Friday, November 25, 2022

Decision on North American auto rules dispute 'imminent', Canada says

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A decision should be made very soon on a dispute pitting Canada and Mexico against the United States on the interpretation of regional trade rules in the auto industry, Canada Minister of International Trade Mary Ng said on Friday.

Canada this year joined Mexico in a complaint against the United States over how to apply automotive sector content requirements under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) free trade agreement, which came into effect in 2020.

"I'm looking forward to a decision. I understand it's pretty imminent," Ng told Reuters in Mexico City, where she was attending meetings of the Pacific Alliance trade group.

Under USMCA, a deal crafted at the urging of former U.S. President Donald Trump to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 75% of a vehicle's components are meant to originate in the region to quality for tax-free status.

Mexico and Canada favor a more flexible interpretation of the rules than Washington, and Mexico said in August that dispute panel hearings were beginning. Mexican officials have expressed confidence the panel will favor their arguments.

Ng would not be drawn on whether a decision would come in 2022, and when asked how she expected it to turn out, said:

"Canada is confident from the standpoint of: this is our understanding of how we negotiated the trade agreement."

Ng during her visit also underlined concerns among Canadian investors in Mexico's energy and mining sectors about steps taken by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to tighten state control of energy and natural resources.

Those disagreements have led to a separate energy dispute under USMCA that pits Ottawa and Washington against Mexico.

Ng said she had reminded Mexican officials many affected investors were Canadian pension funds for groups like teachers.

"So it's really important that those investments that have been made here in Mexico are respected in accordance with our trade obligations," she said.

The minister also said she was hopeful that Canada would next year be made an associate member of the Pacific Alliance, whose core members are Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile.

Ng this week said Canada had begun exploratory discussions with Ecuador over a potential free trade agreement. While it was too early to say when a deal could be struck, talks were beginning from "a really good place", she said.

(Reporting by Dave Graham; editing by Grant McCool)

FILE PHOTO: Canada's Minister of International Trade Ng speaks on Parliament Hill in Ottawa© Thomson Reuters
Iranian-Kurdish footballer arrested on charges of incitement against the regime

Story by Raja Razek • CNN

An Iranian-Kurdish footballer has been arrested on charges of “incitement against the regime” as Tehran cracks down on anti-government protesters, according to state-aligned news agency Tasim.

Video shows brutal Iranian crackdown on Kurdish people
Duration 3:19   View on Watch

Voria Ghafouri, who plays as a defender for the Khuzestan Foolad soccer team, was also arrested on charges of “dishonorable and insulting comportment towards Iran’s national soccer team.”

“Ghafouri had some harsh reactions in support of the recent rioters and was inciting them,” state affiliated Fars News Agency reported.


Iranian-Kurdish footballer arrested on charges of incitement against the regime© Provided by CNNVoria Ghafouri (right), pictured in January 2015, was arrested on charges of "dishonorable and insulting comportment towards Iran's national soccer team." - Brandon Malone/Reuters

London-based opposition news outlet Iran International said the star footballer was fired in June from his previous team, Esteghlal FC, for criticizing the government in May when he rebuked it for “its handling of protests sparked by a sudden rise in prices.”

Iranian authorities criticized Ghafouri in relation to the protests earlier in the year, sparked by a spike in food prices after the government cut state subsidies causing costs to shoot up by 300% in some cases.

Iran has since been swept by national anti-regime demonstrations set off by the death of Mahsa Amini in September, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman who was detained by the country’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly.

The demonstrations have shed light on longstanding grievances held by the country’s Kurdish minority group, whom security forces have targeted in their brutal campaign clamping down on dissent in Iran.

Ghafouri is from Sanandaj, Iran’s second largest Kurdish city, according to the Norway-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.


Iranian-Kurdish footballer arrested on charges of incitement against the regime© Provided by CNNGhafouri, pictured in June 2021, is part of Iran's Kurdish minority community, which the government has targeted in its clampdown on anti-regime dissent. - Mohammad Karamali/DeFodi Images/Getty Images

Ghafouri joins a slew of Iranian athletes who have spoken out in support of the national uprising.

Iran’s former national team goalkeeper, Parviz Boroumand, was arrested last week for destroying public property in Tehran during a protest on November 15, according to Tasnim.

Boroumand, 47, played for Persepolis FC and Esteghlal FC before retiring in 2007 to focus on social activism and humanitarian work. He was outspoken in his support of protesters in Iran on his social media channels before his arrest.

