October 6, 2011
Ontario Liberals fall one seat shy of a majority government
| The Leaders |
OTTAWA — Standing before a sea of supporters, Dalton McGuinty strode to the podium as the returning premier of Ontario, but a humbled leader of Canada's most populous province.
The Liberal leader's quest for another majority mandate fell short by one seat Thursday, leaving him at the helm of Ontario's first minority government in 26 years.
Early Friday morning, the Liberals had 53 seats, while the Progressive Conservatives had 37 and the NDP had 17, the most seats that party has held in 16 years.
Had McGuinty, a father of four adult children, won a third consecutive majority, he would have been the first premier in 50 years to perform the feat in Ontario.
Speaking to supporters in Ottawa, McGuinty said that while liberalism "was alive and well" in Ontario, the governing party should be humbled by the rebuke from the province's electors.
"While we may not know for several days what the final results will be in several ridings," McGuinty said, before being interrupted by chants of "four more years" from supporters, "We have in fact succeeded in our goal of electing an experienced Liberal government."
Ontario Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty voted Thursday 6th Oct. 2011 |
McGuinty was easily re-elected in his Ottawa South riding and the other major party leaders also claimed their seats.
Even with the win, it's a long fall for the Liberals after losing 17 seats Thursday. When the writ was dropped, the Liberals held 70 seats, the Conservatives 25 and the NDP 10 while two seats were vacant.
"Ontarians told us, 'We are placing our trust in you, but we expect you to work even harder,' " McGuinty said about the results.
The win was widely expected to be a narrow one. On Wednesday, political analysts predicted the election would come down to the wire; Liberals and Progressive Conservatives were neck-and-neck in a race that was seen, at first, to be a sure win for the PCs.
The last time Ontario had a minority government was in 1985 when the Liberals ended the Progressive Conservatives 42-year rule with the help of Bob Rae's NDP.
Conservative leader Tim Hudak's front-runner campaign proved to be strong competition for the incumbent McGuinty, who appeared sluggish on the month-long trail, but rebounded near the end.
"It's been a long campaign, a hard-fought campaign, and although the results is not the one we hoped for . . . we do accept it," said Hudak in front of a cheering crowd at the wrap-up party in Niagara Falls, Ont.
Hudak said it's clear Ontarians sent a strong message that they want a "change in direction."
"And friends, it's very clear that the people in Ontario have put Dalton McGuinty on a much shorter leash," said Hudak, adding the 12 extra seats won Thursday was more than the party has seen in the past 10 years.
NDP wild card contender Andrea Horwath, the party's provincial leader, ran a tight campaign and could hold a balance of power in a minority government. Her campaign boosted the party's popularity to a level not been seen since the Rae era of the early 1990s.
During her last day on the campaign trail, Horwath encouraged voters to look West and follow Manitoba's electorate that elected a fourth consecutive NDP government.
On Thursday, Horwath told supporters the provincial NDP is "just getting started" after winning seven more seats in the legislature.
"Instead of voting for the same old solutions, you voted for change," said the NDP leader who called herself a "fighter."
"Tonight, friends, we are just getting started," she said, capping off her speech.
Critics said this was Hudak's election to lose, pointing out that his platform was not distinctly different from the ruling Liberals.
Across the board, all three party platforms were fairly similar.
For instance, the Grits and Tories promised to reduce corporate tax rates by 10 per cent, while the NDP said it would crank it to 14 per cent. Liberals and PCs vowed to create 60,000 new undergraduate spaces in post-secondary institutions and all three promised to spend at least $6 billion on health care during their four-year term.
The NDP touted their policy proposals as the cheapest and best to carry the province through a recession and some predicted their message would resonate with voters, especially following the recent unprecedented victory the federal NDP party garnered under late leader Jack Layton.
However, despite Horwath's polished persona, her "Buy Ontario" platform — which pledged to scrap a $120-million rail refurbishment deal signed by the Liberals in Quebec in an effort to keep jobs in Ontario — was slammed by critics as being economically unsound.
But experts said this election was not about platforms, but character.
"Hudak ran a traditional front-runner's campaign just like Stephen Harper did in the federal election. He had his lines down and projected them well, but toward the end . . . he began to appear robotic," said Nelson Wiseman, political science professor at the University of Toronto.
Hudak's reference to immigrants as "foreigners" and recent party ads — attacked by some as homophobic — slamming the province's sex-ed curriculum sparked some contention, but were mere hiccups on the almost blunder-free campaign trail.
Though McGuinty doesn't convey a warm personality, he appeared more "authentic and genuine" in this campaign and has grown more comfortable in the spotlight than when he first entered the political arena in 1999 and lost, said Wiseman.
During McGuinty's term, the introduction of a harmonized sales tax and a scandal at the eHealth Ontario agency over no-bid contracts have hurt his popularity, but he fended off an initially very strong challenge from Hudak.
"(McGuinty) was looking fairly out of it a month or two ago, but the Liberals knew what they were doing, they did have a plan and it's worked pretty good for them," said Jonathan Malloy, political science professor at Carleton University.
PGI admission scam
Bangalore-based doc held
Chandigarh, October 6
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today arrested a Bangalore-based doctor in connection with doctors’ admission scam that rocked the PGI last year. The CBI arrested Dr Rajnikant, who is a doctor in Bangalore Medical College, for impersonating in the exam in place of Dr Amit Musle. The accused was arrested last night.
Amit Musle, along with another student, had procured admission to the PGIMER on the basis of impersonation and manipulation.
The accused doctor was produced in court and sent to judicial custody. A case under Sections 120B, 419, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the accused.
The scam came to light in September last year when the CBI had arrested Dr Amit Musale, a resident of Nagpur, and Dr Sujay Sonawane, a resident of Maharashtra, for procuring admission in the PGI on the basis of impersonation. The two had cleared the exam with the help of mastermind Mumbai-based agent Gaurav Shaleen, who had arranged imperosnators for them. Gaurav Shaleen has been arrested by the CBI.
Dr Amit was pursuing post graduation in pharmacology, while Dr Sujay had secured admission in paediatrics when the CBI arested them. The investigating agency managed to arrest the impersonator doctor today following disclosures by the prime accused Gaurav Shaleen.
Chandigarh, October 6
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today arrested a Bangalore-based doctor in connection with doctors’ admission scam that rocked the PGI last year. The CBI arrested Dr Rajnikant, who is a doctor in Bangalore Medical College, for impersonating in the exam in place of Dr Amit Musle. The accused was arrested last night.
Amit Musle, along with another student, had procured admission to the PGIMER on the basis of impersonation and manipulation.
The accused doctor was produced in court and sent to judicial custody. A case under Sections 120B, 419, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the accused.
The scam came to light in September last year when the CBI had arrested Dr Amit Musale, a resident of Nagpur, and Dr Sujay Sonawane, a resident of Maharashtra, for procuring admission in the PGI on the basis of impersonation. The two had cleared the exam with the help of mastermind Mumbai-based agent Gaurav Shaleen, who had arranged imperosnators for them. Gaurav Shaleen has been arrested by the CBI.
Dr Amit was pursuing post graduation in pharmacology, while Dr Sujay had secured admission in paediatrics when the CBI arested them. The investigating agency managed to arrest the impersonator doctor today following disclosures by the prime accused Gaurav Shaleen.
Night sky lights up as Ravana meets fiery end on Dussehra
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| Devotees bid adieu to Durga as Ravana goes up in flames |
New Delhi: Larger than life effigies of demon king Ravana went up in flames amid electrifying displays of fireworks as people across the city celebrated the triumph of good over evil. Colourful, life-size effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnada going up in flames; comet-shaped fire crackers shooting up into the sky and bursting into a magnificent shower of purple, red and golden stars; and the final battle between Lord Rama and Ravana watched by an enraptured audience.
