Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
To All Our Readers

Toronto East Goan Seniors Association
"Merry Christmas and A Blessed & Prosperous New Year
to All Our Members & Friends”


Charles Fernandes, Carmelita D’Souza, Sal Rocha, Mavis Pecus, Austin Viegas, Martha Menezes, Uvy Lopes, Flavia De Souza, John Baretto, Rosalind Misra

In this issue: (click to link)

• Message from TEGSA President

• TEGSA's Outstanding Silent Pillars

• TEGSA’s CHRISTMAS DANCE

• Christmas Carols and Christmas Bazaar

• About TEGSA's Christmas Dance Letter from a member

• 42’ Flat Screen TV Winners at TEGSA's Christmas Dance  

Newsline Canada

Climate change to force 1 billion people to migrate: IOM
http://www.ptinews.com/news/414930_Climate-change-to-force-people-to-migrate--IOM

Copenhagen, Dec 9 (PTI) Climate change and environmental degradation will force as many as one billion people to migrate over the next four decades to southeast Asia, central America and parts of west Africa, world's leading migration agency has said.

U.S. unveils plan to rev up clean technology in poor nations
Nations pledge funds to make renewable energy more accessible
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/14/_pf.html
By Juliet Eilperin | Washington Post Staff Writer | Monday, December 14, 2009

COPENHAGEN -- Energy Secretary Steven Chu will announce on Monday an international plan to deploy clean technology in developing countries, a $350 million, five-year effort that will include everything from putting solar lanterns in poor households to promoting advanced energy-efficient appliances worldwide, administration officials said.

Christians in Pakistan prepare for 'silent Christmas'
http://www.indiancatholic.in/news/storydetails.php/14074-1-6-Christians-in-Pakistan

LAHORE, Pakistan: Catholics in northern Pakistan are preparing for quiet, scaled-back Christmas celebrations as militant attacks continue to terrorize the country.

Rain Fails To Dampen The Spirit: Christmas Bazaar In Abu Dhabi A Big Hit
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=159919#
By Steeven D and Claude Fernandes - Team Mangalorean, UAE

Click here for photo album

Abu Dhabi December 12, 2009: Hundreds of people braved the unexpected Friday drizzle to show their support for the Christmas bazaar held in the St. Joseph's Church premises in Abu Dhabi.

President Nicolas Sarkozy delivers a mixed message to France's Muslim immigrants
Call for tolerance comes with a caution on displays of religion
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/08/_pf.html
By Edward Cody | Wednesday, December 9, 2009

PARIS - Faced with swelling unease over the place of Muslim immigrants in France, President Nicolas Sarkozy called Tuesday for tolerance among native French people but warned that arriving Muslims must embrace Europe's historical values and avoid "ostentation or provocation" in the practice of their religion.

New Pastor for Syro Malabar Catholics in Archdiocese of Toronto
Excerpts from: http://www.stmarysbrampton.com/index.html

The Archdiocese has appointed Fr. James Cherickal, as pastor for the Syro Malabar Catholic Community in the GTA. This is a mission community of 1000 families spread through out the Archdiocese but does not have its own church. Currently the people in the East celebrate Mass at Precious Blood Church, Scarborough and the west at Michael Gates School, Mississauga. Fr. Cherickal will be living as a resident in one of the rectories in Mississauga. For the past three and half years he was the pastor at St. Mary’s parish in Brampton.

Commentary

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

UN Climate Change Conference
Do right by nature
http://www.catholicregister.org/content/view/3667/40/
Excerpts from Editorial written by Catholic Register Staff, | Friday, 04 December 2009

Copenhagen World leaders are descending on Copenhagen this week for a UN climate conference that seeks an aggressive strategy to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Their ultimate goal is a new international agreement to replace the failed 1990 Kyoto accord.

The real culprit in climate change
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/737323
Letter commenting on Toronto Star Editorial Dec. 7

The Star's editorial and crusade with other newspapers worldwide was laudable but surprisingly made no mention of the role of our economic system of capitalism in climate change. We believe in and practice an economic theory that is neither viable nor sustainable and whose practices are destroying human life on this planet.

