I CONTD. ON PAGE 22 PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN ...southasiandaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/part_164.pdfPRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU CELEBRATES THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAPS SHRI

CIRCULATED THROUGH : TORONTO, MARKHAM, SCARBOROUGH, RICHMOND HILL, VAUGHAN, WOODBRIDGE, ETOBICOKE, NORTH YORK, MALTON, REXDALE, BRAMPTON, MISSISSAUGA, OAKVILLE, HAMILTON, MILTON, STONEY CREEK, BURLINGTON

SUKHWANT THETHI NOMINATED AS ONTARIO LIBERAL CANDIDATE IN BRAMPTON SOUTH .HUNDREDS OF SUPPORTERS JOINED BYPREMIER WYNNE AND PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL MINISTERS TO RALLY AROUND NEWEST ONTARIO LIBERAL CANDIDATE

Canada says NO threat to PunjabCM Amarinder, closes investigation

PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU CELEBRATES THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAPS SHRI SWAMINARAYAN MANDIR IN TORONTO.

PUNJAB CONGRESS WANTS CASE TO REOPENCiting non-availability of "sufficient evidence", the Canadian governmenthas told India that there is no threat to Punjab Chief Minister AmarinderSingh and has concluded its investigation into the matter.In a communication to the Indian authorities, Canada's Department ofForeign Affairs, Trade and Development has stated that the investigationhad been conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi said thatthe Canadian authorities, in the communication, has said that the RCMPinvestigation has determined that there is no evidence of direct physicalthreat made towards Amarinder Singh.It further stated that there was "not sufficient evidence" to file criminalcharges or proceed against anyone. The Canadian government said thatin view of the findings, the investigation had been concluded.Punjab Congress has urged the Union government to take up the matterwith the Canadian Prime Minister. I CONTD. ON PAGE 12

LEARNING CRICKET WITHBOYS, HARMANPREET TOWERS

IN WOMEN'S WORLD CUPCM Amarinder says Proud of Harmanpreet,Announces Rs 5 Lakh award & Job as DSP

CHANDIGARH, (IANS) Punjab girlHarmanpreet Kaur vir tually ledIndia single-handedly into the fi-nal of the Women's World Cup inEngland with her superlative un-beaten knock of 171, edging outtitle holders Australia. She alsoscored a half century in the WorldCup finals. Punjab CM CaptainAmarinder Singh said that he isProud of Harmanpreet Bhullar and Indian women cricket they gavean excellent fight to England in the World Cup final, would behappy to appoint her DSP if she desires. CM Amarinder also saidmy govt will review spor ts policy to accommodate spor tspersonslike Harmanpreet Kaur in goverenment jobs, committed to promotingtheir interests. I CONTD. ON PAGE 22

Priyanka Chopra to be honoured atToronto International Film FestivalLOS ANGELES, (IANS)The Toronto InternationalFilm Festival (TIFF) willhonour actress PriyankaChopra at its annual soi-ree on September 6, theday be fo re the even tkicks off with its open-ing night fi lm. Helpingkick off its 42nd edition,the gala at Bell Lightbox will feature Priyanka in conversationwith festival ar tistic director Cameron Bailey. She's expected totalk about her career as a Bollywood icon before segueing intoHollywood, repor ts hollywoodrepor ter.com. The "Quantico" ac-tress made her Hollywood debut with "Baywatch", after bringingher Bollywood films like "Mary Kom" and "What's Your Raashee"to the festival in 2014 and 2009. Priyanka joined "Selma" directorAva DuVer nay and f e l l ow ac to rs James Franco and BenRichardson as par t of a shor t films jury for a TIFF competitionlast year. Toronto is also honouring Priyanka for her activism.She also devotes time to Unicef as a goodwill ambassador.Proceeds from the gala will help fund talent development programmesat the Canadian festival to get more women behind and in front of thecamera. The Toronto International Film Festival is set to run fromSeptember 7-17.

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AIR CANADA CENTRE ON AUGUST 5

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I DETAILS ON PAGE 6

2 MidWeek MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

MidWeek 3MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

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PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA, JUSTIN TRUDEAU ATTENDS 10TH ANNIVERSARYCELEBRATIONS OF BAPS SHRI SWAMINARAYAN MANDIR, TORONTO

I DETAILS ON PAGE 4

WHO'S WHO OF THE COMMUNITY ATTENDED THE GRAND OPENING OFMAYURA - INSPIRED INDIAN DINING WITH MASTER CHEF RANVEER BRAR

PICTURES COURTESY - IRFAN ALI


TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017s p e c i a l r e p o r t

SUKHWANT THETHI NOMINATED AS ONTARIOLIBERAL CANDIDATE IN BRAMPTON SOUTH

HUNDREDS OF SUPPORTERS JOINED BY PREMIER WYNNE AND PROVINCIAL AND FEDERALMINISTERS TO RALLY AROUND NEWEST ONTARIO LIBERAL CANDIDATE

BRAMPTON — Community leader Sukhwant Thethi was nominatedtoday to stand as the Ontario Liberal candidate for Brampton Southin the next provincial election.Thethi accepted the nomination surrounded by his family, hundredsof local suppor ters, Premier Kathleen Wynne, Ontario Minister ofFinance Charles Sousa, Ontario Minister of Seniors Dipika Damerlaand federal Minister Navdeep Bains. In his speech to suppor ters,Thethi spoke passionately about his experiences as a new Cana-dian, the Ontario Liberal plan that is building a better, fairer prov-ince and the shameful things that Patrick Brown’s PCs are sayingabout Sikh candidates behind closed doors.“I moved here in 1995 from India and waited tables. From animmigrant waiting tables to a successful banker standing here torun to be a Member of Provincial Parliament — this is what Canadais all about!” Thethi said. He added, “I look at Kathleen Wynne’s

Liberal plan and I see the policies that will help even more peoplerealize their dreams and seize oppor tunity, just like I did. As thefather of two daughters in university, I know that by making collegeand university tuition free, the Ontario Liberal plan is going to helphundreds of thousands of young people secure their future.”Referring to the recent actions Ontario’s Liberal government hastaken to deliver faster, better health care, new transit, a higherminimum wage and better protections for all workers, Thethi said“This Premier and her team are implementing a plan that suppor tsour families and creates more fairness for people in Brampton andacross Ontario.”In enthusiastically welcoming Thethi to the team, Premier Wynnetouched on aspects of Thethi’s life story, saying “Sukhwant knowswhat it is like to work your way to a better life in a new country.And I know how valuable it is to bring his perspective and ideas to

Queen’s Park. One third of ourteam of Liberal MPPs were bornoutside of Canada. Every day Isee how their different experi-ences help us in our quest tomake life better for Ontariofamilies. Sukhwant will be astrong voice for Brampton and agreat help as we continue tofight for fairness and buildBrampton up with the newtransit, hospitals, schools and

university campus that this exciting, growing community needs.”Thethi also took aim at the recent Conservative nomination contro-versy in Hamilton, telling suppor ters it is now clear that PatrickBrown and his PCs will say anything to win votes from SouthAsians. Thethi was referring to an admission by the ConservativePar ty president that the PC Par ty blocked a turbaned Sikh candidatefrom winning the nomination in Hamilton because he was seen as“not reliable” and the “wrong demographic.” Thethi stronglycondemned this as yet another incident that shows the PCs arenot the inclusive par ty they claim to be, saying “Patrick Brownand his Conservatives pretend to reach out to the South Asiancommunity when they want our votes, but this reveals their truecolours. This is the kind of Conservative prejudice we mustoppose. Whether you are a Sikh Canadian or a Muslim Canadianor someone whose family has been here for generations, thereis no right or wrong demographic. We are all Canadians.”Sukhwant Thethi immigrated to Canada from India in 1995. He has workedin food service, manufacturing, and owned a small business. He is now amortgage specialist with the Royal Bank of Canada. Thethi believes strongly ingiving back to the community that has given him so much opportunity. Hevolunteers and fundraises for causes that include the PeelMulticultural Council, the United Way, the Hear t and StrokeFoundation, and other organisations working to improve localhealth care. He also serves on the advisory board to selectOntario Justices of the Peace. Sukhwant Thethi and his wife,Rajinder, are the proud parents of two university-age daughters,Gurleen and Amarjot.

