MP Dong Admits Knowing a Bus Brought International Students to His Nomination Meeting

Han Dong, now a federal MP, celebrates at a rally during his campaign as a provincial Liberal candidate in a Toronto-area riding, in Toronto on May 22, 2014. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette

MP Han Dong admitted being aware that a bus was organized by a private school to bring international students to vote in the 2019 Liberal Party nomination contest in which he was a candidate.

The admission was mentioned by commission counsel Kate McGrann at the foreign interference inquiry in Ottawa on April 2.

Referring to a statement of evidence to be presented later, Ms. McGrann said Mr. Dong knew “that international students attending a private high school and living in a residence at Seneca College voted in the 2019 Don Valley North nomination.”

Ms. McGrann said, “That statement of anticipated evidence also says that Mr. Dong recalls being told that a bus organized by the school had transported some of the students to the nomination meeting.”

Citing anonymous sources, Global News reported in February 2023 that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service observed that Chinese international students with fake addresses were allegedly bussed into the riding and “coerced to vote in Dong’s favour.”

In the aftermath of the news report and others about Mr. Dong’s alleged interactions with the Chinese Consulate, he resigned from the Liberal caucus and now sits as an Independent. He has denied any wrongdoing and has launched a lawsuit against Global News.

Mr. Dong, who is set to appear before the inquiry later on April 2, hasn’t responded to requests for comment by The Epoch Times.

Ms. McGrann made her statements as part of questions posed to Azam Ishmael, the national campaign director of the Liberal Party.

She asked Mr. Azam why the Liberal Party has said there were “no issues or irregularities” in the 2019 Liberal nomination contest in the Don Valley riding in Ontario.

“The Liberal Party of Canada operates I think, much like the other political parties a very rigorous process around nomination meetings, including a set of published rules, as well as the basis in our constitution that are reviewed and approved by the National Board of Directors,” Mr. Azam said.

“The chair of the meeting for that particular nomination meeting has not indicated any irregularity. Nor did any of the participants in the meeting avail themselves of the appeals process that is available to anybody who is party to the nomination meeting.”

The Liberal Party changed its candidacy nomination rules in 2016 such that those who “register” with the party at no fee can vote in candidacy elections. With this change, no donation to the party is required to become a member to vote for nomination candidates, and therefore those not holding citizenship or permanent residency status can vote in those races.

The Foreign Interference Commission was formed after pressure from opposition parties to look into reports of foreign interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 elections.

The reports said that the Chinese regime had funded the campaigns of 11 candidates in the 2019 race. They also said that Beijing favoured the Liberals to win due to the Conservatives’ policies that didn’t favour the Chinese Communist Party.