Ben Chin
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Byung Kyu Chin (born 1964), known for short as Ben Chin, is Vice President, Energy Conservation Incentives at Air Miles for Social Change, and a former Canadian
political adviser and television journalist.
, Switzerland
. He first came to Canada
as a child from 1970 to 1974, when his father served as the South Korea
n Ambassador to Canada in Ottawa
. After his father fell out of political favour with the South Korean government, Chin was sent to Toronto
on his own to continue his education and attend junior high school. After completing high school at East York Collegiate Institute
(with a brief stint living in the Washington, DC area with his parents), Chin went to the University of Toronto
. He lived with his older brother and sister, who were both students at the University of Toronto
.
His brother, Jik Chin, is currently a chemistry professor at the University of Toronto
.
as a general assignment reporter and anchor from 1989 to 1997. He was best known for covering the Paul Bernardo
murder trial. He then left Citytv and headed east to Halifax as Atlantic Bureau Chief for CTV
News. In 1998 he returned to Toronto and joined CBC Newsworld
, where he anchored The National on weekends.
In 2005, Chin joined the communications staff of Ontario
Premier
Dalton McGuinty
.
On February 16, 2006, Chin was the Liberal Party
nominee for the provincial by-election in Toronto—Danforth
, held to fill the vacancy created when NDP
incumbent Marilyn Churley resigned to run in the 2006 federal election
. Chin was defeated by his NDP opponent, Peter Tabuns
, the former executive director of Greenpeace Canada
and a former Toronto City Council
lor for part of the riding. He did not run in the 2007 provincial elections
, returning as a senior advisor in the Premier's Office, and subsequently worked on the central campaign team. After working in the private sector, Chin joined the Ontario Power Authority as Vice President of Communications.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
political adviser and television journalist.
Personal life and education
Chin was in born GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He first came to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as a child from 1970 to 1974, when his father served as the South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n Ambassador to Canada in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. After his father fell out of political favour with the South Korean government, Chin was sent to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
on his own to continue his education and attend junior high school. After completing high school at East York Collegiate Institute
East York Collegiate Institute
East York Collegiate Institute is a Toronto high-school located in the former borough of East York at the corner of Coxwell and Cosburn Avenues...
(with a brief stint living in the Washington, DC area with his parents), Chin went to the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. He lived with his older brother and sister, who were both students at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
His brother, Jik Chin, is currently a chemistry professor at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
Career
Chin met his future wife Barb Ustina in 1987 and, with her guidance, turned to journalism, working at CitytvCitytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
as a general assignment reporter and anchor from 1989 to 1997. He was best known for covering the Paul Bernardo
Paul Bernardo
Paul Kenneth Bernardo, also known as Paul Jason Teale , is a Canadian serial killer and rapist, known for the sexual assaults and murders he committed with his wife Karla Homolka and the serial rapes he committed in Scarborough.-Early life:Bernardo's mother, Marilyn, was the adopted daughter of a...
murder trial. He then left Citytv and headed east to Halifax as Atlantic Bureau Chief for CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
News. In 1998 he returned to Toronto and joined CBC Newsworld
CBC Newsworld
CBC News Network is a Canadian English language Category C specialty news channel owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . It broadcasts into over 10 million homes in Canada. It is the world's third-oldest television service of this nature, after CNN in the United States and...
, where he anchored The National on weekends.
In 2005, Chin joined the communications staff of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
.
On February 16, 2006, Chin was the Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
nominee for the provincial by-election in Toronto—Danforth
Toronto—Danforth
Toronto—Danforth is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979. It lies to the east of Downtown Toronto....
, held to fill the vacancy created when NDP
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
incumbent Marilyn Churley resigned to run in the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
. Chin was defeated by his NDP opponent, Peter Tabuns
Peter Tabuns
Peter Charles Tabuns is a Canadian politician. He is serving as a member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly where he represents the riding of Toronto-Danforth as a member of the New Democratic Party. He launched a bid to lead the party after the previous leader, Howard Hampton, resigned. A...
, the former executive director of Greenpeace Canada
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
and a former Toronto City Council
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
lor for part of the riding. He did not run in the 2007 provincial elections
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
, returning as a senior advisor in the Premier's Office, and subsequently worked on the central campaign team. After working in the private sector, Chin joined the Ontario Power Authority as Vice President of Communications.