Nicholas Simons

Simons grew up in Montreal, with his musician father Jan Simons teaching at McGill University.JAN SIMONS, SINGER 1925-2006 Stone, M JView Profile. The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 29 June 2006: S.9. He studied criminology at university, graduating with a bachelor's degree from University of Ottawa and master's degree from Simon Fraser University.{{cite web |url=https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members/42nd-Parliament/Simons-Nicholas |title=MLA: Hon. Nicholas Simons |publisher=Legislative Assembly of British Columbia |accessdate=2022-04-21 }}

Before entering politics, Simons worked as a child-protection social worker for the Ministry for Children and Family Development, as a financial assistance worker, and as the crime prevention coordinator for the Northwest Territories. He has been a consultant for the federal, Northwest Territories and First Nations governments in areas of law reform and child welfare.

He served as the executive director of health and social development for the Sechelt Nation from 1997 until 2005. In this role he oversaw health, child welfare, alcohol and drugs, financial assistance and justice programs. He also negotiated funding for innovative preventative health and social services.

Simons was a candidate for the New Democratic Party in the 2004 federal election, running in the riding of West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country. While he finished third,{{cite web|title=Profile - West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast, British Columbia (1997-04-27 - 2004-08-31) |url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/ElectionsRidings/Ridings/Profile?OrganizationId=9859 |publisher=Library of Parliament |access-date=2022-04-21}} the experience convinced him to run as a candidate for the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) in the provincial election the following year, in which he was elected MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast. He was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. He was one of four openly gay members of the provincial legislature.{{Cite news |url=http://archives.xtra.ca/Story.aspx?s=2283545 |title=A skilled mediator: Nicholas Simons brings NDP voice to West Vancouver & Sunshine Coast |publisher=Xtra! West |date=2004-06-24 |first=Diane |last=Claveau |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706213808/http://archives.xtra.ca/Story.aspx?s=2283545 |archive-date=2011-07-06 }}

In the legislature, Simons has served as chair of the Caucus Social Policy Committee, critic for Tourism, Sport and the Arts, and as critic for the Ministry for Children and Family Development.

He is rumoured to be one of thirteen provincial caucus members who forced the resignation of Carole James from her position as leader of the BC NDP.{{Cite news|url=https://thetyee.ca/News/2010/12/04/13NDPDissidents/ |title=Who Are the NDP's 13 Dissidents? |publisher=The Tyee |date=2010-12-04 |first=Andrew |last=MacLeod}} James announced her resignation on December 6, 2010, after consulting with a group of caucus members opposed to her continued leadership.{{Cite news |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/Carole+James+quits+leader/3934785/story.html |title=Carole James quits as NDP leader |publisher=Vancouver Sun |date=2010-12-06 |first=Jonathan and Rob Shaw |last=Fowlie |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316060029/http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Carole+James+quits+leader/3934785/story.html |archive-date=2011-03-16 }} Simons declared his candidacy in the subsequent leadership race on January 5, 2011,{{cite news | url=http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=64cb8e22-6013-4f6c-a132-fcf91fcfab8c | last=Fowlie | first=Jonathan | title=NDP leadership race takes shape as new names enter -- and exit | newspaper=Vancouver Sun | date=2011-01-05 | access-date=2015-05-28 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150817082021/http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=64cb8e22-6013-4f6c-a132-fcf91fcfab8c | archive-date=2015-08-17 }} but withdrew on April 7 and threw his support behind John Horgan.{{cite news |url=https://www.theprogress.com/news/simons-drops-out-of-ndp-leadership-race/ |title=Simons drops out of NDP leadership race |publisher=The Chilliwack Progress |date=2011-04-07 |accessdate=2022-04-21 |first=Tom |last=Fletcher}}

