BC Conservative leader John Cummins calls "inappropriate" Premier Christy Clark's meeting with ex-candidate Sukh Dhaliwal despite his facing six federal tax charges

Another Lapse in Christy Clark's judgment?

BC Liberal candidate Marvin Hunt, ex-candidate Sukh Dhaliwal, Premier Christy Clark at Laxmi Narayan Mandir Hindu temple in Surrey on March 26 - photo from temple Facebook page

NOTE:  Updated at end of column with response from Jaspal Atwal

Bill Tieleman’s 24 Hours/The Tyee column

Tuesday April 2, 2013

By Bill Tieleman

"Religion and political expediency go beautifully hand in hand."

- Friedrich Durrenmatt, Swiss author

Premier Christy Clark held an "inappropriate" meeting last week with a former BC Liberal candidate who faces six federal charges for failing to file corporate income tax returns, says BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins.

The Tyee has learned that Clark met on Tuesday, March 26 with Sukh Dhaliwal, who resigned his nomination in Surrey-Panorama February 8 after it was learned he faced charges filed in Federal Court on Oct. 15, 2012.

Cummins said Sunday that as premier, Clark should not meet with Dhaliwal because his charges are still unresolved.

'It's inappropriate'

"You shouldn't allow your office to be involved when someone is before the courts," Cummins said in an exclusive interview. "Prudence suggests that until that matter is resolved, the premier should not be involved -- it's inappropriate."

The charges have not been heard in court and thus are unproven allegations by the federal prosecutor.

The Tyee was alerted to photos on the Facebook page of Surrey's Laxmi Narayan Mandir Hindu temple showing Clark and Dhaliwal receiving blessings with Marvin Hunt, her new BC Liberal candidate in Surrey-Panorama.

The event seems to be a political appearance, with only BC Liberal candidates present and no New Democrat MLAs in the photos.

"You have to question the premier's judgment. That judgment is flawed, time after time," Cummins said. "There's just something that's not quite right about it.

Neither the BC Liberal Party, Dhaliwal or Hunt responded to Tyee requests for comment by deadline.

Sukh Dhaliwal, unknown person, Christy Clark, unknown person pose at temple March 26 - photo from temple Facebook page

Cummins noted an earlier controversy where convicted attempted murderer Jaspal Atwal was a replacement guest at the 2012 budget speech in the BC Legislature on a ticket from Premier Christy Clark¹s office.

BC Liberal Party executive member Tariq Ghuman resigned his position after taking responsibility for bringing Atwal -- who was convicted of shooting a visiting Indian cabinet minister in 1986 in a murder attempt -- to the Legislature.

And Dhaliwal has been in controversy before. In 2008, when serving as a federal Liberal Member of Parliament for Newton-North Delta, Dhaliwal sent an official letter supporting convicted international drug trafficker Ranjit Cheema to a United States judge, urging that Cheema be given a chance at rehabilitation.

Nonetheless, Cheema was sentenced to five years in jail for conspiracy to import 200 kilograms of heroin from Pakistan to North America. Cheema was killed in a drive-by shooting in May 2012 in East Vancouver.

Hunt backed by Dhaliwal

Surrey city councilor Hunt took over the nomination at Dhaliwal's urging, according to local media reports.

Dhaliwal was nominated as the BC Liberal candidate on Oct. 31, 2012 but claims that he only became aware of the charges laid Oct. 15 involving Genko Consultants Inc., where he is president and his wife Roni secretary, in late November.

Dhaliwal told media at the time he resigned in February of 2013 that he had been unaware of the income tax charges regarding his company, one of three he owns, and that his personal taxes were up to date.

Clark's willingness to take big political chances by being publicly seen with Dhaliwal is a clear sign that things are increasingly desperate for the party as the election nears.

UPDATE - Response from Jaspal Atwal 

I received this email from Jaspal Atwal today, as did 24 Hours Vancouver newspaper.

I disagree with his assertions below but he has every right to his opinion and I present it for your information:

From Jaspal Atwal:

I find it terribly hypocritical that BC Conservative Leader John Cummins says that Premier Christy Clark held an “inappropriate” meeting last week with former BC Liberal candidate Sukh Dhaliwal who faces six federal charges for failing to file corporate income tax returns.

Has Cummins very conveniently forgotten his own criminal record? 

While Dhaliwal is innocent until proven guilty (unless of course there is one standard for white guys and another for brown guys!), Cummins was actually convicted on SIX counts for “purchase, sell or possess illegally caught fish” in 2011.


Bill Tieleman in his column on Tuesday also unnecessarily dragged in my name for something that happened 26 years ago. He wrote: “BC Liberal Party executive member Tariq Ghuman resigned his position after taking responsibility for bringing Atwal – who was convicted of shooting a
visiting Indian cabinet minister in 1986 – to the legislature.” 


I have served my time and am carrying on legitimate business. Does that mean that I cannot ever participate in society?

Or is it because I am a brown guy while Tieleman and Cummins are white? 


Some time ago, when I confronted Cummins for having brought up my past and pointed out that he too was a convict, he had the decency to admit his mistake and apologized to me.

.