Liberals scramble to limit damage caused by vetoing of Wendy Yuan candidacy

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      Yesterday, I went out for dim sum with three people who work in the Mandarin-speaking media in Vancouver.

      We discussed many topics, including the federal Liberals' decision to stop businesswoman Wendy Yuan from seeking a nomination in Steveston–Richmond East.

      That caused the riding-association president, Peter Xie, and the federal Liberals' B.C. membership chair, Mike Hillman, to resign in protest.

      I was curious about the impact of this controversy on Mandarin speakers, who form a significant voting bloc in Richmond.

      All three of my dim-sum companions declared unequivocally that the community was largely backing Yuan, a long-time Richmond resident who ran for the Liberals in Vancouver Kingsway in 2008 and 2011.

      Moreover, they said that Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was less popular for allowing the acclamation of former MP Joe Peschisolido as the candidate in Steveston–Richmond East.

      One of Trudeau's B.C. fundraisers, former MP Raymond Chan, was being blamed as the architect of the decision to block Yuan's candidacy, my dim-sum companions said.

      This morning, the Vancouver Sun's Ottawa bureau chief, Peter O'Neil, has provided a new wrinkle on the Yuan story.

      He reported that Yuan had "incorrectly claimed for years" that she received a graduate degree in international management from Illinois-based Bradley University.

      In fact, according to O'Neil's story, Yuan received a master's of arts degree in educational administration only last May. She had been enrolled at Bradley University as a graduate student in 1986 and 1987.

      Yuan told the Vancouver Sun that she thought she had completed the master's degree in 1987. When this turned out not to be the case, she stated that she completed a final course earlier this year.

      The Yuan camp has claimed to the Vancouver Sun that the master's degree is a "red herring" to divert attention from her party's decision to save the nomination for Peschisolido.

      The federal Liberals, on the other hand, maintained that they're simply being more rigorous this year with the screening of candidates.

      Peschisolido was elected to Parliament in 2000 with the right-wing Canadian Alliance, which was then headed by Stockwell Day.

      The new riding of Steveston–Richmond East includes much of the area that was held by former MP John Cummins. From 1993 to 2008, Cummins never lost an election while representing the Reform Party of Canada, the Canadian Alliance, and the Conservatives. 

      It's easy to see why the Liberals would want someone with sufficient right-wing credentials to compete in this area.

      But based on my conversation yesterday with three people who are very plugged into the Mandarin-speaking community in Richmond, I'm not sure that this latest revelation from O'Neil will make a huge difference among first-generation immigrants from China. That could continue to hurt the party in other ridings, such as Richmond Centre, with a large number of Mandarin speakers.

      However, the Vancouver Sun story might set aside perceptions in the broader community that the Trudeau Liberals have acted in a high-handed manner in the awarding of coveted nominations.

      Perhaps this explains why the tale of Yuan's master's degree was leaked to O'Neil in time for the weekend edition. 

      Comments

      15 Comments

      Gwenn Hughes

      Aug 15, 2015 at 2:49pm

      Other media have reported that Ms. Yuan brought in 1000s of new members over the years. She has now been set aside for Peschisolido and I do not think it has anything to do with her degree. Just another example of the so-called open and transparent nominations. I left the Liberal Party and I think Ms. Yuan should do the same.

      James Blatchford

      Aug 15, 2015 at 3:50pm

      It's tough when you're no longer yuanted.

      RichmondHarperville

      Aug 15, 2015 at 3:51pm

      Richmond is a deeply conservative and religious place among those who make the effort to vote.There are more homes per capita with families here than in many other municipalities, so Harper's policies of income splitting, child tax benefits, home reno tax benefits, even higher TFSA limits speak to that community whether Asian or not. NDP and Green will be lucky to get 20% and 8% respectively of the vote. Conservative liberals only stand a chance here against Kenny Chiu who basically supports pipeline development; his curious reply to the abortion question seems to suggest he'd be happy with abortion services only for victims of rape. The liberals are a mess in Richmond Steveston and deserve to lose for their poor management of the nomination process. If Joe Pesch is the best they can do, they're in big trouble. The more interesting race is in Richmond centre as Liberal Lawrence Woo takes on Conservative Alice Wong. However, despite trends elsewhere, Come October 20th, Charlie Smith can replace dim sum with Shark Fin soup in Richmond with the two new conservative MPs I'm sure....

      go green

      Aug 15, 2015 at 4:37pm

      Wendy, run for the Green party. It needs a candidate.

      Hah

      Aug 15, 2015 at 6:25pm

      just another example of justin getting in water too deep for him to tread (basically anything over ankle deep).

      leftie

      Aug 15, 2015 at 8:47pm

      IF Eve Aadams was welcomed to Liberal party with an open arm and allowed to run for nomination by Justin "not ready" Trudeau, then why not this lady?

      Heather Holmes

      Aug 15, 2015 at 11:03pm

      How can any candidate "think" a masters degree was achieved?

      Impossible with an indicator of low intelligence and fraud.

      Oh really?

      Aug 15, 2015 at 11:57pm

      "she thought she had finished the masters degree in 1987"? Seriously? who does an MA and only realizes 8 years later they've been lying about their degree for years? If this is true it's no wonder she lost her last two tries. Completely ill equipped to represent anyone, including her own CV. That would be a "red light" fail. Good on the Liberals for saying bye bye.

      Norman

      Aug 16, 2015 at 5:13am

      Yuan is a liar; re her claimed degree. Just stamping her feet because she did not get her way.

      Pearl

      Aug 16, 2015 at 7:48am

      The old boys club strikes again