1
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One day her mother came over and told us,

2
00:00:02,617 --> 00:00:04,431
"My daughter passed away last night."

3
00:00:04,468 --> 00:00:06,313
We've already brought in —

4
00:00:06,350 --> 00:00:09,247
we've recruited 800 health-care
workers from the US,

5
00:00:09,284 --> 00:00:11,244
doctors and nurses. We had around

6
00:00:11,281 --> 00:00:13,748
3,000 or 4,000-plus applicants,

7
00:00:13,785 --> 00:00:16,417
and this cohort is 48 students. I think

8
00:00:16,454 --> 00:00:18,484
we should choose someone like
that — and that would be me.

9
00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:23,176
So that's something I've been

10
00:00:23,213 --> 00:00:26,412
thinking about. When you ran in 2022

11
00:00:26,449 --> 00:00:28,452
for MLA —

12
00:00:28,489 --> 00:00:30,206
right, for MLA... 20—

13
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In 2022 it was school trustee; 2024 was

14
00:00:33,262 --> 00:00:34,132
MLA. Right.

15
00:00:34,169 --> 00:00:37,632
In 2024, when you ran
for MLA two years ago,

16
00:00:37,669 --> 00:00:40,070
your vote count was actually very strong.

17
00:00:40,107 --> 00:00:43,235
Although you trailed Teresa
Wat by a certain margin,

18
00:00:43,272 --> 00:00:45,433
your numbers were great. Really, it was

19
00:00:45,470 --> 00:00:48,222
recognition of all you've done
for the Chinese community,

20
00:00:48,259 --> 00:00:49,781
especially in Richmond,
over so many years —

21
00:00:49,818 --> 00:00:51,938
people showing their appreciation for you.

22
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Thank you. I believe that

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whatever you do,

24
00:00:57,206 --> 00:01:00,161
either don't do it, or
do it wholeheartedly.

25
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Yes — whether it's community service,

26
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or running for office, or

27
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my business, or even raising children,

28
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you always hope for the best outcome.

29
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Sometimes things don't
go your way, but I think

30
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we should keep an accepting attitude.

31
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But at the same time, the
most important thing is

32
00:01:19,502 --> 00:01:21,790
to know in your heart that
you'll give it your all.

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It's only been two years since 2024,

34
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and now our premier

35
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has called another election.

36
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And two years later, you've again

37
00:01:31,466 --> 00:01:34,058
stepped forward, once
again facing Teresa Wat

38
00:01:34,077 --> 00:01:35,832
as your opponent, right?

39
00:01:35,869 --> 00:01:38,222
Can you share with us

40
00:01:38,259 --> 00:01:40,146
why this time you wanted to

41
00:01:40,183 --> 00:01:42,114
step forward and run for the NDP?

42
00:01:42,188 --> 00:01:44,535
I think the very first thing to say

43
00:01:44,572 --> 00:01:47,239
is that my commitment
to serving the community

44
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hasn't changed. I think that's

45
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the first point. And second, because

46
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I've always run for the NDP, and I

47
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strongly support the NDP's
governing philosophy:

48
00:01:59,651 --> 00:02:03,129
helping all working people, helping

49
00:02:03,166 --> 00:02:06,433
everyday people, strengthening

50
00:02:06,470 --> 00:02:09,873
our public health care, and growing

51
00:02:09,910 --> 00:02:11,829
our economy. Because I firmly believe

52
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in these ideas, I'm running with them.

53
00:02:14,221 --> 00:02:16,479
As for why there's an
election now — first, as

54
00:02:16,516 --> 00:02:18,449
our premier pointed out, Donald

55
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Trump's tariffs

56
00:02:20,901 --> 00:02:22,836
on Canada — their impact here in Canada

57
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is huge. Let me share

58
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a story about Richmond.

59
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In Richmond there's

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a wood panel mill. About

61
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10 to 15% of their business is in the US.

62
00:02:33,916 --> 00:02:37,063
Because tariffs went up to 50%,

63
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they've been forced to
shut down one day a month,

64
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so the workers lose

65
00:02:43,715 --> 00:02:46,069
four days' pay a month —
less to spend on their kids,

66
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and less spending when they go out.

67
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The impact is really across the board.

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What I've described is just —

69
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it's a vicious cycle —

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just one small example, but

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every industry will be affected.

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00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:58,781
Right, but what does this have to do with

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us holding another election?

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00:03:00,775 --> 00:03:01,488
Of course it's related,

75
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because when we carry out these policies,

76
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we don't do something today
and see results tomorrow,

77
00:03:07,348 --> 00:03:09,840
right? It needs continuity —

78
00:03:09,877 --> 00:03:11,781
constant investment, constant output —

79
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before we see results and can

80
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deliver real benefits to our people.

