Sidney MacEwen resigns from P.E.I. cabinet amid conflict over lobster fishing licence

Prince Edward Island cabinet minister Sidney MacEwen has resigned from his role on executive council, the province said in a news release Thursday afternoon.

The move follows a decision by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to deny his request to name a substitute operator for his lobster fishing fleet. That denial increased pressure on the transportation, infrastructure and energy minister and the Progressive Conservative government to ensure MacEwen is in compliance with P.E.I.’s Conflict of Interest Act.

The act states ministers must place their business assets into a blind trust during their time in cabinet, but DFO’s owner-operator policy requires MacEwen’s lobster licence to stay in his name. There are only rare exemptions to that policy for things like a death in the family.

In response, the PCs introduced Bill 102 last week to amend the act to allow MacEwen to maintain his fishing licence. It has passed first reading, but the legislation would need to move through the House and become law by the end of Thursday in order to bring MacEwen into compliance with the act.

That’s not likely to happen.

“The conflict of interest commissioner established a timeline for compliance under the existing legislation. As work continues through the legislative assembly to address this matter, it has not been possible to complete those changes within that timeframe,” reads the release from the province.

MacEwen will continue to serve as the MLA for Morell-Donagh. P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz is now acting minister of transportation, infrastructure and energy.

“Work will continue to make the necessary amendments to the Conflict of Interest Act to fix the gap that is keeping a whole sector from serving our province in executive council,” reads the release.