Commission’s ‘biggest challenge’ is in Brandon

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This article was published 13/09/2018 (2749 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

From geography and history to the Supreme Court and democracy, Manitoba’s proposed electoral boundaries were put to the people on Thursday as mayors and others questioned the changes in front of the commission responsible for redrawing the lines.

Approximately 20 people took part in the public hearing at the Victoria Inn — one of 13 scheduled across the province this month — as the five-member Manitoba Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission listened in on the suggestions made to them by Westman residents.

Brandon Mayor Rick Chrest, who is standing for re-election this October, said he recognized the difficult task facing the commission, but believes the legislation around electoral boundary changes put too much emphasis on population instead of geography.

The commission is recommending that Brandon residents living north of the Assiniboine River be placed in the Spruce Woods electoral division.

“In Brandon’s case, while it might be said that we may gain another partial voice in the legislature, and we should welcome that, I would feel that for those living in our Assiniboine ward it will make for a more confusing and cumbersome form of representation,” he said.

Chief Justice of Manitoba Richard Chartier, who’s the chair of the commission, described Brandon as the “biggest challenge” for them.

But he argued the commission was “caught with the law,” given the parameters set out for them in the Electoral Divisions Act and a 1991 Supreme Court of Canada ruling, known as the Carter reference, around effective representation and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Under the Act, the number of constituents is based on a quotient, calculated by taking Manitoba’s total population from 2016 and dividing it by the 57 — the number of electoral divisions —for approximately 22,427.

Divisions in southern Manitoba are allowed to deviate 10 per cent greater or less than that quotient, meaning Brandon East in particular, which is currently 13.17 per cent above, had to change, bringing the division closer to 2.76 per cent.

“We haven’t heard any other suggestions in terms of breaking it down so unless something changes, I think that will be the boundaries,” Chartier told The Brandon Sun.

He said submissions for any boundary or name changes will be accepted until Oct. 1.

After that, the commission will work on its final report to submit it to the lieutenant governor and speaker of the assembly before the end of the year.

The commission noted that recent population increases in Brandon mean boundary changes will likely be an ongoing matter in the coming years.

The city’s population rose by 6.1 per cent in 2016 to 48,859, compared to 46,061 in 2011.

As for other suggestions, Arthur-Virden resident Bob Cochrane suggested changing the name of the proposed Turtle Mountain division to Tri-Valley, to reflect the different valley systems in the area, as well as Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.

Killarney-Turtle Mountain Mayor Rick Pauls also suggested changing the Turtle Mountain boundaries to encompass more of the area east of his municipality, given their close trading relationship with those communities.

Meanwhile, Souris-Glenwood Mayor Darryl Jackson pointed to the number of name and boundary changes affecting his community over the years and said it could change again 10 years from now.

While nothing was “etched in stone,” Chartier said at the end of the day, the public needs to have confidence in the electoral process.

“And if people lose confidence in it, it undermines the system, it undermines confidence and then the democratic process loses in all that.”

Submissions can be sent by going to boundariescommission.mb.ca.

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