When did Premier Ford know about MPP Vincent Ke’s alleged ties to China?
Reports allege that Ke received around $50,000, part of a larger disbursement from the Chinese Consulate in Toronto in the $250,000 range that was channelled through a series of intermediaries.
What is it about the Toronto riding of Don Valley North?
According to CSIS whistleblowers, Don Valley North Liberal MP Han Dong is one of 11 beneficiaries of Chinese interference in the past two federal elections. As well, Dong’s provincial counterpart in the same riding, Progressive Conservative MPP Vincent Ke, also allegedly benefitted from election interference in 2018 courtesy of China’s Toronto consulate. Ke allegedly served as a financial intermediary in Chinese Communist Party interference schemes described in two separate Privy Council Office intelligence reports reviewed by Global News.
The reports allege that Ke received around $50,000, part of a larger disbursement from the Chinese Consulate in Toronto in the $250,000 range that was channelled through a series of intermediaries.
Ke’s lawyer, Gavin Tighe, says the allegations reported in the Global News report are “patently and maliciously false.”
Ke has since left the Progressive Conservative caucus and now sits as an independent.
More recently, The Globe and Mail reported that Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s office was briefed by the CSIS regarding Ke some time last fall. (Ke only stepped down from the PC caucus earlier this month).
According to The Globe and Mail report, Ford claimed the information regarding Ke was sparse and “very secretive.”
Ford said that he did not personally receive a briefing from CSIS but his former chief of staff, Jamie Wallace, did. Stated Ford: ““It’s always sensitive so it’s kind of tough to answer all the details but it was quick. I was briefed through my staff and let’s see what happens here. With CSIS, everything’s a big secret. They don’t give you a proper briefing in my opinion. They will say a few comments and ‘We can’t tell you, we can’t tell you, we can’t tell you.’ Well they’re in charge of national security so let them continue on with their investigation. We’ll co-operate any way we can and let them do their job. But they’re very secretive.”
Ford added that if Ke is cleared of wrongdoing, he will be welcomed back to caucus.
We recently visited Ke’s constituency office for comment. Much like the last time we visited, the door was locked shut and the curtains were drawn. It was impossible to tell if there were staffers behind those closed doors. And once again, Ke was nowhere to be found.
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