By Mehdi Rizvi            

Toronto

When I came to Canada nearly 15 years ago, I could not have imagined that the place which is now my new home would be so accepting, accommodating and tolerant of other cultures. Here we learn how to earn respect by giving respect to others. This is the beauty of Canadian society, which allows hundreds of cultures to co-exist peacefully.

Yom is an ancient Hebrew and Arabic word which means “day.” Yom Eid is a Muslim thanksgiving day after a month of fasting in Ramadan. Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year. Yom Ashura is a day of mourning observed by the Muslim community every year on the 10th of Moharram, the first month of the lunar calendar. This year, it was observed on Thursday, November 14.

Mahatma Gandhi said: “I learnt from Hussein how to attain victory while being oppressed.”

In The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, British historian Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) noted: “In a distant age and climate the tragic scene of the death of Hussein will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.”

Hussein’s message of commitment and submission is religiously communicated, discussed, heard and preached every year. To mourn his death, Muslims arrange lectures and speeches every day from the first of Moharram to its climax on Yom Ashura.

On the eve of Ashura, during the night vigil, mourners wear black clothes, light candles and pray that darkness gives way to light with justice, freedom and truth spreading around the world. They pray for the victory of rightness over the forces of evil and the rule of justice and equality for all human beings in all parts of the world.

The mourners offer special prayers and keep themselves busy in rituals and refrain from taking food and water until the time of the martyrdom (about 3 p.m.). All lights are turned off until “sham-e-Gharibaan” (the evening of the mourners) is over. At sunset, a scholar sheds light on the message and lessons learned from the event, and then delivers a lecture.

Communities that observe Ashura come together and arrange mourning processions in Toronto every year. The main processions in Toronto this year started out from Queen’s Park and Milliken Park. The mourners hold symbolic flags (alams) and walk slowly, reciting elegies to express sorrow over the tragedy, while also showing their support for justice and truth.

We live peacefully among nearly 200 cultural groups in Toronto. This peaceful co-existence is thanks in part to the multiculturalism policy introduced by Pierre Trudeau in 1971. It calls on the government of Canada to recognize and promote the understanding that multiculturalism reflects the diversity of Canadian society and acknowledges the freedom of all segments of society to preserve, enhance and share their cultural heritage.

If we survive as a Canadian nation, we must accept multiculturalism without destroying our cultural harmony and heritage. By educating ourselves about others’ cultures and making cultural connections based on the pillars of mutual respect, we can work to rid ourselves of ignorance and prejudice. Muslim states divided by sectarian strife can follow the Canadian example and the message of Hussein, which is an old version of the modern Charter of Human Rights that we practice for the benefit of humanity, not any one community.

Mehdi Rizvi is a former member of the Community Editorial Board, Toronto Star and an affiliate of the Center of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement, which is a consortium of three Toronto universities. His column appears in rabble each month.

Speaking to a huge crowd of attendees with standing room filled to capacity, Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa shared a message peace and justice, as his health continues to dwindle.

Mr. Khalsa has been on a hunger strike for over a month now in protest to the illegal arrest and detention of political prisoners who have completed their sentences, yet remain imprisoned.

OGC member Daljeet Singh Sehkon said “His (Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa’s) courage, determination and strength has had a profound affect on the Sikh community. When you look around the hall and see how many people have come to support him, it’s overwhelming”.

Mr. Khalsa spoke of his disappointment in the Indian judiciary, explaining that application of the law equally is paramount to a thriving democracy . He also took the opportunity to highlight the importance of peaceful protest and meditation as the basic fundamentals for anyone wanting to support his cause. Although having been on a hunger strike for over a month, Mr. Khalsa remains positive and hopeful.

“We commend Mr. Khalsa for taking this stand and bringing light to this issue said Lakhwinder Singh Dhaliwal,” said committee member at Gurdwara Guru Nanak Mission Center and Ontario Sikh and Gurdwara Council Spokesmen.

The attendees and community leaders concluding the evening with a discussion on the next steps and all the ways in which the community could work together to progress forward on this issue to support Mr. Khalsa.

“Gurbaksh Singh delivered a message of hope and peace tonight.  His conviction is testament to his dedication for the judicial rights of all minorities in India – as Canadians and Sikhs we’re so proud to be ambassadors of his message of peace and protest.” added Amaninder Singh from Coalition of Sikh Organizations (COSO)

If the deal on The Brick website seemed too good to be true, that’s because it was.

In a posting on its Facebook page, the widely known furniture and appliance chain said Friday that a technical glitch mistakenly gave online customers an unintended discount on Christmas eve and Christmas day.

The Brick said online buyers got a 50 per cent discount on their purchases once the items were added to their online shopping cart and checked out.

“The advertised price in the flyer and on the product pages was correct when these customers added the item to their shopping card and did not reflect this additional discount until the shopping cart was checked out,” the company said of the error.

“The Brick apologies for the confusion and is currently working to contact all affected customers to advise of correct pricing,” it said, adding that it would not honour the online price.

“We recognize the confusion that occurred and are offering to affected customers 10 per cent of their affected online purchase price back as a credit toward their next purchase, which can be used on any item, including regular and sale priced items in all categories of the store,” it said.

The posting did not say how many online customers were affected or the value of the merchandise involved.

By Lachman Balani

Planning a visit to India during the colder months of January or February? Or perhaps, later in the future?

Well then make sure you go visit the new wonder of the world- the 3D Darshan Museum in Pune, India, billed by tripadvisor as Pune’s number one attraction.

“I had visited two churches in Goa and they had museums on its saints. That’s what made me come up with a concept like Darshan as a dedication to my Guru,” says Dada J.P Vaswani, current life force and helmsman of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission in Pune and its numerous centres around the globe.

