Commentaire 40 – commentaires et rétroaction

Tanya Baksh and Kameel Baksh

We have been made aware of the proposed boundary changes for the Electoral Districts and I am very concerned about the proposed changes for Scarborough. We are unable to attend the session being held on October 18th for the Scarborough region. We have owned our home in Scarobough for over 20 years and have experienced great changes in our community and this re-alignment of electoral districts for Scarborough will reduce our say. We are opposed to the reduction of the number of electoral districts for Scarborough from 3 to 2 based on the following reasons:

• Our undercounted population distorts the basis of determining Scarborough's federal boundaries. It is estimated that Scarborough has about 50,000 residents which are undocumented and therefore not counted in the last census. If these residents were counted, our population would be approximately 8% higher and there would be no case to remove one seat from Scarborough.
• Scarborough is a Community of Interest. This redistribution disregards the cultural identity and historical significance of Scarborough especially Agincourt and the Golden Mile. The proposed realignment impacts Scarborough's identity and our residents' connections to their neighbourhoods, businesses, and their local community.
• Fairness. How is it that the City of Toronto grows in population but loses a federal seat? Other parts of Ontario and other provinces are not growing and yet they retain their representation. Toronto is the largest and most diverse city in Canada with significant growth happening over the next five years, yet we are being disadvantaged in a zero-sum game that moves seats from growing areas to faster growing areas and doesn't touch other areas that are not growing.
• Scarborough will lose three times. Ontario aligns its provincial ridings and municipal wards with the federal boundaries. Therefore, Scarborough will also lose one seat at Queens Park and at Toronto City Council.
• Equity for our diverse communities. Scarborough has one of the highest diversity rates in Canada, with 74% visible minorities. A large portion of our population consists of equity-seeking groups who should not have their access to democratic representation diminished.
• New housing and more residents are coming to Toronto and to Scarborough. As Canada's largest and most diverse community, Toronto has in its development pipeline 503,362 new housing units and approximately 94,000 have been recently built. Scarborough has 46,636 units coming on stream within the next few years with 10,380 units in Agincourt alone. Scarborough is expected to grow by 87,000 to 96,000 new residents and by Agincourt 20,000 to 23,000. The Commission should consider future growth that is already in progress and development applications now in the planning pipeline before reducing seats.
• Confusing Decisions. The seat we will lose is in an area of Scarborough that just got a much-needed seat in the last realignment. Now the report recommends taking it away. What happens when the new housing developments are built over the next few years? Will they get it back? This can create voter confusion and disinterest which can impair voter turnout.

I hope these points will be taken into consideration and this re-alignment be re-considered for Scarborough.

Sincerely,

Tanya and Kameel Baksh