Richmond residents outraged at swelling Chinese Community

Richmond residents outraged because they can't read Chinese signs

MAR 15, 2013 

I can't read this Chinese character-misusing sign either, but I'm not asking city hall to make up for my lack of language skills.

SHUTTERSTOCK

You know how some people will complain if there's anybody speaking Chinese (they usually can't tell the difference between Cantonese and Mandarin) on the bus? Well, there's apparently 1,000 of these "totally not racist" people living in Richmond.

Local residents Kerry Starchuk and Ann Merdinyan have managed to gather that many signatures on a petition asking Richmond council to take action that would limit the amount of Chinese characters on signs in the city. According to the Richmond News, the pair plan to make a presentation to city hall on Monday (March 18).

For Starchuk, it's all purportedly about "increasing racial harmony". This from someone who reportedly refuses to use the northern part of No. 3 Road because of all the Chinese signs there.

Indeed, the following quote from Starchuk is so ironic it's almost funny:

If this is our Canadian identity, then it’s not very inclusive is it?

This is not cultural harmony because I have no idea what these signs, advertising and the real estate papers are saying.

We value Richmond and we value our Canadian identity and I hope that comes across with our presentation.

Starchuk told the Richmond News she's approached councillors before and didn't get anywhere. They want Richmond to require 70 percent of any sign in the city to carry English and/or French (similar to the Aberdeen Centre's private policy for its stores).