P.E.I. Premier Dennis King, right, sits in the legislature on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019, along with PC MLA James Aylward.
It was, by any realistic measuring stick, a rousing success. And that’s a problem.
The new kids in charge, the provincial Progressive Conservatives, have successfully navigated their way through their first fall sitting of the legislature.
No scandals, no real yelling and screaming and name calling. No losing a money vote, forcing an election no one wants – or can pay for.
As reporter Stu Neatby noted in this paper, the 27 MLAs passed 25 bills in just 11 days.
“Twenty-one were introduced by government MLAs, three were introduced by the opposition Greens and one was introduced by a PC backbencher. The bills were substantial and ranged from the establishment of a child and youth advocate, to toughening the Lands Protection Act, to providing improved support for disabled Islanders.”
That’s getting the job done. But for the traditional ruling parties – Liberal red or Conservatives blue depending on your allegiance of choice – that’s disturbing.
If you favourite colour is green – as in Green – it’s good news by the bushel basket.
Remember the spring? Political pundits and news stories were gleeful while interpreting polls.
“The Green Party of Prince Edward Island is projected as the favourite to win the popular vote in Tuesday’s election with average support of 36.4 per cent. Should this projected support translate into actual votes on Tuesday, this would be the highest vote share for a Green party in Canadian history,” Philippe J. Fournier said breathlessly – and accurately.
He wasn’t alone in his enthusiasm. The entire country seemed positively giddy with the idea of a Green breakthrough. ‘First P.E.I., then the country (maybe?),’ seemed to be the mood.
Then came April 23, and reality.
Turnout was a low, for P.E.I. ‘Just’ 76.28 per cent of voters showed up to cast a ballot.
Shucks, Islanders hit 83.27 in 2003 when Hurricane Juan meant some voted by candlelight.
(Some perspective: Americans last hit such numbers in a presidential election in 1896, when 79.3 per cent of eligible voters went to the polls, electing William McKinley. He was assassinated six months later, opening the door for Teddy Roosevelt. The number was 54.7 in the Trump win.)
The actual Green vote for the spring election here was lower than predicted. They collected 30.56 per cent of the votes, trailing the Tories at 36.73.
Islanders weren’t (quite) ready to trust their new suitor. Instead of a marriage, Islanders opted for more dating. We ended up with a minority government, something new for us.
The Greens are on probation. They have from now until the next election to prove we can trust them. Everything they do, everything they say, will be scrutinized. Any misstep will give the uncertain a chance to say, “Aha! I knew it!”
If that happens, the possibility of voters returning to more traditional voting patterns shoots up. Good news for Conservatives and Liberals.
So far? The Greens have passed the test. They’ve asked good questions, introduced bills, been respectful. Downright grownup.
Granted, it’s in their interests to make this minority government work, for at least a year to 18 months, but it’s starting to look like they can be trusted.
And that’s bad news for Tories and Liberals, who spent the last century and change taking turns running the province. That comfortable ping-pong may be in jeopardy.
Rick MacLean is an instructor in the journalism program at Holland College in Charlottetown.
