Commentaire 143 – commentaires et rétroaction

Brant Burrow

Ms. Paula Puddy
Commission Secretary, Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario
PO Box 37018 Southdale
London, ON N6E 3T3

Dear Secretary Puddy,

Before I outline my concerns with the proposed boundary adjustments which will significantly affect my township, I would first like to acknowledge the daunting task faced by your commission and others. Of course, one of the basic tenets of democracy is representation by population and with the ever-changing demography of our country it is vital that we routinely rebalance the make-up of our parliament in order to maintain fairness and institutional trust. Notwithstanding the fact that it is a constitutional requirement, it is just common sense.

Nonetheless, well-intentioned processes can sometimes go awry with unintended consequences and I truly believe that the proposed boundary adjustment, in our case, is a prime example. As a purely statistical and desktop-based exercise, the proposed adjustments likely appear to make sense.

Unfortunately, the statistical analysis lacks the context of the cultural impacts that such an adjustment will have on our community.

Fortunately, public hearings should provide an opportunity for the commission to gain a better understanding of these impacts and ultimately allow it to refine its boundary proposals in a way which still achieves the spirit of its mandate without unintended harm to various communities.

Culturally speaking, the proposed riding changes (from Leeds – Grenville – Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes into what would become the ridings of Gananoque – Brockvillle – Prescott as well as Lanark – Frontenac) are particularly problematic for the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley.

Specifically, the boundary line between the two new proposed ridings would be established in the same place and orientation as the boundary which historically existed between the former Elizabethtown and Kitley townships, pre-amalgamation (circa 2001).

The amalgamation of the two separate townships, into what is now Elizabethtown-Kitley, was not an easy transition. From day one, there were ever-present elements of an underlying north-south divide between our two populations. Fortunately, a generation later, the wounds of what was essentially a "forced marriage" have diminished and, for the most part, we finally think of ourselves as one big community.

The new ridings would cut the township in half again, in exactly the same way it used to be two separate townships; the progress we have made during the generation of healing would be wiped out in an instant. For federal (and presumably provincial) purposes, the population would once again be divided into its former two separate groupings.

Looking beyond our own township borders, the ten townships which make up the United Counties of Leeds–Grenville (UCLG) have developed a strong community of interest over the years. Quite honestly, the proposed changes to our riding boundaries leave me with serious questions and concerns regarding the practical longevity of UCLG as we know it. I can foresee a day when UCLG would no longer exist, having been carved up to align with riding boundaries and wiping out nearly 200 years of history and strong community bonds.

Just as amalgamations of the 2000's ultimately failed to deliver the promised "efficiencies" in the majority of cases – and, in fact, studies have shown that the cost of amalgamations were routinely higher than the status quo – the disruptions caused by boundary changes and name changes come at a cost.

Some of these costs can be easily quantified in the early days; others are less tangible and only become apparent long after the damage has been done.

As I understand it, status quo would still put the population of the existing riding within a ten percent margin of the commission's ideal target – and at the rate that we have been growing in recent years, we should soon be very close to that ideal target, regardless.

I urge the commission to seriously consider the cultural and intangible harm which will be inflicted upon the community of Elizabethtown-Kitley and indeed UCLG, and to weigh this against the minimal statistical gain which will be achieved under the proposed redistribution plan.

Attached is a copy of a corresponding resolution which our Council recently passed, unanimously, objecting to the proposed boundary adjustment.

Regards,

Brant Burrow
Mayor

Corporation of the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley

September 16, 2022

Session RES. NO. 230-22

Moved by E. Brayton
Seconded by T. Linton

Motion

WHEREAS the proposed boundary changes to the electoral boundaries will eliminate the existing riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes and create a new riding of Gananoque-Brockville-Prescott;

AND WHEREAS the proposed new riding of Lanark-Frontenac will include three (3) United Counties of Leeds and Grenville municipalities, being the Villages of Merrickville-Wolford and Westport, as well as the Township of Rideau Lakes, representing approximately 16% of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville population;

AND WHEREAS the proposed electoral boundaries will split the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley into to separate and distinct ridings with Geographic Kitley being included in proposed Lanark-Frontenac riding and Geographic Elizabethtown in the proposed Gananoque-Brockville-Prescott riding;

AND WHEREAS the proposed redistribution and creation of Lanark-Frontenac and Gananoque-Brockville-Prescott is disadvantageous to the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley due to the division of the municipality and its separation from its community of interest;

NOW THEREFORE the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley formally objects to the proposed Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission's proposed splitting of the municipality into two separate ridings.

Brant Burrow,
Mayor