Sukh Dhaliwal
Encyclopedia
Sukh Dhaliwal, MP (born October 1, 1960 in Punjab, India) is a businessman and politician in British Columbia
, Canada
, who was the Liberal
Member of Parliament for Newton—North Delta
from 2006 to 2011.
He 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. After a turbulent term in office, 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.
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.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, who was the Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Member of Parliament for Newton—North Delta
Newton—North Delta
Newton—North Delta is a federal electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004...
from 2006 to 2011.
He 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
Gurmant Grewal
Gurmant Singh Grewal, is a Canadian politician and former Conservative Party of Canada Member of Parliament. Gurmant and his wife, Nina Grewal, were the first married couple to serve in the Canadian House of Commons at the same time...
by just over 500 votes. After a turbulent term in office, 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
Joe Volpe
Giuseppe Joseph "Joe" Volpe, PC, was a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until the 2011 federal election, being surpassed by the conservative member Joe Oliver Joe Oliver, and held two senior positions in Prime Minister Paul Martin's Cabinet...
. After Volpe encountered a fundraising scandal, Dhaliwal withdrew his support and moved to support Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
. 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.
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
Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative
The Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative is an integrated set of investment and policy measures of the Canadian federal government that are focused on trade with the Asia-Pacific Region.-The Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor:...
and Western Economic Diversification Canada
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Western Economic Diversification Canada is a Canadian federal department that works towards building strong, competitive and innovative businesses and communities in Western 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
Karlheinz Schreiber
Friedrich Karlheinz Hermann Schreiber is a German and Canadian citizen, an industrialist, lobbyist, fundraiser, arms dealer and businessman...
’s dealings with former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
.
He lost to Jinny Sims
Jinny Sims
Jinny Jogindera Sims is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. She represents the electoral district of Newton—North Delta as a member of the New Democratic Party....
of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
in the 2011 election.