The statements, opinions, or views in the following articles may not necessarily reflect that of the Goan Voice Canada.

Mumbai: An Assault on Us All
From the CBC – The National
http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/transcripts/mumbai_an_assault_on_us_all.html
Rex Murphy - Point of View
November 27, 2008

Video Archive Home Page

Most of the Western world, certainly here in North America, people are absorbed - understandably so - by the financial crisis. Deep as that is, one crisis is not an embargo on all others. Horrible consideration must be given that the malignant forces of terrorism have used the financial crisis as a backdrop and an amplifier, for yet another. Yesterday's full scale terror assault on the financial capital of the world's most populous democracy is an awful warning that however far out we are from September 11, 2001, the world is not done with terrorism.

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To Save The Economy, Feds Need To Close Door To Immigrants
Posted By RICHARD ROHMER, O. C., Q. C.
http://www.theenterprisebulletin.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1319892

Notwithstanding yesterday's attempt by Jim Flaherty, the federal Minister of Finance, to paint an optimistic picture for Canada's economic and fiscal condition, he misses/ignores a major factor that negatively impacts the Canadian economy.

That negative factor is the federal government's "wide open" immigration policy.

Wide open? Try letting in some 300,000 new immigrants each year while attempting to increase that number. The waiting line is said to be in the one-million range. Where will those immigrants end up when they arrive? Mainly to the Greater Toronto Area and to a handful of cities across Canada.

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Self-Interest Can Lead The World To Ruin, Pope Says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Without the practice of Christian charity, the world today risks a disastrous fixation on personal self-interest, Pope Benedict XVI said during a noon blessing Nov. 23, the feast of Christ the King. Addressing pilgrims from his apartment window above St. Peter's Square, he said Christ made it clear that his kingdom, while not of this world, works within human history to bring about all that is good. 'If we put into practice love for our neighbor, following the Gospel message, then we make space for the rule of God and his kingdom is realized among us. If instead everyone thinks only of his own interests, the world can only go to ruin,' the pope said. Christians need to remember that the kingdom of God is not a question of honors and appearances, but of justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, he explained, saying God will welcome those who work daily to carry out his teachings, not the hypocrites who talk about Christ but fail to put his commandments into practice.

Stantec to buy Halifax environmental consulting firm Jacques Whitford for $143M
THE CANADIAN PRESS
November 24, 2008
http://finance.sympatico.msn.ca/investing/news/businessnews/article.aspx


Goan Voice Canada Comment
Goan veterans in the engineering profession followed with interest the news of the $143 million takeover of the environmental company, Jacques Whitford by Stantec of Edmonton. The company co-founder, Hector Jacques, is an Officer of the Order of Canada, and probably the only Goan to receive this honour. (click Goan Voice Canada)

Jacques Whitford, founded in 1972, was recently in the list of Canada's Top 100 Employers – by Maclean's magazine. In surfing the JW website, it is pleasing to read Hector wearing his Goan heritage on his sleeve.

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Goan Bands And DJs In The GTA Perform 'For Peanuts'
December 13, 2007
Rakshande Italia

This article appeared in 2007
http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/284594

It started when Iona and Vincy Miranda were gathering friends and family to welcome the new millennium. "We decided to host an affordable event," says Iona Miranda, who brought together 200 people for the New Year's Eve party and dance, charging $50 per family, including snacks and dinner. For entertainment, they decided to press their collection of 1,000 CDs into service.

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Goan Christmas Recipes

• Gram Sweet(dosh) | Nankaties | Kulkuls | Bibinca | Bolinhas | Pinaca

Goa bids tearful adieu to Boris do Rego, Victim of Mumbai Carnage
Excerpts Times of India article

Pallbearers carry the body of Boris do Rego at his home village, Divar, Goa

Panaji: It was as if nature felt the grief that flooded the island of Divar on Saturday afternoon. As thousands of mourners accompanied the funeral cortege of junior sous chef Boris do Rego, who died in the terrorist attack on Taj, Mumbai, the sky lay overcast, thunder threatening to release the tears in the sky.

