New Westminster MLA Judy Darcy hasn’t decided whether she’ll be a contender in the NDP leadership race.
Darcy was vacationing in Italy with her husband of 35 years when NDP leader Adrian Dix announced he would be stepping down as NDP leader.
“I got back from vacation. I had a whole lot of emails, phone messages and so on – people wanting to talk to me and encouraging me to run for leader,” she told The Record. “It’s a pretty serious issue – leadership of the NDP through this next critical period. So I am listening to what people have to say. I am honoured that they would think I could do it.”
While Darcy is pondering her next political move, she is immersing herself in her role as New Westminster’s MLA.
“I have to say, I am totally consumed with being the best possible MLA for New Westminster that I can be,” she said. “People come to our office. I have meetings with people morning, noon and night. I attend community events on a wide variety of issues. That is really my main preoccupation.”
The rookie MLA said she’s involved in a “zillion local issues”, in addition to her duties as NDP health critic.
“Yes, I am listening to what people have to say,” she said. “I take it seriously, but what I am consumed with is my job.”
Prior to becoming an MLA, Darcy held roles such as national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and secretary business manager of the Hospital Employees’ Union of B.C.
“There are lots of people who are considering putting their names in – some people with federal experience, some people with provincial experience, some people who don’t have direct experience with either,” she said. “Everyone will be bringing something different to the leadership, everyone who decides to jump in.”
Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian recently told The Record he wants his constituents’ opinions on whether he should stay in Ottawa or make a bid for the provincial NDP leadership. New Westminster-Coquitlam MP Fin Donnelly is waiting to see who enters the race before deciding if he’ll put his name forward.
“I don’t think there’s a big hurry here,” Darcy said about making a decision. “The timeframe for the (leadership) campaign hasn’t even been established. I don’t know of anyone who has said they are definitely going to. I am going to take my time to consider it. It is a huge decision.”
Four months after an “enormously disappointing” loss in the provincial election, Dix announced on Sept. 18 that he would step down as leader when the party holds a leadership convention. No date has been set for a leadership convention.
Darcy said she respected Dix tremendously as a leader and was very proud to be part of a positive campaign.
“I think Adrian showed he was the progressive and principled guy that I have always known him to be, and he put the interests of the party first in making that decision,” she said. “I really admire him for that.”
Although Darcy’s name has been bandied about as a possible leadership, she’s enjoying her work as MLA.
“It’s intense. It’s wonderful and it’s intense,” she said. “I just meet the most wonderful people. People share their stories with me, their stories of successes, their stories of challenges they need to overcome and they need help with. It’s a pretty inspirational job and I am really loving it.”
