ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੇ 25 ਉੱਤਮ ਪਰਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਟਾਈਗਰ ਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਮੇਤ ਤਿੰਨ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ

ਟੋਰਾਂਟੋ, 29 ਮਈ (ਪੋਸਟ ਬਿਊਰੋ) : ਹਿੱਪ ਹਾਪ ਕਲਾਕਾਰ ਕੇ’ਨਾਨ, ਐਮਪੀ ਓਲੀਵਿਆ ਚਾਓ, ਓਲੰਪਿਕ ਕੁਸ਼ਤੀ ਚੈਂਪੀਅਨ ਡੈਨੀਅਲ ਇਗਾਲੀ ਤੇ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਭਰ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਕਈ ਹੋਰ ਕਮਿਊਨਿਟੀ ਆਗੂਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੇ 25 ਉੱਤਮ ਪਰਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਚੌਥੇ ਸਲਾਨਾ ਸਰਬਉੱਚ 25 ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਪਰਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਇਹ ਐਵਾਰਡ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਇਮੀਗ੍ਰੈਂਟ ਮੈਗਜ਼ੀਨ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਗਏ ਤੇ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਪਾਂਸਰ ਆਰਬੀਸੀ ਨੇ ਕੀਤਾ। ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਆ ਵੱਸੇ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਣਾਦਾਇਕ ਕਹਾਣੀਆਂ ਤੇ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮਾਰੀਆਂ ਗਈਆਂ ਮੱਲਾਂ ਦਾ ਇਹ ਐਵਾਰਡ ਦੇਣ ਸਮੇਂ ਖਾਸ ਖਿਆਲ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। 28,000 ਤੋਂ ਵੀ ਵੱਧ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਐਵਾਰਡ ਲਈ ਆਨਲਾਈਨ ਆਪਣੀ ਪਸੰਦ ਦੱਸੀ। ਇਹ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ 2009 ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ ਤੇ ਉਦੋਂ ਤੋਂ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਹੁਣ ਤੱਕ ਆਪਣੇ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰ ਚੁਣਨ ਲਈ ਸੱਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਆਨਲਾਈਨ ਆਪਣੀ ਪਸੰਦ ਦਰਜ ਕਰਵਾਈ। ਐਵਾਰਡ ਲਈ ਨਾਮਜਦ ਹਸਤੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ 29 ਮਈ ਨੂੰ ਟੋਰਾਂਟੋ ਵਿੱਚ ਤੇ 5 ਜੂਨ ਨੂੰ ਵੈਨਕੂਵਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਨਮਾਨਿਤ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ। ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਇਮੀਗ੍ਰੈਂਟ ਮੈਗਜ਼ੀਨ ਦੀ ਸੰਪਾਦਕ ਮਾਰਗਰੈਟ ਜੇਟੇਲੀਨਾ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ ਕਿ ਭਾਵੇਂ ਇਹ ਸਾਡੇ ਚੌਥੇ ਸਲਾਨਾ ਐਵਾਰਡ ਹਨ ਪਰ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਆ ਕੇ ਆਪਣਾ ਯੋਗਦਾਨ ਪਾਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਪਰਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਜਿੰਨਾ ਸਨਮਾਨਿਤ ਕਰ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਵੇ ਓਨਾ ਘੱਟ ਹੈ। ਪੇਸੇ਼ਵਰ ਖਿਡਾਰੀਆਂ, ਕਲਾਕਾਰਾਂ, ਸਿਆਸਤਦਾਨਾਂ, ਉੱਦਮੀਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਫਿਲੈਨਥਰੌਪਿਸਟਸ ਤੇ ਕਮਿਊਨਿਟੀ ਕਾਰਕੁੰਨਾਂ ਤੱਕ 25 ਉੱਤਮ ਪਰਵਾਸੀ ਨਾ ਸਿਰਫ ਸਾਰੇ ਇਮੀਗ੍ਰੈਂਟਸ ਲਈ ਸਗੋਂ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੈਦਾ ਹੋਏ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਲਈ ਵੀ ਆਦਰਸ਼ ਹਨ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ 25 ਉੱਤਮ ਪਰਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਤਿੰਨ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ, ਕੇਹਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਔਜਲਾ, ਜਗਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਹੰਸ (ਟਾਈਗਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ) ਤੇ ਸਤੀਸ਼ ਠੱਕਰ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹਨ।

ਬੇਸਮੈਂਟਾਂ ਬਾਰੇ ਬਰੈਂਪਟਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਸ਼ਵਰਾ ਮੀਟਿੰਗਾਂ ਜੂਨ ਵਿੱਚ

