Al Vigier is the founder and CEO of Caseway, an AI company that develops products with enterprise partners and shares the revenue. He served seven years in the Canadian Army, where he was shot.The BC NDP accused Conservative MLAs of voting to “legalize racism” in February 2026. Former attorney general Niki Sharma supplied the statement. A party willing to make that charge should have little trouble examining the language of its own senior members.The dispute concerned a first reading vote on a bill to repeal the Human Rights Code. The bill was defeated. Supporting its repeal deserved scrutiny, and the Conservatives had to explain their votes.Sharma has something to explain too.On October 21, 2018, after Vancouver’s municipal election, she posted: “The unbearable whiteness of local elections results.”Read that alongside the accusation she made in February 2026. She described the whiteness of an election result as something she could not bear, then went on to become one of the province’s most prominent voices against racism. I would like to hear how she reconciles the two.The defence of the post is familiar. Vancouver had elected nine of 10 councillors who were white. That was a poor reflection of the city’s diversity, and CBC covered the result under the headline “Near whiteout.” There was a reasonable discussion to be had about who gets elected and why.But “unbearable” was Sharma’s choice. She could have criticized the lack of representation without making whiteness itself the objection. In my view, describing the result that way was racist. The argument about representation does not settle the question of her wording.Imagine the NDP’s response if an opponent described the election of candidates from another racial group in those terms. I doubt it would accept an explanation that the politician was merely concerned about the council's composition. It would want the remark withdrawn..That is the standard Sharma should face.Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson raised her post during the October 14 leaders’ debate. Reporters should put the question directly to Sharma as well. Does she stand by it? If not, what does she want to say about it now?The NDP now has time in opposition to consider what it expects from its members. After the October 24 election, its caucus fell from 47 members to 27. On October 29, Jennifer Whiteside was named interim leader and Sharma became caucus chair.Sharma therefore remains part of the party’s leadership. Whether she seeks the permanent top job or stays in her present role, she will help decide how the NDP speaks to British Columbians after losing their confidence.An apology would be a reasonable place to start. She could acknowledge that frustration with an election result did not justify her language. She could withdraw the remark and make clear that judging candidates by their skin colour is wrong, including when those candidates are white.The NDP was willing to make a sweeping accusation against its opponents in February. It should be willing to ask a straightforward question of its caucus chair now. An anti-racism standard is worth very little if party membership determines who has to meet it.Al Vigier is the founder and CEO of Caseway, an AI company that develops products with enterprise partners and shares the revenue. He served seven years in the Canadian Army, where he was shot.
