Conservatives Unite Behind Andrew Scheer
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www.WeeklyVoice.com FRONT PAGE Friday, November 8, 2019 | A-1 Canada’s Leading South Asian Newspaper - Tel: 905-795-0639 Friday, NovemberJune 2, 2017 8, 2019 www.WeeklyVoice.com VolVol 25, 23, No. No. 45 22 PM: 40025701 Happy Gurpurab A New Shoppers World To Rise In Brampton, page 7 Nav Bhatia - ‘The Lord Of The Raptors’ Ring, page 10 India Shuts Doors On China-Led RCEP Deal There Will Be No Compromise On Core Interests: Modi BANGKOK: India has shut gional Comprehensive Economic come is not fair or balanced, the the doors to joining a China-led Partnership (RCEP) agreement sources added. mega trade deal, with Prime Min- during the leaders’ summit here. The four key issues involved ister Narendra Modi deciding that According to sources, the were: Inadequate protection there would be “no compromise” Prime Minister stood firm on against import surge, insufficient on the nation’s core interests, as India not joining the trade agree- differential with China, possible the deal would have impacted the ment, as the key concerns were circumvention of rules of origin, lives and livelihoods of all In- not addressed. “There will be no keeping the base year as 2014, dians, especially the vulnerable compromise on core interests,” it and no credible assurances on sections of the society. was decided. market access and non-tariff bar- Modi conveyed India’s deci- The RCEP agreement does not riers, the sources said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 14th East Asia Summit in sion to not join the 16-nation Re- reflect its original intent. The out- Continued on page 2 Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: IANS/PIB) Conservatives Unite Ford Offers To Host Behind Andrew Scheer Premiers’ Meeting Test Of Confidence Will Be At Party Convention In April For National Unity TORONTO: National unity was top of mind for Ontario Pre- mier Doug Ford this week as he offered to host a meeting of pro- vincial leaders to address what he called Western Canada’s alien- ation in the wake of the federal election. Ford made the comments dur- ing his first news conference since the federal Liberals were re-elected last month with a mi- nority government but did not win a single seat in Alberta or Saskatchewan. Ontario Premier Doug Ford . He said he was troubled by the THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jona- results of the Oct. 21 federal vote, than Hayward but added he understood the con- it would be a good idea to get to- cerns of people in Western Can- gether and send that message. But ada. “People in Alberta, people also, let’s listen to the concerns of in Saskatchewan ... they just feel people out West.’’ like they’re being ignored,’’ Ford Continued on page 2 Conservative leader Andrew Scheer is surrounded by members of his caucus as he speaks to said. “I’ve never seen this coun- reporters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Nov. 6, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang try so divided but we have to stay OTTAWA: Andrew Scheer seven hours, Scheer repeated The party’s 121 MPs were united.’’ emerged from a marathon caucus many of the same messages that meeting for the first time since the During the bruising 40-day meeting on Wednesday, declaring he’d delivered throughout the re- Oct. 21 election. Scheer said they election campaign, Prime Minis- that Conservative MPs are united cent election campaign and in the had a frank discussion about the ter Justin Trudeau often took aim behind his leadership after they days afterward. campaign, which left many senior at Ford, campaigning against the declined to give themselves the He said Conservatives will be Conservatives sniping that Scheer Ontario premier who made few power to boot the leader out. “laser focused’’ on four priorities: had blown an opportunity to de- public appearances and did not Scheer’s leadership will still, keeping the country united, re- feat a vulnerable Trudeau. stump for the Conservatives. however, face a test of confidence storing ethics and accountability There has been internal pres- Ford said the idea of hosting a among party members at their bi- to government, helping Canadi- sure for Scheer to make some meeting came up during a confer- annual convention in April in To- ans get ahead and getting the en- swift changes to his inner circle ence call on Friday with almost ronto. He said he believed that’s ergy sector back to work. as proof he’s taken some of the all of the premiers. He said they where the power to potentially And he called on Prime Minis- immediate criticisms _ a failure also discussed infrastructure, oust him should lie. ter Justin Trudeau, whom he ac- to clearly communicate