Prime Minister of Canada, Justin TrudeauAttends 10th Anniversary Celebrations ofBAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, TorontoThe Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada attended the 10th anniversarycelebrations of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto on Saturday July 22, 2017. Thecelebrations took place in the presence of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the currentspiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (www.baps.org).The celebrations were at-tended by more than 10,000 people from across Canada and around the globe.As Prime Minister Trudeau entered the Mandir grounds, he was welcomed by the BAPS youth whopresented a colourful traditional dance. Climbing up the steps of the mandir, he was welcomedwith a garland by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS. The childrenand youth then sang the Canadian and Indian national anthems. In the presence of His Worship JohnTory, the Mayor of Torontoand His Excellency Mr. Vikas Swarup, High Commissioner of India toCanada, Prime Minister Trudeau inaugurated a special plaque to celebrate the auspiciousoccasion.After admiring the breathtaking beauty of the Mandir and paying respect to thesacred images of God Bhagwan Swaminarayan and deities, Prime Minister Trudeau had apersonal meeting with His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj. He then made his way to theassembly, where he was greeted and welcomed by thousands of well-wishers. Prime Minis-ter Trudeau thenaddressed the assembly, recognizing the contributions that the Mandir hasmade to the community.The Mandir was inaugurated by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 2007 and hashelped enrich the lives of individuals, families and communities across Canada through thedevelopment of family and youth programs, community outreach, and spiritual assemblies. Atrue labor of love, the Mandir offers weekly services and year-round programs organized byvolunteers and Swamis within the BAPS community.Many dignitaries joined devotees, well-wishers and community leaders in celebrating the ten-yearanniversary.Special guests at this historic occasion included:" The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada" His Worship John Tory, the Mayor of Toronto" His Excellency Mr. Vikas Swarup, High Commissioner of India to CanadaDuring the celebrations, His Worship John Tory, the Mayor of Toronto, presented His HolinessMahant Swami Maharaj, with the Key to the City of Toronto, the city's highest honour. The key isbestowed by the Mayor to distinguished persons and honoured guests of the city of Toronto.As a central place of Hindu worship, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was inaugurated onJuly 22, 2017 and was made possible by the spiritual suppor t, guidance, and inspiration ofPramukh Swami Maharaj, the fif th spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Today,Mahant Swami Maharaj carries forward this work and legacy as the current spiritual succes-sor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.Through his leadership and guidance, Mahant Swami Maharajinvites people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds to visit and explore the mandir, its architecture,and its Hindu teachings.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017 s p e c i a l r e p o r t

KOVIND SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT, PLEDGESTO FOLLOW 'MANTRA' OF CONSTITUTION

Making history as the first occupant of Rashtrapati Bhavan from the BJP,President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday pledged to always follow thebasic mantra of the Constitution to ensure justice, liberty, equality andfraternity.Elected to the highest constitutional office last week, Kovind was adminis-tered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar at a brief butglittering ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament before a gathering ofMPs, Chief Ministers and diplomats.Taking oath in the name of God, Kovind pledged to "preserve, protect anddefend the Constitution and the law" and devoted himself to the servicesand well-being of the people of India.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ministers, opposition leaders includingSonia Gandhi and former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and H.D.Deve Gowda attended the event.At the end of over three hours of protocol and formalities on a rain-marredday, the new President accompanied his predecessor Pranab Mukherjeeto the latter's new abode -- 10 Rajaji Marg -- after his warm farewell at theRashtrapati Bhavan.In his speech, Kovind hailed the vision of Mahatma Gandhi and Sangh iconDeen Dayal Upadhyay and said there was a need to build India as "aneconomic leader as well as moral exemplar"."For us, those two touchstones can never be separate. They are and mustforever be linked."Recalling his humble beginnings from growing up in a mud house in anUttar Pradesh village, Kovind said he has had a long journey."Yet this journey is hardly mine alone. It is so telling of our nation and oursociety also. For all its problems, it follows that basic mantra given to usin the Preamble to the Constitution - ensuring justice, liberty, equality andfraternity and I will always continue to follow this basic mantra."In another line that avoided any reference to Congress occupants of theRashtrapati Bhavan barring two, Kovind said he was conscious he wasfollowing the footsteps of stalwar ts such as Rajendra Prasad, S.Radhakrishnan, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee.Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Constitution's architectB.R. Ambedkar, the President said these leaders did not believe that politi-

cal freedom was enough; it was crucial to also achieve economic andsocial freedom for millions."The key to India's success is its diversity. Our diversity is the core thatmakes us so unique. In this land we find a mix of states and regions,religions, languages, cultures, lifestyles and much more. We are so differ-ent and yet so similar and united."21st century India will be in conformity with its ancient values and compli-ant with the fourth industrial revolution, he said."There is no dichotomy there, no question of choice. We must combinetradition and technology, the wisdom of an age-old Bharat and the scienceof a contemporary India."He said as the gram panchayat must determine India's consultative andcommunity-based problem solving, "the Digital Republic must help leap-frog developmental milestones".But nations were not built by governments alone.The government can at best be a facilitator and a trigger for society'sinnate entrepreneurial and creative instincts. Nation building requires na-tional pride."We take pride in the soil and water of India. We take pride in the diversity,religious harmony and inclusiveethos of India. We take pride in theculture, heritage and spirituality ofIndia. We take pride in our fellowcitizens."Saying each citizen was a custo-dian of India's well-being, Kovindsaid the armed forces that protectthe borders were nation builders.So were police and paramilitaryforces that fight terrorism and crimeas well as farmers, scientists,nurses, doctors, entrepreneurs andar tisans.India believed in the principle of oneworld. "It is appropriate that the land

of Lord Buddha should lead the world in its search for peace, tranquilityand ecological balance. India's voice counts in today's world. The entireplanet is drawn to Indian culture and soft power."The global community looks to us for solutions to international problems- whether terrorism, money laundering or climate change. In a globalizedworld, our responsibilities are also global."He said India had achieved a lot as a nation but the effort to do more, to dobetter and to do faster should be relentless."What must also bother us is our ability to enhance access and opportu-nity for the last person and the last girl-child from an under-privilegedfamily, if I may put it so, in the last house in the last village. This mustinclude a quick and affordable justice delivery system."Kovind said people needed "to sculpt a robust, high growth economy, aneducated, ethical and shared community, and an egalitarian society, asenvisioned by Mahatma Gandhi and Deen Dayal Upadhyay."These are integral to our sense of humanism. This is the India of ourdreams, an India that will provide equality of opportunities. This will be theIndia of the 21st century," he said, in an apparent reference to Upadhyay'sprinciple of integral humanism.

