P.E.I. argues Ottawa cannot abolish Senate without provincial consent

Prince Edward Island has joined with seven other provinces and territories in arguing the federal government cannot abolish the Senate without unanimous consent of the provinces.

The federal government has asked the Supreme Court of Canada for guidance on what it would take to reform the upper chamber, and whether it can abolish the body without provincial consultation.

Mike Duffy's primary home not P.E.I., unedited Senate report says

A copy of the original report by an internal Senate committee on Senator Mike Duffy's expense claims, obtained by CBC News, makes it clear the committee believes Duffy's primary residence is in Ottawa, and not in P.E.I.

The unedited report, written by members of the Senate committee on internal economy, says Duffy's "continued presence in his Ottawa residence over the years," as well as his travel patterns, do not support his declaration that his primary residence is his winterized cottage in P.E.I.

Infrastructure funding a "shell game," says Rae

An infrastructure funding announcement made Friday by Egmont MP Gail Shea can be described as a "shell game," says interim federal Liberal leader Bob Rae.

During an interview Saturday with The Guardian, Rae questioned Shea's announcement of the federal government pumping $400 million into P.E.I. over the next 10 years.

Petition asks for review of Mike Duffy's residency

A Prince Edward Island man has started a petition asking for a public review of Conservative Senator Mike Duffy’s eligibility to represent P.E.I. and asking the Ghiz government to publicly declare him a non-resident.

Chris Stewart of Fort Augustus says he is concerned over questions that have been raised over Duffy’s residency in P.E.I.

If his primary residence is not in the province, how can he properly represent Islanders, Stewart asked.

I live in P.E.I. No, wait — I live in Ontario

“He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.”

— Benjamin Franklin

So, we found out this week that Ottawa has unleashed a raft of professional pennypinchers. Their mission? To crack down on the unemployed in this country and claw back any wayward moneys they might be receiving.

Senator Mike Duffy's P.E.I. seat not safe yet

Mike Duffy's Prince Edward Island Senate seat may not be safe yet, with sources telling CBC News the committee seeking legal advice on his residency has yet to receive a response.

Yesterday, Senate Government Leader Marjory LeBreton suggested the question was settled over whether Duffy, who lives mostly in Ottawa, was qualified to represent P.E.I. She pointed to a declaration of qualification document that all senators sign when they are appointed, which lists the senator's name, city and province.

Senator Mike Duffy declared eligible for P.E.I. seat 4 senators subject to further spending audit as probe wraps

Senator Mike Duffy is eligible for his Prince Edward Island seat in the Senate, his party's Senate leader said Thursday.

A Senate committee looking at residency expenses had asked for legal advice on whether Duffy met the requirements to be a P.E.I. senator after it was revealed he lives mostly in Ottawa.

The Constitution says senators shall reside in the province from which they're appointed.

Duffy claims to live in Charlottetown too

Aha! So that explains it.

There’s a third residence. A mystery residence. In Charlottetown. That’s where Senator Mike Duffy stays when he comes home to P.E.I. in the winter. Not the little yellow cottage in Cavendish pain-in-butt reporter Teresa Wright went knocking on 15 days ago and started this whole quest to find out where Mike Duffy really lives.

“In the winter, I live in town because the road in Cavendish is blocked,” Duffy said yesterday — Islander Day — at the airport, moments after landing on the 5:34 flight from Ottawa.

Open the seat for an Island resident

In late 1964, Michael Dennis Duffy of Charlottetown was among a number of young reporters who spent some months in The Guardian newsroom before striking off for greener pastures elsewhere. In Mike Duffy’s case, he went to Nova Scotia. First, to the radio station in Amherst and then on to CHNS, a private radio station in Halifax.

From Halifax, Mike Duffy moved to Montreal, edging ever closer to fulfilling his dream of being a reporter on Parliament Hill. While in Montreal he discovered that many of the reporters on Parliament hill had been hired from local Ottawa news outlets, so he took a cut in pay and got a job in Ottawa. It wasn’t long before he was filing reports from the House of Commons.

EI benefits reinstated to protester

MONTAGUE – Marlene Geirsdorf will get her benefits back and prays never again to join the ranks of the unemployed.

“It’s been the most difficult thing I’ve ever been through and I never want to do it again after I graduate my course,” she said Monday. “But I’m not giving up the protest to help others in the same boat.”

