David MacDonald - Reporter

18/07/2024

My latest for the Eastern Graphic. Recent anti-immigration attacks on social media are due to Parks Canada's long-running promotion of free passes for newcomers.

A Parks Canada promotion providing free admission to new Canadian citizens for one year has recently been the target of social media backlash described as hateful, but others say it

30/06/2024

Anyone who recalls my story about a 2023 Nutella/Parks Canada collaboration in which PEI wasn't included may agree with me when I say that I may, in part, be responsible for what Nutella is showcasing this year.

24/01/2024

So does anyone have any tips on how to convince Facebook/Meta to restore someone's Facebook account? My wife’s account was permanently disabled, with no option to appeal. And neither of us can find a form, email address, phone number or any other contact information. Yes, Facebook is ridiculous, but her account contains years of photos and conversations that have now disappeared, and she would like to know *why* the account has been deleted. Thanks! Meta

28/11/2023

Hello there - I'm just putting out a call for any potential story ideas. I freelance for both the Eastern Graphic (coverage area in eastern PEI), and the Saltwire Network (PEI, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland), so if you hear about anything interesting related to these regions, please contact me. Thanks!

08/11/2023

My latest for the Graphic. Contest hosted by Nutella and sponsored by Parks Canada ignores PEI. https://newsproxy.site/www.peicanada.com/eastern_graphic/nutella-contest-not-so-sweet-for-pei/article_53ee3a00-7d7f-11ee-b533-1f0fbd372d87.html Nutella Parks Canada

PEI was not represented in a Nutella contest showcasing national parks, in which Parks Canada paid $30,000 to the company despite the fact it had already developed the contest with

31/07/2023

My latest for Saltwire. It's okay to indulge in the summertime tradition of hot dogs over the barbecue, once in a while, anyway. There is a mistake on the sub-headline to the story: it was Darlene Hughes of Charlottetown, and not a registered dietitian, who said, 'Life’s short if you can’t have a whistle dog and cooler on the back deck.'

'Life’s short if you can’t have a whistle dog and cooler on the back deck': registered dietician

26/07/2023

My latest for the Graphic. PEI’s first Mi’kmaq nurse practitioner is breaking barriers. https://www.peicanada.com/eastern_graphic/pei-s-first-mi-kmaq-nurse-practitioner-breaking-barriers/article_8abbde92-2af6-11ee-924c-8769f43436ee.html

Ashley Bradley of Abegweit First Nation considers it a privilege to be the first Mi’kmaq person in Prince Edward Island to become a nurse practitioner. And she said it couldn’t

21/06/2023

My latest for the Graphic. The Department of Health hopes spending $15,000 for a social media influencer to tout the benefits of working on PEI will entice nurses to work here.

The Department of Health and Wellness hopes shelling out more than $15,000 to a social media influencer to persuade nurses to work here will reap benefits. However, the department admits

05/06/2023

A recent piece for Saltwire. Cookies *can* be both healthy and tasty! https://www.saltwire.com/prince-edward-island/lifestyles/cookies-for-breakfast-healthy-homemade-options-to-tempt-your-family-if-theyre-skipping-breakfast-or-chowing-down-on-sugary-cereals-100857591/ #

Few people can resist the temptation of a well-made, scrumptious cookie – but imagine how much better the experience would be if you knew the cookie was ...

17/05/2023

My latest for Saltwire. A recent confirmed case of measles inspires reflection on the importance, and the great success, of vaccines.

One concern is the pandemic-related spread of misinformation regarding vaccinations spilling over into skepticism about MMR shots

17/05/2023

My latest for the Graphic. It's almost impossible to find out how many doctors applied for various physician jobs across the province. Well, it's possible, but only for a hefty price.

Until recently, the Department of Health and Wellness had no formal electronic system to easily track data on physician recruitment efforts, such as how many individuals inquired or sent resumes

20/04/2023

My latest for the Saltwire Network. Content creators on TikTok have no plans to stop using the social media platform, despite all of the accusations of connections to the Chinese government.

While government officials from Canada, the United States and beyond have expressed grave concerns about TikTok and its alleged ties to Beijing, many ...

22/03/2023

This was from the previous week's Graphic. John Rossignol has been hard at work cleaning up Hurricane Fiona-related debris along his favourite hiking trail, the Beck Trail near Murray River.

For the past few months, John Rossignol of Little Sands has devoted several hours a day, six days a week, to restoring a popular walking and hiking trail devastated by

22/03/2023

Another link to today's Graphic. Lack of snow meant a poor season for those who enjoy snowmobiling, and climate change could possibly result in more of these kind of winters.

