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Canada Votes

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What Voters Need To Know
http://www.thestar.com/

Key facts for voting in the Jan. 23 federal election:
Who's eligible
Canadian citizens, 18 years and older as of election day.
Voters list registration
Not on the list or need to make corrections? Contact your local returning office by calling 1-800-463-6868 or go to http://www.elections.ca.

Contact information is also available on voter reminder cards mailed to every residence in the 308 federal electoral districts across the country.

As a last resort, voters not on the list can register at their local polling station on election day with proper identification that shows name, address and signature.

Watch this Riding
277 Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca
2006 Candidates:
CAP: David Piney
CON: Troy DeSouza ( see http://www.goanvoice.ca/2005/issue25/index.html)

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There's more of presence of Indo-Canadians in various parties

Conservative Party of Canada's Rahim Jaffer, 34, first elected from the province of Alberta to the Canadian Parliament in 1997, believes if his party could win a majority in the January 23 elections, it would reform the immigration system and mend relations with the powerful neighbour to the south. And that's not just an empty election promise, he emphasizes, because he has been working on it for years in the Opposition.

In this 39th election, his party, led by Stephen Harper, is fielding almost the same number of South Asians as the Liberal Party of the beleaguered Prime Minister Paul Martin.

"Since the last election, more and more people have become more familiar with our leader (Stephen Harper), with our party, and many of our policies, and I think that is having a positive impact," Jaffer told News India-Times in an interview.

Read more at : http://www.newsindia-times.com/2006/01/20/canada9-120034.html

Now Canadian Goan Snowbirds can have Dual Citizenship
OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP OF INDIA (OCI)
From: http://www.cgitoronto.ca/overseas_citizenship_of_india.htm#3.Eligibility%20criteria:

To respond to a longstanding demand of persons of Indian origin who are now nationals of other countries, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India had announced, on the occasion of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2005, the Government of India’s intention to grant dual citizenship to such nationals of certain countries, the laws of which permit such a facility for their citizens. This has now been given legal backing by the Indian Parliament with the approval of Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2005. The Scheme is called “Overseas Citizenship of India”. 2. Under the said scheme, a Registration Certificate, like an Indian passport though in a different colour, will be issued to the applicant.
A multiple entry, multi-purpose OCI ‘U’ (Universal) visa sticker will be pasted on the applicant’s foreign passport.
These two documents will have the applicant’s photograph, and all the necessary security features.

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US border crossing initiative is a step in the right direction
Council Warns that More Action Must Be Taken on US-Canada Cross Border Initiatives

- The Council of Tourism Associations of BC (COTA) welcomes news of US border crossing initiatives to encourage travelers from the US to Canada, but warns that it may not be enough to address border crossing issues.

In an advisory released this morning, the US Department of State and Department of Homeland Security outlined a secure, less expensive passport card for US land borders. The card, which will be issued in late 2006, will serve as an alternative to the traditional passport, which is more expensive.

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Walter Cronkite urges withdrawal from Iraq
CBC Arts

Former CBS anchor Walter Cronkite has urged U.S. news anchors to call for an end to the war in Iraq.

His appeal, made during an appearance before North American TV critics in Pasadena, Calif., called to mind his 1968 conclusion that the Vietnam War was unwinnable.

Cronkite, then known as "the most trusted man in America," had returned from a visit to Vietnam during the Tet offensive when he briefly set aside his objectivity to talk about the war. His verdict was that the war was unwinnable and that the U.S. should exit.

For full text Click Here

PRESS RELEASE FOR NRI-WORLDWIDE.COM
Why does India have two National Days ?

All countries have one National Day. India has two - January 26 and August 15.www.nri-worldwide.com - the portal for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) explains in detail the significance of these two days.

You can also greet fellow Indians around the world with e-Republic Day (Jan 26) Greeting Cards, available free on this popular site.

The portal has won several awards including the iNova Award (New York) 2002 in the Community Portal section and the Galaxy Bronze Award 2002 (New York) for Community Awareness. It had previously won the Golden Web Award (2001-2002). It was also voted the most interesting Non-Resident Indian (NRI) site in an on-line poll last year.

Notes to the Editor :

There are an estimated 25 million Indians living outside India. They are referred to as NRIs (Non-Resident Indians). www.nri-worldwide.com strives to bring this diaspora together with news, views, happenings and updates on this the world's most religiously and culturally diverse human race.