INDEPTH: CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
Judy Sgro timeline
CBC News Online | June 21, 2005
Judy Sgro, the former minister for citizenship and immigration, faced a number of controversies before she resigned her cabinet post in mid-January 2005.
The following is a timeline of Sgro's travails.
Judy Sgro, who resigned as Immigration Minister on Jan. 14, says she may sue to clear her name. (CP file photo)
|
June 21, 2005:
In his report on Judy Sgro, the federal ethics commissioner, Bernard Shapiro, concludes that she was in some kind of conflict of interest. Shapiro says Sgro did not intend to abuse her authority, but her chief of staff, Ihor Wons, put her in a position of apparent – if not real – conflict of interest, in his dealings with Alina Balaican.
May 10, 2005:
Harjit Singh, an Ontario pizzeria owner, retracts his allegation that Sgro promised to help him stay in Canada if he supplied food to her re-election campaign. Sgro reads the letter of apology from Singh in the House of Commons.
May 9, 2005:
Sources tell CBC News that federal ethics commissioner Bernard Shapiro will clear Sgro of conflict of interest allegations stemming from a permit granted to Alina Balaican, an exotic dancer who also worked on her 2004 re-election campaign.
Feb. 2, 2005:
Harjit Singh is deported to India after an unsuccessful attempt to remain in the country.
Feb. 1, 2005:
Federal Court Justice Michael Phelan upholds a deportation order for Harjit Singh, saying Singh's story about Sgro does not ring true.
"The essence of Singh's case is that an experienced politician would risk her career, her reputation and legal sanctions to assist a person who she does not know in exchange for free pizzas and a few election volunteers, and that the matter would forever remain secret," the judge wrote. "This thesis does not make common sense."
Jan. 31, 2005:
Sgro files a $750,000 lawsuit against Harjit Singh and others, accusing them of libel, slander and conspiracy. The statement of claim says "the lies… have caused Sgro enormous public embarrassment and humiliation."
Jan. 25, 2005:
Lawyers for Harjit Singh say they will no longer represent him after viewing an Immigration Department surveillance video. The video was presented as evidence to support the government's claim that Singh sent his son in his place to report to immigration authorities in early December.
Jan. 24, 2005:
Sgro's lawyers tell Singh and three other people they have a week to withdraw allegations against Sgro or she will sue them for defamation.
Jan. 17, 2005:
Harminer Singh Brar, a friend of Harjit Singh, comes forward to back up Singh's claims that he provided food and volunteers in exchange for Sgro's promise to let him stay in Canada.
Jan. 14, 2005:
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Judy Sgro resigns her cabinet position after a pizza shop owner accuses her of offering to help him avoid deportation in exchange for free pizza and garlic bread for the staff of her re-election campaign.
Harjit Singh said Sgro broke the deal and ordered his arrest and deportation to India. Sgro says she resigned to fight the "ridiculously false" allegations against her.
Joe Volpe is sworn in as Sgro's replacement in the immigration portfolio.
Dec. 15, 2004:
More than 30 employees of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration are subpoenaed to testify before the ethics committee investigating allegations that Sgro used her influence to get a residency permit for a Romanian exotic dancer who worked on her election campaign.
Dec. 7, 2004:
The National Post reports that Sgro received a $5,000 campaign donation in the form of a cheque written by a member of her riding executive on behalf of Mohsin Sheikh, who became a permanent resident in March 2004. Third-party donations are not allowed under the Canadian Elections Act.
Dec. 2, 2004:
Ottawa closes a loophole that allowed hundreds of foreign women to get on the immigration fast-track to Canada by applying for jobs as strippers. As a result of the change, the Labour Department will no longer monitor the exotic dancer industry for shortages.
Nov. 25, 2004:
Sgro says she plans to change the rules exotic dancers use to get priority when applying to emigrate to Canada.
Nov. 24, 2004:
Alina Balaican, the exotic dancer at the centre of the "Strippergate" scandal, releases a letter in which she praises Sgro as "a good, kind woman."
"It is my understanding that if no one stepped in to rectify my situation, then I would have been sent back to Romania and separated from my husband… for a period of up to two years," she wrote.
Nov. 23, 2004:
Opposition politicians charge that Sgro violated the Privacy Act when her office tried to give MPs detailed information about the woman's case, the "humanitarian factors," in an attempt to convince them to stop their criticisms.
Nov. 22, 2004:
The ethics commissioner begins an investigation into allegations that Sgro helped a volunteer on her re-election campaign, Alina Balaican, a Romanian exotic dancer, get a temporary resident permit. As minister, Sgro has the power to grant temporary visas on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
July 25, 2004:
Sgro says churches should stop giving sanctuary to people facing deportation from Canada. "If we start using the churches as the back door to enter Canada, we're going to have huge problems," he says.
^TOP
|
|
 |
 MENU |
|
|
| RELATED: |
|
|
| CBC STORIES: |
Sgro's staff placed her in conflict: report (June 21, 2005)
Pizza-store owner retracts claims against Sgro (May 10, 2005)
Ethics probe will clear Sgro, sources say (May 9, 2005)
Pizzeria owner countersues Sgro for $1.25M: report (Feb. 22, 2005)
Sgro accuser deported back to India (Feb. 3, 2005)
Sgro accuser to be deported to India (Feb. 2, 2005)
Sgro files lawsuit against accusers (Jan. 31, 2005)
Sgro accuser's lawyer drops key argument (Jan. 28, 2005)
Singh faces deportation, questions over Sgro (Jan. 27, 2005)
Legal team deserts man who accused Sgro of impropriety (Jan. 25, 2005)
Sgro threatens to sue over accusations (Jan. 24,2005)
Relative defends Singh at detention hearing (Jan. 21, 2005)
New witness comes forward to accuse Sgro (Jan. 17, 2005)
Immigration minister Sgro quits to fight 'false' allegations (Jan. 14, 2005)
Dozens subpoenaed in stripper inquiry: report (Dec. 14, 2004)
Campaign donation prompts renewed calls for Sgro's resignation (Dec. 07, 2004)
Ottawa shuts loophole for exotic dancers (Dec. 02, 2004)
Embattled minister promises changes to exotic dancer rules (Nov. 25, 2004)
Stripper Sgro aided calls her 'a good, kind woman' (Nov. 24, 2004)
Opposition wants immigration minister to step aside (Nov. 23, 2004)
Immigration minister under fire for 'Strippergate' (Nov. 23, 2004)
Sgro wants churches to scrap sanctuary for illegals (July 25, 2004)
|
|
| MORE: |
|
|
|