JALANDHAR: MYSTERY SHROUDS GIRL'SDEATH, CLASSMATE STILL MISSINGMystery shrouds the death of 14-year-old Manpreet Kaur of Mehatpur Uldhani village, whose bodywas found floating in the Bist-Doab canal late Friday evening while her classmate RupinderjeetKaur, 14, of Chahala village, who was seen last time with her, is still missing in Balachaur town ofthe district. The police have deployed a fleet of 150 cops in the town and formed five teams tocrack the case under the supervision of senior superintendent of police (SSP) Satinder Singh, whohimself is camping in the town.The Balachaur police have registered a murder case against unidentified persons on thestatement of Manpreet's uncle Balraj Singh, 30, of Nakodar. Singh said Manpreet was wear-ing the school dress when the body was brought out from the canal but her socks, tie, shoes,and bag were missing. He also alleged that there was no water in her stomach and foamwas noticed in the mouth. It indicated that someone had killed her before dumping the bodyin the canal, he added.The police have also registered a kidnapping case on the statement of Rupinderjeet's fatherKulwant Singh, 45, as he had suspected someone had abducted his daughter.The police have called swimmers and talked to the canal depar tment to reduce the flow ofwater to search Rupinderjeet. The teams have also quizzed the auto-rickshaw driver, whotold the cops that he had dropped them near the canal and did not know anything else.The cops have also talked to school authorities, the girls' classmates and the bus driver inwhich they were going to school and coming home. As per the bus driver, the girls hadstepped down from the bus in the midway claiming that they wanted to join the tuition class whenhe was going to drop them at their homes. As per cops, later both girls hired an auto-rickshaw to reach the canal. SSPSatinder Singh said police teams are working round-the-clock effor ts to crack the case.

India intruded, alleges China’s foreign ministerBEIJING: A day before NSA Ajit Doval's visit to Beijing, China's foreign minister Wang Yi accusedIndia of intrusion in Doklam, dimming prospects of an early resolution of the border stand-off."The rights and wrongs are very clear," Wang said, claiming that senior Indian officials have"openly stated that Chinese troops did not enter Indian territory". "In other words, the Indianside admitted to entering Chinese territory," Wang fur ther said in Bangkok on Monday.The minister's remarks, his first on the stalemate, were accompanied by media repor ts inChina describing Doval as "the main schemer" of the Doklam standoff.These were seen in New Delhi as deliberate misrepresentation of facts on the ground and aclear indication that little should be expected from the talks on July 27-28.The bellicosity of the Chinese government was matched fully by hard-line publication 'GlobalTimes' which argued that Indian media was being naive in assuming that the NSA's visit to Beijingwill lead to a settlement.


TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017c o m m u n i t y

The City of Brampton has proclaimed the month of November as HinduHeritage Month recognizing the impor tant contributions that HinduCanadians have helped building Brampton into the multicultural suc-cess story that it is and making the City the best place to live, workand raise families.The proclamation request was initiated by MananGupta and Rakesh Joshi on behalf of the Canadian Hindu Associationwhose aim is to promote multiculturalism, inclusiveness, toleranceand diversity in the society.City Councillors Jeff Bowman (Wards 3 & 4) and Doug Whillans (Wards2 & 6) made this announcement at a brief ceremony held at the Coun-cil Chamber on July 19th. The ceremony was attended by prominentmembers of the community including Abhay Dev Shastri, PeeyushGupta, Minkle Mittal, Dave Kapil, Madhusudan Lama, Shambhu DuttSharma, Ram Mur ti Joshi, Deepak Punj, Bhim Sain Kalia, Ajay Fotedar,Nik Mengi, Sanjiv Malik, Subash Sharma, Rakesh Tiwari, AvnishAggarwal, Jeff Lal, Amit Bhatt, Virender Rathee and many others. The

proclamation announcement signed by Brampton Mayor Linda Jef-frey and suppor ted by the City Council has been welcomed by thecommunity at large.Ontario is home to a large and vibrant Hindu community, and sincethe first Hindu immigrants arrived in Canada at the early 20th century,Hindu Canadians have made significant contributions across all fields:science, education, medicine, law, politics, media, business, cultureand spor ts. The Province of Ontario has already proclaimed the monthof November as Hindu Heritage Month recognizing the impor tant con-tributions that Hindu Canadians have made to Ontario society.The flag raising ceremony to launch the month long activities will beheld at noon on November 2nd at the Brampton City Hall. A series ofinformative events will be planned in collaboration with CanadianHindu Association and other community groups to remember, cel-ebrate and educate future generations about Hindu Canadians and therich cultural heritage.

NOVEMBER PROCLAIMED AS HINDUHERITAGE MONTH IN BRAMPTON CITY

INCREASING ACCESS TOAFFORDABLE CHILD CAREONTARIO - Ontario has appointed Dr. Gordon Clevelandto lead a new study with the goal of building a childcare system that makes child care universally acces-sible and affordable to all Ontario families. Qualitychild care is essential for families. Parents want peaceof mind to know they will have access to child care ina location that is convenient, and that it will be afford-able for their monthly budget. Yet for too many, childcare is unavailable, unaffordable, or has a significantwait time.Dr. Cleveland will provide policy recommendations,including ways to improve access to child caresubsidies. The study is expected to be complete by theend of February 2018. As par t of the 2017 OntarioBudget, the government announced investments in newchild care spaces and subsidies in order to realize itstarget of providing 100,000 more children aged 0-4 withaccess to affordable, quality and responsive licensedchild care in schools, homes, and communities overfive years.Expanding access to child care and making it afford-able for families is par t of our plan to create jobs, growour economy and help people in their everyday lives."Dr. Cleveland's exper tise and experience will beinvaluable as we work to create a more affordable andaccessible child care and early years system. One ofour top priorities is making child care more affordablefor Ontario's families, to give all children the bestpossible star t in life. I'm confident Dr. Cleveland willhelp us do that." - Indira Naidoo-Harris, MinisterResponsible for Early Years and Child Care.

FLAG RAISING CEREMONY ONAUGUST 26 AT RICHMOND HILLTORONTO - PROUD INDIANS OF RICHMOND HILL (PIRH),in par tnership with the Town of Richmond Hill, will be cel-ebrating India's 70th Independence Day and Canada's 150thanniversary. The event is taking place on Saturday, August26 at noon at the Municipal Offices of the Town of RichmondHill, 225 East Beaver Creek Road, Richmond Hill. On behalfof the PIRH Board of Directors, Managing Committee and theTown of Richmond Hill, we would like to invite you to attendthis historical event. The program will comprise of Flag rais-ing ceremony of both Canada and India followed with liveenter tainment and refreshments. The Consul General of In-dia, Mayor of the Town of Richmond Hill as well as severalgovernment representatives are expected to par ticipate.

THE BIGGEST EVENT OF 2017 ATIF ASLAM AND SONU NIGAMLIVE IN CONCERT AT AIR CANADA CENTRE ON AUGUST 5

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MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017 c o m m u n i t y

HYDRO BILLS ARE COMING DOWN IN ONTARIO,AND HERE'S WHY IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO

BY GLENN THIBEAULT, ONTARIO'S MINISTER OF ENERGYWhen we introduced Ontario's Fair Hydro Plan in March, our gov-ernment committed to fundamentally restructuring the system todeliver the biggest cut to electricity rates in Ontario's history. I'mhappy to say that the Fair Hydro Plan is now a reality. And I be-lieve this is the fairer way forward.Recently, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) announced it had takenthe final steps to lower electricity prices by an average of 25 per cent for allresidential consumers in the province. As many as half a million small busi-nesses and farms will also benefit. The OEB, the province's independentbody that sets rates, lowered bills in response to the Fair Hydro Act,2017, which passed in the Ontario legislature on May 31. All Progres-sive Conservative and NDP MPPs in attendance that day opposedour plan to bring down electricity rates and voted against the FairHydro Plan.Relief through the Fair Hydro Plan is immediate. We also designedthese reductions to last, by holding electricity rates to inflation forfour years. In addition, we're updating our long-term energy plan,which will continue our trend of taking costs out of the electricitysystem and making it more affordable for ratepayers.Fifteen years ago, our electricity system had become unreliable, thevictim of years of neglect by governments of all stripes, which culmi-nated in the unforgettable blackout of 2003. We had to reinvest in oursystem, and that came at a cost to ratepayers. But the fact is electric-ity bills were becoming unaffordable for too many people. Premier

