Shannie Duff retires from St. John's city council

Shannie Duff, whose lengthy political career has included a stint as St. John's mayor and a member of the house of assembly, has decided to retire and not seek re-election in September.

"This place is almost like my second home," said Duff, who has served eight terms on council over the past 36 years.

Duff, who has been deputy mayor since 2009, received a lengthy standing ovation from other councillors and city staff after she said she would not be running for another term.

Duff said her priority is to spend more time with her family, and discussed the effects of two major surgeries she has undergone in the last six months.

"That experience is a shot across the bow. It does make you realize how quickly your life can turn upside down," she said during an address to council chambers.

First elected in 1977

Duff was first elected to council in 1977, and remained there until she resigned to run in the 1989 provincial election. As a Progressive Conservative, she won the seat in St. John's East, but left in 1990 to run for mayor in St. John's.

While she won that race, she was unseated just three years later when former mayor John Murphy came out of retirement and defeated her.

Duff returned to council in 1997, and was re-elected in every term since. She briefly served as acting mayor in 2008 when a byelection was called to replace Andy Wells.

Duff said she has maintained a strong interest in many issues, including affordable housing, recreation, and protection of open spaces.

"All of those issues were in my first campaign brochure," she told the meeting. "None of the commitments have lessened."

Long-time heritage advocate

Other councillors praised Duff for her service to the city, particularly her work in protecting heritage structures in downtown, including the now-iconic clapboard houses that are featured prominently in tourism advertising and TV productions like Republic of Doyle.

Coun. Gerry Colbert said no one has done more than Duff to protect the look and feel of St. John's.

"If it were not for Shannie Duff, we'd be looking at a whole new different downtown. We'd be looking at a downtown with brick buildings, sidewalks and glass towers all the way to LeMarchant Road," said Colbert.

Duff came to council as a heritage advocate, and referred to her pre-council period as "probably being a nuisance as a citizen-advocate for 10 years before [her first campaign]."

Mayor Dennis O'Keefe, who is seeking another term, said Duff's announcement took him by surprise.

"I would have bet money that she was going to take another term as deputy mayor," O'Keefe said.

"It was a real shocker to me when she came in and sat down and said that, 'No, I have decided that the remaining years that I have left go to my family.' "

Duff said she will be fully committed to the final four months of her term.