and North Vancouver, and one each in Maple Ridge and New Westminster. A few had previously been terminated last December. Medicine bought at now-excluded pharmacies that remain open

LOCAL

Most targeted pharmacies cut off PharmaCare from addiction to heroin or other narcotics. is no longer covered by PharmaCare. Another dozen pharmacies run by two chains can continue to submit claims but are subject to special conditions. The health ministry has not released specific reasons why each of the pharmacies involved was targeted. Many were dispensing methadone and may have engaged in improper business practices, such as kickbacks to retain drug-addicted patients. Billing irregularities were a concern in other cases, including improper filing of drug information for patients into the province’s prescription-tracking network, potentially risking their health. In other cases, false information had been provided by operators

on their enrolment applications. A recent regulation change allows the government to refuse to pay pharmacies with a history of suspect practices and imposes greater disclosure requirements. A provincial review of the methadone maintenance program this year found rapid growth in billings for the drug used to counter symptoms of withdrawal

Methadone is now PharmaCare’s second-highest drug cost at $44 million a year for more than 15,000 addicts. Regulators plan undercover stings The College of Pharmacists of B.C. is planning undercover investigations over the next three years to target methadone-dispensing pharmacies that are a continuing source of concern.

Canadian set for Japanese pro sumo debut

From page 3 them.” pro sumo debut hoping his prowess in the Sumo wrestlers, known as “rikishi” live in remote world of U.S. amateur sumo wrestling communal trainwill translate into a ing stables where professional career all aspects of their in the heartland daily lives from of Japan’s ancient meals to what sport. The they wear are 20-year-old native dictated by strict of Victoria, who traditions. Like all stands 6-foot-7 the younger wresand weighs 360 tlers in the lower pounds, will make ranks, Henderhis debut at the son will be required to perform a variety Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament which of menial tasks that include cleaning toilets begins on Sunday. and washing the clothes of senior wrestlers. Henderson won the men’s open weight tiThat may not be easy for someone who grew tle at the U.S. Sumo Open last year. But winup playing American football, ice hockey ning in U.S. amateur sumo and succeeding in and was active on social media up until now. a sport steeped in ancient rituals and Japanese Because Henderson enters the sport at the tradition are two completely different things. lowest division of jonokuchi, the Internet is There are no fist bumps, high-fives or body a no-no for now. Many foreigners over the slams in Japanese sumo. Wrestlers humbly bow years have had trouble grappling with sumo’s to their opponents and are expected to uphold unique customs. “It’s not for everyone,” said the rigid customs of the ages-old sport. Life Gunning. “The road to the top and lifestyle outside the ring is just as demanding. “Broare much harder than people imagine. Usualdi is level-headed, diligent and friendly which ly, it’s the stuff outside the ring and how well serves him well in Japan,” said John Gunning, foreign rikishi deal with it that determines a sumo analyst who has followed the sport for their fate.” Many sumo purists say foreign about 14 years. “He has the ability to see the wrestlers lack the culture and manners – ofbigger picture which is rare in young athletes ten described as “hinkaku”, or dignity – to so I think he will be fine. He knows his own reach the higher ranks. weaknesses and is working hard to overcome

Mall madness at designer outlet opening near Vancouver Airport

housands of eager shoppers flocked to the opening of the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet mall near the Vancouver International Airport on Thursday, causing crowded trains for Canada Line commuters and traffic headaches for anyone trying to get to YVR by car. While he couldn’t divulge an exact number, Robert Thurlow, general manager of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet, said the outdoor mall located on Sea Island saw more than double the visitors that were anticipated on opening day. “This is probably heading towards one of the most successful openings we’ve ever had from a numbers point of view,” he told Metro. “We had people starting to line up at 8 a.m. already even though we didn’t open our doors until 10.” About 50 shops opened their doors at McArthurGlen on Thursday, with more

expected to open in coming months at the 240,000 sq ft sq. ft. outdoor mall, which will expand to about 400,000 sq. ft. by 2017. Thurlow pegged the opening day success on a combination of factors, including a low Canadian dollar and a “pent up demand” for designer outlet malls in Vancouver. He said he expects many people who may have previously travelled to the U.S. to shop at designers outlet to now stay in Vancouver instead. “Your dollar just doesn’t go as far,” he said. “If you think about crossing the border and all of a sudden there’s a 30 per cent price differential just on your dollar, any potential savings that you’ve already seen has already been eaten up.” While the highly anticipated opening resulted in heavy traffic delays on airport roads at times, Thurlow said police helped to keep traffic flowing later on.

Heat wave coming to an end as rain forecast From page 3 Low snow packs in the mountains from a Smoky skies advisories have also been is- warm winter, and hot dry weather this spring sued for most of the Southern Interior because have left many municipal water reservoirs well of forest fire smoke that is affecting the area below normal seasonal levels. Despite the recent string of warm days and Any rain, however little, will be welcomed by nights, much of B.C. was not officially in a heat many gardeners and homeowners, after many wave, which is defined by Environment Canada South Coast municipalities moved to restrict or as three straight days with maximum temperaban lawn sprinkling in order to conserve water. tures over 32 C. However it remains unclear if the forecast But it is likely the hot, dry weather will return precipitation will be enough to prompt authori- sometime soon, based on long-range forecasts ties to lift those restrictions, or to help firefight- issued this spring that blamed the conditions on ers battling nearly 200 wildfires burning around a warm blob of water in the Pacific Ocean off the province. the West Coast.

LOCAL

Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 7

Hepner’s proposal to use gas tax to fund From page 3 LRT not getting gov’t support funding would run against TransLink’s Surrey Line.” She noted mayors legislation and is not technically posalso still intend to explore road sible right now. “That would need to pricing, which could be a new be a discussion Mayor Hepner would funding source in place within need to have with her mayors’ counfive to eight years, although it’s cil colleagues.” Nearly $65 million of assumed that would have to surTransLink’s 17-cent-a-litre gas tax is vive a referendum as well. paid in Surrey each year, and another “Some of the other may$15 million in federal gas tax also flows ors are less inclined to go back to TransLink from the city, according to to the drawing board with the Hepner’s election campaign platform. province, but I think we have “Surrey deserves to be next,” Stone to,” she said. “Everybody has to said, adding people there pay a lot into TransLink stay together long enough to come to a soluand it was appropriate that the mayors’ plan gave tion.” The sales tax hike would have funded priority to rapid transit expansion in Surrey. the Surrey lines, a Broadway subway in VanDelta Mayor Lois Jackson said every mayor couver and broad bus, SeaBus and HandyDart in the region would want to peel off their loimprovements across the region. Two-thirds of cally generated TransLink gas tax to reserve it the capital for the Surrey and Broadway lines for local priorities only if the province were to and the Pattullo Bridge replacement would have enable that. That would blow a massive hole in come from Victoria and Ottawa, and Stone said TransLink’s budget, which draws $340 million those contributions are still on the table if the a year from gas tax. Hepner raised the idea of region can hammer out how to pay its share. prying away the TransLink gas tax as one option to fund LRT. She said there are other possible sources and methods to get the lines built. A private partner could be enlisted to finance and build Surrey LRT with no capital outlay by Surrey or TransLink, she said, but the resulting annual payments would be about $60 million a year for 30 years. “It still has to be paid back. And when it’s paid back in my mind it’s a regional payback, not just a Surrey-alone payback,” Hepner said. “We’ve always shared those costs among the region. We didn’t shirk at CanMinister of Education, Peter Fassbender, held a ada Line and we didn’t shirk at media round table on the future of education in Evergreen Line and I’m confiBC in Surrey last Tuesday. dent the region won’t shirk at the

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8 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

become even more Oil price rebound unlikely, IEA says, dashing Alberta’s hopes could off-balance, putting fur-

ased on a fresh forecast of the global oil market, Canada shouldn’t expect a rebound in oil to 1.2 million barrels per day from an averprices anytime soon. They could actually fall age 1.4 million this year. On the other end, further. In an outlook released Friday, the In- the group’s report on the oil market for July global10:18 supply surging, up by 555,000 ternational EnergyFFH_Asian Agency predicts growth 1says TEL20150508_H1 Star_JrPg:Layout 05/06/15 PMisPage 1 in demand for oil will actually slow in 2016 barrels per day in June. Global oil production

is now “an impressive” 3.1 million barrels per day higher than it was last year. What precipitated a 50 per cent crash in oil prices late last year was too much oil and not enough demand. This report suggests the market

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What Should Happen Next at TransLink

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From page 4 transportation minister has the authority to fire the TransLink board of directors. Either the provincial Auditor General or Auditor General for Local Government should be given regular access to TransLink’s books. The transportation minister can no longer be an idle spectator. The hiring of the next TransLink CEO – which should come at a far cheaper price and with a fixed-term contract – is too vital a decision for the minister to miss. Further, the minister should give the TransLink board an annual mandate letter, with clear, specific goals. One more thing. Politicians of all stripes, at all levels, should also hear the clear concern of taxpayers in this region. Many of them are struggling to make ends meet, and the ever-growing tax burden is not helping. Don’t come back to taxpayers for more cash – find the savings within the billions we already send you. The No TransLink Tax campaign has already done the work for you on a plan B: Earmark just 0.5 per cent of your nearly 5 per cent annual revenue growth and you could fund your entire wish list. Hundreds of thousands of Lower Mainlanders voted for change in the referendum. A huge swath of the public has lost confidence in TransLink: It’s a message the premier, minister, mayors, TransLink brass, and the rest of the YES side, can no longer ignore.

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Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 9

Walk-in clinics to become “medical homes” for those without family physicians

Minister Kellie Leitch and Conservative candidate for Surrey-Newton with staff at Harmony House, a stage 2 transition home run by PICS.

Targeted gangster dies after being found unconscious in Pitt Meadows

A found

B.C. gangster who escaped a targeted hit last year has died after being

unconscious early Friday. Jeffrey Chang, 28, was found unresponsive after midnight in Pitt Meadows, said B.C. Coroners Service spokeswoman Barb McLintock. He later died in hospital. “It’s still a very preliminary investigation,” said McLintock. “We don’t have a clear cause of death. We are doing what we need to figure it out.” She said the death doesn’t appear to be suspicious. Toxicology results are still pending. Chang was the target of a driveby shooting in June 2014 at a gas station on East Hastings Street in Vancouver. An unknown shooter in an SUV opened fire on Chang and his girlfriend, Mia Deakin. Chang, who had connections to the Wolf Pack gang, was shot in the hand and treated at the scene. Deakin, the daughter of reality TV star Jody Claman of The Real Housewives of Vancouver, was shot in the shoulder and taken to hospital. Chang was later arrested by police on an outstanding warrant. Police also issued a warning to young women to steer clear of people with gang and drug connections.

Deakin bid farewell to Chang in a photo posted on her Instagram account. The accompanying message read: “Goodbye my darling my love my soul! We will meet again one day soon my handsome man ... not one moment will go by that I won’t think about you my everything.” Deakin gave birth earlier this spring to the couple’s child. She also posted another photo, captioned “best friends,” that shows Chang with his eyes closed and an infant on his chest.

alk-in clinics across the province will now be held to the same standards as those where patients book appointments, according to strengthened guidelines by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. This means that rather than treat patients’ visits as one-off events, walk-in clinics must keep detailed medical records, contact patients about test results, and offer to be a patient’s primary care clinic for check-ups and continuous care if they have nowhere else to go. Also, walk-in clinics must have access to Pharmanet, B.C.’s database that tracks what prescriptions patients are taking. The college’s CEO Dr. Heidi Oetter says many walk-in clinics already operate this way. However, she says it’s important to strengthen the message after an imposter used two stolen care cards to fool doctors and pharmacists into handing over 23,000 painkillers over five years. An internal investigation by the college this year revealed that most of the physicians involved failed to check Pharmanet. If they had, it would have shown the patient was getting narcotics from dozens of doctors because both of the care cards she used were repeatedly prescribed oxycodone. EYEGLASSES

“It identified the importance of ensuring that the group walk-in clinics have a longitudinal patient record, so if somebody comes back again and again, it acts as a unified record,” Oetter said. “We’ve talked about the importance of emphasizing communication with other care providers, and the requirement to check Pharmanet because I think that report really exposed some shortcomings in some clinics.” Providing a “medical home” Oetter says the beefed-up standards are less about making sure every British Columbian has a family physician than about ensuring that people have a “medical home” where a group of physicians can provide long-term care even for patients with chronic issues. “The message is really if somebody drops by to get their birth control pills reordered, and they haven’t had a pap smear, and they don’t have otherwise an identified family doctor, then that’s the kind of service we expect people to be able to obtain at a clinic that perhaps they’ve walked in for a visit as opposed to book the appointment,” she said. The college also expects every walk-in clinic to have a medical director to make sure the clinic is complying with guidelines. A quality assurance program also exists to ensure the standards are being enforced, Oetter said. CONTACT LENSES

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10 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

Jail time for deadly Surrey stabbing A Surrey man has been sent to jail for fatally stabbing a younger man to death in the apartment the pair shared with the deceased’s mother. William Arnold Engebretsen, 56, was sentenced in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster on Wednesday (July 8) to four years prison. He received credit for the 105 days he spent in pretrial custody, leaving three years, seven months remaining in his sentence. Police were called to an apartment near 128 Street and 95 Avenue on Nov. 25, 2012, where 35-year-old Jeremy McLellan was suffering from stab wounds. McLellan died in hospital. Police at the time said Engebretsen lived at the home with McLellan and McLellan’s mom. Engebretsen was originally charged with second-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in late May. He has no prior criminal record.

