Vincent Ke

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Vincent Ke

| image = Vincent Ke at the 2019 CFC Annual Gala & Auction (47156670182).jpg

| caption = Ke in 2019

| native_name = 柯文彬

| native_name_lang = zh

| honorific-suffix =

| parliament = Ontario Provincial

| term_start = June 7, 2018

| term_end = January 28, 2025

| predecessor = Riding established

| successor = Jonathan Tsao

| riding = Don Valley North

| office1 = Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery

| term_start1 = June 29, 2022

| term_end1 = March 10, 2023

| minister1 = Kaleed Rasheed

| office2 = Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (Culture and Sport){{NoteTag|note=Known as Tourism, Culture and Sport before October 31, 2019.}}

| term_start2 = June 26, 2019

| term_end2 = June 1, 2022

| minister2 = Lisa MacLeod

| party = Independent

| otherparty = Progressive Conservative (until 2023)

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Quanzhou, Fujian, China

| residence = North York, Ontario

| occupation = Politician

| alma_mater = Fuzhou University
Ruhr University Bochum

| spouse =

| children = 1

| website = {{URL|https://vincentkempp.com/}}

| module = {{Infobox Chinese | child = yes

| c= 柯文彬

| p = Kē Wénbīn

| j = {{Tone superscript|O1 Man4-ban1}} }}

}}

Wenbin "Vincent" Ke ({{lang-zh|c=柯文彬}}) is a Canadian politician who was a member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in Ontario, representing the riding of Don Valley North from 2018 until 2025. Originally elected as a Progressive Conservative (PC), he stepped down from the caucus on March 10, 2023 following allegations of involvement in Chinese government election interference. He is the second mainland-Chinese Canadian immigrant elected as a PC MPP.{{cite news |url=https://www.mingpaocanada.com/tor/htm/News/20180608/taa08.htm?m=0 |script-title=zh:當谷北選區柯文彬成第2位進省議會中國移民 |trans-title=Don Valley North: Vincent Ke becomes second immigrant from China to be elected to legislature |publisher=Ming Pao |date=2018-06-08 |access-date=2025-03-15 |language=zh-hant }}

Background

Ke was born in Quanzhou, Fujian, China, and immigrated to Canada in 1998.{{Citation|title=《高端访谈》对话安省保守党省议员候选人 – 柯文彬|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCRwqgECMC4|language=en|access-date=2020-01-03}} He holds an undergraduate degree in engineering from Fuzhou University in China and a Master's from Ruhr University in Germany.{{Cite news|last=Blackwell|first=Tom|date=September 19, 2019|title=Regulator looks at Ontario MPP after accusations he improperly claimed to be an engineer|work=National Post|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/regulator-looks-at-ontario-mpp-after-accusations-he-improperly-claimed-to-be-an-engineer|access-date=September 19, 2019}}{{Cite news|last=Blackwell|first=Tom|date=September 6, 2019|title=MPP's ties to China raise questions about how close Canadian politicians should get to foreign powers|work=National Post|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/mpps-ties-to-china-raise-questions-about-how-close-canadian-politicians-should-get-to-foreign-powers|access-date=September 6, 2019}} Prior to his election, Ke worked for Conec—a German firm which has sites in Shanghai and Brampton—from 1999 to 2018; his role with the company was as an electronic engineer. Ke is also registered as an insurance agent by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario.{{Cite web|title=Agents Licensed in Ontario|url=http://alias2a.fsco.gov.on.ca/ShowAgent.aspx?id=14139590%20&ci=_EN&src=int|access-date=2021-11-08|website=alias2a.fsco.gov.on.ca}}

Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), the province's regulatory body for engineers, instructed Ke to stop using the title of engineer following complaints that he was doing so without being licensed as a professional engineer with PEO.

Political career

Ke ran in the 2018 provincial election as a PC candidate, and defeated Liberal candidate Shelley Carroll to be elected MPP in Don Valley North.{{cite news|last=Winsa|first=Patty|date=June 7, 2018|title=PC's Vincent Ke takes Don Valley North|newspaper=Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/06/07/pcs-vincent-ke-leading-in-don-valley-north.html}} He was appointed as the parliamentary assistant to the minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries (culture and sport) on June 26, 2019.{{cite press release |title=Premier Ford Announces Parliamentary Assistant Assignments as Part of Ontario's Government for the People |url=https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2018/06/premier-ford-announces-parliamentary-assistant-assignments-as-part-of-ontarios-government-for-the-pe.html |access-date=5 July 2018 |agency=Office of the Premier |date=29 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629225952/https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2018/06/premier-ford-announces-parliamentary-assistant-assignments-as-part-of-ontarios-government-for-the-pe.html |archive-date=29 June 2018 |url-status=live }}

During the 2022 provincial election, Ke and seven other PC MPPs were identified as having received an allowance from their PC riding associations, with Ke expensing meals, entertainment, gas and parking.{{Cite news |last=D'Mello |first=Colin |date=May 10, 2022 |title=8 Ontario PC MPPs received 'allowance' from party coffers |work=Global News |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8822737/ontario-pc-mpps-allowance/ |access-date=May 10, 2022}} While allowed by provincial law, federal politicians are prohibited from doing the same, raising questions about aligning provincial and federal allowance rules.{{Cite web |title=Ontario NDP promise to ban MPP allowances from party donors |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8826574/ontario-ndp-promise-ban-mpp-allowances-donors/ |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=Global News |language=en-CA}} Ke defeated Liberal Jonathan Tsao to win a second term, and was appointed as the parliamentary assistant to the minister of public and business service delivery on June 29, 2022.{{Cite web |title=Premier Doug Ford Unveils Parliamentary Assistants |url=https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1002170/premier-doug-ford-unveils-parliamentary-assistants |access-date=2023-03-11 |website=news.ontario.ca}}

