Latest news with #CADA
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Urgent Tillari board meet demanded over land denotified for casino firm
Panaji: The members of the Tillari Irrigation Development Board have called for an immediate Command Areas Development (CAD) board meeting to discuss state govt's decision to denotify 3.3 lakh sqm of the Tillari command area at Dhargalim. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Govt's decision will pave the way for Delta Corp Ltd, a casino company, to set up an integrated resort. But residents of Dhargalim have strongly opposed the decision and have demanded its revocation. The Tillari irrigation project is an interstate initiative involving Maharashtra and Goa, built at a huge cost, and Goa govt has notified 14,521ha of land under the Goa Command Area Development Act, 1997. At a CAD board meeting held on Sep 27, 2024, the insistence was voiced to approve the scheme and have it notified, which the board did. So the scheme, prepared under Section 17, was finally notified under Section 18(2) of the Goa Command Area Development Act. 'The consequences of this notification are provided in Section 19 of the act, which clearly prohibits the diversion of such land,' CAD board member and MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira said. 'I am at a loss to understand how the Goa cabinet could bypass the statutory powers vested in the CAD board and agree to denotify such a huge tract of notified Command Area Development Authority (CADA) land. This is without jurisdiction and totally illegal,' Ferreira said. He added, 'When we finished approving the scheme, what can be the rationale or the justification, that too, within a span of about six months from the date of its notification, to denotify it as CADA land? Just because a casino has applied for it?' Ferreira said. Irrigation command areas directly relate to notified command areas, meant to enhance the agricultural produce in Goa. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Thus, this matter also falls in the domain of the WRD minister and the agriculture minister. And yet, this decision appears to directly contravene the state's agricultural policies and Command Areas Development Act, Ferreira said. 'Based on this set of concerns and the urgency of the matter, I write to request to convene an immediate meeting of the CAD board to discuss the issues raised by me and to enable govt to come clean on the issue in the larger public interest,' a letter sent to the member secretary of the CAD board said.
Globe and Mail
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Globe and Mail
The U.S. is holding Canadians back from getting better cars, now is the time for Ottawa to change that
Americans, for the most part, dictate which cars Canadians do and don't get to buy. It's not fair or even smart, necessarily. It's just the way it is and has been for decades. Through a web of business decisions and regulations – safety and emissions standards – Canadians are beholden to the peculiar predilections of American drivers who typically enjoy cheaper gasoline and big SUVs. Were it not for the Americans, Canadians could enjoy a greater variety of cars that are smaller, cleaner, cheaper and with niche appeal – cars that might even be better than what's currently on offer. For starters, there's the smaller (and cheaper) Volkswagen sold in Europe, the budget-friendly Fiat Grande Panda hatch, the reborn Renault 5 and any number of practical MPVs and station wagons. Given the volatile nature of the person currently living in the White House, his chaotic dismantling of environmental policy, not to mention his devastating and ongoing attack on Canada's auto workers, it shouldn't be this way. We should no longer rely on America to dictate which cars we do and don't get. If a vehicle is deemed good enough for European drivers, it should be good enough for Canadians, too. Ottawa should quickly move to allow the sale of vehicles certified for use in Europe and potentially other countries as well. The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) suggested exactly that last month in its Automotive Competitive Framework, a series of policies meant to support the auto industry and address the consumer affordability crisis. The association, which represents 3,200 dealers employing 178,000 people across Canada, urged the federal government to accept the vehicle compliance certificates of Japan, South Korea and the European Union, in addition to U.S. certificates. 'If a vehicle has been deemed environmentally okay and safe enough to be driven on a German Autobahn at over 200 kilometres an hour, are you going to say that vehicle is not safe enough to be driven in Canada? Come on,' said Tim Reuss, CADA's chief executive officer. Expanding Canadian homologation regulations (a certification that says the vehicle is roadworthy and meets government criteria) isn't difficult to implement, said Reuss, who has previously held top jobs at the Dilawri dealership group and Mercedes-Benz Canada. 'We're talking about political will and paperwork,' he said. Transport Canada's Motor Vehicle Safety Standards would have to be expanded to align with selected global jurisdictions, just as they're currently with the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. 'This is something Canada can do on [its] own,' Reuss said. Dealerships would get more products to sell and Canadian drivers would get more choice. There are some key nuances to be worked out, of course. For example, only vehicles from jurisdictions with high environmental standards should be accepted, so as not to undermine Canada's climate goals. Regulators would also have to take great care to design the regulations in a way that doesn't undermine Canada's domestic auto manufacturing industry. Perhaps quotas on vehicles from certain jurisdictions would be required. Chinese cars, even if they're certified in Europe, could still be subject to hefty tariffs and/or some kind of carbon border adjustment. If done correctly, however, the policy is a win-win for car dealers and consumers. 