Luxury housing demand in Vancouver leads to emand for luxury homes in Van“feeding frenzy” in flipping

couver is so high that shoppers are willing to pay a premium for residences that already have buyers, spurring people with deals in place to flip the properties. Rising demand has led to an increase in bidding wars, more sales over asking price and a greater number of “contract assignments,” where buyers sell their rights to a home before completing their purchases, Sotheby’s International Realty Canada said Thursday. In the first half of 2015, 2,465 Vancouver homes sold for $1-million or more, up 48 per cent from a year earlier, the brokerage said in a midyear report on luxury real estate. “The person who wins the bid says, ‘Listen, there are two other people here who desperately want that home and will pay $500,000 more,’” Ross McCredie, chief executive officer of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, said in a telephone interview from Vancouver. Losing bidders often offer 20 per cent more than the list price, and the buyer flips it for even more, he said. “We’re seeing it

more and more.” High consumer confidence, increased foreign demand and low interest rates helped boost sales of single-family detached homes, attached homes and condominiums in all high-end price ranges in Vancouver. In the $4-million-plus category, 219 properties sold, up 71 per cent from a year earlier, Sotheby’s said. The starting point for a luxury house in the city jumped to about $3.5-million, the highest in Canada, the bro-

kerage said. In Toronto, sales of the priciest homes also continued their rally as a weaker Canadian currency helped prop up demand. Both locals and international buyers were drawn to Canada’s luxury market, according to the Sotheby’s report. The luxury housing market is booming along with demand for lower-end homes. Last month’s sales of all Toronto residences reached a record for June, according to the local real estate board. Prices rose more than 12 per cent from a year earlier as high-end properties made up a larger portion of transactions. Sotheby’s forecasts that sales in the priciest category – homes worth at least $4-million – will climb for the rest of the year amid the type of competition that’s led to bidding wars and flipping. “It’s a lack of supply in specific neighboorhoods,” McCredie said. “There’s a genuine fear in the market that you either need to stay in the market or you need to get into the market or you’ll never get in.”

Police warn drug users after woman dies of suspected fentanyl overdose

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olice are warning drug users to be careful after a young Abbotsford woman died of a suspected fentanyl overdose. Officers responded to a 911 call in the early morning hours of June 30 after a family member found the woman, who was in her mid-20s, unresponsive on the floor. Emergency responders tried to revive her but she died at the scene. Investigators were told

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the woman occasionally used both street and prescription drugs. Early tests show she had methylfentanyl — a super-potent version of fentanyl often added to street-level heroin to boost its narcotic effect — in her system. It’s believed the fentanyl contributed to her overdose death. Although the family has asked for privacy as they grieve, Const. Ian MacDonald said they supported the Abbotsford Police Department’s decision to warn the public about the dangers of fentanyl and the risk of accidental overdose it poses to those who don’t realize they’re taking it. The APD issued a similar warning about fentanyl in May. It’s believed more than a dozen people died in the Abbotsford area due to fentanyl overdoses last year.

LOCAL

China stock market crisis could lead to more real estate investment in B.C.

n expert in Sino-Canadian economic relations says the current stock market crash in China will drive more investments into Canada, including B.C.’s red-hot real estate market. China’s main market index has declined by more than 30 per cent since early June. “The Chinese are actually facing a very difficult situation because they don’t have the national institutions we have in terms of pensions and employment insurance and health insurance,” said David Fung, vice-chair of Canada China Business Council. Fung says the Chinese save up to 40 per cent of their disposable income to make up for that shortfall, but savings rates in China are below inflation and only guarantee a loss of income over time. Investing in real estate “They’re not looking necessarily for a

very high return because it is for their own insurance,” said Fung. That has made Canada an eye-catching opportunity for many Chinese investors, according to Fung, especially as it is one of the key Chinese currency exchange hubs. “In the case of Vancouver, of course we have housing investment,” said Fung. But Fung doesn’t think the influx of investors should cause alarm. Instead, he thinks they present an opportunity. “I think our governments and institutions should gear up to manage that,” said Fung. “If we do need affordable housing, perhaps we should establish vehicles where the Chinese can invest into affordable housing.”

Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 11

New Westminster taxi driver robbed at gunpoint

Police are searching for this ew Westminster man wanted in connection to Police are searcha robbery of a taxi cab driver ing for this man on July 2. (New Westminster wanted in connection to a Police) “The victim was corobbery of a taxi cab driver. operative throughout, which (New Westminster Police) likely helped him avoid any Police officers in New Westinjury in this circumstance,” minster, B.C. are looksaid New Westminster Poing for two suspects aclice Department spokespercused of robbing a taxi son acting Sgt. Jeff Scott. New Westminster driver at gunpoint in the earThe suspects fled on foot. Police are searching ly morning hours of July 2. The first suspect is described for this man wanted Investigators said the susas a skinny caucasian male in connection to a pects originally flagged with a tattoo on the left side robbery of a taxi cab down the taxi in Burnaby, of his neck. He was weardriver on July 2. (New B.C. and asked the driver ing a navy blue baseball hat Westminster Police) to pull over when it arrived and a light-coloured jackin the area of Fifth Avenue et. The second suspect is described as and Ash Street in New Westminster. a darker-skinned caucasian male with One of the men pulled out a a heavy build and blonde hair. He was handgun and demanded cash from the wearing a white Adidas track jacket. driver, while the other man, who had an Anyone who recognizes the men in the axe, put the driver in a choke hold and surveillance photo is asked to call Const. demanded his wallet. New Westminster Adam Hohmann at 604-525-5411.

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12 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

B.C. Ombudsperson Jay Chalke wants more power to probe health firings

.C. Ombudsperson Jay

confidentiality agreeChalke says heâ€™s conments, noting that his findcerned his hands may be ings will be made public. tied from properly probing the Chalke wants access botched firings of several health â€œWithout such an amendministry employees in 2012. ment, I predict that the Chalke says a legislative amendresult will, at best, be litiment is needed if he is to conduct gation, cost and delay coma thorough investigation of the menced by one or more firings scandal. In a letter sent to persons concerning the a legislative finance committee on ombudspersonâ€™s right to July 7, Chalke said the committee information, and, at worst, Jay Chalke should not refer the investigation the inability of this office to his office unless itâ€™s prepared to obtain key informato amend that law governing his powers. tion,â€? Chalke wrote in the letter. Last week, Health Minister Terry Lake â€œMy concern about this issue is so sigasked the committee to refer the health nificant that I would formally ask that firings matter to Chalkeâ€™s office. Howev- the committee not refer this matter er, in his letter, Chalke cited a number of to my office unless it is accompanied issues that give him pause. For one, he said by a recommendation to government he does not have the authority to compel for an urgent legislative amendment.â€? testimony from people who have signed

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Certify imams, Senate report urges while warning some Muslim leaders are spreading extremism

Senate committee is urging Ottawa that imam certification would be effective. to explore options for the training â€œI think it is OK, but I donâ€™t think it will and certification of imams as part solve the problem because itâ€™s not the of a wide-ranging set of recommendations imams in the mosques who are radicalizaimed at confronting the threat of terrorism. ing,â€? he said. â€œIf some imam wants to exIn a report issued Wednesday, the Senate press his opinion about Shia that they are security and defence committee said some not Muslim then how can you stop them?â€? foreign-trained imams have been spread- Soharwardy said that currently in Canno governing bodies ing extremist religious ideology and mes- ada there are sages that are not in keeping with Canadi- over imams, and that approximatean values, contributing to radicalization. It ly â€œ99 per cent are foreign qualified.â€? calls on the government to work with the In addition to the recommendation on provinces and Muslim communities to â€œin- imams, the report also urged the governvestigate the options that are available for ment to outlaw membership in terrorist groups, bar radical the training and certificaGrant Mitchell, the com- ideologues from tion of imams in Canada.â€? mitteeâ€™s deputy chairman, Canada and look at The report, which repsaid Wednesday he dis- forbidding the gloriresents the views of the agreed with the Conserfication of extremists. committeeâ€™s Conservavatives on several key issues. Mitchtive majority but lacks the ell supports police counselling and In general, the senators expressed backing of Liberal mem- liaison to help steer young concern about the bers, did not indicate what people away from radismall number of options might be avail- cal ideas â€” an approach terrorism prosereport questions. able to the government. the cutions, including Ihsaan Gardee, executive extremist financing. director of the National Council of Ca- for nadian Muslims, said that imams should â€œWe cannot try to appease this threat that not be subjected to certain limitations. we face,â€? Conservative Sen. Daniel Lang, the â€˜This recommendation really bares the hall- committee chairman, said in an interview. marks of racial and religious discrimina- The committeeâ€™s 25 recommendations tionâ€™ â€œWe are deeply concerned by the sug- flow from nine months of hearings on gestion that imams require a special vetting security threats facing Canada. The inas opposed to any other faith leaders. The terim report examines terrorist recruitcriminal code currently includes provisions ment, operations, financing, prosecuto deal with anyone suspected of promot- tions and other aspects of what it calls ing terrorist ideology, and this recommen- the genuine threat of violent extremism. dation really bares the hallmarks of racial Committee members were told 93 Canaand religious discrimination,â€? Gardee said. dians had sought to join Islamist extremGardee says that the new report in gener- ist groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and al stigmatizes and marginalizes Canadian the Levant, al-Qaida and Boko Haram. Muslims and â€œportrays them as a threat Canadians must tackle the issue in a thoughtrather than a partner in national security.â€? ful, balanced way without undermining the Imam Syed B. Soharwardy of the Islamic values â€œthat make us great,â€? the report says. Supreme Council of Canada was skeptical Continued on page 18

LOCAL

Premier Clark pledges to spend beyond budget to fight fires

.C. Premier Christy Clark has pledged to spend beyond

budget to fight the wildfires raging across the province. She landed by helicopter in Pemberton, north of Whistler, on Wednesday to take a first-hand look at the wildfire hot zone, a week before a massive music festival is set to open. All the available firefighters in B.C. are already working, and reinforcements have been brought in from Ontario and requested from Australia and New Zealand. B.C. has more than burned through its entire wildfire budget of $63 million for the year, but the province has statutory access to contingency funding. “We will spend what we need,” said Clark. “If more resources are required we will get them.” There were 31 new fires in B.C. yesterday and 189 active fires throughout B.C. as of noon Wednesday. Clark also offered condolences to the family of John Phare, a faller killed fighting a fire near Sechelt on Sunday, and praised the work of the more than 1,600 firefighters working in the province right now. “It’s dangerous work and we should all be grateful,” she said.

Hottest, driest spell since 2003 Pemberton, located 67 kilometres east of the Elaho fire, is getting ready for the Pemberton Music Festival, which is scheduled to run from July 16 to 19. Organizers and village officials are keeping an eye on at least two adjacent fires, in the hope conditions don’t turn too dangerous for the popular outdoor concert. The Elaho fire, sparked by lightning June 14, is estimated to have covered 20,000 hectares. Further north the Boulder Creek fire, which has reached 5,000 hectares in size and is zero per cent contained, has triggered an evacuation order. They are just two of more than 180 fires burning in the hazy province, which is in the midst of its hottest, driest spell since 2003. The B.C. Wildfire Service predicts 30 new wildfires will erupt daily, based on the tinder dry conditions. Campfire bans are in effect across B.C., including in parts of the dampest regions along the West Coast, dubbed “the fog zone,” starting at noon on Wednesday.

B.C. asks Ontario, Australia for help in battling wildfires across province

ll available crews have been committed to fight against British Columbia’s burning forests, a situation that has forced officials to triage response to the worst fires and call in reinforcements from as far away as Australia. On Tuesday, 184 fires were burning across B.C., engaging more than 1,000 personnel and triggering evacuation orders and alerts, as well as air-quality advisories. Kurtis Isfeld of the BC Wildfire Service said 23 of those fires had broken out Monday and the ministry predicts 30 new wildfires will start every day as dry conditions grow more acute. “The availability of resources is at a critical level, and any significant increase in fire load will be difficult for us to manage,” he said.

“As such, we’ve begun prioritizing fires based on human life and safety, property, critical values, critical habitat and timber, and before any of those the safety of our responders will come first and foremost.” He said all the service’s available crews are engaged around the province, including 622 contractors. The government had already spent more than $90 million this season fighting the fires, well over the $63 million set aside in the budget. Forests Minister Steve Thomson said 70 firefighters from Ontario were expected to arrive in B.C. on Tuesday, and the province will be getting help from Australian crews, while firefighters from New Zealand will likely head to Alberta.

Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 13

LOCAL

14 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

Letter to B.C. Premier Clark claims coroner deleted fired researcher’s suicide letter

he BC Coroners Service is refuting suggestions that any of its employees deleted fired health researcher Roderick MacIsaac’s suicide letter from his computer after he killed himself. “At no time did anyone from the BC Coroners Service have access to the contents of Mr. MacIsaac’s laptop in electronic format,” regional coroner Matt Brown said in a statement Tuesday. The statement comes after MacIsaac’s sister, Linda Kayfish, alleged in an open letter to B.C. Premier Christy Clark on Monday that the BC Coroners Service had deleted her brother’s suicide letter from his laptop computer. The letter, which called for a public inquiry to “get to the bottom” of the health firings scandal, was posted online by the Vancouver Sun. Kayfish wrote that the family was made aware of the document left on the desktop of his computer shortly after he was found

dead in January 2013. When they asked about it, she said the coroner told her they could not disclose the document’s contents until the investigation was complete. When she asked about it again later on, she said she was told it would never be disclosed to the family and would mostly likely be deleted. In June 2013, she said the BC Coroners Service arranged to read the letter to the family over the phone. When the computer was returned to the family in October 2013, the document was not there, she claimed. According to a report , Kayfish’s husband, who is an IT specialist, was able to retrieve the deleted document. In a news release Tuesday, the Coroners Service confirmed that it had seized MacIsaac’s laptop but said it was not accessed at the time because it was password protected. The coroner said the laptop was delivered to police for forensic analysis during which an officer found the docu-

Abbotsford drunk driver mistook cop car for taxi, tells officer to ‘get me outta here’

drunk driver in Abbotsford is getting no sympathy for a belated decision to pocket his car keys and grab a cab. Abbotsford Police say the suspect pulled his vehicle over beside what he thought was a taxi, jumped in and muttered “get me outta here buddy, cops are everywhere tonight.” Turns out the taxi was actually an idling police car, and the officer wasted no time in taking the man directly to jail. In a tweet, Abbotsford Police put the man’s gaffe at the top of their latest list of excuses heard by officers handing out tickets in the Fraser Valley jurisdiction. Other favourites on the list include the driver who admitted to speeding because of bothersome hemorrhoids, prompting the officer’s tongue-in-cheek apology for making the motorist sit even longer. The often hilarious list of bad-driver excuses was viewed 16,000 times by Tues-

day, when it was posted on social media as part of the Abbotsford Police Departments bid to raise road safety awareness. The 20 different anecdotes — all based on actual officer interactions with drivers — are being rolled out this week on Twitter and Facebook by Cst. Ian MacDonald, Abbotsford PD’s public information officer. MacDonald, who first launched the annual campaign three years ago, after receiving mixed reaction to a distracted driving campaign that featured a graphic video of a pedestrian accident. “We released a security video of a pedestrian being hit in a marked crosswalk. The motorist had been searching through her purse for her phone and didn’t see her. The pedestrian looked like a mannequin flying through the air 50 feet. It was very stark, shocking and dramatic .. but it did the job,” Macdonald said. “But what we heard from the public was ‘Are you guys going to hit us with this message all the time?’ So we decided to come at road safety with a different message that included humour … or at least an attempt at humour There are no shortage of stories. The challenge for MacDonald is to whittle them down to 20. “A spent a few weeks canvassing colleagues — and they all have funny interactions with drivers who get defensive and say humourous things … or say strange things,” he said. According to MacDonald, a drunk driver jumping into a police car is not a rare event. “It actually happens at least once a year. This particular one happened early in 2015 in downtown Abbotsford. An officer saw the driver purposely park and jump out of his car when he some patrol vehicles. He then ran and jumped right into the back of a marked police car thinking it was a taxi” he said. “I guess he didn’t notice the bars on the windows”

B.C. Lotto website glitch leads to $1M in retroactive winnings

ine people have retroactively won more than a combined $1 million after a display issue with a game on the B.C. Lotto Corporation’s website was discovered. “BCLC determined that an incorrect configuration setting on the game prevented the proper signaling of a progressive jackpot win,” the gaming authority said in a written statement Wednesday. The issue was with the Wizard of Odds slot game on the BCLC website, which was affected from July 2014 to June 10, 2015. BCLC says it removed the game from the website as soon as it discovered the glitch and conducted a “thorough review” of the game’s data. The technical issue only applied to people who had progressive wins playing the online game and had bet at least one dollar. Some players who won money were unaware of the winnings. BCLC says, as a gesture of good will, it will reimburse players who lost money on the game during the 11-month period it was malfunctioning.

