“Lest we forget�
www.theasianstar.com Vol 15 - Issue 41
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Vancouver armed robber shot dead
Hundreds join anti-Trump protest in Vancouver
Police from at least two jurisdictions rushed to a Canadian Tire story in East Vancouver Thursday, where a man dressed in a dark green hunting jacket and carrying a rifle was shot dead after stabbing an employee and a police officer. Continued on Page 6...
Hundreds of people turned up in downtown Vancouver on Thursday to protest the results of the United States presidential election. Dozens of placards bobbed above the crowd with various slogans disparaging president-elect Donald Trump, ranging from “Build kindness, not walls� and “Proud supporter of love,� to “Make America safe again,� and “Prejudice kills.� The Republican ended a divisive election campaign on Tuesday by pulling off a widely unexpected upset, defeating Clinton in the race to the White House. Continued on Page 10...
Hillary lost despite getting more votes than Trump Hillary Clinton just couldn’t hold onto the Obama coalition. And that proved to be a large part of her undoing. African-American, Latino and younger voters failed to show up at the polls in sufficient numbers Tuesday to propel Clinton into the White House. Clinton conceded the race after 2 a.m. ET. Before polls closed her campaign had been confident of victory. In the end, however, she lost even some states thought to be safely in her column, like Wisconsin. She trailed in others, like Pennsylvania and Michigan. While she won the key demographic groups her campaign targeted, she underperformed President Obama across the board, even among women, according to exit poll data. Continued on Page 7...
Indo-Canadians stuck with useless cash after new Modi policy
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A number of Canadian residents have suddenly found themselves with worthless wads of cash after the Indian government abruptly scrapped its highest-denomination currency notes this week. Continued on Page 6...
pleads guilty in US court An Indian-origin futures trader, who was extradited to the US after being arrested in the UK for his alleged role in the 2010 Wall Street “flash crash� which wiped nearly $1 trillion off the value of American shares in minutes, has pleaded guilty Continued on Page 7... in a court in Chicago.
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
! " The federal government is preparing for a potential surge in Mexican migrants coming to Canada after Donald Trump’s election victory. Sources confirm high level meetings took place this week with officials at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and in other departments. The news comes as Canada prepares to loosen rules for Mexicans to enter the country by lifting a visa requirement on Dec. 1. That restriction has been in place since 2009. Talks on a plan to cope with a possible spike in asylum-seekers have been ongoing for some time, but were accelerated this week after Trump’s surprise win. Trump campaigned on promises to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and to swiftly deport undocumented workers and illegal residents. Toronto-based immigration lawyer Lorne Waldman expects an increase in refugee claims from Mexicans once the visa requirement is lifted. He also predicts a “significant impact� from Trump’s election. “The government was very concerned about the potential for a large number of new claims coming from Mexico, and that’s why they hesitated for so long before announcing that they were going to remove the visa,� he said. “And that announcement was made before anyone knew that Donald Trump, with his very different immigration policies from those of the current administration, won the election.� But Waldman cautioned it’s too early to tell exactly how the situation may unfold, saying it will depend on whether Trump follows through on his campaign pledges.
out baggage after IGI mix-up It only takes a check-in bag to flare the sparks of tense Indo-Pak ties these days. Tarek Fatah, well known Canadian writer of Pakistani origin, was flying from Delhi to Goa on Friday to attend India Ideas 2016 Conclave being organised there. Fatah was booked on a Vistara flight (UK 847) and he gave his bags for check-in at the counter. However, the writer’s bags were held back for advanced security checks. “I was looking forward to @IndFoundation #IndiaIdeas Conclave in Goa, but #CISF security feels I’m a security threat & held back my luggage.... every other passenger got their luggage, except me. @ airvistara let the terrorist fly, but held on to his bag!� Fatah said in a series of tweets. Airline sources said that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for aviation security, decided to subject Fatah’s bags to further checks. “At level 2 of automated screening, it was decided for passenger’s bags must be subjected to the advanced level 4 checks. This meant that the bags would not have made it in time for uk 847. So we informed the passenger that his bags are being held back and that they would be sent later,� said an official. However, in an apparent communication gap Fatah possibly misconstrued “level 4� of screening as a highthreat level - due to his Pakistani origin -- and tweeted accordingly later on. “The passenger flew on UK 847. His bags were cleared later and we sent them to Goa by the afternoon flight,� said the Vistara official. I am sure that Fata understands, he being from Canada and of pakistani origin. I am sure he is used to this wherever he travels in North America, and especially when traveling to the United States. Sources say bags are being subjected to intense security these days due to the heightened threat perception are of the Uri attacks and also to screen the possible checking-in of ‘inflammable’ Samsung Galaxy Note 7 or 2 phones.
When Trump first launched his presidential bid in June 2015, he took sharp aim at Mexico, suggesting the country was unleashing criminals in to the country. “They’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing their problems,� he said. “They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists and some I assume are good people, but I speak to border guards and they tell us what we are getting.� In August last year, he released an eightpage policy paper on immigration that outlined plans to build a multi-billiondollar wall along the Mexican border, but force Mexico to pay for it. He also vowed to detain and deport undocumented migrants and triple the number of U.S. immigration officers.
LOCAL
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# ! $%&' ! #! " A 27-year-old Surrey man has been charged in connection with a hit-and-run accident last year that left an 85-year-old man with serious injuries. RCMP said Wednesday that on April 6, 2015, at about 5:45 p.m., police were in the 12600-block of 92nd Avenue and witnessed the collision between a car and a pedestrian. Aman Sanghera was arrested on Nov. 3 and charged with failing to stop at an accident causing bodily harm, and dangerous driving. “Hard work by investigators and intersection cameras helped to lead investigators to Sanghera, who is alleged to have been the driver,� said Cpl. Scotty Schumann.
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OPINION
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Shopping for European health care is not the cure - By Colleen M. Flood and Bryan Thomas A legal challenge to Canada’s medicare system has given new focus to the muchneeded debate about how health service is provided in this country. The Supreme Court of British Columbia is hearing the long-anticipated challenge to the publicly-funded Canadian health system. The plaintiffs - led by Dr. Brian Day of Cambie Surgery Centre - allege that medicare violates Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms by forcing patients onto long wait lists for care. By way of remedy, Day and his colleagues aren’t asking the government to reduce wait times for all patients. Too bad. Instead, they ask the court to overturn the law that stops the sale of private insurance covering medically-necessary care. They also ask the court to overturn the law against dual practice that requires doctors to choose to work for the public system or work for the private sector. They also want to overturn prohibitions on extra-billing so physicians can charge whatever they wish for the care they provide, in public hospitals or in private clinics. Examining what this legal challenge could mean for Canadians,
start.
The physicians spearheading these challenges Most physicians are locked into fee-forservice rates negotiated with the provinces. If the Cambie case succeeds, scores of private buyers will join the bargaining table, driving up prices for physician services and diverting resources to the highest bidder irrespective of medical need. The physicians involved in the trial protest they have only medicare’s best interests at heart. They point to the many western “European� nations that have two-tier health systems, purportedly the envy of the world. If only Canada would allow greater private payment, we are told, the invisible hand of the market would lead us to join their ranks. It’s not that simple. Proponents of the “European� model of health care never tell us if it’s the French, Irish, English, Dutch, German or Italian model we should follow - and they are all distinct. In England, for example, specialists in the public system are salaried and contractually bound to a full-time 40-hour work schedule, leaving them little time to moonlight in the private sector. A contract binding specialists to 40 hours a
week in the public system is viable in England, where physicians are salaried. It’s not viable in Canada, where physicians have grown accustomed over a half-century to a much higher level of independence. Indeed, any Canadian government that attempted to force large numbers of physicians from fee-for-service payment to salary would further constitutional challenges. What about the Netherlands? Private insurance plays a very large role there so perhaps it’s the kind of two-tier system we’re looking for. But in fact, there’s no separate public system with a private tier: in the Netherlands, the private health insurance system, heavily regulated, is the public system. The law requires that all Dutch adults buy private health insurance (and their employers contribute). The market is heavily regulated to achieve access and equity goals. And private insurers must offer coverage to everybody and cover almost everything. This means private insurers can’t cherry pick the healthy and wealthy. When the Cambie challengers and proponents of privatization speak of a two-tier system, they insist there would be a free public health-care system left with just a small private tier on the top. That’s clearly not the Dutch model. In a complex system like health care, it’s purposefully naive to suppose Canada can easily shop among the models of western Europe. Selecting features from European systems and pasting them into Canadian medicare will not magically give us a “European� model. It’s certainly true that Canadian medicare is in need of improvement. All sides agree. And Canadians need to be assured that medicare can deliver timely care when they are in greatest need. A patient ombudsman in each province with real teeth - would be an important start to help patients get timely, quality care. Canadians pay a great deal of tax towards our health-care system. We deserve timely care and we shouldn’t have to throw ourselves at the mercy of the markets to get it.
www.theasianstar.com # 202 - 7028, 120th Street, Surrey, BC V3W 3M8 Ph: 604-591-5423 Fax: 604-591-8615 E-mail: editor@theasianstar.com Editor: Umendra Singh Associate Editor: Shruti Prakash Joshi Marketing and Sales: Ravinder S. Cheema........604-715-3847 Shamir Doshi....................604-649-7827 Harminder Kaur...............778-708-0481 Parminder Dhillon..........778-859-9234 Layout: Avee J Waseer Pre-Press: Iftikhar Ahmed Contributing writers: Jag Dhatt, Akash Sablok, Kamila Singh, Jay Bains Photographer: Chandra Bodalia Publication Mail Agreement No 428336012 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept.
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
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LOCAL
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Vancouver armed robber shot dead Continued from Page 1... The violent scene began to unfold around 3 p.m. near the gun counter at the Canadian Tire at 2830 Bentall St., where Tamara Jones and her nine-year-old son Atlin were shopping for a rake. “We were on our way to the till when we heard yelling, ‘He’s got a gun.’ I didn’t know if it was real, if it was a prank. Then someone yelled ‘Drop to the floor,’� Jones said. “I was completely freaked out. All I wanted to do was get my son out of there. It was the scariest feeling. We just ran.� Staff later told Jones they believed the man broke into a display case and stole a rifle. An employee was stabbed during the robbery, said Brian Montague, a Vancouver police spokesman. By the time the man walked out of the store, police had arrived. In the ensuing confrontation, one VPD officer was stabbed repeatedly and another opened fire, killing the man. Witnesses described him as a white male in his mid-
40s with a tall, stocky build — an agitated, muscular, “football player-type,� as Jones put it. Katarina Mitchell recounted what she saw from the parking lot. “A police car pulled up and they came out carrying these big rifles. (Then) out comes this guy from Canadian Tire,� she said. It was then that the man sprayed an officers with an unknown substance. “I don’t know if it was pepper spray or spray paint. He goes down, the first cop, and the second cop was behind him and tackled him to the ground, and they were fighting,� Mitchell said. But the officer could not hold the man down, recalled Jones, who by that time was also outside of the store. There were conflicting descriptions as to what happened next in the chaotic battle, but a few details were clear in the minds of witnesses. There was the sight of an officer grabbing his stomach, bending over and falling backward, the “pop, pop, pop� of gunfire, and in the end, the suspect lying on the ground, motionless.
Indo-Canadians stuck with useless cash after new Modi policy Continued from Page 1... On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a surprise broadcast that his government was withdrawing all 500 and 1,000 Indian rupee notes – which are equivalent to about $10 and $20. He said the action was being taken to combat corruption, money laundering and counterfeiting in India, where there is a significant amount of so-called undeclared, untaxed “black money.� People in India were told to deposit their discontinued notes in banks and post office savings accounts before the end of the year.
They were also told they could exchange limited amounts for new 500 and 2,000 rupee bills that are being delivered. But for anyone with the cancelled currency outside India including members of the large Indian diaspora in Canada – there appears to be confusion on what to do with the discontinued bills. The High Commission of India in Ottawa said it did not yet have any official guidance on the matter. “We have written to our national Reserve Bank. We are waiting for their response,� said Prem Selwal, attache consular with the commission.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
pleads guilty in US court Continued from Page 1... Navinder Singh Sarao, 37, of Hounslow, United Kingdom, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of spoofing before US District Judge Virginia Kendall of the Northern District of Illinois. Sarao was extradited to the US on November 7 and made his first court appearance on Wednesday. The charges against him include his role in the May 6, 2010 ‘Flash Crash’ when the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 600 points in five minutes, the US Assistant Attorney General Leslie R Caldwell said. “Navinder Sarao abused sophisticated technology to make a quick profit, and jeopardised the integrity of US financial markets,� Caldwell said. “By flooding the marketplace with bogus orders, his scheme victimised countless individuals.� As part of his guilty plea, Sarao admitted that he used an automated trading programme, along with other techniques, to manipulate the market for E-mini Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 futures contracts (E-minis), stock market index futures contracts based on the S&P 500 index, through the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).
Hillary lost despite getting more votes than Trump Continued from Page 1... A slightly larger share of black and Latino voters cast ballots for Trump than supported Mitt Romney in 2012, despite Trump’s disparaging remarks on African-Americans, Mexicans and undocumented immigrants. President Barack Obama, who captured the presidency with the help of the AfricanAmerican and Latino communities, issued several personal pleas to black voters to back Clinton in recent weeks. “If we let this thing slip and I’ve got a situation where my last two months in office are preparing for a transition to Donald Trump, whose staff people have said that their primary agenda is to have him in the first couple of weeks sitting in the Oval Office and reverse every single thing that we’ve done,� Obama said last week during an interview on a syndicated radio program. But not enough African-Americans, along with Latinos, heeded the call. Some 88% of African-American voters supported Clinton, versus 8% for Donald Trump, as of very early Wednesday morning. While that’s a large margin, it’s not as big as Obama’s victory over Mitt Romney in 2012. Obama locked up 93% of the black vote to Romney’s 7%.
LOCAL
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PERSON OF THE WEEK
Saturday, November 12, 2016
‘Lest we forget”, a tribute at Gobind Sarvar School The real heroes are the ones who sacrifice their lives to save the rest of the world. The warriors who fought to keep the country safe, the living examples of bravery are they. Even if not present among us this day, every free breath is indebted because of their efforts. To celebrate their bravery, to remember those martyrs, Remembrance day is organised in Canada. Living this culture there are many events organised on this day. Lately this remarkable historic day was celebrated at the Gobind Sarvar School in Surrey BC where students from all the grades took part in the event. It started beautifully with the shabad that was penned down by the supreme warrior Shri Guru Gobind Singh “deh shiva war mohe hai, shubh karman te kabhu na taron”, the words itself created the vibe that strengthened the moment. At this event, veterans were invited to share their personal experiences of the battlefield and inspire students to stand for the
good. “The whole idea was to let the students know about a soldier’s life and their sacrifices,
so that the respect for them grows as these children grow”, “also familiarize these students with
the honor these men receive and inspire them to serve the motherland”, said Mr. Bhatia, principal of Gobind Sarvar School. After which, students from every grade came in front of
veterans was highly purposeful. Apart from Canadian Veterans, a prominent figure from Indian army was also invited who, beside sharing his personal story also talked about the prominent historic
the audience and presented the poems they prepared to pay homage to the martyrs. The charts made by these students added an extra mile to the purpose of the event. Along with this, the experience sharing session with
fighters including Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The presentation about The War of Saragarh brightened up the purpose of the event. “We are all Canadians and we must remember what our veterans do for us to make our lives comfortable, also it is highly important to make students understand the roots where we come from as this is the only way to preserve our rich history”, smiled Mr. Bhatia. The event was accomplished with the oneminute silence ceremony in the memory of the martyrs. The Remembrance Day is the first ever celebration organized by Gobind Sarvar School that is highly admired by students, the guests, parents and everyone who participated in it. - Chhavi Disawar
LOCAL
Saturday, November 12, 2016
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Surrey man given two years in jail for drunk driving A judge gave a drunk driver who left a father of four paralyzed a longer sentence than the Crown had asked for.
Christopher Malloy, 52, had pleaded guilty to three counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm and one count of failing to stop at the scene of an accident in Surrey Provincial Court, and the Crown recommended a prison sentence in the upper range of 12 to 18 months for the impaired driving charges and another 60 days to be served consecutively for fleeing a collision. The defence requested a sentence in the lower range of 12 to 18 months. Judge Danny Sudeyko, citing Malloy’s lengthy history of driving infractions, instead sentenced him Monday to two years less a day for the impaired driving charges and another two months to be served concurrently for fleeing the scene of an accident. Malloy, whose blood alcohol level was reportedly more three times the legal limit, clipped a car from behind while driving an SUV westbound on Fraser Highway one night in January 2015. He then drove through a red light at the intersection of 152 Street at approximately 150 km/h before hitting a vehicle driven by Gurb Aujla, a father of
four who was returning home from hockey practice with his 10-year-old son. The impact sent the Aujlas’ Saturn Vue into oncoming traffic, where it was struck a second time by an eastbound vehicle. The crash left Aujla paralyzed from the chest down, his son received minor injuries, and Georgia Yost, a young mother and the driver of the third vehicle, sustained a broken arm and a serious head injury. “I find that Mr. Malloy’s decision on this occasion to drink alcohol to an extreme excess and then drive recklessly and at enormous speeds along a busy arterial road made the likelihood of a collision causing serious injury entirely probable,â€? said Sudeyko when rendering his verdict. “The significant harm caused by Mr. Malloy based on his intentional risk-taking ‌ supports a high level of moral culpability and a sentence that incorporates principles of retribution. The message to be sent to Mr. Malloy, and even more importantly to others, is that the consequences of driving after drinking and driving in a dangerous manner, often have tragic consequences to innocent parties and that there will be serious consequences to those who do so.â€? Malloy, who has no prior criminal record, was also given two years of probation with conditions forbidding the consumption of alcohol or non-prescription drugs, as well as a three-year driving ban upon his release. He is also forbidden from having any contact with the Aujla or Yost families outside of legal proceedings.
Gun amnesty wrap up in Surrey.
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LOCAL
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Murder conviction stands for Surrey man, now dead, ! Two-time Surrey murderer Thomas Robert Elton has posthumously lost an appeal of a 2012 second-degree murder conviction in which he claimed he had helped his chronically ill wife commit suicide. Elton strangled and stabbed his wife to death with a bayonet during what he claimed was a suicide pact being carried out. Elton died on Nov. 13, 2015, at age
60, in Matsqui prison after being found unconscious in his cell. His appeal was heard March 3, 2016 and the court revealed its decision on Nov. 9. Both Elton, 58, and his wife Brenda Turcan - also known as Brenda Blondell - were
murderers on parole, in unrelated cases, when he killed her in their apartment at Greenwood Gardens in Guildford on June 22, 2009. Elton claimed he was trying to help Turcan, 59, commit suicide. When Justice John Truscott found him guilty of second-degree murder in 2012, at B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster, the judge noted Turcan had been suffering from a “constellation of progressive medical illnesses� when she died. The couple had married in 2005. Both shared the ignominious distinction of having murdered someone before they met. Elton had been on parole for the 1975 murder of a fellow prisoner he stabbed in Matsqui prison and Turcan was also on parole for a murder she committed in Burnaby in 1987. Elton testified at trial that he and his wife made a suicide pact to be carried out if one’s health failed. He said he woke up to roll a cigarette that fateful morning and found her sitting on a couch.
