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Mr. Fin Donnelly (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP):

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition that calls for an independent judicial inquiry into the salmon crisis. Nine million salmon disappeared this summer in the Fraser River. It is the lowest return in 50 years.

Hundreds of people have spoken out and have signed this petition, calling for the judicial inquiry. They want action now to save our B.C. salmon.

Mr. Fin Donnelly (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, why is the Conservative government trying to shut down debate on the HST?

During the provincial election the Liberal government said it would not harmonize the provincial sales tax with the GST, and then months later did just that. Now the Conservative government wants to ram through its HST legislation.

The people of British Columbia are tired of being shut out of the debate on the HST.

If the HST is such a good idea, why is the government trying to limit debate on it? What is it trying to hide?

Tax Harmonization (HST)

Mr. Fin Donnelly (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I just spent several months talking to seniors, students, families and small businesses. Their message was clear: tell the Conservative government that we do not want its HST. British Columbians, like all Canadians, are still trying to make their way through these tough economic times, but this unfair tax shift will make life more expensive for them.

Salmon Fishery

Mr. Fin Donnelly (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, let us hope the government's promises on west coast salmon do not ring as hollow.

Answering the call by New Democrats for an inquiry was a first good step, but we cannot just sit back and do nothing for the next 20 months. Problems with fish farms, sea lice and overfishing must be addressed. The government can and must take action to mitigate damage being done to the salmon fishery.

Dear friends,

Thank you for putting your trust in me to represent our community in the House of Commons. I promise you that I’m going to honour that trust by putting our community first and by being the strong voice this community deserves.

I’m going to put forward thoughtful and considered proposals for our community and our country. I’m not going to Ottawa to oppose just for the sake of opposition.

HIGH-STAKES POKER: PM seems afraid to put it before House, says NDP

Prime Minister Stephen Harper may be getting cold feet about the controversial Harmonized Sales Tax.

That was the suggestion from federal NDP leader Jack Layton, who said on Saturday that the ruling Conservatives may be having second thoughts about introducing a motion to change federal tax regulations to pave the way for HST.

New West-Coquitlam: She's the Invisible Candidate, says frustrated NDP challenger

Fin Donnelly has become pretty adept at shadow boxing during the byelection campaign in New Westminster-Coquitlam.

The veteran Coquitlam city councillor said he feels like he has been battling a shadowy figure in Conservative candidate Diana Dilworth, who has refused to take part in most all-candidate debates or do media interviews.

For the environment, Fin Donnelly's the best bet in New Westminster–Coquitlam by-election

Most politicians say good things about the environment. But only one of them swam the length of the Fraser River twice to raise awareness of salmon populations and was honoured by the Squamish Nation for his efforts with an aboriginal name. Only one in this region has visited more than 100 schools to talk about the environment and been named “environmental educator of the year” by teachers who specialize in this area.

NDP candidate Fin Donnelly was given the Coast Salish name for Orca in a ceremony by the Squamish Nation 10 years ago for twice swimming the length of the Fraser River. (As if his Christian name didn’t already link him to aquatic vertebrates.)

Whether Conservative Diana Dilworth, Donnelly’s main rival in Monday’s New Westminster-Coquitlam byelection, has any unique detail in her personal history remains uncertain.

If she did have a Coast Salish name, an appropriate moniker might be: The Invisible Candidate.

“Resistance to the harmonized sales tax is growing… Not only here in British Columbia, but also in Nova Scotia and, slowly, in Ontario,” NDP leader Jack Layton told The Tyee on Friday.

“So far, Stephen Harper has largely avoided being tagged with this regressive tax increase,” Layton said. “Harper tries to say it’s just a provincial matter. That’s simply not true. And that will become clear when there’s actually a vote in the House of Commons on the harmonized tax.”