Leader in South Asian News - Tel: 905-795-0639 Friday, FebruaryJune 2, 2017 15, 2019 www.WeeklyVoice.com VolVol 25, 23, No. No. 07 22 PM: 40025701 Acclaimed Singer Ramneek Enthralls Fans, page 9 Panorama India Celebrates Indian R-Day, page 11 Cirque du Soleil Coming To Ontario Place, page 13 43 Troopers Killed In Kashmir Attack Suicide Bomber Linked To Terror Outfit JeM Rams SUV Packed With Explosives Into CRPF Bus SRiNAGAR: In the worst ever bus when a 78-vehicle convoy terror attack in Jammu and Kash- carrying 2,547 security person- mir since militancy erupted in nel was going from the transit 1989, a suicide bomber on Thurs- camp in Jammu to Srinagar and day rammed his SUV packed rammed it into the bus around with explosives into a CRPF bus 3.15 p.m., triggering a deafening on the Srinagar-Jammu highway explosion. in Pulwama district, killing at So devastating was the attack least 43 troopers and leaving the -- one report spoke of 200 kg of security established stunned. explosives, including probably The Pakistan-based Jaish-e- RDX, packed into the SUV -- that Mohammad (JeM) claimed re- the CRPF bus was left in a man- sponsibility for the horror and re- gled heap, many of its occupants leased a video clip of the suicide losing their limbs. The bus was bomber, a ‘commander’ identi- transporting 39 troopers. fied as Adil Ahmad Dar, which CRPF officials said the bus it claimed was shot before the which was the main target of young man carried out the strike the militants was destroyed fully in Lethpora, about 30 km from while another CRPF vehicle was here. partly damaged. “it is difficult to While precise details of the believe how anyone in that bus attack were still unclear, police could have survived,” said a po- sources said the suicide bomber- lice officer. Jammu and Kashmir driven SUV came along the Cen- Police chief Dilbag Singh said it Indian paramilitary soldiers stand by the wreckage of a bus after a suicide bomb attack on a tral Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Continued on page 2 trooper convoy in Pampore, Kashmir on Thursday. (AP Photo/Umer Asif) PM Facing Backlash As Ontario Finances Show $1B Deficit Reduction SNC-Lavalin Row Swirls Upsurge In Economic Activity Cited TORONTO: The Ontario The Third Quarter report rep- Government’s 2018-2019 Third resents the government’s com- Quarter Finances update reveal a mitment to transparency and ac- $1 billion reduction in the Prov- countability, and stands in stark ince’s deficit, largely driven by contrast to the previous govern- increased economic activity from ment, which only released this consumers and businesses. report three times in the past 10 The deficit is now projected to years despite a legislative re- be $13.5 billion in 2018-19. quirement to publicly report on Vic Fedeli, Minister of Fi- the province’s finances. nance, was joined on Wednesday Fedeli noted that the govern- by Peter Bethlenfalvy, President Continued on page 2 of the Treasury Board, to provide the update. The report shows improvements in the Province’s financial position, demonstrating that Ontario’s plan to fix govern- ment is working. Businesses are investing, ex- panding and hiring in Ontario. This business confidence is help- ing Ontario individuals, families Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets a customer at a cafe in Burnaby, B.C. while campaigning for and communities. Burnaby South Liberal candidate Richard T. Lee-THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck “The third quarter finances OTTAWA: Prime Minister she held the justice portfolio. Indigenous Peoples is the most show that our government’s plan Justin Trudeau is facing a back- On the inside, Trudeau’s own important one this country has to get Ontario back on track is lash within and outside his own MPs are nervous, wondering are being called into question as yielding positive results,” said party after Jody Wilson-Ray- about going into an election Indigenous leaders line up behind Fedeli. “By working to restore BROKER bould’s sudden resignation from campaign with this saga hanging Wilson-Raybould and decry criti- the public’s confidence in Ontar- his cabinet. over them and concerned about a cism of her as racist and sexist. io’s finances, cutting red tape and The veterans-affairs minister lack of communication from the It’s a heavy blow to see how being open for business and open quit this week amid reports she Prime Minister’s Office _ and not she has been treated,’’ said Cher- for jobs, we are giving people felt pressured to head off a crimi- just about this situation. yl Casimer, political executive across Ontario more confidence nal prosecution of Quebec engi- Trudeau’s repeated claims for the First Nations Summit, in our future, and this confidence neering firm SNC-Lavalin when that Canada’s relationship with Continued on page 4 is reflected on the bottom line.” Ottawa Objects To Quebec Immigration Bill MONTREAL: The federal