And thus it came to pass. After engaging a highly advanced and savoir-faire technology and management team and with generous donations from his followers, the 3D museum, Darshan, was finally launched in August 2011 with the blessings of the revered Dada J.P.Vaswani, and the presence of famed Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, an ardent Vaswani follower. This new wonder of the world is a totally mind bending experience of the story of Sadhu Vaswani. The denouement of his life and teachings of what the world and humans should do to give value, direction and purpose to their lives is told through an artful cutting edge multimedia presentation that uses both traditional means like Madame Tussaud style wax figures and mechanical movements to modern 3D computer animation and holograms.

Emotionally moving and spiritually uplifting, the museum provides an unforgettable and illuminating experience to the viewers. The visitors are taken through a series of immersive and impressive spatial involvements rich in state of the art audio, visual and multimedia effects.

The museum not only attracts Vaswani followers but also IT and multi- media students from all over the world as well as the numerous tourists who visit the Osho (Rajnesh) ashram every year! It is a true high tech marvel of the world!

Uttam Makaju

Toronto

Canada, the exemplary country for multiculturalism in the globe, boasts innumerable ethnic groups around the world. Nepal, the land of Mt. Everest and birthplace of Lord Buddha, stands fifth in terms of area and population in South Asia. Geographically, it is small, but rich in culture and traditions as it is homed by hundred plus ethnic groups. Among those hundred plus ethnic groups, Newars are the traditional inhabitants of Kathmandu valley. They are believed to be the most ancient inhabitants of Kathmandu valley.

Newar culture is very rich in pageantry and ritual throughout the year. Newari food culture also has diversity in their taste. There are varieties of food hold by Newari culture. Most of the festivals in Newar culture are celebrated according to the lunar calendar. Food, according to their ceremony, holds importance in terms of climate, health and nutrition.

 In the same manner, Yomari Punhi Festival, observed on the full moon day around December, is also associated with specific food items. It is the post harvest festival of worshipping the newly harvested rice. On this day farmers worship grain barn and Goddess Annapurna, the Goddess of grains. And belief is that when you worship Goddess Annapurna, you never feel the shortage of grains.

Literally, Yomarhi means tasty and liked bread and Punhi means full moon day. Yomarhi is a typical steamed pastry of conical or fig shape made of rice flour dough stuffed with thick dollop of molasses and sesame seeds. In terms of nutrition, molasses is the good source of iron, potassium, manganese where as sesame seed contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus , copper and fiber. It is believed that eating Yomarhi takes away cold. At the same time, Yomarhi depicts the philosophy of life. For example; outer looks of Yomarhi is just a plain or mono colour. But it is really delicious when you eat it with inner ingredients. It metaphors that our life is very plain but if you work hard for yourself and others, your life will be full of happiness, colourful and delicious like Yomarhi.

In order to celebrate this very festival, Canadian Newa Guthi, a not for profit organization dedicated to preserve and showcase Newar culture in Canada, organized “Yomarhi Punhi” celebration in Toronto. In the program General Secretary of Canadian Newa Guthi Mr. Bimal Man Shrestha shed light on importance of culture preservation, specially in diasporas.

William Osler hospital settles with the Din family over allegations treatment in 2001 that left their 5-month daughter severely brain damaged.

Little Niza Din’s 5-month-old body was shutting down after nearly 24 hours in hospital. Her body lay limp and her wails had stopped; the monitor attached to her body flashed.

Her mother, Faiza Din, leaned in to the mask covering her daughter’s mouth and nose. She listened and heard faint cries.

Then the nurse came in, took off Niza’s mask and brought her to the nursing station, where a respiratory therapist waited. Faiza followed then took Niza back in her arms.

Little Niza took a big gulp of air, then stopped breathing. Her heart stopped beating. Then a Code Pink went over the air at Brampton’s William Osler Health Centre that day in April 2001, and a flurry of doctors, nurses and hospital staff rushed in.

Niza’s heart would be brought back to life four more times over the following few hours, the family said. She survived, but they say she is now severely brain-damaged and in need of around-the-clock care.

Last month, more than 12 years after that terrible night, the hospital and the Mississauga family entered a court-approved multi-million-dollar settlement — it will reach nearly $21 million if she lives to 85 — in the middle of a civil trial at Ontario Superior Court.

The hospital denied all allegations, none of which have been proven in court, in its statement of defence. The hospital said it provided reasonable care “consistent with accepted hospital standards” and denied any and all negligence or neglect.

“This is a tragic situation,” hospital spokesperson Cara Francis wrote in an email to the Star. “The outcome has been devastating for the patient and family involved and extremely distressing for the entire care team. We strive for the best patient outcomes in every situation and, as part of our regular processes, we look for ways to improve care in situations where the best health outcome is not achieved.

“For us, delivering patient-inspired health care without boundaries means patients and their families feel supported by us in every interaction,” Francis wrote. “Unfortunately, we didn’t meet our standards in this case, and we have apologized to the family.”

The hospital did not want to get into specifics of the case due to “patient privacy.”

The Niza case was settled after the third week of trial, when lawyers for the hospital approached the family to begin discussions on a settlement, said the Dins’ lawyer, Hilik Elmaliah, of the law firm Sommers and Roth.

The money, $11,000 per month with 2 per cent interest compounded annually, will be paid out over the course of their daughter’s life, according to the settlement.

Today Niza, now 13, has the intellectual capacity of a 6-year-old, has trouble breathing and will never be able to work, her parents said. She is in need of round-the-clock care.

What happened that night was pieced together from court documents, which include the family’s statement of claim, the hospital’s statement of defence, the family lawyer’s affidavit filed with court after the settlement, as well as exclusive interviews with the family.

In the early evening of April 22, 2001, Niza, the youngest of three children to Faiza and Maqsood Din, was at home with the family. The Dins said their 5-month old daughter sipped just a bit from her bottle around 7 p.m. Her heart was beating rapidly, sweat beading on her brow, and she had a fever — their thermometer read 38.3C.

