Commentaire 27 – commentaires et rétroaction

Donna Jean Stewart

Protesting proposal to cut a largely indigenous riding

I thought we were finished with discrimination against indigenous people, but I see that once more there is a proposal to treat them unfairly in the matter of representation in our federal government. and I wish to object. most vigorously. I would like to think that this has nothing to do with the effectiveness of the incumbent MP, but I am in no way certain of the integrity of this process.

I presume the plan to cut a Northern riding omes from a conviction that once more the inhabitants will be quiet, and not object to being cut by the proposed boundary "reform". which is actually a redistribution of power. If there are poor ridings In New Brunswick with smaller populations AND smaller territories, that does not seem fair to me, though I suspect they were promised at Confederation representation even if there isn't adequate population and no such promise was made to the original inhabitants of the land.

In British Columbia we have overpopulated ridings and underpopulated ones, but that seems to be based on keeping ridings manageably sized for the MLA or MP. If the overpopulated ones are urban, the citizens can still communicate easily with their representatives, whereas in the North, they would have to travel many hours to see their MLA or MP.

Communication is, of course easier in ridings with full WIFI coverage, but its clear that won't be the case when a Northern riding is cut.

I am assuming that the increase in southern Ontario representation is to appease Jagmeet Singh, I'm an NDP member, but I cannot support cutting indigenous representation in deference to him.

This is NOT the time to reduce indigenous representation.

I was born in Iroquois Falls, and that community is well served by Charlie Angus, but he has to work VERY hard to keep in touch with people as it is.

We do not need to give our indigenous people any MORE grievances or work an already hard-working MP any harder than he is already working.

And we do not want our boundary changes to look like American ones either. .

Yours truly

D.J. Stewart