ਬਰੈਂਪਟਨ : ਪਿਛਲੇ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਬਰੈਂਪਟਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਚਰਚਾ ਦਾ ਵਿਸ਼ਾ ਬਣਿਆ ਬੇਸਮੈਂਟਾਂ ਦਾ ਮੁੱਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਵਾਰ ਹੁਣ ਹਾਂ ਪੱਖੀ ਮੋੜ ਵੱਲ ਜਾਣ ਦੀ ਤਿਆਰੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਹਾਂ ਪੱਖੀ ਮੋੜ ਉੱਨਾ ਕੁ ਹੀ ਸਹੀ ਦਿਸ਼ਾ ਵੱਲ ਜਾਣ ਦਾ ਰਾਹ ਪੱਧਰਾ ਕਰੇਗਾ ਜਿੰਨਾ ਕੁ ਕਮਿਉਨਿਟੀ ਇਸਤੋਂ ਲਾਭ ਲੈਣ ਦੀ ਕੋਸਿ਼ਸ਼ ਕਰੇਗੀ।

ਪਹਿਲੀ ਗੱਲ ਕਿ ਬਰੈਂਪਟਨ ਸਿਟੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਜੂਨ ਮਹੀਨੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੰਜ ਜਨਤਕ ਮੀਟਿੰਗਾਂ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ ਜਾ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਹਨ ਤਾਂ ਜੋ ਬੇਸਮੈਂਟਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਲੀਗਲ ਕਰਨ ਬਾਰੇ ਪਬਲਿਕ ਦੀ ਰਾਏ ਲਈ ਜਾ ਸਕੇ। ਇਹ ਮੀਟਿੰਗਾਂ ਦਾ ਵੇਰਵਾ ਇਸ ਤਰਾਂ ਹੈ:

ਸੋਮਵਾਰ, 4 ਜੂਨ 2012 – ਕਾਰਨੀਨਲ ਐਂਬਰੋਜਿ਼ਕ ਕੈਥੋਲਿਕ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ ਸਕੂਲ, 10 ਕੈਸਲ ਓਕਸ ਕਰੌਸਿੰਗ  (Monday, June 4, 2012 Cardinal Ambrozic Catholic Secondary School 10 Castle Oaks Crossing)
ਬੁੱਧਵਾਰ, 6 ਜੂਨ 2012, ਬਰੈਮਲੀ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ ਸਕੂਲ, 510 ਬਾਲਮੋਰਲ ਡਰਾਈਵ (Wednesday, June 6, 2012 Bramalea Secondary School 510 Balmoral Drive)
ਬੁੱਧਵਾਰ, 13 ਜੂਨ 2012, ਲੂਈਸ ਅਰਬੋਰ ਸੈਕੰਡਰੀ ਸਕੂਲ 365 ਫਾਦਰ ਟੌਬਿਨ ਰੋਡ (65 Father Tobin Road)
ਵੀਰਵਾਰ, 14 ਜੂਨ 2012, ਮਾਊਂਟ ਪਲੈਜ਼ੈਂਟ ਵਿਲੇਜ਼ ਕਮਿਉਨਿਟੀ ਸੈਂਟਰ 100 ਕੰਮਿਊਟਰ ਡਰਾਈਵ (Thursday, June 14, 2012 Mount Pleasant Village Community Centre 100 Commuter Drive (North of Mount Pleasant GO Station))
ਸੋਮਵਾਰ, ਜੂਨ 25, 2012, ਕਰਿਸ ਗਿਬਸਨ ਰੀਕਰੀਏਸ਼ਨ ਸੈਂਟਰ 125 ਮੈਕਲਾਗਲਿਨ ਰੋਡ (Chris Gibson Recreation Centre, 125 McLaughlin Road)
ਇਹ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਮੀਟਿੰਗਾਂ ਸ਼ਾਮੀ 7 ਵਜ਼ੇ ਤੋਂ 9 ਵਜ਼ੇ ਤੱਕ ਹੋਣਗੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਢੇ ਛੇ ਵਜ਼ੇ ਰਜਿਸਟਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਹੋ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ। ਬਰੈਂਪਟਨ ਸਿਟੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਜਾਰੀ ਇੱਕ ਇਤਲਾਹ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਖਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਮੀਟਿੰਗਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਥਾਨ ਸੀਮਤ ਹੋਣ ਕਾਰਣ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਆਪਣਾ ਨਾਮ ਦਰਜ਼ ਕਰਵਾ ਲੈਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਕਲੌਡੀਆ ਲੈਰੋਟਾ ਨੂੰ ਈ ਮੇਲ  claudia.larota@brampton.ca  ਜਾਂ  905.874.3844 ਉੱਤੇ ਫੋਨ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਸਲਾਹ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਗਈ ਹੈ।
ਵਰਨਣਯੋਗ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਉਂਟੇਰੀਓ ਦੀ ਪਾਰਲੀਮੈਂਟ ਨੇ ਇੱਕ ਬਿੱਲ ਪਾਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਬੇਸਮੈਂਟਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਲੀਗਲ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਰਾਹ ਪੱਧਰਾ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਹਰ ਸਿਟੀ ਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਬਾਰੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਪਹੁੰਚ ਤਹਿ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਖੁੱਲ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਸੀ।

Saudi woman defies religious police over nail polish

Riyadh - A YouTube video of a Saudi woman defying orders by the notorious religious police to leave a mall because she is wearing nail polish has gone viral, attracting more than a million hits in just five days.

