Redrawing Canada’s federal electoral boundaries

Poll

PARRY SOUND-MUSKOKA — Canada’s electoral boundaries are changing and your input is sought.
Every 10 years federal electoral boundaries are re-examined according to population shifts. This time the formulation has changed due to the passing of the Fair Representation Act by the Conservative government in 2011.
As a result, 30 new MPs will be added to the House of Commons, bringing the number of seats to 338. Ontario will get 15 of those additional seats, British Columbia and Alberta will get six each and three will go to Quebec.
Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Tony Clement said he does not yet know whether that means all of Ontario’s federal ridings will be affected.
“I really don’t know what they have in mind,” he said of the 10 commissions that have been established to look at the issue and garner public input. “So I’m watching pretty closely, obviously. I like my current boundary, I like the people I have in my riding so I am not seeking any changes,” he said.
If a decision is released which in any way adversely impacts Parry Sound-Muskoka, he would weigh in, Clement added. “But I’ll just be one voice. I am not the decision maker.… It’s really the boundary commission that decides these things.”
In term of adding MPs, Clement referred to it as representative government.
“This is a democracy. You can’t have ridings that have 200,000 people and other ridings that have 100,000 people,” he said.
Adding another 30 MPs is expected to cost upwards of an additional $14 million per year.
In terms of decreasing the number of MPs and spreading representation accordingly across the country, Clement noted that would not be good for northern ridings.
“If we had gone with larger ridings (versus more ridings) it would, of course, mean far fewer ridings in northern Ontario, and Parry Sound-Muskoka being merged with at least one other riding,” he said.
Those interested in providing input to members of the Ontario Commission to help it develop the initial proposal can email ontario@rfed-rcf.ca by April 30, 2012. You can also send written correspondence to 130 King St. W., 36th floor, Suite 3670, PO Box 368, Toronto, ON M5X 2A2. You can also call toll-free at 1-855-747-7224.
To learn more about the redistribution of Ontario’s federal electoral districts go to www.federal-redistribution.ca.

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