Hundreds join anti-Trump protest in Vancouver Continued from Page 1... The Vancouver protest was staged in front of Trump Tower, where another demonstration was held earlier this year because of its controversial namesake. The oversized letters spelling out the Trump name immediately above the building’s front doors had been covered in blue sheets and a fence surrounded the entrance. Steve Cucuzza, a New Yorker who opted to visit Canada to escape the election-night chaos, attended the Vancouver rally. He said
he wasn’t expecting an anti-Trump gathering so far from home but added that he wasn’t surprised. “I think the global community has every reason to be fearful of him,� Cucuzza said, describing Trump as likely the most divisive politician in American history. “The fact that he literally has his hands on the nuclear codes should have everybody across the globe gravely concerned. He has a tendency to lash out and act out when he doesn’t get his way.�
) *! #! " + .! Five people were injured in an fight outside a Surrey banquet hall in Surrey Friday night. Just before midnight on Nov. 4, Surrey RCMP were called to an altercation in the parking lot outside the building in the 12000-block of Nordel Way. When police arrived, they found a large group of people in the parking lot, with four persons suffering from wounds as a result of an assault with a weapon. Five people in total were transported to hospital with various degrees of injury – though none with life-threatening injuries. One of the victims was an elderly female who suffered a broken arm and other injuries as a result of being knocked down.
Police say the a large family function took place inside the banquet hall before the altercation, which took place outside. A knife was also possibly produced and was used by one person involved in the fight. All of the persons involved in the altercation are known to each other and had been invited to the family function. A suspect has not yet been identified, and witnesses are still being spoken to. Police are also in the process seeking video footage of the altercation. Anyone who may have witnessed the altercation or observed persons fleeing from the location are asked to call the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers.
107.5 kg of suspected cocaine seized at South Surrey border One man was taken into custody following the discovery of more than 100 kilograms of suspected cocaine in a northbound commercial truck last month. According to a news release issued by Canada Border Services Agency Monday afternoon, the incident occurred at the Pacific Highway border in South Surrey on Oct. 21. During a search of a commercial vehicle, border services officers found "numerous bricks of a white, powdered substance among a shipment of rice," the release states.
The bricks – with a combined weight of 107.5 kg – were seized and, along with the
driver, turned over to RCMP. The driver's age, gender and hometown were not disclosed. Investigation is ongoing.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
BCTF wins Supreme Court battle over class size and composition The B.C. Teachers’ Federation has won a landmark decision on negotiating class size and composition in the Supreme Court of Canada.
Canada’s top court provided a surprise verbal ruling a few hours after a hearing into the case started Thursday morning. “It was sense of jubilation, there was cheering,” said BCTF President Glen Hansman, who was in the courtroom in Ottawa. “We are very happy for our members and to resolve this once and for all.” The ongoing dispute dates back to 2002, when the province used legislation to strip
teachers of their right to bargain class size and composition. The union says the province will now have to provide resources for class size and composition that date back to levels from when the legal dispute began. “What that is going to look like in terms of timelines and operationally, we are going to have to talk about that. We were truly not expecting a decision here today,” said Hansman. “We will definitely be in conversations with the province because ... we need to get those teachers back into schools now.” The quick decision caught the province and many other observers off guard. Finance Minister Mike de Jong said his government is looking forward to starting negotiations with the BCTF on class size and composition. The teacher’s federation says the province will need to pay an additional $250 to $300 million a year to get back to 2002 staffing levels.
Court ruling to force hiring of hundreds of teachers The B.C. government will likely have to hire hundreds of teachers and spend between $250 million and $300 million more each year on education, after the dramatic win by B.C. teachers in the Supreme Court of Canada on Thursday. The estimate comes from B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Glen Hansman at the end of a union legal battle that began in 2002. “We’re elated, this has been a long journey,” Hansman said. Canada’s highest court, which often takes several months to deliver a decision, took only a 20-minute recess after hearing legal arguments before delivering a 7-2 decision in favour of the union. The decision immediately restored clauses deleted from the teachers contract by the Liberal government of Gordon Campbell in 2002 dealing with class size, the number of special needs students who can be in a class and the number of specialist teachers
required in schools. The government touched off the legal battle in 2002 by passing legislation that stripped those provisions from the teachers’ contract and passed a law denying teachers the right to bargain those issues. Thursday’s decision overturned the B.C. Court of Appeal’s 2015 ruling in favour of the provincial government, and restored the original decision in the union’s favour by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Susan Griffin. Hansman said it could take some time to restore class sizes to pre-2002 levels because the union has lost the equivalent of 3,500 full-time positions over the past 15 years. But he said the clauses should be restored as soon as possible. “The province has got the money to pay for this,” Hansman said. He said the provincial government has a $1-billion contingency in its budget, which specifically named the teachers’ case as a possible use for some of the money.
Debate emerges on Coast Capital Savings’ plan to go national A former executive in B.C.’s credit-union industry has stirred a debate over Coast Capital Savings’ proposal to go national under a federal registration, arguing that the plan would be a mistake that would increase financial risks for the institution. Expanding outside of B.C. would consume cash that Coast Capital could otherwise return to members and potentially weaken the credit union, argues Wayne Nygren, a retired past CEO of what was then called Credit Union Central B.C. And if a changing economy dealt Coast Capital financial difficulties, Nygren surmises that the federal regulator would be less forgiving of the credit union than provincial regulators, which, in his experience, have bent over backwards to backstop B.C.’s institutions through previous recessions. “Coast Capital intending to go this route, they’re (leaving) the protection of a regulator that understands them, (leaving) the protection of a government that’s trying to ensure they succeed and prosper,” Nygren said. Coast Capital members would also be giving up unlimited deposit insurance under
provincial rules for limits set by the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corp. of $100,000, which Nygren argued could put it at a competitive disadvantage to credit unions in other provinces where it tries to expand. Nygren also worries that in going national, Coast Capital would weaken B.C.’s credit
union system, which is supported with centralized services by what is now known as Central 1 Credit Union, which offers payment-clearing and wholesale-banking services to credit unions in B.C. and Ontario. Coast Capital intends to remain as a member of Central 1, but would have to withdraw the capital reserves that it is required to hold, which Central 1 now manages on behalf of all its members.
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Courtenay man jailed after ‘fabrication’ of story about 30 missing guns A Courtenay man who has refused to reveal the location of at least 30 missing firearms was sentenced to more than three years in prison on Monday for a dozen gun-related convictions. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robin Baird handed Bryce Cameron McDonald 40 months in jail and a lifetime ban on possessing firearms. In April, Baird convicted McDonald, 34, of 12 charges, including careless storage of a firearm, possession of a loaded restricted firearm and storing a firearm contrary to regulations – related to a loaded Boberg handgun found in a dresser drawer at his house when anti-gang police raided it three years ago. McDonald was also convicted of seven counts of storing other firearms in locations that weren’t authorized by his licence, as well as a single count each of possessing brass
knuckles and possessing cocaine. The B.C. Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit executed search warrants at McDonald’s Courtenay house and a storage locker he rented, in December 2013. Officers found just 19 firearms, both restricted and unrestricted, even though records showed McDonald had purchased 49 restricted guns since getting his licence in the fall of 2009. That meant at least 30 others were missing. Police began investigating the Vancouver Island man after the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team was tipped off to the location of a bag of guns near 76th Avenue in Surrey on Sept. 17, 2013. “The RCMP located this bag and one of the three firearms inside it was traced back to Mr. McDonald. He had purchased it, the police discovered, sometime in 2011,” Baird noted in his earlier ruling.
Woman who bilked senior to pay for breast implants faces 14 new fraud charges A Kamloops woman who was jailed last year for scamming a senior to pay for fake breasts is facing more than a dozen new fraud-related charges. An arrest warrant was issued for Brandie Bloor in provincial court in Kamloops on Monday. The 40-year-old is facing 14 charges spanning a 20-month period between July
2012 and March 2014. According to court documents, Bloor is facing six counts of fraudulent personation relating to six separate individuals, three counts of fraud, two counts each of uttering forged documents and possessing identity documents and a single count of forgery.
Case against accused in fatal Abbotsford high-school stabbing carries on despite his silence The case against a man accused of stabbing two girls at an Abbotsford high school will move ahead despite the man’s persistent silence, a judge says. The court heard on Wednesday that Gabriel Klein, 21, hasn’t spoken with counsel nor responded to questions put to him during any of his three court appearances since his arrest on Nov. 1. Klein faces one charge each of seconddegree murder and aggravated assault linked to what police have said was a random attack that killed Grade 9 student Letisha Reimer, 13, and injured another girl. The identity of the second girl is protected under a publication ban. Klein was first scheduled to appear in court last Wednesday, the day after the two girls were attacked in the front entrance of Abbotsford Senior Secondary. But it ended before it began because he would not leave the courthouse cells to appear in person, the court heard. “This is not a voluntary system we’re in. It’s a coercive system,” B.C. provincial court Judge Richard Miller told the court. “He’s in custody and the proceedings are going to proceed at pace.” Klein arrived in provincial court in Surrey on Wednesday in a wheelchair and covered in a blanket. He rocked back and forth and showed no reaction as Miller asked him several times whether he had anything to say. “Given your silence on these issues, I don’t see any alternative available to me other than to send you to the next step,” Miller said, speaking to Klein.
He ordered that the accused be sent to B.C. Supreme Court in order for a date to be set for a trial before a judge and jury.
“It seems to me that you would be well advised to start to talk to people, in particular counsel, who are there to assist you,” Miller said, eliciting no response from Klein. “However, if you choose not to, that is your choice and we will carry on to the end.” Letisha Reimer died during the attack at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School. Letisha Reimer died during the attack at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School. Burns told the court he believes Klein’s mental health is questionable, based on meeting with him twice on Wednesday, and said he thinks a psychiatrist would be able to provide a more informed evaluation. He stopped short of requesting an assessment because he wasn’t given specific direction from Klein to do so, he later explained outside court. Klein “was making gestures that indicated to me his mental health is definitely in question,” Burns told the court.
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
Missing Saskatchewan girl Nia Eastman, 7, found dead Less than 12 hours after issuing an Amber Alert about a child who was not taken home by her father after school, RCMP said the man and the seven-year-old girl have been found dead. Saskatchewan RCMP said they found the body of Nia Eastman, 7, in a home in the community of Choiceland around 12:45 p.m. CST Thursday. An Amber Alert had been issued early Thursday morning after her father, Adam Jay Eastman, failed to return Nia to her mother’s custody the night before. Eastman, suspected of abducting Nia, was found dead around 5:30 a.m. CST in a rural area near Smeaton in the northeast part of the province. “This was not the outcome all of us were hoping for and our thoughts are with the family and communities,� RCMP Insp. Jennifer Ebert said at a brief media conference from the Mounties’ Saskatchewan division headquarters in Regina. “All of us were hoping and praying Nia would be located safely. This is the goal we have every time we ask the public and media
for their help during an Amber Alert. This is a difficult day.� Ebert said investigators met with the family and have made sure that victim supports are available to them. As the day unfolded, people in the community were visibly distraught about what they were learning. Vicki Starkell, who went to Smeaton with others to see if she could help, said she was very concerned about what the girl’s mother was experiencing. “We hope God wraps his arms around you and gets you though this,� Starkell said. “I couldn’t imagine. Just devastating.� RCMP said their investigation will examine what took place between the time Nia was picked up from school and the discovery of her body Thursday, but they do not believe anyone else was involved in Nia’s death and are not seeking additional suspects. “Sweetest little girl I ever met,� said Brentan Daum, who coached Nia in soccer and called her kind and shy. Daum recalled her glee after she learned how to kick a soccer ball.
Don’t panic, premier, business leaders tell BC after Trump’s win Premier Christy Clark urged British Columbians to “stay calm and carry on� despite the stunning U.S. election of a temperamental, protectionist and, for many, misogynist Republican candidate overwhelmingly opposed by the B.C. public. Clark expressed hope and perhaps confidence that president-elect Donald Trump won’t worsen trade disputes like the softwood lumber trade dispute, which is expected to lead to punitive U.S. tariffs next year against Canadian lumber exports. Clark, who recently condemned Trump after a recording emerged of him boasting of his ability to grope women with impunity, spoke in more measured tones on Wednesday as she assessed the fallout. “I am going to work with whoever the Americans choose, that’s my job, because it won’t do workers in logging communities, forest-based communities, any good to have the premier of their province fighting with and insulting the president of our partner country,� Clark said at an event in Richmond. “We’re going to find a way to work together for B.C. workers, and B.C. communities. “This is the most important trade relationship we have anywhere in the world,
and I am determined to make it work.� She later noted that Trump, despite threatening to tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement, has not spoken out on the Canada-U.S. lumber dispute that’s expected to lead to punitive U.S. duties on Canadian exports. Clark said there are many Americans who support Canada-U.S. trade, and urged the public to “stay calm and carry on� — a motivational slogan used in 1939 posters by Great Britain to boost morale during Nazi Germany’s blitz bombing. An overwhelming 90 per cent of British Columbians responding to polls before Tuesday’s vote thought a victory for the business mogul would be bad for Canada, according to pollster Mario Canseco of Insights West. While the province’s business leaders remain concerned by Trump’s vow to renegotiate or possibly cancel NAFTA, Canseco said respondents to his polls were more focused on his comments about racial minorities and women. “This was definitely not the outcome most British Columbians wanted,� he said. NDP leader John Horgan used the election result as a lever to pitch for votes in next spring’s provincial election.
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Vancouver police Vancouver sets emptyinvestigating 25 ‘suspicious homes tax at one per cent The City of Vancouver has proposed an )
Vancouver police are appealing to public to find the person or persons responsible for starting as many 25 fires at vacant houses throughout the city this year. Since Oct. 23, Vancouver firefighters have responded to eight vacant house fires. Police aren’t using the word arson, but they are calling the fires suspicious and they are alarmed by their frequency. “The individuals setting these fires are putting the lives of the public and firefighters at risk,� VPD Cst. Jason Doucette said in a release “What some may say is simply damage to a vacant home set for demolition, has the ability to turn deadly.� Doucette says the fires have been breaking out across the city, not in just one area, and at all hours of the day. Police ask the public to be vigilant in areas of vacant homes and report any suspicious activity to 911. Anyone who may have information on any of the fires is asked to call police. A tip line has been set up at 604-717-0605, or at Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
empty-homes tax rate of one per cent — and while staff say the levy is not intended to fill public coffers, it will need to be a moneymaker to cover its hefty administration costs. Those include a one-time expense of $4.7 million to set up the program and an additional $1.5 million in annual operating expenses starting in 2018, said Patrice Impey, general manager of the city’s financial services group. Impey and other senior staffers joined Mayor Gregor Robertson on Wednesday at an event unveiling the details of their empty homes plan, which council will vote on next week. Staff project the one-per-cent tax could turn 1,500 to 4,200 empty units into occupied homes while recouping their administration expenses — though their report to councillors makes clear those estimates are based on a set of assumptions rather than hard data. “It’s absolutely unacceptable for all that housing to be treated as a commodity first — as a business holding — when housing is in such short supply,� Robertson said before announcing the proposed tax rate. “Housing’s really about homes first, versus a business interest. We need to rectify that balance.� City staff had previously said the annual tax would be set between 0.5 and two per cent of a home’s assessed value. If councillors OK the tax, it would become the first of it kind in Canada.
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
Warm, wet November breaking BC records, disrupting wildlife behaviour In Heather Higo’s yard in Langley, her honey bees would normally be tightly clustered in their hives, hunkered down for the cold winter months. Instead, they are active, flying about looking for any pollen and nectar they can find, at a time when there normally is little. Unseasonably warm weather — so unseasonable that Tuesday’s daytime high broke all records for November going back to 1936 — has settled over B.C. for the last 10 days, disrupting not only the patterns of wildlife, but also dumping massive amounts of rain on parts of Vancouver Island and the Squamish and Lillooet areas. The west coast of the Island has already had more than 400 millimetres of rain in the first 10 days of November, the same amount it would normally get for the entire month. On Thursday, flooding was reported in parts of the Squamish Valley, forcing farmers to harvest root crops and move machinery out of the expected path of floods. Highway 4 to Ucluelet and Tofino was closed because of flooding, and the Tseshaht First Nation near Port Alberni also ordered a partial evacuation. The Lil’wat Nation near Pemberton put its members on notice of evacuation because of potential flooding. Not really, according to Matt MacDonald,
a meteorologist with Environment Canada. Over the long term, climate change will deliver warmer winters and perhaps more rain, but the current event is a result of a stalled jet stream that is pumping lots of warm, moist weather into B.C. “This was a particularly intense event.
We’ve been having what we call atmospheric rivers, or what you know as Pineapple Expresses, affect the coast. Just to the east of that Pineapple Express we’ve had a really strong southerly push of air that originated near the tropics. So we’ve had quasi-tropical air spreading over the province. Not just over the coast, but also into the Interior,� he said. On Tuesday the temperature in Metro Vancouver reached 19.4 degrees C, breaking
the all-time monthly record as well as setting a new high for Nov. 8. The last record for that day was set in 1991 with a high of 14.8 C. “Part of this is the natural variability of weather. We’ve seen Pineapple Expresses before. We’ll likely see more of them. We’ve just been stuck in this stagnant weather pattern for at least the last 10 days with a strong southerly flow of air,â€? he explained. “Typically the jet stream meanders from northwest to southwest, but in this case it has been stuck in this continuous intermission.â€? MacDonald said the normal temperature for Metro Vancouver at this time of the year is 9 C. “If you look at the average daily high so far this month, it is 15 degrees. That’s six degrees over the average, which is quite impressive.â€? The warming oceanic and atmospheric effect known as El NiĂąo and its cooling cousin, La NiĂąa, aren’t to blame for B.C.’s current weather. The tropic condition this year is more likely to be the latter, MacDonald said, but the impact won’t be felt here until later in the winter. For Higo and other B.C. beekeepers, the warm weather is a bit of a concern because it means their bees are eating their winter stores faster. In the fall, many beekeepers feed their hives sugar water to make sure they are well provisioned.
