There was no need to issue a request for proposals for high-speed internet service to rural areas of P.E.I., the province's rural development minister says, because all the major service providers had already submitted proposals.

Allan Campbell says Eastlink submitted an unsolicited proposal to provide rural high-speed internet service. (CBC)

The contract was awarded to communications provider Aliant in November, following which Eastlink, that company's main competitor, expressed its regrets that there had been no RFP on the project.

The issue came to the forefront again this week when Wellington Gay, a member of the provincial Liberal party who also works for Eastlink, resigned as chair of the Liberal district association in the riding of Stratford-Kinlock.

Rural Development Minister Allan Campbell told CBC News on Tuesday there was nothing for the government to learn from an RFP.

"The major service suppliers on P.E.I. had all submitted unsolicited proposals," Campbell said.

"If they were to do that, I would assume that they were hoping to be awarded a contract. And now when a contract has been awarded, some people seem to have a problem with that process, and I have a little bit of difficulty understanding that side of it."

Campbell said three major suppliers had made unsolicited proposals for the contract, and Eastlink was one of them.