Wynne and I spoke to people across the province about their electric-ity bills, hearing how they were struggling with rising payments.In September 2016, we announced an eight per cent rate reduction,equivalent to the provincial portion of the HST. But that wasn't enough.People's bills were still increasing too much, too fast. As we contin-ued to listen to peoples' concerns, it became clear that we needed tobring even more relief and it had to apply to everyone in the province,which led to our Fair Hydro Plan. We heard that the most vulnerableamong us needed even more support. That's why we expanded theOntario Electricity Support Program, providing 50 per cent more sup-port in the form of monthly credits for people with low incomes. Today,more households are eligible for the program than ever before.People in rural and northern communities also pay more for electric-ity, because it takes more infrastructure to deliver electricity to wherethey live. Today, the Rural or Remote Rate Protection Program hasbeen expanded to help about 800,000 households - cutting electricitybills by 40 to 50 per cent for eligible customers, effective July 1.These changes to the way we pay for electricity are fairer, and they arelasting. We can afford them because of Ontario's strengthening economy,which is the fastest growing in Canada, and we need them to ensurethe growth in our economy translates to more oppor tunity andsecurity for people right across Ontario. There is no better way touse the province's recently balanced budget than by giving every-one the break they need on their hydro bills. It's the right thing to dofor Ontario and the fair thing to do for your family.

AAP MLAs unanimouslydecide Sukhpal Khaira next LOPTORONTO - Aam Aadmi Par ty (AAP) legislators fromPunjab on Thursday have unanimously decided tohave Bholath MLA and senior leader of the par tySukhpal Singh Khaira as the next Leader of Opposition(LOP) in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. An official spokes-person of the par ty disclosed that AAP MLAs in ameeting convened by National convener and DelhiChief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi unanimouslyconveyed to the latter that they would want to seeKhaira to be the next LOP in Punjab.The post of LOP fell vacant af ter supreme cour tlawyer and Dakha legislator HS Phoolka resigned lastweek. Sangrur MP and State president BhagwantMann, State co -president and Sunam MLA AmanArora and Phoolka welcomed the collective decisionof the AAP MLAs in favour of Khaira immediately afterKejriwal announced that all AAP legislators preferredKhaira to be the next LOP.In Canada, Jaskirat Mann- AAP Canada Convenor,Harpreet Khosa-National Media Convener, SurinderMavi- City Convenor and Kamaljit Sidhu-NationalSpokesperson AAP welcomed the decision andcongratulated Sukhpal Khiara on his appointment.Khaira later thanked Kejriwal and the AAP legislatorsfor posing faith in his leadership and assured todischarge his duty with utmost dedication andresponsibility. Besides Kejriwal, Mann, Phoolkaothers from the central leadership present on theoccasion included Faridkot MP, Sadhu Singh, Ashutoshand Sanjay Singh.

Ontario Expanding GOService Between Torontoand Waterloo RegionONTARIO - Ontario is another step closer to deliveringtwo-way, all-day GO train service between Toronto andWaterloo Region with the close of the Request forProposals stage for the Highway 401 Rail Tunnel project,par t of the GO Regional Express Rail (RER) program.Minister of Transpor tation Steven Del Duca visitedEtobicoke Nor th GO Station today with Dr Shafiq Qaadri,MPP for Etobicoke Nor th, to announce that the provincehas received proposals from all three shor tlisted teams.The Highway 401 Rail Tunnel project will build a secondtunnel under Highway 401/409 to accommodate twotracks and future signalling and communicationsinfrastructure, as well as replace the footings of theretaining walls that suppor t the ramp from eastboundHighway 409 to eastbound Highway 401. Once com-pleted, the second rail tunnel will allow for all-day two-way GO Train service between Toronto and WaterlooRegion. The new rail tunnel may also be used to supportfuture high speed rail services on this corridor.Ontario is making the largest investment in hospitals,schools, roads, bridges and public transit in theprovince's history. To learn more about infrastructureprojects in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.Investing in public transit is par t of our plan to createjobs, grow our economy and help people in their every-day lives."As par t of the GO Regional Express Rail program, thisnew rail tunnel will significantly expand rail capacityalong this corridor and allow us to introduce two-way,all-day service, including express service to UnionStation for communities between Bramalea andKitchener. The new rail tunnel may also suppor t futurehigh speed rail service on this corridor." - Steven DelDuca, Minister of Transpor tation. "The service improve-ments Ontario is making as par t of GO RER providemajor new travel choices for commuters in the GTHA andWaterloo Region. Two-way, all-day service on the Kitchener Linewill make taking the GO an even more convenient choice forcommuters and families in Etobicoke Nor th." - Dr ShafiqQaadri, MPP for Etobicoke Nor th.

40 NEW SENIORS' CENTRESCOMING UP IN ONTARIOONTARIO - Ontario is creating more spaces and programsto help seniors stay healthy and active by suppor ting 40new seniors' centres across the province. Dipika Damerla,Minister of Seniors Affairs, made the announcement at theRockway Centre in Kitchener. The 40 new centres will helpthe province better meet the needs of our growing seniors'population, and will offer social and recreational program-ming such as exercise classes, transpor tation services,communal dining and health and wellness classes.These new centres will add to the network of 263 Eld-erly Persons Centres across Ontario that serve morethan 100,000 people. A call for proposals will be issuedin early fall 2017 to move forward with the new centres.Ontar io recent ly passed legis lat ion that , once pro-claimed, wil l rename these centres as Senior ActiveLiving Centres -- rather than Elderly Persons Centres --to better reflect the vibrant, diverse and active seniorsacross the province. This legislation will also help thecentres better respond to community needs, build strongpar tnerships, strengthen their services and act as com-munity hubs.

KATHLEEN WYNNE AT CULTURAL VILLAGE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT INDIGENOUS CULTURES AND TRADITIONS.

MP RAJ GREWAL AND MP RUBY SAHOTA AT AN EVENT IN BRAMPTON EAST.

I, KASHMIR SINGH PRESENTLY RESIDING AT 86 YELLOWAVENS BLVD BRAMPTON,ONTARIO L6R0T1 DO HEREBY

CHANGE MY NAME FROM KASHMIR SINGH TO KASHMIRSINGH TURNA, WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

CHANGE OF NAME

BRAMPTON MAYOR LINDA JEFFREY JOINED MP SONIA SIDHU AND MP RUBY SAHOTA AT A HABITAT GTA EVENT TO PRESENT FOURFAMILIES KEYS TO THEIR NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES.


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CONGRESS JOLTED AS VAGHELAQUITS WILL BUT HE JOIN BJP?

VIEW POINT

INDIA'S LEGACY OF PLURALISM,SECULARISM AT STAKE: SIDDARAMAIAH

VIEWPOINT

In a body blow to the Congress in Gujarat, one of its tallest leadersShankarsinh Vaghela, recently announced he was quitting the par tybut ruled out joining BJP. The dramatic announcement By Vaghela, aformer RSS and BJP member, was made at a public event organisedto celebrate his 77th bir thday. It came a day after the disunity in thestate Congress came out in the open when it transpired that at leasteight of its 57 MLAs had not voted for the joint opposition's presiden-tial Meira Kumar. Vaghela, the Kshatriya strongman whom his sup-por ters fondly address as 'Bapu', said: "I am not going to join BJP. Iwill not join any political par ty".He, however, said he was not going to retire from politics, triggeringspeculation he may float his own par ty and then cobble together ananti-Congress, anti-BJP front ahead of the Assembly elections likelyin November or December. "Today, I free myself from Congress and Iset Congress free," he said. Vaghela's decision to quit the Congress isa cause of concern for the par ty, which has been out of power in thestate for close to two decades. He enjoys considerable suppor t inNor th GujaratCongress would, however, draw some comfor t from the fact that onlytwo of its MLAs, including Vaghela's son, Mahendrasinh, attended theevent. Vaghela is repor ted to be upset with the par ty high commandfor not being declared the chief ministerial candidate for the Assem-bly elections. He had stopped attending state Congress meetings forsome time, and had even unfollowed Congress vice president RahulGandhi on Twitter to register his protest.Vaghela said he was left with no option, claiming that state Congressleaders "got together to push me out of the par ty" after he told them todo their homework to take on the BJP in the upcoming polls. He alsoaccused the par ty of taking "supari", a common term in some states

