Comment 106 – comments and feedback

Pamela Robertson, Executive Director, Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce

Please see the attached letter from the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce regarding the redrawing of the Federal boundaries for the riding of Leeds-Grenville- Thousands Islands and Rideau Lakes. Please consider our letter for consideration. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Regards,

Pamela Robertson
Executive Director
Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce

RE: Redrawing of Federal Boundaries

This letter is to request re-consideration of the proposed change to the Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes riding to a new riding to be called Gananoque-Brockville-Prescott which would include parts of the City of Kingston.

While it is understood that the federal requirement is to review federal electoral districts every ten years because of population changes, the Brockville & District Chamber of Commerce is concerned that by focusing on population alone, the new riding plan is missing how Brockville's municipal government, as well as the business and residential community operates in this area.

Elizabethtown borders Brockville on three sides and is home to the Tackaberry airport to the north of Brockville which is owned by the City of Brockville.

The proposed redrawing of boundaries sees the Township of Elizabethtown -Kitley to the north split away, and many of our member businesses and the Brockville-owned airport located in Elizabethtown-Kitley falling under a Lanark federal riding.

In addition, the Leeds Grenville Lanark health unit operating in Brockville extends to the north to Lanark, but not as far west as Kingston. Additionally, the regional tourism organization operating in our region includes the Rideau and extends north to Smiths Falls. Changing the riding impacts our current alignments with these provincial bodies.

Therefore, splitting Elizabethtown-Kitley and other communities of like interest to the north of Brockville has the effect of splitting our business community and negatively impacting organizations that operate in Brockville and to the north of Brockville. It essentially adds a requirement to have to deal with two Federal MP organizations, in order to represent and advocate for our members who are very close to us geographically.

Given the businesses that form its membership, the Chamber is asking to keep the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley intact within the riding and retaining the geographical area to the north of Brockville.

Redrawing the riding boundary to include the town of Smiths Falls should fulfill the population requirement without disrupting the communities that currently operate in the Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes riding.

Your consideration of our interests in our advocacy efforts for our members in the business community is appreciated.

Best regards,

Pamela Robertson
Executive Director
Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce