National Post (Canada)
July 16, 2004 Friday National Edition

Liberals and the ethnic vote

There’s no shortage of Canadian politicians seeking to pander to
cultural or religious groups. But ordinarily, they target a specific
minority constituency when doing so.

Not Carolyn Parrish. Speaking to a reporter while heading into this
week’s Liberal caucus meeting, the newly re-elected MP for
Mississauga-Erindale suggested that her party is indebted to
immigrant voters-at-large for helping it hold on to its suburban
Toronto-area ridings. Or, in her words: “We owe the ethnic community
some recognition for what they did to save our lives.”

Ah, yes, “the ethnic community.” That rainbow coalition, we suppose,
of everyone whose skin drifts past ivory and on into puce. Or,
perhaps, of everyone who speaks with a perceptible accent. Or with a
hard-to-pronounce last name. It doesn’t matter: We know who you’re
talking about, Carolyn. And indeed, we are inspired by the image
you’ve summoned of Latvians, Armenians and Samoans high-fiving
Trinidadians, Filipinos and the Senegalese as they celebrate the
Liberal victory at their pan-ethnic fiesta: All the colours of
Benetton, united by their ethnic-ality.

Tonight, we expect Ms. Parrish will be out chatting up a couple of
her “ethnic” constituents, spreading soy sauce and tzatziki on her
tandoori-cooked, jerk-spiced blintzes and cabbage rolls as she
presses the miscellaneously pigmented flesh. Don’t forget, Ms.
Parrish, to give your supporters a big “thank you” in their native
language … whatever that may be.