Liberal Candidate Stands Down after Controversy

Chiang has stepped down running for the Liberals

The Canadian federal election has put Hong Kong on the spotlight after Liberal candidate Paul Chiang made controversial comments suggesting people turn in Conservative candidate Joe Tay because the Hong Kong government has a HK$1 million (US$128,500) bounty on his head.

Chiang made the suggestion during a Chinese-language press conference, saying: "To everyone here, you can claim the one-million-dollar bounty if you bring him to Toronto's Chinese consulate," he said, according to the Toronto Association for Democracy in China (TADC).

The activist group later released the translated comments to English media which quickly led to the embattled Chiang to apologise to Tay, who did not accept it, and then resulted in Chiang stepping down as a candidate despite Liberal leader Mark Carney's support for him.

HK government has HK$1M bounty on Tay

"As the prime minister and Team Canada work to stand up to President [Donald] Trump and protect our economy, I do not want there to be distractions in this critical moment," Chiang wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter just before 9pm Pacific Standard Time.

"That's why I'm standing aside as our 2025 candidate in our community of Markham-Unionville."

It's quite bizarre for Chiang to suggest turning in Tay because the Liberals have denounced the bounties.

At the time, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said. in a statement in December: "This attempt by Hong Kong authorities to conduct transnational repression abroad, including by issuing threats, intimidation or coercion against Canadians or those in Canada, will not be tolerated." 

As a result, Cheuk Kwan, co-chair of the TADC called Chiang's comments "shocking."

"Mr Chiang openly encouraged people to assist in China interference and transnational repression," Kwan said in a statement. "Rather than protecting Canadians, he betrayed them and jeopardised their safety."

Kwan raised the alarm of Chiang to English media

Chiang regrets what he said, calling it "deplorable", but this just shows how desperate he was to play up to the local Chinese media outlets, all of them practically pro-China. It's outrageous of him to even suggest something like this, even though he is a former police officer. 

Needless to say it is extremely disappointing to have this coming from a Liberal candidate. Every vote counts and now there is no Liberal running in a big Chinese riding... did no one warn Chiang about the consequences of what he said?

In the meantime Tay, who is a former TVB actor, was originally running in Chiang's riding but is now hoping to represent Don Valley North. 

Tay probably caught the Hong Kong government's attention for his YouTube channel that promotes democracy and free speech. He is also the co-founder of Canada-based NGO HongKonger Station.

Conservative leader Pierre Polieve has totally taken advantage of the fiasco, and rightly added Tay is "afraid for his life."

Tay has also said online that he has not accepted Chiang's apology and has been in contact with the RCMP about personal protection.

In any event this raises the attention of Hong Kong's transnational repression of activists abroad yet again, and with Trump threatening to take over Canada to be the 51st state, Canadians need to be aware of how precious our democracy and rights are in these dangerous times. 

Two Canadian Activists React to Bounties

Tay (bottom centre), Ho (bottom right) wanted by Hong Kong

Days after the Hong Kong authorities placed a HK$1 million (C$185,000) bounty on his head along with five others for their arrest, Victor Ho Leung-mau is undeterred and won't be traveling to the city anytime soon.

Ho is accused of planning to launch a "referendum" to elect those in the Hong Kong diaspora to form a virtual "Hong Kong Parliament". 

He plans to do this by having people vote in March 2025 using a secure app in a bid to circumvent any "Chinese interference".

Of the Hong Kong authorities' announcement on Christmas Eve, Ho is defiant.

Written in Chinese on his Facebook page, the former Sing Tao chief editor wrote that he was proud of the arrest warrant and joked it was "the best Christmas present."

"A Canadian citizen like me... has the protection of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and exercised his right to the freedom of speech."

When Ho announced the plan to elect people to the "virtual" Hong Kong parliament in 2022, the Hong Kong Security Bureau said it would investigate Ho and others for subversion.

