Trudeau asked the protesters to go back home as their protest has already caused ‘significant disruptions’ to the residents of the city….reports Asian Lite News
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has ruled out calling in the country’s army to evict the protesters from the capital city, Ottawa, according to media reports.
Trudeau, who is Covid-19 positive, has been relocated to an undisclosed location as a precaution as protests continue in Ottawa by those opposing Covid-19 health restrictions.
“It is not on the cards right now. We have to be extremely cautious while deploying the military in situations against Canadians. It is up to the police to deal with the agitators. However, the federal government is ready to provide support from federal police and intelligence services to the provincial governments,” Trudeau said in a press briefing, according to a Hindustan Times report.
He asked the protesters to go back home as their protest has already caused ‘significant disruptions’ to the residents of the city.
The remarks from the prime minister came after Peter Sloly, the Ottawa police chief, suggested that the government may have to summon armed forces to end the stir, according to reports.
“I’m increasingly concerned that there’s no policing solution to this. We’re considering every option, including military aid to civil power,” reports quoted Sloly as saying.
Jaswant Patel, a cousin of the deceased man in their native village Dingucha near Ahmedabad, said that the family wants their funerals to take place in Canada…reports Asian Lite News
With their relatives in India deciding not to bring back their bodies, the four members of a Gujarati family who froze to death on January 19 while trying to enter the US illegally from Manitoba are likely to be cremated in Winnipeg.
However, no decision has been taken yet.
A gofundme has raised US$70,000 for the victim family.
The bodies of the four family members – who have been identified after autopsies as Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben Patel, 37, daughter Vihangi Patel, 11, and son Dharmik Patel, 3 – are currently lying in a morgue in Winnipeg.
Jaswant Patel, a cousin of the deceased man in their native village Dingucha near Ahmedabad, said that the family wants their funerals to take place in Canada.
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa, which is in touch with the victims’ family in Gujarat, will take the final decision on the matter.
As the Gujarati community of Winnipeg awaits a decision on the funerals, it held an online ‘Shanti Path’ (prayer meeting) for the victim family on Saturday.
“Over 60 people joined us. We prayed for the family. Our local MP and the Mayor were among those who conveyed their condolences,” said organiser Bhadresh Bhatt of the Hindu Sabha of Manitoba.
Bhatt, who has been coordinating with the Indian High Commission since the tragedy came to light, said mission officials are in touch with the relatives in Gujarat of the victim family.
“Since the victim family has no relatives and friends in Winnipeg, the Indian High Commission will finally take a decision of the funerals – whether they will be held in Winnipeg,” he said.
Officer and truck on road in winter (Photo credit: RCMP)
Indian envoys to US and Canada were urged “to urgently respond to the situation” where four Indian nationals including an infant have lost their lives at the US-Canada border, reports Nikhila Natarajan
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday instructed Indian envoys to Canada and the US, Ajay Bisaria and Taranjit Singh Sandhu, “to urgently respond to the situation” where four Indian nationals including an infant have lost their lives at the US-Canada border.
Following his public tweet, both missions have responded on the microblogging site. “This is a grave tragedy. An Indian consular team is travelling today from @IndiainToronto to Manitoba to coordinate and help. We will work with Canadian authorities to investigate these disturbing events. @HCI_Ottawa,” Bisaria tweeted.
An unfortunate and tragic incident. We are in touch with US authorities on their ongoing investigation. A consular team from @IndiainChicago is travelling today to Minnesota to coordinate and provide any assistance required https://t.co/syyA59EoB2
“An unfortunate and tragic incident. We are in touch with US authorities on their ongoing investigation. AA consular team from @IndiainChicago is travelling today to Minnesota to coordinate and provide any assistance required,” Sandhu tweeted.
In a statement Thursday without identifying the victims, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated that “on the morning of January 19, 2022, RCMP officers with the Integrated Border Enforcement Team received concerning information from their counterparts in the United States”.
