A local organization is encouraging new immigrants to participate in Canadian democracy in advance of the upcoming federal election.
Members from Civic Education Society, a non-partisan organization that promotes public engagement, held a conference last week to educate new arrivals about the importance of voting.
"You should endorse Canadian values since you have moved here. You should come out to vote, or others will represent you," said Eleanor Yuen, a long-term Richmondite and a member of Civic Education Society, adding that "I believe individual voices matter in this era."
Councillor Chak Au, who attended the meeting, said voting is one of the most effective ways to make direct changes to one’s community -- far more effective than complaining about social problems among a small circle of friends, he added.
"As you participate in the voting process, you will have a more direct influence on making changes and addressing issues in our society," said Au.
However, there are things voters should keep in mind before heading to the polls on Oct. 21.
Fake news often floods across different social media platforms during the election season, promoting false information and conspiracy theories, said Yuen.
"Learning how to differentiate fake news stories from real ones is also an important part of democracy," said Yuen.
Ken Tung, the president of Civic Education Society and a Fairchild Radio commentator, noted that new immigrants should read stories from major, credible English news sites, and they shouldn't share any news until they have completed a facts-checking processes.
"If you have received stories from an independent news site, you should spend several minutes verifying the story," said Tung.
Given the high percentage of Chinese residents, Tung predicts Canada-China relations and the growing tension between Hong Kong and the Chinese government will be a hot-button election issue in Richmond.
"These topics are important because they will affect our trade and relationships with other allies around the world, such as the U.S.
“Also, approximately 300,000 Canadians are residing in Hong Kong, and they will speak up for people in Hong Kong following the brutal police crackdown on street demonstrations recently. So it's important for Canada to state its position on Hong Kong issues in this election -- whether the Canadian government is going to support Hong Kong or not.”
Au recommends first-time voters not just listen to what candidates say, but make note of what they’ve done.
"When you look at candidates, you need to think if he/she is a talker or does he/she get involved in the community and make real changes."
