April 1, 2025, 12:56 AM EDT – In a rapidly developing story, Paul Chiang, the embattled Liberal candidate for Markham-Unionville, has withdrawn his candidacy just hours after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed it is investigating whether he violated Canadian law with threatening comments he made earlier this year. The announcement came late Monday night, March 31, 2025, following days of intense scrutiny over remarks Chiang made in January, suggesting that individuals could turn in Conservative candidate Joe Tay to the Chinese consulate in Toronto to claim a bounty offered by Hong Kong police.
“Chiang quitting on his own terms despite getting a free pass from Carney means that he has more integrity than the entire Liberal Party leadership.”
Chiang, a former police officer and the Parliamentary Secretary of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, faced mounting pressure after his statements surfaced last week. During a Chinese-language media conference in January, he reportedly said, in reference to Tay, “If you can take him to the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto, you can get the million-dollar reward,” according to translations cited by multiple sources. The comments, which Chiang later called “deplorable” in an apology issued on Friday, March 28, 2025, sparked outrage from opposition parties, more than 40 Hong Kong diaspora organizations, and human rights advocates.
The controversy escalated when the RCMP announced on Monday, March 31, 2025, that it was “looking into” whether Chiang’s remarks constituted a criminal offense, potentially under the Foreign Interference and Security of Information Act. Hours before his withdrawal, Liberal Leader Mark Carney had defended Chiang, describing him as a “person of integrity” during a press conference in Vaughan, Ontario, on Monday morning. Carney had resisted calls from the Conservative Party, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and numerous civil society groups to remove Chiang from the Liberal ticket, framing the incident as a “teachable moment.” Chiang quitting on his own terms despite getting a free pass from Carney means that he has more integrity than the entire Liberal Party leadership.
However, by late Monday night, the pressure appeared to overwhelm the Liberal stance. Chiang’s withdrawal was reported by Yahoo News Canada at approximately 11:29 PM EDT (0429 GMT) on March 31, 2025, though no official statement from Chiang or the Liberal Party had been released as of 12:56 AM EDT on April 1, 2025. The timing suggests a swift reversal following the RCMP’s investigation announcement and ongoing public backlash.
Joe Tay, the Conservative candidate now running in Don Valley North, has been at the center of the controversy due to a bounty of over $180,000 CAD (approximately 1 million HKD) placed on him by Hong Kong police in December 2024. Tay, a vocal advocate for democracy and free speech through his YouTube channel and as co-founder of the Canada-based NGO HongKonger Station, was previously seeking the Conservative nomination in Chiang’s riding of Markham-Unionville. The Liberal government has condemned such bounties as attempts to intimidate critics abroad, making Chiang’s remarks particularly contentious.
As of this update, the Liberal Party has not named a replacement candidate for Markham-Unionville, a battleground riding in the Toronto area. The RCMP investigation remains ongoing, and further developments are expected in the coming hours. This breaking story continues to evolve, with potential implications for the Liberal campaign as Canada approaches its federal election on April 28, 2025.
 confirmed it is investigating whether he violated Canadian law with threatening comments he made earlier this year.){kind=link}