Richmond realtor's WeChat post warning of Indo-Canadian mayor divides voters ahead of October election
Kash Heed, the only Indo-Canadian candidate running for mayor, said the post stokes division along ethnic lines. The realtor defended it as a turnout call, not ethnic antagonism.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
A Chinese-language post circulating in Richmond's WeChat community is warning that if the city's Chinese Canadian majority doesn't vote in October, it could elect an Indo-Canadian mayor — a framing that has drawn sharp criticism for stoking division along ethnic lines.
The post, published by realtor Jason Liu under the branding of Luxmore Realty, juxtaposes two groups: on one side, 54 percent — the Chinese Canadian share of Richmond's population — holding ballots; on the other, 7.4 percent represented by a turbaned man in a suit in front of a large Indian flag, backed by a cheering crowd.
Kash Heed, a Richmond councillor and the only Indo-Canadian in the mayor's race, said the image and argument trade on ethnic stereotypes. "Instead of looking at each candidate based on their qualifications, based on their experience, we've got this movement towards just do it based on ethnicity in Richmond," Heed said.
Liu confirmed the post is his and defended it as a turnout argument. He said he published it on his personal WeChat account, received no payment for it, and isn't supporting or advising any candidate. "If Chinese Canadian voters who are eligible to vote show up at the polls on Oct. 17, the Richmond mayoral race could very likely be turned around," Liu wrote.
The post noted that Chinese Canadians make up 54 percent of Richmond — the highest proportion of any Canadian city — yet turnout in the 2022 municipal election was just 24.5 percent. In the 2025 federal election, when Richmond Centre riding turnout reached 59.6 percent, a Chinese Canadian candidate won the seat.
Liu also characterized Sikh temples as vote-mobilizing hubs where "a single word from respected community elders can influence the voting decisions of dozens of extended families." In response, he said he respects that Sikh Canadians "vote as individuals" and that the passage was meant to describe institutions that encourage civic engagement. "I accept that summarizing another community's civic life from the outside can read as reductive, and I could have written that passage with more care," he said.
Heed, a former West Vancouver police chief and B.C. solicitor general, said he has been told to "go back to where you came from." He was born in Kamloops; his mother was born in Kelowna. He stopped short of calling the post illegal but said it has "crossed the line" morally. The mayoral race, the first seriously contested in a generation, is set for October 17. Also running are three-term councillor Alexa Loo and former NDP MLA Henry Yao.
Does the post violate B.C.'s election law?
What specific statements in the post do other Richmond residents and candidates view as most divisive?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
At a glance
When is Richmond's mayoral election?
Richmond's mayoral election is set for October 17, 2026.
Who is Kash Heed and why is he at the centre of this controversy?
Kash Heed is a Richmond councillor and the only Indo-Canadian running for mayor in 2026. He has criticized a WeChat post by realtor Jason Liu as stoking division along ethnic lines, saying voters should evaluate candidates based on qualifications and experience rather than ethnicity.
What did the WeChat post say?
The post by realtor Jason Liu warned that if Richmond's Chinese Canadian majority doesn't vote, the city could elect an Indo-Canadian mayor. It noted that Chinese Canadians comprise 54 percent of Richmond's population but had just 24.5 percent turnout in the 2022 municipal election.
