Michael Chong
- Born
- November 22, 1971 — Windsor, Ontario
- Family
- Married to Carrie Davidson, three sons: William, Alistair, and Cameron
- Education
- Trinity College at the University of Toronto (philosophy, history and politics)
- Career
- Information technology for Barclays Bank and Research Capital Corporation; senior technology consultant to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority; National Hockey League Players’ Association
- Political Experience
- Ran for parliament in the 2000 federal election as a Progressive Conservative; Elected to House of Commons in 2004; Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Sport, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada (2006); Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Communities and Urban Affairs, Shadow Cabinet Minister for Science, Shadow Cabinet Minister for Democratic Institutions
- Notable
- Resigned from cabinet in 2006 to oppose a motion recognizing the Québécois as a nation within a united Canada; Proposed the Reform Act; Sanctioned by the government of the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation; Family in Hong Kong was targeted following the Uyghur genocide vote.
Based on publicly available information — may contain inaccuracies
Business & Financial Interests
Before entering politics, Michael Chong worked in the private sector in information technology. His past roles reportedly included acting as Chief Information Officer for the National Hockey League Players' Association and working as a senior technology consultant for companies like Barclays Bank. He also reportedly owns and operates a farm in his constituency.
Key Relationships & Connections
As a long-serving MP, Michael Chong was a cabinet minister in the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, serving as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council. He is often associated with the more moderate or 'Red Tory' wing of the Conservative Party. Chong has also highlighted the influence of his parents in his public life; his father was an immigrant from Hong Kong and his mother was an immigrant from the Netherlands.
Public Controversies
In 2023, it was publicly revealed through leaked intelligence reports that Michael Chong and his family members in Hong Kong had been targeted by the Chinese government. The targeting was reportedly a response to Chong's successful 2021 parliamentary motion which condemned Beijing's treatment of its Uyghur minority as a genocide. A major part of the controversy was the revelation that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had been aware of this threat for two years, but Chong himself was not informed. The situation led to a significant diplomatic incident, resulting in the Canadian government expelling a Chinese diplomat, Zhao Wei, who was allegedly involved in the matter.
Where Michael falls on key policy spectrums
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I know what happened. They issued a directive under section 15. They basically nudged the CRTC, which held a hearing and concluded that RT should be pulled off the airwaves. I think we need to be a bit more categorical about authoritarian state-controlled broadcasters, and not just RT. CGTN should have been pulled at the same time. That's why I'm suggesting section 7, or some derivative thereof,
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask Ms. Budnisky about the Broadcasting Act changes in the bill. I agree with you that this doesn't address the issue of RT and other authoritarian state-controlled broadcasters such as CGTN because they're not licensed; they are on the “list of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution”. That point is taken, but wouldn't you
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to focus on one of the purposes of the bill concerning the Broadcasting Act. The government effectively took RT off the airwaves in Canada in 2022 through a cabinet directive issued under section 15 of the Broadcasting Act. The CGTN continues to operate. In the United Kingdom, in 2021, Ofcom—their CRTC—pulled CGTN off the airwaves because it concluded that the
When the directive under section 15 was issued, I did not expect any results other than what transpired after the hearing. To be frank, when the minister for Canadian heritage issues a directive like that, it's pretty clear what the CRTC is expected to do. That's just my commentary on that. There's a distinction there. Publicly owned airwaves are licensed, and we have long determined editorial
I concur with that assessment. It would be helpful if you could send the committee that information as we seek to amend that section of the bill. I'd note, in support of what you just said, that Ofcom also concluded that the airing of a forced confession by Simon Cheng, a former official at the United Kingdom's consulate in Hong Kong, was a gross violation of human rights, which breached its