Canadian Sikh Angelina Jolie look-alike MP quits top job
Toronto, 6 May 2009

High-profile Indian-origin MP Ruby Dhalla - likened to a Sikh Angelina Jolie - who faces charges of mistreatment of her two nannies, resigned as the critic for youth and multiculturalism for the opposition Liberal Party on Wednesday (6 May 2009). She is still a Member of Parliament for Brampton Springdale in Canada's Parliament. Earlier this month, allegations arose that nannies she hired to care for her mother in her home were hired illegally and mistreated.

The nannies alleged, during a public forum with two Ontario cabinet ministers present, that their passports were seized, they worked unpaid overtime and were forced to do non-nanny jobs such as washing cars, shining shoes and cleaning family-owned chiropractic clinics. Dhalla has denied the allegations, and has claimed that she had no knowledge of the hiring or treatment of the nannies. No legal action has been initiated to this point, and the Liberal party is still "collecting facts" regarding the allegations.

Ruby Dhalla made history in 2004 as the first South Asian Woman to be elected to federal parliament in the western world and was subsequently re-elected on January 23, 2006 and again on October 14th 2008. She is one of the youngest women in the Canadian Parliament and an outspoken critic for youth and multiculturalism for the opposition Liberal Party. Two months prior to the alleged nanny mistreatment claims, she was embroiled in a controversy over her reported steamy scenes in a Bollywood movie. In September 2008, she was ranked third by Maxim Magazine in its list of the 'hottest women politicians in the world', behind Sarah Palin of the USA who was number two and Mara Carfagna of Italy who took the number one spot.

About Dr Ruby Dhalla

Born February 18, 1974 and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Ruby Dhalla graduated with a doctorate in chiropractic medicine 1999 in Toronto. She then set up a multidisciplinary health care clinic prior to seeking public office. She now co-owns a chain of chiropractic clinics in Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga and Aurora with her brother, Neil Dhalla.

Dhalla has also worked as an actress, and played a leading role in 'Kyon? Kis Liye?' (Why? For What?), a Bollywood-inspired Hindi-language film shot in Hamilton, Ontario. The film is loosely based on the Sukhinder Dhillon murder case in Hamilton, in which a husband tries to collect insurance money after poisoning his wife. Its is claimed that Dhalla tried to block the release of a DVD of the movie, claiming that the movie's publicity posters and photos have been "doctored" by putting her face on someone else's body. Dhalla also claimed that she is shown in some steamy scenes with the film's producer and co-star Charanjit Sihra. A claim denied by Sihra who added that Dhalla had given written consent to the distribution of the film DVDs.

Her experience in politics started at a young age, beginning as a volunteer with her local MP, knocking on doors in numerous liberal campaigns at the age of 12, to writing a letter advocating peace to the late Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, at the age of 10. Dhalla volunteered for Winnipeg Liberal candidate David Walker in the 1988 federal election, and later became a prominent member of the Winnipeg Young Liberals organization. She supported Paul Martin's bid to become Liberal Party leader in 2003. In May 2004, Martin returned the favour and designated Dhalla as the Liberal candidate for Brampton-Springdale in the 2004 federal election. She was elected by a comfortable margin as the Liberals won a minority government nationally, and was later appointed to the Standing Committee on Health.