The three and a half minute video posted on May 23 shows members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice telling the women to "get out of here (the mall)."

But she refuses to comply, saying: "I'm staying and I want to know what you're going to do about."

"It's none of your business if I wear nail polish," the unidentified woman, who is not seen on tape, is heard shouting at bearded men from the feared religious force.

"You are not in charge of me," she defiantly shouts back, referring to new constraints imposed earlier this year on the religious police banning them from harassing Saudi women over their behaviour and attire.

"The government has banned you from coming after us," she told the men, adding "you are only supposed to provide advice, and nothing more."

In January, Saudi King Abdullah appointed a moderate to head the religious police raising hopes that a more lenient force will ease draconian social constraints in the Islamic country.

Two weeks into his post, Sheikh Abdullatif Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh banned volunteers from serving in the commission which enforces the kingdom's strict Islamic rules.

And in April he went further prohibiting the religious police from "harassing people" and threatening "decisive measures against violators."

As of Monday, the video was viewed more than 1,142,000 times, with over 12,000 people posting comments online, most of them denouncing the woman's behaviour.

One posting said she had "no shame" and accused her of "prostituting" herself.

Another called her a "slut" and a "whore."

The clip earned only about 1800 "likes." The number of "dislikes" reached almost 7000.

The woman filmed the incident herself and posted it on YouTube. At one point during the video, she cautions the religious police that she has already posted the exchange online.

It is also not clear if the woman was eventually forced to leave the mall.

The religious police prevent women from driving, require them to be covered from head to foot in black, ban public entertainment, and force all commerce, from supermarkets to petrol stations, to come to a halt at prayer times, five times a day.

Don’t say ‘flu’ or ‘subway’ online if you want to avoid Homeland Security

A freedom of information request has given some unique insight into the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The list of words used by the department to monitor online activity for signs of terrorism or threats against the U.S. has been made publicly available. There are plenty of words on the list that you would expect to see there, like "Al Qaida" and "dirty bomb," but it's the inclusion of seemingly mundane terms like "bacteria" and "Mexico" that has piqued the interest of some.

A 39-page PDF document called "Analyst's Desktop Binder" that highlights all the words Homeland Security watches for in online usage is now available online for perusal. 

Department chiefs insist the list is not intended to look for general negative remarks about the government, but it serves as a tool to make them aware of potential threats against the country.

The list was requested, obtained and posted by a privacy watchdog called the Electronic Privacy Information Center, who sued in order to get access to the documents. They have described the list as 'broad, vague and ambiguous,' .

It seems the agency does agree that the list is in need of updating. Homeland Security spokesman Matthew Chandler told one blog in February that the list is now under review to ensure it can "clearly and accurately convey the parameters and intention of the program."

As Forbes highlights, another interesting insight offered in the document is just how Homeland Security monitors those keywords. The "Analyst's Desktop Binder" indicates that the list words are watched through TweetDeck, and their information is kept on a Mac Mini. There is no indication whether this has changed since the document's release.

Here's the full list of words:

Mumbai-Pune expressway mishap kills 27

Mumbai, May 28
Twenty seven members of a marriage party died and 26 others received serious injuries in a bizarre road accident on the Mumbai-Pune expressway at around 1 am today.

According to the state police control room, the victims hailing from Pune's Yerwada neighbourhood were travelling in two mini-buses to Pune after attending a wedding in the Mumbai suburb of Ghatkopar. The mishap happened when the tyres of one of the vehicles got punctured near Khalapur village after which both vehicles moved to the side of the road for carrying out repairs. Police said both vehicles were parked one behind the other when a loaded truck travelling at a high speed smashed into the second mini-bus.

Police said the impact of the crash was such that the mini-bus at the back rammed into the bus parked in the front. "Several passengers in both vehicles died on the spot due to the impact," an officer at the control room said. Police said a number of passengers, who had alighted from both buses and were standing between both the vehicles, were crushed to death.

According to the police, four children were among the dead. Till this afternoon three of the dead have been identified as Pooja Shinde (12), Om Sonavane (6) and Mangla Gaikwad (42).

The injured have been admitted to the MGM hospital at Panvel and the Sassoon Hospital in Pune. The truck driver has been detained at Khalapur in Raigad district.

According to police, the newly married couple was safe as they were travelling separately.

BIZARRE ACCIDENT

• The mishap took place when a loaded truck travelling at a high speed smashed into a mini-bus parked on the side of the road
• The impact of the crash was such that the mini-bus rammed into the bus parked in its front, crushing people seated on the road between both vehicles
• Both vehicles had moved to the side of the road after a tyre of one of the vehicles got punctured

Saudi woman defies religious police over nail polish

Riyadh - A YouTube video of a Saudi woman defying orders by the notorious religious police to leave a mall because she is wearing nail polish has gone viral, attracting more than a million hits in just five days.

The three and a half minute video posted on May 23 shows members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice telling the women to "get out of here (the mall)."

But she refuses to comply, saying: "I'm staying and I want to know what you're going to do about."

