“Other Duties as Required”: Conference Planning and Hosting in a Small Jurisdiction
Parliamentary service offers support and guidance to elected and appointed officials in their workplaces so they can fulfill their role in our parliamentary democracies. In small legislatures, this mandate is often executed with a fraction of the staff found in larger jurisdictions. Yet, parliamentarians in small jurisdictions have the same duties and responsibilities as their counterparts in larger jurisdictions and these officials deserve the same support and guidance. In this article, the author provides the Prince Edward Island perspective on parliamentary service, with a focus on conference planning and hosting operations. Specifically, she explains how the jurisdiction facilitated the 58th Annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference from July 16 – 22, 2022 – one of the first in-person parliamentary conferences hosted in Canada following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emily Doiron
Emily Doiron is Deputy Clerk at the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island.
History of democracy in PEI
In 2023, Prince Edward Island (PEI) celebrated the 250th anniversary of the first meeting of its first elected General Assembly. When the first elected House of Assembly met on July 7, 1773, PEI was a British North American colony called St. John’s Island. The colony had a bi-cameral legislature, with an elected House of Assembly, and an appointed Legislative Council. Early Assembly sessions took place in private homes and taverns in the capital city, Charlottetown. It would not be until 1847 that the House of Assembly had its permanent home at Province House. These early sessions were often sporadic but, of note, the first House of Assembly passed 13 pieces of legislation.
In 1893, the House of Assembly and the Legislative Council (which had become an elected chamber in 1862) merged to form the 30-member Legislative Assembly. From 1893 until 1996, PEI had a dual-member electoral system: in this unique system, two parliamentarians, an “Assemblyman” and a “Councilor,” were elected from each of the 15 electoral districts. At first there were five districts (or ridings) in each of the three provincial counties (King, Queen, and Prince). In 1966, population growth necessitated the creation of a sixth riding in the Queen’s County, and the Assembly’s seat count increased to a historic high – 32 members. Since 1996, the province has used a single-member plurality system with 27 members. It is the smallest provincial parliament in the country.
While we celebrate 250 years of democracy in the province, it is important to note that the House was certainly not representative of its people at the time of its creation – only Protestant males could vote or hold office. In 1830, an act was passed to allow Roman Catholic males to vote and hold office. It was only 100 years ago, in 1923, that women voted for the first time in a provincial election.1
Parliamentary Service
It is interesting to speculate what parliamentary services might have entailed in the 1700s in PEI. From scanning of old journals, it’s clear the roles of Clerk and Sergeant-at-Arms are present throughout. Even a service like a library is noted early on. Other services offered today, such as broadcasting, communications, and social media, clearly evolved alongside technology and the changing role and public expectations of elected officials.
Currently, the Legislative Assembly of PEI is supported by 20 permanent staff positions. This number does not include staff for caucus offices, temporary and casual staff employed for additional support during House sittings (usually security and Hansard staff) or statutory officers and their offices (which play a critical role in assisting elected officials perform their duties). The 20 permanent staff include the Clerk, the Deputy Clerk, the Sergeant-at-Arms and divisions of: broadcast services, committee supports, communications, custodian services, finance, Hansard, parliamentary counsel, research and library services, and security. While all employees have their dedicated area of work and expertise, to ensure continuity of services to support the work of the House and committees, many staff are cross-trained for various job duties. For example, the finance officer is also trained in broadcast services and committee clerks take on research projects when time permits. In small jurisdictions, variety is the name of the game; it creates a work environment that is stimulating and engaging.
The PEI Legislative Assembly does not have a dedicated inter-parliamentary and/or protocol services branch. Although PEI takes its turn hosting national conferences such as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference, the Legislative Assembly does not participate in the same number of parliamentary twining opportunities, interparliamentary or bi-lateral associations, or host international delegations in the way that larger jurisdictions do. PEI does still enjoy parliamentary twinning relationships with the Turks and Caicos and the Australian Capital Territory; both jurisdictions have parliaments of a similar size to PEI’s.
Conferences offer opportunities for professional development
Conferences are important for professional development for all elected officials, and especially for members from small jurisdictions. These gatherings provide an opportunity:
- to meet elected officials from other jurisdictions;
- to learn from others’ hardships and to take back best practices to their home jurisdiction; and
- to see other viewpoints on the role of elected officials and gain fresh perspective.
Although the Assembly does not currently have an inter-parliamentary and/or protocol services branch, that does not mean that PEI does not know how to host – especially when considering how the unique province-wide tourism industry highlights its commitment to hospitality.
PEI as a tourist destination: dedication to hospitality
When it’s PEI’s turn to host parliamentary conferences, the Assembly seizes the opportunity to show off the island! While all provinces and territories have many wonderful tourist destinations, the whole of PEI is a seasonal tourist destination. From tip to tip of the island, in small villages and large communities, there are seasonal businesses that depend on a thriving tourism sector.
