Surrey, the second largest city in the province with a population of about 390,000, is where more than 103,000 Indo-Canadians live - that is, half of all Indo-Canadians in Metro Vancouver area, from Vancouver to Abbotsford.

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FARM WORKERS CASE: OVERHAUL SYSTEM COMPLETELY TO END THREE DECADES OF EXPLOITATION
Tax Court of Canada Judge Dwayne Rowe caused an uproar in many circles when he learned that farm workers in the Fraser Valley have been exploited for many years. His judgment is based on a case involving 75 farm workers, represented by Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) and Abbotsford Community Services, who were asked to repay Employment Insurance (E.I.) benefits to the government. [Full Story]

KHALISTAN ISSUE: FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS SOMETHING INDIA HAS TO LEARN TO RESPECT
India had every right to protest the display of photographs of the assassins of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi. Any country would be expected to do the same if pictures of assassins of one of their heads of government or state were similarly displayed in another country. [Full Story]

VOICE MIRROR
#1. INDIRA PRAHST GETS LANGARA COLLEGE'S LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AWARD
#2. KEEP POLITICS OUT OF SCHOOL CLASSROOMS
#3. INDIA'S SHAME - SATI: U.N. SHOULD INTERVENE
#4. SURREY TRAGEDY
#5. ARMED ROBBERY AT JEWELRY STORE [Full Story]

HUNDREDS OF GURU NANAK'S FREE KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS ONCE AGAIN FEED THE NEEDY IN DOWTOWN EASTSIDE
In the week beginning April 14, Life Skills Centre, a facility designed to provide social services to residents of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, was bracing itself for one of largest ever free food distribution events. Guru Nanak's Free Kitchen was able to not just feed thousands from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, but also provide food to the local churches and women's shelters. [Full Story]

PRIME MINISTER HARPER LAUDS ACHIEVEMENTS OF SIKHS AT VAISAKHI GALA ON PARLIAMENT HILL
The event that also featured Bhangra groups from Surrey, Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto, was attended by over 500 guests from across Canada, including diplomats from 18 countries including the USA, Russia, France, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and Mexico, and many MPs. [Full Story]

VAISAKHI ROUNDUP
#1. VANCOUVER'S VAISAKHI NAGAR KIRTAN SECOND LARGEST IN B.C.
#2. VAISAKHI: VANCOUVER MAYOR DELIVERS SPEECH IN PUNJABI
#3. FREE EYE CHECK-UP CAMP IN VANCOUVER
#4. ASAP HANDS OUT 2,000 PAMPHLETS ON STEM CELL AND MARROW DONATION
#5. A DAY FOR CELEBRATION AT NEW WESTMINISTER [Full Story]

PRIME MINISTER HARPER URGES STRONGER TRADE RELATIONS WITH INDIA
Prime Minister Stephen Harper last week outlined the initiatives the government has undertaken to improve trade relations with India, an emerging economic superpower and the world's most populous democracy. Speaking at the inaugural gala dinner of the Canada India Foundation in Toronto, Harper spoke of India's growing importance to the Canadian economy. [Full Story]

CONSERVATIVE IMMIGRATION BILL: NOT A QUICK-FIX, BUT IT COULD SEND CANADIANS QUICKLY TO THE POLLS
There is a good possibility that Canadians may just find themselves in another costly federal election this spring. With three federal elections in less than five years at an average cost of $275-280 million per election, chances are good the average Canadian will be less than thrilled with the political party that pulls the trigger and calls it a day on this rather dysfunctional minority government. [Full Story]

CAMPBELL STALLS ON NDP'S MINIMUM WAGE BILL FOR OVER A YEAR
Campbell's 2008 budget gave the banks and big oil companies more than $500 million in breaks, but no relief for people who are being hit with the ever-increasing costs of skyrocketing tuition fees, B.C. Hydro and ICBC rates, transit and ferry fares - to name a few. [Full Story]