for contract killing, from the BJP to let it win Gujarat, once dubbed theBJP's laboratory for testing its Hindutva politics."You don't fight the BJP and won't allow those who do to fight them",said Vaghela who had a long association with Prime Minister NarendraModi during his RSS days. The elections will also be seen as a pres-tige fight for Modi and BJP President Amit Shah. Vaghela also claimedthat Congress had expelled him yesterday. But the par ty denied that ithad expelled Vaghela or initiated disciplinary action against him. "Boththese claims are entirely incorrect," Congress chief spokespersonRandeep Surjewala said in New Delhi. Surjewala said the par ty re-spected Vaghela which was reflected in him being given impor-tant responsibilities and positions. He hoped Vaghela would con-

tinue to work for the par ty despite quitting his posts. "Vaghelawanted that present PCC president (Bharatsinh Solanki) should bereplaced and he be appointed in his place. This is a decision of thepar ty and its leadership and no individual can decide it.Vaghela, currently the leader of the opposition in the Assembly, hadquit BJP over 20 years ago and formed Rashtriya Janata Par ty. Heheaded the RJP government in 1996 before merging his par ty withCongress. "Par ty is bigger than individuals. Each one of us needs tounderstand that interests of the party and its ideals are bigger than theambition of one person", Surjewala said. Vaghela, a former Unionminister, claimed some Congress leaders had issued a "diktat" topar tymen to not attend his bir thday celebrations.

Calling for a narrative based on cultural and civilisational ethos oftolerance and compassion, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiahhas said the legacy of pluralism and secularism was at stake. "Whatis at stake is the legacy of pluralism and secularism, as citizens areno longer equal before the law and some are more equal than othersin many par ts of the country," he said at an international conferencehere. Noting that the idea of India as a plural society was at a cross-roads, he warned that its civilisational values and culture were facinga critical test due to the onslaught of divisive and exclusivist ideas."Time has come to reclaim the idea of social justice through thethought and vision of B.R. Ambedkar, one of the founding fathers ofour Constitution," said Siddaramaiah at the opening of the three-dayInternational Conference on 'Quest for Equity: Reclaiming Social Jus-tice, Re-visiting Ambedkar'.Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, human rights activist MartinLuther King III, son of the legendary American civil rights leader Mar-

tin Luther King Jr, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.Rejecting the majoritarian view, Siddaramaiah told the gathering thatadhering to the rigid norms of food, clothing, language and free speechwas against the Constitution's letter and spirit."Majoritarianism is untenable in theory and unjustifiable in practice.We, as a nation, need to understand that tolerance of such regressiveand divisive ideas is not the way out, as tolerance would postpone theharmful impact of majoritarianism. We need to fight for a truly egali-tarian India," asser ted Siddaramaiah, quoting Ambedkar's views onthe issue.Organised by the Karnataka government, the conference will unveilthe 'Bengaluru Declaration' outlining specific constitutional, institu-tional and policy responses to concerns of equity, human rights, free-dom and democracy. In all, 83 international, 149 national and 80 state-level speakers, including academics, activists and policy-makerswill address about 2,000 participants at the conference.As it commemorates the 126th bir th anniversary of the architect ofthe Indian Constitution, Ambedkar's life and works will be deliberatedas they were still relevant to the social, political and economic jus-tice across the country and the world. Among the overseas speakerswill be Cornel West, Lord Bhikhu Parekh, James Manor, ThomasWeisskopf, Upendra Baxi, Laurence Simon, Samuel Myers andAshutosh Varshney.

Time has come to reclaim the idea of social jus-tice through the thought and vision of B.R.Ambedkar, one of the founding fathers of ourConstitution," said Siddaramaiah at the openingof the three-day International Conference on'Quest for Equity: Reclaiming Social Justice, Re-visiting Ambedkar'. Congress Vice PresidentRahul Gandhi, human rights activist Mar tinLuther King III, son of the legendary Americancivil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, and otherdignitaries were present on the occasion. Re-jecting the majoritarian view, Siddaramaiah toldthe gathering that adhering to the rigid norms offood, clothing, language and free speech wasagainst the Constitution's letter and spirit.

“



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017 c a n a d a

General Accounting & Bookkeeping

PROVIDING MORE TRANSIT OPTIONSFOR COMMUTERS AND FAMILIES

JUSTIN TRUDEAU MEETING WITH CHILDREN IN GASPÉSIE.

ONTARIO - Ontario is transform-ing how people get around theGreater Toronto Area with thecompletion of the Dufferin StreetBridge Widening project, a mile-stone in the GO Regional ExpressRail (RER) program. Passing overQueen Street West, the DufferinStreet Bridge has been widenedto accommodate the additionaltrack needed to increase servicelevels between Toronto andBarrie on the Barrie GO corridor.

Ontario is also par tnering with theCity of Toronto to extend the WestToronto Railpath multi-use trail.The trail will run along the exist-ing rail corridor, connecting cy-cl ists and pedestr ians fromDupont Street to just east ofDufferin Street. It will also con-nect to the future Pessoa Park atthe corner of Dufferin and PeelStreets that the City of Toronto isbuilding. Ontario is making thelargest investment in hospitals,

schools, roads, bridges and pub-lic transit in the province's his-tory. To learn more about infra-structure projects in your com-munity, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.Increasing transit options acrossOntario is par t of our plan to cre-ate jobs, grow our economy andhelp people in their everydaylives."We are committed to giv ingpeople more travel options byexpanding transit service. Finish-

ing the construct ion on theDufferin Street Bridge on-time andon-budget is proof of the progressOntario is making to deliver on atransformative plan that will en-hance the quality of life for allcommuters while keeping the re-gion moving for generations tocome." - Steven Del Duca, Min-ister of Transpor tation."The extension of the West TorontoRailpath to Queen Street West willbe a huge benefit to the commu-nity, and shows how the workOntario is doing to build publictransit makes life better for ev-eryone." - Cristina Mar tins, MPPfor Davenpor t.

Bank of Canada Turns the TideOTTAWA - For the first time in seven years, the Bank ofCanada announced that it was hiking its key overnight rateby a quar ter percentage point (25 basis points) bringing it to0.75 per cent as the economy has staged a broadly based economicexpansion this year. In a break from tradition, the Bank has taken thisaction even though inflation remains well below its target rate of 2 percent. Indeed, inflation has hit its lowest level since 1999.The consumer price index (CPI), released in late June, rose only 1.3 percent in May from a year ago, down from an annual pace of 1.6 per centin April. Both Governor Poloz and Senior Deputy Governor Wilkins haveemphasized that the Bank must begin to hike rates pre-emptively due tothe lagged effect of monetary tightening. Measures of annual core infla-tion, a key indicator tracked by the Bank of Canada, which excludesvolatile components such as food and energy, fell to its lowest in almosttwo decades. The average of the central bank's three coremeasures declined to 1.3 per cent, its lowest level sinceMarch 1999.The Bank has recently played down sluggish inflation numbers, sug-gesting they reflect the lagged effects of past excess capacity. Incominginflation figures have been well below the Bank's forecasts and willlikely remain low for some time as oil prices are wobbling downward.Last Friday's continued strong employment report for June cinched therate-hike. Employment rose a hefty 45,300, lifting the 12-month gain to awhopping 350,000 and trimming the jobless rate to match the cycle lowof 6.5%. What's more, total hours worked surged in the second quarterat the fastest rate since 2003.GDP climbed an impressive 3.3% year-over-year in April, while recordlevels of exports and imports suggest activity stayed on track in May,and further record highs for auto sales suggest consumers kept right onspending in June. Spending strength is yet another sign that after twoyears of lagging behind, Canada's overall growth rate has come bounc-ing back in the past year to surpass the US pace. The Bank now expectsthe output gap to close around year end.Markets have been expecting this move for some time, as monetarypolicymakers have publicly stated that the 2015 interest-rate cuts ap-pear to have done their job. Governor Stephen Poloz has said that theCanadian economy enjoyed "surprisingly" strong growth in the firstthree months of this year and that he expects the growth pace to remainabove potential (estimated at 1-3/4 percent), setting the stage for this ratehike. In response, Canadian bond yields have moved higher, the Cana-dian dollar has surged anew, and the big Canadian banks raised mort-gage rates by roughly 20 basis points last week in anticipation of thismove. The 5-year Government of Canada bond yield has surgednearly 50 basis points in the past month. Indeed, 10-yeargovernment yields are up to roughly 1.9 percent, their high-est yield in more than two years. The Canadian dollar surgedto above 77.5 cents, the strongest level in 10 months, upmore than 6 percent from the lows in early May. Stalling oilprices may reverse some of the loonie's latest gain.

