Province changes course on TOSH student registry — again

A day after government said it hadn't created a registry of Three Oaks Senior High students who attended the school during recent renovations, it reversed course Friday, saying a registry will now be created.

P.E.I.'s Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy Minister Steven Myers made that announcement at the start of question period Friday.

He said "beginning today" there will be an independent registry, housed within his department.

"While we hope we never need to access the registry, we feel it's important to give parents and students a level of comfort and documentation, should something arise. The registry will gather all pertinent and appropriate information," Myers said.

'Back where it belongs'

The province promised in June to create a registry, following concerns about air quality during renovations at TOSH. 

Test results during the school's renovations revealed that air quality did not always meet recommended guidelines, and one day there were high asbestos readings.

But following questions from Green MLA Trish Altass on Thursday, Education Minister Brad Trivers said a new registry had not been created. He said the enrolment records kept by the Public Schools Branch for all Island schools serves the same function.

However, Altass, along with Toby MacDonald, a parent of a former student at the school, said Thursday that without being linked to student health records, a simple enrolment list would not be of any value, as there would be no way to track long-term health effects for the specific group. 

Myers said government decided to create a new registry following discussions on Thursday. 

"It never should have lingered on this long. We should have done this a long time ago, and we're doing it today, and it's back where it belongs," Myers said.

Details to come, says Myers

Myers said the registry will be independent, and will track health information. Students will not be automatically included in the registry, instead people will have to sign up.

He said many details still need to be worked out.

"There's going to be lots of consultation to pull this together to make sure we do it in an appropriate manner. But I think it's a little unfair to me to ask me to give you specifics about something that, you know, it's just been, that just happened since last night," said Myers in an interview with CBC. 

He said his department will consult with the privacy commissioner on what can and cannot be included in the registry.

'A little bit of whiplash'

Altass said the announcement was unexpected, but she looks forward to hearing more information about the registry. 

"To be honest, every step of this since yesterday has been a bit of a surprise," Altass said. 

"But I'm glad that we're not just letting this go, and I'm hopeful that we can create a functional registry that's actually going to work in the way that we need it to."

MacDonald, who advocated for a registry, was similarly surprised to hear about government's change of course.

"I have a little bit of whiplash today," MacDonald said. 

MacDonald said she is happy about the announcement but, like Altass, she wants more details about what exactly it will look like. 

She also said she will wait to celebrate until the registry is actually in place. 

"Knowing that they changed course yesterday, and saying that there is no registry, I will wait and see if they're going to hold the ship course steady and will be a government of their word."

Myers said the registry is a "top priority" for him, and said his department will start work on it immediately. 

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