2 MidWeek MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

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2 2 MidWeek TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

3 AAP WILL FORM THE NEXT GOVERNMENT IN PUNJAB - NRI'S FROM CANADA Joban Randhawa, Surinder Mavi and Jaskirat Mann, supporters Aam Admi Party from Canada are in Punjab. They said they are not outsiders as they still have families and friends in Punjab adding they are not bothered what Amarinder says, even if they are jailed for supporting AAP. Thousands of NRI's are in Punjab to Support their preferred Political Parties. I DETAILS ON P4 O'LEARY HOLDS COMMANDING LEAD IN CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP CONTEST BUT MORE THAN A THIRD OF RESPONDENTS WANT "SOMEONE ELSE" TORONTO - In a random sampling of public opinion taken by The Forum Poll among 1,332 Canadian voters, Kevin O'Leary is the preferred candidate to lead the Conservative Party (27%). Maxime Bernier is in distant second, favoured by (11%), followed by with Lisa Raitt (7%) and Michael Chong (6%). More than a third of Canadians (38%) believe "someone else" would be a better choice to lead the Conservative Party than any of the eight identified candidates. This is down from (53%) who desired someone else in December. For Conservative Party members O'Leary leads all leadership candidates (31%), and he has even more support with those who voted for the Conservatives in 2015 (49%). "Kevin O'Leary's entry into the Conservative leadership race has propelled him to the front of the field, with more than double the support of his nearest rival. Still, more than a third of interested voters don't support any of the current candidates," said Forum Research President, Dr Lorne Bozinoff. Capt Amarinder Singh - CONGRESS Send back OUTSIDERS from Punjab: Amarinder to Election Commission Bhagwant Mann - AAP There are NO OUTSIDERS among NRIs. I invite more NRI's to come and support AAP in Punjab Sukhbir Badal - AKALI DAL Foreign Based Terrorist groups are funding AAP elections in Punjab MIDWEEK EXCLUSIVE Trump gives green signal to Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines I look forward to working very closely with the new US administration: Chrystia Freeland BY SHAZIA MALIK BRAMPTON - I look forward to working very closely with the new U.S. administration, and with the United States Congress on issues of mutual interest, including trade and investment in various sectors. This was stated by Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs in an exclusive with Midweek. I CONTD. ON PAGE 7 Trump Calls PM Modi On Phone Says India is A True Friend of USA DESK REPORT WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump Called Prime minister Narendra Modi by telephone on Tuesday,four days after the Republican President took oath as the 45th President.Both leaders invited each other to their respective countries,trump told Indian PM Modi-India a True Friend. Modi Agreed to work Closely in the coming days to further strengthen Indo-US Ties.He was the fifth word leader President Trump spoke to after coming to office. Before calling Modi, Trump has spoken with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mexican Premier Pena Nieto, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-sisi. Quoting White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, news agency Press Trust of India informed Trump held "telephonic conversation" with Modi at 11.30pm IST, 1pm in Washington. PM Modi was one of the first leaders to congratulate President Trump after his victory in November. Modi in his tweets had said he looked forward to working with Trump to give boost to India-US ties. MIDWEEK EXCLUSIVE TRUDEAU TO MEET MODI DURING INDIA VISIT: MINISTER SOHI BY SHAZIA MALIK MISSISSAUGA - Canada wishes to boost trade and commerce with India. It desires to enhance business ties with that country and increase capital investment. This was commented by Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities in an exclusive discussion with Yudhvir Jaswal Group Editor and CEO of Y media on Southasian PULSE radio show. He was recently in India where he took around 150 business leaders and companies to attend the Vibrant Gujrat Summit. Sohi said Canada has been a partner of India at the political and trade level. The business community from here now wishes to invest in India's infrastructure and other areas and vice versa. Though trade between the two currently till date stood at a little over $8 billion but Sohi said no target has been set for now but since the Liberal government took over, it has gone up by 30% which is only expected to increase in coming days. Sohi said at least a 1,000 Canadian companies are working in India, 700 educational institutions have offices there and likewise a 100 Indian companies are operating in Canada doing a business of about $15 million in the realm of pension funds. But more cooperation is required in the fields of logistics, energy and manufacturing also. I CONTD. ON PAGE 4 WATCH FULL COVERAGE OF PUNJAB ELECTIONS ON CHANNEL Y PUNJAB - For a detailed discussion on Punjab elections, watch Channel Y daily between 7pm to 9pm available on Rogers 857, Bell 828, Jadoo and Yupp TV. AAP candidates say no to security Sidhu releases white paper on Badals' '10-year misrule' Sidhu complicit in corruption in Punjab: AAP Teach Amarinder, Congress a lesson, Sukhbir tells Amritsar voters We Are getting great response in Lambi: Akali Dal Congressmen will not accept Navjot Sidhu as Deputy CM: Partab Singh Bajwa Will support all Congress rebels: Jagmeet Brar Sukhbir Badal insulted the whole Punjabi NRI community by branding them as terrorists: Sanjay Singh 40 star Congress campaigners in Punjab including Sonia, Rahul, Manmohan Singh, Azharuddin, Sonu Sood CIRCULATED THROUGH : TORONTO, MARKHAM, SCARBOROUGH, RICHMOND HILL, VAUGHAN, WOODBRIDGE, ETOBICOKE, NORTH YORK, MALTON, REXDALE, BRAMPTON, MISSISSAUGA, OAKVILLE, HAMILTON, MILTON, STONEY CREEK, BURLINGTON

4 special report 4 MidWeek TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 AAP UK VOLUNTEERS BRING FLAME OF HOPE FROM UK TO PUNJAB, AAP SENIOR LEADERS SANJAY SINGH & HIMMAT SHERGILL WERE ALSO PRESENT AT AMRITSAR AIRPORT. HOW MUCH MONEY BHAGWANT MANN AND NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU HAVE? MIDWEEK EXCLUSIVE TRUDEAU TO MEET MODI DURING INDIA VISIT: SOHI CONTD. FROM PAGE 3 Sohi said the over 1.3 million people who have some connection with India, relate to that country on the cultural, language and traditional level. Thus ties with India are going from strength to strength. He also mentioned his meeting with the Indian Priem Minister Narendra Modi during the Vibrant Gujrat Summit where he gave a presentation and explained why Canada is the best place for investment and how other area of mutual interest can be explored. Sohi added as the middle class in both countries increases and gets stronger, the economy of both will grow and trade ties enhance. As an infrastructure minister, Sohi said his focus is on smart cities in Canada also. The government desires that municipalities utilize DESK REPORT TORONTO - Though the jokes of AAP's Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann against the Badals are being enjoyed greatly but his assets have come drastically after joining politics. Total assets of Mann who is fighting against Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in Jalalabad, have come down to IRs1.99 crore compared to IRs 4.30 crore declared at the time of filing his nomination papers in This shows a drop of 54% per a report shown by Association for Democratic Rights (ADR). Mann's annual income is IRs9.34 lakh per his last income tax return. Meanwhile the assets of Navjot Singh Sidhu, fighting for Congress from Amritsar East have jumped of 217% in eight years. He has total assets of IRs45.90 crore compared to Rs crore reported at the time of the 2009 parliamentary polls. Meanwhile Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has joint assets with his wife worth IRs102 crores. NRIs: We are not outsiders and have constitutional right to campaign in Punjab DESK REPORT BRAMPTON - Canada-based AAP volunteers have said they are not outsiders. They own land and families in Punjab. They stated this during a press conference. The press conference saw Joban Randhawa, Surinder Mavi and Jaskirat Mann who were founders of 'Chalo Punjab' in Canada along with a large number of NRIs who condemned Capt Amarinder adding they have every right to campaign for AAP. Joban Randhwa, youth convener of AAP in Toronto said over 35,000 NRIs will campaign in Punjab. He said Capt Amarinder Singh was frustrated after NRIs refused to support Congress. He visited USA and Canada to get support from the NRIs but he could not even enter Toronto and Vancouver. He said the NRIs were good as long as they funded Congress and Akali Dal but pronounced them terrorists if now they are supporting AAP. Surinder Mavi, AAP's convener in Canada said Capt Amarinder Singh was scared of NRIs and that was why he made the complaint to Election Commission. He said AAP will break the record of Delhi and win over 100 seats. Meanwhile, Jaskirat Mann