P.E.I. MLAs face daunting constituency workload: survey

Prince Edward Islanders expect more from their MLAs than people in other parts of the country, says the P.E.I. Coalition for Women in Government, something the group saysdiscourages women from running for office.

The coalition recently conducted a survey of Canadian provincial politicians that found holding public office on the Island means spending more time on constituency duties than MLAs in any other province. Those duties include things like taking phone calls from and meeting with constituents, and attending functions such as funerals. In some cases, it means filing tax returns for constituents or rescuing a cat from a rooftop.

Those kind of demands tend to keep women out of politics, the coalition reportsays, because women still spend more time caring for their home and their family than men do.

"P.E.I. has a tendency to expect more of their MLA in terms of fixing their problems, and finding them work," said coalition member Dianne Porter.

"But that has a tremendous burden for the MLA, and should they really be doing that kind of work?"

No time for a holiday

For Cynthia Dunsford, the rookie MLA for Stratford, it means never really having a day off. Monday was Islander Day, and officially a holiday for her and all other provincial employees. But a constituent called and wanted to meet with her, so CBC News found her in her office.

"You really don't, technically, have a day off, because someone could call you at any time," said Dunsford.

"There isn't a sign that goes up that says 'I'm taking the day off, don't call.'"

The coalition is asking the government to do two things to help ease the workload of MLAs: first, fulfil its throne speech promise to strike a special committee on the role of the MLA; and second, create an ombudsman to help constituents find the services they need rather thancall their MLA.

Dunsford said she would welcome those changes, but added she knew what she was getting into when she decided to run in the May 2007 election, and that the duties of an MLA inP.E.I. would be different from those in Ontario.

"When somebody comes knocking at their door at 10 o'clock in the evening, they call security, or they call the cops," she said.

"When somebody does that here on P.E.I., I look through the curtain, and I say 'Oh, it's Randy,' right? Go open the door and, 'Come on in what's on your mind?'"

It might not be included in the official job description, said Dunsford, but that's the way it works on the Island.