Senator Percy Downe
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Senator Percy Downe
@senatordowne.bsky.social
24 followers 6 following 55 posts
Senator, Charlottetown.

Former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.
Former Vice-Chair, Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF.
Former Vice-Chair, Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
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Senator Percy Downe @senatordowne.bsky.social · 2d
My interview with Amanda Pfeffer on Ontario Today on our call to ban sports betting ads in Canada. Dr. Shawn Kelly, a pediatrician and addictions specialist, also joins the interview and explains the harmful impact of the rise of this destructive industry.

www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...
www.cbc.ca
senatordowne.bsky.social
Great meeting with the Association of Canadian Publishers (@cdnpublishers.bsky.social), including Islander Dani MacDonald. The newly launched Certified Canadian Publishers Seal will allow shoppers to see which titles are from Canadian-owned houses, promoting Canadian writing and publishing. 📚

#PEI
December 5, 2025 at 4:38 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
My interview with Amanda Pfeffer on Ontario Today on our call to ban sports betting ads in Canada. Dr. Shawn Kelly, a pediatrician and addictions specialist, also joins the interview and explains the harmful impact of the rise of this destructive industry.

www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...
www.cbc.ca
December 5, 2025 at 4:26 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
The ‘Useful Idiots’ From America Whom Putin Is Playing Like a Flute www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/o...
Opinion | The ‘Useful Idiots’ From America Whom Putin Is Playing Like a Flute
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:07 AM
senatordowne.bsky.social
UK state pensioners in Canada do not have their pensions indexed, unlike the CPP which is indexed regardless of where in the world you live. #EndFrozenPensionsCanada Board Members, Peter Sanguinetti, Edwina Melville-Gray and Robert Morris, are trying to fix this injustice.

#cdnpoli #SenCA
November 27, 2025 at 2:20 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Always a pleasure meeting with student leaders from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations from across the country, including UPEI Student Union Vice-President Erica Kyalo, to discuss access to post-secondary education and the challenges facing young people today.

#PEI
November 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a law legalizing sports betting. He now says he’s opposed to it /via Globe and Mail theglobeandmail.com/world/us-pol...

#bansportsbettingads #cdnpoli #SenCA
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a law legalizing sports betting. He now says he’s opposed to it
DeWine says ‘sports are playing with dynamite’ and that the integrity of sports involved is at stake
theglobeandmail.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:11 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Fascinating discussion on soil health, water and food security with Dr. Sara Sadri, Canada Research Chair in Remote Sensing and Water Security and Associate Professor of Climate Change and Adaptation at the University of Prince Edward Island.

#SenCA #PEI #cdnpoli
November 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Senators call on prime minister to ban advertising for sports betting via CBC News.

#bansportsbettingads #SenCA #cdnpoli

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Senators call on prime minister to ban advertising for sports betting | CBC News
Two senators are calling on the federal government to ban advertising for sports betting in Canada. A letter to the prime minister from Charlottetown Sen. Percy Downe and Waterloo Sen. Marty Deacon as...
www.cbc.ca
November 24, 2025 at 2:03 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
We currently ban cigarette advertising because of its harmful impact on public health; this justification should also apply to gambling. Over 40 Senators join Senators Percy Downe and Marty Deacon in calling for the federal government to ban all sports betting ads.

#bansportsbettingads #cdnpoli
November 20, 2025 at 8:11 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Over 40 senators write to Prime Minister Carney urging him to ban sports betting ads.