ever, has the jurisdiction to grant gault said Friday that Quebec government is objecting to a permanent resident status, and it should be able impose conditions Quebec proposal that it be al- would have to give Quebec more on immigrants in order for them lowed to determine where in the powers for the legislation to have to be eligible for permanent resi- province immigrants settle as a effect. dent status. I don’t know why we condition of their gaining perma- Federal Intergovernmen- wouldn’t be able regain the pow- nent residency in the country. tal Minister Dominic LeBlanc er that we used to have,’’ he told Quebec Immigration Minister said Thursday in a statement reporters. Simon Jolin-Barrette (pictured that more analysis on Bill 9 is Jolin-Barrette says the power here) tabled Bill 9 on Thurs- needed, however we do not sup- to impose conditions on immi- day, which lays down a legal port the reintroduction of condi- grants was granted to Quebec framework that would allow the tional permanent residency.’’ in the 1993 Canada_Quebec Ac- province to be more selective The federal Liberals abolished cord on Immigration. He said the with immigrants. One goal is to conditional permanent residen- previous provincial government have immigrants settle in regions cy in 2017, which had forced da for two years in order to keep of Philippe Couillard renounced experiencing labour shortages. some immigrants to live with their permanent resident status. that right. The federal government, how- their spouses or partners in Cana- Quebec Premier Francois Le- Continued on page 3 A-2 | Friday, February 15, 2019 FRONT PAGE www.WeeklyVoice.com THE WEEKLY VOICE These Deaths Will Not Go In Vain - PM Modi EDITOR Bala Menon Continuued from page 1 could have been a suicide attack. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS In a statement to a local news Preeti Thandi agency GNS, a caller claiming Harj Chaggar Amitabh Saxena to be a spokesman of JeM said it was a ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) attack. Graphic Design All the injured were shifted to Tamarind Tree the Army’s 92 Base Hospital in the Badamibagh cantonment of Classifieds Srinagar city. Some of them were HarSimrat Panfer in critical condition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ACCOUNT MANAGERS Manu Ramachandran led the nation in condemning the G Prasaad horror. “The attack ... is despi- Rohit Malhotra cable. I strongly condemn this Maha dastardly attack. The sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall ONLINE MARKETING not go in vain. The entire nation MANAGER stands shoulder to shoulder with Amitabh Saxena the families of the brave mar- Pulwama: The site on on the Srinagar-Jammu highway where the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed and several others injured in a suicide attack (Photo: IANS) ACCOUNTS tyrs,” he tweeted. Asha J Singhh Home Minister Rajnath Singh, CRPF and police would carry out cal strikes’ on terrorist camps in troopers and blasted central Min- who was to visit Bihar on Friday, a detailed investigation to under- Pakistan. ister Jitendra Singh for “playing photographer is set to reach Srinagar instead. stand the circumstances in which Officials said the reason why politics” over the bloodbath. “I Manohar Sagoo Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba cut the attack took place. so many CRPF personnel were on condemn this attack in the stron- short his visit to Bhutan to rush to This is the worst single attack the move at one go was because gest possible terms. My prayers Gross Circulation: 30,000 Srinagar for a high-level security in Jammu and Kashmir since a the Srinagar-Jammu highway had for the injured and condolences CCNA Verified Circulation: 29,997 meeting on Friday. nascent Pakistan-backed separat- been shut the past two days due to the families of the bereaved.” Aug 14, 2015 ist campaign began in 1989. it is to bad weather. The convoy left Jitendra Singh in a tweet called (Printed at Toronto Star) “Today’s dastardly attack ... is extremely painful and disturbing. also the worst attack carried out Jammu before dawn. “to question those who while i bow to each and every CRPF by militants after the one on the Former Jammu and Kashmir living in India describing them- jawan who has sacrificed his life Uri Army camp on September 18, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah selves as mainstream Kashmir in service to the nation,” Rajnath 2016 left 19 soldiers dead -- forc- condemned “in the strongest pos- politicians tend to be apologetic All advertising in The Weekly Singh said. An officer said the ing New Delhi to launch ‘surgi- sible terms” the killing of CRPF about these terror activities” Voice is subject to the publish- er’s approval and the advertiser agrees to indemify the publish- ers against claims arising from Ontario Ministries Directed To Limit Spending publication of any advertisement submitted by the advertiser.