Comment 60 – comments and feedback

Rick Bonnette, Mayor, Town of Halton Hills

Please see the attached letter from Mayor Rick Bonnette, Town of Halton Hills.

Re: FEDERAL ELECTORAL DISTRICTS REDISTRIBUTION 2022 — WELLINGTON-HALTON HILLS

Dear Members of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario:

I am writing to you on behalf of the Council of the Town of Halton Hills. Through a Resolution dated September 6th, 2022, Council authorized the Mayor of Halton Hills to submit a letter on behalf of Council for the Town of Halton Hills regarding the Redistribution of Federal Electoral Districts. Please include this letter as part of the official public participation on the proposed redistribution districts and consider Council's concerns as you deliberate on your final report. The Council of the Town of Halton Hills wishes to express concerns with the creation of two new districts that will divide the geographic area and social fabric of the Town of Halton Hills. The proposed redistribution will create two new districts proposed to be named Wellington-Halton and Georgetown-East Milton thus dividing the Town from what is currently Wellington-Halton Hills.

Council appreciates that the Commission as part of its rationale has considered historical patterns, municipal boundaries and population to achieve voter parity. Council would appreciate a reconsideration of the decisions that have led to proposing dividing the Town of Halton Hills between two districts and no longer including Halton Hills in the name of either district. Given the history of the Town of Halton Hills, the proposal for two districts would be especially damaging to the interests of the voting population within the Town. And on balance, this proposal would be more damaging to the voting population than not achieving an exacting measure of voter parity across districts.

In 1974, provincial Regionalization created the Town of Halton Hills within Halton Region by amalgamating three historically distinct communities — Acton, Esquesing and Georgetown. Since 1974 extraordinary efforts have been made to bring this mix of urban and rural communities together with a common community vision and shared goals. Over many years, Town Councils and administration, community leaders and associations, Halton Region, and provincial agencies have made progress in creating a common sense of community for the population of the Town of Halton Hills that has led to the betterment of all residents. The proposed new districts would divide the social and geographic fabric of the Town for which so much effort has gone into building over the past forty-eight years. The proposal for two districts will create confusion for local voters that will contribute to cynicism and a lack of participation at the polls.

Given the social and geographical significance attached to maintaining a common district for the Town of Halton Hills, the Council of the Town of Halton Hills requests that the Commission respect the historical patterns of previous electoral boundaries of the Town of Halton Hills and not divide the Town between districts.

I trust this information will be helpful in the deliberations leading to the final report of the Commission. I would be pleased to further discuss this matter with the Commission or its representatives.

Mayor Rick Bonnette

Town of Halton Hills

c: Michael Chong, MP Wellington - Halton Hills

Ted Arnott, MPP Wellington - Halton Hills

Gary Carr, Chair Halton Region

Town Council, Town of Halton Hills

Ms. Paula Puddy, Commission Secretary

Valerie Petryniak, Town Clerk, Town of Halton Hills