About Arnold Chan
Lived 1967 – 2017 (aged 50). Arnold Chan was a Canadian lawyer and politician.
Early career Prior to his election, Chan worked as a lawyer and, for a time, for the Ontario government as chief of staff to Ontario cabinet minister Michael Chan and then as senior aide to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.
Federal politics Chan won the Liberal nomination for Scarborough—Agincourt after incumbent Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis resigned to run for Toronto City Council. He was elected to Parliament with 59 per cent of the vote in a by-election held in 2014.
While in opposition, Chan served as Liberal critic for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, and critic for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. In November 2014, he became critic for Tourism and Small Business.
On January 22, 2015, Chan revealed to the public that he would take a five-week leave of absence while undergoing treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer. Upon his return, he resumed his role and criticized the Harper government's partisan use of public advertising, and their lack of promotion of Canada in the global tourism market.
Following the Liberal victory in the October 2015 federal election, Chan became Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Chan was known for his advocacy on behalf of the Armenian Canadian community, and chaired the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group. saying "I am not sure how many more times I will have the strength to get up and do a 20-minute speech in this place, but the point I want to impart to all of us is that I know we are all honourable members, I know members revere this place, and I would beg us to not only act as honourable members but to treat this institution honourably," adding "I would ask all of us to elevate our debate, to elevate our practice."
Personal life Chan was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer in 2014. After going into remission following treatment in 2015, the disease recurred in 2016. Chan died on September 14, 2017, at the age of 50. Yip won a December 11, 2017 by-election for Chan's former seat.
Chan was the older brother of physician Kevin Chan.
Electoral record
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Important facts
Family & relationships
People in Arnold Chan's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Arnold Chan's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Arnold Chan?
Canadian politician
When was Arnold Chan born?
Arnold Chan was born on 10 June 1967 in Scarborough.
When did Arnold Chan die?
Arnold Chan died on 14 September 2017 in Toronto.
What was Arnold Chan's occupation?
Arnold Chan was a lawyer and politician.
What nationality was Arnold Chan?
Arnold Chan was Canadian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Arnold Chan. https://biography.guide/arnold-chan/
MLA: "Arnold Chan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/arnold-chan/.
Chicago: "Arnold Chan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/arnold-chan/.
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