Bhupinder Singh Liddar
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Media Coverage of Bhupinder Liddar
Articles in Print MediaA Palestinian state — reality or mirage?
September 21, 2011 “What wrong have these people done not to have a Palestinian passport — one of their country of birth, but are carrying passports of different countries?” the late Yasser Arafat asked Heath MacQuarrie and me, pointing to a room full of people next door. MacQuarrie, a Progressive Conservative senator, and I had just walked past a room full of Palestinians to meet Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in Beirut in 1978. One is tempted to ask the same question today as the Palestinian Authority (PA) tries to secure statehood status for the land of Palestine, which existed as an entity from the end of World War I until 1947 under British mandate. In 1947 Israel got what Palestine is seeking now. On Nov. 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed a Resolution 181 outlining a partition plan for the creation of two states — one Jewish, one Arab, with Jerusalem-Bethlehem to remain under special international protection administered by United Nations. The UN Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP), which recommended the partition, was led by none other than own very own Lester Pearson. He was awarded a medallion of valour by the newly created state of Israel. However, the Arab (Palestinian) state was never to be. Therefore, it is timely and wise for the world community to undo the wrong and invite Palestine into its fold. One cannot see any harm that recognition of Palestine could do. Instead, it will be far better to have it inside the fold of the international family with all the responsibilities of a state, than sitting on the outside as an observer. Furthermore, the PA resolution defines the boundary of Palestine along the 1967 borders, thereby recognizing the state of Israel, which was created along 1947 lines. In a speech to the Muslim world in Cairo, on June 4, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama said: “The situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. Americans will not turn our backs on the legitimate aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own.” Having made that categorical public promise, it would be immoral for the Obama administration now to block the Palestinians’ attempt at recognition as a state. In the same speech, Obama also noted, “Israel must acknowledge that just as Israel’s right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine’s.” Recognition of Palestine as a state does not jeopardize continuation of negotiations, since both Israel and the Palestinian Authority have promised to resolve a number of issues through direct talks. Unfortunately, the last time negotiations broke down was when Israel refused to stop building settlements in the disputed West Bank, despite warnings from the U.S. that this was illegal. As for concern about Hamas, all parties, including the United States and European Union, recognize that Hamas is a democratically elected partner in the coalition government of the Palestinian Authority. We cannot go back to the 1970s’ practice of overthrowing democratically elected governments, as in the case of Salvador Allende in Chile, merely because they are not of the same ideological stripe. Unfortunately, threats to Palestinians’ request to seek UN membership have come from sources that should be pleased to have a partner to engage in full dialogue on resolving issues. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman threatens: “From the moment they pass a unilateral decision there will be harsh and grave consequences.” The decision will not be unilateral but one backed by almost two-thirds of the countries that are members of the United Nations. And Palestine should not have to wait for unilateral approval from Israel before it joins the United Nations. According to UN rules, a state submits its application for membership to the secretary general with a formal declaration to accept the obligations of the UN Charter. It is passed on for consideration to Security Council, where it must receive nine votes out of 15, with no veto. Herein lies the danger, as the United States threatened to veto the request even before it reached the General Assembly, where almost two-thirds of the member-states have agreed to support it. The hope is that when, on Friday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas stands before the world body and requests recognition as a state, the UN will welcome it into the world family. And that what Arafat hoped for his people in our meeting many years ago may yet become a reality — a Palestinian passport! Who Do Indo-Canadians Owe Their Allegiance To – India or Canada?
August 21, 2011 When one renounces one country’s citizenship and takes up the citizenship of the new or adopted country, it is a very strong personal as well as a public gesture signaling ones commitment to display loyalty to the new political entity chosen of free will. God forbid, but what if there is a war between Canada and What side will these people support or even fight for? What if there is a friendly sport competition between the two countries, what side will Indo-Canadians support? One has to put their loyalty to Canada in question when they sublimely celebrate their former country’s independence day with the urgings of representative of a foreign representative. Imagine a representative of a foreign country in this country inviting Canadians to a parade in downtown Toronto to celebrate his or her country’s independence day. That is precisely what happened when Consul General of India invited Canadians to celebrate India’s independence on August 13 in Toronto. Ethnic newspapers aimed at Indo-Canadian community were filled with advertisements extending felicitations on India’s independence day. The Ontario Liberal caucus not wanting to be left out also placed color ads featuring 14 MPPs conveying best wishes to the “community on the Independence Day of India”. What community were they addressing? I thought majority of Indo-Canadians are by now Canadian citizens. And most of these persons celebrating and exchanging greetings on India’s independence day have literally walked away from that country to enjoy the benefits of life in Canada! When one renounces one country’s citizenship and takes up the citizenship of the new or adopted country, it is a very strong personal as well as a public gesture signaling ones commitment to display loyalty to the new political entity chosen of free will. God forbid, but what if there is a war between Canada and What side will these people support or even fight for? What if there is a friendly sport competition between the two countries, what side will Indo-Canadians support? One has to put their loyalty to Canada in question when they sublimely celebrate their former country’s independence day with the urgings of representative of a foreign representative. Canada occasionally faces questions about creating strong institutions that are essential to creating and sustaining a strong Canada. The flag of a country is one of the strongest political symbols of a country. Therefore it is abhorrent on the part of the India government representative to invite Canadians to flag-raising ceremony of a foreign country. The representatives normally celebrate their independence and national days on their private properties and invite guests from host countries to attend. This is a normal diplomatic practice. But not to hold such functions in public places in a host country and invite citizens of the host country to attend. For over a hundred years, starting with the early Sikh immigrants to British Columbia, and more recently immigrants from India to settling in almost every part of Canada, have chosen quality of life in Canada and run away in droves from India. Even after immigrating to Canada, many communities continue to enjoy and relish their cultures – media availability in their mother tongues and foods of their homelands. But they must not forget that they have chosen the new country over the old and the one symbol of they must respect is the Canadian flag and not show dual or split loyalty by show of public loyalty to the flag or institutions of the old country. The foreign government representatives will play on emotions of immigrants with such symbols but Canadian citizens must constantly be reminded that they literally “ran away” to live in Canada. It was by choice. Canada is evolving to accommodate its changing demography. It is a country of the future an we must not burden it with baggage of our past but help it move forward and display undivided loyalty to the adopted country.
March 03, 2006 Liddar to remain at Nairobi post: UN representative denies reports of a recall Bhupinder Liddar says rumours that he is to be recalled from his diplomatic posting in Nairobi have, as far as he knows, no basis in fact. "There is nothing to the brouhaha about recalling me," Mr. Liddar indicated in a recent e-mail to the Citizen. Like most rumours, this one has obscure origins. On Feb. 18, the Ottawa Sun reported that Mr. Liddar, in an e-mail exchange, had "confirmed an effort to return him to Canada." This apparently puzzled Mr. Liddar, who sent the Citizen a copy of his e-mail to the Sun reporter. It read: "I never 'confirmed' your earlier speculation of my recall. I wrote the following: 'Sorry, I did not get back to you in time but I see you got the story. Will keep you posted. Regards, Bhupinder. This does not confirm that I am being recalled." On Feb. 22, Embassy magazine, playing off the Sun story, had its own account of Mr. Liddar's supposed imminent recall. "The name Bhupinder Liddar reappeared in the Canadian media this week with news the former journalist may be stripped of his diplomatic posting," the magazine wrote, going on to cite the Sun article. The Citizen contacted Mr. Liddar by e-mail and found him unwilling to answer questions on the matter. "I cannot talk to the media," he first wrote, only giving a terse denial several exchanges later. Foreign Affairs did not formally dispel the rumour, but indicated doubts about its veracity. Spokeswoman Kim Girtel told the Citizen, "As far as I know, Mr. Liddar is at his post and continues to work there." But were there future plans to remove him? "As I told you, there is no information except that he is at his post." If Mr. Liddar, Canada 's deputy permanent representative to United Nations Environment Program and to a UN settlement program in Nairobi, were removed, it would be the second time he's lost a diplomatic posting. In 2003, former prime minister Jean Chretien appointed him counsel general in Chandigarh, India . However, before Mr. Liddar left Canada, the Paul Martin government withdrew the appointment after the Canadian Security Intelligence Service refused to grant a high-level security pass. This refusal was later scathingly condemned by the Security Intelligence Review Committee, a civilian oversight group. A chastened Martin government then gave Mr. Liddar his current three-year appointment in Nairobi Of course, some Liberal appointees must feel vulnerable since the Conservatives took over the reins of power. Frank McKenna resigned as ambassador to the United States, as did Allan Rock, ambassador to the United Nations. Despite the rumours, Mr. Liddar sounds confident at this point, even inviting friends to visit him in Nairobi "And I will not feed them to the lions." 
January 15, 2006 He was born, brought up and had his early education in Kenya. Though he was at liberty to remain a Kenyan or join his migrating family to settle in the United Kingdom or even seek American citizenship, he chose to become a Canadian. It is Bhupinder Singh Liddar, who, interestingly, is back in his country of birth, only that this time around he is on a foreign diplomatic mission as a Canadian envoy. Bhupinder adjusts his seat, stares across the restaurant in Nairobi, unleashes his infectious smile and then reveals with a trace of witticism: "I think, unless proven wrong, I am probably the first Kenya-born diplomat to represent another country in Kenya." Indeed, Bhupinder has achieved a unique career feat in Kenya's history. Born and brought up in Kenya and known among his peers as Bhupi, he recently took up an appointment at the Canadian High Commission in Kenya as the country's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) and UN-Habitat. He is also a Special Envoy to the World Urban Forum to be held in Vancouver, Canada, in June, to discuss urban settlements. He fondly refers to his latest appointment as a "homecoming", unable to conceal the enthusiasm with which he flew back to Kenya after more than two decades. It is easy to understand his elation. "You know, there is always a small piece of mind, soul and body that can never be taken away," he offers, referring to his Kenyan roots. "It's phenomenal. I am very pleased. This sort of completes a circle. I am proud to represent Canada in a country I have emotional ties with." Incidentally, Bhupinder's partner, Meghie Brar, also a Canadian, grew up in Kenya, her parents and herself having been born here. Evidently an outgoing person, his first social undertaking upon his arrival in Nairobi mid last month was to trace his childhood friends. And there would not have been a more appropriate day to link up than January 1. His residence in one of Nairobi's leafy residential estates became the venue for him and his "rediscovered friends" to usher in the New Year over a "decent drink and discussions". Having spent a greater part of his working life in Canada with Members of Parliament and diplomats, a moment with Bhupinder would not end before he introduces interesting topics on current affairs in various parts of the world, a character that betrays his former role as the host of a discussion show on one of Canada's TV channels. Bhupinder with his partner, Meghie at their residence in Nairobi. He is Canada's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme The show on Cable Public Affairs Channel, otherwise known as CPAC-TV, was called The Diplomatic World. It featured weekly panel discussions on current affairs of various countries, and, according to Meghie, the show secured good ratings. "The diplomats really liked the way he handled the show. He was very objective in his approach," she observes. Bhupinder's inquisitive disposition and his love for debate has lately directed him to the most current of Kenyan affairs. He is aware he needs a lot of that in his current job. A diplomat and journalist, his spirit is well-placed. One of the things he immediately noted within a few days of his "homecoming", he says, was the atmosphere of resilience among Kenyans and their positive perception of issues, despite the rigorous economic hardships and political imbalances in the country. Bhupinder's trip to the present uncommon career status started way back in 1968, only that he had no idea he would end up like he has. From the moment he left school in Nairobi after Advanced Level education in that year, he was clear he wanted to study international relations and development affairs. What never crossed his mind even as he gradually rose through the ranks in political and diplomatic assignments in Canada after he became a citizen in 1979, was to get a chance to represent his new country in a nation of his birth and upbringing. The former student of Jamhuri High School in Nairobi (then called Duke of Gloucester School), had gone to the United States for professional studies, when in the winter of 1968, a friend of his at Mackinac College in Michigan, invited him to Canada for Christmas. The college-mate, Ray Purton, knew that it would be expensive for Bhupinder to travel to Kenya during the brief festive period. "Purton was a resident of Ottawa, Canada. He knew I could not go back to Kenya for the holidays, so he invited me to spend Christmas with him," he recalls. That simple trip will probably go into Bhupinder's biography, some day, as the event that became the salient germ of a career journey that was to swing him back to his roots as a representative of a different country. His acquisition of Canadian citizenship, however, arose out of a need. Even though he had liked the country after the first visit in 1968, the thought of settling there had not crossed his mind until after he graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Social Sciences at the University of Illinois in 1975. The same year he was completing his studies, his mother and three sisters decided to relocate to England. Bhupinder, whose father had died earlier in 1964, opted not to join them there. "I decided not to join them but go to Ottawa," he says. Bhupinder started off as an intern at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where he recalls having met some of the world's most famous personalities of the time, including the President of Uganda, Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada. His perception of the man? "Unlike what was sometimes said about him, Amin was a bold and an astute leader," says Bhupinder. He narrates how the then Ugandan President had once craftily answered a journalist who had taken issue with the state of affairs in Uganda at a press conference in the US. According to Bhupinder, Amin had noted, from his accent, that the journalist was British. After confirming this, Amin cunningly indicated that he had cancelled his initial plan for a stop-over in Britain on his way to Uganda, because of a civil conflict in the UK then. At that time, England was engulfed in battles with the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The Canadian diplomat also recalls having met the current UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, and various other leaders from across the world at the headquarters. "My internship was quite an experience," he fondly summarises. After that high-level internship, it was time for Bhupinder to seek employment and settle down. His mind was set on Canada. Reason? "The Commonwealth link was important to me. I felt more comfortable that way. I had no intentions to stay in the US." Again, his friend, Purton, came in handy and helped him find his first means of survival. "We will help you out," he recalls Purton telling him. He encountered some difficulties in trying to settle in Canada. First, he worked as a salesman in an electronics store managed by Purton's step-brother. That lasted only two months. He then got an offer as a stock broker with a New York-based firm, Merrill Lynch, which had operations in Canada. "While with them, I trained and qualified as a stock broker but I soon realised that was not my calling," he narrates. Then, the journey that was to lead him to his current job started in earnest. Bhupinder had noted that the offices of Merill Lynch were stationed close to Parliament Hill, Canada's National Assembly, so he started attending open meetings hosted by the foreign affairs committee. That is when he established rapport with an MP, Mr David MacDonald, whom he had earlier met during his internship at the UN. His network of associations with Canadian MPs quickly expanded as he continued to attend the sessions. In 1977, Mr Heath Macquarrie, one of the longest serving MPs in Canadian Parliament, offered him a position among his staff. His prayers had been answered. He quit his job as a stock broker and took up the offer. The MP had interest in the Middle East issues, the Caribbean and Africa and figured that Bhupinder would be of assistance. "I worked as a research assistant and the MP thought I could help him write a book," says Bhupinder. Mr Macquarrie was a respected MP and working with him earned Bhupinder recognition. Showering praise on the late politician, he says: "Him being a senior MP, working with him gave me a lot of credibility. He was a remarkable man. He was well-respected on policies on the Middle East. I call him my godfather in a political sense. I learnt a lot from him about the Canadian political system." Mr Macquarrie died four years ago. Bhupinder's association with him led him to meeting a number of statesmen, especially in the Middle East, at an early stage in his career. A 10-day trip to the Middle East in June 1977, will passionately remain etched in his memory. He recalls: "The MP invited me to join him on a visit to the Middle East . I met Yasser Arafat in Beirut for two hours. I met President Hafez Assad of Syria in Damascus at his offices the same evening. We went to Cairo and met President Anwar Sadat in Alexandria. President Hosni Mubarak was then Vice-President. I met Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan. That trip in a way gave me a good understanding of the politics of the Middle East." Three other subsequent trips were to give him a further boost in foreign relations, meeting people like Yoss Bellin (a one-time Cabinet member of Shimon Perez's government), and getting an opportunity to observe "vigorous debate" in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament). Bhupinder's career path was shaping up and he was a happy young man. He later worked with two other Canadian MPs. They were the late Stan Darling and Mr Mike Forrestall. He assisted them with research, administration and general constituency affairs. As that went on, he was also building his writing skills, writing special columns on MPs. He had become widely exposed to Canadian politics and foreign matters and he indulged deep into it with a passion. That enthusiasm led him, in 1998, to launch the Diplomat and International Canada magazine. He had noticed that there was a yawning gap in Ottawa for a diplomat's magazine. " Washington DC had one. London had one. Ottawa did not, yet Canada hosted about 120 foreign missions. The magazine was to serve as a communication tool between MPs, diplomats and members of the foreign affairs department and other interested people," he says. Diplomats and MPs regularly wrote columns for the magazine. However, in 2003, Bhupinder had to sell off his magazine and close the TV show, when the then Prime Minister Jean Chretien appointed him as Canada's Consul-General in Chandigarh, India. But, says Bhupinder, there were some political glitches involving the establishment of the new mission, "and subsequently, the appointment did not get through". Looking back though, it seems to have been some kind of a blessing in disguise. Had he gone to India, it is possible that he would not have been appointed to his current job, which was announced in October 2005, by Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin. He says: "I am very delighted. I feel privileged and honoured to represent Canada, not only in my birthplace, but also in the important UN agencies. I give credit to Canada for having recognised the abilities and skills of an immigrant as myself." Bhupinder, whose father Jodh Singh, came to Kenya in 1937, has not lost his Kiswahili, despite having been away for more than two decades. His step-brother, Jarnail Singh, a trade unionist, would be remembered by those conversant with Kenya's socio-political affairs of 1950, for having instigated a general strike in Nairobi on May 19, of that year. Some of Jarnail's exploits are captured in Makhan Singh's book, History of Kenya's Trade Union Movement to 1952, a book that Bhupi makes fond references to.
