By Garry Clement
OTTAWA — Prince Edward Island’s review of the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission offers constructive recommendations for provincial land governance. But it leaves unanswered important questions about how government exercises its authority over land acquisitions.
Who ultimately controls significant landholdings on Prince Edward Island? Who benefits from those holdings? Who independently verifies beneficial ownership? What role did political decision-makers play in approving controversial acquisitions? And who holds those decision-makers accountable?
Commissioner Rory Francis deserves recognition for identifying weaknesses within IRAC’s structure, investigative processes, administrative responsibilities and transparency requirements. His November 1, 2026 report contains constructive recommendations that, if properly implemented, could strengthen provincial land governance.
But improving the machinery of government is not the same as determining whether that machinery has previously failed the people it was intended to protect.
Following the September 18 Interim Report, the Honourable Wayne Easter and I submitted a detailed response identifying what we considered a fundamental deficiency in the Review.