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Health minister meets with ; !) responding to overdose crisis The fire hall in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside has been overwhelmed by emergency medical calls since the illicit opioid fentanyl has spurred a deadly overdose crisis. Vancouver Fire Chief John McKearney said crews at Fire Hall No. 2 have been making about 1,000 runs per month this year, compared with an average of 600 calls every month in past years as overdose reports pour in from the neighbourhood. It has forced the department to redistribute resources, jurisdictions and staff. While fighting fires remains the priority for the hall, McKearney said, “They’re mostly just focused now on very small areas that relates to medical calls.� The B.C. government declared a public health emergency in April because of the dramatic increase in overdose deaths in the province, much of them caused by fentanyl. There were 555 reported overdose deaths in the province as of Sept. 30. Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott met with municipal and provincial officials on Thursday at the fire hall to hear about the challenges that first responders are experiencing as they try to cope with the overdose crisis. Across the country, an estimated five to six people die every day due to overdosing, Philpott said to reporters ahead of the meeting. “It is long past time that we all come together and do our part to respond to this,� she said. Firefighters in Vancouver have long been the first responder to medical emergencies and earlier this year they were trained to use the opioid antidote naloxone in response to the rising number of deaths, McKearney said. The new lifesaving practice could set an example for other fire departments across the country to adopt, he said. But the repeated calls to drug-related health emergencies takes a toll on first responders. “The hardest thing on the staff is to keep going back and to see the same people, with their lives ruined, living on the street, with mental health issues either as a result of or caused by (substance abuse),� McKearney said. Firefighters at the Downtown Eastside hall are allowed to work at the site for only a year and are then transferred to other locations in the city, reducing the mental health implications that come with the stress of the job, the chief said. Philpott said that responding to the crisis requires a complex plan that addresses issues of poverty, homelessness, and mental health and addictions.
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
$350M dairy programs to help farmers, processors compete under Canada-EU trade deal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced two programs worth $350 million for Canada’s dairy sector Thursday, as his Liberal government tries to help farmers and processors adjust to new competition from foreign cheese imports under the Canada-EU trade deal.
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) may come into force provisionally next year. Today’s new funding is meant to be in place before new European cheeses displace up to four per cent of the Canada’s cheese market. “What we heard from dairy farmers, and in particular young dairy farmers from across the country, what they want is a supply management system in this country that’s secure for generations,� the minister said. “That’s what this program does.� The Liberal government pledged transition assistance to help both farmers and processors adjust to the new foreign competition: CETA doubles the current level of European imports. That translates into a roughly two per cent reduction in the amount of milk required from Canadian farms. One $250 million program will help farmers update their technology and equipment to boost productivity. The minister suggested robotic milking equipment, automated feeding systems or new herd management software as examples of what might qualify. A separate $100 million fund for dairy
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Vancouver’s proposed parking meter rates will rise on busy streets
processors would be available to help modernize their operations or diversify product lines for new markets. Under CETA, Canadian dairy products will have tarifffree access to the large European consumer market. The package does not, however, include lump sum compensation for the industry in anticipation of lost income. Canada’s supply management system restricts how much milk each farmer can produce using a quota system that’s set according to the size of the domestic market. Stable prices are set for farmers to correspond with their estimated production costs. As new imports arrive under this trade deal, the marketing board regime will have to adjust its supply and pricing calculations. MacAulay said Thursday that the new assistance package was designed based on what the government heard from the dairy sector during consultations in recent months. He said the government plans to keep talking to farmers and processors over the next few weeks as it finalizes how the programs will work, including additional online consultations. “This is what they have asked for,� he said. “What dairy farmers want in this country is to be able to innovate and make sure that they are on the cutting edge as far as farming is concerned worldwide, to make more product, cheaper.� The Dairy Farmers of Canada disagree. They’ve calculated a potential $116 million in estimated perpetual lost revenue. “That’s a good question,� said Ralph Dietrich, the chair of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, when asked if Thursday’s announcement would be enough for his members. “Obviously some would want more and some are going to be pleased and happy with the amount that it is. We’ve worked with the government and this is the amount that it is.�
City staff want councillors to approve next week a “data-driven program� that would help set curbside parking rates as high or low as needed to make sure just one or two spaces per metered block are left empty. Some spots could have different day and evening rates under the proposed system. If the plan is approved, staff would begin by rounding hourly metered parking rates across the city to the nearest whole dollar. That means all $1.50 and $2.50 meters would become $2 and $3 meters. After that change, blocks that show occupancy rates of higher than 85 per cent will get a rate hike of $1 an hour. Blocks with less than 60 per cent occupancy will see rates fall $1 an hour — apart from any metered blocks already at $1, the city’s lowest rate. The city is billing its proposal as a way to eliminate “unnecessary searching for on-street parking� that makes streets dangerous and congested and boosts vehicle emissions. But it is also likely to raise cash for the city. “In some locations, these changes will result in increased revenues, in others the result will be reduced revenue. Overall revenues are expected to increase,� according to a report to councillors, which offered no estimate as to just how big that increase would be. That figure will be included in the city’s 2017 budget process, according to the report. Parking data would be gathered quarterly, but rate changes would only come annually. If a rate change for a given block prompted a sudden collapse in occupancy, staff would consider rolling it back by request of the local business improvement association. While staff say other cities like Calgary, Washington, D.C., Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles have similar data-driven parking programs, Vancouver’s solution would be
nowhere near as sophisticated as programs tried by the latter two cities. A recent report by Public Sector Digest paid for by TransLink and the cities of Vancouver and Surrey detailed the smart parking pilot projects in those two California metropolises. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency tested a system that relied on sensors and meters to determine the demand for parking spots and recalculate rates, according to the report, titled An Analysis of Traffic Congestion and Policy
Solutions for Canadian Municipalities. Parking rates in the test areas varied by time of day and day of week and would be adjusted by $0.50 per hour down or $0.25 up, no more than once a month. The city also launched a smartphone app that displayed real time parking rates and availability. Los Angeles has a similar pilot program that is set to expand into additional areas of the city, according to the report. Meanwhile, City of Vancouver staff are also seeking to decrease the discount that is offered to people who pay their parking tickets early from 50 to 40 per cent and increase impoundment storage fees. Those changes, if approved by councillors, would earn the city between $2 million and $2.8 million annually.
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
Skepticism about peace bonds after arrest of alleged ISIL supporter for second time in two weeks An alleged ISIL supporter has been arrested in Ottawa for the second time in less than two weeks for violating the conditions of his release, raising new questions about terrorism peace bonds. Police picked up Tevis Gonyou-McLean, 24, on Saturday morning — just five days after a judge had freed him from custody following his arrest for multiple previous breaches of his release conditions. “He was arrested, I believe, yesterday morning on breaches,” his lawyer Biagio Del Greco said in an interview Sunday. He said there were two alleged breaches this time, one of them for a curfew violation. The court said on Monday that GonyouMcLean was charged with mischief under $5,000, three counts of failing to comply with a bail condition and uttering threats. The 24-year-old was required to observe
a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and wear an electronic GPS ankle bracelet. He appeared in court over the weekend and the matter was adjourned to Tuesday. The case is the latest to prompt concerns about terrorism peace bonds, which the RCMP has been using to restrict the activities of extremists and prevent them from leaving Canada to join terrorist groups. Following GonyouMcLean’s arrest on Aug. 12 on a terrorism peace bond that alleged police had evidence he might join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the court imposed a long list of conditions on him. He could not to travel, possess weapons or communicate with suspected members of the Ottawa ISIL network. He could not possess the ISIL logo or view ISIL “materials, electronic or otherwise.”
Golden’s Sikh heritage recognized on new Stop of Interest sign A new Stop of Interest sign was unveiled in Golden today, recognizing the community’s early Sikh pioneers and the role they played in Golden’s history. “This new Stop of Interest recognizes the important contributions early Sikh settlers made in Golden and throughout the Interior of B.C.,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone. “This is a good example of the Stop of Interest signs we want to add across the province, to tell the stories of how B.C. was shaped through the contributions of many different ethnicities and cultures.” “We acknowledge the Gurdwara in Golden as the first in B.C., and quite likely the first in North America,” said Pyara Lotay, on behalf of the local Sikh community. “We thank the B.C. government for recognizing Golden’s Sikh pioneers and their place of worship with this Stop of Interest.” The sign recognizing Golden’s Sikhs was originally a small local area history sign located next to the ‘Golden’ Stop of Interest sign at the viewpoint off Golden View Road.
The new sign will replace the ‘Golden’ Stop of Interest sign, and the refurbished ‘Golden’ sign will be relocated to a site to be selected in consultation with the Town of Golden. “The story of our community’s Sikh pioneers is one of hard work and determination,” said Golden mayor Ron Oszust. “This Stop of Interest means a lot to our present-day Sikh residents, and highlights an important chapter in the rich history of our region, of which we’re all proud.” B.C.’s Stop of Interest signs were first installed in 1958 to commemorate the Colony of B.C.’s centenary and recognize significant historical places, people and events. The ministry is refurbishing existing signs in need of repair and updating language where necessary. In addition, the Province is adding up to 75 new Stop of Interest signs. British Columbians are invited to submit ideas for new Stop of Interest signs and share interesting stories that could be told to people travelling B.C.’s highways. Submissions will be accepted through Jan. 31, 2017.
Vancouver police issue Canada-wide warrant for sex offender Police are seeking a high-risk sex offender who they say failed to return to his halfway house in Vancouver Wednesday evening. A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for the arrest of Darren Wheatley, 46, for breaching the conditions of his court-ordered curfew. Wheatley is a two-time federal offender who is currently serving a 10-yearsentence for several sexual assault-related offences. He is on statutory release.
Wheatley has breached his release conditions before, in 2015. He is described as: 6 feet tall. 230 pounds. Having short black hair and brown eyes. Having tattoos of a cow, a skull and a feather on his right upper arm and a script design on his left upper arm. Police are asking anyone who sees Wheatley not to approach him, and to call 911 immediately.
Several arrests made after two meth labs found Charges are pending against four people after two large methamphetamine labs were discovered in Richmond homes this week. RCMP said Wednesday that on Monday police attended a residence in the 7000-block Schaefer Avenue, where a large meth lab was found. Police said the entire residence was contaminated by the toxic operation and a substantial quantity of chemicals and lab equipment was found. Three people were arrested and more arrests are possible as the investigation continues. Subsequent to Monday’s discovery, a second residence in the 7500-block Lucas Road was searched Wednesday and a smaller meth lab discovered. Also seized was a significant amount of the drug. One suspect was arrested in connection with the second residence and charges are pending. “The RCMP is always on the lookout for clandestine laboratories that manufacture illicit drugs and target high-risk criminal networks that distribute them into our communities,” said Cpl. Dennis Hwang.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
DREAM CARPET
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LOCAL
Saturday, November 12, 2016
! ! ! + =) = Within a few weeks of winning the White House, President-elect Donald Trump could face another group of US citizens, a federal jury in California, courtesy of a lawsuit by
former students of his now-defunct Trump University who claim they were defrauded by a series of real-estate seminars. A hearing in federal court in San Diego is set for Thursday, and the trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 28, barring any delays or if Trump decides to settle the case. While presidents enjoy immunity from lawsuits arising from their official duties, the US Supreme Court has held that this shield does not extend to acts alleged to have taken place prior to taking office. The 1997 ruling came in the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against President Bill Clinton by Paula Jones, which was settled before it went to trial. Lawyers said they could think of no similar situation like the one now involving Trump. “I’m certain there is nothing comparable to this,� said Alan Dershowitz, professor emeritus at Harvard Law School. Lawyers for both Trump and the plaintiffs
declined to comment on Wednesday. Dershowitz said the Supreme Court also held that a case cannot be delayed just because the defendant is president, though judges are still free to grant reasonable delays to any party. Miami trial consultant Sandy Marks, who is not involved in the case, said he thought Trump might ask the presiding judge, Gonzalo Curiel, to postpone the trial in an effort to settle the case before taking office. “I think the judge would be foolhardy not to give him a short (delay),� said Marks, “which would give him a chance to resolve the case with all these people and put it behind him.� Trump repeatedly claimed on the campaign trail that he would win the lawsuit, and he accused Curiel of being biased against him because of his campaign promise to build a wall along the border with Mexico. The judge was born in Indiana to Mexican parents. At the hearing on Thursday, lawyers will argue pre-trial motions, including one by Trump to block potential jurors from hearing comments made or publicized during the campaign, such as those about the judge. Lawyers for the students have argued the comments could help jurors assess Trump’s credibility as a witness. Trump is listed as defense witness in the case and could be called to testify by the plaintiffs as well. He was previously deposed by the students’ lawyers.
UBC student has gun ‘accidentally’ delivered to residence A reminder to all online shoppers: always double-check the shipping address you enter — or you might end up having a gun delivered to a university residence. RCMP were called to the Ponderosa residence at UBC last Wednesday after residence staff were told by Canada Post that a parcel likely contained a firearm. Andrew Parr, managing director of student housing and hospitality services at UBC, said the gun had been ordered by a student living in the residence. “We contacted the student, and when he arrived, we opened the package together,� Parr said. Parr said the student intended to have the gun shipped to his home address outof-province, but it was somehow sent to his residence address instead. “He had no issue with the protocols that we were undertaking,� Parr said. “He was very accommodating with the police and our staff.� The gun was seized by RCMP, who are holding it until the student can make
arrangements to have it sent elsewhere. Sgt. Drew Grainger with the UBC RCMP detachment said firearms can be legally bought and sold online and shipped through
the mail in Canada, providing the purchaser is properly licensed. Grainger said the student in this case is a licensed gun collector, and that the firearm appears to have been acquired legally. Nevertheless, Grainger said police got involved because of UBC’s zero-tolerance policy for guns on campus. “It goes without saying that firearms on campus are just completely unfathomable,� Grainger said.
18-year-old woman dead after pedestrian-car crash Eastbound Burnaby Mountain Parkway was closed near Duthie Avenue in Burnaby, B.C., last night after a crash involving a car and a pedestrian that left an 18-year-old woman dead. Burnaby RCMP said the collision happened around 6 p.m. PT on Monday when a white 2015 Hyundai struck the woman as she was crossing the street. The driver remained on scene and is cooperating, police said. Burnaby RCMP want to speak to anyone
who may have witnessed the crash. Cpl. Richard Mehner said low visibility may have played a role, as the pedestrian was wearing dark clothing. He said the pedestrian may also have been wearing earbud-style headphones at the time of the crash. In a release, Burnaby RCMP said pedestrian crashes typically spike in the fall and winter months due to shorter daylight hours and adverse weather conditions. They urged pedestrians and drivers to take extra care, especially after sunset.
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LOCAL
Saturday, November 12, 2016
South Asian community raises over $483,000 for BC Children’s Hospital
Members of BC’s South Asian community and other guests raised over $483,000 at the eighth annual A Night of Miracles (ANOM) gala on November 5 at the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel.
The annual gala, an evening of entertainment, fine dining, philanthropy, and stories of care and treatment at BC Children’s Hospital, inspired the generosity of the South Asian community, adding to the total of $4.2 million raised over the past eight years. Funds raised on November 5 will support the purchase of a new state-of-the-art bronchoscopy system, telescopes and a video laryngoscopy set for the hospital’s Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat – ENT) and Respiratory specialties. “I’m truly impressed by the generosity of the South Asian community, and its commitment to Children’s Hospital and child health,” said Teri Nicholas, president and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “The tireless work of volunteers,
the generosity of donors and sponsors shows a deep and growing compassion for the sickest and most critically injured children in BC and the Yukon.” Working with volunteers and donors on this gala over the last eight years has shown A Night of Miracles’ founding chair Robin Dhir that this community is committed to the cause for the long term. “I’m very proud of how the community works together to embrace a cause that is heartfelt for every one of us,” he said. “The first A Night of Miracles gala was the launch of a grander vision. Today, we’ve accomplished more for children at BC Children’s Hospital than any of us could have ever imagined.” BC Minister of Justice and Attorney General Suzanne Anton joined more than 400 guests at the gala, which was emceed by Sonia Beeksma of Global BC. The gala was co-presented by returning sponsors Fasken Martineau and RBC Royal Bank. Dinner was created by Jesse Hochhaussen, executive chef of the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel, in collaboration with Vikram Vij of Vij’s Restaurant. The new equipment makes it easier for caregivers to see inside children’s airways and examine problems such as bleeding, foreign objects, tumours or inflammation. It will be used in the current hospital and in the Teck Acute Care Centre, the heart of the new BC Children’s Hospital, when it opens in late 2017.
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BC unmoved by Ontario’s return to photo radar B.C.’s solicitor general appears unmoved by Ontario’s announcement that it’s reintroducing photo radar in school zones to crack down on speeders and improve community safety. Mike Morris said in a statement that while the B.C. government is “always open to exploring new technologies that could support policing and public safety” it still believes photo radar in this province is unwanted. “When our government cancelled photo radar in 2001, we felt it undermined public confidence in traffic enforcement and did not make the best use of police resources,” said Morris. “What we have done instead, is put more police on the streets with the largest investment in policing in over 20 years.” Morris also cited the government’s variable speed-limit signs on some highways, toughened penalties for distracted driving and integrated road-safety units as effective measures to combat speeders. Nonetheless, Morris said B.C. will monitor Ontario’s new program. During the 2013 provincial election, Morris, a veteran RCMP officer, said publicly he’d thought photo radar was an effective tool for police. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said Tuesday her province will give municipalities the legal authority to install speed cameras in school zones and other designated “community-safety zones.” Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said municipal leaders had asked for the change, to help reduce police-enforcement costs and improve
road safety for children. Though initially worried the public might dislike the return of such an unpopular program, Watson said it will only be used in a limited way similar to red-light cameras. “We haven’t been asked by the mayors to
have it back here and there’s no plans to bring it back,” said NDP critic Mike Farnworth. “It’s just been such a toxic issue. One of the big issues for it … here, it is viewed as a cash grab and there’d be concern that local government is going to use this as a cash grab.” A bigger problem is distracted driving, and government should increase fines to curb the growing use of mobile phones behind the wheel, said Farnworth. The photo-radar program used to feature vans parked on major highways with radar and cameras that took pictures of licence plates on speeding vehicles. It proved massively unpopular, with critics arguing the system was unfair, inaccurate and overused to generate revenue for government. Ontario cancelled it in 1995, and the B.C. Liberals followed after winning power in 2001.
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NATIONAL
Saturday, November 12, 2016
‘Regular’ Canadians hoped to become senators under new system — until they saw the ‘elites’ Trudeau chose OTTAWA — Can “Joe Nobody” be a “somebody” on Parliament Hill? Maybe now, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s revamped Senate appointment process, thought hot-dog vendor Terry Scanlon, whose Hot Diggity Dog stand is just a few blocks away.
After hearing about the 21 recent appointees, the 70-year-old isn’t so sure anymore. “It’s elites and bureaucrats that seem to be getting all the jobs,” he said, rather than people the working class can relate to. Scanlon was one of the 2,700 people seeking to fill seats left empty by prime minister Stephen Harper. The successful applicants are a distinguished bunch at the top of their field. Professors, lawyers and progressive thinkers are well-represented, but not many conservatives, engineers, tech experts or
tradespeople. Another applicant who describes himself as a “regular” guy, Jesse Britton, from Dublin, Ont., said he thinks Trudeau missed an opportunity to put a “broader reflection of our society” into those red velvet seats. Where are the paramedics, union leaders, firefighters and high school teachers, he wonders? “People like me, quote unquote, who just do their job and try to do their best for the community and what’s been given to you — I think those people are as valuable to society as anybody else,” said Britton, 39. He says the independent advisory board that recommended five people for each vacancy, “definitely didn’t think outside of the box.” According to criteria posted on its website, it was more interested in gender, indigenous and minority balance; non-partisanship; “solid knowledge of the legislative process;” outstanding personal qualities; and a record of service in government, in the community or in the applicant’s field of expertise. He, his wife and their kids, aged 12, 10, six and one, live on a farm that has been in his family for 150 years, where his dad grows wheat, beans and corn. They homeschool their kids, one of whom suffers from medical issues caused by a genetic condition, and another of whom has a learning disability.
$1 trillion gone: The global bond market has only seen a rout this bad twice in 20 years More than US$1 trillion has been wiped off the value of bonds around the world this week as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s policies are seen boosting spending and quickening inflation. The capitalization of a global bond market index slid by US$450 billion Thursday, a fourth day of declines that pushed the week’s total above US$1 trillion for only the second time in two decades, Bank of America Merrill Lynch data show. Global stocks gained US$1.3 trillion in the same period. Yields on U.S. 30-year bonds, which are more sensitive than shorter maturities to the outlook for inflation, jumped the most this week since January 2009. European government bonds extended their selloff Friday, with the yield on Italian 30-year bonds reaching the most since July 2015, while benchmark German 10year bunds declined for a fifth consecutive day, pushing the yield to the highest since February. “We do view the election of Donald Trump as a game changer,” said Adam Donaldson, head of debt research at Sydney-
based Commonwealth Bank of Australia. “The strong bias toward fiscal expansion and inflationary policy represents a stark change to the malaise of recent years. This opens the door for the Fed to hike in December, but also more quickly in 2017 and 2018 than previously expected.” The market value of Bank of America’s Global Broad Market Index, which tracks more than 24,000 bonds around the world, has slumped by US$1.14 trillion this week to US$48.1 trillion. The only previous week it fell by more than US$1 trillion was in June 2013, when the Federal Reserve under Chairman Ben Bernanke was threatening to reduce debt purchases, leading to a bond selloff that became known as the “Taper Tantrum.” The benchmark U.S. 10-year note yield has jumped 37 basis points this week, while that on the 30-year climbed 39 basis points through Thursday. The 10-year yield will rise to 2.50 per cent in the first half of 2017, Commonwealth Bank predicts, compared with the close on Thursday of 2.15 per cent. Treasuries are closed worldwide Friday for U.S. Veterans’ Day.
Ontario newlywed couple work four jobs between them, but still can’t make enough to pay their hydro bill Newlyweds Shaun and Maygin Evans work four jobs between them, but still can’t stay on top of their hydro bill. The Sarnia couple took in a roommate this year to share in their living costs, and they also bundle up in blankets to delay turning on their baseboard electrical heaters until the temperature hits zero for several straight days. Shaun’s seven-year-old daughter, Ava, goes without school pizza days and dance classes to help make ends meet. But even with all of that, the family has received disconnection notices after falling $1,200 behind on their hydro bill — a hole they’re afraid they will never get out of. “The only reason the lights are on right now
is because I agreed to pay $100 every two weeks for the electricity portion of the bill,” Maygin told Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath at the couple’s kitchen table Wednesday. Horwath has been on the road hearing hydro horror stories, vowing her party will keep fighting the Liberal government’s planned sell-off of a majority stake in Hydro One, and to push for the permanent removal of HST from hydro bills. A day earlier, in Kingsville, Ont., Horwath met with dairy farmer Bernard Nelson, who spent $25,000 on energy-saving equipment to slash his power bills by 25 per cent, but who still finds his bills have not gone down.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Liberal MPs defend invitation list for Stéphane Dion Foreign Minister Stéphane Dion met with selected Iranian-Canadians last week to hear their views about the Canadian government’s plan to re-engage with Iran. But two attendees say they are concerned the meeting was stacked with supporters of restoring diplomatic ties with Tehran, rather than critics of Iran’s human rights abuses. “I don’t think the people were really representative of the community,” said one attendee, a human rights activist who asked not to be named. “It definitely wasn’t fair and balanced, I believe.” About 60 Iranian Canadians were invited by Liberal MPs Ali Ehsassi and Majid Jowhari, who were also present at the roundtable Friday at Toronto’s Westin Prince hotel. In September, Jowhari sponsored a petition, submitted by the Iranian Canadian Congress lobby group, calling on the government to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iran, something that is already Liberal policy. Zarrin Mohyeddin, who immigrated to Canada from Iran after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, said many of those
invited to last week’s roundtable were part of that initiative. “The people in the room were chosen because most of them were people who had a petition to open the embassy,” said Mohyeddin, who also attended the meeting. “I didn’t see any religious minorities. I didn’t see any Baha’is — they have problems with human rights in Iran. I didn’t see any Kurds. I didn’t see any Baluch. And to me, that was set like that to give the legitimacy to the government to open the embassy and negotiate with Iran.” Ehsassi rejected the accusation that most of those invited support the government’s plans to re-engage with Iran. “I, for one, literally wanted to make sure that anyone who has a strong opinion was there, because I knew that, irrespective, everyone was going to complain, on either side of it,” he said in an interview. Ehsassi said he invited a few Baha’is — members of a persecuted religious minority in Iran — but they were unable to attend. He said he did not specifically seek out Kurds or Baluch, but said they might have been among the attendees.
Justin Trudeau announces $1.5B ocean protection plan Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the government’s $1.5-billion ocean protection plan in Vancouver today for responses to tanker and fuel spills in the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Trudeau said the funding over five years will include creating a marine safety system, restoring marine ecosystems and research into oil spill cleanup methods. He called it “the most significant investment ever made to protect our oceans and coastlines.” The announcement, made with Transport Minister Marc Garneau, comes after the minister spent Sunday touring a site on B.C.’s Central Coast where the tugboat Nathan E. Stewart ran aground and sank more than three weeks ago, releasing thousands of litres of diesel and lubricants into the water. “The ongoing incident at Bella Bella is unacceptable,” said Trudeau, referring to the spill. “It’s time for a change.” The funding includes increased coast guard capacity, new rescue stations, tougher rules for businesses that pollute on the coasts, and Indigenous community response teams, said Trudeau.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark, whose government has laid out a long list of requirements to improve spill response, said she was satisfied with the plan for dealing with current response needs. “We have had intensive discussions over the years with this government and the government previous to make sure they know what we need as a province,” said Clark. “I am really gratified to say that the federal response today addresses the gaps that we have identified.” While the federal government’s announcement was applauded by environmentalists and First Nations, that praise was overshadowed by worries the Liberals are setting the stage to approve Kinder Morgan’s controversial Trans Mountain pipeline. Trudeau’s government has until Dec. 19 to render a decision on the pipeline, which would carry nearly 900,000 barrels a day of diluted oilsands bitumen from Alberta to Vancouver’s harbour. For some, improved oil spill response capacity is a signal that greater oil spill risk is on the horizon.
58 per cent of Ontarians think Kathleen Wynne should resign If an election were held today, the Ontario Liberal party would plummet from majority government to third place, a poll released Monday suggests. The Mainstreet poll for Postmedia is full of bad news for Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne: 67 per cent of respondents disapprove of the job she’s doing and 58 per cent want her to resign. Of the 2,524 people surveyed by phone on Nov. 2, 19 per cent support the Liberals, down from 21 per cent when the last Mainstreet/ Postmedia poll was conducted on Sept. 1718. The Progressive Conservatives increased their lead by one point to 36 per cent. The New Democrats saw the biggest shift, with
a three-point jump to 21 per cent, while the Green party held steady at five per cent. “This is the first time in our polling history that we’ve seen the Liberals in third across Ontario,” said Quito Maggi, Mainstreet’s chief executive. Maggi says centre-left voters have been turned off by recent right-wing policy decisions by Wynne, including privatizing Hydro One and cancelling $3.8 billion in renewable energy projects. PC leader Patrick Brown has a 51 per cent approval rating. As the newest party leader, he has been working to improve his profile among voters.
NATIONAL
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NATIONAL
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Average non-mortgage debt load now at $21,686, TransUnion says Canadians continue to pile up massive amounts of debt, but so far they’re managing to stay on top of it. That’s one of the conclusions of a report published Thursday from credit monitoring agency TransUnion, which found the average debt load increased by 2.3 per cent this fall, compared to the same period a year ago.
The typical Canadian now owes $21,686, TransUnion says — a figure that doesn’t include the mortgage. Within that figure, the average credit card debt is $3,954, a rise of two per cent this year. But the real growth has come in instalment loans — typically, short-term loans at much higher interest rates. Average balances on instalment loans have risen 6.8 per cent in the last year to $24,782 — a $2,200 increase from two years ago. “Canadians continued to add debt in the third quarter, with balances increasing across most loan types,” said Jason Wang, TransUnion’s director of research and analysis in Canada. “The recent government outlook of weak economic conditions may have led some consumers to believe low interest rates will be here for a long time, which could result
in pushing balances even higher due to low expected borrowing costs.” But while we are borrowing more, there’s evidence to suggest that for the most part, we aren’t being pulled under just yet. The number of people who are delinquent on their bills — which TransUnion says means they are more than 90 days behind on payments — is at 2.7 per cent. Last year, it was at 2.62 per cent. Two provinces, however, have seen their delinquency rates spike this year — up by 13.4 per cent in Alberta and 11.9 per cent in Saskatchewan. Everywhere else, the rate is either stable or falling. If current trends continue, the delinquency rate will improve to 2.63 per cent by the end of next year. “Delinquencies remain low on an overall basis, and that is a critical component for the larger Canadian credit picture,” said Wang. “It’s a sign that Canadians are largely able to manage their debts and make their payments on time every month. However, we will continue to monitor the trend for any potential signs consumers are having more difficulties managing their debt levels.” The agency expects Canadians to borrow even more in the near term, though, forecasting that the average debt load could eclipse $22,000 per person by the end of next year. But another recent TransUnion study found many people aren’t in a good position to stay on top of their debts. As many as one million Canadians wouldn’t be able to handle an interest rate hike of even one percentage point.
NEED WORKERS, PAY ACCORDING TO EXPERIENCE
Justin Trudeau invites Donald Trump to visit Canada in call that marks ‘strong beginning’ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invited U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to visit Canada “at his earliest opportunity.” Trudeau called Trump on Wednesday night to congratulate him on his election victory, and the two discussed “various areas of mutual interest.” “It was a brief call, but it was a strong beginning to what is going to be a constructive relationship,” Trudeau said during a news conference in Sydney, N.S., this morning. It’s important to work constructively with whomever is president because “that’s what Canadians expect,” he said. “Canadians expect me to stand up for Canadian rights, Canadian opportunities, Canadian jobs and Canadian values,” he said. “And I will do that in a way that continues to do that in a way that continues to benefit our country and its position in the world.” Trudeau said Trump expressed “warmth” for Canada during the call. It has become a tradition that the first foreign visit by a U.S. president is to Canada. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Trump also extended an invitation for Trudeau to visit Washington. Trudeau’s telephone call came after he met with some of his senior advisers and cabinet ministers, who discussed the tone and approach the prime minister should take in the debut meeting with Trump. During today’s news conference, Trudeau was also asked if Canada’s carbon-tax plan would put our country at an economic disadvantage, given that Trump is opposed to such a scheme. But the prime minister insisted there is “tremendous economic disadvantage” to not taking strong action in the fight against
climate change. “We know that putting a price on carbon pollution is a way to improve our response to economic challenges, to create good jobs
going forward, and to show leadership the whole world is looking for along with the solutions that go with it,” he said. Trudeau also expressed little concern that Trump is keen to renegotiate, if not rip up, the North American Free Trade Agreement. “As our ambassador said, if the Americans want to talk about NAFTA, I’m more than happy to talk about it,” he said, referring to recent comments by Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., David MacNaughton. But interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose said Trudeau is erring by offering to open talks on NAFTA instead of making the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline a top priority. She said Trump’s election is a message to “left-wing politicians” who focus on large policies that are out of touch with regular working people. “We saw that in the U.S. election, we saw that in Brexit, and it’s a message for Mr. Trudeau, who is more interested in impressing bureaucrats at the United Nations with his big policies that are really hurting working people,” she said.
PUNJAB
Saturday, November 12, 2016
‘Sarbat Khalsa’: Court asks state to probe 46 detentions Acting on a habeas corpus petition filed by an advocate alleging illegal detention of 46 persons in connection with ‘Sarbat Khalsa’, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ordered Punjab to probe the matter. Justice Jitendra Chauhan also fixed 24-hour deadline for the State to make a statement before the court after holding the inquiry. The developments took place on the petition filed by Simranjit Singh against the State and other respondents. His counsel told the court that the petitioner had received a communication on illegal detention of persons from Baljit Singh Daduwal, organiser of the ‘Sarbat Khalsa’ congregation. During the course of hearing, a notice of motion issued by Justice Chauhan was accepted by Additional Advocate-General Mehardeep Singh on the respondent-State’s behalf. “The State is directed to inquire into
Punjab can’t deny Ravi-Beas waters to others
the matter and make a statement before this Court,� Justice Chauhan added, before parting with the order. In his petition, Simranjit Singh alleged that the Punjab Police, at the instance of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, conducted illegal raids in the houses of the organisers and supporters of the ‘Sarbat Khalsa’. The detainees, he alleged, were arrested from their houses on November 6. The police did not inform them about the reason of arrest. As such, it violated the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in the case of DD Basu versus of State of West Bengal.Simranjit Singh added the detainees were not even allowed to call their counsel and family. The proceedings against them were conducted in a clandestine manner to settle their political scores. He added the respondents-authorities were not even ready to accept the bail bonds furnished by the detainees or even produce them before the Magistrate concerned.
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42 Cong MLAs and MP Capt. Amrinder quit Within hours of the Supreme Court announcing its verdict on the controversial SYL issue, 42 Congress MLAs resigned from the Punjab Assembly today while state party chief Capt Amarinder Singh quit his Lok Sabha seat. Congress MLAs, led by Leader of the Opposition Charanjit Singh Channi, will submit their resignations to the Vidhan Sabha Speaker tomorrow and so will Independent MLA from Mukerian Rajesh Babbi. However, Lok Sabha MPs Ravneet Singh Bittu and Chaudhary Santokh Singh and Rajya Sabha members Ambika Soni, Shamsher Singh Dullo and Partap Singh Bajwa have not quit. “I have resigned as MP (from Amritsar) as I am the PPCC chief. It is not necessary for other party MPs to follow suit. My resignation is a protest against the deprivation of the people of Punjab of the much-needed
Sutlej waters. The apex court’s decision is a bad day in the history of Punjab,� he told mediapersons here. He challenged AAP
convener Arvind Kejriwal to spell out his stand in light of the ruling. “The Congress will now go to the masses to expose the SAD-BJP government for failure to contest the state’s case effectively,� he said, recalling that it was following an agreement between the late Haryana Chief Minister Devi Lal and Parkash Singh Badal in 1978 that the stone for the SYL canal was laid.
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In a blow to Punjab, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Punjab was bound to share the Ravi-Beas waters with Haryana and other states and comply with its two judgments for completion of the SutlejYamuna Link (SYL) canal. A five-member Constitution Bench, headed by Justice Anil R Dave, made the clarification while invalidating the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act 2004 by which the state had terminated its pacts with Haryana, Himachal, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi for sharing the waters of the two rivers. The apex court ruled that the 2004 Act was in violation of the constitutional provisions, the Inter-State Water Disputes Act 1956 and the Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966 and as such did not discharge the state from its obligations under the agreement of December 31, 1981, and other pacts pertaining to sharing of Ravi-Beas waters and under the two SC judgments in 2002 and 2004 on the construction of the SYL canal. Sent to the apex court by the then Manmohan Singh government through President APJ Abdul Kalam after the Punjab Assembly passed the law on July 12, 2004, the reference contained four questions that required SC’s answers. The President had sought the apex court’s opinion on whether the Act was in consonance with constitutional provisions, the reorganisation Act, the inter-state pacts on Ravi-Beas waters and the two SC judgments. “All the questions referred to this court are answered in the negative,� the SC said. The others on the Bench were Justices PC Ghose, SK Singh, AK Goel and Amitava Roy. “The Punjab Act cannot be considered to be legal and valid and the State of Punjab cannot absolve itself from its duties/liabilities� arising from the December 31, 1981, agreement. The state was not justified in enacting the law citing the need to protect the interests of its residents, the Bench said.
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INDIA
Saturday, November 12, 2016
> "@ " BSP national president Mayawati on Thursday called demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes an “undeclared financial emergency� that would adversely impact 90 per cent of Indians. Mayawati said prima facie the Modi government’s decision was neither in public interest nor in the interest of the country. The BSP president said despite Modi’s claims of being a “chai-wallah� from an ordinary background, he did not think twice before introducing a measure that had hit the poor, marginalised farmer, working class and small trader the hardest.
Mayawati questioned Modi government’s intent behind not acting for over two-anda-half years to get back black money from overseas and taking the step just ahead the UP Assembly elections. Mayawati said inputs from her grassroots workers suggested the move had hit the ordinary man the most. Calling the Modi government anti-poor and antifarmer, Mayawati said while it bailed out industrialists who could not repay their debts and let defaulters like Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya escape the country, it did not have money to waiver farmers’ loans.
Give anti-smog plan in 48 hrs: SC to Centre The Supreme Court today told the Governments of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, besides the Centre and local civic bodies that air pollution had assumed “disastrous proportions� requiring concerted efforts by them. A three-member Bench, headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur, granted 48 hours to the Centre to discuss the problem with all stakeholders and come up with a graded response mechanism to deal with the problem that has choked the residents of Delhi and neighbouring states in the past few days. Posting the PIL case for further hearing on November 10, the Bench told Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar and counsel for the Delhi Government and the neighbouring states of the national capital that it was the need of the hour to evolve separate mechanisms to tackle different levels of air pollution. Instead of waiting for the pollution to reach choking levels, particularly in the National
Capital Region (NCR), authorities responsible should start acting the moment the pollutants crossed the permissible limits, the Bench said. Justices AK Sikri and SA Bobde were the other members of the Bench. Air pollution levels should be divided into several stages and the response mechanism could be graded according to the requirement of each level. Pollution beyond a level should be treated as a disaster situation requiring steps on a war footing, the Bench said. Closing down of thermal power stations and other such large-scale polluting but necessary establishments for specific periods could be the last resort, it remarked. The multiplicity of authorities, particularly in Delhi which had a state government and several municipal corporations, should close ranks and arrive at a common minimum programme to deal with air pollution, it suggested.
US presidency under Trump to boost ties with India US presidency under Donald Trump, a confessed big fan of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is most likely to boost Indo-US strategic relationship with a special emphasis on defence ties and counter-terrorism cooperation. Trump, 70, had recently described India as “a key, and key strategic ally� and looks forward to deepening the diplomatic and military cooperation that is the shared interest of both countries. The billionaire businessman who has lauded economic policies of Modi had said he wants to work with him. At an event in New Jersey less than a month from now, Trump had promised to the Indian-American community in him India would find a true friend at the White House.
“I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big fan of India. If I am elected president, the Indian and Hindu community would have a true friend at the White House,� he had said at
an event organised by the Hindu Republican Coalition. Trump said he appreciated “great friend India in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism.�
Rahul Gandhi questions government’s demonetisation move Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday questioned the Government’s move to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes saying it was against the interests of ordinary people. “Once again Mr Modi shows how little he cares about ordinary people of this country. Farmers, small shopkeepers, housewiveshave all been thrown into utter chaos,� Rahul Gandhi said on the development. The heir apparent of the Congress also said the move would do little to curb black money
and asked why the prime minister decided to replace Rs 1,000 notes with Rs 2,000 denomination. “One question for the PM, how replacing Rs 1,000 notes with Rs 2,000 notes going to make black money hoarding a lot harder? Modilogic?� Rahul Gandhi asked sarcastically. He added that the real culprits sit tight on their black money stashed away abroad or in bullion and real estate, signing off with a taunt on the PM: “Well done Mr Modi.�
Rs 500, Rs 1,000 Notes defunct Aimed at eradicating black money and corruption in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes ceased to be legal tender from November 8 midnight. The Reserve Bank of India would issue new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes in due course, he said in an emergency address to the nation, that was preceded by a meeting with top Cabinet Ministers,
including the Home Minister and the Finance Minister and the National Security Adviser. The last time India undertook such a measure was during the Janata Party government of Morarji Desai which did away with the Rs 1,000 note. It took at least two decades for the government to reintroduce currency of a higher denomination.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
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NRI
Saturday, November 12, 2016
NRIs in UK will get help to deposit banned notes The Indian government is looking at ways to help NRIs who may possess some banned currency notes so that they can deposit them at a branch of an Indian bank overseas, India’s
acting high commissioner to the UK said. “Our endeavour is to help everybody. We have asked Delhi about it (any banned notes with NRIs). I have a feeling we will work out something so that people who have carried certain amount of cash in their pocket,
should be able to deposit it in any Indian bank abroad,” Dinesh Patnaik said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as part of an anti-corruption drive earlier this week, giving Indians the option to exchange them at banks across India until December 30. The Indian envoy highlighted that under currency rules, people are allowed to carry only less than Rs 10,000 when leaving India. “Basically, it means people abroad should not have more than that. Also, not everybody will have an account with an Indian bank - either they will have to open one or find an alternative. So, it is something we will have to look at very closely. Patnaik, the deputy high commissioner who stepped in as acting high commissioner after Navtej Sarna left to assume charge as Indian ambassador in Washington DC, said that the reason behind the ban was to bring in money from outside the legal system.
Indian-Americans celebrate their impressive victory With four Indian-Americans, including two women, elected to the US Congress, euphoric community members said that the unprecedented victory shows they have become part of the mainstream political landscape. Kamala Harris, who was elected to the Senate, and Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Ro Khanna to the House of Representatives - entered one of the citadels of democracy for the first time, leading to celebrations among community members. That number is expected to increase to five if Democratic Congressman Ami Bera is declared elected for a third consecutive term after a recounting of votes. In 2012, and in 2014, Bera’s race was too close to call on the Election Night. On both occasions, Bera emerged winner. “It is a no mean achievement. This
is a moment of celebration,” said M R Rangaswami, a Silicon Valley-based investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He had held fund-raising events for almost
all of them. “It is important that Indian-Americans become part of the political mainstream,” he said. Rangaswami hoped the “historic election” would encourage others from the community to run for not only Congressional elections, but also those at state and city levels.
‘Many NRIs could be part of Trump administration’ Many prominent Indian-Americans could be part of Donald Trump’s administration, a senior Republican leader has said, asserting that the president-elect has a “history of hiring the best talent”. With Trump kicking off the process of building a formidable team to help him run the country beginning January 20 next year, Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, who holds the position of Republican National Committee’s National Committeewoman, said the 70-year-old tycoon will look for the best available talent for his administration. “Trump has a history of hiring the best talent. I fully expect to see many prominent Indian-Americans in the new administration,” Dhillon, who is the highest ranking IndianAmerican in the Republican Party, said yesterday. Ronald Regan was the first US president to appoint an Indian-American in his administration. Outgoing US President Barack Obama has the distinction of appointing a record number of more than 75 Indian-Americans in his administration. The Trump transition team headed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has not indicated anything on the selection process, but Trump in his victory speech said that he was looking for the best available talent in the country to work in his administration.
Indian-American supporters of Hillary disappointed Several Indian-Americans, who had campaigned intensively and raised millions of dollars for Hillary Clinton, are disappointed at the “shock defeat” of the Democratic candidate who was highly popular among the community members. “This is a stunning result. We never expected this. I thought we would hold Pennsylvania and North Carolina,” Shekar Narasimhan, one of the major fundraisers for the Clinton Campaign who had campaigned intensively in various Swing States in addition to his home state Virginia, said on Wednesday. A few days before the general election, he and his team of volunteers were doing doorto-door campaigning in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
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FIJI
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Illegal gravel extraction suspected Two gravel extraction companies are allegedly taking gravel from the Sigatoka River banks without authorisation from the proper authorities. Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources deputy secretary Malakai Nalawa said there was no Governmentsanctioned licence offered to any local or international company to extract gravel along the Sigatoka River. “Please be advised the Department of Lands has not issued any gravel extraction licence along the Sigatoka River and its tributaries for some time now, including for the past two years,” he said in an email correspondence with this newspaper. “So, any extraction being undertaken in the area will be an illegal activity and will be dealt with accordingly, if brought to our attention.” On Tuesday, a team from The Fiji Times travelled along the Sigatoka Valley Rd up to Keiyasi Village. Along the route, the team found two gravel extracting companies based along the river bank. When approached, one of the extractors working near Keiyasi claimed they were contracted to supply gravel for roadworks in the Western Division. The workers, who did
not wish to be named, said they were only doing what they have been paid to do. Questions sent to one of the companies on Wednesday remain unanswered while the second company was not listed in our local
directories. Meanwhile, villages in Namataku district have noticed the changing depths of the river. Namataku district representative Sakenasa Bure said the silt build up along the Sigatoka River was a combination of a number of things, one which was gravel extraction. He said they noticed the sand bank near Laselase Village and were concerned. “This never used to happen,” he said. “When I saw the sand bank, I knew this was the result of years of cutting down of trees, of floods, hurricanes and gravel extraction.”
A girmitiya’s tale At 104 years of age, Durga Prasad knows all too well the struggles his parents had to face under the indentured labour system.
Present at the centennial celebrations in Lautoka yesterday to commemorate the arrival of the last ship, the Sutlej V that brought the last group of “girmitiya” from India to Fiji, Mr Prasad said times were hard
growing up in a period where slavery was still very much a practice. “We lived a very hard life in those days,” he said. “At a very young age, they made us work in the cane farms and I had to fill a cart all by myself. “We weren’t allowed to share the workload, otherwise, we wouldn’t get paid 17 shillings. “Most times we would cut cane half the day and plough the land the rest of the day. At times when it was full moon, we would be made to work at night.” Mr Prasad remembers the ordeal his parents, who had come in one of the earlier ships prior to 1916, had to face. “I was born here and we didn’t have much choice but to work.” Deciding not to recite events of his past, Mr Prasad said he worked hard to make a life for himself and his wife and nine children. Mr Prasad now resides in Lomolomo and owns several properties.
Bainimarama congratulates Trump Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has written to US Presidentelect Donald Trump to congratulate him on his election victory. In his letter, Mr Bainimarama, on behalf of the Fijian Government and the Fijian people, conveyed warm congratulations on Mr Trump’s victory in the US elections. “Fiji has a close relationship with the United States and I look forward to working with you and your administration in the months and years ahead,” he wrote. “We especially seek America’s support in our struggle against the extreme weather
events and rising sea levels caused by climate change, which pose a particular threat to the Pacific islands and other low lying areas of the world.“We also look forward to working
with you to protect our oceans and seas from the threat of pollution and overfishing. “With every best wish as you prepare to assume the presidency.”
Firecracker costs man his eye A man lost an eye after it was hit by a firecracker last Sunday during Diwali. Kiniviliame Colaitiniyara, 22, was celebrating Diwali with his fellow workmates when the accident happened. “I had just returned from Rabi on Sunday after a trip there with some of my Rabi workmates,” he said. “We planned to celebrate Diwali with our foreman and his family at Korovesi in Savusavu.”
Mr Colaitiniyara had moved closer to inspect a firecracker, which exploded in a regular sequence, when his eye got hit. “I held on to my eye as I was in great pain and when my friends saw blood gushing from my eyes, they rushed me to hospital,” he said. Mr Colaitiniyara was told by his doctors they had no choice but to remove his left eye ball since it had literally melted.
Complaint lodged against FBC CEO POLICE have confirmed receiving another report that was filed yesterday by concerned citizens against the chief executive officer of Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said a report had been lodged at the Central Police Station in Suva and that investigations would be conducted. Concerned citizens Kris Prasad, Ben Daveta and Seini Nabou said the complaint stemmed from comments made by Mr Sayed-Khaiyum at a press conference that was held in Suva last Friday. Mr Prasad said the group was unhappy with comments made by Mr Sayed-Khaiyum on national television
when asked to comment on the negative statements made against the Wasea Bhasha program on social media, whereby Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said he would rather not comment about idiots. “The investigations are still on-going and for him to call people who have expressed their opinion about the issue idiots is not okay and he should be held accountable,” Mr Prasad said. “People can hold others accountable for following the law, going to the police station and lodging a complaint and making a statement because at the end of the day we have the law and we should hold everyone accountable using the law.
PAKISTAN
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Pak stocks nose dive nearly 800 points after Trump’s victory Pakistan’s stock exchange shed nearly 800 points on the KSE 100-index after Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton in the US presidential elections. Trump relied heavily on anti-Muslim rhetoric during his election campaign and has pledged to ban the entry of Muslims in the US. Stock market dealers said the Karachi Stock Exchange which is now renamed the Pakistan Stock Exchange had lost around 770 points or 1.8 per cent since early morning trading.
Many Pakistanis consider Trump as no friend+ of Muslims or Pakistan and fear his reckless policies could wreck the world’s top economy and hit world markets. The KSE-100 Index, however, recovered almost half its losses, but was still down 428 points, or 1.02 per cent before closing bell. In a stunning result, billionaire businessman Trump beat seasoned politician Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President after starting off as a rank political outsider.
Facing army ire, Sharif forms panel to probe Dawn report Under pressure from the army, the Nawaz Sharif government formed a panel on Monday to probe last month’s Dawn report on a confrontation between the civilian and army leaderships over Pakistan-based terror groups striking in India and Afghanistan. Sources said the committee, formed to assuage an angry army, will be headed by a retired judge, Aamir Raza Khan, and will have representatives from security agencies, Inter Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau besides members of Federal Investigation Agency and National Accountability Bureau . The committee was formed due to intense pressure from the army to identify the person responsible for leaking the proceedings of the security meeting. The report has led to
the sacking of information minister, Pervaiz Rasheed, as the government claimed he should have told the daily not to publish the story. Due to recent protests against the Sharif government, the media “missed” another expose by a former three-star general. According to former Dawn editor Abbas Nasir, Lt Gen Amjad Shoaib (retd) said on a TV talk show that seven months ago, the director general, ISI, had written to the government outlining a plan to mainstream the jihadis in the country. He went on to disclose another secret, Nasir wrote. “The DG ISI had also proposed that all the fanatical jihadi militants who would not agree to be part of the mainstream be recruited into the security apparatus after being ‘deradicalised’ so they could continue to make a living.”
Pakistanis worry that President Donald Trump may favour India Donald Trump’s surprise election as US president has Pakistanis wary that he may accelerate what they see as a shift in American policy to favour India, analysts said on Wednesday. Historical allies in the region, Islamabad and Washington have seen relations sour over US accusations that Pakistan shelters Islamist militants, a charge Pakistan denies. They hit new lows in May when a US drone killed the leader of the Afghan Taliban movement on Pakistani territory. At the same time, Pakistan’s ties with India have also deteriorated this year, with India saying Pakistan-based militants killed 19 of its soldiers in a September attack on an Army base in Kashmir. To many Pakistanis, Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric - he once proposed banning Muslims entering the United States - and business ties
to India are signs that his administration could shift further toward New Delhi. “America will not abandon Pakistan, but definitely, Trump will be a tougher president than Hillary Clinton for Pakistan,” said Hasan Askari Rizvi, Lahore-based foreign policy analyst. “I think India will have a better and smoother interaction compared to Pakistan.” Trump has yet to lay out a detailed policy for South Asia, although he recently offered to mediate between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Trump. “Your election is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise,” Sharif said in a statement.
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Guard killed in Bangladesh airport stabbing spree A man stabbed a security guard to death Sunday in Bangladesh’s main airport after police and paramilitary officers stopped him
from going through to departures, officers said. The attacker went on a stabbing spree after officials asked him to show his travel
documents at the entry of the departure lounge of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, police and local media said. “One Ansar (paramilitary security guard) was killed in the knife attack,” Nazrul Islam, a police sub-inspector, told AFP. Up to three others including another security guard were also injured and rushed to a nearby hospital, additional deputy commissioner of police Rafiul Alam said. He added that the attacker, who said he was a cleaner, was arrested. It is not known whether the man has ties to any Islamist extremist groups. Bangladesh has been reeling from a wave of attacks on foreigners, rights activists and members of religious minorities, among others.
Lanka rejects Indian plea for 3-year grace period Sri Lanka has rejected India’s request for a three-year period to phase out current fishing practices by Indian fishermen in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait that separate the countries, a report here said today. It has also not agreed to other requests by New Delhi to release confiscated boats and grant 80 days of fishing to Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters, the Sunday Times reported. Sri Lankan Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the daily from New Delhi on
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telephone that the issues could not be resolved during talks with Indian ministers, who comprised External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan and State Minister of Shipping P Radhakrishnan. The report said the Sri Lankan delegation led by Amaraweera and the foreign minister had failed to break the deadlock during the talks. India had asked for time to divert Indian fishermen to deep sea fishing, but Sri Lanka said three years were too long a period for this, according to the report. A joint press release after the talks in New Delhi said the two sides have agreed to appoint a joint working group to continue negotiations over the issues. Member of Parliament M A Sumanthiran, part of the Sri lankan delegation, said close to 1,000 Indian trawlers operate in the Lankan waters, which, he said, was against the concept of sustainable fishing.
Asian summit resolves to curb disaster risk Over 50 countries of the Asia-Pacific region on Saturday declared their commitment to working towards preventing and mitigating disaster risk and strengthening the global framework to deal with such exigencies. In a political statement termed as the ‘New Delhi Declaration’, the participating nations at the three-day Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) spelt out their resolve to strengthen the resilience of communities to disasters. The conference also announced an ‘Asian Regional Plan for Implementation of the Sendai Framework’ that focuses on ways to reduce disaster risk at national and local levels. The conference commemorated the first World Tsunami Awareness Day on Saturday.
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The projected increase in deaths and number of affected from tsunamis globally are likely to increase by 16% in the next 15 years, said a report released by the United Nation Office for Disaster Risk Reduction here on Friday. The UN office for disaster risk reduction has called countries around the Indian Ocean, America and Europe to prioritize disaster mitigation policies to reduce tsunami impact as they pose significant threat to “critical infrastructure, including nuclear power plants and airports”. The 2004 tsunami had claimed more than 2,26,000 lives in 12 countries, with India accounting for about 16,000 deaths. Indonesia and Sri Lanka were the hardest hit with maximum casualties. The UN report says there were two major tsunamis that occurred in south Asia between 2001 and 2015 impacting four countries in the region with 17.53 lakh people affected and several thousands dead. The report projects that the deaths and affected population would increase by 14% to 19.99 lakh in the next 15 years.
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
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Here’s why it’s unfair to compare Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone
Chaar Sahibzaade 2 set to outperform Sharddha Kapoor’s Rock On 2
What people don’t understand is there is a gap between PC and DP. No we aren’t talking about age here. Our ladies have
It was a clash of sequels as two very ambitious films – Rock On 2 and Chaar Sahibzaade 2 hit the theatres. Both the films have a very long history but like every clash, this one was going to be very unpredictable. While most people thought the former would easily beat the latter, Chaar Sahibzaade 2 is all set to outperform Rock On 2 on day one! From initial reports, the former has had a better start at the box office than the latter. “Chaar Sahibzaade 2 has much,
proved time and again that age is just a number that no one should be bothered about. The gap is in experience. Priyanka Chopra has been around in the industry for more years than Deepika. She has seen the evolution of the industry. PC debuted in 2003 while DP came along
in 2007. So PC has done all sorts of films before making a mark. Deepika Padukone too debuted with a superstar and despite that, managed to shine bright in Om Shanti Om. riyanka and Deepika’s roles are completely different in their Hollywood debuts. Priyanka plays a baddie, a stylish one at that. We are sure Baywatch has never seen such a deliciously sinister woman in their cast. She is going to rock that role, we have no doubts about that. Deepika on the other hand, plays Serena, who is part of Vin Diesel’s gang in xXx:Return of Xander Cage which is borderline intense. You can’t even call it a negative character because it isn’t as the film will be shown from the point of view of this gang. That means both the ladies are doing different things in their debut which clearly says there will be no common point to compare them and yet people are doing so.
