Commentaire 3 (28 mars 2022) – commentaires et rétroaction

Colin Hornby

Good afternoon,

For the upcoming review, I am advocating for some suggested changes to the federal ridings in the City of Winnipeg.

After an examination of the latest Statistics Canada data, these proposed changes would result in ridings that have far more in common with each other and would roughly be similar in population size. I know the aim of the Commission is to propose ridings that are reasonably equal in population size and should reflect communities of interest. Below are some proposed changes with rationale for each one:

1. Move Elmwood into Winnipeg Centre: 
   • This will help add further population to Winnipeg Centre and the interests and people of Elmwood have far more in common with downtown than the current changes happening in Radisson & Transcona. In the past few years, all the new housing developments in Radisson and Transcona have completely changed the demographics of the federal riding of Elmwood-Transcona. 
   • It is predicted the housing developments in Radisson and Transcona will only continue to grow in the coming years. As these other neighbourhoods continue to grow, Elmwood quite simply no longer fits with the current riding. 
   • There is a considerable amount of overlap with the neighbourhood of Elmwood and the residents and businesses in the federal riding of Winnipeg Centre. Many local residents have jobs on the east side of the river and a sizable number of families have personal connections to those living in those neighbourhoods.
   • There is also a considerable amount of commerce and people going into Elmwood who go back and forth across the Red River to the neighbourhoods of St. Johns, Point Douglas and downtown. 
   • The federal riding to the north crosses the Red River. 
2. Move Point Douglas into Winnipeg Centre:
   • There is also an argument to be made that Point Douglas, which is currently in Winnipeg North, has far more in common with Winnipeg Centre. Whether by analyzing the demographics, wage statistics, and historical binds, there is a solid case that the neighbourhoods of Elmwood, St. Johns, Point Douglas, Wolseley, and most of St. James should all be combined into one federal riding. Many of those residents view the downtown as their hub, and it is the heart of the city. 
   • It would also result in a lot of university students living in the same riding, who go to the University of Winnipeg and other local schools. Those students play on the same sports teams, attend the same churches and recreation centres, and many of their families have known each other for years.
3. Move Notre Dame into Winnipeg North:
   • The Notre Dame provincial riding should be moved north to the riding of Winnipeg North. 
   • The demographics of Notre Dame are a much better fit with the people of Winnipeg North, which most definitely includes a tremendous amount of people who drive back and forth across the railway every single day.  
   • Historically there was a time when Winnipeg North came south across the railway to include the provincial riding of Notre Dame.  
   • Additionally, the previous provincial riding of Tyndall Park crossed the railway track and so does the current provincial riding of Point Douglas. The railway is an artificial border that doesn't reflect how the communities and people live their lives in that part of the city.