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The charge was later withdrawn.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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.