THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE IN SOUTH ASIA
Lahore, 12^th October 2005 (Fifth Day)
"Letter from: Rt. Rev. Lawrence J. Saldanha Archbishop of Lahore & President of Pakistan Catholic Bishop’s Conference."

Getting people to work longer — not subsidizing more babies or bringing in more immigrants — is the best way to boost the labour force as the population ages, the Conference Board of Canada says.

Developed nations tend to choose among three policy options in response to the aging trend, but two of them don't work, the Conference Board says in its annual performance report card.

"France is subsidizing women to have more babies," board president and chief executive Anne Golden told a Star editorial board meeting yesterday. But the cost of raising and educating a child in a developed country far exceeds such subsidies, she said.

"We're not thinking through immigration," Golden also said. Even if Canada were to bring in immigrants at a rate of 1 per cent of the current population a year — an idea reiterated by Prime Minister Paul Martin last month — there still would not be enough new workers to meet demand, she added.

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Canada losing ground in global rankings, Conference Board says
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11:45 AM EDT Oct 23

TORONTO (CP) - Canada continues to slide down the ranks of the world's top economies and is a "chronic laggard in key areas, notably productivity and investment," according to the Conference Board of Canada's latest global report.

Dropping investment spending and sub-par productivity growth pulled Canada down to the No.12 spot from sixth place last year and third in 2003, the board said Tuesday.

"Canada runs the risk of squandering its abundant endowments and opportunities," Conference Board CEO Anne Golden said in a release.

"Our report card shows that Canada's relative performance continues to slip, and other countries are not standing still."

Canada earned top 12 rankings in all six categories of the board's global survey, but lost ground in four, including a decline to 12th from sixth in the economy category.

"Even in areas such as health and society, where we believe that we have created a strong social fabric, our public record does not measure up to our international brand," Golden said.

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Tourists Stranded By Wilma's Wrath
Oct. 22, 2005. 01:00 AM ?
"Our priority is safety," said Errol Francis, president of Conquest Vacations and chairman of the Canadian Association of Tour Operators.
Toronto Star JOHN GODDARD STAFF REPORTER

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Telephone service cut out as Hurricane Wilma bore down on a Toronto family of three yesterday at a beach resort in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

"I last spoke to my daughter at 3 p.m. Thursday," Mary Ann Gallacher said from Toronto, clearly worried for her daughter, son-in-law and their year-old child stranded in the path of the storm generating winds of more than 200 km/h.

"They're huddled in the bathroom. They said it would be the last call for 30 hours."

The hurricane tore into Mexico's Mayan Riviera yesterday with torrential rains and winds, filling the streets with water, shattered glass and debris. The storm shattered windows and downed trees on the island of Cozumel, a popular cruise-ship stop.

"Tin roofing is flying through the air everywhere. Palm trees are falling down. Signs are in the air and cables are snapping,'' Julio Torres told Associated Press by telephone from the Red Cross office in Cozumel.

Officials didn't expect to be able to reach Cozumel until late today to assess damage.

The Category 4 storm, which killed 13 people in Haiti and Jamaica, was expected to pummel the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula for two days. It is forecast to sideswipe Cuba before bearing down on Florida on Monday.

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Goa Hospital's lack of counsellors blamed in the case of man who killed himself and pregnant wife
SHAIKH AZIZUR RAHMAN SPECIAL TO THE STAR, CHENNAI Oct. 23, 2005. 01:00 AM

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Srawan Gawas took two copper wires, tied one to an iron bangle on his pregnant wife's wrist and attached the other to his wedding ring.
 
He then twisted the wires together, stuck the unattached ends into an electric socket and committed murder-suicide.

The deaths of the 34-year-old taxi driver and his 22-year-old wife in the coastal town of Vasco da Gama in the southeastern state of Goa baffled relatives and neighbours and made newspaper headlines as police failed to find a motive.
 
The truth emerged when forensic specialists at Goa Medical College sent blood samples from the couple and the six-month-old fetus of their daughter for HIV tests.

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Toronto East Goan Seniors Association - Newsletter September-December 2005




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