May 31, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsThe
P.E.I. Legislature sits
today from 2-5PM, and 7-9PM. Which should British Columbia use for elections to the
Legislative Assembly? (Vote for only one.) Debate
will likely continue today at some point, as there are lots of amendments
apparently to discuss, too. OPINION: Half-asked legislation - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Ron KellyESRA only goes only half way asking voters about province’s electoral system When is half not half? When it’s half-asked – like the MacLauchlan government’s Electoral System Referendum Act (ESRA). It goes only halfway in asking voters about the province’s electoral system. RELATED: P.E.I. government tables electoral reform referendum legislation This all follows on the heels of the 2016 electoral reform plebiscite. As many Islanders recall, Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) was the top choice in that vote. But what has perhaps been ignored is that the current First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system came in second. The final vote was 19,418 for MMP and 15,869 for FPTP. MMP had 10 per cent more support than FPTP (55.03 per cent to 44.97 per cent). Of course, Premier MacLauchlan quickly declared participation wasn’t high enough to adopt MMP. Strangely, though, he never explained why participation was high enough to maintain FPTP, the second-rated choice. Similarly, when the wording of the referendum planned in conjunction with the next P.E.I. election was revealed, FPTP was nowhere to be seen. Instead, voters will be forced to focus exclusively on MMP in a “no or yes” choice. (If “no or yes” sounds strange, that’s because it is.) Tilting things even further against MMP, calculation of the referendum results will not be by simple majority. The threshold for MMP to succeed has been inflated. MMP must receive support from 50 per cent plus 1 of those who participate in the provincial election – not 50 per cent plus 1 of those who vote in the referendum. One interesting side note is that the government has not identified a turnout level high enough to legitimize the results – even though this was supposedly the reason the government ignored the 2016 plebiscite results. Perhaps this is because it’s done the research and realized that most electoral scholars consider turnout thresholds to be anti-democratic. But let’s assume that turnout in the next provincial election reaches the traditional 80 per cent level. That’s about 82,000 voters. So how many will also participate in the referendum? In 2016, 36.5 per cent of eligible voters participated in the plebiscite despite the ability to vote online, extended voting hours, etc. If we assume that rate doubles to 73 per cent because the referendum will be held at the same time as the election, that’s about 74,500 voters participating in the referendum. If 74,500 voters participate in the referendum, will MMP have to obtain the support of 37,251 of them (50 per cent plus 1) to succeed? No! MMP will have to obtain the support of 41,001 voters – 50 per cent plus one of the 82,000 voters who show up at the polls. That´s 55 per cent of the voters who participate in the referendum. Meanwhile, how much support will FPTP need to remain as the province´s electoral system? Technically, it will not have to obtain any support – because it won’t be on the referendum ballot. In reality, though, FPTP will remain as P.E.I.’s electoral system if, in the scenario above, only 33,500 participants in the referendum vote “No”. That’s about 45 per cent support. So, instead of asking Islanders to choose between MMP and FPTP in a run-off of the top two choices from the 2016 plebiscite, the MacLauchlan government has “loaded the dice” by including only one of the two choices and basing the calculation for success on the numbers participating in the election rather than on the numbers participating in the referendum. Electoral System Referendum Act will truly be a half-asked piece of legislation. - Ron Kelly is a member of the Coalition for Proportional Representation (a group planning to disband Thursday as a response to ‘repressive rules’ under ESRA) who served as chair of the Communications Committee for the Yes side in the 2005 plebiscite on electoral reform ---------------------------------If you wish to sign on to a letter to the federal environment minister about the Northumberland Strait paper mill effluent issue, here is a link: https://www.friendsofthenorthumberlandstrait.ca/send-a-letter-in-one-minute May 30, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsThe P.E.I. Legislature sits from 2-5PM today. Legislative Assembly website link. ----------------------------- From the P.E.I. Legislature, some random notes: Yesterday was one of the most revealing and raucous days in the Provincial Legislature that many of us remember. It started with Question Period and the Opposition asking about paid-for-blood collection versus volunteer-donating. It could seem perfectly reasonable with the current on-a-tear economic vision, anything that can be imported for profit (like certain groups of immigrants) and anything that could be exported for profit (that might include blood products) would be considered fair game, and good for the Opposition to get Government on record. Health Minister Robert Mitchell finally said there were no plans for this. Once there were no plans for selling the Island's ground water as fancy bottled water for export; then there were, and then a big public outcry was needed to have that stopped. Brad Trivers asked about an amalgamation/annexation plan in his District where a large parcel smack in the middle is excluded. The Premier gave a schoolmaster's history lesson about school districts and was completely condescending to him, making grand statements about how long his settler families have been on P.E.I. (much longer than most any of the Oppositions' members, to be sure). Not a very welcoming kind of tone to any newcomers or come-from-aways, others have noted. The late afternoon and early part of the evening (nice of Opposition to give over its time) were for Bill No. 38, The Electoral System Referendum Act, which may have left the listener (when not leaving the room to find Gravol or Rolaids) with the impression that the Proportional Representation proponents are associated with Facebook data breaches, Russia, hate speech, funnelling millions from offshore accounts, and other unsavoryness, instead of hoping to fulfill part of the promise (propelled by the current Premier oh-so-long ago) of Democratic Renewal by modernizing the electoral voting system. Debate was stopped after a while. Wrapping up the night, as news has reported this morning, the final 20 minutes was given over to the passage of Al Roach's (former Liberal Finance Minister) Private Member's Bill Plastic Bag Reduction Act. Apparently, the Liberals -- who have as majority government done nothing to reduce plastic waste -- wanted this Bill passed and cut off debate, which Georgetown-St. Peter's MLA Steven Myers strenuously protested in a broken record fashion ("I want the Speaker called back...I want the Speaker called back...") and then upon his return, the Speaker said, rather paradoxically to Myers, that this should have been dealt with when they were in the Committee of the Whole House. (It was interesting that Myers mentioned that this set a dangerous precedent, and the electoral referendum bill could be next to have debate cut off, after both larger Parties seemed to be singing from the same choir book during the referendum discussion.) The budget and supplementary estimates were passed, a sure sign Government wants to get the session completed, so stay tuned today as the Referendum legislation and I think the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation have not been voted on. ------------------------------- May 29th, 2018 Regarding the $4.5+ billion purchase of Kinder Morgan pipeline:
We strongly oppose: 1. this fossil fuel promotion gift to a corrupt company (link to National Observer article from 2016), 2. this dismissal of Indigenous rights and the importance of protecting waterways from deadly pollution, 3. the wasted opportunity to invest in a clean energy future instead of trying to build this pipeline, and 4. the huge carbon emissions that would result from expanding the tar/oil sands. How could this proposed purchase be the right decision for
anyone except Kinder Morgan shareholders? When our grandchildren ask why your
government gave away $4.5Billion for a dead-end scheme, how will you ever try
to answer? May 29, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsHarry Smith, in one of his letters printed a two days ago, attributed the words to the song "Stuck in the Middle with You" to Bob Dylan, but it was Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan, in 1972, of the Scottish folk band Stealers Wheel. Apologies for any earworms and bad fashion flashbacks the video may cause if played at the link. ---------------------------------- The P.E.I.
Legislature is back in for the week, sitting today from 2-5PM and 7-9PM. LETTER: Government dictates to voters - The Guardian Letter to the EditorRe: “Democracy red alert” article in the Guardian. I think if we are to have a referendum on Proportional Representation (PR) or any other subject for that matter, whoever comes out and votes in it, these should be the only votes that count, and the majority should win. That's how democracy works.How does Bill 38 do this? If you do not vote in this referendum
for/against PR, it basically counts as a vote against PR. Your 'non-vote' taken
away by the Bill 38 and used as a vote against PR. How does that feel? How is
that democracy? Do you feel your rights are being violated?
"Under the proposed Act, if less than half of all
general election voters participate in the referendum, then even if 100 percent
of referendum voters say they want change, the result is still not considered
‘binding." - Anna Keenan. It feels to me that the Liberal government would like to
dictate rather than encourage voters to have a voice and listen to that voice.
This is an act to suppress Islanders and will only lead to disdain in our
communities.
What respect can we expect? Well, I think we should expect
this Bill 38, which dismantles the right for an individual's vote to count and
basically votes for an individual in a referendum when they do not vote, to be
quashed.
What politicians in legislature have enough respect for all
of us, to get rid of Bill 38? It should not even exist.
Karalee McAskill, Stratford ------------------------------------- Word is that the Trudeau government may announce this morning (11AM our time) that it is going to buy the Kinder-Morgan pipeline. This would perhaps join the list of white elephants governments in the past have bought with great plans (which only benefit certain sectors of society) and with taxpayer money. The Council of Canadians writes here this morning. Here is a LeadNow petition to be delivered this morning: https://act.leadnow.ca/stop-the-kinder-morgan-bailout/ And their phone-a Cabinet-Minister-campaign for today: https://act.leadnow.ca/call-a-minister-about-kinder-morgan/ May 28, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsFrench Election School Board elections are today. More information from Elections PEI, here. Tonight:May Community Vegan Potluck, 6:30PM, Haviland Club, details here. ------------------------------- Political Commentators Rick MacLean and Paul MacNeill, were on CBC Compass to talk for a couple of minutes about the Proportional Representation referendum legislation, the nasty Bill No. 38. Right now, I can only direct you to the Citizens' Alliance Facebook page to see where it was shared. Tomorrow or Wednesday we will see what happens with this Bill. -------------------------------- More comments regarding the P.E.I. Legislature, which does not sit today: The Opposition Progressive Conservatives have had four Bills pass in the past year, and good for them. It's obvious that they have had to use persistence and really strike at the heart of a need that legislation could improve a particular issue. Former NHL star Theo Fleury came to P.E.I. last week for a Tory fundraising dinner, but also to talk on the floor of the Legislature about Bill 116 (which would provide paid leave for domestic violence, intimate partner violence, or sexual violence leave), in a moving afternoon of revelation and reflection, and trauma and healing through relationships, and channeling that energy into positive change. More on Theo Fleury's time at the P.E.I. Legislature on James Aylward's Facebook page Worth the five minutes to watch it. He says that it's not so much what's in Bill 116, but the big picture of making strides on acknowledging and supporting people, with trauma, mental health and additions issues. -------------------- Other legislation not coming from this 11-year Government, but others, include MLA Al Roach's Plastic Bag Reduction Act, which is close to passing; and after the ridiculous antics of J. Alan McIsaac (with Roach's seconding the ploy), Bush Dumville's Red Fox as Emblem Private Member's Bill. --------------------------------------------- As far as reviewing what the budget estimates are really saying, and what they aren't, the Opposition Parties have worked very hard, despite some members of the Government party pushing along sections by calling out "Carry" before people have had time to turn a page. Hannah Bell has been particularly careful and found many inconsistencies in places, and fellow Green Party MLA Peter Bevan-Baker, and Brad Trivers and Jamie Fox, and most of the other Tories really questioning priorities and spending. They have also commented favourably when Government has made improvements. -------------------------------- "It is important for me to share my experiences in order to create strength and hope for others. No matter how far down you go, it is never too late to come back." --Theoren Fleury May 27, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsToday: LETTER 1: Clowns to the left, jokers to the right - The Guardian Letter to the EditorAnother provincial greenwashing announcement was disseminated today, under the heading “Province acts to address climate change.” This announcement contains the customary self-congratulatory comment about how well we're doing and mentions an undefined “Low Carbon Economy Fund” which most likely will never see the light of day (remember “Hydrogen Village,” anyone?) Then suddenly we're discussing “the city” – no segue, so at that point one can only assume it is Charlottetown. Ah yes, it is, with more self-congratulatory verbiage, most of it false, about how the city has been working for years, blab, blab, blab. Just one actual-fact example is that every single vehicle owned by the city is fossil fueled, with no real plan to use alternative fueled vehicles which have a lower life-cycle cost and don't continue the poisoning of our environment. Then we get to the crux of the announcement – throwing the population a rebate on electric taxes. No justification in terms of climate change impact, but it's coming onto election time. The rebate is also extended to other sources of heat, including wood, with the totally false assertion that wood is a lower emitting fuel. From a large UK study, speaking of emissions, we see this: “harvesting wood from naturally regenerating forest...(produces) a staggering five times that of coal.” Dylan said it best.: “Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right.”. Are we ever going to get serious about doing our part to address climate change in any meaningful way?
