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Fin Donnelly

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Canadian politician (born 1966)

Fin Donnelly
Parliamentary Secretary for Watershed Restoration of British Columbia
In office
January 20, 2023 – November 18, 2024
PremierDavid Eby
Preceded byPosition created
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Aquaculture of British Columbia
In office
November 26, 2020 – December 7, 2022
PremierJohn Horgan
David Eby
Preceded byPosition created
Succeeded byKelly Greene
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain
In office
October 24, 2020 – September 21. 2024
Preceded byJoan Isaacs
Member of Parliament
for Port Moody—Coquitlam
New Westminster—Coquitlam (2009-2015)
In office
November 9, 2009 – September 11, 2019
Preceded byDawn Black
Succeeded byNelly Shin
Coquitlam City Councillor
In office
December 2, 2002 – November 26, 2009
Personal details
Born (1966-05-27) May 27, 1966 (age 58)
New Westminster, British Columbia
Political partyNew Democrat
SpouseLynda Donnelly
Residence(s)Coquitlam, British Columbia
WebsiteOfficial website

Fin Donnelly (born May 27, 1966) is a Canadian politician. He has served as the member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia for the electoral district of Coquitlam-Burke Mountain since 2020, as part of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) caucus. He previously served as member of Parliament (MP) as part of the federal NDP caucus, representing New Westminster—Coquitlam from 2009 to 2015, and Port Moody—Coquitlam from 2015 to 2019.

Prior to his election as a federal MP, he served as Coquitlam city councillor from 2002 to 2009. Before that, Donnelly was a marathon swimmer from 1990 to 2002, during which time he swam the length of the Fraser River twice, as well as the Strait of Georgia, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and across Pitt Lake, Okanagan Lake, and Quesnel Lake.

Early life and municipal politics

Born in New Westminster, he graduated from the University of Victoria in 1989 with a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and a minor in environmental studies. He swam competitively for 16 years in his college and completed 14 marathon swims between 1990 and 2000, including across Pitt Lake, Okanagan Lake, Williams Lake, Quesnel Lake, and down the Raush River. He swam across the Strait of Georgia four times, including in 1991 when he swam from Sechelt to Nanaimo in a benefit swim for the Georgia Strait Alliance. In 1994 he swam the Strait of Juan de Fuca, from Port Angeles to Victoria. In 1995, and again in 2000, Donnelly swam the length of the 1,325 km Fraser River, from Mount Robson Provincial Park to Vancouver, ending in False Creek. Many of his marathon swims were used to raise awareness of local issues affecting the rivers and lakes and their watersheds, and raise funds for non-profit groups concerned with the protection or restoration of those rivers and watersheds. Donnelly founded the non-profit organization Rivershed Society of British Columbia in 1996 and worked as its executive director.

In 2002, at the age of 36, Donnelly decided to seek election to the Coquitlam City Council. His high profile swims and campaign focused on sustainable development made him a likely candidate to upset one of the incumbents. Donnelly and Barrie Lynch were both successful in gaining a seat on council, upsetting two of the incumbents, though Donnelly's campaign manager, Cameron Lipp, unexpectedly died two weeks before the election. In his first term on council, Donnelly put forth a successful motion that the city send a letter to its sister city, Laizhou in China, expressing concern over the persecution of Falun Gong. In the 2005 council election, the four councillors that stood for re-election won, including Donnelly who received the most votes over all other candidates. In the 2008 council election, Donnelly again obtained the most votes in the council election.

Federal politics

The 43 year-old Donnelly entered federal politics after his local member of parliament Dawn Black vacated her seat in April 2009. In a June NDP constituency meeting Donnelly won the party's nomination on the first ballot against fellow Coquitlam city councillor Barrie Lynch and New Westminster councillor Lorrie Williams. Port Moody councillor Diana Dilworth won the Conservative Party nomination, civil and environmental engineer Ken Beck Lee won the Liberal Party nomination, and Rebecca Helps was acclaimed as the Green Party nominee. The by-election was called for November 9 and Donnelly, who was supported by campaign visits by party leader Jack Layton, and Dilworth were considered the front-runners. With only a 30% voter turnout, Donnelly won the by-election with 50% of the vote. Since being elected in 2009, Donnelly has been active on a number of different issues of concern to British Columbians, particularly those focused on society, the environment, and the economy.

