Reestablish Trust in Government

Islanders have lost faith in government. Politicians promise openness and transparency but don’t deliver when they are in office. From not keeping promises to enhance independent oversight, to not implementing recommendations of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner or the Chief Electoral Officer, to not honouring the vote for the 2016 plebiscite, the traditional parties on PEI have a track record of putting party before people.

Islanders are also worried that their tax dollars are not being used wisely. They are concerned that public money is being wasted for partisan purposes and that party insiders are the main beneficiaries. Years of deficit budgeting have resulted in a massive debt that limits government’s ability to provide programs and services. This debt will burden our children and grandchildren if we don’t make fiscal sustainability a priority.

A Green Government would enhance support for independent offices, such as the Auditor General and the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, and create new offices to hold government to account. We would encourage MLAs to put the needs of their constituents first and reduce the control the Premier’s Office has on the functioning of the Legislative Assembly and its committees.

A Green Government would review government spending to ensure that it is providing the programs and services that Islanders need and not giving unfair advantages to political insiders. It would produce budgets that are financially responsible, expecting budget deficits during difficult periods and surpluses at other times. It would commit to a meaningful public consultation process modelled on the federal Finance Committee’s pre-budget consultations.

25 Year Vision

10 Year Vision

First Mandate Commitments

• Honour the results of the current referendum vote on electoral reform
  • A Green government will respect the upcoming vote on electoral reform regardless of the results
• Lower the provincial voting age to 16
  • Sixteen year olds enjoy many of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship: they can work full-time and must pay taxes; they can voluntarily leave school or home; and they can drive a car. They should also be encouraged to participate more actively in the future of their communities
• Establish an independent Ombudsperson Office
  • An Ombudsperson would have the authority to investigate individual complaints about how government provides programs and services. Every province other than PEI has an independent Ombudsperson
• Establish an independent Child Advocate Office
  • Government recently announced the appointment of a Child Advocate who will report to the Premier through Executive Council. To be effective a Child Advocate must be independent so they can fearlessly hold government to account.
  • Provide additional resources to the Office of the Auditor General to expand its capacity to ensure public funds are being spent responsibly
• Establish a pilot initiative for performance measurement that reports on the well being of Islanders in addition to how well government is delivering its programs and services
  • Performance reporting is an important part of fiscal management that allows government to make more informed and efficient use of public money by knowing what impact its policies are having on its citizens
• Set up an independent commission to explore the possibility of separating the role of the Justice Minister and the Attorney General
  
• Work with other parties to make the legislature and legislative committees more inclusive, collaborative, and effective
  
• Implement whistleblower protections for private sector workers
  • Nobody should risk being disciplined or fired for reporting wrongdoing. We would extend protections that public sector employees enjoy to all Island workers
• Improve access to French Language services by creating an initiative to encourage civil servants to proactively offer non-designated services in French
• Introduce a Well-being Measurement Act that will require government to gather data on the well-being of Islanders
  
• Reintroduce the Government Advertising Standards Act that will prohibit government from spending public money on partisan advertising
  
• Undertake a review of the Expropriations Act to ensure all Islanders are treated fairly when government seeks to purchase their land
  
• Adhere to the fixed date election provisions in the Election Act
  • Predictable election dates make it easier for nominees who need to make accommodations for caregiving responsibilities and employment requirements to step forward and plan for a campaign
• Review and begin implementation of recommendations made by the PEI Coalition for Women in Government’s 2009 report “Whose Job is it Anyway? The Life and Work of an MLA”
  
• Implement all the recommendations made by the Conflict of Interest Commissioner in his 2015 Annual Report and increase the cooling off period for Ministers to two years
  • MLAs should be held to the highest standards and should not be able to use their influence for personal gain
• Implement recommendations made by the Chief Electoral Officer in his report on the 2015 provincial election to ensure the integrity of future elections
  • An independent audit of the 2016 Plebiscite stated: “Elections PEI is severely understaffed and... PEI legislators should be aware that a spectacular electoral failure will inevitably occur in their province if this situation is not properly addressed.” (pp 21-22). These concerns must be addressed immediately

Intergovernmental Priorities »