Harry Smith, Bonshaw http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/letter-true-comments-weak-responses-212904/ LETTER2: True comments; weak responses - The Guardian Letter to the EditorThe new P.E.I. Climate Change Plan is full of cognitive dissonance, with realistic statements about the current and coming problems we have to address, coupled with weak, non-action responses. One of the more outlandish proposals in the plan is one that the minister has doubled down on in the press. That is the elimination of a portion of the tax on electricity. That would be a fair action in its own right, since other forms of heat do not pay that portion of the tax presently. However, the reasoning goes off the rails in the justification put forth for the action. The hope is that by providing perhaps a couple of hundred dollars a year in tax relief, people will spend thousands to rip out oil furnaces and replace them with electric heat systems. Based on the tax reduction, the payback on that action would be in the 25-35 year range. Adding to the fantasy potential of this proposal, people switching would have to pony up the entire cost up front. Aside from some money for low income families, everyone would be on their own. Nothing else in the Plan provides for Provincial loans, grants or other assistance. Finally, the tax reduction would only level the playing field with oil heat anyway, so there would really be no tax advantage to switching. Would this incentivize you? And, as the minister says, this is our answer to carbon pricing?
Harry Smith, Bonshaw Hit Fossil Fuels Where It Hurts – the Bottom Line - Rolling Stone article by Bill McKibbonThe divestment movement is having a big impact, and holdouts may be missing their one great chance to really change the world <snip> The movement for fossil-fuel divestment was partly born in the pages of this magazine six years ago, when an essay of mine went unexpectedly viral. That piece showed the new math of climate change: The big oil, gas and coal producers had reserves in the ground that contained five times the carbon any scientist said we could burn and stay below the catastrophic temperature rises that the planet’s governments had pledged to avoid. That is, the business plans of Exxon and Chevron and Shell and the rest committed them to wrecking the planet – simple math, simple physics and simple morality. If it’s wrong to wreck the planet, it’s wrong to profit from the wreckage. <snip>rest of article at the link May 26, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsToday: Activities include a plant sale, seed swap, garden tool tune-up,
workshops, marketplace, garden tour and more. Hand made sourdough
pizzas will be available to purchase for lunch from Chef Alex Bevan-Baker of
Fatta a Mono. Workshops: -------------------------- Hedgerows and Windbreaks, 10AM-11:30AM, Macphail Woods Ecological Project, donations accepted. Inside introductions and a walk outside with demonstrations. P.E.I. Symphony Day, 11AM-mindnight, PEI Brewing Company, "We're celebrating our 50th birthday with an entire day of free performances across Charlottetown! No cover charge for any of the following events, though donations are accepted! DAYTIME I do not know how citizen reporters like Kevin Arsenault can grasp a situaion and write about it so effortlessly, but Arsenault spells out so much in his Facebook posting about the call for a land review, that I appreciate being able to share it: A REVIEW OF THE CALL FOR A LAND REVIEW - Facebook posting by Kevin J. ArsenaultFacebook, Friday, May 25th, 2018 [Legislative Assembly, Friday, May 25, 2018] Today in the House during “Reports from Committees,” we heard a short update on the work of the Standing Committee on Communities, Lands and Environment. PC Opposition MLA, Brad Trivers – who sits on this committee – responded with a number of important points and observations, especially concerning issues related to the review of land purchases by corporations and non-residents which Hon. Richard Brown, Minister of Communities, Lands and Environment, indicated he has asked IRAC to undertake. But has he really? Brown spoke at the NFU District Annual Convention on April 3, 2018 (which I attended) where he first announced he HAD asked IRAC to undertake a land review to make sure the Lands Protection Act was being followed. He was bluntly told then by several NFU members that no one believed the rules were being broken, but rather, "loopholes" were being exploited and action was needed to plug them. As it turns out, Richard Brown (yes, I'm tagging you Richard, since you are my Facebook Friend) hadn't actually asked IRAC to commence a review at that time at all, but only gave them a “head's up” that he WOULD BE asking them to do a review at some point in the future. About three weeks later (April 23, 20180, Minister Brown told the media that he had asked IRAC to undertake a review of land purchase with headlines reading in the “present tense”: “P.E.I. government orders review of land ownership to determine if any rules being broken.” [http://www.cbc.ca/…/pei-non-resident-land-ownership-richard…] But, as it turns out, the PEI government still hadn't ordered IRAC to undertake a review, but just gave them another “head's up” that they would eventually be asking them to undertake a review at some point in the future. How do I know this? Because IRAC can't undertake a review without written “Terms of Reference,” outlining what that review is to entail, and IRAC hadn't been given any "Terms of Reference" for a review as of April 23, 2018. In fact, IRAC hadn't been given any Terms of Reference as of May 10, 2018. How do I know this? I attended e a strategy meeting with NFU officials on May 10 at the North Milton Hall, and we contacted Minister Brown's office asking for a copy of the Terms of Reference for the Land review IRAC was undertaking. We received an email message from Deputy Michele Dorsey later that same day saying "They [Terms of Reference for the Land Review] are under development." Is Minister Brown finished developing them yet? Has IRAC received them and begun its work? No one apparently knows but the Minister (feel free to tell us in a comment Richard) and Scott MacKenzie (CEO of IRAC). Trivers asked about the land review timeline today, but given that it was a response to the report update (and not Question Period) those questions remained unanswered. In my previous Guest Opinion on the land review by IRAC published in Island Newspapers [https://kevinjarsenault.com/…/we-need-remedies-not-a-rules…/], I suggested that if the review is only looking at whether the letter of the Lands Protection Act is being followed, then it represents a colossal waste of time and money and amounts to nothing more than a “kick the can down the road” delay tactic in an obvious attempt by the government to look like urgent land isse problems are being addressed when they are not Equally concerning is the fact that it's been 1/2 a year since letters went out to Cavendish Farms, Vanco Farms and the Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society (GEBIS) asking them to appear before the Standing Committee to discuss land issues, and there's still no indication when (or even "if") that will take place. If this Liberal government truly believed that Land issues are as important as they say they are, the Liberal-controlled standing committee would be meeting a lot more frequently, as Trivers aptly notes in his response. ------------------------------- Merged Bayer-Monsanto will corner the market on farm data and software - DesMoines Register column by Angela Huffmanby Angela Huffman, Register Opinion contributor The Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to approve the merger between Bayer and Monsanto. If that happens, the world’s newest and largest seed and chemical company will have more in common with Facebook and Cambridge Analytica than meets the eye. In recent years, large agrochemical companies, including Bayer and Monsanto, have been heavily investing in digital agriculture. This new platform involves collecting data from farms, then building mathematical models and algorithms aimed at giving farmers real-time information on how to grow and manage their crops. There are a number of ag tech start-ups producing digital agriculture products. However, it appears that Monsanto and Bayer are trying to become like the Microsoft of the late-1990s and control the future of this emerging industry. Bayer has reportedly agreed to divest all of its digital agriculture assets to assuage the fears of antitrust regulators. Don’t be fooled by this misdirection. Bayer never even released its digital farming platform, Xarvio Field Manager, in the United States, but the company will be happy to take over Monsanto’s similar products. Monsanto’s Climate FieldView serves the same purpose, providing crop analysis and generating suggestions to farmers for seed planting and fertilizer use. The program is spreading like wildfire. In 2017, Monsanto set a goal of collecting data from 25 million premium acres. By the end of the year, the company reached 35 million. Monsanto is expecting to collect data from 50 million premium acres across the globe by the end of its 2018 fiscal year. The Climate FieldView platform is starting to look more like Microsoft’s Windows than a simple tool to help farmers maximize yield. In August 2016, Monsanto announced its intent to build a “centralized and open data platform” for digital farming start-ups to build software products and sell them to farmers. Think of a combination of Windows and the Apple App Store, where Monsanto gets access to both the data and part of the profit. This new platform is one of the most valuable assets Bayer is set to acquire. Monsanto does not allow products that compete with its own products onto the platform, but the combined company will surely integrate Bayer’s pesticides business into the platform, while more start-ups will be excluded. A combined Bayer and Monsanto would be able to leverage massive data platforms to muscle out innovative start-up companies looking to revolutionize data-driven farming. The combined company would have a near monopoly, a true one-stop-shop, for farming data and farming software. It stands to reason that if Bayer and Monsanto combine to increase their dominance over digital farming, they will use their near monopoly on farmer data to sell more of their chemicals and seeds to farmers. Farmers recognize the risk. Based on a recent poll, farmers are concerned that a merged Bayer and Monsanto would use market dominance for one product to push sales of other products. Nearly 92 percent of farmers surveyed are also concerned that Bayer-Monsanto will control data about farm practices. In 2015 testimony, Blake Hurst of the Missouri Farm Bureau put it most succinctly when he envisioned “a smart phone ad arriving within seconds of a farmer encountering weed or insect damage while he’s harvesting his crop.” DOJ has neglected to do its job and prevent harm to American farmers and consumers by allowing the merger to proceed. Our antitrust laws have failed if the divestment of products that never even made it to the United States is enough to convince regulators that all is well for the future of digital farming. No divestment will be enough to prevent Bayer and Monsanto from cornering the start-up market for digital farming. DOJ should not tolerate the potential abuses of data and enforce our antitrust laws. The only answer is to block the merger. Angela Huffman is a sixth-generation farmer and an advocate for economic justice through anti-monopoly reform. She is the director of communications and research for the Organization for Competitive Markets, a think tank focused on antitrust and trade policy in agriculture. An update on the merger from Canada from April 2018:(not sure who is behind this site) https://amp-realagriculture-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.realagriculture.com/2018/04/competition-bureau-still-reviewing-bayer-monsanto-deal/ A March 2018 article from USC, which encourages "farmer-led alternatives to a consolidated seed market." https://www.usc-canada.org/resources/news/item/645-the-bayer-monsanto-merger-is-bad-news-for-farmers-and-everyone-else/645-the-bayer-monsanto-merger-is-bad-news-for-farmers-and-everyone-else May 25, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsToday, the P.E.I. Legislature sits from 10AM-1PM.
