MPP Vincent Ke has left the Progressive Conservative Caucus amid allegations he was part of an election interference network directed by China's Toronto consulate.
“While the allegations against Mr. Ke are not proven, they are serious and deserve his full and undivided attention as he works to clear his name. As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, Mr. Ke offered to step away from the Ontario PC caucus to sit as an independent. The premier agreed and has accepted his resignation effective immediately,” a spokesperson in Premier Doug Ford's office told The Trillium late Friday.
"While the Global News allegations about me are false and defamatory, I do not want to be a distraction to the government and take away from the good work Premier Ford is doing for the province of Ontario. Therefore, I am stepping away from the PC Caucus in order to dedicate my time to clearing my name and representing my constituents," Ke said in a statement released just before 8 p.m.
Earlier on Friday, Ke was removed from his role as parliamentary assistant to the minister of public and business service delivery. He was going to be made chair of the Social Committee, according to a government press release.
Ke “agreed to take on different parliamentary responsibilities at this time as he makes every effort to clear his name," the spokesperson told The Trillium on Friday afternoon.
A few other parliamentary assistants were shuffled to make up for Ke’s loss.
According to a report by Global News, sources allege Ke was a financial intermediary in Chinese election interference projects.
Citing intelligence sources, Global said Ke received around $50,000 from the Chinese consulate as part of a larger project to transfer funds to federal election candidates and covert operatives who worked as campaign staff.
Back in 2019, the National Post ran a story questioning Ke’s ties to China, reporting that he had attended a government-run workshop in 2013 and “appears to have maintained a close relationship with the consulate and Beijing-leaning groups like the Toronto Confederation of Chinese Canadian Organizations.”
Global’s sources also allege the Confederation and its honorary chair, Wei Chengyi, were also involved in disbursing the funds. Wei was a guest at a Ke fundraiser, the Post reported at the time. He has denied any role in the scheme.
During the 2022 election, the Ontario Liberal party called for an OPP investigation into Ke, saying it had received a “tip from an anonymous whistleblower” that Ke, his staff, donors and their families had set up “at least 15 hidden shell corporations,” one of which had received a small provincial grant.
The Liberals did not raise any concerns about electoral interference at the time but called on Ke to “come clean” about why the corporations had been established.
