Burnaby-Lougheed’s NDP candidate is in the hot seat after the B.C. Liberals leaked old footage they said “denigrated the Indo-Canadian community.”
In the 2012 video released on Monday on the party’s website, Katrina Chen told a reporter Indo-Canadians don’t know much about politics and only run because they want the profile.
“Unfortunately, sometimes you see immigrants running because they want the name. They actually don’t know the politics very well yet, and sometimes local parties support them because they need the immigrants’ vote, like from the Indo-Canadian community for example,” Chen said in the video.
The then-28-year-old, who had been working as a constituency assistant for NDP MP Peter Julian, was in Taiwan for a conference and participated in an interview encouraging new Canadians to be involved in the political process.
When reached by the NOW, Chen apologized for her “poor choice of words” and said she was “very new and nervous” back then.
“I think it’s important that people understand that those comments don’t represent my views. I have a lot of respect for many, many of the South Asian families that I’ve worked with during the past 10 years.”
The MLA hopeful added she’s been door knocking in the South Asian community in the last few days.
“They know that’s not what I meant,” she said, noting she doesn’t think the leak will hurt her campaign.
Chen went on KRPI Radio, a South Asian station that broadcasts across the Lower Mainland, on Monday to say she was sorry. The Burnaby school trustee was accompanied by NDP colleague Raj Chouhan, who’s gunning for a fourth term in the Burnaby-Edmonds riding.
Chouhan told the NOW he didn’t take Chen’s comments personally.
“When the Liberals’ campaign is faltering, they’re so desperate, they are digging up something which absolutely does not reflect Katrina’s views,” he said. “If you walk around and drive around in Burnaby-Lougheed, you will see the number of signs in front of South Asian houses. (It) reflects the kind of support and love she’s getting.”
Chouhan, who called Chen “my daughter,” said he’s proud of her and all that she has accomplished over the last decade.
“It’s very difficult to list all those events that she has attended with me,” he said. “She is front and centre, representing people, talking about affordability and everything, especially in the South Asian community. People who have seen Katrina in action, they have seen her in the community, they know how strong and passionate and committed she is to families.”