"It's none of your business if I wear nail polish," the unidentified woman, who is not seen on tape, is heard shouting at bearded men from the feared religious force.

"You are not in charge of me," she defiantly shouts back, referring to new constraints imposed earlier this year on the religious police banning them from harassing Saudi women over their behaviour and attire.

"The government has banned you from coming after us," she told the men, adding "you are only supposed to provide advice, and nothing more."

In January, Saudi King Abdullah appointed a moderate to head the religious police raising hopes that a more lenient force will ease draconian social constraints in the Islamic country.

Two weeks into his post, Sheikh Abdullatif Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh banned volunteers from serving in the commission which enforces the kingdom's strict Islamic rules.

And in April he went further prohibiting the religious police from "harassing people" and threatening "decisive measures against violators."

As of Monday, the video was viewed more than 1,142,000 times, with over 12,000 people posting comments online, most of them denouncing the woman's behaviour.

One posting said she had "no shame" and accused her of "prostituting" herself.

Another called her a "slut" and a "whore."

The clip earned only about 1800 "likes." The number of "dislikes" reached almost 7000.

The woman filmed the incident herself and posted it on YouTube. At one point during the video, she cautions the religious police that she has already posted the exchange online.

It is also not clear if the woman was eventually forced to leave the mall.

The religious police prevent women from driving, require them to be covered from head to foot in black, ban public entertainment, and force all commerce, from supermarkets to petrol stations, to come to a halt at prayer times, five times a day.

Alberta government to open office in Ottawa

Alberta is opening an office in Ottawa to help promote the province.
The office will help the provincial government communicate "key positions" on "priority issues" to the federal government and strengthen relationships between "key contacts."
It will also "communicate the positive work being done in the province."
“We are entering a new era where co-operation with the federal government will be of unparalleled importance,” said Premier Alison Redford.
The office should allow Alberta to get its message out more broadly and especially the "Ontario press corp," said Joe Oliver, federal minister of national resources.
The office will cost $850,000 per year, with start-up costs of $50,000 and will report to the Deputy Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations.

Gene Zwozdesky elected new speaker of Alberta legislature

EDMONTON - Provincial politicians on Wednesday elected veteran MLA Gene Zwozdesky as the 12th Speaker of the legislative assembly, Alberta’s first new Speaker in 15 years.

MLAs laughed and pounded their desks as Premier Alison Redford and Official Opposition leader Danielle Smith dragged Zwozdesky to the speaker’s chair after his win, a rare political comedy that continued the tradition of reluctance among house speakers, who were once beheaded for failing to do the bidding of the monarch.

The tradition is apt in Alberta, as Zwozdesky immediately faced questions about his commitment to impartiality.

For years, critics alleged that his predecessor retired MLA Ken Kowalski— also a Progressive Conservative MLA — was partial to the governing party.

Zwozdesky pledged that his first priority would be impartiality, and his second is to improve decorum in the legislature.

“I think the members know me well enough to know that I’ll be as fair as possible, I’ll be as firm as I need to be, but at the end of the day we should all do everything we can to help improve the decorum of this house,” Zwozdesky said.

Outside the legislature he explained that he plans to introduce a five-part “credo” that will help veteran and returning MLAs understand his expectations for decorum.

Alberta MLAs voted by secret ballot to elect Zwozdesky who defeated Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman to win the position.

Blakeman said she knew before the vote that “the fix was in” and that the Tories would use their 61-seat majority to install one of their own in the speaker’s chair.

“Clearly there were instructions from on high ... it worked out exactly the way the government wanted,” Blakeman said. “It signals very strongly that it’s business as usual.

“The irony is that this is exactly why the public wanted to give the Tories a kick in the but, was that sense of entitlement and of micromanaging absolutely everything to suit themselves. ... They’re not going to stop doing that.”

Also Wednesday, Leduc-Beaumont MLA George Rogers was elected Deputy Speaker and Mary Anne Jablonski, MLA for Red Deer North, was acclaimed as Deputy Chair of Committees.

Zwozdesky, 63, is MLA for Edmonton-Mill Creek and will be the second Edmontonian in the chair. He was first elected in 1993 and has served as minister of health, education and community development, among others.

New rules will force repeat EI users to take lower-paying jobs

Massive changes are coming to the employment insurance system that will force people to take jobs outside their fields at lower salaries.

Seasonal workers will now need to take practically any job they can get in the off-season under the new rules revealed by the Conservative government Thursday.

Seasonal workers such as fishermen who rely on EI for certain months of the year will now have just six weeks to look for a similar job that pays about the same.

After six weeks, they must take any work that’s available within an hour’s commute as long as it pays at least 70 per cent of their previous salary.

Factors like health, transportation ability and local job markets will all be taken into consideration. But if a suitable job is available and a claimant refuses to take it, they will be cut off from EI payments.

The government is cracking down on those who only pretend to search for work while collecting EI. The new rules will require claimants to document that they are looking for work, such as showing they have sent out resumes, to keep receiving payments.

Currently, EI claimants just have to report in regularly to say they are looking for work.