LOCAL

Trade deficit widens to $3.3B in May, second highest ever

Loonie tumbles below 79 cents US

anada’s exports to the rest of the

world fell in May while the country imported more than it did the month before. As a result, Canada’s monthly merchandise trade deficit grew to $3.3 billion, the second-highest level ever, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday. Economists had been expecting a deficit of about $2.5 billion. The biggest monthly trade deficit came in March, when the country imported $3.9 billion more goods than it exported. Analysts said the larger-than-expected deficit figure boosts the odds of the Bank of Canada cutting its key interest rate next week by a quarter of a percentage point. “The May trade data supports our view that the Canadian economy is struggling,” said TD senior economist Randall Bartlett in a morning commentary. “Today’s trade release works to reinforce our view that the lacklustre performance of the Canadian economy will provide the needed push to trigger a rate cut.” Loonie tumbles A lower overnight lending rate would tend to lower the value of the Canadian dollar — something that would help manufacturers and other exporters. The loonie was down more than a third of a cent at the close of trading, at 78.67 cents US. Statistics Canada said exports fell 0.6 per cent from April to $42 billion, while imports rose 0.2 per cent to $45.3 billion. Canada exported less to other countries, the federal agency said. The volume of exports dropped 2.5 per cent in May, following two straight monthly increases. The country shipped far fewer mineral products and metal ores, with major declines recorded in exports of copper, potash, and other metal ores and concentrates. On the plus side, exports of motor vehicles and parts rose, as did aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts. Trade surplus with U.S. narrows Imports rose in May because we brought in more consumer goods, precious metals, and basic and industrial chemical, plastic and rubber products. Imports of industrial machinery and parts fell. Altogether, imports in seven of 11 sectors increased. Canada continues to have a trade surplus with the U.S., but the surplus narrowed slightly in May to $2.1 billion from $2.3 billion in April.

But Canada’s trade deficit with countries other than the United States widened from $5.3 billion in April to $5.5 billion in May. Exports to China and the United Kingdom each fell by more than $300 million. As for the U.S., the Commerce Department reported that the U.S. trade deficit grew slightly in May, reflecting declines in sales of American-made aircraft and machinery. Exports continued to suffer from the rising value of the U.S. dollar. The U.S. trade deficit widened 2.9 per cent in May to $41.9 billion US, up from an April imbalance of $40.7 billion.

Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 15

Senators want no-visit list to bar ‘ ideological radicals’ from Canada

he federal government should outlaw membership in a terrorist group, bar radicals from Canada and look at forbidding the glorification of extremists to protect the Canadian way of life, says a Senate committee. The Senate security and defence committee also recommends creation of a “wanted terrorist” list and urges the government to explore options for training and certification of imams in Canada. In addition, it calls on the government to work with Muslim communities to create “an effective counter-narrative” to denounce the ideology of Islamist fundamentalism. In general, the senators express concern about the small number of terrorism prosecutions, including for extremist financing. “We cannot try to appease this threat that we face,” Conservative Senator Daniel Lang, the committee chairman, said in an interview. The

committee’s 25 recommendations flow from nine months of hearings on security threats facing Canada. The interim report examines terrorist recruitment, operations, financing, prosecutions and other aspects of what it calls the genuine threat of violent extremism. Committee members were told 93 Canadians had sought to join Islamist extremist groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, al-Qaida and Boko Haram. Canadians must tackle the issue in a thoughtful, balanced way without undermining the values “that make us great,” the report says. “We must find every resource, tool and technique available to us as a civilized society to diminish and defeat a most uncivilized force,” the report says. “Our goal is to lessen the risk to all Canadians, including the risk to vulnerable young Canadians who might be lured to extreme ideas and violent action.”

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LOCAL

India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, (middle) with BC’s Minister of Advanced Education, Amrik Virk, and others at a reception in Richmond last Monday, July 6. Photo: Chandra Bodalia

Coquitlam teenager sentenced to 16 months in jail for ‘swatting’

Coquitlam teen responsible for numerous swatting cases across the continent will spend several more months in jail for his crime. The 17 year old, who can’t be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was handed a sentence of 16 months in youth custody and another eight months to be served under supervision in the community. In all, the teen pled guilty to 23 charges, including nine offences for criminal harassment, eight for public mischief, four counts for extortion and one for uttering threats. During the reading of her sentencing decision in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court on Thursday, judge Patricia Janzen listed off the details of the teens crimes that occurred over roughly a one-year span in 2014. Essentially, the teen was responsible

for a number of “swatting” calls to police and law enforcement agencies in both Canada and the United States, with target of the calls being mostly female gamers he knew online or their families. “Swatting” involves tricking emergency responders (a SWAT team) into deploying to a location where no emergency is taking place. In many cases, the swatting calls involved a bomb threat, or a fake hostage taking, where the caller threatened to kill police or the specific target. In one case, he called in a bomb threat to Disneyland that shut the theme park down. In other instances, when the victims didn’t acknowledge friend and follow requests or send him things that he wanted, such as photos, he would harass them and their families. The teen was eventually arrested on Dec. 5 last year and has been in custody since. In her decision, the judge noted a psychiatric and psychological assessment that she said painted a picture of a deeply troubled young person who is a high risk to reoffend. The report suggested the teen has minimized his crimes and blamed the victims, showed no remorse and was motivated in the pleasure the trouble he inflicted on his victims. The report described him as having an emerging narcissistic personality disorder. While the judge noted mitigating factors in her sentence included that he had no prior criminal

record and he pleaded guilty saving court costs, she said aggravating factors were the impact the crimes had on the victims and that he continued to commit a number of offences after he was first charged. “It is far more serious than a prank,” Janzen said. Court also heard about his troubled childhood and an abusive father. The teen, who could be seen in the prisoners box at times fidgeting, was said to be a good student in his early years, but at some point things changed, with the judge suggesting “when real life” became too hard, he retreated to the online world.

42 cougar and 5 bear sightings so far in Surrey this year

o far this year, there have been multiple reports of bear and cougar sightings in Surrey. Because most encounters take place mid-summer to mid-fall, Surrey RCMP are warning residents to watch out for the potentially dangerous wildlife and take precautions to reduce the likelihood of run-ins. In the first six months of this year, police say conservation officers have received calls about five bear sightings and 42 cougar sightings in Surrey. In comparison, for all of 2014, there were 21 bear reports and 19 cougar sightings. In 2013, the figures were particularly high, with 254 bear and 76 cougar sightings. However, officials note the number of sightings can be misleading. “The conservation officer described it to me this way… he said ‘that may sound like a lot, but it can be just two animals, for example, generating all those calls in a short period of time’,” explained Cpl. Scotty Schumann. “So if you have a bear or cougar that’s not afraid to be in the neighbourhood and hangs around for awhile, you’re going to get big numbers. The numbers don’t say how many animals in the area.”

LOCAL

Metro Vancouver politicians urge review of Site C dam plan

etro Vancouver politicians are urging the province to pause its plan to build the Site C dam on the Peace River pending a review by the B.C. Utilities Commission and the Agricultural Land Commission. The Metro board passed the resolution Friday after hearing delegations that warned the $8.8-billion hydroelectric project would flood scarce B.C. farmland as well as aboriginal burial grounds and hunting territories. “There’s only about five per cent of the entire land that’s capable of grow-

Two more shootings in Surrey

urrey RCMP is investigating two more shootings that took place Sunday – one of which was in the middle of the afternoon. Police say the first report of gunfire came in about 3 a.m. Sunday in the 8300-block of 128 Street. Officers found evidence that shots had been fired, but no injuries were reported. As of Monday afternoon, police were still trying to determine if the incident was linked to any of the dozens of shootings that have occurred in Surrey and Delta in recent months. The second Surrey shooting July 5 was at 1:45 p.m. near 123 Street and 71A Avenue – a brazen daytime incident police believe was targeted. Once on scene, investigators found a man suffering from minor cuts from glass fragments resulting from another car shooting at the victim’s vehicle. He was treated at the scene and released.

Fatal house fire in Surrey A weekend house fire in Surrey early Saturday morning has claimed a life. Surrey RCMP say they received a report from Surrey Fire Service shortly after midnight July 4 of a residential fire near 156 Street and 82 Avenue. It was determined there was a man trapped inside the residence, who was removed by fire fighters but later passed away. His cause of death has not been confirmed and he had not been identified as of Monday morning. Police say the fire does not appear suspicious, but the exact cause has yet to be determined.

Woman charged in stabbing

ing anything,” Delta Mayor Lois Jackson said. “Certainly we need hydro. But do we need hydro more or food more? I’ll take the food.” Richmond Coun. Harold Steves argued it would be a mistake to lose the estimated 3,800 hectares of prime agricultural farmland in the Peace in light of projections that climate change will result in dryer summers and more parched farmland in southern B.C. Others cited B.C.’s excessive reliance on produce from California. Presenters argued the province has failed to adequately consider alternative energy options such as geothermal, wind and solar that could deliver much more electricity

woman was sent to hospital Saturday morning after being stabbed in Surrey. On July 4 at about 5:55 a.m., police responded to a report of a stabbing near 81 Avenue and King George Boulevard. When they arrived, they found a 34-year-old woman with a stab wound. She was taken to hospital in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries. Surrey RCMP say the investigation indicated the stabbing was the result of an altercation with someone the woman knew and was not random. On Monday afternoon, Christine Joanne Pash, 23, was charged with aggravated assault. She appeared in court early this week and is due back in Surrey Provincial Court on July 22.

It’s believed the gunfire came from a dark-coloured vehicle. Police canvassed the neighbourhood and spoke with several witnesses and the investigation continues

without the impacts of a major dam. Maria Harris, the Metro director representing UBC, argued Metro should take a stand on the issue because its residents are major consumers of the province’s electricity,

Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 17 and a huge unnecessary mega-project could leave the province too cash-strapped to assist local cities with other infrastructure priorities, while driving up power prices. But Langley Township Coun. Charlie Fox questioned how the issue was one for Metro to weigh in on at all.

LOCAL

18 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

Certify imams, Senate report urges while warning some Muslim leaders are spreading extremism From page 12 “We must find every resource, tool and technique available to us as a civilized society to diminish and defeat a most uncivilized force,” the senators say. “Our

goal is to lessen the risk to all Canadians, including the risk to vulnerable young Canadians who might be lured to extreme ideas and violent action.” A number of the report’s recommendations push farther than the Harper government chose to go in its controversial omnibus security bill, introduced after two Canadian soldiers were killed last October

in daylight attacks just days apart by jihadi-inspired, lone-wolf attackers. For instance, the anti-terrorism bill — which recently received royal assent — makes it a crime to promote terrorist acts but stops short of outlawing the glorification of extremist plots and symbols. Liberal Sen. Grant Mitchell, the committee’s deputy chairman, said Wednesday he disagreed with the Conservatives on several key issues. Mitchell supports police counselling and liaison to help steer young people away from radical

ideas — an approach the report questions.

2010 measles outbreak in B.C. traced to single visitor from China

n outbreak of measles in northern B.C. in 2010 can be traced to a single visitor from China, according to research from scientists at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and the University of B.C. The study is billed as the largest using whole-genome sequencing techniques to identify the genetic code of a measles virus and to chart its spread. “In the past when we wanted to reconstruct an outbreak, we’d have to talk to patients and ask: ‘Who do you know? Who are your contacts? Where do you go?’ And we try to make a best guess about how a disease spreads based on our interviews,” said Jennifer Gardy, a senior scientist with the Centre for Disease Control and lead author of the study published online Monday by the Journal of Infectious Diseases. “In this case, it’s almost like we interviewed the virus and asked: ‘Where did you go?’” Researchers tracked 82 cases of measles after three people fell ill at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, obtaining samples of blood, urine or cells from mouth swabs that contained enough of the virus for complete genome sequencing in

27 cases. That allowed them to connect the dots in the 61 northern B.C. patients. Six other cases in Metro Vancouver were linked to a single carrier of a strain called D8, which is normally found in the U.S., Italy and India. Another 15 cases couldn’t be definitively linked to either carrier. The single H1 strain of measles virus traced to China moved with the Chinese visitor up Highway 97 — which runs from the U.S. border in the Okanagan up the centre of B.C. to Prince George and beyond — causing 61 cases of measles. “With the genomic analysis — the sort of forensic DNA investigation — we were able to determine that all cases in the north of British Columbia ... were the result of the single introduction of a virus,” said Gardy. “It just goes to show that measles is the most contagious virus that’s out there.” All of the people who developed measles’ signature rash and fever were either unvaccinated or had been vaccinated in past decades when only one dose of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine was routinely given to kids.

Indian High Commissioner Vishnu Prakash, speaking at a reception for India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan in Richmond last Monday, July 6.