And she wouldn’t stop crying.

So at 2:26 a.m. April 23, her parents took her to the emergency department of William Osler hospital. An emergency doctor diagnosed Niza with bronchiolitis and ordered a treatment of Ventolin and Atrovent to open up her lungs, according to the affidavit filed by the family’s lawyer.

As the doctor wrapped the mask over her mouth and nose, Niza dug her fingers into her mother’s arms.

“She was in pain and scared,” Faiza remembers, recalling that night from their home in Mississauga, near Lake Ontario.

The medication didn’t work, the affidavit read. So a doctor ordered a chest x-ray and asked for help from a pediatrician, who diagnosed Niza with “wheezy bronchitis,” according to court documents. The pediatrician sent her to the children’s floor at 10:45 a.m. and ordered a three-dose regimen of epinephrine (adrenaline) and Ventolin.

A pediatric nurse then examined the little girl and noted Niza had great difficulty breathing, according to the statement of claim. Her trachea pulled to the rhythm of her heart. She grunted constantly as she fought for air. The nurse took the baby’s blood pressure for the first time, and the results were troubling.

Medical experts for the Dins later testified at the trial in November that the blood pressure results, known as “wide pulse pressure,” were consistent with early septic shock, a systematic shutting down of organs that has a high death rate. At this point, Niza didn’t have that diagnosis, the affidavit said.

More time passed and the baby’s body continued to fail. By 2:15 p.m. a doctor reviewed her x-rays and diagnosed her with pneumonia in the left lung, not bronchiolitis or wheezy bronchitis, according to the affidavit. Tests soon showed the pneumonia was a bacterial infection and she was started on antibiotics.

Her vital signs weren’t measured between 2 p.m. and 4:20 p.m., according to the affidavit, except for having her temperature taken at 3:15 p.m., which showed a significant fever.

Throughout the ordeal, Niza still wouldn’t feed.

That’s when Maqsood and Faiza talked to nurses and hospital staff about transferring her to SickKids hospital.

“There is something wrong here,” Maqsood remembered telling the nurses. “If you can’t figure this out, transfer us to SickKids.”

By 5:20 p.m., the attending doctor said the little girl was “behaving like sepsis,” according to the affidavit. He ordered fluids and “close observation” by nurses, assigning Niza to one nurse — and that nurse’s only patient was Niza.

Yet between 8 p.m. and 1:20 a.m. there was nothing noted in her file. Niza’s parents say there were no vitals taken for more than five hours. In its statement of defence, the hospital said that was not the case — the nurse just didn’t transfer her notes from her “report sheet.”

“The attending nurse recorded her observations and assessments on the report sheet,” according to the statement of defence, “however, that evening, since she was busy caring for Niza, she did not have an opportunity to input the data from the report sheet into the computer before Niza’s cardio-respiratory arrest.”

The Dins said the only time the nurse took Niza’s vitals was at the start of her shift at 7:30 p.m., which is noted in the records.

By 9 p.m., Niza’s condition worsened. She was awake, but couldn’t lift her head anymore. Again, her parents asked to move their daughter to SickKids. That was brushed aside, they say.

At 1:15 a.m. Faiza leaned in to hear if her daughter was still alive. She was, but then her heart stopped for the first time. The ordeal led to a lack of oxygen flow that lead to permanent brain damage, but Niza was still alive.

She was eventually transferred to SickKids where, the family says, one doctor told them she had a 98 per cent chance of dying that day. Another doctor told the family that if she did survive, she faced a tough life. He told them she might not be able to see or hear or talk or walk.

“Is there anything left?” Faiza asked the doctor.

Niza ‘s father, Maqsood, runs his own delivery business while her mother, Faiza, stays home.

Life for Niza has been difficult. Her lungs are severely compromised, and she is at constant risk for seizures.

Niza can see and hear and talk and walk.

But she walks with a limp due to thrombosis in one leg. The ligaments and muscles tighten so badly that she cannot move it. Botox therapy helps, temporarily paralyzing the muscles and relaxing them, which allows her leg to move properly.

Niza spends a lot of time at a nearby clinic where she does physical and occupational therapy. She must also wear orthotics at all times, even in her slippers at home.

Parts of four fingers fell off because of the circulation problems that night in 2001, the affidavit read. She can talk, but has the intellectual capacity of a child in Grade 1. It took her six years to learn how to spell her name. Yet now she can write short notes.

“Last night she wrote me a letter asking her to talk to Dad because he wouldn’t talk to her,” Faiza said of Niza. Scrawled in large letters across the bottom of the letter are the words, “I love you mom.”

“But sometimes she says, ‘I’m so dumb, I can’t even write a letter,’” Faiza says. “It’s so heartbreaking.”

Niza knows nothing about that night in the hospital. Sometimes she asks about her fingers. Other times she asks if she was sick as a baby.

They tell her some kids are different from others. They tell her she was sick as a baby, but went to the hospital and got better.

“We’re trying to put it off as long as possible,” Maqsood says, rubbing his face. “You try to do your best to feed her a little information, but not too much.”

WHEN the government of the French-speaking province of Quebec introduced a bill in November to stop public servants from wearing religious symbols, it gave a community hospital in neighbouring Ontario a chance to grab some new recruits. Lakeridge Health ran an advertisement in a Quebec medical-school newspaper showing a woman wearing a hijab and stethoscope over the caption: “We don’t care what’s on your head, we care what’s in it.” Applications doubled, says Kevin Empey, the hospital’s boss.

