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-Top News Canada USA

Poverty hits Canadian kids hardest

The report finds disproportionately higher rates of child poverty among communities marginalised by systemic barriers….reports Asian Lite News

More than 1.3 million Canadian children, or 17.7 per cent, live in poverty, according to an annual report issued by Campaign 2000.

That is a pretty significant number of kids who are suffering from the harm and effects of missing meals, not having the right kinds of clothes and parents working really long hours.

Using the latest data available from 2019, the Campaign 2000 report issued on Wednesday paints a stark picture of income, health, social inequalities and deepening levels of child and family poverty.

It shows data that suggest poverty reduction has declined and in some parts of Canada, poverty has increased. In fact, children are living in deeper poverty, Xinhua news agency reported.

The report finds disproportionately higher rates of child poverty among communities marginalised by systemic barriers.

The highest child poverty rate in Canada is in Nunavut territory, at 34.4 per cent. Manitoba province, with a rate of 28.4 per cent, is the highest of any province.

The report urges the Canadian government to take bolder and more decisive action to protect children.

The report is based on the most recently available tax data, which is from 2019.

ALSO READ: Bangladesh on high alert

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-Top News Canada USA

US, Canada, Mexico Cement Ties

US President Joe Biden hosted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at the White House for their first North American Leaders’ Summit since 2016.

Ahead of the three-person summit held on Thursday, which was shunned by former US President Donald Trump, Biden separately met Trudeau and Obrador, Xinhua news agency reported.

US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. (Twitter/POTUS)

During the summit, the three leaders “reiterated our strong ties and integration, and willingness to chart a new path for our partnership at a time when we face incredibly complex global challenges,” said the White House in a press release.

The leaders pledged to take concrete actions in support of their joint goals, including ending the Covid-19 pandemic and advancing global health, fostering competitiveness and creating the conditions for equitable growth, as well as coordinating a regional response to migration, it said.

Dialogue to align approaches on China

Biden and Trudeau have also agreed to launch a dialogue on the Indo-Pacific to promote regional security and to align their approaches on China.

In a statement, the White House said Biden met with Trudeau on Thursday to review the implementation of the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership launched in February 2021 to revitalize their strategic partnership.

US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Twitter/POTUS)

“Their wide-ranging discussion included joint efforts to combat COVID-19; build back better; accelerate climate action; advance diversity and inclusion; bolster security and defense, and build global alliances,” the statement read.

“They also agreed to work jointly to address the unprecedented migration challenges facing the Western Hemisphere in 2021, and underscored the importance of continued robust cooperation under the U.S.-Canada Action Plan on Opioids as the United States surpasses 100,000 drug overdose deaths,” it added.

The President and Prime Minister discussed the extensive cooperation on security and committed to strengthening cooperation between the Five Eyes countries.

“They committed to establishing a Strategic Dialogue on the Indo-Pacific to promote regional security, the rule of law, good governance; to align our approaches on China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK); as well as affirming their strategic dialogue on Arctic cooperation,” the statement read.

US President Joe Biden with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. (Twitter/POTUS)

“Both leaders also committed to continuing close collaboration on Haiti, including strengthening the Haitian National Police’s capacity and supporting inclusive political dialogue. They also pledged safe passage for foreign nationals and Afghans, resettlement and humanitarian assistance, and counter-terrorism cooperation,” the statement added. (IANS/ANI)

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-Top News Canada India News

NIA Begins Probe on SFJ’s Funding Routes in Canada

The probe team arrived in Canada on Friday will investigate the connection of these anti-Indian outfits’ funding links of terrorist organisations — SFJ and other pro-Khalistani groups, reports Asian Lite News

A three-member team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrived in Canada on November 5 to probe the funding routes to Sikh for Justice (SFJ) and other Khalistan supporters there.

According to sources, an Inspector General level officer led team will investigate the sources of funding by various organisations abroad for the creation of Khalistan out of India by the banned outfits like SFJ and other terrorist organisations.

