Third Annual Career, Education & Settlement Fair

Toronto:  The third annual Career, Education & Settlement Fair takes place 11 am onwards at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Tuesday June 25. Presented by Canadian Immigrant and Scotiabank, in association with Centennial College, the free day-long fair, will see Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Michael Coteau as the guest of honour who will also inaugurate the fair.

“With a three-pronged approach of settlement, careers and education, the 2013 Fair brings to life our mission to inform, educate and motivate new Canadians,” said Gautam Sharma, Publisher of Canadian Immigrant. “After the tremendous success of last year’s event, we are excited to make this a bigger platform to connect and assist newcomers.”

Every year, thousands of immigrants arrive in Canada, particularly during the summer months, with great ambitions for their family’s future. However, many of them have little knowledge about the reality of Canadian living,  from continuing education to obtaining employment and getting settled. Canadian Immigrant has been a guiding star for such newcomers since its inception through its print as well as online publications. The Fair expands its support of newcomers to Canada with comprehensive interactive sessions packed with useful information.

“Scotiabank is proud to be the lead sponsor of the 3rd Annual Career, Education & Settlement Fair,” said Jacqueline Bukaluk, Vice President of Global Employment Strategies at Scotiabank. “Diversity and inclusion are important parts of Scotiabank’s culture. By celebrating differences, we can benefit from new perspectives and insights and provide leading, competitive service to our diverse customer base.”

Newcomers are encouraged to attend this fair to benefit from the various interactive workshops on topics offering information related to a newcomer’s most urgent needs such as finding a career, upgrading educational qualifications and settling successfully in Canada.

“We welcome newcomers into our college community and provide a nurturing environment to help them achieve new academic credentials and prepare them for the Canadian job market. The Career, Education and Settlement Fair is the perfect complement to our efforts,” said Prafulla Prabhu, Director, Marketing and Communications, Centennial College. “All of this activity is fundamental to our mission to educate students for career success within the context of global citizenship and equity.”

This event is tailored to meet the needs of those who are: an internationally trained professional, employed, under-employed or unemployed, with professional qualifications looking for a job, holding valuable foreign work experience and technical skills, seeking a career change upon arrival in Canada, looking for continuing education to advance career prospects, attracted to self-employment and entrepreneurship, planning to go back to school, keen on internships, paid or unpaid in the GTA and those interested in getting career information, advice and support

For more information on the 3rd Annual Career, Education & Settlement Fair, see http://www.canadianimmigrant.ca/careerfair

Naval Bajaj President ICCC

Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport), met May 21 in Brampton, Ontario, with members of the Indo-Canadian business community to highlight the benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of an ambitious Canada-India comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA). The event’s hosts were the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce and the Brampton Board of Trade.

“With SMEs accounting for more than 99 percent of companies in Canada, our government understands the crucial role that these businesses play in generating jobs, growth and prosperity in every region of our country,” said Fast. “That’s why we continue to work hard to open new markets for our exporters in the largest, most dynamic and fastest-growing economies in the world, including India.”

To date, the Canada-India trade negotiations have undergone seven official rounds. A CEPA would benefit Canadian workers and SMEs by eliminating or reducing tariffs on goods, cutting red tape and facilitating trade in services. Canada has identified core economic opportunities in India in the energy, agriculture, infrastructure and education sectors.

“Further fuelling Canada’s growing trade with India are our strong people-to-people ties,” said Gosal. “Nearly one million Canadians of Indian descent enrich our communities in cities and towns across Canada, and our government is committed to utilizing these strong links to build a partnership that will lead to new opportunities and new sources of prosperity in both countries.”

Speaking on the occasion, Naval Bajaj, President, ICCC, said, “ICCC greatly appreciate all your efforts for early conclusion of both the comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) and foreign investment promotion and protection agreement. We believe that in in the years to come, we need to develop multi-level engagement with India for unlocking the full potential of Canada-India partnership.”

Bajaj suggested that going forward, Canada and India need to engage their epistemic communities – networks of researchers, traders, businesses, alumni associations, friends, among others to generate support for building economic partnerships that are   robust, vibrant and synergistic.  “This will also help in the drawing up the right India strategy for Canada, which recognizes that the economic and commercial relationship is a two-way street and which begets optimal and mutual benefits to the two countries.”

Satish Thakkar, Immediate Past President, ICCC; Steve Sheils, the Chief Executive Officer of Brampton Board of Trade; and Badar Shammin, Member of BBOT’s International Trade Committee were the other speakers at the event that was attended by local businesses.

Mangat Nominated for Ontario Liberals

Mississauga:  Amrit Mangat, MPP for Mississauga-Brampton South, has been nominated the official candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party. Pledging to keep fighting for the prosperity of her constituents and to make Mississauga-Brampton South a better place to live, work and raise families, she said, “I am honoured to once again seek the privilege of serving the people of Mississauga-Brampton South. As your MPP I’ll continue to put our families first and work hard.  Together we can break the gridlock, have strong local healthcare, best education and robust economy.”