November 2, 2005
Once Spurned Diplomat's Win-Win
Outcome In diplomatic terms, this type of positive outcome is known as a win-win situation. A former journalist and a well-known personality on Parliament Hill, Bhupinder Liddar, was appointed this week to the High Commission in Kenya where he'll serve as a high level representative to two United Nations' programmes. Mr. Liddar was thrilled by the announcement which ends a two-year ordeal between him, the department of Foreign Affairs and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Former prime minister Jean Chrétien appointed Mr. Liddar in 2003 as the consul-general to a new mission in Chandigarh, India. Mr. Liddar sold his diplomatic publication, gave up his TV show, was briefed by departmental officials and fêted by friends, but before he left Canada, the government of Prime Minister Paul Martin cancelled his appointment. The intelligence agency, CSIS, had rejected Mr. Liddar's application for security clearance. Mr. Liddar challenged that finding by taking his complaint to the civilian oversight body of CSIS. After a closed door investigation that involved paper evidence and months of oral testimony, the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) this summer rebuked the decision to deny Mr. Liddar the clearance, saying the CSIS investigation had been flawed. Based on this finding, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Harder granted Mr. Liddar a clearance and the department sat down with Mr. Liddar to negotiate the next steps. This week, Foreign Affairs issued a press release to confirm Mr. Liddar as the deputy permanent representative of Canada to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Human Settlements Programme in Nairobi, Kenya's capital. Mr. Liddar and his friend Meghie Brar will depart Ottawa in mid-December, and his new job begins after the Christmas holiday. Based on the foreign service pay scale, Mr. Liddar's salary of about $120,000 annually is the same rate as that of consul-general. Mr. Liddar's reaction was one of relief and excitement. Given he was born and schooled in Kenya and speaks Swahili, Mr. Liddar says the deployment is a "homecoming." He also said the job gives him access to an international network of players that few people have the fortune to experience. And importantly, Mr. Liddar said he now has the endorsement of, not one, but two prime ministers. "Two prime ministers have put faith in me. Prime Minister Chrétien appointed me and then subsequently Prime Minister Martin," he says. "I think the important thing, and this is for everybody in my view, is that as I have moved on and gone through the process and as a result I have a lot of respect for the institutions of Canada and the process. If you want to have a rule of law you must respect the process, and that process has spoken." Below is an edited transcript of a conversation between Embassy and Mr. Liddar this week. How did negotiations unfold with the department of Foreign Affairs over the past couple of months? Things moved very smoothly. There were no disagreements or obstacles. It was just a matter of time to resolve things. I was offered the posting [and] I literally jumped at the opportunity. Interacting with people in the international scene and meeting people in diplomacy at the international level is an excellent opportunity. And Nairobi is a sort of homecoming for me. I think I couldn't have asked for anything better. At the outset, was the posting in Chandigarh still an option or were any other positions on the table? I accepted [the UN position] and I didn't want to know any other. That was it. I didn't look back, I didn't look sideways, I looked straight ahead and that was it. Describe your childhood in Kenya and when was the last time you visited? I remember it very fondly. My father was a medical doctor who had immigrated to Kenya in 1937; of course in those days it was under British colonial rule. [I was] born in Kenya, educated in high school. A big chunk of my soul is there, and Kenya has always been very dear to me. I'm now in the process of looking up some of my old school friends, and I have traced about half a dozen still in Kenya doing very well. I was last there four years ago on a visit for about 10 days. So I think what I can bring in that background could help in improving bilateral relations. The ordeal appears over, and your good name restored. But you are working for the same employer that once questioned your security. Are there any hard feelings? No, absolutely not. I think the fact that this appointment has come through puts everything in the past. I also appreciate the statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs when he expressed "sincere regret for the impact the delays related to Mr. Liddar's diplomatic appointment have had on him both personally and professionally" which I think is much appreciated by me [in a joint statement Pierre Pettigrew released with Mr. Liddar in mid-September]. I think [the statement] cleared any doubts and removes any cloud. You will work from the Canadian High Commission in Nairobi. Is there any worry that the sentiment might still linger in the minds of some colleagues? No. Each to their own. People look at things and make their own personal decisions but I've had a very good warm welcome and message from Nairobi and the Canadian High Commission there, and they are more welcoming. I look forward to working as a team with them. What now in the month or so before you leave Ottawa? I'm starting briefings at the department of Foreign Affairs, all the stakeholders, like departments involved in environmental issues and others. I plan to learn as much as possible with the time I have here in Ottawa. Will your friends get a chance to say goodbye? Just as before two years ago, there will be a final farewell reception on Parliament Hill, no less. I will say goodbye to my friends, a lot of people in Ottawa. I've been around Parliament Hill for so long I don't think I could just walk away. Before I go, there will be a time to celebrate. Bhupinder Liddar's New Job As both the Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), Mr. Liddar is the second in command to Canada's Kenyan High Commissioner and permanent representative, Jim Wall. The aim of UNEP is to promote a better understanding of the environment and show its links to a good quality of life. Divisions of UNEP specialize in policy development and law, technology, industry and economics, regional cooperation, environmental conventions, and communications. Mr. Liddar will provide strategic and tactical advice in line with Canada's foreign policy, and play a big role in setting the ground work for annual ministerial meetings. "[The UNEP] is playing an increasingly important role as environmental issues gain prominence," says Kim Girtel, a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Canada. The mission of UN-HABITAT is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities, and provide shelter for all. In his new role, Mr. Liddar will contribute to planning the World Urban Forum in Vancouver this June, which Canada is co-hosting with UN-HABITAT.
November 01, 2005 Liddar finally gets long-awaited diplomatic posting After a two-year battle against the federal government and Canada's spy agency, Bhupinder Liddar was finally granted a diplomatic posting yesterday. Mr. Liddar was appointed Canada's representative to two United Nations agencies in Nairobi.
He was cleared last month and received a formal apology from Foreign Affairs Minister
Pierre Pettigrew after his October 2003 appointment by former prime minister Jean
Chretien as consul-general to a new diplomatic mission in Chandigarh, India. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service had denied Mr. Liddar the necessary top-secret security clearance, leaving h
Bhupinder Liddar became Canada's representative to two UN agencies in
Nairobi yesterday after a two-year battle over his security clearance. Mr. Liddar is off to the Kenyan capital next month to represent Canada at the United Nations Environment Program and the UN's Human Settlement program, known as Habitat. Mr. Liddar was positively diplomatic when the appointment was announced. "I think I can do a better job now. There's no cloud hanging. My reputation is restored," said Mr. Liddar, who came to Canada in 1976 and founded an Ottawa-based magazine on the diplomatic community here. "It's a homecoming for me because I was born in Nairobi, Kenya." To this day, Mr. Liddar says he has no idea what made CSIS initially reject his clearance. There have been abundant theories, including the possibility that Mr. Liddar, who continued to collect a $120,000 salary during the controversy, got caught in the crossfire of the long-standing political acrimony between Mr. Martin and Mr. Chretien. "I am very proud of the process and very pleased with the process and the way it worked out," Mr. Liddar said. "I always took it in good stride. "I always knew at the end of the day if there was nothing wrong, everything would come out in my favour." Mr. Liddar's posting lasts three years. At UNEP, Mr. Liddar will represent Canada's foreign policy interests on such issues as biodiversity, restoring the ozone layer, and water and sanitation issues. At Habitat, he will help organize the UN's World Urban Forum, which will be held in Vancouver next summer.
November 1, 2005 Liddar appointed to UN position in Kenya A diplomatic candidate whose appointment to India was scratched because of a flawed CSIS report has been given a new job as a United Nations representative in his native Kenya. Bhupinder Liddar said he was overjoyed at his $120,000-a-year appointment as a Canadian representative to the UN Environment Program and the UN Human Settlements Program in Nairobi. He starts in January. "It's a great honour to serve on the international scene with a body like that," Mr. Liddar, 59, said in an interview. "I'm very pleased." Mr. Liddar, who won his appeal of the spy service's finding he was a security risk, said he is relieved and proud of the process that exonerated him after a two-year battle. "I put my faith in the process and the process worked," he said. "At the end of it all, it restores my faith and I think it must restore the faith of Canadians. "I am very pleased because it restores my reputation and my credibility. With this posting, all of that cloud has been lifted." In September, Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew apologized to Mr. Liddar for stalling his appointment after a probe by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service was used to deny him the security clearance needed for the consular job in India's Punjab region. "On behalf of the government of Canada, I wish to take this opportunity to express our sincere regret for the impact the delays related to Mr. Liddar's diplomatic appointment have had on him both personally and professionally," Mr. Pettigrew said at the time. "With Mr. Liddar's consent, I also wish to confirm publicly that the government has granted him a top-secret security clearance based upon the recommendations of Canada's Security and Intelligence Review Committee." The apology came after a review by the civilian watchdog committee said a rushed assessment by a rookie CSIS investigator reached "inaccurate and misleading" conclusions. The committee's report is highly critical of CSIS, saying its officers shred evidence and are not above lying to achieve their ends, hindering scrutiny of their conduct. CSIS had said Mr. Liddar was engaged in or might engage in activities "that constitute a threat to the security of Canada," citing his ties and associations to "persons living in oppressive or hostile countries." The committee's review found CSIS misinterpreted work Mr. Liddar did for foreign governments and Canadian MPs in the Middle East and Ottawa as long ago as the 1970s.
The Hill Times Liddar probe is an example of how CSIS 'destroys lives': former CSIS member: A former CSIS member lashes out at the spy agency, but CSIS stands by its investigative work. A former member of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service says the spy agency's recent slipshod investigation of Bhupinder Liddar whom CSIS mistakenly declared a security threat because of its "regrettable" attitude that supporting Arab causes can be suspicious, is "just another typical example of how CSIS destroys some peoples' lives and careers." The former CSIS member, who did not want to be named, told The Hill Times last week that the spy agency has had to pay "more than a few individuals as a result of the spy agency's suspicions being reported as hard facts," and said the spy agency will "fight any attempts to get the actual information they used to claim he is a security threat because the service does not want it to be known that they never had anything substantive about Mr. Liddar, only fears and suspicions." However, the CSIS member also said the spy agency is discouraged from releasing such information because CSIS doesn't like to publicize its mistakes, and due to the fact that releasing any information would mean allied services would not want to cooperate or provide intelligence if Canada's spy agency can't guarantee that the information won't be passed on, even to the government, or made public. "It's a fixture in the intelligence world. The third-party rule. That I cannot blame the service for although I think it's maybe self-serving. It's just the way it works," said the former CSIS member. However, the former CSIS member said he recalls when the spy agency began watching Mr. Liddar, remembers that the evidence was "flimsy," and said even if the Cabinet minister responsible for CSIS told the spy agency to drop an investigation, it wouldn't. "I left the government because I became disgusted by the way peoples' rights, privacy and lives were trampled on by the Service. I was black-balled by the service because I didn't toe the line. I lost my family and my career," said the former CSIS member. The Department of Foreign Affairs cancelled Mr. Liddar's appointment as Canada's consul general to Chandigarh, India, in March 2004 after he failed to get a security clearance. Mr. Liddar filed an appeal with the Security Intelligence Review Committee, requesting a review of CSIS' findings. Before Mr. Liddar filed his appeal with SIRC, Mr. Liddar said the Privy Council Office offered him $60,000 in return for a resignation from his position and a promise not to discuss this issue in future which he rejected. Last week, SIRC issued a report in which it slammed the spy agency for making a recommendation to deny a security clearance to Mr. Liddar without establishing solid grounds and also expressed disappointment about the way in which the spy agency handled this case. The report showed that the spy agency was concerned about Mr. Liddar in part because he worked as a Parliamentary assistant in the 1970s and 1980s for MPs who were sympathetic to the Arab causes and the job meant he was in contact with the Palestine Liberation Organization and Arab lobby groups. It shows the spy agency was concerned about his hobnobbing in Ottawa's diplomatic community when he started his diplomatic magazine. "To summarize my conclusions, I find that there was no reasonable basis for the recommendation that CSIS made that Mr. Liddar be denied a top secret security clearance," wrote Paule Gauthier, former chairwoman of the Security Intelligence Review Committee. After receiving this report, Peter Harder, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs granted top secret security clearance to Mr. Liddar. Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Pettigrew (Papineau, Que.) issued a statement of "regret" last week. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I wish to take this opportunity to express our sincere regret for the impact the delays related to Mr. Liddar's diplomatic appointment have had on him both personally and professionally," said Mr. Pettigrew. "With Mr. Liddar's consent, I also wish to confirm publicly that the government has granted him a top secret security clearance based upon the recommendations of Canada's Security and Intelligence Review Committee." Conservative Party Foreign Affairs Critic Stockwell Day (Okanagan-Coquihalla, B.C.) also later said that "the botched attempt by Paul Martin to dump Jean Chrétien's appointment of Bhupinder Liddar to a consular post is one of the sleaziest and shabbiest examples of Martin cronyism yet." Mr. Liddar's lawyers were in consultation with the Foreign Affairs lawyers last week and it was unclear whether Mr. Liddar would get his appointment back. But Global National reported last week "that Bhupinder Liddar will be given a new diplomatic posting by the Martin government but not the original job in the province of India." A Foreign Affairs spokesperson declined to comment on this specific issue or any issue relating to Mr. Liddar's case. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Anne McLellan (Edmonton Centre, Alta.), in a statement last week, said that she has written "to the director of CSIS asking him to look into certain matters raised in the [SIRC] report and provide me with his assessment." Mr. Liddar, meanwhile, told The Hill Times that he's pleased with the SIRC report and Mr. Pettigrew's statement as it has helped him in clearing his name. "I'm pleased with the SIRC report because it clears my name and restores my credibility and my reputation and it also restores the faith and confidence in the Canadian institutions that if things sometimes do go off rail, there's a process that can take care of it. I'm also appreciative of Foreign Affairs Minister Pettigrew's expression of regret and I welcome his expression. I look forward to serving Canada in a diplomatic capacity at the earliest possible moment," Mr. Liddar said. Meanwhile, the former CSIS member said most of the cases in which the spy agency brands an individual a security threat are never challenged, he said the Inspector General's Office has been "gutted," and that the government and the spy agency hide behind secrecy laws in order to prevent the public from ever knowing what's going on. "I cannot fathom how a country such as Canada can tolerate such a draconian organization as CSIS. In fact, the whole infrastructure is run by the Privy Council Office. And now the government plans on getting legislative authority to do what they have been doing for years: intercepting Canadians' communications, written, telephone, email, etc., perverting Sec. 16 of the CSIS Act in order to help the CSE justify its budget after the fall of the Iron Curtain. PCO is responsible for the gathered information, as per an arrangement reached between External Affairs, CSIS and PCO. The Solicitor General was cut out of the loop even though he is on paper as being responsible." The former CSIS member, who said he is motivated by the desire to see that Canadians' privacy and freedoms are not further eroded, said "another typical tactic is to approach immigrants and threaten to have them deported if they don't provide information," adding that the spy agency had "sources" on university campuses and at least in one church in the 1990s. The CSIS member said although the CSIS Act requires the director of CSIS to report any instances of "unlawful" activities by CSIS members, it rarely happens. The former CSIS member said the situation in Canada is far worse than it was in "the pre-MacDonald Commission days," emphasizing that there is little or no real accountability. "The Air India case could have resulted in a conviction or convictions if CSIS had not destroyed evidence. The people who should have seen that the tapes were protected never followed the ministerial directives, most of which have now been destroyed. The tapes were erased because people in Vancouver argued CSIS is not in the intelligence collection business," said the source. The former CSIS member said he wasn't surprised by SIRC's report last week that found CSIS investigators routinely destroy screening interview notes, and are not above lying, and making it difficult for anyone to scrutinize their work. The former CSIS member said he remembers a CSIS member destroying security screening files because he couldn't handle the stress and also remembers when CSIS started and recruited a drug dealer by mistake. Lia Quickert, press secretary to Ms. McLellan, declined to comment on the former CSIS member's allegations, arguing that if the person making these accusations can substantiate them, the person should contact SIRC. "I am not going to comment on these allegations. These are very serious allegations, and if the person has any information that they believe is important in this matter, then that person should bring it to the attention of SIRC," said Ms. Quickert. CSIS spokesperson Barbara Campion said the spy agency categorically denies and refutes all the allegations made by the former CSIS employee. Ms. Campion said CSIS' mandate, under the CSIS Act is to provide security assessments to government departments under the Government Security Policy and with respect to Mr. Liddar, CSIS' advice to Foreign Affairs "differed from SIRC's recommendation following its investigation of Mr. Liddar's complaint." "This case validates the important and vital role played by SIRC in ensuring that CSIS remains accountable to the government and to the Canadian public," stated Ms. Campion, in a prepared statement. Moreover, Ms. Campion pointed out that Sec. 41 and 42 of the CSIS Act provide the opportunity for any individual to complain to SIRC if they're concerned about the spy agency's treatment, which Mr. Liddar did. "On occasion, the Service and SIRC will differ in their conclusions and it is the responsibility of the Deputy Head to make the final decision in all cases," said Ms. Campion. As far as the allegations that the spy agency intimidates immigrants to Canada, Ms. Campion said CSIS has clear internal guidelines with respect to interviews, emphasizing that although the policy recognizes that some immigrants to Canada come from countries with a history of human rights violations by police and security officials, "when dealing with such persons, employees are sensitive to the fears or attitudes which often result from prior association with police and security officials. Additionally, while conducting interviews, employees must not make threats of any nature for the purpose of intimidating any person into cooperating with the Service." Responding to the allegation that CSIS had "sources" on university campuses and at least one church in the 1990s, Ms. Campion said "the recruitment and direction of human sources is an acknowledged investigative tool used by the Service in fulfilling its mandate. CSIS is sensitive to the special role played by institutions of higher learning in our society, and the approval of the minister is required before directing human sources on campus." Ms. Campion added: "Special care is also exercised in the recruitment or direction of human sources involved in other fundamental institutions of our society, and the approval of a very senior CSIS official is required prior to using a human source to provide operational assistance in any investigation which impacts or appears to impact on a sensitive sector." Moreover, Ms. Campion said under the CSIS Act, the director is required to report any illegal activities to the minister. "These instances are rare. Furthermore, every year the director sends a letter to the Inspector General about any non-compliance activities that might have taken place throughout the year under review." Ms. Campion said the spy agency "takes very seriously any breach of policy by any of its employees," which is why the reports to the minister and the Inspector General vehicles exist and "are only two of the systems that are in place to capture and report any deviation from the law and policies." As far as the Air India allegations made by the former CSIS member, Ms. Campion said CSIS' internal policy "directs that transcripts of intercepted material shall not be kept once a final report is submitted, the 'strictly necessary' clause." As for Mr. Liddar's case, Ms. Campion said the spy agency's policy is not to release notes and interview tapes of security clearances for legal and national security reasons, but added that the CSIS director "has undertaken a commitment to the minister to give further consideration to this recommendation at this time." Declared Ms. Campion: "SIRC and CSIS enjoy an excellent working relationship and SIRC has consistently found CSIS to act appropriately and within the confines of its mandate and of the law. Instances of disagreements between SIRC and CSIS are rare."
