Sukh Dhaliwal

Sukh Dhaliwal
MP
ਸੁਖ ਧਾਲੀਵਾਲ
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Surrey—Newton
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded by Jinny Sims
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Newton—North Delta
In office
January 23, 2006 – May 2, 2011
Preceded by Gurmant Grewal
Succeeded by Jinny Sims
Personal details
Born (1960-10-01) October 1, 1960
Sujapur, Ludhiana, Punjab
Political party Liberal
Spouse(s) Balwinder "Roni" Dhaliwal
Residence Surrey, British Columbia
Profession Businessman, politician

Sukhdev "Sukh" Dhaliwal, (Punjabi: ਸੁਖ ਧਾਲੀਵਾਲ) (born October 1, 1960) is a businessman and politician in British Columbia, Canada, who was the Liberal Member of Parliament for Newton—North Delta from 2006 to 2011.

Born in Punjab, India, Dhaliwal emigrated from India in 1984 and became a Canadian citizen three years later. As a businessman, he founded a successful land surveying company and played an important role in the municipal politics of Surrey where he is said to have dominated the Surrey Electors Team membership list by signing up over 2,600 new party members. This represented over half the total number of members. However, in the November 1999 municipal elections Dhaliwal lost his own bid for a seat on city council.

He was the federal Liberal candidate for the Newton-North Delta riding in 2004, but lost to Conservative Gurmant Grewal by just over 500 votes. Grewal decided to not seek re-election, and in 2006 Dhaliwal faced Conservative newcomer Phil Eidsvik. The NDP was also strong in the riding, and 2004 candidate Nancy Clegg, also ran again. Dhaliwal succeeded in winning the seat by 1000 votes.

In the 2006 Liberal leadership campaign, Dhaliwal initially supported Joe Volpe. After Volpe encountered a fundraising scandal, Dhaliwal withdrew his support and moved to support Michael Ignatieff. Dhaliwal was instrumental in building support for Ignatieff's campaign in the Sikh community. Dhaliwal played a key role in Ignatieff’s short-lived, but successful, second leadership campaign in 2008.

Dhalwal in 2008 had written to a U.S. District Court judge on official House of Commons stationery in support of convicted international drug trafficker Ranjit Singh Cheema.[1]

On October 14, 2008 Dhaliwal was re-elected to Parliament by 2500 votes, defeating the NDP’s Teresa Townsley, a Delta School Board trustee, and the Conservative Party’s Sandeep Pandher. Following the election, Dhaliwal was elected as the Chair of the Northern and Western Caucus of the Official Opposition, and served as the critic for the Asia Pacific Gateway and Western Economic Diversification Canada.

Dhaliwal has served on several House of Commons Committees: International Trade; Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities; and Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. The Ethics Committee attracted high profile attention when it investigated allegations surrounding Karlheinz Schreiber’s dealings with former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

He lost to Jinny Sims of the New Democratic Party in the 2011 election.

On October 31, 2012 it was reported he is seeking the British Columbia Liberal Party nomination in Surrey-Panorama Ridge for the 2013 Provincial Election.[2] The seat was held by Stephanie Cadieux however Cadieux is moving to Surrey-Cloverdale after current MLA Kevin Falcon announced he was not seeking re-election.[3]

After a BC Liberal Party review of his candidacy, he eventually decided to withdraw from running in the provincial election after he was charged with six counts of tax evasion and convicted of 3 counts for his business that he runs with his wife. Balwinder Kaur Dhaliwal (nicknamed herself "Roni"), a Surrey bylaw officer, who was charged with 14 offences and convicted of 6 counts of tax evasion under the Criminal Code of Canada. She was never fired from her job as bylaw officer by the City of Surrey or by then mayor Dianne Watts.[4]

Electoral record

Canadian federal election, 2015: Surrey—Newton
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
LiberalSukh Dhaliwal 24,869 55.98 +21.90 –
New DemocraticJinny Sims 11,604 26.12 -9.17 –
ConservativeHarpreet Singh 6,976 15.70 -11.72 –
GreenPamela Sangha 975 2.2 -0.40 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 44,424100.0   $197,640.76
Total rejected ballots –––
Turnout 44,42468.55–
Eligible voters 64,798
Liberal notional gain from New Democratic Swing +15.54
Source: Elections Canada[5][6]
Canadian federal election, 2011: Newton—North Delta
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
New DemocraticJinny Sims 15,413 33.42 +7.29
LiberalSukh Dhaliwal 14,510 31.46 -4.96
ConservativeMani Kaur Fallon 14,437 31.30 +0.39
GreenLiz Walker 1,520 3.30 -2.30
IndependentRavi S. Gill 123 0.27 –
CommunistSam Hammond 116 0.25 -0.02
Total valid votes/Expense limit 46,119100.00
Total rejected ballots 2940.63 +0.07
Turnout 46,41362.59+0.52
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +5.79
Canadian federal election, 2008: Newton—North Delta
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
LiberalSukh Dhaliwal 16,481 36.42 +2.17 $79,459
ConservativeSandeep Pandher 13,988 30.91 +0.29 $79,709
New DemocraticTeresa Townsley 11,824 26.13 -5.83 $41,739
GreenLiz Walker 2,533 5.60 +3.65 $2,243
IndependentJames W. Miller-Cousineau 179 0.40 –
IndependentJohn Shavluk 126 0.28 –
CommunistHarjit Daudharia 121 0.27 +0.01 $377
Total valid votes/Expense limit 45,252100.00$81,605
Total rejected ballots 2550.56+0.16
Turnout 45,50762.07-1.02
Liberal hold Swing +4.00
Canadian federal election, 2006: Newton—North Delta
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
LiberalSukh Dhaliwal 15,006 34.25 +2.70 $76,831
New DemocraticNancy Clegg 14,006 31.96 +2.76 $50,542
ConservativePhil Eidsvik 13,416 30.62 -2.20 $76,831
GreenSunny Athwal 853 1.95 -4.25 $12,622
IndependentRob Girn 319 0.73 –
CommunistHarjit Daudharia 112 0.26 +0.02 $379
IndependentMike Saifie 106 0.24 –
Total valid votes 43,818100.00
Total rejected ballots 1740.40 -0.12
Turnout 43,99263.09 0
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.45
Canadian federal election, 2004: Newton—North Delta
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
ConservativeGurmant Grewal 13,529 32.82 – $72,183
LiberalSukh Dhaliwal 13,009 31.55 – $64,449
New DemocraticNancy Clegg 12,037 29.20 – $28,384
GreenJohn Hague 2,535 6.20 – $3,135
CommunistNazir Rizvi 98 0.24 – $389
Total valid votes 41,228100.0
Total rejected ballots 2160.52
Turnout 41,44463

References

  1. ↑ "Ranjit Cheema gunned down". Canada.com. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  2. ↑ Fowlie, Jonathan. "Former MP Dhaliwal to run for B.C. Liberals". www.vancouversun.com. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Fowlie, Jonathan. "Kevin Falcon announces retirement; steps down as finance minister". www.vancouversun.com. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "B.C. Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal faces tax-evasion charges". globalnews.com. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Surrey—Newton, 30 September 2015
  6. ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
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