The Vancouver-Fairview MLA and minister who backed Kevin Falcon during the B.C. Liberal leadership race said she “wasn’t surprised” that he stepped down as finance minister and deputy premier today (August 29).

“Kevin’s been making comments about needing to talk with his family, and that’s often code for, ‘I’m not running again,’” Margaret MacDiarmid told the Straight by phone from her Vancouver office. “And I know his baby, and he has a two-and-a-half-year-old—a beautiful little girl—and a lovely young wife. Now there’s another baby on the way, which I didn’t know, but I really wasn’t surprised. Sad, because he’s been such a great colleague, but after the amount of time that he’s put in the job, and his family circumstances, it’s very understandable that he’s stepping away.”

MacDiarmid, currently B.C.’s minister of labour, citizens' services and open government, said it was “very responsible” of Falcon—who continues on as Surrey-Cloverdale MLA until the May 2013 election—to say, “‘If I’m not running again, I shouldn’t be the one to deliver the budget the next time around.’”

MacDiarmid confirmed she will run in the next election.

“Yes, my nomination, which I think will be an acclamation, is next Wednesday [September 5].”