Premier voicing ad opens Pandora's box, says Opposition

P.E.I. Opposition leader Steven Myers is questioning the wisdom of Premier Wade MacLauchlan doing a voice-over for an ad for an Island company.

Myers saidwhile he supports the work of Trout River Industries, he feels the premier should be doing other things besides voicing commercials.He also wonders if the premier will be available for voice-over work for other Island companies.

"Is he going to pick one company over the other oris he going to do ads for them both?"saidMyers.

"I think he has really opened Pandora's box here. He probably needs to focus on leading the province ...He should be more focused on that perhaps rather than voicing over ads to try to raise his own fame level."

A co-owner of Trout River Industries,Darrin Mitchell, saidthe company couldn't be happier with the performance of the premier. He notedit's just the premier's voice that is used, and he does not identify himself in any way.

"I was surprised by how open and supportive he was of the business and being a spokesperson for it," said Mitchell.

"He walked in the room, he had a tremendous attitude of what do we have to do to get things going here.And I just thought he wasgreat to work with."

In a prepared statement, the premier's office said, "There are many success stories on the Island and the government wants to actively support Islanders in sharing those with a wider audience, while encouraging new economic and workforce opportunities for Islanders."