"But actually it's the Hong Kong communist authorities meddling in Canada's internal affairs, repeatedly issuing wanted notices for this Canadian citizen. Are they trying for another cross-border arrest? Does Beijing want Canada to become their client/subordinate state?"

Meanwhile Joseph Tay, the former TVB actor who is planning to be a candidate for the federal Conservatives when an election is called, is also on the wanted list.

In reaction to the announcement he wrote on social media:

"On Christmas Eve, an alarming and unbelievable piece of news arrived. Why choose this moment to release such a message? Clearly it was intended to rob us of peace. My wife and I immediately turned to prayer, entrusting these accusations entirely to the Lord. Plans we had made with family and friends for the holiday were instantly disrupted."

There are concerns someone may snitch on the two activists, but Hong Kong does not have extraterritorial powers in Canada. In any event Ho and Tay need to be careful with their movements... kidnapping is not beyond China...

Regina Ip on Yellow Economic Circle

Ip says the five arrested were "supporting illegal activities"

Convenor of the Executive Council Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee is adding her voice in condemning not only the eight pro-democracy activists and lawmakers who have a HK$1 million bounty on their heads, but also the five who were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday for allegedly assisting them.

She said sending money or food from Hong Kong to the eight with arrest warrants was akin to "supporting their illegal activities."

Mee app featured yellow businesses

When a TVB host asked Ip if the arrests of the five men signalled the government was cracking down on the "yellow economic circle", she said "maybe not only the yellow economy, but the activities that involve sending money overseas."

The five reportedly worked on the app Mee which directed users to support shops and restaurants that were sympathetic to the democratic cause and supported exiled politician Nathan Law Kwun-chung financially in the UK. 

"As far as I know, some of the wanted people are very active in the UK," Ip said. "They hold tea parties in areas where many Hongkongers live. On the surface they are Hong Kong-style tea parties, but actually they are designed to brainwash and confuse politicians and to encourage them to condemn and sanction China."

Interesting accusation from Ip without any evidence.

The eight with HK$1M bounties on their heads

"Sending food to the wanted people for their tea parties may also be supporting their illegal activities and the police should investigate thoroughly and stop these activities," she added.

How far the Hong Kong police can investigate these allegations without going to the UK remains to be seen...

HK to Broadcast Patriotic Programs

Broadcasters must show 30 mins of patriotic content per week

The Hong Kong government is further regulating what people can watch and hear on local airwaves, stipulating that free-to-air broadcasters must include at least 30 minutes per week of content promoting national security and patriotism.

Not only that but this content needs to be presented in a light-hearted, funny and creative way.

Free-to-air broadcasters like TVB, ViuTV, and HOY TV, as well as radio stations Commercial Radio and Metro Broadcast must include this content as part of a licensing requirement on top of 90 minutes of current affairs programs.

The content must be shown in a light-hearted way

All five broadcasters accepted the change in policy.

Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah said broadcasters could decide how they presented the topics.

"It's a general licensing requirement. It's up to the broadcasting company to come up with their individual program," he said.

"According to the licensing requirement, we can closely monitor how the content is delivered and review it from time to time."

A government source said it did not have concrete ideas on how the broadcasters could fulfil the new rule.

"It's up to the stations regarding the format and programs. We seldom put restrictions on that. They only have to tell us what they have done to comply with the requirement," the source said.

So the government wants more patriotic content but doesn't know how it should be presented, except in a light-hearted way?

How can NSL be made into a funny topic? 

How is national security a topic one can be creative with when it is so vague that anyone can get into trouble violating it?

Interestingly this requirement does not apply to private TV stations, such as foreign programs and sports channels.

Well... if they are broadcasting local games then the Chinese national anthem is played, right? That's patriotic content, is it not?

According to a Legislative Council paper published on Wednesday, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said safeguarding sovereignty and security, as well as promoting a sense of national identity, were among the current administration's policies and deemed the new rule "necessary and timely".

