In Canada, there is a 99% chance that you will not be a professional, you will not find employment, and you will not be in the place you feel you deserve.

When Chen Weiping and a few friends came up with the idea of a “Chinese Canadian political party”, they did not envision a nationwide backlash.

The National Alliance Party aims to improve the living conditions for immigrants and create more jobs, improve public security, perfect the education system, improve health care and foster understanding among all ethnic groups.

The initial version of the mission statement on the party’s website stressed protecting and improving the “interests and rights of Chinese Canadians.” The statement has since been replaced with more politically correct statements such as “equality for all”.

The following is the original mission statement:

“For so many years we haven’t had a party of our own; for too long no parties would fight for the interests and rights of Chinese Canadians. Being part of a newer generation of immigrants, we want to work hard for the interests of all Chinese Canadians. We want to tell the world that the Chinese people are smart, united, hardworking and respectable.”

It’s not surprising that this met with fiercely negative responses from the mainstream. Some harsh comments appeared on online forums questioning the loyalty of all Chinese Canadians:

“Time for some deportation. There is a difference between immigration and invasion.

“Obviously this party was formed on a racial basis to benefit one race over all others.

“It’s up to YOU to integrate with us. But you don’t.

“Again, in Canada, there is a 99% chance that you will NOT be a professional, you will not find employment, and you will not be in the place you feel you deserve. But you already know this. It begs the question: Why come?”

Chen made clear the reason for the formation of the party at its inauguration on June 8, 2007:

“It has been over 200 years since the first batch of Chinese landed on Canadian soil in 1788. However, years of experience living overseas have given me a strong feeling that the status of ethnic minorities, especially the Chinese, has never been truly recognized. Similarly, we the Chinese diaspora have never had a minute treating this soil as our home and mother country.”

Recently, Chen refuted allegations that the NAP is a “racist” party, blasting such comments as “cheap China threat theory”.

Chen stresses that the NAP is not a “Chinese Canadian only” party and welcomes all Canadians. “The political awakening among Chinese Canadians has touched the nerves of some people.”

According to Chen, in less than a month, close to 100 people indicated their interest in joining.