PEIBlogs.com: the definitive Prince Edward Island blogroll since 2004.: News and Views

"The Official Opposition supported the government on extending the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, motions on its centrepiece crime bill, and on other parliamentary arcana, such as a bill regarding the settlement of international investment disputes ? The voting records support the growing contention that the Liberals are not truly functioning as an official Opposition as they seek to avoid running an election behind struggling leader Stéphane Dion.?

If the government is destroying our country, then we need an election. If M. Dion doesn't want an election, fine. Then let's work with the Tories on the budget to try to find some middle ground. Let's drop the fire and brimstone rhetoric. If this government is terrible, M. Dion should be able as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada to convince the Canadian people of this fact and win an election. If the government is bad but workable, let's make it work. M. Dion could demonstrate leadership by working for a better compromise.

Tourism Critic James Aylward grilled Tourism Minister Robbie Henderson over irregularities found in an Auditor General's report released Friday.

More than a dozen Department of Fisheries and Oceans workers on P.E.I. received notice Thursday that they may lose their jobs.

The amalgamation of P.E.I.'s two English school districts is being done in too much of a hurry, says the chair of the Western School Board.

Charlottetown Naiads synchronized swim team takes on the competition at the Atlantic Regional Synchronized Swimming Championships.

Changes to the federal Employment Insurance system will not have much impact on the tourism job market, industry, says the Tourism Industry Association of P.E.I.

This is my last entry. The campaign is coming to a close and islanders will have their final say when it really counts, when they cast their votes.

My experiences travelling across the Island and speaking to hundreds of islanders has been mixed. I've met some wonderful people and have gained some valuable insight into what has been happening during this campaign. I have also gained some understanding of what the political candidates go through. Not everyone is happy to see you. Some people slam doors in your face. Some days are too cold, some lanes too long, some dogs too big. The whole experience has been physically and emotionally exhausting, but rewarding as well.

Regardless of what you may think of the political parties and their candidates, putting yourself out there for the public can't be easy. It takes courage and determination. I'm convinced of that.

I want to take this time to thank everyone who spoke with me on the District Dash and those who read this blog and left comments. The only way to really understand how the party platforms are affecting people is to hear directly from voters. You didn't have to share your thoughts with me. But many of you did and I am forever grateful.

Don't forget to listen to our election night coverage on CBC radio Monday night. After that, I'll be heading back to my regular job doing the newscasts through the day. Be sure to tune in!

That was the last dash!!!!
Thanks again,
Angela

The reality of what elections mean to some people really struck me today with an encounter I had at a local gas station. I was filling up the good old CBC vehicle when an older man approached me. He told me he didn't want to do an interview, but he wanted to let me know he was scared. I asked why. He said the recent poll putting the Liberals ahead could mean the end of his job. He said it was a patronage job and he expects it will be gone if the Liberals get in. He said he realized patronage worked both ways but it didn't change his personal situation. He worries how he'll feed his kids. That's pretty heavy stuff.

Back to the business at hand.
The District Dash heads back into the Charlottetown area today, concentrating on the districts of Charlottetown-Parkdale and Charlottetown-Lewis Point.

In Charlottetown-Parkdale, there are three candidates running. Liberal Doug Currie and Progressive Conservative Dr. Mike Molyneaux are considered to be in a close race. There is also an NDP candidate, Zain Esseghaier. I ran into a lot of people in this district who are mad about health care, and they plan to voice that anger on election day. They feel the Binns government hasn't done enough to attract new doctors. One woman said she'd like to vote NDP but she didn't think that would produce her desired effect of kicking out the Tories. So she's voting Liberal. Some voters felt it was worth letting the Liberals try their hand at fixing the problem.

But there are also a lot of Conservative supporters. Molyneaux was going door to door in the same area I was and seemed to be making an impression. Some voters feel a doctor is the best person to fix the problems with health care. One man said he couldn't stand the Liberals and would vote Conservative even if they were running a chimpanzee.

Next I headed to the district of Charlottetown-Lewis Point. This is a two-person race between Tory incumbent Wes MacAleer and Liberal Kathleen Casey. Wes is considered by many as a perfect gentleman and a true politician. He plays his guitar and sings for seniors at a local apartment complex. I hear he's a hit with the ladies. But MacAleer got into some hot water last week when it came to light that his campaign office called a student's home and asked what kind of summer job they would like. Some voters in this district mentioned this as a concern. But others didn't think it would influence their vote one way or the other.

Casey is a former city councillor who also ran for mayor once. She seems to have the support of a lot of people in this district. I spoke with several people who consider themselves real "Tories," but they say they're voting for Kathleen this time. They say she's bright, and energetic and will bring a lot to the district. They plan on giving her a shot at this. I also heard from people who felt it would be good to elect a woman. I did encounter some support for MacAleer but more often than not voters in this district seem to want change.

Today I'm heading back to the Summerside area. I first paid visits to Districts 21 and 22 at the start of the campaign. At that time, it seemed like voters were divided between the Liberals and Conservatives.

It will be interesting to see if there are changes here and what influence, if any, the campaign promises and the recent election poll showing the Liberals ahead will have.

As I drive through the countryside, I notice a lot more lawn signs - a strategy that seems more common during the tail end of the campaign.

My first stop in Summerside is in District 21, Summerside-Wilmot. There are three candidates: PC Gerard McCardle, Liberal Janice Sherry and the NDP's Ryan Pollard. Most people seem to know Janice Sherry. They seem to have trouble remembering the Tory candidate and very few even know they have an NDP choice. I heard lots of concern about health care and taxes. I met one woman who was going into the bank to pay her taxes and she was not a happy camper. She wants the Liberals to win because she thinks they'll make a difference. People are upset in this district. Many say they want change. I also hear a lot of talk about the recent poll that put the Liberals ahead. There's a feeling of wanting to be on the winning side. However, I did speak to some Conservatives who weren't sure at first if they were going to vote, but the poll prompted them to get into the advance polls to vote right away. They wanted to stop the "red tide". But more often than not, I ran into a lot of Janice Sherry supporters. Many people seem to like her. They say she's smart, and energetic and what the district needs. I even met one man who is a card-carrying Tory who says he plans to vote Liberal this time. My sense is that Sherry has this one.

I move next to District 22, Summerside-St.Eleanors. There are five candidates running in this area, including an Independent. But the real race seems to be between Tory Brent Gallant and Liberal Gerard Greenan. Gallant is well known in the district. He has been a city councillor for years and worked hard on the west-end redevelopment project. A survey of neighbourhoods in that area shows a lot of Gallant lawn signs. As I go door to door in this area, and talk to people in coffee shops and in shopping areas. I'm hearing a lot of support for Gallant. People seem to feel he's done a good job for the city and would do a good job provincially. But others say it's time for a change, and that municipal politicians in Summerside don't do so well when they try to run provincially or federally. There are a few people here who know the name of the other candidates, but most know Gallant. My sense is that this is a seat the Conservatives can likely count on.

On a personal note, I have to thank the people in this district for being very sweet. In many cases, I was invited to come in out of the cold and even invited to sit down in the living room for a chat - election chat, of course. This day more than made up for some of the difficult ones of late. Thanks again to the people of Summerside!

First of all, let me say that in most of my travels across the Island, people have been very warm and friendly. Islanders have proven to me over and over again that they are indeed some of the friendliest people in this country.
But today I had a tough time. To tell you the truth, when I got home I had a good cry.

