PEEL Regional Police investigators from the Homicide and Missing Persons Bureau are investigating the murder of Jason Ramkishun, 23, of Brampton.
On Tuesday, November 13 at approximately 12:55 a.m., Ontario Provincial Police officers responded to reports of a single vehicle accident on the northbound Highway 410 near Courtney Park Drive, Mississauga. Police located a vehicle was in a ditch and it was determined that the lone occupant had been shot. The victim was transported to Sunnybrook Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. The Peel Regional Police Homicide and Missing Persons Bureau has taken over the case.
Investigators are appealing for witnesses, dash-cam video, surveillance video, or anyone who may have information concerning this investigation. They are asked to call investigators at the Homicide and Missing Persons Bureau at (905) 453-2121, ext. 3205. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.caor by sending a text message to CRIMES (274637) with the word ‘PEEL’ and then your tip.
PEEL Regional Police investigators from the Fraud Bureau announced on Tuesday that a man wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for alleged fraud has been arrested.
In 2013, Fraud Bureau investigators uncovered a scheme in which two men approached businesses and convinced them that they had access to a large amount of investment money. They claimed the source of these funds was the royal family of the United Arab Emirates. The victim companies, which were from Canada, the United States and India, would pay due diligence or advance fees in order to get approval for large loans to run their businesses. The losses to the businesses were in excess of $3 million.
In 2013, investigators arrested and charged a 50-year-old male, Hari Venkatacharya, with three counts of forgery and one count of defraud the public. A Canada-wide warrant was issued for a second man, 52-year-old Dale Maharaj.
On Sunday (November 11), Maharaj was arrested at Toronto Pearson International Airport as he arrived on a flight from Trinidad. He appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice on November 12 for a bail hearing in answer to the charge of defraud the public.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the investigators in the Fraud Bureau at (905) 453–2121, ext. 3335. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting peelcrimestoppers.ca.
THE 19-year-old male shot dead on Monday, November 12 at 3:30 p.m., at the intersection of Simpson Road and Ross Road is the 16th South Asian to be killed in the Lower Mainland this year.
Not a single one of those killings have been solved by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) or Vancouver Police that is not part of IHIT.
Abbotsford Police Department’s patrol division officers, responding to reports of shots fired on Monday, located an injured male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The male victim was transported to hospital by air ambulance. However, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after.
According to one witness, the victim was shot in the head and had very little chances of surviving.
The victim who has been identified by the community as Jagvir Malhi used to be a star basketball player in school.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) was called in.
IHIT said it continues to work closely with its partners, utilizing the expertise of the Abbotsford Police Department and its Forensic Identification Section, along with the BC Coroners Service.
“This shooting occurred near a public school, a blatant disregard for the safety of the community. We are fortunate that school was not in session at this time,” said IHIT Cpl. David Lee on Tuesday. “We believe this incident was not random, and is linked to the ongoing gang conflict in the Lower Mainland.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551- IHIT (4448), or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Should you wish to remain anonymous, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
MEANWHILE, the 22-year-old man shot dead in the 14200-block of 70A Avenue on November 9 has been identified as Harvie Thind by community members.
IHIT said the shooting was believed to be a targeted incident and associated to the ongoing Lower Mainland Gang Conflict. But it did not reveal the victim’s name for some strange reason. Community members believe the police did that deliberately because of the ongoing tension with newly elected Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum who wants to replace the RCMP with a Surrey city police force.
IHIT has made it a bad habit of revealing only partial information and then giving more information at their press conferences that not all media are able to attend. Instead of giving out information properly that might help others to come forward and help police, IHIT media spokespersons have a weird way of operating.
If they had revealed the name of the victims in the two cases mentioned above, who knows who all would have contacted them with invaluable information. No wonder they have not been able to solve even one case of the 13 South Asians killed this year in the Lower Mainland (the other three homicides of South Asians this year are being handled by Vancouver Police).
The other 15 South Asians killed in 2018
(The VOICE is updating and highlighting this list each time a South Asian is murdered so that it keeps the police forces on their toes and it keeps our community facing the reality that is ripping it apart)
* January:
Sachdeep Dhoot, 18, of Surrey: Last seen on January 9, body found in Vancouver on January 18. Vancouver Police said it appeared to be a targeted murder.
* January 19:
Lovepreet Singh Dhaliwal (Jason), 24, of Abbotsford. Police said he was trying to leave a criminal lifestyle.
* January 27:
Kalwinder Thind, 23, of Richmond, an innocent victim who died outside a downtown Vancouver nightclub on Granville Street while trying to break up a fight.
* February 15:
Kaminder Rai, 32, of Surrey, a realtor who was killed in Vancouver.
