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www.theasianstar.com Vol 19 - Issue 50

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Feds say ‘wrinkles will get ironed out’ soon In the preliminary months of what is likely to be a year-long COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Canada, a blame game (of sorts) has arisen. Many provinces have criticized the speed of the federal government’s vaccine delivery and distribution. Ontario and Alberta, specifically, have sounded the alarm about rapidly waning supplies. The federal government has pointed the finger back, insisting that they’ve been transparent with provinces and territories about delivery forecasts and that Canada is still very much “on track” to meet its goal of providing shots to everyone who wants them by September. Gen. Dany Fortin, who is overseeing logistical planning for Canada’s vaccine distribution efforts, reiterated that message on Thursday. Continued on page 7

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BC to begin mass Covid-19 immunizations in April, with a half-million shots a week by summer BC is gearing up to begin mass immunizations against COVID-19 in April, with the goal of administering a half-million shots every week by the summer and achieving herd immunity in the province by September. After exhausting the initial supply of vaccines delivered by the federal government late last year, most of which went to long-term care home residents and workers, provincial officials said a fresh stock of the Pfizer and

Moderna vaccines is expected later this week. Most coronavirus fatalities have been in care homes. “The next phase of our efforts will see a significant and really massive scaling up of our vaccination efforts,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said on Wednesday. “It will be the largest vaccination effort in B.C. history, and requires a strong team.” The Immunize B.C. team will be led by Vancouver Coastal Continued on page 7

Immigrant from Kochi took Indian flag to strom US Capital Indians angered by Trump supporters move As people around the world watched the clash on Wednesday between a mob of US President Donald Trump’s supporters and law-enforcement authorities at the Capitol building, the Indian Tricolour could be seen fluttering in a sea of US flags. The flag-bearer was 54-year-old Virginia-based Continued on page 10

Another South Asian man shot dead in Metro Vancouver gang violence The victim of Richmond’s second fatal shooting within the past three days has been identified by investigators, who say they believe the incident is related to the ongoing gang conflict in the Lower Mainland. Dilraj Johal, 28, was found with “multiple gunshot wounds” in his condo near Lansdowne and No. 3 roads shortly before midnight on Saturday. He was transported to hospital but later died of his injuries, said Sgt. Frank Jang, spokesperson with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT). Johal was known to police and his shooting is believed to be targeted, said Jang. There have been several gang-related

shootings in Metro Vancouver over the past two weeks. “It’s no secret that IHIT had an eventful past two weeks and investigators are working long hours,” said Insp. Michelle Tansey, Acting Officer-in-Charge of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), at a media briefing on Sunday. “IHIT has had similar situations in our history. Where we have faced several homicides in quick succession section related to gang conflicts. These are challenging times, but we are up to the task. Fatal shooting on Saturday night in Richmond was gang-related.

Continued on page 6

Gang conflict heats up as Metro Vancouver sees 3 murders in 4 days RCMP were busy Sunday investigating shootings in two Metro Vancouver communities, at least one of which police say is linked to a flare-up in the Lower Mainland gang conflict. Richmond RCMP say they were called to a suite in the 8100 block of Lansdowne Road just before midnight, where a man in his 20s had been shot multiple times. Paramedics rushed

him to hospital, but he did not survive. At a press conference featuring the heads of the Richmond RCMP, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team and the provincial gang unit, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, police identified the victim as Dilraj Johal. RCMP homicide unit says Dilraj Johal is the third gang-related homicide victim in the past four days related to the

ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict. B.C.’s RCMP homicide unit says Dilraj Johal is the third gang-related homicide victim in the past four days related to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict. IHIT“The murder of Dilraj Johal is the third homicide in past four days related to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang Continued on page 6

Saturday, January 16, 2021

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Vol 19 - Issue 50

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Premier Horgan seeking legal advice on feasibility of inter-provincial travel ban B.C. government is getting legal advice to determine whether an inter-provincial travel ban would be feasible — and, presumably, whether it is constitutional — to further insulate the province as COVID-19 case numbers in other parts of Canada hit “dangerous” levels. Premier John Horgan on Thursday said he and other leaders will be speaking about the issue later in the day and on Friday during a virtual, two-day cabinet retreat this week, with the goal to nail down which options the government can take — if any — by end of the summit. “People have been talking about [a ban] for months and months, as you know, and I think it’s time we put it to bed finally and say either, ‘We can do it, and this is how we can do it,’ or ‘We can’t,’” the premier said. “We have been trying our best to find a way to meet that objective ... in a way that’s consistent with the charter and other fundamental rights here in Canada. So, legal advice is what we’ve sought.” What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Jan. 14 B.C.’s case counts are in a better place than those in provinces like Ontario, Quebec and

Saskatchewan. In Ontario, a strict new stay-athome order came into effect at 12:01 a.m. local time as case counts soared. The epidemiological curves in Quebec and Saskatchewan are also trending upward, while B.C.’s is heading down. An emergency room doctor from Whistler, B.C., joined the call for an interprovincial restrictions after seeing a “worrying” number of patients from Ontario and Quebec who had travelled west over the holidays. ‘Worrying’ number of tourists from outside B.C. prompts Whistler doctor to call for travel ban. Horgan also acknowledged news that a number of Canadian politicians had travelled during their time off “led to a firestorm of frustration and anger,” reigniting the ban debate. “To the ER doc and other British Columbians: I agree with you that, on the surface, [a ban] would seem an easy thing to do — to just tell people not to come here.

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Alleged RCMP mole accused of selling secrets to kingpin money launderer and terror-financier’s network In October 2014, Canadian intelligence leaders were invited to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s headquarters in Chantilly, Va. The DEA had a theory: the upper echelons of global money laundering, terrorism, drug-trafficking and organized crime all bleed together. And only a handful of men in this murky world of extremely powerful criminals had organizations capable of laundering more than $10 billion annually. The DEA undercover agents had infiltrated one of them, Pakistani national Altaf Khanani. They learned how Khanani used money mules and currency exchanges across six continents to collect cash for drug cartels in cities such as Toronto and Montreal. And many of Khanani’s transactions helped arm and finance terrorist organizations including Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda. And the DEA had some information that would shock RCMP leaders. Canada was becoming a major funding source for Hezbollah, which is designated as a foreign terrorist organization. And

a few foreign exchanges in strip malls in north Toronto played a big part in Khanani’s narco-terror banking network. “We knew Khanani could move money out of anywhere in the world, and that he was very active in Canada,” a U.S. official who attended the meeting in Virginia told Global News. While the DEA was eager to partner with the RCMP in targeting Khanani and Hezbollah in Canada, it was unaware of a lurking danger. It didn’t know a fast-rising RCMP intelligence analyst named Cameron Ortis was also interested in Khanani and his Toronto currency traders, for his own reasons.RCMP investigators were joined at the meeting in Virginia by their colleagues from Canada’s so-called Five Eyes allies. The DEA’s pitch was simple. For the first time, the Five Eyes would share classified intelligence specifically to target a kingpin money launderer. “The whole point was, you can’t have conflict zones explode overnight, without the people that fund the terrorists and move the drug money,” said a U.S. official with knowledge of the Five Eyes meeting.

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OPINION

By Gerry Bowler Senior Fellow Frontier Centre for Public Policy

Pandemics have a way of changing the world. The Plague of Justinian hit the Mediterranean area in the 500s, not only killing millions but crucially weakening the Byzantine Empire and helping ruin its plans to reconquer western Europe from the barbarians. The Black Death of the 1300s wiped out over 100

Saturday, January 16, 2021 Many questions will linger post-pandemic million people in Europe and Asia. It sped the decline of the feudal system, engendered persecution of Jews, lepers and gypsies, and created a better economic life for the peasantry whose labour was now much more valuable. The Spanish flu of 1918-20 and its 50 million deaths helped the Allies defeat Germany in the First World War, increased government

intervention in public health, and spurred the eugenics movement and the drive to rid society of its weakest members. Now that the development of vaccines has made it possible to dream of a world free from the threat of the COVID-19 epidemic, what consequences of this plague can we look forward to? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told the United Nations that the global epidemic has “provided an opportunity for a reset.” He said, “This is our chance to accelerate our prepandemic efforts to reimagine economic systems that actually address global challenges like extreme poverty, inequality and climate change.” The connection between the COVID-19 virus and reshaping capitalism, international trade and carbon emissions may seem imaginary to you at the moment. But you may be sure that it will involve tax increases, an attack on the Prairie economy and more blather about Canada being a “post-national state” with no core identity. This attitude amongst the elites will clash with a growing public disenchantment with the globalism that made a pandemic possible. We can also look forward to a continued shift to working at home with challenging consequences for businesses in downtown areas, public transit, property owners and airlines. Unions will certainly press for the frontline workers who kept civilization afloat to be suitably rewarded with wage increases.A population that has been forced to socially distance, wear masks and deplete the world’s supply of hand sanitizer will need time to get comfortable with close physical contact again. We may see the elbow-bump maintain its popularity as a polite form of greeting. Conflicting official pronouncements, disinformation and conspiracy theories all fought for space in our brains this year, leading to an erosion in the public’s trust in expert advice, a social deficit that will have to be made up somehow. Inthewakeofthepandemicwemustreconsider how we warehouse the elderly and how they can be made both physically secure and emotionally supported when the next emergency arrives.

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Saturday, January 16, 2021

Prime Minister Trudeau not considering COVID-19 vaccine passport in Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears to be ruling out the idea of a national vaccination passport as provinces move to harsher restrictions to try and stamp out a rise in COVID-19 cases. This comes as officials talk about a significant ramp-up of inoculations in the months ahead. There has been provincial talk of creating some sort of system to prove if someone has received their COVID-19 shot, as is the case in some European countries, where similar systems are being brought in. However, in an interview

with Reuters, Justin Trudeau confirmed he is not considering one for Canada. “There are a broad range of reasons why someone might not get vaccinated and I’m worried about creating knockon, undesirable effects in our community,” he told the outlet. “The indications that the vast majority of Canadians are looking to get vaccinated will get us to a good place without

having to take more extreme measures that could have real divisive impacts on community and country,” Trudeau added. Meanwhile, officials have confirmed that as of Friday the federal government will have distributed 929,000 vaccine doses. In the second quarter, deliveries are expected to ramp up significantly, to about a million doses each week. Earlier this week,

Canada secured another 20 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, bringing the country’s total to 80 million doses arriving this year from Pfizer and Moderna. Trudeau said then, he expects every Canadian who wants the vaccine to be able to get it by Septmeber. In the interview, Trudeau also mentioned he hopes to meet with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden as soon as possible after his inauguration. On his own political future, Trudeau said he hopes to serve as prime minister for many more years.

Feds opted not to buy 16M more Moderna doses due to late 2021 delivery The federal government chose not to exercise an option to buy up to 16 million additional doses of the Moderna vaccine because they would not have arrived until late 2021. Procurement Minister Anita Anand’s office said, rather than adding additional doses, her priority is working with Moderna to advance their current delivery schedules for the doses Canada has already secured access to. “If the Government of Canada exercised the option to acquire the 16 million doses beyond our existing purchase… those 16 million would not have arrived until the end of 2021,” said Anand’s office in a statement. “Therefore, they would not have contributed to Canada’s objective relating to the vaccination of every Canadian who chooses to be vaccinated by the end of September 2021.” According to the minister’s office, the decision to let the option for the 16 million additional doses expire was guided by advice from the Vaccine Task Force and Canada could still renegotiate with Moderna for additional doses if wanted or needed to. Moderna was the second drug company to have their COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada for use on Canadians, the first being Pfizer-BioNTech. The federal government has a contract in place with Pfizer to supply a minimum of 20 million doses and up to 76 million. With Moderna, Canada has guaranteed access to 40 million doses, and had the option to add on the additional 16 million. , but has opted not to.

If Anand had gone ahead, Canada would be receiving a total 56 million Moderna doses, which has logistically-easier shipping and storage requirements than the Pfizer vaccine. Both vaccines — which require two shots per person — have begun to be administered to Canadians, with a total of six million doses set to be distributed by the end of March. However, there continue to be calls from provinces and health officials to speed up the rollout to prioritized groups like health care workers and seniors as the virus continues to spread rapidly. The next two vaccines in line for potential Health Canada sign-off are the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson candidates. Canada has plans to secure up to 20 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine candidate; and up to 38 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine candidate. Canada has signed contracts guaranteeing access to 214 million doses of potential COVID-19 vaccines from seven drug manufacturers: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, Novavax, and Medicago. The federal government still has the option to secure nearly 200 million more doses from these pharmaceutical companies, meaning if all trials pan out the country would have enough vaccine doses to fully immunize every person in this country more than a few times over.

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Saturday, January 16, 2021

Another South Asian man shot dead in gang violence From page 1 “There’s good momentum on each of our cases that we are working and investigating on, and we will continue to work with our close partners from the Richmond RCMP as well as the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of BC (CSFEU-BC).” The loss of young men and women to gang violence is “a tragedy and needs to stop,” said Michael LeSage, Chief Superintendent of CSFEU-BC. “Some have lost the understanding of the value of life. Three families within three nights have come to grips with losing a loved one,” he said. “To those of you involved in gangs right now, I say this to you: One person has been killed. This means you as someone who is involved in gang activity are possibly a victim. Now it is time for you to make good choices and get out of it while you can.”

Richmond RCMP Supt. Will Ng said police are “working diligently” with law enforcement partners to “put an end to this gang violence.” “The Richmond RCMP are committed to ensure our community is safe. The disruption of organized crime is one of our top priorities,” said Ng. “Someone out there knows something about these incidences and if that person is you, we ask that you come forward to keep yourself and the community safe.” In total, there have been six shootings in Metro Vancouver — five of which have been fatal — over the past two weeks. Saturday’s shooting is the second in Richmond in the past three days. In a separate incident, Coquitlam RCMP said they responded to a shooting around 1:03 a.m. on Sunday in the 1400-block of Kingston Street, where they found one man with gunshot wounds who was taken to hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Shortly afterwards, police found a vehicle on fire in the 3500-block of Gislason Ave, which is believed to be connected to that shooting. It’s unclear if the Coquitlam shooting is related to the Lower Mainland gang conflict, Coquitlam RCMP said. On Thursday night, Richmond RCMP responded to a shooting near Steveston Community Park, which investigators said they believe is related to the Lower Mainland gang conflict. The victim of that shooting

Gang conflict heats up as Metro Vancouver sees 3 murders in 4 days From page 1 gang conflict,” IHIT acting Superintendent Michelle Tansey said. Michael LeSage, Chief Superintendent of the CFSEU, called on friends, family members and acquaintances of gang members to break the veil of silence and come forward with information. “If you do not come forward, more people will get hurt, die and even innocent people caught in the crossfire,” he said. “I want you all to ask are you prepared to lose someone you love?” About an hour after the Richmond homicide, police were called to reports of shots fired in the 1400 block of Kingston Street in Coquitlam. Officers found one man with gunshot wounds at the scene, who is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Police say multiple suspects were seen fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Police later located a vehicle on fire in the 3500 block of Gislason Avenue, which they believe to be connected to the shooting. The shootings come just days after high-profile gangster Gary Kang was gunned down in his family’s home in South Surrey. The overnight violence brings the tally of Metro Vancouver shootings in the last two weeks to at least six, five of which have been fatal. Last month, 19-year-old Harman Singh Dhesi and a 14-year-old boy were gunned down one day apart on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28. Then, on Jan. 6, Kang was killed. The following day, 29-year-old Anees Mohammed was shot dead in Steveston. Police say he also had gang ties.

Saturday, January 16, 2021 From page 1

BC to begin mass Covid-19 immunizations in April, with a half-million shots a week by summer

Health chairwoman Dr. Penny Ballem, who called the province’s plan “one of the most important initiatives we’ve ever been tasked with in our health sector in B.C.” Ballem will be charged with coordinating across various provincial sectors, said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, “whether it’s business or government or municipalities to help support us being able to equitably and rapidly provide this protection to as many of our community members as possible.” The aim remains to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 by September. “It’s a mammoth task,” Ballem said, adding it can be done. About 25,000 residents were vaccinated

Feds say ‘wrinkles will get ironed out’ soon From page 1 “I am optimistic that we have everything lining up in the provinces and territories to vaccinate at scale, as larger amounts arrive in this country,” he told reporters at a news conference in Ottawa. “The challenge is, right now, we have limited quantities. We’ll have a significant jump in the second quarter, and then we’ll be able to distribute much larger quantities and vaccinate at scale.”Vaccine quantity arriving in Canada to average over 1 million doses a week in April, Fortin says Fortin has, in the past, acknowledged that these delivery forecasts will fluctuate as the complex process of delivering the vaccines is solidified. On Thursday, he maintained that the second “ramp-up” phase will bring things into better alignment. “I trust that all those little wrinkles will get ironed out so that the provinces, territories and various stakeholders have more and more confidence in the system and more visibility in what’s coming next,” he said. “I am optimistic that we have everything lining up in the provinces and territories to vaccinate at scale, as larger amounts arrive in this country,” Progress has been slower than many expected. Canada has already been outpaced on vaccinations by Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, the United States, Britain, Denmark, Russia, Italy and Germany, according to data assembled by the University of Oxford-based Our World in Data project.