The changes are planned for early 2013. At that time, employers will only be able to hire temporary foreign workers if there are no Canadians available to do the job.

Human Resources and Skills Development Minister Diane Finley said the changes are necessary because hundreds of thousands of Canadians remain unemployed despite a skilled labour shortage that is “hindering our ability to prosper as a country.”

According to Statistics Canada, 549,000 people received regular EI benefits in March. Human Resources staff say they expect less than one per cent of these people would be kicked off EI under the new system.

Asked whether the changes would mean fishermen have to work at McDonald’s for half the year, Finley said they would be expected to look for work like everyone else.

“This is going to impact everyone because what we want to do is make sure that the McDonald’s of the world aren’t having to bring in temporary foreign workers to do jobs that Canadians who are on EI have the skills to do,” she said.

“It’s about taking advantage of the labour and skills that we have in this country ... and it also means that money is here in Canada and not going to outside workers unless absolutely necessary.”

But other politicians saw the changes as dismantling the EI system. Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor John Morgan said the new system will disproportionately hurt Atlantic Canada, which has a higher ratio of seasonal workers.

“You have the government weakening the fiscal support network for Atlantic Canada but at the same time they continue unapologetically subsidizing the agricultural industry in Western Canada,” said Morgan.

Cape Breton-Canso Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner said the new system treats seasonal workers as repeat offenders and will make it harder for employers to hire people on a temporary basis.

“What's most frustrating is they say this is about an unprecedented crisis with a lack of skilled workers in this country, but there is zero component in this for retraining workers for today’s jobs or training students for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Cuzner.

The rules do not force people to leave their communities for work, as some had feared. Claimants will have to take jobs up to an hour away, though that limit could be higher in areas where commutes are longer.

The plan strives to make it easier for EI claimants to find work. The government is setting up a new system that will send EI claimants updated job listings twice per day, rather than the current system of three alerts every two weeks.

The government is investing $21 million over the next two years to beef up the EI system.

The EI overhaul is included as part of the 430-page omnibus budget bill. It will also give the government the power to change the regulations in the future without needing to introduce legislation.

Employment insurance pays out up to 55 per cent of a claimant’s previous salary, up to a cap of $26,000 per year.

Premier Darrell Dexter said his government needs more information about the planned rule changes to properly gauge the potential impact to Nova Scotia’s workers, particularly seasonal employees.

“It’s unclear what it will mean,” he told reporters in Halifax on Thursday. “It’s unclear because, of course, (the federal government has) never consulted with us about it.”

In Nova Scotia, Dexter said, “we have above the national average when it comes to seasonal workers,” and that part of the labour force could be “penalized” by Ottawa’s stricter measures.

He said “in many respects, this will hit hardest in rural communities.”

In a statement, Dexter said: “These changes should have been done as part of a plan to strengthen the Canadian economy in these uncertain times, and a plan to enable more people to qualify for the jobs that are becoming available. Instead, the provinces and territories are left scrambling to figure out what all of this will mean for their people and their communities."

EI BREAKDOWN

When someone applies for Employment Insurance they will be filed into one of three categories. The more you have worked in recent years, the more time you will have before you are forced to leave your field or take a steep pay cut

Frequent Claimants (17 per cent of all claims):This category includes anyone who has filed three or more EI claims in the past five years. Seasonal workers would fall into this category. Right away they will have to take any work that is a “similar occupation” of their old job and pays at least 80 per cent of their previous earnings. After six weeks on EI, the claimant will have to take any job they are able to do at 70 per cent of their previous pay.

Occasional Claimants (58 per cent of all claims):This category includes people who don't go on EI enough to be considered frequent claimants, but also haven't worked steadily enough to be long-tenured workers. For the first six weeks of receiving EI they will only have to take a job in their same occupation that pays at least 90 per cent of their previous earnings. After six weeks they will have to take a job in any similar occupation that pays 80 per cent of previous workings. After 18 weeks they will have to take any work at 70 per cent of previous earnings.

Long-tenured Workers (25 per cent of claimants):To reach this category with the most security, one must work for seven of the past 10 years, while paying at least 30 per cent of maximum EI premiums, and have received no more than 35 weeks of EI over the past five years. Long-tenured workers will have 18 weeks to find a job in their existing occupation that pays at least 90 per cent of previous earnings. After 18 weeks they must move to a similar occupation that pays 80 per cent of previous earnings.

Israelis plead not guilty to immigration breaches

Two Israeli nationals have pleaded not guilty to immigration charges stemming from a sweep of illegal workers in the Halifax area in December.

Immigration lawyer Lee Cohen entered the pleas Monday when he appeared in Halifax provincial court on behalf of Iftach Jacob, 23, and Nissan Shitrit, 22.

Both men are charged under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act with working in Canada without authorization.

Jacob also faces charges of employing foreign nationals without authorization and failing to adhere to the conditions of a visitor permit.

The two men are living in the Toronto area while they’re out on bail.

Cohen and Crown attorney Tim McLaughlin told the court that they aren’t sure how many days will be needed for trial. They hope to have that figured out by April 27, when they’re scheduled to be back before Judge Bill Digby.

