Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA-elect Nicholas Simons has been having a little fun on social media with his connection to U.S. vice president-elect Kamala Harris.
Harris lived in Montreal from the age of 12 into her late teens while her mother was doing research at McGill University.
After Harris and Democrat Joe Biden were declared the winners of the U.S. presidential election, Simons posted a photo showing him with Harris and other classmates at Montreal’s École FACE.
“Congratulations to my former classmate VP-elect Kamala Harris,” Simons wrote.
On Facebook Simons called the Biden-Harris win in the U.S. “more important for the world” than his re-election.
Coast Reporter asked Simons about the photo during a Nov. 9 interview about the final B.C. election results, which confirmed Simons as winner of a fifth term.
Simons said he and Harris were in some musical productions together but didn’t share the same classes.
“I don’t have any memories that stand out, unfortunately, because it would be fun to be able to share those… However, it’s kind of a fun little trivia point,” he said.
“Quite a few of those people in that photograph I still keep touch in touch with and it’s sort of nice to look back and remember elementary school and the people that we shared a bit of time with.”
Asked if his relationship, however tenuous, with the vice president-elect would put him in line to help the NDP government navigate softwood lumber issues with the U.S., Simons said, “I'm always interested in conflict resolution so any role like that would be fun.”