Supporting Upgrades and Repairs at Community AgenciesONTARIO - Ontario is investing in repairs, renovations, upgrades and fire safety at CommunityLiving Mississauga and Christian Horizons to provide better, more secure and accessible facilitiesfor the people who use their services.These investments include:" Community Living Mississauga will receive $57,600 for replacing flooring, furnace, install newwindows and renovate kitchen" Christian Horizons will receive $85,000 to install a new sprinkler systemThis investment is par t of Ontario's Par tner Facility Renewal program, which helps local agenciesrepair and renovate their facilities to better serve people in the community. This suppor t is alsohelping agencies ensure that their buildings meet improvements to Ontario's Fire Code, in order tokeep residents safe. Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools,public transit, roads and bridges in the province's history. To learn more about what's happening inyour community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.Investing in community agencies that help those most in need is part of our plan to create jobs,grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives. "Community Living Mississauga andChristian Horizons provide critical services to the most vulnerable people in our community. Thisinvestment will help agencies make impor tant safety upgrades and ensures that they are able tocontinue to provide people with safe, accessible places to go when they need suppor t." - DipikaDamerla, MPP, Mississauga East-Cooksville"Community and developmental service agencies play an invaluable role in providing criticalservices to many people across Ontario.





MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY



TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017i n d i a

THE CREMATION TOOK PLACE AT THE ‘SHAHI SMADHAN’ OF THE PATIALA ROYAL FAMILY AMID TIGHT SECURITY.

Canada says NO threat to PunjabCM Amarinder, closes investigation

PUNJAB CONGRESS WANTS CASE TO REOPENCONTD. FROM PAGE 1The ministry of external affairs (MEA) should seek Canadian PM Jus-tin Trudeau's intervention to ensure that those guilty of using thecountry's soil to issue open and violent threats to the Punjab CM arenot allowed a free run, state Congress leaders Sukhjinder SinghRandhawa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Ramanjit Singh Sikki said,demanding to know the status of the case filed against Amarinder toprevent him from visiting Canada.Punjab Congress called for activation of all international diplomaticchannels to pressure the Canadian government to take steps to checkthe proliferation of anti-India forces on their soil. "Canada should beasked to reopen the case and get it independently investigated in theinterest of justice and fair play, and to ensure that its land is not usedfor divisive propaganda and spread of hatred," demanded CongressMLAs.The Indian High Commission in Canada had lodged a "formal com-plaint" to Global Affairs-Canada (Canada's foreign office) in Aprilfollowing a threat publicly issued to the Punjab Chief Minister bypro-Khalistan elements during a Baisakhi Day event in Brit ishColumbia's Surrey city.Videos of the Baisakhi Parade in Surrey on April 22 were sent tothe Canadian foreign ministry as proof.Indian authori t ies had also objected to the publ ic display ofKhalistan floats with images of slain separatist leader JarnailSingh Bhindranwale and other terrorists, pictures of AK-47s andphotographs of former and serving army and police officers whoare on the hit-list MEA sources said that the Canadian authorities

were cautioned about the "anti-India propaganda" of the Khalistanielements as India was anticipating trouble. The Canadian foreignministry, responding to the early warning, said it would take "nec-essary action".Amarinder Singh on Friday again stressed the need for Canada torein in the radical elements that were "trying to use Canadian soilto spread strife and divisiveness in India".The chief minister raised the issue with Jalandhar-born CanadianMP Rameshwar Singh Sangha, who met him in New Delhi onFriday."Such elements, including Khalistani suppor ters, could not haveany impact on the Canadian political environment but they couldinfluence the people of India and vitiate the atmosphere here,"Amarinder Singh pointed out."The Canadian government should crack down on these forcesand ensure that they do not have a free run on social media andother public platforms, the Chief Minister added.The Amarinder Singh government had, in April, cold-shoulderedvisiting Canadian defence minister of Indian-origin Harjit SinghSajjan as he travelled to various places in Punjab.He had refused to meet Sajjan, the first Sikh to be the defenceminister of a Western country, accusing him and other ministersof Punjab origin in the government of links with Khalistani ele-ments.No minister or senior officer of the Punjab government went towelcome Sajjan or even accompany him during the visit.Amarinder Singh made i t c lear that he "would not meet any

Khalistani sympathisers".He was annoyed with the Ca-nadian government since Aprillast year when he was deniedpermission to visit the country,which has a sizeable PunjabiDiaspora, in the run-up to thePunjab assembly elections. Aradical organisation, Sikhs forJustice (SFJ), had complainedto the Canadian governmentagainst the visit.The Congress leader had tocancel his trip after being toldby the Canadian authorities atthe last minute that he could notbe allowed to visit the countryfor holding political rallies andmeetings. The visit was aimedat wooing influential Non-Resi-den t Ind ian (NRI ) g roups inCanada.

DON'T FORGET 1971, NAIDUWARNS PAKISTANHitting out at Pakistan for "aiding and abetting terror", NDA'sVice-Presidential candidate M Venkaiah Naidu on Sundayreminded it not to forget what happened in 1971 in a refer-ence to the Bangladesh War in which it faced a humiliatingdefeat.Naidu was addressing annual Kargil Parakram Parade here,held in remembrance of soldiers killed in a war with Paki-stan in Jammu and Kashmir's Kargil sector in 1999. "Our neighbour should understand that aiding and abettingterror will not help them, they should recall what happenedin 1971... terrorism is the enemy of humanity, it has no reli-gion," he said.Criticising Pakistan for "mixing terrorism with religion" asits state policy, he said Kashmir is an integral par t of Indiaand "not an inch" will be ceded. - IANS