Former Iranian footballer Ali Karimi posted his support for Ghafouri and Boroumand after their arrests. “For the honorable Ghafouri,” Karimi tweeted Thursday along with a picture of Ghafouri dressed in Kurdish garb.

Karimi, who now lives outside of Iran, has been subject to intense scrutiny from the Iranian government for vocalizing his support for protesters since late September.

In November, archer Parmida Ghasemi demonstrated her support for anti-government protests by removing her hijab during an awards ceremony in Tehran. Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi competed in South Korea without her mandatory hijab on in the month prior, later saying it had fallen off accidentally. However, it was unclear whether Rekabi’s comments were made under duress.

Jomana Karadsheh and Celine Alkhaldi contributed to this report.



Wales vs Iran result: How 64-year Welsh World Cup dream turned into a nightmare

Story by Sam Dean, Thomas Ward • 

Wales' Gareth Bale looks dejected after the FIFA World Cup Group B match at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium - 'It's gutting, we're gutted': How Iran turned Wales' 64-year World Cup dream into a nightmare - PA/Nick Potts© PA/Nick Potts

02:31 PM
Report

Wales collapse after Hennessey sees reed

Not even Wayne Hennessey, the great survivor of this Wales squad and a veteran of more than 100 international appearances, would have thought himself capable of surviving this particular VAR check. As soon as referee Mario Escobar was asked to consult the pitchside monitor, Hennessey would have known the truth of it. His game was over, his World Cup almost certainly finished.

As it turned out, that soon became true of his team as a whole. It is now difficult to see any way back into the tournament for Wales, who never lack effort but did lack quality throughout this chaotic meeting with Iran. Yes, Hennessey’s moment of recklessness proved fatal. But no, Wales were not heading for victory before he charged from his line and scissor-kicked Medhi Taremi, the Iran striker, instead of the ball.

To watch the challenge in the flesh, even from high up in the stands of the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, was to almost feel the impact of it yourself. The thud could not be heard, but the magnitude of the collision could certainly be seen. The first reaction was to wince. The second was to wonder how on earth Hennessey had only received a yellow card.

That yellow soon became red, of course, as the replays were shown and the true nature of the misjudgement became clear. Such was the ferocity of the hit, on first viewing at least, that it triggered memories of the infamous collision between Harald Schumacher, the former West Germany goalkeeper, and Frenchman Patrick Battiston in 1982.



Mehdi Taremi of IR Iran is fouled by Wayne Hennessey of Wales which leads to Hennessey been shown a red card and sent off during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Catherine Ivill/Getty Images© Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Thankfully, it soon became clear that any comparisons between those two goalkeeping fouls would be grossly unfair, as Taremi was able to continue unharmed. But the consequences for Hennessey and his team were disastrous nonetheless, with the ten men of Wales unable to withstand any more of Iran’s relentless attacks. “The red card obviously changed the game,” said Daniel James, the Wales winger.

Hennessey’s generation of Wales players, including his best friend Gareth Bale, have made a habit of exceeding expectations and staying defiant against the usual realities of this sport. Here, those realities caught up with them at last. These players can only outrun time and disregard physiological science for so long, before eventually the hill proves too steep and the task proves too great.

The emotions of football can swing at any moment, for any player, and for Hennessey the pain of his error will no doubt be as strong as the joy he felt in June, when he produced a phenomenal showing in their play-off against Ukraine. “The best performance I have ever seen from a goalkeeper,” said Bale of his friend that day.



Gareth Bale of Wales seems disappointed as players of Iran celebrate after scoring a goal during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and Iran - Anadolu Agency/Getty Images© Provided by The Telegraph

On afternoons such as those, Hennessey has appeared to be so much more than what his CV suggests. As if he was living a different life, and existing in a footballing fantasy. But in the real world he is a 35-year-old in the final days of his career, playing as a backup for Nottingham Forest. Before this tournament he had made only two appearances all season, and the fantasy of June’s performance in Cardiff ultimately melted away in the heat of Doha.

Perhaps it was rustiness that caused his wild tackle on Taremi. Perhaps it was the pressure of the occasion, with the game in its 86th minute and Welsh hopes on the line. Or maybe it was simpler than that: a split-second decision, a lost race, a gamble that did not pay off.

Hennessey was not alone in struggling, even if his errors ultimately proved the most costly. Bale was anonymous, scrambling for a foothold that never appeared. Aaron Ramsey was similarly ineffective, permanently wandering out of position. Even Joe Allen, such a reliable member of this group, was at fault for Iran’s second goal.