The Canada Border Services Agency arrested 11 people in December after a series of raids on a Halifax home and kiosks at three local shopping malls.

The agency said all but one of those arrested were young adults from Israel who were visiting Canada and did not appear to have work permits. They were all involved in selling a product called Heat in a Click, a gel-like heating pad.

Eight people pleaded guilty right away to working in the country without authorization and were fined $1,000 each. One person was released without being charged.

7 symptoms men shouldn’t ignore

An annoyance or a sign of something serious? Experts say these symptoms should warrant a trip to the doctor.

Some people will do anything to avoid it seeing their doctors — including dismissing seemingly minor health complaints. We all know symptoms like shortness of breath or chest pain require immediate medical attention, but sometimes the symptoms we overlook can signal something serious too.

Here are seven symptoms men shouldn’t ignore, according to experts.

Erectile dysfunction

We know it’s embarrassing to talk about — despite quirky commercials about little blue pills. ED (also known as impotence) affects many men as they get older. Not only can it impact a man’s self-image and sex life, this condition can warn of other diseases that have subtle symptoms.

For example, ED — a pattern of not being able to get or keep an erection — can be caused by health issues that affect the nerves, brain and blood vessels. It could be a symptom of diabetes or pre-diabetes, or be caused by a hardening of the arteries (a condition known as atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart to disease). High blood pressure, kidney failure, stress, smoking and alcohol abuse can all be culprits.

The symptoms of ED can be treated, but experts warn men to talk to their doctor to make sure the cause gets some attention too.

Changes in the penis, testicles or scrotum

It’s advice men as well as women should heed: know your body. Any changes “down there” like lumps, swelling, a feeling of heaviness or a change in size of the testicles could be a warning sign of testicular cancer. Likewise, a lump on the penis, sores, discharge or bleeding could warn of penile cancer.

Sores, a rash, redness, itching and oozing could be symptoms of sexually transmitted illnesses. Though usually not serious, men should have these symptoms checked out before the conditions get worse and they pass it along to their partners.

Urinary problems

Experts say most men experience some changes to their bathroom habits as they age, but it’s time to see a doctor when things become uncomfortable or interfere with daily activities. Problems with the prostate can cause symptoms like:

- a frequent need to urinate, especially at night

- a weak or interrupted urine stream

- an inability to urinate

- difficulty starting or stopping a urine stream.

These symptoms don’t automatically mean prostate cancer — they could also be a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).  Some of these symptoms can also be caused by medications, infections or inflammation — but that’s up to a doctor to determine.

Blood where there shouldn’t be blood

The presence of blood is seldom a good sign — especially when it comes to bodily functions. For example, blood in urine — when the urine has a pink or brown tint — could be caused by a urinary tract infection, inflammation in the urinary tract, kidney stone, an enlarged prostate or cancers of the prostate, bladder or kidney. Experts estimate that roughly one in ten men will experience blood in their urine — or hematuria, in medical terms — during his lifetime. Sometimes no cause is ever found, and sometimes the discolouration could be due to medications like blood thinners.

What about blood in the stool? Bright red blood is most commonly caused by annoying conditions like hemorrhoids and diverticulitis, but experts warn that dark red, maroon, black or tarry stools mean the blood has been in your gut for a while — and could be a sign of ulcers or colon cancer.

Coughing up blood can be caused by conditions from blood clots to infections (including tuberculosis and pneumonia.)  When in doubt, any sign of blood shouldn’t be ignored.

Pain

Think aches and pains are just a part of getting older? Not so, say doctors. Persistent pain can be a warning sign of many conditions including arthritis, a damaged nerve, kidney disease, gallbladder disease and even cancer. Pain during intercourse could also be a sign of prostate cancer, say experts.

Acute pain — like a red, swollen and painful joint — also deserves a check-up. It could be caused by an injury, or a chronic condition like gout or bursitis (both of which are more common in men than women). Infections can also attack joints and cause permanent damage or spread if left untreated. 

In short, any pain should warrant a trip to the doctor. Chances are the cause isn’t serious, but a doctor can suggest treatment options that tackle the pain and treat the underlying cause.

Persistent thirst

We’re often told to drink plenty of water, but constantly being thirsty isn’t so healthy. Of course, hours of exercise, a salty or spicy meal or medications can cause the problem, but excessive thirst could be an early sign of pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes — conditions that may not have any other symptoms.

Another cause: fluid could be leaving the blood stream and building up in tissues, leaving the body wanting more. This swelling (or edema) can be the result of heart, liver, or kidney failure or a severe infection or burn. Dry mouth can also be associated with thirst, and can have many causes from medication side effects to autoimmune disorders.

Regardless, experts warn that unusual thirst should be checked out, especially when other symptoms like dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea and changes in urinary habits go with it.

Depression

Depression is more common among women than men, so why is it on this list? Some experts warn men are less likely than women to get help due to societal pressures, and they might even experience symptoms differently. They might become aggressive, bury themselves in work or turn to drug or alcohol abuse to cope with their feelings. Unfortunately, men are also three times more likely than women to kill themselves. Suicide is one of the top causes of death in men in Canada, according to Statistics Canada.