40th Parliament

Donnelly entered the 40th Canadian Parliament during its third session, which lasted one year; he was named the NDP's national fisheries critic. During that year he sponsored six private member bills, none of which advanced far enough to be voted upon. He sponsored two amendments to the Criminal Code, both of which Dawn Black had previously introduced in the previous parliament: Bill C-520 would have added the offence of luring a child to those offenses prosecutable in Canada even if committed outside Canada, and Bill C-521 would have expanded the offence of luring a child to include all means of communication rather than solely through a computer. In March 2010, he introduced Bill C-502 that would prohibit oil tankers in the Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound. In May 2010, he introduced Bill C-518 which proposed to amend the Fisheries Act to require commercial finfish aquaculture only take place in closed containment facilities. He also proposed Bill C-526 that would have expanded Employment Insurance coverage received as a result of illness, injury or quarantine from 15 to 52 weeks.

41st Parliament

Fin Donnelly in 2011

For the 2011 election, Donnelly was acclaimed as the NDP candidate and again challenged by Dilworth, Lee, and Helps, as well as Roland Verrier for the Marxist–Leninist Party. This time with 60% voter turnout, Donnelly won the riding with 46% of the vote, and his party formed the official opposition to a Conservative Party majority government. He was re-appointed as critic on Fisheries and Oceans by party leader Jack Layton in the NDP shadow cabinet of the 41st Canadian Parliament.

Donnelly re-introduced, all in 2011, the six private member bills he introduced in the previous parliament. While none of the bills again advanced far enough to be voted upon, the two proposed amendments to the Criminal Code regarding luring a child were adopted in the Safe Streets and Communities Act. In December 2011, Donnelly sponsored a new private member bill, the Ban on Shark Fin Importation Act (Bill C-380), but it was defeated at second reading in March 2013 with the Conservative Party majority voting against it.

In the 2012 NDP leadership election triggered by Layton's death, Donnelly endorsed Nathan Cullen. Tom Mulcair won the election to become party leader, and moved Donnelly to critic of Western Economic Diversification; Donnelly also became assistant critic in his original portfolio of Fisheries and Oceans. In August 2013, Mulcair re-assigned Donnelly to be the assistant critic to both Fisheries and Oceans and Infrastructure and Communities for the remainder of the parliament.

Alan Kurdi

On September 3, 2015, after the death of Alan Kurdi, Donnelly stated that he had handed a letter from his constituent Tima Kurdi, Alan Kurdi's aunt, to Immigration Minister Chris Alexander requesting that he look into the case of Alan Kurdi's refugee application, which was later rejected according to Donnelly. On the same day, it was reported that Alan Kurdi's family had not in fact applied for refugee status in Canada, and that the letter primarily concerned the family of Alan Kurdi's uncle, for whom an application had been submitted but been rejected for being incomplete. Donnelly subsequently faced criticism for his role in the spread of the false information regarding Alan Kurdi's family's nonexistent refugee application. Mulcair later defended Donnelly, saying that no apology was warranted because the letter had mentioned both families, and stated that he "couldn’t be prouder to have someone of the strength, integrity and hard work as Fin Donnelly" in caucus. On September 10 the Ottawa Citizen reported that: "Abdullah Kurdi’s brother Mohammad and his family were named in a G5 refugee resettlement application, while simultaneously, Abdullah and his now-dead wife and children were included and named along with Mohammad’s family in a lengthy set of correspondence, over a period of months, to Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander and senior CIC officials."

