Candidate Han Dong celebrates with supporters while taking part in a rally in Toronto on Thursday, May 22, 2014. A Toronto member of Parliament is denying a report that alleges China him win his seat in the last federal election.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
OTTAWA – A Liberal member of Parliament is denying a report that alleges China helped him win the nomination to be a candidate for the party in the 2019 election.
Global News reported Friday evening that Han Dong was allegedly helped by the Chinese consulate while running to be the Liberal party candidate in the Toronto-area riding of Don Valley North.
The report cites anonymous sources that alleged the Canadian Security Intelligence Service urged senior Liberal party staff to rescind his nomination, but party leader Justin Trudeau approved his candidacy.
Dong, who was re-elected in 2021, says in a statement that his nomination and campaign teams have found no indication of irregularities or compliance issues regarding his candidacy or election.
He says all procedures and processes related to his campaign and political career have been continually, transparently and publicly reported as required.
Following recent media reports, opposition parties have called for a public inquiry into alleged foreign election interference by China.
The Conservative party is also calling for Trudeau’s chief of staff to testify at a House of Commons committee studying foreign interference.
“Safeguarding Canada’s democracy is integral to public service,” Dong said in a statement posted on Twitter on Monday.
“I will support all fact-based efforts from parliamentarians to investigate alleged offshore interference and if called upon look forward to refuting these anonymous and unverified allegations.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2023.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said Global News reported that Liberal MP Han Dong was allegedly helped by the Chinese consulate in the 2019 federal election.