Sen. Mike Duffy not on P.E.I. voters’ list

Conservative Senator Mike Duffy, who must prove that his main residence is in Prince Edward Island, was not on the voters’ list in that province in 2011, records show.

Duffy did cast a ballot in the Ontario provincial election that year, however.

Opposition accuses Conservative Senator Mike Duffy of ‘falsifying’ living expenses

OTTAWA—Conservative Senator Mike Duffy was sitting on the outer edge of the upper chamber on Tuesday, but he received far more attention on the other side of the building in the House of Commons.

“This is a guy who was caught falsifying facts and sticking his hand in the taxpayers’ pocket. Do we really believe that the Conservative cronies in the Senate are going to make him pay the money back?” NDP MP Charlie Angus asked during question period.

P.E.I. considers Mike Duffy a "non-resident"

Conservative Senator Mike Duffy may call P.E.I. home, but P.E.I. considers him a non-resident.

Records obtained by The Guardian Tuesday from the provincial taxation and property division office show Duffy and his wife Heather are identified as non-resident owners of their Cavendish cottage and thus pay higher property taxes.

Prince Edward Island charges 50 per cent more in property taxes to owners who are not permanent residents of the Island.

Communication breakdown in EI protest case

MONTAGUE - It may be a case of phone tag, but the woman protesting against losing her EI benefits says she’s not that hard to find if Services Canada officials want to chat.

“I’ve tried to get in contact with them and left messages, so I’m not sure what they are saying,’’ said Marlene Giersdorf on Friday while manning her protest spot in front of the Services Canada building. “I can’t afford a phone so I use the number of a friend.”

Online campaign begun to buy EI protester a car

MONTAGUE – Some want to take her to lunch, some want to give her money, and some want to buy her a car.

But Marlene Geirsdorf, who started a one woman protest here last Friday after being denied EI benefits and told to go on welfare, has become a lightning rod of controversy.

EI plight brings flood of support to Montague woman

MONTAGUE — A single mom protesting a denial of her EI benefits has been flooded with everything from hot soup and support, to offers of money and even a possible job.

Marlene Geirsdorf’s one-woman protest has sparked an outpouring of public concern as the 30-year-old epitomizes the fears anticipated by many in the Atlantic region about federal government EI changes in a region ripe with seasonal work.

Islander without transportation denied EI benefits

MONTAGUE — Like most Islanders, Marlene Giersdorf wants to be gainfully employed and take care of her nine-year-old son.

But the humble pride of the single mom exploded into tears here Friday when she took to the streets with a one woman protest and handmade signs.

EI Protesters feel the Conservatives are abandoning Islanders

SUMMERSIDE — Close to 200 Islanders, many waiving placards and chanting “Stephen Harper has got to go”, converged on National Revenue Minister Gail Shea’s Summerside constituency office Saturday afternoon to rally against changes to employment insurance.

They travelled from all corners of the province, many boarding one of the two buses organized to help get concerned Islanders to the rally. Also attending was federal Liberal Party interim leader Bob Rae, whoflew in for the event, representatives from the various unions in the province and those from labour fishing farming and tourism organizations, all who said changes to EI would be a hardship for Islanders and negatively impact this province’s seasonal economy.

Student Loan Interest Eliminated In Prince Edward Island

CHARLOTTETOWN - Prince Edward Island students will be able to access interest-free provincial student loans this fall.

Premier Robert Ghiz announced Friday that a zero per cent interest rate on the provincial student loan program will be implemented Oct. 1.

The program will apply to loans issued after Jan. 1, 2001.

A news release from the province says there are about 2,600 loans currently in repayment.

The government says the savings on the average loan in the first year of repayment will be about $1,000.

It says the initiative will cost the provincial government about $500,000 annually

Original Article
Source: huffington post
Author: CP

Harper to blame for the economy: Ghiz

The public service on Prince Edward Island is going through turbulent times and a lot of the blame can be laid at the feet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

That was the message P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz delivered to about 100 delegates and guests attending the Canadian Union of Public Employees’ (CUPE) annual convention Thursday morning at the Rodd Royalty Inn in Charlottetown.

The public sector is experiencing federal and provincial job cuts while facing uncertainty over pension funds and the harmonized sales tax (HST) coming in April 2013.

Ghiz told the crowd the difference between him and Harper is the P.E.I. premier is hoping to be in a position in the coming years to reinstate those lost provincial jobs.