Liberal candidate Paul Chiang has decided not to seek re-election in the ongoing federal race following past remarks suggesting that a Chinese bounty be claimed for a Conservative opponent.
On Monday night, Chiang posted a statement on a social media platform, describing the federal election as “especially significant” and expressing his desire to avoid being a “distraction during this crucial time.” “For this reason, I am stepping aside as the 2025 candidate for Markham-Unionville,” he wrote. His announcement came just hours after Liberal Leader Mark Carney faced repeated questions from reporters about Chiang’s comments during a housing event in Vaughan, Ontario.
Carney strongly criticized Chiang’s remarks, calling them “highly inappropriate” and a “serious lapse in judgment.” However, he also defended Chiang’s character, stating that he is a “dedicated public servant” who served as a senior police officer for over 25 years.
On Tuesday, Carney confirmed that the party is searching for a new candidate for the riding but avoided directly addressing whether the situation served as a “learning experience” or why he initially supported Chiang. “Mr. Chiang offered his resignation last night, and I accepted it,” Carney said during a visit to a factory in Winnipeg. “As I stated previously, his comments were deeply concerning and completely unacceptable.”
Chiang’s remarks were made in a January interview with a Chinese-language publication, where he suggested Conservative candidate Joe Tay be handed over to the Chinese Consulate in Toronto. Last year, Hong Kong police placed a HK$1-million bounty on Tay, accusing him of violating the National Security Law.
Tay has been vocal in his criticism of Hong Kong’s crackdown on civil liberties. When the bounty was first issued in December 2024, politicians across party lines strongly condemned it. On Monday, Tay issued a statement demanding that “Mark Carney remove Paul Chiang immediately,” insisting that “an apology is not enough.” “Encouraging people to collect a foreign bounty on a political rival and turn them over to the Chinese Consulate is appalling and cannot be tolerated,” Tay wrote.
Chiang later described his comments as “reprehensible” and admitted that he had shown “a complete lack of awareness regarding the gravity of the situation.” “As someone who served as a police officer, I should have exercised better judgment,” Chiang stated. “I deeply regret my remarks and sincerely apologize.”
Before Chiang stepped down, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused Carney of being “compromised” and failing to defend a Canadian citizen from foreign threats. Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh criticized him for “putting party interests before national security.” A human rights organization also called for an RCMP investigation into Chiang, arguing that his remarks “may constitute a criminal offense and should be examined by Canadian law enforcement.”
The comments first appeared in a January interview but did not gain widespread attention until they were flagged by a Canadian advocacy group. Chiang, who previously served as a York Regional Police officer, was first elected to Parliament in 2021 and worked as the parliamentary secretary for diversity and inclusion in the previous administration. Out of 343 seats, the Liberal Party has announced candidates for approximately 300 ridings. The deadline to finalize nominations is April 7.