42nd Parliament

New electoral districts in the Greater Vancouver area, added for the 2015 election, resulted in Donnelly moving to the re-created Port Moody—Coquitlam riding, effectively shifting his representative area northwards by removing New Westminster and adding the entirety of Port Moody. In the election, Donnelly was challenged by City of Vancouver's chief digital officer Jessie Adcock for the Liberal Party, Canadian Forces veteran Tim Laidler for the Conservative Party, and Green Party member Marcus Madsen, as well as Roland Verrier of the Marxist–Leninist again. Though Donnelly won his riding with 36% of the vote, the Liberal Party won the general election and formed a majority government, with the Conservative Party taking over the official opposition status and the NDP as the third party. With a reduced number of MPs, party leader Tom Mulcair appointed Donnelly to be the NDP critic for Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, a post he previously held in 2009-2012 and since acted as deputy to.

In the 42nd Canadian Parliament he again sponsored the private member bill C-228 which proposed to amend the Fisheries Act to require commercial finfish aquaculture only take place in closed containment facilities. This time it was voted on in December 2016, but was defeated with a majority of the Liberal Party MPs (who were granted a free vote) and the Conservative Party voting against the bill, though all NDP, Bloc Quebecois and Green Party MPs voted in favour. In March 2016 Donnelly re-introduced the Ban on Shark Fin Importation Act (Bill C-251). It only received a first reading but was introduced into the senate by Conservative senator Michael L. MacDonald in April 2017. Donnelly did not re-introduce his previous bill to prohibit oil tankers off B.C.'s north coast, though the government house bill Oil Tanker Moratorium Act (Bill C-48) was introduced that would accomplish much the same except it would still allow small general purpose tankers.

Donnelly announced in December 2018 that he would not be standing in the 2019 federal election.

Provincial politics

On September 2, 2020 Donnelly announced he was seeking the BC NDP nomination in the riding of Coquitlam-Burke Mountain for the upcoming provincial election. He was acclaimed as the party's candidate on September 14. At the October 24, 2020 election, he defeated one-term incumbent BC Liberal candidate Joan Isaacs to become the riding's MLA. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Aquaculture by Premier John Horgan on November 26, 2020.

Initially without an assignment in Premier David Eby's government, Donnelly was named Parliamentary Secretary for Watershed Restoration on January 20, 2023.

On May 9, 2024 Donnelly announced he would be retiring as an MLA at the next election, scheduled for October of that year.

Electoral record

Provincial elections

2020 British Columbia general election: Coquitlam-Burke Mountain
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Fin Donnelly 12,627 54.94 +11.03 $44,595.15
Liberal Joan Isaacs 8,324 36.22 −8.06 $46,536.87
Green Adam Bremner-Akins 2,033 8.85 −2.96 $0.00
Total valid votes 22,984 100.00 –
Total rejected ballots    
Turnout    
Registered voters
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +11.03
Source: Elections BC

Federal elections

2015 Canadian federal election: Port Moody—Coquitlam
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Fin Donnelly 19,706 36.05 -4.41 $108,104.25
Liberal Jessie Adcock 16,888 30.89 +22.36 $46,085.20
Conservative Tim Laidler 16,112 29.47 -17.02 $143,435.34
Green Marcus Madsen 1,878 3.44 -0.82 $7,735.81
Marxist–Leninist Roland Verrier 83 0.15 – –
Total valid votes/expense limit 54,667 99.68   $212,494.90
Total rejected ballots 174 0.32 –
Turnout 54,841 68.93 –
Eligible voters 79,555
New Democratic notional gain from Conservative Swing +6.31
Source: Elections Canada
2011 Canadian federal election: New Westminster—Coquitlam
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Fin Donnelly 23,023 45.93 −3.66 $69,420.54
Conservative Diana Dilworth 20,776 41.45 +5.78 $85,804.33
Liberal Ken Lee 4,069 8.12 −2.21 $22,734.54
Green Rebecca Helps 2,160 4.31 +0.04 $2,238.04
Marxist–Leninist Roland Verrier 95 0.19 – $0.00
Total valid votes 50,123 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 153 0.30 +0.04
Turnout 50,276 59.61 +29.65
Eligible voters 84,337
New Democratic hold Swing −4.72
Source: Elections Canada
By-election on November 9, 2009
resignation of Dawn Black
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Fin Donnelly 12,129 49.6 +7.8
Conservative Diana Dilworth 8,753 35.8 -3.0
Liberal Ken Lee 2,514 10.3 -1.0
Green Rebecca Helps 1,046 4.3 -2.9
Total valid votes 24,442
Total rejected ballots –
Turnout 24,442 29.9%
New Democratic hold Swing +7.8