PEI’s history as a tourist destination dates as far back as the 1800s, but it was in 1923 that the “Prince Edward Island Tourist and Publicity Association [was] established to attract visits from bona fida tourists and from Maritimers who were living in the States and returning for family visits and holidays.”2 This association could be considered the start of the professionalization of the tourism industry in the province.
Over the course of the next several decades, interesting changes happened because of increasing tourism. In 1924, tourists visiting by car encouraged a switch to driving on the right hand side of the road.3 In 1939, negotiations between the province and the federal government resulted in the establishment of a national park along the north shore of the island (which was already a popular spot due to the famous Anne of Green Gables novels).4 In the post-world war era, tourism became a prosperous industry, and public money was used to support the industry through grants.5 Government support was formalized by the creation of the Tourist and Information Bureau, as part of the Department of Industry and Natural Resources in 1960.6 In 1970, the “Department of Tourism’s budget topped $1 million for the first time, bringing in nearly $20 million in estimated tourism dollars.”7
Over the last 50 years, there were numerous developments in the tourism industry, but of note, when the the Confederation Bridge opened on May 31, 1997, it provided a physical link between the province of Prince Edward Island and mainland of Canada that facilitated even more visits by car.
By 2019, there were an estimated 1.6 million visitors annually, more than one million overnight stays annually for the second time ever, and increases in airport, bridge and cruise ship traffic.8 The 2019-2020 Tourism PEI Annual Report (available on the Legislative Assembly’s website), notes that “the tourism industry that year employed over 8,500 full-time equivalent workers and is responsible for approximately 6% of our Provincial GDP.”9 It noted, “Prince Edward Island is well known as a tourism destination and instills a distinct pride of place in all islanders.”10
Within the span of a year, PEI’s tourism industry went from boom to bust. In March 2020, COVID-19 was declared as a global pandemic. This declaration and the resulting travel restrictions imposed to slow the spread of the disease had a devastating impact on the tourism industry province wide. The Tourism PEI Visitor Volume and Value Dashboard indicated a 51.3 per cent drop in estimated tourism revenue from 2019 to 2020 and a 67.4% drop in visitor volume.11 Between 2020-2021, there were many isolation requirements for travelers in place that made it more difficult to visit the province. However, there were also many creative initiatives put in place to protect Islanders while also encouraging tourism, including the “Atlantic bubble”. By 2022, the number of visitors and tourism revenues had returned to 2019 levels. This growth was likely attributable to the removal of travel-related isolation requirements; however, isolation requirements remained in place during the summer of 2022 for diagnosed cases of COVID-19.
Team approach – “other duties as required”
When the Legislative Assembly of PEI hosts parliamentary conferences, a team lead role is delegated to one staff member to provide continuity of planning and operations. This team lead is supported by a committee of employees to ensure all areas of conference planning are covered, including accommodations and hospitality services (catered lunches and off-site meals), business session programming, transportation, social and cultural activities, guest programming, translation and interpretation services, finances (budgeting and revenue), and many other little details needed for a successful conference. PEI takes a team approach. Committee clerks plan the guest program, research officers handle transportation services, administrative officers take care of registrations, and so forth.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference Planning
The Legislative Assembly of PEI was excited to host the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference (and Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians conference) from July 16 – 22, 2022. The Canadian Regional Conference had been cancelled in Canada in 2020 and 2021. As one of the first in-person conferences for Canadian parliamentarians in the post COVID-19 pandemic era, there were unique challenges, but also many successes.
In PEI, conference planning begins as early as possible – especially conferences scheduled during the summer months when the tourism industry is booming and there are a myriad of other events and conferences that draw on a finite number of accommodations and locations.
As early as 2019, the Legislative Assembly of PEI team was busy preparing for its turn to hosting the 2021 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference. When the pandemic occurred, it fundamentally changed travelling and tourism both in Canada and around the world.
COVID-19 pandemic background – the PEI perspective
When COVID-19 emerged, movement across the world and across the country was virtually halted. There were a variety of measures put in place aimed to stop, or at least slow, the spread of the disease. In the early days of the pandemic, PEI implemented strict isolation requirements for all those returning from international or interprovincial travel.
In the summer of 2020, the “Atlantic bubble” was created. This agreement between governments in the four Atlantic provinces allowed residents to move between each jurisdiction without travel isolation requirements. By the summer of 2021, some isolation measures still remained in place for travelers visiting the island. There was an increase in the number of visitors and tourism revenue in 2021, but it was still considerably below pre-pandemic levels.12
After two years of limited cases, COVID-19 infections exploded in PEI in 2022. In 2020, there was a total of 96 diagnosed cases, no hospitalizations and 0noreported deaths. In 2021, there was a total of 1,413 diagnosed cases, five hospitalizations and no reported deaths. In 2022, there was a total of 54,173 diagnosed cases, 355 hospitalizations and 81 reported deaths.13 The Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) drove this spike in infections. Although cases peaked in late February, there were with smaller peaks in late March, mid-July (right around the time of the conference), and late October.”14
At the time of the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference, the isolation requirements for diagnosed positive COVID-19 cases remained at seven days. In September of 2022, the requirement was reduced to five days,15 and on December 1, 2022, PEI became the last province in Canada to remove all remaining isolation requirements.16
Challenges
Air travel during summer of 2022
As the summer of 2022 progressed, there were challenges with air travel throughout Canada due to increased demand. Indeed, the fact that conferences could take place indicated that many Canadians felt ready and safe to travel again following two years of limited travel opportunities.
