Liberal MP Shaun Chen faced allegations of violating House rules by casting votes in the House of Commons while he was in China earlier this year. The accusations, fueled by right-wing influencers and some current and former Conservative MPs, stemmed from videos on WeChat showing Chen in China on March 25, the same day he allegedly voted electronically in the House of Commons.
The claims suggested that Chen may have breached national security by voting remotely from China, accessing parliamentary systems while outside Canada. Conservative MP John Barlow raised concerns about Chen’s actions, emphasizing the prohibition against MPs voting from abroad as per the House of Commons standing orders.
It was alleged that Chen participated in a vote on Bill C-9, the government’s hate crime legislation, while in China. Although there were suggestions that the WeChat videos could have been edited and posted after the trip, questions persisted about Chen’s voting location.
According to House rules, MPs are not allowed to vote while outside the country. Electronic votes must be cast within Canada, with visual confirmation of the member’s identity required. Facial recognition technology is utilized to verify MPs’ identities during the voting process.
In response to the allegations, Chen’s office clarified that he had returned to Canada on March 23 for the House of Commons session after his trip to China from March 14 to March 22. Supporting documentation, including Chen’s boarding pass and visa stamps in his passport, corroborated his travel dates.
Chen’s office attributed his resignation to ongoing health issues stemming from a previous vehicle accident, limiting his ability to travel to Ottawa regularly. The trip to China was part of official parliamentary business with the Canada-China Legislative Association, sponsored by the Hakka Canadian Association.
Critics, including journalist Andy Lee, questioned Chen’s health status, noting his ability to travel to China but not to Ottawa. The trip details were disclosed in a public statement by the Office of Canada’s Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, affirming the official nature of the visit.