References

  1. ^ "Profile - Donnelly, Fin". Library of Parliament. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  2. McKenna, Gary (April 5, 2011). "Biographical information for New West-Coquitlam". The Tri City News. Coquitlam, British Columbia. p. 1.
  3. ^ McIntyre, Greg (August 23, 1991). "Gunning for a swim record: Ex-champ in good-cause splash". The Province. Vancouver. p. 3.
  4. ^ van Peenen, Paul (October 18, 2000). "The man who swam the salmon route: Fin Donnelly, who calls himself an environmental marathon swimmer, has made a 29 day, 1,357 kilometre journey down the Fraser River". National Post. p. A18.
  5. Hunter, Justine (August 18, 1994). "Swimmer sets record crossing chilly Strait". The Vancouver Sun. p. B5.
  6. Granger, Grant. "New Westminster News Leader – Turning the Fraser into a classroom". New Westminster News Leader. New Westminster News Leader. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  7. Strandberg, Diane (October 9, 2021). "Coquitlam MLA and Fraser River champion picked for Hall of Fame". TriCity News. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  8. Robb, Leneen (October 2, 2002). "Four, so far, will challenge incumbents". Coquitlam Now. p. 6.
  9. Robb, Leneen (November 20, 2002). "Wins by Donnelly, Lynch break 5-4 Coquitlam split". Coquitlam Now. p. 3.
  10. "Well-known B.C. environmentalist Cameron Lipp dead at 42". Coquitlam Now. November 6, 2002. p. 12.
  11. Gracey, Ken (October 22, 2003). "Mayor says letter will ruin trade relationship". Coquitlam Now. p. 9.
  12. Robb, Leneen (November 23, 2005). "Four new councillors in Coquitlam". Coquitlam Now. p. 3.
  13. Simpson, Scott (November 17, 2008). "Council to set aside differences". The Vancouver Sun. p. A7.
  14. Kurucz, John (November 7, 2009). "Meet your byelection candidates". The Record. New Westminster, British Columbia. p. 3.
  15. Warren, Janis (July 28, 2009). "By-election in Coquitlam or Port Moody?". The Tri City News. Coquitlam, British Columbia. p. 1.
  16. Warren, Janis (August 6, 2009). "Lee to carry Liberal banner in New Westminster-Coquitlam". The Tri City News. Coquitlam, British Columbia. p. 3.
  17. "Grits, Greens pick candidates for New West-Coquitlam byelection". Coquitlam Now. Coquitlam, British Columbia. August 7, 2009. p. 2.
  18. Ward, Doug (November 7, 2009). "Conservatives running quiet campaign for Monday's byelection; NDP's Donnelly, Tory Diana Dilworth face off in New Westminster-Coquitlam". The Vancouver Sun. p. A2.
  19. Chan, Cheryl (November 10, 2009). "NDP's Donnelly wins federal byelection; Anti-HST sentiment tipped scales". The Province. Vancouver. p. A8.
  20. Kimmett, Colleen (November 10, 2009). "NDP's Donnelly swims to Ottawa". The Tyee. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  21. Lau, Alfie (December 5, 2009). "New MLA moves into critic seat in Ottawa". The Record. New Westminster, British Columbia. p. 1.
  22. Mcmanus, Theresa (June 23, 2010). "Bills target child luring, abuse; City MP wants feds to close loopholes in the Criminal Code". The Record. New Westminster, British Columbia. p. 9.
  23. Coyne, Todd (November 30, 2010). "Donnelly acclaimed as NDP candidate". The Tri City News. Coquitlam, British Columbia. p. 13.
  24. Kurucz, John (April 22, 2011). "Your federal candidates: New Westminster-Coquitlam". Coquitlam Now. Coquitlam, British Columbia. p. 3.
  25. Coyne, Todd (May 2, 2011). "Updated: Fin is in again in New Westminster-Coquitlam". TriCity News. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  26. O'Neil, Peter; Ward, Doug (March 10, 2012). "NDP girds for final debate; B.C. expected to play a big role in electing the successor to the late Jack Layton". The Gazette. Montreal. p. A10.
  27. McManus, Theresa (April 25, 2012). "City MPs get seats in shadow cabinet". The Record. New Westminster, British Columbia. p. 3.