Watch Live link and reference materials here: The Opposite of Proportional is Disproportional - Blog posting by Peter RukavinaPublished on Thursday, May 24th, 2018, published on his blog, here: I have been following the progress of Bill No. 38, Electoral System Referendum Act in the Legislative Assembly this spring with interest. I’ve read the draft bill through many times, and my discomfort increases with each reading; indeed I’ve started half a dozen blog posts to try and get at the heart of what irks me, but I’ve abandoned all of them as I could never find my way there. Until now. The heart of my discontent, I have discovered, lies in the very purpose of the bill, laid out in section 2: The purpose of this Act is to make the process for the referendum transparent and fair, by (a) establishing the referendum question; (b) providing for the appointment of a Referendum Commissioner who is an officer of the Legislative Assembly and who will oversee related matters leading up to and after the referendum vote; and (c) establishing a level playing field for those who wish to publicly oppose or support a change to the voting system as set out in the referendum question, by providing for equal public funding for organizations who register as registered referendum advertisers and are opposing or supporting one or the other of the possible answers to the referendum question, and by limiting spending on paid advertising in a reasonable manner, for the public good, so that residents of the province have the opportunity to make a decision that is based on information from both points of view. I have been a card-carrying member of the patriarchy for more than 50 years, and so have more than passing familiarity both with the mechanisms we use to maintain our lock on running things, and with the lies we choose to tell ourselves and others as to why that’s okay. But I’ve also spent a lot of those years trying to listen, sometimes successfully, to the voices of the marginalized, and to better understand my privilege. And if I’ve learned nothing else it is that those holding the reigns of power are incapable of establishing what is transparent, fair, and “a level playing field.” This is not because we are evil, or have impure motives, it is simply because power obscures the ability to understand what lack of power entails. For hundreds of years Prince Edward Island has been governed by a democracy that does not reflect the depth and breadth of the population: we have lived, for myriad reasons, with a legislature that is disproportionately representative of a narrow slice of the population (wealthy, white, able-bodied, capitalist, property-owning men). We are all trapped inside this system to the point where attempts to point this out are characterized as destabilizing. And so when the government of the day introduces a bill claiming to establish a “level playing field,” we should be suspicious, especially when the through-line put forward by many members of that government–and, indeed, by some opposition members–is that our last electoral reform plebiscite was hijacked by mysterious forces from away (of the 24 pages in the draft bill, 9 lay out a complex system of free speech abrogation that seems designed entirely as a reaction to this unfounded paranoia). The proposed referendum question itself is perhaps the best evidence that the playing field is not level: Should Prince Edward Island change its voting system to a mixed member proportional voting system? Put another way, this question might read “Should Prince Edward Island maintain a voting system that disproportionately reflects some citizens?”, but, again, it’s impossible for those developing the question to see the issue in that light, as their position prevents them from accepting that this might be the case. I’m the first to admit that it’s really, really hard to bootstrap a jurisdiction out of a system to which we’ve become so inured as to consider it normal. But Bill 38 is not the right answer: it is the patriarchy’s response to rumblings of discontent that it seeks to stanch not understand. We can do better. ------------------------------ LETTER: Time for MLAs to step forward - The Guardian Letter to the EditorI’m writing this letter in the hope the majority of Liberal MLAs will stand tall and do what they know to be right. Oppose Bill 38 and demand amendments to this attempt to stack the vote. Do what the people elected you to do, and look after their interests.Fail in this, then ask yourselves how you will face Islanders in the next election. Imagine how you will be greeted on the doorsteps. I doubt it will be pleasant. It is time to show you have integrity and pride in the position to which you were elected. Follow your conscience and do what you were elected and paid to do. The alternative to this is to leave politics; five of your colleagues have already done so, and I suspect more could follow. If you wish to continue in politics, then this is surely the time to make an honest decision. Food for some serious thought.
F. Ben Rodgers, Abram-Village We here at Island Studies are very sad to share the news that one of the "godfathers" of Island Studies is seriously ill and is in Palliative Care in Charlottetown. Harry Baglole was the founding Director of the Institute of Island Studies, and the visionary behind much of what has taken place in Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island since 1985 - as well as many of the Island's cultural institutions such as Ragweed Press, The Island Magazine, the Macphail Homestead, the Bonshaw Hall, and the Vinland Society. And he is one of the original Brothers and Sisters of Cornelius Howatt, which seriously, through serious and not-to-serious writings and actions, sought to point out the distressing paths Prince Edward Island was being led down by corporate and big government interests in the 1970s and 80s. Sending him admiration and appreciation for all his words and works, and wishing ease and peace to him and loved ones.May 24, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsThe P.E.I. Legislature sits from 2-5PM and 7-9PM today. You can watch on-line here or on Eastlink or attend in the Gallery. This afternoon is traditionally Opposition time (after the Welcomes and Question Period) and the evening could be anything decided by Government. Organized to Lead Plenary talk: "Confronting Gender-based
Cyberviolence Against Women in Politics", 6:15-7:45PM, MacDougall
Hall, UPEI. Plenary session of the three-day "Organized to Lead:
Provincial Symposium for Women", sponsored by the Coalition for Women in
Government, with Dr. Shanly Dixon, Digital Literacy Expert, and panelists
Joanne Bernard, Former Nova Scotia MLA and Cabinet Minister, and Becka Viau,
Former P.E.I. Provincial and Federal Candidate. ------------------------------- LETTER: Forfeit morals for french fries - The Guardian Letter to the EditorI see where Robert Irving has paid us a visit and expressed his concern about the near failure of the potato crop last year. It was spoiled by a last-minute rain fall; does this mean that God is on his side.
My opinion is this: Robert Irving should
return to New Brunswick and stay there. My opinion is, the Irving’s are the main force behind ruining the potato
and farming industries on P.E.I. Years ago, P.E.I. was the potato capital of
North America. If someone wanted a top class of table potato, a P.E.I. potato
was the #1 choice above the Idaho. If you don’t believe me ask an older and
wiser person. Then the Irving’s landed and along with the government of the day,
persuaded and encouraged the local farmers to forfeit their morals and values
and sign on to the Irving way. They dug up, tore up, leveled and eliminated all or most of the picturesque
small farms of P.E.I. They called it progress. Now, except for a few honest hard-working
farmers, you can’t get a decent potato for the dinner table. All for the sake
of a perfect Irving french fry potato. Some would say you can’t blame all this
on the Irving’s. I guess that greed is contagious, the government and the
farmers of the day jumped right on board. I say enough is enough. No deep water
wells. We don’t need you to ruin our water system.
Gavin Boylan, Charlottetown ------------------------------- Here is another way, from Coast Protectors, to find out more about what federal whistleblowers are saying about the Kinder Morgan pipeline situation in Alberta-British Columbia -- by asking our Prime Minister and his Cabinet to release the records about giving "cabinet the legally-sound basis to say 'yes' to Trans Mountain." Link with more information and petition: https://www.coastprotectors.ca/tell_trudeau_release_the_secret_kinder_morgan_cabinet_records -------------------------------- Northern Pulp has been running "sponsored" stories on the digital edition of the Chronicle-Herald. David Patriquin is the administrator for the NSForestNotes website and compiles this article for the very informative website about the "certain-biased news": http://nsforestnotes.ca/2018/04/25/northern-pulp-makes-its-too-big-to-fail-case-and-i-wonder-about-sponsored-content-in-the-chronicle-herald/ -------------------------------- People see a lot of "sponsored" content on Facebook, but it takes another tone when it's coming from politicians:  May 23, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsThe P.E.I. Legislature
sits from 2-5PM today. Legislators will have the evening off to rest their
voices. Pints and Politics with NDP Leader Joe Byrne, 7-9PM, Upstreet Craft Brewing, Allen Street. Chat politics with Joe and friends.
Tomorrow, Thursday, May 24th: "Confronting Gender-based Cyberviolence Against Women in Politics", 6:15-7:45PM, MacDougall Hall, UPEI. Plenary session of the three-day "Organized to Lead: Provincial Symposium for Women", sponsored by the Coalition for Women in Government, with Dr. Shanly Dixon, Digital Literacy Expert, and panel. More details at website ----------------------------------------------- Yesterday, the Provincial Legislature was a busy place (as if they realized "Summer is coming" and it was time to prepare). Question Period featured a report mentioned here and other places by Kevin Arsenault on the question of the legality of the destruction of the communications on the e-gaming matter, comparing it to a situation and ruling in Ontario, by investigator and commentator Kevin J. Arsenault. The Collective Laugh by most Government MLAs when Arsenault's name was mentioned was a bit puerile, and reminds one of the "laughs last, laughs best" proverb. Arsenault, who has been making many of us laugh (in near gallows humour) with a now two-month series of cartoons entitled "Wade's World", commented on the afternoon on his Facebook page, here. There were lots of questions about the "IIDI" and later in the evening, about adding more seats to the Board than the five Deputy Ministers which make it up, now. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder under Workers' Compensation was agreed upon pretty much to everyone's satisfaction. The original Progressive Conservative bill was given Royal Assent and immediately amended by Government, and the Unions gave cautious approval to the changes and will keep an eye on things. Campaign Finance Reform came up, too (more later). -------------- The Evening session was most interesting as far as the introduction for second reading of Bill 38 on the Voting Systems referendum, and before the House broke into a Committee of the Whole House, Peter Bevan-Baker spoke. And spoke. The video is here, and it is an hour that really could be "A History of Democracy, Good and Bad" on P.E.I., with emphasis on the last few year. A heartfelt, careful essay. Well worth making time for. Video here, about a half-hour in: http://www.assembly.pe.ca/archives/index.php?file=20180522&number=2&year=2018 And that was where debate on that Bill paused yesterday. ------------------------------- "The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." -- Alice Walker,
author May 22, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsThe
P.E.I. Legislature sits today from 2-5PM and 7-9PM. The Watch Live link,
and links to committees and to the text of Bills and Motions are found on the Legislative Assembly
website. Workshops:
-------------------------------
A Tale of Two Cities - The Island Farmer article by Ian Petrie
Published on Wednesday, May 16th, 2018 The best of times, the worst of times, playing out right in front of us. On PEI, it’s a good moment to be a dairy farmer.Yes they’re waiting for the final text of new trade deals that will hurt a bit, but ADL, the dairy owned by the province's 165 milk producers, is expanding to handle increased production, and it recently won awards for its cheese making excellence. Compare that with dairy farmers just across the border in New England. They’ve been losing money for close to three years, and with the last milk cheque received something extra, a list of suicide and mental health hotlines. News reports quote Doug DiMento, a director of communications with Massachusetts’s dairy Agri-Mark, "We've had some recent instances and we did have one farmer commit suicide recently.” The contrast between the two is shocking. The daily grind of milking cows, and falling further and further behind is taking its toll in the U.S. Farmers there are getting about 60% of their cost of production and the outlook for the next year shows no signs of recovery. Tina Carlin, executive director of Farm Women United and a Pennsylvania farmer herself, is quoted in another news story. “We wouldn’t need the suicide hotline, we wouldn’t need the mental health services, if dairy farmers were getting paid what they deserve to be paid,” Carlin says. And there’s the difference right there. In Canada, supply management limits production to demand and assures efficient farmers a reasonable profit. It’s a system that’s detested by the business media and free enterprise fanatics (hello Maxime Bernier), but is critical to farmers in the Maritimes.Farmers are paid fairly, and just as important dairies here have a chance to find their place in the market. To its credit ADL has gone a step further. Jim Bradley, ADL’s CEO told Atlantic Business Magazine, “There is pressure to compete from a cost point of view and make things as inexpensive as you can. Sometimes you can cut corners or there are things you can use to improve yield or the curing time for cheese,” he says. “We don’t cut any corners or use any artificial enzymes or flavour enhancers. We’ve made a decision we’re not going to compromise quality. People are willing to pay a little more for a premium product.” ADL’s Dairy Isle cheese won several awards last fall at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and the British Empire Cheese Show. Two other things are going on in the U.S. dairy industry that highlight differences with Canada. Dairy farmers there are desperately lobbying for government support, a subsidy that assures a floor price closer to the cost of production. Dairy producers in Canada get no government support. And the makeup of the U.S. dairy industry is quickly changing. Smaller farms are disappearing, and fewer but much larger farms are taking their place, many milking 500 cows or more (25% of U.S. farms now produce 86% of the milk). In Canada the industry is mostly medium sized farms (70 cows on average). You will hear the Canadian system vilified by U.S. politicians, especially Donald Trump (he calls it a “disgrace” and “another typical one-sided deal against the U.S.”). The rhetoric increased over the last year after Canadian farmers agreed to produce a protein powder used in the cheese industry (not by ADL) at the same low price as U.S. imports. This just added to the oversupply of milk in northern U.S. states, and put further pressure on prices. Many American farmers however say something different. Lorraine Lewandrowski, a New York dairy farmer told a reporter that the low prices are forcing farmers to produce more and increasing the oversupply. She says she’d prefer a system like Canada’s, where production is limited to what the market will buy. Yes Canadian consumers do pay more for dairy products than Americans, but it is based on a cost of production formula, not as Maxime Bernier characterizes it as a “cartel” and a “production racket”. While making the Holstein cow the provincial animal needs more thought, as Islanders we should feel proud of the successes of the dairy industry. It employs a lot of people, allows farmers to properly maintain their land, gives farm families a middle class income and something of value to pass on to future generations. And the regulated marketing system that allows all of this prevents the spectre of suicide stalking so many farm communities just to our south. It’s a system worth protecting. May 21, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsHope
you are having a pleasant and restful Victoria Day.
