Commentaire 112 – commentaires et rétroaction

Scott Martin

Dear Ms. Puddy,

I am writing to you to express my concerns with the current proposed electoral boundaries redistribution and their continued negative impact on residents in Kingston, Ontario.

My home is located on Sydenham Road, just two kilometres north of Highway 401/Macdonald-Cartier Freeway and a five-minute drive from downtown Kingston, yet the federal electoral district for myself and residents within this community is presently Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston. Geographically, this region is enormous, with an approximate area of 7,000 square kilometres. The elected Member of Parliament for our district has seldom, if ever, presented himself in person to anyone residing in our vicinity. In fact, I had to perform an internet search to learn his name. I have never once heard of him visiting, speaking, or attending a single event in this community. It would be a massive understatement to say that the current electoral boundaries for this area are less than acceptable or satisfactory in meeting the needs of the population of an area that is part of a major city.

Having said that, the latest proposed changes to the federal electoral boundaries for this area to possibly be included in the Gananoque-Brockville-Prescott district are just as unacceptable and as unsatisfactory as our current conditions; these changes will do nothing to remedy the issues of this community being neglected and insufficiently represented by our elected officials. The geographical area will still be very large (greater than 5000 square kilometres, by my rough calculations), and it is quite probable that residents will continue to have limited access to and contact with our "local" Member of Parliament.

My physical, mailing and 911 emergency services addresses are all identified as Kingston, Ontario. I pay my property taxes to the City of Kingston, and I vote for the mayor and councillors of the City of Kingston. I support local business and enterprises, participate in social and recreational events, and work in the city of Kingston. There is no plausible or relevant connection whatsoever between the Kingston area and the communities of Gananoque, Brockville or Prescott. Rhetorically then, why should we in the Kingston area continue to be forced to vote for federal candidates who have little-to-no interest in our community and its issues?

I emphatically request that the entire population of the whole of the City of Kingston, regardless of geographical boundaries or arbitrarily created zones, be returned to the federal electoral district of Kingston and the Islands. This would permit an equitable and inclusive electoral process and ensure that ALL residents of the City of Kingston be given a voice regarding issues that directly affect them and impact their lives from a federal perspective. The constituency office of the Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, MP Mark Gerretsen, is a mere eight kilometres from my home. Logically, then, residents of this and similar local communities should be included in the same district with all other residents of the City of Kingston. We deserve the right to vote for a truly local representative in the federal government; to continue to be mandated to vote for, and be represented by, an individual residing a hundred kilometres (or more) away from our residence is nonsensical and irrational.

Regards,

Scott Martin

cc. Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament — Kingston & The Islands, Ontario