Comment 135 – comments and feedback

Bhutila Karpoche
MPP for Parkdale--High Park

Dear Madam Justice Leitch, Dr. Bird, and Dr. Loewen,

Thank you very much for hosting me at the Commission's public hearing on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at the Toronto Reference Library. I'm writing with a copy of my remarks from that hearing and some additional information.

In addition to my remarks, I have enclosed a map and petition. The map illustrates the proposal made within my remarks for the boundaries of the Parkdale—High Park electoral district, as well as some relevant population data. The petition references our community's concerns about the proposed name change to the electoral district and is signed by hundreds of my constituents.

I hope this information will prove useful for the Commission's work ahead. Yours sincerely,

Bhutila Karpoche
MPP, Parkdale—High Park

Remarks from October 19, 2022

My name is Bhutila Karpoche and I am the Member of Provincial Parliament for Parkdale—High Park. I'd like to thank the Commission for their work and for the opportunity to make a submission.

In what follows I propose changes to the name and riding boundaries put forward by the commission for my riding of Parkdale—High Park.

Name Change

I propose that "Parkdale" be kept in the name of our riding. I want to be clear that it is important to acknowledge the Indigenous history of the land in our community, and I fully support the inclusion of an indigenous name.

Parkdale is a proud, spirited community with a strong identity and sense of place. You can see this reflected in the many non-profit, neighbourhood, small business, and community associations and groups that have Parkdale in their name. Its history as a community goes back to the 19th century, and it has been recognized by name in an electoral district for more than 100 years.

Parkdale has been home to newcomers and diasporic communities for many decades, including Polish, Afro-Caribbean, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Tibetan. These communities strongly identify with Parkdale, and would deeply feel its loss in our riding name.

Keeping Parkdale in the name would also represent a better balance of the geography of the riding, with Taiaiako'n to the west, High Park in the centre, and Parkdale to the East.

As an MPP I have received numerous emails from constituents asking to keep Parkdale, and a petition I started has received 223 signatures so far. I also know that the Commission has heard directly from many organizations and individuals in my community about this.

Boundaries

I propose that we maintain the current eastern boundary at Dufferin Street.

Liberty Village has its own sense of place and is a discrete neighbourhood full of high-rise buildings. The Commission's proposed boundary changes would divide this neighbourhood, separating the thousands of Liberty Villagers living east of Strachan along Ordinance.

Additionally, the interests, needs, identities, and culture of Liberty Village have considerably more in common with the residents of the proposed Spadina— Harbourfront district than with Parkdale—High Park.

I also propose that the boundaries of the district be maintained as they are today in the southeast. Instead, the northern boundary of the district should follow the southern border of the Lambton Golf & Country Club and along Lambton Street to the hydro corridor/greenbelt created by Marie Baldwin Park and the Lavender Creek.

This would help keep communities intact by officially bringing the small, connected neighbourhoods of Lambton, Syme, and The Stockyard, into the riding. These diverse neighbourhoods have similar needs to others in the district, and bringing them in would strengthen the voices of immigrant communities.

These areas are also home to a prominent Tibetan-Canadian population, many of whom are connected to faith and cultural communities located in "Little Tibet" in Parkdale. We have a responsibility to empower community voices in these situations, and this is an opportunity to unite the Tibetan-Canadian community and strengthen their representation.

The five largest Tibetan organizations in our city, representing thousands of Tibetan – Canadians, have made a joint submission to the Commission to do just that. They strongly favour expanding the borders as I have proposed.

Many parents from my riding send their children to the George Syme Community School, for their French immersion program. Expanding the borders would allow for their school to be in their riding.

Finally, this shift northward would put the district very close to the 2022 population quota.

I would like to thank the Commission once again for the opportunity to present my proposals. I am available if you need further clarification.

Appendix A — Map

Note: The boundaries as drawn above would result in a population of 115,112, leaving a -1.3% variance from the quota.

Appendix B — Petition

The Federal Electoral Boundary Commission proposes including Taiaiako'n as part of our electoral district's new name. Including Taiaiako'n in the electoral district's new name recognizes the history of an important Seneca and Mohawk site that was located on the east shore of the Humber River. This is an important change that we support.

We are concerned, however, by the loss of Parkdale from the new name of the electoral district and instead propose the district be known as Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park.

Established as an independent municipality in 1879, the village of Parkdale was annexed by the City of Toronto in 1899. The federal electoral district of Parkdale was created in 1914, and merged with a neighbouring district into Parkdale—High Park in 1979.

Parkdale is a proud, spirited community with a strong identity and sense of place. This is reflected in the many non-profit, neighbourhood, small business, and community associations with Parkdale in the name and serving the area.

We believe removing Parkdale from the district's name would be a mistake after more than 100 years of recognition.

Signatories

redacted: 254 names