Incoming Toronto MP Kevin Vuong issued a statement Saturday night saying he will continue as an independent MP for the Spadina-Fort York leadership.
“After taking some time to reflect on recent events, I want to apologize for the lack of disclosure,” tweeted in a sentence.
“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 that a petition created by Mark Slapinski garnered more than 4,000 signatures, asking him to resign.
Vuong was removed by the Liberal Party days before the election, after the Toronto Star revealed that he had been charged with sexual assault in 2019, a charge that the Crown later dropped. He denied doing anything wrong.
At this point in the election campaign, many voters had cast their votes at the advanced polls or by mail. Vuong’s name also appeared on the ballots on Election Day as a Liberal candidate, as the deadline for candidate nominations was August 30.
Slapinski, a concerned Toronto resident, started a petition for Vuong to resign.
“I want Kevin Vuong to resign because I think he won the election unfairly. There is the fact that he failed to remove the ‘Liberal’ from his biography. Then there was also the fact that he did not disclose his previous charges. I thought that was cause for concern and that’s why I started the petition, ”he said in a telephone interview Saturday night.
Slapinski says he also sent the request directly to Vuong, but received no response.
Vuong did not return to the Toronto Star on Saturday night when asked for a comment.
With Star Personnel Files
Reference-www.thestar.com