When Nicholas Simons steps back from elected life, it will have been more than 19 years since he made his first victory speech, back at the shíshálh Nation hall.
Come the 43rd B.C. General Election, Simons’ name won’t be on the ballot.
“I had a really enjoyable time as MLA, difficult at times, but overall pretty rewarding,” said Simons, dropping by the Coast Reporter offices to deliver the news in person. “I came out of the social services sector. And I think that we’ve accomplished some things that I was hoping to – restoring oversight of child welfare, and creating conditions for Indigenous communities to reassert the authority that they have over children, family issues.”
Time for 'a little bit of a break'
Simons’ years in politics have spanned 12 years in opposition and five with the currently reigning NDP. From 2020 to 2022 Simons was Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. With former B.C. Premier John Horgan’s retirement and current Premier David Eby’s ascent, Simons was shuffled out of cabinet in 2022 and assigned the Caucus Chair role.
The prospect of forgoing his sixth election rose to mind, as Simons put it, when he was no longer a minister, no longer in cabinet. “It made me kind of think about the future,” he said. But added that the decision came down to it being a good time for someone new to take up the role. “Nineteen years is more than anyone expected me to do,” he chuckled. “It’s time for a different challenge or for a little bit of a break.”
In 2005, Simons won the seat lately held by Social Credit turned BC Liberal MLA Harold Long (who did not run for re-election that year) with 43.45 per cent of the vote. In the four elections to follow, Simons would not fail to haul in at least half the votes – peaking at 58 per cent of the vote in 2009 – and over his five elections amassing more than 60,000 ballots cast in his favour.
'Listening' an election refrain
Simons’ (successful) election refrain has been listening to constituents. “We want representation from a person who knows how to listen to everyone, who won’t run away when there are difficult decisions to be made,” he was quoted in that first victory speech in 2005.
And he maintains the conviction. “You just try your best to ensure that people have confidence that, whether or not their issue will be resolved, that it will be heard,” he said. “Our system is not flawless, but the one that we’re working with.”
And 18 years in, Simons says he still believes in the government system.
“It’s difficult for small parties to be heard, obviously, and for smaller parties to gain a foothold. But at the same time, my colleagues include former executives and former custodians, teachers and nurses and people from different ethnic backgrounds, from different economic backgrounds and it’s really interesting to see how that’s changed over the years.”
When Simons first ran, he wondered whether or not people would care that he is gay. “A city councillor in Powell River said, ‘For crying out loud it’s 2005,’ and I thought to myself, ‘Okay, if that’s your attitude, then it’s fine.’”
“I did grow up in a time when it wasn’t necessarily something that everybody was okay with. So it’s hard to relinquish all those external voices.”
Small town politics
The intimacy of the electoral district is greater than in the more urban centres – a coffee shop in Langley isn’t likely comprised almost entirely of constituents, which on the Coast, it could be. “It's like two peninsulas that are landlocked,” he said. “Everyone always knows how to reach me. They know where I live, they know where I'll be, they'll know who my friends are.”
But in person, people have been respectful. “I've never been accosted in any inappropriate place to talk about politics.”
Social media is a different story. When Simons was first elected, Facebook didn’t exist and social media was in its nascent days. In the early days of Twitter and Facebook, Simons used it to let people know what was going on. But it became “a bulletin board of concerns and complaints,” he recalled. To protect his mental health, Simons logged off – and his assistants do much of the posting and monitoring. He still reads his email and responds to people who want to meet with him, Simons said, and hears about every issue. “But I didn't think social media in the political debate was necessarily that essential in terms of determining what issues were important,” he said. “It in some ways, distilled the debate onto one side or another side and there wasn't a lot of time for nuance, and in politics, there's a lot of nuance.”
(When he entered the BC NDP leadership race in 2011, Simons refused to hand over his social media passwords due to privacy concerns for anyone who had contacted him privately. The matter came to a resolution where Simons didn’t hand over his passwords. He did, however, later bow out of the race and throw his support behind John Horgan.)
From parades on his bike to retirement events, Simons said he attended as many community events as he could. “I got that from my father, who was a music professor – he’d go to every concert of every student,” said Simons (who is known locally for his prowess on the cello, though he confesses to becoming a “worse musician” over his years in office). “Even if it’s not necessarily your primary interest, you want to be supportive of community members who are making a difference.
“That’s something I don’t think I’m going to change much.”
Who's next?
And with Simons’ announcement, the race for his successor has begun. It’ll be an interesting race, mused Simons, and a sought-after NDP nomination, given that he’s handily won the riding five times in a row. “I’m hoping for a dynamic voice that can ensure that the community is heard, and brings interest and commitment to the job.”
The issues that require a voice in Victoria? “Like the day I was elected, and the day I will no longer be elected, it’ll be issues around transportation and ferries,” said Simons. His time in office has spanned the privatization of BC Ferries (2003). “I don’t think it was a good decision at the time. Now obviously, it’s different factors at play.”
Other issues Simons sees his successor navigating include water, affordable housing and reconciliation. (“The Foundation Agreement can be held up as an example of how relationships can improve,” said Simons.)
Asked about how he has handled issues of government failure or delay, such as the Church Road licence approval delay or a senior left without housing, Simons points to the MLA or minster’s role as identifying where the issue is (be it a waitlist or permit) and directing resources to said clog. “We’ve seen, as trends change in our communities in our society that, there are different pressures on different places in government.“
“You can’t always be everything to everybody, and there are some constituents who I was unable to help and I still think about them even if they’re 10 years ago,” he said. “You just try to put people on the right path.”
While much pondering the future and reflecting on the past has yet to come, as the ramifications of not standing for re-election have yet to settle in, Simons says, “I hope people feel like I’ve tried hard. I’ve worked hard.”
“I never made any promises that I couldn’t keep myself,” he said. “I remember, early in my career, these all-candidates meetings, when you’re asked what are you going to do about this, what are you going to do about that. When you think about it, it’s actually really up to all of government to make a decision on this or on that.
“Really, what you should be asked is, are you good at making decisions? Are you good at assessing information and concluding? Are you good at how you make decisions? That’s really the key,” he said. “I like to think that I’ve used my voice appropriately in all circumstances.”
With a year and two months left – what’s he going to get done? Simons jokes, get two more ferries. “I can tell you one thing that is, I will be doing in my next year in two months, is continue to listen to constituents, advocate for constituents, empower constituents and reflect their voice in the government caucus and in the legislature.
“I’m feeling really good,” he said. “I’m excited about making way for new voices because that’s an important part of our system, is that rejuvenation and getting different voices into the legislature.
“I’m also excited about my last bit in this job, because it’ll have a slightly different tinge to it. But it will be hard work.”
