Vuong should 'examine his conscience' and not sit as MP, Ontario Liberal leader says
Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca is calling on MP-elect Kevin Vuong to "examine his conscience" and not to take his seat in House of Commons despite being elected to represent Spadina-Fort York.
Vuong, a former Toronto Liberal candidate was ousted from the party just days before the election after a dropped sexual assault charge was brought to light, is projected to have won his riding late Monday night.
Vuong was asked by the Liberal Party to pause his campaign on Friday after the Toronto Star reported he had been charged with sexual assault in 2019.
The charge was later withdrawn.
The following day, the Liberal party released a statement saying that Vuong would not be running under their banner and if he is elected, he will not be a member of caucus.
Del Duca, who campaigned with Vuong days before the allegations surfaced, suggested it would be irresponsible for Vuong to take the seat, even as an independent member of Parliament.
"I don't think Kevin can responsibly serve in the capacity as an MP for that community, given the circumstances of the allegation, so I do hope that he does the right thing," Del Duca told CTV News Toronto.
While the Liberal party won the Spadina-Fort York riding by a 35-point margin during the 2019 federal election, the lead shrank to less than three points under Voung on Monday night as voters switched to the NDP.
Del Duca suggested the outcome could have been driven by advance polls or mail in ballots, and believes voters may have made a decision based on a partial picture.
"Kevin came forward as a candidate running under a particular banner, he wasn't able to complete the campaign under that banner. I suspect there were a number of people who voted in Spadina fort-York who voted prior to the allegations becoming public," Del Duca told CTVNews Toronto.
"I think Kevin needs to reflect really carefully, I think he needs to examine his own conscience and realize that the people of Spadina-Fort York do need to have a representative who is beyond reproach."
Del Duca is also going one step further by shutting Vuong out of the provincial Liberal party, regardless of the outcome of the charges.
"Kevin would not have a place within the Ontario Liberal Party," Del Duca said curtly. "That's unequivocal even if he's cleared."
When asked to explain, Del Duca said candidates who are subjected to a vetting process are asked to be "completely forthcoming" about personal issues that could surface during an election campaign, and Vuong opted not to share information with the party.
"It just seems to me that that was not necessarily how Kevin went about doing his business with this federal election campaign."
With files from CTV News Toronto's Katherine DeClerq
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when provincial fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
A 98-year-old in Ukraine walked miles to safety from Russians, with slippers and a cane
A 98-year-old woman in Ukraine who escaped Russian-occupied territory by walking almost 10 kilometres (six miles) alone, wearing a pair of slippers and supported by a cane has been reunited with her family days after they were separated while fleeing to safety.
Will an 'out of sight, out of mind' cellphone policy make a difference in Ontario schools?
Ontario’s cellphone ban in schools has been met with mixed reaction, with some teachers concerned about constant policing of kids and experts applauding the change as necessary for student learning.
A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat with an Amazon return. A week -- and 3 'miracles' -- later, they were on a plane to meet a stranger
The Amazon returns employee wasn't at work the day one of her colleagues at a California warehouse found a small, furry stowaway in a box mailed six days earlier from Utah. But Brandy Hunter got the call anyway.
Dueling protesters clash at UCLA hours after police clear pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia
Dueling groups of protesters clashed Wednesday at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another. Hours earlier, police burst into a building at Columbia University that pro-Palestinian protesters took over and broke up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school while inspiring others.
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Avalanche eliminate Winnipeg Jets from playoffs with 6-3 road win
Mikko Rantanen's first two goals of the playoffs propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday that clinched their opening-round playoff series in five games.