PPSC Recruitment Scam
Judges divided over referring matter to a larger Bench
Chandigarh, October 6
The controversy shrouding the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) recruitment scam refuses to die down.
Eight years after the dismissal of more than 90 petitions filed by PCS officers whose services were terminated, a three-Judge Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court is divided over the issue of referring the matter to a larger Bench of five Judges.
On the one side is Justice Mutacci Jayapaul and on the other Justice Alok Singh and Justice Ritu Bahri.
Apparently, Justice Jayapaul is not in favour of remanding the case to a larger Bench after the matter has been heard at length. Available information suggests Justice Jayapaul has written a dissenting note of two pages, giving in detail the reasons behind his refusal to agree with the other two Judges.
The matter will now be heard by a larger Bench of the High Court, as in cases of dissent the majority view prevails.
The officers were recruited in the executive, judicial and allied services when Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu was PPSC Chairman. Challenging the orders passed against them, the petitioners had then claimed that they were not related to the alleged scam.
The Bench, comprising the then Chief Justice BK Roy, Justice GS Singhvi and Justice NK Sodhi had on July 7, 2003, ruled that the state government had inherent powers to nullify the action in case of tainted selection. But the apex court, vide its judgment dated May 3, 2006, remanded the matter to the High Court, with a direction to constitute a committee to segregate tainted candidates from the non-tainted.
Pursuant to the SC directions, a three-judge committee of Justice JS Khehar, Justice Viney Mittal and Justice Surya Kant was constituted for looking into the executive branch selections. Taking up the case, the three-judge Bench headed by Justice Alok Singh asserted: “The committee of three judges, vide report dated February 8, 2007, found 40 candidates tainted on the basis of material available before the committee.
“After the report of the three-Judge committee, a supplementary challan was filed in the criminal case against Rubinderjit Singh Brar, Bikramjit Singh Shergill and Sukhpreet Singh Sidhu, although they were not found tainted by the committee.
“It shows that there are more tainted candidates over and above the 40 candidates as found by the committee”.
Speaking for the Bench, Justice Alok Singh asserted: “In my opinion, since the earlier judgment passed by the Bench of three Judges of this court was doubted by the apex court, and the matter was remanded and thereafter the committee consisting of three judges has given a report, in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, the matter should be heard by a larger Bench”. The view has been endorsed by Justice Bahri.
Chandigarh, October 6
The controversy shrouding the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) recruitment scam refuses to die down.
Eight years after the dismissal of more than 90 petitions filed by PCS officers whose services were terminated, a three-Judge Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court is divided over the issue of referring the matter to a larger Bench of five Judges.
On the one side is Justice Mutacci Jayapaul and on the other Justice Alok Singh and Justice Ritu Bahri.
Apparently, Justice Jayapaul is not in favour of remanding the case to a larger Bench after the matter has been heard at length. Available information suggests Justice Jayapaul has written a dissenting note of two pages, giving in detail the reasons behind his refusal to agree with the other two Judges.
The matter will now be heard by a larger Bench of the High Court, as in cases of dissent the majority view prevails.
The officers were recruited in the executive, judicial and allied services when Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu was PPSC Chairman. Challenging the orders passed against them, the petitioners had then claimed that they were not related to the alleged scam.
The Bench, comprising the then Chief Justice BK Roy, Justice GS Singhvi and Justice NK Sodhi had on July 7, 2003, ruled that the state government had inherent powers to nullify the action in case of tainted selection. But the apex court, vide its judgment dated May 3, 2006, remanded the matter to the High Court, with a direction to constitute a committee to segregate tainted candidates from the non-tainted.
Pursuant to the SC directions, a three-judge committee of Justice JS Khehar, Justice Viney Mittal and Justice Surya Kant was constituted for looking into the executive branch selections. Taking up the case, the three-judge Bench headed by Justice Alok Singh asserted: “The committee of three judges, vide report dated February 8, 2007, found 40 candidates tainted on the basis of material available before the committee.
