Three outstanding Indo-Canadian coaches - Ajit Braich, Jag Sajan and Sukhi Sandhu - have been appointed by the Vancouver Whitecaps and B.C. Soccer Association as 2008 Super Y-League affiliates' coaches, while another well-known Indo-Canadian coach, Steve Mattoo, has been appointed to the strategic committee for the new Surrey-based Y-League franchise.

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INDO-CANADIAN SOCCER CLUBS MUST STRIVE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR BENEFIT OF KIDS AND PLAYERS
Ajit, who has just been re-appointed as a coach by the Vancouver Whitecaps and B.C. Soccer Association in the Super Y-League and will be head coach for the U-13 Girls for Coastal WFC this year, told The VOICE this week: "I think we've got to strive for more Indo-Canadian clubs to work together for the benefit of the children and the players." [Full Story]

COUNTRY LUMBER DONATES MORE THAN $25,000 FOR LOCAL SOCCER KIDS
Country Lumber has donated $15,000 for the South Asian soccer youth tournament "Pacific Eagles-Country Lumber Challenge Cup" in May or June in which 500 youth, ages 8 to 14, will be competing over a weekend of play at Newton Athletic Park and other nearby soccer fields. [Full Story]

WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO COMBAT RACISM IN ALL ITS FORMS
This week marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which is observed annually on March 21 and was sparked by a peaceful demonstration in South Africa against the apartheid "pass laws," resulting in 69 people being shot by police in 1960. This day was proclaimed in 1966 as "an effort to eliminate all forms of racism." [Full Story]

CANADA TELLS INDIA: WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
The Canadian government has made it clear to the India government, which has been wrongly alleging for some time now that Khalistani "terrorists" are carrying out illegal activities from Canada, time and time again that it has a Terrorist Act that is quite capable of dealing with terrorist threats and that it cannot do away with freedom of speech. [Full Story]

INDIAN PM SHOULD FIRST GET JUSTICE FOR 1984 ANTI-SIKH RIOTS' VICTIMS
I was very disappointed to read Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement about Sikh separatist threat on rise in Canada. I don't know what Indian government is seeing in Canada that we people living in Canada don't see. The only thing that we see is that Sikhs in Canada want to see Sikhs living in India treated fairly and they keep asking for punishment of Congress leaders who were involved in 1984 massacre of thousands of Sikhs. [Full Story]

HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS SAY THEY KNOW WHO KILLED SIX IN SURREY, BUT NEED SOME HELP
IHIT Inspector Bill Fordy and Cpl. Dale Carr told the media: "The investigation into this matter has been intense and comprehensive. At any given time there have been from 50 to 100 full-time investigators working on the bringing a resolution to this terrible crime. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is prepared to say that we have narrowed down our list of suspects and are committed to bringing those responsible before the courts. [Full Story]

VOICE MIRROR
#1. DAVE HAYER IN SHOCK AS KIM BOLAN DITCHES HIM!
#2. LIBERAL MLA: HIDDEN WHITE RACISM AND / OR SHEER STUPIDITY?
#3. PROVINCE'S RACIST EDITORIAL AGAINST SIKHS' RIGHTS
#4. LAIBAR SINGH: MORE CONFUSION AND DIVISION
#5. PREMIER, RCMP HAVE A LOT TO EXPLAIN IN BASI-VIRK CASE
#6. SINDI HAWKINS' HEALTH IMPROVING
#7. WEIRD BURNING DEATH [Full Story]

THREE SOUTH ASIANS AMONG 45 RECOGNIZED BY B.C. COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Three South Asians figure in the list of 45 outstanding British Columbians who were this week named the recipients of the fifth annual BC Community Achievement Awards by Premier Gordon Campbell and Chair of the British Columbia Achievement Foundation Keith Mitchell. [Full Story]

CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT APPOINTS TWO INDO-CANADIANS TO CROSS-CULTURAL ROUNDTABLE ON SECURITY
"Through valuable partnerships such as the Roundtable, we are continuing in our efforts to protect Canadians and build a mutual understanding of Canada's diverse and pluralistic society," said Day. "The input of these new members, all leaders in their communities, will be instrumental in matters affecting national security." [Full Story]

FIVE SOUTH ASIAN YOUTH GET SCHOLARSHIPS FROM CORSA
Five South Asian youth from various school districts in the Lower Mainland received scholarships of $1,500 each last Saturday from the CORSA Foundation at its annual Kohinoor Diamond Ball in Vancouver. Attorney General Wally Oppal presented the scholarships to Devraj Chaitanya, Nurtaj Mostofa, Nikhita Dogra, Naina Sethi and Alykhan Kaba. [Full Story]

YOUTH FOUND GUILTY OF HATE CRIME FOR FORCIBLY CUTTING OFF SIKH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT'S HAIR
After two and a half days of deliberations, the jury found Umair Ahmed guilty of menacing in the second degree as a hate crime, coercion in the second degree as a hate crime, harassment, and possession of a deadly weapon, in an incident where a Sikh high school student's hair was forcibly cut on May 24, 2007. It is against a Sikh's religious practice to cut his / her hair, as kesh (unshorn hair) is one of the five articles of faith that a Sikh must keep at all times. [Full Story]

B.C. LIBERALS' NEGLECT OF SENIORS UNCONSCIONABLE
Horrible stories of seniors' neglect in government-funded care facilities have caused an outcry across the province, leading to calls for immediate action by the Campbell government. But it appears these reports aren't enough to shake the B.C. Liberals' conscience. [Full Story]