Comment 2 – comments and feedback

Anita Smith Down

The federal electoral district that I have lived in for over 40 years is again facing the possibility of change. From being part of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston, this area may become part of the Gananoque-Brockville-Prescott federal electoral district. On the other hand, the member for Kingston and the Islands is in favour of my area becoming part of Kingston and the Islands again.

I am not in favour of leaving Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston and becoming part of Kingston and the Islands.

Policing, fire services, and paying taxes to the city of Kingston in this area, are not relevant reasons to become united with Kingston and the Islands, as the former are part of municipal services and the later is a federal district; two different and distinct levels of government.

The social, cultural, political and economic activities in rural areas like mine are very different from those of urban centers, even small urban centers like Kingston. Rural voices tend to be lost in the greater noise of city concerns and plans. As a rural constituent, I am very aware of the place that rural concerns have on the city agenda and in city services.

Likewise, the distance to the constituency office is not relevant. Communication with the office of Mr. Scott Reid (my current representative) has been quick, easy and fruitful via telephone and email. (As a side note, I will be very sorry to 'lose' Mr. Reid as a representative. I have been very pleased with his work on our behalf.)

As a rural constituent, I have more more confidence that my social, cultural, political and economic concerns will be best served by representation based in smaller urban and in rural districts and not by Kingston and the Islands.

Sincerely,

Anita Smith Down