I consider myself a fairly pleasant person and for the most part pretty easy to get along with. When I do the District Dash I understand when people don't want to talk to me and I certainly understand if they don't want to tell me how they'll vote. If people say they're not interested in talking to me, I simply thank them anyway and leave.
But today's District Dash was a first for me. In three situations the man of the house was in the middle of an interview with me when his wife put an abrupt stop to it. Three times I was pushed out the door and had the door slammed behind me. I know I'm whining a bit here, but there's really no need to be rude. I'm just trying to do my job.
I found it very hard to get people in West Royalty to talk to me. In fact, in one of the sub-divisions I went to, only one person would talk. There must have been 50 houses in that one subdivision! The more I think about it, the more I understand what may have been happening. These people were probably provincial civil servants or married to civil servants. Perhaps I would react the same way if a reporter came to my door asking questions about my employer.
In the end, I did find several gracious people in the district of West Royalty Springvale who would speak with me. There are three candidates running here, but the race is clearly between Conservative Wayne Collins and Liberal Bush Dumville. Some people in this district seem torn. They say both men are worthy of their vote. Some say Collins has worked hard for the area and responded quickly to any concerns they may have voiced to him over the last few years. Others like and respect Dumville. One person liked the Green Party but didn't think they would vote for them. I spoke to several university students in this district. Two were leaning towards the Liberals and one was undecided. My overall sense is that this is a close district, but Collins seems to have the edge because he has a proven track record. Both men are campaigning hard. I saw them while I was in the district.

I turn my attention next to the district of York-Oyster Bed. This is the district held by Tory Jamie Ballem. A big thanks to all the people in this district for being very sweet, whether they wanted to talk to me or not.
Ballem is extremely popular. He was a high-profile cabinet minister who seems to have impressed many with his "wind energy" ideas. Many in the district say he's just a really nice guy, and that's good enough for them. I found Ballem had a lot of support overall, but Liberal Robert Vessey had some support in the Stanhope area. Some people there are disgusted with high taxes and high property assessments. Some people want change, but many of the folks I spoke to are quite content with things to stay as they are.
Just an interesting aside, one of the people I stopped in the district was actually Jamie Ballems' wife. She told me who she was as soon as I approached her. I obviously didn't do an interview with her. She's obviously a very honest woman. She could have not told me who she was and given me an interview about all the great things her husband has done.

I laughed earlier this week when the P.E.I. College of Family Physicians sent out media kits for reporters covering the election. The kits included Band-Aids, and Advil and other items that might be needed on the road.
Today, I could have used one of those kits. I was going door to door in Health Minister Chester Gillans's riding. I was running, trying to catch up with a man who was getting into his car. But I tripped on an uneven sidewalk and went flying. Blood began rushing from my forehead, hands and knees. The kind gentleman who was getting into his car came to help me. He took me inside and asked his wife to help clean me up. I encounter a lot of people during the district dash, some more pleasant than others. I was moved by how kind this couple was. Not only did they help me, but they also agreed to talk to me. If they're reading this ... thanks again!
It's interesting that health care seemed to dominate the concerns of people in this district, held by the health minister. Many feel Gillan has been doing the best job possible in times when doctors are hard to come by. My sense from this district is that Gillan will be re-elected without too much trouble. I found scattered support for other parties, but most people didn't even know the names of the other candidates running.

Today's dash also includes the district of Tracadie-Hillsborough. This district has undergone some boundary changes since the last election. It's the area currently represented by Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Elmer MacFadyen. My first stop in this district was in the Grand Tracadie area. Support for Liberal Buck Watts is strong, but that's not a surprise since this is the area he comes from. Almost everyone I spoke with talked about how Buck was a great community guy, very involved in everything, and would do an excellent job for the district.

I move from this area to parts of the district in and around the Charlottetown area, including Hillsborough Park. I was surprised to find strong support once again for Watts. I thought this might be where MacFadyen would have more support. I heard from several people who said they voted Conservative in the last election but were planning to vote Liberal this time. They felt the Binns government hadn't done enough to find people full-time work. I also heard concerns that MacFadyen hadn't done much for the area. They were also worried about crime in the area and felt there needed to be more available to help young people. There was NO mention of NDP candidate Peter MacFarlane or Green candidate Robert Pendergast.

Scheduled School Trustee Elections for May 28, 2012 are postponed.

On April 25, 2012, An Act to Amend the School Act was approved by the Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly postponing the School Trustee Elections for the English and French School Boards' until May 26, 2014.

Reports of Candidate and Political Party Election Expenses for the 1996, 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2011 provincial general elections are now available.

Official election results are available at results.electionspei.ca.

Information on Becoming a Candidate [PDF, 62KB] in the Prince Edward Island provincial election is now available.