BY RATTAN MALL
MARCH 12
REGIONAL POLICE FORCE REALLY NEEDED: With five shootings in two days in Surrey (three males were injured and fortunately nobody was killed) it is obvious that what the Lower Mainland needs from West Vancouver to Abbotsford is a Regional Police Force. It is not the Surrey RCMP’s fault because crime does not stop at its border. Unfortunately, because of some petty-minded mayors, on the one hand, and a gutless provincial government, on the other hand, Lower Mainland residents continue to suffer – not that a Regional Police Force will solve everything: No, it won’t, but it will definitely lower serious as well as petty crime. It will provide MUCH BETTER coordination than any so-called joint task force can. Until then, get used to more shootings and keep your fingers – and toes! – crossed that a stray bullet doesn’t have your name on it! Enjoy the shootings until then!
SHMINDER SINGH JOHAL: The B.C. Court of Appeal has ruled that it was “entirely fitting” that Shminder Singh Johal of Richmond “received the harshest punishment” of the three men who were convicted in a massive cocaine smuggling operation. They were arrested in 2007. Former Canada Border Services Agency officer Baljinder Singh Kandola was sentenced to 15 years in prison and Johal, a car parts importer, received a sentence of 18 years in 2012 by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Selwyn Romilly. Herman Riar was sentenced in January 2010 to 12 years in jail. Johal was the “overseer,” Kandola the “facilitator” and Herman Riar, the transporter of the drugs. Johal’s lawyer argued that the judge erred in finding his client was the ringleader and therefore more culpable than Kandola. But the three Appeal Court judges found the attempt to distinguish between a “leader” and an “overseer” in the criminal operation “elevates form over substance.” The court dismissed the appeal.
MARCH 11
CANADA TRYING TO KICK OUT TWO PAKISTANIS: Canada is trying to deport Jahanzeb Malik, a Pakistani who came to Canada as a student in 2004, who allegedly tried to recruit an undercover police officer to help him bomb financial buildings and the U.S. consulate in Toronto. The Canada Border Service Agency told a hearing on Wednesday that he is an ISIS supporter. The National Post newspaper reported that Malik is separated from his wife who had sponsored him and has been arrested several times for fraud and violent crimes. Meanwhile, the authorities are trying to boot out another Pakistani, Mohammed Aqeeq Ansari, who was arrested in Toronto following an RCMP investigation. It will be good to get rid of them!
NINA GREWAL VS KEN HARDIE?: Nina Grewal should get ready for Ken Hardie, the well-known former TransLink spokesperson who’s announced his intention to seek the federal Liberal nomination in her riding of Fleetwood-Port Kells. Hardie has name recognition with mainstream media – and he will bury Grewal in any debate, which, of course, Grewal will avoid like the plague! It might be tough to defeat Grewal unless there is a Trudeau Tsunami across Canada. But you never know.
JASON KENNEY: Jason Kenney made an ass of himself for putting up a misleading photo on his Twitter feed last Sunday to mark International Women’s Day that shamelessly misidentified a Shia Muslim ceremonial re-enactment as women chained by Muslim extremists. Kenney’s message thanked Canadian Forces for joining the fight against the Islamic State’s “campaign to enslave women & girls.” Slamming the Islamic State is a good thing, but if you lose your credibility, you end up becoming the loser!