81
00:03:16,157 --> 00:03:17,859
So that's why we're calling

82
00:03:17,896 --> 00:03:20,308
this election. I know it costs money,

83
00:03:20,345 --> 00:03:22,083
but compared with how much our government

84
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has already invested,

85
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we hope to have

86
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a stable, strong government that

87
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can better carry forward our investments

88
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and all our multilateral trade

89
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relationships.

90
00:03:36,843 --> 00:03:38,431
So is that what it

91
00:03:38,468 --> 00:03:40,991
means — that the provincial government

92
00:03:41,028 --> 00:03:43,824
is really hoping to win more of

93
00:03:43,861 --> 00:03:45,843
a majority? Is that the idea — hoping

94
00:03:45,917 --> 00:03:46,602
that with

95
00:03:46,676 --> 00:03:49,361
new policies, they can
be carried out better?

96
00:03:49,435 --> 00:03:51,215
Yes, it's about government continuity —

97
00:03:51,252 --> 00:03:53,417
we hope what we're doing

98
00:03:53,454 --> 00:03:55,602
can move forward steadily.

99
00:03:55,639 --> 00:03:57,961
Because when a government is in

100
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chaos, everything it tries to push

101
00:03:59,966 --> 00:04:01,944
is very hard to make work.

102
00:04:02,250 --> 00:04:05,694
But after paying taxes
each year, what's left

103
00:04:05,731 --> 00:04:07,972
may be next to nothing. In the current

104
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market conditions,

105
00:04:09,861 --> 00:04:12,180
in a market like Vancouver and BC,

106
00:04:12,217 --> 00:04:15,173
what measures can the NDP take

107
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over the next four years to get

108
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things done? I really
agree with what you said,

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because I'm a small

110
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business owner myself, and I understand.

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First, for Vancouver,

112
00:04:26,394 --> 00:04:28,750
or for BC, our whole

113
00:04:28,787 --> 00:04:31,783
Canadian market isn't as big as

114
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we imagine. So when your market

115
00:04:33,806 --> 00:04:36,748
isn't big enough, with
all the costs, labour

116
00:04:36,785 --> 00:04:39,972
costs, and the whole world being so

117
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chaotic — Trump's tariffs and all —

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it has a very, very deep

119
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impact on every one of us. That's why

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our provincial government
says we need to go out there

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00:04:49,731 --> 00:04:52,224
and create more trade opportunities,

122
00:04:52,261 --> 00:04:55,190
and create more
opportunities here at home —

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00:04:55,227 --> 00:04:57,213
not just for small business owners,

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but more job

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opportunities for ordinary working people.

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People attack our government,

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saying we have a $13.8
billion deficit and so on,

128
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right? But the point I want to make is,

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with the deficit, you have to look at

130
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where we're spending the money.

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We're spending it on major

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infrastructure and on energy projects,

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which bring back tens
of billions in returns

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and create thousands of jobs.

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So in turn, this helps

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our provincial economy, while

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creating jobs, and that

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00:05:33,584 --> 00:05:35,951
gives a big boost to every other part

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of our economy. This is

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what we urgently need to do right now.

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00:05:41,718 --> 00:05:44,731
I'd like to ask — the NDP,

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00:05:44,768 --> 00:05:47,629
of course, over these years in government,

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00:05:47,666 --> 00:05:49,560
has faced criticism as well.

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Since you're with the NDP, could you

145
00:05:54,544 --> 00:05:57,348
tell us about some of its policies?

146
00:05:57,385 --> 00:05:59,185
Because ordinary people

147
00:05:59,222 --> 00:06:01,349
may not really understand them.

148
00:06:01,423 --> 00:06:04,067
For example, we cut car insurance premiums

149
00:06:04,104 --> 00:06:07,549
by $500, and we've frozen
them for seven years,

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00:06:07,586 --> 00:06:09,390
so our premiums

151
00:06:09,427 --> 00:06:11,601
are the lowest. And for example,

152
00:06:11,638 --> 00:06:13,451
we used to pay MSP —

153
00:06:13,812 --> 00:06:14,794
not anymore.

154
00:06:14,812 --> 00:06:16,261
It's long gone — gone once the NDP

155
00:06:16,298 --> 00:06:18,405
came in. So really, all of this —

156
00:06:18,442 --> 00:06:21,497
don't think we haven't done anything.

157
00:06:21,534 --> 00:06:23,534
A lot has actually been done.