Mangat especially looks forward to championing the commitments made in the Ontario government’s 2013 Budget. “The 15% reduction in auto insurance will be a huge help to commuting families here in Brampton and Mississauga,” said Mangat.  “In addition to home care for seniors, better jobs for youth, and dedicated funding for municipal transportation and transit, the priorities of our Budget will help people in their everyday lives and make our communities more prosperous.”

A business manager and former teacher, Mangat holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Master of Arts in Economics and a Master of Education.  She was first elected in 2007  and again in 2011.  She has served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation, Seniors, Inter-governmental Affairs, Consumer Services and currently Children and Youth Services.

“Our government and the Ontario Liberals understand how important it is to find common ground and solve our challenges here in Mississauga-Brampton South and in other communities throughout Ontario,” said Mangat. “It’s the right vision for commuting families, the right vision for Mississauga-Brampton South, and the right vision for Ontario’s economy.”

]]> http://www.weeklyvoice.com/community-news/mangat-nominated-for-ontario-liberals/feed/ 0 http://www.weeklyvoice.com/community-news/12-year-old-wins-2013-national-geographic-contest/ http://www.weeklyvoice.com/community-news/12-year-old-wins-2013-national-geographic-contest/#comments Fri, 24 May 2013 15:26:00 +0000 The Weekly Voice http://www.weeklyvoice.com/?p=23801

Sathwik Karnik

Washington: Twelve-year-old Indian-origin boy Sathwik Karnik won the 2013 National Geographic Bee by correctly naming Chimborazo, a peak in Ecuador, as the farthest point on earth from the centre of the earth.

A seventh grader from King Philip Regional Middle School in Norfolk, Massachusetts, in the US, he won the 25th edition of the bee in a heated final against 13-year-old Conrad Oberhaus of Lincolnshire, Illinois.

By winning the title, Karnik bagged for himself a $25,000 college scholarship, a trip to the Galapagos Islands for him and a parent and a lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society.

“I’m just speechless,” the National Geographic quoted the bespectacled Karnik as saying. 

“I didn’t expect to win, and I have no idea what I’m going to do next.”

Around five million students participated in this year’s contest. The number was whittled down to 54 and then to 10 for the final round.

Questions ranged from lions in Botswana to mountain ranges in Asia and port cities in England.

Besides Karnik, two of the finalists were siblings of former finalists.

Karnik’s brother Karthik, who finished fifth and sixth in the bee in 2011 and 2012, helped him in winning the title.

Karthik, 15, coached his brother by asking very tough geography questions in the run-up to the contest. 

Karnik also plays the clarinet and participates in chess tournaments, according to the National Geographic.

Emirates Flight Attendant Jailed For Stealing

Dubai: A court here has sentenced a male Indian flight attendant of Emirates airline to six months in jail for stealing credit cards from two passengers and using them to buy mobile phones.

The criminal court also ordered the 28-year-old man, identified only by his initials DT, to pay 6,000 dirhams to the passengers he stole from, The National reported Thursday.

According to the report, the flight attendant stole credit cards when a passenger travelling on business class handed over his coat.

The passenger said that next morning he received text messages on his mobile phone stating that his cards had been used after which he blocked the cards.

The accused also admitted to stealing two cards from a passenger in a flight from Saudi Arabia but said he found the cards in a cabinet in the aircraft.

He spent 6,449 dirhams to buy some expensive mobile phone devices.


desiFest At Dundas Square

Toronto: This year’s desiFEST, will feature 12 hours of chart-topping artists performing from 11 AM to 11 PM on Saturday May 25, 2013 at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto.

The music festival, now in its seventh year, continues to provide a platform for artists to showcase their talent and give audiences of all ages the opportunity to enjoy South Asian music, arts and culture.

This year’s line-up showcases a mix of new artists and veterans who have had local and international success over the years. Returning to the stage are Parichay (who’s coming home to Toronto from India), Deep Jandu, Jay Deala, Urvah Khan and others. New to the desiFEST line-up are Zoo Babies, Sarah T the Drum Guru, the UK’s Arjun and many more.

Included in the celebrations are a food market featuring South Asian delicacies, a merchant market full of fabulous finds from artisans and an entertaining kids zone equipped with the ever-popular bouncy castle.

