Motion raises questions about developer's involvement in Surrey city meetings
Credit to Author: Jennifer Saltman| Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2019 00:05:42 +0000
Surrey Coun. Jack Hundial is questioning the role a local developer and close friend of Mayor Doug McCallum has played in meetings between the city and other levels of government.
At Monday’s council meeting, Hundial tabled a notice of motion about a meeting that took place between Solicitor General Mike Farnworth and McCallum last fall.
The half-hour meeting is in Farnworth’s public calendar for Nov. 2, starting at 12:30 p.m. Listed attendees included Farnworth, Deputy Minister Mark Sieben, senior ministerial assistant Nimmi Takkar, McCallum, developer Bob Cheema and “Chief of Staff Donna,” who the ministry identified as Donna Jones. Jones is the city’s investment and intergovernmental relations manager.
The subject was “traffic fine revenue sharing (TFRS) inquiry.”
Hundial asked staff to respond to a series of questions about the meeting.
They included in what capacity Cheema attended, why he attended the meeting, what “advice or other service” he provided, what notes were kept by the mayor or his chief of staff, and whether Cheema was reimbursed for any expenses associated with the meeting.
Hundial also wants to know how many other meetings with other levels of government Cheema has attended with the mayor, and details about those meetings, if they happened.
After Hundial finished reading his notice of motion, McCallum said, “I could actually make a comment, but I won’t. I’ll leave it at this stage. The facts are on, but we will talk about it at the next meeting.”
In an emailed statement on Tuesday, McCallum said Hundial’s claim that Cheema was at the meeting “is categorically false. Mr. Cheema has never been present at any meetings I’ve had with the minister.”
According to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, although Cheema was on the calendar Farnworth did not meet with him in November. Cheema was referenced because he was the one who contacted Farnworth’s office to arrange the meeting during the period between when McCallum was elected on Oct. 21, 2018 and when he was sworn in on Nov. 5.
The ministry characterized it as “an introductory meeting,” where one of the subjects discussed was traffic fine revenue sharing.
Hundial, an independent councillor who used to be part of McCallum’s Safe Surrey Coalition, said on Tuesday that he will wait for a response from staff before saying anything further about the motion.
Cheema could not be reached for comment.
Cheema, through his companies, donated tens of thousands of dollars to McCallum and his Safe Surrey Coalition in the 2014 municipal election, according to financial disclosures.
Although he doesn’t appear to be listed as a donor in the 2018 election, Cheema was one of three “very special people” McCallum thanked during his victory speech on election night for his work behind the scenes.
McCallum said he has worked with Cheema, his friend, for more than 40 years and Cheema was “the reason why I’m here today.”