P.E.I. opposition leaders eye spirit of collaboration ahead of legislature sitting
‘We’re going to show Islanders that we are the government in waiting’
The leaders of P.E.I.'s two opposition parties say they're open to collaborating with the governing Progressive Conservatives when the provincial legislature resumes this spring — but not at the expense of Islanders.
Premier Dennis King has asked the leader of the Official Opposition and the leader of the third party for input on the upcoming speech from the throne and the 2023-24 operating budget, in line with a promise of collegiality he made earlier this month when his party was elected for a second term.
Hal Perry, interim leader of the Liberal Party and thus of P.E.I.'s Official Opposition, says collaboration works only when there's open communication.
"At the end of the day, basically, it's about Islanders and we heard Islanders loud and clear [on] what their concerns are," he said.
"But Islanders have also said loud and clear that they have confidence in this government's platform that they put forward, so we are going to hold government to account and make sure that they follow through on their commitments to Islanders."
King's Progressive Conservatives took home a strong majority in the April 3 provincial election, winning 22 of the province's 27 seats after King triggered a snap spring election.
Health care, housing and the cost of living all emerged as pressing issues on the campaign trail, and all three party platforms included promises aimed at tackling those issues.
'We're going to let government take that'
Green Party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker, whose party lost Official Opposition status by winning just two seats, says he'll work with King's MLAs when it's warranted — but some things need to rest squarely with the PCs.
"The speech from the throne is government's vision, idea of what it would like the province to look like. So we're going to let government take that," he said.
"We've just come off a month of campaigning, and I would hope that from that and from their platform they have a pretty clear idea of what they want to do. Because I don't think we can afford another four years of a government that appears not to know what kind of a vision it has for Prince Edward Island."
Bevan-Baker said it remains to be seen how committed to working together the King government really is.
"Whether or not that input will be sincerely and authentically listened to, I don't know… So we'll see what they bring forward in this legislative sitting," he said.
"Collaboration is a partnership and for a partnership to work for everybody — and in this case I would include Islanders, not just the people sitting in the house — there has to be a basic level of trust and respect, and that's not where it was four years ago."
'We are the government in waiting'
Perry and Bevan-Baker say they'll work together when their priorities align, but the opposition parties don't have any plans to join forces.
As for the Greens, Bevan-Baker said going back to third-party status presents challenges and opportunities.
"In terms of the work that we will do, I'm not sure that much will change. We came to our status as Official Opposition with a very clear idea of the direction that we would like to see this province move in, and that has not changed."
Perry, meanwhile, says the Liberals are more than ready to take on the role of Official Opposition when the legislature resumes.
"It's exciting, it really is exciting times. For two members, it's the first time being a member of the Official Opposition … Islanders put their trust in us, in the Liberal Party, to be the Official Opposition and we take that very, very seriously," he said.
"We're going to show Islanders that we are the government in waiting."