Prince Edward Island Flashcards

Prince Edward Island joined Confederation in 1873, but its entry was delayed from the original 1867 union. What was the PRIMARY condition PEI negotiated that finally secured its agreement to join Canada?

Answer: Federal assumption of PEI's railway debt and a promise to buy out absentee landlords

PEI's primary grievances were its crushing railway construction debt and the long-standing 'land question' — vast tracts owned by absentee British landlords who had held the island in a feudal-like grip since 1767. Ottawa's agreement to assume the railway debt and provide funds to buy out those landlords was the decisive condition that brought PEI into Confederation in 1873.

Under the Constitution Act, 1867 and subsequent practice, PEI is guaranteed a minimum number of seats in the House of Commons equal to its seats in the Senate. How many Senate seats does PEI hold, and what constitutional principle does this guarantee reflect?

Answer: 4 Senate seats; the 'Senate floor' rule protecting small provinces

PEI holds 4 Senate seats. The 'Senate floor' rule — entrenched in the Constitution Act, 1867 as amended — guarantees that no province can have fewer Members of Parliament than it has Senators. This protects small provinces like PEI from losing all effective federal representation as their population share declines relative to the rest of Canada.

The Confederation Bridge, which opened in 1997 linking PEI to New Brunswick, created a legal obligation on the federal government. What unusual constitutional or statutory commitment did Ottawa make regarding this fixed link?

Answer: Ottawa guaranteed a subsidy equivalent to the former ferry service cost, adjusted for inflation, for the 35-year concession period

When the fixed link replaced the ferry, the federal government was still bound by the Terms of Union obligation to provide 'continuous communication.' Ottawa met this by granting a subsidy to the private bridge operator (Strait Crossing Bridge Limited) equivalent to what the ferry subsidy would have cost — adjusted annually — for the 35-year operating concession. The Constitution itself was not formally amended; the obligation was satisfied through the subsidy arrangement.

PEI's economy is heavily dependent on three pillars. Which of the following correctly ranks those sectors by their contribution to provincial GDP, from largest to smallest?

Answer: Fisheries, tourism, agriculture

While PEI is internationally associated with potatoes and its pastoral landscape, the fisheries sector — dominated by lobster — is actually the largest contributor to provincial GDP, followed by tourism, and then agriculture (primarily potatoes and other crops). The lobster fishery alone makes PEI one of Canada's most valuable fishing jurisdictions per capita.

Which of the following statements about PEI's provincial legislature is accurate and distinguishes it from most other Canadian provinces?

Answer: PEI has the smallest elected legislature in Canada, with only 27 Members of the Legislative Assembly

PEI's Legislative Assembly has 27 seats — the smallest elected provincial legislature in Canada. PEI abolished its appointed Legislative Council (upper house) in 1893, so it is unicameral like all other provinces today. Its electoral system remains first-past-the-post (a 2019 referendum on proportional representation was held but the change was not implemented). The Lieutenant Governor is appointed by the Governor General on the Prime Minister's advice, as in all provinces.

The 'Charlottetown Accord' of 1992 failed in a national referendum. Which of the following provisions of that accord was MOST specifically tied to PEI and the concerns of smaller provinces?

Answer: An elected, equal, and effective Senate with each province holding equal representation

The 'Triple-E Senate' proposal — Elected, Equal, and Effective — was the provision most directly beneficial to small provinces like PEI. Under an equal Senate, PEI would hold the same number of senators as Ontario or Québec, dramatically amplifying its federal influence. Larger provinces opposed this precisely because it would dilute their proportional weight. The distinct society clause addressed Québec's concerns, and Aboriginal self-government was a separate reform track.