A Matter of Concern – Alberta

After the Commission began its work, and throughout the drafting and completion of the Proposal and subsequent Report, it received invaluable feedback and participation from the public.

The Commission reviewed all the materials made available to it. These included social media posts; written submissions received up until November 1; notices of representations containing substantive comments, criticism and suggestions; and presentations at the in-person and virtual public hearings. The Commission also received constructive input from more than a dozen sitting MPs. (In addition to the 12 sitting MPs who made presentations, a further two forwarded written submissions.)

However, the Commission is concerned about a voluminous influx of emailed submissions (a total of 171) from constituents of a particular electoral district following the completion of the in-person public hearings on September 26. This influx appeared to be the result of a calculated effort, led by a particular MP, to persuade the Commission to maintain the existing electoral boundaries, thereby ensuring that the MP would maintain their stronghold. This raised the concern that an attempt was being made to interfere with the integrity of the redistribution process. The Commission reviewed all the feedback it had received. Many of the emails in question praised the MP and echoed or mirrored the talking points used by that MP at a public hearing.

The Commission's decisions, described in this Report, are based solely on its mandate and the merits of the submissions and presentations received. The Commission was disappointed to receive communications that appeared to have been motivated to mobilize political pressure to influence its decision. The Commission accorded those submissions no weight in preparing this Report.