Indo-Canadian law enforcement veteran bemoans being racially targeted in a Canadian mayoral race

Kash Heed was the first person of Indian origin to head a police department in North America when he assumed charge of the West Vancouver force in 2007

Despite having served as the provincial Solicitor General in Canada's British Columbia and as a police chief, veteran cop Kash Heed is stunned by the “racism” he has faced as he runs for Mayor of the city of Richmond.

Kash Heed became the Indo-Canadian councillor in Richmond in 2022 and decided to run for Mayor in the election scheduled for this Saturday. (Kash Heed 2026)

Heed was the first person of Indian origin to head a police department in North America when he assumed charge of the West Vancouver force in 2007. His law enforcement career spanned nearly 40 years in the province of British Columbia.

Later, he became the province's minister of public safety and Solicitor General.

He became the Indo-Canadian councillor in Richmond in 2022 and decided to run for Mayor in the election scheduled for this Saturday.

Despite his experience and decades of living in Richmond, he wasn’t prepared for the fresh challenge he would face.

“We’ve all faced racism, but I’ve lived in Richmond for 60 years, and I’ve never experienced racism like I’ve experienced now,” he said.

That racism has come from an unusual quarter, as he has been targeted for his ethnicity in a city where the majority is of Chinese origin.

One social media post in Chinese which he shared with the Hindustan Times read, “60% of Richmond’s voters are of Chinese descent. We only support candidates of Chinese descent or mixed Chinese descent + candidates with Chinese spouses. We are not racists. We are simply upholding the lifestyle and cultural values of Chinese communities in Chinese-majority areas.”

Another poster said he will “definitely not vote for India’s street vendors.”

These posts, Heed, 70, said, have appeared on Chinese social media and mainstream platforms like X and Facebook, among others.

“Instead of voting for a proven, experienced person, we are seeing the ugly side of trying to divide Richmond based on ethnicity,” Heed said.

Heed said that the result of the mayoral poll can’t be predicted, but remained hopeful, as the city was cosmopolitan in nature, with multiculturalism entrenched.

While his campaign remained “steadfast” in spreading its message, he rued the reality that the race was “in a sad place.”