Controversial mayoral candidate Xiao Hua Gong is demanding a recount after Monday’s by-election for Toronto mayor.
In a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, Gong thanked Torontonians who supported him, but went on to question the result of the election, who crowned Oliva Chow as the next mayor of the city. Gong collected 2,983 votes, a percentage of 0.41, and ranked in 11th place out of the 102 candidates on the ballot.
He says he believes “it’s crucial to ensure the voting was accurate and fair” and that is why he is asking for a recount.
Though Gong may not have won the city’s top job, he apparently won amongst many young voters. According to Student Vote Toronto, the results of their mock election where elementary and secondary students voted saw Chow come on top with 2,887 votes, which represented 23 per cent of students.
And surprisingly,, the runner up was Gong with 2,684 votes, representing nearly 22 per cent of votes. Former city councillor Ana Bailã and former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders came in third and fourth place.
READ MORE: 8 things you probably didn’t know about Olivia Chow – Toronto’s next mayor
CIVIX Canada, the organizer of the mock student election, says over 13,000 students casted ballots from 126 schools across the city.
Safe to say, Gong’s tactic of endless campaign posters plastered throughout the city may have left a mark on youths. However, now the Chinese-Canadian business man has only one day to clean up his signs or else he could be facing hundreds of dollars in fines.
The city has sent out a reminder that all residents and candidates are responsible for removing and disposing of all by-election signs displayed on private and public property by tomorrow, June 29.
“Candidates will be notified if signs are removed by the City and provided information on when and where the signs can be retrieved from. Any signs not retrieved may be recycled, destroyed or disposed of by the City,” the city’s website reads.
REACTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY
Many Torontonians are now sharing their thoughts, as Gong continues to make headlines, with some saying he should focus more so on sign clean-up rather than fixating on a recount.
WHO IS GONG?
Gong is known as a businessman who has allegedly been involved in a number of questionable ventures from a pyramid scheme to fraud investigations.
A 2021 article from the Globe and Mail states Gong was not always in the business industry. The 52-year-old started as a former theatre director in China before immigrating to Canada in 2002 and becoming a Canadian citizen in 2008.
“He built a business empire in North America over the following decade, acquiring several hotels in the Toronto area, the second-largest hotel in Michigan and two Chinese-language TV channels in Canada, including Canada National TV,” the article says.
However, in Feb. 2021, his company Edward Enterprise International Group Inc. pleaded guilty to a pyramid scheme and forging documents, according to media reports. He was forced to forfeit more than $68 million CAD to the New Zealand government. It is believed members of Gong’s immediate family reside in New Zealand.
New Zealand police say Gong transferred the money to the country to “conceal its source,” according to a news release posted June 2021.
“This is the largest forfeiture of proceeds of crime ever secured in New Zealand and it reflects the expertise of New Zealand Police when investigating complex multi-jurisdictional money laundering at the most serious level,” Detective Inspector Craig Hamilton said.
Additionally, in December 2017, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) announced Gong had been charged with fraud and related offences under the Criminal Code of Canada.
