Gotta say, I’m getting pretty sick of the old, “This is Canada, not China” line.
I get where it’s coming from — kinda.
But when I noticed that same remarkably unremarkable comment posted, yet again, on our Facebook page in response to our story about the Canucks having a little “Year of the Dog” label sewn onto their warm-up jerseys in honour of Chinese New Year, I thought, ‘Give it a break.’
And clearly I wasn’t alone.
Another reader quickly chimed in with, “Come on. In the States, the NBA has similar things for Chinese New Year. Did they say this is America, not China?
Yet another noted they did the same thing for St. Patrick’s Day.
A version of the comment (“What is this, China?”) was also posted in reaction to our story about Coun. Chak Au and his group opposed to the legalization of marijuana. (Au was commending the provincial government’s decision to put power in the hands of local politicians, such as himself, to set municipal guidelines for retail pot shops.)
I actually agree with many of the comments regarding the cannabis story — if we’re worried about crime and safety, let’s talk fentanyl, money laundering and tax evasion.
What I don’t get on board with is painting culture as the problem. This isn’t to say there isn’t a cultural divide in this city. There certainly is. But more, “This isn’t China,” only relegates us to our own echo chambers.
I was once given some great advice when I was at my wit’s end about one thing or another: “Don’t get mad, get curious.”
And, indeed it was a curious conversation I had with a representative from a local business recently. His company was at the centre of recent firestorm as it had bought an ad that covered an entire bus in Chinese language only.
The blow-back was fierce; he seemed genuinely shocked.
He said his company was simply targeting a specific market and had intended to have English-only bus signs made as well. His surprise at the reaction speaks to the disconnect. (It also makes one wonder about the education campaign local businesses are supposed to be subjected to regarding signage.)
Ironically, it’s the company that is now calling for governments to provide greater cultural sensitivity training for Chinese investors.
I’m also curious about a new play opening at the Cultch Theatre in Vancouver, “No Foreigners.” It’s inspired by the playwright’s actual experience at Richmond’s Aberdeen Centre where he wasn’t allowed into a store because he wasn’t sufficiently Chinese. His response was to create a character who lives in the mall for three years, learning to become Chinese.
I can’t actually vouch for the show. What I can vouch for is the power of curiosity as a means to becoming a connected community.
