Do we think this government will launch a public inquiry any time soon? As Boyd Allen says in this article, likely not, but that doesn’t mean we stop pushing for it. Public opinion does shape government policy, but only if we raise our voices when we see wrong doing. If you haven’t yet, please consider signing and sharing the attached petition. Thanks!
Buddhist monasteries: a public inquiry called for in PEI.
by Marine Ernoult
The Prince Edward Island Land Protection Coalition on Tuesday called on the province to immediately launch a new public inquiry into lands belonging to two Buddhist groups.
Do Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society and Great Wisdom Buddhist Institute, owners of Buddhist monasteries in eastern Prince Edward Island, own more land, directly or indirectly, than the 3,000 acres permitted by the provincial Land Protection Act?
To find out, the Coalition for the Protection of Prince Edward Island Lands is demanding a public inquiry, led by an independent commissioner.
An investigation in which the islanders could testify, and whose conclusions would be made public.
The citizens’ group is also asking the provincial government to remove the case from the Island Regulatory and Appeals Board. This quasi-judicial provincial tribunal, responsible for administering the Land Protection Act, has been conducting its own investigation since last February.
According to Coalition member Joan Diamond , the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission has repeatedly proven its inability to conduct a serious, thorough and transparent investigation .
The activist specifically refers to a previous investigation that the Commission was supposed to conduct between 2016 and 2018 into Buddhist land ownership. Last October, the Commission’s chairperson acknowledged that the body had neither conducted any investigation nor produced any report.
“It would be totally foolish to expect different results, honesty, or the slightest responsibility from the Commission.”
— Joan Diamond, member of the Coalition for the Protection of PEI Lands
The impartiality of the current investigation is being called into question.
In an email, the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission indicated that it is preserving the integrity and fairness of its investigation process so that the parties can have confidence in its ability to carry out its mandate in a fair and impartial manner .
The Commission clarifies that all its investigations include preliminary information-gathering stages and that a case can be closed without further action if there is insufficient information to continue the investigation. According to the administrative tribunal, the 2016 investigation into Buddhist land ownership was reportedly abandoned after the receipt of a report produced by an external consultant.
Joan Diamond also denounces major conflicts of interest within the organization.
Boyd Allen, another member of the Coalition, also believes that the Commission does not have the means to conduct a proper public inquiry .
“The culture of this organization is marked by secrecy. No controls are exercised and no accountability is required.”
— Boyd Allen, member of the Coalition for the Protection of PEI Lands
In its written response, the Commission assures that the commissioners, all lawyers by training, must assess and declare their conflicts of interest each time a new case is opened .
In the event of a conflict, they must recuse themselves and periods of inactivity are observed to prevent commissioners from being involved in matters that may conflict with their previous functions, the Commission specifies.
The provincial body also relies on the ethical principles of the Canadian Judicial Council to examine conflicts of interest, according to the same response.
For the time being, these arguments do not convince the Coalition.
A commissioner can self-declare if they believe they are in a conflict of interest and choose to recuse themselves. No external oversight is exercised over this process, laments Boyd Allen.
Launch of a petition
Green Party provincial MLA Karla Bernard, who was present at the press conference, also believes that the Commission’s operation is problematic.
“We really need to do a review here. It’s really time for the government to take this seriously and listen to the islanders and their demands,” (Bernard) emphasized. “We have a land protection law in place, if the Commission doesn’t enforce it, why have it,” she continued.
In the audience with (her), Rita Jackson, the head of the National Farmers Union for Prince Edward Island, is worried about agricultural land disappearing at a rate of 39 to 40 acres per day.
“I came to push the government to act, to protect the land. The will and the courage to conduct an investigation, I think, are lacking.”
— Rita Jackson, the head of the National Farmers Union for Prince Edward Island
The Coalition has launched a petition in support of the public inquiry, which it will submit to the provincial government within a few weeks. It has already gathered 750 signatures online.
Boyd Allen, however, is not very optimistic about the outcome of the process. For years, the Coalition has been advocating for a public inquiry, without success.
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/demand-a-public-inquiry-into-pei-buddhist-land?fbclid=IwY2xjawOfBb9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFjeXlvY0MwNm1iYXJTVlNMc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvb2PSMtaWJmJ-oTW1y_bhOs1_58_Sv7zx4-V8hZWkL_tEQA1ZRcZeDT4W-w_aem_jf1sfaZNW3JW_l66YzgYug