158
00:06:23,571 --> 00:06:25,747
Let me add another
reminder — this really was

159
00:06:25,784 --> 00:06:27,384
our government's doing. My

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00:06:27,421 --> 00:06:29,863
friend runs a daycare, and she told

161
00:06:29,900 --> 00:06:32,719
me that every year, for every child,

162
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the government gives each child

163
00:06:34,756 --> 00:06:37,208
a subsidy of a few
hundred dollars — I mean,

164
00:06:37,245 --> 00:06:39,088
a few hundred a month — the child benefit?

165
00:06:39,125 --> 00:06:41,635
No, not the child benefit
— it's for daycare.

166
00:06:41,672 --> 00:06:43,794
And every teacher gets a subsidy too.

167
00:06:43,831 --> 00:06:45,557
So the government has spent

168
00:06:45,594 --> 00:06:47,937
a lot of money in these areas. I just

169
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believe it hasn't been
publicized enough. I hope

170
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I have the chance to bring this to

171
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everyone, so more people know

172
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what our government has done for you.

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Because right now people feel

174
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that housing affordability

175
00:06:59,943 --> 00:07:02,207
is a big source of anxiety,

176
00:07:02,244 --> 00:07:05,536
or a burden — for example, taxes,

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00:07:05,573 --> 00:07:07,655
and also

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00:07:08,090 --> 00:07:12,438
the rental housing side. Could you

179
00:07:12,475 --> 00:07:15,336
share with us what the NDP

180
00:07:15,373 --> 00:07:17,488
has done in this area?

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00:07:17,868 --> 00:07:21,331
Actually, I have a
property company myself;

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we manage several hundred rental units.

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00:07:23,331 --> 00:07:25,547
We deal with tenants all the time, and I

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know life is really not easy.

185
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The good thing is,

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our government has built

187
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more and more affordable

188
00:07:33,634 --> 00:07:35,239
housing — for

189
00:07:35,276 --> 00:07:37,947
low-income people, for seniors.

190
00:07:37,984 --> 00:07:41,037
What's been built and
what's under way is all

191
00:07:41,074 --> 00:07:43,481
part of a long-term,

192
00:07:43,518 --> 00:07:45,614
roughly ten-year plan to keep building

193
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so many units. But if a
Conservative government

194
00:07:47,693 --> 00:07:50,243
comes to power, they've said they'd

195
00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,033
cancel these first, cut these first.

196
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So that's why we need this election —

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because we want our policies

198
00:07:58,209 --> 00:08:00,375
to continue and help more people.

199
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As a member of SFU's Board of Governors...

200
00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,249
I feel very, very honoured to serve

201
00:08:06,286 --> 00:08:09,151
on SFU's board, because there,

202
00:08:09,188 --> 00:08:10,964
I'm also the only
Chinese-Canadian. I believe

203
00:08:11,001 --> 00:08:14,287
we have about 20 governors. SFU

204
00:08:14,324 --> 00:08:16,825
has a big influence in Vancouver,

205
00:08:16,862 --> 00:08:18,969
a big influence

206
00:08:19,006 --> 00:08:21,274
in BC. UBC is

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more of a research university, while SFU

208
00:08:24,256 --> 00:08:26,728
is more of an applied,
practical university.

209
00:08:26,765 --> 00:08:29,387
Our co-op program

210
00:08:29,424 --> 00:08:30,837
is extremely popular,

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because our students'
employment rate is high.

212
00:08:33,105 --> 00:08:35,016
And what SFU is really proud of is

213
00:08:35,053 --> 00:08:37,338
our new medical school, which

214
00:08:37,375 --> 00:08:40,239
the BC government invested
in. — I'm curious:

215
00:08:40,313 --> 00:08:41,757
could you tell me

216
00:08:41,831 --> 00:08:42,350
a bit about

217
00:08:42,424 --> 00:08:45,113
how SFU's new medical school
differs from traditional ones?

218
00:08:45,150 --> 00:08:47,025
Can students graduate faster,

219
00:08:47,062 --> 00:08:50,119
or gain skills and knowledge more quickly?

220
00:08:50,554 --> 00:08:52,477
Yes, its approach is completely

221
00:08:52,514 --> 00:08:54,563
different. It's a bit different from UBC.

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00:08:54,998 --> 00:08:57,116
It's the first new
medical school we've built

223
00:08:57,153 --> 00:08:59,376
here in the West

224
00:08:59,413 --> 00:09:01,571
in 60 years — none in
five or six decades —

225
00:09:01,608 --> 00:09:05,044
a brand-new one, and our
approach is different.