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Mumbai Terror Strikes Take A Toll On Goa Tourism Sector
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/11/30/stories/2008113051030400.htm
Prakash Kamat

Panaji, Nov. 29: Already facing the rigours of economic meltdown worldwide, Goan hospitality and travel-tour operators have hit the panic button with cancellations from foreign tourists already trickling down following adverse travel advisories from different countries to their citizens against travel to India post Mumbai terror strikes.

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Mumbai terror attacks will impact tourism in Goa
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3772986,prtpage-1.cms
29 Nov 2008, 1415 hrs IST, PTI

PANAJI: Goa tourism industry is apprehensive that its coming season may hit a dead end following the unprecedented terror attacks in Mumbai, even as global meltdown has begun to take a toll on the sector. "The Mumbai attack will naturally have its impact on Goa's tourism," Goa Tourism Director Elvis Gomes said.

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‘Christians have to suffer for their faith’
“The Church does not impose her doctrine on others, but proposes it to those who are willing to accept it,” former Papal Nuncio in South Africa, Archbishop Blasco Colaco said at Old Goa on Wednesday. Delivering the homily at the Pontifical mass on the occasion of the feast of Goencho Saib, St Francis Xavier, in the specially erected pandal outside the Basilica of Bom Jesus, the archbishop said that Christians while sharing their faith with others sometimes have to suffer for it, as has been seen in some parts of the country. [TOI]

'Walking Pilgrimage' reaches Old Goa
It was a true test of endurance and faith, as 672 people from different parts of Belgaum, Sidhudurg and Kholapur reached Old Goa on December 2 after being part of the "Walking Pilgrimage". Comprising people from all walks of life, including teachers, students, farmers and others, the walking pilgrims reached the Viceroy's Arch at Old Goa at about 11 am, from where they proceeded in procession to the Bom Jesus Basilica, where a special mass was celebrated for the pilgrims at 12.30 pm. The pilgrimage began at Belgaum on November 29. [H]

Rita Augusta's beautiful glass paintings launched

A rare exhibition is on at Yolanda's Studio & Galeria at Calangute. It involves her mother's
charming glass paintings. The exquisite paintings by Rita Augusta de Sousa have been displayed at the special space dedicated to the memory of the late Dr Pedro Cabral Adao, former Consul General of Portugal in Goa. The exhibition "Oil on Glass & More" was inaugurated on November 29, following a brief function in memory of art and culture loving Pedro Adao. [GoaNewsClips]

Mumbai terror attacks fail to deter foreign tourists from visiting Goa
Almost ignoring the recent terror attacks in Mumbai a large number of foreign tourists are carrying on with their plans on enjoying their holidays in the state and have no immediate plans to return to their countries, despite their relatives asking them to return to their homeland rather than risking their lives in India. A large number of tourists in the coastal belt of Goa told 'The Navhind Times' that feeling of safety brings them in large number to Goa. They also said that Goa, which was not as heavily populated as other places of tourist interest in India, was perhaps the safest place to be in the country. [NT]

Foreign students under scanner
The Goa police have decided to conduct a fresh survey of foreigners studying in the state to verify their antecedents and have sought the state government’s permission to be allowed to conduct surprise raids on institutions where foreign students are enrolled. The police - who are alarmed by the increasing number of natives from West Asia studying in private institutes in the state - said investigations have revealed that foreigners with student visas to study in institutes in other states have enrolled in private institutes in Goa and do not attend classes regularly. In one case, it was found that at times students disappear for months together from the state on sick leave. The police said licences of the institutes should be cancelled in case of any violations and the students bunking classes should be deported. [Preetu Nair, TOI]

More Lamanis rounded up for verification
In an intensive mopping drive against those entering the state from different parts of the country during the tourist season for want of jobs, South Goa police rounded up nine Lamanis along the coastal belt and some 80 odd persons from different parts of Cuncolim on Wednesday. Police also undertook verification of around 150 from Kashmir engaged in different trading activities. It might be recalled the police had rounded up some 20 Lamani on Tuesday, largely women and around 40 persons from Khareband while earlier over 200 persons from Zuarinagar slum area had been asked to sit at the Verna police station for police verification. [TOI]