“You can carry one or two players if they have off days,” said Rob Page, the Wales manager. “But when the majority of the team are not quite at it, there is only going to be one outcome. We fell well below the standards we have set in recent months. When you do that in top competitions, you get punished.”

Would Hennessey have been able to save the first of Iran’s goals, scored from range by Rouzbeh Cheshmi? Possibly. Danny Ward, the substitute goalkeeper with a smaller wingspan, made the slightest of touches with his fingers as the shot fizzed into the corner. Neither goalkeeper would have stopped the second, converted delicately on the counter-attack by Ramin Rezaeian.

“It is a hard one to take,” said Page. “I have said to the players before every game, ‘go out and show the world what you show us every day’. That performance is not a true reflection of the team. We deserved that defeat.”

Wales face England next, but what then? What now for the golden generation? Where do players like Bale, Ramsey and Hennessey go from here? And where can Wales realistically go without them?

Page and his coaching staff will be asking these questions, too. First they will let the dust settle on this defeat, and then on this tournament. After that, there will have to be a shift. Perhaps not immediately, but change is coming. The players of Bale’s generation have been living their dream for so long, overcoming hurdles that many thought to be insurmountable, but this felt like the day a nation was finally forced to wake up.

01:35 PM
Former players react

Former Wales striker Ian Rush speaking on the BBC

Second half was like a cup game, both teams needed to win it

Wales gave it 100 per cent but it was a lack of finishing and second half Iran were the better team.

Ex-Wales defender Ashely Williams added

Wales gave it everything like they always do.

We probably didn't create enough and didn't have enough chances on the Iranian goal. I'm gutted for the boys.

01:13 PM
Rob Page reacts

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales.

Our performance before the red card was not acceptable.

We hoped it would all come together today, but we were nowhere near the levels we've set and the standards we've set in recent games.

One or two you can carry, but when there are so many off days there is only one outcome.

I always take responsibility, that's my team, the sending off didn't help of course but at that point we had five forwards on the pitch so couldn't get a defensive shape.

But yes I'll always take responsibility for performances.

It's a difficult changing room at the minute but we will be ready [against England], it's a local derby and a great game to finish on and we'll be prepared to go.



Rob Page, Head Coach of Wales, reacts during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium - Julian Finney/Getty Images© Julian Finney/Getty Images
Christian Trump event left evangelical pastor 'absolutely terrified and horrified'

Opinion by Brad Reed • RAW STORY

An evangelical pastor has made it his new mission to lead his fellow Christians away from what he believes is a self-destructive worship of former President Donald Trump.


Woman wearing red Make America Great Again hat praying at Stop the Steal rally in support of Donald Trump in Montana. (Brandi Lyon Photography / Shutterstock.com)© provided by RawStory

In an interview with the Toronto Globe and Mail, Pastor Caleb Campbell revealed that he decided to make wooing Christians away from the MAGA movement his personal cause after he attended a Christian event hosted by Turning Point USA, the right-wing activist group founded by Charlie Kirk.

During the event he attended, says Campbell, Kirk misappropriated quotes from the Bible in order to make it sound like God wanted Christians to be armed to the teeth with firearms.

"I was absolutely terrified and horrified," Campbell tells the Globe and Mail.

READ MORE: Trump is 'really impressed' with white supremacist leader Nick Fuentes: Kanye West

He then elaborated to describe how disturbed he was by Kirk taking people's deeply held religious faith and welding it directly to a hardcore right-wing political agenda.

“What was shocking to me was the people in the room raising their hands and saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah,'" he said. "They were having a religious experience."

Although American Christians advocating for conservative policies is nothing new, Campbell believes that this new Trump-led evangelism is more dangerous in that it evokes the spirit of white nationalism.

"This is a mean-spirited, vulgar grab for power with violent rhetoric," he said. "I’m familiar with what it means to be enculturated toward violent behavior."

UN experts equate discrimination against women in Afghanistan to crimes against humanity

A group of United Nations rapporteurs has denounced that abuses committed by the Taliban against women and girls in Afghanistan may amount to crimes against humanity and called on the international community to continue to press for the respect of freedoms and rights.


Amnesty recalls that women in Afghanistan suffer "unlimited oppression" by the Taliban

The experts warned that human rights violations "have increased dramatically" in a country that already had some of the "most serious and unacceptable" abuses in the world.

