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Ethnic Media Insights 2025 |
Ethnic Media Insights 2025 |
![]() British Columbia just gave us the political equivalent of a thrilling Netflix series finale! Ten days after the election, Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin finally asked NDP's David Eby to form a government - talk about keeping us in suspense! As CBC News projects, Eby squeaked through with the thinnest of victory margins. The plot thickens: We're still waiting on two recounts as of October 29, making this possibly the most drawn-out political cliffhanger in recent political history. Even if Team NDP hits the magical 47-seat jackpot, they'll need to collaborate with the Greens to get anything done. Meanwhile, Conservative Leader John Rustad has already declared his intent to do what he can to bring down the government. Now, let's dive into what the ethnic media is saying about this political drama with a first question: Why is ethnic media coverage of the British Columbia election relevant? The ethnic media coverage of BC's 2024 election reflects the province's diverse demographic makeup, where approximately 40% of residents identify as visible minorities or Indigenous peoples. The significant attention from South Asian media outlets aligns with the substantial South Asian population (around 7.3%) in BC, particularly concentrated in Surrey and the Fraser Valley. Similarly, the extensive Chinese media coverage mirrors the province's large Chinese-Canadian community, comprising nearly 11% of the population and heavily concentrated in Richmond and Vancouver. The varied perspectives across Punjabi, Muslim, Chinese, and Korean media outlets represent distinct communities within BC's multicultural landscape. European-descent residents, who make up about 60% of the population, tend to be more concentrated in Vancouver Island and the Interior, while the Lower Mainland showcases the province's full diversity, with nearly half of Metro Vancouver residents identifying as visible minorities. Indigenous peoples, who represent approximately 6% of BC's population and have a stronger presence in Northern BC, maintain distinct political interests and concerns. This demographic mosaic helps explain the complex electoral dynamics at play in the 2024 election, with different ethnic communities showing varying political preferences and priorities. The Conservative Party's success in Richmond's Chinese-majority ridings and their appeal to some South Asian voters over issues like SOGI 123 demonstrates how ethnic demographics can significantly influence electoral outcomes in BC's increasingly diverse political landscape. Punjabi Perspectives On daily Punjabi talk show Connect FM 91.5 Sver Wala Show, hosts Vijay Saini and Vasu Kumar provided some insights about why newcomers favoured the Conservatives. The hot-button issue? SOGI 123 in schools. Former education minister Rachna Singh discovered that defending this program against anti-2SLGBTQ+ discrimination wasn't exactly a winning strategy. While many expect the NDP to work with the Greens, Conservative Leader John Rustad shared insights in an October 22 interview with Harjinder Thind on the daily Punjabi radio program Red FM 93.1 Punjabi Morning: The Conservatives are also in talks with the Green Party. Despite fundamental differences, especially on the carbon tax, there are areas of shared interest. The NDP had an agreement with the Green Party in 2017, and the Greens felt that the NDP took advantage of them. On another Red FM talk show, Thind suggested the Conservatives could offer the Green Party the environment ministry. Pooja Sekhon speculated that Green Party supporters might disagree since “the Conservatives do not believe in climate change.” South Asian Media Analysis While Punjabi media caters to that language community, the more broad-based South Asian media uses English, one of India’s official languages. R. Paul Dhillon of the South Asian paper Desi Buzz BC said Rustad won over Kevin Falcon simply by having a better brand. The Conservative banner soared above Falcon’s “no-name brand BC United Party.” Yet Rustad didn’t quite win the election due to “a wacky mix of ‘out-there’ candidates.” That included some racist ones Rustad should have “canned” and “conspiracy-nut un-winnable ones, including some from the South Asian community.” Dhillon recommended that those who want an alternative to the NDP should return to a “sober brand” like BC Liberals. The South Asian paper The Link in Surrey provided balanced coverage, giving both the NDP and the Conservatives space to present their platforms. The Asian Pacific Post in Vancouver published a letter of advice from the right-wing think tank the ‘Frontier Centre for Public Policy’ to the incoming government, with suggestions on housing, taxation, health care, energy, forestry, and education policy. The twice monthly Asian Journal in Surrey, on the other hand, went into full NDP, featuring a full front-page ad and consistently reporting NDP perspectives. One article highlighted Surrey NDP candidates Baltej Dhillon and Rachna Singh announcing a commitment to removing barriers that prevent families from practicing their religious and cultural funeral rites after they have lost a loved one by making ash scattering sites accessible in waters across the province. Muslim Community Concerns Miracle News in Surrey, an English and Urdu-language bi-weekly, devoted much of its October 20 issue to the election. One article focused on the controversy around Surrey South Conservative Candidate Brent Chapman’s past social media comments, brought to light by CKNW radio host Jas Johal. Chapman had shared comments that referred to “Muslim inbreeding” and Palestinians being time bombs. Chapman apologized. The article was followed by an open letter of protest from the BC Muslim Association and a note that the chair of the White Rock Muslim Association, Asad Syed, demanded that Chapman withdraw from the race. Other articles highlighted health care wait times, a lack of school resources, and concerns about SOGI that have families considering a move abroad. Rising property taxes, cost of living, crime, drugs and homelessness were also discussed. Both parties fielded Muslim candidates, raising hopes for Muslim MLAs in Victoria. Chinese Community Views The daily Chinese program CHMB AM 1320 Cantonese's Chan Kwok-shen predicted a minority government with possibly a shorter life span than your average TikTok trend. In Chan’s analysis, the main problem with this election was that BC United withdrew too late, which made it difficult for the Conservatives to absorb their former candidates. Some ran as independents and ‘dragged down’ the Conservative candidates. The the Chinese website Van People website observed that Chinese voters lean Conservative due to their policies on drugs and gender education. Conservatives won three of four Richmond ridings. However, in the Steveston riding, independent candidate Jackie Lee used their signature blue colour scheme. With a platform that resonated with Chinese voters, he gained enough Conservative votes to allow for an NDP victory. Some Chinese community members have been upset, and Lee has been targeted by online criticism, attacks and death threats. Reader commentary on the Chinese website Vansky expressed concern about the cost of another election triggered by a short-lived minority government. Some feel that it doesn’t matter who is in office when they are not held accountable and don’t solve major issues like long wait times for health care. Korean Media Highlights The Korean Vancouver Chosun Ilbo followed the campaign and results closely. They highlighted the Conservatives’ miraculous zero-to-hero journey from no seats in 2020 to almost taking power. Reporter Son Sang-ho noted that Premier David Eby acknowledged that Rustad represented the British Columbians’ grievances well. Another article on Vancouver Chosun Ilbo focused on Paul Choi becoming the second Korean-Canadian member of the BC legislature. The NDP candidate had committed to preserving Koreatown, designating a Korean Day and establishing a Korean cultural centre in an interview with Vancouver Chosun Ilbo. The Importance of Ethnic Media And there you have it - BC politics 2024: a thrilling reminder that every vote counts, and that ethnic media play a crucial role in informing diverse newcomer communities and reflecting their concerns! MIREMS’ recent paper, Diaspora Dynamics Ethnic Media and Foreign Conflict in Multicultural Canada is an analysis of ethnic media and community reactions to the four recent conflicts that impact newcomer communities. Follow us on social media for our daily Ethnic Media Insights bringing the voices of Canadian ethnic and homeland international media on Canadian affairs. (The MIREMS Team, 2024-10-29)
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