JOCELYNE LLOYD: Wishing good things for Cornwall-Meadowbank

P.E.I.’s electoral district of Cornwall-Meadowbank is having a moment. Despite the fact the area across the North River Causeway from Charlottetown has the fastest-growing population on the Island, it usually goes about its business quietly. Even more so since the Town of Cornwall was hived off the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway with a [...]

P.E.I.’s electoral district of Cornwall-Meadowbank is having a moment. Despite the fact the area across the North River Causeway from Charlottetown has the fastest-growing population on the Island, it usually goes about its business quietly. Even more so since the Town of Cornwall was hived off the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway with a bypass in 2019 so it can be completely passed by while commuters speed their way in and out of the capital city.

Lately, though, it’s gotten some attention its constituents would probably rather not have. In March, District 16 Cornwall-Meadowbank lost its elected representative in the P.E.I. legislature when Mark McLane died after a short illness that required him to take a leave from his seat in January. Not only was this a blow to the community in terms of having a voice in the legislature, McLane was by all accounts a steadfast volunteer and community-minded resident who coached sports, visited seniors and fundraised for worthy causes.

July 13 byelection His death meant a byelection call for District 16, which is happening July 13 and has prompted political watchers to turn their antennae toward the commuter town and surrounding farms. This byelection is thought to be the best indication of voters’ satisfaction with the current administration and which party is the government in waiting. PC candidate Caley McDonald is hoping to keep the seat for the governing party, and usually in a byelection, this is almost a given as constituents want their representative in government.

Liberal candidate Robert Mitchell, meanwhile, is also the leader of his party so the stakes are high for a win here. Green candidate Tayte Willows came in second in the general election and her party is delivering promising numbers in recent polls. NDP candidate Craig Nash is a solid representative for the party, but was probably mostly hoping to increase the party’s percentage of votes rather than truly expecting to win.

Unfortunately, Nash suffered a heart attack Thursday and sent word through his party from the hospital that he wished the electorate well on voting day and in the days to come. Advance polls We heard some grumblings that holding an election in the height of summer, when residents might be holidaying elsewhere, working the fields and fishing grounds, or just not paying attention to political affairs. The two byelections in August 2025 drew low voter numbers, for example.

Brackley-Hunter River’s byelection drew 55.8 per cent of registered voters, while Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park saw even lower numbers, at 47.8 per cent. In Cornwall-Meadowbank, it’s hard to say whether this trend will continue. The first two advance polls drew 1,075 registered voters in District 16, adding up to 23.1 per cent of the 4,605 residents eligible to cast a ballot in the district.

A third chance to vote early took place Friday but the results were not available in time for this column. If the tally added up to 25 per cent of voters, though, that seems like a decent percentage for advance polls this time of year. And if there’s strong early turnout, that often suggests that voters are anxious for change.

APM Centre Many of the major issues in Cornwall-Meadowbank are the same across the province: health care, affordability and a stable energy source. At a debate put on by the Greater Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce Thursday night, however, one question that many people submitted was particular to Cornwall: how would the candidates support the town’s efforts to revitalize the APM Centre? The candidates acknowledged this was a query they were hearing at the door and all of them commended volunteers who have done the work to secure a $5-million commitment from the federal government and earn $250,000 as the Kraft Hockeyville provincial winner.

The project will cost something like $30 million. The province, thus far, has not promised a dollar figure for the APM Centre, preferring instead, I guess, to spend its hockey rink money on an $8.4-million deal with the NHL. I know, I know, they’re different pots and the NHL deal is supposed to bring a return on investment.

Still, it has to be galling for District 16 residents who are watching their busy arena fall into disrepair. Recent survey Recent survey results from Narrative Research suggest decisions like this are alienating Islanders. The Atlantic Canada political survey included a small sample size of 147 respondents from P.E.I., but even with a large margin of error, their dissatisfaction is clear.

Narrative Research CEO Margaret Brigley told Postmedia that voters “are clearly expressing frustration with the status quo and that’s translating into looking what options they might have.” While the respondents were favouring the Green party and its leader, Matt MacFarlane, Brigley said the issues they raised were not traditional Green party planks. “It’s health care, and it’s the cost of living and the cost of groceries, followed by housing.”

Candidates’ responses These are the major topics in Cornwall-Meadowbank, too. In The Guardian’s 20 Question feature that ran this week, we asked each candidate what challenges face P.E.I. McDonald: “Balancing the needs of our urban and rural communities. Every Island community has unique strengths and challenges, and we need to make sure no one is left behind as we continue to grow.”

Mitchell: “The cost of living and access to essential services. Islanders are working hard, but too many are struggling to find housing, access health care, or make ends meet.” Nash: “Self-sufficient energy.”

Willows: “Being a province where every Islander has access to health care when they need it. We are a small province and we should have the best health-care system in the country.” And, of course, the candidates said we can fix these problems with the right leadership in place.

Cornwall-Meadowbank will determine who that is Monday. With 4,605 eligible voters, that is a sample size of voter intentions better than any recent poll. Jocelyne Lloyd is managing editor of The Guardian.

She lives in Charlottetown.