A rush to closure

An unusual urgency propelled the P.E.I. legislature to abruptly close last Friday. The Opposition was anxious to continue and there were important bills on the order paper. Others were anticipated, most notably a new Water Act. Whistleblower legislation and a lobbyists’ registry are now headed to the fall sitting. Although the session stretched over six weeks, a meagre 16 bills were passed over a scant 22 sitting days.

It suggests the government and Premier Wade MacLauchlan are more concerned about polling numbers than addressing important issues for Islanders.

Corporate Research Associates (CRA) is currently carrying out its quarterly sampling of Islanders’ political preferences. And we know the government is anxious to see its numbers improve after a memo from the premier’s office was accidently tabled last week.

The memo urged Liberal MLAs to stress good news announcements to help sway – or skew - the opinion poll. It was always suspected this was the case for any government, but it was still startling to see confirmation in black and white.

The government was anxious to take the public’s mind away from the bruising banter in the house and towards the fresh promises of spring – lobster season, potato planting, tourists, graduations and warmer weather.

The premier seems preoccupied with polling numbers – the government’s and his own - which have been in a precipitous free-fall of late. He’s hoping to see those numbers improve. If it meant the legislature had to close early, then so be it.

Although the legislative package was small in number, there were substantive bills approved. Important issues were discussed such as poverty, mental health and addictions, suicide prevention and supports for vulnerable Islanders.

E-gaming and the Mill River deal generated tough questions from the Opposition. The refusal to appoint a child advocate and a bizarre trial balloon on limiting written questions hurt the government’ image.

Almost lost amid the rush to closure was the balanced budget brought down early in the new session. Other good news was passage of a bill penalizing anyone who deletes government records. A sensible, new electoral boundaries map was approved.

To its credit, the Opposition presented a coordinated strategy to keep pressure on the government, pose tough questions and hold it accountable.

The premier appeared more comfortable inside the rails, especially in the rough and tumble world of Question Period, where the Opposition tried its best to portray the government as tired and bereft of ideas.

To date, Premier MacLauchlan has underachieved in efforts to present himself as a fresh face with a new way of doing things. There are no grand visions and no major initiatives. The optimism generated by the premier when he won election in May 2015 is waning. He must regain the trust and re-energize the hopes of Islanders.

He didn’t accomplish those targets this spring. The premier believes he held his own and hopes the government has finally turned the corner on past sins. The much-anticipated CRA poll will indicate if Islanders agree.