Will the Canadian consulate general in Chandigarh -- the area from where the largest number of Indian immigrants to Canada come -- have a full-fledged consul general soon?
Bhupinder Liddar, the man appointed for the job, was barred from taking over just months after his appointment because the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) -- the country's spy agency -- had refused to give him clearance on security grounds. Till the Liddar case is cleared, no new appointment can be made.
In November 2003, the then Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, during his visit to India had opened this new consulate general -- rather upgraded its existing trade office -- in Chandigarh.
Accompanying him during that elaborate ceremony were his cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal, MP Gurbax Malhi and Prem Vinning who was once called his (Chretien's) right-hand man in British Columbia.
Herb Dhaliwal, who was instrumental in persuading the Indian Home Ministry to give the clearance for the consulate general, had reportedly lobbied to get the consul general's job for his friend Bhupinder Liddar.
But hardly had the consulate general opened when Chretien left office to pave the way for Paul Martin. Herb Dhaliwal also announced his decision to quit politics.
The new government that took office a month later in December 2003 refused to allow Liddar to take charge in Chandigarh on security grounds. This happened despite the fact that the previous cabinet had okayed his appointment.
A security background check on Liddar was undertaken by CSIS.
All these months, this Ottawa journalist-cum-socialite, who had sold his publication, Diplomat, before moving to Chandigarh, has sat waiting for the decision on him. Of course, Canadian taxpayers had to keep paying him $120,000 per annum.
What is Liddar's background? He was raised in Kenya and studied in the US before moving to Ottawa where he worked as an assistant to some MPs. Later, he started his own magazine catering to the diplomatic community in the Canadian capital. He became an integral part of the cocktail circuit, throwing parties and entertaining envoys. Just this year, he revived the annual Vaisakhi show in Ottawa where all top leaders were to come but for the death of Pope John Paul II.
{{/usCountry}}What is Liddar's background? He was raised in Kenya and studied in the US before moving to Ottawa where he worked as an assistant to some MPs. Later, he started his own magazine catering to the diplomatic community in the Canadian capital. He became an integral part of the cocktail circuit, throwing parties and entertaining envoys. Just this year, he revived the annual Vaisakhi show in Ottawa where all top leaders were to come but for the death of Pope John Paul II.
{{/usCountry}}So what went against Liddar?
Many alleged that Liddar paid the price for being Chretien's (rather Herb's) appointment. It was also speculated that CSIS blocked the appointment on the grounds that Liddar had done some communication/liaison work for some West Asian embassies in Canada. Or as a newspaper said, "He (Liddar) also once worked for an MP who led a controversial outreach programme with the former Soviet Union that may have caught the attention of CSIS."
Whenever this correspondent has spoken to Liddar about this matter, he has always exuded the confidence that he will be vindicated. He says he is determined to clear his name.
This week, Liddar won a big victory when the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC), which is a watchdog for CSIS, in its report found fault with CSIS for blocking Liddar's appointment on security grounds. The SIRC report, issued after it "cross-examined" CSIS agents and Herb Dhaliwal, signals that Liddar be given the security clearance.
Dhaliwal, who has all along stood by Liddar, is fuming at the contents of the report. As reported in the Globe and Mail, the former federal minister says, "This report is devastating to CSIS. It's extremely critical of the way they've conducted themselves, the way they did the evaluation, the conclusions they came to. If I was in government now, I would have some very serious questions for CSIS and the way they operate. I think that it's really unbelievable if people knew the whole story about the conduct of CSIS."
Will Liddar finally head for Chandigarh? No one knows. The SIRC report is yet to be made public. Once it is out, Liddar is likely to negotiate with the Foreign Affairs Department.
The Chandigarh post is an important assignment from the viewpoint of Indo-Canadian ethnic politics. The Indo-Canadian community is very active in the country's politics, and electoral alignments can be traced to village ties back in Punjab. The Punjabi immigrants are still strongly attached to their native villages and towns in Punjab. Listen to any Indo-Canadian radio/TV phone-in programme, and you will be amused to hear how most callers identify themselves by referring to their villages.
Keeping in view the political aspirations of the immigrant Punjabi community in Canada, a stint in Chandigarh will certainly pay you (back home) if you "deliver". That's why there were half a dozen names in circulation this January when it was speculated that during his Indian visit, Prime Minister Paul Martin may announce a new consul general.