While Premier Dennis King has been coy about when this year’s election will take place, it is clear that an election will be called either March 5 or March 6, says PEI Liberal Sharon Cameron.

“Over the past several years, the premier has repeatedly assured Islanders that he would follow the Election Act, which requires a vote to take place in October,” said Cameron. “By calling an early spring election, the premier is undermining democracy and avoiding accountability.”

Cameron said this decision means:

• Islanders will not have a clear picture of the province’s finances before an election.
• Islanders will not receive an explanation for the current crisis in health care, which is continually getting worse.
• Many residents will be prevented from considering candidacy – particularly women – because they won’t have the full opportunity to prepare for an election that was scheduled for October.

“I have spoken with a number of women who took the premier at his word,” said Cameron. “They were in the process of preparing their families for weeks on the October 2023 campaign trail. The obvious haste behind the premier’s upcoming election call is now preventing that kind of work from happening. In the end, we all lose – because those voices will not be heard.”

“In particular, I have a lot of sympathy for all those individuals considering public service based on the premier’s previous public commitments,” she added. “They have already given a lot of time and thought to their potential candidacy – and to watch all that thrown out the window to serve the premier’s political timetable is very, very sad.”

“And it is sad to watch the Premier rush to an election – rather than preparing our province for a looming recession. Islanders are hurting – but instead of a reliable plan to deal with an economic downturn, we have politicians seeking short-term advantage. It’s a cynical ploy in place of the long-term planning that will preserve our strengths and protect the vulnerable.”