“Specifically, the information outlined that officers with the US Customs and Border Protection had apprehended a group of individuals who had crossed into the US from Canada, near the town of Emerson, Manitoba. Further, it indicated that one of the adults had items meant for an infant but that no infant was with the group.”
“Upon receiving this information at 9.23 a.m., a search was immediately launched on both sides of the border.
RCMP officers were already patrolling the area and the search began at 9.24 a.m. Extensive patrols were conducted and, at approximately 1.30 p.m, the bodies of three individuals were located on the Canadian side of the border, approximately 10km east of Emerson.”
RCMP identified the group as: an adult male, an adult female, and an infant.
(Photo credit RCMP)
“Fearing there may be additional victims, officers continued their search and located the body of an additional male, believed at this time to be in his mid-teens.”
“All victims were located approximately 12 metres from the US/Canada border.”
As speculation was rife that the group was being smuggled, The Toronto Star reported that a Florida man has been charged with human-smuggling as authorities investigate the deaths of four people, including a baby, who were found some 12 metres away from the Canada-US border in Manitoba.
“The discovery of the bodies marked a tragic ending to a case of irregular immigration that officials, it was revealed Thursday, believe is part of a larger human-smuggling operation from Canada to the US – in a part of the continent more accustomed to migrants travelling the other way,” it said.
“The events began with a group of at least nine Indian nationals, all speaking Gujarati, being dropped off near Emerson, Man., on Tuesday night during a blizzard, according to court documents.”
“At this very early stage of the investigation, it appears that they all died due to exposure to the cold weather. Work is underway to identify the victims and an autopsy has been scheduled. The search for any possible survivors or additional victims continued throughout the evening of Wednesday, January 19, and RCMP officers continue to patrol the area today. To date, no other victims have been located.”
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar
US authorities said border patrol officials stopped a 15-passenger rental van Wednesday driven by Steve Shand with two undocumented Indian nationals inside, less than a mile south of the border in a rural area between Lancaster, Minnesota, and Pembina, North Dakota. Shand and the Indian nationals were arrested.
Officials also intercepted another group of five Indian nationals nearby who were walking in the direction of where the van was located, according to the court documents.
“They appeared to be headed to an unstaffed gas plant located in St. Vincent, Minnesota. The five Indian nationals explained that they had walked across the border expecting to be picked up by someone. The group estimated they had been walking around for over 11 hours,” the US District Attorney’s Office in Minnesota said in a statement Thursday.
The RCMP said it will be conducting an investigation and is working in close collaboration with US Customs and Border Protection and the US Department of Homeland Security.
“All of our agencies are committed to a thorough and comprehensive investigation,” the statement said.
Full-time employment rose by 123,000, or 0.8 per cent while part-time employment declined by 68,000, or 1.9 per cent…reports Asian Lite Newsa
ull-time employment rose by 123,000, or 0.8 per cent while part-time employment declined by 68,000, or 1.9 per cent
Canadian unemployment rate edged down to 5.9 per cent in December from the previous month’s 6 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
It was the lowest unemployment rate since February 2020 when it was 5.7 per cent, reports Xinhua news agency.
Full-time employment rose by 123,000, or 0.8 per cent while part-time employment declined by 68,000, or 1.9 per cent, the official data showed.
Canada registered 55,000 more jobs in December 2021, up 0.3 per cent from the previous month, due to gains in the goods-producing sector, which saw a rise of 44,000 jobs.
Statistics Canada attributes the rise to the construction and educational services industries.
The construction industry added 27,000 jobs in December, its first increase since August, but still remains 41,000 below the pre-Covid-19 level.
Educational services increased 17,000 jobs.
Average hourly wages in the country were up 2.7 per cent compared with a year earlier.
