After the Vancouver Sun reported Wendy Yuan had incorrectly claimed she received a graduate degree in international management from a U.S. university, the former Liberal Party of Canada candidate and recently failed nominee for the Steveston-Richmond East riding continues to allege wrongdoings within the party.
According to the Sun, a spokesperson for Bradley University in Illinois said Yuan only received a master of arts degree and in 2015.
Yuan told the Sun she was unaware that her degree was not completed, although she provided photos from a 1987 graduation ceremony. A clerical error is said to be the problem, said Yuan, who recently wrote an essay to complete the “in-progress” degree.
Furthermore, her claim that she has a degree in international management on online profiles, such as LinkedIn, was a result of a translation error by her campaign biography writer, she told the Sun.
Party spokesperson Olivier Duchesneau would not tell the Sun or the News the specific reason for Yuan being disqualified.
He said the party is scrutinizing candidates more than in the past. As such, that could be the reason why Yuan passed the nomination process in 2008 and 2011 when she ran as a candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway and why she was subsequently denied this time around.
Nevertheless, Yuan continues to charge that former Richmond Member of Parliament Raymond Chan has been acting like a “kingmaker,” by meddling in the supposedly open and transparent nomination process of the Liberal Party.
Her lawyer, Gary Matson, told media the allegations of resume misrepresentation “are being used as a red herring to mask the real undisclosed reason for the rejection of her candidacy application.”
On Saturday, Yuan, an exporter by profession, spoke to a group of Chinese media upon request.
She said she raised issues with internal party fundraising and there is reference online at SingTao.ca to Richmond developer Michael Ching, who is wanted by Interpol for grafting and corruption charges in China.
Ching was photographed at a Canada Asia Pacific Business Association event with city councillors, as well as Yuan, former party leader Michael Ignatieff and newly acclaimed Steveston-Richmond East candidate Joe Peschisolido.
The News had previously asked Yuan if her fundraising concerns were related to funds linked to the Communist Party of China, but she did not confirm or deny the question, instead stating it may be a matter for investigative reporters.
‘Blues’ miss first debate
Most local candidates for the federal election in Richmond attended a small debate at St. Alban’s drop-in centre Saturday evening.
Conservative candidates, MP Alice Wong, for Richmond Centre, and Kenny Chiu, for Steveston-Richmond East, did not attend the meeting.
All the candidates for the Greens, Liberals and New Democrats did, however, attend the meeting.
The Richmond News asked Chiu why he did not attend. Chiu said he was too busy to respond, so Conservative campaign manager Bert Chen called the News back and said the candidates were at a private function that was scheduled before the St. Alban’s invitation.
The News was unable to attend the event, as well.
The full slate of candidates for represented parties in Richmond is complete, save for a Steveston-Richmond East Green member.
