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Carole James, B.C.’s finance minister and deputy premier, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disorder of the nerves, and says she will not seek re-election next year.

The 62-year-old James says she plans to remain in her posts for as long as she is able to.

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James, who has served in the B.C. legislature as the MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill since 2005, says she developed a slight hand tremor last summer and has occasional trouble with her balance.

“But when I mentioned the issues to my family doctor during a routine checkup, she ordered a referral to a neurologist,” James said Thursday. “I saw the neurologist at the end of January this year, went through a series of tests, and the diagnosis came back as Parkinson’s disease.”

James says although Parkinson’s is not a disease that anyone wants, it is not a terminal diagnosis.

“There’s no cure, but there are treatments and medications to deal with the symptoms as they arrive,” said James, who is not on medication.

James, who served as leader of the B.C. NDP from 2003 to 2010, plans to serve out the remainder of her term, but will not be running for re-election.

“I have had the privilege of serving the people of Victoria-Beacon Hill since 2005, and I’ll be taking time over the next year and a half to express my gratitude to my community,” she said.