B.C. Liberals to review candidacy of star candidate facing tax charges

VANCOUVER – The B.C. Liberal party is taking a second look at the candidacy of a man considered to be one of the party’s top contenders in the May provincial election.

Premier Christy Clark has asked members of her party’s election readiness committee to review the candidacy of Surrey-Panorama Liberal nominee Sukh Dhaliwal.

A release from the Liberal party says Dhaliwal informed officials Wednesday that he faces six counts of failing to comply with the Income Tax Act, though court documents show Dhaliwal’s first appearance on the charges took place last November, almost one month after the party announced his acclamation.

Dhaliwal said Thursday he made a mistake in trusting other people to run the company where he and his wife are listed as the sole directors, but he said his taxes on his own company and his personal taxes are up to date.

Dhaliwal was recently acclaimed to run for the Liberals in the riding held by Minister of Children and Families Stephanie Cadieux, who will stay with the party but run in a nearby riding.

Dhaliwal ran unsuccessfully for the federal Liberals in the riding of Newton-North Delta in 2004, but returned two years later, winning a seat in Parliament for two terms before being defeated by the federal NDP’s Jinny Sims, a past president of the BC Teachers’ Federation.