The two are among 39 persons who have been honoured with the Order of Canada by Governor General Mary Simon….reports Asian Lite News
Two Indo-Canadians — top realtor Bob Dhillon of Calgary and clean energy scientist V.I. Lucky Lakshmanan of Mississauga — have been honoured with the Order of Canada.
The two are among 39 persons who have been honoured with the Order of Canada by Governor General Mary Simon.
The award citation says Dhillon has been awarded for “his achievements in business, and for his unwavering commitment to philanthropy and higher education”, and Lakshmanan for “his philanthropy and for his expertise in hydrometallurgy and business, which have greatly benefited his profession, community and Canada-India relations”.
Dhillon, who founded the real estate group Mainstream Equity, is the biggest landlord in Canada in the mid-segment rental market today. His group owns more than 15,000 units across the country.
One of the richest Indo-Canadians, Dhillon comes from a family from Tallewal village near Barnala in Punjab.
#GGSimon shares the following video message with the new appointees on this momentous occasion.
Lakshmanan is an internationally renowned clean energy scientist and innovator in sustainable development.
Born in Chennai, he went to the UK for higher studies and came to Canada in 1974. He founded Process Research ORTECH which is a global leader in sustainable process technologies. It runs its laboratory and pilot plant in Mississauga on the outskirts of Toronto. He is currently the CEO of the company.
Another Indo-Canadian, Pradeep Merchant of Greely in Ontario, has been appointed Member of the Order of Canada “for his long-standing contributions to his community, including his philanthropy and his leadership in the promotion of bilateral ties between Canada and India”.
The Order of Canada is one of the highest civilian awards in Canada, recognising outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.
Cameron MacKay has been appointed the new High Commissioner to India, replacing Nadir Patel…reports Asian Lite News
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly on Thursday announced the appointments of the new High Commissioner to India and the Consuls General to Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Mumbai.
Benoit Prefontaine will be Canada’s Consul General in Bengaluru, replacing Nicole Girard.
MacKay is new Canadian High Commissioner to India
Patrick Hebert will be Canada’s Consul General in Chandigarh, who replaced Mia Yen.
Diedrah Kelly will be Canada’s Consul General in Mumbai. Kelly replaced Annie Dube.
MacKay joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1995. At headquarters, he served as Director of Regional Trade Policy from 2008 to 2010, Director General for China Trade Policy from 2012 to 2013, Director General of the Trade Negotiations Bureau from 2013 to 2015 and Director General of the Trade Sectors Bureau from 2015 to 2017.
Most recently in Ottawa, he served as director of operations at the Privy Council Office’s Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat.
Abroad, he served at Canada’s permanent mission in Geneva from 2001 to 2006, as Canada’s ambassador to Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua from 2010 to 2012 and as Canada’s ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste from 2019 to 2021.
Compared with the same period two years earlier, job vacancies were up in all provinces of Canada in the third quarter of 2021….reports Asian Lite News
The number of job vacancies in Canada reached has hit a record of 912,600 in the third quarter of 2021, according to official data.
The record-high job vacancies coincided with growth in overall employment and falling unemployment due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency quoted Statistics Canada as saying on Monday.
Statistics Canada’s data shed light on some of the factors behind the monthly job vacancy data released previously, including sectoral and regional differences in unmet labour demand, changes in the occupation and skills profile of vacancies, and recent trends in the wages offered by employers.
Across all sectors, the total number of job vacancies was 349,700 more than that in the corresponding period of 2019.
Compared with the same period two years earlier, job vacancies were up in all provinces of Canada in the third quarter of 2021.
Job vacancies increased between the third quarter of 2019 and the third quarter of 2021 in 18 of the 20 major industrial sectors.
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and real estate and rental and leasing were the only sectors where vacancies were not up in the third quarter of 2021 compared with the same period two years earlier.
Five sectors – health care, construction, accommodation and food, retail trade and manufacturing – were driving the growth in job vacancies.
Increases in job vacancies can signal a number of changes in labour market conditions existing in different sectors and regions.