said that a revolution was coming in Punjab against the corrupt. She also demanded an apology from Capt Amarinder Singh for his uncalled for comments. technology, encourage green energy, and have better transportation facilities. India is also looking at these areas. He informed for several years global surveys on cities have ranked some of Canada's cities as the best places to live. Thus in India his focus was to give this information to the Indian businessmen to invest in Canada that will help both countries grow at the global level. Sohi also visited the facility of Bombardier Inc. in India, which is one of Canada's major multinational aerospace and transportation company and the Brookfield Companies that have an equity of $230 billion. On the question of being invited as a VIP guest in a country where he was detained once, Sohi said the 1980s was a bad chapter in Indian history adding he condemns violence in all its forms. As an elected official of Canada his job was to represent his country in the best way but he loves India as he still has family and friends there. He thanked the people of Gujrat for extending such a warm welcome to him. Sohi said wherever he went, whether it was Mumbai or Delhi, he was received very well by people. On Trudeau's India visit, Sohi said no date or schedule has been set for his visit but Modi sent an invitation to Trudeau that he accepted. Black Money in Indian Politics Of Rs 11,000 crore political parties received in 11 years, nearly 70% came from unknown sources: ADR A new report by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has shown that two-thirds of the income generated by six national and 51 regional political parties between 2004 and 2015 was from unknown sources and hence untraceable. Based on the analysis of income tax returns filed by political outfits, the ADR has put the total income of political parties at Rs 11, crore over the 11-year period under study. Of that, a whopping Rs 7, crore was from unknown sources. Among the national parties (Congress, BJP, BSP, NCP, CPI and CPM), 83 per cent of the total income of the Congress and 65 per cent of the BJP came from unknown sources. Among regional parties, the Samajwadi Party received 94 per cent of its total income (in 11 years) from unknown sources. The second highest percentage (86) of income from unknown sources is that of the Shiromani Akali Dal. At present, political parties are not required to reveal the name of individuals or organisations giving less than Rs 20,000. The result: Bulk of the money received by political parties remains practically hidden. "We demand that all political parties start accepting donations digitally and promote financial transparency," said Jadgeep Chhokar, founder member of the ADR, an NGO that works to promote electoral reforms. Chhokar also called upon parties to stop evading coverage under the Right to Information Act and to promote democracy in real terms. The analysis shows the income of national parties from unknown sources increased by 313 per cent from Rs crore in to Rs 1, crore in The corresponding increase for regional parties was much higher at 652 per cent from Rs crore to Rs crore over the 11-year period. The BSP, a principal contender in UP, is the only party to consistently declare receiving nil donations above Rs 20,000 in 11 years! This means 100 per cent of the BSP's donations came from unknown sources even as the total income of the Mayawati led outfit rose by 2,057 per cent from Rs 5.19 crore in 2004 to Rs crore in Out of the 51 regional parties considered for the ADR report, 45 have not submitted their donations statements to the EC for at least one financial year. Jammu and Kashmir's ruling PDP is one of the 12 regional parties to have never filed their contribution report to the EC since Among national parties, the Congress has the highest total income of Rs 3, crore during the 11-year period under study, which is almost 43 per cent of the total income of all six national parties. The BJP has the second highest income of Rs 3, crore over these years, which is per cent of the total income of national parties. The CPM declared the third highest income at Rs crore, followed by the BSP at Rs crore, the NCP at Rs crore and the CPI at Rs crore. Based on these findings, the ADR today said since a large percentage of the income of political parties could not be traced to original donors, these should be made available to the public under the RTI Act. Anil Sharma of ADR said, "In several countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, the US and Japan, 75 per cent of the funding of political parties has to be from known sources." Improving GO Transit for Families in Peel Region ONTARIO - Ontario is building new transit infrastructure at the Cooksville GO station to help manage congestion, provide more transit options and improve commutes for families. Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to two prequalified teams to design, build and finance the Cooksville GO Station project. This station, located along the Milton Corridor in the City of Mississauga, requires upgrades to accommodate Metrolinx's plan to provide more service on the GO rail network. Dipika Damerla, MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville said: "This is terrific news for the people of Peel Region. Our community has asked for more GO Transit service and new infrastructure and we are thrilled to provide more options to help people get where they need to go." Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation said: "Our government is focused on delivering better transit options that will help get Ontario moving. These improvements to the Cooksville GO station are proof that we are committed to making your daily commute faster and more convenient than ever before." CANADIAN MINISTERS IN DAVOS WITH KLAUS SCHWAB, CHAIRMAN OF THE WEF. Canadian politician Ruby Dhalla is in Punjab these days and spoke in favour of the ruling Akali Dal. She said during a recent interview Punjab has seen immense development under Akali rule.

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7 TUESDAY, JANUARY AUGUST 28, 24, community MidWeek 7 BILL MORNEAU, FEDERAL MINISTER OF FINANCE DISCUSSING WAYS TO SUPPORT GLOBAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT WITH WORLD BANK AND GATES FOUNDATION. ALSO SEEN IN THE IMAGE IS BILL GATES. Alberta receive over $1.7 million in celebration of Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation FORT MCMURRAY - Fourteen communities in northern and central Alberta will receive a total of over $1.7 million through the Government of Canada's Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program, Canada 150 Fund and Canada Cultural Spaces Fund to help communities modernize local recreation facilities, as well as improve social and cultural infrastructure and programs. These funding programs are part of Canada 150 Celebrates, the Government of Canada's celebration of our country's 150th anniversary of Confederation. Budget 2016 provided an additional $150 million over two years to Canada's Regional Development Agencies and $168.2 million over two years through Canadian Heritage's Canada Cultural Spaces Fund to deliver community funding across the country. Through investments in community, social and cultural infrastructure and programs, the Government of Canada is supporting the legacy of many Canadians who have invested their time, energy and spirit into improving the cultural and recreational opportunities for people of all ages within their communities. "The Government of Canada recognizes that cultural and recreational activities bring communities together and contributes to our overall health and well-being. The renewed facilities and programs not only respond to the demand for community infrastructure improvements, but also provide us an opportunity to celebrate the people of this great country." Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. "The communities of Wood Buffalo have deep roots and a rich history. Investments like these help the people of our region connect with each other and celebrate our unique history and culture." - Melissa Blake, Mayor, Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. $100,000 to Improve St. Mary's Community Theatre SAULT STE. MARIE - The Government of Canada is investing $100,000 to assist with enhancements to the Community Theatre located at St. Mary's College. The funding will enable the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board to modernize the facility and create a more conducive environment to welcome local theatre performances and learning. Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and Minister responsible for FedNor, has announced this Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program investment. The new mid-sized theatre will allow festivals to bring in more acts, and provide local performing groups with more space to perform and hold productions. The Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program (CIP 150) funding, delivered in Northern Ontario through FedNor, is part of the Government of Canada's coordinated approach to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation. These investments across Canada will help create jobs, boost economic activity, strengthen communities, and celebrate Canada's rich heritage and history. "The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of investing in key community assets, such as the Community Theatre at St. Mary's College, which will provide an opportunity for residents of all ages to enjoy and participate in artistic and cultural activities." - Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and Minister responsible for FedNor "In addition to being able to host a wide variety of celebrations to honour and celebrate Sault Ste. Marie's cultural diversity and rich history, the venue will also be used for educational opportunities in performing arts and production technologies." - Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie. Ontario Provides Free Tuition for Eligible Students in Mississauga ONTARIO - Ontario is making college and university more affordable for students and families in Mississauga and across the province by making tuition free for over 150,000 students. Amrit Mangat, MPP for Mississauga-Brampton South, met with Grade 11 and 12 students and their teachers at Lincoln M. Alexander Secondary School to talk about how the province is transforming the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The new OSAP will make average tuition free for students whose families make less than $50,000 a year. Students from families that earn more will also benefit from more generous grants and loans, and about 80 per cent of all OSAP recipients will graduate with less provincial debt. More Ontario students are now graduating from postsecondary programs than ever before, but some people hesitate to apply for college or university because they worry about the cost. The new OSAP will help more students seek an advanced education, regardless of their family's income. By entering basic information at Ontario.ca/osap, in just a few clicks students will learn whether they qualify for free tuition and how much aid they could receive from the new OSAP. Expanding access to college and university is part of our government's plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives. "We are leveling the playing field so more students from Mississauga can go on to college or university regardless of their financial backgrounds. The new OSAP will build a more fair society by expanding access to education to help all people in Ontario- providing them with the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow and building up Ontario's economy." - Amrit Mangat, MPP for Mississauga- Brampton South "We're moving forward with the most ambitious reform of student financial assistance in North America because our government believes that a person's ability to access postsecondary education should be based on their ability to learn, and not on their ability to pay. The new OSAP will provide over 150,000 students across the province with free average tuition." - Deb Matthews, Deputy Premier, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Digital Government. BRAMPTON MPS - RAJ GREWAL, SONIA SIDHU, RUBY SAHOTA AND RAMESH SANGHA HAD LUNCH WITH NAVDEEP BAINS, MINISTER OF INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Peel Police Arrests Darshan Dhaliwal in Spiritual Scam PEEL - Investigators from the Peel Regional Police Fraud Bureau have arrested and charged a 40 year-old Brampton man for defrauding a resident of the City of Brampton. In July 2016 the accused Darshan Dhaliwal met with the victim and advised her that he had won a lottery and that he had a lot of good luck as he was very close to God. Dhaliwal obtained a large quantity of money from the victim and told her that he would bury the money in the ground and pray to remove the evil spirits and would return her money after the ceremony. Over a period of time the victim provided Dhaliwal with a large quantity of money and later was advised the evil spirits were contained in her jewelry and would need her jewelry to remove the evil spirits. The victim provided a large quantity of jewelry to Dhaliwal and after not receiving her money or jewelry back, contacted the Peel Regional Police. Darshan Dhaliwal, a 40 year-old male from Brampton was arrested and charged on Wednesday January 18, 2017 for Fraud Over $ and Breach of Recognizance. DHALIWAL was held for a Bail Hearing on Wednesday January 18, 2017 and will appear before an Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton. Approximately $61, in cash and jewelry was defrauded by Darshan Dhaliwal in this incident. Investigators believe there may be further victims who have not come forward and are requesting they contact police. PEEL REGIONAL POLICE WELCOME EQUITY AUDIT PEEL - On Wednesday January 18, 2017, The Regional Municipality of Peel Police Services Board released a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a vendor to conduct an employment equity and diversity professional review and/or audit. Peel Regional Police (PRP) is a progressive police organization and are always looking to improve. PRP have met and exceeded standards set by The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and Excellence Canada which are quality and excellence based programs. We welcome the equity audit and we are confident it will only further complement existing processes and procedures. "One of the goals we set in our Strategic Plan was to attract and retain a professional and skilled workplace that is reflective of our diverse community and addresses community growth. I am proud of the progress we have made over the past five years and welcome any recommendations that may help us further our goal," said Chief Jennifer Evans. PRP has a number of initiatives underway to help shape recruiting efforts within our community. Ontario Taking Next Steps on University Expansion in Brampton and Milton ONTARIO - Ontario is taking the next steps in its expansion of postsecondary education in Brampton and Milton, by helping create two new university sites and supporting new learning options for students and their families. The province is releasing a Request for Expressions of Interest, inviting universities to develop innovative proposals for the two sites. The government expects Ontario universities to demonstrate strong partnerships with colleges, as well as local communities, business, and other institutions. The schools will focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), and these new university sites will help to develop Ontario's highly skilled workforce by increasing experiential learning opportunities, assisting students to acquire the talent and skills they need to thrive in the knowledge economy, and encouraging partnerships in high-demand fields. These new sites mark the second phase of Ontario's major expansion of postsecondary infrastructure. In May 2015, Ontario announced the creation of the York University - Markham Centre campus in partnership with Seneca College. Increasing access to postsecondary education is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives. Increasing access to postsecondary education is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives. "Our government is investing in postsecondary infrastructure by supporting the creation of two new university-led postsecondary sites in the rapidly expanding communities of Brampton and Milton. In an effort to respond to a changing economy and ensure that Ontario's have the skills they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow, the sites will focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics?." - Deb Matthews, Ontario's Deputy Premier, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, and Minister Responsible for Digital Government I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH NEW US ADMINISTRATION: FREELAND CONTD. FROM PAGE 3 When asked what would be her role as Canada's new foreign affairs minister in keeping relations with the US balanced, Chrystia said: "Canadians and Americans know that trade brings greater prosperity to all of us, particularly the middle class. Our relationship is key to jobs and growth. We are clearly a pro-trade government and our deep people-to-people ties and strong integrated economies provide the basis for advancing our strong and prosperous partnership with our southern neighbour. When asked how does she see Canada's relations with the US in future, Chrystia added: "We are confident the new administration will see that Canada's partnership with the US mutually strengthens our two nations and provides real opportunities to grow our respective economies for the middle class. We will continue to work with the incoming administration on the interconnectedness and to the mutual benefit of our two economies." On relations with Russia, she said: "This government will continue to hold Russia to account on its unacceptable behavior, including in Ukraine. Our strategy is one of deterrence and dialogue. There is no progress without dialogue. We need deterrence and dialogue if we are to be effective over the longer term, and advance on Canadian interests." MOST MIWAY FARES FROZEN CHANGES TAKE EFFECT JAN 30 BRAMPTON - Starting on January 30, most MiWay fares will remain at 2016 rates, with the exception of adult and senior tickets. In addition, on May 1, the PRESTO single fare for post-secondary students will increase to $3 from $2.85, the same rate as the adult fare, which aligns with neighbouring transit systems.

