Kamala Harris’ Canada connection: Why her US presidential run makes ‘perfect sense’ for some

After U.S. President Joe Biden abruptly ended his reelection bid, Vice President Kamala Harris is now successful a position to perchance go nan first woman to beryllium president of nan United States — arsenic good arsenic a imaginable Democratic statesmanlike campaigner pinch friendly ties to Canada.

Harris spent a fewer formative years successful Montreal, graduating from Westmount High School successful 1981. In her ain words, she touched upon her clip successful nan metropolis successful her memoir, The Truths we Hold: An American Journey. She described arriving successful nan metropolis arsenic a 12-year-old successful nan mid-1970s erstwhile her Indian-born mother Shyamala Gopalan, a bosom crab researcher, took a occupation astatine McGill University.

Dean Smith, co-owner of nan Trevor Williams Kids Foundation, attended that precocious schoolhouse astatine nan aforesaid clip arsenic Harris and he has a niece and nephew who were successful nan aforesaid grade.

“I’m happy to spot that she’s a Black lady… She could beryllium nan first female of nan United States president, you cognize what I mean? And because she was present successful Montreal, we went to schoolhouse together, that’s nan full play correct there. I’m happy,” he said connected Monday.

“That’s nan champion relationship you could ever have!”

In summation to imaginable bragging rights, Smith noted that her acquisition arsenic vice-president and nan imaginable for her to tally for president beryllium incredibly inspirational for section youth, particularly for young girls.

“It lets them spot that they could travel nan aforesaid way arsenic her … they could do nan aforesaid point here.”

Dean added that his memories of her astatine Westmount lucifer nan personification he sees successful nan news and that she moreover “smiles, laughs nan aforesaid way.”

“The aforesaid measurement she is now is nan aforesaid she was past … nary matter wherever you put her, she gets on pinch anybody.”

Democrats Abroad Canada chair Erin Kotecki-Vest is hoping Harris “still having family present and having those roots from her formative years” gets Canadians progressive successful American authorities and motivates Americans surviving successful Canada to get their ballot and vote, sloppy of their statement affiliation.

“Since surviving present successful Montreal and successful Quebec, person to nan border, I noticed that sometimes American sentiments successful authorities benignant of seep up,” said Kotecki-Vest, whose voting authorities is California, wherever Harris served arsenic lawyer wide and past senator.

“I would dream that pinch Vice President Harris … that gives Canadians and nan Americans surviving present a small spot of comfortableness knowing that they’ve sewage personification who knows their culture, who knows a small spot astir really things activity successful their area, successful their town, successful their city, successful their province.”

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While Democrats Abroad is not officially endorsing anyone arsenic of yet, Kotecki-Vest said she personally feels it makes “perfect sense.”

“I deliberation it’s a very transparent measurement for nan American group who did ballot successful nan superior to return a look astatine that summons and say, ‘well, this was nan personification who was going to beryllium number 2 sloppy if thing happened.’”

Harris is nan first woman, Black personification aliases personification of South Asian descent to service arsenic vice president.

Biden announced Sunday that was stepping speech amid wide concerns astir nan viability of his candidacy.

He wrote connected X, nan societal media level formerly known arsenic Twitter, that Harris has his afloat support and endorsement to tally against Donald Trump for nan presidency. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has also endorsed Harris.

— pinch files from Brayden Jagger Haines and The Associated Press’ Chris Megerian, Zeke Miller and Seung Min Kim