226
00:09:05,443 --> 00:09:08,016
We're linked with family doctors

227
00:09:08,053 --> 00:09:10,342
everywhere, and all the students go back

228
00:09:10,379 --> 00:09:12,072
to their own communities,
so with family doctors,

229
00:09:12,109 --> 00:09:13,638
while they're studying,

230
00:09:13,675 --> 00:09:15,224
they're already doing placements

231
00:09:15,261 --> 00:09:17,276
in family doctors'
clinics. We want to train —

232
00:09:17,350 --> 00:09:18,128
"That fast?" Yes —

233
00:09:18,202 --> 00:09:20,464
to train more family doctors, learning

234
00:09:20,501 --> 00:09:22,620
and training at the same time. That's the

235
00:09:22,657 --> 00:09:24,300
approach — not having doctors study

236
00:09:24,337 --> 00:09:26,236
for years, then more years,
then go to a hospital.

237
00:09:26,273 --> 00:09:29,106
So this can more quickly address

238
00:09:29,143 --> 00:09:32,044
the family doctors we
need right now. Right.

239
00:09:32,424 --> 00:09:34,006
But these kids —

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00:09:34,043 --> 00:09:36,128
do they go through very strict

241
00:09:36,202 --> 00:09:36,961
screening? Because I

242
00:09:37,035 --> 00:09:38,574
heard that at UBC, if you want

243
00:09:38,611 --> 00:09:40,668
to become a doctor, you go
through layer upon layer

244
00:09:40,705 --> 00:09:43,662
of screening — 20-some experts assess you,

245
00:09:43,699 --> 00:09:46,101
ask you all kinds of questions
— and very few make it.

246
00:09:46,138 --> 00:09:48,498
So will SFU relax that, or

247
00:09:48,535 --> 00:09:49,387
will it also be very

248
00:09:49,461 --> 00:09:50,878
competitive? — No, it won't relax.

249
00:09:51,683 --> 00:09:54,249
Because medicine is a very rigorous

250
00:09:54,286 --> 00:09:56,831
profession. You need
real compassion, and your

251
00:09:56,869 --> 00:09:58,978
academics must be strong,
because lives are at stake.

252
00:09:59,015 --> 00:10:02,793
We had about 3,000 or
4,000-plus applicants,

253
00:10:02,830 --> 00:10:04,878
and this cohort is 48 students.

254
00:10:05,097 --> 00:10:06,097
So it really is —

255
00:10:06,171 --> 00:10:10,287
of course it's very hard to
get in. And our government

256
00:10:10,324 --> 00:10:13,616
has invested a considerable
amount — a lot of money.

257
00:10:13,653 --> 00:10:16,605
We're now continuing to

258
00:10:16,642 --> 00:10:20,442
build a new teaching
building on the old site.

259
00:10:20,479 --> 00:10:23,105
And because we have a different

260
00:10:23,142 --> 00:10:25,444
approach — we've really signed on

261
00:10:25,481 --> 00:10:26,856
many family doctors' clinics —

262
00:10:26,894 --> 00:10:28,894
these family doctors
are essentially helping

263
00:10:28,931 --> 00:10:31,097
train our future family doctors,

264
00:10:31,134 --> 00:10:32,764
so that from the start, students

265
00:10:32,801 --> 00:10:35,105
are seeing patients,
getting to know patients,

266
00:10:35,142 --> 00:10:37,006
getting exposure to
everything, and they know

267
00:10:37,043 --> 00:10:39,441
what they'll face in the job every day.

268
00:10:39,478 --> 00:10:41,808
So they can learn better
and fit in better.

269
00:10:41,845 --> 00:10:43,703
And some students come

270
00:10:43,740 --> 00:10:45,758
from more remote areas, and they

271
00:10:45,795 --> 00:10:48,583
go back to serve once
they've finished training.

272
00:10:48,657 --> 00:10:50,245
Speaking of access to care,

273
00:10:50,282 --> 00:10:53,546
for a lot of BC residents —

274
00:10:53,583 --> 00:10:55,835
something like 80 or 90%,

275
00:10:55,872 --> 00:10:58,204
70 or 80% — feel it's hard
to see a doctor in Canada,

276
00:10:58,565 --> 00:11:01,324
since health care is
free for everyone. Right.

277
00:11:01,343 --> 00:11:03,880
So — and you just told me

278
00:11:03,917 --> 00:11:05,454
that at SFU, out of 3,000
or 4,000 applicants,

279
00:11:05,491 --> 00:11:07,372
only 40-some are being trained.

280
00:11:07,409 --> 00:11:09,775
That's simply not enough

281
00:11:09,812 --> 00:11:13,435
to serve so many ordinary
residents, right?

