KEEPING UP THE FIGHT

Percy Downe writes letters to leaders of all major political parties

P.E.I. Senator Percy Downe writes letters to leaders of all major political parties over bridge toll

P.E.I. Senator Percy Downe continues his fight against the tolls on Confederation Bridge.

Downe has written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as well as to the other major parties in the House of Commons, requesting they fix a problem Trudeau created.

That’s a reference to the decision the Canadian government made in 2015 to give Quebec a toll-free Champlain Bridge but to continue to charge $47.75 to the people of P.E.I. — who have the lowest weekly wage in Canada — to cross the 13-kilometre marine span.

“It is unfair, fosters disunity in Canada and is financially reckless,’’ Downe said in his letter.

“Given that both bridges are owned by the government of Canada, the conclusion drawn by many Prince Edward Islanders is that you have favoured one part of the country by eliminating the toll on one bridge but not the other, and they wonder why Canadians are being treated differently on where they live.’’

The Confederation Bridge is owned by the federal government, which contracts operations out to Strait Crossing Inc.

Trudeau did commit at a town hall meeting in January 2017 to “look at what can be done to make sure that people are able to travel freely, travel efficiently and openly across this country at modest costs’’. No action has been taken in the intervening two years to fix the P.E.I. bridge toll. In fact, the toll has risen twice since then.

MITSUKI MORI/THE GUARDIAN Carl Phillis, a pottery, ceramic and welding artist, has been playing frisbee for about 40 years. He even enjoys getting out this time of year to throw the flying disc in the snow in the field by Founders’ Hall in Charlottetown. “Summer time is much better for frisbee,” he smiles.