Rethinking a relationship... Young Goans and Goa
From: goanet-news-bounces@lists.goanet.org 
on behalf of Goanet Reader (goanetreader@gmail.com)
Sent: December 19, 2009 12:41:42 AM
To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! (goanet@lists.goanet.org )

By Jason Keith Fernandes jason.k.fernandes@gmail.com

Subsequent to hearing a critical participant's observation about the 'Know Goa Programme' organized by the Department for NRI Affairs, I had my reservations about the Programme, wondering if it was not just another waste of public funds. My experiences with participants of the second edition of the 'Know Goa Programme' however, allowed me a partial retake on the initiative.

People Places and Things

Lourdes: God Is Where The Poor Are
BY BEN ANTAO | First published in the Goan Observer | Dec 5th, 2009

A year after surviving cancer, the author and his wife made a spiritual trip to Lourdes in France.

THE DOWNTOWN core of the town of Lourdes was packed with pilgrims so much so that our coach had to crawl around the block to find adequate parking space to drop us off near the Grand Hotel Moderne, 21 Avenue B. Soubirous. We spent two nights here. While on the way to the foothills of the Pyrenees where Lourdes is nestled in southwest France, our guide Filipe had given us the background of the fourteen-year-old girl Bernadette Soubirous who had witnessed the apparitions of Mary Immaculate Conception in 1858, and the subsequent development of the hilly pastoral place around its fortified castle. Only four minutes from the hotel stood the famous grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes at the rear of the Basilica of the Rosary, where a continuous line of pilgrims genuflected and filed past the grotto, and walked towards a nearby stand to purchase and light candles as offerings of prayers for petitions made or granted. Filipe told us that every evening at 9 pm there was a candlelit rosary procession that we could join if we wished.

Book Review - A CIVILIZATION OF LOVE
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061335310/A_Civilization_of_Love/index.aspx

by Carl Anderson. (HarperOne/HarperCollins, $19.95.)
How Catholics can “change the tone” of modern culture based on lessons from Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. (†)

Book Description

Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, surveys the exciting and history-changing ideas of Pope John Paul II in A Civilization of Love. By popularizing not only John Paul's vision but also that of his successor, Benedict XVI, Anderson hopes to inspire Christians to work toward creating a civilization of love. In such a civilization every person is a child of God. We are all intrinsically valuable. The battle today is between the culture of death (where people are judged by their social or economic value) and the culture of life. Anderson pushes aside religious differences in order to spread a message of hope to those who are weary of the constant turmoil of modern society. While he does specifically challenge Christians to take an active role in their faith, you do not have to be a Christian to participate in the movement toward a civilization of love.

London, Dec 9 (PTI) A Rolls Royce 20hp Tourer, formerly the property of the Maharaja of Burdwan in Bengal, sold for 69,700 pounds (Rs 53.16 lakh) at an auction here.

News Clips from Goa

In Tourism, Goa Church Sees Great New Tool
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/in-tourism-goa-church-sees-great-
December 15th, 2009 –

Panaji, Dec 15 (IANS) The Roman Catholic church in Goa wants tourists in the state to spare the proverbial beach and booze and hit the Bible instead. This is articulated in a new book titled “The challenge and prospects of tourism in Goa today” compiled by Ranjan Solomon, consultant to the church-backed Centre for Responsible Tourism.

Salgaocar alleges every Goa minister is corrupt
http://www.oheraldo.in/printerfriendlypage.asp?nid=31141&cid=26
PANJIM, DEC 14

Continuing his tirade against the Digambar Kamat ministry, Sanvordem MLA Anil Salgaocar today charged that every minister in the government is corrupt and there is a need of fresh elections to get rid of the “menace”.

