www.WeeklyVoice.com FRONT PAGE Friday, July 31, 2020 | A-1 Canada’s Leading South Asian Newspaper - Tel: 905-795-0639 Friday, JulyJune 31, 2, 20172020 www.WeeklyVoice.com VolVol 26, 23, No. No. 31 22 PM: 40025701 Eid Mubarak GO Niagara Is Now Back On Track..., page 4 India’s China Challenge In The Himalayas , page 6 $4 Billion Funding To Support Public Transit Ontario’s 444 Municipalities To Get One-Time Assistance To Maintain Critical Local Services TORONTO: The Ontario government, Prime Minister Trudeau and Deputy Prime in partnership with the federal govern- Minister Freeland to reach this historic ment, is providing up to $4 billion in ur- agreement, which includes $777 million gently needed one-time assistance to On- from the federal government and $1.22 tario’s 444 municipalities. billion from the province in support for This funding will help local govern- municipalities. Ontario will continue to ments maintain the critical services people work closely with its municipal partners rely on every day, including public transit, to ensure this funding provides the support over the next six to eight months. Details they need to address budget shortfalls re- on specific allocations will be provided in lated to COVID-19. the coming weeks. This funding is part of “Ontario’s municipalities are the back- the province’s made-in-Ontario plan for bone of our great province,” said Minister renewal, growth and economic recovery. Clark. “Our government is committed to The announcement was made on July 27 working hand in hand with our municipal by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, partners to help them emerge stronger and Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, MP for Oakville & Minister of Public Services and Procurement Anita Anand enable them to lead economic recovery in Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance, Steve speaks about the funding benefit for Oakville Transit. Pic: Anand/Twitter every community. And the funding we are Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and announcing today will play a critical role Housing, and Caroline Mulroney, Minister government to ensure a strong recovery will continue to be a champion for our mu- in that.” of Transportation. for Ontario and for Canada,” said Premier nicipal partners as they safely reopen their “Ontario municipalities told us they are “By working together, we have united Ford. “I want to thank Ontario’s 444 lo- communities and ensure people can get dealing with a $4 billion shortfall as a re- the country in the face of the immense cal leaders who supported us through our back to work.” sult of COVID-19,” said Minister Phillips. challenges brought on by COVID-19 and negotiations with the federal government Premier Ford worked collaboratively “Failing to act could result in cuts to ser- secured a historic deal with the federal and through each stage of reopening. We with municipal partners, fellow Premiers, Continued on page 2 Toronto & Peel Region Move Travel Eased for OCI Card Into Stage 3 Of Reopening Holders & Canadians OTTAWA The Government of India has further relaxed the visa Officials Will Continue To Monitor Key Local Health Trends and travel restrictions for certain categories of OCI cardholders TORONTO : Additional busi- and other foreigners, who wants nesses and public spaces will be to travel to India on special flights reopening as the Ontario govern- in these pandemic times. Accord- ment allows the City of Toronto ingly, it has now been decided to and Peel Region to move into permit the following categories of Stage 3 of reopening the province Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) on Friday, July 31 at 12:01 a.m. Cardholders to travel – This decision was made in con- A. Overseas Citizens of India (iv)Students who are foreign sultation with the Chief Medical (OCI) Cardholders nationals where at least one of Officer of Health and local medi- (i)Minor children who hold their parents is an Indian citi- cal officers of health. It is based OCI card and whose parents are zen or an OCI cardholder; and on positive local trends of key Indian nationals; Continued on page 3 public health indicators, includ- (ii)OCI cardholders who wish ing lower transmission of COV- Doug Ford learning about the PPE and community supports at the Sheridan College Campus in Brampton. Pic: Doug Ford/Twitter to come to India on account of ID-19, ongoing hospital capacity, family emergencies like critical public health capacity to conduct have to be extra cautious to avoid “More businesses and services medical conditions of immediate rapid case and contact manage- sparking a surge or an outbreak. I are able to reopen thanks to the family members or death; ment, and a significant increase strongly urge everyone to follow collective efforts of all Ontarians (iii)Married couples where one in testing. public health protocols.” to limit the spread of the virus,” spouse is an OCI