Feb 25 • 00:54 UTC 🇨🇦 Canada Global News

Vancouver city councillor apologizes for calling fellow members ‘drug users’

Vancouver city councillor Lenny Zhou faced backlash and apology for incorrectly labeling fellow council members as drug users during a controversial press release.

In Vancouver, city councillors gathered to address concerning remarks made by Councillor Lenny Zhou, who, in a video shared on WeChat, accused several non-ABC councillors of being drug users and connected supportive housing with drug use. This assertion sparked outrage among other councillors, who held a press conference to label Zhou's statements as misinformation. Green councillor Pete Fry emphasized the negative repercussions of such allegations, stating they damage reputations and can severely impact public trust in local governance.

The councillors condemned the video, asserting that its dissemination was part of a broader pattern of misinformation that risks creating division within the community. They stressed the importance of maintaining a respectful dialogue, particularly in a multicultural context where assumptions about drug use can unfairly target specific neighborhoods and individuals. Fry pointed out that the insinuation of him being a drug dealer is especially harmful considering the demographics of his constituents in a predominantly Chinese area.

Reiterating their commitment to responsible governance, the councillors called for a unified stance against false claims that threaten the integrity of the council. The ongoing dialogue emphasizes the need for transparency and accuracy in representations of urban issues like supportive housing, particularly as these discussions are increasingly shared across social media channels.

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