After announcing his resignation from the House of Commons, Liberal MP Shaun Chen faced allegations of violating House rules by voting on legislation while in China earlier this year. The accusations, widely shared by conservative influencers and some current and former Conservative MPs, were based on videos posted on WeChat showing Chen in China.
One post by independent journalist Andy Lee pointed out that Chen was seen enjoying ice cream in a video posted on March 25th in China, the same day he electronically voted six times in the House of Commons. Concerns were raised about the potential breach of national security if Chen voted remotely from China.
Conservative MP John Barlow raised questions about Chen’s travel, emphasizing that voting while outside of Canada is prohibited by the House of Commons standing orders. Many online posts claimed that Chen voted on Bill C-9, the government’s hate crime legislation, on March 25 while he was in China.
While acknowledging the possibility of edited videos, Lee stressed the importance of questioning whether Chen indeed voted while in China. According to the House rules, MPs are not allowed to participate in House votes from outside the country. Electronic votes can only be cast within Canada, and member identities are visually confirmed using facial recognition technology.
The Speaker’s office confirmed that there are strict technical controls and validation processes in place to ensure MPs are physically present in Canada when they vote. Chen’s office clarified that he returned to Canada on March 23 for the House sitting after his trip to China from March 14 to March 22.
Chen’s office provided evidence of his travel, including a boarding pass and visa stamps in his passport indicating his arrival and departure dates from China. They emphasized that Chen’s health issues, which stem from a vehicle accident last fall, limit his ability to travel to Ottawa regularly, leading to his decision to resign.
Critics, including Lee, questioned why Chen could travel to China but not to Ottawa, highlighting the sponsored nature of his trip by the Hakka Canadian Association. Emails between Chen and House of Commons IT staff regarding cybersecurity risks during the trip were shared.
The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner’s website disclosed details of Chen’s trip sponsored by the Hakka Canadian Association, which included a stay from March 14 to 22. The association aims to foster relationships among the Hakka ethnic group in Canada, chaired by Markham Coun. Joe Li.