282
00:11:13,509 --> 00:11:14,620
So

283
00:11:14,694 --> 00:11:16,035
that's a problem. And

284
00:11:16,072 --> 00:11:17,963
recently I've heard a lot of people say

285
00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,139
Vancouver can't keep doctors, Canada

286
00:11:20,176 --> 00:11:21,898
can't keep doctors. Many
well-trained doctors

287
00:11:21,972 --> 00:11:24,977
get hired away by the
US with high salaries,

288
00:11:25,014 --> 00:11:27,926
and those who stay here may not have

289
00:11:27,963 --> 00:11:30,935
as much ambition, or their skills

290
00:11:30,972 --> 00:11:33,352
may be just average. So,

291
00:11:33,389 --> 00:11:34,945
I mean,

292
00:11:34,982 --> 00:11:37,009
how do you see this situation?

293
00:11:37,083 --> 00:11:39,368
Well, here's the thing.

294
00:11:39,405 --> 00:11:42,129
I think the BC NDP government

295
00:11:42,166 --> 00:11:44,683
has been working very hard to solve

296
00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:46,269
these problems. We've always said

297
00:11:46,306 --> 00:11:49,201
many people don't even
have a family doctor.

298
00:11:49,238 --> 00:11:50,949
What our government has
rolled out — this year,

299
00:11:50,986 --> 00:11:52,709
so far, we've already brought in

300
00:11:52,746 --> 00:11:56,102
800 health-care workers from the US,

301
00:11:56,139 --> 00:11:57,519
doctors and nurses, to come

302
00:11:57,556 --> 00:11:59,361
here. We created

303
00:11:59,398 --> 00:12:01,825
a special policy to attract them,

304
00:12:01,862 --> 00:12:03,917
and I believe more will come to serve

305
00:12:03,954 --> 00:12:06,213
our residents. The government spent

306
00:12:06,250 --> 00:12:08,394
this money because it's
much faster than training

307
00:12:08,431 --> 00:12:10,910
a doctor ourselves, and it can address

308
00:12:10,947 --> 00:12:13,231
our current needs. In just
the first few months, we've

309
00:12:13,268 --> 00:12:14,704
already matched over 200,000 people

310
00:12:14,741 --> 00:12:16,759
with a family doctor. In fact,

311
00:12:16,796 --> 00:12:18,506
per capita,

312
00:12:18,543 --> 00:12:20,065
on average, right now

313
00:12:20,102 --> 00:12:21,935
our rate of people matched
with family doctors

314
00:12:21,972 --> 00:12:23,718
is the highest in Canada.

315
00:12:23,755 --> 00:12:26,492
But of course there are still
hundreds of thousands — we

316
00:12:26,529 --> 00:12:28,310
still have a long way to go,

317
00:12:28,347 --> 00:12:29,722
and we'll keep up this work.

318
00:12:30,065 --> 00:12:32,059
On another front, as

319
00:12:32,096 --> 00:12:35,039
a former fundraising ambassador for the
Richmond Hospital Foundation,

320
00:12:35,076 --> 00:12:37,846
I feel very strongly about this.

321
00:12:37,883 --> 00:12:39,924
Everyone knows our hospital's

322
00:12:39,961 --> 00:12:42,364
new tower is under construction.
It was only after the BC

323
00:12:42,401 --> 00:12:45,491
NDP government took office that

324
00:12:45,528 --> 00:12:48,044
this project really got going.

325
00:12:48,081 --> 00:12:50,323
When you drive by now, you'll see

326
00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:51,957
that empty lot — the old

327
00:12:51,994 --> 00:12:53,450
parking lot has been torn down.

328
00:12:53,487 --> 00:12:55,876
It'll be finished in the next few years,

329
00:12:55,913 --> 00:12:59,370
and we'll have brand-new patient rooms,

330
00:13:00,009 --> 00:13:01,648
all of them single rooms.

331
00:13:02,380 --> 00:13:04,384
And we're expanding our emergency

332
00:13:04,421 --> 00:13:06,457
operating rooms from the current 6 or 8 to

333
00:13:06,494 --> 00:13:08,984
11, all with brand-new

334
00:13:09,021 --> 00:13:11,917
equipment. Our foundation has done

335
00:13:11,954 --> 00:13:13,344
a lot of work, including

336
00:13:13,381 --> 00:13:14,869
me personally — I donated

337
00:13:14,906 --> 00:13:17,139
a room. I've made a personal donation.

338
00:13:17,213 --> 00:13:18,194
How much does it cost to donate

339
00:13:18,269 --> 00:13:22,222
a room? — Mine was relatively...
I think it was $50,000.

340
00:13:22,843 --> 00:13:24,420
There are bigger ones at $100,000,

341
00:13:24,457 --> 00:13:26,741
and many big gifts of $10 million or more.

342
00:13:26,778 --> 00:13:28,778
Everyone who donates really loves

343
00:13:28,815 --> 00:13:29,926
this community — they feel this is

344
00:13:29,963 --> 00:13:31,722
our home, this is our hospital.

