Even parts of the P.E.I. government say we're moving to eliminate trade barriers too quickly

As the P.E.I. government moves full steam ahead toward an agreement to reduce trade barriers and improve labour mobility with Nova Scotia, Ontario and any other provinces that want to join, there are entreaties for the province to slow down — including from within the P.E.I. government itself.

Premier Rob Lantz tabled a bill on April 11 modelled on similar legislation recently enacted in Nova Scotia.

The goal is to have participating provinces enact laws to recognize each others' regulations, standards and accreditation programs to eliminate trade barriers and promote labour mobility.

But professional associations and other groups consulted by the P.E.I. government in the lead-up to tabling its legislation complained the province was moving too quickly and cautioned about potential unintended consequences from the effort that could put the public at risk.

One of the complaints came from the director of the province's Financial and Consumer Services Division, according to emails that Lantz tabled in the legislature on April 16.

"It is unfortunate the division was not made aware of this parallel legislative initiative," Steve Dowling wrote in an April 4 email to staff with the Department of Workforce and Advance Learning.

The department sent out consultation drafts of the legislation on the afternoon of Monday, March 31, asking groups to provide feedback during either of two sessions scheduled two days later.

"The three-day window accorded to the division to review and respond to the proposed act contrasts significantly with our extensive, proactive and collaborative work with you" on parallel efforts to reduce trade barriers under the Canada Free Trade Agreement, Dowling wrote.

Ultimately Dowling suggested his colleagues conduct further consultation and wait for more provinces to put forward similar legislation so that P.E.I. could learn from their work.

Ontario tabled its bill on interprovincial trade barriers on April 16.

The original bill put forward in Nova Scotia by the Tim Houston government required significant amendments after regulatory bodies raised concerns about unintended consequences that could put public safety at risk.

Groups including the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association said the original legislation would have removed their ability to monitor who was practising in the province, and leave them unable to detect people posing as regulated professionals.

Similar concerns were raised during P.E.I.'s consultation process.

The registrar of the P.E.I. Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Jessie MacQuarrie, told the province the proposed legislation would leave the association with no ability to provide oversight or "impose restrictions or suspensions against veterinarians from reciprocating jurisdictions, no matter how egregious the offence."