OTTAWA — Liberal MP Shaun Chen says he will resign his Scarborough North seat effective August 15, saying injuries from a serious car crash last year have left him unable to travel to Ottawa as frequently as the job requires.Chen, who has represented the Toronto-area riding since 2015, said he was injured in a motor vehicle accident while commuting to Ottawa in late fall 2025.."After discussing the situation with my family, I have decided that it is best for me to step down as a Member of Parliament," Chen said in a statement released Monday. "Serving the federal riding of Scarborough North over the past 11 years has been the greatest privilege and honour of my career."Prime Minister Mark Carney thanked Chen in a social media post, praising his advocacy for young people and efforts to combat racism. Chen's resignation adds to a growing list of Liberal MPs who have left, or announced plans to leave, Parliament since the April 2025 federal election..Chrystia Freeland resigned her University—Rosedale seat after being appointed Canada's special envoy on Ukraine. Former defence minister Bill Blair stepped down after being named Canada's ambassador to the United States, while former natural resources minister Jonathan Wilkinson resigned following his appointment as Canada's ambassador to Japan.Nathaniel Erskine-Smith resigned after an unsuccessful bid to become leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, following a race in which he criticized the party's nomination and leadership process. Former environment minister Steven Guilbeault also announced he would leave Parliament after publicly breaking with the government over its support for new pipeline projects.Including Chen, that brings the total to seven Liberal MPs who have resigned or announced plans to resign their seats since the last election.The Liberal caucus has also been reshaped by a series of floor crossings.Since the 2025 election, four Conservative MPs, Chris d'Entremont, Michael Ma, Matt Jeneroux and Marilyn Gladu have all crossed the floor to join the Liberals effectively granting the Liberals their first majority government since 2019, the first in Canadian history formed by floor crossings. . Former NDP MP Lori Idlout also joined the governing party.The Conservatives have experienced departures of their own.Damien Kurek resigned his Alberta seat to allow Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to return to the House of Commons through a byelection. Richard Martel stepped down after being appointed to the Senate, while Larry Brock announced last week he will resign his Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations seat next month to return to the Brantford Crown Attorney's Office.Chen thanked his constituents, family and colleagues, saying he hopes whoever succeeds him "will love the job as much as I have."
