Which statement describes a major trade concern for Prince Edward Island?

• A. Access to Atlantic ports
• B. Tariff barriers from Canada
• C. Competition from New Brunswick
• D. Britain's refusal to allow trade with the USA

Answer: (D)

Prince Edward Island’s major trade worry was access to wider markets beyond Britain, especially the United States. If Britain restricted or blocked PEI from trading with the U.S., the island’s exports—like fish and farm goods—would face higher barriers and sell into a smaller market. Joining Confederation was seen as a way to secure more reliable access to larger markets and to build transportation links that would ease trade beyond the imperial system. That’s why Britain’s refusal to allow trade with the USA best explains the island’s primary trade concern. The other options miss this imperial-trade emphasis or hinge on factors less central to PEI’s pre-Confederation worries.