  28. "Canada says it never denied a refugee application for Alan Kurdi and his family". National Post. September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  29. Kestler-D’Amours, Jillian, Tonda MacCharles, and Jacques Gallant (September 3, 2015). "Tima Kurdi's pleading letter to allow brother to enter Canada revealed". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 4, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  30. "Father of Alan Kurdi, drowned Syrian boy, describes desperate ordeal to save family". CBC News. September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  31. Maloney, Ryan (September 6, 2015). "Fin Donnelly Bemoans 'Political Attacks' After Syrian Refugees' Deaths". Huffington Post Canada. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  32. "Fin Donnelly, NDP MP, stands by attempts to help Kurdi family's refugee application". CBC News. September 7, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  33. "Mulcair stands behind Donnelly, after Kurdi family confusi". CTV News. September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  34. Ottawa Citizen, Sept 10, 2015, from page "Canada's Leaders need to face to the tragedy" by Terry Glavin
  35. Bryden, Joan (December 29, 2014). "Hundreds take political plunge despite bad rap". Prince George Citizen. Prince George, British Columbia. p. A15.
  36. Judd, Amy (October 20, 2015). "NDP candidate Fin Donnelly elected in Port Moody-Coquitlam". Global News. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  37. Kirkup, Kristy (November 12, 2015). "Tom Mulcair taps Nathan Cullen, Charlie Angus, Guy Caron for top critic roles". CBC News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  38. Shore, Randy (October 12, 2016). "MP targets ocean-based salmon farms". The Vancouver Sun. p. A7.
  39. Ruiter, Zach (May 2, 2017). "With Toronto's Support, Canada Moves Closer To a National Shark Fin Ban". The Torontoist. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  40. Smith, Charlie (December 8, 2018). "Port Moody–Coquitlam NDP MP Fin Donnelly won't seek reelection in 2019". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  41. Strandberg, Diane (September 2, 2020). "Fin Donnelly seeks Coquitlam-Burke Mountain BC NDP nomination". TriCity News.
  42. Labbé, Stefan (September 15, 2020). "Former MP Donnelly named BC NDP candidate for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain". TriCity News. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  43. Labbé, Stefan (October 24, 2020). "NDP's Fin Donnelly flips Coquitlam-Burke Mountain in Tri-City orange sweep". TriCity News. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  44. "New cabinet focuses on keeping people safe, fighting COVID-19". Office of the Premier of British Columbia. November 26, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  45. "New cabinet ready to take action on cost of living, health care, housing, climate". Office of the Premier of British Columbia. December 7, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  46. "Premier appoints parliamentary secretaries for rural health, watershed restoration". Office of the Premier of British Columbia. January 20, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  47. Balzer, Kyle (January 20, 2023). "Coquitlam MLA to continue watershed advocacy with new legislative role". TriCity News. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  48. Cullen, Nathan. "X: Listening to my dear friend, Fin Donnelly, announce his retirement from provincial politics & proudly speak to all of the great work he and his community have accomplished in his (too) short time in the BC Legislature. Congrats my friend, & all the best to you & Lynda! #bcpoli". twitter.com. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  49. "2020 Provincial General Election Final Voting Results". electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  50. "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  51. Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Port Moody—Coquitlam, 30 September 2015
  52. Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates
  53. "Financial Reports – New Westminster Coquitlam – 2011 General Election". Elections Canada. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  54. "Forty-first General Election 2011 — Poll-by-poll results — British Columbia — New Westminster—Coquitlam". Elections Canada. Retrieved March 20, 2023.

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