HPV immunization program expanded to vulnerable boys

eginning this September, boys and young men up to age 26 who are at a higher risk of contracting human papillomavirus virus (HPV) can receive the HPV vaccine at no charge. B.C.’s publicly funded HPV vaccination program, which is provided to girls, will be extended to at-risk boys and young men - those who have sex with males or who are street-involved. Providing the vaccine for all girls protects heterosexual boys as well, but leaves at-risk boys and young men unprotected. This change will address that gap. “The human papillomavirus virus is the most common sexually transmitted infection,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “It can lead to serious health problems and could develop into an HPV- related cancer. Our vaccination program will help protect all young British Columbians from cancers and other diseases caused by HPV infection.” Extending B.C.’s HPV program to at-risk boys and young men provides protection to those who are most vulnerable to HPV infection and related disease. Girls-only HPV vaccine programs where more than 50% of girls are vaccinated has protective effects on heterosexual boys and young men but has little to no impact on boys and young men who are at higher risk. “Among males, men who have sex

with men carry a disproportionately high burden of HPV infection and a significant burden of HPV- related cancers,” said Dr. Gina Ogilvie, Canada research chair in global control of HPV-related disease and cancer. “The targeted expansion of B.C.’s HPV vaccination program is an important step to controlling the spread of HPV infections and ultimately HPV related cancers.” “It is clear that some men are more at risk for HPV related cancers than are others,” said Dr. Perry Kendall, B.C.’s provincial health officer. “As most of these infections are vaccine-preventable, extending B.C.’s HPV immunization program to this at-risk demographic is a cost-effective way to provide protection to the people who need it most.” At-risk boys, young men who have sex with men and parents who are concerned their sons may be vulnerable can arrange for the HPV immunization by visiting their local public health unit. This program will also be delivered through specialized clinics and programs for street-involved youth. The Gardasil vaccine will be used in this HPV program. Gardasil protects against infection from HPV types 16 and 18 that cause about 70% of cervical cancers, 80% of anal cancers and other cancers of the mouth, throat, penis, vagina and vulva. It also protects against infection from HPV types 6 and 11

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Vancouver council ponders drastic measure in battle against homelessness

treet homelessness in Vancouver has gone down by 10 per cent since last year and Vancouver council is considering more steps to improve the situation, but Mayor Gregor Robertson’s promise to house everyone in the city remains just a dream. Among the moves being considered by council is bumping the fee for removing a room from single-residency accommodation (SRA) from $15,000 to a staggering $125,000 per room. Robertson campaigned in 2008 on a promise to end homelessness by the spring of 2015, but conceded earlier this year the city was unable to meet that target. “The City has done everything in our power to make a difference and will continue to do so,” Robertson in said a release Tuesday. “Despite the progress we have made in adding new units of permanent and interim housing and shelter beds, with-

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out further senior government support we can only do so much.” Information from the 2015 Report on Homelessness showed 488 homeless people remain unsheltered, a decline in street homelessness of 10 per cent. But those people remained out on the street despite the opening of 615 net new permanent and interim/supportive housing units over the last year that housed 458 street/ sheltered homeless. The March 24 homeless count showed a total of 1,746 homeless people in Vancouver, with 1,258 sheltered and the remaining 488 street homeless. In 2014 there were 1,803 homeless people, with 1,267 sheltered and 536 street homeless. Continued on page 2

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Canada needs $9-billion fund to shield it from severe housing crash, C.D. Howe warns

anada needs to be better prepared to weather a housing crash that would leave taxpayers and mortgage insurers on the hook, according to a report. The country should build a fund to cover taxpayer losses of as much as $9 billion, which the government could tap in case of mass defaults, according to a report from the C.D. Howe Institute scheduled for release Wednesday. The fund would build up reserves over 50 years through an additional charge on mortgageinsurance products, be overseen by the government and have a quasi-regulatory role. The sole purpose of the agency would be to staunch the effects of a U.S.-style housing collapse. The fund could issue bonds secured by future fee premiums in case a crash oc-

curs before sufficient reserves have been built up. “These big events happen, they don’t happen very often, but they’re costly when they do,” James MacGee, one of the report authors and associate professor of economics at Western University, said by phone. “What we want to do is redesign the Canadian mortgage-insurance infrastructure.” Home affordability declines in Toronto, Vancouver as RBC warns of rate hike shock A third of Canadians would struggle if mortgage rate grew by only 1%, survey finds Bank of Canada says household debt, housing price crash remain major concern for economy A severe housing crash with a 30 per cent drop in prices and “high unemployment” could mean a $17 billion loss for mortgage insurers, leaving the federal government on the hook for $9 billion, according to the report. Canada suffered a 21 per cent real decline in home prices from 1981 to 1985 while U.S. prices fell 43 per cent from 2006 to 2012, according to the report. Continued on page 2

2 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

real estate / finance

Canada needs $9-billion fund to shield it from severe housing crash, C.D. Howe warns

From page 1 disclose insurance in-force. The government The report comes as Canada’s housing requires mortgages with less than 20 per cent market remains in overdrive with Toronto down to be insured. There is C$1.2 trillion home sales reaching a record for the third in residential mortgage credit month in a row in June, according to figheld outstanding by banks and ures released Tuesday, and transacnon-banks as of March, actions jumping 28 per cent in cording to the Bank of Vancouver in the same Canada. CMHC is govmonth over the prior ernment-owned and its year. Agencies from the products are 100 per cent International Monetary backstopped by the govFund to Fitch Ratings Inc. ernment in the case of a have raised concerns default, while Genworth about soaring prices. and Canada Guaranty’s CMHC, Canada’s largproducts are 90 per cent backed. More than est mortgage insurer, had C$543 billion of half of outstanding mortgage debt is now mortgage insurance in-force, or total insured covered by federally backstopped insurance, mortgages, at the end of 2014, according to the C.D. Howe report said. The report also financial documents. Genworth MI had recommended that the fund would be able C$365 billion in insured loans as of March to increase or lower premiums to cool the 31, according to a quarterly report. Canada market when needed. Guaranty Mortgage Insurance Co. doesn’t

Vancouver council ponders drastic measure in battle against homelessness From page 1

About 50 per cent of the homeless had been in that category for less than a year. To try improve the situation, council is considering changes to bylaws around single-room accommodation hotels and will listen to speakers on the topic July 22. SRAs often provide shelter as a last resort for people in vulnerable situations, but they’re also the

target of developers, which is why there is consideration of hefty new conversion fees.

Also being contemplated are such steps as requiring a landlord to allow a tenant to return to a renovated room while paying the same rent as before, and developing a grant/ loan to support the improvement of private single-resident occupancy facilities.

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Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 3

4 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

Santoka Jassel (pictured above with his wife Balvir K. Kassel and relatives and friends) celebrated his 65th birthday in Vancouver on June 26. Photo: Chandra Bodalia

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Coconut Curry Soup

Recipe Ingredients

2 cans (14-ounce/400 mL each) of premium coconut milk 1 heaping tablespoon (20 mL) of Thai curry paste the tender stems of 1 bunch of cilantro, rinsed well2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced, 2 cups (500 mL0 of chicken broth, 1 carrot, shredded, 4 or 5 lime leaves, 2 stalks of lemon grass, halved lengthwise, woody leaves removed2 tablespoons (30 mL) of fish sauce the zest and juice of 2 limes a small knob frozen ginger, a handful bean sproutsa 8 ounce (225 g) package rice noodles 1 bunch of cilantro leaves, rinsed well 2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced a sprinkle or two salt or soy sauce Methord: Scoop coconut cream from the top of just one of the cans into a large stockpot set over a medium-high heat. Melt the cream, add the curry paste and stir for a few minutes until they begin to sizzle. Add the cilantro roots and chicken and sautĂŠ until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut juice from the first can and all the contents of the second can along with the chicken broth, carrot, lime leaves, lemon grass, fish sauce and

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lime zest and juice. Grate the frozen ginger into the broth with a Microplane grater or standard box grater. Simmer for 20 minutes or so. Stir in the bean sprouts. Add the rice noodles, gently pushing them beneath the surface of the broth. Turn off the heat and let stand until the noodles soften, about 5 minutes. Rice noodles donâ€™t need to simmer like pasta to cook; they simply need

to rehydrate in the hot liquid. Stir in most of the cilantro leaves. Remove the lemon grass stalks. Taste and season with a touch more salt (or soy sauce) as needed. Ladle into large bowls and garnish with the green onions and remaining cilantro leaves.

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Nagarjuna Impressed By ‘Dohchay’ Director, asks for ascript

ctor-producer Akkineni Nagarjuna is so impressed with Telugu film Dohchay that he has asked its director Sudheer Varma to pen a script for him. “He (Nagarjuna) really liked the film, especially how I managed to keep the last 20 minutes very entertaining. He has asked me to write a script for him. He said we could work together as soon as he’s done with his pending projects,” Varma said. The film features Nagarjuna’s son Naga Chaitanya in a key role. Dohchay, a con-comedy, which is currently running in cinemas, has opened to mixed reviews. It also features Kriti Sanon, Posani Krishna Murali and Brahmanandam. Varma also received a call from actor Ravi Teja, who lauded his film too. “Ravi Teja called me to say how much he enjoyed the film. It was the biggest compliment that I had got for the film since its release,” he said.

8 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

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20 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

NATIONAL

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat organizes religions conference meaningful religious presentations impressed the audience

he Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at of B.C. organized an impressing and enlightening interfaith symposium on harmony and world peace at the conclusion of their holy month of fasting (Ramdan) on July 6, at the Garden Park Tower, Abbotsford. The topic was “ Fasting- An aide to world peace.” Chaudhary Mohammad Aslam Shad, regional president British Columbia elaborated the services rendered by and the achievements made by A.M.J. all over the world. Councilor Lester Barkman, Councilor Sandy Blue, Dr.Darryl Plecas, MLA, Parliamentry Secretary to the Minister of Health for Seniors thanked the organizers for arranging this wonderful interfaith event on the occasion of their holy month of fasting to create awareness about the sad plight of

the countless hungry people of the world. Pastor April Yamasaki-Christianity, Premeya Chatanya-Hinduism, and Maulana Balal KhokarBy Gian Islam, highlighted the Singh Kotli significance of fasting according to their respective faiths and emphasized that true religion lies in helping the needy ones and feeding the hungry people. Gian Singh Kotli said that rituals are right in their own place but the real service to God lies in practically serving the people and to apply the tenets of religion to serve the people wherein He lives. Referring to Sikh Scripture, Kotli said, “Most sublime are those who make truth their fasting, contentment their holy pilgrimage,

compassion their deity and forgiveness their rosary,” It is imperative to know that

our Lord Father is One known by different Names and we all are His Creation (chil-

dren). According to Sikh faith the essence of all religions is God’s Name alone. Therefore we should treat ourselves as the loving member of the one World Family of God.

Canada’s luxury home market running hot and cold, Sotheby’s says

anada’s luxury home market is either hot or cold — depending on where you live. A biannual study of luxury homes — those worth more than $1 million — in four of Canada’s largest cities found two very different results. While luxury real estate is going gangbusters in the markets of Toronto and Vancouver, million-dollar home sales in Calgary are crumbling under this year’s unexpected drop in oil prices. That’s according to Sotheby’s International Realty, which authored a report published Thursday. In Toronto, luxury home sales surged 56 per cent between January and June of this year, compared to the same period in 2014. In Vancouver, sales of similar homes jumped 48 per cent. Sales in Montreal rose a more modest 20 per cent. Nestled between those cities, though, exists an opposite trend. Sales of $1-million homes in Calgary fell 36 per cent compared to the first half of 2014. Sotheby’s says despite seeing several years of record-breaking numbers in Calgary, the oil price crash has created economic uncertainty and bruised consumer confidence, keeping Calgarians

out of the luxury home market this year. ‘Attached’ luxury Aside from ultra-low interest rates and interest from abroad, the reason for surging sales in Toronto and Vancouver, according to Sotheby’s, is high demand for single-family homes and, with it, tight supply. The numbers suggest many homebuyers competed in price wars. For example, 55 per cent of $1 million to $2 million in Vancouver sold above their listing price in first half of 2015. There were also more Canadians shopping for the ‘attached’ luxury home. Sales of town homes, semis and duplexes in the $1-million-to-$2-million range skyrocketed 109 per cent in Vancouver, 70 per cent in Toronto, and 32 per cent in Montreal. The luxury condo market also gained momentum in all three cities, with Toronto leading the country in sales. In another recent report, Sotheby’s said Canada’s hot luxury home market was driven by baby boomers, who are choosing to upsize to more expensive homes rather than downgrade. They’re also helping their kids out with down payments on their homes. These latest figures come amid growing concerns over Canada’s housing market, and the overall indebtedness of Canadians. More and more economists expect the Bank of Canada to cut interest rates further next week, which would likely encourage more borrowing.

NATIONAL

Renovation of Senate’s temporary home $29M over budget

ixing up a temporary home for the Senate has gone over budget by at least $29 million, and Public Works wants to squeeze office-relocation costs for senators to make up the difference. But senators are pushing back. The Senate chamber is being moved to Ottawa’s old railway station starting in 2018, when the Centre Block of Parliament Hill — the Senate’s current location — is slated for a major renovation that will take a decade or more. Public Works had budgeted $190 million to renovate the 1912 heritage structure that sits alongside the Rideau Canal, and to fix it up as a temporary Senate chamber for at least a decade. But over the last few months, engineers and architects have more closely inspected the roof, walls, columns and floors and have found a crumbling heritage structure in far worse shape than they thought. Floors, columns crumbling “After beginning demolition work … it became evident that the deteriorated state of the building and the degree of structural upgrades required to meet modern building seismic codes were higher than anticipated,” said Public Works spokesman Pierre-Alain Bujold. “Additional work now required includes removing and reinforcing existing floor slabs, reinforcing beams and columns throughout the building.” There’s also advanced cor-

rosion of the cast-iron-framed windows throughout the building. The coffered plaster ceilings in the grand hall and concourse have significant structural problems. The building, converted to a government conference centre after the railways left in 1966, has not been upgraded since the 1970s. ‘There was pushback from the Senate.’—Michel Patrice, Senate law clerk Public Works estimates rehabilitation now will cost $219 million — and says it is trying to stay on budget by cutting back on the $80 million earmarked to relocate and fit up offices for 27 senators displaced by the Centre Block renovations. Those relocation costs also include extra space for postal services, security, a loading dock and more. The department wants the Senate to accept new offices farther away from the temporary Senate chamber than first agreed, in downtown Ottawa, which an internal document says could save $24.5 million over 13 years. “[Public Works] has sought approval from the Senate to expand the geographical boundaries … thereby increasing the possibilities of finding suitable accommodation, reducing leasing costs and increasing leasing options,” says a Jan. 30 briefing note for the minister, Diane Finley. But “there was a pushback from the Senate,” says Michel Patrice, law clerk of the Senate, who is in charge of the relocation file for the Red Chamber.