cardholder and Toronto Public Health and Windsor-Essex County Health said Christine Elliott, Deputy the other is an Indian national; Peel Public Health regions joins Unit region will remain in Stage Premier and Minister of Health. and the 31 public health regions that 2. Ontario will continue to moni- “While public health trends (iv)Students who are OCI card- entered into Stage 3 on July 17 tor local trends of key public across the province are positive, holders where at least one of their and 24, 2020. health indicators in the Windsor- we continue to closely monitor parents is an Indian citizen or an “While more restaurants, the- Essex County Health Unit region Windsor-Essex so that we can OCI cardholder. atres and businesses can hang and move it into Stage 3 when it move the community into Stage 3 B. Other Canadian nationals up their Open for Business sign, is safe to do so. In the interim, the when the time is right. No matter (i)Foreign nationals who are we’re asking everyone to follow government continues to address which stage a region is in, every- minor children where at least one public health advice and act re- the needs of the region, in part- one needs to continue to follow of their parents is an Indian citi- BROKER sponsibly,” said Premier Doug nership with other levels of gov- public health advice to protect zen or an OCI cardholder; BROKER Ford. “We have made tremendous ernment, through measures such themselves, their families and (ii)Foreign nationals married to as on-farm testing, the deploy- community.” progress that allows us to return Indian citizens; REMAX REAL ESTATE CENTRE INC., BROKERAGE to something a little closer to our ment of mobile testing units and Ontario is also supportive of (iii)Foreign nationals who are normal lives this summer, but we the adoption of new public health proposals made by the City of To- single parents of minor children are not out of the woods yet. This guidance for positive asymptom- ronto and Toronto Public Health holding Indian passports or OCI virus is still among us and we atic workers for all workplaces. Continued on page 2 card; Canada Not To Recognize ‘Khalistan’ Referendum OTTAWA: The Canadian gov- of India, and the Government of Canada and India “is a priority dia’s Punjab state and covering ernment will not recognize the Canada will not recognize the for the Government of Canada.” a large swathe of northern India. results of the so-called ‘Punjab referendum.” The group, founded in 2007, Not an inch of Pakistani terri- 2020 Referendum’ being orga- The spokesperson also said that advocates a separate country tory, including the city of Lahore nized by the US-based group the bilateral relationship between called Khalistan, comprising In- (which was once a Sikh strong- Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), media re- hold) is included in their ‘coun- ports said. The group was banned try map’. The SFJ is said to have by the Indian government last several handlers in Pakistan who year under Section 3 of the Un- are behind the online secessionist lawful Activities Prevention Act campaign called Sikh Referen- for its alleged anti-national activ- dum 2000. ities and the backing it receives Indian media reported that from Pakistani spy agencies. Punjab Chief Minister Captain A spokesperson of Canada’s Amarinder Singh and the people Foreign Ministry stated in an have welcomed Canada’s deci- email to an Indian national daily: sion to not recognize the SFJ “Canada respects the sovereign- campaign. ty, unity and territorial integrity Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Continued on page 2 A-2 | Friday, July 31, 2020 NationaL www.WeeklyVoice.com THE WEEKLY VOICE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Funding Will Be Shared By Province, Ottawa Bala Menon Continued from page 1 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS vices and higher taxes. That’s Amb. Praveen Verma (Retd.) why, under Premier Ford’s lead- Dr. Nivedita Das Kundu ership, Ontario was a strong ad- Harj Chaggar vocate at the negotiating table to Amitabh Saxena ensure municipalities and transit systems were supported as part of Graphic Design the Safe Restart Agreement. This Tamarind Tree is a historic level of support that’s being provided during unprec- ACCOUNT MANAGERS edented times.” Manu Ramachandran Through Ontario’s leadership, Maha a deal for public transit funding was also secured as part of the ONLINE MARKETING federal-provincial agreement. Up MANAGER Amitabh Saxena to $2 billion will be shared equal- ly between Ontario and the fed- LEGAL ADVISOR eral government. Transit opera- tors that have seen steep declines Dr. Keshav Agnihotri A Durham Transit bus. Pic: Durham Transit/Twitter in revenues will receive the sup- ACCOUNTS port they need to help address the outbreak,” said Minister Mul- vestments in testing, contact trac- municipalities and public transit Asha J Singhh financial impacts of COVID-19 roney.