Incumbent school trustee Harman Pandher of the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA) couldn't believe what he was hearing.
While doorknocking last week, the Asian family who answered asked him if it was true that students at Burnaby schools were being injected with a drug that would make them homosexual.
"I was pretty speechless, you can't make this stuff up," Pandher said.
"I'm angry at whoever's putting it out there but I have to feel sorry for whoever actually believes this."
Since then, he has heard that the people spreading the false rumour are identifying themselves as supporters of the opposing Burnaby First Coalition.
"Burnaby First needs to denounce it if it doesn't represent their party."
It appears the rumour is only being spread in the Mandarin-speaking Chinese community, with the rumour-mongers targeting immigrants who don't speak much English and don't follow local politics.
"Bonny," who asked that her name not be used for fear of retaliation, said she was with other Chinese parents about two weeks ago at Bonsor Rec Centre, waiting for their children's classes to end, when they were approached.
One of the other parents, a woman, asked them in Mandarin if they were Canadian citizens, presumably because they would therefore be able to vote in the Nov. 15 civic election.
She identified herself as a volunteer for Burnaby First, Bonny said. "That was the first time I heard of Burnaby First."
The woman told them of the upcoming election and said only Burnaby First can protect their kids.
"I asked her what happens if Burnaby First fails with the election. She said, if another party wins, they support the gays and they can also change the kids' sex at school … at school they will give the kids something like a drug injection … and the school won't tell parents."
Bonny couldn't believe what she heard. She said she came to Canada from China almost 10 years ago believing it was a better place to be.
The group of parents she was with were all worried by what the woman said, and Bonny told them she would look into it further.
One of the regulars at the restaurant where she works is Katrina Chen, a BCA school board candidate, who assured her the rumour was not true and explained it likely stemmed from opposition to the school district's Policy 5.45 combatting homophobia.
Bonny researched it further on the Internet and concluded the rumour is false.
She noted that she had to sign a form giving permission for her teacher to take her son and his class to the library. She said it doesn't make sense that the school would not inform her about a more serious issue like sex-changing injections.
"I think that's impossible."
RELATED STORIES:
• Looking Back/Looking Ahead: Burnaby's Policy 5.45 led to protests, election candidates
• Youth say why Policy 5.45 is needed
• Burnaby teacher receives death threat
• Burnaby Parents Voice calls for halt to Lady Gaga Pink Shirt Day video project
The experience has left her angry that children are being used in a political fight. "You can do everything, fair, but don't use kids as an excuse. This I'm very unhappy about … I'm very, very mad."
Katrina Chen was flabbergasted by what Bonny told her.
"At first I was laughing about it because I was like, nobody's going to believe this. But [Bonny] gave me a serious look. She said, 'No, actually some of the parents actually believed it.'"
The fact the rumour is spreading only among the Chinese immigrant community, Chen said, "it's not just an attack on the gay and lesbian community, it's also an attack on the Chinese community. They're taking advantage of people's language barriers and cultural differences."
Chen, who is originally from Taiwan, said she has also been asked about the rumour while doorknocking. One woman told her she didn't believe it but parents are talking about it. "She's just really concerned, why are people talking about this?"
It also plays on the fact, "the [immigrant] Asian community is not as open as Canada, everyone knows that's the fact," she said.
Policy 5.45 is a topic being discussed on Chinese social media. And Chen herself has received a letter at home written only in Chinese stating it's from BC Parents Voice, an offshoot of the vocal group that opposed the policy before it was passed in 2011.
In a translation provided by the BCA, it says, "The purpose of Policy 545 is actually to spread new sexual knowledge as a better lifestyle to our children under the guise of anti-bullying. Anyone who disapproves of the policy will be labeled as 'anti-homosexual.'"
Burnaby First school board candidate Heather Leung, who was active with Parents Voice, has also been actively speaking out online in Chinese-language forums about the policy and her plans to fight it, Chen said.
She's upset that the Chinese community is being targeted. "It's just going to make people think that the immigrant community are not smart enough. But it's not because we're not smart enough it's because some people are trying to manipulate us.
"It is fear-mongering. You're making everyone very nervous about our schools, and people don't feel safe, which is wrong."
Daren Hancott, Burnaby First's mayoral candidate, was stunned when a NewsLeader reporter informed him of the rumour.
"Are you kidding me?" he said. "This is crazy."
Hancott said he had not heard of the rumour despite knocking on thousands of doors and it's not part of the Burnaby First platform. He stressed the party's candidates would not be involved.
"I don't understand where it's coming from, it's not Burnaby First and it's not our candidates so it's a surprise," he said.
"I don't know who these people are, we have a lot of supporters. Like I said, this is two weeks away from the election, this is a funny thing. It doesn't make any sense to me. So anybody can say they're a supporter of any party."
But it has nothing to do with Burnaby First or its platform, Hancott said.
"How can you comment on something like that? It's just too crazy, too radical, it's not Burnaby First. Whoever it is should stop it, whoever they are."
The NewsLeader left a message through Hancott seeking comment from Heather Leung but had not received a response before press time.
"I asked her what happens if Burnaby First fails with the election. She said, if another party wins, they support the gays and they can also change the kids' sex at school … at school they will give the kids something like a drug injection … and the school won't tell parents."
"I asked her what happens if Burnaby First fails with the election. She said, if another party wins, they support the gays and they can also change the kids' sex at school … at school they will give the kids something like a drug injection … and the school won't tell parents."
论坛通告:
个人空间:
论坛转跳:
赞 
花篮 
投诉
踩 
分享