Slow Canadian economy could be spurred by US: Finance Minister

in Vancouver. “But anadian Finance if they see the U.S. Minister Joe Oliver economy in particular says growth in the growing, then I think U.S. could help boost Canathat will be a posida’s economy as both countive sign for them to tries struggle against low oil start investing more prices and instability in Euand that of course rope. While the economy is means more jobs and shrinking and the trade deficit economic growth.” widening, Oliver said he’s still Both TD and Joe Oliver waiting to see the most recent numbers before commenting on wheth- Bank of America are speculater Canada is in a recession. Economists ing the possibility of a recession from Bank of America and TD Econom- will lead Bank of Canada govics are warning Canada is heading there. ernor Stephen Poloz to cut the “The fact that it [the U.S. economy] was bank’s rate as early as next week. “It is likely that the Canadian down in the first quarter obviously undermines confidence of Canadian man- economy was in recession in the ufacturers and other companies to make first half of the year,” TD senior the sort of capital investments based upon economist Randall Bartlett wrote export potential,” Oliver told reporters in the report released Monday.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

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Tom Mulcair, Justin Trudeau vow to promote reconciliation

pposition leaders Tom Mulcair and Justin Trudeau took turns criticizing the Conservative government’s handling of aboriginal affairs under Stephen Harper, in back-to-back speeches to the annual gathering of the Assembly of First Nations in Montreal on Tuesday. Both men laid out their vision for improving the relationship between the federal government and aboriginal people if they become prime minister after this fall’s federal election Mulcair said an NDP government would usher in “a new era” of nation-to-nation relations with indigenous communities, while Trudeau said a Liberal government would work with aboriginal people to build a “renewed relationship.” The office for Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt said the minister was not in attendance because he was in New Brunswick attending “important events.” In a news release issued after the opposition leaders spoke to the AFN, Valcourt’s office said the government is “taking steps aimed at improving First Nations well-being by enabling them to take full advantage of Canada’s economic prosperity. “Meanwhile, the NDP and Liberals con-

tinue to oppose and vote against each of our Government’s efforts to improve the lives of Aboriginals, and favour irresponsible spending instead of concrete, achievable, and necessary action,” Valcourt’s office said.Repealing legislation passed under Harper Mulcair vowed to create and chair a cabinet committee “to ensure federal government decisions respect treaty rights, inherent rights and Canada’s international obligations.” He also vowed to repeal the Anti-Terrorism Act, which his party opposed. Federal NDP Leader Tom Mulcair adresses the Assembly of First Nations general assembly in Montreal The leader of the Official Opposition reiterated his promise that an NDP government would launch a national public inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women within 100 days of taking office. The Liberal leader addressed the need to overhaul the relationship between First Nations and the federal government, including a promise to bolster funding for aboriginal education and targeting the growing socio-economic gap that exists between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians in areas including employment.

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CLASSIFIEDS

Saturday, July 11, 2015

C JOBS “Balwinder Singhmaar, resident of 15095 92 Ave, Surrey, BC V3R 5V8 has a vacancy for In-home Child caregiver for infant child and 9 years old son. Full Time, 40 hrs/week. Applicant must have high school with minimum of 1 year of related experience within last 3 years or 6 months of full time training in caregiving. Job Duties includes supervise and care for children, prepare formulas and change diaper of infant, feeding, bathing, dressing, prepare children for rest period, escort child to school, prepare and serve nutritious meal and snacks, accompany to and from activities & appointments, light housekeeping, laundry, maintain safe environment at home, keep record of day-to-day activities, health and progress of children. Optional accommodation is available at no charge but this is not a condition of employment. Please send resume at balwinderssinghmaar@gmail.com” ------------------------------Jun13_15 5 Long Haul Truck Drivers Reqd. Sal:$23.00/hr, 40hr/wk, +1yr exp. & Class A 0r 1 license reqd., FT/ PT Duties: Operate, drive straight or articulated trucks to transport goods & materials on local routes or over long distances.Plan trip logistics & obtain required documentation to transport goods. Perform pre-trip & post-trip in-

JOBS spection of vehicle systems.Record cargo information, hours of service, distance travelled & fuel consumption.May perform emergency roadside repairs. Lang: English. Work at various location in Canada & USA. Contact: Balwinder from Metro Transport ltd.12772 82nd Ave, Surrey, V3W 3G1 E-mail your resume at metro_transport@yahoo.ca. ------------------------------Jun13_15

1 Optical Frame Fitter Reqd. Sal: $22.00/hr, 40hr/wk, +1yrs exp. or certification reqd., FT/ PT Duties: Obtain specifications for eyeglasses or contact lenses from a prescription. Assist clients in selecting eyeglasses. Grinding & polishing of lenses. Cut & edge lenses & fit lenses into frames. May supervise or manage activities of other opticians. Lang: English. Location: 12841 96 Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3V 6V9 Contact: Imran from Eye See 2020 Optical at opt_eyesee@yahoo.ca. ------------------------------Jun 06_15 Dosa Corner Restaurant Ltd in Vancouver Looking to hire an authentic south indian chef . This is a full time permanent position. $18.50/hr. 40hrs/week. Must have at least 3-5yrs experience in south indian cuisine & specialized knowledge in Dosas. Duties include Prepare & cook meals.kitchen

JOBS

management. Plan menus & quality. Orders food supplies. Mail your resume to selvamm164@ gmail.com or apply by person at DosaCorner Vancouver. 110-8248 Fraser Street. Vancouver. B.C.. V5X 3X6 Ph: 604-324-3672. -----------------------------------Seamstress required Seamstress (Tailor) needed Foam & Décor is looking for Full Time or Part Time Seamstress ( tailor) for drapery in Surrey. Salary will be provided @ 12 per hour. Please call 604-594-1882 Mayuri Indian foods inc is looking to hire an Ethnic Food Cook in Surrey BC. F/T & Perm.$17/hr. Must have at least 2-3 yrs experience in South Indian cuisine & specialized knowledge in Indian spicing. Duties: Prepare & Cook meals; Supervise Kitchen helpers; Plan menus; Ensure quality & determine food proportions; Monitor & order food supplies; Set up & oversee buffets; Manage kitchen operation. Mail resume or apply by person Mayuri indian cuisine , Unit 102A,12677 80th Ave., Surrey BC V3W 3A6 Fax: 604-572-3281 ------------------------------------English Classes for Adults Register for classes September 2-8 For more information,Visit: www. victoryesl.com Call: 604.755.7976 E-mail: victoryesl1@gmail.com ----------------------------

E JOBS

Cook Require Curry junction Restaurant in White Rock need cook immediately, This is a full time permanent position for a experienced person, Depending on experience salary will be upto $21 per hr. with other benefits. Call:604-729-6741 or 604-385-1558 ---------------------------Transworld Security located at 2nd Floor, 5050, Kingsway, Burnaby BC V5H 4H2 is looking for a Static Guard, Static Guard Supervisor, Mobile Supervisor and Field Manager. These are permanent full-time positions. Static Guard pay rate is $13.00 per hour plus vacation pay. You would be required to patrol industrial and commercial premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of doors, windows and gates. Answer alarms and investigate disturbances. Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors and guests. Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency. Circulate among visitors, patrons and employees to preserve order and protect property. Static Guard Supervisor pay rate is $14.00 per hour plus vacation pay. You would be required to oversee and supervise Static Guards. You will need to ensure the duties of the Static Guards you supervise are being completed and the client’s needs are be-

S Matrimonial Seeking a suitable match for Ravidasia Sikh Boy, 30 / 5’10”, Living in Canada, B.Tech. Please send your biodata and pics at aman.shine@gmail. com or contact +1 306 461 3131. ing met. Field Manager pay rate is $18.00 per hour plus vacation pay. You would be required to report to the Director of Operations and you are responsible for supporting, mentoring and supervising the security officers in the field. You will be required to manage the company’s field operations and resources after business hours. Mobile Supervisor pay rate is $18.00 per hour. You would be required to provide ongoing leadership, direction and training. You need to ensure all standing orders and scheduled daily activities are carried out for each shift. You will be required to discipline staff when necessary

To PLACE YOUR AD IN THE ASIAN STAR CLASSIFIEDS Section Please

Call: 604-591-5423

COMMUNITY SHRI DURGA HANUMAN RELIGIOUS & CULTURAL SOCIETY OF BC Cordially Invites All Devotees , Families & Friends to Participate in this very Auspicious Adhik Maas Special Puja : AUSPICIOUS PURSHOTTAM MAAS MAHA PUJA “ on SUNDAY , JULY 12 , 2015 from 2.30 PM to 5.30 PM Followed by MAHA PRASAD . PUJA to be Conducted by : PUJYA SHRI PANDIT SHARADCHANDRA SHASTRIJI Each Family will receive a “ RADHA - PURSHOTTAM “ Photo ; so that , everybody / all Families will Actively Participate in this Auspicious Maha Puja . DATE : SUNDAY , JULY 12 , 2015 TIME : 2.30 PM TO 5.30 PM . PLACE : R.C. ALL SAINTS PARISH HALL , 1405 , COMO LAKE AVENUE , COQUITLAM , BC . [ @ Crestwood St / or @ Schoolhouse Street ] PROGRAM : 1] LORD PURSHOTTAM PUJA [2] LORD PURSHOTTAM SAHASTRA NAMAVALI Recitation and MAHA PUJA to be Performed with great Devotion & Faith to obtain SPECIAL BLESSINGS FROM LORD PURSHOTTAM “ [3] AARTI : 5.25 PM [4] MAHA PRASAD : 5.30 PM MAHA PRASAD Sponsored by Devotees of Shri Durga Hanuman Religious & Cultural Society of BC . For More Info : Please Call : Pujya Shri Pandit SharadChandra SHASTRIJI : [ 604 ] 291 - 6042 . Mr.& Mrs. Mansukhbhai & Kusumben Chauhan : 604-520-1444 ; Mr. & Mrs. Narsihbhai & Manjulaben Dhokia : 604- 931- 4964 ; Mrs & Mr Parveen & Narinder Dhir : 604-525-4842 ; Mr. & Mrs . Yeshwin & Nalini Thaker : 778 - 217-9934 ; Mr. & Mrs. BalKrishna & Neelam Kohli : 604515-0069 ; mr. & Mrs . Dinesh & Jyotsna Patel : 604-433-1974 ; Mr. & Mrs . Vinod & Usha Shah : 604-522- 7864 ; Mr. & Mrs. Girdharbhai & Neelaben Ghadia : 604-291-1155 ; Mr. & Mrs. Pyarelal & Kamlesh Walia : 604-433- 9888 ; Mr. Satpal Sharma : 604-617 - 4501 ; Dr. C.L.Pole : 604-436-3412 . ----------------------------------------------Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members and also non members to attend Educational Awareness Presentation, How to Save Money & How To Make Money by Harjeet Aulakh Senior Marketing Director with World Financial Group and Sunil Kumar Kapadia also with World Financial Group, on July 12th 2015 ( Sunday ) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC. You can ask any questions concerning the Topic of Presentation, Harjeet Aulakh and Sunil Kumar Kapadia will answer your questions. Tea and light snacks will be served in the end. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 for further information. ----------------------------------------------South Asian Seniors are planning to visit Europe though 12 Nights Cruise & 3days tour of Amsterdam Holland in May 2016. The Cruise Itinerary is as follows- Starts from Amsterdam Holland, first stop 1 day visit Berlin Germany, 2nd stop for 1 day visit Tallinn Estonia, 3rd stop 2 days visit St. Petersburg Russia, 4th stop 1 day visit Helsinki Finland, 5th stop 1 day visit Stockholm Sweden, 6th stop 1 day visit Copenhagen Denmark and back to Amsterdam Holland the 13th day morning. All arrangements will be made for your Air Travel, Cruise bookings, all Excursions for all ports and Amsterdam

City, Hotel stay & food in Amsterdam and also pick up service by Bus from Surrey Temple to Vancouver airport and back to Temple from Vancouver airport on return. The Cruise is by Ship Celebrity Silhouette from May 14th 2016 to May 26th 2016. The total tour will be for 15 days from May 12th 2016 to May 28th 2016, the approx. cost per person for every thing will be around $ 4,000.00 US. There are few Cabins available ( Double occupancy ) and if you are interested and can afford to enjoy the luxury in life for yourself for 15 days. The entire amount paid by you will be spent on you, Cancellation except Medical reason will cost you $ 100.00 per person. Please contact Surendra Handa Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 as early as possible because the prices I am holding have limited time offer. ----------------------------------------------Workshop: ESL, Grade 1-12, Adult Education and Postsecondary Education • ESL classes and how to improve your English quickly • Who are the Multicultural Liaison Workers and Settlement Workers in Schools? • Who to contact in your child’s

school for his/her education success? • Graduation requirements for BC high school • For adult learners, how do you transfer credits and what is a challenge exam? • General admission requirements for UBC, SFU, University of Victoria, Capilano University, etc. July 13, 5:30–8:30pm Bob Prittie Metrotown Burnaby Public Library, 6100 Willingdon Ave 604 438 8214 ext 104 Angel --------------------------------------------------Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members and non members also to attend a Power Presentation on Joints Pain, Arthritis and Naturopathy Treatment by Dr. Vinnie Dhillon and Dr. Rajak Randhawa Naturopathic Physicians on July 5th 2015 from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple, 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC. Dr. Dhillon & Dr. Randhawa will answer all your questions about Naturopathy treatment and they will demonstrate some important Exercises for Joints Pain & Arthritis,

Saturday, July 11, 2015

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Please bring your Yoga Matts with you. Tea and light snacks will be served in the end. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator Tel. 604 - 507 9945 for further details. ----------------------------------------------Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults/ Senior members and non members also to attend a Power Presentation on Joints Pain, Arthritis and Naturopathy Treatment by Dr. Vinnie Dhillon and Dr. Rajak Randhawa Naturopathic Physicians on July 5th 2015 from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple, 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC. Dr. Dhillon & Dr. Randhawa will answer all your questions about Naturopathy treatment and they will demonstrate some important Exercises for Joints Pain & Arthritis, Please bring your Yoga Matts with you. Tea and light snacks will be served in the end. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator Tel. 604 - 507 9945 for further details.

