'History will look kindly on him,' politics professor says of Dennis King's legacy

When the time comes for people to look back and study the political yesterdays of Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King, history will give a favourable review, says UPEI political scientist Don Desserud.

Desserud spoke to CBC News after Thursday's announcement that King will be resigning as the Island's 33rd premier effective Friday at 1 p.m.

"They're going to say he was a premier that faced a lot of problems — an unprecedented number of problems, given the time that he was able to serve," he said.

"It's a long list, and to have to deal with so many things over that six-year period — not that premiers across the country don't deal with crises all the time — but there sees to be a disproportionate number that they had to deal with."

King took on the leadership role with the P.E.I. PC Party in February of 2019, promising at the time: "The best is yet to come."

What actually came was anything but the best, with the King government's first term consumed by two of the most devastating storms in Prince Edward Island history (post-tropical storms Dorian in 2019 and Fiona in 2022) essentially bookending the COVID-19 pandemic.

Desserud said King handled the turmoil that ensued "with grace and dignity" while prioritizing working with other parties to find and implement solutions.

"He did try very hard, I think, to… work with other parties and get things done," Desserud said. "History will look kindly on him as a premier with a personality that you don't often see at that level of politics."

In his resignation speech Thursday, King showed more of that personality while reflecting on the toll the province's top job took on him — and the long conversation he had with his family that eventually led to his decision to step down.

"My wife and kids have lost almost every faceoff due to the demands of this job," said King. "You've had to share a dad with thousands of Islanders…. but you always did so with a smile." 

King also spoke bluntly in his speech about the challenge of being the premier on Prince Edward Island, not only in dealing with large-scale problems, but in trying to fix the local issues that have reached a boiling point in recent years.

"That was a really interesting and very frank and very honest speech," Desserud said. "Hats off to him for being so forthright."

Early Friday afternoon, King will officially end his time as party leader, premier and MLA for Brackley-Hunter River.

Politics aside, Desserud said he's going to personally miss the King premiership, not just for the man's personality but for the way in which he always looked forward to helping teach UPEI students about politics.