Dear Elections BC, Chief Electoral Officer, and District Electoral Officers,
Hope this finds you well in the midst of this busy election season.
The purpose of this Email is to bring to your attention a potential incidences of intimidation and collusion within the Richmond electoral districts, which I suspect to be in violation of B.C. Election Act.
First, let’s address the intimidation issue. In Section 256 of the B.C. Election Act it is clearly stated that any sort of coercion or duress through social pressure, whether directly or indirectly, constitutes a form of intimidation which negatively affects election integrity and fairness. For example, whenever Independent/Unaffiliated MLA Candidates within the 4 Richmond ridings are promoted by any means within the social media channels, chat groups and communities such as WeChat and WhatsApp (primarily), aggressive rhetoric such as “How can you even think of voting for Independents as a vote for Independent is the same as a vote for the NDP”, “You shouldn’t vote for Independents because they don’t have any chance of winning and only serve to split the vote”, and “The only way to put an end to drugs within Richmond is to vote Conservative. Voting any other way is selfish.”
(Submitted by Salvatore Vetro)
…
I am not sure whether this is happening within Vancouver, Burnaby, as well as other ridings across Metro Vancouver, since I only testify regarding my experience in Richmond.
Secondly, let’s address the collusion issue which I believe to be even more serious than the intimidation issue. In Section 250 of the B.C. Election Act it is very clearly stated that there must be no collusion between a third party sponsor and a candidate, a registered political party or a registered constituency association.
As you may or may not be aware, The Fairchild Media Group is organizing the “2024 BC Election Forum” this Saturday (October 5th, 2024) from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Aberdeen Centre in Richmond. Provincial election candidates from the Conservative Party of BC, BC Green Party and BC NDP will be present at the forum, which will be conducted in Cantonese. There is clearly an absence of mention of any Independent and Unaffiliated candidates from the Richmond electoral districts, which constitute 8 out of a total of 18 candidates (nearly half). Considering there is a significant population of Cantonese-speaking people within the Richmond electoral districts, the subtle manipulation of public opinion by restricting voter choice to the incumbent MLA and her affiliated political party will have a significant impact on the fairness of this election.
https://www.fairchildtv.com/
As a concerned citizen, voter, and an Independent MLA Candidate myself, I truly value the democratic process and the importance of providing a platform for all candidates to present their views and engage with the electorate, which Richmond News has done a wonderful job of by organizing the Richmond All-Candidates Meeting on September 26, 2024. In stark contrast with Richmond News, however, the decision by Fairchild Media Group to invite only a select few candidates to the debate undermines the principles of fairness that are essential to a healthy democratic process. The absence of certain candidates from the debate not only limits the voters ability to make informed choices but also raises questions about the impartiality of the electoral process. It is vital that all candidates’ representation, regardless of their party affiliation, or whether they are running as an independent or unaffiliated candidates, are given an equal opportunity to participate in debates and discussions that are crucial in shaping public opinion and policy.
In the case of Teresa Wat, incumbent MLA for Richmond-Bridgeport, current Conservative Party of BC MLA Candidate for Richmond-Bridgeport, as well as past president and CEO of Mainstream Broadcasting Corporation CHMB AM1320, she clearly has significant clout and influence within the Chinese media community. In the case of Hon Chan, current Conservative Party of BC MLA Candidate for Richmond-Centre and past News Anchor, News Editor, and Talk Show Host at Fairchild Television, the largest national Chinese television network in Canada, which is also owned by Fairchild Media Group, the organizer of this “2024 BC Election Forum”, he would also have a lot of influence within Fairchild Media Group. Whether these two MLA Candidates have been using their past influence and clout within Fairchild Media Group as well as Mainstream Broadcasting Corporation to influence elections in their favour would need to be investigated further, and whether the B.C. Election Act has been violated in any way.
I would like to formally request that Elections BC, as well as the District Electoral Officers responsible for the district electoral offices across Richmond, investigate the matters communicated above. It is crucial that B.C. Election Laws are fully complied with, and that election fairness and integrity be strictly upheld and maintained, for the loss of confidence in the democratic process is detrimental to the very core fabric of our Great Province and Nation.
Thank you kindly for your time and attention to this matter, and I look forward to hearing back from you very soon.
With Humble Gratitude,
—
Your Servant Dickens Cheung
Independent MLA Candidate – Richmond Centre
YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/ysdickens
Instagram (IG): @your.servant.dickens
X (Formerly Twitter): @dickenscheung
