Vuong to continue as Independent MP for Spadina—Fort York
Announcement comes same week as petition calling for MP to resign
Incoming Toronto MP Kevin Vuong released a statement Saturday night saying he will continue as an Independent MP for the riding of Spadina— Fort York
“After taking time to reflect on recent events, I want to apologize for the lack of disclosure,” he tweeted in a statement.
“I have decided to continue as an Independent Member of Parliament for Spadina—Fort
York and will work hard to serve the community.”
Vuong’s announcement comes the same week a petition created by Mark Slapinski garnered more than 4,000 signatures, calling on him to resign.
Vuong was dropped by the Liberal party days before the election, following revelations by the Toronto Star that he had been charged with sexual assault in 2019 — a charge later withdrawn by the Crown. He has denied any wrongdoing.
By this point in the election campaign, many voters had cast ballots in the advanced polls or by mail. Vuong’s name also appeared on ballots on election
day as the Liberal candidate, since the deadline for candidate nominations was Aug. 30.
He won with around 39 per cent of the vote.
Slapinski, a concerned Toronto resident, started a petition for Vuong to step down.
“I want Kevin Vuong to step down because I believe that he won the election unfairly. There is the fact that he failed to remove the ‘Liberal’ from his bio. Then there was also the fact that he didn’t disclose his previous charges. I found that to be of concern and that’s why I started the petition,” he said in a phone interview Saturday.
Slapinski says he also sent the petition directly to Vuong, but did not receive a reply.
Vuong did not get back to the Toronto Star on Saturday night or Sunday when asked for a comment.
He has faced calls to step down by several public figures, including Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca, Toronto Liberal MP Nathaniel ErskineSmith and Councillor Joe Cressy,
as well as former Spadina— Fort York MP Adam Vaughan.
In an interview with The Canadian Press last week, Vaughan said he told Vuong: “Yours is a compromised election because of the changes that happened … It’s a compromised seat, it is a compromised victory and people are going to be furious if you assume the seat.”
Vaughan, who didn’t run for re-election this year, also said he would not be briefing Vuong on sensitive cases, asking ministers or neighbouring MPs to move them forward instead.