= Allegations of Chinese government interference =

{{Main|Chinese government interference in Canada|Chinese government interference in the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections}}

Ke's ties to the Chinese consulate were questioned by National Post writer Tom Blackwell in a 2019 article. In particular, Blackwell reported that Ke maintained ties with groups linked to the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department. Blackwell provided Ke's office with a list of questions about his connections to the Chinese government including the possibility he joined the Chinese Communist Party, his ties with the Chinese consulate and a 2013 trip to China for a government-run workshop. In response, Ke's office said that he was "honoured to be a part of Doug Ford’s government" and that he would focus on "ensuring a strong voice for the constituents of Don Valley North at Queen’s Park". Premier Doug Ford's office also provided a response, stating that "MPP Ke is an important part of the Progressive Conservative caucus and represents his constituents with their best interests in mind".

In a 2021 article, Blackwell criticized Ke for seeming "over-eager to defend China, rather than being too worried about anti-Chinese hate," after Ke and Scarborough—Agincourt MPP Aris Babikian spoke out about a sign at a Chinese physician's office describing COVID-19 as "Wuhan pneumonia" in Chinese.{{Cite news |last=Blackwell |first=Tom |date=April 29, 2021 |title='Wuhan pneumonia': Ontario MPPs urge Chinese-Canadian doctor to remove 'divisive' sign |work=National Post |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/ontario-mpps-urge-chinese-canadian-doctor-to-remove-divisive-chinese-sign-referring-to-wuhan-pneumonia |access-date=April 29, 2021}}

On March 10, 2023, Global News reported that Ke served as a financial intermediary for the Chinese consulate as part of election interference efforts.{{Cite news |last=Cooper |first=Sam |author-link=Sam Cooper (journalist) |date=March 10, 2023 |title=Ontario legislature member is part of alleged Beijing 2019 election-interference network: sources |work=Global News |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9430612/chinese-government-canada-election-interference/ |access-date=March 10, 2023}} Ke denied the allegations and resigned from the Ontario PC caucus on the same day, so that he would not be a "distraction to the government and take away from the good work Premier Ford is doing for the province of Ontario".{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Laura |date=2023-03-10 |title=Progressive Conservative MPP Vincent Ke leaves caucus after allegations of election interference |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-mpp-allegations-election-interference/ |access-date=2023-03-11}} Ford's office stated that "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". Ford later said "I have confidence that his name will be cleared", and that he would welcome Ke back into caucus if that occurred.{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Laura |date=2023-03-21 |title=Doug Ford says his office received CSIS briefing about Toronto MPP Vincent Ke |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ford-csis-briefing-mpp-vincent-ke/ |access-date=2023-03-23}}

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had previously briefed the Ford's chief of staff in November 2022, which Ford described as sparse and "very secretive".

In April 2023, Ke said that he had served Global News with a libel notice concerning their reporting about him.{{Cite news |author=The Canadian Press |date=2023-04-14 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/vincent-ke-global-news-1.6811466 |title=Vincent Ke serves Global News with libel notice over allegations of election interference |work=CBC News |access-date=2023-04-15}}

=2025 election=

Ke was not readmitted to caucus and ran in the 2025 Ontario general election as an independent candidate, but was unsuccessful. Liberal Jonathan Tsao was elected with Ke placing third behind PC candidate Sue Liu; Ke's vote total was greater than Tsao's margin of victory over Liu.{{Cite news |date=2025-02-27 |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/11025828/ontario-election-2025-don-valley-north/ |title=Ontario election 2025 results: Don Valley North |publisher=Global News |access-date=2025-03-15}}

Electoral record

{{CANelec/top|ON|2025|percent=yes|change=yes|on=27 February 2025}}

{{CANelec/total|Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots|||}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=https://voterinformationservice.elections.on.ca/en/election/10-general-election-feb-27-2025/21-don-valley-north?tab=candidates|title=Candidates in: Don Valley North (021)|publisher=Elections Ontario|access-date=8 February 2025}}}}

{{CANelec/top|ON|2018|Don Valley North (provincial electoral district)|Don Valley North|percent=yes}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=https://voterinformationservice.elections.on.ca/api/candidate-search/en/export?electoralDistrictId=21|title=Candidate Search|publisher=Elections Ontario|access-date=May 18, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608140232/https://voterinformationservice.elections.on.ca/api/candidate-search/en/export?electoralDistrictId=21| archive-date=June 8, 2018| url-status=live}}{{cite web| url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/ngw/en/election-results/don-valley-north.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608143613/https://www.elections.on.ca/content/ngw/en/election-results/don-valley-north.html| archive-date=June 8, 2018| url-status=dead| title=Don Valley North Election Night Results| access-date=June 8, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2018/results/Poll%20by%20Poll%20Results%20-%202018%20General%20Election%20-%20Excel.zip |title=Poll by Poll Results - 2018 General Election |publisher=Elections Ontario |access-date=October 15, 2018}} }}

References

= Notes =

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian people of Chinese descent

Category:Chinese emigrants to Canada

Category:Fuzhou University alumni

Category:Independent MPPs in Ontario

Category:People from North York

Category:Politicians from Toronto

Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPPs

Category:Ruhr University Bochum alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario