PEI PCs Withdraw Lobster Fisher Cabinet Bill

Prince Edward Island's Progressive Conservatives have withdrawn a bill to amend the province's conflict of interest law, ending efforts to allow lobster fishers to serve in cabinet amid criticism and regulatory conflicts.

The legislation, introduced by backbench Progressive Conservative Brendan Curran, sought changes to the Conflict of Interest Act. Provincial rules currently bar cabinet ministers from managing businesses, requiring them to place their interests in a blind trust. However, federal Fisheries and Oceans Canada regulations mandate that lobster license holders be physically present on their vessels during fishing operations, preventing them from delegating to third parties.

The move follows the resignation of Transportation Minister Sidney MacEwen last year. MacEwen, a lobster fisher, could not secure a federal exemption to comply with the blind trust requirement while meeting the on-board presence rule. His departure highlighted the tension between provincial ethics standards and federal fishing mandates, prompting Curran's bill as a potential solution.

Curran announced the withdrawal on May 1, confirming the legislature would not debate the amendments. "I still...