Comment 34 – comments and feedback

Marilyn Iafrate, Councillor, Ward 1, Maple & Kleinburg

I have reviewed the boundary changes made by the Commission and I, once again, wish to bring this concern to your attention:

The community at the S/W corner of Rutherford Rd and Keele St belongs to Maple and therefore King-Vaughan.

This area is completely isolated from the Thornhill riding. The residents send their children to school in Maple, shop in Maple, worship in Maple - not Thornhill.

As the Councillor for Maple & Kleinburg, this pocket was added to my ward in 2010 specifically because they had nothing in common with Thornhill.

I made a public presentation to the Commission the last time the boundaries were changed and this request was ignored.

I implore you once more to reconsider this small pocket of approx 120 homes and allow them to vote within the community they are home to.

On another note, you continue to maintain a portion of Kleinburg and have left it in Woodbridge. You have used a road boundary that has not existed in decades and yet you define your southern boundary of Old Major Mackenzie Dr, now Padre Pio Gardens and Islington which is obsolete.

These residents align themselves very passionately with Kleinburg which is still considered a village in this area, their postal codes are Kleinburg, the sports clubs where their children participate use Major Mackenzie Dr as the boundary and the City of Vaughan uses the same boundary to separate the two areas in their respective wards. therefore their affiliation with Kleinburg should be respected rather than ignored.

The current Major Mackenzie Dr is the defining boundary between Woodbridge and Kleinburg and I ask that you right the wrong from the past.

Once again, I represent this community as the local municipal councillor and fully appreciate their disinterest in being included in a federal boundary that has no relevance to them.

Finally, I was the former Returning Officer for Elections Canada for 13 years and I speak from experience about the need to maintain community identity in electoral boundaries because when you disrespect community identities, you erode voter interest at election time.

I have seen the numbers dwindle each election and I know that Elections Canada has tried many ideas to increase voter turnout. By maintaining and enhancing community identity you retain voter interest and increase voter turnout.

Respectfully

Marilyn Iafrate

Councillor, Ward 1

Maple & Kleinburg