The probe team will investigate the connection of these anti-Indian outfits’ funding links of terrorist organisations — SFJ and other pro-Khalistani groups like Khalistan Zindabad Force, Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistan Tiger Force, who have become active in the recent past. Sikh For Justice is backed by Pakistan’s intelligence wing the Inter State Services (ISI) which has been trying to revive militancy in India.

SFJ has been banned by the Indian government for involving in terror-related activities.

The central probe team would also investigate the Khalistani terrorist organisations funding source from different foreign countries including the US, the UK, Australia and Germany.

SFJ
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in London (File)

During the farmers agitation against the three farm laws in Delhi in January and February, it was reported that some NGOs like ‘Khalsa Aid’ and others were funded by these Sikh organisations and supported the agitation for long. Around 40 persons including a Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu and Khalistani sympathizer Baldev Singh Sirsa were summoned by the NIA for questioning in the ‘Sikhs For Justice Referendum case.

Recently on November 1, the SFJ organised a referendum in London to carve out Khalistan in India, which badly failed to garner support of the Sikhs due to punitive actions taken by the Indian government.

The Indian authorities have cancelled the visas of 12 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) status for their involvement in anti-India activities abroad. The US based SFJ deliberately tried to organise a referendum in London on November 1, 2021 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the UK, attending a global summit on Climate Change in Glasgow.

ALSO READ – London Sikhs Reject Khalistan Referendum

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-Top News Canada

Canadian newspapers’ revenue plummets in 2020

The demand for advertising, especially print advertising, fell as many businesses closed or reduced activities in the country during the pandemic….reports Asian Lite News

The operating revenue of Canadian newspapers fell to C$2.1 billion in 2020, down 21.9 per cent from 2018, according to official figures.

According to Statistics Canada, Canadian newspaper publishers have experienced declining revenues over several years, and the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated many trends that have been transforming the industry in the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

The demand for advertising, especially print advertising, fell as many businesses closed or reduced activities in the country during the pandemic.

The country’s newspaper industry earned C$1.5 billion in revenue from advertising sales in 2018, this figure declined to C$934.3 million in 2020.

In 2018, advertising revenues accounted for 59.7 per cent of the industry’s overall sales, but by 2020 the share of advertising sales dropped to 51.9 per cent of total sales.

Prior to the pandemic, the industry had already been transitioning toward increased reliance on digital advertising and digital circulation sales.

Newspaper. (File Photo: IANS)

From 2016 to 2018, Canadian newspapers saw a decrease of 23.9 per cent in print advertising sales. From 2018 to 2020, the decline in print advertising was 45.2 per cent.

Newspapers circulation sales also declined in 2020, but to a lesser extent than advertising sales. From 2018 to 2020, circulation sales decreased from C$645 million to C$596.8 million.

The circulation sales for print newspapers were down 12 per cent from 2028 to 2020, but circulation sales for digital newspapers surged 43.6 per cent.

In spite of the surge, digital circulation still accounted for a 12.5 per cent share of circulation sales overall.

The Canadian newspaper industry has been receiving official assistance. New measures, introduced in 2019, include the Canadian journalism labour tax credit, which covers a portion of salary costs for eligible employees of qualified media organisations.

In 2021, advertising demand is expected to rebound significantly from 2020, and this should benefit the industry. However, demand for print advertising is not expected to increase to the same degree as demand for advertising in other media, including radio, television and the internet.

Canadian newspaper industry continues to face significant competition from other sources of news mainly online for advertising revenue.

For these reasons, newspapers are not expected to see large revenue gains in 2021 compared with 2020, unlike many other industries, according to Statistics Canada.

ALSO READ: Indian-origin Anita Anand is Canada’s new defence minister

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-Top News Canada India News

Canadian street named after Indian-born doctor

Cheema, who now practises family medicine in British Columbia, was re-elected in 1990 for the Liberal party in The Maples….reports Asian Lite News

A new street in Winnipeg, Canada, has been named after Gulzar Singh Cheema, the first Indian-born Canadian doctor to be elected to a legislative assembly in the country in 1988. It is now called Cheema Drive.

