Non-Party Association (NPA) candidate Morning Lee said a comment he made about using a tenant’s bathroom was a joke and acknowledged some people don’t find it funny. Lee, who is also an investor and business consultant, said the video was for landlords dealing with problems with tenants and used an example based on a situation where Lee was providing advice to a property owner. “I want to fight for people if they don’t know their rights, if they don’t know how to fight for their rights,” he said. “I just want people to know that it doesn’t matter if you’re a renter or a landlord, fight for your right.” The Mandarin video, posted last fall, tackled a scenario where a tenant was uncooperative in showing a property for sale. At one point in the video, Lee suggests using the restroom in the tenant’s place after they’re allowed inside. On Monday, he said while he can’t recall the exact wording, the comment was meant as a joke. “It’s a bathroom joke, take a sh*t or something,” he said. “But obviously right now, some people think it’s not funny and they’re offended. I’m sorry about that.” Council candidate Peter Meiszner with ABC Vancouver called the comment distasteful. “I totally get that people make jokes. I make jokes,” he said. “But I think the issue and exactly what’s happening in Vancouver, with affordability, with housing, is incredibly inappropriate.” Lee said he posted a video in English on the same topic. The 32-minute video, titled “BAD Tenants – How to Handle Problem Tenants, My Stories and Experiences,” also addresses the tenant’s use of the bathroom. “I also told my team member that you should come in. You can’t just open the door and take a look,” Lee said in the video. “Also, I told them, and you have to go use the bathroom, and you know, why are we doing this, the reason we’re doing this is we want to tell the tenant that we have the right to do this.” BC Real Estate Corporation declined to comment. In a statement, the head of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver said realtors must comply with the law as well as a code of ethics enforced by their professional association, and added “it would be inappropriate for our organization to comment publicly on any situation that could be reviewed as part of a disciplinary process.” Lee said he has been both a landlord and a renter and just wants people to know their rights and the law. “I didn’t do anything wrong … just a wrong word,” he said. “I apologize for this dirty word and if anyone was offended. But that’s my job, my job, to give suggestions to tenants or landlords.” CTV also reached out to the NPA, but did not hear back by our deadline.
