Unincorporated Islanders

Dear Islanders, As you know, the Rural Coalition has been working to get the government to live up to their promise to rescind the Municipal Government Act (MGA...). We have been unable to make any headway. We have been lied to and put off numerous times both by the Minister and Premier. As a result, we have decided that we must do what we have been trying to avoid start a court challenge. The PC government has given us no choice. They fought against the MGA when they were in opposition but now, they are continuing to carry out the Liberal plan. They forced amalgamation on the residents of Bonshaw on September 1 even though they had a petition in hand signed by 84 out of 89 Bonshaw residents asking to be left out. Next up is Crapaud/Brookvale and surrounding areas. Everyone will be amalgamated eventually. This is what the PC party Members promised us they would not do when they were in opposition and is against what our Rural Coalition Members have expected from the PC party whom we supported. Many of us worked to get this PC government elected because of these promises. We intend to file a court case. As you know, Derek Key and his legal team have been assisting us over the past two years, free of charge, for which we are most grateful. Mr. Key has kindly said he would file the case and work for court costs and a nominal fee, which is considerably less than normal (50%). To meet this goal, we are starting a fund-raising drive. We need to raise $15,000. If you want this MGA rescinded to hold on to your Democratic rights and have your vote respected, please contribute to the fund and ask your friends, neighbours, and family to donate. If the Act is found to be unconstitutional, it means the amalgamated communities are illegal, so if you live in one of these newly amalgamated areas, we strongly urge you to get involved. We are asking for $100 donation if you can possibly afford it. If 150 people donate $100, we will have met our goal. This can be from a family group or group of like-minded people. If that is out of range, please contribute what you can or just renew your membership. This will be considerably less than the increased taxes you are being or will be hit with. You can donate by cash or cheque to Rural Coalition at Box 863 Montague C0A1R0, or Email transfer to ruralcoalitionof [email protected]. Set up the payee as Rural Coalition. Also please sign our petition on our Facebook page or email your MLA, as a large number of upset residents impacts political parties’ decisions. Thank you for standing up for democracy. Gary Robbins, Chair Rural Coalition of PEI, Inc.

We need to stop Wade MacLauchlan's forced amalgamation! Please join us for a "Rally for Rural Democracy" April 10th at the PEI Legislature at 6:30pm.

August 22 2020 Premier Dennis KING Please do not let your integrity be destroyed by your puppeteers who are making your decisions on the Amalgamation of West R...iver communities.During the 2019 Leaders debate sponsored by The Coalition for the Protection of PEI Land,I and several hundred others were told by yourself that you were opposed to any forced amalgamations on PEI.Now on August 18 2020,we are told that you and your PC cabinet are forcing amalgamation on the community of Bonshaw by including Bonshaw in the West River Amalgamation. This is being done when your Minister Jamie Fox had been delivered a petition by the majority of residents of Bonshaw telling him that they did not want this amalgamation.As well as your other cabinet ministers,James Aylward and Steven Myres stated in March 2018 that they were against forced amalgamations and annexations,and they would respect the votes of the citizens of all communities. As I understand that the amalgamation does not come into effect until September 1 2020, you have a few days to correct this situation,to maintain your respect and the promise you made to the rural residents who elected your government. Thanking you in advance Eldon KING

