Paul MacNeill

1 week ago | peicanada.com | Paul MacNeill

If the federal election taught us anything, it is that leadership matters. Mark Carney is neither slick nor a great orator. But his lack of political baggage and a resume full of world-class credentials was enough to turn Liberal fortunes from decimation to a breath away from a majority government. kA 4=2DDlQAbQm!:6CC6 !@:=:6GC6 :D 2 3C:==:2?E 4@>>F?:42E@C[ H9@ E2AA65 :?E@ E96 2?86C @7 @C5:?2CJ r2?25:2?D E@ 8C@H E96 r@?D6CG2E:G6 D62E 4@F?E 3J a_[ 3FE 96 =@DE 9:D @H? C:5:?8 :?

2 weeks ago | peicanada.com | Paul MacNeill

What now? After four months of unparalleled shifts in public opinion, Canadians are sorta back to where we began…with a Liberal government in Ottawa. kAmqFE[ @9 >J[ 9@H E9:?8D 92G6 492?865]k^AmkAmx? y2?F2CJ ?@ @?6 – 2?5 x >62? ?@ @?6 – AC65:4E65 E92E 2 r@?D6CG2E:G6 =625 @7 ad A@:?ED H@F=5 6G2A@C2E6 :? 2 >2EE6C @7 H66<D] xE H2D 2 E2<6\:E\E@\E96\32?< 8F2C2?E66 E92E !:6CC6 !@:=:6GC6 H@F=5 364@>6 AC:>6 >:?:DE6C[ A@E6?E:2==J H:E9 2 C64@C5 D6EE:?8 >2;@C:EJj DF49 H2D E96 AF3=:4 2?86C E@H2C5 yFDE:?

3 weeks ago | peicanada.com | Paul MacNeill

There was a time when PEI’s workforce was built on home grown talent. Nurses, early childhood educators, farm workers, kids pouring a double-double. There were enough bodies to fill the wide swath of jobs required to make a province run. Things have changed dramatically in recent decades. As our population aged, fewer kids were around to do traditional kid jobs in coffee shops, fast food joints or restaurants. There were fewer professionals to teach early childhood education, nurse or build houses.

4 weeks ago | peicanada.com | Paul MacNeill

The $3.5 billion provincial budget sets a record for government spending; its anticipated record deficit of $184 million will spiral our long-term debt upward with no reversal in sight. But proving once again that all politics is local, Islanders will ignore the big numbers and toast a long-overdue modernization of liquor laws. Sale of booze has always been the sole domain of the PEI Liquor Commission; a patronage driven government monopoly.

1 month ago | peicanada.com | Paul MacNeill

Pierre Poilievre’s PEI visit galvanized hardcore Conservatives who travelled to a Borden manufacturing plant by the busload for a rally that the party pegs attendance at more than 1,700. Where leaders travel often offers a hint of what ridings the party believes it can win. There was a modest gathering in a local Charlottetown bar, giving candidate Natalie Jameson a coveted ‘having a beer with the leader’ photo.