Liberal Lawrence Woo, a retired accountant and former chair of S.U.C.C.E.S.S, is expected to challenge incumbent MP Alice Wong in the newly formed Richmond Centre riding for the 42nd Canadian federal election this October.
Born in Hong Kong, Woo moved to Metro Vancouver as a child and has spent the last 55 years living in Vancouver or Richmond.
Now residing in Vancouver, Woo is the vice-president of a real estate management firm in Richmond, where he once raised his family.
“I am concerned and also worried about how and where our country is going towards,” said Woo at a news conference, during which he was acclaimed (with no other nominees challenging him) as the Liberal Party of Canada’s candidate for Richmond Centre.
Woo said his focus will be the economy and improving the standing of the middle class.
“What worries me most is the state of our economy. If you dig deeper, you will know things are not alright, things are in bad shape.”
Offering few specific points, Woo said Canada’s debt must stop growing, as it has done under the Conservative leadership, and that the country’s economy must diversify.
Woo said the middle-class has been “victimized,” in all age brackets.
He added that, as Minister of State for Seniors, Wong “owes the senior citizens of this country an explanation” for delaying pension benefits from age 65 to 67.
Wong has not yet declared she will run in the election.
When asked for his thoughts on what federal policies have affected Richmond over the last term, Woo repeated his position that the middle class is worse off and attacked the government’s immigration policies.
“For ethnic groups to blend together we need a lot of tolerance and a harmonious atmosphere. The Conservatives are not promoting that as far as I can see. They’re promoting policy that is creating fragmentation,” said Woo, without offering any specifics on immigration policy.
He said the government needs to do more to promote core values, such as “multiculturalism, fairness and compassion” amongst the immigrant community.
Woo defended the Liberal Party of Canada’s stance on the controversial Bill C-51, which has given sweeping intelligence gathering powers to government authorities.
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau maintains the bill is needed but simply needs better checks and balances.
“Bill C-51 is an important bill for the coming years” but “if it’s not used properly, it could be a monster”
Woo was asked about the Liberal position on marijuana, which is to decriminalize the drug.
“By regulating it we can put it under the same category as liquor and tobacco,” said Woo, noting such action could help mitigate the underground drug trade.
During his 18 minutes fielding media questions in English, Woo was asked to weigh in on his opinion regarding Wong’s decision to publicly eat shark fin soup.
“It is an issue to be decided herself…But it is an environmental issue…I think we are all against things that are detrimental to the environment. But she did what she did and I don’t have any say over that,” he said.
Following English questions, Woo fielded questions in Cantonese.
Woo has two adult children and has done past community work for the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C and the Rotary Club of Vancouver Chinatown.
No New Democrats or Greens have announced their candidacy in Richmond’s two ridings. In Steveston-Richmond East, only former school trustee Kenny Chiu is announced as the Conservative candidate.
