Kevin Vuong has never been one to shy away from saying what he thinks – nor from acting on his beliefs. He became a nationally known figure during his tenure as the Member of Parliament for Spadina-Fort York, where he became a leading voice on topics like public safety, drug injection sites, antisemitism, and affordability concerns. We spoke with Kevin about his impactful career in both the public and private sectors.
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Q: What made you seek office as a Member of Parliament for Spadina-Fort York?
KEVIN VUONG: For many of the same reasons that I volunteered with the Canadian Forces as a naval reserve officer – it was a way to serve and give back to the country that’s provided so much opportunity, not to mention a home, for my family, who came here as refugees. I’m a second-generation Canadian of Chinese heritage, the first in my family to be born and raised in Canada, and the first to go to university. Representation and service mean a lot to me and to my community. I’ve been involved with policy debates throughout my life, most significantly as a NATO Young Leader, where I was one of 14 delegates from NATO member countries advising the Alliance and Secretary General for its 2030 agenda. I’ve also seen how impactful policy can be, and I’m driven by the urgency of the many issues affecting our country and my community here in Toronto.
Q: You’ve taken visible positions on protests targeting Jewish schools. How do you balance protecting these schools from protecting the rights of protestors?
KEVIN VUONG: When I hear that children are being smuggled out of their school’s back door under police escort – that’s not protest, that’s targeted intimidation. Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects free expression, but Section 1 also makes it clear that rights come with reasonable limits. I supported the Toronto city council’s decision to create a buffer zone around places of worship, daycares, and schools, a policy that will go into effect on July 2. But it should never have been necessary and I remain concerned about enforcement of the new by-law. What is unequivocal and clear is that the children and families inside these schools and synagogues being targeted based on their faith and culture deserve to be protected from antisemitism.
Q: There’s been growing concern in Toronto about emergency services response times. What do you think is being missed in that conversation?
KEVIN VUONG: What is being missed by far too many is that this is a matter of life and death, not just bureaucratic backups or backlogs. The operators know this, but the system as it is isn’t serving our city adequately. In downtown Toronto, people are dying because 911 wait times are over ten minutes. Meanwhile, in Peel Region, they’re using AI-assisted triage systems that bring wait time down to twelve seconds. That’s not science fiction, it’s happening now. But Toronto is not adapting. We have the tools, we just don’t have the political will. When our emergency services aren’t able to respond in time, we’re talking about families forever changed. I think that’s what’s missing from the conversation.
Q: Housing affordability continues to dominate political campaigns. But do you think the government truly understands the urgency?
KEVIN VUONG: If they did, Parliament would be working through the summer. We wouldn’t be talking about potential relief measures buried in a fall economic statement. We’d be passing laws that drop the GST on new home builds, for one thing. There are easy steps like this that we can take, but as with emergency services, there’s a problem of political will. In Toronto right now, we’re seeing a surge in available homes and condos, with buyers still waiting for prices to drop with all the excess supply. The market is forcing changes, and that will hopefully provide political momentum to address the issue more directly.
Q: What’s next for you?
KEVIN VUONG: People have encouraged me to continue using the voice and platform that I have on many of these issues, so I am. I’ll remain active in the media and in community work, especially in areas like crime and public safety. I’ve seen how devastating these can be as a downtown resident, where I lived for over 12 years. There is clear evidence of the detrimental effects of drug injection sites on otherwise safe communities, and clear benefits when they’re closed, as just happened in South Riverdale. One business owner said it was like “flipping a switch”. There are a lot more switches to be flipped, and I’ll be part of that effort.
