The fixed link is not a long term

solution

proposed fixed link would affect Prince Edward Island. Not in a year, or even five years, but how it will have changed our province by the time our children are adults with families. The Island won’t be immediately scarred by the effects of a bridge, but I believe that the generations that follow us will deeply regret the existence of this superstructure. The Island is a special place to live. Many people don’t realize how important being an ‘Islander’ is to their sense of self until they leave P.E.I. to pursue

I *m asking you to think about how the

tries, tourism, depends on the preservation of our land and of our sea. If you think that the bridge will improve this industry, you will be sadly mistaken. People come to our province because it is detached from the rest of the. country and holds a special charm. Our ferries are an important part of this chain. The ferries not only intrigue visitors, but encourage people to stay longer and to spend more money in our province. The wait at the boat deters weekend partiers, not families on their two week vaca- tions. Easy access on and off the Island via a bridge may cause Prince Edward Is-

education or careers. Some argue that many Islanders are forced to leave because of de- pressed economy and that the bridge would **fix’’ this. I think that a fixed link would be ofminimal advantage to our local economy, although the heart of my argument is not economics. Instead, I want to express how Prince Edward Island- ers would be affected.

"Do we really want to put our environment at risk so we can save a few hours travelling on and off the Island?"

land’s tourist indus- try to boom for a few years, but once the tourists have trampled our province, it will lose its fascination, and the industry will fade and die.

In forty years, we will all be wiser than we are now. The ma- jority of today’s Is- land seniors oppose the proposed fixed link NOT because

We should take

pride in our province for the very reason that it is not like every other place. If you are looking for a fast-paced lifestyle or a truly ‘‘modern’’ society, move to a big city in central Canada or the United States. Enjoy our differences. The world envies our unspoiled beaches, our beau- tiful landscape and the closeness of our commu- nities. If you don’t appreciate how wonderful this province is, take a drive out to French River or Malpeque this summer and experience the sensation of what it means to be a Prince Edward Islander. Do we really want to put our environ- ment at risk so we can save a few hours travel- ling on and off the Island?

One of our Island’s most important indus-

6

they are old fashioned or closed minded, but because they are wiser. They have lived longer, have seen more, have experienced more, and have come to under- stand what makes people happy on Prince Edward Island. They appreciate that they live in a unique and marvellous place, and that risking our differences, just to save time is not the answer. Their wisdom should not be overlooked. I hope you will take the time to think about how the proposed Fixed link would affect our prov- ince and our lives, since its long term negative consequences for Prince Edward Island would be significant. I hope we will be proud of the home we leave for future generations. @

Task force on sexual violence against women

the beginning of the semester (January

1993). One of the meetings was a plan- ning session to help the Task Force determine priorities and develop a planning and work process for accomplishing the mandate.

We have organized into four Working Groups to better address the issues we have determine as priorities. The four groups are: 1. Long-term Education 2. Safety Awareness/Promotion 3. Procedures and Protocols for Sexual Assault Reporting 4. Advice to the President on issues Affecting Women

Each Working Group has broad-based representation and will define its workplan and meeting schedule. Representatives from each working group will meet regularly with the Chair of the task force to ensure regular infor- mation flow to all Task force members.

We plan to prepare an interim report for the Board of Governors by March 31st.

Any individual or groups wishing '° express their views to the Task Force are ¢0- couraged to do so. We welcome your input and will attempt to keep the university communily informed of our work.

Please feel free to contact any member of the Task Force for more information. ®

T he task force has met four times since