BC Billionaire Mall Owner Ruby Liu Says She’s Suing Her Own Lawyer
Ms. Liu also vowed to “dig up a centuries-old cover-up.”
Ruby Liu (aka Weihong Liu, 刘伟宏), a Chinese Canadian billionaire who has dominated national headlines in recent months for offering to purchase over 20 leases from The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), says she’s going to sue her own lawyer shortly after some HBC lenders filed a motion in court to end her lease deal, according to a post on the Chinese social media platform RedNote (小红书).↓
This announcement was made on July 9, 2025, in a video posted on the RedNote account of Hefe Fang Sun (孙芳), Executive Director of Ms. Liu’s company, Central Walk Properties.
In the 48-second video clip, Ms. Liu, visibly angry, said:
My job right now is to appeal to the higher authority. I’m going to sue the lawyer I hired. They were not working to help me. They wasted my time and my money.
Secondly, the court hearing on the 15th is ridiculous and absurd. The (senior) lenders refused to sell the store leases in order to increase revenue to repay the first and second-order lenders…. Because the current money is adequate to repay them, they don’t care about the interests of the second, third, or the other 100+ lenders. They only care about themselves.
Could it be that the largest lender is actually one of them, or somehow connected to certain landlords (sic)?
I want to expose the truth. I want to dig up a centuries-old cover-up!
A Peep into Ms. Liu’s War Room: Notes, E-Commerce, and Legal Prep
Ms. Liu did not elaborate on the details of her legal action against her own lawyer. She also did not clarify why this legal step was directed at her own legal counsel, rather than in response to the senior lenders’ court motion, which appeared to be the immediate cause of her public outcry.
That same day, Lan Da Wang (烂打王), another staff member of Ms. Liu’s team, posted a video on his RedNote (小红书) account titled “Ruby Liu's team is preparing to fight back.” ↓
The video begins with a screenshot of the news report about the senior lenders’ motion, then cuts to scenes inside a home office showing Ms. Liu’s staff—including CEO Linda Qin (覃琳)—at work. Several handwritten notes on whiteboards in the background appeared to reveal strategic discussions and planning efforts underway.
At 00:05, a whiteboard lists three steps: applying for an expedited hearing, drafting a letter to the judge, and filing a complaint with the Toronto Lawyers’ Association. ↓
At 00:03, at the center of a larger whiteboard, there are several clearly legible words: “e-biz,” “Shein,” and “Temu.” ↓
Shein and Temu, two of the most popular Chinese e-commerce platforms, have come under increasing regulatory scrutiny in the United States, Europe, and Canada. Authorities have raised concerns over product safety, trade compliance violations, intellectual property theft, possible use of forced labour in supply chains, data privacy practices, and even national security risks.
While many HBC landlords have criticized Ms. Liu for failing to provide a clear business plan, the whiteboards in her home office may offer the first clues about her broader commercial ambitions.
Support from a Pro-Beijing Big Whig
Ms. Liu’s video quickly attracted comments. One early response came from Michael Huang (aka Zheng Huang, 黄政), a longtime Canadian government staffer and a senior member of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Writing in Chinese characters, Mr. Huang commented:
Ms. Liu is trying to create a new model for immigrant entrepreneurs in Canada, and naturally there will be many twists and turns along the way. I support her efforts. The court process may not always fulfill everyone’s expectations. While we may feel angry, we should respond calmly and appropriately—and know when to cut losses. At this point, I believe we must find trustworthy lawyers to continue the legal battle, as well as ensure the previously invested funds (possibly $9.4 million) are protected. In the meantime, I believe Ms. Liu already has a viable plan to implement her new business model across the three current stores. Once operational, the stores could quickly demonstrate Ms. Liu’s new concept and help win over skeptics.
Hefe Fang Sun (孙芳) responded under the post, “Thank you for your support and trust!”
Mr. Huang is a high-profile figure within Canada’s pro-Beijing political community. He currently serves as a director of the Chinese Canadian Liberal Association (CCLA, 加拿大华人自由党协会), a Greater Toronto Area organization that has helped elect Beijing-friendly individuals to office as MPs, MPPs, political candidates, campaigners, and public servants.
Mr. Huang has worked as a staffer for various Canadian and Ontario provincial politicians, including former Ontario MPP Michael Chan (陈国治), former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, and former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Notably, Mr. Huang previously served as president of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA, 中国学生学者联合会) at the University of Toronto. CSSAs are widely known to operate under the direct oversight of PRC consulates and have been documented surveilling Chinese dissidents and activists on campuses worldwide.
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