345
00:13:32,417 --> 00:13:34,065
Because our hospital

346
00:13:34,102 --> 00:13:36,279
was first built in the 1960s, when

347
00:13:36,316 --> 00:13:37,706
Richmond had only 50,000 people.

348
00:13:37,743 --> 00:13:39,935
So because of that, now

349
00:13:39,972 --> 00:13:41,538
with 250,000 people, the need is huge.

350
00:13:41,575 --> 00:13:44,206
We also serve the airport
and the ferry terminal —

351
00:13:44,244 --> 00:13:45,717
if anything happens to anyone there,

352
00:13:45,754 --> 00:13:47,943
it's all Richmond Hospital's job. So when

353
00:13:47,980 --> 00:13:50,915
we do each small thing — it may seem

354
00:13:50,952 --> 00:13:53,746
small, but small things add up.

355
00:13:53,783 --> 00:13:56,172
I hope more people will come help

356
00:13:56,209 --> 00:13:57,398
our hospital do even more.

357
00:13:57,435 --> 00:14:00,398
And our provincial government is firmly

358
00:14:00,435 --> 00:14:02,031
committed to getting the Richmond

359
00:14:02,068 --> 00:14:03,466
Hospital project done right.

360
00:14:03,503 --> 00:14:06,628
The tower should be finished soon —

361
00:14:06,665 --> 00:14:08,035
in 2029, I believe.

362
00:14:08,109 --> 00:14:09,832
Now, last year,

363
00:14:09,869 --> 00:14:13,140
in 2024 and 2025, especially

364
00:14:13,177 --> 00:14:16,674
in 2025, various provinces and cities,

365
00:14:16,711 --> 00:14:18,882
such as Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby,

366
00:14:18,919 --> 00:14:20,921
were all pushing ahead with drug

367
00:14:20,958 --> 00:14:22,660
consumption sites — where to put them.

368
00:14:22,697 --> 00:14:24,577
How do you view this issue?

369
00:14:25,012 --> 00:14:27,845
First, I want to be clear: drugs —

370
00:14:27,882 --> 00:14:29,392
we're all against them.

371
00:14:29,808 --> 00:14:31,793
No one wants to condone drug use.

372
00:14:31,830 --> 00:14:34,211
We know very well the harm they cause.

373
00:14:34,248 --> 00:14:36,679
They don't just harm individual

374
00:14:36,716 --> 00:14:38,845
lives — they harm our families

375
00:14:38,882 --> 00:14:41,104
and our whole community.

376
00:14:41,141 --> 00:14:44,373
So what we need to do is ban drugs.

377
00:14:44,679 --> 00:14:46,088
But for people who've become

378
00:14:46,125 --> 00:14:47,944
addicted, how should we treat

379
00:14:47,981 --> 00:14:49,762
them? We don't treat them as criminals;

380
00:14:49,799 --> 00:14:51,498
we treat them as victims.

381
00:14:51,535 --> 00:14:52,960
So what we're doing now

382
00:14:52,997 --> 00:14:54,382
is treating them,

383
00:14:54,419 --> 00:14:56,664
and preventing this from happening.

384
00:14:56,701 --> 00:14:58,290
As for what you just mentioned,

385
00:14:58,327 --> 00:15:00,364
the consumption site issue — back then,

386
00:15:00,401 --> 00:15:01,737
when everyone came out

387
00:15:01,774 --> 00:15:03,802
to oppose it, Vancouver Coastal

388
00:15:03,839 --> 00:15:05,494
Health also said that,

389
00:15:05,531 --> 00:15:07,364
based on current data,
Richmond won't have one.

390
00:15:07,382 --> 00:15:08,989
Right — not in Richmond, because

391
00:15:09,026 --> 00:15:10,790
Richmond's situation
isn't that serious at all.

392
00:15:10,827 --> 00:15:12,689
So we also concluded we don't need

393
00:15:12,726 --> 00:15:14,317
one. So people can rest assured.

394
00:15:14,354 --> 00:15:17,511
Actually, why do I say we've always been

395
00:15:17,548 --> 00:15:19,729
strongly against drugs? Many things

396
00:15:19,766 --> 00:15:21,331
happen right around us. When

397
00:15:21,368 --> 00:15:23,718
these things really touch us,

398
00:15:23,755 --> 00:15:25,276
that's when we realize

399
00:15:25,313 --> 00:15:28,674
how urgent drug prevention
and control are.

400
00:15:28,711 --> 00:15:32,187
Because in our neighbourhood, there was

401
00:15:32,224 --> 00:15:35,446
a girl, 16 years old, very lively.

402
00:15:35,483 --> 00:15:37,997
We'd often see each other and say hi.

