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Wonder Alexander Cumyow –
A symbol of Canadian justice, but not only an icon of Chinese ethnic community
- Street interviews
Recently, the Bank of Canada solicited public opinion from society and screened the image of Canada's ancestors as for the face pattern of a new five-dollar banknote.
Currently, there are eight candidate images of different ethnic ancestors for the whole society to vote for. The various social organizations advocating for community awareness across the country enthusiastically participated in publicity of the poll. A portfolio of all the eight Canada’s ancestors is presented when they held such events in various ethnic communities. It is a great honor that Mr. Wonder Alexander Cumyow, a Canadian Chinese is found on the list.
However, yesterday (May 1), teams of people were seen in the streets one more time in places where most of Chinese residents visit frequently, as said that those people were organized by a Toronto Chinese association to vehemently single out Wonder Alexander Cumyow in motivation for Chinese ethnic populace to vote for the to-be-selected image on the five-dollar banknote. Those people enchanted in Chinese voice: “Chinese vote for Chinese”.
Several such events already held in Chinese ethnic community were said to be under advocating by Mr. Han Dong, MP. His promotion strategy focused on publicizing the miserable history of the Canadian Chinese though they have turned around. Chinese ethnic populace themselves need to highlight their current status among other ethnic groups.
That is just contrary to the theme of the poll. It is precisely expressed that the purpose is to select the image of a Canadian ancestor to be printed on a new five-dollar banknote to demonstrate that the nation commits to unite and accommodate various ethnic communities as a whole while to construct a harmonious and loving multiple cultural society.
In that afternoon, the reporter was there in front of a Chinese supermarket. Several familiar-faced cadres of some active overseas Chinese social institutions were running forward and backward among Chinese shoppers, handing out well-decorated profile cards that carried the picture of Wonder Alexander Cumyow.
They singled out Wonder Alexander Cumyow, marketing among those shoppers to tell them how to vote.
The reporter randomly interviewed several passers-by. Some expressed that they felt it was not appropriate to single out one among the others to persuade people to vote. That is not fair-play. Some said that they exercised the scheme of “Chinese vote for Chinese” but to marginalize the Canadian Chinese community.
In fact, such propaganda would cause a serious tear-off in Canadian society. If Mr. Han Dong really wants to promote the integration of the Canadian Chinese community into the decent life of the whole Canadian society; at least, he should have brought in, instead, the whole portfolio of the eight candidates in publicity among Canadian Chinese populace, who have been nominated. So that people are fully exposed to the information. They would be well informed and make free selection so as to achieve fairness and justice.
Disappointing, as a member of the Canadian Parliament elected by the whole voters, Mr. Han Dong must be not only a public servant but serving the Canadian Chinese, falling in a narrow trap so much ignorant or neglected. Unfortunately, Mr. Han Dong failed to avoid risk of playing a destructive role but to tear apart the diverse communities in Canada!
What we need is to get rid of so called political correctness, but to apply political wisdom to serve society as a whole.
CPACA Reporter, Canadian Platform in Advocacy for Community Awareness
May 2, 2022, Toronto Ontario
