A Surrey City Councillor is being sued by a businessman who backed Mayor Doug McCallum during the last two elections.
Coun. Jack Hundial
Vancouver businessman Bob Cheema has filed a civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, after Coun. Jack Hundial raised a notice of motion at council asking why Cheema might have attended a meeting with the solicitor general.
Cheema was a key backer in McCallum’s unsuccessful campaign in 2014 and was singled out by the mayor last year in a thank you speech after his victory.
A calendar of Mike Farnworth from Nov. 2, 2018 shows a meeting with McCallum and Cheema among others to discuss traffic fine revenue sharing.
Farnworth’s office says the Cheema was not at the meeting and that his name was on the calendar erroneously because Cheema arranged the meeting.
Hundial raised a notice of motion on Sept. 16 this year asking what capacity Cheema attended the meeting, what advice he gave and whether he was paid among other things.
Cheema’s lawyer, Douglas R. Eyford QC, of Eyford Partners, wrote Hundial on Cheema’s behalf on Sept. 18 asking for an “unqualified apology and retraction within 48 hours.”
Hundial did not respond.
He attempted to have the notice of motion raised at council on Monday, but McCallum said on the advice of lawyers, he would not allow it to be addressed.
Asked why he didn’t offer an apology, Hundial told Pulse FM on Tuesday that Cheema should seek an apology from Farnworth’s office, as that’s where the error occurred.
Cheema’s notice of civil claim asserts that Hundial took no steps prior to his notice to ascertain the veracity of the information.
“Further, the malicious, high-handed, and arrogant conduct of Hundial warrants an award of punitive damages to ensure Hundial is appropriately punished for his conduct and deterred from such conduct in the future,” the statement of civil claim says.
Cheema is seeking general, punitive and aggravated damages.
None of the allegations in the civil claim have been proven in court.
Hundial will be responding by way of Response to Civil Claim in court.