Blogs

PEI Tories Need A Declared Candidate, or Two, or Three...NOW

A poll released by CRA this week shows that the Ghiz government is still riding comfortably high, at least among decided voters. That support is in spite of the PNP scandal; the crisis in the hog industry; ongoing troubles for potato and beef farmers; a lobster industry and it's many 100s of rural jobs that's on the brink of collapse; controversial school rezoning and school closures; vague plans for Rural revitalization; declining tourism; rising deficits; stonewalled government committees; emergency room closures; questionable, expensive, and needless relocations of government departments; corporate welfare; legislated poverty (aka tiered minimum wage proposal); secret rural ...

What’s an ‘ordinary observer’ to believe

 It’s not always what you say that is most interesting, sometime what you don’t say is far more telling. And in the case of Charlottetown accounting firm Arsenault Best Cameron Ellis what is of interest is whether the firm red flagged any issues surrounding the controversial Provincial Nominee Program. Arsenault Best Cameron Ellis enjoyed a dual role in the provincial nominee story. On one level it acted as the auditor for Island Investment Development Inc., the provincial body that managed the PNP program. On the other hand it acted as one of seven provincially appointed intermediaries that matched potential immigrants to ...

Help Wanted- PEI Agriculture Minister- Starting immediately

In the last week alone, the agriculture industry has taken several significant blows, threatening the very existence of one sector, and leaving many farmers with the likelyhood of going out of business, yet our Provincial Agriculture Minister continues his 'hands-off' approach. First it was McCains on Wednesday dropping as many as 20 of its growers and reducing production by 20-30 percent. Then there was the announcement on Thursday of the Larsens plant in Nova Scotia shutting down for good. Now the few pork producers left on PEI will be forced to lose even more money because now their hogs have ...

We should have kicked Helena Guergis right back to the curb

peicanada.com -
Despite public apologies for her rude, arrogant and mean spirited personal attacks on Air Canada and Charlottetown Airport employees, the question not answered is did federal Cabinet Minister Helena Guergis receive preferential treatment despite her outrageous behaviour. Certainly seems the junior minister benefited from her so-called VIP status. Airport and Air Canada employees went out of their way to help, which is not uncommon. But in their attempt to placate Guergis did employees allow a security hazard on a plane? If you or I came flying into the airport 15 minutes before departure there is little chance we would get on board. If ...

Rural Action Plan- Moving Forward with the Clownshoe Operation

So this week, the Ghiz government made another announcement guised under the umbrella of the Rural Action Plan. No, it's not a new industry, it's not an expansion of existing business or a major tourism development...they're moving a dozen jobs from Milton, PEI...a rural community by the way, to Tignish, PEI...another rural community. Is this the Rural Action Plan strategy? Divide and conquer? I'd hardly call this initiative 'rural development'. There will be little tangible benefit beyond that generated from construction of the new facility, work which will likely go to a company outside the Tignish area anyway. Once you cut ...

The Color Red

 RED is associated with bravery, purity, happiness, good luck, heat, energy, blood, and emotions that "stir the blood", including anger, passion, love, pain, and sacrifice. A lot of people shy away from wearing the color red, due to the fact that it is a strong, intense, and stimulating color. Whether it’s a shiny red sports car, or a Sexy red dress, let’s face it Red attracts attention! We don’t have to wear RED from head to toe, for Valentine’s Day in order to get noticed. As a matter of fact RED works best in small tasteful doses. RED makes a great accent color, or ...

Islanders on a Different Island

peicanada.com -
I grew up in Alberta on a pig farm and then later in Red Deer, but recently I have found myself surrounded by water. How does a Prairie boy get to be surrounded by water? Well, my wife Susan is an Islander and we lived on PEI from 2006 to 2008. I suppose this makes me an Islander from away. Regardless, we’re not on PEI right now; we’re living on another small island in the northeast part of the Caribbean. ...

Rural Action Plan- "Action Plan"? You've got to be kidding!

The Ghiz government released it's Rural Action Plan on Tuesday...one hundred and eight pages of skulldrudgery. A biscuit recipe is more riveting, and at least with biscuits, once you've completed the process there's reward in the end. Not so with this Rural Action Plan. I've read this document several times in the last few days, and in spite of hoping to find some good news, all I've gotten from it is a reeling headache. This was an opportunity for the Ghiz government to get something right. It has failed once again. ...

Shea gets pied

peicanada.com -
Egmont MP, and federal Minster of Fisheries and Oceans, was pied by a seal hunt protester as she was preparing to give a speech Monday at the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters.  The minister was not injured, and did deliver her speech after wiping the cream pie filling off her face. ...