5 things to watch for in the fall sitting of the P.E.I. legislature

The fall sitting of the P.E.I. Legislature begins Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Here are five topics bound to come up for debate over the next few weeks.

1. Electoral reform

Green Party leader Peter Bevan-Baker is keen to take up the discussion of the plebiscite results which the premier has said will take place this fall. But Bevan-Bakermay be the only one.

In his statement casting doubt as to whether the plebiscite results constitute a clear expression of the will of Prince Edward Islanders, Wade MacLauchlan said MLAs wanted to see district-by-district results as soon as possible.

The MLAs have actually been going over those results for several days now. Here's what they've learned:

• Mixed-member proportional was the winning system in 22 of the Island's 27 districts. First past the post carried the other 5.
• There are only three Liberals in ridings won by first past the post, and they're all in western P.E.I.: Robert Henderson (O'Leary-Inverness), Pat Murphy (Alberton-Roseville), and Hal Perry (Tignish-Palmer Road).
• Of P.E.I.'s 10 cabinet ministers, nine are in districts where MMP was the winner. Henderson is the lone exception.
• Cabinet members Doug Currie and Richard Brown are in districts where the two proportional options finished first and second, with FPTP coming in third.

The Liberals find themselves in a very difficult situation: having to make MacLauchlan's case without alienating hundreds of voters in each district. They'll want this debate to conclude as quickly as possible.

• Premier calls plebiscite results 'debatable,' cites low turnout
• 'Essence of democracy': Green Party leader urges MLAs to honour plebiscite

Other than Bevan-Baker, it's not clear who else might press them on this issue. The Opposition PCs haven't taken a stand so far. Interim leader Jamie Fox said his caucus is divided, and that will be reflected in what they say in the House. He said PC members will be free to express their own views on the issue.

2. The Capital budget and the Cornwall bypass

The opposition parties have been pressing government hard in committee about the decision to spend $65 million on the Cornwall bypass project, pointing out (correctly) that the massive project was not included in the capital budget tabled last fall, nor was it ever mentioned by the current government in the House.

Recently Finance Minister Allen Roach told the Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Energy the House would be able to debate the project this fall. Sure, government has already committed to the project, but last we heard Ottawa had not yet signed on with funding for phase two, which includes the bulk of the work (and the expense).

• Opposition parties weigh in on Cornwall bypass project

3. E-gaming

When Auditor General Jane MacAdam released her highly critical report on the province's failed e-gaming initiative, the Opposition sent an official request asking Speaker Buck Watts to convene an emergency sitting of the Legislature.

The Speaker refused. While waiting for the fall sitting to begin at its regularly-scheduled time,opposition MLAs have spent hours going over this file in committee with MacAdam.

Liberals in committee have already said all questions should be directed to current Finance Minister Allen Roach, who's co-ordinating government's response to MacAdam's report. Once again we can expect to see him respond to all questions in the legislature on this file.

• 'Lack of due regard for transparency' in e-gaming file says P.E.I. auditor general

Among the many interesting tidbits MacAdam has provided through these meetings: she said Roach told her he wasn't briefed on the e-gaming file when he became innovation minister under the previous Ghiz administration.

4. Schools review

Earlier this year Education Minister Doug Currie commissioned a consultant's report which concluded P.E.I. should amalgamate small schools to free up resources to improve the education system.

• School rezoning, possible closures, coming for next school year
• P.E.I. public schools, and whether they are part of the 2017 review

The smallest school in the province is in the district represented by the Opposition's education critic Steven Myers. Meanwhile, hundreds of people in Opposition Leader Jamie Fox's district have been complaining about the review process as it relates to the Kinkora family of schools.

Expect this to be a regular topic during question period.

5. Water Act

Green leader Peter Bevan-Baker was preparing to table a private member's bill calling for a moratorium on permits to allow Island water to be bottled and exported. Turns out he doesn't need to.

• Province puts temporary ban on bottling Island water

The provincial government says it will now prohibit companies from bottling Island water until the Water Act has been introduced.

A draft of P.E.I.'s new Water Act is supposed to be presented this fall, although the final form of the legislation isn't expected to be tabled until spring 2017.

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