Demystify the federal election for the Asian-Canadian community
With the federal election around the corner, we are inviting 3 MP candidates of Asian-Canadian heritage from major Canadian political parties to demystify the federal election and its importance for the Asian-Canadian community. Our panelists will discuss questions such as:
- Why is voting important?
- What are the issues at stake in this election?
- How does this election affect the Asian-Canadian community?
- What has experience been like as a politician from the Asian-Canadian community?
- What are some of the common barriers to our community for voting?
Date and Time
Wed, September 15, 2021
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT
Format
Virtual Event
About the panelists
Brian Chang
Brian (He/Him) is a Queer, working-class Chinese-Jamaican man who lives in Toronto Centre with his partner Jeff. He lives with a facial difference, also known as a facial disability. He’s the current candidate for Canada’s NDP in his home riding of Toronto Centre. Currently, Brian is a Research Associate at SEIU Healthcare, helping to fight for enhancements to the 60,000 frontline healthcare workers across Ontario.
Brian has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Policy and Practice from the University of Toronto and a Master of Environmental Studies from York University. He has spent years focused on environmental justice and equity. Brian has also been fighting against Anti-Asian Hate and environmental racism while fighting for racial justice in Canada and abroad with years of service with local organizations.
Kenny Chiu
Kenny Chiu has been a Richmond community advocate for over 25 years. Using his experiences as a Richmond School Trustee, Richmond Rotarian, and senior software development manager, Kenny has been hard at work fighting for Steveston–Richmond East in Ottawa as a Member of Parliament. He immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong in 1989, but his love for this country stems from experiences since 1982 as an international student in the Canadian prairies.
As vice-chair of the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights, Kenny has fought unrelentingly for the rights of oppressed people. As Shadow Minister for Diversity, Inclusion, and Youth, Kenny has concerned himself with combatting racism, protecting sexual minorities, consulting young people, and building a more inclusive Canada that benefits all.
Phil De Luna
Phil De Luna is a carbontech innovator and award-winning scientist who works to develop disruptive technologies to decarbonize Canada. Phil immigrated to Windsor, ON at the age of five from the Philippines and is proud to now call Toronto his home.
Phil was named to the 2019 Forbes Top 30 Under 30 – Energy list and was a finalist in the $20M Carbon XPRIZE. He was the youngest Director at the National Research Council of Canada where he launched a $57M cleantech program. He is Vice Chair of Carbon Management Canada (CMC), a carbontech non-profit and has done policy work with the OECD and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. He was a Mission Innovation Champion for Canada, an Action Canada Fellow, a Massey College Junior Fellow, a Creative Destruction Lab Mentor and a two-time TEDx Speaker. Phil holds a PhD from the University of Toronto in Materials Science & Engineering where he was a Governor General Gold Medalist.Phil believes that our leaders should reflect the robust diversity of the people they lead. He is running to bring more diversity to Parliament and more science to politics and he hopes to become the first Filipino-Canadian Member of Parliament elected in Ontario.
Asian Policy Professionals Network 