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The charge was later withdrawn.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
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Eating disorders among youth skyrocketed during pandemic and so did associated costs, report finds
The number of young people experiencing eating disorders surged during the height of the pandemic as the social and economic costs skyrocketed too, a new pan-Canadian report has found.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.