Opposition hammers P.E.I. government on decision to let in seasonal residents

What began as a question to Premier Dennis King about how he was doing during the COVID-19 pandemicturned into a heated debate over government's decision to letsome seasonal residentsinto P.E.I. this summer.

The question came during the first sittingof an emergency sessionof the P.E.I. Legislature Tuesday.

Opposition leader Peter Bevan-Baker began question period highlighting the concern from some Islanders over last Wednesday's announcement that P.E.I. would begin taking applications June 1 from Canadian seasonal residents wanting to come here.

'Decision that came out of left field'

"We went from making clearly sound decisions that were marked along the path that Dr. Morrison had laid out for us, to making a decision that came out of left field," saidBevan-Baker.

"What we are doing now is introducing a potential threat, a potential avenue for a new outbreak on Prince Edward Island."

He said the decision comes as even more of a sting to some who are still not able to visit friends and family living in long-term care facilities.

"Can the premier explain to Islanders why you made this decision to open our borders before all of the other steps that we had agreed to?" Bevan-Baker askedKing.

'They have a right to be here'

In response, King said every decision about seasonal residents was made in consultation with Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison and that it was important for P.E.I. to continue on a road to recovery.

"We have to remember that these seasonal Islanders who are taxpayers here, are just like everybody else. They have a right to be here," King said.

"I feel we're in a good position to do this now. We are trying to do it carefully. We are trying to do it cautiously. We are trying to do it safely."

Any seasonal residents that come to P.E.I. will need to follow severalstrict safety measures, including self-isolating for two weeks andproviding a plan on how they will do that.

At a health briefing earlier on Tuesday, Morrison said seasonal residents will also undergo risk assessments thatconsider where they are coming from andhow good a self-isolation plan they have. She also said testing could be required.

In response to a question asked by Bevan-Bakerabout how the decision was made and if it was in the best interest of Islanders, King said there were other factors in considering the health of P.E.I.

"My job, our job in here is to look at the health of Prince Edward Islanders.Part of that job is our economic,our social and our mental well-being."

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