Premier Robert Ghiz has no intention of asking Transportation and Public Works Minister Ron MacKinley to resign, says the Island's acting premier.
Richard Brown fielded questions Wednesday regarding allegations that MacKinley is in a conflict of interest over a new lighted intersection being installed near his Cornwall farm. Ghiz has been away from Province House most of this week at meetings.
But Brown said he spoke with Ghiz Tuesday night and said the premier has no intention of asking the Transportation and Public Works minister to step aside.
"We presume people are innocent until they are found guilty or not guilty,'' Brown said during question period.
Conservative MLA Mike Currie has filed an official complaint with the conflict of interest commissioner, Neil Robinson, accusing MacKinley of being in a conflict of interest.
MacKinley said Currie's charges are unfounded.
The complaint centres on a new traffic light proposed for Cornwall. Currie says the intersection will open a huge lot of land owned by MacKinley for development.
In his official complaint, filed Tuesday, Currie said when the traffic lights are installed at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and W.B. MacPhail Drive " . . . the value of the MacKinley properties will increase dramatically because of their accessibility to and from the Trans-Canada Highway.''
But MacKinley said the lights are being installed to improve safety.
Work is now being carried out at the site. The province is only installing a three-way intersection. There are no immediate plans to install the fourth intersection into the property near MacKinley's farm.
The Speaker of the house acknowledged receipt of the complaint at the beginning of Tuesday night's session. It will now go before the conflict of interest commissioner for a full investigation.
During question period Wednesday, Currie pressed for more answers on the controversial intersection, but Brown wouldn't answer any further questions, saying the issue is now before the conflict of interest commissioner. He asked Currie to allow the commissioner to do his job.
"If laws are broken, (Ghiz) will deal with them," said Brown. "No one has broken any laws at this time. There has been an allegation made, and I wish the Opposition would allow the process to carry out in this matter."
Ghiz won't ask minister to resign, says Brown
Acting premier asks Currie to let investigation of MacKinley proceed
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Comments
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- islander
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:41:00
Our Premier has to start speaking up more ..instead of letting others comment on his behave...Islanders elected
Ghiz as Premier not Currie or Brown. -
- I live
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:40:23
Another set of lights on the TCH.....there is one every 20 feet!! Has anyone every stopped to count how many sets of lights there are from Cornwall to downtown Charlottetown.....15!!! There are 7 just on the TCH alone. Isn't there any other solutions?
That being said, the industrial park in Cornwall may need something to help the traffic going in and coming out. There is an increasing number of large trucks leaving and going into the various businesses in the park. It is only a matter of time before there is an accident on that strech of the TCH due to slow turning trucks. I don't think we should wait for someone to get hurt or worst before acting. -
- Making it up is the ...
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:40:10
Sorry HM L from PEI a.k.a. post #31; not a Communications Officer not even a government worker....
Just a regular Joe who reads the paper and then tries to make sense of the news...
as opposed to
1. A Tic'ed off Tory
2. A dyed in the wool Grit
3. A ranting lunatic or
4. a beaten Blue candidate from any of the past 20 years.....
and as for the cajones to reveal names...
like a true spin doctor. you hide your name yet expect all others to reveal... now there is a 'revelation' for us all! -
- walter Perry
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:38:02
I don't know why Ronnie should even consider resigning. Him and McQuaid are great developers for cornwall, and all the Island. They are stallwarts of the community and leaders of the the great liberal party. Anyone that wants ronnie to resign just don't know what a real great guy he is. Look at all he's done for his family and friends. I bet those tories are just smarting because they don't have a realstrong member like ronnie. Well it won't work. Even if he is guilty of something, I say, stay where you are at Ronnie , because you are a true islander and I am sure it is good for us.
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- Mell
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:38
Did you see Tuesday's paper and the front page of today's paper?? Two trucks in serious accidents- why, because they drive far too fast whether it is in the city or on the roads!
The business park should not have been given a permit to build this business park in Cornwall without the proper and safe easement to the major highway, and without them having to install lights. The bypass will eventually make the driving better for workers coming into and out of the city, and tourists, but lights will ease the problem at the business park, UNLESS that access at the TCH is completely closed off, and another access is to be used.
