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  James, Carole
  CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationNew Democratic   
NameCarole James
Address
Victoria, British Columbia , Canada
EmailNone
Website[Link]
Born December 22, 1957
Died Still Living (68 years)
ContributorUser 13
Last ModifedJuan Croniqueur
May 04, 2024 09:32pm
Tags Married - Cancer - Straight -
InfoCarole Alison James, MLA is a Canadian politician and former public administrator. She is currently the Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia and leader of the New Democratic Party of British Columbia (NDP).

James was raised in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, and in Victoria, British Columbia. After graduating from high school, James and her first husband worked in institutions for the developmentally disabled in Alberta and British Columbia. As a mother of young children, Alison and Evan, she became involved in a parents' group in Victoria, which led to her first foray into politics. James is part Métis, and in 2004 married her long-time partner, Albert Gerow, a First Nations artist and former Burns Lake, British Columbia municipal councillor and RCMP officer.

James served on the Greater Victoria School Board from 1990 to 2001, including seven terms as Chair, and gained a province-wide profile in her unprecedented five terms as President of the BC School Trustees' Association. She also served at the national level as Vice-President of the Canadian School Boards Association. From 1999 to 2001, James held the position of Director of Child Care Policy for the British Columbia government. In addition, she served on several local and provincial panels and committees.

In 2001, James ran unsuccessfully for the NDP in the riding of Victoria-Beacon Hill. She subsequently moved to Prince George, British Columbia to serve as the Director of Child and Family Services for Carrier Sekani Family Services, and later as Co-ordinator of the Northern Aboriginal Authority for Families.

James was elected leader of the provincial NDP on November 23, 2003. At the time of her election the party was suffering low morale in the wake of the 2001 provincial election, which had reduced the NDP to only two seats in the Legislative Assembly. During her campaign to win the party leadership, James pledged to modernize the NDP's ideology and internal structures and build a broader base of support for the party, a move which alienated some traditional supporters.

During the 2005 provincial election, James campaigned heavily on her name and image. On election night James and the NDP surprised many supporters and critics alike with a very strong electoral showing; the party winning 41.52% of the popular vote (a 19.96% increase from the 2001 election result) and 33 out of 79 seats in the Legislative Assembly. James also won her own seat in the riding of Victoria-Beacon Hill with 57.21% of the vote, defeating the incumbent B.C. Liberal MLA Jeff Bray by an almost 2-1 margin of victory.

On July 13, 2006, James announced publicly that she had been diagnosed with localized uterine endometrial cancer. She underwent surgery and radiation treatment and her prognosis is considered to be excellent.


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NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor
Dec 06, 2010 02:00pm Announcement Carole James standing down   Article M@ 
Nov 08, 2010 08:00am General Carole James faces growing questions about her leadership   Article Monsieur 
May 20, 2009 10:00am Announcement [Carole] James plans to lead NDP in 2013 B.C. election  Article Monsieur 
May 14, 2009 08:40am General B.C. NDP leader takes weekend to ponder her future  Article Monsieur 

DISCUSSION
INFORMATION LINKS
RACES
  07/18/2017 BC Deputy Premier Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  07/18/2017 BC Minister of Finance Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  05/09/2017 BC Legislative Assembly - Victoria-Beacon Hill Won 53.05% (+22.67%)
  05/14/2013 BC Legislative Assembly - Victoria-Beacon Hill Won 48.68% (+14.96%)
  05/12/2009 BC Premier Lost 41.18% (-16.47%)
  05/12/2009 BC Legislative Assembly - Victoria-Beacon Hill Won 55.37% (+29.03%)
  05/17/2005 BC Legislative Assembly - Victoria-Beacon Hill Won 57.03% (+26.46%)
  05/17/2005 BC Premier Lost 41.77% (-16.46%)
  11/23/2003 BC New Democratic Party Leader Won 51.17% (+23.32%)
  05/16/2001 BC Legislative Assembly - Victoria-Beacon Hill Lost 36.90% (-0.14%)
ENDORSEMENTS
NDP Leader - Mar 24, 2012 NDP Brian Topp
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