Whether they sit with government, in opposition or as an Independent, members of Prince Edward Island’s legislative assembly were elected to be a voice for their constituents — but not having a party affiliation can lead to some challenges.

Gilles Arsenault was removed from cabinet and suspended from the Progressive Conservative caucus last month over allegations of a $100,000 donation made by a private developer to a community group in Arsenault’s district of Evangeline-Miscouche.

He declined to resign, and currently sits in the legislature as an Independent MLA — the first time in seven year’s that’s happened in P.E.I.

Don Desserud, a political science professor at the University of Prince Edward Island, said government backbench and opposition MLAs are “effectively acting as agents for their constituency, regardless of what party they’re in.”

In that sense, he said, sitting as an Independent is similar.

“One of the MLA’s jobs is to be like an ombudsman for the riding, to help the people in the riding get things done, make contacts with the right people,” Desserud said. “That doesn’t really matter what political party you’re in.”

But there are instances when party status matters, he said.

For one, an Independent MLA may have difficulty getting named to legislative committees.

Desserud also noted that direct access to a cabinet minister depends on the Independent’s relationship with that minister.

“A person who was part of that party who was then asked to leave that party, that might make that relationship a little bit trickier,” he said. “That one’s hard to call.”

Former Independent MLA recalls going it alone

Bush Dumville was first elected to the legislature in 2007 as a member of the P.E.I. Liberal Party under then-premier Robert Ghiz. He went on to represent the West Royalty-Springvale district from that year until 2019. 

Dumville left the party to sit as an Independent on Jan. 31, 2018, citing disagreements with the new party leader and premier, Wade MacLauchlan.

In 2019, running in the redistributed riding of Charlottetown-West Royalty, Dumville was defeated by current Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly.

Dumville said sitting as an Independent leaves an MLA with less support, calling it “a lonely old road.”

“It’s like a family, so you don’t give up that family lightly to sit as an Independent,” he told CBC News recently, explaining that leaving the party removes access to resources that can help with the job.

“You have to do all that on your own when you’re an Independent.”

While every MLA has an opportunity to stand to speak during member statements in the legislature, Desserud said Arsenault may run into issues being called upon during the question period portion of the proceedings. The members who get to ask questions and the time allotted to them are determined by each party’s House leader, which Arsenault no longer has access to.

“You kind of hope that there will be some consideration given to the fact that he is still an MLA, still represents his riding and has a right to ask questions in the House, but that time allocation is jealously guarded by the parties,” Desserud said.

“It will happen, but it won’t happen every session.”

Desserud said Arsenault could also run into trouble in the next election if he chooses to run as an Independent. He noted Arsenault would not have “the party apparatus” to provide support while campaigning and organizing events in his district.

“An Independent MLA will still want to have a profile. They’ll still want to be seen and to be showing that they’re there and able to help their riding, but that really is supported by your riding association,” he said. 

“If you don’t have a party, then you don’t have that.”

‘You can say what you want’

There are also benefits to sitting as an Independent, Desserud said, including the ability to speak your mind.

He said other MLAs are subject to the party’s whip and House leaders.

“That doesn’t happen if you’re an Independent,” he said. “You can say what you want and do whatever you want.”

If running in an election as an Independent, Dumville said a would-be candidate should ensure Independents are running in other districts.

“If you do not have party support, it’s awful hard to get things done for your district,” he said.

“I thought maybe I could drag out enough Independents loosely associated that we could … act like a party in the open with no backroom agenda. But I guess I was a little full of myself.”

Regardless of affiliation, Desserud said an MLA answers to the people in their district, not the party.

He said political parties “have a stranglehold” on the election process and the behaviours of MLAs. Seeing that occasionally change “could be healthy for our democracy.”

“The party’s a vehicle, a mechanism by which you can help your riding,” he said. 

“But, at the end of the day, it’s your riding who supported you, riding who voted for you, and that’s who you owe your first allegiance to.”