THREE RIVERS, P.E.I. - In their first opportunity to showcase their vision for the future of P.E.I., the five candidates vying to become the next leader of P.E.I.’s Progressive Conservative party wound up agreeing more than they disagreed.
At a debate held at the Kaylee Hall in Pooles Corner on Thursday night, the candidates — Kevin Arsenault, Allan Dale, Shawn Driscoll, Dennis King and Sarah Stewart-Clark – all stated they opposed the forced amalgamation of rural municipalities, spoke up in favour of improving rural internet services and pledged to do everything in their power to halt the construction of a proposed effluent pipe into the Northumberland Strait from Pictou, N.S.
But, the candidates did diverge from one another on some notable issues.
When asked how he would involve more youth in the PC party, King struck a more exasperated tone than his competitors. He suggested young people are currently repulsed by politics in P.E.I.
"I have a 23-year-old son who would rather have nails shoved up his fingernails than to come into a room like this and listen to a political debate," King said.
“We have to stop pointing out all that's wrong in the world and start telling people what we're for."
Upcoming debates
- Jan. 8 at 7 p.m., Credit Union Place, Summerside
- Jan. 17 at 7 p.m., Murphy’s Community Centre, Charlottetown
Each candidate also emphasized different solutions to health-care staffing issues. Both the Kings County Memorial Hospital and the emergency department at Western Hospital in Alberton have faced temporary closures due to a shortage of physicians.
Driscoll suggested increasing the number of residency seats on Prince Edward Island for graduates of Dalhousie University’s medical school. Dale said recruiting practices for health-care workers needed to be improved, while King suggested that elected regional health boards be reinstated. Arsenault suggested easing the process for allowing international health-care workers to obtain their certification.
Stewart-Clark focused on expanding the scope of practice for nurse practitioners but also suggested Health P.E.I. has been averse to needed changes.
"I've spent a lot of time advocating for patients and I'm tired of making the same complaints to Health P.E.I. five years later,” she said.
"We need to ensure our system is getting better, getting more efficient at providing services that taxpayers have a right to across the province."
Arsenault used his opening statement to outline a theme of his candidacy: ending what he called the “corruption” of the current Liberal government.
"I am confident that the quite radical changes I'm proposing will shut the door on government corruption," said Arsenault, who has proposed introducing recall legislation for what he termed “delinquent” MLAs. The legislation would allow constituents to petition for the recall of their MLAs.
In his opening statement, Driscoll announced that, if elected premier, he would offer a $2,500 tax credit for families who have children with permanent disabilities. Responding to a question about land use, Driscoll also suggested that farm size restrictions outlined in the Land Protections Act be loosened.
"You need scale to be profitable. The days of the five-acre farm are gone with the disco ball," Driscoll said.
"We have to meet with our farmers and see what they need for acreage to be profitable. Some studies say they need 7,000 acres right now. That's far and above the 3,000 acres that you have now for the land use."
Arsenault suggested the creation of a land bank to preserve smaller family farms. King, Dale and Stewart-Clark suggested land-use policies be reviewed but did not elaborate on the question of
land size limits.
"The land issue is certainly a vitally important one because when it's gone and sold off, it's gone," Dale said.
"We have to strike the balance where large industry players can co-exist with smaller family farms."
Party leaders say the leadership race has reinvigorated membership numbers. PC spokesman Michael Drake says close to 1,000 people have signed up as PC members since the leadership race began in late October.
The leadership contest was prompted by the sudden resignation of leader James Aylward, who announced in September he would step down when a new leader was chosen. Aylward admitted at the time he had “not been able to make a strong enough connection with Islanders.”
More than 150 people attended Thursday night’s debate. The new leader of the PC Party will be selected at a leadership convention on Feb. 9.
Related: P.E.I. PC leadership candidates asked if they will run if they lose leadership