The Quebec government’s proposed ban and the Ontario hospital’s welcome illustrate the poles in the Canadian debate on multiculturalism. Public hearings on the law began on January 14th. Supporters say that the ban is needed to enshrine state secularism; opponents that it is a cynical appeal to xenophobia by the minority provincial government of the Parti Québécois (PQ). Either way, the prediction of Jean-François Lisée, a PQ minister, that the Quebec battle could be the last stand in Canada’s multicultural experiment does not stand up to close scrutiny.

Immigration itself is not in question. Canadians, even in Quebec, overwhelmingly back mass immigration, which adds an average of 250,000 newcomers (roughly 0.8% of the population) each year. First-generation immigrants make up a bigger share of Toronto’s and Vancouver’s populations than in many of the world’s great cosmopolitan cities.

Unlike many Europeans, Canadians believe that immigrants create jobs rather than steal them, says Jeffrey Reitz, a sociologist who has surveyed attitudes in Europe and Canada. This view is partly based on history. Modern Canada was built by successive waves of immigrants, first from Europe and more recently from Asia.

It is also a result of policies that since the 1970s have focused on admitting the most employable people. The government constantly tweaks its system of awarding points to prospective immigrants for languages, education and skills, in order to match them with labour-market gaps. Younger applicants currently have an edge. An array of programmes, many of them focused on the ability to speak languages, help immigrants to settle in.

The Quebec dispute is not over numbers of immigrants, but how to accommodate them. In the 1970s Canada officially adopted the creed of “multiculturalism”, a murky concept that celebrates cultural differences at the same time as pushing newcomers to integrate. English-speaking Canadians see multiculturalism as central to their national identity, ranking below universal health care and the Canadian flag in a recent survey by Environics, a research firm, but above ice hockey, the Mounties and the Queen.

The governing Conservatives are blunter than opposition parties about the obligation on newcomers to integrate and about cultural practices, such as genital mutilation, that are unacceptable. But their support for multiculturalism is not in question. After the latest federal cabinet reshuffle there was even a tussle over who was the senior multiculturalism minister.

By contrast, French-speaking Quebeckers have long been more tepid about the subject. Many think it undermines their role as one of modern Canada’s founding cultures. The government in Quebec prefers the doctrine of “interculturalism”, which emphasises assimilation into the dominant culture. This is popular in rural areas, where immigrants are few and PQ support is strong, but extremely unpopular in Montreal, where most of the province’s newcomers live.

Canada’s multiculturalism is not perfect. There have been rows over whether a Sikh Mountie can wear a turban or whether Muslim women can cover their faces in court. A Toronto university student sparked a furore this month by asking to be excused from group work with female students for religious reasons. The hearings in Quebec threaten to be long and acrimonious. But Canada has largely drawn the sting of a poisonous subject.

The Economist

The definition of civilization can not be complete without the reference of culture. Culture is, something, our way of life which includes our values, beliefs, traditions, cuisine, clothing pattern and so on. The pattern of housing , food and clothing are mostly influenced by climatic topography and geographical region. The wearing of clothing is almost mandatory for all the human beings. But the style, size and quality are dominated by physical stature, social and geographical condition. Many people believe that clothing is not only a necessity but represents culture and social status too. Some pieces of clothing are more than just a protection. Some pieces of clothing remain almost synonyms with culture. Among the different pieces of clothing, hat can be considered symbolic one. Because, in most religions, hat represents either religion or culture. For instance; Sikh people wear turban, Jews people wear Kipa, Muslim people wear Taqiyah/Topi. Besides, hat will protect your head from sun, cold, and minor injury.

In same way, Nepalese people also have tradition of wearing Topi (hat). In terms of religion, Nepal, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is dwelt by Hindu, Buddhist, Muslims and Christians. But regardless of their religion, most male people wear Topi. Nepali Topi is mostly made of special kind of clothe called Dhaka , originated from capital city of Bangladesh. The another famous Topi is called BhadgaunleTopi, which is hand crafted, black in color and originated from the city called Bhadgaun , currently Bhaktapur. It is believed that Dhaka Topi has been using in Nepal since last two hundreds year. Nepali people consider Topi as a source of pride, symbol of luck and much attached to the culture. It is widely worn by government employees and general public. In special occasions people wear Dhaka Topi. In Nepalese context, Topi signifies high as Mt. Everest, bold as the Himalayas, colourful as pheasant and considered as luck to keep on your head. It is also a culture that Topi is taken off when there is family sorrow. All these definition and meaning show that Topiis the symbol of national identity and strengthens the national feeling.

In order to show case this very culture ,Toronto Nepali Literary Society recently organized Second Nepali TopiEvent along with BasantaPanchami celebration and poetry recital in Toronto. Addressing the program, Prof. Dr. Khagendra Prasad Luintel of Tribhuvan University, Nepal, who travelled all the way from Nepal, lauded the contribution made by Nepalese residing in Canada towards the enrichment of Nepali literature. Prof. Dr. Luintel was honoured by the organizer for his matchless contribution to Nepalese literature. It is noteworthy that Prof. Dr. Luintel is Special Course Advisor (M.A. Nepali faculty) of Gauhati University, Assam, India.

By Lachman Balani

Toronto

As reported in some financial magazines ,newspapers and other media, many clients are debating whether to pay down their credit card and/or line of credit debt rather than invest in an RRSP. Several are opting to pay off their debt rather than contributing to their RRSPs. However, here is a strategy to help you get the best of both worlds.

Let us suppose that you are an average person in Ontario (this works for anybody living anywhere in Canada) earning a salary in the 31.15% tax bracket and have an average perennial credit card debt of say $10,000 which, no matter how hard you try, you are unable to get rid of. Some months it may jack up to $12,000 and other months it may be at $8,000, but on the average it is always around $10,000. The interest rate on a balance is usually in the ball park of 18-20%.The minimum payment on this debt is usually about 3% of the total or $300. What follows is an outline of the strategy to bid adieu to this ‘bad’ debt and to build your assets by taking on a ‘good’ debt. A ‘good’ debt is used in the sense that the debt helps in building wealth for the future.