Mika Singh dines with his ‘favourite singer’ Grammy Award winning artiste Shaggy Mika Singh met Grammy Award winning artiste Shaggy, with whom he is collaborating for a video, over
dinner. The “440 Volt” singer also shared a few photographs of himself
with Shaggy. However, it was not clear where they met. “Had a great a dinner with my favourite singer Shaggy… Thanks brother for the lovely dinner. Hope to see you soon. God bless,” Mika tweeted on Thursday. The JamaicanAmerican reggae singer and rapper also shared a photograph of himself with Mika and the entire crew on Instagram, and captioned the image: “Dinner with my Indian crew Mika Singh video shoot.”
much better occupancy levels than Rock On 2. The number of screens that the movie has is lesser, but the occupancy
level for Chaar Sahibzaade 2 is better.”
When Abhishek Bachchan asked Zeenat Aman if he can sleep with her! In a candid chat with Riteish Deshmukh and Sajid Khan on their TV show ‘Yaaron Ki Baraat’, Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan revealed that ‘70s sensation Zeenat Aman is his first love and childhood crush! According to a report in DNA, Abhishek Bachchan shared an interesting anecdote from his childhood days when he was accompanying his father and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan for a shoot in Himachal Pradesh with Zeenat Aman. One day after dinner, when Zeenat Aman was retiring to her room, a curious Abhishek Bachchan asked who she is going to sleep with. To which Zeenat Aman replied, “Alone”. Junior AB, only 5 years old then, was unaware of the concept of sleeping alone
and asked Zeenat Aman in all innocence, “Can I sleep with you?”
Zeenat Aman jokingly replied, “thode bade ho jao phir.”
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
Bollywood
Days before their baby arrives, Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan turn bride and groom It seems there is nothing Kareena Kapoor Khan cannot do. She turned the concept of a pregnant Bollywood actress on its head. While most play pregnancy as a self-imposed exile from cameras and public appearances, Saif Ali Khan’s begum put it firmly on the ramp and on magazine covers. And now she has turned a bride for a magazine with the handsome Saif making for a regal groom while in her third trimester and we are reeling under a beauty onslaught. The pictures from Harper’s Bazaar Bride have found their way on to social media and we have checked every one of them.
We would want you to do the same because they are simply unmissable. Her photo shoot makes us wonder why would Bollywood female actors — or women anywhere — would have a no-camera clause when they are pregnant? Along with the photo shoot, a video also landed and we are digging Kareena talking about her pregnancy while doing the shoot as a bride. Kareena speaks about being a mother: “Everyone wants to know the answer to this question. But it’s such an internalise emotion and I can’t put it in words on what I am feeling and what I am going to feel. These are things I have to experience myself, but the journey till now has been great and I am super excited”. Talking about the opportunity to shoot the cover with Saif, the actor said, “This is even more special because it’s been really long me and Saif are doing a cover together. I think this one probably could be the best cover of ours and also the best cover for Bazaar Bride”. Kareena and Saif ’s first child together is due in December. Ever since the news of Kareena’s pregnancy broke, there was speculation that she may take a break. Kareena answered it like a boss. She said she was pregnant, not dead. She also appeared as the showstopper at a fashion show, made high-profile appearances and continued with her acting career.
Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh to share Koffee with Karan couch?
Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor on Karan Johar’s couch — sipping coffee and spilling secret? The chances of former and present boyfriends of Deepika Padukone — alleged, of course — on Koffee With Karan together is making us lose our chill. After Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan appeared on Koffee With Karan, everybody thought it can not get bigger and better than this. But it looks like Ae Dil Hai Mushkil director has decided to take his celebrity chat show a notch higher on entertainment, gossips, and controversies. Well, what else can you expect when you have the most compatible couple of B-town, Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar on the hot seat of the talk show. Karan has definitely been gutsy while picking up his combination of guests this season. While the fans of the chat show are still going gaga over the witty replies of Mrs. Funnybones, here comes another reason for all to talk about the KJo’s talk show. According to a report by Filmfare, Ranbeer Kapoor, and Ranvir Singh will be the next guests of Karan Johar. The duo will shoot for the show on Tuesday. Now this is something shocking for all those who thought that the two dashing actors will be pulling daggers at each other for the obvious reason, Deepika Padukone. Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor have been called rivals time and again but they have been spotted together many times.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
New Released Bollywood Films
Nov
11
*ing: Farhan, Arjun Rampal, Shraddha Kapoor
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Ishq Junoon *ing: Rajbeer Singh, Divya, Akshay Rangshahi
Nov
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Tum Bin 2 *ing: Ashim Gulati, Neha Sharma, Aditya Seal
Nov
Disha Patani, who will be seen sharing the screen space with Jackie Chan in the upcoming IndoChinese production, ‘Kung Fu Yoga’, had fun time with her international action star’s lucky mascots - a pair of soft toys ‘La’ and ‘Zy’ during the film’s Iceland schedule. Interestingly, Jackie is so fond of ‘LaZy’ that he carries them wherever he travels. For one of the daredevil action sequences in the film, Disha had to perform an underwater sequence in Iceland. Though it was freezing cold and the temperature was low as minus 5 degrees, the actress being a thorough professional, shot for the scene without any complaints.
Force 2 *ing: John Abraham, Sonakshi Sinha
Nov
25
Dear Zindagi *ing: Shahrukh Khan, Alia Bhatt
A fan mistook Shah Rukh Khan for Akshay Kumar It wouldn’t be completely wrong to say that Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan
— the Bollywood stars from Delhi — have had a similar career arc in Bollywood. The two superstars have a humongous fan following worldwide. Shah Rukh Khan recently appeared on Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh’s TV show Yaaron Ki Baraat with Anushka Sharma. The duo has shared the screen in two films — Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Jab Tak Hain Jaan — and is now working in The Ring.
the way women are treated in urban India or not. “The Age of Consent Act was legalised over 125 years ago in 1891. How many times has the value of consent been taken for granted in our society? How many times has our culture considered consent and specifically sexual consent important enough to be acknowledged and discussed? How many times has ‘No’ meant ‘No’,” he wondered. Citing examples of Indian films like the 1936 “Achhut Kanyya”, Satyajit Ray’s “Ghare Baire” ,”Mahanagar”, “Abhimaan”, Shyam Benegal’s “Ankur”, Gulzar’s “Aandhi” to recent endeavours like “Lajja”, “Paa”, “Mardaani”, “Mary Kom”, “Queen”, “Piku”, “Nil Battey Sannata” and the latest “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”, Big B highlighted how women’s portrayal in Indian cinema had changed from the stereotypical housewife to strong and independent characters fighting for their rights.
Disha Patani’s ‘LaZy’ moment with Jackie Chan
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While the two had fun, the highlight of the show remained was SRK revealing an incredibly funny incident that had happened 20 years ago. He was at London’s Heathrow airport when a fan started chasing him. Although the actor was late for his flight, he stopped to greet his fan only to realise she had mistaken him for Akshay Kumar. The incident took place nearly two decades ago, an era which did not have camera phones and selfies. Hence the fan handed him a piece of paper for an autograph. Any other actor in SRK’s place may have taken offence but King Khan chose to greet the fan in good spirit. “You must have loved my song, Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast,” asked the Dilwale actor. For the uninitiated, it is a song from Akshay’s Mohra. The fan replied yes and Khan signed the autograph, ‘With love from Akshay Kumar’ and went to catch his flight.
This is what Neha Dhupia thinks about Kangana Ranaut’s statement Neha Dhupia’s chat show #NofilterNeha is grabbing eyeballs owing to the frank and bold statements made by her celebrity guests. And it was no different when Kangana Ranaut appeared on her show. Among the many eye-popping statements Kangana made, one of them was about Hrithik having made it big owing to his famous father. Kangana’s answer created quite a stir as fans of the Greek God went berserk on social media, slamming the Queen actor.
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Sexual violence largely ignored by film industry: Amitabh Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Friday said the issue of sexual violence and sexual consent have been largely ignored by the Indian film industry, and questioned the absence of an independent word to denote female valour. Amitabh analysed the changing role of women in Indian cinema at the inaugural of the 22nd edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival here. “Meenal Arora, Falak Ali and Andrea Tariang (the female characters in ‘Pink’) are to all intents and purposes emancipated women with all liberties accorded by their financial independence. Yet the film raises unsettling queries largely ignored by our film industry. ‘Pink’ brings the issues of sexual violence and sexual consent into urban middle class homes,” he said. Talking about films like “Udta Punjab” and “Parched” which deal with sexual violence, Big B said “Pink” provokes audiences to question whether education has changed
Rock On!! 2
Nov
Bollywood
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
Bollywood HOROSCOPE Aries
Libra
March 21 - April 20
Sept. 24 - Oct 22
Your stars are moving on and the Sun adjusts its position before long, leaving you to stand on your own feet once again. and have to make a number of awkward choices. It may be time to abandon a commitment which is burdensome, but don’t let anyone down,
Taurus
Money matters can only increase in importance as the week passes, but don’t expect a quick and easy answer. You will come to realise that you have the chance
course, but how, and when, are questions that are still unclear. Take more time to work out what you really want.
Scorpio
April 21 - May 20
Oct 23 - Nov 22
Mercury is sending a challenge to Pluto, and the heavens are lining up for a frank, though friendly, confrontation. You will have to speak the truth even at the risk of upsetting someone – although be on hand afterwards with reassurance. It may be that only you can utter the words they need to hear.
Gemini
that a close partner can possibly be right, so deep is your belief in your own infallibility. However, any astrologer, on seeing the current planetary picture, would advise you to compromise and bend to circumstances. What you want is not as important as what you need!
Sagitarius
May 20 - June 21
Nov 23 - Dec 22
Something may happen behind the scenes to change your plans and ideas, perhaps an amazing event. Whatever takes place will almost certainly involve your work or routine chores are preoccupying you at the moment. Romantic hopes are reinforced by Venus’ passage through lively regions of your chart.
Cancer
Your astrological personality is a complex and rich one. Many Sagittarians are now starting to resemble obstinate and emotional Scorpios. In fact, friends may realise that your behaviour, especially a tendency to secrecy in important matters, is departing ever further from what they have seen in the past.
Capricorn
June 22 - July 23
Dec 23 - Jan 20
A difference of opinion between lively Mercury and passionate Pluto is bound to awaken ideas of social adventure; you’ll be on the look-out for new friends and anxious to put former associates in their place. Additional attention is required to all travel, holiday and adventurous plans over the coming weeks.
Leo
The week opens with the Moon supporting your sign, so family affairs will probably keep you on your toes. As the days go by, you will see that money lies at the root of all disagreements. If you can increase your earnings, you will solve many of your problems. A fun outing should be scheduled for later.
Aquarius
June 24 - August 23
Jan 21 - Feb 19
It’s a week of two halves. The Moon issues a challenge to your sign from Monday to Wednesday, so these will be the days to apply your cheery Leonine medicine to a partnership. Only you can do this, so why don’t you organise a break from routine and plan something special instead? You can put your feet up later.
Virgo
Recent developments in the sectors of your chart associated with children and romance seem bound to work out for the best in the long run, even if you have been rather disconcerted by statements or events. Sunday, when the Moon adjusts its position, should be a special day, so enjoy it to the full.
Pisces
August 24 - Sept 24
Feb 20 - March 20
Legal matters seem to have some role to play in your life over the next three weeks. Is it possible that you have embroiled yourself in a bureaucratic muddle? If you stick to your guns and do what you know to be right, you won’t go far wrong. Keep a professional plan under review for a little while longer.
This is a spectacular week for all of you pursuing inspirational ambitions, educational goals or working in the travel and communications industry. Show other people that you mean business – and get them on your side. Also, if romantic plans are afoot then please act soon: do not delay!
Shivaay severely aected by the discontinuation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, collects Rs 93.40 crore Ajay Devgn, Erika Kaar and Sayyeshaa‘s Shivaay released in the Diwali weekend and it has had a glorious run at the box office till now. However, looks like the past few days haven’t been that kind to Shivaay. As we all know, the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes were demonetised from the morning of November 9. This had a very bad impact on the box office as the multiplexes and cinema houses refused to accept these currency notes. And this had a very bad impact on Shivaay‘s collection. The movie had already collected Rs 91.90 crore in 12 days and it was expected the film would touch Rs 95 crore + by the end of the second week. However, with the discontinuation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, Shivaay‘s collection took a hit. Shivaay managed to collect a meagre Rs 1.50 crore over day 13 and day 14 to take its overall tally to Rs 93.40 crore after the second week. The film had managed to earn Rs 1.90 crore on day 12 and it was expected that the film would earn similar figures in the coming days, however coz of the new policy, Shivaay was hit. However, it is good to see that Shivaay
has survived. Ajay Devgn’s film had clashed with Ranbir Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan‘s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil this Diwali. ADHM clearly outperformed Shivaay by a huge margin in the initial days, but after a
masterstroke by Ajay (he chopped the film’s length by 20-25 minutes), the movie picked up and saw a better growth. Yes, the length of the film was detrimental for Shivaay. The story line wasn’t that appealing too, however the breathtaking stunts and stunning visuals blew everyone’s minds
After the debacle of Mirzya, will Salman Khan come to Harshvardhan Kapoor’s rescue? Harshvardhan Kapoor is a movie old in the industry. His debut movie Mirzya received lukewarm response from the audiences and critics as well. It’s an obvious fact that Anil Kapoor will be worried about his son’s career now. Anil now wants him to sign his future movies sensibly and not just make any random decisions. You’ll be shocked to know that Anil wasn’t too happy with his son’s choice of debut in the first place. As per reports in a leading entertainment portal, Anil Kapoor has taken it upon himself to sort everything out and make sure that Harsh has some really good movies in the future. And for this, he wants his good friend who’s like a family to him, Salman Khan to intervene. Anil wants Salman to guide Harshvardhan henceforth when it comes to his movie choices. Says a source close to the Kapoor family, “Anil wanted to launch his son with a romantic film on a grand scale but Harsh wanted to do Mirzya. Since the movie could do no wonders, he
now wants Salman to speak to Harsh and give him guidance regarding his career. He even met Salman recently to speak on this matter.�
BOLLYWOOD PERSONALITIES’ BIRTHDAYS
BONEY KAPOOR NOVEMBER 12
JUHI CHAWLA NOVEMBER 13
ADITYA ROY KAPUR NOVEMBER 16
HUMAIMA MALICK NOVEMBER 18
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Eshwar Shakti
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
Movie Review
Rock On 2 When Rock On had released 8 years ago, no one expected it be cult hit that it is now. After all it had no major stars, with Farhan Akhtar making his acting debut, and it was directed by Abhishek Kapoor, who made the dud Aryan: The Unbreakable. However they did the impossible, and Rock On became the sleeper hit of the year, thanks to its wonderful performances and catchy songs. The movie even swept away a lot of awards that year, including a National award for Arjun Rampal. Now eight years later, they are back to steal your hearts with their music and performances, this time, though, with a different director in Shujaat Saudagar. What’s it about It has been eight years since that magical night when our fave band, Magik, united to perform Sindbad The Sailor for their dying friend Rob (Luke Kenny). Now the band members have gone their separate ways after a harrowing incident that happened five years back. Joe (Arjun Rampal)’s fortunes have
Arjun Rampal, Shraddha Kapoor perform well but the original MAGIK is sorely missing changed – he is now the richest among the band members, being an owner of the club as well as a reality show judge. KD (Purab Kohli) continues his pursuit for music, and even harbours dreams of reuniting the band. However, Aditya Shroff (Farhan Akhtar), who was most affected by the incident, has left the city and his family to take refuge in Meghalaya and work for the upliftment of the locals there. However a tragic event there arranges for a chance encounter with Jiaa (Shraddha Kapoor), and life brings a new hope for him, as well as his old team members. But there is a dark secret in Jiaa’s life that is connected to theirs as well. What’s hot What works well for Rock On 2, like the last time, are the performances. And once again it is Arjun Rampal who manages to impress you the most among the cast. Remember he had won
the National award for the Best Supporting actor for the original flick last time? Though
his performance is nowhere near that range, thanks to a very sketchy characterisation, he still towers the tallest among the rest with his histrionics, especially in the scene before the interval. Farhan Akhtar and Shraddha Kapoor are decent, but the latter scores better in the singing department. However there were a couple of scenes where Shraddha is trying too hard, especially in the scene where father confronts her on the phone. Purab Kohli is okay, however his philosophical voiceover is damn irritating. The cinematography is wonderful, capturing the beauty of Meghalaya, as well as the manic energy of the band performances. A couple of scenes
do remain with you like when when Joe introspects after watching a reality contestant’s real performance, or when the original band is seen performing. What’s not When you get into a theatre to watch the sequel to Bollywood’s most certified rock band film, what do you expect? More rock performances and great music, and of course, a decent, engaging plotline. However, Rock On 2 fails to meet our expectations on all these counts. While we wait for a song on the level of Rock On or Pichchle Saat Dino or Tum Ho Toh, we may get disappointed with what Shankar Ehsaan Loy has in store for us. This is especially annoying, since they have the given their best score for Mirzya, that turned out to be a lost cause. The only song that managed to make some sort of impact was the Usha Uthup song, Hoi Kiw Chalo Chalo. On top of that, there are not enough performances from the band. Instead, the film gets into Swades territory, focussing more of Aditya’s efforts to take care of a Meghalayan hamlet. It was not a bad idea, but it did not belong here, as we don’t know why Adi chooses Meghalaya out of all places to stay away from his family. Perhaps the script wanted him to stay close to Shillong, the rock capital of India, because the finale requires him to be there. The unnecessary injection of melodrama and cliches in the screenplay (like that corrupt welfare development officer) also don’t help matters either. Even the quasi philosophical dialogues by Farhan sound irritating at times. Shraddha Kapoor‘s subplot with her father (Kumud Mishra not given much scope) will remind you of Kareena Kapoor and Boman Irani’s track in 3 Idiots.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Foodie
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Mango falooda recipe Mango falooda recipe is one of the easiest chilled Indian desserts one can whip up during the hot summer season when mangoes are available in abundance. It is a chilled dessert beverage with incredible flavor, texture and color. The authentic or traditional falooda which has its origins in Persia calls for the use of rose syrup, falooda sev or thin vermicelli noodles, basil or tukmaria seeds and chopped nuts. You can play around with the flavors by using mango, paan, banana, pineapple, saffron or kesar, strawberry, mixed fruits or chocolate. It’s the mango season and I have a lot fresh mango puree that I am putting to use in chilled desserts like eggless mango pudding and mango sago pudding Indian sweets like mango sandesh and mango phirni. One method involves the use of mango jelly cubes and mango custard while the other method involves the use of fresh mango puree and reduced milk or rabri. I have followed the latter method which I found simpler. I am sharing the easy mango falooda recipe where everything is made from scratch except mango ice cream which is store bought. I have also blogged homemade mango ice cream recipe earlier. So if you are looking at making the ice cream at home, do follow that no fail recipe. Recipe of mango faluda is extremely easy to make from scratch at home. The falooda ingredients include chilled sweetened reduced milk, falooda sev, bloomed basil or sabja seeds, sweetened mango puree, mango ice cream and chopped nuts. I have already posted how to make falooda sev or falooda vermicelli at home as well as the authentic falooda recipe. You can use store bought falooda sev too. The process I follow to make falooda at home is to soak the basil seeds first and then put the milk to boil. While the milk is simmering away, I prepare falooda sev and refrigerate it. Then I make the sweetened mango puree, refrigerate it and chop the nuts. I bring the milk to room temperature by place it in a bowl of water before refrigerating it. I also refrigerate the falooda glasses before layering the mango falooda in them. The entire preparation work including refrigeration and layering the chilled mango faluda takes me nearly 90 minutes. Nothing to beat the flavor of homemade mango falooda. Refreshing, delicious and comforting mango dessert in a glass! Ingredients Milk - 1 1/2 cups Sugar - 5 tbsps Falooda seeds - 1 tbsp (sabja/basil seeds) soak in 1/2 cup water for 20 mins Falooda sev - 1 cup Mango puree - 1 1/2 cups Mango ice cream - 4 scoops Chopped mango cubes - 1 cup Pistachios - 8, sliced Almonds - 6, sliced Cherries - 4, for garnish Method Bring the milk to a boil and simmer till it reduces to 1 cup. Turn off heat, add 2 tbsps sugar and mix well. Bring to room temperature and chill until use. Soak falooda seeds in water for 15 to 20 mins and allow to bloom. Set aside. Blend mango puree with 3 tbsps of sugar and refrigerate until use. Make falooda sev by following the link provided above. Place the prepared sev in cold water and refrigerate until use. Chill the serving falooda glasses in the fridge for at least half an hour. To assemble falooda: Take the chilled
serving glass and add few mango cubes in the bottom of the glass followed by 2 tbsps of bloomed falooda seeds. Next layer with 2 heaped tbsps of falooda sev/noodles followed by 3 tbsps of mango puree. Slowly pour few tbsps of chilled milk. Next layer with few more mango cubes, followed by a generous tbsp of bloomed falooda seeds. Next layer with 2 tbsps of falooda noodles followed by 3 tbsps of mango puree and chilled milk. Finally, place a scoop of
mango ice cream on top. Garnish with sliced nuts and a cherry. Serve immediately to avoid the ice cream from melting and over flowing. Tips The amount of sugar used in the milk and mango puree can be adjusted according to the desired sweetness. The quantity of ingredients used in layering the falooda is based on the size of falooda glass. Adjust the amount of ingredients used according to the size of the glass.
