The NDP candidate, Brian Chang, running in the Scarborough-Agincourt by-election in December seems like a pretty cool dude.
Brian Chang has lived in Scarborough for his whole life. Raised in Malvern before moving to Agincourt at age 11, he knows the community from Agincourt Mall to L’Amoreaux Park, and from the restaurants on Midland to Victoria Park. As a journalist, Brian has written over 50 articles and columns for Ludwig Van Toronto (formerly Musical Toronto) and the Wholenote. A classically trained musician, Brian sings Tenor in the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (founded in 1894) and Incontra Vocal Ensemble. Actively engaged in the choral music scene, Brian has performed countless times in choirs for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Elora Festival Orchestra, amongst others.
Brian attended Holy Spirit Elementary and Mary Ward Secondary School, before receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto. He then completed his Masters in Environmental Studies at York University, while serving on the Board of Directors with the Canadian Environmental Law Association and Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS).
A progressive activist and resident, he has served policy and organizing roles with Olivia Chow’s mayoral campaign amongst many others. Recently, as Operations Director for Jagmeet Singh, Brian helped Mr. Singh secure his unprecedented win. A known organizer, Brian has worked as campaigns officer for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and has taught at the Chang School at Ryerson University.
A proud gay man, Brian has volunteered countless hours of work to ACAS, the 519, and has performed at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. He founded Ruckus, the UTSC Alumni and Community Choir at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus as well as the Innis College Choir. For his work on both, he was honored by the University of Toronto with two awards, including the Gordon Cressy Award.
Brian represents a new generation of New Democrats, eager to fight for social justice and demand better for our communities in Ottawa.