Cheers &Jeers

JEERS

to P.E.I. Premier Dennis King for his bullying language since the legislature reconvened on Feb. 27. On the opening day of the spring sitting, King told the assembly that he wished he had fired former Health P.E.I. CEO Michael Gardam. This repeated denigration of a public servant is a poor look for the premier and may intimidate other government staff from bringing forward legitimate concerns about their workplaces. That may be also be the message he is trying to send. It could also deter other executives from considering joining P.E.I.’S public service if our politicians can’t take constructive criticism. Then, hypocritically, on March 5, King said new Green MLA Matt Macfarlane is “bathed in the cesspool of negativity and nastiness” of his party. How that passes as parliamentary language is beyond us.

CHEERS

to the 11 senators and one MP who signed a letter calling on the federal government to change the name of the Confederation Bridge. Sen. Brian Francis recently posted the letter on social media as the senators from New Brunswick and P.E.I., along with Charlottetown MP Sean Casey sought to have the name changed to Epekwitk Crossing. Epekwitk is the Mi’kmaq name for the Island. In 2022, MLAS in P.E.I.’S legislature unanimously passed a motion calling for the name change. The original recommendation for the bridge’s name was Abegweit Crossing. Abegweit is the anglicized form of the Mi’kmaq name. As Lennox Island First Nation Chief Darlene Bernard recently told Saltwire, renaming the bridge would be a step toward reconciliation. We agree.

CHEERS

to members of P.E.I.’S Hindu community who have been hard at work establishing the province’s first Hindu temple. The temple will serve not only as a place of worship, but also a venue for traditional festivities. Hindi residents, along with local businesses, contributed financially and volunteered their time to get the temple open. P.E.I.’S Hindu community has grown in recent years and the temple will be a welcome addition to the province. An opening ceremony was planned for March 8 in Cornwall.

CHEERS

to the three entrepreneurs who will be inducted into the Junior Achievement P.E.I. Business Hall of Fame for 2024. This year’s inductees are Fred Hyndman of Hyndman and Company Ltd., Marguerite Connolly of Marguerite Connolly Training and Consulting and Connolly Home Health Care Inc. and Brian Hemphill of Hemphill Chevrolet Buick GMC Ltd. Although the three honourees have diverse backgrounds in business, they are all deserving of recognition for their long careers. The hall of fame gala will be held May 22.