Carole James is approaching Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 with a similar attitude that乌鸦传媒檚 gotten her through many difficult situations in life.

乌鸦传媒淵ou can take charge of it and work hard at what you乌鸦传媒檙e able to do, not what you can乌鸦传媒檛 do anymore,乌鸦传媒� James said.

James, whose accomplishments include being the first woman to serve as Leader of the Official Opposition and the first woman of M茅tis descent elected to the Legislative Assembly (in 2005), was diagnosed with Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 in 2020, bringing aspects of her political career to a close. But since going public with her diagnosis, she乌鸦传媒檚 been kept busy, including becoming an advocate for Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 disease.

Early on, she made the decision to talk about her diagnosis in a public way to combat the shame and isolation that some people with Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 experience. She乌鸦传媒檚 become actively involved on the Parkinson Wellness Projects Board, which she describes as 乌鸦传媒渆xtraordinary.乌鸦传媒� Simultaneously, she is taking four exercise classes, including boxing, which is good for managing the symptoms.

The best part for her is the opportunity to meet others with Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 who can share experiences and humour. And she乌鸦传媒檚 also learning a new pace of life.

乌鸦传媒淏eing proactive and learning how to live well with Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚 as long as you can is critical because it乌鸦传媒檚 certainly not a diagnosis that anybody would want,乌鸦传媒� James said. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 learning to be more patient with myself 乌鸦传媒� I乌鸦传媒檓 used to going 100 miles an hour, so having to pull back on that is tough.乌鸦传媒�

Despite all these changes, it乌鸦传媒檚 no surprise that James continues to lean into the values she乌鸦传媒檚 held dearly throughout her career: family and making a difference through civic action.

James recently took her granddaughter on a fun girl乌鸦传媒檚 trip to Paris for her graduation. She also serves on the Royal BC Museum Board, sits on crown corporation InBC Investment, and teaches not-for-profits how to pitch their proposal to government through United Way乌鸦传媒檚 Public Policy Institute, and more.

Looking back, she was propelled into this lifestyle almost effortlessly, born into a family where activism and community engagement were ingrained into daily life.

乌鸦传媒淸In our house], the family was the broader community,乌鸦传媒� James said. 乌鸦传媒淚 was never lectured and told you had to get involved in your community, but you didn乌鸦传媒檛 fit in our family if you didn乌鸦传媒檛 get involved.乌鸦传媒�

During the Vietnam War years, James乌鸦传媒� single mother was active in the peace movement and a special education teacher. They lived at James乌鸦传媒� grandparents乌鸦传媒� house, along with her sister, for most of her childhood. Her grandparents were also foster parents, who always had at least four other kids in the house.

It propelled James to later be a foster parent herself, mainly with adults with developmental disabilities, for almost 20 years.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 an incredible experience. And those families became our families,乌鸦传媒� James said.

乌鸦传媒楽tay true to your values乌鸦传媒�

James never set out to get involved in politics; it just happened. After becoming president of the Parents Association, a pivotal moment came when friends encouraged her to run for the school board. James, admittedly, at first said, 乌鸦传媒淣ot in your life, I乌鸦传媒檓 not a politician.乌鸦传媒� But friends and people with common values offering support eventually convinced her. The rest, as they say, was history.

Perhaps no one was as surprised as her when she ended up running for NDP leadership in 2005 and rebuilding the party from three seats to 33 seats. The party didn乌鸦传媒檛 win, but it felt like a huge win in a different kind of way, James recalls.

乌鸦传媒淚t was such an extraordinary thing to see the party grow. And that乌鸦传媒檚 really part of why I ran,乌鸦传媒� James said.

Back in 2003, James had admittedly 乌鸦传媒渞un away from politics乌鸦传媒� for a while to see whether it was really something she wanted to do. She worked in child welfare for an Indigenous organization until she started getting asked to come back to politics and run for leader.

乌鸦传媒淚 was having a very hard time making a decision about the work because I loved it so much. But I think in the end, I didn乌鸦传媒檛 know I乌鸦传媒檇 win 乌鸦传媒� But I knew I乌鸦传媒檇 regret it if I hadn乌鸦传媒檛 taken a chance because it was a chance to rebuild the party,乌鸦传媒� said James. 乌鸦传媒淲hen times are challenging, that乌鸦传媒檚 when you really need people to step up.乌鸦传媒�

Despite the big wins that can come in politics, there can also be equally big lows. Notably, in 2010, James faced a leadership challenge that resulted in her subsequent resignation.

乌鸦传媒淚 tell people I乌鸦传媒檝e seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in politics,乌鸦传媒� James stated. 乌鸦传媒淎nd I乌鸦传媒檝e thought a lot about how people get through those kinds of difficulties and challenges. And I think one is to stay true to your values 乌鸦传媒�. And I don乌鸦传媒檛 hang on to things. That乌鸦传媒檚 one of the biggest skills that I乌鸦传媒檝e learned. And why I am able to do that, I don乌鸦传媒檛 know. Being raised in a family that faced lots of challenges, perhaps.乌鸦传媒�

Despite that challenging time, James says she ran to rebuild the party and move things ahead for those who were struggling and that乌鸦传媒檚 what she continued to focus on.

She乌鸦传媒檚 particularly proud of moments that resonated with her family乌鸦传媒檚 values, like when the NDP waived tuition fees for children in care who decided to pursue post-secondary education.

乌鸦传媒淜ids in care don乌鸦传媒檛 have families in many cases 乌鸦传媒� The system is their family. And to think of those kids going out, trying to make it and the kinds of affordability challenges that all of us face right now is so challenging. And so to be able to know that you乌鸦传媒檝e opened a door 乌鸦传媒� that乌鸦传媒檚 such a gift to have been involved in that decision.乌鸦传媒�

James reflects on 乌鸦传媒榬etirement乌鸦传媒�

Now in 乌鸦传媒榬etirement乌鸦传媒� (James thinks we need a new word for it), her resilience continues while she stays engaged in organizations that matter to her while also practicing self-care. In moments for herself, she loves spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren, walking along Dallas Road and something that she thinks might surprise some people: baking.

乌鸦传媒淚 joke in politics, your job is endless; it never stops. With baking, you can create something and it乌鸦传媒檚 done. You have a recipe. And in most cases people are happy with it,乌鸦传媒� she said with a laugh.

She expresses that the retirement years can be a perfect time to get involved in politics or causes that matter to someone.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a perfect time to reach out to those groups and organizations and start small,乌鸦传媒� James said.

And her words of wisdom?: 乌鸦传媒淵ou will always get back more than you give.乌鸦传媒�

Sitting in her James Bay home, which once belonged to her mother, and is close to the oceanside that she loves, James also expresses gratitude.

乌鸦传媒淚 feel incredibly fortunate, but I乌鸦传媒檝e just 乌鸦传媒� I乌鸦传媒檝e followed paths that have appeared in front of me. And, you know, that means taking a deep breath lots of times where you don乌鸦传媒檛 think you can do it. But taking those opportunities is a gift.乌鸦传媒