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 Liberals91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淢y group of friends and I, just like Saturday Night Live and everybody else was doing at the time, we just thought we91裸聊视频檇 have some fun with it and make fun of Donald Trump,91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频楳ake America Great Again91裸聊视频� hat with the comments, 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 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 racism91裸聊视频� and added that wearing the hat 91裸聊视频渟hows a lack of judgment.91裸聊视频�

Harris said he91裸聊视频檚 not a Trump supporter and 91裸聊视频淭rump91裸聊视频檚 politics certainly aren91裸聊视频檛 mine.91裸聊视频� He suggested any politician under 40 probably has some social media posts that can be taken out of context.

91裸聊视频淲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,91裸聊视频� he said.

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

91裸聊视频淭hey see that I have a sense of humour and that I91裸聊视频檓 a real guy and I think that people want to have real people in politics,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 have a sense of humour; I like to have fun 91裸聊视频� If we lose our sense of humour then we have to look in the mirror.91裸聊视频�

Harris said he and his party will 91裸聊视频渟tay focused on what really matters, which are the issues of Nanaimo.91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频渘ot part of our campaign91裸聊视频� or any kind of consideration.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a whole new world on social media. Traditionally, parties vet their candidates91裸聊视频� social media and there91裸聊视频檚 a bit of a clean-up exercise, but you know, we91裸聊视频檙e all learning,91裸聊视频� Malcolmson said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 certainly not front of mind for me or my campaign. It really shouldn91裸聊视频檛 take up any air space.91裸聊视频�

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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