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JOCELYNE LLOYD: P.E.I. government right to cut bait on fishing cabinet minister

The most anticipated time of the year has arrived in Prince Edward Island with the start of the spring lobster season this past week, and MLA Sidney MacEwen is among those hauling traps.

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MacEwen made a wise decision April 23 when faced with the age-old dilemma to fish or cut bait, and removed himself from the conversation about whether P.E.I. lobster fishers can be cabinet ministers.

The MLA from Morell-Donagh was first elected to the P.E.I. legislature in 2015 and has served as Opposition whip, government house leader and Speaker as well as on various standing committees, but a cabinet posting eluded him because of conflict of interest rules.

In the midst of high-profile Health P.E.I. departures, a $410-million deficit and an affordability crisis, Premier Rob Lantz decided now was the time to test that rule.

Lantz has been adamant that his quest to get an exemption for MacEwen has “never been about one person” but the fact that any lobster fisher sitting as an MLA faces the same quandary. The Conflict of Interest Act requires MLAs to put their business interests in a blind trust and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans requires all lobster licence holders to be on board, fishing.

The........

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