Chair of group opposed to amalgamation says PCs 'betrayed all the rural people'

A group opposed to P.E.I.'s amalgamation process is calling for the province's Minister of Communities Jamie Fox to place a moratorium on amalgamations until changes can be made to P.E.I.'s Municipal Government Act.

Fox said he is considering changes to the law, but in the meantime it's business as usual for communities considering amalgamation. That has the chair of the Rural Coalition of P.E.I. suggesting the PCs — whom he considered his group's political allies in the fight over amalgamation in Three Rivers — have switched sides in the debate since forming government.

"I think they betrayed all the rural people," said Gary Robbins. "They stood shoulder to shoulder with us and then they turned their back on us, won't even answer our phone calls," he said.

"The only reason the Conservatives are sitting in those seats right now is because rural P.E.I. voted for them."

Seeking to scrap law, or change it

Robbins said last month he forwarded a letter from his group's lawyer Derek Key to all PC MLAs, calling the amalgamation process "deeply unfair, irresponsible, opaque, and [an] unconstitutional affront on rural life in P.E.I." In the letter, the group demands the Municipal Government Act be scrapped or amended.

The group is calling for one particular proposal, for a new West River municipality incorporating five existing municipalities in central P.E.I., to require a binding referendum before it could go forward.

A consultant's report delivered last year recommended the municipalities of Bonshaw, West River, Afton, Meadowbank and New Haven-Riverdale move ahead with amalgamation. This week Bonshaw council voted in favour of the proposal, the last of the five to do so. The proposal is now expected to be sent to Fox's office before going to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission for review.

Up to municipalities, says minister

Fox said he's not about to step in between these sorts of discussions among municipalities. "If they want to have that conversation with a neighbour that's up to them," he said.

If West River or any other proposal comes across his desk for ministerial approval, Fox said he would "have to look at the application. Was there reasonable and good consultation with any area that may be affected or any persons affected? I will be looking at that very, very closely."

The idea behind the Municipal Government Act is to provide good governance equally across the whole province for every municipality.— Jamie Fox, minister of communities

While the PCs were in opposition they were highly critical of the Municipal Government Act passed under the Liberals, and in particular of the process put forward for amalgamating communities and annexing unincorporated rural areas.

Georgetown-Pownal MLA Steven Myers was the most outspoken critic while his constituents were involved in the Three Rivers amalgamation.

But Fox also criticized the process. As interim PC leader in November 2015 he tabled a petition with the signatures of 781 people opposed to a proposed annexation of land in the Bedeque area.

"I've heard loud and clear from people out there that they're scared this government is going to force them to amalgamate when they don't want to," Fox said in the legislature, asking the Liberal minister of communities of the day Robert Mitchell: "Are you going to force amalgamation on rural residents of P.E.I.?"

Now Fox is the minister who recommends to cabinet whether any amalgamation or annexation should proceed, and he wants to reassure Islanders they won't be forced to become part of a municipality — the same thing Mitchell said back in 2015.

Same question, same answer, different minister

And in an interview this week, Fox asked the same question — this time posing it to himself.

"Are we going to force amalgamation or annexation on any part of P.E.I.? No, we're not going to do that."

As for the particular amalgamation proposal the opposition Tories criticized day after day in the legislature: "Three Rivers is working," Fox said.

"The idea behind the Municipal Government Act is to provide good governance equally across the whole province for every municipality," Fox said.

"We're a year-and-a-half into the act. Do I think there need to be changes? That's why I'm having conversations with mayors and municipalities now."

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