his ideas, health-care spending, and hold- “The review as to the leader- cused of dividing the country, to but also a failure to advance any ing the federal government to BROKER ship of the Conservative Party of recall Parliament as soon as pos- energetic new ones _ to heart, commitments the Liberals made BROKER Canada is and always will be in sible. but he suggested if any action is during the campaign. the hands of our members,’’ he “By the time Justin Trudeau taken, it won’t come in the short “We have to work together,’’ REMAX REAL ESTATE CENTRE INC., BROKERAGE said to loud applause from the even names his cabinet (on Nov. term. Ford said of the provincial and MPs gathered behind him. 20), we’ll have been one month Scheer intends to embark on territorial leaders. “We have to “We are a grassroots party.’’ removed from election day. That a cross-Canada “listening tour,’’ send a message to the world that Though feisty after holing up is far too long to wait given the while former Conservative cab- there’s certainty here.... All the with his MPs and senators for urgent problems we face today.’’ Continued on page 4 premiers that we spoke to thought Hearing On Charter Rights & Asylum Pact With US TORONTO: Dozens of pro- ment’’ and other slogans. outside on the street because you testers gathered outside a federal Kikome Afisa (pictured here) don’t have nothing when you’re court on Monday called for Can- said her own experience as a refugee. You come from your ada’s asylum agreement with the an asylum seeker who arrived country because of some prob- United States to be suspended, ar- through the U.S. compelled her to lem, you don’t have money,’’ she guing the U.S. is not a safe coun- speak out. Afisa, who left Uganda said, at times wiping away tears. try for refugees. amid government oppression and Afisa said there was also the The lunch-time protest in violence, said she was detained looming fear of being sent back downtown Toronto was timed to for four months after crossing to Uganda. “I’m looking to be coincide with a court hearing of a into the U.S. from Mexico. She safe but they take you back legal challenge to the Safe Third later came to Canada through an away,’’ she said. Country Agreement that prohib- irregular crossing in Quebec, be- Another protester, Susie Hen- its people from entering Canada A protester outside the Federal lieving it to be safer here. Afisa derson, said refugees don’t have from the U.S. _ and vice versa _ Court. Pic: CP/ Nathan Denette said she has applied for asylum much choice as to where they at official border crossings and is not safe’’ and “Uphold all laws and is awaiting a hearing. arrive, adding recent images asking for asylum. The protesters that protect refugees,’’ at times “The U.S. is not safe... No help, of American detention centres held up signs that read “The USA chanting “Suspend the agree- no shelter, nothing. You can stay Continued on page 3 A-2 | Friday, November 8, 2019 FRONT PAGE www.WeeklyVoice.com THE WEEKLY VOICE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ‘Our Conscience Does Not Let Us Join RCEP’ Bala Menon Continued from page 1 ASSOCIATE EDITOR “This reflects both our assess- Shazia Malik ment of the current global situa- tion, as well as of the fairness and CONTRIBUTING WRITERS balance of the agreement,” Vijay Amb. Praveen Verma (Retd.) Dr. Nivedita Das Kundu Thakur Singh, Secretary East in Harj Chaggar the Ministry of External Affairs, Amitabh Saxena said at a media briefing after the RCEP summit. “India had signifi- Graphic Design cant issues of core interest that Tamarind Tree remained unresolved,” she said. ACCOUNT MANAGERS India has seen massive protests Manu Ramachandran against the proposed deal from G Prasaad the farming sector, dairy sector as Rohit Malhotra well as different political parties. Maha While conveying that India will not join the trade deal, Modi ONLINE MARKETING MANAGER spoke of Mahatma Gandhi’s “ad- From left, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amitabh Saxena vice of recalling the face of the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha at The Regional weakest and poorest and then Comprehensive Economic Partnership Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in LEGAL ADVISOR ask if the steps are of any use to Nonthaburi, Thailand, Nov. 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) Dr. Keshav Agnihotri them.” Vijay Singh said that India has RCEP”. “We have had a very agreement with respect to the in- RCEP. It also does not address ACCOUNTS clear and principled position for terests of all Indians, I do not get satisfactorily India’s outstanding Asha J Singhh participated in “good faith in the RCEP discussions and negoti- a fair and balanced outcome for a positive answer.