8 8 MidWeek opinion TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 Punjab polls: No cake-walk for Badals this time BY JAIDEEP SARIN With the Punjab assembly polls turning into a three-horse race for the first time, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and deputy, Sukhbir Singh Badal, face the most serious electoral challenge of their careers. Unlike on earlier occasions, when the contest was a straight fight between the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) combine and the Congress, the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Punjab's political scene has spiced up the poll scenario, with three-cornered contests on most seats. And to make things tough for the ruling Akali Dal, the Congress and the AAP have fielded strong candidates against the Badals. Thus, for the first time in Punjab's political history, the February 4 assembly election will witness the biggest political fight for the Lambi assembly seat -- hitherto the elder Badal's pocket borough -- with Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh, a former Chief Minister ( ), throwing down the gauntlet. Badal, 89, has been representing the seat since "I am contesting from Lambi as I want to teach a lesson to those who have looted and ruined Punjab. I will make a man out of him (Badal)," said Amarinder Singh, who turns 75 in March and has announced that this is the last election of his political life. However, playing it safe, Amarinder Singh is also contesting his home seat of Patiala-Urban. The Akali Dal has tried to spice up the contest for this seat by fielding Gen J.J. Singh, the first Sikh chief of the Indian Army and former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. It was the AAP which first upped the ante on the Lambi seat by fielding Delhi lawmaker Jarnail Singh, who came into the limelight for throwing a shoe at the then Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram, in Delhi in 2009, to take on Badal senior. Lambi falls in the Malout subdivision of Muktsar district of southwest Punjab. It is part of the Bathinda parliamentary constituency which is represented in the Lok Sabha by Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Badal (Sukhbir Badal's wife and the Chief Minister's daughter-in-law). Badal village, where the Chief Minister hails from, is part of this constituency. The AAP has made the election for the Jalalabad assembly seat, held by Sukhbir Badal, interesting this time by fielding sitting Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur, comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann. The Congress has stirred the pot further by fielding Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu for the seat. However, both Mann and Bittu are playing it safe as both will continue to remain MPs even if they lose against Sukhbir Badal. "I welcome them (to Jalalabad). They will lose their security deposits. Let them have some fun by roaming around here," said Badal junior, who is upbeat about his and the Akali Dal's prospects. At both Lambi and Jalalabad, the attempt by the Congress and AAP is to corner the Badals on their home turf, bog them down in their constituencies and curtail their campaigning elsewhere. Published By Asian World Today Inc. 1310, Midway Blvd, Unit # 31, Mississauga Ontario L5T 2K5 Direct Line Tel: Fax: For Advertising yudhvir@southasiandaily.com ads@midweektoronto.com YUDHVIR JASWAL CHIEF EDITOR & CEO yudhvir@southasiandaily.com GURPREET SINGH LOONA MEDIA COORDINATOR MidWeek SUNIL VERMA GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT NAVEEN SHARMA INDIA MARKETING HEAD SHAZIA MALIK ASSOCIATE EDITOR DR. PUSHPINDER BRAR CONTRIBUTING WRITER ALI - NICE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHERS BASHIR NASIR PHOTOGRAPHERS THAPLIYAL & RAI LAW OFFICE LEGAL ADVISOR Newspaper Published in English every Tuesday Radio SOUTHASIAN PULSE Prime Time Mon to Fri - 10:00 AM to 12 Noon on 770AM Drive Time Mon to Fri - 3:00 PM to 4 PM on 770AM LISTEN TO SOUTH ASIAN PULSE RADIO ON YOUR MOBILE Local Number Toronto: Local Number Montreal: To Listen in US: Television SOUTHASIAN 360TV Rogers basic Cable Channel 10 Every Thursday from 9:30-10:30pm Friday from 8-9pm Saturday from 5-6pm Online ONLY News Portal for Southasian-Canadians Cricket CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL CRICKET (CPC) 6th Annual CPC Inter-City Cricket Cup Starting June Months of Non-stop cricket action Events Annual Midweek Southasian Awards SP-CONGRESS ALLIANCE: WILL THIS HAND-SHAKE WARM UP VOTERS? ANALYSIS The electoral pact between the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress is a done thing now. But as both parties work out the finer details of the alliance, likely to be announced any time now, the winnability of the combination in a state as complex as Uttar Pradesh is in question. Will the combination keep the Muslim vote in toto? Will the alliance's premise of preventing fragmentation of Muslim votes not polarise the Hindu community in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)? Will Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati be a mute spectator and allow her minority vote bank to slip out of her hands? The jury is still undecided on the likely effects of the alliance. Though it has raised many questions, it has, nevertheless, given a head-start to both the beleaguered parties caught in problems of their own. While SP national president and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, through the tie-up,has emerged as the new strategist in his party and also as a "largely acceptable leader" in the political spectrum, the Congress, which has been pushed to the sidelines of the state's politics since 1989, has come back into the reckoning for some consolation returns. The Congress, after ruling the state for many decades, had the alarm bells first ringing in 1989 when its tally from a majority party dropped to 94 seats in the then house of 426. The number further dwindled to 46 in 1991, 28 in 1993, 33 in 1996, 25 in 2002 and 2007 (when the house had 403 seats after the creation of Uttarakhand) and 28 seats in the 2012 assembly elections. The voting pattern over these years suggests that the traditional supporters of the Congress -- Dalits, Muslims and upper castes -- have deserted it and shifted to parties like the SP (Muslims) and the BSP (Dalits), while the upper caste Thakurs and Brahmins have moved to the BJP. The party's high command has failed to inspire the state unit or allow a strong local leadership to emerge. The Congress has been relegated to the fourth position in the state and its influence has been restricted to pocket boroughs like Amethi, Rae Bareily and Sultanpur. In these three districts too, the SP won 12 of the 15 assembly constituencies in The Peace Party -- a regional outfit -- won one and the Congress just two. This was after an extensive campaign by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Gandhi family members. In the past few months, the Congress seems to have gained some ground through its various missions like the "Kisan Yatra" undertaken by Rahul Gandhi and "27 saal, UP Behaal", which sought to send out a message to its traditional voters that the state has been ruined by BSP, SP and BJP governments. Of these 27 years, the SP ruled for a good 15 years under Mulayam Singh Yadav. Now, to tie up with one of these, that too with a party which has a fairly strong anti-incumbency factor, party insiders aver, was going to hurt the party's "anticipated acceptance and upswing. It is a bad compromise, piggybacking Akhilesh Yadav will help him but not us," a senior UPCC member contended. The Congress organisational structure, which was in tatters over the past two decades, was shaken up this time, largely due to intervention of election strategist Prashant Kishor and his innovative ideas. The number of people seeking the Congress ticket too had swelled this time. "The party has decided to go with the "cycle" to stop the forward march of the BJP; let's see how much we succeed with the idea," said a worried veteran who remained edgy about the ability of both the parties to transfer their votes in bulk to each other. The state unit of the BJP said it is ecstatic about the SP- Congress coming together. "We have always been saying that SP is the B team of a thoroughly corrupt Congress, we have just been proved right," said state BJP General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak. "People have still not forgotten the 2G, 3G, JijaG scams and are opposed to anything and everything that has to do with Congress," he added. A western Uttar Pradesh stalwart of the BJP said the coming together of the "two minority-appeasing parties" will also have a "polarisation of Hindus in its favour, specially in western Uttar Pradesh which will set the poll pattern in the state in the first phase". For the combine to come anywhere near the finishing line, the traditional vote banks of these parties must transfer en masse to each other and also rally behind them, said a political observer here. State unit leaders of the Congress, especially state unit chief Raj Babbar, is said to be not-too-comfortable with the alliance as he was once in the SP and thereafter had a frigid relationship with Akhilesh Yadav after he defeated his wife Dimple Yadav in a by-election for the Firozabad seat. For the SP too, the situation seems to have stemmed out of a compromise formula and a desperate bid to regain power, specially after the bitter feud in the party. SP traditionally has been an anti-congress party and its senior leaders like Mohd Azam Khan will find it difficult now to canvass jointly with Congress leaders. All Rights Reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be printed without the written consent of the publisher. DISCLAIMER: Asian World Today Inc. assumes all advertisers to be reliable and responsible for any and all liability from their claims. