There was no health scare or tap on the shoulder from a party executive that prompted Dawn Black to decide that after almost 40 years in politics, it was time to let go.
"It's time," Black told The Record. "It's time for me to step aside, and that's why I'm announcing I won't be seeking re-election in the next provincial election."
In an exclusive interview with The Record, Black said she came to the decision in the last couple of weeks and felt it was important to let the local constituency office know of her intentions.
"I keep on hearing how the Liberals want to call an election, maybe even as early as next month (September), and that's why I wanted to let everybody know what my plans are," said
Black. "I will serve out my term as MLA for New Westminster. That may mean I'm done by next month, or it means I'll serve out my full term to 2013."
Black started campaigning for the NDP under Dave Barrett in 1973, and she steadily moved up the ranks, most notably working as executive assistant to New Westminster-Burnaby MP Pauline Jewett and for John Cashore, provincial MLA for MaillardvilleCoquitlam.
Black first served as a federal MP for New Westminster-Burnaby from 1988 to 1993 before consecutive losses to Paul Forseth sent her into charitable and humanitarian work.
She then put her time and energy into local charities, including serving as a board member for Habitat for Humanity, co-chair of the Ismaili Walk for Charity in 2002 and board member of the Justice Institute of B.C.
Black also worked as a development trainer in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bahrain, Cambodia and Vietnam, helping to restore democracy to those countries. She returned to the federal stage in 2006, defeating Forseth to win New Westminster-Coquitlam. She retained the seat in 2008, but resigned in 2009 to seek the provincial seat in the Royal City that was vacated by an ill Chuck Puchmayr.
Black's time in Victoria was highlighted by her turn as interim leader in late 2010 and early 2011, after Carole James resigned.
"No one else in our caucus could have provided the support and leadership to get us through that time," James told The
Record on Tuesday. "Her strength of character, her values, her long history in the party, that was what she brought to the table and what brought our party back together."
James said that convincing Black to come to Victoria took a lot of personal calls in 2009.
"I really didn't think she would come," said James. "She was serving as defence critic in Ottawa at the time and she was doing great things in Ottawa. When we knew Chuck wasn't going to run, her name was the first one that we thought of."
And in late 2010, when James' leadership was in peril, Black was one of the people James leaned on.
"When I made the decision to resign, I didn't tell many people, and one of the few people I called was Dawn," said James. "She was a great friend to me during that whole time."
James said she's happy that Black is leaving on her own terms.
"She has done so many extraordinary things and those will be impossible shoes to fill," said James. "There's only one Dawn Black."
Echoing those sentiments was former federal NDP leader Ed Broadbent, who was happy for Black personally.
"From the outset, it was an absolute delight to work with her," said Broadbent. "She was a very positive, well-informed human being who was dedicated to the well-being of all her constituents. ... More than that, she had a great sense of fun, an infectious laugh and she was exactly what we needed in the party.
Broadbent said Black provided a strong female voice, not just for the party, but for the country.
"Dawn brought a lot of civility to Ottawa," said Broadbent.
"She was the voice of women."
It was that voice that allowed her to successfully lobby for and get the votes to pass the 1991 private member's bill that established Dec. 6 as an annual National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
"I am proud of that because it was only the second time a private member's bill had gone through," said Black. "And it was a lot harder back then because you needed unanimous support. ... All it would've taken for it not to go through is one MP to stand up and oppose it."
The 68-year-old said her decision to step away from politics will allow her to spend more time with husband Peter, her three sons and her seven grandchildren. In fact, the tipping point for Black was a family event she had to miss.
"Because of a prior political commitment, I had to miss my granddaughter's birthday party," said Black. "I don't want to miss any more of these family events."
Black said she has no regrets in her almost four decades of political campaigning and representation and she has only good memories of her political odyssey.
"You're not going to see the end of me," she said. "I'll still be at community events, I'll still be around.
"But now it's time for me to step aside and let someone else advocate for the people of New Westminster," she said.
Black has plans to travel - "I've never been to China or Australia and New Zealand," she said - and she has a group of friends she would like to visit in Newfoundland.
The local NDP constituency office is now starting the process of looking for Black's successor.