It may sound stereotypical, but experts warn that depression may be harder to spot in men because of the stigma against showing weakness, crying or expressing emotion. Symptoms of depression in both sexes can include prolonged feelings of sadness, guilt or grief, loss of interest in activities, social withdrawal, thoughts of suicide, fatigue, changes in appetite and loss of interest in sex.

Depression can be treated with medication, therapy and lifestyle changes, but it’s just as important for men to get help as women. (See the Canadian Mental Health Association website for more information.)

This list is just a few of the symptoms worth paying attention — and we know the causes can sound intimidating. However, experts say most of the time these symptoms have benign and treatable causes. The message is to be aware, but not to panic. Your doctor will likely want to review your symptoms and medical history, do an exam and run some tests. The key is to get a diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible — and some conditions simply shouldn’t have to wait.

Everything You Wanted To Know About The Super Visa

Ottawa: The first applications for the recently announced Parent and Grandparent Super Visa started in Dec.2011.

The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa is one element of Phase I of the Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification, announced in November by the Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. The Super Visa will allow applicants to remain in Canada for up to 24 months at a time without the need for renewal of their status.

To be eligible, the applicant must:

Be a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;

Provide a written commitment of financial support from their child or grandchild in Canada, including proof that the child or grandchild meets the minimum necessary income (Low-Income Cut-Off);

Complete the Immigration Medical Examination;

Submit proof that they have purchased comprehensive Canadian medical insurance, valid for at least one year; and

Satisfy the visa officer that they meet all other standard admissibility criteria.

Current processing times through the Family Class indicate that many parents and grandparents could wait for eight years or more to be accepted to Canada. With the Super Visa, they could be enjoying the company of their family in about eight weeks.

For more details on applying for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, please see the attached backgrounder.

Applying for a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa

Requirements
An application for a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa is made using the Application for a Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada[IMM 5257] form.

In addition to the information required for completing the IMM 5257, the applicant must also provide proof of the parent/grandparent relationship to the Canadian citizen or permanent resident and a signed letter pledging financial support to the parent/grandparent for the duration of their visit to Canada by their child/grandchild.

Evidence of the family’s ability to provide that financial support must be submitted with the application. The ability to support visiting parents/grandparents is based on a minimum necessary income (known as the low-income cut-off, or LICO). The chart below is also used to determine an individual’s ability to sponsor family members through the Family Class. The minimum necessary income is updated each year on January 1^st.

Size of Family Unit	Minimum necessary income
1 person (the sponsor)	$22,229
2 persons	$27,674
3 persons	$34,022
4 persons	$41,307
5 persons	$46,850
6 persons	$52,838
7 persons	$58,827
More than 7 persons, for each additional person, add $5,989.

The applicant must also submit proof that they have purchased Canadian medical insurance that:

.      is valid for a minimum period of one year from the date of entry to Canada;

.      provides a minimum of $100,000 in coverage; and

.      covers the applicant for health care, hospitalization and repatriation.

·The applicant must also meet all standard admissibility criteria. There are a number of reasons you can be found inadmissible, denied a visa and refused entry to Canada.

·In order for the visa officer to determine whether the applicant is medically admissible to Canada, the applicant will also be required to undergo an Immigration Medical Examination (IME) prior to being issued a Super Visa.

For parents and grandparents already visiting Canada

·Parents and grandparents who are currently in Canada may apply for an extension of their status for up to two years by submitting an Application to Change Conditions, Extend Stay or Remain in Canada (IMM 1249) to the Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta, as long as they meet all the criteria. These applications will be examined on a case by case basis.

For parents and grandparents from visa-exempt countries

·Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents from a country whose citizens are not required to have a visa to enter Canada are also eligible to enjoy the Super Visa’s authorized stay of two years. They may apply at a Canadian visa office (no fee required) and demonstrate that they meet all of the requirements for the Super Visa.

·If the applicant has met all the criteria, they will be issued a letter by the visa office that the applicant will present to a Canada Border Services Agency officer at the port of entry upon their arrival in Canada. The officer may authorize a visit to Canada for up to two years.

What is NRI status?

 Many people confused about the NRI term and when a person is considered asNon-Resident Indian(NRI). This article gives you the policies related to NRI and how to decide whether a person is NRI for the specific financial year. Please post your feedback in the comments section. If you like this article please subscribe to our future articles here.

What makes you resident?

• If a person stays in India for more the 182 days for the current financial year
• If you stay in India for at least 60 days in India during the current FY and have stayed in India for at least a total of 365 days during the four previous FYs, then you are a resident.
• However, the criteria of 60 days are extended to the first criteria of 182 days for any one of the following instances:
  • 1. If you reside abroad for the purpose of employment.
  • 2. If you reside abroad as the member of the crew of an Indian ship.
  • 3. If you are an Indian citizen or a person of Indian origin who comes to India on a visit.
• If you are an NRI, only your income from India will be taxed. You don’t have to pay taxes on income earned abroad, even if you remit this income to India.
• An Indian citizen leaves India for the purpose of Employment, Education or Staty with parent, at the moment when he is leaving the India he becomes the NRI. In this case when the return period is un-certain then he will be considered as an NRI.

