Tuesday, I had to honour of seconding the motion in the legislature to accept the Speech From The Throne. The opportunity allowed for me a chance to interpret and find perspective. It was a chance for me to dig deep and bring to the surface what (I feel) is important to PEI’s future. Of course it is difficult to cover every aspect and detail of the Throne Speech, so after careful deliberation I decided to choose the parts that best represented my district as well represented my own ideas about how I see PEI moving forward as ‘one Island community, one Island future’.
Madam Speaker, I am honoured and privileged to have bestowed upon me the task of seconding the motion for the acceptance of the Speech from the Throne in this, the 2nd Session of the 63rd General Assembly.
I would like to acknowledge and thank our premier, the Honourable Robert Ghiz, for the honour that he has conferred upon the district of Stratford-Kinlock by requesting me to fulfill this task.
As well it would be remiss of me if I did not take this opportunity to welcome you, Madame Speaker, as you preside for the your second Session over the deliberations of this House. We can all be assured that our experience during this session will reflect the rules and decorum of this House as well as your own insights, Madame Speaker, into the workings of democracy here in this most historic legislative building.
In preparation for this most honourable task, I spent a considerable amount of time reviewing past Hansards to get a sense of how others had interpreted and responded to Speeches from the Throne of the Day.
As I searched through the words of those who have risen in the House from years past, I realized that from as early as I could tell, questions and solutions of the Island’s identity and future have been central themes from as far back as Prince Edward’s Island’s joining Confederation.
It is one thing to get a history lesson, but it is another to find existing bonds and a continuum of themes and issues that have resonated throughout the decades.
We don’t have to go back too far to make these connections.
It was Glibert Clements who said 37 years ago,
“…give me fifty acres of land, a wood stove, a hundred pounds of salt cod, a goodly pile of hardwood, a splitting axe, a good back, an oil lamp, and a grey mare, and I could live happily as the majority of our people did fifty years ago; but leave me with that same fifty acres and expect me to wire my home for electricity, install a furnace, buy a car and truck, clothe and educate my family, hire help because my children are in school, and buy a tractor and combine, and Mr. Speaker, I am in trouble.”
And today Madame Speaker, almost 4 decades laters, some Islanders are in trouble for the same reasons. And we have become even more dependent on fossil fuels to fill our vehicles and our furnaces. Islanders still struggle with finding the resources to ensure their children receive the best education possible.
Madame Speaker, change is always eminent and adjusting to change is the stark reality our government faces. Some say Islanders are resistant to change, but I disagree. Back in the day, Islanders said yes to cars and television. They eventually said yes to being connected physically to the mainland. I am proud to be part of a government, today, who listens to Islanders who are open to change.
Our government’s plan to press on with alternative sources of power with Wind Energy Development is a long-term solution. As is enhancing and implementing Environmental Stewardship. And a very important element in this stewardship includes stronger buffer zone regulations and supporting farmers who comply with the new requirements under the Environmental Protection Act. In my district of Stratford-Kinlock people want to be able to use wind turbines in their backyards, others would like to commute safely on their bicycles to Charlottetown or take Public Transit. Islanders are indeed open to change.
Changing the way we consume energy and grow food are ambitious steps in creating what our government believes to be possible in One Island Community, One Island Future.
As I have previously stated, Madame Speaker, I am honoured to second this motion, and if I were to condense this exercise with efficiency at the helm, I would only have two words to say.
On the second last page of the Speech From the Throne you’ll find the words “PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT”.
To me, Madame Speaker, those two words “Public Engagement” are everything. They are at the very basis of how our government is planning on moving forward to one Island Future. And moreover helping to create and build upon One Island Community.
I equate the idea of public engagement to that of literacy, and I’ll explain. We know, for instance, that Prince Edward Island has an ongoing battle with literacy levels, and that there have been great efforts in addressing and implementing literacy programs by the Island community. These programs are integral to long term change in the literacy landscape of PEI and that is why our government will continue supporting these efforts. Unfortunately we also experience and utilize extensive resources on the back end of this literacy realm. Trying to fix something long after the fact.
And so we become aware of how easy it is to ignore strong beginnings in order to deal with the emergency at hand. And hence the history of public consultations on PEI. Crisis driven solutions do not have the same kind of sustainability as solutions built on strong foundations. Early Childhood Education, preventative health, building roads to last, are but a few examples of where our efforts and energy are aimed.
