www.WeeklyVoice.com FRONT PAGE Friday, August 21, 2020 | A-1 Canada’s Leading South Asian Newspaper - Tel: 905-795-0639 Friday,20-0461_BURKE_WEEKLYVOICE_FRONT-COVER-TEASER_AUG21_V2.pdf AugustJune 2, 21,2017 2020 1 2020-08-12www.WeeklyVoice.com 3:10 PM VolVol 26, 23, No. No. 34 22 PM: 40025701 ARRIVING SEPTEMBER 2020 A condo. A community. A culture. A colourful, lively pathway. A living artscape. A place to gather and connect. Shaded by trees. Sculpted benches. Thoughtfully placed between the past and present. Register BurkeByConcert.com Prices, availability, design and specifications subject to change without notice. E.&O.E. ® Registered trademarks of Concert Properties Ltd. 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Contact for more information or registration: Maha Lakshmi - 647 963 3241 | [email protected] | Oce: 905 795 0639 ext.: 207 www.WeeklyVoice.com FRONT PAGE Friday, August 21, 2020 | A-3 Canada’s Leading South Asian Newspaper - Tel: 905-795-0639 Friday, AugustJune 2, 21,2017 2020 www.WeeklyVoice.com VolVol 26, 23, No. No. 34 22 PM: 40025701 Plan To Extend Life Of Pickering N-Power Plant, page 6 North Atlantic Right Whales Facing Grave Danger, page 8 Panorama India Marks India’s Independence Day, page 13 Morneau Resigns; Freeland Takes Charge WE Charity Contract Issue Explodes; Scheer Says Minister Being Scapegoated To Save PM OTTAWA: Canada’s finance minister by WE on some trips abroad. He has since Bill Morneau has announced his resigna- given a cheque to WE to cover the amount. tion as finance minister in the midst of Morneau said: ““Since I’m not running allegations involving conflicts of interest again, and since I expect that we will have with a Canadian charity called WE. a long and challenging recovery, I think (WE, formerly known as Free the Chil- it’s important that the prime minister has dren, bills itself as a charity and youth em- by his side a finance minister who has that powerment movement founded in 1995 by longer term vision. human rights advocates Marc and Craig “That’s what led me to conclude during Kielburger.) this time period that it’s appropriate for me Deputy Prime Minister and Chrystia to step down.” Freeland will replace Bill Morneau as Trudeau too is facing questions about Canada’s finance minister but will remain his personal and his family’s involvement in her current roles as well. with the charity over the past few years. Morneau and will also resign as the Lib- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Flanking Morneau also announced that he has eral MP for Toronto Centre. He made the him are Chrystia Freeland and new Intergovernmemtal Affairs Minister Dominic planned to put his name forward for the announcement after meeting with Prime LeBlanc. Pic: Trudeau/Twitter feed. post of secretary general for the Organiza- Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday. tion for Economic Co-operation and De- “I met with the prime minister to inform under the lens of Ethics Commissioner benefits program. The government appar- velopment (OECD). him that I did not plan to run again in the Mario Dion after reports emerged that the ently went ahead with the contract despite However, Conservative Leader Andrew next federal election,” Morneau told the Liberal government gave a $43.53 million both Morneau and the Trudeau families Scheer took to Twitter to say that Mor- media. “It has never been my plan to run contract to WE Charity to manage an ambi- having ties to the organization. neau’s departure from cabinet was an ef- for more than two federal election cycles.” tious $900-million student grant program Morneau also faced questions about fort to scapegoat the finance minister in Morneau and the Prime Minister are as part of the government’s COVID-19 travel expenses of around $41,000 covered Continued on page 3 Big India Day Celebrated More Funds Allotted To School Boards For Safe Reopening TORONTO: More than half in consultation with their local a billion dollars in supports will public health unit. Adaptations be given by the provincial gov- could include smaller class sizes ernment to school boards to en- and leasing additional space. Ad- sure schools across the province ditional measures include: will reopen safely in September • Unlocking access to reserves and to protect students and staff. up to $496 million, an increase of These supports will enable school $244 million, by allowing boards boards to provide more physical to access up to 2 per cent of their distancing in classrooms and di- operating budget from their prior rect funding to utilize non-school year accumulated