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement he may see unfit for publication. The opinions expressed in Midweek may not be those of the publisher. DISCLAIMER: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PAGE ARE THE PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THE AUTHORS.THE INFORMATION, FACTS OR OPINIONS APPEARING IN THE ARTICLES DO NOT REFLECT VIEWS OF MIDWEEK AND ITS MANAGEMENT AND SO THE PAPER DOES NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR THE SAME.

9 TUESDAY, JANUARY AUGUST 28, 24, canada MidWeek 9 Minister Bains welcomes $90-million innovation investment in Canada OTTAWA - Canadians will develop next-generation solutions for electric vehicles as a result of a $90-million investment by Swiss engineering firm ABB, which is establishing a new headquarters and research and development centre in Montréal. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, welcomed the investment after meeting in Davos with Ulrich Spiesshofer, President and Chief Executive Officer of ABB. The new Montréal headquarters, set to open in 2017, will maintain 700 jobs and consolidate ABB's research and development, manufacturing, assembly and testing facilities under one roof. The new facility will also house the company's North American Centre for Excellence in e-mobility, which will focus on developing energy-management solutions for electric buses and trains. This investment will put Canada on the map in a number of emerging technologies, such as robotics and Internet-connected devices, that will power the industrial systems of the future. The Government of Canada's Innovation Agenda aims to make this country a global centre for innovation-one that drives economic growth and leads to better skills, jobs and opportunities for all Canadians. Minister Bains and Dr. Spiesshofer discussed additional ABB investment opportunities in research and development related to the Internet of Things, robotics and the automation of food processing. The Minister expressed his commitment to ongoing engagement with ABB on investment opportunities that will strengthen Canada's innovation ecosystem and create jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it. "When global companies look to invest, many seek the most innovative countries-the ones with the most creative and entrepreneurial people who can turn ideas into solutions. ABB's decision to select Canada for its flagship North American operations is a clear vote of confidence in the talent and expertise of highly skilled Canadians. As a result of this investment, Canadians will develop next-generation industrial systems and the skills needed for the jobs of the future." - Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development "As a pioneering technology leader, ABB is helping its customers unlock value from digitalization and the Energy and Fourth Industrial revolutions. With its excellent universities and associated ecosystem, Canada provides all the right ingredients for research and development needed to develop global technology platforms. There are huge opportunities in making transportation systems smarter and greener. At ABB, we want to run the world without consuming the Earth."- Ulrich Spiesshofer, President and Chief Executive Officer, ABB TRUDEAU ANNOUNCES CHIEF GOVERNMENT WHIP OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has announced that Pablo Rodriguez, Member of Parliament for Honoré-Mercier, has agreed to serve as Chief Government Whip. Rodriguez was the Member of Parliament for Honoré-Mercier from 2004 to 2011 and returned in He was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities in December of that year. A graduate in business administration, Rodriguez worked in the field of international development for nearly 10 years for a Montréal based non-governmental organization. As a Member of Parliament, Rodriguez has taken on numerous responsibilities, including as the official spokesperson for culture, languages, economic development, and La Francophonie. He has also been closely involved in efforts to address climate change and to protect and promote culture, language, and minority rights. "Pablo Rodriguez is an experienced parliamentarian who has shown great commitment to the important work we do on behalf of Canadians and their families. He will ensure our members in Parliament are on time and at the right locations, and that they remain focused on implementing the priorities of the Government of Canada. Pablo has the respect and confidence of myself and the whole caucus, and I know he will carry out his new duties with professionalism, dedication, and care." Justin Trudeau. New Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the appointment of Andrew Leslie, Member of Parliament for Orléans, to the position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In this new position, Leslie will assume special responsibilities for the Canada-U.S. relationship and play a critical role in building ties with the new U.S. administration. Leslie was first elected in the Orléans riding in As a retired Lieutenant-General, he has a strong background in public service. His dedicated service has been recognized both domestically and internationally on numerous occasions during his 35-year career with the Canadian Armed Forces. Leslie, currently the Chief Government Whip, will take up his responsibilities as Parliamentary Secretary on January 30, His successor as Chief Government Whip will be announced in the coming days. Trudeau said: "I thank Andy for his outstanding service as Chief Government Whip, and I am delighted he has agreed to take on the role of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs with special responsibilities for the Canada-U.S. relationship. Life, Critical illness, Disability & Travel Insurance, RRSP, RESP & TFSA

10 10 MidWeek TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 AAP SAD / BJP CONGRESS Sujanpur(GEN) Bhoa(SC) Pathankot (GEN) Gurdaspur(GEN) Dina Nagar(SC) Qadian (GEN) Batala(GEN) Sri Hargobindpur(SC) Fatehgarh Churian(GEN) Dera Baba Nanak(GEN) Ajnala(GEN) Raja Sansi(GEN) Majitha(GEN) Jandiala (SC) Amritsar North Amritsar West (SC) Amritsar Central Amritsar East Amritsar South(GEN) Attari(SC) Tarn Taran(GEN) Khemkaran (GEN) Patti (GEN) Khadoor Sahib (GEN) Baba Bakala(SC) Bholath(GEN) Kapurthala(GEN) Sultanpur Lodhi(GEN) Phagwara Phillaur(SC) Nakodar(GEN) Shahkot(GEN) Kartarpur(SC) Jalandhar West(SC) Jalandhar Central (GEN) Jalandhar North(GEN) Jalandhar Cantt. (GEN) Adampur(SC) Mukerian(GEN) Dasuya(GEN) Urmar(GEN) Sham Chaurashi(SC) Hoshiarpur(GEN) Chabbewal(SC) Garhshankar(GEN) Banga(SC) Nawan Shahr(GEN) Balachaur(GEN) Anandpur Sahib(GEN) Rupnagar(GEN) Chamkaur Sahib(SC) Kharar(GEN) SAS Nagar (GEN) Bassi Pathana(SC) Fatehgarh Sahib(GEN) Amloh(GEN) Khanna(GEN) Samrala(GEN) Sahnewal(GEN) Ludhiana East(GEN) Ludhiana (Central) Ludhiana West(GEN) Gill(SC) Payal(SC) Dakha(GEN) Raikot(SC) Jagraon(SC) Nihal Singh Wala(SC) Bagha Purana (GEN) Moga(GEN) Dharamkot(GEN) Zira(GEN) Firozpur City GEN) Firozpur Rural(SC) Guru Har Sahai (GEN) Jalalabad Fazilka(GEN) Abohar(GEN) Balluana (SC) Lambi(GEN) Gidderbaha(GEN) Malout(SC) Muktsar (GEN) Faridkot(GEN) Kotkapura(GEN) Jaito(SC) Rampura Phull (GEN) Bhucho Mandi(SC) Bathinda Urban(GEN) Bathinda Rural(SC) Talwandi Sabo Maur(GEN) Mansa(GEN) Sardulgarh(GEN) Budhlada(SC) Lehra(GEN) Dirba(SC) Sunam(GEN) Bhadaur(SC) Barnala(GEN) Mehal Kalan(SC) Malerkotla(GEN) Dhuri(GEN) Sangrur (GEN) Nabha(SC) Patiala Rural(GEN) Rajpura (GEN) Dera Bassi(GEN) Ghanaur(GEN) Sanour (GEN) Patiala Urban Samana(GEN) Shutrana(SC) Kulbhushan Singh Manhas Amarjit Thekedar Rajkumar Mahajan Amarjeet Singh Chahal Joginder Chinna Kanwalpreet Singh Kaki Gurpreet Singh Waraich Advocate Amarpal Singh Gurvinder Singh Gurpartap Singh Khushalpur Rajpreet Singh Randhawa Jagjot Singh Dhillon Himmat Singh Shergil Harbhajan Singh Manish Agarwal Balwinder Singh Sahota Dr. Ajay Gupta Sarabjot Singh Dhanjal Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar Jasvinder Singh Jahagir Kartar Singh Capt. Bikramajit Singh Pahuwindia Ranjit Singh Cheema Bhupinder Singh Bittu Dalbir Singh Tong