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TELLY TATTLE
Hosting once more
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Bollywood
Malaika, Arbaaz together! Malaika Arora and Arbaaz Khan came together after months of separation to celebrate son Arhaan’s 14th birthday yesterday. Malaika’s sister Amrita Arora Ladak put up a few pictures from the party on social media, proving it was a happy family outing The two had kept fans guessing about the status of their marriage, but put aside their differences for their son. This is the first time that the couple has been clicked together since news about a possible rift made headlines. In the past, on a few occasions, when they attended the same event, they tried their best to not be in the same frame. Late last month, when they were spotted by
SHOT IN THE DRAK
Never too late to get knotty
paps exiting a Bandra restaurant, they refused to be shot, and instead posed with their respective family members. Arhaan’s birthday dinner saw the Khans and Aroras in attendance. While rumours about their marriage continue to abound, these pics are sure to add to the confusion. During their Diwali celebration in Goa, the Khans were in full attendance, but Malaika went missing. Arbaaz was seen with rumoured girlfriend Yellow Mehra in the h o l i d a y snaps.
News of this dainty actress’ wedding came almost out of the blue and at a time when she seemed to have got a toehold in Bollywood — she featured in two big budget films this year. Something doesn’t sound right? Well, not that she and her hubby care much, but last month, the couple discovered she is pregnant. Having a love child is not a big deal anymore, but the two wanted to welcome their bundle of joy into a blissfully married home. She is currently shooting for a gal-pal film and her girlies are pampering her.
Why is Sid dancing at NZ airport? Sidharth Malhotra has taken off to New Zealand (he’s the brand ambassador of Tourism New Zealand). At the airport, the actor danced to the Kala Chashma track from his film Baar Baar Dekho along with his fans dressed as backdrop dancers .He is sure having fun at work.
Karan Kundra has been roped in to judge Roadies Rising. Speaking to hitlist, he said, “This is the third year of my association with Roadies and I am kicked to be back on the show. From being just a gang leader of Roadies in the first year to winning it in the second year, the show has taught me a lot and I am thrilled to be a part of such an adventurous journey.”
Ekta is family Like many actresses who owe their careers to the Czarina Ekta Kapoor, Prachi Desai, who will be seen in Rock On 2, considers the TV Czarina family. Right after Kasamh Se, the actress went on to bag her first Bollywood project, Rock On, back in 2008. A few months ago, she reunited with Ekta Kapoor for Azhar. “We don’t hang out in the same circles but working with her is like working with family. No matter where I go and with whom I work, Ekta will always remain special.”
Fighting fit
Cross legs, copy, click
Jacqueline Fernandez is keen to set new fitness goals. She has embarked on a new exercise regime to get the best looking abs before this year end. And here we thought she was perfect the way she is.
Toon hero Katrina Kaif is busy completing the shoot of Anurag Basu’s Jagga Jasoos, and in between shots, she has been bonding with the crew. In a picture shared by one of her fan clubs on Twitter, Kat and the film’s ADs are seen sitting cross-
legged and smiling for the camera. Apart from pictures from the set, snaps of her work-out routines are also being tweeted every day from the fan account that had accidentally been verified as Kat’s personal handle last week.
OFF TO WHERE? Last night at the trailer launch of Swapna Waghmare Joshi’s Marathi film Fugay, John Abraham who had dropped in, had a question for our photographer. He wanted to know why we were shooting him and actress Trupti Toradmal get into a car. Just doing our job, John. But where are you off to? PICS/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI
Sonam Kapoor met Stan Lee, the creator of Marvel comics at Beverly Hills during her current US trip. Lee is the creator of several superhero creations like Spider-Man, Hulk and Iron Man. Sonam could not conceal her excitment on meeting him and captured her superhero moment.
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Special Feature
Five Things NRIs Buying Property In India Must Know If you are a non-resident Indian (NRI) of funds. An NRI or Person of Indian origin Out of the balance held in the NRO account and may be repatriated thereafter. planning to buy a property in India, time (PIO) may repatriate the proceeds from the account, if the property was purchased out of If the property was inherited from a could not have been better for you to do so. sale of immovable property in India on the rupee source of funds. resident Indian, funds may be repatriated on While India’s real estate sector has seen a conditions mentioned below: producing a documentary evidence proving price correction in the recent past, buying inheritance, an undertaking by the NRI/PIO, The property must have been property in Indian has also become more purchased in accordance with the and a certificate of an authorised chartered lucrative with favourable currency rates. accountant in the formats prescribed by the FEMA directives, applicable at MakaanIQ looks at what differentiates the time of purchase. Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). NRI property buying from resident property In the case of a residential property, The amount repatriated cannot purchases in India: repatriation of sale proceeds is restricted to exceed the original amount paid An NRI buying an immovable property in for the property, if the property less than or equal to two properties. India does not require any special permission. was acquired in foreign exchange A foreign national may repatriate sale However, the payment can’t be made in remitted through normal banking proceeds even if the property was inherited foreign currency. NRIs can make the purchase channels or out of funds held in from a person outside India. However, prior using Indian currency, the Rupee, through an FCNR (B) account. approval of the RBI must be obtained. funds received in the country by means of However, in the following A citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri normal banking channels. These funds have circumstances, the NRI/PIO may Lanka, China, Afghanistan and Iran must to be maintained in a non-resident account repatriate a maximum of $ 1 million per If the property was acquired by way of gift, seek specific approval from the RBI for under the foreign Exchange management Act financial year: sale proceeds must be credited to an NRO repatriation of sale proceeds. (FEMA) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations. There are also no restrictions on the number of immovable properties that an NRI may purchase, either residential or commercial. NRI investments into the property market are treated on par with investment made by *OTVSBODF "HFODZ *OD resident Indians, but for some exceptions: Nature of property: NRIs can buy all sorts of immovable properties in India other than agricultural land, farm house and plantation property. To acquire agricultural land/plantation property/farm house in India, they have to get approval from the RBI and the government. Taxation: When an NRI sells a property in India, TDS (tax deducted at source) calculation is done at the rate of 20.6 per 03 53*1 50 cent on long-term capital gains %*4/&:-"/% and 30.9 per cent on short-term 03 capital gains. However, the final -"4 7&("4 taxation rate is similar for NRIs and resident Indians. If an NRI has a lower tax slab applicable to 0/& %3"8 &7&3: 8&&, him, he can apply for a refund of :06 $"/ 8*/ 13*;&4 -*,& the TDS by filing their income tax return. J1"% "/% .6$) .03& Home loan: The RBI has given 0$5 0$5 /07 /07 a general permission to banks "NSJO $IBISB 5BOWFFS 4 #IVMMBS .BONFFU and housing finance companies :063 registered with the National ,*% 4 Housing Bank to provide loans 1*$ to NRIs for buying residential property in India. Sanctioned /07 /07 %&$ %&$ in Indian currency, the loan '*345 /".& :063 :063 :063 :063 has to be repaid using the ,*% 4 ,*% 4 ,*%4 ,*% 4 same currency. However, the -"45 /".& 1*$ 1*$ 1*$ 1*$ loan amount, according to the regulations, cannot be credited %&$ %&$ %&$ +"/ directly to the bank account of &."*- an NRI and has to be disbursed :063 :063 :063 :063 to either the seller’s or the ,*% 4 ,*% 4 ,*% 4 ,*% 4 developer’s account. The loan 1*$ 1*$ 1*$ 1*$ can be repaid using funds in an +"/ NRI’s NRO/NRE account or FCNR deposits. Power of attorney (PoA): As they live outside, NRIs have 1-&"4& 4&& 063 8*5& 888 16/+"#*/463"/$& $" '03 "-- 5)& 13*;&4 an option to give PoA to their friends or relatives to complete the property purchase process in India. The PoA can be general or specific about the rights your representative can exercise. Repatriation of funds back to the foreign country: There are certain guidelines for repatriation
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
Classifieds JOBS
Baker / Sweet Maker wanted Nirala Sweets and Restaurant in Surrey BC needs fully qualified Pakistani style Baker/Sweet maker (Mithai). Responsibilities will include Sweet making for retail and banquets, training of employees, labour & food cost control and supervision. Must have at least three years experience as a Pakistani Baker. Knowledge of Urdu an asset. ourly salary $15.50/hr. Contact Pasha 604 593 7323 or send resume at anwarpasha786@hotmail. --------------- Oct- 22-2016 Cook for Pakistani cuisine wanted Nirala Sweets and Restaurant in Surrey BC needs experienced chef for Halal Northern Pakistani style dishes. Must be expert in making kababs and tandoori dishes. Must be able to handle halal meats. Responsibilities will include menu design and planning, cooking for individual customers and banquets, training of employees, labour & food cost control and supervision of kitchen staff. Must have at least 3 years experience as a Pakistani cook. Knowledge of Urdu and asset. Hourly wage $17.00 per hour. 40 hours per week. Contact Pasha at 604 593 7323 or send resume at anwarpasha786@hotmail.com --------------- Oct- 22-2016 Required Driver 1) able to drive a truck 2)able to navigate his way around
JOBS
JOBS
3)have a clean driving record 4)and be able to merchandise product 5)be able to speak multiple languages 6)minimum of 3 years Driving Experience
t $IFDL JOWFOUPSZ MFWFMT BOE SFQPSU to the supervisor t 3PUBUF TUPDL BOE FOTVSF FOPVHI space for new shipment t ,FFQ BSFB TBGF DMFBO BOE PSHBOJ[FE Requirements: t 4PNF 4FDPOEBSZ 4DIPPM t "CJMJUZ UP DBSSZ PVU QIZTJDBM XPSL t $PNGPSUBCMF XPSLJOH JO B GBTU paced, physically demanding environment. Core Capabilities: t 0SHBOJ[FE t "CJMJUZ UP QBZ BUUFOUJPO UP EFUBJM t "CJMJUZ UP XPSL DP PQFSBUJWFMZ JO B team environment t "CJMJUZ UP MFBSO RVJDLMZ BOE XPSL efficiently How to apply: To apply please submit your resume to resume@a1doors.ca We thank all those who apply however only those applicants shortlisted for interview will be contacted� -------------- Sept 17 2016
Salesperson 1) minimum of 3 years of sales experience 2) knowledge of food industry 3)speaks multiple languages 4)being able to merchandise Call 604-594-9800 Fax:604-594-9852 Email: guruluckysnacks@yahoo. com -------------- Oct 8 2016 “A-1 Doors & Mouldings Ltd., located at 12625 80th Avenue, Surrey, B.C., V3W 3A6, has immediate vacancies for Two Stock Helpers. Job Title: Stock Helpers No. of Positions: 2 Job Location: 12625 80th Avenue, Surrey, B.C., V3W 3A6 Term of employment: Full-time, permanent position, 30-40 hours per week. Compensation: $16.50/hour. Overtime at the rate of 24.75 after 40 hours per week Benefits: WCB Coverage with 4% vacation pay Job duties: t 3FDFJWJOH BOE VOMPBEJOH TUPDL t .BUDIJOH 10 T XJUI QBDLJOH slips and report discrepancies to supervisor t 0SHBOJ[F TUPDL JO UIF TIPXSPPN t 1FSGPSN PUIFS XBSFIPVTF UBTL like packing, unpacking, counting, sorting, labelling order-picking and scanning.
South Indian food cook wanted
Required South Indian food cook immediately Please contact:
604-312-9297
JOBS
BLACK CAT SECURITY LTD., 7085141A Street, Surrey, Bc Requires One Full Time Permanent Office Manager. Duties: Oversee And Co-Ordinate Office Administrative Procedures; Establish Work Priorities, Delegate Work To Office Support Staff And Ensure Deadlines Are Met And Procedures Are Followed; Co-Ordinate And Plan For Office Services; Assist In Preparation Of Operating Budget And Maintain Inventory And Budgetary Controls; Assemble Data And Prepare Periodic And Special Reports, Manuals And Correspondence., Education: Completion Of High School. Experience: 2-3 Years.
Wages 22.00/Hr. Knowledge Of English Required. Hindi And Punjabi An Asset. Emailblackcatsecurityltd@hotmail.com Or Fax @ 778 565 7165. -------------- July 16 2016 One FlatFee Real Estate Inc. 10912888 80 Ave, Surrey, BC V3W 3A8 requires an indeterminate full-time Database Analyst. -Collect and Responsibilities: document user requirements -Design, construct, modify, Integrate, implement and test data models and database management -Operate database management TZTUFNT UP BOBMZ[F EBUB BOE QFSGPSN data mining analysis -Conduct research and provide advice to other professionals regarding data management -Operate database management TZTUFNT UP BOBMZ[F EBUB BOE QFSGPSN data mining - Lead, coordinate or supervise other employees Requirements - Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science - 2 to 3 years of experience in a similar role Language: English Wages: $29/hr Please send your resume @ info@ oneflatfee.ca or Fax: 604-248-5253 -------------- July 09 2016 All Star Railing & Awning Ltd., #20 12318 84 Avenue, Surrey, BC requires a full-time permanent Welder Helper. Will be required to read and interpret work orders, operate metal cleaning equipment, assist welders, transport raw material
NANNY NEEDED Needed Nanny for 2.5 year and 7.5 year old children. Good Pay
Please Call: 778 895 7900 / 604 834 2500
MATRIMONIAL and finished products manually or by using devices, clean work areas and equipment and perform other related duties to assist the welders. Should have high school education with some experience. Knowledge of English is required. Punjabi/Hindi will be an asset. Wage: $20/hr. Apply by mail, email: 4242kamal@gmail.com -------------- July 09 2016 Western Door Manufacturing Ltd located at #109-8250, 124th St, Surrey, BC V3W 3X9, has an immediate vacancy for Carpenter. We design and manufacture high end solid wood exteriors doors, solid wood interior doors and custom doors. Job specification: Full time position with wages of $25/hour. 35 to 40 hours per week. Job requirement: High School with 2-3 years of experience. Trade certificate will be considered as an asset. Job duties includes read & interpret drawings & sketches to determine specifications; estimate height, width, length and other proportions; measure, cut, shape & assemble wood materials using woodworking machines, power tools and hand tools; Build exterior doors, interior doors, customs doors with jams; moulding, make transom arch shape; specially skilled in fancy wood design, traditional murals crafting on doors; Install hardware such as hinges, handles, catches; Repair doors and replace panels of doors. If interested send resumes at westerndoors@outlook.com -------------- May 21 2016 Planet Pride Logistics Ltd. of Richmond, BC is urgently seeking an Office Manager on f/time, perm. basis. Must have min. high school education and either min. 2 yrs. exp. in clerical/secretarial/office admin. or a university degree or college diploma in business admin. Duties incl. manage office staff and assign tasks as OFFEFE BOBMZ[F JOUFSOBM QSPDFTTFT BOE recommend / implement procedural or policy changes to improve operations; establish work priorities; manage office supply inventory and maintain office equipment repairs. wage btwn $22.25 - $24/hr (depending on exp). Please email resume to planetpridelogist@gmail.com. No phone calls or drop-ins please. -------------- May 14 2016
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Sai Baba/s Birthday All devotees are cordially invited at Hindu Cultural Society and Community Centre (3885 Albert St., Burnaby) to participate on Baba/s Birthday and in Sai Japa. Bhajan/Kirtan on Saturday, November 26, 2016 at 5.p.m. Program: 5.15 to 6.15 Bhajan/Kirtan, 6.30 to 7.15 Sai Japa , 7.30 p.m. Priti Bhojan Rajubhai Parekh 604-327- 8259 Vijaybhai Dayal 604-986-5958 Kantibhai Patel 604-522-7989 Temple 604-299-5922 -----------------------------------------South Asian Seniors are planning to visit Australia & New Zealand through 13 days cruise and 2 days extra tour of Sydney (Australia) total 16 days including travel time. The cruise itinerary starts from Sydney (Australia) on November 17th 2017, one day visit at each of these ports, Melbourne (Australia), Burnie (Tasmania- Australia), Wellington (New Zealand), Napier (New Zealand), Tauranga (New Zealand), Auckland (New Zealand), Bay of Islands (New Zealand) and back to Sydney (Australia). Every port the ship Norwegian Jewel will stop, all seniors will go for city tour by bus. All arrangements will be made for your air travel from Vancouver to Sydney (Australia) and return from Sydney to Vancouver, Cruise bookings, all port city excursions, city visits of Sydney (Australia), hotel stay in Sydney, food ( Pure Vegetarian or Non Vegetarian as per your choice) during Sydney City visits, also local bus pick up from Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple Surrey to Vancouver airport & back to Temple on return from Vancouver airport. The
total tour will be of 16/ 17 days including travel time from 14th November 2017 to 2nd December 2017. The travel insurance with Medical Coverage, Cancellation, Interruption and Baggage loss is a must, which you can arrange yourself or get the one we arrange for the whole group Insurance at a reasonable price to cover Basic Medical Coverage, Cancellation, Interruption, & Baggage Loss etc. The maximum cost for the whole trip to cover everything including return air tickets will be approximately $ 4,500.00 US Dollars per person. All staterooms are Double occupancy, so you should select your partner to share the stateroom with you on the ship. If you are interested to join South Asian group of Seniors, you should be in good health to walk independently, can afford the Luxury in life for 16/ 17 days, then only call. The entire amount $ 4,500.00 US Dollars or Equal ant Canadian Dollars as per present Bank rates will be spent on you only and will be taken from you in 4 installments with intervals. You will have to pay me $ 750.00 US Dollars per person for Cruise deposit to confirm ZPVS TUBUFSPPN BOE JG ZPV EPO U IBWF your travel insurance as mentioned above then you have to pay me $ 205.00 US Dollars per person for group travel Insurance in addition to cruise deposit. Please remember the Travel insurance once purchased can not be cancelled or transferred to somebody else. The final payment for the cruise is due by 20th June 2017 and you will be able to pay through your credit card directly to Cruise Web. For the other payments for Air Travel, Port City Excursions and hotel stay & food expenses etc. you will be informed time to time. The prices I have negotiated for the cruise are the rock bottom prices which can not be held for
Round Wrap Industries, #150 1680 Savage Road, Richmond, BC V6V 3A9 A reputed company manufacturing foiled PVC doors, requires one Production Supervisor on full-time indeterminate basis. Duties: supervision, coordination and scheduling of workers; resolving work problems; training of workers; preparing reports and ensuring safe and smooth running of the production. Education: Minimum secondary school. Experience: Minimum 5 years as Supervisor in same or similar trade or industry. Language: English & Knowledge of Punjabi / Hindi will be an asset. Salary: $32/hr.
