Liberal MP Shaun Chen faced online allegations of breaching House rules by participating in House of Commons voting while being in China earlier this year, following his announcement to resign from his seat. These claims, predominantly propagated by right-wing influencers and some current and former Conservative MPs, were centered around video evidence from the Chinese social media platform WeChat showing Chen’s visit to China.
A series of social media posts, notably by independent journalist Andy Lee, highlighted the discrepancy between Chen’s presence in China and his recorded electronic votes in the House of Commons on the same dates. Concerns were raised about the potential security risks of voting remotely from China, with references made to the House of Commons standing orders that explicitly prohibit members of Parliament from voting while outside of Canada.
The alleged voting incident was tied to the contentious hate crime legislation, Bill C-9, raising further questions about the validity of Chen’s voting activity. While there were speculations regarding the timing and authenticity of the WeChat videos, emphasizing the need for scrutiny on Chen’s voting practices.
Official House of Commons procedures strictly mandate that MPs can only cast electronic votes while physically present within Canada. These rules, including visual confirmation of a member’s identity through facial recognition technology, are rigorously enforced to ensure the integrity of the voting process. The Speaker’s office emphasized the presence of technical controls and validation mechanisms to prevent voting activities originating from outside Canada.
Chen’s office clarified that the MP’s trip to China occurred from March 14 to March 22, affirming that he returned to Canada in time for the House of Commons session on March 23. Supporting evidence, such as boarding passes and visa stamps in Chen’s passport, validated his travel dates and refuted claims of voting from abroad. Chen’s resignation announcement cited health issues stemming from a previous car accident as the reason for stepping down from his parliamentary duties.
Critics, including Andy Lee, raised concerns over Chen’s travel restrictions, questioning his ability to travel to China but not to Ottawa. Chen’s visit to China, facilitated by the Hakka Canadian Association, aimed at fostering cultural ties within the Hakka ethnic community in Canada. The association’s sponsorship of the trip, as indicated in public disclosures, highlighted the nature and duration of the visit, including cybersecurity considerations for Chen’s communication devices during the trip.