And notes the campaign will inform you about opportunities to participate in your community, provide a "Tool kit and resources for communicating with local governments and manufacturers."  May 20, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsA
few of the several articulate voices of concern about the Electoral Voting
Systems Referendum legislation proposed (Bill No. 38) OPINION: High price of free speech - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Brenda Oslawskypublished on Thursday, May 17th, 2018, in The Guardian Unprecedented fines far higher than anything applied under Election Expenses Act When the provincial Liberal government introduced its Electoral System Referendum Act last Thursday, the price of free speech reached a new high. On the face of it, the $75,000 in funds available to both the proponent and opponent sides seems generous, but the trade-off is a muzzle on freedom of expression. In the 2016 plebiscite, Elections P.E.I. spent hundreds of thousands on their public education campaign, even though they sent the brochure out only once, instead of twice as we had been told they were planning. That scrapped mailing in July or August meant that when the coalition started going door-to-door in September, a lot of voters were unaware of the plebiscite. In October, after the one and only mailing had been sent out, it was apparent to volunteers that awareness of the vote had increased significantly — but many were still unaware of the vote, or what it was about. In addition to the government’s modest efforts, the coalition raised $75,000 in funds and in-kind donations for its own educational campaign It appears that neither Elections P.E.I. nor the government plans any educational campaign. So that begs the question, if it took hundreds of thousands of dollars to convince 37,000 to vote in 2016, how can the government honestly expect that markedly less money will inform substantially more Islanders about the choice they are being asked to make this time? No groups who are advocating for one position or the other will have sufficient funds to print and mail anything to all residences on the island. And should a community group with some initiative think about raising additional funds to make up for the government shortfall — not an option. The fines for transgressing this legislation even slightly are steep. As laid out in Section 26 of the bill, which includes a personal liability clause, should a person or organization spend even a penny over the $500 limit, the individual responsible will be fined $10,000. And should the Referendum Commissioner feel that any member of an organization knew of the transgression, they will be fined the same amount as well. That should dry up volunteer recruitment quite nicely. These fines are unprecedented in Island history and far higher and more draconian than anything applied to candidates and parties under the Election Expenses Act. One can only conclude that the onerous fines outlined in this Act here and now are designed to produce a serious chill effect — and for what? To intimidate those trying to educate voters about proportional representation — which provides better oversight, transparency and accountability and is used by most democracies around the world? We should be ensuring that as broad and thorough a discussion as possible happens. Instead, it seems that the government is trying to do the opposite. Ultimately, this Act might not be so much about levelling the playing field as plowing it under. - Brenda Oslawsky is a member of the P.E.I. Coalition for Proportional Representation and is vice-president of Fair Vote Canada. -------------------------------- ALAN HOLMAN: Riddled with unfairness - The Guardian column by Alan HolmanPeople who don’t vote credited with no vote simply by not marking their ballot It’s a question of fairness. While the MacLauchlan government deserves some credit for changing the Island’s election financing rules, it falls short on the rules for the up-coming referendum. The changes to the Election Financing Act will prohibit corporations and unions from giving money to political parties or candidates. However, individual Islanders can give up to $3,000 a year to the political party, or candidate of their choice. This will be a major change for political fund raisers in the province. In 2016, the Liberal Party publicly raised $321,000, but, only about a third of it came from individuals, the rest came from business interests. The Tories raised $150,000, and again, about a third of that money was from individuals. In 2016, the NDP raised just under $15,000, and of that money only a third, $5,000 came from unions, and the Green Party raised $9,500, all from individuals. (**CO note that these numbers many not be accurate but being double-checked**) In 2015, the Liberals spent just shy of $920,000 to elect 18 MLAs, the Tories spent almost $560,000 and elected eight, the Greens spent just over $26,000 and elected one, while the NDP spent close to $68,000 and didn’t elect anyone. But for the anomaly of the Greens, looking at those numbers it would seem that money plays a part in running a successful province-wide campaign. Which brings us to the Electoral System Referendum Act which could change the Island’s voting system to one of proportional representation. Among both traditional parties there are supporters who favour changing the system. However, most of the Liberal and Conservative hierarchy want the system to stay just the way it is. It’s worked well for them. And, when there were only two parties, the system did work. But, not now with four contending parties, it doesn’t work democratically. As was recently written in Toronto’s Globe, ‘today we get majority governments elected by a minority of citizens.’ Which was what happened on the Island in the last election; the Liberals won 66 per cent of the seats with only 40 per cent of the popular vote. This is perceived by many as unfair. There are aspects of the Referendum Act that are also unfair. Start with the money. It took the Liberals nearly $1,000,000 and the Tories half that amount to run their province-wide campaigns in the last election. Yet, the Liberals have decreed that the province-wide referendum campaigns must be conducted for $75,000, less than 10 per cent of what they spent on their last campaign. The bill also prohibits anyone from raising or using any money other than $75,000 the government will provide. In 2016 the government wouldn’t recognize the results of the plebiscite, claiming there wasn’t a sufficient turnout. But, turnout wasn’t an issue until after the ballots were counted. This gave an anti-change vote to people who didn’t even cast a ballot. A similar rule is being used in the up-coming referendum. For proportional representation to be successful it has to get votes from over 50 per cent of the registered voters, not just over 50 per cent of the ballots cast. Once again, people who don’t vote will be credited with a no vote simply by not marking the ballot. Using this criteria in the 2015 election, the Liberals would have needed 50,000 votes to form the government. They only got 33,478. Two-thirds of eligible Island voters didn’t want Wade MacLauchlan to be premier. What’s sauce for the goose, should be sauce for the gander. - Alan Holman is a freelance journalist living in Charlottetown. He can be reached at: acholman@pei.eastlink.ca
------------------------------- LETTER: Referendum Act needs amendments - The Guardian Letter to the EditorWhen Jordan Brown, MLA for Charlottetown-Brighton, tabled Bill 38 (The Electoral System Referendum Act), I felt frustrated and angry — both as a supporter for proportional representation and more generally as a resident of P.E.I. A recent guest opinion piece “Democracy red alert” raised my awareness and understanding of the bill and how we can move forward. I live in District 12 and my MLA is Richard Brown. I would like for Mr. Brown to bring forth amendments to the bill and to address the issues such as the limits and bans on spending, the threshold for change, and lack of expense allowance for education to help inform islanders about proportional representation. If you are reading this — regardless of whether you support proportional representation or not—please ask your MLA to review Bill 38 and ask them to propose amendments before the bill comes into force. Brittany Jakubiec, Charlottetown List of Members of the Legislative Assembly and their contact information:http://www.assembly.pe.ca/current-members May 19, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsFarmers'
Markets are open from 9AM-2PM in Charlottetown and 9M-1PM in Summerside. Charlottetown is
continuing their "Adopt a Pothole" project, where you can donate at
various vendors' booths and they will eventually get to name a pothole with
funds raised. EDITORIAL: A simmering hot potato - The Guardian EditorialGovernment awaits results of scientific study measuring effects of deep-water wells on province’s water table and recharge rates. The opening salvo in the 2018 debate on high capacity wells on Prince Edward Island was fired Monday by Cavendish Farms president Robert K. Irving — coming on the eve of a new potato planting season. The controversial issue of an agricultural moratorium on deep-water wells was on hiatus since legislators debated the new Water Act, passed last December with a final amendment to ban fracking. The act outlines how P.E.I.’s groundwater supply should be monitored, regulated and protected – but was oddly silent on those wells. Mr. Irving said the only thing which saved P.E.I.’s 2017 potato crop from being decimated by dry weather was one, timely, heavy rainfall. His comments are a warning that Cavendish Farms seeks guaranteed quality and quantity from its contract growers — a result enhanced by lifting the moratorium. Mr. Irving noted the light P.E.I. crop last year couldn't meet the company’s processing needs and it had to import a lot of spuds. Supplemental irrigation is supported by the P.E.I. Potato Board, whose request to lift the 2002 moratorium resulted in an intense, province-wide debate the past three years, culminating with a white paper and finally passage of the landmark Water Act. Water is especially important to Islanders because we’re so vulnerable. Groundwater is our only source and there is concern that additional high capacity wells will deplete our water table, the aquifer could collapse and sea water will rush in. Deep-water wells shouldn’t be solely a potato issue. Of the 288 wells today, which the province classifies as high capacity, agricultural irrigation accounts for 36. The biggest users are cities and towns with 87 wells while aquaculture uses 62 — but many of those are salt water. Other users include industrial/commercial, fire departments and golf courses. And don't forget the 20,000 low-capacity wells in residential use. While opponents are quick to protest wells drilled for potatoes or aquaculture, they were silent when a new wellfield — bristling with deep-water wells — was drilled to provide additional sources for Charlottetown’s growing water needs. It’s a case of discrimination based on population. The P.E.I. potato industry, estimated to generate almost $1 billion in annual economic activity, is too important to leave to chance. The well-being of the Island’s economy often hangs in the balance during a hot, dry summer — great for tourism but lethal for crops. It's interesting that critically-important regulations for the Water Act haven’t been disclosed. Government promised that high-capacity wells would be addressed in those regulations but don’t count on them being debated anytime soon with a provincial election approaching. Regulations are in the hand of science — where they really should be — as government awaits the results of a scientific study that will measure the effects of deep-water wells on the province’s water table and recharge rates. Mr. Irving says that to meet the challenge of dry weather conditions, industry leaders and the government need to come together and find a sustainable solution. Are there other options to wells? Now is the time to voice them.
It's hard for The Guardian to hear some of the voices, but they are out
there. Many have spoken with concerns about Charlottetown's
wellfields, and Charlottetown (while having huge water needs) works on water
conservation initiatives. There are the ways some are getting around high
capacity wells by drilling wells on adjacent plots and filling up holding ponds
full of fresh groundwater to use on fields. A lot of people have
spoken about tying any sort of water to stringent soil improvement. And
government (and the paper) cross their fingers and wait for "the
science" to tell them it is OK to do dig wells. That puts a lot of
pressure on the researcher(s); they would be the first to realize and admit
that one little study about such an elusive topic as water quantity is not
going to unequivocally say there's plenty of water. <snip> Farmers have
made it clear that organic techniques work well, organic inputs are generally
cheaper than conventional ones, and organic practices have a beneficial impact
on the agroecosystem. May 18, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsThe P.E.I. Legislature sits from 10AM-1PM today.