Where do you stand? To: Dennis King, Peter Bevan-Baker, Joe Byrne, Bush Dumville, independent candidates. The Rural Coalition of PEI wants to know where you and... your members stand with respect to the Municipal Government Act (MGA). It is critical that you make your position clear as we move toward a provincial election. The new Municipal Government Act (MGA) was passed into law in December 2017 by Wade MacLauchlan’s Liberal government and supported by the Green Party of PEI. The way this legislation was put together, it gives no say in what happens to most small communities on PEI. It means big changes for unincorporated areas and most small communities under 1000 people. It also takes away previously established rights from existing villages, towns and cities such as voting on the annual budget. It gives the councillors the right to set their own salaries and pensions. The MGA requires all municipalities to provide fire protection, land use planning, official plans and emergency measures planning, services which have until now been provided by the provincial government or contracted out. Each community must also provide 20 hours of office time each week. This will cost each small community about $25,000 per year. (After year 4 the office and administrator have to be open for 40 hrs per week.) The province’s solution to this problem (which they created) is to amalgamate all the small communities into 25 large municipalities and to annex all unincorporated areas into the mix as well. This means huge tax increases. Think about farmers who own hundreds, even thousands of acres of land, think of the consequences. They will now have to pay a new municipal tax on every acre with no new services in return. They will be subject to municipal style by-laws which have no relevance to them, only meaningless inconvenience. Land use planning will move from provincial responsibility to municipal responsibility, times 25, one plan for each municipality. If water protection is handed to these new municipalities, will PEI be facing a Walkerton crisis with tainted water and ensuing deaths? Small municipalities are not equipped to take on the responsibility and the liability of these services. The MGA does not give anyone who lives in an unincorporated area any say or vote in how they are going to be governed. Wade’s government has enacted this MGA to control all rural citizens in an undemocratic and discriminatory fashion. The MGA even gives the Federation of PEI Municipalities (an unelected, unaccountable lobby group) a veto power in the MGA. The Rural Coalition of PEI will hold public meetings across the province during the upcoming electoral campaign. People will want to know where the parties and independent members stand on these issues. Are you with the government or are you prepared to repeal and replace the Municipal Government Act? Are you prepared to hold public consultations and look at viable options for the management of rural PEI? This includes strong and enforced Acts with respect to land and water. This includes looking at other provincial models which have Rural Services Acts. This includes removing the Federation of PEI Municipalities from any MGA in the future and certainly removing the Federation from any Acts which govern rural PEI. We expect your platforms on these issues to be strong and comprehensive right from the day the election is called. Members of the Rural Coalition and those who agree with our position will take your responses into consideration when they vote. You can count on it. February 19, 2019 See more

, Metro Halifax has a land base larger than P.E.I. It has a population base of over 345,000.P.E.I. has 150,00. Halifax has one of every thing, garbage collectio...n, emergency measures plans etc., ONE C.A.O. and 16 councillors. The m.g.a. wants to create 29 communities all with a C.A.O. plus offices, mayors and 6 to 9 councillors .This amalgamation is being FORCED on people. I was at a meeting in Bonshaw were people voted against it. But the council of 6 voted 4 to 2 and they went ahead anyway. The people even signed a petition saying NO, not one person said yes. But the minister still went a head. The act is designed in such away that the people have no democratic rights, the can speak but it is the council that votes. The mayor and councillors cannot be fired or held accountable.Under the old act the annual budget had to be approved and voted on by the people. Not the council tells the people what it is. In Bonshaw the budget was set at close to half a million dollars. 90% went to salaries !!! Community taxes increase for no additional services, and less rights.Imagine a deep well in the area. Only the council will decide. The act is full of violations to the Charter.A by-law officer has more power than a R.C.M.P.officer. He can enter your property and buildings without notice, has to give you 24 hours notice to enter your home.NO WARRANT.This is being forced on people. 2 years of secret meetings were held in the Three rivers area, 0ver 1200 people said NO look were it got them.If it is such a great idea why wouldn't Denny hold public meetings. The reason is that Ottawa will send funds only to communities of a certain size. Hence the rush. It means another cash cow for those in the loop.If the previous government had had the brains it should have developed a plan suitable for our small Province. Does the village of Victoria a population of less than 100 souls . that has thrived over the years now really need to pay a C.A.O. over $40,000 per year for a 20 hour work week ? Common sense not greed and the lust for power has to be stopped. That is why I urge all Islanders to support the Rural Coalition in having this VILE act rescinded. Paul Smitz See more