Weekly Voice Newspaper September 19, 2005 By Binoy Thomas
There was something not quite right with the government's 'story' on Bhupinder Liddar,
designated under Chretien to be the first Consul General in
But then this was 2003 - the year when Chretien exited the stage and Martin entered
and Liddar, most likely, got caught in the volley. Now two years, and a never-say-die,
sustained campaign from Liddar, the government of
On Sept.13, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Pettigrew said: "On behalf
of the Government of Canada, I wish to take this opportunity to express our sincere
regret for the impact the delays related to Mr. Liddar's diplomatic appointment
have had on him both personally and professionally. With Mr. Liddar's consent, I
also wish to confirm publicly that the government has granted him a top secret security
clearance based upon the recommendations of
Liddar was gracious in his reply to the Minister. He said: "I am pleased that
the Minister and the government have expressed regret over the delay in making my
appointment and delighted that the government has issued a security clearance to
me. I am also pleased with the SIRC decision and look forward to serving
What has prompted this turn of events is a highly critical report by the Review Committee that looked into the reasons why Canadian Security Intelligence Services (CSIS) had withheld clearance for Liddar.
The 23-page document is enough to redden many faces within the CSIS, already under considerable discomfort over the Maher Arar deportation fiasco.
CSIS seemed to have had concerns about Liddar during a certain period in his career
when he had worked as a parliamentary assistant in the 1970s and 1980s for MPs who
were close to Middle Eastern causes. He was also perceived to be close to the Palestine
Liberation Organization and the Arab diplomats. The relationships continued later
when he began publishing a journal exclusively for
The declassified report exposes major chinks in the way
"The denial brief was fundamentally flawed and biased in that it contained -conclusions that were simply not supported by the information in the possession of the service," wrote Paule Gauthier, head of the review board.
Gauthier exposed almost the entire CSIS probe, condemning its "categorical and misleading statements". She was horrified to learn that at one time an inexperienced investigating agent had destroyed the notes he took during his interviews and then promptly forgot what he had been told!
Gauthier while calling Liddar "honest and upright", concluded, "There
is no reliable evidence that supports a conclusion that Mr. Liddar may engage in
activities that would constitute a threat to the security of
Now that Liddar has been granted the top-secret clearance, it's likely that his
appointment will be validated and Liddar might soon find himself in warm climes
of
Liddar has all through this ordeal insisted on, first, clearing his name and then
demanding his job back. That's why back in 2003 when
Perhaps it's time for Liddar and his friends to bring out the bubbly and break out into a balle balle!
The Globe & Mail September 14, 2005 By Bill Curry and Colin Freeze
Secret report blasts agency's investigation of public servant it deemed a security risk
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service "purposefully misled" the agency charged with overseeing it in a likely attempt to "suppress information that was embarrassing to the Service," a new report finds.
"I wish that such events never occur again," Paule Gauthier, former chairwoman of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, writes in a secret report obtained yesterday by The Globe and Mail and other news organizations.
In one of the most strongly worded official criticisms of CSIS to date, Ms. Gauthier faults the agency for a hasty, slipshod investigation and a "regrettable" attitude that supporting Arab causes can be suspicious.
The long-anticipated report follows a complaint from Bhupinder S. Liddar, a public
servant whom CSIS declared a security risk after his 2003 diplomatic posting to
The Kenyan-born Sikh Canadian never got to start his job. CSIS flagged him as untrustworthy during standard background checks. The government feared that Mr. Liddar might take bribes or sell information if sent abroad.
As had been widely speculated, the spy agency had concerns about Mr. Liddar partly because he worked as a parliamentary assistant in the 1970s and 1980s for MPs who were sympathetic to Middle Eastern causes. Some of this work put him into contact with the Palestine Liberation Organization and Arab lobby groups.
The new report shows that CSIS was concerned about these relationships and others Mr. Liddar developed as he hobnobbed with diplomats in the 1990s as founder of an Ottawa-based magazine explicitly geared for the staff of foreign embassies in the capital.
Ms. Gauthier, who was first appointed to SIRC in 1984, has reviewed the case and doesn't share any of CSIS's suspicions.
She upholds the character of Mr. Liddar as "honest and forthright" and
says that "there is no reliable evidence that supports a conclusion that Mr.
Liddar may engage in activities that would constitute a threat to the security of
She says CSIS engaged in an "inaccurate and misleading" probe that leaped to "unqualified, alarming" findings that relied on "uncorroborated and/or unreliable sources."
She was particularly disturbed that when she asked for its security-clearance report about Mr. Liddar, she was initially told it didn't exist.
Ms. Gauthier later learned that CSIS had done security checks, but the spy service was of the opinion that security checks were far different than clearances.
Today she accuses CSIS of playing semantic games to frustrate her probe. "I conclude the service provided me with misleading answers to my questions in order to prevent Mr. Liddar or the review committee from having information . . . brought to our attention," she writes.
She adds that she feels "that the committee was purposefully misled by the Service in the incident" in an attempt to shield the spy agency from fallout that might prove "embarrassing to the Service in the context of Mr. Liddar's appointment and its subsequent suspension."
In a separate finding that might have broader implications, Ms. Gauthier said Mr. Liddar was considered suspect because he had long made no secret of his desire to help Arab causes. "I find that many of the conclusions concerning Mr. Liddar . . . result from the transfer of suspicions about a person who would support Arab causes," she said.
Such concerns seem to have dogged him since the 1970s, but what's "even more regrettable is the fact that this attitude, and its distorting effect on the interpretation of Mr. Liddar's actions, has persisted into the present time," Ms. Gauthier writes.
Portions of the report are blacked out for security reasons, but it is clear that Ms. Gauthier feels CSIS's security screening was a hurried, slipshod probe by a rookie agent who destroyed his notes before the case could be reviewed.
Ms. Gauthier says she's getting tired of seeing this happen.
"The issue of what was said during security-screening interviews is a perennial source of argument in the course of the review committee's investigation of complaints," she wrote.
"Complainants alleged that the investigators' report of their interview is not accurate: That their answers are incomplete or have been distorted or taken out of context," Ms. Gauthier wrote.
". . . There is no reason why such notes could not be preserved for a reasonable period so they are available to the review committee."
Mr. Liddar has demanded that Foreign Affairs reinstate his diplomatic appointment. The department has already granted him the top-secret security clearance that was denied to him.
Mr. Liddar draws a salary for the posting and is negotiating with the federal government.
He would not comment on the SIRC report yesterday. CSIS officials would not comment because the report has not been officially released.
The Ottawa Citizen September 14, 2005 By Tim Naumetz
Error #2: Liddar inquiry misled
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service "purposefully" misled an inquiry into the Bhupinder Liddar case, and the rookie investigator who argued against a security clearance for Mr. Liddar destroyed his notes after interviewing him, a scathing report indicates. That agent later claimed he could not remember responses to key questions, the report says.
The report, by the Security Intelligence Review Committee, which formed the basis of its recommendation last June that the government grant Mr. Liddar his security clearance, re-kindled allegations that Mr. Liddar, a friend of one of Mr. Chretien's senior ministers, is the victim of a political vendetta.
Mr. Liddar's supporters say the report also gives credence to allegations that the
Martin government cancelled Mr. Liddar's appointment because the prime minister
or his B.C. organizers had promised the newly created post of consul general in
Independent MP David Kilgour said that, while he believes the report contains no proof Mr. Martin's office used CSIS to scrap Mr. Liddar's appointment, "it's an inference a lot of people might draw."
Mr. Kilgour said he was astounded the CSIS investigator destroyed his notes after interviewing Mr. Liddar, obviously knowing they could not be retrieved later if Mr. Liddar complained, as he did, to the Security Intelligence Review Committee, the civilian panel that reviews CSIS activities.
"That's something a banana republic does," said Mr. Kilgour. "We're supposed to be an advanced industrial democracy."
The committee report is heavily censored, but it makes clear the security concerns were based on writing and translation work Mr. Liddar did for embassies representing several countries in Ottawa prior to becoming a reporter and editor on diplomatic affairs in the late 1980s, and contacts he established with Arab groups, including the office of the Palestine Liberation Organization, during the same period. There appear also to have been concerns about Mr. Liddar's many dealings with embassy officials while a journalist. Mr. Liddar continues to receive his $120,000 annual salary for the job through his appeal to SIRC.
Paule Gauthier, chairwoman of SIRC when she reviewed Mr. Liddar's case, denounced a brief CSIS submitted to the Foreign Affairs Department as "fundamentally flawed and biased," saying the brief "contained conclusions that were not supported by the information in the possession of the service.
"The tenor of the brief was so overwhelmingly and unjustifiably negative that
anyone familiar with the evidence would doubt the reliability of its conclusions
on that basis alone," said Ms. Gauthier. She has been succeeded as the head
of SIRC by former
Ms. Gauthier called the "field" investigation of Mr. Liddar for his security clearance "most disappointing" and said it should not have formed the basis for any conclusions in the brief to the Foreign Affairs Department, which questioned Mr. Liddar's loyalty and reliability, and suggested he was being untruthful in his CSIS interviews.
The investigator who interviewed Mr. Liddar had joined CSIS less than a year earlier and "acknowledged being under pressure to complete the task quickly, and that the time constraint was the reason for the unusual process by which the filed investigation and the interview of Mr. Liddar were done by different investigators," wrote Ms. Gauthier. "I note that Mr. Liddar testified at some length before me and I was able to conclude that he was honest and forthright," she said.
Sun Media, Parliamentary Bureau September 14, 2005 By Kathleen Harris
The civilian watchdog that oversees
In a "top secret" report to be publicly released today, the Security Intelligence Review Committee said there was "no reasonable basis" for CSIS to deny giving Bhupinder Liddar security clearance critical for the post.
Liddar was appointed by former prime minister Jean Chretien to open a new consulate
in
"The denial brief was fundamentally flawed and biased, in that it contained conclusions that simply were not supported by the information in the possession of the Service," the report by SIRC chairwoman Paule Gauthier states. The report states CSIS provided "misleading" and inaccurate information to the Foreign Affairs department.
Reached yesterday, Liddar said he could not comment on the report. But Conservative foreign affairs critic Stockwell Day said Prime Minister Paul Martin should waste no time in filling Liddar's appointment.
"Now that Mr. Liddar's name has been cleared ... the appointment should stand," he said.
Statement by the Deputy Prime Minister
Date Published: 2005-09-14
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Anne McLellan today issued this statement in respect of the report of the Security Intelligence Review Committee on the complaint by Mr. Bhupinder S. Liddar.
"First of all, this case validates the important role that the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) plays in ensuring the accountability of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).
To that point, and on the matter of the report’s first recommendation that Mr. Liddar be granted a level III security clearance, the process ran its proper course. The difference in findings between CSIS and SIRC is a clear demonstration of the important and independent role the Committee plays in reviewing complaints regarding the denial of a security clearance, and more broadly, of the checks and balances the Government has built into our nation’s security intelligence processes.
That said, I did write to the Director of CSIS asking him to look into certain matters raised in the report and provide me with his assessment.
In response to the second recommendation made by SIRC, as it relates to taping interviews and the making and retention of notes in security clearance interviews, the Director has committed to report back to me following a comprehensive review of this complex issue. The Director has, as well, indicated that the Service will look, in a broader fashion, at its security screening practices and policies.
The information in the report’s appendix did not, as it states, affect the two recommendations. However, I was concerned by, and take very seriously, the comments therein relating to CSIS’ interactions with the Committee during the hearings.
The Director of CSIS has met already with the Chair of SIRC and emphasized his personal commitment to addressing any concerns relating to CSIS’ relationship with the Committee.
Specifically, the Director of CSIS has indicated to the Chair of SIRC that, while the Service did not believe that it had misled the Committee, any such impression is unacceptable. Furthermore, the Director has reminded managers of the Service of CSIS’ obligation to provide all relevant information to the Committee and to ensure thorough responses to the Committee’s requests. He has also asked his General Counsel, in consultation with SIRC Counsel, to review procedures relating to hearings to determine how the Service can best meet the obligation of disclosure in SIRC litigation. SIRC has indicated its agreement with this approach.
I have asked the Director of CSIS to meet again with the Chair of SIRC to discuss the concerns raised around this case and to continue talks aimed at addressing any particular concerns."
The Telegraph,
September 11, 2005 By K.P. Nayar
Mystery of missing consul-general
A fortnight before external affairs minister Natwar Singh arrives here on a visit,
which holds lot of promise for bilateral relations, Canadian media and this country’s
political establishment are going to town over the curious saga of Bhupinder Singh
Liddar’s appointment as
Liddar, a Kenya-born Canadian of Indian origin, was appointed as
Liddar went to Chandigarh on a high-profile visit with Canada’s then Prime Minister Jean Chretien in the same month to open the consulate, but since then, he has been cooling his heels in Ottawa and drawing a government salary of Canadian $120,000 a year because the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) prevented him from proceeding to India to take up his post.
Instead, officials of Canada’s Privy Council — the equivalent of India’s cabinet secretariat — offered him six month’s salary in return for a “confidentiality agreement”, under which neither side would talk about the reasons for cancelling his appointment.