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weekly through December and January, Health Minister Adrian Dix said. This number is expected to nearly triple by February, when the province aims to deliver 68,400 doses a week.

By the end of March, B.C. expects to receive 792,000 vaccinations in total. B.C.’s most vulnerable communities will continue to be the focus of provincial health teams until large-scale vaccinations begin in April, when the province anticipates receiving another 2.6 million doses — B.C.’s share of the 20 million doses of PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine ordered by the federal government this week. By July, Dix said, B.C. intends to deliver 461,438 doses, or nearly half-a-million immunizations, a week — a number that

doesn’t include potential additional vaccines expected to hit the market shortly. Dix also addressed reports Wednesday of Vancouver doctors jumping the queue to get a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The issue was detected through a systems review, Dix said, adding that that everyone is expected to follow the rules on the priority list for immunization in order to first protect the most vulnerable people. The health minister said a number of cases have been identified by Vancouver Coastal Health and “appropriate action” will be taken as part of a review that is underway.

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Two arrested after shocking video shows 13-year-old assaulted on school grounds in Mission Mission RCMP say they have arrested two teenage girls in relation to a shocking video circulating on social media. The video depicts two teens kicking and punching a 13-year-old girl at Ecole Heritage Park Middle School on Monday. Police say the two girls have been released pending further investigation, but they are not permitted back on school grounds, nor are they allowed to contact the victim.In the video, someone can be heard saying “five bucks to stomp on her head right now,” while other youth can be heard laughing, jeering and encouraging the attackers.

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No one present steps in to intervene. The victim’s mother, who Global News is not identifying to protect her daughter, said Wednesday she believes the attack was motivated by the fact her child identifies as transgender and lesbian. She added that her daughter has been bullied for months, despite attempts by the school to help. “She would message us at lunch time and say, ‘Can I please come home, it’s stressing me out too much here, my anxiety is too high.’” Supporters of the victim have organized a vehicle parade on Sunday to show her that she has the backing of the community.

Pharmacies say they can speed up Canada’s vaccination efforts Canada’s pharmacists say they can vaccinate up to three million people a week against COVID-19, but governments across the country have largely kept these health care providers in the dark about what role they might play once more shots are delivered. With vaccination of the general population set to begin in just two months’ time, pharmacists and the country’s largest chain, Shoppers Drug Mart, have so far had only preliminary discussions with some provincial leaders about how the nation’s largest immunization campaign will unfold. “We’re anticipating pharmacists will play a role somewhere down the line. I guess what we’re not clear on yet is exactly when,” Joelle Walker, the vice-president of public affairs at the Canadian Pharmacists Association, said. The country’s 11,000-plus pharmacies should be equipped to administer the vaccine, given their years of experience with the flu shot campaign, but facts about their possible role in the COVID-19 vaccination program have been scant. Walker said the annual flu shot campaign, while large, is a much smaller endeavour than the COVID-19 vaccination campaign — and it still takes months to plan. “It’s definitely concerning because there is a lot of work to be put into these things. Pharmacists need to know roughly when they might expect the vaccines, the kind of quantities and who they’ll be targeting,” she said. “Bringing pharmacists in at the front end of planning would be helpful. “The message to the government really is, ‘If you don’t have those conversations early on, it does open up the possibility that things aren’t going to go as smoothly as Canadians expect.’ Now is the time to have those more concrete conversations.” As Canada falls behind other countries on vaccinations, Trudeau promises to ‘scale up’ deliveries Walker said getting vaccinated at a pharmacy is convenient — 90 per cent of

Ontario residents, for example, live within a five-kilometre drive of one. And pharmacies are often the only health care options in rural and remote communities where access to primary care is limited, she added. Pharmacies are also accustomed to managing patient notifications and refills, which makes them well-equipped to track the two-dose regime for the Pfizer and Moderna products, she said. “Because the health systems are so tapped out with nurses and physicians on the front line in acute care — we don’t have an infinite bandwidth of providers — pharmacies are absolutely the natural place to do this,” Walker said. The Canadian immunization campaign has gotten off to a slow start. A month into the inoculation efforts, barely one per cent of the population has received at least one shot of the Pfizer or Moderna products. Tens of thousands of the estimated 605,000 doses that the federal government has so far shipped to the provinces and territories are sitting in freezers. Manitoba and Nova Scotia have been particularly slow out of the gate, using less than half of the shots they have received. The United Kingdom and the U.S. have vaccinated more people per capita than Canada. They’ve also released detailed plans explaining how pharmacies will fit into the vaccination effort. The U.K., for example, started identifying pharmacies in November as suitable vaccination centres. More than 11,500 such sites in the U.K. have been chosen so far to help administer shots over the course of 2021. They’re highvolume community druggists that have the capacity to administer 1,000 vaccines each week while maintaining stringent cold storage requirements. The National Health Service has said more pharmacies could be added to the list. This week, 200 pharmacies started administering the shot to U.K. residents and eligible patients are able to book their vaccination appointments online.

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Saturday, January 16, 2021 Surrey councillor ‘shocked’ colleagues voted down Indigenous land acknowledgement Surrey City Councillor Jack Hundial said he was “shocked and surprised” that the city’s mayor, Doug McCallum, and the Safe Surrey Coalition councillors denied his motion Monday evening to begin every council meeting with an Indigenous land acknowledgement. The motion sought for council to recognize “the land we are on is the traditional territory of the Coast Salish people” — a simple step, Hundial said, toward bettering the city’s relationship with Indigenous communities. Hundial told the CBC that he feels a formal land acknowledgement is “just the right thing to do,” and he found the motion’s denial “a bit of an affront.” Councillor Laurie Guerra said she voted the motion down because she believes the city already has a comprehensive Indigenous engagement policy and that she has “a problem with legislating speech.” “If we want to make an Indigenous acknowledgement before a meeting we certainly should, but I don’t think that we should be forced to,” she explained.What is

the significance of acknowledging the Indigenous land we stand on? Hundial said the notice of motion was brought forth just before Christmas giving the rest of council time to consider it. During Monday’s meeting, he was surprised that a few councillors simply kept silent and voted no while others questioned his motives for bringing it to council. “We need to talk about our equity [and] our past ... I don’t see how this could be a contentious issue,” said Hundial, referencing heightened conversations on racial equality the past year in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and Indigenous demonstrations in Canada. Bob Joseph, the president of Indigenous Corporate Training Inc., a company that helps people work effectively with Indigenous people, said that in light of the country’s recent adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Right of Indigenous Peoples, many people are struggling with changes underway in Canada when it comes to race.

Saturday, January 16, 2021 Indians angered by Trump supporters move

entrepreneur Vincent Xavier Palanthigal, who moved to the US from Kochi in Kerala in 1992 and is a member of the Virginia Republican Party’s State Central Committee. “It was because of my patriotic fervour and love that I took the Indian flag. Not to defame it or give it a bad name,” he said. “Why is there an Indian flag there??? This is one fight we definitely don’t need to participate in,” BJP MP Varun Gandhi tweeted. Shiv Sena spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi, too, condemned the bearer of the flag. “Whoever is waving this Indian flag should feel ashamed. Don’t use our tricolour to participate in such violent & criminal acts in another country,” she wrote. Visuals of the Tricolour on social media had drawn strong reactions. “Why is there an Indian flag there??? This is one fight we definitely don’t need to participate in,” BJP MP Varun Gandhi tweeted. Shiv Sena spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “Whoever is waving this Indian flag should feel ashamed. Don’t use our tricolor to participate in such violent & criminal acts in another country.”

BC reports 536 new COVID-19 cases, 7 deaths, as UK, South African variants detected British Columbia health officials reported 536 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and seven additional deaths. In a live briefing, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said it brought B.C.’s death toll to 1,038. Of the new cases, 253 were in the Fraser Health region, 102 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 115 were in the Interior Health region, 21 were in the Vancouver Island health region and 45 were in the Northern Health region. Thursday’s announcement lowered the seven-day average for new cases in the province to 517. The number of active cases in the province also dropped again, to 4,624. It was the lowest it’s been since Nov. 6, and fewer than half of the 10,039 active cases at their peak on Dec. 14. Another 7,303 people remained in isolation due to possible exposure. The province has identified its first case of the South African variant of the virus, Henry

said, in a person not known to have travelled or to have connection with a traveller. The province was working to determine how they were exposed. “This is concerning that we don’t know where this arose,” she said. “However, at the moment it does not appear to have spread in the community beyond the person we’ve identified.” Henry said B.C has also identified an additional new case of the more contagious U.K. variant of COVID-19, bringing the total to four. Three of the cases are linked to a single family, while the fourth was related to a different traveller. “There are no other contacts, we don’t believe this has spread at all from these four cases,” Henry said. Both new cases were in the

Vancouver Coastal Health region. B.C. has now given 69,746 at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, representing 1.36 per cent of the province’s population. There were 362 people in hospital, an increase of two overnight, and 74 people in critical or intensive care. There were two new health-care outbreaks, one at the Brocklehurst Gemstone Care Centre and Maple Ridge Senior’s Village. You can see a full breakdown of cases and deaths in longterm care here. More than 88 per cent of B.C.’s 59,608 total cases have recovered. Earlier Thursday, Premier John Horgan said the province was getting legal advice on whether it could stop non-essential travellers from coming to the province.

