Commentaire 68 – commentaires et rétroaction

Dianne Johnston

Attached please find my comments regarding the Electoral Boundary Redistribution as it pertains to our small portion of Kingston just north of Highway 401 and Kingston and the Islands vs Gananoque-Brockville-Prescott.

Sincerely,

Dianne Johnston

Ms. Paula Puddy, Commission Secretary

At the last redistribution of electoral boundaries in 2015, the portion of Kingston north of the 401 highway was cleaved off and put in with Lanark,Frontenac. However that decision was made when the hearing left Kingston and went on to Brockville. The Commissioner's report at that time stated:

"The population of the current electoral district of Kingston and the Islands is 125,227. In its Proposal, the Commission maintained the boundaries of that electoral district despite the high population. That decision was influenced by the proposed boundaries for adjoining electoral districts. As a result of persuasive objections at the public hearings to revisit those boundaries, the Commission made significant changes that require an adjustment to the electoral district of Kingston and the Islands to balance population."

We never did find out who made those "persuasive objections", what they were and why they were not made at the time the hearing was in Kingston.

It makes no sense to separate this small portion of Kingston from the whole. We need to have some voice/influence in a riding not to just be an add on. There have been two federal elections since the redistribution where we have not seen one candidate come to our area. If we wanted to attend a candidate meeting, or their campaign office or go to our MP office we would have to drive almost 100 km to Perth. Now the proposal is to make us go to Brockville? How is this being represented? How is this having a voice in our community? With our elected representative in Kingston the average distance would be 10 km to a constituency office.

Our daily social, cultural and economic activities all centre in Kingston. We rely on police and fire services from Kingston. We pay our taxes to Kingston.

In short, our interests do not align with the new proposed riding of Gananoque-Brockville-Prescott (nor do they align with Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston); they align with Kingston and the Islands.

We trust that we will have our electoral boundary restored and that we will be returned to Kingston and the Islands.

Now that you have read my reasons for wanting to return to our original sensible area, why don't you tell me why I should not be represented from where I spend my money and pay my taxes. I await your prompt enlightening reply.

Dianne Johnston

1780 Foxdale Place

Kingston (Glenburnie) Ontario K0H 1S0