Cheema, who now practises family medicine in British Columbia, was re-elected in 1990 for the Liberal party in The Maples.

“We were knocking doors and they shut the door, sometimes and not all the time. So our campaigns made them nervous,” Gulzar said while recalling his earlier election campaigns.

Describing the city as remarkable, he said, while unveiling the new street name in northwest Winnipeg last week: “I am here in the city where it all started. We shall never forget this place.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lauded the contribution of Cheema by saying that he was among few personalities who have the honor to become a member of two provincial assemblies and he was first elected MLA of the Indo-Canadian community.

“Dr Gulzar Cheema you have shown, and continue to show, the true meaning of leadership and dedication to one’s community and country, and embody the true spirit of the city of Winnipeg,” said the Prime Minister.

Cheema hoped his legacy helps inspire people to get involved in their communities like he did years ago.

“It’s so important to get involved. Be heard, be honest, be determined,” he said.

Cheema was elected in British Columbia in May 2001 to represent the riding of Surrey-Panorama Ridge.

On June 5, he was appointed as a member of the Executive Council for the government of British Columbia as Minister of State for Mental Health.

He received his bachelor of medicine and surgery from Panjab University, interned at the University of Newfoundland and was a resident at Saskatoon’s University Hospital.

ALSO READ: Indian-origin Anita Anand is Canada’s new defence minister

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-Top News Canada

Indian-origin Anita Anand is Canada’s new defence minister

The two Indo-Canadian women are among six women ministers in the new Cabinet….reports Asian Lite News

Canada’s first Hindu Cabinet minister Anita Anand made history on Tuesday by becoming the country’s second-ever woman defence minister by replacing fellow Indo-Canadian Harjit Sajjan as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled his new Cabinet.

Sajjan will be the new minister of international affairs.

Another Indo-Canadian woman Kamal Khera, the 32-year-old MP from Brampton West, also took oath as minister for seniors, taking the number of Indo-Canadian women ministers in the Trudeau Cabinet to three.

The sitting Indo-Canadian woman minister Bardish Chagger, who held the Ministry of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth of Canada, has been shuffled out.

The two Indo-Canadian women are among six women ministers in the new Cabinet.

Trudeau demoted Harjit Sajjan for failing to address the allegations of sexual misconduct in the Canadian military and rewarded Anita Anand and Kamal Khera for their work during the pandemic.

Anand has been praised for her work as procurement minister and Khera – a registered nurse – for going back to work as a health-care provider at the peak of the pandemic. A three-time MP since 2015, Khera has also served as a parliamentary secretary to the ministers of health and international trade.

Anita was born in 1967 in Nova Scotia to Indian parents who were both medical professionals. Her mother Saroj D. Ram came from Punjab and father S.V. Anand from Tamil Nadu.

Anita, who is on leave as a professor of law at the University of Toronto, was picked up as minister of public service and procurement by Prime Minister Justin in 2019 after her election as MP from Oakville near Toronto.

Anita assisted the Air India Inquiry Commission with extensive research. The commission investigated the bombing of Air India Kanishka Flight 182 on June 23, 1985, that killed all 329 people on board.

The bomb that exploded on board the Montreal-Delhi flight was planted by Vancouver-based Khalistanis to avenge the military action at the Golden Temple a year earlier in 1984.

Before Anita Anand, Canada’s only woman defence minister was former Prime Minister Kim Campbell who held the portfolio for six months from January 4 to June 25 in 1993.

ALSO READ: Canada and Germany publishes $100bn annual climate finance roadmap

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Canada News World

Canada and Germany publishes $100bn annual climate finance roadmap

The data also provides confidence that developed countries can mobilise more than $100 billion per year thereafter through to 2025…reports Asian Lite News

Canada and Germany have published a ‘Delivery Plan’, commissioned by the incoming UN Climate Conference (COP26) President, which outlines how developed countries plan to meet their joint commitment of mobilising $100 billion in climate finance annually from 2020 to 2025.

