The majority of the Canadian Ismailis have their ethnic origin in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. Many first migrated to Canada after having lived in East Africa for two to three generations. General Edi Amin of Uganda issued his edict on August 9, 1972, and the Asians were to leave the country within 90 days. The decree of Edi Amin was a source of influx of immigrants. The Asian population of Uganda at that time was less than 100,000, of which perhaps 30,000 were Ismailis. Clearly, this was the most alarming crisis and a most serious challenge to the Imam. It however did not shatter the confidence and the faith of the Ismailis in their Imam. In three months, the Ismailis vacated Uganda, leaving behind millions of dollars in cash, real estate, household goods and other material possessions. It was through Imam's efforts, contacts and influence that a large number of the Ismailis were allowed to settle in Canada. The exodus of Ismailis opened a new phase in the history, marking the westward expansion of Ismailis. By 1975 the Ismaili community had established organized communal settlement over Canada with major settlement in Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal, Calgary, etc. The Canadian Ismaili community had established itself as a highly resilient community. The majority has successfully integrated themselves into the social and economic fabric of the Canadian society. The Present Imam visited Canada and arrived in Ottawa on November 12, 1978, Vancouver on November 14, 1978, Calgary on November 17, 1978, Montreal on November 18, 1978, Toronto on November 19, 1978 and departed on November 22, 1978 after giving didar to the followers.
The Burnaby Jamatkhana in Canada, a tree-lined suburb of Greater Vancouver, is the first Jamatkhana and Centre is a multi-purpose building. It cost over $. 10 million. In July 24, 1982, the Lieutenan-Governor of British Columbia, the Honourable Henry Bell-Irving, in the presence of the Present Imam, the Begum Aga Khan, Mayor Lewarne of Burnaby and other distinguished guests, performed the foundation ceremony. Besides, another Ismaili Centre is under construction in Ottawa too.
When an individual dies, the assets owned by him must be located and protected. These assets are called as the deceased's estate. The debts of the deceased must be paid out of the estate assets. After the debts have been paid from the estate, whatever remains can then be distributed among the beneficiaries named in the deceased's will or according to the provincial law of intestacy. When an individual dies without a will, he is said to have died intestate.
What is an Estate Trustee?
Generally, when a person dies, he or she has all types of property and possessions. The estate trustee is the individual responsible for dividing this property among the deceased heirs. There are two ways, in general, that people can inherit from a deceased. First, if the deceased had a will, that will sets out who is to inherit and what they are to inherit. Second, if the deceased died without a will, he or she is said to have died intestate.
Personal Representative
?Personal representative? is a general term for a person who administers an estate. It includes both executor and administrator. An executor draws his power from the bill while in order to become an administrator it is necessary to make an application to the court. In plain language, the term "personal representative" includes executors (where a will names an executor) and administrators (where a person dies intestate, or an executor declines, and the court must name someone to administer the estate). The office of personal representative is voluntary. Even if one is named in a will as executor, one can decline (by a process called "renunciation").
A personal representative is under a duty to take possession of the assets, pay the debts, look after insurance matters and keep proper accounts. The personal representative stands as way station between the deceased and the beneficiary. Legally, the title to property goes from the deceased to the personal representative (as trustee for the beneficiaries) and then to the beneficiaries. However, it is pertinent to note that there are certain exceptions to this such as joint property and RRSPs or insurance policies with named beneficiaries. Property in these cases are transferred automatically on death and do not depend on probate.
Administration of an Estate
Once an estate trustee obtains a certificate of appointment, it is his/her duty to administer the deceased's estate. primarily, the estate trustee is supposed to determine what assets belongs to that estate which includes all assets owned by the deceased in the deceased's name alone and any interest that the deceased might have had in the property owned jointly with someone else.
Having decided what is and what is not part of the estate, the estate trustee should take the following steps:
1. Gather the assets of the estate 2. Administer or manage the estate 3. Realize the estate 4. Making arrangements for the funeral. 5. Account to the beneficiary for the administration of the estate.
Both Ibrahim Lodhi & Austin Mark are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Ibrahim Lodhi has sinced written about articles on various topics from Religion, Nutrition and Pets. Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali is an popular Ismaili Scholar, He has written many articles on Ismaili Imam, Ismailism, and