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Dumped Liberal candidate Kevin Vuong will sit as Independent MP if

Last Updated Sep 22, 2021 at 1:30 pm MDT

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau waves following his victory speech at Party campaign headquarters in Montreal, early Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

OTTAWA — Kevin Vuong intends to sit as an Independent MP after being elected as a Liberal even though the party dumped him from the ticket.

Vuong says in a statement that he intends to serve his constituents in the downtown Toronto riding of Spadina-Fort York despite controversy over a sexual assault charge against him in 2019, which was later dropped.

The Liberal party cut ties with Vuong two days before Monday’s election, after the Toronto Star revealed the incident.

However, it was too late to remove Vuong’s name or party affiliation from the ballot.

The party has said Vuong would have to sit as an Independent if he won.

Vuong is currently leading in the riding, just 1,320 votes ahead of his NDP rival, but has not yet been declared the winner as mail-in ballots are still being counted.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 22, 2021.

The Canadian Press