One thing I know for sure, PEI is hilly, and the roads are narrow, with bad shoulders, and the truck drivers on this island are dangerous- they drive too fast on the by-pass now with the hills and areas that go into one lane with hills- it is time that the police force set up speed traps for truckers, and start seriously fining them.
OH, YES, MACKINLEY HAS DONE A FINE JOB FOR YEARS- I SAY HE STAYS ! -
- Cindy
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:38
Resign over a traffic light. My dear god
what is our life come to. Doesnt anybody
got better thing to do than who's get a traffic light there are other peoples that live in the area. I think they would like to slow the traffic down. Because after the light in North River peoples fly
Is it not for safe for you and me. -
- shaun
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:37
I've never seen an accident at a lighted intersection. Have any of you? HAHA
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- to what is the difference
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:33
I guess you don't understand there are policies and procedures for Ministers to follow when any issue could present a conflict of interest. Mr MacKinley cannot plead inexperience here. He could have done the right thing by removing himself from this issue and letting his deputy deal with it. He choose not to therefore putting himself in a conflict of interest position. If the outcome was the same, as you suggert than that would indicate the right decision was made, why then did MacKinley feel the need to push this file when the potential for a conflict so clearly existed? Ghiz said he would fire any minister who was investigated for a conflict. Can we believe him, this is a seroius breach of trust in public officials, first it was Webster and his brother, then it was the Beck/Dunsford cover-up and now this. Ghiz has had more scandal in 6 months than any other government in our province's history. It is a good thing the tories had polar or the you liberals would have no rebuttal.
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- We all need one
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:01
Angela I have friends in Bonshaw... maybe there could be a set of lights there too.
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- Donna
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:35:38
BYpass where are we going to get the money to build a bypass we can't even keep the roads that we have now in shape. The cornwall park shoud have a road built on the back to it coming from the york point road and then the trucks could have had the lights at the old Rink to enter or exit. BUt I guess that Ronnie 's brother owns that land.The town houses should not be allowed to enter on the Trans Canada since the government spend a ton of money making the next sub- divison just down the road a entrance only. The sped zone goes from a 60 to a 80 for a mile and a half it should be change to a 60 from the causeway to the cornwall town limits at New Haven. THe town of Cornwall is just a joke since it became together with North River first it was the Eldon Sentner stealing then the town hall costing us a millions of dollars and now this mess it makes us in Cornwall look like total fools.
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- liberal arrogance is back
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:35:15
Liberal arrogance is back. They didn't seem to learn a thing during their 11 years in the wilderness. Everybody new webster was a terrible choice for environment, and people asked how long before ronnie would be in 'trouble', nobody was expecting the beck disaster but certainly weren't surprise. Now we are getting a close look at a Harmonized Tax. I havn't seen the public asking for this but the arrogant liberals know best. I guess you can say this about teh Mckinley-MacQuaid light on the transcanada. Ronnie has his priorities. As for the restof us, well, we don't count. Unless we are a well connest liberal.
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- I live in
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:34:32
Just look at this morning and you will see what a lighted intersection will do to the residents of Cornwall and there aren't any light there yet. On my way into work today traffic was backed up to Clyde River at 7:50am. The work is being done at the same intersection in question made traffic come to a standstill and they wern't even stoppinging anyone, can you imagine what a lighted intersection would do?
For God sake people it is the TCH not University Avenue!!!
Tourists are already frustrated over the up and down speed limits on teh TCH.
I moved to Corwall beacuse it was just as easy as living in the City to get to work. Now will have to reconsider and move closer to town to avoid all the delays.
I think i will do that but not until after the next municiple election.... -
- What's the difference?
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:34:04
I'm shocked, shocked! to think that something like this would happen at all, but especially on PEI. So if the minister had recused himself, do you think the outcome would have been different? Let's do away with the hypocrisy.