Liddar, a journalist with high connections in
Last month, the SIRC, which includes two of this country’s provincial premiers, overruled the CSIS and Canada’s deputy minister for foreign affairs, Peter Harder, wrote to Liddar’s lawyer: “I am not satisfied that the concerns of CSIS as regards the issues of (Liddar’s) loyalty and reliability have been substantiated. I, therefore, grant a clearance.”
Yet, there is no sign that Liddar is about to fly to
Officials in South Block, puzzled by the saga of Liddar’s appointment and its subsequent
undoing, say they have never received any formal communication from the Canadians
appointing him as consul-general in
But socially, Indian government officials have interacted with Liddar in
There is a sense of bewilderment within the diplomatic community here that Liddar
was allowed to attend a regional meeting of Canadian heads of missions in South
Asia held in
In South Block, there is a tinge of regret that the controversy has taken some toll
of an opportunity in Liddar’s appointment that presented itself for bringing Indo-Canadians
into official activity for promoting relations between
The episode may also persuade South Block to reconsider its recent willingness to
allow foreign governments to open consulates outside
The Canadian consulate in
Clearly, Liddar has a lot of support from Canadians of Indian origin. Prime Minister Paul Martin acknowledged that support when he wrote to the 50,000-strong Ontario Khalsa Darbar, for instance, that the SIRC’s “recommendations will help resolve this matter”.
Liddar’s lawyer is now demanding that he should be given a fresh posting to
Meanwhile, with
The Globe & Mail September 6, 2005 By John Ibbitson
Keeping a tight lid on the Liddar job flap
The problems of Bhupinder Liddar don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, but we need to pay attention to them anyway.
Mr. Liddar used to publish a magazine called Diplomat & International Canada,
which he sold when Jean Chrétien appointed him in 2003 as
But before Mr. Liddar could take up his duties, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service declared that it could not give him a security clearance, and Prime Minister Paul Martin ordered the appointment frozen.
Everyone who knew Mr. Liddar was perplexed by the CSIS action, since he is, to outward
appearances, one of the most inoffensive of people. Could it have had something
to do with his Kenyan-Sikh origins? Did he agitate on campus while obtaining his
master's degree at the
More plausibly, was some spook spooked by Mr. Liddar's involvement in the Canada-USSR Parliamentary Group in the 1970s and 80s? Or was it a result of the work he did with Arab diplomats involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Could it have been something about which the rest of us simply don't know?
The Security Intelligence Review Committee, which reviews CSIS actions, concluded last month that the spy agency had decided wrongly. Deputy foreign affairs minister Peter Harder, after reviewing the file, agreed and granted clearance.
So why isn't Mr. Liddar in
Mr. Liddar wants Foreign Affairs to confirm a new, three-year posting. Thus far, his lawyer has received no satisfactory reply.
There are those who believe that Foreign Affairs is dragging its heels because the Prime Minister has got himself into a pickle. It is widely rumoured -- and was mentioned on the infamous Gurmant Grewal tapes -- that Mr. Martin has offered the Chandigarh job to Gulzar Cheema, who ran unsuccessfully for the Liberals in B.C. in the last election. Now that Mr. Liddar has received his security clearance, the Liberals could be stuck with two people for one spot.
A government official speaking on background pointed out that Mr. Liddar was appointed in October of 2003. He's been fully paid, at an estimated $120,000 a year, from then till now. Diplomatic appointments are generally for two years, plus a one-year extension. Given there are only 13 months at best left to Mr. Liddar's appointment, one question is whether it is still worthwhile to send him.
But doesn't Mr. Liddar deserve a fresh term? That's what the lawyers are haggling over. But not for long. An edited version of the SIRC report could be released this week, and Mr. Liddar has threatened to sue if there is no deal.
To be labelled a security risk is a terrible black mark on your name, one that senior government officials have concluded was undeserved in this instance. The government owes Mr. Liddar redress.
That said, Mr. Liddar has been fully compensated during his fight to clear his name and regain his appointment. We should also remember that CSIS officials are sometimes pilloried for simply doing their jobs, and cannot defend themselves for reasons of national security.
A public inquiry has finished hearing testimony into the case of Maher Arar, who
was sent to a Syrian prison perhaps as a result of the actions or inactions of CSIS,
the RCMP and Foreign Affairs. In a world of security certificates and
Still, a wrong has been done, if only to the taxpayers who have paid this man's salary and who are now paying government lawyers as he fights for his rights. Why can we not make an end to this?
National Post August 27, 2005 By Tim Naumetz CanWest News Service
Diplomatic
appointment could proceed after clean review: PM
Although a civilian review nearly three months ago dismissed the security-risk allegations
from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), the government has still
failed to conclude the appointment and send Mr. Liddar to
Mr. Martin disclosed his views about the review of the case by the Security Intelligence
Review Committee (SIRC) in an April, 2004, letter to a prominent Sikh who wrote
Mr. Martin to back Mr. Liddar's appointment as consul-general in the Punjab capital
of
The Martin government cancelled the appointment in December, 2003, after former prime minister Jean Chretien and several Cabinet ministers had signed an order authorizing Mr. Liddar's appointment the previous month.
Mr. Liddar was later informed that CSIS had advised the Martin government he was a security risk, and that the posting was cancelled.
He launched an appeal to SIRC and has been collecting a $120,000-a-year salary for the position while the review was underway.
Mr. Martin's office agreed to continue the salary during the appeal.
In his letter to Mr. Singh, Mr. Martin suggested SIRC's findings would end the dispute, one way or the other.
"SIRC protects the rights and freedoms of Canadians by ensuring that CSIS uses its powers appropriately," Martin wrote.
"It is a highly respected institution and includes two former provincial premiers
among its members (Roy Romanow and Gary Filmon), and I expect that the committee's
recommendations will help resolve this matter in due course."
Editorial August 26, 2005 By Barbara Yaffe
Yet another appointment shows system needs reform
You know there's something wrong with the prime ministerial appointments process when a churlish bully is named to the Senate and an individual lacking any record of meritorious service becomes Governor-General.
Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell and CBC journalist Michaelle Jean are two recent appointments by Paul Martin that have provided plenty of grist for summertime debate.
Now, a third appointment qualifies for boondoggle ranking, but for different reasons.
It was generally felt in October 2003, when Bhupindar Singh
Liddar was given a three-year appointment as consul in a soon-to-be opened mission
in
Liddar, a magazine publisher and newspaper and TV commentator, was picked by Jean Chretien. His $120,000-a-year pay packet kicked in immediately.
While the consular quarters were being readied, Liddar returned
to
But in March of 2004, the Kenyan-born Sikh was informed his appointment was frozen because of security concerns. He thought perhaps his past relationships with Arab diplomats and work for pro-Palestinian parliamentarians might be the problem.
But to this day, the would-be diplomat has never been told why he was considered a security concern by the Canada Security Intelligence Service; which, it goes without saying, is scary stuff in a free, open democracy like ours.
Liddar reported he was offered a $60,000 government "package" by the Privy Council Office to step back from the posting, which he refused.
Instead, he filed an appeal to the Security Intelligence Review Committee, civilian watchdog of CSIS. All the while, he has been collecting his $120,000 paycheque for doing, well, nothing on behalf of taxpayers. But the story gets worse.
In late July, the Security Intelligence Review Committee issued a 20-page, confidential report overruling the security agency, and granting Liddar security clearance, though such a recommendation is not binding on government.
In early August, there was more heartening news for Liddar. He received a letter from Peter Harder, Foreign Affairs deputy minister, granting him security clearance.
Of course, Liddar at this point wants to depart for
And it has emerged from Conservative MP Gurmant Grewal's
famous taped conversations with Liberal operatives a few months ago that the
Naturally, Liddar is not prepared to swallow that little
scenario and is dropping hints his lawyer Janice Payne may sue
So, not only have we now spent nearly $250,000 to pay Liddar for squat, but taxpayers could be on the hook if Liddar should pursue and win a lawsuit.
It's also worth asking if
What Liddar's sad tale suggests is, none of the actions taken in relation to him were made with any thought whatever for the people who take transit and iron their own shirts.
From start to finish, this is a story about political machinations
and patronage rather than concern for taxpayers. Boy, is
From: Official Opposition
Press Office/Service de presse de l'opposition officielle
Stockwell Day, MP Foreign Affairs RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 23, 2005 Martin-Chrétien Feud Embarrassing Conservatives Support Liddar Diplomatic Post
Mr. Day was responding
to the on-again-off-again appointment of Bhupindar Liddar as Canadian Consul to
Mr. Day pointed out
that Mr. Liddar had already been to
After Paul Martin became leader, the appointment was cancelled because of alleged security concerns. Now both the Security Intelligence Review Committee and the Department of Foreign Affairs have granted him full security clearance.
“Just because Paul Martin can’t deal with his ongoing fear and loathing for Jean Chrétien, there is no reason to punish Canadians in the process,” said Day.
“It's time Paul Martin
explains why he is continuing to ignore the Security Intelligence Review Committee. If he has a legitimate concern related
to Mr. Liddar, then tell Mr. Liddar.
Otherwise let the man get on with his duly appointed task of representing
-30-
For further information contact: Aaron Scheewe 613-762-5465 ______________________________________________________________________________
Stockwell Day Affaires étrangères COMMUNIQUÉ POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE Le 23 août 2005 Querelle Martin-Chrétien embarrassante Les conservateurs appuient la nomination de M. Liddar
OTTAWA - Stockwell Day, député d’Okanagan-Coquihalla et porte-parole de l’opposition officielle en matière d’affaires étrangères, a demandé au premier ministre Paul Martin de “sortir du carré de sable et d’arrêter ses concours de crachat contre Jean Chrétien”.
M. Day réagissait à la nomination, annoncée puis annulée par intermittence, de Bhupindar Liddar en tant que consul général à Chandigarh.
M. Day a signalé qu’à la suite de sa nomination, M. Liddar s’était déjà rendu à Chandigarh avec M. Chrétien pour annoncer l’ouverture du nouveau bureau.
Après que Paul Martin est devenu chef du parti, la nomination a été annulée soi-disant pour des raisons de sécurité. Et maintenant, tant le Comité de surveillance des activités de renseignement de sécurité que le ministère des Affaires étrangères accordent à M. Liddar l’autorisation de sécurité nécessaire.
“Paul Martin n’a pas à punir les Canadiens parce qu’il ne réussit pas à maîtriser sa peur et sa répugnance pour Jean Chrétien”, a indiqué M. Day.
“Il est temps que Paul Martin explique pourquoi il continue de faire la sourde oreille au Comité de surveillance des activités de renseignement de sécurité. S’il a des craintes légitimes au sujet de M. Liddar, qu’il le lui dise. Autrement, qu’il laisse M. Liddar occuper le poste de représentant du Canada à Chandigarh auquel il a été dûment nommé”, a ajouté M. Day.
-30-
Pour plus de renseignements:
Aaron Scheewe, 613-762-5465
The Hill Times August 22, 2005 By Paco Francoli
Our man in
The saga over the very botched diplomatic appointment of Bhupinder Liddar, whose posting to Chandigarh, India was bizarrily frozen about six months after he got it in October 2003, appears to be finally over now that both the Security Intelligence Review Committee and the Department of Foreign Affairs have granted him security clearance.
Or is it? It's been nearly a month since SIRC found that
there were no grounds for
What is the Canadian government waiting for? Mr. Liddar has
made it clear he still wants to take up his posting to
The facts speak for themselves. On Oct. 17, 2003, Mr. Liddar
was appointed the first consul general to
Mr. Liddar never made it back to
On Aug. 5, 2005, Peter Harder wrote a brief letter to Mr.
Liddar saying he has reviewed the SIRC report and is "not satisfied that the
concerns of CSIS as regards the issues of loyalty and reliability have been substantiated."
He added that he has granted Mr. Liddar "a clearance."
This takes us to the present. It's been 22 months since Mr.
Liddar got his appointment, and almost four weeks since SIRC cleared him. Mr. Liddar
has been made to wait long enough to take up his diplomatic post in
Sun Ottawa Bureau August 18, 2005 By Maria McClintock
Diplomatic fiasco sparks threat of legal action
Prime Minister Paul Martin's government is being threatened with legal action if it doesn't follow through with a diplomatic appointment made by former prime minister Jean Chretien.
Bhupinder Liddar was appointed the consul general to India almost two years ago, but it was held up due to "security" concerns by the spy agency CSIS. Liddar appealed to the Security Intelligence Review Committee, which recently found that there were no grounds for CSIS to refuse the necessary security clearance - a finding backed by deputy minister of foreign affairs Peter Harder. The committee's report has not been made public.
"Suing the government is definitely an alternative," a source familiar with the case told Sun Media. Liddar's lawyer, Janice Payne, said if there's no resolution by early September, further action will be taken.
"We are, on Mr. Liddar's behalf, continuing our discussions with government legal counsel and are insisting that his appointment be honoured for the usual full three-year term," Payne said.
"If discussions fail, we expect to release the (committee's) decision and comment more fully on it by the beginning of September." Independent Alberta MP David Kilgour, the former junior foreign affairs minister under Chretien, urged the government to honour the appointment. Liddar has been collecting the $120,000 annual salary that goes with the post.
"Everyone has done their job ... and now it's up to the prime minister to ...
send Liddar off" to
Embassy News August 17, 2005 By Sarah McGregor
Once Spurned Diplomat Welcomed Into the Security Fold
Foreign Affairs' chief bureaucrat sent a letter this month to a former journalist
whose diplomatic posting to
The Canadian government's about-face is expressed in an official letter signed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Harder dated August 5, 2005, and addressed to Bhupinder Liddar and his lawyer, Janice Payne.
The correspondence comes on the heels of a finding by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service's civilian watchdog that CSIS unjustly denied Mr. Liddar top security clearance.
But Mr. Harder's letter gives no indication if Mr. Liddar will automatically be re-named as consul general in the northern Punjab province of Chandigarh, a position he was appointed to by then-prime minister Jean Chrétien in October 2003, but stripped of five months later due to unspecified security concerns.
Mr. Liddar said earlier this year that he refused to let the matter end quietly by accepting a $60,000 government package, and instead filed an appeal with the Security Intelligence Review Committee in an attempt to clear his name and win back his first diplomatic assignment.
A secret hearing wrapped up in late July, producing a report only seen by those closely involved with the matter including some people who testified at the hearings such as former senior Liberal cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal, who had lobbied that Mr. Liddar be awarded the job.
The SIRC report states, according to Ms. Payne, that the oversight body's closed-door examination found no reason to deny a security clearance to Mr. Liddar.
Mr. Harder writes, in his letter, that after viewing the SIRC report he concluded that the CSIS investigation was inadequate, and he would therefore approve the security certification of the expectant diplomat.
Normally, the department is expected to act on the advice of CSIS when it comes to issuing the clearance.
The vaguely worded letter seems to suggest that the original concern on the part of CSIS had been related to issues of Mr. Liddar's "loyalty and reliability."
In its entirety, the letter states: "Dear Mr. Liddar: I am writing with respect to the issue of your security clearance. Following my review of the SIRC report, I am not satisfied that the concerns of CSIS as regards the issues of loyalty and reliability have been substantiated. I, therefore, grant a clearance. Yours sincerely, (signed) V. Peter Harder."
The political rivalry between Prime Minister Paul Martin and his predecessor Mr. Chrétien, Mr. Liddar's dealings with the Arab ambassadors and his past involvement as a political staffer on Parliament Hill have been raised as possible reasons why the appointment may have been cancelled.
Mr. Liddar enjoys celebrity status in
The well-liked Kenyan-born Sikh is on the A-list for diplomatic parties and is known to help foreign envoys and politicians meet each other. But his close friend who just left Ottawa, Saudi Arabian Ambassador Dr. Mohammed Al-Hussaini Al-Sharif, said last week Mr. Liddar's social and professional life have suffered because the denial of a security clearance made some people suspicious of his past activities.
Mr. Liddar has been receiving the foreign service salary typical of consul-general, about $120,000 annually, since he launched his appeal.
Ms. Payne issued a statement by email yesterday saying that the negotiation to have Mr. Liddar installed in the posting, a term that lasts about three years, is ongoing. She suggests that the department has until early September to reach a deal, and if those talks break down the full report by SIRC will be publicly revealed.
"We just met with Mr. Liddar and agreed that we can now add that we are, on Mr. Liddar's behalf, continuing our discussions with government legal counsel and are insisting that his appointment be honoured for the usual full three-year term," she says, by email. "Discussions are continuing. If discussions fail, we expect to release the decision and comment more fully on it by the beginning of September."