With the holiday weekend approaching, there may be more joviality today during
Welcomes, and shuffling of papers before the hours is called. However,
the last part on Fridays have often had sometime to do with the electoral
reform discussion. Many citizens would appreciate seeing the plans for
the day published before the session begins, as we assume the Government House
Leader has a plan. OPINION: PNP problems abound since outset - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Wayne CarverPeople concerned with mismanagement under pretence of growing our economy Thank you, Canada Border Services Agency for doing what our provincial law enforcement officials couldn’t. Islanders have known the PNP was mismanaged for years. The secrecy of the existence of the program at the outset and politically linked disbursement of PNP funds could not be justified. Unfortunately, our provincial executive refused to deal with the issue. Why? Well that is another matter. Regardless, Islanders could never get any satisfaction when concerns were expressed about the program. The latest revelation about 566 fraudulent claims associated with two Island addresses comes as no surprise. Why our provincial immigration officials did not pick up on this is concerning and why the federal police force was not able to find this information is confusing. It seems it took only a records check. Because of an expensive watch found upon inspection at immigration point of entry in Halifax, an alert, intuitive investigator, concerned about a customs violation, discovered a big immigration fraud case right here on P.E.I. Why could local authorities not have done that? Many people were and are concerned with the mismanagement committed under the pretence of growing our economy. Requests of the federal police force to investigate the program were met with weak responses claiming there was not enough evidence to proceed with any criminal charges. Citizens were and are skeptical at best, believing the political climate prevented any meaningful investigation. Unfortunately, incidents such as this do not enhance the image of our law enforcement and oversight agencies. Why, you might ask, did it take CBSA in Halifax to uncover this little scheme. Well to begin with, it is a different legal jurisdiction and the CBSA did not have to apprise the government or attorney general of P.E.I. of their investigation. What this revelation means in essence, is that our provincial government was and is prepared to accept irregularities in the immigration process because it enabled government to collect $18 million in fraudulent immigration claims. Did our officials know about this; it is hard to think otherwise? Money such as this may have attributed to IIDI’s corporate fund of $355 million which our government uses to support economic initiatives. What happens with funds of this nature is unclear because IIDI is considered to be a corporate entity and not accountable to the taxpayer. Political manipulation of government programs by the few is a discredit to the political process. It undermines the basic tenets of good government and due process. The opposition parties should be working together and requesting that the lieutenant governor dissolve the assembly because the people have lost confidence in the ruling Liberal government. The first order of any new government should be to table a motion to make the attorney general of the province an elected member of the legislative assembly, similar to the auditor general. Maybe then the citizens of P.E.I. will have a government that is more open and transparent; a government that is accountable and subject to the same rules and regulations as the average citizen. - Wayne Carver of Long Creek is a member of Vision P.E.I.; supports electoral reform; and comments frequently on social issues ------------- The
installation <of a state-of-the-art press in 1929>, the paper reported,
“marks a period in the printing annals of Prince Edward Island.” May 17, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
The
P.E.I. Legislature resumes sitting today from 2-5PM and 7-9PM. OPINION: Democracy red alert - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Anna KeenanWho will have the courage to introduce and vote for the required amendments? Islanders, if you enjoy living in a democracy, this is a red alert. The Electoral System Referendum Act, tabled as Bill 38 last Thursday, is an abominable infringement on your rights as a citizen. The bill was tabled by Jordan Brown: a lawyer, MLA for Charlottetown-Brighton, Minister of Justice, and P.E.I.’s Attorney General. P.E.I.’s Attorney General is supposed to be our guardian of the public interest. So, he should be aware that in the 2009, B.C.’s supreme court struck down a very similar law to the one he just tabled. The ruling in BC Teachers’ Federation vs BC (2009) - upheld in 2011 after an appeal - said that the law was an unjustified restriction on freedom of expression, protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This moment is a test for our MLAs, whether Liberal, PC, Green or independent. They pass if they vote to amend the legislation to a standard that meets basic democratic principles. They fail if they stay silent. The following is just a taste of what must be amended if Island democracy is to stand strong. If these don’t seem outrageous to you, imagine if this was a referendum on an issue closer to your heart. Mental healthcare? Religious freedom? Reforming the PNP? Agriculture policy? Rural schools? 1st - Extreme limitations on freedom of speech. If you or your organization wish to spend any of your own money in supporting or opposing Mixed-Member Proportional Representation, directly or indirectly, you will need to track your expenses. Once costs exceed $500, any further spending is banned, or you will be subject to a $10,000 fine. You would be banned from spending money to maintain a website, print flyers, rent a community hall or even provide tea and biscuits for an educational event. The ban would last until the referendum - which could be 2 months, or up to 23 months away - only the Premier knows. 2 - The threshold for change is rigged, and opens the door for vote suppression tactics. Under the proposed Act, if less than half of all general election voters participate in the referendum, then even if 100% of referendum voters say they want change, the result is still not considered ‘binding’. 3 - You have no idea what Mixed-Member Proportional Representation is? Too bad! The legislation makes no allowance for ‘education’ (sharing factual information about what the choice is about) - only for ‘advertising’ (intended to influence how citizens vote). The lack of clear provision for neutral, educational programming - by either government departments or grassroots groups - restricts your access to new information, and gives a distinct advantage to the status quo system that you already have experience of. The ‘advertising only’ approach opens the doors wide open to American-style ‘fake news’ propaganda campaigns. There are a dozen additional concerns, which the Coalition for Proportional Representation will publish on our websites as soon as we can. As an all-volunteer organization, our ability to respond quickly and hold the government to account is limited. The Liberal cabinet knows this; this legislation was suddenly dropped on the table in the final weeks of the legislative sitting. There is a scant 2 weeks for debate before the legislation is proposed to come into force. Despite promises of public consultation, there has been no attempt in the last 18 months, since the rejection of the plebiscite outcomes, to engage any members of the public in developing the bill. Bill 38 is a blatant attempt by government to limit citizens’ rights to freedom of political expression. The architects of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms would condemn it. Are there any MLAs will put our democratic rights before their party loyalty? Who will have the courage to introduce and vote for the required amendments? If you love democracy, whether you support Proportional Representation or not, do not allow the government to undermine our rights. Now is the time to rise up - contact your MLA and demand that they defend your citizen rights, by amending Bill 38. - Anna Keenan lives in St. Ann. She is a member of the P.E.I. Coalition for Proportional Representation Reference Group, who held an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss their response to the legislation. She also sits on the national council of FairVote Canada.
-------------------------- "A Canadian travesty: We aren't just letting a Texas pipeline company trample Indigenous rights, threaten hundreds of waterways and cook the planet - we're paying them to do it. This from the government that promised to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and champion climate action." There are several e-mail campaigns/petitions to add your voice to this:From Stand for Earth (formerly Forestethics): https://www.stand.earth/no-km-bailout From the Council of Canadians (from a few days ago) May 16, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
The P.E.I.
Legislature sits from 2-5PM. Liberal’s half-measure won’t attract more women to politics - The Eastern Graphic article by Paul MacNeillPpublished on Wednesday, May 9th, 2018, in The Graphic publications The Big Idea from MacLauchlan Liberals to attract more women into provincial politics is to drop two evening sessions of the provincial legislature. Yup. That’s it. For almost a decade a report from the Coalition for Women in Government collected dust. Then out of the blue Liberals decide to cherry pick one of 17 recommendations hoping it will create a positive halo effect with Island voters. Sorry, eliminating two evening sittings of the legislature is the recommendation apt to have the least positive impact, especially when taken in isolation. It is hard to imagine many women deciding to run for office based on this classic Liberal lip-service; do as little as possible to make it appear you are doing something. For context let’s look at some of the other recommendations from the 2009 report that the MacLauchlan government is ignoring. It recommended a change in the role of MLAs to remove their influence in hiring and acting as a government trouble shooter for constituents. In lieu it recommends creation of a provincial ombudsman, an office Premier MacLauchlan has steadfastly objected to.The recommendation is one of several made to improve work-life balance so MLAs can reduce the number of events they attend that have little to do with governing and everything to do with reelection – wakes, funerals, chicken dinners for one organization or another. Events MLAs have come to believe are actually part of their job. It recommended political parties establish firm goals on a minimum number of female candidates. It recommended proportional representation as a proven means of bringing equality and diversity to legislative bodies around the world. It recommended important supports such as daycare for MLAs and employees of the legislature. On every single recommendation both the PC and Liberal parties have failed. When push comes to shove it is as it always has been – party first. Winning is everything. Window dressing over substance. Sadly the Liberal’s half-measure is a scenario we’ve seen played out with issues like electoral reform, youth engagement and government accountability and transparency. It will only stop if our political leaders start leading. Transformation rarely occurs by accident and is almost always stifled by fear. And politicians are a timid lot.In title Paula Biggar is Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. Her record is mediocre. She puts Team Liberal above policies that will actually advance the role of women in politics, as evidenced by her fear mongering over the impact a mixed member proportional system could have on rural PEI. Her support for first past the post is unwavering, despite it being a proven impediment to women successfully entering politics. Not to mention being largely responsible for the decline of rural influence. When questioned in the legislature she is mute about why government refuses to move on other, more substantive recommendations, from the coalition report. Her silence is easily explainable. Liberals don’t want real change. It is fair to ask what eliminating evening sessions at a provincial legislature that historically sits for among the fewest days of any in the country will achieve. The answer, at least from the perspective of making politics more attractive to women, is not much. It does, however, have a potentially negative impact. Government has gradually made it more difficult for Islanders to participate. Meetings are too often scheduled during government hours, a benefit to public servants but not the general public. Eliminating two evening sessions may not seem much, until considered in the context of the ability of ordinary Islanders to watch in person proceedings of Our Government doing business in the Peoples’ House. If Wade MacLauchlan and Paula Biggar want to be taken seriously they need to offer serious solutions. Dropping legislative evening sessions as a complete fix is not a serious suggestion. It will not solve the issue. It will not lead to the election of a more diverse house. It is not transformative. Transformation will only occur when Liberals and Tories put the needs of Islanders ahead of the needs of party. Paul MacNeill is Publisher of Island Press Limited. He can be contacted at paul@peicanada.com --------------------------------Districts with similar but different names: Confused about which District is which for the next provincial election? Whether the date is fixed, or not, Elections PEI has rejiggered the boundaries to reflect some shifts in population. They are mostly similar but different, with 27 single-seat Districts in a First-Past-the-Post system. The Current and New Districts are listed on this page of Elections PEI: http://www.electionspei.ca/index.php?number=1055662&lang=E (with links) and...maps of District are available for $10 each! (These would have made lovely Mother's Day gifts for some.) See sidebar on left of page on the Elections PEI site. Current District 18 (Rustico-Emerald) Brad Trivers, with his fellow computer wizard friends, made an overlay of the current and new District maps, at his website, here: https://bradtrivers.com/2018/02/map-new-district-18-rustico-emerald-boundaries/ May 15, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
