Island Party leader says accountability front and centre for new political party
‘That made us realize that we need to become involved’
Accountability is front and centre for the new leader of the Island Party.
Ahava Kálnássy de Kálnás has only been at the reins of the upstart political party for just over two weeks.
Now, they are in the middle of a provincial election campaign.
Born in the former Czechoslovakia, Kálnássy de Kálnás moved to Canada when they were five years old. They moved to Prince Edward Island in 2019.
Kálnássy de Kálnás says a battle over plans to evict them from their Souris apartment got them involved in politics.
'Everything that I believe in'
"That made us realize that we need to become involved, we need to be able to direct our own futures, we need to be able to respect ourselves and say 'no' to people in positions of power that are trying to create a society in which there isn't justice for everyone," said Kálnássy de Kálnás.
Ahava Kálnássy de Kálnás is their ancestral Jewish name. Their common legal name is Cecile Sly.
D.P. Murphy, which operates Tim Hortons, purchased the building they live in, and issued eviction notices to the tenants on Jan. 5.
According to documents filed by the company with the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission, the company wanted to use the building to house temporary foreign workers.
Those evictions were overturned late last month.
Kálnássy de Kálnás said when they were asked to lead the Island Party it was "like coming home."
"Because the platform and the policies and the vision of the Island Party are everything that I believe in."
'They're looking for change'
That includes recall legislation, town halls and referendums on major issues, which the party says puts the power back in the hands of the people.
Husband and wife couple, Gary and Lucy Robbins, are running for the Island Party in eastern P.E.I.
The couple have been married for more than 30 years and are now campaigning together.
"People are just wonderful when you go to the door and talk to them about the party," said Lucy Robbins, who is a candidate in District 2, Georgetown-Pownal.
"They're looking for change."
Gary Robbins, a candidate in District 3, Montague-Kilmuir, said concerns about "forced amalgamation" and land use are what prompted the couple to run for public office.
"When the idea for the Island Party came up we pounced on that," he said.
'Trying to promote the party'
The Island Party is running 11 candidates across P.E.I.
Kálnássy de Kálnás uses a wheelchair to get around after a slip-and-fall accident.
That, they said, is limiting their ability to campaign.
"I've been basically working through the internet, through the phone and trying to promote the party," they said.
"All members of the party and all candidates in the party have the same vision, we share the same values so it was just a group of people that had the same beliefs and were committed to the same things all just saying, 'We're going to do this,' and so we're doing it."
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