A car accident was the driving force behind Shaun Chen rethinking his political future.
The crash while commuting to Ottawa that forced the former Liberal MP to quit was also what led him to seek a seat on Toronto city council — a job that placed his new office closer to home. With life in Ottawa now in the rearview mirror Chen is now gearing up for his new role as the councillor for Scarborough North. From the onset, Monday night, Chen maintained a sizeable lead and went on to oust the incumbent Jamaal Myers.
“This is not a victory for me today, it’s victory for all of us,” Chen told a packed room at the Perfect Chinese Restaurant on Sheppard Avenue East. “I’m very excited at what comes next.”
The battle for Scarborough North, saw Jamaal Myers, the incumbent, lose his seat against Chen, who was one of two political veterans, who entered the municipal race in a bid to oust the rookie councillor.
Myers, a lawyer and transit advocate, was elected to represent Scarborough North (Ward 23) in 2022 with the support of progressive activists after incumbent Cynthia Lai died of cancer during the campaign. He was elevated to TTC board chair, one of the most influential roles at council, by Olivia Chow shortly after she took office.
His bid for re-election fell short, coming in second.
Chen, was the local MP just two months ago. He was the only major candidate who currently lives in Scarborough North.
The other former MP, Han Dong, chose not to run for re-election last year, having left the Liberal caucus in 2023 to sit as an independent after a March 2023 Global News report said he covertly advised Chinese government officials to delay the release of Canadian hostages. A federal inquiry found no evidence to support this allegation and Dong settled a lawsuit with Global last year. Dong entered the race armed with endorsements from some of Myers’ past and present council colleagues, including former mayor John Tory.
Heading into the election, Myers was facing pressure, after some Scarborough North residents told the Star they didn’t like a zoning decision he made, which they say contravened the character of the neighbourhood. Others said they were dissatisfied with rising property tax rates in recent years and faulted the incumbent, considering he is an ally of the mayor.
More than one-fifth of residents in the ward list Cantonese as their first language, and nine per cent list Tamil.
