Alberton-Roseville MLA Pat Murphy is in Peterborough, Ont. today representing P.E.I. at Wednesday's Stompin' Tom Connors memorial.
Canadian music icon Charles Thomas (Stompin' Tom) Connors died Wednesday, March 6 at the age of 77 in Halton Hills, a region of greater Toronto.
A private memorial was held Tuesday but Connors himself was deeply involved in planning Wednesday's public event, personal friend Brian Edwards told The Canadian Press.
Connors was raised by foster parents in Skinners Pond P.E.I. That community is in District 27, Tignish-Palmer Road represented by PC MLA Hal Perry, who didn't get the call.
Muprhy said he was asked by executive council to represent P.E.I. and Premier Robert Ghiz at the memorial.
"I have always been a fan," said Murphy during a phone interview prior to boarding a plane Tuesday. "I think all Islanders are fans of Stompin' Tom."
Murphy said he has not been asked to speak at the memorial as a representative of the province where Conners spent his youth.
"It's a great honour to be going up," said Murphy.
To be accurate, I think he was offered a place, but he turned it down because it didn't pay enough. I may stand corrected on that, but i am pretty sure that's how it happened.