CHEERS AND JEERS: Jeers to the government for breaking advertising rules

Jeers to the PC government for releasing a video the province’s auditor general found violated advertising rules. The video in question features Premier Rob Lantz and Finance Minister Jill Burridge promoting the Island Essentials Benefit. The province’s Advertising Standards Act says government ads can’t include the name, voice or image of a member of executive council. Lantz and Burridge both fall into that category. The issue became public after interim Liberal Leader Hal Perry complained about the ad to auditor general Darren Noonan who agreed it broke the rules. In response, the Office of the Premier said no taxpayer dollars were spent on the ads. That’s despite the ad itself saying it was paid for by the Government of P.E.I. If no tax dollars were spent on the ad, then the least the premier’s office can do is explain who did pay for it.

Cheers to P.E.I.’s Alysha Corrigan and the rest of her Team Canada rugby teammates for their recent win against England during a match in Toronto. The victory broke a 41-game win streak and was the home team’s first-ever win over England in Canada. It must have felt all the sweeter as revenge for a loss to England in last year’s World Cup final. Fans in P.E.I. had even more to cheer about as Corrigan got a try early in the second half and helped build momentum for Canada’s comeback. Corrigan had another special moment before the game started when she got to walk onto the field with her four-year-old niece Sophia in front of more than 18.000 fans. It proved to be a game Corrigan and many fans on the Island won’t soon forget.

Cheers to the thousands of runners who raced as part of the P.E.I. Marathon’s weekend of events. Despite early forecasts that called for less than ideal weather, including the possibility of snow, conditions were good for the multiple events held in Charlottetown. This year’s marathon weekend was the largest ever for the event and saw more than 3,200 participants compete in more than 15 different races. The weekend drew runners from every province, about 25 states and from other countries. It also saw a new record for the half-marathon. P.E.I. Marathon weekend has gained a reputation as a well-managed event and its popularity in the running community shows.

Jeers to the Public Schools Branch for pushing forward with a consultation period on a report that included a recommendation to build a new school that would take in Georgetown Elementary students in a different part of Three Rivers. The recommendation was foreseeably met with resistance from Georgetown residents and others who have fought several times to keep their school open. The provincial government has made it clear it plans on building a new school in Georgetown to replace the one that is already there. Education Minister Robin Croucher recently re-affirmed that commitment. Unless the provincial government backs down on its plans for a new building in Georgetown, consultations on the report’s recommendation dealing with moving Georgetown students appear to be a wasted exercise. Surely the Public Schools Branch could be spending that time addressing other issues than a recommendation that seems destined to go nowhere.