<div dir="ltr"><h1 class="gmail-story-title">ses wrapped in Chinese language ads cause a stir in Richmond</h1>
<h3 class="gmail-story-deck">TransLink says there are no provincial or municipal laws restricting the ads</h3>
<p class="gmail-small gmail-lighttext">
<span class="gmail-spaced">By Cory Correia, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/cbc-news-online-news-staff-list-1.1294364">CBC News</a></span>
<span class="gmail-delimited">Posted: Jan 18, 2018 10:17 AM PT</span>
<span>Last Updated: Jan 18, 2018 11:38 AM PT</span>
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<img src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.4490734.1516160741!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/richmond-chinese-bus-ad.JPG" alt="TransLink says there are currently three buses that have advertisements predominantly in a Chinese language, featuring none or a few English words." title="" width="100%" height="349"> <p class="gmail-figure-caption">
TransLink says there are currently three buses that have
advertisements predominantly in a Chinese language, featuring none or a
few English words.
(Kerry Starchuk) </p>
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<p><img src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.4296113.1505785859!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/square_140/cory-correia.jpg" alt="Photo of Cory Correia" title="" width="140" height="140" border="0"></p>
<p><strong class="gmail-story-authorphoto-name">Cory Correia</strong><br>
<span class="gmail-story-authorphoto-title">Reporter</span></p>
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<p>Cory Correia is a reporter with CBC Vancouver. Send him an email at <a href="mailto:cory.correia@cbc.ca">cory.correia@cbc.ca</a></p>
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<h3 class="gmail-story-internallinks-head gmail-story-internallinks-heading gmail-module-head gmail-module-heading">Related Stories</h3>
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Language restrictions proposed for Richmond's new sign bylaw </a>
</li><li> <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/chinese-only-bus-shelter-ads-in-richmond-being-phased-out-1.3422444">
City of Richmond phasing out Chinese-only bus shelter ads
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TransLink Israel-Palestine ads cause controversy </a>
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<p>Some TransLink buses in the Lower Mainland have been singled out because they carry Chinese language ads.</p>
<p>Some Richmond residents are upset with TransLink for not requiring the advertisements to be in English or French.</p>
<p>One resident, Kerry Starchuk, says she has spotted buses in Vancouver, Richmond and Ladner with ads that are mostly in Chinese.</p>
<p>"Our demographics in Richmond are Chinese, but what about the remainder of the people that live here?" said Starchuk.</p>
<p>"I would like to see the ad in English first then any other language
that they desire," said Richmond resident, Michelle Mitchell. </p>
<p>But according to a TransLink spokesperson, there are no provincial or
municipal laws in B.C. that require advertisements to be in either of
Canada's two official languages. </p>
<p>On that basis, they say TransLink has no authority to deny advertising in any language as long as it meets its <a href="https://www.translink.ca/-/media/Documents/about_translink/doing_business_with_translink/advertising/translink_advertising_policy.pdf" target="_blank">advertising guidelines</a>, which have no restrictions on which language is used. </p>
<h2>Freedom of expression in bus ads</h2>
<p>Starchuk has been petitioning TransLink and Richmond city council to
require at least 50 per cent of bus advertisements to be in one of
Canada's official languages. </p>
<p>"Doing this kind of stuff, it creates tension. It creates divide,"
said Starchuk. "We have to be able to share a common language with one
another," said Starchuk.</p>
<p>TransLink has changed its advertising policy in the past. </p>
<p>In 2009, the company's previous advertising policy was challenged
when it refused to post a political advertisement on the sides of buses.</p>
<ul><li><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/1.1363311" target="_blank">TransLink Israel-Palestine ads cause controversy</a></li></ul>
<p><a href="https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/2009/2009scc31/2009scc31.pdf" target="_blank">The Supreme Court of Canada ruled</a> that part of the policy, which prohibited advocacy advertising, violated the complainant's right to freedom of expression. </p>
<p>A TransLink spokesperson says due to this legal precedent, the
company expects it would encounter a similar challenge and outcome if it
were to change its advertising policy to limit what languages can be
placed on signs. </p>
<p>TransLInk says that unless the province or a municipality passes a
law that directs this kind of change, it will continue to allow Chinese
language ads on its buses. </p>
<p>According to a background paper from the Library of Parliament, B.C.
is the only province or territory not to have a legislative policy or
regulatory framework in place to recognize official languages.</p>
<ul><li><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/1.3422444" target="_blank">Chinese-only bus shelter ads in Richmond being phased out</a></li></ul>
<p>Meanwhile, the City of Richmond says that although it requires — by
contract — advertisements on bus shelters to feature at least 50 per
cent English, buses and transit stations are within TransLink's
jurisdiction.</p>
<p>A spokesperson for the province said no provincial legislation exists that would govern language policy for TransLink. </p>
<ul><li><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/1.4150456">Language restrictions proposed for Richmond's new sign bylaw</a></li></ul>
<p>As for Starchuk, she says she would like to put the matter to rest,
but it would require the province taking the initiative to implement a
language law that would give British Columbians better direction</p></div></div></div></div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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