In this sense, they have condemned the veto to women in secondary education or in parks and gyms and, in general terms, that leisure is reduced to a minimum. "Confining women to their homes is tantamount to imprisoning them and will likely lead to higher levels of domestic violence and mental health problems," they said in a statement.

The Taliban also extend their control efforts to men deemed 'responsible' for women who break the regime's strict doctrines, which experts say means encouraging male citizens to "control" the behavior of others themselves, to avoid suffering punishment themselves.

The rapporteurs have urged the Taliban to respect international law and to release all those arbitrarily detained for their persecution of women. They also want women to be able to carry out their activist work "without intimidation and attacks".

They have asked the rest of the world to make respect for women's rights "central" to any discussion with the Afghan regime, while hoping that other countries can investigate and even prosecute those who carry out "gender persecution" in Afghanistan.
Federal government posts $1.7 billion surplus for April to September period

OTTAWA — The federal government posted a surplus of $1.7 billion during the first six months of the 2022-23 fiscal year.


Federal government posts $1.7 billion surplus for April to September period© Provided by The Canadian Press

In its monthly fiscal monitor, the finance department says the surplus between April and September compares to a deficit of $68.6 billion reported for the same period last year.

Compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year, government revenues were up $32.8 billion, or 18.6 per cent, as revenue streams continue to improve.

Program expenses were also down $40.3 billion, or 17.9 per cent, largely due to the expiration of COVID-19 measures.

Higher interest rates and inflation have driven up the cost of public debt charges by $5.6 billion, or 47.8 per cent, compared to the same period last year.

Net actuarial losses were down $2.8 billion, or 36.1 per cent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2022.

The Canadian Press
Long-term rate hikes effects will be 'more powerful' than people think: Poloz


OTTAWA — The full effects of interest rate hikes have yet to be felt — and will be "even more powerful" than many anticipate, said former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz Thursday in a speech about ways Canada can chart a path toward economic growth during uncertain times.


Long-term rate hikes effects will be 'more powerful' than people think: Poloz© Provided by The Canadian Press

Speaking at a conference hosted by Western University's Ivey Business School in Ottawa on Thursday, the former governor warned today’s economy is more sensitive to interest rates than it was 10 years ago.

"Does anybody here think the sensitivity of the economy to interest rate movements is less today than it was five or 10 years ago?" Poloz asked. "I think it's more sensitive today than it was before."

Poloz estimates annual inflation will fall to about four per cent on its own as external factors, such as higher commodity prices, ease. Statistics Canada's most recent annual inflation rate sat at 6.9 per cent in October.

He said policy action will need to do the rest of the work to get inflation back down to the central bank's two per cent target.

"I think that the actions that are being taken to get us there will turn out to be even more powerful than a lot of people think," Poloz said, citing higher debt loads in the Canadian economy as a vulnerability.

The former governor is the chair of the Lawrence National Centre for Policy and Management, an independent think tank hosted at Ivey.

Poloz began his remarks by sharing his thoughts on the drivers of high inflation and where prices are headed. His speech also offered a set of recommendations on how Canada can improve long-term economic growth during volatile times.

He said the think tank will offer a summary of the recommendations to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland next week.

Poloz finished his seven-year term as Bank of Canada governor a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the central bank has dramatically shifted gears from the extraordinary stimulus measures of 2020 to rapid monetary policy tightening.

The Bank of Canada began raising interest rates in March to clamp down on rising inflation. Since then, the central bank raised its key interest rate six consecutive times, embarking on one of the fastest monetary policy tightening cycles in its history.

Its key rate currently stands at 3.75 per cent and is expected to rise again next month.

The aggressive rate hikes are expected to slow the Canadian economy significantly. And though many economists are cautiously optimistic that the slowdown won't be severe or long-lasting, labour groups in particular have been concerned about the consequences of a potential recession.

Is the Bank of Canada overshooting with its rate hikes? "It's impossible to say," Poloz said in an interview.

Economists estimate interest rate hikes take one to two years to take full effect in the economy. That lag makes it difficult to judge whether rate hikes are too much or too little, the former governor said.

Poloz said trying to slow inflation with interest rate hikes is like trying to stop a car with bad brakes.

"It takes a long time to actually slow down and so you stand on the brake really hard. Well, then you're going to cause an accident too," he said.

Though high inflation has persisted longer than the Bank of Canada's initial projections, Poloz defended the use of the word "transitory" to describe inflation pressures, noting in his speech that international contributors to inflation such as supply chain delays are already dissipating.

