Gambling addiction made MP Grewal quit: Trudeau’s office

Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, November 24

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Office has finally cleared the air surrounding the sudden resignation of Brampton East MP and prominent Punjabi diaspora leader Raj Grewal, saying he had stepped aside from federal politics to deal with his long-standing “gambling problem”.

Grewal, who assumed office on October 19, 2015, had made the announcement via Facebook on Thursday citing “personal and medical” reasons. Gambling issue had not surfaced at that time.

Reacting discreetly to the embarrassing situation arising out of the Liberal Party MP’s resignation, the Prime Minister’s Office in a communiqué said it had come to know that Raj was getting treatment from a “health professional related to a gambling problem. Based on the circumstances, we have agreed that his decision to resign as an MP was the right one. We hope he receives the support he needs”.

Grewal has decided to seek treatment for a gambling addiction, which had thrown him “neck-deep” in personal debt, sources revealed.

On his part, Grewal had informed the PMO earlier this week that he was receiving treatment from a professional for his gambling problem that had made him incur huge personal debt.

Sources in Brampton and Ottawa said Grewal and his wife had allegedly got “burdened” with heavy debt and mortgage, particularly after buying a $1.3-million luxury apartment in downtown Toronto. They had also reportedly taken out a $1.5-million mortgage against the plush property.

The Peel Regional Police was investigating Grewal’s gambling side even as the PMO has indicated that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had made certain inquiries in connection with the subject of a complaint against Grewal which was being probed by the Federal Ethics Commissioner.