Kazakh film bags IFFI gold
"Tulpan", a Kazakh film produced jointly by Germany, Switzerland, Russia and Poland, won the Golden Peacock award and a cash prize of Rs.40 lakh at the closing ceremony of the 39th International Film Festival of India held at Kala Academy hall, here on December 2. The film's director Sergey Dvortsevoy also won the Most Promising Director award which comprised a Silver Peacock and a cash prize of Rs.15 lakh. Malini Fonseka from Sri Lanka was presented the Special Jury Award comprising a silver Peacock and cash Rs.15 lakh for her lead role in 'Akasa Kusum' (Flower of the Sky). Legendary actor Kamal Hassan was the chief guest at the closing ceremony. Hassan claimed that since IFFI was being held in Goa, the state had become more enticing and hoped that shooting facilities would lure him enough to visit Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said he wanted to promote Goa brand as a permanent venue for the International Film Festival of India and added that the government was keen to promote Goa as an entertainment hub. [GT]

Goan bakers need government support for survival
The Goan bakers who are fighting against the odds to keep their heads above the water. Consumers addicted to local pav, undo or poyi may grudge that the prices of their staple food may rise from today. But they may not be aware of the difficult times through which this traditional enterprise - a cultural asset of Goa and Asia is passing through. Toddy tapping, salt production from agors, baking and confectionary, distillation of cashew and coconut feni, wine and vinegar production, candle making are some of Goa's ethnically, culturally important industries fully deserving the iconic status of 'heritage industries of Goa'. [Nandkumar Kamat, NT]

Various migratory bird species fly into state
The global meltdown may have affected tourism, but ornithologists and bird watchers hard pressed to explain the glaring absence of the winged visitors are relieved that they have finally started arriving at their usual wintering spots. “It was a strange phenomenon this year as they usually start arriving by late September or early October,” Carl D’Silva, wild life artist and ornithologist told TOI. Sightings of some species around October appeared to be a false alarm. “On Wednesday, a small number of pin tails and Eurasian wigeons were seen at Carambolim lake, but at the Batim lake, there were more than 2,000 birds, more common teals and lesser pin tails,” he said. [Paul Fernandes, TOI]

Cardinal Oswald Gracias Expresses Condolences, Offers Church’s Support
http://www.archbom.org/news.htm#Cardinal_Oswald_Gracias_Expresses_Condolences

MUMBAI, NOV. 28, 2008, 10.00 Hrs (Nirmala Carvalho / AsiaNews): Mumbai Archbishop and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) vice-President, Cardinal Oswald Gracias has condemned the attacks in Mumbai. He has offered the assistance of all Catholic medical centres to help tend the wounded. The Cardinal sends condolences to the victim's families. He has pledged full cooperation with police and invites the international community to be close to the nation.

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Don Bosco Opens First Catholic University in India
(SAR News)‏
From: goanet-news-bounces@lists.goanet.org 
Sent: November 29, 2008 4:47:41 AM

GUWAHATI, Assam (SAR NEWS) -- Don Bosco University (DBU) Guwahati, Assam, the first Catholic university set up under the new government legislation, will be inaugurated on December 6, 2008. The earlier inaugural programme scheduled for October 31 was postponed due to the serial bomb blast that rocked Guwahati and left 81 people dead and over 200 people injured, October 30. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and four State ministers (Education, Health, Power and Social Welfare) will attend the function along with a galaxy of eminent civil and church personalities of the region.

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CBC Video On India
http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/internationalus/bangalore_electronic_city_1.html

Bangalore - Electronic City
November 24, 2008 (Runs 10:09)
A cool oasis one thousand metres above sea level, Bangalore is India's city of research and knowledge, where all the high tech heavyweights have set up

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Indian IT firms unfazed by Obama's tax plans
Tue Nov 25, 2008 8:23pm IST
http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-36693120081125
By Amitha Rajan

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Indian IT and IT-services companies seem undaunted by the potential impact from U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's proposal to repeal tax breaks for companies that outsource certain operations to offshore centers. "I don't see Obama doing anything terribly drastic. I think he has enough on his plate; he has got a trillion-dollar bailout and probably got another trillion dollars coming on top of that which he has to finance," Genpact Ltd's (G.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Chief Executive Pramod Bhasin said at the Reuters India Investment Summit.

