Lawsuits dog Edmonton Conservative candidate
Last Updated: Thursday, September 25, 2008 | 1:48 PM MT
CBC News
Tim Uppal, seen in a file photo, says his legal troubles mean he will fight for his constituents. (Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)Tim Uppal, a businessman seeking to retain the Edmonton-Sherwood Park riding for the Conservatives, has run into financial and legal troubles in the past several years, according to court documents obtained by CBC News.
Uppal, who describes himself as a successful property investor and businessman on his campaign website, has been sued at least four times in the last eight years.
In 2001, Uppal and his father, along with two other partners, broke a lease on a travel agency they ran in St. Albert. They were ordered to pay the landlord $180,000.
But affidavits uncovered by CBC News show that Uppal and his partners repeatedly missed meetings and failed to pay the amount owed.
Eventually, the landlord passed away, and a settlement of less than $10,000 was paid.
"I've learned a great deal from that. I was kind of an aspiring entrepreneur," Uppal said in an interview with CBC News this week.
At the conclusion of that case, Uppal's own lawyer, James Pittaway, sued him for failure to pay legal fees. That dispute also ended in a settlement, and the two are close friends, with Pittaway currently working on Uppal's campaign team.
In March, Uppal defaulted on a $92,000 mortgage on an east Edmonton house, but the court action was discontinued in April.
In July, Uppal and his wife were sued for defaulting on a $308,000 mortgage on a condo.
Uppal told CBC News he had a business partner who had agreed to carry the mortgage for a few months but didn't come up with his share. Uppal claims he has now covered the amount that was owed and the case has been settled.
Lawsuits show willingness to fight, says candidate
The candidate insists his legal challenges show he would be a good representative for the people of Edmonton-Sherwood Park.
"I will fight for what I think is right," he said. "If I don't think I owe somebody money I will fight for it and they will obviously fight back and that's fine. I think it says that I'm willing to fight for myself and fight for the constituents out here."
Court searches of the other candidates in Edmonton-Sherwood Park turned up minor incidents. Independent candidate Jim Ford settled a dispute with a former employee in the 1990s for less than $2,000.
NDP candidate Brian Labelle reached an undisclosed, out-of-court settlement with a former employer two years ago.
Nina Erfani is the Green candidate, while Rick Szostak is running for the Liberals.
Uppal unsuccessfully ran for the Canadian Alliance in Edmonton Southeast in 2000, and again in 2004 for the Conservatives in Edmonton-Beaumont in 2004.
Ken Epp, the Conservative incumbent in Edmonton-Sherwood Park, is retiring.
With files from Charles Rusnell and John Archer