This morning: CBC Radio has former Guardian political reporter Teresa Wright on the Ottawa Report after the 7:30AM News, and her husband (regular CBC political reporter) Kerry Campbell talking about the PNP revelations from last week right after that. A bit of a P.E.I. kind of story, where the reporting is the story. ;-) The new Guardian political reporter, Stuart Neatby, will be officially starting in less that two weeks, May 28th. ----------------------------- Today: How heartachingly difficult it must be for Mr. Bevan-Baker and Ms. Bell to present such a well-considered, sensible motion, based on government’s own research, only to have the government response pay it no heed whatsoever, and, indeed, to belittle it with neo-liberal talking points. Members on the government side need not agree with the ideas and motions that other parties bring forward, but to swat them away so dismissively as a distraction from the business at hand not only insults their fellow MLAs, but dishonours the spirit of collegial debate that should be the backbone of how our legislature operates. Unfortunately this is not an isolated case: the government reaction to the Well-being Measurement Act when it was introduced in 2015 was similarly tinged. I expect more from my government than this. ------------------------------ OPINION: Another bit of trickery? - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Marie BurgeA case of David (coalition) against Goliath (government) but with ban on slingshots Published on Monday, May 14th, 2018 in The Guardian The new Electoral System Referendum Act’s stated purpose is to establish a level playing field in the upcoming referendum for the yes and no sides of the question about P.E.I. adopting the Mixed Member Proportional System (MMP). At present, leading the Yes side is the P.E.I. Coalition for Proportional Representation (PR) and its followers; leading the No side is the Government of Prince Edward Island. Problem # 1 - The advantage: From the start, the field is already set up giving advantage to the government which is presenting this legislation. When you begin with one side having a head start on the other, you can’t pretend to create equality by treating them the same. For those who know the ancient story about David and Goliath: In today’s reality David, is the Yes side. We are a coalition of community-based organizations and individuals, depending mainly on the generosity of volunteering citizens. Our goal is to inform Islanders about the advantages of MMP. On the other hand, Goliath has an up-and-ready, well-funded big red machine with tentacles in every district and poll in P.E.I. Plus, our Goliath has a communications squad to the tune of close to $1 million a year. Problem # 2 - The Question: The Act defines the referendum question as “Should Prince Edward Island change its voting system to a mixed member proportional system?” Good clear question; however, a motion in the legislature proposed that the voters’ choice would be No or Yes. The arrangement of these two little words is not accidental. People with years of experience in political manoeuvres, communications, and linguistics tell us that when the ordering of the yes/no answer is reversed to no/yes, it is to ensure a no answer. (Though there could have been a simple choice on the referendum ballot with voters choosing either MMP or the current system, First-Past-the-Post.) Problem #3 - The threshold: It is understandable that the usual high percentage of voters will vote for their MLA, but it’s likely that some will not bother with the referendum question. The requirement of 50 per cent plus one, for an MMP win sounds reasonable, until you see in the Act that this does not mean 50 per cent of those who voted in the referendum. Instead MMP would have to win by 50 per cent of those who voted for their district representative. We see this as a cheap ploy. Problem # 4 - Education: Islanders want to know more about MMP. Really? Who is going to do that? It will hardly be the government, the major players on the No side. With the hundreds of thousands in public money invested in the 2016 plebiscite, the education on electoral renewal was a total failure. This admission was made by the premier when he announced that his government would ignore the voters’ majority choice of MMP because the voter turnout was too low to be honoured. The reason given for the low voter turnout was that people didn’t understand the options. The only real education on proportional representation was done by our PR Coalition, with a modest budget. In the upcoming referendum, the Act allows $75,000 for each side (divided of course among the number of authorized groups). Problem # 5 - Control: The Act makes it clear that control is the name of this game, with a lot of discretion given to the Referendum Commissioner to be appointed by the legislature, and to take office on June 1, 2018. The commissioner will be responsible for referendum education, who can be authorized as referendum advertisers (meaning yes groups and no groups), the amount of public money allotted to each group, and the overseeing of the groups and their spending, ensuring that the groups do not solicit or receive any donations over and above the public money allotted. There seems to be no provision for transparency in any of this. Back to David and Goliath: from the point of view of the P.E.I. Coalition for Proportional Representation, “we have a case of David against Goliath but with a ban on slingshots,” (original quote from Chris Ortenburger). - Marie Burge, on behalf of the P.E.I. Coalition for Proportional Representation. May 14, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA NewsA few events and deadlines:The Island of Turned Heads - Facebook post by David WealeWe are not surprised, and certainly the three shamed whistle-blowers who spoke out about the gross irregularities within the PNP process, are not surprised.May 13, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
Happy
Mother's Day to all. LETTER: Why B.C. pipeline shouldn’t be built - The Guardian Letter to the EditorIf your main source of info on this Kinder Morgan pipeline is what you hear in the mainstream media and what Premier Notley and the PM are saying, you might consider it a worthy project. But do a little digging and you’ll see all the rhetoric doesn’t hold up. Jobs - around 2,500 for two or three years and very few after that. Unifor, the largest union in the oil sands is against it. It won’t bring jobs to Alberta.The argument about getting higher prices for oil if it’s shipped overseas doesn’t hold up. Pipelines will take Alberta oil through the USA and send it overseas in tankers much larger than what would be used in BC. And as far as National Interest goes, if people are up in arms about possibly paying higher prices for gas with carbon pricing, do you expect prices will come down if Alberta gets more money by shipping oil offshore? The majority of Indigenous groups in BC are against the pipeline going through their lands - and their rights have been ignored by trying to rush the project. What’s money to them if their water gets contaminated? Pipelines leak and break, tankers have accidents with disastrous results. Governments should be doing everything possible to address the huge consequences of climate change instead of working against it using Canadians’ money. Many countries are making great strides in developing renewable energy - why aren’t we?
Jeanne Maki, Charlottetown OPINION: It’s time to get rid of Chapter 11 - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Ann Wheatley and Leo CheverieCanadian taxpayers poised to pay an American company whopping $570,000,000 Thanks to NAFTA’s Chapter 11, which gives investors the right to sue governments if they believe a public policy or regulation is interfering with their profit-making, Canadian taxpayers are poised to pay an American company a whopping $570,000,000.That’s because last week, Canada lost its appeal to the Federal Court to overturn a decision by a NAFTA tribunal that the Delaware-based company, Bilcon, was treated unfairly when its application for the expansion of a quarry and marine terminal in Digby Neck was rejected by a joint Nova Scotia – Canada environmental assessment panel in 2007. $570 million is what Bilcon estimates it would have made in profits in the years since it was denied the right to proceed with the quarry. It’s a theoretical amount; it doesn’t represent the company’s actual losses. But $570 million could - in theory of course - help pay for any number of programs that would improve the lives of real people; families who struggle to find affordable childcare or pay for prescription medications, for example. And this isn’t the first time we’ll have had to pay out the big bucks. Canada is the most sued country under the ISDS provisions in NAFTA. We’ve paid out millions of dollars since the agreement was first signed 25 years ago. All that money has gone to international corporations that successfully argued against policies that were put in place to protect the people of Canada and our environment. It is ironic that in the current negotiations the United States – the country that has lost no cases - is asking for Chapter 11 to be made optional, while Canada continues to defend it. It is outrageous that when it disagreed with the outcome of the environmental assessment, Bilcon was able to bypass the Canadian court system and have its case heard by a NAFTA tribunal. It is the first time an environmental assessment has been challenged in this way, and it sets a dangerous precedent.
The environmental assessment, which was
carried out in accordance with Canadian and Nova Scotia environmental law,
found that the proposed quarry development would have significant adverse
effects on the surrounding communities.
Trade agreements should uphold
environmental laws, not override them. Trade Justice PEI is among over 50
Canadian organizations that last week signed a letter asking Canada to engage
in a new model of international trade agreements, one based on enforceable
environmental standards. We are also calling for transparent and democratic
negotiations; strong and enforceable labour rights, including for migrant
workers; protection of public services; and the right to regulate in the
public’s interest. The MacLauchlan government should be more transparent to Islanders on what these negotiations mean for Islanders. NAFTA's investor rights have been described as "a corporate dream, a citizen nightmare". We should expect greater transparency and openness and not be locked into another corporate bill of rights which overrides the interests of the citizens of Canada. - Ann Wheatley and Leo
Cheverie are members of Trade Justice P.E.I. May 12, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
Today:
I know some of this begs the question of correlation vs causation (as is often the case with sociological data) but the moral of the story is that A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO DEMOCRACY WHEN WE USE PR, AND ALMOST NO BAD THINGS HAPPEN. Even if it's correlational magic/wizardry (it's not), I'll take it. --Jesse Hitchcock, May 11th, 2018May 11, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
The
P.E.I. legislature sits today from 10AM-1PM. You can watch it
here. That means if more Islanders vote in the general election than in the referendum, it will push up the margin of victory required by either the 'Yes' or 'No' side to be considered binding by government. The bill says either answer on the referendum ballot would need more than 50 per cent support to be considered binding — but there's a catch. That 50 per cent doesn't refer to the number of referendum ballots cast — it refers to the number of people who vote in the general election, planned in conjunction with the referendum. However, the principle of parliamentary sovereignty means that the current government can't force the hand of a future government. So the decision on whether to change P.E.I.'s electoral system will ultimately rest with whatever government Islanders choose the day of the vote. ----------------------------------- Many Legislators have been working very hard this Spring Sitting (more on others later), but Hannah Bell (D11-Charlottetown-Parkdale) has been especially notable. Her member's statements have been clear and kind, her questions during estimates show depth of knowledge about government programs, and for a good chunk of the Innovation PEI estimates (which involves a lot of money through a bewildering array of programs that even Minister Chris Palmer and the person from the department helping him were having trouble untangling), Bell was the only person in the Chamber asking questions. The only sounds were enervated "Carry...carry!" from the government side, giving the impression that the estimates are just fine and bear no further scrutiny. Bell also proposed Motion 57, "Urging an audit of the Provincial Nominee Program", http://www.assembly.pe.ca/progmotions/onemotion.php?number=57&session=3&assembly=65 in a herculean effort to be have some efficient use of legislative time on "the PNP file" and finally clear up many of the concerns, by moving it to an independent Auditor General investigation. May 10, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
Today: It's this
growth model, it's like cancer. May 9, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
The
P.E.I. Legislature sits from 2-5PM today. Join us for an energetic evening of traditional East Coast music and help support the Pediatric Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Proceeds will go towards the purchase of much needed children's respiratory therapy equipment. Tomorrow: Don't Frack PEI wants to celebrate its win on achieving a legislated ban to fracking within the Province's new Water Act - No Frack PEI has lobbied for this since its founding meeting and despite moratoriums and bans in place in Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland - it took till the final round of changes made in The Water Act that this was achieved for Prince Edward Island - where we want to protect our water from degradation for future generations - the program will include musical performances from Teresa Doyle and Tony Reddin.
there are 5,375 kilometers of roads on Prince Edward Island; AND WHEREAS Prince Edward Island’s capital budget for 2018-2019 includes $42 million to be spent on highways; AND WHEREAS the provincial and federal government will spend $59.3 million on the Cornwall bypass over the next four fiscal years; AND WHEREAS secondary roads form the backbone of rural Prince Edward Island; AND WHEREAS the maintenance of the roads that we have is challenging and all rural MLAs regularly hear concerns from their constituents about the condition of local roads; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this Legislative Assembly call on government to redirect heir infrtastructure budget away from large mega-projects and invest in upgrading and preserving the rural roads that Islanders travel every day.