“After the report of the three-Judge committee, a supplementary challan was filed in the criminal case against Rubinderjit Singh Brar, Bikramjit Singh Shergill and Sukhpreet Singh Sidhu, although they were not found tainted by the committee.
“It shows that there are more tainted candidates over and above the 40 candidates as found by the committee”.
Speaking for the Bench, Justice Alok Singh asserted: “In my opinion, since the earlier judgment passed by the Bench of three Judges of this court was doubted by the apex court, and the matter was remanded and thereafter the committee consisting of three judges has given a report, in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, the matter should be heard by a larger Bench”. The view has been endorsed by Justice Bahri.
The man behind the ‘Apple’ revolution
Milestones
1984: Apple debuts the Macintosh personal computer
1998: Apple unveils the iMac desktop computer
2001: Apple iPod introduced
2003: The iTunes Store opens, allowing users to buy and download music, audiobooks, movies and TV shows online
2007: iPhone introduced
2010: Apple begins selling the iPad, a 10-inch touchscreen tablet.
Born salesman, Steve Jobs mixed tenacity with technical brilliance
He cursed out reporters whose stories he didn't like. He personally wrote back to individual customers who didn't like his products. He was feared, respected and adored, sometimes all at once.
With the death of Steve Jobs, the business world loses one of its most controversial and closely studied managers, a man whose leadership style will fill MBA textbooks for generations to come.
“He had a clear vision for what technology should deliver to consumers, and his focus on the customer was relentless,” said Rogers president and CEO Nadir Mohamed. “Steve Jobs was one of the greatest innovators of our time.”
Much of Mr. Jobs's success as a business leader came from his unique mix of talents. An accomplished engineer with more than 300 patents to his name, he understood technology better than almost anyone. The launch of the iPad tablet was reported to have been delayed repeatedly because of Mr. Jobs's decision to oversee the project personally, working directly with the engineering and design teams to produce a product that met his definition of perfection – and until it did, it wouldn't see the light of day.
But beyond engineering expertise, Mr. Jobs was a born salesman. He spearheaded Apple's(AAPL-Q377.37-0.88-0.23%)extremely simple, yet extremely effective marketing effort, which included slogans that were often just a word or two long: “Think Different,” or simply “Magical.”
On stage, he made the process of selling consumers on brand-new devices look effortless. In his trademark jeans and black turtleneck, he spoke to his audience with a mix of elation, excitement and calm.
“Steve introduced the iPad at a time when no one had really asked for it,” said Kunal Gupta, CEO of Toronto-based app developer Polar Mobile. “It felt like Steve basically said, ‘here, I think you need this,’ and guess what? We did.”
To be sure, the tenacity wasn't always easy to take. Many reporters described being berated on the phone by Mr. Jobs after publishing an article he believed got the story wrong about Apple. In recent years, customers began flooding Apple's co-founder with personal e-mails because, it turned out, sometimes he responded.
“This is what customers pay us for – to sweat all these details so it’s easy and pleasant for them to use our computers,” Mr. Jobs said in a January, 2000, interview with Fortune Magazine. “We’re supposed to be really good at this. That doesn’t mean we don’t listen to customers, but it’s hard for them to tell you what they want when they’ve never seen anything remotely like it.”
Ultimately, Mr. Jobs' mix of tenacity, boldness and technical expertise will stand out in corporate history. And while his style may have been controversial, the results it bore were not. He died having taken the company he helped found from the status of also-ran to – albeit momentarily – the most valuable corporation in the world.
“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives,” Apple's board of directors said late Wednesday night. “The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”
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Five things you didn’t know about Steve Jobs.
1. He’s the son of a Syrian Muslim
2. He was adopted
3. He helped found one of the most successful movie studios in history
4. He wanted to put the disc drive in the back of the Macintosh
5. He was a Buddhist
Apple's visionary is gone: Does his vision remain?