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- Clueless
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:27:16
Cindy Eldershaw this traffic light will mean hundreds of thousands of development $'s for Ron MacKinley. That he would not get if he was not in the position he is in now.............
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- Making it up as we go
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:25:13
When you read the posted comments it would seem that someone has their knickers in a twist.... and when you read the 'facts' being used to back up the arguments....
Talk about boloney being spewed.
For 1; there are not lights every 20 feet along the TCH from North River Road into Cornwall. That is a distance of some 6 km (according to my Google Earth measurment).
Maybe you should remove them from the Poplar Island location; and/or the North River Rink; and/or the Church in Cornwall and/or the MEadowbank intersection. Name one of these sets of lights that does not protect the safty of people. Name one and I will back away.....
Simply put there are none; and there are none because the traffic on the road turning in and out along this strecth of highway warrant all of them. Simple... pure and simple.
Secondly, Cornwall has been requesting these new lights for 5 years... in writing to the province. They have correspondence from the province from 5 years ago stating that they will go in. 5 years ago Mike Currie was Minister. Was he lying then? Did he ask McKinley's opinion? No - his staff indicated that increased truck traffic from the exisitng business park would warrant a set of lights for safety reasons.
Furthermore, these new lights are to be computer operated; they reflect the needs of the intersection. If there is no traffic looking to turn in or out of the business park - then traffic will be allowed to continue uninterrupted along the TCH.
Most of you posters are unbelievable in your rhetoric. Two or three days ago, there were some 35 posts extolling the warm and fuzzy feeling you all had because a family pet was returned to a young lad. Yet you simply can't wait to trash anyone who stands up for safety so the mothers and fathers of young children can get to and from work safely. I am astonished at the hipocracy.
Finally, Ghiz did not say he would fire any minister investigated for conflict. He did however go on record and indicate that any Minister found pulling out the wrong credit card would be relieved of their duties.
Instead of making up crap.... read the news... then make the post. Not make up the post and then rationalize the news... -
- unreal
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:24:38
welcome to the group frustrated!! fish kills mean nothing to the govt, when farmers kill more people than fish with their cancer causing chemicals in feilds, no one cares MONEY ,money , money is the priority for all.
Mr. BECK is a fine example of the 2 levels of justice that are in place , one for govt and those that are connected to it. and the rest of us. Funny it sounds like our health care system too.
mcquaids ,mckinley, ghiz,all in bed together ? dig deep and look at that connection people, money ,money ,money -
- Quiet
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:20:38
FINISH THE BYPASS!
And, yes, Ronnie goofed. And, yes, Robert needs to stand true to his word. But, yes, the outcome would still have been the same if Ronnie had bowed out on this issue. -
- Liam
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:16:03
How about widening the road and putting in a left turning lane into the dutch inn - now thats a dangerous area. Cars speeding up to 90 kmh right after the north river rink intersection to meet a car trying to turn left into the dutch inn. I know I have had a few close calls there. As well, I can only imagine how the ice in the winter time will accumulate on the highway with a set of lights at MacKinley`s corner. I would like an opportunity to say NO to more lights on the TCH in Cornwall.
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- well fed
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:15:37
Actually Mackinley and Ghiz did stop construction of Montague High. Who owns the land by the pool where Ghiz wants it to go?
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- I live in cornwall
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:14:57
Look at the NR Causeway now that is dangerous...Since they put lights there I see accidents there all the time !!!
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- Angela
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:12:48
Anyone who has ever tried to visit the McKinley's or their neighbor's knows that putting in a set of lights is a necessity. When you have to wait 10 minutes to pull out of a driveway because of all the traffic, something needs to be done. I also live on the TCH but I do not have nearly as much trouble pulling out onto the Hwy as Ronnie or his neighbors. The conservatives are just being bullies and trying to play a silly game.
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- Scandalous
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:11:21
One thing is for sure. This government looks like they are lacking a leader. Not only did they come back to the first session for a new government after 11 years without a Throne Speech or Budget of their own but the scandals and lack of integrity by a government has never been seen on PEI like this before. Granted Currie and Binns got in over their heads with tax payers money on Polar but this steady scandal of the week routine of the new liberal government is - at best- disappointing. I can't imagine them ever getting re-elected. If this is a sign of things to come - we're in for 4 miserable years. They've been in power for near 6 months and they seem to be doing well just to find the Legislative Assemby. EMBARASSING!!!
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- well said
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:08:01
I agree Quiet Observer but we must remember if we goof by intention or by mistake we still must take responsibility. Ghiz must make a move here
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- isn't it the norm
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:07:43
that the DOT minister look after his district.....it's always been that way.......Drive through Currie's district and you'll see the changes he made when he was DOT boss....changes probably needed alright...seems Currie had more than a few mishaps too...short memory!!!!!
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- HM
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:07:27
# 20..I believe you are a Communication Officier for a Minister, In fact I would put money on that.
To bad, you dont have the parts, to tell us that! -
- to making it up
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:06:35
yes, you can make it up very well, No Ghiz didnot say he would fire a minister under investigation but he did say he would relieve that minister of his or her duties while the investigation took place.
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- Move the potato stand
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:03:52
I guess MacKinley is just setting up for retirement. He will be able to sell all that land he has for development now that it has an inetrsection. Wouldn't all you posters do the same? I wonder what he will develope there ? new school , move the shaw building? I would like to know his plans are for the property...maybe the unclaimed revenue from the roadside potatoe sales should pay for the intersection as they are the only people that stop on that stretch.
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- Ouch!
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:01:58
And I just finished watching compass and find out that Tex macDonald is in on this scandal as well. Shameful! Resign McKinley you are a disgrace to your office and Robert ghiz show some leadership and send Tex MacDonald packing or are you on the take too. You guys are actually making mike Currie look like a saint!
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- on a soap box
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:01:11
It is time to live up to your so-called principles Ghiz, you made very pious statements about minister accountability in the legislature and during the campaign, have you changed your mind? Either you lied to islanders or you are not to be trusted, I think it amounts to the same thing. We voted for you based on what you said, now many of us who fit into the swing vote category feel betrayed. Start to act like the Premier we thought you would be.
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- Hold Everything
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:00:38
Lets just stop all Development on PEI
A)Lets stop construction of the Montaque School, who knows perhaps some Liberal lives next door and their kids would receive benefit by being close to the school so that will not be allowed.
B) We certainly can't complete the Cornwall ByPass because MacKinley probably owns some of the land. If he doesn't then some Liberals do and they might benefit from the sale of the land.
C) Forget about recruiting any Doctors. One of them might be a Liberal and receive a promotion to Chief Surgeon sometime, and we all know that is not allowed.
Now we know why Business on PEI is so poor. Mike Currie was a past Development Minister....Nuff Said -
- Mike
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:57:59
It's easy enough to discover whether the traffic signal installation was urgently required. Simply ask the Department of Transportation to make public their traffic signal warrant analysis for this intersection and their priority analysis for signallizing this intersection ahead of the others on their priority list. This is a normal practice for most technicaly competent State or Provincial Transportation organizations
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- I live in Cornwall
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:56:25
also, I lived in Cornwall for 10 years and I have not seen an accident yet on that stretch of the TCH. I would like to see the danger numbers people are talking about.
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- Lloyd
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:49:20
I agree with one of the earlier statements above. Why don,t the overly paid politicians here and elsewhere stop behaving like spoiled kids that don,t get their own way. Work together for a change. At least try to pretend that you are tryind to make the Island a decent place to live. I mean all parties. The legislature on t.v. is a sad reflection on all of you.
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- Trevor
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:48:15
I've been working in Charlottetown for about two months commuting from Clyde River. I'm of the opinion that the lights at Ronnie's gate may eventually be needed if Cornwall's industrial park grows larger. The first safety improvement would be to drop the 90 km/h speed limit from just past the Catholic church to the Dutch Inn down to 70 at the most. (at 70 km/h that 1.5 km stretch would take 30 extra seconds to drive). Then the Mounties need to get on the ball and start enforcing ALL speed zones from there to Charlottetown. Drivers who travel at 60 km/h through Cornwall or North River or at 70 km/h on the North River Causeway are few and far between...excess speed and driver inattention causes far more accidents than traffic lights ever did. The proper (with overpasses and ramps...please no more traffic lights!) completion of the bypass is the only real solution for commuters looking for the express route to town.
Ronnie could've waited a bit longer to start doling out political favors (both in Cornwall and in Winsloe) but everyone knew it would be coming. Happy days are here again for big L Liberal developers, engineering firms, and construction companies. -
- Cheryl
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:47:37
What we all need to maybe understand is that this isn't a case as whether the lights are needed or not. It is case did the Minister actually incorrectly when he agreed to put the lights there. Did he do it to help out his buddy the developer who has given thousands of dollars to MacKinley's party in Political donations. Also did MacKinley do this to also increase the value of his land and make it more valuable for a subdivision.
The whole affair does smell a bit like there were some alterior motives here on the Minister's part. This wouldn't be the case if the Ministers land was just afield and zoned as such but really the fact the field and land has been rezoned for development does make any sane person wonder.
The questions that need to asked...are would the Minister have agreed to put these lights if the developer who was developing the land was strong Conservative Supporter? Also would he have agreed if his own land was zoned for farming only?
Also was there any side deals made under the table that this developer would agree to purchase the MacKinley land at a later date?
Finally the real stickler is will MacKinley agree to sign a deal that he will not be developing this piece of land for any use other than farming for the next 5 years or until he is out of Politics? That this land will be used for farming only.
I know people should be allowed to do with what they want with their land but really a Minister of the crown shouldn't be able to make a decision to increase the value and accessibility of his land by using the Taxpayers to pay for it.
Maybe we should go ask the farmer who sold his land on the Lower Malpeque Rd a number of years ago if there had been traffic lights put in there would it have increased the property value. Lets go ask other land developers what traffic lights would do for the value. Have a look at Stratford all that land behind the school on the side of the TCH imagine if there was lights put in there. -
- Quiet
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:43:07
So we should put up a set of traffic lights in front of everybodys house who lives on the TCH? Come on, really.
The best solution, which everyone seems to be missing, including both political parties, is to finally complete the Bypass highway (and build it properly with over/underpasses and on/off ramps while you are at it). This will cut down the traffic in Cornwall substantially and make it safer for everyone involved, not just at MacKinley Corner, but all the highway and in the community itself. -
- Frustrating
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:41:15
Wow this frustrates me. Not because its a Liberal, the same thing happened when the Tories were in with scandals and people being asked to resign.
The three major things which have happened since the Liberals were voted in power, fish kill, Beck incident and now this shows that no matter who is in power there will be questionable acts committed that waste all of the MLA's time in legislature. Instead of arguing over resigning because of a set of lights lets see you try to work together to balance the budget or improve the quality of education or health care.
I think with what has been witnessed by the previous government and currently by this one that islanders would be far better off with some type of proportional representation with members at large rather than political parties. This way the government would have to work together and truly look out for best interests of islanders.
We know that this will not happen as there are too many Tories and Liberals who are stuck in old ways and may not receive there kickbacks if this happens.
I don't think Larry McGuire was wrong at all as it still seems this is happening although Ghiz said it would stop....... -
- making it up as we go
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:40:17
Post #33 you are my case in point......
Read my dear manlady read... for heaven's sake.
The name used way back in post #20 was as was written out here....
It was a scarcastic nom de plume referring to the evidence that most posters, read only the words they wish in anything and or have an axe to grind and just rationalize the rest.
And as with you shoot from the lip... you have provided my case in point....
Rather than re-type it out in the next post it was shortened to
Making it up is etc.etc.etc.
to which you rationized means that everything was being made up.... quite a stretch of your imagination.
Based upon yoour inability to connect the dots.... I amtaking you for either anything but a dyed in the wool Grit.
My heart however is telling me that your writing leans more toward a Tic'ed off Tory or a blue spin doctor.... -
- I live in cornwall
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:37:08
I think post 8 is on the right track!!
