Former liberal deputy Han Dong will not ask for his re -election after having said that the party told him that they would run another candidate.
Dong, the independent member of Don Valley North, says that he is “disappointed” that he will not run in the next competition, but said that he did not want to divide the vote in liberal conduct in complete safety to give the party his best victory.
Dong moved away from the Liberal Caucus on March 22, 2023, after Global NewsCiting anonymous national security sources, has published alleged details on its interactions with the Chinese consulate in Toronto. Dong would have had discussions with his party on the return to the Caucus since June 2023.
“As many of you know, I had no choice but to leave the Liberal Caucus about two years ago to try to erase my name in response to the False Global News accusations published about me,” Dong said in a statement published on social networks.
Dong now pursues Global’s mother company, Corus Entertainment, and has repeatedly denied any reprehensible act.
Citing two national security sources, Global reported that Dong had discussed the detention of Michael Spolar, and Michael Kovrig with Han Tao, then the Chinese Consul General in Toronto, in February 2021, without first notifying the government. The report included allegations suggesting that during the telephone call, Dong informed the diplomat in private that the liberation of the two Michaels, who had been detained for national security reasons by Beijing, at that time would benefit the opposition conservatives.
Dong said on several occasions that he had always pleaded for the release of the two Michaels.
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A summary of the call, submitted by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSI) to the recent public inquiry on foreign interference, suggested that Dong “expressed the idea that even if the (People’s Republic of China) published the` Michaels ” at that time, the opposition parties would consider the action of the PRC. “
The CSIS intelligence summary, which the agency described as “incomplete”, also alleges that Dong “stressed that any transparency provided by the PRC in relation to the” two Michaels “, as a legal hearing or a date of hearing, would help to appease Canadian public opinion and provide precious discussion points to its own political party against opposition.”
Asked about the appeal while testifying during the investigation of judge Marie-Josée Hogue, Dong said that it was “possible” that he had discussed the two Michaels, but he did not “recall this conversation”. Dong added that “whenever (he) spoke of” two Michaels “… (he) has always pleaded for their early release”, as well as “improving their conditions”.
Hogue declared in her report that she could not say if the public summary of the CSIS “reflects with precision and fairly” the conversation of Dong, which took place in Mandarin. However, she said that the information classified to her “corroborate Mr. Dong’s denial of the allegation that he suggested that the RPC should prevent the release of the two Michaels”.
Under political pressure, the Minister of the bonus at the time, Justin Trudeau, appointed former Governor General David Johnston as a “special rapporteur” on foreign interference. Johnston, who did not interview Dong for his report, said in May 2023 that he was “false” that Dong suggested that the two Michaels remain detained.
After Johnston’s report, Trudeau suggested that it was in Dong if he wanted to join the liberal ranks.
“I look forward to conversations with Han to find out if he wants to come back and if his fight to erase his name is underway,” Trudeau told journalists at a Winnipeg press conference.
In July 2023, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs at the time, Dominic Leblanc, told journalists that he “crossed the process” at the request of Trudeau to speak to Dong to join the Liberal Caucus.
Dong, however, has never recovered his seat on the liberal benches.
In June 2024, the lawyers of Corus Entertainment tried to have Dong’s law rejects under a law preventing “strategic proceedings” to limit freedom of expression. A judge of the Ontario Superior Court rejected this request, saying that it was in the public interest to hear the case.
“It was my privilege to serve residents of (Don Valley North) and humiliating experience to work and learn from so many workers’ leaders, volunteers from community organizations and public institutions,” said Dong Declaration.
An opinion on the website of the Liberal Party said that Maggie Chi, who previously headed for the Toronto municipal council and was a candidate for the Liberal Party of Ontario, will be the candidate of the Federal Party in the April 28 elections.
With Canadian press files.
& Copy 2025 Global News, A Division of Corus Entertainment Inc.