* March 9:
Pardip Brar, 23, of Delta, who was killed in Surrey. He was known to police.
* April 26:
Amin Vinepal, 24, of Delta, whose body was found in Surrey. He was known to police.
* June 4:
(Two victims) Jaskarn Singh Jhutty (Jason), 16, and Jaskaran Singh Bhangal (Jesse), 17, both of Surrey. The Frank Hurt Secondary School students’ bodies with gunshot wounds were found on a roadside.
* July:
Sukhpreet Grewal, 32, of Abbotsford, whose body was found inside a home on July 20. He was known to police.
* August 4:
Gagandeep Singh Dhaliwal, 19, of Abbotsford. He was known to police.
* August 19:
Lakhwinder Singh Bal, 48, of Surrey. He was known to police.
* October 2:
Varinderpal Singh Gill, 19, was shot dead in Mission. Abbotsford Police had issued a public warning about him on August 15.
* October 11:
Sumeet Randhawa, 30, of Surrey, who was known to police, was shot dead.
* October 18:
Mandeep Singh Grewal, who was not known to police, was shot dead in Abbotsford. He was the brother of gangster Gavinder Grewal who was killed in his North Vancouver apartment on December 23, 2017. His other brother, Manvir Grewal, is known to police.
* November 9:
A 22-year-old man was shot dead. He was reportedly not known to police. Although police have not released his name, community members have identified him as Harvie Thind.
SURREY RCMP are currently on scene in the 800-block of 153A Street of Surrey for a report of a shooting.
At approximately 1:28 p.m. on November 12, Surrey RCMP responded to a report of shots fired in the 8000-block of 153 A Street. Officers attended and located evidence to support that shots had been fired in the area.
Initial information was that the shooting was between people in two vehicles which had fled the area. No victim has been located as yet.
A bullet struck a nearby vehicle.
Officers are on scene and will be conducting neighbourhood canvassing and speaking with witnesses to obtain further information regarding this incident. This may result in minor traffic disruption.
The investigation is still in its early stages.
Anyone with further information who has not already spoken to police is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or, if they wish to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca.
Toronto (IANS): Peter Dhillon, who is the country’s biggest cranberry grower, has made history with his induction into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.
The British Columbia-based Dhillon is the first person of visible minority to join the company of Canadians who have made their mark in agriculture and agro-food business.
Dhillon is also the current chairman of Ocean Spray – a marketing cooperative of cranberry farmers in the US and Canada. Ocean Spray sells its products in over 90 countries, with annual sales of over $2.5 billion.
At Ocean Spray also, Dhillon broke the glass ceiling to become its first non-white chairman in 2014.
Dhillon, whose full name is Peter Povitar Dhillon, runs his cranberry farming operations under the name of Richberry Group of Companies based in Richmond, B.C.
Unveiling his portrait at the annual Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Toronto, Dhillon said he was humbled to be inducted into the company of great Canadians.
“It is a great honour for me and I feel humbled because there are so many others who deserve this honour,” he said.
His father Rachpal Singh Dhillon came to Canada in 1950 from Pandori village in Hoshiarpur and became the first Indo-Canadian to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) at the age of 19, rising to the rank of Deputy Sheriff.
In 1981-82, he took early retirement to get into cranberry farming full time.
Peter Dhillon joined the family business in 1993 after finishing his law degree from the UK.
Currently, he has over 2,000 acres, just behind the world’s biggest cranberry farmers in Massachusetts who own about 2,500 acres. His Richberry Group produced over 20 million pounds of cranberries last year.
“We hope to hit the 30 million-mark soon in production,” Dhillon said.
As chairman of Ocean Spray, he said he has been to India to explore the possibilities of entering the Indian market.
“There is a huge potential for cranberry juice and dried products in India as Indians are becoming increasingly health conscious.”
According to the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame:
Five accomplished agricultural leaders were officially inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame as part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario. Ted Bilyea, Peter Dhillon, Wilf Keller, Larry Martin and Gerry Ritz join the distinguished ranks of Canadians who have made outstanding contributions to Canadian agriculture throughout their careers.
Peter Dhillon
Nominated by Wally Oppal
Peter Dhillon is a driving force behind Canada’s growing cranberry industry. He’s at the helm of the largest cranberry farm in Canada with operations in British Columbia and Quebec. And he’s one of the largest shareholders and chair of the board of Ocean Spray, the largest cranberry cooperative in the world. A proud second-generation farmer, philanthropist and businessman, Peter gives generously of his time and resources to support a diverse range of initiatives with his strong sense of ethics and duty to enrich the agricultural industry in Canada. He’s supported the Institute for Sustainable Horticulture at Kwantlen Polytechnical University, and established the Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics at the University of British Columbia.