The Indian High Commission in
The Ottawa Citizen August 17, 2005 By Tim Naumetz CanWest News Service
Diplomat's posting on hold despite security clearance
The deputy minister of Foreign Affairs
granted a security clearance nearly two weeks ago to Bhupinder Liddar, but the former
journalist's appointment to a diplomatic position in
Deputy minister Peter Harder wrote
Mr. Liddar two days after Mr. Liddar's lawyer made public the fact that the Security
Intelligence Review Committee found the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had
no grounds to label her client a security risk.
The CSIS concerns about Mr. Liddar,
one-time editor of Diplomat Magazine, prevented him from taking up the post of Canadian
consul general in the Punjab city of
While Mr. Liddar was told security
problems were delaying his appointment, there were rumours in the Sikh community
that the Martin government wanted to name Gulzar Cheema -- a former B.C. politician
who ran for the Liberals but lost to Conservative Nina Grewal -- to the position.
Mr. Liddar's lawyer, Janice Payne,
revealed the Security Intelligence Review Committee, the civilian watchdog over
CSIS, found there were no grounds for the CSIS recommendation to deny Mr. Liddar,
who is collecting the $120,000-a-year salary while he waits for a decision.
On Aug. 5, Mr. Harder wrote Mr.
Liddar to apparently overrule the original CSIS recommendation.
"I am writing with respect
to the issue of your security clearance," Mr. Harder said in the brief, two-paragraph
letter. "Following my review of the SIRC report, I am not satisfied that the
concerns of CSIS as regards the issues of loyalty and reliability have been substantiated.
I, therefore, grant a clearance."
The department would not elaborate,
citing privacy laws.
An official with SIRC confirmed
yesterday the civilian committee has no power to compel CSIS to review or change
its conclusions about Mr. Liddar, a Kenyan-born Sikh who worked for Conservative
MPs in the early 1980s and also established friendships with Liberals.
"SIRC's recommendations are not binding in issues of security clearance," said Suzanne Beaubien, SIRC's research manager. She said the Supreme Court ruled in 1992 that SIRC could not force the government to award a security clearance to a public servant who had appealed a CSIS decision.
The Ottawa Citizen August 17, 2005 By Jennifer Campbell Citizen Special
Liddar seeks full three-year
posting
Bhupinder Liddar's long wait continues.
The would-be diplomat, whose appointment was rescinded based on the Canadian Security
Intelligence Service's assertion that he was a security risk, is back in a holding
pattern after the civilian committee that oversees CSIS cleared his name.
A letter sent to Mr. Liddar by the
deputy minister of foreign affairs grants security clearance, but doesn't say what
the government plans to do with the former columnist, magazine publisher and political
aide. Writes Peter Harder: "Following my review of the SIRC report, I am not
satisfied that the concerns of CSIS as regards the issues of loyalty and reliability
have been substantiated. I, therefore, grant a clearance."
Mr. Liddar, it seems, wants to use
that letter to secure the appointment originally promised back in October 2003.
At the time, then-prime minister Jean Chretien, then cabinet-minister Herb Dhaliwal
and Mr. Liddar took a high-profile trip to
Yesterday, Mr. Liddar's lawyer,
Janice Payne, released a statement saying she and her client continue to discuss
options with government lawyers and "are insisting that his appointment be
honoured for the usual full three-year term."
The statement says that if discussions
fail, they will release the report, as yet not made public.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Rodney
Moore said the government is in discussions with Mr. Liddar and won't comment on
whether he'll be sent to the
Last week, CSIS spokeswoman Barbara
Campion told CanWest News that CSIS wasn't compelled by law to change its conclusions,
even with the committee's recommendations, which she said are not binding.
August 13, 2005
‘King of Punjab’ in limbo
despite security OK
FOREIGN AFFAIRS,
The federal government won’t commit
itself to giving Bhupinder S. Liddar back his diplomatic posting as the so-called
“king of Punjab” despite his being cleared of any security risk last week.
Liddar, a former journalist and
political aide, has been paid $120,000 a year of taxpayers’ money while fighting
the government’s decision in early 2004 to deny him the post of consul-general to
the new mission in
Last week, the Security Intelligence Review Committee, a watchdog overseeing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, ruled the spy agency had no reason to deem Liddar a security risk — the rationale used by Foreign Affairs in early 2004 to hold up the posting.
“We are in discussions with Mr. Liddar and his lawyers and I have no further comment at this time,” said Foreign Affairs spokesman Rodney Moore when asked Friday if Liddar’s posting will proceed.
CSIS spokeswoman Barbara Campion said the agency “carefully considers” the committee’s recommendations but said CSIS isn’t compelled by law to change its conclusions about Liddar.
“The recommendations are not binding,” she said.
Liddar has refused to make public the committee’s report, though his lawyer, Janice Payne, said last week the review committee found the spy agency “improperly” denied him clearance and “has completely removed any possible concern that there could have been concerning Mr. Liddar and his appointment.”
Liddar said earlier this year he refused to accept an offer of $60,000 by the government to resign his post.
Independent Alberta MP David Kilgour, a junior foreign affairs minister in former prime minister Jean Chretien’s government, is among several MPs lobbying the Martin government to let the posting proceed.
“It is disquieting that Consul General Liddar has evidently not yet been told to start packing his bags to begin his tour of duty,” said Kilgour, who said Prime Minister Paul Martin should launch an inquiry into CSIS’s handling of the matter.
Kilgour has also questioned why Martin’s office is handing the file to Foreign Affairs, which long objected to the creation of the mission and would naturally be opposed to patronage appointments filling key diplomatic posts.
The
Liddar was appointed to the post in late 2003 by Chretien, following a recommendation from Liddar’s friend, former senior federal minister Herb Dhaliwal.
Shortly after Foreign Affairs told Liddar his clearance had been denied, reports surfaced that Martin would appoint Dr. Gulzar Cheema, a former Liberal member of the B.C. legislature who ran unsuccessfully for the federal Liberals under Martin last year.
Cheema refused to comment this week about the rumoured posting, which is referred
to in Liberal circles as the “king of
Liddar, a Sikh born in
Hindustan Times,
August 12, 2005 By Gurmukh Singh
Isn't it all dirty politics about Liddar?
We back in
Many times we cite the case of western democracies which are said to practise value-based politics.
Sad to say, this is not happening in
How the millionaire Belinda the Blonde was lured out of the opposition Conservative
party overnight and given the plum cabinet portfolio about which she knew next to
nothing. It is another story that the government survived thanks to the vote of
In these dirty political games, some Indo-Canadians have been among the most prominent players. The Gurmant Grewal tapes of conversation with health minister Ujjal Dosanjh and Paul Martin's chief of staff showed how unprincipled and desperate the politicians on both sides of the divide are. One doesn't know whom to believe.
In recent days, another high-profile Indo-Canadian has been embroiled in a different kind of politics. Rather, he has become the victim of dirty politics between the previous government of Jean Chretien and the current Paul Martin government which chucked out all Chretien loyalists on taking over in December 2003.
Well, you can play politics with people on local and national issues. But you don't play politics with your foreign appointments. But this seems to have happened in the case of Bhupinder Liddar who was appointed Canada's consul general in Chandigarh when the then Prime Minister Jean Chretien opened their consulate general in November 2003.
The consulate general was set up after a lot of hard work by many Indo-Canadians,
including the then natural resources minister Herb Dhaliwal. I remember how Dhaliwal
shuttled between various VVIPs in
Initially, both the governments were against the opening of the
Without an iota of doubt, the
Whatever it is, but no one could expect Dhaliwal -- who created history by becoming
the first Indian cabinet minister in the western world in 1997 -- to back someone
of dubious background. As he had told this correspondent in an interview later,
he was deeply hurt when Liddar was not allowed to take over the
Liddar, like many others, was sent packing when Martin took over in Dec 2003. The reason: he needed to be cleared by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service or CSIS.
This raises many questions. Why was he cleared in the first place when they suspected him to be a security risk? Why was not the Chretien government informed by CSIS before it went through with his appointment?
The record of CSIS in the Liddar case is as dubious as in the Air India case when
it erased tapes of conversation between the bombing mastermind Talwinder Singh Parmar
and Ajaib Singh Bagri who was later not found guilty. The judge in the case, Ian
Josephson, had indicted CSIS for destroying evidence. That's why the killers of
329 Air
After two long years, with the Security Intelligence Review Committtee (SIRC) now
indicting CSIS for blocking the
Liddar and Herb Dhaliwal feel vindicated as do many Indo-Canadians. But will Liddar
the post back? He is tightlipped and waiting. Technically, this man is still their
consul general in
Because, as sources close to him say, he has his reputation to retrieve. As media reports say, Herb Dhaliwal has written to the prime minister to let Liddar take over the assignment, citing the respect he commands among the politically influential Indo-Canadian community and the role he can play in fostering better ties between the two countries.
But funnily enough, in the aftermath of Liddar's victory, rumours have created to
the effect that now
When he has been found innocent of any wrong-doing by the civilian SIRC, what else he needs to prove his innocent? The whole episode smacks of dirty politics at the highest level. You hang a person only if he is found guilty.
The episode is not going down well with many in the Indo-Canadian community who feel Liddar has been made a scapegoat (and there are many others who are eying this post with the backing of other Indo-Canadian politicians). They feel he has become the victim of the Chretien-Martin crossfire.
What happens to the man who is now being backed by none other than deputy minister for foreign affairs Peter Harder? Hard to say. But Liddar has already won a big victory.
Embassy News August 10th, 2005 By Sarah McGregor
Outgoing Saudi Arabian envoy says Bhupinder Liddar will bounce back, praises
The clearance last week of a former journalist who was wrongly deemed a national
security risk and stripped of a diplomatic posting to
Yet Ambassador Mohammed Al-Hussaini Al-Sharif acknowledges the even with a favourable ruling "the damage is done already" to Bhupinder Liddar's career and wide social network. He says it may take much longer to restore the friendships Mr. Liddar lost over misguided concerns that he had been hiding a troubling past.
"The pain, and the moral loss and the damage that was done is great. He will
come back eventually - it will take time - to the life that he had before,"
says Mr. Al-Sharif, the dean of the Arab ambassadors, who is scheduled to depart
"What happened now shows you the greatness of
Last week, the civilian review body exploring the decision of
Mr. Liddar's lawyer, Janice Payne, released a statement saying the closed-door investigation by the Security Intelligence Review Committee found no reason that Mr. Liddar should be denied security clearance. The "report has completely removed any possible concern that there could have been concerning Mr. Liddar and his appointment," she said, in a written public statement.
Mr. Liddar was appointed in October 2003 by then-prime minister Jean Chrétien to
head up the newly-created
The likeable and well-connected expectant diplomat was fêted at galas in his honour.
But in March 2004, before he finished training in the
Mr. Liddar says he declined a $60,000 pay out and, rather, appealed the finding that he carried a blemished security record. Since then, he has collected the salary of a consul-general, about $120,000 annually. He will continue to get a paycheck until he finalizes negotiations with lawyers from Foreign Affairs Canada in the wake of the report. Foreign Affairs was unable to comment yesterday.
Mr. Al-Sharif says that a pricetag can't be attached to the harm caused to Mr. Liddar and his lifestyle. "The damage is huge because he lost his source of living. The magazine and the program, and of course he lost some friends - because (they) wrongly or correctly thought he was already in trouble," says Mr. Al-Sharif. "How can you evaluate it in money? I don't know."
Mr. Al-Sharif calls the Kenyan-born Sikh a "close friend" to the entire
Mr. Liddar is a political navigator on Parliament Hill who organizes international
events that bring together the who's who of
"Bhupinder was one of the first people of the diplomatic community I met here,"
says Alessandro Cortese, Minister Counsellor at the Italian Embassy in
The basis on which Mr. Liddar was blocked remains a mystery but some point to a political rivalry between Mr. Chrétien and Prime Minister Paul Martin who was in power in 2004 at the time his security clearance was denied. Other suggestions surround Mr. Liddar's close association with Arab diplomats and his work on setting up a Canada-U.S.S.R. Parliamentary Group as a political staffer several decades ago.
Independent MP David Kilgour in an article by F. Abbas Rana in this week's Hill Times calls on the government to undertake a review of Mr. Liddar's case and get to the bottom of the issue. "I would think that we need a completely independent person to look at why CSIS went so far off the track on this matter," he said. Herb Dhaliwal, a former cabinet minister in the Chrétien cabinet who campaigned for Mr. Liddar to get the appointment, also demanded an inquiry. Both men testified as part of the SIRC investigation.
The position of consul-general in
The Hill Times August 08, 2005 By F. Abbas Rana
Public
inquiry needed to clear the air around
Ind MP David Kilgour says the blocked appointment has been an 'embarrassment' for Bhupinder Liddar who was finally cleared two weeks ago to take up the job as consul general to Chandigarh he got nearly two years ago Prime Minister Paul Martin should set up an inquiry to determine why Bhupinder Liddar, a former journalist appointment as Canada's consul general to Chandigarh, India nearly two years ago, was wrongly denied security clearance by Canada'a spy agency to take up the job, says Independent MP David Kilgour.
"In light of the enormous difficulty this has caused for Mr. Liddar--he's given up his business, his TV program--I would think that we need a completely independent person to look at why CSIS went so far off the track on this matter and it seems to me there should be an independent person of integrity and respect that should look at this to make sure that this doesn't happen to somebody else," said Mr. Kilgour (Edmonton-Beaumont, Alta.) who was a witness before Civilian watchdog Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) that cleared Mr. Liddar two weeks ago.
Mr. Liddar's appointment, announced by then foreign affairs minister Bill Graham on Oct. 21, 2003, was blocked when the Canadian Security Intelligence Service ruled him a security risk.
Despite travelling to
Mr. Kilgour, who is also an author of a book about CSIS, said the entire saga has been an "embarrassment" for Mr. Liddar who should be given his job back as soon as possible.
The former Liberal MP, who served as a junior Cabinet minister in former prime minister Jean Chrétien's Cabinet from 1997 to 2003, said that Tim Murphy, chief of staff to Mr. Martin (LaSalle-Émard, Que.) assured him verbally in a meeting last year that should Mr. Liddar gets his security clearance, he will get his position back.
"He must get his position back since Mr. Martin's chief of staff Mr. Murphy has given me an undertaking that he would get his position if he was found to be clearable security wise," he said.
Mr. Liddar would not speak to media last week, but in a prepared statement his lawyer Janice Payne said that Paule Gauthier, the former SIRC chair who retired in June, "reviewed exhaustively the evidence brought before her and was categorical in her findings that there was no basis for the conclusion that CSIS drew that Mr. Liddar should be denied the necessary security clearance.
Added Mr. Gauthier: "Mme Gauthier's report has completely removed any possible concern that there could have been concerning Mr. Liddar and his appointment. We are currently reviewing the SIRC report and are engaged in discussion with DFAIT legal counsel in an effort to resolve and agree on appropriate action with respect to Mr. Liddar's appointment. We hope to be in a position to advise further in that regard shortly."
The SIRC report was not made public, and CSIS and DFAIT spokespersons refused interview requests last week because DFAIT and Mr. Liddar's lawyer were still negotiating the next step and CSIS was still reviewing the report.
Mr. Liddar, who has been receiving a salary of about $120,000 a year pending the outcome of the SIRC review, has the option of suing the federal government.
Conservative MP Bill Casey (North Nova, N.S.) said he looked into the issue after Mr. Liddar's appointment was blocked. He said he learned through "senior political circles" that there was a genuine case against Mr. Liddar. But now that SIRC has cleared Mr. Liddar, he also thinks an inquiry is needed to clear the air.
"I haven't seen the [SIRC] report and I don't know what the original accusations were but I was always given the impression that there was a file that indicated a security risk and if that impression was wrong then I'm entitled to an explanation why I was given that impression.
"We're all entitled to an explanation because for a long time we were all left in the dark about all these explanations, suggestions that there is a security risk but with no explanation at all. It put us all in a very difficult situation."
Scott Reid, director of communications to the Prime Minister declined a comment
saying "clearance issues are outside of the appropriate discretion of the political
level." Foreign Affairs Minister
Mr. Liddar was publisher/editor of Diplomat & International Canada magazine
from 1989-2003 and was host of The Diplomatic World, CPAC-TV--a weekly panel discussion
on international issues before he was appointed to
The reasons for not granting security clearance to Mr. Liddar had not been made public by CSIS or DFAIT despite his public demands, but there had been suggestions that he has been denied security clearance possibly because of his close association and work with Arab diplomats on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and because of helping former New Brunswick PC MP Robert Corbett set up the Canada-U.S.S.R. Parliamentary Group during his employment on the Hill in 1970s and 1980s.
Herb Dhaliwal, a former Cabinet minister in Mr. Chrétien's Cabinet, who also lobbied on Mr. Liddar's behalf to get this political appointment, agreed with Mr. Kilgour that an inquiry should be set up to look at the whole affair.