'If these regulations change, it would be almost immediate that these brands would [bring in new models],' Reuss said. 'They already know what vehicles they would bring in.' New automakers would also likely enter the Canadian market, he added. So, if these car models and brands would sell in Canada, why aren't they already here? There are 50 million reasons. That's roughly what it costs – about $50-million – for automakers to certify a new light-duty vehicle for sale in Canada that isn't already certified in the U.S., Reuss said. Most of the cost comes down to the big stuff such as emissions and crash certification, he explained. Other things – such as ensuring the speedometer is in kilometres-per-hour and adding daytime running lights – are relatively minor costs. Reuss wouldn't name the brand, but he recalls one instance where the dealers estimated they'd be able to sell 10,000 or 15,000 of a particular new model already available elsewhere in the world. For comparison, the Ford Escape was the 10th best-selling vehicle in Canada last year, selling about 30,000 units, while Subaru sold about 16,000 Foresters. The automaker decided the unnamed model wouldn't be a good fit for the U.S. market and, because of the high cost of certification, there was no business case for bringing it into Canada. 'The core of the market is still very, very similar to the U.S., don't get me wrong,' Reuss said. 'Canada is still a pickup market and will continue to be heavily skewed towards SUVs. But is there opportunity in and around that to expand? Yes.' He says the hatchbacks market is ripe for expansion. 'Canadians love hatchbacks but calling something a hatchback that's the kiss of death in the U.S. market,' said Reuss. That explains why there are almost no hatchbacks left in Canadian showrooms. In Europe, drivers enjoy the brilliant new Renault 5 electric hatchback as well as its sporty Alpine A290 cousin. The simple little Honda e hatch was recently discontinued, but if regulations change in time Canadians could get its successor. If you were intrigued by the US$27,500 electric pickup truck promised by U.S. startup Slate Auto, you might also be interested in Toyota's IMV 0. It's a compact US$10,000 gas-powered pickup, a relative of the much-loved Toyota Hilux, intended for emerging markets. Similarly, Volkswagen's retro-future electric minivan is wonderful, except that it's too big and too expensive for most drivers. In Europe, VW sells a smaller, cheaper version – it's even available as a small cargo van – but, there are currently no plans to bring the smaller into Canada, according to a company spokesperson. Fans of simple, lightweight sports cars (me) pine for the reborn Alpine A110. If all the forbidden-fruit cars of Europe were suddenly available here, this wildly impractical machine might be the first one I'd want to put in my garage. Or maybe it'd be the BMW M3 Touring or the deranged Renault 5 Turbo 3E or the petite Suzuki Jimny. According to CADA, almost all manufacturers – including American ones – support the idea of opening Canada up to vehicles certified in Europe, Japan and Korea. 'This idea is nothing new. It's been talked about for quite some time, but now is the right environment to push it through,' Reuss said. Given the damaging tariff threats coming from Washington, Canada should untie itself from America's vehicle regulations and seek new global trade partners. We can and should harmonize automotive homologation with other countries, in addition to the U.S. Even with his minority government, this is some paperwork the newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney should be able to push through. Shopping for a new car? Check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado parent groups sue state over controversial new transgender law enforcing 'compelled speech'
Colorado potentially faces a major lawsuit regarding a new law on transgender protections and how it could violate free speech and parental rights. On Friday, Gov. Jared Polis signed into law the Kelly Loving Act, a bill that expands state anti-discrimination protections for transgender individuals by allowing a person's "chosen name" to qualify as a form of "gender expression" that is protected under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA). Now that the bill has passed, the group Defending Education (DE) has sued the state on behalf of the Do No Harm, The Colorado Parent Advocacy Network and Protect Kids Colorado groups out of concerns that the law could violate their free speech rights. "The Act's new definition of 'gender expression' is unconstitutionally overbroad," the lawsuit provided to Fox News Digital reads. "Because it covers any treatment based on the use of a 'chosen name' or other forms of preferred 'address,' it punishes many forms of constitutionally protected speech." Colorado's 'Totalitarian' Transgenderism Bill Sparks Concerns From Parents It continued, "When speakers refer to transgender-identifying individuals using biologically accurate terms, they advance a viewpoint about a hot-button political issue: gender ideology. That kind of speech lies at the core of the First Amendment. But the Act's definition of 'gender expression' makes all such speech discriminatory and unlawful." Read On The Fox News App The lawsuit added that since CADA prohibits the "publishing of discriminative matter," the new act could prohibit and potentially penalize individuals, including parents, for publicly disapproving of changing one's name and gender. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sarah Parshall Perry, Vice President of Defending Education, said the law "muzzles" parents and doctors to protect the state's "preferred gender orthodoxy." "Colorado can't seem to stop losing at the Supreme Court on constitutional challenges to its anti-discrimination laws. And yet, Governor Polis has nevertheless signed another patently unconstitutional iteration of its Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act—something that can only be described as an exercise of remarkable hubris," Perry said. DE is seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction on enforcing this new definition as a violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments for using "unconstitutionally overbroad" language and enforcing "compelled speech." "Do No Harm is proud to challenge Colorado's absurd so-called anti-discrimination act. Abridging American's constitutional right to freedom of expression in the name of radical gender ideology is wrong. We expect the court to reaffirm that the Constitution trumps progressive dogma," said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, Chairman of Do No Harm. Fox News Digital reached out to the governor's office for comment. The Kelly Loving Act has come under fire by conservatives and Colorado parents since it was introduced in March. Among the protections in the original bill included a ruling that "deadnaming, misgendering, or threatening to publish material related to an individual's gender-affirming health-care services" could be considered forms of "coercive control" that could affect a parent's custody over children. After facing backlash, Colorado lawmakers eventually removed language regarding "deadnaming" and child custody, although opponents still criticized elements of the bill for broad language. Colorado Parents Unload On Liberal Lawmakers, Prompting Changes To Controversial Gender Bill Colorado has been at the center of several high-profile cases based on its anti-discrimination laws over the past few years. Most infamously, Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips has been sued multiple times over his refusal to bake a cake celebrating a same-sex wedding or a gender transition. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against the state, finding that Colorado's anti-discrimination laws could not force a graphic designer to create wedding websites for same-sex weddings in violation of her article source: Colorado parent groups sue state over controversial new transgender law enforcing 'compelled speech'
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Colorado parent groups sue state over controversial new transgender law enforcing 'compelled speech'
Colorado potentially faces a major lawsuit regarding a new law on transgender protections and how it could violate free speech and parental rights. On Friday, Gov. Jared Polis signed into law the Kelly Loving Act, a bill that expands state anti-discrimination protections for transgender individuals by allowing a person's "chosen name" to qualify as a form of "gender expression" that is protected under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA). Now that the bill has passed, the group Defending Education (DE) has sued the state on behalf of the Do No Harm, The Colorado Parent Advocacy Network and Protect Kids Colorado groups out of concerns that the law could violate their free speech rights. "The Act's new definition of 'gender expression' is unconstitutionally overbroad," the lawsuit provided to Fox News Digital reads. "Because it covers any treatment based on the use of a 'chosen name' or other forms of preferred 'address,' it punishes many forms of constitutionally protected speech." It continued, "When speakers refer to transgender-identifying individuals using biologically accurate terms, they advance a viewpoint about a hot-button political issue: gender ideology. That kind of speech lies at the core of the First Amendment. But the Act's definition of 'gender expression' makes all such speech discriminatory and unlawful." The lawsuit added that since CADA prohibits the "publishing of discriminative matter," the new act could prohibit and potentially penalize individuals, including parents, for publicly disapproving of changing one's name and gender. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sarah Parshall Perry, Vice President of Defending Education, said the law "muzzles" parents and doctors to protect the state's "preferred gender orthodoxy." "Colorado can't seem to stop losing at the Supreme Court on constitutional challenges to its anti-discrimination laws. And yet, Governor Polis has nevertheless signed another patently unconstitutional iteration of its Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act—something that can only be described as an exercise of remarkable hubris," Perry said. DE is seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction on enforcing this new definition as a violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments for using "unconstitutionally overbroad" language and enforcing "compelled speech." "Do No Harm is proud to challenging Colorado's absurd so-called anti-discrimination act. Abridging American's constitutional right to freedom of expression in the name of radical gender ideology is wrong. We expect the court to reaffirm that the Constitution trumps progressive dogma," said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, Chairman of Do No Harm. Fox News Digital reached out to the governor's office for comment. The Kelly Loving Act has come under fire by conservatives and Colorado parents since it was introduced in March. Among the protections in the original bill included a ruling that "deadnaming, misgendering, or threatening to publish material related to an individual's gender-affirming health-care services" could be considered forms of "coercive control" that could affect a parent's custody over children. After facing backlash, Colorado lawmakers eventually removed language regarding "deadnaming" and child custody, although opponents still criticized elements of the bill for broad language. Colorado has been at the center of several high-profile cases based on its anti-discrimination laws over the past few years. Most infamously, Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips has been sued multiple times over his refusal to bake a cake celebrating a same-sex wedding or a gender transition. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against the state, finding that Colorado's anti-discrimination laws could not force a graphic designer to create wedding websites for same-sex weddings in violation of her beliefs.
Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Punjab finance secretary raises alarm as revenue from GST, excise dips
Punjab Finance Secretary Krishan Kumar has raised an alarm over revenues from two major resources, including Goods and Services Tax (GST) and excise, dipping in April, and flagged it to the administrative secretaries of the departments concerned. Under its tax revenue, against the collection of Rs 4,534 crore collected last year over the same period, only Rs 3,977 crore could be collected this year, registering a negative growth of 12 per cent. There is a decrease of Rs 525 crore in GST receipts and Rs 228 crore in excise receipts in April 2025 over the previous year. The state was able to collect Rs 1,587 crore in GST in April 2025 compared to a collection of Rs 2,112 crore in April last year, registering a negative growth of 25 per cent. The collection from state excise was Rs 1,093 crore in April last year. This year, there is a collection of Rs 865 crore, registering a negative growth of 21 per cent. Kumar has now written to the excise and taxation departments. Cash-crunched Punjab has been depending on collections from GST and excise in the state. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), after taking over the reins of the state, had recorded a steady increase in collections from GST and excise. It was for the first time that the state's collections from excise crossed the Rs 10,000 crore mark during the last fiscal. The government is looking at further revenue enhancement. However, the April collections have been a dampener at a time when the government is looking at mopping up more revenue. The communication also states that the departments, which were to collect cess under the Punjab State Cancer and Drug Addiction Treatment Infrastructure Fund Act (CADA), 2013, but have not been collecting the due revenue. As a result, the receipt under this Act has been decreasing continuously from Rs 79.09 crore in the 2023-24 financial year to Rs 41.91 crore in 2024-25. The departments concerned that collect CADA are agriculture and farmers welfare, excise and taxation, health and family welfare, housing and urban development, industries and commerce, local government, medical education and research, public works, PIDB, revenue and rehabilitation, rural development and panchayats, social security and development of women and child. The communication also states that an internal audit organisation had conducted an audit of the surcharge of social security, and it was noted that the transport department failed to collect revenue of Rs 13.49 crore under the provisions of the Act. The department did not collect Rs 4.97 crore from commercial vehicles and Rs 8.52 crore from non-commercial vehicles. Also, there was a negative growth of 29 per cent in sale proceeds of maps collected by urban development department, negative growth of 99 per cent from contribution from Employees State Insurance Corporation, and negative growth of 42 per cent in CADA fund by the health department and 53 per cent in cultural heritage, maintenance and development fund. Sources said that Chief Secretary K A P Sinha may call a meeting of the secretaries of the departments concerned and discuss the issue. 'The finance secretary has to be responsible for paying the salaries of the employees at the right time and spend on other expenditures. The state is already cash-crunched. Every leakage has to be plugged,' an official said. A senior government functionary said that the dip in GST collections was due to the Centre recovering Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) worth Rs 859.24 crore. 'Our gross collection was Rs 2,653.77 crore, which was the highest in April compared to previous years. We kept urging the Centre not to deduct the entire amount at once. We had requested them to deduct about Rs 100 crore every month. However, we lost Rs 1,057 crore for less refund and recovery of IGST. That is why this is showing a dip in the net collections,' he said. He added that the recovery of Rs 859.24 crore has been affected by the Goods and Services Tax Council from Punjab. This recovery has been done from all the states due to the negative balance in the IGST ledger as decided in the 55th GST council meeting held in December 2024.
