Comment 15 – comments and feedback

Kamal Khera

Dear Commissioner,

My name is Kamal Khera, I have served as the Member of Parliament for Brampton West for the past seven years. I am writing to you today to express concern over the changes to federal electoral boundaries set out in the Commissions' proposal published August 19^th, 2022.

Purpose

Conscious of regulation 15 (1) (b) (i) which states, that the commission must take into consideration, "community of interest or community of identity in or the historical pattern of an electoral district in the province"

As it is required by the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, 1985 the commission must, in its deliberations, take into consideration the interests of local communities and community members.

Therefore, it is my hope that this letter will bring to your attention the negative impact which the proposed boundary changes would have on local organizations, businesses, and community members.

Issue

The negative impact that the Commission's proposal would have on the Brampton West community.

Issue #1: Historical Patterns:

The proposed changes would result in the areas outlined in Image #1 (See Below) no longer being a part of the Brampton West community. This is an area which has been a part of Brampton West since 2004. I know this is not usually a concern which is taken into consideration. However, over the last 18 years there has been a development of deep, distinct cultural ties in the areas which the commission has proposed removing from the riding. I believe that these important connections should be factored into the Commission's deliberations.

Issue #2: Religious Organizations

The Commission has proposed removing the area between Wanless, Hurontario and Bovaird Streets from Brampton West. It is important to note that this area is home to the vast majority of Brampton West's religious organizations. This would result in the following organizations being removed from the Brampton West community:

• Sri Sivasubramaniya Hindu Temple (Hindu community)
• Berean Church of God International (Black Community)
• Shiva Ganesh Mandir (Hindu Community)
• Northwest Brampton Seventh Day Adventists (Black Community)
• Shri Krishna Sudama Mandir (Hindu Community)
• House of Prayer Church (Black Community)
• IFC Church (Black Community)
• Word of God Assemblies (Black Community)
• North Valley Islamic Centre (Muslim Community)
• Gurdwara Sikh Sangat (Sikh Community)
• Walking on the Water Ministries (Black Community)
• Brampton Islamic Center (Muslim Community)

The proposed boundaries would result in no fewer than 13 religious organizations belonging to a different federal riding than the one from which the vast majority of their congregations live. The commission should be aware that nearly all of the people who make up these congregations live in Brampton West, not in the Caledon area which the commission has proposed associating them with.

I fear the proposed boundaries would have a negative impact on the sense of community provided by these faith organizations. This is especially true when considering that these are all underrepresented, diverse communities. For many in these communities, their places of worship are a lifeline to their heritage, language, and culture.

Residents deserve consistent federal representation that is the same in their homes and in their places of worship. The consistency has enabled the places of worship to develop a sense of community themselves which has spilled over into the greater Brampton West community. Each one of these religious sites makes up an important part of Brampton West's collective identity. I firmly believe that it would be a mistake to remove these spaces from our Brampton West Community.

Please see Image 1.2.

Issue #3: Community Centers

Cassie Campbell Community Center (1050 Sandalwood Pkwy W, Brampton, ON L7A 0K9)

Cassie Campbell community center is a community hub used by local youth groups, sports teams, seniors' groups, residents, and religious organizations. It has been a staple in the Brampton West community for years.

The proposed boundaries would result in Brampton West's only community center being moved into a different riding, "Brampton Mayfield West". This is not in the best interest of my community. Cassie Campbell is beloved by everyone in Brampton West. Over the years it has become a symbolic part of our community's collective identity. It simply does not make sense to have this important pillar of our community removed from Brampton West and transferred into another riding. Cassie Campbell serves the people in this area and should therefore remain in this riding.

Furthermore, the operation and maintenance of Cassie Campbell is done by the city of Brampton. The proposed boundaries would have our community's largest hub represented by a riding (Brampton Mayfield West) which is principally based out of the town of Caledon, a different municipality. Cassie Campbell is a staple in our Brampton West community and has always provided a space for our community to come together and grow. To separate it from not just Brampton West, but the city of Brampton more generally would be detrimental to our sense of community.

Counter Proposal (See map Included)

I propose that the Eastern Boundary run from Mayfield Rd. down Mclaughlin Rd. to Wanless Dr.

From there head east across Wanless Dr. to Hurontario St., Then down Hurontario St. to Bovaird Drive.

Then head across Bovaird Dr. heading west to Chingaucousy Rd.

Then down Chingaucousy Rd. to Queen Street and across Queen headed west to Winston Churchill Blvd.

This would result in Brampton West's population being 128,000 which is within the 10% variance rule which the commission subscribes to. Further, I would also point to the fact that the commission is legislated to have the target population of ridings within a 25% variance, not 10%. Additionally, I have provided below a list of other ridings throughout the province which have had more extreme deviations in population than the one I propose (See Image 3)

As someone who has served this community for seven years and has a deep understanding of the people who call this area home, I can say with the utmost confidence that the increase population is well worth including the facilities which have not only made us in the community we are but will undoubtably continue to shape our community as we grow in the years to come.

Conclusion

Over the last 18 years Brampton West has cultivated a deep and personal sense of community. This is due largely impart to our area's religious sites and Cassie Campbell Community Center. The proposal would in short, effectively split our community in two. This separation would unnaturally split residents away from the resources, and places of worship they so often utilize. The proposal would effectively remove from Brampton West the spaces which have enabled us to become the vibrant, diverse community we are today. These are spaces that have, in the past 18 years, developed connections so deep with the community that they have ultimately become synonymous with the Brampton West identity.

For these reasons I would ask that the commission amend its proposal to resemble Image #2.

Thank you once again for you time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Kamal Khera

Member of Parliament Brampton West

Image 1, Image 1.2

Note: Image 1.2 shows the location all the community locations which Brampton West will lose as a result of the Commissions' proposal. All of the red dots represent a religious organization, and the blue dot represents Cassie Campbell Community Center.

Image #2: Counterproposal to proposed redistribution

Image #3: Ridings with Greater Population Variation than my counterproposal

Over quota	Under quota
Brant 24.7	Kenora -47.30
Niagara Falls 20.85	Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing -24.87
Oshawa 18.41	Sault Ste. Marie -22.75
Whitby 14.88	Spadina—Fort York -22.34
Ottawa South 14.76	Thunder Bay—Superior North -22.02
Mississauga—Cooksville 14.67	Thunder Bay—Rainy River -21.87
Guelph 14.57	Timmins—James Bay -21.76
Burlington 13.52	Niagara West -18.53
Essex 13.43	Milton -17.09
Oakville 12.65	Rideau—Carleton -15.71
London—Fanshawe 12.35	Nickel Belt -14.36
Ottawa—Orléans 12.27	Nipissing—Timiskaming -14.33
London West 12.12	Parry Sound—Muskoka -14.08
Windsor West 12.01	Sudbury -13.34
Mississauga—Lakeshore 11.94	Hastings—Lennox and Addington -12.88
Mississauga Centre 11.81	Don Valley East -12.43
Mississauga—Streetsville 11.81	Kitchener—Conestoga -11.66
London North Centre 11.17	Toronto Centre -11.53
Mississauga—Malton 11.14	York—Simcoe -10.92
Etobicoke North 10.72
Mississauga—Erin Mills 10.34
Kingston and the Islands 10.15