Contact by email: info@roundwrap.com or fax 604 278 1463
Community News long and we are getting two amenities free, Gratuity for 13 days Cruise is Free and Cocktail Drinks are free for 13 days of Cruise for Ocean view cabins and above. Inside cabins will have only one Amenity Free of your choice. I have only room for two more couples or 4 friends UP TIBSF UXP DBCJOT PO UIF TIJQ 4P EPO U miss the chance of enjoying the Luxury in life for 16/ 17 days to visit Australia & New Zealand and call Surendra Handa Organizer/ Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945. Vedic Seniors Parivar Center members, Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Council members & Board members of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple surrey are going to celebrate Yearly Deepawali Get Together & Group birthday of Senior members born in September & October on November 5th 2016 (Saturday) from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm at Maharaja Banquet Hall Payal Business Center # 407 - 8148 - 128 street Surrey BC. Please register with Surendra Handa Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 or email surendra_handa@hotmail.com to confirm, which will help us to give the exact number of members attending at Maharaja Banquet hall. Your kind
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cooperation will be highly appreciated. With all good wishes for A very Happy, very Safe & very Healthy Deepawali and Prosperous New Year to all of you. With thanks & best regards Surendra Handa. -----------------------------------------SHRI DURGA HANUMAN RELIGIOUS & CULTURAL SOCIETY OF BC DIWALI = SHARDA DEVI PUJAN , LAXMI DEVI PUJAN SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30 , 2016 @ 6 P.M. All devotees, family members , friends are cordially invited to attend and participate @ the extremely auspiscious occasion of DIWALI. Puja conducted by Pujya Shri Pandit Sharadbhai Chandra SHASTRIJI [ 604-291-6042] DATE : SUNDAY , OCTOBER 30 , 2016 TIME : 6 p.m. to 7 .15 p.m. PLACE : All Saints Parish Hall , 1405, Como Lake Avenue [ @ Crestwood Drive / Schoolhouse Street ] COQUITLAM , BC Refreshments will be served after Puja : Laddoos [ Prasad ] & Samosas [ Snacks ] Shri Durga Hanuman Religious & Cultural Society of BC : Wishes All Devotees , Family Members , Relatives & Friends ------------------------------------------
FOR LEASE Two retail units 3000sqft #130/140 - 304785 Cardinal Ave Abbotsford
(604) 725-6734 / (604) 595-1445
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Superstore
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Saturday, April 2, 2016 L 5
Vol. 6 No. 61 - Saturday - November 12, 2016
Tel: 604-591-5423
; !) [ \ ! +! ] " Vancouver contains more certified green buildings than any other city in North America, according to a new report from a clean-energy think tank.
The Pembina Institute’s study examines the internationally recognized ‘passive house’ certification. To be certified, a building must meet certain energy usage, insulation and airtightness requirements. The concept is simple: Buildings that are well-insulated and well-sealed heat passively because far less warmth escapes the structure. That means maintaining comfortable temperatures requires less energy, and less energy drawn for heating means fewer emissions in the atmosphere. Of the more than 2,000 passive house structures in North America, 600 are found in Vancouver. In July, city council passed the Zero Emissions Building Plan, which calls for a 90 per cent reduction in emissions from new structures by 2025 — compared to 2007 levels — and zero emissions from new buildings by 2030. One of the directives contributing to that goal is the Green Rezoning Policy, which states that developers wanting to rezone their property for a large commercial or multi-unit residential project must meet either passive house standards or the LEED Gold standard. Sean Pander is the manager of the City of Vancouver’s Green Building Program. He was glad to see Vancouver’s success reflected in the study, but says by simplifying current
regulation, the city could see even more success. “We think we can achieve more than a 50 per cent reduction [in carbon emissions] for rezoned buildings than what we’re already achieving, without adding any construction or operations cost.� Recommendations on how that can be achieved will be in front of council on Wednesday. One Vancouver building already well on its way to massive energy savings is The Heights on the city’s East Side. The six-storey, 85-unit apartment aims to be the largest structure in Canada, to be passive-house certified, and Pembina expects it to come in 80 per cent below conventional building energy usage. Its planned green features include insulation much thicker than on conventional buildings, high performance sealed windows and a ventilation system that recovers and reuses heat. Those are all common additions to passive house structures, but in contrast with Pander’s view, Pembina’s study found they come with added cost. On multi-unit residential buildings like The Heights, Pembina projects those advanced features will add almost seven per cent to construction costs. On a single family detached home, they project building expenses two to eight per cent higher than usual. But one Pembina analyst expects those costs to lessen with time. “As industry capacity develops and more builders get on board, we can expect the added cost of building to near-zero emission standards to fall or even disappear. Factor in lower bills for energy and maintenance, and green buildings will increasingly become an affordable housing option,� said Dylan Heerema in a statement.
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Q&A: Mayor Robertson on Vancouver’s empty homes tax Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson is banking on his empty homes tax to ease the city’s tight rental market by bringing thousands of units online. Yesterday, Vancouver city staff presented the next step in its empty homes tax scheme. Self-reporting owners would be assessed a one per cent tax on homes that aren’t principal residences or aren’t rented out for at least six months of the year. The proposal is set to go before council next week. If approved, staff would implement the tax in 2017 with the first payments due in 2018. You said yesterday that “almost all Vancouverites will not pay the empty homes tax.� How many people will be affected by this tax? There could be thousands of homes that are affected that end up being second or third homes that are sitting empty and subject to the tax. Compared to the hundreds of thousands of homes in Vancouver, we believe it’s a very small minority that are actually empty and will end up either paying the tax or will rent their places out. What’s the threshold for a home that is under-utilized? There is some flexibility on how long you’re renting for, but the place needs to be occupied at least six months of the year as a rental. Those have to be at a minimum of one month at a time.
What about short term rentals like AirBnb? Short term rentals like AirBnb fit in a whole other category. That’s basically a business use, and you’ll have to have a business licence to do that. There’s a new way of regulating that. That’s a separate track. What about people who evade the tax by not declaring that their homes are empty? That’ll be like not declaring any other tax that you’re obligated to pay. We’re following the Canada Revenue Agency model in terms of self-declaration and there will be some random auditing similar to how income tax is paid. Those who are seeking to evade it will be subject to significant penalties. We want to be sure that everyone’s honest on this front.
How much will it cost to administer the program? It may be on the order of $2 to $2.5 million to administer the entire program over the next couple of years, but the numbers are not totally certain right now. We don’t know the scale of who’s claiming empty versus how many need to be audited. We’ll definitely recover that in terms of tax collection and probably more than that — which would go into affordable housing initiatives. What about people that say I’m not doing anything wrong by keeping my house empty. Why should I be punished with a tax? My answer is we have a housing crisis in
Vancouver. They’re effectively sitting there as an investment property and that means they pay a business tax. That has to be a lower priority than having homes for people who need to live in Vancouver. How many homes do you expect to see as rentals? We are expecting this tax will get thousands of new rental homes into the market. We so badly need it right now. There’s almost no rental stock available. We’re anticipating that this will be enough incentive for people to do that, or they’re going to end up paying an additional tax. And what security does a family get from renting someone’s condo month-to-month? That’s a good point. Obviously, rental agreements are something that are crucial, and we’ll keep pushing on both sides of it. For people that will be renting [out their properties] for the first time, we’ll have resources and support for people to learn how to be landlords to make this a lot easier to manage. On the renter’s side, we’re going to make sure that renters have rights. There have been lots of challenges and issues over the years with loopholes in the Residential Tenancy Act and making sure we’re looking out and protecting renters in the city.
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
Real Estate
Housing starts in Vancouver fall to ) $%&&@ ` Home construction is slowing down in British Columbia, with housing starts in Vancouver falling to their lowest level in more than five years, according to the latest data
from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. The federal housing agency reported Tuesday that the seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts in Vancouver fell to 12,023. The last time it was at that level was in March 2011, CMHC said. In B.C., the annual pace of urban starts fell nearly 45 per cent to 25,517 in October, compared with 46,294 in September. BMO economist Robert Kavcic said the drop could be the first sign that home builders are responding to softening demand in the province. Real estate sales in the region have been falling sharply in recent months. In Vancouver, home sales plunged 38.8 per cent in October compared with a year ago, according to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Builders may also be putting off new projects as they wait to see what impact new government policies will have on demand, said Robyn Adamache, CMHC’s principal market
analyst for Vancouver. In August, the B.C. government implemented a 15 per cent tax on foreigners buying homes in Metro Vancouver, while the federal government moved last month to tighten rules for mortgage lenders and foreign buyers in an effort to stabilize hot housing markets such as Toronto and Vancouver. “Builders are gauging the market and waiting to see how the market responds to these after it adjusts a little bit,� said Adamache. “The other part of the equation is that in Vancouver there’s a record number of homes already under construction, so they’re busy just building what they’ve already started.� While the drop in housing starts in British Columbia was particularly sharp, the pace slowed in most other regions of the country, as well, with Quebec, the Prairies and Atlantic Canada all seeing declines. Ontario was an exception, with the annual pace of urban housing starts climbing 20 per cent to 81,360 last month, up from 67,798 previously. TD economist Dina Ignjatovic said she expects starts to decline considerably in Ontario and B.C. next year, following strong growth through most of 2016. “The new mortgage and tax regulations recently introduced by the federal government are expected to take some steam out of home sales, particularly in B.C. and Ontario which have accounted for the bulk of the gains so far this year,� Ignjatovic said in a note. “This should filter through to homebuilding activity as well.�
[ ! + ) + ! ! B.C.’s Ministry of Finance will introduce tougher guidelines for the approximately 3,400 registered mortgage brokers it oversees in the province. Brokers will have to disclose the specific dollar value of any regular commissions they make. In addition, there is now a longerthan-expected list of non-monetary items and interests that must be revealed by a broker to a borrower about what he, she or the firm they work for might gain in taking a deal to a certain lender. In sum, borrowers will have a fuller picture about why a loan is presented to them by a mortgage broker. These brokers connect clients, who want to borrow money for buying a home, to networks of lenders that include banks and credit unions, but also institutional lenders who do not take deposits, and individuals. They are supposed to help clients shop around for the best rates and service and, generally, act in the best interest of a borrower. However, some brokers are upset about having to disclose basic commission amounts and argue that most borrowers focus on the rate they are able to find and not what they make on each deal. Where things will get more complicated is how these new disclosure requirements reveal the kinds of conflicts that can be unknown to a consumer and are, sometimes, even challenging for individual brokers to calculate. Without these new disclosures, a broker could take a bulk set of deals to a certain lender in order to win a bonus for hitting a so-called “volume� target, instead of steering a borrower to a different lender that is offering a better rate or more suitable term. A broker could also make a bit of money on the side by steering a borrower to a lender who is a family member or who works for a company he or she partly owns. In some cases, brokerage firms are receiving lump sum payments, also known as “access fees,� in return for passing borrowers to a preferred lender. Brokers themselves may not be aware that aside
from bonuses they can earn based on volume of completed deals passed to one lender, their employer is taking another cut. Chris Carter, acting registrar of mortgage brokers at the province’s Financial Institutions Commission or FICOM, described the list of interests that will now need to be disclosed as a “nonexhaustive� one. “We want brokers to be fully describing their conflicts, so we didn’t want to be prescribing what those might be,� he said, adding that all the new guidelines were prompted by conflicts of interest found by FICOM in actual cases. “You can assume the (situations described) aren’t hypothetical.� Samantha Gale, CEO of the Mortgage Brokers Association of B.C., said she understood the rationale of the Ministry of Finance. “They saw escalating house prices and they are concerned about debt,� Gale said. “There has been a call on all levels of government-municipal, provincial and federal-to take action and to do something.� She said mortgage brokers are unhappy that the new disclosure guidelines will put them at a competitive disadvantage when consumers compare them against mortgage specialists who work for banks. Mortgage specialists are not regulated by FICOM and will not be subject to these new rules, said Gale. However, she added the new guidelines “are more onerous than we had expected. We would have liked a more gradual approach, one that sought consultation with key stakeholder groups.� To illustrate the nuances that might have been gleaned from doing this, one broker explained that if he takes ten deals to one lender, he is more likely to get better service on a “sticky� deal in that bunch that otherwise would have been challenging to complete. This might be seen as going against the ideal of seeking the best deal for every individual loan applicant, but there can also be upside for a borrower when brokers have ongoing relationships with certain lenders.
Vancouver realtor fears for safety after signs vandalized 30 times + , - . / 0
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A Vancouver realtor is fearful for her safety — and her business — after signs for her business were vandalized for the 30th time last week. Melissa Wu said the disturbing destruction began in June when someone began blacking out or cutting off her Chinese name from her signs. When she changed her signs to take off her Chinese name, the vandalism stopped. Last week, she visited one of her listings to discover the vandal had struck again. When the vandalism first occurred, Wu said she contacted Vancouver police and provided surveillance footage, as well as a licence plate
number. She was told the vandal was from Surrey and may have mental-health issues. The video shows a man walking calmly down the sidewalk before using something sharp to cut out a large piece of Wu’s sign. On Saturday, Vancouver Police confirmed they are investigating. Wu said she doesn’t feel safe when showing her listings and has started to make sure she always has someone with her. “I’ve had sellers ask me about the damage. I’ve had listings cancelled. It’s definitely affecting my business,� she said.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Real Estate
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; " ! ] condos buck sales slump Fraser Valley townhouses and condos have bucked the trend of slumping sales stats with double-digit gains. It’s an eye-catching but perhaps unsurprising development, as buyers are being forced out of pricier markets and are starting to consider smaller, cheaper properties in the wake of new federal lending rules. Home sales for all kinds of properties in Metro Vancouver slid 38.8 per cent in October compared to a year ago, and some prices are showing signs of falling. In the Fraser Valley, it was a similar story of decline for all properties, with a milder drop of 17.4 per cent in October sales. In particular, sales of single-family homes in the city and suburbs have dropped sharply, and this has also been the case in the Fraser Valley where there was a 45.3 per cent drop in detached home sales — from 937 in October 2015 to 513 a year later. But when it comes to Fraser Valley townhouses, sales gained 10.2 per cent. For condos, the jump was 56.3 per cent, from 256 in October 2015 to 400 a year later. In Abbotsford alone, townhome sales gained 19.5 per cent over a year, while condo sales soared 84.8 per cent, from 46 in October 2015 to 85 a year later. “One of the main things is that buyers have lost some of their buying power, which has been hurt with the changes made (to mortgage lending) on Oct. 17,� said Langleybased realtor Alistair Young.
#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005
The new rules, designed by Ottawa to cool the housing market, require that homebuyers qualify for the posted rate for a five-year term, which is currently 4.64 per cent — meaning the buying power of some homebuyers will be reduced. Ben and Vivi Schulz, parents of a seven-month-old baby, were looking for a bigger home and wanted to buy a townhouse in Port Moody. They were able to sell their onebedroom condo in Langley’s Walnut Grove two days before the lending changes came into effect — but then didn’t have time to buy and could only qualify for a mortgage that gives them about $85,000 less buying power. “We were actually frantically trying to find something before the changes, but we had only sold the condo two days before,â€? said Ben Schulz. Their bank agent “had given me a heads-up that if we wanted to go for the price range we had initially been approved for ‌ but in the end, it was too rushed.â€? The adjusted mortgage was still enough for them to buy a townhome with more space, but in Langley and not Port Moody. “Folks who previously had more money to spend on a detached home or a townhome are now relegated to buying a condo,â€? said Young. “If they don’t have 20 per cent down, then they could be out as little as $50,000 or as much as $150,000.
0 BY: ASIAN STAR ADVT.
SOLD at $4,95,00
17,160 SQ. FT (PRIME INDUSTRIAL LOT) $ 985,000
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Saturday, November 12, 2016
Garry Grewal
PREC
DIAMOND AWARD
WINNER OF FVREB’s TOP ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Sutton Group - West Coast Realty #106 7565 132 St., Surrey. BC. PH:604-572-3005 FAX: 778-574-4174
COMMERCIAL MEDALLION CLUB MEMBER
- Highest Dollar Volume Award
- Commercial Top Sales Award
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