What to know
- Olivia Chow posted a video responding directly to racist, sexist and personal attacks she frequently receives online, including comments telling her to “go back to China.”
- Chow defended her work ethic after commenters accused her of not working, saying she spends up to 14 hours a day at Toronto City Hall and shared part of her packed daily schedule.
- The mayor also addressed criticism about her speech and accent, revealing she previously experienced facial paralysis linked to Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
- Chow urged people to reject racism and sexism in political discourse, saying the focus should be on building community and improving affordability in Toronto.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is responding to hateful comments targeting her in a new social media post.
In a YouTube video posted on Thursday, the mayor is responding to mean comments that are often seen in various of her posts.
“Go back to China”
Firstly, the mayor called out users for telling her to “go back to China.”
“Oh God, I’ve heard this a few times. By the way, I came from Hong Kong, but like, are you serious? What kind of racist crap is this? Next,” the mayor said in the video.
As hinted by the mayor, she was born in 1957, and immigrated to Toronto when she was 13. Chow is also the first person of Asian descent to serve as mayor in the city, as well as the first woman to fulfill the role since 1998.
“Get back to work!”
Another comment read by the mayor said: “I’ve NEVER seen her at City Hall, never at work. GET BACK TO WORK!”
Chow challenged the author of the comment to find “anyone who works as hard as” her, emphasizing that she works 14 hours a day most days.
“I’m here at City Hall at 6:45 a.m. everyday. People think all they read on social media is everything I’m doing, but in reality, you’re only seeing probably five per cent of my schedule,” she said.
The mayor also asked her team to put her schedule on screen, showing meetings and other responsibilities filling every hour of the day.
In addition, the mayor says she has two or three assistants that support her throughout the day, given the extended hours.
“Party Mayor!”
The mayor also responded to a comment calling her “party mayor,” calling those who “don’t know how” to dance or party “sad” people.
“This is what the city is all about, where people come together and celebrate each other’s culture, heritage, and language, and that’s what makes the City of Toronto so special. We are diverse. We support each other no matter who we are, where we come from, and yes, we do party together,” she said.
“She’s drunk!”
Chow also addressed a post saying: “She’s drunk! I can’t understand what she is saying.”
The mayor recognized that she does have an accent, pointing out that, like many Torontonians, English is her second language. Having moved from Hong Kong as a teen, the mayor’s first language is Cantonese.
In addition, she shared that she had facial paralysis, which makes pronunciation difficult.
“My lips are not working fully well. You can see it on [the right] side of my face. It’s called Ramsey Hunt. It’s the same kind of illness that Justin Bieber had,” she said, adding that she had the paralysis after her husband, Jack Layton, died, because her immunity was down.
“I’m fine now, but sometimes it’s hard for me to move that part of my face. It’s hard to enunciate perfectly sometimes, especially in the morning.”
Does Chow usually read her comments?
Chow also revealed she receives updates from her team, she doesn’t usually read her social media comments.
“Actually, I don’t have time for it. I ran for mayor to make life more affordable, to fix transit and housing, not to argue with some cartoon avatars,” she added.
How does Chow respond to racist and misogynistic attacks?
Comments attacking Chow’s identity are commonly seen in her social media posts since she took the role in 2023.
In response, the mayor said that “some accounts seem pretty obsessed” with her, often focusing on her person over her policies, through “vicious attacks and fake news.”
“Politics should be a place to share ideas, and yes, disagree…I don’t want people to be afraid. I want us to build, not tear each other down,” she stated.
Chow also recognized that people might “lash out” if they feel a sense of injustice, but emphasized that “the only way City Hall works” is when people come together to improve the city.
“Being hateful is not going to get anywhere. So, I think the best response is by taking better care of each other, making life more affordable for other people, and really develop a better sense of belonging.”
