The Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) represents over 1260 captains on Prince Edward Island. A large majority of our captains and their crew members live in rural Prince Edward Island.

Many of our captains and crew have children or grandchildren attending rural schools in all parts of PEI.

It is the position of the PEIFA that the schools that have been identified for closure remain open and that a process of true collaboration and dialogue be started with a focus on improving the quality of the education for all PEI students.

This position has been fully endorsed by the PEIFA Board of Directors and the PEIFA membership at our Annual General Meeting held on February 24 2017.

We have great faith that the identified communities will come up with innovative ways in which to increase the vibrancy and viability of their local schools when given the chance.

We are asking Premier MacLauchlan to support this initiative and that the closure recommendations of the 5 schools identified in the Category 2 School Change Study Report be stopped.