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Saturday, July 11, 2015

Business / Finance

IMF slashes outlook for Canadian economy

s uncertainty in Greece and China’s stock market crash wallop global confidence, and more economists here in Canada predict a recession, the IMF is cutting its outlook for the world economy and taking an axe to its Canadian forecast. The International Monetary Fund now expects the global economy to grow 3.3 per cent in 2015, a drop of 0.2 percentage points from its April forecast. For 2016, it maintained its 3.8 per cent prediction. The IMF turned especially gloomy when it came to Canada. It now expects the economy to grow just 1.5 per cent in 2015 versus its prediction in April of 2.2 per cent. “A setback to activity in the first quarter of 2015, mostly in North America, has resulted in a small downward revision to global growth,” wrote the IMF in a release Thursday. Both the U.S. and Canada had treacherous

first quarters. U.S. GDP shrank 0.2 per cent between January and March, but likely due to one-time factors such as the harsh winter weather and port delays. Canada’s economy contracted 0.6 per cent in the first quarter, the first contraction in four years and the largest since 2009. That, of course, was the consequence of a dramatic drop in oil prices and subsequently a huge pullback in business investment. In early trading Thursday, West Texas Intermediate traded at 52.67 a barrel, up by about a dollar. But oil prices fell sharply earlier this week nearly eight per cent, reversing a two-month rebound. It’s still a far cry from the days of $104/barrel oil in late 2014. ‘Likely’ in recession With Statistics Canada reporting negative output in April and the second-worst trade deficit ever, more economists in this country are using the dreaded “r” word for the second quarter.

Joe Oliver predicts solid economic growth this year

ew GDP numbers for the month the price of oil, he said. Now though, with a of April are causing economists barrel of oil stabilizing in the high $50 range, to forecast a possible recession Oliver is predicting a more positive second for Canada, but Finance Minister Joe Oliver half to 2015. “There is an indication that condoesn’t think the bad news will tarnish the sumers are becoming more optimistic and, Conservative brand as good fiscal managers also, manufacturers are looking for a more heading into the election. “I think people robust period ahead,” he said. understand the recent econom“We’re going to have a surplus ic data is a result of external this year equal to the amount events,” he told host Chris Hall we forecasted, which is $1.4 bilin an interview on CBC Radio’s lion. I’m not suggesting there The House, pointing to the fall in aren’t other views out there. the price of oil and internationWe’re monitoring the situation, al instability in countries like of course, but we remain comGreece as factors. Oliver is confortable that we’re going to have fident the country is not headed a solid growth this year.” One toward a recession, despite new of those with a differing opindata from Statistics Canada earJoe Oliver ion is Bank of America econolier this week that shows GDP mist Emanuella Enenajor. has shrunk in each of the first four months “I think the worst is hopefully behind of the year — two-thirds of the way tous, but I don’t know that we’re going to get ward the technical definition of a recession. rip-roaring growth in the latter half of this “We don’t believe there will be [a reyear,” she told The House in a separate intercession],” Oliver said. “We’re expectview. “We got a pretty disappointing GDP ing solid growth for the full year.” read for the month of April, and it sets us up April’s federal budget assumed economic for a very, very weak second quarter. Under growth of about two per cent this year. So far, most reasonable scenarios, we’re going to the numbers show the economy shrank by have a negative quarter, and that’s the second 0.6 per cent in the first three months of the negative quarter in a row. So technically Canyear, and another 0.1 per cent in April. ada likely was in a recession the first half of Canada ‘in a bit of a funk’ The governthis year.” Enenajor also disagrees with Oliment’s budget projection accounts for a weak ver’s outlook for the manufacturing industry. first quarter due to the dramatic decline in

Manulife Bank to install 830 new bank machines across Canada

anulife Bank of Canada has announced it will expand its current fleet of bank machines by 830, installing the new ABMs in Mac’s, Couche-Tard and Circle K convenience stores across the country by the end of September. Right now the institution, which holds over $22 billion in assets, only has 12 ABMs across the country and its customers have been asking for more locations where they can access services, according to Manulife Bank President and CEO Rick Lunny. “Adding 830 [bank machines] is a significant step towards enhancing our customer service,” he said from his company’s Waterloo office on Monday. “They’re looking for more convenience.” While some believe that convenience might be found through a phone app, where an increasing number of Canadians are turning to do their day to day banking, but Lunny says cash is still king. “You know, people talk about

the decline of cash, but frankly its only declining about two per cent per year. So there is a continual need for cash withdrawals from our customer base,” he said. While the 830 new ABMs from Manulife account for only a fraction of the more than 18,000 ABMs offered nationwide by Canada’s big banks, it shows the company is looking to compete and not only keep its old customers happy, but also court new ones, according to one analyst. “What it indicates is that they do plan to have a strong presence and to get a return on this type of investment, they will have to have a strong customer base,” said Chatura Ranaweera, a business professor at Wilfrid Laurier University who studies the relationships between businesses and their cus-

tomers. “Given that this is a countrywide expansion, it indicates that they may be having some growth planned for the next few years,”

Business / Finance

LNG protected from tax hikes for 25 years “good for the company but not good for British Columbians”

he B.C. government has agreed to compensate a major liquefied natural gas project if it raises taxes on the LNG industry for a 25-year period after the plant starts shipping. Finance Minister Mike de Jong released details on Monday of the $36-billion deal it reached in May with Pacific NorthWest LNG, a consortium led by Malaysian energy giant Petronas which wants to build an LNG export terminal near Prince Rupert. Under the terms of the agreement, B.C.

has agreed to compensate the LNG consortium if taxes on the industry are raised, natural gas tax credits are reduced or new carbon taxes targeting the LNG sector are imposed. But the minister says the agreement does not protect the company from increases in provincial sales and corporate taxes. De Jong says the deal gives the company the

certainty it needs to make a final investment decision on a project he says should contribute more than $9 billion into provincial coffers in its first decade and create up to 4,500 jobs. “It provides a measure of stability that says to them, here are the rules of the game that will govern this industrial activity within this jurisdiction for the term of the agreement and they can bank on that and know those rules are not likely to change,” he said. NDP MLA Bruce Ralston says it’s a good deal for the company, but not good enough for British Columbians. He says it should have contained firmer commitments on jobs and training. The project faces a number of hurdles including opposition from native groups who have vowed to fight it in court. In May, the Lax Kw’alaams Band rejected a $1 billion deal with Pacific NorthWest LNG to build a pipeline and terminal in Prince Rupert. On Monday, those opposed gained another supporter when the Gitga’at First Nation announced it would launch a judicial review of the LNG project, claiming it had been excluded from the provincial environmental assessment. The project is still awaiting federal environmental approvals.

Canada needs $9-billion fund to shield it from severe housing crash, C.D. Howe warns

anada needs to be better prepared to weather a housing crash that would leave taxpayers and mortgage insurers on the hook, according to a report. The country should build a fund to cover taxpayer losses of as much as $9 billion, which the government could tap in case of mass defaults, according to a report from the C.D. Howe Institute scheduled for release Wednesday. The fund would build up reserves over 50 years through an additional charge on mortgage-insurance products, be overseen by the government and have a quasi-regulatory role. The sole purpose of the agency would be to staunch the effects of a U.S.-style

housing collapse. The fund could issue bonds secured by future fee premiums in case a crash occurs before sufficient reserves have been built up. “These big events happen, they don’t happen very often, but they’re costly when they do,” James MacGee, one of the report authors and associate professor of economics at Western University, said by phone. “What we want to do is redesign the Canadian mortgage-insurance infrastructure.” Home affordability declines in Toronto, Vancouver as RBC warns of rate hike shock A third of Canadians would struggle if mortgage rate grew by only 1%, survey finds Bank of Canada says household debt, housing price crash remain major concern for economy

Bank of Canada sees ‘encouraging signs’ outside of oil sector

he Bank of Canada says business sentiment in this country is generally starting to improve thanks to a strengthening U.S. economy, but low oil prices are still drawing blood in energy-related sectors, leaving the door open for another rate cut. In its quarterly business outlook survey, the central bank surveyed 100 representative companies across various industries. It found that “while forward-looking indicators of business activity remain low, they edged up modestly, supported by a generally positive outlook for the U.S. economy. However, sales expectations deteriorated sharply in energy-producing regions, where the oil price shock continues to weigh importantly on business sentiment.” Across all industries, the outlook for sales is optimistic, with 40 per cent of those surveyed expecting sales to grow at a faster rate over the next 12 months. Many firms attributed that projection to the U.S. economy and the lower Canadian dollar. In terms of hiring, the survey found businesses overall have weak intentions — still below post-recession levels. But

when the energy sector is stripped out, there are plans to boost investment in sectors like manufacturing which benefit from a low loonie and slumping oil prices. The Bank of Canada’s summer survey was conducted between mid-May and mid-June. Capital spending cuts A separate reading of sentiment is far less rosy, and shows businesses across the board are slashing spending plans. Based on a survey of 25,000 public and private companies by Statistics Canada, capital expenditures in non-residential construction and machinery and equipment are expected to total $251.8 billion in 2015, down 4.9 per cent from 2014. Unsurprisingly, the deepest cuts are in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector, which expects to spend 18.7 per cent less this year than in 2014. However, it’s important to note the timing of that survey. The sectors were interviewed between October 2014 and January 2015, when the oil price shock led to an “atrocious” first quarter, as described by Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz. The economy shrank 0.6 per cent in the first three months of the year, the largest contrac-

Saturday, July 11, 2015

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PUNJAB

Saturday, July 11, 2015

4 cops among 6 booked for abetting suicide

arn Taran: Six persons, including four unidentified policemen, have been booked under Section 306, 452, 506, 34 of the IPC for forcing Kewal Singh (60), a resident of Manochahal Kalan village, to commit suicide today in his house. Some financial dealing was said to be the reason for the suicide. The accused include Baldev Singh of Bhuchar Kalan village and Shinda, former Sarpanch of the same village, in addition to the four unidentified policemen. The accused had gone to Manochahal

Kalan village as Kewal Singh owed Baldev Singh some money in connection with the sale of buffaloes. Shamsher Singh, son of the deceased, told the police that the accused came to his house and started abusing and hitting his father in the presence of other family members. Kewal Singh took it as an insult and consumed some poisonous substance. He was taken to a local private hospital but he couldn’t survive. None of the accused has been arrested, said the police.

3 women nabbed for blackmailing taxi driver with obscene photos

YAMUNANAGAR: Three women were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly blackmailing a taxi driver by threatening to make his obscene photographs public and extorted money from him. They had allegedly taken Rs 50,000 and demanded another Rs 20,000 from him, said the Yamunanahar police. The arrested women are residents of Farkpur in Yamunanagar. Police said the accused women first took obscene photos of the taxi driver by laying a trap and later started blackmailing

him. “Three women contacted me for hiring a taxi for a tour to Kurukshetra a week ago. On reaching Kurukshetra, they took obscene snaps of me and after returning to Yamunanagar they started blackmailing me. First they demanded Rs 30,000, and few days later another Rs 20,000 while threatening to lodge a police complaint against me by showing the obscene photos,” alleged Narender Kumar, a resident of Chopra Garden, Yamunanagar.

CAT stays promotions of income tax inspectors Chandigarh, Nine income tax inspectors (petitioners) got a major relief from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) as the tribunal stayed the promotions of income tax inspectors to posts of income tax officer after the eligibility list was challenged. The nine petitioners, who are income tax inspectors, have challenged the eligibility list based upon which the consideration for promotion was to take place. The petitioners alleged that the eligibility

list was based on the provisional seniority list in which objections had been called till July 6. Based on that provisional list, the eligibility list was circulated on July 1 itself even before the objections were raised, it has been alleged. The case has now been adjourned to July 15. The CAT has issued a notice to the Secretary, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi, the Central Board of Direct Taxes, New Delhi, and the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, North-West Region, to file a reply.

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Amritsar Declaration was not about separate state: Amrinder

ongress Deputy Leader of Opposi- party workers would be cancelled. Besides, tion in Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder old-age pension would be increased to Rs Singh said the Amritsar Declara- 2,000 per month.” On high prices of sand, he said: “The farmtion was not about “Khalistan”, but about the er from whose land the sand is mined should rights of states under the Constitution. have the sole right on it. We will give farmers Captain said Chief Minister Parkash Singh these rights.” Congress Legislature Party leadBadal had already started following the Paner Sunil Jakhar criticised the government for thic agenda with an eye on the 2017 Assembly failing to distribute ration under the Atta-Dal elections. The former CM was here to hold a rally as part of his mass contact programme scheme. Reminding the gathering of Punjab for workers in Attari and Majitha constitu- Termination of Water Agreements Act 2004, encies organised by Tarsem Singh DC and Jakhar said: “Badal had said the SYL canal Sukhjinder Singh Lally Majithia, respectively. would not carry water, but blood of Punjabis. Taking a jibe at Badal for his Sangat Darshan programmes, Amarinder said it was around two centuries ago that rulers would organise such functions. He said Badal should stop playing such “gimmicks” and focus on governance. He alleged Badal had not uttered a word when farmers were facing problems due to non-proAmarinder Singh at a rally near Amritsar curement of their crops. “Now when the Haryana CM is issuing state- Had there a strong leader at the helm of state’s ments that he would press for the completion affairs, no one would have dared to ask for of the SYL canal, Badal is again mum,” he Punjab’s water.” Jakhar claimed Akali MPs stood behind said, adding the state needed a strong leader. Captain alleged Badal had failed in handling the BJP on land acquisition Bill in Parliadrug issue and his party men were hand-in- ment, but in Punjab, Badal stated that farmgloves with drug smugglers. He said the po- ers’ consent was must before acquiring land. lice had arrested only petty drug addicts and “He (Badal) should stop befooling people none of the big smugglers was held. At a rally and show guts by submitting his resignain Majitha, Amarinder held Cabinet Minis- tion if he feels helpless,” he said. Around 12 ter Bikram Singh Majithia responsible for MLAs, including Rana Gurjit Singh and OP harassing Congress workers. He said: “If the Soni, and several other leaders were present. party comes to power, all false FIRs against Some speakers even sought appointment of Captain as leader of the party in the state.

