Grewal still in Liberal caucus a week after announcing that he would resign for gambling addiction

Although he informed the Prime Minister's Office last week that he was resigning from his MP position to deal with gambling addiction, MP Raj Grewal remains a member of the Liberal Caucus and the House of Commons. municipalities.

This news comes despite opposition requests for clarification as to when the Prime Minister's Office was informed that Grewal had attracted the attention of the RCMP and the Ontario Provincial Police. .

"When we met, he announced that he was resigning from his MP position.I had understood that it would be imminent and I guess it's something that he's going to in the very short term, "said Mark Holland, Chief Government Whip.

The member for Brampton East announced last Thursday that he was resigning immediately, citing "personal and medical reasons". The following day, the Prime Minister's Office issued a statement that the resignation was related to gambling addiction.

Despite this statement, Holland said today that, to the best of his knowledge, Mr. Grewal had not yet sent a letter to the President informing the House that he was withdrawing. and left politics.

The question was raised during question period today when Conservative MP Mark Strahl, who replaces party leader Andrew Scheer, began by asking questions about what the Prime Minister's office knew and At what moment.

"We learned that the game debts of the Liberal MP for Brampton East had been discovered as a result of a police wiretap," Strahl said, citing media reports.

"Telephone tapping was part of an OPP investigation into", it appears, "particularly suspicious people" suspected of money laundering and terrorist financing . When did the Prime Minister's Office know about this serious investigation involving a sitting Liberal MP? "

Liberal House Leader Bardish Chagger said the Prime Minister's Office had been informed the week before. According to her response, she was not clear whether Grewal had informed the PMO of her decision to withdraw, or any kind of official contact from the RCMP or the OPP about Grewal .

"It was last week that we were informed and the MP told us that he was picking up some issues and that he was receiving treatments from a health professional. We hope that He will get the help he needs, "said Chagger.

Strahl was not satisfied with this answer. "With an investigation into drugs, money laundering and international terrorism," he said, "it is simply unbelievable that no one in this government has been made aware of this serious investigation ".

Chagger again responded by saying that "it was last week that we were informed".

Earlier this week, the Globe and Mail announced that Grewal had accumulated more than $ 1 million in debt and that it was unclear to whom the money was due.

Last week, CBC reported that Grewal 's latest filing at the Ethics Commissioner' s office showed that he had lines of credit with three separate banks: RBC, TD Bank and Scotiabank. He also holds a mortgage from HSBC with another person.

His property contained in the ethics file included the co-ownership with another individual of a residential investment property in Toronto.

This filing also shows that Grewal earns employment income from ZGemi Inc., a general contractor located in Brampton, and from the law firm Gahir & Associates, in addition to his MP's salary.

The ethical statement does not disclose the amounts owed on the lines of credit or the mortgage.

Finance Committee

According to sources, when Grewal was a member of the House of Commons Finance Committee, he was often late for committee meetings and often went unprepared.

Holland confirmed this week that Grewal's recent move from finance to the health committee was not related to his gambling debts, but rather to "internal maneuvers".

NDP MP Nathan Cullen questioned the government in the House of Commons today about Grewal's time on the finance committee – particularly on the member's questions to high-ranking RCMP witnesses on the way they investigated money laundering.

"The Liberal MP for Brampton East has been appointed to the finance committee by the Prime Minister, where he has asked disturbing questions to senior law enforcement officials about how to avoid detection. This raised red flags with the RCMP, "said Cullen.

Again, Chagger responded by saying only that Cullen was a "seasoned professional" who knew the RCMP operated independently of the government.