Vacancies increased more in low-wage occupations than in high-wage occupations between the third quarter of 2019 and the third quarter of 2021.
In the third quarter of 2019, 20 per cent of occupations with the lowest average wages accounted for 35 per cent of employees and 48.9 per cent of job vacancies.
In the third quarter of 2021, these same occupations represented 32.3 per cent of employees and 50.9 per cent of vacancies.
In contrast, the 20 per cent of occupations with the highest average wages represented 9.4 per cent of vacancies in the third quarter of 2021, down 1.1 percentage points from the same period two years earlier.
All the legal proceedings between the two entities have been stayed for compliance….reports Asian Lite News
Airline operator SpiceJet has entered into a settlement deal with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC).
The DHC reportedly moved a Delhi court against the SpiceJet, seeking payments in connection with Q400 aircraft that was not paid. The manufacturer has now apparently stopped production of the aircraft.
“The parties have agreed to settle all their disputes under and related to the aircraft purchase agreement and component solution agreement, subject to compliance with the terms of settlement,” SpiceJet said on Wednesday.
Also, all the legal proceedings between the two entities have been stayed for compliance.
“All related proceedings before the UK Court and execution proceedings before the Delhi High Court have been stayed and will be withdrawn upon compliance with the settlement terms,” it added.
At 12.55 p.m., shares of SpiceJet traded at Rs 69.50, up 0.1 per cent from the previous close.
The apology came as the Canadian government and military leadership face questions and criticism over their perceived failure to address allegations…reports Asian lite News
The Canadian government made a long-awaited official apology to victims of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Canadian Defence Minister, Anita Anand on Monday said that successive governments have failed to stamp out sexual harassment, sexual assault, or discrimination based on sex, gender, gender identity and sexual orientation in the military.
Streamed online from Canadian Defence Ministry headquarters in Ottawa, Anand added, “I apologise to the thousands of Canadians who were harmed because your government did not protect you, nor did we ensure that the right systems were in place to ensure justice and accountability.”
“For far too long, your government failed to dedicate enough time, money, personnel and effort to deal with sexual harassment, sexual assault and discrimination based on sex, gender identity and sexual orientation in the military and the department,” she said.
Countless lives have been harmed by that inaction and systemic failure over the years, she added, a legacy the Canadian Armed Forces, the Defence Ministry and the Canadian government will carry for a long time.
The apology came as the Canadian government and military leadership face questions and criticism over their perceived failure to address allegations of inappropriate — and criminal — sexual misconduct among some of the military’s top leaders.
This comes more than a week after Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Indian announced to resume their consular services in Afghanistan after nearly all foreign embassies shut on August 15…reports Asian Lite News
Canada plans to resume its consular operations in Kabul and will dispatch a number of its diplomats to the crisis-torn country, local media reported on Saturday.
Canadian authorities have told Global News that the country’s Special Forces (JTF2) will be responsible for ensuring the security of the diplomats, The Khaama Press reported.
This comes more than a week after Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Indian announced to resume their consular services in Afghanistan after nearly all foreign embassies shut on August 15, said the Afghan news agency.
France has also pledged to restart their diplomatic operations in Afghanistan.
The Canadian government is yet to release a statement regarding the resumption of their diplomatic mission in Kabul.
According to The Khaama Press, sources have also told the Global News that other countries are also willing to resume their diplomatic mission in Kabul deploying their own forces to man the security.
The apparently informal engagement of these Asian and European countries is at a time when the Taliban’s interim government is not recognized yet, said the Afghan news agency.
The Taliban entered Kabul on August 15, causing the US-backed government to step down. Later in September, the outfit announced the composition of the new interim government of Afghanistan.
The country is currently battered by the deepening economic, humanitarian, and security crisis following the Taliban takeover. The international community, from governments to non-governmental organizations, has been providing various assistance to the Afghan people. (ANI)
