After nearly 10 years in public office, Rachel Blaney is stepping back from her role as member of parliament for North Island-Powell River and moving onto the next chapter of her life.
First elected to the House of Commons in 2015 as a New Democratic Party member, and re-elected in 2019 and 2021, Blaney said she is looking back on her experience with gratitude and pride, regarding it as an honour to serve as the federal representative of this region.
In an interview, Blaney said she has fulfilled many roles with the NDP caucus, including serving as party whip for four and a half years.
“I never thought in a million years that when I said yes to being the whip, that we would be walking down the aisle towards a pandemic,” said Blaney. “It was a really interesting time, however, and as whip, I took a leadership role in negotiating with the other parties around how many people would be in the house when we were making decisions about what virtual parliament would be like.
“And of course, when I was whip, we also entered into the agreement with the Liberals and that was a very busy time, to really hold the Liberals to account and make sure they did the things that we requested. That took up a lot of time, but the benefit of getting some of the programs instituted was a payoff for me that I was really proud of.”
Blaney also had critic roles in the NDP caucus, which she was passionate about. She advocated for Canadian veterans and took special interest in Canadian women veterans. Blaney said one of the milestones she is most proud of is initiating Invisible No More: The Experience of Canadian Women Veterans, which is the first parliamentary study to focus on the challenges faced by women who serve in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Blaney said in 2024, she was honoured to be named one of the top women in defence by the Esprit de Corps publication for initiating the Invisible No More report.
Other milestones for Blaney include the introduction of legislation for a service animal bill for Veterans Affairs Canada to fully fund the cost of service animals. She said that was a learning experience and being an MP was a true learning experience in all regards.
“You learn so much from the people who live in different areas,” said Blaney. “I think of the times that I walked with Moms Stop the Harm around protecting people from losing their children to the toxic drug crisis. I think of Tla’amin Nation and how much work they have done, and how much they are building up their community, and how much I’ve learned from them as well.
“It’s like you become an ally to so many different groups and you get to walk with people in some of the hardest and some of the best times of their lives. That is such an honour as an MP to be able to do that work.”
Blaney said she was passionate about her caucus responsibilities for seniors, veterans and women.
“Those are responsibilities that I really did take to heart,” said Blaney. “I was in Ottawa just over a week ago and I was able to spend some time with women veterans, a group of them that I had worked with, and they really made me proud. I was proud of all the work they did to get their stories out and on the record. It was really powerful.
“I was grateful that I was able to do a lot for seniors. In our riding, seniors and veterans are a pretty significant part of the population. It was good to not only do the work in Ottawa, but to be able to come home and talk to people with lived experience here in the riding, and make sure what we were doing made sense, for all Canadians as well as those in the riding.”
Blaney said she was inspired by the bravery of her constituents who spoke against the government on important issues.
“It’s scary to step up and speak against the government when you are feeling vulnerable,” said Blaney. “We had seniors come forward, not having enough to make ends meet, but they were brave enough to do that work and it really made a difference. That really made the ministers pay attention.”
Blaney said she was also proud of her team and how hard it worked for constituents to make the big federal government accessible for people.
“I saw again and again how frustrating it could be for people trying to understand different aspects of the government, and when we were able to help them navigate, and learn to use political tools to get things done, I was inspired and impressed.”
As for the qathet region, Blaney said she loves the area.
“I’m always so inspired and moved by how collaborative the community is, and how much it works to keep interesting things happening,” said Blaney. “You guys always have great events to go to and I’m always disappointed by how many I can’t attend.”
Blaney said she has recollections of how her office was able to help people in qathet.
“It has been a really good experience for me to remember that it is not always about the big speeches you make in the house,” said Blaney. “Sometimes, it’s about getting into somebody’s file and really working to make a difference.
“I will always have fond memories because of that region and the amazing people who live there. My heart will always be in the community and I’ve loved working in the community.”
After politics, Blaney’s first commitment is to her family. She said as an MP in the third largest riding in BC, she didn’t spend a lot of time at home.
“I have a mother who is in assisted living and I want to spend a lot of time with her and support her through some of the challenges that come with having pretty significant health issues,” said Blaney. “I’ve had a few opportunities floated, but I really just want to spend some time with my family first before I make a big decision.
“I know whatever I do, my heart will always be with this riding. I’ve spent too much time going from one part of it to another. This riding has been imprinted in my heart and I will always carry the needs of it with me, probably in a very different way, but it will still be there.”
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