Kahira threatens high court action if AIIMS not set up in Doaba Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira today led a protest in front of the office of the district administration claiming that if the ruling Badal family did not shift the AIIMS back from Bathinda to Doaba as had been proposed earlier, he would move the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the matter. Khaira slammed CM Parkash Singh Badal for taking the decision in favour of his daughter-in-law and Union Minister Harsimrat Badal for cheap political gains, depriving a major part of the state of the facility. “It is a matter of shame that he is trying to corner all major developmental projects for his home districts of Muktsar and Bathinda. The allocation also exposes how helpless he is when it comes to the ego of his daughterin-law,” Khaira said. Khaira also attacked

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Mohali’s wait for Mayor gets longer

ohali residents’ wait for their first-ever Mayor is getting longer. The Punjab Discount and High Court has set July 22 as the next date of hearing on a petition of

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his arch-rival and former minister Bibi Jagir Kaur saying that she was least interested in the welfare of the people of her area as she has not uttered a word against the shifting of the AIIMS. “BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia still has been somewhat vocal,” he said, hitting out at Union Minister of State Vijay Sampla. “He represents the region at the Centre. At least, he should have shown the guts to not allow a project coming from PM Narendra Modi to go straight to the CM’s daughterin-law’s constituency.” The Congress leader told the gathering, “The CM had instructed the district administrations of Kapurthala and Jalandhar to arrange for 200 acres for the AIIMS. Thereafter, DC Kapurthala had sent a proposal of land belonging to Ramidi village on National Highway No. 1.”

Congress councillor Kuljit Singh Bedi, seeking the intervention of the court in conducting the Mayor’s election immediately. The High Court has combined Bedi’s petition with the review petition of the Punjab Government, the next hearing of which is also slatedwith forthis Julycoupon 22. The state government had filed a petition before the double bench of the High Court, challenging the order of its single bench in which it had allowed peexpires Dec. 31 titions against the move of the state government to reserve the Mohali Mayor’s post for women on April 20. The state government had reserved the post of Mayor for women on March 4 after the results of the MC elections were declared on February 26. Apparently, the seat was reserved in a bid to prevent SAD rebel and real estate tycoon Kulwant Singh from becoming the Mayor of the city. The election of Mayor in Mohali has been entangled in back-to-back court cases. Bedi alleged that the Akalis did not want to conduct the election as they were aware that they would not able prove a majority in the House. “So first they (Akalis) reserved the seat for women “unethically” and then filed a review petition,” said Bedi. In the 50-seat House, the SAD-BJP combine had bagged 23 seats and needs three more seats to prove its majority (26 seats) in the House. Kulwant Singh’s Azad Group had won 11 seats. After losing one of their senior members, Amteshwar Kaur, who died in the recent past, the group now has 10 seats in its kitty.

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fOOD INDIA

6 i Saturday - April 4, 2015

Shanghai bloc membership ‘good’ for India, Pakistan ties

rime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the seventh BRICS summit in Ufa today, followed by participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The BRICS summit, which will begin today, will see an official welcome as well as the customary meeting that leaders have with the members of the BRICS business council. The theme of this summit is ‘ BRICS partnership: A powerful factor for Global Development’, which covers both political and economic issues. However, the emphasis is on economic cooperation. The Prime Minister will also be participating in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The SCO summit is likely to see India, which is currently an observer of the grouping, acquire full membership. Prime Minister Modi, who arrived in Ufa on Wednesday, interacted with the Russian President Vladimir Putin, before holding an 85-minute-long meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. India and Pakistan’s bid for inclusion in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a “good sign” for relations between

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Congress demands separate CBI probe in Vyapam deaths

olted by evidence of cover-up in the 2012 death of an Ujjain medical student said to have secured admission through Vyapam, the Congress today sought a separate CBI probe into Vyapam deaths. While the Opposition pegs the number of dead accused and witnesses in the case at 49, the Madhya Pradesh police say the number is 25. “We demand two Supreme Court-monitored CBI probes – one to investigate the Vyapam scam and another to investigate 49 deaths linked with the scam,” Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hand with Russian President Vladimir Putin the neighbours. The two countries at present have observer status in the SCO, but want to become permanent members. The SCO group - including the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia and China - was formed in 2001 to curb extremism in the region and enhance border security.

i 29

spokesperson RPN Singh today said, attacking the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister for “sinister silence” on the issue of deaths in his letter to the MP High Court yesterday seeking a CBI probe. The Opposition’s demand came after proof of botch-up in the investigation of the death of Namrata Domar, a 19-year-old medical student in 2012, surfaced. Her body was found on Ujjain railway tracks. Though the autopsy revealed “homicide”, the local police closed the case in 2014 calling it a suicide.

Mumbai 2006 train bombing victim Parag Sawant dies

n Indian man has died after spending nine years in hospital with severe brain injuries suffered in the 2006 bombing of commuter trains in Mumbai. Parag Ingredients Sawant, 36, whose wife was pregnant with their daughter when he was admit• 250g boneless chicken ted, spent two years in a coma and was then in a semi-conscious state, his doctor told • 2tbsp rapeseed oil PTI news agency. On 11 July 2006 one of seven bombs exploded in his train carriage. • 1 medium red onion The bombings killed at least 187 people and injured more than 800, PTI said. The bombs • 3 large tomatoes were packed into seven pressure cookers and put in bags during the evening rush hour. • ½ cup cashew nuts “He was in a deep coma for about two years and then his condition gradually improved • 100g tomato puree into a semi-conscious state where he would understand simple commands,” neurosurgeon • 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves BK Misra said. Mr Sawant died when his lungs and heart stopped and he could not be • 100ml low fat cream resuscitated. • 1tsp garam masala • 1tsp red chilli powder • 1tbsp ginger- garlic paste olice in Kerala have arrested the cluding a broker, have also been arrested • 2tbsp thick low fat yoghurt mother and stepfather of a teenage woman in the northern Indian suspended in connection with the case. The 37-yearand • salt toUttar taste Pradesh Chief Minister girl for allegedly forcing her into the state of Uttar Pradesh has died af- Akhilesh Yadav has ordered an inquiry into old mother has seven children - the oldsex trade for two years. The 13-year-old has ter alleging that she was set on fire the case. The incident took place on Monest is 24 years old and the youngest is aged been rescued and taken to a state-run shelter by two policemen inside a police station after day in Barabanki town, senior police official four. Her 55-year-old husband worked Procedure: home. She has told counsellors that her parshe refused to pay a bribe. Neetu Dwivedi, the as a driver and would solicit customers Marinate the chicken with the ginger garlic paste and the yoghurt for 20 min. soak the cashew in warm water for 15 minutes.chop onions and tomatoes. 1 tbsp Abdul Hameed said. MrsHeat Dwivedi, who susents would solicit customers and force her to 40, told a magistrate before her death thatsame showing the girl’s photograph, police said. oil to a pan. sear the chicken pieces in the hot oil for 1 minute on each side to a golden colour. remove the chicken pieces. in the pan, 80% add 1tbsp oilwas andadmitted the chopped tained burns, to hospital have sex with the men. Her mother has told a policemen askedonher for 100,000 The family lived in a rented house in the onions. saute till a translucent pink. Add the tomatoes, red chili powder, garam masalathe powder and cook medium flamerupees till the tomatoes arecapital, tenderLucknow, (approx. 4-5 in the state where she died news channel that she would charge 3,000 ruShe had goneto tothe thepan police northern town Kottakal Malappuram minutes). remove from flame and run in a blender withofthe soakedin cashews to make a($1,578). smooth paste. return andstation add the tomato puree. Bring toIna boil and add on Tuesday morning. her dying declarapees ($47) from a customer for her daughter. to freeand her simmer husband,for who had beenBroil detained district. In 2011, theispolice in Kerala arrested the chicken pieces. simmer for 4-5 minutes till the chicken cooked. Add the low fat cream 2 minutes. the fenugreek leavesa on a pan. crush the tion before magistrate and reporters, she Police said they had identified 25 of the father of a 17-year-old fenugreek leaves over the curry and remove from fire. serve hot. girl for forcing her for questioning in a crime. The accused po- alleged that she was abused and humiliated the 40 customers who had allegedly paid to have sex for money with up to 200 men. licemen deny the charge and say she tried to by her attackers when she refused to pay the for sex with the teenager. Ten others, inimmolate herself. The policemen have been bribe.

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Saturday, July 11, 2015

NRI jailed for 14 years in extortion scheme

EW YORK: An Indian-American has been jailed for more than 14 years and fined US $ one million for running a massive extortion ring from India-based call centres in which he and his co-conspirators impersonated American officials and threatened to arrest victims unless they made payments. Sahil Patel, 36, of Pennsylvania was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following the completion of his 14 and a half year prison term. Patel had pleaded guilty in January 2015 to his role in organizing the US side of a massive fraud and extortion ring run through various “call centers” located in India, through which he and his coconspirators impersonated FBI and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officials and threatened victims with arrest and financial penalties unless they made payments to avoid purported charges. Patel and his co-conspirators also used several layers of wire transactions in order to conceal the destination and nature of the extorted payments, which totaled at least US $ 1.2 million. In imposing the sentence here yesterday, US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said there was need to impose a “very serious sentence” to deter others from committing similar crimes.

Indian-Americans raise US $ 75,000 for eye hospital in Bihar

ASHINGTON: Indian-Americans have raised US $ 75,000 at a recent fund raiser in California to build a state- of-the-art 200-bed super speciality eye-hospital in Bihar. The Shankara Eye Foundation and the Bihar Foundation USA have pledged to raise US $ 4 million towards the initial capital cost of the project, that aims to conduct 25,000 free surgeries every year. It would benefit more than one lakh people of Bihar every year, said Rai Rajiv Kumar Sinha, vice chairman of Bihar Foundation of USA. The foundation held its fund raiser in the last week of June in Cupertino Community hall, San Francisco bay area, a media release said on Saturday. The annual function of Bihar Foundation was attended by eminent Bihari-Americans. Dr Jayant Kumar, project officer of the foundation, announced the US $ 75,000 donation on behalf of the project core committee as the first foundational step towards success of the project.

NRI jailed for six years for Ponzi scheme

EW YORK: A 34-year-old Indian-American investment manager has been sentenced to six years in prison for defrauding investors of millions of dollars through a Ponzi scheme to fund his “extravagant lifestyle”, and has been ordered to pay over US $ 9 million in penalty. Neal Goyal fraudulently obtained millions of dollars from investors in a sophisticated Ponzi scheme to fund his extravagant lifestyle was sentenced to six years in federal prison. He was the sole managing member

and founder of an asset management firm and was also ordered to pay more than USD 9.2 million in restitution, by US district Judge Matthew Kennelly. Goyal had pleaded guilty in February to one count of wire fraud and has been ordered to surrender to begin serving his sentence on September 17 this year. “Goyal was running a Ponzi scheme and he stole much of his investors’ money to prop up his extravagant lifestyle,” Assistant US Attorney Kenneth Yeadon argued in a government sentencing memorandum.

SOUTH ASIA

New constitution in two months: Nepal deputy PM

epal’s deputy Prime Minister Bamdev Gautam has expressed confidence that a new constitution will be promulgated in the country in two months and said the devastating earthquake on April 25 brought the quibbling political parties together in finalizing the much-delayed document. “We would be able to declare the constitution in two months from now,” Gautam told IANS in an interview at his residence here last week. Gautam said the new constitution will be secular and the state will not create any obstacle in the practise of religion. He said people who had lost their houses during the devastating April earthquake and the aftershocks that followed were being provided temporary shelters during the monsoon and the task of reconstruction will be taken up in full swing once the rains get over. “We have reached the last stage of relief work. After this, we will engage in rebuilding and rehabilitation. A

plan has been made and it will be implemented. It (the earthquake) is a national calamity and one needs courage to fight an adversity. We have sought to boost the morale of the people,” Gautam told IANS. Over 8,500 people were killed and more than 23,000 injured in Nepal’s devastating earthquake that also flattened numerous villages in central and western regions of the Himalayan nation rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Asked about the ongoing constitution-making process in the country, Gautam said 90 percent of the political parties were in favour of promulgating the new constitution soonest but there had been some disturbances by the dissenting minority during meetings of the Constituent Assembly recently. He said that after Nepal’s four major political parties gave their nod to a federal model following a 16-point agreement in June, there was hope that the Constitution will be promulgated in a month.

Bangladesh police identify 7 suspects in blogger’s murder Bangladesh police said today seven people belonging to a home-grown Islamist militant group took part in the brutal murder of a Bangladeshi-born US atheist blogger in Dhaka in February. All seven followed Avijit Roy on the night of February 26 and then brutally hacked him to death in a busy road on the Dhaka University campus when Roy and his wife were returning from a book fair. “In primary investigation police detectives have identified seven of those who took part in the killing,” Dhaka police spokesman Muntasirul Islam told AFP, adding none of them have been arrested. “What our investigation has found is that all seven are members of the banned Islamist militant group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT),” he said, referring to the little known group whose activists were charged with the murder of another atheist blogger. The government banned ABT in May this year for its alleged involvement in the murders of atheist bloggers.

FIJI

Woman, 45, in court over expatriate’s death

he driver of a vehicle that allegedly killed a 45-yearold expatriate will appear at the Lautoka Magistrates Court today. The 45-year-old woman has been charged with one count of dangerous driving occasioning death.According to police, the accused allegedly tried to overtake a sugarcane laden truck outside of Lautoka City when she allegedly hit the victim who was cycling towards Ba. Thedeath of an expatriate in a car accident in Lautoka this week has shocked many who worked and knew him as a hardworking man. The victim was United Nations Capital Development Fund regional technical advisor Reuben Summerlin. He was cycling towards Ba on Monday morning when he was hit by a car overtaking a cane truck just outside Lautoka City. Remembering Mr Summerlin were

No payments for accident victims

he families of the bus fire victims at Navuevu in Nadroga have not received any money from the $240,000 mentioned in Parliament on Tuesday. This was made known to Parliament by Opposition backbencher Anare Vadei through a point of order. Vadei, through standing order 81, said the families “haven’t received the $20,000 as informed by the minister”. Niko Nawaikula concurred with Vadei saying the Minister for Transport Parveen Kumar, had initially said the money was paid by the Government and later said it was the insurance company that had paid the compensation. Nawaikula sought clarification on the issue as to who paid the funds because it was bordering on misrepresentation. For the two points of orders, Speaker of Parliament Dr Jiko Luveni has given the minister time to respond at a later date. Kumar had on Monday responded to a question raised by Opposition’s Viliame Gavoka on what had been done to families of victims of the bus fire in his Nadroga Province in 2008, to which the minister said they had been paid $20,000 per family which totalled $240,000.

