Official Opposition Priorities for Fall 2020 Sitting of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown, PE – The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island is set to resume today, November 12, 2020 at 2 pm. The Official Opposition Green MLAs are looking forward to returning to the House to continue their effective work of both improving government policies and holding it accountable.

Click to view Official Opposition priorities for Fall 2020

“This has been a summer like no other in recent memory,” said Honourable Peter Bevan-Baker, Leader of the Official Opposition. “Islanders have all pulled together to do their utmost to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbours. We should all feel extremely proud of our Island home and how, together, we have responded to COVID-19.”

The pandemic has impacted all areas of Prince Edward Island and continues to put pressure on Islanders. Many are struggling to secure stable employment and insurable hours due to the massive impact the pandemic has had on one of our largest industries – tourism.

“While government has done a good job overall navigating the pandemic, we have seen shortcomings and gaps in its response,” said Bevan-Baker. “From the questionable actions around closing Unit 9 during a mental health crisis, to failing to consider the impacts its Renew PEI guidelines had on single parent homes, low income Islanders, and families that need appropriate childcare, to unclear and inconsistent information about public health guidelines during the pandemic. Islanders need to understand government’s rationale for the decisions it made that led to these missteps. We will be seeking this.”

In addition to questioning government about its response to COVID and its plans for a possible second wave, the Official Opposition will also be seeking action from government on the crises we are facing in housing, and mental health and addictions.

“There are still some wicked problems that need to be addressed. Successive governments have ignored them and they have only grown bigger,” said Bevan-Baker, “We are concerned the King government is being unacceptably timid in these critical areas. Ignoring these issues shows a lack of respect or concern for Islanders in need. It also exacerbates and impedes our ability to effectively respond to other emergencies like the pandemic.”

The Official Opposition has created a ‘To Do List’ outlining its priorities for the fall sitting. This list is being shared with Islanders so they can see firsthand how the Official Opposition is working on their behalf by holding government accountable for its decisions and by improving government programs and services. The list can be found on the Official Opposition website at www.peigreencaucus.ca.

-30-

For media inquiries, please contact:

Jonathan Hamel
Director of Communications
Office of the Official Opposition
Tel: (902) 213-0718
Email: jdhamel@assembly.pe.ca