Cheers & Jeers
CHEERS to an engaged population who are considering the best course for water management in P.E.I. This newspaper has hosted on our opinion pages advocates for the current moratorium on high-capacity wells who thoughtfully lay out arguments for preserving the Island's water supply. Increasingly, we have published articles from small family farms who say they never want to compromise Islanders' access to water but they worry that the hotter, drier growing seasons spell disaster for our supply of food. Decisions concerning P.E.I.'s water act are ones we absolutely cannot get wrong, and we are heartened there are so many Islanders studying the issue and sharing their views with our readers.
JEERS to P.E.I. Liberal MLAs Gord McNeilly and Robert Henderson for travelling off-Island while travel and public health restrictions were in place. Islanders have been making sacrifices for the better part of a year and have missed many important life events. We’ve been unable to say goodbye to dying family members or attend funerals; grandparents haven’t been able to hold their newborn grandchildren; and seniors have been living in isolation with little contact with their loved ones. We’ve missed so much because we believe that if we follow the rules, we will help protect our fellow Islanders against a deadly virus that has claimed almost two million lives worldwide. The people we elect should be held to the same standards and should be leading by example, not attending weddings or visiting their children because they feel like it (both of which are considered non-essential travel). We have worked too hard and sacrificed too much to be shown such disrespect by our elected officials. We deserve better.
CHEERS to the P.E.I. School Athletic Association (PEISAA) for moving ahead with the basketball season for schools across the province – one of the few jurisdictions in the country able to do so. Participating in school sports is about much more than winning championships – it’s about friendship, teamwork, dedication, goal-setting, pride, physical fitness and, during this pandemic, a chance to enjoy a somewhat normal part of school life. Good luck to everyone.
JEERS to the less than wintery weather in recent weeks that has kept the Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park from opening. Despite a recent heavy snowfall and snow-making machines working to cover the slopes, the park hasn’t been able to open because of uncooperative mild temperatures. With Islanders hunkering down at home for much of the last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be nice for the snowboarders, skiers and snowshoers among us to at least be able to enjoy winter activities. Winter is coming whether we like it or not. Hopefully we’ll soon be able to make the most of it.