"In other words, the part of inflation that is externally driven, really is transitory. It's OK to use the word transitory," he said.

However, the former central bank governor says it takes time for that development to be reflected in the annual inflation rate.

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem notably called inflation "transitory" — meaning temporary — when it first started rising.

Since then, he's backed away from that characterization and has emphasized that the domestic economy is overheated and inflation won't return to target without action from the central bank.

While high inflation has come to the forefront of economic policy discussions, many economists are concerned about what Canada is — or isn't — doing to promote long-term growth.

During his speech, Poloz made the case for government policies that promote stability and clarity for businesses. The less uncertainty there is about trade policy and projects, for example, the more businesses will invest in their operations and improve their productivity, he said.

"Clarity is the obvious antidote to uncertainty."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2022.

Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press
Roger Penrose: Communicating with future universes

Story by David Stock • NEW SCIENTIST

During his long career, Roger Penrose has collaborated with Stephen Hawking to uncover the secrets of the big bang, developed a quantum theory of consciousness with anaesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff and won the Nobel prize in physics for his prediction of regions where the gravitational field would be so intense that space-time itself would break down, the so-called singularity at the heart of a black hole.

Read more: Roger Penrose: "Consciousness must be beyond computable physics"

TO LOOT ANGOLA MORE
The daughter of Angola’s former president José Eduardo dos Santos considers running for president

Isabel Dos Santos, daughter in exile of the recently deceased former president of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos, has announced that she does not rule out the possibility of running for the country's presidency.


Archive - Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, daughter of former Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos, is the daughter of Angola's President José Eduardo dos Santos. -
 PEDRO GRANADEIRO / ZUMA PRESS / CONTACTOPHOTO© Provided by News 360

In an interview granted to the German channel Deutsche Welle, Dos Santos emphasized that she wants to "serve" her country and that if she ever had "the possibility" to put Angola "in a better place" and give it "the focus it needs", she would be willing to take that step.

"If someday I have the opportunity to return to my country, a better country, and help my country to have the vision it needs, to build, yes, I will take that step and I believe that many people will be with me because we are another Angola, we have other ambitions and we need another political future," Dos Santos said.

Dos Santos has become one of the main targets of the judicial authorities of the country her father once presided over. However, she considers that it is nothing more than a "commission" from the State for "political reasons".

"I am not the target of several judicial processes in several countries as it is being said. That statement is not correct", said Dos Santos, who accused the government of Joao Lourenco of "manipulating" and "placing in the hands" of the press "information that was not true".

Dos Santos referred to the investigation known as 'Luanda Leaks' as a "gross manipulation" of the State against her. According to this information, the daughter of the former Angolan president, as head of the state-owned Sonagol, obtained lucrative contracts from the oil, diamond and telecommunications industries during the presidency of her father Dos Santos.

The Prosecutor's Office accuses Dos Santos, who became the richest woman in Africa according to 'Forbes', of causing losses to the State amounting to more than 5 billion dollars during the 38 years of her father's government. As a consequence of these investigations, her assets in Angola and Portugal have been frozen.

Dos Santos' statements come a few days after Interpol allegedly issued an arrest warrant for her, according to the Portuguese news agency Lusa, for crimes of embezzlement of public funds, although sources close to the businesswoman denied that they were aware of this warrant.
NIMBY
Boyle Street Community Services relocation plan halted by development appeal board

Story by CBC/Radio-Canada •

A plan by Boyle Street Community Services to move to a new facility two blocks north of its current home in the city's core has been halted by Edmonton's subdivision and development appeal board.


A rendering of a new home for Boyle Street Community Services. A renovation is planned to turn a property two blocks north of its current site into a built-for-purpose space for the organization that serves vulnerable Edmontonians.© Boyle Street Community Services

In a decision issued Friday, the board revoked the development permit for the facility, citing zoning issues.

"The board is of the opinion that the proposed development does not conform with the use prescribed for the site," the decision says.

Boyle Street wants to move from its current location in a former banana-ripening warehouse to a vacant building at 10010 107A Ave.

Once renovated, the $28.5-million facility would serve as a new headquarters for the social agency, which serves homeless Edmontonians and other vulnerable populations in the city.

In a statement, Boyle Street staff said Friday's decision was deeply disappointing.

Arguments made by the appellants to the development board intentionally "mischaracterized the services provided by Boyle Street and vilified those they serve," the statement said.

