Sidney MacEwen, a cabinet minister from Prince Edward Island, has stepped down from his position on the executive council, as announced by the province in a news release on Thursday afternoon.
This resignation comes after Fisheries and Oceans Canada rejected his appeal to appoint a substitute operator for his lobster fishing fleet. This refusal has intensified scrutiny on MacEwen, who serves as the minister of transportation, infrastructure, and energy, as well as on the Progressive Conservative government to guarantee that he adheres to the Conflict of Interest Act of P.E.I.
According to the act, ministers are required to place their business holdings into a blind trust while serving in cabinet. However, DFO’s owner-operator policy mandates that MacEwen’s lobster licence must remain in his name, with only rare exemptions permitted for situations such as a family member’s death.
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In light of this situation, the Progressive Conservatives introduced Bill 102 the previous week to modify the act, allowing MacEwen to keep his fishing licence.
This bill has successfully completed its first reading; however, it must pass through the House and be enacted by Thursday’s end to ensure MacEwen’s compliance with the act within the legislated timeframe.
That timeframe will not be met.
“The conflict of interest commissioner set a deadline for compliance under the current legislation. Despite ongoing efforts in the legislative assembly to resolve this issue, it was not feasible to finalize these changes within that period,” stated the provincial release.
MacEwen will still fulfill his duties as the MLA for Morell-Donagh. Currently, P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz is serving as the acting minister of transportation, infrastructure, and energy.
“Efforts will persist to amend the Conflict of Interest Act to address the loophole preventing an entire sector from contributing to our province in executive council,” the release continued.
Speaking to reporters outside the P.E.I. Legislature on Thursday, MacEwen expressed his disappointment over the necessity to resign, emphasizing his desire to comply with the act.
He noted that discussions regarding amendments to the act have occurred previously, and he has consulted with the province’s conflict of interest commissioner about potential changes.
“It has never been successfully addressed before. Someone needed to take action, and I am grateful to the premier for attempting to facilitate this change,” MacEwen remarked.
“I do not regret my efforts to make this happen. I remain hopeful that it will eventually come to fruition.”
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MacEwen remarked that the dialogue surrounding the potential changes to legislation “became derailed” and transformed into “a significant distraction.”
He indicated that opposition MLAs had previously voiced their support for allowing fishers to serve as cabinet ministers, but when the issue becomes “politically expedient, it faces criticism.”
“The timeline was too tight for this to be accomplished. Given more time, perhaps changes could have been implemented, and maybe they will still occur in the future,” MacEwen stated.
“I have devoted considerable effort to representing my district, and I hope to continue doing so.”
Lantz labeled MacEwen as “eminently qualified for cabinet,” and noted that opposition parties have privately acknowledged that the exclusion of fishers from executive council is a concern.
P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz says he intends to continue toward amending the Conflict of Interest Act to allow fishers to serve on executive council. (Rick Gibbs/CBC)
“In fact, several of them congratulated [MacEwen] privately upon his appointment, stating it was well-deserved,” Lantz noted outside the legislature.
“Many of them expressed willingness to assist in … making this possible. I believe political dynamics interfered in this situation.”
Lantz affirmed that he still aims to pursue modifications to the act to permit fishers to participate in executive council, but for now, MacEwen will remain a backbencher.
“We have a proposed bill, and there’s no reason we can’t amend it. However, we now have some breathing room,” the premier stated.
“I never assumed this would be straightforward. The opposition will seize any opportunity to gain political leverage, and that is evident in their public statements. However, the sentiment was markedly different in private discussions.”
‘He needs to make up his mind’
P.E.I. Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell informed reporters that modifying the Conflict of Interest Act could potentially dilute its effectiveness.
He referenced former MLAs Charlie McGeoghegan, Allan Campbell, and Buck Watts as individuals who comprehended the regulations pertaining to lobster fishers.
P.E.I. Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell says his party will continue to ensure any changes to the Conflict of Interest Act aren’t being made to accommodate just one MLA. (Rick Gibbs/CBC)
“[MacEwen] chose to pursue fishing, and that is what he will do,” Mitchell stated. “And he will do so from the backbench, which is where he belongs.”
Mitchell affirmed that Liberal MLAs will ensure that any amendments to the Conflict of Interest Act are not intended solely to benefit one individual.
“Sidney is an excellent person, a dedicated MLA, and I have no doubt he will advocate vigorously for his district,” Mitchell remarked.
“However, he must clarify his priorities and make a decision. Does he wish to be part of the cabinet or continue his fishing career?”