It's so logical, but at the same time so polar opposite to how the
Ghiz-MacLauchlan government obtains federal money (by making the project fit
the criteria no matter what, and this means mega-projects), this motion may be
seen as an anathema. May 8, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
The
P.E.I. Legislature resumes its week with at 2-5PM and 7-9PM sitting. Visitors are welcome in the
Gallery (bring photo identification and register at the basement office), or in
the open J. Angus MacLean Building on the corner of Great George and Richmond
Streets, on Eastlink TV (afternoon only), on social media like Facebook
(Legislative Assembly or Progressive Conservative pages) or the Legislative
Assembly website. For the last concert of this winter season the Charlottetown
Jazz Ensemble performs a benefit concert (with all) proceeds to Young At Heart
Musical Theatre which provides professional and original musical theatre
productions for senior citizens in long-term care and retirement facilities. Two-fifths
of the Citizens' Alliance Board will be the performing (the ever-talented and
ever-giving Catherine O'Brien and trombonist Doug Millington). An interactive fireside chat with the Minister of Finance Heath MacDonald to discuss the finances and future of PEI, with opportunities to raise questions on how the government is prepared to address key issues facing Charlottetown's younger population. Bring your questions, your suggestions, and your thoughts on making Charlottetown a greater place to live, work, and play! ------------------------------ Not
happening: ------------------------------ Last week many marked on the third anniversary of the 2015 provincial election which saw Wade MacLauchlan elected and forming government with nearly the same group that ran under Robert Ghiz in the previous election, and the election Peter Bevan-Baker as MLA for Kelly Cross-Cumberland and Green Party MLA. Vision PEI wrote last week: Wade MacLauchlin's Three Year Anniversary. Repeating
those last four words.... Understated expenses. Overstated revenues. Hidden debts. Conveniently optimistic assumptions. One wishes this were unusual. But in fact, as a new C. D. Howe report finds, Ontario is not even the worst offender among Canada’s governments (P.E.I. is worse). Generally, provincial financial statements can charitably be described as inconsistent — inconsistent with each other; inconsistent between budgets, estimates, and public accounts; inconsistent with generally accepted accounting practices. --------------------------------"We have a social responsibility, a constitutional opportunity and a moral obligation to help others." -- Janie Lewis, author May 7, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
A few events this week: Wednesday, May 9th:  The Mill: 50 Years of Pulp and Protest author Joan Baxter came to P.E.I., at the Farm Centre Sunday afternoon, and discussed her carefully researched book about paper mill plant in Pictou, Nova Scotia. Basically (mistakes my own), currently the Indonesian-owned company makes a high quality kraft paper that is in demand still (sounds like for calendar and other glossy print productions made in China and other parts of Asia, so it is not simply a "toilet paper" argument). The effluent from such a process is horrible and the Nova Scotia government in wanting the mill to be built years ago, signed an agreement to take care of the effluent (in addition to building a dam and building a causeway, other not-so-great environmental impacts). Now the government has to improve the waste treatment by 2020 and the plan is to pump the overflow further out into the Northumberland Strait. This of course concerns anyone, especially those whose livelihood depends on not further harming the various fishstocks in Strait. The plant hasn't filed its Environmental Impact Assessment application yet, and the federal government could require a federal one, which would at least extend some time to allow better solutions be examined. (By the way, we aren't even talking about the mess it made of indigenous lands of the Pictou Landing first nation, but is chronicled in the book.) Belfast-Murray River MLA Darlene Compton and Environment MinisterRichard Brown where there, Compton speaking about her and her family's efforts to increase awareness of this. The February 16th Standing Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries had representatives from the Mill speak and the transcript, audio and video recordings are on the page: http://www.assembly.pe.ca/committees/meetingTranscripts.php?cnumber=17 Other speakers included Melanie Giffin from the PEI Fishermen's Association, and reminded everyone it's not against the mill (or the 300-plus jobs there), but it needs to replan the effluent treatment. Period. Krista Fulton of Nova Scotia also spoke about the personal impact this will have on fisher families, and read her letter to the editor in the Chronicle-Herald from April 28th, 2018, which I am reprinting here: http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1566185-opinion-pulp-pipe-puts-fishery-livelihoods-on-the-line OPINION: Pulp pipe puts fishery livelihoods on the line - The Chronicle Herald article by Krista FultonPublished on Saturday, April 28th, 2018
At 5 a.m. Monday (April 30), my daughter and I will be at the Caribou Fishermen’s Wharf. It will be Setting Day, the start of the lobster season, the first day lobster fishermen in our area can set their traps. It’s a family tradition for us to join other fishing families at the wharf’s edge and watch the boats, jammed full with traps, go out through the buoys. We celebrate the start of the season and wish the fishers a good catch and a safe year. My husband fishes the Northumberland Strait eight months a year. He holds licences for lobster, herring, scallops and mackerel. Fishing is always an uncertain business, but this year our fishery and our future face an extra threat from Northern Pulp’s proposed new effluent treatment system. If our government approves this plan, we will see 70 million to 90 million litres of treated pulp effluent discharged into our fishing grounds and our beautiful Strait every day of the year. You might think treated effluent means no harmful substances, but that’s not true. Since Northern Pulp announced its plan last November, I’ve spent many hours with other concerned citizens looking at the science. Even treated pulp effluent contains a wide range of contaminants, including heavy metals which accumulate in the environment. Small concentrations of toxins can affect the growth and reproduction of many marine species. I know the changes fishermen in our community have made over the years to protect the environment. New boat motors now meet low emission standards. Fishermen agreed to decrease their trap numbers in order to put less pressure on the fishery. Every year, the government determines the maximum catch for each species. When stocks are down, quotas can drop dramatically. This year, new measures to protect right whales mean that many snow crab fishermen will lose part or all of their season, and lobster fishermen face new restrictions. Yet boats and gear still have to be readied, loans still have to be paid. That’s all part of the uncertainty of the inshore fishery. Our profitability is always balanced with environmental issues. Yet when fishermen proposed that Northern Pulp adapt their operations so that the company could use a more environmentally friendly system and avoid discharging effluent into the Strait, the company’s answer was no. Why not? It would decrease their profitability. Northern Pulp is owned by one of the largest pulp empires in the world, based in Indonesia. Northern Pulp has received many millions of dollars from provincial and federal subsidies. Taxpayers, all of us, will be footing the bill for much, if not all, of NP’s new treatment facility. Yet Northern Pulp insists “No pipe, no mill.” It breaks my heart and infuriates me all at the same time that Northern Pulp and our provincial government is willing to put at risk the livelihood of so many Nova Scotian families who make their living from the fisheries. Livelihoods that have existed for generations, and can continue to support hundreds of families for many generations more. We need to understand that if this proposed effluent pipe goes into the Strait, it could change the course of history in the fishing and tourism industry forever in this province. There’s something very wrong with this picture. We are the type of young family that our government says they want to attract to rural communities. We buy what we need for our business locally, and we spend our profits locally. Hundreds of other families who depend on fishing the Northumberland Strait do the same. A healthy fishery is a natural partner for fisheries-related businesses, a strong tourism industry and communities that attract visitors and new residents. Taxpayers will not have to pay millions to clean up after near-shore fishers. Fishers know we have to protect the Strait if we want to pass our fishing heritage on to future generations. Our industry is an anchor for a mutually supporting system of environment, economy and community. Why in the world is this so hard for our government to understand? So, this Setting Day is very different than any other. This Setting Day, I will be praying that my husband continues to be able to do this job for years to come and retire when he is ready to, not because the fishery has been destroyed. This Setting Day, at 5 a.m., I will be thinking of fishers past, present and future. They are my inspiration for continuing to work for No Pipe in Our Strait. Krista Fulton lives in Pictou. She is a mother, small-business owner, community volunteer and fisherwife.
------------------------ May 6, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
Today:
ABERCROMBIE: 50 YEARS OF PULP AND
PROTEST, 2-4PM, Farm Centre
The New Brunswick Progressive Conservatives’ plan to lift the moratorium on shale gas paints a disappointing portrait of a party unable to exercise even minimum due diligence on this issue.
The NB Anti-Shale Gas Alliance filed a lawsuit challenging the province’s embrace of shale gas in 2014, and unlike the PC’s, we have tracked every scientific study since then, from a handful to over 1,300 today. All can be found in the, “Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking.” <rest of the article at the link>May 5, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
Today: OPINION: Waste of time, money - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Kevin ArsenaultPublic consultations to offer remedies to close loopholes in Lands Protection Act Minister of Communities, Land and Environment Richard Brown has asked IRAC to review non-resident and corporate land holdings in P.E.I. What an utter waste of time and money. No one is suggesting rules are being broken. The problem is that government is allowing the “spirit and intent” of the Lands Protection Act to be ignored as both non-residents and corporations find creative ways to purchase more land than the Act ever intended them to acquire, without “technically” breaking any rules. Minister Brown heard first-hand testimony at the National Farmers Union’s April 3rd district convention that Vanco Farms has amassed land holdings in Eastern P.E.I. likely exceeding 20,000 acres without breaking any rules; apparently, by purchasing land under different names and/or separate corporations. This is obvious to local residents as they drive past countless farms and fields displaying “Vanco Farms” signs. Similar tactics are suspected with Cavendish Farms. Non-residents are using different methods. A recent Guardian article (March 17) by NFU District Director, Douglas Campbell, explained how Yongzhang Xia, a resident of Hebei, China, was first denied purchase of a 75-acre parcel of land as an individual, then as a director of a corporation, but then acquired the land with signatures from 14 other individuals (all non-residents from Hebei, China). When asked at the NFU convention whether that 75-acre parcel had been divided up into 15, separate 5-acre parcels, Brown said he expected it had been. It wasn’t. Government issued a single deed. This is one loophole that could easily be plugged by simply forbidding the sale of larger land parcels to groups of non-residents divided into 5 acres portions (on paper) going to each individual.
When CBC reporter Sally Pitt asked
Minister Brown whether he believes the Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute
Society (GEBIS) owns more than 3,000 acres he said, “.... he's been told these
groups are well within the land ownership limits, and he expects the IRAC
review will confirm that.” Of course, it will. But will IRAC’s review investigate the cumulative land holdings of the many corporate entities affiliated with GEBIS, including the Moonlight International Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization owning at least 664 acres of land near the monastery? And what exactly does a non-profit organization that hasn’t even updated its website in over two years need with 664 acres of land anyway? This announced land review is a text-book case of government kicking the can down the road. Months will pass, a delayed report will eventually be released, and headlines will splash across Island media for a day or two announcing what we already know: “IRAC confirms rules What Minister Brown needs to announce are public consultations, one in each county, with the express purpose of coming up with amendments to the Lands Protection Act and Regulations to close loopholes and ensure the spirit and intent of the legislation regarding land limits is honoured. We urgently need remedies, not a disingenuous delay tactic. And there are solutions; unfortunately, the Liberal government apparently lacks the political will to act. - Kevin J. Arsenault lives in Ft. Augustus and obtained his PhD in ethics from McGill University --------------------------------With that usual eyebrow-raising humour: "Buy land, they're not making it anymore," --Mark Twain May 4, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
The P.E.I.