Cpl. Frank Jang
Photo by Jay Sharma of Mahi Photo Studio
Cpl. Frank Jang Photo by Jay Sharma of Mahi Photo Studio
ELWOOD Poorman has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the homicide of Jonathon Shingoose.
On November 4, at about 5:44 a.m., Coquitlam RCMP responded to a call from a residence in the 2300-block of Atkins Avenue in Port Coquitlam where they found 36-year-old Jonathon Shingoose dead with injuries indicative of foul play.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team took conduct of the investigation and quickly determined that this was an isolated incident with no further risk to public safety.
On November 9, Poorman was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Shingoose.
Poorman will appear before a judge in B.C. Provincial Court on November 13.
“IHIT investigators, supported by the Coquitlam RCMP, steadfastly worked to compile the evidence for charge approval consideration by crown counsel,” said IHITI Cpl. Frank Jang. “Our police investigation is ongoing. It has been turned over to the B.C. Prosecution Service and the matter will be before the court.”
Anyone with information, who have yet to come forward to police, is asked to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Should you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Mumbai (IANS): Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, who has been summoned by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing police firing on protesters in Punjab against religious sacrilege, on Monday denied meeting Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
In a statement put out on social media, Akshay, who is a Canadian citizen, denied “rumours and false statements” about his involvement with Ram Rahim Singh following reports that he arranged a meeting between the godman and then Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
“I have never ever met Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in my life, anywhere. I learnt from social media at some point that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh resided for a while at some place in my locality Juhu in Mumbai but we never ever crossed each other’s paths,” Akshay said in a statement.
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. (Photo: IANS)
Ram Rahim Singh’s movie “MSG” ran into opposition from the Sikh community.
“Over the years, I have dedicatedly made films promoting the Punjabi culture and the rich history and tradition of Sikhism through films like ‘Singh is Kinng’ and ‘Kesari’ (based on the Battle of Saragarhi). I’m proud of being a Punjabi and have the highest regard for the Sikh faith.
“I shall never do anything that would even remotely hurt the sentiments of my Punjabi brothers and sisters, for whom I have utmost respect and love,” Akshay added.
THE City of Vancouver has received an award in recognition of the presentation of the City’s 2018 Budget Book.
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), an association for public sector finance professionals, named Vancouver as a recipient of the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The award recognizes organizations whose budget documents explain complex information in a clear and engaging way.
When creating the 2018 Budget Book, the City’s Finance team placed a particular emphasis on explaining the rationale behind budgetary decisions, creating infographics that summarized the data and using language that could be better understood by the general public.
This includes a separate Budget Highlights document, intended to give readers a short and digestible summary of the City’s priorities for spending for the coming year. Visit vancouver.ca/budget to view the full 2018 Budget and Five-year Financial Plan.
“We have worked hard over the past few years to improve our financial planning, budgeting and reporting processes, and to enhance the presentation of our budget documents to make them more accessible for citizens,” said Patrice Impey, General Manager of Finance, Risk, and Supply Chain Management for the City of Vancouver. “It’s gratifying to receive external recognition for all of the work the finance team has done.”
The City’s strong financial management practices have also been acknowledged by credit rating agencies, including Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s, with the highest rating of AAA/Aaa. Vancouver also received one of the top rankings among Canadian municipalities in the CD Howe institute’s 2017 municipal fiscal accountability report card.
In order to receive the GFOA award, budget documents must be rated proficient and meet 14 mandatory criteria and serve as an effective policy document, financial plan, operations guide, and communications vehicle.
The GFOA program encourages and assists local governments in Canada and the United States in preparing high-quality budget documents that reflect guidelines established by the GFOA’s best practices. The award recognizes individual governments that succeed in achieving that goal of making budgeting information accessible to residents and businesses.
Hamilton, ON- In what was eerily similar to the last meeting here between the two teams, the hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats came out firing from the opening kickoff and punched their tickets to next Sunday’s Eastern Final in Ottawa. Jeremiah Masoli completed his first ten passes and engineered touchdown drives on each of the Ticats’ three possessions in a 48-8 victory that ended both the BC Lions’ season and illustrious head coaching career of Wally Buono.
For Travis Lulay, there was no sugar-coating.
All photos by SUKHWANT SINGH DHILLON
“Not much to say, right? It was not good from the get-go, they held the momentum throughout and just a disappointing finish to gritty second half of the season for us,” Lulay said.
Lulay and the offence struggled to find momentum early and often before Jonathon Jennings took over at quarterback midway through the third quarter. Jennings found Shaq Johnson in the end zone for the Lions only score of the afternoon.
The veteran Lulay completed just eight of 17 passes for 103 yards and also fumbled on the Lions’ first play from scrimmage that set up Hamilton’s second major of the afternoon.
