Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, lived in Montreal for five critical years during her adolescence. Those years were transformative for her, shaping her perspectives and decisions later in life.
Harris moved to Montreal with her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, and her sister, Maya, when her mother accepted a research and teaching position at McGill University’s teaching hospital, the Jewish General Hospital. Harris would have been approximately 12 to 17 years old during this time.
Her mother, a renowned breast-cancer researcher, was very influential in instilling values of hard work, perseverance, and education in her daughters. Additionally, living in Canada provided a different cultural perspective. Montreal is known for its progressive values and diversity, including fluid bilingualism and multiculturalism. Harris herself attended Westmount High School, a public secondary school known for its multicultural makeup.
These five years were potentially tumultuous due to adjusting to a new country, culture, language, and school system, all during teenage years — a critical developmental period. However, they did contribute to building her resilience, adaptability, and openness to diverse cultures and perspectives.
Harris’ memoir, “The Truths We Hold,” does not dwell on her time in Canada, but it surely played an important role in shaping her views and her tenacity. These formative years may have not only contributed to her development as a person but also her political and legal career.