BC names new lead for ‘largest’ vaccine rollout in province’s history BC has announced a new leader for the province’s rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations. In a news conference early Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 13), Health Minister Adrian Dix announced Vancouver Coastal Health chair Dr. Penny Ballem will take executive lead of the vaccination efforts. “She’s been working with this team with extraordinary diligence for the past 12 months,” Dix said. Dr. Ross Brown, who has been heading the program since November, will stay on under Ballem’s direction. “I feel very happy and honoured to have this opportunity,” Ballem said. “It’s a mammoth task, but it can be done.” This marks the largest vaccination effort in the province’s history, Dix said. As of Tuesday,

62,294 British Columbians had received the first of two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. More doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected Wednesday or Thursday with more doses of the Moderna vaccine expected Friday.Federal officials are aiming to have a majority of Canadians be inoculated by the fall.Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said she was pleased to welcome Ballem to the team as health officials across B.C. work to scale up vaccine rollouts as more doses arrive. Henry added officials will have further details on upscaling vaccine efforts in the next few days. As of Tuesday, there were a recorded 1,019 COVID-related deaths in B.C. The province has recorded a total of 58,553 cases.

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Prime Minister Trudeau shuffles cabinet as Navdeep Bains quits Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has conducted a small shuffle of his ministers before holing up later in the day for a cabinet retreat to plot strategy for the resumption of Parliament. The shuffle is due to the departure of Navdeep Bains, who stepped down as innovation minister Tuesday and is not intending to run again in the next election. In the first virtual swearing-in ceremony in Canadian history, François-Philippe Champagne shed his title as foreign minister to take up Bains’ former role, while extransport minister Marc Garneau moved into Champagne’s old job. Toronto-area MP Omar Alghabra took over the Transport portfolio, which has seen 10 months of turbulence since the pandemic prompted a travel industry collapse and controversy over refunds for flight cancellations. Jim Carr also returned to cabinet as minister without portfolio and special representative to the Prairies. The former minister for international trade diversification stepped down after announcing his diagnosis with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, in October 2019. In a video message posted on Tuesday, Navdeep Bains said that after six elections, he wants to spend more time with his family. “They have sacrificed so much over the last 17 years. This last year has been hard on families,” says the MP from Mississauga, Ont. “My daughters, who are in Grade 5 and Grade 8, have needed me more in the last year and I’ve needed them,

too. It’s time for me to put my family first, and I couldn’t be happier about it.” Trudeau has been clear that he wants departments crucial to the country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic to be overseen by ministers who will be around to help sell the government’s agenda during the next election campaign. In a news conference after the shuffle, Trudeau said he would prefer to keep dealing with suppressing the pandemic, distributing vaccines and restoring the economy than to have a federal election before the health crisis is over. “I certainly hope to be able to work constructively in Parliament this winter and spring to be able to deliver those things for Canadians,” he said. Many of the federal government’s supports and benefit programs have been approved unanimously by legislators. But, he said, in a minority Parliament opposition parties can trigger an election — and he refused to commit to not use his prime ministerial prerogative to call one himself. “My commitment is to doing whatever is necessary to support Canadians through this pandemic,” Trudeau said. The shuffle, which played out online in a streamlined ceremony stripped of pomp and ritual overseen by Gov. Gen. Julie Payette, follows a smaller round of musical chairs triggered by the resignation of thenfinance minister Bill Morneau in August. Chrystia Freeland replaced Morneau while keeping her role as deputy prime minister.

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LOCAL

Saturday, January 16, 2021 Canada-USA land border to remain closed to non-essential travel until February 21 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Canada-USA land border will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least Feb. 21. The restrictions have been in place since mid-March last year. Visits such as vacations, day trips and crossborder shopping excursions have been forbidden in an effort to limit the spread of the virus. The travel ban does not apply to those

who must cross to ensure the continued flow of goods and essential services, including truckers and hospital staff. In December, Trudeau said he won’t give in to pressure to re-open the border. Ottawa has indicated the closure will likely be extended as long as COVID-19 cases continue to climb south of the border.

‘Worrying’ number of tourists from outside BC prompts Whistler doctor to call for travel ban An emergency room doctor in Whistler is calling on the B.C. government to restrict travel from other provinces after seeing a “worrying” number of patients from Ontario and Quebec over the holidays. Dr. Annie Gareau, an emergency physician at Whistler Health Care Centre, told Radio-Canada she’s concerned that an influx of visitors from outside the region could lead to uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, overwhelming the healthcare system. “We have a limited capacity. Our waiting room is small, so definitely at one point in time between Christmas and New Year’s it was unsettling the amount of patients that were in the clinic,” she said. “I think we need to do like the Atlantic provinces did and I think we need to restrict inter-provincial travel until the numbers are going down.” A public health advisory has been in place across B.C. since Nov. 19 cautioning against all non-essential travel. Provincial Health Officer Dr.

Bonnie Henry has said skiers should stick to their local slopes — for example, people who live in Metro Vancouver should limit themselves to the North Shore mountains. However, an advisory does not have the legal power of a public health order. Some ski resorts have cancelled reservations from non-local visitors in response to Henry’s advice, but a representative of Vail Resorts, which owns Whistler Blackcomb, told CBC last month that it is asking guests to take “personal responsibility” for following public health advice. Little of that personal responsibility was apparent at the Whistler Health Care Centre over the holidays in December, said Gareau. “I would say the majority of patients that came to the clinic between Christmas and New Year were not Whistlerites. The majority were from the Lower Mainland,” Gareau said. “And then — surprising and worrying — was a lot of people from out of province, mainly Ontario and Quebec.”

Poll finds majority of Canadians want borders closed to stop people vacationing As flights continue to whisk Canadians off to warmer climes, a majority of Canadians would be okay with the government closing borders to international travel given a rise in COVID-19, according to a new poll. The Angus Reid Institute poll, released Thursday, found 65 per cent say if the decision were up to them, they would prohibit personal travel. One-quarter (26 per cent) said they would maint One-quarter (26 per cent) said they would maintain the federal government’s approach, which has been to strongly discourage such travel, but not disallow it.

Support to close travel to international destinations was highest in Ontario and lowest in Alberta. In B.C., only 59 per cent agreed with this idea. The poll also found that seven-in-10 Canadians have cancelled or put off planned international travel or domestic travel since the pandemic began, which Angus Reid says suggests that their sacrifices may contribute to a hardline approach against those who have chosen to travel. Nearly nine-in-10 say that while traveling abroad may not be illegal, politicians should be held to a higher standard and stay home, according to the poll.

LOCAL / NATIONAL Speculation tax increased long-term rentals in BC, raised $88 million: ministry

The Ministry of Finance says data from British Columbia’s tax targeting property speculators shows it has helped increase the number of long-term rentals in the province. A statement from the ministry says details collected from speculation and vacancy tax returns submitted in 2019 reveal the levy encouraged owners to “repurpose” formerly vacant properties into long-term rentals. The statement says region-specific details of the 2019 tax declarations have been forwarded to mayors of communities where the measure applies, to help them work with the ministry on any changes. The tax, in place since 2018, covers most residential properties in the Metro Vancouver and Capital regional districts, the districts of Mission and Lantzville and the cities of Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Kelowna, West Kelowna and Nanaimo. Only a fraction of B.C. owners must pay

and the ministry says 92 per cent of the $88 million raised in 2019 was collected from foreign owners, Canadians from outside B.C., other non-B.C. resident owners or so-called satellite families who make most of their income from outside Canada. The assessment is part of the B.C. government’s 30-point plan to improve housing affordability and the ministry says it contributed to ongoing moderation of the housing market in 2019, helped push housing starts 16 per cent higher that year and boosted provincewide vacancy rates by seven per cent. FinanceMinisterSelinaRobinsonsaystheshift is critically important for urban communities. “This change in behaviour, and the tax continuing to capture speculators while exempting almost all British Columbians, shows this tax is working for the people of our province,” she says in the statement.

Vancouver police officer facing new charges of theft, breach of trust, drug possession A Vancouver police officer previously charged with offences related to domestic violence is facing new criminal allegations. According to an indictment filed in B.C. Provincial Court, Const. Neil Logan has been charged with theft, possession of a controlled substance, and breach of trust. “The word I would use is ‘reprehensible,’” said Deputy Chief Const. Laurence Rankin of the Vancouver Police Department. “It undermines the trust of the citizens we serve.” Rankin said the VPD’s investigation began in May of 2020, after what he called a “workplace incident” while Logan was on-duty.

