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Prince Edward Island
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In 1986, Prince Edward Island is the first province in Canada to elect a premier of partial non-European descent (Joseph Atallah Ghiz). His son was subsequently elected to the post in 2007, the second PEI premier of partial non-European descent. It is ... the first province in Canada to elect a female Premier (Catherine Callbeck) in 1993; both the Lieutenant Governor and the Leader of the Official Opposition at that time were also women. British Columbia had had a woman as Premier prior to Callbeck (Rita Johnston), although she did not win a provincial election.
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Located on the northeastern shore of Prince Edward Island, Greenwich Dunes is a 70-kilometer drive from Charlottetown, the capital of the island, and well worth the visit. Greenwich Dunes is a 900-acre area internationally known for its unique dune system, extensive variety of plant and bird species and significant Aboriginal and Acadian archeological sites. Blown by prevailing winds, these relatively undisturbed dunes migrate in the direction of the forest at a rate of 2 to 4 meters per year leaving behind a series of counter-ridges, or Gegenwalle, the only landform of its kind in North America. This migration first buries and then exposes once-buried woodland, creating exhumed skeleton forests such as those at Blooming Point. Another distinguishing feature is the 300 species of plants and animals, some of which are endangered, that inhabit the marshes and woodlands of Greenwich Dunes.
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Up until the late nineteenth century, Prince Edward Island had a farming economy. The province's climate and its light, sandy soil made it an ideal location for potato production. Because the Islanders did not have the money to invest in boats and other fishing equipment, they were unable to profit from the many fish that swam in its surrounding waters. American fishers... took full advantage of the plentiful cod and mackerel that populated the rich fishing waters, positioning their fleets along the coast of Prince Edward Island in the first half of the nineteenth century. In 1854, the Reciprocity Treaty gave the United States the right to fish anywhere along the Island's coast and to hold property in the colony. American investments in the island aided in the establishment of a native Island fishery.
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According to the 2001 census, Prince Edward Island had 135,294 inhabitants. From 1991 to 1996 the population grew by 3.7%, but between 1996 and 2001 it increased by only 0.5%. The overall population density in 2001 was 24 persons per sq km (nearly 62 per sq mi). English was the sole mother tongue of about 94% of the people; about 4% had French as their lone first language. Approximately 1100 North American Indians, 230 Métis (persons of mixed aboriginal and European ancestry), and 20 Inuit lived in the province in 2001. The largest religious groups included Roman Catholics (63,240), members of the United Church of Canada (26,570), and Presbyterians (7885).
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After rejecting Confederation in 1866, Prince Edward Island focused its efforts on securing its economic future. That same year the Reciprocity Treaty with the Americans expired, greatly reducing the Island's exports to the United States. To the consternation of the Colonial Office, and the new Canadian government, the Island decided to pursue its own trade agreement with the United States. In 1868, the colony hosted a delegation from the United States Congress. The meetings went well, with the United States delegation presenting a favourable report to Congress. However, the Island legislature, under pressure from the Colonial Office, passed a resolution acknowledging it could not pursue a trade deal without British permission -- something that was not forthcoming.
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After the 2003 Prince Edward Island electoral reform commission recommended copying the British Columbia Citizens' Assembly model, an eight-member Commission on Prince Edward Island’s Electoral Future will work to educate the public about alternatives to a winner-take-all voting system. Prince Edward Island’s Commission on Electoral Reform began in January of 2003, when Justice Norman Caruthers was appointed to lead an independent commission to explore electoral reform in the province. He released a report outlining four models for discussion in April of that same year. After some public dialogue, a final report was presented in December 2003, which included nine recommendations to be considered by the government of Prince Edward Island, especially choice voting and a mixed-member system. Read a CBC article about the Commission's Report and view a brief history of electoral reform in the province.
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