P.E.I. fisheries minister comes under fire for upholding tradition

By Andy Walker

SOU’WESTER

P.E.I. Fisheries Minister Allan Campbell came under fire from the opposition when he took a day away from the legislature to withhold a long-standing tradition.

Campbell, who represents the eastern riding of Souris-Elmira, was a fisherman for 20 years before entering politics last spring. When he was appointed fisheries minister, conflict of interest guidelines forced him to sell his boat and gear.

It is a long-standing tradition that a retiring captain accompany his successor onto the water on setting. Campbell upheld his part of the bargain by going out on the water with Patrick Eastman – a young fisher from his constituency who took over the fleet.

"This was the first time in 20 years that I wasn’t on the water setting my own traps," Campbell said. "There were a lot of mixed emotions."

On the day that Campbell was on the water instead of in his seat behind the rail at the P.E.I. Legislature, over 400 people from the western part of the province were protesting the decline of agriculture, fisheries and rural communities.

Opposition Leader Olive Crane argued Campbell, who is also minister of rural development, should have been in the house to speak with them.

That brought an angry response from Campbell when he returned the next day. He told the Legislature, "I understand the honourable leader of the opposition thought I should have been here yesterday afternoon. I don’t think she has an understanding of the fishing industry in this province and how it works and how the compassion and caring of the fishermen in this province how they work together."

Campbell went on to say, "When people have problems whether it be sickness, whether it be a death in the fishing community, whether it be breakdowns, fishermen come together to help each other. When someone retires from the fishery, they traditionally go with the person who is removing them in the fishing community and making a significant contribution to the provincial economy, yet she stands here yesterday in my absence and says I should be back here."

The fisheries minister urged Crane to rise to her feet and tell the fishing community in this province and Patrick Eastman why it was a bad idea that he was there instead of in the Legislature.

“She has no understanding of the fishing community or the people in it and more so than that, I don’t think she has the guts," he said, although he withdrew this comment after the opposition protested it was un-parliamentary.

For her part, Crane said she does know a thing or two about the industry since her husband is a fisherman.

"I’m glad to hear her husband is on the water," Campbell replied. "She should have a chat with him when she gets home and find out a little bit more about the fishery."

(Andy Walker resides in P.E.I. and is a regular contributor to the Sou’Wester.)