Fisheries Must Stand Alone, Say Tories

Premier Robert Ghiz’s tooke the decision to combine the departements and Conservatives have protested.

Jim Bagnall has asked why the Liberals, who promised a dedicated minister of Fisheries, have deviated and put Rural Development with Fisheries.

Reports in the Guardian quoted Bagnall as saying that the Liberals broke a campaign promise to have a distinct minister of Fisheries.

"Why did your government make an election promise to have a stand alone minister of Fisheries solely dedicated for that economic sector and in your very first throne speech you deviated from that?" asked Bagnall.

"When you were out campaigning you went out to everyone in your district saying 'I am supporting a stand-alone minister of fishery.' You let every fisherman on Prince Edward Island down because you did not tell the truth to anyone."

Campbell said there is a natural fit between fisheries and aquaculture and rural development.

He said the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association has also solidly endorsed the change.