NDP leader James Rodd calls for online petition for a PNP inquiry photo: Charlottetown Guardian

James Rodd calls on Islanders to Take Two on Tuesday

NDP Leader James Rodd is calling on Islanders to make Tuesday their day of expression for a thorough inquiry into the $540 million PNP scandal.

“Today we’re calling on Islanders to exercise their democratic right of providing public pressure to the government,” he said.

“We’re asking Islanders to take two minutes on Tuesday to show your support for a public inquiry into the operations of the immigrant investor component of the provincial nominee program.” CBC News

Rodd suggests people send emails to the government, call Access Centers or sign an on-line petition. (We don’t have the address for the petition but will post it when it becomes available.)

There is another online petition for a PNP inquiry at Provincial Nominee Program P.E.I. Inquiry

The Provincial Nominee Program or PNP was a federal / provincial program of granting visas to foreign investors in exchange for their investment in local businesses. When the Liberals swept into power in 2007 they got carried away and broke all the rules. MLAs, Deputy Ministers and other civil servants were getting money in a clear breach of their fiduciary trust. Money was given to party faithful who had no business interests.

The April 2009 Auditor General’s report said that 20% of the files were handled inappropriately, on a 5% sample. The Ghiz government has refused to examine more files or answer questions on the matter. Premier Ghiz has tried to stonewall the PNP file.

See – PNP Thumbnail

Last week Rodd called on the Government to hold an inquiry into the PNP Inquiry into immigrant investor program needed: NDP

The email addresses for the Government members are online at Current members of the Legislature

The Premier’s email address is Robert Ghiz rwjghiz@gov.pe.ca

The Attorney General is Gerard Greenan and can be emailed at glgreenan@gov.pe.ca

“We’re hoping that the pressure that will come to bear on the government will provide the change that’s necessary — a change in the direction where the government has by and large been stonewalling the official Opposition — and call for a public inquiry,” Rodd said during a news conference Monday. Charlottetown Guardian

Rodd had asked the Green Party and the Conservative Party to join him in the press conference but they didn’t respond.

Conservative leader Olive Crane has been repeatedly calling for an inquiry into the PNP but with little apparent success since Ghiz has given orders that her questions will not be answered.

“We continue to want a public inquiry and we have been asking for one for well over a year,” Crane said. “But a public inquiry has to be one that’s totally independent of politics.”

“If the general public gets upset enough and start calling their MLAs and their elected representatives including the premier and ministers and ask them to allow the auditor general to do his job, and for each of us that are on public accounts to start to do our jobs, we can do a good piece of work here,” Crane said.

“I just want to get this job done for the people of P.E.I. and there’s something radically wrong with the mismanagement of the Provincial Nominee Program and we have to deal with it.” Charlottetown Guardian

With the Legislature scheduled to open its Fall Session on Thursday November 12th, Islanders can expect some heated discussion of the PNP issue.

The Petition is an email or telephone call

Take two minutes on Tuesday to show your support for a public inquiry into the operations of the Immigrant Investor component of the Provincial Nominee Program.

Contact the government of Prince Edward Island by e-mail at

island@gov.pe.ca

with the following message:

“I support the call for a public inquiry into the Immigrant Investor part of the Provincial Nominee Program. My name is ___________________, I live at ___________________________ and

I’m an eligible voter.”

Those who support a public inquiry are also asked to encourage others to participate in the same way.

Island voters who don’t have access to e-mail are urged to call the Access P.E.I. office in their area and register their support for a public inquiry by providing the same information outlined in the message above.

The Access P.E.I. telephone numbers are:

Tignish — 882-7351
Alberton — 853-8622
O’Leary — 859-8800
Wellington — 854-7250
Summerside — 888-8000
Charlottetown — 368-5200
Montague — 838-0600
Souris — 687-7000