PWD looks to Japanese project to ease water woes in South Goa
In order to cater to the needs of thousands of consumers in South Goa and prevent any water crisis in the future, the public works department has set its eyes on the much awaited Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA) project, funded by Japan Bank of International Cooperation, estimated to cost Rs 1,031 crore. The PWD, recently, had arranged a trip to the Selaulim dam for the media persons of Vasco wherein the executive engineer, PWD (water), Mr. Shrikant Paranjape briefed about the various factors that have resulted in the water crisis, especially in the South Goa. [NT]

'Tourists should dress, behave properly'
Commissioner of NRI Affairs Eduardo Faleiro said tourists should dress and behave appropriately respecting the local sentiments and culture. In this context he mentioned foreign diplomats have to be advised to inform their citizens on the dressing and behavior when they come here. Faleiro was speaking at a conference on Goans in Europe and Europeans in Goa at a city hotel on Friday. [H]

Media obsessed with white skin: Churchill
PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao yesterday took a pot-shot at the media saying it had an "obsession for white skin" and generally hyped reportage of negative happenings involving foreigners. In the context of the media's reportage of the alleged rape of a Russian by John Fernandes, who is his close supporter, Churchill demanded that several other rape cases in Goa were not getting the deserved coverage, simply because the media is "obsessed with white skin". [GT]

Govt plans to woo tourists from Scandinavain nations
The tourism secretary, Dr. M Modassir has said the government has a proposal to promote the state aggressively in the Scandinavian countries beginning March, 2010 and a series of road-shows and other promotional activities have been planned to attract the tourists from there. In fact, the proposal has been supported by Mr. Ralph de Souza, the president of Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, who opined that the state authorities should aggressively promote the state in the rich Scandinavian and other European countries so as to make up for the loss of tourists from elsewhere. [NT]

Act before Goa gains notoriety as rape capital of India: Mickky
Taking a dig at the Goa Police over the handling of cases involving foreigners and domestic tourists, Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco has shot a letter to the Chief Minister Digamabr Kamat expressing fear that Goa could gain notoriety as rape capital of India."You are aware that over the past one year there have been several complaints by tourists in respect of assaults and rapes and such incidents have made headlines worldwide and have conveyed an impression that Goa is unsafe for tourists," Pacheco said in his letter. [H]

A pair of tigers is crowd-puller at Bondla zoo

The state government's decision to modernize the Bondla wildlife sanctuary and adding a pair of tigers has paid rich dividends as the sanctuary has begun humming with activity once again, with around 20,000 people visiting it in the first three months (September to November) since the tigers were thrown open for public view on August 21, this year. The deputy conservator of forests, Mr. Debender Dalai informed The Navhind Times that the sanctuary used to attract around 50,000 visitors every year but the response of the people ever since the pair of tigers was added to it the response of the people has been tremendous and the total number of visitors is expected to cross 1 lakh, given the present trend with the tigers being the main attraction to the visitors. [NT]

Fake notes continue to flood banks
There seems to be no stop to the circulation of counterfeit notes in the Commercial capital. Even as the South Goa sessions court sentenced a native of Malda, West Bengal for possessing Rs three lakh fake notes, counterfeit notes amounting to Rs 35,500 was detected by officials of a city-based private bank. Incidentally, the Margao police appear baffled as this the third time in recent times that the private bank has detected counterfeit notes in the bank. "It is surprising that fake notes are only found in large numbers in this particular bank. The bank staff should be extra cautious", remarked a senior police officer. [H]

News Clips from India

‘Greatest honour’, shared with many - Nobel Chemistry Laureate - Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091209/jsp/nation/story_11840996.jsp#
AMIT ROY

Stockholm, Dec. 8: From his birthplace in Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu 57 years ago to the Aula Magna auditorium at Stockholm University, Venkatraman Ramakrishnan completed quite a journey today when he delivered his Nobel chemistry lecture.

Indian Govt. reviewing policy for issue of visas to all foreigners of Pakistani origin
http://www.newsonair.com/news.asp?cat=national&id=NN2035

Government is reviewing the policy for issue of visas to all foreigners of Pakistani origin. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Mr. Shashi Tharoor said that according to the extant guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs Heads of Indian Mission and Posts in the US has the discretion to grant visas to US and Canadian citizens of Pakistani origin.

Tighter visa rules for UK-bound Indian IT workers
http://www.ptinews.com/news/415242_Tighter-visa-rules-for-UK-bound-Indian-IT-workers
PTI | STAFF WRITER | Prasun Sonwalkar

London, Dec 9 (PTI) Britain has tightened immigration rules from January for Indian IT professionals seeking to move to the UK under inter-company transfers. From next year, workers in this category will need to have 12 months experience instead of six months as at present with their employer before they can be transferred to the UK, official sources said.

