Cheers & Jeers
CHEERS:
TO Summerside’s Noah Dobson, who scored his first NHL goal Tuesday versus the Detroit. The 20-year-old rookie defenceman floated a shot from just outside the faceoff circle that looked to be going wide of the net. But a failed attempt by the Red Wings Alex Biega to swat the puck away in mid-air instead deflected it into the net. When you think of the long history of the NHL and the countless number of people who played in the NHL but also those who never got the chance to play, scoring your first professional NHL goal is a truly special moment. It wasn’t the prettiest goal, but they all count.
CHEERS:
TO Edwin Jewell, the well-known farmer on P.E.I., who had a vision just a few short years ago to try and get a medicinal and recreational cannabis plant off the ground. He risked everything on the hope it would work and it has worked. The president and CEO of Figr East recently showed off the newly-expanded facility that now measures more than 200,000 square feet and will employ nearly 200 people by the end of the year. These aren’t seasonal jobs, they are full-time jobs with benefits. And, by the looks of the employees at the grand unveiling last week, most of the workers are young, exactly what P.E.I. has been trying to do for years, figure out ways to keep young workers on the Island and provide them with secure, meaningful work. Well done, Edwin!
JEERS:
TO drivers on P.E.I. who don’t take the time in winter to clear off their windsheld or rear window. The RCMP recently pulled over one driver in Stratford who was literally driving with only a small circle clear on the windshield to see through. How do people navigate the streets like this? And there are numerous people who drive with their rear window completely covered in snow. This is not only unsafe, it’s downright irresponsible. It takes a few minutes to brush off the snow and perhaps do some scraping but it only takes a second to get into an accident or, worse, hit a pedestrian. Let’s be a little more sensible on the roads, folks.
CHEERS:
TO Horace Carver for coming out of a long period of silence to address the Lands Protection Act. Carver has an almost sagely persona these days, having presided over a widely cited 2013 Commission on the Lands Protection Act. In his remarks before a Standing Committee, Carver was remarkably frank, even suggesting that some sitting MLAs may not survive the next election. He strongly cautioned against using the singular logic of the free market when setting land use policy on P.E.I. He also expressed frustration over the 2018 changes to the Business Corporations Act, which allowed corporations to hide the names of their shareholders from public view. His remarks were sometimes cautious, sometimes biting, but undeniably principled. It was good to see him back.