‘Go back to Hong Kong’ jibe sparks debate on level of racism in Canada, but emigrants say abuse that went viral doesn’t reflect country’s attitude
- Canadian city of Richmond in spotlight after woman filmed telling Asian man to ‘go back to Hong Kong’ during angry exchange at local council meeting
- Hongkongers in the area say racist remarks don’t reflect country’s attitude, but show major disagreements over plans to tackle drug abuse
Hongkongers living on the west coast of Canada have downplayed a racist tirade targeting the community last week as an isolated incident, arguing it did not reflect a move away from the country’s friendly approach to immigrants.
The Canadian city of Richmond came into the spotlight after heated exchanges on February 12 and 13 over the local municipal council’s motion to explore the feasibility of a “supervised consumption site” for drug users.
Provincial health authorities in the city, near Vancouver in British Columbia, later said they would not be “moving forward” with the site as it was not “appropriate” for the city.
While the motion eventually passed with a 7-2 vote, hundreds in the predominantly ethnically Asian city rallied against the proposal and argued it would promote drug abuse at a time when fatal overdoses were rising.
A widely shared video originally posted by online group Neighbours of Richmond shows a white woman in favour of the motion accosting an elderly Asian man during the rally and describing him as “what’s wrong with Canada”.