The Strategy 

As mentioned before you have a perpetual debt of $10,000 and instead of contributing the usual $5,000 to an RRSP that you do annually you wish to use it to pay down your debt.

If you have been in the workforce for several years and have a lot of RRSP contribution room, as is the case with most people in Canada, you can avail of what is known as a ‘catch –up’ loan (to catch up on all your available RRSP contribution room). This loan is payable in 10 years and is available at an interest rate of prime + 2.75% or 5.75% currently (the prime rate is at 3%). Should you shop around, you may find loans at cheaper rates, but I am here using a rate that many institutions offer. If you take an RRSP loan of $25,000 at 5.75%, the monthly payment is $283 (less than the minimum payment of $300 on your credit cards) if you take a 6 month deferral on the first payment. The reason you want to avail of such a deferral is that you should wait for your tax returns to pay down your credit card balance.

For simplicity, once the loan is approved and funded, you will get a tax refund of 31.15% on $25,000 or $7,787.50 once you file your tax returns in April. Since you were planning to use $5,000 anyways to pay down your debt, all you need to do now is add $2,212.50 from this $5,000 you have set aside and pay off your entire credit card debt of $10,000( $7,787.50{tax returns} + $2,212.50{own money}= $10,000) and still have $2,787.50 left over to invest or pay down your mortgage.

In summary, instead of using $5,000 to pay down your debt by half,

1. Take an RRSP loan of $25,000 and pay off the entire credit card debt so that you now have zero credit card debt.

2. You now have $25,000 invested in an RRSP, which if invested properly will grow over the years.

3. Plus you have $2,787.50 left over to do as you please.

4. However, remember that you still have to service the RRSP loan with a $283 monthly payment, less then servicing your ‘bad’ credit card debt with a monthly $300 payment.

Please note the above is an overview of the strategy.

Uttam Makaju

Toronto

“This Country is Yours”, an exhibition of photographs on Nepal drew attention of the visitors at Toronto Image Works Gallery. The project theme, imagined by Mr. Surendra Lawoti , seems very topical and meaningful. ‘Of course, it is topical and meaningful”, a visitor commented. Because, Mr. Lawoti, the sectional Professor at the Ontario College of Arts and Design University, has genuinely portrayed the current social issues like political movements and women, the marginalized groups and their milieus, ethnicity and so on through his portraits.

Mr. Lawoti, an internationally acclaimed photographer, curator of Toronto Nepal Film Festival (TNFF) and recipients of different awards, has keen interest in capturing the scenarios and creating awareness on social maladies through his photographs.

Recently , a “Face to Face with Artist” session was organized in the gallery, where Mr. Lawoti quenched the thirsts put by exhibition visitors. During the session Mr. Lawoti presented his views, topicalities, technicalities and significance of the exhibited photographs. He also revealed that some of the photos are used as social and political metaphors. It is note worthy that Mr. Lawoti’s works has been exhibited in different cities of Canada, the USA, India and Nepal.

Gala reception for Consul General of India in Toronto, Hon. Akhilesh Mishra was organized by the non-profit, non-political and non-religious organization, South Asians in Ontario.

 Akhilesh Mishra has achieved a great deal amount of success in such a short period of time.

Sam Chopra, the president of the organization, welcomed the Consul General along with dignitaries from all levels of government i.e. Mayor of City of Toronto, His Excellence, Rob Ford, Member of Parliament, Hon. Ted Opitz – Etibcoke South, Dr. Kirsty Duncan – Etobicoke North, Hon. Jim Karygiannis – Scarborough/Agincourt and Hon. Mike Sullivan – York South/Weston. Parliamentary Assist. to the Premier of Ontario, Laura Albanese, MPP represented Premier Kathleen Wynne. Councilor Vince Crissanti also accompanied the Mayor.

 The huge gathering was entertained by beautiful dances of Nrityakal Mandir — choreographed by Kanan Bhatt. Live singers, Harmeet Bassin, Rajan Sharma, Paul Sethi, and Jyoti Sharma also overwhelmed the audience with their delightful voices.

over 200 sOUTH aSIAN YOUNG PROFESIONALS in attendance   

The Network of Indian Professional-Toronto (NetIP-Toronto) held their 2014 Launch, hosted by Labbat’s on February 19^th. Over 200 South Asian Young Professionals from various backgrounds and discipline filled a room overlooking the Toronto Harbourfront on Queen’s Quay for an evening of networking and celebration.

 “I am very excited about NetIP-Toronto launch event. We have a very dynamic an talented board this year and a very ambitious agenda” We are looking at new partnerships and really want to hear from our membership on what is important to them”,  said Ruby Latif, President of NETIP Toronto ….. “We have shifted our mandate to be a bridge builder between the South Asian diaspora, we want to be seen as the organization that helps young professionals achieve their career goals.”

The event program featured an introduction of its new board members and an overview of upcoming events and initiatives. Other highlights of the evening included a special appearance from Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Hon. Yasir Naqvi who encouraged the attendees to become civically engaged.  NetIP-Toronto also announced its series of speed networking events, an entrepreneurship panel and the return of its annual South Asian Heritage Month celebration at Queen’s Park.

NETIP was also pleased to introduce at the event its 2014 Charity of Choice, the Heart and Stoke Foundation (HSF).  With South Asians having the highest rates of heart disease and stroke compared to other ethnic groups, NETIP members wanted to learn more ways to get involved and give back to the community.

NetIP’s new mission is to connect South-Asian leaders today, for tomorrow. It is the largest organization of its kind in North America with over 34 chapters and takes pride in our work.  For more information about NetIP- Toronto and to find out how to become a member in order to join the next event, please visit http://toronto.netip.org/. 

