By Barry Wilson, Ottawa bureau
Kensington, P.E.I. — As coverage of the election campaign began this week with a visit to rural Prince Edward Island, it produced a very Atlantic Canada moment, pregnant with surprising friendliness and unpretentiousness.
Before getting to the incident, let me explain what an Atlantic Canada moment is.
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As my career began all those years ago, I was fortunate to land my first job in Saint John, New Brunswick and during my first encounter with Atlantic Canadians, I formed some strong impressions — friendly, neighbourly, helpful, unpretentious, salty tongued and with a bit of an edge if there is any perceived Central Canadian nose looking-down.
P.E.I. was the first election stop after a very brief over-night in Halifax.
With a few days to check out the Island campaign and in particular, Wayne Easter’s attempt at a seventh consecutive mandate in Malpeque, the first job was to make contact with his main opponent, Conservative candidate Tim Ogilvie.
This involved a drive west of Charlottetown to the small town of Kensington where the former dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College has his campaign headquarters.
I was directed inside to meet with Enid McKay, described as one of his campaign managers.
I met Enid, explained who this unexpected visitor was and what the Western Producer is and asked if in the middle of campaigning, the candidate would have time for an interview during the next two days.
“He’s out campaigning,” she said. “When are you available?”
Anytime.
The woman beside him chimed in — “He said he would be home for supper at 5. Could you come back then?”
Sure, I’ll come back to the office by five.
“No, come to our home at five,” she said. “I’m Tim’s wife Lola. (handshake). I’ll cook something and Tim will be delighted not to have leftovers. You’ll have an hour of so of him to yourself.”
Lola gave me directions to their home on the water and their home phone number in case I got lost.
As a reporter more accustomed to politicians or aspiring politicians looking with a bit of suspicion at journalists (particularly ones they have not met) and closely guarding their privacy, it was an unexpected turn — an Atlantic Canada moment.
I showed up, the interview was fine and Lola cooked trout and baked potato, fretting that I would think she was putting airs. “If I was putting on airs, I would have had lobster.”
Following the federal campaign in Canada’s smallest, most rural province is like that — welcoming, interesting and political at the very human, individual scale.
It is to drive country roads past seeming endless majestic country churches and historic sites, to wonder at the engineering marvel that is the Confederation Bridge to New Brunswick in the west end of Easter’s riding and to be reminded that there must be a clause in the P.E.I. Highways Act making it illegal to build a straight road that goes from A to B.
Of course, Islanders have advice for visitors who find the roads confusing.
“If the road takes a turn from the direction you want to go, keep driving,” said beef farmer Allan Ling. “You’ll soon hit another road that turns the other way.”
Easter’s advice was more to the point. “No matter which way you’re going, if you hit water you’ve gone too far.”