Ask an avid snowmobiler from eastern PEI about this past winter’s absence of snow and they’ll likely say it was one of the worst seasons they’ve experienced.

22/03/2023

A flurry of links today, mostly Graphic related. Buddhist land holdings targeted at full-capacity meeting.

While the topic up for discussion was ‘Is Kings County for Sale?,’ the only questions asked at the full-capacity meeting Saturday at the Cavendish Farms Wellness Centre in Montague were

19/01/2023

My latest for the Graphic. The lines on the roads are fading away, but government claims there's few options available to improve the situation, thanks to winter conditions.

Morell resident Kate Arsenault wants answers from Transportation officials about what she believes is the poor quality of paint used to mark the lines on Island highways, saying the lack

16/12/2022

Another recent Saltwire entry. There won’t be as many cookies in the holiday cookie jar this year, thanks to skyrocketing prices for the ingredients!

Inflation leaving some people coming up short on shortening

14/12/2022

My very latest for Saltwire. The pandemic rages on, but experts from all fields have been pondering on the legacy of COVID-19.

The pandemic is not over, but some lessons have been learned if restrictions return

14/12/2022

My latest for the Graphic. The provincial government has questions about the current state of Twitter, but Elon Musk isn't taking its phone calls (or will he only reply by tweet?)

PEI political parties and government departments are quietly mulling over whether to continue using Twitter, the social media platform that has endured several controversies following Elon Musk’s recent purchase.

19/10/2022

Another one for the Graphic: there's still time to attend free barbecues - hosted by locally owned corner stores - in honour of Small Business Week.

Small Business Week (October 17th) has always been about recognizing the importance of local businesses to the eastern PEI economy. But Martina MacDonald, executive director of Community Business Development Corporation

19/10/2022

A trio of Graphic links today as I filled in for a vacationing reporter this week. First: Freedom of Information documents from Health PEI show that staff grappled with legal and ethical issues related to the overturning of Roe v Wade and the potential for Americans to seek abortions here.

Health PEI officials grappled with several ethical and legal dilemmas surrounding the possibility of providing abortion services to American women in the weeks following the US Supreme Court decision overturning

09/10/2022

Hi everyone, I will be doing a few stories for the Graphic this week, so if you know of anything interesting going on, just leave me a message!

07/10/2022

My latest for the Saltwire Network. If you're a fan of Hot Wheels, Matchbox, or whatever, you definitely aren't the only one! https://www.saltwire.com/prince-edward-island/lifestyles/some-of-the-detail-is-really-crazy-diecast-cars-bring-about-childhood-nostalgia-for-east-coast-collectors-and-some-big-bucks-100779834/

Many people have no doubt played with so-called ‘Dinky’ cars as a child. But that childhood pastime has never truly gone away for many avid collectors ...

21/09/2022

My latest for the Graphic. At least 26 per cent of the provincial civil service continue to work at home, full or part-time, and government wants this to continue for the foreseeable future.

The province appears to be closing in on its goal of one-third of civil service employees working remotely, something government officials have been keen on since the beginning of the

10/09/2022

Hi there, does anyone know of someone who has a big collection of Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars, either new or vintage models? It’s for a Saltwire story. Thanks!

31/08/2022

My latest for Saltwire. Many kids are using their birthday parties to raise money for charity.

Youth across Atlantic Canada look forward to returning to school and seeing familiar faces once again. And for many kids, back-to-school also means a flood ...

03/08/2022

My latest for Saltwire. Some tips for those wanting to save money on groceries in a world of inflation and rising prices.

Pandemic, a struggling supply chain, and a potential global food crisis are making it harder for many to stay within their grocery budget

03/08/2022

My latest for the Graphic. The province has sent out tenders for hazardous materials assessments of 39 government properties.

The provincial government plans to assess 39 government-owned sites for hazardous building materials, including asbestos. But it will be at least March of 2023 before all of the studies are

20/07/2022

Do I know anyone who works at the Shaw or Sullivan buildings in Charlottetown?

22/06/2022

My latest for the Graphic. I’ve always been curious about the planes flying over our house, but I’ve become quite obsessed with tracking planes ever since a US military plane flew overhead one day! https://www.peicanada.com/eastern_graphic/way-up-high-up-in-the-sky-could-be-royalty/article_9af07a8c-f165-11ec-8e33-97c37cba9840.html Flightradar24.com

The world’s most popular flight tracker. Track planes in real-time on our flight tracker map and get up-to-date flight status & airport information.