Scott Thompson: Racist comments from Liberal candidate more than a ‘misstep’

Karen Wang was the Liberal candidate for the Burnaby South byelection, running against federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh.

That was before she wrote on a social media post, encouraging voters in Mandarin to choose her, not Singh, because he is of “Indian descent.”

Here’s what she said:

“If we can increase the voting rate, as the only Chinese candidate in this riding, if I can garner 16,000 votes I will easily win the byelection, control the election race and make history! My opponent in this election is the NDP candidate Singh of Indian descent!”

Some say this is a misstep. No, a misstep is something you can apologize for and then move on.

You don’t resign, quit, or step down for a misstep.

However, you do when you’ve intentionally created a trainwreck.

I say intentionally, because Wang knew exactly what she was writing.  She just assumed who would read it. She also knew.

The trainwreck occurred when the piece she wrote for those in her own ethnic community was read by someone who was not.

That’s racism, pure and simple.

WATCH: What Karen Wang’s remarks about targeting ethnic votes mean

2:27 What Wang’s remarks about targeting ethnic votes mean

If you need more proof, imagine if Premier Doug Ford had written and posted such a piece.

It would be a trainwreck. Why the double standard?

​Scott Thompson is the host of The Scott Thompson Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.