Liberal Party Leader Mark Carney is facing growing calls to remove an Ontario candidate from running in the federal election after he told people at a news conference they could claim a foreign bounty on another candidate by bringing the individual “to Toronto’s Chinese consulate.”
Paul Chiang, who is seeking re-election as the candidate for the Markham-Unionville riding, apologized last week for comments he made in January about Joe Tay, a Conservative candidate for Don Valley North, who had a bounty placed on him by Hong Kong police last December.
The Toronto Association for Democracy in China said in a news release that Chiang told Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao at a news conference three months ago that everyone at the event could claim the bounty “if you bring him to Toronto’s Chinese consulate.”
At a campaign stop in Vaughan, Ont., on Monday, Carney was asked about keeping Chiang in the race despite calls from the opposition and advocacy groups to remove him.
“The comments were deeply offensive. This is a terrible lapse of judgment by Mr. Chiang,” Carney said, noting that he has issued a direct apology to Tay.
Carney said he also spoke with Chiang over the weekend to “understand his position” and that Chiang will stay in the race.
“He’s apologized for his comments, he’s apologized directly to me, he’s apologized directly to the individual, he has a long record of service and he’s going to continue his candidacy,” Carney told reporters.
“He has my confidence.”
Tay is among six overseas activists targeted by Hong Kong police. In December, the Hong Kong police announced a bounty of about $180,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Chiang apologized Friday for his words, calling them “deplorable.” On Sunday, he said he spoke to Tay to personally apologize to him.
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“It was a terrible lapse of judgement. I recognize the severity of the statement and I am deeply disappointed in myself,” Chiang wrote in a statement shared on his X account Sunday.
Tay said Monday that “no apology is sufficient,” calling on Carney to fire Chiang.
Tay also said that Chiang “made an unsolicited attempt” to contact him Sunday night.
“His threatening public comments were intended to intimidate me and they must not be tolerated,” Tay wrote in a statement released Monday.
“This situation has left me fearing for my safety,” Tay continued. “Suggesting that people collect a bounty from the Chinese Communist Party to deliver a political opponent to the Chinese Consulate is disgusting and must never be condoned.”
On Sunday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took aim at Carney for keeping Chiang on the ballot.
“I find it incredible that Mark Carney would allow someone to run for his party that called for a Canadian citizen to be handed over to a foreign government on a bounty. A foreign government that would almost certainly execute that Canadian citizen,” Poilievre said.
“And Mark Carney says he should stay on as a candidate. What does that say about whether Mark Carney would protect Canadians?”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called Chiang’s bounty remark “chilling” and “scary.”
Speaking at a campaign stop in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, Singh criticized Carney and said by keeping Chiang in the race, “he’s putting his party ahead of his country.”
“For Mark Carney to say that, ‘I’m going to accept this candidate’ really sends a message that that type of commentary ultimately is acceptable because he’s not removing him as a candidate,” Singh said.
The controversy comes as four Canadians were executed in China earlier this year over what Beijing says was “drug-related crime.”
This year’s general election is the first to be held since revelations of foreign interference efforts in past campaigns led to new safeguards and procedures to monitor for, and warn the public about, attempts to meddle in elections.
China, India, Russia and Pakistan are among the foreign state actors most likely to try and exert their influence and promote their interests during this year’s election, according to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
During a technical briefing with reporters on Monday, representatives from the SITE Task Force, which monitors threats to the integrity of Canadian elections, said the panel monitoring for threats “has not found any incidents that have impacted Canada’s ability to have a free and fair election.”
The officials were asked about Chiang and Tay, with reporters asking whether the RCMP was reaching out to Tay regarding his fears for his safety.
“The RCMP is very well seized with the issue of threats to candidates. To be clear, the RCMP’s protective mandate extends to the prime minister as well as leaders of parties with standing in Parliament. Any determination for the extension of protective services is at the discretion of the minister of public safety,” said Greg O’Hayon, the RCMP’s representative on the task force.
“I would encourage them (candidates) to reach out to their police of jurisdiction as well as the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, so that we can have a combined response to the real and perceived threats that they are feeling.”
— with files from The Canadian Press and Motorcycle accident toronto today’ Sean Boynton.
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