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Recently, stickers bearing the words “Please Respect Canada’s Official Languages” appeared on bus shelter ads in West Vancouver. The ads in question feature Chinese text.

Today (July 15), NDP deputy leader Libby Davies issued a statement on the matter:

Resorting to vandalism to spread a xenophobic message is cowardly. Canada is a multicultural society and New Democrats understand that diversity strengthens our nation. We call on the local MP, John Weston, to openly speak out against the vandalism and to condemn Putting Canada First - the organization that has led the charge against these Chinese language advertisements.

According to the North Shore News, the stickers went up last week. They appeared after North Vancouver resident and Putting Canada First spokesperson Brad Saltzberg complained to West Vancouver council about ads along Marine Drive featuring Chinese text.

The newspaper quoted Saltzberg as saying:

If it goes on unchecked it will continue to the degree we’re seeing in other business districts and other municipalities whereby No. 3 Road in Richmond, it looks like Hong Kong. It doesn’t look like Canada.

West Vancouver mayor Michael Smith has also weighed in on the issue. Smith told the North Shore News:

There’s some people who would like to turn the clock back 50 years when all the immigrants to Canada came from Europe. It’s a different world.

If this controversy sounds familiar, it might be because it’s reminiscent of last year’s ridiculous debate over Chinese signs in Richmond.