"This is a damning report against CSIS, their methods, their modus operandi and a Parliamentary Committee should investigate how CSIS carries out these type of evaluations and the report has been damning saying it was biased, it was incomplete and there is no basis whatsoever on denying that security clearance and Bhupinder deserves a full apology from CSIS and from this government," said Mr. Dhaliwal who has read the entire report.
Mr. Dhaliwal said that after Mr. Liddar's appointment was put on hold, there was a speculation whether it had anything to do with Chrétien-Martin rivalry but he was told by senior government officials that Mr. Liddar will get his position back if SIRC granted a favourable opinion to him.
"I talked to people at the most senior level at the time and [they told me] that the position would be held and no one will be appointed till such time this review is completed and that the only concern the government had was the security review and if that's cleared, he'd be reinstated," said Mr. Dhaliwal.
"There was a debate is this political, is this the reason that this appointment did not follow through. I was assured again and again by the government that this was not political. It was only because of security reasons and once those are resolved, they have no problem with him. So, I only take their word for it. If what they were telling me was the truth then he would be reinstated for a full three year term."
The Ottawa Citizen August 04, 2005 By Tim Naumetz
Would-be
diplomat 'improperly' denied post
CSIS oversight group exonerates Liddar over security clearance
A former journalist whose diplomatic appointment to
Bhupinder Liddar had been denied the security clearance he needed to take a post
as head of mission for the Canadian consulate in
But Mr. Liddar's lawyer said yesterday that the Security Intelligence Review Committee has "categorically" found no basis for the spy agency's claim.
The head of the civilian review committee, Paule Gauthier, found Mr. Liddar was "improperly" denied a top secret security clearance and urged the government to grant it, lawyer Janice Payne said in a written statement.
Lawyers for Mr. Liddar and Foreign Affairs are now in talks over the status of his appointment.
Then-Foreign Affairs minister Bill Graham announced Mr. Liddar's appointment in late October 2003, but Mr. Liddar was never sent to the posting. He has, however, been receiving a salary of $120,000 a year for the position pending the outcome of the complaint he filed with SIRC.
The appointment was put on hold after Prime Minister Paul Martin's new government took office.
Mr. Liddar, former owner and editor of Diplomat Magazine, says the Privy Council Office had offered him a cash payment of $60,000 to give up his fight and sign a confidentiality agreement.
"If I had done something (wrong), I would have taken the $60,000 and disappeared," Mr. Liddar said earlier this year. "But I didn't."
He would not comment yesterday, saying, "my lawyer has advised me not to say anything."
Ms. Payne said in her statement, "we are currently reviewing the SIRC report and are engaged in discussion with (Foreign Affairs Department) legal counsel in an effort to resolve and agree on appropriate action with respect to Mr. Liddar's appointment."
Mr. Liddar, a Kenyan-born Sikh who was educated in the
Following the initial announcement of his posting, Mr. Liddar attended briefings
for the posting at the Foreign Affairs Department and was feted at several going-away
events in
"Ms. Gauthier's report has completely removed any possible concern that there could have been concerning Mr. Liddar and his appointment," said Ms. Payne.
She added Ms. Gauthier "reviewed exhaustively the evidence brought before her and was categorical in her findings that there was no basis for the conclusion that CSIS drew that Liddar should be denied the necessary security clearance."
The The Globe & Mail August 04, 2005 By Bill Curry
Spy
agency rebuked for denying post to consul-general, citing national security
The Security Intelligence Review Committee confirmed yesterday that it had issued
its report into the matter after a closed-door investigation that heard from the
CSIS agents involved in the decision and former cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal,
who had lobbied for his friend Bhupinder Liddar to get the newly created position
of consul-general to
Mr. Dhaliwal, who has seen the report, said SIRC has delivered a "devastating" critique of the spy agency that should raise serious concerns about how Canadians can wrongly be listed as security threats without their knowledge.
"This report is devastating to CSIS," he said. "It's extremely critical of the way they've conducted themselves, the way they did the evaluation, the conclusions they came to.
"If I was in government now, I would have some very serious questions for CSIS and the way they operate. I think that it's really unbelievable if people knew the whole story about the conduct of CSIS."
A CSIS spokeswoman said the agency is reviewing the report.
A spokeswoman for SIRC confirmed that the report sides with Mr. Liddar and calls for him to receive the appropriate security clearance for the job, which CSIS had denied. However, the report is not being released, allowing the mystery to continue about why the government scrapped the appointment five months after it was made.
The spokeswoman said the committee never releases reports dealing with individuals.
Lawyers for Mr. Liddar and the Foreign Affairs Department will now negotiate the next steps. Mr. Liddar said yesterday that he cannot comment on the matter until the discussions are complete.
His lawyer, Janice Payne, is on vacation this week, but issued a written statement saying that SIRC judge Paule Gauthier "reviewed exhaustively the evidence brought before her and was categorical in her findings that there was no basis for the conclusion that CSIS drew that Mr. Liddar should be denied the necessary security clearance. Mme. Gauthier's report has completely removed any possible concern that there could have been concerning Mr. Liddar and his appointment."
One official at Mr. Liddar's law firm said that they are not making the report public because it is under review.
Mr. Liddar was a well-known socialite in
He started working on the Hill in the late 1970s as an assistant to Progressive
Conservative MPs and eventually focused his attention on
Although he never worked in the Indian consulate, he has continued to receive a consul-general salary throughout the appeal, which is estimated to be around $120,000 a year.
An official with Foreign Affairs said yesterday that Mr. Liddar will continue to be paid as negotiations continue with the department.
Mr. Liddar was not allowed to attend the meetings at which CSIS agents outlined their case, and the affable would-be diplomat said earlier this year that he continued to have no idea why he would be considered a security risk.
Earlier media reports, combined with the type of questions put to him during the SIRC review, led him to speculate previously that CSIS may have been concerned that foreign embassies representing Middle Eastern countries sometimes paid him for communications advice or help organizing parties.
He also once worked for an MP who led a controversial outreach program with the
former
Maclean’s August 03, 2005 By Stephen Thorne
Would-be diplomat Liddar wins big round
in fight with government
Lawyers for Bhupinder Singh Liddar and Foreign Affairs Canada have begun talks after
the Security Intelligence Review Committee ruled Liddar was improperly denied a
top secret security clearance. Liddar's October 2003 appointment as consul general
to
"The report upheld Mr. Liddar's complaint and specifically recommends that he be granted a top secret security clearance," his lawyer, Janice Payne, said in a statement released Wednesday.
Payne said SIRC veteran Paule Gauthier was "categorical in her findings that there was no basis for the conclusion that CSIS drew."
"Mme Gauthier's report has completely removed any possible concern that there could have been concerning Mr. Liddar and his appointment."
Foreign Affairs
"Legal counsel has spoken and will do so again once they've had a chance to study the decision," said spokeswoman Marie-Christine Lilkoff.
Liddar declined comment on instruction from his lawyer.
He has said in the past he fears he is a victim of overzealous security in the war on terror, and a long-running feud between former prime minister Jean Chretien and his replacement, Paul Martin.
A well-connected former television host, Liddar was appointed to
Supporters included Chretien loyalist Herb Dhaliwal, a cabinet minister at the time.
Dhaliwal signed the order-in-council appointing Liddar, a Sikh born in
Dhaliwal, who was dropped from cabinet after Martin took over, has said he's been assured otherwise, but he suspects the political feud within the Liberal party may have contributed to Liddar's problems.
He said CSIS must have scrutinized Liddar and given him a clean security bill before allowing Chretien and his full cabinet to approve the appointment.
"The report is very critical of CSIS," Dhaliwal said. "If I was a minister, I'd be asking some tough questions of CSIS and the way they process information and come to conclusions.
"Now he's got full clearance, he should be fully reinstated to his job."
Liddar sold his business as publisher of Diplomat magazine, was feted at numerous farewell parties and took an office at Foreign Affairs Canada to begin a lengthy series of diplomatic briefings.
Five months later, the appointment was suddenly frozen as the security intelligence service raised still-unspecified security concerns.
Neither CSIS nor Foreign Affairs will comment on the case or specify what security concerns exist. Liddar himself called on CSIS to make public its accusations so he could defend himself.
He suspects questions might date back to his work as a parliamentary aide to controversial MPs in the 1970s and 1980s.
Some of those MPs worked to improve
Before appealing to SIRC - the highly secretive review body of CSIS - to look at his case, Liddar rejected government offers to quietly settle the matter with a $60,000 payment.
His lawyer is preparing a lawsuit against the federal government, claiming negligence
and misrepresentation for yanking his new job after he sold his business and began
his move to
Liddar faced tough security scrutiny 10 years ago when he applied for a Canadian citizenship because of his work in 1986 in two parliamentary associations - the Canadian Arab World Parliament Association and the Canada-USSR parliamentary group.
Canadian Press
August 3, 2005 By Stephen Thorne
Would-be diplomat Liddar wins big round in fight with government
A review committee has struck a blow to the federal government in a diplomatic dustup,
backing a consular nominee's claim that he was unjustly declared a security risk
before his posting to
Lawyers for Bhupinder Singh Liddar and Foreign Affairs Canada have begun talks after
the Security Intelligence Review Committee ruled Liddar was improperly denied a
top secret security clearance. Liddar's October 2003 appointment as consul general
to
"The report upheld Mr. Liddar's complaint and specifically recommends that he be granted a top secret security clearance," his lawyer, Janice Payne, said in a statement released Wednesday.
Payne said SIRC veteran Paule Gauthier was "categorical in her findings that there was no basis for the conclusion that CSIS drew."
"Mme Gauthier's report has completely removed any possible concern that there could have been concerning Mr. Liddar and his appointment."
Foreign Affairs
"Legal counsel has spoken and will do so again once they've had a chance to study the decision," said spokeswoman Marie-Christine Lilkoff.
Liddar declined comment on instruction from his lawyer.
He has said in the past he fears he is a victim of overzealous security in the war on terror, and a long-running feud between former prime minister Jean Chretien and his replacement, Paul Martin.
A well-connected former television host, Liddar was appointed to
Supporters included Chretien loyalist Herb Dhaliwal, a cabinet minister at the time.
Dhaliwal signed the order-in-council appointing Liddar, a Sikh born in
Dhaliwal, who was dropped from cabinet after Martin took over, has said he's been assured otherwise, but he suspects the political feud within the Liberal party may have contributed to Liddar's problems.
He said CSIS must have scrutinized Liddar and given him a clean security bill before allowing Chretien and his full cabinet to approve the appointment.
"The report is very critical of CSIS," Dhaliwal said. "If I was a minister, I'd be asking some tough questions of CSIS and the way they process information and come to conclusions.
"Now he's got full clearance, he should be fully reinstated to his job."
Liddar sold his business as publisher of Diplomat magazine, was feted at numerous farewell parties and took an office at Foreign Affairs Canada to begin a lengthy series of diplomatic briefings.
Five months later, the appointment was suddenly frozen as the security intelligence service raised still-unspecified security concerns.
Neither CSIS nor Foreign Affairs will comment on the case or specify what security concerns exist. Liddar himself called on CSIS to make public its accusations so he could defend himself.
He suspects questions might date back to his work as a parliamentary aide to controversial MPs in the 1970s and 1980s.
Some of those MPs worked to improve
Before appealing to SIRC - the highly secretive review body of CSIS - to look at his case, Liddar rejected government offers to quietly settle the matter with a $60,000 payment.
His lawyer is preparing a lawsuit against the federal government, claiming negligence
and misrepresentation for yanking his new job after he sold his business and began
his move to
Liddar faced tough security scrutiny 10 years ago when he applied for a Canadian citizenship because of his work in 1986 in two parliamentary associations - the Canadian Arab World Parliament Association and the Canada-USSR parliamentary group.
In The Ottawa Citizen June 02, 2005 By Grant Robertson
The
Would make him 'King of Punjab': observer
A diplomatic posting apparently promised to a political rival of Tory MP Nina Grewal appears to be among the possible jobs her husband, Conservative MP Gurmant Grewal, discussed with the Liberals in secretly taped conversations about switching parties.
Although it's still unclear which side approached the other about Mr. Grewal and
his wife defecting to the Liberals, an observer in the Indo-Canadian community said
the alleged offer -- a consular role in
According to transcripts of taped conversations made public by Mr. Grewal's office, a third party who acted as a broker between Mr. Grewal and the Liberals indicated the job had been promised to Gulzar Cheema by the government, but that could change.
The prime minister had "promised Dr. Cheema," Sudesh Kalia, the intermediary who arranged talks between the Liberals and the Grewals, is heard saying. Mr. Kalia then adds: "Cheema says everything is OK with him."
Mr. Cheema, a former member of the B.C. legislature who quit provincial politics to run for the Liberals in last summer's federal election, lost to Ms. Grewal by fewer than 2,500 votes.
Mr. Cheema did not return calls yesterday and Tory officials said Mr. Grewal was unable to comment on the matter because he is now speaking to the RCMP about the tapes.
However, Conservative spokesman Geoff Norquay accused the Liberals of dangling the post in front of Mr. Grewal.
"The discussion of that position is all carefully nuanced," Mr. Norquay said, adding it seemed to him the consular job "was raised as a possibility."
The Liberals are questioning the validity of the transcripts, including discussions in Punjabi with Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh.
"The translation is inaccurate in places from my knowledge of my own mother tongue -- Punjabi," Mr. Dosanjh said outside the House of Commons yesterday.
Liberal officials said no offer was made regarding the consular posting in
"I can't speak to what Mr. Grewal was asking for," an aide to the prime minister said. "The position has not been promised to anyone."
However, a prominent member of the Indo-Canadian community said it is well known
in B.C. political circles that the federal Liberals were giving the consul general
job in
Rumours had also circulated that the situation had changed in recent weeks.
Kewal Pabla, a
Another prominent member of the Punjabi community, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
said rumours have emerged that Mr. Cheema was no longer up for the job. Returning
to
"With that posting, with
It's not the first time the diplomatic posting in
The job was given to
Sun May 22, 2005 By Kathleen Harris
Good job if you can get it DIPLOMAT BEING PAID WHILE HE AWAITS RULING
A JILTED diplomat is collecting a $120,000-a-year salary for the job he was never allowed to fill but plans to sue the government if he's not cleared for the post.
Bhupinder Liddar has pulled a government paycheque for nearly two years since he was mysteriously yanked as head of mission in Chandigarh, India, due to an unspecified "security concern."
He's now awaiting a ruling on his complaint to the Security Intelligence Review Committee.
"Depending on how the SIRC review goes, there will be a settlement claim after
that," said Liddar, once a well-known fixture in
APPOINTED BY CHRÉTIEN
Liddar was appointed by former prime minister Jean Chrétien in October 2003 but was told five months later he didn't pass the required security checks.
He's the first to admit taxpayers should be miffed with the government paying him a six-figure salary.
"I totally sympathize with the taxpayer, who would question why are we paying this man when he's sitting here," he said.
If his appeal isn't successful, Liddar will pursue compensation through the courts for selling his magazine, Diplomat and International Canada, and forfeiting freelance media jobs in preparation for the foreign posting. After testifying at the hush-hush hearing in January, he's hoping for a ruling soon.
Foreign affairs spokesman Rodney Moore could not speculate on whether Liddar could be reappointed but said the government intends to keep him on the payroll until his appeals process is exhausted.
NOT UNPRECEDENTED
While it's rare for a diplomat to be paid after a posting was revoked,
John Williamson, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said it's another costly example of the government covering its butt at taxpayers' expense.
"You inform this gentleman he can't be sent abroad to represent
But Liddar, who wants to resolve the issue and get on with his life, said there's more than money at stake.
"It's unusual in a country like
"This is the credibility of
The Ottawa Citizen Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Taxpayers
still paying for appointee not on the job
Consul general to
Two years after his appointment as consul general to
Such is life in the murky world of international appointments, which Mr. Liddar has come to know all too well in recent months.
Mr. Liddar watched in amazement yesterday after reports from Asia that
Foreign Affairs Minister
Sri Lankan newspapers said former defence secretary Chandrananda de Silva was rejected for the post under the Immigration Act.
Mr. Liddar, who was appointed by the Chrétien government as
At one point, Mr. Liddar said he was told problems with his security clearance had
jeopardized the move. He has taken his appeal to the Security Intelligence Review
Committee, which oversees
Mr. Liddar's story has been a controversial one, with opposition MPs questioning why he was offered close to $60,000 from the Privy Council Office if he promised to abandon the post and sign a confidentiality agreement.
"If I had done something I would have taken the $60,000 and disappeared and said forget about it. But I didn't," he said. "There are a lot of questions. I don't know what really."
