At my request, Vision Vancouver councillors George Chow and Kerry Jang emailed me copies of letters they sent to the head of Canada's spy agency.

That would be Richard Fadden, the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, who told CBC News in June that several unnamed civic politicians in B.C. were under the influence of foreign governments.

Fadden didn't name the governments but hinted it was China.

As I reported in June, Chow and Jang were puzzled, upset, offended and felt guilty by association over Fadden's comments to CBC News anchor Peter Mansbridge.

In reading the councillors' letters, I discovered even more was at stake. Try the November 2011 civic election.

Here's Chow: "This very serious allegation is having significant repercussions against ethnic municipal politicians in our communities--calling to question our loyalty to Canada and public trustworthiness. This will ultimately cost us in the ballot boxes."

So does that mean Chow, Jang and Vision Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louie are going down in the next election? Who's to say until Fadden produces evidence and names names.

And that's Chow's point.

"Your unsubstantiated comments not only put all B.C. municipal politicians under a cloud of suspicion," Chow wrote. "But because of what you said and how you said it, the reactions from media and blogs overwhelmingly point to politicians from the Chinese-Canadian community, such as myself."

Added Chow: "While you have made an attempt to clarify your comments, the clarification provided thus far is unsatisfactory, as it has done little to reverse the harm done to the integrity of all B.C. municipal politicians of Chinese heritage, or otherwise. I therefore request that you provide a full retraction of your remarks and a public apology immediately." Jang took the same line, saying Fadden's comments point to "politicians such as myself who come from the Chinese-Canadian community."

Not long ago, Jang wrote, Canadians of Japanese descent were placed under a similar cloud of suspicion and such fear mongering led to one of the greatest shames in Canadian history--the forced internment of Canadians for no reason other than the accident of their birth.

"I am also saddened that your comments will harm the City of Vancouver's efforts to build international relationships for trade, economic development and cultural exchanges with countries from across the globe," he wrote. "And on a more personal level, your comments put my integrity, loyalty and trustworthiness into question. This not only harms my career as a university professor, but also my work as an elected official."

Chow and Jang requested an apology but have yet to get one.

BEAR BAIT

Just a note to let my faithful readers know I'm taking a few weeks off to enjoy what's left of the summer.

And, unlike many journos, I don't plan to blog, Twitter or Facebook about my camping trip or electronically inform you how stoked I will undoubtedly be when I eat a piece of toast--with almond butter on it! Sad, I know.

I'll return in late August.

By then I hope to have deduced that Killarney Community Centre is not Kitsilano Community Centre; I screwed up the two in a recent story, even though I used to live on Berkeley Street in Killarney.

Man, I need a holiday.