Former Brampton city councillor Gurpreet Dhillon has officially entered the race to reclaim his former seat on city council, reigniting public debate over allegations of sexual assault and harassment that dominated local politics in recent years.
Dhillon, who previously represented Wards 9 and 10 and served two terms on Brampton City Council, has filed his nomination for the upcoming municipal election. His return comes after he lost his seat in the last election amid controversy surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct involving a female staff member during a City of Brampton trade mission to Turkey in 2019.
The former councillor has consistently denied all allegations made against him and has recently claimed that the complainant has withdrawn the accusations. Dhillon points to a letter that he says retracts the allegations and serves as evidence of his innocence.
However, Brampton’s Integrity Commissioner, Muneeza Sheikh, has stated that her office has been unable to independently verify the authenticity of the letter or confirm that it originated from the complainant. According to the commissioner, despite efforts to contact the complainant directly, no confirmation has been received that would allow the findings of the integrity commissioner’s report to be altered or removed.
The issue first resurfaced in 2023 when members of council received a letter that Dhillon maintains demonstrates the complainant’s intention to withdraw the allegations. The commissioner noted that the original correspondence was not submitted directly to her office and did not specifically request withdrawal of the complaint before the integrity commissioner. A subsequent version of the letter was later provided by Dhillon’s legal counsel with identifying information removed.
The integrity commissioner has maintained that any changes to her report would require direct confirmation from the complainant or legal counsel representing the complainant. Without such confirmation, she says the report remains unchanged.
The dispute has since expanded into legal proceedings. Sheikh disclosed that she has received legal notice from Dhillon’s lawyer and has commenced her own legal action involving the matter.
Additional controversy arose after allegations surfaced suggesting that a financial settlement related to the matter may have involved municipal funds. Mayor Patrick Brown publicly criticized the alleged payments, describing them as “hush money.” Dhillon strongly rejected those claims, characterizing them as politically motivated and indicating that he intended to pursue legal action against the mayor.
The integrity commissioner has stated that she was not involved in and had no direct knowledge of any alleged settlement arrangements between the parties.
In recent public statements and social media posts, Dhillon has argued that he is being unfairly targeted by city officials, including the city solicitor, the integrity commissioner, and members of council. He has alleged that opposition to his candidacy is politically motivated and linked to concerns about issues he intends to raise publicly.
The race for the Wards 9 and 10 council seat is already shaping up to be closely watched. Confirmed candidates include former Peel District School Board vice-chair Satpaul Singh Johal and lawyer Sukhman Sangha. Incumbent Councillor Gurpartap Singh Toor had not officially confirmed his re-election plans at the time of reporting.
As Brampton prepares for another municipal election, Dhillon’s candidacy is expected to generate significant public discussion about accountability, due process, transparency, and the standards expected of elected officials. Voters in Wards 9 and 10 will ultimately decide whether the former councillor’s political comeback attempt succeeds despite the controversy that continues to surround his return to public office.
It should be noted that the allegations against Dhillon remain disputed, and he has consistently denied wrongdoing. No court has found him guilty of any criminal offence related to the allegations discussed in this matter.