P.E.I. fisheries minister gives up his lobster licence and his safety net

Allan Campbell has now made the full transition from fishermen to politician.

The Souris-Elmira MLA has been fishing lobsters from his homeport in Souris for the last 20 years. The 2007 election campaign that brought him to Province House was held during lobster season – Campbell did his campaigning after he landed his catch.

When Premier Robert Ghiz named his cabinet in mid-June, he followed through on a campaign pledge to split the agriculture and fisheries portfolio, naming Campbell fisheries and aquaculture minister. The conflict of interest law requires ministers to put their business holdings in trust.

Campbell tried to do that, but found out it was impossible due to a DFO regulation that requires the licence holder to be on the boat. That left him basically with two options – he could "bank" his licence – effectively making it inactive until such time as he was ready to get back in the fishery or he could sell.

Conflict of Interest Commission Neil Robinson gave him six months to decide.

The 38-year-old minister has chosen the latter option. He has sold his licence, boat and all of his equipment for an undisclosed sum. Campbell said if the licence remained inactive, he would have to pay to service his debt while having no fisheries income.

His decision effectively cuts off an easy transition back to the fishery following his political career. If he wins a second election, Campbell would be eligible for the MLA pension plan, but he would not be able to draw any benefits until age 55. When Island politicians leave office, either through retirement or electoral defeat, they receive a severance package amounting to one month’s pay for every year they served at province house.

Campbell has certainly taken the road less traveled.

Banking his licence would have allowed him to go back into the water immediately after his political career ends. If he decided to pursue other options at that time, he would be able to put the licence up for sale then.

Now the safety net is gone.

His post political options now, if he wants to re-enter the industry, will be to work as a helper or buy a licence at whatever the prevailing rates might be at that time. Campbell jokes that he intends to be in politics for a long time, but maintains he is willing to accept any consequences of his action.

The minister is to be commended for not taking the easy way out.

Hopefully, he will use the same bold approach to tackling problems within the industry.