The specific charges that relate to that date include: alleged theft of a flap of fentanyl, possession of fentanyl, theft of three lottery tickets (under $5,000), and two counts of breach of trust by using authority to commit theft. Rankin said Logan, who joined the VPD in 2009 after a couple years with the Edmonton Police Service, was placed on administrative leave at the time of the incident, and as of last week was suspended with pay. “I’m very disappointed in the (alleged) actions of one member,” Rankin said. “But I want Vancouver residents to know this sort of investigation is very rare.”

Saturday, January 16, 2021

BC residents now largest group hit by speculation tax BC residents with second properties are now the largest group of people paying the province’s speculation tax, after foreign buyers either sold or rented their properties in extraordinary numbers to avoid the extra fees. New data released by the province this week shows the speculation tax, implemented by the NDP government in 2018 as a way to target foreign-owned properties left vacant during a rental and affordable housing crisis, is now primarily targeting B.C. and Canadian residents with multiple properties. The Ministry of Finance released the most recent payment data Monday, from 2019, which showed the number of foreign owners and satellite families paying the speculation tax fell by 48.9 per cent from 2018. That coincided with the province increasing the speculation tax’s rate for those groups from 0.5 per cent to 2 per cent of the home’s assessed value. The drop either means foreign owners sold their vacant properties, put them up for rent at least six months of the year, or moved into them as their primary residence to exempt them from the tax. The speculation tax applies to Greater Victoria, Nanaimo and Lantzville on Vancouver Island, as well as Kelowna and Metro Vancouver. “From day one we said that the number one group that looked like it would be hit by this spec tax was B.C. residents and sure enough that’s what’s happened,” said Opposition Liberal finance critic Mike Bernier. “The majority of people are not speculators, they are actually people who just happen to own

a second home, helping out their family. These are B.C. residents, these are Canadian residents and it just shows that the wrong people are being targeted. And in fact B.C. residents who are not speculators are being punished.” Approximately 2,287 B.C. residents paid at least some speculation tax in 2019, according to the new data. That compares to 2,104 foreign owners, and 1,579 satellite families (defined as households where the majority of income is earned outside of Canada). Foreign owners dropped from a high of 4,575 in 2018, and satellite owners fell from 2,628 people in 2018.

Source: B.C. Ministry of Finance

Finance Minister Selina Robinson focused on the tax’s overall revenues, saying the $88 million generated will help with affordable housing projects across the province. She argued that even with 2,287 B.C. residents paying the tax, it still means more than 99 per cent of the province’s five million residents aren’t paying anything. “Foreign owners, particularly in Metro Vancouver, sold or rented their empty properties and these properties are now being used as housing,” Robinson said in a statement. “In the Capital Regional District, there were 1,036 taxpaying properties in 2018.

NDP speculation tax report vacant on details Press release

Data released today regarding the NDP’s Speculation and Vacancy Tax (SVT) shows that the tax is a continued failure, costing British Columbians thousands of dollars while hiding community-specific data and doing very little to make housing more affordable in B.C. “Not only has this tax fallen well short of the $200 million it was supposed to collect, but this new data shows that in addition to failing to target speculators, the NDP is not investing the revenue they collect back into housing in the way they promised,” said BC Liberal Housing Critic Ben Stewart. “When the SVT was introduced, the NDP government promised the money would be spent on new housing in local communities where the tax was being collected, but the data has been hidden at the local level.” Local governments have rightfully asked for an explanation on how the NDP’s original commitment of sharing the SVT revenue for communityspecific projects is being done, as discrepancies

between revenue and spending continue to appear. For instance, in the Central Okanagan, $4.1 million was collected but only $2.6 million was spent on housing. “In addition to the mismanagement of this tax, the NDP has done little to make housing any more affordable for British Columbians, with residential home prices in B.C. continuing to reach new highs,” added BC Liberal Finance Critic Mike Bernier. “As funds acquired through the speculation tax aren’t being fairly distributed back to communities and housing continues to be more and more unattainable for so many in our province, it is clear the NDP is failing on this file.” With average rents up over $2,000 per year in Vancouver since 2017 and a vacancy rate increase of just 0.1 per cent, no renters’ rebate in sight and limited progress on its promise to build 114,000 new housing units, the NDP’s record on housing lacks any meaningful foundation.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, January 16, 2021 Ontario couple under investigation after testing positive for new COVID-19 variant A couple living in Durham Region are under investigation for public-health related offences after they discovered they had the new COVID-19 variant by a fluke, CBC News reports. Currently, Ontario’s testing for the variant from the U.K., known as B117, is only done in special circumstances, such as knowing the person travelled outside of Canada recently or had contact with a traveller. The Durham couple in December told public health last month they had no contact with travellers but that turned out to be false. “Additional investigation and follow-up case

and contact management has revealed that the couple had indeed been in contact with a recent traveller from the U.K., which is new information not provided in earlier interviews,” the provincial health ministry said in a Dec. 27 statement, a day after it said the couple had “no known travel history, exposure or high-risk contacts.” The man and woman could be charged under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, which is a provincial law that invests regional medical officers of health with the power to impose restriction or conditions to control epidemics.

Speculation tax doesn’t slow BC’s hot housing market The second year of B.C.’s speculation and vacancy tax raised $88 million in 2019, less than half of what was expected when the tax on empty homes in major urban centres with tight vacancy rates went into full effect. The B.C. finance ministry reported Monday that the tax continues to be paid mostly by non-resident owners and “satellite families,” and that the latest data from affected regions show more properties being offered for long-term rental in order to avoid paying the tax. But urban rents remain high and B.C.’s housing market roared back with record sales in the second half of 2020 after a lull imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. B.C.’s average rental vacancy rate increased by seven per cent in 2019, the ministry reported Jan. 11. By the second half of 2020, the top three most expensive rents in Canada, behind Vancouver and Toronto, were Burnaby, Victoria and Kelowna. The speculation tax applies to secondary homes vacant for six months of the year or

more in the designated cities of Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, Kelowna, West Kelowna, Nanaimo, Lantzville, Metro Vancouver and the Capital Regional District around Victoria. All property owners in the affected regions have to fill out an annual declaration of their property occupany, with the next declaration period expected this month. A major exemption to the empty homes tax comes from apartment properties where the strata council bans rentals. Former finance minister Carole James extended that exemption to the end of 2021, after which the tax would apply to an estimated 5,400 apartments if they are not occupied at least six months of the year. Applied to assessed value each calendar year, the tax started at 0.5 per cent of value for 2018, and rose to two per cent for 2019 for owners who are not citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

Ottawa seeking consultant to advise on coronavirus vaccine rollout amid questions The federal government is looking to bring in an external public health consultant to advise on coronavirus vaccine distribution, amid growing scrutiny and questions over how the process is unfolding. Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Tuesday that Canada is poised to see “dramatic acceleration” in the delivery of coronavirus vaccines in the summer and fall, as officials keep all eyes on a timeline, laid out late last year, in which all Canadians who want a vaccine will get one by September 2021. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added the country remains “on track” for that target. With the announcement this week of an extra 20 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine set to arrive in Canada this year, that puts the total number of coveted vaccines scheduled to land on Canadian soil this year at 80 million doses — more than enough to cover the entire population for two doses. Premiers, like Ontario’s Doug Ford, have said the federal government is not shipping

doses to the provinces quickly enough, as public pressure and frustrations mount as cases rapidly spike. At the same time, Ontario is among jurisdictions where public health experts have criticized provincial leaders for partial and frequently unclear restrictions. That is the context in which the Public Health Agency of Canada is looking to hire an external public health expert to consult on an “as needed” basis about vaccine distribution efforts. The tender notice, posted on the government procurement website on Wednesday morning, says the individual will be responsible for developing and introducing “public health guidance to support the federal, provincial and territorial (F/P/T) efforts related to the vaccine’s rollout.” That includes conducting post mortems on the decisions by federal and provincial or territorial counterparts, and “providing guidance in terms of mass vaccination efforts.”

Quebec woman fined for putting leash on her partner, taking him for walk Quebec couple was hit with $3,000 in fines after the woman put a leash on her partner and took him for a walk on the weekend to get around a COVID-19 curfew. On Saturday, Quebec residents were placed on an official curfew for 28 days to curb the rise of COVID-19 cases in the province. As of Monday evening, Quebec has reported 230,690 cases and 8,7378 deaths, the worst-hit province in Canada. (There have been 668,181 positive cases nationwide.) But dog owners are exempt, and can walk their dogs after 8pm as long as they stay within a kilometre of their home.

