大温华裔聚居区列治文的候车亭随处可见全中文的广告标语,不过现在市政府计划修改户外广告条例,未来候车亭的广告至少一半必须是英文。
列治文市府发言人汤森(Ted Townsend)接受CBC采访表示,市府与户外广告公司Pattison Outdoor的5年合约在去年底期满,计划在新合约加入新规定,确保广告招牌的至少有50%是英文。
“关于列治文的中文广告规定已经讨论许久,我们确实收到不少关注和抱怨。”他指出,候车亭与广告招牌都在公有领地内,因此政府不断推动以英文为主文,至于私有领地则不会制定类似规范。

由于列治文将近一半的人口是华裔,因此中文招牌与看板十分普遍。去年市议会反对全英文办法,而是采取折衷态度,要求英文必须占一半以上。2013年市府收到超过 1000人的连署书,要求广告招牌必须含加拿大官方语言,即英文或法文。此议题引发热议,有人认为加注官方语言势在必行,但也有人认为这是另一种种族主义。
汤森说:“新合约规定中文与英文必须并重,如果无法并陈则以英文为主。”

地铁站口的招牌
以下是小编收到的一封列治文居民抗议信:
To Whom This May Concern,

 I am writing to you with respect to the numerous Budweiser advertisements on some of  the bus shelters here in Richmond, B.C. and the deep concern that your marketing ploy is very exclusive and segregating to the population in our community.  The Chinese Only signage in Richmond has been very controversial and ongoing for the past several years. There have been other companies  that have chosen initially to advertise with the Paterson group only to find out the exclusive ethnic advertising has not been positive but a negative experience that draws criticisms and a boycott to their respective products. I would like to share with you the different incidents :

Glysomed chose to advertise on the bus shelter a few years ago in a manner similar to yours. At that time we were trying to address the Chinese Only signs. I called the company in Toronto and discussed the matter with them. They said they were trying to reach out to the Chinese community as they liked their product. I told them we used their product and if they were not going to include me using English then I would find another product.  The  next advertisement was beautiful and included everyone by using English.

The next company that chose to exclusively ethnic advertise was Crest. The Chinese community was not happy with the advertisement and was widely discussed on all the radio stations and television. Crest took out a full page advert weeks later. Many people went to social media and sent complaints to both Paterson group and Crest. Personally, when I am looking for hygiene products I never consider Crest.


SUCCESS (an orthodox Chinese organization) was next to fall victim to their exclusive ethnic advertising campaign on the bus shelters. The census from the public was negative. The Director of Gambling (Victoria, B.C. based) was really upset and made his staff that made the decision to advertise in Chinese only go to cultural sensitivity classes. They subsequently took the advertisement down.

Your company is the latest to  explore the exclusive ethnic advertising approach with Paterson Group advertising. It has received a few stories in the paper as well as many social media posts calling for Boycotts. It would not surprise me that several complaints were made directly to Budweiser. Unfortunately, the advertisement has left a sour taste with me and can no longer recommend or buy your products.
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