Fin wins on first ballot
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Updated: July 02, 2009 9:26 AM
The federal NDP is rolling out the big guns to get the party's new candidate elected in the upcoming New Westminster-Coquitlam byelection.
Coquitlam Coun. Fin Donnelly beat out Lorrie Williams and Barry Lynch at Sunday's nomination meeting, held at Glenbrook middle school.
"We're looking forward to the byelection, we're ready for it," said federal NDP leader Jack Layton, who was in New West on Monday to meet Donnelly and introduce him at a press conference beside the Fraser River.
The federal NDP's national director Brad Lavigne and others from the national headquarters attended Sunday's nomination meeting as the party began preparing for the byelection. "Our team will be 100% here to support Fin's candidacy, and that's why I'm here," Layton said.
Donnelly won the candidacy on the first ballot over Lynch, another Coquitlam councillor, and Williams, who sits on New West city council.
Winning the candidacy marks Donnelly's first foray into federal politics. In addition to serving three terms on city council, he is the executive director of Rivershed Society of B.C., a charitable organization dedicated to protecting the health and biodiversity of the Fraser River.
That made the river, in front of the Fraser River Discovery Centre, an appropriate background for Donnelly and Layton to meet the news media. A marathon swimmer, he swam the 1,400-kilometre length of the Fraser Rver in 2000 to draw attention to the health of the watercourse.
"If our caucus is presented with the challenge of going through a long marathon [in Parliament], I know who I'm going to turn to," Layton said. "We need Fin in the House [of Commons] to speak about the key issues to this riding.
"He's the only one who can go the distance," Layton said.
The environment, transit and social and economic difficulties faced by families were issues Donnelly raised as important to the riding.
"They are all linked," Donnelly said. "We need to tackle those problems affecting families. Certainly, the economy is definitely a concern but it can't be at the expense of people, our communities and the environment."
In April, the NDP's Dawn Black resigned as MP of New West-Coquitlam to run provincially. She was elected as an MLA for the constituency of New West.
That prompted the byelection, which must be called 180 days after Black's mid-April resignation.
Once the byelection is called, voters must go to the polls within 36 days.
Across Canada, there are a total of four byelections that need to be called. It is likely all four will be contested at the same time.
mmcquillan@newwestnewsleader.com
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