Happy New Year
www.theasianstar.com Vol 21 - Issue 48
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Tel:604-591-5423
Canada Competition Bureau to investigage ‘price fixing’ in grocery sector With the New Year looming and some especially dark clouds hanging over the Canadian economy, the Competition Bureau of Canada as well as the country’s Parliamentarians are proceeding in 2023 with in-depth investigations into whether Canada’s leading grocery retailers have
been colluding to fix food prices. Who to blame? Experts are attributing the rising costs of groceries (10.8 per cent in Canada over the past year, according to
Statistics Canada) to a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting supply chain disruptions, severe weather from climate change, and higher costs for everything from labour to transportation. Continued on page 7
Supermarkets continue to increase profits on back of inflation, data shows Canada’s big three supermarket chains have continued to increase profits on the back of record high grocery prices, a new analysis has found. Loblaw, Empire (Sobeys) and Metro
have all reported even bigger profits and profit margins than they did six months ago, when the Star published an investigation into grocery inflation.
South Asian Business Association (SABA) donates $4450.00 to Surrey Food Bank Society South Asian Business Association of BC (SABA) donated $4450.00 to the Surrey Food Bank Society. Last week SABA directors arrived at the Food Bank Society and presented the cheque to the officials of Surrey Food Bank at their Pictured above (from left) SABA directors, Parminder Chohan, Lakhvinder Gill, Ravi Cheema & Victor Lal. Surrey location. The Surrey Food Bank is non-profit, charitable organization which provides food to the needy and families living in Surrey, North Delta areas. The Surrey Food Bank operates by donations provided by generous people in the community.
Same trend was seen over the past four years among the major U.S. grocery companies, which include Walmart, Costco and Kroger.
Soccer legend Pelé dead at 82 Brazilian soccer legend Pelé, a three-time World Cup champion who’s largely considered to be one of the best players ever, has died. He was 82 years old. His daughter, Kely, confirmed his death on social media. “All that we are is thanks to you,” she wrote. “We love you forever. Rest in peace.” Brazil has planned 48 hours of national mourning. Pele, whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is expected to be buried in Santos, southeast of Sao Paulo, where he played for the city’s Continued on page 6
Song from a Tamil movie tops worldwide Billboard chart A two-minute song from an upcoming Tamil-language movie was the most talkedabout track in the world on Twitter for the past week,
according to Billboard. Soul of Varisu, from the upcoming movie Varisu, took the top spot on Billboard’s “Hot Trending
Continued on page 7
Law Commission wants one election in one day for all of India The Law Commission of India has invited suggestions from the public and political
parties on the holding of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislatures. The Continued on page 6
Canada not following lead of US in requiring COVID tests for travellers arriving from China As the United States and other nations impose new mandatory COVID-19 testing rules on travellers of flights originating in China, Canada is choosing instead to watch and wait. Cases of the novel coronavirus are surging in China after Beijing opted to end its zero-COVID policies mandating strict quarantines and lockdowns, as well as tight restrictions on its borders. Now with China preparing to reopen its borders early Continued on page 6
MANMOHAN SEKHON M.Sc., M.Phill Life and Health insurance Advisor
604-358-0590 Unit 252 - 8138, 128 St, Surrey, BC V3W 1R1 www.manmohansekhon.com