With NDP leader Adrian Dix in attendance at the CAW Hall on 12th Street, Judy Darcy was acclaimed Tuesday night as the NDP candidate for New Westminster in the next provincial election.
"I'm great, it was great to have such an enthusiastic meeting," Darcy said Wednesday afternoon.
"Adrian gave a fabulous speech, we had close to 200 people at the meeting, and we raised almost $10,000."
Darcy's work began right away, as she spent Wednesday morning at a meeting with NDP caucus members and nominated candidates."
"Adrian Dix's message to us was that we're ready to go if an election is called," she said. "We will be offering practical solutions to the problems we face in this province. . We'll be hitting the ground running."
Darcy will take over from Dawn Black, who announced earlier this month that she will not be seeking re-election in the next provincial election.
That election appears unlikely to take place until May 2013, the fixed election date, after Premier Christy Clark announced on Wednesday night that she will not be calling a fall election.
Black said she was happy her successor has now been picked.
"I'm delighted. Judy made a powerful and passionate speech about what she hopes to accomplish in New Westminster," Black said.
"I'm looking forward to helping her during the campaign. . I'm still the MLA but I feel a real obligation to help her win this seat, so I'll be working alongside Judy."
Darcy told The Record earlier this month that Black is a close friend and she's honoured to succeed her.
"I feel passionate about issues such as health care, education and transportation," she said.
"I've spent eight years in the Lower Mainland and these are some of the issues that affect people in New Westminster. . New Westminster is my home, and it's a very special community."
Darcy moved to New Westminster earlier this year, having lived in Vancouver previously.
Darcy is wellknown in labour circles, having served as president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees from 1991 until 2003.
Darcy, who was born in Denmark, was raised in Ontario.
She is no stranger to seeking political office.
In the 1988 federal election, Darcy was the NDP's candidate against Liberal Frank Stronach and Progressive Conservative John E. Cole in York-Simcoe.
She finished third in the suburban Toronto riding.
After finishing her CUPE duties in 2003, Darcy moved to British Columbia, where she tried to win the NDP nomination in Vancouver-Fairview in 2004.
She lost by 76 votes to businessman and now Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson.
Just after her loss to Robertson, Darcy returned to her trade union roots, becoming the secretarybusiness manager and chief negotiator with the Hospital Employees' Union in February 2005.
She is married to Gary Caroline, a human rights and labour lawyer, and she has a 27-year-old son.
Darcy's activities outside of politics include photography, gardening and hiking.
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