Hong Kong has issued a warrant for his arrest, but this Vancouverite isn't worried
Last week, Hong Kong issued arrest warrants for 19 overseas activists, all members of a group called Hong Kong Parliament, which promotes self-determination in Hong Kong and the establishment of a Hong Kong constitution.
But Hong Kong alleges the group is using illegal means to overthrow institutions in China.
Among the 19 is Victor Ho, a Canadian citizen and Vancouver-based journalist who works for the B.C. edition of Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily.
It's not the first time he's been faced with an arrest warrant from Hong Kong, Ho said. A warrant was issued for Ho's arrest in 2021, and again in December 2024.
Ho said this most recent arrest warrant was expected.
He spoke with CBC's On The Coast host Gloria Macarenko.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Victor, how did you hear about this warrant?
I learned this message from social media last Thursday evening when I was attending a concert in downtown Vancouver.
It's a bit of a strange feeling. How can a Canadian be wanted by the Hong Kong government three times? The first time is 2021. The second one is last December — the Hong Kong government gave one million Hong Kong dollar bounty for me.
Are you concerned? Are you, are you afraid at all?
No, because this is the third time.
The Canadian government approached me many times after the first time I was wanted by the Hong Kong government, including Global Affairs Canada, including CSIS and including the RCMP. Even the public safety ministry, they approached me. They had various information for me about my personal safety, about my immediate danger. They have a lot of information to advise me not to go to the countries with extradition treaties with Hong Kong. They are trying to protect me and ask me what they can do to make me feel safe.
WATCH | Victor Ho among those wanted in Hong Kong:
Hong Kong police issue fresh wave of arrest warrants for 19 overseas activists
19 hours ago
What about the accusations here? Police say that your group sought to overthrow the governments of China and Hong Kong by unlawful means. How do you respond to that?
In my opinion, that is inappropriate. And this is not in proportion. We just express our willingness to organize a universal suffrage for Hong Kong people overseas and in Hong Kong proper. So me and a group of overseas Hong Kong people try to organize in a grassroot democracy style to say that the Hong Kong people have the right to self-determination, their sovereignty should be honoured. So we try to materialize these rights, democratic rights only. I don't think we have enough power to overthrow the government.
What about your friends, even family in Hong Kong? What is life like for them there?
Actually, I cut off all ties, all connections with my Hong Kong family members last year. This was my suggestion to cut off. I don't want to involve them. I don't want the police to come to their doorsteps and ask them a lot of questions. I just cut off all connection. Even telephone.
I have a lot of relatives in Hong Kong. I have eight sisters and brothers.
I haven't received any bad news from my family members in Hong Kong. So far so good. But I hope they can find no evidence from my relatives in Hong Kong because I left my original family in early 20s. For over 40 years, I don't have very close connections with them so they cannot find evidence to bother my relatives there.
Why is it so many of them stay, in light of what you've described this afternoon? Why don't they leave like you have?
There are various reasons: because of financial capacity, because of their ties with relatives in mainland China. Some of my elder brothers have wives from mainland China. So the cultural connection cannot be easily cut off on their standpoint. So I understand their situation.
I immigrated to Canada because of my career. I know the sensitivity of my career to a communist regime. They don't like any journalists, so after a discussion with my wife, we decided to leave Hong Kong in 1997 to play it safe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Calgary Herald
19 minutes ago
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: Solid reasons to lower the voting age to 16
Article content With recent news covering referendums in Alberta, the Longest Ballot Committee signing up more than 200 candidates in the Battle River–Crowfoot byelection to protest for electoral reform, and a Canadian senator calling for the voting age to be lowered to 16 — as Britain has recently done — there has been renewed discussion around democratic engagement. Article content While it is not yet a popular idea, I echo Sen. Marilou McPhedran's advocacy to lower the voting age to 16, as this would increase political engagement and most opposition is based on misconceptions. Article content Article content Article content Many opponents argue that teenagers are not mature enough to vote. However, most people are unaware that provincial and federal political parties already allow membership at 14 years old, giving teens the ability to vote in leadership contests such as those that selected Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith, as well as on party resolutions that often become law. Canada has already accepted that teens younger than 16 are mature enough to vote within internal party processes. Article content Article content In Alberta, one could argue that the several thousand UCP members who vote at the party's annual AGM hold more sway over the premier and provincial policy than the average voter, especially considering legislation passed in recent years that reflects party resolutions. Article content Some claim that because many teenagers do not have jobs or pay taxes, they should not vote. But it is worth noting that ' on average, two of every five Canadian households do not pay anything toward federally and provincially funded expenses' (Financial Post, 2019). Article content Article content No one is seriously suggesting that 40 per cent of voters should lose their vote. Moreover, 16-year-olds in Canada are legally allowed to drive, enter into contracts, work in most jobs, be tried as adults, make independent medical decisions and, with parental permission, join the military or get married. If we grant them these responsibilities, why not the vote? Article content Young people are the least likely to vote in elections. Elections Canada estimates that only 53.9 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted in both the 2015 and 2019 federal elections. Turnout rises with age, reaching 79.1 per cent among voters aged 65 to 74. In Austria, where 16-year-olds have been eligible to vote since 2007, researchers found that they turned out between two and 10 percentage points more than first-time voters aged 18 to 20, and maintained the habit in future elections (Aichholzer & Kritzinger, 2020). Article content In Scotland, post-referendum research shows that teens enfranchised at 16 continued to vote at higher rates than peers who had to wait until 18, confirming that starting earlier helps build lifelong voting habits (Eichhorn & Huebner, 2025). Article content Canadian students are often introduced to democratic participation early through the Civix Student Vote program, which mirrors real elections and helps prepare future voters. In the most recent federal election, 949,361 students cast a ballot in this mock vote. Article content It would be far more effective to allow these students to vote in real elections while they are still in school, taking social studies courses that keep them informed about current events and the political process. For those in Alberta concerned that schools are indoctrinating students with progressive beliefs or influencing them to vote for the Liberals or NDP, the most recent Student Vote results are revealing. In 2025, students would have elected a Conservative minority government, compared to the adult population, which returned a Liberal minority. Article content Article content That alone casts doubt on fears of ideological bias. Article content Canada lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1970 without disruption. According to Statistics Canada, enfranchising 16- and 17-year-olds would increase the voting population by only about three per cent. And if that three per cent has such a profound effect on election outcomes, then I would argue we have far bigger issues in our democracy than teenage maturity. Article content
CBC
20 minutes ago
- CBC
How did a Mahatma Gandhi statue end up in Saskatoon?
CBC's Aishwarya Dudha spoke to the person responsible for bringing the statue of Mahatma Gandhi — the Indian Independence leader best known for his non-violent resistance against colonialism — to Saskatoon. The statue has stood at the corner of Second Avenue and 21st Street for 25 years.
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Man, woman seriously injured after shooting in King West
Officers have not commented on what caused the shooting only saying that there is an ongoing investigation. Arlyn McAdorey The Canadian Pres
