Judy Sgro, the former federal immigration minister who was forced to step down after she was accused of using her influence to help individuals stay in the country, has launched a libel lawsuit against one of her accusers.
The lawsuit names Harjit Singh who signed an affadavit saying that she promised him asylum in exchange for help on her re-election campaign, and three others -- Harminder Singh Brar, Aman Deep Singh Brar and Harkamal Preet Virk.
Ms. Sgro said she had given the group the required seven days to take back their "outrageous, unfounded and completely untrue statements made about me" and they had not done so.
Thus, on Monday, she instructed her lawyers to begin legal action.
A Statement of Claim has been filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against these individuals for libel, slander and conspiracy.
"As I said previously, I have taken this action for one purpose only; to clear my name and to fight back against these lies. I am confident that the judicial system and the legal process that I have initiated will achieve my objective," Ms. Sgro said in a statement.
Mr. Singh said earlier this month that Ms. Sgro promised to fix his immigration problems - he was on the verge of deportation - in return for help with her election campaign last June.
Though Ms. Sgro denies ever meeting Mr. Singh, her former chief of staff, Ihor Wons allegedly brokered a face-to-face meeting between them. And although that meeting remains in doubt, Mr. Wons's acquaintance with Mr. Singh last June is not disputed.
Mr. Singh is now in a detention centre, awaiting deportation from Canada on Thursday. He was arrested Dec. 27 for failing to report to an immigration office on Dec. 6 - a fact that he disputes.He will make a final appeal Thursday to stave off deportation to India in the face of a government fully determined to expel him.
The Singh comments came when Ms. Sgro was already under attack over claims that she gave special work permit to a Romanian stripper who also worked on her campaign.
Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro is investigating the various claims made against Ms. Sgro.