VISIT WHEN IT’S SAFE

Up until Wednesday, May 20, I felt confident in feeling that our provincial government and health officials had the health, safety and lives of Islanders first and foremost in their decision making.

But with Premier King’s announcement that afternoon that the province would be opening our borders to nonresidents who own cottages, I now fear that our provincial government has put the desires of a chosen few ahead of its permanent residents.

Yes, we are a welcoming Island, and I have no doubt that the seasonal cottagers have an emotional attachment to our fair isle, as Premier King has alluded to while trying to convince Islanders that this reckless decision is a wise one. But now is not the time to be opening our borders to those from other parts of our country where COVID-19 is spreading and killing people at an alarming rate. Come visit us when it's safe. For now, let’s all stay home and do our part to prevent the second wave of this deadly virus from becoming worse than it is already forecasted to be.

Meanwhile, I ask all MLAs to publicly declare whether they are in favour or against opening our borders at this time. And please, for those of our MLAs who represent the ruling party, don’t just regurgitate what your premier said during Thursday’s depressing press conference with CBC on Facebook.

We’re privileged to live in such a beautiful province. And I look forward to when we can share it again with our fellow Canadians. But let’s do it when it’s safe.

Hayden Smith, Rustico