“It was just the whole thing, right? None of it went good for us,” Lulay added.
“That’s the unfortunate reality of our game sometimes. We weren’t good enough today, they were the better team and you’ve got to give them credit.”
Luke Tasker caught two touchdown receptions while Bralon Addison led all receivers with 124 yards on five receptions. It was certainly not a banner day for Solomon Elimimian and a defence that had made lots of headlines for their improved play later in the regular season.
“They made plays and we didn’t. It’s just as simple as that,” Elimimian explained.
“Shout out to Hamilton. A well-coached team, a good team and that’s what it came down to today.”
We talked pre-game about how important it was going to be to pressure Masoli early and often. From the opening drive of the game, he proved he wasn’t afraid to test the back end of the Lions’ defence and take advantage of the extra time in the pocked he was given.
It just seemed whenever the visitors had a chance to get back into it, the aggressive Ticats were hell-bent on denying it. The prime example came late in the second quarter when Cody Fajardo was stuffed on a 3rd and one on their own 42-yard line. The turnover on downs led to Masoli’s third touchdown pass of the half and a 28-0 lead at the break. His legacy will not be tarnished by it, but certainly, it was not the way Buono envisioned going out.
“It’s like every other loss. Losses are always difficult to deal with,” Buono said.
“They’re not what you’re in here for and they are lasting and they are brutal. The one thing I did think about when I was walking off the field is that I wouldn’t have to have this feeling again. It’s not a feeling where you wake up in the morning and say ‘I hope to get it again,’ right? Losing in professional sports is what I think is hard on men, it’s hard on players and it’s hard on coaches, but we get paid to win and not to lose. So when you come off the field and you’ve not done your job well, it does have a very negative effect.”
“Life’s not fair” was essentially Buono’s message to the players in their final post-game locker room breakdown of 2018. Last week’s message was also blunt when he stated he was not ready to go home after one game in the playoffs. Now GM Ed Hervey, whoever replaces Buono and the rest of the staff will eventually get right to work and try and fix what went wrong. But first, there will be a little time for reflection on what was quite a rollercoaster 2018 season in the den. Not many predicted they would be playing beyond game 18 after a 3-6 by the time Labour Day rolled around.
“That’s the biggest thing,” Lulay added.
“It was a really gritty second half for our club and it came to a really disappointing end. It’s tough. We’ll sit on it and that’s just the reality of our sport. We have to find ways to be better.”
He went on to say he has not yet thought about his future beyond Sunday. The way this one went down will no doubt sting for a long time.
Key Numbers
6- turnovers forced by the Tiger-Cats in this one. Two fumble recoveries, an interception and three on downs.
4- the total number of Hamilton sacks.
450- the total yards of offence for Masoli and company.
24- rushing yards for Tyrell Sutton whom we’d tabbed as our pre-game X Factor. Granted, falling behind as early as they did resulted in abandoning the running game.
95- a team-leading total in receiving yards for Ricky Collins Jr.
And Finally
A hat tip to you the fans for reading and viewing our content all season long. We look forward to bringing you all of the upcoming news throughout the offseason.
PRIME Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday issued the following statement on Remembrance Day:
“Today, we honour every Canadian who has served and sacrificed so we may live free. We fall silent to acknowledge a debt we can never repay. We remember.
“One hundred years ago today, the Armistice between Germany and the Allies ended the First World War. As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, we also mark Canada’s Hundred Days.
“During the ‘100 Days Offensive,’ Canadians spearheaded attacks that overcame the last lines of German defences and paved the way to final victory. These soldiers were the face and strength of a young country that sacrificed beyond measure and never faltered in its duty.
“Their bravery garnered the respect and admiration of the world, and marked a turning point for Canada. We began to define ourselves as a country – a force on the world stage, confident, and in control of our own destiny.
“Since then, every generation of Canadians has stepped forward to serve. Thousands have fought, and continue to fight, to defend the principles of peace, freedom, and democracy around the world.
“At 11:00 am, I call on all Canadians to observe the two minutes of silence. We remember every Canadian who has sacrificed their future for generations beyond their own. We stand today, free and at peace, because of them.
“Lest we forget.”
PREMIER John Horgan released the following statement in honour of Remembrance Day and the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War:
“On Remembrance Day, British Columbians honour the courage and sacrifice of veterans, armed forces members and merchant marines who have served our country.
“We also recognize the families who have lost sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, and cared for those who have returned with injuries, both visible and invisible.
“As we gather at cenotaphs in communities around the province and pay respect to generations of Canadians who bravely risked their lives to protect ours, we are reminded of the horrors of war.
“In those moments of silence, we resolve to stand together against hate and violence, and work to build a more peaceful world.
