Canada’s ruling Conservatives seek investigation into pro-Trudeau group, based in Chinese graft suspect’s office
Request by governing party follows SCMP report about Tru-Youths United, and corruption suspect Michael Ching’s attempts to woo Liberal would-be PM Justin Trudeau
UPDATE: Michael Ching Mo Yeung has commenced legal proceedings against South China Morning Post in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Mr Ching alleges in his lawsuit that this article contains false and defamatory statements, and that the conduct of South China Morning Post and its reporter was malicious, reprehensible, high-handed, and blameworthy.
Canada’s governing Conservatives have formally requested an investigation into the financial activities of a political group based in the office of Chinese corruption suspect Michael Ching Mo Yeung, in response to a story by the South China Morning Post about the group’s links to the rival Liberal Party and leader Justin Trudeau.
The request, which comes less than three weeks out from a hotly contested federal election, was lodged with Elections Canada on Thursday by the Tories’ legal team.
An investigative report by the Post revealed this week that Tru-Youths United Association, a pro-Trudeau activist group made up of young volunteers, had the same registered address as Ching’s office in Richmond, British Columbia; its directors included Ching’s teenage daughter, Linda Ching, and Liberal special advisor Wang Ting Ting.
“[We] request that a full investigation be initiated by your office, without delay, into any contributions the Liberal Party of Canada and the Trudeau campaign team have received from Mr Ching or Tru-Youths, or any contributions in any way related or connected to either of them,” the Conservatives’ lawyer said in a letter to Elections Canada Commissioner Yves Cotes.
The letter cited the SCMP’s report and stated that “[it] is unclear how this organisation [Tru-Youths] was funded as they have never filed a financial statement”.