OTTAWA – A former Conservative MP who lost his seat in recent elections believes the party could have done a better job speaking directly to Chinese Canadians.
Kenny Chiu was defeated in Steveston-Richmond East, a British Columbia with many residents of Chinese descent.
The party also saw the losses of Conservative MP Alice Wong in Richmond Center and Bob Saroya in Markham-Unionville, both home to many voters with Chinese roots.
The defeats make conservatives wonder what happened and what connection the losses might have to the party’s stance and messages on China.
Conservative leader Erin O’Toole has openly criticized human rights abuses in China and called on the liberal government to take a tougher approach to the authoritarian regime.
Chiu says there is no single reason for his loss, but points to online WeChat posts that he says contain false information about conservatives and allegations that a private member’s bill he introduced would discriminate against Chinese Canadians.
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“Hindsight is always 20/20. I think there could be more proactive communication that goes directly to Canadians of Chinese descent than we could have done, ”Chiu said in an interview.
The party could have bought more specific advertisements, he said, adding that it is clear that communication efforts were not enough to counter what he considers misinformation.
O’Toole has announced a post-election review but does not detail its parameters or who will lead it.
In addition to failing to grow the party in key areas like the greater Toronto area and Metro Vancouver, the Conservatives have five fewer visible minorities elected due to defeats in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.
This Canadian Press report was first published on September 27, 2021.
Reference-www.nationalobserver.com