FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2026
Statement from Matt MacFarlane on concerns raised by the PEI Fishermen’s Association regarding appointment of Sidney MacEwen to Cabinet
Charlottetown, PE – Earlier this week I was disappointed to see that one of the first decisions made by our new Premier was to play fast and loose with both our provincial conflict of interest laws as well as the laws that govern our country’s commercial lobster fishery, by appointing PC MLA Sidney MacEwen (a lobster fishing license holder) into cabinet.
In response, the PEI Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) released a statement in support of current Fisher Owner-Operator Policies and against Premier Lantz’s decision to seek an exemption from the law to support his cabinet appointment of MLA Sidney MacEwen.. I also share the PEIFA’s concerns about the Premier admitting that he has attempted to interfere with these critical long-standing policies by speaking, in his words, “to people at the highest level of the federal government”.
For our new Premier to make one of his first – and one of his most important – decisions without even consulting with the very people who this decision will affect – our Island fishers – does not sit well with me. The Premier and MLA MacEwen did not even consult with the provincial Conflict of Interest Commissioner; they know that this has been the law in this province for decades, and Sidney MacEwen has known this was the reason he wouldn’t be able to serve in cabinet for the past eleven years that he has been an MLA.
I am concerned that Premier Lantz, while distracted for almost a year by a very contentious and close leadership race, has lost focus on what matters most: Islanders. The PEIFA puts it perfectly when they state in their letter: “The PEIFA does not support these policy exemption requests and suggests that the Premier of Prince Edward Island act on behalf of all independent owner operators and not just one member in his caucus and cabinet.”
I am calling on Premier Lantz to pause and reflect on the seriousness and potential implications of his decision. Instead of adopting the entitled path of “better to seek forgiveness than permission,” the Premier should take the proper process of changing the provincial Conflict of Interest Act, after doing the necessary research and consultation to make sure that any change to our laws is in the best interests of Islanders. In the meantime, the Premier should remove Minister MacEwen from Cabinet until such time that a solution can be found that aligns with our law.
No one, not even the Premier of PEI, is above the law.
Matt MacFarlane
Leader of the Green Party of PEI
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Michelle Patterson
Director of Policy and Research
Office of the Third Party
Tel: (902) 218-0258
Email: mxpatterson@assembly.pe.ca