Easter responds to Ogilvie’s comments on absence from Island

Easter responds to Ogilvie’s comments on absence from Island

S. RYAN QUIGLEY

JOURNAL PIONEER

Liberal Member of Parliament Wayne Easter responded to comments that he was campaigning outside of Prince Edward Island from the Conservative challenger in his riding, Tim Ogilvie, Wednesday.

Easter, incumbent of the Malpeque riding, was out of province recently to attend the National Agriculture debate in Ottawa against the Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz.

Easter said while he was there he did speak in some ridings in the Toronto area on issues such as the National Food Policy and farm issues.

In a press release on Tuesday, Ogilvie said that it was arrogant for Easter to leave the riding to go campaign in Ontario against Dianne Finley.

“I find it astonishing,” he said. “While Island Conservatives campaign hard from door to door the Ignatieff Liberals are following their Leader’s example and ignoring P.E.I. all together.”

Ogilvie said though there are valid reasons to travel during a campaign, he that he thinks Easter is taking his voters for granted.

“I guess he figures he’s got things sewn up around here. I wonder if Malpeque voters will agree?”

While Easter said he spoke in Finley’s riding, it was only for farm issues and the National Food Policy and is now back to do his campaigning on the Island.

“I’m basically campaigning in three polls a day. Everywhere from Malpeque, Borden-Carleton, to Stan Hope, right now we’ve been in 37 polls.”

Easter said the accusation of him being arrogant is nothing new to him as he said the Conservative’s don’t want him campaigning on National Issues.

“I am one of the most respected people in Canada on Agricultural issues and that’s why there’s a lot of requests for me to go elsewhere, but I don’t do that during a campaign. I was obligated to. Is Tim Ogilvie saying that Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture, shouldn’t have been in Ottawa for the National debate?”