What is the meaning of success? Does it mean the same thing to everyone? Does gender influence the interpretation of success? A lot of research has gone into the subject of success. What makes a person successful? How do we recognize success? To some, success may signify wealth; to others it is recognition. It could well be family for another set of people. In most cases it is a combination of many factors and attributes. Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) organized the third annual International Women’s Day panel discussion on Saturday March 8, 2014, at the Pearson Convention Centre, to discuss what success means to women. The theme of the panel discussion was On Success: A Woman’s Perspective.

Hon. Amrit Mangat, MPP and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Children and Youth Services, Ontario, was the keynote speaker at the event and also read the special greetings from the Premier of Ontario. The panelists and the audience included highly successful women entrepreneurs, professionals, and public figures. The panelists were: Dr. Usha George, Professor & Dean, Ryerson University; Asha Luthra, Director, Balmoral Marketing, & Former President, ICCC; Raj Girn, President & CEO, Anokhi Media; Sunita Malik, Crown Attorney; Sarab Hans, Managing Director, Hans Dairy. Rajni Tekriwal, Corporate Secretary and Director, Women Entrepreneurs & Professionals (WEP) committee, moderated the discussion.

Dr. Usha George during her presentation spoke about the need for women to work hard to attain their goals. However, she said, success often came not merely from working hard, but from working smart. She extoled the virtues of working smart, saying often it was the distinguishing features between the successful and the also-rans. Former President of Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, Asha Luthra, who was the first woman President in the three-and-a-half decade history of the Chamber, said to her the single biggest contributor to success is the ability to say “No.” She said women who could say “no” tended to take care of themselves better because they were able to better manage expectations. She also said that single women often found it daunting to meet their responsibilities and also to succeed, but she said all they needed more was a good dose of determination.

Sarab Hans emphasized that one of the keys to success is to ask the right person for the right help. She said people are willing to help others succeed, but often they are not aware that such help is sought. Women should develop confidence. In her introductory remarks and during the moderation of the discussion, Rajni Tekriwal said that while the definition of success was a matter of interpretation and would naturally differ from a person to person, in case of women, success had to mean being able to achieve something significant on their own.  “I define success as a manifestation of good luck that results from inspiration, aspiration, desperation and perspiration,” she said, and added, “Success and happiness go hand in hand. Success is getting what you want and happiness is wanting what you get.”

Uttam Makaju

Toronto

“Equality for women is progress for all” is the theme set by United Nations to celebrate International Women’s Day 2014.

 Nepalese Canadian Women’s Association (NCWA), a Toronto based  non profit organization, recently organized   a program in Toronto. Addressing the program, chief guest Member of Parliament Corneliu Chisu, (Pickering- Scarborough East) expressed his happiness and thanked Nepalese community for organizing the important event International Women’s Day.

He also read out  and handed over he message sent by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Nepalese Canadian Women’s Association’s President Ms. Sushila Bhandari spoke about the need of celebrating International Women’s Day.  Host of other speakers shed light on the plight of women.  The program was marked with poem recital, song and dance on women.

A Celebration of Women™ and In Our Words Inc (IOWI) Publisher’s presented Author Farheen Khan’s latest book titled “A Hijabi’s Journey to Live, Laugh and Love” at its official book launch at the La Maquette Restaurant in Toronto.

The event was hosted by Mawuli Chai, a freelance writer and journalist and began with opening remarks by Cheryl Antao-Xavier, Publisher and Owner of In Our Words Inc (IOWI). Cheryl described the book as: “Frank, courageous, proactive: A must read for anyone seeking inspiration to move through and beyond adversity”

The event continued with book endorsers sharing their favourite passage in the book, including remarks from Catherine Anne Clark, Founder of A Celebration of Women™ (www.acelebrationofwomen.org), Rabia Khedr and Jackie O’hara which were followed by remarks and a book reading by author Farheen Khan.

Farheen Khan is a consultant, writer and social activist. Currently working as the Manager, Development at Interim Place Women’s Shelter, she is an advocate for Women’s rights, specifically for survivors of violence. In 2011 Farheen took control of her life and decided to strive to live a healthier life. In her pursuit to be healthy, Farheen worked hard to lose over 157 pounds. She continues to work on her weightloss goals while motivating others. Farheen is a graduate of CITY Leaders and Maytree Foundation’s Leaders for Change and the DiverseCity Fellows 2010. She is currently pursuing her Degree in International Development at York University with a focus on Migration, Gender and Culture.

Farheen is also the author of a book titled “From Behind the Veil: A Hijabi’s Journey to Happiness” which is available online and has spoken in the media (including on CBC Radio) about her experience as a Muslim woman experiencing gendered Islamophobia post 9/11 and her journey from Corporate Canada to Social Justice as a result. Her newest publication “A Hijabi’s Journey to Live, Laugh and Love” is set to be released in March 2014. This book speaks to Farheen’s experience of embarking on a journey of finding love and realizing that in order to love another, you first need to love and care for yourself. Farheen’s next publication titled “The Hijabi Diaries” a play speaks to the inter and intra community challenges that Muslim Women in particular face in the North American context is set to be released in 2015.

Farheen spoke about her book and the experience of leaving an abusive marriage followed by her journey of taking control of her life and learning to love herself in order to love another. Farheen shared her obstacles and the inspiration she was able to find in order to lose over 157 pounds and drop from a size 26 to a size 12. “Make every day a productive one. Life is nothing more than a life in progress. Be the best YOU that you can be!”

A physician world-renowned for his ability to make data sing and trends come to life has received the 2014 Chanchlani Global Health Research Award at McMaster University.

Dr. Hans Rosling of Sweden is listed by Time magazine as one of the world’s most influential people for his skill at presenting the issues of global socio-economic development. He is also a professor of international health of the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden and co-founder and chairman of the Gapminder Foundation, a non-profit venture promoting sustainable global development.

