Farewell to Power Politics
This is a sad week for most Canadians, especially those of Chinese ethnicity. A radio call-in show called ‘Power Politics’ is being pulled off the air waves. Reasons are yet unclear, all Simon Li, the host of Power Politics said was ‘If I am not allowed to have my freedom of expression, then this would no longer be Power Politics!’.
Power Politics is recorded in Cantonese, and its primary audience base is the Cantonese Speaking Canadians from the Greater Toronto Area. Some of its well known coverage includes the ‘Comfort women act’, where women in Asia was abducted by the Japanese Army during the second World War and forced to comfort their captors. The Canadian Government, under constant coverage from Power Politics, the audience’s plea for help to their parliament representative and the sense of right from wrong that exists in our government’s conscience have passed the Act. This Act that acknowledges the crimes the Japanese Army have committed against Women during WWII, next step is to undo the alterations the Japanese extreme conservatives have done to their history books. Another well known coverage would be the Racial discrimination based attacks against Asian fishing hobbyist. Where tires are cut, people are pushed into lakes, and other forms of expression which could be consider hate crime were conducted on those that just wanted to torture fish for sport.
One of the most attractive part of Power Politics is that in one hour and thirty Minuets, it is able to lead the politically idle Chinese community into the heat that is local politics. Chinese has never been a political active race, atleast not for the last 30 years or so. Those from Hong Kong knew only to follow or complain under the British rule, those from main-land China knew only to agree to the communistic rule, and those from Taiwan only knew that if they don’t over react, their opposition would not listen because their form of democracy is somewhat in between traditional Chinese beliefs and modern democratic believe. If a call-in show like Power Politics, local politicians can finally reach into the heart of a minority community. Then maybe, just maybe, we’ll have more Canadians of Chinese ethnic origins. These people can better the country by entering into the political race. Trust me, there are lots of people in the Chinese Canadian minority section that can be consider good leaders, it is just that their spark, the spark to better Canada, haven’t been lit yet. With this show gone for now, I fear it is difficult for these resources to be tap.
Before my introduction to Power Politics, I have absolutely no interest in Politics. Reason was simple, even with a bachelor’s degree I am but one. I can’t do much, nor would my voice ever be heard. Apparently, it isn’t. If I voice up, I might be able to make this world a better place. What else can I do then to start with the one in the mirror eh?
Good bye Power Politics, Simon Li and Dr. So. I hope to hear your voices again. Until then, the little spark that have lit up within me, the spark for love of politics and rightousness, would be allowed to grow. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll join you on a newer generation of Power Politics! Or maybe helping you distribute Podcast of your show, that’s the least I can really do :p