No independent office space: the PEI experience.

PositionInterview with Deputy Speaker Paula Biggar of Prince Edward Island - Interview

Interview with Paula Biggar, MLA

Members of the Legislative Assembly in Canada's smallest province are not provided with a budget to establish their own constituency offices. Instead, as Deputy Speaker Paula Biggar explains, backbench MLAs must do constituency work and hold meetings in a variety of locations including their offices in the capital buildings, local government-run information access centres, libraries, coffee shops or even in their own homes. Biggar notes that while PEI MLAs are the lowest paid in the country, they tend to be, and are expected to be, the most accessible to constituents.

CPR: Constituency offices seem to have developed haphazardly across Canada over the past 40 to 50 years and are now well-established in many jurisdictions. Why do you think Prince Edward Island has not adopted them for provincial politics?

Paula Biggar: Backbench MLAs in PEI do not have budgets to run constituency offices. Prince Edward Islanders feel the cost to run an office is not warranted due to accessibility to their local representative. There is somewhat of an expectation that the MLA should be available other than just at an office; for example, constituent meetings take place at coffee shops, by phone, at the MLA's home or at the constituent's home. Most MLAs in PEI adhere to these expectations of accessibility.

CPR: What sort of alternate arrangements have been made for MLAs who may be doing casework in their constituency? Do different MLAs have different practices?

Biggar: Most MLAs have access to office space in their constituency in an already established government site such as a library or Access PEI offices a single location where the public can access provincial government services, programs and information. MLAs have access to a phone at these places, but no office staff is provided for them. Cabinet Ministers are provided a budget for an Executive Assistant to assist with constituent inquiries, however. Some MLAs are provided space in the community free of charge to hold office meetings once a week at the local municipal office. I also hold office hours at an alternate location in an office at a government site. On occasion I do have constituents come to my home or I meet with them at a coffee shop.

Each MLA sets up constituency space to reflect their own area. Backbench MLAs also have an office space provided at the Capital where our legislature is located and share office space in the Government Members' Office. For those...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT