From one emerald isle to the other

Summerside - It's been 90 years since Pat Binns' grandfather left County Monaghan for Canada.
Now, as Canada's ambassador to Ireland, Binns is becoming familiar with his ancestral home.
"It's an opportunity to represent my country in a different way," said Binns while visiting his parents in Arizona, U.S.A., this week.
"Canada and Ireland are so connected historically. There are very strong roots and connections between the two countries."
Most of his time is spent working out of the embassy in Dublin on trade issues.
"There's about $3-billion worth of trade between Ireland and Canada, but it tends to be in favour of Ireland most of the time. They've been exporting things like financial services, IT and communications products, pharmaceutical products," said the 59 year old.
"They've built up a very positive trade with most parts of the world. We're doing some of the same kind of business from Canada to Ireland but not as much they're sending our way."
Although his job is to represent Canada, Binns admitted to having "a particular interest in seeing if we can help Atlantic Canada and P.E.I.".
"I've been very interested in trying to understand how Ireland's economy developed and took off over the last 15 years and why it is so strong today and how that would relate to Atlantic Canada in building a stronger economy."
He said there are lessons this region can learn from Ireland. With a "very low" 15-per-cent corporate tax rate and no provincial tax, Ireland has been able to attract businesses from around the world.
"They have also generally provided free university education to their own people. That has given them a well-educated workforce," added Binns.
"The lenders seem to be quite anxious and very supportive of business and individuals starting a business or buying a home. The availability of credit has made Ireland successful in its economic development."
Binns has spent little time on P.E.I. since taking on the ambassador's role. He's been visited by "quite a number" of Islanders who've been in Ireland either on vacation or business.
For now, Binns is enjoying the new job and has had little time to miss home.
"It's been fun and busy," he added. "The Canadian government always has a certain amount of priorities in terms of its international agenda."
So, once his four-year term is complete, will Binns consider venturing back into Island politics?
"No, I've gone through that phase and I'm quite enjoying this," he added. "When I come back to P.E.I. it will be to go back to the farm and some of the business things we had going there. That will be my agenda then."