One lawmaker, Doreen Kong Yuk-foon, suggested that topics like national education and patriotism should be taught in schools, not on the TV, but added that perhaps these topics could be presented in "dynamic" and "varied" formats such as game shows and singing competitions to prevent them from being too boring.

Seriously?

It's the blind leading the blind, while the broadcasters have no choice but to follow along...

Pageant Contestants Catch Covid

The pageant is postponed until contestants recover

Should we be surprised? The Miss Hong Kong Pageant was supposed to hold its semi-finals this coming Sunday, but has been postponed for now as five contestants have tested positive for Covid-19.

In addition hosts Eric Tsang Chi-wai and Fanny Ip Hoi-yan have tested positive too.

Tsang tested positive for Covid

This is the first time the annual event has been impacted by the virus. The previous two years TVB managed to hold the event with social-distancing restrictions.

It is unclear when the semi-finals will be held, though all contestants will be taking PCR tests, while rehearsals and promotional activities will be stopped for now.

On Monday Hong Kong recorded 8,488 new cases, of which 236 were imported.

Meanwhile with school starting soon, students and teachers are advised to start doing rapid antigen tests two days before the first day of school. They should also get their third jab. 

Kindergarten operators are lobbying the education minister Christine Choi Yuk-lin to not suspend face-to-face classes after she said the government might suspend whole-day classes if the number of cases surpasses 10,000.

Kindergartens hope to stay open this year

"These two to three years in the pandemic have been uncertain. Last year, classes kept pausing and resuming, our staff has already prepared for such changes... but the best is that classes are not affected," said Rosa Chow Wai-chun, president of the Early Childhood Educators Association.

Currently kindergartens can only hold half-day classes in person, though some operators arrange for half day classes and then the other half is "daycare".

It's tough to be a student during the pandemic. In-class learning is the best way to ensure students don't fall behind and develop the social skills they need to navigate the community they live in.

Meanwhile beauty pageants can wait. Hardly essential viewing...

Lam's New Bling Digs

Lam's office will be at Pacific Place One in Admiralty

There was a lot of excitement and confusion when former TVB anchor Chris Wong posted on social media that former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was spotted in Heathrow Airport in London, appearing to be transferring to go somewhere else.

Ex-TVB anchor misreported Lam being in the UK

But it turned out to be a lot of baloney when she was photographed at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai the day before the Hong Kong Book Fair opened.

She was there having breakfast alone before attending a seminar held by a pro-Beijing think tank.

There was a flurry of comments wondering why Lam would be in the UK when she has been sanctioned there.

Nevertheless, there is definitely brouhaha over the news that she has an office -- she has retired, why does she need an office? -- in Pacific Place -- and that it will cost a whopping HK$22 million (US$2.8 million) over three years.

She is still in HK, spotted here at HKCEC

And yes, taxpayers must foot the bill.

The 2,874 sq ft space above the shopping mall in Admiralty will cost HK$377,000 per month in rent for a three-year contract.

The space is being renovated at the tune of HK$8.7 million.

Since the time of Tung Chee-hwa as the first chief executive, each successive leader has had an office set up for them by the government so that they can perform such activities as "receiving visiting dignitaries and delegations, giving local and overseas media interviews, and taking part in speaking engagements."

The offices of previous leaders have been situated in a historic building in Mid-Levels, and so Lam's office will be the first one located on commercial property.

It doesn't seem like there was any discussion about how much rent taxpayers should be shelling out for an office for arguably the most hated chief executive (so far). Nor does there seem to be any discussion of a tender...

And as a former chief executive her perks include having a chauffeur, a senior personal assistant and an assistant clerical officer.

Lam's office is the first on commercial property

It seem the cost of her office is way more than the previous three chief executives combined at only HK$11.4 million for 2020-21.

Dominic Lee Tsz-king of the New People's Party seems to be the only one grumbling about Lam's office, describing it as "too expensive and unnecessary."

"I don't understand why a separate office needs to be rented in such a premium location... so much taxpayers' money will be spent," he said.

Indeed, many are wondering the same thing.