[溫哥華本地新聞] Candidate post draws criticism for singling out race of byelection opponent

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Liberal candidate’s WeChat post draws criticism for singling out race of byelection opponent Jagmeet Singh



VANCOUVER—From the vantage point of Metro Vancouver’s SkyTrain, which runs through the heart of the federal riding of Burnaby South, the blocks whiz by, filled with condos, three-storey walk-ups, small businesses, large shopping centres and, notably, a plethora of food options, from Polish diners to Korean BBQ joints.
As one of the most diverse ridings in the country, where more than 68 per cent of 111,000 residents identify as visible minorities, political analysts have questioned how race would play out in the campaign leading up to the Feb. 25 byelection.

Liberal candidate Karen Wang used WeChat, a Chinese social media platform, to urge supporters to vote for her, “the only Chinese candidate” in the riding, rather than NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who she identified as “of Indian descent.”  (StarMetro file photos)

On Saturday, they got an answer when Liberal candidate Karen Wang used WeChat, a Chinese social media platform, to urge supporters to vote for her, “the only Chinese candidate” in the riding, rather than NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who she identified as “of Indian descent.” Singh, who is vying for his first seat in the House of Commons, is Canada’s first non-white federal party leader. The other candidates are Conservative Jay Shin and People’s Party of Canada’s Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson.
Translated from Chinese, part of Wang’s post read: “If we can increase the voting rate, as the only (ethnic) Chinese candidate in this riding, if I can garner 16,000 votes I will easily win the byelection, control the election race and make history! My opponent in this byelection is the NDP candidate Singh of Indian descent!”
Wang used the term “hua yi” to refer to people of the Chinese diaspora and used the term “yin yi” to refer to people of India’s diaspora.

The use of WeChat in political campaigns is becoming more common in Metro Vancouver, particularly after October’s civic elections, when a post from Richmond-based Canada Wenzhou Friendship Societyoffered people “transportation subsidies” if WeChat users voted for their suggested candidates.