Tourism can pay for water taxi

It is time to say no to funding low wage tourism in Summerside. There is a subsidy for harness racing, Credit Union Place loses $2 million a year and there is the hotel room tax. Now tourism wants funding for a water taxi. No, it is time tourism operators and hotels pay for the entire water taxi project themselves.

I read an article where Islanders have little or no pay raises in the last seven years. It is time the tourism industry in Summerside publish the wage range of their employees. Add to this anyone who draws Employment Insurance from tourism loses two weeks of earnings each year. People on Employment Insurance don’t pay into Canada Pension.

Mayor Billy Martin promised 1,000 jobs. Is Martin going to abandon his promise and follow former Mayor Stewart and support low wage tourism? Young people from Holland College and UPEI don’t want part-time minimum wage jobs. Summerside Tourism wants a water taxi, then eliminate the hotel room tax and impose a tourism tax on businesses in Summerside to pay for the water taxi. John W. A. Curtis, Summerside