In light of ‘racist remarks’ made by MP Derek Sloan, Asian Canadians demand he be kicked out of the Conservative Party

A new national network, ACT2endracism, asks political leaders to denounce Conservative MP’s comments against Chief Public Health Officer

A coalition of Asian Canadians are demanding MP Derek Sloan be kicked out of the Conservative Party for his remarks against Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer. The coalition, called ACT2endracism, asked political leaders to “publicly condemn anti-Asian racism” in a statement released Thursday.

Sloan made headlines in April after criticizing Dr. Tam’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, citing her reliance on allegedly-flawed data from China and the World Health Organization. In a tweeted video, he questioned whether Dr. Tam works for “China or Canada.” Dr. Tam was born in Hong Kong.

To date, Sloan has refused to apologize, despite national backlash. “I did not– and I am not– questioning Dr. Tam’s loyalty to Canada,” he said in a statement Wednesday.

According to ACT2endracism, Sloan’s behaviour is exemplary of the “growing anti-Asian sentiment and violence” brought on by Covid-19.

“This is race-baiting at its lowest,” says Walter Chi-yan Tom, a Human Rights lawyer from Montreal. “We cannot allow those who lead, or aspire to lead a national political party, to fan the flames of hate in our country.”

Sloan is currently one of four candidates on the ballot for the Conservative Party race.

 


Feature graphic archive by Alexa Hawksworth

Closure graphic by Christine Lam

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