Indian IT sector growing at 11% against global growth of 4%
http://www.newsonair.com/news.asp?cat=Business&id=BN401

The Chief Executive and Managing Director of Infosys Kris Gopalakrishnan has said that against the global growth of four per cent, Indian IT sector will be registering eleven per cent in the coming years, providing employment opportunities to about two lakh people every year. Addressing a national summit on ' Changing Role of India in Global IT Business' at Kovalam in Kerala, he urged the IT sector to capitalise the big opportunity.

Tata makes water filter for poor
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8399692.stm

The Indian industrial conglomerate Tata Group has launched a new low-cost water purifier, aimed at lower-income households in rural areas.

The Tata 'Swach' purifier is less than one metre tall, and does not need running water or electricity to work. The firm is hoping to revolutionise the business of providing clean water, a lack of which affects almost one billion people globally.

Announcements

GOAN ARCHIVES PROJECT
See: http://sites.google.com/site/goanarchivescanada/home
By Muriel Lucas

This will serve to introduce the “Mystic Chords of Memory”, which resonates today, as we celebrate the importance of Archiving, thru all its diversity of form and function, serves as its memory, featuring a host of articles from historical times.

LEADERSHIP FORMATION PROGRAM

The Office of Formation for Discipleship of the Archdiocese of Toronto is continuing its prgram of forming lay leaders for parishes. Starting January 6th 2010 an excellent session on the “Basic teachings of the Catholic Church” will be held at St. Francis Xavier Church , 5650 Mavis Road Mississauga every Wednesday 7:30pm – 9:00 pm. The program runs until Februrary 10th 2010. If you are interested please contact the St Mary’s parish office at 905-451-2300.

Goanetters Meeting in Goa – December 28, 2009
From: goanet-news-bounces@lists.goanet.org
on behalf of Frederick Noronha (fn@goa-india.org)
Sent: December 15, 2009 6:19:12 PM

Dear Goanetters,

Just to say the Dec 28, 2009 meeting is happening at Foodland, Miramar at 4 pm. We're working to organise a small get-together of former Karachi Goans at 3 pm, same venue. If you know someone who was linked to Karachi, please pass on the word.

Events

Click to enlarge

National survey shows majority of Canadians want to 'age in place'

Ability of public healthcare to provide among major concerns

TORONTO, Dec. 7 /CNW/ - A national survey of Canadians commissioned by Living Assistance Services http://www.laservices.ca (homecare) and conducted by Acrobat Research(1) indicates that almost 80 per cent believe aging at home offers a better quality of life. Gone are the days when aging Canadians thought all their twilight years held was a stay in a nursing home. Of those polled, 70 per cent want both themselves and their parents to age gracefully in their own homes. The older people get, the more they express a desire to stay at home as they age: 65.4 per cent of 18 - 29 year olds compared to 68 per cent of 30 - 49 year olds and 71.8 of those over 50.

What would Canadians give up to add five years to their lives?

Nearly 6-in-10 Canadians would be willing to give up beer, alcohol and wine. (Excluding Canadian Goan Men !)

TORONTO, Dec. 9 /CNW/ - Many Canadians would not be willing to give up indulgences like watching television (55 per cent), red meat (45 per cent) and alcohol (34 per cent), even if it would add five healthy years to their lives, according to a recent RBC Insurance survey.

Coffee may cut prostate cancer risk
http://www.newsonair.com/sciencenewste.asp?top1=top1

A US study suggests drinking coffee could help to cut the risk of advanced prostate cancer. It found the heaviest consumers had a 60 per cent lower risk of aggressive tumours than men who did not drink any coffee.

Canadians Embrace Greener Holiday Traditions

Many Canadians Following the New '4 Rs' of the Season: Re-Gift, Re-Design, Re-Wrap and Re-Plant

TORONTO, Dec. 9 /CNW/ - Many Canadians are instituting new Christmas traditions that have less environmental impact, according to a Waste Management survey conducted by Ipsos Reid.