Should I Vote for My Ethnicity in an Election?

I know this will disappoint a lot of my kababayans on why I wouldn’t set aside differences for the sake of a much hoped for Filipino representation in Ottawa. A few kababayans are crying for peace and unity the past months for support and help. Some would even plead for others to donate to the political campaign of this self-professed community leader, Jojo Quimpo running as a Conservative Member of Parliament for the Vancouver Kingsway riding. Each time I see this, I can only shake my head in disbelief. My spirit refuses to be swayed by this ethnically propagated scheme mainly targeting the soft hearts of Filipinos.

It was my choice to migrate here from my beloved Philippines to give my family a brighter future so that they become productive and be able to help themselves and help me to help others. And that is dead-on the Filipino way which I am greatly proud of. But to support a Filipino candidate just because he is Filipino is preposterous. Especially one that does not have the guts to stand up with his opposition and tell us where he stands. It’s an outright insult to my 26 years of living, working, and breathing in Canada to support or vote a kapwa Filipino (fellow Filipino) just because we’re all Filipinos.

Contrary to what other local Filipino media publications reported last week, I would firmly say Quimpo hasn’t made a clear STAND at all. He did have his chance, but he blew it.

On September 2015, there was an all-candidates forum held by the National Congress of Chinese Canadians for all the 4 main Canadian political parties to attend to reveal in public what they each stand for and answer some questions.    

According to Don Davies’ Facebook post on Jojo Quimpo, Quimpo “…confirmed he would participate, posed for the photo-op but then vanished when the forum started, surprising organizers who were left calling his name from the stage…”

David Choi, the organizer of the National Congress of Chinese Canadians, confirmed by phone that Jojo Quimpo was contacted and invited to the National Congress of Chinese Canadians All-Party Panel. Each party member was asked to bring a Chinese interpreter just in case they were asked a question in Chinese. David Choi confirmed that Quimpo showed up at 9am and introduced his interpreter to Choi but then told him that he had to leave by 11:30am. Quimpo told Choi that he would be able to join the panel for at least an hour but when Quimpo was supposed to join the panel at 10:30am, he had disappeared before he could answer any questions.

Quimpo hasn’t been seen in any other debates in his riding that we know of.

If Quimpo can’t stand up to a small gathering like this, how in the world would he react standing in front of the opposition in the House of Commons in Ottawa?

As reported in our last newspaper, Steve Marshall asked Jojo Quimpo numerous times on his public Conservative Facebook wall what his stance was on Cyber-Bullying. Jojo Quimpo’s response  was deleting Steve’s questions from his Conservative Facebook page and then blocking him from asking any further questions. Why would Jojo do this? Likely because, in our opinion, Quimpo allowed his buddies to Cyber-Bully me on his Facebook. You can check out www.driven2action.com for more details.

Steve also emailed Jojo Quimpo and asked him about the allegations from Maevn Hauser that Jojo still owed Maevn and or his MUSICA Society approximately $900.00 for prizes they won at Jojo Quimpo’s event in November 2012. I read the Facebook message from Jojo Quimpo where Quimpo stated in part “…by the way, please tell MUSICA I did not forget our debt. Hindi ko yan nakalimutan. I will pay them next month. Promise…”  That “Promise” was about 35 months ago and counting.

Steve Marshall also asked Jojo Quimpo if he felt partly responsible for the approximate $12,000.00 that was alleged to be owed to Smile Travel for a bounced check to pay for the airline tickets for his Filipino entertainer Derek Ramsey and entourage for Pinoy Fiesta 2011. Jojo Quimpo told Steve in an email, “Pinoy Buzz sponsored the popular Filipino actor Derek Ramsey and his entourage…Pinoy Buzz management spent a huge amount of money”.

Allegedly, Smile Travel ended up paying the huge amount of money for the Pinoy Fiesta 2011 entertainment. We were told Smile Travel never got paid the cash owed.  Jojo Quimpo became executive producer of the Pinoy Buzz TV show. I would think that being the President of the Pinoy Fiesta and Producer of the Pinoy Buzz TV show Quimpo should have some responsibility towards the repayment of this huge amount of money owed to a local business.       

My television show Simply the Best, The Luisa Marshall Show was the first media to support Jojo Quimpo in the beginning because I believed in him. But, once I got to know him really well, my opinion changed drastically. There are many more reasons why I’m disappointed in Quimpo but what I have mentioned here is relevant for now.

Ethnicity is not paramount in my choice of a candidate. However, if a Filipino candidate has quality of character, integrity, courage, a proper platform and commitment, I would be in full support of him or her regardless of political party.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, Jojo Quimpo does not qualify.

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“Thanks to Tupper Secondary for hosting an all-candidates’ debate today! It is very important to engage our youth in our democracy.

It is a shame that the Conservative candidate failed to appear AGAIN (hence the empty chair) – so far, he has failed to appear at any of the 3 debates he was invited to. Clearly, he is unable to defend the Conservative record – and unwilling to face our constituents.

In my view, any candidate who refuses to present himself or herself to the voters to answer their questions is unworthy of their support.”

– Don Davies