Meanwhile, taxpayers continue to foot Mr. Liddar's $100,000-plus annual salary until the matter is resolved. The Liberal insider who is now contemplating a book, acknowledged the situation makes little sense to him. Nor is he surprised by the lack of answers over the Sri Lankan situation.
"At least it would be good to know a reason," he said of both situations.
However, such answers are unlikely. After the reports from Asia filtered to
"It's a confidential matter between states," said Marie-Christine Lilkoff, spokeswoman for the department.
Hindustan Times,
April 15, 2005 By Gurmukh Singh
There was a lot of Indian news in
In the nation's parliament, the Air-India case had its echo once again when the House debated and then okayed a motion seeking a public inquiry into the 1985 bombing.
The motion, moved by Indo-Canadian MP Gurmant Grewal, generated so much heat in the House that at one time the leader of the Opposition Conservative Party, Stephen Harper, had to say that the government would have reacted differently if the victims had been white Canadians.
A defensive Prime Minister Paul Martin shrugged off these accusations.
Outside the House, Deputy Prime Minister and Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan met with some of the relatives of the Kanishka bombing to know what more could be done to satisfy them after the British Columbian Supreme Court in Vancouver last month acquitted the two suspects --Ripduman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri-- for lack of evidence.
On the other hand, the Crown or prosecution counsel in Vancouver, who are sifting through the 600-page verdict and had till April 16 to appeal the verdict, got more time till May 13 to appeal against the acquittals.
Amid all this, it is surprising that no one raised the issue of compensation for
the victims. Aren't victims around the world compensated by governments? Even in
the Lockerbie case,
It is springtime in this cold country. Though Baisakhi celebrations, including parades,
are a permanent feature in many cities across North America,
Floats depicting different aspects of Punjabi rural life and the Sikh religion were the most attractive part of the parade. Virtually every home had set up a free kitchen or langar in front of it. One could see whites and Chinese joining in the feast. Televisions featured the parade prominently as did the newspapers.
In view of the next month's provincial elections, leaders of all hues too pitched their tent in the parade town. British Columbian Premier Gordon Campbell was there with his ministers and MLAs as were Opposition leader Carole James and MPs like Gurmant Grewal.
Interestingly, the country's most famous Indo-Canadian judge, Wally Oppal, who last week quit his $200,000-yearly job at the Supreme Court to join politics, opened his political innings by appearing at the Baisakhi parade.
In the nation's parliament in
In fact, this year the Baiskahi celebrations in parliament began last week when over 300 VIPs, including MPs, ambassadors and high commissioners, prominent Canadians and Canadians of other faiths, attended a gala function.
Prime Minister Paul Martin and Opposition leader Stephen Harper, who could not come because they had to attend the Pope's funeral, were represented by Justice Minister Irwin Cotler and Conservative Party MP Stockwell Day respectively.
In his message, which was read by Bhupinder Liddar, chair of the celebration committee,
the Prime Minister said, "The Canadian-Sikh community can take great pride
in the many contributions that they have made to the growth of our country. It is
my hope that you will continue to foster such fellowship within your own community
and abroad, while contributing to a strong and harmonious
Speaking for the Prime Minister, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said the Sikh faith and the Khalsa stood for the ideals and traditions that Canadians share. The principles of equality, selfless service and justice that symbolise the Sikh faith, he said, are also found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Speaking for Stephen Harper, Stockwell Day said what the Sikh community brought to Canada "makes us a better people to have a greater understanding of things that matter most.'' He said the Sikhs are literally in almost every area of Canadian life. "You enrich our communities. You make it a better place to live and we are thankful for that," he added.
New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton said: "It will be a wonderful day when a motion could be adopted in the House of Commons to recognise the five Sikhs symbols."
His party MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis has moved a motion in parliament to give proper
recognition and respect for Sikhism and an equal place for Sikhs in
Bhupinder Liddar, who had organised the first Baisakhi celebration way back in 1987,
told the gathering -- which had all South Asian MPs, except Ujjal Dosanjh and Ruby
Dhalla -- that Punjabi was the fourth largest spoken language of
They are not yet finished as more cities take out parades this weekend.
Embassy News,
October 20, 2004 By David Jones
If Bhupinder Liddar Were in the
The Bhupinder Liddar saga is back in the news. With his appeal to the Security Intelligence Review Committee over the Canadian Security Intelligence Service ruling to deny him a security clearance due to open with two sessions in mid-October followed by further hearings in early November and December, Liddar will get his long-sought "day in court."
Knowing only of the Canadian security clearance system from the media, it is difficult
to critique the circumstances that have prevented Liddar from obtaining a security
clearance without which he is unable to take up his post as Canadian consul general
at
The following is a comparative account--how a security investigation would have addressed a "made-in-the-USA" Bhupinder Liddar. (At this point, readers should note that I have known Mr. Liddar since my assignment to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa in 1992 and occasionally contributed pieces for the magazine that he previously owned.)
In the United States, there are essentially two routes to a security clearance for a diplomatic assignment: through the process of being hired for a government bureaucratic position, such as a State Department career Foreign Service Officer (FSO), or by being a political appointee to a senior position such as an ambassador or consul general.
A candidate for a State Department FSO position first takes a range of written and
oral examinations designed to determine suitability for the job; these are challenging
tests, and only a very low percentage of candidates pass them. At the end of the
process, a candidate is offered a position, based on medical determination that
(s)he is healthy enough to be assigned anywhere in the world and has no problems
that would prevent obtaining a security clearance. A diplomat must carry a Top Secret
clearance, which implies the authorization to have access to information the "unauthorized
disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage
to the national security" to the
Having obtained the sheaf of forms completed by the subject of the security investigation, the agent handling the investigation proceeds to verify the information, which includes inter alia previous residences, educational background, names of family members, foreign travel, and names of financial and personal references. Likewise, there are "yes/no" type questions regarding substance abuse, illegal activity, and membership in selected organizations connected with illegal/criminal activity. The applicant, having signed releases to allow access to medical and financial information, is an open book. There will also be a personal interview with the applicant.
Senior political appointments are handled somewhat differently. They are, by definition,
more visible. A political appointment is indeed "political" and subject
to "gotcha" type scrutiny by political opponents. Each such appointee
reflects the investment of at least some presidential credibility. And they must
be confirmed by the Senate, which makes their visibility and the potential for embarrassing
public relations fiascos even more pointed. Thus, one may recall the "Nannygate"
debacles that affected the first two
Indeed, an ambassadorial appointment can be a disaster even beyond the grave. Such
was the case of Ambassador Larry Lawrence, a prominent Democrat political fund raiser
and the
Consequently, with each embarrassment, the screening process has become more intensive
and the announcement/confirmation process more protracted, even agonizingly slow.
Much of the back and forth regarding senior political ambassadorships is reminiscent
of the exercise for career officers--only the discussion relates to
Former
Although the format for pursuing the background investigation is similar to that undertaken for career diplomats, it is done by active duty FBI agents. Nevertheless, having received the results of the FBI investigation, the State Department diplomatic security bureau makes the final adjudication whether to issue a security clearance.
Clearly, there are instances when the system has looked the other way over peccadilloes for political appointees that would torpedo the prospective nomination of a career candidate. That, of course, is the decision of senior members of the Administration, who may consciously make the decision to risk public examination of these "warts" or, more likely, believe that they will not be discovered.
We can be confident, however, that if Mr. Liddar had been an American, the examination of his credentials prior to announcing the appointment would have been deep and detailed. Whether this examination would have disclosed the issue(s) over which his nomination foundered and/or the degree to which those who endorsed him were witting of the circumstances will be for Canadians to judge--assuming that the SIRC hearings reveal these subjects.
-- David Jones is a former
June 14, 2004 By Ayesha Bhatty
Diplomat demands answers: Appeal launched by a man previously named as a consul-general
Bhupinder Singh Liddar, 57, has initiated a formal appeal and legal proceedings in the hopes of getting an explanation for why the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) denied him security clearance.
"It's a bizarre situation," said Liddar, who has been offered no reasons for why he was denied clearance in March even though he was given the position last October.
Liddar was in
Radio Punjab commentator Harjinder Thind said Liddar -- who was born in
"He has become more known since his dismissal," said Thind, adding: "Many of B.C.'s Sikhs would have been happier if Raj Chahal [former prime minister Jean Chrétien's top adviser for Western Canada] had been appointed to the position."
Liddar's appointment was made through an order-in-council on Oct. 21, approved by
the governor-general and publicly announced by Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham.
He was then flown to
"I was on stage with Jean Chrétien, the chief minister of
Liddar returned to
He attended briefings on bilateral issues concerning
Then in March, Liddar said foreign affairs advised him he had not passed security requirements for reasons it would not disclose to him. He said he was offered two options: to accept a $60,000 settlement or to appeal the CSIS decision with the Security Intelligence Review Committee.
Liddar called the settlement offer "ridiculous and insulting," adding that it has caused him great embarrassment to have his reputation tarnished.
"I know I have done nothing wrong," he said. "Until I am told what the concerns are, my life is in limbo. We operate under the rule of law, not the rule of secrecy. I am appealing because this should not happen to any Canadian."
Liddar said he does not know whether the government flip-flop was motivated by politics or legitimate security concerns.
"Whatever the reasons are, they need to be made public," he said, adding the only way to get at the findings of the security review is to appeal the decision in October.
Liddar said he is also launching a lawsuit against the government alleging negligence and misrepresentation, but said his lawyer has not determined an appropriate amount for damages as yet.
During the appeal, Liddar will continue to draw a $100,000-plus annual salary.
"This will tide me over until the end of the process," said Liddar, who was the publisher and editor of Diplomat & International Canada magazine. Before accepting the posting, he also hosted a weekly hour-long show on CPAC and was a columnist with the Hill Times.
"I sold the magazine, stopped the CPAC program and stopped writing my column," said Liddar, adding that he is concerned his chances of employment could be reduced because his image has been tarnished.
"Despite what has happened, no bitterness has set in," said Liddar. "I would still accept the position if it was offered to me because it is a phenomenal honour to serve this country."
Former federal minister Herb Dhaliwal, who backed Liddar for the post, said he was "just as surprised and shocked as a lot of other people about why [Liddar] finds himself in this situation."
He added: "He is a well-respected person who is well-known in
June 1, 2004
By Nicholas Keung
Glory to
humiliation in just five months
There was much fanfare when Bhupinder Liddar, a Sikh-Canadian, was appointed by
then prime minister Jean Chrétien as consul-general to
But the public honour turned into public disgrace just months later when the appointment was abruptly frozen by the foreign affairs department due to "unknown security concerns."
"I was shocked," Liddar said in an interview during a recent stop in
Well-known in
The 57-year-old Kenyan-born Liddar was beside Chrétien at the opening of the
In preparing for his new position, due to start on April 1, Liddar sold his magazine, which he founded in 1989, and was given several weeks of briefings by foreign affairs officials. He also quit his job as a columnist for The Hill Times newspaper and as a television host for CPAC.
"It is a total public humiliation to have this cloud hanging over my head," he said. "Everybody is in a guessing game wondering what it is. It is just unfair that they would not tell me what the security concerns are about."
A foreign affairs spokesperson confirmed that Liddar's appointment has been put
on hold, but said she could not comment on the reasons. An official with
Liddar said it was his friend, former senior Chrétien cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal, who recommended him for the consul-general's job early last year. The appointment was made public in a news release issued by Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham on Oct. 21, 2003.
He said the department offered him $60,000 in compensation after rescinding the job offer, but he chose to appeal the decision to the Security Intelligence Review Committee, which oversees the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. A hearing is planned for this fall.
"One would have expected all the security clearances would have been made prior
to the appointment," said Liddar, who is still on the department's payroll
for the $120,000-a-year job. "The Order-in-Council was signed by the (former)
prime minister and other ministers on behalf of the cabinet. This can't happen in
Liddar said he's also considering a lawsuit, alleging the government was negligent in the handling of the appointment.
Foreign Affairs Minister Graham has said of the situation: "Appointments of
heads of mission are always subject to certain administrative procedures, which
in this case have not been completed. Until they are completed, the position is
that Mr. Liddar is not being sent to
But the minister's recent comments contradicted what Denis Coderre, former citizenship
and immigration minister, told Parliament last November: "I can assure the
House that all the rules were followed and that all the criteria were met. The consul-general
in
Liddar said he hopes the mess over his appointment is not related to disagreements between Chrétien and his successor, Paul Martin. "Is it political? I don't know. I hope not."
A graduate of the
The Hill Times May 17, 2004 By F. Abbas Rana
Former
PM Clark wants to know more about Liddar
Former prime minister Joe Clark says the government should articulate why it ever appointed Bhupinder S. Liddar as Canada’s consul general to Chandigarh, India, over any other career foreign service officers, especially since Mr. Liddar’s appointment has now been ground to a halt over “security concerns.”
“It’s not clear to me what the reasons were that caused the Chrétien government to think that he was more qualified than someone, for example, who might have been in the foreign service,” said Mr. Clark in an interview last week.
“The relevant question was why was the appointment made in the first place? And I don’t know the answer to that, but in answering that question one would have to internally in the department, I presume, one would have to have been satisfied and the Prime Minister’s Office would have to be satisfied that he was a better candidate for this position than people in the foreign service.”
Mr. Liddar whose appointment as
Former federal natural resources minister Herb Dhaliwal (Vancouver South-Burnaby, B.C.) is a close friend of Mr. Liddar and recommended Mr. Liddar’s name for the position of consul general to former prime minister Jean Chrétien.
Mr. Dhaliwal defended Mr. Liddar’s appointment.
“It was made because Mr. Liddar is a very capable individual. He has obviously experience in the diplomatic world. He was publishing a diplomatic magazine, he spoke on diplomatic issues all the time and certainly was very well-qualified to serve in that posting and it was applauded by all parties. Members from all parties applauded his appointment and he is a known quantity. He’s been working on the Hill for 20 years in different roles. So, all Mr. Clark has to do is to see what different people are saying about him and he will have a better understanding why he will make a good consul general,” said Mr. Dhaliwal
Mr. Liddar has now filed an appeal with SIRC. His lawyers are scheduled to meet with SIRC officials on Monday, May 17, to finalize the details of when and how the appeal procedure will be conducted.
Meanwhile, rumours last week suggested that the Prime Minister is considering appointing another candidate on an interim basis so that the issue won’t be used against him in the federal election campaign and in an effort to appease the Sikh community who have traditionally been strong supporters of the governing Liberal Party.
The PMO declined to comment.
May 16, 2004 Sandra Cordon Canadian Press
Would-be
diplomat collects pay for job PM won't give him
OTTAWA (CP) - En route to a glamorous life whirling around diplomatic circles between Canada and India, Bhupinder Liddar has suddenly found himself suspended somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.
By now, Liddar - a popular fixture on
Instead, he's caught in a shadowy world of security agencies and backroom politics
without knowing just why he suddenly lost his job as consul general to
Taxpayers have also paying his annual $100,000-plus salary since the government began grappling with the embarrassing muddle in March.
Liddar fears he is a victim of two pitched battles: the so-called war on terror with its heightened security, and the long-running feud between former prime minister Jean Chrétien and his replacement Paul Martin.
But the whole situation, says Liddar, is giving
"I really cannot fathom. . .why this is happening. It's a very bizarre situation," says the dapper 56-year-old.
"Diplomats I know have all expressed total surprise and amazement that in a
country such as
"It does not reflect well on
A well-connected former television host, Liddar was appointed to
Supporters included staunch Chrétien loyalist Herb Dhaliwal, who was then a cabinet
minister. Dhaliwal celebrated by personally signing the order-in-council that would
send Liddar, a Sikh born in
Liddar sold his business as publisher of Diplomat magazine, was feted at dozens of sumptuous farewell parties and took an office in the Department of Foreign Affairs to begin a lengthy series of diplomatic briefings.
Five months later, the appointment was suddenly frozen as
The situation has created a great deal of confusion and suspicion.
"Some suggest it's the Martin-Chrétien feud. . .the current political scene
in
Dhaliwal, who has had his own battles with Martin's inner circle, suspects the political feud within the Liberal party may have contributed to Liddar's problems.
After all, he says, CSIS must have scrutinized Liddar and given him a clean security bill last fall before allowing Chrétien and his full cabinet to approve the neophyte diplomat.
So why would security problems suddenly spring up?
"I can tell you one thing. . .there was no concern brought to my attention or even the former prime minister that there were any concerns," says Dhaliwal, who was dropped from cabinet after Martin became prime minister.
The secretive nature of CSIS and how Liddar has been treated raises "frightening issues" for just about anyone that might catch the security agency's eye, adds Dhaliwal.
"It really wakes you up and makes you think: if this could happen to him, what could happen to other Canadians? What about the average joe on the street?"
"Sometimes you don't even know this is happening to you. So this is very frightening."