On November 26, 2020, he was appointed Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.{{Cite web|title=Richard Zussman on Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/richardzussman/status/1332092384084066304|access-date=2020-11-26|website=Twitter|language=en}} With the announcement of Premier David Eby's new cabinet on December 7, 2022, Simons was replaced in that role by Sheila Malcolmson,{{Cite press release |date=2022-12-07 |title=New cabinet ready to take action on cost of living, health care, housing, climate |url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022PREM0097-001863 |access-date=2022-12-09 |publisher=Office of the Premier of British Columbia |language=en}} and was instead named NDP caucus chair.{{cite news |url=https://www.coastreporter.net/local-news/powell-river-sunshine-coast-mla-loses-minister-assignment-6213058 |title=UPDATE: Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA loses minister position |publisher=Coast Reporter |date=2022-12-07 |accessdate=2022-12-12 |first=Paul |last=Galinski }} On September 1, 2023 he announced that he would not seek reelection in the next provincial election, and was succeeded by Randene Neill.{{Cite web |last=Elghussein |first=Hussam |date=2024-10-20 |title=Randene Neill elected new MLA for Powell River – Sunshine Coast |url=https://www.mypowellrivernow.com/53688/news/island-coast/randene-neill-elected-new-mla-for-powell-river-sunshine-coast/ |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=My Powell River Now |language=en-CA}}

{{British Columbia provincial election, 2020/Powell River-Sunshine Coast}}

{{British Columbia provincial election, 2017/Powell River-Sunshine Coast}}

{{British Columbia provincial election, 2013/Powell River-Sunshine Coast}}{{2009 British Columbia general election/Powell River-Sunshine Coast}}{{2005 British Columbia general election/Powell River-Sunshine Coast}}{{CANelec/top|CA|2004|West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes}}

{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|John Reynolds|21,372|35.29|-22.04|$81,933}}

{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|Blair Wilson|19,685|32.51|+5.91|$81,023}}

{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Nicholas Simons|13,156|21.72|+15.43|$29,779}}

{{CANelec|CA|Green|Andrea Goldsmith|5,887|9.72|+4.83|$28,167}}

{{CANelec|CA|Canadian Action|Marc Bombois|321|0.53|-1.30|$117}}

{{CANelec|CA|Marxist-Leninist|Anne Jamieson|123|0.20|–|}}

{{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|60,544|100.0  }}

{{CANelec/total|Total rejected ballots|139|0.23|-0.06}}

{{CANelec/total|Turnout|60,683|66.00|+2.81}}

{{CANelec/nothold|CA|Conservative|-13.98}}

{{CANelec/note|Conservative change is from the combination of Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance vote.}}

{{end}}

Simons is a cellist, whose musical credits include several tracks on Rise Against's 2004 album Siren Song of the Counter Culture.{{cite news |url=https://www.straight.com/article-254174/mla-strikes-hardcore-gold |title=NDP MLA Nicholas Simons strikes hardcore gold record |publisher=The Georgia Straight |first=Adrian |last=Mack |date=2009-09-02 |accessdate=2022-04-21 }} Simons and Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson both perform on country-punk musician Slim Milkie's 2010 album Silverado; Milkie, whose real name is Scott Scobbie, is Simons' partner.{{cite news |url=https://www.straight.com/article-366978/vancouver/ndp-mla-nicholas-simonss-leadership-bid-linked-tragedy |title=NDP MLA Nicholas Simons's leadership bid linked to tragedy |publisher=The Georgia Straight |first=Charlie |last=Smith |date=2011-01-05 |accessdate=2021-11-29 }}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.leg.bc.ca/MLA/39thParl/simonsN.htm Profile on the website of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia]
• [http://www.bcndpcaucus.ca/en/mla/nicholas_simons Profile on the website of the British Columbia NDP Caucus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504213147/http://www.bcndpcaucus.ca/en/mla/nicholas_simons/ |date=2012-05-04 }}

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| post1 = Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

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| post1followed = Sheila Malcolmson

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Category:British Columbia New Democratic Party MLAs

Category:Canadian people of German descent

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Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people

Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia