Liberal MP Shaun Chen faced accusations of voting on legislation while in China earlier this year, following his announcement to resign from the House of Commons. The claims surfaced online, primarily driven by right-wing influencers and some current and former Conservative MPs, who pointed to videos on WeChat showing Chen in China on the same day he allegedly voted in the House of Commons.
The allegations suggested that Chen voted remotely on March 25 while he was in China, specifically on the government’s Bill C-9 related to hate crimes. These claims raised concerns about potential breaches of national security, as members of Parliament are prohibited from voting outside of Canada according to the House of Commons standing orders.
In response to the accusations, Chen’s office clarified that he did not vote while outside of Canada. They provided evidence of his travel itinerary, including boarding pass and visa stamps in his passport, confirming his return to Canada on March 22, just in time for the House of Commons sitting on March 23.
Chen’s office emphasized that his resignation was due to significant health issues stemming from a vehicle accident last fall, which limited his ability to travel to Ottawa frequently. They also disclosed that his trip to China was part of official parliamentary business with the Canada-China Legislative Association, sponsored by the Hakka Canadian Association.
Despite critics questioning Chen’s travel abilities, his office shared emails showing the coordination with House of Commons IT staff for cybersecurity measures during the trip. The Office of Canada’s Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner also disclosed details of Chen’s trip, confirming its duration and purpose as stated by the Hakka Canadian Association.