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WHAT'S HAPPENING ON CITIFIED VICTORIA
His blog is acutely critical of the BC Liberals as of late, in particular over what Alex has dubbed the "Atwal Affair," which refers specifically to Jaspal Atwal, a top BC Liberal lieutenant and a major force behind Clark's leadership campaign given his uncanny ability to organize and mobilize groups of people.
Where things get interesting is that Jaspal Atwal has a long history of severe criminal activity. Here's a rundown reproduced from Alex's blog:
1985 – Charged, but acquitted, in the severe beating (with a tron pipe spiked with sharpened bolts) of then future Premier Ujjal Dosanjh.
1986 – On a desolate Vancouver Island road, attempts to kill a foreign dignitary visiting Canada.
1987 – Convicted of attempted murder of a visiting Punjabi Cabinet Minister. Sentenced to 20 years in jail.
1992 – Released after admitting during parole hearing that he was the shooter.
2002 – Became a suspect in a drive-by shooting at his brother’s house, at which point, his parole was revoked. As a result the Indian Government revoked his visitor’s visa to India. His parole was later reinstated, as he was never charged with the shooting.
2005 – He triggered an RCMP probe, when claiming that then Tory MP Gurmant Grewal asked him to write a donation out to Mr. Grewal personally.
2006 – Wished to travel to India, and sought help to get a new Indian visitor’s visa. He declined to contact his own MP in Fleetwood-Port Kells, Nina Grewal, because of the RCMP probe against her husband. Instead, he contacted by then Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, however, Dosanjh felt that his ability to serve Atwal fairly was impaired by their history. Dosanjh referred Atwal to fellow Liberal MP Don Bell. Bell wasn’t made aware of the details of Atwal’s background with Dosanjh. In July 2006, Bell called the Indian consulate in Vancouver in an attempt to assist Atwal to obtain a new visitors visa.
2006 – Sues Vancouver Sun crime reporter Kim Bolan for defamation, after Bolan simply repeats in her column a judge’s conclusion, that the attempt on Punjabi Minister’s life was “an act of terrorism”–as quoted directly from the court transcript. A further objection is made by Atwal about Bolan’s characterization of him as an “attempted assassin.” The lawsuit goes nowhere.
2007 – Sued by ICBC of participating in an auto-theft scam. Ordered by BC Supreme Court Justice to pay hefty fine.
2010 – Active in Liberal Party of Canada as a strong Surrey supporter and organizer.
2011 – A top Indo-Canadian lieutenant of the Christy Clark leadership bid, demonstrating unusual and exemplary skill in organizing volunteers, gathering huge swaths of memberships and facilitating fluid, key donations.
2012 – Invited to attend budget speech as guest of Premier Christy Clark and her party.
Atwal is former member of the International Sikh Youth Federation–banned by British, Indian, Canadian and American terrorism legislation.
So here's what the "affair" is all about. A convicted criminal (charged with beating ex-Premier Ujjal Dosanjh and attempting to murder an Indian diplomat, no less) that is banned by his home country from ever returning, Atwal is in service to the BC Liberal's as a political organizer helping get large volumes of Indo-Canadians out to support the BC Liberals and most recently Christy Clark's leadership campaign. As a gesture of gratitude, he was invited to attend the Budget Speech Lockdown held recently at the Legislature. Given his criminal past, Liberal MLA's Kash Heed and Dave Hayer lodged complaints.
What is happening now is Christy Clark is dismissing Atwal as a nobody, claiming she does not know him and what he did for her and the party in general, meanwhile the fact remains that a hardened criminal has been operating as a major BC Liberal lieutenant for many years.
Given Clark's sudden dismissal of the man, Atwal is not surprisingly a very disgruntled fellow right about now.
In an open letter to Premier Christy Clark, Tsakumis asked the Premier to comment on Atwal's involvement with the party and his criminal past, and answer why the Premier is refusing to acknowledge that a member of the public invited to an important session at the Legislature and who prompted Liberal MLA's to file complaints, is all of a sudden an unknown supporter that apparently few of the Liberals, including Clark, are familiar with.
...I contend that Jaspal Atwal was one of your top Indo-Canadian lieutenants during your leadership campaign. I submit that he not only delivered what he said he would, but too, that Mr. Atwal did a SUPERB job bringing you overwhelming membership numbers and that he worked harder than anyone in his community to present his deliverables. As a campaign worker and operative in the Indo-Canadian community he did a masterful job for you–and he should be commended for this Premier.
Instead, you are trying to distance yourself from Mr. Atwal’s honourable work.
Why is that, Premier? Tell us.
Why is your office disrespecting this man by denying his intensive work?
Regardless of what Mr. Atwal may or may not have done in the past, he’s paid his debt to society and you used him for his extensive contacts and organizational talents during your campaign. Can’t we at least agree on that?
But now your office is denying this? Why would you do that, Premier? Why would you treat someone as valuable and loyal as Mr. Atwal like this?
Well, not because I’m feeling terribly charitable, but maybe because I actually feel pity for what you have done to yourself and this province, I’m going to reveal an extremely serious matter that the mainstream press CANNOT and WILL NOT ignore: sourced and confirmed already–just to put you out of your misery. It’s tough doing something you’ve been scheming to do since you were a young woman and discover when you get there that you don’t know what the hell you’re doing at all... Entire open letter.
Tsakumis is alleging that the mainstream media is sidestepping the issue. After initial inquiries by the MSM, a provincial staffer held a boozy meeting with media telling them there's no story here, and suddenly the issue dies down as far as the MSM is concerned.