Neither CSIS nor the Department of Foreign Affairs will comment on the case nor say just what security concerns exist.
Liddar himself has called on CSIS to make public its accusations so he can defends himself.
He suspects questions might date back to his work as a parliamentary aide to controversial MPs in the 1970s and 1980s.
Some of those MPs worked to improve
Those old connections may now be coming back to haunt him, he says.
But for now, he fears his reputation is mud.
"It's not only my livelihood that I've lost but in terms of my reputation - people must be thinking 'Oh, God - what has this guy done?'"
Liddar has appealed to SIRC - the highly secretive review body of CSIS - to review his case in the hope of regaining his diplomatic post.
He earlier rejected government offers to quietly settle the matter with a $60,000 payment.
His lawyer is also preparing a lawsuit against the federal government, claiming
negligence and misrepresentation for yanking his new job after he sold his business
and began his move to
Either proper security reviews weren't done before his appointment or the new regime has wrongly misrepresented him as an excuse to yank the diplomatic post, says Liddar.
He faced tough security scrutiny 10 years ago when he applied for a Canadian citizenship because of his work in 1986 in two parliamentary associations - the Canadian Arab World Parliament Association and the Canada-USSR parliamentary group.
After that, the controversy seemed to die out.
But in today's heightened security atmosphere, almost anyone seems fair game, says Liddar.
And that's a threat to such democratic beliefs as free speech and freedom of association.
"Supporting a possibly unpopular cause is not necessarily a reason for somebody to be targeted and treated in this matter."
Embassy Magazine May 5, 2004 By Jim Creskey
We hope the case of Bhupinder Liddar is not swamped in the wake of a federal election. Election or no election, Mr. Liddar continues to live in a strange purgatory imposed on him by unknown forces.
Several diplomats have expressed their dismay at the case and more than one has
said they have a hard time believing such a thing could happen in
There are two obvious solutions to the Bhupinder Liddar case:
If there is truly something in Mr. Liddar's file that would honestly prevent him
from serving
If, on the other hand, the material in Mr. Liddar's file is (as was reported in The Hill Times) worthless, the same minister should offer Mr. Liddar a sincere apology for the mess that has been made of this posting (and Mr. Liddar's life). Once this is done it might be a good idea to beg Mr. Liddar to accept the post he was given on October 21, 2003.
Whether Mr. Liddar would or should choose to accept the post is another thing altogether.
The Hill Times May 3, 2004 By F. Abbas Rana
Official suspects Martin-Chrétien feud behind Liddar's situation
A senior government official says the government should make public the reasons
for revoking Bhupinder S. Liddar's appointment as
The official, who did not want to be identified, told The Hill Times that in his experience, whenever an order-in-council appointment was made by Mr. Chrétien, a security clearance was obtained before the appointment was sent to the Cabinet for approval. The official said it's "very strange what has happened here," adding that he can't recall any such precedent in the past.
"What always happened is there was always clearance for all the appointments before they went to Cabinet. The Prime Minister's Office, if they had a name for an appointment, they would send the name, the address, the date of birth and the place of birth to the Privy Council Office. The Privy Council Office would then contact the agencies that were involved, depending on the appointment, and those agencies would report back to the Privy Council, not to the PMO, and the Prime Minister's Office would then be informed that everything was okay or it was not okay. If it was not okay, it did not proceed. If it was okay, it went ahead to the Cabinet but no appointment would have gone to the Cabinet without being approved," said the official.
The official said that the government does not have any reason not to release the concerns of CSIS or the RCMP because Mr. Liddar has requested publicly that the reasons for his failure to pass the security test be made public.
When asked if the security agencies could be reluctant to publicly release the reasons due to privacy concerns, the government official said: "...In this case, as I understand, the [person in question] feels confident enough to say, 'Make it public.' In that case, make it public," said the official.
"I was glad to see when Bhupinder said that, 'Say what it is and I'll address it and I think that's the right thing for him to do.' And when they don't say it, you are dealing with fog."
However, François Jubinville, a spokesman for the Privy Council Office, told The Hill Times that although security checks are completed before an appointment is made public, if the nature of the appointee's job has to deal with classified information then a security clearance could be done after the appointment is announced.
"Background checks are done as appropriate for all OIC [Order-in-Council] appointments prior to appointment. In addition, following an appointment, a security clearance is required if the appointee is likely to require access to classified information in the conduct of their duties," said Mr. Jubinville in an interview.
He, however, declined to comment on the specifics of Mr. Liddar's case but said that normally the RCMP or CSIS do the security checks and if the need arises they may contact the Canada Revenue Agency or any of the other government departments.
Mario Laguë, director of communications to Prime Minister Martin (LaSalle-Émard, Que.), declined to comment on the specific points the government official made, but said that he can say with confidence that political friction between Mr. Chrétien and Mr. Martin did not play any role in this case.
"That I can tell you--there is absolutely no truth to that," said Mr. Laguë.
Kimberly Phillips, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, refused to comment on the procedures in place when an appointment such as consul general is made. She also declined to comment on whether the department did any security checks before or after the appointment was made public.
"It is the policy of the department not to comment on security [issues]," said Ms. Phillips.
Mr. Liddar was appointed
Mr. Liddar has filed an appeal with the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC). One of his lawyers told The Hill Times that they are going to meet with SIRC on May 17 to schedule a hearing and expect the whole procedure to be completed within six months.
Meanwhile, Michèle Cadario, national director of the Liberal Party of Canada, held a meeting with some of the members of the Sikh community on Thursday, April 22 to assure them that the cancellation or freezing of Mr. Liddar's appointment has nothing to do with tensions between Mr. Martin and Mr. Chrétien. Rather, Ms. Cadario told the representatives that it was because Mr. Liddar failed to get a security clearance from law enforcement agencies. Johanna Leffler, a senior adviser to the Prime Minister and a former adviser in Mr. Chrétien's PMO, Raj Chahal, were also at the meeting.
From the Sikh community, the meeting was attended by Aman Hundal, Sucha Mann, Daljit Gill and Bakshish Samagh.
"The main purpose of the meeting was to clarify the misunderstanding [that
Mr. Liddar's appointment was put on hold because of Martin-Chrétien feud]. The community
was getting the information from the media and other sources that this is a political
set up, a Martin-Chrétien type of feud," said Mr. Hundal, a key Liberal organizer
in the
Mr. Hundal said he is now personally satisfied after this meeting that the case is not related to a Martin-Chrétien feud.
Mr. Hundal said that Liberal Party officials told the group that Mr. Liddar's appointment was frozen not cancelled and that Prime Minister Martin cannot interfere.
"It's frozen and they said that Mr. Liddar is still on the payroll and it's in the hands of CSIS now which is at arm's length from political interference and they cannot interfere in this matter."
A Liberal source who is familiar with this meeting told The Hill Times that the Liberal Party held the meeting because the Sikh community is one of the strongest supporters of the Liberal Party and that the party wants to ensure that they don't feel that political friction between Mr. Chrétien and Mr. Martin was involved in any way.
Moreover, the source said that the party felt the need to hold this meeting after
a press conference on April 20 on the Hill in which a petition from the Ottawa Sikh
Society was presented to representatives of the Liberal Party, the Conservative
Party and the NDP. Former Conservative PC MP Bob Corbett, who once employed Mr.
Liddar in his MP's office on the Hill, also returned to
After the meeting, Mr. Liddar wrote a letter to Ms. Cadario in which he assured her that Mr. Corbett did not come to the press conference to make it a partisan issue and he would not like this issue to be turned into a partisan one.
"I understand reference was made at the meeting to former Progressive Conservative MP Bob Corbett making it a political partisan issue. I can assure you there was no such intention and no such thing took place at the news conference on April 20, 2004. A copy of Mr. Corbett's remarks which he read verbatim, is attached herewith. I was pleased to see representation from the Liberal, Conservative and New Democratic parties for, in my mind, this is not a partisan issue, and I hope to keep it that way. Mr. Corbett was there only to vouch for some of my activities through employment and association with him. Those who attended the conference can certainly confirm the non-partisan nature of Mr. Corbett's comments and the tenor of the event," wrote Mr. Liddar in a letter dated April 26.
Mr. Liddar did not receive any response from Ms. Cadario until last Thursday, April 29.
Ms. Leffler declined to comment on the meeting while Ms. Cadario and Mr. Chahal were not available for comment.
The Hill Times April 26, 2004 By F. Abbas Rana
Liddar's lawyer expects appeal to be cleared up in six months
The lawyer representing Bhupinder S. Liddar, the well-known Ottawa political socialite who is fighting to find out why his diplomatic appointment to India was rejected last month, says Mr. Liddar's appeal to the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) will likely be decided within six months.
"SIRC has indicated that they will get back to us and they hope to have this entire matter resolved within six months [although] there is no set timetable for that," said Steven Levitt, a lawyer with the law firm Nelligan O'Brien Payne. Mr. Levitt is working with Janice Payne on Mr. Liddar's appeal.
Mr. Liddar was appointed
It has been suggested that Mr. Liddar has been denied security clearance possibly because of his close association and work with Arab diplomats on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and because of helping former New Brunswick PC MP Robert Corbett set up the Canada-U.S.S.R. Parliamentary Group during his employment on the Hill in 1970s and 1980s.
After verbally informing Mr. Liddar on March 11 that his appointment will not go through due to security concerns, David Mulroney, Assistant Deputy Minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade also notified him in writing in a letter issued on March 22.
Mr. Mulroney also advised Mr. Liddar in the letter that he has a right to appeal within 30 days.
Mr. Levitt told The Hill Times that Mr. Liddar's letter of appeal to SIRC was sent on March 26.
He said he could not indicate the grounds of appeal because Mr. Liddar has never been advised by either DFAIT or SIRC of security clearance concerns.
Mr. Levitt said the letter simply appeals to CSIS and asks for a full explanation of why he was rejected.
"At this point in time, we haven't received anything from them. So, we don't know any reason why security clearance was denied. All we know is that it was denied. That's all we have."
Mr. Levitt said SIRC will write back a statement of circumstance, after obtaining information from DFAIT and CSIS.
Mr. Liddar's lawyers will then respond to SIRC's letter.
There is no fixed time frame to these exchanges.
Mr. Levitt said if they are not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal, they intend to pursue other courses of action, but declined to say what those courses of action will be.
Meanwhile, a group of "Concerned Canadians" led by the Ottawa Sikh Society last week presented a copy of a petition signed by close to 1,500 Canadians to representatives of the Liberal, Conservative and New Democratic Parties. The people are demanding government "help to remove any unnecessary roadblocks to allow Bhupinder S. Liddar" to take up his appointment. A copy of the petition was submitted to the Prime Minister's Office as well. Some of the representatives of the Sikh community met last week with Johanna Leffler, a senior adviser to Prime Minister, and presented her with the petition.
Liberal MP David Kilgour (Edmonton Southeast, Alta.), Conservative Senator J. Michael
Forrestall (Dartmouth/Eastern Shore, N.S.) and NDP MP Alexa McDonough (
In a prepared statement at the press conference, Mr. Corbett defended Mr. Liddar's role in the formation of the Canadian Arab World Parliamentary Association and the Canada-U.S.S.R. Parliamentary Group.
"Amongst other things that he did on my behest was in the formation of an association known as the Canadian Arab World Parliamentary Association. This group strictly followed the policies of the Canadian government with reference to the Middle East, and never deviated from them in all aspects, which included the co-existence of two homelands, one Jewish and the other Arab. He helped me organize events, dinners, luncheons and visits, and generally liaise with the Arab diplomatic community.
"He also assisted in the rudimentary organization of establishing a Canada-U.S.S.R. Parliamentary Group sanctioned at the time by the then minister of External Affairs, The Rt. Hon. Joe Clark."
Mr. Liddar later told The Hill Times that he's hopeful that the petition presented to Parliamentarians will reinforce the demand of Canadians for transparency and rule of law from their government.
"These people who presented the petition are hoping that this country remains a country of rule of law rather than practices of secrecy, and that's what we need to reinforce and keep it a country that does have rule of law because, after all, people have come to this country expecting that."
Mr. Kilgour, who in the past served as secretary of state at DFAIT, said Mr. Liddar's case is quite unusual but it has nothing to do with tensions between Mr. Martin and former prime minister Jean Chrétien.
"I did not think it's linked. I think it's linked to CSIS behaving at its worst. I think they have often gone on the wrong track, and I hope it gets settled and SIRC can reverse it," said Mr. Kilgour.
April 21, 2004
The
Warning Over
Supporters of Bhupinder Liddar warn that Paul Martin's Liberals could face a backlash at the polls for staging a political vendetta against the friend of former PM Jean Chrétien.
Liddar, who was stripped of his diplomatic posting to Chandigarh, India, last month, wants Martin to come clean on the supposed "security concerns" that halted his appointment.
Still baffled by CSIS raising the red flag on his clearance, he suggested it could be linked to his former work promoting international justice.
"I suppose one has to pay the price, but not this kind of price," he said.
Liddar disputed suggestions his citizenship was rammed through to facilitate the diplomatic appointment, but wouldn't say exactly when he became a Canadian.
The Ottawa Citizen April 21, 2004 By Bill Curry
Freezing
of consul's job 'is CSIS at its worst': MP
The freezing of Bhupinder Singh Liddar's appointment as consul general to
Mr. Kilgour, who was a secretary of state for foreign affairs when cabinet approved
the appointment last October, made the comments about the Canadian Security Intelligence
Service at a press conference where current and former MPs and members of
Some representatives of Ottawa's Sikh community went so far as to accuse Prime Minister Paul Martin of blocking Mr. Liddar's appointment for political reasons because it had been pushed through cabinet by former natural resources minister Herb Dhaliwal, who was loyal to former prime minister Jean Chrétien.
NDP MP Alexa McDonough questioned why Mr. Liddar was offered close to $60,000 from the Privy Council Office if he promised to leave his post and never speak of the incident publicly.
Mr. Liddar refused the offer and has appealed his security clearance ruling to the Security Intelligence Review Committee, which oversees CSIS.
Mr. Kilgour rejected "emphatically" allegations that the freeze was politically motivated.
"And what has been described to you by many people here today, I'm afraid, is CSIS at its worst," Mr. Kilgour said.
Also in attendance were two former Conservative MPs, Bob Corbett and Michael Forrestall,
who employed Mr. Liddar as a research assistant in the late 1970s and 1980s, when
it is believed Mr. Liddar attracted the attention of
Corbett said the Security Intelligence Review Committee, the review body for CSIS, questioned him around 1986 about Liddar's involvement in two parliamentary associations that were run out of Corbett's office -- the Canadian Arab World Parliamentary Association and the Canada-U.S.S.R. parliamentary group. Liddar was seeking citizenship at the time.
The former MP said he was pressured by Tory officials to fire Liddar and, when he refused, security guards accompanied Liddar everywhere he went on Parliament Hill and stood guard outside Corbett's office while Liddar was at work.
"It was during that period that Mr. Liddar was subjected to all kinds of degradation," he said. "That went on for months. Eventually they backed off. In my opinion, it was complete harassment."
The Ottawa Citizen April 16, 2004 By Bill Curry
I was offered hush money: jilted envoy: Liddar says he turned down Privy Council's $60,000
payoff; chose to appeal decision instead
Bhupinder Singh Liddar, the man who was mysteriously rejected as
Mr. Liddar was appointed to head
But in an interview with CanWest News Service, Mr. Liddar said the same day he was told by Foreign Affairs his appointment was frozen, he was sent to a second meeting with two senior personnel officers at the Privy Council Office. There, Mr. Liddar said he received a verbal offer of six months' salary and an agreement of confidentiality in which neither party would say publicly why Mr. Liddar would no longer be the consul general. Otherwise, the officers told Mr. Liddar, he could appeal the government's decision to the Security Intelligence Review Committee.
Foreign Affairs agreed to continue paying Mr. Liddar a consul general's salary -- which ranges between $108,000 and $127,000 -- after he chose to appeal the decision, instead of taking the cash.
"I immediately rejected it right out of hand because that would certainly tarnish my image and my reputation," said Mr. Liddar. "I was not willing to consider it at all and right away opted for the appeal process because I need to know, and I think the public needs to know, what is there in their books."
Francois Jubinville, a spokes-man for the Privy Council Office, would not comment on Mr. Liddar's claims.
"Mr. Liddar may feel free to comment on his personal situation. I certainly don't feel comfortable commenting on an issue which is essentially a personal matter between the government and Mr. Liddar, so I actually have no comment on this," he said.
Mr. Liddar is the former editor and publisher of Diplomat & International Canada magazine, which he was required to sell after receiving his appointment.
Since his appointment has been put on hold, it has come to light that Canadian security
forces in the RCMP and then CSIS,
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