Liberal Leader Mark Carney announced that his party will seek a new candidat

Liberal Leader Mark Carney announced that his party will seek a new candidate in the Markham-Unionville riding after Liberal candidate Paul Chiang decided to withdraw.

This decision follows criticism directed at Chiang for his comments from January, where he suggested that people report his political opponent, Tory candidate Joe Tay, to the Chinese consulate in order to claim a bounty issued by Hong Kong authorities. Chiang declared his resignation on March 31, coinciding with the RCMP's announcement that they were reviewing his comments. Carney had previously declined to remove Chiang from the ballot, describing his remarks as a "terrible lapse of judgment" but expressing continued confidence in him. "Mr. Chiang submitted his resignation last night, which I have accepted," Carney stated at an event in Winnipeg on April 1. "As I mentioned yesterday, his comments are deeply troubling and regrettable. We will move forward in our search for a new candidate for Markham, and that will be all for now." Chiang's controversial comments concerning Joe Tay were made during an ethnic media event with the Chinese-language outlet Ming Pao in January.

They were recently brought back to light by the Toronto Association for Democracy in China. "At that event, Chiang reportedly said, 'You can claim the $1 million bounty if you bring him to Toronto's Chinese consulate,' referring to Tay. Chiang has acknowledged these remarks and subsequently apologized once they became public. A former police officer, Chiang was elected in 2021 for Markham-Unionville and held two parliamentary secretary roles related to immigration and housing during his term. He was also involved in several parliamentary associations, including the Canada-China Legislative Association. Tay, who was the Tory candidate in Markham-Unionville at the time of Chiang's comments, is now running in Don Valley North as the founder of the democracy advocacy organization HongKonger Station. He, along with other pro-democracy activists, was placed on a wanted list by the Chinese government in December 2024, an action condemned by Ottawa as an attempt at "transnational repression." Hong Kong authorities issued arrest warrants under the national security law and announced a HK$1 million bounty (approximately CAD $180,000) for information leading to the capture of these activists. Canadian journalist Victor Ho has also faced a bounty from Hong Kong police and revealed that he perceives the warrant against Tay as part of Beijing's strategy to interfere in Canada's federal elections. "This warrant against the founder of HongKonger Station serves a broader purpose: to intimidate those politically aligned with the Conservative Party, be they potential candidates or supporters, particularly among Hong Kong residents and immigrants in Canada," he stated.

On March 31, Tay expressed concerns for his safety, revealing that he had contacted the RCMP prior to Chiang's comments becoming public. "Threats like these are characteristic of the Chinese Communist Party's interference tactics in Canada," he stated in a public statement.

The pro-democracy group Hong Kong Watch sent a letter to RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme on the same day, suggesting that Chiang's remarks may have violated Canadian law, including provisions against counseling kidnapping and the newly enacted law against foreign interference. In a statement to The Epoch Times, the RCMP confirmed that it is "looking into the matter" but could not provide specific details at this time.

They acknowledged that "foreign actor interference, including instances of transnational repression, remains a significant threat in Canada" and indicated that they handle all allegations of this nature seriously. Amid rising concerns about foreign interference in the ongoing electoral campaign, the Foreign Interference Commission recently concluded its work, identifying Beijing as the leading source of foreign meddling.

The Commission investigated specific instances, such as the Liberal Party's nomination contest in Don Valley North in 2019, where intelligence indicates a Chinese regime proxy was working covertly to assist a candidate. By Noé Chartier.