Wang says volunteer wrote controversial post
A former Liberal byelection candidate says her political career is “probably” over after an online post singled out NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s ethnicity, but she’s still considering running as an independent.
Karen Wang said during a news conference on Thursday that she is not a racist and she has many friends of Indian background.
“Recently, I have been labelled a racist, which really, really makes me hurt. I feel like I am abused and I am insulted, and this is not me at all. I am not a racist,” she said through tears.
Wang stepped down Wednesday after StarMetro Vancouver reported she posted on Chinese social media platform WeChat that she was the “only” Chinese candidate while Singh — her opponent in the byelection — was “of Indian descent.”
She said a campaign volunteer wrote the controversial post and she didn’t have time to proofread it. But she said she isn’t angry with the volunteer and she takes responsibility.
“Nobody is perfect. We make mistakes, and myself, too,” she said. “I wouldn’t have mentioned anybody’s cultural background.”
Wang added the volunteer meant to make a “statement of fact” by pointing out Singh’s ethnicity, rather than a “racial statement.”
“I love all the people in the community, and I have so many Indian friends and I always call them brothers and sisters,” she said. “I believe all Canadians are brothers and sisters. We are one family, we are one nation, we are all Canadians. We should support each other.”
Wang said she was asked by the party to resign on Wednesday. Someone else wrote her apology and she approved it before speaking to the media, she said. She said she believes the apology was warranted and she hopes to say sorry to Singh in person.
The Liberals did not have a strategy to target Chinese-Canadian voters in the riding, Wang said.
Wang, a daycare owner, said she’ll speak with her supporters and decide whether to run as an independent before the Feb. 4 deadline to enter the race.
But asked if her political career was over, she replied, “Probably.”
“It doesn’t matter if I have a political career or not,” she said. “I always think giving back to the community and contributing to society, you have lots of ways to fulfil your dream. “I have already fulfilled my Canadian dream step by step. I have a successful business. I have a family.”
Singh, who is Sikh and speaks Punjabi, accepted Wang’s apology on Wednesday.