Like other provincial NDP leadership candidates, Nicholas Simons coughed up a controversial $15,000 fee to enter the race.

He balked, though, at surrendering his social media user names and passwords so the party can inspect his online footprint.

The Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA said in an interview with the Comox Valley Record that he took a stand as a matter of principle. At stake, he said, is his right to privacy and of the people with whom he has communicated online.

Simons announced Monday that he has reached an agreement with the party that means he can continue to seek the leadership without revealing his passwords. Instead of surrendering passwords, Simons said he will otherwise prove to the provincial NDP that all aspects of his social networking sites are open to the public.

Simons seemed bemused about his sudden notoriety, commenting that he didn鈥檛 expect his candidacy to be featured in the Globe and Mail.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just going into Phase Two,鈥� said the former director of health and social services for the Sechelt Indian Band, who said the first phase was declaring his candidacy for the top NDP job on the last day possible and getting in the race. 鈥淪tage Two is to continue meeting people, travel around the province, and it鈥檚 going well.鈥�

Simons, who got his first political experience when he ran federally in 2004, concedes his profile is lower than several of his rivals.

The party will choose April 17 from four remaining leadership candidates 鈥� Adrian Dix, Mike Farnworth, John Horgan and Dana Larsen.

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 been in previous governments before,鈥� Simons commented. 鈥淭hree of the four candidates I鈥檓 running against have had experience in previous governments.

鈥淭hat may help them in terms of profile. It may help me because I鈥檓 newish.鈥�

He agreed that it鈥檚 more important for him than for his higher-profile opponents to tour the province and introduce himself to people.

He acknowledged that many people are dissatisfied with how politics is conducted, and he wants to re-engage them.

鈥淭o me, public policy doesn鈥檛 have to be sexy; it just has to be in the best interests of the community, and we should be looking a little bit beyond election cycles to be sure it鈥檚 good for the communities of the future as well.

鈥淚f we鈥檙e talking about poverty reduction, we鈥檙e not going to have real poverty-reduction answers in four years, and both sides of the House really know that. What people are constantly thinking about the next election. 鈥榃e need to be able to sell this.鈥�

鈥淚f it鈥檚 good policy, I think people will be able to see why it鈥檚 being implemented.鈥�

He values teamwork.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about knowing who to have around you. You need to be surrounded by people with integrity. You need to surround yourself with good people you can trust to make good decisions without having to micro-manage everything.

鈥淚 think the leader of a party has to be like the conductor of an orchestra. He doesn鈥檛 have to play every instrument 鈥� just know when each one comes in and when each one has to solo and when each one has to sit out this particular movement.鈥�

editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com