Former Surrey councillor apologizes to developer following defamation settlement

A former Surrey city councillor has issued an apology to a local developer – after initially implying he took part in a 2018 meeting between the mayor and solicitor general amidst the debate over the future of Surrey policing.

Over the last number of years, there have been questions, insinuations and various claims made about developer Bob Cheema’s role in Surrey affairs.

Now former city councillor Jack Hundial has issued an apology to Cheema as part of an out-of-court defamation settlement, saying his statements represent a “grave slur” on the businessman’s “personal and professional integrity.”

Cheema shared the signed apology letter – which also says Hundial will pay him a “substantial sum” of money – to several media outlets on Tuesday.

“I’m glad,” Cheema told CTV News during an interview in Vancouver on Tuesday. “You know, me and my family can put this behind now and move forward.”

The lawsuit stemmed from Hundial’s questions about Cheema’s role in a 2018 meeting between then-solicitor general Mike Farnworth and then-mayor Doug McCallum, which he brought up during a 2019 council meeting.

That prompted Cheema to sue Hundial for defamation – ultimately leading to the out-of-court settlement.

“It was tough on me and my family,” Cheema said Tuesday. “Someone accuses you of stuff you’ve never done, and normally people believe in a politician, and I’m a regular person. Glad this (settlement) happened and glad people can see and he apologized fully.”

Now Cheema says he wants to move on.

Given Hundial has been trying to get back into politics – earlier this year he announced he was seeking a Surrey-area nomination to run for the federal Conseratives – CTV News asked Cheema if he felt Hundial should be able to move on as well after this apology.

Cheema responded, “If he’s running under Conservative party, what kind of person (is) he gonna be?”

CTV News has not received a response to a request for comment from Hundial.

Cheema also expressed concern that Surrey taxpayers were on the hook for Hundial’s legal fees throughout this process.

Contacted for comment, Surrey’s legal services department confirmed the city funded the former councillor’s defence, but said it could not provide any further details.

“That is privileged information, and it is up to Mr. Hundial to decide whether he wishes to disclose that information,” the department said in an email.

Cheema is a prominent developer who was a central figure supporting McCallum’s election campaigns in recent years, and acknowledges he helped co-ordinate the meeting between McCallum and Farnworth in 2018 – but insists he did not participate.

Farnworth’s office said the same when Hundial first made his claims in 2019.