#cdnpoli #SenCA #bansportsbettingads
November 19, 2025 at 7:03 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Increased skilled training is essential for growing our prosperity. Great meeting Sam Sanderson, Exec. Director of the Construction Association of PEI, Melissa Paquet, Exec. Director of the PEI Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association, and Bruce Scott with the Canadian Construction Association
November 18, 2025 at 8:03 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Engaging discussion with #PEI educators Claudine Blaquière, Adam Francis, and Jacob MacLeod on topics from PEI's representation in Parliament to current challenges facing teachers, during the Teachers Institute on Canadian Parliamentary Democracy week hosted by the Library of Parliament.
November 5, 2025 at 4:42 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Auditor General's report revealed that CRA contact centre agents provided accurate answers to general tax inquiries only 17% of the time, with a lengthy 31-min wait on average to speak with someone. Time for CRA to adopt AI which can fix these problems. www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/Eng...
Canada Revenue Agency Contact Centres
Overall, the Canada Revenue Agency did not provide timely and accurate information to callers contacting its 8 contact centres about individual taxes, benefits, and business taxes.
www.oag-bvg.gc.ca
November 3, 2025 at 5:44 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
I always enjoy speaking with students at the University of Prince Edward Island. Great discussions and engagement on a range of issues in Professor Jeff Collins' Political Geography class.

#PEI #cdnpoli #SenCA
October 30, 2025 at 7:04 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Municipal governance plays a vital role in strengthening communities throughout Prince Edward Island and Canada. Appreciate hearing from the Federation of PEI Municipalities President Bruce MacDougall and Executive Director Satya Sen on ways to improve the lives of Islanders.

#PEI #SenCA
October 30, 2025 at 3:57 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Downtown businesses are the heartbeat of our communities. Pleasure chatting with Dawn Alan, International Downtown Association representative and Executive Director of Downtown Charlottetown Inc., along with Patrick Richard with Downtown Moncton.

#PEI #SenCA
October 29, 2025 at 1:25 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Enjoyed being guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Charlottetown and meeting with their sponsored rotary youth exchange student from Brazil, Clara DaCosta. As always, great questions on current policy issues from Rotarians.

#PEI #cdnpoli #SenCA
October 28, 2025 at 1:53 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Great chatting with Doug Coles, Chair of ACEC-Canada
& Principal of Coles Associates Ltd (#PEI engineering firm) along with other industry reps.—Frank Bann, Ben Coles, Christy Cunningham & Richard Smith—about ways to support infrastructure programs, both big and small, across Canada.

#SenCA #PEI
October 27, 2025 at 5:34 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
How many medically released RCMP members and Canadian Forces veterans are currently working at Veterans Affairs Canada?

📹My question to Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight on the priority hiring policy for medically released veterans.

#cdnpoli #PEI #SenCA
October 24, 2025 at 7:33 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
We must maintain enough employees at Veterans Affairs Canada to provide the services needed by veterans and former RCMP members and their families.

📹My question to Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight about the gov't-wide expenditure review program.

#cndpoli #PEI #SenCA
October 24, 2025 at 2:59 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Great discussion with Algerian Ambassador to Canada, H.E. Noureddine Sidi Abed, on the longstanding diplomatic and economic relations between both countries and the opportunities for greater economic engagement.

#cdnpoli #SenCA #PEI
October 23, 2025 at 6:10 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Pleasure meeting with Special Olympic athlete and Prince Edward Islander Colton Matheson, his father Jamie, Special Olympic PEI representatives, Matthew McNally and Charity Sheehan, along with fellow PEI Senator Mary Robinson (@agproudmary.bsky.social)

#PEI #SenCA #SOPEI
October 22, 2025 at 4:14 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
The OAS program is unfunded and unsustainable. As baby boomers age into retirement, costs for the program will balloon and younger Canadians will pay greater taxes to cover the growing expense. OAS must be adjusted (less for high-income /more for low-income seniors) before money runs out.

#cndpoli
October 9, 2025 at 7:21 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Should gov't review the criteria by which high-income seniors qualify for Old Age Security (OAS) payments in order to shift the financial support towards low-income seniors and reduce the burden on young Canadians who are paying more taxes to support this unfunded OAS program?

#cdnpoli #SenCA #PEI
October 9, 2025 at 2:14 PM
senatordowne.bsky.social
Why do high-income seniors continue to receive OAS payments while low-income seniors need more support and the Canada Child Benefit is reduced at a much lower household income than OAS. Is this fair to younger generations who face higher taxes to fund OAS for high-income seniors?

#SenCA #cdnpoli
October 8, 2025 at 5:02 PM