Sukhpal Khaira Sukhwant Singh Padda Sajjan Singh Cheema Jarnail Singh Nangal Swaroop Singh Khadiana Sarwan Singh Hayer Dr. Amarjit Singh Thind Chandan Grewal Darshan Lal Bhagat Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Sharma Gulshan Sharma Harkrishan Singh Walia Hans Raj Rana Sulkhan Singh Jaggi Balbir Kaur Phull Jasveer Singh Gill Dr. Ravjot Singh Paramjit Sachdeva Raman Kumar Jai KIshan Singh Rodi Harjiot Kaur Charanjit Singh Channi Brid. Raj Kumar Dr Sanjeev Gautam Amarjit Singh Dr. Charanjit Singh Kanwar Sandhu Narinder Shergil Santokh Singh Lakhbir Singh Rai Gurpreet Singh Anil Dutt Phalli Sarbansh Singh Harjot Singh Bains Daljit Singh Grewal Vipan Kaka Sood Ahbaab Singh Grewal Jeewan Sanghwal Gurpreet Singh Adv. H S Phoolka Jagtar Singh Jagga Hissowal Sarvjit Kaur Manuke Manjit Singh Bilaspur Capt. Gurbinder Singh Kang Adv. Ramesh Grover Daljit SIngh Sardarpura Gurpreet Singh Gora Narinder Singh Sandha Mohan Singh Malkiat Singh Thind Bhagwant Mann Samarbir Singh Atul Nagpal SImarjit SIngh Jarnail Singh Jagdeep Singh Sandhu Baldev Singh Azad Jagdeep Singh Brar Gurditt Singh Kultar Singh Master Baldev Singh Manjit Singh Sidhu Master Jagseer Singh Deepak Bansal Rupinder Kaur Prof. Baljinder Kaur Jagdev Singh Kamalu Nazar Singh Manshahia Sukhwinder Singh Mann Budhram Principal Jasvir Kudani Harpal Cheema Aman Arora Parimal Singh Meet Hayer Kulwant Singh Pandhuri Arshad Dali Jasvir Singh Sekhon(Jassi) Dinesh Bansal Gurdev Mann(Dev Mann) Karan Tiwana Ashutosh Joshi Sarabjit Kaur Anu Randhawa Kuldeep Kaur Tohra Dr Balbir SIngh Jagtar Singh Rajala Palwinder Kaur Sujanpur Bhoa (SC) Pathankot Dina Nagar (SC) Amritsar North Amritsar West (SC) Amritsar Central Amritsar East Phagwara (SC) Jalandhar West (SC) Jalandhar Central Jalandhar North Mukerian Dasuya Hoshiarpur Anandpur Sahib Ludhiana Central Ludhiana West Ludhiana North Firozpur City Fazilka Abohar Rajpura Gurdaspur Qadian Batala Sri Hargobindpur Fatehgarh Churian Dera Baba Nanak Ajnala Raja sansi Majitha Jandiala Amritsar South Attari Tarn Taran Khem karan Patti Khadoor Sahib Baba Bakala Bholath Kapurthala Sultanpur Lodhi Phillaur Nakodar Shahkot Kartarpur Jalandhar Cantt Adampur Urmar Sham Chaurasi Chabbewal Garhshankar Banga Nawan shahr Balachaur Rupnagar Chamkaur Sahib Kharar S.A.S. Nagar Bassi Pathana Fatehgarh Sahib Amloh Khanna Samrala Sahnewal Ludhiana East Ludhiana South Atam Nagar Gill Payal Dakha Raikot Jagraon Nihal Singh Wala Bagha Purana Moga Dharamkot Zira Firozpur Rural Guru Har Sahai Jalalabad Balluana Lambi Giddarbaha Malout Muktsar Faridkot Kotkapura Jaitu Rampura Phul Bhucho Bathinda Urban Bathinda Rural Talwandi Sabo Maur Mansa Sardulgarh Budhlada Lehra Dirba Sunam Bhadaur Barnala Mehal Kalan Malerkotla Amargarh Dhuri Sangrur Nabha Patiala Rural Dera Bassi Ghanaur Sanour Patiala Samana Shutrana Shri Dinesh Singh Babbu, Sitting MLA Smt. Seema Kumari, Sitting MLA Shri Ashwani Sharma, Sitting MLA Shri V.D. Dhupad Shri Anil Joshi, MLA Shri Rakesh Gill Shri Tarun Chugh Shri Rajesh Hani Shri Somprakash, MLA Shri Mohindra Bhagat Shri Manoranjan Kalia, MLA Shri K.D. Bhandari, Sitting MLA Shri Arunesh Shakar Smt. Sukhjeet Kaur Sahi, Sitting MLA Shri Tikshan Sood Shri Parmindra Sharma Shri Gurudev Sharma Devi Shri Kamal Chetli Shri Praveen Bansal Shri Sukhlal Singh "Nannu" Shri Surjeet Jyani, MLA Shri Arun Narang Shri Harjeet Singh Grewal Gurbachan Singh Babbehali Sewa Singh Sekhwan Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal Mr. Manjit Singh Nirmal Singh Kahlon Sucha Singh Langah Amarpal Singh 'Bony' Veer Singh Lopoke Bikram Singh Majithia Dr Dalbir Singh Gurpartap Singh Tikka Gulzar Singh Ranike Harmeet Singh Sandhu Virsa Singh Valtoha Adaish Partap Singh Kairon Ravinder Singh Brahmpura Mr. Malkiat Singh Yuvraj Bhupinder Singh Paramjit Singh Pamma Upinderjit Kaur Baldev Singh Khaira Gurpartap Singh Wadala Ajit Singh Kohar Satpal Mall Sarabjit Singh Makkar Pawan Kumar Tinu Arvinder Singh Rasoolpur Bibi Mohinder Kaur Josh Sohan Singh Thandal Surinder Singh Bhullewal Rathan Sukhwinder Singh 'Sukhi' Jarnail Singh Wahid Nand Lal Daljit Singh Cheema Nirmal Singh Mr. Ranjit Singh Gill Tejinder Pal Singh Sidhu Darbara Singh Guru Didar Singh Bhatti Gurpreet Singh 'Raju' Khanna Ranjit Singh Talwandi Santa Singh Umaidpur Sharanjit Singh Dhillon Ranjit Singh Dhillon Hira Singh Gabria Gurmeet Singh Kular Darshan Singh Shivalik Isher Singh Meharban Manpreet Singh Ayali Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal Amarjit Kaur Sahoke SR Kler Teerath Singh Mahla Mr. Barjinder Singh Tota Singh Hari Singh Zira Joginder Singh Jindu Vardev Singh Maan Sukhbir Singh Badal Parkash Singh Bhatti Parkash Singh Badal (Punjab CM) Hardeep Singh 'Dimpy' Dhillon Mr. Darshan Singh Kotfatta Kanwarjeet Singh 'Rozy' Barkandi Parambans Singh 'Bunty' Romana Mantar Singh Brar Suba Singh Badal Sikander Singh Maluka Mr. Harpreet Singh Sarup Chand Singla Mr. Amit Ratan Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu Janmeja Singh Sekhon Jagdeep Singh Nakai Dilraj Singh Bhunder Nishan Singh Parminder Singh Dhindsa Gulzar Singh Gobind Singh Longowal Balvir Singh Ghunas Surinderpal Singh Sibia Ajeet Singh Shant Mohammad Owais Iqbal Singh Jhundan Hari Singh (Preet Tractors) Parkash Chand Garg Kabir Dass Satbir Singh Khatra NK Sharma Harpreet Kaur Mukhmailpur Harinder Pal Singh Chandumajra Gen JJ Singh Surjit Singh Rakhra Vaninder Kaur Loomba Sujanpur Bhoa - SC Pathankot Gurdaspur Dina Nagar - SC Qadian Batala Sri Hargobindpur - SC Fatehgarh Churian Dera Baba Nanak Ajnala Raja Sansi Majitha Jandiala - SC Amritsar North Amritsar - West - SC Amritsar Central Amritsar East Amritsar South Attari - SC Tarn Taran Khom Karan Patti Khadoor Sahib Baba Bakala - SC Bholath Kapurthala Sultanpur Lodhi Phagwara - SC Phillaur - SC Nakodar Shahkot Kartarpur - SC Jalandhar West Jalandhar Central Jalandhar North Jalandhar Cantt. Adampur - SC Mukerian Dasuya Urmar Sham Chaurasi- SC Hoshiarpur Chabbewal - SC Garhshankar Banga Nawan Shahr Balachaur Anandpur Sahib Rup Nagar Chamkaur Sahib - SC Kharar S.A.S. Nagar Bassi Pathana - SC Fatehgarh Sahib Amloh Khanna Samrala Sahnewal Ludhiana East Ludhiana South Atam Nagar Ludhiana Central Ludhiana West Ludhiana North Gill - SC Payal - SC Dakha Rajkot - SC Jagraon SC Nihal Singhwala - SC Bhagha Purana Moga Dharamkot Zira Firozpur City Firozpur Rural - SC Guru Har Sahai Jalalabad Fazilka Abohar Balluana - SC Lambi Glddorbaha Malout - SC Muktsar Faridkot Kotkapura Jaltu - SC Rampura Phul Bhucho Mandi Bathinda Urban Bathinda Rural - SC Talwandi Sabo Maur Mansa Sardulgarh Budhlada - SC Lehra Dirba - SC Sunam Bhadaur - SC Barnala Mehal Kalan - SC Malerkotla Amargarh Dhuri Sangrur Nabha - Sc Patiala - Rural Rajpura Dera Bassi Ghanaur Sanour Patiala Samana Shutrana - SC Amit Singh Manto Joginder Pal Singh Amit Vij S/o Anil Vij Barindollt Singh Pahra Aruna Chaudhary Fatehjang Singh Bajwa Ashwani Sekhri Balwinder Singh Laddi Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa Harpratap Singh Ajnala Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majthia Sukhwinder Singh Danny Sunil Datti Raj Kumar Verka Om Prakash Soni Navjot Singh Sidhu Inderbir Singh Bolaria Tarsem Singh DC Dharamvir Agnihotri Sukhpal Singh Bhullar Harminder Singh Gill Ramanjit Singh Sikki Santok Singh Bhalaipur Ranjit Singh Rana Gurjeet Singh Navtej Singh Cheema Joginder Singh Mann Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary Jagbir Singh Brar Hardev Singh Laddi Ch. Surindor Singh Sushil Kumar 'Rinku' Rajinder Beri Avtar Singh Sanghera Pargat Singh Mohinder Singh Kay Pee Rajnish Kumar Arun Dogra Sangat Singh Gilzian Pawan Adia Sunder Sham Arora Dr. Raj Kumar Lov Kumar Goldy Satnam Singh Kainth Angad Saini Chaudhary Darshan Lal Mangepur Rana K. P. Singh Barinder Dhillon Charanjit Singh Channi Jagmohan Singh Kang Balbir Singh Sidhu Gurpreet Singh GP Kuljeet Singh Nagra Randeep Singh Nabha Gurkirat Singh Kotli Amrik Singh Dhillon Satwinder Kaur Bitti Sanjiv Talwar Bhupinder Sidhu Kamaljit Singh Karwal Surinder Kumar Dawar Bharat Bhushan Ashu Rakesh Pandey Kuldeep Singh Vaid Lakhvir Singh Lakha Major Singh Bhaini Dr. Amar Singh Malkiat Singh Dakha Rajwinder Kaur Bhagikay Darshan Singh Brar Dr. Harlot Karnal Kaka Sukhjit Singh Lohgarh Kulbir Singh Parminder Singh Pinky Satkar Kaur Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi Ravneet Singh Bittu Davinder Gubaya Sunil Kumar Jakhar Nathu Ram Capt. Amarinder Singh Amdndor Singh Raja Warring Ajaib Singh Bhatti Karon Kaur Brar Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon Bhai Harnirpal Singh Kuku Mohd. Sadique Gurpreet Singh Kangar Pntam Singh Kotbhai Manpreet Singh Badal Harvindor Singh Laddi Khushbaj Singh Jatana Harrninder Singh Jassi Dr. Manju Bansal Ajit Rider Singh Mofar Ranjit Kaur Bhatti Rajinder Kaur Bhattal Ajaib Singh Rataul Daman Thind Bajwa Nirmal Singh NImma Kewal Singh Dhillon Harchand Kaur Razia Sultana Surjoot Singh Dhiman Dalvir Singh Goldy Vijay lnder Singla Sadhu Singh Dharamsot Brahm Mohindra Hardiyal Singh Kamboj Deepinder Singh Dhilton Madan Lal Jalalpur Harinder Singh Mann Capt. Amarinder Singh Rajinder Singh Nirmal Singh

11 TUESDAY, JANUARY AUGUST 28, 24, MidWeek 11

