With NDP leader Adrian Dix in attendance at the CAW Hall on 12th Street, Judy Darcy won the nomination to become the NDP candidate for New Westminster in the next provincial election.
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 could take place as soon as this fall, if Premier Christy Clark decides to call an election, but if the government stays true to its fixed election dates, an election wouldn't take place until May 2013.
According to a Tweet from Dawn Black: "Great nomination meeting in NewWest for NDP. Judy Darcy is a passionate and powerful candidate."
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 well-known 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 and 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 secretary-business 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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