Comment 215 – comments and feedback
Back to all comments and feedback from the public
Leeds County Cattlemens Association
Leeds Community Pasture Board of Directors
electoral boundaries
On behalf of the Leeds County Cattlemen, I am writing to express our concerns about the proposed boundary changes for the federal riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.
Our riding is large in land base, rural in nature and uniquely unified in our similarities. Our make-up is still predominantly dependent upon agriculture, family farms alongside small businesses that support residents from surrounding hamlets, villages and towns. We have no urban centres.
Our churches, schools, service clubs, sports organizations, county associations, fairs and events in turn are small but successful entirely because we strongly identify as local. Permanent residents co-exist with seasonal residents and both rely on the other for our economic well-being. Each community has a strong character of its own but is cohesive in its similarities.
We do not believe it would be in our riding's best interest to introduce an urban influence into our homogenous environment.
The proposal to change the boundaries to exclude Lanark South which is geographically, economically, and socially our regional twin to include a densely populated urban area of Kingston would create a chasm in understanding. The electorate in the eastern part of the city of Kingston has little in common with the issues we collectively share about the livestock and crops in our fields, farm equipment on back roads, Mennonite horse and buggies, cottagers and viable Main Streets.
Think hay bales vs bike lanes...
We are not against nor resistant to change but we do believe it must be initiated for the good of the people whom live in our riding. To date we have not heard any concrete reasoning in favour of this seemingly arbitrary re-alignment of electoral boundaries nor is it obvious to us why it would be to our individual, community or association's benefit.
Please note our opposition to the proposed electoral boundary changes for the riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.
Respectfully,
Kim Sytsma, Chair
Leeds County Cattlemen Dated: October 21, 2022
Cc: Michael Barret, MP for for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.