At a House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities meeting on August 19, 2022, Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra stated: “Again, at the heart of it is the surge in demand after the industry faced two years of significant reductions and layoffs. There is an imbalance between the desire of travellers to travel and the ability and labour available to provide those services. Undoubtedly, there needs to be better coordination among international partners to do everything they can, but as you said, there are knock-on effects across the world. This is a highly integrated sector with a just-in-time delivery service model, and any kind of impact will have ramifications across the world.”17
The implications of disruptions to the just-in-time delivery model were described in a CBC Business news article dated August 21, 2022: “Canada won international attention this summer by topping the charts for flight delays. According to FlightAware, from May through July, Pearson had the highest rate of delays among the world’s 100 busiest airports and Montreal’s Trudeau airport came in a close second.”18
While flight delays and cancellations did cause worry among the conference organizing staff, in the end, conference delegates and guests arrived in Charlottetown, PEI with minimal delays.
COVID-19 cases for PEI team
Hosting conferences is an intense experience for staff in all jurisdictions; but, when small jurisdictions host, it is quite literally “all-hands-on-deck” to cover all requirements. PEI’s team approach means staff are delegated specific responsibilities, but they know their co-workers are ready to help when necessary.
Ensuring a safe, COVID-19 free space for the duration of the conference was the utmost concern. Unfortunately, three members of the Legislative Assembly team were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the week of the conference. They all spent the mandatory seven days in isolation following their diagnosis. Luckily, even though having a small team can be challenging, it means that staff are already very used to pitching in and doing whatever it takes to put on successful events. The phrase “other duties as required” rings true in small jurisdictions. PEI is proud that it can offer conference programming comparable to larger Canadian jurisdictions.
Successes
Return to a “new normal”
The 58th Canadian Regional Conference was the first large, in-person parliamentarian conference in the country after the onset of the pandemic. While still mindful of this disease, which has had an immeasurable impact on individuals arounds the world, the conference marked a return to a “new normal.” Getting together again with colleagues and friends to discuss shared interests of parliamentary communities felt wonderful. Being in a room with that many people was a first for many after two years when large gatherings were prohibited or minimized. Attendees were in a celebratory mood as they met again as a group in person.
No known COVID-19 diagnosis of conference delegates
While several PEI staff contacted COVID-19 through contacts outside of the conference and were unable to attend, there was no known COVID-19 diagnosis of conference delegates or guests during, or immediately after.
A proud PEI team puts on a well-regarded conference
The staff of the Legislative Assembly was undeniably excited to host the first post-pandemic in-person conference. The teams worked well together, overcoming obstacles and achieving great results for conference attendees. Every staff member of the Legislative Assembly played a part in making this event a success and felt proud to be able to show off the island they call home, as they welcomed hundreds of delegates and guests for the first time in many years.
Conclusion
All jurisdictions have their own approach when it comes to conference planning and hosting. PEI, as a small jurisdiction, faces a unique set of challenges when hosting large-scale conferences. But perhaps it is this smallness that is its most special quality. As Stuart MacLean, host of CBC’s radio The Vinyl Café, likes to say: “We may not be big, but we’re small.” As part of its comprehensive professional parliamentary service, PEI will continue to build on its reputation of warm island hospitality. We look forward to the next time we can welcome you to “the island.”
Notes
1 The Legislative Assembly’s website has additional information on the history of the Legislative Assembly and its 250th anniversary of democracy: https://www.assembly.pe.ca/index.php/about/250th-anniversary-of-democracy-in-prince-edward-island
2 If You’re Stronghearted: Prince Edward Island in the Twentieth Century. Ed MacDonald. Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation, Charlottetown: 2000, p. 119.
3 Ibid., p. 119.
4 Ibid., p. 181-182.
5 Ibid., p. 273.
6 Ibid., p. 275-276.
7 Ibid., p. 276.
8 Tourism PEI 2019-2020 Annual Report, p. 4. URL: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/sites/default/files/publications/tourismpei_ar_web_2019-2020.pdf
9 Ibid.
10 Ibid.
11 See: Tourism PEI – Visitor Volume and Value Dashboard
12 Tourism PEI – Visitor Volume and Value Dashboard
13 https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/health-and-wellness/covid-19-testing-and-case-data
15 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-covid-isolation-five-days-1.6576191
16 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/covid-isolation-ending-dec-1-1.6669925
17 https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/TRAN/meeting-27/evidence
18 https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/delays-airport-government-1.6557310