Comment 332 – comments and feedback

Shaun Chen
Member of Parliament, Scarborough North

October 25, 2022

Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario
PO Box 37018 Southdale
London, Ontario, N6E 3T3
Via E-mail: ON@redecoupage-federal-redistribution.ca

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

Thank you for the opportunity to make this written submission regarding the redistribution of federal electoral boundaries as the Member of Parliament for Scarborough North since 2015 and former local school Trustee and Chair of the Toronto District School Board from 2006 to 2015.

There is an especially high level of interest from Scarborough residents in the proposed boundaries. Communities are upset when something valued and cherished is about to be taken away from them. In this case, it is 'effective representation.'

When Parliament unanimously passed Bill C-14 last June, the underlying principle was to prevent any province from losing a seat, in order to preserve communities of interest and identity. Ontario was slated to gain one seat, and as legislators, we were reminded of how new seats were allocated in the 2012 redistribution process, by simply adding them to the areas of greatest growth.

The current proposal, however, takes a different approach. Three new seats are added in areas of greater growth, while two seats are removed from areas ostensibly of lesser growth. This exercise in reallocation between regions appears to prioritize the objective of meeting the provincial quota of 116,590 people per riding within the Commission's desire of plus or minus 10%. Meanwhile, the legislation permits a deviation of 25%.

In 1991, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Saskatchewan v. Carter: "The purpose of the right to vote enshrined in s. 3 of the Charter is not equality of voting power per se but the right to 'effective representation'." The Court goes on to explain that "factors like geography, community history, community interests and minority representation may need to be taken into account to ensure that our legislative assemblies effectively represent the diversity of our social mosaic."

In 2004, the Federal Court heard Raîche v. Canada and overturned the New Brunswick Commission's proposal, which had imposed a deviation of 10% of the quota and in doing so, inadvertently moved a francophone-minority community into a predominantly anglophone-majority riding.

Effective Representation

The proposed reduction of one Toronto riding results in a cascading effect across the city that culminates in decreasing Scarborough's representation. The plan disrupts historical boundaries like Victoria Park Avenue; it divides communities of interest and identity such as the Milliken and Sandhurst Circle neighbourhoods in Scarborough North; and it diminishes minority representation in the city's most diverse and disadvantaged areas.

Scarborough is a unique place, where 74% of residents are visible minorities. In Scarborough North, 91% are visible minorities, the highest percentage of any riding in Canada, and 70% were born outside of Canada. Scarborough North also has a Chinese visible-minority population of 45%, among the highest in the country. In short, I submit to you that the current proposal does not support 'effective representation.' Minority groups including the Chinese community have argued that they would like six full ridings for Scarborough restored. Disruption and one less seat will only further marginalize those who are already underrepresented in Canada's Parliament.

What, then, is the larger solution for Ontario? My recommendation is that you take full advantage of the flexibility afforded by federal legislation. In Toronto and other regions of growth, you can adjust within the existing number of ridings to rebalance populations within 25% of the quota, while maintaining communities of interest and identity. Ontario has one new seat. You can simply add it to the region of greatest growth, which is Brampton, Caledon, and Dufferin.

Scarborough North

The Toronto Caucus has submitted to you a plan which I fully support. What the Toronto Caucus proposes is to return Toronto to 25 seats to preserve communities of interest and identity, as well as important historical boundaries. The Toronto Caucus proposal achieves a deviation of 10.65% of the quota and holds boundaries, wherever possible, to the City of Toronto's 158 neighbourhoods.

This includes extending Scarborough North's southern boundary to Ellesmere Road, the area known as the Scarborough City Centre. The residential buildings here are relatively newer developments that do not have the same historical attachment to the rest of the Scarborough Centre riding. In fact, prior to 1996, this area was included in Scarborough North's predecessor riding known as Scarborough—Rouge River. By returning the Scarborough City Centre to Scarborough North, the riding's population will increase from 94,717 to 105,240, or -9.73% of the quota.