Gay marriages not a ‘priority’

ame-sex marriages are not a priority of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community, says Sulique Waqa, the co-ordinator of the Haus of Khameleon which is a safe haven for LGBTQ members. Speaking on behalf of the community, she explained: “For us in the Pacific we welcome the announcement by the (US) Supreme Court to have 50 states in the US legalise samesex marriage. “To us that’s a positive move in terms of the LGBTQ quality movement around the world but to us in the Pacific, we want to make sure that our position is clear in terms of same-sex marriage — it is not a priority at the moment.” Waqa made this statement to this newspaper after being asked about the implications same-sex marriages would have on the country. “Because we feel like before we start talking about same-sex marriage we need to equally look at the critical issues that we have been fighting for

the past decade and the past years as LGBTQ activists in the Pacific,” she said.

Opposition hands in petition

peaker of Parliament Dr Jiko Luveni has ruled that the petition handed in by the Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa be given to the Standing Committee on Social Affairs. She also clarified to Parliament that the two Bills ? Rotuma Lands Bill and the Rotuma Bills ? have been tabled in Parliament but have not been referred to any standing committee. This she did after the Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum raised a point of order regarding the capacity of the House to refer the petition to a Bill that was already with a standing committee. Ro Teimumu, in presenting the petition, said it was from Rotuman’s and friends of Rotuman’s humbly asking the House to stop and defer the further tabling and reading and the passing into law of the two Bills.

colleagues at the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) in Suva where the 45-year-old had been working since 2012. “Today, the financial inclusion world has lost an important voice,” said AFI head of policy programs and initiatives Eliki Boletawa. “He was a great friend to a lot of us here in the AFI network, and one who worked relentlessly on behalf of the people of the Pacific Islands. “Reuben was an outgoing, warm and thoughtful person who touched the lives of many. “He was truly one of a kind.” According to the NGO, Mr Summerlin was the regional technical adviser for UNCDF and manager of the Pacific Financial Inclusion Program team where he played an instrumental role in the launch of AFI’s Pacific Islands Regional Initiative (PIRI) in May 2015 in Timor-Leste.

Good News!

Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 31

Good News!

“Very briefly, these honourable people brought this petition to our office when they were ignored, shunned and cast aside by Government,” Ro Teimumu said. She said this was when they had questioned the Government of the day why they were not consulted before the Bills were tabled in Parliament. Dr Luveni later said petitions were a fundamental right of the citizens which was preserved in the standing committee. “The petition that has been tabled this morning with Bills before the Parliament is clearly within the house’s jurisdiction,” she said. She added though the Bills were read for the first time on May 14th, “I should point out that those Bills have yet to be referred to the standing committee.”

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32 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

Three arrested in rape, sexual abuse and extortion of boys and girls

asur, Punjab: Ganda Singh police booked a gang of 15 people and arrested three of them on charges of sodomy, rape, extortion and threatening `hundreds’ of boys and girls while recording their videos. Sheikhupura Regional Police visited the Ganda Sindh Police Station and assured the villagers of justice. Police have lodged four first information reports (FIRs) on the complaint of as many victim families. Earlier most of other victims were reluctant to speak up. The gang, according to the FIRs, had recorded videos while sodomising young boys and raping girls and extorted millions of rupees as well as gold jewellery from villagers since 2009. Reportedly, the entire village was aware of the alleged offence but no one dared report it to police as the suspects were allegedly influential. Suspects would sexually exploit boys, girls, make videos to blackmail their families According to a villager, a a woman had contacted Ganda Singh police station when the suspects had sodomised her young son, but she was forced to reconcile. Another villager who requested anonymity, brought the matter to the fore. He claimed a political figure had tried to occupy 93 kanals of state property in the village when a non-governmental organisation told him they would provide him funds to build a school and sports ground. The piece of land was once bought in an auction by the suspects but a stay order had been issued on its purchase. The suspects allegedly warned the influential man against the land’s occupation after which he decided to encourage victim families to raise their voice. On July 1, police registered three FIRs and another on July 6 against 15 suspects under sections 377, 384, 385 and 506 of Pakistan Penal Code.

Key witness in former Prime Minister Bhutto’s killing turns hostile

key witness in former prime

minister Benazir Bhutto’s murder case has retracted from his statement during cross examination before the Anti-Terrorism Court, media reported. Prosecution witness, retired SSP Imtiaz, a key security official of Bhutto withdrew his earlier statement before Judge Rai Ayub who is hearing the case. Imtiaz told the ATC that a foolproof

Chinese, US & Pak officials participated in Taliban talks

slamabad: US, Chinese and Pakistani officials were present as observers at the meeting between Afghan government and Taliban representatives at Murree, a hill resort on the outskirts of Islamabad. Pakistan’s foreign office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah confirmed this on Wednesday, highlighting China’s increasing role in the Afghan peace process. Beijing had recently hosted a meeting between top Afghan peace envoy, Masoom Stanakzai, and Taliban representatives at Urumqi in Western China with Islamabad’s help. Khalilullah said the two sides agreed to meet again after Ramazan ends in two weeks and to con-

security cover was provided to Bhutto outside Liaqat Bagh Rawalpindi stadium where she was assassinated in a gun-andbomb attack on December 27, 2007. He added all police officers were present on the scene to provide security to Bhutto. Earlier, Imtiaz had claimed that Bhutto was killed due to inadequate security arrangements at Liaqat Bagh where the former Prime Minister had delivered her last speech.

tinue talks to create an environment conducive for peace and reconciliation. “Both major parties (Afghanistan and Taliban) agreed that for lasting peace in the region, each side would approach the process with sincerity and full commitment.’’ Mullah Abbas Akhund, who served as health minister when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, led the three-member insurgent delegation in talks with Afghan deputy foreign minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai. The two sides have held informal meetings several times. But it was the first time that Kabul had sent an official team to Pakistan for talks with the Taliban.

If needed, we can use nuclear weapons: Defence Minister

f we need to use nuclear weapons for “our survival, we will”, said Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif. Asif told Saleem Safi on Geo News programme ‘Jirga’ that use of nuclear weapons was an option as they were not

kept merely for show but as deterrents. “We should pray that such an option never arises, but if we need to use them (nuclear weapons) for our survival, we will,” he said on Monday. He also said that “fuelling terrorism directly or indirectly is India’s proxy war in Pakistan”.

Drones will tear us apart: Pak pop’s war fixation

lover’s eyes compared to a drone strike, a smile to a suicide bomb and lips to fire. The violence of Pakistan’s bloody insurgency has been injected into catchy pop lyrics after more than a decade of war against Islamists opposed to all forms of song and dance. Some of the hit songs are regarded as deeply poignant in the country’s conservative Pashtun belt — but others are criticised as sensationalist, and accused of capitalising on the brutality. “Come, look straight into my eyes, attack my heart, come destroy everything, come destroy everything,” croons popular singer Rahim Shah in the video to “Shaba Tabahi Oka” (Come On Destroy Everything), as the famous Pashto-language film hero Arbaaz Khan dances. An actress gyrates her hips in response, singing: “Look at me, bomb my heart, come destroy everything.” Then the hero, jumping, rolling and dancing, replies: “My Laila is carrying bombs in her eyes, you are killing me with your eyes, your lips are on fire — your short top is killing me and your trousers are tight.” The song, which accompanies the popular 2012 Pashto film “Ghaddar” (Traitor), is still a top hit on video websites such as YouTube and Dailymotion. Pashto is the main language of northwest Pakistan, which has borne the brunt of the country’s bloody decade-long battle with homegrown Islamist insurgents — and the focus of the CIA’s drone missile campaign against militant commanders. The frequency of the violence people have witnessed in that time has seeped into popular culture, artists say, leaving a sometimes incongruous mark on the region’s cultural output. In another Pashto movie, “Da Khkulo Badshahi Da” (Beautiful Are Always Crowned), released in 2014, a wiggling actress sings at the centre of a group of armed men, some clutching bottles of liquor and dancing.

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AUTO

Car dashboards that act like smartphones raise safety issues

hen it comes to dashboard say is safe.” His research shows that readdisplays that are more like ing the average text message-a function smartphones, two things are some of the screens support-takes four clear: Customers want them, and auto- seconds, far longer than what he considers makers are intent on supplying them. safe. But for automakers and their cusBut are they really a good idea? tomers, the souped-up screens are proving Car companies answer with an emphatic irresistible. In an Audi A3, for example, yes. They say outsized dashboard displays drivers who sync their phones with their that behave more like smartphones will cars can check for mentions of themselves boost revenue and attract buyers. And on Twitter and see those tweets on their they also insist the new screens will make dashboards-although not their full Twitter driving less dangerous, because of well-in- streams. They can upload photos taken on tegrated voice smartphones controls and large and request touch screens that mapping to will keep drivers the place the from fumbling photo was with more dantaken. Text gerous mobile messages phones. pop up on But the increasthe dashingly elaborate screens have board, in addition to also sparked a broad debate Carmakers argue being read out loud. “If about how much technology is they improve safety you don’t provide someappropriate in a car. “I think thing that is useful, peothey (the screens) raise serious by stopping drivers ple will just use their from looking public safety questions,” said smartphones, and we all Joe Simitian, the former Calat smartphones know that’s the biggest ifornia lawmaker who speardriver distraction there headed the state’s laws on phone use while is,” said Mark Dahncke, a spokesman for driving. “From a legislative standpoint, this Audi. Up to now, dashboard technology is going to be something legislators strug- hasn’t factored highly into most car buygle with for years to come.” ing decisions, but carmakers expect it to “You can’t be looking at a screen and be become increasingly important over looking at the road at the same time,” said the next 3-5 years. A recent study David Strayer, a professor of cognition and by the market research company J.D. neural science at the University of Utah, Power found that about 15 percent of who has written several studies on dis- consumers rule out buying a car if it lacks tracted driving. The screens “are enabling the latest technology, compared with just 4 activities that take your eyes off the road for percent a year ago. longer than most safety advocates would

Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 33

Apple CarPlay or Google Android Auto will be in nearly all new cars by end of 2015

y the end of the year, nearly every major automaker will begin offering Apple’s CarPlay or Google’s Android Auto, two systems that effectively turn a car’s dashboard screen into a smartphone. General Motors made the biggest move so far Wednesday, announcing that both systems will be available in seven 2016 Chevrolet models starting in the summer. The Apple system will appear in seven additional Chevy models. Earlier in the week, Hyundai announced the Android system in the Sonata midsize car Experts say the move to systems devised in Silicon Valley is an admission by the automakers that people favour the way their smartphones work over the automakers’ own touch screens and voice commands, which have been prone to glitches. The in-house systems have cost the car companies millions and dinged their quality ratings. ‘We just want familiar’ People are familiar with smartphones and have music libraries, podcasts, social media contacts and other personal items on them, said Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies, a technology research firm in San Jose, Calif. Automakers, he said, have realized that most drivers e r e d learning a can’t be bothwhole new car-

based system. “We just want familiar. We want our content, our services that we already own on our phone. We just want the car to have the representation

of that on demand,” Bajarin said. To get the systems, GM customers will have to purchase a new Chevrolet equipped with the brand’s MyLink touch screens, which are available on many entry-level models. Once people plug into the car’s USB port, the system will convert the screen to resemble the phone. The system will then be able to play a person’s music library, log on to music apps with a touch, send and receive text messages by voice, and even call up Apple or Google Maps for navigation. The number of available apps will be limited to avoid driver distraction, GM officials said. Many can be controlled by voice commands, and video won’t be supported by the car system. To work with MyLink, Android phones must have at least the Lollipop 5.0 operating system, while Apple CarPlay requires an iPhone 5 or newer model. Automakers’ systems still necessary GM will provide CarPlay or Android Car for no additional cost. Although this might cause some drivers to shun MyLink, GM believes that ultimately giving consumers the choice will help it sell more cars, said Saejin Park, the company’s director of innovation and portfolio planning. Mark Boyadjis, senior analyst for infotainment at IHS Automotive, said the decision doesn’t necessarily mean the death of MyLink, Ford’s Sync and other systems. The automakers’ systems have specific information about the car that Apple or Google can’t duplicate — engine diagnostics, heating and air conditioning controls or even the ability to set up service appointments with dealerships, Boyadjis said. GM officials also noted that some car owners might drive in areas without the cellular telephone coverage needed to run the Apple or Google systems.

34 i Saturday, July 11, 2015

Groceries grosrI 4

Heer Brown Sugar hIr BUrI KMf

8lb

ea hYirs cwh

Almws K`jUrW

Rooh Afza

Heer Pure Cane Sugar

ea hIr KMf

420g

A1 Roasted Vermicelli

ea syvIAW

15lb

pwlk

.98

2 for

Broccoli brokOlI

Bunch

.98

2 for

Sher Basmati Rice Syr bwsmqI cwvl

800 ml

qMdUrI ickYn

.89

Methi

lb myQI

Chicken Legs

lb ickYn lYgz

dysI Adrk/lsx pyst

Campagna Chick Peas

rozwnw bwsmqI cwvl

8lb

kYmpYnw cny

750g

Rozana Basmati Rice

.69

.99

Rappini

ea swg

Bunch

Bulk

(back attached/with skin)

Desi Garlic/Ginger Paste

40lb

Bunch

Meats mIt Ready To BBQ Tandoori Chicken

.98

2 for

sbzIAW

Produce Spinach

2 for

ea rUh APzw

216 count

Almas Dates

Harris Tea

99 lb

Local Blueberries

blU bYrIAW

Bulk

Exclusive 3-Day SALE July 10 - 13, 2015 Basa Steak

bYsw styk

720g

Get one (1) FREE SHAN Meat Tenderizer Packet (40g) with any purchase of meat.

8244 FRASER STREET MARINE DRIVE & FRASER 604-323-2400

Coupon expires July 13th, 2015. Limit one (1) per family. For Vancouver Location Only.

“Your One-Stop Desi Shop” Above sale items are valid from July 10th to July 13th, 2015. We reserve the right to limit quantity. Prices for Vancouver location only. While supplies last. Images are for display purposes only. In the event of a discrepancy between ad price and store price, price will be set by Store Manager.

Saturday, July 11, 2015 i 35

$275

Scottsdale Mall

Seven Oaks Shopping Ctr

Brickyard Station

Orchard Park Shopping Ctr Plaza 88

Khalsa Business Ctr Mt Lehman Crossing

Yaletown

Capilano mall

36 i Saturday, July 11, 2015