403
00:15:38,034 --> 00:15:41,506
Then one day her mother
came over and told us,

404
00:15:41,544 --> 00:15:43,572
"My daughter passed away last night."

405
00:15:43,609 --> 00:15:45,120
We were all very sad,

406
00:15:45,157 --> 00:15:47,329
and very shocked — such a young person.

407
00:15:47,366 --> 00:15:49,777
It was drug misuse —

408
00:15:49,814 --> 00:15:52,574
an overdose — and at that time

409
00:15:52,611 --> 00:15:54,495
she didn't get help in time.

410
00:15:54,532 --> 00:15:58,829
So I strongly urge everyone to see that

411
00:15:58,866 --> 00:16:00,936
we need to save lives —

412
00:16:00,973 --> 00:16:03,329
to save the lives

413
00:16:03,366 --> 00:16:05,595
of these people, and help
them properly, psychologically

414
00:16:05,632 --> 00:16:07,569
and physically.

415
00:16:07,606 --> 00:16:09,955
That's what our community
urgently needs to do.

416
00:16:09,992 --> 00:16:12,651
We shouldn't sensationalize, or say

417
00:16:12,688 --> 00:16:14,425
these people are harming

418
00:16:14,462 --> 00:16:17,093
our community. Of course, their behaviour

419
00:16:17,130 --> 00:16:19,436
does have some negative effects. This

420
00:16:19,473 --> 00:16:21,969
really requires not just the government,

421
00:16:22,006 --> 00:16:23,551
but also the public —

422
00:16:23,588 --> 00:16:25,299
our whole society to pay attention,

423
00:16:25,336 --> 00:16:26,778
everyone to pay attention,

424
00:16:26,815 --> 00:16:28,701
so we tackle this problem together.

425
00:16:28,738 --> 00:16:30,123
So fighting drugs is also

426
00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:31,690
something we must do.

427
00:16:31,775 --> 00:16:35,230
We've known each other for many years, and

428
00:16:35,267 --> 00:16:37,490
I think this time you've

429
00:16:37,527 --> 00:16:39,774
again had the courage to step forward

430
00:16:39,811 --> 00:16:42,493
and face off against
Teresa Wat. Two years ago,

431
00:16:42,530 --> 00:16:45,334
there was still a gap

432
00:16:45,371 --> 00:16:48,167
in your vote counts. So this year,

433
00:16:48,204 --> 00:16:51,423
with what mindset are you running?

434
00:16:51,460 --> 00:16:54,778
And what kind of

435
00:16:54,815 --> 00:16:57,292
answer, or what kind of

436
00:16:57,329 --> 00:16:59,826
report, do you hope to give
residents, so they choose

437
00:16:59,863 --> 00:17:01,840
you? And your confidence —

438
00:17:01,877 --> 00:17:03,942
do you think you can win this race?

439
00:17:04,016 --> 00:17:04,719
OK.

440
00:17:05,979 --> 00:17:08,453
I think there are two
sides to this. First,

441
00:17:08,490 --> 00:17:11,247
as I just said, why we're
holding this election —

442
00:17:11,429 --> 00:17:12,808
well, it's so that

443
00:17:12,845 --> 00:17:14,734
our residents' lives

444
00:17:14,771 --> 00:17:16,308
can be better, because of

445
00:17:16,345 --> 00:17:17,952
the uncertainty we're facing —

446
00:17:17,989 --> 00:17:19,447
economic uncertainty.

447
00:17:19,484 --> 00:17:20,687
We want to make sure this government

448
00:17:20,724 --> 00:17:22,725
can keep things going
and see them through.

449
00:17:22,762 --> 00:17:24,341
That's one reason for this election.

450
00:17:24,378 --> 00:17:26,702
Another reason is that I

451
00:17:26,739 --> 00:17:28,719
have been in this
community for 30 years. I

452
00:17:28,756 --> 00:17:30,542
know this community very well.

453
00:17:30,579 --> 00:17:32,405
And I'm very willing
to listen to everyone's

454
00:17:32,442 --> 00:17:34,134
voices, and to better carry your voices

455
00:17:34,171 --> 00:17:36,030
to Victoria. That's

456
00:17:36,067 --> 00:17:37,881
one of my goals in running.

457
00:17:37,919 --> 00:17:40,012
Another thing is that right now,

458
00:17:40,049 --> 00:17:42,242
the local MLA for this riding

459
00:17:42,279 --> 00:17:45,590
has switched parties three or
four times in a short time.

460
00:17:45,664 --> 00:17:48,963
Teresa Wat, when she
left the Conservatives,

461
00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:50,724
had her reasons, too.

