As the April 28, 2025 by-election of the federal parliament draws near, the Greater Toronto Area Canadian Chinese Association (GTA CCA) has joined hands with the Canada-China Construction Association to hold a press conference today, calling on a large number of Chinese-Canadian voters to actively participate in voting and enhance the voice and influence of the Chinese community in Canadian politics. The conference was presided over by the chairman of the GTA CCA, Zhong Xinsheng, and Li Jinghui. Other attendees included Li Zhaolin, the executive chairman of the CCA, Li Yuliang, co-chairman of the Atlantic region, MAX YI, vice president of the Canada-China Construction Association, and others.

After each federal or local election, Elections Canada releases detailed voter data covering participation rates across different regions and ethnic groups. These data clearly show that groups with higher voter turnout are more likely to receive attention and importance from political parties and governments. However, for a long time, the low voter turnout rate among the Chinese community has seriously affected our representation in national political life.

Statistics show that in the 2018 federal election, the voter turnout in the Scarborough North riding, where there is a dense population of Chinese immigrants, was only 33%, and in Chinatown, it was only 37%, far below the national average of 60%. In the 2021 election, the voter turnout in several ridings with high concentrations of Chinese residents in Ontario remained insufficient: 47.79% in Markham-Uxbridge, 49.1% in Scarborough-Agincourt, and only 39.7% in Scarborough North. By comparison, the average voter turnout in Ontario was 60.2%.

What's more worrying is that according to research by Elections Canada, the voter turnout rate of the Chinese ethnic group ranks second to last among all ethnic groups across Canada. Even in some ridings where the proportion of Chinese people is higher, the voter turnout is反而lower. This phenomenon not only weakens the democratic rights that the Chinese community should have but also invisibly reduces our话语权in the formulation of public policies.

By contrast, other ethnic groups, such as the Muslim community, showed a voter turnout rate as high as 79% in the 2015 federal election, which is an embodiment of their social cohesion and political participation awareness. Through active voting, they gained greater political attention and had more opportunities to influence the government's policy direction.

Therefore, in this upcoming federal by-election, the GTA CCA solemnly calls on Chinese-Canadian voters to change their previous apathy towards voting, bravely step forward, express their voices through ballots, and fight for their rights through actions. Our association sets a goal to increase the voter turnout rate of Chinese voters by at least 10% compared to previous elections, or even higher.

Voting is not only a right but also a responsibility. Only by actively participating can the Chinese community truly be heard, respected, and valued.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7495966289224139283/

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