Madame Speaker, our government’s commitment to establishing an Office of Public Engagement is an admirable and commendable step in securing a sustainable future for Prince Edward Island. From listening comes change. And from change comes empowerment.
Empowerment that Islanders want and should have if we are to become a healthier people.
Madame Speaker, our government believes in healthy beginnings. And by putting children first with the introduction of kindergarten in the public school system we are doing just that. Representing a district made up mostly of growing families, I can tell you that parents in Stratford-Kinlock are relieved to learn that their children will get the same educational foundation as the rest of the children across Canada. As well, an expanded inclusion in the Chances Best Start program for children from 18-24 months.
We only have to look to our successes to see how Public Engagement has had a part. And I’m not talking about the traditional public consultations, as I mentioned previously, where government whittles away at policy one item at a time, or a kind of public participation that merely provides for a sounding board, over and over again, with nobody offering any solutions, I’m talking about a trusted space where effective governance and greater civic responsibility and participation can take place. Where new forms of leadership have a chance to grow. Where people talk WITH each other and not TO each other.
Like how it has happened for the parents group in Eastern Kings who chose quality education for their children. As well for the hard working parents of Stratford-Kinlock who know the long-term value of fitness and play and created an environment to foster the healthy growth of their children.
I agree, Madame Speaker that One Island Community, One Island Future is more than a slogan. With this statement comes a vision. A vision Islanders have been talking about for some time. A vision that speaks to who we are, where we are and who we would like to become. For too long we have perpetuated and helped to grow a culture of dependency and urban/rural divide. In such a small place as Prince Edward Island, we simply can not afford to be blindly drudging along by ways of the past, just because ‘that’s the way it has always been done.’
By bringing our communities closer together, both physically and culturally our government can lead Islanders in a new sense of pride in our smallness and autonomy. I commend our government for the insightful balance that has been struck by decentralizing and finding new homes for the new Departments of Education and Early Childhood Development and Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development.
This is indeed a bold move. But our government did not become the government by proposing to continue on with the status quo.
The young people of Prince Edward Island are not interested in living, working and playing in a community where pride or purpose is secondary. Nor do they want things to remain the same. And some youth take action. The youth of Stratford-Kinlock have been organized and active for some years now and have been participating in the growth and sustainability of Stratford with their efforts. They are passionate about staying on PEI, but they are unsure.
Rural and urban PEI, have witnessed the emigration of their young people for too long. With our government focus on rural development and public engagement we can visualize One Island Future. Becoming One Island Community IS attainable. And I trust each and every honourable member in this House today, Madame Speaker, that they will work toward this vision.
Madame Speaker, We are just getting started. And it is at this time that I would like to congratulate our Premier for his leadership and guidance in this, our first year of our mandate. We are indeed fortunate to have a Premier whose genuine renewed approach to all things PEI, is something we can all be proud of. He has shown courage and foresight beyond his one year in office as Premier and I look forward to the years ahead with the Honourable Robert Ghiz at the helm.
Madame Speaker, I know I am not alone when I say I believe in the smallness of Prince Edward Island. By that I mean, I believe that small is not only beautiful but it is better. We are so fortunate to be able to share our culture and beauty with our seasonal visitors. It is not unusual, however, for people to take for granted what others see as special and unique.
And it is in this spirit that I commend our government in embracing the value of our smallness by instilling in Island Children a sense of Island identity by the inclusion of and Island Studies Course in our school system. As well, Madame Speaker Islander Day now becomes something celebrated on PEI and not just in Florida where former Premier Alex Campbell has been celebrating his “Islander Day” with snowbirds for years.
This great small Island is indeed a special place Madame Speaker. That our government is reaching out to Islanders to create One Island Community One Island Future, makes perfect sense. We have the same powers as any other province in Canada, AND we are small enough to be able to truly learn from one another so we can exist and flourish as one community. We are at a place and time where tapping into the advantages of being small will help map our future in, what I believe to be, a more sustainable and responsible manner.
In conclusion, Madame Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Honourable Members in this House today for their commitment to our Island. We have a great responsibility to uphold in ensuring that Islanders continue to be heard and in encouraging them to be engaged in the processes and changes that lie ahead.
Madame Speaker, it is my intention to meet the challenges and support those principles outlined in the Speech from the Throne. I am honoured to second the motion to accept the Speech From The Throne during this, the 2nd Session of the 63rd General Assembly.
Thank you Madame Speaker.