CAPT. AMARINDERSINGH'S MOTHERPASSES AWAYPunjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's mother, MohinderKaur, died at her Patiala residence Monday. Kaur was96. She is survived by two sons and two daughters.She was the last designated queen of Patiala RoyalState. A former MP, Kaur had been unwell for sometime. She breathed her last at the family's Moti Mahalresidence in Patiala at 7.24 pm due to multiple organsystem failure due to age-related health problems, saida government statement.She will be cremated at Shahi Samadhan, the royalcrematorium, Tuesday. Amarinder rushed to Patiala andthe Cabinet meeting and other programmes scheduledfor Tuesday stand cancelled, an official spokespersonsaid.Kaur, wife of the late Maharaja of Patiala, YadavindraSingh, was born in Ludhiana (undivided Punjab), toHarchand Singh Jaijee, a nobleman of Patiala State anda member of the Patiala Riyasat Praja Mandal (PatialaState Peoples' Forum, an affiliate of the Indian NationalCongress). She got married in 1938, at the age of 16.A former member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Kaurhad been actively involved in several political, socialand other philanthropic activities. Several dignitariesfrom across the country mourned the death of the royalmatriarch.All India Congress Committee (AICC) president SoniaGandhi, its vice president Rahul Gandhi and othersenior leaders of the Congress called up the ChiefMinister to express their condolences.These include Governor of Punjab VP Singh Bhadnore,Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana KP Singh, DeputySpeakr Ajaib Singh Bhatti, state's Ministers BrahmaMohindra, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Manpreet Singh Badal,Rana Gurjit Singh, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, SadhuSingh Dharmsot, Charanjeet Singh Channi, RaziaSultana and Aruna Chaudhary, besides several par tyMLAs and MPs.Senior Advisor to CM Lieutenant General TS Shergill(retd), Media Advisor to CM Raveen Thukral andAdvisor to CM BIS Chahal also expressed their griefand shared their hear tfelt condolences with thebereaved family and relatives.The Punjab State IAS Officers' Association and PunjabCivil Services Officers' Association also condoled thedeath of CM's mother.AAP condoles Kaur's demiseThe Aam Aadmi Par ty (AAP) has condoled the demiseof Mohinder Kaur, mother of Punjab Chief MinisterCaptain Amarinder Singh.In a statement issued in Chandigarh, Sukhpal Khaira,Leader of Opposition, said the contributions ofMohinder Kaur to public life were well-known to thepeople of state and the country. "She has representedthe people and had been an active social-politicalactivist throughout her life. It is because of her guid-ance that her son Captain Amarinder Singh is holdingthe office of Chief Minister of Punjab, he said.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY


JULY 2017

i n d i a

President Pranab Mukherjee getsemotional during farewell speech

Two days before he demits office, President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday went down memory lane as hedelivered his farewell speech here, recalling his first day as member of Parliament as well as his pastassociations."With a sense of gratitude and a prayer in my hear t, I take leave of you. I leave with a sense of fulfilmentand happiness of having served the people of this great country through this institution -- as their humbleservant," he said in his address to members of both the houses at the Central Hall of Parliament."As I retire from the office of the President of the republic, my association with Parliament also comes toan end. I will no longer be a par t of Parliament of India. It will be with a tinge of sadness and a rainbow ofmemories that I will be leaving this magnificent building today," he added.Reminiscing about his association with Parliament, he said: "When I first entered the por tals of thishallowed institution 48 years ago, I was 34 years old."In July 1969, I came to Parliament as member of the Rajya Sabha, representing one of the six seats fromWest Bengal. My election to the Rajya Sabha took place on July 4 and the first session I attended was onJuly 22, 1969," said Mukherjee."Since then, for the last 37 years, I have served as a member of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Ofthese, I served five terms as member of the Rajya Sabha -- four times elected from West Bengal and onetime from Gujarat. And two terms in the Lok Sabha."He said that his long innings in Parliament was both instructive and educative."I entered Parliament at a time when the Rajya Sabha was full of experienced parliamentarians, leadersof the freedom movement, many of whom were brilliant speakers -- M.C. Chagla, Ajit Prasad Jain,Jairamdas Daulatram, Bhupesh Gupta, Joachim Alva, Mahavir Tyagi, Raj Narain, Dr Bhai Mahavir, LoknathMishra, Chitta Basu, and many others," he recalled the names of a few stalwar ts."In fact, Bhupesh Gupta was truly a legend in the Rajya Sabha. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's son DahyabhaiPatel, and daughter Maniben Patel represented the Swatantra Par ty in Parliament," he added."P.V. Narasimha Rao, the oration of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, cryptic one-liners of Madhu Limaye and Dr. NathPai, wit and humour of Piloo Modi, poetic discourses of Hiren Mukherjee, razor-sharp repar tee of IndrajitGupta, calming presence of Dr. Manmohan Singh, mature advice of L.K. Advani, and passionate supportof Sonia Gandhi on social legislations," Mukherjee reminisced.



LUXURY VEHICLES: AUDI, BMW, MERCEDES, SPORTS CARS ANDCONVERTIBLE CARS. WE ALSO HAVE 7, 8, AND 9 PASSENGERS VEHICLES

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FAMILY MEMBERS AND VILLAGERS CELEBRATING THE VICTORY OF RAMNATH KOVIND AS INDIA'S 14TH PRESIDENT.

MODI ASKS STATE GOVTS TO COMEDOWN HARD ON COW VIGILANTES

AAP TO CONTEST ALL SEATSIN MADHYA PRADESH: RAIBHOPAL, (PTI) Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai today saidthe Aam Aadmi Par ty (AAP) would contest all 230 seatsduring the 2018 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections. "Weare going to contest Assembly elections from all 230 seatsin Madhya Pradesh," Rai told repor ters here. "For this, wehave completed our homework," he added. Rai, who is AAP'sMadhya Pradesh in-charge, said it had appointed leaderswho would be in-charge for each Assembly constituency.Besides, workers who would be stationed at polling boothsduring the election have been selected, he said. The AAPwon't form alliance with any other par ty in the state, hesaid. "We are going to take on the Congress and BJP on ourown strength," Rai said. The Congress and BJP were twosides of the same coin and both parties had betrayed farmers,he said.

Rana Gurjeet Singh plans makefarmers 'power producers'CHANDIGARH, (PTI) Punjab Power Minister Rana GurjeetSingh has said he has plans to conver t farmers in the statefrom "power consumers to power producer." Tube wellmotors of farmers will be replaced with a "five-star" motorthat will run on solar power as per the plan, he said. Theminister announced this in a meeting with engineers andofficials of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited(PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Lim-ited (PSTCL) here."Farmers will not only use solar power to run their tubewell but they will also sell this power during the idle pe-riod," Singh said. The minister has asked the PSPCL andthe PSTCL to study the feasibility of this project. "This projectwill not only provide an additional source of income to ev-ery son of soil. But the state government will also save Rs7,000 crore that it used to pay on power subsidy," he said.Stressing on the fact that one per cent fall in power lossesand theft in the state will save IRs1,800 crore, Singh askedthe power depar tment to adopt innovative ideas in theirwork style. He asked the Chairman cum Managing Directorof PSPCL, A Venu Prasad, to fix responsibilities of employ-ees to increase their accountability. "We can bring a dras-tic cut in power losses and thefts by ensuring regular moni-toring, using quality products and bringing transparencyand efficiency in all financial transactions, including thebilling process," the minister said. Power and Irrigation Min-ister has also sought innovative ideas and suggestions fromengineers and officials of the depar tment.

NEW DELHI, (PTI) Seeking to blunt the opposition attack over cowvigilantism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sought to put theonus for checking such "hooliganism" on state governments,insisting that they take "stringent action" against them. The primeminister also sought the suppor t of opposition par ties in tackling"communal violence" in the name of cow protection, and depre-cated attempts at giving political or communal colour to the issue."All political par ties should collectively denounce hooliganism inthe name of cow protection. The state governments should takestringent action against such anti- social elements," Modi said in aseries of tweets. Earlier in the day, he told an all-par ty meeting onthe eve of the star t of the Monsoon Session of Parliament tomorrowthat maintaining law and order was the responsibility of stategovernments, which should take strict action against perpetratorsof such incidents. "Cow is treated as a mother and it is an emotiveissue. But we have to understand that there are laws governing cow

protection and breaking it is not an alternative," Modi tweeted afterthe meeting. He said some anti-social elements were using cowprotection as "a tool to spread anarchy. Some people who want todamage the social fabric of the country are also taking advantage ofit. Modi said such incidents sullied the image of the country."State governments must ensure the maintenance of law and orderand strict action must be taken against those who break the law,"an official statement quoted Modi having told the meeting. Thestatements assume significance in context of the recent incidentsof violence in different par ts of the country in the name of cowprotection. Opposition parties have attacked the BJP over the casesof cow vigilantism in which Muslims and Dalits have often beentargeted. These parties have also planned to raise the issue duringthe Parliament session star ting tomorrow. The prime minister alsourged all par ties to extend their suppor t to the government infighting corruption.

