Comment 115 – comments and feedback

Ali Ehsassi, Member of Parliament for Willowdale

Dear Commissioners,

I write to you today as both a resident of the Willowdale community, and the federal Member of Parliament for the riding, to express my concerns with the impact the proposed redistribution plan proposed by Elections Canada will have on our community.

A. Toronto:

Allow me to commence by drawing your attention to a collective letter dated October 8, 2022, that was submitted to you on behalf of all twenty-five existing members of Parliament from Toronto. I agree with the thrust of that letter which was that Toronto should be allowed to preserve its representation and continue to be represented by 25 ridings.

First, every indication is that the proposed changes have been made on the basis of under coverage in the census data that occurred on the basis of COVID, and that it fails to account for a reassertion of growth patterns that are expected to return shortly. As such, the proposed changes will needlessly dilute representation and adversely impact communities of interest, as well as undermine the diversity of representation in our province.

Second, the proposed changes will move areas of Scarborough into North York, and by so doing not only imperil well settled communities of interest, but also dilute effective representation.

B. Specific New Boundaries Devised for Willowdale

As you are aware, the proposed plan moves the western boundary of Willowdale from Bathurst to Yonge Street for most of the western portion of the riding. Moreover, a cursory review of the new proposed plan suggests that Willowdale will present the only riding within Toronto whereby Yonge street will serve as a boundary.

Such proposed changes to the riding pose the following three major and irreconcilable public interest challenges: (i) cutting the riding at the heart of the community, (ii) voter confusion, including a non-reflective evaluation of the locus of growth.

Yonge Street has traditionally represented the beating heart of Willowdale, rather than a border with residents on either side of the street falling into separate and distinct ridings. To credibly suggest that high-rises that straddle both sides of the street do not share identical concerns and priorities would be difficult, if not impossible, to maintain, communicate or understand for local residents and business owners. For example, as evidenced by the last three federal elections, two provincial elections and municipal elections, the residents and business owners on Yonge Street share an identical community of interest (eg, traffic, bike lanes, safety, high density challenges, transit).

Residents and business owners along the Yonge Street corridor share community organizations which advocate on behalf of their specific concerns to every level of government. These constituents, whether they be individual residents or business owners, also expand blocks to both the east and west of Yonge street. Their concerns, issues and problems are common in a manner not shared by others in the community given their proximity to both the longest street in the world and one of the busiest thoroughfares in the country. To separate constituents on the basis of an arbitrary street would not serve the best interests of the community.

As any individual will advise you Yonge street is not only the commercial artery of the Willowdale, but also a high density corridor straddled by high-rises on each side. As such, suggesting that each side be deemed separate will undoubtedly confuse untold amounts of constituents. More importantly, this cannot be credibly explained to the occupants of that corridor given it arbitrariness measured against the overwhelming community of interest that augurs in favour of maintaining both sides of this iconic portion of the community in the same electoral district.

(ii) Re-drawing the western boundary from Bathurst to Yonge Street fails to reflect two critical and prevailing public interest considerations: voter confusion and a reflection of the growth in the community. Firstly, it has taken two election cycles (2015 and 2019) for constituents to firmly recognize and appreciate that since the 2014 redistribution that the corridor west of Becroft Avenue to Bathurst Street is part of Willowdale. A reversion back to the previous riding will prove too confusing to residents who reside in this corridor. Perhaps even more critically, as Commissioners you are likely not aware of the explosion of high-density growth in this area currently under construction and/or close to completion.

From a population or density perspective, the number of high density units available in short term occupancy in this are only yields one conclusion – that for consistency and population purposes, this portion of the riding also remain within Willowdale proper.

C. Proposed Change of the Name of the Riding to Bayview-Finch

It would be no exaggeration to suggest that I am entirely flummoxed by the proposed change whereby the riding of Willowdale would be renamed Bayview-Finch. Such a proposal will certainly distort and destroy the sense of community that has existed since this riding was first established in the 1970s.

It should also come as no surprise that the area of Willowdale is the title of a book published by Scott Kennedy. More specifically, the title of the book published in 2013 is Willowdale: Yesterday's Farms, Today's Legacy. As the author explains in the preface, the name Willowdale has a rich legacy that has existed for quite a lengthy period of time. As explained by the author, "the orgins of the name date back to 1855 when Dave Gibson successfully petitioned the Government of Upper Canada for a post office to serve the area around his farm at Yonge Street and Park Home Avenue. He suggested the name ‘Willow Dale' which was adopted".

The loss of the name of Willowdale could be seen as unsettling of fifty years of history as a distinct community in Toronto. The community has street signs and names which contain "Willowdale" as their namesake.

It should also be noted that the term Willowdale has become such an endearing term, and is so common in the parlance of neighbours, that when the tragedy of the van attack occurred in 2018, volunteers that collectively formed a group to assist our community heal in the aftermath referred to themselves as "We love Willowdale" and "Willowdale Strong" and emblazoned countless T-shirts with the same logos.

It remains to add, that in the numerous exchanges I have had with residents since the proposed change in the name of the riding have been proposed, I dare say not a single resident has favoured such a change. In fact, quite the opposite – there is both a sense of sadness and misunderstanding as to why such a venerable and historic name would all of a sudden cease to exist, for no pressing reason whatsoever.

I certainly recognize the challenging task that is before you, but I would ask that due consideration be given to the above recommendations.

I thank you for considering this submission and thank you for the considerable time you have devoted to this enseavour.

Sincerely

Ali Ehsassi, Member of Parliament for Willowdale