Peter MacArthur Pope

POPE, PETER MACARTHUR. businessperson; b. 1 September 1933 in Summerside, son of George Reginald Pope and K. Adele MacArthur; m. January 1958, Georgie E. Lockhart, and they had three children, Nancy, David, and James; Anglican. Pope, a Conservative, and for a short time an Independent Conservative, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the general election of 1979 for 5th Prince. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1982 and 1986. Pope was defeated in the general elections of 1974 and 1978. On 12 February 1985, he resigned from the Conservative caucus to sit as an Independent, because he felt the Summerside area was being neglected by the provincial government. Pope felt that government was being centralized in Charlottetown, and his efforts toward decentralization were not being supported by the government caucus. On 28 May 1985, he rejoined caucus as a result of a promise from Premier James M. Lee1' to deal with his decentralization concerns. Pope believed Summerside required more economic development, job opportunities, and a more equitable share of provincial government spending. He was also an advocate of Maritime Union. He felt strongly that Summerside would do better economically if the three Maritime provinces were politically united, as there would be less government centralization in Charlottetown. Pope was appointed Minister of Transportation and Public Works on 13 August 1985, until the defeat of the Lee Government in 1986. On 7 January 1987, Pope resigned his seat in the Legislative Assembly. Pope is a descendant of former members James C. Pope1' and George Dalrymple Pope. Pope received his early education in Summerside and graduated from Summerside High School. Later he attended Acadia University. Following this, Pope became a car dealer and, in time, president of Pope Properties Limited. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Summerside and the Summerside Chamber of Commerce. He also owned harness racehorses. Peter Pope resides in Summerside. Georgie Pope was the daughter of James Lockhart of Malpeque.