A pro-democracy and human rights group is questioning public funding of a community event in Richmond due to the organizer’s “political agenda” on foreign interference on the part of the People’s Republic of China.
The Aug. 24 “Concert in the Park” at Cambie Community Centre was organized by The International Elite Club Association of Canada, a registered non-profit society.
One of the club’s founding directors is Ivan (Ngai) Pak, a former federal candidate for the People’s Party of Canada who is also co-founder of the Stop Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Advocacy Group, the Chinese Canadian Go to Vote Association and Maple Leaf Anti-Racism Association.
Elite Club received $3,580 from the City of Richmond this year via two grant programs and $2,500 from the provincial government’s BC Fairs, Festivals and Events Fund.
Elite Club has a stated mandate “to build a strong and viable social network within the Chinese Canadians community,” adding “our activities and programs cover educational content related to Canadian systems, including but not limited to democracy, governance, elections, political parties, the justice system, the Charters, economics, civil society, human rights and the environment.”
Elite Club told the city it would be hosting a live music concert featuring Asian-Canadian musicians and artists.
But on Aug. 2, Pak and co-founder Ally (Ali) Wang issued a statement via Go To Vote to select media (not Glacier Media) to inform the public the concert also aims to raise awareness of the October provincial election and that major political parties have been invited to set up tents to promote their platforms.
On Aug. 6, the group is understood to have held a press conference “to announce the ‘Concert in the Park, 2024’ event and invite the Honorable Yuen Pau Woo Senator to give a speech on the impact of foreign interference and its relevance to the Chinese community’s participation in the elections.”
In April 2023, Wang spearheaded a petition to the federal government opposing the Foreign Influence Transparency Registry claiming it is a “misleading way to identify sources of foreign influence.”
Last month, Pak and Stop Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Advocacy Group submitted feedback on the initial report from the ongoing foreign interference commission.
Pak and the group conclude that the inquiry has lacked evidence of foreign interference on the part of China while risking discrimination against Chinese-Canadians on the whole.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Canadian Concern Group on the CCP’s Human Rights Violations has labelled the concert a “pro-PRC event” and written a statement of opposition to local politicians and B.C. Premier David Eby.
Pak told Glacier Media in an interview he's not a “pro-CCP activist.”
“We are Canadians living in Canada,” said Pak, who said his advocacy on anti-racism began amid pandemic-related spike in anti-Asian racism.
Asked to explain his position with the People’s Party (which does not posit racism as a major concern for Canada) turned anti-racism advocacy Pak said “Canada is not a racist country at all; there are bad apples everywhere.”
Pak said he opposes foreign interference from any nation and in his personal experience he has not observed or experienced such actions from Chinese consular officials.
Pak said media reporting must be backed up by facts, otherwise it risks discriminating the Chinese population.
On China, Pak said, “I don’t think China is a threat. …I do hold some concerns about the regime. It would be more proactive to engage with them than to make enemies of them.”
On the event, Pak said he is not bringing politics to the event he describes as non-partisan “civil engagement.”
According to Richmond spokesperson Clay Adams, the funding was granted because Elite Group is not a political organization in and of itself.
Grant rules posted online indicate “political events” are ineligible. Adams was asked if the city stands by the funding; however, he did not answer directly, rather he noted the Elite Group’s registered mandate.
Masked protesters show up at event
The festival on Saturday featured a multicultural singing contest and local bands and several non-profit organizations were invited to set up exhibitions, including the Responsible Drug Learning Association and D.A.R.E. BC Society, which held drug prevention exhibitions.
Pak and Wang released a statement after the event saying “a certain organization released disinformation about the event.”
This, they said, led to a demonstration by masked protesters “threatening the event before it started.”
The statement claimed organizers had to call police to “ensure public safety.”
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