This quantified long-term finance element of the Paris Agreement recognises common but differentiated historical responsibility for climate change as well as developing countries’ need for support to take climate action.

Based on the analysis from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Delivery Plan, published on Monday, shows that developed countries will make significant progress towards the $100 billion goal in 2022, and provides confidence that it will be met in 2023.

The data also provides confidence that developed countries can mobilise more than $100 billion per year thereafter through to 2025.

Climate finance plays a critical role in helping developing countries fight climate change and adapt to its impacts.

In 2009, developed countries agreed to mobilise $100 billion in climate finance per year by 2020, and in 2015 agreed to extend this goal through to 2025.

ALSO READ: EU’s Timmermans discusses climate with Indian ministers

While developed countries have significantly scaled-up their support over the last decade, new analysis shows the $100 billion goal was unlikely to have been met in 2020 and is likely to also fall short in 2021 and 2022.

Ahead of COP26, President-Designate Alok Sharma asked Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Jochen Flasbarth, Germany’s State Secretary at the Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, to work together to produce the ‘Delivery Plan’ on the $100 billion commitment, to demonstrate how and when developed countries will deliver on their promise.

Building on assessments of progress on the $100 billion goal to date, the ‘Delivery Plan’ sets out an estimated trajectory of climate finance from 2021 through to 2025 – taking into account new climate finance pledges from individual developed countries and multilateral development banks.

It also sets out principles on how to improve the delivery of climate finance.

Responding to the ‘Delivery Plan’, Lorena Gonzalez, senior associate in the WRI Finance Center, told IANS: “This ‘Delivery Plan’, developed under the leadership of Minister Wilkinson from Canada and State Secretary Flasbarth from Germany, is a key step toward ensuring developed countries rapidly scale up climate finance.

“Though developed countries pledged 12 years ago to mobilize $100 billion in climate finance annually by 2020, the ‘Delivery Plan’ confirms it is unlikely that they delivered the requisite contributions last year.

“Developing countries need finance now so that they can invest in climate action to shift their economies’ long-term trajectory, as well as deal with mounting climate impacts.”

Most developed countries have not yet mobilized finance in accordance with their fair share.

The US is responsible for the greatest shortfall, and Australia, Canada, Italy, Greece, Iceland, and Portugal, among others, must do more.

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-Top News Canada India News

Modi congratulates Trudeau on his election victory

Trudeau, in power since 2015, has won three general elections in less than six years….reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his victory in the elections held on September 20.

“Congratulations Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau on your victory in the elections! I look forward to continue working with you to further strengthen India-Canada relations, as well as our cooperation on global and multilateral issues,” Prime Minister Modi said in his tweet.

Canadians returned Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to power in what Canadian broadcasters said was a ‘hotly contested elections’ against a ‘rookie conservative leader’. However, he failed to gain an absolute majority, they said.

Despite having failed to gain an absolute majority, Justin Trudeau is poised for a third term as Canada’s Prime Minister who projected a win for his Liberal Party in Monday’s elections.

Trudeau, in power since 2015, has won three general elections in less than six years.

Canada and India have long standing bilateral relations built upon shared traditions of democracy, pluralism and strong interpersonal connections.

The bilateral partnership between the two countries has got reinvigorated during the tenures of Prime Ministers Modi and Trudeau.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Canada in April 2015 elevated the bilateral relation to a strategic partnership.

PM Trudeau paid his first State Visit to India from February 18 to 24, 2018. Both Prime Ministers had informally interacted during the G-7 Summit at Biarritz, France on August 26, 2019.

The visits and meetings reaffirmed the breadth and scope of Canada-India relations, based on the fundamental principle of respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the two countries.

Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, both Prime Ministers have spoken on April 28 and June 16, 2020 and February 20, 2021 to discuss regional and global issues including global supply chain, collaborations in research and technology for vaccine, medicines supply from India, evacuation of stranded Indians and Canadians. (India News Network)

ALSO READ: PM, Jaishankar speak to French leaders as Paris-Washington ties fray

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-Top News Afghanistan Canada

Canada to evacuate its citizens from Afghanistan

A number of Afghans, and their families, who worked for Ottawa are currently inside a Canadian compound hoping to be rescued along with Canadian citizens…reports Asian Lite News

Canada is preparing to evacuate its citizens from war-torn Afghanistan through its military as the Taliban is worsening the situation in the Asian nation, a media report said on Thursday.

A number of Afghans, and their families, who worked for Ottawa are currently inside a Canadian compound hoping to be rescued along with Canadian citizens, Global News reported citing sources.

However, Ottawa has not met any decision yet on their fate but the government fears that their families will be executed by the Taliban.

Canada is now in the process of ripping out an evacuation process that includes disposing of classified items and evacuating staff, Global News added.

Canada prime minister Justin Trudeau.

On Thursday, the US also announced that it will be sending more than three battalions – two Marine, one Army — currently in the US Central Command area of responsibility within two days to Afghanistan to assist the evacuation of its staff from Kabul.

“3 infantry battalions to move to Kabul airport in the next 24-48 hours. That is roughly 3,000 troops,” said Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby in a briefing.

The Taliban on Thursday night claimed that it took control of the country’s second-largest city Kandahar after seizing the governor’s office and other administrative buildings in the city. So far, the terror group has captured 12 provincial capitals in the country.

The Taliban is extensively fighting with the Afghan government forces in an attempt to seize key cities and grab power soon after the US forces started fleeing Afghanistan under a peace deal signed between the Taliban and Washington.

ALSO READ: Humanitarian response underway in Afghanistan amid challenges

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-Top News Canada

Canada allows only fully vaccinated inbound travellers

Over 4,600 cases related to the Delta variant of the coronavirus have been reported in Canada so far…reports Asian Lite News

As Canada has decided to gradually open up to international travel, the country has also seen an uptick in the number of Covid-19 cases related to the highly infectious Delta variant over the last few weeks.

More than 4,600 cases related to the Delta variant of the coronavirus have been reported in Canada so far and its spread is being watched carefully by the country’s health authorities.

However, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said the government was proceeding on a “step-by-step” basis and the “next step will be looking at measures that can allow for international travellers who are fully vaccinated. That will be our first focus”.

Non-essential travel to Canada has been prohibited since March last year, when the Covid-19 pandemic first took hold in the country and across the world. “We are going to make sure we are moving forward on that in the coming weeks,” Trudeau said on easing restrictions on non-essential travel.

However, such a move will not apply to those who are not vaccinated against the disease. “That’s not going to happen for quite a while,” the Canadian PM clarified.

Canada announced easing of restrictions for citizens and permanent residents that came into effect on July 5.

ALSO READ: Canada finds hundreds of graves at former indigenous school

The requirement of isolating at a government-approved hotel for three days while results of a Covid-19 test on arrival are available was dropped for fully vaccinated individuals that qualified for the exemption.

The categories of travellers benefitting from the relaxation in rules included citizens, permanent residents, their immediate and extended family members, international students with a valid study permit at a designated learning institution with a Covid-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory, and temporary workers with valid work permits.

The move also applied to those vaccinated with a jab approved for emergency use authorisation by Health Canada.

Canada prime minister Justin Trudeau.

Health Canada has so far approved the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Astra Zeneca/Covishield, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

While Covishield, the Indian version of the AZ vaccine manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India, is accepted in Canada, Indian-made Covaxin and Russian-made Sputnik V are not.

The Pennsylvania-based firm Ocugen has partnered with Bharat Biotech to make Covaxin available in North America, and has entered into discussions with Health Canada for regulatory approval. The vaccine has yet to receive emergency use authorisation.

Restrictions remain in place for those not fully vaccinated or vaccinated with a jab not authorised in Canada. Such travellers have to complete the three-day quarantine at a government-approved hotel while awaiting results of their tests, submit to a second test on day eight of their arrival, and complete the full 14-day period of self-isolation.

ALSO READ: Canada Day eclipsed by graves found at indigenous school