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+Sylvina Robertina De Souza
Mrs. Sylvina Robertina De Souza (85) passed away peacefully in Saligao, Goa, on November, 26, 2008 .Beloved wife of Late Jose Francisco Reginaldo De Souza,(Ex-Kisumu & Mombasa) and mother of Tony Rex De Souza, (Goa) Late Stella Faria, (USA) Augustilia Gomes Pinto, (Canada) Kevin De Souza (Canada) and Ralph De Souza. (Canada)

Funeral will take place on December 13, 2008 at Mae De Deus Church at 5:30.

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Organization

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760,000 Canadian kids growing up poor: report
By Sue Bailey, The Canadian Press
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/081120/health/health_bc_child_poverty
Thu Nov 20, 6:53 PM

OTTAWA - At least 760,000 Canadian kids - about one in nine - are growing up poor, says a new report that calls on the Harper government to follow the lead of some provinces and take action.

The 2008 report card being released Friday by anti-poverty group Campaign 2000 likely underestimates the true extent of hardship, says national co-ordinator Laurel Rothman. That's because the numbers reflect Statistics Canada's low-income cutoffs from 2006, the most recent available, long before the current economic slide. A family of four living in a small city is considered relatively low-income if it earns less than $27,745 after taxes.

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Lots of TV and Web harms kids' health
By Will Dunham
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/081202/us/usreport_us_health_children?printer=1
Tue Dec 2, 6:48 AM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Spending a lot of time watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Web makes children more prone to a range of health problems including obesity and smoking, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. U.S. National Institutes of Health, Yale University and the California Pacific Medical Center experts analyzed 173 studies done since 1980 in one of the most comprehensive assessments to date on how exposure to media sources impacts the physical health of children and adolescents.

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Wired World Undermines Family
Vanier Institute researcher tells Catholic Social Services that technology offers risks, opportunities
By RAMON GONZALEZ
Western Catholic Reporter Staff Writer
Edmonton
http://www.wcr.ab.ca/news/2008/0623/web062308.shtml

Televisions flicker in kitchens and bedrooms, Ipods dangle from belt loops, families use computers for budgets and banking, email and instant messaging, homework and research, computer games and even commerce. Music pours out of MP3s, radios and CD players. Cell phones ring, pagers beep and webcams buzz as family members young and old endeavour to stay in touch.

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Toronto Study Finds Older Adults Easily Distracted
Megan Ogilvie
November 25, 2008
http://www.healthzone.ca/health/articlePrint/543088

Trying to balance the bank book? It might be best to turn off the TV.

Toronto scientists have found further evidence that older adults have a hard time tuning out distractions when concentrating on a single task. The new research, published today, suggests older brains process more irrelevant information from the environment, such as an irritating background noise, than the brains of younger adults.

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Five Tips to Survive Christmas and Beyond, in the Economic Crisis

KITCHENER, ON, Dec. 1 /CNW/ - The holiday season can be stressful. The current 'credit crunch' makes it even more challenging. How can you survive the holidays during this economic crisis? Financial experts from Hoyes Michalos & Associates Inc. offer their top five tips for surviving the economic crisis:

1. Reduce your debt. "This is critical. If you have debt, the people you owe have control over your money. Take immediate steps to reduce your debt. Whatever else you do, don't accumulate any new debt over the holidays. This can stress your finances to the brink," says Douglas Hoyes, a trustee with Hoyes Michalos & Associates.

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Ontario Government Reforming Family Justice For Ontarians
http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/news/2008/20081124-fam-nr.asp

Ontario plans to introduce family law reforms that would, if passed, better protect women and children and reduce the cost and stress of family court proceedings for Ontarians. The proposed family law legislation would strengthen child and family protection in times of family breakdown and distress by:

• Strengthening abuse prevention for women and children by prosecuting breaches of restraining orders as criminal offences

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