10 of 48 candidates of South Asian origin make it to Ottawa
Most stalwart South Asian politicians are back in Parliament
By Ela Dutt

http://www.newsindia-times.com/2006/02/03/canada12-133947.html

Most of the stalwart South Asian-Canadian politicians found their way back to parliament Jan. 23, when nearly 65 percent of Canadian voters went to the polls to throw out Prime Minister Paul Martin and his Liberal Party's 12-year rule and bring in yet another minority government, this time led by the Conservative Party of Stephen Harper.

Ten of the 48 candidates of South Asian origin, made their way back to Ottawa in what were largely predictable elections by the time a series of polls had been conducted during the campaigns. But some important South Asians will be in the Conservative ruling benches this time round and some important South Asians will move to the opposite side.

In the 308-member House, the Conservative Party won 124 seats, the Liberals went down to 103, the separatist Bloc Quebecois of Quebec province got a hefty 51 seats and the party that made strides was the left of center New Democratic Party of Jack Layton that won 29 seats, now in a more powerful position to moderate any arch-Conservative moves from the winners.

Harper, a young and for some Canadians, an infusion of new blood into what they saw was an Old Guard ridden with financial scandals and back-room deals, hopes to string a coalition of unlikely partners.

It requires 155 seats to make a majority and operate independently, something Harper will not be able to do when implementing his national policy. He is going to be hard-put to bring home the bacon for his own supporters in the coming months. But the South Asian contingent within his own set of MPs drew good support in his home state (Province) of Alberta, and they are chomping at the bit to come into power and put through issues they have been fighting for - immigration reform, foreign credentials recognition, and healthcare. However, all these issues have also been on the forefront of the agenda of Liberal Indo-Canadian candidates like Ruby Dhalla, the young chiropractor from the Brampton-Springdale district, who was handily re-elected and hopes to be a vocal member of the Opposition.
 

One Result from Canadian Elections - 2006

Esquimalt--Juan de Fuca - British Columbia
Party Candidate Votes % Votes
Liberal Keith Martin	20,761	34.90%
N.D.P. Randall Garrison	18,595	31.30%
Conservative Troy DeSouza	16,327	27.50%
Troy did well to come in 3rd, only 7.4% behind the winner a former Conservative who changed sides.

VANCOUVER, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - 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.

The cost of traditional passports is around $430 US for a family of five. The new passport cards could reduce that cost by an estimated 60%, allowing Americans to pass back and forth between our two countries with more ease when crossing at land borders.
 

Pope's first encyclical underlines 'back to basics' theme of papacy
 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical underlined the 'back to basics' approach of his papacy, taking one of Christianity's fundamental beliefs and illuminating it with deeper analysis. In its title, 'Deus Caritas Est' or 'God Is Love,' and throughout its 71 pages, the encyclical presented the faith in a clear and positive perspective. The core mission of Christianity, it said, is to help people accept God's love and share it, recognizing that true love involves a willingness to make sacrifices. In short, love of God and love of neighbor -- that's a message the pope believes many people can agree to, if only they are led to think about it. While challenging the contemporary approach to love and sexuality, the pope avoided the hot-button doctrinal issues that often dominate discussion on religious affairs: abortion, birth control, gay marriage and divorce. It's not that Pope Benedict doesn't care about these issues, but he knows that unless people understand the essentials of the faith these doctrinal teachings will not stick.