The Chanchlani Global Health Research Award was created by philanthropists Vasu and Jaya Chanchlani and McMaster University in 2012 to recognize a leading scholar in international health. “Dr. Rosling conveys his forceful global health research message by converting dots into meaningful narrative bridging the gap of the last mile- reaching comprehensibility of average person” said Vasu Chanchlani.

“Dr. Rosling is uniquely able to reach everyone in explaining what’s happening in global development using evidence-based information. This ability to communicate simply makes a real difference in our understanding of these important issues,” said John Kelton, dean and vice-president of McMaster’s Faculty of Health Sciences.

By Kiran Khan

Mississauga

While going to Iqbal Foods, I had seen the building of Ontario Science Centre. But it never occurred to me to visit, to actually visit it, so when my sister offered to take us (me and my family) to Ontario Science Centre, I was over the moon, forget about the kids’ excitement.

We went on March break, and it was quite busy although we got there from Mississauga at 10:00 a.m. After passing through membership desk, as soon as we walked in, a woman was giving her son a tutorial on billions of years’ old stones, yes billions with a “b” and reminding him of what he had read in the social studies book just last night.

It was a walk through time and history. There were trees and stones and bones preserved that were as old as the earth itself.

And then there were leaves of trees we see everyday but not know the names of. I had to silently memorize some of them in case my son ever asked me what the name of the tree in his school’s play yard is.

 I recall my sister telling my brother-in-law, look at the leaves carefully and remember their names, memorize which lake is where at a map and touches which cities because there can be a question about lakes etc in his Citizenship test. My brother-in-law is supposed to apply for his Canadian citizenship this year (that is if the new rules do not come into effect this year.)

We watched a presentation about flying snake, yes a flying snake that glided through the air for up to 30 meters. When I asked my son what he remembered from the visit at his sleep time, he said flying snake, Sesame Street’s The Body and a large ship that had farms and cows.

No surprise, right?

Kids loved Sesame Street’s presentation: The Body. From having fun at pretend bathroom to buying groceries at the super market to kicking and paddling, it had everything children love and like to do, and yes, they like to do it repeatedly. Moms and dads were teaching their kids about how to use loonies and toonies at the super market.

My two-year-old nephew wanted to tap and tap and tap the screens without having any inkling of what he was doing.

 It became a challenge to get kids out of there and to the exhibition next door, Sultans of Science.

Sultans of Science was an exhibition of its kind. From medicine to astronomy to geometry to trigonometry to optics to photography to pulling out water from deep under the earth, it had covered which seemed like all the disciplines of Science.

 It was so informative and so inspirational that my husband came to tears with what Muslims had invented, and how it has been developed in the modern times. And after seeing a four metre replica of Al-Jazari’s Musical Boat, he vowed to read more about this scholar.

Did you know that hospitals and medical research was invention of Muslims?

 No?

Well, I didn’t either. The hospital was called “bemaristan” a few centuries ago which quite literally means, “place for sick.”

 The instruments used in surgeries only about 5 or 6 centuries ago have been modernized so much that it amazes the human mind. But to be honest, the instruments from Sultans’ times seemed quite scary, not that they are any better today, but at least we have anesthesia.

There were models representing how different objects can be created by putting the building material at different angles. I couldn’t get it my high school class and didn’t really understand geometry of it twenty years later. But it was fun to build the model of what seemed like mosque’s minar anyways.

Weston Family Innovation Centre was a place to shred papers and to build and fly paper planes, and to watch ourselves in giant bubble image and much more.

There was so much to see and so little time. It seemed like the end of the day had come early unlike Spring this year.

 We definitely needed Ontario Science Centre’s membership. One day is not enough to explore, see and enjoy this remarkable place. It had things for new immigrants like my brother-in-law, young families like mine and young and old.

And, yes, I did get a membership.

Raju Shrestha, a Nepali teacher and tapestry artist of Kathmandu, understands the value of education better than any one. As a young boy, he was out of the school until he was taken in by an organization namely Nepal Srijanatmak Kala Guthi that provided him shelter, access to education and training in tapestry weaving. He feels very sad when he sees so many intelligent and talented children missing their school because of lack of resources.

It was in 2007, when Raju Shrestha was travelling in Canada, he saw small amount of money in Canadian standards could change a life of underprivileged in Nepal. He postulated the idea to two of his Canadian friends Luke Yorkden- Chaimberlain and Sandeep Kembhvi whom he had met earlier and hosted them at his school when they were travelling in Nepal after their university education. Realizing this very idea that education is the key element to empower poverty stricken children in Nepal, the pair founded Nepal Children Education Project (NCEP) in Canada. Since its inception NCEP has been financially supporting needy children through sponsors. Besides, It also has been extending social support to the scholars through “Big Brothers/Sisters” concept.

In order to collect the funds needed for the project, NCEP has been conducting different programs regularly. Recently, NCEP organized “ Light the Lamp” fund raising event in Toronto. This event was focused on young donors conducting various sport activities along with silent auction.

During the event, a presentation was made about the NCEP. Founders of the organization Luke Yorkden-Chaimberlain and Sandeep Kembhi threw light on various programs launched by NCEP and thanked all the volunteers and sponsors of the program. An event participant expressed her happiness it is “Fun and philanthropy together” event.