Leash in hand, the woman, 24, set out for a walk with her partner, 40, on the other end attached to a collar around his neck around 9 p.m. on Saturday night in Sherbrooke, a city about 150 kilometres east of Montreal, and was stopped by police in the downtown area. Carrier said the couple told the officers they were following Quebec Premier Francois Legault’s rules and didn’t feel that the curfew made sense. “She said she was walking her dog because it was part of the exceptions that the government mentioned for leaving the house during curfew,” said Carrier.

7832 120132 ST St. #106 - 7565 SURREY Surrey, BCBC BUS: 604-572-3005 604.572.3005

14103 110 AVE., N.SURREY

26964 28 AVE., LANGLEY

Truly delightful huge basement entry app. 7200 sqft. home sits on rectangular 9965 sqft. lot. House features 11 bedrooms & 10 washrooms build by good reputation builders. Main floor has 5 bedrooms & 4 bath with huge family room,living room,kitchen,& spice kitchen.Ground level basement has 27'x15' media room with bar & washroom for upstairs use.House has 3 spacious ground level basement suites (3 bed.+3 bed & bachelor suite).Total rent of the suites is $3500/month.Very nice tenants.Easy access to Pattulo bridge, Port Mann bridge & shopping center.Motivated sellers.Easy to show.

Truly delightful fully renovated 6 bedroom basement entry home sits on rectangular 7920 sf flat lot in most demanding area Aldergrove Langley.Main floor features 3 bed ,2 bath with new kitchen /island ,new flooring,new tiles , new woodwork,new fixtures,splash back,granite counters,new tiles,new cabinet, new windows,new zebra drapes,4 new washrooms & much more .Newly built 3 bedroom unauthorized basement suite with rear separate entry.Excellent renovated covered 333 sf Patio & deck.Landscape front & fully fenced back yard. Storage shed.Walking distance to both schools,shopping,community center with pools,water Park,ice arena,playing fields& to all major routes.

$1,779,000

$920,000

#125 32850 GEORGE FERGUSON WAY, ABBOTSFORD

14030 GROSVENOR RD., NORTH SURREY

Hot deal! First Time Buyers or Investors, great investment property with reliable tenants, centrally located in a great neighbourhood. 2 bedroom and 1 bath spacious ground level apartment. Well maintained complex, with many updates on the complex over the last couple of years including, roof, windows, balconies, boilers, security cameras, fob access systems and landscaping. There is shared laundry on every floor. Wheelchair access, elevators secure underground parking. Close to Bus stop, walking distance to shopping, restaurants, banks and

This well-maintained family home w/3-beds up, suite-potential down and a detached workshop/garage has everything you and your family needs, all located centrally. It's a 5 -10min drive to Guildford Town Centre & Hwy 1; only a 3min drive to Gateway Skytrain Station. The 2-level home has a brand-new furnace, dishwasher & washing machine +plenty of other extras including a mobile accessible alarm system and a cozy living room gas fireplace for winter nights. The back deck located off the dining room is perfect for summer barbecues! In addition to the carport and the driveway that fits up to 4-5 vehicles, the 10,200sf lot (60x170) has a massive 1100sf detached workshop that will

$210,000

$955,000

5843 180 STREET, CLOVERDALE 6559 CLAYTONHILL PLACE, CLOVERDALE

$912,500

Solid family home on almost 10,000 square foot rectangular lot in Cloverdale with loads of potential. Large open lot offers plenty of space for a pool, playground & trampoline; or use the extra space to build your dream home. Great central location close to shopping, transit & schools. Same owners since 1987. Three bedrooms up, one down in partially finished basement (just needs a closet). Walkout basement with its own entrance offers potential for two bedroom suite. Large covered patio off the living area overlooks the private, sunny backyard. Transform it into a modern, functional family home

$1,695,238

Welcome to CLOVERDALE'S NEW MASTERPIECE with beautiful VIEWS which is built in the prestigious and quiet Claytonhill neighbourhood. With almost 6000 sq. ft. of spacious living, this family home features 9 BEDROOMS & 9 BATHROOMS and is situated on a 6875 sq. ft. lot. Open concept main floor with decks offering views of BC's mountains, A/C, HRV, security system & more! Beautiful tile floors and engineered wood is carefully placed throughout the home. 9ft ceilings showcased throughout the home with an exquisite chef's kitchen, wok kitchen and bedroom that can be used for all your different needs. This AMAZING home has left no expenses spared with EVERY bedroom on main and upper floor offering a WALK-IN CLOSET and EN-SUITE. 2 BASEMENTS each having 2 beds (2+2),

Saturday, January 16, 2021

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, January 16, 2021

What is considered essential under Ontario’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order? Less than five hours before it was to take effect at midnight Thursday, the Ford government released its legal parameters around a new stay-at-home order enacted for at least the next 28 days meant to keep people home to stop the spread of COVID-19. The order says people cannot leave home, except for about 33 essential reasons: You must not leave home, except: To go to work or volunteer. The work role must be considered “essential.” Per the terms of the order, employers get to decide if a job is essential or not. To go to school. (Elementary schools, secondary schools and post-secondary institutions are largely closed for in-person learning in southern Ontario). “Attending, obtaining or providing child care. (Child care facilities are closed, except those that provide care to children not old enough to be enrolled in school.) “Receiving or providing training or educational services.” To buy things: Purchasing “food, beverage and personal care items.” Obtaining healthcare items and medication Buying goods or services that are “necessary for the safe operation, maintenance or sanitation of households, businesses, means of transportation or other places.”Buying or attending an appointment at any business allowed to be open, including for curbside pickup. Attending a financial institution. Receiving any government service including healthcare or mental health assistance. Helping others:Delivering goods or providing care to anyone in a congregate care setting, or receiving goods or support. Accompanying someone else outside who requires assistance to travel. Transporting a child to their parent or guardian’s home.

Transporting a member of one’s household “to any place the member of the household is permitted to go under this Order.” To protect oneself: From domestic violence Assisting someone living in unsafe conditions Seeking help in an emergency situation Attending a court or other location for the administration of justice To exercise: As defined as “walking or moving around outdoors” using “an assistive mobility device,” or an outdoor amenity permitted to be open during Stage 1 of Ontario’s reopening rules. There is no word on what an individual would have to show a peace officer to prove they are exercising. Playgrounds and play structures were closed during Ontario’s Stage 1. So far, most outdoor amenities are permitted to be open, save for ski hills. But the question of permitted outdoor amenities has sparked confusion. Indigenous rights: All activities protected under Aboriginal treaty as defined by the Constitution Act of 1982. Moving and travelling: Travelling is permitted to another location if the person intends to stay there less than 24 hours and is doing so for one of the other purposes set out in the order. Otherwise, travelling to another residence is only allowed if an individual intends to stay there for at least 14 days. Travelling between homes of parents, guardians or caregivers in order to safeguard someone under their care. “Making arrangements to buy or sell a residence or to begin or end a residential lease.” Moving Going to the airport, train or bus station, “for the purpose of travelling to a destination that is outside of the Province. (The latest orders suggest a voluntary selfisolation period of 14 days when returning to Ontario, even from another province.)

Over 50 flights with COVID-19 cases landed in Toronto the first 9 days of 2021 Year 2021 has barely begun, but over 50 flights with COVID-19 cases have already landed in Toronto. According to the Government of Canada’s database, the flights touched down between January 1 and 9 at Pearson airport. Out of these, 13 were domestic flights, while 39 were international. International travellers were returning from various locations including Delhi, Frankfurt and Punta Cana. Flights from Vancouver,

Edmonton and Winnipeg were also reported to have positive cases. However, this isn’t the first time the airport has recorded a bunch of cases in a short period of time. Forty-one cases of COVID-19 were confirmed onboard Toronto flights between November 23 and December 4. At the moment, anyone returning to Canada is currently being told to quarantine for 14 days. The Ontario government is also asking anyone returning from another province to do the same.