12 12 MidWeek india TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 PEOPLE IN TAMIL NADU PROTESTING AGAINST COURT RULING FOR JALLIKATTU. KEJRIWAL SELF-PROCLAIMED CJ OF INDIAN POLITICS: BJP NEW DELHI, (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is a "selfproclaimed Chief Justice of Indian politics", the BJP today said as it accused him of denigrating credibility of the Election Commission and the voting process by his bribery remarks. "Kejriwal wants to be Delhi Chief Minister on odd days, Punjab Chief Minister on even days and Goa Chief Minister on holidays. But, now when his desire to become Chief Ministers of three states at the same time has shattered, he is frustrated and saying all this," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said. The Aam Aadmi Party supremo had stirred up a hornet's nest during an election rally in Goa earlier this month where he had asked people to accept money offered by the political parties, but vote for AAP only. By asking voters to accept bribe, Kejriwal is instigating the people towards corruption, against which his entire politics is based, Patra told reporters here. "Kejriwal, a self-proclaimed Chief Justice of Indian politics who also has a constitution bench of corrupt ministers, has again and again repeated his bribery remarks. By doing this he is not only denigrating the credibility of Election Commission but also the entire voting process," he said. KEJRIWAL 'NON RESIDENT CM' OF DELHI: BJP NEW DELHI, (PTI) With Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal busy campaigning for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in poll bound states, the BJP dubbed him as "non resident CM" of Delhi as he is rarely seen in the National Capital. Kejriwal who once talked about Janta Darbar has "no time to listen to the greivances" of the Aam Admi in Delhi, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said in a statement. "People can go to Chhatrasaal stadium tomorrow where they may get a glimpse of non-resident Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is otherwise rarely seen in Delhi." Kejriwal is the National Convener of the AAP and the party's main campaigner in the assembly election in Punjab and Goa. People of Delhi elected Arvind Kejriwal with great hopes of easy accessibility but he remains out of Delhi "most of the times" and whenever he is here he lives under a "two tier security" with "no assess" for the people, Tiwari alleged. "A man(kejriwal) who is today raising hopes of Janta Darbar before the people of Punjab and Goa befooled the people of Delhi with similar promises and after the first Janta Darbar of January, 2014, Delhi is yet to witness the Chief Minister hearing grievances of the Aam Aadmi," he said. With Aam Admi Party hoping to form government in poll bound Punjab and Goa, Kejriwal and his ministers as well as party MLAs are busy campaigning in the two states inviting criticism from BJP and Congress. The state level Republic Day celebration of Delhi government will be organised at Chhatrasal stadium tomorrow where Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will unfurl the national flag. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, ministers of the government and ruling party MLAs will be present on the occasion. PRIYANKA CONGRESS' STAR CAMPAIGNER FOR UP NEW DELHI, (PTI) Priyanka Gandhi, being credited by Congress for playing an active role in stitching an alliance with Samajwadi Party, will be her party's star campaigner along with Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh. Her name figures among the 40 star campaigners that the Congress has finalised and forwarded to the Election Commission today for the first phase of Uttar Pradesh polls. Though she does not hold any political post in the Congress, Priyanka has turned active ever since her brother and party Vice President Rahul assumed a leadership role after her mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi started not keeping well. Her inclusion in the star campaigners list assumes significance as there have been demands by partymen for her playing a more active role in Uttar Pradesh elections. Priyanka has confined herself to Rae Bareily and Amethi Lok Sabha constituencies represented by Sonia and Rahul in the past, which fall under the second phase of UP polls. Sonia and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are also among the star campaigners list for UP. Jallikattu law passed by assly; 20 cops injured in violence CHENNAI, (PTI) The six-day-old stir over jallikattu turned violent today after an early morning crackdown on the protesters here, leaving over 20 police personnel injured even as the Tamil Nadu assembly moved swiftly and passed a bill replacing an ordinance for conducting the bull taming sport. A senior police official told PTI that 90 per cent of the protesters at Marina beach, the epicentre of the agitation, predominantly by students and youth, had vacated the area by late evening and that normalcy was being restored. Reports said most protestors in other parts of the state like Madurai, Erode and Coimbatore were either evicted or had left on their own, heeding the appeal of police. However, the crackdown had a ripple effect in the city and elsewhere, where normal life was affected, with protesters staging road blocks and state transport buses being withdrawn at many places. The government moved quickly to get the amendment bill to replace the jallikattu ordinance promulgated two days ago, passed in the assembly in the evening session. The "Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment), Act, 2017", piloted by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, was passed by voice vote with the support of opposition DMK and other parties. It said the "Government of Tamil Nadu has decided to exempt jallikattu from the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act." On an eventful day, police set on an early morning crackdown at Marina after issuing an advisory asking students to leave. They said students' protests had been successful as jallikattu had been held yesterday following the state issuing the ordinance. Former Madras High Court Judge Hari Paranthaman also spoke to the protesting youngsters, explaining to them the technical specifications of the state government's amendment to the PCA Act. According to a senior police official, "90 per cent of the protesters at Marina Beach have left." INDIA, UAE HOLD FIRST STRATEGIC DIALOGUE NEW DELHI, (PTI) India and the UAE today held their first strategic dialogue during which they finalised the Strategic Cooperation Agreement aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation to new key areas including energy, defence and security that will be signed during the visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi next week. During the dialogue, co-chaired by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs M J Akbar and his UAE counterpart Anwar Gargash, the two sides "agreed on a number of new initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation and on signing of fresh instruments of cooperation", External Affairs Ministry said. Noting that the first dialogue took place pursuant to the decision to elevate the relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the exchange of the visits at the highest level between India and the UAE in August 2015 and February 2016, MEA in a release said the two sides were represented by strong delegations drawn from a number of relevant ministries and departments. This is the second visit of the Crown Prince to India who travelled here in February He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials and captains of industry. During the visit, the two sides will also explore ways to strengthen trade ties. The two countries have been among each other's top trading partners with a well-balanced bilateral trade of about USD 50 billion in "UAE is among the top investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments. It contributes significantly to India's energy security and is the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India in ," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said. Noting that there was about 2.6 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in UAE, he had also said, "Their positive and well-appreciated contribution in the development of their host country has been an important anchor of our excellent bilateral engagement. Liquor worth Rs 16 lakh seized on UP-Haryana border MUZAFFARNAGAR, (PTI) Police have seized 360 cartons of liquor, worth Rs 16 lakh, in Kairana in Shamli district while the consignment was being transported from Haryana to poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, police said. A truck containing the cartons of liquor was intercepted at Yamuna bridge check post at Kairana in Shamli district yesterday evening, Circle Officer of Police Bhushan Verma said. The liquor was being smuggled from neighbouring Haryana where alcohol is cheaper than Uttar Pradesh, police said. Police have intensified vigil to prevent liquor smuggling ahead of the February-March Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. A case has been registered and a search to nab the accused is on, Verma said.