462
00:17:51,307 --> 00:17:53,848
The reason she gave at the time

463
00:17:53,885 --> 00:17:56,263
was that the party leader then

464
00:17:56,300 --> 00:18:00,471
had misunderstood her personal background,

465
00:18:00,508 --> 00:18:04,354
or attacked her, which really hurt her.

466
00:18:05,048 --> 00:18:08,111
Right. I think as a politician,

467
00:18:08,148 --> 00:18:09,481
what should we do?

468
00:18:09,518 --> 00:18:10,940
What are our principles?

469
00:18:10,977 --> 00:18:12,622
I think first, you should

470
00:18:12,659 --> 00:18:14,567
put your voters first.

471
00:18:14,752 --> 00:18:17,206
Other matters can be resolved internally.

472
00:18:17,696 --> 00:18:21,127
Jumping back and forth —
today you're a Conservative,

473
00:18:21,164 --> 00:18:24,079
then you jump and say
you're an independent,

474
00:18:24,116 --> 00:18:26,419
then a few days later you join

475
00:18:26,456 --> 00:18:28,502
another party, and then jump back

476
00:18:28,539 --> 00:18:31,307
to the Conservatives.
These different parties

477
00:18:31,344 --> 00:18:33,073
of course have different views.

478
00:18:33,110 --> 00:18:34,634
If you jump to another party,

479
00:18:34,671 --> 00:18:36,397
does that mean your voters

480
00:18:36,434 --> 00:18:38,194
all share your views?

481
00:18:38,231 --> 00:18:39,789
I don't think that's right.

482
00:18:39,826 --> 00:18:42,030
I think whatever we do, at any time —

483
00:18:42,067 --> 00:18:43,850
for example, in my own
real estate business,

484
00:18:43,887 --> 00:18:45,893
every time we do something, we put our

485
00:18:45,930 --> 00:18:47,715
clients' interests first,

486
00:18:47,752 --> 00:18:50,245
and only then ourselves. As an elected

487
00:18:50,282 --> 00:18:52,270
representative, you should put

488
00:18:52,307 --> 00:18:54,882
the interests of your
riding's voters first.

489
00:18:54,956 --> 00:18:57,234
Are your kids all grown up now?

490
00:18:57,308 --> 00:18:59,202
Yes, my youngest is 26.

491
00:18:59,276 --> 00:19:00,702
The youngest is already 26.

492
00:19:00,776 --> 00:19:01,554
Right. Well, you

493
00:19:01,628 --> 00:19:03,331
really look so young.

494
00:19:03,406 --> 00:19:05,628
Not that young — but young at heart.

495
00:19:05,702 --> 00:19:06,609
So now, you —

496
00:19:06,628 --> 00:19:08,813
basically all your energy, right,

497
00:19:08,850 --> 00:19:10,963
you're at your best,

498
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,720
and no longer tied down by family matters,

499
00:19:13,739 --> 00:19:15,980
so you can put everything into

500
00:19:16,054 --> 00:19:17,313
this. I think I'm running

501
00:19:17,350 --> 00:19:19,007
for another reason, too —

502
00:19:20,165 --> 00:19:23,137
like you said, I now
have the time and energy.

503
00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:26,734
Because any time you
want to make a comeback

504
00:19:26,771 --> 00:19:28,635
or revitalize something,

505
00:19:28,672 --> 00:19:31,324
it really takes a lot of energy.

506
00:19:31,361 --> 00:19:33,656
I hope to be someone who, more than

507
00:19:34,665 --> 00:19:38,341
our current MLA in this riding,

508
00:19:38,794 --> 00:19:40,923
spends more time locally,

509
00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,348
because I know she
doesn't live in Richmond.

510
00:19:43,385 --> 00:19:46,642
Right. I've been here 30
years. Every day I'm in touch

511
00:19:46,679 --> 00:19:49,563
with all this. I'm the hospital's
former fundraising ambassador; I know

512
00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,054
what our community and
our health care need.

513
00:19:52,091 --> 00:19:53,757
I'm in touch with so many seniors,

514
00:19:53,794 --> 00:19:55,251
we serve so many families.

515
00:19:55,288 --> 00:19:57,769
We have a very personal sense of

516
00:19:57,806 --> 00:19:59,748
what we who really live in Richmond

517
00:19:59,785 --> 00:20:01,517
face every single day.

518
00:20:01,554 --> 00:20:05,480
And someone with more heart, who has more

519
00:20:05,517 --> 00:20:07,245
time to give to the community — I think

520
00:20:07,282 --> 00:20:09,341
we should choose someone like
that — and that would be me.

521
00:20:10,424 --> 00:20:11,591
A truly charismatic

522
00:20:11,609 --> 00:20:12,718
woman.