Pat Finnigan

[Half Your Plate, October 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, as a vegetable grower and producer, I am passionate about access to local fruits and vegetables. I was honoured to host Chef Michael Smith last week for an event highlighting local produce through the half your plate initiative.

At this event, I was named produce champion by the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, but there are many other local food champions in my riding. The Natoaganeg Community Food Centre is located in Eel Ground First Nation and is a space where people can come together to grow, cook, share and advocate good local food. It does so while providing access to healthy, high quality and traditional meals through its weekly drop-in meals and its good food bank market.

The cafeteria at École Carrefour Beausoleil, which is in my riding, has purchased more than 30,000 pounds of local products.

According to the head cook, Mr. Mills, 99% of the ingredients used to make their lasagna come from New Brunswick, and it is the students' favourite meal.

I encourage all members of the House to find and champion their buy-local program.

[Canada Labour Code, October 16th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, since this bill would affect mostly federal jobs, in the member's experience in the House as a parliamentarian, would he say that these regulations would eventually trickle down to the provincial level or the private sector? How does he see this in the future protecting workers in all walks of life in Canada?

[Committees of the House, September 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 13th report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in relation to Bill C-281, an act to establish a national local food day. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House without amendment.

[Acadian Games, June 6th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this year the greater Miramichi area will be hosting the Jeux de l'Acadie for the first time. This is the 39th such gathering of Acadian and francophone communities from the four Atlantic provinces since 1979. Over 3,000 athletes will take part in 11 sporting events and cultural activities.

It is not just the athletes who take part in this annual event. Over 3,500 volunteers give over 600,000 hours of their time. With a budget of over $350,000 and a total of 27,000 visitors expected by the end of the Jeux de l'Acadie, the event should generate over $1.6 million in economic benefits.

From June 27 to July 1, the Acadian community of Miramichi, as well as all Miramichiers, will proudly roll out the red carpet and welcome everyone from across Atlantic Canada.

In 2018, Miramichi is the place to be.

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, today the United Nations marks the first International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.

This practice is a major contributor to declining fish stocks and marine habitat destruction. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing takes many forms within nationally controlled waters and on the high seas and accounts for about 30% of fishing activity worldwide.

Can the Minister of Fisheries tell us what our government is doing about this?

[Committees of the House, May 30th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am tabling two reports.

I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food entitled “Toward a Resilient Canadian Agriculture and Agri-food System: Adapting to Climate Change”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

I also have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food concerning the votes in the main estimates 2018-19 that were referred to the committee.

[BeauSoleil Oysters, May 1st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about the French Kiss. Not the kind of French kiss that first springs to mind on hearing those words, but a highly prized gift of the sea distributed worldwide by Neguac's Maison BeauSoleil: oysters.

Like the greatest French wineries, Maison BeauSoleil's meticulous farming practices coax forth the most refined and sought-after flavours in its products. The company is proud to offer a high-end product all year round. Maison BeauSoleil employs over 200 people and is leading the way in positioning the oyster farming industry as an economic powerhouse in New Brunswick. Its generously sized oysters are high in amino acids, zinc, and vitamin B12. They are as tender as their flavour is delicate. Irresistible both raw and prepared, BeauSoleil oysters give new meaning to the words French kiss.

[Cross-Country Running, March 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House today to highlight the achievement of Miramichi's own Laura Dickinson. Laura, who is just 18 years old, recently competed in the Pan American Cross-Country Championships in El Salvador where she brought home silver in the six-kilometre race. She also helped Team Canada's junior women secure the top spot to win a gold medal. This was not the first Pan American medal brought home by Laura, and she has also broken many provincial track records.

With such a bright future ahead of her, Laura has been given a full scholarship to Syracuse University. I am sure Laura will continue to be a shining star and make Canada and the Miramichi proud.

I congratulate Laura and wish her continued success.

[Employment Insurance, March 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Miramichi—Grand Lake and across Atlantic Canada and Quebec, people who work in seasonal industries are feeling the effects of the so-called “black hole” in employment insurance.

We know that the government supports seasonal workers, that it reversed the changes made to the EI system by the previous government, and that it announced targeted funding in budget 2018 to support affected seasonal workers.

Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development explain to the House how the government is committed to helping these vulnerable Canadians?

[First Nations Education, March 2nd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this week marks the sixth anniversary of the House of Commons unanimously passing Shannen's Dream, which called for safe and equitable education for first nations children.

We know that schools on reserves are severely underfunded. That is why we are investing $2.6 billion over five years to support primary and secondary education on reserve. This funding is in addition to the nearly $1 billion allocated to support 169 education infrastructure projects, some of which have already been completed.

I am pleased to highlight that in my riding, funding has been approved for a new K-to-8 school on Elsipogtog First Nation to replace the existing 35-year-old one. Every first nations child deserves the best start in life and this begins with properly funded education.