J&K separatist Shabir Shah arrested by ED

before the agency.A Delhi cour t had this month is-sued a non-ba i lab le warrantagainst the separat ist leader.“The war ran t has been ex -ecuted,” an off icial said. Theagency had i ssued seve ra lsummons to Shah over the lastfew years in pursuance of theAugust 2005 case, wherein theDelhi Police’s Special Cell hada r res ted Mohammed As lamWani (35), an alleged hawaladealer, who had claimed that hepassed on Rs 2.25 crore toShah. Shah had claimed the EDcase against him was “politicallymotivated”.The ED had registered a criminalcase under the Prevention ofMoney Laundering Act againstShah and Wani. Wani was ar-rested allegedly with Rs 63 lakh,received through 'hawala' chan-nels from the Middle East, in2005. — PTI

The Enforcement Directorate (ED)tonight arrested Kashmiri sepa-ratist leader Shabir Shah in con-nection with over a decade-oldmoney laundering case againsthim for alleged terror financing.O f f i c i a l s sa id Shah was a r -rested in Srinagar and is ex-pected to be brought to Delhitomor row. He would be pro-duced in a cour t here. The EDhad issued multiple summonsto Shah, but he never deposed



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017 w o r l d

PALESTINIAN WOMEN HOLD PICTURES OF ISRAELI SOLDIERS ATTACKING WOMEN IN THE COURTYARD OF THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE.

Diplomatic channels 'unimpeded' to resolve standoff: ChinaBEIJING, (PTI) China said that diplomatic channels with India re-mained "unimpeded" to discuss the military standoff in Sikkim sectorbut reiterated that the withdrawal of the Indian troops from Doklamarea is a "precondition" for any meaningful dialogue."Our diplomatic channel is unimpeded," Foreign Ministry spokesmanLu Kang told repor ters, confirming talks between Indian and Chinesemissions to resolve the standoff. Lu, however, reiterated that "thewithdrawal of the Indian border personnel is the precondition for anymeaningful dialogue and communication between the two countries".InNew Delhi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the mattercan be resolved through talks."We are willing to talk, but both sides have to first take back theirarmies," she told the Rajya Sabha. The minister said the boundariesbetween India and China are yet to be finalised and the two countrieswill do that bilaterally through discussions, while the same betweenChina and Bhutan too will be done through bilateral talks. She ac-cused China of building roads using bulldozers and excavators, which

has been protested by Bhutan in writing to China.Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face- off for over amonth after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from construct-ing a road near the Doklam plateau, fearing it may allow China to cutIndia's access to its nor theastern states. India has conveyed to Chinathat the construction of the road would represent a significant changeof status quo with serious security implications for New Delhi.India and China share a 220-km-long border in Sikkim. Lu claimedthat the incident makes it clear that "Indian border personnel illegallytrespassed into China's territory." The standoff is expected to figureprominently during the visit of National Security Adviser Ajit Doval toBeijing for the meeting of NSAs from BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India,China and South Africa - countries from July 26-27. Chinese officialssay while there may not be a formal meeting between Doval and hisChinese counterpar t Yang Jiechi, there can be informal talks betweenthe two officials, who are also the Special Representatives of theircountries for the border talks.

Saudi Arabia says Gulf crisis canonly be resolved within GCCRIYADH, (IANS) Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeirsaid on Friday that the crisis between Qatar and a Saudi-ledArab alliance could only be resolved within the Gulf Coopera-tion Council (GCC). Al-Jubeir made the remarks here aftermeeting his Italian counterpar t Angelino Alfano, the state-runKuwaiti news agency KUNA repor ted. Responding to a ques-tion by a KUNA repor ter, Al-Jubeir said the Saudi-led bloc,which also includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrainand Egypt, hopes Qatar would accept and commit to the sixprinciples it has tabled. The principles include demands forDoha to commit to fighting terrorism and extremism and pre-venting their financing, prohibit inciting propaganda againstits neighbours and stop inter fering in their internal affairs.Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, as well as Qatar, are allmembers of the six-nation GCC, whose members also in-clude Oman and Kuwait, which have not joined the anti-Qataribloc. Kuwait has been playing the role of mediator to brokeran end to the Gulf standoff. The crisis star ted early last monthwhen the Saudi-led alliance abruptly cut diplomatic ties withQatar and imposed a blockade on the tiny rich Gulf nation, citing itssupport to terrorism and interference in their internal affairs. Initially, theSaudi-led bloc issued a list of 13 demands for Doha to correct its policies,including closing the Al-Jazeera TV, stopping financial suppor t to ter-rorism and downgrading its ties with Iran, as preconditionsfor resuming diplomatic ties. Qatar has rejected the chargeswhile refusing to accept the demands, citing the right to de-fend its sovereignty.

US BLOCKS $350 MILLIONAID TO PAKISTANWASHINGTON, (IANS) The United States of America has de-cided to block the disbursement of USD 350 million aid toPakistan after the Defence Secretary, Jim Mattis, told the Con-gress that Islamabad hadn't taken "sufficient actions" againstthe Haqqani network, a US official said on Friday.The decision came days after the State Department, in its annualreport on terrorism, named Pakistan among countries and regions pro-viding "safe havens" to terrorists. "The funds could not be released to theGovernment of Pakistan at this time because the secretary could notcertify that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani Net-work per the requirement in the FY 2016 National Defense AuthorizationAct," Adam Stump, a Pentagon spokesman, told Reuters.This is not the first time the Pentagon has decided not to make militaryreimbursements. Last year, the Pentagon withheld $300 million in reim-bursements. Pakistan has been reimbursed $550 million of the $900million the country was authorized to receive in fiscal year 2016. Out ofremainder, $300 million had already been reprogrammed forother purposes, but had not been previously reported. Mattis' latestdecision affects the remaining $50 million. The amount is under theCoalition Support Fund (CSF), a U.S. Defense Department program toreimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations.

26 DIE IN LAHORE VEGETABLE MARKET BLASTAt least 26 people were killed and 58 others injured on Monday in apowerful explosion, claimed by Pakistan Taliban, near an IT Park inPakistan's Lahore city, officials said.The deafening explosion, which authorities blamed on a suicide bomber,occurred at the entrance of the Kot Lakhpat Vegetable Market on FerozepurRoad.Punjab government spokesperson Malik Mohammad Ahmed said 26people lost their lives and 58 were injured when a car bomb struck the oldvegetable market.A top police officials said the blast was a suicide attack and "police werethe target" -- the 26 dead included nine policemen.Senior police official Imran Awan said the injured had been shifted to theJinnah Hospital and other hospitals. Several of the injured were in criticalcondition and the toll may rise, Geo News reported.

According to Awan, an anti-encroachment drive was underway at the veg-etable market near Arfa Karim Software Technology Park when the explo-sion took place.A fire erupted after the explosion. Glass panes of nearby buildings wereshattered.The area where the blast took place is supposed to be one of the mostsecure neighbourhoods of Lahore, just 100 metres from the Chief Minister'soffice.The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed the bombing, stating that it used a"motorcycle bomb" to target police officials.The top civilian and military leadership has denounced the blast and ex-tended their condolences to the bereaved relatives.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the loss of preciouslives. He directed authorities to provide all possible medical assistance.



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I CONTD. ON PAGE 22 PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN ...southasiandaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/part_164.pdfPRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU CELEBRATES THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAPS SHRI