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INDIA

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Pakistan ‘fanning farmer protests via noisy minority’ of Sikhs in Canada with Khalistan links - claims Indian govt

aking advantage of the ongoing protests by farmers against the three controversial farm laws, Pakistan is now trying to fan the agitations through some sections of the Sikh community in Canada that have links with Khalistani operatives, ThePrint has learnt. Pakistan is attempting to do so by organising a ‘Delhi Chalo’ movement from Canada that

“Khalistani sympathisers” are facilitating in which they will come and join the protesting farmers, but none of them have been granted visas to travel, top sources have told ThePrint. While the sections having links to the Khalistani operatives are a minority in the 6,00,000-strong Sikh community in Canada, they are nevertheless a “noisy minority” that can interfere in any issue, from Kashmir to farmers’ protests, in order to create internal disturbances in India, sources added. This is, however, impacting the larger Sikh community there that is against these Khalistani operatives, and are trying to save their image from getting dented due to the “rising polarisation”, sources said. Meanwhile, sources also said the Indian government is making all-out efforts to build bridges with the Sikh community in Canada. India trying to build bridges with Sikh community The Indian government, through its High Commission in Canada, is making all possible efforts to “build bridges with the strong Sikh community by working behind-the-scenes and engaging with them in various ways”, sources said. It has already removed a number of Sikh expatriates who were blacklisted from traveling to India owing to some of the crimes they had committed in the past such as land-grabbing. The Indian High Commission has also taken initiatives such as organising live visa camps in some of the gurdwaras across Canada to facilitate their travel to India, but owing to

Tractor march from Delhi borders on January 26 to be peaceful, says Rajewal Ahead of the January 15 talks with the government, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal on Thursday said efforts are being made to malign the agitation. He urged everyone to maintain peace on January 26, when the farmers intend to hold a parallel parade. Currently, there is speculation on social media that the farmers’ tractor march will be on the Delhi roads, including the Rajpath. Rajewal said the tractor march would be held from the Delhi borders, and that rumours were being spread to malign the agitation. Urging farmers to maitain peace and harmony, he said the outline for the march would be formalised and conveyed to the farmers, who were advised against issuing statements on the issue. “We will carry out a tractor parade from the Delhi borders. The details of the march will be finalised soon, he said. Not only social media but a section of the agitating farmers also has been claiming that they will hoist the Tricolour at the Red Fort on Republic Day and march on the Delhi roads towards Parliament. Rajewal told The Tribune that the tractor march would be peaceful and the outline of the programme would be decided after the meeting with the Union ministers on Friday.

the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian consulates in Toronto and Vancouver are not fully operational. However, organisations such as the World Sikh Organisation (WSO) of Canada, Sikhs for Justice, and Khalsa Aid International continue to create troubles for the government making it difficult for the majority of the Sikh community there to maintain cordial ties with India. “Pakistan has been trying to mobilise Khalistani elements not just in Canada, but also in various capitals of western countries. They try to misguide people and Pakistan indulges them,” Sharat Sabharwal, India’s former high commissioner to Pakistan, told ThePrint. “A lot of Khalistani supporters still live in Pakistan and Pakistan uses them to rake up every internal issue pertaining to India. But they don’t make a substantial difference. I am sure the farmers and the people of

India are not influenced by them,” he added. ‘Impact our bilateral ties’ While Indian diplomats in Canada have been barred from entering some of the gurdwaras owing to the Khalistani elements, sources said it is impacting the lives of prominent Sikh individuals as well. One such case is that of Nav Bhatia, a popular face of the Indo-Canadian community there, who has been conferred with the title of ‘Superfan’ of Canadian basketball team, Toronto Raptors. Bhatia was last month conferred with a $50,000 Global Indian Award by the Canada India Foundation (CIF), a Torontobased Indo-Canadian advocacy group. However, sources said, owing to pressure from groups such as the WSO and others, Bhatia returned the award immediately. The WSO at the time stated that the CIF has

been “steadfast Sikh genocide deniers and have a history of being Indian state violence apologists”. It also hailed Bhatia’s move to return the award, saying he had done the “right thing”. Sabharwal said: “In reality, these Khalistani organisations have no real stake either in India or in Punjab. They are well-off there having comfortable lives. “Our mission keeps a close eye on them and they reach out to the genuine members of the Sikh community. But it does impact our bilateral ties with these countries. If the Canadian prime minister is making a statement on their behalf, it cannot be that it won’t have an impact on the ties,” he added. Last month, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau had expressed concern over the farmers’ protest, saying the “situation (in India) is concerning”.

INDIA

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Tesla gains India business license, stock soars over 6% Tesla has officially received a business license in India, which will give the company the ability to operate as a domestic automaker as a subsidiary of a foreign company. The announcement sent Tesla stock surging up over 6% after the company suffered its first negative day of 2021 on December 11. According to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) in India, Tesla India Motors and Energy will be operated in Karnataka, a state located in the southwest region of the country.

The company was officially incorporated into the MCA database as an LLP on January 8th, and the Indian Government has allocated space for Tesla’s initial operation in the country. In late December, Tesla had applied for several business licenses, and it seems the requests were granted. On top of the new developments, Tesla has also named three directors for the Indian subsidiary of the electric car and energy storage

UK Hindus seek Prime Minister Johnson’s intervention over minorities’ persecution in Pakistan British Hindu umbrella organisations have issued a joint letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson seeking urgent action from Pakistan over the “rampant persecution” of Hindus in the country, highlighting the burning of a temple in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province last month as the most recent example. The letter - signed by TruPatel, President

of the Hindu Forum of Britain; Dharaj Shah, President of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh; Rajnish Kashyap, General Secretary of the Hindu Council UK Arun Thakar, President of the National Council of Hindu Temples UK; and Tribhuvan Jotangia, President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad - was issued to 10 Downing Street in London on Saturday.

Nepal foreign minister on three-day visit to India Nepal’s Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Thursday embarked on a three-day visit to India during which he will attend the 6th meeting of Nepal-India Joint Commission and discuss the entire gamut of relations, including COVID-19 cooperation and border disputes, with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. Gyawali is the senior-most political leader from Nepal to visit India after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli triggered a border row last year

by publishing a new political map that showed the three Indian territories — Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh — as part of Nepal. The Joint Commission is the highest mechanism between the two countries to discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations. During the meeting, the two countries are scheduled to hold discussions on various issues including bilateral trade, energy, border disputes and COVID-19 assistance.

Tata Motors stock surging on India Tesla rumors According to some media, the rumor is that Tesla has been searching for an Indian manufacturing partner and settled on Tata after its due diligence process concluded that the Indian company had the best electric-vehicle infrastructure among the country’s major automakers. Tata’s Nexon EV is India’s best-selling electric vehicle. While this is just a rumor -- and auto investors should discount it accordingly for the moment -- it’s worth nothing that Tata’s shares have had a good run recently on actual news: Sales at both its domestic Indian operation and its Jaguar Land Rover unit finished 2020 on high notes. The company’s domestic sales were up 21% from a year ago in December, while Jaguar Land Rover’s

worldwide retail sales rose 13.1% in the fourth quarter of 2020 from the same period in 2019. For the first time ever, Apple will release an iPhone that is 5G ready and 5G will supercharge this new iPhone. That’s why Apple analysts are convinced that an unprecedented number of Apple fans will sprint to upgrade to this new iPhone. But before you run out and buy shares of Apple, there’s something you need to know, because there might be an even more lucrative way to play the coming iPhone boom. Legendary Canadian stock analyst Iain Butler and his team at Stock Advisor Canada have identified a tiny American company (52 times smaller than Apple’s) that seems perfectly

Govt asks WhatsApp to explain why its new data privacy policy applies in India but not in Europe WhatsApp recently announced it is updating its terms of service and privacy policies from February 8. After coming under criticism from all sides, the Facebook-owned company is now reportedly under the government’s scanner as well. As part of the new policies, WhatsApp will start sharing some data with Facebook and its affiliated companies. This move has sparked privacy concerns across the world as WhatsApp users will not be able to use the app without agreeing to the new terms. As per a Times of India report,

the Indian government has started examining the controversy surrounding WhatsApp’s new update. “We are collecting details,” said an official source. The issue is reportedly being discussed at the highest levels of the IT ministry. As per the source, the government is concerned about the ‘regulatory vacuum’ in terms of data protection in India as there is no data protection law at present. A bill for a personal data protection law in the Parliament but it is likely to take some time before becoming a law.

