Cheers &Jeers
CHEERS to P.E.I. fishing families and crew who are preparing for the spring lobster fishery, opening over the next few days in different areas. Every year, families like Allan Coady and his children gear up and head out on the choppy waters in the dark morning skies, while most of the rest of us are still warm in bed, to take part in a tradition that goes back generations. With damage caused by increasingly severe weather systems and costs of fuel and other basics on the rise, it’s important to recognize that fishing, as Coady’s daughter Alyssa put it, is “in our blood.”
CHEERS to Trinity United Church for opening up its green space for a community garden. The church in Charlottetown plans to build garden beds in early May and make the space available to anyone who lives in the downtown area. Community gardens help people save money on food at a time when costs are high. As the name suggests, the gardens also help build a sense of community. The garden will accommodate a dozen people and should be a welcome addition to the city’s downtown.
JEERS to Prince Edward Island grownups who cannot control their anger and are setting a bad example for young people. Andy Doran, president of the P.E.I. Teachers’ Federation, told Saltwire that he hasn’t visited a P.E.I. school this year where someone hasn’t told him that violence is an issue. Verbal abuse and intimidation affected about a quarter of the teachers who responded to a recent survey, but seven per cent also experienced physical abuse. It is not hard to find examples of where young people might be learning this behaviour when observing angry parents at sporting events or the vile messages posted on social media or even stencilled on people’s vehicles. It’s time to take that anger down a notch so everyone has a safe learning environment.
CHEERS to Scott Parsons and Deryl Gallant who will receive honorary awards at the 2024 East Coast Music Awards in Charlottetown next month. Parsons is receiving the Bucky Adams Memorial Award for his countless contributions to the African Canadian community and music industry, while Gallant will bring home the Musician’s Achievement Award in recognition of his more than 30 years of bass playing in various P.E.I. bands. Also of note, the late Kerri Wynne Macleod is the P.E.I. recipient of the ECMA’S Stompin’ Tom Award for her promotion of this region’s music.