“As always, desiFEST will showcase the amazing talents of our community. We are also very excited that TD is our new presenting sponsor. Their vision and community involvement is a perfect fit for desiFEST and our commitment to the South Asian community across Canada. The artists are ready to rock the stage, don’t miss out this summer on May 25th!” says Sathish Bala, CEO & Founder, desiFEST

“TD is proud to support desiFEST, now in its seventh year. For us it’s about community building and making a difference by investing in the diverse communities where we live, work and play. That’s why TD gave almost $65 million to community initiatives in North America last year. To our more than 87,000 employees from around the world, it’s part of what makes us The Better Bank,” added Andre Lucas, Manager, Community Relations, TD Bank Group

South Asian Heritage Day Celebrated At ROM

Toronto: The South Asian Heritage Day Saturday May 11 was celebrated at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). As part of the month-long South Asian Heritage celebrations, the event branded Rung – Colours of a Living Culture, saw nearly 3,500 people in attendance.

 Among the attendees were Senator and Chief Guest Salma Ataullahjan, Senators Nicole C. Eaton and Asha Seth, Ministers Bal Gossal and Michael Chan, MPs Jim Karygiannis and Chungsen Leung and Consul Generals from Pakistan, Nepal, Turkey, Cuba and Afghanistan.

 The highlight of the event was internationally renown Pakistani truck artist Haider Ali who painted before a live audience. He was later presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by Senator Ataullahjan who praised his work. Ministers Bal Gossal and Michael Chan recognized the importance of such events and lauded the organizers Ethnic Marketing for organizing such events in collaboration with ROM.

 Multiple exhibits were lined up all along the ROM. They included classical music and dance performances, miniature paintings, textile crafts, rangoli (floor art) displays, truck art, kites display, digital photography, documentary films, calligraphy, Islamic art, live storytelling for children and food.

MPP Amrit Mangat, Faisel Al Mowaiji, Sales Executive AFZA, Nader Eldesouky, Dy Director General AFZA, MPP Dr. Shafiq Quaddri and Rishi Somaiya, Director of Sales.

A delegation from Ajman Free Zone Authority (AFZA), UAE, visited Canada May 14 to promote Ajman as an investment  and business destination to Canadian investors. At a lunch with MPP Amrit Mangat at Versailles Convention Center, Mississauga, they made various presentations and outlined the details of their propositions.

Caption: Under 14 Boys Single’s Winner Shayan Nandi with Chief Guest Ajay Kumar and Coach Fernando of Fernando’s Youth Badminton Academy

More and more schoolkids and youngsters seem to be taking up badminton as a sport as was evident in the 6th annual badminton championship organized by Darshana ‘Coach’ Fernando at Sandalwood Heights Secondary School in Brampton. Says Fernando, “Six years ago when we first launched the Fernando’s Youth Badminton Academy tournament, we only had about 40 contestants. Badminton wasn’t very popular among children nor parents then. This year we had 127 contestants and we had to turn away last-minute registrations because the draws were already finalized.”

The tournament saw players come from across the GTA including Toronto, Scarborough, Oakville, Mississauga and of course Brampton. Ajay Kumar, Regional Sales Manager for Presidents Choice Financial was the chief guest at the event. A former state level player back in India, Ajay urged the players, instructors and parents to persist in improving their game and develop national-level skills. At the end he gave away the medals to the winners.

Indian American Vivek Ranadive Buys US Basketball Team

Washington: Indian American software magnate Vivek Ranadive, who has become the first person of Indian descent to become the owner of a major US basketball team, plans to build the Sacramento Kings into a global brand.

“It’s going to be exciting,” he said after securing an agreement to buy 65 percent of the Kings from the Maloof family for a National Basketball Association (NBA) league-record valuation of $535 million.

“We’re going to build a global brand with the Kings. We’re going to give the fans the product that they deserve,” the minority owner of Golden State Warriors said on achieving his longtime goal.

The development came just a day after NBA owners officially rejected a bid by the Maloofs, who have owned the team since 1998, to relocate the Kings from Sacramento, California, to Seattle, Washington.

“It’s a little bittersweet, obviously because I’m a huge Warriors fan and I have a lot of friends here,” Ranadive said. “I’m very, very excited to start the new (challenge).”

Ranadive, who left India as a 17-year-old to attend MIT and later founded his $4 billion company in Silicon Valley, Tibco, has the sort of competitiveness and deep pockets that could lead one of the league’s most poorly run franchises back to respectability, the USA Today said.

NBA Commissioner David Stern has made a concerted effort of late to grow the game in Ranadive’s native India, where “basketball is but a blip on their sporting radar,” the newspaper said.

“I’m going to do what I do in my business, which is surround myself with people that are way smarter than me,” Ranadive said. “But I am a huge fan. I’m going to be there at all the games, be there to support the team in every way.”

“It’s one step at a time,” Ranadive said. “I’m one of these guys who doesn’t like to get ahead of the game.

“We still have a lot of work to do. I’ve learned a lot, but there’s a lot more to learn. And it’s going to be a process. It’s not going to be an overnight miracle there, so it’s going to take some work,” he was quoted as saying.