当河谷北华裔选民们看够了闹剧

利用选民的恐惧而为大选造势并达到赢得选票之目的，选举恐吓伎俩在加国选举史上屡见不鲜，而这种手段常常针对包括华裔在内的少数族裔社区。2015年，哈珀领导的保守党就发起过恐吓竞选行动，目标直指华裔和旁遮普邦印度移民。这一恐吓竞选伎俩打造舆论称特鲁多支持向儿童兜售大麻，增加毒品注射站，并在居民区开妓院等。

Fear-mongering is a frequently used campaign tactic in Canada’s election history, which often targets ethnic minorities. In 2015, the Conservatives under Harper launched a fear mongering campaign that put Chinese and Punjabi-speaking voters in the crosshair. It claimed Justin Trudeau supports the sale of marijuana to children, the expansion of safe injection sites, and the establishment of neighborhood brothels.



从房地产和难民到毒品和枪支，这些都是能让很多华裔人士最担心的事宜。2019年大选期间，利用华裔的这些担心的恐吓选举伎俩再一次甚嚣尘上。华裔聚集的河谷北区曾盛传自由党如当选将征收房产销售税，显然这一手段将深深伤及其财务命运与房地产息息相关的华裔房产主们。但这一消息原来是保守党制造的恐怖谣言并被自由党断然否认，称他们根本没有计划将一纸“征求建议书“付诸实施。

The tactic makes a comeback in the 2019 campaign, focusing on issues that concern Chinese Canadian voters the most – from housing markets and refugee to drugs and gun controls.  Rumors over Liberals’ plan to slap a tax on property sales were circulating in Don Valley North riding – with a heavy concentration of Chinese Canadian voters. The tax grab would hurt the interest of many whose financial wellbeing is tight to the housing market. It turned out to be a false rumour spread by the Conservatives. The Liberals refuted it, clearly stating that they will not put what is merely a “consultation summary” into action.

毒品合法化也是最能触动华裔人士神经的话题。联邦保守党在微信和脸谱上投放华语广告，目的就是吸引华裔选民的注意。“（自由党领袖贾斯汀）特鲁多已经将大麻合法化，他的新政策是将硬性毒品（海洛因，可卡因和甲基冰毒合法化）等合法化！”这则耸人听闻的广告再次被证明是假信息，是从保守党领袖安德鲁·谢尔（Andrew Scheer）与 特鲁多在最近的竞选辩论中断章取义而来。 自由党发言人盖勒·盖兰特（Guy Gallant）周三表示：“硬性毒品合法化根本不在我们的计划之内。”

Drug legalization can hit a nerve with Chinese Canadians. Conservative Party of Canada’s WeChat and Facebook ads in the Chinese have successfully grabbed the attention of voters from the ethnic community. “(Liberal Leader Justin) Trudeau has already legalized marijuana, he now plans to legalize hard drugs – heroin, cocaine, and crystal meth!” The alarming ad has again proven to be false, which based on an exchange between Conservative leader Andrew Scheer and Trudeau during a recent leaders’ debate. Liberal spokesman Guy Gallant said Wednesday, “that (legalization) is not in our plans.”



特鲁多向危难之中的寻求庇护者敞开大门的政策让华裔移民即害怕又不满。联邦保守党有看准时机再次制造恐慌，煽动包括华裔在内的加国人士的恐惧，排斥和仇恨心理。他们称难民申请者们都是为拿政府资助而伪造申请并抢走正常申请者的机会。据Globe News，在另一华裔聚集的选区一名保守党候选人散布据煽动性言辞的选举资料，将非常规越境者称为“假难民”和“非法越境者”。

Fear and anger over refugees and asylum seekers grow among Chinese immigrants as the Liberal government opened the door to the marginalized people from the crisis-stricken countries. The Conservatives beefed up their fear-mongering practices, fueling the fear, intolerance, and resentment among Canadians –including ethnic Chinese. They accuse refugee applicants of queue jumpers, who made bogus claims to get a free handout from the government. According to the Globe News, the Conservative candidate in another Chinese Canadian concentrated riding allegedly mailed campaign literature using inflammatory languages.  It called irregular border crossers “fake refugees” and “illegal”.

但在犯罪率和大规模枪击案直线上升的今天，枪支管理无疑最能让华裔不寒而栗。某些自由的候选人利用华人的恐惧心理向保守党枪管政策发难。

But amid the growing crime rate and mass shooting incidents in Toronto, nothing could wrack the nerve of Chinese more than weak gun control policies. Some Liberals’ candidates have tapped into that fear to slam the Conservatives on the issue.

据HuffPos报道，自由党候选人的竞选传单散布假象的加国历史上最可怕的恐袭袭击，包括在传单正反两面印有最恐怖的武器图片（半自动步枪），并称“保守党将让这种杀伤力强的武器出现在大街小巷“。而谢尔也杀了个回马枪，称自由党的枪支管理政策是在惩罚守法市民。

According to HuffPost, a Liberal candidate started distributing the literature to symbolize the worst terrorist attacks in Canadian history. The images of dangerous firearms -- semi-automatic rifles appeared on the two-sided, Chinese-language flyers, which claim the “Conservatives will keep these assault weapons on the streets.”  Scheer attacked the Liberals’ plan in return, accusing it as one that punishes law-abiding citizens.



够了！太多的谎言，虚假信息和煽动恐惧行动。对华裔选民来说，特别是当河谷选取的居民们看够了闹剧，他们经历了太多的政客丑闻和提名赛危机，不再想遭受任何政治惊吓，也不愿再被双方利用，成为敌对两党争权的靶子和炮灰。他们所希望的是一个将其利益放在首位，不再有丑闻的竞选。显然玩弄他们，钻他们的担心和顾虑的空子的竞选伎俩是不会有好结果的。

Too many lies, false claims, and fear stoking. Chinese Canadians – particularly DVN residents-- have experienced enough drama that left the riding engulfed in scandals and nomination turmoil. They expect no more political shocks and are fed up with being caught in the crossfire. They hope a scandal-free campaign that would not exploit them but put their interest first. Undoubtedly, playing them with politics of fear will only backfire.