Harry Bains has joined the club.
The Surrey-Newton NDP MLA is the second local and high-profile cabinet minister, after Surrey-Whalley NDP MLA Bruce Ralston, to pull the plug this week on seeking a sixth consecutive term in the Oct. 19 provincial election.
First elected in 2005, Bains, now 72, won at the polls in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020, as did Ralston.
Bains will finish his career as minister of labour while Ralston finishes his as minister of forests.
Over the years he has also served as opposition critic for transportation and infrastructure, and opposition spokesman for forests, land and natural resource operations, jobs, employment, labour, WorkSafeBC and the 2010 Olympics.
"It's been very rewarding," Bains told the Now-Leader on Wednesday. "Five elections later, I'm so happy that we achieved a lot."
The NDP losing two seasoned Surrey MLAs heading into the election begs the question whether the prospects of it forming government again are thought to be unlikely.
"Not at all," is Bain's reply to that. "I think there are so many young people already in the caucus we've seen come along in the last election and the election before that, that so many new that are running, you know, younger people, fresh ideas, I think that's what the parties should all be doing – renew themselves, with the new ideas, with the fresh faces, and that's exactly what's going to happen with the NDP. The NDP will win and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure we win in Surrey-Newton and we form government again.
"I'm practical – experience does matter, but there are a lot of young, smart people coming up."
Bains said serving Surrey-Newton has been a "fulfilling experience, I think a satisfying journey, and I can simply go onto my rocking chair and say I think I was able to make a difference in so many lives."
But he said he owes it to his wife and family to turn the page. They provided him with "rock-solid support" over the years, he said. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without them and I think I will be devoting my time to them."
Otherwise, Bains said he has no other plans other than spend as much time as he can with his family, "travel a bit, then who knows what lies in life going forward."
He said it's been his honour to serve "such an amazing, amazing community" as Surrey-Newton. "The community is such a vibrant, engaged community and what I'm really impressed by Surrey-Newton, if you go to all those banquet halls, the community centres, there's always a community that is engaged in raising money for all good causes, whether it is for health causes or other social causes."
