Every single day appears to bring more to the rapidly expanding scandal around former Liberal MP Rajvinder Grewal who recently publicly revealed his struggles with problem gambling and the devastating impact it has had on his financial state. More and more questions have arisen ever since then and the most recent one demands more information about the source of the millions of Canadian dollars the MP has poured into gambling.
In a recent statement issued this Tuesday, New Democrat Charlie Angus said the public deserves more information on the subject and one of the pivotal points at the moment is the source of MP Grewal’s cash which he was methodically pouring in gaming venues. According to the figures provided earlier in November, his gaming activities managed to turn into a black hole where copious amounts of cash disappeared on a regular basis.
Sources of Loans Remain Unknown
In the period when he was fervently gambling, he was particularly fond of high-limit, high-stakes Blackjack and other casino games. This is how casino venues were able to witness quite the windfall coming from him over several years of gaming. Now MP Grewal claims that he has paid the entire debt he had generated and the case is closed for good.
However, this answer seemed especially unsatisfying to the opposition and ethics point people were quick to grab the opportunity and learn more about his previous financial arrangements. Mr. Angus stated that the impressive amount of debts accumulated is very concerning, as it means that the source of said cash should be publicly revealed. Transparency is key in this situation, as voters deserve to know whether or not he obtained them through other people with a questionable reputation.
Conservative ethics critic Peter Kent is also convinced that maintaining the secrecy around the funding source is not a good approach in this situation. There are many possibilities and room for speculation as of now. Mr. Angus elaborated on the topic, stating that MP Grewal might have loaned cash from his relatives, but there is also the possibility that he obtained money via other liaisons.
Could this Be a Conflict of Interest Situation?
This opens the door for speculation about yet another conflict of interest situation in which MP Grewal’s name is involved. Back in April, Mr. Angus brought the attention to the Conflict of Interest Code directly linked to MPs. Prime Minister Trudeau’s trip to India at the beginning of this year saw MP Grewal inviting Yusuf Yenilmez, head of ZGemi Inc. along.
Shortly after the demands for more information, Joel Etienne, spokesperson for Mr. Grewal came out with a statement that a full financial review is in progress at the moment. In his most recent announcement done once again via a Facebook post, the former Liberal MP claimed he was loaning money from friends and members of his family without specifying anyone.
Earlier demands for elaborating on the subject hit a brick wall, as the spokesperson stated that “this is a private and personal family financial matter now.” More on the subject could be publicly issued in the foreseeable future, potentially providing everyone interested with a better perspective.