Mississauga Committee Targets $900 Over-Contribution; Grewal Calls Case ‘Absolute Nonsense’
Former Liberal MP Raj Grewal is once again under scrutiny—this time not for politics or gambling debts, but for alleged over-donations to Mayor Carolyn Parrish’s 2024 byelection campaign.
Mississauga’s election campaign finance committee is pursuing legal action against Grewal for exceeding the provincial contribution cap by $900, a decision that Grewal blasted as “ridiculous” during a hearing on April 11.
Grewal, a lawyer and former Member of Parliament for Brampton East, contributed $2,100 to Parrish’s campaign—$900 over the $1,200 limit set by Ontario’s municipal election laws. The contributions were made under the names “Raj Grewal” and “Rajvinder Grewal” using the same Brampton address.
Grewal claimed the extra $900 came from his wife, Shikha Kasal, using a shared credit card, arguing the committee is unfairly targeting him while letting other contributors off the hook. “That is absolute nonsense,” he stated.
The Mississauga committee voted to pursue court action, authorizing the hiring of an independent prosecutor. While the committee heard from Grewal, it deliberated privately before deciding to proceed.
“It will be up to the prosecutor to decide whether he prosecutes or not,” said committee chair Ron Colucci.
Violations of the Municipal Elections Act can lead to fines up to $25,000 or six months in jail, though convictions of that magnitude are rare.
Out of 10 contributors scrutinized at the April 11 meeting, only Grewal and Donna Williams were referred to court. Williams reportedly gave $1,500—$300 over the limit—to Ward 5 candidate Shelly Scott-England and has not responded to city notices.
Interestingly, the committee dismissed a larger $1,200 excess donation to another candidate after learning it came from a married couple, highlighting inconsistencies in how cases are being handled.
Mayor Parrish, who won the 20-candidate race by a wide margin, distanced herself from the donation confusion. “Our fundraising team made the donation limits clear,” she said in a statement, adding that letters clearly outlined contribution caps and rebate rules.
City spokesperson Irene McCutcheon clarified that “a municipal candidate is not responsible for the contributor’s donations,” though they are expected to return or report any excess.
Grewal’s political career has been marked by controversy. Elected in 2015, he left the Liberal caucus in 2018 after revealing a gambling addiction and significant personal debts. He faced RCMP charges in 2020, which were dismissed in 2023. Grewal has since launched a $50-million lawsuit against the RCMP and Ontario’s attorney general for damages related to the charges.