At present, Scarborough North is a collection of well-established communities of interest and identity, including Milliken, Agincourt North, Agincourt South-Malvern West, Malvern West and Morningside Heights. The current proposal to move the riding's boundary to McCowan Road is clearly untenable, as it divides three major neighbourhoods: Milliken, Agincourt North and Agincourt South-Malvern West.

Milliken

Milliken is a community in existence for 215 years. Its namesake, Norman Milliken, was a loyalist, farmer and businessman who settled the area in 1807.

The community is bounded by Kennedy Road (west), Steeles Avenue East (north), Markham Road (east) and Finch Avenue East or McNicoll Avenue (south). Residential areas exist only east of Midland Avenue, the highest density of which is along Alton Towers Circle. Its major public spaces are Milliken Park and the Milliken Park Community Recreation Centre, both located at the south-east corner of McCowan Road and Steeles Avenue East.

According to census data, Milliken is home to the city's highest concentration of visible minorities at 97%, largely Chinese, and 26.6% of the population have knowledge of neither official language. Simultaneously, Milliken recorded the greatest population decrease, -8.1%, among all Toronto neighbourhoods in the 2021 census. This suggests a strong inverse correlation between marginalization, due to racialization and the language barrier, and census participation in 2021, when the dire circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to suppressed community outreach efforts.

Agincourt and Malvern West

To the south of Milliken is Agincourt, a community that has existed for 164 years. Not to be confused with the riding of Scarborough—Agincourt, the historic village of Agincourt was founded in 1858 with the opening of its post office by local merchant John Hill. Despite popular belief, the core neighbourhood of Agincourt is largely situated within the riding of Scarborough North, not Scarborough—Agincourt.

The neighbourhood known as Agincourt North is bounded by Midland Avenue (west), McNicoll Avenue (north), Markham Road (east) and Huntingwood Drive or the CP rail line (south); while Agincourt South-Malvern West is bounded by Kennedy Road (west), Huntingwood Drive or the CP rail line (north), Markham Road (east) and Highway 401 (south). Clusters of condominiums, as well as the riding's largest shopping mall, Woodside Square, are located on Sandhurst Circle, which encircles the major intersection of McCowan Road and Finch Avenue East. The Agincourt Recreation Centre is located at the north-east corner of Midland Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East.

Agincourt will soon welcome the newest higher-order transit built in Scarborough since 1985. Currently under construction at the north-east corner of McCowan Road and Sheppard Avenue East, the third and final stop of the Scarborough Subway Extension is bringing major revitalization and development to Scarborough North. This is supported through the City of Toronto's official plan and provincial legislation introduced as recently as today, when the Ontario government tabled the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, which prioritizes density targets near major transit stations.

Like the other areas that make up Scarborough North, Agincourt is a highly diverse neighbourhood. Agincourt North, for example, has a 91% visible-minority population, the vast majority of which is Chinese, followed by Sri Lankan or Tamil and East Indian.

Adjacent to Agincourt is Malvern West, which largely comprises the eastern portion of Scarborough North. Malvern West is a natural extension of Agincourt South-Malvern West, named accordingly to suggest a unique blending of the Agincourt and Malvern communities. Malvern West is bounded by Markham Road (west), Finch Avenue East (north), Neilson Road (east) and Sheppard Avenue East (south), and it too has a large visible-minority population at 93%.

Scarborough North is a special place within Canada's premier metropolis. Its communities have stood the test of time, transforming from centuries-old villages and farmland to sprawling urban neighbourhoods of immense multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion. Where early settlers first step foot in Scarborough during the late 18^th century, new Canadians continue to take their first steps to build a new life here in Canada today.

My parents moved to Agincourt in the late 1970s after immigrating to Canada from India. I grew up in north Scarborough and have lived here my entire life. I have experienced first-hand the immigrant dream, indeed the Canadian dream, as a proud Canadian of Chinese descent and Indian heritage, and as a proud resident of Scarborough.

I hope that the histories, lived experiences and realities which I offer in this letter will assist you in your important work. They have led me to recognize, without a doubt, the shared responsibility in preserving this valued and cherished place that is Scarborough North.

Sincerely,

Shaun Chen
Member of Parliament
Scarborough North