A provincial byelection candidate is being criticized for a fashion faux pas from three years ago.

Tony Harris, the B.C. Liberal candidate for Nanaimo, once dressed as Donald Trump in order to lampoon the now-President of the U.S.A., and since Harris was announced as the Liberals害羞草研究所� intended candidate, the Instagram photos have been continually shared via social media.

Harris said the photos were taken on a ski trip in the Rockies in 2016, a few months before Trump became the Republican nominee for president.

害羞草研究所淢y group of friends and I, just like Saturday Night Live and everybody else was doing at the time, we just thought we害羞草研究所檇 have some fun with it and make fun of Donald Trump,害羞草研究所� Harris said.

This past Wednesday, the day the byelection was called, Ravi Kahlon, NDP MLA for Delta North, shared on Facebook one of the photos of Harris in a 害羞草研究所楳ake America Great Again害羞草研究所� hat with the comments, 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not sure if Mr. Harris likes Trump or thought this was a joke but what he should realize is that this has become the symbol of hate and racism害羞草研究所� and added that wearing the hat 害羞草研究所渟hows a lack of judgment.害羞草研究所�

Harris said he害羞草研究所檚 not a Trump supporter and 害羞草研究所淭rump害羞草研究所檚 politics certainly aren害羞草研究所檛 mine.害羞草研究所� He suggested any politician under 40 probably has some social media posts that can be taken out of context.

害羞草研究所淲hat the NDP are doing right now is a key reason that young people avoid politics altogether, because of the personal slandering and stuff like that,害羞草研究所� he said.

Harris said he thinks voters recognize the photos were a joke.

害羞草研究所淭hey see that I have a sense of humour and that I害羞草研究所檓 a real guy and I think that people want to have real people in politics,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 have a sense of humour; I like to have fun 害羞草研究所� If we lose our sense of humour then we have to look in the mirror.害羞草研究所�

Harris said he and his party will 害羞草研究所渟tay focused on what really matters, which are the issues of Nanaimo.害羞草研究所�

Kahlon indicated he will be in Nanaimo to knock on doors for Sheila Malcolmson, NDP candidate. Malcolmson said that the photos of Harris as Trump are 害羞草研究所渘ot part of our campaign害羞草研究所� or any kind of consideration.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a whole new world on social media. Traditionally, parties vet their candidates害羞草研究所� social media and there害羞草研究所檚 a bit of a clean-up exercise, but you know, we害羞草研究所檙e all learning,害羞草研究所� Malcolmson said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 certainly not front of mind for me or my campaign. It really shouldn害羞草研究所檛 take up any air space.害羞草研究所�

The Nanaimo byelection is Jan. 30.

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-with files from Karl Yu/The News Bulletin

editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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