Comment 172 – comments and feedback

Colin Lacey

I would like to write in to voice my support for the proposed riding boundary changes for the City of Toronto, especially for my neighbourhood that would be impacted by the realignment of the Don Valley East riding.

As a resident in this area, my day-to-day life has me constantly crossing Victoria Park for errands, work and to visit friends and family. I strongly feel that the proposed riding changes better reflect the realities of today and that an MP for this riding would be better set up for success in meeting our needs.

Unfortunately, I found out about the proposed changes from a community group that is waxing nostalgic about what the world was like 25 years ago in pre-amalgamation Toronto and making false claims that areas are being "removed" and would no longer be considered Scarborough if the changes take effect. There was also a claim that representation was decreasing for us residents which I don't believe is accurate (currently, the Scarborough area is represented by 6 federal ridings, and this would increase to 7 ridings with the proposed changes - 5 ridings entirely within the historial Scarborough area, and two ridings where an MP would represent a riding that includes parts of Scarborough).

When asking where these residents lived, none of them seemed to live in the Don Valley East area and it made me wonder why someone over in Guildwood wants to define who and how my neighbourhood is represented.

The world has changed a lot in the 25 years since the City of Toronto was amalgamated. I fully support modernizing the federal ridings for my area to reflect the reality of my community as it is today and I strongly don't believe that making decisions based on nostalgia for a bygone era is acting in anyone's best interests.

Kind Regards,

Colin Lacey