13 TUESDAY, JANUARY AUGUST 28, 24, india MidWeek 13 PUNJAB ELECTIONS 2017 Punjab Pradesh Congress committee chief Captain Amarinder addressing media with Navjot Singh Sidhu in Amritsar. Sidhu working as paid employee of Congress: Sukhbir Badal CHANDIGARH, (PTI) SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal today alleged that nothing Navjot Singh Sidhu says can be taken at face value as he is working as a "paid employee" of Congress. Claiming that Sidhu has always been ready to "sell himself to the highest bidder", he alleged, "Sidhu is working as a paid employee of Congress. Yesterday he was with BJP, after that with AAP and now with Congress. Tomorrow he may be with someone else." "Like his political parties, Sidhu has also changed his political Gurus repeatedly," Sukhbir said in a statement. "Earlier he used to call Arun Jaitely as his political guru. But when his guru came to Amritsar to contest the Lok Sabha elections he abandoned his guru," the SAD president alleged. "Then he made AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal his guru for a short period before choosing Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. This is the same Rahul whom Sidhu used to call 'Pappu'," he alleged. Kejriwal ask Jalalabad residents to defeat Sukhbir JALALABAD(PB), (PTI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today asked the residents here to defeat "corrupt" SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal in the February 4 Punjab assembly polls. He said the people of Jalalabad will be remembered for rising against corruption and misrule by defeating Sukhbir. Kejriwal said that Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal have been contesting elections "collectively" for long and with the emergence of AAP in Punjab, they have been exposed. He claimed that AAP has fielded its one of the "strongest" candidate, Bhagwant Mann against Sukhbir. He alleged that Amarinder and Badal have again planned to contest collectively by fielding Ravneet Singh Bittu from Jalalabad and himself from Lambi. He claimed that their plan to divide anti-incumbency votes will "fail" in the elections and Punjabis will choose AAP over these "corrupt" parties. He promised that after the results on March 11, Majithia will be sent behind the bars before March 15. Kejriwal criticised Badal government for allegedly ignoring the youth of Punjab and taking no step to generate employment in state. He claimed that if elected the AAP government will provide jobs to 25 lakhs youth in the state. 695 nominations rejected out of nearly 2,000 in Punjab CHANDIGARH, (PTI) As many as 695 nomination papers out of 1,941 have been rejected in Punjab after scrutiny by the Election Commission for the February 4 assembly polls, an official said. During the scrutiny, 1,243 nominations were found valid and 695 invalid while three cases were kept pending, one in Hoshiarpur and two in Mansa, an official spokesman of the Punjab Chief Electoral Office said. He said 46 out of 58 nominations were found correct in Pathankot, 73 out of 106 in Gurdaspur, 121 out of 196 in Amritsar, 34 out of 55 in Tarn Taran, 37 out of 76 in Kapurthala, 91 out of 146 in Jalandhar, 79 out of 119 in Hoshiarpur, 31 out of 45 in SBS Nagar, 27 out of 41 in Rupnagar, 37 out of 69 in Mohali, 27 out of 37 in Fatehgarh Sahib and 138 valid out of 222 in Ludhiana. He further said 49 out of 61 nominations were found valid in Moga, 51 out of 70 in Ferozepur, 48 out of 66 in Fazilka, 31 out of 68 in Muktsar, 28 out of 41 in Faridkot, 63 out of 110 in Bathinda, 32 out of 48 in Mansa, 71 out of 115 in Sangrur, 31 out of 44 in Barnala and 98 out of 148 in Patiala. For Amritsar bye-poll, 10 nomination papers were found valid out of 15 as five were rejected, the spokesman said. The last date of withdrawal of candidature is January 21 and the counting of votes will take place on March 11. Punjab, which has 117 assembly seats, is set to witness a three-cornered contest between SAD-BJP, the Congress and new entrant AAP. Prominent among those in the fray are Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu and AAP MP Bhagwant Mann. Punjab will create history on Feb 4: Bhagwant Mann SANGRUR (PB), (PTI) The people of Punjab will create history by voting out a "corrupt" government (Akalis) and forming the dispensation of common people on February 4, AAP leader Bhagwant Mann said. Hitting out at the ruling Akali for "destroying" Punjab, known as golden state, he said AAP will form the next government in the state with a thumping majority and corrupt politicians will be put in jail immediately. Ministers Bikram Majithia, Tota Singh and Sikander Singh Maluka will be the first to go to jail, Mann, who is the Chairman of AAP's election campaign committee, said. Lashing out at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, he said the Badals have looted the state and were responsible for the present state of Punjab. Mann said that SAD claims to be a panthic party, but nobody was arrested even after 95 cases of desecration were reported. "The AAP government will arrest those responsible for desecration incidents and exemplary punishments will be given," he said. "The people are always superior in democracy and they know how to correct the incorrect with the power of vote," he said. JANUARY 2017

14 14 MidWeek world TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017 ACTRESSES CHELSEA HANDLER AND CHARLIZE THERON MARCHED IN AN ANTI-TRUMP PROTEST IN WASHINGTON DC AND WERE JOINED BY THOUSANDS MORE AROUND THE WORLD. US media, Trump administration on collision course WASHINGTON, (IANS) An angry US media has lashed out at Donald Trump for terming the media "dishonest", as the unapologetic new US President entered his third day in office. Both The New York Times and Washington Post, among others, slammed Trump's "false claims" on the inauguration-day crowd, which he put at around 1.5 million, and also slammed his Press Secretary Sean Spicer for making "false statements". Kellyanne Conway, counselor to Trump, said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that the White House had put forth "alternative facts" to ones reported by the news media about the size of Friday's inauguration crowd. To Trump saying about the inauguration crowd, "It looked honestly like a million and a half people, whatever it was, it was, but it went all the way back to the Washington Monument" - The New York Times said Trump's crowd was "significantly smaller and less than the 1.5 million people he claimed". "Aerial photographs clearly show that the crowd did not stretch to the Washington Monument," said NYT, adding "An expert hired by The Times found that Mr. Trump's crowd on the National Mall was about a third of the size of Mr. Obama's in 2009." Spicer also came in for criticism for stating on Sunday that: "This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe." NYT made a point-by-point rebuttal of Trump's claims on crowd size, TV viewership of the event, and also ridership on the Washington Metro System on Friday - as compared to the crowds that thronged during the 2009 and 2013 inauguration of Barack Obama as President. Washington Post columnist Margaret Sullivan, in a piece titled 'The traditional way of reporting on a president is dead. And Trump's press secretary killed it' - wrote caustically: "The presidency is not a reality show, but President Trump on his first full day in office made clear that he's still obsessed with being what he once proudly called "a ratings machine. "He cares enough about it to send his press secretary, Sean Spicer, out to brazenly lie to the media in his first official briefing." Rebutting the new President's claims on crowd size and other issues, she writes: "Trump wants a flat-out war with the nation's media for one well-calculated reason: Because he believes it will continue to serve his political purposes, as it has for months. ADB to give $196 mn for Pakistan ISLAMABAD, (IANS) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide $196.9 million to Pakistan for improving its roads, the media reported on Monday. The agreement for Post-Flood National Highways Rehabilitation Project was signed here by Tariq Bajwa, Secretary in the Economic Affairs Division, and Werner Liepach, the ADB country director, said Radio Pakistan. The project will contribute to the economic recovery of flood-affected areas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh provinces. Under this project, the NHA will rehabilitate 212 km of roads and 33 bridges of the national highways network. The project will be completed in three years. The total cost of the project is $218.8 million dollars. TALIBAN ASKS TRUMP TO REVIEW AFGHANISTAN POLICY KABUL, (IANS) The Taliban has asked US President Donald Trump to review America's policy in Afghanistan and withdraw all foreign forces from the insurgency-plagued country, a media report said. In a statement released on Saturday following Trump's inauguration on Friday, the group said violence in Afghanistan will continue if the new administration continued to follow the approaches of the previous governments led by former Presidents Barack Obama and George.W. Bush, Khaama Press said in the report. The Taliban also claimed that the US-led invasion supported by the coalition forces resulted in destruction, loss of lives, and billions of financial loss in the past 16 years. It also resulted in to increasing hatred towards Afghanistan. Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah has welcomed Trump's commitment to the US forces in Afghanistan and the fight against terrorism. The war in Afghanistan began with the invasion of the US-led coalition forces against the Taliban regime, accused of harbouring the then Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of September 11, 2001, attacks in America. Turkey dismisses 367 officials, closes 2 TV channels ANKARA, (IANS) The Turkish government on Monday issued a decree closing down two television channels and dismissed 367 officials for endangering national security. The decree also announced the creation of a commission of investigation as part of the state of emergency in force since July 2016, to deal with cases of officials dismissed by this measure, Efe news reported. In addition, 124 other public employees, expelled in previous decrees, were re-admitted in the new decree. The majority of the dismissed employees come mainly from the ministry of the interior, municipal governments and the department of religious affairs. Kanal 12 and On4 TV, two local television channels, were closed for "working against the national security" and their ownership was transferred to the state treasury. Russia bombs IS targets in Syria amid Astana talks MOSCOW, (IANS) Six Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers have successfully destroyed the Islamic State targets in Syria as intra-syrian talks are underway in Kazakh capital Astana, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday. The aircraft took off from Russia and flew over Iraq and Iran before dropping bombs on IS command posts and ammunition depots near the Deir Ezzor settlement, Xinhua reported. Escorted by Su-30SM and Su-35S from the Hmeimim airfield in Syria, the six bombers have destroyed all the intended targets and returned to Russia, the ministry said. Last week, Russia and Turkey carried out their first-ever joint air operation against the IS militants in Syria's northern Aleppo province, destroying 36 facilities. Russia and Turkey brokered a nationwide truce in war-torn Syria from December 30 and they also serve, together with Iran, as guarantors for the two-day Astana peace talks that kicked off on Monday.

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