I hope this article helps to understand the NRI status. If you have any doubts regarding theNRI status, please post it in the comments section. I will answer your questions. Thank you for reading this article. If you like this article please subscribe to our future articles.

Australian tycoon 'is world's richest woman'

Australia's richest person Gina Rinehart has eclipsed Wal-Mart heiress Christy Walton to become the world's wealthiest woman, according to an annual index by Business Review Weekly.

A preview of the respected BRW Rich 200 list, published Wednesday, put the mining tycoon's personal fortune at Aus$29.17 billion (US$28.48 billion), a figure that sees her outstrip Walton for the first time.

In March, Forbes placed Walton and her family's net worth at US$25.3 billion, while Rinehart's fortune stood at US$18 billion.

BRW rich list editor Andrew Heathcote said mining magnate Rinehart had almost tripled her wealth in 12 months as commodity prices rose and she pulled off two deals in iron ore and coal.

"The Aus$18.87 billion increase in her wealth is unparalleled. It is a product of foreign investment in new projects, increased production and a recovery in the iron ore price over the past six months," said Heathcote.

Rinehart, 58, heiress to an iron ore prospecting empire built in Australia's resources-rich west, is a controversial figure who stridently campaigned against new mining taxes and recently bought up big in the media sector.

She is also locked in a series of lawsuits, including an acrimonious row with her own children over a family trust where she has been accused of threatening to financially ruin them.

Heathcote said Rinehart was on track to overtake Mexican telecommunications tycoon Carlos Slim -- worth US$69 billion -- as the world's richest person as demand ramps up for Australia's natural resources.

"A $100 billion fortune is not out of the question for Rinehart if the resources boom continues unabated," said Heathcote.

"There is a real possibility that Rinehart will become not just the richest woman in the world but the richest person in the world."

The full BRW list of Australia's richest people, the upper rungs of which are usually dominated by mining tycoons, will be unveiled on Thursday.

Alberta MLAs' salary to be fully taxed

Alberta MLA's returning to the legislature Wednesday will be paying income tax on their entire salary.

A report written by retired Supreme Court Justice John Major recommended the province retain the tax-free portion of their salary.

But the government is rejecting that.

People feel politicians should pay taxes like everyone else, said government house leader Dave Hancock.

"The public has seemed to be fairly unanimous in the view that they would just as soon we had a salary and pay tax on the whole salary," he said.

Major called the tax-free amount the most misunderstood and contentious of all his recommendations.

Without the allowance the province will make up the difference in salary from its own budget and then lose the $2 million in taxes to Revenue Canada.

Major insisted keeping the tax-free allowance shouldn't make MLA pay any less transparent.

But Hancock said paying more tax to the federal government is "a small price to pay for transparency."

MLAs will get a base salary of $134,000, with no additional money for sitting on committees.

Premier Alison Redford has already rejected Major's suggestion that the premier's salary jump from just over $200,000 a year to $335,000 within the next two years.

All other recommendations will go before a committee of the legislature for approval.

Canada ahead of other G7 nations on youth unemployment

Student protesters in Quebec, rejoice: things aren't nearly as bad as they seem.

According to a Statistics Canada study-- the first of its kind in the country -- 13.3 per cent, or 904,000, of the 6.8 million Canadians between the ages of 15 and 29 weren't in school nor at work last year.

While the unemployment figure may seem high, it's the second-lowest percentage out of all the  G-7 countries just behind Germany (11.6 per cent).

In terms of the labour force, Canada had 391,000 youth looking for work. Most of those not in the labour force said that they didn't want a job (82 per cent).

Another good news story for Canada is our long-term youth unemployment rate.  According to Kathrerine Marshall, an analyst with StatsCan, only 55,000 young people had been looking for work for more than six months.

"These long-term unemployed represented 1 per cent of all youth and 14 per cent of unemployed youth," told Marshall.

"This was the lowest proportion of long-term unemployed young people among the G7 nations."

Despite the relatively rosy numbers, however, critics charge that federal and provincial governments have ignored  youth unemployment trends and have instead focused on an all-ages approach.

"The government ... would say they're giving (more money) to laid off people. They would say that we're addressing the problem. But my argument is that youth unemployment is the worst, and what's the government doing to address that?" Nancy Schaefer, president of the Toronto-based Youth Employment Services (YES) told  last year.

"I don't think the youth of [Ontario] are being well-served under this model."

Other, like Ken Lewenza of the Canadian Autoworkers' union (CAW)  believe its time for a national jobs summit to develop a national strategy.

"Young people are not able to find jobs in this economy and the federal government must do more to ensure our youth secure decent full time jobs," Lewenza said in a statement earlier this month.

"The federal government must show a lot more leadership on the stubborn issue of youth unemployment in Canada."

Percentage of students who don't go to school or work in the G7 countries:

Germany: 11.6 per cent

Canada: 13.3 per cent

France: 15.6 per cent

United Kingdom: 15.6 per cent

United States: 16.9 per cent

Italy: 21.2 per cent