Kevin Vuong was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) from Spadina-Fort York in Ontario in 2021, becoming the youngest Asian-Canadian in Parliament. He focused his legislative efforts on public safety, security, and combating hate crimes. Vuong is a second-generation Canadian of Chinese heritage, the son of refugees from the Vietnam War.
He holds the rank of Lieutenant (Navy) in the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve. He is married to Elizabeth Vuong, and they have one daughter.
Q: Prior to politics, you started several businesses. How did you become an entrepreneur?
KEVIN VUONG: My parents raised me with a strong work ethic and a sense of self-reliance. We weren’t well off by any means, so earning enough money for financial security was important to me. I graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a business degree, and I went to work on Bay Street at TD Securities in their global leadership rotational program. My drive to find solutions led me to becoming an entrepreneur.
Fast forward through a few years of entrepreneurial ventures, some successful, others not, and I went on to co-found a political intelligence and monitoring B2B SaaS company, Delphic Research Group.
Q: What made you decide to transition to politics?
KEVIN VUONG: My parents were refugees who were welcomed into Canada, and I’ve always had a sense of gratitude to the country and the opportunities it’s given me and my family. This led me to volunteer to join the Royal Canadian Navy as a naval reserve officer, first as an intelligence officer, and I later transitioned to becoming a public affairs officer. I’ve been actively engaged in civic and social issues throughout my life.
In 2020, I was proud to be appointed Canada’s NATO 2030 Young Leader by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. It was an incredible opportunity to have a direct role in helping to shape the future of the Alliance, along with 13 other young leaders from member countries. I was motivated to pursue public service as a Member of Parliament, and it will always be a huge honour to have served my community, city, and country.
Q: What was the highlight of your time as MP?
KEVIN VUONG: Two immediately come to mind. The first was forcing the federal government to honour an election promise to permanently eliminate interest on federal student and apprenticeship loans that they clearly had no intention of fulfilling. I know from my own lived experience that education can be the ultimate equalizer, and there are few investments that a nation can make that are more impactful than investing in the education of our next generation.
The other highlight during my tenure was sponsoring a petition that called on the federal government to address the increasingly hostile antisemitism and hate we were seeing on Canada’s streets. The petition pushed for greater clarity on whether certain slogans contravene sections of the Criminal Code concerning the willful promotion of hatred and ultimately collected over 12,000 signatures. At a time of immense turmoil and darkness, the broad concern about the rise of antisemitism in our country gave me comfort in knowing that I was not alone and, perhaps most importantly, was a message to our Canadian Jewish brothers and sisters that they are also not alone.
Standing up against hate and advocating for the safety and dignity of all communities is a responsibility I took seriously as an MP and will continue to advocate for, as I see it as the responsibility of all Canadians to stand up for our neighbours.
Q: What other issues do you foresee advocating for as a private citizen?
KEVIN VUONG: I’ll remain committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our neighbourhoods, especially here in Toronto. As an MP, I addressed concerns about the placement of drug injection sites that impacted the quality of life for my constituents. I believe it’s essential to find a balance between providing necessary health services and maintaining safe, livable communities.
Toronto has been my home for over a third of my life; it’s where I was born, and I have lived in downtown Toronto since 2011. It breaks my heart to say that the crime has never been as bad as it is now. My wife and I are raising our daughter here, and I will continue to do everything I can to ensure that she and all Torontonians can live in a city that is safe and where everyone belongs.
Q: What is the most important job for new Prime Minister Mark Carney?
KEVIN VUONG: Prime Minister Carney’s main task is to steer Canada’s economic recovery while addressing the pressing social and political challenges. His business and financial experience won him the position, and now Canadians expect him to deliver.
We need solutions, not sound bites, and I will be watching for his ability to execute on the promises that he made during the election, and undoubtedly will make throughout his mandate.
