P.E.I. MLA looks to recruit a coalition of independents

Bush Dumville is looking for community leaders to run as independent candidates in the next P.E.I. provincial election.

Dumville, the P.E.I. Legislature's only independent MLA, is looking to create a coalition of independents to create a consensus form of government on the Island.

"There's a lot of division now. The party system seems to be breaking down and we need a new way of governance," he said.

"A year ago this would have been totally impossible, but people are so fed up that I think they need another choice on the ballot."

A new way of governing

Dumville described the initiative as a movement, and said he is not looking to create a political party.

"What I'm looking at is consensus government," he said.

"You can't eliminate the party system entirely. They have a right to exist, but if enough independents were elected, the majority, our first order of business would be to amend the provincial Executive [Council] Act."

Dumville already has a bill on the floor to make those amendments. It proposes that the premier and cabinet ministers would be elected by secret ballot of MLAs, just as the speaker is. The premier would retain the power to assign ministers to portfolios from among those who had been elected.

Dumville said he has heard from some people who are ready to offer to run as independents, and he hopes some will announce before Christmas.

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