India-born NASA scientist pleads guilty to lying about China ties A senior Nasa scientist pleaded guilty on Wednesday to lying about his ties to a programme that encourages researchers to develop relationships with China in exchange for grants, the US Department of Justice said on Wednesday. Meyya Meyyappan, 66, of Pacifica, California, entered his plea before US District Judge Kevin Castel in Manhattan. Prosecutors said Meyyappan participated in the Thousand Talents Program, a Chinese government programme to recruit people familiar with foreign technology and

intellectual property, and held professorships at universities in China, South Koreaand Japan US prosecutors said Meyya Meyyappan took part in a Chinese government scheme to recruit people familiar with foreign technology and intellectual property Meyyappan hid this work from Nasa and the US Office of Government Ethics, and falsely told investigators he was not a member of the Thousand Talents Program

Prachanda accuses Oli of dissolving Parliament at India’s direction Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, the chairman of the Nepal Communist Party’s splinter faction, on Wednesday accused Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of splitting the ruling party and dissolving Parliament at India’s direction. Addressing leaders and cadres of his

faction at the Nepal Academy Hall in the capital, Prachanda said that Prime Minister Oli had in the recent past accused that “some leaders of NCP were hatching conspiracy to topple his government at the behest of India”. Prachanda said his faction did not force Oli to resign simply because it would have

4 CBI personnel arrested for taking bribe from bank fraud accused The CBI arrested its four personnel, including two deputy superintendents of police, for allegedly receiving bribe to compromise on investigation against companies accused of bank fraud, and started a search operation on Thursday morning at its training academy in Ghaziabad and 13 other locations, officials said. The agency did not give out many details about the case in which its own personnel are under scanner for allegedly taking huge amounts of bribe from the accused companies in bank fraud

cases being probed by them, they said. The CBI officials booked by the agency are Deputy Superintendents of Police R K Rishi and R K Sangwan, Inspector Kapil Dhankad and Steno Samir Kumar Singh, they said. “Searches were conducted today at 14 locations, including Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurgaon, Meerut and Kanpur, at the premises of the accused,” CBI spokesperson R C Joshi said. The situation became embarrassing for the agency as it had to search the premises of Rishi who is posted in the CBI Academy

India deplores ‘false assertions’ in UK Parliament Kashmir debate India has expressed its dismay at some of the parliamentarians who participated in a debate on Kashmir in the Houses of Parliament complex in London relying on “false assertions” and unsubstantiated allegations propagated by a “third country” – an apparent reference to Pakistan. The debate, organised by backbench British MPs at Westminster Hall in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening, was entitled “Political situation in Kashmir” –

terminology the Indian High Commission in London pointed out as problematic in itself. “Regarding the reference to ‘Kashmir’ in the title: the need is felt to differentiate between the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India, and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (when the erstwhile princely state of Kashmir legally acceded to India in October 1947, this part was forcibly and illegally occupied by Pakistan),”

FIJI

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Punjab Mann recuses himself from Supreme Court-appointed committee Bhartiya Kisan Union president Bhupinder Singh Mann said he is recusing himself from the four-member committee. Mann’s announcement came on a day when his organisation’s Punjab unit decided to disassociate itself from him. Mann said he is thankful to the apex court for nominating him to the panel but would give up any position to prevent farmers’ interests from being compromised. Mann, 81, is also the chairman of the All-India Kisan Coordination

Committee. He remained a Rajya Sabha MP from 1990-96. He had supported the Congress in 2012 and 2017 Punjab assembly polls. SC panel meet from Jan 19 In another development, the Supreme Courtappointed panel on farm laws is likely to hold its first meeting on January 19 at Pusa campus in delhi, one of its members Anil Ghanwat said on Thursday and asserted the committee will have no “ego or prestige issue” if it has to go to farmers’ protest sites to talk to them.

If govts can last 5 years, so can farmers’ protest Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait As the farmers’ agitation against the newly passed agricultural laws by the Centre entered its 50th day on Thursday, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait wondered if a government can hold office for five years, why can’t the farmers’ protest go on for the same period of time. He said this while responding to a question on the proposed duration of the agitation. “The government can function for five years,

why can’t the movement go on? We respect the Supreme Court’s decision but are not happy with the committee (set by the apex court). Our movement will continue till the government withdraws the farm laws,” he said. Speaking on the preparations for programmes planned by the farmers on January 26 on the occasion of Republic Day, Tikait said they have started procuring tricolours.

Janhvi Kapoor faces farmers’ protest during film shooting in Punjab Shooting of actor Janhvi Kapoor’s film “Good Luck Jerry” briefly came to a halt in Bassi Pathana here, after a group of farmers insisted that she make a comment on the ongoing farmers’ protest. Kapoor is shooting for the film, produced by filmmaker Anand L Rai’s Colour Yellow Productions and directed by Sidharth Sengupta, in Punjab. According to Sukhminder Singh Chauhan, DSP, Bassi Pathana, the incident happened

on Monday after 20-30 farmers reached the movie sets for a “peaceful” protest. “The shooting had stopped for twothree hours on January 11. There wasn’t anything major. Around 20-30 people had reached the set. It was a peaceful agitation. “All they wanted was assurance of support from them (the actors). When they did, the shoot was resumed. It was mutually resolved. Now the shoot is going on smoothly,” Chauhan said.

Pakistan 12 police men dismissed for negligence in Hindu temple vandalisation 12 police officials dismissed in KPK province following an enquiry report that found them guilty of “negligence” in protecting a Hindu temple was vandalized by a mob. The govt also forfeited one-year police service of 54 police officials in connection with the incident. The temple in located in Terri village in KPK province, it was attacked on December 30 by angry mob after members of the Hindu community received permission from local authorities to renovate its decadesold building. The mob demolished the newly constructed work alongside the old structure.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kohat Region, Tayyab Hafeez Cheema had appointed Superintendent of Police (Investigation Wing) Zahir Shah as enquiry officer to probe the incident and submit its report within a week’s time. Shah conducted the probe against 73 police officials and recommended to dismiss 12 of them from service on charges of negligence and irresponsibility in the discharge of their official duties. “Keeping in view of the available record and facts on file, perusal of enquiry papers and the recommendations of the Enquiry Officers, they are found guilty of the charges.

Covid-19 cases surge in nearly a month 3,097 new COVID-19 cases reported in Pakistan, the highest number in about a month, pushing the total number of infections in the country to 511,921. 46 more deaths, taking the

coronavirus toll to 10,818. The surge came as Sindh province reported 1,769 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of National Health Services.

Over 15 years jail for Hafiz Saeed’s two aides in terror financing case An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has handed more than 15 years jail term each to two close aides of Mumbai terror attack mastermind and banned Jamat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, including the outfit’s media face Yahya Mujahid, in a terror financing case. The anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Tuesday also sentenced Saeed’s brother-in-law Abdul Rehman Makki to six-month in jail. “Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta awarded 15-and-half-year imprisonment each to Yahya Mujahid and Zafar Iqbal, and six-month term to Prof Abdul Rehman Makki in a case registered

by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Police,” a court official said. Earlier, the court had handed a 47-year jail term to Mujahid in three terror financing cases. Similarly, Iqbal was sentenced 26 years imprisonment in three such cases. Both Mujahid and Iqbal will be kept in jail for about 15 years as their sentences will run concurrently. The official said the three convicts were present in the court when the judge announced the verdict. Strict security measures were taken during the appearance of the JuD leaders in the court.

Jeanette Emberson appointed as acting Secretary-General to the Parliament Viniana Namosimalua’s appointment as the Acting Secretary-General to Parliament has not been renewed. The President acting on the advice of the Constitutional Offices Commission has appointed Jeanette Emberson as the Acting Secretary-General to Parliament until a substantive appointment is made. Emberson’s acting appointment

effective from 12 January 2021. The Constitutional Offices Commission has also decided to re-advertise the vacancy. According to a government statement, following an open merit recruitment process, Mohammed Saneem has been re-appointed as the Supervisor of Elections for a term of 5 years. Acting Chief Justice Kamal Kumar has been re-appointed as the Chairperson of the Human

Special loan to frmers for their children’s education The Sugar Cane Growers Fund is providing a special loan to all cane farmers in Fiji who need assistance for their children’s education. This assistance is for the children of sugarcane farmers from primary school to tertiary level. The fund’s chief executive officer, Raj Sharma said the ‘Back-to-School’ promotion began on

January 11 and would continue to March 31, 2021. “Under this promotion, our sugarcane farmers can obtain loans for their children’s education and meet all the needs whether primary, secondary or tertiary schools. This is for farmers that need some sort of financial funding to fill their coffers for back-to-school,” he said.

$7M plus electricity damages in the aftermath of cyclone YASA Repairs and restoration of electricity by Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) post Tropical Cyclone Yasa may cost them $7 million to $8 million. This was revealed by chief executive officer Hasmukh Patel in a press conference yesterday. Mr Patel said the costs might be slightly less or more but it would be around that figure. “At this stage we are targeting to finish

all our restoration works in the Northern division by January 31,” Mr Patel said. “The weather in Labasa has been a lot of rain and that has deterred our progress, because for three to four hours in a day they are experiencing rain in the North,” he said. “The safety of our staff is also a priority and we are ensuring that they work in the best of conditions.”

Coboi Sanatan Dharam School adopted by businessman Coboi Sanatan Dharm Kalika Memorial School in Bua was the first school in Northern Division to be adopted by a businessman for a rebuilding project. The businessman, Pratap Singh, is the owner of Entec Limited based in Suva. This was confirmed by Minister for Education Rosy Akbar.

“The businessman has taken the responsibility to rebuild this school which was completely destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Yasa on December 17,” Ms Akbar said. “We are very thankful to this company for their support.” She also relayed this information to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama who was

Saturday, January 16, 2021

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Saturday, January 16, 2021