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| A symbol designed by Hong Kong design student Jonathan Mak is made available to Reuters on October 6, 2011. Nineteen-year-old Jonathan Mak, a student at Hong Kong's Polytechnic University School of Design, came up with the idea of incorporating Steve Jobs' silhouette into the bite of the Apple logo, symbolising both Jobs' departure and lingering presence at the core of the company. |
With the death of Apple Inc.’s visionary founder Steve Jobs, the focus for some is already shifting to whether the vision Mr. Jobs sculpted over the years remains in place at the world’s most profitable technology company.
Even as customers, admirers and the tech world’s luminaries mourn his passing, there already are semblances of a renewed concern about the state of future innovation at Apple (AAPL-Q377.37-0.88-0.23%) without Mr. Jobs.
After all, the company that brought us the iPod, the iPad and the ubiquitous iTunes store had underwhelmed investors and consumers as recently as this Tuesday, when its new and much more managerial CEO Tim Cook unveiled not a revolutionary new product, but a newer version of the iPhone.
At the same time, however, analysts believe that Mr. Jobs has left Apple with a lot of product in the pipeline – which can be unveiled over the next year or two – as well as an unstoppable line up of consumer technology with the iPad (which essentially invented a new category of product) and the iPhone (which rewrote the explosive smart phone industry and remains a gold standard of sorts).
And though some may bemoan that Mr. Cook appears to lack the same sort of charisma and passion that elevated Mr. Jobs from an innovator to a master, mass-market salesperson, few doubt the leadership team that Mr. Jobs put in place – and which remains after his death.
“While Mr. Jobs’ passion, creativity, and keen eye for consumer preference will be missed, we believe Jobs and Apple’s executive team have built an unparalleled talent base and corporate culture that sets the table for future success and innovation,” wrote Mike Walkley, who follows the world’s major mobile device makers at Canaccord Genuity.
“We believe Tim Cook is well qualified for his new role as CEO and has at his disposal a deep and talented executive team in the areas of supply chain management, hardware/software design and product marketing.”
Apple remains, obviously, at the top of the food chain in the mobile world of tablets and smart phones that are defining the current wireless era. The company’s early domination with the iPad has left it with astronomical market share, as well as a host of – sometimes laughably – pale imitations.
Its iPhone, moreover, even with this week’s comparatively weak showing, remains the smart phone that people truly seem to love. The iPhone challenged every other device maker in the world to improve their product, and has profit margins so large that they have padded the Cupertino, Calif.-based company’s coffers to the point where it could probably buy any innovation it feels it lacks.
Few, of course, think that the company will need it, given the product set that Apple has laid out before it on the market.
“I do think he raised the bar for all and I think we’re all kind of better of,” says Bell Mobility president Wade Oosterman, who oversees all matters wireless at Canada’s second largest wireless carrier. “Another important legacy by all accounts, and my own interactions would reflect this, is that he’s left a really terrific team. They have a really tremendously diversified asset base and product portfolio – and that continues obviously.”
But even though key figures remain at Apple – from Mr. Cook, who created the supply chain that has made the company so profitable, to Jonathan Ive, the British design genius behind most of Apple’s key products – it is an unavoidable conclusion that the company has lost, quite tragically and in an extremely public way, its most valuable executive. And any way one looks at it, either as a consumer or as technology analyst watching the stock market, it’s still a huge loss not just for the industry, but for the company very specifically – at a time when Apple’s rivalry with Google Inc.’s Android mobile operating system is intensifying, competing tablets are proliferating globally and companies like Samsung are coming out with mobile devices that many feel are on-par with Apple’s.
“It’s a real loss for the industry,” said John Roese, formerly the chief technical officer at Canada’s Nortel Networks Corp. and who now heads North American research and development for the enormous Chinese telecommunications company, Huawei. “He clearly was ahead of his time in recognizing that true disruptive innovation included not just technology but ideas about what was possible in the human-technology experience.”
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