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Wooing the ethnic vote
By Lucy-Claire Saunders
It’s just another few days before Vancouver-Quadra’s March 17 by-election. The candidates might all be fair of skin, but it’s the ethnic voters that will make or break them.
As immigrants make up 36 per cent of the riding’s population, it is no surprise that each candidate is wooing ethnic voters with political planks they believe are important to visible minorities, especially to Chinese-Canadians, who form the majority.
Rebecca Coad |
“There is no support system for qualified immigrants to find worthy jobs here,” the UBC political science student said. “I think it’s a great injustice that we bring people into our country with high levels of experience or education but when they come, we don’t have the supports in place for them to work in their field.”
Stories about engineers and doctors who drive taxis are plentiful in urban centres like Vancouver — sad tales of people who seek a better life only to have their qualifications rejected by a foreign system.
Joyce Murray |
In a phone interview, the former MLA from New Westminster touted her party’s achievement du jour — the Asia Pacific Gateway Program, an integrated set of investment and policy measures focused on Asia-Pacific trade.
“It’s not just about ports, bridges and roads,” Murray said. “It’s actually about the relationship with our friends to the East. It’s a about cultural, business and academic ties.”
Murray blames the Harper government for the “souring” of Canada’s valuable economic relationship with China, Canada’s second largest trade partner, over the past several years.
“We were on the list to receive preferred status under the Liberals,” she said, referring to China’s Approved Destination Status (ADS) scheme. “But Steven Harper hasn’t been there yet so China feels slighted.”
Canada was awarded the lucrative tourism agreement in 2005 but has since been booted off the list.
Deborah Meredith |
“There have been eight ministerial visits to China since the Conservative government was elected so rather than the photo opportunities that occurred during the previous government, we have taken a business-like approach to relations between Canada and China,” she said. “As a result trade is up 43 per cent and tourism is up by 20 per cent.”
The UBC law professor reckons the prime minster will eventually visit China as “he should.”
Although Vancouver-Quadra is the sixth wealthiest riding in Canada, it is not immune to crime.
“There was one week in 2007 when there were three gang-related murders in the riding,” said Meredith, adding property crime is the more prevalent issue.
“It involves mental health issues, and drug addiction as well so the Conservative government has allocated $10 million for mental health issues of $64 million, two-thirds go to prevention and detox facilities and a third goes to enforcement.
“The Conservative government is also funding more police on the streets with 1,000 new RCMP officers and 2,500 police.”
The Conservative Party’s law-and-order approach will resonate with communities that believe in personal responsibility, she added, stressing that her party is inclusive and its social values are in tune with those of ethnic minorities.
Dan Grice |
“A lot of people in Vancouver-Quadra value independent stores, which also happens to be a big thing in the Chinese-Canadian community,” he said. “Many have worked hard to have their own business but they have to pay for many of the city’s services, regardless of how well they do.”
In Vancouver, businesses pay municipal property taxes at nearly six times the rate paid by residents and roughly double that of businesses in neighboring municipalities, according the Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition, a non-profit that campaigns for businesses and investors.
“The Green Party wants to see the federal government step up and transfer sales tax and income tax so small business don’t have to bare the brunt of the costs,” Grice added.
Vancouver-Quadra’s by-election follows the resignation of Liberal Stephen Owen, who quit federal politics last year for a job at UBC. Established in 1947, it is the most westerly Vancouver riding.
Three other federal by-elections are being held in Saskatchewan and Ontario
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