Legislature sits from 10AM-1PM today. Eastlink, on-line
here, or attending in the Gallery are options to view. This will be
the fifth Friday that the Legislature has been in session, and most have had
government bring out some motion or Bill to be discussed in the last 35 minutes
or so. There is quite a lot of unfinished business. Seed Exchange at the Souris Public Library, 1-3PM, with gardening expert on hand. Landscaping with Native Plants workshop, 2-3:30PM, Macphail Woods Ecological Centre, slide show and tour. I believe these go ahead rain or shine, and there are many wonderful workshops and walks scheduled for the entire spring, summer and fall. Details. ------------------------------ Rural coalition files objections to IRAC - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Sylvia TeasdalePublished on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 The Municipal Government Act (MGA) needed updating, just not in the way the government envisioned it. What better time to insinuate the tools required to sculpt the governance of the Island, carving the province into 20-25 municipalities and modernise us in the process?Now, there is another layer of government between itself and its residents with a simple sleight of hand. No matter that this little province of 150,000 souls is mostly rural and has no need of the trappings, costs and restraints of municipal governance. Common sense should not get in the way of a good government idea. The Three Rivers amalgamation project was to be the model for the province under the new MGA. To ensure swift success, the process was to be conducted by a handful of people, in secrecy. All went according to government plan until August 2017 when the residents of the affected unincorporated areas raised the alarm. The rest is recent history as votes were overturned by local councils and a petition and plebiscite by the unincorporated residents was patently ignored by government. The latest indignity in this saga is that five small incorporated communities sent the original proposal of seven incorporated entities and three fire districts to government and IRAC for approval. The yes votes of approximately 150 people have put the lives of 7,500 mostly unwilling people into an annexation situation. Not democracy’s finest hour. This proposal was posted by IRAC to their website on April 19, 2018. IRAC is accepting objections and comments from Islanders and affected municipalities until May 22, 2018. If you are mailing your objection, be careful. The MGA suggests you mail it 10 days before the deadline to make sure it arrives on time. Subsequent to this deadline, there may be public hearings, depending on who objects. The councils of Montague and Georgetown, who voted against amalgamation, have now voted to object. They must now file an objection officially, including a formal resolution of council. The Rural Coalition of P.E.I. has mounted an Island-wide campaign, asking residents to file objections, using the IRAC form. We have a network of volunteers, including members of the National Farmers Union, reaching out to residents. All Islanders need to understand that if the Three Rivers amalgamation succeeds, all residents will be affected in a similar fashion. (she then invites people to the meeting) <snip>The purpose of this meeting is to explain the IRAC process and ask attendees to sign objection forms. If other communities wish our help in planning public meetings, we are happy to do so. This affects the life of all Islanders and we cannot fail. - Sylvia Teasdale is a resident of the unincorporated rural area of Burnt Point near Georgetown May 3, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
The P.E.I.
Legislature sits today from 2-5PM and 7-9PM. The afternoon (after
Question Period and such) is usually determined by the Opposition
parties. You can watch live here, and find pages with other documents
being discussed: BP granted approval
to start drilling off Nova Scotia's coast - CBC News article by Alex Cooke
The Canadian Press, April 21st, 2018 BP Canada has been given the green light to start drilling off Nova Scotia's coast. On Saturday, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) granted approval for the company to begin drilling one deepwater exploration well about 300 kilometres offshore. It's the first in BP Canada's Scotian Basin Exploration Project, which Mi'kmaq communities have opposed saying it poses a serious risk to food, social and ceremonial fishing areas. <snip> rest of article, including a map, in the link -------------------------------------- Liberals throw verbal cow dung - The Eastern Graphic article by Paul MacNeillPinted in the Graphic newsletters, Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 For a government trying to change public perceptions, last week will be one MacLauchlan Liberals hope Islanders quickly forget. No matter how the premier spins the whistleblower legislation he grudgingly passed but has yet to make law, it simply sounds like a politician trying desperately to protect the status quo. The key section will require public servants who want to spill the beans to report potential wrongdoing to their deputy minister. The premier sees nothing wrong with this. He argues that deputies are the equivalent of corporate CEOs and it is misguided to leave them out of the process. He suggests the legislation is an attempt to change the culture within the provincial bureaucracy. The premier is misguided. This clause will have a chilling effect across all of government. The act could just as easily be called ‘How to Scare Employees Into Silence Act.’ Deputies are not CEOs. They are politically appointed and serve at the discretion of the premier. In other words they owe their job and cushy pension to the premier. Deputies do not, as CEOs do, unilaterally decide direction or priorities. They act on priorities established by the premier and cabinet. To force potential whistleblowers to lodge complaints with a politically appointed boss will put the fear of God into any public servant and make the whistleblower act nothing but a useless piece of paper crafted to serve political speeches not public oversight. Premier MacLauchlan has fought establishing credible whistleblower policy tooth and nail. He seems oblivious to PEI’s long and sad history of political patronage and the fear that still exists of taking government to task.This legislation does nothing to build confidence within either the public service or general population, regardless of how the premier tries to convince us otherwise. And then there is the heavyweight tag team of two retiring Liberal MLAs body slamming the research and effort of a Montague Consolidated Grade 5-6 class to name the red fox as PEI’s provincial animal. Politicians love to talk about how important it is to engage youth in the political process, a front on which the Liberal government has a particularly awful track record of hypocrisy. It let 16-year olds vote in the electoral plebiscite, then threw out the results. When the notion of lowering the voting age to 16 was debated, one cabinet minister suggested the age is too young to have a full grasp on issues – as if people who generationally vote Liberal or Tory care about issues. But back to the fox.
Edwena Arbuckle’s class did its homework and made a presentation to an all
party legislative committee last fall. It’s work all Islanders should be proud
of. And that’s when Alan McIsaac, a former Minister of Education who owes his legislative seat and cabinet pension to the fortune of a coin toss, and Allen Roach spewed verbal cow dung across the legislative floor. It’s a toss-up whose actions are more shameful. McIsaac for stampeding on the good work of Island school children, or Roach for seconding the motion despite the students being from his own riding. It’s more than a little ironic that the former Finance Minister meekly quizzed government just days before about plans to build a new consolidated school. Bricks and mortar are irrelevant if we do not support children and teachers in the classroom. Liberals can make claims about simply wanting public input. It’s hypocrisy. They didn’t care for public input when government raised the HST or hundreds of fees, so why start by dumping on the good intentions of Island students. No this was a political attack on Dumville and it backfired. Spectacularly. This public is weighing in, with contempt for the heavy handed, petty and the time wasting effort by the two backbenchers who delivered a prime example of why the public holds politicians in disdain. McIsaac and Roach’s energy would be far better spent respecting the work of Island students and defending supply management, the system that guarantees milk producers a rate of return, and which is under direct attack from the US government. If this is what qualifies as public discourse, their retirement cannot come soon enough. Thank goodness at least Ms Arbuckle and her students are showing us all what real leadership looks like. --Paul MacNeill is Publisher of Island Press Limited. He can be contacted at paul@peicanada.com --------------------------------"Leadership is not about the next election, it's about the next generation." --Simon Sinek, motivational speaker (here is a TED Talk by him) May 2, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
The Public
Accounts Standing Committee meeting scheduled for this morning has been cancelled.
Not sure why, though Standing Committee meetings while the Legislature sits are
usually hard to fit in. FilmPEI
is proud to sponsor the PEI premiere of Eliza Knockwood's The Water
Protectors' Journey Along the Sipekne’katik River. ------------------------------- OPINION: Meat in
the stew - The Guardian Guest Opinion by David Weale
Published on Tuesday, May 1st, 2018 A need for clear and visionary platform regarding five crucial issues facing Island As Islanders anticipate the up-coming election, and ponder how they should vote, I have this suggestion: don’t vote for any individual or party that does not have a clear and visionary platform regarding these five crucial issues facing the Island.
1. The rapid movement of land ownership into the hands of large corporations and other powerful entities which contravenes the spirit of the Lands Protection Act and will very soon, unless checked, take away from the Islanders the power to determine what kind of rural economy and society we are building in this province. The clock is ticking on this one. We solve it, or bye-bye Island autonomy. 2. The environmental damage to the earth, water and air – and to the health of Islanders - caused by large-scale, industrial agriculture, and the dominating presence of the Irvings within Island agriculture. If Island politicians don’t have the fortitude to take on the Irvings, we might as well just hand over to them the keys to the province right now and get it over with. 3. An educational system that is in a state of extreme dysfunctionality, requiring creative and innovative leadership. A re-conception of the entire system is required because right now morale among teachers on the Island is at an all-time low. And don’t take my word for it, just ask a teacher and see what she/he says. They are on the front line and they are discouraged, many to the point of despair. The system is broken. 4. A health system that is costing more than we can afford and delivering less than Islanders reasonably expect. Is it possible that the present health system is too much designed to meet the needs of physicians and health care bureaucrats, and too little designed to meet the needs of citizens? It’s just one of the questions needing to be asked. 5. The notorious PNP program which has become a disruptive and divisive force within the Island economy and continues to be a hotbed of patronage and political graft. There are many who whisper about the scandal of PNP, but few who will speak out for fear of being labeled a bigot or racist. Islanders have to get over that before it is too late, and strong leadership is required to take the lead in that shift. It is all very well for the political opposition in the province to complain about the status quo, but we need to see a clearly articulated vision for change if we are to have any real hope for significant improvement. Leadership is not, after all, the ability simply to spot a problem. It is having the ability and wisdom to rally the population around clearly articulated alternatives. So, tell us Mr. Aylward, tell us Mr. Bevan-Baker, tell us Mr. Byrne what would you do differently? What innovative measures would you introduce? We need to know that now. Otherwise, what is the point of listening to you? What principles would you espouse that would deliver us from the regime of narrow self-interest that is the hallmark of the governing Liberals. For the most part, what you are serving up presently is a thin gruel of generalities, platitudes and good intentions, mixed together with criticisms about the way things are currently being managed. That just doesn’t cut it. Voting for vague promises of change is what Islanders have been doing for many years, and it’s not enough. There needs to be some meat and veggies in the political stew or our society will continue on in its current malnourished condition. --David Weale is a co-founder of Vision P.E.I. May 1, 2018Chris Ortenburger's CA News
Happy May Day! The P.E.I.
Legislature sits from 2-5PM and 7-9PM. The evening session will be
Opposition time. You can watch live, and look up any Motion, Bill
or the budget, here: Award-winning journalist and author, Joan Baxter will be in PEI
to talk about and read from her book, “The Mill: Fifty Years of Pulp and
Protest”, on Sunday, May 6th. ---------------------------- Opposition MLA Colin LaVie (District 1: Souris-Elmira) is profiled in this CBC article on balancing lobster fishing with his work as an MLA. Today should be the first day lobsters are brought in. ----------------------------- It's Tuesday, which means the provincial Cabinet will meet this morning, and one thing accomplished will be "Orders in Council". The Orders from last week, Tuesday, April 24th, are linked on the right hand side of the page. https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/publications/orders-in-council There are many lands transactions - take a peek. -------------------------------- The provincial government is asking for public input to help put together a the Poverty Reduction Plan to assist the very good committee it has put together. The survey is relatively short and is here along with some background documentation. https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/give-input-poverty-reduction-pei#utm The deadline is May 18th. -------------------------------- The federal government is asking for input on how Canada can reduce plastic waster and marine litter, with some background, a place to post comments and/or send e-mail address. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/consultations/moving-toward-zero-plastic-waste.html This kind of consultation is appreciated but also seems like a bit of busywork. There is already a lot of work done on the most needed steps in reducing plastic waste. Time to get moving on it. It would be helpful for the environment if the government worked harder to meet the Paris Conference targets on Climate Change. ------- I haven't but skimmed this, but it was passed on by environment scientist and professor Bradley Walters at Mount Allison: "It's time to think seriously about cutting off the supply of fossil fuels", by David Roberts, printed Sunday at Vox online. https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/4/3/17187606/fossil-fuel-supply ------------------------------------------------- "We are going to exit the fossil fuel era. It is inevitable." --Elon Musk |
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