surplus. This community spaces, and will al- funding can be applied to local The iconic Canadian landmark of Niagara Falls was illuminated in the colours of the Indian flag in an low boards to make adjustments Continued on page 6 evening ceremony on August 15, to mark India’s Independence Day. The illumination was conducted based on their local needs. with the cooperation of the Niagara Falls Illumination Board and Niagara Parks Commission, with the support of the city of Niagara Falls. Pic: Indian Consulate-General, Toronto. See report on page 9. Details on these important up- dates for the 2020-2021 school year were provided by Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Asylum Claimants On COVID-19 Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, following extensive consultations with leading medical experts Frontline To Get Residency Pathway across Ontario. MONTREA: Front-line work- claimants across the country who As with all applicants for hu- Minister Lecce said: “This in- ers play a critical role in keeping are working on the front lines manitarian and compassionate vestment and access to reserves Canadians healthy. In recogni- providing direct care to patients consideration, and in line with will enable more social distanc- tion of their exceptional service, in health-care institutions will be the government’s commitment to ing and improve air quality, and Marco E. L. Mendicino, Can- able to apply for permanent resi- family reunification, in-Canada ultimately strengthen the layers ada’s Minister of Immigration, dency if they meet the criteria. family members of the principal of protection to keep students and Refugees and Citizenship, on Quebec will select those qualify- applicant would be included in staff safe.” BROKER Wednesday announced a tempo- ing for this special measure who the application and granted per- Ontario is building on its plan BROKER rary measure that will provide a wish to reside in Quebec. manent residency, if the applica- and taking additional steps to pathway to permanent residency This approach recognizes those tion is approved. ensure a safe return to schools REMAX REAL ESTATE CENTRE INC., BROKERAGE for asylum claimants working in with precarious immigration sta- Those who have been found in- in September, based on the best the health-care sector during the tus who are filling an urgent need eligible to make an asylum claim, medical advice available. The COVID-19 pandemic. and putting their own lives at risk or who have withdrawn or aban government is allowing boards Under this measure, asylum to care for others in Canada. Continued on page 9 to make necessary adaptations, Biden To Prioritize Strengthening India Ties NEW YORK: Joe Biden, who other work-based visas for highly mon global challenge can be sible partners.” Biden believes will be the Democratic Party’s qualified professionals. solved without India and the there can be no tolerance for ter- presidential candidate, will give The document said, “No com- United States working as respon- rorism in South Asia - cross-bor- “high priority to” strengthening der or otherwise,” it said. India-US relations including on “A Biden administration will counter-terrorism and for ensur- also work with India to support ing China can’t threaten its neigh- a rules-based and stable Indo-Pa- bours, according to his campaign. cific region in which no country, A document, “Joe Biden’s including China, is able to threat- Agenda for the Indian Ameri- en its neighbours with impunity.” can Community,” issued by his Unlike communal appeals to campaign on Saturday outlining Muslims and Jewish people in re- his stand on issues of interest to ligion-specific documents, there those citizens said that Biden will were no such Biden agendas for introduce several immigration re- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhist and forms that could benefit Indians, Jains but only a general document who face decades-long backlogs, directed at Indian Americans. and modernise the H1-B and The Biden-Harris Democratic team. Pic iANS Continued on page 5 A-4 | Friday, August 21, 2020 NATIONAL www.WeeklyVoice.com THE WEEKLY VOICE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Trudeau Hails Work Of Morneau & Freeland Bala Menon Continued from page 3 over the years ...Canada will vig- CONTRIBUTING WRITERS order to save the prime minister orously support his bid to lead the Amb. Praveen Verma (Retd.) “Bill Morneau’s ‘resignation’ is OECD.” Dr. Nivedita Das Kundu further proof of a government About Freeland, Trudeau said: Harj Chaggar in chaos,” Scheer said.