Guru Gobind Singh Sahib called a big meeting at Kesgarh Sahib near the City of Anandpur Sahib. Between fifty to eighty thousand Sikhs attended this meeting. When all were expecting to hear words of comfort and consolation from the lips of their Guru, they were perturbed to see him with a drawn sword in his hand and cried ‘ Is there anyone here who would lay down his life for Dharam?’ There was a big silence, but the Guru went on repeating his demand. At the third call Daya Ram, a Khatri of Lahore, rose from his seat and offered himself. The Guru took him into an adjoining enclosure….(and soon after) came out with the (blood) dripping….(sword in hand) and flourshing it before the gathering, asked again, ‘Is there any other Sikh here who will offer himself as a sacrifice(for the cause of dharma)? At this Daram Das, a Jat of Delhi (Haryana side) came forward and was taken into the enclosure….(The Guru again came out with the blood-stained sword, and made his previous demand). In the same way three other men stood up, one after another, and offered themselves for the sacrifice. One was Mohkam Chand, a chhimba of Dwarka (Gujarat State); another was Himmat, a cook of Jagannath (Orissa State); and the third was Sahib Chand, a barber of Bidar (Karnataka State). The Guru, after dressing the five in handsome clothes, brought them from the assembly.

These five were then administered ‘Khande di Pahul’ (the double-edged Sword Amrit). They were then knighted as Singhs, as the Five beloved ones, the first members of the Order of the Khalsa. The Guru then asked them to administer the Pahul to him in the same manner in which he had given the Pahul to them, and it was done so.

With the creation of Khalsa, the Khalsa created history and since the birth of Khalsa, the history of Punjab has been the history of Sikhs. Baisakhi played a significant role in this regard. In 1762, Ahmed Shah Abdali, with the sole purpose to destroy the entire Sikh nation, declared ‘Jehad’(holy-war) against the Sikhs and all the Muslims of the Punjab rallied under this slogan. The Sikhs were surrounded near the village Kup in Ludhiana District. Chronicles mention that about twenty thousand Sikhs were martyred in a single day. This event is known in the history of the Sikhs as “Ghallughara” (Bloody Carnage). After this, Ahmed Shah Abdali thought that he had crushed the entire Sikh nation, but was greatly disillusioned when after a few months heard that the Sikhs in large number are celebrating Baisakhi at Amritsar. In due course of time Baisakhi reminds every Sikh of his cultural and religious heritage. On Baisakhi day all the Sikhs used to assemble at Amritsar and decide their problems relating to politics and religion. And the convention carries on.

Sonia Chowdhry was shocked to learn her ex-husband, Charnjit Bassi, was involved in shooting that ended with his death and a police officer injured.

The criminal court files of the man who opened fire in a Brampton courthouse have been released after the Star reported they were being kept secret.

The Star was earlier told by Brendan Crawley, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Ministry, that there may be legal restrictions on the files for Charnjit Bassi and that they would be withheld. No explanation was given for the potential restrictions.

On Wednesday, Crawley said staff had “completed a review” of the files and determined there was no restriction on access.

Bassi, 45, was fatally shot at the Brampton courthouse last Friday after he first opened fire on Const. Mike Klarenbeek, wounding him, according to the Special Investigations Unit.

His court files — spread across the GTA from Newmarket, Toronto and Brampton — reveal Bassi had at least five run-ins with police over more than 15 years, but was never convicted of any offence.

In 1997, Bassi was charged with possession of stolen property under $5,000 and forgery of credit cards. Those charges were later withdrawn.

In 1999, he was charged with aggravated assault and possessing a dangerous weapon after a fight broke out among several men at a Peel-area restaurant and Bassi was alleged to have produced a sword. Those charges were discharged at a preliminary hearing, the Star has learned.

In 2002, Bassi was arrested in Toronto with three other men for allegedly taking part in a fraudulent scheme to skim bank card data and extract money from bank accounts using fake credit cards and debit cards.

He was charged with seven counts, including fraud over $5,000, possessing stolen property and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence — planning to counterfeit cards to withdraw money.

All four men had their charges withdrawn several years later, including Bassi’s in 2005. At that time, Bassi was listed as living at a property he did not own in Woodbridge.

Then in 2005, Bassi was again charged with credit card offences and conspiracy. Those charges were withdrawn in June 2005.

The most recent charge was in 2011, when Bassi was pulled over by York police and charged with refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test and possessing an unknown quantity of marijuana. Those charges were both withdrawn later that year.

Those details came as news to Bassi’s ex-wife, Sonia Chowdhry, as she learned of his past from investigators in the wake of his death.

Speaking through lawyer Rishi Singh Bhasin, whose firm Impact Law LLP she hired to deal with the fallout, Chowdhry said Bassi was not mentally ill or a religious fanatic.

“She’s currently in shock and in mourning,” Bhasin said, adding Bassi was never abusive to Chowdhry or her 6-year-old daughter.

“At no time during the marriage did Mr. Bassi illustrate traits of mental health illness, suicidal ideations or religious fanaticism.”

Chowdhry added Bassi was never abusive, calling him a “gentle” and “supportive” father.

In a 2009 filing for divorce, Chowdhry originally stated Bassi made $150,000 annually — without any paperwork supporting his financials or whether he was employed.

According to Chowdhry, Bassi was working at a factory when they were married in July 2001.

She said Bassi later entered into business with friends, including running a cash-and-carry and selling used cars.

In 2002, his employment was listed as “construction” in court documents and in 2011 it was recorded as “unemployed.”

Bassi and Chowdhry separated in 2008, when she moved down the street on Flower Trail in Brampton.

Bassi still cared for Chowdhry’s daughter, sometimes picking her up from school and taking her to the park. In the summers, he would tend to Chowdhry’s lawn, Bhasin said.

The two finalized their divorce amicably in 2012 without lawyers and without splitting assets. Bassi paid no spousal or child support, Bhasin said.

As friends and family are trying to reconcile the old Bassi with what they say was a new one, an explanation for why he was at the court on Friday remains a mystery.

According to court staff, he had no matter scheduled that day and no upcoming court dates.

After the divorce, Chowdhry had limited contact with Bassi, her lawyer said, and it was unclear if he was working.

Chowdhry said he had become more “spiritual” — praying more and going to temple — but that his religious outlook had not radically changed.