'Desperately needed'


Boyle Street said that in the the last year, it has provided mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health services to more than 7,000 people, the majority of whom are experiencing homelessness.

"This decision will result in a delay in the construction of okimaw peyesew kamik — King Thunderbird Centre and will mean that lifesaving services desperately needed in the core of Edmonton will be impeded," the social services agency said in the statement.

The proposal to move the facility has faced vocal opposition from some residents, business owners and community groups who say the McCauley neighbourhood is already at a tipping point due to a high concentration of social services in the area.

Proposed use doesn't conform with zoning, board says

In its decision, the development appeal board said the proposed facility, which would include a day shelter and cultural services, does not conform with the prescribed land uses for the property.

The facility would have a much broader service model than what is allowed under the current zoning for the property, the board said.

"The proper characterization of the activities that will occur on the site include recreational, social, arts, and other multi-purpose cultural activities intended for local community purposes," the decision says.

"This is not to say that these activities are not essential to the well being and health of the public. On the contrary, these are instrumental activities to every person's well-being.

"However, these activities do not fit the definition of health services in the bylaw and that use definition should not be expanded so liberally to encompass these activities. To do so would render entire other classes of uses within the bylaw irrelevant."

The proposed use is more appropriate for land zoned for community centres, the board said.

The city approved the development permit in September. However, 15 appellants challenged the city's decision. The appeal was heard Nov. 10.

Opponents of the project include the Chinatown and Area Business Association, the Chinese Benevolent Association and parents of children who attend the Victoria School of the Arts, located nearby.


Agency vows to explore 'all avenues'

Boyle Street said it plans to proceed with construction of the new facility and will be "exploring all avenues" to ensure renovations proceed.

Decisions issued by the development board can be contested at the Alberta Court of Appeal.

"Over the 50-year history of our organization, we have experienced numerous challenges. This decision represents another challenge which we will undoubtedly overcome," executive director Jordan Reiniger said in a statement.

"We owe it to those we serve, our countless supporters, and our city to make sure this delay does not prevent us from moving forward in creating a purpose-built facility for those we serve who are put at the most risk in our society."

Boyle Street's current facility functions as a community centre where people can access housing specialists, counsellors, family services and medical care. The centre also provides street outreach services, mobile addictions treatment and mental-health outreach workers.

The agency has been searching for a new home for about seven years and the new site was prompted as a much-needed upgrade to the current site.

It recently held a news conference to announce that it has raised more than 75 per cent of its $28.5-million fundraising goal for the new space.

The new 2.5-acre property, purchased in a deal with the Edmonton Oilers, has a main building with 75,000 square feet of space and an existing 38-unit apartment building where suites rent at below-market rates.

The proposed centre has an Indigenous-informed design, a ceremonial space and a private courtyard would allow clients to gather inside the facility, instead of on the street outside.

Renovations were expected to start next month. The new centre was expected to open in October 2023.
REACTIONARY PARLIAMENT VS CASTILLO
Pedro Castillo swears in Betssy Chávez as Peru’s new prime minister


The President of Peru, Pedro Castillo, has sworn in Betssy Chávez as the country's new Prime Minister on Friday, replacing Aníbal Torres, who resigned from the post after the failure of a question of confidence in the Andean Parliament.


Peru's Prime Minister, Betssy Chávez - MINISTERIO DE CULTURA© Provided by News 360

Chávez, until now Minister of Culture, will thus serve as the fifth Peruvian head of government under Castillo, who took the reins of the presidency just over 16 months ago, in July 2021.

Castillo will have to appoint in the next hours the rest of the ministerial Cabinet in what is already a new change of course of a particularly convulsed national politics, marked in the last months by the incessant motions of censure and voluntary departures of ministers.

Even the president himself has the Peruvian Justice and Public Prosecutor's Office behind him, the latter a body that accuses him of leading a criminal organization for alleged corruption.

The latest episode of Peruvian political instability occurred on Thursday night when Torres resigned after the Congress refused to modify the law limiting referendum calls in the country.

"After this express refusal of confidence, with the expression of 'full rejection', and having accepted the resignation of the 'premier', whom I thank for his concern and work for the country, I will renew the Cabinet," Castillo reiterated in a televised speech.

With just over nine months in office, Aníbal Torres has been the longest-serving prime minister of the Peruvian Executive since Pedro Castillo was sworn in as president. He was preceded by Guido Bellido, with a little more than two months at the head of the government; Mirtha Vásquez, prime minister for almost three months; and Héctor Valer, who was in office for barely a week.